“Mrs. Blackwood, your cerebral aneurysm is in a critical position and has already started to bleed. We need to operate as soon as possible. If it ruptures, your life will be in grave danger.” “If I go through with the surgery, how much will it cost?” “A conservative estimate would be two hundred thousand.” Two hundred thousand? The Davies family was bankrupt, my father had a stroke that left him paralyzed, and we were saddled with colossal debt. Everything I owned that was worth anything had been sold to pay off my family’s creditors. Where on earth would I find two hundred thousand now? And here, in the Blackwood family, I, the eldest daughter-in-law, was treated worse than dirt. When I left the hospital, the sky outside had already turned dark. I hadn’t walked far when my phone rang. A cold male voice cut through the silence. “Get to the Nightshade Club. Now.” It was an order, leaving no room for refusal. I stared at the medical report in my hand, then thought of my current relationship with him. I bit my lip. “Fine.” The Nightshade Club was Newport City’s most notorious upscale club. When I arrived at the private room, it was packed with men and women, exuding an air of opulent debauchery. Julian, the man seated in the center of the room, swirled his drink. He snapped his fingers when he saw me enter, and the room instantly fell silent. He lifted his gaze to me. “Come here.” I hesitated, then walked over. The moment I got close, he seized my wrist, pulling me roughly into his embrace. “Julian, let me go!” He held me in a vice-like grip with just one arm. “Mrs. Blackwood, are you *sure* you want me to let you go? Think about how much your family still owes me. And think about your father’s medical bills.” I gritted my teeth, giving up the struggle. “Can you… can you lend me another two hundred thousand?” He laughed as if I’d told a joke, looking me up and down. His gaze finally settled on my gaunt face. “What part of you is worth two hundred thousand, exactly?” He clamped his fingers on my chin, twisting my head to face the crowd. “How about you pick a man, spend a night with him, and if you please him well enough, maybe you’ll get your two hundred thousand.” “Do you really have to humiliate me like this?” “Humiliate?” Julian sneered, his cold lips brushing my ear. His voice was like a whisper from hell itself. “Compared to what your family did to mine back then, what is this humiliation?” Agony ripped through me, and I squeezed my eyes shut. The Davies and Thompson families had been close for generations. Julian and I were childhood sweethearts, and in college, we were the campus’s most envied couple. But the year we were preparing to study abroad together, the Thompson family’s empire suddenly collapsed. Julian’s father couldn’t bear the shame and took his own life. I desperately pleaded with my father to help the Thompson family, only to accidentally discover that my own father was the one behind his family’s downfall. At that time, I didn’t know how to face Julian, so I broke up with him. He didn’t know the truth back then. He simply couldn’t believe I would leave him at his most vulnerable, his most desperate time. He knelt outside my family’s mansion all night, soaked to the bone in the rain, begging me not to leave. But my father, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to eradicate him completely. By the time I rushed to him, Julian had already been beaten into unconsciousness. I fought with all my might to protect him, but I took a brutal blow to the head, leaving me with lasting aftereffects. To stop my father from destroying Julian entirely, I had no choice but to agree to an arranged marriage, joining the powerful and rising Blackwood family. Six years later, Julian staged a fierce comeback. The first thing he did upon returning to Newport City was to systematically dismantle and bankrupt my family’s corporation… Just then, someone from the side chimed in, “Mrs. Blackwood, Mr. Thompson is actually doing you a favor, isn’t he? Everyone knows the eldest Mr. Blackwood is disabled, and your child was conceived through IVF. Has he ever truly *satisfied* you, all these years?” As the man finished, the whole room erupted in laughter. Amidst the mocking sound, I clenched my fists tightly, speaking in a deceptively calm voice. “Fine. Then I’ll pick one.” Julian’s face instantly darkened. I scanned every person in the room, their leering faces swimming into view. I looked like I was genuinely making a choice, then settled on the man who had just spoken. “You’ll do.”
