**Chapter 1** “Ms. Reed, you’re not serious, are you? You’re actually buying a burial plot for yourself? You’re a Thorne family daughter-in-law. As far as I know, the Thornes have a private family mausoleum.” I managed a faint, self-deprecating smile. “The Thornes do have a private mausoleum, but I doubt Marcus Thorne would want me to taint their sacred ground.” Marcus Thorne, my husband. The man I loved more than anyone in this life. But he married me, never out of love, but to… torture me. Lost in thought, my phone suddenly vibrated. It was a text from Marcus: “Used them all up. Buy a new box.” A sharp pang twisted in my heart. I knew exactly what “that thing” was, and he never, ever used them on me. We’d been married for five years. Marcus brought different women home almost every night, never bothering to hide it. Sometimes, he’d even deliberately get intimate with them right in front of me… I bit my lip. Though I already knew what was coming, I still did as he instructed, buying what he needed. When I got home, the bedroom door was wide open, and a syrupy-sweet voice drifted out from inside. My steps faltered, my face instantly paling. That voice was far too familiar. I recognized her almost immediately. — Chloe Davies, my half-sister. Fifteen years ago, my father abandoned me, fresh from losing my mother, for Chloe’s mother. From that day on, I changed my name, dropping my father’s surname and taking my mother’s instead. I never imagined that fifteen years after her mother slipped into my father’s bed, Chloe would now be in my husband’s… I stood there, frozen. The sounds from the room stopped. Marcus emerged, wrapped in a towel. “Go clean up in there,” he commanded, his voice cold, not even bothering to glance at me. “Then go make some nourishing broth. Your sister is ovulating and feeling a bit delicate.” A spasm of pain ripped through my lower abdomen. In our five years of marriage, he’d touched me barely a handful of times. And after each time, he would watch me swallow the birth control pill right in front of him. He didn’t allow me to bear his child. But now, during Chloe’s ovulation period, he’d spent the entire night with her… It was utterly chilling. “Marcus, I’ve never asked about the countless women you’ve had over the years. Even my close friends, one by one, ended up with you… You’ve turned me into an island, Marcus. Because of you, all my friends stopped contacting me, and my family slowly distanced themselves…” “I’ve accepted all of it. Maybe I truly deserve this… But Chloe… How could you not even spare Chloe?!” My voice trembled, my face deathly pale, my thin frame so fragile, as if I might shatter at a touch. Marcus’s pupils flickered. A hint of emotion crossed his eyes, but it vanished instantly. His face hardened again, his tone glacial: “That’s *your* sister, not mine. I don’t have a sister anymore.” Every word was a direct stab to the heart. I used to be an undercover detective with the narcotics unit. Five years ago, my partner went deep undercover, infiltrating a drug cartel. Only I knew his true identity, and he only contacted me. During his undercover mission, he gathered a vast amount of evidence. We were on the verge of dismantling the entire organization. But somehow, word leaked. The drug lord, K, found out he had an informant within his ranks. He just didn’t know who. After his investigation, he tracked me down. He intended to kidnap me to interrogate me for information, but he got the wrong person. They kidnapped Marcus’s sister, Scarlett Thorne. It was a gray, sunless afternoon when K’s call came through. “Darling, I just need one name. Give me the name of the informant, and I’ll let your sister go. Otherwise… hehe, my pack of mad dogs haven’t had a taste of a woman in far too long.” The laughter on the other end of the line was chilling to the bone. I bit down hard on my lip, drawing blood, but I barely felt it. I couldn’t speak. If I gave up his name, not only would my partner die, but the entire law enforcement operation of the past few years would be ruined. “K, let Scarlett go. I’m willing to come over. You release her, and I’ll take her place as a hostage.” I bargained with him, trying to buy time for the police to pinpoint Scarlett’s location. But K was cautious. He hung up. When the police finally found Scarlett, she was lying naked in an abandoned factory, her body covered in countless wounds… Scarlett died in the most brutal and humiliating way, forever haunting my nightmares. Even more cruelly, K