I had dedicated years to figure skating, and to repay the immense sponsorship from the Harrington family, I married Julian Harrington. In our seven years of marriage, he’d taken on dozens of women, even setting them up in the same exclusive community. His twisted excuse? It made it easier for me, his legitimate wife, to ‘manage’ them. I became adept at handling the women he grew tired of, all while maintaining my grueling training schedule. Just as I was on the brink of winning the Grand Slam, a teammate accidentally grazed my neck with her skate blade during a competition. Streams of blood dripped onto the ice, freezing into crimson streaks. Julian merely glanced at me. “If you’re not dead, then get back on the ice and win!” Only later did I discover she was Julian’s new favorite. This was her twisted display of power, his warning. When I regained consciousness, I stared at the familiar room, yet couldn’t recall where I was. All I knew was that my debt was paid. I could finally leave…
“You’re finally awake! I’ll call the family doctor!” Julian’s sister, Elara Harrington, immediately sprang from the chair, rushing out to usher a team of doctors into my room. “Skylar Xu is our Harrington family’s treasure! Make sure you check her thoroughly!” I lay there like a fish on a chopping block, pinned to the bed, letting them poke and prod. Just answering a few robotic questions confirmed I was mostly fine. As they left, I overheard someone sigh softly: “Treasure? More like a cash cow, if you ask me.” I looked down at the countless scars, old and new, etched onto my body from years of intense training. Even if they saw them, they never once asked if I was in pain or if I was tired. The only thing they ever cared about was whether my performance on the ice could generate more income for the Harrington family. “Elara, I’ve done everything you asked. Can I leave now?” She stared at me, surprised. “Why the sudden urge to leave?” My gaze dimmed as I shifted my eyes from her face to the window. Soon, her secretary rushed in, breathless, reporting everything that had happened during the competition. Listening to him, she took a deep breath, her voice low and stern as she gave an order: “Bring Julian to me!” The usually decisive businesswoman, after hearing the full story, seemed to feel a pang of compassion. Pity, regret, and a touch of helplessness mingled in her gaze as she looked at me. “I’m so sorry, Sky. I thought he’d settle down once he’d had his fun. I never imagined he’d let some outside woman hurt you…” I shook my head. “It’s fine. It was my obligation to repay their kindness. Once it’s fully paid, please let me go.” My phone rang at an inconvenient moment. I answered, and a voice, arrogant yet deceptively sweet, came through the line: “Skylar Xu, you’re 27 now. It’s time for you to step down.” “You should thank me. That cut was merciful; I didn’t aim for your face, but it’s enough to end your glory days.” “Whether it’s the Ice Princess or Julian Harrington’s wife, that position will finally be mine!” As soon as she finished speaking, she let out a delicate giggle and quickly hung up. I lifted my head and met Elara’s gaze. The unspoken understanding between adults kept us silent. Recalling Tiffany’s words, I almost wanted to laugh. Did she really think being Julian’s wife was as glamorous as it seemed? Learning how to discreetly handle the women Julian grew bored of. Knowing how to deal with those who would threaten suicide to demand legitimacy. These were my mandatory lessons. From clumsy fear and cluelessness at the start, I had evolved into someone who handled it with practiced ease. Outsiders only saw my calm exterior, unaware it was the result of five years of emotional attrition. Five years that had mercilessly tortured a vibrant, beating heart until it barely clung to life. Perhaps it was a woman’s empathy, but Elara didn’t try to persuade me to stay. She sighed deeply. “The doctor said you injured your head, and it might cause stress-induced memory loss.” “You need to avoid strenuous exercise and excessive fatigue for a while.” “Once you’ve recovered, I’ll help you get a divorce and send you abroad.” “As for Celeste Johnson, I don’t want to hear that name from outsiders ever again.” She was warning me, subtly telling me not to leak the old scandal. I softly replied, “I know.” My family was poor when I was little, but I was discovered to have a talent for figure skating. The Harrington family covered the substantial cost. The price of accepting their