The Truth Burned. So Did My Heart

After being married for five years, Holly found out that Cody, the son she’d raised for the past four years, was not hers.

She had overheard the conversation between Tyler and the attending physician outside the doctor’s office. “Your son’s blood type is rare, Mr. Greyson. It’s better to get his biological mother to the hospital as soon as you can.”

Anguished, Tyler rubbed his temples and replied, “Got it, I’ll do something about it soon.”

Holly’s head buzzed as her mind went black. Wasn’t she Cody’s biological mother?

She remained a little longer outside the office, gradually piecing together the gist of what had happened through their conversation.

It turned out that Tyler, the man who had sworn to love and cherish her, had long since cheated on her even before their marriage. He’d even swapped out her child.

Holly couldn’t understand why.

They were childhood friends who grew up together. To marry Tyler, she even gave up on her career just to be his stay-at-home housewife.

Back then, he was moved to tears and got down onto his knees. “You’ve sacrificed so much for me, Hols. I promise I’ll never let you down!”

Tyler’s solemn vows still echoed in Holly’s ears, but reality gave her a harsh wake-up call.

She stumbled back to the ward in a daze. Her chest tightened painfully, as if something was strangling her.

Holly dared not visit Cody anymore, for fear she wouldn’t be able to control herself from bringing him to get a DNA test done. She was even more afraid she’d go mad and become a laughingstock.

She turned around and ran out of the hospital.

Holly’s older brother, Nathan Steward, happened to be getting out of his car at the hospital entrance. Seeing her so flustered, he quickly grabbed her arm. “Where are you running off to in such a hurry, Hols? How’s Cody? I’m here to visit him.”

The entire Steward family have been beside themselves with worry ever since Cody fell ill. Nathan had even declined attending an international conference and caught an overnight flight home.

Holly’s eyes were red with tears. “Help me find something out, Nathan,” she said.

“What is it?” Nathan asked.

“Cody… he…” Holly looked up tearfully, her voice hoarse as she continued, “He might not be my son…”

…

“Where did you go, Hols? Cody woke up and is crying for you.” Holly’s tears landed on her phone screen as she read Tyler’s message.

Every year, he’d bring Cody to a week-long villa stay on the mountaintop, saying that it was for them to bond as father and son.

Holly had never doubted a single thing for the past four years. But now, she felt like a complete fool.

Tyler wasn’t bonding with Cody—he was clearly bringing Cody to see his biological mother.

Holly might’ve still been living in the dark if she hadn’t overheard the conversation today.

She scrolled through her phone frantically as their family photos flashed by. The sun was scorching hot outside, yet she felt the chill all over, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Maybe Holly should’ve known all along that a man’s promise meant nothing. It was a man’s nature to be unfaithful.

Besides, with Tyler’s status, he had better choices all around him. He’d tossed her and her child aside, despite the fact that he’d once told her that he’d never let her down.

Holly’s heart felt as if it had been sliced open, making her curl from the pain involuntarily.

They’d been in love for years. Everyone in their circle knew he was head over heels for her.

When Holly was 14, she was harassed by thugs. Tyler took on more than a dozen of them by himself just to get revenge on them. He had ended up with broken bones all over his body and a swollen face, yet he still asked her if she felt better.

When she was 18, she went out for a gathering with her classmates and forgot to reply to his messages. Frantic, he looked high and low for her all over Jyraine. He had burst into tears when he finally found her.

When Holly was 22, Tyler asked his mother, Andrea Loui, for the Greysons’ family heirloom. He had said, “Marry me, Hols. I promise I will never let you down.”

His gaze burned bright with devotion. She eventually agreed to his proposal.

Holly got pregnant shortly after they were married.

Tyler was overjoyed. He even took a long leave from the company just to take care of her during her pregnancy.

However, everyone in the Greyson family opposed his action. His father, Derrick Greyson, even threatened to beat some sense into him for being blinded by a woman.

Tyler got on his knees and begged in front of Derrick’s study for the entire night, refusing to give in despite his bruised knees. He had said, “Hols is carrying my child. I have to take care of her myself!”

Looking back now, it wasn’t about taking care of Holly at all. He’d been afraid that if anything happened to her baby, he wouldn’t be able to swap his illegitimate child back.

