Chapter 2

Catherine's POV

Two burly men in black suits immediately headed toward Lucas and me, their faces menacing.

"Mommy!" Lucas clutched my leg tightly.

The first security guard grabbed my arm and roughly dragged me away from Lucas. I struggled desperately, but he was too strong.

"Don't you DARE touch me!"

The second guard slammed me down onto the cold marble floor, pressing his knee heavily into my back. Sharp pain shot through my entire body.

"Get your hands OFF my son!" I roared, seeing the other guard trying to grab my crying Lucas.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Lucas's cries were heart-wrenching as he desperately tried to run to me, but the guard firmly blocked him.

Scarlett looked down at me pinned to the ground. "Not so tough now, are you? Time for a reality check!"

She walked to the service counter and picked up a cup of scalding coffee. I watched steam rising from the cup, and a terrible feeling crept over me.

"What are you doing?" I struggled to get up, but the guard pressed his knee down harder.

"Let everyone see what happens to wannabe socialites!" Scarlett raised the coffee cup with a vicious smile.

The next second, scalding coffee splashed across my face and body.

"AHHH!" I let out an agonized scream as searing pain burned across my face and chest. Coffee soaked through my clothes, scalding my skin red.

"Mommy! STOP it!" Lucas cried harder, his tiny fists weakly pounding at the guard restraining him.

But that wasn't enough. Scarlett walked over and slapped me hard across the face.

"CRACK!"

The sharp sound echoed through the restaurant. My face immediately swelled up, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth.

"That's for being RUDE to me!" Scarlett's eyes gleamed with madness.

Another slap followed immediately.

"CRACK!"

"And that's for THREATENING me!"

My head spun from the blows, ears ringing. But what broke my heart more was Lucas's crying.

"Please... leave my child alone..." My voice grew weak. "He's just a six-year-old..."

"Oh? Begging now?" Scarlett crouched down and dug her nails into my chin. "Where's all that attitude now?"

She stood up and kicked me in the stomach with her sharp heels.

"Ugh!" I curled up in pain, feeling like my organs shifted.

"Keep begging! I want to hear you grovel, you bitch!" She kicked again, this time hitting my ribs.

The intense pain made it hard to breathe. I struggled to lift my head and saw Lucas's face red and swollen from crying.

"Please... stop... my child is watching..." My voice trembled.

Hearing my pleas made Scarlett more excited. She grabbed my hair and yanked out several strands.

"That's not ENOUGH!" she snarled viciously. "I'm going to COMPLETELY humiliate you!"

She turned to the security guards and shouted: "Strip her! Let everyone see this fake bitch's true face!"

"NO!" I struggled desperately. "DON'T!"

Just then, I noticed Scarlett was wearing a sparkling diamond ring. That ring... it was an 8-carat pink diamond, perfectly cut, glittering beautifully under the lights.

My heart nearly stopped.

That ring... was my engagement ring! My love token with Nathaniel! The ring that was always in our home safe!

"That ring..." I asked tremblingly. "Where did you get that ring?"

Scarlett proudly raised her hand. "This? My boyfriend gave it to me!"