My sister-in-law had been deceived by my husband’s assistant into going to the mountains, where she was forced to marry a villager.
By the time she managed to steal a phone and call me for help, she had already miscarried eight children.
She told me she was finally pregnant with a boy, but the delivery was difficult, and she was bleeding badly.
The villagers refused to take her to the hospital, insisting instead on using a folk remedy, pressing her stomach with a rolling pin.
I urgently asked her to give me the address, but at that moment, my husband snatched the phone from my hand and smashed it.
“Chloe, what’s wrong with you again? Are you trying to convince your sister to get a divorce again? You know the saying, better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. Stop being so heartless, will you?”
“If it weren’t for Zaria’s kindness in finding your sister a home, with that shy and bookish nature of hers, she would’ve ended up an old maid.”
That was when I realized my husband had always believed it was my sister who had been tricked into going to the mountains.
He pulled 250 dollars from his pocket and threw it in my face. “That’s the bride price they gave you. Take it and stop causing trouble.”
I looked at the bills scattered across the floor and gave a bitter smile.
But then my husband held out his hand and said coldly, “Don’t you know any manners? Where’s your family’s dowry?”
I stared at him, my face blank. “That dowry, you’re the one who should be paying it.”
——
My words instantly angered Ronnie Henderson. He glared at me with contempt. “Chloe, is your family trying to take advantage of me now?”
“Your sister’s getting married, and you expect me to pay for her dowry? Are you beggars?”
“Instead of wasting time arguing, why don’t you call your dad and tell him to get the money ready right now?”
“Let me tell you the truth. That quiet sister of yours wasn’t who they wanted at all. They were looking for someone who could give them children easily.”
“If it weren’t for Zaria putting in the effort to arrange the marriage, your sister wouldn’t have found anyone.”
“I suggest you send the dowry quickly. Otherwise, if your sister gets mistreated by her in-laws, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Seeing the cold look on Ronnie’s face, a mix of anger and sadness rose in me. So this was what he really thought of my family.
I rubbed my eyes, holding back tears, and asked softly, “It’s been a while since you last talked to your sister, hasn’t it?”
Ronnie froze. His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What are you planning? Are you going after Liana now? I’m warning you, if you touch her, I’ll never forgive you.”
He grabbed my collar, his teeth clenched as he said, “From now on, I don’t want to hear you mention my sister again.”
I looked at his angry face and couldn’t help but laugh. Liana Henderson was Ronnie’s sister, his only remaining family, and he loved her more than anything.
Once, when a street punk whistled at Liana, Ronnie lost his temper and took his bodyguards to that street, beating up every thug he saw.
I couldn’t help but think about what would happen when Ronnie found out that Zaria Collins had tricked the sister he adored into marrying a villager in the mountains. How would he react then?
I bent down to pick up my phone from the floor, but Ronnie stepped on it, pressing it hard under his heel.
I said coldly, “Ronnie, your sister just called me. She said she’s in labor and in danger. We need to find a way to save her.”
Ronnie looked indifferent. “It takes at least four hours to drive from the city to that mountain village. If she can make it, then there’s no need to save her. If she can’t, calling an ambulance now won’t help either.”
He then kicked at the floor, scattering the broken pieces of my phone.
I forced down the anger rising inside me and said, “Your sister grew up in the city, living a comfortable life. She can’t survive in that kind of place.”
