The king-sized bed in the hotel room. I was still basking in the afterglow of Ryder’s touch when his voice, husky with post-intimacy breathlessness, whispered a promise in my ear. “Stella, just give me one more month. Next month, I’ll propose.” “Stella, I, Ryder Sterling, swear I’ll give you the most magnificent wedding, make you the most envied bride in the world.” This was the seventh year of our secret relationship. No one in all of Veridian City would ever believe that the notoriously aloof heir of the Sterling family and the infamous adopted daughter of the Reed family had been secretly dating for seven years. I had waited for that promise from the age of eighteen until twenty-five. My heart suddenly hammered. Before I could answer, my phone chimed with a special notification. Ryder reached for my phone, his voice still thick with desire. “Which wild man is that? Baby, are you really keeping some D-list actor on the side, just like the tabloids say?” I chuckled, pushing his hand away. “Just my best friend.” I tapped on the SnapChat picture Valerie had sent. It was a marriage certificate. The marriage certificate was dated today. And the groom? None other than Ryder Sterling, the man I’d been secretly dating for seven years, the man who’d just spent our passionate thirteen rounds with me tonight, and who’d promised to marry me in a month. I replied “Congrats” to my best friend, Valerie, then turned back to kiss Ryder. Ryder was an incredible kisser. His soft, lingering kisses left me breathless, tears welling in my eyes from the pleasant suffocation. Ryder was still pressing, “Just one more month for me, the very last one, okay?” “Okay,” I said. “I’ll wait one more month for you.” I bit down on Ryder’s lip, hard, not releasing until I tasted blood. “Ryder, after seven years, this is the very last month I’ll wait for you.” I casually dodged the lurking paparazzi outside the hotel and slipped into the car sent by the Reed family to pick me up. My brother, Liam Reed, was driving. His eyes were shadowed, dark, as he watched me stumble out of the side entrance, barely able to walk straight. “Which struggling actor was it tonight? Stella, aren’t you satisfied with your already ruined reputation? Are you determined to drag the Reed family name through the mud completely?” “Look at Valerie! She’s brilliant, plays the piano beautifully, and has an impeccable reputation. When she was eighteen, Mr. Sterling himself had personally visited the Valerie family to arrange a marriage proposal for Valerie – to become the Sterling family’s daughter-in-law, to marry the Sterling heir!” “I heard the Sterling heir waited for Valerie for seven years, visiting her abroad every year. He kept it up until Valerie finally got her PhD overseas this year.” “The tabloids caught photos of Ryder proposing to Valerie today, and them leaving City Hall together. They must have gotten married.” “Ryder must have been impatient, couldn’t even wait for a wedding, just went straight to getting the marriage certificate to make their marriage official…” “Stella, you and Valerie came from the same orphanage, but look at her…” The words barely left his lips when Liam slammed on the brakes! The black Lincoln screeched to a halt. Liam slapped himself across the face. He didn’t dare look at his sister in the passenger seat, his voice low. “Stella, I said the wrong thing. I’m sorry.” I sat rigidly, my face pale, my eyes hollow. Liam reached for my hand. My fingertips were icy cold. “Hit me, Stella. I messed up… I shouldn’t have brought it up.” After a long moment, I finally whispered, “The photos.” Liam blinked. “What photos?” “The ones the tabloids took,” I said, my gaze blank, fixed on the darkness ahead. “She was, after all, my friend from the orphanage and my supposed best friend. I want to see if Valerie and that legendary Sterling heir really make a good match.” Liam tossed his phone onto my lap. “See for yourself.” I unlocked it with my fingerprint and scrolled through the pictures. Ryder on one knee in a lavender field, kissing Valerie’s finger, adorned with a wedding ring. Ryder, grinning widely, with his arm around Valerie’s shoulder, standing in front of a wedding dress shop window. Ryder sweeping Valerie into his arms, walking out of a castle… Every single picture was taken abroad. I remembered the past seven years of our secret relationship, every time Ryder mentioned “going abroad for business.” Twelve trips a year, half a month each time. Turns out, his “business trips” were all spent romancing Valerie! I lifted my hand, clutching my chest. An indescribable ache spread from my heart, agonizing through my entire body. The pain made me double over. Liam was startled by my reaction. He snatched the phone from my hand. “Stella, I’ll never mention Valerie’s name in front of you again! Don’t scare me!” He was one of the few people in the world who knew that Valerie, my so-called best friend, and I were deeply at odds. Liam didn’t know the details, but he knew how much his sister loathed Valerie’s name. I forced a smile. “Didn’t you tell me to learn from Valerie? I will. Help me arrange it, Liam. Send me abroad to study.” Liam looked at me, incredulous. “Are you serious?” He couldn’t believe his non-biological sister could be so clear-headed. I smiled. “If I’m not married off by next month, then yes, I’m serious.”
