Chapter 2

When the trial ended, I walked out the door, drained and unsteady.

Outside, the place was already surrounded by media and fans. They swarmed toward us like bees, closing in almost instantly.

Seeing the crowd, Nathan was moved to tears. "Thank you all for your support! I promise I'll keep working hard!"

Whitney stepped right up beside him. "Don't worry, Nate. I won't let anyone with malicious intent hurt you."

She sounded so sincere that the fans immediately exploded with excitement. Cheers rang out for them. Then, someone suddenly shouted, "That's the bastard who framed Nathan!"

In the next second, the crowd surged toward me. Taking advantage of the chaos, they started punching and kicking me. Pain slammed into my body from every direction.

"You're despicable! Trying to pull a scam like this in this day and age?"

"You picked the wrong guy to mess with! You deserve to have a crippled grandpa! You should just die!"

"Yeah, man! Nobody wants you here! Just end yourself!"

The curses grew louder and more vicious around me until a rotten egg smashed against my head. Only then did Whitney's gaze finally fall on me.

She snorted. "If you behave yourself now and admit your mistake, I might still give you a chance to stay by my side."

I shook my head and wiped the foul-smelling egg liquid from my face. "Never. No matter what, I won't give up, let alone beg you for anything! I'll uncover the truth and make you apologize to Grandpa!"

She simply sneered. "You're really testing your luck. Go ahead and try."

Just then, Nathan stepped before me, eyes red, as if he had suffered a great injustice. "I'm sorry about what happened to your grandpa, but I'll never admit to something I didn't do. My fans are all in support of me, and I must set a good example for them."

He spoke with such moral conviction, as if Grandpa and I were truly the unforgivable ones.

Seeing his expression, I felt nothing but disgust. Out of nowhere, someone kicked me from behind. I lost my balance and staggered forward. To others, though, it looked like I had lunged at Nathan out of sheer rage.

Whitney reacted swiftly. She pulled Nathan away and kicked the back of my knee. I plunged to the ground, frowning as an agonizing pain twisted in my back.

I only had one kidney. The other one was inside Whitney. Back then, when her kidneys failed, I didn't hesitate a second to donate mine to save her life. I never imagined that betrayal and ingratitude were what I would get in return.

Now, I felt a dull, lingering pain at the old incision site. The pain spread inward, squeezing my heart. My body began shaking uncontrollably. I braced a hand against my lower back as cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

Whitney glanced at me, instinctively stepping forward, but Nathan grabbed her arm. "Ms. Backman…"

He put on a hurt look, lightly gripping her arm. "I really appreciate all your help. I was thinking I should treat you to a meal. Would that be okay?"

She shot me a quick look, then nodded. "Of course. They went too far this time. Allow me to apologize on their behalf."

Whitney agreed decisively and even took a dig at Grandpa at the same time. Nathan's fans cheered as if she had done a heroic act.

I clenched my fists in silent fury, a bitter ache gnawing at my chest. When did she become like this? Or had I been so blinded that I never saw through the real her?

As they turned to leave, the frenzy of fans besieged me.

Nathan, as if realizing something, spun back. "Everyone, please do not act impulsively. The law may turn a blind eye to what the majority does, but don't let meaningless people ruin your future."

His words only fueled their enthusiasm. They surged toward me, delivering kicks and punches.

Reporters pressed closer. "Mr. Sharp, what's your response to your grandfather committing such a shameless act?"