Chapter 4

Soon, those messages were quickly deleted, as if nothing had happened. Cecilia's hand trembled as she held her phone. Her heart went cold and numb as if soaked in icy water. It even became hard to breathe. So even her falling into the pool, her fever, and the "medicine" she took were all part of their carefully planned revenge. Even the "pills" Edmund had given her were only meant to make her suffer more. Not long after, Edmund called her. "Where are you? Why aren't you at home?" His voice was low, carrying a hint of urgency he tried to hide. Cecilia took a deep breath, forcing her voice to sound calm. "My fever got too bad. I'm at the hospital." There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by Edmund's voice. "I'll come right away." "No need," she interjected. "I just need to stay one night after the IV. You've been busy lately, so focus on your work." Edmund paused for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, "Did you check your phone earlier?" So that's why he called. He was afraid that she had seen those messages. Cecilia lied, "No. The doctor said that my fever was almost life-threatening. I didn't have time to look at my phone." Another silence followed. Edmund's voice seemed to carry an unreadable emotion. "I'm here, so you'll be fine." Cecilia tightened her grip on the phone, and her heart was filled with sorrow. She didn't understand what he meant. After all, wasn't he the one who had caused all this pain? After a while, Cecilia was discharged from the hospital. But just as she stepped out to hail a cab, a group of people suddenly rushed up from behind her, covering her mouth and nose without saying a single word. She lost consciousness before she could even begin to struggle. When Cecilia woke again, she found herself lying in a dimly lit hotel room with her hands and feet tied. Several thugs surrounded her, and their faces twisted into disgusting grins. "Are you awake? Don't be scared, sweetheart. We'll take good care of you," one of them said, reaching out to tear at her clothes. "Who are you? Let me go! Let me go!" Cecilia fought back with all her strength, but she was too weak to overpower them. She threw things, kicked at them, and even screamed at the top of her lungs, but nothing worked. As the men began to strip off her clothes, despair filled her heart, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open. "Get the hell out!" Edmund's voice roared like it had risen from the depths of hell, filled with overwhelming fury. Terrified by his presence, the thugs scrambled to their feet and fled the room. Meanwhile, Cecilia curled up on the bed, still trembling uncontrollably. She looked up at Edmund, and for the first time, she saw urgency and panic in his eyes. "Cece…" he called out as he rushed to her side, his hand trembling as he reached out to hold her. However, Cecilia shrank back abruptly like a frightened rabbit, her eyes filled with fear. Edmund's hand froze mid-air. There was even a flicker of pain that flashed in his eyes. Cecilia wanted to say something, but her vision darkened, and she fainted once more. Sometime later, Cecilia groggily stirred awake. She heard voices in the hospital room, speaking in hushed tones, but the anger in their words was unmistakable. "Why wasn't I told about this revenge plan?" It was Edmund's voice. "Didn't you want to finish the 99 acts of revenge quickly so you could be with Leena? We thought you were too busy, so we handled it for you," one of his friends replied casually and indifferently. "I never told you to have her assaulted!" Edmund's voice rose sharply, the anger in his tone almost palpable. The others were startled, unable to believe their ears. "What's the big deal? Didn't we agree to make her suffer from the start? Why are you so angry?" Edmund didn't respond. Instead, he kicked over the coffee table, causing a loud crash. Why was he so angry? Well, he didn't even know why he was so angry! Over the years, Cecilia had always chased after him like a bright little sun, unwavering in her pursuit. He still remembered the day he agreed to be with her—how she had stood there in disbelief, then burst into tears of joy. Edmund had never seen her like this as she lay there, like a withered rose, utterly devoid of life. He didn't know why, but it terrified him. He couldn't stand to see her like that. Something inside him ached when she looked at him with those lifeless eyes. The others began to sense something was off at Edmund's prolonged silence. One of them couldn't help but ask in alarm, "Eddie, something's not right with you… Don't tell me that after all these years, you've actually fallen for her for real?"