Chapter 3

In the weeks that followed, Julian Thorne made a point of flaunting his relationship with Bethany Greene. They were everywhere-at galas, charity events, exclusive parties in the city's most elite circles. Every time Scarlett turned on the TV or glanced at her phone, their faces were there, smiling for the cameras.

Bethany cultivated a very specific image. She always wore simple, light-colored dresses and little to no makeup, projecting an aura of pure, natural innocence. The media ate it up, calling her a breath of fresh air, an "inspiration." Women started copying her style, and designers clamored to dress her.

Julian seemed completely captivated. He indulged her every whim. When she casually mentioned she liked a particular artist's work, he bought the entire gallery for her.

When a rival socialite made a catty remark about her, Julian nearly ruined the woman's family business overnight. The gossip columns were filled with stories of his devotion.

One headline screamed about how he'd paid several million dollars to stop a construction project because the noise bothered Bethany while she was painting.

Scarlett watched all this from the lonely emptiness of the villa that was once her home. Each news story, each picture of them together, was another reminder of his betrayal.

The pain was constant, a dull ache that never went away. The love she once felt for him was slowly, painfully dying, replaced by a cold, hard knot of resentment. Her heart felt like it was turning to stone.

Her last remaining tie to this world was her brother, Finn. Before she disappeared for good, she had to see him one last time. She went to the private hospital where he was being kept, the same hospital Julian was paying for. She sat by his bedside, holding his unresponsive hand.

"Finn," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "It's me, Scarlett. I'm so sorry. I couldn't protect you. I couldn't even protect my own baby."

Tears streamed down her face as she told him everything-about Julian's cruelty, about the miscarriage, about the divorce.

"I have to leave, Finn," she said, her voice breaking. "I can't stay here anymore. It's not safe. But I promise you, I'll find a way to take you with me. We'll be together again."

After leaving the hospital, she began the process of erasing herself. She closed her bank accounts, canceled her phone number, and contacted a broker to sell all the extravagant gifts Julian had ever given her.

The jewelry, the designer clothes, the luxury cars-they were all meaningless trinkets now. She even signed over the deed to the mountain villa where they had spent their happiest times.

The last things to go were the small, personal items, the things that held real memories. A collection of seashells from their first vacation, a cheap stuffed animal he won for her at a carnival, a book of poetry he'd read to her. These were the things that truly hurt to part with.

She built a small fire in the backyard of the villa and threw them in, one by one. She watched as the flames consumed their past, the smoke carrying away ten years of her life. The firelight flickered on her tear-streaked face.

As the last item turned to ash, she heard a car pull up. She turned, and her heart stopped. Julian and Bethany were getting out of his car, walking towards her.

Julian' s eyes were cold and questioning as he took in the scene-the fire, her tear-stained face. He didn't ask what she was doing. He didn't seem to care.

"I came to get something," he said, his voice flat. He looked past her, towards the house. "The Thorne family emerald. It's a family heirloom, meant for the matriarch of the family. Since you're no longer my wife, it belongs to Bethany now."

The words were like a physical blow. The emerald necklace was the first piece of Thorne family jewelry he had ever given her, a symbol of her acceptance into his world. The thought of Bethany wearing it made her feel sick.

"I don't have it," she lied, her voice trembling slightly.

Bethany stepped forward, a sly smile on her face. "Oh, don't be like that, Scarlett. It's just a necklace. It's not like you have any use for it anymore."

Scarlett ignored her, her gaze fixed on Julian. "It was a gift. It's mine."

Before Julian could respond, Bethany suddenly shrieked. She was holding her wrist, a beautiful jade bracelet now lying shattered on the ground at her feet.

"My bracelet!" she cried, tears welling up in her eyes. "You pushed me! You broke my mother's bracelet!"

Scarlett stared at her, bewildered. She hadn't moved. She hadn't touched her.

"What are you talking about?" Scarlett asked. "I didn't do anything."

"I saw it!" Bethany sobbed, pointing a shaking finger at Scarlett. "You were angry, and you shoved me!" She turned to Julian, her face a mask of distress. "Julian, she's trying to hurt me!"

Without a word, Julian strode past Scarlett and into the house. He came back a moment later holding a thin, flexible rattan cane. It was the cane his grandfather used to enforce discipline in the Thorne family, a tool of punishment and humiliation.

"You never learn, do you, Scarlett?" he said, his voice dangerously low. "You always have to cause trouble."

He grabbed her arm, his grip like iron. "You hurt Bethany. You will be punished."

He raised the cane. Scarlett's mind went blank with terror. She remembered him once telling her, his voice full of love and protectiveness, that he would never let anyone or anything hurt her.

The first blow landed on her back with a sickening crack. The pain was sharp and immediate, tearing a scream from her throat. He didn't stop. The cane came down again and again, each strike a fresh wave of agony. The thin fabric of her dress tore, and she could feel warm blood trickling down her back.

Through the haze of pain, she looked at him, at the man who had promised to love her forever, and saw nothing but cold, merciless rage. He was a monster, and she had been a fool to ever believe otherwise.

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