The day Julian Reed suddenly said he wanted to get married. I hadn’t seen him in three months. The last time, I’d accidentally overheard him telling his friends he was already sick of me. The whole room had erupted in laughter. Laughing at me, who’d clung to him for five years, ruining my reputation just to please him, only to end up discarded like garbage. These three months living with the Finch family had been hell. A few days ago, Arthur Finch got drunk and was particularly rough. The bruises on my back were still throbbing. So, when Julian called me today, asking me to come over, a desperate flicker of hope ignited in my chest once more. I specifically put on the emerald bracelets from our engagement and rushed over. By the time I arrived at the villa, Julian was already a little tipsy. He was half-reclined, eyes closed, on a young girl’s lap. The girl looked like she was still in college, very innocent. Seeing me enter, the girl who had been massaging Julian’s head started to get up, flustered. But Julian caught her wrist. “Just stay put.” He didn’t even open his eyes, just tightened his grip. He pulled her, and her body pressed against his. She submissively lowered her head, letting him kiss her. He let go, then pinched her chin. The kiss was deep, and the sound echoed loudly. I stood by the entrance, clutching my purse, utterly lost for a moment. I finally managed to compose myself, feigning indifference, and looked out the window: “I’ll just walk around the garden for a bit. I’ll come back later.” No sooner had the words left my lips than Julian scoffed. The girl beside him, sensing the mood, quickly stood up: “Maybe I should go out first, let Liana come over.” This time, Julian didn’t stop her. He just held her hand, playing with it for a long moment before reluctantly letting go: “It’s cold outside. Don’t catch a chill.” The girl smiled faintly, nodded, her long, dark hair obscuring most of her blushing face. As she walked past me, she politely greeted me, calling me “Liana.” I nodded back, returning a faint smile. She was so young, her eyes so clear, and her shy demeanor reminded me of my little sister. “Liana Croft, come here.” Julian leaned back on the sofa, patting the empty space beside him. The intricate, opulent crystal chandelier cast colorful light, highlighting his narrow, sculpted face and handsome features. The interplay of light and shadow made him seem almost unreal. I felt a sudden haze, and an indescribable ache. Julian’s captivating eyes shimmered, the wine staining their corners a soft red. Beneath his open collar, his collarbone and the side of his neck were covered in a cluster of hickeys. “That girl was Serena Hayes.” I nodded: “Yes, I know.” “What do you think of her?” I thought for a moment, then answered very seriously: “She’s very innocent, very pure, very sweet.” Julian nodded: “Doesn’t she remind you of yourself five years ago?” I froze. Five years ago, I had just started college. In Julian’s words, when he was pursuing me, I was ‘so pure it made his heart ache.’ He truly loved me then. And he doted on me fiercely. As if I were made of glass, fragile and precious. I was also his longest relationship. We even got engaged before I graduated college. Only… Now, I was a wreck, my reputation in tatters. Everyone in Veridia City knew. How many shameless things I’d done to cling to that wealthy and influential husband. Back then, he said he was tired of my innocence and purity. To please him, I forced myself to change, to fit into his sordid circle. Catering to his exotic tastes. He wanted passion and sensuality, he loved allure and intensity, he preferred an open and daring woman. I swallowed my humiliation and satisfied his every whim. But in the end, my efforts only earned me his contemptuous words. “Liana Croft, you’re truly pathetic.” “Even a call girl isn’t as unrestrained as you in bed.” “Look at you now, do you even have a shred of a proper lady left?” He broke up with me. Arthur Finch then threatened my younger siblings, who were living abroad. To keep Julian, I’d cut my wrists, taken pills—I’d done it all. Now, facing the broken version of me, he said he liked Serena. He liked that she reminded him of me five years ago. I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. “I really like her. I want to give her a proper place in my life.” “She’s not like you. She’s timid, completely pure. I need to take responsibility.” I wanted to say something, but my lips felt glued together. Not a sound escaped. After a long moment, I managed a forced