Chapter 3

The birthday party Fiona meticulously prepared began at 8 PM sharp.

Jasper, in a pure black high-end suit, appeared holding Fiona’s arm.

Guests squeezed me aside, whispering.

"Mr. Qin is so handsome, no wonder Ms. Shen has favored him for so many years."

"But isn’t that bodyguard Ms. Shen’s rightful husband?"

Fiona looked at me, dressed so properly for once, her tone slightly tender: "Introduce yourself to everyone."

Her voice held a hint of expectation even she didn’t notice.

I bowed my head, speaking steadily.

"I’m Fiona’s bodyguard—Jasper."

Fiona clearly paused for several seconds, her face visibly darkening.

A flicker of frustration crossed my face.

What exactly does she want from me?

"Mr. Qin, you really are quite the gentleman. No wonder Fiona has been so fond of you all these years."

"But I thought the bodyguard was supposed to be Fiona's legitimate husband?"

Fiona looked at me, dressed impeccably for once, her voice carrying a soft undercurrent: "Introduce yourself to everyone."

Her voice held a hint of anticipation she didn't even notice.

I lowered my head, speaking with calm composure.

"I'm Fiona's bodyguard—Jasper."

Fiona was visibly stunned for a few seconds, her expression darkening.

A trace of annoyance flickered across my face.

What exactly does she want from me?

Qin An smiled broadly, a glint of mischief in his eyes, beckoning me over.

"I'm not feeling well today and can't drink, so you drink all this wine for me."

I remained silent, eventually opening my mouth.

"I'm allergic to alcohol..."

"Lili, I know Brother Jasper might still be mad at me, so he's just making up an excuse."

Qin An lowered his head, his voice filled with disappointment.

Fiona gave me a pointed look, her voice firm: "Drink! Don't you always carry allergy meds? Take them and then drink, what's the big deal?"

Her tone left no room for refusal.

I quietly took out the medication and swallowed a few pills.

Soon, a crowd gathered with glasses, engaging in small talk, and I downed the wine in my throat.

One glass after another, my stomach churned, and I couldn't help but feel nauseous.

My not-yet-healed wounds burst open under the alcohol's influence.

Seeing the blood at the corner of my mouth, Fiona noticeably gasped.

The next moment, Jasper screamed.

"Lili, the heirloom watch you gave me is missing, and just now, only Jasper was near us, could it be him..."

My pupils contracted, not because of the baseless accusation, but because the heirloom gift my mom gave to Fiona, her daughter-in-law, was passed on so carelessly.

Back then, she treated both me and my mom so well.

At that moment, I couldn't help but smile mockingly.

Fiona looked at my smile, and a familiar feeling of frustration welled up in her heart.

She comforted Qin An personally, then sternly called for the bodyguards.

The next second, several bodyguards pinned me to the ground, tearing at my clothes forcefully.

Normally, I wouldn't be so defenseless.

But the fresh wounds Fiona had inflicted over the past few days left my body with no time to recover.

I struggled desperately, but couldn't match their brute strength.

My shirt was torn to shreds, and the tattoos on my body oozed blood faintly.

Fiona squinted slightly, displaying only her desire for control over me.

Until—

"The watch has been found!"

Fiona took the emerald watch and personally placed it on Qin An's wrist, her tone indulgent.

"Next time, don't be so careless."

Qin An scratched his head sheepishly, looking at me full of guilt:

"This was a gift from you, luckily it was found, but I wronged Brother Jasper, should I apologize to him?"

In full view of everyone, looking at my blood-stained body.

Fiona's voice was extremely cold.

"No need, he's just a bodyguard, a dog I keep, what's a little grievance?"

In the bathroom, I couldn't stop dry heaving.

Before I could recover, Qin An kicked me hard.

He pressed on my tattoo, veins bulging on his forehead.

"You really are pathetic, just a dog raised by Lili, yet you cling to her so desperately!"

"Speaking of which, do you know why, when your mom was seriously ill, Lili sent you to the neighboring city for medicine?"

"Because she just wanted to get rid of you, at that time, Lili and I—stripped naked right in front of your mom, she was literally angered to death!"

"Smack!"

After slapping Qin An across the face, I grabbed his neck, unable to hold back any longer.

Qin An sneered, immediately fighting back.

He poured cold water over me relentlessly, but accidentally struck a dry appliance.

In the blink of an eye.

We both simultaneously heard the appliance emit a sizzling sound.

The next second, it exploded, filling the entire bathroom with thick smoke.

From outside, desperate cries for help quickly sounded.

Fiona's voice accompanied by the click of high heels approached: "Where's Jasper?"

She ignored the raging fire and rushed in.

Her gaze fell immediately on Qin An, who pretended to faint.

He reached out, tears in his eyes: "Lili, save me..."

Ignoring me, drenched in blood-soaked shirt.

Fiona anxiously helped Qin An up and walked out without looking back.

Never once did she glance my way.

The smoke choked me, making me collapse powerlessly on the floor, the pain magnified a thousandfold in that instant.

The next second, a pair of black leather shoes appeared in my vision.

I looked up in a daze, and it was Qin An's sidekick.

He wore a menacing smile, shoving me hard.

Already by the window, I fell out unguardedly.

"Don't blame me for being ruthless, only if Qin An has a good life can I rise to the top with him."

He confidently turned back, not realizing he had inadvertently saved me from the fire.

Just the fourth floor.

With a limping leg, I hailed a cab and told the driver, "Airport."

The scenery outside the window quickly receded.

I took out my phone, removed the SIM card, and snapped it in half—

"Crack."

The card broke, and I tossed it out the window.

Fiona, from now on, you and I will vanish completely!

4.

Inside the hospital room.

Fiona gently touched the small scar on Asher's shoulder. It reminded her of the tattoo she had engraved on Jasper. She should have felt happy, yet her heart raced as if something was gnawing at her nerves.