Chapter 4

"I thought you hated me?" Nadine's voice trembled slightly as she spoke. Hunter shot her a cold glare. "Yes, I hate you. But at least for now, you're still my wife. I'm not like you. I won't stoop to heartless acts that disregard life." His words pierced through her like a blade. Her heart ached violently, as if something had stabbed deep into it. She opened her mouth, but nothing seemed to come out. Stellan, who was now clearly enraged by Hunter's defiance, suddenly shoved Serena toward the cliff's edge. "Choose one! Or I'll push them both over!" Hunter's expression turned dangerously cold. He stepped forward and said in a low and threatening voice, "Stellan, if you lay a finger on either of them, I'll make you wish you were dead." Just as the standoff reached its peak, police sirens wailed in the distance. Stellan's face turned pale. He hadn't expected the authorities to arrive so quickly. He lunged at Hunter with a snarl, plunging a knife toward his heart. "Hunter!" Nadine threw herself between them without thinking. The blade sank into her shoulder, blood instantly soaking through her clothes. A pained gasp escaped her as her legs gave out. Hunter caught her, and his eyes flashed with panic. "Nadine!" Her vision blurred. The last thing she heard was Hunter's frantic voice calling her name. She tried to speak, but darkness swallowed her before she could make a sound. When she woke again, she found herself lying by the poolside. Hunter stood over her, his gaze burning with hatred. "Nadine, why did you stage this abduction with those criminals? Did you really think faking a rescue would make me say 'I love you'?" Nadine stared at him, completely bewildered. Hunter continued, "Serena told me everything. You planned this abduction with Stellan just to hurt her. Nadine, how could you be so vicious?" Nadine's heart plummeted as realization struck. Serena had somehow manipulated Hunter into believing this was all her scheme. "It wasn't me, I didn't—" Hunter cut her off, his gaze turning glacial. "I know you're spoiled. I know you love acting out to get my attention. But you can target anyone except Serena. She's my life!" With that, he ordered his men to tie Nadine to a heavy stone and throw her into the pool. "Hun... Hunter... It wasn't... me..." Icy water engulfed her instantly as the stone dragged her relentlessly toward the bottom. Her breathing grew labored. The world above the water blurred into shapeless light. Just as she neared unconsciousness, Hunter's men hauled her up. But they submerged her again before she could gasp more than half a breath. They did it over and over. It was an endless cycle of torment. After countless drownings, they finally dragged her onto the pool deck, dripping and convulsing like a dying fish. Hunter crouched beside her, gripping her chin with fingers like steel as he coldly said, "Remember this lesson well, Nadine Devine. If you ever harm Serena again, our next reckoning won't be nearly this merciful." Then he rose and strode away with his entourage without another glance at Nadine.