Liam took me back to his private estate. “Mom and Dad aren’t happy about the news of Valerie and Ryder getting married today,” Liam said, peeling me some fruit. “You should stay here for a while.” I looked at the sliced fruit platter, skewered with toothpicks, and let out a cold laugh. “Are they still regretting not picking Valerie when they had to choose between us for adoption? Didn’t they practically fall over themselves to be Valerie’s godparents years ago? They might as well change their last name from Reed to Valerie!” Liam, seeing me looking like I was about to lose it, said nothing and retreated to his study. He knew me well. Engaging with me now would just make him my personal punching bag. I checked the time. It was one in the morning. I called Ryder. It rang three times before someone finally picked up. Ryder’s voice was cold, a stark contrast to the intimacy we’d shared hours earlier in the hotel. “Didn’t I tell you not to call me when I’m home? My family… wouldn’t want to see me associated with a woman like you.” “A woman like me?” My voice rose sharply. “We’ve been secretly together for seven years, Ryder! Do you really believe those tabloid rumors? Believe I’m a promiscuous woman?” Ryder’s reply was icy. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Perhaps realizing he’d gone too far, he quickly added, “Don’t cause trouble, Stella. You’ve always been so understanding these past seven years.” I looked at my empty ring finger, picturing Valerie’s wedding ring. “Ryder,” I whispered. “Did you really mean it? That you’d marry me in a month?” His tone softened slightly. “Have I ever broken a promise to you?” “Okay.” I put down my phone, my gaze drawn to the calendar. Just thirty days to wait. Thirty days later, either Ryder would keep his promise, or I would vanish from his world forever. A moment later, rustling sounds came from the receiver. I realized I hadn’t hung up. Ryder must have forgotten too. I heard his voice, chatting with his best friend. “Ryder, you chased Valerie for seven years, and you finally made it official. Old Man Sterling must be thrilled to see your marriage certificate, right?” Ryder’s voice was reserved, yet tinged with a faint pride. “Grandfather has already signed over his shares to me; the paperwork is being processed. Oh, and Valerie’s pregnant. What do you think would be a good gift for her? Do you think she’d like the estate on the west side of town?” Ryder’s friend lowered his voice. “Ryder, that Stella girl you’ve been stringing along… when are you going to get rid of her for good?” Ryder was silent for a moment. Amidst my violently beating heart, I heard Ryder’s indifferent voice. “Stella? Oh, next month.” His friend pressed him. “You’ve been playing her for seven years straight? Young Master Sterling, can you really bear to let her go?” Ryder’s voice was tinged with annoyance. “She’s just an adopted daughter of the Reed family, not particularly favored. What’s there to miss? Valerie and she came from the same orphanage, both adopted, but why is Valerie so much more accomplished, so perfect in every way?” Ryder’s friend lowered his voice. “Young Master Sterling, everyone in the circle knows Stella had your ‘tag’ on her for the past seven years. You even had someone smear Stella’s name, ensuring she wouldn’t have any other men around. Now you’re bored with her, how about… you let us have a taste? See how ‘open’ the Reed family’s adopted daughter really is? She’s only ever been with you, so she must be pure.” Ryder’s chuckling, cursing voice drifted over. “Fine, she’s been with me for so many years, I won’t let you guys lose out. I’ll find a chance to let you all taste what a ‘little firecracker’ is like…” The voices faded. It was then I realized that, at some point, tears were streaming down my face. I wiped away my tears expressionlessly, then wiped away the blood from my lip where I’d bitten myself. Looking at my pale reflection in the mirror, I cursed myself for being so weak. My heart was utterly cold. The question that had plagued me for seven years finally had an answer today. How did I, a woman always so proper, suddenly become entangled in countless salacious rumors seven years ago, all fabricated so convincingly, making me an object of scorn in Veridian City? Making my already precarious position in the Reed family even worse. It was Ryder, pulling the strings all along. At that moment, another invitation popped up on my phone. It was for an afternoon tea. The host was Valerie. The time was the following afternoon.
