For our fifth wedding anniversary, Julian’s ‘gift’ to Eleanor was forcing her to drink nine hundred ninety-nine bottles of strong liquor. “Julian, I really can’t drink any more…” I pleaded, my voice hoarse. He scoffed, leaning closer to me. “Your parents loved drinking so much, didn’t they? Loved it enough to drive drunk and wipe out my entire family. As their daughter, you must share their passion.” “I’m so sorry.” My eyes burned with desperate tears. “Sorry” – I’d said it a million times, it was a habit now. “But my parents already paid for their sin with their lives. Isn’t that… isn’t that enough?” “Their deaths won’t bring my family back!” He savagely squeezed my jaw, his grip so powerful it felt like my bones would shatter. “Eleanor Vance, it’s only been five years. Are you already giving up?” He released me, then flicked his eyes at the bodyguards behind him. “Force her.” Two men in black suits stepped forward. One pinned my shoulders, the other pried open my mouth. The icy liquor poured down my throat, making me choke, tears streaming down my face. I was powerless to fight back. I slumped to the floor, my face flushed with agony, my clothes drenched in alcohol. When would this torment finally end? I didn’t know. “Julian, weren’t we supposed to have a romantic candlelit dinner? What’s going on here?” A clear female voice suddenly chimed in from the doorway. Through my tear-filled eyes, I saw Vivian Hayes standing there, dressed in a white dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her face as beautiful as a painting. My breath hitched. A wave of profound sadness washed over me. Vivian… she really did look exactly like my twenty-two-year-old self. No wonder Julian chose to keep her by his side. Seeing Vivian, Julian’s expression softened instantly. “Sweetheart, could you wait a moment? Today is my wedding anniversary with Eleanor, and I’m giving her a gift.” Hearing this, Vivian cast a disdainful glance at me, then tugged playfully on Julian’s sleeve. “Don’t waste your time on someone so unworthy, okay?” Julian fell silent. Clearly, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. So he gently changed the subject. “Come on, are you hungry? I’ll take you to dinner right now.” With that, he took Vivian’s hand and walked towards the exit. However, as they passed me, Vivian deliberately reached out, knocking over the stack of countless liquor bottles piled beside her. *CRASH!* The bottle tower collapsed with a deafening roar. Glass shards flew everywhere, showering down on me. I instinctively shielded my head and face, but I was still cut and bruised all over. “Oh!” Vivian gasped. “I didn’t mean to! Should we send her to the hospital?” Julian didn’t even spare me a glance. “Don’t bother with her.” He lifted Vivian’s hand, his brow furrowed. “You cut your hand.” It was just a shallow red mark, not even bleeding, yet Julian treated it like fragile porcelain, gently kissing her fingertips. “Does it hurt?” Vivian wrapped her arms around his neck, initiating a kiss. “Not anymore, not like this.” Julian quickly took control, deepening the kiss. I lay in a pool of my own blood, listening to the sounds of their lips intertwining, my heart twisting in agony. “Vivian…” In the throes of passion, Julian whispered Vivian’s pet name. Vivian. Eleanor. How similar the names sounded. The kiss ended, and Julian, now consumed by desire, swept Vivian into his arms. Without looking back, he told the bodyguards, “Clean this up. Don’t let her die.” He paused, his voice as cold as ice. “Her body is the only thing left of her that’s worth tormenting.” I watched him carry Vivian away, my heart torn in two. Things had changed, people were gone, and everything was over. Tears flowed before I could even speak. The love we once shared felt like a distant, faded memory. Five years ago today, we should have been the happiest newlyweds. Julian would have held me close, kissed my forehead, and said, “Eleanor, I finally married you.” But now, he held another woman in his arms. We grew up together, childhood sweethearts, inseparable from kindergarten all the way through university. Everyone knew how deeply Julian loved Eleanor. If I casually mentioned wanting a cake from across town late at night, he’d drive two hours through a blizzard to get it. When I had period cramps, he’d stay up all night, gently rubbing my stomach. On the day he proposed, he knelt to put shoes on my feet, promising to cherish me like a princess for the rest of my life. Then, the car accident on our wedding day changed everything. My parents, driving under the influence, killed Julian’s entire family. That day, our wedding turned into a funeral, and my lover became my enemy. He lost his father, his