Chapter 3

My temples pounded at her sheer audacity. "If someone dies, the police won't let any of you walk away from this. Do you think this is a game?"

She took a slow sip of her red wine, looking as smug as ever. "Drop the act. If you want to get out, beg me.

"Weren't you acting tough a minute ago? What's wrong now—are you shaking because my husband is on his way?"

Beatrice was already weak from her heart condition. After struggling for air and enduring such intense anger, she looked completely exhausted, barely holding on.

I bit down hard on my lip. There was no way I was going to let Beatrice stay in danger.

As long as I could keep her safe, I was willing to endure this humiliation.

I was about to speak when Beatrice gripped my arm.

Her voice shook. "I have never bowed to anyone in my life, and I am certainly not starting with trash like her. I can still hold on. When Marcus gets here, he is dead to me. Don't worry—I've been burned by men before. I stand with you."

Sabrina's smile vanished when we refused to beg. Her eyes turned cold.

She snapped at Leon. "Go grab two buckets of ice from the kitchen. Let's cool them off."

He dumped the ice into the pool a few minutes later. The water instantly turned freezing, and I was already shaking uncontrollably.

Beatrice's lips were turning purple. She was fading fast.

I lightly slapped her cheek, but got no response. She barely twitched. Holding my breath, I dragged her toward the edge, but Leon kept shoving us back into the water with a pole.

I finally lost it. My throat burned and my eyes stung as I screamed at them. "She is going to die! Let her out! If anything happens to her, this hotel is going down with you! When Marcus shows up, he won't let this slide!"

Leon finally froze. Swim coach or not, he could see the genuine danger in her pale face.

He rushed over to Sabrina in a panic. "Sabrina, she seriously doesn't look okay. We should probably let her out. If she dies in the pool, it's going to be a massive mess. Mr. Vance definitely won't want to deal with a dead body. If he loses his temper over this, I'm out of a job."

Sabrina paused, then scoffed. "So now you're worried about your job. I never actually meant to kill anyone—some people are just entirely too stubborn. I told them I would think about it if they begged. They aren't dying yet. I just want to see how long they can last."

Leon puffed his chest out beside her, feeding off her borrowed authority. "Let me introduce her properly. This is Sabrina Hayes—Mr. Vance's woman.

"This entire hotel exists to serve her. Everyone here bends to her will. You shouldn't have even been let inside today.

"If you want to walk out of here, you had better start begging. And do it right. Otherwise, no one is going to save you."

I bit down on my lip so hard that I tasted blood. Beatrice was barely conscious.

Swallowing my pride, I let go of my dignity.

"Please. Let my mother-in-law out first. She has a heart condition, and she is genuinely going to die if she stays in here."

Sabrina smirked, clearly savoring every second of my humiliation. "Didn't you just call me a shameless mistress? Say it again. Say Elena Lancaster is the mistress, and I am Marcus's wife. Do that, and maybe I'll consider it."

She was clearly obsessed with the title, deeply jealous of a woman she had never even met.

It was just too bad for her that I was Elena.

She had absolutely no idea she was dragging my name through the dirt right to my face.

I clenched my fists under the water, my nails digging into my palms, and swallowed hard.

Then I said it, my voice slow and bitter. "Elena Lancaster is the mistress. You are Marcus's wife. Is that enough? Now let my mother-in-law out!"

She gave me a sly, triumphant little smile. "I said I would consider it. And guess what? I have. I changed my mind. You are staying right where you are."