A video call came in. The words “My Love” shown on the screen stung her eyes.

Holly accepted the call, devoid of any expression. Tyler’s face lit up on the screen as he asked, “Where are you, Hols? Why are you looking so pale?”

In the past, whenever she had felt aggrieved, she’d tell him right away so that he could stand up for her. But now, she didn’t want to see him at all.

“Have you been crying, Hols? Where exactly are you? I’ll go pick you up now!” Tyler shot up from his seat, looking anxious.

“I’m fine. I’m just out to get some coffee.” Holly wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Tired, she gave a half-hearted reply. “I’ll be back soon.”

Tyler let out a relieved sigh, yet his eyes drifted away from the screen. After a moment of silence, he said softly, “Hurry back soon, Cody is still waiting for you.”

Holly distractedly hummed a reply. Just before she ended the call, she caught sight of a woman on the screen. The woman walked past before sitting right down on Tyler’s lap.

She was stunned, but the video call ended abruptly before she could even respond.

Holly remained frozen. She slowly lifted a fist and pounded it against her chest repeatedly, yet the pain within her still poured out uncontrollably.

She couldn’t believe that Tyler and that woman were actually in Cody’s ward.

Holly buried her head in her arms. She struggled to control the rage within her, but faint, broken sobs escaped her. She realized this was how despair felt like—a never-ending pain.

She had tried to tell herself that maybe Tyler was the one being reluctantly pursued by that woman. But it was clear now that he was enjoying every bit of it.

Nathan sensed something was off and rushed over even without taking their coffee order. He couldn’t bear seeing just how anguished Holly was now. “Tyler isn’t worth crying over, Hols.”

Tears streamed down from the corner of her eyes, soaking a large patch of her dress.

Nathan’s heart ached for Holly. Resigned, he patted her on the shoulders and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll definitely find your child for you. As for Tyler, he’ll pay for what he’s done. But what about you, Hols? Have you thought of what you’re going to do next?”

She nodded through her sobs. The moment she found out about Tyler’s lies, she already knew what she was going to do.

Holly sat in the cafe the entire night, thinking things through.

She’d clipped her own wings and given up her future all just to stay by Tyler’s side.

However, she was still the beloved daughter of the Steward family, and the fashion design prodigy of the industry.

As such, even though she was left bruised and battered, she still had the courage to start all over again.

Holly then gave a call to Elaine Stone, her best friend in Ruisse. “Didn’t you say that your company is still looking for a head of design, Elaine? Do you think I can make the cut?”

Taken aback, Elaine asked, “You’re coming over? Would Tyler even let you?”

“Yes, I’m thinking of going over.” Holly chuckled bitterly before saying, “There’s no need to get his permission. We’re about to get divorced.”

“Divorce? Why?” Elaine’s tone turned serious instantly as she asked, “Did he cheat on you?”

Holly forced a smile as she struggled to contain her tears. “I’ll explain everything to you when I get to Ruisse. For now, just send me an invitation letter. I’ll go get my visa sorted tomorrow.”

They ended the call after their plans were made. She then freshened up quickly in the cafe’s washroom before leaving.

Holly first went to the police station to add her information into the missing children database. While she pleaded for the police to help her look for her child, she also contacted a private investigator.

She then went to a law firm and got a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement.

After everything was settled, Holly touched up her makeup before returning to the hospital.

She knew she couldn’t risk alerting Tyler just yet. Otherwise, knowing him, he’d never let her leave or find her child.

Besides, it wasn’t easy for Holly to cut ties with Cody, when she’d raised him with her own hands.

Little did she know, she had been overthinking it all along.

…

Just as she arrived at the door, Holly heard Cody’s laughter. Through the window, she saw a woman feeding him. They were laughing and talking, seemingly close.

She froze, her eyes instantly drawn to the black tailcoat dress the woman was wearing. She recalled seeing the same dress on the woman from yesterday’s video call.

Holly seemed to have realized something. She took in a sharp breath, suppressing her rage as she turned to leave.

However, she noticed Tyler hurriedly running over to her from the end of the corridor. He looked exhausted, the dark circles under his eyes suggesting that he hadn’t slept a wink.

