"Valerie, you're mine. No one else gets to even look at you..."

Valerie was pushed against the window of the car as the man behind her whispered in a deep voice while moving roughly.

She begged him to stop, but her pleading only made him act more fiercely.

When it was over, Raymond Hibben pulled her tightly into his arms, his voice laced with a trace of guilt.

"I'm sorry I was so harsh. I just can't take it when others look at you. I get jealous, but I won't treat you like that again. Rest here in the car. I'll take you home after I wrap up the deal."

Just an hour earlier, Valerie had accompanied Raymond to a dinner party. A drunk man there laughed and joked that she should stop playing the grieving widow and consider being with him instead.

Raymond lost his temper and beat the man so badly that he ended up in the hospital. Then, still fuming, he dragged her into the parking garage where he let out all his rage on her.

Valerie hadn't expected Raymond to be so protective. A wave of warmth stirred in her heart. When she saw he had forgotten his phone in the car, she decided to return it to the private room so he wouldn't have to come back for it.

She was just about to knock on the door when she heard some of Raymond's friends joking loudly inside.

"Raymond, did you really have to go that hard? The guy just whistled at Kaylani a few days ago. You used the excuse of him hitting on your stepmom to break both his legs?"

"What do you know? In Raymond's eyes, Kaylani is untouchable. Back then, she dumped him because she couldn't stand the idea of dating an illegitimate son. She ran off overseas with a rich guy, saying that she would come back if Raymond became the heir of the Hibben Group. If it weren't for the 20% of the Hibben Group's shares Valerie held, he wouldn't have touched her and dated her in secret for seven years."

"Raymond really is something. Even after all that, now that Kaylani is back, he still won't touch her. He's taken it all out on Valerie. He even made her cut her hair and wear white just to make her look like Kaylani. Classic Raymond move."

Peeking through the small opening in the doorway, Valerie clearly saw Raymond smiling as he spoke, "Keep quiet until I get those shares. Don't let anyone find out my plan."

Her eyes widened in shock, and she quickly covered her mouth to keep from letting out a sob.

So this was the truth. Raymond had always loved someone else. All the effort he put into rising in the company was just so he could be good enough for Kaylani Levine.

He never truly cared about her. The whole relationship had been a setup from the beginning.

She picked up Raymond's phone and entered Kaylani's birthdate. As she guessed, it worked, and the screen unlocked.

After seven long years of her secret relationship with Raymond, this was the first time she had ever looked at his phone.

"Kaylani, I promise I'll become the Hibben family's heir and bring you back in the grandest way."

"Kaylani, I've taken over most of the company these past two years. Once I get the last 20% of the shares, I'll marry you."

"Kaylani, I bought the most expensive jewelry this season for you. Make sure you receive the delivery."

Over the past seven years, Raymond always treated Kaylani kindly, but Valerie never got to experience any of that care.

Her heart ached deeply, and old memories started rushing through her mind.

Nine years ago, Raymond's father was in a car accident and fell into a coma. The family brought Valerie in, hoping to bring good luck and change his fate. But not long after she entered the Hibben family, Raymond's father passed away. Everyone blamed her, calling her bad luck, and treated her badly, even hurting her physically.

Only Raymond stepped in to shield her, offering comfort and a sense of safety that lasted until today.

Valerie is an orphan. So, this was the first time she had ever felt cared for. She couldn't help but fall in love with Raymond.

After Raymond's father died, the Hibben family was in chaos. Raymond took control of the company with sheer force. Valerie witnessed him killing his own siblings. He showed no emotion towards his blood relatives, but when he looked at her, his eyes were soft. He would gently pat her head and tell her not to worry.

She truly believed he loved her. That's why, when he stumbled into her room drunk seven years ago, she gave herself to him without hesitation.

But now she finally understood. Raymond had never loved her. All his kindness was just to get the 20% shares she owned.

Feeling heartbroken, she turned off Raymond's phone. Then, with a heavy heart, she picked up her own phone and made a call.

"Bryan, I've decided. I'll take over Sir Hibben's overseas business in England. Please arrange everything for the transition."

Nobody realized that, besides the 20 shares that Valerie owned, Raymond's father had also given her foreign assets simply because she had once saved his life.

The secretary, Bryan Henderson, asked, "Ms. Quinn, didn't you say before that you wanted to give those overseas assets to Mr. Raymond Hibben? What made you change your decision so suddenly?"

