Trapped By Tainted Love
Chapter 36: Pay The Price

Chapter 36: Pay The Price 

Rachel was currently with an employee of the administration department so she could show her aroundthe headquarters of the Sullivan Group.

As they walked out of the elevator, the woman received a phone call and turned around to look atRachel.

"Miss Bennet, Mr.Sullivan asked to see you now," she said, her voice betraying a hint of surprise.

That statement seemed to confuse Rachel quite a bit.

Not because Victor had asked to see her.

She knew that he had been on a business trip yesterday and she was certain that he would ask to seeher as soon as he got back and heard the news.

She was confused because of the weird expression on the face of the lady standing in front of her.

The CEO‘s office could be found on the middle floor, the one with the best view.

Not anyone could visit this floor.

Only a handful of people were authorized, and security was really tight.

One had to possess the necessary key card or use their fingerprints to gain entry.

The lady that had been showing Rachel around was not that high–ranking, though, so, she had to waitfor Ivan to come down and escort her.

When he finally arrived, he led Rachel into the elevator and pressed the button for the thirty–third floor,where the CEO‘s office was.

When they reached the office door, Ivan stopped and moved to the side.

He turned to look at her with a subdued look on his face.

"Mr.Sullivan asked to see you alone."

Rachel glanced at the closed door and couldn‘t shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

She turned to Ivan once again, pursing her lips.

"Ivan..." she started.

"Miss Bennet, please.Mr.Sullivan is waiting for you,"

Ivan interrupted her, showing that he wouldn‘t be giving her any answers.

Rachel got the message, loud and clear.She looked at his face a little longer, trying to replace some cluesas to what awaited her beyond the door.

Ivan, though, remained completely expressionless.

She would get nothing out of him.She gave up trying and took a deep breath.She reached out andopened the door, walking inside before her courage deserted her.

Once inside the office, she felt a strong vibe surrounding her, making it difficult for her to breathe.

In the blink of an eye, someone grabbed her arm hard and dragged her towards the French window.Itwas Victor.

With a loud thud, Rachel‘s back hit the glass and she winced in pain.

"What’s wrong with you, Victor?" Rachel asked angrily and tried to break Victor‘s grip on her.

But the more she struggled, the stronger his grip was growing, until the pain made her gasp.

With a sneer, Victor grabbed Rachel‘s chin and forced her to look up at him.

His voice was so cold that it sent chills down Rachel‘s spine.

"I‘ve warned you more than once not to challenge me! If you won‘t listen, then you will pay the price."As he talked, he tightened his grip on her chin.

Rachel was in excruciating pain by then, her cheeks crushed under his fingers, making it impossible forher to speak.

"I...I...don‘t...understand.What...are...you...talking...about?" she managed to get these few words out,all the while grasping Victor‘s hand, trying to make him relax his grip.

"Don‘t play dumb.You know exactly what I‘m talking about," Victor barked, tightening his grip on herjaw.

Rachel just glared at him, gritting her teeth.She lifted one knee, aiming for Victor‘s privates.

A cold light flashed in his eyes.

He jerked away from Rachel and with another thud, she crashed on the floor.

She instinctively tried to put her arms out to protect herself, but when her elbow hit the floor hard, herface turned deathly white with pain.

Cradling her throbbing arm, Rachel tried to sit up.She heard Victor shouting at the door, "Ivan!"

The assistant, who had been guarding outside, pushed the door open and walked in immediately.

When he saw Rachel on the floor, he paused imperceptibly.

"Mr.Sullivan..."

"Tie up her hands,"

Victor ordered, throwing a bundle of rope in front of Rachel.

Rachel‘s eyes widened in shock.She looked at Victor in disbelief.

"Are you completely insane?"

Victor looked down at Rachel and sneered, a cold look in his eyes.

"Since you are crazy enough to mess with me, I need to let logic fly out of the window.Fight fire withfire, you know?"

Rachel was in so much pain that she didn‘t have any strength to resist.

Ivan wound the rope around her wrists and secured it with a complex knot.

She clenched her hands and gritted her teeth.

"What the hell do you want, Victor? Huh? Let me go!"

"You‘ll know soon enough," he shot back, walking towards her and pulling her up.

His eyes were as cold as ice.

Rachel was in so much pain that her forehead was covered with a sheen of sweat.Her body was soreand numb all over.

He pressed her against the French window again, her back against the cold glass.

"I told you once that I‘d throw you out of the window if you dared to lie to me again," Victor said as hetook a remote control out of his pocket.

Rachel‘s eyes widened.She knew what this was for! This little thing controlled the French windowbehind her.

The glass was not fixed; it would open if anyone pressed the red button on the remote control!

"Victor,"she screamed as her heart skipped a beat and she was consumed by fear.

A cold, cruel smile appeared on Victor’s face.

He pressed the red button without even blinking and with a faint whirring sound, the French windowopened.

Wind poured in draining the color that was left on Rachel‘s face.

Victor pushed her backwards, still holding onto her arm with all his strength.

Rachel was just hanging in the air, hundreds of meters above the ground, Victor‘s grip was the onlything keeping her from falling, She was terrified of heights.

The chilly wind whistled behind her like a fierce beast, but her back was soaked in cold sweat.

Her eyes were brimming with tears and she was trembling with fear.

"Victor, please..."

Her voice was hoarse and barely heard over the howling wind.

Victor paused for a moment.He looked down at her tearful eyes and somehow felt a stabbing pain inhis heart.

She burst into tears right then, unable to hold them back a moment longer.

Victor followed their trail along her cheekbones until they were swept away by the wind and lost forever.

Rachel had closed her eyes trying to control her emotions, and her whole body was tense and stiff.

As she stood there, her own memories and those of the original Rachel intertwined and flooded inthreatening to drown her.

"Please..."

For a moment there, Rachel wasn‘t sure it was the fall or the flood of memories that scared her themost.

Victor was distracted for a second.His eyes widened a bit and he pulled Rachel back.

When he was sure she was safe, he immediately let go of her.

Without Victor‘s support, she lost her balance as her knees gave away from under her.

She grabbed the sofa just in time and held on.

The window was still open, the wind blowing in in a stream.

Papers once stacked carefully on the desk were now flying around the room, just as Rachel‘s long hairwhipped around her face mercilessly.

Her face was still very pale and she lowered her eyes to hide the emotional turmoil written in them.Shewas still in shock.

Victor looked at her searchingly, until he seemed to make up his mind.

He donned the most arrogant sneer he could muster and said, "I knew you were a shameless bitch, butthis is new! Are you really afraid of dying?"