I gave his arm another nudge. "Go on, check if the cash and gold are all there. If everything's in order, we should take it home. It's not safe leaving it at the hospital."
Brent glanced at the withdrawal slip, then flipped through the stack of cash with undisguised relish. As for the gold jewelry they'd given as betrothal gifts, he barely looked before nodding.
"Yes, it's all here. Perfect! Thank you so much for going to all this trouble."
With a lovesick only daughter like me—their family's sole heir—ready to be devoured, why would they bother fighting over a measly $620,000 settlement?
I suggested that our whole family escort his mother home to deliver the dowry and betrothal gifts together, recording the entire process as before.
Marilyn nodded eagerly, her face splitting into a grin so wide it looked painful.
Only when I watched her lock the million dollars in cash and 520 grams of gold into the safe with my own eyes did I finally let out a quiet breath of relief.
That ticking time bomb was finally out of my hands.
The Caregiver bait was set. I just had one more thing to do.
Over the next three days, I devoted myself to caring for Brent at the hospital—the very picture of a woman so deeply in love she'd sacrifice anything for him.
On the evening of the third day, I told him with a face full of reluctance that I had to go on a business trip. There was an important project I needed to negotiate, one that would determine my father's company profits for the coming year.
If things went smoothly, I'd be back early to celebrate the New Year with him.
If not, I might not return until after the holiday.
I paused, letting my eyes redden on cue.
"Don't worry. When I get back, even if you're still in a wheelchair, I'm going to marry you."
Watching me—this lovesick fool who was utterly devoted to him—a flicker of barely concealed glee passed through Brent's eyes.
Having lived this life once before, I knew exactly what he was. He only pretended to love me.
Deep down, he was rotten to the core.
Even with a broken leg, stuck in a hospital bed, he couldn't keep still. Every day he was secretly scrolling through his phone, hunting for his next prey.
So before I took my parents to a warm coastal city for our Spring Festival vacation, I spent a small fortune finding him a very special caregiver.
I guaranteed she would take excellent care of him. Thorough and attentive.