The Corner Where Grace Turned

After serving prison time for the second crime I had taken the blame for, I received a call from across time.

The me on the screen was wearing a wedding dress, holding a confession statement in her hand, her face glowing with joy.

Youre me seven years from now, right? Did Ryan and I finally get married? Do we have two adorable kids?

My cracked lips split and bled. My voice came out rough and ugly.

We got married. The name on the certificate is yours, but you were never allowed to stand in the light. There are kids too. Theyre not yours, but theyre registered under your name.

Seeing my pale, gaunt face and the faded prison uniform full of holes, her smile froze.

Her voice trembled.

Wasnt it only supposed to be three years? What does this mean?

I looked at the wrinkled document in her hand and laughed coldly.

The first time, you took the fall for your pregnant best friend. She finished the wedding in your place. The second time, after you took the blame again, she gave birth to Ryans second child.

I dont believe you. Theyre the most important people in my life. How could they

I turned the camera away from the prison behind me and toward the family of four who had just come to pick me up.

Her voice stopped.

No wonder.

The two children looked far too much like Ryan. As his childhood sweetheart, she knew his face better than anyone.

So, I asked her, what will you choose this time?

Before she could answer, my old phone died.

The two children hiding behind Vanessa looked at me.

One made no effort to hide his disgust.

The other covered half of her face in fear.

Mommy, is she a bad person? And why is she wearing beggar clothes?

Vanessa scolded softly, Dont be rude. Shes your godmother.

Ryans hand froze as he draped a coat over Vanessas shoulders.

He looked at the wreck I had become, and guilt surfaced on his face.

Sorry. I made you wait too long today. I came in a rush and forgot to bring you clothes.

As for Vanessas coat its just habit.

Once, I was the one who had taught him that habit.

Now he gave it to someone else and expected me to understand.

I stared at him.

I waited for you for twelve hours. Since seven this morning

Emma, Im so sorry. Vanessas eyes reddened as she cut me off. Ryan had to wait for me because I couldnt miss the award ceremony today. If you want to blame someone, blame me.

With perfect sweetness, she tried to take off the coat and hand it to me.

Lets go home first, okay? I asked the housekeeper to make your favorite dishes.

Ryan stopped her at once.

Emma is stronger than you. Its fall now, and the nights are cold. What if you get sick?

He remembered that Vanessa caught colds easily.

He did not remember that I hated the cold.

The little girl looked up at them and smiled.

If Mommy gets sick, Daddy will feed her medicine with his mouth again! I promise I wont peek this time!

The innocent words made both adults go stiff.

Vanessa pretended nothing had happened and kept taking off the coat.

I walked around her and went to the car.

No thanks. I dont like wearing dirty things.

Ryans face darkened.

Vanessa once took a knife for you. She saved your life. How can you say that about her?

I shut the car door without giving him another glance.

What else do you want from me? Was seven years of my life not enough?

Ryan looked at me as I closed my eyes and refused to speak. Panic flashed through his gaze.

Thats not what I meant

But the woman beside him started crying, and his attention was pulled away at once.

I knew Emma would hate me!

What am I supposed to do, Ryan? In high school, I was poor and everyone shut me out. Emma was the one who helped me. I always wanted us to go back to the way we were, but she

Back then, I had pitied her stubborn, resilient pride and become her closest friend.

She had also been stabbed more than a dozen times while saving me from a group of thugs. She lost a kidney because of it.

I thought we had a friendship that would last until death.

Now I only regretted it.

If I had not stuck my nose into her business back then, those thugs would never have come after me.

And I would not have been stupid enough to destroy my future repaying a so-called life debt.

As soon as Vanessa cried, three accusing gazes fell on me.

As if I were the one who had done something wrong.

But I was too tired to argue.

After Ryan carried the sobbing, limp Vanessa into the passenger seat, he threw me a dissatisfied look.

When I did not react, his brows tightened in irritation.

After we got home, he took me to the basement, which had only one small window.

He said he was afraid I would smash things again and make Vanessa feel guilty.

I did not fight him.

I simply plugged in my phone to charge.

He thought I was deliberately sulking.

Emma Reed, stop acting like the whole world owes you.

The first time, you volunteered. The second time, who can you blame? You brought that on yourself.

Yes, I signed the consent form for your mothers surgery behind your back. But the surgery going badly wasnt entirely the surgeons fault. Did you really have to lose your head and call the police?

The thread holding me together snapped.

I threw a glass of water at him.

Get out!

Ryan watched me coldly.

Emma, stop acting crazy. Youre already in your thirties. You dont want a third criminal record, do you?

Then he turned and left, leaving the shattered glass on the floor.

My phone, now powered on, gave a burst of static.

Then came the angry, choked voice of my seven-years-younger self.

What right does he have to put you in the basement? You bought that house together. What does it have to do with Vanessa?

