Chapter 1

Naomi Summers became an orphan after her father passed away in a car crash. His good friend, an enigmatic yet pious man, took her in. He told her to call him "Uncle James" because he was ten years her senior.

From that day on, he gave her everything she could ever want and doted on her to no end, turning her into the city's most high and mighty princess.

On her 18th birthday, she stole his rosary beads and secretly slipped into her most secret of areas. The cold sensation made her feel like he was touching her.

Just then, the door swung open. He caught her in the act.

James Payne could hardly believe his eyes and flew into a fit of rage. He lashed out at her for her audacity to completely disregard the decency of basic human relationships and social conduct. He couldn't believe she dared think about him, her father's friend, in that way.

He tore up her admission letter to Hayvard University the very next day, and shipped her off to Jeanine Academy—a place renowned for teaching etiquette in Northeval. He ordered her to learn proper social manners from the academy's educators and to have those thoughts erased before she could return home.

Unfortunately, on the first day of her arrival, she had habanero pepper paste forcefully slathered over her eyes. On the second day, she was dragged away into the stairways for two hours. On the third day, a stranger made their way into her room.

…

Three years later, James came to pick Naomi up.

Naomi stood at the entrance of Jeanine Academy as she watched that familiar black Maybach slowly come to a stop.

James exited from the driver's side as the car door swung open, looking as pious and stoic as ever. The only thing that was different from three years ago was the lady in his passenger seat.

She donned an elegant white dress, her locks cascading past her shoulders. She smiled gently before saying, "You're Nae, right? Hi, I'm Jocelyn Mentley, James' fiancée. You can just call me Jo."

Naomi nodded indifferently. "Hi, Jo," she greeted as she climbed into the back seat, her voice barely audible.

Seated at the driver's seat, James started the car engine as he emotionlessly asked, "How have you progressed in your learning? Are you still having those thoughts?"

Naomi's fingers trembled slightly. Her heart constricted, as if something were squeezing it with a death grip.

As she reminisced about the days when she was tasered, dragged, and abused over the past years, a lump formed so painfully in her throat that she could barely speak.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she quietly said, "I no longer have those thoughts. I never will again."

James frowned slightly as a wave of unknown emotions rose within his heart. That was supposed to be the answer he wanted to hear the most, yet he inexplicably felt unsettled.

He ultimately said, "Very well."

Naomi smiled bitterly. She lowered her head and stopped speaking.

The car sped all the way until it came to a halt at the entrance of the Payne residence.

Naomi got out of the car and walked toward her room out of habit, only to find it had been turned into a cat room when she opened the door.

Jocelyn stood behind her and said apologetically, "Sorry, Nae. I've moved in a while ago, as I'm soon to be married to your uncle, James. I love fostering stray cats and dogs regularly, and since your room gets the best sunlight, I've arranged for the cats to stay here.

"I'll have the maids clear it out right away."

Naomi shook her head and said, "There's no need for that, Jo. You're the lady of this house. It doesn't matter where I stay."

Once she was done speaking, she turned around and headed obediently to the guest room.

During dinner, James was caring, sweet, and attentive to Jocelyn in every way. He plated her food, spoke to her in an incredibly soft and gentle tone, and looked at her with such tenderness.

Throughout the meal, Naomi's eyes didn't wander. Her head was lowered as she ate the mashed potatoes on her plate, as if none of it mattered to her at all.

Jocelyn glanced at her and gently said, "Don't just eat the mashed potatoes, Nae. Have some lasagna as well."

Naomi almost subconsciously followed Jocelyn's command, shoving lasagna robotically into her mouth at a frantic speed. It didn't matter that the lasagna was scalding hot, causing blisters to form around her throat—she kept swallowing it, unfazed.

Jocelyn flashed a smile at James. "Didn't you say that Nae would be hard to get along with? See, we're getting along just fine. She's such a good girl."

James glanced at Naomi. He hadn't expected such a drastic change in her character. Not once did she lose her temper. He nodded approvingly and said, "It seems like you're learning well over there.

"Get along well with Jocelyn in the future as well, just like you did today."

Naomi had already eaten the entire tray of lasagna. She then stood up and said, "I'm done eating. I'll head back to my room."

She entered the room, closed the door, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She fished out a small box from within her pocket. In it was all the money she had managed to save throughout the years while she was at the academy.

