Chapter 2
When I woke up, my wrists were strapped to the hospital bed with leather belts.
The harsh overhead lights made my eyes ache, and two ship doctors in white coats stood nearby, holding blood collection bags.
Emily stood at the foot of the bed, her face completely expressionless.
I tugged at my wrists, but the belts just dug deeper into my skin.
"Emily, do you even know what you're saying?" I asked.
She pursed her lips.
"Alex, Ryan's blood type is rare. There's no spare blood on board," she said.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"So you're just going to take my blood?" I shot back.
The ship doctor said in a low voice.
"Miss Lane, normally you shouldn't take more than 400ml at once, and Mr. Carter hasn't signed any consent form," the doctor murmured.
Emily frowned.
"He's my husband. I'll sign for him," she said.
I stared at her.
"You're signing for me?" I shot back.
Her eyes flashed with impatience.
"Alex, this isn't the time to throw a tantrum," Emily said, her voice icy.
"Ryan's been frail ever since he was little—you know that," she added.
'Of course I do,' I thought.
Three years ago, on our wedding day, Ryan was rushed to the hospital with acute blood loss.
Emily, still in her wedding dress, ditched me and rushed off to the hospital with the Lane Family.
I stood alone on stage, facing a room full of guests whispering among themselves, until the master of ceremonies awkwardly asked me whether the wedding would go ahead.
That night, when Emily finally came back, her eyes were all swollen from crying.
She hugged me, apologized, said Ryan was just her so-called brother, and promised she'd make it up to me.
The next day, she handed me my medical report from before the wedding.
"Alex, you and Ryan have the same blood type. What a coincidence, huh?" Emily said.
"Alex, you and Ryan have the same blood type. What a coincidence, huh?" she said.
Back then, I thought it was fate.
But now, thinking about it, it was so damn convenient—like I was handpicked for this from the very beginning.
I looked at her, my voice hoarse.
"So, you married me three years ago because of my blood?" I asked.
Emily's face went pale in an instant.
"What are you talking about?" Emily shot back.
Ryan sat nearby in a wheelchair, wrapped in a blanket, his eyes perfectly red and teary, playing the victim to a T.
"Alex, don't misunderstand Emily," Ryan said, putting on his gentle act.
"It was my own fault for being so weak back then—I almost died. That's why Emily started paying more attention to blood types," he added, acting all innocent.
"You two got married because she loves you, really," he said, trying to sound sincere.
I looked at him.
"Can you say something that actually makes sense for once?" I shot back.
Ryan's shoulders shook, and he immediately lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, I messed up again," Ryan mumbled, putting on his sad puppy act.
Emily's eyes filled with concern for him, her gaze turning tender.
"Alex, do you really have to keep pushing like this?" she said, her voice trembling with worry.
"Ryan's already been through enough because of you—do you have to keep making it worse?" she added, her tone a mix of worry and accusation.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"I'm the one who did this to him?" I shot back.
"He jumped into the pool on his own, but you slapped me."
"Now he freaks himself out, and I'm the one getting my blood drawn."
"What's next? If he has a nightmare, are you going to cut out my brain to help him sleep?" I shot back.
Emily's eyes went cold.
"Enough," she said.
She took the consent form from the ship doctor and signed my name.
She signed my name with the kind of skill that made it look like she'd been forging it her whole life.
I stared at that fake signature, and it felt like someone had stomped right on my chest.
"Emily, you really nailed my handwriting, huh?" I said.
Her fingers went stiff for a second.
Ryan gave a soft cough.
"Emily, maybe we should just forget it," he said, his voice trembling.
"I don't want you and Alex to fight because of me," he added, giving her that sad puppy look.
"I can just endure it. I'm used to dealing with stuff like this anyway," he said, his voice shaking as he tried to sound brave.
As he spoke, he started crying for real.
Brian Hughes barked from the doorway.
"Alex, are you even a man?" Brian barked.
"All this whining over a bit of blood? Ryan took a blade for Emily and didn't wimp out like you," Brian sneered.
I looked up.
"Took a blade for her?" I asked.
Brian sneered.
"You didn't know? Back in college, some guy was obsessed with Emily and when he couldn't get her, he pulled a knife on her. Ryan jumped in and took the stab for her," Brian said.
Ryan jumped in.
"Drop it, Brian. That's ancient history," Ryan said, his voice trembling.
Emily's eyes softened.
"Ryan, you don't always have to act like this," she said gently.
"You always put everyone else first, and in the end, you're the one who ends up suffering," she added, her voice full of concern.