I never received invitations to these kinds of afternoon tea parties for socialites and rich wives in the circle. My reputation was terrible, I wasn’t favored by my family, and in our social circles, I was implicitly considered to have no social value. The next day, I went to Valerie’s afternoon tea party. By the time I arrived, quite a few people were already there. Valerie, surrounded by admiring glances, was clearly the center of attention. I found a corner and helped myself to food and drinks. The sound of Ryder’s voice made me crush the delicate mini-cake in my hand. A chorus of envious voices rose around us. “Valerie, Young Master Sterling is such a busy man. He often misses board meetings, but he’s actually spending an entire afternoon having tea with us, just for you?” “Valerie, when you first said you could get Young Master Sterling to come, we thought you were joking.” “Valerie, you and Young Master Sterling have already gotten your marriage certificate. When’s the wedding?” “Young Master Sterling, I hear you’ve been looking into wedding venues. Any chance of working together?” I sat outside the group, my gaze distant, meeting Ryder’s eyes. Ryder’s lips were still at Valerie’s ear, clearly whispering sweet nothings between husband and wife. Valerie followed Ryder’s gaze and noticed me too. A flicker of malicious triumph crossed her eyes. Valerie walked towards me, outside the crowd, and intimately linked her arm through mine. I dug my nails into my palm, repeating one phrase to myself— Just one more month. Just one more month of Ryder’s promise. Perhaps… this man who had never broken his word to me, my lover of seven years, would actually keep his promise. Perhaps he would marry me and take me home. Just as I was about to reach my limit, Valerie whispered in my ear. “Stella, do you know how Ryder described you to me?” “Ryder said you were just a slut. Someone he didn’t even have to spend money on, someone who’d spread her legs for just a few sweet words.” “Did he promise to marry you in a month?” “Our wedding is in a month, Stella. Ryder said he’s going to make you look absolutely pathetic that day, to let all of Veridian City see that Stella Reed, the adopted daughter of the Reed family, is a public plaything!” “Last night, Ryder told me to send you the marriage certificate.” “He said he was in bed with you at the time, and he just wanted to know if, after seeing him marry me, you’d still willingly let him…” Valerie didn’t finish the last word, ‘screwed.’ The crisp sound of a slap echoed through the room, and a deafening silence fell over the entire room! I had just slapped Valerie hard, knocking her to the ground, in front of everyone! For the first time, Ryder lost his composure publicly. He quickly rushed forward to help Valerie up. Then he turned, raising his hand high, ready to strike me. I stared him down, offering him half my face. Ryder clenched his fist, then let it drop. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” He grabbed my collar, lowering his voice. “This is not where you belong! Now, apologize to Valerie! Tell her you were jealous and lost control! Then go home!” I laughed. My smile was seductively charming. “Jealous of her? Of what?” I kept my voice low, only audible to the two of us. My words tumbled out at a breathtaking pace. “Jealous that you were dating me while secretly chasing her for seven years? Jealous that we both came from the orphanage, but you ruined my reputation until I was universally despised, while she was praised as a pristine, untouchable flower? Jealous that you promised to marry me in a month, yet got married to her on the very same day?” I couldn’t help but raise my voice on that last sentence! The slap Ryder had held back moments before now landed heavily in front of everyone. It utterly silenced my last words. The moment the slap landed, Ryder regretted it. He had only wanted me to shut up. But the blow made his palm tingle. He saw me standing rigidly, blood trickling from the corner of my mouth. Ryder’s voice held an almost imperceptible plea. “Stella, I’m begging you, don’t make a scene in public! I promised to marry you in a month, and I will! Please, believe me, okay?” I closed my eyes. Only twenty-nine days left. Believe him or not, the pain Ryder could inflict on me only had twenty-nine days left. “I believe you. Twenty-nine days from now, I’ll be waiting for you to propose at the Reed family home.” Uttering those words with every ounce of strength I had, I turned to leave. But Ryder gripped my arm tightly. “Stella, you haven’t apologized to Valerie. You can’t leave… Today is her day, you need to show her that respect.” My eyes were cold. “Apologize to Valerie? Never.” Ryder stared at my stubborn refusal, then suddenly raised his voice. “Guards!”
