He Let My Baby Die in the Freezer

I was once the person Ethan loved most.

Because I saved his life. Because he owed me that life. My brother Sebastian died in that accident, pushing both of us to safety.

Then they reopened the case. Changed the ruling. Sebastian's rescue choice killed Ethan's sister. Vivian was the real savior.

From that day on, Ethan decided I was guilty.

Vivian casually said, "I wonder if she'd just wait there and die if we locked her in a freezer."

Ethan locked me in the cold storage. Right away.

But I was pregnant. My child died in that cold.

Lying in the hospital bed, I sent that man a message.

"I won't love Ethan anymore. I'll go to New York with you."

Natalie's POV

I was once the person Ethan loved most.

If a little hot water scalded my hand, Ethan would drop everything. He would leave all the company directors waiting to personally take me to the hospital.

When someone laughed at me for being too delicate, the next day that person's company was removed from the collaborator list.

Everyone knew I had saved Ethan's life, and that I'd lost my brother saving him.

Back then, Ethan said he would protect everything I had left.

But last night, at a dinner party, Vivian casually mentioned wanting to see if I'd also wait in vain for rescue if locked in a freezer. After a few seconds of silence, Ethan had someone send me in.

The freezer door locked from the outside. By the time they found me, it was already the next morning.

When the warehouse worker opened the door, he stumbled backward in shock. I lay on the floor, my lips completely colorless, my hands and feet stiff as if pulled from ice.

The doctor lifted me onto a stretcher. When the needle pierced the back of my hand, I didn't even have the strength to flinch.

Ethan stood not far away, his face pale.

He had taken half a step forward.

Vivian stood beside him, fingers touching the old scar on her arm, her voice soft. "Ethan, don't forget. Melissa waited like this for someone to save her too."

Ethan's footsteps stopped.

He didn't come any closer, only instructed the doctor. "Take her to the hospital."

When I woke up, a warming blanket covered me, and an IV dripped into the back of my hand.

The doctor said I was lucky they found me soon enough, but I couldn't be exposed to cold for the next few days.

Ethan frowned as he listened.

I stared at his face.

I remembered years ago, right after the accident. I'd developed a high fever from smoke inhalation. My brother Sebastian died at the rescue site. Ethan sat by my hospital bed, holding my hand, saying over and over, "From now on, I'll protect everything you have left."

And he really had kept that promise. He personally placed Sebastian's memorial plaque in the hall. When I was too afraid to sleep alone, he renovated the master bedroom in the villa so I could rest peacefully.

Until they reopened the old case and changed the conclusion.

Sebastian was found to have wrongly sealed off a rescue route, indirectly causing Melissa's death.

Vivian was the responsibility Melissa left behind, and also a survivor of that accident.

She had old injuries. Whenever she hurt, Ethan would think of his sister.

I pushed myself up in bed, my throat raw and aching. "Did you agree to throw me in the freezer?"

Ethan didn't answer, only said, "Rest first."

I stared at his averted eyes. "If I hadn't been the one who saved you back then, would you have been more decisive? Would you have just let me freeze to death in there?"

Ethan's expression darkened.

"Natalie, saving my life doesn't cancel out another life." He looked at me. "The person who died was my sister."

I gripped the blanket. "My father's rescue decision wasn't meant to harm anyone. Sebastian also died in there. He-"

"The investigation results are clear." Ethan cut me off. "What your family owes Melissa won't be canceled just because Sebastian died too."

The hospital room door was pushed open.

Vivian walked in, holding Melissa's old belongings.

She wasn't crying, just stood in the doorway with reddened eyes. "Natalie, Melissa was also waiting for someone to open that passage. But no one came."

Ethan's gaze left me.

He turned to support Vivian, his voice low. "Don't upset yourself anymore."

I watched his hand fall on Vivian's shoulder. The words on my lips were choked back.

After the hospital room quieted down, my phone lit up.

Adrian sent a message: "I've secured a job opportunity for you in New York. I've prepared everything for you. As soon as you agree to come work here, you can enjoy it all immediately."

He was the person who had been providing legal assistance for Sebastian's memorial project after the accident.

Three days ago, he went to New York to prepare everything for me.

I didn't reply immediately.

Adrian sent another message: "Sebastian didn't save you so you could stay trapped, being punished by others."

Before I could respond, a text from Ethan appeared.

