After the Earthquake, My Boyfriend Refused to Save My Mom. He Wanted to Save His Childhood Friend’s Dog Instead After the earthquake, my boyfriend Dax Fairley asked me, Talia Winslet, to help lift a concrete slab to rescue a Pomeranian. Suddenly, a stream of comments flashed before my eyes. [Talia doesn’t know yet, but her own mom is trapped under the other end of that slab. Once she lifts it, her mom will be crushed to death.] At the same time, Dax kept urging me, “Hurry up! If anything happens to Maeve’s therapy dog, don’t even think about marrying me.” [Here it comes. Talia, the love-blinded fool, is about to sacrifice her mom.] [Dax didn’t know someone was under there. Later, out of guilt, he couldn’t face the heartbroken Talia and broke off the engagement. Guess that was his way of atoning.] [Thank God we have Maeve in the end. She and Dax healed each other. I love them together.] I stared blankly at the scrolling comments. I thought I was hallucinating. The collapsed area was Dax’s house. A massive concrete slab had fallen over it, with only one edge barely able to lift. Dax was clearing rubble on the right side, his engagement ring scratched and dulled. He was shouting impatiently at me, “Why are you zoning out?! Fluffy’s been whining under there for twenty minutes. Hurry up and help!” I heard it. A faint whimper of a little dog came from under the debris. I thought, “But what about my mom?” I stumbled to the other side and pressed my ear to the ground. I thought, “God, I hope those comments weren’t true. My mom was supposed to be in the neighboring province. There’s no way she’d be here.” But then, I heard a muffled knocking sound from beneath. It was faint, but it shook me to the core. “We can’t lift it,” I said, my voice trembling. My face turned pale as I looked at Dax in despair. “My mom is under this side!” [Wait, what? How did Talia know that?] [No, Maeve’s Pomeranian is a certified therapy dog! If it dies, she’ll spiral again! Don’t do this!] I thought Dax would immediately rush over to help. Surely, between saving a person or a dog, he’d know what to do. But Maeve’s face twisted. She clutched her bleeding arm, cut by the rubble, and said with teary eyes, “Talia, I know you don’t like me, and I get that Fluffy accidentally peed on your wedding dress… but that doesn’t mean you should make up such a lame excuse just to deliberately kill him, should you?” My chest tightened. I was so angry and panicked. I could hardly breathe. Maeve was Dax’s childhood friend and neighbor, a real manipulative piece of work. Last time, when Dax and I went to pick up my custom wedding dress, she saw it and clung to Dax’s arm, whining, “I wanna try it on too. Dax, can I? Just one photo?” My face immediately went cold. But she acted like she didn’t see it, pouting, “You used to say you’d marry me, remember? I just want to wear a matching dress for one photo. Just to fulfill a little dream.” Dax chuckled awkwardly and turned to me for permission. I bit my tongue and calmly said it was a custom dress. If Maeve wore it, it could get stretched or ruined. Maeve froze, then turned and ran off, eyes red. The next day, she came over with Fluffy. And, of course, the dog peed right on my pure white gown. Dax remembered that incident. So now, he assumed I was still holding a grudge that I was deliberately trying to stop him from saving the dog. He lowered his voice and said, irritated, “How can you be this cruel? Are you really throwing a tantrum at a time like this?” My head pounded. I couldn’t help but grab his wrist, trying to drag him toward the other side. “I’m not messing with you, okay? I don’t care what happened between you two. I just want to save my mom!” But before I could even take steps, he yanked his arm away and twisted mine so hard it felt like my bones would snap. “Talia, are you done throwing your little fit?” He grabbed my jaw and forced me to look at Maeve. “You know she has depression, right? And now you’re picking a fight? You want her to lose Fluffy, too?” Maeve stared at me like she wanted to say something, then bit her lip and said, “If this is about your anger, I promise, once Fluffy’s safe, I’ll stay far away from both you and Dax.” Then, she couldn’t hold back anymore and started crying, “Fluffy didn’t do anything wrong. Please, don’t hurt him too.” [Maeve, don’t cry! Stupid Talia, just save the dog and let your mom die already.] [She’s had that dog for five years. It’s the only thing that helps her cope with depression. And it got trapped trying to save her. I’d pick the dog too.] My mind was spinning. I thought, “What were they even saying? That’s my mom!” My voice cracked, choked with panic and fear. “Please… I’m begging you. Just believe me for once, okay?” I fell to my knees, nearly groveling, tears mixing with dust on my face. “Dax, my dad is gone. My mom raised me all by herself. I can’t lose her too!” My dad was a soldier. When I was little, he’d lift me up high and spin me around like I could fly. Later, during a flood, he lifted up so many others until he was too tired to swim and got swept away. My mom almost cried herself blind. If it wasn’t for me, she would have killed herself for my dad. She raised me alone, giving me double the love. She always said all she wanted was for me to grow up happy and healthy. I thought, “If something happened to her now, how could I possibly go on?” Dax grabbed me by the collar and yanked me to my feet. His eyes were filled with confusion. “So what, now you’re competing with Maeve over who’s suffered more?” My mind went blank. “What?” He suddenly pulled out his phone and showed me a folder of photos of Maeve growing up over the years. His voice dropped. “I didn’t want to say this, but Maeve saw her parents die in a car crash. That’s why she has depression. I promised I’d protect her. “But I chose you. That’s why you owe her… Fluffy’s all she has left.” I staggered back, suddenly realizing I didn’t recognize this man anymore. I thought, “So conflicted, so unable to prioritize anything… Why did he even pursue me? All his words were soaked in guilt for someone else. Was that why he proposed to me? So I could spend the rest of my life making up for Maeve, too, letting her walk all over me?” The comments exploded again. [Dax finally admitted it. Choosing to marry Talia makes him feel so guilty towards our Maeve.] [When Talia was trying on her wedding dress, were you thinking about your future life together? Or whether Maeve would be sad?] [Stupid Dax! Look at Maeve’s teary eyes. She clearly still loves you! You can spend your whole life with her!] The flood of words and literal dust were drowning me. I shouted, my voice raw and shaking, “So what?! Just because she’s had a rough life, I’m supposed to let my mom die for her dog?” Dax’s face twisted in frustration. “God, you’re impossible. Even a dog knows how to be considerate. You just can’t stand Maeve being happy, can you?” He didn’t believe a word I said. He dragged me to the right side and gave a final order. “We’ll save the dog first. We’ll talk about your mom later. I’m done with this tantrum.”

As Dax pried at the rubble, small pieces began to fall. I couldn’t bear the thought, “How much pain would my mom be in if that slab came down?” I lost it. I shoved Dax away with all my strength. Rubble scattered everywhere. He stumbled, caught only because Maeve rushed in to steady him. His eyes darkened instantly, veins bulging on his forehead. “Talia! Don’t push me…” Before he could finish, he stared in disbelief as I slammed my head hard against a rock. Blood poured from my forehead, covering half my face in red. I screamed, “You don’t believe my mom is under there? Then I’ll bet my life on it!” Pointing to the slab, tears and blood streaming together, I shouted, “Just listen! She’s knocking, begging for help! Why won’t you believe me?!” My vision went black from the blood loss. I collapsed, gasping for air. Dax rushed over, looking stunned, and pulled me up with a conflicted expression. A moment later… Maeve pouted, then sighed softly, “Well, since it’s come to this, Dax, you should go check.” She bit her lip and turned her head away. “Fluffy’s strong. He can wait.” Dax opened his mouth, then reached out to stroke her head gently. “You really are the kindest.” He gave me a cold, annoyed glance before reluctantly going to the other side. He crouched down and pressed his ear to the slab. I let out a deep breath, holding back my dizziness. I moved to help lift the slab with him, silently praying, “Please hang in there, Mom.” But the moment I reached his side, a force shoved me hard, slamming me face-first into the concrete. My arms and face were instantly shredded by exposed steel wires. From behind, Dax roared, “Listen for yourself! Do you hear anything?!” [Dax is so alpha. Can’t wait to see how he pushes Maeve onto the bed later. That’s gonna be hot.] [Talia’s mom must’ve passed out by now. Looks like she’s not making it.] [She’s just a side character anyway. Everything exists to serve Maeve and Dax’s happiness.] Panic surged inside me. My head throbbed so badly. I couldn’t hear a thing. There really was no sound anymore. On the other side, Maeve suddenly started whimpering, looking tearfully at Dax, “Dax… Fluffy’s crying is getting fainter. Is he dying? What do we do?!” Dax immediately started to walk towards her. “No!” I grabbed his hand. “My mom’s passed out. We can’t wait any longer. Please help me save her!” My voice was shaking so badly from fear that I could barely form words. Dax paused, then laughed in disbelief. “Talia, you’ll say anything just to fight with Maeve, huh? If your mom was really down there, she’d be screaming for help.” He slammed my head against the slab. Leaning close, his breath hot on my ear, he whispered, “Maybe your mom just can’t scream. Did the old hag lose her voice?” He stood up, checked his watch, and scoffed, “I’ve wasted ten minutes on you. If Fluffy dies because of you, you can forget about marrying me.” Then he stormed off to Maeve, gently wiping her tears. “Don’t worry, Fluffy’s gonna be okay.” Maeve nodded hard, looking up at him like he was her savior. “Don’t blame her, Dax. It’s my fault. I upset her and dragged Fluffy into this…” I stared numbly at the blood and tears on the concrete. My mom’s gentle face flashed in my mind. She once held my hand, so full of love. “Talia, you’re grown up now. Whoever you choose to marry, as long as you’re happy, that’s enough for me.” I thought, “No. Without her, I’m not happy at all. God, I regret everything. I regretted being so blind, only seeing their true colors now. I wish I could hold my mom.” “Mom… just hang on, please. I’ll get you out of there. Don’t leave me. I’m begging you.” I was out of my mind, blinking furiously through the tears. I dug with both hands, even when they were raw and bleeding. When Dax finally brought some villagers over, they saw me kneeling there, clawing at the rubble with my bare hands, carving a hole with nothing but sheer desperation. My fingernails were torn halfway off, barely hanging by a thread of dead skin. My hands were mangled beyond recognition.

A villager clicked his tongue and said, “Do you really have to go all out just to save a dog? The woman you engaged sure has a kind heart.” As he spoke, he waved for others to come help. Dax’s face darkened, and he stepped forward to block them. “Leave that lunatic alone. Maeve’s dog is trapped on the right side.” I heard the commotion and turned around to see a group of people approaching. With all their surprised eyes on me, I didn’t hesitate. I dropped to my knees and kowtowed, choking back sobs. “Please save my mom. She’s trapped underneath, but he won’t believe me. He insists on moving the slab on the other side!” “What’s going on here?” Dax took a deep breath, pinched the bridge of his nose hard, and interrupted me sharply, “So a dog’s life doesn’t count anymore? Even if you’re trying to get back at Maeve, is this the time and place to throw a tantrum?” He turned and raised his voice, commanding attention. “Everyone knows Maeve and I are close. But Talia? She’s just bitter. She can’t stand seeing Maeve happy and is using this as an excuse to try and kill her dog. “Maeve has depression. That dog is the only reason she’s still holding on. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.” His words stirred everyone up. After all, Dax was one of their own, born and raised in the village, so his version of things seemed more believable. Maeve staggered into Dax’s arms, sobbing like a poor, helpless soul, “It’s my fault. I must’ve been in Talia’s way. I’ll move out… Fluffy was the last hope my parents left me. Without her, I really can’t go on.” Everyone in the village knew Maeve’s parents had passed away. So, as soon as she said that, people believed her completely. “What a sin!” Linda Murphy, holding a shovel, spat in my direction. “Outsiders have no empathy. A dog’s life matters too! You think a few words can justify letting it die? If your mom knew, she’d die from rage!” Maeve let out a perfectly timed whimper. Dax pulled her close to comfort her. Surrounded by all those accusing glares, I couldn’t stop shaking. My vision darkened, and my limbs went numb. “You don’t believe me either…” I kept swallowing hard, fighting the nausea rising in my throat. [I know it’s the plot, but Talia really looks pitiful.] [Oh boy, we got a saint or something?] [Just accept it, Talia. Your mom’s already in her 60s. Saving her won’t give her many more years anyway.] But I didn’t want to give up. I carried my mother’s hopes. I held up my bloody hands. The pain was intense like my ten fingers were about to break off completely. My voice trembled as I cried out, “You think I’m evil, that I made all this up? Why the hell would I go this far just to lie about a dog?!” Dax scoffed, unimpressed, “Still acting, huh? What now, want us to get on our knees and beg you to be merciful?” He stepped closer and questioned me coldly, “You keep saying your mom’s under there? Then answer me. Your mom said just yesterday that she was in the next province. So how the hell is she at my house today, conveniently crushed under some slabs?” [Dax is making sense!] [Yeah, how did Talia know?] [I remember she didn’t react at first. Then, all of a sudden, she knew her mom was in trouble.] [Wait… could she see our comments or something?] I said nothing because he was right. If I said I figured it out from the comments, they’d all think I’d gone insane. Then, my mom would have no hope of being rescued. Seeing me freeze, Dax sneered coldly, “If you behave now, the wedding’s still on. But push me any further, and I will find someone else.” He thought that threat would scare me into submission. He walked up, grabbed my chin, and smirked, “A woman like you, already used by me? No one else would want you. Not like Maeve. She hasn’t even had her first kiss yet.” Still, I stayed silent because I just saw a comment scroll past. [Stupid Talia, go borrow someone’s phone and call your aunt Nola Granger. She’ll tell you your mom went to see you.] I immediately jerked free of Dax and ran toward a villager holding a phone. “Let me make a call.” Without waiting for a reply, I snatched the phone hastily. Thankfully, the phone didn’t have a passcode. My bloody, dusty fingers kept hitting the wrong keys. When the call finally connected, I put it on speaker and shouted, “Nola, is my mom home? Did she go to my place today?” Everyone turned to look. Dax looked annoyed as hell by my persistence. Just as he started storming toward me, Nola’s voice came through the speaker. “Huh? No, I think she went out to buy groceries. Wait. Are you at your boyfriend’s place? Just stay there and…” Before she could finish, Dax snatched the phone away, hung up, and handed it back to its owner. He stared down at me, fuming. Then he grabbed my hair and roared, “You heard that, didn’t you?! You really had to make a scene for everyone to laugh at?!” Free Point [Haha, Talia really can see the comments? Got tricked, didn’t you?] [Silly Talia, your mom really is trapped under the slab. Your mom asked Nola beforehand to tell you she was coming to give you a surprise. That’s why Nola helped lie to you.]

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Everyone believed that my husband, Felix Hastings, was as cold, distant, untouchable as a glacier. But he chased me for ten long years, like a dog on a leash. When I got shoved into a blazing inferno, he ditched his multi-million-dollar assets and jumped in after me without a second thought. Reborn, I was done being the cold-hearted woman who took him for granted. This time, I was going all in to love him. Only problem? He seemed to have come back from the dead, too. “Amelia, you still think you can boss me around like a mutt? Just like the old days?” He cornered me against the wall, hurling the divorce agreement into my chest and saying that he’d never, ever take me back. When I was eleven, someone snapped five of my fingers. From that day on, I swore I’d claw my way to the top, no matter how dirty the tricks got. I ended up doing some seriously messed-up stuff, and it came back to bite me. Then, I got shoved into a blazing inferno. As the fire closed in, my mind went blank. Then, a white figure rushed in and hugged me tightly. It was Felix, my husband, the one man who loved me deeply. He had no flaws, except that I was his only weakness. When we burned to ashes together, I vowed that if there was a next life, I’d give him my whole heart.

