Chapter 4

Joanna POV

When I woke again, I was in the hospital. Adrian sat by my bed, tightly gripping my hand.

Seeing me awake, Adrian quickly picked up the water cup and brought it to my lips.

I turned my head away, my voice hoarse. "Where's the baby?"

Adrian showed a regretful expression. "Joanna, we'll have another child."

I closed my eyes. Two lines of tears fell from the corners of my eyes. There would be no "next time."

Perhaps it was better the baby was gone. Rather than being born into an incomplete, unhappy family, better to be reborn into a good home.

I don't know how much time passed before I opened my eyes and looked at Adrian.

"Adrian, did you ever love me?" I paused. "Or rather, do you really think I approached you for money?"

Adrian froze for a second, then held my hand. "Joanna, of course I love you. Even if you approached me for money, it doesn't matter. The baby's gone. Can we erase the past and start over?"

"What about Summer?"

"Summer and I grew up together." Adrian pressed his face tightly against my palm. "I love you and I love her, but don't worry-you'll always be Mrs. Blackwood. I'll only have you two women, not like others in our circle with so many women."

Looking at the man before me, the last beautiful memory related to him in my heart collapsed.

I understood. Adrian believed I approached him only for money. Now that the baby was gone, he'd decided to magnanimously forgive my past "scheming."

I couldn't understand how someone could be so hypocritical, making infidelity sound so refreshing and sanctimonious.

Summer entered the room. I seized the opportunity to pull my hand from Adrian's.

"Am I interrupting you two?" Summer stood at the door with sarcasm.

Before Adrian could react, she spoke again. "I checked the hospital records. Yesterday morning you just had a prenatal checkup, so how come by evening you knowingly rode a bike in the rain while pregnant?"

Adrian's expression instantly darkened, his scrutinizing gaze sweeping over me.

"Was it an accident..." Summer paused, then smiled meaningfully. "Or did you not want this baby and deliberately do this to frame me?"

Summer walked forward and threw the documents in her hand into Adrian's lap.

"Look carefully. This crude tactic might fool Adrian, but it can't fool me."

Adrian flipped through the documents, then looked up with a complex expression. "Do you have anything to say?"

I opened my mouth but ultimately said nothing.

What could I say?

That the driver had finished work? That you couldn't get a car in the villa district at dawn? Or that Mother was in the ICU and I desperately needed money?

No matter how much I explained, in their eyes it would all just be excuses.

My phone suddenly lit up. I opened the message.

"Joanna, your mother's condition is very poor. The account funds are depleted. If you wish to continue treatment, please pay promptly."

I immediately transferred the three hundred thousand Adrian had given me to the hospital account, then put down my phone and grinned at Adrian.

"Yes, I did it deliberately. You and Summer are perfectly matched. Of course I need to make room for her. Considering how hard I worked and risked half my life, can you give me some money? A million dollars would be enough."

Adrian's brow furrowed tightly, veins bulging on his forehead. "Joanna, you're so money-crazy you'd even trade our child for cash?"

"It was a life, after all. If you're unwilling, would Summer be willing to pay?"

It didn't matter anymore-however Adrian saw me didn't matter. I only needed money now. I had no time to contact Mrs. Blackwood. Even casting aside all dignity, as long as I could get money, I'd do anything.

Summer placed her hand on Adrian's to comfort him, indicating he should leave everything to her.

Adrian silently stepped back, his eyes still fixed on me.

"Want money? Of course you can have it. Though I don't need you to make room for me-what's mine will always be mine, not yours to give. But you did look after Adrian for three years. A million isn't expensive."

Summer's tone changed. "But I'm not as soft-hearted as Adrian. If you want money, you'll have to pay a price."

"What price?"

"Blackwood Corporation's amusement park in New York is about to open. We need someone to personally test the extreme rides. Are you willing to contribute to the company?"

I had no room to refuse. I changed clothes and went with them to the amusement park.

Looking at the various high-altitude projects, my legs trembled uncontrollably, my face white as paper.

When I was young, I was bullied by classmates who made me ride a roller coaster over a hundred times consecutively.

Though my life wasn't at risk, that rapid rising and falling sensation of weightlessness became a nightmare I could never forget.

After marriage, Adrian discovered my unusual fear of heights and took me to see famous psychologists.

Every time I woke from nightmares, he'd pull me into his arms to comfort me.

I instinctively cast a pleading look toward Adrian, but only saw his cold eyes.

I forced down my fear and looked at Summer with forced composure. "Transfer the money first."

Summer sneered. "You really will do anything for money. I'll transfer five hundred thousand first. When all the projects are finished, I'll transfer the remaining five hundred thousand."

I saw the notification of five hundred thousand arriving on my phone, nodded, and walked toward the tallest roller coaster and got on.

As I was checking the safety measures, a roaring sound rang in my ears-the equipment had been started!

Though it was only a dozen seconds, it felt incredibly long. The powerful airflow scraped my skin like sandpaper, my brain rapidly filling with blood.

In a daze, I seemed to see Adrian proposing to me years ago.

He knelt on one knee in the flower field and put a ring he'd made himself on my finger.

Back and forth like this, I don't know how many times. Finally stopping on the ground, I collapsed, unable to stop dry heaving.

A staff member walked up to me. "Joanna, Adrian and Summer have already left. I'm in charge of the subsequent project testing. Each test will be fully videotaped. Can you continue?"

I wiped away the blood seeping from my fingertips from gripping too hard and stood up supporting myself on the railing.

"Let's continue."