The day before our engagement, my fiancé orchestrated my family’s ruin, embezzling all our company’s funds and fleeing the country with Chloe Hayes. Hounded by creditors, my parents saw no other way out. I went to the Taylor mansion, desperate for answers. Instead, Caleb’s parents drugged me and sent me to a high-stakes gambling yacht. Dozens of men dragged me into a private cabin, filming every humiliating moment. The moment I was about to jump overboard, consumed by despair, my fiancé’s brother, Damon Taylor, suddenly appeared. He became my only salvation. He cleared every obstacle, punishing everyone who had wronged me. He told me he had loved me for a long time, that he didn’t care about my past. To marry me, he broke away from the Taylor family and gave me the wedding of the century. Five years into our marriage, I found myself back on a yacht as Mrs. Taylor. That’s when I overheard his conversation with his friend. “Damon, you really went all out for Chloe back then, even drugging Scarlett and ruining her life. Now that she’s finally pregnant, you’re bringing her back here to repeat the same cruel game. Isn’t that too much?” “Cruel? I promised Chloe that only her child would inherit the Taylor fortune. The bastard in Scarlett’s belly can’t stay. Besides, a dirty woman like her isn’t fit to bear my child.” “Have those men been found from last time? Just like five years ago, don’t hold back. Make sure Scarlett miscarries. And remember, don’t let her suspect a thing.” It turned out, the salvation I thought I’d found was just another abyss. The love I believed in was nothing but a meticulously woven lie. If that’s the case, I’ll help him get exactly what he wanted.
On the deck, Damon Taylor faced the sea breeze, every word laced with regret. “Since Chloe chose my brother, all I can do is clear every obstacle for her. Ruining the Hartford family was just the first step. Consider the Hartford family’s funds my wedding gift to them.” “Scarlett is already tainted. A woman like that doesn’t deserve to bear my child.” His friend beside him frowned, a flicker of pity in his eyes. “But you also hired those men who dragged her into that cabin five years ago. Scarlett has been battling depression because of that incident for years; you’ve been by her side through all her treatments. You know exactly what she’s been through. Repeating the same cruel act—how will she ever recover from this?” Damon’s face hardened. He reached for a cigarette and lit it. Through the curling smoke, he spoke softly: “Worst case, I’ll just keep accompanying her to treatment. Regardless, her child cannot be born.” “I promised Chloe I wouldn’t let Scarlett pose any threat to her.” “What about Scarlett? Does she deserve to be manipulated like this? She’s innocent, she loves you so much, how could you—” Before he could finish, Damon cut him off coldly: “Enough. I said, stick to the plan. Blame her for showing up at the wrong time.” “Give me the medicine. I need to go back and watch her drink it myself.” Seeing that he couldn’t be reasoned with, his friend could only turn and leave. Tears streamed down my face, uncontrolled. The sea wind carried them away into the night sky. I hugged myself, trembling uncontrollably. Five years ago, Caleb Taylor ruined my family’s company, taking all our money and fleeing abroad with Chloe Hayes. My parents, hounded by creditors, were driven to such despair they took their own lives. Alone, I went to the Taylor mansion, seeking justice. But they drugged me and sent me to this very yacht. I became just another lamb led to slaughter in their dark, high-society games. Dozens of men dragged me into a private cabin, filming countless humiliating videos. In despair, I crawled to the deck, ready to jump into the sea and end it all. That’s when Damon Taylor suddenly appeared, pulling me into his arms. He was my only warmth. He gently wiped away my tears and blood, stroke by stroke. He said: “Wait for me. I won’t let a single person who hurt you get away.” That night, screams echoed everywhere on the yacht. My body developed a traumatic stress response, leading to nightmares every night. He was the one who stayed by my side. When I woke from a nightmare, he would gently caress my back and comfort me. He said he couldn’t control Caleb, but Caleb owed me. He would repay it tenfold, a hundredfold. To give me a wedding, he didn’t hesitate to sever ties with the Taylor family and start his own life. He declared his love for me to the world. But in the end, five years of happiness were nothing but a mirage. The man who saved me from the abyss was also the one who pushed me into hell. I stumbled back into the private cabin. Damon saw my pale face, his eyes flashing with concern.