“This is the divorce agreement. “Sign it.” The dazzling lights made my head spin. Felix’s eyes dropped, hiding the arctic chill inside. “Felix. “Please don’t.” I reached for his hand, where his blue veins stood out prominently, but he yanked it back sharply. It’d been exactly one hour and forty-one minutes since I’d woken up in this new life. Suddenly, I felt relieved. Finally, he’d seen me for the con artist I was, using him for his money and his heart. He was done with me.

I sat in the bakery, peering through the thin glass at Felix and a girl inside the school across the street. He had no idea I was spying on him. The girl almost leaned against him while he was helping her work through a problem. This time around, he should figure out who was truly good-hearted and innocent. Still, I propped my chin in my hand and fired off a message to the girl. [Debra, why are you trying to seduce my husband?]

Debra Cooper was my younger sister. In truth, she was the family’s biological daughter while I was the adopted one. Her mother found me on a stormy night when I was twelve. Everyone called it a coincidence, but I knew better. To ensure Debra’s mother would take in the pitiful orphan me, I purposely broke my leg. I craved wealth, glory, and status, anything to never again feel that bone-deep shame of poverty. Debra was brought back by the Cooper family at sixteen. She’d always been kind, innocent, and pure. Everything I fought tooth and nail for was handed to her on a silver platter. So, I resented her. Why should she skate through life without ever feeling the sting of the gutter?

Indeed, I was evil. That was why I endured a living hell in my past life. Maybe Debra truly was the goddess-like girl everyone made her out to be. I must have provoked the gods. Now, in this second chance, the only man who ever warmed my cold world has turned his back on me. I was huddled on the sofa, fixated on the divorce agreement on the coffee table. [Felix, will you be back tonight?] Four hours had elapsed, and there was still no response. Felix had always been the epitome of aloofness. His friends constantly joked that he was as cold as ice. But in our previous life, I saw him differently. I treated him like my loyal dog. He’d come running at the mere scent of me, nuzzling up and always eager to hold my hand. Back then, instead of ignoring my messages, he’d respond with tenfold the words I sent. Now, everything had changed. A message popped up. I immediately checked it, assuming it was from Felix. To my disappointment, it was from Debra, accompanied by a picture. [Amelia, I have no intention of seducing Felix.] [I want to assist you in managing my father’s company, so he’s just introducing me to some people.] In the photo, she was beaming, standing beside Felix, and they looked every bit like a perfect match.

I must have called Felix over a dozen times. He didn’t answer any of them and eventually blocked my number. He was terrible at socializing, a pure academic at heart. In our last life, to grab some shares from Debra’s father’s company, I asked Felix to cozy up to people from pharmaceutical firms. He did it without a single word of complaint. I never once considered how he, a professor at a prestigious university who was always so lofty and proud, stooped to begging those people for help. I vividly remembered one incident from the past. I’d clinched a deal, got drunk, and called him to pick me up. The private room was filled with important figures. Lounging on the sofa, I watched the white figure shuffle towards me and called him over with a whistle, as if coaxing a dog. Felix, a highly respected medical professor who’d never bowed to anyone, was being mocked by me in public. I must have felt so smug back then. Everyone thought he’d storm out in anger. But what did Felix do? He approached me, gracefully squatted down, held my ankle, and put my dangling heels on me. Then, he glanced up at me, his handsome face like a work of art. “It’s getting cold at night. Don’t catch a chill. “Amy.”

Felix used to call me Amy. But since we were reborn, he hadn’t uttered that name once. ***** I was a light sleeper, so when Felix came home, I woke up. I lay still, curious to see what he would do when he found me seemingly asleep. But Felix did nothing. He walked past me, not even bothering to cover me with a blanket. I sat up and threw the divorce agreement at his back. He paused, his back muscles taut and his posture elegant. “Don’t damage it. “If I redraft it, you’ll get a lot less.” The moonlight filtered into the room. I spotted Felix’s calm expression and his deep, cold eyes. “I won’t sign.” I glared at him defiantly. He seemed to have expected this, nodding calmly. “Fine. We’ll settle this in court.” “Felix, you’re a damn jerk!” I lunged at him, but he overpowered me with ease. Under the crescent moon, he pinned me down onto the sofa and gripped my neck without tenderness. I bit the soft spot between his thumb and forefinger, but he remained unfazed, as if he couldn’t feel the pain. Then, he suddenly released me, his knuckles brushing gently across my cheek. [You can cry, huh?] With that cryptic, indifferent remark, Felix left me alone in the living room. I pressed my hands hard against my eyes, as if that could stop the tears from welling up. “Don’t leave me.” This was a plea I’d vowed never to say again since I was ten years old.

I refused to sign the divorce agreement. The very next day, Felix pulled out of every single collaboration that involved me. A huge chunk of the Hastings family fortune was tied up in the medical industry, and as a top-notch academic in that field, he had the power to make a big impact. To be honest, in my past life, I married him because I saw the advantages. I knew Felix was done with me, but when I found out he had handed over all those projects to Debra, it still broke my heart. At the same time, I couldn’t really blame him. In our previous life, he was aware that Debra was the innocent one, while I was the one who used underhanded tactics to get what I wanted. But his decision to cut ties with me was like a warning to everyone else in the business. Suddenly, I was left all alone, with no one to support me. ***** I decided to try and win Felix back. [Felix, are you at school?] [I made some lunch. Can I bring it to you?] Never expecting him to fall back in love with me, I just hoped he’d remember the good times we’d had and not be too harsh on me. Staring at my phone, waiting for a reply that didn’t come, I felt so embarrassed. Even after our huge argument the day before, when it came to my own interests, I was still willing to beg him for help. I planned to cook Felix a nice meal and take it to him myself. But then I realized that I had no idea what he liked to eat. He, on the other hand, probably knew every single one of my preferences by heart. After all, in our past life, one of his favorite things to do was spoil me with delicious food. I wasn’t really that picky, but I loved winding him up. “Felix, this spaghetti’s as tough as shoe leather. “Ugh, now it’s mush! No one will like it. “Felix, you know I don’t like spicy food. “Wait, since when did you start cooking such bland food?” Only once did I truly rile Felix up. He fixed me with a grave stare and asked icily, “Amy, do you really think I’ll always be here for you, no matter what?” I looked down at my nails and replied, “Then leave.” And he did. He stormed out into the freezing 32-degree Fahrenheit chill without so much as a coat, proof he was furious. Later that day, I texted: [Felix, I miss you.] The door flew open almost instantly. Felix hauled me into his arms, the bite of the outdoors still clinging to his skin. His face buried in my neck, he murmured, “Yes. I’ll always be here for you.” In my past life, wrapping Felix around my finger had been more effortless than training a dog. ***** After the third time I cut my hand and stared at the charred wreck in the pan, I came back to my senses. It dawned on me that cooking was a talent I’d never inherited. I ordered from Culinary Delights instead and then artfully arranged the food in a lunch box. Felix might not tell the difference between my “home-cooked” meal and takeout, anyway.

Sorry, Amelia. “I had no clue you were bringing Professor Hastings lunch, too. “He’s already digging into what I made…” Debra blocked my path, looking like a deer caught in headlights. “He’s my husband,” I said with a smirk, watching her hand ball into fists inside her sleeves. ***** “Felix.” I planted myself in front of him as he wolfed down his meal. When he ignored me, I snatched the fork from his hand and swapped out his lunch box for mine. He stared at the food for a beat and then at me. “Check it out.” I shoved my bandage-wrapped hand in his face. “Three cuts, all for you. “I spent a long time preparing the meal. At least give it a try?” I met Felix’s calm gaze. But he seemed heartbroken. He sighed, “Amelia, this looks exactly like the stuff from Culinary Delights. Did you copy their recipes?” I played dumb, shooting back, “Felix, just tell me if you’re gonna eat it or not!” I was so used to him caving whenever I got mad. But I’d forgotten that we weren’t the same people as before. Still, he bent his head and started spooning up the clam chowder, gobbling it down like he used to do whatever I asked. After finishing the meal, he watched me as I bent down to tidy up the lunch box for the first time. “Amelia,” he said, his voice as cold as ice water. “I’m allergic to seafood. “Two lifetimes, and you still can’t remember that.” I froze and glanced up at Felix in shock. He held out his wrist, where the blue veins stood out sharply, already covered in angry red rashes. “Will you be happy only when you’ve tortured me to death?” Felix had a life-threatening seafood allergy. Within minutes of his wrist first flushing red, coughing fits wracked him, quickly escalating to labored, gasping breaths.

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I developed aphasia due to childhood trauma. My parents, Eric Cox and Sharon Wilson, disliked me and made me marry my cousin Laura Cox’s vegetative fiancé, Roman White, on her behalf. After three years of my meticulous care, Roman miraculously woke up. But the first thing he did after waking up was to ask for a divorce from me. He mistook Laura for the one who had taken care of him during these three years and said that he would marry no one but her in his life. Later, I heard his good friend explain to him that it was I who had taken care of him during those three years. He smiled casually and said, “I already knew that, but my wife can’t be a mute.” I was completely disappointed and asked a hypnotist to erase my memories to treat my aphasia. When I woke up, I looked at the man in front of my hospital bed and asked in confusion, “Who are you?” The man in front of me panicked… Roman had been in a coma for three years, and when he woke up, the first person he saw was me, and he was quite disappointed. I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. I happily helped him sit up and then told all our friends the good news. Soon, the hospital room was crowded with people. And I was pushed into the corner, and no one paid the slightest attention to me. Laura arrived late, wearing a beautiful blue evening dress, having just finished a party. Roman took Laura’s hand and said emotionally, “Honey, thank you for taking care of me these three years.” Everyone in the hospital room was stunned. I stood aside, nervously tugging at the corner of my clothes, but I couldn’t speak up to defend myself because I had aphasia. His friend awkwardly explained, “Roman, Megan is your wife.” Roman frowned and looked at me with cold eyes, as if I had ruined the relationship between him and Laura. I had always known that he loved Laura. They should have gotten married, but because of a car accident, he became a vegetable. My cousin didn’t want to take care of him, so she went to Eric and Sharon and cried. I agreed to their request and married Roman instead of Laura. However, I never expected that after taking care of him carefully for three years, this was the result I got. I immediately picked up my phone and started typing, trying to explain, but was stopped by Laura. She looked at me and said, “Megan, Roman has just woken up. He probably can’t accept so much information at once. You’d better go out first.” The others in the hospital room sensed that something was wrong and made excuses to leave one after another. When everyone had left, Laura cried and threw herself into Roman’s arms. She said, “Roman, you’ve finally woken up. I’ve been waiting for you for three years…” My heart ached, and my hand holding the doorknob trembled slightly. I had no idea how long it had passed. Laura opened the door of the hospital room, and there were still a few tears on her face. I walked into the room curiously. A glass cup was shattered at my feet. Roman said, “Megan, you went to great lengths to marry me! It’s disgusting that you used such a trick!” The flying glass shards scratched my calf, but my heart hurt even more. Roman grew up with me, and he had been the only one who didn’t dislike me for having aphasia and encouraged me to actively seek treatment. But after he met Laura, he was unconsciously attracted to her. The man who once said he would marry me gradually fell in love with her, and now he even regarded me as the villain who was ruining their relationship. I was anxious and made some sign language gestures, then remembered that he couldn’t understand them. I shakily picked up my phone to type and explain. Laura looked at me provocatively and knocked the phone out of my hand. The phone fell to the ground, and the screen went black. She said, “Megan, please let us be together!” I stood there in a daze. Besides sign language, the phone was the only tool I could use to communicate with others. And now I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but the world was cruel, and it was even more cruel for someone like me who couldn’t speak.

Eric and Sharon rushed to the hospital when they heard the news. I saw hope again and stopped them, wanting them to help me explain. They could understand a little simple sign language. Sharon nodded slightly, but Eric pushed me aside and got into the room. They exchanged some pleasantries, and then Sharon hesitated and said, “Megan…” Laura realized what she was going to say and interrupted her, “Sharon, Megan just likes Roman too much. Don’t be angry.” I opened my eyes wide in disbelief, grabbed Laura, and gestured vigorously with my hands. “You’re lying! You’re lying!” She rubbed her wrist, snuggled up in Roman’s arms, and said pitifully, “I’m sorry, Megan. Don’t be angry. I won’t say anything.” I gestured desperately towards Sharon, almost in tears. I wanted to say, “Tell him it’s not like that!” She avoided my gaze. I felt powerless. During the three years I took care of Roman alone, I had never been more desperate than I was today. Eric said angrily, “It was you who forced Laura to leave Roman, and you even said that he wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t have thought that my father would slander me like this. These words made my heart ache. At first, it was Laura who disliked Roman for being in a vegetative state and didn’t want to marry him, so Eric and Sharon asked me to marry Roman. Roman sneered, “Megan, fortunately, I woke up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known all these things.” I bit my lower lip tightly. I was so despicable in his eyes. Sharon pulled me out of the room and said guiltily, “Don’t blame Eric. We really owe Laura this.” Laura’s parents died to save my parents. Then, my parents took her home and doted on her. They thought they should do that, so I had to give in to her in everything. As long as I refused, Laura would cry and say that if her parents were still alive, things would be different. When I developed aphasia and needed company, she made my parents take her on a trip abroad. Three years ago, Laura taunted me, “A mute marrying a vegetative person is a perfect match!” Sharon continued, “Now that Roman is awake, he will divorce you sooner or later. Laura leaves a good impression on him in advance, and she will have a higher status in the future, won’t she?” With tears in my eyes, I pounded my chest hard, and only in this way could I relieve the pain in my heart. They felt guilty, but they made me bear all this humiliation. Roman decided to divorce me in the morning, and in the afternoon, he had already drawn up the divorce agreement. He was so afraid that I would cause trouble that he found a few bodyguards to watch me sign my name. I smiled bitterly and slowly wrote down my name. He once saved my life, and I took care of him for three years. From now on, we were even.