It was brief: "After discharge today, go back to the villa and clear out the master bedroom. Vivian is moving in tonight. Don't leave any of your things in the room or the closet. It makes her uncomfortable."

I stared at those words, my eyes slowly growing cold.

That master bedroom was the one Ethan had personally arranged for me years ago. Sebastian's memorial items were kept there. My nightmares from the accident had gradually disappeared in that room.

Now Vivian was moving in.

I finally replied to Adrian: "I'll go with you."

The moment I sent the message, footsteps sounded outside the hospital room.

Ethan's assistant entered with discharge papers, his tone polite. "Miss Natalie, Mr. Ethan wants you to return to the villa now. The car is waiting downstairs."

Natalie's POV

When I was sent back to the villa, the master bedroom door was already open.

My coats had been thrown in the hallway. Medicine bottles sat on a suitcase, with a mug lying beside it.

A maid stood by the door, head down, not daring to look at me.

Inside the room, Vivian's belongings had already appeared.

The right side of the closet had been emptied. Her medicine sat by the bed.

Vivian sat on the edge of the bed, wearing Ethan's coat. Ethan was bent over examining the old injury on her arm. "The family doctor will watch over you tonight. Call him if you feel unwell."

That was the spot where I used to sit when I felt cold. During many nights after the accident, Ethan sat there keeping me company until dawn.

Now he left that light for Vivian.

Vivian looked up and saw me. "Natalie, good, you're back. Please hurry and clean this place up. When I see things related to that accident, my wound hurts."

I didn't argue. I walked into the master bedroom and packed Sebastian's memorial items one by one into a box.

Vivian leaned against the bed watching me. "Sebastian's death was truly unfortunate, but if your father hadn't made that decision back then, Melissa wouldn't have died in there."

My movements stopped.

Vivian continued. "You people caused someone's death, yet your brother still got placed in the memorial hall. While you lived in the villa, did you not hear how the other families cursed you outside?"

I placed the materials in the box. "Don't touch my family."

Vivian laughed. "Isn't your brother's death the best leverage you have to bind Ethan? He lost his own sister!"

I looked up at her. "You're using Melissa's death to live here, using old injuries to make Ethan punish me again and again. Vivian, you have no right to use the dead as your weapon either."

Vivian's expression changed.

She suddenly reached out to grab the memorial items from my arms.

I instinctively protected the box. Vivian deliberately stumbled against the corner of the bed, her arm hitting the edge. She immediately began crying out in pain.

The bathroom door was pulled open.

Ethan came out. His first glance went to Vivian clutching her trembling arm.

He didn't look at me, only walked to Vivian's side. "Where does it hurt?"

Vivian's eyes reddened. "I was just trying to help Natalie pack. She might still be stuck in past pain. She suddenly pushed me away..."

I stood beside the scattered memorial items. "She insulted my father and brother first, and tried to grab Sebastian's belongings."

"Shut up." Ethan coldly cut me off.

He helped Vivian up, his gaze falling on my face. "Vivian's old injuries are from that accident. If not for your father's rescue error back then, Melissa wouldn't have died. And you still want to hurt her?"

I clutched the box tightly and said nothing more.

Ethan turned to instruct the maid. "Move her things to the guest room."

The guest room was at the far end of the villa, far from the master bedroom. Boxes were piled at the door. Sebastian's memorial items were mixed in, and several pieces had been broken.

I crouched down and carefully put them back together, one by one.

My phone vibrated.

Adrian sent a message: "In ten days, I'll meet you in New York."

I replied: "Okay."

Outside the door, the maid whispered that Mr. Ethan wanted the pillow I'd used thrown out, and the bedside lamp removed too, so Miss Vivian wouldn't feel upset seeing them at night.

At dinner, Vivian sat beside Ethan, wearing a coat I'd left in the master bedroom. "Natalie, I'm just cold. You don't mind if I borrow this, do you?"

Ethan didn't ask her to take it off, only instructed the maid. "Pour her some milk."

I sat in the farthest seat.

Vivian glanced at my still-stiff fingers and deliberately pushed a plate toward me. "Natalie, my arm hurts. Can you help me tear open this package?"

Ethan glanced at me. "Vivian's wound hurts. Help her."

I lowered my head and did as told. My fingers, damaged by the cold, couldn't grip the bag properly. I nearly dropped it into the plate.

