In my four years of marriage to Jason, I got pregnant five times and miscarried five times. Then I woke up early from anesthesia and heard my husband tell the doctor, “Keep giving her the medication. Make sure every child she conceives dies in the womb.” So all his devotion had been a mask. Revenge on behalf of the woman he truly loved. On our anniversary night, he drugged me and sent a strange man into my room, setting up a scandal to frame me for infidelity. I swallowed the antidote with a smile and quietly secured evidence. Jason Hunter, you’ll soon find out who the real prey is. Evelyn’s POV The year I married Jason Hunter, I knew full well that ours was just a business marriage, a transaction where we each got what we needed. So from the very beginning, I planned to maintain a cordial relationship with him. However, Jason spent four years transforming this marriage of convenience into a romance everyone envied. He cared about everything I liked. Jewelry I glanced at would appear on my vanity the next day. When my stomach bothered me, he’d cancel international video conferences to personally cook and feed me. When I casually mentioned liking the stars, he spared no expense building a private observatory just for me. His kindness was thorough, meticulous, and flawless. It made me go from initial wariness to gradual acceptance and gratitude, until I finally fell completely into this dreamlike devotion. I began to anticipate our future together, longing for a complete family. But in our four years of marriage, I got pregnant five times, and I couldn’t keep any of the children Jason and I conceived. After my fifth miscarriage, I woke up earlier than the anesthesia was supposed to wear off. Through a haze, I heard Jason arguing with his friend Julian, a doctor, outside the hospital room. I propped myself up on my arms, wanting to go mediate their fight. Instead, I heard Jason’s voice, laced with a coldness I’d never heard before. “Keep giving her the medication. Make sure every child she conceives dies in the womb.” I froze in place. What did he mean by that? Outside the room, Julian’s voice came through, struggling to contain his fury. “Are you insane? Her body can’t take this anymore! If this continues, she might never be able to conceive again!” Jason replied with icy indifference. “This is what the Johnson family owes Amanda.” “But Evelyn doesn’t know anything! Isn’t it your child she’s carrying? How can you be so heartless?” “Child? Heartless?” Jason let out a scornful laugh. “If there’s anyone to blame, it’s the fact that her last name is Johnson.” “Back then, her father knew he was terminally ill and wanted to secure the Hunter family’s protection before he died by arranging our families’ marriage.” “He used underhanded methods to force Amanda to abort our child, then made her go abroad alone where she fell into depression.” “They should have anticipated there would be consequences.” Julian said, “So all these years, your devotion to Evelyn has been fake? You pampered her, made her fall in love with you, gave her children only to make her lose them again and again. All to get revenge on her father for forcing Amanda away?” “It’s only fair, isn’t it?” Jason said coldly. “The pain her father inflicted on Amanda, now his daughter gets to experience it firsthand. Now she knows what it feels like.” “Her father is already dead. Is it really necessary to keep doing this to her…” “Enough, Julian! What I do is my business. Don’t forget this hospital is one of the Hunter family’s properties.” Jason cut him off, his tone detached. “Keep prescribing the medication. Reduce the dosage by half, but make sure any child she conceives won’t survive.” “What if she finds out? Aren’t you afraid she’ll…” “She won’t dare.” Jason’s measured tone had an almost cruel quality to it. “Johnson Corporation is currently surviving on life support from Hunter Corporation. Even if she found out, what could she do? Unless she doesn’t care about Johnson Corporation anymore.” Inside the room, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. What did those words mean? Had Jason been deceiving me all along? Even the children we lost-had he deliberately killed them himself, over and over? And he did all this because my father had forced the woman he loved to abort their child and then drove her away? My blood felt like it was flowing backward. My legs went weak and I stumbled back toward the hospital bed. The people outside heard the noise and immediately pushed the door open. “Evelyn? You’re awake?” Jason strode toward me. “Why did you get up?” “I…” “The doctor said your body is still very weak. You need to lie down and rest properly.” Jason supported my shoulders and guided me back to the bed. “If you need anything, just tell me. Don’t move around on your own.” His attentive demeanor made it seem like the cold, callous person from moments ago wasn’t him at all. I lifted my eyes to look at his sharply defined, handsome face. I desperately wanted to ask him if what they’d said outside was true. But when I opened my mouth, I couldn’t produce a single syllable. I only felt bone-chilling cold