The butler beside Amelia had watched me grow up.

He felt a hint of sympathy and said, "Ms. Johnson, please, at least bring someone to take a look. Mr. Theodore wouldn't lie about something like this."

Amelia hesitated for a moment.

I seized the moment and kept begging her. My voice cracked as I said, "Please, please. I'm begging you. Save my mom!"

Amelia finally spoke, her tone still indifferent.

"I'll take a few men and check it out. But Theodore, if this turns out to be some stunt you orchestrated, I'll make you pay for it."

I looked up sharply, a glimmer of hope lighting in my eyes. It didn't matter what she thought, as long as she was willing to go.

She turned to call over a few bodyguards. But just then, her phone rang.

It was Jessica. Amelia gave me a quick glance and put the call on speaker.

Jessica's lazy, indifferent voice came through.

"Theodore didn't come to you, did he? Don't listen to a word he says. Someone just called me using Mom's phone, threatening to kill her. Honestly, it's hilarious."

A chill ran down my spine. It felt like my blood had frozen solid.

I never imagined the same sister who once promised to protect me for life could be so heartless. She was ignoring Mom's life and turning a blind eye to my desperation, all for a man.

Anger and fear surged in my chest.

I screamed into the phone, "Jessica, are you insane? Do you really need us to die before you'll believe me? You saw what happened to us last time!"

She let out a cold laugh. "That was just your ploy to seize power. I already checked with Iris. Nothing's wrong at home. You're ruthless and heartless. I won't fall for it again. If anything happens to Mom, it's your own doing!"

My heart sank.

Our housekeeper, Iris Sutton, had taken leave a week ago to return to her hometown. There was no way she could know what was going on at home.

Before I could retort, the sharp tone of the disconnected call rang out from the phone.

Amelia's expression completely darkened. She stared at me with disgust.

"So you were indeed lying! Someone, break his legs! Let him remember the price of lying to me!"

The bodyguards shifted closer, reaching out as if to seize me.

I gritted my teeth through the pain in my leg and shouted, "Don't you dare! When my dad gets back, none of you will get away with this!"

The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating.

Amelia let out a cold laugh, then casually picked up a baseball bat and walked over to me.

Towering above me, she looked down with amusement and scorn in her eyes.

"They might not dare, but I do."

I stared up at her in despair. The tenderness she once showed me now seemed like nothing but a cruel illusion.

I couldn't believe she'd really do this to me. I tried to back away in fear, but she kicked me hard to the floor.

A wave of pain hit my stomach. Before I could recover, she brought the bat down on my already injured left leg.

A guttural scream tore from my throat as my body convulsed violently. The agony nearly knocked me out.

She just stood there, cold and unmoved. "This is what you get for lying to me."

Just then, my phone rang.

She bent down and picked it up, lips curling into a mocking smile.

"Let's see who it is this time."

"Hello, is this Mr. Dawson who made the report? We've arrived at your residence. The suspect fled during the struggle. Your mother's condition is critical, and she needs immediate medical attention."