Chapter 7

Sophia's POV

I looked at Lydia in shock as she suddenly cried out.

Lydia's face was deathly pale. She raised a trembling hand, pointing at me, tears streaming down.

"It was Sophia! I saw it with my own eyes... saw her holding the pillow, covering Grandfather's nose and mouth! I tried to stop her, but it was too late..."

"You're lying!"

All the blood in my body rushed to my head.

"It was you! I saw you with my own eyes holding the pillow over Grandfather's face!"

I turned to Ethan, explaining urgently.

"Ethan, you have to believe me! I went to bring Grandfather fruit. When I pushed the door open, I saw Lydia using the pillow to smother him! She's the one trying to kill Grandfather! That pillow must have Lydia's fingerprints on it. We just need to test it!"

"That won't be necessary."

Ethan abruptly cut me off, his voice so low it was alarming.

His gaze fell on my face, his eyes full of cold scrutiny, as if looking at a stranger.

"Lydia would never do such a thing."

He said each word deliberately.

"I believe her."

"You believe her?"

I couldn't believe it. My whole body trembled.

"You won't even investigate before believing her?"

Ethan's face was iron-gray, his eyes flashing with terrifying coldness.

"Lydia's been married into the Quinn family for so many years. We've all seen what kind of person she is. She's usually so gentle she wouldn't even step on an ant. How could she possibly dare harm Grandfather?"

"Then what about me? Grandfather has always treated me well. What reason would I have to harm him?"

"Yes, I'd very much like to ask you."

Ethan's handsome face was as cold as frost.

"Grandfather has always treated you well. Why were you so ruthless as to attack him?"

My whole body shook. I was utterly shocked.

I'd expected him to protect Lydia, but I never imagined he'd be so blind to the truth.

"Ethan."

An older Quinn family member spoke gravely.

"Your grandfather's life still hangs in the balance. This matter must be severely punished."

"Yes, he must be given justice!"

"We absolutely cannot let the culprit go free!"

The Quinn family members chimed in, looking at me with disgust and fury.

Ethan was silent for a moment, then finally raised his hand. "Someone come."

Two bodyguards entered at his command.

"Take her to the police station." Ethan's voice was ice cold.

"On charges of attempted murder."

"Ethan!" Cold seeped through me from the inside out.

"You can't do this to me. I'm carrying your child!"

This was my only bargaining chip now.

Though only I knew the child was already gone.

But at this moment, this was the only way I could think of to delay and wait for the truth to come out.

"Even if you really don't believe me."

My voice choked, carrying a last shred of hope.

"At least wait until Grandfather wakes up and hear what he has to say..."

"Take her away."

Ethan didn't look at me, only uttering two words to the bodyguards.

The bodyguards stepped forward, gripping my arms from both sides.

"Ethan!"

I struggled, my voice shrill.

"Please, at least wait until Grandfather wakes up..."

"If Grandfather can wake up."

Ethan finally looked at me, his eyes colder than I'd ever seen.

"Perhaps I'll consider hearing your explanation. But now, you should pay for what you've done."

"You can't do this, Ethan! I'm your wife. I'm carrying your child!"

No matter how I struggled, argued, or pleaded, I couldn't soften Ethan's heart. The bodyguards forcibly dragged me away.

The following days were the darkest period of my life.

I was locked in a detention center. The female inmates looked at me like I was prey.

At first, it was just verbal abuse, then it escalated to shoving, and then...

"I heard she's a vicious woman who tried to kill her own grandfather?"

"Looks so innocent on the outside, but has such a black heart!"

"Someone paid big money for us to teach her a lesson!"

Fists, slaps, fingernails digging into flesh. All aimed at me.

The most painful was late at night, when they'd press me down on the filthy bathroom floor and pour cold water over my head again and again.

The cold water soaked through my thin prison uniform. The bone-chilling cold made my teeth chatter, but it couldn't compare to one ten-thousandth of the cold in my heart.

I'd fantasized countless times that Ethan would appear, investigate the truth, and take me out.

But one day, two days, three days... hope gradually extinguished.

On the afternoon of the seventh day, a guard opened the cell door.

"Sophia Wright, someone's posting bail for you."

I struggled to get up from the floor. My whole body was covered in injuries, my left eye so swollen I could barely open it, dried blood still at the corner of my mouth.

I stumbled out of the detention center. The harsh sunlight made me dizzy.

A black sedan was parked in front. Ethan leaned against the car, a cigarette between his fingers.

Seeing me in this state, his expression didn't waver. He just looked up slightly.

"Get in."

I stood still, my voice so hoarse it didn't sound like my own.

"Has Grandfather... woken up?"

Ethan's smoking motion paused.

Through the cigarette smoke, his face was somewhat blurred.

"The doctor said his brain was severely deprived of oxygen. He's become a vegetable. The chances of him waking up are minimal."

My heart sank to rock bottom.