spreading from my limbs throughout my body. Noticing my reddening eyes, Jason assumed I was devastated from losing another child. He pulled me into his embrace and gently patted my back. “It’s okay, Evelyn. Losing this baby wasn’t your fault. Don’t be sad. We’ll have more children in the future.” Every time I’d miscarried before, Jason had comforted me in exactly this soft, soothing way. Previously, I couldn’t understand why I kept miscarrying after a few months when my checkups showed I was perfectly healthy. Now I finally knew. It was because the father of the children didn’t want me to give birth to them! And the person who repeatedly drugged me and took away our babies was now putting on this act, saying we’d have children in the future? How ridiculous! My heart felt like it was being sliced with a knife, the pain piercing to the core. I pushed him away forcefully. “Don’t touch me!”
Evelyn’s POV Jason froze in surprise for two seconds. But he didn’t overthink it, simply assuming I was too heartbroken over losing the baby. He spoke soothingly. “Alright, I won’t touch you. Just rest well and take care of your health.” Looking at this face I’d loved for four years, I recalled how I’d once asked Jason in confusion: With an arranged marriage like ours that had no emotional foundation, we could have just stayed out of each other’s way. When the time was right and he wanted a divorce, I wouldn’t have objected. So why did he treat me so well? And he had answered me solemnly: “Although we didn’t have an emotional foundation before, I know you’re a good woman. Evelyn, you’re already my wife. I want to cherish you, care for you, and build a happy, complete family with you.” He’d spoken so earnestly then. I believed him. I thought that even though it was an arranged marriage, perhaps I’d married the right person. Only now did I know it had all been a lie. His love for me, his kindness toward me, all the sweetness and tender care over these four years-it had all been an elaborate web of deception. I’d been full of hope and anticipation, longing to build a happy, complete family with him. But from beginning to end, he’d only been seeking revenge. Amanda Prescott… That name was identical to the girl who had bullied me back in school. I didn’t know if they were the same person or just had the same name. But I needed to find out whether it was truly my father who, for the sake of the marriage alliance, had torn apart Jason and the woman he loved. However, my father was no longer alive. Investigating this matter wouldn’t be easy in a short time. Still, regardless of the truth, one thing was certain: I had to divorce Jason. That night, while Jason was away, I contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers. “Mrs. Hunter, are you absolutely certain about this?” The lawyer’s voice was grave over the phone. “Johnson Corporation currently depends on Hunter Corporation for survival. If you divorce, you could lose everything you have now, including Johnson Corporation.” I said firmly, “I’m certain.” Jason thought I couldn’t bear to lose Johnson Corporation. But he was wrong. Before my father died, he’d set up a private trust fund for me overseas. That fund was enough to support me comfortably for the rest of my life. Johnson Corporation, which currently survived only on Hunter Corporation’s support, was nothing but an empty shell. I could abandon it at any time. The day I was discharged, Jason personally came to pick me up. He wore a perfectly tailored suit. As he leaned down to fasten my seatbelt, his crisp cedarwood scent enveloped me. This scent used to comfort me. Now it only suffocated me. “Rest well at home. The housekeeper made you nutritious meals.” His fingers gently brushed my cheek with the same tenderness as always. “Stop overthinking. We’ll have more children.” I gripped the seatbelt tightly without responding. Halfway home, his phone vibrated. Jason glanced at the screen, something flickering in his eyes, but he answered anyway. “Jason, I got lost at the airport…” A clear female voice came through the phone. “I have too much luggage. I can’t find the exit.” My body tensed slightly. Jason said quietly, “Wasn’t your flight tomorrow?” “I wanted to see you sooner.” The woman said coquettishly. “Can you come pick me up?” After two seconds of silence, Jason hung up and turned to me. “Evelyn, there’s an emergency at the company. Can you take a cab home?” Rain was pouring outside. I looked up. “It’s raining.” Jason took off his jacket and handed it to me. “Put this on. Don’t catch cold. I’ll be back after I handle things. I’ll have dinner with you tonight.” The seatbelt clicked open. He ushered me out of the car. Icy rain immediately drenched me. I stood at the roadside holding his jacket, still warm with his body heat, watching the black sedan disappear into the curtain of rain. I couldn’t tell what I was feeling at that moment. I flagged down a taxi and told the driver to follow that black sedan. I wanted to see what this woman looked like. The one who made Jason seek revenge on the Johnson family and me. The one who made him take our children from us, over and over.
