This time I didn’t snap back. I simply said, “I’m fine.”

“Nurses, doctors, please take good care of my mommy! I’m begging you. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be suffering like this.” Lily cried.

“What a thoughtful child. If only I had a kid like you.”

“So sensible. Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’ll do our best.”

I reached out my hand to Lily.

“Come here, Lily.”

“You said you’d do anything to help Mommy recover, even give me your legs, right?” I looked at her.

Lily blinked, confused, but still nodded. “Yes, Mommy. If it helps you get better, I’ll do anything.”

“Good.” I pointed to the window. “Then jump from there. Break your legs, and we’ll switch.”

Everyone’s faces changed instantly, including the doctors and nurses.

“This woman is insane! What did the child do wrong?”

“Exactly. It was the kidnappers, not the child.”

“Parents who take their anger out on children don’t deserve to be parents.”

But Lily was already running toward the window. She understood what I meant.

Ethan grabbed her just in time.

“What are you doing? Don’t jump!” he shouted at me angrily.

“Are you still making a scene? Are you insane? You want the child to pay with her life? Shouldn’t you pay for Sarah’s death instead?”

“What did the child do wrong?”

I ignored him and stared at Lily.

“Lily, you’re only eight. You’re my daughter, and already so calculating. Why didn’t you pick a quiet place to jump? You knew these people wouldn’t let you. You’re too scheming.”

My words made Lily explode.

She struggled desperately, crying out, “Daddy, let me jump! It’s my fault Mommy ended up like this. It’s all my fault. Let me jump. I was born from her. I’ll give these legs back to her.”

“Enough!” Ethan sealed the window shut.

“What do you want, Emily? Will you only stop when you drive our child to death?” he roared.

“That’s right, Emily, this is too much.”

A graceful figure appeared. I looked closely—it was Sarah’s younger sister, Sophie White.

Sophie rushed forward, hugging Lily.

“This poor child.”

“Emily, my sister may have died because of you, but I never asked you to pay with your life. I know accidents happen. I can’t blame you entirely for not giving her the emergency parking spot.”

“By the same logic, you can’t blame Lily for what happened to you. She’s just a child. You should blame the kidnappers.”

Sophie’s words drew applause from everyone around.

“Yes, that’s the right attitude. That’s maturity and decency.”

I sneered inwardly.

If it were your legs gone and your womb ripped out, would you still speak so righteously? What a joke.

Lily had already fainted from crying.

“I’ll take her to the infirmary. Sophie, stay here and keep an eye on Emily. Don’t let her cause trouble again.” Ethan said.

Ethan carried Lily away in a rush.

Sophie leaned close to me.

“Emily, honestly, I don’t hate you for Sarah’s death.”

“But what are you so proud of?” she whispered.

“When my sister was alive, you were never her match. When she was in college, I was there too. I know Ethan liked her, not you. You clung to him desperately just to make him notice you.”

“Now my sister is dead, and you’ve got Ethan all to yourself. What more do you want? Even with no legs, you’re still better off than her—she’s gone.”

“Get out!” I pointed at her. “Go join your dead sister in heaven.”

Sophie froze, then leaned into my ear.

“Emily Johnson, what are you so smug about? Don’t you know your daughter tricked you? She pretended to be kidnapped, all so you’d lose your legs. It was Ethan who told them to break your legs.”

“And you didn’t see it coming. I added seventy thousand dollars to make sure they took your womb too. How does it feel? You’ll never have children again. The only child you’ve got left is Lily—and she hates you.”

“I’ll make sure you regret this forever. You should have given my sister that parking spot. This is my revenge for her.”

“So it was you!!”

Rage boiled inside me. I slapped her hard across the face. “You vile woman!”

“Heh. Ethan’s not here. What can you do to me?” she sneered, slapping me back just as hard.

We tore at each other like wildcats, pulling hair and slapping until suddenly she let go. Her body collapsed like a broken kite.

Crash!

Her body hit the glass coffee table beside us, shards slicing into her flesh. Blood spilled across the floor.

The fragments glittered, scattered everywhere.

Just then, Ethan burst in, roaring, “What are you doing? Bullying Sophie!”

