Chapter 13
As soon as Summer was wheeled into surgery, Alan slumped back against the wall, looking like he’d lost the last bit of strength he had. His eyes never left the doors to the operating room–he just stared, as if sheer willpower could fix everything.
A bodyguard hovered nearby, nervous. “M–Mr. Clark, Lena is refusing the procedure. She says she won’t do it unless you come and stay with her.”
Alan let out a cold, ruthless laugh that made the bodyguard shrink back.
“If she won’t cooperate, tie her to the operating table. No anesthesia. Cut the baby out. Do it now.”
She’d hurt Summer–there was no way he’d let her go unpunished.
“And those thugs?” Alan asked, voice icy.
“They’ve been dealt with as you ordered, sir,” the bodyguard replied, barely meeting his eyes. “Broken arms and legs, tongues cut out, dumped in the sewer. Just like you said.”
“Make sure they stay alive. Lena’s going to be looking after those men for the rest of her miserable life.”
He rattled off a few more orders before finally waving the bodyguard away. Alan closed his eyes, just for a second, ready to collapse against the wall again–when, out of nowhere, a fist slammed into his face.
He went down hard. Someone straddled him, raining down punches, one after another.
“Alan! Is this how you treat my sister?!” Sam’s voice was raw with fury. His eyes were bloodshot, wild.
Behind him, Amanda and Morgan stormed into the hallway, matching looks of rage on their faces.
Sam only stopped when Alan’s face was swollen, blood streaming from his mouth. He shoved Alan off, delivered a brutal kick to his ribs, then yanked him up and slammed him into the wall–again and again.”
Alan spat blood onto the floor, crumpling to his knees, utterly defeated.
“Dad, Mom, Sam… this is all my fault,” he choked out. “I’ll apologize to Summer. I swear.”
Amanda’s voice was like ice. “Don’t call us your parents! We don’t have a son–in–law like you!”
She could still remember that phone call three months ago–Summer sobbing, telling her Alan had cheated, that there was another woman and a child. Amanda’s heart had shattered. She’d begged Summer to get a divorce.
But she’d never seen the divorce papers. Her daughter never picked up her calls.
They’d sent people to investigate, then caught the first flight out of New York.
Only after landing did they learn the full story–how much Summer had suffered these past months.
Morgan thought of the photos he’d seen of his battered daughter. Fury surged up in his chest.
He kicked Alan hard, sending him sprawling.
“You bastard!“%
“Summer was our only daughter. We protected her from everything, all her life!“?
“We trusted you with her because we thought we knew you. And this is how you repay us?”
He kicked Alan again, even harder.%
Amanda’s eyes were full of anger and heartbreak. She’d thought Alan was a good man–someone who’d make her daughter happy. All those hopes were gone now. “Alan, if you didn’t love our daughter anymore, you could’ve just said so,” Amanda snapped.§
“Why tell her you love her, then sleep with your mistress?”
“How could you let that woman ruin my daughter’s face?”
Alan’s lips trembled, but he couldn’t get a word out. He looked desperate, but nothing he said could possibly make it right.
Sami’s anger flared up again. He raised his foot, ready to kick Alan all over again–when a sharp voice cut through the hallway.” “Don’t you dare touch my son!”
Marie rushed in, throwing herself between Alan and the others, glaring at them like a lioness.
“How dare you hit my son!”
Amanda turned on her, eyes blazing. She remembered all those messages from Summer, all the stories about Marie’s cruelty and bullying
Without a second thought, Amanda slapped her across the face. “It’s not just your son I’ll hit. I’ll hit you, too!“%
She slapped her again, even harder
“Mom!” Marie screamed, trying to fight back, but Amanda grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms behind her
“Mrs. Clark, look at your precious son–cheating on my daughter, letting his mistress ruin her face!”
Marie spat at her feet, her face twisted with hate. “Maybe if your daughter could have kids, my son wouldn’t have needed to look elsewhere! She got what she deserved”
“Shut your mouth!” Amanda snapped
While Amanda kept Marie in check, Morgan’s glare fixed on Alan, who was still crumpled on the floor
“Our lawyer will bring the divorce papers soon,” Morgan said coldly
From today on, you have nothing to do with Summer. Not now, not ever.”
