Chapter 212: Being Contemptible

Everyone in the ward was too astonished to speak. Manuel, always taciturn, had uttered such astonishing words.

"Manuel, Susan didn't mean to do that," Henry huffed, his face livid. "Don't you think your request is contemptible?"

Manuel stared, unmoved. "In the past, you also took her away from me," he stated frankly.

"What are you talking about? Susan and I truly love each other. Your relationship with her was wishful thinking!" Henry shouted.

"No…" Manuel began, but Susan interrupted.

"Listen, I have no feelings for you! I made that clear tonight! I don't even like you. Why are you pushing me? Stop being disgusting!"

Clearly siding with Henry, Susan's words left Manuel looking upset. He seemed poised to compromise, as usual, unwilling to oppose others.

Then, with a bitter smile, he continued, "I lost my leg. Don't you think you should compensate?"

"Susan didn't mean it. If you hadn't quarreled with her, she wouldn't have pushed you. You're partly responsible! How can you blame her entirely?"

"Because I love her. I don't want her to marry you," Manuel stressed.

"No, I won't," Susan said coldly, her eyes filled with hate. Her earlier sympathy and pain had vanished. She had once disliked Manuel because of his status, the comparisons it engendered. Now, her hatred ran deeper.

"I'll compensate you, even by losing a leg, but I'll never marry you! Never!" she screamed, near breakdown.

Manuel, his gaze fixed on her, saw the pain his request caused. His demeanor softened slightly. "You maliciously pushed me into the road, knowing cars were coming. That caused my accident. I'm calling the police."

Susan sneered, finding his threat ridiculous. He was attempting to leverage imprisonment.

"Manuel, could you stop your dirty tricks?" she cried, angry tears streaming down her face.

Manuel remained silent, as did everyone else, including Hannah. Hannah, who had previously considered Manuel despicable—unkind and impure—and had distanced herself from him along with Susan, now understood his reasoning. She felt sorry for him.

"Call the police," Susan said indifferently. "Yes, I pushed you and disabled you. I'll accept any sentence—a decade, two, a lifetime, even death. I'd rather die than marry you!"

She was prepared to pay a price for her actions, but marriage to Manuel was unacceptable.

"Susan!" Edward interjected. "We're family. We should talk…"

"No! We're not! Not since you married Justine! I've never considered you family! Justine's a mistress and Manuel's a bastard!"

"Enough!" Edward snarled, his face turning livid.

"I'm done with you!" Susan raged. "For years, I've endured living with you, your mistress, and your bastard!"

Edward, enraged, slapped her. Henry caught her as she fell, embracing her.

Tears welled in her eyes. "That's who you are, right? You'll dump me for them, starting with Mom?"

"Your mother and I divorced mutually! I dumped no one! Respect your stepmother! She's been kind to you!" Edward's voice trembled with anger.

"Mom begged you to see her before she died. Why didn't you visit? Mutual consent? Ridiculous!" Tears streamed down her face. "If you hadn't cheated, she wouldn't have divorced you. I'd rather respect a bastard than her!"

Edward, beside himself, raised his hand to strike again. Susan stood still, unyielding. Henry shielded her.

"I don't want your respect," Justine said quietly.

Susan looked at her coldly.

"For years, I've done my duty. I owe you nothing. I don't care about your respect, nor will I push you," Justine said calmly, a contrast to the furious exchange between Susan and Edward.

Susan regarded her with sarcasm.

"What happened between us is irrelevant. But Manuel's request is paramount. Give him what he wants!" Justine declared firmly.

"Who do you think you are?" Susan scoffed.

Give him what he wants? Hilarious!