it's time to settle this score

Chapter 5 It's time to settle this score!"Do you realize that taking 1000 milliliters of blood from an adult can be fatal? That's attempted murder!"

"Celia."

River looked at Cecilia with a complex expression. Cecilia was still reeling from the pain of the blood loss, her mind filled with thoughts of revenge against Zinnia. Caught off guard by the accusation, she struggled to find an explanation.

"I..." She was filled with regret, wishingshe had chosen to end Zinnia's life swiftly rather than dragging out her torment. She couldn't let River's sympathy shift towards Zinnia.

Biting her lip, she decided to play her strongest card.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried, tears streaming down her face as she threw herself into River's arms. "I hate her! I hate her for making me lose you and for making us lose our only child!"

"You married her and made her Mrs. Shaw, while I'm just a sickly woman. The child is gone, and you don't wantme anymore. I'm destined to be alone forever..."

Mentioning the unborn child brought a flash of intense pain to River's eyes. It was his first and only child. Celia's miscarriage had damaged her womb, and he would never have children again.

"How could I not want you? She's the one who ruined our lives."

River gently embraced Cecilia, as if she were a precious treasure, and turned to Zinnia with a look of hatred, as if he could tear her apart."Zinnia, you killed Celia's child. Even if Celia wants your blood, it's what you deserve!"

Cecilia leaned against River's shoulder, casting a triumphant glance at Zinnia where he couldn't see. The child was her unbeatable weapon.

Zinnia, what do you have to fight me with?

"Ha..."

The mention of the nonexistent child ignited a fierce anger in Zinnia's eyes. Because of Cecilia's lie, she had wasted three years of her life, been torturedbeyond recognition, and ultimately lost everything.

These two perpetrators dared to stand on a moral high ground, judging her with righteous indignation?

I've had enough of this!

"Why don't you ask Cecilia if that so-called child ever existed? What really happened?!"

"Ah!! My child!!!"

Cecilia, fearing River might consider Zinnia's words, let out a loud wail and pretended to cry in grief, looking at Zinnia with feigned innocence."Zinnia..."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken revenge on you. I didn't mean to fall for River or have his child. But the child is innocent, how could you..." Celia kept talking about a child that didn't even exist!

"You never even..."

"Enough!!"

Zinnia was about to reveal the truth when River cut her off sharply.

"Celia has already apologized, Zinnia. Don't push it!""Am I pushing it, or are you just protecting a murderer?" Zinnia shot back with a fiercer glare.

"I said enough!" River stood up with a dark expression, grabbing her arm roughly and dragging her out of the hospital room.

Zinnia was thrown out, her back slamming hard against the wall, leaving a large bruise.

"Zinnia!"

Before she could react, River gripped her chin tightly, ignoring her pained expression, forcing her to look into hiseyes.

"You think you deserve an apology from Celia?!" His handsome face was filled with disdain and mockery.

"Don't forget, you killed her child. Even if she killed you, it wouldn't be too much. You're just a crim—"

"Slap!!"

Zinnia used all her strength to slap him hard across the face.

"The real criminals are you two! Let me say it one last time, I never forced you to marry me, and I never harmed Cecilia!"They were the ones who acted like murderers yet pretended to be victims, looking down on her from their moral high ground, judging her at will!

Why should she stand for it?!

Cecilia spun a lie, and River played the executioner, using her kindness to control and exploit her, pushing her to the brink time and time again until she was dead!

They were the ones who deserved to go to hell!

This slap, compared to the torment she endured in her past life, was still toolight... too light!

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

After a few seconds, River slowly turned his head back, the temperature around them dropping to freezing.

He hadn't heard a word Zinnia said, his eyes filled with a murderous rage.

"Zinnia! How dare you..."

"Why wouldn't I dare?!"

In her past life, she had been terrified of making River hate her, never daring to fight back no matter how he treatedher.

Today, she finally vented a lifetime of frustration!

"River, let's get a divorce!"

Zinnia broke free from his grip, speaking coldly.

In that moment, she felt a calmnessIn her past life, she had clung to the hope of clearing up the misunderstanding with River, that she never forced him to marry, never hurt Cecilia.She had held onto a sliver of hope, thinking River was deceived by Cecilia's lies.

She even considered telling River the truth about the child, but today's events brought her back to reality. He only believed Cecilia's words, and it seemed he wanted her to be guilty. River was out for revenge against her. She must have been blind in her past life to have loved him.

"Another trick?" River sneered, clearly dismissing her words. How could a woman who schemed her way into the Shaw Family so easily want a divorce?Zinnia frowned, her expression serious. "I'm serious!"

A buzzing interrupted them as both their phones rang simultaneously. It was a voice message from River's mother. "Family dinner tomorrow night. Come to the old house to celebrate Grandma's birthday."

River's eyes turned icy. "You're bringing up divorce now to make Grandma aware and pressure me?"

"Of course not. I just want a divorce from you!" Zinnia emphasized, but River wasn't listening."Zinnia, I despise scheming women. Tomorrow night, you better play the role of Mrs. Shaw, or else..." He leaned in, a cruel smile on his face. "I'll make your life a living hell."

Zinnia ignored his threat, lifting her gaze. "But I'm tired of being Mrs. Shaw."

"Is that so?" River laughed dismissively, still not taking her seriously.

From the hospital room came Cecilia's cries of pain, and River immediately left Zinnia to attend to her.

"Jerk! I'll make you take this divorce seriously!" Zinnia clenched her fists,resisting the urge to storm in and hit him.

In her past life, the Shaw family's mother and daughter had mistreated her when River ignored her. For River's sake, she had endured, only for them to become even more relentless.

The entire Shaw Family thought she was a clinging vine, unable to live without them and never daring to leave. That banquet had been a humiliation for her.

It was time to settle the score. Tomorrow night at the family dinner, she would make the entire Shaw Family

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