Chapter 4

Marco dragged me to an old warehouse at the family pier.

I curled up in the corner, my voice full of fear. "Marco, what are you doing?"

Marco stood outside the door, his voice cruel. "Sonia, the Rossi family needs a mistress who knows the rules. You'll stay here and learn to behave. When you've learned your lesson, you can come out."

As soon as the words left his mouth, hands suddenly groped at my legs in the darkness.

"Ahh!"

Outside the door, Marco and Olivia's laughter drifted in. My screams made Marco pause for an instant, but then he spoke mockingly. "I'm just scaring her. There's no one in the warehouse. She's still putting on an act."

But I wasn't acting. Several men were pinning me to the ground with vicious grins. Inside, I sobbed and screamed, my hands clawing at the concrete until they left bloody trails.

Outside, Olivia giggled coquettishly. "Marco, stop paying attention to her. Let's go. Didn't you promise to take me to Europe before the wedding?"

The man's voice instantly softened. "Alright, whatever you want."

Footsteps faded away.

My heart sank into complete despair. My vision blurred. Just when I thought the darkness would swallow me whole, the heavy iron door was kicked open.

A backlit figure stood in the doorway and strode toward me. His men quickly subdued those men. That figure carefully lifted me into his arms. His arrival made tears flood my eyes instantly. My taut nerves completely shattered. I blacked out.

Two days later, Marco returned from Europe to pick me up for the wedding. He figured after a few days of reflection, I'd surely know I was wrong and wouldn't make trouble for Olivia anymore. As long as I behaved, he'd treat me well after the marriage.

With this thought, Marco opened the warehouse door. A metallic stench of rust hit him in the face.

He instinctively raised his hand to block it. After his eyes adjusted to the light, the scene before him was utter chaos—filth scattered everywhere. On the concrete floor, large patches of dark red bloodstains had long since dried. And my torn dress was carelessly tossed beside the blood.

The warehouse was empty. No sign of Sonia anywhere. What had happened here was self-evident.

He rushed inside, his whole body trembling—not from heartache, but from the fury of being "betrayed."

He violently kicked over a nearby metal barrel. It crashed to the ground with a clang that echoed through the empty warehouse.

"Sonia, you filthy woman."

His voice was hoarse and savage, filled with hatred that wanted to grind me to dust. "You actually dared to fool around with some man behind my back. You really are born trash."

Just then, Olivia walked over wearing Marco's suit jacket, her heels clicking. Seeing the scene in the warehouse, she feigned shock, covering her mouth. But triumph gleamed in her eyes as she spoke timidly.

"Marco, look at this floor. Sonia, she—"

She paused deliberately, putting on a hesitant expression. "She must be deliberately trying to make you angry. Otherwise why would she make such a mess here? She has no shame at all, fooling around with someone else in here. No wonder she's nowhere to be found—probably too ashamed to show her face."

Olivia's words were like a fuse, completely igniting the rage and self-deception in Marco's heart. He clenched his fists tightly, his voice full of vicious malice. "Find her. Even if we have to turn New York upside down, find that woman."

Olivia followed, gently patting his back, her voice soft and comforting. "Marco, don't let yourself get too upset. When we find Sonia, talk to her properly. She'll realize her mistake."

He turned to face the men who'd rushed over, barking orders. "Find Sonia immediately. I want everyone to know what kind of filthy woman Sonia is. I'll make her pay for her depravity."

Marco slowly crouched down, his voice full of malice yet tinged with twisted obsession. "Sonia, you'd better hope I don't find you. Because if I do, I'll make sure you understand just how terrible the consequences are for humiliating me."