### I was kissing my brother-in-law, Liam Sterling, on the bathroom counter when Mrs. Sterling called, saying she wanted to set me up with a husband. “Ivy, Owen has been gone for so many years now, and you’re still so young. You really should find a good man and remarry. Mom knows you’re a good girl, but you can’t ruin your future waiting.” On the other end of the line, Mrs. Sterling earnestly urged me to remarry, to stop staying a widow for a husband who’d been dead for years. Liam lightly kissed my neck, and several times I almost cried out, unable to control myself. Afraid Mrs. Sterling would notice something off, I quickly mumbled an “Mhm,” and hastily hung up the phone. Liam gripped my waist, leaned down, and bit my ear, his voice teasing. “My mom is setting you up with *that* CEO this time? Not planning to go meet him?” I played along. “Sure, I’ll go meet him in a bit.” “You wouldn’t dare!” The man behind me spoke possessively. “Ivy, you belong only to me.” I knew how possessive he was, so I laughed, feigning sadness. “I’m already thirty. I’ve been a widow, living at the Sterling family home for years. Now not only are your parents pressuring me to get married, but even my own parents are pushing me. And you keep dragging your feet, refusing to make us public. If I don’t go on blind dates, should I just wait to grow old alone?” Liam’s movements faltered. He hugged me tighter, kissing my shoulder, and said softly, “How could I ever let you grow old alone? Just wait a little longer. I’ll personally tell my parents about us, and I’ll plan a proper proposal for you.” Hearing his words, I felt much more at ease, and nodded. After several intimate moments, Liam finally seemed satisfied a good while later. Once we’d cleaned up, he mentioned he was meeting friends in the next VIP room. He kissed me, then left. I straightened my clothes and prepared to leave, but just as I was about to go, I saw his phone on the bathroom sink. Without a second thought, I picked it up to take it to him. As I neared the VIP room, I heard laughter coming from inside. “Liam, our sister-in-law’s screams just now were so intoxicating, they made our bones melt!” “Seriously, Ivy usually looks so graceful and elegant. Who would’ve thought she’d be so wildly different when she’s intimate? Liam, you’re a lucky man. But didn’t you say you’d just play with her for a bit and then dump her? After all, you only got together with her to get back at her because you blamed her for your brother’s death.” Revenge? I froze. Liam and I… he wasn’t with me because he *liked* me? It was for *revenge*? “Liam and Owen used to be so close back then. If Ivy hadn’t married in and, well, *caused* Owen’s death, Liam wouldn’t have been so heartbroken.” “Exactly! So, Liam, when are you going to break up with Ivy? We heard your childhood sweetheart, Daisy, is back in the country. You spent so much effort going abroad to be with her all these years. Now that she’s back, it’s time for you two to finally make things official.” “Break up?” Liam’s nonchalant voice sounded. After a long pause, he said, “Once I’m bored, I’ll break up, naturally.” Listening to the voices from the VIP room, I felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over me, chilling me to the bone. My chest tightened, I felt dizzy, and I almost collapsed. “Miss, are you alright?” A waiter came forward, concerned. I shook my head, handed Liam’s phone to him, and asked him to take it inside, telling him not to mention I’d been there. I stumbled away, hastily leaving. It was March, and I stood outside the club, the cold wind howling. Tears streamed down my face, uncontrollable. Liam and I were brother and sister-in-law. When I was twenty, I married his older brother, Owen, in an arranged family marriage. But less than two years later, Owen passed away due to illness. Because I was so young at the time, and my parents had moved abroad, I stayed at the Sterling family home after my husband’s death. Liam had been studying abroad and only returned four years ago. We hadn’t met many times before then; we weren’t close. We became familiar four years ago at a party a friend hosted. I accidentally drank a spiked drink. Someone tried to take me to a hotel, and something awful almost happened. He happened to be passing by, beat up the creepy guy, and took me to the hospital. Later, to thank him, we became closer. Then, another time, I was followed home, and he appeared out of nowhere, giving me an immense sense of security. He took me back to the Sterling home. Over time, we grew closer. Plus, my parents-in-law loved to travel and were