Chapter 3She Saved a Stray Dog With the Antivenom

My head snapped up in utter shock.

"You are lying!" "Stella, I never lied to you today. Your mother was really bitten by a venomous snake and needed that serum." "She called your name until her final breath, and you didn't even care enough to check. If you don't believe me, I will call the morgue right now."

Stella marched forward and slapped me hard across the face.

She let out a cruel laugh. "After all those words, you're just mad that I didn't fall for your trap, aren't you?" "You said my mom was dying? Open your eyes and look closely. My mom texted me half an hour ago to tell me she was perfectly safe!"

She shoved her phone screen directly into my face. The contact labeled 'Mom' had indeed sent a message thirty minutes ago.

Princess, everything is fine.

But I knew Martha inside and out. She never, ever called Stella 'Princess'. That message was absolutely not sent by her.

I opened my mouth to point this out. But Felix stepped right into my personal space. He threw an arm over my shoulder in a mock-friendly gesture.

"Arthur, the institute invited you to join us earlier this year, but you rejected the Director's offer because you weren't happy with the salary. Now you're jealous that we made a breakthrough, and you want to steal the formula to sell it? That is just pathetic." "When you get to the station, make sure you confess everything. Maybe you can learn to be a better person when you get out."

His blatant provocation completely snapped my last nerve. Not even caring that the police were standing right there, I drove my fist straight into his smug face.

"Why don't you just die, you absolute piece of trash?"

The man beneath me didn't even try to fight back. He practically absorbed my punches, making sure to dramatically cover his face and whimper.

"Arthur, I know you hate me." "But I never blamed you for interfering in my marriage or harassing my wife. How do you have the nerve to play the victim here?"

Stella decided to drop all pretenses. She forcefully shoved me away from him. Then, she pulled a document from the coffee table drawer and threw it directly at my face.

"You are the one trespassing, and you are the one who deserves to rot!" "Read it carefully, Arthur. Half a year ago, you voluntarily signed an agreement giving up all marital assets. What right do you have to bark in my house?" "You maliciously slandered my mother's name for your own selfish greed, and you assaulted my husband. I am not letting this go!"

The sharp edge of the thick paper sliced a thin cut across my cheek. But I acted as if I couldn't feel it. My hands tightly gripped the thin sheets of paper.

So, she had planned this all along. Even this house, the one I had purchased entirely with my own money, was now legally a "voluntary gift" I had handed over to her.

After a long silence, I looked up, a mocking smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"You really played a good game, Stella." "But I promise you, you are going to regret this."

She crossed her arms, watching coldly as the police handcuffed me and led me to the cruiser.

Right as the car door was about to close, I saw Felix pull a phone out of his pocket behind Stella's back. My mind exploded. My eyes went wide.

That was Martha's phone. Why on earth did he have it?

Felix shot me a triumphant, arrogant smirk. I could clearly read his lips.

You are always going to be a loser.