Vivian's eyes immediately reddened. "Ethan, is Natalie still angry that I moved into the master bedroom?"

Ethan set down his utensils. "Natalie, be careful. Don't take your resentment out on Vivian."

I placed the opened package in front of Vivian.

Ethan's gaze landed on my trembling hands, then quickly moved away.

After dinner, I carried my medicine back to the guest room.

As soon as the door closed, another message from Ethan came in.

"Go to the memorial hall tomorrow and remove Sebastian's materials from the main exhibition area. Vivian is upset tonight. She doesn't want to see your family name displayed alongside that accident anymore."

I looked at his message, then slowly raised my head toward the box by the door.

My brother had died in that accident trying to save me. Later, Ethan personally funded the placement of his materials in the memorial hall. Now, because Vivian didn't want to see it, Ethan was telling me to remove those materials myself.

Knocking soon sounded at the door. The maid's voice came through. "Miss Natalie, Mr. Ethan also said you should go tomorrow morning."

The maid added another line.

"Miss Vivian will go with you."

Natalie's POV

Early the next morning, the driver took me to the accident memorial hall.

A colleague was already waiting at the entrance, holding the notice Ethan had sent last night.

The notice contained only one sentence: "Remove all materials related to Sebastian from the main exhibition area and transfer to regular archives."

Ethan had personally selected that memorial plaques location years ago.

Back then, he stood beside me and told the staff, "Sebastian saved me. He saved Natalie. He deserves to be remembered."

Now, he wheeled Vivian inside without even glancing at that plaque.

Vivian sat in the wheelchair, her arm still wrapped in a stabilizing bandage. When she saw me, her voice was gentle.

"I don't want to upset you, but I really can't stand it. Why should the name of the person who caused Melissa's death be displayed alongside hers?"

Ethan didn't correct her.

He only told the staff, "Begin."

The staff member stepped forward and reached for Sebastian's memorial plaque.

I stood nearby, fingers gripping my sleeve, and didn't stop them.

A colleague asked quietly, "Ethan, where should we put the removed materials?"

Vivian spoke first. "Put them in the regular archive room. Don't display them in such a prominent place anymore. It's too painful for us victims."

I looked up at her. "Sebastian wasn't someone who harmed people. He went in to save people."

Vivian's face paled. Her eyes quickly reddened again.

"But if your father hadn't sealed off that passage, Melissa wouldn't have died. Your brother saving people is true, but your father causing death is also true. You can't just remember what benefits you."

"Don't lump my brother together with the accident." My voice was hoarse. "He died in there. He didn't die so you could insult his name."

Vivian suddenly reached out to grab the memorial plaque. "Then I'll take it down myself, okay?"

I instinctively blocked her.

Vivian immediately pulled her hand back, clutching her old injury and leaning back, tears falling. "Ethan, I was just trying to help..."

Ethan quickly stepped forward to support her. When he looked at me again, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was gone.

"Do you have to make a scene here?"

I looked at his hands. "Do you remember? Years ago, you were the one who put my brother's name in here."

Ethan fell silent for a moment.

Vivian trembled beside him. "When Melissa was waiting for rescue inside, she probably didn't even have the strength to call your name."

Ethan's silence shattered under those words.

He said coldly, "Remove that plaque."

I stepped forward and finally pressed my hand against the memorial plaque. Ethan gripped my wrist, his force landing right on my still-healing injury. My face paled, but I didn't let go.

"Stop using Sebastian's death to claim victim status." Ethan's voice was ice cold. "Natalie, what your family owes Melissa is already too much."

My hand slowly released.

The memorial plaque was taken away. A space opened up in the main exhibition area. Vivian looked at that spot and said quietly, "Tonight I can finally have fewer nightmares."

After it ended, Vivian said the stimulation had upset her, and she wanted me to spend time in the rescue experience zone too.

Ethan frowned. "Her body hasn't recovered yet."

Vivian took out Melissa's old belongings and asked softly, "So you're going to forget how Melissa died again, just because she saved you?"

Ethan stopped looking at me.

He had the staff leave, keeping only medical personnel outside on standby.

After the experience chamber door closed, cold air and mist pressed down together.

Through the glass, I saw Ethan standing beside Vivian, head bent as he listened to her speak.

When the door opened again, I could no longer stand.

When I was sent back to the villa guest room, my fingers had swollen again, and my wrist bore marks from Ethan's grip.

