Chapter 2

Moldivas? Wesley had promised to take me there three years ago, but ended up taking Janine there instead. His voice at that moment was so seductive and tempting that one couldn't help but fall for it. "Alright." I heard myself say. After hanging up, I stood in the parking lot for a long time. He said he needed me. Perhaps it was real this time. Perhaps he finally saw the sacrifice that I had made. Perhaps… We won the bid with a landslide success. The materials I had prepared throughout the night, while injured, let Wesley win against our opponents at the very last minute. When he went on stage to accept the applause, he swept his gaze at me, stopping only for a short moment. I thought that it was a thank you from him. The celebration was held at a rotating restaurant on the top floor of a skyscraper. I had deliberately changed to a gown that could cover the bandages on my shoulder. When I entered, the server led me to the most corner seat. "Mr. Grant's orders," he said softly. "He said that you're injured and you need some quiet." I looked at Wesley, laughing and chatting at the main table. He was lowering his head and whispering into Janine's ear with a grin. That seat should have been mine. The lighting where I was was dim—enough to hide all of my humiliation. Halfway through the party, Robert Lowe raised a glass, fumbling to get up. "It's such a happy occasion. Why don't we get Ms. Leigh to drink with us?" Janine immediately looked troubled. She hid herself behind Wesley. Wesley furrowed his brows, but immediately looked at me in the corner. "Sophie, take Janine's place." I was completely baffled. All eyes were on me. "I…" My injury was still hurting. I hesitated for a while before biting my lip and explaining, "I don't feel too well." "Don't be such a party pooper." Wesley's tone turned cold. "Mr. Lowe here is an important client." I got up with difficulty and walked toward the main table. Robert smiled mischievously as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pressing right on my wound. I was in so much pain I gasped, only to see Wesley helping Janine get some food. He completely did not notice my pain. … After three rounds of drinking, my stomach started to churn. I excused myself to head to the ladies', but Janine stopped me in the corridors. "What a good dog," she snickered. "Wesley said that from now on, you'll be the one attending all the business social events." When I returned to the venue, Janine walked over to me with a glass of wine in her hand. "Sophie, thank you for drinking on my behalf," she said sweetly. "Here's to you." When I was about to clink glasses with her, her hand suddenly turned. Red wine spilled onto my light-colored gown, staining a large patch. "Oh, no!" Janine yelped. "I'm sorry my hand slipped." The commotion attracted some attention, together with some snickers and comments. Wesley walked over. I looked at him, thinking that he might show some concern. Yet, he furrowed his brows and looked at me. "How could you be so careless? You don't even care about your image in public." Janine huddled up to him and flashed an innocent gaze. "It's all my fault." "It's not." Wesley patted her on the back of her hand before turning to me. "Go to the washroom and get it clean. Don't embarrass me here." Embarrass him? Turns out, he thought that I should drink on his behalf, but if I was humiliated openly in public, I'm the one causing him embarrassment. I got up, feeling the wet dress sticking to my skin. When I walked past the main table, I saw the date and suddenly remembered that it was our fifth anniversary of knowing each other. Five whole years. I stopped and turned to him, saying, "Wesley, do you remember what day it is today?" He was busy helping Janine, so he replied without looking up, "What day? Enough fooling around. Go get yourself cleaned up." At that moment, my heart completely sank. In the ladies', I looked at the wretched state I was in through the mirror. For the past five years, all I did was prove that I was one big joke. I collected my thoughts before heading to the parking lot when I was stopped by three men. They were from our business opponents who had lost the bid that day. "Hand over the document." The leader of the group flashed a gleaming knife. "How kind of Wesley Grant to let you go alone." I tightened my grip on the briefcase. There was an important agreement in it that was going to be signed the next day. "Dream on." When they attacked, I defended myself through all the years of training from defending Wesley. However, my shoulder injury limited my movements, and soon I was overpowered. … When the knife came stabbing toward me, I swerved and hit the other person's wrist with the briefcase. We heard footsteps coming down. It was Wesley and Janine. "Wesley!" I yelled, "Help me!" When he saw what was happening, the first thing he did was to place Janine behind him, protecting her. "Where are the documents?" he asked me. While fending for myself, I threw the briefcase to him. He grabbed it and pulled Janine along to the car. He said, "I can't put Janine in danger. Stall them." He sped off, leaving me alone with three thugs. The injury on my shoulder split open as blood seeped through my clothes. I leaned against a pole and slipped to the ground. As I saw the tail lights turning around in the corner, vanishing from my sight, I suddenly lost the will to fight. When the knife stabbed into my waist, I didn't feel pain at all. Perhaps because my heart was completely dead, I no longer felt pain. A second stab, a third stab… I lost count. Blood splattered from my body. I was slowly losing consciousness. All I could hear was my heavy breathing. Right when I was about to see black, I heard scurrying footsteps. Did Wesley return?