Chapter 8

Miranda froze. Madison sneered. "You haven't read all of Dami's medical records, have you? He was born with congenital renal atrophy, so Jerome got close to you from the very beginning, pursued you, and pushed you to have a child just for your son's kidney." She stood up, clicking her tongue twice. "How pitiful, Miranda. Your son was nothing more than a walking kidney donor for my son." Madison walked out, and Miranda sat there in shock, unable to process what she had just heard. Fragments of the past flooded her mind. Jerome had held her affectionately, saying he wanted to marry her as soon as possible. He had knelt on one knee to propose, promising her the best life. In bed, he kept pressing her, insisting they have a child that belonged to both of them. It turned out that everything had been a scheme, a plan Jerome had devised to save the child he shared with Madison. Miranda's chest felt like it was about to burst. She pressed her hands tightly against it, gasping for air, slowly recovering from the suffocating pain. After everyone had left, Miranda headed to the family court on Bayside Lane to file for divorce. The clerk checked the records multiple times before returning the documents. "Ms. Payne, you and Mr. Cooper are not legally married. Your marital status is single, and Mr. Cooper's wife is Ms. Carline." Miranda felt her head spin. She took the papers numbly and walked out slowly. She stood under the sun for a long time before she finally felt some warmth return to her numb body. Then she received a call from Ariston. "The flight to Ekason has been approved. I'll personally come to pick you up in a couple of days." Just as she was about to leave, a sharp pain hit the back of her head, and she lost consciousness again. When she woke up, both she and Madison were tied up in a warehouse. A masked man threw a knife onto the floor and said to Jerome across the room, "Jerome, you make the choice today. Stab one of these women ten times, and the other one walks out alive." A sense of dread rose in Miranda. She watched as Jerome, expressionless, picked up the knife from the floor and walked over to her. "Miranda, I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Dami is still in the hospital, and Madison cannot be harmed. Today, I have no choice but to hurt you first." The knife sank into Miranda's arm with a sickening, wet sound. Pain surged through her, cold sweat running down her skin. She said nothing and didn't scream, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on Jerome—the man she had once given all her love and trust to, the man she had hoped to have children with and spend her life beside. Jerome met her gaze. His eyes flickered for a moment, but no emotion showed on his face. He pulled the knife out and drove it in again without hesitation. By the tenth strike, Miranda's consciousness began to blur, and all she could see was him carrying Madison out. When she woke up again, she was in a hospital room. Through the slightly open hospital door, she heard Madison speak in a teasing, coaxing tone. "Rome, actually, I was the one who hired that abductor today." "I know, which is why I didn't punish him," Jerome replied, his voice carrying a gentle smile. "I know you're feeling insecure again. I've been with Miranda all these years, and you've endured a lot too, which is why, every once in a while, you feel the need to prove your importance." Miranda felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She remembered all the years she had been by Jerome's side. Because he had so many enemies, she had been abducted repeatedly, and every time it happened, Jerome was always held up by some urgent matter. Every time, he only came to rescue her after she had endured all the torment. It hit her that every single one of those abductions had been orchestrated by Madison. Jerome had known everything the whole time, yet silently allowed it. The hospital door swung open, and Jerome walked to stand beside Miranda's bed. "Miranda, I'm sorry for what you went through this time. Rest and recover—" A sharp slap landed hard on Jerome's face, instantly leaving a red mark across his cheek. He even tasted blood in his mouth. His eyes darkened, his jaw tightened, and a cold smile curved his lips. "Miranda, you—" Jerome swallowed all the harsh words he had wanted to say when he looked at Miranda; her eyes were filled with tears yet blazing with determination. His heart felt as if it had been tightly squeezed, a deep unease rising within him. He suppressed his anger and softened his tone. "This time, it's my fault. Rest well. Once Dami gets better, I'll take you on a trip to unwind." After Jerome left, Miranda discharged herself from the hospital and returned home. She packed a few of her and Fred's belongings and gave everyone else the day off. Soon, a helicopter landed on the rooftop helipad of the villa. Miranda carried her suitcase to the rooftop and saw Dorian Parker, wearing a black trench coat, jump down from the helicopter. "Long time no see, Andy," he said. "Long time no see," Miranda replied, expressionless, boarding the helicopter efficiently. "Is there a bomb on the helicopter?" Dorian raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Of course." Moments later, the helicopter ascended. Miranda watched the villa shrink below her and pressed the detonator in her hand. A deafening explosion tore through the air. Flames roared into the sky as the helicopter headed toward Ariston. … At the hospital, Madison rushed into Jerome's private lounge in a panic. "Rome, something's wrong. Dami has developed acute rejection along with multiple complications. His condition is critical, and he needs another surgery immediately." Jerome shot to his feet, and the two of them hurried to Damian's hospital room. Doctors crowded around the bed, and the gray-haired hospital director, Martin Harmon, was drenched in sweat, clearly rattled. "Mr. Cooper, Dami's condition is extremely dangerous," Martin said gravely. "In all of Ekason, I'm afraid only Dr. Payne could perform this surgery, but her hand has already—" "Why do we need her?" Madison snapped, her voice sharp. "Isn't she just someone who slept her way to the top? Are you telling me none of you doctors can handle this surgery?" The doctors exchanged uneasy looks before Martin spoke again. "Mr. Cooper, the stories about Dr. Payne sleeping her way to the top are completely false. "Dr. Payne's medical skills are widely recognized and beyond question. Although her hand can no longer hold a scalpel, if she assists on the side and provides guidance, there may still be a slim chance." Jerome's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. He ordered, "Go to Miranda's hospital room and bring her here." Someone hesitated before speaking. "Dr. Payne has already been discharged." Jerome pulled out his phone and dialed her number. The next second, a mechanical voice answered on the line, and his expression darkened. Miranda had blocked him. He immediately called the villa's butler, Dominic Colon. "Where is Miranda? Bring her to the hospital immediately." Dominic's voice was uneasy. "Mr. Cooper, Mrs. Cooper returned today and gave everyone the day off." Jerome's grip tightened around his phone, his knuckles whitening as the air around him turned icy. At that moment, one of his men rushed into the room, drenched in sweat. "Mr. Cooper, something's wrong. The hilltop villa has exploded!"