(Giselle's POV)
I had no idea when my consciousness faded away, but I woke up to my left arm burning.
It felt as if someone had set a fire on it. How could Travis be so cruel?
How was I so blind back then to fall for him?
A drop of tear slid down.
I had met Travis at his lowest.
He had leukaemia and our bone marrow was a perfect match.
My father worked for Mr. Hayes, Travis’ father and out of loyalty for him, my father agreed to the transplant.
And, I was more than willing to save his life.
Mr. Hayes in return gave my father some of his company’s shares. He didn't want to take it but Mr. Hayes gave my father the responsibility to train Travis to be the next chairman, and so he had accepted it.
Travis, after recovering, thanked me. He courted me, confessed to me, and proposed to me.
And, I had fallen for him too at that time.
My father also wished to return back the shares to Travis after he took the company’s control but the board contained many enemies, and he had become all of their enemies for supporting Travis. And, he knew that it wasn't the right time to leave yet.
My father had always been honest and so was I.
But how did it all change?
How could Travis even say I manipulated him into this marriage? He was the one who took the first step, and I simply fell for him.
We had been married for ten years.
Our relationship wasn't always like this. He had never put his hands on me until today.
I bit my lips, suppressing my pain.
Since Esther came, our marriage ended.
Esther was the same person who had left Travis years ago for his leukaemia.
But Travis changed once she returned.
The first day she came back, Travis started sleeping in his studies.
In a month, he grew cold towards me. Even my son of my blood pushed me from the stairs for disturbing his and aunt Esther’s time together.
In the second month, I caught them kissing.
And this was the third month only, but Travis was a changed man.
Tears bubbled inside my eyes. How can a person change so much? Even my son turned against me.
Just as I was about to fall unconscious again, I heard someone open the door.
I grew restless, trying to break free from the chains. “Pl…ease… Tra…vis… let… me go…” I managed to huff out, but I was shocked when I saw Esther enter in a wheelchair.
“Wh—what are you doing here? Why don't you tell the truth?!” I questioned, growing restless as Esther came towards me.
Esther laughed aloud as she stood up.
My eyes widened.
“You must be wondering how I am so safe, and what I am doing here,” Esther smirked.
“You… you're faking it…” tears slid down my cheeks.
“You're correct, I'm faking it. I just used a body double and she is doing well because she was saved by the firefighter before she could have any serious impact.”
I froze in a moment of disbelief. “H…how? Why would you go for such lengths?!”
Esther laughed. “What are you talking about? All of this which belongs to you should've become mine. But you came in between, and ruined everything…”
“You're the one who left Travis when he had leukaemia!”
“He proposed to me! How could I marry a dying person? It'd be a waste! I wanted to return to him… I loved him… But you already snatched him away, but now, I'll take him back from you!”
I laughed in disbelief.
Esther’s face twitched but she composed herself and let out a smirk. “And, you know, why am I here? I wanted to stay with Travis and wanted him to accompany me. So, he brought me here to live. With him. He even arranged my room with all the medical appliances I need and booked me with private doctors. Do you understand how important I am to him?”
I faltered at her words. Travis had brought her home, and gave her room to Esther without a second thought.
Esther laughed, adding salt to the wound, “I had specifically asked for your room. Only she deserved to be in that room.”
That room was the master room. So, Travis planned to give this all to this scheming woman.
Tears blurred my vision when Esther smirked again, “And, do you want to know why Travis became so cold to you and thought this marriage was manipulated by you?”
I looked up, my lips parting. Was she behind that too?
Esther laughed, seeing my expression as if she enjoyed hurting me. “I had told him that it was your father who threatened me not to be near him otherwise, you wouldn't donate the bone marrow to him. Later, step-by-step, he wanted you to get married to Travis and control the company. Now you know why he hates you and your dad so much… In his eyes, you and your father separated us, and manipulated this marriage to steal his company…”
I shook my head, refusing to believe. “How… how could he believe… how could he believe these words?”
Esther laughed. “But he believes me. Even now, he believes that you're behind everything and you hurt me…”
My face twitched with anger and gathering my strength, I kicked her.
Esther gave me a scornful look but soon, she pretended to fall hard and cry.
I was amazed and couldn't understand what happened until I saw Travis rush to her help.
Esther trembled in his arms as he pulled her gently and placed her in the wheelchair.
“Travis… Travis, listen… Nothing happened to her… She's faking it… She told you lies… Nothing she said was the truth…” I managed to spew out, hoping Travis would believe my words but instead he slapped me.
“Even until now you're spewing lies! How can you be like this?! How can you?!”
I trembled, my heart shattering into pieces as he again refused to believe me.
“How can you hurt Esther again?!”
Esther pulled his sleeves gently as if she had no strength. “I… I just came here to ask why she pushed me… I didn't expect her to do this…”
Travis grunted as he punched me again. “Looks like you need to know your lesson the hard way.”
I shuddered. Was he going to hammer me again?
But Travis casually called a number.
My heart thumped loudly but as he spoke, I was in complete despair, “Throw out Hugh Kelson out of the company right now! He has such a daughter. How can he stay in the company? Throw him out of the company so that he doesn't dare to enter the company again!”
“No! No, Travis! You have problems with me! Don't go for my dad! Come at me!”
Travis only scoffed, looking at me with stern eyes. “You’ll only learn a lesson this way.”
As he said it, he left, cuddling with Esther.
