Fallyn’s POV

“I did not!”

I shouted it with every ounce of strength I had.

Garth paused when he heard me.

Noticing this, Heisley’s gaze flickered with a hint of malice. She pulled out her phone, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded toward him.

“Garth, please… please make her release my parents. I’ll beg and apologize to her as long as she’s willing to let go of them!”

Garth glanced at the video on Heisley’s phone, his expression unreadable.

The next second, he began walking toward me, each step slow.

“Fallyn. Apologize to Heisley,” he said. His voice was calm, even tinged with exhaustion.

“Tell me,” he asked, “where did you take her parents?”

A chill seeped through me. My voice came out hoarse and strained.

“I didn’t fucking kidnap them!”

The next moment, his hand clamped around my chin, hard and unyielding.

“Why?” His deep, shadowed eyes bored into mine. “Why would you do something like this?”

“If you don’t tell me the truth right now,” he warned, “I’ll have no choice but to stop your dad’s surgery.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. I stared at him, unable to believe what I’d just heard.

“Garth! That’s my father!”

He let out a long sigh, but his tone was chillingly damn serious.

“You’re the one who chose to disregard the lives of Heisley’s parents. Now, cooperate with me—tell me where they are, and nothing will happen to your dad.”

I glared at him, my heart twisting in bitter realization at how laughable all my devotion to him had been.

“Garth,” I rasped, forcing the words out, “I told you—I didn’t do it. Why won’t you believe me?”

Something flickered in his eyes. He released me suddenly, and for the briefest moment, guilt crossed his face.

But almost instantly, Heisley’s sobs rose from behind him.

She crawled closer on her knees, tears falling as she choked out, “Fallyn… my parents can’t hold on much longer. Please, I’m begging you, let them go! I’m begging you—just please…”

Before her words had even faded, Garth’s face darkened.

He waved a hand sharply. And in an instant, bodyguards rushed toward Dad’s operating room!

The next second, the red light above the door went dark…

And then, the chief surgeon was dragged out by force!

My vision went red. I lunged forward, trying to shove the surgeon back inside, but Garth’s grip locked around my wrist like iron.

“Let me go! I told you I didn’t do it! Let the surgeon back in! Hurry!”

My voice broke into a hysterical shout.

But Garth only stared at me with indifference, his grip not loosening in the slightest.

“Apologize to Heisley, tell me where her parents are, and your father’s surgery will continue,” he demanded.

“Otherwise…” he warned, “that red light above your father’s OR will never come on again.”

My whole body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“They’re in the basement of the West Hill Villa.”

Clinging to the last scrap of hope, I lied.

Garth studied my face for several seconds, and then he finally released me.

I rushed to the surgeon, shoving him back through the doors of the OR.

But only minutes later, he came out again.

He sighed, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry. We couldn’t save him.”

My pupils trembled. My eyes went wide.

“No… No, that’s impossible. Dad wouldn’t just die…”

I couldn’t hold myself back any longer. I stumbled into the room, only to be met with Dad’s lifeless, pallid face.

All strength drained from my body, and I collapsed to the floor.

Even Garth froze for a moment at the sight.

He reached out, as if to comfort me.

But then Heisley’s choked voice came from the doorway.

“Garth, can we go find my parents now? Please, I’m really so worried about them…”

His outstretched hand stilled in midair.

A few seconds passed before his voice came, rough and low.

“Sorry. Lives are at stake.”

With that, he turned and strode away, his steps urgent and eager to rescue Heisley’s parents.

That made a cold laugh escape from my throat.

“Garth. If you walk out that door, I swear, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life!”

His stride faltered for a split second. But in the end, he didn’t hesitate. He left.

I stared after his disappearing figure, feeling the hatred burning in my chest.

So Heisley’s parents’ lives mattered, but my dad’s didn’t?!

Thank God… Thank God, I had already prepared for this.

I felt Dad’s faint and shallow breath, and tears spilled down my face.

Calming myself, I sent a single message.

Within minutes, someone came to take him away.

In just four more days, I would be able to leave this hell for good!

Fallyn’s POV

After taking care of Dad’s affairs, I returned to the villa.

I packed away all my identification documents and a few changes of clothes.

Everything Garth had ever given me—I had no intention of taking with me. In fact, I had already destroyed part of it.

The door swung open just as I zipped my suitcase shut.

Garth’s eyes darkened when he saw the scene before him.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

I glanced at him calmly, offering no reply.

He froze for a moment, as if remembering what had happened in the hospital. Then he said, “I know you’re still grieving. Your father’s death… I feel sorry about it too.”

In an instant, he shifted the blame to me. “But in the end, this all happened because you kidnapped Heisley’s parents. Otherwise, none of this would have occurred. You’re just paying for your crime.”

He actually said it matter-of-factly. Behind him, Heisley suddenly appeared, tears streaming down her face.

