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.

The next day, I staggered out holding onto the wall. I was cold and wet and I was in a trance.

Scott ran into my arms, his voice choked with tears.

"Mom, Dad won't ever go back to the way he was, right?"

I gently hugged him tighter, doing my best to keep my voice soft. "No, sweetheart. He won't. Just ten more days and we'll be out of here."

"Really?"

"Really. Just a little longer."

He nodded hard, his small body trembling slightly in my arms.

I kissed the top of his head and only then did he finally calm down. Still holding that little dog we adopted together, he curled up in the corner of the bed, quietly reading his book like a good boy.

My heart ached just looking at him. I knew, ever since the day his beloved father pressed his tiny hand into sulfuric acid, that something inside Scott had broken.

Still, he never said a word about it. Always trying to protect me, never showing it.

All I could do was wait, wait until I could truly leave Kai behind. Only then would I have a chance to help my son heal.

So, I started packing.

I tore down the wind chime we bought during our trip to Hokkaido and threw it straight into the fireplace.

Photos, love letters, souvenirs, everything. I didn't keep a single thing. I tossed them all into the flames.

The fire danced wildly, like it was devouring the naive love I once had.

The next morning, I went out to the backyard.

That was the secret garden that Kai had built for me, a whole field of roses and white tea, which were my favourite flowers.

I carried a can of gasoline and poured it slowly, soaking the entire garden, one circle at a time.

Then, I struck a match and set it all on fire.

Flames shot up instantly and the once-sweet scent of flowers twisted into something sickening in the thick smoke.

While the fire raged behind me, I dug up the "time capsule" we had buried together in that same yard.

My heart skipped a beat when I opened it.

Inside, besides our photos, there was also a bank card.

A note was attached to it:

Carolyn, if I ever betray you, one day, take this card and leave. Don't hesitate. Be good. — Kai.

Tears dropped onto the card, one after another.

I didn't understand how things had ended up this way.

Kai used to love me so much.

I came from an ordinary background. The only reason he even noticed me was probably because my face looked about seventy percent like his late wife's.

Meanwhile, he was the head of the Lockwood family, a ruthless and untamable figure.

One day, after seeing me at his company, he began to pursue me relentlessly.

He spent money and resources just to make me smile.

On my birthday, every screen on the city's main shopping street played his video confession on repeat. He stood on a rooftop, holding a bouquet of roses, shouting my name.

He rented out the entire city's fireworks just to show me how much he loved me.

He said, "I'll never love anyone else but you."

I believed him, thinking that first love in Kai's heart had died and I was now the one he loved most.

He treated me like a queen.

When I had a low fever, he cancelled all his meetings for the entire month just to stay by my side. When I said I loved the smell of old books, he bought out an entire antique library for me.

When I was pregnant, he sat by my hospital bed all night, sleepless, begging experts from three different hospitals to hold a remote consultation.

After our child was born, his eyes were red as he cried and laughed.

Seven years passed and I thought I was no longer just a stand-in lover but the person he truly wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

Until that night, when I caught him taking Florence home.

She was young, with clear eyes, looking so much like I did when I first met him, no, even more like his deceased ex-wife when she was young.

Kai told me that Florence was just a plaything and it was normal for people in their circle to have lovers. He told me to relax and that I was his only wife.

For our child, even though my heart was cut by a knife, I endured it.

Now he had hurt our son and I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

I took out that card and threw the time capsule into the fire along with it!

That evening, Kai sent someone to tell me to get ready. There was a "beast arena" event arranged by a business partner and he wanted me to attend.

Thinking it was just another routine social gathering, I changed into an evening gown and went.

But when I stepped into the underground venue, I saw Florence standing beside Kai, also dressed in formal attire.

Kai gave me a half-hearted explanation. "Florence's never seen something like this before. I'm just showing her around."

My fists clenched and I walked inside without a word.

The partners around us were all looking at the three of us with gossipy eyes. I straightened my back, trying hard not to show any emotion.

The so-called "beast arena" wasn't about animals fighting. It was a brutal game where a group of criminals battled bare-chested, betting on who would be the last one standing.

The business partner sipped his wine and laughed. "Would Mrs. Lockwood like to join? Let's see how your luck compares to Miss Yale's?"

I didn't want to play this game, but I had no choice.

Even though I knew these people were just waiting to see the spectacle of "the lawful wife being trampled by the mistress."

"I bet on A," I said, but Florence immediately countered, "I choose B."

Every round, she intentionally picked the opposite of me.