sponsorship was marrying Julian Harrington. To win the Grand Slam and help launch Harrington Sports’ brand. Originally, this kind of good fortune wouldn’t have fallen to me. Julian Harrington had a long-term girlfriend, Celeste Johnson, who he’d grown up with. But then Celeste cheated on him with Julian’s brother-in-law. Elara caught them in bed. She didn’t want this incident to ruin the relationship between her and her brother. So she found some random excuse to divorce and sent Celeste abroad. To completely sever this toxic connection, she even went as far as to drug Julian and me, ensuring we ended up in bed. Unexpectedly, Julian agreed to marry me without any fuss. When we first got married, I had just graduated, at an age when my heart was easily stirred. Plus, I’d secretly admired Julian for a long time, so marrying him felt like a dream. During that time, besides training, I would carefully inquire about Julian’s preferences. I knew the staff looked down on me, thinking a country girl like me wasn’t worthy of their young master. But I liked Julian. Even enduring their cold stares and impatience, I’d brazenly ask them to teach me how to make Julian’s favorite dishes and his preferred soups. I meticulously remembered he disliked spicy food, loved sweets, preferred plain, understated clothes that made him seem composed. Even for water, he liked… What temperature was it again? I suddenly couldn’t recall. I shook my head, but it didn’t help; instead, it triggered a headache, making me gasp. Elara looked worried and asked, “Are you okay?” “I’m fine. I’ll only stay for one more week at most.” Because in one week, I would be joining Team E, becoming their youngest-ever head coach for figure skating. She nodded her agreement. Before sleeping that night, I felt a faint blank spot in my memory, specifically about Julian. I tried hard to recall it, but it wouldn’t come back. Instead, it only brought on palpitations. It didn’t matter. Let it be forgotten. From the moment he started bringing various women home, being intimate with them right in front of me. Whispering sweet nothings, entwined with them on the very bed we shared on our wedding night. I should have given up on him then, instead of lowering my standards, endlessly tolerating him. He knew I was allergic to smoke, yet after every session, he’d light a cigarette and blow the smoke in my face. He’d mock me in a contemptuous tone: “The moment you worked so hard to climb into my bed, and said all those bad things about Celeste in front of my sister, you should have foreseen this outcome.” “Skylar Xu got rid of Celeste Johnson, taking her place like a homewrecker. So you should know that after marriage, there will be other ‘Skylars’ who will get rid of you in the same way.” “Do their actions on my body look familiar to you?” “Are they just like the night you begged me for intimacy?” “If so, you’re practically their mentor.” He suddenly leaned close, the smoke from his nostrils stinging my eyes, making tears stream down my face. He clasped the back of my neck, a warning in his grip. “No matter how many I’ve slept with, none of them feel like you did that night.” “Why don’t you personally teach them a few tricks, so they can please me better?” “Or perhaps…” He narrowed his eyes, looking at me like a predator about to bite my neck. His gaze sent a shiver down my spine, an indescribable emotion swelling within me. His hand expertly found my sensitive spots, leaving me utterly paralyzed. “Is your body’s sensitivity and softness the result of all that scandalous figure skating practice?” I stared at him, wide-eyed in disbelief, unable to believe those words came from his mouth. In that moment, the romanticized image of him I’d held since childhood shattered into a million pieces. I saw the ugliest, most primitive state of a man in him: vulgar and perverse. I couldn’t bear it any longer. Tears welled in my eyes, my nails digging into his arm. “Julian Harrington, you can say whatever you want about me, but don’t you dare desecrate the sport of figure skating…” Amidst a whirlwind of thoughts, my pillow grew damp, my wet hair sticking to my cheeks. It was itchy, and a little painful. Drowsiness prevented me from discerning whether the pain came from my face or from the depths of my heart… I just felt certain memories drifting further and further away…