She clutched the sleeve of his shirt, crying in a pitiful, trembling voice. “Garth, we still don’t know where my parents are. What do I do?”

The moment her words fell, Garth’s expression hardened.

His gaze turned cold as he looked at me. “Fallyn, that address you gave in the hospital was fake. Heisley’s parents were never there. Now, tell me where they are. Right this instant.”

I met his eyes and let out a cold laugh.

“I already told you it wasn’t me. Now that my dad is dead, what more can you possibly threaten me with?”

His brows knitted tightly.

After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Stop being difficult, honey. Don’t make me use extreme measures. As long as you tell us where Heisley’s parents are, everything can be put behind us. But if you refuse… I’ll have no choice but to let the law deal with you.”

After that, a glint of ruthless determination flashed in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Heisley tugged timidly at his sleeve. “Garth, isn’t that going too far? No matter what, she’s still your wife.”

Her tone was soft, almost pleading. But when her gaze flicked toward me, a trace of mockery flashed in her eyes.

Garth looked at her with pained tenderness. “Heisley, you’re far too kind. Even if she is my wife, that doesn’t excuse what she’s done!”

Her eyes reddened with emotion, and she bit her lip before throwing herself into his arms.

Garth instinctively glanced my way. When he saw the unshakable calm on my face, irritation flickered across his expression.

Almost as if to prove something, he wrapped his arms around Heisley even tighter.

“Garth, you’re far too good to me,” she murmured tearfully. “If Fallyn is willing to tell us where my parents are, then don’t lock her up. But if she still refuses… just imprison her for a few days.”

Garth was silent for a few seconds before his gaze turned cold again.

“You heard her, Fallyn. Speak up. Heisley has already been more than forgiving toward you.”

There was a flicker of something complicated in his eyes.

But in the end, I answered, my voice firm and unwavering. “I didn’t do anything!”

With that, I gripped my suitcase and made to leave.

His heart probably gave a faint tremor at my resolute demeanor, but anger quickly outweighed any trace of panic.

Glancing at the still-crying Heisley, he shut his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them again, he gave a sharp wave of his hand.

The next second, someone seized me in an iron grip. I struggled with all my strength, but it was useless—I was dragged out with brutal force!

Fallyn’s POV

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a detention center.

It had only been three days, yet it felt like half a year.

From the moment I stepped inside, I became everyone’s target.

They hurled every kind of insult at me, shoving me to the floor again and again no matter how hard I struggled.

Sometimes they would grab me by the hair and slam my head into the wall over and over.

Every inch of my body bore bruises.

I asked for help, but no one came.

In the end, all I could do was curl up in a corner, battered and broken, enduring those hellish three days.

On the morning of the fourth day, they tossed me out like I was nothing more than trash.

Shaking and unsteady, I walked back to the villa alone, one slow step at a time.

My documents were still in my suitcase. I needed it before I could leave.

I hadn’t even stepped inside the villa when I heard Heisley’s tinkling laughter, followed by the sweet and playful voice of a child.

I froze when I saw the little boy leaning against Garth’s side.

Now, they looked like a real family of three.

With a blank expression on my face, I walked past them.

But Garth suddenly called out to me.

His brows knitted tightly as his eyes swept over my disheveled figure.

There wasn’t a single clean patch on me—my face, my hands, every visible inch of skin was covered in cuts and bruises.

A faint tightness seemed to have gripped his chest because he rasped, “It’s only been three days. How did you end up like that?”

Heisley clung onto his arm.

“Maybe she wants your sympathy,” she said lightly. “If you ask me, my parents are even more badly hurt than she is, but… ah…”

She sighed theatrically, and Garth’s face instantly darkened.

“Have you made enough trouble?” he snapped.

I gave the barest curl of my lips, too drained to explain. Turning away, I slowly made my way upstairs.

After finding my documents, I began to pack.

Just then, Garth came in through the front door.

When he saw me dragging a suitcase, a mocking smile tugged at his lips.

“Enough. Games like this lose their effect if you use them too often. I know you can’t bear to leave.”

I didn’t respond, simply sidestepping him to head out.

But he caught my wrist. His tone was calm, almost casual, as he said, “We’re celebrating Heisley’s son’s recovery today. He’s just been discharged from the hospital in good health. Get yourself ready and come join us.”

I froze for a heartbeat, and a silent, bitter laugh curled in my chest.

The heart beating in that boy’s chest was supposed to be my father’s. Garth stole it from him, and now he had the nerve to invite me to that kid’s party!

He didn’t wait for my answer. Certain I would agree, he turned and headed downstairs.

Only after they had left did the car I’d been waiting for arrive.

Before getting in, I sent out one last message.

[Proceed as planned. Deliver three gifts. Starting today, I want Garth and Heisley to live in hell!]

With that, I snapped the phone in two and stepped into the car without looking back at the villa I used to call my home

From this day forward, Garth and I would have nothing to do with each other!