Evans, ignoring everything else happening around him, quickly called an ambulance to take Ashley to the hospital. The sound of the siren pierced the air as the dics lifted her onto the stretcher. Selena, wailing uncontrollably, clung tightly to Ashley’s hand and followed her into the ambulance, her tears soaking the sheets. Before the doors closed, she turned to look at her husband with red, swollen eyes, silently begging him to co along.
Mr. Smith rejected the unspoken plea outright. His face was cold, his eyes filled with anger and disgust, as though Ashley’s condition had beco nothing but an inconvenience to him.
Selena, unwilling to cause a scene, swallowed her pain and climbed into the ambulance with Ashley.
The doors slamd shut, and the vehicle sped off, leaving the rest behind.
Evans saw no reason to follow them and decided to head ho instead. Mr. Smith barely registered his departure. Even when Evans bade him goodbye, the man did not respond, too imrsed in his own thoughts to notice. To him, both Evans and Ashley had beco useless pieces on a board he was already prepared to clear. He needed a bigger plan now, one that would finally put everything where it belonged.
The last thing he wanted was for the company he had coveted even while his late wife was alive to remain in her "stupid daughter’s" hands. The thought alone made his blood boil. His anger surged as mories of his late wife resurfaced, sharp and bitter.
"If it wasn’t for that bitch’s will," he muttered under his breath, clenching his fists, "her stupid daughter wouldn’t have even slled that company."
He sighed heavily and glanced around, only then realizing Evans had already left. With nothing else to gain by staying, he decided to go ho as well and continue his plans another day.
At the hospital, Ashley was rushed into the ergency ward. A series of tests were conducted imdiately, and the doctors’ expressions grew increasingly grave as the results ca in. Due to the substances found in her system and the injuries scattered across her body, the hospital had no choice but to alert the authorities.
After thorough examination, the conclusion was unavoidable—Ashley had been sexually assaulted.
The police arrived shortly after, and Selena was arrested on the spot. Evans and Mr. Smith were taken into custody as well. Panic set in as they tried to clear their nas, desperately presenting the test results they had received from the kidnappers as proof. However, the police were unconvinced. Their story was riddled with holes, and none of them dared to ntion Mr. Black’s na or confess their own involvent in everything that had transpired.
Left with no other option, they remained silent, clinging to the hope that Ashley would wake up and clear their nas herself.
In another room, Lena stirred slightly before her eyes snapped open. Her heart raced as she imdiately checked her body, her hands trembling as she searched for signs of harm. When she realized she was safely in her own room, she visibly relaxed, releasing a shaky breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
Fragnts of the previous night rushed back into her mind one after another, and she sighed in frustration. Gratitude filled her heart as she thought of Raymond locating her in ti. At the sa ti, her face flushed uncontrollably when she rembered how she had acted when Raymond brought her ho. The mory made her bury her face in the pillow in embarrassnt.
As her thoughts wandered, her expression darkened when she recalled her conversation with Ashley. Ashley had ntioned that it was her father who served her the spiked wine, pretending to apologize and claim he was ready to change. Lena’s face twisted in disgust at the thought of him.
She had tried—truly tried—to be civil with him, ignoring everything he had done since her mother’s death. But no more. If he refused to treat her as his daughter, then she would do the sa. She would cut him off completely and enforce her mother’s will without hesitation. If he loved Ashley so much, then he could go to her for all she cared.
This would be the last ti she fell for their traps.
Her heart fluttered as Raymond’s face surfaced in her thoughts. Without wasting ti, she hurried into the bathroom, bathed quickly, and went downstairs, hoping to see him in his usual spot. But the house was unusually quiet.
"Strange," she muttered to herself.
She went in search of Bertha but couldn’t find her anywhere. Her agitation grew, a strange unease settling deep in the pit of her stomach. When she called Raymond, he answered and assured her he would be back that night. Only then did she feel a little calr.
Later, Lena sat on the bed with a book in hand, clearly bored and unable to focus. A knock on the door pulled her attention away.
"Co in," she said softly.
"Hello," Bertha greeted, standing by the doorway.
Lena smiled faintly. "I’ve been searching for you all day. I couldn’t find you. You could have told you wouldn’t be around today," she muttered, unable to hide her displeasure.
"I’m sorry," Bertha replied apologetically. "I thought Raymond told you."
"Told what?" Lena asked.
"About our return to Vegas City," Bertha said casually, as though she hadn’t just dropped a bomb.
"What?" Lena froze, shock washing over her.
"Raymond is going back to Vegas City?" she asked again, needing confirmation.
"Not just him," Bertha explained. "All of us who ca with him, including . I can’t wait to be back. I miss my daughter so much."
Everything suddenly made sense. The strange feeling she had been battling all morning finally had a reason. If Raymond was leaving, then what about her? What would happen to their relationship... and the contract?
She sighed softly. It was bound to happen one day. Better sooner than later.
"Do you need anything, Lena?" Bertha asked gently.
"No," Lena replied quietly.
Bertha nodded and turned to leave.
"Wait, Bertha," Lena called.
Bertha turned back. "Can I help you with anything?"
"I just want to know... when do you all plan to leave?" Lena asked solemnly.
"I don’t know," Bertha shrugged. "That’s Raymond’s decision. He only told us to get our things ready."
Lena nodded, and Bertha, unsure of what else to say, left the room.
Lena lay back on the bed, silent and sad. Her heart whispered that all good things eventually ca to an end. Still, she couldn’t stop the tears pooling in her eyes. She reminded herself that
Raymond was never ant to stay, that everything between them began as a contract.
Yet the thought of him leaving felt suffocating.
Just as she struggled to hold back her tears, the door opened. Raymond walked in and froze at the sight of Lena crying. His heart shattered instantly, even though he didn’t yet know the reason
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