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.”

I asked firmly, “Why did you lie to me?”

“There’s no need for so many questions. Tabitha said her leg hurt.”

His voice came through the receiver, its coldness nearly freezing my ears.

“If it weren’t for you.”

Before he could finish, I hung up, too furious to speak for a long while.

“Valerie, don’t be sad. I don’t need the doctor anymore.”

Xavier outside the door seemed to have been listening for a long time. I pulled myself together, offered him a smile and soothed him softly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely bring Dr. Rodriguez back for you.”

I drove to Stephen’s office, only to be told by his new secretary that he was on vacation.

“You really don’t know where he is?”

I pressed again. Since Tabitha’s miscarriage, Stephen had moved out of the villa and never returned. I hadn’t seen him for a while.

The secretary’s expression was odd, tinged with a pity I couldn’t quite decipher. He hesitated, then finally spoke, “You... you should go to the estate Mr. Stein newly purchased.”

An estate? My heart sank. Hesitantly, I drove toward that familiar place etched in my memory.

Winton Manor was the first stop on my honeymoon with Stephen. I once dreamed of owning it. Back then, Stephen promised that once we were wealthy, he’d buy it for me as our third-anniversary gift.

Now we were indeed wealthy enough. The estate was even more beautiful than when I first saw it, the air itself heavy with floral fragrance. None of this was for me.

Hidden in a corner, I heard romantic music and saw a sea of blooming flowers.

Amidst the blossoms, Stephen knelt on one knee. The diamond ring on Tabitha’s finger sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight.

The ring on my ring finger, now a dull, lifeless band, stung fiercely. I looked down to find it had long since lost its lustre.

The pain was unbearable. I yanked the ring off.

Only as I tossed it into the trash did I realize today was the third anniversary of my marriage to Stephen.

Stephen’s emotional voice carried over and said, “Tabitha, this estate will be your home from now on!”

I snorted derisively, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag and deliberately flicked it onto the pile of expensive decorations.

The spring breeze blew gently, making the cigarette butt’s ember glow brighter. By the time everyone noticed, the entire stage was engulfed in flames.

The raging inferno engulfed Tabitha’s skirt. A piercing scream split the sky, throwing the entire estate into chaos.

Seizing this opportunity, I rushed into the manor’s interior and finally found Dr. Rodriguez, who had been imprisoned.

His clothes were disheveled, limbs stiff. He’d clearly been bound for hours. It was far from the state Stephen claimed he was in while treating Tabitha.

I hurried to help the doctor up, only to collide head-on with Stephen. Both looked utterly dishevelled—their elegant gowns scorched with gaping holes, faces caked in soot.

Tabitha snapped, “What are you doing here? Did you ruin my proposal?”

“Proposal?” I narrowed my eyes, sizing up their attire before letting out a derisive snort.

“My wife is standing right here. What proposal are you talking about?”

Stephen met my gaze, his eyes holding no trace of guilt, only fury at his ruined proposal.

“I couldn’t marry her, so I’m giving her a proper proposal ceremony. Got a problem with that?”

“Whatever. You could make up a hundred of them. It’s none of my business.”

Faced with Stephen’s favouritism toward Tabitha, I displayed indifference for the first time. Stephen seemed surprised, but I ignored him and continued walking forward with the doctor.

Behind me, Tabitha wouldn’t let it go, blocking my path. “You’re not leaving! You must have started the fire!”

I replied, “Don’t make baseless accusations without evidence.”

Stephen pulled the crying Tabitha into his arms, yet his gaze lingered on me.

“We’ll investigate. Once we find out who ruined our proposal, I’ll make her regret ever being born!”

“So you want to make me regret ever being alive?”

Staring at the investigation results Stephen flung before me, I felt no remorse—only the thrill of revenge accomplished.

Stephen could no longer maintain his gentlemanly facade. “What did Tabitha do to make you hate her so much?”

“You used to be so generous and optimistic. Now you’re like some unreasonable, resentful woman?”

His disappointment was written all over his face. “Valerie, how did you become like this?”

“What right do you have to question me?”

I swept the evidence off the table with a wave of my hand, glaring at him as I fired back.

“Let me tell you that I’m not just a bitter woman. I can become a shrew!”

I immediately contacted my lawyer and reclaimed the estate from Tabitha under the grounds of marital property.

Another lawsuit followed, charging her with unlawful entry into a residence and landing her in police custody.

“Who are you? What right do you have to arrest me?”

As the police shoved Tabitha into the patrol car, she still carried herself like a wealthy socialite, her face mask still plastered on.

“Save your energy for talking later, Miss Gamelin. You’ll be locked up for a long time.”

“You bitch, Valerie! I won’t let you off! I’ll kill you!”

Even after the patrol car had driven far away, Tabitha’s curses and her defences crumbling, still echoed through the hall.

I directed the servants to gather all items used by Stephen and Tabitha and burn them. The entire estate was shrouded in smoke, obscuring even human figures.

“Sweetheart, what mischief are you up to now?”

Stephen wrapped his arms around me from behind, his tone light and brimming with affection. I turned to him with a faint, ambiguous smile.

“Why is it you?”

He pushed me away abruptly. His gentle expression turned to repulsion as he scanned the room.

“Where’s Tabitha?”

“You mean her?”

I casually tossed a garment into the flames, kindly adding.

“She is illegally trespassing in a residence. Probably being interrogated by the police right now.”

Stephen said nothing, then turned and walked away. His urgent silhouette overlapped with memories of the past.

“Did he still remember that Christmas Eve two years ago, when we got separated and he searched frantically for me in the crowd? When he shouted my name, was his urgency the same as it was now?”

Back in reality, the estate before me no longer held its former beauty.

“Sell it.”

“Hold on, what did you say?” The waiting butler was confused.

“Sell the estate. I don’t want it anymore.”

Within half a day, Stephen bailed Tabitha out and sought me out to reconcile.

“If she kneels and apologizes to me, admitting she’s the mistress, I’ll reconcile.”

Hearing this, Tabitha immediately teared up and looked at Stephen.

“How dare you humiliate my woman?”

Stephen shielded the woman behind him, acting like a deeply devoted “husband.” He narrowed his eyes and threatened me, his nominal wife, fiercely.

“I’ll ask one last time. Are you certain you won’t reconcile?”

“Yes, certain!”

“Fine!” Stephen waved to the bodyguards outside. “Bring him in!”

My heart suddenly pounded violently. A man was dragged in, covered in blood, his legs dangling limp beneath him like noodles.

“How disgraceful, like a dog.”

The guard kicked him angrily, lifting his face, beaten beyond recognition.

“Xavier!” I lunged forward but was surrounded by other bodyguards.

“Get out of my way!” I gritted my teeth, raising the gun and aiming it at one of their heads.

“Your gun can only kill one person at a time.”

Stephen challenged me with his gaze. “But I have five bodyguards. Can your brother afford to wait?”

“Let’s go, Valerie. Let’s go...”

Xavier’s voice was so faint it seemed the wind could scatter it. I lowered my head, hiding my unwillingness, forced to drop the gun.

“What do you want?”

Stephen smiled with satisfaction, pulling the woman forward behind him.

“Tabitha, what do you want to do?”

Tabitha narrowed her eyes at me, malice nearly spilling over. “Kneel and apologize to me. Admit you’re the mistress.”

“It’s simple, just like what you made me do when you demanded reconciliation.”