Chapter 6

I gave Corinne a long look, then said coldly, "And what if I refuse?"

The words had barely left my mouth when Dad slapped me across the face. "Are you trying to ruin your brother's life?!"

Mom chimed in. "Emmett, I know you feel wronged. But you've already carried this for so many years. There's no need to drag your brother down now. Silas isn't even married yet. If you tell everyone the truth, how will he ever find a wife?"

So they knew. They knew being branded the guy who filmed girls in the bathroom could ruin a man's life.

Then why, back when they pushed me forward to take the fall for Silas, had none of them stopped to think about what would happen to my life?

I laughed, even as a pain like a knife twisted deep in my chest. I fought through it and said, "Didn't you all tell me Silas was critically ill and didn't have long to live?

"I gave him my wedding night to fulfill his dying wish, and now you're talking about him getting married and having kids someday... So now I'm confused. Is Silas actually sick or not? You didn't all gang up to lie to me about him being so ill, did you?"

At that, Mom immediately looked away, guilt written all over her face.

Dad shut his mouth too. They both knew Silas wasn't sick. They'd just been using "Silas's illness" to keep me under their thumb.

In the middle of the awkward silence, a scream suddenly came from the room next door. It was the housekeeper. "Oh no! Silas slit his wrists!"

Instantly, everyone panicked. Corinne was the first one out the door, and the rest of them followed right behind her.

Silas was lying in the bathtub in the next room. The water had turned red with his blood.

His eyes were shut tight, and his face was as white as paper.

"Silas, what's wrong? Wake up! Don't scare me like this!" Corinne cried, clutching him in her arms.

"Silas must have found out Emmett went behind his back to dig up his record. He couldn't handle it, so he cut his wrists." Mom sobbed as she pounded on me with all her strength. "Emmett! Look what you've done! Silas trusted you so much. Why would you do this to him?"

Dad charged over too and slammed his fist into my face. "Emmett, if anything happens to Silas, I swear I'll never let you off the hook!"

That punch was brutal. Blood welled at the corner of my mouth, and a few of my teeth felt loose.

I hadn't done anything, and yet once again, I'd become the person everyone hated.

In the chaos, Corinne called 911, and Silas was loaded into an ambulance.

We reached the hospital quickly. Because he'd gotten there in time, Silas's life wasn't in danger for the moment, but he'd lost too much blood and needed a transfusion.

Corinne immediately raised her voice. "Use my blood! Silas and I are both type AB. I'll donate for him."

A nurse took Corinne by the arm, ready to take her downstairs to have her blood drawn.

But the moment the nurse looked over Corinne's screening results, she paused. "Hold on... Ms. Devereux, you're pregnant! You can't donate blood!"

Everyone was stunned. Mom rushed forward and asked Corinne excitedly, "Corinne, you're pregnant? Is it Silas's?"

Corinne seemed to have only just found out herself. For a moment, she looked completely dazed, but only for a moment. Then she broke into a blissful smile.

"It has to be Silas's. He's the only one I've been with," she said, blushing.

"That's wonderful! Our first grandchild!" Dad exclaimed, beside himself.

The three of them celebrated for a long time before Corinne finally remembered she was my wife.

So she walked over to me, her cheeks flushed. "Emmett, I'm pregnant. I know the baby's Silas's, but twins have the exact same genes. So Silas's baby is basically your baby too."

As she spoke, she took my hand and guided it to her stomach. "Emmett, we're having a baby. Aren't you happy?"

I honestly couldn't believe she had the nerve to ask me that.

Happy? I was disgusted!

I was about to pull my hand away when Dad suddenly spoke up. "Since Corinne's pregnant and can't donate, then take Emmett's blood for Silas!

"This whole mess is Emmett's fault in the first place. He should be the one to make it right!"

Then, ignoring my protests, they forced me down into the donation chair.

A thick needle pierced my skin, and bright red blood filled one bag after another.

Corinne held my hand and said, oozing false sympathy, "Emmett, I know you don't want to sacrifice for Silas anymore. But this time, think of it as donating for me. You're not doing it for your brother. You're doing it for me—and for our baby."

I smiled bitterly. I was about to tell her that what she was carrying wasn't our baby—it was the bastard child she'd made with Silas!

But before I could open my mouth, a nurse called from the doorway, "Silas is awake!"

The instant she heard it, Corinne let go of my hand and ran off to see Silas.

My parents didn't hesitate either. They abandoned me and rushed to Silas's room next door.

Weakly, I pushed myself up out of the donation chair, turned around, and walked out of the hospital one step at a time.

Ravenmoor University's semester hadn't started yet.

But this family... I couldn't stand to stay with them for one more minute!

So I took a cab to the airport and bought a ticket on the next available flight.

Before the plane took off, I posted Silas's criminal record online.

I had Silas to thank for slitting his wrists at just the right time. The whole family had been so busy saving him that they'd forgotten to make me delete the record.

Now I finally had my chance to tell the truth.

Right after I posted it, I sent Corinne a photo.

It was a photo of our marriage certificate after the clerk's office had corrected the name.

"Corinne, congratulations on your marriage. You and Silas can stay stuck with each other for life. Just stop ruining other people's lives!"

After sending that, I pulled out my SIM card, tossed it in the trash, and boarded the plane without looking back...