00:00Until that banquet, when Adrienne Whitmore fell in love with Celeste Hale at first sight.
00:04That was when the greatest disaster of my life began.
00:08One day, Celeste tripped during an argument with me.
00:11The next day, someone shoved me down a flight of stairs and left me with a severe concussion.
00:16One day, my best friend got sick of Celeste's fragile, innocent act and made her drink a glass of wine.
00:22The next day, men pinned me down and forced nearly two bottles of hard liquor down my throat
00:27until my stomach perforated.
00:30Month after month, the retaliation kept coming, and behind every single blow was the Whitmore heir.
00:35No one knew how Celeste had met him, but everyone in Fairhaven knew.
00:39He treasured her like something priceless.
00:41Touch her, and you'd pay with your body.
00:44One by one, I lost all my friends.
00:46Even my best friend started keeping her distance.
00:48The last thing she said was a warning.
00:50Stop going against Celeste, or that unhinged man would have me killed.
00:55So what?
00:55When Celeste deliberately smashed my mother's urn to provoke me,
00:58I still beat her in public without hesitation.
01:01I beat her shameless hands until the bones cracked.
01:04The next day, I was in this warehouse.
01:06Tendons severed.
01:07Limbs broken.
01:09On the phone screen nearby, a call labeled Mr. Whitmore kept running.
01:12One of the kidnappers hunched over it, finishing his report.
01:15He accidentally hit speaker.
01:17A familiar voice filled the room.
01:20Adrian.
01:21Warn her.
01:22If she dares lay a hand on Celeste again, I'll kill her.
01:26Cold.
01:26Indifferent.
01:27Just as ruthless as ever.
01:29After delivering the warning, the kidnapper tossed the phone at me.
01:32The screen glowed, open to the dial pad.
01:36Come on.
01:37Unlock it for me, sweetheart.
01:40A glob of spit landed on the screen.
01:42Oh right, I forgot your hands don't work.
01:44Guess that means you can only use your tongue?
01:47I didn't move.
01:50I lay on the ground and stared at their smug faces until they got bored and left.
01:54Just before the warehouse door slammed shut, I heard one of them on the phone again.
01:58Mr. Whit, we gave her the phone.
02:00She trusts you more than anyone.
02:01I'm sure the first call she makes will be to you, just like always.
02:05The last spark inside me went out.
02:07Adrian Whitmore really was the Whitmore hare.