often away, sometimes asking him to look after me. Before long, we became a couple. I don’t remember who made the first move, but for four years, we were perfectly in sync, physically and emotionally. Every time we were intimate, he told me he couldn’t live without me, that he loved me fiercely. I truly believed that as soon as he told his parents about us, we would naturally get married and settle down. But I never imagined that I was just a twisted experiment for him to see if I truly brought bad luck or was “cursed,” a temporary comfort when he was lonely, a toy he’d discard once he got bored. The person he cared about, from beginning to end, was never me. I somehow made it home, curled up on the bed, tightly wrapped in my duvet, but nothing could warm my icy body. After an unknown amount of time, Mrs. Sterling knocked and came in. Seeing me lying in bed, she said, “Ivy, what have you decided about the blind date?” Touching the crystal bracelet Liam had personally strung for me on my wrist, I took a deep breath. “Yes, Mom, please arrange it for me.” Mrs. Sterling smiled upon hearing this. “Alright, then I’ll ask my friends to send me the profiles of suitable young men. You can carefully pick through them then.” Mrs. Sterling was happy and didn’t notice anything amiss with me. She excitedly went to call her friends. I got up and went to the bathroom, washing away the tears on my face. Looking at my haggard reflection in the mirror, I took a deep breath. Since Liam’s childhood sweetheart was back. It was time for me to plan my own future. If I was in a dead end, it was time to turn around. ###
That night, I was forcibly woken by a powerful suffocating sensation, waking in a daze. I felt lips gently biting mine. After a while, I realized there was a person on top of me. Suddenly awake, I instinctively pushed him away, crying out in alarm, “Liam Sterling!” “Shh, too loud and you’ll wake Mom and Dad next door. Be a good girl, Ivy,” the man’s low, hoarse voice whispered, alluring and provocative. My heart tightened for a moment. I quickly pressed down on his wandering hand. “Don’t…” “What’s wrong? I kept you satisfied all day, and now you don’t care about me at night?” The man’s breath was hot, subtly laced with displeasure. Normally, I wouldn’t resist, but now… Forcing down my emotions, I shifted my body, lowered my gaze, and lied. “My period started before bed, so we can’t.” The man on top of me clearly frowned, but after a moment, he lay beside me, holding me tightly. He gently rubbed my lower abdomen. “Does it hurt, Ivy?” Before, hearing him call me “Ivy” felt like a private endearment, but now the name felt grating. Closing my eyes, I mumbled a response, pretending to be overcome with sleep and already asleep. My phone vibrated beside me. Almost instantly, Liam picked it up and went out to the balcony. Although his voice was very low, the bedroom was silent, and his slightly panicked voice was still clearly audible. “Daisy, don’t be scared, I’ll be right there, wait for me…” A few seconds later, as the bedroom door opened and closed, complete silence returned to the room. I opened my eyes, staring at the crystal chandelier hanging above, my heart involuntarily clenching. Daisy, the childhood sweetheart Liam’s friends talked about, she was back in the country. I didn’t sleep well that night. Half-asleep, half-awake, I developed a high fever. By morning, cold sweat had almost soaked the bed. When Liam returned, he saw me delirious with fever and hurriedly rushed me to the hospital. When I groggily woke up and found my surroundings unfamiliar, I vaguely asked him, “Where am I?” His face was filled with concern. “Did the fever mess with your head? We’re at the hospital. You’re a grown woman, why didn’t you say anything when you got sick?” As he spoke, he reached out and felt my forehead. Seeing my temperature had dropped a bit, he sighed slightly in relief. He stood up and said, “The IV is almost done. I’ll go call the nurse to change it for you. Just lie still, alright?” With that, he stood and left. I looked at the almost empty IV drip bag in front of me, somewhat dazed. Could such urgent, genuine concern really be faked? “Miss, you have blood flowing back. Do you need me to call a nurse?” Someone next to me pulled me out of my thoughts. I then realized the IV was almost finished, and a good portion of blood had flowed back into the tubing. Seeing no sign of Liam, I could only get up, holding the IV pole, and dizzily went to find a nurse. Seeing the blood almost filling the bag, the nurse’s face went pale. “What’s wrong with your family member? I