Chapter 9 But she had underestimated her weakened body . She hadn't run more than dozens of feet before she stumbled and fell hard to the ground . The car door opened again , and a pair of gleaming handcrafted leather shoes stopped right in front of her . She slowly looked up along Hudson's perfectly tailored pants and met his cold , unfeeling gaze . " Hudson ... " Samantha's voice was weak . A pair of long , slender hands reached down to her , and for a moment , Samantha thought she saw the boy in white who had once captivated her heart . Without thinking , she reached out toward him . But the moment their hands touched , Hudson withdrew his hand coldly , offering her hope only to cruelly snatch it away , making her fall again with even greater force . Her palm landed directly on the shards of broken glass , and the sharp sting of pain surged as the blood flowed , staining her hand and dripping onto the ground . Hudson's eyes faltered for a moment , but he made no move to Chapter 9 help . Samantha was dazed , her mind spiraling as she remembered the time when a tiny cut on her finger had sent him rushing to the hospital with her in the dead of night . The doctor had joked ; " Good thing you came early , Mr. Ashley . If you had been any later , the wound would have started healing , Samantha ran after the car , banging on the door . " Tell me ! What happened to your sister ? " The car sped off , leaving her to lose her footing and crash to the ground . The cold wind slapped against Samantha's face , as sharp and biting as a blade . She picked herself up and staggered to continue chasing . The man before her was both familiar and distant , his features unchanged , but where there had once been warmth , now only a cold , distant frost remained . Hudson's voice was cold as he said , " Samantha , you think I don't know you ? You could run 5,000 feet and still do a flip , and now you can't even run a few steps without falling ? " Chapter 9 His gaze was filled with disdain , each word cutting into her heart . Samantha bit her pale lips , struggling to explain . " No , I'm not lying . I'm just sick , and I'm a bit weak ... " Before she could finish , Hudson bent down and lifted her chin , his rough fingers brushing over her dry lips . " Figures , like father , like daughter . Just like your hypocritical father , you'll do anything for money , even putting on such a pathetic act ." His words were sharper than the cold wind , stabbing straight into her heart . Samantha slapped his hand away and shouted , " My father is a man of integrity ! I know he would never do anything immoral ! " Hudson sneered , clearly not interested in debating her . He pulled out a check from his wallet , carelessly filled in an amount , and placed it in front of her .. " Want it ? " he asked . It was 1.5 million dollars . It was a significant sum , enough to cover Theo's medical bills for a long time . But she knew he wasn't offering it out of kindness . Samantha didn't take the check . Chapter 9 " Conditions , " Hudson murmured , leaning in closer to her ear . " All you have to do is say that Theo is a worthless beast , and the money is yours . " Samantha's expression changed instantly . She raised her hand , slapping him across the face , but Hudson easily caught her wrist . In her struggle , her injured hand landed on his shirt , leaving a bloody handprint . Hudson tightened his grip , his voice turning harsh . " What ? You won't ? Then let him die in the hospital . I've already picked a burial plot for him ." " Hudson , why have you become like this ? " Samantha asked , tears flowing freely . The man who once promised to protect her and never let her cry now used her tears as his tool for amusement . Even the dim glow of the streetlights on his face gave off no warmth . His expression was one of pure impatience as he said , " Not going to say it? Fine . " He let go of her and slowly began tearing the check . Samantha rushed forward , trying to stop him , but he pushed her away . Standing like a figure from above , he gazed down at her with indifference and said , " I gave you a chance . " Chapter 9 The torn paper fluttered to the ground like her broken hope , swirling around her as it fell . " No , please don't ." Samantha scrambled to pick up the pieces , her tears falling with each frantic movement . She felt like a child who had lost everything - helpless , desperate , and broken . Hudson turned and walked away . Just as he was about to get into the car , a " thud " echoed behind him . He turned to see Samantha unconscious on the ground . The driver , Lucas Parry , looked nervous . " Mr. Ashley , Mrs. Ashley seems to have passed out . Should we take her to the hospital ? " Hudson shot him a cold glance . " You care about her ? " Lucas had been working with Hudson for a long time . He could tell that Hudson had once cared deeply for Samantha , but after he returned from identifying a body , his attitude had changed drastically .