After my husband Julian Blackwood got a heart transplant, he fell for a widow seven years his senior. At my birthday party, he gave her my seat at the head of the table. “Audrey doesn’t like chocolate. Change the cake to strawberry.” I stood up, face set in stone, and walked out, leaving behind the obedient wife I used to be. He roared after me, “Why are you being so unreasonable? My new heart makes me love her—can’t you try to understand?” I laughed, tears streaming down my face. The truth he never learned was that the donor had loved me since the very beginning. As I was about to leave, Julian’s hand clamped down on my wrist. “Audrey, give your design drafts to Serena Thorne. She needs a new piece for her show the day after tomorrow, to legitimize her name.” Those design drafts were the culmination of three years of my hard work. He knew exactly what they cost me, yet he said tonelessly, “I’ll compensate you.” How could he compensate for all my years of sacrifice and humiliation? I only remembered that a month ago, I refused to rig the new artist award in Serena’s favor. In retaliation, he posted my private photos all over the internet. I pulled out my design drafts and my USB drive, then formatted my computer right there, in front of everyone. I offered my congratulations obediently. “I wish you great success.” Julian’s expression softened at my words. “Audrey, this is how you should always be—obedient and sensible. As long as you’re good, I can give you anything you want.” But the next second, Serena clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. Julian immediately shoved me aside, and he was doting on her, practically falling over himself. His movements were careful, yet clumsy. His panic and helplessness were plain for everyone to see. They watched me, smirking, their eyes full of mockery. They weren’t the only ones who looked down on me. I looked down on myself, too. Three days prior, I suddenly started bleeding down there. Julian was just about to leave to take Serena out for a candlelight dinner. I crawled to his feet, a long trail of blood marking my path behind me. The man ignored my desperate plea, forcefully pulling his pant leg free from my desperate grip. Just before I completely gave up hope, Julian turned back. He frowned at the bloodstains behind me, pinched his nose, and ordered, “Clean up the mess, and get her a fresh change of clothes. Serena gets sick to her stomach at the smell of blood.” I silently turned to leave, only to be violently pushed to the ground by him. The champagne tower and cake toppled onto me, leaving me utterly humiliated. “Kneel.”
Before I could even speak, I was dragged in front of him. “You deliberately made her uncomfortable, made a scene, and messed up this place.” “If you didn’t want to give her the design drafts, you should have just said so. Why resort to such despicable methods, causing her to have an attack? Is this how you ‘repay’ her?” Repay a debt. Repay a debt. Publicly slapping me was ‘repaying a debt.’ Making love in my bed was ‘repaying a debt.’ Tying me, six months pregnant, to a freefall ride was ‘repaying a debt.’ Thinking of this, I resigned myself and knelt, striking my head hard against the glass shards on the floor three times, the sounds echoing through the room. “Is this enough?” I said, my voice hoarse. Seeing my humiliated state, Julian’s breathing grew heavier. “Stop faking it, Audrey. No one here is going to sneak you information, and no one’s going to back you up.” “Cut out that repulsive look on your face.” I couldn’t be bothered to explain. As soon as Serena on the sofa seemed to recover, Julian immediately pushed me away and swept her into his arms. Julian rushed upstairs. I limped towards the door. Catching a glimpse of a faint figure in my memory, I quickened my pace. Before I could even speak, a dull thud hit me from behind, and then I lost consciousness.
When I opened my eyes again, the air was thick with the smell of disinfectant. I was being held down, kneeling by the door of a hospital room. From a distance, I vaguely heard the housekeeper’s trembling voice. “Sir, Madam just had a miscarriage a few days ago, and her knees are still wounded. The floor is so cold, she won’t be able to bear it.” “The doctor also said Miss Serena’s condition isn’t serious. It’s better to let Madam treat her wounds first.” “Enough.” A cold glare silenced the housekeeper. “Audrey won’t kneel at the door, and Serena won’t be able to sleep.” “It’s just a minor procedure, she’s been through it before.” The familiar scent of pine grew stronger. I closed my eyes, tears falling silently. “Don’t cry.” “Just bear with it a little longer. I have her lover’s heart. I need to compensate her.” His voice was coaxing, filled with tenderness, but it only made me sick. Two hours passed, and I was swaying precariously. Suddenly, Serena in the hospital room let out a whimpering cry. Julian’s expression, which had softened slightly, immediately hardened. “Hold her down. She must kneel until Serena wakes up tomorrow morning.” The nurse, unable to bear it, said that if the wounds on my knees weren’t treated, they could easily become infected and lead to necrosis or even amputation. The man didn’t hesitate. “Do as I say.” “Sir…” I raised a hand to stop the housekeeper who was about to speak up for me, enunciating each word. “It’s fine. I’ll kneel. I owe her, I should repay my debt.” “After I finish kneeling, we’ll have nothing more to do with each other.” After I spoke, the man didn’t agree. Instead, he furiously gripped my face. “Who are you putting on this show for? Don’t play these mind games with me, Audrey. You’re thirty, not eighteen.” “I just want to repay a debt. Do you really need to act so pitiful?” Serena’s cries were just a murmur in her sleep. Julian immediately plastered a smile on his face and went to her side. I don’t know how much time passed, but my world plunged into darkness again. When I woke up again, Julian was asleep by my bedside, my hand clutched in his. Feeling the steady beat of his heart, my eyes welled up, as if the catastrophe had never happened. I pulled my hand back, waking him. He reached out to check my forehead. “When did you wake up? Are you still uncomfortable?” I simply turned away. “You made me miss my flight.” Julian had never seen me so distant, and an awkward silence lingered for a while. When he saw me booking another flight on my phone, he couldn’t help but ask. “Where are you going for work?” In the past, he would never have asked so much. Before, even a little bit of concern from him would have thrilled me. Now, it just annoyed me. “None of your business.” “I’ve spoiled you too much, you’re getting completely out of control.” “Can’t you learn to be a little gentle, like Serena?” He just kept rambling on and on. Annoyed, I simply closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. He stormed out, leaving the hospital room in shambles. The moment he left, I opened my phone and switched to another app. I just clicked it open, and hundreds of messages flooded in.
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