2
Venice’s POV
When it came to Verona, Jericho’s expression finally shifted.
He gripped my wrist with brutal force, his gaze cold enough to freeze.
“You’re right. I’m your husband,” he said flatly. “So when my wife loses her mind because of pregnancy, I should, of course, send her to a hospital. And as for what a lunatic says—well, no one would believe it anyway. Venice, don’t make this harder than it has to be. Sign the letter. Otherwise… I can’t promise what might happen to your mom. After all, she’s still unconscious right now.”
Obviously, he was threatening me, using my mom’s life as a weapon.
“Jericho…” My voice shook uncontrollably. “That’s my mom!”
His lips curled into a faint smile, but his eyes were as cold as steel. “Verona means just as much to me,” he said. “I told you—I’ll protect her no matter what.”
I stared at him, disbelief and bitterness choking me.
Seven years—that’s how long we’ve been married. Even if it began as a business arrangement, I truly believed I could warm that frozen heart of his.
When the Fowlers’ company was falling apart, I was the only one who cared enough to marry him and save what was left.
Even after the wedding, when he treated me no differently from anyone else, I still convinced myself that one day, I’d become someone special to him.
It never once crossed my mind that the space I longed to fill in his heart had long belonged to Verona.
When I stayed silent too long, Jericho lost his patience.
He clapped his hands once, and suddenly, the hospital room window burst open.
Following his gaze, I froze—my unconscious mom was hanging outside the window, suspended in midair! This was the seventh fucking floor!
“Jericho!” My voice rose to a shrill pitch. “Let my mom go!”
He tilted his head slightly, leaning closer.
“Venice,” he said softly, “your mom’s life is in your hands right now.”
A violent shiver ran through me. My knees went weak. I could barely stay standing.
Just then, Verona appeared at the doorway.
She walked in with a delicate smile, brazenly linking her arm through Jericho’s.
“It’s all my fault, Jericho,” she murmured. “Please don’t be so harsh with Venice. I’ll take responsibility. I can go to prison if that’s what she wants. Venice, I’m sorry, really.”
Her tone was pitiful, her eyes shimmering with tears. But as she stepped closer, her hand shot forward—pressing hard against my belly.
My eyes widened. Instinctively, I shoved her away.
“Ahhh!” Verona screamed, collapsing hard to the floor like she’d been hit with a strong force.
Jericho’s face changed drastically. He hurriedly went to lift her carefully.
“Please don’t blame Venice, Jericho. It was all my fault…” she whimpered.
That liar even covered a wound on her hand. It was no bigger than a fingernail! The next second, just like the manipulative woman that she was, she started sobbing.
When Jericho saw that so-called injury, his face darkened like a storm cloud.
The way he looked at me was cold.
“Venice,” he said coldly, “it seems I’ve been far too kind to you. You really need to be taught a lesson now.”
With that, he waved his hand, signaling his men.
In my breaking line of sight, the rope that bound my mom dropped rapidly… until a loud, sickening thud echoed through the air.
My vision blurred with tears as I broke free from the guards’ grasp and rushed to the window.
Down below, at the hospital entrance, a pool of red spread across the concrete.
And my mom—the woman who loved me most in this world—lay there, motionless, her fate unknown.
3
Venice’s POV
My strength gave out completely, and soon, I collapsed to the floor.
“Jericho!”
I screamed his name and rushed forward. With every fiber of my being, I slapped him across the face.
Never—not even in my worst nightmares—had I imagined he could go this far for Verona.
Swallowing my tears, I turned to leave. But before I could take a step, he grabbed me roughly by the arm.
His expression was devoid of warmth, his voice sharp and cold as steel.
“Hey. You haven’t signed the letter of understanding. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Fine,” I replied, my voice trembling. There was no strength left in me to even expect anything from him.
Five minutes later, a new copy of the letter was brought in.
Outside the hospital, my mom still lay on the concrete, and the medical staff trying to save her were being held back by Jericho’s bodyguards.
I didn’t even look at him anymore. My gaze was hollow as I picked up the pen and signed my name—stroke by stroke—on that cursed paper.
“Now,” I said quietly, “can I go?”
When I looked at him, my eyes were as cold as his.
His brows knitted together. His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
But Verona tugged at his sleeve, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Jericho,” she whimpered, “my wound… It really hurts.”
Just those few words, and his entire demeanor changed. His face tightened with concern as he swept her up into his arms and hurried out of the room.
By the time I made it downstairs, my mom was barely clinging to life.
