"Simon, just let Harper go, okay? I'm alright. It doesn't bother me that I got a cold that almost paralyzed me. Don’t let me be the reason your wife and child suffer…”
Before I could finish my words, Janet cut in. As she snuggled in Simon's arms and tears welled in her eyes, she said again, "But Simon, don't worry too much. Though I went to the hospital that day, I saw it all on the surveillance footage. The child stayed in the air-conditioned room for hours. Later, maybe he cried nonstop from the cold, but nothing else happened...”
Nearly paralyzed? Cried for hours? She practically ran out that day and after she left, I rushed my son to the hospital immediately.
"She's lying! Our home surveillance system's app is connected to your phone. Verify it for yourself!"
But before I could finish, his expression darkened. He lowered the ladder and barked an order, "Guys! Strip her and the child naked! That woman never tells the truth. Today I’ll teach her a lesson she won’t forget!”
As the helicopter descended, Simon hurriedly pulled Janet closer. His eyes never left mine as he adjusted her clothes.
"Tell me … you made up about my son's illness, didn't you? Just to win my favor, you even used your own son! You're so disgusting, Harper! You've made many mistakes already, so if you don't sincerely admit your fault today, you can stay there!”
Then he bent and cupped Janet's face. His eyes filled with tenderness. "Janet, as long as I'm alive, I'll never let you suffer injustice. Don't be afraid.”
Just as he helped Janet sit down, his men rushed toward me in a frenzy. They eyed me up and down, grinning lewdly as they tore off my thin clothes.
With my son clutched in my arms, I kept retreating backward, but no matter how hard I tried, my strength was no match with several men.
They shoved me and snatched my son. Then stripped away his last piece of clothing and tossed him straight onto the ice. Instantly, my son's heartbreaking cries entered my ears, though it was clearly weaker than before.
Panic seized me. I stumbled and crawled toward him.
My bare skin stuck to the ice, each movement tearing away chunks of flesh, but I was too focused to care. I kept dragging myself forward like a madman, while leaving a long trail of blood behind me.
My son was also stuck firmly to the ice, so every time I moved him, the pain made him cry even harder.
As I tried to soothe him, I was lying beside him as an attempt to melt the ice beneath him with my body heat…
Minutes later, the ground beneath me was soaked in blood.
Clearly, Simon saw this because he pushed Janet away from his arms and leaned down to glance at my son. Just when he was about to speak, Janet slid down the ladder and pleaded, "Harper, just admit your wrongdoing. Men have their pride. With all these brothers here today, if you don’t apologize, how will Simon ever show his face again?"
I grabbed her by the collar, glared at her and screamed, "What should I admit? My son is in the ICU because of you! Do you dare ask Simon to pull up the surveillance footage from that day right now? Only a fool like him would believe such a pathetic lie!”
“You said you were paralyzed? Show me your medical record!”
Simon had followed downstairs. Hearing my words, his gaze toward Janet held a hint of unreadable emotion.
