Everyone knew Stephen Stein loved me the most—even though I was trashy.

To force me into a relationship with him, he broke the legs of every man I’d been flirting with, even my own brother’s.

“Sorry, it was just a slip of the tongue. I thought he was one of your unclear relationships.”

But I was too poor to pay my brother’s medical bills. Stephen promised to cure him.

He conquered me. The prodigal son returned and became a devoted husband. To give me the best life, he gritted his teeth and made himself the richest man in the country.

Just as I was moved and wanted to have his child, I found two pieces of paper in the room.

One was his secretary’s pregnancy test report. The other was a paternity test confirming the child in her womb was his.

He took the report very naturally. “You played around before, now it’s my turn. Fair enough, right?”

I nodded. “Then for fairness’ sake, we’ll divorce and each do our own thing.”

“No way!” He stood up and looked down at me.

“You’re mine. I’ll always fight for you. You won’t be free unless I die!”

***

After delivering his threat, Stephen sat down on the sofa, smoking with an icy expression.

When we married, he called me his prized treasure. Now, I’ve gone from treasure to possession.

It felt absurd. I rose to argue further, but the ringing of the phone interrupted me. The moment Stephen saw the caller ID, his coldness visibly melted away.

He smiled, softly coaxing the person on the other end before pushing open the door and leaving. He didn’t return all night.

The next day, I went to the company to find him, only to be stopped at the entrance by his secretary, Tabitha Gamelin.

“Without Mr. Stein’s permission, you cannot enter the company.”

“Has no one told you I’m a shareholder of the company?”

Her audacity surprised me. “So what if you’re a shareholder? Stephen doesn’t like you anymore!”

Tabitha added, “Now he likes me. You’d better stay away from him! If you come bother us, I’ll have Stephen take away your shares!”

She was naive and overbearing, like a sheltered young lady. Yet I couldn’t help but recall her insecure demeanour when she first joined the company. So Stephen knew how to love someone after all.

“Why are you still standing here?”

My thoughts were interrupted by Tabitha, who triumphantly summoned two security guards. “Get this person out of here!”

“Who gave you the nerve to touch me?” I demanded sharply.

The guards exchanged glances, frozen in place.

Tabitha shouted, “What are you standing around for? If she gets into the company, you won’t have jobs anymore!”

“Miss Powell, we’re sorry!” The security guards raised their batons, ready to advance.

Passersby, unaware of the truth, pointed and whispered to one another. My face flushed red, then drained pale. Never in my life had I endured such humiliation. I summoned dozens of bodyguards.

“Smash it! Smash it hard!”

I kicked over the vase by the door. Shards flew everywhere, making Tabitha scream in fright.

“What are you doing?”

She lunged to stop me, but was shoved to the ground. The crash and cries on the first floor finally caught Stephen’s attention.

“You’re finally here!”

Tabitha threw herself at him, sobbing and he instinctively pulled her into his arms. Watching his actions, I raised an eyebrow.

Stephen and I exchanged a glance and he calmly released the woman.

“Valerie, don’t do this again. It’s very bad for the company.”

“And what about her?” I pointed at Tabitha.

“She doesn’t know about the company’s shareholders. I’ll increase the training efforts.”

Clearly, he knew what had happened, but his casual “I don’t know” shifted all the blame onto me.

“Go home and rest. I’ll handle this.”

He left with Tabitha and I still couldn’t enter the company. Shortly after returning home, I received some messages on my phone.

[Valerie, I almost feel sorry for you. Stephen doesn’t care about you at all.]

[I’m different. No matter what I do wrong, Stephen always forgives me.]

[You probably don’t know yet, but I’m pregnant. If you know what’s good for you, get a divorce quickly. Maybe I’ll be in a generous mood and let Stephen give you a bigger share of the money.]

Then came a photo. In the picture, Stephen looked tenderly at Tabitha’s belly, the scene so warm it seemed they were the real family.

