"Mr. Zane, please repeat yourself. Where were you when the accident happened?"

I sat in the interrogation room, my hands cuffed together. I rubbed my temples hard when I heard that.

"I already told you! I was in the basement of my villa watching a movie! I never drove that car!

"But there's no surveillance camera in the basement. Who can prove you weren't driving it?"

Sitting through the police questioning, I let out a deep sigh, overwhelmed with regret. If I had known this would happen, I never would have let Vanessa bring that so-called godbrother into our lives.

Vanessa and I met in college. Back then, she was a naive girl from the mountains who could not even afford her tuition. I could not bear to see her struggling, so I helped her. That was when everything began. She was the one who pursued me first.

At first, my parents did not approve of us being together, let alone getting married. They thought our social statuses were too different and our family backgrounds were too unequal. They even suspected Vanessa might have some ulterior motive for getting close to me.

I overcame every obstacle, and in the end, we made it work.

My parents finally had no choice but to let me be.

After seven years of dating and five years of marriage, I thought our life was perfect, but everything shifted the day Vanessa brought Ryan into our lives as her godbrother two years ago.

That day, she told me there were still many students who could not afford college. She wanted to sponsor one.

I thought she simply wanted to pass on the kindness I had once shown her. Therefore, I agreed.

I should have realized something was wrong the moment Ryan first came to our house. He was handsome, sharp-featured, and confident.

I trusted Vanessa too much.

Ryan used his identity as a poor student to worm his way into our lives. By the time I realized something was off, it was already too late.

However, Vanessa had always been careful. I had my suspicions, but there was never any concrete evidence of an affair. I loved her so deeply that I could not bring myself to act on my suspicions each time.

Deep down, I still believed she would not betray me.

However, love could change in the blink of an eye.

I never expected Vanessa to ask me to take the fall for Ryan, so openly favoring and protecting him. I let out a long, bitter sigh at the thought of this.

"Mr. Zane? Please describe the incident again."

I came back to my senses and told the story once more.

I had already repeated it countless times. The police kept rearranging the order of events, asking again and again. It was their way of doing things. Even though I was exhausted and humiliated, I cooperated.

However, the truth meant nothing without evidence. Left with no choice, I called my father.

I had not called him in years since moving out after my marriage. He clearly already knew what happened. The moment he answered, he started yelling at me.

"Oh, now you remember you have a father?! Where was that brain of yours before?! Didn't I tell you Vanessa wasn't right for you?! You should've married someone from a family like ours! Look at yourself now! I have to clean up your mess!"

"Yes, you're right, Dad. I was wrong."

I kept apologizing quietly. After venting his anger, my dad took a deep breath and spoke plainly and directly regarding my current situation at the police station.

"The lawyer I hired is on the way."

Not long after I hung up, I was released.

"Mr. Zane, you may go home for now. But do not leave the city."

The officer who escorted me out was wearing a look of contempt and helplessness, clearly displeased at dealing with a spoiled rich kid like me. It was not just the lawyer. My father must have pulled some strings, or I would have been stuck at the station for the next few days.

He was harsh, but he would never abandon me.

Under the officers' watchful eyes, I gathered my belongings and walked out of the station.

The moment I stepped outside, a rotten egg slammed into my face. The stench hit me instantly, accompanied by a string of angry shouts.

"You dare to show your face out here?! Have you no shame?! Do you think being rich makes you untouchable?!"

"Look, there he is! Lucas! The heir of Zane Corporation!"

I slowly wiped the egg off my face, frowning and forcing down the urge to vomit. I took in the furious crowd surrounding me.

"How dare you show your face out here! How did you even get out? Who pulled strings for you?!"

"Rich kids' lives are just different. Who else would show up at the police station wearing a watch worth ninety thousand dollars?!"

"Give us an explanation! Why aren't you being detained?!"

The crowd pressed closer, demanding answers. They tore into me. My hair, my clothes, and my appearance were all the proof they needed to label me a villain.

I was stunned by the barrage of shouts and insults. After a moment, I remembered something. I pulled out my phone, which the police officers had confiscated earlier, and opened social media. Sure enough, the story had gone viral, topping the local trending charts.

