Chapter 11 Natalie's glee practically lifted the corners of her eyes . She had long wanted to teach this daughter - in - law a harsh lesson . But every time she tried , her son would step in and protect her . She never got the chance . Now , for once , both her husband and son stood firmly on her side . There was no way she'd let this golden opportunity slip through her fingers . Strutting confidently at the front , Natalie marched ahead like a triumphant general . Aria trailed behind , disheveled and defeated , looking every bit like a criminal on her way to the gallows . They soon arrived at the operating room . Before Aria could even find her balance , Natalie kicked the back of her knee . With a painful thud , Aria collapsed forward and fell to her knees . " You agreed to this yourself . So do it properly . Don't blame us for being harsh . Compared to what your precious friend and that bastard did to Crystal , kneeling here is nothing . So kneel and kneel well ! " Having unleashed her venom , Natalie crossed her legs and sat smugly on a bench hearby , scrolling through her phone like she was watching a show . Cold sweat soaked Aria's back once again . Her body was already far too weak . Bracing both hands on her knees , she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay upright . If you're going to be beaten , you stand tall while taking it . Every bit of pain , every ounce of humiliation she suffered at that moment , she burned into a little notebook in her heart labeled revenge . She vowed : once she was divorced , she would make every single person in the Jensen family who had tormented her - pay . Staring at the red light above the operating room , she silently erased the name Mason from her heart - one stroke at a time . She began to count on her fingers , over and over again . She knew it wouldn't be long now . Just 25 more days , and she'd finally be free from this wretched family and start a new life . Gradually , a crowd started forming outside the operating room . News spread quickly in hospitals . One bystander told another , and soon a small crowd gathered to watch the spectacle of a woman kneeling at the door . At first , people saw her small , frail figure kneeling alone , and their hearts softened . Someone finally stepped up and asked Natalie who the woman was and why she was being treated like that . Seeing the crowd begin to sympathize , Natalie immediately launched into her well - rehearsed tale : " Don't even mention it . That woman is my daughter - in - law . I was against her marrying into our family from day one . She's consumed by jealousy - couldn't even stand my son being nice to his own sister ! Always picking fights and throwing tantrums . But recently , she's gone too far - first she set a crazed horse loose and had my daughter's ribs broken . And today , she brought her best friend to the hospital with a knife ! My poor girl got stabbed and now she's in critical condition , bleeding out inside ! " Gasps rippled through the crowd . Everyone shook their heads in disapproval . 15:25 5 Years of Your Bullshit ? My New Man's Got a Rule : Exes Stay Buried 5.0 % Chapter 11 A few even grew angry and , in a burst of self - righteous indignation , spat in Aria's direction . Aria stayed frozen in place , face turned upward , unmoving , like a porcelain statue . She heard every single word Natalie said . Every word was like a dull blade grinding back and forth across her heart , cutting her over and over until she couldn't feel the pain anymore . No one knew how long it was before the red light finally turned green . Crystal was wheeled out of surgery just as Mason showed up , fashionably late , carrying a delicate pink lunch box . The moment Aria saw him , her body gave out . She collapsed onto the cold , hard floor like a toppled hill . Through her blurred vision , she saw the pink lunch box appear in front of her . Then , Mason picked her up and gently placed her on a bench nearby . He set the lunch box next to her , but his gaze never left Crystal , who was now surrounded by nurses and family . His voice was distant , distracted : " Sweetheart , I went home and made you chicken soup myself . I sat by the stove for two hours watching it cook . Drink it while it's hot . Crystal's out - I'm going to check on her . " Before Aria could say a word , Mason had already turned away and melted into the crowd . She could hear him calling out anxiously : " Crystal ! Crystal , do you hear me ? It's okay - everything's okay . I'm here . Don't be scared . Be strong , alright ? " Aria leaned against the bench , her body limp and tilted to one side . Her head swam . Her vision faded in and out . She knew she was severely hypoglycemic , but she didn't even have the strength to lift her hand . At the same time , she watched people swarm around Crystal , bringing flowers , fruit baskets , red envelopes ... Everyone's face was filled with sympathy and affection for Crystal . The crowd bustled and buzzed , their footsteps ringing in Aria's ears like thunder . Eventually , the chaos dispersed . The hallway fell silent . Aria could hold on no longer . Her body slumped to the side , landing right on that delicate pink lunch box . It tipped off the bench with a loud crash - spilling chicken soup and meat everywhere . As her final bit of consciousness slipped away , Aria vaguely felt someone lift her from the bench . A pair of strong arms wrapped around her frail body . She was surrounded by the faint , familiar scent of pine . In that hazy twilight of awareness , she thought she heard someone let out a long , helpless sigh . ( 13 )