Chapter 5

Fiona said, "Do you remember what she did to me three years ago? She called me a gold digger. She said I wasn't good enough for you and forced me to leave. I'll never forget that humiliation."

Alice opened her eyes and looked at Fiona coldly. "Three years ago, you drugged Jake. You were the one lying naked in our bed.

"I gave you a chance to leave quietly so you could keep your dignity. Looks like I was too kind."

"You're lying!" Fiona snapped. "Jake, look at her. She's still lying."

Jake's expression grew complicated. He looked at Alice, then at Fiona, and said nothing.

That silence made Fiona even bolder.

She turned back to Alice, her eyes full of malice. "Ms. Harmon, since you love lying so much, you should be punished. Guards!"

Two bodyguards stepped forward.

"Make her crawl back to her room," Fiona said with a smile. "I want to see the proud Ms. Harmon crawling on the floor. That should be fun to watch."

"Fiona, isn't that too much?" Jake finally spoke up.

"Too much?" Fiona's eyes reddened instantly. She grabbed Jake's arm like a spoiled child. "If she hadn't been so cruel, I wouldn't have been forced to leave. We wouldn't have been apart for three years. I just want an apology. Is that really too much?"

Jake stayed silent.

Alice watched the whole thing and felt a bitter laugh rise in her chest.

She took a deep breath and tried to force her weak body to sit up, but before she could say anything, Fiona stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.

The sound rang out. Alice's head snapped to the side. Her cheek turned red and swollen almost instantly.

The dizziness hit her hard, and she nearly fell off the bed.

"Fiona!" Jake shouted. But he still didn't move.

Fiona wasn't satisfied. She stepped forward again and kicked Alice straight in the stomach. "You bitch! Why are you pretending to be so weak? Do you think you're still that untouchable Ms. Harmon?"

Alice curled up, her body shaking from the pain. Her vision went dark at the edges.

She looked at Jake one last time. Her eyes were pleading.

Jake met her gaze. He said coldly, "Alice, you owe Fiona this. You should apologize."

Alice didn't even understand what she owed.

She tried to speak, but no words came out.

Tears slipped down silently, mixing with the blood at the corner of her lips.

Fiona kicked her again and again. Bright red blood spread across Alice's hospital gown.

Only then did Fiona step back, wrinkling her nose. "Disgusting."

"That's enough. She's bleeding," Jake said, stepping forward.

"Do you feel sorry for her?" Fiona let out a cold laugh. "Don't forget. She just got rid of your baby and humiliated you at the wedding."

Jake's face tightened. Something flickered in his eyes as he looked at Alice, but it disappeared just as quickly.

Fiona waved her hand. "Drag her out. Throw her in the hallway. Let her crawl back to her room."

The bodyguards grabbed Alice roughly and pulled her off the bed. She hit the floor hard. The pain was so intense that she almost blacked out, but she clenched her teeth and didn't make a sound.

"Crawl." Fiona nudged her with the tip of her shoe. "Look at yourself, Alice. You're not who you used to be.

"You don't have money, status, or family anymore. You don't even have a child. The Harvey family doesn't want you, and the Harmon family gave up on you long ago. What do you even have left?"

Alice slowly pushed herself up with her arms. She lifted her head, her voice steady despite everything. "I still have my dignity."

"Dignity?" Fiona burst out laughing. "Can dignity put food on your table? Can it get you back into high society? Wake up, Alice. You're finished."

Just then, the TV in the hallway caught everyone's attention.

"At 3:00 PM today, Mr. Vincent Harmon, chairman of the Harmon Group, was involved in a serious car accident on his way to the airport. He has been rushed into surgery, and his condition is critical. Reports say he was on his way to pick up his daughter, Alice, and bring her home."

On the screen, the familiar car was completely crushed. Paramedics rushed around, carrying a man covered in blood onto a stretcher.

Alice froze. It felt like the entire world had gone silent.

All she could see was her father's pale face and the blood. The words "his condition was critical" kept echoing in her mind.

"Dad..." she whispered. Her voice broke.

Fiona was stunned for a second. Then her face lit up with cruel delight. "Wow. Even your last support is gone."