Chapter 2

“Get Elara out of there. Tell her to clean herself up before she apologizes to Sera. I don’t want her reeking of sweat and fear. It will just disgust Sera,” Damian said coolly. Leo nodded stiffly.

Sera traced the sharp line of Damian’s jaw, her painted nail a slash of red against his skin. “Damian, once she’s out, be gentle. You’re still husband and wife. A fight this big… it’s not good for anyone.”

A flicker of impatience crossed Damian’s eyes, but he caught her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips. He kissed each knuckle, a gesture of possessive worship.

“She wouldn’t dare defy me again. Because of her, you were trapped in that elevator for thirty minutes. I can’t imagine your terror, your helplessness. Sera, you are too good. That’s why she preys on you.” He reined in his temper, as if afraid to startle her.

But when I heard those words, they sounded like a mocking laugh.

Last week, while Damian was in a board meeting, Sera had come to Elysian Tower to provoke me.

“Even with a baby, you’ll never hold him. You and that unwanted child are just a liability on his balance sheet.” She’d said it with a sweet smile, as if offering a compliment.

I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. I just told her to leave.

But her private elevator malfunctioned on her way down, stopping between floors.

While she was stuck, she started a live broadcast on her Instagram Close Friends story. It was a long, tearful farewell to Damian. She told him she might not get out alive and was saying her goodbyes.

(I know Elara hates me. If I don’t make it out, I hope she can take care of you for me.)

(I’ll see you in the next life, Damian.)

Once Damian saw the notification, he aborted the meeting and raced back like a man possessed. He mobilized his entire security team and finally found Sera “unconscious” in the elevator.

I stood nearby and watched him hold her in his arms, shouting, “Sera, don’t leave me!”

At the time, I found it absurd. Was it necessary? She was stuck for half an hour, and they acted like it was a permanent separation.

But when Damian grabbed my hair and dragged me toward the server room, I finally understood. While they performed their drama of love, this incident spelled my doom.

“Do you know what you did?! Sera has severe claustrophobia, you nearly killed her! Even if we saved her, she’ll be traumatized for life!

“Elara, I will make you understand that being my wife gives you no rights. You will not leave that cabinet until you are ready to beg.”

Even now, his expression was still a mask of cold fury, waiting for my apology.

Unfortunately for him, he would not get his wish.

“Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Vance… is no longer showing any signs of life!”

Damian was stunned.

I watched his reaction. I thought he might feel a flicker of shock, but he just smiled, a chilling, careless expression.

“She’s just acting. She’s been pulling stunts for years. How could she die so easily?”

“Contact a disposal service. Tell them to incinerate it. If she loves pretending this much, then we’ll show her the price of faking her own death.”

Damian tapped his fingers on the glass desk and said coolly, “Tell her that if she doesn’t clean herself up within half an hour, I will continue her punishment until she stops this nonsense.”

Leo trembled and wanted to object, but Damian snapped at him, “Are you still here? Do you want to join her?”

He pulled Sera onto his lap, his hand possessively on her thigh. “Sera, don’t feel any pity for her later. You have to be firm and make her suffer a little more. I’m going to make her grovel while she apologizes. That’s my punishment for her. Don’t you dare feel sorry for her.”

Sera looked at him with an expression of pure adoration. “Damian…”

I couldn’t even find the energy to hate them. But for some reason, my soul seemed tethered here, unable to leave. I could only watch as Damian cursed me and laughed at my memory.