Vanessa suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. She turned to face me, her eyes hardening.

"Gabriel, why can’t you let Keith go? What are you holding onto that video for? Are you trying to ruin him on purpose?!"

My rage exploded. I clenched my teeth so tight I could feel my lip tear. A thin line of blood trickled down my chin, but I didn’t care.

"Vanessa, he killed Lara! As long as I’m alive, that bastard isn’t getting away with it. How could you do this to your own daughter? You're a monster like him, and I won’t let our daughter’s death be in vain!"

Vanessa stared at me with disgust. Without a second thought, she grabbed my phone from the director’s hand and threw it to the ground, shattering it.

She then slapped me across the face, the sting sharp and biting.

"Gabriel, you can't force something that isn’t meant to happen."

I barely held back my anger, my voice thick with fury. "It’s useless to throw it away, Vanessa. I’ve made hundreds of copies of that video. Unless you kill me right now, as long as I breathe, I will expose the truth."

Vanessa’s breath came in quick bursts, her anger rising. She shoved the director aside, grabbed the cage, and yanked it open. She rushed toward me, eyes blazing with fury.

Grabbing my head, she slammed it hard against the bars, the metal rattling violently.

As she dragged me out of the cage, her teeth grinding, she hissed, "Gabriel, today’s the day I make you pay for Keith. There’s gotta be something in this world you’re scared of!"

She signaled to two of her assistants, who pulled me toward a waiting car. Thirty minutes later, the scene in front of me shattered my spirit. I felt the heaviness of hopelessness settle in my chest.

Vanessa grabbed my head again, pressing it against the glass of the ICU. She pointed at my mother, lying still on the hospital bed.

Her voice was a screech, full of raw anger. "Gabriel, you'd better remember this—if your mom dies right now, it’s all on you!"

"Vanessa..." My legs gave way, and I collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. I reached out, grabbing at her pants in desperation. She kicked me away, not even sparing me a glance, and stormed into the ICU.

Without a word, she reached for my mother’s oxygen tube and yanked it out of her throat, her eyes locked on me, filled with nothing but fury.

"Gabriel, apologize to Keith!"

I crawled toward her with what little strength I had left, my voice cracking with desperation. "Vanessa, my mom was hurt trying to save you. What are you doing?"

My words only seemed to make her angrier.

She tightened her grip on the oxygen tube, and within seconds, all the warning lights in the ICU flashed bright red, the alarm screaming into the sterile room.

"Gabriel! I told you to apologize to Keith!"

At that moment, I completely broke. I scrambled to find Keith in the room, my heart pounding in my chest.

When I finally spotted him, I rushed toward him, pounding my forehead against the floor, begging. "I’m sorry, Keith. I was wrong. I’m sorry…"

Keith crouched down, his grip tightening around my throat. He shot a smug look at Vanessa, a grin spreading across his face.

"Vanessa, looks like Gabriel is still obedient. I’m not as pissed off now..."

Vanessa’s eyes brightened with relief as she finally loosened her grip on my mother’s oxygen tube. The heart monitor beeped steadily, and my mother’s heart rate appeared to stabilize. I was able to get to my feet, leaning against my mother’s bed, struggling to stay upright.

I wanted to leave the room, call a nurse to check on my mother, but as I took a step, Vanessa grabbed my wrist.

"That day in court, you terrified Keith," she said in a low and cold voice. "You need to apologize to him in front of everyone. You’ll also need to repeat everything I said in court, in front of the reporters, stating that Lara's death is not Keith's fault."

My whole body trembled, a sense of helplessness threatening to swallow me whole.

I turned to face her, my disgust clear in every line of my face. "Vanessa, do you even have a soul left? Do you have no conscience?"

Vanessa didn’t answer right away. She just extended her hand toward my mother’s oxygen tube with a cold, detached look on her face.

"Stop with the nonsense, Gabriel," she said flatly. "Just tell me, are you going to do it or not?"

A wave of despair washed over me, like I was floating outside my own body, watching everything happen from a distance.

I met her cold gaze and nodded, barely able to speak.

"I’ll do it..."

Vanessa gave a small, almost cruel smile as she took Keith’s hand, pulling him away from me. Before leaving, she glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes like ice.

"Get it together. The reporters will be here soon."

As the door clicked shut behind them, I caught a glimpse of the smug satisfaction in Keith’s eyes. The sight made my stomach churn.

Once they were gone, I collapsed to my knees beside my mother’s hospital bed. Tears streamed down my face as I finally let everything go.

When Vanessa and I first got married, she was just a poor girl from a modest background.

My father, seeing her potential, took her under his wing, teaching her everything she needed to know about running a business.

After his passing, he entrusted her with the family company, confident that she was capable of managing it.

But that was before ambition turned her into something else.

Six months ago, Vanessa's ambition led her to make some dangerous enemies. Her rivals kidnapped her, and it was my mother—putting herself in great personal danger—who rescued her.

However, during the rescue, my mother was seriously injured and ended up in the ICU. Even when she was awake, my mother held my hand and continued to defend Vanessa.

"Gabriel, don’t blame her," my mother’s fragile voice said. "She’s under immense pressure trying to live up to your father’s legacy. She just wants to succeed in the business and has made some enemies along the way, but that’s understandable. Don’t blame her. As long as she treats you and Lara well, even if I die, it will be worth it…"

But this woman—this monster who had once been my partner—had not only harmed my mother, she had played a direct role in the death of our daughter.

I bit down on my lower lip, the sting of blood pulling me back to the present. Then, I took out my phone, my hands trembling as I dialed the number I knew by heart.

"Gabriel, what are you mumbling about in there?!" Vanessa’s voice rang out just as I ended the call.

She stormed into the room, her eyes narrowing when she saw the phone I had quickly tucked behind me.

