Chapter 5

When I walked down the stairs on Caspian Godfrey's arm, more than half the guests in the hall had dispersed.

The few remaining relatives saw Caspian and immediately put on fawning expressions.

But when they looked at me, they still couldn't hide the contempt in their eyes.

My mother sat in the main seat on the sofa, holding a glass of red wine.

Her gaze paused for a second on our clasped hands, her expression inscrutable.

I couldn't read her expression, only knew that when she opened her mouth, every word still had thorns.

"Since Caspian Godfrey has taken a liking to you, this hopeless case is yours now."

My mother's gaze turned to me.

"Quinn, when you get to the Godfrey family, don't use my name to embarrass yourself."

Her tone was cutting to the extreme, carrying thick vengeful satisfaction.

I forcefully suppressed the waves of stabbing pain in my mind.

Putting on a carefree smile.

"Don't worry, Miss Smith."

"I'll definitely cling to the Godfrey family tree for dear life, absolutely won't come leeching off your glory."

"After all, I'm going off to be a rich wife now."

My mother's hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly.

She turned her face away, coldly spitting out two words:

"Get lost."

The moment I turned around, the tumor in my brain frantically compressed every nerve.

The severe pain made everything go black, and I could barely stand.

The familiar bloody taste in my throat surged up again, rushing toward my mouth.

I bit down hard on my back molars, pressing all my weight onto Caspian Godfrey's arm.

In a voice only the two of us could hear, I trembled as I begged:

"Caspian... take me away. Hurry."

I couldn't collapse here.

I absolutely couldn't let my mother see me half-dead like this.

I had to play the role of a greedy, heartless social climber to the end, make her completely give up on me.

Caspian sensed my distress and gripped my hand in return.

He turned his head and said to those behind us:

"We're leaving."

Then he half-hugged, half-supported me by the waist, leading me out at a faster pace.

The night wind outside the estate was cold, carrying the bone-chilling cold of late autumn.

The black Maybach was parked right at the bottom of the steps.

Just a few more steps.

As soon as I got in the car, I could pass out without restraint, wouldn't have to force myself anymore.

But just then, urgent high-heel footsteps came from behind.

My mother had followed us out at some point.

"Quinn!"

"Back then you abandoned me for that gambling father, and now you're latching onto the Godfrey family."

"A selfish, rotten-to-the-core person like you doesn't deserve anyone's genuine heart!"

"Once you leave through that door, even if you die outside, I won't spare you another glance!"

I stopped in my tracks, my heart feeling as if it were being squeezed by a hand, the pain making it impossible to breathe.

I wanted to turn back and look at her one more time.

Even just one last look at the mother I'd fought so hard to protect.

But the moment I turned my head, the bloody sweetness in my throat could no longer be suppressed.

"Ugh!"

A large mouthful of fresh blood gushed out.

The severe pain completely stripped away my consciousness.

In the last second before I collapsed.

In my line of sight was my mother's face instantly pale as paper, and her figure rushing toward me in a loss of control.