After dodging the reporters with great effort, I finally went home to wash up before heading to the hospital to see Grandpa.

Since the trial videos had already been blasted everywhere, people were pointing fingers at me the whole way. Nathan, the one who had committed the violence, had been painted as the victim.

Meanwhile, Grandpa had been twisted from a true victim into a shameless, money-grubbing old man. He lay in the hospital bed as several doctors were preparing to disconnect the ventilator and monitoring equipment.

I rushed forward swiftly and stopped them. "Hey, what are you guys doing? Who told you to take them off?"

I couldn't even imagine what would've happened if I had arrived a little later.

"Mr. Sharp, right? We have yet to do anything. You should know that payment is due—otherwise, stopping medication is a normal protocol," one doctor said, glancing at a few burly men standing behind him.

They were dressed like security guards and looked like trouble.

"I didn't say I wasn't paying! You should've communicated with me beforehand!" I snapped, my anger matching my tone.

The doctor retreated two steps. "We've already spoken with Ms. Backman. She said that until you admit your mistake, no fees will be paid."

Hearing that, I felt like someone had smashed a hammer into my skull.

Whitney had invested in this hospital, and the care here had been excellent. With her money backing it, I had never even considered transferring Grandpa elsewhere. Now, it had turned into a double-edged sword.

"Wow. He has no shame. He's even using his wife's money to nurse his grandpa. Talk about being a leech!"

"Right? He disgusts me."

"Well, considering they were trying to pull a scam, it's not that surprising that he's doing this."

"You're so right. I can't believe I have to be warded in the same room as them."

…

The noise around us only grew louder.

Grandpa looked at me with helplessness and sorrow in his eyes. While the trial was going on, he had fortunately woken up. From bits and pieces he heard from others, he had somewhat pieced together what had happened.

I opened my mouth several times, wanting to explain, but the crowd was too worked up and furious to hear what I had to say. They just wanted us gone.

"What's the outstanding balance? I'll pay," I told the doctor.

I still had savings. Every dime was money I had earned through my own hard work. To save Grandpa, I was willing to spend them all.

However, when I swiped my card, the payment failed.

"Are you messing with us?" the doctor snapped. "You don't even have any money! If you can't pay, just get out!"

His voice was loud, and with several security guards standing nearby, he grew even more aggressive.

Panic flooded my mind. I hurriedly called Whitney and questioned, "Did you transfer all my money away?"

The secondary card for that account was with her. I had given it to her so she would know I wasn't just living off her money. It wasn't much compared to what her company earned, but it was everything I had.

I never imagined that I would be the one handing her the knife to stab me with.

"Yeah, I did. So what? You think the treatment costs were covered by themselves? I'm only taking back what's mine. What's the problem?"

Her voice was lazy, almost dismissive, but if I listened closely, I could hear her uneven breathing.

I couldn't hold back and shouted, "Do you have to do this now? I'm trying to save Grandpa with that money! You're not even short on cash!"

"You're right. I'm not," she said coldly. "But if you don't apologize to Nathan, I won't return a single penny."

Her words carried a clear threat, but her breathing became ragged immediately afterward, accompanied by a sticky, wet sound.

"I gave you a chance, so cherish it," she added, then hung up. Even saying that last line seemed difficult for her, like she was letting out tiny moans with it.

My face darkened. I knew exactly what she was doing.

Before I could react, the doctor seized the moment and yanked out Grandpa's IV. "If you can't pay, get discharged right now."

"Hey! You're hurting him!"

I had wanted to say more, but a few men suddenly barged in. "Are you Harlan Sharp?"

I nodded, staring at them with confusion.

"Take him."

The man raised his chin arrogantly. His subordinates stepped forward and dragged Grandpa straight off the bed. I lunged at them with fury, but two people held me back.

"What are you guys doing? Let go of my grandpa!"

"Let him go? In your dreams. He deserves to be put on trial!"

With that, they forcefully took Grandpa away. I couldn't chase after them even if I wanted to, for they had pinned me down. It wasn't until Grandpa was out of sight that they finally released me.

I bolted out of the hospital, not giving up just yet, only to be dragged into an alley.

"That's him, right?"

Two guys who looked like street thugs stood there with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, leaning lazily as they sized me up and compared me to a photo on a phone. "In the flesh."

Before I could react, they swung a punch into my face. Pain exploded all across my body, and I began trembling. I couldn't do anything other than shield my head.

"Alright. That's enough. A little lesson will do. We can't afford to kill anyone."

"I don't think anyone will care, though. No one who messes with Mr. Larsson will end up well."

"Don't be too certain. He's Whitney's husband, after all."

"Come on. She's obviously into Mr. Larsson. Why would she care if this dude lives or not?"

…

Their conversation rang in my ears until everything blurred into a shrill buzzing. Wave after wave of weakness washed over me. I felt like I was about to die, so exhausted I couldn't even move a finger.