With shaking hands, I pushed her gurney toward the operating room.
The red light above the door flicked on, and my heart seemed to hang suspended in the air with it.
I thought the nightmare might finally end there. But only three minutes later, a group of bodyguards stormed into the operating room and dragged the attending surgeon out.
I froze, my eyes wide in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing?!”
They looked at me coldly.
“Mr. Fowler has ordered all doctors to check on Ms. MacGill’s injury first. Once she’s confirmed stable, we’ll bring the attending physician back.”
Her wound was no fucking bigger than a fingernail, yet they were stealing my mom’s only chance to survive!
The thought shattered what little control I had left. My eyes burned as I lunged forward to stop them from taking the doctor away.
“Let him go! My mom’s still in surgery! Tell Jericho—if anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive any of you!”
But my words did nothing at all. One of the guards just gave a mocking smile.
“Ma'am, those were Mr. Fowler’s direct orders. If you have a problem, take it up with him.”
Without wasting any more time, they shoved me aside and dragged the doctor away.
The force of it slammed my head against the sharp edge of a metal chair. Warm blood streamed down my face in an instant, but I barely felt it.
At that moment, the red light above the operating room flickered and went out. Then, the machines inside began to beep in a chaotic rhythm.
Summoning every last ounce of strength, I pushed myself off the floor and stumbled after the guards.
I had to bring the doctor back.
If I didn’t… I would lose the only family I had left…
4
Venice’s POV
I stumbled forward, barely keeping my balance.
“Jericho! Bring back my mom’s attending doctor!”
My voice came out raw and strained from my parched throat.
When Jericho saw the cuts and bruises on my face, his brows knitted tightly together.
“How did you manage to get yourself into this state?”
He reached out, trying to touch the wound on my cheek, but I jerked back before his fingers could make contact.
Gripping his sleeve with all my strength, I said, my voice trembling with desperation, “Jericho! Mom’s still in surgery while Verona only has a minor injury! You can’t do this to my mom!”
By the end, my voice broke completely.
But as I spoke, his expression only grew colder, his eyes hardening with indifference.
“Enough, Venice,” he snapped. “It seems you still haven’t learned your lesson. I just spoke to the attending doctor—your mom’s injuries aren’t serious. And besides, she’s unconscious now. She can’t even feel pain.”
His tone softened slightly as he turned toward the operating room, his eyes full of tenderness.
“Do you have any idea that the push you gave Verona injured her hand? She’s a doctor. Are you trying to ruin her career?”
A bitter laugh escaped me at his question.
“You mean a doctor who puts her patients into a coma on purpose? Losing her so-called career would be a blessing to everyone.”
At that, his face snapped back to me, his eyes burning with fury.
“Venice, I already told you—Verona didn’t do it on purpose. And her hand injury is on you. Until she recovers, the attending doctor won’t be returning.”
It was a death sentence, spoken without mercy.
My vision blurred red, rage and despair blinding me. I glared at him, and then I charged toward the operating room.
The next second, Jericho shoved me aside without hesitation.
My head slammed against the corner of the wall. In an instant, blood gushed down my face, and my so-called husband only looked at me coldly.
“Somebody take her to the hospital morgue to cool off. Once Verona’s hand has healed, you can release her.”
His tone was edged with brutal finality.
I used all my strength to struggle to my feet, still trying to run toward the operating room. But his men forced me to the floor.
Dragged down the hall toward the morgue, I couldn’t hold back anymore; tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.
“Jericho, please! Verona’s injury isn’t serious! Let my mom’s doctor finish her surgery first. I’m begging you! Mom fell from the seventh floor, Jericho! No matter the cushioning, her injuries must be severe! Please, save her, I’m begging you!”
My fingers clawed at anything I could reach, leaving streaks of blood behind.
But Jericho only looked at me, his eyes devoid of any sympathy.
“When Verona’s hand heals, she’ll operate on your mom again. Your mom will recover, and Verona’s reputation in the medical field will be restored. It’s a win-win.”
That made my pupils shrink, and I trembled all over.
“No, Jericho, you can’t do this! I’ll hate you for it! If anything happens to my mom, I will never forgive you!”
In the end, my cries and struggles were still useless.
He just stood there, watching coldly as I was dragged away to the morgue.
The heavy door slammed shut behind me, and the air at ten degrees below zero wrapped around my body like a shroud.
I couldn’t hold on any longer. It didn’t take long before my vision went black, and I collapsed to the floor.
