Chapter 4


    Watching the man she had loved for years reveal his utter stupidity left Sylvia questioning her own


    terrible judgement all this time.


    She had no interest in watching their antics further and turned to leave, belongings in hand. But


    Karina''s voice stopped her once more.


    "I would never admit something I didn''t actually do! Why won''t you believe me? Do you think just


    because I supposedly destroyed your marriage, you want revenge against me? But I''ve barely


    shown my face around you two all these years. I''m only back now to film a movie. Why must you


    target me like this?"


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    Though Karina addressed the room, every word was meant for Sylvia. With a spark of dark


    amusement, Sylvia realized this family was rather entertaining in their dysfunction.


    One blindly besotted fool. Another conniving social climber ruthlessly furthering her own ends. And


    Cyril practically salivating to take a bite out of Sylvia in his hatred.


    She surveyed them all dispassionately as Cyril spat, "So if you didn''t pull this stunt, who could


    have? No one else would be so malicious towards Karina besides you!"


    Sylvia sighed, beyond exhausted. She turned to Karina instead. "Since you''re so convinced the


    culprit is me, where''s your proof? Otherwise I could sue you for nder."


    All eyes swung to Karina. Even her mother-inw felt the first prickles of doubt. She wasn''t the


    sharpest tool. A few well-aimed words could easily turn her loyalties.


    While the drama scandal meant nothing to her, Sylvia did raise a valid point - who would gamble


    with their own life so casually just for revenge?


    Tears brimmed in Karina''s eyes as she realized she was losing ground. Her only lifeline was Cyril -


    the final authority in this family. As long as he stood firm in her corner, nothing else mattered.


    "You...you believe me too, don''t you? We''ve known each other for so long and were nearly family


    once. You saw me work myself to the bone all these years. How could you think me capable of


    something like this?" Karina pleaded desperately.


    That past regret still throbbed like an unhealed wound in Cyril''s heart. His lingering affection for


    Karina stemmed not so much from longing, but an inability to get over what happened between


    them.


    And thus he indulged her more than he should, at the expense of wounding Sylvia far deeper than


    heprehended.


    "I know you couldn''t be responsible for this mess. But to resolve it, we need hard proof of your


    innocence that day. Do you recall what you were doing then?" Cyril asked in a more rational tone.


    Coming up with such exonerating evidence wasn''t necessarily straightforward though.


    At his lukewarm defense, Karina burst into tears. "So you still doubt me after all! Just because


    Sylvia said something, now you believe her over me? Fine - you want proof, I''ll die right here to


    prove myself if that''s what it takes for you to believe me!"


    Her hysterical threat made Cyril frown in disbelief. How could anyone treat their own life as joke?


    Just as he opened his mouth to retort, Karina suddenly lunged straight for the sharp stone corner


    cab. At that speed, a head collision would undoubtedly be fatal.


    Cyril''s face drained of color. Even his mother screamed out in horror.


    Only Sylvia remained unmoved, having expected this histrionic reaction from Karina. That woman


    valued her own skin far too much to actually harm herself - as proven by her earlier refusal to swear


    any oaths on her life.


    In a few quick strides, Cyril seized Karina''s wrist though not before her head still cracked against


    the cab edge. Fortunately his grip prevented full impact.


    Blood streamed down her face from the torn gash. Karina trembled uncontrobly, clearly terrified at


    her near brush with death. If Cyril had been just a secondte...


    "Karina, are you alright? How could you be so foolish?" Cyril held her in a crushing embrace, sick


    with panic.


    Voice quavering, Karina murmured, "Now you must believe me...right?"


    How could Cyril not believe in her innocence when she had resorted to such extremes just to prove


    herself? He nodded vigorously.


    Observing their nauseating theatrics, Sylvia barely resisted the urge to slow p sarcastically. What


    a performance indeed!


    But the show was over and her role in it long ended. No need to overstay her wee.


    Except the yers here seemed intent on detaining her a while longer for further torment. Each


    time Sylvia moved to leave, someone would call her back.


    "I said, stay where you are!" Cyril bellowed.


    Themand tested thest shreds of Sylvia''s patience. Biting back a scathing retort, she asked


    tly, "What more do you want?"


    "You''ve pushed her to such desperate lengths. Don''t you have anything to say or do about it?" Cyril


    used.


    Sylvia''s eyebrows shot up incredulously. "Pushed her? Have you lost your mind? Anyone can see I


    had nothing to do with that unhinged stunt. Did I make her try to smash her own skull open? She


    chose that herself. So how is her botched suicide attempt suddenly my fault? If she had seeded,


    would you call me a murderer next?"


    "I''m saying this onest time - go get your head examined by a doctor since it''s clearly not working


    right. As for your ims that I harmed her, where''s your proof? If you have none, then at most I''ll do


    my civic duty and call an ambnce."


    That was the full extent of what Sylvia would contribute to this three-ring circus sideshow.


    She took out her phone as if to dial emergency services while Cyril and his mother looked on.


    "It''s an hour''s drive to the nearest hospital. By the time any doctor finally gets here after two hours


    total, she could already be dead!" Cyril argued frantically.