Chapter 3 - The Cold Steel of Truth
The sirens didn't wail up the mountain—they arrived in silent, terrifying sequence.
Six black, unmarked sedans carrying federal medical corruption investigators and armed state police officers rolled into the courtyard of the Celestial Garden, blocking every exit.
The crowd of Jing City aristocrats parted instantly, abandoning Julian and his mother as if they were lepers carrying a plague. Friends who had been sipping champagne with Julian two hours ago were now pulling out their phones, recording every second of his humiliation.
"Julian Han, Madam Beatrice Han," the lead federal investigator announced, pulling out two heavy steel handcuffs. "You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit attempted murder, illegal human tissue trafficking, forced medical poisoning, and aggravated domestic torture."
"You can't touch me!" Madam Han shrieked, kicking wildly as two female officers seized her arms. "My late husband was the vice-governor! I have immunity! Julian, call Uncle Raymond! Call him now!"
"Uncle Raymond was taken into custody ten minutes ago at his office, Madam Han," Attorney Vance Zhao said calmly, shutting his silver briefcase with a sharp click. "His wiretaps confirmed he cleared the illegal importation of the osteo-inhibitor drugs."
Julian backed away, his face pale, his eyes darting frantically toward the stone cliff edge. "Mabel... Mabel, listen to me!" he yelled, dropping to his knees beside me, trying to reach for my blood-soaked sleeve. "I was forced into this! It was my mother! She made me do it! She told me if I didn't get her the stem cells, she’d cut me out of the family trust!"
I looked down at the man I had loved for four years.
The man who had promised to protect me when my father died. The man who had held my hand during my first ultrasound, pretending to weep tears of joy, while secretly plotting with doctors to poison my body.
"Don't touch her!" my mother screamed suddenly.
My quiet, meek mother, who had spent years bowing her head to the Han family, suddenly lunged forward. She grabbed a heavy bronze candle holder from a nearby banquet table and slammed it hard across Julian’s back.
Julian gasped in pain, falling forward onto the stone floor.
"You monsters!" my mother sobbed hysterically, hitting him again and again until two officers gently pulled her back. "I trusted you! I forced my own daughter to walk up this mountain because you told me it was the only way to save her life! You made me a monster!"
"Mother... stop," I whispered softly.
I reached up, grabbing my mother’s shaking hand. Her palms were cold, covered in sweat and tears.
"Lin-lin... my baby..." my mother wept, collapsing onto her knees beside me, clutching my bloody face to her chest. "Forgive me... please, forgive your foolish mother... I didn't know... I didn't know they were killing you..."
"I know, Mother," I murmured, staring over her shoulder at Julian as the police pulled him up, forcing his hands behind his back. "I know."
The iron handcuffs snapped closed around Julian's wrists with a cold, absolute click.
Julian looked back at me, tears and sweat dripping down his nose, his voice breaking into desperate, pathetic sobs. "Mabel... please... tell them it was a misunderstanding! I’m the father of your child! You can't let them take me to prison!"
"The baby in my belly will never know your name, Julian," I said, my voice completely devoid of emotion. "When he asks about his father, I will tell him he died on this mountain today."
As the police dragged Julian and his mother away, Vance Zhao walked over, kneeling on one knee beside my bloodied frame.
"Emergency paramedics are at the gate, Mabel," Vance said gently, pulling his coat off and wrapping it around my shivering shoulders. "The private helicopter from St. Jude’s Research Hospital is landing on the helipad. Dr. Avery is onboard. The child can be saved."
I looked up into Vance’s steady, dark eyes. "And my father’s company?"
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"The Han family signed over forty percent of their corporate holdings as collateral for the medical procedures last month," Vance smiled cold and razor-sharp. "As of ten minutes ago, you are the majority shareholder of the Han Enterprise Group."
I closed my eyes, letting out a long, shuddering breath as the stretcher carried me toward the sky.
