RUMMAGE

The Scars She Hid From The World

REGINA MCBRIDE

The heavy iron gates of the Wilderness Correction Camp groaned as they released me after three years of state-sponsored hell. I stood on the dirt road, clutching a plastic bag that held my entire life, waiting for the family that claimed they sent me there for "rehab." My brother, Brady, picked me up in a luxury SUV only to throw me out onto a deserted highway in the middle of a brewing storm. He told me I was a "public relations nightmare" and that the rain might finally wash the "stink" of the camp off me. He drove away, leaving me to limp miles through the mud on a snapped ankle. When I finally dragged myself to our family estate, my mother didn't offer a hug; she gasped in horror because my muddy clothes were ruining her Italian marble. They didn't give me my old room back. Instead, they banished me to a moldy gardener’s shack and hired a "babysitter" to make sure I didn't embarrass them further. My sister, Kaleigh, stood there in white cashmere, pretending to cry while clinging to her fiancé, Ambrose—the man who had once been mine. They all treated me like a volatile junkie, refusing to acknowledge that Kaleigh was the one who planted the drugs in my bag three years ago. They wanted to believe I was broken so they wouldn't have to feel guilty about the "wellness retreat" that was actually a torture chamber. I sat in the dark of that shed, feeling the cooling gel on the cigarette burns that covered my arms, and realized they had made a fatal mistake. They thought they had erased me, but I had returned with a roadmap of scars and a hidden satellite phone. At dinner, I didn't beg for their love. I simply rolled up my sleeves and showed them the price of their silence. As the wine spilled and the lies crumbled, I sent a single text to the only person I trusted: "I'm in. Let them simmer." The hunt was finally on.

Modern Revenge Scheming

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In the elevator of Windsor Holiday Inn

It was hot,

so hot!

Cassie Bo leaned against Alice Qi's shoulder. The airtight space in the elevator made Cassie Bo a little out of breath. She then shut her eyes.

The medicine mixed into the alcohol she drank was already taking effect. Her cheeks flushed.

Glancing at Cassie Bo, Alice Qi clenched her fists as her eyes flashed in rage.

'I'll be the only one Adam loves. I'll take everything from you, Cassie. Just wait and see.'

With her bag pulling her back down to a slouch, Cassie Bo blinked drowsily. "Alice, how long will it take for us to get there already? I feel terrible," she whined exhaustedly. Her arms were already lying limp on her sides.

"We're here." Alice smiled.

As if hearing Cassie Bo's complaints, the elevator finally opened. Suddenly, a gust of cold air blew them over. Cassie Bo shivered at the sudden change of temperature.

On the top floor of the hotel, a man with long legs stepped onto the red Persian carpet. The warm light highlighted the woman's smooth skin. Her little black dress left little to the imagination.

"Room 0969, Cassie. You're here."

The moment Cassie Bo stepped out of the elevator, she could already feel her vision wavering around her.

She was sure to faint at any given moment. Steadying her, Alice Qi plastered a smile on her face. "We're here. How about you go in first? I'll get you some hangover pills."

Raising her gaze to look at her, Cassie Bo giggled. "You're so kind, Alice," she slurred, barely able to string her words together.

"It's my pleasure."

Alice Qi stared through the crack of the door. She could make out a naked man standing in front of the French window by the living room.

Dylan Lu rubbed his temples and stared at the hazy night. He was a little drunk from the alcohol he had during his business meeting.

Seeing the man, Alice Qi was relieved.

She pushed Cassie Bo towards the door. "Go in. I'll be back, okay?"

"Hurry up."

With a hiccup, Cassie Bo nodded. Without giving Alice a chance to reply, she kicked off her heels and stumbled into the room.

"Oh, the show has just begun, Cassie." Alice smirked.

The temperature in the room only made her face even redder. If it got any more hotter, she was about to bleed! The alcohol had already intoxicated her mind. Her entire surroundings were already swaying from left to right, as if they were there to wave 'hello'.

Hearing the footsteps, Dylan Lu turned around with a frown. He had just taken a shower, and he still hadn't changed into his pajamas.

Only a white bath towel was wrapped around his lower extremities. His lean body and eight-pack abs were exposed to the air. The remaining droplets of water slid down his detailed muscles, arousing her almost immediately. She blinked wearily, not aware of her actions anymore.

Seeing the strange woman, Dylan Lu scowled.

"Get out."

However, the medicine had already spread through her system. What the hell was she going to do? It was getting hotter and hotter. She felt as if fire was coursing through her veins.

Maybe she needed to sleep? 'Yes, sleep is nice,' she thought.

Cassie threw her handbag to the side and tried to unzip her dress, only to scowl when the zipper wouldn't budge.

Frustrated, she decided to pull the straps off her shoulders, revealing her delicate collarbone.

A pair of warm hands slid across Cassie's shoulders, causing her to shiver.

Holding her shoulders, Dylan Lu gritted his teeth. "Get out."

Cassie turned and stretched out her arm. A man had just appeared in front of her in a figure of a shadow. She frowned, pointing at the man in front of her.

The shadow was getting even more blurry, but she was sure it was Adam Shen.

'Adam! Why are there two of them?'

"Adam," she moaned out. Cassie had never been this provocative her entire life.

Adam Shen was her boyfriend. She was actually allowed to bring an extra person to the party. She had planned to bring Adam Shen, but since he had something urgent to deal with, she decided to invite her best friend Alice.

A surge of surprise surged through her

as she wrapped her arms around his hips.

'I miss you,' she thought.

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