Chapter 1

My daughter was waiting at the hospital to pay her medical bills, and I tried to swipe all three of my cards, but they were all frozen.

"Mrs. White, your daughter's illness is too serious . If surgery is not an option, you should make preparations as soon as possible."

The doctor's voice was like ice, and my vision went black. The world spun around me, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

I gripped the hem of my shirt tightly, my knuckles turning white, my voice trembling: "Doctor, please... please save her! She was fine this morning, just a slight fever, clearly..."

I pleaded incoherently, as humble as dust.

The doctor simply shook his head, turned, and left the ward.

I staggered to the bedside and looked at the small figure curled up on the bed. My heart felt like it was being pierced by countless tiny needles, and the pain was so intense that I could hardly breathe.

That was my daughter , Annie Carter, a five-year-old child. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, her lips were cracked, her brows were tightly furrowed, and each breath she took was a weak gasp, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

I want to call and borrow money, but a few years ago I had a big fight with my family because I wanted to marry my husband, and my friends also broke off their friendship with me because of my husband's pressure.

"Daddy...I want Daddy..." she murmured weakly, her voice barely audible, yet every word pierced my heart.

I reached out and gently touched her burning forehead, and my tears fell even harder.

Annie has always been dependent on her father, Ethan Carter. Whenever she was sick, she would be obedient as long as Ethan was by her side. But now, when she needs her father the most, that man won't even answer the phone.

I took out my phone, my fingers trembling with tension and fear, and dialed Ethan's number over and over again.

All I heard from the receiver was the cold message, "The user you dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later."

Once, twice, three times... until the tenth time, the busy signal remained.

My heart sank little by little, from initial anxiety to panic, and finally to boundless despair.

Annie 's breathing became more and more rapid; I couldn't wait any longer.

I gritted my teeth, wiped away my tears, turned around and ran outside . He should still be at the company at this time .

I must find Ethan . Even if I have to beg him on my knees, I must get him to come see Annie and pay for my daughter's surgery .

As soon as I stepped out of the hospital, a burst of boisterous cheers reached my ears.

Looking in the direction of the sound, the central park not far away was packed with people, with balloons, flowers, red carpets... a scene of great joy.

That was... a marriage proposal?

My steps faltered involuntarily, and my heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

Because I spotted that familiar figure right away —Ethan.

Ethan, who claimed he was too busy working overtime at the company to come to the hospital to pay his daughter's medical bills, was actually proposing to someone else.

He was wearing a sharp white suit, his posture was upright, and he had a gentle smile on his face that I had never seen before.

Standing opposite him was Sophia Miller—Ethan's childhood sweetheart, who was supposed to be abroad and whom he said he had lost contact with long ago.

I was wearing casual clothes that were slightly damp, my hair was messy from running, and there were still traces of tears on my face; while Sophia Miller, wearing an elegant white dress and with impeccable makeup, was being carefully protected by Ethan, like a pampered princess.

Ethan used to protect me like that too. When I was pregnant with Annie , he would gently tie my shoelaces and get up late at night to cook me a midnight snack. But all that tenderness disappeared without me noticing.

In my daze, Ethan knelt down on one knee, holding a dazzling diamond ring in his hand. His eyes were so tender they could melt your heart as he looked at Sophia Miller with deep affection: "Sophia, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Sophia Miller covered her mouth, tears welling in her eyes, a shy yet happy smile on her face, and choked out, "Ethan, I've finally waited for this day, I do..."

I rushed over and grabbed Ethan : " Annie is critically ill in the hospital, you're coming back with me right now. "

Right now, all I can think about is Annie. I don't care anymore about asking him why he proposed to someone else. All I care about is Annie , and all I want is to save Annie.

Ethan seemed to notice my gaze. He looked up and glanced over. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when he saw me, but it was quickly replaced by impatience.

He didn't let go of Sophia Miller's hand, but just gave me a cold look, signaling me to leave quickly.

My heart was ice-cold, but the thought of Annie lying dying in the hospital bed forced me to steel myself and walk towards him. Ethan's face instantly darkened, and he frowned as he said something to the people around him. Seeing this, everyone wisely dispersed.

"What are you doing here?" Ethan released Sophia Miller, took a few steps to me, and said in a tone full of disgust and impatience, "Emma White, so you've learned to stalk me now, haven't you?"

