After speaking, Vanessa grabbed the breathing mask and forced it onto my face. I twisted my head frantically, trying to delay it as long as I could.

My resistance clearly infuriated her. Just as she cursed and reached to yank my hair, the operating room door was suddenly kicked open from outside. The impact echoed as the door slammed against the wall and quivered.

“...Who are you?! What are you doing?! This is a sterile area—no unauthorized personnel allowed! Get out!”

I couldn’t see who it was, only heard Vanessa’s shrill, trembling voice.

It was the first time I’d ever heard real panic and fear in her tone.

The intruder said nothing—only the sound of a gun cocking filled the air.

“No! Don’t shoot! What do you want? I—I’ll give it to you!”

Terrified by the pistol aimed at her head, Vanessa collapsed onto her knees, threw down her bag and phone, and raised her hands in desperate surrender. Her smeared makeup turned her into a pitiful mess.

But the man with the gun remained unmoved. His face was stone-cold, and his finger slowly tightened on the trigger.

“She!” Vanessa screamed, pointing at me in a frenzy. “She’s Ethan’s wife! He’s loaded! Kidnap her—there’s a fortune in it for you!”

“Ms. Morgan, is that you?”

A familiar voice rang out—it was the gentleman!

Joy surged through me like a tidal wave, and tears sprang to my eyes.

“Sir... I’m here!” I rasped, lifting my head with effort. My voice was hoarse and frail, like a dying old woman.

“Please don’t move, Ms. Morgan. You’ll hurt yourself.”

He rushed to my side. I noticed he was younger than I’d imagined. The sight of my bruised body clearly stunned him, and he hesitated before his men rushed to untie me.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Morgan. I was late.”

He gently wrapped his coat around me and carried me off the operating table with care.

“...You... Who are you?! What’s your relationship with Tessa?!”

Only now did Vanessa realize the intruder wasn’t a robber—he had come to save me.

“You don’t need to know who I am.”

The gentleman’s voice turned icy. To the men still aiming at Vanessa, he said with contempt, “Get this vile woman out of my sight. Don’t let her stain Ms. Morgan’s eyes.”

“Let Vanessa go now, or don’t blame me for what happens next!”

As the gentleman carried me out, Ethan’s voice rang out—sharp, flustered. Two of his bodyguards behind him were sweating nervously, their hands on their guns trembling.

Vanessa lay nearby, clearly passed out from fear.

“I’ve already called the cops. They’ll be here soon. Leave now while you can—I’ll let this slide.”

Before he could finish his warning, Ethan noticed me in the gentleman’s arms. His face twisted in rage as he shouted,

“Hah! Tessa, you’re shameless! Didn’t you deny it before? Now you can’t hide it! That man—he’s your secret lover, isn’t he?!”

“Ethan, stop it! He’s not involved with me!” I cried, desperate to shield the gentleman from slander.

“Not involved? Then why would he send a small army to rescue you? You think I’m stupid, Tessa?”

Ethan scoffed, clearly unconvinced. “Even prison can’t stop you from seducing men—you really are disgusting.”

“Ms. Morgan, is this your husband?” The gentleman asked, his tone composed and dignified. “Pardon me, but your taste in men is appalling.”

“What did you say?!” Ethan exploded like a rabid dog, lashing out wildly.

Sirens wailed outside, growing louder. I panicked immediately.

But Ethan’s anxiety vanished in an instant. His face filled with smugness—after all, he had close ties to the police chief, and had used that connection before to jail innocent rivals.

“Sir, you must leave—I don’t want you dragged into this.” I tried to pull away, but the gentleman only held me tighter.

“Ms. Morgan, I promised to take you away. Trust me.”

“Didn’t expect you to be such a romantic,” Ethan sneered at the gentleman. “I just hope you won’t regret this for the rest of your life—in prison.”

Just as he finished speaking, the police chief entered with a large team behind him.

“Chief, these are the ones! I suspect they’re terrorists!”

Ethan rushed up, twisting facts without shame. “They tried to kidnap my wife, fired guns at my... friends, and planned to use this hospital as a base to revolt against the government. Arrest them now!”

“Terrorists? Revolt against the government? Are you insane? This is Mr. Carter!”