She was just reminded of James' command to get along with Jocelyn well, but she had already decided to buy a plane ticket and leave—leaving behind James as well.

She calculated her savings and realized that she only had enough to purchase a low-fare air ticket for nine days later.

She took out her phone and, with trembling fingers, clicked on the screen to make the purchase.

The moment the transaction went through, Naomi shut her eyes. The tears slowly flowing down her cheek felt like a symbol of being finally free, yet with a tinge of despair.

After washing up, she lay on the bed and forced herself to sleep, just as she had done back at the academy.

Maybe it was because she was back on familiar grounds, but as soon as she closed her eyes, all she could see was James' face.

At that time, his eyes were cold, and his voice was grave. He sounded as if he were speaking from a great distance, saying, "Naomi Summers, how dare you completely disregard the decency of basic human relationships and social conduct! You're ridiculous! How absurd of you to think of me, your father's friend, in that way?"

Memories of the past replayed like a movie in her mind. As she drifted off to sleep, her door suddenly flung open.

Someone walked into the room, frowning. The figure said, "Why are you in bed so early? You forgot to drink your milk."

Naomi heard a man's voice, and her eyes shot wide open. Her body sprang into a seated position as if it were a conditioned reflex.

She had forgotten she was home and thought she was still at Jeanine Academy.

While she was at the academy, as soon as a man entered her room, she had to immediately unbuckle his belt. It didn't matter if she was on her period or not.

If she were even a tad slower in each of these steps, she would suffer a fate worse than death.

As she leaped toward the man in her room, she knelt on the ground and began to unbuckle his belt. She wailed tearfully, "Please don't hit me. Please, don't beat me up. I'll serve you right away."

The man's belt was almost entirely unbuckled when all the lights in the room were turned on.

Through her teary eyes, she saw James standing before her, a glass of milk in his hand, his eyes wide with incredulous disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing, Naomi Summers?"

Chapter 2

Naomi's lips quivered in fear. Before she could say anything, James exploded with rage. He slammed the glass of milk he was holding onto the ground, shattering it into shards. The icy-cold, milky-white liquid splattered around her feet, chilling her to the bone.

"I thought you'd learned your lesson, but there it is, your retaliation," James' said icily. A mixture of disgust and anger was seen in his eyes as he spat, "Let me make this clear.

"I'll never like young women, especially those whom I've cared for since they were young. I'm not a monster. Even if you stood naked in front of me, I wouldn't even spare you a glance."

He turned and stormed out, his retreating figure as distant and rigid as an icy mountain.

Naomi's feet were planted on the ground. She gripped the hem of her shirt so tightly that the tips of her fingers had turned white. It felt like there was something lodged in her throat. She couldn't make a single sound.

Soon after, suggestive sounds could be heard from the room next door.

"Go slow, James… Nae is still next door."

However, James didn't respond. Instead, the sound of smacking lips grew louder, Jocelyn's moans became higher-pitched, and the rattling of the bed frame grew more intense.

Naomi knew that James was doing this on purpose as a warning for her to know her place. She was suffering, but the agony wasn't from loving him. Her love for him had already run its course in those hellish three years.

James once said to her as he sent her to Jeanine Academy, "Remember this, Naomi. I will never like you."

Three years later, she had learned her lesson. She didn't dare love him anymore.

It was sounds like this that had haunted her every night for the past three years, terrorizing her. Some of the noise came from others, while some came from her. These sounds haunted her like the sleep paralysis monster. She couldn't escape it at all.

Naomi began kneeling on the ground in her room, faced the direction of the academy, and thumped her forehead onto the floor repeatedly.

The thudding sound as her forehead collided with the floor was both dull and piercing.

"Naomi doesn't like James anymore. Naomi doesn't like James anymore. Naomi will never like James ever again," she chanted manically, her voice hoarse and emotionless. It seemed that this was the only way she could free herself from her painful past and its memories.

The next morning, Naomi sat by the dining table and ate her breakfast stoically with her head down.

James and Jocelyn soon descended the stairs together. Jocelyn's neck was filled with hickeys, and the smile on her face was glaringly bright.

Naomi remained unmoved, as if none of this was any of her business.

After breakfast, she got up and was about to leave when James called out to her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Stop right there. What happened to your forehead?"

Naomi stopped walking. Her voice was apathetic as she replied, "I accidentally bumped into something."

Then, she turned to leave, having already decided to shut herself in her room for the next eight days before leaving for good.

