Chapter 4

"Ethan, you're finally home! Grace's mom brought in some infectious disease, and then she hit me!"

The front door suddenly swung open, and Ethan Sterling walked in, bringing a wave of cold air with him.

Melissa immediately put on a pitiful expression and threw herself into Ethan's arms like a frightened rabbit.

The despair I'd been drowning in suddenly flickered with a spark of hope when I saw Ethan.

I pounded frantically on the glass door, producing dull thuds.

"Ethan! Open the door! Save your mother! She's having a heart attack!"

I dragged Eleanor's unconscious body to the door, trying to make Ethan see her face clearly.

But the glass was covered in thick frost. Ethan couldn't make out who was outside.

He didn't even turn his head. His eyes were full of concern as he cradled Melissa's hands.

"What happened? Who hit you?"

Melissa squeezed out a few crocodile tears and pointed with her delicate finger.

"It was Grace's country mom. Her body is so dirty. I kindly told her to take a shower, and she went crazy and scratched me. Look, she broke the skin. It hurts so much."

I stared in disbelief at the barely visible red mark on Melissa's finger. She'd clearly scratched herself earlier while peeling cherries.

Ethan's expression darkened instantly, his eyes as cold as poisoned blades.

He turned toward the backyard, his gaze cutting like ice.

"Grace, I usually let you get away with things, but you actually brought your broke-ass mother here to cause trouble? And you dared to hurt Melissa?"

I shook my head desperately, my voice already hoarse from screaming.

"Ethan, are you blind! That's not my mother---that's your mother, Eleanor Sterling! She just had heart surgery, she's dying, please open the door!"

Ethan scoffed as if he'd heard the most ridiculous joke.

He pressed the intercom button, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Grace, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable. My mother is recuperating in Switzerland. How could she possibly show up here looking like a beggar? You're willing to tell such lies to cover for your poor mother. You disgust me."

He turned to the bodyguards behind him, his tone ice-cold.

"Open the door."

I thought he was finally going to let us in. I was about to sigh with relief.

But Ethan's next words plunged me straight into hell.

"Throw these two crazy women out into the snow. Don't let their poverty contaminate my carpet."

The bodyguards immediately opened the door. A blast of bone-chilling wind mixed with snowflakes poured into the living room.

They roughly grabbed my arms and dragged Eleanor and me toward the front gate.

"No! Ethan, you can't do this!"

I clung desperately to the doorframe, my nails leaving bloody scratches on the wood.

"If you throw her out today, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

Ethan stood there holding Melissa, looking down at me with eyes devoid of warmth.

"The biggest regret of my life was marrying a vulgar woman like you who can't even show her face in society. Melissa is my lifesaver. Anyone who dares touch a hair on her head will answer to me."

The bodyguard gave a hard shove and sent me tumbling into the snow.

Eleanor was thrown down beside me like a broken rag doll.

The iron gate slammed shut in front of us.

I crawled over and held Eleanor. Her body was already rigid, her breathing barely perceptible.

The snow fell harder and harder, quickly piling thick layers on our bodies.

Through the villa's enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see Ethan carefully putting a bandage on Melissa's finger. Melissa nestled in his arms and gave me the middle finger.

I held Eleanor tightly, my heart feeling like it was being crushed by an invisible hand.

"Ethan Sterling, you're throwing her in the snow today. Tomorrow you'll be on your knees begging for her to live."