Of course. This scheming woman knew exactly when to play her part.

“What’s your problem, Emily? First you nearly drove Lily to her death, and now you hurt Sophie? Apologize!” Ethan glared at me, then helped Sophie up.

“It wasn’t Emily’s fault. I fell myself. Ethan, don’t blame her,” Sophie said sweetly.

“Fell? Ha! And the five handprints on your face? Did you fall into those too? Show me how you did that!” Ethan scolded, his heart aching for her.

“Your sister is gone, so I have to take care of you now. But you can’t let yourself be bullied like this.”

“Yes, Sophie, Mommy was too much. Your calf is bleeding. You need the infirmary to remove the glass. Otherwise, you’ll scar and won’t look good in skirts anymore.” Lily added.

“Mommy, you should apologize.”

Sophie put on her innocent act. “Don’t say that, Lily. She’s your mother. You can’t talk to her like this. What if she gets mad and forces you to eat broccoli again?”

“Even if she does, I’ll still speak the truth. My teacher said justice must always defeat evil.” Lily said firmly.

My heart shattered as I looked at her.

“Lily, between Aunt Sarah and Aunt Sophie, you’d choose them over me, your mother, wouldn’t you?”

Lily said, “Of course. You treat me so badly, forcing me to jump out the window, forcing me to eat broccoli. Aunt Sophie and Aunt Sarah were so kind, always giving me burgers. Who do you think I’d choose?”

I looked at Lily in disappointment.

“Remember what you said today, Lily.”

“What, even your own daughter has to bully and threaten you now?” Ethan shouted angrily.

“I’ll deal with you later. If you don’t apologize, don’t expect me to pay your medical bills.”

He picked Sophie up and was about to leave. I stopped him.

“So if I don’t apologize, you won’t pay my medical bills, right?”

“That’s right!”

“Fine. Then let’s divorce. Sign the papers. I’ve already signed.”

I handed Ethan the divorce agreement.

Sophie sneered, “Maybe she just wants half the property. My sister swore she saw Emily with another man.”

“That’s impossible!” Ethan snapped. “Half the assets? Dream on.”

I gave a cold laugh. “Do you think I care? Look at the terms.”

He read them, his face changing.

“What? You’d rather walk away with nothing than stay married to me?”

“That’s right. I don’t want anything.”

“Just a trick to lure me in, huh?” Sophie said.

“Think what you like. Just sign.”

“No,” Ethan said. “We’ll talk when I get back.”

Then he walked out carrying Sophie. Lily followed.

I watched Lily’s back as she left. My daughter—you’ve lost me completely.

At midnight, Daniel Smith, Jessica’s brother and my former admirer, came to see me. He was shocked when he saw me.

“How did you end up like this? Ethan, that bastard! I could kill him.”

“Daniel, don’t. This is my fight. Just take me away.”

“Alright.”

“Help me remove my social security record,” I said quietly.

“Got it.”

Daniel staged my fake death. He threw down my clothes, spilled pig’s blood, scattered some hair, and staged a fall from the window. He even set up ropes and gear to smuggle me out unseen.

No guards noticed, and no cameras caught us.

As he carried me away, I leaned against him. “Daniel, when did you learn to move like this?”

He laughed. “Since I met you.”

When we reached the research institute, Jessica and my professor were waiting.

Seeing me with no legs, my professor wept. “You poor child. At least you made it back alive.”

Jessica was also in tears. “You stupid girl! Serves you right for marrying a pretty face. My brother’s always been better, but you wouldn’t have him.” Her words were harsh, but I could hear her heart aching for me.

Daniel rubbed his nose awkwardly, saying nothing.

Ten days later, Ethan saw a video online of a woman jumping from a building. He thought she looked familiar and called Lily over.

“Doesn’t that look like your mom?”

“A little,” Lily admitted.

Ethan summoned Rachel Green, his secretary.

“What’s going on? Is that my wife?”

Rachel glanced at the screen. “It looks like her. The hospital seemed to have informed us about your wife. I’ll go check.”

“Go.”

She returned hours later with a death certificate.