Valerie didn't say a word. The voice on the phone kept talking, "Since your choice is final, we'll inform everyone to prepare for the arrival of the new CEO. It will take a few days. We'll send a car to pick you up in five days."

"Thank you," she replied.

After hanging up, Valerie handed Raymond's phone to a waiter and asked him to return it to Raymond. Then she took a taxi and went back home by herself.

As soon as she walked into her room, she opened a drawer and pulled out a share transfer agreement. She contacted an expert and sold off all her 20% share. The buyer said the payment would come through in five days. Only then would the agreement officially take effect.

After that, Valerie opened her wardrobe, and it was filled only with white dresses and T-shirts.

But the truth is, she actually loved bright, bold colors like pink, red, or blue. Raymond once told her she looked younger and energetic in white, so she replaced all her clothes with white ones.

He also convinced her to cut off the long hair she loved and to straighten her naturally wavy hair.

He claimed she looked perfect that way, and that just seeing her made his heart race. She trusted his words, but now she understood he thought she looked good only because she reminded him of Kaylani.

Valerie's nose stung as if she were about to cry. She pulled all the clothes out of her wardrobe and threw them in the garbage bin downstairs. Then she stepped into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and scrubbed her body roughly. Even when her skin turned red and started bleeding, she didn't stop. It was like she wanted to wash away every single memory of Raymond, even if it meant scraping off her skin.

For years, Raymond constantly demanded intimacy from her, three or four times a day. His demands in that aspect were particularly high. Almost every time they met, it ended up in bed. He was always rough and dominant, never stopping until she cried.

She once asked him to be gentler, but he just smiled and said that it was his way of showing love. He claimed that when he loved someone, he wanted them to become a part of him. She believed him. But only now did she understand. If he truly loved her, he would never have treated her that way.

The truth was, he had used her to take out his anger and frustration over another woman.

Just then, the bathroom door opened from outside. Raymond stepped in, dressed in a sharp suit, a worried expression on his face.

"Valerie, didn't I tell you to wait in the car? Why did you come back without telling me?" he asked.

When he noticed the blood on her skin, his face tightened with concern. He hurried under the shower and grabbed her hand.

"What are you doing? Why are you scrubbing yourself so hard?"

"That's none of your concern," she replied coldly.

Valerie tried to pull his hand away, but instead of letting go, he pushed her against the wall, and his warm breath touched the side of her neck.

"You looked like you were really enjoying it when we were in the car earlier. What's with the sudden mood swing? Was it not enough for you? Want to go another round?"

He lifted her and put her on the sink, spreading her legs apart like he was about to continue.

Valerie pushed her foot against his chest and said weakly, "I'm exhausted. Don't touch me."

Before Raymond could do anything, she jumped down from the sink and quickly ran out of the room.

That night, while Valerie was deeply asleep, Raymond wrapped his arms around her from behind.

She flinched and pulled away from his hold.

He froze for a second, just about to speak, when the phone on the nightstand lit up. After glancing at the sender, his expression shifted. He grabbed it and began typing a reply.

The glow from the screen was sharp in the darkness. Valerie quietly noticed how he shook from trying not to laugh, and it felt like her heart was breaking.

She didn't sleep a bit that night and waited until morning. As she went to freshen up, she noticed his phone lighting up again. It was another message from Kaylani.

"Raymond, thanks for getting me breakfast so early. But I don't really feel like eating shrimp and cheddar oatmeal. You can give it to Valerie instead."

Valerie pressed her lips together, and just as she lifted her head, she saw Raymond entering the room holding a bowl of shrimp and cheddar oatmeal that had already gone cold.

"Valerie, I got this shrimp and cheddar oatmeal just for you. Come give it a taste," he said.

He raised a spoonful to her mouth, but she turned away.

"I'm not hungry."

She wasn't sure if Raymond had forgotten about her allergy to shrimp or if he was doing it on purpose.

Once, in order to help Raymond close a business deal, she went an entire day and night without eating. Right when she was about to collapse from hunger, someone gave her shrimp in a rush. She had a severe allergic reaction and was rushed to the hospital, nearly losing her life.

Back then, Raymond cried so hard his eyes turned red. He gripped her hand tightly, afraid she might slip away. He promised that he would never let her suffer like that again.

But now...

It didn't matter anymore. In just four days, she would be gone for good. Whether Raymond remembered or not didn't change anything.

Raymond seemed to sense that something was off with her. He set the oatmeal aside with a frown.

