Freya’s nails, which were cut like daggers, sliced against Cassiopeia's cheek, leaving a visible claw mark.

Cassiopeia was bewildered by what Freya was saying.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Let me go."

"You’re still lying!" Freya gestured at the pale-looking Liam, who was lying on the bed, and teared up. "Liam is only four years old and just had a kidney transplant. How can you be so cruel to him? Aren’t you a mother too?"

Freya has always been a self-sufficient woman in front of Lucas. This was the first time she had displayed her vulnerable side. His heart ached for her. He embraced her and gently dabbed his finger over her eyes to wipe off the tears.

"Let me take care of this. I’ll make sure you and Liam get justice."

With that, he fixed an icy look absent of any trace of his past affection. There was nothing but disappointment in his eyes, and when he spoke, it was with a voice filled with malice.

"Cassie, didn’t I promise you that I would take care of them and that it would never affect you and Anya? Why can't you leave a mere four-year-old boy alone?!

"How could you get Anya to shove Liam into the pool? If Freya hadn’t managed to show up to rescue him just in time, he would have died!"

Cassiopeia was baffled by the accusation. She turned to look at Liam who was lying in bed with his eyes closed.

Anya shoved him into the pool? That was impossible!

"I never did that!" She tried to defend herself, "Anya is…"

"I witnessed it myself!" Freya interrupted her and cried out hysterically, "You think I would joke about my son’s life?"

As if on cue, Liam whimpered. "Anya, I’m not trying to steal your Daddy… Please don’t. Help… Save me, Daddy…"

Hearing the boy’s traumatized whimpers immediately enraged Lucas.

"Anya is just a child. She wouldn’t have done something so evil if it weren’t because she was misled by someone who came up with this dark scheme." With that, he turned to Cassiopeia to say, "And who else could that be but you?"

The accusation jabbed into Cassiopeia’s heart like a sharp dagger.

How dare he accuse her of scheming against the boy?

They had been together for two decades, and yet, Lucas refused to believe her. As a mother, she wouldn’t have the heart to do something like this to a child!

Blood dripped down her cheek and onto the floor. She met Lucas’s gaze and insisted firmly, "Like I said, it wasn't me."

Lucas seemed more disappointed than ever. "Cassie, how could you be so evil? I don't even recognize you anymore."

Cassiopeia smiled wryly at the claim. The irony of her circumstances struck her as some kind of twisted joke.

Had she changed into someone else or was it simply that this man had moved on to loving someone else?

The air in the ward had an oppressive quality.

Soon, a bodyguard entered and whispered something to Lucas.

Lucas frowned.

"Cassie, why isn't Anya in her ward?"

Before Cassiopeia could speak, Freya clenched her fists and spoke up with tears welling in her eyes.

"Mrs. Cadell, even though you were the one who instigated your daughter to attack Liam, don’t you think she also has to apologize for following through with it? But then you went and had her transferred to another hospital without telling anyone…"

Lucas cast a sharp look at Cassiopeia. "Since you had Anya transferred away, you have a responsibility to apologize to Liam on her behalf."

Despite the heartbreak, Cassiopeia met his eyes head-on and did not back down. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do?"

Lucas observed the blood trickling down her cheeks and felt a stew of emotions brewing inside him. He went through the cycles of anger, disappointment, and heartache before finally breaking his silence.

"Cassie, Liam is my son. I have to seek justice for him. I can’t let anyone hurt him. Throw her into the pool!

Cassiopeia observed the icy expression Lucas wore and the way he held Freya firmly in his arms.

Suddenly, she smiled. "Lucas, you’re going to regret this."

Lucas had killed Anya by having her kidney surgically removed for a child that did not even belong to him. He had chosen to take the side of a scheming, vicious woman and called for his childhood sweetheart to be punished.

Lucas turned away and refused to look into her eyes. He hardened his heart and ordered again, "What are you waiting for? Toss her into the pool!"

His bodyguards grabbed Cassiopeia and brought her to the pool.

Splash!

The freezing water washed over Cassiopeia in an instant. The surge of water rushed into her nose and mouth, into her lungs. She felt a wave of suffocation wash over her.

She suddenly recalled a scene from her childhood. A student had threatened her and jabbed a finger at her. Lucas had responded by breaking his finger on the spot and making him apologize to Cassiopeia while slapping himself.

She remembered the way Lucas had declared boldly, "I will not let anyone get away with hurting Cassie!"

However, he just ordered her to be tossed into a pool for Freya and Liam, a pair of strangers. He was the one who swore a vow, but he was also the one who broke the oath.

Cassiopeia did not struggle. She willingly plunged into the depths.

'Lucas, I regret ever falling in love with you.'

When Cassiopeia woke up again, Lucas was holding her hand tightly. She looked up and met his dark eyes.

