Chapter 4

Bella Hayes POV

At the dinner in the villa’s east hall, the seats were filled with relatives from the Foster family.

Grace Carter sat beside “Eric Foster,” every bit like the lady of the Foster family, as the elders surrounded her with concern and questions.

One drunken older relative patted “Eric Foster” on the shoulder and sighed. “Eric, your brother is gone, and Bella Hayes is pitiful too. In the future, if she needs to be sent away, just send her away. Don’t let a widow like her wail at home every day. It’s bad for the family!”

“Eric Foster’s” hand tightened abruptly around his wineglass.

Grace Carter immediately tried to smooth things over with reddened eyes. “Please don’t say that. Bella Hayes just loved Evan too much.”

“Love or not, she can’t keep trying to kill herself every day! She’s completely disgraced the Foster family!”

“The Foster family’s dignity?”

I, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly stood. My cool voice instantly cut through the noise in the room.

My gaze was like a blade as it pierced straight toward “Eric Foster.” “You stripped my room bare, took all my phones, and posted guards to lock me up like a prisoner. Tell me, Eric—was all that for the Fosters’ precious reputation?”

The entire room fell deathly silent.

Anna Clark’s expression changed drastically. “Bella Hayes, what nonsense are you saying?!”

“Eric Foster” shot to his feet, his eyes panicked yet cold. “Bella Hayes, you’ve had too much to drink. I’ll take you back to your room.”

“Don’t touch me!” I violently flung off his hand.

I pulled a document from my bag and threw it directly onto the center of the table. “Since all the elders are here today, I’ll make myself clear. I’ve already entrusted a lawyer to conduct a full investigation and freeze all marital assets under Evan Foster’s name! If Foster Group has any documents that require my signature, contact my lawyer directly. Don’t let ‘Eric Foster’ bring them in front of me and disgust me again!”

Everyone in the room sucked in a sharp breath.

“Bella Hayes! Are you insane? Your husband is barely cold in the grave, and you’re already thinking about fighting over the family fortune?!”

Grace Carter’s tears instantly burst free. Clutching her stomach, she collapsed crying into “Eric Foster’s” arms. “Bella Hayes, do you blame me? If you think the baby and I are in your way, I’ll leave right now. I would never fight you for your money...”

I looked down at her nauseating display from above and let out a cold laugh. “Don’t bother going. If you’re so fond of hand-me-down garbage other people cast aside, you’re welcome to cling to it.”

“Bella Hayes! Are you done making a scene?!” “Eric Foster” erupted in rage, the veins on his forehead throbbing.

I looked at the face I had once loved so deeply. There was no warmth left in my eyes.

“Evan Foster, I’ve already died for you eight times. From now on, whether the Foster family lives or dies has nothing to do with me.”

The moment those words came out, the hall instantly plunged into deathly silence!

What had she called him?! Evan Foster?!

“Eric Foster’s” face turned as white as paper in an instant, his pupils contracting violently. He instinctively tried to pull me back, but I avoided him without mercy.

I didn’t spare him another glance. I turned and strode out of the brightly lit hall.

Outside, Ethan Cole’s car was already waiting in the wind and snow.

I opened the car door and left behind all of the Foster family’s hypocrisy, schemes, and that sickening so-called devotion forever.