"Milo, did you really not see what just happened? I only pulled my hand away. I didn't push her."
Dakota stepped forward and tugged on Milo's arm. "She really didn't mean to push me."
"I didn't push you at all. Dakota, have some conscience when you speak. If you want to be with Milo, I can just step aside."
"Alia, what are you talking about? Milo and I are innocent. If you misunderstand me and give me trouble, fine, but Milo is your husband. Don't you trust him? Do you two really not even have the most basic trust between husband and wife?"
Dakota looked at me pitifully. "I've been yielding to you in every way and even speaking up for you, yet you still talk about me like this. Alia, about something you came to me for earlier, I wasn't planning to bring it up, but now I have to."
I didn't understand what she meant about me going to her, but she was already speaking again. "Everyone, listen to this. This is a recording from when Alia came to me earlier."
I listened to the recording in shock. I had never been to Dakota at all.
The colleagues all looked as if they had suddenly figured everything out.
"I know Dakota isn't that kind of person. How could she purposely invite a heavily pregnant Vice President Alia Coleman to ride a jet ski? Turns out she went to Dakota in private, forced her to do it in the name of work, and planned to later accuse her of trying to cause harm. What a trap, just because Dakota is capable, she's jealous. With a person like you, this company is doomed sooner or later."
"Yeah, if Dakota didn't have this recording, we'd still be in the dark. Truly a venomous heart."
"You wicked woman," Milo glared at me. "What do you have to say now?"
"Milo, I never went to Dakota in private."
"With the recording right there, you still won't admit it?"
"In court, recordings can't even be used as evidence. Technology is advanced now; she could easily fake my voice and make a fake recording."
Milo slapped me hard across the face, first on one side, then the other. "Even now, you still dare to slander Dakota. How blind was I to have fallen for such a vicious woman like you?"
"Right now, kneel down and apologize to Dakota."
"I don't ask her to apologize." Dakota wiped her tears away. "I just don't want to be wronged for nothing. As long as everyone knows the truth, that's enough."
"Milo, my fate with this company is shallow. Everyone, enjoy yourselves. When I return, I'll resign and no longer disturb your and your wife's life."
Milo pulled Dakota into his arms. "With me here, no one can bully you."
His words left me stunned. As an orphan, I had always been bullied. The first time he stood before me to shield me from the wind and rain, he had said those very words.
Now, he was no longer my shelter; he was the one hurting me.
"Alia, kneel down and apologize to Dakota, or I won't let this go."
My face burned with pain, but my heart hurt even more.
Seeing I didn't speak, Milo hit me again. "Something born of a mother with no father to teach her, kneel down and apologize, didn't you hear me?"
Before I could react, he raised his foot and kicked me in the stomach. "Still thinking of using the child to secure your place? I'll kick you to death."
I fell to the ground, my heart aching as if it were bleeding. I was an orphan. When he first learned that, he had promised to protect me and give me a real home. Now, he was using it to attack me, throwing those cruel words about being born of a mother but not raised by a father.
I tried to get up, but Milo came over and pushed me back down. "Kneel for me."
"Milo, I have a child in my belly. I can't kneel. I know I was wrong; it's all my fault. Please stop hitting me."
