Chapter 4

The call was abruptly disconnected. When I dialed back, no one answered.

My heart sank.

Remembering that my phone was linked to her smartwatch's real-time GPS tracker, I immediately ripped out the IV needle and ran out.

I found Lily near the lake in a park close to the hospital.

A woman was holding her up by her collar, dangling her in the air, screaming:

"Your mother is a psycho! I just got a new hairstyle for work, and she accused me of trying to seduce your father!"

"Firing me wasn't enough; she even withheld my severance pay! Because of that, I couldn't afford my mother's medical bills, and she died right in front of my eyes!"

"She took my family away, so I'm going to throw her daughter into the lake and drown her!"

Lily's face was white with terror, and she couldn't even cry out.

I rushed forward, holding up my phone.

"Put the child down!"

"I've recorded everything on SnapChat. If I hand this to the police, you'll lose much more than just a job!"

In reality, my phone was dead, but I was bluffing.

Fortunately, the woman believed me. Startled by my sudden appearance, she snapped out of her blind rage.

She cursed at me for sticking my nose where it didn't belong, dropped Lily, and fled.

Lily hugged my legs, sobbing hysterically:

"Summer, she pinched me. It hurts so much..."

I rolled up her sleeve, and indeed, there were several bruises on her arm.

After all, she was a child I had raised for years; my heart still softened.

"Lily, how could you run off by yourself? It's so dangerous!"

She wiped her tears, aggrieved.

"I thought you didn't want to be my friend anymore... I didn't think you'd come..."

"But you're still my student, and for now, my stepdaughter. If you're in danger, of course I'll come."

"I remember your mother is on your emergency contact list. Did you call her?"

Lily shook her head and whispered:

"She lied to me. I don't want to call her."

"And I didn't run off. Dad said you were sick and in the hospital, and I wanted to see you. Mom wouldn't let me, but I still wanted to apologize to you."

"Mom's friend works here and brought me a few times. She's the one who told Mom you were pregnant."

"But I didn't know which ward you were in, and then I met that lady. She said she'd take me to find you..."

I instantly caught the key information.

"So, your mother knew I was pregnant all along?"

"Lily, what was the secret you wanted to tell me yesterday? Did you really want to send me that horror doll?"

Before she could answer, a figure rushed over.

Seeing the bruises on Lily's arm, Olivia slapped me hard across the face, sending me crashing to the ground.

"You bitch! Framing my daughter wasn't enough, now you kidnap her and abuse her?!"

"Are you trying to sell her off to make room for your future bastard child? I'll beat you to death!"

My body was incredibly weak, and I was no match for Olivia in her rabid fury.

She clawed and thrashed at me like a madwoman. Lily wailed in terror:

"Mom, stop! Don't hit Summer!"

Seeing blood trickling from my lip, Ethan frowned and pulled Olivia back.

"That's enough! You're terrifying our daughter! Take her to the hospital for a checkup right now!"

Olivia, still unsatisfied, kicked me hard in the stomach.

"Don't you dare touch my daughter again, or I'll end you!"

She scooped Lily up and stormed off.

Ethan initially wanted to help me up, but when he saw the resentful look in Olivia's eyes, he pulled his hand back.

Because of that kick, I felt the incision on my abdomen rip wide open.

Then came an excruciating, bone-shattering pain.

Blood gushed out, soaking my white shirt.

I cried out helplessly:

"Ethan, my surgical wound tore open. Can you please take me to the hospital, too?"

Olivia's eyes instantly flared red as she glared at him.

"I was wearing heels, not carrying a knife! She's just playing victim out of jealousy, using red ink to put on a show! If she's capable of kidnapping a child, what's a little dramatic act to her?!"

"Ethan, don't forget your promise to me. There are still over ten days left of our autumn trip. I've decided we start right now."

"For these ten days, you must only accompany us. If you dare choose her today, I will jump into the lake with Lily right now, so we won't get in your way!"

I weakly rasped:

"I didn't..."

"Enough!"

Ethan looked at me with deep disappointment.

"Summer, when you targeted Lily, did you ever think about how much pain Olivia would go through? Using these tactics out of jealousy is truly disgusting."

"You'd better pray Lily is fine. Stay away from my daughter from now on."

They got into the car. Lily cried and banged on the window, seemingly wanting to get out, but Olivia dragged her back.

The car sped away, leaving me behind.

And I completely lost consciousness...

...

Half an hour later, after an examination, the doctor said Lily was perfectly fine.

Ethan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He recalled the way Olivia had beaten me, and my shirt drenched in crimson.

An inexplicable anxiety gripped his heart.

Was that... really red ink?

The next second, Maria appeared, her face pale as she grabbed his arm in a panic.

"Mr. Carter, thank God you're here."

"Mrs. Carter's post-surgery wound is severely torn, and she's lost too much blood. She's being resuscitated on the fourth floor right now..."