filmed the entire process of their assault and murder of Scarlett and sent the video directly to Marcus. All of it, my fault. I caused Scarlett’s death. I would never forgive myself. “I’m sorry…” The memories blurred, and when I came back to myself, tears were streaming down my face. “I’m sorry…” I repeated those two words over and over, but the guilt in my heart remained as heavy as ever. “Shut up!” Marcus suddenly roared, slamming his fist against the wall, his eyes blazing crimson. “I don’t need your apologies.” He was right. What good were apologies? Even if I knelt and begged a thousand times, said “I’m sorry” a million times, it wouldn’t bring Scarlett back. How I wished it had been me who died that day. Just as I was sinking into an abyss of grief, a startled cry came from the bedroom. Chloe ran out excitedly, holding a pregnancy test stick, cheering joyfully: “Marcus, I’m pregnant!” **Chapter 2** I had always wanted a child. I had pleaded with Marcus countless times, hoping he would allow me to get pregnant. But his answer was always the same, a cold, harsh sentence: “You don’t deserve one.” And now, I was dying. Chloe Davies, the woman who had taken everything from me, was carrying my husband’s child… The irony was crushing. But what came next from Marcus was even more twisted. He said, his voice cold, “Evelyn Reed, since your sister is pregnant, from today onwards, you will be responsible for her every need, from meals to comfort.” “Take good care of her and the baby. If there’s the slightest slip-up, I won’t let you off!” I said nothing. I knew resistance was futile; this house was no longer a place where I had any say. Over the next few days, Chloe started finding every possible way to torment me. During a storm, she deliberately sent me to a narrow, pedestrian-only alley in the city’s old quarter to buy specialty pastries. You couldn’t drive there; I had to walk, shielding myself with an umbrella. When I returned home, I was soaked to the bone, but the pastries were perfectly intact, not a single drop of water had gotten in. She didn’t even glance at them, her voice sickly sweet: “Why didn’t you bring an insulated carrier? These pastries are cold now, and cold food upsets my stomach.” The pastries were tossed into the trash. Marcus shot me a chilling look. “Go buy more.” I had no choice but to run out again. The next time, she didn’t want the meat-filled ones, she wanted vegetarian… It went on, again and again. Each time, Chloe had a new excuse, sending me running errands all night, drenched in the pouring rain. The last time, I was completely exhausted. Leaning against a wall, I coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. Rainwater mixed with blood, and my vision began to blur. Just then, my phone rang. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number. I seemed to realize something. To stay conscious, I drew a small knife from deep inside my boot and, without hesitation, sliced open my palm. The searing pain jolted me awake. Then I pressed the answer button. “Evelyn, it’s me.” A deep male voice came from the other end. I immediately recognized him: Logan Hayes, my partner from the drug cartel bust. “Captain Miller told me this morning that I need to expose your current identity and location to K… He said this was your request. Is that true?” “Yes,” I replied calmly. “I asked him to.” “Are you insane?!” Logan snapped. “K hates you. If he knows where you are now, he’ll stop at nothing to kill you!” When the operation finally closed in, K’s network was busted, but he slipped away. Scarlett died for nothing, and I hadn’t even been able to avenge her. Now, I was dying too. My only wish before I died was to personally avenge Scarlett and my comrades who died tragically at K’s hands. “Logan,” I said, a faint smile on my lips, “I’m dying. Stage-four stomach cancer, with a dismal prognosis. Before I go, I want to settle things with K myself.” “So, leak my location. If this life of mine can force him to show himself, at least my death won’t be in vain.” With that, I hung up. One hand bleeding profusely, the other carrying the insulated carrier, I limped back home. Marcus’s eyes flickered when he saw my blood-stained hand, but they quickly returned to normal. “Evelyn Reed, I sent you out for errands, and you somehow managed to injure your hand. Are you deliberately playing for sympathy?” he said coldly. “If you’re trying to gain sympathy, that little cut isn’t enough.” I didn’t speak. It was Chloe who stepped in, her