- 6.
Four days later, I awoke.
Ethan’s mother told me everything.
Ignoring her objections, Ethan fiercely
protected Olivia, even blocking her and his
father. Even suspended, he hired top lawyers
for Olivia’s defense.
“Claire, we’re so sorry… Don’t worry, I’ll do
anything to get justice for you.”
Ethan’s mother looked twenty years older; his
father was completely gray.
I felt calm.
The horrors of my past life had made me
averse to having children; my inability to bear
them wasn’t so bad after all.
Weakly lying in bed, I croaked,
“Thank you, Mrs. Hayes.
وو
“Mrs. Hayes” almost made Ethan’s mother
faint. For twenty years, I’d called her “Mom.‘
She understood that I and Ethan were
irrevocably over.
On the day of my discharge, Ethan’s parents
submitted a thick file of evidence to the
police, formally suing Olivia.
- 9.
Ethan was a somewhat famous doctor, with
millions of online followers.
To help Olivia win, he preemptively leaked information about me online, portraying me
as a vicious woman who’d engaged in a bitter rivalry with an innocent girl.
When the trial began, the courtroom was
packed.
I arrived in a wheelchair, pushed by Ethan’s
mother.
When Ethan’s eyes met mine, his lips were
tight, his expression cold.
My mother–in–law told me he wholeheartedly
believed Olivia’s story, that she’d acted in
self–defense.
I knew. Before the trial, he’d messaged me: “My parents are senile to be fooled by a
wicked woman like you. I asked everyone
there. You slapped Olivia first, she pushed
you, you fell on a bottle. It’s not her fault.”
I replied calmly,
“You’re sick. Get help.”.
He blocked me.
At the trial, Olivia was her usual fragile, pitiful
self, trembling, tears welling in her eyes. The
audience felt sorry for her.
Ethan submitted statements from everyone
present, claiming Olivia was innocent. He
used his social media influence, and nearly a
million users voted Olivia innocent.
They seemed sure of victory.
But Ethan’s parents simply looked at their
son and handed their lawyer a USB drive.
The lawyer played the video; Olivia nearly
fainted.
It clearly showed her kicking my stomach
repeatedly.
Even with blood pouring from me, she
continued.
Ethan went mad. The whole courtroom went
mad.
Olivia screamed,
“Fake! It’s all fake!”
Then, a simply dressed girl took the witness
stand; one of Olivia’s accomplices. She
hadn’t participated but had recorded the
entire incident.
く
“I provided the video. I vouch for its
authenticity.”
Her voice was firm; her eyes burned with
hatred.
She’d only said one thing to Ethan’s mother:
“Olivia bullied my sister, driving her to
suicide.”
Beyond the video, Ethan’s parents had
unearthed the truth about Olivia’s parents‘
deaths. Her parents had wanted Olivia to
apologize for bullying the girl. Olivia had given
them a massive dose of sleeping pills before
the flood, escaping alone. That bullied girl
was the witness‘ best friend, suffering from
PTSD.
Olivia was stunned. Ethan was shocked.
Ethan’s parents had exposed Olivia’s true
nature. Beyond bullying, she was materialistic
and vain. After Ethan sponsored her, she’d
become extravagant. When he was away,
L
she’d use his card to bribe her classmates,
taking them to underground casinos,
colluding with the casino owner. She’d take
10% of the money her classmates lost to
gambling addiction.
That explained the “friends” who’d helped
her that day. They were students she’d
threatened and manipulated.
The internet exploded. The casino was raided.
The owner allegedly offered a million dollars
on the dark web for Olivia’s hands.
Olivia was deeply in debt. While with Ethan,
she’d had affairs with nearly seven married or
committed men.
Explicit photos were released. Olivia
collapsed.
Ethan’s face turned green. He gritted his
teeth, glaring at Olivia,
“You bitch-‘
