“Liam Thorne demands one of our daughters in marriage, or he won’t stop crushing our company!” “If we refuse, the bank will foreclose on us tomorrow!” Dad looked at my sister and me with a tormented expression until I stepped forward. “I’ll do it.” “I only have one condition: the funds Liam’s family injects must be used to stabilize the company Mom left behind.” Mr. Sterling nodded eagerly: “Of course, that’s a given.” “Sister!” My younger sister, Amber Sterling, cried out and rushed to me: “Liam Thorne is crazy! He hates our family. He’ll torture you to death if you marry him!” I gently stroked her hair. Amber was only twenty, pure and beautiful. How could she be pushed into a lion’s den? “Liam and I, we practically grew up together. Maybe… he won’t be too hard on me.” Anyway, I was in the late stages of cancer and didn’t have much time left. I didn’t tell anyone about my illness, silently accepting all the wedding arrangements. On the wedding day, the luxurious ballroom was packed with guests. Standing on stage, I remembered that year, Liam Thorne clinging to a tree, calling out to me. “Lara, when we grow up, will you marry me?” The boy who used to gently call me “Lara” had grown into a handsome, cold man. Our childhood jest had come true, but at this moment, Liam Thorne walked in, arm in arm with another woman, also dressed in a wedding gown. Two brides? The entire hall erupted in chaos. Reporters’ flashlights flickered madly, capturing this absurd scene. Liam Thorne led Celeste Hayes to me and announced: “Today, the woman I’m marrying is Celeste Hayes.” “As for her, she’s just a ‘gift’ the Sterlings shamelessly shoved at me.” Countless gazes, like sharp blades, slowly carved away my dignity and pride. “Liam Thorne, don’t go too far!” I forced myself to straighten my back, maintaining the last shred of grace befitting a Sterling heiress. Liam Thorne leaned close to my ear, whispering: “I advise you to watch closely. If you dare to leave even a step, the Sterlings will be bankrupt tomorrow.” That’s when I vaguely heard a voice: 【Isn’t this too much for Lara? She looks… like she’s about to shatter.】 【No, I can’t go soft. Don’t forget how my parents died!】 Lara? That was my special nickname, a secret only Liam knew. Why would he call me by my nickname? I shook my head. The wedding was so loud, it must have been my imagination. The wedding continued. I stood dazedly in a corner, watching Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes exchange vows and rings. “Look at that Sterling girl, how pathetic and humiliating!” “Serves her right! Her mother ruined the Thornes back then.” “The Sterlings are shameless, shamelessly offering their daughter, but Mr. Thorne doesn’t even want her!” “She really brought this on herself, showing up in a wedding dress. Who gave her the nerve?” I forced a smile, enduring the mocking and gloating stares of the guests. My family sat in a corner, faces ashen, but daring not to speak. After the wedding, Dad rushed to me, scolding me relentlessly. “Why didn’t you tell me Liam Thorne would do this? You made us lose face in front of everyone!” “Father, I only just found out myself,” I whispered. “Useless!” Dad threw off my hand and walked away. A sharp pain shot through my chest, and I coughed, a patch of bright red blood blooming on my handkerchief. “Liam Thorne, does this kind of revenge make you happy?” That year, the Thorne family suffered a tragedy. All evidence pointed to my recently deceased mother stealing business secrets, leading to their bankruptcy. Liam’s father, unable to bear the blow, jumped to his death. His mother, fleeing creditors, was hit by a car and died. From then on, our two families became bitter enemies, and Liam Thorne vanished completely from my world. When I heard Liam Thorne’s name again, he was an influential business magnate, returning with a heart full of hatred. I forced a smile, uglier than a cry: “Liam Thorne, as for the truth of what happened that year, I no longer have the strength to pursue it. Let me use this last bit of time to repay what my mother owed you.” 2. I watched Liam Thorne’s retreating back, swallowing the blood that had risen to my throat: “But I’ll be gone soon, and then you’ll get what you want.” Perhaps, this was the only way I could atone. Even though I wasn’t the bride at that wedding, the agreement was signed; I had to move