The man was instantly ecstatic. *Right*, I thought bitterly. In their eyes, I was Newport City’s most renowned beauty. To spend a night with me? Forget two hundred thousand, some men would probably pay two million. “Well, I wouldn’t dare refuse such an offer.” The man stood up, walking towards Julian, ready to take me away. The next second, he was sent sprawling with a vicious kick, drinks splashing everywhere. The man barely registered his messy state, looking up at Julian with terrified confusion. “Mr. Thompson, what…?” “Get out!” Julian’s face was thunderous. He surged to his feet, grabbing my neck, his eyes burning with fury. “I can’t believe how cheap you’ve become!” “Isn’t this exactly how cheap you *want* me to be?” My eyes were red-rimmed as I shot back. His grip tightened, but my mind flashed to that innocent, smiling face. *Julian, we promised forever, didn’t we?* But now, everything had changed. Just as I thought I might truly die there, the door to the private room burst open, and a tall figure stepped inside. “Julian, let Chloe go, now!” Julian seemed to snap out of it. He released me, then casually picked up a napkin, wiping his palm with an expression of disgust before tossing the crumpled tissue to the floor. I stumbled to my feet, heading for the door. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll work at the Nightshade Club until your family’s debt is fully repaid.” His words hit me like a sledgehammer, instantly plunging me into hell. I gripped the doorknob. “If you don’t show up, you’ll face the consequences.” I pulled open the door and walked out. “Chloe, are you okay? You know how Julian gets when he’s angry, don’t take it to heart.” Sophia followed me out, blocking my path. “Oh, by the way, I’m pregnant with Julian’s baby. We’re getting married soon.” I stared at the joyful smile on Sophia’s face, a sense of unreality washing over me. “Chloe, you’ll bless us, won’t you? After all, we’ve been friends for over twenty years.” *Old friends?* The three of us grew up together, yet I’d never once realized she was always in love with Julian. Sophia looked into my eyes, her voice nonchalant. “You know you and Julian can’t be together. After all, it was your father who destroyed his family. You wouldn’t want him to know the truth, would you? Knowing Julian, your dad’s condition probably wouldn’t be limited to just a stroke.” I managed a weak smile. “I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” She smirked, a soft chuckle escaping her lips. “It’s best if you’re sensible. I’ve been by Julian’s side all these years, helping him rebuild. No one is more important to him than me. I’ll make sure he doesn’t treat you too harshly, for old times’ sake.” It was past ten in the evening when I returned to the Blackwood mansion. The moment I walked in, a small figure rushed into my arms. “Mommy, I’m hungry.” I looked down at his red, tear-filled eyes, my heart aching as I wiped his tears. I hadn’t eaten all day either. “Mommy will cook some noodles for Leo, okay?” Leo Blackwood nodded happily. I took him to the kitchen, rummaged for ingredients, and cooked two bowls of plain soup noodles. He was practically drooling with hunger. Just as I was about to carry them out, a figure appeared in the kitchen doorway. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Blackwood, glared at me with icy contempt. “Didn’t I say no cooking after ten o’clock?” “Mom, I know… but Leo is hungry…” “Dump the noodles!” Her expression was frigid. Leo clung to me. “Leo hungry! Leo wants noodles!” “Eat what? As if!” Mrs. Blackwood sneered. “Don’t think I don’t know you sold off your wedding trousseau to bail out your family’s disaster. Let me tell you, you won’t get a single penny from the Blackwood family!” Leo cried even harder. Mrs. Blackwood walked straight over and dumped both bowls of noodles into the trash. The noodles were gone, and my child sobbed uncontrollably. “Cry, cry, cry, that’s all you ever do!” Mrs. Blackwood yelled, annoyed. “Your family went bankrupt because of your crying, and now you want to drag down our Blackwood family? You and your son are nothing but bad luck! A curse!” Leo flinched, shrinking further into my embrace. After Mrs. Blackwood left, I searched frantically through cabinets until I found a bag of crackers. I coaxed the little one to eat them, then took him back to his room. He fell asleep, still whimpering. I stroked his small face. No matter what, I had to keep going. Once he was deeply asleep, I returned to my bedroom. As I flipped on the light, I saw Adrian Blackwood sitting in the center of the room. I gasped, clutching my chest. “Why didn’t you turn on the light?” “Where were you?” “The hospital.” “Were you with Julian?”
