Chapter 4
I stepped out of that dilapidated studio apartment, my hands red and aching, clutching my Swiss Army knife tightly; even though it had been in my pocket for a long time, the handle still bore the marks of its intricate design.
I remembered the indicator light on my dashcam flashing, recording everything. But now the dashcam had been sold to a used car dealership, and I decided to try my luck there.
The used car repair shop was a low building, its sign flashing: LUCKY��S USED PARTS. The parking lot was empty, save for a few rows of dilapidated cars and a gleaming black two-door sports car��a stark contrast to the surroundings. My stomach churned before I even saw her.
Vanessa.
She stood inside the wire mesh gate, elegant yet slightly weary. The emerald green silk dress she wore��high-necked and fitted��was a gift from Caleb last spring. She looked up from her phone, a slow, delicate smile playing on her lips.
��Oh, isn��t this the most popular homeless man in town?�� she said in a sweet voice. ��You really think you��re the only one who remembers the dashcam?��
I clenched my fists. ��Get out of the way.��
She laughed, a harsh laugh. ��I won��t����
I didn��t answer, just shifted my body. She blocked my way, blocking the door. ��You will never get it.I will ruined it.��
I glimpsed movement behind her; they were already searching. I lunged forward, reaching for the dashcam holder. Vanessa grabbed my wrist, her nails digging deep into my skin.
��Get out of here!�� I screamed hoarsely.
She yanked me back, and we stumbled and wrestled.
Her nails dug into my wrist, and I gasped in pain, a metallic taste rising in my throat. I shoved her hard, and her back slammed against the door of a beat-up car with a dull thud. She cursed as she reached for my hair with her other hand.
"Give me the video!"
She turned around, her voice shrill. "You pathetic! He never loved you. He never will."
I grabbed her hair, forcing her to face me. "You can lie to him, but I know what happened. You weren't there. You were never there."
A sharp whistle pierced the air. One of her henchmen strode over, grabbed my arm, and yanked me back. Another henchman twisted my wrists behind my back with such force that they bruised. Vanessa smoothed her skirt, a blush rising on her face, a hint of triumph in her eyes. She stepped forward, her voice low and intimate.
"You just can't accept it, can you?" Her eyes gleamed. ��Look at yourself now, you're like a stray cat no one wants.��
I spat blood onto the ground, glaring at her fiercely, hoping my gaze would burn her. ��You're nowhere near as composed as you appear, otherwise you wouldn't be here.��
A strange look flashed across her face, but she quickly masked it.
��No one in this city needs you anymore�� she whispered. �� Caleb loves me.It's time for someone as useless as you to step down.��
Suddenly, a deep, expensive engine roar ripped through the night. Vanessa��s gaze snapped to the door, her initial courage vanishing instantly. A black Maybach came to a slow stop.
The driver��s side door opened. A man stepped out, tall, serious-looking, dressed in a well-tailored black suit. Everything around him seemed to freeze. His hair was jet black, perfectly styled, his features sharp, and his eyes cold and unfathomable. Damian Thorne. I��d seen him once at a party��a shadow at the edge of the room. He exuded a powerful aura that was both captivating and terrifying.
His icy gaze swept over everything before him. His eyes landed on Vanessa, and the silence froze.
��Miss Fairfax,�� he said in a cold voice, ��I��ve known your father for decades. I don��t think he��d like to hear about his daughter��s extracurricular activities.��
Vanessa��s composure crumbled instantly. She took a step forward, her voice weak. ��Mr. Thorne, please����
He interrupted her with a dismissive gesture. ��Leave here now..��
Her lips trembled. She glanced at the man beside her. ��Put����
Damian��s gaze sharpened. ��Don't make me repeat myself a second time.��
The two men immediately released me, retreating as if burned. Vanessa hesitated, trying to maintain her dignity, but to no avail. She glared at me with hatred, then turned and hurried to her car, which disappeared into the night, its taillights fading around the corner.
Silence. Damian stood before me, arms crossed, the Maybach��s headlights shining behind him. I hurriedly stood up, brushed the dust off my knees, and tried to calm myself.
He looked me up and down, his expression unreadable. ��You��re Aria Lane, Caleb��s ex-girlfriend.��
I nodded, swallowing hard.
He stared at me for a while longer, as if weighing something unseen. Then he reached into his breast pocket and pulled a card��black with silver lettering. He handed it to me, holding it between two fingers. The gesture was unusually formal, even old-fashioned.
��If you need help,�� he said, ��just call me.��
Damian's fingers lightly brushed against the bruises on my cheek as he whispered, ��It's not over yet. Get ready, little girl." �� But his tone wasn't comforting; it sounded more like a gamble.
He turned and walked to his car, the door closing softly, with a sense of finality. The Maybach drove into the darkness, leaving me alone in the parking lot, Damian's business card clutched tightly in my hand, adrenaline still surging through my veins.
I stood there, breathless, surrounded by shattered glass and the specter of everything I had lost. But for the first time in days, I felt a spark ignite deep within me��a dangerous and fragile hope.
I took the card, my fingers lightly brushing against it. The handwriting was cold and smooth: Damian Thorne, CEO of Thorne Capital Group.
My eyes widened in shock the moment I saw the name on the business card. That man was...?
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