told them to keep an eye on it! How could they…” I didn’t hear the rest of the nurse’s words. I just stared blankly at Liam not far away, whose face was filled with tender concern as he embraced a young girl. “Liam, it doesn’t hurt, I just accidentally cut myself while peeling fruit,” the young girl’s voice was soft and delicate, her face beaming with happiness. “Don’t touch sharp objects again,” Liam frowned and pursed his lips, his voice possessive as he rushed her to register, get checked, and pick up medicine. The nurse, seeing me watching the two of them, changed my IV bag while grumbling, “Young girls nowadays are so delicate. That cut would’ve almost healed if she came any later. It’s different when someone truly cares, isn’t it?” I lowered my gaze, looking at my swollen, purplish hand from the blood flashback, and couldn’t help but want to laugh. Yes, it certainly was different. Back in the infusion room, the nurse was afraid I might get drowsy from the medication and have another flashback. She asked, “Where’s your family member? Or a friend or relative to watch you? Otherwise, another blood flashback could be very dangerous.” I lowered my eyes and said calmly, “I can manage on my own.” The nurse paused, about to speak. Liam rushed in. “Ivy, is the IV done?” Seeing him, the nurse frowned. “Are you the patient’s family member? Don’t run off like that. The patient almost had a dangerous blood flashback earlier.” Perhaps seeing my bruised and swollen hand, Liam quickly took my hand, his face etched with concern. “I’m so sorry. Something came up, and I completely forgot for a moment. The second I remembered you, I rushed over.” I pursed my lips, didn’t mention what I’d just seen, just hummed in response, and said nothing more. The nurse gave her instructions and left. But a few minutes later, a soft voice sounded from the doorway. “Liam.” It was Daisy. Seeing her, Liam quickly stood up and went to meet her. “Why aren’t you resting in your room?” Daisy smiled faintly. “The doctor said I’m fine, no need to stay overnight. I’m heading back now.” “I’ll take you,” he said, almost without hesitation. Daisy paused, her gaze turning to me. “And who is this?” “My sister-in-law. She’s getting an IV here. I just came to check on her. Come on, I’ll take you home.” With that, he grabbed his jacket, looked at me, paused for a few seconds, then said, “I’ll come back for you in a bit.” I watched them leave, not saying a single word the entire time. My chest felt constricted, making it hard to breathe. I had my IV for three hours at the hospital. When it was finished, Liam never came back. I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. Dragging my weak, groggy body back to the Sterling home, I finally couldn’t hold on any longer and fell asleep. It took me several days at home to recover. During those days, Liam never returned. Mrs. Sterling asked me several times, wondering why he hadn’t been home for so many days straight. I just stayed silent, not saying anything, remembering how anxious and concerned Liam had looked with Daisy at the hospital. I couldn’t help but find it ironic. After fussing about him, Mrs. Sterling pulled me aside. “After you agreed to the blind date last time, Mom already set things up. I’ll invite him to come over to the house for a chat later, so you two can get to know each other?” Since I had already agreed, I nodded and accepted. That afternoon, he arrived. ###
I froze when I saw who it was, my breath catching for a moment. Julian Sterling. Liam Sterling’s uncle, the man who controlled half the economic lifelines of the city. I had been married into the Sterling family for years, and I’d heard countless stories about his legendary achievements, but his whereabouts were always mysterious. I’d only briefly seen him once at my wedding with Owen. How could a man who stood at the absolute pinnacle of society come on a blind date with me? Looking at his flawless face, even though he didn’t say a word and simply sat there, his noble and aloof aura exuded an intense sense of pressure. I walked forward, involuntarily speaking with deference. “Uncle Julian.” In truth, Julian was only in his early thirties, not much older than me. By age, I should probably call him “Brother.” Hearing me call him, Julian looked up, his thin lips parting. “Sit.” His voice was beautiful—deep, cool, rich, and magnetic, carrying a pleasantly tingling penetrative power. I was genuinely curious how Mrs. Sterling had thought to set me up with him for a blind date. Julian was as much a man of few words as the rumors claimed, but thankfully, he wasn’t