Chapter 4

"You like pretending so much, don't you? Then I'll give you plenty to pretend about today!" With that, Fiona scooped up the ashes mixed with dirt from the ground and moved to stuff them into my mouth.

My scalp prickled as if an electric current had shot through me.

I kicked wildly with both feet.

I completely lost control and screamed at the top of my lungs, "Fiona! Just kill me! Kill me right now! I want to go be with my Xalia! I don't want you anymore! I don't want any of you anymore!"

For some reason, Fiona's hand froze in midair.

Perhaps she remembered how, many years ago, she had held my hand and sworn that she would give me the greatest happiness in the world.

But now, I was struggling beneath her hands, desperately begging for death.

"Wait, Fiona!"

Janet had stepped aside to make a call and find out what was happening. Now she hurried back toward us.

"Xalia might really be in trouble! I just called the hospital to confirm. William took Xalia out of the hospital 36 hours ago!"

Fiona's palm, still covered in dirt and ashes, struck me hard across the face. "William! You bastard! Where did you hide our daughter?! Just because you want to compete with Tyler for attention, you'll stoop this low?!"

As she cursed me, Fiona repeatedly kicked my frail body with her heavy leather shoes.

My left arm had just been broken and was badly swollen, so I couldn't even curl up to protect myself.

I swallowed the blood in my mouth and screamed the truth I had never wanted to tell them, "Xalia is dead! She's been dead for a long time! She was already dead while the two of you were playing prince and princess with Tyler at Dreamhaven.!

"One of you is her mother, and the other is her aunt. How could it take you this long to find out?!"

Janet, Xalia's primary doctor, refused to believe me. She lashed out with her leather whip and struck my battered body again and again.

"You lunatic! Are you really trying to kill your own child?! Tell me! Where did you hide Xalia?! Where did you hide her?!" she demanded.

"Xalia is my daughter! Where she is has nothing to do with either of you!"

I don't know how much time passed. Eventually, both women stopped and stood there, breathing heavily.

My entire body was covered in wounds, yet I could barely feel the pain anymore. I simply lay on the ground and inched my way toward Xalia's urn.

I felt as if I were dying. If I died, I would finally be able to see my daughter again.

"Janet, what do we do? William seems to have completely lost his mind! He refuses to tell us where Xalia is! What if he really did kill Xalia?" Fiona asked.

Janet frowned deeply and let out a troubled sigh. "I don't know what to do either. If I'd known this would happen, I never would have introduced the two of you!"

Even Janet, who had never shown Xalia any affection, could only sigh helplessly.

Only Tyler remained silent. He stood there and looked down at me as I crawled across the ground.

With an earnest expression, he offered a cruel suggestion. "Janet, Fiona, I think William is trying to use Xalia's whereabouts to control you.

"Why don't we tie him to the back of a sports car and make him run? It'll clear his head. Once he can't run anymore, he'll naturally tell you."

Fiona and Janet exchanged a glance, then nodded to each other.

Soon, several men in black tied me to the back of a sports car with a thick rope.

Fiona crouched beside me and brushed the loose strands of hair away from my forehead. "William, you'd better think this through. Once the car starts moving, you could die!"

My face was ashen, but I said nothing.

Fiona sighed. "Fine. Start the car. The moment he tells us the truth, stop."

Just as the engine was about to start, an old, gentle voice rang out from nearby. "Stop! I want to see which one of you dares lay a hand on my grandson!"