James instantly roared, "How could a simple bump result in an injury like this? Are you thinking of more ways to—"

Before he could finish, Jocelyn interrupted him and said, "Don't speak so sternly to young women like her, James."

She then beamed at Naomi and said, "James and I will be choosing our wedding venue today, Nae. Come with us!"

Naomi was about to decline the invite when James barked, "I just told you yesterday to get along well with Jocelyn. Did you forget all of that already?"

Naomi lowered her head and replied weakly, "Okay."

After exploring various locations, Jocelyn settled on a cruise ship for their wedding venue. James had gotten a work call amid the viewing of the location, so he walked into the cabin for some privacy, leaving Jocelyn and Naomi standing on the deck.

The sea breeze blew gently, leaving a salty tinge in the air. Both women said nothing.

Naomi wasn't used to being with people like this. She was about to leave quietly when Jocelyn called out to her. "I've always been very curious, Nae. What kind of indecent imbecile would fall for their father's friend?"

Naomi froze. Her fingers gripped the railing tightly.

Jocelyn could tell that Naomi was shocked. She chuckled and added, "Aren't you curious as to how I found out? I've long heard about a young lady whom James doted on.

"He gave her everything she could ever want, but had all of a sudden sent her to learn about etiquette. I was curious, so I looked into it. That's when I discovered how ridiculous you are for falling for the man who raised you."

Naomi's face was ashen. Her lips quivered. "I—"

Before she could say another word, Jocelyn turned around and glared at her with a steely, cold gaze. "Naomi, I've loved James for many years. He's finally promised to marry me.

"I won't allow anything to go wrong with this. I also don't want a third party embedded in our lives forever. Do you understand?"

Naomi closed her eyes, her voice shook as she replied, "I understand, Jo. Don't worry. I'll leave."

Chapter 3

"Don't worry?" Jocelyn scoffed coldly. "I'm not counting on anything. I'll make sure you're gone before the wedding begins—on my own terms."

After she finished speaking, Jocelyn turned around and threw herself into the sea before Naomi could even realize what was happening.

A loud splash immediately caught everyone's attention.

"Jocelyn!" James' voice rang from within the cabin. He dashed out and jumped into the sea without any hesitation.

Naomi stood frozen, her hands and feet unmoving, as if they were glued in place.

After James had painstakingly rescued Jocelyn, he started administering CPR on her.

Jocelyn sputtered a cough and weakly opened her eyes. Her eyes were bleary as she tearfully whimpered, "I thought that Nae had accepted me after these two days, James.

"I didn't think that she would push me into the sea when I wasn't paying attention. Don't blame her, James. She's just…"

Before she could finish her sentence, she passed out.

James' head shot up. Suppressed anger flickered in his eyes as he snarled, "Stubborn and insolent! When will you forgo those despicable thoughts of yours, Naomi?"

Naomi shook her head in a panic. "That's not true, Uncle James. I don't like you. I also didn't push her."

"Why are you still lying? You'd better watch out!" James refused to listen to her. He scooped Jocelyn up in his arms, sped across the deck, and rushed to the hospital.

Naomi still stood where she was. There was a gaping hole where her heart used to be.

As she watched James' retreating figure, she chanted the same sentence that she had done a million times before under her breath.

"I'm telling you, James Payne. I really don't like you anymore."

…

At midnight, Naomi sat and waited quietly on the couch alone.

She knew that when James warned her earlier, it was a sure sign he intended to punish her for it. She had already learned from the few years she had in the academy that running away and begging for mercy would only make the suffering a lot worse. So, she waited silently for her punishment to arrive.

After waiting for a long time, the door was pushed open with a bang. James stormed in furiously and bellowed, "Kneel!"

Naomi obediently did as she was told. Her head still hung low, and she didn't utter a single word.

James was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected her to be so compliant. He took down a whip that hung on the wall and marched toward her. "So now you're behaving? It's too late!

"Have I spoiled you too much, Naomi? Are you so much of a brat that you think you're above the rules we have in this family?"

He then struck her back with the whip.

Naomi's body shook as if she had been electrocuted, but she didn't make a sound. It was as if the whip had landed on someone else entirely.

"Say something!" James' voice was shrill with bottled anger. "Do you admit to your mistakes now?"

"Yes."

"You do?" James scoffed. The whip in his hand was raised once more. "If you knew what you were doing was wrong, why did you still do it?"

