Chapter 5
I returned to the apartment we shared, packed my things, and moved back to my mom's old apartment.
Walking in, my mom was sitting on the sofa, wearing her reading glasses, happily cutting out wedding decorations.
Seeing me return with my suitcase, she froze.
"Anya, what's wrong? Did you fight with Ethan?"
My mom quickly put down her scissors and, taking my hand, tried to comfort me.
"You're getting married soon. Ethan is such a good boy. Back then, when you went through such a terrible thing, if it weren't for him..."
Hearing about that incident, my heart clenched, stinging like needles.
After my incident, my mom couldn't bear the shock and suffered a sudden, severe heart attack, barely surviving after three days and nights in critical condition.
Since then, doctors said she absolutely couldn't endure any more stress.
That's why for these three years, I had always been so compliant with Ethan, humble to my very core.
I suppressed my tears and forced a smile.
"It's nothing, Mom. Just some pre-wedding jitters. I'm coming home for a few days."
As soon as I settled in, Ethan's call came through.
"Anya Hayes, are you done with your drama? I've provided for you all these years, what more could you want?"
I trembled with anger, but he just scoffed and continued.
"Don't forget, Dr. Adams, the lead surgeon for your mom's heart bypass surgery next week, was arranged through my father's connections."
"I advise you to face reality, come back, and apologize to Chloe and me. Then we can put this behind us."
"You're the ones who are wrong, why should I apologize?"
I hung up on him abruptly.
To prevent my mom from seeing anything amiss, I went out as usual the next day to take organizing jobs.
But halfway through work, my phone started ringing wildly. It was an emergency call from the hospital.
"Is this Ms. Anya Hayes? Your mother suddenly collapsed from a heart attack and is currently in critical condition. Please come immediately!"
I rushed to the hospital like crazy. As soon as I burst through the emergency room doors, I saw Chloe Miller.
She was sitting on a bench in the hallway, admiring her freshly done nails. When she saw me, she smiled smugly.
"You're too late."
"I specially went to visit your mom on Ethan's behalf, and casually told her that Ethan had arranged for you to be assaulted back then, and now he despises you, thinks you're tainted goods, and doesn't want you anymore."
After hearing that, I completely lost my mind.
Screaming, I lunged forward, grabbed her hair, dragged her fiercely to the ground, and like a maniac, strangled her neck.
"Stop it!" A strong force suddenly pushed me away.
Ethan Vance had arrived at some point. He kicked me to the ground and tenderly picked up Chloe from the ground, holding her in his arms.
My forehead hit hard against the iron corner of the bench, and blood instantly streamed into my eyes.
At that moment, the emergency room door opened.
Dr. Adams walked out anxiously. "The patient's condition is very critical. She needs open-heart surgery immediately, or she won't last five minutes!"
I scrambled up, wanting to beg Dr. Adams to save my mom no matter what, but Ethan blocked me.
He looked down at me.
"You want the surgery? Fine."
"Now, get on your knees and beg Chloe for forgiveness."
I bit my lip hard, my mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.
My mom, my only relative, lay in the emergency room.
I smiled miserably, my legs buckled, and I knelt with a thud before Chloe Miller.
"I'm sorry."
I raised my hand, slapping myself repeatedly across the face.
"I was wrong. Please, save my mom."
My face stung, but my heart was already numb.
Chloe snuggled into Ethan's arms, curling her lips in satisfaction.
Only then did Ethan snort coldly and nod to Dr. Adams.
I slumped down outside the cold emergency room, praying for a miracle.
After what felt like an eternity, the doctors slowly wheeled a gurney out.
I scrambled forward on my hands and knees but stopped stiffly.
On the gurney, there was only a stark white sheet, quietly covering my mom's face.