“What do you think?”
Nathaniel choked, his tone sharp with impatience.
“Vivian! This concerns Emily’s safety. Can’t you just speak properly?”
Seeing the veins throbbing on his forehead over Emily’s anxiety, I smiled.
A single word from Alexander of Northford could send someone soaring to heaven or plunging into hell.
Did Emily call him kind? That’s right. The young master of the Quinn family who broke the jade bracelet was only given two spankings—and that was it. As for the others? No one knows how they died.
I was silent for two seconds, then decided to give them one last chance.
“Why not call the police?”
With the police present, the Quinn family would at least be more cautious.
“Why? Why call the police?”
Emily stared at me with wide eyes.
“The bracelet has been repaired, and Alexander has approved it.”
“Vivian, you keep talking about calling the police. Are you hoping I’ll go to jail?”
She seemed to have a sudden realization, a look of twisted enlightenment on her face.
“I see! Are you jealous of Nathaniel’s kindness to me, so you want me to die in prison?”
“Then Nathaniel will be completely yours, right?”
She turned to Nathaniel and forced a smile uglier than tears.
“It’s okay, Nathaniel. Just die. Eighteen years from now, I’ll be a cute little fool again.”
“Promise me that in your next life, before my alcoholic father beats me to death, you’ll find me and continue to support me.”
Nathaniel clenched his fists, his eyes red.
“Vivian!”
He slapped me across the face.
“If you dare touch a hair on Emily’s head, I’ll kill you!”
He hit me so hard . My cheeks swelled instantly, and blood oozed from the corners of my mouth.
Licking my lips, I backhanded Emily and slapped her hard.
“She’s hurt, but you’re hurting. This deal’s worth it.”
Emily was stunned, then threw herself into Nathaniel’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Nathaniel, why does Vivian always bully me?”
Nathaniel’s eyes blazed, and he raised his hand to strike me again.
I confronted him without flinching. His eyes were filled with disgust and hatred, with no trace of the love he once had. But wasn’t it he who relentlessly pursued me for two years, repeatedly getting drunk and kneeling before me, crying and professing his love, until I finally relented and agreed?
And since when had his heart and eyes become filled with only Emily?
Seeing my pale face, Nathaniel’s hand froze in mid-air.
“Are you having a heart attack?”
“What are you still standing there for? Take your medicine!”
My trembling hands pulled out the spare bottle from the car, but all that came out were effervescent tablets.
A sudden wave of suffocation enveloped me.
This morning, Emily lingered and refused to get out of the car. It turned out she’d switched my medicine back then.
In her previous life, she switched my medicine at home—and this time, did she even do it in the car?
Was I finally going to escape her clutches?
Seeing that I didn’t move, Nathaniel urged me anxiously.
“Vivian! Hurry up and eat! Why aren’t you eating yet?”
Emily suddenly put her hands on her head.
“Oh no, oh no! I didn’t know Vivian had a heart condition. I thought it was a Vitamin C tablet, and I thought the effervescent version would taste better with its sweet and sour flavor, so I switched it.”
“Nathaniel, did I do something wrong again? Why am I always so stupid?”
Nathaniel paused, his tone still gentle.
“It’s okay. I don’t blame you. You mean well.”
I was dying because my medication was switched, and he said it was okay?
Could it be that in his eyes, even Emily’s murders and arson were just innocent and cute?
This scene was so similar to my last moments in my previous life.
Desperately, I reached for my phone to call an ambulance, but I stumbled upon a small pill bottle.
I swallowed a pill, and the suffocating feeling of near death finally eased. Luckily, I had taken it to the office and slipped the pills into my pocket.
Nathaniel breathed a sigh of relief.
“Vivian, remember to keep your medicine safe from now on. You scared me to death just now.”
A flicker of disappointment flashed across Emily’s eyes. When I noticed it, she immediately blinked to cover it up and playfully tapped her head.
“It’s almost two o’clock, Vivian. Shouldn’t we leave?”
I slowly raised the corner of my mouth.
“Okay.”
I’ve had enough of your drama. Since you’re so eager to go to the Quinn family and get yourself killed, I’ll stick with you until the end.
Ten minutes later, we arrived at Quinn's residence.
Seeing Alexander Quinn leaning back on the sofa, sipping tea, Emily immediately jumped forward and handed over the box like a treasure.
“Alexander, Emily is here to give you a bracelet!”
“Take a look. Are you satisfied? Don’t be too touched!”
Alexander Quinn raised his eyes, nodded slightly, and slowly put down his teacup.
Thinking she’d completed her mission successfully, Emily tilted her head and smiled at Nathaniel.
“Nathaniel, I told you! Being an antique restorer is nothing special. Anyone can do it!”
Before she finished her words, two black-clad bodyguards suddenly pulled out guns and pressed the cold muzzles directly to her head.
