In an abandoned factory, only a rusted door separated two worlds.
Inside, Kristen's hair was being yanked back by a man, forcing her to tilt her head upward. A cold knife pressed against her neck, and a video camera stood ready beside them.
Outside the rusty door, Finn shielded Grace tightly behind him.
"President Gu, we want Miss You. As long as you let her come in, we'll let your wife go."
The man wearing a mask spoke in a low, sinister voice.
Finn refused without hesitation. "Impossible."
Tears slowly welled up in Kristen's eyes as she looked at the tall figure standing at the door. Her usual cold and stubborn demeanor softened with a trace of pleading.
"Finn, no matter how much hurt you've caused me because of Grace, I can let it go. Just this once, please—save me, alright?"
Just this once—don't abandon me.
Finn's expression was cold and unreadable. Every word that left his thin lips made Kristen tremble.
"Grace's health isn't good, and she just won Best Actress. If a nude video of her gets streamed online, her entire career will be destroyed."
Kristen's emotions snapped.
"What about me? What am I then?" she shouted.
She used to be a promising actress too. Five years ago, she married Finn. After the wedding, at his request, she quit the entertainment industry to become the perfect Mrs. Gu—taking care of his life in every detail.
She thought she had married for love, but soon realized that Finn was rarely home—always away on business trips. Even when he returned, Grace's late-night calls would pull him away again.
Anniversaries of their relationship, their wedding, her birthdays—no matter the occasion, the moment Grace called, he would leave without looking back.
Even when she was lying on the operating table.
Finn avoided her gaze, protecting Grace carefully in his arms.
Yet the one with a knife at her throat was Kristen.
"Finn, please… let me go in," begged Grace, clutching his clothes tightly. "They're targeting me. At worst, I'll quit the industry."
"No." Finn's rejection was sharp and absolute. "I won't let you get hurt—not even a little."
Tears streamed down Kristen's face despite her desperate effort to hold them back.
You once promised to protect me for life. Did you forget, Finn?
The masked man grew impatient. "Enough. In that case, Mrs. Gu will take her place. With a figure like hers, I'm sure the audience will enjoy it…"
With that, he tore open Kristen's clothes, revealing her white undergarments. The live stream started instantly.
"Finn…" Kristen broke down, crying as she pleaded, "Please, save me—just this once! I'm your wife!"
She would rather die than be humiliated this way.
Finn's expression did not change. His voice was ice-cold.
"Think of it as filming an art movie. You've retired anyway. Once it's online, people will forget soon enough."
Kristen's tear-soaked eyes widened in shock. She never thought he would be so cruel for Grace's sake.
A sharp ripping sound followed—the strap of her bra was cut.
Nestled in Finn's arms, Grace smirked where he couldn't see, her red lips curving up silently to mouth the words:
"Kristen, I win again."
Her bra barely clung to her body now, her hands were tied, and the knife never left her neck.
Kristen's eyes fell shut in despair. A cold wave flooded her body, suffocating her.
When she opened them again, her fear was gone—only calm remained, with a bitter curve at her lips.
"So it's just a live broadcast of a nude scene. Fine. I'll treat it as shooting an adult film. Untie me, I'll do it myself."
The masked man was caught off guard, glancing toward Finn. Grace gave a subtle nod.
He untied her wrists, but the knife stayed close to her throat.
Kristen rubbed her swollen wrists—her skin stung, but not as much as her heart. She looked up at the tall man by the door, a strange, peaceful smile tugging at her lips.
There was something mad in that calm.
Finn frowned. A sense of dread crept into him.
When the masked man lowered his guard for a second, Kristen drove her elbow hard into his chest. He recoiled in pain, letting go of her hair.
She turned to run—
—but the knife swung.
A sudden icy sting spread across her neck, followed by a hot rush flooding her collar.
She clutched her throat. Blood spilled like an unending stream, soaking through her clothes.
—Bang.
She fell heavily to the ground. Her eyes stared wide open—at the indifferent Finn, the smirking Grace, and one more face—
nervous, terrified, and blurred.
Content warnings: I don't know what to warn for—it's a double-purity story, though the heroine's first kiss is gone. But the hero's first kiss belongs to her. Expect lots of jealousy, sweetness, pain, and drama. If you're not afraid of some dog-blood chaos, jump right in—I'll catch you at the bottom of the pit! ^_^
(End of Chapter)