FAZER LOGINMelanie lunged at me as if she had lost her mind and tried to grab my pant leg."No! Don't call the police, Clive! I'm begging you! I'll work myself to the bone for you! I'm willing to do anything!" she screamed.She kneeled on the floor and pathetically groveled at my feet. Muffled thuds echoed around the room as she knocked her forehead against the floor. "As long as you let the Perry family off the hook… As long as you show me mercy…"I stepped back and avoided her hands. There were glaciers in my eyes as I stared at her like she was dead. The corners of my lips curled up into a mocking smile as I looked down at her from the tip of my nose."I already gave you a chance," I said. "You're the one who didn't cherish it."I paused as I took in her tear-streaked face. I couldn't find a trace of the glorious demeanor that she used to carry herself with."You're already an adult, Melanie. It's time for you to learn that you have to pay for the consequences of your own choices."Me
"That's all you ever were to me," I said.The color drained from Melanie's face in an instant. It was almost as if her very soul was crushed at my words."A pawn…" she mumbled to herself, her gaze turning hazy.However, in the next second, her eyes zeroed in on my hand. "If I was just a pawn… What's that on your finger?"My heart skipped a beat as I reflexively followed her line of sight.Melanie was staring at my left ring finger—at the wedding ring that I had worn for the last five years.I couldn't believe I had forgotten to take it off.The ring used to sparkle under the light, symbolizing the only hope that I ever had for our marriage. However, at that moment, it was stained with Melanie's blood, turning it dull and mottled.It was a reflection on my relationship with her—on our marriage, filled with scheming from the very beginning.I roughly slipped the ring off my finger. "Thanks for the reminder," I said as I shot an icy smile at her.I then carelessly threw the ri
"Save your breath. You're going to need it to explain yourself to the police," I said, ignoring his shouts as I turned around.The paramedics hastily lifted Melanie, who was barely breathing, onto a stretcher and began administering emergency treatment on her.I glanced at her. Her deathly pale face still carried lingering hints of shock and anguish. I scoffed before turning around and leaving."You better hope that you die on the operating table tonight, Melanie," I thought to myself. "If you survive, I'll teach you the true meaning of despair for the rest of your days."…I drove to another hospital after settling everything at the scene.A caretaker kept vigil by Cindy's bedside, carefully feeding water to her."You're here, Clive," Cindy said.I nodded as I swept my gaze over her. Both her legs were in casts. The surgery had been a success. Although she was weak, she was in good spirits.I told Cindy she could go back to school soon and informed her of the follow-up arra
"Isn't this…" Melanie stammered. "Isn't this a family heirloom from your mother? You told me that it's only given to your chosen wife…"Zack let out a disdainful laugh upon hearing her words. "A family heirloom? How on earth did you become the CEO when you're such an idiot? I bought that from a store for less than ten dollars. Only a fool like you would treat it like an actual treasure."Melanie was utterly flabbergasted. She stared at the cheap plastic jewels around her wrist, looking as if she was staring at the absurd life she had led for the last five years. A bitter laugh bubbled from her throat before she mustered the last of her strength to remove the bracelet and hurl it to the floor.The bracelet exploded into a million pieces, reminiscent of her broken heart. The light in her eyes gradually dimmed as she collapsed in the pool of blood, her life fading away with the blood that seeped from her body.Meanwhile, Zack, who had personally pushed her into a bottomless abyss of
The color drained from Melanie's and Zack's faces the moment the words left my lips. It was obvious that they didn't expect me to give them such cruel options—to force them into the role of a pair of "star-crossed lovers" and to decide their fates with their own two hands.Sweat beaded across Zack's forehead as a panicked expression crossed his face. He fell to his knees with a loud thud and groveled at my feet, blubbering, "I can't do it, Mr. Sherwood! I just can't! "Mel… She's the woman I love the most in this life. She gave me a second chance at life and everything that I have now. There's no way that I can raise my hand against her!"Although it looked like he was trying to reason with me, his gaze was glued to the knife on the floor that gleamed with a cold light. Anyone could see the cowardly glint in his eyes.I shot Melanie a mocking look and sneered. "See? This is the man who you insist on protecting to the point that you were willing to betray me and hurt Cindy. He claim
"Since Melanie insists on making me her enemy, I'll help her understand that she's no match against me!" I exclaimed.A series of knocks came from the door. A few seconds later, my secretary rushed toward me to give me a report."We've tracked down the last signal source for your sister's phone, Mr. Sherwood! It came from a private hospital in Westshore, the same one that Perry Group invested in."My gaze turned cold in an instant.Melanie had invested in the hospital a year ago, but construction only wrapped up recently. She told me that she had specially built that private hospital to make it easier to take care of Cindy.I still remembered how she took my hand and smiled at me. She had said that Cindy and I had to always be in good health, so that the three of us could grow old together.How ironic.…Cindy had already fainted from the pain and was lying unconscious on the floor by the time I rushed to the hospital.A nerve pulsed angrily in my forehead when I noticed that