into the Thorne mansion. The butler led me to a small room. “Mr. Thorne said Miss Hayes will reside in the master bedroom. You will stay in the servant’s quarters.” Mr. Hemmings said coldly: “You are just a servant. Do not imagine you’ll receive any special privileges.” I looked at the cramped room, containing only a single bed and an old desk. I knew Liam Thorne was doing this on purpose. He wanted me to remember at all times. In the Thorne mansion, I was nothing more than a lowly servant, perhaps even less. That night, I coughed up blood incessantly, curled up on the small bed, writhing in pain and drenched in cold sweat. The medication’s effects were fading. I knew I wouldn’t last much longer. Life at the Thorne mansion was harder than I’d imagined. On the first day, Mr. Hemmings woke me at 5 AM to clean. When Liam Thorne woke up, he saw me: “Go prepare breakfast.” “Ah, why would Miss Sterling cook?” Celeste Hayes affectionately hooked her arm through Liam Thorne’s: “We have servants.” Liam Thorne snorted: “If she doesn’t, who will? The Sterlings sent her here precisely to serve.” “I understand.” I clenched my fists and nodded. When the breakfast was served, Celeste Hayes took a bite and immediately frowned: “It’s so salty! Liam, I can’t eat this.” Liam Thorne glared at me: “On purpose?” “No, I—” Before I could finish, Liam Thorne grabbed the plate and smashed it on the floor. The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly grating. Egg yolk splattered on my clothes and feet, but I merely bent down silently to clean it up. “You can’t even make breakfast. What good are you?” Liam Thorne sneered: “Don’t eat today. Kneel here and reflect.” I stubbornly retorted: “Why should I?” “Why should you?” Liam Thorne moved closer to me, his icy gaze piercing my heart. “Because I can destroy the Sterlings at any moment.” 【I shouldn’t have agreed to let Lara marry me…】 The strange voice echoed again. I suppressed my confusion, gritted my teeth, and knelt. Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes deliberately walked past me before leaving. He held Celeste’s hand, not sparing me a single glance. I knelt from seven in the morning until noon, five agonizing hours. My knees were long numb, but not as much as the ache in my heart. Liam Thorne and Celeste Hayes returned, seeing me still kneeling there. Liam Thorne walked past me: “You really stayed kneeling all this time? Such a stubborn fool.” 【How can she be so stupid… she doesn’t even know how to slack off?】 【Is this really the time to be so stubborn?】 “Get up. Go prepare lunch.” I struggled to my feet, my knees aching intensely, almost causing me to fall. Leaning on the wall, I shuffled step by step toward the kitchen. I noticed that whenever Liam Thorne was close to me, strange voices would appear in my ears. Could they be his thoughts? As soon as I sat down for the meal, Liam Thorne suddenly spoke: “You’re a servant. Go to the servant’s table over there.” I bit my lip, stood up, and walked to the servant’s table. A moment later, Liam Thorne called me over, pointing to Celeste Hayes’s leftover food: “It’s a waste to throw it out. You eat it.” Celeste Hayes covered her mouth and chuckled: “Liam, wouldn’t that be inappropriate? How can Sister eat my leftovers?” Liam Thorne pulled me closer, a flicker of agitation in his eyes: “Your mother’s debt, you must pay. Understand what happens if you defy me.” 【Her mother’s actions… they have nothing to do with her…】 【No, Liam Thorne, don’t forget your parents… they were innocent too—】 I heard Liam Thorne’s internal struggle. Under everyone’s mocking gaze, I silently picked up the forks and swallowed the food. 3. The next day, Liam Thorne announced a family dinner, inviting business partners. “You’ll be responsible for cooking and serving,” he commanded coldly. I spent the entire day in a frantic rush, preparing dishes. When the guests arrived, I was forced to wear a maid’s uniform and serve. I moved among the guests, carrying wine glasses, my smile a frozen mask. “Isn’t that the Sterling heiress? Why is she serving?” Someone whispered. “I heard Mr. Thorne only loves Miss Hayes. She’s shamelessly clinging to the Thorne mansion, so this is his way of punishing her.” While Liam Thorne was away, Celeste Hayes deliberately spilled hot soup on me: “Oops, I’m so sorry, my hand slipped.” The scalding soup reddened my