I tasted blood in my mouth.

Halle’s hand trembled, and a hint of guilt flashed in her eyes.

“Why did you hit Finn? She also verbally assaulted Finn. Is this how she raised you?”

I wiped my tears away in disbelief. I never expected such words from her.

Everyone believed orphans were wild children without parental guidance.

In the past, Halle had shut them up and prevented ridicule from hurting me.

When Halle saw my tears, she felt a little sorry. However, Finn tugged on her sleeve.

“Halle, if you never got here on time, they would’ve definitely hurt me…”

As if she was recalling Finn’s injuries, Halle’s eyes were filled with disdain.

“Apologize to Finn at the charity dinner tomorrow! Don’t you think I’m dumb. If you don’t set the record straight, Mrs. Reid will definitely come up with rumors about Finn!”

I shook my head helplessly, “If I don’t…”

“If you don’t apologize, I’ll cancel the donation to the orphanage. I’ll also terminate your card that you’ve been using to pay Mrs. Reid’s medical bills.

“Think it through. With your own ability, how long do you think you’ll need to find the right heart for her? Hmm?”

I looked at Mrs. Reid, who had grown skinnier, and finally gave in.

At the charity dinner the next day, Halle passed me an apology script.

Finn walked over and grabbed my arm forcefully with a fake smile plastered on his face.

“Grant, you should be sincere in apologizing.”

The next second, he kicked me in my shin with his leather shoe. I fell onto the floor pathetically.

I read from the script monotonously like a puppet.

“Mrs. Reid had attacked Finn first. On behalf of her, I hereby apologize to Finn, and we’ll bear the medical bills…”

The crowd was gossiping.

“What an uneducated swine. How could they simply hit someone? I don’t even know what Ms. Anderson sees in him.”

“Well, that director brought him up. He may not be her biological son, but they’re equally vulgar.”

“I think Mr. Denver seems more educated and polite. I bet he’ll replace Grant as Ms. Anderson’s husband.”

…

Those judging gazes were burning a hole in me.

Finn triumphantly looked down at me.

I forced myself to stand. My high fever caused me to stumble. Halle subconsciously took a step forward.

“Are you unwell? You look pale.”

I flung her hand away. She cleared her throat. “Don’t take it the wrong way. I’m just afraid you’ll contaminate this dinner.”

Finn pretended to help me up, but he whispered in my ear.

“Grant, be strong. I heard the donor has suddenly changed his mind, and he doesn’t want to donate the heart to Mrs. Reid anymore. I think you’ll have to wait for another ten years.

“Oh right, I don’t think she’d last that long.”

He taunted me directly, and I could not help but choke him.

“How dare you joke about her life?”

The next second, Halle pushed me away forcefully.

“Grant, are you crazy?

“I asked you to apologize so that you would learn from your mistakes. It’s not for you to harm Finn even further!’

I fell down the stairs, and pain shot through every single one of my bones.

Finn did not wipe the smug expression on his face. Whenever Halle was not watching, he continued mocking me.

I pushed Halle away and wanted to lurch at Finn, but a call from the hospital stopped me.

“Mr. White, Mrs. Reid has disappeared!”

My heart sank. I looked up and saw Finn’s smug expression.

Under everyone’s disgusted gazes, I stumbled toward him with bloodshot eyes.

“She’s my only family. You can’t touch her!”

My voice was shaking and my entire body was trembling.

Everyone was gossiping, and Halle was embarrassed. She pushed me aside.

“Grant, that’s enough!”

I fell onto the tower of champagne glasses. The glass shards punctured my skin.

Halle stepped forward subconsciously, but Finn quickly came to help me up.

“You catch on quick. You know that I’m the one who took that old hag away. But go on now, have a guess. How will I torture her?”

I was anxious. When I snapped back to reality, I was already choking him.

“I won’t let you hurt her!”

The next second, a strong force pushed me aside and slapped me.

“Grant, I’ve done more than enough for you. Finn didn’t do anything wrong to you! Look at yourself! You’re acting like a madman!”

I saw my reflection in her eyes. I looked embarrassingly crazy.

However, I could only think of Mrs. Reid.

The next second, I picked up a knife and ran toward Finn.

“Ah! Halle, save me!”

I did not expect Halle to protect Finn. She shielded him and was stabbed in the back.

She turned around angrily and instructed her bodyguards.

“My husband has lost his mind. Get him to slap himself a hundred times so he can come back to his senses!”

I was forced to slap myself over and over again until my cheeks bled.

When I looked up again, I saw Finn waving his phone at me smugly.

I saw my orphanage was burning in flames, and I heard Mrs. Reid’s cries for help.

I completely lost it.

“Let me go! Halle, please let me go!”

I tried to struggle free, but Halle instructed her bodyguards to subdue me.

“Don’t even think about leaving if you haven’t completed the hundred slaps!”

I stopped caring about the details. I kept slapping myself until my eyes blurred.

I glared viciously at everyone.

A hint of shock flashed in Halle’s eyes. She subconsciously wanted to pull me up.

However, I pushed her away forcefully and ran out of the hall.

Her gaze followed me tightly as her heart sank.

By the time I reached the orphanage, the fire had engulfed the entire building.

I rushed in madly and quickly untied the ropes around Mrs. Reid’s body.

She smiled at me weakly and then took her last breath.

I was stunned. At that moment, I felt as though I was dead too.

I heard a loud explosion. I did not have time to react before passing out.

As the donation representative of the orphanage, Halle rushed over to visit the orphanage with a group of reporters.

When she got out of the car, she was stunned by the huge fire.