as cold as I’d imagined. Being with him wasn’t as difficult as I’d thought; in fact, there was a strange sense of ease. My tightly strung nerves relaxed considerably because of this comfort. I smiled and said, “The first time I saw you, Uncle Julian, I actually thought you were already married.” After I spoke, Julian didn’t say anything for a long time. I looked up and saw his gaze fixed on my hand. Curious, I was about to ask when I suddenly heard him ask: “What happened to your hand?” My hand? I paused for a moment. Realizing he was asking about the still-fading purple bruise on the back of my hand, I smiled. “I was sick earlier and had a blood flashback from an IV. It’ll be fine after a while.” Julian glanced at me, his thin lips pressed together, lost in thought. I was about to change the subject when a voice came from the doorway. “What are you two chatting about? Sister-in-law is laughing so happily?” The smile on my face froze. I turned and unexpectedly met Liam Sterling’s narrowed dark eyes. He was smiling, but it somehow sent a chill down my spine. “Liam, you’re back! Come quickly and say hello to your Uncle Julian, you naughty boy.” Mrs. Sterling, who had disappeared somewhere, emerged when she heard the commotion. Seeing Julian, Liam paused, then dutifully stepped forward to greet him. “Uncle Julian.” Julian didn’t look at him, simply giving a faint hum. Liam raised an eyebrow and brazenly sat down next to me, picking up his phone and starting to play on it. With another person suddenly sitting down, the atmosphere in the living room became strangely awkward. Julian and I didn’t know what to talk about for a moment. In the midst of the awkwardness, Liam looked at me, his voice strangely demanding. “Sister-in-law, I want some fruit. Can you wash some for me?” Seeing his dark expression and cold gaze. After a few seconds of hesitation, I nodded and got up to go to the kitchen. As soon as I took the fruit out of the refrigerator, I was suddenly grabbed from behind, my waist embraced, followed by an overwhelming, suffocating kiss. In a panic, I forcefully pushed away Liam, who had a dark look on his face, and frowned. “There’s a guest outside, what are you doing?” Liam raised an eyebrow, leaned down to hook my chin, his large hand caressing my waist, and said in a husky voice, “Wouldn’t it be even more exciting if he heard? Or have you fallen for him?” I froze, realizing what he was trying to do. I instinctively wanted to push him away, but then Liam’s phone rang in his pocket. I seized the opportunity to break free from him, grabbed the fruit, and hurried out of the kitchen. But after a few steps, I remembered the fruit wasn’t washed, so I had to turn back to clean it. “You better have something important to say, interrupting my good time,” Liam’s voice came from inside as he answered the phone. He had put it on speaker and was washing his hands. On the other end were clearly his friends, who started teasing. “Good time? Bro, in broad daylight, you’re not getting intimate outdoors with our sister-in-law, are you?” Before Liam could speak, another voice guessed, “Outdoors? Liam’s done that before. I bet they’re in the kitchen, and there’s definitely someone else outside. Didn’t Liam say he’s been wanting to see our sister-in-law’s submissive yet alluring silence for ages?” “Enough with the nonsense. You’ve ruined everything. Get to the point,” it was Liam’s voice. … Just a door separated us. Listening to the voices inside, I clutched the fruit platter, biting my lip hard, my heart tearing into a million pieces. Outdoors. Yes, under Liam’s persistent coaxing, we had done that before. But how could he talk about such things with his friends? And the kitchen… Disgust, anger, heartache – all emotions swirling, almost suffocating me there and then. Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. My heart could still be saved. ###
When I came out of the kitchen, Julian Sterling had already left, leaving behind only a sleek, black business card. Seeing me looking down at the card, Mrs. Sterling asked, “So, how was it? Are you satisfied?” I said hoarsely, “Mom, you should ask Uncle Julian that, not me.” For a golden boy like Julian Sterling to come on a blind date with me, he was likely doing it out of respect for Mrs. Sterling. Leaving a business card was probably his way of not being too direct, avoiding awkwardness for both of us. Liam finished his call and came out. Hearing my words, his face darkened as he looked at Mrs. Sterling. “Mom, if Ivy is going to marry, she should at least have a lot of options to choose from. I’m taking