Chapter 7

Ryder rushed into the hospital, cradling me.

Half of him was covered in my blood.

As he stepped through the hospital doors, I regained consciousness.

My eyes immediately locked onto Ryder's face. Before he could even utter a word of concern, my hand, weak but determined, slapped him across the face.

"Hypocrite... Get lost!"

I struggled to escape Ryder's embrace.

Ryder said nothing, only holding me tighter.

His rush towards the emergency room suddenly halted.

I heard Ryder's already frantic heartbeat quicken even more, so fast I feared it would burst from his chest.

Following Ryder's gaze, I saw Valerie.

She was standing there perfectly fine, surrounded not only by Sterling family maids and the butler but also by Mr. and Mrs. Reed, my adoptive parents.

There was also an old man I recognized but couldn't place for a moment.

The old man was about sixty or seventy.

Ryder's grip suddenly loosened.

In front of everyone, I, whom he had just moments ago held so desperately, was now carelessly dropped onto the ground like trash.

He didn't even spare me a glance.

The bruises from Ryder's kick to my back hadn't faded, and now with this fall, I almost passed out from the pain.

But Ryder merely bypassed me, as if I were a pile of rubbish.

Mr. and Mrs. Reed didn't even look at their adopted daughter.

Their eyes were solely on their beloved god-daughter, Valerie.

Valerie smiled sweetly, stepping forward to link her arm with Ryder's.

"Ryder, what's this all about? Stella is my model for my photo shoot. You've gotten her into such a state, where am I going to find another Stella?"

"I couldn't reach you. Surveillance showed you got into the Reed family car, and I thought Stella had taken you," Ryder said, wrapping his arm around Valerie's waist, kissing her earlobe right in front of me.

"So I was just forcing her to tell me your whereabouts?"

Ryder looked at me with disgust.

"She wasn't being cooperative, so I was a bit rough. But it's fine, it won't affect your photo shoot."

Valerie gave me, struggling to pick myself up from the floor, a knowing, half-smile.

"Ryder, the family cars were all sent for maintenance, so I called Mom and Dad to help drive me to the hospital," Valerie said, her smile clean and gentle.

"You worried yourself so much? Look at what you've put Stella through. It wasn't necessary."

Valerie affectionately took my arm, as I was about to go to the treatment room alone, then turned to the others.

"Grandfather, Mom and Dad, Ryder, I'll go with Stella to get her wounds treated. Stella's always been sensitive since she was little, she'll cry and fuss over the smallest injury."

I forced a numb smile.

Valerie was doing her usual thing, putting me down to highlight her own virtuous character.

I was used to it.

In the treatment room.

A nurse was bandaging the cut on my forehead.

Valerie tilted her head, admiring my pallid face.

"Ryder put you through quite a lot just now, didn't he? Actually, the family cars weren't sent for maintenance at all. I deliberately called your parents to pick me up because I wanted you to see how cruel Ryder could be to a 'used and discarded' woman like you."

My brow furrowed.

It hurt.

The nurse's touch hurt, and Valerie's words, "used and discarded," hurt even more.

But I only furrowed my brow.

"Be smart and leave on your own." Valerie played with her beautiful, silky long curls, looking like a princess from a painting. "If you don't have money, I'll buy you a plane ticket, wherever you want to go. Just don't be so shameless as to stay by Ryder's side, he's a married man."