Chapter 4
Archer wiped his mouth and laughed. “Pay? Me?”
“Once Hayley gets into Firenze Corp and I partner with William Firenze, Leonel Corp is gonna be playing in the big leagues. You better start kissing my ass now, or you’ll be the one with regrets!”
I gritted my teeth. “That’s William Firenze’s son, and when he finds out what you did to us, he’ll fucking destroy you!”
Archer completely lost it, ripping my pants off like a rabid animal. “You’re out of your fucking mind! Still talking this crazy shit! I need to beat some sense into you before you try to hurt Hayley again!”
Just as he was about to assault me, we heard screaming outside and my son crying.
Archer quickly zipped up and rushed out to check.
“Archer, I just wanted him to call me mommy, but the little brat kicked my belly, so I accidentally hit him back.”
I completely broke down, rushing outside to see my son’s swollen and bruised face. I grabbed a brick and swung it at Hayley’s head.
“You touch my kid, I’ll fucking kill you!”
Archer kicked me square in the gut and scooped up Hayley in a panic. “Babe, talk to me! Are you hurt?”
Hayley clutched her belly, looking all fragile. “Archer, my stomach hurts so bad. Are me and the baby gonna die?”
“Maybe that’s for the best-then I won’t have to keep hiding in your shadow anymore. Just… just promise me you’ll love my son after I’m gone, even if he’ll never accept his real mommy…”
Archer went completely insane, holding her tight. “I won’t let anything happen to you! The family doctor’s coming!”
Then he turned to me with dead eyes, his voice ice-cold. “You taught the kid hurt Hayley.”
His gaze shifted to my son tied to the pillar, still crying. My heart plummeted.
“Bring me the salt-water whip.”
I lunged for his arm in panic. “Archer! Don’t hurt MY child! If you want to hurt someone, hurt me!”
One look from him and the guards pinned me down.
CRACK.
My son’s screams nearly shattered my eardrums. I broke free and grabbed Archer’s legs, begging. “Stop! Please stop! I’m begging you, it’s all my fault, just don’t hurt him!”
Archer kicked me away and cracked the whip again, pressing my son’s head down.
“Tell me. Who’s your real mama?”
My son was convulsing from pain but still looked at me through his tears, whimpering “Mama.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces. I fell to my knees in front of Archer, slamming my head against the ground.
“Please, leave him alone! I’ll do anything you want! I’m begging you!”
Archer pointed at Hayley playing victim nearby. “You tried to disfigure Hayley. You know what you need to do.”
I immediately grabbed the brick and started smashing it against my own head, over and over.
I don’t know how long it went on, but blood covered my eyes and everything went black.
Chapter 4
As I passed out, I heard Archer cooing to Hayley, “Feel better now, babe?”
“Not really. Just throw them to the wolves up in the mountains.”
I woke up in the freezing cold with my son whimpering beside me, his breathing getting shallower.
We were surrounded by a pack of wolves.
I grabbed my son and ran, but they cornered us.
As the wolves lunged, I crushed my son to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut…
That’s when the roar of helicopters shook the entire Leonel estate.
A week later, Hayley stood in front of Archer in a tight business suit, doing a little spin. “How do I look, baby?”
“Should I dress even sexier for a company like Firenze Corp?”
But Archer seemed distracted. He kept seeing Karen’s desperate, bloodshot eyes from when they threw her into the mountains.
Every time he thought about it, his chest ached.
Truth was, he’d actually missed Karen these past three years.
He’d been gone for three years playing house with Hayley-of course Karen was pissed. Maybe he’d been too harsh when he got back.
Archer decided to call off the punishment. Even though he’d sent people to protect them, the those mountains had wolves-it was too dangerous.
When Karen came back, he’d remarry her immediately and give her that proper wedding.
Then she wouldn’t be mad at him anymore.
But Hayley was still chattering away, and Archer frowned with irritation. “He’s your biological son. Don’t you give a shit? You’re worried about your fucking outfit?”
Hayley froze, about to explain, when his assistant burst in.
‘Sir, we found out Mrs. Leonel sent a child to Africa for adoption three years ago…”
Suddenly the door exploded open and a flood of armed men poured in.
The man leading them had snake-like eyes but wore a smile like he was looking at corpses.
Archer’s eyes went wide.
A gun barrel pressed against Archer’s forehead. “Where the fuck are my wife and son?”
