Chapter 4

Why?

An overwhelming emptiness washed over me. My heart had already died inside as I waited for Yale to deliver the killing blow.

Just as the gleaming blade was about to pierce my body, my phone suddenly rang. Selena frowned and reached into my pocket to pull it out.

I glanced at the name flashing across the screen. Willow Graham from City Hospital was calling.

My eyes lit up with sudden hope. It felt like catching a breath of fresh air just before drowning.

It was her. My therapist was calling!

She was the one person who could prove my innocence.

"Selena, that's my therapist! She's the one I told you about before," I gasped, my voice cracking with desperation. "I was frequently hospitalized for treatment. She can vouch for me! I swear, I never betrayed you."

Selena froze. Her face softened slightly, a shadow of doubt crossing her eyes. After a moment of hesitation, she answered the call.

The woman's voice on the other end was gentle, but her tone was strictly professional.

"Mr. Lawson, I heard your condition has improved recently and that you've regained your ability to feel pain," Willow said.

"It seems our previous sessions were truly necessary. Still, I strongly advise you to come in for weekly checkups just to be safe. Mr. Lawson, are you there? Mr. Lawson?"

Selena kept the phone pressed to her ear, a confused look crossing her face as she remained silent.

Yale's expression darkened instantly. He snatched the phone from her hand, ended the call, and let out a cold laugh.

"Your therapist? Martin, you've really put on quite a show. You even conspired with your mistress to deceive Selena."

"Since you're saying your condition has gotten better, where is the medical report?" Yale sneered. "Even the part about being hospitalized was made up. Nice try, but I already saw through your little game."

He stepped closer, towering over me. "I looked into it. City Hospital has no record of you ever being admitted."

With that, Yale flung a stack of hospitalization records straight at my face. The loose pages scattered through the air, their edges scraping painfully against my skin.

I stared at the records, my eyes widening in shock.

No. This couldn't be. How could my name not be there?

It had been there before.

It had to be Yale! He must have tampered with the records!

Fury surged through me, and I opened my mouth to protest. Before I could say a word, Selena slapped me across the face again.

I snapped my head back and looked at her. She looked as if she'd just come to her senses.

"I almost fell for your lies again," she said mockingly. "You're terrified after I cut off your ear, aren't you? That's why you're making up all these lies."

She stepped closer, her voice turning colder. "Let me tell you something. Losing one ear is nowhere near enough to pay for the sins you've committed against me!"

All the color drained from my face.

What broke my heart wasn't her cold words. It was the fact that she didn't believe me.

If she had even the slightest shred of trust in me, she wouldn't have believed Yale so easily. She wouldn't hate me this much.

Had all these years of marriage been nothing but a delusion? Was I the only one who thought we were happy?

I looked into Selena's dark eyes, the same eyes that had once held so much love for me. Now, there was nothing but hatred, mockery, and disgust.

I knew that no matter how much I explained myself, Selena wouldn't believe me anymore.

For the first time, I finally understood what it meant to be completely helpless. My heart went totally numb and cold.

Seeing that I said nothing, Yale flashed a triumphant grin, his eyes gleaming with mockery and scorn.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised the knife and sliced a deep gash straight down my forearm.

I screamed as my skin split open.

At the sound of my cry, Selena flinched. A flicker of pity crossed her face, but she quickly turned away, refusing to look at me.

After a long silence, she drew a deep breath. Then, she frowned slightly and spoke in a low voice.

"Martin, you didn't even flinch when you drank for work until your stomach bled back then. Yale barely scratched you, and now you're putting on a show like this."

She continued, her voice full of contempt, "I really was blind to have married you. You've always been nothing but a petty, lying coward!"