He pulled me into his arms, just as he always did, gently patting my back. “What’s wrong, Scarlett? Did you remember something again? Don’t worry, I’m with you this time. Those men won’t appear again.” “I specifically asked the doctor to bring your medicine before we came up. Drink it once the water cools down.” Looking at his feigned gentle gaze, I said softly: “Damon, I don’t want to take the medicine anymore.” “My illness is cured. I want to go home.” The warmth in his eyes dropped two degrees. He reached out and playfully tapped my nose. “Scarlett, be a good girl. Psychological issues are prone to relapse. Taking your medicine helps you recover faster.” “Once you’ve taken it, you won’t have nightmares anymore.” Before I could reply, he had already slipped the pill into my mouth. The warm water went down, but I felt utterly cold. As if certain I’d soon fall unconscious after taking the medicine. Damon didn’t stay with me. He turned and quickly left the cabin. I knew he was going to find those men from five years ago. The shattered, nightmare-like memories surged back. Cold sweat broke out all over my body. I collapsed to the floor, rolling around helplessly. As my consciousness blurred, a warm kiss landed on my forehead. “Good girl, Scarlett. It will be over soon. I’ll wait for you when you come out.” What followed was a tearing, agonizing pain. Blood constantly gushed from beneath me. A familiar sensation engulfed me. Countless rough hands ran over my skin. I don’t know how long it was before I heard Damon’s voice again. “She miscarried?” “Yes, she did. But Mr. Taylor, they didn’t quite hold back… it seems they were a bit rough. Miss Hartford might have trouble getting pregnant again.” “Excellent work. Double your commission. You can collect your payment when we dock.” When I opened my eyes again, it was five hours later. Damon clasped my hand tightly in his, his eyes full of tenderness. “I’m sorry, Scarlett… I didn’t protect you well enough.” “It was those men from five years ago. They heard you were here and came seeking revenge. We couldn’t save the baby, and the doctor said you might have trouble getting pregnant again…” “Don’t worry, this time I’ve rounded them all up. They’ll never bother you again. Please don’t cry. No matter what happens, I’ll be by your side. The baby is gone, but I only care about you.” I stared blankly at the cabin floor. I was so numb that I couldn’t even feel the pain. I was the one who suffered the humiliation and lost a child. Yet, he cried more sorrowfully than I did. His acting was superb, and I was too numb to expose him. After a long while, when he fell silent. I slowly said: “You must be tired, avenging me.” “Damon, you should rest. I’m fine.” Seeing that I wasn’t throwing a tantrum, he let out a sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and lay beside me. His breathing gradually became steady. I quietly picked up his phone. Married for five years, this was the first time I unlocked his screen. The passcode was Chloe Hayes’s birthday. His social media app was still open in the background. There was only one contact. Labeled “Chloe.” Clicking on it, I saw their daily “Good mornings” and “Good nights” had never stopped, from five years ago until now. Chloe was abroad, but she sent Damon her schedule every day. Whether she was shopping, drinking coffee, or at the office in meetings. No matter what she sent, Damon never spoiled the fun. One photo, ten thousand dollars as a reward. Damon had been involved in her life like this. Until ten thousand photos filled her album. But when I shared things with him, his reply was always the same: “Scarlett, I’m in a meeting. We’ll talk after work.” To make Chloe happy, he’d go through great lengths to have gifts from back home delivered to her. Auction house orders filled dozens of pages on the screen. Many brands looked familiar. Damon had given me a gift from one of them too. But it was merely a complimentary item the auction house gave to Chloe. The newest video in his album was from five hours ago. The cover image showed me after I’d taken the medicine, sinking into unconsciousness. Beside me stood dozens of familiar faces. My fingers trembled, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t tap it open. Finally, I helplessly pressed the delete button. And turned off his phone. Damon, if our beginning was a deception. This time, let me end it with one. Without hesitation, I sent a message to my best friend, Bella. Asking her to have a lifeboat waiting on the other side of the yacht tomorrow night. I also found a divorce agreement online, downloaded the electronic version, and added it to an email. After doing everything, Damon, asleep, broke out in a cold sweat. He kept mumbling: “Scarlett… no, you can’t be in trouble.” “Scarlett!” The moment he opened his eyes, he pulled me into his arms as if I were a treasure he’d almost lost. Our chests pressed tightly together, but our heartbeats were on different rhythms. After a while, he snapped out of his nightmare. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Similar scenes had happened many times before. I used to believe it was deep love, that he felt my pain. But now, it seemed, it was just an act. Just brilliant acting. I lowered my head, letting him hold and comfort me. “Good girl, I’ll go get us some food. Wait for me.” As soon as Damon left, I followed him. He didn’t go to the restaurant but turned downstairs to a private cabin. The moment he entered, a slender wrist immediately wrapped around his shoulder.
That hand pulled him inside. I stood outside the door, listening to the rapid, urgent breathing within. Damon’s voice was strained: “Finally decided to come back?” Chloe smiled, tiptoeing to kiss his lips. “If I didn’t come back, I was afraid you’d actually fall in love with Scarlett.” “I heard you pulled the same trick again? She’s your wife of five years, and just pregnant, too. Are you really that ruthless, big brother…?” “If Scarlett finds out, she’ll definitely want to kill me.” Damon chuckled, amused by her words. He pulled her closer, pressing her against the door. “I told you, with me here, no one dares to touch you.” “As long as you’re happy, big brother will pave the way for you with her very blood.” A passing server noticed me and gasped. “Mrs. Taylor? What are you doing here? You haven’t fully recovered; you shouldn’t be walking around. If Mr. Taylor finds out, we’ll definitely be penalized!” “Let me escort you back.” As she spoke. The wealthy businessmen passing by looked at me with a hint of mockery. “Is that Mr. Taylor’s wife? The one who was just dragged into that private cabin by a dozen men? The rumor is she’s been… used… twice now. Mr. Taylor is really something else to stomach that.” “Twice? What do you mean, twice? Once with over ten men, that adds up! Mr. Taylor’s been made such a fool of, it’s pathetic! He must be blind to choose a woman like that; he’d probably throw up cuddling her at night.” “Who knows if she was forced or if it was consensual? Maybe she’s not that innocent after all. Otherwise, on such a huge yacht, why does she keep getting into trouble? This time, the baby was lost because of it. That child was unlucky to have her as a mother!”
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