Chapter 4

Blake’s face, however, suddenly darkened.

He hated anyone eyeing what he considered his, especially when he was about to "make things official" with Chloe.

“I thought you were someone important. Turns out you’re just some gold-digger trying to climb the ladder!”

“You’ve got some nerve, impersonating Mr. Blake and causing trouble here!”

He grabbed my already messy hair, yanking my head back violently, forcing me to look up.

Then, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

The sharp crack echoed through the lab.

“You home-wrecker! Today, I’m going to teach you a good lesson on Chloe’s behalf, so you know what pipe dreams are!”

I was already weak, and that slap sent me sprawling to the ground, stars bursting in my vision, my ears ringing.

“Hit him! This shameless man deserves to be beaten to death!”

Karen shrieked, lunging at me, her long nails savagely raking across my face.

Instantly, several burning red gashes appeared.

Skylar, grinning viciously, kicked me in the abdomen.

“Still daring to impersonate my future sister-in-law’s husband!”

“Let me tell you, my future sister-in-law got tired of that emotionless block of wood long ago! My brother is the one she truly cares about!”

“Trash like you isn’t even worthy of shining my brother’s shoes!”

I was surrounded by their family, beaten and kicked, completely defenseless.

The agonizing pain in my abdomen made me curl into a ball. My head slammed against the metal floor, and my consciousness began to fade.

I desperately wanted to explain, to call for help, but only broken whimpers escaped my throat.

In their eyes, I, the legitimate husband, was the shameless, opportunistic third party.

Just as I thought I was going to be beaten to death right there, a loud roar grew closer and closer.

A black helicopter hovered over the lab.

The hatch opened, and Chloe’s figure swiftly slid down a rope ladder.

Blake’s family immediately stopped their assault, their faces lighting up as if they’d seen a savior. They rushed forward excitedly.

“Chloe, you’re finally here!”

Blake was the first to throw himself into her arms, pointing at my barely conscious form on the ground, his voice choked with feigned tears.

“This crazy man somehow sneaked onto the island, claiming he’s your husband.”

“He even tried to hit us! Look at my wrist, it’s all red!”

Chloe patted his back reassuringly, then her gaze swept over the messy lab.

When she saw the smashed analyzer and the smoking control console, her brows furrowed tightly.

Her eyes landed on me, and her expression was like she was looking at an annoying piece of trash.

She didn't even bother to distinguish who I was.

“What happened?” she demanded.

I lay curled on the ground, covered in injuries, my blood-stained face swollen beyond recognition.

I lifted my head, wanting her to see who I was.

But she just impatiently averted her gaze.

Seeing this, Blake immediately seized the opportunity, adding fuel to the fire:

“Chloe, don’t even ask! It was him. He pressed some button, and everything started blaring and making noise.”

“He also attacked us like a mad dog! I think he has mental issues!”

Chloe clearly had no interest in discerning the truth.

“He’s just an employee. Why bother with him?”

She waved her hand at the two black-suited bodyguards behind her, her voice icy.

“He can’t even look after a lab. Drag him out and throw him into the sea to feed the fish.”

“I don’t want any irrelevant people dirtying my space.”

I stared in disbelief at the woman I had loved for twelve years, the woman I had given everything to.

We had been married for twelve years, and she didn’t even recognize me!

Now, she was gently embracing another man, condemning me to death with the most brutal words, delivered so casually.

Tears, unbidden, streamed down my face.

It turned out, in her heart, I was worse than trash.

The bodyguards acknowledged her command, their faces emotionless, and lifted my lifeless body, dragging me outside.

My feet left a long, bloody trail on the ground.

At that very moment, three heavy helicopters, painted in military camouflage, landed on the island, their deafening roar filling the air.

Skylar, who had never seen such a spectacle, gasped repeatedly.

“Oh my God! Who is that? Is that a military helicopter? The display is too grand!”

Blake gasped, “No! Look at that emblem… It’s Aegis Tech!”

“They’re the only ones in the country who developed the sixth-generation lithography machine! Their chairman, doesn’t he ever show his face?”

Chloe also stopped, her face changing.

Seeing the middle-aged man descending from the central helicopter via rope ladder, she immediately abandoned Blake and hurried forward.

Her face was etched with the humblest smile she could manage.

“Dad! What brings you here? How did you…”

Before Chloe could finish her sentence, Mr. Sterling delivered a powerful kick to her chest.

Chloe coughed up a mouthful of blood, stumbling back several steps.

“Dad, you… what are you doing?!”