smile: “Okay, I understand.” “I can put in a good word for you with the Croft family.” “No need. I’ll figure it out myself.” “Suit yourself.” He swayed as he stood up, taking something from his pocket. It clanged as he tossed it onto the coffee table. My eyelids twitched violently. It was the love token we exchanged at our engagement. A matching pendant, a legacy from my birth mother. The emerald bracelets he gave me were his mother’s dowry. The pair I was wearing on my wrists. “Take off the bracelets.” “Our engagement is off.” I looked up at him, his captivating eyes, usually so vibrant, were now as cold as frost and snow. So, when he said he wanted to get married, he wasn’t talking about me. Five years of companionship couldn’t compare to the thrill of a few days of stolen passion with someone new. I thought I would break down, that I would be devastated. But not a single tear fell. I simply calmly removed the emerald bracelets and returned them to him. Julian raised an eyebrow, seeming slightly surprised. But he reached out, took them, and turned to leave without a backward glance. The news of Julian breaking off our engagement spread quickly. The expected brutal beating from my family didn’t come. Instead, I lost contact with my younger brother and sister abroad again. I knew this was my father’s usual tactic for unleashing his anger. He and my stepmother began searching the city for a suitable husband. They wanted to marry me off to secure the Croft family’s dwindling fortune. But soon, ugly rumors started circulating. They said that to please Julian all these years, I had done all sorts of unspeakable things, that I was damaged goods, even barren. No one in Veridia City would want to marry a woman like me. My father’s temper grew worse. My life became even more unbearable. The second month after Julian broke off our engagement. Explosive news about him spread through our social circle again. They said he was getting engaged again, to Serena Hayes. Julian was even defying his parents for her. The usual crowd of party animals deliberately brought the news to me. I knew what they wanted to see. Nothing more than their lives being too boring, and they missed the entertainment of having a clown like me around. “Liana, I actually think Julian still likes you.” “You’re having a hard time, aren’t you? Why don’t you go beg Julian?” “He’s got a soft spot. If you cry a little, or at least pretend to commit suicide, he might just change his mind.” “Serena can’t compare to you, Liana. You’re so much prettier than her.” I looked at those messages but didn’t reply. Instead, I focused wholeheartedly on preparing for my own wedding. Just a week ago, I knelt all night. Finally, my father relented, agreeing for me to take my recently-of-age sister’s place and marry into a powerful family in Azure Bay. I heard that the eldest son of the Thorne family in Azure Bay, Daxian Thorne. He was ruthless in his methods, yet wielded immense power, the uncrowned king of Azure Bay. But because he was crippled, he had a terribly volatile temper. Yet, I wasn’t afraid at all. To escape the Croft family, to free my siblings. I would gladly bear anything. Besides, I couldn’t stay in Veridia City any longer. Azure Bay might just offer a glimmer of hope. Before my wedding, I had dinner with my best friend. On my way to the restroom, I unexpectedly ran into Serena Hayes. She was completely different from before. Wearing exquisite makeup and Dior’s classic little black dress, she was slender and graceful, undeniably alluring. A delicate lady’s cigarette was clutched between her vibrant lips. “Ms. Croft, you’ve heard, haven’t you?” Serena looked at me, a defiant smile playing on her lips. “Julian Reed is going to get engaged to me.” I looked at her, suddenly recalling her pure, timid appearance when I first met her. For some reason, my heart ached with a sense of regret. “Yes, I heard.” Serena’s smile deepened: “Ms. Croft, are you very jealous?” “I heard you lost three children for him, and all these years, to keep him and marry him, you’d do anything despicable.” She leaned against the windowsill, her eyes holding a mix of disdain and contempt behind her smile. I gave her a bland look: “Ms. Hayes, you yourself said ‘you heard.’ “We’re both women. There’s no need to spread malicious rumors, is there?” Serena instantly scoffed: “It’s all over Veridia City. What ‘malicious rumor’?” I didn’t want to waste my breath on her, so I turned to leave. But Serena suddenly said, in a passive-aggressive tone, “Ms. Croft, girls are not all the same. You have no self-respect. Didn’t your mother teach you anything before she passed?” My footsteps abruptly halted. Hearing the word ‘mother,’ a surge of hot blood rushed to my head. I didn’t have time to think, nor could I be rational. I spun around and slapped her. “Ms. Croft…” Serena froze for a moment, then immediately covered her face, bursting into tearful sobs. “I know it hurts you that Julian and I are getting engaged, but you can’t hit people…” “I understand you’re upset, but you can’t force feelings.” “Julian doesn’t like a promiscuous woman like you. It’s not my fault…” She whimpered, crying pitifully and aggrieved, but every word she uttered felt like a stab to my heart. “I know your mother died young and you had no one to guide you, Ms. Croft. I won’t hold this against you this time…” I gritted my teeth, so hard my jaw ached, and raised my hand to slap her again. But my arm was seized by Julian Reed. “Liana Croft, apologize to Serena.” “I won’t apologize.” I stood with my back straight, my face pale, my lips bloodless. But my eyes glowed with a fierce, burning red, intensely captivating. Julian seemed somewhat surprised. Over the years, he had seen me as the docile, innocent girl. He had seen me as the obedient, submissive woman. And he had seen me as the hysterical, sobbing, clinging woman. I had been naive, alluring, cried, laughed, and acted out in front of him. But I had never been as calm and distant as I was now. He pushed Serena aside and walked up to me, expressionless: “Liana Croft, I’m saying this one last time: apologize to Serena.” I stared at him fixedly, then suddenly laughed. A laugh that was resolute, and utterly desperate: “Julian Reed, I told you, I won’t apologize. I’ll never apologize, not even if I die…” A sharp slap suddenly echoed in the empty corridor. After delivering that slap, Julian seemed momentarily stunned. Serena, clutching her face, widened her eyes, equally shocked and incredulous. Only I slowly raised my hand to cover my stinging cheek, my eyes slowly welling up with red. “Liana Croft…” Julian instinctively stepped forward. But I immediately took a step back. His hand, which had been about to rise, abruptly dropped, and his face hardened: “Liana Croft, this is your own fault.” “If you had apologized earlier, I wouldn’t have laid a hand on you.” Julian’s voice was deep and a little hoarse: “You know I never hit women.” “We’ve been together for so many years, I’ve never even touched a hair on your head.” “You shouldn’t have touched Serena today. I like her, it’s not her fault.” “Liana Croft, stop this. Have some dignity.” He was always a man of few words, never speaking at such length as he did today. But I didn’t hear a single word. My reddened eyes uncontrollably filled with tears. I desperately tried to hold them back, but couldn’t. My tear ducts ached fiercely, and tears streamed down my face, large and endless. Julian, at some point, had clenched his hands tightly, his brows deeply furrowed. Serena walked to his side and said sweetly, “Julian, it’s fine. Let’s go.” Julian took her hand, but his gaze remained fixed on my face. “Liana Croft, don’t try to cause Serena any more trouble.” “And don’t ever appear in front of me and Serena again.” “This is my final warning.” He finished, but didn’t leave with Serena. Instead, he stood there, watching me, as if waiting for my answer. But I said nothing, just lowered my head slightly. As if I wanted to shed all the tears I would ever cry in this lifetime. Approximately thirty seconds later, Julian finally left with Serena. As he turned to go, I suddenly spoke in a low voice. “Alright.” “I swear, I will never appear in front of you and Serena again in this lifetime.” Julian’s tall back stiffened abruptly. But he quickly pulled Serena forward, walking away without a single glance back. Serena, however, looked back at Liana. Her eyes still held tears, but the corners of her mouth curled up in a triumphant smirk. I slowly lowered my hand. *It’s finally over*, I thought to myself. Five years of entanglement, that love-hate bond with Julian, almost rooted in my very being. At this moment, it was finally ripped out, root and stem, utterly severed. I could leave now, clear-headed, with no lingering attachment, forever. That day, after I returned, I received many messages and calls. A large portion of them were screenshots from Serena’s Ins. Most prominent was the engagement ring she was flaunting. I exited SnapChat, still didn’t reply. And I didn’t answer any of those calls either. My face