arm. I endured the pain and smiled: “It’s okay, I’ll go change.” Back in my room, I took off my soaked uniform. Blisters were already forming on my arm. In the mirror, my face was pale, my lips bitten until they bled from suppressing coughs. “Watching them being affectionate? Heh, I’ll just consider it a show. After all, I don’t have much time left.” I said to my reflection, mocking myself. At this moment, I didn’t know someone had left a burn ointment outside my door. But a moment later, someone took the ointment away. On the third day, Liam Thorne ordered me to clean the swimming pool. The early autumn weather was already cool, and the pool water was bone-chilling. I squatted by the pool, scrubbing, when someone suddenly pushed me into the water from behind. “I’m sorry, I accidentally bumped into you.” Celeste Hayes stood by the pool, feigning apology. I was soaked through, the icy water filling my lungs, triggering a violent cough. A few mouthfuls of blood mixed into the pool water. Fortunately, the surface was disturbed, so no one noticed. When I crawled out of the pool, shivering, Liam Thorne arrived. “It’s not clean here.” Celeste Hayes pointed to a barely visible spot. Liam Thorne pursed his lips and ordered: “Do it again.” On the fourth day, I woke up dizzy. I knew falling into the water yesterday had given me a cold. “Compared to cancer, what’s a cold?” I forced myself to get up, folded the blood-stained handkerchief, and hid it in a secret compartment. In the mirror, I was paler than yesterday, the dark circles under my eyes particularly prominent. I took out foundation, meticulously covering up my illness. “I can’t let him know I’m dying, otherwise this revenge game won’t be fun.” I thought to myself, mocking. For some reason, I didn’t want Liam Thorne to know about my condition. Perhaps I didn’t want to give him an ounce of pity. “Just get through today, and then tomorrow…” I whispered, cheering myself on. Today, I was ordered to prune the roses in the garden. No tools were provided, so I had to remove the thorns with my bare hands. My hands were soon covered in scratches. That evening, at the dinner table, Liam Thorne pointed to my hands and said to Celeste Hayes: “Look, these bloodstains are just like a rose.” Celeste Hayes giggled: “Liam, you’re so funny.” On the fifth day, Liam Thorne ordered me to tidy the study. A pink teddy bear fell out of a box. I picked it up and saw “To Lara, from Liam” written on the tag. Only the “Lara” part was smeared with black ink, but I could still make it out if I looked closely. I subconsciously asked: “Liam, was this something you made for me when we were kids?” Liam Thorne frowned: “No, I didn’t.” I walked closer and handed him the toy. Liam Thorne’s expression was complex when he saw the inscription, but he quickly regained his cold demeanor. “No.” 【I made this myself back then. I wanted to give it to you as a birthday present, but when I came home, all I saw was my dad’s corpse!】 【Why, Lara, why did your mother do that? What did my parents do wrong?】 Hearing these words, my heart suddenly throbbed, and tears streamed down my face. Liam Thorne frowned, snatched the toy, threw it into the trash can, and quickly left. I knelt by the trash can, clutching my chest, my heart in agony. I’m sorry, Liam… I got up and continued tidying, then saw a stack of photos. 4. Among them was a photo of Liam Thorne and me when we were children. They were smiling so happily, carefree back then— I secretly tucked one photo into my chest. “Out.” Liam Thorne’s icy voice echoed from the doorway. “Get out now!” I hurriedly left the study. Liam Thorne’s face was grim: “Why did you steal Celeste’s jewelry?” I looked up in shock: “I didn’t!” “Search her room.” Liam Thorne instructed Mr. Hemmings. Mr. Hemmings quickly retrieved a diamond necklace from my room. I recognized it as one Celeste Hayes had worn. “I really didn’t take it!” I urgently waved my hands in defense. Liam Thorne sneered: “The stolen goods are in your room, and you’re still denying it?” 【Lara wouldn’t steal. Celeste’s trick is too childish. Forget it, I’ll punish her 10 times, then let her go!】 