That year, my stepbrother Liam Hayes, took eighteen knife wounds to protect me from a group of thugs who were bullying me. It felt like the purest love. When I was twenty-three, my father wanted to marry me off to a wealthy, elderly businessman for the sake of our family’s business. Liam got one of his legs broken and knelt in the rain for a day and a night, all to make my father change his mind. On the wedding day, he dragged his injured leg and whisked me away, right from the ceremony. Five years after Liam and I secretly got together, I gave birth to a pair of stillborn twins. But when I, still weak, went to find Liam, I overheard a conversation between him and his friend. “Liam, your method really worked. Ever since we used those two kids as foundation stakes, our project has been running so smoothly.” “You’re one cold son of a bitch, you know that? Those were *your* kids. How could you just… give them up? Didn’t Harper throw a fit when she found out?” Liam scoffed, downing the rest of his red wine in one gulp. “If her mother hadn’t destroyed my parents’ marriage, my mom wouldn’t have died.” “A lowlife like her, giving birth to lowlife offspring, that’s all the use they ever had.” “Once I marry Chloe this time, she won’t be in my life anymore.” I stood by the door of the recovery room, feeling utterly frozen. So, what I thought was five years of true love, the heroic protection he once offered… It was all just Liam Hayes’ elaborate plan for revenge.
“You’re really something, aren’t you? Still obsessed with Chloe Walsh since middle school.” “It’s just tough for your stepsister, Harper Gray. You slept with her for years, and now two of her kids are dead. Your family sure has a knack for ‘true love’.” Liam looked displeased by Jax Carter’s words, his voice deep as he retorted, “I’ve told you countless times, that piece of trash brought by a homewrecker isn’t my sister. Don’t call us family.” “She *wanted* to sleep with me, that’s not ‘true love’. She’s probably just like her gold-digger mom, hoping to leech off my father and me. But I’m not my dad. They won’t fool me.” Jax was silent for a couple of seconds before replying, “This time, to be honest, we messed up. She carried those babies for nine arduous months, only for us to trick her and sacrifice them. Even *I*, heartless as I am, had nightmares for two nights.” Liam scoffed. “Nightmares? For what? I *had* to marry Chloe. If Harper’s two children weren’t dealt with, were we supposed to let them live and be an eyesore for Chloe?” Liam’s voice, still so magnetic, resonated in my ears. But now, every single word felt like a knife twisting in my heart. Sacrifice. It wasn’t an uncommon term in the construction industry. Rumors claimed that when a project stalled, some heartless bosses would grab a pair of children. They’d mix them alive into concrete and pour them into the foundations. The children’s vengeful spirits would become guardian spirits, ensuring the project’s smooth completion. But in our modern, lawful society, this method was only ever whispered about; no one had actually dared to do it. And yet, today, I had witnessed a living sacrifice. Liam Hayes had taken the twins I birthed and killed them! My babies weren’t stillborn at all; they were alive! The scene from my delivery day was still vivid. I’d been in labor for almost twenty agonizing hours. Eventually, I collapsed from exhaustion, and the midwives had to use forceps to pull the babies out. The nurses told me it was a severe and complicated labor, and when the babies were born, their little faces were a dusky blue-purple. That’s why, when Liam told me both children hadn’t made it, I was heartbroken but didn’t doubt him. But I never imagined those two children were born alive! It was Liam. He took our babies and sent them to the Hayes construction site for sacrifice! Why… why would he do this? A fierce, dull pain erupted in my chest, and the undeniable ache in my lower abdomen grew more pronounced. I looked down to see my shorts soaked red with blood, slowly trickling down my legs. I suddenly remembered the first time Liam coaxed me into bed; I’d also bled a lot that day. But that day, he had called me by my pet name so gently, promising he’d protect me and stay with me forever. He said when I grew up, we’d tell our families. He said he’d marry me, and we’d build our own little home together. But five years passed, I waited from eighteen to twenty-eight, only to find he had personally killed our children! He even claimed he’d loved Chloe Walsh for over a decade, and I was just a hindrance to their happy marriage. How laughable. I placed the purple plushie I was holding on the ground, turned, and walked away. Three days ago. Liam said he wanted that purple plushie, so despite my weak body after the miscarriage, I dragged myself through a full forty-two-kilometer marathon. I was so foolish before. I always felt the Hayes family had sheltered my mother and me, giving us a stable life during our hardest times. That gratitude and dependence on the Hayes family had taken root deep within me. But now I had personally heard Liam speak with such contempt and disdain, calling my mother a gold-digging homewrecker. He spoke of how my mother and I had schemingly tried to trick his family out of their fortune. I finally realized that all promises and reliance were hollow. Trying to buy love with endless sacrifice was utterly laughable. I pulled out my phone and pre-booked my visa application. Now that I knew I was in the way, why wait for someone to kick me out? I would leave on my own terms.