Evelyn’s POV The taxi followed the black sedan to the airport. I had the driver stop at a more distant parking spot and rolled down the window. Then I saw Jason holding an umbrella, walking quickly toward a woman pulling a suitcase. The woman wore a cream-colored trench coat with slightly wavy long hair. Even through the rain, her beautiful features were evident. The next second, the woman abandoned her suitcase and threw herself into Jason’s arms. Jason’s umbrella tilted slightly, completely sheltering them both. I couldn’t see his expression clearly, but I could see him reach out and gently pat the woman’s back. The embrace lasted more than ten seconds. Afterward, Jason took her suitcase. The woman linked her arm through his, and they walked side by side toward the parking lot. When I got a clear look at the woman’s face, my breathing stopped abruptly. Even after all these years, I recognized her instantly. Amanda Prescott. It really was her! In high school, Amanda and I had been classmates. Just because I excelled at school whether in grades or appearance, I always ranked first while Amanda was perpetually second. She resented me for it and constantly bullied and humiliated me behind the scenes. Being cornered against the wall, having my notebooks snatched and torn, getting my hair pulled these were everyday occurrences. During gym class once, thumbtacks were poured into my sneakers. When my feet were bleeding, Amanda stood nearby with an innocent smile on her face. Another time, Amanda spilled a cup of scalding coffee on me, burning my skin red. Yet she cried to the teacher, claiming it was an accident. My fingernails dug deep into my palms. A chill crept up my spine. The angel in Jason’s heart was actually the person who had trampled me into the mud. And for this person, Jason had personally killed our children over and over! “Should I keep following?” the driver asked cautiously. I watched the black sedan drive away with the two of them. “No need.” My phone rang then. It was the lawyer. “Mrs. Hunter, the agreement is ready. Is it convenient for you to pick it up now?” “Send me the address. I’ll come now.” By the time I retrieved the divorce papers from the law office and returned to the villa, it was already dark. Soaking in the bathtub, hot water wrapped around my cold body, yet I felt no warmth at all. When I closed my eyes, I saw Amanda holding Jason’s arm. I also saw Amanda from high school, throwing torn notebook pages in my face and laughing as she said, “Evelyn Johnson, dare to compete with me? You’ll never have a good ending!” Never have a good ending? No, things were different now. What Amanda and Jason owed me, I would make them repay double! The next afternoon, Jason finally came home. When he entered, I was sitting on the living room sofa holding a document. “Evelyn.” Jason approached and leaned down to kiss my forehead. “I had something come up yesterday. I’m sorry. I’ll have dinner with you tonight to make it up to you, okay?” I turned my head to avoid his kiss, looked up, and spoke. “I have a document here that needs your signature.” “Hmm?” Jason took the document I handed him. “What is this?” I was about to speak when he smiled and said, “Do you want to buy something again? I’ve told you before, whether it’s jewelry or real estate, buy whatever you want. You don’t need to specifically ask me to sign.” Without even looking at the contents, he smoothly signed his name in the signature field. Handing the document back to me, Jason casually ruffled my hair. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll have the housekeeper make it.” I took the document and looked at that familiar signature, my fingertips trembling slightly. Four years of marriage, five unborn children, countless days and nights of fake tenderness… Just like that, it ended with a careless signature. “Oh, by the way.” Jason seemed to suddenly remember something. “There’s a party tomorrow night with familiar friends. They heard you just got out of the hospital and aren’t in a good mood, so they insisted I bring you to change the atmosphere. Come with me. Think of it as a change of scenery.”
