No one knew that Julian Reed, the aloof and privileged heir, was in truth consumed by insatiable desire, yet crippled by severe germaphobia. But the Reed family’s reputation, their inheritance, couldn’t have the slightest blemish. To keep this secret buried, Julian adopted me from a remote orphanage. He groomed me to be his most exquisite kept woman. To the public, I was his adoptive sister. But when night fell, he’d consume me completely, his touch a desperate entanglement. Ten years passed. He told me countless times that I could only be his, that I had to love him. I did. I thought he felt the same. Until Sloane Hastings appeared, shattering every single one of my illusions. She could lie beside Julian without the meticulous, dozens-of-times full-body disinfection I endured. She could openly accept Julian’s marriage proposal and declarations of love. That’s when I finally understood. I was never his only one. Not before, and certainly not now. I turned, pulled out my phone, and dialed that unfamiliar number. “Vincent, I want to marry you!”
After I was rudely thrown out of the room, Julian carelessly tossed my clothes after me. Then, as if shooing a stray dog, he threw a stack of cash at me. “Don’t come back tonight! Go find a hotel to crash in!” “Sloane doesn’t like outsiders in the house!” He didn’t even bother to close the door properly before quickly tearing off his own clothes, pinning the dirty girl to the bed. Their intimate moans filled the air. My eyes burned with tears, my heart felt like it was stuffed with damp cotton, suffocating me. He had once told me he had severe germaphobia, that he would never casually touch other women! But his primal urges were so intense, he’d unravel without a female presence. That’s why, when I was eight, he chose me and kept me by his side. On my eighteenth birthday, he ‘unwrapped’ me like a cherished gift, claiming what he considered his. My innocence. It was the first time a man had ever made me a promise, and it came from Julian Reed. He’d said I was his only woman, that perhaps in this lifetime, he would only ever have me. Our connection, he’d claimed, was unparalleled. But now, he called me an outsider. He took another girl, right in front of me. And that girl didn’t need to douse herself in antiseptic like I did every single time. Even covered in grime, she was still pressed onto the white sheets by Julian, taken by him without hesitation. He would lower his head, exploring every part of her, without a hint of disgust. My limbs felt like lead, utterly paralyzed. I couldn’t move. I stood there, stiff as a board, outside their door, listening to the muffled sounds of their passion rise and fall throughout the entire night. It wasn’t until the dark sky began to lighten that the sounds from the room finally quieted. I moved my numb, stiff body, clutching my crumpled clothes to my chest, and fled the scene in a daze. After I changed, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to find Julian, already in a black suit, hair meticulously combed, his expression as unreadable as ever. He looked at me with no trace of guilt, as if nothing had happened. “Harper, where’s that Chanel set I bought you last time?” I bit my lip, tears stinging my eyes, defying me by falling. “Julian, aren’t you going to explain? Why did you bring another woman home? That bed… isn’t it just for me?” Julian’s brow furrowed slightly, his gaze a storm of emotions – disgust, impatience, and a barely contained fury. “Harper, you’ve overstepped! Yes, you bear the Reed name, but don’t forget, I gave it to you. Know your place!” With that, he ignored my hurt, reaching out his hand directly. “Give me the dress!” Trembling, I took the pink Chanel set from the closet. I’d pestered him to buy it for me when I accompanied him to a fashion show once. He had gently agreed, buying the most expensive set there. “Want more? I can buy you anything you like.” I’d clung to him, blushing, and whispered in his ear, “I like you. Can I buy you?” He’d chuckled softly, “If you like me, just take me. I’m only yours!” But now, before I’d even had a chance to wear it, he was taking it to give to someone else. Muffled footsteps sounded from outside the door. Julian took the clothes, opened the door, and saw Sloane Hastings standing barefoot outside my room. “Why are you out here? You’ll catch a cold. Go back inside!” His voice was so gentle, a tenderness I’d only ever heard in bed. Once out of bed, I felt humble and distant in front of him, as if the man who’d consumed