"You've been acting strange since last night. Are you just worn out? My friend is throwing a party on a cruise ship today. I'll take you there to relax."

Valerie wanted to turn him down, but he didn't give her the chance. That evening, he brought her to the cruise party.

As soon as she stepped onto the cruise, Valerie spotted Kaylani in a white dress, standing by the railing and gazing at the ocean.

"Raymond, is this your stepmom? I heard she loves wearing white dresses. How come she's not wearing one today?"

His voice dripped with smugness.

That's when Valerie realized why Raymond hadn't insisted she wear white today. It was because his beloved crush had shown up in person.

Raymond scowled and snapped at Kaylani, clearly annoyed, "What does that have to do with you? Quit trying to act so friendly with me."

His friends jumped in too, saying, "You looked down on Raymond because he was an illegitimate son, then ran off with another man. What gives you the right to come back now? Leave right away!"

Kaylani's face lost all color, and with tears in her eyes, she turned and ran off.

Someone looked uncomfortable and said to Valerie, "Sorry, Valerie. I had no idea Kaylani would shamelessly follow us here. I swear Raymond only loves you, just act like she's not even here."

Valerie laughed coldly in her heart. If she hadn't overheard their secret talk with Raymond, she might've fallen for their lies.

After all, this cruise is heavily guarded. You can't get on board unless the owner agrees. No matter how connected Kaylani is, she couldn't be here without permission.

The party kicked off soon after. Like always, Raymond turned down all alcohol offered to Valerie. He got her milk and fruit instead, treating her with extra attention. His friends kept teasing him, making a ruckus about how much he clearly cared for her, calling him the gold standard of a good man.

At that moment, Kaylani, who had been sitting alone, suddenly moved to sit on the lap of one of Raymond's friends. Her cheeks were red as she said, "It's chilly sitting by myself, so I thought I'd warm up here."

Valerie could clearly feel the man beside her tense up. When she glanced up, she saw Raymond staring at Kaylani with a dark expression.

The friend who Kaylani sat on looked like he'd seen a ghost. He tried to move her, but then Raymond said coldly, "If she's cold, then make sure she stays warm."

The man understood what Raymond meant. He didn't dare shove her off, but he also didn't dare lay a hand on her.

Things got a bit tense, so someone stepped up to ease the mood and suggested they all play a game of Truth or Dare.

In the first round, Raymond lost. A person suggested that he choose a girl and kiss her deeply for sixty seconds.

Valerie assumed Raymond would hold back since Kaylani was around, but instead, he grabbed her chin and kissed her right away, taking control and showing off in front of everyone.

The crowd laughed and teased them loudly.

In the past, Valerie would get shy, and her heart would flutter whenever Raymond kissed her. But now, she felt nothing. If anything, a flicker of disgust rose within her.

Kaylani's expression turned dark. She reached for the face of the man beneath her and leaned in like she was about to kiss him.

"Hey, your lips look nice and soft. How about we give each other a kiss?" she said playfully.

Raymond, who was still kissing Valerie, paused for a second. Then, as if in a challenge, he grabbed her face again and kissed her even harder.

Valerie's heart turned cold. She couldn't believe Raymond was so desperate for company shares that he would let the woman he loved kiss another man.

So this is what his so-called love looked like.

Just when she thought he would keep kissing her, Raymond suddenly let go, turned around, pulled Kaylani into his arms, held her chin, and kissed her instead.

Everyone was shocked into silence. They stared at the two people kissing deeply, then turned their eyes toward Valerie.

Valerie's hands were clenched so tightly that her nails pierced her skin, the pain barely holding back the storm inside her. She shot one last look at the pair locked in an intense kiss, then got up and quietly walked out.

As soon as the door shut behind her, the previously tense atmosphere turned loud with excitement.

"Whoa! Raymond, you're seriously bold. You kissed Kaylani right in front of Valerie! No wonder she stormed off," someone said with surprise.

Another one said, "What else could he do? Kaylani is Raymond's beloved crush. He couldn't just stand by while she kissed someone else. Valerie is head over heels for him. As long as he sweet-talks her a little, she'll probably forgive him like always."

"I mean, did he really need to keep dating her for seven years? With how emotional she is, she probably would've handed over her shares if he just promised to stay with her forever. He only kept her around because he's too soft," someone else chimed in.

Valerie had believed she'd moved on after that painful night. But now, the hurt came rushing back, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Raymond had no idea how long he had been kissing Kaylani. Her lips were swollen, and it was only when he saw her eyes full of tears that he snapped back to reality.