Ryder had his people tie me up. Right there, in front of all the guests. “She offended you, Valerie. You can do whatever you want to her,” Ryder told Valerie. “Do as you please, don’t hold back. I’ll handle the Reed family.” Valerie looked into Ryder’s eyes, which seemed to hold a smile, yet conveyed no emotion at all. She pressed him. “Any way I want?” Ryder nodded, agreeing. Valerie broke into a radiant smile, turning to me. “Stella, I’m entering an international photography competition soon, and I think you’d make a perfect model for me. How about you cooperate and let me take a set of photos of you today?” A bad feeling bloomed in my gut. Valerie continued, “But for this photo series… I need a boudoir model. Stella, if you change your mind, just apologize to me, say you shouldn’t have slapped me, and I’ll ask Ryder to let you go.” She sounded incredibly generous. I hated Valerie’s pretense most of all. She was like this even in the orphanage. Under five years old, Valerie with her sweet, innocent face would lie shamelessly to everyone, claiming she’d seen me steal cookies from the dining hall. Later, we were both adopted, she by the Valerie family and I by the Reed family. Valerie would smile innocently, telling everyone stories about me kissing boys for an egg in the orphanage. I couldn’t even count how many times Valerie had done things like that. At first, I tried to explain, but everyone seemed to believe Valerie, the girl with good grades and a sweet face. As if I, with my overly bright, aggressive looks, was born a villain. I lifted my chin, staring at everyone. “Apologize? Valerie, I only regret that slap didn’t kill you. You want to strip me naked? Why don’t you check your new husband’s phone gallery? There are plenty of my…” Before I could finish, Ryder kicked me! A searing pain stole my breath, and I choked back the rest of the sentence: “my boudoir photos.” Ryder didn’t wait for Valerie to speak. He just waved his hand. “Valerie needs a model, doesn’t she? Strip Stella and keep her that way until Valerie’s finished shooting!” His voice was cruel. “After all, Miss Stella Reed’s reputation… from eighteen to twenty-five, has never been good in Veridian City.” “Taking her clothes off in public today will just let everyone see how much ‘capital’ Miss Stella has for her wild ways!” My mouth filled with the taste of blood. I didn’t know if it was from Ryder’s slap or his kick. I swallowed the bloody saliva, my eyes colder and more hateful than Ryder’s. “Young Master Sterling, you go ahead and strip me! Let everyone see the woman you’ve slept with for seven years…” The words were cut short again by Ryder’s fierce palm, turning my head violently, the rest of the sentence trapped in my throat. My ears rang with the impact of the blow. I let out a bitter laugh. Just yesterday, I had still harbored fantasies. Fantasies that Ryder and Valerie were just a family arrangement, that I was Ryder’s true love, that Ryder would divorce Valerie and fulfill his promise to marry me in a month! But today’s events clearly showed me the truth: I was nothing but Ryder’s plaything! He had played me for seven whole years. And now that he was done, on the eve of discarding me, he wanted to deliver a final, fatal blow! A gasp rippled through the room as a massive shadow loomed over me. I looked up. A bookshelf against the wall had lost its balance and was toppling towards me. If it hit me full force, I’d either die or be crippled for life! Ryder instinctively reached out to me, lying helpless on the floor. If he just grabbed me, he could pull me out of the shadow of death. But the instant his fingers brushed my collar, he abruptly changed direction, decisively sweeping Valerie, who was still some distance from the bookshelf, into his arms! The last sliver of hope in my eyes completely vanished. I closed my eyes, waiting for death.
The expected pain never came. Someone blocked me. My trembling eyelashes fluttered open. The moment I saw that face, the tears I’d held back all afternoon finally streamed down. “Liam…” My voice was trembling. I wasn’t sure if it was from indignity or the terror of a near-death experience. My gaze drifted over Liam’s shoulder, towards the man and woman nearby. Valerie looked shaken, Ryder kneeling before her, gently stroking her abdomen, softly reassuring her. Liam asked nothing. He simply pulled out a handkerchief, wiped my face clean, and led me away. As we brushed past Ryder, he rose, gently gripping my wrist, attempting to pull me away from Liam. “Stella, I didn’t save you just now because Valerie is pregnant… You understand, don’t you?” I offered a numb smile. Ryder bent lower, his voice even more humble. “I just need one month, Stella. I know you might have heard rumors lately, but trust me, none of it’s true.” “I’m already arranging our wedding. Only twenty-nine days left. I’ll fulfill everything I promised you! Just be good during this time, don’t listen to or believe anything anyone says outside, okay?” I nodded, exhausted. No matter how much it hurt, how heartbroken I was, it would only last a few more days. I would wait and see how Ryder intended to wrap up their seven years of illicit affair. Liam took me home. Once my emotions had settled, Liam spoke. “Want to talk about anything, Stella? Like… you and Ryder?” I shook my head, silent. Liam stroked my hair. “If you don’t want to talk, don’t. I’ve already started arranging your study abroad, just like you said yesterday. But… when I send you off, do you want me to erase all your identity information? The Sterling family might control Veridian City, but hiding a person is a small task I can manage.” I nodded. “I’ll be gone for a week on a business trip,” Liam said, pulling his suitcase. “You need to be good this week, stay home, don’t