For a few seconds, Nicole stared at Carson Jun with disbelief written all over her face. Just what was happening right now?!

"Why don't you greet him, Nicole? Didn't you say that you want to know the one who helps me to rescue you? He is standing right beside you." Garcia Han simply said.

The one who almost ruined everything was Chairman Jun?! Nicole slowly turned to her stepmother and when she noticed how she looked at Carson Jun, she blinked.

It turned out that even the devil could be in love! She never saw her looked at another man that way, not even her father though their marriage was just a part of her revenge!

Without saying anything, she turned back to Carson Jun and she suddenly recalled the time he told her that he stayed loyal to one woman for two decades. The woman he mentioned that time was... her stepmother?! That's absurd!

"Nicole, what are you - "

"You told me before that you love the same woman for two decades." Nicole finally spoke up, looking at Carson Jun and the latter nodded. "If the woman you mentioned that time is my stepmother, does that mean... you were together even when she was married to my father? Like her male concubine?"

Carson Jun could felt his jaw dropped to the floor! Male concubine?! Meanwhile, Garcia Han's face turned sour. "Watch your mouth, Nicole!" She snapped.

"I'm only speaking the truth, Mother. Besides... " She paused, turning her attention back to the Chairman. "Chairman Jun knows me well. I always speak my mind."

"You really - "

"It's fine, Garcia." Carson calmly said, placing his hand on Garcia Han's shoulder. "It must be too sudden for her. Nicole is right. I know her well and she is always frank."

"I don't care about who you married. You can marry whoever you want but... " Nicole made a deliberate pause, glancing at the couple beside her bed. "Don't even talk about family to me. It would be better to cut ties for us."

Just the thought of their relationship disgusts her! She recalled her father who was completely smitten with this wicked and scheming woman! It turned out that apart from marriage for revenge, she even had another man all those times! She felt so bad for her late father who loved this woman with all his heart!

"What a good match." She sneered in disgust.

"Nicole, you really have no manners! You must hate me, I know that but Carson doesn't deserve such insult."

Ignoring her stepmother's words, Nicole lifted her phone which was placed on top of the drawer and made a call.

"Aston, come and get me. I want to discharge. I think I will be getting more sick if I remain here."

"Alright. I'll wait for you."

"What do you think you're doing, Nicole?!" Garcia Han snapped, glancing down at her stepdaughter.

Nicole puts down her phone and raised her head. "Cutting ties with you." She simply muttered and looked at Carson Jun starting from his head to toe. "I wish you a happy life." She added in a sarcastic tone.

"Do you think you can live the way you want? It won't happen unless I allowed you to do so." Garcia Han firmly declared.

"I don't care anymore," Nicole said. "Until yesterday, I was scared of you but... that's not the case now. No matter what you say, I will do whatever I want from now on. So, you have two choices." She paused and said, "You can let me live the way I want or... you can kill me. It's up to you. I won't live as your puppet anymore."

"You! You have become so brave! It's my fault for ignoring your behaviour!" Garcia Han growled. But when she opened her mouth again, the door of the hospital room was pushed open and Aston appeared.

When Nicole called her, he was around the area, just in case he could meet her. Then he rushed to the room the moment she called him.

Ignoring Garcia Han and the unfamiliar man, he walked straight to Nicole and bent down a bit to take a better look at her. "Are you alright?"

Nicole nodded. "Take care of the discharging process and let's leave first. We can talk later."

"Alright. I will do that." Aston said and stood straight. He briefly glanced at Garcia Han and Carson Jun, then he walked towards the door.

"Stop there. I won't allow this. Who do you think you are?!" Garcia Han snapped, turning to Aston.

The actor halted and stood still for a few seconds before he turned around to face the Minister. "That's not up to you, Minister. Nicole is an adult and she didn't have any brain problem. That means she can decide for herself. She doesn't need you to decide for her."

"How dare you!"

"For the answer to your question... I'm her boyfriend. So... no matter what you say, I will do it as long as Nicole wanted me to do." He slightly shook his head with a mocking smile when he said, "You don't really matter to me."

Without even waiting for Garcia Han's response, Aston turned to Nicole with a smile. "I'll be right back." Then he walked out of the room.

"Nicole, are you really pushing through this? Won't you regret later?!" Garcia Han turned back to Nicole and asked her in a stern voice.

Nicole's face was devoid of any expression. "Why would I regret leaving your side, Mother? All you do is giving me scars and trauma. Do you know this? You killed the smile of that 10 years old girl who looked at you like her real mother. After 15 years, Aston Kang gives me back that smile. I have no reason to choose you over him."

"Don't depend too much on him. What if he leaves you?"

Nicole darted her eyes to Garcia Han and she was filled with rage. "Don't even dream of hurting him. If you even lay a hand on him, I will show you how cruel I can be. You raised me, Mother. You should know that I take after you a lot. Besides, being cruel is your specialty."

Garcia Han tried to speak up but...

"Let her be, Garcia. You can talk it out later." Carson calmly said.

"But - "

"Nicole is sick and she isn't pleased to know about us. We should understand her. Even if she gets discharge, she can continue treatment at home. She will be fine soon." Carson Jun stated.

Nicole shifted her gaze to the man who seemed to be talking in her favour yet she despised him. Two decades? That means he knew everything! He might be an accomplice or a bystander but both were equally bad in her eyes! She even do business with him! Did Garcia Han told him to do?!

"Please leave." She finally uttered, glancing both of them. "You will only worsen my condition if you remain in my sight."

Without saying anything, Carson Jun pulled out Garcia Han. The moment the door was closed, Nicole tightly clenched her fist.

"Do you see that, Father? That's the woman you loved!" She uttered and she felt a stinging pain in her heart. "For the first time, I'm glad that you don't live to see this day. If you know the truth, you will surely be heartbroken and I don't want to see you in pain."

While she was so fixated on the pain in her heart, Aston returned and made his way to her. "What happened?" He calmly asked, sitting next to her on the bed.

Without saying anything, Nicole turned to him and hugged him, placing her chin on his shoulder. She slowly shut her eyes.

Aston gently patted her back to console her. Though he had no idea of what happened, he knew one thing. She needs to be comforted right now. That's all.

After staying still for more than a minute, Nicole finally opened her eyes but she still refused to pull back. "I feel so bad for my late father. He loved Garcia Han will all his heart yet... " Unable to continue, she took a deep breath. "It's not even worth discussing. It's so disgusting."

"Do you still have hope in her? If not, you won't be hurt no matter what she did." Aston said in a calm voice.

We were only hurt when our expectations were let down. Nicole realized that and it made her questioned herself. Just what did she expect?

"Don't worry, Nicole. I will always be with you. Forget everything and we can start anew." The actor paused and smiled. "Just you and me. Won't it be fun?"

"Do you really think we can do that?" Nicole asked. She wasn't confident in starting a new life. After all, they weren't an average person.

"Everything is possible if we have ambition." Aston pulled back and smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Come, I will take you home."