I traded five years of my youth for a cold contract: five years of companionship for five million dollars. He taught me the ways of high society, taking me to exclusive parties and galas. But the day his first love returned, he stood before a crowd and forced me to declare, “I am despicable. I seduced James.” His first love never stopped plotting against me. Her schemes led to my brother’s innocent death from an illness. I returned home, clutching his ashes, only to hear them having sex in our bedroom. I no longer loved James. I chose to fake my death and leave. Yet James clung to what he believed were my bones, weeping as he slowly realized what he had lost. Later, the police told him the truth: it wasn’t me. James tracked me to Paris. All he got was my cold reply. “We’re over.” Six months later, he was diagnosed with cancer. He jumped from a building, leaving behind a video that said, “Next life, let us never meet again.” I donated his vast inheritance to orphanages. Then I pushed open the door of a quiet bookstore, intertwined my fingers with my new love, and walked into the sunlight. The cruelest revenge is not to make him suffer endlessly. It is to let him watch, helpless, as I live a life brighter than before, while he can no longer touch any part of my future.
Emily POV “I’m despicable. I seduced James.” “I’m a slut. I lured him into my bed.” … My fingers clenched, eyes burning, as I stood center-stage in the banquet hall. I recited every line Grace had written for me, yet my gaze kept drifting toward the crowd. There sat James, peeling an orange with a slow, deliberate care. His sculpted fingers stripped away every thread of white pith before he gently lifted a segment to Grace’s lips. It was as if everything around him had absolutely nothing to do with him. “No matter how spoiled his kept woman was, she could never compare to a first love lost and found.” “Poor girl. James once gave her the world. Now he lets her be humiliated in public without lifting a finger.” “I heard she was just his mistress to begin with.” The whispers swirled around me. My lips went numb, but the words wouldn’t stop. The moment I closed my eyes, the surveillance footage Grace had shown me flashed through my mind. A little boy from the orphanage was tied tightly to a post. Above his head, a sharpened knife gleamed, suspended by a rope. “Four years ago, when you climbed into James’s bed, you should have seen this day coming. If you refuse to say the words, I can’t guarantee your brother’s safety.” Grace’s threat hit me like ice. My eyes burned as I grabbed my phone and found James’s number. But I stopped. The terms of our contract came back to me then. “Five million dollars a year, for five years of my companionship.” “For these five years, your only duty is to sate my lust. When the term ends, this arrangement expires.” I steadied myself, lowered my head, and wiped away my tears. For four years, he funded my education, polished my manners, and opened doors to rooms I never knew existed. Without me even noticing, feelings I had no right to feel took root. So much so that, just now, I actually let myself believe he would choose me. Over the one person he had spent years longing for. “Emily, what are you doing?” Grace’s feigned concern pulled me back to reality. The light from the crystal chandelier reflected off James’s prominent brow bone, and I couldn’t discern the emotions in his eyes. “First love is first love. Beautiful, great figure, and so graceful.” “If it were me, I absolutely wouldn’t be able to let go of those four years. I’d make her kneel and beg for forgiveness.” “But she’s not really wrong. Even though she looks a bit like Grace, she was nothing back then. James was the one who was interested in her…” “Enough.” Two simple words, and the entire room fell silent instantly. No one dared to speak. James’s thumb slowly traced the rim of his glass, the surging anger in his eyes chilling everyone present. He quickly walked over and pulled me off the stage. “After four years with me, is this how I taught you?” His face was grim as he draped his jacket over my trembling body, then called someone over. “Deal with those with loose tongues.” I looked up at him, a fragile hope flickering in my chest. I felt the warmth of his hand on my arm, and then I heard his usual cool voice say: “Wait for me outside. Grace can’t hold her liquor. I need to stay with her.” At his words, I slowly closed my eyes, forcing a bitter smile as I let my arm fall back to my side. So that was it. I was only ever a body to warm his bed. Now that his beloved had returned, it was time for me to disappear. I opened my phone and dialed Anna, my best friend. “I’m leaving James.”
