The Heartattack: Breaking Love and Vengeance

My brother Dave jumped off a building, but the hospital to which he was sent was at a loss and couldn't do anything about his condition.

Clinging to a last shred of hope, I dialed my husband Nigel Ward's number, begging him to ask his childhood friend, the best surgeon in the country, to save my brother's life.

Nigel's voice was impatient as he claimed I didn't have a brother.

"Don't you know Kathy is struggling with her heart condition now? She can't leave the doctor right now! And now you actually fabricated the existence of a younger brother out of thin air. Can you just stop this?"

I desperately tried to explain, but he wouldn't give me the chance.

"You should know that it's not the right time for your little tricks." He added.

The moment the doctors declared Dave dead, my heart died too.

1

No friends or relatives attended Dave's funeral. Our parents had been killed in a vendetta, and to protect him, no one outside our family knew we were siblings.

With the last of my family gone, I gently touched the coffin, resolved to break up with Nigel and start a new chapter in my life.

Suddenly, the door was kicked open by bodyguards, and two uninvited guests walked in hand. Nigel was tenderly holding his true love, a gentleness he'd never shown me in our seven years together.

It turned out he wasn't cold by nature-he just couldn't be bothered to pretend with someone he didn't love.

My heart felt like it was being crushed, the pain searing. I closed Dave's coffin, unwilling to let these two defile the dead, and stepped forward to confront them.

Tired of the endless tug-of-war, I was determined to end things.

Nigel, who had been doting on his true love, suddenly noticed me in mourning attire. His eyes filled with disbelief, then rage.

He steadied the fragile woman in his arms, whispered something to her, and then turned to stride toward me, his face cold and severe.

"Dora Jones, what are you doing here? Trying to acquire this company too?"

He stood before me, looking down with an air of superiority.

My mind was foggy from days without food or water. Watching his lips move, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

"It's my brother's funeral. Why do you think I'm here?"

My face was haggard, my eyes swollen from crying, and I was dressed in mourning clothes. Anyone with eyes could see I was there to mourn a loved one.

But Nigel, whose eyes only had room for his true love, chose to ignore it-or maybe he just never cared about me at all.

My calm retort left him momentarily speechless, but his tone quickly turned colder.

"Can't you be reasonable? Kathy Anderson's heart condition makes it rare for her to enjoy anything. The department is working overtime to draft an acquisition plan. Dora, I've promised to marry you, and Kathy only wants a small company named Rainbow Candy. Do you have to compete with her for that too?"

"What did you say? Acquire Rainbow Candy?"

Rainbow Candy was the company our parents had founded and left to us.

Dave had witnessed their deaths and was left with severe psychological trauma, diagnosed with major depression.

In the early years, I juggled school and work, spending most of my time caring for him. That was when Nigel came into my life.

He was like a cactus in the desert-resilient, never bowing to life despite being bullied and ostracized. I was drawn to his strength, helping him fend off bullies and tutoring him.

I remember him standing in the sunlight, wearing faded jeans and holding an old phone, pointing at his grades and smiling brightly at me.

He said he'd get into the same university as me and promised to never let go of my hand, no matter what life threw at us.

The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting patterns on his dark hair, and I was captivated by the determination in his eyes, swept away by his youthful promise.

It wasn't until after graduation that I learned he was the unacknowledged son of the Ward family, suddenly thrust into the role of heir.

It turned out he had two hands-one holding mine, and the other reaching for the woman he'd longed for since his youth.

"Dora, I've given you everything. Kathy only wants a small, nameless company. Can't you stop competing with her for everything?"

2

Nigel waved over his assistant and tossed a document onto the table.

"The acquisition plan is here. You know you can't compete with the Ward Group. The acquisition is inevitable."

My mind buzzed as I collapsed to the ground. Nigel wanted to acquire my company?

No wonder Dave, whose emotions had stabilized in recent years, had chosen to end his life. This man had driven him to despair.

Dave was introverted but had an incredible talent for business. I'd guided him, and after he came of age, I handed the company over to him, hoping it would keep him busy and help him move on from the past.