The autumn wind in the evening was cool. After my phone was fixed, I immediately sent a message to my doctor, Walter Reed: [I want to try the hypnotherapy you mentioned to me last time.] Walter quickly replied to me: [After hypnotherapy, you will lose some of your memories. And a family member needs to sign the consent form to ensure that someone will take care of you during the recovery period.] I looked at these words and smiled bitterly, not even being able to think of who could help me sign the consent form. I kept flipping through my contacts and saw a name, Quinn Hall, but I didn’t click on it for a long time. Unexpectedly, he sent me a message: [I’m coming back today. Will you have dinner with me?] I quickly replied to him and made an appointment with him for the place. I looked at the scenery outside and recalled the past. Quinn was the son of my sign language teacher. Because I always went to his home for classes, I gradually got to know him well. Three years ago, when he learned that I was going to marry a vegetative person, he angrily threw the birthday present he was going to give me and said that it was a waste for me to learn sign language. I retorted with sign language, and my words were mean. Later, he went abroad to study. I thought we would never meet again in this life, and didn’t expect that he would come back. We hadn’t seen each other for a few years, and he had become much more mature and didn’t seem very easy to get along with. I directly asked him, “Can you pretend to be my family member and help me sign the form?” He was a bit surprised. After learning the whole story, he clenched his fists tightly, as if he were very angry. He asked, “Have you decided?” I nodded. These memories meant nothing to me anymore. And after erasing the memories, I would be able to speak again. He agreed. It was already evening when I got home. My things were casually thrown in the corridor of the villa. Roman glanced at me and said, “Megan, you can move to the guest room from now on.” I nodded slightly. He didn’t expect me to be so calm and looked me up and down. I would forget him soon, and I didn’t care about these things anymore. Suddenly, a little dog ran out of the house. I was stunned and instinctively grabbed Roman’s arm. He frowned unhappily and shook off my hand violently, saying, “Megan, know your place.” His strength was so great. I didn’t react in time and fell to the ground, and my wrist hurt. I’d been afraid of dogs since I was a child, and the man who once said he would protect me for a lifetime had now let go of my hand. He seemed a bit annoyed and wanted to reach out and pull me up. I pretended not to see it and stood up while enduring the pain. Laura came out of the room, took Roman’s hand, and acted coquettishly, saying, “Tom doesn’t like to be restricted. Let’s find a bigger room for him.” Roman doted on her and ruffled her hair, saying, “Okay, then we’ll give the newly tidied guest room to Tom. Megan, you move to the basement.” It was ridiculous. In his eyes, I was even less important than the stray dog they adopted. When packing my things, I suddenly smelled a strange smell, and then I saw a large puddle of yellow liquid on my red coat. This coat was a birthday present from Roman. Since my birthday was on the same day as the memorial day of Laura’s parents, Eric and Sharon didn’t allow me to celebrate my birthday. Roman secretly gave me the coat and said to me seriously, “Megan, I will spend every birthday with you in the future.” Promises only counted when they were just made. I cherished this coat very much and never even wore it once. It seemed that I wouldn’t be able to wear it in the future either.

When Roman saw that coat, he was a bit moved and ordered the housekeeper, Lisa, to take it to the dry cleaner. But I directly threw the coat into the trash can. Along with it, I also threw away the photos of Roman and me taken over the years. I didn’t want to have any relationship with him anymore. He stared at me and said, “Laura is kind and adopted Tom. If you make her sad, I will not let you off.” It seemed that he had completely forgotten that I was afraid of dogs. Probably because Roman had told the servants, none of them helped me move my things. I endured the pain in my wrist and packed until the evening before I cleared away all the things related to Roman. This was the first time I had lived here in three years. After he became a vegetative person, I almost lived in the hospital. At first, there were still people visiting him, but later, the White family gave up on him. Most of the time, there were only he and I in the ward. I had just fallen asleep in a daze until dawn, when I was awakened by cold water. Roman looked down at me and said, “Megan, you’re getting lazier and lazier. You’re no longer my wife, but you still dare to sleep in.” Feeling a headache, I nodded slightly to show that I understood. I wiped the water stains off my face and got up to change my clothes. The servants in the villa were busy going about their business. Lisa glanced at me and ordered me to clean the piano. Then, I realized that today was Laura’s birthday. My fingers glided over the piano keys, and beautiful music sounded. Roman once said that my hands were born for playing the piano, but now they were used to cleaning it. I gave a self-deprecating smile, thinking that love words were only sincere at the moment they were spoken. After a while, I received a message from Walter: [Ten o’clock tomorrow morning.] I quickly replied to him and forwarded the message to Quinn. Just thinking that I would be able to speak in the future made me feel much better. I thought that this banquet had nothing to do with me, but I didn’t expect Roman to pull me into the dressing room. I was flattered and took the dress. He said impatiently, “Put it on. If you don’t attend the banquet, everyone will blame Laura.” It turned out that he was just afraid of others gossiping about Laura. I touched the large stains on the dress and had already become numb. I remembered the post she sent an hour ago: [It doesn’t matter if I get the dress dirty. Roman will prepare two dresses for me.] Laura stood beside the cake like an elegant princess, while I was like a clown for others to make fun of. I tried my best to lower my presence and sat down in the corner, but I still heard the whispers. “What’s on her clothes? It’s so disgusting!” “She’s shameless, stealing her cousin’s fiancé.” “I heard that she’s a mute.” The mocking voices kept coming. I clenched the hem of my dress tightly. Laura sat down beside the piano. The light focused on her, and everyone’s eyes were drawn to her. The sound of the piano stopped abruptly. She exclaimed, “It hurts! Why are there pieces of a dagger in the piano?” Lisa pointed at me in the corner and said, “Only Ms. Cox has touched the piano!” Roman glared at me furiously, roughly pulled me in front of the piano, and pressed my hands on the piano keys. The pain made me almost unable to breathe. “Megan, this is the price you pay for doing something wrong.” After he said that, ignoring my bleeding hands, he picked up Laura and walked towards the door. I saw Laura give me a triumphant smile. Later, the ambulance took me to the hospital. But all the doctors in the hospital were called to give Laura a consultation. Before I fainted from excessive blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If her hands don’t receive timely treatment, she will be permanently disabled!” I shed tears and wished that I had never met Roman. The doctor thought Roman looked somewhat familiar and took the initiative to greet him, “How is your wife? She took care of you for three years, and now she’s finally getting something in return.” Free Point Roman frowned, wanting to figure out what the doctor meant. Laura pretended to shed tears and cried out in pain, “Roman, my hand hurts so much. Will I never be able to play the piano again?”

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Reborn and determined to escape the doomed marriage, I rejected Nathan Whitman, who got down on one knee to propose to me, signed the contract as a principal dancer, and spirited his mother, Jane Whitman, away without a second thought. In my previous life, Jane perished in a car crash during Nathan’s and my honeymoon abroad. Nathan held me responsible for his absence in her final moments and spiraled into a deep depression since then. To atone for a sin I didn’t commit, I quit my job and became his stay-at-home wife. However, all my doting care for Nathan ended up in him callously allowing his childhood sweetheart, Olivia Reed, to paralyze me, force me to miscarry, and even push me into the sea. As the icy water choked my lungs and numbed my veins, I died with bitter resentment. Then I woke up, only to find myself back at the proposal while Nathan, ring in hand, was gazing at me with adoration. “Aurora! Nathan spent three months planning this proposal. He even booked tickets to Elysiland, your dream destination. Are you humiliating him on purpose?” No sooner had I refused than Olivia emerged from the crowd to scold me. Her familiarity with Nathan was laughable. I’d always believed they were nothing more than close childhood friends, never imagining that Olivia had been harboring a long-standing crush on him. I ripped up the tickets and tossed them in her face. “Since you care about him so much, be with him!” “You!” Olivia gritted her teeth, a faint blush staining her cheeks. She bit her lip and glanced at Nathan. He shot up and shielded her, staring at me in disbelief. “Aurora, have you lost your mind? Nothing I do is good enough for you!” The sight of them made me sick to my stomach. I dashed to the restroom and threw up. Gazing at my made-up face in the mirror, I finally confirmed I’d been reborn.

In my previous life, Nathan took me to Elysiland for our honeymoon. Right after landing, we got the news that Jane had been in a car accident and was in the hospital. We caught the first flight back, but by the time we reached the hospital, she was gone. Olivia stood there, sniffling, and subtly blamed Nathan for going to Elysiland with me. “Nathan, what matters more to you, Aurora’s wishes or your mother’s life?!” Nathan stood there, looking defeated. After a long silence, he glanced up at me with bloodshot eyes. “Aurora, if it weren’t for you, Mom would still be alive!” The honeymoon, which was supposed to be a sweet surprise when he proposed, was now being twisted into my demand. I wanted to defend myself, but his hateful gaze silenced me. From that moment on, I was the villain in his story. Our wedding decorations were still up, but our wedding photo was replaced with Jane’s portrait. I was stuck in this nightmare, and Nathan, unwilling to go home, moved in with Olivia. She pretended to be helping us reconcile, but in reality, she’d started living with him the day after Jane died. Yet, I still transferred the money to her, imploring her to look after Nathan. To save our failing marriage, I turned down an offer from Reverie Dance Theatre the day my pregnancy test results came in. I saw our baby as the only hope and carefully put the test results in a pretty box. However, when I knocked on Olivia’s door, there she was, three months pregnant, leaning on Nathan. The answer to who the father was was clear as day. She spotted my belly and snorted, “Look, Nathan, the murderer of your mother is here. “Would you really keep a baby from her?” “Just get rid of it. It’s bad luck.” Nathan didn’t even spare me a glance before slamming the door shut. Heartbroken, I sent him a divorce agreement. He tore it up and sneered, “Aurora, you have no right to call it quits. “You’ll spend the rest of your life paying me back.” Therefore, he let Olivia force me to take abortion pills and watched as I, bleeding, tried to make it to the hospital but fell from the fourth floor. I lost the baby and became paralyzed. Yet, Olivia’s cruelty hadn’t run its course. She sent thugs to storm my home, strap me to a wheelchair, and hurl me into the churning sea. As I was drowning, she shouted with a smirk, “Nothing’s going to stop me and Nathan. You and Jane had it coming!” Only then did I realize Jane’s death was no accident—Olivia had been plotting it for years. Thankfully, I had a second life now.

Stepping out of the restroom, I found Nathan standing in the crowd, his face a picture of mortification. Everyone here was his acquaintance, and he was the kind who’d rather eat glass than lose face. Right now, his pride was in the gutter, and Olivia just kept pouring salt in the wound. “Nathan, did I mess up the arrangements and make Aurora misunderstand?” she cooed. “Shut it!” Nathan snapped. His scowl deepened, and I could tell he had no idea how his ever-compliant girlfriend could pull such a stunt. His frown didn’t ease until he saw me. “Aurora, I was out of line earlier,” he said, all honeyed tones. “I’ve been planning this proposal for ages, and Olivia helped me every step of the way. You’ve just got the wrong idea. “You’re the only one for me, always.” Nathan reached for my hand, ring at the ready, desperate to salvage the situation. I yanked my hand back. He furrowed his bros and whispered, “Aurora, enough with the dramatics.” I chuckled, “For five years, every gift you gave me? Olivia’s idea. I like mild flavors, but she sent you to take me for spicy food. I’m terrified of heights, yet she convinced you to drag me bungee jumping. I’m allergic to pollen, but she told you to deck the place with roses for the proposal. “Is she your mother? Why are you so obedient to her? “Or are you using me as some twisted flirting prop, trying to get me killed?” Nathan was displeased. “That’s not what this is.” Olivia batted teary eyes at him. “Nathan, I only want the best for you two.” I said icily, exposing her lie, “Really? But you slept with him.” “Aurora!” Nathan seethed. “I told you, we were drunk. There was only one bed left. Nothing happened.” Olivia clung to his sleeve. “Aurora, don’t tell me you’re still bitter about that, trying to humiliate us today?” The air crackled with tension as the gaze of the onlookers became more and more piercing. Nathan gave a humorless laugh. “Fine. If you don’t trust me, so be it.” He whirled around, dropping to one knee in front of Olivia with the ring. “Olivia, will you marry me?” This surprise came so suddenly that she covered her mouth with both hands, overwhelmed by excitement. “Are you serious?” “Of course.” Before she could say yes, he jammed the too-small ring onto her finger. The crowd winced at his rough handling. Olivia forced a smile and gritted her teeth, enduring the discomfort. Then, she hooked her arm around Nathan’s and showed off the big diamond ring with the other hand. “Aurora, you’ll regret letting this excellent man go.” “Congratulations! May you last forever.” I raised a glass of wine, toasting her new fiancé, the man I’d once tossed aside like trash. Nathan stormed off without a word, Olivia hot on his heels. The guests all gave me pitying looks. Nathan and I always seemed like the perfect couple. No one knew Olivia had been lurking in the shadows all along. Once the awkward goodbyes were done, I headed home and replied to the Imaginarium Dance Theatre’s offer to be principal dancer. This time around, I was going to follow my dreams. Lying in bed, I scrolled past Olivia’s Instagram post of her ring and smiled with disdain. After blocking and deleting her, I drifted off. The next morning, ninety-nine missed calls jolted me awake. Jane was frantic on the line. “Aurora, what on earth did you two quarrel about? How did that bastard Nathan upset you? I’ll teach him a lesson!” During the five years that I had been with Nathan, Jane had treated me like her daughter, always bragging that Nathan didn’t deserve me. The sound of Jane’s voice, which I hadn’t heard for a long time, made me lose my composure, and I almost burst into tears. “It’s okay, Jane.” She caught me crying and got even angrier. “I’ve always warned him to stay away from Olivia! Aurora, don’t worry. I only accept you as his wife. As long as I’m still alive, Olivia will never be able to marry into the Whitman family.” “Thanks, Jane, but it’s over between me and Nathan.” I’d sacrificed enough for him in my last life. No amount of Jane’s kindness could make me do it again. Jane sighed, “I should never have sponsored that maid’s daughter and let her go to school with Nathan. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had all the chances to cling to him…” Before she could finish, a loud crash suddenly erupted from her end. “Jane!” Olivia’s mocking laugh came through. “You meddling old hag! You’re the one stopping Nathan from marrying me, right? You started helping me, so why not finish the job? “No one in this world loves Nathan more than I do. It’s no use regretting now.” I heard Jane’s labored breathing and her faint cry for help. It dawned on me that she was in trouble. Before I could shout to stop Olivia, she noticed the call and cut it off. I grabbed my coat and bolted for the door, but the moment I swung it open, I crashed into Nathan. He stood there, blocking my way, with a dark face. “Who are you in such a hurry to meet?” Noticing that Nathan’s eyes sharpened with distrust, I thought he was being irrational. “Do you believe everyone shares your capacity for betrayal?”

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On the day of my wedding, the Lawson family’s fake heir, Nicholas Lawson, showed up to offer his blessings, covered in blood, kneeling in front of me, and begging for forgiveness. “Maxwell, I already promised you. I won’t fight over the inheritance. So why did you have to go so far and hire someone to kill me?!” Right then and there, my fiancée, Savannah Stanton, called off the engagement and ordered that I, Maxwell Lawson, be sent to the private Sapphire Isle to be punished. There, I was subjected to inhuman abuse and eventually transformed into a sea lion, a creature trained for others’ entertainment. Two years later, Savannah came with the whole family to bring me back. They were quite pleased with how blank and obedient I looked. At least, until I swallowed a whole fish in front of them, and Nicholas, the fake heir, threw up on the spot. Savannah flew into a rage. “I really thought you’d learned your lesson. But turns out you’re still the same disgusting mess. We just wanted you to come here and reflect on yourself. What’s with the disgusting performance?!”

