Chapter 4

I turned away and passed a server carrying drinks.

I was about to take another glass of champagne when someone caught my hand in midair.

A glass of warm water was pressed into my palm. Claire faced me with a disapproving look.

“You still think you can drink? Have water!”

I smiled and playfully brushed her cheek.

“My little keeper. Whatever you say.”

A quiet gasp sounded behind us, followed by Ethan’s affected voice:

“Owen, are you…?”

I turned with a frown.

Ethan was like a ghost that refused to leave me alone. He was getting on my last nerve.

For once, Victoria’s expression showed some human feeling. Her face was flushed with anger.

“Owen Bennett, we’re still married.”

“Not for much longer. If you’re willing to sign, we can finalize it in a month.”

I really couldn’t be bothered with either of them.

I was about to take Claire’s arm and leave when Ethan blocked my way.

He approached with two glasses of champagne, his face full of false remorse:

“Owen, I was being selfish earlier.”

“I’d like to offer you a drink and an apology. To show I mean it, Reed Industries is willing to give up another five percentage points of profit on the resort project.”

Beside him, even Victoria made a rare attempt at reconciliation:

“I was wrong to embarrass you in public. If you forgive Ethan, I’ll agree to a seventy-thirty split on the project we discussed.”

“Seventy for you. Thirty for me.”

I sneered inwardly.

After weighing it up, I decided not to let personal grievances interfere with business.

I was divorcing her anyway. Walking away without getting what I could out of it would be a waste.

Claire silently held my hand down and reminded me in a low voice:

“You haven’t healed yet. That little bit of money isn’t worth—”

I raised an eyebrow. I hadn’t realized Claire’s standards were that high.

“You call two hundred million a little bit of money?”

Before she could finish,

I had already taken a polite sip. It tasted unexpectedly bitter. Just as I was about to speak, I began coughing violently, my body shaking beyond my control.

“Ugh…”

A painful groan escaped me.

The next second, bright red blood seeped between my fingers.

It dripped onto the floor, horribly vivid.

Everyone stared at me in shock. Even Ethan, who had handed me the drink, looked terrified.

“How…?”

Victoria sounded stunned, unable to believe what she was seeing. Instinctively, she reached to catch me as I collapsed.

But someone else was faster.

Claire caught me, every trace of her usual playful smile gone.

“Call an ambulance! Now!”

It hurt too much.

So much that I couldn’t speak. All I could do was curl into Claire’s arms as blood kept pouring from my mouth, staining her dress.

My awareness scattered, and everything went black.

Outside the emergency room,

Claire moved like an enraged animal. She seized Victoria by the collar and slammed her against the cold wall with a dull thud.

“Victoria Hayes, what the fuck did you do to him? What was in that drink?”

“Do you know he nearly died? How could you do this to someone still suffering complications?”

A slap snapped Victoria’s face to the side. Her split lip began to bleed.

Shock mingled with a panic she had never felt before:

“Let go! Ethan arranged the drinks. I—”

“Wait. What do you mean, complications?”

Claire slapped her again. Every word came through clenched teeth, raw with accusation.

“You don’t know?”

“You fucking don’t know? The day you brought that little bastard Ethan home, someone rear-ended Owen on the highway and sent his car over the edge. It rolled all the way down.”

“I checked. Fifteen calls for help. You didn’t answer a single one, you animal!”

Claire pointed at the closed emergency room doors, her voice trembling with despair.

“Do you know he lost so much blood, and treatment was delayed so long, that they issued two critical-condition notices?”

“His heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys were all injured. It’s a miracle he survived!”

“How could you hurt him again?”

Victoria’s pupils contracted violently. Her eyes couldn’t focus.

She felt as though she’d plunged into ice.

“What accident… critical condition… What are you talking about?”