go anywhere.” “The Sterling family isn’t something you can handle. Valerie’s cunning is beyond you, and the old folks in the Reed family have always despised you.” Liam warned, “Whatever injustice you face, hold it in until I get home.” I was obedient. Before, I’d been bold and reckless in Veridian City, knowing Ryder would back me up. Back then, Ryder was my secret lover. Not anymore. After Liam left, I stayed obediently indoors. Until Ryder’s call came. “Stella, you should be calm now. Can we meet? I want to explain everything that’s happened to you face-to-face.” Ryder’s voice on the phone was tender and loving. My hand pressed against my chest, feeling my heart pound uncontrollably for a moment. “Okay.” Ryder’s voice was delighted. “I’ll pick you up!” “Okay.” Ryder arrived quickly. As if nothing had happened, he took my hand and helped me into the car. He leaned over meticulously to fasten my seatbelt, then straightened up and dropped a kiss on my temple. I felt drowsy the moment I got into the car. After a few sips of the drink Ryder offered me, I quickly drifted into a hazy sleep. When I opened my eyes, I saw only darkness. Suffering from nyctophobia, I screamed hysterically! “Ryder, what are you doing?! Let me out! Turn on the lights!” I was tied up, thrown on the floor. Immobilized. I stared at the profound darkness around me, terrified to the point of nausea. “Ryder, turn on the lights! I’m begging you, turn on the lights!” Ryder’s voice came from nearby. Cold, inhuman. “Stella, I know you’re afraid of the dark. This is the ‘gentlest’ punishment I could think of for your disobedience.” “Why did you hide Valerie?” “Didn’t I say I would definitely marry you next month? Why can’t you just listen, why do you have to take matters into your own hands?” “Valerie is carrying our Sterling child. This isn’t a joke, don’t make trouble.” “Tell me where Valerie is, otherwise, Stella, you’ll regret it.” My face was streaked with tears. I looked into the boundless darkness. “Ryder, I already regret it.” “Please, just let me go, okay? I don’t want you to marry me anymore, I don’t want to wait. The past seven years, that’s on me. Just let me leave. From now on, we’ll be strangers!”
Hearing those three words, “we’ll be strangers,” Ryder’s heart suddenly lurched! For seven whole years, he hadn’t imagined I would ever suggest leaving him! He listened to my sobs in the darkness, and a montage of their years together flashed through his mind like a film. The image finally settled on the wedding dress he’d personally designed for me, set to be completed next month. Ryder clenched his fists tightly, the pain in his palms making him speak. “Stella Reed, I will marry you. But before that, I need to know where Valerie is! She’s carrying our Sterling family’s child!” I couldn’t hear a word Ryder was saying. I screamed, struggling and squirming on the floor, desperately curling myself into a tiny ball, my face drenched in tears. Over and over, I repeated the same garbled words. “Please, Ryder, let me go.” “I won’t marry you.” Ryder roared, unable to hold back. “Stella, I just need to know where Valerie is! I promised I’d marry you, and I will! I know there are misunderstandings between us now, but on our wedding day, I’ll explain everything to you, piece by piece!” Ryder’s voice ended in an uncontrolled sob, a desperate plea. “Stella, I’ve never begged anyone for anything in my life… This time, I’m begging you! I just need Valerie’s address!” I hit my forehead on the floor, crying out. “I don’t know where Valerie is… I didn’t… Ryder, turn on the lights, please…” Ryder stood just outside the door. His hand was on the switch. Just a light flick would end my torment. Ryder could feel his palm raw from clenching, warm, sticky blood spreading between his fingers. He knew why I was afraid of the dark. When we were kids in the orphanage, to compete for adoption spots, Valerie had locked me in the equipment room for three whole days. I was only four years old then. On the third day, I set a small fire in the equipment room to alert the adults, saving myself from dying of thirst and hunger. “The surveillance footage is clear, Valerie got into your Reed family car, then she disappeared,” Ryder said. “I know it was wrong of me to hide things about Valerie from you, but I had my reasons, Stella. For the past seven years, you’ve always been so understanding. Just hold on for one more month, please.” Through my choked sobs, Ryder forced himself to harden his heart. “I know Valerie has done a lot of things to hurt you in the past, and it’s understandable that you’d want to get revenge when you found an opportunity. But she’s pregnant with a Sterling child. Tell me Valerie’s whereabouts, and there’s still room for negotiation in this matter.” “Stella Reed, if this blows up to Mr. Sterling, your whole Reed family will be implicated.” “I know you don’t care about your parents, but what about Liam? Are you willing to see your brother’s future ruined because of your foolish act of jealousy?” My crying stopped for a moment. “Liam.” This seven-year-long, absurd love of mine had not only ruined me but would also drag down the only brother who ever treated me well. “I really don’t know where Valerie is!” I suddenly went wild, banging my head against the floor. “From childhood, hasn’t she framed me enough times? Why won’t any of you believe me, just this once?” “Ryder, if you don’t believe me, then fine. Getting involved with Young Master Sterling was my mistake, and I’ll pay for it with my life, alright?!” The impact of my head hitting the ground was truly forceful! A dull thud, like a shot fired straight into Ryder’s heart. Ryder flicked on the lights with a ‘snap’! It was too late. I lay silently on the ground. Blood slowly spread from my temple.
