Chapter 4

For a moment, I even wished I would die right then, to join my mother, to join my children.

But no.

Julian released his grip, his eyes dark and sinister as he stared at me.

"Now, get dressed and record a clarification video for me. Tell everyone that you were jealous of her, that you slandered her, that you wanted to destroy her!"

"Otherwise, I will make your father in the ICU pay the price for you at any moment!"

I trembled all over.

I looked at him, disbelieving.

Once, when he was in business, a rival tried to provoke him, claiming I was a jinx and had betrayed him. He not only didn't believe it, he beat the man unconscious and sent him to the hospital.

He pointed at his rival, saying anyone in the world might betray him, but I never would.

He said then that he would trust me unconditionally for life.

And now, I was lying at home, unable to move, yet he was pinning this blame on me.

My eyes turned red, glaring at him fiercely.

"I told you I didn't."

He looked at me coldly, pulled out his phone, and showed me the surveillance feed.

On the screen, my father's life support ventilator was unplugged, and he thrashed like a fish on the verge of suffocating.

Watching the plummeting numbers on the monitor, tears uncontrollably streamed down my face.

I trembled as I looked at him.

"Julian, you know my father is innocent…"

But before I could finish, his phone rang.

In the video, Sera stood by a window, looking utterly despairing.

Medical staff surrounded her, trying to calm her.

"I'm so sorry, Julian. It was my mistake that the baby was lost, and it's caused you and Audrey to consider divorce. Audrey isn't wrong to want revenge on me."

As she spoke, she lifted one leg over the windowsill.

"Audrey, I don't resent anything you've done. I just hope my death can bring you and Julian a stable and happy life together!"

Julian screamed, almost breaking down.

"No, no! I promise I'll make her apologize and clarify immediately! Please don't do anything foolish!"

He hung up, found a clean dress in the closet, and roughly tore off my blood-stained clothes.

The cotton nightgown, soaked with blood, had dried on my wounds.

He yanked it hard, and the barely clotted blood surged out again.

Seeing my agonizing struggles, he only paused for a moment, then grabbed a roll of tape from a drawer and haphazardly stuck it over all my bleeding wounds, with some tissue paper underneath.

Looking at this Julian, who used to fret over my slightest untreated cut getting infected, and frantically learned how to clean, disinfect, and bandage wounds…

The last warmth in my heart completely drained away with the loss of blood, leaving only an icy coldness.

He picked me up bridal style.

"First, go apologize to Sera, then record the clarification video."

"What if I don't?"

He paused.

"Then you'll watch your dad be killed because of you."

I laughed, tears falling.

"Yes, if I hadn't married you, my mom, my two children, and my dad wouldn't be like this. I hurt them, you're right."

"The biggest regret of my life is marrying you. If I'd known you loved your sister this much, I never should have!"

"Don't worry. If my dad dies, I won't live alone. Five lives from my family for your sister's happiness—is that enough?"

Julian's eyes were filled with shock.

But ultimately, nothing could deter him from sacrificing everything for his sister.

In the hospital room, he pressed me down, forcing me to my knees.

As he demanded, I had to show no hint of coercion, only genuine sincerity, as I bowed my head three times.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Thompson, I slandered you. I deliberately smothered the baby and framed you for it, and I was intolerant to the anesthetic but intentionally didn't tell you."

"It's all my fault, please forgive me, I'll never dare to do it again."

She stood on the windowsill, unmoving.

Julian pressed my head down, forcing me to keep bowing until the blood from my forehead blurred my vision.

Finally, Sera said, "It's okay."

Julian sighed in relief, violently letting go of my hair. With a thud, I collapsed to the floor.

He carried her down from the window and told the doctors who were recording the apology video to stop.

After a long moment, he looked down at me.

"Learn from your mistakes. Don't ever do it again."