Stepping off the plane was my fiancée, Savannah, followed closely by the rest of the Lawson family. A few of their men yanked me out of the shabby shack where I’d been kept, forcing me into a suit. The fabric scraped against my already rough, damaged skin, but I didn’t flinch. I felt nothing at all. Savannah strutted toward me in high heels. Her face twisted in disgust with a warning glint in her eyes. “From now on, stay away from Nicholas. The past is done and over. If you stir up trouble again, you’ll regret it.” My vacant gaze drifted across their faces, but I said nothing. Two years of relentless torment on Sapphire Isle had stripped away my humanity until I was no different from the sea lion they’d turned me into. Suddenly, as if reacting to a trainer’s cue, I clapped my palms together, a sharp smacking sound echoing in the air. Murmurs stirred around us. Savannah frowned and snapped, “What the hell are you doing now?” I couldn’t stop. It was like I was trapped in a loop I couldn’t break, clapping again and again no matter what they said, my eyes glassy and lifeless. When she saw how obedient I looked, Savannah’s expression softened with a smug smile. “That’s better, Maxwell. Keep acting like this, and our engagement will stay intact. As long as you don’t lay a finger on Nicholas, we can go back to being one big happy family. You know what will happen if you don’t behave.” She nodded with satisfaction, grabbed my arm, and started pulling me toward the helicopter. The moment her hand touched my skin, she froze. Her expression turned from annoyance to shock. “Why is your body so cold?” she asked, her voice suddenly shrill. I let her hold onto me, completely unbothered, moving mechanically with her like everything she said had nothing to do with me. My eyes stared straight ahead, unfocused. Nicholas wore a fake, nauseatingly concerned smile. “Maxwell, did something happen on the island? Did you get sick or something? “I should’ve spoken up for you sooner… This is my fault. “But don’t get the wrong idea. I honestly hope you recover. We’re still family, after all.” The sound of his voice made my head snap toward him. I stared straight into his eyes, then let out a high-pitched screech that didn’t sound human, more like a sea lion’s cry. Nicholas flinched hard, panic flashing across his face. He staggered back, nearly losing his balance. He clutched his chest like he thought I was about to attack him. “Maxwell, I get it, okay? You still hate me, but I didn’t mean any harm!” Savannah yanked my arm with force and yelled, “What kind of tantrum are you throwing now? Nicholas was being kind. You gonna attack him for that?” Nicholas sniffled pathetically, adding, “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have brought up the past. I must’ve upset Maxwell.” Savannah immediately stood in front of Nicholas like a lioness protecting her cub. Her eyes blazed with fury, and she shrieked, “What do you want from us, Maxwell?! Nicholas has always treated you like a real brother. Why can’t you let it go? Two years on Sapphire Isle, and you still haven’t changed. Instead of becoming a better person, you’ve learned how to lash out?” My father, Connor Lawson, turned beet red and pointed a shaking finger at my face. “Look at yourself! Nicholas has shown you nothing but kindness, and this is how you repay him? You’ve always been petty, and now you’ve completely lost it. I can’t believe we raised someone as ungrateful as you!” My mother, Grace Lawson, dabbed at her eyes, sobbing quietly, “Why can’t you just get along with Nicholas? He never steals anything from you. He’s not even a real Lawson by blood. It’s hard enough for him. Can’t you just be the bigger person?” Their hatred surrounded me like an invisible net, wrapping tighter and tighter until I could barely breathe. My body moved on its own, desperate to escape, my feet carrying me toward the sea. I wanted nothing more than to dive into that cold, familiar water. Savannah’s eyes locked on me, and she lunged forward, grabbing my clothes. She yanked the suit jacket off my shoulders. And then she froze.

My skin was a mess of scars, not a single patch untouched, raw, layered, and horrifying. Some came from surgical tools, others from saltwater infections, and many were the aftermath of brutal, inhumane experiments. “What… What happened to you?” Savannah’s voice trembled as she clutched my shoulders, her grip frantic. Before I could respond, Nicholas’ eyes welled up with tears, and his voice choked. “This is all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have ended up here. I never meant for this to happen.” Grace wrapped her arms around him protectively, though her eyes flicked toward me, full of revulsion. “Don’t blame yourself, Nicholas. He may be my biological son, but that doesn’t excuse his cruelty. He’s always had a mean streak to you.” Connor let out a heavy sigh. “Look at him now. Who knows. Maybe he brought this on himself.” My sister, Isabella Lawson, sneered from the side, “Please. He’s clearly putting on a show to make us feel sorry for him. He brought everything that had happened before on himself. “I really thought Sapphire Isle would change you, but look at you, same old act, same old drama. You’re still trying to guilt-trip us. Haven’t you made us worry enough already? “You think showing up covered in scars is enough to make us forget everything you did? You’re pathetic!” A tidal wave of hunger crashed over me. Each wave was stronger than the last until it wiped out every other thought. Nearby, someone reeled in a dead fish. The stench hit my nose and triggered something primal inside me. I didn’t care who was watching. I charged forward like a starving animal, grabbed the fish, and shoved it straight into my mouth, swallowing it whole. The scales scratched my throat, and the raw stench filled my mouth, but I didn’t stop. I just wanted to swallow it as fast as I could. Nicholas turned pale. His eyes widened in horror as he clutched his stomach and doubled over, vomiting violently. His whole body trembled, his face twisted in pure disgust and fear. Connor stormed up and kicked me in the ribs. He roared, “What was that? What the hell is wrong with you?! You’ve disgraced our entire family! You’re nothing but an animal!” Grace shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at me, “You’re revolting, Maxwell! How could you become something like this? How did we give birth to something like you?!” Savannah’s face darkened with rage, her disappointment turning to fury. She marched up to me, teeth clenched. “I thought you’d changed. I really believed you’d learned your lesson, but you’re worse than ever. You think we’ll ever let someone like you back into this family?!” Tears welled in her eyes. “Don’t think you can guilt us into forgiving you! How could you treat yourself like this, swallowing raw fish like some kind of lunatic? Are you trying to gross everyone out, or have you actually lost your mind?” She panted, glaring at me like I was a monster, then pointed at the fish remains on the ground, her voice shaking. “Do you have any idea how many parasites live in that thing? Do you want to get even sicker just so we’ll feel sorry for you? Or have you just given up completely? “I am so done with this pathetic, self-destructive act of yours!” Nicholas, still pale, crept closer, his voice soft and guilty. “Maxwell, please don’t be mad at them… It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been so immature and always competing with you, maybe you wouldn’t have been sent to Sapphire Isle. Maybe you wouldn’t be starving like this… It’s all on me. I ruined you…” Connor’s face turned red again. “Nicholas, none of this is on you. You’ve always been kind and respectful. He’s the one who’s never appreciated a damn thing. This is his own doing.” Grace rushed to Nicholas’ side and shielded him with her arms. “Exactly. Don’t blame yourself, sweetie. We know you’ve always been a good boy. Not like him, who never learns a damn thing.” Isabella stormed up to me, her face twisted with disgust. She jabbed a finger in my face. “What’s your deal? Playing the victim so people will hate Nicholas? You’re petty and selfish. You can’t stand to see him doing well, can you? You had a place in the Lawson family, but it was never enough. Now look at you, trying to milk sympathy from your own misery.” Savannah’s eyes were ice-cold, her face expressionless as she stared at me. “You like playing the victim?” she said flatly. “Fine. I’ll give you what you want.”

Savannah gave a twisted smile and turned to her men. “Lock him in the mirror room. Feed him nothing but rotting garbage. Let him take a good look at that pitiful face he loves to put on!” Soon, I was dragged roughly into a room lined wall-to-wall with mirrors. The harsh white lighting was blinding. In every direction, I saw myself with disheveled hair, soaked in the stench of raw fish, a mess beyond recognition. Not long after, someone brought in a tray of food, the stench enough to make someone faint. It was crawling with maggots. Savannah walked in holding a leather whip, slapping it lightly against her palm with a sharp crack. “Go ahead. Aren’t you hungry? Eat it. Let’s see how long you can keep up the act.” I stared at the tray, eyes fixed on the rotting meat and squirming insects, and let out a sharp, piercing cry, an unmistakable sea lion’s call that echoed off the small room. Then I lunged at the food on all fours, like a starving beast that had been caged too long. Savannah’s face went ghostly white. The whip slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor with a thud. She stumbled backward, crashing into the mirror behind her. Nicholas looked stunned. “Maxwell… have you actually lost your mind?!” I grabbed a handful of rotting flesh, juices running down my arm, and shoved it into my mouth without hesitation. My teeth crunched through decay and maggots, the sound grotesque. Each time I swallowed, I’d throw my head back and let out a series of excited sea lion cries, bits of meat stuck around my lips. Savannah, trembling, picked the whip back up, her voice rising in panic. “Stop! Maxwell, what the hell are you doing?!” But I didn’t hear her. Or maybe I just didn’t care. I was lost in the frenzy, answering her only with louder, sharper cries. The room reeked of rot and fear. The mirrors reflected every gruesome detail of my feeding. When I was first dumped on Sapphire Isle, I couldn’t even swallow this kind of filth. The first time I saw a plate covered in sour sludge and crawling bugs, I retched so hard I nearly vomited bile. But refusing to eat meant two days locked in a pitch-black, moldy cell, starving until I couldn’t see straight or stand. To survive, I had no choice. With shaking hands, I forced the slop into my mouth. Every bite was a nightmare. The stench invaded my mouth and nose, but hunger was a sharper pain. Day after day, year after year, I adapted. Somehow, I got used to the unbearable taste. Anyone who disobeyed on the island was dragged into the lab. They held me down and injected strange chemicals. Cold scalpels sliced into my skin, leaving a fire of pain behind. Little by little, they reshaped me into something barely human, into a sea lion. When they finally dumped me into the sea lion enclosure, I had to learn fast, mimic them, or get attacked. I mimicked their movements, how they tossed their heads, how they slapped the water with their fins. Slowly, I learned all the humiliating little tricks. The keepers would blow their whistles and toss out dried fish. I had to perform like a circus animal, balancing balls and jumping through hoops for a bite to eat to keep from starving. Now, faced with this tray of rotting meat, I devoured it like it was a feast, letting out low, contented grunts just like the sea lions. Savannah stared at me, watching me gorge myself. Her disgust twisted into something else, panic. Suddenly, she rushed forward and knocked the tray from my hands, screaming, “Maxwell, stop it! Just stop! Please!” Her voice trembled. The arrogance was gone. “That’s enough. That’s enough,” she choked out. Tears welled in her eyes. Her chest heaved with emotion. She looked at me like something had finally snapped inside her. “Why are you doing this? You hurt everyone, but more than that, you’re destroying yourself!” She locked eyes with me, stunned, confused, like she didn’t recognize me, like she was looking at a stranger. Nicholas cowered behind her, pale as death, lips trembling too hard to speak. Isabella slumped to the floor, her eyes vacant. “How did it come to this…” she muttered. I didn’t hear them. I couldn’t. My mind was somewhere else entirely as I bent down to gather the spilled food, still making those guttural sea lion sounds. Savannah’s eyes reddened. She reached out as if to stop me, but the moment her fingers brushed my skin, she recoiled like she’d been burned. Tears finally spilled down her cheeks. “What happened to you?” she whispered. “What the hell did they do to you…”

After they turned me into a sea lion, they often sent me to a dark, hidden underground chamber. There, the elite, those with twisted tastes and limitless power, looked at me like wolves, their eyes gleaming with sick delight. I crawled on all fours, dragging my injured body across the cold floor like a real sea lion. Every movement tore at wounds that had never healed, the pain so intense I almost blacked out, but I couldn’t stop. If I wanted to survive, I had to keep performing. I lifted my torso as high as I could, flapping my arms like flippers, letting out those sharp, high-pitched sea lion cries. The more I screamed, the more excited they became, laughing grotesquely. One of them, a fat woman with layers of makeup and perfume thick enough to choke on, stomped up to me, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and yanked my head up. I whimpered, pain burning through me, but I still forced myself to nuzzle her leg like a begging dog. She laughed, coarse and cruel. Her grip got even tighter. Her other hand roamed my body, nails scraping across my skin, leaving bleeding scratches behind. Others cracked a whip across my back, shouting obscene orders. I had no choice but to obey. I did every humiliating, sick move they demanded, choking down my shame. Over and over, I rolled across the ground, dragging my belly across the cold, hard floor, barking and cheering on cue, matching their laughter with my own false joy. Every action crushed a little more of whatever pride I had left. My head felt foggy. The memories of being forced to please them clung to me like rot. And now, instinct kicked in, I crawled toward Grace, head lowered. Because if I pleased them, I got to eat. I let out a muffled whimper and crawled to Grace’s feet on all fours. My hand trembled as I slowly reached for her skirt. My fingers were shaking from fear… and habit. Just as I was about to grab her leg, Grace jumped back like I’d burned her. “Maxwell, are you out of your mind?!” Her voice cracked with terror. Her eyes bulged like I was some kind of monster. Nicholas stood behind her, his expression flickering with something between glee and horror, and then he quickly covered his eyes, pretending to be scared. Isabella and Connor were frozen, faces pale with shock. Their mouths opened, but no sound came out. Grace’s reaction stunned me. I froze in place and let out a confused, helpless sea lion cry. My mind went blank. I didn’t even know what I’d done wrong, just that the way they looked at me made me scared. Savannah looked like she’d seen a ghost. Her eyes went wide, bulging with disbelief. She stormed over, yanking me to my feet and asking, “Maxwell, look at yourself! Do you even know what you’re doing? What the hell have you been through all these years?! “Do you even remember who you are? You’re a Lawson. You’re the heir to a legacy!” Her eyes were burning with fury and shame. “How could you stoop this low?! How could you crawl and grovel like this?! You’ve completely disgraced the Lawson family!” They locked me in a small, pitch-black iron cage, soaked in the stench of rotten seawater and blood. The so-called researchers wore white coats and emotionless masks and performed inhuman experiments on me as they carved into me like a specimen. They injected strange drugs into my body and cut and reshaped me with machines. The pain never stopped. Little by little, they turned me into a sea lion. Savannah had sent me here for Nicholas. She’d abandoned me to this hell without a second thought. But now? Now, she acted like she couldn’t bear the sight of what I’d become. A staff member turned to run. “You! Stop right there!” Savannah’s voice boomed. “I sent him here to reflect and reform, not to become this freak!” Free Point In a panic, one of the staff members started spewing nonsense in a desperate attempt to cover himself. “Ms. Stanton, he’s not as innocent as you think.