To him, the Rainbow Candy was as precious as having our parents by his side. How could he live without it?

Upon realizing the truth, a profound sense of darkness enveloped my mind. My body trembled, and I couldn't speak.

Cold sweat poured from my forehead. Nigel frowned, bending down to help me, but I pushed him away. "Don't touch me."

He staggered back, colliding with Kathy.

He was about to yell at me but saw me curled up on the ground, gasping for air, and softened his tone. "Dora, don't you want to marry me? I'll give you a company ten times bigger than this as a dowry. Can you let Kathy have Rainbow Candy?"

He signaled his assistant to list several of the Ward family's properties for me to choose from.

"The acquisition plan is already in motion. There was no choice left for you."

My vision blurred. After seven years, Nigel was more dazzling than ever. Everyone said I was lucky to be with him, that being the Ward heir's woman was a blessing earned over eight lifetimes.

But they all forgot that when he was at his lowest, I was the one who pulled him out of the mud.

He was the one who promised me a future.

Nigel started a business in college, but no one wanted his products. His confidence was shattered, and he was down for a while. I ran around in the scorching heat for him, finally turning to Dave for help.

Dave, after reviewing the project, gave him a generous sum, helping Nigel regain his confidence and earn his first income.

After our parents died, partners circled like vultures, trying to pick apart our small company. We were suppressed, faced withheld payments, and even attempts to get me drunk and take advantage of me.

To protect our parents' legacy and care for Dave, I couldn't confront them, carefully navigating the cracks to survive.

My only wish then was for someone to help me when I was too exhausted to go on. Nigel's determination had supported me through the toughest times.

So, regardless of wealth or poverty, I never thought of letting go. I wanted to build a home with him.

But now, the person who gave me hope was the same one destroying everything.

I let out a bitter, breathless laugh. "Nigel, you're dreaming."

Nigel looked down at me, his disdain and mockery unhidden. "If you are going to go against me, then the wedding is off."

I laughed, mocking the absurdity of his dreams and my own foolish hope for true love, which had become his leverage over me.

"Let's break up, Nigel. We're done."

During the four years in college when he didn't reveal his identity, everyone thought we were a perfect match. But he didn't know how much I'd sacrificed for this relationship.

I'd turned down opportunities, tirelessly sought funding for his company, and endured drinking sessions despite my health, leading to a stomach ulcer.

We'd lived in a windowless basement, unwilling to eat the last pack of instant noodles, all for his promise of building a future for me. I'd silently supported him from behind the scenes.

The past was like a knife, leaving me deeply wounded.

I wouldn't let Dave's death go unpunished, but I didn't want these two scoundrels to dishonor his memory.

Just as I was about to kick them out, Kathy walked over, claiming her territory by holding onto Nigel's arm. He hesitated but didn't push her away.

Kathy flicked her hair and said coyly, "Dora, wearing black clothes today, you wouldn't have anything unspeakable with that stupid boy who committed suicide, would you?"

3

I suppressed the rage boiling inside me, not letting them see my pain. I couldn't risk Kathy using Dave's body against me.

I calmly retorted, "Ms. Anderson, wipe your mouth. You're drooling nonsense."

Kathy clutched her chest, her face pale as she grabbed Nigel's suit. "Nigel, my heart feels so uncomfortable," she whimpered.

The same old excuse. Since returning to the country, she'd been using her frail health to manipulate Nigel, even monopolizing the only doctor who could've saved Dave during his suicide attempt.

Dave was only 20. His life should've been bright and full of promise, but it was destroyed by the people standing in front of me.

Sure enough, Nigel pulled her into his arms, his voice urgent.

"Dora, can you stop making things difficult for Kathy? She's a patient with a heart condition. She's pure and kind. How did she offend you?"

As Kathy recovered slightly, Nigel turned to me, his eyes cold and filled with disappointment.

In the past, I couldn't bear to see him disappointed. No matter how hard things were, I'd have moved mountains for him. But now...

I stepped forward, my voice trembling with anger and tears.

