The Wife Who Jumped on New Year's Eve

Chapter 8

The next morning, Ryan Bennett's eyes were heavy with exhaustion.

Lynn had been waking and sleeping fitfully all night, her eyes filled with panic, terrified he would abandon her.

Ryan couldn't help but sigh.

Crystal was too fragile, too naive. Without his protection, she would suffer.

Unlike Joanna...

At the thought of Joanna Taylor, his gaze grew distant.

He had never considered divorcing her. Even after her mistakes, there was still affection between them.

She loved him so much—surely she would accept this child.

With another sigh, he prepared to explain everything.

But the moment he unlocked his phone, countless missed calls flooded in.

His pulse spiked, a foreboding weight settling in his chest.

A news alert flashed:

"Suicide at The Grandeur."

His pupils constricted, his entire body locking onto the video.

The Grandeur had only seven private rooms.

The person who had jumped—was Joanna.

His heart hammered violently. Without a second thought, he bolted out the door, his voice a raw, furious command to the driver:

"The Grandeur. Now."

The chauffeur, stunned by his usually composed employer's panic, slammed the accelerator.

When they arrived, Ryan stormed out, his expression savage as he seized the manager by the collar.

"Where is my wife?"

The manager paled.

"Mr. Bennett... Your wife jumped into the sea last night. We tried calling you, but—"

"The rescue team is searching, but..."

Ryan released him, his face dark.

"Who would harm her? She wouldn't kill herself."

"Not for our child. Not for her family."

The manager hastily led him to a private room, pulling up surveillance footage on the screen.

"Mr. Bennett, you can see... there was no one else in the room."

Ryan stared at the video.

Joanna sat motionless, her expression hollow.

His chest tightened. When had his wife become so thin? So frail, as if a breeze could carry her away?

Then—she answered a call.

Set down her ring.

And stepped off the ledge.

Ryan shot to his feet.

How?

How could she abandon everything?

How could she leave their daughter?

Gritting his teeth, he ordered his assistant to bring Lily over.

But the assistant's voice was strained.

"Sir... the kindergarten said Lily is... dead."

Ryan froze.

"What?"

The assistant didn't answer, only forwarded a news link:

"Amusement Park Massacre: Victim Identified as Lily Bennett..."

The words stabbed through him, stealing his breath.

Lily... had been dead all along?

Then what had he been doing?

He had dismissed Joanna's tears as manipulation. Ignored her despair.

His fist slammed into the wall, blood seeping between his fingers—but he felt nothing.

Only rage.

His vision darkened with it.

"Bring Crystal to me."

Moments later, Crystal Lynn was dragged in by security.

Her eyes welled with tears, her voice trembling.

"Ryan... what's wrong? You're hurting me."

The sight of the woman he'd protected for years softened him slightly. He motioned for the guards to release her.

But his voice was ice.

"You were supposed to arrange for Lily's pickup."

Crystal hesitated.

"I—I did send someone! Maybe she wandered off..."

Ryan's glare sharpened, silencing her.

Panicked, Crystal let her tears fall.

"Ryan, it's my fault... I just wanted to see you."

He hurled the newspaper at her.

"She was a child, Crystal!"

"How could you leave her alone?!"