Chapter 4
That afternoon, Amelia pushed my wheelchair into the backyard of the Morgan estate.
Today was Amelia's grandfather, Noah Morgan's eightieth birthday celebration.
He sat in a large armchair, holding Amelia and Liam's son, Ben, in his arms. The wrinkles on his face deepened as he smiled.
"Oh, my precious grandson! So smart!"
Amelia pushed me closer, and the smile on Noah's face instantly disappeared.
Dressed in a custom-tailored suit, Liam immediately stepped forward and patted Noah's chest.
"Grandpa, don't be upset. Damien isn't in good health, and he's not right in the head. Everyone should be a little more understanding."
Noah let out a cold snort and jabbed the tip of his cane at the wheel of my wheelchair.
"Understanding? He's a jinx who brought ruin to his entire family! Just looking at him is bad luck!"
I stared at Noah's harsh face.
Then I grabbed a set of glass cups from the table and smashed them onto the ground.
Crash!
Fragments scattered everywhere.
Pointing at Noah, I shouted at the top of my lungs, "Blood! Take my blood! The old man is dying! Take my blood and save him!"
The area instantly fell silent.
Five years ago, Noah suffered massive blood loss during surgery for kidney failure.
Ignoring my weakened condition, I donated a full 800cc of blood and pulled him back from death's door.
Doing so nearly cost me my life.
Noah flew into a rage. He jumped to his feet and pointed at my nose as he cursed.
"You lunatic! What nonsense are you talking about? Your blood is filthy! Draining it all was a blessing that let you climb into the Morgans!"
I turned to look at Amelia.
She wasn't looking at me at all.
Instead, she was sitting on a sofa, perched on Liam's lap.
Peeling a grape with her fingers, she fed it into Liam's mouth.
After he finished eating it, Amelia pulled out a wet wipe and cleaned her hands. Then she casually waved to the bodyguards.
"Push Damien farther away. Don't let him disturb Grandpa or the guests."
The bodyguards immediately stepped forward and roughly dragged my wheelchair backward.
Holding their wine glasses, the guests pointed and whispered without restraint.
"See that? The former business genius is nothing more than a drooling cripple now."
"Ms. Morgan has already done more than enough for him. Besides, she and Liam already have a child. He's the real son-in-law."
I wiped the moisture from my face.
Using my hands, I turned the wheels myself and slowly rolled toward the back garden.
After passing along a stone path, I stopped outside a huge glass greenhouse.
The lights inside were off, but by the moonlight, I could see everything clearly.
Amelia was straddling Liam's lap, and the two of them were tangled together.
Liam gripped her waist with both hands.
"Honey, does it feel good?"
Breathing heavily, Amelia covered his mouth with her hand.
"Keep your voice down. What if that idiot comes looking for us..."
Then she turned her head.
Her gaze passed through the transparent glass and met my eyes.
Liam followed her line of sight and looked over.
Not only did he not stop, but he deliberately moved closer to her.
Looking directly at me, he exaggerated each word with his lips.
"Cripple."
A twisted excitement flashed through Amelia's eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, she turned around and let Liam press her against the glass.
Dull thuds echoed through the greenhouse.
I watched the shameless scene before me.
Expressionless, I turned my wheelchair away.
‘Since everything had been my own wishful thinking and the two of you were worse than animals, I'll give you exactly what you want.’
I wheeled myself into the most secluded corner of the garden.
From inside my sleeve, I pulled out a photograph.
In the picture, my sister wore a ponytail and smiled brightly.
Now, she was locked behind the iron doors of a psychiatric hospital, injected with large doses of sedatives every day.
Tears burst from my eyes.
Chapter 5
"Wow. You're crying pretty hard."
Liam straightened his rumpled clothes and walked over from the direction of the greenhouse.
"Stop pretending, Damien. I know you're not really crazy."
He bent down and used the filthiest words he could think of to provoke me.
"Did you get a good look outside the greenhouse just now? Amelia likes men like me. You're a cripple who can't even feel the lower half of his body. You can't even move your hips. What's the point of living?"
I bit my lip hard and refused to make a sound.
Liam curled his lip in disdain.
"Your sl*t of a sister got what she deserved, too. Before her face was ruined, she even begged me to spare you."
He suddenly grabbed my hair and forced me to raise my head.
"Do you know what happened to your premature daughter after she was born?
"To prove that she didn't love you, Amelia personally took your daughter out of the incubator and threw her into the kitchen meat grinder.
"The sound it made... the sound of those bones breaking... it was beautiful.
"You're useless! You couldn't even protect your own child!"
It was as if my mind had exploded, blood surging throughout my body straight to my head.
Liam clapped his hands smugly.
"Do you know why Amelia insisted on injecting you with the toxin? She's afraid you'll regain your senses and go to the police, ruining our wedding of the century the day after tomorrow.
