Chapter 3

I whipped my head around to look at Mikhail, desperate to find answers in his face, but he actually looked away—he wouldn't even meet my eyes!

In that instant, I understood everything!

Seeing my expression, Margaret completely lost it. "Look at that shameless face! You don't even regret what you've done!" The sharp crack of her palm against my cheek echoed through the chapel. "Kill this evil bitch who murdered our bloodline! She doesn't deserve to live!"

The other Volkov family members immediately swarmed around me like rabid animals, shoving and cursing with vicious hatred:

"Get out of this church! A heartless woman like you has no right to pray for children!"

"We should lock her in the dungeons and let her rot!"

I was so weak I could barely stand, wanting nothing more than to say one final prayer for my poor unborn child, but these people were like lunatics trying to throw me out!

My forehead slammed hard against the stone pillar, blood instantly gushing out and streaming down my cheeks. My body swayed unsteadily before I crashed to the ground, my white dress now filthy with dirt.

"Enough! Everyone stop!" Mikhail finally rushed over, shielding me with his body. "The child's death was completely accidental! This has nothing to do with Calliope! Anyone who dares touch her again will answer to me!"

His commanding presence as head of the family made everyone step back. Then he scooped up my bloodied form and carried me upstairs.

In the room, he frantically pulled out a medical kit to tend to my wounds.

But there wasn't an ounce of gratitude in my eyes. I just stared at him coldly: "It was Bianca who fed my child's remains to the dogs. Why is your mother saying I did it?!"

Mikhail's hand clearly froze as he reached for the gauze: "Calliope, you know Bianca's position in the family is awkward. She's just an adopted daughter—the family members already look down on her. Just take the blame for this, and as compensation, I'll transfer half the estate's assets to you."

Listening to his words, a bone-deep chill washed over me. He actually wanted me to take the fall for the woman who killed my child! In his eyes, my dignity and reputation as his wife mattered less than sparing Bianca a little discomfort.

I'd just lost my child, was broken in body and spirit, and instead of comforting me, he wanted me to bear guilt that wasn't mine.

Estate assets, money as compensation—it was all a joke compared to the pain of losing my child.

Besides, I'd stopped caring about any of that long ago.

I looked at him expressionlessly: "Do whatever you want. I don't care."

He visibly relaxed, then began nervously explaining: "Bianca and I grew up together. I've always treated her like a little sister. I can't just watch the family abandon her!"

I laughed coldly inside. People only desperately explain when they're deeply in love—and I'd stopped loving him long ago!

Just then Marco burst in frantically: "Boss! This is bad! Miss Bianca is downstairs fighting with Viktor! They're going at it hard!"

Mikhail instantly dropped the gauze: "Calliope, bandage yourself up. I have to go check on this!"

Watching his hurried retreating figure, despair flooded my heart.

My wound was still bleeding, the bandaging incomplete, yet he rushed downstairs to protect Bianca, terrified she might suffer the slightest grievance in the argument.

Viktor's furious roar echoed from below: "I'm your brother! But I have to say this today—you're being way too unfair to Calliope! She just miscarried, her body's so weak, and you're making her take the blame for that woman?! Bianca killed your child, and you're still protecting her?!"

"Everyone in the family can see she's acting! Only you're so bewitched you can't think straight!"

"Viktor! Know your place! Family decisions aren't up for debate!" Mikhail's voice turned frighteningly cold.

"Mikhail! Calliope is a good woman—she doesn't deserve this treatment! If you keep this up, you'll lose everyone's support! I'd rather stand with Calliope than watch you destroy everything for some adopted daughter!"

"Enough! I don't want to hear another word!"

Then came heated arguing, followed by slamming doors and a car engine starting.

Clearly, Mikhail had left the estate with Bianca, though Viktor's angry voice still echoed downstairs.

Not long after, Margaret stormed upstairs with several loyal thugs, murderous intent blazing in her eyes.

"Mikhail's gone! No one can protect you now!" Her eyes burned with vicious hatred. "You killed my grandson! I swear I'll make every day you spend in the Volkov house feel like living hell!"

The thugs immediately bound me and dragged me to the backyard pool.

December night, temperatures near freezing, and the pool was filled with bone-chilling ice water! Margaret kicked me into the pool and grabbed my hair, forcing my head underwater!

"My grandson froze to death in your womb! Today you'll taste the ice water for yourself!"

The ice water instantly sent my entire body into spasms—I felt like my blood would freeze! I thought painfully about whether my poor child felt this same despair, slowly losing warmth in my womb...

Those thugs went crazy throwing ice blocks into the water, making the temperature even more deadly! Margaret viciously ordered them to whip my exposed parts with leather straps: "You evil woman! This is exactly how you deserve to die!"

The whips burned against my skin, combined with the ice water's assault—it was worse than death!

"You're a medical researcher! Why didn't you save your own child?!" Margaret screamed accusations while cursing. "You were getting revenge on Mikhail! You hate that he loves Bianca, so you deliberately killed his only child for revenge!"

With every sentence, she had the thugs pour another bucket of ice water over me!

I laughed bitterly inside. Look at that—even Margaret could see that Mikhail truly loved Bianca. Only he was still lying to himself!

Margaret completely lost her mind. She repeatedly let me nearly drown before pulling me up for a second or two of air, then viciously shoving me back under! After torturing me like this over a dozen times, my whole body turned purple, my lips went black, and I couldn't stop shaking violently!

Just as consciousness completely faded, I heard footsteps, followed by Viktor's anxious voice: "My God, her lips are black! She'll die at this rate! Get a doctor!"

Before completely losing consciousness, I thought of my poor child.

I'm sorry, baby. Mommy couldn't protect you...