<b>Chapter </b><b>364 </b>Shattered Pride


    <b>It’s </b>hard <b>to </b>refuse the dying a final wish–especially when that person was once your first love.


    But those four years with Lily, the way she’d stayed by his side and warmed his heart, had left a <b>mark </b><b>on </b>John’s soul too deep to erase.


    She was his sun–no fleeting crush could everpare. In this life, John only wanted to grow old <b>with </b>Lily.


    He feared that if he really went through with marrying Elsa, Lily might never look back. So he said, “Elsa, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your days. But my wife–can only be Lily. I won’t marry you.”


    “John…”


    Elsa’s proud gaze wavered. Her delicate face crumpled under the humiliation as tears streamed down.


    “John!”


    Simon couldn’t take it. He thought John should take responsibility for what he’d done to Elsa–especially after sleeping with her. He also couldn’t stand how John still obsessed over Lily. Fury surged in him.


    “On New Year’s Eve, you forced Lizzy. You didn’t just sleep with her–you hit her, left her covered in bruises…. You raped her. That’s a crime. Yvonne recorded a video. If you won’t marry Lizzy, I’ll turn the footage over to the police and make sure you go to jail!”


    John wasn’t fazed by the threat. He scoffed coldly.


    “Simon, you think I don’t see through your dirty little motives?”


    “You just want me to marry Elsa so I’ll have no chance with Lily–so you can yourself.”


    swoop


    in and have her for


    He stepped forward and grabbed Simon by the cor, voice low and threatening. “Lily’s mine. This life, she can only be with me. Touch her again, and I’ll kill you.”


    Simon didn’t back down–he slugged John hard across the face,


    His voice was biting. “Yours? Please. You slept with Lizzy. What right do you have to call Lily yours? I’ll keep seeing Lily. John, you better back off. The only thing you should be doing now is taking responsibility for what you did that night. Own up and marry Elsa!”


    “You’re dead.”


    John flew into a rage. When Simon/said he’d keep pursuing Lily, John punched him back without


    hesitation.


    The two were evenly matched–neither willing to yield. Soon, both their faces were bloodied and bruised.


    But the hospital room was too/small. They couldn’t move freely, and neither wanted to disturb Elsa. So they took the fight outside.


    Inside, behind the tightly, shut door, Elsa stood frozen. Her proud gaze shattered, hate swirling in her eyes


    III


    O


    <b>Chapter </b>364 Shattered Fride


    <b>like </b>a <b>crimson </b>tide, threatening to drown her.


    <b>She’d </b>yed weak, threatened suicide, just to get John to marry her.


    She had once believed Simon would be her backup n.


    But now, the two men who were supposed to cherish her were both fighting like mad dogs <b>over </b>Lily


    That bitch Lily–why her?


    Elsa was so furious that she nearly coughed up blood.


    What made it worseizens who used to praise her now tore her to shreds.


    She had always been the golden girl.


    Good grades, good looks, graceful in dance, and gifted in voice acting.


    She had grown up basking in admiration and pron She wasn’t prepared to be hated by the world.


    Still desperate to see how bad things had gotten, Elsa shakily tapped on another video.


    As expected.


    Thements were a torrent of scorn.


    “Elsa’s disgusting. She faked a miscarriage to frame Lily. She’s worse than maggots in a toilet!”


    “So, having a crush makes her pure and noble? Please. Her so–called ‘reunion‘ with John is just her barging in as the other woman. Lily had already stepped back, but Elsa just had to keep dragging her into it. Shameless!”


    “Exactly! She’s vile and pathetic. Lily was finally starting a new life, and this rabid mutt won’t let go. Gross!”


    “But hey, can we talk about how much Mr. James loves Lily? Did you see the way he hugged her? His eyes were red. They’re perfect for each other–absolute couple goals!”


    “Right? Mr. James and Lily are made for each other. Can you imagine how gorgeous their kids would be? But it’s not just his love–Lily is amazing on her own. She totally deserves it!”


    Elsa wanted to smash her phone. But she could


    reactions.


    Finally, she found a video defending her.


    stop herself from picking it up again to check thetest


    She recognized it right away–it was Jones Corp’s PR team at work.


    The clips showed her lying in a pool of blood, fragile and helpless, apologizing to Lily in a trembling voice. It looked heartfelt. Sincere. Designed to make her look like the victim.


    O