her to a party tonight so she can meet more guys and compare.” Perhaps seeing Julian’s ambivalent attitude, Mrs. Sterling thought Liam’s idea made sense. She didn’t say anything more and agreed. Liam took me out. Liam’s “party” was a camping trip with a group of rich kids deep in the mountains. When he and I arrived, the tents and BBQ grills were already set up. Everyone was sitting around drinking, and when they saw us, they all turned to look. But the excited chatter died down a bit as a few people noticed me. I also froze for a moment when I saw a beautiful, striking girl in the crowd. Daisy, Liam’s childhood sweetheart who had just returned to the country. Unlike me, Daisy looked fresh and innocent, exuding a delicate, pure, almost ethereal aura. Perhaps he saw her too. Liam quickly let go of my hand and walked towards the group. Seeing this, I pursed my lips, let out a silent, soft laugh, and slowly followed. After we sat down, everyone started playing games. After a few rounds of drinks, someone, clearly drunk, started egging Liam on. “Liam, you’re always looking for thrills, aren’t you? There’s a grave in the woods behind us. Do you have the guts to check it out?” Liam casually took a sip of his drink, his gaze landing on me. He smirked. “Why wouldn’t I? But my date is a bit timid. Wouldn’t want to scare her.” Everyone started to tease. Someone joked, “Oh, look at that, he’s worried about our sister-in-law. Liam really knows how to be considerate.” “Of course! Our sister-in-law might be wild, but Liam is caring. He wouldn’t want to hurt her…” They kept calling me “sister-in-law,” their tone teasing and frivolous. I clenched my hands, my chest tightening with a suffocating ache. I looked at Liam. His gaze was on Daisy’s slender form. A few seconds later, he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. He covered Daisy’s ears and smiled. “Those dirty words, they’ll just pollute your ears. Don’t listen.” Their actions were so overtly intimate that everyone suddenly looked at them. Someone, slurring from too much alcohol, blurted out, “Liam, Daisy lived abroad for so many years, and I hear things are pretty open over there. I wonder if she…” *Crash!* The man didn’t finish his sentence. Liam suddenly picked up a bottle from the table and smashed it into him. Then came Liam’s chilling warning, “She’s not someone you can talk about so casually.” The “she,” of course, referred to Daisy. No one had expected Liam to lose his temper so violently over a casual remark about Daisy. Suddenly, the atmosphere became dead silent. Everyone’s faces were pale, their drunkenness mostly gone. Daisy pursed her lips, her face pale, and stood up, saying, “I’m a bit sleepy. I’m going back to my tent to sleep.” With that, she left. Liam shot a dark look at the man who had spoken out of turn, then stood up and followed her. Once they both left, everyone exchanged glances for a moment, then suddenly started talking. “Liam is really protective of Daisy, isn’t he? He didn’t even say anything bad, why such a strong reaction?” “Exactly! He was fine when they were talking about our sister-in-law just now. Why can’t they talk about Daisy?” “Idiots! Daisy is the apple of Liam’s eye. He wouldn’t even dare lay a hand on her himself. How could she be the same? He’s only with our sister-in-law to gain experience, fearing he might be too rough with Daisy when he eventually marries her. Otherwise, why do you think Liam has been faking such deep love for our sister-in-law all these years?” “Alright, stop comparing Daisy and Ivy. They’re not the same.” It was Liam’s voice. Not the same! Biting my lip hard, my chest felt heavy and suffocated. I wanted to laugh, but no laughter would come. Ha, people truly are different. Liam wouldn’t dare lay a hand on Daisy, so he could trample and disregard me in every possible way? Heh, these four years, I really was stupid and oblivious. As night deepened, I sat for a long time, only belatedly realizing that everyone else had gone into their tents. I was the only one left, with nowhere to go. Liam and I arrived late, so I didn’t know how the tents were allocated. It was March or April, and the nights were still quite cold, especially late at night; the chill was biting. I went to look for Liam’s tent. As I approached, I heard voices from inside. “Liam, are you and Ivy really dating?” The soft voice was clearly Daisy’s. For a moment, I stopped short of entering the tent. “Don’t listen to their nonsense. She’s my sister-in-law. My parents just asked me to look after her. There’s nothing going on.” Liam’s voice was incredibly gentle, his