A maid brought a stack of cards, saying, "Miss Vivian is holding a memorial service for Miss Melissa tomorrow. Mr. Ethan wants you to finish writing these cards tonight."

I asked, "What if I don't write them?"

The maid kept her head down. "Mr. Ethan said the materials removed from the memorial hall are still in his possession."

I sat at the desk and opened the first card.

From downstairs came the sound of Vivian trying on clothes.

I gripped the pen, my fingers trembling with pain.

My phone lit up then. Adrian sent a message: "The documents for leaving are being processed. Wait for me a few more days."

After reading it, I set my phone on the desk and continued writing.

Natalie's POV

I wrote those cards all night.

By dawn, my fingers were so swollen I could barely hold the pen.

A maid came in to rush me to the memorial service, scooping up the cards without daring to say an extra word.

The memorial service was held in the old auditorium.

Vivian sat in the front row wearing a black dress. Ethan stood beside her, speaking quietly. "If you feel unwell, go inside and rest first."

I was assigned to a corner, responsible for handing memorial cards to attending family members.

As soon as I steadied myself, I heard someone say in a low voice, "Her family caused Melissa's death, yet she can still stand here. Ethan is very kind."

I didn't turn around, just handed out the cards one by one.

When the memorial service began, Vivian took the stage to thank Ethan for caring for her all these years. When she mentioned Melissa, her eyes reddened. "If Melissa were still here, she wouldn't want to see the person who harmed her still occupying a spot in the memorial hall."

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed into Ethan's arms.

The scene immediately descended into chaos.

Ethan caught her, his first reaction to call for a doctor.

Vivian gripped his sleeve, her breathing shaky. "I just touched the card Natalie handed over... As soon as I touched that card, my old wound started hurting."

Every gaze in the room fell on me.

I stood in place. "I didn't touch anything else. You can check right now."

Vivian closed her eyes, leaning against Ethan. "I'm just saying what I touched... I don't have the energy to argue with you."

Ethan looked at me, his eyes growing colder.

He had his assistant collect all the cards, but didn't send them for inspection. He only said, "Preserve these items carefully."

I tried to speak.

Ethan cut me off in front of everyone. "Why do you insist on making a scene at my sister's memorial service?"

With those words, I knew he had already decided I was guilty.

After Vivian was taken to the rest room, Ethan had someone take me to the back of the auditorium.

There was an accident experience chamber there.

When I saw that door, my body instinctively froze.

Ethan said coldly, "Go in and stay for half an hour. If you really didn't do anything wrong, you can come out in half an hour."

I looked up at him. "I just came out of the experience chamber yesterday. The doctor said I can't handle more stress."

Ethan fell silent for a moment.

From the rest room, Vivian called out softly, "Ethan, Melissa waited so long back then, and no one asked if she could bear it."

Ethan's expression completely darkened.

He had the staff open the door.

I was pushed inside. The moment the door sealed, cold climbed up from the soles of my feet. The mist grew heavier and heavier. I leaned against the wall. My injured fingers quickly lost strength.

Someone outside reminded him, "Mr. Ethan, Miss Natalie's vital signs are showing problems."

But Ethan first looked toward the rest room. "How is Vivian?"

When the experience chamber was forcibly opened, I had already collapsed on the floor.

After examining me, the doctor's face changed. "She must be taken to the hospital immediately. Her body can't wait."

On the other side, Vivian was also helped out, saying her chest hurt and she wanted Ethan with her.

Two ambulances stopped outside the auditorium.

The doctor told Ethan, "Miss Natalie is in greater danger. Miss Vivian is conscious. She can wait a moment."

Ethan stood between the two vehicles. His fingers twitched, as if about to come toward me.

Vivian called out softly, "Ethan, just now I almost thought I was back in that accident again."

Ethan withdrew his foot.

He got into Vivian's ambulance first, leaving only one sentence behind: "Save her."

After seeing this scene, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital.

A nurse was changing my dressing. "You were in critical condition for a long time. Your husband was just in the hallway yelling at the doctor. He nearly made the doctor cry."

When I heard the word "husband," my eyes flickered.

I asked, "Where is he now?"

The nurse paused. "He just got a call from the other ward. He went to see Miss Vivian."

I didn't ask again.

I looked at the monitor by the bed, my voice soft. "He's not my husband."

The nurse froze.