Holly felt perplexed. She wasn’t even here last night, which should’ve given the both of them plenty of time together. Yet judging by his expression, it seemed like he hadn’t enjoyed himself for the night. It seemed more like he’d been running around.

Tyler had rushed over to her while she was in a daze. As soon as he stopped, he pulled her tightly into his arms.

His embrace remained warm, the faint scent of sandalwood soothing as ever. But Holly didn’t want to be close to him. In fact, she even felt a little sick.

“Where have you been the entire night, Hols? Why didn’t you pick up when I’ve been calling you? You must be worried sick about Cody. Don’t worry, he’s already had his transfusion. Everything is fine now.” The concern in Tyler’s eyes seemed real.

Until now, Holly couldn’t understand how the man who insisted that he’d love and protect her forever ended up having another child with another woman. He even swapped her baby.

She pursed her pale lips before swallowing all her grievances. She wanted to question him, yet she was stopped by her rationality.

Holly figured that since she could look for her child on her own, she no longer needed Tyler.

She replied, “I’m fine, I accidentally fell asleep in the cafe. I rushed back as soon as I woke up.”

The frown finally eased on Tyler’s brows. “Next time, you have to inform me earlier before going anywhere. I’ll worry myself sick otherwise.”

His tone remained gentle as usual, making everyone fall for him involuntarily. Yet Holly caught him secretly sneaking glances toward the ward.

The woman was sitting by the bed, staring right out the door.

The next minute, Tyler quickly pushed Holly away, his eyes avoiding hers. “Since you didn’t sleep well last night, I’ll have the chauffeur send you home to get some rest. Don’t worry, someone’s taking care of Cody now.”

She smiled bitterly.

She wasn’t stupid. She knew he was trying to send her away. Although it didn’t matter anymore, her heart still ached.

Holly nodded indifferently. Just as she was about to turn around, the woman walked out of the ward. “Hello, Ms. Steward. I’m Nancy Kohl, once a college student sponsored by Mr. Greyson. We’ve met before this.”

Nancy looked young and beautiful, bearing a faint resemblance to Holly when she was younger.

Holly did not respond to her. She glanced at Nancy expressionlessly before walking away.

However, just as she reached the hospital entrance, Nancy sent her a text.

“Come to the underground parking lot if you want to know where your child is.”

Without thinking much, Holly rushed to the underground parking lot.

Just as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Tyler and Nancy locked in a passionate kiss in the car. She subconsciously covered her mouth, willing herself not to cry out.

Tyler was breathing heavily, seemingly aroused. The next moment, he pressed down on Nancy. “What a seductive little minx you are.”

She had her legs wrapped around his waist as she looked at him with a seductive gaze. “Look at you, so impatient! Your wife just left. Besides, I’m not here to do this with you. I’m here to update you about the child’s recent situation—”

“Save that for later. Let’s get down to the real business first.” Before Nancy could finish talking, Tyler had roughly yanked her dress off, exposing her legs.

She cast a smug glance out the window. “You’re so heartless, Mr. Greyson. That’s still your child no matter what! I heard that the child isn’t doing well—he was bullied because he has no parents. Haven’t you thought of bringing him back?”

Tyler paused for a moment, then slid down to sit beside Nancy. He rubbed his temples and said, “Forget it, it’s been years. Hols wouldn’t be able to take it if she found out that Cody isn’t her biological son.”

“So in the end, you’re still worried about your wife the most! What about Cody and me then? Where do we stand?” She pretended to get mad and turned her body away.

At that, Tyler chuckled before pulling Nancy into his embrace. “What are you talking about? Of course the both of you are the most important to me.

“Why else do you think I went through all that trouble to swap Cody back into the Greyson family? It was so he could rightfully inherit the family name, and both of you would never have to worry about your future.”

He continued, “As for Hols, she’s my childhood friend after all, and she’s given me a child. I can’t be too heartless.”

Hearing his words, Nancy shot another smug look out the window. She happened to meet the gaze of Holly. “So you’re really not planning to bring that child back? You’re going to keep this a secret from Holly forever?”