Julian returned the next day around noon, bringing Tiffany along. The staff were all discussing it: “The young master has so many women outside, but this is the first time he’s brought one home.” “Looks like the Lady Harrington position is about to change hands.” They never bothered to hide their discussions from me, nor did they ever show me the respect I deserved. Tiffany overheard their words and shot me a challenging look across the room. It was as if she was saying, ‘You can’t even control the staff, how could you ever hope to keep Julian’s heart? The position of Lady Harrington will definitely be mine!’ I pursed my lips, a soft laugh escaping my nostrils involuntarily. How to keep Julian’s heart? His heart was as hard as stone; no matter how sincerely I treated him, it wouldn’t stir him in the slightest. He’d even think I was trying to flatter him or grab his attention. It would only make him despise me more. Julian pulled out a chair at the dining table and said, “Get me a glass of water.” The staff didn’t budge. For five years, they’d silently agreed that serving Julian was my job. Just a little longer, I told myself. Five more days, and I’d be free. I picked a clean glass and poured him some water, handing it to him. He frowned slightly, took a sip, and set it down. “Are you trying to scald me with this temperature?” “I only drink water at 55 degrees. You’ve never messed up before. What’s wrong today?” Before he could finish, I reached for the glass, but he pressed my hand down. “New tactics now? Trying to provoke me, get my attention?” “Are you jealous?” I calmly met his cold gaze, speaking with detached composure. “I forgot.” A flicker of surprise crossed his face at my reaction. After all, I used to be obedient to his every word, quick to explain if I fell short. My indifference today piqued his suspicion. But he said nothing more. At the dinner table, he proposed that I retire. The Harrington family’s club was planning to sign Tiffany. He wanted me to coach her. I had thought that by winning the Grand Slam and making my name known worldwide, Providing free advertising for the Harrington brand, and helping Julian expand his business empire, That would be enough. Now, even my life after retirement—was that to be invaded and exploited too? It turns out that in his eyes, I had always been an inexhaustible, free resource. “My contract with the Harrington family is almost up. As for a club coach, I can recommend someone to you.” Thinking back, this was the first time I had ever refused Julian’s demand. As I expected, he flew into a rage. “So, you think your wings have grown strong enough to leave the Harrington family, huh, Skylar Xu? I’m telling you, don’t even think about it!” “You would never have achieved what you have today without the Harrington family!” With that, he abruptly stood up and went upstairs with Tiffany. I silently bowed my head, picking at my rice, tears steadily falling into it. He wasn’t wrong, but my contributions to the Harrington family over the years had long exceeded the amount of their sponsorship. I wanted to leave. I wanted my own life, my own plans. To no longer be a puppet subservient to the Harrington family. Heading upstairs to pack my bags, I passed Julian’s door and heard quite a commotion inside. “Julian, please divorce Skylar, okay?” “Anything she can give you, I can give you too. Anything she can’t, I have it all.” “Touch my skin, isn’t it softer and firmer than hers?” If I had known it was going to be such a disgusting conversation, I would never have stopped. Just as I was about to leave, Julian’s sharp voice cut through the air. “I will not divorce her! Get rid of those inappropriate thoughts of yours.” “Do your job, become the next Skylar Xu, and don’t waste my investment in you.” Why wouldn’t he divorce me? There was no love left between us, only hatred. Perhaps this was his revenge, for me occupying Celeste’s place. To bind me in this marriage and torture me for the rest of my life. At that thought, my head felt like it was splitting open, the pain radiating from my scalp to the tip of my nose, half my face going numb. I lay rigidly on the bed, taking half an hour to recover. When the pain finally subsided, the blank space in my brain, that missing memory, began to expand. I felt like I had forgotten something, but I just couldn’t recall what. The following days, I was busy with preparations to go abroad. As the contract still had a few days left, I had to follow Julian’s instructions, spending my free time training Tiffany. The day I received my passport, I was called to the training rink. Tiffany, wearing my competition outfit, paraded in front of me, tossing her