me night after night wasn’t him. But now, he could casually offer that same tenderness to this Sloane Hastings. Who was she? What did she truly mean to him? Sloane’s cheeks were flushed, and pink marks dotted her skin where her towel didn’t quite cover. She clung to Julian’s arm, whining coyly, feigning an innocent pout. “Are you mad? You’re not trying to take advantage, are you, Julian? No, no!” Julian chuckled, playfully pinching her nose. “You’re overthinking it, love. You know about my… condition. I had to keep someone around to manage it, but with you, Sloane, I won’t need anyone else.” Boom! My heart exploded, a pounding rhythm echoing through my very soul. I never imagined he would so easily reveal the secret of his “condition” – his primal urges and agoraphobia – a secret he’d guarded for years. This meant Sloane was more than just a passing fling. He was serious! And I was merely a replaceable tool! Julian walked away, holding the woman close, their laughter drifting from the other room once more. As their door slammed shut with a thud. I finally snapped awake. He didn’t need me. So why was I tying my entire worth to this one man? Julian Reed, from now on, you won’t be my only one either. You’ll be my stepping stone. I’ll use everything you taught me to climb to the position I truly desire! I wiped away my tears, rubbed my numb face, and pulled out my phone to dial a number. “Vincent, you once said whoever could break through your… detachment… would become the Reed family matriarch. I want to try!”
The voice on the other end paused for a moment, then came the man’s deep, slightly angry tone. “Don’t be ridiculous, Harper. You’re Julian’s adoptive sister, and I’m your uncle!” I bit my lip, my voice firm. “I’m not kidding! Uncle… no, Vincent, I’m only his adoptive sister, but in the future, I don’t have to be.” Vincent on the phone seemed to hesitate. In the Reed family, the only unmarried men, besides Julian, were Vincent. As an orphan, if I wanted to solidify my place in the Reed family, and gain a share in their business, this was my only path. Marrying Vincent, becoming his wife, would unconditionally grant me ten percent of the Reed family’s shares. And an even more generous dowry. Vincent suffered from a hidden ailment; unlike Julian, he was extremely detached from women. He had tried various medications, but women simply didn’t interest him. But the Reed family had more than one male heir. The vast Reed empire would inevitably fall to the one who could secure an heir. Succession and power hinge on heirs, especially male ones. “If, after one year, I can’t bear a Reed heir, I’ll leave the family!” “But if I succeed, I want an additional five percent of the Reed family shares that the matriarch controls. And I want to study finance and work at Reed Corp. Those are my terms.” Vincent suddenly let out a burst of laughter. Just as I thought he wouldn’t agree, he finally spoke. “Alright! Come over tonight, I’ll pick you up!” I nodded. “Okay, I’ll wait for you!” After hanging up, I realized my palms were sweating. Julian had appeared behind me at some point, his voice displeased. “Who are you waiting for?” I spun around, seeing him holding Sloane Hastings’ hand, now dressed in a white suit that matched her dress. I pretended not to care, offering a faint smile. “It’s none of your business, Julian…” It had been a long time since I called him Julian. His face darkened. He was about to say something when Sloane, by his side, cut him off. “Julian, didn’t you have something to clear up with Harper?” Julian’s tone suddenly softened as he handed me a bank card. “I’ll transfer you ten thousand a month from now on. Starting today, don’t ever appear in front of me again.” I forced a bitter smile. Even though I’d prepared myself to leave, the thought of severing fifteen years of attachment still brought tears to my eyes. Just as they were about to fall, I hastily wiped them away, took the bank card, and squeezed out a smile. “Okay, Julian! Thank you for these fifteen years of looking after me!” I left everything Julian had given me behind, taking only my personal documents. I stood outside the door with my half-empty suitcase. Sloane suddenly walked over, extending her hand. “That bracelet on your wrist, that’s from the Reed family, isn’t it? Give it to me!” I instinctively shielded it. “This isn’t from him. This is my mother’s heirloom…” “Harper Reed, you’re just a cheap bed-warmer! Low-class trash! How dare you dream of the Reed family? Who gave you that