Chapter 5

Adrian burst through the door, rushed over, and slapped me across the face:

"Lena Parker, is this how you bully my son behind my back?"

With someone to back him up, Hudson immediately cried and complained to Adrian:

"Daddy, Miss Parker made me call her Mommy. When I refused, she pinched me! She said Mommy is a bitch and she'd kick Mommy out of the house!"

"I didn't..."

I instinctively tried to explain.

Adrian slapped me again:

"Would Hudson lie?"

He picked up Hudson and left with Flora in his arms.

He ordered the butler to throw me out of the Whitmore house.

Flora came out alone to see me off, her eyes cold:

"Lena Parker, you think that after sacrificing so much, acting weak will make Adrian change his mind? No. He wishes you were dead!"

"If you're smart, never come back. Otherwise..."

The next second, she suddenly pulled out scissors and stabbed herself in the arm without hesitation. The black card in her hand also fell to the ground.

Her piercing scream shattered the villa's tranquility.

Adrian rushed over at the sound.

Flora immediately threw herself into his arms, crying like a broken flower, trembling all over:

"Adrian, I kindly saw Lena off and gave her the black card. She thought it wasn't enough and suddenly stabbed me with scissors, saying only if I died would everything I have become hers..."

Adrian stared at the wound on her arm—not deep but striking enough. The heartache in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

After calling an ambulance, his eyes held only cold disgust when he looked at me.

"Lena Parker, you dare hurt Flora. I'll make you wish you were dead."

I opened my mouth but couldn't make a single sound.

Explain? Who would believe me?

In his eyes, I was already a viper who would sell anything for money and could even hurt children.

"Mark, lock her in the basement. Release the snakes."

That already malfunctioning artificial heart sent frequent sharp pains when snake after snake wrapped around me and bit madly. It felt like an invisible hand was viciously squeezing and tearing inside my chest.

Years ago, when I was bitten by a snake, Adrian sucked out the poison with his mouth to save me.

Later, when we both survived, I blamed him for being so reckless. He said all my pain, he wanted to experience it too.

From then on, I hated and feared snakes most of all.

But now, he let a room full of snakes engulf me.

I don't know if I was seeing things, but there seemed to be a green snake mixed in with the others.

I curled up in the corner, hugging myself, my jaw chattering.

My phone screen suddenly lit up.

The hospital was calling.

"Miss Parker, your mother's account is overdrawn again. Please pay the fees as soon as possible."

In the call's background, I heard my mother's weak but anxious voice:

"Don't pressure my daughter. She has it hard enough... the medicine... I can go without medicine for now..."

That voice was like a dull knife sawing back and forth across my heart.

I hastily hung up and pounded on the door like a madwoman, begging Adrian to let me out.

But only Flora brought me a glass of warm water:

"You can scream your throat raw and he won't soften. Enjoy your last moments."

In front of me, she killed that green snake and took it away.

All the physical pain couldn't compare to the agony in my heart.

I completely lost consciousness.

I woke again when Adrian threw a bucket of ice water over me.

"Tell me, where did you hide Hudson? Just because he exposed your true face, you had someone kidnap him. How did you become so vicious?"

I couldn't care what he was saying. My first reaction was to find my phone.

When I saw countless missed calls from the hospital and a notification about my mother's critical condition, I crawled to his feet:

"Adrian, please, save my mom..."

He froze for a moment, then ordered Mark to investigate my mother's situation.

Learning my mother was critically ill and dying, he suddenly slammed me against the cold wall and gripped my throat:

"Tell me where Hudson is, or your mother doesn't need to live either!"

"I don't know... I didn't kidnap him..."

"Lena Parker! You're asking for death!"

The air in my lungs was rapidly emptied. My vision darkened.

I used my last strength to grab his wrist:

"It wasn't me... Adrian... believe me... please... save my mother first..."

He leaned down, his cold lips against my ear, word by word:

"Don't give up Hudson, and your mother's resuscitation will be suspended."

I jerked my head up, staring at him in disbelief.

But he calmly said:

"You dare touch my child, I'll let your mother die in the emergency room."

"When you've thought it through, call me."

I was pushed back into the snake pit while he personally went to search for Hudson.

Soon, my phone in the corner rang again.

I tremblingly pressed the answer button.

From the other end came the doctor's anxious, heavy voice:

"Miss Parker! Why haven't you come to the hospital yet? Your mother suffered multiple organ failure after resuscitation was interrupted due to power outage... We did our best... Please come to the hospital immediately to settle the outstanding fees and handle the funeral arrangements..."

The phone slipped from my hands full of bloody holes. The screen shattered, like my heart in that moment.

I maintained the posture of answering the phone, wanting to say something, but my throat felt stuffed with wet cotton. I couldn't make a sound.

As I fell straight backward, Adrian returned.

Seeing me collapse, he frowned impatiently and sneered coldly:

"Lena Parker, smart move. Hudson is safely home! Your mother is also being resuscitated, but you dared kidnap Hudson, so you deserve punishment!"

Three days later, while playing with his newborn daughter, he casually ordered Mark:

"Go ask her if she knows her mistake, if she dares to touch my wife and children again, or covet things she shouldn't!"

Ten minutes later, Mark stumbled back, his face bloodless with terror, his voice shaking uncontrollably:

"Mr. Whitmore! Miss Parker... she... she... is dead!"