Only then did I realize that even when my phone had been dead, she could still hear everything around me.

So later, when you took the blame for her again, you were framed?

I nodded.

The hatred inside me rose with the memory.

Vanessas second major surgery failed. The patient was my mother.

The breathing on the other end seemed to stop.

Thats impossible. Moms surgery was discussed with my professors team. She needed at least five years of recovery before her condition was stable enough.

My nails dug into my palm.

The pain in my chest sharpened.

It was moved up. One year after I got out of prison. Vanessa needed an assessment for a promotion, and Moms case happened to be rare. If it succeeded, Vanessa would get both fame and status.

But Vanessa didnt have the skill. She left Mom in a vegetative state and nearly killed her.

So I called the police and contacted the media.

Only at the key moment, Ryan gave false testimony.

And I became the shameless doctor who used her own mother as an experiment to return to the operating room, then tried to frame her best friend.

The younger mes emotions began to crumble.

If life was that miserable, you should have left them.

With the old mes temper, I would have.

But seven years had changed far too much.

I rolled up my sleeve.

From my right wrist to my forearm ran a terrifying scar.

No money. No way to work. Mom is still in the hospital, and it takes a fortune to keep her alive long enough for any chance of waking up. I cant leave yet.

The year I was released, I thought I had repaid my debt.

I thought I could finally start living my own life.

On the very day Ryan and I collected our marriage certificate, Vanessa moved into our home with her child.

Only then did I slowly notice something was wrong.

The two of them knew that house too well.

Later, Vanessa cried and said,

Emma, I really had no choice. The child cant live without his father, and he cant live without the home hes known for three years.

Ryan confessed.

When we were engaged, Vanessa and I got drunk and crossed the line. But it only happened once.

Just moments earlier, I had shared the news of my pregnancy with him.

The pain of betrayal swallowed me whole.

I smashed everything in the house, then raised my hand and slapped Vanessa again and again.

Her four-year-old son glared at me with hatred.

When I felt pain in my lower belly and tried to go downstairs, he shoved me from behind.

Blood stained the floor.

Some was from my body.

Some was from my wrist.

On the way to the hospital, Ryan carried me in his arms and still defended them.

Emma, Vanessa didnt know you were pregnant. If she had, she wouldnt have chosen today to come. And dont blame Dylan. Hes little. He doesnt understand

That day, my mother and I were in the same hospital ward.

Because of anesthesia, I was unconscious for a long time.

When I woke and heard that Moms surgery had failed, it was like being struck by lightning.

I could not accept that the person responsible for my childs death had harmed my mother on the same day.

How could I let that go?

When I wanted Vanessa to pay for her greed, Ryan said he would help me.

I was too heartbroken and physically weak.

I never imagined that my childhood sweetheart would turn on me at the last second, pinning every mistake perfectly on me.

I still remembered the coldness in his eyes when he sent me to prison for the second time.

Emma, you refused to listen and insisted on making things worse. You tried to ruin Vanessas career out of jealousy. This is what you brought on yourself.

I spent so much time cleaning up Vanessas mess. I deliberately delayed getting treatment for your hand to teach you a lesson. Reflect on yourself this time.

As for the baby, Vanessa and I can give you another one

That memory was too painful.

If Ryan had not told me my mother still had a chance, I never would have survived.

The figure in the video stayed still for a long time, until the screen went dark.

The next morning, as soon as I sat at the dining table, Ryan transferred money to me.

From now on, your monthly allowance is one thousand. Anything else you need, Ill buy for you.

Tell me when you run out.

He no longer gave me his secondary card.

Because the money he had once given me as compensation had all been used to contact the media, almost dragging the woman he loved into danger.

I accepted the transfer.

I did not dare hope too much from that phone call from the past.

Now all I wanted was to endure until Mom woke up, gather evidence, sue for divorce, take my share of the assets, and leave for the home that truly belonged to me.

But even that tiny wish was too much for some people to allow.

During breakfast, while Vanessa busied herself serving me, her son Dylan spoke innocently.

Daddy, for my birthday tomorrow, I want Grandma Lorraines house. Can I have it?

My left hand trembled around my fork.

Because my mothers name was Lorraine.

Vanessas voice turned sharp. She refused at once.

No!

Realizing she had lost control, she softened her tone.

Dylan, youre seven now. Be sensible. That belongs to your godmother.

Dylan pouted.

Why not? Shes lying in the hospital and never wakes up anyway. Leaving the house empty is a waste.

His little sister set down her bowl, eyes shining with excitement.

Yeah, Rosie wants it too! Grandma Lorraines childrens room is better than the one at home. Dylan and I love playing there.

And the new swing, and the swimming pool they made after digging up the garden I love all of it!

Vanessas face went white.

Emma, dont listen to children talking nonsense. They remembered the wrong place.

With a loud crash, I stood so fast my chair fell backward.

My ears rang.