right? Give it to me!” I clenched my fingers tightly, glaring at her. “This bracelet was my mother’s! And you have no right to insult me!” Sloane scoffed dismissively. Without Julian present, she was cruel and malicious. I couldn’t understand why Julian would like such a two-faced woman! She leaned in close again, whispering her boast. “What else would you be but low-class trash? Julian told me everything. He has that ‘condition,’ that’s why he kept you around.” “I should thank you for being his personal plaything all these years, satisfying his needs!” “But a cockroach like you, crawling out of a gutter, will never have any ties to the Reed family! I, Sloane Hastings, am the one meant to stand beside him! Don’t dream of what isn’t yours! Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to make you regret it!” With that, she suddenly grabbed my bracelet, twisting hard. The loose bracelet snapped, falling to the ground and breaking into three pieces. Smack! I slapped Sloane hard across the face. She clutched her cheek, tears streaming down, looking utterly pitiful. Julian heard the sound and immediately rushed out, then, without a word, he brutally returned the slap to me. My ears rang, and I fell to the ground, the bracelet fragments digging deep into my palm. Julian’s face was grim. He then savagely stomped on the back of my hand. “Harper Reed! Apologize!”
Excruciating pain spread from my palm, making my whole body tremble uncontrollably. But I stubbornly refused to open my mouth. In his eyes, however, this was an act of defiance, a challenge. “No apology? Then don’t ever call me brother again! You won’t get a single penny more!” With that, he yanked the red cord from his neck and tossed it into the trash can. That red cord was one I had personally braided, holding the handmade plain silver ring I’d given him. Red cord broken, fate severed. I laughed bitterly, tears now unrestrained. “Fine! Julian Reed, I swear, from this moment on, we have absolutely nothing to do with each other!” Julian’s body stiffened, then he put his arm around Sloane and walked away. With my swollen hand, I painstakingly picked up the fragments of the bracelet from the ground. A car pulled up behind me. Vincent got out, helped me into the car. He saw my injury, applied antiseptic, and bandaged it, but didn’t ask a single question. My phone rang. It was Julian. I hung up directly. The screen lit up. He’d sent a message. “Come home tomorrow. We need to sign a relationship termination agreement!” “From now on, you are no longer part of my Reed family!” With trembling fingers, I painstakingly typed out a single word. “Okay!” Just as I was about to turn off my phone, I saw a several-second video Sloane had sent me. All my clothes and jewelry in my room had been thrown into the trash, replaced by things Julian had given her. The photo of Julian and me on the bedside table had been cut up, my image shredded from it. And Julian sat beside her, his face full of adoration, tacitly approving her every action. “Sloane, there are some private photos of us in the closet. You can get rid of those too.” Then he took a thick stack of photos from a box in the closet and handed them to Sloane. I turned off my phone, wearily closing my eyes. Unbeknownst to me, I had fallen asleep. When I woke, the car was already parked in Vincent’s villa garage. He sat beside me, focused and serious, working. His suit jacket was draped over me. “Uncle Vincent…” “Call me Vincent!” “Vincent, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting so long.” Vincent wasn’t angry. He got out of the car, opened my door for me, and took my hand, resting it on his shoulder. He picked me up and carried me into the villa. “You’ll live here from now on. Also, I’ve enrolled you in a finance program. You can start classes whenever you’re ready.” I quickly pushed aside all my gloomy emotions. I always knew what I wanted. I didn’t want to go back to the cramped, dark room of the orphanage, nor did I want to beg on my knees for a mouthful of food. All I wanted was money and power. That night, I used every trick Julian had taught me. Vincent and I didn’t close our eyes the entire night. It wasn’t until my alarm rang that I jolted awake from my dream. I’d promised to go with Julian to finalize the relationship termination agreement today. “Do you want me to take you?” Vincent’s arm was wrapped around me, his hoarse, deep voice lingering in my ear. I shook my head. “No, I want to end this myself.” “Alright. If anything happens, call me!”