Chapter 2

“I wasn’t following you, I came to find you…” I hurriedly explained, but before I could finish, Sophia Miller interrupted me.

Sophia Miller walked up to Ethan, gently tugged at his sleeve, and looked at me with a hint of feigned apology and vulnerability .

“Emma, don’t be angry. I… I have a serious illness and don’t have much time left. Ethan proposed to me so that I wouldn’t have any regrets. Don’t worry, I won’t affect your relationship. I just want to spend my last days with him.”

Serious illness? Not long to live? I looked at her pale yet still delicate face and felt nothing but irony.

Back then, it was this woman who, out of jealousy that I was pregnant with Annie and married Ethan, deliberately pushed me down the stairs when I was seven months pregnant.

I rolled down two whole floors, and blood stained my skirt. Annie almost didn't survive.

Ethan was so angry he was trembling. He said he never wanted to see her again and personally sent her back abroad.

But now, she has transformed into a pitiful victim, and Ethan actually believed her!

I suppressed my anger, stared intently at Ethan, and pleaded in my voice, "Ethan, forget about all that. Annie is in the hospital, and the doctor said her condition is critical and she could die at any moment... Please come with me to see her!"

"Enough!" Ethan abruptly interrupted me, his face horribly grim. "Emma White, you've gone too far! You're using Annie as an excuse to get me to go back with you?"

His words were like a bucket of ice water, dousing me from head to toe. I looked at him in disbelief: "I'm not lying to you, Annie really is dying!"

"Sophia has already made it so clear that she doesn't have much time left. Before she dies, all she wants is for me to spend more time with her. Can't you even accept that?"

Ethan shielded Sophia, his icy gaze cutting into my heart like a knife. "Don't forget, if it weren't for you, Sophia would never have been sent abroad! And now you're still making trouble here? How can you be so heartless?"

Because of me? I was stunned for a moment, and a huge wave of grievance and sorrow welled up in my heart.

So, in his heart, I was the one who made the mistake of sending Sophia away?

He forgot that I almost lost my unborn child, forgot that Annie almost died, forgot that Sophia was vicious, and only remembered that I "forced away" his childhood sweetheart.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar man in front of me, my heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, the pain almost suffocating me.

But Annie is still waiting for me; I can't give up.

I took a deep breath, setting aside all my pride, and said almost humbly, "I understand. I don't care about you, and I won't bother you. Just come with me to the hospital now to see Annie . Ethan, I'm begging you, she's really not well..."

Ethan glanced at me, his eyes full of suspicion, and said coldly, "Emma White, you better not lie to me. I hate it when people use Annie as a pretext. If I find out you're lying, I will never forgive you."

Seeing that he had relented, a glimmer of hope welled up in my heart, and I hurriedly nodded: "I didn't lie to you, I really..."

Before I could finish speaking, Sophia Miller came over with her phone, her face filled with worry: "Ethan, I just heard that Annie is sick, and I was really worried. I was thinking of calling Dean Thompson at the downtown hospital to ask him to take extra care of her. But... Dean Thompson said that Annie isn't at their hospital."

What? I turned sharply to Sophia Miller, my eyes wide with surprise and confusion. Why would she say that? Annie was clearly in the ER!

Ethan snatched Sophia Miller's phone, his face darkening completely. He said coldly into the phone, "Dean Thompson, right? My daughter Annie, is she really not in your hospital?"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then Dean Thompson's respectful yet slightly doubtful voice came through: "Mr., I've had someone check carefully, and none of our hospital's departments admitted a young patient with the surname Carter today."

"You donated so much advanced medical equipment to our hospital before. If your daughter were really here, how could I not care? There must be a mistake!"

"Beep beep beep—" Ethan hung up the phone immediately, threw it back to Sophia Miller, and then glared at me angrily, his eyes filled with disgust and disappointment that almost devoured me: "Emma White, what else do you have to say?"

Chapter 3

"I...I didn't lie, Annie really is there!" I hurriedly defended myself, my voice trembling. "I don't know why Dean Thompson would say that, maybe he made a mistake. Ethan, come with me to the hospital, we'll see for ourselves in the ward!"