Yet, I was fortunate, winning three games in a row.

Her expression soured and she complained pitifully to Kai, "Kai, did she cheat? I haven't won a single game."

Kai just waved his hand coldly. "Wrap it all up for me. Both sides bet the maximum. I'll pay for it and no matter who wins or loses, all the prizes are mine."

His tone was arrogant and everyone laughed, "Mr. Lockwood truly is Mr. Lockwood, so generous!"

My heart tightened. Sure enough, from then on, no matter how much I won each round, the prizes went straight to Kai to handle.

During the distribution, he gave me the choice. "Carolyn, pick one."

I reached out and chose a diamond-encrusted pocket watch.

Then, Florence suddenly chuckled. "Kai, I like the one in her hand. Can I have it?"

I looked up. "I chose this."

Florence's eyes reddened and she lowered her head, biting her lip. "I just thought it was pretty. Since you like it so much, never mind then."

Kai's gaze darkened and he stared at me. His voice had a gloomy tone. "It's just one watch. What's wrong with letting her have it?"

I smiled, retorting, "Kai, I'm your wife. Why should I give in to a mistress?"

If I conceded then, tomorrow everyone would know that Kai's wife was being trampled by his mistress!

Florence suddenly burst into tears, her voice wronged and despairing. "Yes, you're Kai's wife and I'm just a stand-in who cannot be seen in public. I shouldn't have wished for it."

"Kai, I should go. This isn't where I belong!"

With that, she clutched her skirt and ran out.

Kai's face changed drastically. He turned and chased after her. "Florence!"

He caught up to her, held her close and returned with a grim expression.

I stood up, wanting to say something.

Who knew Kai would suddenly yank me onto the fighting arena the next second?

"Since you're so lucky, let's make today's bet bigger!"

He shouted to the crowd of criminals.

"Whoever defeats her gets one million!"

The entire arena erupted in chaos.

I stared at him in disbelief. "Kai, what the hell are you saying?"

"Aren't you so tough? You love gambling, you love a fight. Now you can bet to your heart's content." His voice was icy, a cruel smirk playing on his lips.

I was shoved and dragged onto the stage, the fervent shouts of the audience and calls for doubled bets ringing in my ears.

I struggled with all my might, but my wrists were bruised and my blood ran cold.

The man who once would do anything for me was now personally throwing me into the abyss.

The iron gate of the arena slammed shut behind me with a deafening clang.

A group of criminals, their skin inked with black serpents, strode toward me, their grins twisted with cruelty.

I stumbled back, screaming desperately, "I surrender! I yield! Let me out!"

But no one listened.

For these men, gambling was just a pastime and violence was their true release.

The first fist struck, sending me crashing to the ground. Then came the second. The third.

They grabbed my clothes, tearing at them, as I was pinned to the ground like a struggling rat.

The crowd cheered, placing bets, not caring whether I lived or died.

My eyes flickered to the man sitting in the stands, watching as I was humiliated.

Yet his gaze never left Florence, asking if she was cold or hungry.

Only after a long while did he glance my way.

"You like to gamble, don't you?" His voice was low. "Are you having fun now?"

I curled into myself on the bloodstained floor, trying to cover my tattered clothes, to shield myself from the burning stares.

The crowd buzzed with comments.

"Mrs. Lockwood has a nice figure, I'll give her that."

"What a stunner. Too bad she's past her prime, can't compete with a fresh young thing."

"Didn't she only become Mrs. Lockwood because she looked like his dead ex-wife? Now that the real lookalike's here, it's time for her to step aside!"

The insults kept coming, but Kai didn't react at all.

I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth might shatter.

I remembered a time when someone had disrespected me and he'd lunged at them like a madman, beating them until blood spilt.

"Carolyn," he had whispered that night, holding me tight with a trembling voice. "You're mine. I won't let anyone hurt you."

Now, he was the one pushing me into a den of wolves, leaving me humiliated and mocked.

The one hurting me was him.

Finally, just as I was on the verge of passing out, Kai's cold voice cut through. "Enough."

Bodyguards rushed over, dragging me out of that hellish arena and tossing me into the car.

Only then did Kai seem to realize he'd gone too far. He took off his suit jacket and threw it over me, his voice low. "I'll make sure Scott's graduation banquet is extravagant. Consider it compensation for tonight."

Leaning against the window, I slowly closed my eyes.

Just a little longer, I told myself. In a few more days, the divorce papers would be finalized. Then, I'd be free.