voice attempting to smooth things over: “Marcus, don’t be angry. I’m hungry too. Luckily, my sister brought back the pastries. Let’s eat together.” As she spoke, she took the insulated carrier from my hand. However, the moment the first pastry touched her lips, Chloe clutched her stomach and cried out, “Ah! My stomach hurts so much! Sister, what did you put in these pastries?” **Chapter 3** Chloe’s acting was terrible; I could see right through her charade. But Marcus believed her. He scooped Chloe into his arms and glared at me fiercely. “Evelyn Reed, if anything happens to Chloe or the baby, I swear I won’t let you off!” With that, he carried Chloe to the hospital. I followed, still holding the remaining pastries, wanting to have a food toxicity test done right in front of him to clear my name. But at the hospital, no matter how much I tried to explain, Marcus’s face remained cold, refusing to listen. Just as I was losing all hope and about to leave, Marcus’s parents arrived. Mrs. Thorne immediately slapped me across the face. “You wicked woman! Haven’t you done enough, after what you did to my Scarlett? Chloe finally got pregnant, and you actually tried to harm my unborn grandchild!” My face burned, and my eyes welled up involuntarily. “Mrs. Thorne, I didn’t…” “Don’t call me Mom! I don’t have a cruel daughter-in-law like you!” Mrs. Thorne shrieked hysterically. “You’re a jinx! You killed Scarlett, my only daughter, and now you want to harm my unborn grandchild!” “Get out! Get away from me! I never want to see you again!” Mrs. Thorne shouted, repeatedly slapping me. I used to be an undercover detective, highly trained in combat; I could have easily dodged her. But I didn’t. I just stood there, taking more than a dozen slaps. It wasn’t until my lip split and bled that Marcus finally intervened. “Enough!” “Enough? Marcus, she killed your own sister, and you’re defending her?” Mrs. Thorne cried. “My poor Scarlett! Have you forgotten how terribly she died? It’s all her fault!” Mrs. Thorne sobbed heartbrokenly. But in reality, it was the drug traffickers who killed Scarlett. My entire family, we were all police officers, dedicated to bringing down criminals, ready to lay down our lives. My mother, stepfather, and two brothers all died in the line of duty. Now, I was the only one left in my family. And I was dying too… “Mrs. Thorne, I’m sorry.” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. Daring not to call her “Mom” again, I politely addressed her as “Mrs. Thorne” and forced a faint smile. “Don’t worry, Scarlett’s death won’t be in vain.” The murderers who killed Scarlett—I wouldn’t let a single one of them go. I’d drag them all to hell. Including myself. With that, I turned and walked away. If I didn’t leave now, I wouldn’t be able to hold on. I was about to collapse. Just as I reached the hospital entrance, Marcus caught up, blocking my path. “Evelyn Reed, what did you mean by that?” he asked, frowning. “Scarlett’s death won’t be in vain? Are the drug traffickers who killed her back? What are you planning? Tell me!” Marcus was sharp, indeed. I inwardly acknowledged his keen deduction; he’d almost guessed the truth from a single sentence. But Marcus, I’m sorry, I can’t tell you. This is a debt I owe Scarlett, one I intend to pay with my life. Your mother has already lost a daughter; I can’t let you fall into danger too… So I smiled and said, “Marcus, I resigned ages ago. I’m just a civilian now. I don’t know anything about the drug traffickers. I just heard from a friend that K might be caught soon.” “A friend?” Marcus’s eyes darkened. “That friend… wouldn’t happen to be the one you were willing to sacrifice Scarlett to protect, would it?” **Chapter 4** When K sent Marcus the video of Scarlett’s brutal murder, he included a message: “You’re pathetic. Your wife sacrificed your own sister to protect her childhood sweetheart.” But in reality, my protection of Logan Hayes was purely out of duty, with no personal feelings involved. Yet Marcus didn’t believe me. It became a festering wound in his mind, and no matter how much I explained, I couldn’t remove that thorn. “Marcus, I never wanted to sacrifice Scarlett,” I whispered. “If I had a choice, I would have rather it been me who died that day.” However, in Marcus’s ears, those words twisted into me being willing to sacrifice myself for that childhood sweetheart… Consumed by rage, he slammed his fist against the wall behind me. “You want to sacrifice yourself for your childhood sweetheart and