Chapter 3

Now that I no longer had to worry about having children, I decided to return to the company. The moment I stepped into the office, people scattered to avoid me. "That's the psychotic wench. Stay away from her." "Not only is she a psycho, but her private life's a mess. She's out clubbing every night. Who knows what diseases she has?" In my head, I spat the words like poison. "You're the ones who are twisted. Your whole damn family is twisted." I had just finished making coffee when my father's secretary summoned me to the chairman's office. "Ms. Grant, the board has decided you're not in the right state to work. They want you to rest at home for a while. You won't be involved in company matters for now." Several VPs, who were wearing white gloves, came in to clear out my things. With a loud crash, they dumped everything at my feet. "Take it and go." Furious, I called the secretary. "What's the meaning of this? On what grounds are you suspending me?" "Ms. Grant, this is the board's decision. Your recent negative press has seriously damaged the company's stock value and reputation." The VPs nearby gave me sidelong looks, smirking. "The company doesn't welcome people like you. Get out." "Don't dirty our place." They grabbed bottles of disinfectant and sprayed my desk as if to cleanse it of contamination. I snatched a bottle from one of them and smashed it over his head. "Do you idiots not know whose place this is? When my father wakes up, the first thing I'll do is throw you out!" I left my things on the floor, kicking them aside, and stormed out. But when I got back to my neighborhood, a crowd was waiting at the gate. I had no idea how they'd found my address, but the moment they saw me, they surged forward, throwing paint and eggs. The raw yolk dripped through my hair and into my eyes. Never in my life had I suffered such humiliation. My whole body shook with rage. Suddenly, a man slammed his fist into my stomach. The pain blacked out my vision, and I stumbled to the ground. "Go to hell, you bitch! "Think your money lets you do whatever you want? Today you're going to learn just how powerful we people can be!" The smell of eggs drew the stray cats, their teeth bared and eyes fixed on me. I screamed in panic, "Security! Where the hell are the guards?" However, no one answered. "Alex! Move aside, all of you!" Ethan shoved through the crowd, sweat beading across his forehead. "Are you all insane? Alex, don't be afraid. The ambulance is on its way!" Sabrina slipped in after him, holding up a phone that was streaming live, the camera aimed squarely at us. "Everyone, calm down. Ms. Grant didn't mean it. She just loves Ethan too much, and that love turned into hate. That's all this is…" Her voice was soft, pleading, but her eyes flickered with a glint of smug satisfaction—the triumphant smile of a victor. I still remember when we had just gotten married. I was pregnant then, living carefully every day, waiting for our child to arrive. I had already chosen his name, bought clothes for him up to the age of ten, and even mapped out his life. All of it shattered the moment I discovered Ethan's affair with Sabrina. The shock sent me into premature labor. The baby never made it out of the incubator. And now, a shadow moved, and a rock slammed into my head. In an instant, my vision went red with blood. It hurt so much. Since my baby's death, this was the first time I'd cried. Sabrina saw the blood running down my face, and her face flickered with unease. "Ethan, get her to the hospital. She's losing so much blood." Ethan was crying, too. "Alex, come home with me. Let's start over." I blinked hard, wiping away the tears and egg yolk from my face. Then, I forced my eyes wide, glaring at them. "What an unlucky day." Ethan froze. "Bringing your mistress to put on a show at my doorstep? You've ruined the good vibes of my place." His face went pale, his lips trembling uncontrollably. The crowd around us erupted. "You're lower than trash." "Out of my way! Someone's gotta put this witch in her place, and it's gonna be me!" One man jumped onto an electric delivery bike, twisted the throttle, and drove it straight at me. Sabrina screamed and threw herself in front of me, the impact sending her flying. "Sabrina!" Ethan rushed to catch her. She weakly reached a hand toward me and said, "Don't hurt Ms. Grant. She didn't mean it. She's just too heartbroken." A comment from the lifestream read, "How touching! What kind of legendary romance is this—risking your life for your lover's wife?" "Alexis, if you still have a shred of humanity, you should be on your knees begging for forgiveness!" The ambulance arrived just then. As they lifted me inside, I glanced coldly at Sabrina, still lying on the ground in Ethan's arms, waiting for the next ambulance. "She brought that on herself. Not my problem." Sabrina's breath caught, and she fainted on the spot. The entire scene had been streamed live, and a wave of nasty comments flooded the comment section. "This woman is vicious beyond belief. Is there really no way to punish her?" "How much good fortune must she have banked in her last life to marry Ethan, and she still doesn't value him?" "A man this decent, a love rival this kind—she couldn't find a better plot in this life or the next two." As I lay in my hospital bed, I started sending Ethan's home address and workplace to every single person who'd messaged me insults or declared they wanted to marry him. "For you. And you. And you." After a while, I got tired of sending them one by one, so I just pinned the post.