Chapter 4

On the day I was discharged from the hospital, no one came to pick me up. Leaning on my crutches, I slowly made my way out of the hospital, one step at a time.

My cards were frozen, and I couldn't pay with my phone. I searched through all my pockets and only managed to find a few dozen dollars in loose change.

I hailed a cab and went back to the home Raymond and I shared. Even if I was going to leave, I still had to get my ID and the things my parents had left behind.

As soon as I pushed open the door, the living room was filled with laughter. Monica was curled up on the couch in my silk pajamas, feeding Raymond grapes.

He was looking at his laptop. Occasionally, he opened his mouth to accept a grape with an indulgent look in his eyes.

When she spotted me, Monica hurriedly tried to get up, only to "accidentally" fall into Raymond's arms. "Linnea… You're back!"

Raymond casually wrapped his arm around her waist and looked up at me. His gaze was stone-cold, as if he were looking at a stranger. "Look who decided to come back. I thought you were going to act tough out there for the rest of your life."

I ignored his taunt and headed straight for the master bedroom upstairs, leaning on my crutches.

"Hold it right there," he ordered coldly. "Who gave you permission to go upstairs?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. "I'm going to get my belongings."

"There's nothing here that belongs to you." Raymond casually played with Monica's hair. "I had all of your belongings thrown away."

I stiffened, staring at him in disbelief. "You had all of my belongings thrown away? My parents' keepsakes and all of my sketches were in there, Raymond!"

"So what?" Raymond sneered. "I told you, this house has no place for dead weight or garbage. Moni's moving in, so I had to make room. Your junk was taking up her walk-in closet."

Did he just call the only pocket watch my parents left me and the sketches I'd pulled countless all-nighters to draw… junk? In his eyes, they were garbage that needed to be cleared out to make room for Monica.

All the blood in my body rushed straight to my head. I tossed my crutches aside and charged upstairs like a madwoman.

My walk-in closet was completely cleared out. The racks that once held all my clothes were now stuffed with Monica's dresses.

My desk and my easel were both gone. Monica's favorite white piano stood in their place.

I rushed onto the balcony and looked down. Several black garbage bags were piled beside the trash can in the yard.

I could vaguely make out the familiar edges of my drawing paper. They were soaked through by the rain and had turned into a soggy mess.

Like a woman possessed, I bolted downstairs and sprinted into the yard. Ignoring the excruciating pain in my leg, I threw myself into the pile of trash and ripped open the bags.

Everything was ruined. I clutched the shattered pocket watch and knelt in the muddy water, bawling my eyes out. "Raymond Hudson, you're a fucking monster! Give them back to me!"

Footsteps sounded behind me.

Raymond stood under the eaves with an umbrella. He wrapped his arm around Monica and looked down at me.

His brows drew together, as if he found me noisy. "Stop acting like a lunatic, Linnea. It's just a few scrap papers and a broken watch. How much could they possibly be worth? I'll just reimburse you."

Monica shrank further into his arms and whispered, "Linnea looks so pitiful, Raymond… Is it my fault? I shouldn't have moved in..."

"Don't be silly. This has nothing to do with you." Raymond lowered his head and planted a kiss on her head. "She's the one who doesn't know her place. A woman like her should've gotten a reality check ages ago."

He raised his head and looked at me coldly. "Linnea, for old times' sake, I'll give you one last chance. Apologize to Moni right now; promise you'll never throw a tantrum again and that you'll behave, and I'll let you come back and continue being the lady of the household. If not…"

He kicked the muddy water near his feet. "Gather your junk and get the hell out of my house!"

It was raining cats and dogs. The wound on my leg must've split open again because it hurt like hell. Yet, I no longer felt cold.

My heart had completely died. Slowly, I dragged myself up from the muddy water. I held the shattered pocket watch tightly against my chest.

I wiped the rainwater from my face, looked at the well-matched man and woman in front of me, and cracked up. "Raymond Hudson, do you really think I care about being the lady of the Hudson family? Do you really think I can't survive without you?"

I dragged my injured leg toward them, one step at a time.

Raymond instinctively backed away, as if the hatred in my eyes had startled him. "What do you think you're doing?"

I used every ounce of strength in my body and slapped him hard across the face.

His face snapped to the side, a red handprint immediately rising on his cheek.

Monica shrieked, "How dare you lay your hands on Raymond?"

"Shut the fuck up! Who the hell gave you the right to butt in?" I swung my hand and slapped Monica across the face as well.

Monica was taken aback. She clutched her cheek and collapsed onto the ground before bursting into tears.

Raymond finally came to his senses. Enraged, he raised his hand. "You must have a death wish, Linnea Rose!"

I lifted my chin and stared long and hard at his descending hand. "Go on, slap me! Raymond Hudson, if you don't beat the life out of me today, then mark my words—one day, I'll make both of you kneel before me and pay dearly for all the suffering you've put me through!"

His hand froze in midair. He looked into my eyes, and a flicker of panic actually crossed his face.

I gazed at him coldly and spat out a mouthful of blood. "I hope you remember every word you said today, Raymond Hudson. I'm ungrateful, and I don't know my place. From this day on, I'm cutting all ties with you and your family. We're through!"