From Left Behind to Living Lavish

Chapter 2

Things played out exactly as Carter had planned.

He took control of the Thomson family's assets with ruthless precision.

My father was thrown in prison, and I became his personal punching bag, enduring humiliation at every turn.

Then, one day, I found myself trapped in a dark alley.

Panic overtook me as I dialed his number. I screamed for help, but his response was cold, detached:

"Lindsey, what's your game this time? If you want to die, do it far from me."

And just like that, I vanished from his life, fighting to survive in the muck and mire, living a life worse than a stray dog's.

I never imagined he would come looking for me.

"Lindsey, what happened to you?" His voice was filled with disbelief.

Before I could even react, he crossed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms, not caring about his expensive suit.

A crowd gathered, whispering and watching the scene unfold. Some even offered unsolicited advice.

"Sir, you might want to stay away from her. She's a mute. Not all there in the head."

"A mute? Not all there?" Carter asked, his surprise evident.

"Yeah, she's been wandering around here for years, acting like this," one person replied.

I trembled, feeling my body stiffen in his embrace.

Without hesitation, Carter scooped me up and carried me to his car.

I froze, paralyzed by fear, my body tense and unyielding. He tossed me into the backseat like I was nothing more than a ragdoll.

A horrible stench filled the car, and I pressed myself into the door, ashamed, unable to lift my head.

My damp clothes only added to my mortification.

In the past, Carter had never let me touch his things.

Now, I had dirtied both his clothes and his car.

He must have been furious.

But this time, Carter said nothing. He simply started the car, and the hum of the engine was the only sound that broke the silence.

He took me to the hospital for a series of tests. The diagnosis was a stress-induced disorder.

Holding the report, he sighed heavily. "Lindsey, what on earth have you been through all these years?"

I didn't respond. I refused to cooperate. With no other options, he took me home. But that villa was no longer a home for me; it was a cold, suffocating prison.

The villa was a wedding gift from my father. It was also the place where Carter's father had taken his own life.

A knot of fear twisted inside me, suffocating my thoughts.

Carter looked at me, his expression a mixture of confusion and barely concealed hatred. "Lindsey, don't think this is enough to atone for your sins. It's far from enough."

He put his work on hold, taking on the task of looking after my daily needs.

Nothing had changed in the villa. The only difference was Carter's attitude toward me.

A skilled hunter doesn't waste time on weak prey. I knew deep down that his patience would run out eventually, just like before.

His kindness always came with a price.

But now, I was too broken to pay it.

Every moment felt like walking on a razor's edge. I couldn't let my guard down, not to eat, not to sleep in that bed, because it was the same one where his father had died.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his father's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood.

Carter didn't try to comfort me. He just went through the motions, bringing me meals and taking the plates away when I was done.

Days passed, and the hunger and exhaustion took their toll. I couldn't take it any longer.

Finally, with whatever strength I had left, I devoured the food, greedily inhaling every bite.

Maybe it had been too long since I'd eaten something this good. I ate too quickly and choked several times.

Once I finished, I collapsed onto the floor, exhausted, and fell into a deep sleep.

When Carter returned, he saw the empty plates I had scraped clean. He sneered.

"I knew it. Someone like you would never starve to death."

I curled up in the corner, hugging my knees, my head bowed in silence.