Why is life so unfair to her?
Lucia Watts looked at her father's body, tears no longer fell from her eyes. Her beloved father, whom she had loved and respected deeply, was now only a few steps away from her. But his whole body was cold. Blood mixed with flesh and broken bones, his face distorted beyond recognition even to Lucia.
And her mother? Her mother had gone mad! Her eyes were blind!
Lucia looked at the scene before her, her heart shattered into hundreds of pieces. Coming home after four years of studying abroad, the first thing she saw was her father's corpse!
"Daddy, daddy! Please don't leave me!"
"Daddy, wake up and talk to me!"
"Daddy, I promise I'll listen to you from now on! I'll never upset you again! Please wake up!"
Lucia held onto the cold body, crying. She didn't let anyone take her father away! At that moment, her entire body was covered in blood, her eyes swollen and red.
"You are not allowed to take my father away! None of you can take him anywhere!"
"Get out! Get out of here!" Lucia sobbed, waving her hands to drive away everyone present.
"Lucia, calm down! Your father is gone! He's gone!" Lucia's cousin, Jackson Watts, shouted in her ear.
"No, this can't be true! You are all lying to me!"
Lucia's appearance now truly broke everyone's hearts. Who could believe that the wealthiest family in Tomasso city had fallen into such a state in less than a week?
"Everyone, I beg you. Please tell me that you're all just scaring me! My father isn't dead, right? You're all lying to me, right?" Lucia, like a mad person, crawled on the ground, clinging to anything she could hold onto. She went around, asking each person. However, all she received were shakes of the head.
No one wanted to say the hurtful words to a person who had just lost their family, but they also couldn't lie.
"Why did things turn out this way!"
Lucia collapsed to the ground, her eyes gradually closing. She knew nothing more.
Why had a wealthy family fallen to this state? The story had to start five years ago...
Five years ago, Lucia was just a seventeen-year-old girl. During an outing, she happened to meet Anna Smith. That time, Anna had helped Lucia escape from a group of teasing boys, and from there their friendship began.
Anna Smith was eight years older than Lucia, a student at a prestigious medical university where Lucia's mother, Mrs. Watts, taught.
Perhaps because she liked Anna, Lucia brought her home, not knowing that her actions were "to bite the hand that feeds you."
At eighteen, Lucia went abroad to study. Anna often visited the Watts family and was loved and treated like a daughter. Mr. Watts, the director of a well-known hospital in the city, arranged for Anna to work there after she graduated.
In less than four years, Anna had gained Mr. Watts' absolute trust. He entrusted her with handling many important files in the hospital, and her career path was bright.
However, Anna's ambition grew day by day. She was no longer content with just being an assistant; she wanted more. Thus began a sinister plot.
Taking advantage of Mr. Watts' trust, Anna started forging documents, accusing him of embezzling funds. She conspired with his longtime friend, delivering a fatal blow.
Betrayed by those he trusted and facing legal repercussions and the loss of everything, Mr. Watts chose to throw himself into oncoming traffic.
Yes, Mr. Watts committed suicide!
The media quickly reported: "Hospital Director embezzles funds and commits suicide" and "To avoid prosecution, Hospital Director ends his life."
Mr. Watts' death shook the city. Naturally, Anna Smith became a hero. She was the one who exposed Mr. Watts and, with support from behind the scenes, she successfully took the position of deputy director of Lenozo Hospital.
One person mourned, another laughed. Anna Smith seemingly got everything she wanted: wealth, status, fame. She was even praised for her bravery in standing against powerful figures.
For the sake of profit, she betrayed those who helped her, destroying a family!
For the sake of profit, she indirectly caused a death!
But so what? In the end, Anna still won. The Watts family had lost terribly!
****
In a luxurious room in the city center, Anna Smith lay in her lover's arms, holding a glass of wine. She wore only a thin, barely-there garment, one hand holding the wine, the other caressing the man's face.
"Jame, do you think it's over now?"
Mr. Miller, Jame Miller, succumbed to the deadly allure of the woman in his arms and replied:
"He's dead, his wife has gone mad. Who do you think can challenge this case?"
"But that family still has Lucia, doesn't it?" Anna's face showed a hint of change, the relaxation disappearing.
"So what? What can a twenty-two-year-old girl do? Even if she hates us, what can she do?" The man spoke indifferently. He never saw Lucia as a threat.
Anna began to pout, "Who knows? Maybe you find her beautiful and can't bear to act?"
Mr. Miller laughed loudly, "Only you could come up with such an idea. It's just that I think it's unnecessary. Besides, we can't pin any crime on her, and killing her is too risky!"
After a pause, Mr. Miller continued, "And you know my feelings best! For you, I'm willing to betray my closest friend!" His voice deepened as he whispered in Anna's ear.
Hearing this, Anna began to sway, "Are you regretting it?"
"Of course not!"
"I hate Lucia. Why does she get to be born into luxury and be loved by her parents while I had to scrounge through slums? Her overseas tuition fees are several times my annual living expenses! What does she have over me? It's just luck being born into a good family!" Anna gritted her teeth. Her poor, humble past resurfaced in her memory.
That day on the street, Anna decided to help Lucia to leverage her wealth.