Found Again, I Played Docile, He Went Mad

Chapter 4 Promises Built on Lies

Right in front of me, Elias deleted every one of Vivian's contact details.

He started coming home on time, treated me with unusual patience, and even Jack seemed to mellow out and behave himself.

For a while, I truly believed our family was finding its way back to normal.

Then Jack's birthday arrived. I left work early, hoping to take him to the amusement park. But as soon as I reached the front door, I heard a conversation inside.

"Dad, when can we visit Vivian again? I really miss her," Jack asked.

Elias lowered his voice. "Not yet. When your mom gets home, figure out a way to give her a sleeping pill. Once she's out cold, we'll sneak over and see Vivian."

I stood outside, struck dumb.

That evening, I drank the glass of milk Elias handed me just like always. After the two of them quietly slipped out, I got up and followed them without a word.

They led me to an upscale apartment. Through a door left slightly ajar, I saw Vivian lounging comfortably on the sofa.

Elias was feeding her fruit and gently rubbing her legs. "Sorry I haven't been able to spend time with you lately. You've been through a lot."

Jack snuggled against her and pouted. "It's my mom's fault. She's so petty. She won't let Dad bring you back home."

I pushed the door open, my voice trembling. "Elias, tell me, how much of what you've said to me was actually true?"

Elias immediately moved in front of Vivian, shielding her.

"Clara, that's enough! Vivian never wanted to take anything from you. She's already suffered enough, hiding here all alone without a name or place. Can you stop thinking only about yourself?"

Vivian raised her chin, completely unapologetic. "Clara, you're getting older. You don't know how to keep things exciting. Elias got tired of you ages ago. If he was going to end up with someone else anyway, why shouldn't that someone be me?"

That was the final straw.

I grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at her. The room erupted into chaos. In the middle of the struggle, Vivian lost control and set the curtains ablaze.

The fire spread instantly, devouring the apartment as thick smoke poured through the rooms.

With the last shred of strength I had left, I shoved Jack through the doorway and out of the inferno.

I wasn't able to save myself. A collapsing chandelier came crashing down, trapping me beneath the blazing debris.

I couldn't move. Vivian was trapped in the choking smoke too, coughing so hard she could barely breathe.

At that moment, Elias was the only one who could still act. Across the roaring flames, our eyes locked.

He didn't pause. Not even for a heartbeat. He spun around and sprinted straight to Vivian, sweeping her into his arms and carrying her to safety.

I lay on the scorching ground, watching him disappear farther and farther away. The final spark of hope inside me flickered out.

By the time the firefighters pulled me from the wreckage, I was already unconscious.

I remained in the hospital for five days. The first thing I did after waking up was to call a professional agency. "I want to fake my death."

"Clara? Clara!" Elias's voice dragged me back from those memories.

He helped me up and, with shaking hands, forced my emergency medication between my lips.

As the medicine slowly kicked in, the crushing ache in my chest eased a little.

I turned my head and found Jack standing there, chin lifted defiantly, not a trace of remorse on his face.

Elias struck him hard across the face.

"You ungrateful brat! How dare you throw away your mother's medicine?"

Jack broke down crying.

Vivian quickly pulled him into her arms, soothing him in a soft, reassuring tone. "Elias, don't be so strict with him. He's still just a child. He doesn't understand all these complexities."

As she spoke, she produced a falsified medical report.

"I didn't want to say this, but Clara has really gone too far. She's already undergone a heart transplant. The heart inside her isn't artificial at all. It's completely normal. She's nowhere near as fragile as she pretends."

Elias scanned the document, and his expression turned icy in an instant.

"So you've been fully recovered all along, yet you've kept acting weak and distant just to spite me?"

I was too drained to respond. I only met his gaze, expression blank.

Elias flung the medical report straight into my face.

"I was going to make it up to you for your birthday today. But since you're so ungrateful and insist on playing this act, then there's no point anymore. Stay here. You're not going anywhere."

With that, he left with Vivian and Jack.

Before leaving, he even had a wizard cast a sealing spell on the door, ensuring it could not be opened from the inside.