Evelyn’s POV Not wanting Jason to discover my divorce plans and ruin everything, I agreed to attend the party with him. The next day, before going to the party, I first gave the divorce papers to the lawyer and asked him to expedite the procedures. Then I contacted a private investigator, gave him Amanda’s photo, and had him investigate the real reason Amanda went abroad back then. After handling all this, that evening, Jason picked me up right on time for the party. In the banquet hall, it wasn’t until I saw Amanda surrounded by admirers that I realized this was a party Jason had thrown for her. My steps froze abruptly. Only then did I understand-the reason Jason brought me to this party was probably at Amanda’s request. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to deliberately bring me to his beloved’s party. Seeing Jason, Amanda’s eyes lit up. She lifted her dress and walked over quickly, intimately linking her arm through his. “Jason, you’re here!” Then she showed a surprised expression. “Evelyn? Oh my God, it really is you! It’s been so long!” She extended her hand with an impeccable smile. I didn’t take that hand, only nodded slightly. “Miss Prescott, it’s been a while.” Amanda’s hand hung awkwardly in the air for a moment before she withdrew it nonchalantly. Her smile didn’t diminish at all. Instead, it became more familiar. “Why so formal? Just call me Amanda. Between us, there’s no need to be so polite.” “You two know each other?” Jason’s gaze moved between us with a hint of surprise. “More than just know each other.” Amanda smiled sweetly, her eyes glancing lightly at me. “We were high school classmates. Though back then… we didn’t interact much. We weren’t very close.” I smiled slightly. “Yes, not very close. It’s just that the ‘special attention’ you gave me back then, Amanda, remains vivid in my memory to this day.” My deliberately emphasized words made Amanda’s smile stiffen. But quickly, Amanda regained her composure. “Oh my, that was so many years ago. We were young and didn’t know any better back then.” She coquettishly shook Jason’s arm. “Jason, look-Evelyn still remembers those childish pranks.” Jason’s brow furrowed slightly. Amanda then took a champagne glass from a passing server’s tray and turned to me. “Come on, Evelyn, let me toast you. Whatever unpleasantness there was between us back then, consider this drink my apology.” She offered me the champagne. I didn’t take it. “I just got out of the hospital not long ago. The doctor said I shouldn’t drink.” “Just one small sip.” Amanda insisted, feigning hurt. “Or are you really so hung up on those little student conflicts that you won’t even accept my apology drink?” Jason’s gaze fell on me with invisible pressure. “She’s personally apologizing for such a small matter. It’s just one glass of champagne. Don’t make things difficult for Amanda.” Don’t make things difficult for Amanda. I slowly turned my head to look at Jason. His profile was sharply defined in the light, still handsome. But in those eyes that had always shown me tenderness, another woman’s reflection was clearly visible, along with a trace of displeasure at my “inconsiderate” behavior. I looked at him for a full three seconds, then reached out to take the glass. “Fine.” The moment our glasses clinked, Amanda’s hand slipped. The entire drink spilled across my chest. “I’m so sorry!” Amanda exclaimed, though satisfaction flickered in her eyes. “I’m so clumsy! My hand slipped… Evelyn, are you okay?” The dark liquid quickly spread across my light-colored dress. Eyes around us turned our way. Not only did Jason not check on me, he instinctively stepped forward to hold Amanda’s hand. “How could you be so careless?” I looked down at the stain on my chest. No one knew better than me whether Amanda had done this on purpose to humiliate me. I looked up and gave Amanda a slight smile. “It’s fine.” Then I turned and walked toward the three-tiered cake nearby. Before anyone could react, I grabbed the back of Amanda’s neck and firmly pressed her face into the center of the cake. A scream erupted. Frosting covered Amanda’s entire face. She struggled to lift her head, her makeup smeared into a mess, utterly disheveled. The entire hall fell silent. Jason’s expression changed drastically. He yanked me away forcefully. “Evelyn, what are you doing? Have you lost your mind!” I staggered back two steps before steadying myself. Casually pulling out a tissue, I wiped the frosting off my hands. “Sorry. My hand slipped.” The exact same words Amanda had just used.
