I didn’t know what Samantha had said on the phone, but the next second, Randall’s expression changed.

“You’re at the hospital? What’s wrong? Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

He only had time to say one hurried sentence to me. “Tara, calm down. I’ll go check on Samantha and come right back.”

Then he turned and left.

He didn’t see the hand I was clutching with gauze—already soaked through with blood from rushing back and forth.

He didn’t ask if it hurt.

In his eyes, my injury and my brother’s life meant nothing compared to a single sentence from Samantha: “I don’t feel well.”

But I clearly remembered how things used to be. Back then, if I so much as nicked the skin beside my nail while cooking, he would notice immediately, panic setting in, his eyes turning red with worry.

How did it ever become like this?

When did the lie really begin—seven years ago, or after Randall moved back to his parents’ home?

‘Randall. Why won’t you agree to break up?!’

Those questions crushed over and over in my mind.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make sense of it.

Just then, my phone rang. It was a call from the obstetrics and gynecology department, reminding me to pick up my follow-up test results.

In that instant, my head buzzed.

My memory snapped uncontrollably back to the fifteenth time our marriage registration had failed.

That time, I had been knocked to the ground by a dog that suddenly went berserk on my way home. Blood everywhere. The child I had just conceived was gone before I even knew I was pregnant.

I slowly placed my hand over my lower abdomen.

A chill seeped into my limbs like poison.

And yet, I still couldn’t help thinking, ‘Maybe that time really had been an accident.’

No matter how cold-blooded someone was, they wouldn’t lay a hand on their own child… right?

But when I reached the obstetrics department, I saw Randall and Samantha walking out side by side.

They didn’t notice me at all.

“Randall, I’m already pregnant with your baby,” Samantha said softly, her voice tinged with grievance. “But I can only stay with you like this—without a name or a status.”

Randall lowered his voice as he comforted her. “There’s no choice, Samantha. Our relationship can’t see the light of day.”

“Back then, my dad and your mom were foster siblings who loved each other. With that kind of history, we can never go public.”

Samantha pouted, refusing to let him hold her.

Randall just smiled. He lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair, his tone gentle—and cruel.

“It’s fine. Even if I can’t marry you, so what?”

“My child will only ever be born by you.”

“As for Tara’s, didn’t I already arrange for a rabid dog to take care of it? And I won’t let her get pregnant again in the future.”

Samantha asked coquettishly, “What if she gets pregnant again by accident?”

Randall’s answer stabbed straight into my heart like a knife.

“She won’t.”

“I’ve been adding contraceptives to the vitamins she takes every day. The dosage is high.”

“She can’t get pregnant.”

“After she marries me, she’ll look like the glamorous wife of Atty. Hendershot to the outside world. But only we’ll know the truth—my lover is you, and my only heir will be your child.”

A piercing wave of tinnitus crashed over me. My legs gave out, and I slid to the floor.

And suddenly, I understood why he had refused to break up with me earlier.

At this moment, there was no room left for self-deception.

That child’s death had never been an accident. It wasn’t fate’s cruel joke.

It was a result that had been precisely calculated long in advance.

Done by Randall himself.

He hadn’t just plotted my life and manipulated my choices. Without my knowledge, he had slowly destroyed my body, piece by piece.

He had even used medication to cut off my ability to become a mother—turning me into someone who posed no “future risk” to him at all.

As that realization spread through my mind, I could barely breathe.

It felt like something heavy was crushing my chest. Seven years of memories surged forward all at once. Every detail I had once believed was tenderness and care now revealed its sharp, hidden edge.

Whether he had ever truly loved me no longer mattered.

All I knew was that the harm he had done to me was real.

I trembled with hatred, retching uncontrollably.

If I had a knife in my hand at that moment, I would have stabbed him without hesitation.

Just as my emotions were about to shatter what little reason I had left, a pair of polished leather shoes stopped in front of me.

A shadow fell, blocking the harsh corridor lights.

“Ms. Barnhart, we finally found you.”

The man’s voice was steady and restrained, carrying a presence that was impossible to ignore.

“I’m the lawyer who will be representing you in your upcoming case.”

He reached out and helped me up from the floor, his movements polite yet firm, then placed a business card in my hand.

I didn’t need to look down to recognize who he was.

Erwin Millstein.

Randall’s former classmate—and one of the peers he had feared most over the years. A rising star at a world-renowned law firm, famous for his calm precision, sharp tactics, and utter lack of mercy.