I didn’t respond. Adrian wheeled his chair over to me, his eyes cold. “Were you with him?” “If I didn’t go to him, he would have come for me,” I said mockingly. “He hates me. He’ll never let me off easily.” “That’s just an excuse, isn’t it? You want to rekindle things with him, don’t you?” Adrian glowered at me. “I’ve always known you look down on me from the bottom of your heart!” “I don’t.” Adrian’s face was grim. “Get in bed.” Under his piercing gaze, I closed my eyes and lay down. He propped himself up on the edge of the bed and roughly tore at my clothes, biting and gnawing at my skin. I winced in pain. “Can you lend me two hundred thousand?” His movements paused. He shot me a dark look. “Did you demand payment from Julian when you were with him?” “I…” “You’re utterly disgusting!” Adrian instantly lost interest, wheeled himself back to his chair, and left the bedroom. I got dressed, never imagining that one day, two hundred thousand dollars would be enough to break me. The next morning, I dropped Leo off at kindergarten, then called my mother, Mrs. Davies. I didn’t know what methods Julian had used, but any money that entered my account was immediately transferred out. The money from selling my wedding trousseau was all with my mom. The moment I asked for money, Mrs. Davies exploded. “With the Davies family in this state, how can *I* come up with two hundred thousand? The Blackwoods might not care if we live or die, but they can’t possibly ignore *you*, can they?” Before I could explain, she was already yelling obscenities about the Blackwood family over the phone. I bitterly hung up, glancing at the car parked by the roadside—it was the only valuable thing I had left to sell. I contacted a broker, and because I needed cash, the car, originally worth a million, was pressured down to two hundred thousand. I went with the broker to the bank to withdraw the cash. I didn’t dare delay and immediately rushed to the hospital. Just as I reached the hospital entrance, Julian’s call came through. “Mrs. Blackwood, your son is truly adorable.” My hand tightened around the phone. The next second, I heard Leo’s innocent voice on the other end. “Mommy, where are you? I’m scared.” “Leo!” My face went instantly pale. “Julian, you can get your revenge on me however you want, but please, I beg you, don’t touch my son!” “That depends on your performance,” Julian’s voice was icy. “Get your ass to the Nightshade Club within half an hour.” I didn’t dare waste a second. I hailed a cab and sped to the Nightshade Club. A bodyguard led me into the office. Julian was seated on a sofa chair. Sophia was draped across his lap, her arms wrapped possessively around his neck, their posture overtly intimate. His face wore a rare, gentle smile. My heart tightened, and I clenched my hands. “Where’s my son?” I asked. “What’s the rush?” Julian’s smile vanished instantly. Sophia slid off his lap. “Mrs. Blackwood, you have money but you’re not paying your debt. What do you intend to do?” Julian’s gaze fell on me, cold and sinister. I instinctively hid my handbag behind my back. Sophia noticed, a smirk playing on her lips. “Chloe, you’re not thinking of just running away, are you?” Julian’s face instantly changed. “No, I’m not.” I shook my head. “Then what’s in your bag? Take it out.” I instinctively took half a step back. Julian strode forward, grabbed my neck, and pinned me against the doorframe. “Trying to run away? Do you think I’d let you off that easily?!” “I… I’m not… Julian, please, I’m begging you, I really need this money…” I struggled to speak, tears streaming down my face, landing on the back of his hand. Julian’s gaze flickered, watching me cry in pain, yet feeling no satisfaction. Sophia’s voice was detached. “Chloe, when Julian’s mother needed money for treatment, *I* went to work at the club, earning it glass by glass. And what were you doing then? You were proudly marrying into the Blackwood family.” Julian’s face darkened completely. He reached for my bag. I clung to it desperately—it was my only hope. “Julian and I suffered, and now it’s your turn to taste it,” Sophia said, looking at me triumphantly. Seeing I wouldn’t let go, Julian said coldly, “If I can’t touch you, I’ll have to go after your son.” In despair, I let go. Julian tossed the handbag to the bodyguard. After he released me, I crumpled to the floor like a rag doll. “Give my son back.” “Whether you get your son back safely depends on your performance tonight.” Julian cast a disdainful look at me, then told the bodyguard, “Take her to work.”
