For three long years, the girl who was obsessed with my boyfriend, Julian Thorne, was none other than Seraphina Blackwood—the heiress of a powerful, notoriously wealthy family in the city, and the very monster who murdered my brother. Seraphina was relentless in trying to steal Julian from me. She locked me in a bathroom, dumped a bucket of dead vermin over my head, then hired thugs to beat me, breaking six of my ribs. When she saw that Julian and I remained inseparable, she threatened me with covertly taken nude photos, forcing Julian to break up with me. But the day after we broke up, I was involved in a horrific car accident, gravely injured, falling into a vegetative state. I became a coma patient. Julian was utterly devastated, and from that day on, he stayed by my side, never leaving. Over five years, Julian transformed into a titan of industry. Single-handedly, he brought down the Blackwood empire and put out a multi-million dollar bounty for Seraphina’s capture. Privately, he practically lived at the hospital, washing my face, cleaning my body, trimming my nails—he did everything himself, meticulously. Countless women throwing themselves at him were turned away. Just when everyone was pitying him, I, Willow Hayes, woke up after five years of slumber. Tears streaming down his face, he knelt and proposed to me, having spent countless nights drawing up wedding plans and personally designing my engagement ring and wedding gown. Anything I wished for appeared before me in an instant. Everyone said Julian Thorne was the most devoted man in the world. I thought so too. Until, on the eve of our wedding, I received a call from an unknown number. “Julian Thorne’s lips are incredibly handsome. He whispers sweet nothings, and he’s… very agile.” *Smash!* My phone hit the floor. The woman on the other end of the line was Seraphina Blackwood. *** My phone screen was shattered, jagged glass shards digging into my palm. The call had ended, but moments later, a text flashed across the fractured display. It was a villa address, accompanied by a taunting message: “He’s coming tonight. Want to see how agile his lips truly are? How he makes me scream with pleasure?” My eyes were locked onto the screen. My grip on the phone was bone-chilling, my feet rooted to the spot. But after a moment, I started to question the message’s authenticity. First, was the woman on the other end really Seraphina? Even if she was, I’d been in a vegetative state for five years because of her, languishing in a hospital bed, half-dead. Julian, who’d hated Seraphina to his core, wouldn’t know where she was and *not* call the police, would he? Besides, ever since I woke up, Julian hadn’t spent a single night away from home. Just as I thought this, another message buzzed on my phone. “Willow, I bought movie tickets. I’ll pick you up tonight.” It was from Julian. I let out a slow, shaky breath. The knot of dread in my chest abruptly loosened. I copied the number that had called me earlier, just about to paste it into our SnapChat conversation. The next second, Julian’s message came through, faster than mine. “Sorry, there’s an emergency company meeting. It’ll go on late, so I can’t make it to the movie. Don’t wait up for me, just go to sleep!” The smile on my face froze, then slowly faded. My eyes remained fixed on my unsent message, a shiver of pure horror running through me. After a long pause, I deleted all my unsent messages. I hailed a cab and had it drop me outside a luxurious estate. I waited from dusk until the moon rose, my heart soaring with hope, then plummeting with dread, a relentless seesaw of emotions. Until a car’s headlights flashed, pulling into the driveway in front of the villa. I watched Julian step out. I watched him knock on the door. Then I watched the lady of the house appear… It was her! It really was her, Seraphina Blackwood!!! The woman’s hand lashed out, a vicious *SMACK!* across Julian’s face. Julian clenched his fist. The next second, he grabbed Seraphina’s chin fiercely and kissed her lips with brutal force. Seraphina struggled desperately. *SMACK!