Chapter 4 No More Weaknesses

Daphne's father walked over with a protruding beer belly and a look of utter disdain.

Then, he casually tossed a thick stack of cash into my face. "Nikolai already bought me a new car. I couldn't care less about this measly compensation. Take it and use it to buy those two little bastards sturdier urns."

The moment I saw the man who had killed my sons, I could no longer suppress the rage boiling inside me. The dagger slipped from my sleeve into my palm.

"Anthea, what do you think you're doing? Apologize to Morgan right now."

"Nikolai, he killed our sons!"

"You're being disobedient again." Nikolai's voice carried a clear threat.

My eyes swung to the video playing on his phone. Edevane family bodyguards stormed into my mother's hospital room and forcibly ripped out her oxygen tube.

"No!"

"Get down on your knees and apologize."

"Alright. I'll kneel…"

My knees went down before Daphne and her father and slammed my forehead against the floor as I apologized. "I'm sorry. I failed to discipline my sons properly…"

Daphne slowly stepped forward and pretended to help me up. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm the one Nikolai loves, Anthea. Just look at yourself. Don't you think you look like a dog?"

…

The moment I left the courthouse, I hailed a cab and rushed straight to the care facility.

"Quick! The patient is severely hypoxic. Start resuscitation immediately!"

My mother was rushed into the emergency room on a stretcher.

I grabbed a nurse in a panic. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Someone pulled out the patient's oxygen tube. She was deprived of oxygen for too long and is now suffering from cerebral hypoxia. She needs surgery immediately, but the doctors at the care facility were just transferred elsewhere by Mr. Edevane."

My vision swayed, and I nearly collapsed to the floor. "How could this…"

I had no time to think. So, I immediately called Nikolai. "Nikolai, my mother is severely hypoxic and needs surgery. Tell the doctors at the care facility to come back immediately."

"Having someone pull out the oxygen tube earlier was only meant to scare you. Is making up lies like this really entertaining to you? Daphne's cat injured its leg and needs a doctor. Are you seriously jealous of a cat now?"

"I'm serious. My mother's really—"

"Enough!"

The call was disconnected.

Then, he even blocked my number.

I collapsed helplessly onto the floor of the care facility's hallway.

…

A moment later, my mother's corpse was wheeled out of the emergency room.

"I'm sorry. The doctors at the care facility were transferred elsewhere. The remaining staff couldn't resuscitate her. We couldn't save her."

I forced myself to endure the grief and arranged my mother's funeral.

During the funeral, I received another call from Nikolai. "Anthea, Daphne wants to have a wedding with me. Bring over that wedding gown from the house. You know, the one I had made for you."

"Nikolai, that was my wedding gown. You know what it means."

"I just want to make Daphne happy. Once this is over, I'll have completely repaid what I owe her. After that, you can vent your anger however you want. I'll let you do whatever you please."

"What if I don't bring it?"

"Anthea, your mother is getting old. You wouldn't want her to have no peace even while she's receiving treatment, would you?"

I hung up. Then, I went about setting fire to the wedding gown hanging in the master bedroom of our villa—the very clothes that had witnessed Nikolai and my love.

My boys and my mother were both gone. Now, I had nothing left to lose.

I opened the safe and took out the black phone hidden inside. Then, I dialed the only mysterious string of numbers saved in its contacts.

The next second, a familiar yet unfamiliar man's voice came through the line. "Anthea, did someone upset you? Don't worry. I'll clear away everything that stands in your way."