Chapter 4 Her voice came out hoarse and trembling . " Declan , can't you see what I've become ? " She raised her arm - covered in swollen welts , barely a patch of intact skin left . Deep gashes ran down her forearm , gruesome and raw . But after a moment of silence , Declan still steeled his heart . " Vivienne hasn't slept all day . That bracelet needs to be finished tonight . " " What if I say no ? " Sloane's eyes were rimmed red , but there were no tears left . " Will you lock me up again and let those damn bugs chew me alive ? " Declan couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes . He shut his own briefly , his voice low with exhaustion . " Sloane ... just hold on a bit longer . Once Vivienne's fully recovered - once I've repaid her for saving my life - things between us will go back to the way they were . " He said it like a promise . Then he placed several thick thorn - covered branches on the bedside table . His tone cooled . " Remember , if you won't do it , the guards will . That bracelet ? They say it works best when the thorns draw real blood . " The guest room door slammed shut behind him . Two guards stood silently at the edge of the room . " Ma'am , Mr. Hawthorne gave clear instructions . You're to pull out every thorn with your own hands . And sand each bead yourself - start to finish . " That night , they dragged Sloane out of bed . She didn't sleep a second . Her fingertips were torn open , red and raw from plucking thorns . The sandpaper peeled her skin until her hands were nothing but cracked , bleeding wrecks . Every breath she took burned like fire . By dawn , Vivienne's voice drifted in from the master bedroom - light , sweet , and smug . " Declan , this bracelet really works . The dizziness is gone the moment I put it on . " Declan chuckled gently . " That's good . Get some rest . I'll stay with you . In the guest room , Sloane curled into herself on the bed , her hands trembling and torn , blood dripping onto the sheets . She couldn't stop the stinging in her eyes . She almost laughed . There had been a time when a rose thorn prick on her finger would send Declan into a panic . He'd apologize for hours . Now , he could take a bracelet stained with her blood and give it to another Chapter 4 Wanna watch the rest of " Office Girl " ? Download Drama Pops and watch the re ... Download 20.49 % woman - with a smile . Declan Hawthorne , you really think things could go back to the way they were ? How could they ? The love she once had for him ... was gone . The next day , Vivienne - well - rested thanks to her new protection bracelet - dragged Declan out for a relaxing trip . Sloane only learned about it from Vivienne's daily posts . They were in Greece , watching the sunset . The photo showed Santorini's iconic white walls glowing orange in the light . Vivienne's hand was locked in Declan's , and the caption read : Ten years of loving you . I finally got what I wanted . Sloane stared at the picture . Her heart didn't hurt anymore . Just ... empty . Like a breeze was blowing right through her chest . She quietly slipped the ring off her finger . Then she went to the garden . The bellflowers - once covering the whole flowerbed - she yanked them out by the roots , one by one . Chopped them up . Threw them away . Afterward , she opened her laptop , logged into that cursed account flooded with hate comments , and scheduled a post to go live in one month . It read : By the time you're reading this letter , I'll probably be gone ... She had spent a long , long time writing that planned " farewell letter . " And just as she typed the final period , the sound of a car stopping echoed through the yard . Declan hurried into the villa . " Why did you destroy the bellflowers , Sloane ? I thought you loved them . I planted them for you myself . " There was something off about his face - pale , almost shaken . A small streak of blood had seeped through his sleeve . Sloane him a calm glance , said nothing , and shut the laptop with a sharp snap . gave were rotten . Might as well plant something else . " " The roots At the mention of " something else , " Declan seemed to relax , just a little . " Alright . I'll plant you something new . " Chapter 4 20