By the time Sydney left the Sterling estate, her limp had worsened. For three years, every time Caleb failed to show up for her, she ended up punished like this. She no longer felt surprised.

What Caleb did not realize was that each time he “proved his devotion” to the woman he loved, he pushed Sydney one step closer to ruin. The Sterling family had no use for a weak woman who could not keep her husband’s heart.

Jason sighed. “You could have lied, you know? Made up something harsher. Madam Sterling wouldn’t have beaten you this badly.”

“Jason, Grandma raised me. I could lie to anyone but never to her,” Sydney said. Her clean, pale face showed no trace of resentment.

Jason sighed again, but this time his eyes showed genuine warmth as he looked at her bruised, red palms. “Don’t wait too long. Get to a hospital quickly.”

“Okay.” She nodded without another word.

Jack had already left.

Every step sent sharp waves of pain through Sydney’s body.

Since she was little, she suspected Eloise was the reincarnation of a cruel villain from some historical drama.

Dorothy Vettera, the matriarch of the Hampton family, had merely ordered Penelope to kneel in the courtyard. Eloise, the Sterling family’s matriarch, had made the maids take Sydney to kneel on a path filled with jagged stones.

At first, the snow made it bearable. Yes, it was cold, but at least it did not hurt. Once the snow melted, only sharp rocks remained. By the time her whole body froze, the maids appeared with canes to whip her palms.

That part truly hurt.

The Sterling estate sat high in the scenic, serene mountains. Sydney had struggled to bribe a ride-share driver to come. Because it was snowing late at night, the driver refused to go beyond the hill’s base.

Each step downhill brought pure agony. Despite the winter chill, her back drenched in sweat from pain.

Far ahead, a long black Bentley crawled along the icy road.

The driver squinted. “Sir, that looks like Ms. Wilson.”

In the backseat, a man lounged with legs crossed. His face lay mostly in shadow, sharp and cold, radiating power. He did not even look up as he hummed. His expression was unreadable.

Elliot Tierney, the assistant in front, could not hold back. “Sir, shouldn’t we help her?”

“You want to?” His low, magnetic voice was quiet but laced with frost.

Elliot fell silent.

After a long pause, the man finally looked out through the windshield, narrowing his eyes at the frail figure staggering in the snow. “Find out what Caleb was doing tonight.”

“We already checked. Most likely enjoying a romantic night with Penelope.” Elliot added quickly, “Ms. Wilson has probably been kneeling in the snow for hours. She’s reaching her limit.”

Just as he finished, the figure ahead collapsed.

“I told you that—”

The car door slammed open. The man’s face stayed stone-cold as he swept the unconscious woman into his arms, wrapping her in his cashmere coat.

Elliot scrambled to open the rear door. “Sir, hospital or…”

“Back to the estate.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want a doctor waiting,” the man instructed.