Chapter 4

Nathan's POV

That afternoon at work, Damon suddenly barged into my office, covered in injuries. He dropped to his knees before my desk with a heavy thud. "Professor Walsh, please, just let me go."

As soon as she said that, a woman barged through the open door.

My mind spun as I recognized her. It was Amelie Wade, a woman from Damon's hometown who used to stalk him.

But I had stepped in and freed him from her years ago. Why was she back now?

Before I could demand an explanation, Sophie pushed her way into the office.

Damon immediately clung to her as he wailed, "Sophie, Professor Walsh is trying to sell me to Amelie! Please save me! She's a monster!"

A handprint was visible on Damon's cheek, and his hair and collar were disheveled from being pulled. He looked entirely like a victim.

An icy wave of fury washed over Sophie at once. She glared back and forth between Amelie and me.

Amelie was heavily built. "Don't worry, Professor Walsh. Since you paid me so much money, I'll make sure to drag this brat back home!"

My temples throbbed violently. I roared, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Ignoring me, Amelie stepped toward the trembling Damon. "Your grandfather sold you to my family years ago! I've been merciful enough to let you finish college. Now, come back with me and start making babies!"

With that, she grabbed Damon by the arm.

The next second, a fist slammed hard into the side of her head.

"Ah!" Amelie crashed to the floor.

Seeing Sophie raise her fist for another strike, she scrambled backward and ran out into the corridor.

Damon burst into hysterical tears.

I was utterly disgusted by this absurd farce.

But before I could take a step toward the door, a brutal force clamped down on my arm. Sophie's bodyguard pinned me to the floor.

"Get on your knees and apologize to Damon now," Sophie commanded coldly.

A sharp flare of agony shot up my arm, forcing cold sweat to break out across my forehead.

"They're lying to you! Are you an idiot? Why would I ever do something like that?"

When Sophie noticed my genuine fury, her brow furrowed slightly, and the bodyguard's grip loosened a fraction.

But Damon started frantically slapping his face. "Professor Walsh, I always saw you as family! Why do you keep trying to destroy me? Do you want me to die that badly?"

"Go die, then!" I screamed, but the bodyguard slammed me right back onto the floor.

The veins on Sophie's forehead throbbed, and her gaze turned murderous and cold. "Nathan, I'm thoroughly disappointed in you. If you want to do this the hard way, fine."

With that, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

A sudden sense of danger washed over me. "What are you trying to do?"

"Hello, Dr. Holmes? Shut down the life support equipment in Room 436."

"No! Stop! If you shut it off, my mom will die! Please, Sophie, don't do this!" I threw myself toward her to beg, but she coldly brushed me off.

There wasn't a shred of warmth left in her voice as she said, "Apologize to Damon on your knees, then."

The pain in my head felt like a spike driving through my skull, making my whole body shake. I forced myself up and walked over to Damon like a hollowed-out corpse.

He stared back at me with a faint smirk.

With a thud, I dropped to my knees in front of him and forced out each syllable through gritted teeth. "I am sorry. This is all my fault."

Damon helped me to my feet, feigning concern. "Professor Walsh, I don't blame you. You'll always be family to me."

After saying that, he pulled me into a tight embrace. But when he leaned in close, he whispered, "Nathan, you should probably get to the hospital now. If you run, you might catch your mother's final breath."

I shoved him away with everything I had.

Damon let out a pathetic shriek, though his eyes gleamed with sadistic triumph.

Without looking back, I sprinted out of the office.

"Running won't save you, Nathan!" Sophie screamed after me.

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the hospital, drenched in sweat.

Outside Mom's ward, nurses were slowly wheeling out a gurney covered in a white sheet.

Everything went dark before my eyes as I stumbled toward it. The moment I lifted the white cloth, a ragged scream tore from my throat. "Mom!"

…

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile, Sophie suddenly felt a prickling sense of unease.

Just as she reached for her phone to call Nathan, a call from Bernard Holmes, the hospital director, flashed across her screen.

"Professor Barrett, Professor Walsh just took his mother's body away. Do you have any further instructions?"

In an instant, something in Sophie's mind snapped.