Ryder rushed into the hospital, cradling me. Half of him was covered in my blood. As he stepped through the hospital doors, I regained consciousness. My eyes immediately locked onto Ryder’s face. Before he could even utter a word of concern, my hand, weak but determined, slapped him across the face. “Hypocrite… Get lost!” I struggled to escape Ryder’s embrace. Ryder said nothing, only holding me tighter. His rush towards the emergency room suddenly halted. I heard Ryder’s already frantic heartbeat quicken even more, so fast I feared it would burst from his chest. Following Ryder’s gaze, I saw Valerie. She was standing there perfectly fine, surrounded not only by Sterling family maids and the butler but also by Mr. and Mrs. Reed, my adoptive parents. There was also an old man I recognized but couldn’t place for a moment. The old man was about sixty or seventy. Ryder’s grip suddenly loosened. In front of everyone, I, whom he had just moments ago held so desperately, was now carelessly dropped onto the ground like trash. He didn’t even spare me a glance. The bruises from Ryder’s kick to my back hadn’t faded, and now with this fall, I almost passed out from the pain. But Ryder merely bypassed me, as if I were a pile of rubbish. Mr. and Mrs. Reed didn’t even look at their adopted daughter. Their eyes were solely on their beloved god-daughter, Valerie. Valerie smiled sweetly, stepping forward to link her arm with Ryder’s. “Ryder, what’s this all about? Stella is my model for my photo shoot. You’ve gotten her into such a state, where am I going to find another Stella?” “I couldn’t reach you. Surveillance showed you got into the Reed family car, and I thought Stella had taken you,” Ryder said, wrapping his arm around Valerie’s waist, kissing her earlobe right in front of me. “So I was just forcing her to tell me your whereabouts?” Ryder looked at me with disgust. “She wasn’t being cooperative, so I was a bit rough. But it’s fine, it won’t affect your photo shoot.” Valerie gave me, struggling to pick myself up from the floor, a knowing, half-smile. “Ryder, the family cars were all sent for maintenance, so I called Mom and Dad to help drive me to the hospital,” Valerie said, her smile clean and gentle. “You worried yourself so much? Look at what you’ve put Stella through. It wasn’t necessary.” Valerie affectionately took my arm, as I was about to go to the treatment room alone, then turned to the others. “Grandfather, Mom and Dad, Ryder, I’ll go with Stella to get her wounds treated. Stella’s always been sensitive since she was little, she’ll cry and fuss over the smallest injury.” I forced a numb smile. Valerie was doing her usual thing, putting me down to highlight her own virtuous character. I was used to it. In the treatment room. A nurse was bandaging the cut on my forehead. Valerie tilted her head, admiring my pallid face. “Ryder put you through quite a lot just now, didn’t he? Actually, the family cars weren’t sent for maintenance at all. I deliberately called your parents to pick me up because I wanted you to see how cruel Ryder could be to a ‘used and discarded’ woman like you.” My brow furrowed. It hurt. The nurse’s touch hurt, and Valerie’s words, “used and discarded,” hurt even more. But I only furrowed my brow. “Be smart and leave on your own.” Valerie played with her beautiful, silky long curls, looking like a princess from a painting. “If you don’t have money, I’ll buy you a plane ticket, wherever you want to go. Just don’t be so shameless as to stay by Ryder’s side, he’s a married man.”