He gently pushed her away, suddenly feeling frustrated with himself. Then he looked around and realized Valerie was gone.

Where could she have gone?

Raymond felt a sudden panic. He wanted to run after her, but Kaylani clung to his arm, pouting. "Raymond, where are you going? You kissed me so hard just now."

Raymond's face darkened.

"I'm going after Valerie. She still owns 20% of the company's shares. I can't let her leave angry."

Kaylani's expression shifted. She said, "You just did that in front of her. If you chase after her now, it'll only make things worse. Let me talk to her instead. It's easier for girls to talk things out."

Raymond paused for a couple of seconds, then gave a small nod.

Meanwhile, Valerie was sitting at the bow of the cruise, feeling the ocean wind blow against her face. The cold air helped dry the tears that still clung to her eyes.

Out of nowhere, a smug voice came from behind.

"You saw everything, didn't you? Raymond clearly loves me more than you. Otherwise, why would he kiss me right in front of you?"

Valerie turned around and saw Kaylani standing there with her arms crossed, a proud smile on her face.

She raised an eyebrow and fired back, "Then I should be thanking you for taking a jerk out of my life."

Kaylani's face darkened with anger.

"I think you're just bitter and jealous. What if I told you I'm pregnant with Raymond's child? How would you handle that?"

Valerie froze. She had never imagined they already had a child together. So they had been fooling around long before now. And to think, back when they were in love, Raymond used to whisper into her ear that he dreamed of having a child with her.

A wave of nausea surged in her stomach, and before she could stop herself, Valerie vomited right in front of Kaylani.

Furious, Kaylani raised her hand and slapped Valerie across the face.

Valerie, shocked, lifted her hand to slap her back. But just as she moved, Kaylani suddenly dropped to the ground, clutching her stomach, and cried out in pain, "My child..."

Moments later, Raymond ran over with several others. When he saw Kaylani in pain, holding her stomach, he hurried to lift her up in his arms.

Kaylani whimpered tearfully, "Raymond, I don't know what I did wrong, but your stepmom just hit my stomach and said she wanted to kill my child."

Raymond shot Valerie a furious look and snapped, "Valerie, are you out of your mind? It was just a kiss! Why would you hurt her child?"

Valerie quickly shook her head and tried to defend herself. "No, that's not..."

Before she could finish, Kaylani suddenly screamed in pain, "Ah! I'm bleeding! My baby, something's wrong with my baby!"

Everyone's attention turned toward her. Her white dress was soaked in blood, which looked shocking.

Raymond stood frozen like he'd been hit by lightning. A few seconds later, rage took over, and he kicked Valerie hard in the stomach.

"Valerie, you've got a death wish!" he yelled.

She fell to the ground helplessly, like a dog being beaten. Before she could react, Raymond shouted again in anger. "Throw her into the ocean to feed the fish!"

"No... please, don't..." she stammered.

Valerie tried to stand up and escape, but Raymond's men grabbed her and threw her into the ocean.

"No!" she cried out, her face soaked with tears. She didn't want her life to end here, not when she only needed four more days to finally leave this place, leave Raymond, and start over.

With a loud splash, Valerie was swallowed by the ocean. The cold water surged from every side, like invisible arms dragging her deeper.

"Help..."

Valerie panicked and flapped her body helplessly. She didn't know how to swim. When she opened her mouth to scream, seawater rushed in, filling her throat and nose, making her choke. The pressure in her chest was unbearable, and her head started to feel light.

In the end, she sank slowly to the bottom, and everything faded to black.

The next time she opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. Raymond was right next to her, looking exhausted. His large hands were wrapped tightly around hers.

As soon as he saw her wake up, his eyes filled with relief, and he pulled her into a hug.

"Valerie, you're finally awake. You were in a coma for three days. I was terrified I might lose you."

Valerie blinked in surprise. She hadn't realized she'd been unconscious that long. Bryan was supposed to send someone to pick her up the next day. Just one more day, and she could've left this place and Raymond behind.

She pushed him away and asked coldly, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be taking care of Kaylani and your child?"

Raymond's eyes flickered with shame, but he replied with a stiff voice, "What are you talking about? There's nothing between me and Kaylani. I only acted that way because I was working on a big deal with her family, and I didn't want to upset her father."

