Chapter 5
716 Words
Kate stepped into the banquet hall and realized it was never an apology banquet.
Strange stares fixed on her face.
"Isn't this the parent mixer for the elite school? What's she doing here?"
"She buried four babies and still dares to show up?"
"Stay away from her—don't catch her bad luck..."
Kate clutched her handbag and walked inside with no expression.
Lucy was surrounded by wealthy ladies, smiling gently and decently.
"I'm so jealous of you—such a lovely son as Herry, and you're so loved by President Kent."
Lucy smiled and glanced at Kate. "Not really. Kate is doing fine too. Barry has always cared for her all these years."
When the lady heard Lucy mention Kate, she sneered, "Her? If I were President Kent, I would've thrown her out after so many stillbirths! She's just bad luck..."
Kate ignored them all. Her gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Herry playing by the swimming pool.
At the sight of Herry's smile, Kate softened and unconsciously moved closer.
In the next second, a waiter kicked Herry hard in the back.
Herry fell forward, scrambling in panic, and dragged two other children into the water with him.
"Someone fell in!"
Without hesitation, Kate kicked off her high heels and jumped straight into the pool.
The early spring water was bitterly cold. She swam desperately to the nearest child, lifted her up, and pushed her to shore.
Others jumped in one after another to save the rest.
As soon as Kate climbed onto the bank, someone grabbed her hair and dragged her into the middle of the crowd.
She was too weak to resist and fell to her knees, her knees scraping painfully.
"It must have been her! She was the only one by the pool! She couldn't keep her own babies, so she's hurting other people's children!"
The crowd erupted.
"Disgusting! She has no luck of her own, so she's jealous of others! Shameless!"
Someone slapped her first. Then others pulled her hair, kicked her legs, and spat in her face.
Kate curled up on the ground as fists and feet rained down.
"Stop!"
Barry's voice cut through the chaos.
The crowd parted. He stood a few steps away, staring at Kate on the ground.
She was soaked through, her dress torn, her face bruised, her old forehead wound bleeding again.
His heart twisted sharply. His voice turned cold. "Who did this?"
The shouting crowd instantly fell silent.
No one forgot that the last person who publicly humiliated Kate had their company exposed in scandal the next day and never recovered.
Everyone knew how fiercely Barry protected Kate in public.
One person spoke up bravely, "President Kent, she made several children fall into the water! You can't cover for her anymore!"
Lucy rushed into the crowd and picked up the unconscious Herry. "Herry! Herry, what's wrong?!"
Barry frowned and looked at Kate. "Is it true?"
Kate stumbled to her feet and wiped the blood from her mouth. "It wasn't me. I saw it—a waiter kicked Herry into the water."
Barry was silent for a few seconds. "Fine. I'll believe you once."
All the waiters were called over.
Kate scanned their faces.
He wasn't there.
The waiter was gone.
Her breathing quickened. She looked again.
"Found him?" Barry's voice came from behind her.
Kate opened her mouth, her throat blocked. "It can't be. I just saw him..."
Lucy looked at her with red eyes. "Kate, are you still trying to frame someone?"
Whispers rose around them again.
"She really did it..."
"Blames a waiter. She's so evil..."
Kate stood there, trembling all over.
She looked at Barry—the man who had once defended her from any injustice—now frowning, his eyes filled with a disappointment she had never seen.
"What do you have to say for yourself?"
Lucy leaned closer to Barry. "Barry, do you think Kate might really have mental problems? Didn't you say she's been taking antidepressants...
"Maybe she lost control today because of a breakdown."
Barry was quiet for a moment before speaking slowly. "Kate, you might really be sick.
"You need treatment now."
He waved his hand. Two bodyguards stepped forward, held Kate on either side, and dragged her to the car despite her struggles.
- Writer
