9 The evening sky swallowed the twilight , inch by inch . Standing in the deepening blood - red glow , I calmly replied . ** < " Yes . " I said , " I got what I wanted , realized you're nothing special . Boring ." After a few seconds of silence , Jax Ryder spoke , his voice trembling slightly : " I told you , don't mess with me , Eve … " "Just polite , unspoken adult games . Why would you take them seriously ? " I scoffed , " I warned you , Jax Ryder . I'm just like Alex ; neither of us is a good person . " On his end , there was only dead silence . A moment later , the call ended . I pushed open the door and walked in . A ceramic plate flew at me , smashing against my forehead . " Eve , I told you to marry into the Thorne family , to appease Alex , to maintain a long - term partnership between the Hardings and Thorne Enterprises . " " You couldn't even do that one thing right ?! " My father stood in the living room , his face as cold as frost . " To the study ." In the study , there was a leather whip . The crisscrossing scars on my back were from when I refused to marry Alex . Back then , Alex's original girlfriend was Isabella , my father's daughter with his first wife . Unfortunately , they had an argument , and Isabella , in a fit of pique , married someone else . Tue , 26 Aug < , 4 % 由 In a rage , Alex threatened to cut ties with the Hardings . My father , left with no choice , brought me back - his illegitimate daughter , who had grown up in the slums for twenty years . Forty lashes , one after another , until I lay on the floor , my back raw and bloody , almost exposing bone . Through the overwhelming pain , I heard my own voice : " Okay … I'll go . " " I'll find a way to make him marry me ." Now , it was just like four years ago . The whip cut through the air and landed on my body , only this time , I didn't shed a single tear . Only surging ambition mixed with pain , growing rapidly within my flesh . I met the bright light of the study , looked up , and smiled : " Dad , I'll find a way to make Thorne Enterprises continue its partnership with the Hardings ."