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On my son Lucas Williams’ seventh birthday, my husband, Asher Williams, stood us up again because of his adopted sister, Sofia Robinson. I tried to hold him back. “Just wait a bit. Lucas has been looking forward to your birthday present for a long time. You’ve never accompanied Lucas on his birthday. Please stay here this time.” Upon hearing this, Asher immediately turned stern. “Lillian Scott, can’t you stop being so unreasonable? “It’s not easy for Sofia to raise a child on her own. If I don’t go and take care of her, who will? What’s more, what does it matter if we celebrate the birthday or not? Just tell him to go to bed early.” He left me and Lucas behind once again for Sofia, and this time, my heart went completely cold. Once again, right in front of me and Lucas Williams, Asher Williams picked up his coat and walked out the door without looking back. I had lost count of how many times he had deserted our family for Sofia Robinson. “Don’t worry. I’ll come back as soon as I deal with things on Sofia’s end. I’ll try my best to be back in time to cut the cake with Lucas,” he said. I knew that once he left, he might be gone all night and might not even come back for several days. Lucas tugged at the hem of his coat and asked softly, “Daddy, will you come back later?” Without turning his head, Asher replied, “Of course. Even if I can’t make it back today, I’ll take you to the amusement park.” But for Lucas’ birthdays in the past six years, he had been absent every single time. I had married Asher right after graduating from college. Back then, he was gentle and charming, and he took meticulous care of me. Although our marriage was a business arrangement, we had dated for two years before our marriage. After getting married, we had a plain but happy life for a while, and I found out I was pregnant the following year. I could still remember how excited Asher was when he first learned he was going to be a father. His eyes were red with joy as he held me and promised to treat me well for the rest of his life. But ever since Sofia came back, Asher had changed. He became busier and busier, came home later and later, and showed less and less concern for me. Even on the day I gave birth, he left me because of a phone call from Sofia and didn’t show up again until Lucas and I were discharged from the hospital. In the eight years of our marriage, I had to juggle work, take care of the child, and manage everything at home. But Asher never seemed to notice how hard I was working and was completely devoted to his adopted sister. Now, the house was quiet again, and he missed even our child’s once-a-year birthday. Looking at Lucas, who was disappointed and trying hard to hold back his tears, I picked up my phone and dialed Asher’s number, my hands shaking. It was my last attempt to save this marriage. “Asher, can you come back now? Today is Lucas’ seventh birthday. He has been looking forward to your birthday present for a long time. “You’ve never celebrated Lucas’ birthday with him. Please come back and spend some time with him this time,” I pleaded. On the other end of the phone, Asher’s impatient voice sounded. Through the receiver, I could also hear the laughter of Sofia and her son, Carter Robinson. Asher shouted, “Lillian, I’ve told you many times. It’s not easy for Sofia to raise a child on her own. Lucas is young and doesn’t understand me. Don’t you understand me either? “What does it matter if we celebrate this stupid birthday or not? Just tell him to go to bed early and don’t call me again.” With that, Asher hung up the phone directly. My heart sank to the bottom. It wasn’t the first time that Asher had abandoned me and Lucas for Sofia. I had already gotten used to Asher’s absence from our home. I pulled myself together, coaxed Lucas to cut the cake, and accidentally saw Sofia’s Instagram. In the photo, Sofia was holding Carter, and Asher was standing behind them. The three of them were smiling happily. In Carter’s hand was the limited-edition model that Lucas had been longing for and that Asher had promised to give him a long time ago. Just yesterday, Lucas had secretly told me that Asher had promised him a surprise for his birthday. But now, that surprise was on someone else’s Instagram. When Lucas saw this Instagram post, the tears that he had just held back started flowing. He cried, “Mommy, does Daddy not like me? Why is he always not at home? Why did he give my birthday present to someone else?” Looking at Lucas’ red eyes from crying, I said in a hoarse voice, “Lucas, let’s forget about Daddy, okay?” Lucas nodded and threw himself into my arms. “Daddy always breaks his promises and makes Mommy unhappy. I don’t want such a daddy.” I hugged him and told the nanny, Emma Thomas, to help us pack our things. It was time for me and Asher to end this.

In the eight years of our marriage, I had been taking good care of the family wholeheartedly. At home, I prepared three meals a day for Asher, who was very picky about food, and helped him match the clothes for various occasions. At work, I was personally in charge of the cooperation projects with the Williams Group and tried my best to maintain the relationship between our two families. After Lucas was born, I learned carefully how to take care of a kid and spared time from my busy work to accompany him. But Asher was always absent when I and the child needed him. He always said that I should be understanding of Sofia, the single mother, but he never realized that over the years, I was more like a single mother than Sofia. After all, having a husband like him was no different from having none at all. In recent years, even Lucas didn’t ask me as often as before why his daddy wasn’t coming home. I knew that the decision to get a divorce this time was triggered by Sofia’s Instagram post, but what disappointed me most was Asher’s actions. I carried Lucas and the packed luggage, took a look back at the house where I had lived for eight years, and then resolutely turned around and closed the door. This time, we wouldn’t be waiting foolishly for Asher to come back anymore. The next day, I learned from Emma that Asher didn’t come back all night. So, I asked my assistant, Freya Taylor, to send the drafted divorce agreement to the Williams Group and have Asher sign it. I moved back to the villa where I had lived before marriage with Lucas. Without having to cook for Asher, I didn’t need to get up early. I just waited for the family chef to prepare breakfast. After having breakfast and sending Lucas to school, I went straight to my company. My company had recently won an important project, which was a great opportunity for me to shift my attention. Just as I was looking through the project materials and listening to the report from the project manager, Adam Bell, Asher stormed into my office with a gloomy face. He looked annoyed and was holding the divorce agreement that I had sent him in his hand. Asher shouted, “Lillian, just because I didn’t accompany Lucas on his birthday, you want to divorce me? “You’re using divorce to threaten me just because you can’t stand Sofia, right? I don’t understand. You’re also a woman. Why do you have to make things difficult for a single mother like her?” Adam left tactfully. I gave Asher a cold glance. I questioned, “Are you saying that me asking my husband to come back and accompany our child on his birthday is making things difficult for Sofia? “Over the past few years, everyone in our circle knows that you and Sofia seem more like a real couple than I am with you. Whether it’s for business or personal reasons, you’ve been embarrassing me and the Scott family. Why should I waste any more time on you?” Asher was taken aback for a moment. I didn’t know which words hit the mark, but a flash of guilt crossed his face. He said in a rare soft tone, “Lillian, what do you mean by a real couple? Sofia is just my sister. You’re always having wild thoughts. “Sofia called me last night because her son had a fever. As an uncle, I had to go and check on him. “It’s already so hard for her to raise a child as a single mother. If I don’t take care of her, what can she do?” Asher looked exhausted, and there was some stubble on his chin. He looked like he had taken care of his sick nephew all night. If I hadn’t seen Sofia’s Instagram post last night, I might have believed his lies. I sneered, “Asher, do you want me to make it even clearer? “Sofia is twenty-eight, not eight. If she’s sick, she can call a doctor. If her son has a fever, she can take him to the hospital. “Even if she needs help from family members, why does she always come to you instead of your parents?” After hearing this, Asher didn’t get angry. Instead, he smiled, “Come on! I know you’re angry because I didn’t accompany you and Lucas on his birthday last night. I promise I won’t do it again in the future. “Our wedding anniversary is next month. After I’m done with this busy period, I’ll make it up to you and Lucas.” I tapped the table impatiently and interrupted Asher, “You don’t need to talk so much. Just sign the papers, and then no one will care who you take care of in the future.” Then, I called Adam, who was waiting outside, back in. “Your idea is good. Just go with this direction and prepare a plan.” Being ignored by me, Asher was furious and tore up the divorce agreement. “Lillian, I won’t agree to the divorce. Take a few days to calm down. I’ll pick you and Lucas up when you’ve cooled off.” After saying that, he turned around and left. Looking at the shredded paper on the floor, I rubbed my forehead and called Freya, ordering, “Hire a few more private detectives and keep a close eye on Sofia and Asher.”

Asher’s concern for Sofia had long gone beyond what a brother should feel for his sister, and the way he doted on Sofia’s son was just plain creepy. If he didn’t like Sofia, why would he care more about Sofia and another man’s son than his son? I’d had my suspicions before. But with Lucas being so young, I didn’t dare to take that risk. I was afraid that because of my decision, Lucas would face a broken family before getting much fatherly love. But seeing Lucas disappointed time and time again when Asher stood him up, I knew I’d been dead wrong. Letting Lucas keep hoping for something from such an absent father was the real harm to him. With that thought, I clicked on the video the private detective had just sent. It had been taken in my company’s underground parking lot. Asher was leaning against his car, lighting a cigarette. Then, his phone rang. As soon as I heard that ringtone, I knew it was Sofia. He’d set a special ringtone for her so that he would never miss her calls. Asher said, “Sofia, don’t worry. Lillian won’t stay mad at me for long. Don’t feel bad. “Lucas is fine, too. I’ll buy him a gift later to make it up to him. Okay, I’m coming back right away.” At this moment, the pain of my nails digging into my palms couldn’t stop my anger. Who did Asher think he was? Did he believe he could make this divorce thing disappear by buying us some random gifts after ignoring me and Lucas for a few days? I told the private detective to speed up the investigation on Sofia, especially to dig into her life before she came back to the country. After sorting that out, I called my parents, Finley Scott and Matilda Scott, and told them I wanted a divorce from Asher. Matilda sighed, “Lillian, you finally see things clearly. What’s the Williams family’s stance on the divorce?” “Asher won’t agree. I’ve already sent people to look into him and Sofia.” I replied, “I’m planning to send Lucas to stay with you guys for a while. I might not be able to take care of him recently.” Matilda agreed right away, “Since you’ve made up your mind, go for it. No matter what you decide, we’ve got your back.” Hanging up, I felt a bit better. I knew that no matter what choice I made, Finley and Matilda would always support me. After sending Lucas away, I threw myself into sorting out the divorce settlement and the new project. One day, right after work, I got a call from Asher’s mother, Arabella Williams. She asked, “Lillian, why’d you move all your stuff out? I came to see Lucas, but he’s not here. Are you throwing a tantrum? “Did you and Asher fight? Can’t you two talk things out like adults? Why do you always have to threaten separation?” I didn’t feel like explaining but just said flatly, “Asher and I are getting a divorce. And whether I’m just throwing a tantrum or not, you, the Williams family, know well.” Free Point Arabella’s voice immediately turned shrill. “Divorce? How could you even think of it? Do you know how much the Williams family would lose if you go through with this?” Realizing her words were too harsh, she softened her tone. “What I mean is, our two families have been working together for years. A sudden divorce would tank our business. “I know Asher is busy at work and can not take care of you. But he’s just trying to give you and Lucas a better life. As his wife, you know how hard he is, right? “Have you ever thought about Lucas? He’s just a kid. What’ll happen to him if you two split?”

Arabella pretended to be reasonable, but every word was an accusation to me. I knew that in her eyes, I wasn’t even as good as her adopted daughter, Sofia. But over the years, the Williams Group had been going downhill. Without the support of the Scott family, it would’ve gone bankrupt ages ago. Asher’s parents knew perfectly well that Asher and Sofia were in the wrong, but they thought they had me cornered because of Lucas. As long as they had him, they thought they could keep milking the Scott family for benefits and taking advantage of us. So, even when I said I wanted a divorce, Arabella was so sure that just mentioning Lucas would make me back down. Arabella kept saying on the phone, “Alright, Lillian, I know you’re mad. I’ll scold Asher and make him take you and Lucas on a vacation.” Then, Asher’s father, Alfred Williams, took the phone and said in a solemn tone, “Lillian, you’re sensible, and the Williams family owes a lot to you. “But you should cut Asher some slack. You know he only likes you. He just looks after Sofia a bit more, but she’s his sister. “For my sake, drop this talk of divorce. You and Asher are married. What grudges can’t be settled overnight?” I knew their real goal was to protect the Williams family’s interests, which was why they were hitting me with such words. I said coldly, “I’ve made up my mind about the divorce. The Scott family and the Williams family won’t have any ties from now on. “Thanks to your son’s actions, Lucas and I are already used to life in a single-parent family. He might as well have been dead these past few years.” As soon as I finished speaking, both of them on the other end were stunned, not expecting me to be so firm and decisive. They’d always thought I’d keep swallowing my anger for Lucas’ sake and let them push me around. But this time, I’d prove them wrong. “Lillian, what do you mean? Asher treats you so well. How could you curse him? “He just looks after his sister a bit more. How dare you want a divorce? You’re being incredibly selfish!” shouted Arabella. She didn’t even bother to hide her true feelings anymore and lashed out at me. It was ridiculous how, even though Sofia and Asher had gone too far, I was always the one getting blamed in the end. It wasn’t the first time in the past few years that Asher and his parents had sided with Sofia and accused me, the only outsider, of being too petty to accept Sofia. Sofia had shown up when I was thirty-two weeks pregnant with Lucas. That was the first I’d heard of Asher having an adopted sister who’d married and moved abroad.

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On the day of our engagement, suddenly, a video popped up on the big screen. In it, my boyfriend’s secretary, Debby Clark, was being dragged into the toilet and was getting beaten and verbally abused. Debby, all bruised and battered, rushed towards me crying and pleaded, “Ms. Quincey, I’m so sorry. I won’t talk to Mr. Pierce anymore. Please tell my colleagues to stop bullying me.” My boyfriend, Caleb Pierce, was really pissed off. He announced right then and there to call off the ceremony and threw me into an illegal coal mine to dig coal, thinking it would make me more gentle and obedient. While he took Debby traveling all around the world to unwind. The men in that illegal coal mine were like a pack of beasts. As soon as they saw me, they were all drooling over me. I was chained up in a pitch-black cave and forced to get pregnant over and over again. Three years later, Caleb finally remembered me and asked, “Jessica Quincey, do you regret it?” I just numbly knelt down. Caleb was quite satisfied. But what he didn’t know was that my body had been completely ruined. I only had five days left to live.

