Ivan lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Ruby''s neck. "I cherished and raised you for over 20 years, only to find out she is not even my own blood. My real daughter was bullied for years by a bastard child like you and that bitch Julia.


    "I was nothing but a fool, a blind and heartless beast. Now that Julia has taken my money and run, what makes you think I will let you go?"


    "Ugh..."


    Ruby gasped as his grip tightened around her throat. She reached up, desperately trying to pry his hands away, but the difference in strength between them was too great. The more she struggled, the harder he squeezed.


    Her breathing becamebored, and soon, her eyes rolled back as she began to lose consciousness.


    The sudden ringing of a phone shattered the tense silence. The sound jolted Ivan back to his senses. He abruptly let go of Ruby''s throat, his eyes flickering with unease as he nced at the caller ID.


    It was Zane, the second son of the Holt family and Ruby''s former boyfriend. He had just called not too long ago. Steadying his breath, Ivan swiped his finger across the screen and answered the call.


    "Hello."


    "Mr. Sinir, is Ruby there? Can you let her take the call?"


    Zane''s voice came through the receiver. Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Alright, wait a moment."


    He handed the phone to Ruby. "It''s Zane."


    Ruby coughed violently several times before taking the phone. The moment it was in her hands, she shouted into the receiver, "Zane, help me! My father is holding me captive!"


    Ivan backhanded her across the face, sending her tumbling to the floor. The phone slipped from her grasp and hit the floor.


    "Zane, save me please!" she cried out.


    Ivan struck her again, his voice filled with fury. "You wretched thing. I''ve been too lenient with you."


    "Hello? Ruby, what is going on? Are you alright?"


    Zane''s voice crackled through the phone''s speaker. Ivan bent down, picked up the phone, and ended the call.


    "Ruby, you ungrateful little rat. You dared to lie to me. A bastard is a bastard, and a traitor never changes. There''s no saving you." Gritting his teeth, he cursed, "Since that is the case, I won''t be nice to you anymore."


    With that, he pped her twice more, leaving her head spinning and her vision filled with stars.


    Before she could even try to resist, Ivan tore at her clothes and snapped several photos with his phone. Once he was done, he took a rope and tied her to the bedpost.


    "My dear daughter, don''t me me. If you want to me someone, me that whore of a mother you have," Ivan said, patting her cheek before using her phone to call Julia.


    If Julia dared to steal his money and run, then she shouldn''t me him for using Ruby to force her back.


    The call barely had time to ring before it was answered.


    "Hello? Ruby? Why was your phone unreachable?"


    Julia''s anxious voice came through. "I''m almost at our hometown. Just drive over yourself, and I will pick you up when you arrive."


    Ivan spat out viciously, "Julia, you whore! You filthy bitch! You dare to steal my money and run? I will show you exactly what will happen to your daughter."


    He immediately sent her photos he had just taken and said, "Julia, if you don''te back, I will hand Ruby over to Mr. Walsh. We both know what kind of man he is.


    "Also, Zane just informed Ruby that Goodwill Pharmacy was robbedst night. A batch of poison was stolen.


    "If the thief is lucky, they''d only get off with blindness, deafness, and muteness. The worst-case scenario? Bleeding from all orifices and dying with eyes wide open. Those @rugs take effect within two days."


    With that, Ivan ended the call.


    At first, he found Zane''s call strange, but after a moment of contemtion, he pieced together the situation. The Goodwill Pharmacy theft was most likely connected to Julia.


    As he imagined her coughing incessantly, his mood improved.


    People whomit too many evil deeds will eventually face retribution. It wasn''t a matter of whether karma woulde, only a matter of when.


    Julia''s illness was nothing more than the heavens delivering justice.


    The phone rang again.


    A smirk curled on Ivan''s lips as he saw Julia''s name on the screen. He answered the call leisurely. "Well, bitch, have you made up your mind? Are youing back?"


    "Ivan, I''m warning you. Don''t touch my daughter." Julia barely got the words out as she coughed violently. "Come for me if you have a grudge. Do not involve her."


    "Then crawl back here like the dog you are, Julia. You better hurry. Otherwise, I''m afraid you might not make it back alive." Ivan sneered. He ended the call without waiting for a response.


    On the other end, Julia coughed uncontrobly. As the fit worsened, she suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    "Aunt Wendy, I''m coughing up blood. I''m coughing up blood again. Are you sure the medicine you stole from Goodwill Pharmacy is safe?" she said in panic as she stared at the crimson stain on her palm.


    "It should be fine. The medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy is supposed to


    save lives. You felt better after


    taking itst night, did you not?" Wendy replied, though her voice carried a hint of hesitation


    "There is something wrong with the medicine. We need to go back."


    Julia''s eyes were bloodshot as she pressed a hand against her throat. The itching and burning sensation inside felt like a swarm of ants gnawing away at her flesh, making her wish she were dead.


    "That''s impossible. The pills looked exactly like the ones Natalie gave you that day," Wendy said in disbelief.


    "Stop making excuses. Turn the car around right now," Julia cut her off sharply.


    "Alright, alright, we''ll go back. We''re going back now," Wendy replied hurriedly, instructing the driver to return to Dithoria State. However, she was far from pleased. "Julia, you had better think this througholf we go back, the consequences could be dire."


    "What about Ruby? Are we just going to abandon her? You heard what Ivan said. The medicine from Goodwill Pharmacy is poison. In two days, I could be dead." Julia covered her mouth as she coughed.


    "Unless, of course, you really want me and Ruby to die. Why do I feel like you''ve changed?" Julia''s gaze darkened as she red at Wendy.


    "That''s impossible," Wendy quickly denied. "If you want to go back, we''ll go back. I''m just reminding you. Once we return, no one knows what will happen." "Are you suggesting we abandon Ruby? Let me die? If not for me, you would have nothing today. Do not forget that Ruby is my daughter with Edgar. Unless you want Edgar to have no descendants."


    Julia grabbed Wendy by the throat.


    "Fine, fine, we''re going back. I already told the driver to turn around?" Wendy snapped in frustration before turning her face away, unwilling to meet Julia''s gaze.