"What did those bastards do to Liv?" I clutched the armrest of the wheelchair."When I got there, they were going to cut her up like a piece of wood with a chainsaw." Mark glanced at the bandage on his hand. "Now they'll never be able to use electricity again. Unless hell needs lumberjacks.""Are you all right?" I asked Mark. "Are you badly hurt?""It's nothing compared to what happened to your friend," Mark said, rising to his feet. "My work is done. Can I go home and sleep now?""Go home and get some rest," Frade said. "Tomorrow will be your day off."Mark tapped Frade on the shoulder and gave me a meaningful look before he left. I guessed what he meant.Then Frade wheeled me into the VIP room and we went to Liv's bed.Liv is lying on a hospital bed. She was terribly thin, her cheeks sunken. A transparent oxygen mask was placed over her nose and mouth. Although she could not speak, her eyes were still looking at me."I'm sorry, Liv," I said as I shook her hand.Liv looks at me, and
It was pitch black before my eyes. The pillow pressed against my nose and I couldn't breathe. My hand gripped a pair of stout arms, and I tried with all my might to move them away, but the man was stronger than I thought. My nails went into his arm muscles, but he was unmoved. I gradually lost consciousness.Just as I was about to faint, the pillow on my face suddenly revealed a tiny gap, and I tried to breathe. I took the pillow away and threw it on the ground. I saw two men fighting in front of me.Frade grabbed a vase from the table and smashed it on the man's head. The glass clashed against his head and the man fell to the ground immediately. Frade dropped the vase and ran to my bedside to hold me."Are you okay?""I'm fine." In fact, if he had come a minute later, I would have literally suffocated."Who is he?" I asked."Let me see." Frade went over and pulled off the man's mask. I got out of bed and followed.The man had a deep scar on his brow. I remember this man. He was the b
The next morning, Frade sent someone to the hospital to take Liv and me to Vickie's estate.The hospital will send a professional nurse to check on me and Liv every day.In fact, I have almost recovered. But Liv was injured and she is still recovering. She had been able to walk from her room to the garden by herself, and sometimes I would see Mark beside her.I stood in the hallway and looked out the window at Liv and Mark, who were walking through the garden. I watched Mark walk Liv slowly down the flowery path. My heart suddenly felt a little touched. They look like a good match."Miss Green." A man's voice pulled my thoughts away from Liv and Mark. I turned and saw Kohl, Vickie's servant."Can I help you?" I asked."Mrs. Logan would like to invite you to morning tea," Kohl said politely."Now?" I wondered. If I was right, it was past my morning tea. "Is she in the garden?""No, she's waiting for you in her room," said Kohl. "Mrs. Logan would like you to go now."It was my third day
His eyes were all red. His breath reeked of alcohol. He approached me with the document in his hand. A transparent plastic file contains a person's case report information. My name is in the patient column. It was six months ago."I saw the video from Santa Maria Hospital," he said, word by word, "I saw us together. It turned out that we not only knew each other, but we were close. But you told me you didn't know me at all. Why?"The truth will be found out one day, and the deep-buried secret will be found out sooner or later. I unconsciously stepped back until my back hit the wall. How do I explain this to him?"Tell me." His voice was full of authority. "How can you lie to me?""We have nothing to do with each other," I said calmly. "Those videos don't mean anything."He stared at me, as if his eyes were piercing through me. His breath became heavy, like a lion about to explode."If those videos don't mean anything," he said, taking a piece of paper from his pocket and spreading it
Frade is gone, but his scent is still in the room. My body began to cool down, and all desire disappeared with his departure. I couldn't stay in the room alone. I couldn't forget the intimacy I had with him.So I rushed out of the room and knocked on Liv's door. When she opened the door to meet me, I finally couldn't help crying. Liv put her arm around me and sat me down on the couch. She kept handing me tissues to wipe my tears. After I had calmed down a little, she said to me."Eva, are you all right?" She said, wiping the tears from my eyes with a tissue. "Tell me what happened.""I'm in pain." My voice was hoarse after I cried. "My heart is dead.""Oh, silly," Liv whispered. "Who hurt you? Tell me.""It was me, I killed myself." I hugged her."Calm down." Liv kissed my forehead, her hand caressing my back. "I'm right here with you."I lay in her arms until the tears ran dry. I looked out of the window in silence. Liv let me lean on her, and she kept me company until I said somethi
I woke up immediately. The telephone is in my hand. I glanced at Liv in bed. She was still asleep. So I whispered on the phone, "I just woke up.""Who are you with?" The caller demanded."Liv, my good friend.""Come and see me, little rose," he said. "I have a present for you."I wanted to tell him that I didn't care about presents, and that it would be nice if he would let me sleep an extra hour. Looking at the empty cans on the floor, I can't remember how many beers we had last night. Maybe Liv and I had three rounds last night. Before leaving the room, I went to the bathroom to wash my face with water and then rinse my mouth with mouthwash. I didn't want to look too embarrassed when I saw Daley later.The door was unlocked and opened with a little push. There was a light in the sky and the room was dark. The curtains of the French windows were drawn to either side, and a shallow ray of sunlight fell on Daley. He was wearing a black suit with his back to me and his hands in his pock
"What else do you know?" Daley looked at me intently. "Who told you about my recruitment? Was it Frade?""Tell me, are you going to kill Frade?" I stared at him."Tell me, if you had to choose again, would you choose Frade or me?" He asked."Why do you care so much about that answer?""Because I love you." His voice softened, "I risked my life to bring back women who had been trafficked to pudding, and I have broken my rules over and over again because of you. I even went to Cartier headquarters to have a custom wedding ring made for you. I wanted to surprise you. But you hurt me.""I never meant to hurt you." I lowered my head in shame.“I want to give you the best of everything in the world,” Daley said, pulling a beautiful ring box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a large sapphire ring. “I just want you to be happy.”"No, Daley," I said quickly, in case he was about to kneel down and propose. "I'm afraid I can't bear the weight of your love.""Because of Frade?" He looked sa
Mia picked up a white bathrobe from the sofa and put it on. Her hair looked wet. I guess they were just getting out of the shower when they heard the doorbell.I looked around the room. On the table were plates of caviar, black truffles, foie gras and toast. It looks as if the food has been tasted and thrown away on a plate. Next to it were several empty wine bottles and two goblets.Then I caught a glimpse of white powder on the tin foil on the coffee table, and a bad feeling came over me.Was Frade using heroin?“Honey,” Mia said to Frade in a sweet voice, “Can you go to the coffee shop and get a cup of coffee?”"Cappuccino?" Frade looked at her with doting eyes."Yes." Mia looked at him. "My tastes haven't changed, you know.""What about you?" Frade asked me with a wink. "What kind of coffee would you like?""No, thanks," I said coldly.Frade went into the bedroom to change into a casual outfit and Mia gave him a kiss before he left. I deliberately looked out the window until the d