Tyler sighed. “That’s probably it. Having Cody around is enough for Hols. As for that child, you should take some time to visit him and send some money over.”

Nancy tugged at his necktie. Then her fingers brushed past the insides of his thighs. “I know I can’t compare to Ms. Steward, Mr. Greyson. But every mother wants the best for their own children. Cody can’t live his whole life bearing the shame of being an illegitimate child. I’m sorry…”

Tyler’s gaze softened at her words. He hugged her tight and said, “Why are you apologizing? I wanted all of this too. The child is just unlucky to have been born as Holly’s child.”

He reached out to gently wipe away Nancy’s tears.

Tyler’s affectionate gaze pierced through Holly’s chest. She dug her fingernails into her palm, drawing blood, yet she couldn’t feel any of the pain.

After all, nothing hurt more than what she felt right now.

…

Holly was completely out of it when she walked out of the hospital.

She drifted through the middle of the roads under the bright sun. Sweat and tears blurred her gaze and soaked through her clothes. She remained oblivious to it as she continued to walk around aimlessly.

At some point, Holly lost her shoes, and her feet were bruised and bloodied. Her forehead was bleeding from the wound where a car had hit her.

She walked around for an entire day before finally returning to the Greyson residence.

Harvey Glenn, the butler, was shocked to see Holly’s state. He hurriedly checked on her. “What happened to you, Mrs. Greyson? Mr. Greyson was beside himself looking for you the entire night. Have you seen him?”

She smiled bitterly.

Everyone thought that Tyler loved Holly dearly, but she was the only one who knew that it was all but a lie.

She shook her head and replied hoarsely, “I’m okay. I’ll be fine after getting some rest.”

Holly stumbled upstairs and locked herself in the bathroom. She sat numbly behind the door, memories of Tyler and Nancy’s intimacy flashing through her mind. Unable to hold it in any longer, she bent over and threw up.

Holly thought she’d accepted the truth, but when she saw it for herself, the wound in her chest tore open again, and the pain was unbearable.

Her sobs echoed through the closed bathroom, unable to be covered up even with the faucet turned up high.

Holly really wanted to ask how Tyler had managed to play house with her, yet at the same time cheat with the woman he’d once sponsored.

…

Holly sat slumped the entire night. It wasn’t until early the next day that she finally pulled herself out of her misery.

She couldn’t afford any delays as the appointment to get her visa was today.

After carefully tending to her wounds, Holly put on heavy make up, got dressed appropriately, and got out of the house.

Meanwhile, Tyler called her countless times and sent requests for video calls, all of which she ignored.

Holly finally finished all her paperworks during noon. She dragged her exhausted body back to the villa, only to see Nancy sitting in the living room, playing with Cody.

Nancy sat on the couch like she owned the place, while Cody addressed her affectionately as “Aunt Nancy” repeatedly.

Upon seeing Holly’s return, Nancy immediately stood up and smiled brightly. “You’re back, Ms. Steward. Cody was discharged today, so Mr. Greyson asked me to join him in sending Cody back.”

Holly clenched her fists as rage surged through her.

She couldn’t believe just how bold Tyler was now. Not only did he cheat, he was even bringing the other woman back home now.

Upon seeing Holly’s darkening expression, Tyler quickly explained, “Cody was the one who couldn’t stop clinging onto Nancy, so I just let him. After all, he had just recovered.”

Her eyes were wide as she glared at Tyler, feeling the rage boiling within her. They were truly going overboard now.

“Does Cody not have a mother, Tyler? Why must you get another woman to keep him company?” Holly’s body trembled uncontrollably, her eyes red from anger.

Tyler chuckled diffidently at her words. He quickly walked over to explain, “Don’t be upset, Hols. I just thought you’ve been working hard taking care of Cody lately, so I got Nancy to come and help out. This is so you could get some rest too. But if you’re not happy about it, I’ll get her to leave now, okay?”

The corners of Holly’s lips curled up slightly as she stared at him.

Tyler was such a good actor that everyone would’ve believed she was the one he cared the most, that her mood was his top priority.

Just like now. As soon as Holly was unhappy, he’d immediately get Nancy to leave.

But no matter how good an act was, it couldn’t fool someone who had already learned the truth.