After my wounds were dressed, I went to the restroom. I just wanted a place to cry silently for a while. From the next stall, I heard the sounds of a man and woman kissing. After the wet, sticky sounds subsided, Ryder’s voice, husky with passion, spoke. “How was the prenatal check-up? Is our baby doing okay?” Valerie’s voice was sweet and cloying. “The doctor said very healthy. Said it must be because Daddy’s sperm quality is excellent.” Ryder let out a muffled chuckle. “Baby, I’m not just excellent in sperm quality, am I? What about everywhere else?” “Since the baby came, how am I supposed to know if you’ve gotten worse in other places?” Valerie giggled. “Maybe little Ryder is all pent up?” A zipper sound. Followed by Ryder’s even deeper, hoarser voice. “Whether little Ryder is pent up or not, little Valerie, why don’t you try it out for yourself…” I clapped a hand over my mouth and gagged. It was sickening. I couldn’t stand another second in there. I bolted out of the restroom like my life depended on it, left the hospital, and took a taxi back to Liam’s private estate. I called Liam. I wouldn’t wait for Ryder’s promise anymore. Even if Ryder had lost his mind and actually kept his word, I wouldn’t let him marry me. He was too dirty. Liam’s phone rang three times before he picked up. “What is it, Stella?” Hearing Liam’s voice, my tears immediately started to fall. I opened my mouth, a sob catching in my throat. The moment the words escaped, I heard a hurried voice from Liam’s end. It was a cool, clear female voice. “Mr. Reed, the meeting was scheduled five minutes ago. Do you need to cancel?” Liam quickly pressed me. “Stella, what’s wrong? Speak to me.” I silently hung up the phone. I sent Liam a message. `[Nothing, accidentally pressed my phone while sleeping.]` Liam: `[Send me a selfie, let me see.]` I looked at my red, swollen eyes in the mirror, then found an old picture in my album and sent it. Liam didn’t reply again. He must have bought it. I quickly packed my bags, booked the fastest international flight, and called a private car to the airport. The driver arrived quickly. I was alone, dragging two suitcases, a travel bag, and a large backpack. The driver made no move to help me with my luggage. I huffed and puffed, loading my own bags into the car, then got in. The car door locked. Ryder’s voice came from the driver’s seat. Gentle, yet laced with bone-chilling coldness. “Stella, you were so obedient by my side for seven years. Why are you suddenly disobedient now?” “So much luggage, and heading to the international airport. Where exactly are you planning to escape to?” “You promised to wait for me for a month. Did you go back on your word?” “That vow of ‘forever and always’ seven years ago, did you feed it to the dogs?” Ryder locked me up. In the Sterling Deer Park Estate, just outside Veridian City. Before Ryder left, he placed a calendar in my bedroom. He said, “Start tearing off the pages from today. When twenty-four pages are gone, it’ll be our wedding day.”
Ryder took my phone and instructed the butler and maids that I couldn’t leave the Deer Park Estate or contact anyone. Other than that, I was free. I stood on the mountain top of Sterling Deer Park Estate, overlooking the entire manor. Ryder had built this especially for me. In my junior year of college, I’d suddenly become obsessed with deer. I loved their graceful legs, their clean eyes, the soft touch of their fur when they gently nudged their heads against me. I frequently dragged Ryder to the zoo to feed the fawns. Until one time, Ryder’s uncle caught us. Ryder shielded me the whole time, not letting his uncle see my face. He handled the situation flawlessly, seeing his uncle off. After that, Ryder didn’t come to school for about a week. I was understanding back then. If Ryder didn’t come, I remembered what he’d told me: never contact him first, especially when he was back at the Sterling family home. The next time I saw Ryder was during final exams week at Veridian City University. It snowed heavily that day. Ryder’s face was paler than the snow, but he embraced me and said he had a gift for me. That gift was Sterling Deer Park Estate. That day, Ryder said that whenever I wanted to see deer again, I could come to *their* Deer Park Estate, for peace and quiet. I quietly sat down on the hillside, instinctively wrapping my arms around a fawn named Little Sun, holding it affectionately in my lap. This fawn was only four months old. The night it was born, Ryder and I were staying at Sterling Deer Park Estate. That night, the estate manager said a doe was having a difficult birth. Worried, I rushed to see, and later, Ryder and I even helped the doe deliver. The fawn, Little Sun, had been tainted with human scent at birth, and its mother refused to nurse it. Ryder and I held it and bottle-fed it ourselves. That fawn was Little Sun. Afterward, this fawn always liked to follow me. Footsteps sounded behind me. I thought it was Ryder. Only when someone sat beside me did I realize it was Valerie. This was the first time I’d seen an outsider at Sterling Deer Park Estate. The thought surfaced, and I paused, then realized that *I* was now the outsider. I didn’t want to talk to Valerie, nor did I care why she was here. I simply stood up and walked towards a more distant spot. Little Sun, only a few months old, was very clingy and followed me. Valerie seemed somewhat jealous. She followed behind me, asking, “This fawn listens to you so well. How did you train it?” I ignored her, pulling carrot sticks from my pocket to feed Little Sun. Valerie mimicked me, pulling a handful of grass to feed it. The fawn only wanted the carrots in my hand and only allowed me to pet it. After I finished feeding it, Little Sun nudged my pocket, clearly wanting more. I smiled, gently pushing the fawn away. “None left for today.” Valerie impatiently shoved the wild grass in her hand towards the fawn’s mouth. I couldn’t be bothered to watch Valerie anymore and headed towards the small bamboo house behind the Deer Park Estate. I needed to rest. I hadn’t walked far when Valerie’s scream pierced the air! Followed by the mournful cry of the fawn! I spun around abruptly! I saw Little Sun nipping at Valerie’s sleeve, a familiar way it interacted with humans. But Valerie was clearly terrified. She kicked the fawn, again and again! Ryder had rushed back from out of town where he was handling matters. He gave me a cold glance, then went straight to Valerie’s room. The door wasn’t closed. Just a wall separating us, I heard everything from next door, clearly. After they had enough time together, Ryder returned to my bedroom, standing before me. “Valerie twisted her ankle, she needs to recuperate.” I looked up, pointing meaningfully at Ryder. “Didn’t you just help her ‘recuperate’?” Ryder let out an exasperated chuckle. “Stella, I’m not kidding. Which deer hurt Valerie this afternoon? Tell me. Valerie needs to recuperate.” I froze for a few seconds before grasping the full meaning of Ryder’s words! “Ryder, you’re inhuman! You said this was *my* Deer Park! Which one of these deer didn’t we watch grow up? How could you bring yourself to do it?” Something flickered in Ryder’s eyes. His throat worked, a hint of endurance and appeasement in his voice. “Stella, it’s just a fawn. Valerie wants to try something fresh.” “Try something fresh?” I was shaking with rage. “Ryder, are you even human?!” As the words burst out, I slapped Ryder across the face!
