Chapter 7

Fiona POV

He lunged forward and shielded me in his arms.

A thunderous crash.

Massive chunks of ice struck his back. Shattered ice scattered everywhere.

He groaned, his body shaking, yet still held me tightly.

"Luca! Are you okay?"

Winona screamed as she rushed over, crying as she tried to help him up.

He pushed her away and struggled to his feet.

He glanced at me, then turned to Winona, his voice hoarse.

"Take me to the hospital."

Winona immediately nodded and supported his arm.

Almost at the door, he stopped and turned back to her.

"Bring Fiona home too. She'll be scared alone."

Winona's expression froze for an instant.

"But your injury..."

"I'm fine."

He cut her off.

"I raised her since she was young."

Winona bit her lip and nodded.

In the car ride back to the estate, no one spoke.

Heavy rain poured down, hammering the windows and blurring the world outside.

Winona stared at me, her eyes ice-cold.

"Stop the car."

She ordered the driver.

The sedan stopped on a deserted suburban road.

"Get out."

She looked at me and spoke those words.

Outside was pitch black, nothing but torrential rain.

"Walk back yourself."

A cold smile curved her lips.

The car door opened. Cold wind and rain rushed in.

She shoved me hard.

The door slammed shut behind me, and the sedan sped away.

I was abandoned alone in the storm.

I don't know how long I walked.

The hem of my gown was long soaked in muddy water, heavy and cold.

The heels of my shoes sank into the mud and broke.

I could only walk barefoot, stepping on the gravel-strewn road, shuffling forward one step at a time.

Rain washed away the makeup on my face and poured over the wounds on my back that had just begun to heal.

It hurt.

I fell into a muddy pit, soaked and freezing and wretched.

I got up and kept walking.

In the dim light of dawn, the estate's silhouette finally appeared. My strength was nearly exhausted.

Just as I reached the front gate, a thick burning smell hit me.

One corner of the estate was ablaze, flames lighting up half the sky.

Before I could react, two bodyguards rushed out from the shadows and seized my arms on both sides.

"Miss Winters, you're suspected of arson, which caused Miss Reynolds to suffer severe burns. She's being treated in the hospital. Please come with us."

The hospital.

The pungent smell of disinfectant.

At the end of the corridor, Luca stood with his back to me.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around.

"Why did you set the fire? Why did you burn Winona?"

I wanted to explain. I'd just walked back from the suburbs. There was no way I could have started a fire.

"It wasn't me..."

"Enough!"

He cut me off.

"Are you saying Winona set herself on fire just to frame you?!"

Yes.

That's exactly what she did.

But he would never believe it.

The operating room door suddenly opened.

A doctor walked out, his expression grave.

"Mr. Thorne, Miss Reynolds has extensive burns. She needs immediate skin graft surgery."

He paused.

"Before Miss Reynolds lost consciousness, she said only one thing."

"She said the injuries she suffered must be repaid by her personally."

The "her" in the doctor's words referred to me.

Use my skin for Winona Reynolds's grafts.