Chapter 5

Less than half an hour after the news broke, Tracy's parents, Oscar Sullivan and Emily Swan, stormed into the Halston residence. The moment the door flew open, Emily raised her hand and swung straight at Tracy's face. "What have I always told you? You're completely useless. You can't even keep your own husband!" Tracy had no time to dodge. She instinctively shut her eyes to brace herself, but the slap never came. After a long beat, she lifted her head in shock and realized that Sebastian was standing in front of her. He was holding a necktie in one hand, clearly on his way out and caught mid-stride by the commotion. His voice carried unmistakable displeasure. "Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, you barged into my house, and the first thing you did was raise your hand. Is this how the Sullivan family conducts themselves?" Emily awkwardly withdrew her hand, forcing a strained, ingratiating smile. "Sebastian, we didn't come for anything else. We just wanted to check in on you two. Surely, things aren't really like what the internet is saying—" Sebastian cut her off with a scoff, his tone dripping with contempt. "And what if they are?" Tracy's heart skipped. She turned to look at him. Before she could speak, Emily rushed to say, "If it's true, then you owe Trace an explanation." She spoke with her hands on her hips, greed and calculation filling her eyes. There was not a trace of concern for Tracy. "We heard you just won the bid for that land in the north. Give it to Benjamin as compensation." Oscar immediately added, "And that's not all. Ben's starting a business. We'll also need ten billion in startup funding." "Mom! Dad!" Tracy couldn't take it anymore. She said sharply, "Are you selling your daughter?" Emily snapped at once, "How can you talk like that? We came all this way to stand up for you, and this is how you thank us? You really are nowhere near as sensible as Ben." Emily yanked Tracy aside and turned back to Sebastian. "What do you say, Sebastian? As long as you agree, we'll make sure Trace holds a press conference to clear everything up. It won't affect your business reputation at all. After all, if she can't keep her husband, that's her own problem." Tracy clenched her fists, her body trembling with rage. She had always known her parents favored Benjamin, but she never imagined they could be so shameless, openly negotiating her price in front of her. They were practically grinding her dignity into the dirt. Sebastian crossed his arms and watched the scene with detached indifference, as though it were entertainment. When his gaze landed on Tracy, her stomach sank. Grinding her teeth, Tracy swallowed her humiliation. "You don't have to agree to it." Sebastian frowned. The instant the words left Tracy's mouth, Emily raised her hand again. "How dare you? We raised you, and now that you're married, you've become bold, haven't you? You never spare a thought for Ben at all…" "Raise your hand again and you're out." Sebastian's expression was cold and impatient. "I'll agree to half of what you want. Land or money, you can only pick one." He paused, then glanced at Tracy. "After all, just like you said, Tracy really isn't worth that much." His words were like a blade, sharp enough to pierce straight through Tracy. She stood frozen, barely aware of when her parents left. When she snapped back to reality, she heard Sebastian on the phone in the next room. The door was slightly ajar, and his voice was cold. "So what if I tipped off the Sullivans? Trace has been acting out lately. I just used a little leverage to remind her of the reality of things. "She needs to understand that the Sullivan family won't ever be on her side. The only person she can rely on is me. It doesn't matter if I love her or not. She'll never escape me." "Is that so, Sebastian?" Tracy thought to herself. In the silent living room, she smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. She stood there for a long time before quietly going upstairs to pack her things. She was only four days away from leaving this place for good. … That afternoon, the Sullivan family did exactly as promised and held a press conference. Tracy was forcibly dragged there. In front of countless cameras, she appeared calm and compliant, showing none of the anger or heartbreak of a wife whose marriage had been violated. Just like that, the rumors died down. Sebastian's public image remained that of a flawless partner. As soon as the press conference ended, Tracy was pushed into a car. Sebastian was working when she got in. He glanced at her coldly. "You did well just now." Tracy said nothing and just looked out the window. Unbothered by her attitude, he continued, "After you visited Whit's ward, she fell sick that same night. She's frail and can't handle any germs. So, before you visit her today, take care of yourself first." Tracy didn't know what he meant and didn't ask either. When she reached the hospital, several bodyguards dragged her to the backyard pool and threw her in. The water was saturated with disinfectant, the sharp chemical stench rising into the air. She choked on it without warning, inhaling several mouthfuls. From her throat down to her stomach, everything burned as if it had been set on fire.