He Made Me Draw A Lottery For Our Dead Child Chapter 04

He Made Me Draw A Lottery For Our Dead Child Chapter 04

Emmett cleared his throat.

“Bastian did. He went directly to the court and had the case withdrawn, claiming he was acting on your behalf as your spouse. I’m sorry, Elowen. There’s nothing I can do.”

He hung up before I could question him.

I froze with the phone pressed to my ear, the color draining from my lips.

Bastian had done this.

As if summoned by the thought, he walked into my room with a conflicted expression.

I slowly looked up at him, my eyes brimming with tears.

My throat felt painfully tight.

“Why?”

Bastian pressed his lips together and stopped at the foot of the bed.

“I just found out the doctor is Colette’s aunt.”

“Elowen, please let this go. For me.”

Pain and bitterness twisted through my chest.

“You’d let the woman responsible for our baby’s death walk free because she’s Colette’s aunt?”

My composure finally cracked.

“Bastian, does our own child matter less to you than your ex-wife?”

He said nothing.

His silence gave me my answer, and all the strength left me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

“I’ll refile.”

“Your firm isn’t the only one in Crestmont. I will hold her accountable.”

Bastian went still. After a moment, he gave me a warning look.

“Elowen Sayer.”

“Colette has never asked me for anything all these years. This isn’t your decision anymore.”

“No attorney in Crestmont can beat me in court. You won’t either. Don’t force my hand.”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Before I could respond, Colette entered with the doctor.

There was no trace of pleading on the doctor’s face now. It had been replaced by smug satisfaction.

Colette gave me an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, but she’s my aunt. Please let this go.”

The doctor stood behind her with her chin raised, looking certain that I could do nothing to her.

Rage surged through me. I grabbed the insulated food jar beside my bed and hurled it at them.

“Get out!”

Before I could recover from one blow, another came.

My phone rang a few minutes later.

The moment I answered, Dad’s helpless, trembling voice came through the line.

“Elowen, I swear I didn’t steal that money! They framed me!”

“Fifty million dollars? I’d never have the nerve to touch that kind of money!”

I got out of bed, forcing myself to stay calm even as my entire body shook.

“Dad, where are you?”

“Trust me and tell me exactly what happened.”

He steadied himself enough to explain.

“A few days ago, my supervisor said they wanted to promote me. He said I’d worked there longer than anyone and deserved to be site manager.”

“Then he asked me to sign some documents.”

He broke down again.

“It’s my fault. I didn’t know it was a setup. The police came looking for me today and said I’d embezzled fifty million dollars from the company.”

I left the hospital and checked our family location sharing on my phone.

It led me to Sablepoint Tower.

I raced to the top floor and burst through the rooftop door.

Dad stood unsteadily at the edge, overwhelmed by guilt and helplessness.

My breath caught.

“Dad, don’t move! I’ll get Bastian. No one is better at cases like this. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you!”

I pushed everything about my baby aside. I couldn’t think about anything except saving Dad.

I called Bastian and begged him to help.

After a brief pause, he said, “I’m on my way.”

Dad sank to his knees. Decades of construction work had already left his back bent, but now he seemed smaller than ever.

He wiped his tears with his rough, weathered hands.

“I’m sorry, Elowen. I thought if I became a manager, no one would look down on you anymore. I never imagined…”

Tears stung my eyes.

He was a plain, hardworking man who had raised me alone and never once made me feel deprived.

“It’s not your fault, Dad. Don’t be afraid. I’ll fix this.”

Bastian arrived quickly.

Colette was with him, but I didn’t have time to ask why.

“I’m begging you. Help him.”

I handed Bastian the documents Dad had signed, along with the police statement accusing him of embezzlement.

He scanned them quickly.

“This is manageable.”

My breath caught. “Really?”

He nodded. “If it goes to trial, I have an eighty-percent chance of winning.”

I turned to Dad and saw the same rush of relief on his face.

But before I could say anything, Bastian cut me off.

Colette was holding his wooden token box. He took it from her and offered it to me.

“Those are the rules. I can only accept the case if you draw green.”

I stared at him.

“What did you just say?”

Bastian’s mouth tightened.

Colette reached into the box and drew a token for me.

She looked at the token.

“I’m sorry. It isn’t green.”

I ripped the box from her hands, snapped every token inside, and threw the pieces at Bastian’s feet without taking my eyes off him.

“Bastian Wycliffe!”

His brows drew together slightly.

“Those are the rules.”

I staggered back and looked at my bewildered father.

Then I swallowed every shred of pride I had left.

“Please. I’m begging you.”

Bastian remained silent.

Colette answered for him.

“He can’t. Rules are rules. Bas has to…”

I slapped her.

“This has nothing to do with you!”

From across the rooftop, Dad finally understood what was happening.

Despair filled his face.

“Elowen, I can’t ruin your life. I can’t…”

Then he jumped off the roof.

I watched in horror as he disappeared over the edge.

I lunged for the stairwell, but Bastian grabbed my arm.

“Calm down!”

I tore myself free and looked at him as if he were my worst enemy.

For the first time, the unshakable Bastian Wycliffe seemed stunned by what he saw in my eyes.

“Bastian, we’re getting divorced!”