Chapter 7
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She kept slamming against the door, begging for an escape route.
“Aaron! Aaron!
Open the door!”
A light chuckle echoed from outside.
“Stop banging, sister-in-law. This door has triple locks, specially installed by brother this morning.”
“He can’t hear you no matter how loud you scream. Brother’s cooking fish for me now. He says he’s never cooked for you? Really?”
“Oh, and I prepared a surprise for you. One of those snakes is venomous. Care to guess which?”
Her humming faded into the distance.
Ashley stared at the writhing creatures, despair flooding her heart.
At eleven that night, Aaron came to unlock the door.
“Found any of that tolerance you’re so famous for?”
Only silence answered him in the darkness.
He turned on the light and saw Ashley passed out on the floor, multiple fang marks dotting her arm.
Panicked, he rushed her to the hospital immediately.
Learning she’d been poisoned by a venomous serpent felt like a lightning strike.
“How… how could this happen…”
He grabbed the doctor by the collar, “Save her! You have to save her!”
Next morning, the moment Ashley opened her eyes, a haggard figure lunged forward, clutching her hand.
“How are you feeling?”
Aaron’s eyes were bloodshot.
Ashley pulled her hand back inch by inch, pressed the call button for the medical staff, and calmly asked about her condition.
“Thank goodness your husband launched a citywide search for antivenom yesterday, sparing no expense to save your
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Chapter 7
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life!”
The nurse recounting this wore an expression of pure admiration.
Ashley remained coolly indifferent, not even bothering with a simple “oh.”
After they left, Aaron immediately explained.
“No venomous serpent should’ve gotten in-I only kept hognose snakes, non-venomous pets. I never meant to hurt
you-‘
Ashley cut him off: “Would you mind not speaking? It’s too noisy.”
Her polite yet distant attitude sent waves of panic through Aaron.
When Ashley prepared for discharge, he sprang up to gather her belongings, handing over daily essentials.
Staring at her silent face, Aaron suddenly felt something vital slipping through his fingers.
He held her tightly, murmuring soft reassurances laced with unconscious panic.
“I’ve found Nicole a place outside. You and our son should move back in-no, our son’s already home. We only need you now.”
Ashley remained silent.
He added, “How about a family trip these days? Haven’t you always wanted a vacation?”
Ashley kept her silence again.
Aaron’s phone rang abruptly-Nicole’s call.
He hesitated, impatience flickering across his expression as he cautiously watched Ashley’s reaction.
Ashley finally spoke: “Answer it.”
From the other end of the phone came Nicole’s sobbing voice, “Bro, it’s all my fault for coming back. I caused you and sis-in-law to fight like this. I’m leaving, you two be well…”
Aaron instantly rushed out of the ward.
Ashley didn’t even bother to glance at his retreating figure. She picked up her bag and went downstairs alone.
First, she went to the civil affairs bureau to get the divorce certificate. Then she returned to that shattered “home” to pick up her son.
“Rui Rui, your dad and I are divorced. Do you want to come with me?”
Rui Rui’s eyes were red. He touched the wound on her arm.
“Dad did this, didn’t he?”
Tears as big as beans rolled down. He said fiercely, “I don’t want him anymore! I hate him!” Ashley touched his face, then held him and got into a taxi, heading straight to the airport.
She sent Aaron the audio recorded in the hospital room that day, then blocked him.
One second before takeoff, her private investigator called.
“Nicole’s been quite active abroad-slept her way through the North American student community. And her adoptive father’s death might involve her.”
Ashley shot upright in her seat.
“Send me the files.”
