Sapphire's POV

I stared at her coldly. “Of course, I know what I’m doing. I’m teaching someone who made a mistake but still tried to pin it on someone else.”

“You! Do you even know who I am?” Melinda shrieked.

I let out a short laugh. “I don’t care who you are. To me, you’re nothing.”

Just then, Sylvester walked in. The moment he saw Melinda’s pitiful state, his face changed instantly. Without even glancing at me, he rushed straight to her side, cupping her face with both hands as he anxiously inspected her.

“Melinda, are you alright? Did she hurt you?”

He had never once used that tender tone of his with me. Even when I was sick and running a fever, the most I got was a cold: “Drink some hot water.”

Tears welled in Melinda’s eyes as she leaned into him, crying pitifully. “Sylvester, my face hurts so much. Do you think Sapphire was trying to ruin it on purpose?”

With that, she buried herself deeper into his arms.

Sylvester froze for half a second, then, shockingly, his expression softened into something close to joy. He immediately wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

They looked more like lovers than he and I ever had.

Then he turned on me, his voice a roar. “Sapphire! Are you insane? Apologize to Melinda right now!”

Yet, I didn’t move. My tone stayed icy. “Sylvester, she poured water on me first. Why should I be the one to apologize?”

But that only made him angrier. He jabbed a finger at my face and snapped, “You hurt Melinda, and you still dare talk back? I must’ve been blind to ever fall for someone as vicious as you!”

Vicious?

So that was what he really thought of me all along. I wasn’t a partner to him. I was just an obstacle.

At that moment, I felt both relief and a sense of regret. Relief, because I had never revealed my true identity to him. The whole time we were together, I’d only told him that my family had some money, letting him believe I was just another average rich kid. And that disguise gave me the perfect chance to see his real face.

Regret, at the same time, because before leaving for overseas, I had personally recommended him to my father as the branch manager. I even swore up and down that he was talented and trustworthy.

Thinking about it now, the irony stung like a slap across the face.

“Since that’s how it is,” I said flatly, “we’re done, Sylvester. I’m breaking up with you.”

I grabbed my bag and turned to leave.

But he yanked me back by the arm, his temper boiling over. Snatching the compensation agreement off the desk, he shoved it at me.

“Sapphire, don’t think you can scare me with these games! You splashed Melinda. This isn’t over! And this agreement, if you don’t sign it, don’t even dream of walking out of here today!”

Maybe it was from the ice water earlier, but my head was throbbing. I was too exhausted to waste more words on him. Without hesitation, I took the agreement, signed a name in the final blank, and tossed it back at him.

He clearly hadn’t expected me to give in so quickly. For several seconds, he just stood there stunned, before bending down to snatch the paper off the floor.

I had just stepped into the elevator when his furious shout echoed behind me.

“Sapphire! How dare you sign Melinda’s name? Get back here!”

But the elevator doors slid shut already, cutting off his rage.

When I got downstairs, my family’s car was already waiting. I slumped into the seat, drained, and told the driver, “Take me home.”

Herman Shepherd, who had worked for my family for over thirty years and was as close to me as a relative, nodded and quietly pulled the car away.

My head still pounded, so I closed my eyes and drifted off before I realized it.

But when I woke up, the car wasn’t parked near home at all. It was stopped outside a five-star hotel.

Sapphire's POV

In that instant, a bad feeling rose in my chest.

I quickly asked, “Herman, didn’t I tell you to drive me home? Why are we here?”

When Herman turned to look at me, the respectful expression he’d worn for years was gone. In its place was something cruel, something that made my blood run cold.

“Sorry, Miss,” he said flatly. “But as an elder of this family, I feel it’s my duty to teach you a lesson that when you make a mistake, you have to take responsibility for it.”

The moment I saw his face, I finally understood why Melinda had seemed so familiar.

She was his daughter.

I immediately reached for my phone in my bag, wanting to call the police, but Herman was faster. He snatched the bag straight out of my hands.

“Don’t waste your time, Miss Sapphire,” he sneered.

I glared at him, my voice low. “Herman, aren’t you afraid my father will find out about this?”

Yet he only gave a cold laugh and said, “Mr. Shillingford’s been tied up with overseas expansion for years. He barely spends any time in the country. Do you really think he cares about a minor issue at a branch office? On the other hand, you laid a hand on my daughter. That means you have to pay the price.”

With that, he yanked open the car door, grabbed me by the arm, and dragged me out.

I tried to struggle free, but his strength was frightening. Luckily, I managed to press the emergency button on my watch without him noticing.

“What exactly do you plan to do with me?” I asked, stalling for time, trying to assess the situation so I could figure out a way out.

But he didn’t answer. Silent and stone-faced, he shoved me toward a private room and pushed me hard inside.

The room reeked of smoke. A fat, balding man sat at the head of the table, while Sylvester hovered nearby, pouring his drink and laughing along like some eager lackey.

