"I have to admit, Malva, your method is really effective. I've noticed Livia has been much more subdued lately."
But as soon as he closed his eyes, the image of her bloodstained body and her indifferent gaze flashed in his mind.
His heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed, a mix of pain and bitterness rising within him.
Malva bit her lip, her hand holding the teacup starting to feel sore. She extended the cup forward and replied, "But Livia..."
Just then, the phone vibrated and Mitchel leaned back on the sofa as he swiped the screen.
"Mitchel, the custom wedding dress is ready. Would you like to come and take a look?"
Mitchel curled the corner of his mouth and said, "I have something to do, I'll go first.”
“Mitchel, let me get you a fresh cup of tea… ah, it's so hot!"
Mitchel stood up without noticing and the scalding tea splashed all over Malva.
He widened his eyes and hurriedly took out a handkerchief to wipe the tea off her. But her fair skin was already red and swollen in patches, with her arm covered in cuts from broken porcelain.
"Mitchel, you don't need to worry about me, go ahead with what you're doing. It doesn't hurt..."
"You're covered in injuries, how can it not hurt!"
When they arrived at the hospital, a nurse helped treat her wounds. Using the excuse of going to the restroom, Malva slipped away.
***
A sudden scream rang out and several nurses scrambled to carry an unconscious Livia out. "Quick, get a stretcher!"
One of the kind-hearted nurses placed a blanket over Livia. Shortly after, Malva arrived, slipping them an envelope and threatening them.
"You all know that I am Mitchel's true love and this woman is just a marriage partner. Even if something happens to her, it'll only make Mitchel angry, so no one can leak this information!"
"Malva, are you really okay?" Mitchel's anxious voice came from outside the door.
"I'm fine, almost healed. It's just that Livia..."
"Don't worry about her!"
Malva chuckled softly and whispered to those nurses. “See? Mitchel doesn't care about Livia at all.”
After saying that, she proudly pushed open the door to leave, but several nurses couldn't stand by and did nothing.
In the hospital, Livia developed a high fever and there were shadows on her lungs. Her body had no good skin left.
The department heads who had accepted the bribes all made excuses to avoid involvement.
Fortunately, an intern doctor, unaware of the situation, still did his best to treat her.
Mitchel took the wedding dress home, but couldn't find Livia anywhere. It was then that he learned she had gone to the hospital.
Her whole body was wrapped in thick bandages, only her mouth and one arm exposed.
Mitchel furrowed his brows. "What happened to her eyes?"
"Mr. West, Miss Mayer said she doesn't want to see anyone... so she asked us to cover them."
A heavy feeling sank in his chest.
She didn’t want to see anyone including him?
"Idiot! You just listen to whatever she says? As long as we're not married, she's not the future mistress of the West Family!"
How ridiculous.
They had been engaged for so long. It was Mitchel himself who had brought her to this hospital, introducing her as his fiancée and telling the staff to respect her as they would respect him.
But because of Malva, her position had plummeted.
Livia turned her head, pretending not to hear.
Mitchel's face darkened. "When are you going to change those spoiled habits? Even lying in a hospital bed, you still have such a bad temper!"
She remained silent. With her face hidden from view, an inexplicable unease settled in Mitchel’s chest.
"Forget it, I won't argue with a patient."
He sat down, sneaking a glance at her. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t suppress the flicker of guilt.
"Does it hurt?"
