"Stay optimistic and don't get too pessimistic." The doctor repeatedly advised as he scrutinized my test results.

I nodded in agreement, but my heart felt desolate. How could I not be pessimistic with such a family?

On the day I was discharged, I went to collect my final check-up report. Just as I reached the ultrasound room's entrance, I heard a familiar voice inside.

Savannah nestled in George's arms and gently traced her fingers over her rounded belly. She said gently, "Baby, you must be good, and don't worry about Mommy and Daddy."

George gazed down at her, and his eyes were overflowing with tenderness. "I'll make sure to take good care of you and the baby."

I stood at the doorway and felt like an unwelcome intruder.

Savannah noticed me and immediately displayed a look of "surprise" as she slowly approached me with her belly bulging.

George followed closely behind.

Savannah gave me a conciliatory smile and said, "Clara, "I heard everything from George. Thank you for donating blood to save the baby and me. Without you, we would have been in danger."

I let out a cold laugh and said, "Don't say that. I didn't do it voluntarily."

Savannah was stunned. Her eyes became slightly red as she lowered her head in distress.

George instantly frowned and glared at me with icy eyes. "Clara, you are bullying Savannah again. Can't you be less harsh?"

"George, don't say that." Savannah tugged at his sleeve and said softly, "Clara was just discharged from the hospital. She hasn't fully recovered, and it's reasonable that she's not in a good mood. Let's go and let her stay quiet."

As she passed by me, she suddenly leaned in close and whispered provocatively, "Clara, I'll take good care of George for you."

I watched them walk away together and gripped my test report so tightly that my knuckles turned pale.

Back home, my father, Charles Ahmed, showed no concern for me. Instead, he coldly furrowed his eyebrows and warned me. "If you don't want to be kicked out of the family, stay away from Savannah."

I stared at him, and my heart felt broken. "Dad, I'm your daughter. Why do you only have eyes for Savannah and never care for me?"

Charles's expression twisted into a snarl. "Shut up. Savannah is my only daughter. When I was diagnosed with kidney failure, Savannah generously donated one of her kidneys to save my life. And you, Clara, you ran away. You left me to die in the hospital."

I was stunned, and my mind went blank.

How could that be?

It was I who donated the kidney back then.

After the surgery, I still bear a long, ugly scar on my waist.

I never mentioned it all these years because I didn't want my father to feel indebted to me.

"That's not true, Dad." I hurriedly explained. "I was the one who donated the kidney..."

"Shut up!" My father interrupted me harshly, and his eyes were filled with fury. "You're stealing Savannah's credit again. You've been jealous of Savannah since you were little. You always snatch her things and blame her for everything. How did I have such a malicious daughter like you?" He advanced towards me, and his tone was icy and piercing. "I wish it were you who died back then. You're nothing but a shame to me."

My blood froze instantly as I stood there, watching him storm off in anger.

Tears filled my eyes. How could my father disgust me like that? Was I really so bad?

That was not true. They were blinded by falsehood. It was not my fault.

I wiped away my tears and walked resolutely back to my room.

I gathered everything related to George, including the matching shirts, the photos, the gifts he had given me, and the memorabilia.

Holding those things, I went to the yard and found a metal barrel to set them ablaze.

The flames leapt up, consuming those once sweet memories. The smoke stung my eyes with tears, yet I felt relieved.

Just then, George's car screeched to a halt at the yard's entrance.

He pushed open the car door, and his face turned livid at the sight of the fire.

He strode towards me and shouted angrily, "Clara, what on earth are you doing?"

George reached into the flames without hesitation. He only grunted in a low voice, even when his hand got burned.

Unfortunately, all he managed to retrieve was a half-charred photograph. It was taken on our wedding day.

His eyes were red, and he was like a wild beast out of control. He roared to me, "Why did you burn them? These are our memories."

I took out the divorce papers with my signature and threw them in front of him. "These are useless things, so I burn them. It's time to cut ties between us. Let's get divorced."

"That's impossible." George didn't even glance at the papers before tearing them to shreds. "You are a member of the Wood family. We only part through death, not divorce."

He gripped my chin so tightly that it felt like he might crush my jawbone. "Clara, the Wood family has influence all over the whole city. You can't escape me."

"You jerk!" I shouted in anger.

Yet George merely scoffed and said to the bodyguards, "Prevent her from getting out."

I was effectively under house arrest in the villa by George.

My doors and windows were guarded by bodyguards, and my phone was monitored. I couldn't even step outside the front gate except for essential activities.

There was only a day left until my leaving with Andre, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break free from George's surveillance.

Then, Savannah suddenly suggested to George that they take a luxury cruise for a vacation at sea, and George agreed.

Before departure, Savannah feigned concern and asked me, "Clara, do you want to join us on the cruise? You've never been on a cruise, right?"

"You're right. I haven't," I replied. I nodded immediately and said, "I'll join you. I want to go out and relax."

Savannah was stunned. Her smile froze for a brief moment, as she clearly hadn't expected me to join them.

George eyed me suspiciously and said, "What are you up to? Are you planning to escape?"

I sneered, "George, you're surrounded by a dozen bodyguards, and some of them even watch me when I read a book in my room. Don't you have any confidence? Besides, once we're at sea, there's nowhere to escape to. Am I going to jump and feed the sharks?"