I wiped away my tears and followed the bodyguard out of the office. “Julian, you’re not having second thoughts, are you?” Sophia watched him. Julian stared out at the boundless night beyond the window, his fingers clenched tightly. “How could I?” A small figure walked into the office. Leo ran up to Julian. “Uncle, where’s my mommy?” “Your mommy is working. She’ll come to pick you up soon.” “This child is…” Sophia stared at Leo’s small face, her eyes wide with shock. “Chloe’s son,” Julian said, grabbing his jacket. “Keep an eye on him.” Sophia scrutinized the child again. His eyes and brows were strikingly similar to Julian’s, five or six parts. Her hands clenched fiercely—Chloe actually hadn’t aborted that child, she’d given birth to him! In the changing room, I put on a sexy bunny costume. When I turned around, I saw Julian standing behind me. I instinctively recoiled, but then he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of me. I rushed forward to snatch it, but he deliberately held it higher, sneering, “What do you think Adrian Blackwood’s reaction will be when he sees this picture?” I struggled to reach it, but unused to the high heels, I lost my balance and stumbled into his arms. He instinctively wrapped his arm around my waist. His familiar scent, that intoxicating softness, made him momentarily lose himself. But then he saw the kiss mark on my collarbone. The desire in his dark eyes instantly drained away, replaced by an icy chill that cut to the bone. “Mrs. Blackwood, I’m truly flattered by your little embrace.” I yanked myself free from his grasp. “Julian, I’m the one who wronged you. Please, don’t hurt anyone else.” He stared at the mark on my collarbone, grinding out, “How else will you feel pain, if I don’t hurt the people you care about?” I followed a group of women into a private room. Already beautiful, with the exquisite makeup and outfit, I looked like a packaged commodity. The men, one by one, tried to get touchy. I sat next to a fat man, pulling at my short skirt, which barely reached my knees. He reached out to touch my thigh, and I instinctively flinched away. His face darkened. He slapped a stack of cash onto the table. “One touch, one stack.” That stack was ten thousand dollars. I thought of Leo’s innocent smile, clenching my fists. *I have to survive.* He placed his hand on my leg, and I no longer flinched. He pulled out the money, patted my face. “That’s more like it.” Then, he stuffed the cash into my cleavage. I suppressed my revulsion, not resisting—if this was what he wanted to see, then I would give it to him. His hands became even more indecent. With a **CRASH!** the private room door was kicked open. The room instantly fell silent. Julian strode over in a few steps, pulling me away from the man. I forcefully shook off his hand, shouting angrily, “Mr. Thompson, what are you doing? Weren’t you the one who wanted me to entertain and pay off my debt? Now I’m earning money, and you’re dragging me out? How am I supposed to pay you back?” As I spoke, I pulled the stack of money from my chest. The next second, he snatched the money away. Then, he began pelting my face with the banknotes, one by one, each one stinging, scattering them all over the floor. Ignoring the pain, I bent down to pick them up. His leather shoe came down heavily on my hand, and I gasped in pain. He leaned down, lifting my chin, his dark eyes filled with the hatred of a venomous snake. “Where’s your pride? Your high-mindedness? Are you really so cheap that you’ll do anything for money?” I met his gaze. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” “I should have realized long ago that you’re nothing but a gold-digging slut,” he spat, pushing my face away. “Every single penny you earn at the Nightshade Club, you can forget about keeping.” He finished speaking, then stood up and left. Someone came in and collected the money from the floor. I laughed ironically, changed back into my own clothes, and left the Nightshade Club with Leo.