become his eternal, idealized love? Evelyn Reed, when you did all this, did you ever consider my feelings?” “I didn’t…” I tried to explain. But the next second, he cut me off. “Of course, you didn’t. After all, you’d sacrifice anyone for your little childhood friend!” “Evelyn Reed, I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done, and I won’t let you off easily.” “Don’t try any tricks. Stay by my side obediently and spend your life atoning for what you did to Scarlett!” He finished speaking, shoved me away, and stormed out. I collapsed into the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. How I wished it had been me who sacrificed myself that day… That way, perhaps I wouldn’t have become Logan’s idealized love, but at least in Marcus’s heart, I would forever be the true love of his life. Instead of now, where for two people who once deeply loved each other, only hatred and torment remained. After a thorough examination at the hospital, Chloe was found to be fine and was discharged the same day. Meanwhile, my stomach cancer grew increasingly severe. I started vomiting blood frequently, and the stomach cramps felt like knives twisting inside me, almost causing me to black out. But as soon as Chloe was discharged, she dragged me along to a business dinner. “Gentlemen, I’m so sorry, but I’m pregnant and can’t drink,” Chloe said with a smile. “However, I brought a helper. My sister is a strong drinker; she’ll drink with you all night!” No sooner had she spoken than many people came over, eager to propose toasts. I subtly pushed away a glass. “I don’t drink.” The next second, Marcus slammed his glass down. “Chloe brought you here to make a scene for everyone? Drink it yourself, or let them force it down you. Your choice!” I looked at him deeply, then smiled. “Fine. I’ll drink!” With that, I picked up a glass and drained it. One glass after another, the bitter liquid slid down my throat, and my heart bled. I’ve always had a sensitive stomach, and Marcus knew it. In the past, he wouldn’t even let me drink cold beverages, let alone alcohol. “Be good. This is too cold, it’ll hurt your stomach. I’ll get you something warm. Just wait for me, okay?” In the dead of winter, he ran several blocks just to buy me a hot cocoa… But now, he and Chloe were together forcing me to drink an entire table’s worth of alcohol. By the end, my stomach couldn’t take it anymore. I rushed to the restroom, leaning against the wall, painfully retching. My vision turned scarlet, dizzy and disoriented. I realized that what I was throwing up wasn’t alcohol, but large gushes of bright red blood! Just then, Marcus walked into the restroom. I must have been truly drunk. Wiping the blood from my mouth, I smiled and asked, “Marcus, is this enough blood for my pity party?” **Chapter 5** When I woke up, I was in the hospital. A tall, handsome man stood by the bedside, but it wasn’t Marcus Thorne. It was my partner, Logan Hayes. “Are you insane? Drinking that much alcohol with stomach cancer?” Logan looked at me, a mix of anger and concern in his eyes. It was then I realized I had mistaken him for Marcus before I passed out. It wasn’t Marcus who came for me at all; it was Logan. I gave a bitter smile, but also felt a secret relief: Thank goodness it wasn’t Marcus. Otherwise, my secret might not have stayed hidden… “You’re undercover. You shouldn’t be out in the open,” I said coolly. “Don’t make such amateur mistakes again. You’re a professional; you know any small slip-up on a mission can cost lives.” Logan looked furious. “I don’t care about that right now!” Then, huffing, he poured me a cup of hot water. His contradictory behavior made me chuckle. Just then, Marcus walked to the doorway of the hospital room. What he saw was Logan’s angry expression and my radiant smile. He was fuming, and I was laughing. Marcus’s eyes were wide with fury, his teeth grinding so hard they almost shattered. He punched the wall, then turned and left. It was only then that I realized Marcus had been there, but it was too late. That afternoon, Chloe Davies was also admitted to the hospital. Marcus spared no expense, booking an entire VIP floor for Chloe, afraid that the “sick vibes” from other patients might affect her. He even arranged a grand fireworks display for Chloe that night, just to make her happy. The nurses gossiped privately: “Mr. Thorne is so good to his wife.” “I know! If my husband treated me like that, I’d die on the spot.” In reality, Marcus’s actual wife was me. And I was