The doctor’s words felt like a death sentence, and Julian Lawson nearly collapsed.

He braced himself against the wall, barely managing to stay upright.

’It was all a lie!’

’They were all liars!’

’Why did they lie to me? Charlotte, my own parents... why would they do this?’

At that moment, it felt as if a roaring army was rampaging through Julian Lawson’s body. He was on the verge of breaking down.

...

That night, Julian Lawson didn’t go home.

His parents called him endlessly, but he didn’t answer.

In the hotel room, he stared down at Charlotte Vaughn, who was fast asleep on the bed, his expression murderous.

Charlotte Vaughn finally stirred awake at dawn.

Clutching her aching forehead, she complained, "Julian, the drinks last night were so strong. My head is still spinning."

Julian Lawson was standing by the window, smoking. He rarely smoked. His health was poor, and his parents had forbidden him from touching tobacco or alcohol.

Now, the smoke made him choke and cough.

But he kept taking drag after drag, as if out of spite for himself, and for his parents.

’Everything his parents had forbidden him from doing, he now wanted to do it all!’

Charlotte Vaughn rushed over to stop him. "Julian, you can’t smoke! Mom and Dad said you’re not supposed to touch this stuff with your poor health."

Just then, Julian Lawson stubbed out his cigarette, grabbed her by the throat, and slammed her against the window.

Charlotte Vaughn was terrified, staring in shock at her husband’s sinister expression.

Julian Lawson asked through clenched teeth, "Were you the one who donated your liver to me?"

Charlotte Vaughn froze. She forced an unnatural smile, the words catching in her throat. "Yes... of course it was."

"You’re still lying to me? Even now?"

Infuriated, Julian Lawson slapped her across the face.

Then, he pulled out the ultrasound report from last night and threw it at her.

Gasping for breath, Charlotte Vaughn sank to the floor and tremblingly picked up the paper.

She was still in a daze, not having processed what was happening, when she heard Julian Lawson’s cold voice. "The doctor already told me. Your liver is perfectly normal. There’s not a single sign of surgery."

Charlotte Vaughn’s heart plummeted. The truth was out. She was frantic.

"Julian, no, you... just listen to my explanation, please?"

She stammered, "Even though I wasn’t the one who donated it... I really do love you, I—"

Julian Lawson roared, "Shut your mouth!"

Unable to restrain himself, he yanked her toward him and slapped her hard across the face again.

Then, as if tossing aside a piece of trash, he threw her to the ground and stormed out.

He got in his car and sped toward the old Lawson family mansion.

On the way, his mind flashed back to the day Eve Vaughn had come to the Lawson residence to find him. She had told him, through her tears, that she was the one who had saved him. But he hadn’t believed her.

He’d been so hateful to her, pushing her away with his own two hands, pushing her right into another man’s arms.

Every time he should have stood up for her, cowardice made him retreat. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He could only watch as Mason Lawson came to her defense. Even Regina Shaw had protected her.

But Eve Vaughn was his first love, the girl he cherished most, and he had failed to protect her even a single time.

Before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face.

Julian Lawson gripped the steering wheel, wishing he could just die on this road and have it all be over.

But in the end, he didn’t have the courage.

’He didn’t even have the courage to die!’

He drove all the way home, where his mother met him at the door.

"Where on earth were you last night?" Autumn Woods immediately began to scold him. "And what about Charlotte? Was she with you? With the Old Master away, you two actually learned to stay out all night? What will happen if he finds out?"

Julian Lawson glared at his mother. "Why did you lie to me?"

Autumn Woods froze, feigning confusion. "What did I lie to you about?"

Julian Lawson snarled, "Who gave me the liver? Who saved my life?"

He practically screamed the last words, his voice raw.

Autumn Woods’s face drained of color. She grabbed him, hissing, "Keep your voice down! Do you want someone to hear you and get our whole family killed?"

She desperately dragged her son back into his room.

Autumn Woods shut the door, closed the windows, and said in a hushed voice, "Who told you? It was Eve Vaughn, wasn’t it? That damned girl... she must be out of her mind!"

Julian Lawson looked at his mother, his disappointment immeasurable. "I trusted you, Mom. I believed in you! Why would you do this? Why?"

Autumn Woods took a deep breath, feigning composure. "Why? Because I can’t stand a girl like Eve Vaughn. I didn’t want her as my daughter-in-law. Is that reason enough for you?"

"Shameless!"

Seething with hatred, Julian Lawson smashed the antique table lamp beside him.

His crazed expression terrified Autumn Woods.

She stared at her son in disbelief. "How dare you speak to me like that? Don’t you forget, I’m your mother!"

Julian Lawson let out a cold laugh. But as he laughed, tears began to fall.

He said sorrowfully, "Aren’t you shameless? Aren’t you the definition of shameless?! If you didn’t like her, why did you let her donate her liver to me? If you didn’t like her, why did you use her?! And after using her, you dragged her name through the mud! That’s who you are! Is that the kind of character a mother should have?!"

Julian Lawson couldn’t even bear to imagine how much pain Eve Vaughn must have been in.

She took such a huge risk, giving him a part of her own body.

And in return, he had treated her so horribly, hurting her so deeply.

No wonder she hated him. He even hated himself!

’He wished he could just kill himself!’

Seeing her son’s frenzied state, Autumn Woods started to grow fearful. She could only ask, "So what do you want to do now?"