Chapter 3The Third-Year Surprise

I blinked, my vision swimming. The kind stranger’s face was already a mess of blood and bruises.

“Stop… don’t hurt innocent people,” I rasped. “Do what you want… to me.”

Jimmy sneered and stalked toward me. He planted his foot on my face, grinding his heel into my cheek. “Don’t worry. I won’t let him off the hook. Or this old hag,” he said, gesturing to my mother-in-law. “You’re all trash. I’m going to enjoy taking my time with you for squatting in my house!”

Then, he and Sienna were on top of us, slapping us relentlessly. I felt a tooth loosen. My mother-in-law, barely conscious, was no match for Sienna. Her face was quickly covered in blood, her head lolling limply to the side.

Seeing her like that, I panicked. The shock and lack of air triggered my asthma.

“Please…” I wheezed, clawing at my throat. “My… my inhaler…”

I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. All I knew was the terrifying sensation of being unable to breathe.

Jimmy ripped my hand away, rummaged through my pocket, and found my emergency inhaler. He threw it as far as he could.

“You want your medicine?” he sneered. “Stop the act. I never knew you had asthma.”

Sienna leaned against him, laughing. “Jimmy, honey, she cheated on you. Why should we care if she lives or dies? If she dies, it’s just God punishing her for being a slut.”

As if on cue, they grabbed me and started tearing at my clothes. “You like being a slut, don’t you? Well, today we’ll let you be a slut for everyone to see!”

They ripped my blouse open, exposing my chest. I could see people in the crowd raising their phones, recording. I could barely breathe, but I kept begging.

“Give me… my medicine… I’ll die…” I pleaded with Jimmy. “Please… give it to me… and I’ll forget everything that happened…”

He laughed as if I’d told the world’s funniest joke and threw me back on the ground like a rag doll. “You want me to forget? I’m the one who should be settling scores with you! What a joke!”

“Get out of my mansion today, and pay me my five million! Or I’ll make sure you regret it!” His eyes lingered on my exposed chest, and he licked his lips. “Damn, if I’d known you had a body like this, I would’ve taken you for a test drive before I left.” He smirked. “But it’s not too late now. You make me happy, and I’ll give you your inhaler.”

He dangled the inhaler in front of my face, then scooped me up and started carrying me toward the mansion.

“No! Don’t touch me! Please, let me go!” I clutched the torn fabric of my shirt, sobbing.

His eyes raked over my body. “Begging me now? Too late! You just be a good girl and take care of me, and maybe I’ll forget about the three years of rent you owe.”

He pressed his full weight on me, his unfamiliar scent turning my stomach. I closed my eyes in despair.

Just then, a deafening car horn sliced through the air.