In a span of just a few years, the Sullivan family leveraged the Lister family's wealth to balloon from a company with barely a dozen employees into a major international operation. I had dedicated everything to Whitney, and I was often left wondering if I was doing enough. I could never have foreseen that Steven's brief presence would cause me to lose everything so completely.

Whitney said, "You can go ahead and cancel the wedding! I'll finally be able to pursue the happiness I deserve now that Steven has returned. You brought this entire disaster upon yourself, Daniel!"

I met the threatening look in her eyes and scoffed, wondering if she actually believed that I'd still bend to her will after all this.

Just as Whitney was about to leave, her phone suddenly rang. "Yes, I'm Steven's significant other. How's the situation now?"

I had no idea what was said on the other end of the line, but the moment Whitney heard it, she went pale instantly and staggered backward. "He must be treated right away. He must receive treatment, using the finest available medication! I have the authority to approve this!"

She ended the call and turned to me, a flicker of guilt flashing in her eyes. "Steven's condition has deteriorated. He desperately needs that cellular immunity injection. That specific shot you had been waiting for had just arrived, so hand it over to him immediately!"

I let out a cold, derisive laugh and asked deliberately, "Is he worthy of it?"

That injection alone cost millions of dollars and was incredibly hard to acquire. I had placed the order for my grandfather five years ago, having spent considerable social capital in the process. I couldn't believe that she expected me to give it away just like that. How presumptuous of her!

Upon hearing that, Whitney's face immediately drained of color. She then thought of something and said with a sneer, "You're only doing this to compel me into marrying you, right, Daniel? I'll marry you once Steven recovers. Hand over that injection now!"

She looked utterly vexed, clearly convinced that she had just agreed to something monumentally significant for me.

Upon seeing my lack of reaction, she snapped, "You'll be the only one standing at the altar if you don't hand me that injection! Your family will become the laughingstock of everyone if I, the bride, am not there!"

I regarded the all-consuming madness in her gaze with amusement—she had no claim to tarnish the Lister family's reputation.

I was in the process of leaving when my phone buzzed with an urgent message from my assistant, stating that Whitney had already used my authority to divert the injection to Steven and informing me that it was already en route to the hospital and was awaiting my signature for approval.

Whitney rushed forward, grabbing my arm. "You have to sign it, Daniel! Steven is running out of time! I'm begging you here! It's already en route anyway, and Steven will surely express his gratitude after this. Your doddering old grandfather is beyond saving anyway, so it doesn't matter if he receives the injection—"

I slapped her hard across the face before she could finish her sentence, sending her sprawling onto the floor.

Whitney pressed her hand to her stinging cheek, her expression a mask of stunned disbelief. "You actually hit me, Daniel!"

I ignored her stream of curses completely, getting into my car and speeding toward the hospital.

I was just about to reach out and switch off my phone due to the incessant ringing when the identity of a new caller made me stop short. I took a deep breath, fighting to steady my nerves, before I answered the call.

In an instant, Abigail Newman's teasing voice came from the other end. "Have you really made up your mind about the wedding, Mr. Lister?"

I sighed and said helplessly, "I have no intention of breaking my promise on a matter of this gravity."

Abigail tutted lightly. "Is that so? Haven't you reneged on your word countless times over the years, all because of a woman?"

I pinched my nose bridge while waiting at the traffic light and explained patiently, "I can assure you that I have never dropped the ball on critical commitments. In addition, I require the Newman family's medical expertise, and the Newman family requires market access. It's only right for us to get into this marriage alliance that serves both our interests perfectly."

Abigail fell silent for a moment before stating genuinely, "I'm honestly not very keen on marrying you. I'm sure you'll immediately cave to that woman once she starts breaking down into tears. It would be an absolute nightmare untangling our two companies after that."

I checked my navigation system and noticed that I was only ten minutes away from the hospital. "You can rest assured that I'm single from this moment forward. I'll see you at the wedding."

I felt my spirits lifting considerably after I hung up the phone.

I was just about to turn the corner when a car I recognized suddenly rear-ended me, the force of the crash forcing my car to flip over. I felt my leg throbbing in agony as the blood obscured my vision. I peered through the shattered car window and noticed Whitney walking over.

Whitney glared at me with pure hatred. "You left me no choice, Daniel. I won't let anything happen to Steven!"

She then disregarded my nearly lifeless state and swiftly reached into the wreck, pulling out my phone.

I struggled to try and stop her, yet I lacked the strength even to pull myself out of the wreckage. "Stop!"

Whitney continued fiddling with the phone, casting a brief, disgusted glance my way. "You want me to stop? I never thought you'd just turn a blind eye to someone in need, Daniel! I'm only doing this to improve your moral standing!"

I glared at her furiously and said through gritted teeth, "That's the injection Grandpa has waited half a decade to receive!"

Whitney rolled her eyes at me in utter contempt. "It's just some cheap medicine—you can just place another order for it. I'm sure the Lister family has contingency plans. You should stop being such a miser, Daniel! Your grandfather's already that old anyway; he should have kicked the bucket already!

"Will we get more inheritance if we keep wasting money on him? You clearly don't see the big picture here, Daniel!"

I looked at her, managing a wry smile through the agonizing pain. It seemed like my true feelings—and my grandfather's very life—were less valuable than Steven. She had clearly forgotten that the only reason she ever had the right to strut and boast was because of me.

"Is the wedding still on?"

Upon seeing the message I sent to my assistant, Whitney sneered and tossed the phone in front of me. "It seems like you're desperate to make me your wife, Daniel. I guess marrying you isn't out of the question after all, since I have already obtained the injection."

She furrowed her brow and began outlining her terms before I could even get a word in, saying, "I want Steven to move in with us once he's discharged from the hospital, since I don't feel comfortable with him living alone. I also need you to transfer all your private assets to him for financial security—you can keep the company to yourself.

"I also intend to bear Steven's child first before I can even think about having one with you. It's paramount to keep the Foster family's bloodline going, after all. You can surely accept these minor requests, right?"

She looked at me with absolute conviction, as though my agreement was a given. "Steven and I are childhood sweethearts. I have to make it up to him in some other ways, since I can't marry him."

Having said that, she rushed toward the hospital, leaving me with nothing but her departing figure.

I managed to call for aid, and as the sirens of the approaching ambulance grew louder, I finally lost consciousness. I was already in the hospital when I finally came to—that car accident had resulted in a broken right leg and a moderate concussion.

I then heard from the doctor that I was lucky to have called for help when I did; any delay, and the car would have exploded, leading to catastrophe.

It was then that my assistant, holding the documents, asked hesitatingly, "H-How about your wedding to Ms. Newman, Mr. Lister?"

I took a deep breath before replying, "It'll proceed as scheduled."

…

In the meantime, Whitney never left Steven's hospital bed, constantly dedicating herself to his care. Her phone, on the other hand, remained silent on the bedside table, receiving no notifications whatsoever.

She consciously suppressed the unease in her heart, concluding that I was simply trying to manipulate her by acting indifferent. She mused that if she allowed herself to be fooled, then she would be entirely at my disposal.

She was so distracted that she didn't even notice that Steven had already regained consciousness.

She turned on the television, hoping to distract herself. She instantly froze at the sight of the live broadcast—the Lister family's grand wedding. That stunning ceremony perfectly mirrored her aspirations, except the name of the bride flashing on the screen was unmistakably "Abigail Newman".