Chapter 6

The next morning, the driver finally drove Violet to the hospital.

She had not slept for the entire night, and her eyes were bloodshot. She was also swaying on her feet.

When her mother saw her, she immediately rushed forward to grab her hand. “Violet, you’re here! Your dad’s hurt very badly, and he’s still in the ICU. He’s not out of danger yet. What should we do?”

Violet’s heart ached, and she forced herself to speak. “Don’t panic, Mom. What happened? Tell me.”

“Yesterday, after your dad delivered the pork stew to you, he was on his way back when a few drunk girls ran into him with their car. After the accident, they left their car and ran…”

Her mother wiped away her tears. “Your dad has always lived an honest life. Why did he have to get into an accident?”

Violet clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white.

Her father had always loved her and never wanted her to suffer. He got into an accident just because he wanted to bring her a thermos full of the pork stew that she loved.

She was full of regret. If she had not married River, this would not have happened.

Her eyes turned even more bloodshot. “The law won’t spare the perpetrators. I’ll get to the bottom of this and get justice for Dad.”

She did not dare delay things anymore and turned around to look for her father’s attending physician to ask for more information.

The doctor appeared troubled. “The patient is bleeding in the skull, and there are multiple comminuted fractures. He’s too heavily injured, so the risk of surgery is high.

“If we can get Dr. Luther to operate on the patient, his chance of survival will be much higher. But Dr. Luther’s schedule is full until the second half of the month, and normal people usually don’t get a slot.”

He was talking about Felix Luther.

Violet’s heart sank.

He was the director of the Marsh family’s private hospital, and he had power second only to River.

With just one sentence, River could make time in his schedule to save her father.

Over the past five years, she had gotten whipped for him, tolerated abuse for him, and drained her youth and love for him. She had never asked anything in return.

For the sake of her father’s life, she was willing to beg him.

With trembling hands, Violet took out her phone. Her fingers were cold and stiff as she punched in the numbers that she would remember to her dying day.

The phone rang, and every second was like torture.

A long time passed before his cool, aloof voice came through. “What is it?”

Violet pleaded, “River, my father got into an accident and needs Dr. Luther to operate on him. Could you get his surgery arranged? I’m begging you. Please…”

River was silent for a few seconds before he said indifferently, “You’ve been in the Marsh family for five years. You should know the rules.

“Getting our personal lives involved in business is a major taboo. How can you ask to use the hospital’s resources for your own family? That’s against the rules.”

“Rules?” Violet felt her throat seize as despair surged in her heart. She teared up. “Can’t you make an exception just once for the sake of our marriage? With just one word from you, my father will be saved!”

Her heart ached, but she felt disappointment even before his response.

“It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but Dr. Luther has surgeries arranged for other members of the family. He can’t free up any time. I have other urgent matters to deal with. Goodbye.”

Her phone beeped as the call ended.

Her phone slid from her palm and fell to the floor.

All strength left her body, and Violet slid down against the wall until she collapsed on the cold floor. The sadness she had been suppressing for the entire night finally burst out, and she wept.

When her mother saw this, she could no longer hold back her tears. She hugged Violet as they cried together. The entire corridor was filled with their muffled sobs.

A long time passed before steady footsteps stopped in front of her. It was River’s personal assistant, Tom Bexon.

Violet thought that River had finally felt pity for her and sent Tom over to get the surgery arranged.

But Tom just leaned down and handed her a printed document. “Mrs. Marsh, Mr. Marsh told me to give you this document. Please take a look.”

Violet took it. When her eyes fell on the title, she froze.

It was a pardon letter.

In the perpetrator column was Nina’s name.

Her eyes widened as she clutched the paper tightly. “Nina is the one who ran into my dad? River wants me to sign a pardon letter? Have they lost their minds?!”

She had never expected that the perpetrator who fled yesterday was Nina, the one River kept doting on.

In the past, when River broke the rules for Nina, Violet just thought that he was biased. Was she really going to protect Nina even when she crashed into a person while drunk driving?

Her father was lying in the ICU fighting for his life, but all Violet got was a pardon letter to protect the perpetrator.

The last bit of hope Violet had for her marriage was gone.

She tore apart the pardon letter. The shreds fell all over the floor.

When she looked up, there was only a bone-chilling coldness in her eyes. “I won’t sign it. I’m going to get to the bottom of this, and no one can protect her.”