Chapter 4

Sebastian had me by the wrist in a death grip. I struggled and shouted, "Are you crazy? Let go of me!"

"Drop the act! You're coming to the hospital with me!"

Sebastian wouldn't listen to a word. He dragged me roughly toward the door.

The whole way, Leo in my arms cried until his throat went hoarse. Sebastian didn't care.

He hauled me into Vivian's private room.

Vivian was in the hospital bed. When she saw me come in, she shrank into the covers in terror.

"No, Sebastian, I'm scared—"

I was completely lost when two burly men standing by the bed blocked my path.

"Ms. Joyce, we did what you asked. We delivered the threatening letter to her. Now we got caught by her husband. But that final payment you promised, isn't it time to settle up?"

I was stunned.

"I don't know you people at all..."

Before I could finish, Sebastian shoved his phone screen in my face.

"You don't know them? Then what are these threatening texts and this plan? They broke into Vivian's house and took her out to the middle of nowhere. If I hadn't gone back for my phone, were they going to kill her?"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Sebastian, we've been together all these years. You'd rather believe these strangers and her than me?"

Just as a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, the two men immediately produced transfer records and held them out.

"Mr. Shaw, the transaction records are all here. If someone hadn't hired us, we wouldn't be doing this kind of dirty work!"

I looked up helplessly and met Sebastian's icy gaze.

He lowered his voice at the two men.

"Get out. If you come near Vivian again, I'll have lawyers and the police put you in prison until you rot."

The two men shoved past each other and scurried out of the room.

My feet felt nailed to the floor.

Sebastian turned and walked toward me, his face cold.

"Apologize to Vivian. Now."

I held Leo tight and stared at him, repeating each word with perfect clarity.

"I will not apologize for something I didn't do."

Vivian, pale as paper, tugged at Sebastian's cuff.

"Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Joyce, I never planned to take your family quota..."

She'd fabricated a perfectly reasonable motive, and Sebastian's gaze toward me turned even more disappointed.

My body had gone numb. I could only respond on instinct.

"Sebastian, I wouldn't do something like this over something as small as a visa. This is insane—"

He gritted his teeth, then let out a sudden cold laugh.

"Why wouldn't you? Your mother had mental illness, didn't she? Who's to say you didn't inherit it?"

I froze in place. All the blood drained from my body.

The nightmare I'd spent my whole life refusing to speak of, my darkest trauma, and my most trusted husband had just used it as a knife to stab me through the heart.

A single cold tear slipped from my eye and traced down my cheek.

Only when he saw the deadness in my eyes did Sebastian realize, too late, what he'd said. A flash of panic crossed his face.

"Joyce, I—I just lost my temper—"

I looked at that strange, horrifying face and felt all my strength leave me.

I glanced at Vivian hiding behind him, then back at him. Without a word, I held Leo tight and turned to leave the room.

A moment later, Sebastian's roar came from behind me.

"Joyce! If you don't apologize to Vivian, don't ever come back!"

But my steps didn't stop. Not for a second.

We were never coming back.