mother, and his sister. The Blackwood family, utterly obliterated, with only his name left. His hatred was boundless. He immediately sent my parents to prison, specifically instructing people to give them “special attention.” The last time I saw them was when I was notified that my parents had taken their own lives. In prison, the elderly couple had already been tortured beyond recognition, skeletal and covered in wounds. After their resolute act of slitting their wrists, they were barely clinging to life, with only a final breath left. They gently caressed my face, their voices choked with sobs. “Ellie, your father and I did something wrong. We deserve to go and atone to the Blackwood family. But you did nothing wrong. You must live well…” “Julian hates you, but he also deeply loved you once… Your father and I are begging you, no matter what happens, you must endure for five years. If after five years, you still find no hope for living, then… then come join us.” That day, my parents died. And I became the one to continue paying for the Blackwood family’s atonement. Five years, over eighteen hundred days and nights, I was tormented by Julian in every conceivable way. Kneeling in the snow during the bitterest winter, locked in a scorching room without AC in the dead of summer, forced to eat foods I was deathly allergic to… Countless times, I contemplated suicide, but that five-year promise repeatedly pulled me back from the brink of death. Until three months ago, when Vivian appeared. She looked like me, her name sounded like mine – she was Julian’s carefully selected replacement. He poured all his love into this substitute, while unleashing all his torment upon me, the original. His methods of torture were always bizarre, and I should have been used to it. But watching them kiss countless times, hearing him call her “Vivian,” witnessing him showering her with the same affection he once showed me, I still felt a suffocating pain. Now, only seven days remained until the five-year term was up. Lying in a pool of blood, I fumbled for the family photo tucked inside my clothes. Blood seeped from my fingertips, staining the picture. The three people in the photo smiled brightly, a dream now unreachable. “Mom… Dad…” I whispered softly. “I’ll hold on for just seven more days… After seven days… I’ll come find you…” When I next awoke, it was the following day. I was lying in the guest room bed, my wounds already treated and wrapped in clean, white bandages. I touched the family photo over my heart, remembering the five-year promise to my parents— Six days left. I had to listen to them and try to find a reason to live. Seeing the circled date on the calendar, I remembered it was Julian’s birthday. One last try, I told myself. I forced myself to ignore the pain in my hands, busying myself in the kitchen all day. When my fingers blistered from burns, I simply bandaged them and kept going. The cake batter burnt twice, but I patiently started over each time. Finally, by evening, a delicate chocolate cake was finished. I then pulled out a photo album, cherished for years, and selected a few old pictures of Julian and me from our youth, assembling them into a handmade album. Finally, I mustered the courage to text Julian: [Julian, I’m waiting for you at our old spot. There’s something I want to tell you.] After the message sent successfully, I left the house and drove to the restaurant we used to frequent. I arrived half an hour early, placing the cake and gift on the table, nervously waiting. Julian was an hour late. When he pushed open the door, he was impeccably dressed in a suit, his expression cold and stern. His face instantly darkened upon seeing the cake on the table. “Did you forget I don’t celebrate my birthday after my family died?” he said icily, then swept the cake off the table. Cream splattered onto my dress, but I didn’t flinch. “I know… but it’s been so many years. My parents paid with their lives, and I’ve suffered so much…” My voice trembled. “Can we just let go of each other and start over?” “No!” Julian’s answer was definitive. “The torment you’ve endured is nowhere near a tenth of what I experienced.” He leaned in close, his eyes blazing with an inferno of hatred. “Eleanor Vance, because your parents drove drunk, I watched my mom, dad, and sister die right in front of me. My loving grandfather saw their bodies, was heartbroken, and suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage. Overnight, my family was destroyed.” He gripped my chin. “You want me to let it go? How could I possibly do that?” Tears streamed down my face. “I’m so sorry… I really…” “Julian!” A sweet voice interrupted me. Vivian ran in, wearing a white dress, holding a glass jar filled