The bodyguards obeyed instantly, raining blows on me until I could barely breathe.
Minutes later, they dragged my battered body to Carmen’s feet.
“Well, well. The great beauty, crawling like a dog before me.”
“You might be pretty, but a sparrow is still a sparrow—you’ll never be a phoenix. Walter’s family isn’t somewhere just anyone can marry into. Consider this a lesson.”
I could hardly believe this was the same woman Walter called his beloved.
Before she could taunt me further, one bodyguard spoke.
“Miss, Walter is coming down. Should we clear the room?”
Carmen sneered.
“Such bad timing—I was just getting started.”
Walter pushed the door open and froze at the scene.
“Who told you to come in here? Didn’t I say no one enters without my permission?”
I lay on the floor, too weak to speak.
Carmen put on a pitiful look and grabbed his hand.
“I only came to give her some water. But she accused me of framing her and said I should die with her.”
“Luckily my bodyguards were here—otherwise she might have attacked me.”
Walter glanced at me lying on the ground, expression cold.
“Didn’t I tell you? Don’t go soft on her. If she dies here, she deserves it.”
“Go now. I’ll come find you later.”
After sending Carmen away, Walter crouched in front of me, still icy.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let you die before Grandma wakes up. You’ll apologize to her yourself.”
His words chilled me—Grandma was still unconscious in the hospital. The poison would destroy her cells slowly, and in a few days she might never wake again.
With all my remaining strength, I pointed at the bag in the corner.
“T—the antidote… take it… save her…”
Walter smirked, dumped the bag’s contents, and spotted the small vial that rolled to his feet.
“So many poisons. Were you planning to silence me too when you got caught?”
He crushed the vial under his heel, snuffing out Grandma’s last hope.
Even if I flew back to my hometown, she wouldn’t survive until I returned.
“Jada, pray Grandma wakes up soon.”
He left, locking the door behind him.
I stared at my bruised body and thought back to the day we met.
We were in college then—he was a student council leader under me.
By chance, we grew close. My family was poor, and I lived on the cheapest food.
He never handed me cash, afraid to hurt my pride. Instead, he brought an extra bowl of food every day and shared it with me.
Whenever Carmen sent people to bully me, Walter would stand up for me—even at the cost of cutting ties with her family.
Half the trouble I faced in college was solved by him.
After graduation, I started working. Each month, after sending money home, the rest was just enough to cover our shared expenses.
