Congratulations, You Finally Broke Her

Chapter 3

Cindy's entire body broke into violent tremors.

The memories crashed over her all at once—the filthy hands, the lecherous laughter, the sharp drag of the blade across her skin.

Her stomach churned violently, and cold sweat soaked through her thin hospital gown.

"It was not an illusion!"

Jenna pressed on relentlessly. "Did they penetrate you? Did you resist? Or did you know this was a mission arranged by Jasper all along, so you just played your part?"

"Shut up!"

Staring at the woman's face, Cindy finally understood. This was never a routine official interrogation. It was nothing short of a public execution.

Under the guise of professionalism and procedural formalities, Jenna was stripping away every last shred of her dignity, one cut at a time.

Cindy abruptly stood up and headed for the door.

"I'm done talking. Let me out!"

Jenna blocked her path. "Ms. Shaw, please calm down. After all, if no s****l assault took place, you'll be charged with filing a false report and obstructing justice."

Cindy's breathing turned ragged, black spots dancing across her vision.

Jenna leaned in closer, her voice lowered to a malicious whisper. "I actually get it. Jasper never touches you, does he? You've been married five years. How many times has he even set foot in your room? You've been lonely for so long. When all those men touched you... maybe you secretly craved it, didn't you?"

The last thread of sanity in Cindy's mind snapped.

She pictured her own devastated state on the livestream, those disgusting hands roaming over her body, and Jasper's cold, indifferent gaze watching it all unfold on screen.

And yet this woman, protected and cherished by Jasper, was using her trauma to trample on her last bit of pride.

"You're truly pathetic. All I have to do is shed a few tears, and Jasper will rush to my side. But look at you. You endured three days of that hell, and he didn't even flinch once.

"You know why he chose you as bait? Because in his heart, it doesn't matter if you're touched, seen, or humiliated. You were always just a disposable human shield."

Slap!

Cindy slapped her hard across the face.

Jenna instantly covered her cheek, her eyes glistening red, tears welling up in her eyelashes, ready to fall at any second.

"Jasper..."

Jasper had appeared in the doorway without a sound. He seized Cindy's wrist in a tight grip.

"Cindy, what kind of tantrum are you throwing now?"

Cindy stared back at him, her eyes bloodshot.

Jenna began to sob softly, her voice frail and vulnerable.

"Jasper, it's my fault. I shouldn't have pushed for such detailed answers. I upset Ms. Shaw..."

Jasper ignored her, his gaze locked firmly on Cindy's face.

Tears spilled over without warning, one after another, hitting the cold floor.

He froze, a sharp, stabbing pain suddenly piercing his chest.

"Jasper, if this is how your department operates—grilling a victim over every humiliating detail of her assault, questioning whether she had physical reactions to the abuse, asking if she enjoyed it—

"Then I'm finished cooperating with this investigation!"

Jasper frowned and turned toward Jenna. "Did you ask her those things?"

Before Jenna could reply, Cindy stumbled out of the room and back to her hospital ward. She slid down the door, sinking onto the cold floor.

*****

Her phone vibrated.

The caller ID showed her brother.

Ryan's low voice came through the line. "Cindy, how are your injuries?"

She parted her lips, wanting to say she was fine, wanting to tell him nothing was wrong. But all that came out was a broken, muffled sob.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"Is it finally over?" Ryan asked gently.

Cindy closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks and slipping into the collar of her gown.

She thought back to the first time she'd met Jasper, when she was eighteen. He'd stood apart from the crowd in a sharp black suit, his profile cold and distant.

She'd walked over with a glass of champagne, smiling boldly. "Sir, may I have this dance?"

He'd answered politely yet coldly. "Sorry, I don't dance."

Five years. For five years, she'd chased after him, breaking herself over and over again, until she'd finally seen the truth.

"It's over."

Cindy whispered, her eyes still closed.

"Ryan, look up someone for me. Jenna Ames, a police officer in Northbrook, Jasper's junior from the academy.

"And start the divorce proceedings. I want to go back to Eastmont."