My Love, My Punishment My birthday. My childhood sweetheart, Liam, kissed his first love, Serena, during a game of Truth or Dare. Humiliated and furious, I stormed out of the house. Liam’s parents and my parents rushed to find me, worried sick. They died in a tragic car accident on the way. From that day on, Liam hated me. He forced me to drink until my stomach bled, made me kneel before his first love, and even abandoned me after a car crash to go comfort his first love’s sick puppy… When I died in that cold operating room, Liam was busy picking out a wedding ring for his new bride. It took him three days to find my body. He stared, eyes bloodshot, begging me to come back like a madman. “Riley, you still owe me. You’re not allowed to leave me.” But Liam, your family wasn’t the only one who died in that accident. “Ms. Hayes, are you really sure you want to leave all your assets to Mr. Harrison?” I clutched the stomach cancer diagnosis papers, feeling a massive weight lift from my chest. “Yes. It’s what I owe him.” The clerk looked at me with a hint of pity. “Perhaps if you underwent treatment, you could get better. You’re still so young.” I lowered my head, a bitter smile playing on my lips. “This is something I’ve longed for. I should have died ages ago.” Just then, Liam called. His voice was cold, indifferent, laced with a familiar hatred. “Did you take the day off to fool around?” Before I could explain, his tone grew even colder. “You killed my parents, Riley. You’re a sinner! You don’t deserve a single moment of peace.” My heart squeezed tight, as if a giant hand had grabbed it, the pain unbearable. “Liam, I’m…” dying. He didn’t care what I was about to say, cutting me off abruptly. “Bar 177. Serena wants cake from that fancy bakery downtown. Go buy it and bring it over.” “And walk there.” I agreed, plunging headfirst into the pouring rain. The bakery across town was on a remote street, but its business was booming. I stood in line for four hours in my soaking wet clothes. When I finally walked into the private room, the boisterous atmosphere instantly froze. One of Liam’s friends glared at me, shoving me hard onto the cold floor. A deliberately humiliating splash of wine poured from my hair all the way down my clothes. I shivered, bone-chilled. “How dare you show your face in front of Liam, you murderer!” The cake I’d brought lay splattered on the floor. I anxiously looked towards Liam, who was shrouded in the dim light. His first love, Serena, nestled against him, glanced at me like I was a joke. She whined softly into his ear, “Liam, my cake’s gone.” “Go buy another one,” his icy voice cut through the air, drilling into my ears. I stifled the throbbing pain from the blisters on my feet and forced a smile. “Alright.” “No need, Liam, my love, for being late, why don’t we make her drink all hundred glasses of wine on the table?” Serena’s smile was sickeningly sweet. I remembered my diagnosis from today. “Can I… can I do something else?” A gaze like a blade landed on me. Liam’s lips curved into a faint, mocking smile. “What right do you have to bargain?” Even though I’d long known Liam no longer loved me, my heart still twisted with a sharp pang. I stopped protesting, grabbed a glass, and chugged it down. The burning sensation in my stomach made me dizzy. Around me, I heard their jeers and cheers. “Liam’s really protecting his lady, huh?” “Kiss her, Liam! Kiss her!” By the ninety-ninth glass, my face was pale, and my hands trembled uncontrollably from the pain. In my peripheral vision, I saw Liam shielding Serena from drinks, gently coaxing her. “Well, well, what do we have here? A wet T-shirt contest? I like it.” Brett, one of Liam’s sleazy acquaintances, walked in, his gaze greedily raking over me. His fat hand groped my shoulder, making me gag. “Come with me, pretty thing. I promise I’ll treat you right, hehe.” Liam watched me being harassed, watched my humiliation, with cold indifference the entire time. I dodged his hand as it tried to wander lower. “Brett, I belong to Liam.” Perhaps it was just my imagination, but his gaze seemed to turn even colder.
