Chapter 376

The past few days had been nothing short of a waking nightmare for Evelyn Hartley. The cruel reality Miranda Graves had warned her about was now impossible to ignore—Olivia Sinclair was no longer the pushover she once believed her to be.

Starvation had reduced Evelyn and Miranda to desperate acts just to survive. They had been forced to kneel and bark like dogs for the amusement of their guards before being tossed scraps of food.

Evelyn, who had always carried herself with aristocratic grace, had endured humiliations she never thought possible. Olivia had orchestrated every moment of it.

The most agonizing part wasn’t the physical suffering—it was the slow, deliberate erosion of her pride. Olivia’s plan was to break Evelyn down piece by piece until nothing remained but a hollow shell. That plan, however, had been temporarily put on hold when Sebastian Whitmore arrived to retrieve her.

Stepping out of the dim, suffocating room, the sunlight felt foreign against Evelyn’s skin. When she spotted the guards by the door, terror seized her, and she dropped to her knees, trembling.

"I didn’t escape!" she blurted, her voice barely a whisper. "The door was opened for me. Please—I haven’t eaten yet. Just a little food, please!"

In the beginning, Evelyn’s defiance had been unshakable. But hunger was a merciless force, and even the strongest will crumbled beneath it. The mere thought of enduring another day in that hellhole made her stomach twist.

The two guards exchanged a glance before bursting into mocking laughter. "Look at the high and mighty Evelyn Hartley now," one sneered. "Errol’s precious fiancée, reduced to begging. You’re not even fit to lick Olivia’s boots."

Humiliation burned through Evelyn, but she forced a painful smile and nodded. "Yes, you’re right. Absolutely right."

"Evelyn!"

A sharp, familiar voice cut through the air.

Her head snapped up, disbelief flooding her features as she saw Sebastian standing at the end of the corridor—with Olivia beside him. Olivia, who had nearly fully recovered, moved with only the slightest hesitation in her steps. Sebastian hovered close, ready to steady her if needed.

When his gaze landed on Evelyn—crouched, disheveled, and utterly broken—his brow furrowed. This wasn’t the woman he remembered.

Relief at seeing Sebastian was quickly drowned by overwhelming shame. Standing there, exposed in front of her fiancé—and worse, under Olivia’s cold, triumphant stare—was unbearable. Evelyn ducked her head, her face burning.

Olivia seized the moment to twist the knife deeper. "What’s wrong, Miss Hartley?" she asked, her voice dripping with false concern. "Has it only been a few days, and you’ve already forgotten me? I’m curious—have you had time to reflect? Learned anything from your mistakes?"

Evelyn’s nails dug into her palms, her fists clenched so tightly they trembled.

Sebastian stepped forward, frustration lacing his tone. "Didn’t you hear Olivia speaking to you?"

Betrayal sliced through Evelyn’s chest. "You’re my fiancé," she whispered, her voice raw. "Why do you always take her side?"

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, his patience visibly fraying. "Even now, you’re still so stubborn."