---- Chapter 12 "Where have you been, Joshua? | called, and you didn't answer. As my mom's son-in-law, you didn't even attend her funeral? Do you have any shame?" Ella cried, her voice rising in grievance as she confronted Joshua. 1 She couldn't understand. Kathleen was dying, and Joshua clearly didn't love her. Why was he chasing after her? "Have you forgotten we have a daughter? You left me to handle my mom's affairs alone for that wretched Kathleen. Joshua, do you have a conscience?" she shouted. Joshua sneered and slapped her hard. Before Ella could react, he grabbed her throat. "You approached me with an agenda, didn't you? You begged to move into Kathleen's parents ' house, knowing there were cameras. You wanted her to find out about us, didn't you? You've been hoping she'd die, haven't you? | was just your tool." Years ago, Joshua hadn't been interested in Ella, fresh out of college. She climbed into his bed after he got drunk. The next day, he offered her money, but she vanished. Six months later, she reappeared, pregnant with his child. She said back then that she just wanted the child to have a father. After a paternity test, he settled her and their daughter. ---- Since Kathleen couldn't have children, he thought a child on the side wasn't unreasonable. He didn't see Ella's growing ambition. She wanted more, and he failed to notice anything amiss. If she had stayed discreet, Kathleen might never have known, and she wouldn't have left heartbroken. Ella's face turned pale as she struggled, clawing at his hand. Joshua finally released her. "Joshua, listen, | did it because | love you. Kathleen's going to die anyway. I'm the one who can stay with you forever. Can't you see how much | love you?" she pleaded. Joshua kicked her, sending her groaning to the floor. He pressed his foot against her face. "I told you from the start not to provoke Kathleen or dream of replacing her. Why didn't you listen?" Ella gave a cold laugh. "Joshua, spare me your act of devotion. If you loved Kathleen, you wouldn't have betrayed her repeatedly. You only love yourself." Joshua's face darkened. She was right. He cared for Kathleen, thinking it absolved him of guilt. He hadn't realized love couldn't be balanced like that. His mistakes were absurd. "Compared to me, Kathleen must hate your betrayal more. If you'd been truly loyal, how could | have had a chance? You're the real scumbag," Ella said, her voice growing smug. ---- She laughed loudly. "Now, Kathleen doesn't want you. You're stuck with me and our daughter forever." Joshua pressed his foot harder, silencing her pained gasps. "I'm a bastard, but you're worse. Your biggest mistake was taunting Kathleen. You brought this on yourself, Ella." He called his assistant. "Come take someone to the psychiatric hospital. Make sure she never gets out." Ella's eyes widened in disbelief at his cruelty. "Honey, | was wrong. Please forgive me. | won't bother Kathleen again. Tara's still young. She needs her mom. You can't be this heartless. She's your daughter!" Joshua bound her hands and feet with rope and gagged her. He didn't want to hear another word. "You should've known the consequences of defying me. Tara doesn't need a venomous mother like you," he said. "I'll find Kathleen. Tara will be our child, and only Kathleen is fit to be her mother." Ella shook her head, tears streaming down, unable to accept Joshua letting another woman raise Tara. But no matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free. She was sent to the city's worst psychiatric hospital. The more she fought, the harsher the staff treated her. They strapped her to a bed, injected sedatives when she screamed, and left her to soil herself. ---- She became a living corpse, stripped of dignity, trapped forever in that prison.