Arriving at Julian Reed’s villa, I entered the usual password, but it showed as incorrect. I forced a bitter smile. I’d forgotten there was no longer a place for me here. Just as I was about to knock, someone suddenly clamped a hand over my mouth and nose, shoving me into a car. Sloane Hastings’ sneering voice came from above me. “Harper Reed, you’re truly shameless! You’ve been kicked out, and you still dare to come here to tempt Julian?” “You’re so desperate for a man, well, I’ll satisfy you!” My eyes widened in terror. The car sped off towards a remote location. And the hands covering my mouth suddenly groped my chest. Rip! The thin fabric tore instantly. “This chick’s hot! Ms. Hastings, you weren’t lying, right? We can do whatever we want?” Sloane lit a cigarette, watching me playfully. “Just don’t kill her. Leave her a breath.” I desperately spat out the rag stuffed in my mouth, screaming in horror. “Sloane Hastings! Aren’t you afraid Julian will find out about this?!” She just laughed carelessly. “So what if he knows? He won’t blame me.” “Julian and I are getting married soon. In his eyes, your existence is just a stain. If I help him clean up this stain, he’ll even be grateful!” With that, her eyes suddenly hardened, and I saw pure jealousy. “Today I’m warning you, every place Julian touched on you, I’ll have another man defile! That way, in his eyes, you’ll be completely dirty!” “Have a wonderful day!” Sloane pulled out her phone and aimed it at me. I felt an increasing heat spread through my body. “Sloane You drugged me!” Sloane laughed maniacally. A man’s rough palm squeezed the tender flesh of my inner thigh. All I felt was hatred and shame. Then I bit down hard, tearing the man’s palm, threw open the car door, and jumped out. Thud! I was hit by a car that had sped up behind me, sending me flying. After a heavy landing, I saw that the car that hit me was Julian’s. He got out in a panic, distraught at the sight of me lying in a pool of blood. “Harper…” But before he could reach me, another voice cut him off. “Julian… help me…” “Sloane!” He quickly ran towards Sloane Hastings. I reached out to him, crying out in despair, but he didn’t spare me a single glance. Sloane clutched her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. “Julian, Harper… she… she got men to humiliate me… I argued with her, and she accidentally fell out of the car…” “Don’t be scared, I’m here! I’m here for you!” Julian’s eyes burned with intense hatred. “Harper Reed! You utterly disgust me!” I tried to argue. “I didn’t…” “Still trying to deny it! Harper, you stay here and reflect! When you realize your mistake, then I’ll come save you!” And just like that, Julian carried Sloane away. Leaving me, with broken legs and bleeding profusely, behind. After they left, I trembling took out my phone and sent Vincent a location. Vincent arrived quickly, his entire body shaking with tension. I almost hallucinated, feeling a bone-chilling coldness emanating from the usually gentle Vincent. After being admitted to the hospital, Vincent canceled all his work to take care of me for a month, until I was discharged. At the same time, news spread through the Reed family. Julian Reed and Sloane Hastings were getting married. Vincent covered my legs with a blanket, his eyes full of smiles as he said to me. “Harper, it’s time to make our relationship public.” “Today?” “Today!” A black Maybach pulled up outside Julian Reed’s wedding venue. It was a traditional Western wedding. As the officiant loudly announced. “Mr. Vincent and his fiancée, Ms. Harper Reed, have arrived to extend their congratulations!” All eyes turned to us. And I clearly saw Julian, the boutonnière he held in his hand falling to the ground the moment he saw me. His body trembled, his face pale.
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