As I’ve said, I’ve never been one to suffer in silence. When Stephen returned home, he found only a villa in shambles and me sitting amidst the wreckage.

I opened my phone and shoved the text messages screen right in his face.

[I need an explanation.]

Stephen read the messages, sensing Tabitha’s harsh tone and actually smiled.

[The young lady doesn’t understand. Why make things difficult for her?]

He forgot. He forgot how he’d made things difficult for me when he forced me to be with him. I smiled too, tossing a bloodstained dance skirt at him.

“Since you insist I’m making things difficult for her. Then I’ll gladly comply.”

“Valerie!”

Stephen grabbed a fruit knife from the table and pressed it hard against my throat. “Tell me where she is?”

When I remained silent, the blade pressed down another fraction. Only when my collar turned crimson did the fury in his eyes give way to panic.

Seizing his momentary lapse, I grabbed the knife handle and plunged it deep into his arm.

His bodyguards swarmed forward, pinning me to the floor. Stephen clutched his wound, staring at me as if I were a stranger. Then he suddenly laughed.

“Valerie, you did a good job!”

After forcing the address out of him, I was bound and dragged to the scene. His men panicked the moment they saw me as a hostage.

Tabitha pushed him away and screamed for help, “Stephen, save me! I’m in so much pain!”

Neither side was willing to release me; the situation was tense and Stephen couldn’t wait any longer.

“Release Tabitha and I’ll release Valerie. We’ll exchange!”

Before his men could react, Stephen shoved me away and charged toward Tabitha with all his might. He cradled the woman in his arms with utmost tenderness, like a lost treasure finally recovered.

A scene I knew all too well. A year ago, I was kidnapped by Stephen’s enemies.

He went alone, braving a hail of bullets, trading his life for mine. Only this time, I was the bargaining chip, the one he abandoned.

“It’s all that bitch’s fault! Stephen, help me kill her!”

Tabitha cried, pressing Stephen’s hand against her leg. “I can’t stand up anymore, Stephen. I can’t dance for you anymore!”

Stephen loved girls who could dance. Like Tabitha, I was discovered by him in a bar. That day, he excitedly brought Tabitha before me.

“Look, she dances just as beautifully as you.”

His eyes sparkled, like he’d found the most fascinating new toy. Back then, I didn’t care. I naively thought he was just playing around, never imagining he’d become so attached to his toy.

I snapped back to reality as a gun pressed against my forehead.

“Valerie, I told you before, there won’t be a next time!” His voice was colder than the gun.

“What? Are you going to kill me to avenge her?”

I broke free from the ropes and staggered toward him. “Shoot me then! What? Too scared now?”

The veins in Stephen’s gun-gripping hand bulged violently. He swung the barrel and fired at my subordinate.

“Valerie!” His eyes blazed crimson. “You should be grateful I didn’t kill you!”

He scooped Tabitha into his arms and walked away without looking back.

***

I camped outside the ICU for two days while my subordinate remained unconscious.

“Miss Powell, it’s not pleasant to have your lover hold a gun to your head, is it?”

Tabitha appeared before me in a wheelchair, a smug look on her face.

I replied, “Thanks for your concern. It was more comfortable than having my leg broken.”

Tabitha’s hand on her knee tightened momentarily before she continued.

“You must be disappointed. No matter what tricks you pull, Stephen doesn’t love you anymore!”

She traced her fingers along her neck, deliberately exposing the overlapping bruises. “You’ve been married to him for three years and haven’t been able to have a child. But I’m different! I got pregnant on the first try.”

I curled my lip in disdain. “There are only two types of cheating: never and countless times. The world is full of girls like you, who can dance and get pregnant.”

I stared down at her legs from above. “Oh, I forgot. You can’t dance anymore.”

“So what makes you think you can keep his heart, when all you can do is bear children?”

“It’s all because of you!”

Stephen’s voice echoed from the corridor corner. Tabitha’s smile twisted into a grimace.

“Valerie, watch this closely!”

With strength from somewhere unknown, she clenched her fist and slammed it hard into her own stomach.

