In Room 808, Evelyn Drake was dressed in a prison jumpsuit, gritting her teeth as she dragged herself up from the floor.

Right in front of her, Nathaniel Mercer stared coldly through the iron bars, grabbed her chin hard, and spat out, "Evelyn, I'm only here to say one thing—divorce."

His voice was colder than ice, every word dripping with disgust.

Evelyn’s heart clenched painfully. "Why? Just because of a few things she said, you don't trust me anymore? We're husband and wife, for God's sake!"

Nathaniel sneered, whipped out a DNA test report, and slapped it right into her face. "You seriously playing dumb? Five years I've been raising some bastard! If Sophia hadn't insisted on a DNA test, I wouldn't have figured out you’ve been lying through your teeth. Give me one damn reason why we shouldn't get divorced."

Her fingertips dug so hard into her palms they bled.

She had thought nothing could hurt her anymore, thought if she just held on, maybe their love would survive. But it turned out, a few words from his sister could shatter everything between them.

Laughing bitterly, Evelyn ripped the report to pieces and shoved them toward Nathaniel. "First, you accused me of hurting your mom. Now, you say our son’s not yours. You never trusted me, did you?"

Nathaniel’s eyes turned murderous, his grip on her wrist like an iron cuff. "Not signing? Fine. Stay locked in here forever then."

Evelyn let out a wild laugh. "Fine by me! Rotting here’s no big deal! But divorce? Dream on!"

Nathaniel’s face darkened even more. "Then don't blame me for taking it out on your bastard kid."

Without another glance, he turned and walked away.

Behind him, Evelyn’s tears blurred her vision. She bit her lip so hard it almost bled, forcing out, "I’ll do it."

"You better be serious. Don’t try pulling any tricks!" Nathaniel shot her a cold, warning look before storming out of the station and sliding into his Maybach.

"I want to see my son. As long as he's safe, I'll sign whatever you want," Evelyn said through a strained, shaky smile, her arms dropping helplessly.

But not long after, Nathaniel had her dragged into a basement, saying he had some urgent matter to deal with.

As soon as she got to the Mercer mansion, footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Thinking it was her son, Evelyn called out.

Instead, a mocking voice answered.

"Wow, sis-in-law? Out so soon? Couldn’t wait to snatch your kid back, huh?" Sophia Daniels leaned against the stair railing, looking all innocent, her college uniform making her seem sweet and harmless.

She gave Evelyn a mocking once-over and smirked. "Your kid’s in my hands now. Nathaniel handed him over to me. He’s done playing babysitter to your bastard."

Evelyn's chest tightened viciously, her pupils contracting. "What the hell are you trying to do, Sophia? I know you’ve been scheming all these years to get Nathaniel. Fine. Hate me all you want — but don’t touch my son!"

Sophia crossed her arms, voice icy as hell, like she already had everything figured out. "Simple. You rip out Mom’s oxygen tube, divorce Nathaniel, and I’ll give you back your bastard."

Evelyn stiffened in shock. "You... that’s your mother! And you wanna kill her? Are you out of your damn mind? She treated you like her own!"

"So what? She kept blocking me from getting close to Nathaniel, ruined all my chances! Besides... being besties with your mother-in-law? Gross," Sophia said, her face twisted with hatred as she yanked open the metal door. "Don’t wanna do it? Fine. Then say goodbye to your kid. I’ll kill him without a second thought."

"You try it and you’ll be next!" Evelyn snapped, lunging at her and gripping Sophia’s throat with deadly force. "Where is he? Where’s my son?"

Sophia raised her leg, trying to kick her off, but before anything could escalate, footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Nathaniel came down and caught them in the act, immediately yanking Evelyn away.Sophia Daniels threw herself into Nathaniel Mercer's arms, sobbing, "Nathaniel, she tried to kill me! She demanded the boy, but you told me not to give him back, so I refused... then she tried to strangle me!"

Wrapped in Nathaniel’s embrace, Sophia cried like her world was ending. But when she glanced at Evelyn Drake, a sly, triumphant smirk crossed her face.

Guess love really was just another game of acting.

Nathaniel’s face darkened completely. Without a second thought, he slapped Evelyn hard across the face. "Fresh outta prison and already trying to kill someone? Haven't you screwed up enough?"

Evelyn stumbled up from the ground, pointing furiously at Sophia. Through clenched teeth, she spat, "I'm the crazy one? Do you even know what your precious little sister asked me to do? She told me to pull the plug on your mother!"

Nathaniel's eyes went even colder. He slapped her again, harder. "You seriously think I'd believe you? You filthy woman! Drag her to the beach. She needs a lesson she'll never forget!"

Two bodyguards grabbed Evelyn and shoved her into a car, hauling her straight to the seashore.

Out of nowhere, a child's cry echoed. Evelyn’s head snapped up—it was Lucas Mercer. Nathaniel was holding their son by the arm like he was trash, dangling him above the sand.

"What are you doing? Let him go!" Evelyn screamed, struggling wildly, but the guards slammed her back down. "Lucas!"

Nathaniel barely glanced at her. He coldly plopped Lucas down on the ground, slapped a divorce agreement in her face, and barked, "Let her loose."

The bodyguards let go but stayed gripping her arms tight.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, tossing a pen at her feet. "Sign it. You sign, you get Lucas."

Evelyn looked at her sobbing baby boy, then back at the man who now felt like a stranger. She closed her eyes. "You're serious?"

Before he could even reply, she snatched up the pen and signed with trembling hands. Then she crumpled the paper and hurled it at him. "Lucas!"

But the second she turned her head, she watched in horror as Nathaniel heartlessly hurled Lucas straight into the sea.

"No!" Evelyn shrieked as Lucas slipped beneath the waves. She shoved Nathaniel aside and dove into the ocean without thinking, frantically searching, but Lucas was nowhere to be found.

All she could hear was Lucas's cries in her mind. "Lucas!"

"You bastard, Nathaniel Mercer! You heartless murderer! Give me back my son!" Evelyn screamed, lunging at Nathaniel, trying to throw him over her shoulder, but he caught her wrist and slammed her down onto the beach.

Her face scraped across the sand, stinging her eyes full of grit.

Raging, Evelyn wiped the dirt from her face, glaring at Nathaniel with bloodshot fury.

"Act tough all you want, I'll still break you apart! Stop pushing your luck!" Nathaniel growled through his teeth.

As he started choking her, Evelyn thrust her knee upward, aiming for his groin.

Nathaniel, quick as ever, dodged, letting her knee skim his thigh instead.

"I'll kill you! Give me back my child!" Evelyn's scream tore through the air, carried by the rising wind.

She clamped her teeth onto his fingers like a wild animal, biting down until blood streamed and a dreadful crunch echoed. "We're both dying tonight, Nathaniel!"

But Nathaniel was too strong. Exhausted, Evelyn's strength faded quick, and he yanked her by the hair, shoving her face into the seawater.

Even under the water, she glared at him with unyielding hatred.

Seeing her like that gave Nathaniel a sudden pang in his chest. He shoved her deeper into the water, then staggered back, panting heavily, sitting down on the beach.

"Don't push me again, or I swear you won't see another sunrise," he barked viciously.

Watching his retreating back, Evelyn's broken heart released a soul-tearing scream.

Even after sunset, she stayed there, floating in the freezing waves, letting them crash over and over against her body. Her lips cracked, her skin turned ghostly pale, and her mind spiraled into hopeless madness.

"Still poking around for that dead bastard you called a kid, huh?"