"A mistake?" Ethan sneered, his tone full of sarcasm. "Emma White, what happened to you? To achieve your goal, you actually fabricated such a lie to deceive me? Look at you, where is there any trace of your former kindness and gentleness?"

He paused, then shielded Sophia Miller behind him, his tone even colder: "Even if Sophia made mistakes back then, she's so sick now, what's wrong with me spending more time with her? You can't stand her that much, and you have to resort to such underhanded tactics to ruin our relationship?"

Watching him protect Sophia Miller, listening to his piercing accusations, a part of me crumbled instantly. So, in his eyes, I was just a vicious, hypocritical woman who only knew how to make trouble. So, he had never believed me.

"I didn't..." My voice was so weak it was like a mosquito's buzz, and tears welled up again. All explanations seemed so pale and powerless; he simply wouldn't believe me.

Ethan glared at me impatiently: "Emma White, I don't have time to play these silly games with you. Stop being unreasonable." After saying that, he didn't look at me again, carefully put his arm around Sophia Miller, and turned to leave.

As Sophia Miller passed by me, she deliberately stopped and turned to look at me. The fragility and grievance on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a smug and defiant smile, like a victorious peacock. That smile pierced my eyes deeply.

I stood there, watching their departing figures, and the gradually dispersing crowd around me, feeling a chill run through my body, as if my blood had frozen. The late autumn wind blew, carrying a biting cold that made me shiver.

No wonder Ethan has been getting colder and colder towards me lately, coming home less and less often, and even when he does come back, he's always icy towards me, not even willing to glance at me. It turns out, it wasn't that he was busy; he had already rekindled his old flame with Sophia Miller.

I gave a self-deprecating laugh, a laugh shrill and desperate. What a fool I was, naively believing he married me because he loved me; believing that after so many years together, he must have developed some feelings for me. It turns out, from beginning to end, he married me only because I was pregnant with Annie . I was delusional, mistaking responsibility for love, mistaking pity for tenderness.

I took out my phone, my fingertips were ice-cold, and I sent a message to Mom with trembling hands: "Mom, you only need to help Annie and me with the immigration process. Ethan... he should stay in the country."

After sending the message, I leaned weakly against the lamppost, tears streaming silently down my face. I no longer had any hope for Ethan; I just wanted to leave this place that had caused me so much pain with Annie and start anew.

Just then, my phone rang, and the name " Annie's attending physician" flashed on the screen. My heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding instantly enveloped me. My hands trembled as I pressed the answer button. The doctor's anxious and heavy voice came through the receiver: "Mrs. White! Your daughter Annie's condition has suddenly worsened and she needs emergency treatment. Please return to the hospital immediately to sign the necessary documents!"

The doctor's anxious voice still echoed in my ears as I rushed to the hospital with almost all my might. My running shoes clattered on the asphalt road in late autumn, the cold wind stinging my throat, but I dared not stop for a moment. Annie was still waiting for me; she was in the emergency room waiting for me to sign the papers, to pay the fees, and for me to save her.

The lights in the emergency room were particularly glaring in the night. I stumbled in and rushed in, but just as I reached the door of the resuscitation room, a woman in a pink nurse's uniform reached out and stopped me. Her movement wasn't forceful, but it was like an iron gate, forcefully blocking my way to Annie .

"Mrs. White, please wait a moment." The nurse's tone was professionally indifferent. "The funds you deposited for Miss Annie's treatment are insufficient. The subsequent emergency surgery requires additional payment before we can proceed. Please go to the payment window on the first floor to complete the payment; otherwise, we cannot initiate the next step of treatment."

"Not enough money?" My mind went blank for a moment.

Chapter 4

I just transferred some money to the hospital account this morning, how could it be insufficient so quickly? But I didn't have time to think about it at the moment, I could only nod frantically, my voice hoarse from running and urgency: "Okay, I'll go pay now, I'll be right there!"

I turned and ran towards the payment window, my fingers gripping my bag tightly, which contained all my bank cards. All the way, I kept praying in my heart, praying that Annie could hold on a little longer, praying that the payment would go smoothly. But when I inserted the first bank card into the payment machine, the words "Account frozen" that popped up on the screen were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the flame in my heart.

