Chapter 1

My seven-year-old son, Mikey, got bit by a snake.

I rushed him straight to the hospital where my older son, Chris, works.

I didn’t expect to be mistaken for Chris’s mistress by his girlfriend.

She didn’t just stop them from giving Mikey the anti-venom, she slapped me hard across the face.

“Chris and I are perfect for each other, and you waltz in here with his secret love child, trying to cause trouble?”

She threw me to the floor and started hitting me, then went even further, cutting off my womanhood, while telling me.

“A slut like you will learn to behave, after I seal you up forever.”

I was beaten to a pulp and rushed into the ER.

The doctor on call was Chris.

His hand shook as he held the scalpel.

His face was pale white.

“Mom, who did this to you?”

…

Mikey, being a little rascal, wouldn’t let go of the snake.

It bit him for his trouble.

My husband was out of town on business, and Chris was on the night shift at the hospital.

I didn’t hesitate.

I called a ride and went straight to Chris’s ER.

A flashy nurse came running over.

She asked about Mikey’s condition and started wheeling his gurney towards the emergency room.

I choked back tears, explaining everything and begging her to save my boy.

She watched the monitors, talking to the other staff.

But just as they were about to wheel him into the ER, the gurney stopped.

I didn’t understand.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

The nurse’s eyes were dark.

She stared at Mikey’s face.

“Do you know Chris Foster?” she asked.

“Of course, I do,” I said. “He’s my…”

Before I could say “son,” she slapped me again.

“What the hell was that for?”

I held my stinging cheek, looking up at the woman.

The nurse stood there, chin up, glaring at me.

“Do you even know who I am? Chris and I have been together for a year. We’re serious. We’re talking marriage.”

I looked at her closely for the first time.

I thought I’d seen her in Chris’s social media posts.

It’s Chris’s girlfriend, Ashley.

I reached out to take her hand.

It wasn’t the best time for a first meeting, but I needed to introduce myself.

“I’m Chris’s…”

Before I could get “mother” out, another slap hit my face.

This one had some force behind it.

My cheek burned.

“Don’t think you can just waltz in here with your looks and steal my man.”

She kicked me in the stomach, and I doubled over in pain.

She glared at Mikey on the gurney.

“Is this the little bastard you had behind my boyfriend’s back?”

Mikey looks a lot like his older brother, but both my boys take after their dad.

I tried to explain that Chris just looks like his dad too, but Ashley didn’t give me the chance.

She glanced at Mikey, whose face was turning gray.

“We have other emergencies right now. He’ll have to wait.”

She turned to walk away, dragging the other nurses with her.

My head swam, but I knew Mikey didn’t have time to wait.

I grabbed my phone, fumbling to call Chris.

Beep, beep, beep…

It went straight to voicemail.

Mikey’s condition was getting worse, I was frantic, and Chris’s phone just kept ringing.

I swore under my breath.

Ashley heard me, thinking I was cursing at her.

She spun around, stomping back to me, grabbed my hair, and snarled.

“Who are you calling?”

“Chris is in surgery, emergency car crash, so good luck.”

“Do you think contacting Chris will help you?”

She pulled a necklace from around her neck.

The familiar ruby charm sparkled in my face.

“This is Chris’s promise-ring to me.

We’re getting married, so don’t think he will care for you because you had this little bastard.”

“I’m telling you, we’re unbreakable!”

She threw me to the ground, ripping my shirt open, revealing the ruby necklace I wear.

Ashley’s eyes widened, then filled with rage.

“Why do you have one of these necklaces?”

The ruby necklace is a family heirloom.

There are two of them.

I gave one to Chris to give to his future wife.

The other was for Mikey, but he’s too young, so I’m keeping it safe for him.

Ashley had the wrong idea.

She ripped the necklace from my neck, crying and laughing.

“Chris, you liar! You said you loved me and only me! You’re sleeping with this old woman?”

“I hate you! I hate you so much!”

“My heart is so broken, but I can’t stop loving you.”

She ranted for a while, then her eyes turned cold and hard.

“If they’re dead, nothing can stop us.”

“Yes! That’s it!”

Ashley grabbed her phone, calling someone.

I heard her say, “Brother, you need to help me protect my love.”

I didn’t have time for her crazy act.

I crawled over to Mikey’s gurney, watching his color fade.

“Someone, help me! Please, someone help my son!”

“He’s been bit by a poisonous snake! He’s turning blue! He’ll die if you don’t help him!”

Other nurses tried to talk to Ashley.

“If someone dies, it’ll be bad.”

“Shouldn’t we just get the boy to the ER?”

Ashley scoffed, glaring at everyone.

“Are you sure you want to side with the mistress?”

“Don’t forget that Chris’s dad owns this hospital.

After I marry Chris, I can dictate your advancement opportunities.”

The nurses looked at each other, then pretended to be busy and walked away.

I begged, “Ashley, please, get my son into the ER. He’s going to die!”

Ashley sneered.

“I want him to die. After I marry Chris, I don’t want us to have a burden.”

“I don’t want to be a stepmom, with his bastard always between us.”

I rushed to explain, “He’s not Chris’s bastard. He’s his brother.”

“His full brother.”

Ashley kicked me in the chest.

“You say that boy is my boyfriend’s brother, but you call him son.

Are you seriously suggesting that you’re Chris’s mom?”

I nodded quickly.

“I am. I’m Chris’s mother. His biological mother.”

Ashley looked confused for a moment, staring at me.

The door burst open.

