Chapter 3

I blinked twice, then looked at the pumpkin smashed to pieces on the floor.

I gave Claire a pleasing smile.

“You misunderstood.”

“It’s time.”

“I was just making breakfast oatmeal for you.”

“Don’t worry.”

“If I stab my abdomen with this kind of knife, I won’t die.”

Claire was frightened by my words.

Just as she was about to ask something else, she heard Vivian call her.

“Claire…”

Claire turned her head to look.

When Vivian knocked the knife from my hand, she had caught my sleeve.

The inner side of my exposed arm was covered in horrifying scars, one after another.

Some were so deep that anyone could tell a great deal of force had been used to cut into the flesh.

They were all traces of self-harm.

Under their terrified gazes, I smiled apologetically.

“Did I disturb you?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be quieter.”

Claire and Vivian looked at each other without answering.

They only ordered the staff to send me back to my room and watch me rest properly.

The next morning, Claire woke me up.

She looked like she hadn’t slept all night, with heavy dark circles under her eyes and an unusually still expression.

“Adrian, I’m taking you to the private clinic on the fifth floor of the manor.”

“Vivian brought a professional team.”

“We’re going to give you a physical exam.”

I was very obedient and followed behind Vivian.

I completed each examination one by one.

Blood tests, ultrasound, CT scans, and doctors carefully examining the shocking wounds on my body while recording them and taking photos.

There was also a gentle-looking female doctor sitting across from me.

In an extremely gentle voice, she asked me questions about my sleep, my appetite, my emotions, and those wounds.

I was very good.

If I could answer, I answered.

If I couldn’t answer, I apologized.

The steward always said kneeling made an apology seem more sincere.

Unfortunately, my legs were crippled, so I couldn’t kneel anymore.

After the examinations ended, the three of them sat together and looked at my reports.

I didn’t know what was written inside.

I only saw their faces getting worse and worse.

When the number before my eyes reached 【25:18:03】, Claire finally put down the report in her hand and walked toward me.

Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of scaring me.

“Adrian, the doctor says your body is very weak and needs proper care.”

“Those wounds…”

“The doctor looked at them too.”

“They’re very serious and will take time and patience to treat.”

“Don’t be scared.”

“Here, no one will hurt you again.”

“I’ll hire the best doctors and use the best medicine to help you recover and heal all of this.”

I reached out and pointed at her.

Instinctively, I wanted to say, here, you are the ones who will hurt me.

But Claire clearly misunderstood what I meant and took my fingertip into her hands, holding it against her chest.

“Don’t be afraid.”

“Adrian, we won’t hurt you.”

Listening to her, I found it absurd and strange.

Those three whole years, all those days and nights when I lived worse than death.

Weren’t all of you hurting me together?

When we returned to the living room, Evan had somehow brought Lucas back.

He had heard a little about what happened to me.

He picked Lucas up and stuffed him into my arms, trying to comfort me.

“Adrian, I heard you haven’t been in a good mood lately.”

“Here, let Lucas cheer you up.”

“Children have the purest energy.”

“Looking at him always makes people feel better.”

“You’re sick right now, but you’ll have your own child someday too.”

I looked at Evan’s smiling face, and he seemed like a completely different person from the arrogant man who had blocked the helicopter door earlier.

Had he also been transported to another world?

Very quickly, I denied that answer myself.

Claire and the others wouldn’t bear to do that to him.

Besides, Lucas was pinching me.

Children don’t know how to control their strength.

He had probably understood Evan’s hint.

While sweetly calling me, “Adrian, hold me!” he dug his hands into me with all his might.

His nails had clearly been trimmed on purpose, sharp and quick.

With even a little pressure, it was no different from slicing flesh with a small knife.

One pinch after another, the sharp pain overwhelmed my body until I could barely endure it.

I could feel those wounds already starting to bleed.

I could only try to return the child to Evan.

“My body isn’t well.”

“I’m afraid I’ll drop him.”

“You should hold him.”

Evan nodded, his tone still gentle.

“That’s true.”

“You’re still weak, so you should rest more.”

“Come here, Daddy will hold you.”

Just as he was about to take him.

His hand suddenly loosened, and Lucas fell straight to the floor.

Before I could react, the child’s earth-shattering cries rang out.

Slap!

Evan slapped me hard across the face and cried out.

“Adrian, why did you drop my child?”