Evelyn’s POV The air in the banquet hall seemed to freeze. After a few seconds of silence, the guests snapped out of their shock. Whispers rippled continuously through the crowd. “Oh my God…” “How could she do that…” “Poor Miss Prescott…” Jason’s expression darkened terribly in that instant, a frightening storm churning in his eyes. But he took a deep breath. First, he removed his suit jacket and quickly draped it around the sobbing Amanda, instructing a nearby server, “Take Miss Prescott to get cleaned up.” After Amanda was escorted away, Jason turned to my expressionless face. Under the lights, his deep eyes locked onto me, calm without a ripple. “Your dress is dirty. You must be uncomfortable.” Approaching me, his tone was concerned, as if nothing had just happened. “Should I have the driver take you home to rest? Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. You should go back and rest early.” I looked up at him, trying to find traces of anger on his face, but saw only unfathomable darkness. “Alright.” I hadn’t wanted to stay at Amanda’s party for even another moment anyway. “Drive safely.” Jason raised his hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “I’ll come home after I handle things here.” I said nothing more, nodded, and turned to leave. The night was heavy. City lights flowed past the car window in blurred halos. I sat in the back seat, watching the scenery rapidly retreat outside, the oppressive pain in my chest not dissipating despite leaving the party. I’d seen clearly just how anxious Jason was about Amanda. It seemed that in these four years of sharing a bed, aside from scheming, deception, and revenge, he truly felt no emotion toward me whatsoever. How ridiculous that I only realized now the marriage I thought was real had been a conspiracy from start to finish. My chest ached as if bleeding. As I lost myself in thought, the car passed through a relatively empty intersection when a black sedan that had been driving normally suddenly accelerated without warning. The other driver turned sharply and rammed straight into the side of my car! The massive impact shattered my eardrums. The driver’s cry rang out simultaneously. Instantly, the world spun. The tremendous force made everything go black. Intense pain radiated from all over my body. Warm liquid trickled down from my temple, staining my vision red. On the edge of consciousness being swallowed by darkness, I vaguely heard the car door being violently pulled open. Steady footsteps approached. “Mr. Hunter, I’ve done exactly as you requested. I’m certain this time she’ll be seriously injured if not disabled.” Then a voice familiar to my bones, cold as if from hell: “This is what happens when you dare to openly provoke and humiliate Amanda.” It was Jason. He’d actually had someone deliberately crash into me because of Amanda? This realization pierced my heart more sharply than the physical pain, sending bone-deep cold through my entire body. The next second, endless darkness completely swallowed me. The smell of disinfectant filled my senses. When I finally groggily woke up, my internal organs felt displaced. I struggled to lift my eyelids and tried to move, triggering violent coughing and intense pain throughout my body. “Evelyn? You’re awake?” Hearing Jason’s voice, I looked toward the man by the hospital bed, instinctively recoiling in fear. Jason stepped forward and grasped my hand. “Don’t move. The doctor said you have fractured ribs, a concussion, and multiple soft tissue injuries. Fortunately, your life isn’t in danger… Do you know how terrified I was when I got the news?” I watched his flawless performance of devotion and concern. If not for that bone-chilling sentence still echoing in my mind from before I lost consciousness, I might have been deceived by this face again. Seeing me silent, Jason assumed I was traumatized. He continued soothingly, “Don’t be afraid. The hit-and-run driver has been caught. He was drunk driving. I’ve already had my lawyer follow up. He’ll definitely pay the price.”
