My Marriage Died in the Operating Room

On the day Bryson Lundeberg and I were supposed to celebrate our anniversary, my mother went into surgery.

I thought everything was under control. But I never imagined that a procedure with a ninety percent success rate would fail.

That left mom comatose.

At first, I wanted to call it an accident. But when I came home late that night, I overheard the truth.

“Bryson, what you did for me… I’m really grateful. If it weren’t for you, I might already be in jail. But I swear I never meant for Hedy’s mom to be in danger…” Debbii Parmelee murmured.

Her voice sounded a little flirty, her body leaning against Bryson.

Without any restraint, he pulled her into his arms.

“What happened was not your fault, to begin with. You had good intentions in giving Hedy’s mom that medicine. She ran into trouble in surgery because her body couldn’t hold up. It’s not on you, okay?” he replied, patting her head to soothe her.

I froze in place, listening as they bantered about my mom like it was entertainment.

Only after hearing everything did I understand why my mom had fallen into a coma.

Debbii had given my mom a large dose of experimental, unapproved drugs before the surgery—that drug sabotaged the surgery!

Worse, Bryson had known it all along!

I wiped away my tears, pulled out the divorce agreement we’d signed before the wedding, and took out my phone.

“Take back all assets and funding we’ve granted Lundeberg Corporation. At the upcoming project bid next week, disqualify them. Use my shares in their company; make sure their stock falls!” I ordered.

“In seven days,” I swore, “Bryson won’t have anything left!”

1

Hedy’s POV

I made up my mind. I handed the evidence over to my brother, choosing instead to stay behind at the hospital to take care of Mom.

What I hadn’t expected was that, later that very night, I would lose all contact with him.

Just as my panic reached its peak, Bryson appeared before me—dressed impeccably in a tailored suit, radiating an untouchable air of superiority.

“The evidence your brother submitted to the cops,” he began coldly, “I’ve already suppressed it. Now, you will write a letter of forgiveness. State that Debbii never intended harm, that you understand her.”

As he spoke, he placed my mom’s hospital bill right in front of me.

“If the machines are removed, your mom won’t last long, Hedy. Think carefully about your next move.”

His unyielding expression crushed the last of my endurance, and tears slipped down my face.

He had once promised me I would never suffer injustice.

And yet here he was—using my mom’s life as leverage, all for Debbii.

I didn’t answer him. Instead, I pulled out my phone to call my brother.

When Bryson noticed, he didn’t panic. If anything, a trace of pity curved his lips, as though he were watching an insect struggling uselessly in a spider’s web. He simply waited.

I dialed again and again—ten times, twenty—but all I heard was the busy tone.

Behind me, Bryson let out a soft laugh, pitying, almost gentle. He patted my head and murmured, “Stop calling, Hedy. Don’t you see the truth already? From the very first call that didn’t go through, you should’ve guessed, shouldn’t you?”

My face went pale.

The next moment, he answered a call right in front of me, deliberately putting it on speaker.

“Sir,” his assistant’s voice came clearly, “everything has been taken care of. Ma’am Hedy’s brother has been arrested for bribery. I’ve already sent you the video of his current state. But sir… if your wife finds out, will she—”

The assistant hesitated.

Bryson glanced at my ashen face, then replied smoothly, “She won’t say anything. As long as she makes the right choice, everything will return to normal.”

He ended the call, then bent down and brushed a kiss across my cheek.

His soothing tone was just like the bedtime stories he told me before sleeping every night.

For a moment, I nearly faltered, lulled into confusion.

But then his fingers clamped around my chin, forcing my face toward his phone.

“Hedy,” he said softly, “Kenn just sent me something amusing. I think you should see it, too.”

Despite my desperate struggles, he pressed play.

I had already guessed from their words what I might see. Still, when the video lit up, I couldn’t stop the scream that tore from my throat.

There was my brother—the man who had raised me like a father, the one constant in my life—lying on the ground like a beaten dog.

Blood streamed from his body, pooling into a small dark trench. His leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, grotesquely bent. Men surrounded him, kicking, striking, intent on beating him to death right there.

My vision swam red as I stared at Bryson, disbelief shaking every word from me.

“Why? Why would you do this?”