Hearing that, my defiant movements ceased. I let Liam Thorne drag me to the center of the living room and force me to my knees. Liam Thorne ordered all the servants to come and watch me kneel. He wanted everyone to see my identity as a “thief.” Celeste Hayes stood by, her eyes gleaming with triumph. This time, once everyone dispersed, I got up. I returned to my room, my bruised knees still aching. “Ten times, Liam Thorne. I don’t know if I can make it.” I whispered to the moonlight: “I hope that after I die, you can let go of the hatred in your heart.” Just then, Liam Thorne walked to my door. He vaguely heard “let go… of hatred.” He stood motionless outside my door for half an hour, but in the end, he didn’t have the courage to enter. He could only place the healing ointment by the door and leave. No one noticed… After he left, Celeste Hayes, who had been hiding in the corner, emerged. She slowly picked up the medicine from the floor, her eyes filled with resentment as she stared at the door. She unwillingly raised a hand to touch her face. Liam Thorne, I went through so many procedures, and only then did you truly look at me. You won’t leave me! Celeste Hayes enjoyed cultivating a precious, delicate flower that required meticulous daily care. Liam Thorne ordered me to be responsible for its upkeep. The flower was so fragile; it would wither with the slightest neglect. I went several nights without proper sleep, tending to the flower, my mind dazed. I even accidentally knocked off a petal. Celeste Hayes immediately burst into tears, complaining to Liam Thorne: “Is Miss Sterling upset that I took her place, and she’s taking it out on my flower?” Liam Thorne, without a word, grabbed my throat. He pressed me firmly against the wall, his eyes ferocious: “You can’t even do this small task right? Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to upset Celeste?” 【Only 4 times left.】 Four times? Didn’t he say ten? Was he counting all the previous punishments? Soon, the sensation of choking set in, and I instinctively struggled. Celeste Hayes continued to fan the flames: “Liam, Sister’s gaze is so scary!” “Speaking of which, Sister looks so much like Aunt Sterling. Aunt Sterling must have been a great beauty back then, too. What a pity…” She trailed off, guiding Liam Thorne’s thoughts back to those painful memories. “Liam, I heard that Aunt Sterling used some rather unscrupulous methods to get the Thorne family’s secrets back then… Is that true?” Liam Thorne already harbored a deep hatred for my mother. Celeste Hayes’s seemingly innocent, yet malicious provocations, were undoubtedly adding fuel to the fire. Not until my face turned purple and I was on the verge of fainting did Liam Thorne suddenly release me: “That face of yours, it’s just like your venomous mother’s. It makes me sick!” 【No! Can’t go soft! Four more times, four more times…】 5. I collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, my throat tasting of rust. Liam Thorne looked at me coldly: “Remember your place. You’re just a tool the Sterlings sent to atone. You’re not even worth a single strand of Celeste’s hair!” I was punished again, forced to kneel in the courtyard to reflect on my so-called “misdeeds.” The cold wind cut through my thin nightgown, making me shiver uncontrollably and cough incessantly. Celeste Hayes, wrapped in a warm blanket and holding a hot cocoa, stood on the second-floor balcony, looking down at my pathetic state. “Liam, Sister isn’t well. Don’t let her catch a cold,” she feigned concern. “She won’t die,” Liam Thorne’s voice was colder than the winter wind. Every word he spoke was like a knife, slowly carving at my already fragile heart. I coughed harder and harder, droplets of crimson falling onto the cold flagstones, which I hurriedly wiped away with my sleeve. I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on. For me, waking up each day was an ordeal. That day, Celeste Hayes, feigning virtue, suggested to Liam Thorne: “Liam, it’s your parents’ anniversary in a few days. Why don’t we go to church to pray for them? I hear it’s very effective there.” Liam Thorne’s longing for his parents was his soft spot. He nodded upon hearing this: “Okay, you make the arrangements.” The church was in the city center, and many people came to pray every day. Celeste Hayes suddenly said: “I heard that kneeling while praying shows more piety and moves God more.” Liam Thorne’s gaze also fell on me. My heart sank sharply. It was summer, and the sun was scorching. Even standing for a few minutes was enough to make one dizzy, let alone kneeling on the hard