Chapter 4

I swore to myself, I'd bring Richard here and make him apologize to my parents.

They had been so good to him. How could he be so cruel?

I rushed to Hayes Group. The receptionist was the same girl as last time I came here. Seeing how panicked I was, she quickly led me to the elevator.

When I reached Richard's office, I found him laughing with Emily. His hand rested on her slim waist, and they were dancing with glasses of red wine.

Richard said, "Emily, you really came up with a great idea. Charlotte's probably terrified and sorry by now.

"This time, I'm gonna make her apologize to us. I won't restart her parents' medical bills until she does."

My mind went blank. I charged at them, yanking the smug Richard away from Emily's arms.

A cold chill ran through me at the sight of his face. Before I knew it, I'd slapped him.

"Richard, my parents treated you like their own. Why did you cut off their medical bills?" I shouted.

Richard stumbled from the force of my pull, his smug grin disappearing instantly.

"You hit me? Just because I stopped the bills?" he snapped. "You should've obeyed. Be good, and I'll turn them back on."

I was so furious at his shamelessness, I shoved him hard. "Obey? If anything happens to my parents, I'll drag you two to hell with me, even if it costs my life."

Richard fell to the floor. He was about to snap, but when he saw how terrible I looked, he finally sensed something was wrong.

His voice trembled as he asked softly, "What's wrong? Are your parents okay?"

Ridiculous. He was still pretending not to know.

When Richard found out my parents were in emergency surgery, he panicked.

*****

My parents were still fighting for their lives in the ER.

I leaned weakly against the cold wall, my heart filled with terror. Dark thoughts were about to swallow me whole.

Richard arrived, his face pale. He sat down next to me, staring worriedly at the ER.

I looked at his fake, concerned expression and felt sick. I shifted away from him.

Richard looked hurt. He called out weakly, "Charlotte, do you hate me that much now? I just wanted to scare you. I never really wanted to cut off their medical care."

I said coldly, "I don't hate you."

He looked at me, hope flickering in his eyes.

I closed my eyes and went on, "I hate you. I hate that I ever loved you. You say you didn't mean it, that you never really cut their bills. Then why are they fighting for their lives there?"

Richard and I had grown up together and married as soon as we could.

For the past ten years, he'd been under heavy pressure. He didn't want kids, saying he had no energy for them.

I'd wanted children badly, but I respected his choice.

Later, his business grew bigger and bigger. I stayed home, painting, and no longer understood the things he talked about.

We talked less and less. I didn't get his investments. He wouldn't explain them, and he never cared about my paintings.

We became the most distant of couples.

Since he started chasing the project in Riverdale, he never came home. I hadn't seen him in six months.

Now, we were getting a divorce.

Richard opened his mouth, as if to say something.

Just then, the light in the emergency room turned off. I rushed over immediately.

The doctor said a lot, but I only caught one line: they were out of surgery, and they couldn't handle any more stress.

I was overjoyed, tears streaming down my face.

But when I saw Richard crying too, I felt nothing but disgust.

In my eyes, he had betrayed our marriage and nearly killed my parents.

I asked Richard for a divorce.

He looked at me, sorrow filling his eyes. "You love me more than anyone. Why won't you forgive me? I can't live without you. I don't want to divorce you."

I didn't listen. I stayed by my unconscious parents in their hospital room.

Richard lingered outside for a long time, but I ignored him.

Instead, I poured out all my pain, even though I knew my parents couldn't hear me.

By the time I finished, night had fallen.

I gave my parents one last lingering look, told the caregiver to take good care of them, then left the hospital.

But just as I stepped outside, I saw Richard and Emily arguing not far away.

Not wanting them to notice me, I hid myself behind a corner.