For the next few days, I went to the Nightshade Club on time every day. Unlike the first day, although the men still plied me with drinks, no one dared to touch me inappropriately anymore. Occasionally, I’d get a small tip, but what I could actually keep was a tiny fraction. With so little money, there was no way I could cover my father’s surgery costs. Just then, the Blackwood family hosted a grand charity gala. As Adrian’s wife, I naturally had to attend. Adrian personally took me for styling, full gown and makeup. I was transformed, radiant, becoming the center of attention that evening. Until Julian walked into the ballroom, holding Sophia’s hand. Leo instinctively hid behind me the moment he saw them. But they walked steadily towards Adrian and me. Adrian’s face darkened. “What are you doing here?” Julian smiled, looking at me. “Of course, I’ve come to deliver a grand gift to Mr. Blackwood.” My face instantly went pale. He snapped his fingers, and countless photos rained down from the air. In them, I was wearing revealing outfits, entertaining men at the Nightshade Club, sitting with different strangers. My first instinct was to bend down and shield Leo tightly in my arms. The ballroom instantly erupted in an uproar. Mrs. Blackwood rushed forward, her hands trembling, and slapped me hard across the face. My ears rang. “You shameless woman! How dare you do such a thing behind Adrian’s back!” Still not satisfied, she started pulling my hair and clothes. “You eat our food, use our money, and still dare to betray my son. I’ll rip you apart today!” I was instantly in a disheveled mess. Adrian’s chest heaved violently. He didn’t look at me again, turning his wheelchair and leaving the venue directly. The Blackwood relatives also crowded around. Some pulled Mrs. Blackwood, urging her to calm down, while others sneered and took the opportunity to humiliate me. My gown was torn, my makeup long since ruined. I just desperately shielded Leo, watching Julian outside the crowd, my vision blurring. The boy who once loved and protected me was long gone. Julian watched my pathetic state, his eyes growing even darker. He didn’t feel the satisfaction he’d expected. Sophia, seeing this, quickly came over, supporting Leo and me. She leaned close to me, chuckling softly. “How glamorous you were when you married into the Blackwood family! Now you’re so utterly broken, it’s all your own doing.” I squeezed her arm tightly. The next second, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Julian was talking to the doctor outside the room. “What did the doctor say?” he asked. The doctor told Sophia that I had a cerebral aneurysm and needed surgery as soon as possible, or my life would be in danger at any moment. But Sophia didn’t tell him the truth. She clutched Julian’s arm, looking fragile. “It’s nothing serious.” “Julian, you’re not feeling soft for her, are you?” Julian’s face hardened. “No. I just don’t want her to die so easily. That would be too good for her.” I had just reached the door and heard his words. My heart, which I thought had become numb, still ached. He noticed me and turned around. Seeing my body covered in bruises, his eyes darkened slightly. “If you’re not dead, then get your ass to the Nightshade Club for work tomorrow.” Sophia walked away triumphantly, her arm linked with his. Leo rushed into my arms, crying, “Mommy, what happened to you? I’m so scared.” “Shh, it’s okay, Mommy’s fine.” My eyes were red, and I hugged him tight. I didn’t have extra money and couldn’t stay long at the hospital. The next morning, I took Leo back to the Blackwood house, only to see our luggage already dumped at the doorstep. Mrs. Blackwood stood in front of the door, arms crossed, staring at us coldly. “You actually have the nerve to come back? Go file for divorce from Adrian right now. You’ve done such things, you’ve utterly disgraced our Blackwood family. Get out immediately!” A black sedan pulled up beside us, and the driver quickly loaded our luggage into the trunk. I looked at the scene before me, a tired smile on my face, and turned to get into the car with Leo. On the divorce papers, I left with nothing, only asking for custody of my child. So, everything went smoothly at the courthouse. From start to finish, Adrian didn’t say a single word to me. My son and I stood by the street with our luggage. Leo held my hand. “Mommy, is Daddy leaving us?” I looked at his innocent face, gently stroking his cheek. “Daddy, he…” Leo hugged me tight. “Don’t cry, Mommy. Daddy doesn’t like me anyway. I only need you.” We found a small motel to stay in. I opened a hidden compartment in my suitcase and took out a diamond necklace. It was Julian’s coming-of-age gift to me, and our token of love. I still remembered that day, he looked at me, his eyes incredibly sincere. “Chloe, my heart for you is like this diamond, it will never change.” But now, that promise was utterly worthless. Though I was all alone, for Leo’s sake, I had to survive.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298857”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic
Leave a Reply