stone. Especially in my current sickly state. Seeing that Liam Thorne remained silent, Celeste Hayes remembered the times he had sent me medicine. “Sister,” Celeste Hayes said, disregarding everything: “To pray for the Thorne family, the one who truly needs to atone is you. Go kneel and pray, to atone for the evil deeds your mother committed back then.” I looked at Liam Thorne, meeting his complex, unreadable gaze. His not stopping Celeste Hayes meant he tacitly agreed. I calmly replied, “Okay, I’ll go.” I looked up at the scorching sun, bent my knees, kowtowed heavily, then rose, took a step, knelt again, kowtowed… The stone steps were rough and cold. Soon, my knees were abraded, and blood seeped out, staining my pants. I mechanically repeated the actions, my mind flashing with my mother’s gentle smile, with little Liam Thorne calling me “Lara,” and with Liam Thorne’s cold eyes and merciless humiliation. The pain made me numb, but also clearer. Mom, if there really was a mistake back then, let your daughter repay it for you… Liam Thorne, is this punishment enough to extinguish the hatred in your heart? I gritted my teeth, supporting my shaky body with sheer willpower. Bloodstains snaked across the flagstones, a shocking sight. I don’t know how long it had been, but when the prayers ended, I had collapsed at the church entrance. At that moment, I was disoriented, with only a faint breath. Liam Thorne looked at me, lying in a pool of blood. His heart suddenly constricted, and an unprecedented panic gripped him. He instinctively wanted to step forward but was held back by Celeste Hayes. “Liam, Sister is just tired. Let’s get someone to take her back to rest quickly,” Celeste Hayes’s voice sounded at just the right moment, covering Liam Thorne’s momentary loss of composure. Liam Thorne stiffly nodded, averting his gaze, but the bloodstains were etched into his eyes like a brand, refusing to fade. 6. I lay unconscious in the maid’s room for two days, my knee wounds inflamed and festering, and a high fever persisted. In my delirium, I vaguely heard Liam Thorne’s voice. 【Lara, you’ll hate me too, won’t you?】 A high fever left me even weaker. Just as I felt myself giving up, a call from an overseas doctor gave me hope. “Miss Sterling, this is Dr. Schmidt.” “We’ve had a breakthrough in our previous attempts. Although the risk is high, there’s a thirty percent chance we can control the disease, and even extend your life.” Thirty percent… This number, for someone already condemned to death, was nothing short of a miracle. But then, the treatment cost the doctor quoted was like a bucket of cold water, instantly sobering me up— The initial treatment alone would require at least two million. Two million… I was penniless. How could I possibly come up with that much money? But I wanted to live. I hung up the phone, a glimmer of hope ignited within me, and I secretly returned to the Sterling mansion. Pushing open the familiar door, I saw Dad pacing anxiously in the living room. My stepmother, Margot Sterling, and my sister, Amber Sterling, sat nearby, the atmosphere heavy. “Dad, why haven’t the subsequent funds from the Thornes arrived yet? If this continues, the company really won’t last!” Amber Sterling complained, her eyes catching sight of me. Her face instantly changed: “Dad, Sister’s back!” Dad saw me, and the annoyance in his eyes instantly turned into undisguised disgust: “Did you upset Liam Thorne?” Margot Sterling also feigned concern: “Elara, I’m not criticizing you, but since you’re married into their family, you should be sensible. Mr. Thorne is our family’s only hope now.” Hope? My heart sank little by little. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but the bitterness in my throat choked me. I suppressed the metallic taste in my throat and spoke with difficulty: “Dad, I came back to ask the family for some money… for medical treatment.” “Medical treatment? What treatment?” Amber Sterling’s voice was sharp: “Sister, our family is almost bankrupt now. Where would we get money for your treatment?” “Besides, you’re married into the Thorne family. You’re their person. If you need money, you should ask Liam Thorne!” “Exactly!” Mr. Sterling impatiently waved his hand. “You can’t even get that little bit of money? Useless! Go quickly and butter him up. Make him give us the funds, otherwise, if the Sterlings