I added, "Very soon, he won't be."

The hospital room door was pushed open at that moment.

Ethan stood in the doorway, his face dark. He'd clearly heard that last sentence.

Natalie's POV

When Ethan entered the hospital room, he slammed the door hard.

He walked to the bed, his voice forced low. "What do you mean, I won't be your husband soon?"

I'd just woken up. My throat still hurt. I didn't answer immediately.

Ethan leaned down and gripped the bed rail, his knuckles white. "Natalie, do you think you can leave me? We have a marriage. We have that accident between us. Do you think our relationship can end so easily?"

I looked at him. "If you hate me so much, why did you have the doctor save me just now?"

Ethan's eyes darkened.

My voice was soft. "You could have let me die in the experience chamber. That way you'd never have to see me again, and Vivian wouldn't be upset by me anymore."

"Die?" Ethan seemed stung by that word, his face suddenly ugly. "You think too lightly. If you die, will Melissa come back? If you die, will the consequences your family left behind disappear?"

I smiled faintly. "So you saved me to keep me alive and suffering."

Ethan didn't deny it.

A nurse came outside, saying Vivian's chest hurt again and she wanted to see Ethan.

I looked at his profile and suddenly asked, "If Vivian and I both stood before you, would you always choose her first?"

Ethan frowned. "That kind of question is meaningless."

"It's meaningful." I raised my eyes. "Just now outside the experience chamber, the doctor said I was in greater danger, but you still got in her ambulance. Ethan, every time, you know exactly who you're choosing."

Ethan said nothing.

The nurse urged him again from outside.

Ethan's hesitation was crushed. He said coldly, "Vivian has endured Melissa's old injuries to live until today. I can't ignore her. You saved me, but what you owe Melissa can't be covered by one act of saving a life."

I went quiet.

I nodded. "I understand now."

Ethan looked at me like this, his expression growing even colder. "Get up. Go apologize to Vivian."

The nurse tried to intervene. "Mr. Ethan, Miss Natalie just woke up. Her body still hasn't-"

"If she can talk, she can apologize." Ethan cut her off.

I was wheeled to Vivian's hospital room door. Vivian leaned against the bed, her face pale. When she saw me enter, she first glanced at Ethan, and her eyes immediately reddened.

I spoke. "I apologize for what happened at the memorial service."

My words were brief. I offered no explanation.

But Vivian gently shook her head. "Natalie, one apology can't make up for your sins. You ruined Melissa's memorial service. When I close my eyes, all I see is her waiting for rescue that never came."

Ethan looked at her. "What else do you want her to do?"

Vivian said quietly, "Tomorrow, let's go to the old accident site. Hand over Sebastian's materials to the hall for archiving. And let Natalie admit that her father's decision back then truly harmed Melissa."

Ethan didn't speak immediately.

Vivian saw his hesitation, and tears fell. "If she won't even do this, I'll think about today every single moment from now on."

Ethan looked at me. "You must go. And Sebastian's materials. They don't need to go into any archive in the future."

My fingertips went cold.

Finally, I said, "I'll go."

After returning to the hospital room, I didn't sleep all night.

Adrian sent a message saying I could leave in a few days. The residence in New York was confirmed.

After reading it, I put my phone on the pillow.

I began organizing what I could take with me. Besides these things, I only had an old key and a backup authorization card for Sebastian's memorial project.

The old key was what Ethan gave me years ago. He said no matter what happened, that would always be my home.

I put the key in the bedside drawer and kept only the authorization card in my pocket.

The next day, I was taken to the old accident site.

Several family members had come. The hall staff were also there. Ethan stood at the front with Vivian. Vivian held Melissa's old belongings, as if she were the only victim in this old case.

The hall staff asked me to step forward.

I held Sebastian's materials but didn't release them immediately.

Vivian spoke publicly. "Natalie, today isn't for you to cause trouble. The family of the one who caused harm should know their place."

Someone quietly echoed, "Sebastian did save people, but it's also true that their father caused deaths."

I looked at Ethan.

Ethan avoided my gaze, only saying, "Hand over the materials."

I gave the materials to the hall staff.

The staff member took them and placed them in an ordinary archive box.

My brother's name was completely removed from the main memorial area.

My phone vibrated then.

Adrian sent a message: "Leave in three days."

I stood at the back of the crowd, clutching that message in my palm.

Natalie's POV

This wasn't my first time at the old accident site.