Ryan Campbell! You took the woman who hurt my mother into my family home? What gave you the right?

Every blade of grass in that place was precious to me.

But they had not only gone there.

They had changed it.

Ryans guilty look was quickly replaced by anger.

Enough! Dont talk like that in front of the kids!

I swept the bowls off the table.

Vanessa hugged the children and hid in the corner, trembling.

I ignored their performance and grabbed my phone before walking out.

When I got to the house, everything looked strange.

The garden was gone. The swing my father had installed for me before he died had been replaced.

Ryan knew how much I cherished it.

Inside, all the furniture and decor had changed too, remodeled in the exact style of our marital home.

Vanessas favorite style.

Even my bedroom was filled with photos of their family of four.

Anger made my vision go dark.

A pair of hands caught me steadily from behind.

It was Ryan.

He held a contract and a bank card. His voice was full of helpless compromise.

Emma, Ive transferred all the money for buying the house into your new card. It just needs to be linked to a phone number, but I can only give it to you later.

He handed me a pen.

After you sign, Ill take you to see your mom tomorrow. Her medical bills need to be paid too.

I looked up in disbelief.

Youre threatening me?

He looked out at the river view and sighed.

Its not a threat. Its a fair trade.

After your mothers surgery failed, Vanessa couldnt recover for a long time. She said she liked river views, so I brought her here.

And Dylan has been having nightmares because of you. This house can be your apology gift for scaring him.

I had no choice.

Fighting the dizziness, I gritted my teeth and signed.

Ryan Campbell, I have no home left. Are you happy now?

Maybe the emptiness in my eyes was too obvious.

Before he left, he even silenced his ringing phone and tried to comfort me.

Dont say that. Isnt our marital home your home? You still have me. You still have Vanessa. Your mom is waiting for you too.

I changed the hospital contact information to yours. From now on, you can be there for all her treatment.

But I never got the tomorrow he promised.

That night, I received a call from the hospital.

Ms. Reed! Your mothers surgery failed, and shes being resuscitated. Please come to the hospital immediately!

The words surgery failed struck my chest numb.

After I smashed open the basement lock, I realized no one was in the house.

On the table, there was nothing but that bank card.

The familiar helplessness and despair spread through my body.

When I arrived at the hospital, Ryan was holding Vanessa.

Its not your fault. You only suggested making her sign because you wanted to give Emma a surprise.

If anyones to blame, its her mothers poor health. This surgery had a low chance of success no matter who performed it. Tomorrow Ill come up with a reason

I could not listen anymore.

A reason to keep stalling?

Ryan instantly released Vanessa and shielded her behind him.

The document you forced me to sign. Was the surgery consent form inside it?

He looked at my bleeding hands, and pity flickered in his eyes.

His silence was the answer.

With shaking fingers, I pressed confirm on my phone.

When Ryan saw the payment notice in my hand, his pupils tightened.

How did you know

The password wasnt hard to guess. Vanessas birthday, right?

The million-dollar balance was drained to zero.

Vanessas face filled with fear.

Hearing chaotic footsteps from the stairwell, Ryan slapped me across the face.

Youre insane!

I spat blood and laughed until tears came.

Yes. I shouldve gone insane the first time you lied to me.

Even now, they were still trying to use Mom to threaten me.

But I had once been a doctor too.

How could I not know the success rate of that surgery?

Camera flashes burst around us.

Then the emergency room door opened.

The doctor lowered his head.

Im sorry. We did everything we could. We couldnt save her.

The moment my prediction became reality, I still could not stand.

Under that enormous blow, my consciousness fell into darkness.

When I woke, the only thing beside me was an urn.

All traces of the surgery were now impossible to verify.

Ryan apologized to me with dark circles under his eyes, still using the same old excuse.

I did not understand Vanessas good intentions.

All I knew was that I had not even seen my mother one last time.

Ryan Campbell! Ill use our marriage to hold you accountable. You and Vanessa wont get away with this!

He did not react as I hit and clawed at him.

You cant. The marriage certificate in your hand is fake.

I froze.

He explained it word by word.

The kids cant have a mother with a criminal record. That kind of stain would make them hold their heads down for life.

He grabbed me.

Vanessa cried all night in remorse. Shes terrified whenever she picks up a scalpel now.

Apologize to her first and help untie the knot in her heart. Then explain things to the media. After the kids become adults, Ill divorce her and marry you. Things will get better eventually.

I ripped myself free and backed toward the window, clutching my mothers urn.

There is no eventually.

Rain and wind struck my face from outside, but they could not compare to even a fraction of the pain inside me.

Arent you always asking me to apologize?

Ryan saw the dead stillness in my eyes and instinctively reached out.

When he lunged forward, he caught nothing.

Then this time, Ill pay with my life

From above, a heartbroken scream overlapped with the girls voice from that phone call.

Emma! Dont!