There was a professional smile on his face, but his eyes were deep and nearly cold, as if he had long grown accustomed to staring directly at the ugliest sides of human nature.

At that moment, I felt an unexpected sense of relief.

Like someone drowning, finally grabbing onto a piece of driftwood that wouldn’t break.

Almost instinctively, I clenched the sleeve of his suit, my fingers turning white with force. My voice was low, nearly a plea.

“Attorney… help me. I want Randall’s life completely ruined.”

If before, all I wanted was justice, then now, my resolve was clear and chillingly calm.

I didn’t want compensation.

I wanted payback. Blood for blood.

Erwin looked down at me, his gaze lingering on my face for a brief moment. Then he raised his hand and gently wiped the tears from the corner of my eye with his thumb.

“No one who stands in a courtroom is truly clean,” he said quietly. “Including Randall.”

“The outcome you want,” he continued, “I can guarantee it.”

I stared at him, my voice hoarse. “There are six days left. Is that enough time?”

Erwin smiled faintly. The smile never reached his eyes, but it carried an almost ruthless confidence.

“More than enough.”

“Perfect timing, actually. A week from now is Randall’s televised interview.”

“Let him fall off the cliff at the very peak of his glory. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

Erwin looked as if he had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.

Hearing his firm, unequivocal promise, the nerves that had been stretched to their limit finally eased just a little.

I sent a message to my senior.

[The lawyer has already met with me. Everything’s been arranged very carefully.]

[Senior, thank you. Truly.]

It took a while before he replied.

I was staring blankly at my screen when my phone suddenly vibrated.

He was calling me directly.

“You’ve met Erwin already?” he asked.

His voice was as calm as ever, but there was noticeably less distance in it than usual.

“Yeah.”

I nodded instinctively, then realized he couldn’t see me and added softly, “He’s very professional. And he’s been very considerate.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

“That’s good,” he said at last.

Something about the way he said those three words felt… off.

“For now, just cooperate with the process. Don’t overthink it,” he continued.

“I’ll take care of the rest.”

My throat tightened.

“Senior, you’ve already helped me so much—”

“I—”

“Tara.”

He cut me off, but his tone wasn’t harsh. “Don’t rush to thank me.”

“Just get through this stretch first.”

“When I finish dealing with what I have on hand, I’ll come find you.”

He said it naturally, calmly—but with a certainty that left no room for doubt.

I fell silent for a moment before answering quietly.

“Okay.”

After the call ended, I had no idea that almost at the same time, another call was being placed.

My senior stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, his expression dark and heavy. Neon lights from outside reflected faintly in his eyes, yet not a trace of warmth remained.

“Erwin.”

The moment the call connected, he said his name outright.

No pleasantries. No preamble.

“I’m warning you,” he said coldly. “Don’t entertain thoughts you shouldn’t have about her.”

A low chuckle came from the other end.

“You’re being a little dramatic, aren’t you?” Erwin replied lazily. “I haven’t done anything.”

“She’s not someone you get to toy with,” my senior said, his voice turning icy, every word steady and deliberate.

“She’s mine.”

There was a two-second silence on the line.

Then came a soft, ambiguous laugh.

“Understood.”

The response was perfunctory, almost entirely devoid of sincerity.

“Relax. I know my limits.”

Before another word could be said, the call was already disconnected.

At the far end of the corridor, my figure disappeared around the corner.

Erwin put his phone away, slid one hand into his pocket, and stood there watching for a moment.

The curve of his lips was lazy—yet dangerous.

As if he hadn’t taken that warning seriously at all.

When I returned to the hospital room, the tension in my mind snapped tight.

Randall and Samantha were standing by my brother’s bed, doing something I couldn’t quite see.

Almost instinctively, I quickened my pace and stepped between them and my brother. Hatred and vigilance surged up from deep inside me at the same time.

The moment Samantha saw me, a sweet smile bloomed on her face.

“Tara, thank you for being willing to withdraw the lawsuit,” she said softly.

Then, in a gentle tone that cut deeper than a knife, she added,

“You don’t have parents, so maybe you can’t really understand how important parents are to me.”

The words pierced straight into my chest like a needle.

“Oh, right,” she continued lightly. “Tara, the day after tomorrow is my mom’s birthday. Would you like to come over for dinner? We want to thank you properly in person.”

I swallowed down the metallic taste in my throat and rejected her coldly.

“No. My brother needs someone to take care of him.”

Samantha instinctively glanced at Randall, looking flustered and unsure.

Randall frowned and turned to me.