James' voice was laced with suppressed rage as he swung the whip down with a crack, raining it down onto Naomi's back over and over again.

On the first lash, he roared, "Why did you push Jocelyn into the sea? Did you know that she nearly died?"

On the second, he questioned, "Why did you fall in love with me? Don't you know that I'm ten years older than you?"

And on the third, he snapped, "Why are you so shameless? Don't you realize that I raised you?"

…

When James delivered the 52nd lash to Naomi's back, he snarled, "Why are you so ridiculous? You're so absurd. I wanted to…"

James' was consumed with rage. He lost count of how many times he had whipped Naomi. He nearly let his tongue slip, and in that split second of silence, Veronica Stead, a maid, jumped in with a cry.

"Please stop, Mr. Payne, please! Ms. Summers has always been pampered and sheltered since childhood. She won't be able to take it anymore!

"Please look, Mr. Payne. Her blood is all over the floor."

It was only when James finally looked down after stopping the whipping that he saw Naomi's entire back, bloody and raw. Her blood had pooled on the floor, some of it running and staining the soles of his shoes.

However, what shocked him to the core was that Naomi, with her head still hung low, had not shed a single tear or begged for mercy.

He instantly pulled her up to her feet, only to find her looking like an empty, lifeless shell.

"Why won't you yelp in pain, Naomi? Weren't you the best at playfully whining and exaggerating your pain just to get attention?"

Naomi looked up and calmly said, "That's because this doesn't hurt."

The suffering that she had experienced at the academy and the beatings she had to endure were far more painful than this.

Her expression was ashen as she asked hoarsely, "Are you done with the beating? If you are, may I leave now, Uncle James?"

James finally realized that something was amiss. "How could it not hurt? You've endured many lashes, so how could it not be painful?"

When he peeled her top off, Veronica gasped in shock.

What James saw made his pupils instantly contract, his breath catching in his throat.

Chapter 4

Naomi's back was filled with ghastly scars. Alongside the fresh lash marks, a web of old, overlapping scars marred her skin—each one a silent testament to the countless torments she had endured.

No part of her body was spared. Every inch of her skin seemed to echo the suffering she had endured.

James stood before her. The whip he held plopped onto the ground with a thud. Color quickly drained from his face as he looked horrified.

His fingers trembled as he reached out, wanting to touch her back, but he couldn't bear to lay even a finger on those wounds and scars, afraid that he would cause her more pain.

"H-How did these happen?" His voice was hoarse and laced with fury and pain.

Naomi lowered her head. A bitter smile tugged on her lips.

Had he finally found out? Had he finally realized that the supposedly prestigious Jeanine Academy was, in reality, a living hell?

Still, it didn't matter if he had finally found out. After all, the cheerful and bubbly princess Naomi once was could never return.

Naomi was about to respond to James when Jocelyn's gentle yet exasperated voice rang from behind her. "I'm already not holding you accountable for pushing me into the sea, Nae. Why are you still using despicable methods like these to lie to James?"

James' expression immediately dropped. He asked with a tinge of uncertainty, "These are fake?"

Jocelyn chuckled softly. Her tone was light and dismissive as she responded, "Of course. Aren't you the one who said Nae had been at Jeanine Academy for the past three years?

"That's the most prestigious academy here at Northeval. If all she did these years was stay in school, she wouldn't have had a chance to get so badly hurt, right? Don't fall for it, James."

James' tension eased, only to be swiftly replaced by fury. He grabbed the whip just to throw it hard on the ground once more. His voice dripped with venom as he spat, "You're unbelievable, Naomi. You're not allowed any food for a day."

Naomi simply nodded, her expression stoic and unfazed.

Being denied food at the academy was a long-established norm for her. At times, when hunger struck, she had to fight dogs for scraps.

She replied softly, "Okay." She then turned and walked back into her room, her retreating figure fragile yet resilient.

…

In Naomi's room, Maria Zahn, the maid who looked after Naomi for many years, walked in with a tube of medicinal ointment in her hand.

When she saw the wounds and scars on Naomi's back, she burst into tears.

"Why didn't you explain yourself, Ms. Summers? How could these wounds be fake? Aren't you studying at that academy?

"How did you end up with these injuries? Why won't you tell Mr. Payne? He doted on you so much. If he knew about these, it would destroy him!"

Naomi's listless eyes were cast downward. Maria's words pierced through her heart like a stabbing knife.

