Chapter 4

The child was my last hope. For him, I would give up everything.

Without a moment's hesitation, I dropped to my knees. The uneven stones bit into them.

Bernice laughed a few times and rose to her feet.

She swayed, unsteady.

Gavin was there in an instant, catching her before she could fall.

His sharp gaze cut down to me where I knelt.

"Don't try that act on me. Bernice is willing to put the past behind her and take you in. You should be grateful."

With that, he lifted Bernice into his arms and carried her past me, away.

I reached out to pull Zack into my arms.

"Zack, let's go," Gavin said.

The child threw me one timid glance, then let himself be tugged off toward them.

The night wind was cold, beating against me again and again.

But I didn't regret it. I could almost see it, not far off now, the two of us living together, me watching Zack grow up.

A mother finds her strength. With him in the world, I was willing to lay down everything I'd been and start over.

The whole night dragged past, and my strength slowly drained away.

At the point of complete exhaustion, I saw a bright, polished crowd in the courtyard.

The media had come to the house to interview Gavin, greeting him warmly as an outstanding entrepreneur who balanced family and career.

Bernice, in an evening gown with her arm through his, was hailed as the most devoted lady of the house.

Even four-year-old Zack was dressed in a fine little suit, held by the hand between them, the picture of a perfect family.

At one point, Zack looked over at me.

I forced my face into a smile.

But I was too wretched now. The sight of me was frightening.

"Waaah——"

Zack suddenly burst into tears.

My heart skipped a beat. Ignoring the piercing ache of kneeling all night, I forced myself up and moved toward him.

But Zack shrieked and snatched up a stone, hurling it at me.

"Madwoman! Don't come near me! Get away!"

The stones landed on me one after another, scraping my skin, and still it hurt less than half of what was in my chest.

The next second the camera flashes wouldn't stop, and the voices poured in from every side.

"Why is there suddenly a madwoman here?"

"Could she really be the child's birth mother?"

The voices only worked Zack up further.

"No! She's just a crazy person, a ghost!"

"Aunt Bernice is my mom. I only have one mom!"

Every word landed like ice water, dropping my heart to zero.

The whole night's endurance, the obsession, all of it turned into a joke.

The scene was slipping out of control, and Gavin explained, calm as ever.

"Children don't lie. She's only a madwoman we took in out of kindness."

His parents hurried out to back him up too.

"As you can all see, she has mental problems. We're sorry for the trouble she's caused everyone."

The whole group worked together, steering the reporters off elsewhere.

Even Zack only gave me one timid look, then ran back toward them without turning his head.

The rain came down harder and harder, as if grieving for me.

It struck me all at once. In my world, there was only me.

From the distance came more admiring voices.

"Mr. Vance isn't just successful, he's so kindhearted too."

I couldn't take any more. I rushed at them, heedless.

I yanked up my sleeves and showed the marks left all over me from being bound again and again, from the drug injections.

I screamed at the media.

"I'm Gavin Vance's wife. These people conspired together and locked me in a psychiatric hospital for three whole years!"

But I couldn't prove I wasn't insane.

In my daze, I heard my ten-years-older self say one thing again.

And when I heard it clearly, I let go of everything at last.

I even laughed out loud.

"Want to know the truth? I'll prove it to you."

With that, I didn't wait for their answer.

I ran outside the mansion, the sheer cliff at my back.

And threw myself off without hesitation.