[Rich Heir Hits Ordinary Citizen and Flees the Scene!]

Shock and anger boiled inside me. I did not even have time to deny it before the crowd moved in closer. Meanwhile, the officials stood by, acting as though they had not seen a thing. Everyone assumed I was just another spoiled rich kid who thought I could hit someone and get away with it.

In a sluggish economy, it seemed everyone harbored the same resentment toward the wealthy.

"I didn't hit anyone! Stop throwing things at me! Don't come closer! It wasn't me! Do you have any proof it was me?!"

I yelled at the crowd, trying to defend myself, but then a car pulled up behind me. A familiar voice called out, "Mr. Lucas! Get in quickly!"

I turned and met the gaze of my butler, and a surge of relief hit me. Of course, my father had sent someone.

Once I got inside the car, I finally felt safe. I pulled out my phone to check the news properly. My eyes went wide with rage.

"Yes, I apologize for occupying public resources, but my husband's actions were completely inappropriate. I sincerely apologize."

Vanessa appeared on the video. Her eyes were red as she sobbed and 'confessed' on my behalf. This made everyone believe I was the one who hit someone.

"The authorities will provide an official explanation. Please remain calm. We will handle this matter responsibly."

In the video, Vanessa's voice cracked as she made her promises, looking pitiful and wronged. She looked completely different from the expression she wore when she pointed fingers at me.

I watched her act coldly, then turned to the butler in the passenger seat.

"Mr. Lewis, don't go to my parents' place. Take me home."

"But sir, your parents…"

Mr. Lewis hesitated for a moment. He seemed reluctant, but ultimately complied.

"Wait for me at the door."

I knew they were both at the villa, so I did not let Mr. Lewis follow me upstairs.

Mr. Lewis seemed like he wanted to say something, but knowing who he was, he just sighed and stepped aside.

As I approached, I heard Vanessa laughing in the living room.

"So, when do you think he'll be back?"

"I don't know, Vanessa. But it should be soon, right? Didn't you say the Zane family's influence in this city is absolute?" Ryan answered. Vanessa laughed even longer.

"Better not…"

"Better not what?!"

I stepped forward, cutting them off. I sneered at how close they were sitting on the couch.

Vanessa and Ryan froze in shock. Their faces stiffened, then they quickly faked surprise and tried to separate themselves.

"Lucas! You're back! Things were settled so fast?!"

"Thanks to the Zane family's influence!"

I was boiling with rage watching them act, and without a second thought, I slapped Vanessa across the face, shouting angrily, "Who do you think you're kidding?! Vanessa, are you hoping I rot in prison for the rest of my life?!"

"Lucas! Why are you hitting her?!"

Ryan immediately tried to rush forward. After slapping Vanessa down, I threw a punch at him as well.

"Get out! Who do you think you are, crawling around in my house?! Get the hell out of here!"

Ryan took two of my punches before blood started gushing from his nose. I knew Muay Thai, and I had not even held back much. Even though I avoided vital areas, it was enough to make him miserable.

He cried out in pain, struggling helplessly against me. The difference in our strength was obvious. I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him to the ground, clenching my fist for another strike.

"Lucas! Are you crazy?!"

Vanessa covered her face, came to her senses, and threw herself at me, screaming that I was insane. I shot back at her without holding back.

"Crazy?! Vanessa, the crazy one here is you! You posted that video clearing Ryan's name, even though I didn't do anything! You'd do something like this for his sake?! Aren't we supposed to be husband and wife?! You're just hoping I rot in prison so you can run off with him, huh?!"

As I spoke, I pulled out my phone and showed her the trending video. Vanessa froze for a moment. Her expression immediately faltered.

"I-I just wanted to clear Ryan's name! There were so many people online saying it looked suspicious! I couldn't risk them finding him, so I had no choice!"

She sounded tough, but her fear showed. Then, she started whining. "Besides, you're fine now! You got out, didn't you?! Why are you making such a big scene? I know you're upset! But besides you, no one else could take the fall!"

Vanessa's hand rested on Ryan's cheek. Her face was filled with sympathy. She stood between us, facing me with a sense of righteous authority.

