Brenton froze for a second, but the fire in his chest only blazed hotter, fueled by some inexplicable rage. He clenched his teeth. "It had better be that way. Don't let me find out you're hiding other intentions."
Emily said nothing more. The moment she stepped out of the hotel, she handled two matters without hesitation.
First, she instructed the wedding planner to replace every instance of the bride's name in the upcoming ceremony in two weeks with Scarlett's.
Second, she called her best friend, Vivian Barnett. "I want to be the first test subject for that new technology of yours. Once I settle things here, I'll fly to Austrama to find you in two weeks."
The so-called new technology involved a sophisticated procedure using instruments to assist brain surgery, allowing selective forgetting of certain people or memories. Because the risks were still largely unknown, no volunteers had stepped forward in the past six months.
Vivian knew every painful twist in the three-year saga between Emily and Brenton. She understood that her friend had finally made up her mind. With a soft sigh, she simply said, "Alright. No matter what, I'm on your side."
After hanging up, Emily reached for her car door. A brutal blow struck the back of her head.
She had no idea how long she remained unconscious. When she finally came to, she found herself in a dim, damp basement.
A man reeking of alcohol staggered toward her. The instant he saw her eyes open, he kicked her hard in the stomach.
"You're Brenton's fiancée, right?"
Before she could respond, he kicked her again in a fit of pent-up fury.
"That bastard stole my daughter and nearly got me killed. Today I'm taking his precious fiancée. It's time to settle the score!"
He snatched Emily's phone, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and dialed Brenton.
The moment the call connected, Brenton's voice dripped with mockery. "What, regretting giving away the ring already? Too bad I'm not ready to forgive you yet."
"Brenton, I've got your fiancée," the man cut in sharply.
Brenton paused for two seconds, irritation clear in his tone. "Emily, I don't have time for your games."
Without wasting words, the man switched to video and pointed the camera at Emily. "Choose. Your fiancée returned safe and sound, or naked photos of Scarlett all over the internet. Pick your fiancée, and I'll send my i***t daughter's photos everywhere. Pick the photos, and..."
He let out a disgusting laugh, grabbing Emily's chin and stroking it roughly. "...and then your pretty fiancée belongs to me tonight."
The sticky touch made her skin crawl. Emily frowned and jerked her head away with difficulty.
Only then did real panic creep into Brenton's voice. His face darkened. "You're looking for trouble!"
"I might as well accomplish something before I die. Mr. Richardson, choose carefully."
The man held up his own phone, finger hovering over the send button on a prepared message.
"I'll count to three. One..."
Before the word fully faded, Brenton made his choice. "I choose the photos."
Emily's eyes shot up to the screen, her pupils trembling. Something inside her shattered into pieces.
Brenton's eyes reddened. His mouth opened and closed silently.
She read his lips: Trust me.
But even if he had already traced their location, he could not reach her instantly. No one could guarantee what might happen before he arrived.
She was the one in immediate danger, yet she still could not outweigh those photographs.
A sharp ringing filled her head. Emily squeezed her eyes shut, forcing them open again only when the world steadied.
The video call had ended. The man grinned lewdly, his hands growing bolder.
"What a waste of such a beautiful face. Turns out you're not even as important to Brenton as my stupid daughter."
Every word sliced into Emily's heart like a blade. A sudden metallic sweetness rose in her throat. She could not hold it back and spat out a mouthful of blood.
The unexpected turn startled the man into stumbling back two steps.
Seizing the moment, Emily scrambled to her feet, grabbed a metal baton from the corner, and smashed it against the door lock with all her strength.
Her arms went numb and throbbed from the impact, but she ignored the pain and fought her way out.
She knew only one thing: she could not stop. She could not die here. After what felt like an eternity, she staggered into a hospital and collapsed at the entrance.
When she woke, a dull ache throbbed at the back of her skull.
She let out a low hiss of pain, and a strong hand immediately seized hers.
"You're awake, Emily!"
Brenton's eyes were bloodshot. He rushed to explain. "Those photos nearly destroyed Scarlett's life once. They absolutely cannot get out. Besides, I had my team lock onto your phone's location the second it happened. I got there in under twenty minutes, so I..."
Emily closed her eyes. The memories of the previous night flashed through her mind, sending an uncontrollable shiver down her spine. She could still feel those filthy hands crawling over her skin.
Under twenty minutes? Was she simply supposed to endure whatever price came with that delay?
Brenton pressed a black card and an elegant box into her hands.
"This card has no limit. Once you're discharged, go buy whatever you like. The box contains the limited edition from your favorite designer. You love daffodils, right? I had an entire truckload shipped from Cloud City. When the wedding..."
"Say what you really mean," Emily interrupted, opening her eyes with calm detachment.
Brenton hesitated, a rare flicker of guilt crossing his face. "Scarlett wants you to drop any charges against her father."
Aksara