“But Daddy, isn’t this too cruel? Mommy will be in so much pain. And Aunt Sarah died because of her illness. You can’t blame Mommy entirely.” Lily said.
“Hmph, who else should I blame? If it weren’t for her lack of compassion, would Sarah be dead? She was my true love, the woman I could never have. I only wanted to take care of her in her final years. With late-stage kidney failure, how long could she have lived? At most ten years!”
“But your mother—even with her legs broken and her womb gone—she can still live comfortably for the rest of her life. Now tell me, who’s really worse off?” Ethan said coldly.
Lily nodded. “That’s true. Aunt Sarah was so beautiful, like a fairy. Every time she came to pick me up, she dressed like an angel. Mommy, on the other hand, is plain and dull. It’s such a pity Aunt Sarah died. If only it had been Mommy instead.”
“You’d prefer Aunt Sarah to be your mother, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course!” Lily clapped her hands.
My heart sank into the abyss. I no longer felt anything for this cruel father and daughter.
After Ethan left the bathroom, I called my best friend, Jessica Parker.
“Jessica, I regret everything. I want to come back.”
Even though it was the middle of the night, Jessica quickly sobered when she heard my voice.
“Emily, is that you? What happened?”
I told her everything, and Jessica was furious.
“See? I told you before. Ethan only looks good on the outside, but inside he’s vicious. Otherwise, how could he treat you like this? Even after Sarah’s death, all he ever thinks about is her, never you, his real wife.”
I was sobbing uncontrollably.
“Enough crying. I’ll tell my professor and send my brother Daniel to pick you up. You can’t walk on your own now anyway.”
I nodded, and she hung up.
I didn’t sleep at all that night.
The next morning, the police officers came again to take my statement.
I told them everything—except Ethan’s involvement. Without evidence, he’d never admit it. And if I exposed him now, who knew if he’d have me killed? Just being alive was already a blessing.
Ethan and Lily put on another act.
“Officers, how could this happen? How could criminals attack my wife in such a heavily guarded hospital? And the same gang again? I demand a thorough investigation. Form a task force immediately!” Ethan said righteously.
The officers nodded, assuring him they’d do their best.
Lily cried as she added, “Officer, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Mommy wouldn’t have suffered like this. She’s already lost her legs. Please, please catch the bad guys!”
The officers barely glanced at her before rushing off. The incident wasn’t small, but it wasn’t big either.
Even the hospital president, vice president, and head of security came to apologize.
“Mr. Miller, we’re deeply sorry. Such a thing happening in our hospital is unacceptable. We’ll improve security. It was our negligence.”
Ethan accepted their apology, then told the medical staff, “Use the best medicine and the best doctors for my wife, no matter the cost!”
He worked hard to maintain his image as a devoted husband.
Finally, he took my hand and asked if I was feeling better.
