Chapter 4

I never apologized to Addison.

Stockton stood up for me, recounting the entire incident, but David dismissed it as a lie Stockton told to defend me.

“Look at the wonderful son you’ve raised!” David pointed at Stockton, angrily questioning me.

“So young, yet he lies without batting an eyelid. Are you trying to turn him into a murderer too?!”

Addison’s cries continued without end, tugging at David’s sleeve and repeatedly complaining of pain.

To appease her, David had me locked in the enclosure.

The mother monkey, still furious, pounced on me. Its sharp claws tore fiercely across my arm, which I used to shield my face, leaving numerous bloody marks.

The excruciating pain made me clench my jaw, suppressing a scream that caught in my throat, but my spine trembled involuntarily.

It hurt so much…

Stockton was still a child. Seeing my frantic, desperate attempts to escape, he burst into tears, struggling to get me out, but David’s men forcibly held him back.

“Stockton, look closely! This is the consequence of harming others and lying! Don't be as vile as your mother!”

David finished coldly, then, taking Addison’s hand—who was smugly sticking her tongue out at me—he turned and left.

I was locked in the enclosure for an entire night.

The next morning, when the staff let me out, my arms were practically shredded, and my face bore several shallow and deep claw marks.

Stockton had already been taken away by David.

I was in extreme pain, my whole body trembling as I treated my wounds. Dragging my body, which was numb with exhaustion, I stumbled home.

It’ll be okay. It’ll pass soon.

I bit down hard on my lower lip, reassuring myself repeatedly.

Soon I can leave… just a little longer…

Because I had "misguided" Stockton, David sent him to the old mansion. It wasn't until a week later that I received news from him.

Stockton’s second wish was to eat a savory meat pie, the kind I often made for him and his father when we were struggling.

When I took the meat pie to the old mansion, the servants stopped me.

They awkwardly explained that Addison, as Stockton's tutor, was giving him extra lessons, and I shouldn't disturb them.

Helpless, I could only ask them to deliver the meat pie on my behalf.

But to my shock, that afternoon, I received news that Stockton was hospitalized due to an allergic reaction to the meat pie!

Stockton was allergic to seafood, but there was no seafood in my meat pie…

What went wrong…

I was in a panic. When I arrived at the hospital, Stockton had just been stabilized. His little face was pale and bluish, and my heart clenched with pain, bringing tears to my eyes.

“Ms. Scarlett, your acting is superb. It’s a shame you didn't become an actress,”

Addison pushed open the door, saw me, and immediately launched into an aggressive accusation.

“Just because David ignored you and wouldn’t let you see Stockton, you put seafood in his meat pie to make him allergic? That’s such a vile trick, isn't it?”

Filled with irritation and worry, I had no intention of arguing with her, only muttering a low “Watch your mouth!”

Regardless of the fact that I had already given up on David and was about to leave, even if I were still clinging to my position as Mrs. David, I would never harm my own child!

“Is Addison wrong?” David followed Addison in, his voice low and full of anger, yanking me forcefully out of the ward.

“Today at the old mansion, Stockton only ate the meat pie you sent. What more do you have to explain?!”

“Using our child for attention, Scarlett, you don’t deserve to be a mother! You don’t even deserve to be human!”

My wrist was red from his grip, and the unhealed wounds tore open, making my fingers tremble uncontrollably.

Yet this pain was less than a tenth of what I felt inside.

He actually believed I fed Stockton seafood just to put on a show!

In his heart, I was really that despicable!

Indignation and worry filled my heart. My eyes stung with anger as I gritted my teeth and said:

“I told you it wasn’t me! Stockton is my child, how could I possibly…”

David didn’t listen to my explanation. His angry eyes darkened, and he had his bodyguards push me downstairs, forbidding me from visiting.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts, I had to sit by the fountain downstairs, hoping to find a chance to go up and see Stockton.

However, I didn't get my chance; instead, Addison showed up, wearing a smug look.