Was Debbii truly so important to him? She was the one who had harmed my mom, and yet he covered up for her, destroying everything else in the process.

My tears fell one after another onto his hand, scalding enough to make him tremble.

For an instant, pain flickered in his eyes. He even reached out, wiping my tears with slow tenderness.

But his voice stayed cold, unyielding.

“Hedy, Debbii grew up with me. I know her. She just made a mistake. Even if she hadn’t given your mom the wrong medicine, there was no guarantee your mom could have survived the surgery. Just think of it as an accident. Wouldn’t that be better?”

He leaned closer, coaxing softly. “You frightened her with those police reports. You made her cry. If I hadn’t locked your brother away first, she would’ve broken down. Don’t be stubborn, Hedy. Sign the letter of forgiveness. Then, everything will go back to the way it was.”

His gaze softened as he spoke, but my heart only grew colder the more I looked at him.

No. It would never go back. Even if I signed, nothing would ever be the same.

Bryson was no longer the man I had married. To me, he was now a demon.

In our five years of marriage, he had never treated me this way.

Before Debbii returned to the country, he had indulged me in everything.

I had always believed I’d found my lifelong partner.

But now, I saw clearly—he wasn’t my husband. He was hers.

My silence dragged on, and irritation crept into his features.

“Hedy, every minute you waste here, your brother suffers another minute. Or would you rather I decide for you?”

As he said this, a trace of threat appeared on his face.

Before I could answer, he dragged me into my mom’s hospital room.

The next second, he ripped the oxygen tube from her face!

At once, medical staff rushed inside.

I lunged forward, but Bryson blocked me with an arm.

“Sign the letter, and she’ll be fine,” he demanded.

I looked back at him in horror.

“You have ten seconds.”

With a blank expression on his face, his voice dropped to a countdown.

“Ten.”

Suddenly, a stranger yanked my mom off the bed.

“Nine.”

They tore the oxygen mask away, leaving her gasping in agony.

“Eight.”

Dragged across the floor, her body knocked against the doorway, bruises blooming on her fragile skin.

Yet, Bryson remained unmoved, still expressionlessly counting down.

As the count neared its end, Mom’s body convulsed, struggling for air.

I could no longer control myself; tears burst forth in torrents.

“I’ll do it!” I shouted. “I’ll write the damn letter of forgiveness!”

Hedy’s POV

After hearing my words, Bryson’s expression finally softened.

He gently wiped the tears from my face, his tone turning tender.

“See? If you’d done this earlier, your brother and your mom wouldn’t have had to suffer.”

My hand trembled as I signed my name on the letter of forgiveness.

The moment he turned to leave, I grabbed his hand tightly.

“I’ve already signed it. You should let my brother out now, shouldn’t you?”

Bryson froze, taken aback by the distance and distrust on my face. His brows furrowed deeply.

“Hedy, those pieces of evidence haven’t passed the prosecution period yet. I can’t release your brother until at least seven days later. Don’t make things harder for me, okay?”

As soon as he finished speaking, his phone buzzed.

I caught a clear glimpse of the screen. It was a message from Debbii.

[Bryson, did you get the letter of forgiveness? If it’s too hard on Hedy, maybe don’t force her. I can go turn myself in. After all, everything is my fault. From now on, you and Hedy should live a good life together.]

The instant he read it, his entire demeanor turned frantic.

He yanked his hand free from mine and bolted for the door.

I bit back the pain in my wrist and caught hold of his sleeve again.

“Bryson! If you can’t let my brother out, then sign this promise instead!”

My eyes locked onto his, unwavering.

He stopped dead. He turned his head and looked at me in disbelief.

“You don’t trust me?”

I said nothing, only holding out the prepared divorce papers.

Just as I expected, Bryson—anxious to go to Debbii—didn’t even look at the documents in his hand.

He shot me a furious glare, then scrawled his signature across the page with a hard stroke. His voice dripped with mockery.

“As I thought. You still don’t understand what mistake you’ve made. You don’t value Debbii’s life, and you don’t trust me.”

With that, he gave me one last cold look, turned, and left without hesitation.

I carefully folded the divorce agreement, a bitter smile curling on my lips.

How could I still trust him?

