Chapter 6

The sharp sound echoed through the living room.

Seraphina clutched her face, her eyes instantly darkening. "You dare hit me? My brother has pampered me since I was a child, he's never even touched me. Who do you think you are?"

She shrieked, "Someone! Hold her down!"

The bodyguards by the door hesitated, then walked in.

They glanced at me, then at Seraphina.

Seraphina narrowed her eyes. "You work for Adrian. Think about it, who's more important to him?"

The bodyguards were silent for a second.

Then they stepped forward and tightly grabbed my arms.

I laughed.

Laughed until tears streamed down my face.

It turned out everyone knew how much Adrian cared about Seraphina.

Only I, like an idiot, took five years to realize this colossal joke.

Before I could react, Seraphina had already raised her hand.

*Smack!*

The first slap landed.

My face burned with pain.

Then came the second, the third…

I struggled desperately, my throat hoarse from shouting. "Seraphina, aren't you afraid Adrian will deal with you when he gets back?"

She laughed arrogantly. "Since childhood, he's cleaned up every mess I've made, including beating up his own wife."

She leaned in close to my ear, whispering, "Claire Thorne, remember this: I'm the treasure in his heart."

With that, she landed one slap after another.

I struggled like a trapped wild animal, but the bodyguards' hands were like iron chains.

*Smack! Smack! Smack!*

Slaps rained down on my face.

My mind went blank from the pain, my face felt as if it were on fire.

Tears blurred my vision.

I could still see Seraphina's distorted, triumphant face.

"How many times did I hit her?" she stopped to ask a bodyguard.

"Eighty-eight times," the bodyguard replied in a low voice.

"Then make it a lucky number," she said, her smile sickeningly sweet.

The final slap landed.

A metallic taste filled my mouth. My vision went black, and I passed out.

In a daze, I heard the door being pushed open.

Someone shouted sharply, "What are you doing?!"

…

When I opened my eyes again, I was in bed.

Adrian sat beside me, his expression as calm as if nothing had happened.

"I know about today's incident," he said, his voice still that cold, indifferent tone.

My throat was so dry it felt like it would crack.

I asked hoarsely, "And then what?"

"Seraphina has been spoiled since childhood," he said flatly. "I've already punished her. Don't take it to heart."

I stared at him. "How did you punish her?"

He paused.

He pulled a small lock of hair from his pocket. "She cut your hair, so now she's cut her own to compensate you."

I froze.

Then I burst out laughing, tears streaming down my face. "I got forty stitches, and you ground her for three days? She cut my hair, so you made her cut her own? She slapped me eighty-eight times—did you just give her one back?"

His voice remained level. "Her hand swelled from hitting you. That counts as punishment."

I couldn't stop laughing.

My heart felt absurd, like a farcical play.

"Adrian, how on earth did I ever fall for you?"

He was about to speak.

I suddenly grabbed the teacup from the bedside table and smashed it on the floor.

"Get out!" I screamed, eyes red.

He stood up.

His tone was still unhurried. "I know you're very upset. The doctor said you need to rest properly. Just calm down."

With that, he turned and left.

The moment the door closed, I couldn't hold it in anymore and cried like an idiot.