Chapter 4

When I woke up again, I was already in the hospital.

My parents and Jasper were all there.

Mary was the only one missing.

“Claire, you have some nerve!”

My usually gentle mother pointed at me in anguish.

“Mary is your sister-in-law! How could you do that to her?!”

I would never have committed such a brutal act had I not been utterly desperate.

“Mom, where’s Mary?”

Jasper was so outraged that he grabbed me by the throat.

“What? Are you going to hurt her again?”

I frantically shook my head and pleaded with him to tell me where Mary was.

Before he could speak, Edith rushed into the room in a frantic rage.

Without a word, she slapped me across the face several times.

If my mother had not pulled her away, she would have beaten me to death.

“Is this the daughter you raised? She almost killed my little girl!”

My mother knew she was in the wrong. She lowered her head and did not dare respond.

“Edith, where is Mary?”

She pointed at me furiously.

“How dare you say her name! I’ll kill you!”

She launched herself into another frantic assault.

My mother could no longer bear it. She shielded me firmly with her own body.

“Blame me, not her. I failed as a parent. If you need to hit someone, hit me.”

Edith was deeply provoked by my mother’s protection. She glared at me with pure hatred.

“If you’re all going to take her side like this, then Mary isn’t staying in this family. The second she’s out of the hospital, she’ll file for divorce.”

I fell to my knees before her with a thud.

“Edith, please, I’m begging you. Don’t let them get divorced.

“I give you my word. When the time is right, you’ll get a full explanation.”

She flashed a sarcastic smile.

“You made me a promise last time, too! And how did you keep it? You went behind our backs and forced her to terminate the pregnancy.

“I don’t believe a word you say, Claire!”

Seeing her about to leave, Jasper quickly grabbed her arm.

“Edith, I will not divorce Mary.

“Don’t worry. I will make sure everyone who hurt Mary pays for it.”

After saying this, Jasper turned and stared at me with a menacing gaze.

“I’ve let you get away with everything for far too long. Don’t you think it’s time you faced the consequences?”

He yanked me by the hair and started dragging me. The pain was so sharp I thought my scalp was tearing.

“What are you doing?! Let her go! She’s your sister!”

Jasper showed no intention of letting me go.

“And did she think of me as her brother when she forced Mary to get an abortion?!

“Coddling her like this is going to get her killed one day!”

He kept dragging me forward, leaving a trail of blood from my scalp.

“Go on in, she’s in there. You’d better get on your knees and beg for her forgiveness.”

I cautiously pushed the door open.

Before I could even see her, a mug suddenly flew out and struck my head.

I could instantly hear Mary’s heart-wrenching sobs.

At that moment, I desperately wanted to tell her the whole truth.

“Hey, Mary.”

I dropped to my knees with a thud right in front of her.

“You can hit me or yell at me. Please, forgive me.”

She let out a cold laugh.

“Claire, what did I ever do to you? How could you go to such lengths to hurt me? You even went after my unborn child...”

She could not find the strength to finish her sentence.

“Just go. I’ll divorce Jasper. You and your perfect family of four won’t have to see me again.”

I panicked and grabbed her hand.

“Mary, you can’t divorce him. Please. I had no choice... there’s a reason I did this.”

She snorted coldly.

“Then tell me. What possible reason could you have?”

I dug my nails tightly into my palm. It was not yet the time to confess.

Seeing my silence, she thought I was deceiving her again. My heart ached as Mary started sobbing again.

Jasper walked in and held Mary with devout tenderness.

“Mary, I messed up. I was an idiot. Don’t leave me, please.

“I found a place. As soon as you’re out of the hospital, we’ll move out and live there.”

“Over my dead body!” I shouted.

“You’re not taking her anywhere!”

Jasper clenched his fist tightly and punched me hard in the face.

I wiped the blood from my lip and glared fiercely at him.

I had just received a message; the person I was looking for was already on their way.

It was finally the moment to reveal the truth.

I shielded Mary behind me and shouted.

“You imposter! How long are you going to keep up this charade?”