Chapter 2

Derek paused, but seeing her face, he smiled wickedly.

He actually slapped her to the ground, then started removing his belt. "So what if she's Lucy's sister? She should be grateful I've taken an interest in her."

"Besides, the Anderson family owes everything they have today to me. If I insist this woman is your doing, who do you think Lucy will believe-you or me? She'll kill you herself, and this will have nothing to do with me!"

My heart raced with anxiety, but with both my legs crushed, I couldn't move. I could only reveal my true identity.

"Enough! I'm the real heir to the Yates family. She's under my protection. If you dare hurt her, I'll use every connection my family has to make your life a living hell!"

Derek laughed heartily. "Your lies sound pretty convincing, but Alex has already personally acknowledged me as his brother! How dare you try to impersonate me?"

I was shocked, having no knowledge of this matter.

My parents were devoted to each other and had no other illegitimate children. My brother Alex had personally promised he would only acknowledge me as his brother in this lifetime. Where did this imposter come from?

Before I could figure it out, Derek's face turned sinister as he approached me and raised his foot to kick me down.

Beyond the wilderness road was a river. If I rolled down, I'd surely die.

Just as I struggled to prop myself up to try to save myself, Grace lunged at him from behind, gripping Derek's leg tightly.

"Ethan, run! I'll hold him off!"

She bit down hard on Derek. This completely enraged him, and he was about to attack both of us when the sound of a helicopter tore through the sky.

The Yates family had arrived!

The secretary rushed down from the helicopter and rescued Grace and me.

Derek was knocked unconscious and dragged away. Grace fainted from the shock.

I hurriedly had people take her to the hospital for treatment, while I only had my fractured bones briefly stabilized.

I sat outside the emergency room waiting for ages, until Grace was safely sent to a ward. Only then did my anxious heart settle.

I immediately called Alex to let him know I was safe.

Learning I was injured, Alex slammed his desk in fury. "Who did this to you? If I didn't have urgent matters to handle, I would have flown there with the secretary myself to break his limbs and make him wish he were dead!"

I didn't want him to make a big scene out of this. I just said, "Alex, about the arranged marriage with the Anderson family next month-I want to change the person."

Alex was surprised. "You're not marrying Lucy anymore? You've devoted yourself to her for three years. I thought you'd marry no one but her."

"Yeah, I don't want that woman anymore. I want Grace."

"Also, all the resources I've invested in Lucy over these years-I want them all back!"

I treated Lucy like the love of my life, but she treated me like a lapdog, letting her friends humiliate me.

Whether in my past life or this one, she firmly protected that Derek. I'm completely disappointed in her.

Alex's voice was low. "I understand. We'll do as you say."

"I have matters to attend to, so I'm recalling the secretary. I'll leave bodyguards to protect you. Rest and recover well at the hospital."

"Also, don't think you can hide your injuries from me. I'll have people investigate thoroughly. For every finger someone hurts you with, I'll chop off ten of theirs!"

Before I could respond, he hung up.

I'd wanted to ask about Derek, but it seemed I'd have to wait until next time.

I turned to head to the ward to check on Grace when I heard hurried footsteps in the hallway.

Looking up, I saw Lucy's furious face.

She raised her hand and gave me a resounding slap, saying furiously,

"Ethan, have you lost your mind? You actually hired people to bully Derek. He's the heir to the Yates family. Haven't you heard how protective his brother is? You're not far from death!"

My face was slapped to the side, but I smiled mockingly. "He's from the Yates family? Then why is his last name Shaw?"

Lucy said, "What do you know? He's the late-born son of the parents, the Yates family's key protected person. What's strange about having him hide his identity and keep a low profile for safety?"

"I've been friends with him since childhood. I only just learned of his identity, so how would you know, you country bumpkin social climber?"

At that moment, I saw Derek-who had originally been locked in a warehouse and beaten black and blue by people the secretary had found-actually following behind the head of the bodyguard team.

Lucy looked at me with glee, thinking I was finished.

I was puzzled about why he had been released when I saw the head bodyguard walking straight toward me.

I thought he was going to stand in front of me to protect me, but he suddenly grabbed the baton from his waist and struck me viciously.

"Who do you think you are, bullying someone under my family's protection? You must be tired of living. I'll teach you a lesson right now!"

I was hit so hard that my forehead bled. My vision turned red, my head buzzed, and I nearly passed out.

But his eyes as he looked at me were actually bloodshot, as if he were truly protecting his master behind him.

I was utterly shocked. "Have you lost your mind? Don't you recognize me? I am the heir to this family!"