Chapter 4

“Stop!”

I screamed, but it was too late.

The scalding soup was about to spill.

Julian instantly shot up, instinctively kicking the soup bowl away to protect Celeste, who was closest.

But the entire basin of scalding water flowed down my neck.

“Ah—!”

A piercing scream of agony ripped from my throat.

The next second, huge red blisters welled up on my neck and chest, the pain so intense I couldn’t straighten my back on the floor.

Leo was also terrified, screaming. Celeste covered her mouth.

Julian’s brow furrowed, an inexplicable emotion flashing across his face.

Celeste was the first to react, rushing to give me emergency treatment on the sofa.

She gently applied burn cream to me, her voice soft:

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know why, but Julian’s temper has been terrible these past few days.”

I lowered my eyes, saying nothing, but the image of what had just happened replayed in my mind.

Julian’s instinctive move to shield Celeste, not caring if the scalding water poured over me instead.

Honestly, if he hadn’t kicked the bowl, the soup would have, at most, splashed onto Celeste’s shoes.

But he wouldn’t even risk that small inconvenience.

I suddenly realized: I really couldn’t compare to Celeste. An inexpressible pain welled up in my heart.

Celeste carefully took a silver needle to puncture a large blister.

The sharp pain made me yelp and instinctively pull my arm away.

Celeste stumbled backward, hitting her lower back on the corner of the table.

I quickly whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Celeste shook her head, her eyes red.

Not far away, Julian immediately noticed the rapidly swelling bruise on her lower back.

His gaze was almost devouring. As he approached, he gritted his teeth and said:

“You heartless monster! Celeste was trying to help you, and you dared to push her?!”

The next second, Julian’s bodyguard roughly grabbed me and shoved me outside.

My burns still throbbed, and the push made cold sweat stream down my face, my consciousness blurring.

Julian scooped Celeste into his arms and sat on the sofa, his eyes full of worry:

“You’re not well. Don’t go near her again.”

I was forced to kneel on the lawn by the bodyguard.

It was scorching hot, and the lawn was covered in burning hot pebbles.

In an instant, a piercing pain shot through my knees.

Julian paced over:

“You’ve tested my patience again and again. This is your lesson.”

I gritted my teeth, glaring at him. I knelt outside for half a day, but he showed no pity.

The bodyguards around me changed shifts due to the intense heat.

But every time I nearly collapsed, someone would yank me up by the back of my neck.

The burns on my body felt like they were being scorched by fire under the sun, waves of excruciating pain washing over me.

Sweat trickled into the wounds, making it almost impossible to speak.

Finally, Celeste spoke first, “Enough! She didn’t do it on purpose. Let it go.”

Julian immediately cooed, “Alright, anything you say. Don’t upset yourself.”

With a wave of his hand, the bodyguards released me.

I collapsed onto the ground, vomiting violently, feeling like my insides were being torn out.

My mind was a blur, my heart torn to shreds.

I couldn’t tell if my heart hurt more, or if my body was in more agony.

My consciousness gradually faded. Through the haze, I saw someone running towards me…