are finished, you won’t have it easy either!” Margot Sterling chimed in: “Elara, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, but the family is truly struggling. You should go back to the Thorne mansion quickly and think about how to make Mr. Thorne happy.” Butter him up? I looked at these so-called relatives, feeling only absurdity and sorrow. “I…” I still wanted to say something, but Amber Sterling impatiently pushed me. “No money! Not a cent!” The servant, having received a signal, immediately stepped forward to “escort” me out. I never imagined that one day I wouldn’t even be allowed into my own home, becoming an outsider. How could this be? Dad and my sister weren’t like this to me before. Yes, it must be because the family is in such dire straits! Unwilling to give up, I lingered outside the door for a long time. When the servant walked away, I quietly turned back, hoping to try again. But outside the door, I overheard a conversation that utterly crushed me. “Hmph, if she wasn’t still somewhat useful, I would have thrown her out ages ago! A money pit!” Mr. Sterling snorted coldly. “The only reason I was ever good to her was because she held the 10% of Sterling Group shares her mother left her.” “Now it’s fine. To meet Liam Thorne’s conditions, the shares have already been transferred to the Thorne family!” I shuddered. Without the shares, I was a worthless “money pit”? “What about the subsequent funds, then? Liam Thorne’s side…” “What’s the rush?” Mr. Sterling’s voice turned sinister. “I’ve already figured out a way. Find an opportunity to give her some drugs and get her pregnant with Liam Thorne’s child.” “As long as she has a Thorne heir, why would Liam Thorne not care about our family?” 7. Amber Sterling exclaimed, overjoyed: “Dad! You’re so smart!” “Ultimately, Liam Thorne hates our family so much because of her mother. This way, we can use her child to control him!” Then the three of them discussed many other things, the content of which sent chills down my spine, plunging me into an icy abyss. Amber Sterling’s age… had been altered. Dad had already been having an affair with Margot, his mistress, even before Mom passed away! It turned out that the meager fatherly love I had felt since childhood was merely built upon those shares. Without the shares, I became a pawn to be sacrificed at will. I was even to be used to conceive an unwanted child, purely for profit. It was truly difficult for these three to keep up the act for so long. What a Sterling family! I leaned against the cold wall, smiling silently, but tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. “I was blind to even think of saving you before I died.” I wiped away my tears. I had to save myself. Back at the Thorne mansion, I opened the jewelry box my mother had left me. Inside were my last mementos, and my only hope. A pair of lustrous pearl earrings, a jade necklace of excellent quality, and several delicate gold ornaments. Each piece carried my mother’s love and my warm childhood memories. “Mom… I’m sorry.” I carefully put away the jewelry. The next day, I went to the largest jewelry store in the city. After appraisal, these valuable jewels only fetched one million three thousand. I was still nearly half a million short of two million. But at least, there was half a chance. However, as I left the jewelry store, Celeste Hayes spotted me. Celeste Hayes immediately exaggeratedly told Liam Thorne. “Liam, I just saw Sister coming out of the biggest jewelry store. It seems… she sold a lot of jewelry.” Celeste Hayes feigned worry: “She’s at the Thorne mansion every day, why would she be short on money? Unless…” “Unless what?” Liam Thorne’s gaze turned cold. Celeste Hayes guessed: “Unless… she’s planning to take the money and run?” “Run?” The pressure around Liam Thorne instantly dropped. “She wouldn’t dare!” Liam Thorne picked up the phone and gave cold instructions. “Check my recent bank account activity and freeze all accounts under her name!” Just as I was about to get the doctor’s account number and transfer money at the bank counter, “Miss, I’m sorry, your account has been temporarily frozen due to suspected abnormal transactions.” Abnormal transactions? All I did was sell my mother’s keepsakes for life-saving money! Who froze my account? Could it be Liam Thorne?! Only he had the power and the motive. I walked out of the