Chapter 5

With a soft beep, the door opened. The light coming from the room gently illuminated the entryway. Two figures were entwined together by the floor-to-ceiling windows, engrossed in a deep kiss. Clad in only a strappy silk nightgown, Tiffany was sitting on Raymond's lap. Her lips were red and swollen from the force of the kiss. Her bodyguard instinctively averted his gaze, and Samantha clicked her tongue. The sound instantly had the couple whipping their heads in her direction. Raymond stood up, his expression stiff. "Samantha?" "Tiffany, you caused that accident the other day, didn't you?" Samantha couldn't be bothered with Raymond. Her gaze glinted with a steely look as she stepped forward with a barbed whip. When Tiffany saw what she held, a panicked and anxious look instantly crossed her face. "W-What accident?" Forcing himself to remain calm, Raymond strode forward to stand protectively in front of Tiffany. "You mean the accident at the racetrack? How could that possibly have anything to do with Tiffany?" Samantha gazed at him for a moment, a smirk curling her lips. "Raymond, I only came because I had concrete evidence!" Raymond's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed and subconsciously avoided Samantha's probing look. "Even so, you shouldn't settle your personal grudge with her under the guise of justice!" Samantha's expression gradually chilled at his words. "What I'm doing now is enacting punishment based on the Norton family's rules. Otherwise, I would've reported her to the police already! If you know what's good for you, move aside!" "No." Raymond paused briefly, then continued, "You don't have any concrete evidence, just assumptions! Besides, didn't the racetrack authorities say it was just an accident?" Tiffany stood behind Raymond, her face pale. Yet, a smug look glimmered in her eyes. Slowly taking a step back, Samantha gestured for her bodyguard to restrain Raymond. Raymond knitted his brows and warned, "Samantha, you need to calm down." "Calm down?" She let out a mocking laugh. "Tiffany almost killed me, yet you want me to calm down?" In response, Raymond pursed his lips, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes. Nonetheless, he insisted, "You simply suffered some minor injuries. It's not like anything serious happened to you. Tiffany just wasn't thinking clearly at the time!" His intention to defend Tiffany couldn't be any more obvious as he stood protectively in front of her. Samantha glanced down at her left shoulder, which was completely wrapped in bandages. A throb of pain came from the injury, causing her lips to lose all color. "It isn't important whether I have evidence or not! The Norton family rules state that family members who hurt others are to be punished with a whipping. Step aside, or don't blame me if you get hurt!" With that said, Samantha raised the whip. However, Raymond still refused to move aside, stubbornly standing in front of Tiffany. He shut his eyes, thinking that accepting this punishment could make up for the guilt he felt. After the accident the other day, he had used the Goodwin family's influence to look into the matter. When he saw the results of the investigation, he had immediately ordered for the surveillance records of that day to be deleted. Absolutely nothing could happen to Tiffany. If the truth about how she had been behind the accident were ever revealed, her life would be ruined! Samantha's lips trembled as she continued to hold her hand high in the air. Eventually, she brought her hand down decisively. Unexpectedly, Tiffany let out a scream and lunged forward. "Ray, look out!" There was a loud ripping sound as the barbs on the whip slashed across Tiffany's back. Immediately, fresh blood seeped through her thin nightgown. Her entire body trembled as she slumped into Raymond's arms and fainted. "Tiffany!" Raymond clutched her tightly, anxiety crashing over him and causing his eyes to turn bloodshot. "Have you gone mad, Samantha? Just what do you want? Are you trying to kill her?" Samantha was frozen to the spot, her shoulders heaving. Her voice quavered with anger when she said, "Open your eyes and take a good look. I didn't even hit her. She was the one who went nuts and lunged at me, injuring herself in the process!" But Raymond's expression had already turned stony from his rage. The hatred in his eyes was practically overflowing, and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to tear her to pieces. Shocked and terrified, Samantha couldn't help but take a step back. She bit down on her lip hard. "If you continue to slander me, I'll hit her on purpose. Hurry up and send her to the hospital." Despite her words, her voice sounded unsure and weak. Raymond swept Tiffany into his arms and rushed out in a panic. The last glance he shot Samantha before he stepped into the elevator made her feel