The moment I reached the door of my hospital room, I collapsed, unable to stand. The nurses at the reception desk panicked, scrambling to lift me onto a gurney and rushing me to the emergency room. Half-awake, half-dreaming, I felt my soul floating in the air. In a haze, I saw myself at thirteen, joining the Hayes family with my mother. The clothes my mother and I wore combined couldn’t buy Liam’s little bowtie. Liam’s mother had passed away years ago from an illness. To make up for the motherly love Liam had missed, my mother cared for and accompanied him with utmost dedication. Longevity noodles on his birthday, reward gifts after exams, a lucky charm she personally sought out for his special days… Liam’s attitude toward my mother and me had always been polite. He would respectfully call my mother “Eleanor,” and he’d stand up for me when anyone bullied me at school. I once believed Liam, like his father, Mr. Hayes, was one of the kindest and best people in the world. But I never imagined his heart harbored so much resentment. So much hatred that he wished we would disappear from his world forever. But Liam, if you hated me so much, why did you actively pursue me? What did I do wrong to make you go to such great lengths to get revenge on me? Dreaming of the past in my unconscious state, two lines of tears involuntarily streamed down my face. A large hand gently touched my cheek, wiping away my tears. I opened my eyes and saw Liam’s face by my bedside! He was dressed in a black trench coat, staring at me with an unreadable, profound gaze. Standing beside Liam was an elegant and dignified woman. In her hand, she held the purple plushie I had run forty kilometers to get. This must be Chloe Walsh, the heiress Liam had pursued since middle school. As I stared blankly at the perfectly matched pair, the doctor standing on the other side of the room adjusted his glasses and spoke: “Harper, I’m so sorry. Because you participated in extreme sports before your postpartum body had fully recovered, you experienced severe hemorrhage. We couldn’t save your uterus…” “…What does that mean? It means I can never have children again?” I was stunned, my already pale face turning ashen. Liam suddenly gripped my cold hand, his voice filled with an unspeakable sorrow. “Harper, don’t be too sad. It’s okay even if you can’t have children. I’ll take care of you, sis.” Chloe Walsh also spoke gently, “That’s right, sister. Don’t worry. Even though your biological father was a gambling addict, and your birth mother was a gold-digging homewrecker, and now you’ve been messing around and ruined your uterus, so it’ll probably be hard for any man to want to marry you…” “But it’s okay. Regardless, you’re Liam’s sister by name. Even if you never find anyone, we’ll naturally take care of you for life.” My gaze involuntarily followed Chloe’s hand protectively placed on her abdomen, noticing her slightly bulging belly: “Ms. Walsh… you’re not here just to see me, are you?” Chloe smiled sweetly, linking her arm through Liam’s, and nodded, “I’m pregnant with Liam’s baby. Just over three weeks along. He insisted on coming to the hospital with me for a check-up, saying I’m precious and he’s worried about me and the baby.” “Speaking of which, it’s a good thing Liam and I had already set the wedding date. Otherwise, this baby would have really messed up our plans.”
Chloe smiled faintly, pulling a wedding invitation from her bag and handing it to me. “But now, this baby is just perfect! We’ll have the wedding, then the baby, and then our family of three can be together forever and ever.” “Liam’s mother left him very early, and he never really felt the warmth of a family. But now, the baby and I will give him a warm home!” With that, Chloe flashed a pure, innocent smile, looking warmly at Liam. Every sweet word she spoke was like a living blade, seemingly crafted to wound me. Yet, Chloe’s smile was so sweet and warm, as if her hurtful words were merely accidental. As if her true intention was only to comfort me, this “poor woman with a bad background and a lost uterus.” I opened the invitation to see Liam Hayes and Chloe Walsh’s wedding date, set for next month. The date written on the invitation was the very day I “gave birth to stillborns.” No wonder. No wonder Liam said he would never let those two children hinder his marriage to Chloe Walsh. No wonder he could so unhesitatingly kill my children with his own hands. It turned out Chloe Walsh’s child came at just the right time, while my children were destined to be obstacles. I couldn’t help but let out a cynical laugh: “Oh, the wedding is next month? So you’re pregnant before marriage? Will you be wearing a wedding dress with a baby bump then?” “Tsk, tsk. I really didn’t expect a ‘precious’ woman like Ms. Walsh to do something like get pregnant before marriage. I thought people from your background had very strict upbringings. Guess you’re not so different from us uncultured low-class people, after all.” Chloe’s face instantly darkened. Before she could speak, Liam, frowning, reprimanded me: “Harper! How dare you speak to Chloe like that? She’s genuinely trying to be kind to you, and you’re so ungrateful! Apologize to Chloe.” I ignored him, closing my eyes and pretending to sleep. Never, in all my life, had I been so assertive with Liam. This clearly enraged him. Liam grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to sit up in the hospital bed. His large hand clamped my jaw, making me look directly at Chloe, whose eyes were red and brimming with tears. Liam’s cold voice rang out again. “Harper, apologize.” I sneered, rolling my eyes at him. “By what authority are you ordering me? As a brother? But you clearly never considered me family, did you? Besides, why should I apologize? Because Chloe Walsh is subtly calling me low-class and unwanted?” Liam’s hand stiffened for a moment. I seized the opportunity of his moment of distraction and forcefully pushed him away, continuing: “Chloe Walsh saying I’m low-class might be true, but what’s wrong with me saying she’s pregnant before marriage? They’re both facts, why should I apologize?” This time, Liam regained his composure, his face flushed with what seemed like shame and anger, and he slapped me hard across the face. His eyes held deep disappointment. “Harper, I can’t believe you’ve become like this. If she truly wanted to humiliate you, why would she promise to take care of you for life? You and I aren’t blood relatives, and you have even less connection to Chloe. Whatever your life turns out to be, it has nothing to do with Chloe.” “Harper, I think *you’re* the truly malicious one. I’ll say it again, apologize to Chloe right now!”
