ManyWriters

During the acrobatic performance, I watched helplessly as my sedated child was swapped with a dummy.
On the animal training stage, he was eaten bit by bit by the tigers.
I begged everyone desperately to save my son, banging my head on the ground, but was only treated as a madwoman and thrown out.
Later, Xavion rushed me to the hospital with a severe head injury.
After three months in a coma, the moment I woke up, I struggled to tell Xavion about our son's killers. Instead, I overheard his conversation with his secretary outside the room.
"Boss, are you sure this is the right thing to do? Tommy is your own flesh and blood after all. Your wife will be devastated if she learns the truth."
"Melody became depressed trying to save me. You saw how she threatened suicide with a knife that day. As long as she can be happy every day, I'd do anything - let alone sacrifice one child."
Two streams of tears fell from my eyes as I stood by the wall, unable to control my trembling.
Our picture-perfect family was all a lie. The son I cherished more than my own life was just a disposable stress relief tool in Xavion's eyes.

The Circus Tragedy, a Son Devoured By Tigers

"Xavion, I'm craving some chicken noodle soup. Could you ask the kitchen to whip some up?" Melody's coquettish voice drifted from inside.


"Sure, I'll go right now," Xavion said as he was about to come out.


I quickly ducked into a corner of the room.


When I came to my senses, Melody had already gotten out of bed. She was looking down at me imperiously: "Vivienne, do you know why Xavion loves me so much?"


I shook my head. I didn't want to engage with her; I just wanted to give Xavion the ddevilrce papers and leave.


But soon, Melody's next words successfully caught my attention.


"Do you remember the big fire at the circus two years ago? It was you who, returning from a field trip, recklessly rushed into the inferno to save Xavion. Afterward, you were in critical condition in the hospital for two months due to a head injury. And during those two months, I was the one taking care of Xavion, who was in the room next to yours.I didn't push myself to the brink for two months, tirelessly caring for him, just to make him believe I was the one who saved him. And then you show up two months later, looking like the wicked wife who never once visited him during his hospital stay, never answered his calls or texts.


I paused. It's true, I had intentionally hidden from Xavion that I was the one who saved him. But my lie was meant to spare him worry. After all, the fire spread so quickly, and I nearly died pulling him out.


I never imagined my well-intentioned lie would lead to this.


"Afterward, I lied and told him I had depression. He believed me, and before long, he fell for me," Melody said, her tone dripping with pride.


"And don't even get me started on a few weeks ago. On a whim, I took a kitchen knife and made a show of slashing my wrists. Xavion was so heartless, he actually killed your baby."


As I listened to her words, my eyes grew red with rage, my fists clenched.


"Don't look at me like that. Sure, I'm the mastermind behind your baby's death, but your husband isn't exactly a saint either. So much for 'even tigers don't eat their young'..." Melody seemed oblivious to my anger, continuing to rub salt in my wounds.Unable to contain myself any longer, I finally exploded, lunging for the throat of this female executioner without hesitation: "Pay for my son's life with your own!"


Melody, struggling to breathe under my grip, began pushing and kicking at me with all her might.


But when people tap into their hidden strength, they often become incredibly powerful. No matter how hard she fought, my grip didn't loosen one bit.


Suddenly, Melody stopped struggling. She forced a twisted smile and said, "Vivienne, if I were you, I'd have bought a ticket out of town and run away long ago. But now, it's too late for you to escape."


Chapter 4