Emily POV After sending the message, I crouched in the corner. Through the glass, I watched James thoughtfully intercept drink after drink for Grace, and my heart felt like a piece had been brutally torn out. A few minutes later, the sounds from inside gradually faded. From behind me, Grace’s voice spoke. “Can’t bear to leave?” I looked up, meeting her mocking gaze. Seeing my lack of response, Grace scoffed. “As expected, human hearts are truly greedy. If you knew you couldn’t bear to leave, then how did you dare to climb into James’s bed in the first place?” Her words grew more agitated, and she suddenly grabbed a fistful of my collar, her eyes blazing with triumphant malice. “This time it’s him; next time, it might be your orphanage director.” “You wouldn’t dare!” My eyes widened instantly, and I grabbed Grace’s arm. “I’m already leaving. If you dare lay a finger on them, I’ll…” Before I could finish, Grace shoved me away and deliberately slumped backward onto the floor. The red liquid from her glass splattered across her white dress, vibrant and seductive like a poppy in full bloom. “James, I just wanted to comfort Emily.” She fragilely clutched at James’s trousers, her trembling body conveying an image of vulnerability and innocence. I looked at the man before me, my nails digging into my flesh, instinctively wanting to explain, but his single sentence cut me off. “Grace might be a bit spoiled, but she has no malicious intent. You’ve been by my side for four years; you know very well I hate people who play manipulative games behind others’ backs.” The man bent slightly, lifted his arm, and carried Grace out of the door, walking swiftly. As he passed me, he didn’t even spare me a glance. So, all these years, I had been deluding myself. Before, if I so much as pricked my finger, he would call the family doctor to give me a full examination. Now, I sat sprawled on the ground, glass shards from the broken cup digging into my thigh, yet he only noticed a tiny red mark on Grace’s knee. Watching the red blood slowly spread across the floor, I slowly came to my senses. Something in my heart was quietly fading away. When I next woke, I was in a hospital bed. “You’re awake? Still hurting?” Seeing James by the bed, I turned slightly, avoiding his gaze. “Last night, the light was too dim; I didn’t see the cut on your leg clearly.” “What temper tantrum are you throwing now?” With just one sentence, the tears I had just managed to hold back instantly fell. I desperately pinched my fingers, trying to control my emotions. “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” “Before, I failed to put myself in my proper place and allowed myself to have too many inappropriate fantasies. Now, I’ve recognized reality, and naturally, I won’t cause you any more trouble, Mr. James.” I wasn’t wrong, nor was I lying, but when he heard the address “Mr. James” again, his chest tightened slightly. His face darkened, and he frowned slightly. “Grace hasn’t found a place yet. Clear out the master bedroom; she’ll stay here for a while.” “After this period passes, I’ll take you away for a trip.” As his words fell, I turned my face, hiding my tears. “Okay.”
Emily POV That night, I went home. I thought, since I had to clear out the master bedroom, I might as well pack up all of James’s and my things from these past four years. His slippers by the door, his mug on the table, our framed photos in the master bedroom, the sand art from our trips together… It turned out that before I even realized it, James had already moved into my heart. Now, pulling him out would undoubtedly be difficult. After retrieving the first-aid kit from the cabinet, I tried to change my own dressing. The bloody wound on my thigh hurt so much it made me cry uncontrollably. Next to me, my phone rang. It was a message from Grace. “Leave space in the master bedroom for our photos. The living room sofa cover needs to be pink Hello Kitty. There should be matching cups on the table, matching slippers by the door, and a SpongeBob night light by the bed.” “Also, I want extra spicy Mexican tacos.” I continued to dress my wound, maintaining an extreme silence. In the blink of an eye, a tear fell onto the still-healing wound, making me gasp sharply. I looked around at everything-the pink Hello Kitty sofa cover, the photos in the master bedroom, the matching cups on the table, the SpongeBob nightlight beside the bed… It turned out James had only allowed me to decorate the house because Grace loved all these things. I loved spicy food, too. But in the four years I was with him, he never once let me eat it. Not a single time. The gauze slowly absorbed my tears, and my phone vibrated again. “I told James my knee was just a little red and nothing serious, but he was still worried and called in the top specialists from every department to examine me.” Over the next few days, Grace’s messages kept coming. “It turns out James kept up his habit of writing me letters every day for those four years. Four years, 1460 days, 1460 letters in total.” “James even remembered I loved SpongeBob! He kept a limited-edition SpongeBob figurine carefully preserved, waiting for me to return and unwrap it.” … The room was dim. I lay curled on the sofa, my eyes stinging. When I lifted a hand to wipe them, my fingers came away wet. A dull ache filled my chest. I remembered staying up with James every night until dawn, believing he was working. I had even learned to make his coffee. The limited edition SpongeBob figurines in his study, each kept in a glass case. Every time I tried to touch one, he would scold me sharply. The door opened from outside. James and Grace walked in together. The moment he entered, James noticed the room seemed much emptier. “Why is it so empty?” I stood up, quickly wiping away my tears, finding an excuse. “Some things got old, so I threw them out.” James, naturally changing Grace’s shoes, replied, “Then we’ll buy new ones.”