When Caleb showed up with his bodyguards, it was just the end of the shift at the illegal coal mine. The men hid in the coal-cinder caves, watching the luxury car of the Pierce family pass by, whispering among themselves. Terry Morrison, the manager of this coal mine, bowed and scraped in front of Caleb. “Mr. Pierce, over these three years, we’ve disciplined Jessica exactly as you ordered. She’s really obedient now. She definitely won’t resist you anymore.” Caleb nodded in satisfaction. Then I was taken out of the coal cave. It was a sweltering summer evening, but I was still wearing the sweater I had when I first came to this illegal coal mine. I stood in front of Caleb in a sorry state. My cheeks were sunken, and I’d lost a lot of weight. Just a short while ago, several men had just left my bed. At the moment, my legs were extremely sore. Barely had I stepped out of the cave when my legs gave way uncontrollably, and I crashed to the ground. The sharp-edged gravel instantly cut my calf. I gasped in pain. But Caleb frowned instinctively. “I thought you’d realized your mistakes in these three years. Turns out you just can’t change your ways. All you can do is play the poor-me card. Debby was bullied and beaten by you before and got depression, but she wasn’t as fake as you.” Terry immediately smiled obsequiously and said, “Mr. Pierce, if you’re not satisfied with Jessica, why not leave her here for further discipline? I promise you, this time I’ll make her completely submissive.” Caleb fell silent, looking at me with a scrutinizing and contemplative gaze. He was actually considering whether to leave me here. I looked at him, and my already broken heart couldn’t help but ache again as if a sharp dagger had stabbed into my chest and was churning my flesh. Blinking my dry eyes, I struggled to get up and knelt down in a humble position, pleading, “Mr. Pierce, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me.” My forehead hit the ground, and the sharp gravel hurt my skin, but the pain was far less intense than the humiliation of having my pride broken and my dignity trampled underfoot. Caleb was a bit surprised. Apparently, he wasn’t used to my humble attitude. I was definitely not like this before. Caleb reached out to help me up, but I flinched and instinctively backed away. He got a bit irritated and pushed me away forcefully. “Jessica, don’t act like someone has abused you.” My body was already weak. With his strong push, I was pushed out and hit the ground heavily. My ankle made a cracking sound. I curled up in pain, unable to speak. The black coal cinders all over the ground covered me. My face and hair that I had specially washed to greet Caleb were covered with dust again, as dirty as a homeless madwoman. Caleb was stunned. He didn’t expect that a little push from him could cause me so much harm. He was about to explain something when a few coughs suddenly came from the car in the distance. Caleb frowned, and his guilt turned into displeasure. “Debby came to pick you up even though she’s sick. She’s so nice to you. How could you have done such beastly things to her? Get up now and go apologize to her.” I endured the pain and tremblingly got up. Three years ago, at my engagement ceremony, Debby accused me of being jealous. She said that just because she talked to Caleb a few more times, I instigated the company employees to bully her. Debby showed the scars on her body and cried her heart out at the engagement scene. Caleb was furious. He announced on the spot to cancel the engagement and threw me into the illegal coal mine, saying I should change my temper. But I had never done those things to hurt Debby. Swallowing the blood in my throat, I limped towards the car. My legs hurt so much that after just a few steps, I fell to the ground again. The loose sweater slipped off my skinny shoulders, revealing a large area of my skin. The men in the coal cave burst into lewd laughter. Caleb’s face turned gloomy, and he slapped me directly. “Jessica, have you no shame? You’re not even wearing underwear in public. Don’t act like a slut expecting to seduce men all the time.” I clutched my clothes tightly as desolation hit my heart. My underwear had been torn to pieces in the first month I was sent here. In the past three years, I hadn’t stepped out of the coal cave once, and there was no chance for me to buy new ones. My embarrassment was caused by these men, but at this moment, they all looked at me with disdainful eyes, as if I were a born slut. I bit my lips in humiliation, trying hard not to let the tears fall, and dragged my injured leg to the car. Just as I touched the car door, a woman’s voice came out. “Mr. Pierce, have you picked up Ms. Quincey?” The car door opened. Debby was wearing a high-end little cocktail dress, looking cute and pretty. But when she saw me, she shrank her neck like she was frightened, with a look of timidity on her face. I also trembled instinctively. Everyone said that Debby was fragile but kind. Even though she was almost driven to suicide by my “bullying” back then, she never took any revenge on me. Only I knew that it was her idea to throw me into the illegal coal mine. All the humiliation I suffered was instigated by her. I ended up like this all because of her. Forcibly suppressing the sarcasm and grievance in my heart, I knelt down numbly. I said, “Debby, please forgive me. It’s all my fault, every single mistake. “I was vain and vicious. I took advantage of my position and instigated the company employees to bully you. “I deserve it. I should die. I shouldn’t have bullied you.” “Ms. Quincey, what are you doing? Get up on your knees. I’m just a secretary. How could you kneel to me?” Debby was like a frightened little rabbit and quickly came to help me. But as soon as she touched my hand, she let out a scream and pulled her hand back abruptly. Caleb’s eyes turned cold. He kicked me away, then got into the car and quickly checked Debby’s body. “Jessica, you’re such a jinx. Look what you’ve done. Debby is allergic just to touching you. You’re so dirty. You’re not allowed to get in the car. Wrap yourself in a plastic bag and get into the trunk,” he said. My body was already at the limit. With his kick, my ribs seemed broken, too. But even though I was pale with pain, no one cared about me. The bodyguard stuffed me into a woven bag like an item and threw me into the trunk. In the darkness, Caleb’s gentle care for Debby became even clearer. I stared blankly at nowhere, and the tears I had held back for so long finally slid down silently. Before I left, the doctor who secretly treated me told me that I had a cervical infection and erosion as well as kidney failure. According to his diagnosis, I could live at most five days. In five days, I wouldn’t have to endure this humiliation anymore. Five days later, even if Caleb searched the whole of River City, he wouldn’t be able to find me because I would be dead by then.

It was already three hours later when we got back to Pierce Villa. I had been curled up in the small trunk for a long time. As soon as I put my feet on the ground, my legs were so numb that I almost fell. So I instinctively grabbed the small tree beside me and finally managed to steady myself. When Debby saw this, she was almost in tears. “Ms. Quincey, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t damage my wisteria. Mr. Pierce and I planted it with our own hands.” Her eyes turned red, and tears started streaming down. I was stunned and looked at the wisteria tree beside me. In my memory, there should have been a swing here that Caleb built with his own hands to make me happy back then. But now the swing was gone, and Caleb’s love was gone, too. The wisteria had just lost a few insignificant little flowers because I leaned on it for support. Without any warning, Caleb rushed over and yanked me away from the tree. He roared, “Jessica, I knew it. I knew you would bully Debby as soon as you got back. “I’m telling you, although I can’t cancel the engagement with you, you’ll never be the hostess of the Pierce family. “Get back to your room. Even looking at you makes me sick.” I was thrown aside by him, and my back hit the elaborately arranged rose flower wall. A section of the flowers and leaves collapsed because of that. Debby bit her lip and was crying so hard that she could barely breathe. Caleb hugged her as a comfort while giving me a cold, sidelong glance. “Debby has asthma. Are you happy making her cry like this? I think you’ve had it too good there, that’s why you’re so out of control. Today, no, you don’t need to come for meals until the day after tomorrow.” Upon hearing these words, my stomach twitched in pain instinctively. The work in the illegal coal mine was physically exhausting. Not providing food was the easiest way to control someone. After I was thrown into the illegal coal mine, Terry was quite respectful to me in the first few days. But when he found out that Caleb didn’t even call to ask about me, he was certain that I was a worthless stupid woman. I was locked deep in the coal cave and became a tool for those men to vent their lust. I tried to commit suicide countless times but failed, and what I got in return were beatings and “discipline” again and again. To make me surrender, Terry once didn’t give me food for ten consecutive days, only giving me a cup of water each day. I became skin and bones, and my stomach problems got worse. During the toughest times, it felt like my stomach acid was about to burn through my stomach and intestines, and I was rolling on the ground in pain. Caleb and I grew up together. He clearly knew that I would get a stomachache if I didn’t eat. Feeling my back, which was bleeding from being pricked by the rose thorns, I lowered my head numbly and obediently. “Yes, Mr. Pierce.” The utility room at the corner of the villa was where I would stay tonight. It was dark and cramped, filled with all the old junk of this house everywhere, and there was a single bed in the corner. The servant, Maggie Robinson, secretly told me that ever since I was driven away by Caleb three years ago, Debby had moved into Pierce Villa. Caleb claimed to compensate her for the evil deeds I had done to Debby. When Caleb’s grandfather, Charles Pierce, was still alive, he doted on me the most. Even though I didn’t come often, he still reserved the largest and best room in the Pierce Villa for me. But after Debby moved in, Caleb gave my room to her. I hurriedly asked Maggie what had happened to my old things. “They were all packed and thrown here by Mr. Pierce,” Maggie said. After Maggie left, I endured the pain in my body and started rummaging through the piles of old furniture. I first found a teddy bear. One of its eyes was missing, its pretty little dress was dirty, and its belly was torn open by someone, with cotton sticking out. I remembered the gentle look on Caleb’s face when he gave it to me. He said, “Jessica, you’re afraid of the dark. When I’m not around, let this teddy bear be by your side instead of me.” But later, he threw me into the illegal coal mine for three whole years. I struggled and cried hysterically in the darkness, but he never looked back at me again. Tears welled up, and I quickly wiped them away. Then I found a wrinkled school uniform jacket. I remembered that I suddenly got my period on the way home from school that year, and my pants were stained by the blood. The teenage boys on the road were all laughing at me. I lowered my head, feeling ashamed and furious. But then a jacket was suddenly wrapped around my waist. I looked up and saw the ferocity in young Caleb’s eyes. “Whoever laughed at you just now, I’ll go smash their mouths,” he said. Scenes from the past flashed through my mind, and in the end, all that was left for me was the darkness in the room. But it didn’t matter anymore. The current Jessica was already used to the darkness, and after days and days of humiliation, she had lost her sense of shame and sensitivity. Tears flowed even more fiercely, but I didn’t stop what I was doing. The pain from my broken ribs and sprained calf made my movements extremely slow. My body was severely exhausted. Every time I took a breath, I could taste the blood welling up in my throat. My forehead was burning hot, and my vision was gradually blurring. Just when I could barely hold on, I finally touched that thing. My USB drive. It had the evidence that I hadn’t had time to give to Caleb back then, proving that Debby had staged the bullying herself. After finding the USB drive, I could no longer hold on and passed out in pain on the bed. In a daze, the door of the utility room was suddenly pushed open. Someone strode in. Free Points

That man seemed to be Caleb. He was dressed in a sharp suit, his shirt was spotlessly white, and he held his chin slightly up, just like the proud Caleb in my memory. Suddenly, I recalled the first time I saw him when I was a kid. My grandfather, Frank Quincey, took me to Pierce Villa to visit Charles, his old friend in arms. Caleb was sitting in the pavilion and playing chess with Charles. At that time, he made a promise to me that he would treat me well forever. But later, when Debby framed me in front of so many people at the engagement ceremony, Caleb pushed me to the ground without hesitation. He said, “Jessica, Debby said before that you didn’t like her. I endured it. I thought it was just some petty squabbles between women. “But this time you’ve really gone too far. You actually instigated the company employees to bully her just out of jealousy. “You don’t really think that just because Mr. Quincey asked me to marry you before he died, you’ve been elevated from your original class, do you? You make me sick.” In less than a day, all the employees who had picked on Debby were fired, and before I could hand the evidence I found to Caleb, I was sent to the illegal coal mine. There, I was treated like an animal, and my health was completely ruined. “Jessica, don’t pretend to be asleep. I know you’re awake,” Caleb said with a cold face, carrying a tray of delicious-smelling food. “Debby had a nightmare because of you again. I should never have brought you back.” He kicked the teddy bear away irritably. “As long as you sincerely admit your mistake and crawl on your knees from here to Debby’s room to apologize to her, I’ll give you food. You’ve always wanted to marry into the Pierce family, right? After you apologize, I might even let you stay here for the rest of your life,” he said. I opened my mouth. My mind was drowsy from the high fever, and for the first time, I didn’t obey him. “I… don’t want to stay here. I want to go home. Grandpa, I haven’t seen him for three years…” Caleb looked very displeased. He wanted to drag me out but was disgusted by the dirty dust and sweat on me. “You’re ungrateful. Then don’t eat a single bite. Starve to death,” he roared. My lips trembled, and tears rolled down. “Fine.” In four more days, I’d be dead as he wished. Caleb really did what he said and never came to see me again. I curled up in bed and slept for a whole day and night with a lot of sweat. The wounds on my back and calf split open again because of my unconscious tossing and turning in my dreams. Blood and sweat soaked the quilt. During this time, a servant came to knock on my door and brought me a soft silk blanket. I was flattered, but the servant told me that Caleb had built a luxurious manor for Debby in the suburbs, lavished with all kinds of things. All of Debby’s things had been replaced with new ones, and this was what she didn’t want. I lowered my eyes and remained silent. On the third day, the wounds on my body not only didn’t heal but showed signs of rotting and suppurating. They were swollen and itchy. The worst thing was that the blanket stuck to the wounds, and it took me a long time to tear them apart with my teeth gritting. But this made the scabs break again. They were not serious wounds, but the blood just wouldn’t stop. I lay on the bed, icy all over, feeling like I was really going to die. But before death, I had to see Frank. Frank was in good health. Three years ago, when Debby caused a scene at my engagement party, it was Frank who stopped Caleb from hurting me with his cane. Frank had always demanded to check the surveillance to prove my innocence, but unfortunately, he had no power or influence and was nothing in front of the Pierce family after Charles passed away. Caleb sent me away behind Frank’s back. Frank didn’t know where I was. In the past three years, I hadn’t sent him a single message. He must have been crazy looking for me. On the fourth day, I didn’t even have the strength to move. Maggie saw how pitiful I was and secretly slipped in with medicine and bread. While I was wolfing down the food, she quickly took off my clothes to apply medicine for me. Maggie touched my bony body and couldn’t help crying. “How could Mr. Pierce be so cruel? What kind of suffering has he put you through all these years? Jess, if it’s really that bad, just run away.” With tears in her eyes, she said, “I’m on shift at midnight tonight. Everyone will be asleep then. I’ll open the back door for you. Just live your life from now on and never come back.” I forced myself to perk up and pleaded with her to find me a set of clean clothes and some makeup.

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On the day of my birthday party, my grandfather, Harvey Macleod, asked me which guy from the Cameron family I was going to marry. I didn’t hesitate for a second and picked Arthur Cameron from the Cameron family. My family’s elders were all shocked as hell. After all, everyone in our circle knew that the heir of the Macleod Group was head over heels in love with Charles Cameron, the eldest son of the Cameron family, and would rather die than marry anyone else. In my previous life, I did get married to Charles. But just three months later, I caught Charles having an affair with my illegitimate cousin, Eliza Macleod. At that moment, his eyes were full of tears, and he begged me for forgiveness. “I’m begging you. It was just an accident.” I softened my heart, but Harvey still found out about it and had Eliza sent far away to a foreign country. Charles thought it was my doing and hated me with a passion. In the following few years, the elders in my family passed away one after another. Our company always got beaten to the punch in the market, and our top-secret documents were stolen. I was hit and killed by a car on the day I found out I was pregnant. Given a second chance at life, I decided to let them have their love. But I never expected that when the news of my engagement was announced, Charles burst into the engagement party and begged me to marry him.

As soon as I stepped out of the study, I saw Charles Cameron. He was sitting in the middle of the crowd, decked out in a designer suit, but his eyes kept drifting towards the door. When his friends saw me, one of them nudged him hard. “Here comes your groupie… Oops, I mean, your fan.” Charles gave me a dismissive glance. “What are you doing here?” he said, sounding disappointed. In my past life, I would’ve rushed over and tried to smooth things over with him. But the image of that truck slamming into me was still fresh in my mind, so I just replied coldly, “It’s my birthday party. Why wouldn’t I be here?” Charles instantly flew off the handle when he heard how icy I sounded. “Violet Macleod, what’s your deal? Looking for a fight? I took time out of my schedule to come to your party, and this is how you act? Just because you ran to your grandpa doesn’t mean we’re getting married.” One of his friends chimed in, “Violet, what’s your problem? Apologize to Charles! If you hadn’t shamelessly pestered Charles every day, he wouldn’t have bothered with you.” I was speechless. “If you’re not happy at my party, feel free to leave. And as for my wedding plans, they’ll be announced at my grandpa’s 80th birthday party next month. It’s none of your business, so don’t bother asking.” Although I intended to marry Arthur Cameron, I had not yet asked him. Though in my previous life… I couldn’t be so hasty as to announce it here now. “Wedding plans?” One guest perked up. “Sounds like their grandfathers are finally ready to step down. We’ll finally know who’s taking over the Cameron Group.” My grandfather, Harvey Macleod, and Frankie Cameron, Charles’ grandfather, had been best friends their whole lives and should have retired ages ago. Since I was the only daughter in the Macleod family, they’d made a deal that whoever I married would get a 20% share of the Cameron Group from Frankie. In my previous life, with the 15% Charles already owned, marrying me made him the boss of the Cameron Group. Things were about to change big time for the Cameron Group. His friends started cheering. “Charles, you’re gonna be the top dog!” Charles looked proud. “Violet, just because I’m marrying you doesn’t mean you’ve won. I can’t stand how smug you look. “I learned my lesson from last time. I’ll marry you, but there’s no way I’ll become a part of your family. Before we marry, you’d better give your poor sister a good job.” I was about to tell him it had nothing to do with him when I realized that he’d been reborn, too. In my previous life, it was a servant of the Cameron family who tipped me off about his affair with Eliza. And now, he was still up to the same tricks. I was about to kick him out when I heard a timid voice behind me. “Violet?” Eliza Macleod came over, looking weak, with bruises all over her face. Everyone started whispering. Charles rushed to her, looking heartbroken. “What happened? Who did this to you?” Before Eliza could answer, Charles turned around and glared at me. “Violet, how dare you play these dirty tricks again?” I tried to explain, but Eliza interrupted me, “It’s nothing serious. I just tripped on the way here. Today’s Violet’s birthday. Even though she’s never liked me, I still wanted to wish her well.” Charles shot me a look of disgust. “Violet, you could never be as kind as she is.” Eliza grabbed Charles’ arm. “Don’t be mad, Charles. I’m sure one day Violet will forgive me.” Charles wrapped his arm around her protectively. “Let’s go see a doctor right away. I don’t want you getting hurt worse.” As they walked away, he shot me a warning look. “Violet, keep your hands off Eliza. If you mess with her again, our engagement party will not happen on time.” With that, he dragged Eliza away.