tone even hinting at a soft coaxing. It was a tone I had never heard before. I lowered my head, suddenly feeling ridiculous. It seemed there was no tent for me tonight. Turning around, I walked towards the parking area. The mountain at night was silent, even eerie. As I neared the car, I tightened my clothes and quickened my pace. But I hadn’t walked many steps when a sudden, inexplicable force pushed me from behind. I panicked, my foot slipped, and I lost my balance, falling directly down the hillside. After a bout of dizziness, it took me a while to regain my senses. The surroundings were pitch black, and I seemed to be surrounded by thorny bushes. I tried to move slightly, but the pain made me gasp. It seemed I had injured my leg. “Help…” I called out in the direction I had tumbled from, but after several shouts, there was no response. Thinking everyone must be asleep, I could only try to drag myself upwards. However, after a short while, I saw someone approaching in the distance with a flashlight. “Liam, is that you?” My heart leaped with joy, and some of my fear dissipated. I struggled to move towards the approaching figure. But the next second, as I clearly saw who it was, I froze. The two men holding flashlights were neither Liam nor his friends. They were strangers. ###
“Holy cow, in the middle of the night, there’s actually a woman here, and a real beauty at that! Bro, we’re in luck tonight.” The man holding the flashlight spoke, his sticky gaze fixed on me. The other man was already somewhat impatient and walked straight towards me. “What are you talking about? Let’s go! We’ve been patrolling these mountains daily, checking power lines, and haven’t seen a single female. This one’s just handed to us, why wouldn’t we take it?” Listening to their strange words, a chill ran through me. Most likely, I had run into some power line workers from the mountain. But these two had ill intentions. Instinctively, I wanted to run, but after my fall, I couldn’t even take a step, nor did I have a chance to speak. My mouth was covered. The two men dragged me to a nearby cave. To prevent me from making any noise, they completely gagged me. Then, like hungry wolves, they began to tear at my clothes, while excitedly muttering obscenities and threatening me to cooperate. Otherwise, they said, they would kill me and abandon my body in the cave, assuring me that no one would ever find me in this place. I didn’t want to die. I kicked and struggled with all my might, but they were like madmen. After tearing off my clothes, they pinned me to the ground. The moment my skin was exposed to the cold air, my stomach churned with nausea, and I felt utterly desperate. Listening to their sneering laughs and panting breaths, an endless wave of unwillingness surged within me. Just as I was about to struggle free from the two beasts and bash my head against the wall to end it all, A violent, bloodthirsty voice roared, “What are you doing?!” Then, through my blurry vision, I saw Liam, who had found me. His face was dark and terrifying, his eyes blood-red. He rushed forward, grabbed the man on top of me, and slammed his fist into him. The other man, seeing an outsider, grabbed a tool and swung it at Liam. Liam dodged, then his fists fell. Neither man was a match for him. His eyes blazing, he beat both men to the ground, almost to death, his punches lethal. I cowered in the corner, trembling all over. When Liam looked at me, before he could even get close, I couldn’t hold on any longer. My vision went black, and I passed out. I woke up again in a hospital bed. Mrs. Sterling was by my side. Seeing me awake, she called the doctor to check on me. I learned from the doctor that I had only fainted from fright and was fine now. I asked Mrs. Sterling to handle the discharge papers, ready to leave. Mrs. Sterling mentioned that Liam had hurt his hand helping me beat up those two animals and was getting his wounds treated in the surgical department. Thinking about Liam in the cave, almost like a madman, fiercely attacking those two men. My heart was a mix of emotions. After a moment of hesitation, I still got out of bed and went to the surgical department to see Liam. Outside the department, just as I was about to push the door open, I heard the voices of Liam’s friends. “Liam, those two workers were just caught up in the moment. Weren’t you a bit too harsh, trying to kill them?” “Yeah, and besides, you personally pushed our sister-in-law down the hill, planning to leave her to freeze and get scared overnight so she’d become even more dependent on you and wouldn’t agree to any more