Seven years into my marriage, my husband brought home a kept woman. He didn’t even try to hide it. “I’m only playing around for ten years, Scarlett. After that, I promise I’ll come back to you, settle down, and be a good husband.” He was so sure I wouldn’t dare refuse. My father had given all the family assets to my half-sister, Chloe, and we’d always been at each other’s throats. I’d been a stay-at-home wife for seven years; I couldn’t imagine surviving without him. I managed a desolate smile. “Whatever makes you happy.” He looked pleased, then leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Wife, I knew you’d understand me.” The moment he left, I ripped off my wedding ring, packed my bags, and walked out. My childhood friend, Liam, couldn’t wait to swoop in. “Hey, heiress. I’m handsome, loyal, and loaded. Care to give me a chance?” Before I left, I looked around the house I’d lived in for seven years, a wave of bitterness washing over me. Julian and I were college sweethearts. I stood by him through thick and thin, from nothing to having everything. He’d once sworn eternal love, promising to put the house in my name. He said if he ever changed his heart, he’d be homeless. Now, his heart had changed. But he had countless homes. As I reached the front door, my phone rang. Habitually, I answered it. “Bianca’s having cramps, Scarlett. Make some red date and bird’s nest soup and bring it over.” I was about to refuse, then remembered I still needed his signature on the divorce papers. Stepping into the lavish villa, I found Bianca Stone draped in a sheer, almost see-through nightgown, nestled in Julian’s arms. She pouted, her voice soft and sweet. “I hope Scarlett won’t be mad, will she?” “She’s the legitimate Mrs. Hayes. I’m just a nameless, status-less golden canary. How could I possibly deserve…” Julian lowered his head and kissed her lips, effectively shutting her up. After a long moment, his thumb gently traced the corner of her tear-filled eye. He looked utterly content. “Without me, she’d have starved long ago.” “Besides the title of Mrs. Hayes, what else does she have? Just looking at her makes me sick.” My nails dug into my palms. Three years of dating, seven years of marriage, and he called me disgusting? I gritted my teeth and walked up to them. Julian’s face instantly darkened. “Where’s the soup?” Bianca deliberately tugged at her flimsy nightgown, revealing a landscape of kiss marks and damp patches beneath her. Her fair hand quickly covered his mouth. “How could I possibly trouble Mrs. Hayes? I should be serving her.” My gaze flickered to the photos in the living room, and a sharp pain pierced my heart. Julian never let me meet his friends, nor would he meet mine. But here he was, taking Bianca on picnics with his friends. He’d always said he hated flowers, calling them wasteful and impractical. Yet, everywhere I looked, there were vibrant roses of every color, even rare, priceless Juliet roses. He said he was too busy to go on a honeymoon. But the photo wall in the living room was covered with pictures of him and Bianca traveling the world. I suddenly wanted to laugh—to laugh at how blind I’d been. Seeing my smile, Julian’s rage intensified. He grabbed an apple and threw it at me. “Funny? You’re really starting to disrespect me, aren’t you? Your allowance for next month is gone.” Bianca suddenly began to dab at her eyes, looking utterly pitiful. “Mr. Hayes, no, please.” “I’ve already stolen your love, I’m so sorry to Scarlett. Don’t be angry with her because of me. I don’t deserve it.” Julian’s voice was cold as he commanded me. “Come here and explain it clearly to Bianca. Tell her you approve of us, and that you’ll willingly take care of her.” Meeting his urgent gaze, I let out a cold laugh. “Julian Hayes, what century are you living in? Still dreaming of having a harem?” “I’ll never, ever share my man with a shameless mistress.” I turned my gaze to Bianca. “Stop faking it. You’re a mistress hiding in the shadows, yet you want a good reputation? You’re truly delusional.” She immediately shrank into Julian’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice. “Mr. Hayes, I… I just admire you. If Scarlett can’t tolerate me, then I’ll leave right away! I’ll never bother you two again.” She made a move to leave, but Julian held her tight. “If anyone’s leaving, it’s her.” “Scarlett Sterling, you’re getting more and more out of control. You need to be taught a lesson!” He motioned for his bodyguards to pin me to the ground and ordered them to slap me. Rough, powerful slaps soon swelled my cheeks, and blood streamed from the corner of my mouth. It hurt, but my heart hurt more. “When you realize your mistake, when you’re willing to bow down to Bianca, then they’ll stop.” “Mr. Hayes, it’s a good thing you care about me so much~” Julian’s restless hand roamed over her body, eliciting a soft moan from her. “Naughty~ Mrs. Hayes is still here…” His voice grew even more triumphant: “Good. She can learn how to seduce me from you.” The