Chapter 4

But soon after I left and was at a gas station at an R&R, Jacob found me.

When I saw the GPS tracker on his phone, I understood what had happened. "You put a tracker on me?"

Jacob's eyes were bloodshot. "I know you too well, Summer. You'd rather drag everyone down to hell with you than let go."

I sighed. "If you don't believe me, you can send me to another country where you can't see me anymore."

"Never!" He stared at me. "I won't risk Ella and the baby's safety and gamble on the possibility of you letting me go."

He took me back to the city. "You're going to stay here for the time being."

I looked around. The windows had been sealed shut. There was only a small window available that let me see the York family's manor. "You know that I hate being trapped. Isn't it enough that you've trapped me for three years?"

"Take it as recuperating here. Once Ella gives birth, I'll let you leave."

He left, and I was trapped in that room day and night.

Ella sat in the courtyard right in front of my window, and her belly grew bigger.

Every morning, Jacob would bring her to the recliner in the courtyard and flirt with her for half an hour.

In the afternoon, my mother came over to help her with prenatal education. She stayed with Ella for an entire afternoon.

I touched my belly. Three years ago, I had told them that I was pregnant.

Jacob had not slept for an entire night and held me as he said, "Summer, can we have a baby two years later instead?"

Back then, I had flown into a rage and demanded an answer.

Later on, my mother also came to convince me to give up. "The baby might have your disorder. You should abort it as soon as possible."

That night, Ella even gave me a cup of water. When I woke up the next morning, the bedsheets were stained red.

Ella then swore that there was nothing wrong with the water.

Ethan slapped me and said that I was paranoid.

But I lost my baby, just like that.

I stared at the blank ceiling. I was slowly losing strength. Even my memories were turning faint.

The door was unlocked. Just like usual, my mother brought food inside. It was all leftovers from Ella's meal.

When I remained listless, she said, "Summer, get up and eat."

I forced a smile. "I can't lift my arms, Mom. Feed me."

She grumbled and brought the plate over before stuffing the food into my mouth.

I swallowed and felt my tongue growing numb. Disappointment grew in my heart. "You put the pills in the food, didn't you?"

My mother froze and lowered the plate before she started cleaning up with her back turned to me.

I demanded, "I refused to eat the pills, and you mixed it in the food? Aren't you worried about me being paralyzed for life?"

My mother murmured, "Don't scare yourself. Once Ella gives birth, you can reduce the dosage. You'll be fine."

After she left, I lifted the covers. My muscles were so weak that I had lost control of my bowels and wet myself. How could I be fine?

Two months passed. My mother told me that Ella gave birth to a son. Her tumor did not rupture either. Both mother and son were safe.

I could no longer stand up at that point.

Then, for the first time, Ella brought her baby into my room.

Jacob's face was dark as he asked the servants, "Did you give her all her three meals every day? Why is she so thin?"

Just then, Ella took the baby away from me and cried out nervously, "I don't think the baby's breathing!"

My mother drew closer and was shocked. "Something's wrong! There's something stuffed in the baby's throat."

Ella trembled as she glared at me. "Summer, did you feed the baby something?"

The nanny was experienced. She picked up the baby and used her index finger to dig around his mouth.

The baby coughed up a ball of cotton thread before vomiting some mouthfuls of milk. Then, he started crying.

Ella then snapped out of her daze and lunged at me. "Summer, I'll give you my life. But the baby is innocent. Don't hurt him!"

Jacob held her in his arms and asked me coldly, his voice weary.

"Summer, why? We were prepared to end everything. Intentional assault will put you behind bars for more than ten years.

"Or you can go to the mental asylum and only leave by the time the baby is eighteen. Pick one. I'll respect your choice."

I smiled weakly. "Can I even make a choice for how I want to live my life anymore?"

"This is what you deserve." He scowled.

I stared at him for a long time until I was sure that he was not going to change his mind.

Then, I looked at the family I had spent half of my life with before I nodded. "Second choice."

Jacob gulped. In the end, he led Ella out.

After they left, I pushed myself up and kicked the pan of burning coals beside my bed.

Ella put the baby to sleep.

Meanwhile, Jacob was looking outside. His heart was filled with panic.

He could hear my mother and Ethan saying, "Summer should stay in the mental asylum for a few years. It'll be a good thing if she's not so manic in the future."

Suddenly, they saw fire from the window, and a servant ran in while shouting, "Bad news! Miss Summer's house is on fire!"