Chapter 2

The door burst open.

Zachary stormed in, his face dark with rage.

"Lily, what the hell did you feed me?!"

I didn't have time to answer.

He slapped me across the face.

Then his hand clamped around my throat and slammed me against the wall.

My vision went black. I let out a muffled cry.

Aria screamed "Mommy!" and rushed over, but he kicked her away.

Her small body curled up on the floor, her face turning purple-red.

I grabbed his hand, tears streaming down my face.

"Zachary, your stomach problem is chronic. The doctor said stress can trigger acute attacks..."

He sneered coldly. "Then explain to me what you put in my milk."

My heart went cold. "That was the child talking nonsense she learned from TV shows... How could you take it seriously?"

Aria's small face was streaked with tears. "Daddy, I was just talking silly... from a cartoon... I was wrong..."

After a long while, he finally released his grip, though his venomous gaze remained locked on me.

I slid down to the floor, gasping for air, my heart growing colder and colder.

Aria threw herself into my arms, not even daring to sob loudly.

"Tomorrow I'm getting a toxicology screening. If anything shows up, I'll send you and this bastard child to prison together!"

Prison?

A year ago, Serena hit Aria and me with her car.

I held my blood-covered daughter in one arm.

With my other hand, I fumbled for my phone and pressed the speed dial.

But no one answered.

I called again and again. It wasn't until the seventh attempt that he finally picked up.

"We were hit by a car. Aria is bleeding... I can't move..."

But he sounded extremely impatient. "Call an ambulance yourself. Serena is shaken up, I need to stay with her. You two go to the hospital first, I'll come later."

A passerby called the ambulance.

He didn't show up at the hospital until the next afternoon.

Aria was unconscious. I had bandages wrapped around my head.

He touched my hair. "Don't worry. The person who hit you-I'll make sure she goes to prison."

Later, I discovered that signed settlement agreement.

Now, he was using that same calm tone to say he'd send my daughter and me to prison.

I almost wanted to laugh.

But I lowered my head, letting my hair fall across my face.

Zachary stared at me for a few seconds. The fury on his face gradually subsided.

He pulled a document from his briefcase and threw it in front of me.

"Sign it."

This was a statement certifying that Serena had merely passed by the brothel and had not participated in any illegal activities.

I looked up. "This is perjury. If they find out, I'll go to prison."

"I'm one of the top three criminal attorneys in this city. With me here, what are you afraid of?"

He crouched down and gripped my chin.

This face had once made me lose my mind with love. Now it only held coldness and unfamiliarity.

"If you don't sign, I can send you to prison right now. If you sign, you're still Mrs. Bennett. Aria can still attend the best private school, and her targeted medication won't be stopped."

He didn't know that Aria hadn't been to school in three months.

Because she could suffocate at any moment, I had to stay by her side constantly.

For Aria's treatment, I needed money.

I signed with trembling hands.

"Tomorrow morning at nine, come to the law firm to familiarize yourself with the testimony."

He stood up, resuming the appearance of that well-dressed top attorney.

"I'm going to the hospital now. You'd better pray the test results come back clean."

The door closed.

Aria finally let out her voice and cried loudly. I held her tightly in my arms.

I wiped away my tears and opened my phone. The screen reflected my resolute face.

Every word Zachary had said while forcing me to sign was recorded.

He should be at the hospital by now.

But I knew the doctors wouldn't find anything.

Because what I gave him wasn't any poison you could buy on the market.