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!”