The police chief looked like he wanted to slap Ethan himself. He shot him a furious glare, then turned to the gentleman and saluted respectfully.

“Mr. Carter, I had no idea you were here today. Please forgive me. Whatever you need, just say the word—my men and I are at your service!”

I looked at the gentleman with some surprise. Only now did I learn his last name was “Carter”—let alone his powerful status, which made even the police chief bow to him.

Mr. Carter gave me a reassuring smile. His manner was gentle, but his voice carried the weight of authority as he said, “I’m just here to pick up my friend and her children.”

“Of course! I understand, I understand!” The police chief quickly signaled his men to seize the weapons from Ethan’s two bodyguards.

Seeing this, Ethan immediately panicked. “Mr. Chief, what are you doing?! What’s so special about Mr. Carter? I’m still Mr. Brooks!”

“Are you insane? Do you even know who Mr. Carter is?”

The police chief looked at him like he was a complete idiot. “Mr. Carter runs the most powerful syndicate today. His businesses span across industries. Even the president treats him with respect! You want to die, go ahead—I, on the other hand, still value my life!”

“Mr. Chief, I have a few words for Mr. Brooks. I hope you won’t mind.”

“Mr. Chief, you... You can’t just stand by and watch someone get killed!”

Only now did fear truly grip Ethan. He reached out to the police chief for help, but the chief stepped back indifferently and turned to Mr. Carter with a bootlicking smile. “Of course not. We won’t interfere.”

As Mr. Carter’s men grabbed Ethan by the hair and forced him to kneel in front of me, I saw real terror in his eyes—and I felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

Ethan shot me a murderous glare, but before he could speak, the butt of a gun smashed into his nose. I even heard the crack of bone.

“Ahhh!” Ethan screamed in agony before collapsing to the floor, his face drenched in blood.

But Mr. Carter’s men weren’t done. One of them kicked his chest with full force. Several ribs snapped instantly—one even tore through the skin, exposing a stark white bone.

Vanessa, who woke up just in time to witness it, screamed in horror.

Completely losing her mind, she tried to crawl away, but her legs were too weak to hold her. Like a dog, she dragged herself across the floor.

She didn’t get far before one of Mr. Carter’s men stomped her back, pinning her down. She couldn’t move an inch.

“Don’t... don’t kill me! I didn’t do anything! It was... all Ethan! He forced me!” Even now, Vanessa clung to her lies.

Her crying was pitiful and frail—something that used to manipulate Ethan and Ryan with ease. But Mr. Carter’s men didn’t flinch. They simply tossed a large black garbage bag in front of her.

The bag opened, releasing a putrid stench that nearly choked me. I instinctively covered my nose and mouth. Inside was a chunk of rotted flesh, squirming with maggots.

“You eat it, or your child eats it. Choose.” One of Mr. Carter’s men pointed a gun at her head, voice flat and cruel.

Those were almost the exact words Vanessa once said to me. I drew a shaky breath and bit hard on my lip to hold back tears. I wouldn’t cry in front of Mr. Carter.

Mr. Carter gently placed me in the wheelchair his men had brought, then handed me his handkerchief, faintly scented with cologne. Only then did I realize I was crying.

“No! No! If I eat it, I... I’ll die! Tessa, I was wrong! Please forgive me—for my child’s sake! I... I was possessed—I didn’t mean it!”

Vanessa suddenly kowtowed to me, her forehead thudding again and again on the cold floor. Blood streamed from her wounds, making her look pathetic. But I knew she wasn’t truly remorseful. She was just terrified.

“I didn’t die. I’ve already tried it.”

My words stunned her completely—she hadn’t expected me to be so cold.

“Looks like this lady needs some help,” Mr. Carter said lightly.

Immediately, his men pried open Vanessa’s mouth, chopped the rotten meat into small chunks, and shoved it in.

Vanessa thrashed wildly, but couldn’t break free. She gagged violently, and I saw maggots crawl in and out of her nose.

“Wait!”

Ryan’s voice rang out behind us—followed by Jordan’s desperate cry, “Mom! Help me! Mom, save me!”

I turned around abruptly—and froze.

Ryan had one arm wrapped around Jordan’s shoulders, the other holding a scalpel against her neck.