He Asked for Three Years of Freedom, Gave Him a Lifetime of Regret

“Smack!”

Rod backhanded me across the face.：“Tania already told you she had no idea you were a designer! But you kept dragging her into it, and when you knew damn well she and I were about to split, you deliberately said you'd hand me over to her just to twist the knife! This is all because of you. If it weren't for you, she never would've run out crying, and she never would've been hit by that truck! You owe her this! Besides, losing a little blood isn't going to kill you!”

When I came to, it was already the next morning.

The moment I tried to move, a nurse's voice came from beside me.：“Don't move. Your body's essentially had a complete blood replacement. You need to rest for the next few days.”

I tugged weakly at the corner of my lips.

Once the young nurse left, I sat up. I didn't want to stay here a second longer.

I was just about to pull out the IV needle when the door opened.

Rod walked in with Tania, who had already mostly recovered.

“Tania heard you were the one who saved her. She wanted to come thank you.”

Tania stepped forward with red-rimmed eyes.“Ms. Cooley, if it weren't for you, I'd definitely be dead. Thank you for saving me.”

I ignored them both, ripped out the needle, threw back the covers, and got out of bed.

I was about to walk past them when Rod seized my arm.

“Selma! Are you deaf or blind? Can't you see Tania standing right there thanking you? You can't even say one word back?”

I looked at him, my eyes ice-cold.：“Why the hell should I? If it weren't for her, would I be like this?”

Rod's expression shifted.“Have you no shame? Tania got hit by a truck because of you! She came here to thank you because she's kind. If it were me, I'd have already……”

“Rod!” I cut him off, my voice flat and frigid.“I'm not wasting my breath on you. Get out of my way.”

Rod's face darkened. He was about to speak.

Tania suddenly dropped to her knees with a “thud.”

“Rod, Ms. Cooley, please stop fighting!”

Rod startled and immediately reached down to help her up.

“Tania, what are you doing? None of this is your fault. Why should you be the one on your knees? If anyone should kneel, it's Selma.”

Tania shook her head, eyes brimming.“Rod, this really has nothing to do with Ms. Cooley. I wasn't paying attention and that's why I got into the accident. Please don't blame her.”

Rod scoffed.：“It's obviously because of her. If it weren't for her, you never would have……”

“Aah!”

“Selma! What the fuck are you doing?!”

Before he could finish, I grabbed the chair beside me and swung it straight into Tania.

Blood split down her forehead instantly. She clutched her head and started wailing.

I tossed the chair aside and let out a cold laugh.：“See that? Now THAT'S me hurting her.”

Rod's eyes went red with fury. He lunged forward, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and slammed my head into the wall.

“Bang! ”

“Selma! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You dare do that to Tania? You have a death wish?!”

All I could hear was ringing. Just when I thought he was going to bash my skull in for good,

I saw, silhouetted against the light, a man striding toward me.