Chapter 4

I was startled awake from my nightmares. Jake was sitting right by my bed, his gaze filled with disdain as he said, "Lilian, I never thought you'd be so desperate to frame Chelle that you'd stab yourself!"

With that, he glanced at the nurses standing outside the door. "Since you love hurting yourself for attention, I'll indulge you. Chelle lost so much blood because of you. You seem to have plenty of blood, so let's draw some."

He gestured to the nurses, "Draw her blood."

One of the nurses said hesitantly, "Mr. Langford, the patient is too unstable for blood draws right now…"

Jake kicked the nurse to the floor. "Then turn in your resignation letters to the director!"

I said weakly to the nurses, "It's okay. Just do it."

Jake's expression shifted, and he gave me a complicated look.

By the tenth vial of blood, my monitor started beeping loudly.

The nurses went red in the face with anxiety. "Mr. Langford, we have to stop. She'll die!"

Jake pursed his lips. He was about to say something when Michelle let out a groan from the next bed. His expression darkened, and he said, "Continue!"

I couldn't remember when I lost consciousness. I only knew that when I came to, all the nurses in the ward were happily holding gifts as they whispered among themselves.

A nurse said, "Mr. Langford is so good to his sister. He gave everyone in the hospital a gift just because his sister is pregnant."

Another replied, "Isn't that obvious? If not, why would he drain almost all of his wife's blood for his sister's sake?"

Someone said, "That reminds me. I kind of pity the woman…"

I clenched my fists tightly as I let out a whimper. "They took my womb…"

Suddenly, a photo popped up on my phone.

It was a photo of Jake and Michelle's marriage certificate. Trembling, I tapped on the photo and zoomed in on it. I almost couldn't breathe.

Right after that, a voice message came in.

Michelle said, "Lilian is so stupid! Even after so long, she hasn't realized that her marriage certificate is fake!"

Jake let out a laugh. "You're a smart one, aren't you?"

Michelle said in a slightly sad tone, "But I'm so jealous of Lilian. She gets to be seen with you in public."

Jake gently coaxed her. "Come on. We need her as a cover so that our child and we can always be together."

I couldn't think straight anymore. Ripping the IV catheter out of my body, I scrambled to escape the ward. However, when I was about to round a corner, I heard a familiar voice.

The voice said, "Mr. Langford, are you sure you want Mrs. Langford abducted again?"

Jake's voice was calm. "She's misbehaving. She needs to be taught a lesson. Chelle needs an obedient blood bank for her pregnancy and delivery. If not, how can I openly take care of Chelle and our child?"

I covered my mouth with my hand. My heart was thumping, and my fingers trembled uncontrollably.

By the time Jake found me, I was slumped in a chair in the hospital.

He gently crouched down in front of me. "How did you end up here?"

Recalling the torture I went through, I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood.

Gripping Jake's arm tightly, I pleaded, "I'm sorry! I'll apologize to Michelle!"

But he just chuckled. "You are my wife. Chelle forgave you a long time ago."

The next moment, I fainted in his arms.

When I opened my eyes, the faces that had always appeared in my nightmares were grinning at me. "We meet again, Mrs. Langford."

I struggled with all my might. "Go away! Get lost!"

But rough fingers were already rubbing my chest, and my pants were pulled down. I closed my eyes in despair.

…

A week later, Jake went home after a long day at work. Massaging his temples, he subconsciously called out, "Lily, get me a drink."

However, his surroundings were dark. No one answered.

Even their photo on the wall had disappeared.

Jake called his assistant in annoyance. "Why isn't Lilian back yet? They're only supposed to scare her. Do they really have to take that long?"

The assistant replied anxiously, "Mr. Langford, the signal is bad on the island. We haven't gotten in contact with them yet."

Jake suddenly froze as he stared at a female corpse being shown on the news.

Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. A "present" had arrived.