Impossible. I gritted my teeth and tried a second, a third… whether it was a credit card or a debit card, without exception, they all said “account frozen.” My fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and a chill ran from my feet to the top of my head. It suddenly dawned on me—it was Ethan Carter, he had frozen my cards!

Anger surged in my chest like magma, threatening to overwhelm my reason. This man, with my daughter's life hanging by a thread, instead of thinking about how to save her, was plotting to cut off my escape route! But I couldn't be angry, I couldn't act rashly; Annie was still waiting for this money to save her life. I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and dialed Ethan's number with trembling hands.

The phone was answered after three rings, but the voice that came through the receiver was Sophia Miller's sweet yet smug voice: "Oh, it's Mrs. White."

My heart sank, and my tone was as cold as ice: "Let Ethan answer the phone."

Sophia chuckled softly, deliberately slowing her speech, each word piercing my ears like needles: "You're here to ask about the bank card, right? Ethan just received your spending statement and found out you spent $100,000 today alone. Mrs. White, while the Carter family isn't short of money, we can't afford such extravagance. How can we support you if this continues? So Ethan and I discussed it and decided to control your spending and teach you to be frugal."

One hundred thousand US dollars? I was stunned for a moment, then realized that was the first hospital bill I paid for Annie that morning . This woman was deliberately twisting the facts, claiming that the life-saving money was my squandering! I bit my lower lip hard, tasting a hint of blood, barely managing to suppress the urge to curse, and repeated, word by word, "I'll say it again, give the phone to Ethan Carter!"

“What’s the rush?” Sophia’s voice was mocking, followed by the creaking of the phone. Then Ethan’s icy voice came through: “Sophia’s meaning is my meaning. Emma White, you really need to learn a lesson.”

"We've only been married a few years. How have you become such a vain and vicious person?" His tone was full of disgust, without a trace of his former warmth. "These days, you should stay at home and reflect on your actions. Don't come out and embarrass yourself anymore."

"Vanity? Maliciousness?" I couldn't help but laugh, a laugh filled with sorrow and anger. "Ethan Carter, you can slander me, you can cut off my credit card, I can tolerate all of that. But Annie is in the ICU right now, and I have to pay for her surgery! You need to unfreeze my card immediately, or it will really be too late!"

I thought that mentioning Annie would at least elicit a slight sympathy from him. But what came through the receiver was his disdainful snort: "A liar's tale. Sophia is right, you just can't stand me being nice to her and you're trying every means to ruin us."

"I'm telling you one last time, don't try any tricks on me." His voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a blatant threat. "Otherwise, your card will never be unblocked."

"Beep beep beep—"

The call was abruptly ended. I gripped the phone, my knuckles turning white from the pressure, and my blood seemed to freeze. How could he be so heartless? That was his daughter too! I frantically redialed his number again and again, but all I heard was a cold busy tone; no one answered.

Just as I was on the verge of collapse, my phone suddenly vibrated, and a text message from an unknown number popped up. I opened it with trembling hands, and the glaring words instantly appeared before my eyes: "Ethan's phone is off, Emma White. I told you, you can't beat me."

Attached to the text message was a photo. In the photo, Sophia was wearing a loose hospital gown, the neckline deliberately open, revealing her bare collarbone and shoulders covered in ambiguous red marks. Ethan was carefully holding her in his arms, his eyes overflowing with love—a tenderness I had never seen in his eyes before.

It turns out that while I was frantically searching for Annie 's surgery fees, struggling on the brink of death, they were enjoying a blissful moment together. Looking at the photos of the two of them so intimate, and then thinking of Annie lying in the emergency room , her life hanging in the balance, my heart felt like it was being ripped apart by an invisible hand; the pain was so intense I could barely stand. But I couldn't give up; Annie was still waiting for me.

I took a deep breath, deleted that disgusting text message, and started scrolling through my phone's contacts. I couldn't rely on Ethan anymore; I had to rely on myself.

I dialed several friends I had a fairly good relationship with before , my tone more urgent and humble than ever before: "Lily, could you lend me some money? My daughter is in the hospital in critical condition and urgently needs surgery..." "Mike, please, I promise I'll pay you back as soon as possible..."