Grandpa had enlisted when he was barely a teenager. He had fought countless battles, even contributing to the Northern Aid Campaign.

Dad was an anti-narcotics officer. He worked undercover for 13 years and died a hero when the operation finally closed. Mom was a firefighter, killed in the line of duty during a mountain wildfire rescue.

I had always been proud of my family, so why had a family like ours been reduced to this?

"What happened to him? Should we take him to the hospital?" a female voice asked.

The man beside her stopped her. "Don't. Haven't you heard about that old man who tried to scam Nathan Larsson recently? Think twice before you do anything, or he might extort you, too."

Eventually, their footsteps faded farther and farther away. I felt like I was about to vomit blood.

No. I couldn't let Grandpa carry this kind of disgrace. I had to change everything and make the people who wronged him bow their heads and apologize.

The only thing that might be able to change all of this… was that.

I rushed without pause to Grandpa's place. At the doorstep, all I saw were vandalized walls and piles of garbage. The stench was so overpowering I nearly passed out.

Holding my breath, I pushed the door open. Inside, the familiar rooms were almost untouched. I hurriedly opened the boxes where Grandpa kept his treasured medals.

Alongside them were Dad's badge and photos of him with Mom. Tears blurred my vision as I carefully gathered those precious items into my arms.

Then, my phone vibrated. It was a notification from the surveillance camera in my study. I opened it and saw Whitney and Nathan in there.

They weren't looking for anything in particular. Instead, their clothes were disheveled and undone as he carried her onto my desk. That was my workstation, yet it had now become one of their impromptu spots.

All I felt was a boiling disgust.

"I'm so sorry to let you stay married to that man for so many years, Whitney," Nathan said in between gasps, then crushed his lips into hers.

Whitney shook her head. "Don't be sorry. You were with me all this time, weren't you? I'm happy enough that I get to see you every week."

As she spoke, she straightened her posture and leaned toward him. "You know, I only ever have feelings for you. I never let him touch me."

Their bodies then intertwined.

"We'll be together at last once you get divorced, right?" he asked eagerly.

She nodded shyly. "Right."

Whitney didn't hesitate in her answer. My heart shattered into pieces.

I had begged her countless times to have a child with me, but every time, she had brushed me off with work. Once, she even told me to be a stay-at-home husband.

Now, I understood. It wasn't that she didn't want children—she didn't want my children.

My heart throbbed painfully as I shook, forcing my hand to save the video. I didn't want to watch the scenes, but I gritted my teeth and endured the nausea to preserve the evidence.

They were getting their thrills in my study, completely unaware that they were handing me proof on a silver platter.

Hours passed by. When I changed my clothes and stepped outside, I surprisingly found Nathan and Whitney waiting downstairs. Their faces were twisted into cruel smiles.

"What are you going to do to me next, kiddo? Your grandpa's already been taken away. Aren't you scared?"

Seeing their malicious expressions, I became more cautious. "Where exactly have you taken Grandpa?"

"Oh, relax. We followed the proper protocol. Considering the damage he caused, he's been sent to prison."

I knew the people who showed up weren't real police, but with Whitney's influence, sending Grandpa to prison was far from impossible.

I stared at her. "What exactly do you want? Hasn't he been nice enough to you? Are you really trying to kill him?"

Whitney laughed coldly. "Harlan, I warned you long ago. As long as you admit your mistake, I'll let that old geezer go. No matter what, I won't allow anyone to hurt Nate."

She glanced smugly at Nathan, who jumped in brazenly. "Harlan, is it? Do you think all of this was just a coincidence? Whitney's my woman. Even if it weren't your grandpa, it would've been you sooner or later."

So, all of this had been a setup since the very beginning. Their only goal had been to destroy my family.

I was furious beyond measure. "If you didn't like me, you could've just not married me. You didn't have to do this, Whitney!"

She argued, "Do you have any idea how much I had to endure all these years to seize control of the company? If it weren't for your weak and easy-to-manipulate background, I wouldn't have ever chosen you."

She clenched her teeth, her eyes full of contempt and hatred. "I worked myself to the bone for this, so I suggest you admit that you and that old geezer tried to extort us. Otherwise, the consequences will be painful."

As she spoke, I turned and ran. I even grabbed whatever I could and hurled it back at them as I fled. Immediately, I hailed a cab and went straight to the military district.

There, I pulled the medals Grandpa had treasured out from my pockets and dropped to my knees before the guard on duty.

"My grandfather was a Crimson Warrior. He's a veteran of the Northern Aid Campaign! He was beaten until his legs were crippled by an unethical internet star. Now, they've even sent him to prison. I have no power to fight them!"

My voice broke, but I continued pleading, "Please, I'm begging you, save my grandpa! Restore his good name!"