Chapter 4

The bathroom door slammed shut, and the sound of it closing hit her heart like a sledgehammer.

"Stop fighting, you can't get away! Behave, and maybe it won't be so bad," Clifford said, reaching out to grab Victoria's thigh.

Victoria kicked him hard. Clifford, wincing in pain, angrily raised his hand and slapped her across the face.

Her cheek swelled up instantly, a bit of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, and the pain made her head spin. Tears filled her eyes, and she started trembling uncontrollably.

The men began tearing at her clothes, leaving her outfit in shreds. She fought with everything she had, but she was no match for them.

Her clothes were ripped apart, exposing her skin to the cold air, a wave of humiliation and helplessness washing over her.

She screamed desperately, "Let me go! Help!"

But the room was soundproof, and no one could hear her cries. She felt like she was falling into a bottomless pit.

"Let's see how long you can keep this up," Dean sneered. He shoved Victoria to the ground, leaving her almost completely exposed, and then pinned her down.

Victoria fought back fiercely, kneeing Dean in the groin. Dean howled in pain, got up, and started punching and kicking her.

Victoria felt like her body was being torn apart, the pain nearly making her pass out. She curled up into a ball, trying to protect herself, but the blows kept coming, hitting her body and head mercilessly.

Each hit felt like a sledgehammer, making it hard for her to breathe. Her face was covered in tears and blood, and she started seeing stars, her consciousness fading.

Just as she was about to lose hope, the door to the room was kicked open.

William stormed in with a team of imposing bodyguards. He froze when he saw Victoria being beaten and assaulted. An uncontrollable rage surged from his heart to his head. His face darkened, exuding a chilling aura.

"Who gave you the right to hurt her?" William roared, his voice echoing through the room.

The four men shuddered in fear. Their arrogance vanished instantly upon seeing William and his bodyguards, and their faces turned pale.

Dean stammered, "Who are you?" His voice was filled with fear, and he could barely speak coherently.

A flash of bloodthirsty rage crossed William's eyes as he signaled the bodyguards to drag Dean over. With a swift motion, he kicked Dean hard in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain and let out a piercing scream.

William said coldly, "You don't deserve to know who I am!" Then, turning to his bodyguards, he commanded, "Take them out."

No sooner had he spoken than the bodyguards swiftly surrounded the four men. They swung their fists mercilessly, the sound of punches landing echoing in the room. The crisp sound of bones breaking filled the air, and the men writhed in pain on the floor. Cries and wails filled the room.

"Spare us! We won't do it again!" Clifford cried out in pain. "We really know we were wrong! Someone paid us to do it. Please let us go!"

William ignored the pleas, his eyes locked on the battered and bruised Victoria. The moment Victoria saw William, a flicker of hope lit up her eyes.

She never imagined that in her darkest moment, William would come to her rescue. A surge of relief and joy filled her heart, like finding a lifeline in a storm.

She stared at William, as if he was her only savior. Her lips trembled, as if she wanted to say something, but she was too weak to speak.

William's face was like stone. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, wrapped it around Victoria, and gently picked her up. Victoria winced in pain, her injuries severe, with blood at the corner of her mouth and bruises marring her face.

William didn't spare another glance at the room, quickly carrying Victoria out. The door closed behind them, muffling the men's screams.

In the hallway, William strode forward, his anger barely contained. Victoria closed her eyes and curled up in his arms, her lips trembling. She clung to his shirt, not daring to let go.

William's eyes were dark with fury. He thought, 'No one probably hates Victoria more than I do. But despite everything, I've never really hurt her. How dare those bastards touch her?'

As they neared the elevator, he instinctively pressed Victoria's face against his chest, shielding her from prying eyes. As the elevator descended, he felt a burning wetness on his chest. William frowned, feeling increasingly uneasy.

The car was already waiting at the entrance of the Starry Nights Hotel. When the driver, Harry Brooks, saw them, he quickly opened the back door, ready to help Victoria.

But William didn't let go, bypassing the driver and placing Victoria in the back seat himself. Though his movements were brisk, he still managed to shield her head from hitting the car door.

After a moment's hesitation, he got in as well, pulling Victoria into his arms. At that moment, Victoria was like a fragile kitten, snuggling against him.

William looked down at Victoria and noticed she was trembling slightly. He frowned and asked coldly, "Are you cold?"

When Victoria didn't respond, he looked at her face and realized something was wrong.

Victoria's face was pale, her brows furrowed, her lips trembling. Curled up as if to stifle an inner turmoil, her body quaked violently. Her lips were dry and tinged with purple, and her eyes were squeezed tightly shut.

William panicked, raising his hand to touch her forehead. The burning heat transferred to his palm, and his brows furrowed tightly, his eyes filled with anxiety.

He said, "Victoria? Wake up!"

In a daze, Victoria seemed to hear someone calling her. She opened her eyes and saw William's anxious and worried expression. She forced a weak smile, but the movement caused her facial wounds to hurt, making her gasp in pain.

She responded, "I'm sorry, Mr. Scott. I'm fine. I just need to sleep for a while."

Her eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness, reddened and pitiful. Seeing her like this, William suddenly felt his heart soften.