Chapter 5

At that moment, dignity became worthless. I abandoned all pride and pleaded repeatedly. Fortunately, every cloud has a silver lining. Several friends transferred money one after another, raising enough for the surgery. I tucked my phone into my pocket, clutched the stack of cash I had just withdrawn, and rushed into the payment window once again.

"The money...the money's here. Please process it quickly, my daughter is waiting for surgery." I pushed the cash in front of the staff member, my voice trembling with excitement.

The staff quickly completed the formalities and handed me a payment slip. I took the slip, turned around, and ran towards the emergency room, a glimmer of hope rekindling in my heart. Annie , Mommy's here. Mommy has money for your surgery. You have to hold on.

But as soon as I reached the door of the emergency room, I was stopped by the same attending physician. His face was filled with heavy apology, his eyes were full of pity, and his voice was as low as a dark cloud: "Mrs. White, I'm sorry... please accept my condolences. We have done our best, but Miss Annie's condition was too complicated, the complications came on too quickly, and we... were powerless to help her."

"Condolences?" I repeated those two words blankly, my head buzzing as if struck by a hammer. The world spun around me, and I almost lost my balance, clinging desperately to the wall for support. "What did you say? Nothing you could do? My Annie …she's dead?"

"Yes..." the doctor nodded with difficulty, "We have done our best."

No, it can't be! When I left this morning, Annie was still murmuring for her father. She was so young, how could she suddenly be gone? I don't believe it! I shoved the doctor aside and rushed into the emergency room like a madwoman: "I want to see her! I want to see her with my own eyes! You're lying to me, Annie won't die!"

"Mrs. White! Calm down!" The doctor quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me back forcefully. "They're still cleaning inside, you can't go in!"

"Let me go!" I struggled desperately, tears finally streaming down my face, not as a weak sob, but as a desperate rage. "That's my daughter! Why can't I see her? Let me in!"

The doctor was very strong, but at that moment I felt like a lioness driven to the brink, unleashing unprecedented power. I broke free from his grasp and rushed into the emergency room without hesitation. The cold smell of disinfectant hit me, and the bright light from the operating room lamps was so blinding that I couldn't open my eyes. My gaze frantically searched the room, finally settling on the cold operating table.

A white sheet covered the operating table, beneath which lay a small, stiff silhouette. My heart sank to the bottom, and my feet felt like lead as I shuffled over. Annie , is it really you? You really just left your mother like this?

It wasn't until I reached the operating table that I finally couldn't hold on any longer. My legs gave way, and I collapsed heavily to the ground. "Annie..." I managed to utter a hoarse cry with all my might, tears streaming down my face like broken beads.

I struggled to get up and approach her, but two nurses who rushed over at the sound stopped me: "Mrs. White, you should go out first. We haven't finished cleaning up yet, and your presence will affect the subsequent work."

Their voices carried a hint of panic, and their eyes darted around nervously. My heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over me. Something was wrong; their reaction was too strange. I stared intently at them, my voice icy: "Get out of the way."

“Mrs. White…”

"I told you to get out of the way!" I shoved them aside and reached out to lift the white cloth.

In the scuffle, my arm accidentally bumped against the edge of the operating table. With a soft rustling sound, the white sheet covering Annie slowly slipped off, revealing her small body.

At that moment, the entire emergency room fell silent; everyone froze in place. Looking at Annie on the operating table , my blood seemed to freeze, and I even forgot to breathe.

Her small face was as pale as a sheet of paper, devoid of any color. On her chest, a long, freshly stitched-up gash stood out starkly against her pale skin.

What chilled me to the bone was her eyes. Those once bright and sparkling eyes were now eerily open, staring blankly at the ceiling, devoid of any light, like two dull glass beads.

"What...what did you do?"

Chapter 6

I was trembling all over, my voice hoarse and unlike my own, anger and despair erupting in my chest like a volcano . "Why did my Annie become like this? She only had complications from a cold, why did she need open-chest surgery? Her eyes... how could her eyes be like this? You murderers! Give me back my Annie !"

I stared intently at the nurses and doctors who were frozen in fear, and approached them step by step.

Just then, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck, as if I had been hit hard by something.

The scene before his eyes blurred instantly, and the echoes of his own roar and Annie's empty eyes remained in his ears, while his body fell backward uncontrollably.

