The moment my son took his own life to prove his innocence, my husband Richard was receiving the “Annual Moral Role Model” award. He had unhesitatingly stood up and identified our son as the perpetrator of extreme school bullying that led to a classmate’s suicide, even attempting to use his position as a father to whitewash the situation. A torrent of abuse against our son flooded in from all directions. But at that time, no one knew that this was just a lie Richard had deliberately told to protect his ex-girlfriend’s daughter. Our son, utterly desperate, doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire while Richard was accepting his award. On the live TV broadcast, Richard shielded his ex-girlfriend and her daughter behind him, his expression solemn: “Before the law, everyone is truly equal!” I numbly held my son’s charred body, my fingers touching his heart that no longer beat. His last cries echoed in my ears. “Mom, why is Dad helping others hurt me? I’m his son!” I couldn’t utter a word. But in my heart, I made a vicious vow— I will not let my child leave this world bearing false charges! All those who owe this blood debt must pay with their lives! … “Mom, I can’t go on anymore. This world is too painful…” “I don’t understand why Dad would frame me. I’m his own son…” In the last moments of his farewell video, tears rolled down Lucas’s cheeks. Then, my son drenched himself in gasoline and set himself on fire at the venue where his father was receiving an award. When I rushed to the ICU, he was already burned beyond recognition, with only a faint heartbeat reminding me he was still alive. I stood by the hospital bed, feeling as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed. My whole being felt as if my soul had been sucked out. “Please, save him! He’s only twenty-two, he just passed the bar exam… He has his whole life ahead of him!” I knelt before the attending physician, my voice breaking. The doctor’s expression was grave as he turned and entered the emergency room. I bit my lip hard, using the pain to keep myself conscious. Lucas’s life was hanging by a thread; he needed me to be strong now more than ever. Suppressing my grief, I dialed Richard’s number. That beast I loathed to the core. He had driven Lucas to his death! A week ago, the police suddenly burst in and arrested Lucas, accusing him of organizing an extreme school bullying group that led a student to commit suicide by jumping off a building. Not only did they find the victim’s suicide note and threatening evidence on Lucas’s phone. There was also eyewitness testimony against him. My husband Richard, Lucas’s biological father. He mercilessly accused his own son of being the organizer of school bullying in court. “When he came home that day, his hands were shaking, and his computer was full of chat records threatening the victim. The evidence is irrefutable!” “I’m a human rights lawyer, it’s my duty to protect the weak, even if it’s my own son!” “Richard, have you gone mad? Do you know what you’re doing?” I couldn’t believe my ears. When I turned to look at him, I saw a flash of disgust in his eyes. A sense of foreboding suddenly came over me. Taking advantage of Richard’s attendance at a public event, I broke into his study and hacked into his computer. The bloody truth pierced my heart like a sharp blade. The real organizer of the school bullying was Chloe! She was Samantha’s daughter, Richard’s college sweetheart! It was Chloe who organized the online bullying group that drove the classmate to suicide. Samantha had turned to Richard for help. “Richard, you must help us. Chloe still has a bright future ahead of her. If this gets out, her life will be ruined!” In the chat records, Richard replied calmly and professionally: “Leave it to me to handle. I won’t let anyone harm Chloe. She’s a child I’ve watched grow up, I’ll protect her.” “I already have a plan. Dry your tears and trust me…” So his carefully crafted “plan” was to let his own flesh and blood take the fall? Lucas was his only child! Sadly, I wasn’t shocked at all in my heart. For the sake of Samantha and her daughter, Lucas and I had been ruthlessly abandoned countless times. On the day of Lucas’s high school entrance exam, he had a high fever, but Richard took a day off to accompany Chloe to a piano competition; When Lucas won the law school freshman scholarship, Richard attended an education forum with Samantha; Once, when Lucas was hospitalized after being ambushed by thugs off campus, Richard canceled his hospital visit just to celebrate Chloe’s 18th birthday… Similar incidents were endless and heartbreaking. Every time I questioned him, he would put on the pose of a moral role model: “Professor Samantha has been my comrade-in-arms for many years, and her daughter is like my niece. You’re too petty. As the wife of a public figure, you need to have a broader mind!” For the sake of Lucas’s growth needing a father, I chose to be understanding time and time again. But Richard, how dare you strike such a deadly blow against my son! I rushed to his office like a madwoman, loudly accusing him of his beastly behavior. But he pushed me away expressionlessly, his tone ice-cold. “Samantha is a single mother, it’s not easy for her to raise a daughter alone. We must help with such small matters.” “Lucas is strong, he’ll get through this. I’ll use my connections to make sure he doesn’t suffer too much.” Due to questionable court evidence, Lucas