My name is Diana Morris. My husband Nathan Wright sent me to attend the Taming Course, and two years later, I graduated as the top student. The day I came home, he was sitting side by side on the couch with his beautiful secretary, Hailey Ramirez. I obediently knelt and handed the drink to her. Nathan said, “You’ll continue living at home. Hailey is preparing for pregnancy, so take good care of her.” I nodded repeatedly. He killed my entire family, and now, it’s my turn. I sleep at midnight and wake up at four every day, kneeling to scrub the floor, studying Hailey’s tastes and pregnancy recipes, massaging her shoulders and legs, and even serving as a prop for her photos. Day by day passed, and Hailey finally showed signs of pregnancy. She said joyfully, “Am I pregnant? That’s wonderful!” Nathan suddenly turned to me, frowned, and asked, “Diana, why are you so happy too?” Of course, I’m happy. After all, I am the best graduate of the Taming Course, the most obedient and well-behaved. He didn’t just ask; he stared at me intently, doubt evident in his eyes. I said, “Mr. Wright, I’m happy for Mrs. Wright.” After speaking, I continued mopping the floor, wiping twice with a wet cloth and once with a dry one, making the marble tiles shine enough to reflect a person’s image. Nathan’s frown deepened, clearly not believing it. Hailey leaned on the sofa, a slight smile on her lips, looking increasingly relaxed. She pouted at Nathan, “I feel so awful today, it must be the baby bothering me.” Nathan walked over and held her. She nestled into his arms and said proudly, “But I’m a good mom, eating properly so the baby doesn’t lack nutrition.” Nathan glanced at me. I chimed in at the right moment, speaking sincerely. “Yeah, Mrs. Wright has really been trying hard, eating even more than usual.” Nathan’s face suddenly darkened. I ignored him and went on to prepare Hailey’s health supplements after cleaning the floor. I neatly arranged the health supplements, energy drinks, and snacks on a tray and brought it to the sofa. Hailey sat on Nathan’s lap, constantly twisting her waist. He kept kissing her cheek, but when he saw me come in, he suddenly straightened her up and created some distance. I knelt by the sofa, holding the tray up with both hands for her convenience. Hailey looked down at me and said, “Diana, get up.” Nathan pointed to the small sofa nearby and gently said, “Kneeling too long hurts your knees, have a seat for a while.” I remained motionless, my voice extremely humble. “Serving Mrs. Wright is my duty, there’s no hardship in it.” Hailey finished her health supplements with satisfaction, leaned into Nathan’s arms, and sighed, “Diana is truly a born servant. Darling, give her a bonus.” I obediently held up the energy drinks, but my mind wandered to last month when Hailey caught Nathan trying to sleep with me. She claimed it was because I mopped the floor too slippery, causing her to fall, and punished me by making me sleep in the dog cage for three days and nights. Exposed to the elements and the snarling of vicious dogs, I barely crawled out alive. That was her warning me not to compete with her for Nathan. Hailey yawned, then suddenly remembered something and instructed me to bring out all the red wine in the house. I placed over thirty bottles of red wine on the table but couldn’t understand her intention. She glanced at me sideways and teased, “Diana, how can you be so dumb? I’m pregnant and can’t drink alcohol. “These fine wines would go to waste, so you might as well drink them.” “These are top-quality; don’t waste them.” At that moment, Nathan walked out of the study, looking at us with a grim expression. I smoothly opened a bottle, smiled humbly, and drank it straight. “Mrs. Wright, you’re right, I was too foolish. Thank you for your kindness.” Nathan rushed over, grabbed the bottle, and clutched my throat. “You’re allergic to alcohol! Spit it out now!”
