Chapter 4A Prison of the Heart, A Captive of Pity

“Never mind. After this is all over, I’ll buy you a better one.”

He answered his own question, effectively silencing the “we’re over” that was on the tip of my tongue.

I scoffed, pulling my hand free and walking toward the front yard.

I stood beside Amber, took the microphone, and spoke the sanctimonious words they wanted to hear.

“Amber is my dear sister.”

“Her mother was not a mistress. She was my father’s second wife.”

“I gave this estate to Amber willingly, a welcome-home gift from a loving sister.”

…

From the crowd, Zach led the applause, his actions cementing Amber’s place in Northwood’s high society.

Just as I was about to leave, Amber tugged on the hem of my dress. “Thank you, sister, for clearing my mother’s name and mine. We haven’t had a proper chance to talk since I came back. Do you have a moment?”

In front of everyone, I couldn’t refuse.

I followed her to a secluded corner of the garden. The moment we were alone, her façade dropped.

“You really thought forcing Dad to send me away all those years ago would work?” she sneered. “The second I’m back, everything is mine. So what if I’m the illegitimate one? With Zach on my side, who in this city would dare to even frown at me?”

“Jenna McQueen, soon enough, you’ll be just like that pathetic old dog of yours—crushed under my heel!”

My gaze drifted past her, to a hidden security camera nestled in the eaves of the garden pavilion.

I let out a small, deliberate laugh. “The Song family would never allow a cripple to become Mrs. Song.”

As I expected, Amber wasn't provoked.

Instead, she slowly, deliberately, rose from her wheelchair. “Surprised? I was faking it.”

Her eyes glittered with malice. “And you just watch. The real show is about to begin.”

“I have your house. And soon, I’ll have your fiancé, too!”

The words had barely left her mouth when she purposefully climbed onto the low railing bordering the garden pond and threw herself in, screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Help! Somebody help me!”

Hearing the cries, Zach came sprinting over.

Without a second thought, he dove into the water and pulled Amber out.

She lay in his arms, her face pale and fragile, and pointed a trembling finger at me. “Jenna, why did you push me? I know you hate me, but to push me into the water when I’m like this… you were trying to kill me!”

Zach clutched Amber protectively, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at me. “Jenna, I thought you were just heartless. I never imagined you were this venomous! Do you have any idea what could have happened? If I’d been a second later, she could have drowned! How could you attack a disabled person?”

“Apologize!” he roared.

I frowned, stunned that he wouldn’t even give me a chance to explain. He had already condemned me.

“She jumped in herself!”

This only enraged him further. “That’s absurd!” he bellowed. “Amber can’t even walk without her wheelchair! How could she possibly jump?”

I raised my hand, pointing towards the pavilion. “There’s a camera. We can check the security footage and see if I’m lying.”

I was about to order someone to retrieve the footage when Zach lunged forward and shoved me hard.

I tumbled backward, plunging into the cold pond water.

“Why bother checking? If you were brazen enough to do it, you were smart enough to cover your tracks.”

He loomed over me as I struggled in the water. “Instead of forcing a fake apology out of you, maybe you should experience what it feels like to drown. Then we’ll see if you ever dare to lay a hand on Amber again!”

The water wasn’t deep, and I fought to get my footing. But Zach was determined to teach me a lesson.

The moment I gasped for air, he grabbed my head and shoved it back under. Water flooded my throat, my airway spasmed, and my lungs felt like they were about to explode. He would pull me up just long enough for me to take a single, desperate breath before plunging me down again.

Over and over, until my body was spent, until I had no strength left to fight, my consciousness fading into a dark, swirling void.

Finally, he mercifully dragged me out and dumped me on the grassy bank, leaving me to cough and splutter in a pathetic heap.

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Go home and think about what you’ve done,” he spat. “I want to see you at Amber’s door with a formal apology tomorrow morning at nine.”

With that, he lifted Amber into his arms and strode away.

The crowd of onlookers stared, their gazes a mixture of pity, amusement, and morbid curiosity, before they slowly dispersed.

I lay on the cold, wet ground, too weak to even move.

“Cough…”

I choked up a lungful of water.

I numbly wiped at the tears I hadn’t realized were falling, and a strange sound escaped my lips—a laugh, quickly dissolving into uncontrollable sobs.

But at least…

At least he had been decisive.

He had suspected me, abandoned me, and tortured me without hesitation.

He had systematically destroyed every last, lingering shred of love I had for him.

And then, I truly laughed.

Here’s to a heart finally dead. Here’s to my freedom.