Chapter 4

Just then, the door creaked open again. A nurse in scrubs peeked around cautiously before slipping a folder into her hand. "Ms. Hart, did you piss someone off? You've got some serious internal injuries, but we were told to hand over a fake report to that man. This is your real report. You've got scarring in your throat, and there's something lodged in your stomach that needs to be surgically removed before they can run tests." Without waiting for a response, the nurse slipped out. Gemma stared blankly at the stark white wall. The injury to her throat happened right after she got to prison. A group of inmates had forced her to swallow food laced with sharp fragments. She bled a lot that day. Her mind drifted back to before all of it started, when her purse had been stolen and her leg had been slashed during the struggle. Looking at the scar on her leg, Daniel's eyes had been clouded with guilt and sorrow. That night, he had held her tightly and kept apologizing over and over again. After that, he started driving from the opposite side of town just to pick her up from work every single day. It was a 40-minute drive every single day, and he never once complained. But now, Gemma let out a bitter laugh as she glanced down at the medical report. It was foolish of her to believe Daniel when he said he would love her forever. Gemma needed surgery now, but she couldn't afford it. With no other choice, she gave Daniel a call. After all, all the money she'd earned from her previous job was still with Daniel. But the moment he heard the word "surgery", he let out a bitter and sarcastic laugh. "Gemma, are you seriously still putting on a show? It was just a few drinks, and now you're saying you need surgery? Things are already a mess on my end. Can you not make it worse?" The call was filled with background noise, and just seconds later, the same man who had just snapped at her turned and spoke to Monica in the softest voice. "Monica, you're on your period. Don't eat that, okay? Be good." Even though Gemma had completely given up on Daniel, a deep, suffocating ache still clenched in her chest, tight and unrelenting. She couldn't cry, All she could do was let out a bitter laugh that went on until exhaustion took over and the laughter faded. In the end, it was one of her former cellmates who paid for her surgery. Jennifer Reyes lit a cigarette and shoved it between Gemma's lips as she took in her wrecked state. After a long silence, she finally snapped, frustration flaring in her voice. "Are you serious right now? That piece of crap did you dirty, and you're still running back to him after everything?" With dark circles under her eyes, Gemma just stared blankly. After a long pause, Gemma's lips curled into a faint smile. She asked, "You think I still love him?" "What else am I supposed to think? If I were you, I would've slapped the hell out of both those scumbags a long time ago." Gemma's smile reached her eyes as she said, "Oh, where's the fun in that?" Daniel had destroyed her life. He threw her under the bus and left her to be humiliated and hated by everyone. Meanwhile he stayed on his pedestal—still the golden heir of the Webbs, still the accomplished attorney he always was. In just three years, Monica had risen to match Daniel's status as a top lawyer. They became who they are today by walking over everything Gemma lost. She would never forget the humiliation they put her through. One day, she would drag both Daniel and Monica down and grind them into the ground where they belong. "Jennifer, do you still know someone who works in the admnistrative department?" Jennifer blinked in surprise before she nodded. "Jennifer, I need one more favor. In a month, I want you to help me wipe out everything tied to the name Gemma Hart." … As soon as Daniel found out that Gemma had actually gone through with the surgery, he rushed to the hospital. He even brought in a specialist to run tests on the tumor that had been removed from her stomach. From her meals to her recovery, Daniel handled everything like he was trying to spoil her. Then the test results came back—benign. He was so shaken, he pulled Gemma into his arms without thinking. Only then did she realize he was trembling. She couldn't help but find it ridiculous. With a scoff, she said, "Didn't you say you didn't believe I even needed a surgery? So what are you so scared of now?" Daniel knew she was angry. He grabbed both her hands and pressed them to his lips. There was worry in his eyes, along with something torn and unsettled. "Gemma, I found out who faked the report. She's a friend of Monica's. She said she did it trying to stand up for Monica, but it was a stupid move. I already took care of it, made her pay for what she did. You've got your justice now, so—" Gemma suddenly lifted her gaze and locked eyes with him. "How exactly did you make her pay?" she cut him off.