At three in the morning, the tormenting farce finally ended. I sighed in relief. Liam’s smile was casual, almost dismissive. “I don’t trust Serena to go home alone. I’ll take her. You can walk back.” I didn’t argue. I just turned and started to leave. A hand suddenly grabbed my neck, slamming me against the couch. The multicolored lights of the room flickered across Liam’s profile. The next second, he kissed me fiercely. It was a savage kiss, one that left me gasping for air. After a long moment, he pulled away, gently wiping a trace of blood from the corner of my mouth. He was the one tormenting me, yet his eyes were red-rimmed, his lashes trembling. “Riley, were you trying to die drinking all that? Don’t you know you have a stomach condition?! Are you trying to make me feel bad?” “Brett wanted you, why didn’t you just go with him?! Riley, what makes you think you can call yourself ‘mine’?!” I swallowed the bitter tears, turning my head away to calm myself. “I haven’t paid you back yet.” In that instant, his eyes filled with hatred. He slammed his fist into the sofa. His words were sharp, like razor blades, wishing to slice me apart instantly. “Why wasn’t it you who died?! Why?! Why don’t you just die?!” I smiled bitterly, watching him calmly. “If I died, would that be enough?” He answered without hesitation. “Yes. Only by dying in atonement will it be enough.” As you wish. I’m going to die very soon. My phone rang, shattering the atmosphere thick with hatred. It was Serena. “Liam, it’s thundering outside! I’m so scared!” Liam suppressed his rage. His voice instantly softened, like he was comforting a small child. “Don’t be scared, Serena. Liam’s coming right away.” Without a backward glance, he slammed the door shut and stormed out. It wasn’t until his figure disappeared that I finally broke, violently vomiting into a nearby trash can. It was all blood, mouthful after mouthful. The shocking red oddly brought a fleeting sense of relief. My body was burning hot. I tried to stand up, but my legs gave out, and I stumbled, hitting my head on the corner of a table before blacking out completely. I dreamt of the past. Liam and I were childhood sweethearts. From a young age, he only protected me. Liam’s parents treated me like their own daughter. I dreamt of them smiling, holding my hand, and slipping me some cash. “Riley, you’re truly our sweet girl.” Liam’s face beside them darkened slightly, and he leaned closer to me. “Mom, Dad! I don’t want to be Riley’s brother!” “Hahaha, Liam’s jealous! Alright, alright, you’re not her brother, you’re her sweetheart.” Liam and I exchanged glances, both blushing fiercely. Tears unconsciously streamed down my face. I dreamt of seventeen-year-old Liam, when nasty rumors about me started circulating. He’d single-handedly fought those thugs, coming back with a bruised face, whining in my arms. “It hurts so much, Riley.” My heart ached as I disinfected his wounds, sighing resignedly. “Don’t get into fights anymore.” But the young boy just smiled, tugging at my long face. “Riley, don’t be scared. Liam will always be here. No one will ever bully you!” Seeing my distress, he made a funny face to cheer me up. “Riley, it hurts here. I want a kiss.” Seventeen-year-old Riley and Liam shared a solemn kiss in the romantic sunset. What a beautiful youth it was. Until four years ago, on my birthday. I received a video. Liam had lost a game of Truth or Dare and had to passionately kiss his first love, Serena, for ten minutes. I couldn’t believe it was him, but he wouldn’t reply to my messages or answer my calls. I stormed out of the house, hoping he’d come after me and coax me back. Liam’s parents and my parents, worried something might happen to me outside, rushed to find me. They got into a car accident on the way. When I arrived, Mom and Dad had already passed. Liam’s mom, her face covered in blood, used her last ounce of strength to gently hug me. “Riley… don’t… don’t be scared… Mom and Dad are gone, but you still have Liam. He’ll always protect you.” “Your moms and dads love you…” “Don’t… blame yourself, Riley, be hap…” Liam’s mom, who had always been so good to me, took her last breath in my arms. I cried until my voice was hoarse. When Liam arrived, what he saw were the cold bodies of his parents. His eyes were bloodshot. He tightly clutched my hand, in too much agony and despair to speak. Tears streamed down my face like an endless river. I threw myself into his arms, repeatedly whispering, “I’m sorry.” “I’m so sorry, Liam. If I hadn’t been so stubborn, if I hadn’t run off in a fit of pique, our parents wouldn’t have died.” “I’m so sorry, I…” I choked on my sobs, hearing Liam’s desperate voice say, “Riley, you’re a sinner.” I knew. My sins were profound. That’s why every night, I would self-harm to find peace enough to sleep, staying by Liam’s side to suffer as my atonement, refusing medication to endure the stomach cancer pain. That day, I lost the people who loved me most, and I lost the person I loved most. Everything became an impossible dream. Thankfully, I’m dying soon. I can finally go be with Mom and Dad. And Liam can finally stop tormenting me, and I him.
