My wealthy wife would ‘gift’ me an investment property every time she spent the night at her male assistant’s place. Two years into our marriage, I held titles to 96 properties scattered across the city. Each one a stark reminder of the 96 times she’d wounded me. When the 97th property deed landed in my hands, her male assistant immediately sent me a taunting video. “So what if Celeste gives you money? I have her heart, her very being. What good is being an international supermodel if you still can’t even get your own wife into bed?” I didn’t stoop to his level. Instead, I thoughtfully mailed him a new, high-fashion outfit straight from the latest runway. When my wife found out about my generous gift, she rewarded me by inviting me to an exclusive high-society party with her. During a party game, her male assistant lost three times in a row and was dared to lick the cream off Cassie Vane’s thigh. He shattered a wine bottle, pressing the jagged edge to his throat, vowing not to comply. “Celeste, I refuse to let anyone humiliate me!” My usually aloof wife instantly panicked. She pleaded with me to take the punishment for him. “It’s just licking some cream. I promise that after this, I’ll go home and spend some quality time with you.” Everyone waited for me to make a fool of myself, but I quietly accepted without a fuss. She didn’t know this was the 97th time she’d hurt me. And I no longer wanted to be her plaything. I was simply waiting to repay her kindness for saving me. Once that was done, we’d have nothing left between us.
“Oh, the international supermodel actually agreed to lick it? What a woman Celeste is, she really knows how to handle her men!” “What if he doesn’t lick it, then? Are we really going to let Leo do it? That’s Celeste’s precious Leo, the one she’s always pined for!” The mocking chatter around me was incessant, and I felt nothing but humiliation amidst it all. Yet, amidst this sickening display of condescension, Celeste Kingston half-knelt in front of Leo Thorne, carefully applying a bandage to his neck. Then she turned, her eyes cold as she gestured at me. “Asher Hayes, don’t play games. Leo is waiting for you to finish so we can continue the game.” Leo, Leo… She only cared about Leo, never once asking if I was willing. She completely forgot I was her husband. Seeing me frozen, someone abruptly shoved me. “Why are you just standing there? Go on, lick it! You’re not backing out, are you?” I stumbled, regaining my balance, and looked at Celeste again. Her gaze was already fixed entirely on Leo once more. “Ninety-six times. This is the ninety-sixth time.” I silently counted, stiffly walking towards Cassandra Vane, the notorious socialite who had cream on her leg. But just as I stooped down, her hand suddenly clamped onto my chin. She looked at Leo. “Mr. Thorne, this isn’t right. You lost three rounds to me. Just one lick won’t do.” “How about the ‘Egg Challenge’? If you can convince him to do it, the punishment is null and void.” The ‘Egg Challenge’? What in the world was that?! An unknown dread immediately surged through me. I quickly looked to Celeste. But the next second, Leo was already looking at Celeste with pleading eyes, clinging to her arm, whimpering playfully. “Celeste, it’s just a dare. Can you get Asher to agree just this once…?” Seeing Leo’s fragile body trembling, Celeste was filled with nothing but tenderness. Her eyes blazed as she looked at me. “Asher, you’re willing to lick cream, so you won’t mind taking another dare for Leo, right?” “Yay! Thank you, Celeste!” Leo jumped up, beaming with triumph. Watching Celeste gently ruffle Leo’s hair, her expression doting and indulgent, I started to laugh. My dignity had been trampled. I was nothing but a toy, to be tormented and played with. Celeste, how could you be so heartless as to make me perform some twisted act, to be humiliated for him again? Oh, right, I almost forgot. Leo was her unattainable moon. She’d pursued him for years with no success. Then, their families had torn them apart, and Leo had left the country overnight. Now that she finally had what she desired, how could I possibly compete? Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I spoke stiffly. “So, does that count as a forgiveness voucher?” A forgiveness voucher? Everyone laughed at my strange question, but Celeste suddenly looked at me. She knew what I was talking about. After a moment, she nodded. “It counts!” I gave a bitter laugh. “Alright, I agree.” Eight years ago, I had just entered the modeling world when I was noticed by a powerful, ruthless circle of women, who essentially confined me on an island. There, alongside other young men, I became their… ‘entertainment.’ I was lucky. Celeste Kingston was the first woman I met there, and she fell for me instantly. For my sake, she systematically took over their businesses, ensured they ended up behind bars, and rescued me from that life. Only later did I learn that my features bore an uncanny resemblance to Leo’s. But on the night I was rescued, I asked her how I could repay her kindness. Her eyes were sincere. “Marry me.” I gave her a playful squeeze. “I’m serious.” Her breath hitched as she clung to me, her words a tangled whisper: “Then… give me ninety-nine forgiveness vouchers.” “Forgiveness vouchers?” I was curious, clinging to her, not understanding. At that moment, she smiled. “Silly boy. If—and I mean *if*—if one day, I hurt you ninety-nine times, I’ll use these vouchers to make you forgive me ninety-nine times. Once the vouchers are used up, this debt of gratitude will be paid off.” For the next five years, she poured massive resources into my career, turning me into an international supermodel. She cherished me like precious treasure. Until two months ago, when Leo returned. Everything changed. This was the 97th time. Just two more. My debt would be repaid. Seeing Celeste agree, Cassie Vane pulled me into her private VIP room, a dimly lit chamber draped in silk. Boiled eggs were scattered across a low table, and on the floor, two or three men lay in disheveled heaps, a cloying scent of decay and degradation hanging in the air. A shiver of dread crawled up my spine. My blood ran cold. So the “eggs” Leo talked about meant… stuffing them into a private place… Celeste, who had followed us in, suddenly stiffened, her pupils constricting. She turned to Leo. “Wasn’t it about eating eggs?! What is this?” But Leo ignored her. He simply pushed me forward. “Cassie, Mr. Hayes used to be a dancer, his flexibility is sure to… impress you.” “Don’t you want to try it yourself? Challenge the limits?” As Leo’s words fell, I, already terrified, trembled violently and immediately looked to Celeste for help. At the very least, I was still her husband. She had loved me once. Though she’d put me through a lot for Leo, she wouldn’t really hand me over to a pervert, would she? But to my shock, the next second, Celeste walked to the table, poured a glass of wine, and pressed it into my hand. “Why don’t you offer Cassie a toast? Get this party started, Asher.” Get the party started? Was she serious? She… she actually agreed? In a daze, I saw Leo give me a strange, knowing smile. “Asher! Didn’t you hear Celeste?” As I watched Leo approach, unsure what to do, he suddenly kicked me in the knee. My body instantly lost balance, and the wine in my hand splashed across Cassie Vane’s face. Then I fell onto the shattered glass, my arm instantly gushing with several cuts. My eyes met the twisted, pale face of one of the men on the floor. Leo’s sharp accusation rang in my ears: “Asher, if you don’t want to toast, just say so! There’s no need to pretend to be crazy to provoke Cassie. Is that how Celeste’s husband acts? You’re just trying to embarrass Celeste!” Cassie’s expression froze for a moment, then she reacted, her eyes widening as she looked at me. “You… you’re the rumored husband of Celeste Kingston?” I was speechless, slumped on the floor, my body and heart aching almost to the point of suffocation. Cassie reached out to grab my arm, but Celeste immediately caught her wrist. Celeste’s gaze swept over my blood-soaked face. Her eyes suddenly turned dark and chilling as she looked at Cassie, gritting her teeth. “Get out!” Cassie was intimidated. She could only swallow her anger and slink away, muttering under her breath as she left. “Celeste Kingston! You’re crazy! If I’d known you were this lunatic’s husband, I wouldn’t have touched him!” As Cassie disappeared, I tried to get up, but a large hand clamped onto my arm again. “Asher, you’re happy you didn’t have to take the punishment, aren’t you? Did those two years on the island teach you nothing about obedience?” “All you