Salvatore returned to the hospital to pick up Victoria. Inside him, feelings churned in disarray: hardly any time had passed since he discovered her betrayal, and yet, the punishment he inflicted now seemed too high a price.

Seeing her, he swallowed hard; he could barely breathe. "Victoria, let's go back to the mansion."

She lifted her head. Her face was red and her eyes swollen from so much crying. "Are you going to lock me back in that basement?"

Salvatore had no answer. He didn't know if he would be able to lock her up again in that dark place. He didn't understand why her betrayal hurt him so much,...