blind dates arranged by your parents. Later, even if you broke up with her, she’d still be grateful and available whenever you called. Even though those two workers messing up your plan, they actually helped you stage an even better hero rescue. It’s a win-win.” “Exactly! The effect is way better than Liam’s original plan. Our sister-in-law saw you appear out of nowhere to save her with her own eyes. From now on, she’ll give you her life if you ask, let alone those ‘thrilling things’ you want to try, Liam.” I froze outside the door, my hands and feet turning instantly cold. At first, I thought that moment I was pushed, falling down the hill, was just my imagination. It turned out Liam had pushed me. My nails dug into my palms, but the conversation inside continued. “But those two men deserved it. Good thing Liam reminded us to protect Daisy at the campsite. If Daisy had accidentally run into those two, forget about them treating her like they did our sister-in-law – Liam would have torn them to shreds just for looking at her.” “Nonsense, can our sister-in-law and Daisy be compared? Putting everything else aside, Liam wouldn’t even dare push Daisy. He’s treasured Daisy like a baby all these years. He was only risking the bad luck he believed I brought, using me to gain experience, fearing he might be too rough with Daisy when he eventually marries her. Otherwise, what do you think Liam has been faking such deep love for our sister-in-law all these years?” “Alright, stop comparing Daisy and Ivy. They’re not the same.” It was Liam’s voice. Not the same! Biting my lip hard, my chest felt choked, I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. Ha, from beginning to end, it was all a scam. Four years of “loving me fiercely” was an act. The so-called “hero rescue” was a deliberate plot. Taking a few steps back, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. I turned and walked away. ###
After being discharged, Mrs. Sterling and I went straight back to the Sterling home. Over the next few days, Liam was very attentive to me. In his words, it was because he hadn’t protected me, which was why I got hurt. His hand was badly injured, and Mrs. Sterling urged him to rest, but he stubbornly insisted on personally looking after me. Making porridge, washing fruit – he was practically meticulous. Even his friends, seeing this, privately wondered if he had truly fallen in love with me. But I felt no joy at all, only a sense of bitter irony. Having no interest in his performance, I took the opportunity while he was out to tell Mrs. Sterling I wanted to move out of the Sterling home. Mrs. Sterling didn’t object. After all, I had been a widow living in the Sterling home for many years, and now that I was getting married, it would be more convenient to live on my own. She only asked me to wait until after her birthday banquet to move. “After the banquet, I’ll have Liam help you move,” Mrs. Sterling said. As her words fell, a low voice came from the entryway. “Move what?” It was Liam. His brows were tightly knit, and his face looked grim. I froze for a moment, then quickly interjected, “We bought some furniture for the house, Mom wants you to find time to move it.” He stared fixedly at me with his dark eyes for a few seconds before humming in acknowledgment and going to his room. I didn’t let Mrs. Sterling tell him about my plan to move. After all, as a widowed sister-in-law, my affairs were none of his business. Seeing that I didn’t want Liam involved, Mrs. Sterling agreed. … For Mrs. Sterling’s birthday banquet, the Sterling family invited many guests. I followed Mrs. Sterling, greeting guests, and because I was poised and graceful, I received many compliments from guests, who told Mrs. Sterling she had a good daughter-in-law. As Mrs. Sterling also praised me along with everyone else, I inadvertently caught a glimpse of Daisy staring directly at me from a distance. Our eyes met, and she immediately put on a sweet smile for me, then turned to chat with the man next to her. I paid no mind. After greeting the guests, I turned to go to the restroom. After a few steps, I unexpectedly bumped into someone, and a large splash of red wine from their hand drenched my expensive gown. Just as I was about to react, I heard an apology. It was Daisy. She was a guest, after all, so I didn’t say much and headed back to my room to change my dress. I was in a hurry and didn’t notice someone following me. As soon as I opened the door, I was suddenly shoved. I stumbled into the room, and the man from earlier, the one Daisy had been chatting with, followed me in. My face went cold. “What do you think you’re doing?” The man raised an eyebrow, revealing a lewd smile. “Daisy said you’re a widow, desperate for a man, and asked me to ‘comfort’ you so you wouldn’t keep eyeing her man.” I frowned. Daisy! Her man, he meant Liam Sterling? After saying this, the man took a few steps towards me, lunging directly at me, intending to forcefully assault me. The fear from the cave hadn’t even fully faded, and now I saw this man tearing at my clothes again. Instinctive fear and anger filled me with intense hatred. My hand brushed against a flowerpot in the corner. Without thinking, I smashed it directly against the back of the man’s head. *Thud!