Chapter 2

Maya was about to speak when Jason grabbed her arm with a cold expression and yanked her to her feet. "Drop the act." His voice was ice-cold. "Sophia fell from the fifth floor. You just tumbled down from the second. Get up. We're going to the hospital so you can apologize." He dragged her outside mercilessly, completely ignoring the blood trailing down her forehead and the reopened wound on her knee. Every step sent pain shooting through her body. Jason shoved her into the car, and she remained silent during the drive. She watched the scenery blur past the window, thinking to herself, "Just hold on a little longer. Soon, I'll be free." In the hospital room, Sophia lay weakly against the headboard, her face pale and her wrists wrapped in bandages. The moment she saw Maya, she immediately shrank back, her eyes instantly welling with tears. "Jason…" Her voice trembled. "I… I don't want to see her…" Jason immediately stepped forward, gently taking her hand. "Don't be scared. I'm here. No one's going to hurt you." Then he turned to Maya with a cold stare. "What are you standing there for? Apologize." Maya looked exhausted but strangely calm. She stared directly at Sophia and asked softly, "Ms. Page, when you fell from that ledge, was it really me who pushed you?" Sophia's lashes fluttered, and tears immediately slid down her face. "If you don't want to apologize, Ms. Coleman, that's fine. I never intended to cause you any trouble." She sobbed, her voice filled with grievance. "I know Jason has been spending time with me these past few days, so it's natural that you'd be upset. "But your marriage was just for convenience. He doesn't love you. If we hadn't come from different backgrounds, you never would've had him in the first place." The more she spoke, the harder she cried, and Jason's expression grew increasingly dark. "Victoria!" he snapped. "I brought you here to apologize, not to upset Sophia further! Are you going to apologize or not?" Maya closed her eyes. She knew Sophia was framing her. But she was about to leave soon anyway. She couldn't let anything jeopardize the partnership between the two families. Otherwise, she wouldn't get the 30 million dollars or her freedom. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "It was my fault." Then, she turned to leave. "Stop." Jason's cold voice halted her. "Since you pushed her, you'll stay here and take care of her until she's discharged." Maya's hands curled slightly, but eventually, she nodded. "Alright." For the following days, Maya stayed by Sophia's side in the hospital room without leaving. Jason practically moved into the hospital as well, abandoning all company affairs to care for Sophia. He fed her soup, wiped her hands, and put her to bed every night. Things he had never done for Maya. However, Maya never felt jealous. She simply sat quietly nearby, taking care of Sophia with a calm expression. It was as if none of it concerned her. The nurses gossiped among themselves. "My God, I've never seen a wife this generous!" "You don't get it. This is the ultimate form of love," another nurse said with a sigh. "She loves Mr. Reid so much that she's even willing to take care of the woman he loves, just hoping he'll spare her a glance. It's really heartbreaking." Jason happened to overhear their conversation as he walked by. He paused, his gaze unconsciously falling on the slender figure in the hospital room. Maya was bent over, carefully peeling an apple, her profile quiet and gentle. Something stirred uneasily in his chest. On the day of Sophia's discharge, Jason told Maya, "I'm taking Sophia on a trip for the next few days. Don't contact me unless it's urgent." Maya simply nodded. "Okay." She watched him leave with his arm around Sophia and felt a strange sense of relief. Finally, she wouldn't have to face them anymore. Back home, she began packing her belongings, preparing for her departure. A few days later, she came across Sophia's social media posts. Jason had taken her to Maldoria, bid on items at an auction for her, and spent a fortune on jewelry she liked. Maya glanced at it once and calmly scrolled past. She didn't care. She never had.