That night, the birthday party was in full swing, but Eliza and Charles were nowhere to be found. They didn’t show up until the party was almost over and only my close friends of the same generation and a few close businessmen were left chatting. Eliza had changed her clothes. Her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen. Charles looked like he was on cloud nine, and there were faint red marks peeking out from his open shirt collar. Everyone knew what they had done and kept looking at me, while my friends just shook their heads, looking like they wanted to say something but held back. In my previous life, I would’ve stormed over and smacked Eliza. But this time, I just picked up a cup of coffee from the table and took a sip. Charles stood protectively in front of Eliza, waiting for me to blow up. When I ignored them, though, he started scowling, clearly annoyed. Eliza pulled Charles in and started kissing him right there as if no one else was around. Charles didn’t stop her and even let her sit on his lap. It was their business, and I couldn’t care less. But my best friend, Sienna Smith, couldn’t take it anymore and yanked them apart. “Eliza, Charles is practically Violet’s fiancé! You’re so shameless.” Before Eliza could respond, Charles exploded. “Sienna? Last I checked, the Smith family has a bunch of projects funded by the Cameron family. How dare you lecture me? Violet hasn’t said anything. Who are you to butt in?” “Charles, watch your mouth,” I shouted. Sienna was kind to me, and I wasn’t about to let him trash-talk her. “The leading man at the Cameron Group hasn’t stepped down yet. What makes you so sure that I’ll pick you and that you’ll get that 20% stake?” Charles stared at me, then burst out laughing. “Are you trying to play hard to get? Everyone knows you’re crazy about me. Who else is there? One of my sisters has married off overseas, and the other has locked in her room making art all day. And my little brother’s in jail doing time. You wanna join him?” Then, he thought of something and added, “Look, Violet, whatever beef our families had is old news. Your mom’s gone, and no amount of holding grudges will bring her back. Let it go, for everyone’s sake. Eliza’s innocent in all this.” Innocent? I almost laughed out loud. When my mom, Amelia Macleod, was pregnant, Eliza’s mom, Ivy Wilson, showed up at our door with Eliza. She claimed my dad, Blake Macleod, had knocked her up and ditched her, and she called Amelia a homewrecker. During the fight, Ivy pushed Amelia down the stairs, and Amelia and the baby died. But it turned out that Eliza wasn’t even Blake’s kid but was my deadbeat uncle’s, and Ivy was just a cocktail waitress. Amelia and the baby were the real victims. Lost in thought, I didn’t notice Charles grinning. He thought it was my acquiescence and happily said, “Oh yeah, happy birthday.” With that, he added, pulling off his tie and tossing it at me, “Here. It is for you.” Eliza said in a loud voice, “Charles, do you think she’ll like it? She might blame me for stealing her gift again.” As she spoke, she tugged at her collar to show off a necklace. Charles shrugged. “Don’t worry. She doesn’t like anything but what I’ve used. You didn’t steal anything. Once I give something to you, it’s yours.” They snickered as the tie smacked me in the face. It stung like a slap. In my previous life, I had indeed enjoyed collecting things that Charles had used, including the ring he wore when we met, the tie from our wedding, and the watch from his big promotion. I kept them in fancy boxes, thinking they were precious mementos. He laughed at me and said they were all rags that were worn once and thrown away, and that I was the only one who considered them a treasure. Mortal things were precious because they were endowed with feelings, and he didn’t love me, so he naturally wouldn’t understand. I sighed, picked up the tie, and chucked it in the trash can, saying, “Trash belongs in the trash.” Charles went crazy. “Fine, Violet! Our wedding’s getting put on ice!”

That night, Eliza and I got home together, and she had a smug look. “Violet, so what if you marry Charles? You can have his body, but you’ll never have his heart. Oh, maybe he won’t even let you touch his body either,” she said. Without Charles around, she finally dropped her innocent act. “I made your mom dead, and I can sure as hell steal Charles, the man you love the most. Just wait, Violet. Everything that’s yours will end up being mine eventually.” Eliza thought she could get on my nerves, but I just gave her a cold glance. “Then I wish you could move out of the maid’s room soon,” I said. After that, I ignored her and walked straight into the mansion. Harvey came to talk to me and said that Arthur needed some more time to think it over. Charles probably almost forgot that he had another younger brother. Frankie had a daughter who had given up her inheritance rights to become a cop because she had fallen in love with a policeman. Later, they both died in the line of duty, leaving behind only their son, Arthur. Frankie and his daughter had had a huge falling-out because of that marriage decision. After she died, Frankie felt remorseful. But Arthur didn’t go back to the Cameron family very often. With my reminder, Frankie felt that he owed Arthur. Even if Arthur didn’t marry me, Frankie would still leave him a portion of his property. Charles was dead set on getting the Cameron Group, but he had no idea that he could never get it all. I was looking forward to seeing how Charles would fare in this life. On the day of Harvey’s 80th birthday, all the big shots in our circle showed up. To make sure the party went smoothly, I checked Harvey’s health with the doctor one more time. When Eliza saw me there, she walked straight towards me. These past few days, Charles had taken Eliza to a bunch of luxury stores. I checked her social media account, and every single fancy Instagram post was screaming about how close they were. When she saw me, she came over and smiled, “Violet, Charles is such a great guy. He took me to buy so many luxury things. And not only that, he even measured me himself and said he was going to order a custom-made dress for me.” Seeing I ignored her, she continued, “Charles also said that even after you two get married, I shouldn’t be shy around him. We’ll be family, and he should do things for me.” Eliza kept interrupting my conversation with the doctor. I turned around and was about to tell her to buzz off. But when I saw the brooch on her chest, I froze. That brooch was the birthday gift my parents had given me when I was a kid. They loved each other deeply. Amelia had designed the brooch herself, and Blake had found the best craftsman in Winussland to make it. It was a symbol of their wish for me to have a happy and fulfilling life. Later, after that horrible thing happened, Amelia died, and Blake lost his will to live and never came out of his room. So, I never received a birthday gift from them again. There was only one such brooch in the world, and I didn’t even want to wear it myself. I grabbed Eliza’s collar, pushed her into the corner, and looked down at her. “Where did you get this brooch?” Suddenly, Eliza started choking up. “Violet, even though you’ve always hated me, I’ve always thought of you as my dear sister. Charles just bought me a few clothes because he felt sorry for me. You shouldn’t hit me just because you’re angry.” I wasn’t falling for her act. I didn’t ease up my grip and said viciously, “Tell me. Where did you get the brooch? Who gave it to you?” Eliza just stared at me with widened eyes. I was so disgusted that I tried to snatch the brooch, but another hand grabbed my wrist tightly. A cold voice came from behind me. “Violet, what are you doing? Do you want to hit her right in the open?” Charles stood protectively in front of Eliza and glared at me. “Is this how you, the Macleod family, treat your kin?”

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The day my ex-boyfriend, Spencer Drayton, became the world boxing champion was the same day I, Madeleine Ford, got my terminal diagnosis. During the live broadcast interview, the host asked Spencer who’d been his rock during the hardest times. He called my number. “Back then, you dumped me because you thought I was a nobody, got rid of our kid, and ran off with someone else. Any regrets now?” I glanced at the date the doctors predicted I’d die and laughed, a wild, almost freeing sound. “Maybe we should just get back together. I get a champion boxer boyfriend. You get a five-year-old son. Win-win.” He hung up instantly. On the broadcast, Spencer’s laugh was ice-cold. “Thanks to my ex for giving me this humiliation. It’s what drove me to where I am today.” I smiled through my tears, wiping them away. He had no idea. If I hadn’t walked away, he would have died in that ring. A friend request popped up on my phone. The profile picture was of my ex, Spencer. After a moment’s hesitation, I hit accept. Instantly, a fifty-thousand-dollar transfer notification followed. The message attached: [I want to see the child.] It took me a long moment to process what he meant. A knot of complicated feelings tightened in my chest. I accepted the money, then typed back: [Okay. Where are you?] He dropped a pin, a private, members-only club. I transferred the funds straight to my adopted son Theo Ford’s account, pulled myself together, grabbed my purse, and headed for the club. As I approached the private room, a familiar voice drifted out. Peeking through the door crack, I saw Spencer standing tall and straight. Seven years had passed. He looked more mature, more grounded, though his features were fundamentally unchanged. But the woman beside him wasn’t me anymore. From the way he was dressed, it was clear he’d just finished a livestream and rushed straight here. His new girlfriend, Tessa Sutton, had thrown him a victory party here, celebrating him becoming the youngest champion ever. Spencer cradled Tessa’s face, brushing a tender kiss across her forehead. I snapped my head away, a sharp pain lancing through my heart. All I wanted was to leave right then and there. Suddenly, the door was yanked open. Startled, I looked up. Spencer stood there, his face a mask of indifference. His cold gaze swept over me, head to toe, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “After all this time, not even a hello before leaving? That’s a bit rude, don’t you think?” I stared at him, a thousand unspoken words catching in my throat. I swallowed them down. What came out was, “You wanted to see the child, right? Can you come with me now?” Spencer froze. Then raw fury ignited in his icy eyes. He slammed me against the wall, his hands digging into my shoulders as he growled, his voice low and furious, “Seven years ago, you vanished without a word, and now this is the first thing you say to me?” A sharp, throbbing ache radiated from where his fingers pressed into a bruise on my shoulder. I gasped against the pain but showed a brittle laugh. “Mr. Drayton, are you afraid Ms. Sutton might get jealous? I’m sure she would be delighted to hear I have a child, wouldn’t she?” I aimed the last words at Tessa, who had followed him out and now stood possessively in the doorway. Shock registered on both their faces. Pain flickered in Spencer’s eyes, mixed with something unreadable. Before he could speak, Tessa glided to his side, looping her arm through his, staking her claim. She shot me a sharp look, her voice dripping with mockery and pity. “Darling, I heard Ms. Ford has been all alone, you know. “Raising a child by herself all these years… it must have been terribly difficult. Perhaps the poor boy’s never even met his father. Her asking… She’s probably just trying to keep the child happy, don’t you think? “After all, she’s not like me. I have a man to take care of me, time for shopping, trips… living life to the fullest. “Which reminds me. I suppose I owe Ms. Ford a thank you for being so cruel back then. If she hadn’t been, I never would have met such a wonderful man, would I?” Faced with Tessa’s smug display, I said nothing and offered no defense. My mind flashed back seven years. Spencer was just a hungry young fighter then, fresh off a win, heading into the finals. And me, on the eve of his biggest fight, leaving him with nothing but a note and a medical report from my abortion. He was crushed, lost the finals, and spiraled into a year of self-doubt. He almost got kicked out of the gym.

My thoughts snapped back to the present as Spencer leaned down to kiss Tessa’s forehead again. His eyes swam with unmistakable affection. “Honestly? I’m glad she was so heartless back then. Otherwise, I never would have found my life’s greatest fortune. “That couture gown you wanted? It’s hanging in your closet. Stop trying to save my money.” He released me and laced his fingers through hers. Finally free from his grip, I felt the room tilt. I stood there, staring at their intertwined fingers, a tightness forming in my chest. A wave of dizziness made my vision blur, and I felt like I was suffocating. I had zero interest in witnessing their perfect love story. I turned to leave, stumbled, and pitched forward, hitting the carpet hard. My purse flew open, scattering pill bottles everywhere. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tessa’s red stiletto quickly disappear beneath the hem of her dress. “Oh, goodness, Madeleine! Are you alright? Clumsy me, I didn’t see you turning and must have tripped you! I am so sorry.” Her tone held zero actual apology. Spencer started to reach for me, but Tessa’s sharp gasp stopped him. He pulled his hand back. “My God, Madeleine! You’re dying? No way! You seem perfectly healthy!” Spencer snatched up the medical notice that had fallen out, his eyes landing on the words Critically Ill. Fury contorted his features. “Madeleine, have you no shame? Stooping this low just to get my sympathy! “After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit! Still full of cheap tricks!” I struggled upright, looking at Spencer’s powerful, healthy body with a stab of envy. I yanked the notice from his grasp, plastering a smile on my face as I slowly gathered the pills, my voice soft and sweet. “Oops, you caught me. So, Spencer… feeling generous enough to spare some charity for a poor, pathetic woman like me?” Tessa dabbed at crocodile tears, leaning dramatically into Spencer’s chest. But the look she shot down at me was pure spite. “Darling, Madeleine must be telling the truth. “Think about it. If she hadn’t left you, she wouldn’t be facing this karma now. We should help her. She’s so terribly pitiful.” Every word was a poisoned dart, reminding Spencer how I’d supposedly ditched him when he had nothing. The fire in Spencer’s eyes turned to ice. “I don’t waste my kindness on just anybody.” He wrapped an arm around Tessa’s shoulders and turned away. She made a show of pleading my case until he silenced her with a kiss. She shot me a final, triumphant glance over his shoulder. I picked up the last flattened pill box and tucked it into my purse, then pushed myself to my feet, leaning heavily on my throbbing knee. As their figures vanished into the elevator, I pressed a hand to my violently trembling chest, gulping for air. Systemic lupus erythematosus… My organs were shutting down, one by one. Infections were spreading. My clock was running out. And he was perfectly healthy. This stable, healthy life he had, I’d sacrificed everything for it back then. And he still had no idea.

