Chapter 5

The next morning, Annie woke to excruciating pain.

As the anesthesia wore off, her legs transmitted tearing agony mixed with a strange numbness.

She stared at the white ceiling as her memory gradually returned.

Feeling the pain in her lower body, something suddenly occurred to her.

A moment later she relaxed, weakly managing a pale smile.

Why had she still gotten in an accident even after driving Carter away?

Whatever. Carter just loved her too much. She knew it—he was definitely playing hard to get, so desperate to take care of her.

Depending on his behavior going forward, maybe she could forgive him after all.

But in this life, without that scheming Carter getting in the way—

Her Lace must be standing guard by her bedside like a devoted protector, right?

"Lace..." she called hoarsely, struggling to turn her head.

But the bedside was empty.

No sign of Lace.

Only Mrs. Brandi sat there with swollen eyes, looking like she'd aged ten years overnight.

"Mom... where's Lace?" An ominous feeling rose in Annie's chest.

Hearing her voice, Mrs. Brandi's tears spilled over again.

"Annie... stop looking for him."

"That ungrateful traitor—he ran."

"When he heard your legs were crippled, he went back to the villa overnight, cleaned out your safe, tore up the engagement agreement, and fled the country."

Annie's brain went blank with a buzzing sound.

"Impossible!" She struggled violently, and the searing pain in her legs made her gasp. "Mom, you're lying! Lace loves me so much—how could he run?"

"Did Carter drive him away!"

She shouted incoherently.

A nearby nurse couldn't take it anymore and cut in coldly.

"Miss Brandi, last night when the doctor announced you might be permanently disabled, the disgust in Mr. Lace's eyes—everyone in our entire department saw it clear as day."

"He complained that the blood on your legs was dirtying his designer shoes. He used smoking as an excuse and ran faster than a rabbit."

The cold beeping of medical equipment filled the hospital room.

Each sound seemed to mock her self-deception mercilessly.

Annie stared at the empty doorway.

Her heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand.

How could this be?

Without Carter's scheming, why did she still have the accident? Why did Lace still run?

What went wrong?

Just then, an unexpected figure appeared at the door...