Part 3After She Disappeared

When the test results came back from the hospital, an exhausted Randall called me.

"Cathy, look what your beast has done. The doctor said Isabelle was kicked in her womb. She'll never be able to have children. This is your fault. Come to the hospital and apologize. If you beg, maybe she'll forgive you for my sake."

My hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

Obsidian was incredibly intelligent. He would never have truly harmed her.

Besides, even I, an outsider, knew that Isabelle had spent years planting her own people throughout Randall’s hospital network. Forging a medical report would be child's play for her.

When I arrived at the O’Neill Family Hospital, a group of doctors glared at me with contempt.

"How can another woman be so vicious? Forcing her animal to attack like that."

"Please. Everyone knows she's just jealous that Ms. Isabelle is Mr. O’Neill's first love."

I ignored them, my gaze fixed on Randall, who was silently feeding Isabelle a spoonful of medicine. He hadn't told anyone about our secret marriage, and it was clear he had no intention of clarifying things now.

I remembered my father’s words about the life debt. I could tolerate being nameless, but Obsidian was my line in the sand.

An apology was out of the question. But I was willing to offer compensation.

"Randall," I said, my voice steady, "this entire incident began because Isabelle attacked Obsidian first. She was the one in the wrong. However, I am willing to give her this hospital as compensation—"

Before I could finish, Isabelle's face went white. She pouted, tears welling in her eyes. "Randall, darling, she's cursing me! Who wants a hospital as compensation? I just want that beast dead! Or I want its stomach cut open!"

Isabelle screamed hysterically, and Randall wrapped his arms around her, soothing her. "Okay, okay, Isabelle, don't get excited. I promise you, darling, whatever you want…"

A cold laugh escaped my lips. "Randall, if you dare touch a single hair on Obsidian's head, I will make you and Isabelle pay a price you cannot imagine."

Randall stood up, his fingers digging into my arm as he leaned in, his voice a venomous hiss in my ear. "Cathy, what do you have to threaten me with now? Have you forgotten that after we married, you signed all of your shares over to me? You're not the Vice President of O’Neill Industries anymore!"

He smirked. "Be a good girl. Be the wife behind the man. Don't talk back to your husband."

His words were like a snake's poison. I looked up at his triumphant face, and my heart turned to ice. Was this truly the descendant of the man who saved my grandfather? How could he be so selfish, so utterly repulsive?

Seeing the dawning realization on my face, Randall smiled. Isabelle, too, looked satisfied. The medical staff in the room snickered.

But I simply pulled out my phone.

"Hello, Linda," I said into the phone. "Issue a corporate directive. Effective immediately, Ms. Isabelle is blacklisted from all O’Neill Industries subsidiaries and affiliates. Anyone who dares to employ her or work with her is to be terminated, no exceptions."

Randall stared at me in disbelief. He lunged forward, snatching the phone from my hand and smashing it on the ground.

"Cathy, are you insane? It's just a horse! Do you have to be so malicious?" He grabbed my wrist, his voice a growl through clenched teeth.

I grinned. "Randall, have you forgotten? Obsidian saved your life. Without him, you would have broken your neck and died during that riding lesson years ago. You wouldn't even be here to be such an ungrateful bastard."

Randall fell silent. He let go of my hand, looking helplessly at Isabelle on the bed. Finally, he turned back to me.

"Cathy, this is the last time. If Obsidian dares to hurt anyone again, I will not be so lenient."

His tone shifted, becoming cold and official. "However, I will be sending out a memo. From this day forward, you no longer have any say or decision-making power in the company. To compensate Isabelle, I will be appointing her to your former position as Vice President, and she will join the core management team."

At this, Isabelle's eyes lit up with joy. The doctors and nurses in the room immediately began congratulating her.

I just laughed, looking at him as if he were the biggest fool in the world.

Did Randall really think I had made a real phone call?

They didn't realize it, but in that moment, I had completely and cleanly severed myself from O’Neill Industries.