Chapter 21
Tom persisted in staying at the hospital, despite repeated attempts to have him leave.
Fortunately, he was often out and about, borrowing money and seeking bone marrow matches, which gave me brief moments of peace.
The DNA test results came back quickly, confirming that Julie was indeed Mike’s biological daughter.
I didn’t rush to share this good news with Tom. Instead, I uploaded the content from the recording pen to the internet, including the records of the money transfers I had made to him, photos of Tom rescuing Julie from the kidnappers, information about the kidnapper Mike, and footage of Tom protecting Betty and her daughter at the amusement park and hospital while assaulting me.
The post detailing Tom’s betrayal, stealing funds to save his lover’s daughter, leading to the death of his own daughter, and subsequently abusing his terminally ill wife, swiftly ignited a firestorm of controversy
High school classmates revealed Tom’s relentless pursuit of me years ago, and the details of how Betty seduced other people’s boyfriends were also exposed.
Not only were Tom and Betty roundly condemned, but suspicions quickly arose that Julie might actually be Mike’s daughter, based on the photos I had uploaded.
The next day, I sent Tom the DNA test results, and he and Betty arrived at the hospital.
The two of them were now just like street rats that everyone was shouting at, and they found me in full gear with their masks and baseball caps.
Betty’s eyes were swollen like walnuts, and she screamed threats at me until Tom restrained her.
“Jessica, I’ve been running around for your illness. How could you treat me this way?”
Tom had evidently not slept well the past few nights, with noticeable dark circles under his eyes. He stared at me coldly.
I reveled in their misery.
“Want to kill me? Go ahead. After all, I’m dying of cancer. If I can take you both down with me, it’ll be worth it.”
Betty, clearly frightened, spat and said, “You wicked woman, you deserve to have cancer!”
“Instead of cursing me, you should think about what you’ll do next.”
I calmly analyzed their situation: “People online already suspect Julie is the daughter of the murderer Mike. If you two get married now and have Tom publicly acknowledge that Julie is your daughter, at least your reputations might improve. You could still live incognito in a different place after the storm passes..”
Tom, who had been outwitted by me, looked at me with suspicion. “Why would you be so kind as to help us?”
“Of course, I’m not. Return my money, and I’ll gladly divorce you.”
“Don’t presume that you won’t have to pay it back when I’m dead, right now I only need the ransom money you cheated me out of, and if you really want to take your time counting it you’ve got a lot more to lose, and even if I’m dead I’ll leave that money to my parents.”
“I told you I wouldn’t divorce you!” Tom’s eyes reddened. “Jessica, I truly love you. As long as you’re willing to stay with me, I’ll forgive everything you’ve done.
“At this point, do you really think our marriage can be salvaged? Whether you choose to drag this out or cut your losses, it’s up to you.”
Tom might have had some genuine feelings for me, but as a selfish person, he always sought to maximize his own benefit.
Sure enough, seeing that things couldn’t be undone, Tom’s expression twisted.
“Jessica, you brought this on yourself!”
Indeed, these two despicable individuals wouldn’t be satisfied until they pushed the limits. Betty, who had savings in hand, repaid every penny of the money she had deceitfully taken from me to save Julie, in an attempt to expedite my divorce from Tom.
After my divorce from Tom was finalized, the situation had escalated so much online that Mike was quickly apprehended.
When questioned by the police, Mike confessed to his crimes but insisted that Betty and her daughter were not involved.
The female officer who brought me the news, while peeling an apple for me and watching my increasingly gaunt figure, sighed and said, “Mike is so determined to shield Betty and her daughter. This outcome is too lenient for them.”
It certainly didn’t go away so easily!
“May I see Mike?”