“Mom, Dad, I won’t be stubborn anymore. Can you please come back?” I didn’t want to wake up, my tears soaking the pillowcase. Familiar footsteps approached the hospital room door. “Riley, you don’t have to make yourself look so pathetic. It won’t make me feel sorry for you.” Seeing the scar on my forehead, his voice inexplicably deepened a few shades. Serena, clinging to his arm, wore the smile of a victor. “Riley, if you’re sick, who’s going to design Liam’s and my wedding house?” “I’ve been sleeping in Liam’s room these past few days. You really do have good taste, the mattress you picked out is so soft.” I swallowed the bitterness in my heart, speaking calmly. “I’ll stay up all night to get your wedding house ready.” At my words, the triumph in Serena’s eyes became even more evident. Liam’s throat bobbed, his expression darkening slightly. “Take good care of yourself. Otherwise, how will you pay off your debt?” His eyes were devoid of any warmth, leaving me unsure if he was genuinely concerned or just wanted me to get better to suffer more. I smiled bitterly. It had to be the latter. He hated me so much. He stepped out to get some medication. Serena’s voice then grew smug. “What kind of man would sacrifice his pride to personally get period pain medication for a woman? Liam spoils me too much; he just can’t bear for me to be uncomfortable.” “He even has a notebook full of prescription formulas. Liam really does love me deeply.” I froze, remembering when I used to have period cramps. He’d drive to the pharmacy in the dead of night to get my meds, then warm my stomach with his hands all night, barely sleeping just so he could make me a hot drink as soon as I stirred. I’d once asked him if he felt embarrassed, a grown man personally going to the hospital for period meds. Liam’s tears had fallen onto my neck, searing me to the core. “Riley, don’t scare me. I thought you were seriously ill. I was so afraid, so afraid you’d leave me.” “I wish it were me who was hurting instead.” Only then did I realize that loving someone could make you shed tears before they did. Seeing my blank expression, a flicker of anger crossed Serena’s eyes. She approached me with a smirk, then covered her face and stumbled back a few steps, tearfully complaining to Liam as he entered. “Oh! Liam, Riley just hit me!” I instinctively retorted, “I have a fever, I’m so weak, I couldn’t possibly hit her…” “Riley, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t ruin my face!” Serena’s eyes welled up as she looked at Liam. “Liam, it’s okay, I can put up with a little hardship for you.” Liam’s gaze fell on my fever-flushed face. He watched me for what felt like an eternity before his voice deepened. “Don’t play the victim. Get down on your knees and apologize.” Her face was smooth and unblemished, yet Liam had directly condemned me. My pride made me stiffen my spine, looking up to meet his mocking eyes. In that single moment, I crumbled. “Riley, you claim you want to atone, but you won’t even do this small thing?” I glanced at the floor. There were thumbtacks Serena had just scattered. But I still knelt down without hesitation. The sharp thumbtacks dug deep into my knees. Every movement was like a knife twisting. Blood seeped from my numb legs. I almost couldn’t hold myself up, wanting to collapse. After a long while, Liam tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and left with Serena in his arms. “Stay kneeling all day. Come back and apologize to Serena when you understand your mistake.”
The last rays of the sun kissed my haggard face. I swayed, then slowly stood up. Without even putting on ointment for my wounds, I swallowed two fever reducers and went to buy an apology gift. When Serena saw the gift I humbly offered, her smile grew even more innocent, and she enthusiastically pulled me inside. “Riley, Liam cooked for me personally. You should join us.” With that, she darted into the kitchen, playfully wrapping her arms around Liam. Liam smiled indulgently, tapping her forehead. I pulled my gaze away, a sharp pang in my heart, and began to observe the home Liam and I once shared. All the pink decorations I loved were replaced with Serena’s preferred purple. Even the family photos in the living room had been swapped out for their wedding portraits. My bedroom was knocked down and turned into Serena’s walk-in closet. I lowered my head, afraid to look around any more, but then I noticed that every dish on the dining table contained ingredients I was allergic to. I shot a look at Liam. He treated me like I was invisible, meticulously attending to Serena, serving her food, pouring her drinks, getting her tissues. I’m highly allergic. Liam used to be so worried about me, often taking me for check-ups. He’d pull the doctor aside to take notes on all the things I was allergic to. But now, it seemed he had forgotten. Serena gave me a defiant look, then placed a chili pepper on my plate. “Riley, have you still not forgiven me?” Liam glanced at me, his voice chilling. “If you’re not eating, get out!” My body stiffened as I ate the dishes. Within minutes, a rash broke out on my face. “Oh no, Riley, you look terrible! You scared me!” Serena picked up a glass of water and splashed it on my face, then cowered into Liam’s arms, her eyes glinting with malice. I frantically covered my face, drenched and humiliated. “I’m sorry…” “Get out!” Liam’s voice seemed to hold a trace of heartbreak, yet it was as cold as winter snow. Outside the villa, there was no heating. Snow fell on my shoulders, and my teeth chattered from the cold. My stomach churned with agonizing pain. In a blur, I saw Mom and Dad. They were smiling at me. I was finally going to die. Was I finally going to be with Mom and Dad? I actually felt a flicker of happiness. I staggered towards them… A rough force yanked me back into an embrace. “Are you trying to die, Riley?!” Coming back to my senses, I realized I was standing in the middle of the road, a car speeding past just inches from me. The warmth of Liam’s embrace made me feel disoriented.
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