Chapter 4

I clung desperately to Aunt Carol’s sleeve, as if that alone could hold onto the life inside me.

But in my ear, I heard Ryan let out a humorless laugh, looking at me with mockery.

“Samantha Kingston, five years unseen, and you’ve certainly grown bolder. Claiming to be my father’s wife! Have you forgotten, my father is known throughout this city as an infamously private CEO? Not just a woman, not even a female ant can get close to him!”

“Six years ago, a college student spread rumors that she was his girlfriend. The night my father heard about it, that student mysteriously disappeared! Samantha, are you insane, or do you just have a death wish? How dare you spread such lies in my family’s home?”

I was in too much pain to respond.

But Ryan and Jessica took my silence as guilt, their words growing even more venomous.

“Ryan, don’t be angry. I think she still loves you too much, otherwise, she wouldn’t take such risks using Dad as an excuse.”

“But, Sam, I have to remind you. Since you’ve told everyone you’re Dad’s wife, how could Ryan possibly marry you? Wouldn't that be a generational mess? Or are all your elaborate attempts to marry Ryan just for the Carter family fortune?”

“Oh my God! If that’s true, then five years ago, when you risked your life to save Ryan from those thugs… was that all a self-staged act too? How could your schemes run so deep?!”

Jessica shielded her son, the culprit, behind Ryan, her timid demeanor instantly igniting Ryan's fury.

He kicked a dining chair aside, then roughly yanked me up from the floor.

“Samantha Kingston! You truly are a woman of such calculating schemes! I deserved to be blind for wasting so many years on you! Get out of here right now! The mere sight of you makes my eyes hurt!”

I wasn’t careful, and my shirt ripped open.

My exposed lower back pressed against the cold floor.

The scar on my tailbone felt like a lightning strike, merging with the memory of that stormy night five years ago.

Through the pouring rain, I’d screamed at the thug who was beating Ryan.

“Let him go! I’ll go with you!”

I knew they wouldn't truly dare to offend the Kingston family.

My appearance was just a carefully calculated move on their part.

Ryan had struggled, telling me not to intervene.

But I’d stared into the downpour, moving closer to him.

“Ryan, only if you get out of here can I live.”

An unspoken understanding passed between us in that moment.

He was just one person.

Despite my desperate pleas, he still ran off to get help.

As expected, he brought back the feared Arthur Kingston.

That was also the first time I met Arthur.

I’d knelt before him, begging him to give me a chance to be with Ryan.

I don’t remember what he said in response.

I only remember that before I lost consciousness, Ryan held me tightly, overjoyed, and said.

“Dad agreed! We can finally be together openly. I swear, I’ll never betray you in this life.”

At the time, I was weak, my smile forced.

Only then did Ryan realize, belatedly, that my entire tailbone had been shattered by the thug.

However long I lay in the ICU, Ryan knelt outside the operating room.

Back then, Ryan’s act of being madly in love with me had been truly convincing.

So convincing, that I’d given him my entire heart and life.

But the outcome, well, it was exactly as you’d expect.

I didn’t know if he saw the scar on my tailbone, but Ryan was staring blankly at my blood-stained lower back.

Aunt Carol scooped me up, kicked him, and roared, “Get out of my way!” Only then did he regain some awareness, murmuring my name.

I was rushed into the ambulance by Aunt Carol.

Through my blurry vision, I saw Ryan following, his face ashen, saying things I couldn't understand.

“Samantha Kingston, do you have no decency, bullying a three-year-old?!”

“Fine, you don't like Jessica. But I have one condition: you have to treat Leo like your own child!”

“Samantha, just show me a little humility, and I’ll make sure you’re set up for life, you and your mother will never have to worry about food or shelter!”