Chapter 5

I didn't back down. I forced myself to speak.

"What did I do wrong?"

"You're the one who's wrong! You two are wrong!"

Seeing I still wouldn't give in, Luca waved his hand to continue.

The alcohol entered my stomach, bringing a burning pain.

I bit down hard, refusing to make a sound.

But the next second, my phone rang. It was the caregiver calling.

The caregiver never called me without reason. Every time, it was because my mom had been sent into the operating room.

At this thought, panic seized me.

I sobbed and shouted, "Luca, I apologize! I was wrong!"

"I was wrong. I'll never lay a hand on Zoe again. Let me go."

Luca looked somewhat surprised, but he still sneered. "Riley, an apology needs sincerity. I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

The bodyguard perceptively released me.

I couldn't care about anything else. I dropped to my knees and slid toward Zoe.

With a look of surprise on her face, I bowed my head repeatedly.

"Zoe, I was wrong. I shouldn't have laid hands on you."

"I'm begging for your forgiveness. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

I prostrated myself again and again, but Luca never relented.

"I told you—as long as you behave, I'll give you whatever you want."

"I'll let it go this time. Be good from now on."

But I couldn't care about Luca. I pushed him away and stumbled outside.

Luca chased after me, his voice panicked. "Riley, where are you going?!"

I didn't respond. I flagged down a car and headed to the hospital.

The whole way, I kept praying.

I reached the operating room just as the doors opened.

The doctor looked at me and shook his head, giving a different result for the first time. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could."

I collapsed to the floor, my mind buzzing.

Luca, who'd chased after me, also heard those words.

His face instantly turned deathly pale.

Realizing what he'd just done, Luca panicked.

He stepped forward, wanting to say something.

A fist suddenly came down.

"Get away from her! Don't touch her!"