A bunch of guys with weapons stormed in.

A man in the front shouted, “Who’s trying to steal my sister’s man?”

The man saw me kneeling, beaten, and Ashley standing with an angry face.

“Sister, the mistress is trying to intimidate you. She’s trying to make you crazy.”

Ashley looked at me with a convinced look.

“Brother, you’re here. I was almost conned by the mistress.”

She went over to me and slapped me in the face.

My ears buzzed.

I begged, “Please, my son. Please, save my son…”

Ashley’s eyes gleamed, and she said, “I’ll save him. Take off your clothes, and slap yourself. Tell the camera that you’re a slut and mistress. Tell the camera that you are sorry for interfering with my love.”

I couldn’t believe what she was asking.

Ashley pushed me, grabbing Mikey’s hair and putting his gray face in front of me.

“You don’t have much time to consider it.”

I was frozen with shock.

The thugs stared at me, eyes scanning my chest.

I held onto my shirt, tears streaming down my face.

Ashley laughed.

“I’m not in a hurry, but how much time do you think this bastard has before the poison kills him?”

I started trembling.

Chris had said that Ashley was a nice girl.

I looked at the devil in front of me.

There were scary men nearby.

“Take it off. You’re a mistress, so don’t be embarrassed.”

“Show your chest so we can see it.”

Ashley held the phone and recorded me.

“Most snake bites are lethal within one hour.”

“How much time do you have before you have to take off your clothes?”

I would do anything for my son.

I closed my eyes and quickly removed my shirt.

“Sister, that slut is good-looking,” the man shouted.

I grew up in a traditional family and never experienced anything like this.

I bit my lip, tasting blood.

“Now, can you save my son?”

Ashley wasn’t satisfied.

She took the camera and shot my face.

I tried to look away, but she grabbed my face.

“Not so fast. You need to shout that you’re a slut and mistress.

“It’s just the start.”

“Take it off,” the man shouted.

Ashley chuckled.

“You’re not taking it off? The bastard is waiting to go to…”

“I’ll take it off!”

I was scared, so I immediately interrupted.

I struggled and unbuttoned my clothes.

I told the camera: “I’m a mistress, please save my son…”

Smack!

Ashley slapped me.

“Who told you to say that?

I want to show your sins, not anything else.”

I begged, kneeling at her feet: “He’s not a bastard. He’s Chris’s brother. Please save him. I won’t care if you save him.”

Ashley laughed, crossing her arms.

“You don’t care?”

“Who cares about what the mistress is thinking?”

Saying that, she grabbed my hair and smashed my head into the wall.

“I hate you as a mistress.”

She roared at the thugs.

“Take pictures of me.”

The camera was taking pictures.

I can’t escape.

I accidentally stumbled into Mikey’s bed.

I went to grab Mikey’s hand.

Wait.

Why is Mikey’s hand so cold?

An unpleasant feeling started to rise, telling myself that this couldn’t happen, but my fingers felt for his nose.

No breathing.

How could there be no breathing?

I shook Mikey, but his body was soft like a rag doll.

Mikey is dead!

After realizing this fact, my head was filled with anger.

I was trying to get Mikey into the ER sooner, but now, Mikey is dead.

Now, I don’t need to hold back.

I slowly got up from the bed, looking at the killer.

Ashley took a step back. “What are you going to do?”

I walked to Ashley, and told her: “My boy is dead.”

I acted like a crazy devil: “I’ll make you pay for it!”

I lunged at Ashley.

Before I reached her, I was hit on the head.

I fell to the ground.

The man was holding a weapon.

He asked Ashley: “Sister, are you okay?”

Ashley was scared.

The man stomped on my face.

“Don’t dare to hit me again?”

“This time, I’ll show you who’s the boss.”

My head hurt.

Before passing out, I heard the man ask: “Sister, is it okay that the boy is dead?”

Ashley laughed. “This is the ER, so many people die every day.

Anyways, the boy was brought to the ER too late.”

Both of them laughed until they faded away.

I woke up to see myself in the surgery room with my body tied.

I struggled, but I couldn’t get out.

Then, Ashley came in. “Don’t struggle, it’s useless.”

“W-What do you want?”

I said with a shaking voice.

“You’re not younger than me, and you’re Chris’s ex and you have his bastard.

That’s why you acted so arrogantly.

Now that the bastard is dead, I’ll remove your secondary gender characteristics, so you won’t be able to seduce Chris.”

When I heard “dead,” I couldn’t stop crying, and couldn’t hear anything else.

“It’s a waste to give you anesthesia.

You’re a slut, so you can’t be a slut again.”

Ashley pulled a knife and put it to my chest.

I realized what she was doing.

She put a stinky sock in my mouth.

“This is a surgery room. If you shout, it’ll bother other doctors doing surgery.”

I wanted to throw up, but I was scared of the knife.

“That’s right, stay quiet.”

She cut my chest with the knife.

I was in a seizure, trembling.

Ashley cut off my breast.

She threatened to cut my face: “I don’t like your face, you look like Chris.”

She started slashing my face.

I was screaming in pain.

Ashley was cursing at me, releasing her stress by slashing me.

My face was wet with blood and tears.

I was desperate.

My boy died, and I’ll die here.

I hate myself and Chris, who got involved with this woman.

My son…

At that moment, the intercom rang.

Ashley was shocked, and she went to answer it.

“Who’s using this surgery room?”

Chris’s cold voice came over the intercom. The copyright of this content belongs to “realnovel”.