The last time I trusted him, my brother was thrown into prison, and my mom was left on the brink of death, trapped in a coma.

If I offered my trust again, the only thing waiting for me might be death itself.

With that thought, I arranged everything for my mom, then turned and went back to the villa.

Not long after Bryson left, the screen of my phone displayed a message from Debbii.

I didn’t know where she’d gotten my number, but judging from today, she had been planning this for a long time.

I opened the video, and there he was—Bryson’s anxious figure filling the screen.

“Debbii, don’t worry. I’ve settled everything with Hedy. No one will send you to prison, no one will hurt you. I promise.”

As he spoke, he pulled her gently into his arms, his eyes holding the same tenderness he once reserved for me.

At that moment, I felt my heart shatter.

The pain my mom, my brother, and I had endured—to Bryson, it was all nothing but a bargaining chip to please Debbii.

Even after knowing the truth, he still chose to stand by her side.

At the end of the video, Debbii leaned in and pressed her red lips to his. Bryson, that jerk, did not even refuse.

I watched that video three times over until the ache in my chest numbed into nothing.

As if knowing I had finished watching, Debbii sent another message—this time more openly provocative.

[Bitch, is that wretched mom of yours still not dead? What a pity. She suffered so much because of a daughter like you. Yes, I gave her the drug on purpose, but Bryson still chose me over you. If you know what’s good for you, you’d better leave. Otherwise, watch out for your brother’s and your mom’s lives!]

She really had done it on purpose!

My eyes burned with hatred. If she appeared before me right now, I might not stop myself from tearing her apart!

Message after message, she goaded me, as if trying to drive me mad.

And then, suddenly, I widened my eyes in disbelief.

Hedy’s POV

On Debbii’s video, I recognized a decoration I knew too well.

I paced around the villa, my steps quick and restless, only to discover that the interior design in so many of Debbii’s videos was identical to this place.

A sudden realization struck me like lightning. My chest tightened as I bolted out the door.

From the villa next door came a voice—familiar, intimate.

There she was—Debbii—fluttering into Bryson’s arms like a lark, her laughter sweet and airy.

And Bryson, smiling with gentle indulgence, carefully caught her in his embrace.

“Why are you running so fast? Be careful with the baby in your belly,” he murmured.

Then, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her belly. His eyes brimmed with affection.

For a moment, it felt as if my heart had been pierced straight through.

She had only been back in the country for less than two months, and yet… they already had a baby?

Or was it that, even while she was still abroad, they had already been entangled?

Had my marriage… been nothing but a lie from the start?

My emotions roared and tangled within me, but I bit down hard, forcing myself not to storm over and demand an explanation. Instead, stumbling and unsteady, I retreated into the villa.

Inside, I was greeted by an entire wall of memories—photos of me and Bryson, smiling together, locked in moments of intimacy…

Things he had personally made for me…

An entire wall covered in handbags and jewelry he had chosen for me…

Three thousand love letters, each penned by him!

But now, everything before my eyes mocked me, each piece of evidence sneering at my foolishness.

I couldn’t bear it any longer. With trembling hands, I tore our wedding photo from the wall and hurled it down, shattering it into pieces.

That night, Bryson did not come back.

Instead, Debbii bombarded me with countless videos of them together, flaunting their affection.

Even from outside the villa, their voices carried—sweet, intimate, unrestrained.

I clicked through each video, one by one, my hands shaking as I forced myself to watch. And then, piece by piece, I burned every trace of what I once thought was love.

Three thousand letters, three thousand photos, countless handmade gifts—it all took me the entire night to reduce it all to ashes.

Bryson only sent me one message.

[Debbii isn’t feeling well because of you. I won’t be coming back tonight. Think of it as me helping you make up for her.]

The words left me hollow, stripped of even the dignity of anger. All I felt was despair.

When dawn finally broke, everything that had once bound us was nothing more than a heap of gray ash.

My eyes burned red as I rose unsteadily to my feet, my body trembling slightly.

Just then, my phone rang.

“Ma’am,” a cold, professional voice said, “your mom’s hospital payments are overdue. The oxygen mask, medication, and machines have all been suspended. Please settle the fees immediately.”

A dark fog swept over my vision. My voice cracked and was hoarse as I asked, “Didn’t my husband pay yesterday?”