was still a little swollen, so I got some ice and applied it for a while. When I came back, there was a new bank deposit notification on my phone. I was somewhat baffled and opened it, stunned by the long string of zeroes. Before I could even count them, my phone rang. The three words flashing on the screen were saved by my own hand: Mr. Thorne. This was the first time Daxian Thorne had called me since our engagement was set. I felt my heart racing a bit, took several deep breaths, and then answered. “Ms. Croft, did you receive the money?” “Yes, I did.” “But, Mr. Thorne, you’ve already given the dowry…” I reminded him softly, wondering if someone on his end had made a mistake. “The dowry was for the Croft family. This sum of money is specifically for you.” I clutched my phone, stunned for a long moment, then spoke softly: “Mr. Thorne, you don’t have to do this.” “I was engaged before, and my reputation isn’t good…” “It’s alright.” Daxian Thorne’s voice was exceptionally deep and pleasant, yet it carried a reassuring strength. I thought of the rumors about him—ruthless, cruel, with an unpredictable and volatile temper. But at this moment, there wasn’t a hint of that in his voice. “You said it yourself, it was ‘before.’” “Everything from before is in the past, Ms. Croft. Don’t dwell on it.” “You’re moving far away soon. If there’s anything you like, you can buy some things for yourself to bring to Azure Bay.” My eyes felt a little warm, gradually filling with tears, yet I also subtly curved my lips: “Mr. Thorne, thank you.” The news of my marriage to the Thorne family was kept entirely under wraps. This was Daxian Thorne’s instruction. The Thorne family’s escort party had already arrived in Veridia City. With them present, the Croft family naturally remained perfectly compliant. Therefore, no one in all of Veridia City knew that I was about to marry and move far away. Three days before I left. All my luggage was packed. I looked at the exquisitely crafted treasure chest on my dressing table. And a yellowed, blank wish card. The treasure chest was a gift Julian had given me when he was pursuing me. It had nine layers, completely filled with all sorts of jewelry. And the blank wish card was a thank-you gift he’d given me when he was twelve. Of course, he had long forgotten about it. I had actually once thought of using that wish card to make him agree to marry me. But in the end, I was unwilling to waste my life on a man like him. The jewelry was too precious, so naturally, it had to be returned. The blank wish card had his private seal on it. Naturally, it couldn’t fall into anyone else’s hands. I carefully packed both items. And called Julian Reed’s personal assistant. “The items are very valuable. Please make sure to deliver them to him personally.” I repeatedly emphasized. His assistant, though still polite, was clearly impatient. “Ms. Croft, I kindly advise you, please don’t bother anymore.” “Mr. Reed is about to get engaged. Let’s all move on.” He thought I was trying to scheme for a reunion again. I wanted to explain. But he was clearly too lazy to humor me, tossing the box casually into his trunk before getting into his car and driving away. I quietly left Veridia City with the Thorne family’s escort. Two days later, I met my future husband for the first time. The heir to the Thorne family, Daxian Thorne. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, looking noble and handsome. Though he was in a wheelchair, his legs covered by a thin blanket. His posture was tall and straight, his shoulders broad and strong. Making one completely overlook his disability. “Liana Croft.” He spoke my name in a deep voice. I took a deep breath, quickly walked forward, and then slowly knelt down. My gaze met his. I must have been incredibly nervous and shy. Because in his deep-set eyes, within those dark pupils, I saw a tiny reflection of myself. It was as if even my eyelashes were trembling softly. I secretly took a breath, gathered my courage, and raised my hand to gently clasp his hands, which rested on the blanket. “Mr. Thorne, hello, I’m Liana Croft.” The moment I grasped his slender hand, I seemed to hear gasps around us. But my nervousness was so overwhelming that I couldn’t pay attention to anything else. Instead, I held his hand, instinctively gripping tighter. Daxian Thorne didn’t push me away. His fingers were long and slender, his knuckles strong; my hand could barely encompass his. Just as I was so nervous I could barely breathe.
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