A man who looked like the leader walked over with a sinister grin.

“Let us go! I already called the police. They’re on their way!”

“Heh, in this line of work, do you think I’m afraid of that?”

One of his men kicked me, knocking my phone away. I fell hard onto the ground. Lily sobbed, begging them not to hurt me, but they ignored her.

Soon the mob surged forward. They punched and kicked me until I passed out.

When I woke again, I thought I was in heaven. The smell of antiseptic filled the air, and the ceiling was white as snow. I pinched myself.

“Am I… in a hospital?”

I looked at my legs in disbelief. They were broken, hanging in casts.

“I… I didn’t die? I’m in a hospital? But where’s Lily?”

Panicked, I looked around, but everything was quiet. Midnight.

Then I heard whispers from the next room:

“Daddy, just because Mommy didn’t give Aunt Sarah the parking spot and caused her death, you’re getting revenge? You made me pretend to be kidnapped, then lured Mommy here so she’d get her leg broken, and now she’ll walk with a limp forever?”

“What about Mommy’s daily life?”

Ethan’s voice was cold:

“She only lost a leg. Sarah lost her life. If it weren’t for Emily’s lack of compassion, if she hadn’t coldly refused that spot, Sarah would still be alive. Besides, don’t you like Aunt Sarah too? Aren’t you glad she cared for you?”

Lily’s voice was trembling with tears:

“Yes… Aunt Sarah was so kind. Mommy’s so heartless. Aunt Sarah always bought me burgers. She was sweet. Mommy just forces me to eat broccoli. She’s too controlling.”

My blood ran cold.

So it was all fake. The kidnapping, the danger—an act. My own daughter pretended to be kidnapped, all to punish me for Sarah’s death.

When the police came to take my statement the next day, Ethan and Lily kept up their act of being a loving husband and daughter.

“Officer, in broad daylight, my daughter was kidnapped and my wife’s leg broken. I demand justice. These criminals must be caught!” Ethan said solemnly.

“It’s all my fault, officer,” Lily cried. “If I hadn’t been so naughty, those men wouldn’t have taken me, and Mommy wouldn’t be hurt like this.”

The officer patted her head gently. “Don’t worry, little one. We’ll make sure justice is served.”

After they left, Ethan took my hand.

“Feeling better, Emily? I’m sorry. My phone died. If it hadn’t, you wouldn’t have been hurt like this.”

Looking at his fake concern made me sick.

“I don’t care anymore whether you answered my call.”

“Let’s just get divorced. Tomorrow morning, County Clerk’s Office.”

Both Ethan and Lily froze.

“What? You’re in this condition and still want a divorce? Who’s going to take care of you?” Ethan asked, shocked.

“That’s none of your business.”

“Can you stop making a scene? You’re hurt. Just focus on healing instead of being unreasonable.” Ethan’s tone was impatient.

“If you don’t agree to divorce, I’ll tell the police the truth.”

I stared at him. “Tomorrow morning at the County Clerk’s Office. Don’t think I won’t show up, even if I have to hobble there on crutches.”

His face paled, his expression twisted with anger.

I longed for the divorce. What good were a husband and daughter like this?

All this, just because of a parking spot? Sarah brought her death upon herself, yet they blamed me.

Why should I stay in such a family?

Near midnight, a loud knock woke me.

Startled, I sat up to see several men entering my hospital room—disheveled, dressed like vagrants. My heart pounded.

“Who are you? This is a hospital. You’re trespassing!”

The gang leader smirked.

“What, lady? Already forgotten us? You sure have a short memory.”

My face went pale. This wasn’t simple.

“Was it Ethan? Did he send you? Tell him to come here. I’ll face him myself. I’m his wife. This is our family business. Outsiders have no right to interfere!”

I shouted, but they ignored me.

“Ethan? We don’t know him.”

“You offended the wrong person.”

“Lady, in your next life, learn to behave.”

The group surged forward. My heart seized.

