Sabrina's POV

By the time Axel came home, it was already the following evening. Mom and I happened to be having dinner.

Seeing him, Mom waved cheerfully. "Axel, come, have dinner. I cooked your favorite lobster tails."

Axel smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Elaine."

I stayed silent at the table while he chatted away animatedly. "Elaine, there's something I want to tell you. I've decided to hold a wedding ceremony with Bri two days from now…"

He glanced at me. "Consider it my way of thanking her for being by my side these past seven years."

Mom froze, looking at me. "Two days later? But didn't Bri say—"

"Mom!" I cut her off immediately. "Don't ask. Let's just eat. The food's getting cold."

Confused, Mom frowned but chose not to press further. The table fell into a dead silence.

Suddenly, Mom pointed at Axel's neck and teased, "At that rate, I have a feeling I'll be able to hold my grandchild soon, Axel."

He touched the red marks on his neck. "I'll definitely do my best so you can have one soon, Elaine."

"Mom, I'm finished. I'm heading back to my room."

I got up and headed straight into the bedroom. With my back against the door, my eyes reddened.

Mom, those marks on Axel's neck were left by another woman, and the boy you've raised like your own son wants to kill you with his own two hands.

I had so many things to tell my mom, but I didn't even know how to begin.

Right then, a knock sounded at the door.

"What's wrong, Bri? Are you feeling unwell?" Axel's gentle voice came from the other side of the door.

My fists clenched hard, and my voice turned to ice. "I'm fine."

Axel blinked, but he didn't continue to bother me.

Suddenly, a loud crash came from outside. I rushed out to find that the chandelier had fallen, and Mom had shielded Axel with her body.

Shards of glass had sliced into her arm, and there was blood all over the floor.

"Mom!" I screamed, dashing over like a madwoman.

Even Axel was stunned. He turned toward the hall and roared, "Call an ambulance, now!"

…

Outside the operating room, I was so anxious that my whole body was shaking uncontrollably.

Axel stared at the doors, his expression unreadable.

Suddenly, his secretary, Benny Samberg, pulled him aside. I quietly followed.

"Mr. Callahan, are you sure you don't want to investigate this further? I really don't think Elaine is that kind of person. She's always been gentle, always treated the staff well, and never put on airs. She even got injured just now because she was protecting you. Do you really want to kill her?

"And Ms. Pembrook… at the end of the day, she had nothing to do with any of this. Are you really going to make her spend her whole life atoning for it?"

"Enough." Axel cut him off sharply. "I know what I'm doing."

He leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette, looking exhausted.

Suddenly, his phone rang. It was a call from Raven.

When he answered it, he heard her say, "Axel! It's almost time for you to get your revenge! Aren't you excited?"

He didn't respond.

"Axel?"

"Raven… maybe… we should just forget about it."

"Axel!" Raven practically screamed. "Are you going soft? That bitch is the best at pretending to be a good person. How else do you think she fooled your father?

"My mom told me everything. It was that bitch who kept badmouthing your mother to your father every night, and she constantly provoked and taunted your mother. If it weren't for her, Jean wouldn't have suddenly snapped and crashed the car.

"Axel, my mom told me that when Jean died, she kept saying your name. She never forgot you, even on her last breath, so how can you just forget her? If you let that bitch go, how will you be able to face your mother?"

Axel fell silent for a long, long time. Finally, he lifted his head, his voice heavy with fatigue.

"I understand."

Around the corner, I let out a soft, bitter laugh.

I headed to the patient room, where Mom had been wheeled post-surgery. With her arm in a cast, she asked weakly, "Axel… Is Axel alright?"

But before I could answer, Axel walked in and interjected, "Elaine, I'm fine, thanks to you protecting me. The doctor said your injuries aren't serious, so don't worry. You'll still be able to attend the wedding in two days."

"Axel." My expression darkened as I continued, "Mom just got hurt. Now's not the time to bring that up."

Axel stiffened. This was the first time he'd ever seen me angry. But for the sake of his plan, he simply smiled and ruffled my hair.

"You're right. I was out of line."

How disgusting.

After he left, I walked straight to the intake desk at the obstetrics and gynecology department.

"I want an abortion. Immediately. Right this instant."

The procedure was quick. Within 30 minutes, I was wheeled out. As the fetus was still so small, I barely got the sense that my body was losing something.

"Doctor, can I keep the fetus? I'd like to keep it as a memento."

More specifically, the memento was for Axel.

When I returned to Mom's room, she frowned at me. "Bri, why do you look so pale?"

Smiling, I squeezed her hand. "You scared me, that's all. Mom, please don't ever sacrifice anything for Axel again, okay?"

That day, I finally told Mom the truth. To my surprise, she didn't break down. She merely let out a long, long sigh.

"Bri, I'll leave with you. I was forced to marry his father anyway, and I've wanted to leave for years. This flight to Baylandia will set you free, and it'll set me free too."

For the next two days, Axel visited often, and Mom still acted warm toward him just like before. No one could tell the difference.

I was in awe of her because, after I had learned the truth, there wasn't a single second when I didn't have the urge to kill Axel.

Finally, the day of the wedding arrived.

Early that morning, Axel sent me a message.

"You and Mom get ready. I'll pick you both up from the hospital in a bit. Oh, and you're riding in the first car, whereas Mom will be taking the second one. Make sure you don't get in the wrong car."

I laughed. For years, Axel had refused to call my mother "Mom". Now, he finally made the change, and it was just to take her life.

I didn't reply. Instead, I pulled the SIM card out, snapped it in half, and tossed it out the cab window.

Mom and I had left the hospital long ago. The airport was drawing closer and closer, whereas the distance between Axel and us grew bigger and bigger.

We were so far away now that we would never see him again in this lifetime.

Axel, I hoped you would like the gift I left you.