Chapter 6

"Lucas, please don't." Eva quickly pulled her hand away from Lucas and stepped aside, eyes full of tears. Her voice trembled. "Sophia's right. It's all my fault. I was stupid to ever think I could be your wife. If I hadn't pushed myself into your life, none of this would've happened. Mr. Bennett wouldn't have gotten hurt either. So if anyone's to blame, it's me... not Sophia. I forced her into this." She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, but no matter how hard she tried, the tears wouldn't stop. "Sophia, I've ended up just how you wanted — ruined. So please, just let me go. As long as you treat Lucas well, I'll disappear. I'll leave and never show up in your lives again." "Eva, don't think like that," Lucas said softly. "You've always been the one I truly care about. And if someone has to leave, it's definitely not going to be you." His voice was gentle, but when he turned to Sophia, his glare was ice-cold, sharp as a blade dipped in venom. At that point, there was no denying it anymore — Sophia had set up both Eva and his father. The truth hit hard, clearer than ever. Three whole years she'd been lying with a straight face. Even now, she had the nerve to smirk. Lucas clenched his teeth, fury boiling inside him, a storm ready to break loose. He had the urge to tear every last one of her lies apart. "Sophia... get on your knees!" Lucas carefully placed Eva back on the bed, then turned back and stormed over, grabbing Sophia by the neck and shoving her down towards the ground. Sophia flinched, her instinct kicking in. Lucas completely forgot she'd just gotten out of the ICU that very morning — all because he refused to divorce her. "Is this your idea of an apology?" Sophia's eyes were still puffy, but she fought back the urge to cry. She forced herself to hold it in and stared back. "Lucas, I've already told you. I want a divorce." Lucas's eyes darkened. There it was again. That word she kept throwing at him. After everything she'd been through, she still wasn't done with this? "Even if you die, you'll go down with the Bennett name. Alive, you'll suffer. Dead, you're still mine. Sophia, this is the debt you owe me — and Eva." "Ha," Sophia let out a bitter chuckle, mimicking his usual tone. "So what is Eva to you, then? A mistress? A fling? Someone to warm your bed? Or what — a whore?" Smack! Lucas didn't let her finish. His hand came down hard, knocking her to the ground. "Sophia, apologize to Eva!" "I didn't do anything wrong! Why should I?" Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, but Sophia just laughed, hollow and cold. Lucas pushed back the pain in his chest, all the mixed feelings. He raised his foot and crushed it down on her leg, then grabbed her neck. "Still not admitting it?" "I'm not wrong!" Bang! He forced her head down onto the floor. "Admit it!" "I didn't make a mistake!" Bang! Again. Blood from her forehead trickled down, blurring her vision. Her stomach twisted into knots with every blow. The pain numbed her, drained her. Tears dried up. She collapsed, sitting hazily on the floor, eyes glazed over. "Lucas... I finally get it now," she whispered. "From the moment I met you ten years ago, I was already going down the wrong path." "Should've never fallen for you. Should've never stayed. Should've never carried your baby. Everything... everything was a huge mistake..." She was spent, mentally and physically. She thought Eva waking up would clear her name. Instead, it dragged her even deeper into this mess of accusations and betrayal. When there's no hope to begin with, disappointment hurts a little less. That joy she once felt, being brought into the Bennett house as a bride, had all crumbled — bit by bit — crushed by Lucas with his own hands. "I don't want you anymore, Lucas. Go stay with your precious Eva." Sophia pulled her lips into a pale, twisted smile — one that looked more painful than tears — and crawled, step by step, along the wall, trying to leave. But she'd barely moved when a sharp heel came down, straight onto her hand.