Chapter 4

I stared at that row of bottles.

Vodka, whiskey, hard liquor, a whole table of them.

I closed my eyes, reached for the vodka on the table, and poured it down my throat.

The cold liquor ran from the corner of my mouth, and my stomach burned like it was on fire.

Someone nearby whistled.

"You don't waste any time."

I drank one bottle after another, my stomach twisting in pain.

By the time I reached the last bottle, my vision kept going black.

Suddenly a sweet, metallic taste rose in my throat.

I doubled over, and blood spurted from the corner of my mouth.

The men were startled and traded glances.

"All right, all right, you drank it, so we'll let it go."

They hurried out the door and left.

When I came to, I was already in the hospital.

The doctor said I had a stomach hemorrhage, and if I'd been brought in any later I wouldn't have made it.

I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, blank for a while.

Then I picked up my phone and deleted the girl's number, along with Lambert's and Denise's.

There was a stir at the doorway.

Denise walked in, looked at me, her face full of surprise.

"Miss Fox, I was just passing by and thought it looked like you. I came in, and it really is you."

I stared at her coldly and said nothing.

Lambert came in behind her, frowning.

"You skipped meals again?"

He turned, mixed a cup of stomach medicine, then took a hot water bottle and pressed it into my hands.

"We're divorced, but after all these years, take good care of yourself. Don't be so stubborn."

"You don't have any friends in this city. If anything comes up, you can call me."

Denise narrowed her eyes, a flicker of cold in them, and stepped forward to take his arm.

"Lambert, let's go. Our prenatal appointment is almost here."

The day I was discharged and went home, my dad called to say he'd already reached the Capital.

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep well.

In the middle of the night a burning smell choked me awake. I opened my eyes groggily and saw thick smoke seeping in through the crack in the door.

Startled, I bolted upright.

The moment I opened the door, the beam above it came crashing down, and the fire blocked my way out.

Rolling black smoke poured in, stinging my eyes, and my mind began to slip away.

Suddenly a figure charged in.

"Doris!"

When I came back to myself, I finally saw who it was.

It was my dad.

My throat felt like it had razor blades in it, I couldn't speak, and tears poured down my face.

"Dad…"

"Don't talk. We're getting you checked at the hospital first."

When we got to the hospital, my mom was already waiting in the hallway.

The moment she saw me, her tears fell.

After the exam, the doctor said there was nothing serious, just some smoke inhalation.

My parents held my hands, one on each side, and neither would let go.

My eyes were red.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry for making you worry."

My mom held me and wiped away her tears.

"Silly girl, as long as you're okay, that's all your parents need."

The tears I'd held back for so many days finally spilled out.

"Mom, Dad, I want to go home."

"Okay. Let's go home."

After a long while, I wiped the tears from my face.

"This fire was no accident. I'll get to the bottom of it, and I'll make them pay!"

My dad's face went grim.

"You mean Lambert set this fire?"

I looked out the window.

"No matter who it was, I won't go easy again."

Two weeks later, I had my lawyer file the suit.

And at that very moment, Lambert was standing at the floor-to-ceiling window of his big penthouse.

He'd had a few drinks, his arm around Denise's waist, gazing out at the whole city's lights below, riding high.

"The company's going public soon. I'll take you to ring the bell. Once we IPO, we'll grow it bigger and stronger."

"That twenty-million-dollar jewelry set you've had your eye on? I'll buy it for you right now."

Denise leaned against his chest, her voice sweet.

"Honey, I'm so lucky to have you."

At three in the morning, his phone rang.

The assistant's voice was pitched high with panic.

"Mr. Barnes, we have a problem! The IPO's been abruptly halted!"

Lambert froze.

"What?"

The assistant explained quickly.

"Miss Fox has sued you and the company! She's demanding two hundred million in compensation!"

Denise woke at the noise and was about to say something when her face suddenly went white. She clutched her stomach and screamed.

"Honey, the baby's coming!"