bank, utterly dejected. The sunlight was dazzling, yet the world felt utterly gray. Despair, like a tide, engulfed me. Heaven didn’t want me to live. Everyone wanted me dead. Liam Thorne’s bodyguards quickly found me and took me back to the mansion. Liam Thorne was already impatient: “You won’t get away!” I said weakly: “I… I just needed some money…” Celeste Hayes interrupted me: “Miss Sterling stole antiques from the Thorne mansion, sold them, and tried to run off with the money, didn’t she?” I saw Celeste Hayes’s resentful expression and instantly knew she was stirring up trouble: “I didn’t steal! I really…” “Slap—!” A resounding slap landed hard on my face, cutting me off. The man’s force was so great that I stumbled back into a nearby bookshelf, blood seeping from my forehead. Liam Thorne rushed over, grabbing my chin, his eyes sinister: “I found out you bought an overseas plane ticket. You Sterlings, every single one of you is a liar!” 【Only 1 time left. Why are you running away?!】 Liam Thorne stared at the blood on my forehead, stunned: 【How could I hit her? Lara, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!】 【I’ll let you go—】 8. My head rang, ears buzzing with a sharp ringing. I couldn’t hear anything. I only saw Liam Thorne’s lips moving, his face etched with undisguised disgust and fury. “Liam Thorne, are you going to extinguish my last hope, too?” I stared desperately at this utterly unfamiliar man. The last bit of strength to explain and the last glimmer of hope for survival extinguished with that slap. I said nothing more, merely looked at Liam Thorne with an almost dead gaze, then stumbled to my feet. As I turned, I didn’t see a silent tear falling down Liam Thorne’s face. That night, my body felt feverish, my consciousness hazy. I ran out to find water, bumping into Liam Thorne, who had also been drugged. I was like a leaf floating on a tumultuous sea. Powerless, I could only endure collision after collision. Physical pain and the drug’s hallucinatory effects intertwined, making it impossible to distinguish reality from illusion. Vaguely, I seemed to hear a muffled… “Lara”? Was it a hallucination? How could he still call me “Lara”? A chaotic and painful night. As dawn approached, the drug’s effects gradually receded, and consciousness slowly returned. I looked at Liam Thorne, sleeping beside me. His exquisitely handsome face, at this moment, was devoid of its usual coldness and disgust. My heart trembled, filled with humiliation, pain. And a flicker of emotion hidden deep within, one I dared not admit even to myself… intertwined. He hated me so much; I couldn’t let him know! I quietly crept out of bed, enduring the tearing pain in my body. I picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and fled the room in a state of disarray. As I ran out, I bumped right into Celeste Hayes. “Why are you coming out of Liam’s room?” She had only gone back to her family’s house for one night, and I had already climbed into his bed? Celeste Hayes entered the room and indeed smelled an ambiguous scent. Liam Thorne would never willingly touch me! Thinking of this possibility, Celeste Hayes quickly took off her clothes and climbed into Liam Thorne’s bed, pretending she had spent the night with him. The next day, Liam Thorne had intended to let me leave. But— In his memory, he vaguely recalled that the woman last night was very slender, while Celeste Hayes had a slightly fuller figure. Was it Lara last night? Liam Thorne hesitated and began to pay attention to me. He accidentally discovered a small medicine bottle I had hidden, labeled “Powerful Pain Reliever.” “Pain reliever?” A hint of doubt began to sprout in his heart. Celeste Hayes happened to come looking for Liam Thorne: “The Sterlings have been trying to steal our South City project recently! They’re also shamelessly flaunting you as their son-in-law and me as Mrs. Thorne to swindle and deceive! It’s absolutely shameless!” The Sterlings’ greed and shamelessness once again ignited Liam Thorne’s fury. That fleeting hint of doubt and worry that had just surfaced was instantly replaced by anger and disgust. In the following days, Liam Thorne was busy with business, coming home early and leaving late, shaking off the bothersome Sterlings. Late one night, he saw me sitting alone by the window, taking out my sketchbook and pencil, quietly drawing