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"Homewrecker doing her'job'in front of millions—loving it!"
"She's got a decent figure.Her boyfriend has taste.Maybe I could…"
Olivia,pleased with herself,rallied the stream."Should we make her call me'mistress'?"
The chat roared approval.
She demanded I say it.I refused.She hit my head.
Even then,I wouldn't utter it—not in front of millions.
Furious,she grabbed a chair."Won't talk?I'll smash you until you do."
I stayed silent.
Bang!
She slammed it down without hesitation.
Blood streamed from my head,warm down my neck.
I still refused.She raised the chair again.
Suddenly,Ethan's voice cut through.
"Dr.Evans,I've been waiting upstairs.Why haven't you started my surgery?"
Olivia turned,seeing Ethan at the door.
Her vicious expression melted into joy."Ethan!"
He ignored her,rushing to me,pulling me from the mob.
"Dr.Evans,what happened?"
Freed,I relaxed,standing with his help.
He saw the costume and quickly covered me with his jacket.
I gave a weak smile."Sorry,Mr.Marshall.No surgery today."
Physically and mentally,I was spent.
The sting of pepper spray lingered, needle marks dotted my skin,blood streaked my face,and the humiliation of the costume clung to me.
My smile,in this state,looked ghastly.
Ethan trembled with rage.
He called for help,demanding doctors and nurses to treat me.
Then,low and cold,"Who did this to Dr.Evans?"
As the son of a billionaire, he was clever.He'd pieced it together.
His question pressured the mob.
Seeing him defend me and turn his fury on them,the mob hesitated.
Olivia's promise of money relied on Ethan's wealth.
No one answered.
Olivia,desperate,pushed me aside,grabbing Ethan.
I stumbled,nearly falling.He caught me.
She gritted her teeth,whining,"Ethan,you care about this bitch that much?"
He looked up,stunned."What?You thought Dr.Evans was my mistress?"
Olivia,less sure,mumbled,"Isn't she?"
I laughed coldly.Too late to believe me now.
Ethan turned to me for answers.
I said,"You gave me flowers,so she brought a mob,called me a homewrecker,livestreamed it,and attacked me."
Before I finished,Olivia screamed,"No,you are!You took his flowers,and he said he was'waiting'for you on the phone!"
Ethan lowered his head,disappointed."You don't trust me?And you hurt Dr.Evans like this?We're done."
Olivia collapsed,clutching his arm,begging,even kneeling.
He stayed silent.
Seeing their messy breakup unravel before me,and needing treatment for my wounds,I said,"Mr.Marshall,I'm going to get bandaged.I'll leave you two to sort this out."
He tried to stop me,but I waved him off and headed to the ER.
At the door,I turned back."Those who humiliated me today—I won't let them go."
I left them staring after me.
In the ER,I was patched up,tested for infections,and vaccinated.
By midnight,I rushed to the hospital's back lot.
The dumpster was cleared.I asked a janitor where the trash went.
"The landfill,"she replied.
At the landfill,towering piles of garbage loomed in every direction.
Finding a ring there was impossible.
I thought of my husband,his final words echoing in my mind,"It's okay,Gracie.I'm just tired.Live well."
I'd promised to honor him and never blame myself for what happened.
This wasn't my fault.Olivia should be the one digging through the trash—not me.