Holly was tired. She no longer wanted to play along with him. She parted her lips to reveal the truth.

Suddenly, Cody rushed over and grabbed the hem of her dress. “Mommy, let Aunt Nancy stay. I like Aunt Nancy, and I like playing with her!”

His crying and screaming hurt Holly’s head. She looked at the boy who she had raised for four years, and felt a pang in her heart. “Do you really like Aunt Nancy, Cody? But I don’t like her, so what would you do?”

Cody replied, “Mommy can leave then. I want Aunt Nancy to stay and play with me!”

Holly’s eyes widened. A lump of bitterness filled her throat, and suddenly breathing became hard.

She pulled away from Tyler’s grip and bolted upstairs, locking herself in the bedroom.

Tyler grew anxious and continued to pound on the door. “Please don’t be mad, Hols. I’ll get Nancy to leave now, okay? Since you refused to talk to me now, you should get some rest, okay? We’ll talk once you calm down.”

Holly said nothing as she sat slumped behind the door. Her heart felt as if it was bleeding when she heard Cody’s laughter coming from downstairs.

She was the one who should’ve left, not Nancy. After all, they were the real family of three. She was not a part of the picture.

…

Holly woke up after some time. She realized she’d fallen asleep on the floor, with Nancy sitting opposite her.

“What are you doing here?” Holly supported herself up from the floor, glaring angrily at Nancy. “Get out of my room now!”

Nancy smirked before slowly walking over. “Why are you so mad, Ms. Steward? I’m just here to tell you about your child’s whereabouts.”

Holly scoffed. She knew Nancy was nowhere near as kind-hearted as she portrayed herself to be. “I’ll find my child myself! Now, leave!”

“Oh? Don’t you want to know if your child is a boy or a girl, and what they look like now?” Nancy then opened a video and played it for her.

There was a boy about four or five years old in the video. He was covered in bruises and his cheeks were swollen. Someone was yanking his hair back and forcing something into his mouth.

Holly froze as a sharp pain seized her chest. Even though she had never seen her child, it only took one look to know that that was her son.

“Why is he so badly hurt? What are you forcing down his throat?” she asked furiously, veins popping and her knuckles going white.

“Oh, you know, an orphaned child is just asking to be bullied. Who knows what’s being forced into his mouth—animal or human feces, maybe? All I know is that they’re feces, and he’s being force-fed several times a day!” Nancy’s laughter was smug and wild, her gaze brimming with malice.

Holly couldn’t take it anymore. She rushed forward and slapped Nancy hard. Tyler barged in the next moment.

At that, Nancy immediately hid behind him and started sobbing. “I just came to apologize to Ms. Steward, Mr. Greyson. I wasn’t expecting her to hit me.”

Seeing how Holly was still furious, Tyler’s gaze darted between the two women. He then harshly yanked Nancy out from behind him. “Apologize to Hols now! You deserved to be hit when you’re the one making her angry!”

Stunned, Nancy cupped her face and stared at him in disbelief.

Tyler yelled, “Didn’t you hear me?”

Holly laughed bitterly and shook her head. She refused to watch them put on an act anymore and kicked both of them out of her room.

After a sleepless night, Holly went out as soon as daybreak came.

She couldn’t wait any longer when her child was currently suffering from inhumane torture. She wanted to lodge a police report and get her child back.

But as soon as Holly stepped out of the house, two men in black threw a sack over her.

When she opened her eyes again, she was hanging in an abandoned factory, with over a dozen men in black surrounding her.

Nancy slowly stepped out from behind them. “I see you’re awake now, Ms. Steward.”

Her tone was soft, yet the malice in her gaze was unmistakable.

Holly stared at her, horrified. “What are you trying to do, Nancy?”

“What am I trying to do?” Nancy swung a crowbar around as she laughed manically. “I’m taking revenge for yesterday’s slap!”

She then turned to the men in black and ordered, “You guys, get to work and start beating her up! Mr. Greyson said to just keep her alive!”

Holly was shocked to find that this was Tyler’s doing. Was he going to put her to death just because she slapped Nancy yesterday?

She thrashed around wildly, eyes full of disbelief. She refused to believe he was the one behind this. Surely Nancy was lying to her!