“Tara, there will be a caregiver to look after your brother. You don’t need to stay here all the time.”

“Samantha is my sister. Her family is essentially my family as well. This is a family dinner. It wouldn’t look good for you, as my fiancée, not to attend.”

I refused again, my tone decisive.

“We’re not married yet. I have no obligation to attend your family’s dinner.”

This time, the displeasure on his face finally slipped through before he could fully hide it.

He clearly hadn’t expected me—who had always been obedient—to push back against his arrangements.

After a brief pause, he softened his tone, as if assuming I was just being emotional.

“Since you’ve chosen to be my wife, you need to shoulder the responsibilities that come with that.”

“You have to attend this dinner. Otherwise, your brother’s treatment—”

I snapped my head up and stared at him.

This man I had once loved so deeply.

Even after being hurt so many times, I had still underestimated just how ruthless he could be.

To force me to submit, he was using my brother to threaten me again.

I still remembered how he used to tell me that as long as I didn’t want to, he would never force me to face his parents.

But with Randall, I would always come second to Samantha.

Thinking of the conversation I’d overheard not long ago in the obstetrics department, my mind suddenly shifted.

“Fine. I’ll go.”

I wanted to see for myself just how much filth the Hendershots and the Massrys were hiding beneath the surface.

Samantha’s birthday “family dinner” was ultimately held at the Hendershots’s mountain estate.

I sat at the very end of the long table, watching the two families laugh and exchange pleasantries, warm and familiar with one another.

To them, my tragedy—and my brother’s—were nothing more than idle table talk, incapable of stirring even the slightest emotional ripple.

My gaze swept over Randall’s father, then landed on Samantha’s mother.

And that was when I noticed their feet entwined beneath the table.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and let out a quiet, mocking laugh.

Just then, Jamey slowly lifted his wine glass, his smile thick and greasy.

“Come now, Miss Barnhart,” he said.

“Since we’re all sitting at the same table, there’s no need to keep such a long face.”

His gaze openly traveled over me before finally settling on my bandaged hand. There wasn’t a shred of remorse in his tone.

“Thank you for being sensible enough to withdraw the lawsuit.”

“At the end of the day, making a big fuss doesn’t look good for anyone.”

Catherine immediately followed up, her voice gentle and composed.

“That’s right, Tara. You’re educated—you understand reason. Forcing people into a corner doesn’t do your reputation any favors either.”

William also raised his glass and sighed.

“Child, you have to learn to look forward in life.”

“You’re not in great health right now. Clinging to these matters—what good does it do you?”

Jamey’s smile grew even more self-satisfied, his tone practically condescending.

“As for your hand, to be honest, you were just unlucky.”

“Young people need to suffer a little, so they learn who they can’t afford to offend.”

“Life can’t always go smoothly, can it?”

He extended his glass toward me, his tone firm and final.

“Come. Let’s have a toast.”

“Once you drink this, we’ll consider the matter settled.”

My fingertips wouldn’t stop trembling. I used almost all my strength just to keep myself from losing control and standing up on the spot.

The people who had pushed me to this point… How could they be so shameless, so self-righteous?

This whole family was disgusting beyond words.

Before I could explode, Samantha suddenly reddened her eyes.

“Dad, please don’t say that.”

Her voice was soft and delicate, carrying a hint of choking sobs.

“Tara must be hurting so much inside.”

“Why don’t we do this…”

She stood up, as if she had finally made up her mind.

“I’ll drink in Dad’s place.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she downed three glasses in a row. The liquor slid down her throat, and an unnatural flush quickly spread across her face.

Lucy immediately panicked.

“Slow down, slow down. Don’t push yourself.”

Samantha shook her head, clearly forcing herself to stay composed.

“I’m fine.”

“As long as Tara can calm down.”

She poured another glass, held it with both hands, and offered it to me. Her eyes were red.

“Tara.”

“Could you give me this bit of face?”

“I know you’ve been wronged, but things have already come to this.”

“Just consider it for the sake of the child, okay?”

Randall finally snapped out of it. He grabbed the glass from her hand, his voice rising sharply.

“Are you crazy?”

“You’re already—”

He stopped himself abruptly.

The words left unsaid were more brutal than if he had finished them.

He looked down at her, his eyes filled with tenderness, his tone instantly softening.

“You don’t have to do this.”

But when he looked up at me again, all warmth vanished.

What remained was irritation and judgment.

“Tara.”

“Samantha has gone this far. Uncle and Aunt have already lowered themselves. What more do you want?”

