Chapter 4His First Love Faked Her Death, So I Faked Mine And Ran Away

First thing in the morning, Chloe dragged me into the massive walk in closet.

Her silk robe was half open. She forced me to my knees on the floor.

Then, standing directly in front of my own custom wedding dress, she pulled Julian toward her.

"Look. Doesn't doing it right here make it feel like I am the one you married?"

Julian's Adam's apple bobbed. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before pushing her against the dress.

I remained kneeling perfectly straight, handing them a condom at the exact right moment.

When they finally finished, I handed them a warm, damp towel to clean themselves.

"She is a total vegetable now."

Chloe giggled maliciously.

"She didn't even blink. Does this mean she is completely broken? It is no fun anymore."

In the beginning, my body's lingering instinct to love Julian made me absolutely lose my mind when they touched each other.

I would cry, scream, and smash everything in the room, only to be dragged away and locked in solitary confinement like a psychotic animal.

Now, even when they were inches away from my face, I stared blankly at the wall.

"Should we give her the antidote?"

Chloe rolled over, wrapping her arms around Julian's neck.

"Let her fully understand what we are doing to her. Think she would die from pure anger?"

Julian panted heavily, not answering immediately. A few moments later, he started moving against her again.

"We are getting married tomorrow. Why do you care about her?"

"She only exists to pay off her sins. Who cares how she feels?"

The woman laughed, completely satisfied.

She wore the wedding dress stained with their fluids and slipped the diamond ring that used to belong to me onto her finger.

"Look at you, Stella. You had all the money and power in the world, and now you are literally under my feet."

"I was actually grateful when you saved me. But why did you have to show me how incredible the high life is?"

She flicked her wrist, and a leather riding crop cracked across my back.

I violently twitched in pain.

"Why do you get to have absolutely everything, while I have to beg on my knees just for the scraps you throw at me?"

"So I decided to just take what is yours."

"Oh, by the way. Your baby? I whipped it out of you. Julian doesn't even know."

She smirked with pure, concentrated evil.

I couldn't stop my body from trembling.

The first time I suffered morning sickness near Chloe, she threw a massive tantrum.

To calm her down, Julian handed her a bamboo cane.

She was only supposed to leave a few red marks, but the second she saw the slight curve of my stomach, she lost her mind.

"Why do you still have a safety net! I am going to destroy you so you can never crawl back!"

She swapped the bamboo cane for a spiked leather whip and lashed it directly into my stomach.

The sheer, agonizing pain actually shattered the amnesia drugs for a few moments. I lunged at her like a wild animal and bit down on her hand with all my strength.

I almost tore a chunk of her flesh off before the maids rushed in and injected me with heavy horse tranquilizers.

The romantic orchestral music started playing. The wedding banquet officially began.

The two of them walked arm in arm down the aisle. I trailed right behind them, crawling on my bleeding knees.

This was a new game Chloe had invented five minutes ago. She wanted me to be her kneeling bridesmaid.

"I am finally marrying you."

Julian spoke to Chloe, but his eyes flicked down to look at me.

I stayed completely dead eyed, showing zero reaction.

He stared at me for a long time, his lips moving slightly.

In the end, he didn't say anything. He just held Chloe's hand and walked out to the venue.

The lawn was packed with elite guests, all cheering for the newlyweds.

I watched them toast, exchange serious vows, and share an intimate kiss.

"Oh, right. Today, I want to publicly thank the woman who made my true love possible. I would like to invite her to speak."

Chloe's eyes glinted with pure malice. She held the microphone and whispered down at me.

"You can start repenting now."

When my memories were blocked, that exact phrase was the trigger for my brainwashing.

I was supposed to drop to the floor sobbing, confessing my horrific sins, declaring I was worthless trash who didn't deserve to breathe.

I was supposed to beg them to punish me and beat me in front of everyone.

She hated me that much.

Locking me up and erasing my identity wasn't enough. She wanted to turn me into her permanent, degraded toy.

I slowly turned my head to look at Julian.

His eyes immediately darted away, his head turning to avoid my gaze.

A moment later, he grabbed Chloe's hand.

"Just say it, Stella. Do it this one last time."

"You deserve to confess your crimes in front of everyone anyway."

He genuinely thought I was still drugged out of my mind. But this morning, Shannon had given me the antidote.

I let a soft, ghostly smile touch my lips, crawling forward until I was right at their feet.

Under the confused and disgusted gazes of hundreds of guests, I spoke softly.

"I was wrong. I refuse to offer another pointless apology. Today, I will follow Chloe's instructions and eliminate my sins completely."

"I will use my own life to ensure you two stay together forever."

I slowly pulled off the heavy winter coat they had forced me to wear, exposing a body completely covered in horrifying, blood soaked lacerations.

And then, while Julian stared in absolute, frozen horror, I threw myself directly off the top floor balcony of the villa.

As I plummeted toward the ground, staring up at the sky, a man's hands suddenly appeared over the railing.

He reached out desperately, clawing at the empty air, trying to grab me.

But he caught absolutely nothing.