Chapter 83

"Susan, deliver the items within half an hour!"

What items?

Susan froze momentarily before realization struck.

Andrew Lucas urgently needed her to bring condoms for his night with Nicole Capra.

"Susan, I brought the ointment." Ethan Sullivan approached with a medical kit, concern evident in his eyes. "Let me help apply it."

"No need, Mr. Sullivan. I can manage." Susan forced a weak smile. "I've already troubled you enough today."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ethan frowned. "I'd do anything for you willingly!"

His gaze fell on the broken door lock. "This isn't safe. Stay at my place tonight."

"Really, I'm fine." Susan shook her head. "The property management will fix it."

Unable to persuade her, Ethan left with final instructions: "Keep the wounds dry. Apply ointment three times daily..."

After seeing Ethan out, Susan trembled while removing her soaked clothes. The burning pain across her back made her vision blur as fabric scraped against raw flesh.

Gritting her teeth, she cut away the ruined back panel and slipped into a loose jacket. The ointment from Victoria Lucas worked miracles - the swelling on her hand had already subsided.

While disinfecting her wounds with alcohol swabs, her phone vibrated violently.

"Susan, get over here now!"

"If I don't see those items in thirty minutes, you'll regret it!"

Her fingers shook as she replied: "Can't I skip tonight? I'm really unwell."

"Unwell? Too busy in Ethan's bed?"

"Show up within thirty minutes or Bella Quinn dies tonight!"

The final text froze Susan's blood. He always knew where to strike deepest.

Bracing against the cold wind, she tightened her jacket. Blood seeped from her severed finger inside the glove while icy gusts tore at her back wounds.

Facing the supermarket shelf, she hesitated before selecting the largest box. She lacked strength to endure his wrath tonight.

What difference between living and dying?

Now she understood - living meant pain, while death promised eternal peace.

At the villa gate, a sign reading "Susan and Dogs Prohibited" swayed in the night wind. The silent butler led her upstairs before quickly disappearing.

Standing before the door, Susan's raised hand hadn't yet knocked when it suddenly jerked open.