Chapter 3

As the words fell, Aaliyah’s figure flickered into view. She angrily grabbed Lawrence’s hand, her eyes blazing with anger. “Lawrence, you never stop, do you? The ring I gave Jason—what does it have to do with you? Why did you suddenly throw it away!” Lawrence stared into her eyes, and in her furious gaze, he seemed to catch a hint of expectation. Could it be that she expected him to throw away Jason’s ring out of jealousy? A bitter taste filled his heart, but he forced a smile. “Why would I throw away an insignificant ring? To me, it’s not as important as the stack of cash you gave me.” Aaliyah's eyes turned icy cold. She suddenly pushed him into the lake, and with a splash, his scream echoed, but she had already turned away and didn't look back at him. “I don't care how you do it, but you must retrieve the ring for me.” After saying that, she pulled Jason away without hesitation. It was winter, and a recent snowfall had made the weather exceptionally cold. Ice floes drifted sporadically across the lake surface, their mere sight sending shivers down one’s spine. Lawrence was submerged in the icy lake water, which was so cold it nearly froze him solid. The mud at the lake bottom was littered with sharp fragments that pierced his feet, causing blood to flow freely. He bit his lip, diving underwater again and again, then surfacing again and again. He continued this mechanical search in the lake for the entire night, until the blood had stained a large portion of the lake surface red. Finally, he found the ring at the bottom of the lake. When he appeared before Aaliyah, battered and disheveled, she furrowed her brows, pulled a stack of bills from her pocket, and coldly tossed them at his feet. As he had done every time before, he took the money and left in silence. For the next few days, Aaliyah unusually did not cause him any trouble. Until that day, when he returned home and saw the entire Bailey Family villa shrouded in thick smoke as soon as he got out of the car. A sudden sense of unease welled up in his heart—Aaliyah was in danger! The thought flashed through his mind, and he rushed toward the fire without hesitation. Aaliyah always preferred quiet, so the maids only cleaned the house when she wasn’t there. She had been staying home these past few days, so there was no one else in the Bailey Family mansion besides her! Since he was very familiar with the Bailey Family mansion, he quickly found the unconscious Aaliyah in the bedroom. The fire had spread extremely quickly. She must have been taking sleeping pills and resting, which is why she was caught off guard by the fire and overcome by smoke, leaving her unconscious. He struggled to lift her onto his shoulders and moved toward the door with great difficulty. The fire grew larger, nearly completely blocking the path. As he thought, a burning beam suddenly fell from the ceiling. Without hesitation, he shielded Aaliyah with his body. His back was struck by the scorching wooden beam, and the pain nearly caused him to faint. Looking at Aaliyah, who was lying on his shoulder, frowning and in a deep sleep, he felt a determination he had never experienced before. He had to save Aaliyah, even if it cost him his life. With that determination, he risked his life and managed to rescue her from the fire. The two of them collapsed on the lawn. He struggled to breathe in the fresh air, his entire body covered in injuries. When he saw Jason running toward them, he mustered his last ounce of strength and pushed Aaliyah into the other person's arms. “If she wakes up, tell her you saved her.” Jason looked at the man before him, unsure of what he was up to. He called out to Lawrence as he stood up to leave and asked again. “Tell me, Mrs. Bailey, did you intentionally kill her?” He staggered to his feet, his body stiffening at the accusation. After a long pause, he spoke. “Yes.” With that, he hurried away without looking back. In the days that followed, Jason took meticulous care of Aaliyah. After learning that Jason had risked his life to save her, she treated him so well it was almost jealousy-inducing, granting him every request. Their intimate moments also became more frequent. Lawrence, who was waiting outside the room, clearly heard their passionate exchanges and the sweet words she whispered to him. He thought, perhaps now, Aaliyah had truly fallen for Jason. That was fine; she had long since deserved to find her true happiness. As for him, he was like a rat in the sewers, lurking in the shadows to watch others' happiness. The wound on his back still throbbed with pain, and he could only apply medicine to it secretly when no one was around. That day, as usual, he hid in his small room, took off his coat, and was about to apply medicine when the door suddenly opened. It was Aaliyah. Her gaze fell on the gruesome wound on his back, and her eyes immediately turned red. Then, she walked toward him step by step, her voice trembling. “What happened to these burns?” “Were you the one who saved me that day?”