Chapter 4

I was so pissed off by his shamelessness that I slapped him hard across the face.

Alex still refused to budge. "Claire, don't push me. Just say sorry and let Sophie come down," he said.

Alex's parents kept urging me to back off.

"Yeah, Claire, Sophie's life matters. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I was the one who agreed to all this. Sophie just wanted to fulfill her dream, so why let things get so out of hand?" Alex's mom pleaded.

I was totally disappointed.

I always thought Alex's parents were decent and respectful, but turns out they were just the same.

I stood up for my parents and kept them safe. "I'll divorce him. But we have nothing to apologize for," I said.

Alex's frown deepened. "Claire, seriously? Is this really the time to say this?" he snapped.

He pulled out his phone. "Put the partnership on hold and pull the funding," he ordered.

His words threw me completely off balance, and even my parents grew anxious.

Their company was going through a major transition and required substantial capital. Alex then proposed linking our two firms together, saying it would make things easier if trouble arose.

Back then, my parents still felt hesitant, worried they would become too much of a burden to him.

But Alex promised earnestly, "Come on, you know you can trust me. Let me handle this. It's fine. You stood by me when I started out, and I wouldn't be where I am today without you. This is simply my way of repaying the kindness."

That was the only reason my parents ended up saying yes.

But now, that very arrangement had become a weapon pointed right at my parents.

Alex's parents realized how serious things had gotten and quickly tried to calm him down.

"Alex, don't do anything rash! You can't just make decisions like this. Call back and reverse that order right now," Alex's mom pleaded.

But Alex just stared at them, refusing to back down.

"I'm sorry, but I have no choice. Sophie's safety has to come first," he said.

My dad got a call right away. "Mr. Dawson, something went wrong. The company is in chaos. You'd better come back."

Dad had run his business honestly all his life, yet his son-in-law had turned out like this. Beyond seeing his lifelong efforts go to waste, what hurt him most was being betrayed by Alex.

He clutched his chest, so worked up that he actually fainted.

My mom panicked, frantically cried out, "Eric, are you okay? Don't scare me! I apologize. I'm sorry."

I rushed my Dad to the emergency room.

Whatever feelings I had left for Alex were completely severed.

Outside the ER, my mom's eyes were swollen. "Claire, how did Alex become like this? I don't even know him," she sobbed.

I held her close, trying to soothe her.

Some people were rotten inside, long before we noticed.

But we would get through this. It would be fine.

I kept my eyes glued to the operating room doors. As long as Dad was alright, that was all I care about. Even though I kept telling myself that, my hands still shook with fear.

People started coming down from the rooftop.

Sophie was finally persuaded off the rooftop.

Alex looked relieved. He walked her away, not once checking on my parents.

That was what really broke my Mom's heart.

She just couldn't understand how things had come to this. They'd barely done anything.

I held my mom close, watching Alex walk away with a cold, emotionless stare.

Alex.

I would make sure you walk away with nothing.