with colorful origami cranes. “Happy Birthday!” She smiled brightly, handing the jar to Julian. “I folded them myself, a thousand of them. From now on, every time you take one out, you can make a wish to me.” Julian froze. My heart felt like it was being brutally squeezed by an invisible hand. The scene was all too familiar. When I was eighteen, I had given Julian a jar of origami cranes just like that, and said the exact same words. “Vivian…” Julian’s voice was hoarse. He took the jar, his fingertips gently tracing the glass surface, his gaze distant, as if seeing someone else through Vivian. The next second, he suddenly pulled Vivian into a hug. “I love this gift.” Vivian shot me a triumphant glance, then hugged Julian back. “I’m glad you like it.” I sat by myself, my fingers unconsciously tracing the neglected photo album. My heart felt like it was being slowly carved out with a blunt knife, bleeding and torn in an instant. I never imagined that my defeat wouldn’t come from another, but from my past self. Julian would always hate the current Eleanor. But he deeply loved the girl named ‘Ellie’ in his memories. Watching them embrace intimately, I didn’t have the courage to look any longer. I got up, left the restaurant, and drove into the night. The neon lights outside the car window blurred into streaks, and tears fell uncontrollably. I wiped them away, but new tears kept welling up, endless. I thought I had long gone numb, but it still hurt. Just then, a white figure suddenly darted out from the roadside. “BANG!” A loud crash, and the car screeched to a halt. I trembled, looking up to see a figure thrown into the air by the impact, then falling heavily to the ground in front of my car. It was… Vivian?! I scrambled out of the car, my legs weak, and ran over. Sure enough, Vivian lay on the ground, a shocking pool of blood spreading beneath her. “Vivian!” Julian’s roar came from behind me. He rushed over like a madman, scooped up the unconscious Vivian, and glared at me with eyes that promised murder. “Eleanor Vance, wasn’t it enough that your family killed all of mine? Why can’t you leave even her alone?!” I trembled all over. “It wasn’t me… she ran out into the road herself…” Julian didn’t listen. He carried Vivian into the car that had just pulled up, his eyes red as he threw one last icy command: “Take her to the hospital! Make her kneel outside the ER and atone!” Two bodyguards grabbed me, roughly shoving me into another car. Outside the emergency room, Julian stood at the end of the corridor, his back rigid, like a drawn sword ready to kill. I was forced to my knees on the cold floor, my knees throbbing, but I didn’t dare move. “If anything happens to her, Eleanor Vance, I’ll make you pay with your life.” Julian’s voice was like ice, every word a knife plunging into my heart. I hung my head, tears silently splashing onto the floor. *Tick-tock, tick-tock…* Minutes dragged on, then finally, the emergency room light went out. The doctor walked out, pulling off his mask, his expression grave. “Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hayes’s kidney was damaged in the accident. She needs a transplant immediately, or her life will be in danger.” Julian’s face changed instantly. “Arrange a matching test at once!” The doctor nodded. “Ms. Hayes has B-type blood. We need a matching donor.” Julian’s gaze shifted to me, his voice chilling. “She and Vivian have the same blood type. Make her do the matching test.” I suddenly looked up, my body trembling as I stared at him. He wanted me… to donate a kidney to Vivian? I stumbled, trying to run, but the bodyguards instantly pinned me down. Julian walked over, looking down at me, his eyes devoid of warmth. “Eleanor Vance, this is what you owe me, what you owe her. You have no right to refuse!” I trembled all over, tears blurring my vision. “Julian…” My voice choked. “Are you really going to do this to me?” He didn’t answer, just turned away coldly and told the doctor, “Arrange the surgery immediately!” Before I was wheeled into the operating room, Julian signed the consent form as my spouse. I lay on the operating table, staring at the glaring surgical lights above, my mind drifting back to the past. Fifteen-year-old Julian, carrying me with a fever, running three blocks to the hospital; eighteen-year-old Julian, heartbroken when I cut my hand chopping vegetables, never letting me into the kitchen again; twenty-year-old Julian, staying up all night to apply cream when I broke out in an allergic rash. Once upon a time, if I felt even the slightest discomfort, his eyes would redden with worry, wishing he could suffer in my place. “Ellie, I’ll protect you from now on. You’ll never be hurt again.” But now, it was also him who personally sent me to the operating table. After the surgery, I was wheeled back to the ward. The anesthesia slowly wore off, and the pain in my wound made me tremble all over. I bit my lip, refusing to cry out. The nurses, while applying my medicine, quietly gossiped: “Mr. Blackwood is so good to his wife. He stayed outside the operating room the whole time, never leaving her side.” “I know, right? Such a handsome and rich man, and so devoted to his wife. I really envy their relationship. Ms. Hayes is truly blessed.” Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. I weakly mumbled, “I’m his wife…” The nurses froze, then quickly and awkwardly left. Silence returned to the ward, broken only by the drip of the IV. I struggled to prop myself up, wanting to go to the bathroom. But as soon as I got out of bed, my legs gave way, and I collapsed to the floor, my wound hitting the bed frame. The pain made my vision swim. The ward door opened a crack. Julian stood outside, subconsciously taking a step forward. But when he saw me struggling to get up, he abruptly stopped. He withdrew his hand, turned, and walked away. His assistant followed, puzzled. “Mr. Blackwood, you clearly care about Ms. Vance, so why…” Julian paused, his voice icy. “This is her torment. She deserves it.” The assistant hesitated, then spoke again. “But it wasn’t Ms. Vance’s fault back then. Her parents already paid with their lives, and you’ve tormented her for five years. Isn’t that enough?” Julian remained silent for a long time, finally replying, “If I let her go, who will let me go?” After that, I remained in the hospital, and no one came to visit me. Until the buzzing of my phone startled me awake from a hazy sleep. I struggled to find my phone. The screen displayed a message from an unknown number: [Your kidney is working great for me~ From now on, not just your kidney, but everything you have—including Julian—will be mine!] Attached below was a photo: Vivian’s slender wrist, prominently adorned with the emerald heirloom bracelet my mother had left me. That was… the last relic my parents had left me. My blood ran cold instantly. I violently yanked out the IV needle. Blood spurted from the back of my hand, but I didn’t bother to wipe it, stumbling and rushing towards Vivian’s ward. When I pushed open the door, Vivian was leisurely leaning against the headboard. Seeing me enter, a triumphant smile curved her lips. “Well, well, isn’t it our kidney-donating hero? What, here to visit your kidney?” I stared intently at the bracelet on her wrist, my voice trembling. “Give it back to me!” Vivian lightly caressed the bracelet, smiling innocently. “Why should I give it to you? Julian said it looks beautiful on me, and that it makes me look a lot like the old you, so he gave it to me.” I felt a chill spread through me. I reached out to grab it, but stopped myself abruptly, afraid of damaging the bracelet. I swallowed my pride and pleaded, “This bracelet means a lot to me. I can exchange it for anything else you want, anything I can give you…” Vivian tilted her head, feigning innocence as she thought. “There’s nothing I really want. The only thing I’m missing… is the title of Mrs. Blackwood.” She chuckled. “How about you give that position to me?” I closed my eyes for a moment, my voice hoarse. “Okay. As long as you give me the bracelet back, I’ll let you become Mrs. Blackwood!” The words had barely left my lips when the ward door was violently pushed open. Julian stood in the doorway, his face terrifyingly dark. “Eleanor Vance, in your eyes, my wife’s title is less important than a lifeless object?” I froze, my throat tight. “This is the last thing my parents… left me.” “Parents?” Julian sneered, hatred surging in his eyes. He ripped the bracelet from Vivian’s wrist. “I almost forgot, anything related to your parents, I want to destroy!” With that, he turned and walked towards the window, raising his hand to throw the bracelet down! “No!” I shrieked, throwing myself forward without a second thought. The moment I collided with Julian, the bracelet flew from his hand, and I, too, tumbled out the window— “Eleanor Vance!” Julian’s voice was almost a撕裂. He reached out to grab me, but only clutched at empty air. “THUD!” I crashed heavily onto the lawn below. The bracelet shattered beside me, emerald fragments piercing my palm, but I felt no pain. In a haze, I saw Julian rush downstairs like a madman, kneeling beside me, trembling as he gathered me into his arms: “Eleanor Vance! Eleanor Vance!” His voice held a panic I’d never heard before, just like that fire many years ago when he rushed into the flames to find me, calling my name just like this. “Doctor! Call a doctor, fast!” My