Evelyn’s POV I lay in the hospital bed, my entire body in extreme pain, yet it couldn’t match the cold desolation in my heart. The driver was drunk? He’d make the perpetrator pay the price? As the true culprit, he could disguise this crash as an accident. Truly worthy of Jason. But now wasn’t the time to expose everything. Forcibly suppressing all the churning emotions back into my heart, not wanting to watch his stellar performance anymore, I closed my eyes. “I’m a bit tired. I want to rest.” Jason silently watched me for two seconds. Then he tucked the blanket around me properly. “Alright, I won’t disturb you. I’ll be right outside. Call me if you need anything.” He turned and left. The hospital room door closed gently. Once the space contained only me, my eyes held a cold clarity. I didn’t understand why, now that the Johnson family had long declined and his beloved had returned, Jason still continued the charade of loving me deeply instead of just confronting me directly about ending things. But regardless of what he was planning, I only needed to endure until the divorce proceedings were complete. Then I’d never have to see that hypocritical face again. In the following days, Jason came to the hospital almost every day. He prepared food and medicine for me, consulted with doctors about my condition-attentive and caring as always, continuing to play his role as a devoted husband. One afternoon, Jason suddenly received a phone call. I clearly saw his expression shift at whatever was said on the other end. “Wait for me. I’ll be right there.” Ending the call, Jason put away his phone and told me, “There’s a problem with a project at the company. I need to go handle it. Rest and recover well.” Before I could respond, he hurried out, not even taking his jacket. After that day, Jason didn’t show up again for about a week. He sent a text explaining: “This project is a bit tricky. I need to travel for business for a while. Take good care of yourself. I’ll bring you a gift when I get back.” After reading the message, I didn’t care much and turned off the screen, focused only on recovering quickly so I could be discharged. Until I overheard two nurses chatting. “…People really can’t be compared. That Miss Prescott in the VIP room downstairs just twisted her ankle, yet Mr. Hunter has kept her admitted for almost a week now. He comes to stay with her every day…” “You mean that Amanda Prescott? Yesterday, I saw Mr. Hunter was personally peeling an apple for her and feeding her piece by piece. My God, I’m so jealous.” “But isn’t Mr. Hunter supposed to be devoted to Mrs. Hunter? That Miss Prescott downstairs just twisted her ankle, yet Mr. Hunter stays with her every day while completely ignoring Mrs. Hunter who was seriously injured in a car accident.” “I think that woman downstairs is probably Mr. Hunter’s true love…” The two nurses gradually moved away. My emotions remained exceptionally calm. I wasn’t at all surprised to learn that Jason, who’d claimed to be on a business trip, was actually staying with Amanda. But I still threw off the blanket and got out of bed. Supporting myself against the wall, I took the elevator down to the VIP room. I stood outside the slightly ajar door and through the gap saw the scene inside. Amanda was half-reclined against the headboard, her ankle wrapped in gauze, her face bright with smiles. Jason sat beside the bed, holding a bowl of soup that seemed to be steaming. He gently blew on a spoonful to cool it, then carefully brought it to Amanda’s lips. The focused expression on his profile, that tenderness I’d once known so well now it only disgusted me. I should have turned and walked away. But my feet seemed nailed in place. Just then, Amanda suddenly reached out and gently tugged Jason’s sleeve. “Even though I twisted my ankle in this accident, the doctor said our baby is fine. You don’t need to be so nervous and spend all your time watching over me.” The words hit me like a thunderclap, leaving me breathless. Baby? Amanda… was pregnant with Jason’s child?
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