On the other side of the phone came a contemptuous laugh. Then the staff spoke with disdain.

“Ma’am, Sir Bryson is Miss Debbii’s boyfriend. You call him your husband? If that were true, why didn’t he pay on your behalf yesterday? Please don’t insert yourself where you don’t belong. Just come and settle the bill right away. Otherwise, your mom’s life cannot be guaranteed.”

When I heard that, my hand trembled so violently I nearly dropped the phone.

Just as I was about to rush out the door, Bryson appeared at the entrance, his body covered with red marks.

The breeze that swept in carried with it the sickly sweet scent of Debbii’s perfume clinging to him. My stomach lurched; I nearly retched.

“Where are you going?” he asked, pausing mid-step when he saw my pale face. For a brief moment, something like concern flickered in his eyes.

“Why are you so pale? Are you feeling unwell?” he pressed, reaching out a hand toward me.

With a blank expression, I avoided his touch. My voice rasped, raw from the night, as I asked, “You didn’t pay for my mom’s hospital bills yesterday?”

For a split second, shock crossed his face.

But almost immediately, a soft and delicate voice drifted from behind him.

“Hedy, don’t blame Bryson. Maybe the hospital staff made a mistake.”

Debbii leaned against him sweetly, her tone dripping with false gentleness.

Her eyes, however, sparkled with provocation as they met mine.

And in that instant, everything became clear to me.

Hedy’s POV

“It’s you! You’re the one who tried to kill my mom!”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. My hand flew toward Debbii’s face in a slap.

A glint of calculation flickered in her eyes. Before my palm could reach her, Bryson’s hand clamped down hard on my wrist and yanked me back.

His gaze was like ice as it bore into me.

“Enough!” he snapped. “I’ve explained this to you already—none of what happened before was Debbii’s fault! This time, it was also the hospital staff who made the mistake. Why are you blaming her for everything? And now, you’re striking her? Have you completely lost your damn mind, Hedy?!”

With that, he shoved me away.

I stumbled and fell hard onto the floor. Pain shot up my body, my face draining of color.

But he didn’t even glance at me.

“Apologize to Debbii!” he demanded.

I gritted my teeth and forced myself up despite the pain, glaring at him stubbornly.

“You want me to apologize, Bryson? It was she who went after my mom! She’s the one who told the hospital staff to revoke your payment! She even claimed you were her boyfriend! Tell me—who’s the one who should really be apologizing?”

For a moment, he froze.

His brows drew tightly together, his gaze toward Debbii cooling.

In an instant, her face went pale.

But just as quickly, tears welled up in her eyes, clinging to her lashes like a rain-drenched flower. She darted into the kitchen, snatching a knife and pressing it to her own neck.

“Bryson,” she cried, her voice trembling, “I told you I didn’t do it on purpose! Maybe the hospital staff misunderstood. If you insist on believing Hedy instead of me, then I have no choice but to prove my innocence with my death!”

Before anyone could react, she drew the blade across her neck, leaving a deep and bleeding gash.

Bryson’s expression changed instantly. He lunged forward, grabbing the knife with his bare hand.

Blood ran freely down the blade, dripping from his fingers, but he didn’t care. All his focus was on checking Debbii’s wound, his voice frantic.

“Why are you so impulsive? Of course, I believe you! Hold still, Debbii. I’ll call someone to treat your injury right now.”

Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms. As he passed me, his eyes burned with fury.

“Hedy, you’ve gone too far this time!”

“Housekeeper!” his voice roared like thunder. “Lock Hedy in the cold storage! No one lets her out without my permission!”

With that, the housekeeper rushed in with a group of bodyguards who seized me from behind.

I shuddered violently and began to struggle.

“Let me go! I have to get to the hospital to pay for my mom’s treatment! Bryson! Tell them to let me go!”

My voice was nearly a scream.

But he didn’t turn his head even once.

In the end, I was thrown into the cold storage.

The heavy door clanged shut, and the freezing air swallowed me whole.

I trembled, pulling out my phone to try and call someone—anyone—to help pay my mom’s fees at the hospital.

But just as I unlocked it, the door swung open again.

“Take her phone away. Strip her clothes off.”

Bryson’s voice was low and dangerous.

