Chapter 4
557words
The hospital notified us that the original expert medical team had been temporarily reassigned to other urgent cases.
Right after, ugly rumors started spreading in the ward area.
About me, about "knowingly being the mistress," about "entangling a married man"...
Mom somehow heard them, her face turning ashen, clutching her chest and gasping for air—she was rushed into the ER.
But the medical team had already been pulled away.
Dad was sweating profusely, grabbing me and asking:
"Chloe, what on earth is going on?"
"Why did the doctors suddenly leave when everything was fine?"
"Your mom's condition is critical—she needs surgery right away!"
My hands shook so much I could barely hold the phone, dialing Landon's number over and over.
No one answered.
I had no choice but to call Summer's phone.
Finally, it connected.
"Hello?"
"Put Landon on!"
My voice was hoarse.
There was a pause, then Landon's cold voice came through:
"Figured it out?"
"Send the medical team back! Please..."
My nails dug into my palm.
"Sure."
His tone was calm:
"Come to Riverside Apartments and apologize to Summer."
"If she's satisfied, the team goes back."
Riverside Apartments was his other place.
I went.
Because I couldn't just watch Mom... die.
In the apartment.
Summer sat on the sofa, no trace left on her cheek.
Landon stood by the window, his back to me.
"I'm not trying to make things hard for you—I have my dignity too."
"Getting slapped for no reason—I at least deserve an apology, right?"
Summer said softly, but her eyes were full of provocation.
I looked at her, then at Landon's back.
"I'm sorry."
I said.
"Can't hear you."
She blinked.
"I'm sorry!"
I raised my voice.
"Just words aren't enough."
She sighed, as if it was difficult.
"How about this: kneel and say it. Slap yourself until I'm satisfied, and we'll call it even."
"Landon, what do you think?"
Landon didn't speak, just silently turned around—he was condoning his wife's bullying of me.
I closed my eyes.
My knees hit the cold floor with a thud.
I raised my hand and slapped my own face hard.
One slap after another.
The sounds crisp.
My face quickly burned with heat.
"Is that enough?"
I looked up at them:
"Can you send the medical team back now?"
"I'll do whatever you want—just Mom can't wait anymore..."
Summer glanced at Landon, about to say something.
Suddenly, my phone rang like crazy.
It was Dad.
I was terrified, answering with trembling hands.
"Chloe..."
"Mom... Mom's gone... Just now... her heart stopped... they couldn't save her..."
The phone slipped from my hand, smashing on the ground.
I collapsed there, unmoving, not even tears coming.
Everything went black.
Landon seemed to sense something was wrong and turned around.
He saw my state, paused for a moment, then strode over quickly:
"Chloe? What's wrong?"
"Did something happen with Mom?"
"Don't be scared—I've already arranged everything. Mom won't have any issues."
"You've been so good to me—how could I really abandon her? I just wanted to teach you a lesson..."
He crouched down, trying to touch me.
I slowly, excruciatingly slowly, lifted my head to look at him.
Looking at this face I'd loved for ten years, now utterly unfamiliar.
A lesson?
But...
I heard my own voice, eerily calm:
"Landon, my mom is dead..."
