The moment Liz thought about the injuries on the little girl’s body-injuries caused by the man standing in front of her-her expression turned cold as ice.
She looked him straight in the eye. “What my client gave me has nothing to do with you.”
Peter let out a bitterugh and was about to respond when an angry voice suddenly came from behind Liz.
“Peter! What are you doing here?”
Shannon hurried over and stood beside Liz, ring furiously at her husband.
Peter’s eyes burned with rage as he stared back at her. “You seriously have the nerve to ask me that? You went behind my back and seduced my brother, then used him to spy on me. How low can you get?”
Shannon’s expression froze over. Her voice was sharp and full of contempt. “Watch your mouth, Peter. If you hadn’t been beating our daughter every single day, your brother wouldn’t have stepped in. He gave me the photos because even he couldn’t watch you do it anymore. Yoush out at a child because you can’t control your own temper. You’re not a man. You’re a coward.”
Peter’s face twisted with fury. Inside, he seethed. She dares to call me a coward? If I hadn’t worked every day to support her during those years she was pregnant, she and that brat would’ve starved. And she still has the nerve to call me useless? She’s the one who couldn’t even give me a son. She’s the real failure here.
Blinded by rage, Peter raised his hand and pped Shannon hard across the face.
The force of the p knocked her backward several steps. She was too thin to handle the impact and nearly lost her bnce.
Liz instinctively reached out to catch her, but before she could touch Shannon, Peter shoved her aside with force.
“Stay out of it. This is between me and my wife. Who the hell do you think you are?”
Liz stumbled from the blow, and a sharp pain shot up her leg. Her face went pale, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
She had twisted her ankle.
But this was not the time to worry about that. Gritting her teeth, she steadied herself and stood protectively in front of Shannon.
Her voice was firm and cold. “If you touch her again, I’ll call the police.”
Peter’s expression darkened at the mention of the police.
The two of them stared each other down for several tense seconds before he finally gave in. His re shifted back to Shannon,
venom in his voice.
“Shannon, I’m telling you now. I will never agree to this divorce. And even if we do get divorced, I’ll never let you have the kid.”
Then, without another word, Peter turned and stormed off.
Liz didn’t turn back to Shannon until Peter hadpletely disappeared from view.
“Are you alright?” she asked gently.
Shannon’s cheek was already swelling, the red imprint of Peter’s hand still fresh and painfully visible. Just looking at it made Liz’s chest tighten.
Shannon shook her head and managed a small, strained smile. “I’m fine, Ms. Smith. Thank you for stepping in.’
If Liz hadn’t been there, it was hard to imagine how far Peter might have gone.
Liz lowered her voice. “Before you separated, did he ever hit you like that when he got angry?”
“No. He used to be good to me,” Shannon said quietly. “If I hadn’t caught him cheating, I might still believe he’s a decent man.”
She quickly wiped the corners of her eyes, then looked back at Liz with a steadier gaze.
“My break’s over. I have to get back to work. Please take care of things for my daughter.”
“I will,” Liz assured her.
After Shannon left, Liz nced down at her ankle. It had swollen so much it was now the size of an egg. She needed to get it looked at.
She began making her way toward the curb, but every step sent a sharp burst of pain shooting through her leg.
It was only about ten or fifteen meters, but it felt like a mile. By the time she finally reached the roadside, sweat was already beading on her forehead.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her phone, ready to call a car.
Just then, a white BMW pulled up next to her.
The passenger window rolled down, and a warm, familiar voice called out from inside.
“Liz?”