Chapter 4

"Please, save me! Don't take all the money! I need surgery! I still want to dance!"

Lily cried as she spoke.

I tilted my head, a cold smile playing on my lips.

"If my child hadn't been tortured into a miscarriage by you two, she might have had a chance to dance too."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! But I don't want to lie in bed for the rest of my life. Save me, please! I'll atone for my sins for the rest of my life!"

Lily, a quadriplegic, could only move her head.

She wept and pleaded, helpless as snot streamed into her mouth.

Sigh. Just days ago, she was a graceful swan, shining brightly on stage.

"Don't worry," I consoled her. "Things aren't entirely without hope."

Lily's eyes suddenly lit up, looking at me with desperate expectation.

I smiled.

"I've notified your parents. About you being his mistress and everything. They'll be here soon. Don't worry, even if I don't save you, they'd sell a kidney to save you."

Lily's eyes widened, glaring at me with hatred. Then she screamed again:

"Ava Stone, you're not just killing me, you're crushing my soul! You'll die a horrible death! Hmph, *spit, spit*!"

With only her head movable, Lily could only spit at me. Her aim wasn't good enough.

"Ava, please! I'm begging you!"

Lily, like a madwoman, finished spitting and then burst into fresh tears.

"Don't let my parents see me like this! I'm begging you! Just kill me if you have to, but don't let my parents come! Waaah!"

I heard footsteps in the hallway. Lily froze, too scared to make a sound.

*Bang!* The door opened.

It wasn't Lily's parents.

"Oh," I remembered, "I also notified Mark's family."

It was my ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, and a young woman, Carly, holding a six-month-old infant.

I specifically pointed at the baby.

"Allow me to introduce you. This is Mark's child."

Lily looked at the baby, then burst into desperate sobs.

"You animal! Mark Stone, you’re an absolute animal! You lied to me! I thought I was the mistress, but I was the fourth! You animal, you ruined me!"

Carly rolled her eyes at me. Still holding the baby, she reached out and slapped Lily across the face.

"What are you crying for? Where did you hide all of Mark's money?"

Lily scoffed, probably fueled by extreme hatred, and shouted defiantly:

"Get lost! I'll die before I tell you! Go dumpster diving with your child! You shameless mistress, *spit*!"

After being spat on, Carly said nothing, but my ex-mother-in-law, Brenda, stepped forward.

*Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap!*

She delivered ten resounding slaps to Lily's face.

Lily's nose bled, her cheeks turned crimson, and she wailed in pain.

"It's... it's with her," Lily looked at me.

I suddenly felt like testing Brenda. I spread my hands innocently.

"I just asked her. Mark only transferred $100,000 to her. When we get it back, I'll give you $50,000."

Lily's eyes widened. She started to curse:

"You bitch—Aaagh!"

Just as Lily was about to insult me, Brenda grabbed her mouth, pulling her lips so hard they looked like they might reach her ears.

I watched, feeling a phantom pain. It was truly brutal.

"My son couldn't have only $100,000!" Brenda began her interrogation. "His company makes millions a year, and he has a huge villa! Tell me now!"

My heart turned cold. Mark had always told me his company was losing money.

Turns out, everyone knew everything but me.

Carly, holding her baby, kindly advised:

"You might as well tell them. Mark and Ava have a marriage certificate. Mark and I have a child. You're not going to get anything good out of this anyway."

Poor Lily was immobile, at their mercy.

She cried out in pain, tears and snot streaming down her face.