Naomi wondered if it would really kill James if he knew. She ultimately concluded that it might have in the past.

James used to dote on her a lot. Once, a young man had written her a love letter, telling her that if she would date him, she would be able to ride in his sports car.

When James found out, he gifted her a whole garage filled with luxurious cars. He announced with immense pride, "No ordinary man would be able to bait my charge with mediocre things."

When Naomi had a fever, even if he was overseas, he'd cancel important meetings and take a flight over ten hours long—just to be by her side until her fever subsided.

Once, when she had period cramps, he made her hot chocolate. As he handed her the mug of hot chocolate, he would coax her gently, "Be a good girl, Nae. Once you've finished the hot chocolate, it won't hurt anymore."

Tears welled in Naomi's eyes. With a soft exhale, she closed her eyes and murmured, "I'm tired, Maria. I just want to rest."

Maria wiped Naomi's tears away and tucked her in gently. Choking back a sob, she said, "Rest well, Ms. Summers."

Naomi nodded. She sank into the bed as tears fell from her eyes, wetting the pillow beneath her. She was lost in her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep.

In her dream, she had returned to the past.

She saw James holding her hand gently as he brought her to the amusement park. He bought her ice cream and sat with her on the carousel. His smile was gentle and doting, as if she were his whole world.

Sadly, these were no longer a reality. They were all memories from the distant past.

Chapter 5

Naomi nursed her injuries in her room for an entire day. The lash wounds from the whip on her back burned, but she was already used to pain like this.

Just then, the door softly opened. Jocelyn walked in with an exquisite gown in her hands and said, "It's James' birthday today, Nae. I planned a party for him. Come attend it with me."

Naomi shook her head and said, "I'll pass. The two of you can go on ahead."

Jocelyn's smile stiffened slightly. Her voice was laced with a tinge of threat as she warned, "You'd better be a good girl, Nae."

Naomi shuddered when she heard that. Her eyes instantly turned blank and lifeless, as if she were suddenly under the control of some unseen force.

She nodded mechanically, took the gown from Jocelyn, and turned around to change into it.

Jocelyn smirked as she looked at Naomi's silhouette.

She had already noticed that whenever Naomi was told to be a good girl, it was almost like casting a spell on her. The latter would obey the command without the slightest hesitation.

Jocelyn couldn't help but wonder if this was a habit that Naomi had picked up on while she was at the academy.

Still, she thought that the academy was a school for etiquette learning. So, why would they use such methods?

Before Jocelyn could think it through, Naomi was finished changing her clothes and had walked out.

Jocelyn gave her a once-over and nodded approvingly. "Let's go. The party is about to begin."

…

The banquet hall, illuminated with dazzling lights, was filled with guests.

Naomi followed behind Jocelyn with her head down like a lifeless puppet. Her appearance caused the guests to whisper amongst themselves.

"That's the dainty young lady that Mr. Payne had raised and doted on? Why does she look so frail and lifeless?"

"Yes. My son once had a crush on her. He said that she brightened up the room and that all the boys in school had a crush on her. Why does she look like a mere puppet now?"

"What a striking contrast she makes standing beside Mr. Payne's fiancée."

"Ms. Mentley and Mr. Payne look so good together. They're truly a match made in heaven!"

Naomi followed quietly behind Jocelyn, turning a deaf ear as she ignored the gossip about her.

Jocelyn smiled as she made her way to James. She slipped her arm through his and smiled sweetly. "Many people are saying that we're a match made in heaven, James."

James smiled. His tone was gentle as he responded, "Of course. That's the truth, after all."

When it was time for gifts, Jocelyn whipped out a delicately wrapped gift box and bashfully said to James, "You don't lack anything, so my gift to you is a pregnancy planner.

"We're getting married soon, and I hope we'll have a son and a daughter after our wedding. What do you think?"

James was stunned. He subconsciously stole a glance at Naomi, who was standing to the side, and quickly looked away. He replied lovingly, "You can call the shots. I'll go along with your plan."

Jocelyn leaned into his arms giddily and turned to Naomi. "What have you prepared, Nae?"

Naomi lowered her gaze, took out a gift box from her bag, and passed it to James.

James opened it to find a gleaming emerald bracelet within the box.

Jocelyn looked at it and nonchalantly commented, "Oh, it's an emerald bracelet. James never wears jewelry. You didn't put in a lot of effort in this gift, huh?"

