Lily used to be told by James Carter not to get too close to Emma Wilson, saying she wasn't suitable for making friends. Lily didn't believe it and defended Emma repeatedly, only to be backstabbed by the very person she protected.

"Lily, have you misunderstood something?" Emma's voice was anxious, "Lily, where are you? Let's meet and talk."

"No need, there's no longer any need to meet. We're no longer friends from now on," Lily said and hung up the phone.

After seven years of friendship, from college to now, Lily never expected her once close friend to do this to her. It felt as if her heart was being ruthlessly tormented by a dull knife.

She couldn't believe the person she treated with her whole heart could scheme against her like this.

Just after hanging up the phone, it rang again. Seeing that it was Mark Johnson calling, Lily's eyes filled with hatred. If it weren't for James's timely arrival, she might have been violated by Mark. She hadn't settled the score with him yet, but here he was, bringing himself to her doorstep.

Thinking of how she was nearly strangled to death by James in his fury, and the torturous pain she endured, Lily wished Mark could also experience the same agony.

As her finger slid across the answer button, Mark's voice came through, "Lily, how are you? James Carter came in furiously and ruined our moment. He even beat me up; I lost a tooth. Lily, I'm still at Golden Bay, in the room next to the one before. Come over quickly."

Listening to Mark's disgusting words, Lily's face turned even angrier. She felt that James had not hit him hard enough; it was just a tooth that was lost.

With a loud "bang," the door was flung open.

Lily jumped with a start, and her phone slipped from her grasp.

James Carter walked in with a grim face, his gaze upon Lily as if he had stumbled upon a secret.

Considering this, he took two strides to the bed, looked down at the name on the call screen with dangerous and terrifying eyes, bent down to pick up the phone, and turned on the speaker.

It was too late for Lily to stop him.

"Lily, I must have hurt you before. It's okay if you don’t want to come over. Just tell me a place, and I'll come to you. I'll be gentler this time. We'll find a more secretive place where James Carter can't disturb us again."

As soon as Mark finished speaking, the phone was smashed away by an enraged James, shattering into pieces.

Lily didn't even have a chance to explain because James didn't give her the opportunity. His hand tightened around her delicate neck, his eyes bloodshot, squeezing harder and harder.

Lily's eyes widened in fear, her hands desperately pulling at James's.

"Lily, you've got a lot of nerve," James said.

"Wasn't I good enough for you? Didn't I love you enough? Wasn't I rich enough? What does Mark Johnson have that I don’t, making you so devoted to him? To lie in my bed and still think of him!" James roared, his eyes reddening with a hint of tears.

Lily shook her head frantically, unable to speak, tears streaming down her face.

This vulnerable Lily only infuriated James further. Her pitiful state made him want to bully her mercilessly, to truly feel her presence, to confirm they were one.

And he did exactly that.

If it’s pain we’re dealing with, then let's suffer together.

He was in agony, and he didn't want her to have it easy either. If she wanted to be with Mark Johnson, she would have to see if she could even walk out of this house.