02

The sound of impact reverberated through the space as Allora's body tumbled down several flights of stairs, her vulnerable form battered and bruised at every turn. The torment of the fall seemed never-ending, and she could not do anything to stop it.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Allora landed heavily on the hard floor below. The pain was excruciating, and she could feel the warmth of her own blood flowing from a deep wound on her head.

Her body trembled with the shock of the fall, her senses dulled by the intense agony.

Lying amidst the aftermath of violence, Allora fought to stay conscious, but the pain was overwhelming, making her vision blur and her head spin. The world around her seemed to fade into a hazy darkness as her strength waned.

Just as everything began to fade to black, she caught a glimpse of Mason rushing over to the scene. But her hope was crushed as he strode past her, his attention solely fixed on Kylie.

He cradled Kylie in his arms, concern etched on his face, and without a second thought, he carried her away from the bloodied and broken figure lying on the floor.

**

In the hospital…

"Miss, you can't go in there! The patient is still very weak and needs rest."

"I know Allora is in there. You can't stop me!"

Allora heard a commotion and struggled to open her eyes.

Turning her head, she watched as Marina Bryant pushed the nurse away and stomped over to her, glaring ferociously with murderous intent.

"Allora, you vile woman! Kylie's been struggling with recovery. How dare you push her down the stairs! Just you wait and see. Mason won't let you get away with this!"

Allora, still weak, struggled to sit up. "I did not push her; she pushed me!"

Marina sniffed. She did not trust Allora at all. "No one will believe your nonsense! Kylie comes from a rich family. Why would she hurt a lowly country girl like you? You are just jealous because my brother loves her!"

Allora, unable to defend herself, searched desperately for clues that could prove her innocence.

As Mason entered the room, the air seemed to grow heavier with tension. Allora's eyes flickered with a glimmer of hope as she looked up at him, as though he was her last chance at salvation, the only one who could understand the truth amidst the chaos.

"Mason, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling, "I did not hurt Kylie. You have to believe me!"

But Mason's gaze remained cold and distant, his face etched with a mixture of anger and doubt. His voice, when he finally spoke, carried a strain that Allora had never heard before. "Allora, that's enough. I do not want to hear your excuses. Wrongdoings deserve to be punished."

Allora's heart sank like a stone. She had never imagined she would be in a situation like this, accused of something so heinous, a pawn in a cruel game orchestrated by someone else.

Tears welled up in Allora's eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "I swear, Mason, I did not do anything. Kylie's fall, it was not my doing. You have to believe me."

But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Mason's resolve remained unyielding. "Kylie's kidney was seriously damaged by the fall, and yours is the only match," he stated, his voice carrying a weight of inevitability.

Allora's mind reeled at the revelation, the cruel twist of fate that had thrown her into this nightmarish situation. She had never expected her love and her life to be manipulated in such a way.

The realization that Kylie's life now depended on her kidney left her feeling trapped and cornered.

"Why are you doing this? How can you believe her over me?" Allora's voice wavered with both hurt and confusion.

"Yes!" Marina shouted. "You damaged Kylie's kidney, so you should compensate her with one of yours!"

Allora's heart pounded fiercely in her chest, the rush of adrenaline surging through her veins, as Marina's accusation hit her like a lightning bolt. The audacity of the claim left her speechless, her mind racing to comprehend the level of deception and manipulation at play.

"I-I did not do anything!" Allora stammered, her voice tinged with shock and fear. "You can't seriously believe this!"

But Mason stood silent. Allora's desperate plea fell on deaf ears, drowned out by the chaos and the desperation that now filled the room.

With a wicked gleam in her eyes, Marina's voice grew harsh and commanding. "Take her to the operating room! If she's innocent, the tests will prove it. But if she's guilty, she'll have to face the consequences."

The bodyguards moved swiftly, surrounding Allora with an iron grip, holding her hands and feet, restricting any chance of escape. Panic surged through Allora as she struggled against their hold, her mind racing for a way out of this nightmare.

"You can't do this! This is madness!" Allora cried, her voice desperate and laced with the sheer terror of the situation. "Please, Mason, you know me! You know I would never harm anyone."

But Mason remained torn, unsure of whom to believe or whom to trust. The woman before him, pleading for her life, seemed like a stranger caught in a web of deception.

