Forsaken Bonds

Nicky hated Ryan to the core back then, swearing to get her revenge. However, after his return, she cast all that hatred aside and was tangled up with him again less than a year later.

Nicky furiously snapped, "Jensen, you're here to apologize to Ryan! Ryan had his reasons for going abroad back then, so don't you dredge up the past!"

Ryan wrapped his arm around Nicky's shoulders and said smugly, "Don't play the victim, Jensen. If I hadn't left back then, you wouldn't have had the chance to marry Nicky."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, then. I'm giving the trash back to you today," I replied with a laugh.

Nicky's face twisted in anger as I mentioned her as trash.

"Jensen, what are you saying?"

"It is what it is."

I turned to Ryan with a glass of wine and continued, "You want an apology? Here you go."

Ryan looked thrilled, thinking that he won. He figured that I, Nicky's husband, was finally bowing down to him.

In the next second, I threw the wine straight in his face.

Ryan let out a low growl.

Then, I tossed the second glass in his face too.

Before I could get to the third, Nicky grabbed my wrist and shoved me away.

She picked up a napkin, wiping the wine off Ryan's face.

Ryan looked at me with pure venom in his eyes, though he quickly masked it as he murmured, "Nicky, I never would've thought that you could marry someone like this…"

Nicky stormed over and grabbed my shirt, her anger blazing. "Get on your knees and apologize to Ryan right now, Jensen!"

When I looked into her eyes, I saw that any love I once felt was long gone, replaced by deep-seated hatred and contempt.

"No way, Nicky!" I spat.

My reaction seemed to startle her, and she quickly let go.

However, her voice turned icy as she asked, "Jensen, do you want to save Tara? If you don't kneel and apologize to Ryan today, she won't get the medicine she needs."

I would've done anything, even sacrificed myself to save her—if Tara were still alive.

I laughed bitterly. "Tara's your daughter too, Nicky! How could you force me to compromise by leveraging her? You don't deserve to be Tara's mother!"

Nicky's expression wavered as if she were about to say something.

Ryan interjected, "It's on you, Mr. Smith. Don't you want your daughter cured? Why can't you manage this small request?"

I was floored by his audacity and landed a hard punch on him.

"Ryan, you're truly shameless!"

No one expected me to lash out so suddenly.

Ryan was caught off guard, and he hit the ground.

Nicky rushed over, filled with anger and concern, and slapped me across the face. "Jensen, the last lesson didn't get through to you!"

She pulled out her phone immediately and called her assistant to cancel the purchase of Tara's medicine and to stop Tara's treatment at the hospital.

Her message was clear.

The assistant hesitated on the other end. "Ms. West… Tara has already passed away."

Nicky froze.

"What? When did this happen? Why wasn't I notified?"