Thanks to Everett, my right ear throbbed with relentless, excruciating pain.

With a somber expression, the doctor told me my eardrum was perforated and that I could lose my hearing permanently. I nodded mechanically.

The career I had once been so proud of was over. Still, there was no time to grieve. I rushed to the VIP ward to pick up my father, Anthony Schwarz.

He sat silently in his wheelchair, his figure gaunt and painfully thin. The moment he saw me enter, a faint light stirred in his clouded eyes.

I crouched down and grasped his hand firmly. "Dad, I'm here. Let's go home."

…

The airport entrance was crowded with people. The bustling atmosphere seemed to lift my father's spirits as he sat in his wheelchair.

He suddenly took my hand in his, his emotions running high. "Jack… about the birthmark on you… you're actually Wright Group's–"

I leaned forward, straining to catch his words.

"Jacob Schwarz!" Charlotte's icy voice interrupted our conversation.

Without even sparing my father a glance, she pulled me aside and shoved a document into my face.

"I haven't approved your resignation. I've also spoken to the Federal Aviation Administration. Without my consent, you're not going anywhere."

Her tone was cold, allowing no room for argument.

"Charlotte, do you really have to go this far?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger.

"Go this far?" Charlotte sneered. "You're the one who crossed the line first! Jacob, I'm warning you—don't ever test my limits again. Be good and come back with me. Once you've had your ear treated, return to the control tower and report for duty."

With a condescending tone, she added, "As for your father, I'll arrange the best medical transport and have him admitted to my family's private hospital."

"I'm not agreeing to that," I replied, my voice sharp and cold.

Amid our heated exchange, my father became visibly agitated in his wheelchair. He pointed toward Everett in the distance. Struggling to rise, he let out shallow, ragged groans.

Suddenly, the sharp screech of tires cut across the air. A fully loaded baggage vehicle came racing straight toward us at full speed.

"Dad!" I screamed. But by the time I reached him, it was already too late.

A loud bang echoed. The sound of that impact broke my world apart in an instant.

I could only watch in horror as my father, still in his wheelchair, was violently flung onto the hard marble floor. Blood ran freely from the back of his head.

In that instant, time itself seemed to stand still. I rushed forward like a madman. I pulled my father close, feeling the cold spreading through him. My entire body stiffened in place.

Standing in the crowd, Everett removed his sunglasses, a cold, vicious smile spreading across his face.

At that moment, it struck me—this wasn't an accident. It was a calculated act of murder.

My father's funeral was arranged in a hurry. I handled everything in a daze.

Charlotte found me kneeling in the chapel. For once, a trace of guilt crossed her usually arrogant face.

"Jacob, I'm truly sorry for your loss. I've already sent someone to look into it—the driver was intoxicated. Don't worry, I'll make sure your father gets justice."

I slowly lifted my head, my eyes showing no trace of emotion.

I pulled a small voice recorder from my pocket and pressed play. A recorded phone call filled the air—it was Everett's voice.

"Be careful. Leave no evidence behind. I want that old geezer silenced for good…"

What followed was the driver's ingratiating reply, "Rest assured, Mr. Wright. I'll get it done!"

Charlotte's face went ghostly white. "You were aware of everything?"

In truth, she had quietly used her connections to collect every piece of evidence as quickly as possible.

The driver at fault was a gambler with a criminal record. After crashing into my father, he claimed the brakes had failed.

But in the five minutes leading up to the accident, five hundred thousand dollars was deposited into his account. The money came from Everett's assistant.

The evidence was undeniable. For the first time, Charlotte was seized by a wave of sheer terror.

Though she knew Everett was arrogant and domineering, she never imagined he could be capable of murder.

She went to confront him immediately. The moment Everett saw her, he dropped to his knees and clung tightly to her legs. His face was wet with tears.

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Lottie. I only wanted to teach Jacob a lesson and have the driver give his old man a little scare. Who knew the driver would take it the wrong way and screw everything up?

"Lottie, I never meant for anyone to die. I… I carry the same guilt… I truly love you. I was just too afraid of losing you. I thought that if that old man said anything to your husband, you'd walk away from me…"

Everett wept like a child, his "confession" spilling out in broken fragments.

Charlotte gently stroked his soft hair. To her surprise, her resolve began to waver.

She took it upon herself to destroy all the evidence. She even came up with a fabricated explanation, trying to mislead me.

What she didn't suspect, however, was that I had already obtained the key evidence.

With her cover blown, Charlotte quickly dropped the act. Her tenderness vanished, replaced once again by a voice cold and laced with arrogance.

"The dead can't come back to life. As long as you agree to drop the matter and keep this recording to yourself, I'll send Everett abroad immediately. I won't see him again."

After a brief pause, she threw out a card she believed I couldn't refuse. "I will come back to your side as well. I'll give up everything else and devote myself fully to making it up to you."

She looked at me and spoke slowly, "We could have a child and fulfill your father's wish! Let's forget everything. We'll be a happy family again."

With my father's cold body in my arms, I stared at her without moving.

I gave a stiff nod, my voice rough and hoarse. "Alright."

Charlotte let out a breath of relief. She believed she had regained control once more. She was convinced I could never bring myself to let her go.

A hint of pity crossed her face as she reached out to touch my head. I shifted slightly, avoiding her hand.

Though Charlotte was taken aback, she didn't press further. "Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary…" she continued. "I've booked a table at the city's top fine dining restaurant to celebrate. Let's consider it a new beginning."

I didn't respond.

The next day, Charlotte sat alone in the restaurant. Realizing I hadn't shown up and wasn't answering her calls, she flew into a rage.

She dragged her utensils across the plate, letting out a harsh, screeching sound. She assumed this was just another one of my "playing hard to get" tricks—a way to demand more of her attention and guilt.

"How petty and ridiculous!" Charlotte scoffed coldly. She tossed the napkin onto the table and rose to leave.

At that very moment, I was already aboard a flight to another city. I took out my phone and dialed a number.

"I've considered everything. I'm ready to return to Wright Group."