Chapter 6 Captive Pets

When Emma had cried enough and her sobs finally subsided, she faced reality and let out a bitter laugh.

"Marcus, you hate me that much, don't you?"

Only then did he move his wrist slightly, his tone casual yet hitting all her weak spots.

"Looks like your emotions still aren't stable. Emma, I'll keep your mother's belongings safe for you. When you've completely learned to behave, I'll return them."

Emma's pupils contracted sharply, as if struck by lightning. She couldn't believe her ears!

The emotions she'd just calmed came flooding back even stronger.

"You can't do this! Marcus! You promised me once that you wouldn't let anyone use my mother's things to threaten me! You know, you know how much my mother means to me!"

Emma practically screamed, stumbling out of bed trying to rush over and stop him, but all her strength seemed drained.

He completely ignored Emma's breakdown. Only when he reached the door did he turn back, emotions churning in his eyes that others couldn't understand, yet he only left her with one sentence.

"Emma, vows only matter the moment they're made, don't they?"

"Give them back! Those are my mother's things! This is imprisonment! Marcus!"

The only response Emma got was the sound of the door closing.

Emma collapsed on the cold floor. Her last bit of hope was completely extinguished. She couldn't hold back anymore and broke down crying, hugging her knees.

If she'd known it would come to this, she never should have fallen for him in the first place.

Emma didn't know when she had cried herself to sleep.

When she woke up again, all she felt was a headache that was about to explode.

Emma dragged her weak body out of the room, wanting to go to the hospital.

Just as she walked downstairs, her legs suddenly gave out. All her strength seemed to drain away instantly, and her body fell forward uncontrollably.

Emma closed her eyes, waiting for the sharp pain of hitting the cold floor, but the expected pain never came. Instead, she fell into a familiar, warm embrace.

His unique cedarwood scent filled her nose.

Just as Emma was about to look up, everything went black, and she completely lost consciousness.

After being unconscious for who knows how long, she first smelled the sharp scent of disinfectant.

Before her eyes was a stark white wall, and she felt the cool touch on the back of her hand as the IV drip slowly released medication.

"Is this a hospital?"

Emma's mind was foggy. She suddenly remembered the baby in her belly and panicked.

She grabbed the doctor who was preparing medicine nearby, her fingertips trembling.

"Doctor, how's my baby? Is he okay?"

The doctor's eyes held sympathy. "The fetus is fine for now. Your arm burn has been treated, but you're in poor condition. You must rest and can't overwork yourself anymore. Since you're going to be a mother, you should be more responsible. And your husband—how could he just leave you here and go?"

Emma didn't hear or care about the rest of the complaints.

She murmured, "That's good, as long as the baby's okay."

She collapsed back onto the bed. Her tense heart finally relaxed, but tears couldn't help falling.

The thought in her mind grew stronger—she couldn't go on like this. For the sake of her child, she had to escape!

Being hospitalized today was the perfect opportunity!

Emma frantically found her phone and sent a trembling message to Mary, asking her to come pick her up.

Just as she sent the message, before getting a reply, the sound of high heels came from outside the door—sharp and familiar.

Emma's heart tightened. She quickly stuffed her phone under the pillow and stared at the door.

Sure enough, Evelyn pushed the door open, her face showing undisguised dissatisfaction and jealousy. Her eyes swept over Emma, finally curling into an ambiguous smile.

"Emma, you've got some tricks. You actually got Marcus to personally take you to the hospital."

She walked to the bedside, leaning close to Emma, her voice as soft as a snake's hiss. "How about we make a bet? Let's see if Marcus really loves you. If he loves you, I'll leave immediately and never bother you again. If he doesn't, you get lost obediently. How about it?"

Emma frowned, not wanting to engage with her, but Evelyn threw a tablet hard onto the bed.

Emma picked it up in confusion. On the screen was surveillance footage from their living room, paused at the moment she fainted this morning.

In the footage, the instant her body went limp and fell, Marcus almost immediately stood up, rushed over in a few steps, and steadied her in his arms.

His movements were urgent, even panicked. He kept calling Emma's name as he looked down, and despite Evelyn's attempts to stop him, he carried her straight out the door and drove away.

Shock and joy surged through her, making Emma almost forget the desperate situation she was in.

The tablet was suddenly snatched away. Evelyn gestured with her eyes toward the door, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

Emma followed her gaze and saw Marcus talking to a doctor outside the door.

Her heart instantly tensed up, holding onto one last shred of hope.

But reality crushed all of Emma's fantasies.

Marcus's voice wasn't loud, but every word floated clearly into her ears.

"If she dies, just take her straight to the crematorium. You don't need to report it to me."

Instantly, Emma's mind went blank.

The flutter of emotion and hope from moments ago felt like ice water had been poured over her, chilling her to the bone.

Emma laughed bitterly, laughing until tears almost came out.

So that's how it was. He carried her to the hospital not out of concern.

He just didn't want her dying in his house, dirtying his place.

"See that?" Evelyn stood by the bed, contemptuously patting Emma's cheek, her tone full of mockery and ridicule.

"You didn't really think Marcus still had feelings for you, did you? Emma, you're pathetic."

Emma opened her mouth but found she didn't even have the strength to argue back.

She just lowered her head, her heart hurting so much that even breathing felt difficult.

After a long while, Emma let out a soft laugh, her voice hoarse and filled with endless sorrow. "Yeah, really pathetic."

The moment the door closed, Emma couldn't hold back anymore. She buried herself in the blanket and cried out loud.

She hated Marcus—why did he keep giving her hope only to crush it with his own hands!

She hated Evelyn—she had just returned but could so easily take away what belonged to her.

She hated herself even more—for not having the ability to protect her own child.

Just then, the phone under her pillow suddenly vibrated. It was Mary calling.

Emma hurriedly wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound normal.

But the moment she answered, her heavy crying voice gave everything away.

"Emma, you've been crying? Did that jerk bully you again!" Mary cursed angrily on the other end.

"Tonight I'll secretly come to the hospital to pick you up. Avoid those nurses and guards—I'll wait for you at the hospital entrance! You have to escape this time. He doesn't love you at all. Stop being foolish!"

"I know." Emma forced a smile, her heart full of bitterness.

What everyone else could see clearly, she had deceived herself about for three years, trying to melt his cold heart with her sincerity.

Now it seemed truly stupid.

Tonight was her only chance!

She finally made it to evening. Emma watched for the gap during the nurses' shift change, borrowed a mask from the patient in the next bed, tucked her hair into a hat, disguised herself as an ordinary visitor, and quietly slipped out into the hallway.

In the quiet stairwell, there was only the sound of her footsteps and her racing heartbeat.

Third floor, second floor, first floor.

Finally, the exit on the first floor was right in front of her.

At the entrance, Mary had been waiting. Seeing Emma's figure, she immediately rushed over and hugged Emma tightly, her voice full of concern.

"Emma, how did you let yourself get like this? Quick, come with me! I think I just saw that jerk come here too!"

Emma nodded, her heart full of excitement about being freed, and quickly ran with her toward the car.

But just as Emma bent down to get in the car, a hand with defined knuckles suddenly pressed against the car door, forcefully pulling open the door that was about to close.

The familiar cedarwood scent hit her face.

Emma looked up along that hand and met his eyes.

Marcus's cold, grim face was right before her. The pressure around him was frighteningly low, his deep eyes locked onto her.

Every word seemed squeezed through his teeth. "Where are you going this late at night?"