The sound of the slap faded, and Ryder stared deeply at me. I met his gaze, head held high, completely unafraid. “If you touch my fawn, you will regret it.” I ground out the words through clenched teeth. Ryder closed his eyes, said nothing more, and walked to the desk, tearing off a page from the calendar. “It’s already past midnight, Stella. Twenty-three days left until our wedding.” He walked out of the bedroom. I had a maid bring me a bottle of wine, drank most of it, and only managed to fall asleep as dawn was breaking. I woke up when the sun was high in the sky. A maid knocked on the door. “Miss Stella, the Master is asking you to join him for a meal.” I was indeed hungry. I washed up, changed clothes, and went to the dining room. Valerie was there too. I wanted to leave, but then decided it wasn’t worth starving myself. I sat down with a cold face and served myself a bowl of soup. Ryder, in front of Valerie, served me some rice. “You should eat some carbs, even if you’re watching your weight.” I didn’t take it, but Ryder didn’t seem awkward. He simply picked up a few mouthfuls of greens for me. “These are grown right here at the Deer Park Estate, better than what you get at the market,” Ryder said. “I know you’re picky, but you should try these.” Valerie ate slowly, delicately, as if she didn’t see her husband, married for less than a week, exchanging glances with his secret lover. Finally, Ryder picked up my soup bowl and put a few pieces of meat into it. He said softly, “Eating meat doesn’t make you fat, don’t be so picky.” It was as if Valerie wasn’t even there. As if Sterling Deer Park Estate was still *our* Sterling Deer Park Estate. He was a completely different person from the Ryder who had publicly slapped me just days ago. I glanced at Valerie, thinking she indeed had some nerve to marry into the Sterling family, at least she could tolerate this. As I thought this, my stomach rumbled a few more times. I picked up my forks, first ate some greens, then some rice. Finally, under Ryder’s gentle gaze and Valerie’s knowing half-smile, I ate a piece of meat. I was truly starving. The Deer Park chef’s cooking was excellent, perfectly suited to my taste. I didn’t eat gracefully; traces of my past, fighting for food in the orphanage, were visible in my eating habits, unlike Valerie, who was every inch the refined socialite. After finishing my meal, soup and meat all gone, I stood up to get a second helping. Ryder immediately rose to serve me soup. Valerie elegantly wiped her mouth, then slowly, deliberately, spoke. “I heard this fawn was delivered by you personally, Stella, and you raised it yourself, even bottle-feeding it,” Valerie’s voice was soft and gentle. “You were even feeding it carrots yesterday. No wonder the meat is so good, so tender.” My lips and teeth went numb with shock! I stared blankly at Valerie, as if I hadn’t understood what she was saying. Valerie continued, “It was called Little Sun, right? It was more delicious than any deer meat I’ve ever had before, without any of the usual gaminess. Thank you, Stella.” Valerie added, “Apparently, deer blood is nourishing, so you can’t kill a deer like a chicken by slitting its throat and letting it bleed out. So, they put Little Sun in a sack in middle school and drowned it alive.” Valerie said, “The chef wasn’t experienced, so it took him over ten minutes. He had to hold your fawn underwater in the stream multiple times before it finally died.” Realizing what I had just eaten, my stomach churned violently with disgust! I didn’t even have time to turn around. I doubled over in agony, vomiting everything I had just eaten, along with my stomach acid, in one go! I vomited so violently. Even after everything in my stomach was gone, the nauseating churning wouldn’t subside. What came up next was yellow-green bile.
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