consciousness blurred. A faint glimmer of hope ignited in my heart— Did he still care about me? Was it possible… that he still cared about me just a little? When I next awoke, my whole body ached as if it had been crushed and reassembled. In the ward, the doctor was speaking softly with Julian. “Mrs. Blackwood has multiple fractures and internal organ damage. She needs careful rest, or there will be lasting complications.” Julian ordered coldly, “Give her the best medicine.” The doctor nodded and left. Julian turned, his eyes meeting mine as I opened them. Our eyes locked. The concern in his instantly vanished, replaced by coldness. “Don’t think that just because I’m giving you the best medicine means I still care about you.” He walked closer, looking down at me, his voice cruel. “I just want you to live longer, so I can torment you better.” “The moment your parents killed my family, our fate was sealed—” “It will only be an endless cycle of suffering until death!” I stared at him blankly, tears silently falling. So… I had just been fooling myself. I slowly closed my eyes and whispered, “Okay, then I’ll just die.” My voice was too soft; Julian didn’t hear me clearly. He frowned, leaning closer. “What did you just say?” I opened my mouth, about to repeat myself, when the ward door suddenly burst open. A nurse rushed in. “Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hayes needs to go for her check-up, but she can’t find you and refuses to cooperate…” Julian’s brow furrowed. He turned and left, not sparing me even a glance. … The moment the ward door closed, I pulled out my IV needle. Ignoring the excruciating pain and the doctor’s protests, I checked myself out of the hospital. My time was running out. Since I had decided to die, I should take care of some arrangements beforehand. I gave a bitter smile. Julian… he wouldn’t even claim my body. I went to a photography studio and had a memorial photo taken. Then I bought a burial plot and chose a small urn. When I returned to the villa, the sound of padding paws came from the living room. A golden retriever joyfully bounded over, its tail wagging like a propeller, its wet nose rubbing against my leg. My eyes welled up. I crouched down and hugged it. “Buddy…” This was the dog Julian and I had adopted together when we were eighteen. Back then, we had just moved in together. He held this little puppy, smiling, and said, “Ellie, from now on, we’re a family of three. We’ll grow old together.” But now, the family was gone, the love was gone, and growing old together was just a pipe dream. “Woof!” Buddy brought over a toy ball, looking at me expectantly. I stroked his head. “Good boy. Mama will make you something delicious.” I forced myself to cook Buddy some meat porridge. Watching him gobble it down, my heart ached. I would be leaving this world in three days. Buddy was getting old; I had to find him a good home. After searching all day, I finally found a suitable adopter. A retired couple, with a yard, experienced in raising golden retrievers. I packed Buddy’s toys and dog food. Just as I was about to take Buddy out, the villa door suddenly swung open. Vivian walked in, high heels clicking, her gaze falling on Buddy, a cold smile curving her lips. “Eleanor Vance, Julian hates you and has destroyed most of the things you cherish. Now… only this dog is left, right?” My body tensed. I instinctively shielded Buddy behind me. “What do you want?” “Julian hasn’t even said anything, you have no right to touch him!” My voice trembled. “This is our dog, we’ve had him for ten years. He cares about him too, he won’t let you hurt him!” Vivian scoffed. “You’re too naive. He hates you, and everything connected to you!” She clapped her hands, and two bodyguards immediately rushed in, roughly grabbing Buddy’s collar! “No!” I lunged forward to stop them, but was shoved aside. My forehead hit the coffee table, and blood instantly streamed down. Buddy, startled, struggled wildly to protect me, but he was struck by a stun baton and collapsed, whimpering. “Buddy!” I screamed, my heart tearing apart. I desperately pushed past the bodyguards to hold my dog, accidentally bumping into Vivian. “Ah!” Vivian tumbled down the stairs, a pool of blood instantly spreading on the floor. “What are you doing?!” Julian’s voice roared from the doorway. Seeing the scene, he instantly strode over, scooped up Vivian, and glared at me with icy eyes. “You pushed her? She just had a kidney transplant, are you trying to kill her?!” My face was covered in blood. I trembled, pointing at the dying Buddy. “She beat Buddy to death first! He didn’t do anything wrong!” Julian paused, his gaze falling on Buddy’s lifeless body, his eyes momentarily distant. But soon, he