Before I completely lost consciousness, I had only one thought: Annie, Mom will definitely find out the truth for you, and will definitely make those who hurt you pay the price...

The sharp pain in the back of my neck was still lingering, and I slowly opened my eyes amidst the pungent smell of disinfectant.

My vision blurred for a while before it focused. What came into view was the hospital's stark white ceiling and the IV drip bottle hanging overhead, the liquid slowly dripping down, like my fading hope.

“Annie…” I called out hoarsely, struggling to sit up.

My body felt as heavy as lead, and every movement aggravated my aches and pains, but I couldn't care less—I had to find my Annie, I had to see her, even if it was just a cold corpse, I had to stay by her side.

I pulled out the IV needle from the back of my hand and, ignoring the nurses who rushed over to stop me, stumbled out of the ward.

The lights in the corridor were still glaring, and the medical staff and patients' families were hurrying by. No one paid any attention to me, this distraught woman.

Like a wild beast out of control, I frantically ran through the emergency room, searching every ward and every corner, constantly calling out, "Annie, Mommy's here, where are you..."

No matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find that small figure covered in a white sheet.

The emergency room door was tightly closed, and the room was empty except for the cold surgical instruments and the lingering smell of disinfectant. My heart sank, and an ominous premonition gripped my heart like vines, almost suffocating me.

“Mrs. White, please calm down.” A familiar voice sounded from behind. It was Dean Thompson. He was wearing a crisp white lab coat, his hands behind his back, his face expressionless, and his tone even carried a hint of impatience.

I whirled around, staring intently at him, and lunged at him like a last straw, grabbing his arm: "Dean Thompson, where is my daughter? Where is Annie? Where is her body?" My voice was hoarse, filled with desperate sobs, yet tinged with an undeniable urgency.

Dean Thompson frowned, forcefully pulled his hand away from mine, and slapped the spot I had grabbed with disgust: "Mrs. White, we discovered that Miss Annie has an extremely serious infectious disease during our emergency surgery."

To ensure the safety of other patients in the hospital, the body must be disposed of as soon as possible. We have already sent her for cremation, and you will be notified later to collect her ashes.

"Criminalization?" I felt as if I'd been struck by lightning, my blood freezing instantly. I glared at Dean Thompson, unable to maintain the last shred of dignity, my voice trembling with rage yet chillingly cold: "Who gave you permission to send her for cremation?!"

"She didn't have any infectious diseases at all!" I approached him step by step, my anger almost tangible. "You killed her! I saw her body with my own eyes, a gruesome knife wound on her chest, her eyes staring blankly, riddled with holes! What did you do to her?!"

Those around them turned to look. Dean Thompson's face darkened, but he still tried to remain calm, letting out a cold snort: "Mrs. White, you need to provide evidence. Miss Annie's death was due to the worsening of her illness, and our doctors have done their best. You can't lose control of your emotions and smear our hospital just because a loved one has passed away."

He paused, then pulled a document from his white coat pocket and waved it: "Besides, you personally signed your daughter's surgery consent form. All our treatment procedures were compliant, and you have no reason to criticize us."

Chapter 7

The surgical consent form… I stared at the document in his hand, my mind going blank. I did sign it, but it was for treating complications from a cold, not an authorization for them to dispose of my daughter's body at will! This man was using my signature as a shield to cover up their crimes!

Anger and despair overwhelmed me like a tidal wave. I wanted to rush forward and tear off his hypocritical mask, but reason told me that I couldn't act impulsively now. I had no evidence, and making a scene here would only put me in a more passive position. I stared intently at Dean Thompson's back, watching his cold demeanor as he turned and left, my nails digging deep into my palms, tasting the blood.

I know that Annie's death was definitely not that simple.

The hospital's excuses, Dean Thompson's deliberate concealment, and Annie's eerie appearance in the emergency room—all of these point to a terrible truth.

I must find out the truth and avenge Annie.

I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, and turned to leave the emergency room. Now I was utterly alone, and the only person I could think of was Ethan Carter, the man who had cut off all my escape routes and was indifferent to my daughter's life or death. He was Annie's father; perhaps he still had a shred of conscience and could help me find out the truth.

Once this thought arose, it was like a lifeline, allowing me to temporarily suppress my hatred for him.

