Chapter 3

Right when the call ended, Melanie arrived at the hospital. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Bethany's attending doctor rushing toward the hospital room.

Her heart skipped a beat. She hurried after him.

Arnold Hicks, the director of the hospital, grabbed her arm upon seeing her, looking visibly distressed. "Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Johnson has just issued an order forbidding any hospital under Johnson Group from treating your mother.

"If you can't get him to change his mind within an hour, we'll have no choice but to remove your mother from the hospital."

"What?"

Melanie went pale instantly. She tried calling Raymond at once, but the call went unanswered. Her messages were also left unread.

With nothing else she could do, she left with a bitter smile, hurrying over to Raymond and Tracy's new little home. She hadn't even stepped inside when the sound of laughter reached her ears.

"Raymond, are you sure that'll work? What if Melanie takes her mother to a different hospital? If that happens, you won't be able to do anything to her anymore, no?"

Tracy blinked innocently, her voice teasing.

Raymond said in a lazy drawl, "She won't. Everyone knows that the one thing she can't let go of is that half-dead woman. If I didn't have her mother as leverage, I wouldn't be this open about us. She'll cave."

Was this why Raymond had changed? He acted without restraint because he had leverage?

Tracy chuckled, then paused as if a thought had struck her. She wanted to test the waters. "But she's still Melanie's mother. Don't you think you're taking it too far?"

Raymond arched an eyebrow as the metal strap of his watch gave off a cold, steely shine. "Just thinking about how I once knelt in front of someone who's in a vegetative state makes me sick to my stomach."

Standing by the door, Melanie felt her blood run cold. The kneeling he was talking about happened on their wedding day.

Everyone had said that Bethany was a jinx as she was still causing trouble for her family even on her deathbed. Raymond, grim-faced, pushed aside anyone who tried to stop him and led Melanie to the hospital.

He knelt before the lifeless Bethany. "Mom, don't worry about Melanie. I'll take good care of her and make her the happiest woman in the world. As long as I'm alive, I'll make sure neither you nor Melanie suffers."

It would seem that the promises he made were only good for seven years.

Feeling like a chunk of her heart had been ripped out, Melanie opened her mouth to say something, but the tears came first. So this was what being in agony felt like.

Wiping away her tears, Melanie reached for the door.

A glass came flying, shattering at her feet with a loud bang. Raymond, with his legs crossed, drew Tracy closer and gave a cold, mocking smile. "Thought you had guts? Why did you still come to me?"

Melanie lowered her gaze, as still as stagnant water. "I'll do whatever you want as long as you ensure my mom's medical care continues."

Raymond snorted, his smooth voice ringing clearly. "Fine. Since you said that, apologize to Trace first."

"Okay," Melanie answered without any hesitation.

Displeased, Tracy pouted in mock innocence and cooed, "Melanie doesn't seem sincere at all. I want her to be on her knees as she apologizes, like how they do it on TV."

Raymond's eyes flickered with amusement. "You're right, Trace. Melanie, I can't help you if you aren't sincere. Now, get on your knees and apologize to Trace."

Having said that, he settled into a more comfortable position, eagerly waiting for Melanie's reaction with an amused look on his face.

Melanie knew he just wanted to see her flustered.

It was just like that time at a friend's wedding. Even though they had been warned that the media would be there, Raymond still kissed Tracy in front of the cameras and left Melanie alone to face the media's onslaught.

Afterward, he justified himself matter-of-factly by saying, "Trace is timid and easily intimidated by the media. You, on the other hand, are used to it anyway."

Because she was used to it, she had no right to refuse. As such, while her heart ached, she still had to maintain a calm and unbothered front.

And she had to do it right now as well. With Raymond and Tracy looking on expectantly, she set her handbag down and dropped to her knees with a thud.

Shards of glass were embedded in her knees, causing blood to spill all over the floor.

Yet, Melanie seemed unfazed as she spoke softly. "Ms. Lambert, I'm sorry."

For a second, Raymond froze. He instinctively pushed Tracy away and reached for Melanie.

Before he could touch her, Tracy started crying. "Raymond, I feel faint!"

Raymond stopped, scooped Tracy up, and rushed to the hospital.

Melanie tried to follow them, but her knees buckled. As she fell, the glass shards dug even deeper into her flesh.

Yet she barely felt the pain as she grabbed Raymond's shirt tightly. "Raymond, my mom's medical care—"

Raymond cut her off, "Melanie, how can you be so selfish? Can't you see that Trace has passed out? Even now, all you're thinking about is that half-dead mother of yours. I swear if anything happens to Trace today, you and your mother will pay for it!"

With that, he kicked Melanie aside and stormed off, leaving her staring hopelessly after him.

"Raymond, loving you really was a mistake."

After calming herself down, Melanie called the hospital.