Chapter 5

I opened my mouth and reached for the papers, ready to tear them up.

But the next second, Susie waved a hand, and two bodyguards barged into the ER. I leaped up to stop them.

The ER door had already slammed shut.

I screamed for my mother through the glass. She lay inside, barely alive.

The bodyguards already had a syringe ready.

I screamed until my voice cracked. "Don't! Get away from her! Don't touch her! Stop!"

At last, I grabbed Susie and begged, "I'll sign! I'll sign!"

I scrawled my name across the divorce papers.

Susie looked over the signed papers, satisfied. Inside the ER, the bodyguards waited for her order.

She smiled. "I said I'd consider it. Well, I've considered it. I don't want you to have anyone left."

Then she gave the bodyguards a look.

They plunged the needle straight into my mother's heart. My eyes widened, and all the blood drained from my face.

I screamed as the heart monitor flatlined.

The bodyguards walked out the moment it was done. I grabbed Susie by the shoulders and shook her with all my strength. "I signed! Why did you still do it?!"

I lost control and slapped her across the face.

Susie fell to the floor without fighting back. I dragged her up, slapped her again, and wrapped my hands around her throat.

"Then you can die too!" I said through gritted teeth.

Susie's face blanched, and her neck reddened under my grip.

Yet she smiled, cold and knowing, as though she had planned it all.

The pain in my stomach drained the strength from my hands. Even so, I pinned her to the floor and used everything I had left to make her pay.

Then a powerful grip clamped down on my shoulders.

Before I could see who it was, I was hurled to the floor. My back slammed against the floor, and the pain was so sharp that I couldn't open my eyes.

Blood pooled between my legs. I gritted my teeth and forced my eyes open.

Charles was helping Susie to her feet, his face twisted with rage. "What are you doing?! Serena, why won't you stop going after Susie?"

"Your mother is lying right in there, and you still can't stop?!"

Susie looked hurt. She leaned into Charles and whimpered, "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have come to check on her mom."

"Serena already hates me. I just wanted to show I cared."

"I never thought she'd do this."

I lay on the floor, blood running from my mouth.

Watching Susie's act made me sick.

Charles only grew angrier. "I should've known you were this vicious! Nothing's ever good enough for you!"

After he finished yelling, he left with Susie.

My nails dug into my palms, and my whole body shook with pain.

Now I truly had nothing left. They'd started all of this. It was all their fault.

They'd killed my parents.

I watched them walk away, and all I felt was hatred.

My assistant arrived just then. When he saw the state I was in, he lowered his gaze. At last, he held out the files.

"Here's what you asked for, Donna."

I clenched my jaw and gripped the files until my knuckles turned white.

After arranging my parents' funerals, I left for Maine. During all that time, Charles sent exactly one text.

"Take some time to cool off. Once Susie has the baby, I'll move back in."

After I read it, I blocked his number.

Then I carefully reviewed the records of his crimes. They covered everything from money laundering to every illegal business he ran, with a complete paper trail from start to finish.

Before I reached Maine, I compiled the evidence of everything Charles had done over the past few years.

I handed the most sensitive files to his rivals.

I also turned the evidence I'd gathered over to the anti-mafia task force.

Once I'd sent everything, I turned off my phone.

I left the city for good. Whatever had been between us ended there.

But his troubles were just beginning.