Chapter 4

###Chapter 4

"Mom, I miss home..." I mumbled.

My mother began to choke up on the other end of the phone. "Sweetheart, I'll arrange a flight right away and have your brother come pick you up himself!"

"I'm sorry. I was blind back then..."

My mother gently cut me off. "Don't say another word. All we want is for you to come home safely."

After hanging up, I let out a long breath and smiled at my Kaye.

"My brother will come pick me up the day after tomorrow."

With tears gleaming in her eyes, she said, "Den, I'm going to miss you."

"I haven't even left yet, and you already miss me that much?" I chuckled.

...

The next day, I was discharged from the hospital around noon. Kaye stayed by my side as we buried my unborn child. Afterward, I invited a few close friends out for a farewell meal.

Throughout all of it, Nicolas didn't even call me once.

After saying goodbye to my friends, I returned to the company. I copied all the confidential files onto an external hard drive, then called in my private secretary.

"Compile all the evidence of Nicolas' bribery for me, along with the evidence of the Jenkins Corporation's tax evasion."

"Understood. I'll get on it right away!"

By the time I finished everything and returned home, it was already evening.

Hazel was sitting at the dining table. Nicolas came out of the kitchen carrying a steaming dish.

"The doctor said you need plenty of nourishment. I made you some pigeon soup. Drink it while it's hot."

Hazel pouted. "What if I gain weight from all this? Will you stop liking me?"

Nicolas affectionately pinched her cheek. "Of course not. You'd be even cuter with a little more meat on you."

After ten years together, this was the first time I had ever known that this man could cook.

Hearing my footsteps, Nicolas turned his head and let out a contemptuous scoff.

"So you actually came back. I thought you were finally going to grow a backbone and leave for good."

He didn't notice in the slightest that my belly was no longer showing a pregnancy. He continued casually, "Oh, right. The doctor said Hazel needs long-term exposure therapy. The master bedroom is the most spacious and well-ventilated room, so let her stay there for now. You can move downstairs."

Moving downstairs... Wasn't that just making it even more convenient for the two of them to sneak around together?

But I merely nodded. "Do whatever you want."

If this had been the old me, I would have gotten into a huge fight with him. But today, I was so calm that even I barely recognized myself.

He froze for a moment, as though he wanted to say something.

Hazel spoke first, giving me a sweet, obedient smile. "Thank you, Sister-in-law. Don't worry, I won't be staying for long."

Nicolas' expression softened as well. "Once Hazel gets better, I'll take you to register our marriage."

But the baby was gone, and I no longer cared about that marriage certificate.

I carried my luggage into the guest room. As I was unpacking, I heard the sharp click of high heels behind me.

Hazel's voice was no longer soft or innocent. It was sharp and arrogant.

"You really are shameless. You clearly saw me sleeping with him, yet you still had the nerve to come crawling back? Clinging to a man who doesn't love you—if you don't find that humiliating, I almost feel sorry for you."

I turned around and saw a familiar little box in her hands.

My pupils instantly contracted.

She held up the small urn and toyed with it in her hands.

"What do you think? Should I use your little brat's ashes to feed my dog?"

I nearly ground my back teeth to dust.

"Hazel, put it down! I'll give Nicolas to you. You can be Mrs. Jenkins. The child is innocent!"

She let out a soft laugh, her eyes filled with cruel malice. "Sure. Then get on your knees and kowtow to me a hundred times. Maybe I'll consider giving the little brat back to you."

"Not a chance!" I lunged forward to snatch the urn.

The moment my fingertips touched it, Hazel suddenly slammed it hard against the ground.

The urn shattered into pieces, and the ashes scattered across the floor.

My eyes widened in horror. Tears spilled from them as I raised my hand and slapped her across the face.

"Ah!" Hazel clutched her cheek and stumbled backward, crashing into the wall before collapsing to the floor.

"Nico, help me!" she screamed.

Shortly after, a dark figure rushed into the room. Nicolas shoved me aside with force and immediately pulled Hazel to her feet.

He didn't even give me a chance to speak before raising his hand and slapping me across the face.

I staggered and fell to the floor. My cheek burned, and then the back of my head struck the metal corner of the bed, sending a sharp, searing pain through my skull.

Hazel sobbed desperately in his arms, and his eyes were filled with overwhelming concern for her.

When he turned to me, his voice was filled with rage. "Denise, you vicious, jealous woman!"

"Take her to that haunted house in the northern part of the city. Don't let her out until she's learned her lesson!"