Chapter 12

"Elizabeth! Are you completely out of your mind?!" Catherine's eyes turned icy as she yanked a syringe from the nearby medical cart, pointing it straight at Elizabeth with twisted fury. "You think staying married to him changes anything? Relapse after surgery is totally normal. Since you insist on being in my way, guess I'll just deal with you now. Go to hell!" Elizabeth struggled with everything she had left. She couldn't die yet — not before avenging her kids, not before warning her parents about William and Catherine. No way she was dying here. She threw anything she could grab — pillows, sheets — but her body was too weak, her efforts barely effective. Catherine shoved the obstacles aside with ease and slammed Elizabeth back onto the bed. Elizabeth lay there, gasping hard, powerless, eyes brimming with tears. Why am I so useless... I can't do anything... Right then, the hospital door was kicked open so hard it crashed against the wall, making Catherine drop the syringe in shock. "Catherine, what the hell are you doing?! Elizabeth, are you okay?!" It was Michael, the same guy William had just kicked out earlier. He rushed over, yanked Catherine away, and lifted Elizabeth up with urgent care. Elizabeth had always seen Michael as the brother she never had. Now, in utter despair, being saved by him once more, seeing that genuine concern in his eyes — it broke her. Her eyes turned red, all the tough front she had put on in front of Catherine just crumbled. What was left was raw vulnerability. "Michael, I... I just want to leave. Please, get me out of here..." A husband who never loved her, a sister who schemed against her, a mother-in-law who hated her, and two tiny, lifeless babies. She used to pray every single day that William would fall in love with her little by little, that they'd one day have a healthy baby and a real, happy family. Now? She was done. She just wanted out — far away from it all. "Okay. I'll get you out. Now." Michael scooped her up gently, and his grip tightened slightly as he felt how painfully thin she'd become. His heart ached. If he'd known she'd suffer like this... he would've risked everything two years ago to take her away. Just as he turned, Catherine blocked his path again. "She's William's wife. You can push for a divorce, fine. But you can't take her away now!" Elizabeth was easier to control inside the hospital. Once she was out, Catherine couldn't predict what might happen, and she wasn't about to take that risk. "Move." Michael shot her a glance so cold, it was full-on murderous. This woman had ruined Elizabeth — and on top of that, tried to kill her. If this wasn't the wrong time and place, he would've choked the life out of her. Under his chilling stare, Catherine felt a wave of cold crawl up her spine. Her legs moved on their own and she stepped aside. By the time she caught herself, Michael had already carried Elizabeth to the door. She shouted after him, "You take her now, don't ever come back!" Michael didn't even flinch. He walked straight out. Outside, he loaded Elizabeth into a nondescript black car and sped away from the hospital. He'd managed to lure William's men elsewhere for the time being, but they could pop up again any minute. He wasn't wasting a second. They switched cars multiple times, making it look like they were heading abroad. But in truth, Michael was just circling around and eventually drove into a remote mountain village. He'd accidentally found this place back when Elizabeth got married — he was heartbroken and came here to clear his head. Phone signal barely existed here, and he was sure William had no way of tracking them. Once the heat died down, he'd figure out how to get her somewhere safe.