something. Moonlight fell on my slender profile, outlining a fragile beauty. This unintentional glimpse made Liam Thorne uncontrollably recall his childhood. The little girl who used to follow behind him, softly calling out “Liam.” The little girl who would be happy all day because of a wooden pear carving he gave her. The little girl with bright, sparkling eyes and a smile as warm as sunshine. The “Lara” in his memories and this silent, pale, hollow-eyed woman in front of him completely diverged. What had he done? Ten years of childhood friendship, they had spent most of their lives together… Their youthful feelings were pure, always believing they could overcome all difficulties. Now, they had become enemies. 9. Liam Thorne stood in the cold night, gazing up at his little moonlight, watching for an entire night. Liam Thorne no longer tormented me, and Celeste Hayes’s alarm bells began to ring. She notified the Hayes family to secretly cause trouble. A flurry of “problems” in the company tied Liam Thorne up, preventing him from coming home for several days. Celeste Hayes had me kidnapped and taken to a private hospital. She planned to use drugs to fake my serious illness, making me “pass away.” But to her surprise, the doctor, during a preliminary examination, discovered I was pregnant. Celeste Hayes immediately ordered the doctor to abort my pregnancy. “Liam Thorne, I chased you for two years, and you wouldn’t even look at me!” “Only after I made myself look like her, would you cooperate.” “You treated me like that back then! Now don’t blame me for harming the woman you love! Haha!” Cold surgical instruments, while I was unconscious. Mercilessly stripped away the tiny life unborn in my womb. My already weak body suffered a massive hemorrhage due to the surgery. The doctor frantically told Celeste Hayes: “The patient has lost too much blood. We just found out she has late-stage cancer, organ failure…” “If I had known she wouldn’t live to give birth, I wouldn’t have bothered.” Celeste Hayes’s face twisted into a grotesque, gleeful smile. Perhaps it was a sense of destiny, or a strong will to survive. I briefly awoke from a deep coma, weakly opening my eyes. Seeing Celeste Hayes, a flicker of alarm crossed my eyes. Celeste Hayes smiled cruelly: “I originally wanted you to live a few more days, but I didn’t expect you to be so useless.” I looked at her, my lips moving, but no sound came out. “Oh, Miss Sterling, why didn’t you mention you had a terminal illness earlier? So strong, truly.” Celeste Hayes’s smile grew even wider: “Too bad that bastard in your belly has already been taken care of. He’ll never know you once carried his child!” Child? I was pregnant? No, my baby… was gone? A massive wave of grief and fury instantly gripped me! I stared wide-eyed, fixed on Celeste Hayes. I wanted to scream, to question, but could only produce gasping, wheezing sounds. “So angry? So desperate?” Celeste Hayes savored my pain, continuing: “Don’t rush, there’s something even more exciting.” “Did you know? The Thorne family’s downfall back then wasn’t caused by your mother at all! It was the Hayes family, along with your dear father, who orchestrated it!” “Amber Sterling’s mother had already been having an affair with your father, and when your mother discovered their illicit relationship, they struck first!” “All of this was our plan! To swallow up the Thorne family…” “Liam Thorne dares to treat me as your stand-in? Soon, all the wealth will be mine! I’ll make him kneel and beg me!” Celeste Hayes laughed gleefully: “Miss Sterling, I’m letting you die with peace of mind, aren’t I?” The truth… This was the truth?! My mother’s wrongful accusation, the Thorne family’s tragedy… it was all a complete conspiracy! *Thud—* A mouthful of blood suddenly gushed from my mouth, splattering the pristine white sheets. Celeste Hayes watched me spit blood, her smile growing even more triumphant: “Oh, Sister, why are you so agitated? It seems this truth satisfies you, doesn’t it?” “Take this secret with you, and rest in peace! I’ll take your place and ‘take good care’ of your Liam!” I glared at Celeste Hayes. I wanted to grab this malicious woman, expose her true colors, tell Liam Thorne the truth… But I no longer had the strength. Immense anger, unwillingness, sorrow, and a hint of… release?
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