A clear red five-finger mark bloomed on my already pale cheek. But compared to the excruciating pain in my heart, this physical sting was almost negligible. I said nothing, just lifted my hand and pressed the nurse’s call button by my bed. The hurried nurses escorted the unwanted people out of the room. I slid back under the covers, feeling a loneliness I’d never experienced before. “Hello, Mom.” I dialed my mother’s number. In that moment, I desperately craved a shred of warmth. My mother’s voice, seemingly cheerful, rang out from the other end: “Harper, my dear, you haven’t been home in ages. When are you coming back? I’ll make you your favorite brown sugar cake.” “Oh, right, look at my memory. Your brother called the other day and said you’re going to be a bridesmaid at his wedding, right? You must be very busy these days. Ms. Walsh seems like the type with high demands for a wedding, doesn’t she?” My throat constricted. “Liam Hayes still wants me to be a bridesmaid for his wife?” My mother, sensing the change in my tone, quickly asked: “What’s wrong? Did you and your brother argue? Harper, don’t be scared. If you’re unhappy out there, come home. We don’t have to suffer, okay?” A shuffling sound came from the other end of the phone, and then it suddenly grew quiet. Clearly, my mother had moved to a private spot. Then she began to tell me about the money she had saved over the years, saying she had actually been doing side jobs. During the day, she’d arrange flowers at a florist, and in her spare time, she’d even design floral arrangements online for people. Little by little, she had managed to save over a hundred thousand. “…So, Harper, if your relationship with your brother really isn’t good, don’t be afraid. If worst comes to worst, Mom will take you away. I can support you now, you know?” My mother’s voice was as gentle as ever. But the gentler she was, the more I recalled the grievances she had suffered in the Hayes family all these years. Because of her impoverished background and my biological father, who had accumulated huge gambling debts, my mother had always felt inferior in the Hayes family. Not only did she have to care for the disabled Mr. Hayes, but she also endured gossip and scorn from the household staff. Outwardly, everyone respectfully called her Mrs. Hayes, but in reality, even Liam, who received most of her care, looked down on her, convinced she had ulterior motives. I wiped away my tears, unable to bear burdening my mother with my problems any further. “It’s fine, Mom. I’m doing great. Liam is very good to me, and Ms. Walsh is beautiful. Today she even personally came to deliver their wedding invitation to me. Mom, don’t worry about me. Just take good care of yourself.” My mother asked a couple more questions, and only after my perfunctory urging did she reluctantly hang up. “Ding-dong—” A transfer notification popped up on my phone. “Your bank account has received $6,600. Memo: Mom’s gift for brown sugar cake.” I finally couldn’t hold back, and in the empty hospital room, I burst into tears. To keep my mother from worrying, I still attended Liam Hayes and Chloe Walsh’s wedding. Liam rented a castle, adorned with pink handmade lace and pure white satin ribbons. The floors were covered with wool carpets, and the guests’ chairs were studded with diamond crystals. Not to mention Chloe Walsh’s custom-made wedding dress, valued at over a hundred million. Everything declared Liam’s affection and importance for his beloved. And I, the bridesmaid personally chosen by Chloe Walsh, wore a rough, curtain-like slip dress. I stood by Chloe’s side like a servant, holding her bag. Every guest who came to the wedding gave me a mocking, confused look. As if asking, “How did this shabby-looking nobody get into an event like this?” The elders, at least, maintained their decorum and didn’t voice their thoughts directly. Only Jax Carter, completely tactless, dared to ask outright, “Wow, Harper Gray, you’re really shameless. Liam is getting married today, and you’re still clinging on? And dressed so ugly. Chloe Walsh is really generous to allow you to be here.” I took the envelope of cash he handed me, expressionlessly stuffing it into my handbag. His taunts went unheard. But Chloe Walsh clearly wasn’t going to let me off the hook that easily. Her beautiful face wrinkled in a frown as she stared at my leather bag, asking suspiciously: “Hmm, I remember we should have received almost ten million in wedding gifts today, and several elders gave us bank cards. But your bag only has a few red envelopes? You didn’t pocket some yourself, did you?”