as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. With that, only Samantha was left alone in the vast living space, along with the mess that brief encounter had left behind. Her legs went weak, sending her collapsing to the ground. It was only by biting down on her lip hard that she was able to stop the loud sobs from leaving her mouth. The same thing that happened ten years ago was happening again now. Why did all the people she loved always end up being snatched away by Tiffany? Blood had long since soaked through her bandages and was now dripping from her arm to the floor. She didn't know how long she had allowed her blood to flow, but eventually, she staggered to her feet numbly and had her bodyguard send her to the hospital. The entire journey there, all she could think about was that look in Raymond's eyes. She knew he was the vindictive sort, so she was well aware that he would definitely get revenge on her and make her pay a hundred times over. Nonetheless, she firmly believed that once he regained his senses, he wouldn't do that to her. However, two days later, just as she was heading to the hospital parking lot after changing her dressing, she suddenly felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. She didn't even get the chance to look back before the blow knocked her unconscious, and she was dragged into a waiting van. When she next woke up, she was in an abandoned villa on the outskirts of the city. The wallpaper was peeling, while all that was left of the curtains were rotted tatters. There was a thick musty smell in the air, mixed with a sort of rusty odor. Samantha had been blindfolded and left on the ground of the first floor. Her limbs were frozen stiff from being tied up too long, and the knots were so tight that she couldn't even move an inch. Suddenly, there was a scoff from above her before a familiar whip bit into her skin. The wound on her shoulder was instantly reopened, the searing pain coursing through her pure agony. Gasping, Samantha trembled violently, but she didn't even have the strength to struggle. "Who are you people?" Her voice was raspy and low, filled with anger and fear. The man in black looked down at her with a wicked smirk on his lips. "Don't bother asking such questions. All you need to know is that you've offended someone you shouldn't have!" Samantha curled into herself, trying her best to avoid the lashes, but it was to no avail. Every blow was deliberately forceful, as though the man was trying to slowly tear her flesh away, bit by bit. She gritted her teeth and bit down on her lip till it bled, only then managing to stop from screaming in pain. 100 lashes later, not an inch of her skin was left unmarred. Even the floor beneath her was wet with blood. By that point, Samantha was on the verge of dying from the pain. Thankfully, the torture was finally over. Subsequently, she heard footsteps approaching before a low voice rang out. "Has she fallen unconscious?" Her torturer answered, "Most definitely. Even a grown man wouldn't be able to handle a lashing from this barbed whip, let alone a fragile and delicate celebrity like her." Samantha could smell a distinct cologne coming from the newcomer and instantly realized it was Raymond. He ordered coldly, "Have someone toss her in front of her apartment building." When Samantha heard that, it felt like knives were stabbing into her heart. Just because she had sought out Tiffany to get her revenge and accidentally hurt the latter, he ruthlessly ordered someone to kidnap her and return the punishment a hundredfold. The pain of all the wounds on her body combined couldn't even come close to the agony her heart was feeling. Right before darkness took her, she had one thought. She had truly wasted seven years of her life on loving someone who wasn't worth it. The next time Samantha regained consciousness, she was in a hospital room again. Her mind felt fuzzy, and her throat was so dry that even speaking was difficult. There was a man, his whole body wrapped in bandages, sitting by her bedside. He had deepset eyes and chiseled features that were evident as he leaned over to wipe the cold sweat from her forehead. It was none other than the man who had saved her at the racetrack the other day. He had been injured a lot more severely than she had. Upon noticing she was awake, the man paused before murmuring, "I wanted to bring you evidence of what happened at the racetrack, but I found you collapsed in front of your apartment building, completely covered in injuries. "Samantha, my name is Caleb Sharp. I'm the man from that incident ten years ago. I wanted to stay here longer to look after you, but there's been a family emergency, so I have to return to Edunia. I'll leave a phone here for you with my personal number saved in it. If you really have nowhere to go, come find me!" After setting down a folder and a phone, he turned and left.