Chapter 3

Mack couldn't help feeling confused on the way back to the company. Spencer never stuck his nose into anyone else's business. Why had he done so today? Could he have fallen for Lucille at first sight and was finally starting to act like a normal man?

He had to admit that Lucille was pretty—a little too pretty, in fact. But people who could fall for someone at first sight were usually just interested in a person's looks. Spencer couldn't have been pretending to be celibate all these years, could he?

Mack felt like he'd discovered a huge secret. He looked at Spencer, who was exuding a cold presence, and said cautiously, "I swear I'll keep whatever happened today a secret, boss."

Spencer narrowed his eyes at him. "Have you had too little to do lately?"

A chill ran down Mack's spine. He hastily said, "No, of course not.

Understanding the truth was one thing, and saying it aloud was another. He'd worked for Spencer for long enough to know when to keep his mouth shut. It was a trick he'd picked up to keep himself alive.

…

Lucille drove back to her apartment instead of heading to work. Her head ached a little after she took a shower, so she decided to take a nap and get some rest.

When she woke up, the room was shrouded in darkness. She fumbled around for her phone and found it underneath her pillow. She checked the time and saw it was already 7:30 pm.

Then, she saw she'd received a text that had been sent around 4:00 pm. The number was one she'd committed to memory. She didn't read the text. Instead, she got out of bed to get something to eat. She was starving.

The nap had helped alleviate her headache. She found a bag of bread in the refrigerator. It was expiring in a few hours. She also grabbed a bottle of milk and settled on the couch with her food. When she was alone, she was happy enough if she had something to sustain her.

Lucille bit on a piece of bread before grabbing her phone and absent-mindedly checking the text from earlier. She quickly scrolled through it before deleting it. When she was done eating, she changed and left the apartment.

Half an hour later, she showed up at Central Hospital again. This time, however, she found a relatively hidden spot in the garden and took a seat there. Then, she tapped on her phone a few times.

Ten minutes later, a pretty, frail-looking woman appeared before her. She looked so pitiful and fragile that any man would feel the need to protect her. It was no wonder Harold had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Sabrina's act.

Lucille narrowed her eyes slightly and quirked an eyebrow. She smiled and asked, "Are you here to get on your knees and apologize to me?"

Sabrina wore a hospital gown, and her face was still pale from her ordeal. She stood before Lucille, and her eyes were filled with jealousy and hatred. She glared at Lucille and snarled, "What right do you have to make me get on my knees?"

Lucille tucked her hands into her pockets and leaned back lazily. She looked up at Sabrina and savored how the latter looked like a scorpion ready to attack. Sabrina would only reveal her true colors when no one else was around.

Lucille chuckled. "What's wrong? Don't you want your precious Harry anymore?"

Sabrina recalled what Harold had told her earlier in the day. She smiled smugly. "He didn't agree to your stupid request."

Lucille tutted. "Looks like you don't love him that much, after all. Is it that hard for you to sacrifice just a little bit for your and his sake?"

"Shut up, you bitch! You know nothing about my love for Harry! Can't you tell that he's unwilling to see me go through that for him?" Sabrina's face twisted with venom.

Her words grew ever more acrid as her tone was colored by smugness and contempt. "Harry and I are genuinely in love. He doesn't have any feelings for you! So what if you met him first? He still fell head over heels for me, didn't he?

"You're not getting anything out of this, Lucille! I told you that I'd take everything and everyone you cared about. You're no match for me. The Johnson family can only belong to me!"

She stopped to catch her breath. Then, she continued, "If you know what's good for you, you'd better leave the Johnson family and Harry! If you don't, I'll wreck your reputation and make sure you won't ever hold your head high in Whiteloop City!"

Sabrina's venom and threats didn't faze Lucille. She chuckled disdainfully and raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I can't wait to see how things go."

The one thing Sabrina hated about Lucille was how she always looked so cold and unruffled. It was as if nothing got to her. It seemed nothing would ever take her down.

Still, she couldn't help feeling smug at the thought of how Lucille had never beaten her at anything since they were children. So what if nothing bothered her? She was still despised and hated. Sabrina was the one who had everyone's favor.

She said, "Why don't you ever learn, Lucille? You can't defeat me. Everyone knows you're a murderer now. You forced your sister to commit suicide over a man."

Sabrina smiled contemptuously. It seemed particularly creepy in the dark of the night.

Lucille's eyes gleamed coldly as she watched Sabrina. She lowered her voice and asked, "Is that so? Wouldn't I be doing that accusation an injustice since you're still alive, then?"

Sabrina stiffened. "What are you up to?"

