Maya fought really hard, but her hands were tied tightly, so she couldn’t do anything.
The strong liquor burned her throat, and every sip felt like a knife cutting through her.
She coughed a lot, and tears just poured out.
Jessica watched with a cold look, her lips curling into a playful smile.
“How sad. I wonder if Owen will feel bad when he sees you like this?
“Here’s a deal–call Owen. If he comes to get you today, I’ll let you go.”
Even though she was choking on the alcohol, Maya shook her head and refused to call him.
Losing her patience, Jessica stood up, walked over to Maya, and grabbed the phone from the floor.
“Not going to call? Then I’ll do it for you.”
After saying that, she called Owen.
The first call went unanswered, then the second, the third…
No one knows which call it was when he finally picked up.
On the other end, Owen’s voice was still cold and distant, with a bit of annoyance for being bothered.
“What is it?”
Before Maya could say anything, Jessica jumped in, her tone all teasing. “Owen, your little stand–in here has downed 99 bottles of alcohol. If you don’t come see her, I’ll keep torturing her till she’s done for.”
Owen’s voice got even colder. “Jessica, don’t push it.”
Jessica laughed even harder. “Push it? This is nothing compared to what you did to me back then. Fine, you’ve got half an hour. After that, it’s too late.”
There was no answer right away. Instead, a few seconds of silence hung in the air.
That moment of quiet felt like a knife, stabbing Maya’s heart with a dull pain.
“I’m not coming. Do whatever you want with her.”
As he said that, laughter from his friends in the background came through the phone.
“Jessica’s way overestimating Maya, isn’t she? Why would Owen rush for a stand–in? If something happened to Jessi- ca, that’d be different. He’d freak out with worry.”
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Chapter 2
“She’s just a pawn. Who cares if she gets tortured to death? Right, Owen?”
Before the call ended, Maya heard Owen let out a soft “mm.”
That light sound hit her heart like a ton of bricks.
She closed her eyes, letting tears slide down silently, mixing with the alcohol at the corner of her mouth, bitter.
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Seeing Maya’s pained look, Jessica’s smile got even more triumphant. “Looks like he doesn’t care if you live or die. To him, you’re nothing.”
Maya just gave a sarcastic laugh. “Jessica, is this really worth it? Torturing me over and over still won’t get you with Owen.”
Like she’d been hit where it hurt, Jessica’s face darkened right away. She grabbed a wine bottle from the floor and smashed it hard against Maya’s head.
“Shut up! Who the hell do you think you are!”
The wine bottle broke, and pieces of glass cut into Maya’s forehead. Blood dripped down her cheek.
Maya felt dizzy, but she still wouldn’t give in.
Jessica was so mad that her body shook all over. She told the bodyguards to drag Maya out and leave her at the hotel
entrance.
Lying on the cold ground, Maya started to lose consciousness–but strangely, she felt relieved.
She’d soon be free from this stand–in thing.
She didn’t know how long she’d been out. When she woke up, the first thing she did was invite her best friend, Diana Osmande, to a fancy club to blow off some steam.
Ever since Jessica came back, Owen had been all about her and barely thought about his stand–in.
The club was dark, with a romantic vibe.
Maya smiled, her red lips standing out. She raised her glass and headed to the dance floor, moving confidently among men in her high heels.
Seeing her touch a guy’s chest, Diana was really surprised.
“Maya, didn’t you use to only have eyes for that cold–blooded tyrant? When you became his stand–in, you said you’d never touch another man until he loved you. What’s with the change?”
Maya shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care.”
Diana hesitated. “But I saw him watching you from the back for ages. His expression didn’t look like he didn’t cared.”
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