Chapter 5

Lucas abruptly halted his aggressive movements.

Perhaps the five days of hunger and fear had stripped away all his will to resist.

In the next moment, he fell to his knees with a dull thud, and his eyes were filled with pleading.

I took the prepared steak from the bodyguard behind me, the aroma of the grease seeping through the packaging.

I crouched down and handed him the steak.

I watched as he almost immediately snatched it from my hand and devoured it ravenously despite the heat. Crumbs were spilling from the corners of his mouth.

I gently ran my fingers through his disheveled hair, as if soothing a compliant pet.

Yet I said, my tone was cold and mocking, "Good doggy."

He paused in his eating, but didn't dare look up.

Instead, he ate even faster, as if trying to make up for the five days of starvation.

Perhaps the steak had given him an illusion.

As he swallowed the last bite, he asked with a hoarse voice, "Can I... can I go out now?"

I didn't answer, just straightened up and took a step back.

The two bodyguards who had been standing by the door immediately moved forward, blocking most of the light from the basement with their tall figures.

The expression of anticipation on Lucas' face froze instantly, fear resurfacing in his eyes.

I looked at him and said, my tone indifferent. "Perhaps you can tell me now? About the foolish things Liam has done."

He moved his lips slightly, his eyes flickering, but ultimately he shook his head. "I... I really don't know..."

"You don't?" I raised an eyebrow. Then a chilling smile appeared on my face. "Oh, it seems five days haven't cleared your mind yet? Then... let's make it another five days."

With that, I turned to leave.

"Wait!" Lucas suddenly howled and lunged forward to grab my clothes, only for his wrist to be caught painfully in the closing door.

The dull grind of bone accompanied by his cries of pain came from behind. Yet he clung to the door frame, refusing to let go.

As I turned back with a cold gaze, his face was ashen. He begged with a choked voice. "I'm sorry, I remember now. I'll tell you everything!"

What followed was a halting confession of many things.

Liam had long been involved with Vivian.

It was that vile woman who had orchestrated this game. She had always been delighting in destroying everything for others.

My opportunity for a research and study project had been snatched away, but Liam believed it was me who had deliberately competed with Vivian for it.

To avenge Vivian, Liam and she had conspired to set up this plot.

After getting together with me, every project failure and breach of contract was schemed by Liam to control me, to make me depend on him.

I listened expressionlessly and nonchalantly, only with the flames of revenge blazing in my heart.

Just as Lucas finished speaking, a loud bang came from outside the door accompanied by Liam's furious roar, "You fucking woman! Come out here! You'll regret for setting me up!"

It seemed he had been released from custody and had brought others to cause trouble.

I turned to Lucas and then signaled the bodyguards to give him a bottle of water and a sandwich. "Eat up, boy."

He hesitated for a moment, then quickly finished the food, his eyes full of unease.

The sounds of smashing outside grew louder, the noise of furniture breaking was constant.

I adjusted my skirt, then came out with Lucas.

The living room was a mess now. Liam was standing in the middle with a leg of a broken chair in his hand.

Seeing me, he glared at me menacingly. "You crazy woman, how dare you call the cops on me!"

I ignored his ranting, simply pointing at him and telling Lucas, "Beat him. Make sure he can't fight back, or I'll kill you."

Liam laughed derisively at this, his eyes full of scorn. "Lucas, don't listen to her! She's just crazy, claiming she'll kill you. You..."

Before he could finish, a dull thud reverberated through the living room.

Lucas' fist had crashed into Liam's face

with such force that Liam staggered back several steps and fell onto the shattered coffee table.

Clutching his face, Liam looked up at Lucas in shock, seemingly unable to believe that Lucas, whom Liam considered as a coward, would strike him.

Lucas stood his ground with his fist trembling slightly.

Yet fear had vanished from his eyes, replaced by a determined fierceness.

He knew that I wasn't joking, and if he didn't comply, he truly wouldn't leave this place alive.