ra hung her head, her whole body screaming in pain. When the whip cracked against her chest again, she felt like she might just spit blood.


    "Eden, do you really think this is fun?"


    Eden tightened her grip on the whip, eyes zing with anger. "Of course it''s fun! You brought this on yourself, ra. First my brother, and now you''re after the one I love? Today, I''m going to ruin that pretty face of yours and see how you n on seducing anyone then."


    She stepped forward, snatching a knife, ready to scar ra''s face.


    But ra interrupted, "Isn''t it Dn''s heart you want? I can help with that. I''ve got a boyfriend, and Mr. Dn knows it. Like you said, I''m only around him for business. Once he sees who I really am, he''ll want nothing to do with me."


    Her eyes were cold,shes lowered. "To me, he''s not as important as mypany. You''veshed me thirty times already. If you keep going, you''ll push him too far. Dn''s a gentleman-he won''t want his people turning out like this. Are you ready for his full wrath? I''ve seen him take care of Lincoln."


    Eden''s face turned pale.


    ra raised an eyebrow. So Eden knew Dn had dealt with Lincoln.


    Wasn''t she scared? Or was her love for Dn so strong she didn''t care what he was capable of?


    "Lincoln crossed the line, and Dn dealt with him. You''ve made him mad more than once. Do you think he''ll forgive you again? I remember him saying if you messed up again, you''d never see him."


    For Eden, the thought of never seeing Dn again was worse than death.


    She stepped back, fingers trembling around the knife.


    ra seized the moment, working harder to free herself. Her hands were tied above her, but from the firstsh, she had been using a nail to work at the rope.


    Eden was briefly shocked by ra''s words, but soon snapped back. "I don''t care. I''m going to ruin your face this time. You''ll regret this forever. I''ll deal with Dn''s angerter!"


    She lunged with the knife.


    In that crucial moment, ra broke free and kicked Eden in the stomach.


    Eden gasped, dropping the knife.


    ra grabbed it, using all her strength to drive it through Eden''s hand, pinning her to the floor.


    As Eden was about to scream, ra stuffed a rope into her mouth!


    Eden''s eyes widened in fear. She didn''t dare move her impaled hand, stuck to the ground.


    After everything, ra almost passed out.


    Her body ached, sweat dripping off her.


    After a pause, she struggled toward the window.


    The guards were at the front door; no one thought ra would escape through the window.


    Bloody and shaky, ra opened the window, her fingers leaving red streaks.


    She managed to climb out, stumbling away, leaving Eden behind.


    Eden''s tears fell, her hand throbbing, unable to speak with the rope in her mouth.


    When the guards found her, blood was pooling on the floor.


    "Ms. Eden!"


    They rushed to remove the knife, a painful process for Eden.


    Her face was pale as she red in the direction ra had fled, eyes filled with hatred.


    "ra! ra!!"


    She screamed, wishing she could tear ra apart.


    Before passing out, she told the guards, "Don''t let Dn know."


    They nodded, rushing her to the hospital.


    Eden knew ra wouldn''t tell Dn. ra kept things to herself, solving her own problems without involving others unless caught.


    It was her strength and her weakness.


    ra had no idea how long she ran. Blood loss made her vision blurry.


    She copsed by the roadside, too weak to worry about passing cars.


    A car stopped. Someone got out, gently lifted her, and ced her in the passenger seat.


    She tried to open her eyes but couldn''t see clearly.


    A name floated in her mind, but she couldn''t grasp it.


    Someone had once made her feel this warmth.