I stumbled toward the inpatient ward, having heard that Sophia had been hospitalized due to a "serious illness." But just as I passed a VIP ward on the third floor, a familiar, delicate voice came from under the door, piercing my ears like a needle.

"Ethan, thank you for doing so much for me. If it weren't for you, I probably would have died on the operating table last night." It was Sophia's voice, with a deliberate softness and dependence.

Then came Ethan's voice, so gentle it could melt your heart, a tone I'd never heard him use before when speaking to me: "Silly girl, I told you, I won't let you die."

My steps froze instantly. My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain almost suffocating me. I instinctively stopped, held my breath, and frantically pressed against the cold crack in the door. My fingernails turned white and cracked from the force, blood trickling down my fingertips and dripping onto the cold floor, but I was completely unaware.

"Then... if Emma knew that you went so far as to draw your own daughter's blood for me, wouldn't she be angry?" Sophia's voice carried a hint of teasing. "What if she makes a scene?"

"She dared." Ethan's tone turned cold instantly, tinged with disdain. "You were on the verge of death back then, and only Annie's blood matched yours. What's the harm in taking a little of her blood?"

“Annie is not just her daughter, she’s my daughter too. I gave her life, what’s wrong with taking a little of her blood?” His words were like sharp knives, piercing my heart. “Besides, she used her own daughter as a bargaining chip to threaten me, what right does she have to criticize me?”

“But this time it was all thanks to her bringing Annie to the hospital, otherwise you would have been in real danger.” Ethan’s tone softened again.

Chapter 8

"Yes, what a coincidence." Sophia chuckled, her smugness barely concealed. "Once I'm better, I'll definitely 'thank' them properly."

"You're so sensible." Ethan's voice was full of affection.

Then came the sound of clothes rubbing together, and Ethan's breathing becoming heavier. I could imagine the intimate scene inside, each image like a branding iron, searing my heart.

Annie's blood was drawn... It turns out that Annie's condition suddenly worsened not because of complications, but because of him! It was Ethan, her biological father, who, in order to save his beloved, personally drew her blood, pushing her into the abyss of death!

Scenes from the past flooded my mind instantly, playing back in my mind like a movie.

I remembered when I first met Ethan. He had argued with Sophia and was feeling down, and I happened to confess my feelings to him. He accepted me out of spite. I was just a tool he used to annoy Sophia.

Later, I found myself hopelessly in love with him and wanted to leave, but then I discovered I was pregnant with Annie. Out of a sense of responsibility, Ethan proposed to me. When Sophia found out, she used every despicable method on me, pushing me, yelling at me, and splashing cold water on me. During that time, I was covered in bruises.

Sophia is the daughter of Mr. Miller, Ethan's mentor. Ethan was raised by Mr. Miller and has great respect for him.

I didn't want him to have any conflicts with my mentor because of me, so I silently endured it.

When I was seven months pregnant, Sophia went crazy and pushed me down the stairs, causing me to have a difficult labor and severe bleeding. I almost died on the operating table along with Annie.

I still remember that day vividly. Ethan, with red eyes, knelt before my hospital bed, holding my cold hand tightly, pleading with me to open my eyes again and again.

He said, "Emma, if you and the children are gone, I will go with you."

He said, "Emma, don't leave me. I can't live without you."

Back then, I truly believed he loved me. So, despite my parents' objections, I refused their suggestion to immigrate abroad with me and insisted on staying by his side, dreaming that the three of us could live happily ever after.

Looking back now, I realize how utterly foolish I was. All that so-called deep affection and promises were nothing more than his momentary guilt and sense of responsibility. Once Sophia returned, Annie and I became dispensable burdens in his eyes, or even pawns he could sacrifice at will.

If I had listened to my parents and left him earlier, would Annie have survived? Would she have avoided such a fate?

Regret overwhelmed me like a tidal wave, almost suffocating me.

I was right, Annie's death was murdered, but I never imagined that the one who killed her was her own father!

Just as I was immersed in immense grief and anger, a pair of bare feet suddenly appeared before my eyes.

I snapped back to reality, looked up, and saw Sophia standing in front of me, wearing a loose hospital gown, with a bright yet malicious smile on her face.

