After filing the divorce papers, I went back to the hospital where I worked, went to HR and turned in my resignation.
I remembered when I started my internship here, Carl had gotten into a car accident caused by a business rival and was hospitalized with paralysis in both legs.
Back then, he was irritable and refused treatment. I stayed with him day and night, comforting him, helping him through rehab and watching him stand again.
When he chased after me, I turned him down because our social statuses were too different. He knelt and promised he would never betray me in this lifetime.
His sincerity back then made me let go of all my worries. Now, looking back, it feels painfully ironic.
My colleague stared at me in surprise. “Camelia, you were doing great. Why are you suddenly quitting?”
“Some places only make you feel worse the longer you stay,” I said calmly.
After packing my few things, I went to the elevator. The doors opened in the inpatient department—a twist of fate.
Carl stood at the door, holding Jocelyn, her wrist heavily bandaged. She looked pale and leaned weakly on him. Seeing me, Carl’s brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?” He instinctively pulled Jocelyn closer.
Jocelyn looked up, tears in her eyes, her voice trembling. “Camelia, I’m sorry. I know you hate me. I killed Auntie… but I didn’t mean to…”
She touched the bandages on her wrist. “You can hit me, scold me, I’ll take it… but please don’t blame Carl. He did it for me too.”
Watching her act, my stomach turned. Carl’s eyes went cold as he glared at me. “Camelia, Jocelyn already tried to atone by attempting suicide. What more do you want? Do you need her to die before you’re satisfied?”
Atonement? My mother was alive and my father is barely hanging on, yet she thinks hurting herself once can wipe everything away?
My heart felt frozen; hurting so much that I went numb. I didn’t want to deal with them, so I turned away and went to my father’s room. He was still unconscious, kept alive by the machines.
A little later, the door opened. Carl entered, arm in arm with Jocelyn. She held a phone showing a live stream. “Everyone, I know there have been many rumors about me,” Jocelyn said, tears in her voice. “I feel guilty. Even though Camelia misunderstands me, her father was hurt and hospitalized and I’m heartbroken too…”
As she spoke, she showed the camera my unconscious father in the hospital bed. “I heard Uncle Rowan caused a big scandal with perjury and now…”
“Shut up!” I jumped up and snatched her phone. “Get out!”
Jocelyn gasped, tears forming. “I was just telling the truth. Why did you hit me?”
I lifted my hand to slap her, but a strong grip held my wrist.
“Camelia! Haven’t you done enough?!” Carl yanked my hand away.
Surprised, I fell back, hitting my forehead hard on the hospital bed railing.
A sharp pain hit me and blood ran down my forehead. Carl saw it, looked shocked and instinctively reached out.
“Carl, my wrist hurts so much…” Jocelyn groaned, grabbing his arm tightly at just the right moment.
Carl froze, looked at Jocelyn’s bandaged wrist, then at me and finally bent down to lift her, leaving the ward without a glance back.
I collapsed to the floor, blood and tears mixing on my forehead. Only when the nurse rushed over to bandage me did I start to come out of my numb despair.
Wiping my tears, I took out my phone and called a number from Stellis. “Drake,” I said, my voice calm but desperate. “You said you’d grant me any request if I left Carl, right?”
I paused, then said clearly, “In one month, help me destroy Carl’s company.”