said coldly, “It’s better that he’s dead.” “Any proof of our love should not remain.” Those words utterly shattered me. I looked at him in agony, tears flowing uncontrollably. He was right… nothing should remain. After all, he didn’t even love *me* anymore. “Julian…” Vivian weakly leaned in his arms. “My leg hurts so much…” Julian kissed her forehead, his eyes full of tenderness. “Hold on. I’ll take you to the hospital right away. Before we go, think about how you want to punish her?” Vivian leaned in his embrace, her voice weak. “How about… we lock her in the basement and starve her for a day? Let her reflect properly.” “Okay,” Julian said, picking up Vivian and leaving without a backward glance. “Lock her in.” I was locked in the basement. It was dark, damp, and freezing cold. After an unknown amount of time, the door opened. Vivian walked in, carrying a small jar, a sweet smile on her face. “Hungry? Weren’t you so attached to that dog?” She lifted the lid. Inside was a pile of greyish-white powder— “Come, I’m sending you to be reunited.” My pupils constricted. Before I could react, Vivian grabbed my chin, forcing the ashes into my mouth! “Mmm… No… Don’t…” I struggled desperately, but I was too weak to resist, forced to swallow several mouthfuls. “Does it taste good?” Vivian’s smile was twisted. “This is your beloved ‘Buddy’!” Only when the jar was empty did Vivian pat her hands in satisfaction, clean up the scene, and leave. “Buddy… Buddy…” I was in unbearable agony, collapsing in dry heaves, but nothing came up. I curled up on the floor, my tears long gone, my consciousness slowly fading. A high fever made my body burn, and my wounds began to get infected. In a daze, I felt someone gently pick me up, wipe the grime from my face with a wet towel, and carefully apply medicine to the wound on my forehead. “Ellie…” A familiar voice whispered in my ear, carrying a tenderness I hadn’t heard in so long. Was it a dream? I tried hard to open my eyes, but only saw a blurry outline— Julian, his eyes red, was gently feeding me medicine. My eyelashes trembled. I didn’t dare fully open my eyes, fearing that the next second, he would simply leave. Perhaps, after all, we couldn’t completely hate each other. But love… that was also impossible now. Julian’s phone suddenly rang, breaking the oppressive silence in the room. He released the hand that was supporting me and walked aside to answer the call. On the other end, Vivian’s voice held undisguised excitement. “Julian, I… I haven’t had my period in over a month. I went to the hospital for a check-up, and do you think… we’re going to have a baby?” Her voice was soft, with a careful, hopeful tone. “I’ve already thought of names. If it’s a boy, we’ll call him Nathan Blackwood, and if it’s a girl, Naomi Blackwood. How does that sound?” Julian’s fingers tightened sharply around his phone. Nathan Blackwood. Naomi Blackwood. These names were like a blunt knife, savagely stabbing into his heart. He vaguely remembered five years ago, I had leaned against him, my eyes sparkling as I said, “Julian, how about we have two children in the future? A boy named Nathan, a girl named Naomi. That way, even when we’re old, we’ll always remember how much we loved each other now…” Back then, I had smiled so sweetly, as if our future would be forever happy. “Julian? Are you listening?” Vivian’s voice pulled him back to reality. Julian’s throat bobbed. He subconsciously replied, “Okay, those names are fine.” He paused, his voice low. “I’m coming to the hospital now.” Hanging up the phone, Julian glanced back at me, sleeping in the bed. I had opened my eyes at some point, quietly watching him, my gaze as lifeless as a dried-up well. Julian felt a strange pang in his heart. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he just turned and left. The moment the door closed, I slowly closed my eyes. How wonderful, he had new hope… And I, I could finally die. After that, Julian never came back. Until the last day of the five-year promise, I could finally die. I forced myself out of bed and called a delivery service for a bouquet of white lilies and some offerings. It had been too long since I visited my parents. After they died, Julian hated them so much that he never allowed me to mourn them. Now that I was about to die, I should at least go see them. “Where are you going?” Just as I reached the door, Julian returned, his face dark as he stared at the lilies in my hand. My voice was very soft. “One last time… let me go see them.” “Please,” I looked up, tears in my eyes, “I also want to visit your parents, too…” “You still have the nerve to mention them?!” Julian violently gripped my neck, his eyes burning with boundless hatred. “Your parents