Autumn had always been frail. She barely had the strength to go outside, let alone fight two guys at once.

Sure enough, the thugs shoved her to the ground almost immediately.

Zach frowned and asked, "Where the hell did this crazy woman come from? Finish her off, too."

Even as Autumn struggled on the ground, she still tried to protect me. I yelled, "Zach, she's Jeanette's friend! Aren't you afraid that the Goode family will come after you if you lay a finger on her?"

A momentary hesitation crossed his face. Then, in a carefree tone, he said, "I've never heard of Jeanette having a friend like her. Even if it's true, she looks weak and sickly. She's probably a nobody to Jeanette. Do you think she'd choose this girl over me, the rightful heir of the Chase family? Don't make me laugh. Besides, I'll decide how the story goes if both of you die here.”

Autumn was beaten within an inch of her life, and I was tied up so tightly that I could not move.

I glared at Zach and said, "I don't know why you're convinced I stole your life, Zach, but I'm the Chase family's real son. I can forgive everything you've done, but if Autumn dies because of you, I swear I'll make you suffer and beg for your death!"

Zach looked at me with pity. Then, he laughed and said, "You won't admit the truth even when you're about to die, Julian. But of course, you've lived a life of luxury for so long. So, you can't bring yourself to accept that you were switched at birth. Denial won't save you. I had a DNA test done. It proves I'm the real heir of the Chase family!"

I looked at him with disbelief.

I wondered, 'A DNA test? How is that possible? My parents have been gone for years. There are only two children left in my family: my sister and me. How can Zach Cross be one of us?'

However, there was no time to ask questions.

The thugs dragged us to the river.

The water was hundreds of feet deep. Anyone who fell in would be done for.

I looked around desperately, wondering when my sister would arrive and trying to find a way to escape.

Zach noticed and laughed. He asked mockingly, "Still trying to run? You never learn. Hey, break his legs before you toss him in."

One of the thugs picked up a steel rod and walked toward me.

Autumn grabbed his ankle with the last of her strength. She yelled, "I'll hold them off, Julian! Run!"

"I'll kill you, you troublesome woman!" the blond thug yelled. He raised the steel rod and was about to attack her.

Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt in front of us.

"Stop! Unless you want to die!"

I saw the familiar face of my butler as he stepped out from the car, and relief flooded through me.

My family had finally arrived.

The thugs were immediately taken down.

Zach yelled, "Who are you people? What do you think you're doing? I'm the real heir of the Chase family!"

One of the men knocked him out cold with a single strike.

The butler ordered the men to carry Zach and the thugs to the warehouse. I would decide how to punish them later.

Autumn and I were sent to the hospital.

The doctor said I had only surface injuries; they were nothing serious.

Autumn was not so lucky. She had taken a hard blow to the head and needed to be hospitalized.

Only when she was finally wheeled out of the emergency room and into recovery did I feel like I could breathe again.

I borrowed a phone from the nurse and called my sister to tell her I was safe.

When my sister heard someone had tried to smear me as an imposter and wanted me dead, her fury was off the charts.

"I have an important meeting right now that I can't miss. Otherwise, I would've gone with the butler to make those people pay."

I rushed to calm her down by saying, "Sis, have the butler come back. You can't be without protection. Leaving a few bodyguards with me will be enough. Also, I don't want to marry Jeanette Goode anymore, sis. I have a crush on her friend."

She was shocked at first. Then, she laughed and said, "Finally! I never liked Jeanette anyway. Since you don't like her anymore, I'll cut off every bit of support we have in place for her. She'll learn what happens when she messes with my brother."

We hung up after we worked it out.

Jeanette had let me down in my previous life and my current one.

She only had eyes for Zach, her childhood sweetheart. She threw away years of our relationship and humiliated me without hesitation.

I had been given a second chance. I would not let her off easy.

Unexpectedly, she came storming in herself before I could go after her.

Her face was twisted with rage, and she slapped me hard across the face.

"You've lost your mind, Julian! Hasn't it been enough that you stole 20 years of Zach's life? I can't believe you'd also hire people to beat him up! Once Mr. Chase learns the truth, you're done for! Drag yourself down if you want to, but don't take me with you!"

The taste of blood filled my mouth after she slapped me.

I struck her back before I smirked bitterly.

"He told you he's the real heir of the Chase family, and you believe him? You grew up with him. Does he look anything like my sister?" I asked.

