Chapter 2

Clara's POV

The next morning, I met Julian in the VIP suite.

Without wasting words, I threw my terms right in his face:

"If you want me to acknowledge that bastard child, transfer the ownership of Hayes Group's most profitable private hospital to my name."

Enraged, Julian slammed his hand on the desk:

"Clara Vance, your greed knows no bounds!"

"Smack!"

I slammed the divorce papers onto the desk in response.

"If you think I'm greedy, then let's get divorced."

"I won't take a single dime of Hayes money, and you won't keep a single cent belonging to the Vance family. Sign it, and we're clean."

Chloe stood beside him, clutching Julian's sleeve, feigning attempts to calm him down.

Julian sneered, grabbed a pen, and furiously signed his name, blinded by humiliation.

"Clara, without the Hayes family, let's see how many days a paralyzed invalid who's been asleep for four years can survive!"

He didn't bother reading the fine print. Tucked behind the agreement were notarized share transfer documents, resignation letters, and joint account closure authorizations.

The moment his signature landed, he personally severed all Vance assets from the Hayes Group.

Right after the signing, Chloe rushed to Julian with the child in her arms, weeping hysterically.

She claimed I had glared murderously at the baby in the courtyard, and even pulled out forged financial statements, insisting I was secretly embezzling assets.

Julian kicked my door open.

Wendy was sitting by my bed, keeping me company.

Julian threw the folder right into my face. The sharp edge of the paper sliced my cheek, instantly drawing a bead of blood.

"Clara Vance! The ink is barely dry and you're already targeting a child? You and your greedy family are utterly sickening!"

I wiped the blood from my cheek without even blinking.

Julian pulled out his phone and made call after call to the hospital departments, barking ruthless orders:

"Cut off all of Clara's nutritional IVs."

"Cancel her physical therapy and revoke her private nurse."

"Block all her VIP privileges across the entire hospital!"

Wendy trembled with fury, jumping up to shield my bed. "Julian, are you out of your mind?! Her muscles have atrophied from four years in bed! If you stop her rehab medication, she'll be paralyzed for the rest of her life!"

"Shut up. You have no say here."

Julian glared coldly at me, issuing his final ultimatum at the doorway:

"It's simple if you want your treatment back."

"Go apologize to Chloe. Write a formal statement swearing you'll never bother her again, never touch Lily, and never covet a single penny of the Hayes family."

"Admit your fault, and your medication will be restored immediately."

He was using my life as leverage to make me bow my head.

Sitting on the cold bed, I looked at the man I had once loved with all my heart.

Years ago, when I fainted from anemia, he walked three miles through a blizzard just to buy my medicine.

When I casually mentioned I loved the ocean, he bought an entire private island to propose to me.

And now, for another woman, he was cutting off my lifeline with his own hands.

I gritted my teeth and looked up at him, without a single tear in my eyes.

"Julian Hayes, don't you dare regret this."

Julian scoffed and slammed the door behind him.

The room fell terrifyingly quiet.

Wendy's eyes were red with rage as she held my freezing hands. "Clara, don't listen to that bastard! We can transfer hospitals! We don't have to take this abuse!"

I slowly unclenched my fists, my palms marked with bloody nail crescents.

I didn't shed a tear. I just reached for my phone on the nightstand and dialed Ethan Cole's number.

It rang twice before connecting.

A deep, steady voice came through: "Clara?"

"Julian signed the divorce papers," I said softly, looking at the empty IV pole. "But he cut off all my rehab and medication to force me to apologize to Chloe Bennett."

Silence lingered on the line for half a second.

Then came Ethan's crisp, decisive voice:

"I'll arrange a transfer bed. Take care of yourself for the next two days, and wait for me."

"Okay."

Hanging up, I leaned back against the cold headboard and closed my eyes.

The draft in the general ward was freezing, and the dull ache in my atrophied muscles surged in waves.

Yet my mind was completely clear.

I could endure these two days of suffering.

Everything Julian and Chloe owed me, I would collect in full.