Chapter 5

"Skylar, are you insulting my intelligence? Do you think I wouldn't know if Evelyn Hayes were dead?"

Brittany purred, trying to soothe him, "Damien, don't listen to this bitch's nonsense. Evelyn even posted on Ins yesterday, sharing her happiness. How could she suddenly be gone?"

"She's definitely just making up excuses, a fraud who can't find it and just spouts nonsense. How pathetic."

After Brittany's comforting words, Damien's tense frown visibly eased. "You say Evelyn Hayes is dead? Where's your proof?"

"Just spouting baseless nonsense in front of me, do you know what the consequences are?"

He lunged forward, grabbed my collar, and brutally threw me into the mud. "I told you, either leave the ring and you walk away, or I break a leg as an apology."

"But you not only failed to find the ring, you've been spouting ridiculous claims and wasting my time. This isn't something just one leg can account for."

I stumbled back a few steps, swallowing hard. "I'm warning you, don't mess with me."

Before I could move, two burly men in black immediately stepped forward, pinning my arms, one on each side, forcing me to my knees in the mud.

My knees hit the gravel, a searing pain shooting through me.

I looked up, glaring at him, my voice trembling. "Damien Thorne! Your end is near! I advise you not to celebrate too soon!"

He merely slowly raised his hand, looking down at me condescendingly. "Break her leg."

The iron rod sliced through the dim air with a cold glint. The next second, an intense, shattering pain exploded from my right leg.

I gasped, desperately trying to crawl towards the lake.

But Damien grabbed my hair, pulling me back. "Trying to escape? You were so tough just now, weren't you? Where's this retribution you spoke of? I don't see it!"

He bared his teeth and roared with wild laughter in the wind, "I'm telling you this now, Damien Thorne! In this entire city, no one who dares threaten me has been born yet! What the hell are you, trying to challenge me?!"

"Cut out her tongue!"

Before I could react, a furious gust of wind suddenly whipped through the trees. Splinters of wood mixed with small stones flew through the air, scratching the man who was walking towards me with a knife.

Everyone exchanged glances, falling silent.

"Mr. Thorne, this sudden chill wind in the middle of the night… it feels too eerie."