"As if you'd dare do anything." George agreed to let me go with them.

I breathed a sigh of relief. As long as I got out of the villa, it would be much easier for me to leave.

I got into the back seat of the car, with George and Savannah seated in the front.

The bodyguards' cars surrounded us.

As soon as we got in the car, Savannah began chattering about the ocean's night scenery and the decor of the baby's room. I pretended to play a game with my phone while discreetly messaging Andre about my new location without being noticed by George.

Andre replied instantly, "Be careful. Stay in touch. We'll meet you at the port.

Upon entering the cruise cabin, I quickly checked every corner and found the miniature earpiece Andre had left behind the bathroom mirror.

As soon as I put it on, Andre's firm voice came through. "Clara, at ten o'clock this evening, someone will come to the emergency exit at the back of the cruise to pick you up. Keep an eye on your surroundings and stay safe."

"Understood," I whispered back, feeling a bit more assured.

As the time approached, I was organizing my belongings when there was a sudden knock on the door.

I opened it to see Savannah standing there. "I want to have a talk to you, Clara."

"I have nothing to talk to you," I said emotionlessly.

I was about to shut the door when Savannah persisted and blocked the doorway. She said with a smug tone, "Don't you get it? George doesn't love you anymore. Do you know what he and I were doing the day you lost your baby? We were camping on the hilltop, stargazing and moon-watching. He held me and told me that he would love me forever. On the day your mother passed away, he claimed to be on a business trip, but he was actually on a vacation with me. We were in the car..."

"Shut up!" I spun around sharply, and my eyes almost froze her with an icy stare. "Get out!"

Savannah smiled and stepped closer. "I just want you to face reality. George doesn't love you and never has. You'd better disappear. It is the end you can have."

Her shameless words made me tremble with anger. Just as I raised my hand to slap her, George appeared at the door.

Seeing my gesture, he quickly stepped in to shield Savannah. He looked at me with increasing disdain. "Clara, haven't I warned you not to bully Savannah again?"

At the same time, Andre's voice came through the earpiece once more. "Clara, in one minute, we'll create a mess on the cruise. Use the chance to shake off the bodyguards and head toward the deck."

Watching the fleeting scheming in Savannah's eyes, I realized that she had said those words deliberately to provoke me. She hoped I would lose my temper and make George despise me even more.

If it were in the past, I might have argued back, but now I didn't care.

I stepped forward and raised my hand to slap Savannah hard across the face.

Then, I looked George straight in the eye and said, "See? This is how I bully her."

My actions challenged George's authority. His eyes were filled with anger. He reached out and grabbed my neck.

My breath was cut off, and my lungs felt like they were about to explode. But I continued to glare at them defiantly.

Just as I was on the brink of suffocation, a sharp alarm suddenly rang throughout the cruise.

Someone shouted, "It's the police. Protect George and Savannah."

The atmosphere instantly froze and then descended into chaos.

The executives of the Wood Group turned pale. They urgently surrounded George and said, "George, the situation is critical. The helicopter is ready on the deck. You must leave now.

George released me, and I gasped for air.

He supported Savannah, who was pale-faced and cast a hesitant glance at me.

Savannah immediately clutched her stomach and cried out weakly, "George, I feel so terrible. My belly aches..."

"Forget about Clara," urged the bodyguard next to George. "Savannah is carrying your baby. She cannot be put at risk. The helicopter has limited space. We need to get you and Savannah out first."

George clenched his teeth and looked at me with a complex expression. He ultimately made up his mind and said, "Leave two people to keep an eye on her. The rest follow me to protect Savannah and leave."

With that, he hurriedly supported Savannah towards the helicopter.

The surrounding chaos was overwhelming. I heard screams, gunshots, and footsteps.

Seizing the moment when the bodyguards were distracted by the gunfire, I bent down and slipped into a nearby passage. Then I frantically ran towards the rear deck as Andre had told me.

The power was cut, and the surroundings were in darkness.

I stumbled and fell. I hit the deck hard.

A nearby oil drum tipped over, and liquid was spilled everywhere. The pungent smell of gasoline overwhelmed me.

A spark from a bullet ignited the gasoline, and a fierce fire quickly spread through the gasoline. It also blocked the path behind me.

"Clara!" George's anguished shout suddenly came from behind. I froze. Had he actually returned?

I turned back and saw George rushing over. He was illuminated by the firelight. The bodyguards tried to stop him. "George, it's dangerous. You can't go back."

"Let go of me," George shouted, shaking off the bodyguards. His eyes were red as he looked at me. "Clara, come over here. Come back with me."

I looked at him and suddenly felt that the dark ocean wasn't so terrifying after all.

"I am finally breaking free from you, George. I am free now," I said inwardly.

"Clara, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have betrayed you. I shouldn't have hurt you. Come back with me. We can start over."

Through my earpiece, Andre's voice came. "Clara, our boat is right below the deck. Be brave and jump. I'll catch you."

"Please, Clara, I can't live without you. I'll do anything for you. Don't jump off the cruise."

"George, it's too late. From the moment you chose Savannah, it was all over between us."

Nothing could change my resolve to escape, not even death.

I looked at George's face, which was filled with pain and despair. I said softly, "Goodbye, George."

With those words, I leapt off the deck.