“Emma, I told you, I would kill the bastard in your belly.” She crouched down, leaned close to my ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of us could hear, “See, I did it. So what if you give birth to her? I have plenty of ways to kill her.”

She gently stroked her chest, her eyes filled with smugness: "You know what? Ethan personally signed the surgical consent form, transplanting that bastard's heart into me. And her eyes, I figured they'd be a waste anyway, so I just donated them for her, consider it a good deed. Maybe she can even go to heaven because of it, shouldn't you thank me properly?"

Heart transplant... donating eyes...

These words exploded in my mind like thunderclaps. I finally understood why Annie had the knife wound in her chest, why her eyes were empty! This woman, this monster, together with Ethan, had stolen my daughter's heart and eyes, taken everything from her!

Anger and despair instantly overwhelmed my reason. I raised my hand abruptly and, with all my might, slapped Sophia hard across the face. The sharp "smack" rang out sharply in the quiet corridor.

"Sophia, take it out on me! Why did you have to hurt my Annie!" I roared, my voice hoarse and unlike my own, the hatred in my eyes almost devouring her.

Sophia's head was turned to the side by my slap, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. She froze for a moment, then burst into tears, feeling wronged. The next second, I was violently pushed away by a tremendous force, losing my balance and crashing heavily onto the cold floor, my head slamming against the wall, and my vision went black for a moment.

Ethan rushed out, pulled Sophia into his arms, and glared at me with eyes as cold as ice. His voice was filled with anger that seemed to burn me alive: "Emma White, what are you doing!"

Chapter 9

Before the excruciating pain in the back of my head had subsided, I was slammed hard onto the cold floor. My body, already weakened to the extreme by blood loss and grief, felt as if it had been forcibly dismantled and reassembled, with every bone emitting a mournful sound of shattering.

The excruciating pain spread throughout my body along my nerves, making it difficult for me to even breathe. I could only lie on the ground, biting my lower lip tightly, trying my best not to cry out in pain. The salty, metallic taste of blood filled my mouth again.

Sophia leaned against Ethan's chest, her shoulders trembling slightly, her voice sounding as if she had suffered a great injustice: "Ethan, I heard some noise in the hallway and was worried that something had happened to you, so I came out to check. I didn't expect... I didn't expect that as soon as Emma saw me, she beat me up without saying a word."

She raised her hand to touch the cheek I had slapped, her eyes red-rimmed, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls: "She even called me shameless, said I deliberately seduced you, and even threatened to kill me if I didn't leave you immediately..."

"I know I shouldn't have come back to China and disrupted your lives." She choked back tears, her voice filled with despair. "If I had known I would suffer such humiliation upon returning, I would have preferred to die abroad. At least that would have put your mind at ease, and Emma wouldn't hate me so much..."

Ethan held her tightly in his arms with heartache, gently patting her back to comfort her, but his eyes were like icy knives, fiercely glaring at me: "Emma White, when are you going to stop this?"

“Sophia’s father—my mentor—has passed away, and she herself is seriously ill and all alone. Is it wrong for me to take care of her on behalf of my mentor?” His voice grew louder and louder, his anger almost consuming me. “Do you have to be so aggressive and ruthless to satisfy me?”

“Now that the teacher is gone, I am Sophia’s only family in this world!” Ethan’s tone was resolute and unwavering. “No matter what you do, that will never change.”

He paused, as if making a final decision: "Starting today, Sophia will move in with us. Given her current health condition, it's simply not suitable for her to travel abroad anymore. From now on, she will live with us."

"You'd better know your place and behave yourself, taking good care of her." His eyes were full of threat. "Otherwise, don't blame me for turning against you without mercy!"

I lay on the ground, listening to his accusations and decisions, each word dripping with pain. My heart felt like it was being repeatedly pounded by a blunt instrument, the pain almost numbing me. He kept saying Sophia was all alone and helpless, but he forgot that my Annie was the one he truly killed, and I was the one who lost everything!

With all my might, I slowly lifted my head, supporting myself against the cold floor. My vision was blurry, and my voice was hoarse like a broken bellows: "Annie...Annie is dead."

These five words exhausted all my strength.

The moment the words left his mouth, Ethan's anger froze. He froze, a barely perceptible urgency flashing in his eyes, and hurriedly said, "What did you say? Say it again!"