In the first year after the accident, I didn't even dare approach this place. Sebastian died in this area after pushing Ethan and me to safety, then got trapped by a secondary collapse and never came out.

Back then, Ethan hadn't yet been crushed by the reopened investigation.

He stood here with me and placed Sebastian's name in the memorial area. He told me, "Your brother saved us. He deserves to be remembered."

I truly believed him then.

Later, when the investigation results changed and it was determined that my father had wrongly sealed the rescue passage, Melissa's death overshadowed everything. Ethan began avoiding this place, and avoiding the words he'd said years ago.

Now, Sebastian's materials were packed into an ordinary archive box.

Vivian looked at the empty space in the main memorial area and said softly, "Ethan, I want to add a new plaque for Melissa. She's waited so many years. Finally she won't have to be displayed alongside the name of someone from that family."

Ethan frowned. "The memorial hall has procedures. We can't make changes arbitrarily."

Vivian lowered her head and touched the old belongings in her hands. "Melissa was most afraid of being left behind alone. She's already been trapped in that accident for so long. Doesn't she even deserve a separate place?"

After a moment of silence, Ethan turned to the hall colleague. "Make a temporary plaque first. We'll complete the paperwork later."

I stood nearby, watching the staff place the new temporary plaque in the spot that had originally belonged to my brother.

I didn't speak.

I only walked to the archive box and, under the pretense of organizing materials, figured out where the materials were being stored. The backup authorization card was still in my pocket. This was my last chance to access my brother's materials.

In the evening, people from the memorial hall gradually left.

I said I wasn't feeling well and didn't go back with Ethan.

Ethan glanced at me, as if wanting to ask something.

Vivian suddenly pressed her hand to her chest. "Ethan, I stood too long today. I want to go back early."

Ethan withdrew his gaze and instructed the driver to take me back to the villa. He left first with Vivian.

I didn't get in the car.

After the car lights disappeared, I circled to the memorial hall's side entrance and used the backup authorization card to unlock the archive room door.

At the bottom of the ordinary archive shelf, Sebastian's materials were pressed there. A label on the file box read "Removed from Main Exhibition Area."

I took out the materials, photographed and recorded them, then took a backup copy.

I couldn't let Sebastian remain only in that ordinary archive box in Ethan's hands after I left.

Just as I closed the archive cabinet, footsteps sounded behind me.

Vivian stood in the doorway. Ethan wasn't with her.

She saw the document folder in my hands, and the weakness on her face instantly vanished. "You still want to get Sebastian back into the main exhibition area?"

I tightened my grip on the folder. "I'm only taking backup archives. I'm not touching the hall's original materials."

"What if you're lying to us?" Vivian took a step forward, her gaze sweeping the corner. "There are no security cameras here. If something happens to the materials, everyone will only know you snuck into the archive room after closing."

I looked at her, finally understanding she hadn't appeared by chance.

Vivian suddenly reached out to grab the folder.

I stepped back, protecting the materials. Vivian deliberately stumbled to the side, and file boxes from the shelf came crashing down. A box of old accident materials related to Melissa scattered across the floor.

The next second, Vivian fell to the ground, clutching her arm and crying out. "Natalie, why did you push me? Melissa's things were already destroyed once. Can't you leave her alone?"

Urgent footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.

Ethan and hall personnel rushed over.

Ethan's first glance went to Vivian's bleeding arm. His face immediately changed.

Vivian gripped his sleeve, crying and trembling. "I found Natalie sneaking into the archive room and tried to convince her not to touch the materials. To grab back the folder, she pushed me into the shelf."

I held the folder. "She tried to grab Sebastian's materials first."Ethan looked at what I was holding. "Why were you here after closing?"

"I have a backup authorization card." I said, "I have the right to keep a copy of Sebastian's materials."

Ethan ignored that statement.

His gaze fell on Melissa's scattered materials. Vivian called out softly, "Ethan, I don't want to see Melissa's things trampled on the ground like this again."

Ethan's expression turned completely cold.

He stepped forward and took the folder from my hands.

I gripped it and wouldn't let go. My injured fingers ached as he pulled.

Then he took my access card from my pocket and handed it to the hall staff. "Cancel it."

The staff processed it right there.

I stood there, watching the cancellation confirmation flash on the screen.

The last door I had to access my brother's materials. Ethan shut it.