Lucille swiftly stretched out a leg and swept Sabrina off her feet. Sabrina screamed and collapsed on the ground with a loud thump. Her shoulder landed first and let out a crisp crack. It hurt like hell.

Then, a sharp pain jolted through her, starting from her head. She couldn't help lifting her head to try to alleviate it.

Lucille had crouched before her and grabbed her by the hair. The pain made Sabrina even paler than before. She scrunched up her face while looking fearful.

"Since you're so eager to see me become a murderer, I'd be wasting your carefully orchestrated act if I didn't actually do something." Lucille smiled coldly.

Her words made Sabrina shudder. She suppressed the pain and snarled, "You wouldn't dare!"

Lucille's smile grew. She retorted, "Why wouldn't I? I've had it up to here with you!"

Sabrina screamed, "Ouch, it hurts!"

Lucille had dragged Sabrina to her feet while keeping a strong grip on her hair. Sabrina felt like her hair was being pulled out by the roots. It hurt more than her shoulder did. She felt like someone was sawing her head in half.

Lucille dragged Sabrina to the nearby pond. At that moment, she wanted to thank Central Hospital's architect for including a pond in the garden. She looked down at Sabrina's face, which was twisted from the pain yet still managing to look pitiful.

Lucille's cold eyes were devoid of sympathy. She even rolled her eyes at Sabrina like she was nothing but a piece of trash.

"If you dare throw me into the pond, Harry won't let you off the—" Sabrina let out a blood-curdling scream before she could finish her sentence. Lucille had flung her into the pond without even batting an eye. It was as if Sabrina was nothing but a bag of trash.

Then, she dusted her hands off and crossed her arms as she watched Sabrina flail around in the pond.

"S-Save me! Help!" Sabrina screamed.

Lucille had picked this particular spot for them to meet because she knew there wouldn't be many people around. Anyway, Sabrina wouldn't die. Everyone thought she couldn't swim, but she was a better swimmer than most.

On the second floor of the nearby building, two dark figures watched the somewhat violent scene play out.

Three minutes later, Lucille sharply caught some urgent footsteps. She surreptitiously shuffled a little further away. Shortly after, she saw Harold show up before her with his assistant, Sean Harrison. Harold looked thunderous as he asked coldly, "Where's Sabrina?"

He'd just gotten off work. He hadn't seen Sabrina in her hospital room, but he'd seen the text Lucille had sent to her. And so, he'd come searching.

Lucille rolled her eyes at him. Couldn't he hear Sabrina screaming for dear life? Was he deaf? She didn't answer him. Instead, she turned to look at the dark pond.

Harold and Sean followed her line of sight, but it was too dark for them to see anything. Sean's eyes widened. "Mr. Quall, I think I hear Ms. Sabrina's voice coming from the pond."

Harold was taken aback. He took a few steps forward. Sean pulled out his phone and turned the flashlight on. He held it high and swept it around. Sure enough, they saw a figure struggling to stay afloat in the pond.

"Harry, save me! Harry!" Harold could hear it now. It was Sabrina's voice!

Lucille couldn't help admiring Sabrina. How in the world had she heard that Harold had arrived?

"Don't be scared, Bree! I'll save you right now!" Harold quickly took his suit jacket off and jumped into the murky pond without a second thought.

Lucille clucked her tongue and watched them coldly. Sean quickly summoned some medical personnel and security guards. Two minutes later, everyone worked together to get the couple out of the pond.

A nurse immediately gave them towels so they wouldn't catch colds. It wasn't winter yet, but it was already fall. The night breeze could get quite chilly.

"Bree? Bree! Wake up! Don't scare me!" Harold cried urgently as he held an ashen Sabrina in his arms.

A nurse said worriedly, "Let's take Ms. Johnson back to her hospital room so that the doctors can check on her, Mr. Quall."

Something like this had happened at their hospital, and Harold and Sabrina were the children of affluent families. She could only pray they would both be fine.

Just then, Sabrina came to. She coughed and opened her eyes weakly. Then, she said, "Don't… don't blame Lucy for this, Harry. She has nothing to do with this."

Then, she fainted. Lucille narrowed her eyes and watched things play out without a hint of concern.

There it was—Sabrina's ultimate move. It worked like magic each time.

Only then did everyone notice Lucille standing at the edge of the crowd. She was dressed in black and had remained silent through the whole ordeal, so she'd blended in perfectly with the night.

Harold's eyes were bloodshot as he glared daggers at her. He said coldly, "I need to talk to you about something later."

Lucille merely scratched her nose carelessly. She didn't say anything.

Harold hurriedly carried Sabrina back to her hospital room.