Chapter 5

At that moment, everyone looked shocked, and I froze too.

With a servant supporting me, I went upstairs to rest. Suddenly, the door was pushed open.

Cora had changed into a clean dress and walked toward me in eight-centimeter heels. She suddenly shoved me and sneered.

"Gyna, I can't believe you're pregnant again. That bastard in your belly really refuses to die. If I'd known, I should have had them fire a few more bullets that day. I should have made sure your uterus was damaged so you'd never be able to get pregnant again."

My whole body froze. My voice came out hoarse, "Was that kidnapping years ago your doing?"

She folded her arms, looking pleased with herself.

"Of course it was. So what? I failed to kill you and even let you live this long. I was far too merciful."

Anger burned inside me. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.

She leaned close to my ear and whispered.

"Oh, and Dad agreed to it too. After all, the Sutton family’s fortune would only be mine if you were dead."

"Grandpa was dying, yet he still wanted to leave everything to you, a daughter who had just returned home. So Dad and I killed him ourselves.”

“He died so miserably, and his granddaughter couldn't even make it back in time to see him one last time. Oh, anyway, didn't Callan take you out for a meal that day? I arranged it. I made sure you wouldn't be there when that old bastard died."

Her words stabbed straight through my heart.

I thought of how I had missed Grandpa's final moments. I thought of how Callan had unexpectedly canceled his work that day just to take me out to dinner.

Tears blurred my vision.

I shouted at Cora in anger, "Why would you do this?"

Cora took a step back and laughed like a madwoman.

"Because everything in the Sutton family belongs to me, including Callan. You bitch should have died."

"Oh, and I already had someone dig up that old man's ashes. Maybe I should just throw them in the trash. What do you think?"

Without hesitation, I slapped her hard across the face.

"Cora, you deserve to die!"

She looked at me without a trace of anger. She forced out a single tear, then suddenly dropped to her knees and pulled out a dagger.

A cruel smile spread across her lips.

"You've been pretending not to care lately, but you still refuse to let him go. So how about I end this for you? After all, Callan and the Hawthorne family would never let a murderer stay in their family."

Before I could stop her, she suddenly drove the dagger into the side of her chest and screamed, "Help me!"

The door was kicked open, and Callan rushed inside in a panic. His eyes were red with rage as he shoved me aside.

I crashed into the corner of the table behind me. The vase fell and shattered, and a shard cut into my calf.

"Gyna, she came here to see you out of kindness, and you tried to kill her? You're a heartless lunatic," he roared at me.

I wanted to explain, but the words caught in my throat.

Callan would never believe me. There was no point in saying anything. The truth would speak for itself.

Ignoring my bleeding leg, I limped away as quickly as I could. I had to find Grandpa's ashes.

The moment I stepped out of the Hawthorne family estate, an SUV suddenly came speeding straight at me.

It hit me with such force that I was thrown several feet away. Blood stained my white dress, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Two men stepped out of the SUV. I recognized them as two of Callan's cousins.

I used the last of my strength to whisper, "Help me..."

They looked down at me with disgust and kicked me hard.

"Looks like she's going to die anyway. Let's go back and tell Cora what we did."

"Now that she's dead, Cora will become the daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne family. She'll give us plenty of money!"

Their cold voices faded as they walked away.

My whole body was in excruciating pain. I dragged myself forward inch by inch and desperately tapped my emergency contact.

With all the strength I had left, I cried out, "Callan, I was hit by a car. Please save me..."

The moment he heard me, his voice turned urgent.

"Where are you? I'm coming right now."

But before I could force out another word, his voice suddenly turned cold and annoyed.

"Gyna, you already drove Cora into the emergency room. And now you're lying to me to get me away from her? You disgust me."

He hung up without hesitation.

I coughed up more blood as a sharp pain tore through my abdomen. Then I felt a warm flow beneath me.

Callan, I wasn't lying to you.

My vision blurred. Memories from the past flashed through my mind like a movie.

It hurt so much...

Then I suddenly heard the butler's panicked voice beside me.

"Mrs. Hawthorne!"

When I regained consciousness, I heard the machines beeping inside the emergency room. The doctors' urgent voices rang out.

"Quick! Get the defibrillator. Her heart rate is dropping."

"She's losing too much blood. Go get her family. Hurry!"

"Ms. Sutton, open your eyes. Don't fall asleep!"

A nurse rushed into the operating room, sweat covering her forehead.

"Her husband said she should stop pretending. If it weren't for her, Cora wouldn't be in this condition. If she wants to put on an act, she can do it alone."

"What about her parents?"

"They didn't answer."

A wave of excruciating pain tore through my body. Suddenly, countless voices echoed in my mind.

"Gyna, I'll love you for the rest of my life."

"Gyna, enough! Is it really that hard to give in just once?"

"You bitch, you deserve to die! If it weren't for you, Callan and I would have been married long ago."

"Gyna, Grandpa regrets all the years I lost with you. But blood ties could never make me forget you. Everything in the Sutton family belongs to you. You have to take good care of it..."

…

Was I going to die?

No. My fingers trembled as I forced myself to speak, "Don't contact my family. I'll sign it myself!"

With every bit of strength I had left, I signed my name.

I wouldn't die.

I hated Callan, and I hated Cora even more.

So I had to survive and take back everything that belonged to me. More importantly, I had to live long enough to make them pay for everything they had done.

After I survived the emergency surgery, I learned that Grandpa's ashes had been scattered and were now gone forever. I sank to my knees in front of his empty grave.

"Grandpa, I swear I'll make them pay!"

Then I changed my ticket to the earliest flight and had my lawyer file a lawsuit against them.

Before boarding, I received a message from my lawyer.

[Ms. Sutton, Mr. Vane expedited your divorce certificate for you. He also helped transfer all of the Sutton family's assets to Ashford. I'll stay in Belmont and do everything I can to sue them. Congratulations on your new beginning.]

I walked forward with a relieved smile.

From now on, a living hell awaited them, while I was heading toward a new life.