Hate for Love, No More in This Life

“Daniel, Daniel—you’re finally back.”

“Why didn’t you see me? Why didn’t you answer my calls or reply to my messages?”

“Do you even know what these four years have been like for me?”

Daniel’s hand lifted into the air, then paused midair.

After a moment, he finally rested it on the girl’s back, patting her as if to comfort her.

I had no intention of indulging their melodrama, but after his repeated provocations earlier, I couldn’t restrain myself any longer.

I walked forward, holding my handbag in front of my stomach so the baby wouldn’t “see” me hit someone.

Then I raised my hand and slapped Daniel hard across the face.

The air fell silent for a heartbeat.

Chloe Miller looked up through tears, spotting the bright handprint on Daniel’s cheek, and glared at me in outrage.

“Sophia Evans, what gives you the right to hit him?”

“Because he disrupted my engagement party. Because he insulted me. Because he dared show his face in front of me again!”

The cold fury in my eyes made Chloe’s shoulders tremble.

She had seen my ruthlessness before.

Six years ago, Daniel and I were still lovers.

Because of her interference, our relationship collapsed.

Relying on his favor, she had provoked me directly, and I slapped her across the face.

In retaliation, Daniel had his men corner me in an alley and slap me ninety-nine times.

That day, I lost my first child with him.

I didn’t call the police, and I certainly didn’t forgive.

The first thing I did after leaving the hospital was beat Chloe so badly she bled.

Daniel shoved her behind him now, pressing his tongue to the inside of his cheek.

“That’s it?”

“Sophia, should I say you’ve changed… or that you just can’t let me go?”

I loathe people with no boundaries and even less self-awareness.

I arched a brow and raised my hand again.

He gave a low laugh, bending at the waist.

“Go on. You’d better make it count—or I’ll dig up your grandmother’s ashes and play with them again.”

My fingers froze in the air.

A slap was far too cheap for him.

I twisted the special ring on my hand, and a small, razor-sharp blade slid out.

With a sharp motion, I slashed it across his face.

He groaned, chest heaving, and after a long moment tried to lift his hand to wipe the blood.

I sneered. “Well? Was that strong enough for you?”

His expression darkened as he saw his palm covered in blood. He reached out to grip my throat.

“Sophia, believe it or not, I could kill you right now.”

I didn’t believe him. My knee shot upward, slamming into his groin.

He released me instantly, doubling over and clutching himself.

“Sophia, how could you be so shameless?”

Chloe rushed forward to defend her little lover’s honor.

I grabbed her by the hair and flung her aside.

She crashed onto the concrete floor, hitting something hard, and didn’t get up for a long time.

I ignored her and kicked Daniel down, grinding the heel of my shoe into his thigh.

“Still think I can’t let you go, Mr. Carter?”

Sweat poured down his forehead, veins bulging in his arms, yet he still forced himself to act tough.

“Trying so hard to prove you don’t care… isn’t that a little too defensive, Sophia?”

“Why would I need to prove anything to garbage? Only cowards go out of their way to hide what they are.”

I pressed down harder with my heel, satisfied only when I saw his body begin to shake.

Chloe, bleeding from her scraped knee, crawled over and clutched my leg.

“Sophia, please, let Daniel go, okay?”

“Didn’t nearly killing him four years ago satisfy you? I’m begging you, stop torturing him!”