was temporarily released on bail. After returning home, he became a different person, silent all day, his eyes hollow. My son was like a walking corpse, the light of life forcibly extinguished. Watching him slowly break down before my eyes, my heart ached unbearably. I wanted to quickly find evidence to clear his false charges. But Richard’s actions were faster and more vicious than mine. He publicly released a legal commentary article, completely destroying Lucas’s last line of defense. “The fight against school bullying should start from the family. Exposing my own child’s crimes is the bottom line for a legal professional.” As a top human rights lawyer in the country, his words carried extreme weight. In just a few hours, the article had over a million reads, and the entire internet was in an uproar. Overnight, everyone believed Lucas was a despicable school bully, calling for his punishment. I argued for his defense until my voice was hoarse, but society collectively silenced me. “Even Lawyer Du has personally testified against him, what more do you have to say?” “A legal professional wouldn’t wrongly accuse an innocent person. His son must be guilty as charged. You’re just a mother who can’t face reality!” What followed were colleagues’ sidelong glances, neighbors’ contempt, collective blocking on social media… Lucas’s newly acquired internship at a law firm was canceled. The victim’s family even came to our door every day to make a scene. Blood splattered on the door, threatening letters stuffed the mailbox… The endless harassment made it impossible for us to take a single step. Although I guarded Lucas day and night, he was still like a withering pine, gradually losing his will to live. “Mom, I don’t understand. Why would my father, who taught me to pursue truth and justice since I was young, use the law to kill me?” “Is my existence so offensive to him…” Faced with his desperate eyes, my heart was cut like a knife, but I couldn’t give an answer. Now, my Lucas finally couldn’t hold on anymore. He used to be a stubborn boy who wanted me by his side even for a cold. Setting himself on fire at his father’s award ceremony, he must have endured unimaginable pain and despair. I finally got through on the phone. Just as I was about to speak, Richard’s ice-cold voice came from the other end: “Is it that unfilial son Lucas causing trouble again? How many more problems is he going to give me?” “Haven’t we already agreed that once this storm blows over, I’ll use my connections to send him abroad to study? How can he still be unsatisfied?” “He can’t even handle a bit of criticism from righteous public opinion, how weak! He’s completely disgraced the law school!” Looking at my son covered in burns and fighting for his life in the ICU, I almost lost my mind: “Richard, Lucas is in ICU emergency treatment… He set himself on fire while you were receiving your award. Come to the hospital quickly…” Before I could finish, a sweet female voice came from the other end of the phone. “Richard, I’ve revised the speech. Let me help you check the positioning again, the camera needs to capture all three of us.” “If it weren’t for you stepping up during this time, I really don’t know how Chloe and I would face the world…” It was Samantha’s voice! My blood instantly froze. The next moment, the phone went “beep” and hung up. The harsh alarm of the heart monitor echoed in the intensive care unit. I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cave, standing there in a daze for a long time, involuntarily reaching out to touch Lucas’s face. But 90% of his body had been burned, his skin carbonized and peeling off, like a wooden puppet scorched by raging flames. I didn’t dare touch him, afraid of causing him more pain. I bit my lip hard, but tears still gushed out like a broken dam. “Mom… Mom… don’t be sad… I’m not in pain…” “Only my flesh… was burned… My conscience… has finally returned…” On the hospital bed, Lucas’s entire body was wrapped in bandages, only his swollen and red eyes exposed. He struggled to squeeze out a smile, his vocal cords hoarse from inhaling hot air. “I’m sorry… Mom… I’m… too useless…” “Please… don’t call him… He’s not my father… A true… human rights defender… wouldn’t… kill… an innocent person…” “In the next life… I’ll only be… your son…” Looking at his weakly trembling fingertips, my soul felt as if it had been torn apart. I can’t remember the scene of being forcibly pulled out of the emergency room by medical staff. I can’t remember how many hours I paced in the corridor. From dusk to deep night. The attending physician took off his mask and walked towards me, his eyes filled with undisguisable regret. At that moment. My world collapsed. I covered my ears tightly with both hands, but couldn’t block out the cruel fact shattering my heart. I collapsed on the cold hospital floor, my throat emitting a heart-wrenching wail, everything spinning before my eyes. At this very moment, the TV screen in the emergency lobby switched to a live broadcast. Richard was delivering a speech at the national “Anti-School Bullying Annual Summit”. Because of his “brave act of exposing family scandal”, he was awarded the “Outstanding Moral Role Model” prize. He wore a tailored suit, his eyes bright and spirited, looking dignified and imposing. Behind him, Samantha and her daughter Chloe stood dressed elegantly, smiling gracefully.
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