* The man’s face contorted in pain, then he slumped motionless on top of me. I violently pushed him away, scrambled off the floor, and tried to call for help, but the door was pushed open. It was Daisy. Seeing the man on the floor, her eyes widened as she looked at me. “Ivy Sterling, you dared to hurt him?” After being subjected to multiple schemes, even the most timid person would bite when pushed too far, and I was certainly not timid. Remembering what the man had just said. I didn’t hesitate for a second. I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. “Daisy, I not only dare to hurt people, I dare to kill them.” Having been slapped, Daisy’s eyes glinted with malice, completely shedding her fragile, innocent facade. She sneered, “Ivy, it seems one man was too little for you. A slut like you deserves ten or eight to satisfy you, to be ridden by thousands, day and night…” Listening to the vulgar words coming from her mouth, my eyes went red with rage. I grabbed her by the hair and dragged her into the room, raising my hand to slap her face again. But my hand was stopped before the slap could land. Red-eyed with anger, I turned my head and unexpectedly met Liam Sterling’s grim face. Seeing that the person she seemed to be waiting for had arrived, Daisy’s malicious expression instantly transformed into one of pitiful distress. She threw herself into Liam’s arms, tears streaming down her face. “Liam, save me! I just accidentally saw Ivy getting intimate with a man, and she slapped me out of nowhere, even said she wanted to kill me. I’m so scared…” Liam looked at the whimpering girl in his arms, his face terribly dark. His black eyes swept towards me. “Ivy, are you that desperate? Caught messing around with a random man, you show no remorse and even try to hurt someone? You’ve completely disgraced the Sterling name.” I was so angry I couldn’t breathe, my whole body trembling. “Liam Sterling, you didn’t even ask, you just immediately believed everything she said? *Me* messing around? Look at the man lying there – does he look like someone I’d be messing around with? I hit her because that man…” “Enough! Still trying to argue? I knew you were this cheap. In the cave, I shouldn’t have saved you, shouldn’t have interrupted your little fun.” Liam’s words struck me like lightning. All the explanations I wanted to give were stuck in my throat, unable to come out for a long time. Seeing my face turn ashen, he glanced at me, then frowned. “If you apologize to Daisy for this, we can just let it go.” Apologize? Clutching my aching chest, I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. Looking at him, I spoke each word distinctly. “In-your-dreams!” Seeing my defiance, Liam still wanted to force me to apologize, but Daisy, noticing the man on the floor showing signs of waking up, was afraid of being exposed. With tears still glistening on her face, she pulled Liam. “Liam, don’t argue with Ivy. It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have seen what I shouldn’t have. I just won’t appear in front of Ivy again.” Saying this, she started to leave, but Liam lovingly pulled her back into his arms. He must have pulled something wrong, because she cried out in pain. Liam grew even more concerned, not bothering to say another word to me. He picked her up and rushed to the hospital. Watching them leave, I forced down the pain in my chest, then glanced at the man on the floor who was starting to stir. Without much hesitation, I immediately called the police. The moment the call went through, my phone was suddenly snatched away. The man had woken up, glaring at me, his face menacing. “You damn bitch, still daring to call the cops? You’re asking to die!” “Help!” I gasped, breaking out in a cold sweat, screaming as I ran. But I hadn’t run far before my mouth was suddenly covered again. The man dragged me back to the bedroom balcony.
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