Naomi didn't respond. She simply looked James in the eyes. As expected, she could see from his eyes that he was utterly stunned.

Only the two of them knew that the emerald bracelet was a Payne family heirloom, and it had always been a gift for the future lady of the Payne household.

All those years ago, Naomi whined, pleaded, and demanded the bracelet. James assumed she was just a young girl who thought it was beautiful, so he gifted it to her, doting on her as he did.

That day, she had returned it to him of her own accord.

Naomi softly said, "I wish you all the happiness in the world, Uncle James."

James suddenly felt a sharp pain in his heart. Just as he was about to say something, he heard a blood-curdling scream.

He looked up and saw the chandelier swaying dangerously, threatening to fall on Naomi.

Chapter 6

"Nae, watch out!" James yelled. his pupils instantly constricting. Without hesitation, he rushed to Naomi as the chandelier fell, shielding her with his body.

The chandelier landed heavily on his shoulder with a muffled thud. The broken shards flew everywhere, and all hell broke loose with guests screaming and running amok.

Jocelyn ran over. Through her sobs, she said, "How are you feeling, James? Does it hurt? Let's go to the hospital."

James looked at Naomi, who was shivering in his arms. He tried his best to steady his voice as he said, "There's no need. It's just a minor injury."

However, Jocelyn was adamant. "No. You have to go to the hospital."

Exasperated, James ultimately got his assistant to send him to the hospital. At the same time, he urged Jocelyn, "Jocelyn, take Nae home. If she's alone, she might get scared."

Jocelyn's face twisted in an instant. "You're still concerned about her at a time like this?"

"Be good." James' face was pale from the pain. "I brought her up since she was young."

Jocelyn gritted her teeth, tugged Naomi's wrist in frustration, and yanked her into the car. Naomi was still in a daze, so all she could do was follow Jocelyn mindlessly.

Unexpectedly, when they were halfway home, Jocelyn suddenly demanded that Joe Clark, the driver, stop the car. She spat at Naomi through gritted teeth, "I still have some matters to settle. I'm not going home. You can walk home on your own."

Joe couldn't help but interject, "It's really cold outside, Ms. Mentley—"

Jocelyn interrupted him sternly. "Who do you think will be the future lady of the Payne family? Don't you know who you should listen to?"

Joe didn't dare utter another word. All he could do was watch Naomi get down from the car and walk into endless darkness.

Naomi finally arrived at the Payne residence after walking for five hours alone.

She was disheveled after falling into a water-filled manhole on the way back. It was too dark to see, and her clothes were soaked, with her hair sticking messily to her face.

But before she could catch her breath, she saw the Payne residence engulfed in flames.

Naomi was stunned. Before she could react, a few bodyguards rushed over to her. One of them grabbed her wrist and said, "Ms. Summers, you committed arson, causing Ms. Mentley to suffer a third-degree burn.

"She is currently undergoing emergency surgery at the hospital. Mr. Payne ordered us to take you there now."

Naomi was in a state of shock. She shook her head blankly and muttered, "I didn't…"

However, the bodyguards didn't care for her explanation. They shipped her off in a car and sped the entire way to the hospital.

…

At the hospital, James, his left shoulder wrapped in a bandage, was carrying his black suit in his left hand. As he leaned against the walkway railing, his expression was so dark it looked like a storm was brewing on his face.

When he saw Naomi, who was brought in by the bodyguards, he glared coldly at her. With repressed anger in his voice, he snarled, "Would you have exploded if you didn't cause trouble for just one day, Naomi?

"What did Jocelyn do to you? How could you set that fire and burn her so badly like this?"

Naomi shook her head. "It wasn't me. I didn't—"

James cut her off and roared icily, "Enough! There's concrete evidence regarding this. If it wasn't you, are you saying Jocelyn deliberately set herself on fire just to frame you?"

Naomi wanted to explain further, but suddenly, the door of the operating theatre swung open with a bang.

The doctor rushed out and solemnly said, "Mr. Payne, Ms. Mentley's injuries are too grave. She needs a skin graft. Before she slipped into a coma, she left you a message, saying that you've spoiled Ms. Summers rotten, and that it can't go on.

"This time, Ms. Summers would have to personally pay for her mistakes."

Instantly, everyone understood what Jocelyn's message meant. She wanted to use Naomi's skin for a skin graft.