Nancy chuckled as she walked over to Holly. “You don’t believe this is all Mr. Greyson’s doing? I’ll give you a chance to call him then. I’ll let you go if he picks up your call. If he refuses, I’ll continue doing whatever I’m doing.”

At that, Nancy got her men to lower Holly down.

Holly’s hands trembled as she dialed Tyler’s number, but he mercilessly rejected the call after just one ring. She refused to give up and quickly dialed back a second time, but to no avail.

She continued calling him non-stop. As her phone ran out of battery, she also ran out of hope.

Holly chuckled bitterly as tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes. She finally believed it was Tyler’s doing now.

She barely had time to catch her breath before someone yanked her up by the hair. The crowbar then swung against her.

The first blow landed on Holly’s head, causing her to bleed from her forehead immediately. The second struck her waist and stomach, causing her to groan as her body doubled over in pain. The third smashed into her knees, and she could hear her bones shattering.

…

Holly couldn’t tell how much time had passed, or how many blows she’d taken. She was lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, as blood mixed with dirt pooled beneath her.

She forced a faint smile, suddenly realizing just how much of a joke her life had become.

Holly thought even if Tyler and her couldn’t remain married, he’d never hurt her. But in the end, he was willing to kill her, all just for another woman.

She struggled to look up. Her heart ached when she saw Nancy’s smug smile. She wanted nothing more than to personally kill both Tyler and Nancy.

However, Holly couldn’t do that, not when her child was still waiting for her. She had to keep herself alive to bring her child back safe and sound.

Just then, Nancy said, “Hang her up now! Since Mr. Greyson refused to let us beat her to death, we’ll let her rot on her own!”

The next minute, the men in black roughly hauled Holly up, tying her to a beam.

Pain shot through her the moment she was lifted, and her vision went black. The rope cut deep into the wounds on her arms, and there she hung like a rag doll, barely clinging to life.

Nancy stood a few steps away as she shot Holly a vicious look. “If you know any better, you’d get a divorce with Mr. Greyson and get lost! Otherwise, you’ll wish you were dead instead!”

She then turned and left.

Looking at Nancy’s blurry figure, Holly felt her head grow heavier, with nothing but her own ragged breathing left in her ears.

When Holly finally regained consciousness, all she could see was a blinding white.

Tyler was sitting beside the hospital bed, his eyes closed to catch some sleep. He looked beyond worn out with dark circles shadowing his eyes. He hadn’t even shaved.

When he saw Holly opening her eyes, he immediately shot out of his seat and pulled her into his arms. “You’re finally awake, Hols!”

She froze before struggling to push Tyler away.

All Holly felt was despair when she recalled how the same pair of hands had rejected her desperate calls for help.

She said nothing to him, merely staring blankly at the ceiling as she thought of ways to escape the hospital to lodge a police report.

But in the days that followed, Tyler acted as if he were a man possessed. He refused to leave her side. He wiped her down, fed her, read to her, and told her jokes, trying to coax a smile out of her.

Yet Holly no longer smiled—she’d completely given up.

She looked up coldly at Tyler and said, “You don’t have to stay by my side anymore. I’m fine now.”

He froze, voice hoarse as he said, “I’m sorry, Hols. I was in a meeting then, so I couldn’t take your calls.”

Holly started laughing to the point she teared up. It wasn’t that Tyler couldn’t take her calls. It was that he wouldn’t.

“Oh?” She reached out to wipe away her tears. “What are you planning to do to compensate me then? How would you deal with Nancy?”

Tyler frowned when he heard that, looking troubled. “Nancy’s just new to the real world. She didn’t know any better. Hols, for my sake, can you let it slide this time? I promise she won’t ever hurt you again.”

Holly stared at him in disbelief. She wondered if he was actually joking. She almost died in the hands of Nancy, yet Tyler was actually pleading on her behalf?

“So…” She was frowning hard. “The reason you’ve stayed by my side for the past few days was to plead for her?”

Tyler froze before he started denying it. But Holly knew that was what he actually came for.

“Leave!” she yelled loudly. “I don’t need you here by my side. Leave!”