Jeanette frowned and replied impatiently, "Stop lying. Zach did a DNA test."

She paused. Then, with fake sympathy, she said, "I know you can't give up on your family's wealth, but listen, if you return Zach' identity, I'll take care of you. I may not be able to make you my husband, but I promise your life won't be worse than it is now with the Chase family."

I wondered if Zach did a DNA test with my sister.

I also wondered how he pulled off getting a DNA sample from my sister.

I was still reeling when I heard Zach's voice.

"Julian Chase!"

Jeanette shook her head helplessly and said, "You had someone beat him up. It's only fair he wants payback. My advice? Get on your knees and apologize. Maybe I'll help you out for old time's sake."

I was shocked to see Zach. Then, I froze when I noticed the bodyguard trailing behind him.

I blurted out, "Who let him out?"

The answer came in the form of a kick to my leg from that bodyguard.

Pain shot through me as I was forced down to my knees. The bodyguard did not stop there. He slapped me across the face over and over.

"You imposter. Still pretending to be the heir? You must have a death wish!" he said.

My head rang from the blows. The disgust in his eyes made it clear that he believed I was an imposter.

I managed to choke out, "Didn't the butler tell you? Zach Cross lied. None of it is true."

The bodyguard sneered and said, "He's the real heir of the Chase family. You're just hooked on playing the imposter, aren't you?"

Zach waved, and the bodyguard immediately stood to the side.

He glanced at the injuries on my face apathetically. Then, he turned toward Jeanette.

He said, "Your boyfriend not only stole my life, Jeanette. He also sent thugs after me. Luckily, my bodyguard showed up in time."

Zach asked, "You're his girlfriend. So tell me, how do you plan on handling this?"

His story was full of holes, but Jeanette did not hesitate to believe him.

She slammed her heel on my fingers and, with a hateful tone, said, "I can't believe how vile you are. Apologize to Zach right now!"

I tried to fight back, but she only pressed harder.

"Jeanette, our engagement isn't even over yet. How can you treat me like this? Aren't you afraid people will talk? Ugh!"

She stepped on me harder.

"You're an imposter. Do you think you deserve to marry me? Let me tell you the truth. Zach and I are engaged. I know you want me. That's why you pulled all this crap, but stop dreaming. Kneel and admit you're in the wrong, and Zach may spare you," she said.

The pain contorted my face, but fury burned through me. I said, "Only you would worship an imposter heir. Just wait. You'll see how far he'll fall when the truth comes out!"

The words 'imposter heir' hit Zach like a nerve.

He snapped, clawing and punching at me before yanking a stun baton from the bodyguard.

"I'll kill you! I'll beat you to death!" he yelled.

He swung the baton at me with everything he had without a second thought.

I was held down by Jeanette, and I could not move, so I shut my eyes and braced for agony.

However, the pain never came.

Instead, I heard a panicked Jeanette say, "Autumn…"

I opened my eyes. Somehow, Autumn, who should have been resting in the hospital room, had staggered out. She had thrown herself in front of me and taken the blow.

Her face was pale, and she was trembling, but she forced herself to speak.

She said, "Don't let him fool you, Jeanette. This guy isn't the heir of the Chase family. Julian also never sent anyone to hurt him. It was Zach. He was the one who kidnapped Julian with those thugs."

Jeanette froze, staring at Autumn in shock.

However, Zach argued before she could process it.

"Is this your friend, Jeanette? You can forget about our engagement. How can I marry someone involved with trash like her? Julian had your friend hire thugs to kidnap me. If my bodyguard hadn't arrived… I can't accept that you have a friend like her. Unless you cut ties with her," Zach said.

His outrage only hardened her resolve.

She glared at Autumn and asked, "How can you help this stupid guy kidnap Zach, Autumn? I'm disappointed in you."

She shoved Autumn to the floor, then snatched the baton and walked toward me maliciously.

We were at the VIP ward on the fourth floor. Doctors and nurses rarely came by.

Every strike she brought down on my legs sent waves of pain tearing through me.

"You'll lose a leg today. That's the only way to make up for what Zach has suffered," she said.

I was pinned down and helpless.

Just when I was about to lose hope, hurried footsteps pounded down the hall. Then, my sister's furious voice split the air.

"Stop! What the hell are you doing?" she yelled.