Chapter 5

At midnight, her phone rang. She picked up to hear her mother’s panicked voice. “Violet, your dad got into an accident! You have to come to the hospital!”

In an instant, all of Violet’s restraint shattered.

While ignoring her pain, Violet rushed out of her bedroom, only to end up running into River as he was coming in.

He froze for a moment before he scowled. “Why are you panicking? That’s unbecoming.”

Violet teared up as she said in a quivering voice, “My dad got into an accident. I need to go to the hospital now. Please get a car ready for me!”

Alan stepped forward with a troubled look. “Mrs. Marsh, it’s midnight now. Without Mr. Marsh’s permission, no one is allowed to leave. This is a family rule.”

All her hopes were on River. “River, I’m begging you. Please let Alan get a car ready for me.”

River looked at her and swallowed. But his face remained cool. “The family rules state that women aren’t allowed to leave at night. Stay at home now. You can leave when the sun is up. Even if you go now, you can’t do anything anyway.”

Violet looked at him in disbelief as she trembled. “You care about the rules even now? That’s my father! How could you be so heartless?”

River’s expression did not change. He just kept spouting nonsense about his family’s rules. “I’m not heartless. The Marsh family has simply been following the rules for generations.

“A woman leaving the mansion at night is a major offense. If you break it, the elders won’t forgive you and will punish you harshly. I won’t make an exception. I’m doing this for your own good.”

‘For my own good?’ Violet almost laughed.

What a joke!

Violet stumbled backward. The light in her eyes faded. Her voice was soft and full of sorrow. “What if I can’t be your wife anymore? We’re going to get divorced. Those rules no longer have anything to do with me.”

River frowned even harder and thought that she was just throwing a tantrum, so he said impatiently, “Violet, don’t joke around about such a thing. As long as you’re my wife, you need to obey the rules.”

Violet stared at him and said softly, “What if Nina was the one who was in trouble? Would you still tell her to follow the rules and forbid her from leaving?”

The moment she mentioned Nina, River’s patience ran out. “What does this have to do with Nina? Why are you talking about her all of a sudden? Just go back to your room. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have the driver take you to the hospital.”

The moment he finished talking, his phone rang, and out came Nina’s sobs.

The annoyance on River’s face immediately faded, and his voice turned incredibly gentle. “Don’t be scared, Nina. I’ll come over right now.”

He did not even spare a second glance toward the broken, helpless Violet and left without hesitation.

Violet wanted to give chase, but the bodyguards by her side immediately stepped forward and stopped her from leaving. “Mrs. Marsh, without Mr. Marsh’s permission, you can’t leave at night.”

Her tears fell, and she fought with every ounce of her might. “Let me go! I need to leave!”

The wounds on her back tore open because of her struggles, and searing pain swept through her entire body. But compared to the pain in her heart, that was nothing.

The bodyguards were unyielding and kept her in place.

Her strength left her body, and Violet collapsed on the cold floor and sobbed.

She deeply regretted ever marrying River and falling in love with him.