Chapter 4

　　When Edith came back to herself, she realized she was lying in a hospital bed.

　　She turned her head and saw Matthew sitting beside it.

　　He looked like he hadn't slept, faint shadows smudged under his eyes, a rough stubble along his jaw.

　　"You're awake?"

　　Something complicated moved through his gaze. "The doctor said you have old injuries all over, dislocated bones, and long-term malnutrition..."

　　"Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

　　Edith lowered her eyes, the corner of her mouth curling into a faintly mocking smile. "Does it matter?"

　　"You're my wife. I'll give you the dignity you're owed."

　　Hearing that, her heart, already numb with pain, felt like it had been savagely wrenched.

　　Her suffering meant nothing to him. What mattered was that she maintain the dignity of being Mrs. Heath.

　　"I've hired the best medical team to nurse you back to health."

　　"You've always wanted that child, haven't you? Once your body recovers, I'll give you a child."

　　"You're my wife. Whatever you should have, I'll give you."

　　Thinking of the child who never got the chance to open her eyes on this world, a stab of pain went through her.

　　It had been a girl. From the moment she was conceived, Edith had longed for her arrival with everything in her.

　　But she had died.

　　Died while Edith was on the road, rushing to find the Matthew who had faked his own death.

　　And now Edith no longer wanted to carry his child at all.

　　So she said nothing.

　　Matthew took her silence for agreement, and his face softened considerably. He was about to say more when his phone rang out with a string of notes.

　　It was the ringtone he'd set just for Susan, and he answered at once.

　　"Matthew, sweetie, I just fell down and it hurts so much. You have to come rub it better."

　　His expression shifted. "What happened? How did you suddenly fall?"

　　"It's nothing. I just haven't seen you all day, and I missed you so much I wasn't paying attention and tripped."

　　Matthew gave a helpless little laugh. "All right, it's my fault for neglecting you today. I'll come back right now."

　　He turned and put Edith completely out of his mind.

　　He was always like this. One call from Susan and she could pull him away without the slightest effort.

　　Once, Edith would have cried, would have made a scene, would have clung to the hem of his coat begging him to stay with her.

　　But now she only shut her eyes calmly and drifted into sleep.

　　Not until the wounds on her back had healed enough that she could get out of bed normally did she check out of the hospital immediately.

　　She went back to the Heath house and dug a thick notebook out from the bottom of the wardrobe.

　　In it she'd recorded her reflections on stage acting. Even though she hadn't set foot on a stage in ten years, if she could, she still wanted to be a stage actress.

　　Even a bit part on the margins would have been something she'd savor.

　　She packed her things, and the moment she stepped out the Heath front door, Matthew came rushing at her and struck her hard across the face.

　　Susan huddled behind him, weeping without stop. "Edith, I know you don't like me. You resent how I'm always clinging to my brother."

　　"But why would you spread rumors online that I'm his mistress, even say I'm always throwing myself at him right in front of you?"

　　"I never did any of that. My brother and I aren't blood-related, but all this time, we've never once crossed a line. If you won't believe me, then I..."

　　"Then I might as well die!"

　　With that, she suddenly threw herself forward and slammed her head straight into the Heath front door.

　　Matthew's eyes went wild with rage. He lunged over and gathered Susan into his arms, trembling.

　　"Susie!"

　　Susan looked up, offering a weak, colorless smile. "Matthew, if not for the Heaths, I would have died in the snow outside that orphanage long ago."

　　"I don't want to be the reason your marriage falls apart. So, Matthew, why don't you just let me give this life back to the Heaths, back to you?"

　　"Don't talk such nonsense. You're my sister. I promised I'd be at your side and protect you for the rest of your life, and I won't break my word."

　　He scooped Susan up and ordered the driver to rush them to the hospital.

　　Behind him the bodyguards seized Edith and dragged her into the car too.

　　Only after the wound on Susan's head had been bandaged did Matthew raise his eyes to Edith.

　　"Apologize to Susan. Tonight there will be a press conference, and you'll admit that ten years ago you deliberately pushed Susan off that building, that you meant to hurt her, that it was your own viciousness and selfishness, your possessiveness eating at you, unable to tolerate your husband's sister, that's why you spread these rumors again."

　　Edith clenched her teeth. "I've been recovering in the hospital these past few days. I haven't put a single rumor online!"

　　"And besides, back then I laid an airbag on the ground below. There's no way Susan could have fallen to her death. You were the one who secretly hauled the airbag away, faked a corpse, and deceived me!"

　　"Why on earth should I apologize for something I never did?"

　　Matthew let out a cold laugh. "So you miss those seven years behind bars, is that it?"

　　"If you won't apologize, I have plenty of ways to send you right back in!"

　　Edith took two steps back. She knew all too well that with the Heath family's power, they truly could do exactly that.

　　In a month she still had to leave with Cyril. She could not be locked up in prison!

　　Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Fine."