Chapter 3

Panicked, I immediately called the department head at the hospital.

"I used to respect you," the voice on the other end said coldly. "I had no idea even your research papers were fabricated. If Mr. Horne hadn't brought the evidence of your misconduct to us, we would have been completely fooled."

Dustin Horne...

Rage shot through me like wildfire. Ignoring my parents' shouts, I bolted straight back to the hospital.

Inside the room, Dustin was softly lulling Hattie to sleep. I flung the door open so hard that the baby in the bassinet burst into tears.

"Dustin Horne, how dare you sabotage me with false reports?" I yelled. "Being a doctor and saving lives has always been my dream! You know how hard I worked to get that position!"

He instinctively cupped his hands over Hattie's ears and gave me an annoyed glare. "Belithburg Hospital only had one open position this year, and Hattie wanted it to boost her resume. It's a good experience for her."

My furious confrontation clearly meant nothing to him. It was like a breeze blowing past.

I choked on my rage, clutching his sleeve tightly. "You're going to clear my name with the board right now, or I swear I'll sue you for slander!"

"Go ahead and try," he replied, a calm, mocking smile touching his lips. "I guarantee you that not a single lawyer in Vynibay will touch your case. Besides, it's not like we need the money. You don't even need to work. Just stay home and take care of the baby."

I stared at him in shock, tears spilling over. "I will hate you for the rest of my life..."

Catching the sorrow in my eyes, he softened and reached out to wipe my tears. Before his fingers could touch my face, Hattie swung her legs out of bed and limped over.

"Dustin, let me talk to her."

She wrapped an arm around mine, digging her fingernails deep into my flesh, and whispered in my ear, "Your parents, your best friend, your husband, and even your career... They're all mine now.

"Do you really think it was an accident when that patient filed a complaint against you and got you fired back then?

"Dustin orchestrated the whole thing just to keep you away from the hospital so you wouldn't bump into me during my prenatal checkups. Just give up. You'll never beat me."

"Shut your mouth!" I raised my hand to slap her, but my wrist was caught in a vice grip.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Dustin gritted his teeth, his voice laced with venom.

He pulled Hattie behind him and glared at me. "Get out!"

I lifted my chin and wiped away my tears. "I'm going to show you that I don't back down from anything."

I went straight home, pulled out my laptop, and compiled every piece of evidence of Dustin and Hattie's affair, along with all their intimate photos, into a 128-slide presentation deck.

Then I dumped the entire file right into the comment section of her social media page.

The post blew up instantly, going viral across the internet.

Reporters started flooding my inbox with direct messages, asking if I was open for an exclusive interview. Before I could reply, Dustin barged into the house, consumed by fury.

He grabbed me by the collar, almost hauling me off my feet.

"Are you trying to ruin Hattie? The hospital is crawling with reporters right now! You're coming with me right this second to clear things up and apologize!"

"Why should I apologize?"

I fought frantically to break free from his grip, but he held on tighter.

His face darkened terrifyingly. "If you don't come, I'll make sure there isn't a single doctor in the room to deliver your baby when you go into labor."

I stared at him in disbelief, a stabbing pain tearing through my chest. To protect Hattie, he was using my life and our unborn child's life to threaten me.

I bit my lip until I tasted rust. "Fine. I'll go."

...

At the hospital, a horde of reporters surrounded us, cameras flashing non-stop.

Hattie cowered in Dustin's arms like a frightened hare. I took the microphone with a sneer and spoke clearly into it, word by word.

"What makes you think I'd ever show mercy to an ungrateful snake? The rumors are all true. Hattie Shields is a home-wrecker. Years ago, I brought her out of the slum and paid her tuition. In return, she crawled into my husband's bed and birthed his illegitimate child."

The crowd erupted into hushed gasps.

Hattie's eyes instantly welled up with tears. "Lily, I stayed silent while you constantly harassed my husband. I even let it go when you drugged him, climbed into his bed, and got pregnant with his child! What else do you want from me?"

With those words, she pulled a booklet out from her coat. It was a marriage certificate bearing their names.

"I am Dustin's lawful wife!" she declared.