Damian Fairchild's lips curled into a deep smile as he watched her tear-streaked face for a moment. Then, he pulled out a tissue, leaned down to wipe her tears, his voice as gentle and lingering as a lover's whisper:
"Seraphina, don't cry, hmm?"
Seraphina Quinn's tears fell even harder, because she had no idea what words would come out of this devil's mouth next.
As expected, the man did not disappoint.
His fingers pinched her chin, his high-bridged nose pressing against hers. His thin lips moved to her ear, licking and kissing her earlobe as he spoke the most venomous words,
"Because your tears... are cheap and worthless to me. Understand?"
Humiliated and enraged, Seraphina Quinn swung her arm at his face again, only to have it decisively intercepted.
Her gaze met his as she heard him speak the cruelest words in the gentlest voice,
"My wife's plane lands in less than an hour, so please disappear from my sight before I get back from picking her up!"
Seraphina Quinn felt she had never been so utterly humiliated in her entire life!
Not even on the day the Quinn Family declared bankruptcy and creditors threw paint all over her had she ever felt so ashamed she wished the ground would swallow her whole.
Less than ten minutes after Damian Fairchild left Maplewood Villa, Seraphina Quinn appeared downstairs.
Housekeeper Langley had prepared a lavish lunch and was very welcoming to Seraphina Quinn as she came down the stairs:
"Miss Quinn, I've prepared lunch. Why don't you eat before you leave?"
"That won't be necessary, thank you," Seraphina Quinn replied.
Housekeeper Langley hesitated. "The master specifically instructed me before he left. He said... your body isn't just your own to decide for anymore."
'Seraphina understood!'
'Damian Fairchild was fattening her up to harvest her liver and save his wife.'
It was as if an invisible hand had reached into her chest, seized her heart, and squeezed it mercilessly, making it ache with a deep, profound pain.
After she finished lunch, Damian Fairchild's male secretary, Seth Thorne, approached and handed her a document.
"Miss Quinn, Mr. Fairchild has not only bought back Quinn Manor for you but has also paid off all of the Quinn Family's debts. He is now your new creditor. This document outlines the relevant debt obligations. Please look it over."
Seraphina Quinn didn't take the document. "Tell him I don't appreciate the favor. And also, I'll sell to anyone but him."
As Seraphina Quinn left Maplewood Villa, Seth Thorne called Damian Fairchild's phone.
After relaying Seraphina Quinn's exact words, he asked, "Mr. Fairchild, should I send someone to... bring Miss Quinn back by force?"
"No need."
"Her time to kneel and beg will come."
「...」
An hour later, Seraphina Quinn returned to Quinn Manor.
The court-ordered seals had been torn down. A dozen demolition vehicles were parked in a formidable line at the main gate of Quinn Manor.
The lead excavator was poised to tear down the two-meter-tall stone lions flanking the entrance.
Seeing this, Seraphina Quinn rushed forward to stop them. "What are you doing?"
Her grandfather had spent half a year personally carving those two stone lions. They were his life's work and the last symbol of the Quinn family's backbone.
She absolutely could not let anyone damage them.
"Miss Quinn, this is Mr. Fairchild's order."
The one who spoke was Seth Thorne.
Seraphina Quinn turned to see the sharply dressed Seth Thorne standing before her.
"Miss Quinn, the owner of Quinn Manor is now Mr. Fairchild."
"Mr. Fairchild said his wife doesn't like the style of this place, so he's preparing to tear it down and rebuild..."
Seraphina Quinn licked her dry lips and gave a bitter smile. "You tell him, if he insists on demolishing it, he can have the excavator run over my body..."
Seth Thorne looked at her with an inscrutable gaze. "Miss Quinn, why don't you... tell Mr. Fairchild that yourself?"
A moment later, Seth Thorne held out a dialed phone to Seraphina Quinn.
Seraphina Quinn hesitated for only a second before taking it.
Before she could speak, the man on the other end beat her to the punch. "Miss Quinn, not even afraid to die? Quite the backbone, aren't you? If you have so much backbone, why are you about to ask me for something?"
Seraphina Quinn felt as if someone were squeezing her throat. After a long moment, she finally managed to force out the words,
"Quinn Manor is the last shred of dignity the Quinn family has left. Can you please not tear it down?"
The man let out a soft, mocking laugh. "And why should I?" He paused. "Or perhaps, Miss Quinn, do you have any bargaining chips to negotiate with me?"
Seraphina Quinn took a deep breath. "Don't you want me to give my liver to save your wife?"
The man chuckled lowly, then said:
"If you put it that way, I suppose I could grant you a small favor, seeing as you still have some value."
He paused for a few seconds.
"How about this. You'll be my wife's maid during the day, and my plaything in bed at night to vent my frustrations on. Once you've given your liver to my wife and she has fully recovered, I'll hand Quinn Manor over to you. How does that sound?"
Seraphina Quinn trembled with anger. "Damian Fairchild, you're going too far...!"
The man let out an unhurried laugh.
"Miss Quinn, Quinn Manor is valued at two hundred million, and the Quinn family's external debts are five hundred million. That's a total of seven hundred million. Even if you were to chop yourself up and sell all your parts, a hundred of you wouldn't be worth that price, would you?"
"I won't sell!" Seraphina Quinn retorted.
"Not bad."
"Your courage is admirable, Miss Quinn!"
With that, Damian Fairchild called out Seth Thorne's name. Seth Thorne then took the phone from Seraphina Quinn's hand. "Mr. Fairchild, your orders, please."
Seth Thorne accidentally hit the speakerphone button, and Damian's ice-cold baritone voice immediately filled the air.
"Before nightfall, I want to see Quinn Manor demolished so completely that not a single brick remains."
"And another thing, don't rebuild. Turn it into a pig farm. The feng shui here is good for raising livestock."
Without a doubt, that last sentence completely shattered the final line of defense in Seraphina Quinn's heart.
Her voice shattered, she yelled at the man on the phone, "I'll sell."
The man delivered his merciless verdict: "Too late, Miss Quinn."
The perfectly fine weather suddenly turned as dark clouds gathered and a torrential downpour began. Seraphina Quinn was soaked to the bone, water dripping from her eyelashes.
Due to the extreme weather, the demolition crew temporarily halted their work.
Seth Thorne saw the demolition crew off, then held a large black umbrella over Seraphina Quinn.
"Miss Quinn, our madam is an extremely kind-hearted woman, and Mr. Fairchild always listens to her. Perhaps... if you talk to her, you might at least be able to save Quinn Manor."
Seth Thorne left a business card and quickly turned to leave.
Seraphina Quinn leaned against the stone lion, slowly sliding down to the ground.
It was late autumn. The rain was cold and damp, and a biting chill rose from the ground.
But Seraphina Quinn felt that the real cold wasn't from the rain, but from the human heart.
An unknown amount of time passed like this before Seraphina Quinn's phone DINGED with an incoming call.
"Miss Quinn, your child's specialty medication has run out."
"Please wire the money immediately, or... we won't be able to continue with the follow-up treatment."
Seraphina Quinn's fingers tightened, her rain-soaked knuckles turning white.
"I... I'm a little short on cash right now. Could you possibly give me... a few more days?"
"Miss Quinn, that's what you said last month."
"If you really don't have the money, then just give up on the treatment. Besides, for your child... living with a mother like you is just another form of suffering."
Seraphina Quinn bit her lip. "How much is it this time?"