Because You Loved Her Image, You Missed My Truth

I bore an uncanny resemblance to the Lockwood heir's lost love and that's how I ended up as his wife.

For seven years after we got married, Kai Lockwood spoiled me endlessly. He gave me whatever I wanted, cried with worry when I gave birth and even declared my son his sole heir.

I thought he had finally let go of that old flame and fallen in love with me.

Until I discovered he had a mistress outside, someone who looked even more like his first love than I did.

When she suddenly disappeared, he thought I had something to do with it. Without hesitation, he placed our son's hand over a pool of acid, threatening me to reveal her whereabouts.

Kai stared at me and there was no emotion in his eyes, which were always smiling. "Tell me, where did you send Florence?"

"Scott is your biological son!"

"If you were going to hurt Florence, why didn't you think about the consequences? Besides, she's pregnant. I won't have just one son."

It felt like I had been thrown into a frozen lake.

Kai had told me he was just toying with Florence.

He said he wouldn't let that woman get pregnant and no one would shake Scott's position as heir.

But now, for that plaything, he was willing to destroy our son's hand and he even said he wouldn't have just one son.

His assistant rushed over, saying they'd found Florence at a plastic surgery hospital.

Kai shot up, threw off his coat and bolted out the door.

Unfortunately, he didn't see it. The moment he pushed our son, the boy's arm plunged directly into the sulfuric acid.

With tears streaming down my face, I carried my child to the hospital. The moment the doctor told me my child would never play the piano again, my heart shattered completely.

When I got home, I dug out the prenuptial agreement Kai had willingly signed before our marriage.

He had written: "I, Kai Lockwood, will love only you for the rest of my life. If I ever cheat, I will walk away with nothing. You'll have full control of the divorce."

I picked up the phone and dialled my lawyer without hesitation.

"Help me prepare a divorce agreement, I want to divorce Kai Lockwood!"

***

My lawyer said the prenuptial agreement was legally valid.

Although there were some loopholes in the property division part of the agreement, making it difficult to follow exactly as written, he assured me that the two key points, "divorce" and "custody going to me," were achievable.

"That's enough for me," I said.

"Then I'll start the process on my end. I'll have an answer for you in two weeks."

I gently stroked my son's head. "Scott, if Mom and Dad don't live together anymore, who would you want to stay with?"

Scott had just finished crying and hadn't fully recovered yet. He mumbled, "Can I choose you, Mommy?"

"Then we'll leave in half a month. Promise me you won't let Daddy know during this time, okay?"

Scott looked down at his little hand wrapped in thick gauze. His eyes dimmed. "Okay. I won't tell him."

I knew Kai's temperament all too well. If he caught even a hint of suspicion, he'd tear up our prenup without hesitation and stop at nothing to trap me and our son in this "gilded cage."

So we had to be careful not to let him find out.

When we got home, Kai walked in with Florence.

Her belly was slightly rounded as she stood in the entryway, holding an exquisitely packaged cake box.

"You must be Scott. This little cake is for you, a small gift from Auntie."

"Florence was sent to the plastic surgery hospital by you and almost went under the knife. She was terrified. From now on, she'll live here with us to rest and ensure nothing goes wrong."

Kai's eyes were full of condemnation, seemingly convinced that my jealousy had led me to send her to the plastic surgery hospital.

I glanced at him without bothering to explain, because I knew it would be useless.

Anyway, I was leaving soon with my child.

"Carolyn, do you hate me? Do you not want me here? Kai, maybe I should just leave." Florence wiped her tears, deliberately leaning against Kai's shoulder as she did.

Kai used to have severe mysophobia. Even as a child, if Scott cried and got his clothes damp, he would immediately go back to his room to change.

Now, he didn't seem to notice her touch at all. Instead, he lowered his head and asked gently, "Don't overthink it. Whether she welcomes you or not, you'll always be the second mistress of this house."

He was about to say something more to lecture me, but his phone rang and he answered it on the balcony.

After he left, Florence arrogantly swept her gaze over Scott and me. She casually tossed the small cake she had just offered Scott onto the floor and crushed it with a harsh stomp.

"Don't get too cocky," she said, raising her hand to touch her belly, her tone contemptuous. "I'm pregnant now. The position of Mrs. Lockwood will be mine sooner or later. You two should just get out of here."

Scott's eyes reddened and he yelled at her, "This is me and my mom's home!"

"You little brat … " Florence's expression changed and she was about to lash out when she suddenly heard Kai's movements from the balcony.

Her eyes flashed. The next second, she suddenly shrieked and lunged towards the staircase.

My heart tightened abruptly. It was almost an instinctive reaction. I lunged forward, pushing Scott away and threw myself down to cushion her fall.

If she had fallen in front of us and lost the baby, I couldn't imagine what Kai would do to Scott and me!

Thud! My back hit the stairs heavily, as if my bones had shattered and my ears rang.

Pain. Before I could even catch my breath, I saw Kai rushing forward.

I watched him pass me by and hug Florence in his arms.

The man who once cared so much if I got even a slight bump now completely ignores me.

"Kai, did I do something wrong? Scott suddenly rushed over and pushed me down the stairs. He told me to get out of this house," Florence's eyes reddened.

"I should just leave. I don't want to make things difficult for you and I don't want Scott to hate me."

Kai's eyes instantly darkened. He turned and looked at Scott.

"How dare you push someone? How did your mother teach you to be so uneducated towards your elders?"

Before I could explain …

Slap!

With a sharp crack, Scott was sent flying by Kai's slap. The boy's head hit the wall with a sickening thud, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Kai!" I pounced like a madwoman to embrace Scott. "Are you insane? Why did you hit our child? It wasn't Scott … "

"You raised this disrespectful brat and you ask why?" he interrupted me coldly. "That's reason enough. Seems both of you need to learn some manners."

Then he waved his hand coldly, "Take Madam downstairs and lock her in the basement for proper reflection!"

That was where he dealt with traitors, a dark, enclosed, airless place.

He knew I was claustrophobic. I'd spent years in therapy because of it. He even had our whole mansion rebuilt with open windows on every side.

Now, he was using confinement to punish me.

The bodyguards grabbed me and dragged me down. I struggled desperately.

"Kai! Go check the surveillance! Florence was acting! Scott didn't push her!"

"You still want to frame her, huh? I won't check," he said. "I believe her."

The cold room door slammed shut with a boom and darkness instantly enveloped me.

So, this is what love and lovelessness look like, so painfully, unmistakably clear.