Edward started vomiting nonstop that night, and his speech became even more slurred.

Lucy was certain it was a detox reaction. She told him to drink more water so he could "flush out the toxins."

By the next morning, the whole house was filled with a strange, foul smell.

Edward was stripped down to just his underwear, and Kenneth and Lucy held him up as they tried to lower him back into the tub.

His crooked mouth dripped with saliva as he let out muffled, unclear groans. His weak arm pushed at Lucy, like he was trying to get away.

"What are you afraid of? Just get in! Once the medicine kicks in, you'll be fine!" she snapped, shoving his back.

He fell into the tub with a loud splash, and the herbal alcohol mixture splattered everywhere.

The snakes and scorpions had been soaking for a full day. They were even more agitated now, attacking him nonstop.

He struggled, trying to climb out.

"Hang in there! Today is the most important day!" Lucy said.

She and Kenneth pressed him down together so he couldn't move.

I stood there watching him struggle in pain. I thought back to how viciously he had shoved me down the stairs in my last life and felt nothing.

After Dylan became paralyzed, Edward turned his attention to me.

He would even walk into the bathroom while I was showering to use the toilet. When I told Lucy, she accused me of making it up and trying to seduce him. She beat me with a stick until my body was covered in wounds.

And even while confined to the bed, Dylan would curse me out as well.

I felt sorry for myself. In my last life, I had been so stupid. I tried to save a man who ended up killing me.

This time, that wouldn't happen again.

That afternoon, Charlotte came over with some fruit. As soon as she walked in, she was hit by a strong smell of alcohol mixed with something foul. Then she saw Edward sitting in the bath, his face turning bluish, and she was shocked.

"Edward, what happened to you? Why do you look so bad?"

"He's detoxing," Lucy said proudly. "One more day of soaking and acupuncture tomorrow, and he'll be completely fine."

Charlotte walked closer to the tub and looked at him carefully.

"Edward, how do you feel?"

Edward forced his eyes open. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. The right side of his body wouldn't move at all.

"This isn't right!" Charlotte grew anxious. "This doesn't look like facial paralysis. It looks like a stroke. He needs to go to the hospital right now."

"Nonsense!" Lucy shoved her aside. "What do you know? This is a family remedy passed down for generations. After yesterday's soak, his face already looks better."

I chimed in from the side. "Yeah, Charlotte. Lucy knows what she's doing. She's treated everyone in this family before. Just trust her. Besides, Edward's a lucky man. He'll be fine."

Charlotte looked at me in disbelief.

"Emily, how can you believe this too? You went to college. This could kill him."

"Kill him?" Lucy snapped before I could answer, glaring at Charlotte.

"I think you're the one trying to kill Edward. You don't want him to get better, so you keep coming here to stir trouble."

Charlotte couldn't believe what she was hearing, and tears filled her eyes.

"He's my brother!"

Lucy sneered. "So what? I know your whole family is eyeing his pension. I'm telling you, his money is mine. You won't get a single cent. You can drop that idea right now."

Charlotte looked at her, speechless. After a long pause, she left with red-rimmed eyes.

Kenneth walked over, rubbing his hands together.

"Mom, how much money is in Dad's account now?"

Lucy lifted her chin, looking pleased.

"At least 40,000 dollars."

That was when I finally realized Lucy didn't even know Edward's pension money was already gone.

He got 2,000 dollars a month. Every month, he gave her 1,600 dollars for household expenses. The remaining 400 dollars went straight into his savings account.

Two months ago, he met an online livestream host. He spent all the money in that account on her. Every last cent was gone.

He was even still dreaming about meeting her in person.

I looked at the greed and excitement in Lucy's and Kenneth's eyes and kept my mouth shut again.

It would be more interesting if they found out the truth themselves at the end.

While I was thinking, a hard slap landed on my back. It hurt so much I winced.

"Go take care of Dylan!" Lucy snapped. "Don't think just because he's paralyzed, you're off the hook. You still have to give him a son. If you don't, I'll deal with you myself."

She grabbed my ear and yanked it hard, her face twisted with anger.

I bent over from the pain and quickly agreed with her.

After everyone left, I walked over to the tub and looked at Edward.

"Edward."

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. By then, most of his basic functions were already failing.

"I forgot to tell you something. You're actually having a stroke. Lucy's remedy doesn't help. It just kills you faster."

I lifted my skirt and showed him the bruises and wounds across my legs. All of them were from Edward, Lucy, and Dylan over the years.

If I were even a little slow with chores or slept one minute longer in the morning, I would get beaten.

Luckily, my husband was already paralyzed from her "treatment," and Edward wasn't far from the end either.

"You see, I said it before that you were all going to get what you deserve."

Edward lifted his hand shakily, looking like he wanted to hit me like he used to. But before he could even raise it, he lost all strength.

On the third day, he fell into a full coma.

No one knew if it was from rage or something else, but it came on fast.

However, Lucy thought it meant the treatment was working. She said it was the toxins leaving his body and insisted on one final soak.

"After today's soak and one more round of acupuncture, he'll wake up tonight and stand right in front of us like nothing happened!" Lucy said confidently.

Susan hesitated. "Lucy, Edward isn't responding anymore. Should we..."

"What do you mean by that?" Lucy snapped at her. "Today is critical. Whether your father-in-law gets better depends on today. Hurry up and help me!"

They worked together to lift Edward into the tub.

Most of the snakes and scorpions inside were already dead, and a foul smell filled the room.

Edward's skin had turned pale from the soaking, and the bites from the venomous creatures had started to rot.

Lucy pulled out her silver needles and stabbed a few into his head again.

This time, she aimed at his temples.

"Lucy, should you even be sticking needles in his temples?" Susan asked quietly.

"Why not? I saw an old doctor do it like this," she said.

She kept going, sticking the needles into his temples without even knowing the points.

Then suddenly, Edward started foaming at the mouth and convulsing violently.

"Look! The toxins are coming out!" Lucy said excitedly.

She didn't even notice his pupils were slowly dilating.

When they carried him back to bed that night, he was still unconscious.

Lucy started preparing dinner. She said she needed to make something good for him to "rebuild his strength" when he woke up. After all, he hadn't eaten properly for three days.

"Make a few of your father-in-law's favorite dishes," she ordered me.

"Okay, Lucy."

I went into the kitchen without argument.

I had just finished cutting the vegetables when I heard Susan scream from the bedroom.

"Lucy! Edward isn't breathing!"