Chapter 4

Abram's POV

I held a hand to the wound on the back of my head and stared at Caitlyn in disbelief. "I never pushed Adrian! He was the one—"

"Shut up!"

Her eyes were cold and icy as she glared at me like I was a heinous criminal. "How could you be such a vicious jerk? You've completely disappointed me!

"How can you even do this knowing that your dead father is watching you? If your dad found out that his son turned out to be such a horrible person like you—"

A crisp slap rang out.

I mustered all the strength I had to stand up and slap her in the face as hard as I could.

She froze at once, instinctively holding a hand to her cheek. She looked like she wanted to hit me back, but her hand just hung mid-air.

I glared daggers at her and gritted my teeth.

"Nobody has the right to talk about my dad, including you!" I roared. "Listen carefully, Caitlyn Murray! The person going to prison is me! Me! Not Adrian!"

Right after I'd said that, my vision blacked out, and I completely lost all consciousness.

…

When I woke up again, I realized that I was at the hospital. My head was bandaged up, and it was still throbbing painfully.

Caitlyn was waiting outside the ward. I saw her haggard face through the glass panel in the door. She seemed like she'd been waiting there for a long time because of her massive dark eye circles.

The nurse told me that she hadn't slept in three days.

However, I didn't want to see her. I told the nurse to tell Caitlyn to go and see Adrian instead.

But Caitlyn stood outside the door like a statue. It wasn't until the day I was finally discharged that she stopped me on my way out.

"Abram," she said in a hoarse voice. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. After a long bout of silence, she finally said, "I'm sorry."

I remained calm and indifferent and didn't bother replying.

She continued, "I'll settle the problem your family is facing. You don't have to go to prison. I promised your dad that I'd take good care of you for the rest of your life. I won't go back on my promise."

There it was again. She was only doing this because she wanted to repay Dad for his kindness.

I looked at her. "If someone needs to go to prison, it will be me. If that's the case, are you still going to take care of me forever?"

She stiffened, a hint of uncertainty flickering in her eyes.

There was a deathly silence. She couldn't answer me because Adrian had always been more important to her than I could ever be.

I pushed her aside and turned to leave. She suddenly gripped my hand and pleaded, "Don't go, Abram. Mrs. Darrow would never let you go… You won't go either, will you?"

She still refused to believe that I would sacrifice myself for her and my family.

My heart hardened. I felt a deep pang in my chest. Then, I flung her hand off and left without looking back.

…

That day was the day I turned myself in. I refused to let anyone see me off and instead just had the driver take me to the police station.

I even specifically told Mom to arrange for Adrian and Caitlyn to get engaged on the same day so they could celebrate properly.

The car had only just glided out of the gates when a black Maybach stopped before us.

It was Caitlyn's car.

Her window was rolled all the way up, and I couldn't clearly see her expression. Instead, she got out of the car, walked over to my window, and knocked on the glass.

I didn't roll it down for her.

She thought that it was Adrian inside the car. After all, he was the one who usually rode in this car.

"Adrian…"

Her choked voice drifted in through the glass.

My heart plunged. She was still thinking about him.

"I'm sorry, Adrian," she said hoarsely. "I know you hate me for not being strong enough to protect you. But you have to believe that I'll do everything in my power to get you out.

"Wait for me. I'll take at most just one year to bring you back home."

I sat in the car, listening to her make promises to another man. My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest.

She had nothing but blame and disgust when talking to me. Yet, when she thought she was talking to Adrian, she was gentle and patient with him and even promised to get him out of prison.

"I know you're still angry with me and don't want to talk to me, Adrian. But remember, I love you. I'll always love you forever."

I couldn't bear to listen to another word and told the driver to leave.

The moment the car began to move forward, I heard Caitlyn's last cry.

"Wait for me, Adrian! I promise I'll definitely come for you!"