After that, he pulled out a document from behind him and passed it to Valerie. With a sigh, he said, "I'm serious. Her dad went crazy when he found out she almost had a miscarriage. He's forcing me to make you sign this guarantee, promising you'll never bother Kaylani again."

Valerie glanced at the document, which was written completely in Spanish, and let out a bitter laugh.

It was clear that Raymond still saw her as the girl from nine years ago—poor, uneducated, barely able to read, let alone understand Spanish. But he had no idea what she'd done for him. Just to help him succeed, she had quietly signed up for language classes. Now, not only could she read every character with ease, but she had also become fluent in Spanish. She could easily translate every word of the agreement.

This wasn't a guarantee letter at all. It was a Spanish version of a share transfer agreement.

Valerie felt like her chest tightened with pain. She looked up at Raymond and asked, "Is this really a guarantee letter?"

Raymond nodded right away.

"Of course. Would I lie to you?" he said.

At that moment, whatever lingering affection Valerie still had for him shattered completely. With a bitter smile, she picked up the pen and signed the document.

Raymond's eyes lit up when he saw her sign, but he froze when he noticed her disappointed look.

A strange wave of sadness hit him, and just as he was about to speak, his phone buzzed.

He checked the screen, and his expression changed at once. Looking up quickly, he said, "Valerie, something's happened in the company. I need to handle it. I'll come back later."

Then, without waiting for her to respond, he rushed out of the hospital room.

Valerie grabbed her phone and noticed a video had just been sent from an unknown number.

The video showed Raymond kneeling on one knee in Kaylani's hospital room, his eyes filled with emotion as he proposed to her. His friends and Kaylani's father were standing nearby, all looking pleased and happy for them.

Kaylani texted, "Valerie, I'm marrying Raymond in five days. You'd better get your things and leave by then."

It turned out Raymond hadn't rushed off because of an emergency at work. He simply felt his mission was complete after securing 20% of the shares. And now he was eager to ask Kaylani to marry him.

A trace of sadness appeared on Valerie's face. Just as she was about to reply to Kaylani, her phone buzzed again. It was a message from the private investigator she had hired not long ago.

"Ms. Quinn, we found what you asked us to look into."

Right after that, a video file was sent in.

Valerie opened the video and watched it. A cold smile appeared on her lips as she replied, "Please send this video to Raymond in five days."

"No problem," came the reply.

A sharp glint appeared in Valerie's eyes as she put her phone away.

She wondered if Raymond could still laugh happily after he received the wedding gift she had prepared for him.

The following morning, Valerie got up early, gathered her belongings, and prepared to leave the hospital. While heading out, she ran into a few young nurses.

"Did you hear? Mr. Hibben booked the entire upper floor for his fiancée's treatment. I even heard he assigned every nurse in the hospital to take care of her. He's so crazy about her."

"I also heard he stayed loyal to her for nine years. To be good enough for her, he rose from being the Hibben family's illegitimate son to becoming the family's heir. They're supposed to marry in just five days. He will probably throw the most amazing wedding ever. I can't wait to see it."

The nurses were talking quietly among themselves, but their expressions turned odd when they noticed Valerie walking by.

Valerie ignored them and kept heading downstairs. But when she lifted her head, she saw that a crowd of reporters was gathered outside the hospital.

As soon as they spotted her, the reporters rushed over and blocked her path.

"Ms. Quinn, as the lady of the Hibben family, you represent the reputation of the Hibben family. So, can you explain why you were doing something like that with another man in a car, and even post it online?"

"Ms. Quinn, I heard that Sir Hibben died the same day you married into his family. Was it bad luck that caused his death, or did you plan his death just to inherit the Hibben family fortune?"

"Ms. Quinn, is it true that you've dated countless men since Sir Hibben passed away? Don't you think that might hurt the Hibben family's reputation?"

Valerie stood frozen, overwhelmed by the aggressive questions. She didn't understand what was happening.

Then, she looked up and saw a video clip playing on a huge screen nearby, showing her and Raymond in a car.

But in the video, only her body was visible. The camera focused clearly on her face, and the sounds of her moaning were played without being censored.

Not long after, the screen switched to a regular advertisement, and the video disappeared.

Even so, her face had already been clearly seen by everyone, and the reporters quickly shoved microphones in front of her.

Some microphones were shoved so close that they hit her teeth. She could taste blood and was too shocked to speak.