“Ah!”

She let out a piercing scream. Stephen, who was passing by, panicked.

“My baby!”

“Valerie! Why did you do this to me?”

Stephen raised his hand without hesitation, delivering a sharp, sweeping blow.

Smack!

A crisp, resounding crack echoed as my face was violently jerked to the side. Since I’d known Stephen, he’d raised his hand twice.

The first time was three years ago, when I rejected his marriage proposal for my freedom. He broke the legs of everyone I was involved with. The second time was now, for another woman.

“What a touching display of affection!”

I licked my lips, locking eyes with Stephen.

“Since you’re convinced I did this, no one will have it easy from now on!”

That same day, I held a press conference announcing the termination of charitable funding for impoverished students. Once public outrage reached its peak, I exposed every detail of Tabitha’s actions.

“I provided her with a high-paying job to improve her life, yet she committed such an immoral act. I am deeply distressed and hereby clarify the situation, hoping for everyone’s understanding.”

Public outrage erupted. Online media exposed Tabitha’s past and even the company’s stock price plummeted.

Stephen, who had always prioritized stock performance above all, remained silent this time, focused solely on suppressing the backlash.

Facing questioning from numerous shareholders, he stood his ground, stating he didn’t want to hurt Tabitha.

“Valerie, I’ve told you that there won’t be a next time!”

After the meeting, Stephen delivered his ultimatum to me, his expression dark.

I guarded myself fiercely, even moving into the office, terrified that any unexpected situation might catch me unprepared.

Yet my business was doing well, receiving public sympathy and profits even surged. Until a phone call came.

“Miss Powell, your brother Xavier has committed suicide!”

The phone slipped from my hand as I trembled, directing the driver to rush to the rehabilitation center.

Xavier’s hospital room was in utter disarray, with only a caregiver standing guard outside the emergency room.

“Where’s Dr. Rodriguez? Did Stephen snatch him away?”

I had no parents. My brother and I depended on each other. He dreamed of becoming a football player, but Stephen shattered his leg with a single blow.

The doctors said he’d never walk again. He sank into depression, fixated on ending his life.

I refused to accept it. I spared no expense to find the top rehabilitation specialists, pleading desperately for my brother to try one more time.

The rehabilitation of his legs was progressing well. Just as Xavier seemed to be emerging from his shadow, Stephen snatched away the doctor, driving him to jump from a building.

The door to the emergency room opened and the doctor’s expression was grave.

“The rescue was successful, but I strongly advise you to find that rehabilitation doctor again. Otherwise, he’s likely to attempt suicide once more.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Stephen walked over, accompanied by a radiant Tabitha. Hearing the news of the successful rescue, he actually showed a hint of disappointment.

Tabitha spoke sarcastically, “Miss Powell, you really know how to pick doctors! Look at my legs, they’re almost healed already.”

“You bitch!”

I angrily raised my arm to slap her face, but Stephen pushed me away forcefully. “It’s just a doctor. Why are you acting like this??”

“Then give him back to me!” I grabbed Stephen’s sleeve, refusing to let him leave.

“Xavier only has this one chance! If we miss it, he’ll die!”

Stephen brushed my hand away with contempt, showing no mercy. “Then let him die. He is a useless piece of trash. Why waste resources?”

He continued, “Besides, Tabitha’s leg matters far more than your brother’s life.”

I froze in place, staring at Stephen’s face, suddenly feeling utterly unfamiliar. “I was wrong, Stephen. I’m sorry. I won’t dare again. Please, just give me back to the doctor.”

My soul split in two halves. One half shed tears, forced a smile and apologized earnestly. The other half burned with hatred, searing me with excruciating pain.

“Why are you crying?”

Stephen smiled like a victor, wiping away my tears. “I’ll just give him back to you.”

But the next day, the person who returned was the doctor’s assistant. The phone rang.

“Valerie, I left the doctor with Tabitha. The assistant’s skills are sufficient to treat your brother.”