Chapter 5

Intense pain swept through my entire body. I gasped for air.

Sweat slid into my eyes. The last trace of warmth I felt for Liam in my heart vanished completely.

The bodyguards dragged me and threw me outside the hospital.

It was more than ten degrees below zero outside, with heavy snow falling.

I wore only thin clothes but was pressed into the snow.

The bone-chilling cold made me gasp. The freezing wind blew right through me.

Sophie stood under the eaves wrapped in a fluffy blanket, watching my suffering.

Liam raised his hand to tighten the blanket around Sophie.

"Sophie, be careful not to catch cold."

Half my body was buried in the snow. I was shivering so hard my teeth chattered.

My heart felt suffocated.

I slowly bent over, covering my face to swallow my grief.

I went from wailing at first to finally losing all strength, left with only faint breathing.

Until the kidnappers sent a message.

In the video, Sophie's kitten was tied up in a cage.

Covered in blood, it seemed to have lost all signs of life.

Seeing this scene, Sophie nearly fainted.

Her face turned deathly pale as she shouted at the kidnappers through gritted teeth.

"However much money you want, we can give it. Don't hurt my cat—"

The kidnapper on the other end laughed.

"Want to save your cat? Of course. A life for a life."

"Break Miss Rivers's legs and send her to us as a hostage."

Liam froze in place, his chest heaving violently.

But I could no longer speak, only begging brokenly.

"Liam, don't..."

A flash of hesitation crossed Liam's eyes.

But the next second came Sophie's crying plea for help.

"Please, I'm begging you. The kitten has been with me since I was little. It's my life."

"If the kitten doesn't survive, I won't live either!"

The man who had been hesitating grew determined after hearing Sophie's cries.

Liam picked up a nearby stick and approached me step by step.

My heart sank to the bottom. I begged.

"Liam, you can't do this to me."

He gritted his teeth and used all his strength to smash the stick into my knees.

My legs were broken alive. Heart-piercing pain drilled through my flesh and into my heart.

Liam held me tightly, his voice trembling.

"Jenna, forgive me."

"I can't live without Sophie. When you come back safely, I'll atone to you."

Sophie smiled smugly at me and turned to the kidnapper in the video.

"We'll send you the hostage right away. You must keep my kitten safe!"

I was dragged and hauled by Liam to the kidnappers' location.

Liam's eyes were filled with crimson.

"Don't blame us, Jenna. I can't let any danger come to Sophie's cat."

"You were born with everything, but Sophie is all alone with only her cat to keep her company."

I was covered in injuries, without even the strength to resist.

"Now that we've brought the person, release Sophie's cat!"

Liam pushed me into the kidnappers' hands.

The kidnapper looked at me mockingly.

"Miss Rivers is truly pitiful—worth less than a mistress."

The atmosphere grew cold.

Half-opening my eyes, I watched them hurriedly leave with Sophie.

Only the kidnappers and I remained.

They immediately grabbed my hair and violently smashed my head against the ground.

Once, twice, more than ten times.

Dark red blood flowed continuously from the torn flesh, tasting fishy and bitter when it reached my mouth.

The kidnapper laughed sarcastically.

Seeing that I didn't struggle or beg for mercy, he immediately lost interest.

"Miss Sophie said to leave no survivors. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for provoking the wrong person."

When the cold barrel pressed against my temple, I closed my eyes, my tone extremely calm.

"You really think you can kill me?"

The moment the trigger was pulled, there was no expected gunshot—only the dull thud of heavy objects hitting the ground.

Both kidnappers had been subdued by the men in black my father sent.

Walter, the leader, rushed forward and knelt on one knee.

"Mr. Rivers sent us to bring you home!"

Three minutes later, more than a dozen helicopters circled on the rooftop.

I picked up my phone and sent a text to my lawyer.

"Withdraw all of Liam's medical symposium funding and take back the mansion he's currently living in."