Chapter 3

When Tracy got home, the first thing she did was ask a lawyer friend to prepare a divorce agreement. The second thing she did was gather the awards and honors she had earned over the years and submit them to the immigration office to apply for an expedited process. When she walked out of the office, she should've felt relieved. Instead, an image surfaced unbidden in her mind. It was Sebastian's aloof, superior expression and the contempt in his voice. "Tracy is desperate for love. She's obedient and easy to control." Her eyes reddened. A faint, mocking smile curved her lips as she turned into a nearby shop and bought a miniature camera, fastening it to herself. Did Sebastian really think she would never fight back? She wanted to give him a gift he would never forget before she left. After everything was done, Tracy returned home again. The moment she pushed the door open, she met Sebastian's dark, brooding gaze from where he sat on the couch. His voice was hoarse, his face etched with exhaustion. "You weren't home all night. Where did you go?" Tracy didn't even look at him and headed straight for the stairs. "It's none of your business." He rubbed his temples, irritation flashing across his face. "Whit is my sister. Of course, I treat her better. Trace, you've always been understanding. I don't understand what you're making a fuss about this time." He actually had the nerve to say that Tracy was making a fuss. Her chest heaved, and her eyes instantly reddened. Before she could speak, his next sentence came down like an iron rod, smashing straight into her heart. "Whit is sensitive. You saw her when she had an episode. She's been so anxious that she can't even sleep. You should go apologize to her." "Apologize?" Tracy stared at him in disbelief, her voice trembling with every word. "Sebastian, she hit me first for no reason. And when she had that episode, I was the one who called the ambulance. Just because I saw her at that moment, I have to apologize? Don't you think that's ridiculous?" He turned his face away, ignoring her questions. "Trace, if you go, I can give the land in the northern district to the Sullivan family. If you don't, I'll withdraw all investments. You have two choices. Pick one." He gave her an ultimatum. Was this really the man who, despite his coldness, had always cared for her? Tracy tamped down the dull ache in her chest. Instead of getting angry, she laughed. "Sebastian, have you forgotten? I stopped caring about the Sullivan family a long time ago." He looked at her in surprise. After two seconds of silence, he spoke again, using just simple sentences to crush her completely. "Trace, that employee who spread rumors about you still has photos of you in the shower. You wouldn't want me to make those public, would you?" Her heart felt like it had been shattered into pieces. She stared at Sebastian's calm, composed face, her entire body trembling uncontrollably. She still remembered the incident clearly. Two years ago, a male coworker secretly photographed her and spread obscene rumors. Facing the pressure from her parents, she didn't fight back as she was afraid of making things worse. It was Sebastian who stood up for her without hesitation, handling everything. He comforted her as she cried from public scrutiny. "People with no abilities resort to humiliating others. This was never your fault." She never imagined that the man who had appeared gentle and reassuring had kept those photos. Today, they became the weapon he used to force her into submission. His mind was meticulous, his schemes layered. And all of it was used against her. … In the end, Tracy was forcibly pushed into the car and taken to the hospital to visit Whitney. As soon as Tracy and Sebastian entered the ward, Tracy spoke numbly at his signal. "I'm sorry." Whitney was unexpectedly agreeable. "It's fine. I don't blame you. Seb already explained it to me. I mistook you for someone else. I thought you were his secretary and were trying to seduce him. I'm sorry. I should be the one apologizing. "But Seb has never had any women around him. What's your relationship with him?" Tracy clenched her fists. "We're just friends." At the same time, Sebastian said, "She's a maid." Tracy froze. She looked up and saw the anxious look on Sebastian's face. In that instant, every drop of blood in her body seemed to turn cold. He would rather call her a maid than let Whitney misunderstand him at all. After that, Tracy felt like an outsider as she watched Sebastian fuss over Whitney. He usually stood above everyone else and was obsessed with cleanliness. However, for Whiteny, he was doing everything himself—no matter how dirty or exhausting the task. When he stepped out to take a call, he warned Tracy before leaving, "Take good care of Whit. Otherwise… you know what will happen." The moment he left, Whitney's expression subtly changed. A sickly smile bloomed on her pale face. "Ms. Sullivan, would you like to play a game with me?" Before Tracy could refuse, several bodyguards in the ward forced her down in front of the bed. She watched helplessly as Whitney pulled out a thick syringe from under the blanket. The cold needle gleamed under the light before plunging straight into Tracy's arm. Sharp pain exploded as blood instantly welled up. Tracy screamed and struggled, flinging Whitney away. "What are you doing?" The syringe fell to the floor and shattered, glass scattering everywhere as the cloudy solution spilled onto the ground. The noise drew onlookers, but Whitney showed no panic. Her expression carried the same arrogance as Sebastian's as she said to Tracy with disdain, "You're just Seb's maid. Do you think you're worthy of standing next to him?" "That doesn't give you the right to hurt me." Tracy stood up in fury. She grabbed a brand-new syringe from the side, ready to let Whitney taste that same pain. Just as she raised her hand, the door burst open. Sebastian yelled, "What are you doing!"