Chapter 3 Betrayal

Aiden frowned impatiently as he headed toward the walk-in closet to change clothes.

Opening the wardrobe, he discovered that Keira's side was noticeably emptier.

Several outfits she wore regularly had disappeared, along with her frequently used skincare products.

The house suddenly seemed devoid of any trace that Keira had ever lived there.

Even their large wedding portrait had been removed and tucked away in the farthest corner.

In the photograph, Keira wore an immaculate white wedding gown, her smile forced, her eyes reflecting a cautious hope.

Aiden wore an expression cold as ice.

He couldn't explain the irritation growing within him.

After scanning the closet, he failed to find his favorite blue shirt.

He pulled out his phone and, after a moment's hesitation, called a number he hadn't dialed in a long time—Keira's.

The phone rang for what seemed like forever, but no one answered.

When the final dial tone ended, Aiden's patience evaporated completely.

He let out a cold laugh. "Fine, Keira. You're quite the actress. If you dare to make a scene, don't come crying back!"

Meanwhile, Keira had arrived at room 808 of the Sunrise Hotel, following the address Martha had given her.

For reasons she couldn't explain, the uneasiness in her heart grew stronger with each passing moment.

But remembering Martha's sincere words earlier that day, Keira pushed down her apprehension and opened the door.

What greeted her was a grotesquely obese face with a leering smile.

The door closed behind her without warning, and two burly security guards blocked the exit.

Keira stood frozen in shock.

Looking around, she saw no sign of Martha—only a greasy, lecherous middle-aged man sitting by the table.

Her heart turned to ice as she began to understand what was happening.

Brandon smiled, revealing tobacco-stained teeth, his eyes glinting with perverse intent.

"Ms. Lynn, you've arrived! Please, sit down. Your mother has arranged everything. Let's eat and talk... get to know each other more intimately."

A chill ran down Keira's spine, and she instinctively stepped backward.

"Arranged? Where's my mother? She invited me to dinner. Where is she?"

Brandon burst into laughter, the sound grating on her ears.

"Ms. Lynn, you're so wonderfully naive. Didn't your mother tell you? She took a three-million-dollar deposit from me and sold you to me. This dinner is just the appetizer. You're the main course."

Brandon stood up and approached her, the excitement in his eyes undisguised.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of you."

Keira's heart bled.

Her nominal mother, Martha, had concealed her married status and sold her to this repulsive man for a higher price!

She frantically turned around, only to face the two imposing guards at the door.

"Trying to leave?"

Brandon's sinister voice sounded behind her.

"The money's been paid. You're not going anywhere until I'm satisfied tonight."

He laughed obscenely, grabbing Keira's arm and attempting to pull her toward him.

"Let go of me!" Keira screamed, shoving him away forcefully.

She stumbled backward to the table, grabbing a plate and smashing it violently against the floor!

The shattering sound pierced the air but did nothing to deter her assailant's advance.

Brandon licked his lips, seeming even more excited.

"Quite the spirited one, aren't you? I like that. Hold her down!"

The two guards immediately moved forward.

Desperate, Keira spotted a shard from the broken plate.

She grabbed it and pointed it at the guards. "Stay back! Come any closer and I won't be responsible for what happens."

Brandon sneered. "I'd like to see what you think you can do. Get her!"

Seeing this, Keira turned the shard toward her own face and slashed her cheek harshly—blood immediately began pouring from the wound.

Everyone froze in shock.

Brandon stood stunned, then quickly became furious.

He'd paid for beauty, not some self-mutilating lunatic!

Keira's eyes reflected a desperate madness as she held the shard against her throat.

"Let me go! Or all you'll get is a corpse!"

Brandon was indeed intimidated, his expression turning extremely grim.

"Damn it! She's completely insane! What bad luck!"

He waved his hand, and the guards stepped back.

Keira immediately bolted for the door, running out with all her might.

Her high heels were long gone, and excruciating pain shot through her ankle, likely sprained.

But Keira didn't dare stop.

Driven by survival instinct, she pushed herself to run out of the hotel.

The terror of her near-miss finally caught up with her, and tears began streaming down her face.

She realized she had somehow run deep into a park.

In the darkness, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, tree shadows swayed, and everything was eerily quiet.

She stumbled to the edge of a man-made lake where the water reflected the moonlight with a dark luster.

The lake mirrored her wretched appearance—covered in blood, luggage lost, clothes torn, feet raw and bleeding.

Keira moved toward the lake's edge like a walking corpse, staring at the seemingly bottomless water with empty eyes.

Her heart felt like it had a gaping hole, letting in a cold, desolate wind.

A laughable, absurd life—perhaps it was time to end it.

Keira closed her eyes and stepped toward the lake.

In the next instant, an arm suddenly wrapped around her from behind, violently pulling her back.

"Keira! What are you doing!" an angry voice shouted in her ear.

Keira turned around in confusion.

Her vision blurred, and before she could make out who stood before her, darkness overtook her, and she lost consciousness completely.

When she regained consciousness, Keira's head throbbed with pain.

After a long struggle, she managed to sit up.

The room around her was clean and tidy, but unfamiliar.

The wounds on her face had been bandaged, though they still ached dully.

The door opened, and Keira looked up warily.

A middle-aged woman with a kind face entered the room.

"Keira, you're awake? How do you feel? Is there anything else hurting?"

The woman carried warm water and medicine, her eyes reflecting both concern and anger.

As her blurry vision gradually focused, Keira recognized the familiar yet distant face.

It was Elodie, the former housekeeper of the Lynn family.