The swallowed liquor felt like scalding sulfuric acid, burning my throat and insides. I forced myself to endure the discomfort, took two steps back, and smiled ingratiatingly at Hailey. Nathan shook his head in disbelief. He knew I never touched a drop of alcohol. Even in social settings, I never drink. The only exception was the night I caught him having an affair with Hailey. Weeping, I smashed a bottle of whiskey on the floor. The smell of alcohol caused an allergic reaction, and I fainted. After being resuscitated, I demanded a divorce from my hospital bed. He refused, and within a month, he set a fire that killed my entire family to seize the inheritance. That very night, he brought Hailey home, and she moved in for good. I couldn’t shed a single tear; I just wanted to kill them both. But when I accidentally tore the lace on Hailey’s skirt, Nathan said I was too selfish and sent me to a Taming Course to become a docile and virtuous wife. He took the opportunity to seize my last assets and lived happily with Hailey. I opened the second bottle of red wine and gulped it down without hesitation. Hailey looked at me with satisfaction, then turned to the shocked Nathan with a slight smile, “See how well-behaved Diana is now? She doesn’t even pretend to be allergic anymore.” Nathan opened his mouth but hadn’t spoken yet when the phone rang. He frowned, answered it, and walked away. I opened the third bottle of red wine. At that moment, Hailey, smiling brightly, snatched the wine bottle and poured it over me from head to toe. I couldn’t open my eyes for a moment. Her mocking voice came to my ears, “Diana, you don’t know how to cherish things!” “A few thousand dollars’ worth of red wine, and you still despise it?” I kept my eyes closed and apologized repeatedly, “It’s all my fault. Please punish me, Mrs. Wright.” She grabbed my hair and dragged me, stumbling, into the basement storage room. This place is my bedroom, barely enough room for two people to move around. Hailey sat on the bed, and I knelt by the bedside. The next second, the whip struck me. I didn’t dare run or move, curling up and enduring the pain of each lash. The whip tore through my clothes, cutting into my flesh, and my scarred back quickly became a bloody mess again. After drinking, my skin was already red, swollen, and itchy; now it’s no longer itchy, just painful. Mixed with the stomach cramps and dizzy headache, my breathing became harder, and my heart raced. I don’t know how many lashes I took; I collapsed to the ground in a daze, too weak to lift my head, and the whipping finally stopped. Hailey said coldly, “Enough. Look at how filthy you are. Clean yourself up; you’re going out today.” After speaking, she tossed down two small white pills. Ignoring the dirt, I picked up the pills, shoved them into my mouth, and swallowed. Nathan sprayed perfume on himself, frowned, and seeing my pale face like a ghost, said with concern, “Are you okay? Even if your past allergies were fake, drinking too much is bad for your health. Don’t drink anymore.” “Just serve Hailey well, no need to do anything extra.” Before meeting me, he was a timid and insecure country boy. When he first started working in New York, clients mocked him for his strong body odor. I helped him out and privately told him that clothes shouldn’t just air dry. If he couldn’t move for now, he should buy some cheap perfume to mask the smell. Since then, he began passionately pursuing me. His favorite gift to give was perfume. As his income increased, the perfumes he gave me became more and more expensive. After we got married, he simply bought a full set of equipment and built a perfume room at home. He once said passionately, “Diana, I want to create a unique fragrance just for you.” Hailey knocked on the door impatiently, her tone anxious. “Darling, let’s go quickly!” I tried to avoid Nathan, but he grabbed me with a displeased look. “Diana, why have you changed?” Changed? The old me gave up my career to protect his dignity, returning home to be a full-time housewife. Every day, I took care of his meals and chores, ensuring he was comfortable from head to toe. Even during lovemaking, I did everything to please him, fearing he might feel even a hint of unhappiness. Now, I have changed.
Hailey swayed her hips as she walked over, took Nathan’s other hand, turned his body toward her, and said softly, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long.” Nathan paused, kissed her, and the two walked hand in hand to the car. I silently sat in the back seat, watching the scenery outside the window, gradually growing uneasy. Wait, are they going to the Morris Manor? I looked at everything in front of me in panic. Where is my home? Where are my family’s graves? In front of me was only a field of flowers, the fragrance overwhelming, with people watering and weeding. I stumbled out of the car, rushed forward, grabbed one of them, and hoarsely asked, “Where’s the original house? Where did the cemetery go?” “Isn’t this the Morris Manor? How did it turn into a flower field?” The person was startled, then loudly replied, “The house you mentioned was demolished long ago. Mr. Wright said the soil and water here are perfect for a spice base.” Not far away, Nathan stared at his toes, coughing without saying a word. Hailey smiled warmly at me and said, “Diana, don’t worry. Although your family’s cemetery was removed, their ashes are still there. They’re on that boat.” I mechanically turned my head and looked where she pointed. There sat a small boat I used to love playing with as a child. The bright yellow hull, edged with red, was already worn and dirty. A whimper escaped my throat, and I dashed out suddenly. My foot stepped on gravel, and I fell hard to the ground. My palms scraped and bled, but I felt nothing as I got up and kept running. The small boat was rotten, and as soon as I stepped on it, my foot sank into a hole. Ignoring the pain, I leaned over and searched inside. The ashes? Where are my family’s ashes? Finally, I saw a toppled urn in the corner. The gray-white powder lay quietly inside, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment. My whole body trembled violently, tears streamed down uncontrollably, and I held it tightly in my arms, shaking. Tears blurred my vision, and pain tore through my body and soul. Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma… I’m sorry, it’s all my fault! It was me who fell in love with someone I shouldn’t have, it was me who harmed you! The small boat rocked. In the distance, Nathan’s voice called out, “Diana? Diana! Answer me!” Hailey walked over first, her face full of pride and jealousy. She grabbed my hair and slapped me hard several times without mercy. “Diana, why don’t you just die?” “If you don’t die, how can I become Mrs. Wright? I’m the only one for Nathan!” I had no time to fight back, just held the urn tightly. Soon, Nathan came over as well. Hailey chuckled softly, dragged me to the stern, and gave a hard push. “Clang!” The urn hit the boat’s edge and shattered. I panicked, trying to gather the ashes. Hailey leaned down, a sinister smile curling at the corner of her lips. “Guess who Nathan will save?” Then she grabbed my shoulders and flipped us forcefully—we both fell into the water! The river water rushed into my nose and mouth. I struggled desperately, but could only watch helplessly as the gathered ashes dissolved into the water, drifting away. Heartbroken, I reached out to grab them, and then pain shot through my neck. Hailey slashed my neck with the sharp shards of the urn. Blood gushed out, quickly diluted by the water, as my body heat faded away. Before I passed out, I saw Nathan jump into the water and hold Hailey without hesitation, just like three years ago during the mall fire, when he ignored me, who was within reach, to save her trapped inside. If the firefighters hadn’t arrived in time, I would have been burned alive. I was completely drained, drifting with the river’s flow. Am I really going to die like this? Nathan helped Hailey ashore, gently comforting her, and finally noticed me. Just as he was about to get up, Hailey suddenly threw herself into his arms, weakly sobbing, “Darling, I feel so awful. Am I dying?” Tears streamed down her cheeks, making her look pitiful. Nathan immediately focused all his attention back on her, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly. “No, Hailey, I promise you’ll be fine!” “Ambulance!” he roared, carrying Hailey away. I was pushed by the river, crashing into a rotten boat, using my last bit of strength to grab its edge. In a daze, my family members reached out to pull me up. “Diana, good girl, you must survive.” Blood-red tears streamed from my eyes. “Just wait, I’ll send the culprit to hell!”
When I woke up, I found myself in the hospital. Nathan, looking haggard, said to me with joy, “Diana, you’re finally awake!” I struggled to get up and knelt on the ground. “I’m sorry, Mr. Wright, I shouldn’t have fallen into the water, I shouldn’t have made you worry. “I’ll go back right away, and I’ll take good care of Mrs. Wright.” Nathan stared at the blood seeping from me, his eyes wide open. Seeing him lean down, I immediately curled up, trembling. “Diana, how could you end up like this?” he said, his voice trembling. I didn’t answer. The room was terrifyingly quiet. Just then, Hailey called. She said coquettishly, “Darling, I feel so unwell. It must have scared the baby when I fell into the water. Ask Diana to come back and take care of me.” Hearing this, I immediately got up and changed clothes. Seeing my back covered with whip marks, Nathan’s eyes widened in disbelief. He hung up the phone, his voice trembling. “Diana, who hit you?” I put on my clothes and said obediently, “Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright is waiting for me. I have to hurry back.” His eyes were bloodshot as he tore at my clothes and roared, “Who hit you? Was it the Taming Course people? Those bastards!” I said gently, “Mr. Wright, the teachers just want to teach me the virtues of a traditional housewife to make you happy.” Nathan trembled all over, frozen in place. “But I didn’t ask them to…” Hailey called again to urge. I followed behind Nathan and left. As I passed the corner, a man in a suit exchanged glances with me. Back home, Hailey immediately threw herself into Nathan’s arms, grabbed his hand, and placed it on her lower abdomen, saying she felt uncomfortable. I turned and walked into the kitchen to start making a nutritious meal. Nathan’s gaze stayed glued to my back. Hailey immediately noticed and pulled his attention back with a softer voice. At midnight, she ordered me to kneel outside the master bedroom door and scrub the floor again. Inside the room, Hailey panted softly, “Darling, you’re amazing, a little harder. I love you so much. Do you love me the most?” Nathan, however, didn’t respond to her as he usually would. Hailey moaned even more passionately. I knew she was doing it on purpose for me to hear. After finishing the floor, I checked the health supplements bottle; it was already empty. Outside the window, a flashlight blinked three times; he was here to pick me up. I didn’t bring anything, just carried my laptop and walked out the door. Two hours later, I was on a flight heading abroad.
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