Stephanie's face turned pale the moment she heard Edison's words.
"I refuse!" Jacob said flatly.
Edison struck him hard on the back with his cane. He was furious beyond belief. "You ungrateful child! You were the one who insisted on being with Lindy back then. You even swore in front of your parents' graves that you'd give her a happy life.
"And now look at you. You've delayed the wedding year after year. It's been five years! How much longer are you going to waste Lindy's time?"
Lindsey lowered her gaze. She suddenly recalled that she and Jacob had shared some good memories too. He was a decisive and ruthless man on the outside, but he had once been thoughtful and considerate for her sake as well.
Back then, just because Lindsey said she was afraid, Jacob spared the life of an enemy who tried to kill him. From that moment on, everyone knew he had a weakness.
Jacob had calmness and composure etched into his bones, but he stayed up all night keeping watch at her bedside on the third night of her persistent fever.
Lindsey had once casually mentioned liking magnolia flowers, and he had rows of magnolia trees planted all around the villa. But later, Stephanie's name was carved onto every single one of those trees.
Just like at this moment…
With just one teary-eyed look from Stephanie, Jacob was willing to go against the entire world for her sake.
"I won't marry Lindsey," he said. "She's not good enough for me."
He then took Stephanie's hand, his eyes seemingly crazed with reckless resolve. "The one I truly love is Stephie. I will marry no one but her. I can agree to pretend that Lindsey is my fiancee in public, but I can't do it if you want me to marry her."
With that, he fell to his knees with a thud.
Stephanie followed suit and kneeled before Edison. Her teary eyes were filled with stubborn determination. "Grandpa, please give us your blessing to be together!"
Edison was so furious that his breathing grew rapid, and his chest heaved violently. "Get out! Go and reflect on yourselves in the family chapel!"
Amid countless shocked stares, Jacob and Stephanie walked into the chapel together, hands tightly clasped.
Lindsey watched the entire scene expressionlessly. She couldn't help but feel how ridiculous this whole situation was.
She took out a wooden box from her bag. Inside the box was a priceless emerald bracelet, a family heirloom of the Whitaker family.
Edison froze for a moment. "Lindy, what are you…"
Lindsey stepped backward and nodded respectfully. "Mr. Whitaker Senior, thank you for taking care of me these past five years. However, I really can't stay by Jacob's side anymore."
Edison tried to persuade her otherwise, but Lindsey didn't hesitate. She placed the bracelet down and left without looking back.
As she passed the chapel, she heard kissing sounds coming from inside. She peeked through a crack in the door and saw Jacob and Stephanie's figures entangled intimately in a passionate kiss.
Lindsey didn't stop in her tracks. She turned around and left the Whitaker estate.
First, she went to a bank and transferred 2.5 million dollars to Jacob's account.
Next, she went to Whitaker Group and resigned from her position as Jacob's secretary. The HR manager was one of Lindsey's few friends. She said sincerely, "Lindy, congratulations on finally getting out of that nightmare."
Similarly, Lindsey felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She owed Jacob nothing anymore.
She returned to the villa that evening. Suddenly, a glass of water flew at her. It shattered at her feet, and the flying glass shards cut into her leg.
Jacob stormed over to Lindsey and grabbed her by the throat. "Lindsey! Grandpa always treated you like his own granddaughter, and this is how you repay him? By pushing him down the stairs?" he demanded.
Lindsey's face turned red from lack of air, the veins in her neck swelling.
She slapped Jacob's hands desperately, trying to survive. "No, I didn't… It wasn't me!"
A pitiful voice drifted down from upstairs. "Ms. Johnson, Mr. Brown already confirmed that it was you who pushed Grandpa down the stairs. Are you still going to lie? Jacob, is this the woman you chose? She can't even admit what she's done. What a coward!"
Jacob pushed Lindsey hard into a corner. She coughed violently. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the smug glint in Stephanie's eyes.
At that moment, her scalp tingled with fear. She didn't need to think twice. Stephanie was the one who pushed Edison down the stairs.
Suddenly, an urgent ringing sound was heard. Derek's voice rang out. "Mr. Jacob, Mr. Whitaker Senior is losing blood quickly, but the supply at the hospital's blood bank is critically low…"
Lindsey couldn't catch whatever he said next, because Stephanie added fuel to the fire. "Jacob, I remember Ms. Johnson has the same blood type as Grandpa, right?"
A bone-chilling fear surged through Lindsey's body, from her head to her toes.
A second later, Jacob forcefully dragged her to the hospital and brought her into the emergency room. "Draw her blood. I don't care if she dies as long as Grandpa survives!"
Lindsey was then bound with thick ropes as the cold needle pierced into her veins. Her eyes filled with despair.
"Jacob, I'm willing to donate my blood to Mr. Whitaker Senior even if you hadn't asked," she said. "But I didn't push him down the stairs! You can't just trample on my dignity like this!"
Jacob sneered. "Still lying? Grandpa treated you so well, and this is how you repay him? You'd better pray that he lives. Otherwise, you'll pay for his death with your blood!"
Anger, grief, humiliation, and despair swirled within her chest. Lindsey could feel her blood draining away, and her body temperature was plummeting. It felt as if she were standing at death's door.
Did her mother also suffer in pain like this when she had no one to turn to for help?
Dazed, Lindsey smiled through her tears. In her half-conscious state, she seemed to hear her mother calling her.
"Mom, are you coming to take me now?" Lindsey thought.
