Chapter 2

The hospital room door was thrown open, and Edgar's face, practically screaming ambition and greed, burst into Caroline's view.

"You signed it? Seriously, you signed it?" Edgar hurried to the bedside, not glancing at Caroline's injuries, just frantically searching for the agreement that was gone.

Caroline closed her eyes, exhausted. "Darian already took it. Mr. Fuller, you got your 100 million dollars. Isn't that enough for you?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do with just 100 million?" Edgar slammed his hand down on the iron railing at the foot of the bed, sending a jolt of pain through Caroline's wound.

He fumed. "I got word. Daniela is going to team up and kick Darian out at next week's board meeting. He's barely hanging on, and you're divorcing him now?

"Who's going to pay the rest of the money? Useless fool! You can't even hold onto your own husband!"

Caroline's eyes snapped open, staring at this so-called father. "So, what you care about is your money, not the fact that your daughter nearly died in a car accident?"

"You're not dead, are you?" Edgar waved his hand impatiently. "Listen, Caroline, you need to go beg him.

"Even if Darian wants a divorce, he has to wait until the Fuller family's loan comes through.

"If he pulls his investment, I'll throw your barely-alive mother out of the nursing home, and tomorrow, I'll cut off every cent of financial aid to your alma mater."

Caroline's breath quickened. That was her Achilles' heel, the leverage Edgar always used to keep her under his thumb.

"He won't listen to me," Caroline said coldly. "He's already taken Bonnie out in public."

"That's because you're useless. All men fool around. Beg him. Hell, take your clothes off if you have to. As long as you can keep him, nothing's off the table," Edgar's face looked more twisted under the harsh hospital lights.

Caroline felt a surge of nausea. This was her so-called family, people who'd sell her out for a dollar, toss her under the bus without blinking, and kick her when she was down.

"Get out," Caroline said, pointing at the door. Her voice was soft, but packed with a fierce resolve that left no room for argument.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Edgar snapped, his hand poised to slap her.

At that moment, the hospital room door swung open again.

To everyone's shock, Darian came back.

Bonnie was right by his side, decked out in flashy designer labels.

She was glued to Daria's arm, her whole body draped over him like some fragile, poisonous vine.

"Mr. Fuller, who are you lecturing now?" Darian said, sounding nonchalant, but there was a darkness lurking in his eyes.

Edgar instantly switched to a fawning smile, bowing and scraping as he hurried over. "Mr. Cooper, you know how clueless Carol is.

"She's being emotional, acting up right after waking up. About the divorce, maybe we can talk it over."

"The divorce is done," Darian cut him off, slipping his arm around Bonnie's waist in a way that made everyone jealous.

He sneered, "Bonnie's been with me for so long. It's time I gave her a proper title. As for the Fuller family..."

He turned to look at Caroline lying in the hospital bed, his eyes brimming with scorn and contempt. "Caroline's of no use to me anymore.

"Mr. Fuller, out of respect for the past three years, I won't ask for the 100 million back, but as for anything else, don't expect a single cent."

Caroline clenched her palm so hard that her nails nearly broke the skin, sending a jolt of pain straight to her heart.

Bonnie giggled, snuggling up to Darian, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Caroline, Darian's doing this for your own good.

"Clinging to a man who doesn't love you is exhausting. But don't worry. I'll make sure Darian is well taken care of from now on."

Caroline watched Darian. He didn't push Bonnie away. Instead, he even kissed her on the top of her head, not bothering to hide how close they were.

That gesture, the tenderness she once longed for most, felt like a dagger right through her heart.

"Did you hear that?" Caroline turned to Edgar, her smile bitter and final. "He said it himself. I'm useless now. So get out. Take your money tree fantasies and leave with them."

Edgar's face turned livid with rage, but he didn't dare lose his temper in front of Darian. He shot Caroline a venomous glare and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Only three people were left.

Darian stared at Caroline's ghostly pale face, his lips pressed into a hard, thin line.

"Bonnie, wait outside," Darian said.

Bonnie paused, not happy about it, but when she saw the icy look on Darian's face, she slipped out without another word.

The moment the door closed, Darian strode right up to Caroline's bed and loomed over her, getting in her face.

"Do you hate me?" he asked, his voice low and rough, every word squeezed out through gritted teeth.

Caroline lifted her head, staring straight into his sharp eyes. Suddenly, she laughed, bitter and broken, tears streaming down her face.

"Darian, I only hate myself for not dying in that car accident," she said.

Darian's pupils shook violently. He stared at the blood oozing from her hand and suddenly turned away, leaving a chill in his wake.

"Then take that hatred and get out of the Cooper family for good. And never show your face here again." His voice was cold as ice.