“Haven’t you already agreed to drop the charges?”

“Why are you still putting on airs?”

“Do you enjoy watching everyone bow their heads to you?”

He stepped forward, his voice cold, like issuing a final ultimatum.

“Is drinking one glass really going to kill you?”

He knew.

He knew perfectly well.

I had just undergone surgery.

I couldn’t drink at all.

But to everyone at this table, my body, my pain, my life meant nothing.

What mattered was whether I would lift this so-called “reconciliation wine.”

I couldn’t take it anymore.

As the glass moved closer and closer, I raised my hand and knocked it away hard.

The glass shattered. Liquor splashed everywhere.

Samantha’s hand was cut. She screamed.

Before I could even react, the next second, Randall’s slap landed across my face without mercy.

I stood frozen, my ears ringing, my cheek burning.

I hadn’t wanted to cry, but my eyes betrayed me, turning red anyway.

Seven years together, and Randall had never laid a hand on me.

The first time he did, it was for Samantha.

My mind went blank. I turned, wanting only to leave.

Behind me, Randall seemed to realize what he’d done. He shut his eyes in regret, then quickly chased after me.

“Tara, I didn’t mean it. Don’t be mad.”

He grabbed me, panic finally creeping into his voice. “This is a mountain resort. There are no cars outside. You can’t leave right now.”

“Stay for now, okay?”

“Be good. Once you calm down, I’ll explain everything.”

I shook his hand off.

I looked at him, then, right in front of his eyes, pulled the plain band off my finger and tossed it into the trash. Without another word, I went upstairs.

“Tara!”

Randall panicked and tried to follow, but Samantha called out to him.

I watched him hesitate for a moment before turning back to the dining room.

Downstairs, laughter soon resumed, as if nothing had happened.

I let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh. What hope had I still been clinging to with this man?

Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked toward Randall’s father’s room.

I quietly placed the pinhole camera I had prepared long ago.

When I returned to the guest room and tried to call a car to go home, I saw Samantha slip inside like a snake and shut the door with a click.

She slowly turned around. The fake fragility was gone. What remained was smug provocation.

“Tara, does it feel stifling?”

She glanced at my phone lighting up and dimming again, the corners of her lips curling slightly. Her voice was so gentle it was almost pitying.

“Were you trying to call someone to pick you up? Or looking for someone to back you up?”

“You used to have that idiot brother who’d charge in for you. But now… he’s probably gone, huh?”

“What a pity.”

She sighed softly. “Your brother really had bad luck, getting stuck with a sister like you.”

“If you’re going to spew nonsense, do it outside. Don’t stand in front of me and get in my way.” I stood up. I didn’t want to stay in the same room with her for another second.

Samantha didn’t get angry at all. Her gaze slid from my face to the bandaged hand.

“Tsk, tsk. Look at our doctor. That hand is seriously injured.”

“Aunt Jaclyn was just saying earlier—this is perfect. Now, you won’t have to show your face everywhere anymore. You can stay home and be a useless person in peace. At least that way, you’re somewhat useful.”

As if recalling something, she chuckled softly.

“Did you know? They never really liked you.”

“Country background, weak family, stubborn personality, and still insisting on clinging to Randall’s future. In their eyes, someone like you isn’t even qualified to be a daughter-in-law.”

She stepped closer, superiority dripping from her tone.

“But I’m different.”

“The Hendershots has liked me since I was little. They’ve always believed I’m the one who truly belongs by Randall’s side.”

My breathing grew heavy. My whole body began to tremble.

Samantha looked as though she had been waiting for this moment. She slowly rested a hand on her abdomen.

“You still don’t know, do you? This child inside me—”

She smiled lightly, absolute confidence in her voice.

“Randall is very satisfied.”

“He said this is the child that should be born. The one everyone has been waiting for.”

“As for that clump of flesh of yours that got taken care of like a dog—”

“To put it bluntly, it’s a good thing it was never born.”

“After all, even if it had been, it would’ve just been an unacknowledged bastard.”

Her tone was casual, but every word was poison.

“And your brother.”

“Honestly, if he really dies, it’d be cleaner.”

“A family like yours just drags people down. One less burden would actually make things easier.”

She tilted her head, as if sincerely thinking it through for me.

“Look at you. No child. No hand. No future. And soon, no brother holding you back—”

At that moment, I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

The world dissolved into a sharp, piercing hum.

I lost all control.

I raised my hand and slapped Samantha across the face with all my strength.