decadent, sickening sounds brutally assaulted my ears, leaving me almost deaf. I refused to bow down or apologize. Julian ordered me locked in the basement to reflect. He didn’t let anyone treat my wounds, leaving my face to fester and rot. That night, my fever soared, and I began to ramble. He got scared I’d die and had me sent to the hospital. In a haze, I heard him say, “You still think you’re some high-and-mighty heiress, do you? The Sterling family has nothing to do with you anymore. You’re completely dependent on me now, why can’t you change your temper?” “If you were even half as obedient and sensible as Bianca, I’d be satisfied.” Opening my eyes, I found my face heavily bandaged. My lower abdomen throbbed with intense pain. A nurse walked over, her voice soft. “Don’t move. You just had a miscarriage, so you need to be very careful.” I was pregnant, but the medication for my wounds posed a risk of fetal deformity, so they had arranged an abortion. Julian’s face was resentful, filled with impatience. “Would it kill you to just admit you were wrong?” “We’ve been married seven years and finally had a child, and you just threw it away!” I couldn’t hold back any longer. Hot tears welled in my eyes. It was naturally difficult for me to conceive. For seven years, I’d seen countless doctors and taken countless medications. Finally, I had a child, and it was gone just like that. Most likely, I could never be a mother again. Seeing me cry, he suddenly panicked, his tone softening considerably. “You can have another child later, or when Bianca has one, you can raise it.” Looking at the man I’d loved for ten years, he suddenly felt like a complete stranger. Years ago, my father had chosen Liam, my childhood friend, as my arranged marriage partner. But I stubbornly fell in love with Julian, who had nothing. I poured most of my fortune into supporting his startup, begging and pulling strings everywhere to land him projects. His eyes red, he held my hand, his face full of devotion. “Scarlett, I promise I’ll make sure you continue to live like a pampered princess.” Now, he’d completely forgotten those vows. I recoiled from his touch, my voice as cold as a stranger’s. “Julian Hayes, let’s get a divorce.” He panicked, then laughed with anger. “Scarlett Sterling, I hate being threatened.” I added, “I’m serious.” He smiled, gritting his teeth, then sighed, seeing me as utterly delusional. “You won’t get much of the Hayes’ assets. The Sterling family won’t take you back, and you haven’t worked in seven years. Just feeding yourself will be a problem.” “If we divorce, you’ll barely survive.” I said calmly, “You don’t need to worry about that.” His finely-boned hand rested on my lower abdomen, but I felt a chill run down my spine.
His words were cold and dangerous. “You deliberately provoked me, got yourself hurt, and conveniently got rid of the child. You wanted me to feel guilty so you could divorce me.” “You wanted everyone to think I rose by relying on the Sterling family, then abandoned you, so they’d condemn me.” “It’s all carefully planned.” I suddenly understood why my father had so vehemently opposed my marriage to him back then. He was clearly the butcher, yet he was packaging himself as the victim. “You really should learn from Bianca’s gentleness. She doesn’t have your malicious thoughts; she only tries every way possible to please me.” “Out of consideration for our marriage, I won’t pursue this. But if there’s a next time, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” I gently shook my head and slowly spoke. “Julian Hayes, I will never learn the shamelessness of a mistress, nor the lack of shame of someone who cheats.” “Either we get a divorce by agreement, or I’ll sue you for it.” Julian was completely enraged. He pointed at me and roared in public. “Don’t use divorce to threaten me! Bianca is a thousand times better than you. I would never leave her, so you might as well give up!” “For a man of my status and position, having three or five mistresses is perfectly normal. I’ve already been very discreet. You’re just too ungrateful.” I wanted to laugh. How blind must I have been to fall for him? He would never realize that I couldn’t tolerate him, not just Bianca. With that, he walked away without a backward glance. I felt no reluctance; instead, the air seemed to clear. Yet, there was still an empty ache in my heart, as if a piece was missing. For the next half-month, he never appeared before me again. He and Bianca were kissing under the Northern Lights, exploring rainforests, vacationing on islands, and splurging on jewelry at auctions. I didn’t want to pay attention to them, but their exploits frequently topped the news trends, making it impossible to ignore. I looked down at the wedding ring on my hand. It was bought three years into our marriage. On our wedding day, I wore a rented dress and cheap, online-bought jewelry, willingly marrying him. He’d wept and promised that once he was rich, he’d make it up to me with a grand,世纪婚礼 (century wedding – a grand, once-in-a-lifetime wedding). Later, when he had money, he said jewelry was expensive and useless, so why waste money? I nagged him for a long time before he finally bought this less-than-one-carat diamond ring. He never wore his own. Whether to get back at me or to make Bianca happy, I don’t know. He really did prepare a lavish, grand wedding. Sadly, I wasn’t the bride. He hired a professional photography team to document every step: choosing wedding rings, trying on wedding dresses, and so on. Their wedding ring was made from a pigeon-egg-sized diamond auctioned off in a Southern country, the diamond alone worth $300 million. Bianca’s wedding dress was encrusted with tiny diamonds, shimmering under the lights like a fairy descending from the Milky Way. It sparkled even more brilliantly in the sunlight. Chloe, my sister, threw an invitation in front of me, angrily demanding, “Is this the man you were so determined to marry? You’re truly an embarrassment to the Sterling family.” My stepmother, Eleanor, nearly fainted from anger. I begged them to attend the wedding. If the Sterlings didn’t go, those high-society families definitely wouldn’t. The day before the wedding, Julian was unusually pleasant to me. “Bianca wants a wedding of her own. Don’t cause any trouble.” I nodded. On the wedding day, I announced my divorce in front of all the guests. “My husband, Mr. Julian Hayes, is holding a grand wedding with his mistress today. I choose to grant them their wish.” “We’re getting a divorce.” He quietly warned me, but I wasn’t fazed. “Either we divorce, or I’ll sue you for bigamy.” His face flushed from green to red. He had no choice but to sign the divorce agreement in front of everyone. That day, Julian Hayes dominated the trending topics. 【Hayes Group CEO Holds Century Wedding for Mistress!】 【At the Wedding, the Original Wife Announces Divorce!】 【Relied on Wife for Wealth, Now Flaunts Affair with Mistress!】 His high-profile photos and videos with Bianca, showing off their affection, became the damning evidence that nailed him to the pillar of shame. I went home to get my luggage, but I heard Bianca’s heart-wrenching screams. Rushing in, I saw her being assaulted by two men, blood flowing freely from beneath her. I was frozen in shock, standing there, unsure what to do. Julian rushed in, frantic. The two men, startled, quickly scaled the wall and fled. Bianca lay in a pool of blood, sobbing almost to the point of collapse. “Our baby… it’s gone…” “Ms. Sterling, you can hate me, hit me, curse me, even kill me if you want.” “But why would you hurt my baby? If you’d just said the word, I would’ve taken the baby and left the country, never to return.” “Why…” Julian held Bianca, crying like a fountain. When my baby was gone, he hadn’t shed a single tear. He stayed by her side in the hospital, sleepless for three days and three nights. Every day, while she slept, he’d personally go home and cook soup for her. Seven years of marriage, and I never knew he could cook. On the fourth day, Bianca’s emotions finally stabilized. He ordered his bodyguards to tie me up and take me to an abandoned factory on the outskirts, where they threw me onto the ground like trash. The rough gravel dug into my body, hurting everywhere. I stared at him, incredulous. “Julian Hayes, how could you do this to me?” He raised his foot and cruelly stomped on my lips until they were a bloody mess. “It’s all because I was too soft on you, which emboldened you to harm my child.” I shook my head frantically, the back of my head bleeding from being scraped by the gravel. “I didn’t! It wasn’t me!” “Still trying to deny it?!” He gathered all his strength and delivered a savage kick to my lower abdomen. My face turned pale from the pain, and sweat poured down me. But he felt it wasn’t nearly enough. Punches, kicks, and sticks rained down on my abdomen. Soon, it was a bloody, mangled mess, and the blood beneath me stained the ground. Gradually, I stopped feeling the pain. All I felt was cold. My consciousness faded, and the footsteps seemed to grow distant. They didn’t take me with them. I was going to die. When I woke up again, everything was white. Perhaps this was heaven. Liam Anderson, my childhood friend, was watching over me, his eyes red. Seeing me awake, he couldn’t help but cry again. “Scarlett, you’re finally awake! You scared me to death!” I didn’t speak, tears streaming down my face and soaking the pillow. He carefully held me, and a wave of warmth passed through my hospital gown. “I’m sorry, I came too late.” After he heard about my divorce, he caught the next flight home, only to learn I’d gone missing. The Sterling family and the Anderson family had moved mountains to find me, barely rescuing me when I was on the brink. After my surgery, Chloe and Eleanor arranged for two nurses to care for me, and they made time to visit me every day. Liam stayed by my bedside, refusing to leave for anything.
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