**Chapter 8**
The next three days, I lived in hell.
I knew Seraphina wanted me to accompany her only to torment me further.
Under the scorching sun, she made me run between dozens of dessert shops.
At the jewelry store, she made me hold a jewelry box weighing over ten pounds for half the day, refusing to let me stop even when my arms trembled.
The most outrageous time, she “accidentally” spilled hot coffee on my still–healing back wound. Blood immediately soaked a large patch of gauze…
I endured it all in silence.
Just a little longer. I’d be able to leave soon.
Until this day, at the wedding dress shop.
“Oh, my legs are so tired from trying things on.” Seraphina suddenly frowned, pointing at me. “You, come here and massage my legs.”
As soon as I approached, Seraphina kicked me to the ground and stomped on my hand-
“Ah!”
D
Pain shot through me, bone–deep. Seraphina’s stiletto heel ground one by one over my finger bones. My vision swam from the agony, and cold sweat immediately drenched my back.
But she smiled sweetly. “Does it hurt? Because I feel incredibly satisfied.”
Just as I was about to pass out, the shop door suddenly opened.
“Seraphina.”
Damien stood in the doorway, having witnessed everything.
Seraphina’s face changed. She immediately rushed into his arms. “Damien! Don’t misunderstand, she put tacks in my shoe, and I was so angry that I just…”
“No need to explain.” Damien cut her off, his gaze indifferently sweeping over my bleeding hands. “She’s just a maid. You’re the future lady of the Sterling house. You can handle her however you like.”
He lowered his head and kissed the top of Seraphina’s hair. “I only care about how you feel.”
Seraphina smiled triumphantly. “Then wait for me, I’ll go try on a wedding dress for you~”
Shortly after she entered the fitting room, and as I was struggling to get up, a loud *bang* suddenly echoed from not far
away!
9:27 AM
<
“Oh no!” A sales assistant shrieked. “Miss Reed fell down the stairs!”
Damien’s face changed drastically. He immediately rushed over, scooping up Seraphina, who was covered in blood.
As he passed me, he didn’t even glance my way.
I watched his hurried departing back. For some reason, I suddenly remembered the past-
If I accidentally grazed my finger and broke the skin, he would anxiously hold it in his palm, personally disinfecting and bandaging it for me.
And now, my fingers were mangled and bleeding from being crushed by a high heel, and he ignored it.
My heart felt like it had been ripped open, yet it was numb, unable to feel the pain.
My phone suddenly rang.
I gripped my bleeding hand, trembling as I pressed the answer button.
“Miss Elara, your overseas paperwork is ready for collection.”
At that moment, I almost cried.
Finally… finally, I could leave.
I immediately hailed a taxi to collect my passport and plane ticket, not even bothering to treat the injuries on my hand.
As long as I left here, everything would be over.
Meanwhile, at the hospital.
The doctor rushed out. “Master Sterling, Miss Reed has a clotting disorder and a rare blood type. The blood bank is critically low!”
Damien’s face instantly changed. He immediately gave orders to his assistant. “Find compatible blood types in the entire city. No matter what conditions they demand, she must come to donate blood!”
The assistant immediately arranged a city–wide search. Soon, they found someone, but his expression was a bit strange. “We found someone. The only compatible person in the entire city is…”
He hesitated.
“Who is it?” Damien asked coldly.
The assistant lowered his head. “It’s… Elara Sterling!”
I had just finished packing my bags, ready to leave the Sterling house.
But before I could even step out the front door, I was seized by the shoulders by bodyguards who had suddenly rushed
- in.
These were Damien Sterling’s bodyguards?
<
Why would he have his bodyguards seize me?
My heart instantly leaped into my throat-
Had he… remembered?