* Another slap. Julian’s eyes turned bloodshot. He began savagely tearing at her clothes, pinning her against the door, crudely undoing his tie to bind her wrists. My body trembled violently. I snatched my gaze away. “Drive!” “Where to, ma’am?” the driver asked, confused. “I don’t know! Just drive! I told you to drive!!!” I screamed, my voice shaking, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face. He had lied to me! Julian Thorne had been deceiving me all this time! He’d found Seraphina ages ago, yet he kept her trapped in this mansion, his personal canary! Julian didn’t come home that night. I sat on the cold living room floor all night. Memories, like scattered pages caught by the wind, flooded my mind. I remembered being abandoned as a child, and how my brother, Leo, who had autism, found and raised me. Leo’s mind was stuck at ten years old. Everyone mocked him, saying an idiot couldn’t raise a child, bullying him and snatching his empty bottles, scattering them across the road, then laughing as he struggled to pick them up. He never spoke of his own hurt, but whenever anyone bullied me, he would turn into a furious little beast, protecting me with his life. I had no parents. Before I met Julian, Leo was my entire world! But this wonderful person was killed by Seraphina Blackwood! She and her group of privileged trust-fund kids, drunk and high, stumbled upon Leo picking bottles nearby, and got a cruel kick out of it. By the time I arrived, the scene before me stole my breath, making me scream. Leo lay on the ground, covered in blood from head to toe, a jagged green beer bottle forcefully embedded in his forehead. His body was already cold. Clutched tight in his lifeless hand was the cheap watch I’d given him! After the incident, everyone who’d mocked Leo and pelted him with glass bottles that night was arrested. But only one person claimed she hadn’t participated. That person was Seraphina Blackwood. It was only later that I stumbled upon the truth. Seraphina was the one who suggested the game, and the bottle in Leo’s forehead? She put it there! I never imagined that when I saw Seraphina again, she would be pursuing Julian Thorne. To get Julian, she resorted to her vile tactics once more. For three years, strange things started happening, like objects falling from above when I was out. On nights I walked home from work, strangers would follow me. The lock on my apartment door was tampered with, and threatening letters kept arriving, one after another. At its worst, I was locked in a public restroom, and dead vermin and insects were constantly thrown onto me. She hired people to beat me, breaking six of my ribs. A car, seemingly driverless, almost ran me over; thankfully, Julian appeared just in time. I knew, all of it, every single thing, was Seraphina’s doing. I wasn’t afraid. But Julian was terrified, because Seraphina was a complete psychopath! He couldn’t bear the thought of a world without me, so he broke up with me. But I never imagined that even then, Seraphina wouldn’t let me go! I was hit and run, left in a vegetative state, half-dead in a hospital bed for five long years! On the day we broke up, Julian cried as he slipped a ring, already prepared, onto my ring finger. But on the day of the accident, my ring finger was brutally chopped off by the hit-and-run driver, and the ring vanished. After that day, Julian truly went insane! My heart felt like it was being torn to shreds, sliced into a thousand pieces! I couldn’t believe it. Julian would actually betray me! He hid it from me, conned me, and was sleeping in the same bed with the enemy we both hated! My left ring finger had been reattached, but the pain from that original severing seemed to have transferred to my heart. It hurt so much I couldn’t breathe. I just wanted an explanation. But Julian didn’t come home that night. When he finally did, it was through a video sent by Seraphina. In the video, Julian was “comforting” Seraphina. Comforting her until her face was flushed crimson, her whimpers echoing around them! As dawn broke, I numbly picked up my phone and dialed. “You said last time, if I transferred all my shares to you, you’d send me the video of Seraphina hurting my brother. Was that true?” “Of course! But… are you really willing to give them up?” My nails dug into my palms. “I am!” “But I have one condition. Don’t worry, it won’t be difficult for you. I’ll tell you what it is in a few days.” The person on the other end hesitated for only a moment before agreeing. After hanging up, I immediately dialed another number. “Is this Detective Miller? I want to report a crime. I’ve found Seraphina Blackwood!” When I arrived at the police station, I saw Seraphina stepping out of the interrogation room. She casually brushed her hair back, and when she looked at me, her eyes were full of mocking laughter. “Don’t go around arresting people without evidence. Can any random nobody’s words be considered proof?” I clenched my fists, ready to lunge forward. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed me from behind. I turned, meeting Julian’s complicated gaze. He didn’t offer a single word of explanation to me. Instead, he looked at Detective Miller, who stood behind Seraphina. He remembered that Detective Miller had handled Leo’s case back then. “Detective Miller, you’ve finished your investigation, can I take her now?” Detective Miller’s face darkened. He looked at Julian, then at me. “Julian, what exactly is your relationship with her? Do you think this is fair to Willow?” The hand tightly gripping mine suddenly tightened further, as if he was afraid I’d escape. But Julian’s expression remained calm. “Detective Miller, this is my personal business.” His words landed like heavy blows on my heart, threatening to shatter it completely. My fingertips instantly turned ice-cold. I numbly pulled my arm free. “Detective Miller, I need to speak with you.” Detective Miller and I talked in his office for a long time. When I emerged, Julian was still waiting outside the door. Seeing that my eyes held no trace of him, Julian grabbed me firmly. “Willow, that wasn’t Seraphina. Get in the car, I’ll explain everything when we get home.” I yanked myself away from him, my eyes brimming with hatred. Across the street, the woman in the car watched me with a smile, an expression of absolute triumph, as if she’d won the world. She suddenly whistled at me. “Ms. Hayes seems to have misunderstood, mistaking me for someone she utterly despises. Perhaps I should explain it to her myself?” Julian’s face instantly darkened, his eyes warning her. Watching this scene, I suddenly lifted my foot, intending to get into Seraphina’s car. Julian grabbed my wrist again, but the icy coldness in my eyes pierced him. “Didn’t she say she wanted to explain it to me?” I forcefully shook off his hand and turned, getting into Seraphina’s car. Julian had no choice but to follow that car, keeping a close eye on its every move. But Julian forgot, Seraphina Blackwood used to be a race car driver. She accelerated, blasted through several red lights, and quickly left Julian’s car far behind. “Willow Hayes, what do you want to hear? Do you want to hear how Julian ruined my family, forcing my father to jump to his death, yet kept me trapped under his nose? Do you want to hear how he and I slept together countless times while you were still in a vegetative state? Or… do you want to hear how we toyed to death your brother?” She bared her teeth in a triumphant smile. My blood ran cold, my hands clenched tightly. “Heh, let me think. What was your brother’s reaction when that bottle smashed into his head? Tsk… it’s been so long, the details are a bit hazy…” “Seraphina Blackwood, you’ve got a death wish!” Faced with her blatant provocation, I could no longer hold back. I raised my fist, ready to strike her. But the next second, Seraphina sharply turned the steering wheel, and the car slammed into an obstacle in front of us. A violent crash echoed. I, sitting in the passenger seat, was violently thrown back. “Willow!” Before I lost consciousness, I thought I heard Julian calling my name. “Mr. Thorne, both of their legs are trapped. If we rescue one, the other’s legs will sustain varying degrees of injury. There’s no time, you must choose who to save first!” Blood from my forehead covered my face. I struggled to open my eyes, but all I saw was a blur. I couldn’t die! My legs couldn’t be damaged! I had to bring the murderer who hurt my brother and me to justice! “Save… save her first!” “She’s always been so proud. Without her legs, she wouldn’t survive!” Julian’s hand pointed at Seraphina, who was in the driver’s seat. When I opened my eyes again, I winced in pain and instinctively reached for my legs. My movement startled Julian, who was sitting beside me. He immediately stood up and grabbed my hand. “It’s over, Willow, I’m here! The doctor said your lower leg had been compressed for too long and needs a lot of rest.” Hearing his voice, my body stiffened for a moment. In my mind, I heard the words from before I lost consciousness: “Save her first! She’s always been so proud. Without her legs, she wouldn’t survive!” Between Seraphina and me, Julian chose Seraphina. My heart bled. Looking at the man before me, my eyes welled up with tears. “Julian Thorne, do you still remember my brother?” His voice dropped, and it seemed a long time before he answered, “I remember.” How could he forget? Back then, he was just a street punk, cornered and beaten bloody in an alley. It was Leo who shielded him, taking the worst of the blows. It was Leo, in his innocent voice, who told him to study hard and live an honest life. It was Leo and I who celebrated his first birthday with him. Tears brimming, I closed my eyes. “If you remember, then you can’t forget how he died.” I asked him again, “Was that Seraphina Blackwood?” My words resonated loudly in the quiet hospital room. My eyes were fixed on him. Julian lowered his gaze. “She was, but now… she isn’t.” My head exploded with a *boom!