head as she said, “Julian said your support team and costume designers are all mine now.” I just softly said, “Oh.” Suddenly, she lay down on the ground, placing her arm near my skate, and with her other hand, grabbed my clothes. I momentarily lost my balance, and the tip of my blade carved a shocking gash on her arm. “Skylar Xu!” Julian strode quickly towards us, roughly pushing me to the ground. He bent down, picked Tiffany up, and placed her on the mat. Then he told someone to call the team doctor and dragged me into an empty changing room. “Are you insane! If you want to hurt someone, can’t you find a place without cameras?” “If this gets out, accusing you of bullying a teammate and intentional injury, what about your reputation? What about the Harrington family’s standing?” His actions lately, I understood them less and less. His words contained no reproach for me harming his new favorite; instead, he seemed to be considering my welfare. I was about to reply when he bent down and picked up a piece of paper from behind me. “What is this?” He leaned closer to read it. “An offer from Team E?” My heart instantly clenched, sweat breaking out on my palms. I took a steady breath, then calmly pulled the offer letter from his hand. “Didn’t I say I’d recommend a coach last time? Many people want to join Harrington Sports, so I had them submit their resumes for screening.” His expression visibly relaxed, then turned stern again. “When did I agree to let you leave?” “Here’s the new contract, another ten years.” He tossed a stack of documents into my lap. I pretended to agree, but secretly, I deliberately misspelled my name on the contract, like random scribbles. I also slipped a divorce agreement among the papers, watching him sign them all. The huge weight on my heart finally lifted.
The day before I left, Celeste Johnson returned to the country. She hadn’t changed at all, still as arrogant as before, tossing her jacket onto me. “Are you enjoying your role as Lady Harrington?” “I know you had a crush on Julian back then. My five years away gave you a five-year trial.” “So, you should probably be kneeling and thanking me.” “Still, Julian never forgot me, did he?” I released my grip, and her jacket dropped straight to the floor. I stepped over it. “Was cheating fun? What do you think Julian’s reaction will be when he finds out the truth?” She hadn’t expected me to know about it and, enraged, raised her hand and slapped me. It was too fast; I couldn’t dodge. When I registered it, my face was stinging. Seeing Julian approach, Celeste began to play the victim, clinging to his arm and whining, “Julian, I’m back now. It’s time for this stand-in to leave, isn’t it?” I held back my tears, turning to go upstairs and change my flight. I’d leave tonight. Julian sensed something was wrong. He paced outside my room, wanting to explain but unsure what to say. When he finally twisted the doorknob and saw the empty room, he froze. Realizing what had happened, he roared, “Where’s Skylar Xu?!” Just then, Elara returned from her office, her brows furrowed in confusion at her brother’s frantic demeanor. “Didn’t she tell you? She’s becoming the head coach of Team E’s figure skating team tomorrow.” It was as if a light bulb went off in his head, finally understanding the source of his deep-seated unease all this time. But he simply couldn’t accept the fact that I had truly left. “Impossible! We signed a renewal contract just two days ago! If she just leaves like this, I can pursue legal action!” The undisguised fury in Julian’s eyes was fully directed at Elara. It was the first time Elara had ever seen her brother speak to her in such a tone. His strong, hot hand gripped her shoulder, his gaze sharp, radiating an intense pressure. Elara had a fiery temper herself. After their parents died, she truly became like a mother to her younger brother. As the elder, she wouldn’t tolerate her brother treating her this way. She raised her hand and slapped him directly. “You can’t even keep your own wife in line, and now you’re coming to me asking where she is?” “That contract isn’t valid.” Julian rubbed his stinging cheek, a bewildered look on his face. “What do you mean, not valid?” Elara sighed, a helpless expression washing over her face. “She intentionally misspelled her own name. Her message was crystal clear.” “For all these years, the revenue she brought to the corporation has long surpassed the Harrington family’s initial kindness.”
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