Tyler immediately rushed forward to pull Holly into his arms, yet she pushed him away. The force ripped her wounds open again, and fresh blood quickly soaked through the bandage, dripping down.

She was drenched in sweat from the pain. Although she couldn’t move around, she still yelled, “Leave! Get out of here!”

Helpless, Tyler could only leave the ward. He decided to wait until she calmed down before they talked again.

Holly was the only one left in the ward. She lay slumped on the bed, gasping for breath as her chest tightened in great pain.

After she managed to calm down, she pulled out her phone with trembling hands. She wanted to give the police a call to ask about the updates on her missing child.

At that moment, a call from the police station happened to come through. “Hello, Ms. Steward? We have good news. We’ve managed to locate where your child is being held, and we’re currently preparing to rescue him.”

“Really?” Holly asked, overjoyed as she hurriedly wiped her tears away.

The call was like a shot of adrenaline, pulling her back from the brink of death. Ignoring the pain in her body, she quickly called the embassy and Nathan.

The call to the embassy was to arrange an emergency visa for her child. Meanwhile, she called Nathan to ask him to gather evidence of Nancy kidnapping her.

Holly was hospitalized for an entire week.

On the day of her discharge, Tyler personally sent a car to pick her up. But as soon as she entered the house, she saw Nancy sitting in the living room, dressed in a silk nightgown.

Holly simply headed upstairs without a word.

She wasn’t in the mood to involve herself with Nancy. The police had warned her to act like nothing was wrong if she wanted to get her child back safely. They couldn’t risk alerting anyone.

Holly was sitting in the bedroom for a while when Cody suddenly walked in with a mug.

Her heart softened when she saw him. After all, he was the child she’d brought up herself for the past four years. She still loved him dearly.

Upon seeing Holly seated, Cody obediently brought the mug to her. “You’ve been through a lot recently, Mommy. Have some water.”

She smiled and finished the drink without hesitation. However, she quickly realised something was wrong the next minute.

Holly frowned, looking pained. “What did you make me drink, Cody?”

Cody grinned mischievously. “It’s nothing, just water mixed with some pills. Who told you to keep trying to make Aunt Nancy leave? She said that you’ll fall sick after drinking this water. You won’t have the energy to kick her out when you’re sick!”

Holly froze. She stared at the boy, who she’d carefully taken care of for the past four years. Her face was full of disbelief. He had actually hurt her, his own mother, over an outsider.

No, she wasn’t Cody’s mother—Nancy was.

At that thought, Holly smiled bitterly before passing out.

She could vaguely hear Cody shouting excitedly, “Come quickly, Aunt Nancy! Mommy fainted!”

…

Holly was lying in a basement when she regained consciousness. Darkness surrounded her, and all she could make out was a faint hissing sound.

She felt around and managed to turn on the light. She instantly broke into a cold sweat when she saw dozens of slick, venomous snakes slithering toward her, their blood-red tongues flickering in excitement.

Frightened, Holly immediately backed off, her face pale.

At that moment, Cody spoke up in his childish voice. “Are these snakes fun, Mommy?”

Holly didn’t bother responding. She instinctively tried for the door, but it was locked tight. There was no way to get it opened.

In her panic, she slammed her forehead into something. The snakes caught the scent of her blood and immediately gathered around her.

Holly was left with nowhere to run. The next moment, one of the snakes sank its fangs onto her toe. Its sharp teeth pierced into her flesh, making her sweat in pain.

A second snake lunged at her, and soon the others followed. The bite marks went from red to purple, and her lips began to turn pale.

At that moment, Harvey anxiously shouted, “Please let Mrs. Greyson out, Ms. Kohl! She’s going to die!”

Nancy smirked before crouching down to pull Cody into her arms. She then asked, “What do you think, Cody? Do you want to let your mommy out?”

“No!” He turned to yell at Harvey. “Once Mommy is out, she’ll kick Aunt Nancy out! I don’t want her to leave!”

At that, Holly’s heart grew completely cold.

Cody was once the only reason she was holding onto this family. But now, she no longer had to do so.

Holly felt like she was about to die soon.

At that moment, the basement door suddenly burst open. In her daze, she saw Nathan running toward her in a hur