Five years into loving my husband deeply, I discovered he had never donated a kidney to save me, nor had he lost his memory.

My mother had lied before she died, afraid I’d get jealous of my adopted sister’s engagement to my husband and drive her out of the house.

Watching the surveillance video on my phone, I saw my husband and adopted sister cuddling around on the living room sofa, while our son was nowhere to be seen.

Agitated and anxious, I was about to call my husband to confront him when suddenly, my son’s voice message came. “Mom, the nanny threw me into the sea. I’m scared, the boat is sinking.”

I instantly called my son's number, only to hear Carter and Audrey's conversation on the phone screen.

“Carter, you sacrificed yourself to trick Abigail out of her entire fortune. You really went all out!”

“You saved me when I was homeless and used Abigail's eldest son's heart to save my child's life. The rest of my life is yours to repay.”

Carter hugged her and kissed her. “Silly girl, you and Sevi are my everything. Of course, I'd save you at all costs!”

“From start to finish, I only ever loved you. As for the twins from Abigail’s affair, they deserved to die!”

Hearing this, my chest tightened.

After ten years of hating my adopted sister, I found out she had joined hands with my husband to ruin me and take everything I had.

And my eldest son drowning two years ago was all a scheme set up by Carter to save his illegitimate son.

My younger son's phone went unanswered, so I immediately called Carter’s sworn enemy.

“You're finally willing to cooperate?”

“I'll help you destroy the Thompson Group, but you must save my son first and eliminate Carter and Audrey!”

A soft chuckle came from the other end. “That’s easy. But after it’s done, you’ll have to marry me.”

***

After hanging up, I immediately urged the driver to rush home.

Pushing open the door, my high heels crushed delicate silk lingerie beneath my feet. Without even changing into slippers, I stormed upstairs angrily.

“Carter! Get out!”

I was about to kick the bedroom door open violently, but it swung wide and stopped me.

“What are you doing back here?”

Carter emerged, tying his robe, his face calm, but his tone impatient. I pulled my leg back and stomped down hard on his foot. He blushed and hissed in pain.

“Tell me now! Where is Aaron?”

Before Carter could answer, a soft, seductive voice drifted inside the room. “Abigail, if even Aaron's own mother doesn't know, how could Carter know?”

“Shut up!” I shouted at her.

She tugged at her slipping spaghetti strap, looked at me without care and hooked her arm through Carter's. “Carter, are you okay?”

Carter straightened, his eyes cold and dangerous as he glared at me. “Abigail, your bastard son is missing. Why are you throwing a tantrum at me?"

He then turned and gently instructed Audrey. “You go back first. I'll find you later.”

“Carter...”

Audrey bit her lip, stamping her foot in frustration. She wanted to continue flaunting her power over me, but didn’t dare defy him. Reluctantly, she turned and left.

Seeing didn’t move, Carter snapped coldly. “Aren't you leaving?”

Gritting my teeth in fury, I trailed behind him, rambling. “Aaron was taken to the sea by the nanny. You ordered it, weren’t you?”

Carter scoffed dismissively and casually opened the car door.

I grabbed his collar tightly, gritting my teeth. “If anything happens to Aaron, I won't let you off...”

Before I could finish, he shoved me away. My loose pajamas were torn apart, exposing the ugly centipede scar on his waist.

I froze, staring at him.

Back then, he had pretended to save me during the car crash and after waking up, donated a kidney to save my life. I was deeply touched.

My mother, before she died, wished to see me happy, so I threw myself into Carter's arms, along with billions of my family's fortune.

I thought paying back his kindness would bring love, but instead, I invited a beast into my life.

Carter pulled at his collar, sat in the driver's seat and said with disgust, “That brat deserves to die to prevent future harm to the Thompson Group.”

I held my phone tightly and got in the car, unwillingly. “Five years ago, you said you didn’t mind. Why go back on your word?”

Carter laughed coldly, slamming the door shut.

“Two months after our marriage, you went to a hotel with a bunch of male models and got pregnant with a bastard.”

He reached out and pulled my hair by my ear, his manner careless and scornful.

“Abigail, if I hadn’t spent money to bury the scandal, you’d have been ruined long ago.

“I tried to comfort you when you were threatening suicide and you took it seriously?”

I shook my head and brushed his hand away, his reply leaving me speechless.

The car started moving. Not long after, my phone buzzed with a message from Dylan. [The helicopter has located the child. We'll rescue him soon. Remember our deal, marry me in ten days.]

I exhaled in relief, clenching my fists enough to crack, then suddenly yelled, “Stop the car!”

