Chapter 6
My voice was calm, almost too calm.
“Me? What kind of power do I have to give a grown man cancer? If I were really that powerful, I wouldn’t have let this family drain me dry for five years of marriage.”
“Honestly, marrying into the Thompson family was my real misfortune.”
Mrs. Thompson nearly passed out from rage. When she finally regained herself, she came at me like a wild animal, but the relatives were quick to hold her back.
Even so, her years of hard labor had left her with strong hands. One of them cracked across my face, leaving my skin burning and my head spinning.
Seizing the moment, Olivia barked:
“Pay up, now! Or we’ll call the cops!”
“What cousin? What loan? Cut the crap!” Mrs. Thompson spat, her eyes blazing. “I know what you’re up to. You saw Jack was a lost cause and now you’re trying to run off with the money!”
“As long as I’m standing here, your little scheme won’t work.”
The relatives around her weren’t holding back now. They gathered around me, throwing accusations with abandon.
“Yeah, she looks so sweet, but her heart’s colder than ice!”
“Jack was her husband for five years! Now that he’s dying, she’s gonna get most of the estate. If it’s not about money, then what is it?”
“You think terminal illness takes forever? She probably knew about Jack’s condition before she even married him. That’s why she came into this family! We worked our butts off for that wedding, and now we’re just being played! Where can we go to get justice? If you don’t hand over the money, you’re not leaving this hospital!”
Their voices were sharp, turning me into the villain in front of everyone.
Even the onlookers felt sorry for the Thompsons.
“Your husband’s sick, lady. If you become a widow, life’s gonna get tough. Why are you being so stubborn? Your mother-in-law is just worried about her son. She’s trying to look out for you too!”
“You’ve got the money, so why not save him? It’s not like the person inside is a stranger! These relatives aren’t out to steal from you. Just pay for the surgery!”
“Yeah, stop wasting time. If you don’t, things will get way harder for you once your husband’s gone. I lost my husband years ago, and I was bullied for 20 years. I still regret it.”
Someone in the crowd pulled out their phone and started streaming the whole thing. They gave a live account of what was happening.
In no time, my name was trending.
The internet exploded with fury over a “heartless wife” abandoning her husband’s treatment for money. Furious netizens even threatened to storm the hospital and “serve justice” to the Thompson family.
They called me a murderer, demanding immediate retribution.
As I watched the chaos unfold in the comments section, I couldn’t help but let out a cold, bitter laugh.
“I’m being confrontational? I’m just taking back what’s mine. What’s wrong with that?”
“Do I have to toss money at these vultures to be seen as respectful?”
“In five years of marriage, what did I give this family? When he said his mom was sick, he took my wedding money. Then when the house needed repairs, he took two years’ worth of my salary. Did I ever complain?”
“And now he’s dying, and they still want to bleed me dry? No way. Not a chance. You brought all this on yourselves.”
Before Mrs. Thompson could open her mouth again, Olivia, looking more desperate than ever, charged at me, ready to search my body herself.
