Cliff left the funeral early with Lindsey. On the way home, he sighed heavily. Lindsey reached for a Kate cat pendant in the backseat but accidentally knocked over a folder beside her.”
Cliff picked it up and glanced through its contents–it was my medical report from the mental hospital, the one I had left in the car. As he flipped through it, he realized something was off: several results were duplicated, and much of the information was missing. His expression darkened with suspicion and frustration.
After arriving home, he immediately instructed lan to investigate my real medical history from the hospital. Ian hesitated.”
Cliff noticed. “What’s wrong, lan? This shouldn’t be difficult.”
lan avoided eye contact. “It’s not difficult, but…“}
Cliff’s brows furrowed. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.””
lan finally sighed and said, “Young Master, I advise you not to pursue Mrs. Hooper anymore. She’s suffered… more than you know!” Cliff’s expression changed. “What do you mean? What happened to Vivian?”
lan reluctantly revealed the truth behind my stay at the hospital. The more Cliff heard, the darker his face became. His mind went blank–he didn’t want to imagine what I had endured. Without another word, he drove straight to the mental hospital and demanded the director hand over the complete and unaltered records.
After a full day and night of investigation, Cliff finally obtained the full report.”
Meanwhile, with 18 days left until the official transfer, I had already taken over my parents‘ shares in Hooper Group and begun managing internal affairs. With prior knowledge and hands–on practice, I quickly adapted to the role. My target was clear–Curtis Enterprise.
I had quietly recruited Cliff’s former secretary, Shayne. She was now my assistant, though officially just a regular staff member at Hooper Group. With her guidance, I learned how Cliff operated, and used that to win several rounds of bidding against him. My plan was progressing steadily.
Unaware of these corporate maneuvers, Cliff returned home enraged by the full truth of my medical report.
Ginger had been trying to repair their relationship after their last fight, but this time, nothing she said could help.”
He stormed into the house and threw the report in front of her. “How long are you going to keep pretending? I know everything about what happened to Vivian.””
Ginger’s expression stiffened at the mention of my name. She tried to feign ignorance. “Wh–What are you talking about, honey?” She reached to embrace him, but Cliff shoved her off.”
“Stii! lying? I know she was abused in that place–eating pig food, humiliated, beaten…” His voice shook with rage.”
Ginger paled and trembled. She tried to explain, but Cliff cut her off again.”
“It was you, wasn’t it? You found those people. Don’t think Vivian won’t take revenge. She’s in control of Hooper Group now. She has both power and motive.”
His eyes burned. “And the most important thing–you made her lose our child. The doctor told me everything.””
Ginger went limp with fear. She hadn’t even known I was pregnant.”
“You monster. Get out.” Cliff grabbed her belongings and prepared to throw them out.”
“No–please! I didn’t know she was pregnant. I just wanted revenge, I didn’t mean for that to happen!” Ginger clung to him, sobbing.§ “You killed my child!” Cliff roared, his voice breaking.”
“But Vivian killed the baby in my belly first. That was your child too. This is only fair!” Ginger screamed, hysterical.
Though he never publicly acknowledged it, Cliff knew he had once had a one–night stand with Ginger, and the child she lost had likely been his.”
“It’s all her fault. That vicious woman-” Ginger wept, but Cliff’s heart had gone cold.”
He no longer had any affection for her. He told lan to make arrangements for her care until the baby’s due date–if it was ever born again. Then, he ordered her to leave.
After she left, Cliff began cleaning out her belongings. Among the expensive gifts and personal items, he found a hidden disc. He hesitated, then played it.
It was a video–of me, being tortured in the mental hospital.
He froze. My screams echoed in the room.
His hands trembled with fury. Without another thought, he shattered the disc and set it ablaze. Ginger had kept it–proof that she was behind it all.
Cliff stared into the flames, unable to comprehend how cruel she had been.}
Just as he was about to burn the rest of her things, something caught his eye at the bottom of the box–a pregnancy test stick. Faintly yellowed with age, it was the one she’d kept after discovering she was pregnant from their one–night stand. She must have been ecstatic then.
3.32 FIVI
was behind it all.
€
Cliff stared into the flames, unable to comprehend how cruel she had been.”
Just as he was about to burn the rest of her things, something caught his eye at the bottom of the box–a pregnancy test stick Faintly yellowed with age, it was the one she’d kept after discovering she was pregnant from their one–night stand. She must have been ecstatic then.
Holding the stick, Cliff’s eyes filled with tears.
“I’m sorry, Nian Nian,” he whispered. “It was my fault our child never came into this world.”
The truth was this: back then, upon learning of Ginger’s pregnancy, Cliff had suspected the child was his. But to protect his reputation and prevent scandal, he had made a cruel decision.
He gave me a so–called pregnancy–preserving medicine to deliver to Ginger–but it was actually an abortion drug. After a few days, just before the medicine took effect, he had leaked compromising photos of me and my brother, ensuring the public would believe Ginger lost the baby from emotional trauma.§
Ginger blamed it all on me. So when I was institutionalized, she took her revenge, never knowing I, too, was pregnant.”
Now Cliff could see it clearly: everything had come full circle. Karma. Retribution.
He burned the rest of Ginger’s belongings without hesitation.
After she moved out, Lindsey often asked about her–just like she once asked where I had gone.”
Cliff didn’t respond directly. Instead, he talked about me. He told Lindsey that from the day she was born, I had taken care of her. I had always protected her, and I would always love her.
“Vivian is your real mother,” he told her gently, squatting down to stroke her hair. “You must be good to her, always,“”
With Lindsey comforted, Cliff returned to work–unaware that while he had been distracted, the world he built was already starting to collapse. The company had undergone a silent but tremendous change.