"Cassie, why were you lying so still in the pool? Did you know how worried I was knowing that you would drown?"

Cassiopeia jerked her hand away and remarked mildly, "That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it?"

Lucas froze and seemed more hurt than ever. "I only did it because I needed something to make up to Liam and Freya. I never wanted you to get hurt. I didn’t think that you’d…"

All of his frantic explanations did nothing to absolve him. In the end, he resorted to embracing her and apologized profusely, "I’m sorry, Cassie. I won’t ever hurt you again."

Cassiopeia closed her eyes and no longer spoke.

Over the next few days, Lucas stayed by her side almost all the time as if to compensate for the guilt he felt. He would bring her warm water, feed her, attend to her… He was very attentive to her needs.

However, he would disappear for precisely an hour every morning and night. Cassiopeia was convinced he was going to the other ward to spend time with Freya and Liam.

When Lucas returned from his hour-long sojourn again, she looked at the sweat on his forehead and asked faintly, "Lucas, aren't you tired?"

It must be exhausting having to juggle between her and the pair of Freya and Liam.

The entire time she was hospitalized, she never spoke a word. This was the first time she initiated a conversation with Lucas.

Lucas gently caressed her cheeks and assumed that she was upset at him.

"Cassie, it is not tiring for me to look after you. Don't worry. I have made arrangements for Liam and Freya to live somewhere else. After they leave, we can bring Anya back and go back to the way things were."

Cassiopeia lowered her eyes so Lucas would not see the morose expression within them.

Anya was gone. Things could never go back to the way they were.

Lucas hesitated briefly before continuing, "I will ship Liam to study abroad, and Freya will be with him. You’ll never have to see those two again.

"There’s just one thing." He paused briefly to gauge Cassiopeia's reaction and continued upon noticing that she did not react visibly, "I decided to let Liam take on the Cadell name so that he can be part of our ancestry. I have spoken to Freya and she gave her blessings too."

He immediately supplied further explanation as if expecting Cassiopeia to become upset.

"But there is nothing to worry about. He will not be taking away Anya’s inheritance. I'll ensure he and his mother get monthly allowances, and I'll pay for his tuition fees. Maybe I’ll visit them every once in a while.

"He is my biological child, after all. I can’t just leave a pair of mother and son to fend for themselves out there."

Cassiopeia lowered her head so he would not see the wry look in her eyes. Lucas was basically telling her that he was harboring a family overseas.

However, she was over it by now. She nodded calmly.

Lucas was going to keep explaining, but his words became caught in his throat. A strange look flashed across his eyes. He did not expect Cassiopeia to relent so easily.

He was almost in disbelief. "Cassie...you, don’t you have anything to say about that?"

Cassiopeia remarked faintly, "Sure, I have no objections."

She knew she was going to leave soon anyway. What Lucas wanted to do with Freya and Liam was none of her business.

Lucas studied her expression for a long time and seemed relieved upon realizing that she was truly not upset.

"I was thinking of hosting a party to make a public statement about Liam becoming one of the Cadells. I was hoping... that you would attend the party too. After all, the party wouldn’t make sense without Mrs. Cadell herself present."

Cassiopeia observed his somewhat uneasy expression and returned a smile. "Sure."

Lucas was relieved and kissed her forehead affectionately. "Cassie, thank you for being so understanding."

Over the next few days, he was busy planning the party and did not visit Cassiopeia at the hospital again.

Even on the day of her discharge, he only assigned a driver to pick her up.

After getting in the car, she received a call from Lucas whose voice sounded as gentle as ever. "Cassie, remember to get a gift for Liam so that everyone can see that you are also eager to accept him as part of our family."

Cassiopeia chuckled at his attentive reminder. "Don't worry. I will prepare something."

She would prepare an unforgettable gift.

After getting in the car, she did not go straight to the venue but instructed the driver to take her to the government office instead.

Today happened to be the day their divorce was to be finalized.

After heading to the office, she had the divorce finalized at last. With that, two decades of her bond with Lucas had come to an end.

She produced a brown paper bag and tucked three things inside: a document pronouncing Anya’s death, a USB drive containing the recording of Freya's conversation with Liam, and the divorce certificate.

She was going to let Lucas know that he had made a fatal mistake and that there was no coming back from it!

After instructing the driver to deliver the paper bag to Lucas, she took a taxi home to collect the suitcase she had packed up. With that, she departed for the airport.

The moment the plane took off, she seemed to glimpse a vision of the old Lucas, who used to love her, waving goodbye.

"Good job, Cassie. Take Anya with you and leave the person I have become, the person who doesn’t love you anymore."

Cassiopeia clutched the necklace and smiled for the first time in days.

'Lucas, you have lost me for good!'