Emily POV Watching them so intimate, I retreated to my room. Half an hour later, I heard something shatter. I went to check and found the sculpture I had placed in the study broken on the floor. Beside it, Grace curved her lips into a cunning smile. “My hand slipped; it broke. How much? I’ll pay you back.” Looking at the fragments on the ground, I rushed forward, glaring fiercely at Grace. “You did that on purpose.” The woman raised her hand, her eyes blazing with defiance like two fiery embers. “So what?” Slap! I slapped Grace across the face. “I told you, if you touched my things, I would only leave one day later.” I knelt down, piecing together the fragments on the ground, feeling a crushing weight on my chest that made it hard to breathe. I was an orphan from birth. When Mr. Harrison, the orphanage director, found me, all I had in my swaddling clothes was a small figure carved from stone. Behind me, James’s footsteps grew closer. Seeing him, Grace quickly changed her expression, covering her face with her hands. Her eyes, just moments ago defiant, were now filled with tears. “James, I just wanted to look, but Emily…” I gathered the fragments from the floor into my arms, then slowly stood up. “You just wanted to look?” My single question made Grace cower behind James, pretending to be afraid. “James, I’m scared…” Grace leaned further into James’s embrace, covering her face with her hands, sobbing softly, appearing utterly pitiable. “Scared of what? You weren’t scared when you shattered the sculpture a moment ago, were you?” The more I spoke, the angrier I became, my voice unconsciously rising. “Enough.” “Grace was just curious. Besides, you’ve already slapped her.” “She’s a model; her face is everything to her.” James stood in front of Grace, his expression cold and his deep voice edged with a hidden displeasure. Seeing him shield her like that, my shoulders slumped. My lashes trembled as I whispered, “But this was my only clue to finding my birth parents. My only clue.” … I sank to the floor, clutching those fragments, the coldness from the ground reaching deep into my heart. Even though it was a scorching June, I felt as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. I remembered the first time I came to this house, carrying this stone carving. After James learned the story behind it, he personally placed it in his study and promised me that within those five years, he would help me find my birth parents. Now, the sculpture was shattered, and he didn’t even remember his promise. I wasn’t an insensitive person. The agreement was for five years, but now that his unattainable first love had reappeared, I knew that no matter how much I couldn’t bear to, I had to leave. Since I had already decided to stop loving him, I could find my birth parents on my own.
Emily POV Waking early the next morning, I packed my belongings, but as I prepared to send them off, Grace blocked me at the door. “Go make me a bowl of extra-spicy ramen.” I couldn’t refuse, so I agreed. Twenty minutes later, the ramen was cooked and placed on the table. Grace picked up her forks and began to eat. Behind me, James walked downstairs, still seemingly half-asleep, his voice a little languid. “What are these boxes for?” I froze briefly before replying quickly, “They’re for school. I’m preparing to send them.” Perhaps because my reaction seemed ordinary, he dropped his usual aloofness. He took my arm and drew me into the kitchen. “Still angry?” Though a little surprised, I answered coolly, “No. Mr. James has treated me well these past four years. One should be content.” Hearing me call him “Mr. James” again, his chest tightened. He pulled me into his arms. “Don’t worry, your birth parents-” Before he could finish, Grace shrieked. “Ah!” Instantly, the man released me and hurried toward the dining room. I retracted my hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, steadied myself, and let out a bitter laugh. Since Grace returned, I had slowly grown accustomed to being abandoned by James again and again. I touched my heart; it didn’t ache much anymore. “James, you know I’m allergic to chili; I can’t eat spicy food. When I asked Emily to make me ramen today, I specifically told her that.” Hearing Grace’s words, I rushed over. By the dining table, Grace leaned back in her chair, her tear-filled eyes making her look like a bullied rabbit. Her neck, arms, and thighs were covered in varying degrees of red rashes. Seeing me approach, she bit her lip slightly, looking at me timidly, and cried even more fiercely. “James, I’m so scared. Am I bothering you and Emily’s life? Is that why she’s doing this to me?” “I didn’t! Grace herself told me to add a lot of chili! If you don’t believe me, ask the kitchen staff; they all heard it!” I instinctively started to explain, but the man before me had lost patience. He irritably pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice sharp. “Enough! Are you implying Grace intentionally harmed herself?” “She’s a model. Her skin is everything to her.” My stomach full of grievances was brutally choked back. Before me, James had already brought over the first-aid kit, carefully applying medicine to Grace’s skin, his tone a tenderness I had never heard from him before. “Don’t be afraid. The medicine might sting a little, but if it’s too much, you can bite my arm.” Watching his devoted attention, my nose stung, and my heart felt as if it had been carved out. “James, I think I’ll find my own place to stay. Living here, for one, makes Emily unhappy, and for another, it’s not a long-term solution…” “You stay right here. I bought this house because you loved it. You can stay here as long as you want, without worrying about anyone’s attitude.” “I will handle today’s incident. You’ll get an explanation.” “Lock Emily in the basement. I want to see if she’ll finally admit she’s wrong.” As his words fell, my whole body trembled uncontrollably. The basement? When I was little, the former orphanage director had locked me in a dark room and beaten me. That’s why I developed claustrophobia. After I started with James, I had even seen people, beaten half to death, carried out of his basement. Now, James was going to lock me in there too. I looked up, staring at the man before me in disbelief, wanting to speak, but my throat felt as if it were clogged with stones. I couldn’t utter a word, only whimpering pleas. The moment my entire body was dragged into the basement, I suddenly felt: if only I had never met James. Then, the sculpture my birth parents left me would still be intact, my little siblings at the orphanage wouldn’t have to endure such baseless pain, and I would still be me.
Emily POV The darkness swallowed me whole. My childhood fears surged, and I desperately pounded on the door. Cold sweat mingled with my tears, soaking my forehead, and my steps grew increasingly unsteady. The second before I lost consciousness, I heard voices from outside the door. “James said no food, no water for three days, until she admits she’s wrong.” When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed. James was gently caressing my hair. “You’re awake?” Remembering what had just happened, I didn’t speak, turning slightly away from him. His hand, stroking my hair, paused in mid-air, then slowly retreated. “You never told me you had claustrophobia.” I didn’t respond. He sighed deeply, then took out the thermos of soup. “I had the chef make this especially for you. You haven’t eaten all day; have some.” As he spoke, he carefully blew on the spoonful of soup, then slowly brought it to my lips. As the soup slid down my throat, my phone vibrated. “Since you’re not behaving, your brother won’t live either.” Seeing Grace’s message, I sat up abruptly, terrified. Then, my phone vibrated violently. I answered. “Emily, the oldest child at our orphanage has contracted a severe virus. The doctors said he needs a kidney transplant, and everyone is lining up for compatibility tests.” Just one sentence, and my mind buzzed. I ripped out my IV and started to leave, but James pulled me back. “What’s wrong?” I turned, meeting his concerned eyes. “My brother at the orphanage needs a kidney transplant. I need to go get tested for compatibility.” Just as the words left my lips, Grace’s voice came from outside the door. She wore a look of feigned concern. “Emily, why did you pull out your IV? You’re not well, you-” Before she could finish, I grabbed her by the throat. “Don’t pretend to care! Didn’t you do this to my brother?” “Emily!” The next second, James rushed over, violently yanked my wrist, throwing me to the ground. Grace collapsed into his arms. “James.” She cried, her eyes red, a picture of pathetic vulnerability, and James immediately pulled her protectively into his arms. “Emily, have I indulged you too much, making you forget your place?” “Last time, you deliberately used spicy soup to cause Grace’s allergy, and I let it go. Now, you dare to directly grab her by the throat? Is this how I taught you these four years?” James looked at me, his lips a thin, hard line. A fathomless fury churned in the depths of his dark gray eyes. I stood rooted, stunned. A tidal wave of suffocation crashed over me. Steadying myself, I forced my spine straight. “I never dared to forget my place. I am, after all, just the one who warms your bed. For these four years, thank you for your care, James. I am eternally grateful. From now on, please don’t trouble yourself on my account. I’ll manage my own affairs.” Leaving James was my plan, long made. Yet hearing those words from his lips still carved a hollow ache inside me. So, for all these four years, that was all I had been to him. A body for his bed. It was me who crossed the line. With nothing more to say, I turned and walked away.
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