Chapter 4

“Then don’t blame me for forcing you.” Ethan’s expression darkened as he advanced toward me.

I was about to step back when sudden, sharp pain exploded at the back of my head.

My vision went black instantly. The world spun.

I struggled to turn my head. The last thing I saw was Lily holding a black iron rod.

Ethan’s icy voice reached my ears:

“Let you experience what Lily went through. See if you still talk back.”

With that, he intimately took Lily’s arm, and they turned to leave.

I completely lost consciousness and collapsed heavily to the floor.

When I regained consciousness, darkness surrounded me. The air reeked of mildew and dust.

I was locked in an abandoned warehouse. Doors and windows sealed tight. I called for help, but no one came.

I still wore that filthy water-soaked shirt, cold and stinking against my skin.

My stomach growled with hunger. My lips cracked and peeled. Not a drop of water to drink. Cold, hungry, thirsty—I was on the verge of collapse.

And all I could think about was my mother in the hospital without her medication.

Was she in pain? Was she suffering? Was she...

I didn’t dare think further. I curled up in the corner, breaking down.

I don’t know how many times I passed out, only watching the sun rise and set through the window. Two full days and nights.

I had no chance to call for help.

Just as my consciousness was about to fade completely, the warehouse door suddenly opened.

A longtime company employee passing by discovered me barely alive and got me out.

The first thing I did was take a cab to the hospital, then borrowed the driver’s charging cable to charge my phone.

The moment it powered on, a text message popped up.

“Is this Professor Quinn’s daughter? I’m Professor Quinn’s former student.

I heard Professor Quinn’s patent license to Gray Corporation has expired.

Our Sullivan Group is willing to pay ten billion for ten years of usage rights, with 51% profit sharing. Would you be interested?”

Before I could reply to that message, the car had already stopped at the hospital entrance.

I stumbled inside, running straight into my mother’s attending physician:

“Where’s my mom? How is she?”

The doctor looked troubled.

“Ms. Rivers, your mother was already discharged by someone else and transferred home. All treatment was stopped.”

My head buzzed. “Who did it?”

“A young woman. She said she was following Mr. Gray’s orders, that home care would be fine.”

“I explained Professor Quinn’s serious condition to her.

She said the family didn’t have money for hospitalization...”

It was Lily.

I ran home like a madwoman.

The moment I pushed open the door, my entire world collapsed.

My mother lay quietly on the cold floor, her face pale, no longer breathing.

She was gone.

While I was locked in that warehouse crying for help. While Ethan and Lily were enjoying themselves.

My mother—who lived her whole life in modest poverty, who gave us everything—died alone. Without medication.

Without treatment. Just like that, she was gone.

I knelt on the floor, holding my mother’s gradually cooling body, sobbing until my heart shattered.

Until I couldn’t make a sound anymore. Only suppressed whimpers remained.

I couldn’t understand how everything had turned out this way.

I didn’t notify Ethan.

During those days handling funeral arrangements, I moved like a walking corpse.

Until an elegant, dignified man entered the mourning hall to pay his respects. Afterwards, he turned to look at me.

“Ms. Rivers, my deepest condolences. I’m Sebastian Sullivan, Professor Quinn’s former student and the person who sent you that message.”

After I told him everything in fragments, his expression darkened bit by bit, the pressure around him becoming frightening:

“I never imagined we’d meet under these circumstances.

This is my fault. I sent the Professor messages recently that she never replied to.

I should have looked for her sooner.”

He lowered his head in self-reproach.

I shook my head, indicating he shouldn’t blame himself.

My mom didn’t want to make a big deal of her illness.

She always thought of others first. She knew if her students found out she was sick, they’d visit every day.

Sebastian understood my mother’s nature and sighed.

I looked up at Sebastian with red eyes:

“Mr. Sullivan, I wonder if you’re still willing to sign that licensing agreement?”

This was something my mother paid for with her life. I would never let Ethan profit from it by a single cent again.

Sebastian nodded firmly.

Just as the pen touched paper to sign, my phone vibrated. A message from Ethan:

“Have you thought it over? Sign the patent transfer agreement, and I’ll have the hospital give Mom her medication and surgery immediately.”

Reading that message, my chest felt like it was being torn open, the pain suffocating. The hatred made my whole body tremble.

My mom was already dead, and he was still threatening me with her life.

Sebastian pressed his hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t be impulsive. For evil people to fall the hardest, you have to wait until they’re at their highest point.”

He was right.

I gripped my phone tightly but ultimately didn’t reply with a single word.

On the other side, Ethan waited a long time without receiving my response.

An inexplicable panic rose in his heart. He turned to ask Lily, who was nestled in his arms:

“When you went to the hospital that day, did the doctor say how serious Mom’s condition really was?”

Lily’s eyes flickered. She forced herself to stay calm:

“Not serious at all. The doctor said it was just a minor issue that would get better with rest. Jordan was just making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and sneered:

“I knew it. She was just using her mother to manipulate me.”

“But it doesn’t matter if she won’t budge.

At the company’s IPO launch the day after tomorrow, I’ll publicly announce that the patent belongs to the company.

Done deal. Anyway, my mother-in-law has always been fond of me.

When the time comes, I’ll sweet-talk her a bit and she definitely won’t make a fuss.”

Lily immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling:

“Ethan, you’re so clever! Once we go public, we’ll be the envy of everyone.”

The two embraced, fantasizing about their glorious success.

Soon, Gray Corporation’s IPO launch event arrived as scheduled.

The venue was brilliantly lit, packed with reporters.

Ethan stood on stage, full of confidence, about to announce the company’s core patent and IPO news.

Just then, his secretary rushed in, face deathly pale, voice trembling:

“Mr. Gray! This is bad! Something terrible has happened.”

Ethan frowned and snapped: “What are you panicking about?!”

“Professor Quinn—your mother-in-law’s patent license to the company has expired! And also...”

Before the secretary could finish, the venue erupted into chaos. Investors and partners’ faces instantly changed.

Ethan waved his hand impatiently:

“What’s there to worry about?! That’s my mother-in-law’s patent. One phone call from me and it’s settled. What’s the big deal?!”

The secretary closed their eyes in despair.

“Mr. Gray, Professor Quinn has passed away from illness.”