in the most basic hospital room. The grand fireworks show outside my window wasn’t for me either. Marcus hadn’t even come to see me in my room. Even though my room was just one floor below Chloe’s… I forced a bitter smile: It’s fine, this is better. He doesn’t love me anymore, so he won’t be sad when I die. Kill K, avenge Scarlett. A life for a life… Marcus, then our love and hatred will be balanced, right? After a few days in the hospital, I checked myself out. Time was running out; I couldn’t waste it in a hospital. But as I was leaving, Chloe blocked my way. “Evelyn Reed, you have some nerve, clinging to the title of Mrs. Thorne after all this,” she sneered. “You know, Marcus hates you so much, he wishes you’d just drop dead and pay for his sister’s death in hell.” “Evelyn Reed, why don’t you just die? Everyone would be happy if you did.” “The unloved one in a marriage is always the outsider. You’re just like your pathetic, unwanted wife of a mother—both of you are pitiful, unloved creatures.” I could have endured it, but she mentioned my deceased mother. “Shut up!” In a fit of rage, I grabbed Chloe by her collar, my patience snapped. “Don’t you dare use your filthy mouth to talk about my mother, you don’t deserve to!” Chloe, however, smirked triumphantly. The next second, she suddenly leaned back. “Ah—” She shoved me hard and tumbled down the stairs! **Chapter 6** Blood stained the staircase, and Chloe lay in a crimson pool. Thankfully, being in a hospital, doctors and nurses quickly arrived, carrying her away on a stretcher. My eyes widened in disbelief. Chloe, just to frame me, would even sacrifice her unborn child! Falling from such a height, the baby likely wouldn’t survive… As it turned out, Chloe miscarried, lost a lot of blood, and needed an immediate transfusion. Chloe and I were half-sisters, sharing the same blood type. “Evelyn Reed, you caused this. Don’t think you can always get away with it,” Marcus said coldly. “It’s time you paid the price. However much blood Chloe needs, that’s how much you’ll give!” I was willing to save a life, but Chloe’s? Absolutely not! I refused without hesitation: “I won’t donate. She fell herself; it has nothing to do with me.” “So many people in the lobby saw you push her. How can you still deny it?” Marcus snarled, suppressing his anger. “I’m not wasting any more words on you. You’ll donate that blood whether you want to or not!” “Guards, take her downstairs to draw blood!” The large needle pierced my vein, and I began to tremble involuntarily. I was already a bit anemic, but the doctors ignored it, drawing bag after bag of my blood. As the blood drained, I felt cold all over, my consciousness blurring. I couldn’t help but wonder: Is this what death feels like? Temperature fading, awareness blurring, the world seemed to hold only me. So cold, so lonely… The taste of death was truly bitter. Scarlett, were you this cold, this lonely back then? No, you must have felt even worse than me. I’m sorry, I caused your death. Cold tears streamed down my face, and I completely lost consciousness. When I awoke, it was already dark. I was alone in the darkened hospital room. At some point, Marcus had stopped keeping vigil by my side. I had no friends, no family, and even Marcus, the man I loved most, had abandoned me… After lying there all night, I sent Marcus a message early the next morning: [Marcus Thorne, let’s get a divorce.] The message had some shock value. In less than ten minutes, he appeared in my hospital room. “Why are you alone?” Marcus sneered. “I thought your lover was here too, which is why you dared to bring up divorce.” I felt weary. I closed my eyes and said softly, “There’s no lover, there never has been. I just think there’s no love left between us. Let’s divorce and let each other go.” The usually calm Marcus suddenly became frantic. He grabbed my chin, anger reddening his eyes: “Let you go? Evelyn Reed, don’t even think about it!” “You caused Scarlett’s death. You owe me a life, and that life is mine. Everything about you belongs to me!” “As long as you’re alive, you’re mine! No love? Who cares? Hatred is enough.” “After all… hatred lasts longer than love!” With that, he shoved me away, turned, and left. My tears broke free at that moment. Marcus, is it only when I die that I can repay everything I owe you? If so, congratulations, because I’m dying soon. I hope that when you see my grave, you can continue to hate me, and not feel regret.
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