"Kind? Is it kind to drive a young man to his death just because she wanted candy?"

Nigel frowned, clearly annoyed by my accusation.

"The deceased had mental issues. His death wasn't caused by Kathy. Besides, I offered a fair price for the company. I don't owe him anything, and I won't take responsibility for his death."

"Fair price?" I raised my hand and slapped Nigel hard. "How about I give you fifty cents to transfer this woman to me?"

Caught off guard, Nigel's face turned to the side, a clear handprint left behind. Kathy screamed, "Nigel!"

She clung to him, her eyes flashing with malice.

"Nigel, Dora's so agitated. Could she really have something to do with the deceased?

Isn't her behavior making a fool of you? She must have cheated on you.

Still, we should help her bury this young man, right? A quiet burial at sea is popular now, isn't it?"

Nigel's gaze shifted from surprise to suspicion.

I knew things were going wrong. Without thinking, I stepped back to shield the coffin, trying to appear calm, but my voice betrayed my panic. "No, you can't. You're not his family. You have no right to handle his affairs."

Nigel's suspicion deepened. He smirked coldly. "He is dead. The Ward family can handle the body."

At that moment, this man felt like a stranger. He believed Kathy's baseless accusations over me.

If he didn't trust me, why not just break up and marry his true love?

It was just the greed of men-wanting everything without giving anything in return.

Watching the bodyguards move forward to take Dave's body, I panicked. If I told the truth, Kathy might use his body against me. But if I didn't speak up, I'd lose him forever.

So I shouted, "Nigel, he's my brother! My biological brother! Don't you dare touch him!"

But Nigel didn't believe me. His face was cold. "Dora, in seven years together, I never knew you had a brother. I don't even care about your affair with another man. I'm still willing to marry you. What more do you want?"

"I don't need it,"

I said, my voice breaking. "I'll give you back to Kathy. I'll even transfer the company. Just let me send my brother off one last time. Please, Nigel. For the sake of our seven years together."

4

"Even now, you're still thinking about another man," Nigel said, his lips curling into a cruel smile.

He turned to the bodyguards. "Get me some gasoline and cremate the body right now."

A group of bodyguards restrained me while others went to find gasoline.

I struggled in vain, watching helplessly as they doused the funeral hall in gasoline, staging a fire.

My eyes widened in despair.

"Nigel, my parents were murdered! I hid our relationship to protect Dave! The death certificate in my car proves it! Please, just look at it!"

The assistant, moved by compassion, was about to help me when Kathy interrupted. "If it's true, Dora's been lying to you all these years. I think she's just desperate because she promised the deceased's family something."

Nigel's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. Once again, he chose Kathy over me, not even giving me a chance to defend myself.

The flames rose, consuming the coffin.

As the bodyguards dragged me out of the fire, I continued to struggle.

"He's my brother! My last family! Bring him out! Please, bring him out too!"

But the bodyguards loyal to the Ward family wouldn't listen.

The fire raged fiercely, but only near the ice coffin.

I desperately reached out, my nails splitting, my fingers bloody and raw.

The world spun, and in my rage, bright red blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

Time ticked by. The fire burned relentlessly, taking away my last family member. When it finally died down, the bodyguards released me, and I crawled toward the funeral hall with all my strength.

Nigel had never seen me so disheveled. He gently walked over and lifted me up.

"Listen," he said, his voice soft. "My feelings for Kathy are just sibling-like. No one can shake your position as the future matriarch of the Ward family. The company, the jewelry, the title of Mrs. Ward-it's all yours. Once Kathy's health improves, we'll get married."

He sat on the ground, holding me tightly, declaring his undying devotion.

My eyes were vacant and numb. I kept trying to get up and return to the funeral hall, but Nigel restrained me.

Suddenly, the fire brigade arrived, extinguishing the last flame. Dave's body was charred beyond recognition.

The scene was in ruins. The firefighters prevented me from getting closer. At that moment, the assistant, who had found the death certificate in my car, approached with heavy steps.

"Mr. Ward," he said, his voice grave. "The deceased is indeed Ms. Jones's brother."