had to do was offer a toast, and this whole thing would’ve been over. Why did you have to play crazy? You knew perfectly well that by asking you to toast, I wanted to end this! Are you blind?” As I stared at an enraged Celeste, my bloodshot eyes were my only answer. This time, I finally didn’t hold back. I retorted: “Celeste Kingston! I’m your husband! If you had just stated my identity, this whole thing could have been resolved just as easily!” My words were clear. It was *her*. It was her vanity, her desire to protect Leo at that moment, that made her keep my identity secret. My accusation hit a nerve. Celeste looked momentarily flustered. Seeing this, Leo tried to interject on her behalf. But Celeste, unusually, frowned and cut him off. “Enough! Shut up, go wait for me in the car.” Once his footsteps faded, she sighed. “I’m sorry, but I still need to explain. I genuinely didn’t know what the ‘Egg Challenge’ meant. If I had, I never would have agreed in the first place.” “As for Leo, I hope you can understand. After all, he just returned to the country and saw that I was married…” Celeste’s words trailed off, but I could still guess the rest. She wanted to say that Leo was upset about her marriage and deliberately made things difficult for me, so I should forgive him. Our eyes met. Celeste seemed to grasp the mockery in my gaze, and she sighed again. “Alright, I see you’re hurt. I’ll have the driver take you to the hospital. Leo’s not doing well, I need to check on him. We can discuss this more when I get back.” Without waiting for my reply, she added, “Even though you didn’t complete the task, I’ll allow you to count it as a forgiveness voucher.” With that, she turned and left. Watching her walk away, I touched my still bleeding forehead and laughed out loud. But I didn’t care anymore. Two more times. Once the debt of gratitude was paid, I would leave. From then on, I wouldn’t suffer her indignities anymore.
The driver took me home. It was late, and Celeste hadn’t returned. I didn’t ask. The next day, her assistant delivered her gifts: two commercial property deeds. She had specifically emphasized that one was compensation for forcing me to lick the cream, and the other was an apology for making me do the ‘Egg Challenge.’ I expressionlessly labeled the deeds 96 and 97, then casually tossed them into the safe. Next to me, Mrs. Davis, the servant, gave a knowing, doting smile. “Madam Kingston certainly spoils you, Mr. Hayes. These gifts are becoming more and more frequent.” I smiled without a word. She didn’t know these were just Celeste’s compensations each time she hurt me. Looking at the overflowing safe, I knew I would be leaving soon. But before I left, I only wanted to take one thing: a camera containing something I had to destroy. Celeste had a strong exploratory curiosity when it came to intimacy. In moments of passion, she would impulsively use the camera to record us. Before, those videos were just a part of our marital fun. But now, I didn’t want them to remain. If they were ever exposed, my life would be ruined. I searched every corner of the room, but I couldn’t find the camera. Just as I was about to search again, Mr. Harrison, my agent, called, his voice booming with rage. “Asher Hayes, have you lost your mind? Look online, private photos of you are everywhere! How dare you secretly accompany other wealthy women behind Celeste’s back? If you want to die, don’t drag the whole company down with you!” In an instant, my mind exploded. I only heard my agent’s last line. “You’d better give me an explanation for the online videos immediately! And Celeste’s fury… otherwise, we’ll haunt you even from the grave!” The call ended. I quickly opened my phone. The top trend was a series of my private videos. And the bold, explosive headline: **[International Supermodel Asher Hayes Sleeps His Way To The Top]**. Celeste was pixilated, but my face was clearly visible in the center, flushed with desire. Millions of netizens were online, spewing hateful comments, calling me a slut for sleeping with multiple wealthy women for resources, a man who could be used by anyone. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. But in the last moment of exhaustion, Celeste, who had suddenly appeared, firmly caught me in her arms. “Don’t look at those. It’s okay. I’ll handle it. Trust me!” Her comforting words had barely faded when she turned, her face cold, and roared at everyone in the room. “Who did this! Tell me! Who did this!” Seeing her raw, unbridled fury, my eyes instantly stung with tears. At the same time, Leo’s casual voice drifted into the room. “Celeste, you mean the videos? I uploaded them!” The hand wrapped around my waist tightened abruptly. Celeste and I simultaneously looked at Leo. “Don’t look at me like that! I just happened to see them and thought Asher’s body was too amazing to be seen only by you, Celeste. What a waste! So I took it upon myself to share them!” “After all, beautiful things are meant to be shared for everyone to enjoy, right?” Immediately, blood rushed to my head. I stood up to slap Leo, but Celeste firmly caught my hand. “Asher! That’s enough!” I was grief-stricken and furious. I shouted, “But he…” To my surprise, before I could finish, Celeste glanced at a triumphant Leo, then turned back to me, frowning. “I’ll have the trending topics taken down. This matter ends here. Don’t cause trouble for Leo, okay? You know, he’s just…” “No! Celeste, why should I let it go?! He’s ruined my reputation! Why should I let it go?!” “I’m going to sue him for defamation! He has to pay for this!” My bloodshot eyes met Celeste’s, refusing to back down even an inch. “Asher! You!” Celeste took a sharp breath, about to continue persuading me. But Leo tugged at Celeste’s sleeve, feigning sobs, his eyes red. “Celeste! Don’t say anymore. I know I was wrong. Just let Asher sue me. It’s my fault for being jealous, jealous that Asher married you. It’s all my fault! If only I had tried harder back then!” As he spoke, Leo’s eyes turned red, and he actually started to sob. “Asher, I truly know I was wrong. I’ll get on my knees and apologize to you. Please, don’t make things difficult for Celeste.” “Whatever makes you happy. I’ll go confess right now and clear your name! What’s the worst that can happen? I’ll be ruined too. But please, don’t let this ruin your relationship with Celeste.” Seeing Leo about to kneel to me, Celeste’s eyes turned icy again, and she said to me in a low voice: “Asher! Leo already knows he made a mistake. It’s best to be merciful when you can.” “Anyway, your reputation is already gone. Why don’t you just retire from the industry and live a life of leisure as a wealthy young man at home? Wouldn’t that be better?” I was shocked by her blindness, disbelieving that Celeste would still indulge him to this extent. I was about to say more, but the next second, I received a stinging slap across my face. My cheek burned. Her knuckles were red, her breathing ragged, and a never-before-seen violence surged in her eyes. She threw a disclaimer at me. “Be a good boy and sign this. Once the storm passes, I’ll help you make a comeback.” “But if you dare to call the police again, don’t even think about stepping out of this door!” “I won’t sign!” I gritted my teeth, staring fiercely at her. But no matter how I struggled, how I refused to sign, Celeste forcibly pressed my handprint onto the disclaimer. The moment I collapsed to the floor, exhausted. An unprecedented sense of powerlessness and piercing pain swept over my entire body, like a thousand needles pricking my heart. They left, their casual conversation like venomous insects burrowing into my ears: “Celeste, is Asher okay…?” “He’s fine. As long as he wants to make a comeback, he’ll listen to me. At worst…” “I’ll give him a forgiveness voucher. There are still dozens left anyway. He’ll be obedient.” No, there weren’t. Only one last one remained. Celeste Kingston, I won’t be your puppet anymore. I lay stunned on the floor for a long time before returning to my room and retrieving my journal. Though everyone said the modeling industry wasn’t much cleaner than entertainment, I truly loved my career. Standing on that runway, enveloped by the spotlight, that surge of confidence was where I found my worth. But now, it was utterly destroyed. Perhaps even fate was telling me it was time to leave, to let go. Tears streaming, I wrote about the day’s events in my journal, ending with “98.” Each time she hurt me, I would record it in my journal, reminding myself not to soften. But then, Celeste’s voice suddenly came from behind me. “What does 98 mean?”
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