* His words echoed repeatedly in my ears. “Willow, Seraphina grew up abroad. Her parents neglected her, never loved her. She just fell in with the wrong crowd there, got a bit rebellious, and then made some bad friends back here. Your brother’s death, it had nothing to do with her.” “Nothing to do with her?!” My whole body trembled as I looked at the man before me, my nails digging into my flesh. I couldn’t believe those words came from his mouth! Julian didn’t answer. Instead, he bent down, slowly leaning over me. Then, he pulled out my phone, which was recording under my pillow. My eyes widened. Just as I reached to grab it back, he’d already pressed ‘delete permanently.’ He returned the phone to me, his large hand caressing my face. His eyes, however, held an unhealthy obsession. “Willow, don’t worry, I love you. But Seraphina gave herself to me a long time ago. You are my woman, and she is my woman too. I can’t eliminate her entirely.” “But my wife, that will only be you!” His large hand cupped the back of my head, slowly pushing my face towards his lips. A soft kiss landed on my forehead, but it felt cold to the bone! I bit down hard on my lower lip, my eyes burning with a raw, agonizing ache. I remembered what Detective Miller had told me: “Seraphina is a foreign national. We’ve conducted all possible tests. The results show she is *not* Seraphina Blackwood.” “Willow, you need solid evidence to make an arrest!” I raised my hand and took off my earring, the tiny diamonds glinting slyly in its crevices. Julian had underestimated me. I no longer trusted him. I would have my revenge, and I’d keep both Julian and Seraphina under my relentless gaze. As I opened my phone to retrieve the audio recording, a news alert popped up about the car accident involving Seraphina and me. The photo showed Julian anxiously carrying Seraphina onto the ambulance, while I, covered in blood, lay slumped in the passenger seat, waiting to be rescued. In the comments, almost everyone mistook Seraphina for me, marveling at Julian’s unwavering devotion. My eyes were filled with mockery. I casually deleted the notification. During my hospitalization, Julian came every day. He’d bring meals he’d cooked himself, carefully arranging them before me. The next second, I’d sweep them all to the floor. The sound of shattering dishes echoed through the room. Julian knew I was angry and rubbed his temples with a sigh. “Willow, no matter how angry you are, you still need to eat, right?” My only response was silence. Every time he brought food, I smashed it. Our commotion was too loud for anyone to ignore. Gradually, gossip reached my ears. “Mr. Thorne’s wife is truly spoiled and demanding!” “Isn’t she? With such a handsome and rich husband, she should be sweet to him, but she keeps pushing him away. I don’t know what she’s thinking!” “I heard when she was in a coma, her husband took care of her all by himself. Many women threw themselves at him, but he turned every single one down. She has a man like that and she’s still not satisfied! She’ll cry when another woman snatches him away!” “A man like Julian Thorne?” I looked at his retreating back with a cynical laugh. Faced with the scattered shards, Julian wasn’t angry at all. He bent down to pick them up, carefully sweeping, afraid of hurting my feet. Then, he forcefully pulled me into his arms. “Willow, you don’t need to worry. My feelings for her are nowhere near as deep as my feelings for you.” I looked at him with a mocking expression. Julian’s empty sweet talk, treating me like an idiot. I pushed him away coldly. “Julian, you made two identical meals. One for me, and one for Seraphina’s room. Every time I drive you away, you act like you don’t care, but it’s because you never planned to stay long anyway. Is *that* what you mean by your feelings for me are deeper than for her?” Julian sighed softly, his hand resting on my pale lips. “Willow, do you know? I miss the naive, less-questioning you.” My heart twisted in agony, and I clutched the blanket tightly. But Julian, do *you* know? How much I hate myself for ever meeting you, for ever falling in love with you! On the day I was scheduled to be discharged, Julian brought Seraphina to my room. My bloodshot eyes glared at them. “What’s the meaning of bringing her here, in front of me?” Seraphina merely glanced at me, then sneered at Julian. “I told you, she wouldn’t welcome my apology.” Julian only gave her a cold look in return. Seraphina scoffed, then tossed her handbag onto Julian and walked over to me. She bowed at a ninety-degree angle. “I’m sorry for sleeping with your man!” “I’m sorry for causing your injuries with my reckless driving, and for you having to stay in the hospital so long because he rescued me first!” “I’m sorry, on the day your brother was laid to rest, I paid someone to swap his ashes—” “Buried beneath the tombstone…” She slowly lifted her head, a sly, wicked smile flickering in her eyes. “…was actually an animal.” The cup in my hand crashed to the floor with a loud clang.
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