"The fact that you got out so fast proves I was right! Even if he had been arrested, it wouldn't have been a big deal! Lucas, you need to apologize to Ryan right now! Pay his medical bills, and this will be over! Otherwise, don't blame me for being harsh!"

I looked at the pair and nearly laughed from sheer anger. Medical bills? I had not even killed him. Who gave them the nerve to turn it around on me and lecture me like this? What a joke!

Then I remembered the real victim Ryan had hit, who had not shown up at all.

"Where's the person Ryan hit?! Where are they now? What happened?!"

Vanessa fell silent. I frowned and pressed again.

"Vanessa, I'm asking you! Where's the person Ryan hit? What condition are they in?!"

She let out a cold snort.

"Who did Ryan hit? I don't know. You're the one who hit them. How should I know what happened? I wasn't even there!"

Her performance was perfect. She was guarded, fearful that I would discover evidence to lock Ryan up.

I turned around to leave, having no desire to talk further. I pulled out my phone and asked my assistant to find the victim's hospital. Within ten minutes, the assistant sent me not only the hospital’s location but also detailed information about the victim.

"Does it hurt? Lucas is trained in Muay Thai. Of course it hurts… Why is he like this? What did you do wrong?!"

Just as I was about to head downstairs, I heard Vanessa panicking over Ryan. I paused and turned around.

"What are you trying to do now?!"

Vanessa quickly put herself between Ryan and me, questioning me fiercely. Her protective instinct made my anger spike, but I clenched my teeth and restrained myself, speaking through clenched teeth.

"Vanessa, we're getting a divorce!"

"Y-you want a divorce?!"

Vanessa was shocked. She rose to her feet with a look full of disbelief.

"Lucas, we've been married for five years! You want a divorce over this?!"

Ryan's face betrayed a subtle hint of delight.

I ignored them both and went downstairs, letting the butler escort me to the hospital.

"Mr. Lucas, please put this on. Things are tense now. It's not like before."

Before getting in the car, Mr. Lewis handed me a mask. I let out a sigh, put it on, and made my way safely to the victim.

Honestly, after seeing the blood on the car hood, I knew the person must have been seriously injured. When I actually saw him barely clinging to life in the ICU, I could not help feeling a pang of guilt.

Even though it was not me who did it, the car was mine. Logically and morally, there was no way I could completely wash my hands of this.

I left the ICU corridor to pay the hospital bills. The family owed several days' worth of bills, so I paid everything and added two extra months of treatment for good measure.

"Sir, are you sure you want to pay for Bed 236 for two months?"

The nurse probably had never seen someone spend this much, so she instinctively confirmed it with me.

"Yes, Bed 236."

After confirming, I felt eyes on me. I ignored them and moved to finish the payment. Suddenly, someone yanked my mask off.

"Lucas Zane! So it's you!"

I did not expect the patient's family, who had not paid in days, to be in line right behind me.

I felt something was off when I heard about Bed 236 earlier. Now, taking off my mask and seeing it for myself, my anger flared uncontrollably.

"Lucas Zane! How dare you come to the hospital?!"

"He just paid for Bed 236! He must feel guilty!"

"Feeling guilty is useless! My father's life is ruined!"

I instinctively stepped back, analyzing the fastest escape route. Fortunately, the hospital security did not want a fight breaking out, so I was temporarily safe.

I watched the crowd and realized I had to clear my name. Otherwise, I would be blamed everywhere. I raised my voice.

"Everyone! Quiet! I'm here to pay the hospital bills, not because I hit anyone! I'll say it again: I did not hit anyone! These payments are purely out of kindness!"

The crowd spat on the ground in response.

"You say it wasn't you? Who would believe that? Your wife even posted a video apologizing!"

Faced with their accusations, I sighed in helplessness and tried to explain again. Unfortunately, no one believed me. Someone must have leaked the news halfway through, as Vanessa appeared. She struggled through the crowd and immediately started apologizing to everyone.

"I'm sorry, everyone! I didn't keep an eye on Lucas. He's currently under investigation, so please trust the authorities!"

As she spoke, she grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the crowd toward the hallway. The look on her face was cold as she snapped, "Lucas, how long are you going to keep this up?! Nobody believes you right now! Why are you still desperately defending yourself?! Can't you just let this go for my sake?!"