Chapter 4

I pulled my hand away, completely unfazed.

“Arden Sterling, come with me, now! If you don’t go, the Blackwood family will kill Serena!” Jaxon roared at me, his face grim.

“I don’t care how she offended the Blackwoods. What does that have to do with me?” I retorted with a cold sneer.

“Arden Sterling!” Jaxon’s face flushed crimson with fury. He gritted his teeth and said, “Serena chose that high-risk, high-return project to surpass you! You’re responsible for this!”

I almost laughed. She got into trouble with a project, so she kidnapped a competitor, trying to force them out.

Turns out, that person was a tough nut to crack. Even more, she was Isabelle Blackwood, the heiress of the Blackwood family, who was out gaining experience. Serena had tortured her to the brink of death; she was still in the ICU.

The Blackwood family wielded immense power; they could make this whole city tremble. They even had their own unofficial detention facility.

Anyone who entered that facility usually came out broken or driven mad.

“None of my business,” I said, rolling my eyes, and turned to leave.

“How is it not your business?”

“Arden Sterling, if you hadn’t done so well on your project, if you hadn’t flaunted it in front of Serena, she wouldn’t have been provoked into doing this!”

Jaxon blocked me, his eyes red as he stared intensely. “Now, isn’t it your duty to atone for her sins?”

With that, he reached out and tried to pull me towards a car.

Taking advantage of Jaxon’s distraction, I kicked him, seizing the chance to break free.

But before I could even catch my breath, I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned to see my father approaching with Callum.

My father’s expression was grim, and Callum’s gaze was terrifyingly cold.

My heart sank. I had a bad feeling.

Callum rushed forward without a word, grabbing my arm.

“Let go of me!”

I struggled desperately.

“Jaxon!” Callum shouted at Jaxon, who was still clutching his stomach.

Jaxon immediately reacted and ran over to help.

Two men—I couldn’t break free.

They pinned me to the ground, tying my hands and feet with ropes.

I glared at my father, furious.

“Dad, what are you doing?”

My father avoided my gaze, his voice trembling slightly.

“Arden, don’t blame your dad. Serena has never been hurt since she was little. She can’t endure the Blackwood family’s torture.”

Can’t endure it?

So, he’d sacrifice me without hesitation?

I turned to Jaxon, demanding furiously.

“Jaxon, are you serious about this?!”

Jaxon looked at me, a flicker of pain in his eyes, but he remained resolute, dragging me toward the Blackwood residence.

“Jaxon, your attitude towards me hasn’t changed one bit. Still just as cruel.”

Jaxon looked back at me, his face devoid of surprise.

“I’m sorry, Arden.”

Sorry?

I almost laughed out loud.

“Jaxon, your apology is a joke. Push someone to their death, then offer a 'sorry'?”

“I promise, this is the last time.” Jaxon looked at me earnestly. “I’ve already found a loophole in the Blackwood family’s private detention facility. I’ll do everything I can to protect you. You won’t get hurt.”

When we arrived at the Blackwood estate, Jaxon immediately pushed me away and rushed towards Serena, who was crying dramatically.

He gently stroked Serena’s back, his voice tender, a side of him I had never seen.

“It’s alright, I brought her.”

“Mr. Blackwood, Serena is innocent. Everything was Arden Sterling’s doing behind the scenes.”

“All the harm Miss Blackwood suffered should be borne by Arden Sterling!”

I was tied with ropes, sprawled miserably on the ground.

I struggled to look at Callum, a last glimmer of hope in my eyes.

“You always boasted about your integrity, didn’t you? Why aren’t you telling the truth?”

Callum avoided my gaze. He pulled out a document from his pocket.

“I’m sorry.”

He apologized softly, then handed the fabricated evidence to Mr. Blackwood.

“This is the evidence that Serena kidnapped Miss Blackwood. The main culprit is Arden Sterling.”

My heart turned completely cold.

Mr. Blackwood read the document, his face ashen. He waved his hand, and two men in black immediately stepped forward.

A cold glint flashed. Three knives plunged savagely into my body.

“Ah—!”

The intense pain made me scream. Blood instantly soaked my clothes.

Serena was still crying. Everyone was comforting her. No one spared me a glance.

Just then, a servant rushed in.

“Master, Miss Isabelle is awake!”

“Miss Isabelle says it was Serena who harmed her that night, not Arden Sterling!”

Mr. Blackwood was enraged.

“Outrageous! Your Sterling family dares to replace the culprit?!”

I thought I could finally escape this suffering, but my father stepped forward.

After a string of comforting platitudes, he changed his tone:

“I only have these two daughters. Do you mean to destroy my entire legacy?”

He pointed at me.

“Since Arden has already suffered the punishment on Serena’s behalf, why not give her double the penalty, and this matter can be considered closed.”

My eyes widened. I stared at him in disbelief. “Dad, I’m your biological daughter too.”

“For Serena’s sake, are you truly willing to let me die?”

He unnaturally averted his gaze.

Mr. Blackwood glanced at me, then sneered. “Fine.”

I was dragged to the Blackwood family’s private detention facility, my hands and feet chained.

Torture implements were laid out before me, one by one.

Steel needles pierced under my fingernails, making my entire body tremble with pain.

“Ah—!”

My blood slowly stained the entire facility.

I don’t know how much time passed before Jaxon walked in.

“Jaxon, take me away, quick!”

“Please, save me…”

I cried and pleaded.

But he frowned. “Can you be a little quieter? Serena is very scared hearing your voice.”

I looked at him in disbelief:

“Even with me standing here covered in wounds, your eyes are only on Sister’s trivial fear, aren’t they?”

Jaxon’s face showed a flicker of reluctance, and his fists clenched tightly, but his words still brought despair.

“Just endure it a little longer. Serena’s period has started, I need to go make her a warm tea for her cramps.”

“Jaxon, please! They’re going to stab steel needles into my neck next! If I don’t leave now, I’ll really die!”

Jaxon’s footsteps paused briefly.

“Just hold on. Serena can’t stand pain.”

He walked away without looking back.

I numbly wiped the blood from my face.

Lucian Thorne and Mr. Blackwood emerged from the shadows.

Lucian draped his jacket over me, gently stroking my hair, his voice laced with mockery.

“Wife, are these your family and your childhood friend?”

I looked at Mr. Blackwood, my face devoid of warmth.

“Now, can you believe that I have absolutely no lingering attachment to the Sterling family?”

Mr. Blackwood nodded with satisfaction.

“Welcome to the family.”

From this day forward, I was no longer the second daughter of the Sterling family.

I was the Sterling Group’s nightmare.

Jaxon stood in the kitchen, a spoon in his hand, the warm water gurgling in the pot.

His mind was filled with my last desperate plea to him.