"No! It's yours!" Kaia sobbed, her voice breaking. "It's yours, I swear! I'm over five months along. If you don't believe me, get a DNA test! If I'm lying, may I die a horrible death!" Seth was taken aback by her desperate, oath-swearing conviction. Could it really be mine? The thought vanished a second later. He ripped open Kaia's oversized t-shirt, his tone vile. "Even if it is, who cares? I'm not done having my fun yet." At that moment, Kaia's heart shattered completely. She saw Seth for what he truly was—a freaking creep. "Get off me! Don't touch me! I'll call Dr. Moss! She sent you here to help me, not to hurt me! If you dare hurt me or my baby, she'll make you pay!" Seth couldn't help laughing.His laughter was pure mockery. He patted her cheek roughly. "You stupid, brainless bitch. You still don't get it, do you? Who do you think threw you to the wolves, huh?" The overhead light was blindingly bright. Kaia sobbed until her head went fuzzy, gasping, "What do you mean?" Seth's hand tightened around her throat, his voice cruel. "I'm saying your precious Dr. Moss has been playing madam this whole time. Get it? She's been passing you around to men, using you as a bargaining chip, a stepping stone for favors. Even today, it was she who called me at the last minute." He tapped his phone, and Zora's voice, crisp and clear, played from a WhatsApp voice message, filling the bedroom. "Your little stray cat is back. Address sent. Go get her." "This time, play however you want. I won't interfere." All the blood drained from Kaia's face. Her entire body trembled violently. Her gaze went blank. "No, that's impossible. It has to be fake!" The ripping sound of her last piece of clothing being torn away felt like her soul being shredded. Time lost all meaning. Eventually, Seth, thoroughly sated, fell into a deep sleep. Kaia lay beside him like a discarded rag doll, not a single inch of her skin untouched by violence. With great effort, she looked down at her abdomen, lifting a trembling hand to touch it. A fragile, twisted smile touched her lips. At least you're still here. It was all she had left. She squeezed her eyes shut in agony. Her mind drifted back to the past, to her days living with the Gale family. If—if she hadn't fallen out with Darcy, Darcy and her mother would've taken her in. Further back—if only she'd never met Hugo. If only the Lark family had never claimed her.Large, silent tears rolled from the corners of her eyes, soaking the sheet. When Kaia opened her eyes again the next morning, Seth was already dressed, looking polished and ready to head downstairs. "Wait!" she called out, her voice hoarse as she pushed herself up on aching limbs. "You said—last night you said you'd let me go today. Keep your word!" Seth let out a short laugh, licking his lip. "Yeah. Last night was intense. Haven't had that much fun in a while. Fine, I'll keep my word. You can go." He looked her up and down, a brow raised. "But... are you planning to walk out of this villa naked?" Kaia's voice was raw with bitterness. "Could you lend me some clothes?" Seth was, for once, "nice"—he pulled a white shirt and a pair of casual pants from the closet and tossed them at her. Kaia dressed painfully and stood before him. "You..." Seth's gaze lingered on her midsection. "Whose kid is it really?" For some reason, even though the shirt and pants were loose, her belly seemed pronounced, impossible to ignore. Last night in bed, it had fueled a sick kind of excitement in him. Now that he'd gotten his fill, it just made him sick. Kaia turned her face away. "It's not yours. That's all you need to know." Seth scoffed, "I knew it couldn't be mine." As he turned to leave, Kaia suddenly asked, "Was everything you said last night true?" "Which part?" "About Dr. Moss—no, Zora—that bitch, she—" The mere thought made Kaia tremble violently, bile rising in her throat. Seth let out a contemptuous snort. "You really are an idiot. You still don't see how she's been using you from the start?" Kaia's head snapped up. "What do you mean?""Weren't you best friends with some girl... Darcy something? And wasn't her boyfriend Zora's current fiancé? Use your brain. Think. Didn't all the trouble start after Zora came back? Your best friend lost her man, and you had a falling out with her. "Tsk. Zora's something else. Steals the man, then steals the best friend too. As for you—no wonder you got played. You're too dumb." With those casually devastating words, Seth sauntered out of the room and down the stairs. Kaia stood frozen, as if struck by lightning. So it was all Zora's plan from the very beginning. And I was nothing but a pawn in her game. A wave of bitter, soul-crushing regret washed over her. She covered her mouth, her body wracked with silent sobs. After a long while, she wiped her tears away. The desolation in her eyes was gone, replaced by a burning, all-consuming hatred. Zora. It's all because of you. Everything I've become is your fault!Her gaze swept across the room, lingering on each tool, one by one.