'Watching them put on this back-and-forth show, I suddenly felt the whole thing was just absurd,' I thought.
"So just because he took a knife for you, now I'm supposed to bleed for him?" I shot back.
"And since he can't swim, that means I have to confess to something I didn't do?" I added.
"And since he's so head over heels for you, am I supposed to just let him have Emily too?" I shot back.
Emily's face darkened.
"Alex, don't be so harsh," she said, her voice tight with anger.
I stared at her.
"Then maybe you should try not to make things so ugly yourself," I shot back.
Her eyes blazed with anger.
"Draw his blood," she ordered.
The ship doctor hesitated.
Emily shot a cold glance at the bodyguards.
"Hold him down," she ordered, her voice icy.
When the needle jabbed into my vein, I didn't resist.
Blood streamed through the tube into the bag, and the warmth drained from my body, leaving me cold inside.
Ryan watched the blood bag, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes.
He leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Alex, thanks," he sneered, the mockery clear in his voice.
"See? Looks like being a blood bag really does suit you," he added, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
I glared at him, my eyes full of hostility.
Emily immediately stepped between us, blocking my line of sight to his wheelchair.
"Alex, don't give Ryan that look," she snapped, her tone icy.
I just smirked, lips curling with contempt.
"You can bet I'll remember today," I said, my voice icy.
Emily paused, her voice was icy and firm.
"Good. Just don't ever hurt him again," she said, her tone icy.
Mr. Carter, please say to the camera: It was you who lost control of your emotions and pushed Mr. Shen into the sea.
In the cruise ship's makeshift conference room, a row of phone stands was set up, all aimed right at me.
Emily sat at the head of the table, with Ryan leaning against her, a bandage stuck to the back of his hand.
Brian stood there, holding a statement, like he was about to put me on trial.
I sat across from them, the marks from the restraints still visible on my wrists.
After having my blood drawn, waves of dizziness kept crashing over me. I slumped back in my chair, my arms feeling like lead—even raising a hand felt impossible.
"What if I refuse?" I asked.
Brian smirked.
"Go ahead, play tough," Brian sneered, a smug grin on his face.
"We've already cut together the surveillance footage. The moment we dock, we're blasting it all over the internet," he threatened, his voice dripping with malice.
I shot a look at Emily.
"Surveillance footage?" I said, my voice cold.
She avoided my gaze.
"It's right there in the video—you threw Ryan overboard," Emily said, her voice cold.
"Alex, just apologize and I'll keep this from going viral," she added, her tone icy.
I almost burst out laughing at how shameless she was.
"So you just cut out the part where he jumped into the pool himself?" I shot back.
Emily frowned.
"That doesn't matter," she said coldly.
I stared at her, enunciating every word.
"Then what does matter?" I shot back.
Ryan chimed in quietly.
"Alex, Emily's just trying to protect you," Ryan said, his voice soft and caring—like he was really looking out for me.
"If the full video gets out, everyone will see you were out for my blood from the start," he added, pretending to be worried.
I looked at him.
Do you charge for your ability to twist the truth by the tiniest detail?
Ryan's face went pale, and he looked like he was about to cry again.
Emily slammed her hand on the table.
"Alex, that's enough," Emily snapped.
"Ryan's finally stable, and you just have to push him to the brink, don't you?" she added, her voice trembling with anger.
I just smirked.
"Didn't you all say I was crazy?" I shot back.
"Crazy people say crazy things. Makes sense to me," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Brian Hughes's face was gloomy.
"Emily, don't waste your breath on him," Brian said, his voice cold.
"People like him need to be taught a lesson, or they'll never know their place," he added, his tone full of contempt.
He clapped his hands.
The door swung open, and a middle-aged man in a suit walked in.
I recognized him.
He was the Lane Family's lawyer, Attorney Mason.
He set a document down in front of me.
"Mr. Carter, this is an authorization for a psych evaluation," Attorney Mason said, his tone all business.
"Given your extreme behavior tonight, Miss Lane—as your legal spouse—has the right to request you be put under involuntary observation," he added, not even bothering to look me in the eye.
I stared at the words on the page.
"Forced psychiatric evaluation?" I repeated coldly.
Attorney Mason pushed up his glasses, all business.
"Put simply, once we dock, you'll be sent straight to a private psych ward," he said, his tone flat and emotionless.
"And if the evaluation says you have violent tendencies, Miss Lane can take over your assets—temporarily, of course," he added, not even bothering to look at me.
I looked up at Emily.
