After I gave Arthur Hastings, the man who raised me for twelve years, the antidote, he started avoiding me like the plague. When I finally decided to tell him I was pregnant, I found him at home with Grace Fairfax, a famous actress signed to his company. Seeing me, Grace smirked. “So this is the delicate beauty Mr. Hastings keeps hidden away in his golden cage? The rumors were true.” He wrapped his arms around Grace and headed toward the bedroom without even looking back. Don’t mind her, he said dismissively. “She’s just the kid I raised for someone else.” I gave a bitter laugh, went to the hospital to get rid of the baby, and left Claudia that very night. ***** I was like a pampered flower blooming in a wealthy estate, showered with affection since childhood. But after the pillars of my family passed away one by one, my beauty became my curse, with every man in the estate wanting to taste the forbidden fruit. If it weren’t for Arthur, I would have been devoured by their hungry wolves long ago. He was my father’s close friend and the head of the Claudia elite family, always looking out for me. If he couldn’t reach me for two hours, he would turn the entire Claudia estate upside down to find me. But all this protection was withdrawn a month ago. That night, he was drugged by his enemies. I took off my red dress and embraced him on my own accord. After he woke up, he avoided me like the plague. I thought he was just shy, struggling to accept our changed relationship. But yesterday, he brought a woman home and spent the entire night with her in the study next to my bedroom. Like a masochist, I pressed my ear against the wall all night until dawn broke. My tears had all dried up. Finally, I realized the truth. He had never loved me. The maid, Kelly Thornton, knocked on my door. “Ms. Birch, today’s ingredients are ready.” At six o’clock, it was time for me to prepare Arthur’s daily meals. Ever since I moved into Hastings Manor, I hadn’t missed a single day. Even though I knew perfectly well that Arthur had his nutritionist and didn’t need my help, I still carefully packed all the meals. I’d even sneak in a heart-shaped decoration. He’d brush it off, saying, “Don’t bring any more next time,” but his plate would always end up empty. I’d smile sweetly and promise it was the last time, yet the next day would be no different. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Love made me both presumptuous and contentedly humble. But now, I found myself saying, “No need, Kelly. I won’t be making them anymore.” Whether he ate not or adequately was no longer my concern. I packed up my belongings. It was time to leave Hastings Manor. Better to leave on my terms than wait for Arthur to show me the door. At least I could keep my dignity. That evening, when Arthur returned, he handed his coat to the servant and strode toward me. “Aria, where’s today’s lunch?” I kept my eyes down, took a sip of water, and replied casually, “What lunch?” I focused on my packing checklist, making sure everything would be easy to pack. When I finally looked up after a while, I noticed he’d been staring at me with furrowed brows. I feigned surprise, “What’s wrong?” He stood there as usual, but I couldn’t help noticing a hint of hurt in his eyes. “Why didn’t you bring me lunch today?” I curved my eyes into a smile and chuckled softly, “Weren’t you against me seeing you off? It works better, anyway. Less stress for both of us. Is something wrong?” Arthur clenched his jaw at my puzzled expression. “Nothing.” He coldly said and turned away. He was angry, but I no longer cared. I used to love him too much, always anxious and desperate to guess his thoughts, terrified of making him unhappy. I spent twelve years loving him cautiously, creating an unbearable burden for us both. It was finally time to wake up. After packing several boxes of belongings, I went to bed early. Tomorrow morning, I had an appointment to terminate the pregnancy. The following day, Grace, the glamorous actress, all dolled up in heavy makeup, sashayed around in her silk pajamas, bossing Kelly around like a queen. She glanced at me, her eyes filled with mockery and amusement. “Hey, little canary!” I fidgeted with my hands, refusing to acknowledge the label. Everyone seemed to think I was just some delicate flower clinging to Arthur for dear life. Unfazed by my silent protest, she shoved a black card into my hand. “Mr. Hastings is something else, you know? It was rough with me all night, but he still remembers to give you your allowance for next month. Here you go.” I smiled faintly and pushed the card back. “No, thank you.” “Throwing a tantrum, are we?” “There’s no need to give me an allowance anymore. Thank you for everything, Mr. Hastings.” Grace didn’t say a word, but suddenly, a hand clamped down on my wrist, the grip like iron. I turned to see Arthur, his face pale, his hawk-like eyes bland into me. “Aria,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “What do you mean by that?”