Ten minutes earlier, Chloe Walsh had asked me to accompany her to the restroom. Inside the bathroom, she then used the excuse of reapplying her makeup to take the bag and hold it herself. After getting the bag back, I noticed the weight felt off. But at the time, I thought Chloe Walsh might have taken out some makeup, so the weight had changed, and I didn’t ask further. I never expected Chloe Walsh to now accuse me of theft! The wedding, naturally, was most lively where the bride and groom were. As more and more guests gathered, Liam’s expression also turned grim. He clearly didn’t believe me; he was infuriated that I, as a bridesmaid representing the Hayes family today, would do something so shameful and low. Jax Carter, who loved to watch drama unfold, immediately started to egg things on, not caring about the consequences: “Harper Gray, I can’t believe you’d steal even this much money! Like a rat’s child digs holes, what good could possibly come from a gambler’s offspring? Who knows how many things you’ve stolen from the Hayes family all these years!” Other guests chimed in with their sarcasm, “Exactly, how could she steal the wedding gifts? Doesn’t she fear karma?” “Oh, my, these people from humble backgrounds are just like that. You wouldn’t believe her mother; I heard she even sold herself to pay off a few million in gambling debts for the Hayes family. People with no self-respect, no shame, what wouldn’t they do for money?” “Besides, my cousin who works at the hospital told me Harper Gray can’t even have children anymore! Apparently, she was gang-raped, gave birth to a pair of stillborns, was completely ruined, and even had her uterus removed! She’ll probably never find a man willing to marry her, so she obviously doesn’t fear karma.” Seeing the murmurs around me growing louder, Chloe Walsh finally said with satisfaction, “Harper, dear, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but the amount is too large. If you can’t prove your innocence, I’ll have to call the police.” “You choose: do you want me to search you, or do you want to go to jail? But I must warn you, the Hayes family has had a good name for generations. Do you really want to ruin it as a stepdaughter? Don’t forget all the favors the Hayes family has done for you since you were little. Can you really just stand by and watch the Hayes family be shamed because of you?” The crowd surrounded me, every gaze fixed on my rough bridesmaid dress. The women watched for entertainment. The men, however, had leering, predatory eyes, each wishing they could undress me with their gaze. I couldn’t help but look at Liam Hayes for help, hoping he would stand up and say something for me. But in the end, what Liam said was, “Harper, someone like you doesn’t deserve the Hayes name.” Someone like me, doesn’t deserve the Hayes name? But the year I first arrived at the Hayes family home, when someone at school bullied me, calling me a bastard. It was Liam who shielded me, personally telling everyone I wasn’t some unwanted stray, but his sister. That year, his tall figure, illuminated by the sun, seemed almost sacred. He said: “Harper Gray shares the Hayes name with me. Does anyone have a problem with that?” Snapping back to reality, I was met with Liam Hayes’ face, cold as frost. Liam said, “Harper, you better explain all of this clearly.” “No need for anyone else to search. I’ll take it off myself.” Without another word, I tore off the two flimsy straps of my already-sagging slip dress. Chloe Walsh had ill intentions; the dress she’d prepared for me was not only ugly and made of terrible material but also of poor quality. I had to keep tugging at it just to maintain some semblance of modesty. Now, with a gentle tug, the entire dress slid to the floor. Revealing my underwear and safety shorts—and, the obvious, grotesque scar on my abdomen. “Is that enough?” My legs trembled uncontrollably as I looked up at Liam. “You and your wife, open your eyes and look closely. Is there anywhere on my body I could hide wedding gifts? Could I have *eaten* the money?” Liam’s expression clearly froze when he saw the scar on my abdomen; he instinctively reached to take off his suit jacket to cover me. However, his movement was stopped by Chloe Walsh, who said with a mocking tone, “You haven’t undressed completely. Who knows if you’re hiding it in your underwear? If you’re so brave, strip naked for everyone to see. Then we can really prove your innocence.” “Enough!” Liam suddenly roared. He ignored Chloe Walsh’s resistance, taking two steps in one stride. He quickly came forward, wrapping me in his large suit jacket, and whispered in my ear: “I’ll take you home.” But I pushed him away, throwing his jacket to the ground and stomping on it twice. Then I picked up the rough dress and wrapped it around my trembling body again. “Liam Hayes, I only hope to never have anything to do with you again in this life.”
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