"So you're really gonna throw me in a psych ward?" I said, my voice cold as ice.
Her face was ghostly pale, but in her eyes was that steely determination—like she'd already made up her mind, no matter what.
"Just observation, nothing more," she replied, her tone colder than ever.
"Alex, I don't want things to get out of hand," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
I gave a cold laugh.
"You're about to have me locked up, and you still call that 'not getting out of hand'?" I shot back.
Emily's voice trembled.
"You were the one who started it," she said, her voice trembling.
"You threw Ryan into the ocean. Do you even know how terrified I was?" she added, her voice shaking with fear.
I stared at her.
"You were scared he'd die, weren't you?" I said, my voice cold.
Her lips parted, but she didn't say a word.
"So, have you ever been afraid of me?"
The whole room froze in silence.
Ryan suddenly reached over and took her hand in his.
"Emily, please, don't put yourself through this because of me," Ryan said softly, playing the martyr.
"If Alex really can't bring himself to apologize, then just forget it," he added, acting all self-sacrificing, like he was letting everyone off the hook.
"I really don't want to be the one who ruins your marriage," he said, his voice quivering, looking like he was about to break down.
With every word, he sounded even more frail, like he could pass out any second.
"Honestly, with the way my health is, who knows how much longer I'll even be around?" Ryan whispered, sounding like he could break down any second.
Emily's eyes welled up with tears.
She shoved the statement right in front of me.
"Alex, sign it. Apologize," she said, her voice cold and commanding.
"As long as you cooperate, I promise you won't end up in a psych ward," she said, her voice cold and unyielding.
I stared at the statement.
Everything was laid out clear as day.
It said I'd been jealous of Ryan for a long time, and purposely tossed him into the sea.
Emily tried to stop me the whole time, but failed.
Ryan, in his infinite kindness and forgiveness, decided not to hold me accountable.
The more I read, the more I wanted to laugh.
"Not bad. Who wrote this? They should quit lawyering and write fairy tales—no normal person could come up with something this disgustingly pure," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Who drafted this? Honestly, they should quit law and start writing fairy tales—no sane person could come up with something so squeaky clean it reeks," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Attorney Mason's face darkened.
"Mr. Carter, watch your mouth," he said, his voice cold.
I pushed the document back.
"I'm not signing it," I said, my voice cold and unyielding.
Brian yanked me by the collar.
"You really think we can't make you pay?" he sneered.
I looked at him.
"Brian, if you move your hand even an inch closer, I'll show you what a real workplace injury looks like," I said, my voice cold and dangerous.
He stiffened, caught off guard by the intensity in my glare.
Emily stood up, her voice cold as ice.
"Alex, don't push me," she said, her tone icy and unyielding.
I turned to look at her.
"How are you going to make me?" I shot back, my voice cold and defiant.
She took a deep breath and pulled out her phone.
On the screen was a video.
On the screen, my mom was sitting in a hospital bed, a caregiver feeding her medicine.
Emily looked straight at me, enunciating every word.
"I've been paying your mom's nursing home fees this whole time," she said, her voice cold and unyielding.
"If you keep this up, I can stop all her care whenever I want," she added, her tone icy and merciless.
My head buzzed, like someone had hit me with a sledgehammer.
"Emily," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes wavered, but she didn't put her phone away.
"I don't want to do this," she said, her voice trembling.
"But Alex, you're the one who forced me to do this," she said, her voice trembling.
I stared at her, my throat felt raw, like it was full of rust.
Turns out, when you're hurt to the point of numbness, you can't even cry out right away.
All I felt was cold.
The chill started in my arm where they'd drawn my blood, and spread all the way to my heart.
Ryan let out a soft sigh.
"Alex, just give in already," he said gently.
"Emily's only doing this for your own good," he added, sounding like he was trying to comfort me.
I slowly picked up the pen.
Emily's resolve wavered for a moment.
Brian smirked, clearly pleased with himself.
"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" he said.
I picked up the pen and wrote the first word on the paper.
It wasn't Carter.
It was "fuck off."
I tossed the pen onto the table.
"Emily, if you dare touch my mom, I'll show you just how crazy I can be," I said.
Her complexion changed completely.
"Alex, do you really have to take things this far?" she asked.
I looked at her.
"I didn't take things this far. You're the one who crossed the line," I said.
"Hold him down! Don't let him anywhere near the communications room!" Emily shouted.
I barely made it into the hallway before two bodyguards slammed me against the wall.
My back went numb from the impact, and I tasted blood in my throat.
They'd already taken my phone.