I tried to pull away slightly, but he tightened his grip, his expression resolute. With a soft laugh, I said, “You’ve given me enough over the years, Arthur. More than enough for my next life.” His expression softened, and he finally let go of my wrist, turning to Grace and showering her with affection, leaving me standing there alone. I discreetly rubbed my wrist, where his hand had been, feeling the lingering warmth. I had to be crazy. For a moment there, I actually felt like he didn’t want me to leave. I gathered my documents and prepared to leave for the clinic. Arthur, unusually, was still at home. He sat on the sofa, reading the newspaper. Seeing me with my bag, he frowned and asked, “Where are you going?” I tightened my grip on the strap of my purse and lied, “Just going for a walk.” Arthur’s eyes narrowed, and his lips thinned. “Aria, you always fidget when you lie.” I pressed on, “I really do have an appointment. I have to go.” “Stop.” His single word halted me in my tracks. “Damn it,” I cursed inwardly. Years of being under his thumb, years of ingrained obedience, and even now, I couldn’t slip away to get a simple abortion done without him knowing. He led me to the walk-in closet, a room filled with dresses of every kind. “Pick one. We’re going to Grace’s birthday party tonight.” I looked at the tall, handsome man in front of the full-length mirror and, for once, dared to talk back. “What’s her birthday got to do with me?” Arthur was silent for a moment, then bent down and whispered in my ear, “Aria, you’re the only family I have left.” Family… My eyes stung. It was a relationship forever confined to its boundaries. I turned away, pushing him out the door. “Yeah, yeah, I got it. I’ll be ready soon.” As the curtain fell behind me, a tear slipped down my cheek. Perhaps out of defiance, I deliberately chose a red dress with a plunging neckline that dipped all the way to my navel. I stepped into a pair of strappy stilettos, the picture of glamour. Arthur took one look at me, his brow furrowing like a mountain range. “What are you wearing?” “Just trying to look good for a party,” I replied innocently. “Wouldn’t that make me more appealing?” Arthur bit his tongue as he reached into the garment bag and roughly pulled out a frilly white dress, the kind that would swallow me whole. “Wear this,” he demanded. I didn’t understand his sudden hostility. For the first time, I defied him. That night, I wore a backless purple dress. My shoulder blades, stark against my fair skin, jutted out slightly like a butterfly about to take flight. As Arthur and I entered the ballroom, all eyes were on us. It wasn’t just my beauty that drew their attention, but also our status. Arthur’s name held weight in the capital’s elite circles, enough to make the entire room flock to him. Business tycoons lined up to clink glasses, and after settling me at a table, he turned to greet them, navigating the crowd with an effortless grace. He was like the moon in the night sky, noble and elegant. I had dreamed countless times of reaching for that moon. But when Arthur and Grace, hand in hand, announced their engagement in front of everyone, I knew the moonlight I had stolen was only temporary. From the audience, my eyes met Arthur’s across the room. I laughed, tears streaming down my face, and raised my hand to applaud him. My palms stung from the force of it. He faltered for a moment, then quickly looked away. Grace and Arthur approached me, wine glasses in hand. She leaned against him, her smile radiant with happiness. “You’re Mr. Hastings’ relative, which naturally makes you mine as well. This toast is for you.” I held my wine glass, feeling a little awkward. In the past, he would never have let me drink alcohol outside. I glanced at Arthur, who seemed to have no intention of intervening today. With a slight curve of my lips, I drained the glass in one gulp and said calmly, “Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness together.”
Something was wrong with the drink! The realization hit me like a ton of bricks, and I found myself crouched in a bathroom stall, vision blurring. I dialed Arthur’s number over and over again, but it went straight to voicemail. Panic clawed at my throat. Who could I trust? Footsteps hurried past the stall, then stopped right outside my door. A chilling voice slithered through the cracks. “Found you.” I screamed, but my cries were met with silence. The flimsy stall door burst open, and a hulking, bearded man barged in. I swung my stiletto heel with all my might, but it was no use. He clamped a hand over my mouth, his other hand roaming my body with disgusting familiarity. His lips trailed down my neck, leaving a sickeningly wet path. Just as despair began to consume me, Arthur’s voice suddenly broke through from the other side of the door. “I’ll send Aria away. You don’t have to worry about it.” My heart skipped a beat. “Can you really let her go? After all these years,” Grace’s sweet voice echoed. “You know better than anyone how I feel about that.” “I can tell that girl still wants to marry you.” “Hah, maybe in the next life.” The sound of passionate kissing erupted from behind the door. I let out a bitter laugh as tears streamed down my face. Just a wall away, yet one side was hell, the other heaven. A sharp pain suddenly shot through my abdomen, and blood pooled around me on the floor. A muffled cry of agony escaped through the man’s palm pressed against my mouth. “Mmph…” Outside, Arthur suddenly snapped to attention and kicked the bathroom door open. He found me collapsed on the floor, clothes partially torn, in a pitiful state. His eyes blazed with fury as he slammed the man’s head against the sink. Again and again, each impact drew more blood. He attacked like a man possessed. No one dared approach him, not even Grace. He held me close, my blood staining his clothes, but he didn’t seem to care. “Find out who did this! Now!” His voice was raw with fury. “Where’s the doctor? Get a doctor here!” He ran like a madman, searching for a doctor, holding me tightly in his arms. As I drifted off to sleep, the last thought that flickered through my mind was the loss of our child. Arthur and I were truly over. From that day forward, Arthur confined me to the villa, refusing to let me step outside. Even for a casual stroll, he insisted on having me constantly watched. But I didn’t want to drown in this kind of suffocating care anymore. I had to leave. The flight was scheduled for tonight. If I missed it, who knew when the next chance would come? I reached the door, and Arthur’s domineering voice boomed from behind. “Where do you think you’re going?” I took a deep breath. “Arthur, you can’t keep me locked up like this forever.” “You know I can. ” My hands clenched into fists, knuckles bone white. “I love you,” I choked out. He froze. “What?” I locked eyes with him, forcing the words out. “I said, I love you. “Being near you, all I can think about is touching you, kissing you, being with you as your lover. “You think that night was a mistake? I planned it. I thought, if you fell for my body, maybe you’d…” Arthur’s face darkened. “Shut up!” he roared. I stood frozen as he stormed toward me. “I raised you for twelve years. Was it for you to throw away your self-respect, your self-worth like this? “I will never love you. We have no future. Give up.” See? I didn’t need any tricks. All it took was baring my heart, and he recoiled. A bitter smile twisted my lips as I watched him walk away. Kelly watched all this, her heart aching. “Ms. Birch,” she said, “why are you hurting yourself like this?” I shook my head and went back to my room. I didn’t bring a single gift Arthur had given me over the years. To keep Arthur from finding me, I faked my death. The fake me died in a car crash explosion. The real me boarded a plane to a faraway place. Goodbye, Arthur. Goodbye forever…
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