“I’ll pay thirty thousand dollars—no, seventy thousand! Just stop this. Let me go!”

The leader froze for a moment, then sneered.

“Sorry. No matter how much you offer, we keep our word. Otherwise, how could we survive in this business?”

“Nothing personal, lady.”

He raised a chair leg and smashed it into my other leg. My scream tore through the night before I blacked out.

When I woke again, the world spun, but I was alive.

Alive… but both my legs were gone. Amputated.

And worse—I wasn’t whole anymore. The medical report told me the truth: my womb had been ripped from me.

Tears streamed silently down my face.

Then I heard a voice from the bathroom. Ethan, talking on the phone, on speaker.

“Daddy, because Mommy caused Aunt Sarah’s death and tried to force you to divorce, you had no choice but to send the gang again. But Daddy, you let them take Mommy’s womb. How will she ever have more children?”

Ethan’s voice was chilling:

“She has you. That’s enough. Why would she need more? Breaking her legs was the point—now she can’t push me to divorce. And I had the leader record everything. If she dares threaten me again, I’ll release it. She’ll be ruined in New York City, disgraced, abandoned even by her parents. Let’s see how she survives then.”

“But Daddy, isn’t this too cruel? Mommy will be in so much pain. And Aunt Sarah died because of her illness. You can’t blame Mommy entirely.” Lily said.

“Hmph, who else should I blame? If it weren’t for her lack of compassion, would Sarah be dead? She was my true love, the woman I could never have. I only wanted to take care of her in her final years. With late-stage kidney failure, how long could she have lived? At most ten years!”

“But your mother—even with her legs broken and her womb gone—she can still live comfortably for the rest of her life. Now tell me, who’s really worse off?” Ethan said coldly.

Lily nodded. “That’s true. Aunt Sarah was so beautiful, like a fairy. Every time she came to pick me up, she dressed like an angel. Mommy, on the other hand, is plain and dull. It’s such a pity Aunt Sarah died. If only it had been Mommy instead.”

“You’d prefer Aunt Sarah to be your mother, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course!” Lily clapped her hands.

My heart sank into the abyss. I no longer felt anything for this cruel father and daughter.

After Ethan left the bathroom, I called my best friend, Jessica Parker.

“Jessica, I regret everything. I want to come back.”

Even though it was the middle of the night, Jessica quickly sobered when she heard my voice.

“Emily, is that you? What happened?”

I told her everything, and Jessica was furious.

“See? I told you before. Ethan only looks good on the outside, but inside he’s vicious. Otherwise, how could he treat you like this? Even after Sarah’s death, all he ever thinks about is her, never you, his real wife.”

I was sobbing uncontrollably.

“Enough crying. I’ll tell my professor and send my brother Daniel to pick you up. You can’t walk on your own now anyway.”

I nodded, and she hung up.

I didn’t sleep at all that night.

The next morning, the police officers came again to take my statement.

I told them everything—except Ethan’s involvement. Without evidence, he’d never admit it. And if I exposed him now, who knew if he’d have me killed? Just being alive was already a blessing.

Ethan and Lily put on another act.

“Officers, how could this happen? How could criminals attack my wife in such a heavily guarded hospital? And the same gang again? I demand a thorough investigation. Form a task force immediately!” Ethan said righteously.

The officers nodded, assuring him they’d do their best.

Lily cried as she added, “Officer, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Mommy wouldn’t have suffered like this. She’s already lost her legs. Please, please catch the bad guys!”

The officers barely glanced at her before rushing off. The incident wasn’t small, but it wasn’t big either.

Even the hospital president, vice president, and head of security came to apologize.

“Mr. Miller, we’re deeply sorry. Such a thing happening in our hospital is unacceptable. We’ll improve security. It was our negligence.”

Ethan accepted their apology, then told the medical staff, “Use the best medicine and the best doctors for my wife, no matter the cost!”

He worked hard to maintain his image as a devoted husband.

Finally, he took my hand and asked if I was feeling better.