"You have no right to do this!" But no matter how much Allora yelled, they did not let go of her.

Panicking, she turned to her husband. "Mason!"

Allora hoped that her husband would do something, but Mason just stood there indifferently, as though he approved of Marina's actions.

Allora was utterly hopeless.

Any love she still had for Mason died.

That was it. Their marriage had been a one-woman show from beginning to end. Clearly, there was no love for Allora in Mason's heart.

He would believe anything Kylie said, while refusing to believe Allora.

Allora wouldn't rely on him anymore.

"Fine! You all want me to give her my kidney? Well, I'd like to see how badly Kylie is hurt!"

Allora's vision was blurred by tears of frustration and betrayal, but she refused to back down. She had to see the truth for herself.

With her adrenaline-fueled burst of energy, Allora managed to break free from the grip of the bodyguards, who were momentarily caught off guard by her sudden determination. She rushed toward the operating room, her mind swirling with questions and suspicions.

She forced her way past the medical personnel, ignoring their protests, her gaze locked on the figure lying on the operating table. It was Kylie, just as Mason had claimed, but something did not add up. Kylie was awake, her eyes wide with surprise at Allora's unexpected entrance.

"You are awake?" Allora spat, her voice dripping with anger. "And you do not seem to be dying, as Mason said!"

Kylie's expression faltered for a moment, and a flicker of guilt flashed across her face before she quickly composed herself. "Allora, I... I did not want things to go this far," she stammered, attempting to play the victim.

Just then, Mason stormed into the operating room, his face a mix of confusion and anger. He had witnessed Allora's unexpected outburst, and the truth seemed to dawn on him.

Allora's anger surged even more, the betrayal cutting deep. "You orchestrated all of this, did not you? Accusing me of hurting you to get my kidney! How could you be so heartless?"

Allora turned around and sneered at Mason, who followed her. "Is this the serious injury you were talking about?"

Mason looked past Allora into the operating room and frowned.

"Mason, why is she here? I am so scared..." Kylie whimpered, her eyes brimming with tears.

Mason did not have time to think too much about it. Reaching out to stop Allora, he said, "Allora, enough."

But Allora did not want to hear anything Mason had to say. She walked passed him, approached the operating table and slapped Kylie hard.

SLAP!

The crisp sound echoed through the room.

Kylie's face instantly turned red and began to swell. Before Kylie could react, Allora ripped off Kylie's surgical uniform.

There was no wound at all, just a few bruises.

Mason glowered.

Allora had already guessed that even though Kylie wanted to fake an injury, she wouldn't actually hurt herself too badly. Kylie had also landed on Allora, meaning it would have been impossible for her to be seriously injured from the fall.

"What the hell is going on?" Mason asked coldly.

He was not stupid; he could tell that something was wrong with Kylie's injury.

The remaining color drained from Kylie's face, and in a panicked voice, she tried to explain. "I... I do not know either. I have been in a coma ever since Allora pushed me down the stairs. I just woke up. What kidney? The doctor must have made a mistake!"

"Wow, what a convenient mistake! If I hadn't exposed your trick just now, I would have lost a kidney!" Allora glared at Kylie.

"Nonsense!" Kylie looked at Mason. "Do not trust her, Mason! It was Allora who pushed me!"

Mason's intense gaze bore into Kylie like a piercing flame, causing her to tremble under the weight of his anger. His sudden display of fury was enough to send shivers down her spine, and the realization of the grave mistake she had made filled her with regret.

But as he turned to face Allora, his eyes softened, a glimmer of regret and remorse evident in them. "I will find out the truth and give you an explanation. You will be compensated with whatever you want," he promised, his voice filled with urgency.

However, the once passionate love Allora had felt for Mason now felt like a distant memory, replaced by a numbness that seemed to engulf her entirely. She had grown weary of the endless cycle of disappointment and hurt, the empty promises that never materialized into actions.

The weight of Mason's words now fell flat on her heart, the assurance of compensation meaning nothing to her shattered soul. The pain of betrayal ran deep, leaving scars that no amount of material offerings could ever heal.

"No need," Allora muttered bitterly, her voice laced with resignation. "What I want is to divorce you!"