Back then, Spencer was boxing’s rising star, an undefeated dark horse tearing through the ranks straight to the championship final. The betting odds against him hit an insane 170:1. Someone powerful got nervous. They cornered Spencer with threats, bribes for the whole nine yards. They ordered him to take a dive in the final round. The carrot, a ten-million-dollar check, would be his the moment he agreed. Spencer took the check. Then he walked straight to the authorities with the check and a recording of the conversation, blowing the whistle on them. That was Spencer then, pure integrity, disgusted by the corruption of fixed fights. Even though the money involved was huge, because no actual deal was finalized, the authorities only issued a stern warning, no real punishment. But Spencer had made powerful enemies. They didn’t come after him directly. Instead, they went for his coach, Cole Locke, the gym owner. I never learned the specifics of their conversation, but from that day on, Cole started working on Spencer. Trying to persuade him, manipulate him. He even stooped to using me. I was a month pregnant by then. Spencer refused Cole point-blank. “Cole, I get it. I really do. But my kid’s about to be born. I don’t want him growing up hearing whispers, carrying the shame of a father who threw fights.” “If we keep it a secret, who’s gonna know? Besides, think about the money, not just your rep! Look how thin Madeleine’s gotten! She needs proper food now she’s pregnant, and babies cost a fortune! You want them stuck in that crappy little apartment forever?” Spencer’s eyes blazed. “If I win the championship, the prize money will fix everything!” Cole threw his hands up. “Get real, kid! You’re a rookie! How are you gonna beat a champ with ten years under his belt? You’re gonna lose anyway! Since it ends the same, why not take the cash and lose?” Spencer wouldn’t budge. The conversation ended badly. Meanwhile, I was tied up in some empty room, watching my fiancé’s determined face on a grainy monitor. He wasn’t wrong, not for a second. My heart swelled with pride for him. But then they brought him in, the champion Spencer was supposed to fight, and showed him to me. A chilling wave of dread washed over me. As Spencer’s partner, I’d done my homework. While he trained, I studied his potential opponents. The boxer about to face Spencer in the ring nicknamed the Death Truck, was known for his explosive power, which he used to violently knock his opponents down. His opponents rarely walked away. Most ended up crippled. Some didn’t end up at all. Spencer couldn’t beat him, not like this. I knew it with chilling certainty. He didn’t have that killer instinct, that utter disregard for another human life. If they met in the finals, Spencer wouldn’t just lose. He’d likely be maimed or, worse, die. So, I made a choice. I would take the fall, wear the shame. My baby needed money. I needed money. He had to lose, but not like that, not broken and bleeding. He had to walk away healthy, with a future. So, I took their money and agreed to their terms. The day before the fight, I left the note and the clinic receipt. He trusted me, believed I loved him unconditionally, and I would never leave. That betrayal hit him exactly as hard as I knew it would. As I had expected, he was still sluggish when he stepped into the ring and was easily knocked down. The opponent kept his promise, leaving him with only a few light injuries to ensure that his future career wouldn’t be affected. Otherwise, according to their original plan, they would have completely sidelined Spencer. I was quite satisfied with this deal. But later, whenever I saw him on screen or on the field, sweating and full of energy, I couldn’t help but feel a subtle, dull pain in my heart. Yet, at the same time, I was happy. After all, he was finally shining in the world he loved. My phone buzzed. Caller ID showed a law firm. A man identifying himself as a lawyer informed me that the fifty thousand Spencer had sent was technically company funds, co-owned with Tessa.

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To help his adopted sister, Rosalind Sterling, get taller, my brother Ashton Sterling forced me, Seraphina Sterling, to give her my legs for grafting. He found a preacher, a man calling himself a True God, who hacked my legs off with an axe while I was still conscious. Worried his precious Rosalind might feel guilty, Ashton then ordered someone to shove dog legs into the bleeding stumps, claiming they were specially made, lifelike prosthetics for me. The agony was unbearable. My wounds weren’t treated, weren’t even cleaned, left to fester along with the filth from my loss of bodily control, the stench sickening. But Ashton forbade the caregivers from helping me. “Still got the energy to scream? Means it doesn’t hurt enough. No medicine for her for a few days. Let her learn her lesson.” Near death, I used my last ounce of strength to drag myself off the bed, crawling towards the door, wanting only to beg Ashton for a shred of dignity in my final moments. But he kicked me away with cold eyes. “Disgusting. Don’t scare Rosalind.” Later, when he heard wild dogs had dragged my body away, Ashton scoured the mountains and knelt in every church, desperate just to find my bones, to bring me home.

When my adoptive mother, Lucinda Fairfax, returned home carrying my ravaged remains, bones gnawed clean by wild animals, Ashton was in the middle of ordering men to destroy our home, Lucinda’s and mine. The inside was already smashed to pieces. The stray cats I’d taken in were terrified, fur on end, hiding in corners. Lucinda rushed inside, shielding the cats like a mother hen protecting her chicks, pointing a trembling finger at Ashton as she cursed him, “These little ones were the last thing Seraphina cared about! They’re all she had left! “You monster! You already killed her! Isn’t that enough?” Ashton sneered, “Tsk, still playing the dedicated cat lover? Fake death, huh? Even if she were really dead, I wouldn’t donate a penny to this broken place. “The legs she gave up were too skinny anyway. Tell her to crawl back out here and saw off another section for Rosalind, or else I’ll kill these pests!” Lucinda swayed on her feet. She clutched the bag in her arms tighter, whispering, “She’s gone. She’s already dead! “She’s right here, in this bag! If you don’t believe me, take it and get it tested! Just please, leave these kittens alone! Seraphina won’t rest in peace if you hurt them!” For a fleeting second, Ashton seemed moved, but then he violently swatted the bag away. “Trying to trick me with a bag of pork?” Lucinda’s eyes were red as she scrambled to protect my remains, but Ashton stepped forward, grinding the bloody fragments under his heel. He grabbed Lucinda by the hair. “Old hag, hand her over, now!” Tears streamed down Lucinda’s face from the pain. One of the cats darted forward anxiously, only to be kicked away hard by Ashton. That was the first cat I ever rescued. She was fifteen years old. I wanted to pick her up, to soothe her, but my spectral form passed right through her again and again. Just then, Ashton shoved Lucinda away. Lucinda was in too much pain to cry out, but she still struggled to crawl over, gathering my scattered remains back into the bag. “Seraphina… Seraphina… I’m so sorry…” Seeing this, Ashton let out a cold laugh. “Still acting? I bet Seraphina learned how to ruthlessly bully Rosalind from an old hag like you! “If she’s dead, I’ll set off fireworks all night to celebrate one less menace in the world!” Just as he finished speaking, his subordinate, Cole Banks, walked in and reported, “Mr. Sterling, we haven’t found any trace of Ms. Seraphina Sterling!” “Ha, very well.” Ashton laughed, choked with anger, “Let’s see how long she can hide!” With that, he dragged Lucinda to the pigsty entrance and ordered his men to dump a bucket of pig feed over her. “Seraphina’s remains, huh? Still pretty fresh. What, couldn’t you even bother to make your scam look realistic? “So precious, are they? Let’s give the pigs a treat!” He then emptied the contents of the bag into the pigpen and tossed Lucinda aside. “If Seraphina doesn’t crawl out by sunset tomorrow, I’ll turn this place into a cat graveyard!” As he left, he spat into the pigpen. His followers did the same, one after another. One man even urinated directly onto the remains. Lucinda, despite being at her absolute limit, shielded my ravaged body with her own, letting the urine soak her completely. The cats meowed incessantly. A few, passing near where my spirit stood, let out mournful cries.

That night, Lucinda packed her bags ahead of time. She didn’t dare gamble with the cats’ lives. But just as she was about to load the cats for escape, their terrified screams echoed from the yard. Lucinda rushed out frantically, only to find Ashton standing there with an electric shock baton, watching her with vicious eyes. “Where do you think you’re going?” Lucinda weakly opened and closed her mouth. “What will it take… for you to leave us alone?” “Hand over Seraphina.” At his words, Lucinda’s eyes reddened again. She looked close to breaking. “Seraphina is dead! “You killed her!” Ashton stared coldly at Lucinda, then scoffed, “Old hag, I’ve already exposed your act. Stop pretending! “She played the cat lover, slept with rich old men for money… If she died, wasn’t it all for nothing?” I stared blankly at Ashton, my ghostly heart aching. Lucinda couldn’t hold back anymore and screamed at him, “Seraphina is your sister, the one you lost for ten years! How dare you speak such nonsense about your own sister? “Do you have any idea what she gave up for these cats? She’d rather starve herself…” Ashton interrupted Lucinda with a vicious slap, “I only have one sister, and her name is Rosalind.” Beside him, Rosalind heard this and clung to Ashton’s arm coquettishly. “Oh, Ashton, Seraphina would be so sad to hear you say that. It’s my fault for taking her place… I should go apologize to her. I’ve learned all my manners now…” Ashton pulled her back protectively. He gently wiped the corner of her eye, his own eyes full of concern. “Rosalind, you’re too kind. If it weren’t for Seraphina, you never would have suffered so much out in the countryside.” “Seraphina only wanted what was best for me, too.” Rosalind covered her mouth with a delicate cough, spitting blood into her palm. Seeing the blood, Ashton panicked. “What’s wrong?” Rosalind refused to speak. He immediately dialed a doctor, frantic. After hearing the diagnosis, that I had supposedly poisoned Rosalind, he exploded with rage, “That bitch! “I was actually considering giving that bitch a shred of dignity! But she refuses to learn! Fine, then they can all just die!” He stormed towards his car, ignoring Lucinda’s desperate attempts to block him, and slammed his foot on the accelerator, aiming straight for the cats huddled together. Most of the cats were old or disabled. Lucinda threw herself in front of them multiple times, only to be hit by the car, spitting blood, collapsing, unable to get up. All she could do was watch the cats shriek in terror. I threw my spectral self in front of the car, but I couldn’t save them. “Ashton! Please! Don’t hurt them! Don’t…” Suddenly, Cole ran out, waving frantically at Ashton. “Mr. Sterling! I just unlocked the old hag’s phone! I found Ms. Seraphina Sterling’s death certificate! It looks like… she really is dead!” Ashton’s eyes widened, and his foot eased off the gas. He looked utterly disbelieving, but just then, a new notification pinged on his phone. It was a bank transfer confirmation with five hundred thousand dollars received. The sender was me. But how could a dead person transfer money? At this, Ashton’s disbelief instantly curdled back into white-hot fury. “Dare to mess with me? “Seraphina! Well played! “You guys! Get the bulldozers! Bury this entire place! I’m turning it into a graveyard right now!” At his command, the machines roared to life, tearing down our home. “No! Don’t do this…” I sank to my knees, begging him, pleading with him not to hurt Lucinda and the cats. But Lucinda and my beloved furballs were buried beneath the dirt and rubble. I collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably. I murmured, “I’m sorry. “It’s all my fault you suffered.”

I had no choice but to follow Ashton. Back in the car, Ashton carefully covered Rosalind with a blanket. Noticing bloodstains on the hem of her skirt, he saw that the wounds on her legs were oozing pus. “Seraphina’s legs are as cheap and nasty as she is! She must have pulled some trick! Why else would they work fine for her but cause you so much suffering!” Rosalind consoled Ashton dutifully, “Ashton, it’s just my bad luck. Don’t blame…” Before she could finish, she fainted. Ashton panicked, running several red lights to rush her to the True God preacher’s place, which seemed more like a strange church than a clinic. After examining her, the preacher looked gravely at Ashton. “Ms. Rosalind Sterling’s issue is simple. Limbs work best when they share the same origin. Her legs were replaced, but her hands weren’t. They don’t match. This causes a conflict. “It won’t affect her lifespan, but the wounds will frequently become inflamed. Of course, the best solution would be to replace her hands as well.” Ashton frowned. “Why didn’t you mention this before…” Rosalind tugged at his sleeve weakly. “Seraphina just lost her legs… even with prosthetics, losing her hands too would drastically impact her life. “I can endure it. I have more than enough love already. Seraphina has repaid any debt she owed me. It’s okay if I die a little sooner.” Ashton gently took Rosalind’s hand, rubbing it tenderly, his heart aching for her. “I will provide whatever you want. “Seraphina is nothing but an ungrateful viper! She’s a menace to society anyway. Just making her give up her hands… she owes you far more than that. Even her life wouldn’t be enough to repay you. Consider it her way of earning some good karma.” But I didn’t owe her anything. I was the true heiress of the Sterling family, but I was switched at birth in the hospital. Ashton found me when I was twelve, claiming to be my long-lost brother. He promised to make up for those twelve lost years, promised to make me a happy princess. At first, he did just that. Back then, when Rosalind secretly arranged for others to bully me, Ashton investigated thoroughly and immediately sent Rosalind back to her biological parents. Because her own family favored sons over daughters, Rosalind endured three years of abuse there. Ashton felt guilty. His way of easing his guilt was to sacrifice me. Just then, Ashton’s voice broke through my thoughts. “By the way, Rosalind’s heart hasn’t been feeling well lately. Master, can Seraphina’s heart be transplanted to Rosalind as well? “Don’t worry. I’m Seraphina’s legal guardian. As long as I sign the consent, she won’t dare refuse.”

Half an hour later, Ashton drove towards the hospital. At the parking gate, two security guards changing shifts were chatting. “Heard we need to beef up patrols now, especially on the wards with patients who don’t have family visiting.” “That girl who had the accident…” “Don’t even mention it. The human body with dog legs… nearly scared me to death!” “Those dog legs were jammed right into her thigh stumps, wired tightly together with steel wire! The bone inside the flesh was practically sticking out! Gave me nightmares for days!” “Heard her family’s loaded, but they wouldn’t even cough up the five hundred thousand for proper treatment. By the time they finally scraped it together, the girl was already gone.” Ashton’s hands clenched on the steering wheel. He stared at the guards, his voice tight with fear. “The girl you’re talking about… her name wasn’t… Seraphina, was it?” One guard glanced at him. “Don’t know her name. But the ones who picked up her body were two huge, thuggish-looking guys. Probably her brothers or something.” Ashton let out a breath of relief. Just then, his phone pinged. A message from Rosalind with a link to my supposed Twitter account. The post had countless likes. It showed someone who looked vaguely like me, partying hard at a nightclub. Rosalind’s voice message followed. “Ashton, I’m so envious of Seraphina. Will I ever be able to dance freely like her? Will I ever be truly happy?” “Slut!” Ashton spat the word, completely missing that the face in the video only bore a slight resemblance to mine. “That damn bitch Seraphina! I’ve been looking everywhere for her. She faked her death to mess with me, and now she dares to provoke me! “Go grab her cheap mother. I’m making them pay today!” Before he could finish, one of his subordinates rushed in. “Mr. Sterling, bad news! Ms. Rosalind Sterling’s legs are bleeding heavily again! She’s refusing treatment, and… she slit her wrists!” Ashton sprinted into the hospital room in terror. “Rosalind! What happened? Don’t scare me…” “I’m fine… I just… I just feel like I can never be as happy as Seraphina…” Rosalind stood up, showing a weak, apologetic smile, blood seeping through the bandages on her wrists. “Maybe it’s better if I just die.” With that, she collapsed onto the floor. Ashton watched in horror as she was rushed into the emergency room. He sank to his knees, his eyes wide with disbelief. “She dares provoke Rosalind! “She deserves to die!” He looked up at Cole, who stood nearby. “She wants to play games? Fine. I’ll play. “Dig up every piece of dirt on Seraphina. Leak it all online. I want her infamous across the entire internet!” But Cole couldn’t find any dirt on me. Instead, he carefully edited photos of Ashton abusing the cats, removing context, and posted them on the official Sterling Group website. Ashton even made a video. “Bullying her sister, terrorizing classmates, shamelessly sleeping with businessmen, abusing animals… a person like this does not deserve to be part of the Sterling family! “If anyone sees her, please contact me immediately! Generous reward offered! “Let’s make sure this trash gets what she deserves!” The internet exploded in outrage. “FindTheEvilSeraphina” started trending everywhere. Just as Ashton was reveling in his apparent victory, a major online influencer tagged him. The video showed Lucinda kneeling in front of the Sterling Group building. Behind her, a banner read: [Exposing the inhumane Sterling family, who forced Seraphina to death.] Bound to Ashton, I followed him as he went, my spectral form arriving alongside him at the Sterling Group building.

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