"Can’t I say a few words to my mom?" I snapped back.

Vanessa glanced at my phone, suspicion in her eyes, but before she could approach, Keith called out from the hallway.

"Vanessa, the reporters are getting impatient. Is Gabriel not ready yet?"

Vanessa sighed, irritation clear in her posture. "Alright, alright, Keith, don’t rush."

She quickly crossed the room, nestled herself into Keith’s arms, and tried to soothe him, her voice soft. Then, without warning, she turned and grabbed me by the collar, yanking me out of the room.

"Gabriel, don’t even think about it. Your mother’s life is in my hands!"

Two minutes later, I was surrounded by a sea of reporters. The bright flashes of cameras and the noise all felt overwhelming.

The questions hit me like a tidal wave.

"Mr. Crawford, a few days ago, you identified Keith Turner as the murderer of your daughter in court. Do you have new evidence today?"

"Mr. Crawford, we’re all parents here. If you have proof, we’ll stand by you and fight for justice!"

Vanessa, standing to the side, pointed toward my mother’s room with eyes full of triumph.

"Honey, the reporters are asking you..." she said, her voice soaked in sweet sarcasm.

I felt my blood boil, but I forced myself to stay calm. I turned toward Keith, and without thinking, I dropped to my knees. My heart was pounding in my chest as I looked up at him, my voice hoarse and broken.

"Keith Turner, that day in court, I wrongly accused you. My daughter’s death had nothing to do with you..."

Hearing that, Keith smirked, his eyes cold with contempt.

"You wrongly accused me? Then you’d better apologize properly," he sneered. "You’re not just going to let this go, are you? You think our reputation means nothing?"

My lip was already raw, blood dripping down my chin, but I felt nothing.

I was numb.

Seeing that I hadn’t moved, Vanessa leaned in, her voice a low whisper in my ear.

"Gabriel, I’m starting to miss our mom. Maybe I should go see her..."

Her words cut deep, but I couldn’t find the words to respond. How much lower could this woman go?

I shook with rage, my entire body trembling as I grabbed onto Vanessa’s ankle, desperation overtaking me.

Without thinking, I slammed my head hard in Keith's direction

"I’m sorry, Mr. Turner, it’s my fault," I choked out, my voice strained with emotion. "I sincerely apologize to you. I ruined your reputation. I’m not even human..."

I kept banging my head against the cold, hard floor, the impact growing weaker with each hit. Blood pooled underneath me, staining the ground.

Only then did Keith let out a cold, satisfied hum.

"Enough. This place reeks of blood now. Disgusting!" he sneered. "Don’t blame me if you end up killing yourself with all that banging!"

Before I could understand what was happening, a male reporter hurried toward me, eyes blazing with fury. Without hesitation, he punched me directly in the face, unleashing his raw and unrestrained anger.

Furious, he jabbed a finger at me and shouted, "You’re shameless! You couldn’t even take care of your own daughter, and now you’re blaming her death on the coach? You think the teacher failed to educate your child?! Do you have no conscience?!"

As soon as his words cut through the air, the room exploded with outrage.

"We thought this guy had been wronged, that he wanted justice for his daughter. But turns out, he’s just an idiot who spoiled his own kid! He killed her and now wants to drag everyone down with him. A guy like this doesn’t deserve to be a father!"

"I’ve heard of men like him. All they do is whine and ruin everything. I see it now. Not only is he a fool, but he killed his own flesh and blood! A person like that deserves to die!"

The crowd grew more heated, their voices louder and angrier.

Some of them threw their cameras aside and lunged at me. Fists and feet swung from all directions, and the pain became overwhelming.

Through the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Keith.

He looked at me with a twisted, malicious smile, his lips barely moving as he whispered to me, "Keith, this isn’t over. I’ve got a little surprise for you..."

A wave of unease washed over me, and I started scanning the crowd for Vanessa, panic rising in my chest.

When I finally spotted her, I pushed myself toward her, using every last bit of strength I had left.

I reached out and weakly grabbed her wrist.

"Vanessa, please…go check on my mom! Hurry, I’m begging you! Do it for the sake of our marriage..."

Before I could finish, Vanessa’s assistant rushed in, panic clear on his face.

He looked down at me, his eyes expressing a mix of pity and uncertainty.

"Ms. James, Mrs. Crawford…she’s gone..."

The hand I had clenched around Vanessa’s wrist went limp. I stumbled to my feet, gathering the last of my strength, and charged straight at Keith.

Filled with fury, I threw a punch at his face.

"Keith, I’ve already apologized! Why won’t you let me go? What did my mom do wrong?! I know it’s you! You killed her!"

Keith’s eyes gleamed with a twisted sense of pride, his voice cracking, though it was forced.

"Vanessa, why does Gabriel blame me for everything? How could I kill his mother? I’ve been with you the whole time..."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I gagged, disgust choking me. I wiped my mouth, my hands trembling, and focused on Keith with every ounce of strength I had. I raised my arm to strike again, but before I could move, Vanessa grabbed my collar from behind.

Then, with deliberate malice, she kicked me hard in the lower back.

Six months ago, I had just undergone spinal surgery. Vanessa knew that and targeted that area on purpose.

I collapsed to the floor as a sharp pain shot through my back like fire.

Vanessa stepped closer, pressing her foot down on my head. Her eyes, colder than anything I’d ever seen, looked down at me as if I were nothing.

"Gabriel, when are you gonna quit?" she sneered, her voice sharp. "Your mom was in the ICU for three months, hanging on by a thread the whole time. And now you're still trying to pin this on Keith?"

Vanessa added, her voice dripping with disdain, "Keith was with us the whole time. Not just me, but everyone here can vouch for that. Why can't you just let it go? Gabriel, you're seriously disgusting."