In Another Life, I Let You Go

Chapter 4

I bit down hard on my lip as despair washed over me.

Just as those filthy hands were about to touch me, a tall, lean figure hurried toward me.

Someone draped a black suit jacket, faintly scented with cedar, over me as I lay weak and burning from the drug, shielding me from their leering eyes.

Strong arms lifted me into a bridal carry.

A wave of weightlessness hit me, and the world went black.

When I opened my eyes again, the faint smell of antiseptic filled the air.

I was lying in a clean, soft hospital bed.

Sitting beside me was my childhood friend, Grant Whitmore.

When he saw that I was awake, he spoke softly.

"Don't be afraid. The drug is completely out of your system now. You're safe."

The knot of tension inside me finally loosened. I let out a long breath and soon drifted back to sleep.

Grant stayed with me all night. Once I had fully recovered the next day, he drove me home.

The moment I stepped through the front door, the humiliation and danger of the night before came rushing back.

I looked at Martin as he approached me and said, my voice shaking with hurt, "I was drugged last night."

There wasn't even a flicker of surprise on his face.

"I did it," he said coldly.

Before I could demand an explanation, he continued.

"Those young men come from wealthy, powerful families. If you had gotten involved with any one of them, it would have been a blessing for you and given the Caldwell family a powerful backer. I did it for your own good and for this family."

'For my own good. The words are almost laughable.'

For the sake of the family's interests, wealth, and influence, he had been willing to sacrifice my body, my dignity, and the rest of my life without hesitation.

The last trace of affection I still had for my own father disappeared.

"Then I don't want that kind of blessing," I said firmly. "Dad, I'm done letting you control my life. I want to cut ties with you."

From that moment on, whatever became of the Caldwell family had nothing to do with me.

Martin's face turned dark.

"You want to cut ties with me? Fine. But if you do, you'll never find out where your mother is buried."

That was the final straw.

My mother had died of an illness when I was very young.

For as long as I could remember, I had asked Martin again and again where she had been buried, but he had always refused to tell me.

I had never even been allowed to visit my biological mother's grave or leave flowers for her.

Years of hurt, resentment, and despair erupted all at once.

My whole body trembled, and my eyes were red with tears as I finally broke down.

'Why? I'm his daughter. Why has he always been so cruel to me?'

Just as despair threatened to overwhelm me, Grant stepped forward.

He looked at Martin with unwavering resolve and said in a low voice, "Mr. Caldwell, I'll marry Renee."

My head snapped up. I stared at him, stunned.

Grant came from an elite, powerful family.

The instant Martin heard his offer, delight flashed in his eyes.

He agreed without a second thought, his voice eager and calculating.

"Good. Good! If you're willing to marry her, I'll agree immediately. I want a marriage settlement of 80,000,000 dollars."

The amount was astronomical.

Cold spread through my body.

Grant, however, didn't hesitate.

"Fine."

A little later, Grant followed me into my room and closed the door behind us.

I looked at him, unable to hide my confusion.

"Why are you helping me? You don't have to pay such a huge price for my sake."

His gaze was gentle and sincere. "I just don't want to watch them drive you into a corner. Renee, let me help you get out of this. Once we find out where your mother was buried, we can divorce whenever you want."

He paused before adding, "And don't worry about the 80,000,000 dollars. I have my own way of making Martin return every last cent."

The pain I had held back for so long surged to the surface, and warm tears finally spilled down my cheeks.

I nodded hard, too moved to say anything.

The wedding was set for 2 weeks later.

During those weeks, I occasionally ran into Ethan.

Every time, his expression was oddly guarded. He watched me with suspicion, as though he were keeping an eye on a thief.

He seemed convinced I was up to something, afraid I would hurt Vanessa or take away whatever he believed belonged to her.

But I had already let go. I had no desire to compete with Vanessa for anything. I couldn't be bothered to spare Ethan another glance.

Soon, the wedding day arrived.

The ceremony was grand and formal, with the venue filled with guests.

Wearing a white wedding gown with a long train, I slowly walked toward Grant at the front of the room.

End of Renee's POV.

*****

Not far away, Ethan stood quietly among the guests.

The calculating woman he had come to despise was getting married.

Yet an unexpected ache spread through his chest, as though something precious were slipping away from him.

At that moment, Renee Caldwell slowly turned so that her back faced the guests.

Ethan went rigid. His pupils contracted sharply.

He stared at Renee's back, shock, panic, and disbelief crossing his face.

In the center of her back was a small, delicate, perfectly formed butterfly-shaped birthmark.

6 months earlier, during a late-night chat, the girl who had been supporting him had mentioned that she had a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her back.

Vanessa, who stood beside him now in a backless dress, had a completely unmarked back.

There was no birthmark at all.

In that instant, Ethan's world seemed to collapse around him.