Before I could react, the bodyguards pinned me down. My phone was ripped from my hands, and my clothes were torn away without mercy.

I stared at Bryson in disbelief, my eyes wide.

“Are you insane?! Mom’s still in the hospital waiting for me to pay—I—”

My words broke off as his hand clamped around my jaw, forcing my face up to his.

“Because of what you said, Debbii’s neck was slashed open. The doctor said it was only a fraction away from the artery! I told you, Hedy—she didn’t do it on purpose. But you refused to believe me! Today, until Debbii’s surgery is over, no one is letting you out of this cold storage. As for your mom…” His eyes hardened to steel. “Pray she survives until you’re released.”

Even as I trembled violently in the icy air, his expression remained unmoved.

“Bryson, please,” I begged, tears streaming down my face, my throat burning from the cold. “I’ll apologize to Debbii. Just send someone to the hospital to pay the bills. I’m begging you, Bryson! Mom won’t make it!”

But he only looked at me with those frozen eyes, then turned and stepped out without hesitation.

Before the door closed, I summoned every ounce of strength left in me, glaring at him with hatred.

“Bryson! I swear I will hate you for the rest of my life!”

His body gave a faint tremor, but in the end, the heavy cold-storage door slammed shut firmly.

Hedy’s POV

When I opened my eyes again, everything felt numb.

Bryson’s face lit up with relief the moment he saw me.

“Hedy, you’re finally awake,” he said, his voice brimming with joy.

His eyes softened with pity as he carefully gathered me into his arms, just like he used to—like nothing about Debbii had ever happened.

“Give me back my phone.”

I pushed him away hard, my expression blank, my voice flat.

For a second, his expression stiffened. Then, forcing a placating smile, he said softly, “Hedy, I’ve already paid for your mom’s treatment. She’s fine now.”

I didn’t reply. I simply held out my hand, palm up, demanding.

His face darkened. Still, he placed the phone into my palm.

“Hedy, I know you’re still thinking about what happened yesterday,” he said, voice lowering, “but you were the one who made a mistake. You should apologize to Debbii.”

I let out a cold laugh.

“Apologize to Debbii? I was the one locked in a freezing storage room. My mom was the one who almost died. And you want me to apologize to her?”

He hadn’t expected me to explode like that; his face turned cold.

“I’ve explained this to you so many times—Debbii didn’t do it on purpose. You’re the one who left a scar on her neck, the one who ruined her reputation in the industry. You must hold a press conference to clear things up and apologize to her in person.”

I stared at him in disbelief. Was he insane?

He wanted me to apologize to the person who nearly killed my mom?

Grinding my teeth, I pushed myself up from the bed. I needed to leave, to go to the hospital and see how my mom was doing.

But before I could take a single step, his hand shot out and grabbed me, iron-tight.

“This isn’t a negotiation, Hedy,” he warned, his tone cold. “The press conference is in five days. Start preparing now. Don’t forget—your brother’s still in prison, and your mom’s in a hospital owned by the Lundeberg Corporation.”

His words froze the blood in my veins.

My mom and my brother were still in his hands. I had no power to resist.

I looked at him blankly, my heart like stone.

“Five days, right? Fine,” I said at last. “I’ll do it. But you’re going to pull all your people off my brother’s case and let the process go through normally.”

If he withdrew his men, I could arrange for mine to step in.

That way, five days from now, my brother could leave with me and my mom.

I kept my expression steady as I looked at Bryson.

For a fleeting moment, he felt as though I were far, far away from him. I could tell his heart gave a small, panicked tremor as he reached out a hand toward me.

But before he could say anything, Debbii called him.

By the time he returned from answering her call, Bryson agreed to my terms without hesitation.

He left with a smile, holding the contract I had just signed.

I struggled to my feet and headed straight for the hospital.

When I reached my mom’s room, what awaited me wasn’t her lying in bed but hospital staff clearing out the space.

A sudden wave of dread surged up inside me. I grabbed the nearest staff member’s hand, trembling.

“The patient who was here—where is she?” I demanded.

She gave me an impatient glance.

“Dead,” she said flatly. “Family couldn’t pay the fees. She held on for a whole day before passing. Her body’s in the morgue.”

