Chapter 4

I let out a cold laugh as I thought, "Colin, you're really something else, aren't you? Are you just waiting for me to die so you can hand over my kidney to your precious Olivia?"

It was hours before Colin finally showed up in my hospital room. He stood there, looking like he had every right to demand this, saying, "Oh, you're awake? Good. Get some rest, but not too much—Olivia needs your kidney as soon as you're ready."

I sneered, refusing to hold back my fury. "Absolutely not! There's no way I'm giving my kidney to that murderer! I'd rather die first. I never want to see her again!"

"Norah—" Colin started to lash out at me, but his words faltered when he noticed Olivia running away in tears. Without a second thought, he bolted after her.

"Disgusting! What a shameless pair!" I spat bitterly, hatred twisting in my gut.

I hated myself for not seeing Colin's true colors earlier. Because of that blind trust, my baby—my three-year-old child—was gone forever.

The crushing grief of losing Joey consumed me, and I sank into despair. Not long after, Olivia left a letter, claiming Joey's death was all her fault. She wrote that she could not bear to cause me more pain and was going to find Joey, asking Colin not to look for her.

Colin read the letter and snapped, shoving me into a cave deep within the wilderness of the nature reserve. He growled, "You evil woman! This is all your fault! If it weren't for you, Olivia would have never disappeared!

"There are wild animals everywhere—how do you expect her to survive? You can rot here and atone for your sins!"

I could not shake the memory of that day—the day Colin sealed me away in that cold, dark cave. I still could not comprehend how someone could become so heartless.

He did not care about his own wife or his child. Even in death, they meant nothing to him.

Now Colin looked like a wreck, his eyes bloodshot and sunken from days without sleep. He was clearly deeply, obsessively in love with Olivia, more than I had ever realized.

"Mr. Shaw, it's been five days!" Kyle's voice was filled with concern as he spoke to Colin. "Mrs. Shaw is barely holding on!"

Colin was unfazed. His bloodshot eyes glared at Kyle as he growled, "If she can't hold on, then Olivia definitely can't hold on! Has Norah confessed yet?"

Kyle lowered his head, saying nothing. Then, Colin ordered coldly, "Let her keep reflecting on her mistakes."

Suddenly, a loud, cheerful voice broke through the tense atmosphere. "Hey, Colin! Look who's here to bring you a surprise!"

It was Michael Clarke, Colin's childhood friend.

Colin sighed, looking defeated. "A surprise? There's no such thing right now, Michael."

Michael grinned, dramatically throwing his arms open. "Oh, come on! Of course, there is! You're gonna love this one!"