The sound of shutter clicks kept ringing in her ears, and the flashing lights made it hard to keep her eyes open. She had no choice but to let them take pictures of her looking her worst, knowing they'd probably spread it all over the internet.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone she recognized. It was Kaylani, standing on the edge of the crowd, smirking as she watched the chaos.

In that instant, Valerie understood everything. Anger boiled up inside her, and she tried to go after her. But with the reporters crowding around her, she couldn't even move.

Finally, hospital security rushed over and forced the reporters out, giving Valerie a chance to get away.

But just as she thought everything had calmed down, she noticed people walking by staring at her in disgust. Some whispered to each other, "She has no shame. How could she record such a disgusting video with a man? I bet she had something to do with Sir Hibben's death. A woman like that should be kicked out of the Hibben family."

"Filthy woman! Get out of this hospital! Just looking at you is bad luck!"

The crowd started getting more and more aggressive. They began throwing things at her—rocks, sticks, bottles, and even used needles.

Valerie's chest felt tight, and she dashed out of the hospital like she was running for her life.

Worried that the reporters might catch her again, she quickly pulled up the hood of her jacket to hide her face.

But just as she hurried forward a few steps, Kaylani suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her way.

"Valerie, do you like the gift I prepared for you?" she said with a mocking smile.

Valerie lifted her head and noticed Kaylani staring at her with a smug smile.

She narrowed her eyes and spoke in a cold tone, "Kaylani, you already got what you wanted. Why are you still bothering me?"

Kaylani gave a mocking laugh. "You shouldn't have gotten close to Raymond. This is only the beginning. If you don't leave him, I'll make you die miserably."

Valerie said seriously, "I'm done with Raymond. He's yours. Just leave me alone. I won't get in your way again."

After speaking, she stepped aside and tried to leave, but suddenly, a car came speeding toward Kaylani.

The car struck her hard, knocking her to the ground and leaving a pool of blood behind.

"My child..." Kaylani cried out in shock, and the noise quickly brought Raymond to the scene.

When Raymond arrived and saw what had happened, his face turned pale with fear, and he rushed over to lift Kaylani.

She sobbed and held onto his clothes tightly, whispering with a weak voice, "Raymond, our child's gone. That driver hit me on purpose! You have to catch him and make him pay!"

Raymond, with eyes full of tears, agreed right away and quickly helped Kaylani into the car.

The entire time, he didn't even glance at Valerie, as if she weren't even there.

Valerie didn't seem to mind. She kept walking and pulled out her phone to text Bryan.

"Bryan, please come and pick me up quickly," she wrote.

But just as she was heading toward the meeting spot, a group of bodyguards suddenly appeared and grabbed her.

Caught off guard, Valerie tried to break free, but one of them slapped her across the face.

Then, she heard a voice she knew all too well. "Valerie, have you lost your mind? You really had someone try to run over Kaylani? Her child is gone now because of you. Are you happy?"

Valerie froze in shock, then shook her head and tried to defend herself. "I didn't..."

But before she could say more, Raymond slapped her so hard that her ears rang, and it took a while for the sound to come back.

His face was pale with anger as he pointed at her and shouted, "Still trying to deny it? I've been too soft on you, and now you dare to take advantage of me. Since you don't care about your life, I'll help you. Take her to the police station. I want her to go to jail!"

Valerie shook her head frantically and tried to break free. "Raymond, you have to believe me. I didn't do it!"

Raymond let out a cold laugh.

"If you want to explain, do it behind bars."

Then he turned to his men and added, "Let the jail staff know to take special care of her."

Valerie looked terrified and kept shaking her head, but Raymond ignored her completely and had her dragged away.

Just as she was about to be shoved through the prison gate, Bryan showed up with several bodyguards.

They stepped in front of the entrance and handed proof to the police officers, showing that Valerie had nothing to do with the car accident. Thanks to that, her name was cleared and she was released right away.

Bryan then brought her safely into the car and quickly drove her away.

When Bryan noticed the red mark on her cheek, he looked ashamed and said, "Sorry, Ms. Quinn. We are late."

Valerie, who had narrowly survived, breathed heavily and replied, "It's alright, Bryan. Just get me out of here."

She didn't want to stay in that place another second.

Bryan agreed, turned on the engine, and began driving toward the airport.

Right then, Valerie's phone buzzed. She opened it and saw that the money from the shares she sold five days ago had been deposited, proving that the contract Raymond forced her to sign no longer mattered.

She turned off her phone, gazed out the window at the disappearing view, and her eyes quickly filled with tears.

Finally, it's all over.