killed them, how dare you go to their graves?!” I struggled to breathe, my face slowly turning pale, but I didn’t fight back. I just looked at him silently, as if waiting for release. Julian’s heart suddenly trembled. He instinctively loosened his grip. I fell to the floor, coughing violently, a stark red mark left on my pale neck. Julian stared at me, his voice icy. “Fine. You can go to their graves.” “But you’ll go from here, crawling on your knees, step by painful step, all the way to their graves. With every kneel, you’ll shout—’I am a sinner, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!’” He leaned down, pinching my chin, his eyes full of mockery. “After all, your parents are dead. The only one left to atone… is you.” I looked at him, slowly nodding. “Okay.” The scorching sun beat down. I knelt on the burning ground, my forehead hitting the earth heavily. “I am a sinner, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!” “I am a sinner, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!” “I am a sinner, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!” My voice was hoarse, but each shout was clearer than the last. One step, one kneel, one bow. From the villa to the cemetery, a full ten kilometers. Passersby stared, some pointing, some pulling out their phones to record. But I seemed oblivious to the outside world, mechanically repeating the ritual of kneeling and bowing. My knees were raw, a bloody mess, blood seeping through my pants. My knees were worn out, the blood mixing with sweat and stinging my eyes. But I never stopped. Julian drove slowly behind me. He watched my frail figure inch forward under the blazing sun, watched the trail of blood from my knees stretch into a long red mark, watched how every bow seemed to drain all the strength from my body… His fingers unconsciously tightened on the steering wheel, veins bulging. From day to night, I finally crawled to the cemetery. My knees were a bloody mess, my forehead bore a thin crust of dried blood over the wounds. I swayed, on the verge of collapsing at any moment. But I forced myself, step by step, to Julian’s parents’ tombstone. “Sir, Madam…” My voice was hoarse. “I’m so sorry…” Again and again. Julian stood by, his eyes cold. “Do you think apologies are useful? Even if you say it a thousand, ten thousand times, it won’t bring them back. Your entire family are sinners.” I didn’t argue. I just struggled to move to my parents’ tombstone again. In the photo, my parents smiled gently, as if looking at me. I gently caressed the tombstone, tears silently falling. Dad, Mom… I’m coming to find you. What our family owed him, I’ll pay with my life. I can’t hold on anymore. Let me be free, and let him, Let himself go. After the memorial, night had fallen deep. Julian drove in silence. I sat in the passenger seat, the blood on my knees and forehead dry, my entire being like a hollow shell, as if my soul had been drained. Halfway there, Vivian’s call came in. “Julian, the test results are back, I’m pregnant!” Her voice held undisguised excitement. “The doctor said the baby is very healthy. Can you come pick me up from the hospital, please?” Julian’s fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. He subconsciously glanced at me beside him. My gaze was empty, staring out the window, as if completely unaware of everything. “Okay, I’ll be right there,” he finally said. The car pulled over. Julian said coldly, “Go home yourself.” I didn’t respond, just quietly pushed open the car door and stepped out into the night. The car door closed, and the engine sound faded into the distance. I lowered my head to look at my phone— 00:00. The five-year term was up. I looked at the brightly lit bridge spanning the river in the distance, and suddenly smiled. These past five years, Julian and I had gone from love to hatred. I couldn’t blame him, but I couldn’t blame my parents either. No one wanted that accident to happen. Just as Julian said, between us, it was an endless cycle of suffering. Now that I was dead, everything could finally end. The night wind ruffled my long hair. I walked step by step towards the edge of the bridge. The river surface, dark as ink, mirrored the scattered city lights. It was as if another world was beckoning me. I stood by the railing, taking one last look back at the city lights. “Julian,” I whispered in my heart, “Goodbye forever.” The next second, I let go, and plunged down— “SPLASH!” The icy river instantly swallowed me. The immense impact felt like my internal organs were being crushed. Darkness, suffocation, and bone-chilling cold swept over me… But I felt an unprecedented sense of relief. Finally… freed.
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