"She wants you to become a complete idiot to shut you up forever!"
"Ah!"
I let out a roar.
Grabbing a shard of broken glass from the ground, I lunged at Liam's leg.
Before I could even touch his pant leg, Liam suddenly cried out.
He snatched the glass from my hand and viciously slashed his own arm.
Blood immediately poured out. Then he collapsed onto the ground and began wailing.
"Help! Damien is trying to kill me!"
A figure rushed over.
Amelia kicked me hard in the chest, and I spat out a mouthful of blood.
Pointing at me, Amelia shouted furiously, "You mad dog! How dare you hurt Liam!"
Clutching his bleeding arm, Liam threw himself into Amelia's embrace.
"Honey, Damien is jealous that we have a son. He said he was going to kill me! He even cursed Noah and wished for him to die soon!"
After hearing that, Amelia flew into a rage.
She rushed over, grabbed my collar, and hauled me halfway off the ground.
"You twisted animal! You were the one who couldn't behave yourself. And because of it, your father went to prison, and your sister went insane. How dare you be jealous of Liam?
"Our premature baby was God’s will! It was retribution!"
My mouth was full of blood as I stared into her eyes.
"Retribution?"
My voice was hoarse as I questioned her word by word.
"Amelia, tell me. Where are my daughter's remains? What about my father's innocence?
"Look me in the eye and answer me!"
Amelia's gaze flickered.
She immediately raised her voice, trying to cover her guilt.
"That worthless girl died from illness while your father got exactly what he deserved! Stop acting crazy!
"Men! Hold him down and make him apologize to Liam!"
Two bodyguards rushed forward and pinned my shoulders and head to the ground.
Using the last of my strength, I bit down on a bodyguard's wrist.
The bodyguard cried out in pain and let go.
Amelia was furious.
"Beat him! Beat him until he submits!"
The beating left me barely conscious, my vision blurring.
Amelia looked at me coldly.
Then she turned and helped Liam to his feet.
"Throw him out. Don't let him dirty the Morgans’ property."
I closed my eyes.
‘The Morgans, Amelia, your end has come.’
The next day, Amelia didn't come home.
My phone screen lit up.
It was a string of messages from her, along with transfer records.
[Transfer: $500,000.]
[Damien, I was too impulsive last night. Grandpa was there. I had no choice but to put on a show for him.
[Ben is just a child. Don't hold it against him.]
With a few casual words, she brushed aside everything that had happened.
[Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Behave and stay at the villa. Don't make trouble again. Once I'm finished with my business, I'll come pick you up.]
I looked at the disgusting messages, then switched off the voice recorder in my hand.
On the keyboard, I sent a smiling emoji.
[Okay. I'll always be your most obedient husband.]
Two seconds later, Amelia replied.
[That's more like it. As long as you're obedient, the position of Morgans’ son-in-law will always be yours.]
I let out a cold laugh before forwarding all the evidence of financial fraud within Amelia's company to my friend.
On the morning of our anniversary, I made an encrypted phone call.
"The Morgan Group's core secrets, priced at thirty million dollars for the package. Transfer the money to my overseas account within three minutes."
The transaction was completed instantly.
At noon, Amelia video-called me.
On the screen, she was wearing a custom-made white gown, her face glowing with happiness.
"Damien, I had a custom suit made for you. I've already sent someone to deliver it. Change into it and come over. Hurry and enjoy all the attention."
Proudly, she showed off the luxury of the event venue.
After hanging up, I turned on the giant television in the living room.
The Morgan Group's yearly gala on a luxury yacht was being livestreamed.
Wearing an outrageously expensive formal outfit, Liam stood beside Amelia like the master of the house. His arm was around her shoulders as they accepted interviews from media outlets across the city.
I picked up a lighter and set the curtains on fire.
The flames instantly spread to the ceiling.
Then I pushed open the front door and got into the disguised vehicle my friend had prepared long ago.
The car sped down the coastal highway.
I opened my laptop and scheduled an email to be sent automatically. The recipients were every major media outlet in the city, along with the police.
When the car stopped at the edge of a cliff, I leaned on my cane and slowly struggled to my feet.
Below the cliff, a black speedboat was waiting for me.
I hurled my phone into the deep sea.
‘Amelia, goodbye.’
At the yacht celebration, the music was deafening.
Amelia gazed at Liam with affectionate eyes as Liam dropped to one knee and raised a diamond ring tenderly.
Just as he was about to slide it onto Amelia's finger—
Bang!
The doors were violently kicked open.
Armed police officers and firefighters rushed inside. Holding up an arrest warrant, the lead officer shouted in front of hundreds of media cameras.
"Amelia Morgan! Your husband, Damien Johnson, has set himself on fire at the villa!
"At the scene, we discovered conclusive evidence of murder-for-hire and financial fraud!
"You’re under arrest! Put your hands on your head!"