All of a sudden, the world tilted. I dropped to my knees on the cold floor, nearly fainting.

“No… that’s impossible. Bryson said he paid. How could she be dead?”

I shook my head frantically, refusing to believe it.

At the sound of Bryson’s name, the staff member suddenly became interested. She gave me a slow once-over, then sneered.

“Oh, so you’re that little homewrecker everyone’s been talking about? Everyone here knows Sir Bryson is Miss Debbii’s boyfriend. They’ve been childhood sweethearts. You’re the only shameless one trying to use your mom’s illness to cling to him.”

She let out a sharp laugh.

“Your mom’s medical fees? Nobody paid a cent. But yesterday, Miss Debbii took a full million from Sir Bryson and treated the hospital staff to afternoon tea. See? Some people are just born lucky while others aren’t. Guess you’ve finally learned your place, huh?”

Blood roared in my ears when I heard that. My eyes burned red, like they were bleeding.

So Bryson hadn’t refused to pay for my mom’s treatment.

It was Debbii—she’d taken the money and spent it on tea for the hospital staff?!

I couldn’t take it anymore. Shoving the staff member aside, I ran for the morgue.

The moment I pulled back the white sheet, my vision went black, and I collapsed onto the cold floor of the morgue.

Hedy’s POV

After arranging my mom’s funeral, I returned to the villa, pale-faced, clutching that small urn.

I set her urn down carefully, took up my documents, and was just about to leave when the bedroom door slammed open with a violent kick.

“Hedy! Where did you take Debbii?!”

I didn’t even look at him. My voice came out flat, numb.

“I don’t know. I didn’t.”

Bryson clearly didn’t believe me. Without a shred of mercy, he yanked me out of the room.

The moment I saw who was at the villa entrance, my expression finally cracked.

“Trevor!”

My brother was gagged, tied to a chair, surrounded by Bryson’s bodyguards.

For a second, I couldn’t even tell what Bryson was planning to do.

Then, his bloodshot eyes flashed. He gestured sharply to the men behind my brother.

They nodded, then suddenly raised thick batons, as wide as an arm, and brought them down on my brother’s body.

“Ahhh!”

He convulsed, blood already smearing across his clothes.

In an instant, my vision went red.

“Bryson! What are you doing?! I already told you—I didn’t do it! Why won’t you believe me?”

My voice rose to a near-scream.

But Bryson didn’t spare me a glance. He stared at my bound brother, his tone like ice.

“Hedy, from this moment on, I’ll count down from ten. With every number, your brother will take ten strikes. The doctor said his body is already very weak. If you don’t want him to die, then tell me where Debbii is.”

I shook with rage, glaring at my brother’s bloodied form, wishing I could tear the two of them apart right then.

“Bryson, I told you—I didn’t lay a finger on Debbii! I’m begging you. I’ll kneel if I have to! You know I’ve never lied to you! Please, believe me. Don’t hurt my brother!”

As I said this, I moved to kneel.

My brother was already coughing up blood. He was all I had left. I couldn’t lose him either!

But my pleading and my kneeling didn’t stir Bryson in the slightest.

He watched me sink to the floor and still began to count.

“Ten.”

Hearing that familiar countdown, I felt myself unravel.

“No! Stop! Bryson, you can’t do this! You’ll regret it!”

The batons fell again. Ten strikes. My brother’s mouth poured blood without pause.

“Nine.”

Seeing the guards raise their weapons once more, I wrenched free of Bryson’s grip and threw myself over my brother.

The batons crashed onto me instead. Pain ripped through my stomach, and a warm trickle of blood ran down my thighs.

The crimson seeped into my black dress, but all Bryson saw was my ashen face.

At last, his brows drew together.

“Stop!”

He strode forward, reaching to lift me, his eyes flickering with a trace of pain.

“Hedy, I…”

But before his apology could leave his lips, his secretary rushed up, thrusting a phone into his hand.

“Bryson, I’m in so much pain… Hurry up… Save me.”

Bryson’s outstretched hand froze.

He looked at me—nearly unconscious on the floor—as Debbii’s sobbing voice poured from the phone.

“Sir, we’ve found Miss Debbii’s location. The police are still handling the scene. She still needs your presence.”

