Chapter 4

Leaving City Hall, I immediately hailed a taxi home.

My mom opened the door, looking surprised and a little overwhelmed to see me.

"Sweetheart, you're home."

"Mom," I rushed into her arms, bursting into tears instantly. "I'm home."

Feeling my mom's warm embrace, smelling the familiar scent of her laundry detergent, I was too choked up to speak.

It was wonderful. This time, Mom was safe and sound; she hadn't been pushed down the stairs by that beast Brendan.

"Sweetheart, why are you crying?" Mom patted my back, her voice full of worry.

Dad stood nearby, his face anxious. Seeing my red, swollen eyes, his expression immediately darkened.

"Did that Brendan boy bully you? I told you before he was unreliable…"

Sensing Dad was about to launch into another long lecture about Brendan, Mom quickly cut him off, carefully observing my expression, afraid the two of us would start arguing again.

Before, whenever Dad spoke ill of Brendan, I would immediately jump to his defense, and we'd argued countless times over it.

I wiped away my tears, took a deep breath, and after much thought, decided to lay out everything that happened in my past life.

I omitted the part about my IQ dropping due to pregnancy complications, only telling them that Brendan treated me terribly after my miscarriage.

To make my parents believe me, I even mentioned several future events that would soon occur as proof.

I thought it would be hard to convince them, but to my surprise, the old couple only looked surprised for a moment before believing me.

Seeing my dumbfounded expression, Mom tenderly held my hand. "Of course I believe my own child."

Dad echoed her. "Given how stubbornly misguided you were before, something major must have happened for you to finally see that Brendan boy for who he really is."

Seeing my parents' unwavering trust, my tears welled up again, mixed with a bit of embarrassment.

How had I been so utterly smitten by that scumbag Brendan in my past life, causing my parents to worry so much at their age?

"Sweetheart, don't be afraid. Your dad and I will never let him bother you again."

Mom hugged me tightly, her voice trembling but firm.

Her precious daughter, whom she had doted on, had been treated like that; she wanted nothing more than to skin that scumbag Brendan alive.

"Mom, I'm not afraid of that scumbag, but he's a master of theatrics. If I suddenly break up with him like this, he'll spin the narrative, and it'll look like our family is in the wrong, which could also affect Dad's career."

My hand instinctively went to my lower abdomen. "And… I think I might be pregnant."

Mom immediately looked at me with alarm. "How could this happen?"

Dad also frowned. "Then, the baby…"

"Mom, Dad, even if I am, I won't keep it. But right now, Brendan thinks I'm trapped by this baby. Maybe I can use this opportunity to get my revenge on him."

My proud and strong father's eyes reddened. He said in a deep voice, "Sweetheart, what do you want to do? Your dad will risk his reputation to help you!"

"Dad, your former subordinate, David Sterling, was trying to get you to invest, right? That scam David Sterling is running is about to collapse, and he's planning one last big score before skipping town. But Brendan doesn't know that…"

Seeing that I had a plan, my parents were both relieved and heartbroken, unable to imagine how much suffering their daughter must have endured to become like this.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Your mom and dad will support you, no matter what."

Just as I finished outlining the plan against Brendan, a knock sounded at the door.

"Mom, Dad, Cassie, it's me." Brendan's voice followed.