Aaron was completely stunned by the slap. He pressed a hand to his cheek, staring at his mother with a deep frown, his voice trembling.

"Mom, what is this? Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're my mother—why are you taking her side?"

He had assumed his parents were his unwavering allies. He never imagined his own mother would stand against him.

She felt like a stranger. He couldn't comprehend her motives.

His mother met his gaze squarely. "I may be old, but my mind is clear. This marriage ends today. Now sign the papers."

The spectators were utterly bewildered, struggling to process the sudden turn.

"The family's split right down the middle… the mother-in-law is backing the wife against her own son?"

"This reversal is too sudden. Did we miss a crucial detail?"

"Did Jessica buy her off? Or does she have some dirt on her mother-in-law?"

Whispers swirled through the crowd, but no one could piece together the truth.

Aaron wheeled on me. "Jessica, what did you do to my mother? What kind of poison did you feed her?"

I held his gaze and thrust the divorce agreement toward him. "Sign this, and I'll tell you everything immediately."

"I won't sign! If you don't explain right now, you can forget about a signature today!" Aaron had lost all reason.

"You have ten minutes to decide." I pointed to the wall clock. The relentless sweep of the second hand seemed to hammer directly on Aaron's nerves.

He shed his final pretense. In a flash, he lunged and clamped his hand around my throat. "Talk now, or you'll die here!"

"Mr. McKinzie, stop! You have your whole future ahead—she's not worth it!" Chloe rushed forward to pull him back, but he shoved her aside violently, sending her stumbling to the floor.

The crowd stood frozen. No one had expected a charity gala to descend into violent chaos.

His grip was like a vise. No matter how I struggled, I couldn't pry his fingers loose.

Pain shot through my throat. Each breath grew harder, my vision began to blur and darken at the edges.

"Are you going to talk or not?!" Aaron snarled, his face a mask of fury.

With the last of my strength, I forced out the words, "You… sign… first… then… I'll… tell…"

The onlookers were more shocked—and more confused—than ever. No one could understand why I was willing to die for this divorce.

Moments ago, Aaron had even agreed to go to the courthouse with me afterward. Yet I still refused to speak. They wondered if I was trying to get myself killed.

My mother-in-law panicked and rushed forward to help me. But we were just two women, no match for Aaron's enraged strength.

Just as the darkness began to swallow me, I caught my mother-in-law's eye and muttered, "Please… take… care… of… Mia."