Herman bowed obsequiously to the man. “Mr. Webster, I’ve brought her for you.”

Melinda rose proudly from her seat, pointing at me like she’d just won a prize.

“Mr. Webster, she’s the one who leaked the project data. I made sure to bring her here so she could make amends.”

Mr. Webster?

My stomach sank as I remembered who he was. Ted Webster, CEO of our company’s biggest competitor. He was in his fifties, twice divorced, and notorious for his sleazy reputation.

“Haha, Miss Shepherd, how thoughtful of you.”

Ted set down his glass and gave me a slow once-over. “So this is the woman who leaked the data? Pretty little thing, isn’t she?”

He got up and walked toward me, smiling like a predator. “Tell me, sweetheart, do you realize how much money your little stunt cost my company?”

I gave a sharp laugh. “And when exactly did I ever leak anything?”

Melinda pulled out the compensation agreement and waved it smugly.

“Still denying it? Don’t forget, you already signed this.”

I glanced down and froze. It was the exact same document I’d signed earlier. But instead of the name I had written, which was “Melinda Shepherd,” the signature now read, “Sapphire Shillingford.”

“You forged it!” I snapped.

“Forged?” Sylvester sneered. “Don’t slander us. You signed it yourself. We have surveillance footage to prove it.”

And he wasn’t wrong. The cameras in the office would’ve caught me signing, but they wouldn’t have shown whose name I wrote.

“Mr. Webster, you see? She’s not only unrepentant, she’s arrogant too,” Melinda chimed in, her voice dripping with malice. “Just earlier today, she even threw a cup of coffee all over me at the office. She’s completely out of control.”

Ted studied me with a grin that made my skin crawl.

“Well, sweetheart, when you make a mistake, you have to face the consequences.”

His eyes roamed over me shamelessly, lingering in ways that made me sick to my stomach.

“You’re even prettier in person than in the pictures Sylvester showed me. Fresh and delicate,” he said, licking his lips slowly.

Sapphire's POV

Sylvester immediately bowed and scraped. “Mr. Webster, Sapphire’s just young and ignorant. She made a mistake, but you’re a magnanimous man. Why lower yourself to her level? Why not let her drink with you tonight as an apology?”

That bastard. Not only did he want me to take the blame, but now he was trying to hand me over to this disgusting old man!

Ted lifted his glass and swaggered over. “Sweetheart, smart people know when to adapt. Make me happy tonight, and we can talk about reducing the compensation.”

“In your dreams!”

I shoved him away and bolted toward the door.

But two bodyguards instantly blocked my way.

I spun back toward Sylvester and, fury blazing in my chest, shouted, “Sylvester! Are you even human? After three years together, this is how you treat me?”

He sneered. “Feelings? What’s that worth compared to my future? You leaked company secrets, and now you’re trying to shove the blame aside?”

“I didn’t!” I insisted.

But he countered, “Everything points to you. Stop denying it!”

He then jerked his chin at the guards and ordered, “Bring her here.”

They forced me back into the chair, pinning me down no matter how I struggled.

“Sylvester!” I snapped. “Melinda's just playing you. I’m Conrad Shepherd's real daughter. If you hurt me, Dad will never forgive you!”

For a moment, the entire room fell silent before exploding into mocking laughter.

Sylvester smacked my face lightly, like I was some kind of clown.

“Don’t make me laugh. You clearly said it yourself. His is Shepherd. But yours is Shillingford. How could you possibly be his daughter? And I see Melinda every day riding in his car to and from work. If she’s not his daughter, then who is?”

His smirk turned cold. “Since you won’t take the easy way, don’t blame us for forcing you.”

Sylvester grabbed my chin, yanked up a glass of wine, and poured it into my mouth. “Drink!”

The icy liquid flooded my throat. I thrashed my head, spilling it down my shirt, soaking my chest, but he didn’t stop. Glass after glass, he kept forcing it down.

Soon, my vision blurred, and my stomach twisted in agony.

“Enough!” I pushed him with every ounce of strength I had left.

But he only grabbed an entire bottle this time, pried open my mouth, and snarled, “Don’t want to drink? Then I’ll make you!”

The liquor burned like fire down my throat. The world tilted violently, spinning out of control.

Meanwhile, Ted’s eyes gleamed with sick excitement as he watched.

“Good, good. This is getting interesting.”

Seeing I had no strength left, Sylvester pulled a key card from his pocket and handed it over.

“Mr. Webster, Room 1208. I had it prepared especially for you.”

“Haha, Sylvester, you’re a clever one. You’ll go far.” Ted clapped him on the shoulder approvingly.

Shortly, I felt rough hands gripping my arms, dragging me toward the door.

I wanted to scream, to fight, but the alcohol left me limp, and my body was betraying me. Despair rose like a tide, drowning me.

And then, suddenly, the door slammed open, kicked clean off its hinges.

Then, a familiar voice roared like thunder. “You bastards! Touch my daughter, and you’re dead men!”