Hearing that, Bryson finally made his choice.

His voice came out hoarse. “Take Hedy to the hospital. Get the best doctors for her. As for her brother, if anything happens to him, she’ll hate me forever. I’ll take care of Debbii’s situation first, then I’ll come right away.”

After saying that, he turned without hesitation and stepped into his car.

I could no longer hold on. My eyes fluttered shut, and the world went dark.

Hedy’s POV

When I woke up in the hospital ward, I ignored the pain coursing through my body and forced myself up, rushing to check on my brother’s condition.

Seeing him still lying unconscious, I could no longer hold back my tears.

From the moment I opened my eyes, I had already sensed it—the emptiness in my belly.

My child… I had only just learned of its existence, and before I could even embrace the thought of it, it had slipped away from me like the wind.

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone. Forcing my raw throat to make a sound, I whispered hoarsely.

“Book me two plane tickets. Tomorrow, I’ll take my brother and leave this place for good.”

As for that press conference, I would make sure Bryson walked away from it with absolutely nothing!

The words had barely left my mouth when the door of the ward was shoved open.

Bryson stood at the entrance, his expression unreadable.

“Hedy,” he asked, voice low, “where are you booking tickets to?”

Half his face was swallowed in shadow, making it impossible for me to see him clearly.

I hung up the call, meeting his gaze with an icy expression.

“It has nothing to do with you.”

His brows furrowed, and after a pause, he extended his hand toward me.

“Hedy, I know you’re still upset about yesterday, but I had no choice. Debbii was badly hurt, too. And your wounds haven’t even healed yet. Please, don’t run around recklessly, alright?”

His tone was gentle, coaxing—pretending as though he wasn’t the one who had caused these injuries in the first place.

I let out a sharp laugh.

“Relax. I won’t delay tomorrow’s press conference.”

The mockery in my voice darkened his face in an instant. He clearly hadn’t expected me to twist his so-called kindness.

“Hedy,” he said coldly, “stop being childish. In the end, it was you who made the first mistake. If you hadn’t sent people to kidnap Debbii, I never would have touched your brother. You wouldn’t have been hurt either.”

The way he pushed all the blame onto me as if it were the most natural thing in the world made me sneer.

“Since you’ve already decided not to believe a word I say, then why bother putting on this false show of pity? Do you even know—”

Before I could finish, before I could tell him about the child, Debbii burst into the room.

She rushed forward, throwing her arms around his waist, her face pale with panic.

“Bryson, where did you go? I was so scared when I woke up and didn’t see you. I had another nightmare. I dreamt that you didn’t come yesterday, that those men—”

Her voice broke, and tears streamed down her face.

At once, Bryson’s eyes filled with heartache. He gathered Debbii gently into his arms, stroking her back as though she were the most fragile thing in the world.

When she finally calmed, his gaze snapped back to me, sharp and furious.

“Look at what you’ve done! Debbii nearly died because of you!”

I let out another cold laugh.

The moment Debbii’s eyes landed on me, she let out a sharp scream.

“Hedy, I’ll leave right now! Please don’t send anyone to kidnap me again! I swear I regret what I did…”

As she spoke, she made a motion to kneel before me, her pitiful act tugging at Bryson’s heart until he was beside himself.

But I only stared at them with a blank face, giving them nothing.

Finally, Bryson’s expression hardened completely.

“You still refuse to see the mistakes you’ve made, Hedy. Stay here in the ward. After the press conference, I’ll be reconsidering our marriage. My family has no need for such a cruel matriarch like you.”

Without another glance at me, he supported Debbii and walked out decisively.

And in the corner of the room, where he could not see, Debbii cast me a triumphant look.

Her lips moved silently, as if saying, “This time, I won.”

I didn’t even spare them a glance. I closed the door in their faces.

The next day, I set every instruction I had given earlier into motion.

There were three hours left until the press conference began. That was when the Lundebergs’ stock would start plummeting.

All the resources, projects, and partnerships I had once handed over to the Lundeberg Corporation—I would reclaim every last one of them.

And everything Bryson and Debbii had done to me, I would return to them in full!

Blocking both their numbers from my phone, I boarded the plane with Trevor.

Oh, I could not wait to see their downfall!

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By cocoxs