Chapter 4

Crystal averted her gaze, stammering, "W-What are you talking about? It's just a standard document."

"Fine, I'll sign it. Your mother once fed me when I was starving as a child. Consider this me repaying that debt," I declared before signing my name cleanly on the paper.

Then I tossed the divorce papers in her direction.

"Let's get divorced. From now on, we owe each other nothing."

Crystal stared at me in utter shock. "No! I won't divorce you. Why do you want a divorce? Don't you love me anymore?"

Panic spread across her face. "No way! I won't agree to a divorce!"

Suddenly, the door flew open with a bang, and more than a dozen people stormed in with wooden clubs in hand.

"Which one of you is the accountant named Stewart? You killed my family. I want you to pay with your life!" a man shouted.

There were only the three of us in the room.

A family member of the workers who died pointed at Damon and asked Crystal, "Is it him?"

"I-It's not me!"

"I think it is," the person said with a sneer. He raised the wooden club, ready to bring it down on Damon.

"Ah! Crystal, save me!" Damon shouted.

Crystal stopped the man. "No. It's not him."

She turned to point at me, sitting in the wheelchair. "It's him."

I could do nothing but look at her in disappointment.

Just as the people were about to attack, Lilian rushed in and shouted for them to stop.

"It wasn't Elijah! It was Damon!"

She turned toward her daughter. "Crystal, I can't stand by and watch this anymore. When did you become like this? Do you really want to get Elijah killed?" Lilian asked, breaking down in tears.

The attacker glanced at our employee badges. "So which is it? Why don't we just beat you both? You're both named Stewart anyway."

Crystal doubled down again. "It's him. Look, this is the document he signed. He's the one who took kickbacks and embezzled company funds, causing your relatives to die."

"You bastard!"

Lilian never expected Crystal to go this far. The shock and anger were too much, and she fainted.

I, too, closed my eyes in despair. When I opened them again, there wasn't a trace of affection left in my eyes for Crystal.

The mob beat me with their wooden clubs, striking my head, arms, legs, and body without missing a spot.

Just a few steps away, Crystal shielded Damon behind her, afraid someone might accidentally go after him.

I was beaten so badly that I couldn't even make a sound, but she was protecting Damon fiercely, reassuring him that there was nothing to be afraid of.

My bones and joints were shattered from the beating, but she was tending to Damon's swollen, bruised finger after it had been stepped on.

Upon hearing police sirens, the mob quickly fled.

Crystal finally approached me. "Elijah, are you okay? I'll take you to the hospital right now."

"Ouch! Crystal, I twisted my ankle," Damon yelped.

She immediately let go of me and caught Damon instead.

I fell once more, my broken leg twisting unnaturally against my back.

At that moment, two police officers walked in and presented their badges.

"We received a report that this company's accountant embezzled public funds, causing the deaths of over a dozen people. We're here to arrest him."

As those words fell, Lilian came to. Seeing me in such a horrific state, she began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Crystal, look at the state Elijah is in. Are you still going to protect Damon? If Elijah is taken away like this without being treated, he's going to die."

"Mom…" Crystal looked at me, her resolve beginning to waver.

"Crystal, please save me. If I spend the rest of my life in prison, my life will be ruined," Damon said softly.

At that, Crystal asked the police officers to step outside and give her two minutes.

"Mom, Elijah, I'm sorry. When I was in high school, I was dragged into an alley, and Damon was the one who saved me. I would have died if he hadn't.

"Elijah, help me one more time. If you're left disabled, I'll take care of you for the rest of my life."

I scoffed inwardly.

The one who had actually saved her was me. I even lost hearing in one ear because of it and missed out on the SATs.

But none of that mattered anymore.

"Crystal, that's not what happened," Lilian began anxiously.

Crystal cut her off. "Enough. Not another word. I've made up my mind."

Lilian was about to explain further, but I shook my head at her.

With a sneer, I said, "My parents never went on vacation at all. They're dead because Damon hit them with his car. And you were the one who signed the leniency agreement, weren't you?"

Everyone in the room stared at me in shock, while Crystal looked at me in horror.