Carter slammed the brakes, nearly crashing into the guardrail. Furious, he whipped his head around and roared at me. “What the hell is wrong with you now?”

“The nanny found Aaron. I’m getting out.”

He cursed under his breath, unlocked the door and before I could steady myself, he slammed the gas pedal and sped off.

I stumbled a few steps, nearly knocked down by the car, feeling like a complete fool.

Fifteen years away from home, unwanted by my own mother, then tricked by my entire family into marrying an ungrateful bastard.

Now, my eldest son was gone, my youngest missing and I was being humiliated by my adopted sister.

My once-proud marriage crumbled. Abandoned by all, I walked alone along the winding mountain road.

Filled with rage, only one thought consumed me.

Carter! Audrey! You’d burn in hell!

No taxis were available on the winding mountain road, so I took off my high heels and walked back to the villa. Halfway there, my phone rang.

“Abigail, Aaron has been rescued. Should we take him straight to your place or...”

“No need!”

I cut Dylan off before he finished.

“Find him a place to stay first. I’ll visit him later. Also, help me check a few more things...”

By the time I hung up, I had reached the villa gate. A sharp pain shot through my foot. Lifting my leg, I saw that my sole was pierced by scattered gravel, bleeding.

It was like my marriage to Carter, clearly in ruins, yet I stubbornly refused to face reality.

After a quick bandage, I slipped on sneakers, hopped into a taxi and headed straight to the hotel where Aaron was staying. Just as I pulled the child into my arms, a WhatsApp notification chimed.

I tapped it open and saw a photo of Audrey smiling and drinking with someone. On her finger, gently holding the glass, sat a familiar diamond ring. It perfectly matched the one on my middle finger.

[Cheers! Happy 26th birthday to me! Thanks to my kind big brother for coming to spend time with me every year. Love you!]

The screen was full of pink hearts and my eyes went bloodshot.

It turned out Carter had been with Audrey all along after their marriage; he had never lost his memory.

And I, foolishly, believed he had forgotten her and would keep his promise to love only me for the rest of his life.

Staring at the diamond ring on my finger felt like a cruel reminder of my five years of wasted devotion.

After finishing dinner with my son, I hurried home to pack my bags. Just as I finished folding the clothes, the door creaked open.

Turning around, I crashed into the arms of a man reeking of liquor.

“What are you packing for?”

He wrapped his arms around my waist, his voice rough and breath ragged. “I’m glad you found Aaron. I was too impulsive during the day.”

Knowing it all, I felt nothing. I calmly pushed his hands away.

His drunken face made his features look unusually gentle. Those broad shoulders had once been a safe harbor for Aaron and me. But now, they had become chains binding us.

“Don’t you think we’re filthy, both mother and son? Why come back to us?”

“Wouldn't it be better to spend the night with your lover, Audrey?”

“Are you jealous?”

He smirked wickedly, gripping my chin with a tease in his voice. “You're my woman. What’s wrong with me talking to you?”

“I know you're afraid Aaron will drown like Nicholas did. I'm scared too!”

The moment he mentioned our eldest son, hatred surged within me, burning my eyes.

“How dare you bring up Nicholas!”

I shoved him hard, sending him stumbling onto the bed. Perhaps intoxicated, he closed his eyes and muttered, “Nicholas was naughty. Are you going to run away like him?”

Fury made me want to slap him, but his phone slipped from his pocket and buzzed.

It was a message from Audrey. [Carter, Sevi's having another attack! Can you come hold him?]

Below the text was a photo of the child crying, his brow furrowed. The thought that Nicholas’s heart now pulsed inside her son’s chest tore at my soul.

If Nicholas were still alive, he would be about the same age as the boy in the photo.

My vision blurred as another message appeared in the chat. [I forgot to ask during dinner, have you already arranged to evict Abigail from the house like you mentioned last time?]

After reading it, I felt a knot tighten in my throat. They plotted to kill my eldest son and now they want to get rid of me, too?

I gripped my phone tightly, glaring at Carter on the bed, rage burning in my eyes.

The vase on the nightstand was thick and heavy; smashing it over his head would split his skull.

Just as I was about to strike, the phone suddenly rang.

“Give me the phone...” Carter murmured the order with his eyes closed.

“My phone’s ringing.”

I quickly composed myself, carefully deleting the call record before placing the phone back beside him.

“Your ringtone is the same as mine?”

He raised an eyebrow, half-opening his eyes. My face, which had just calmed, was now red and wet with tears.

“You’re the only one allowed to use that song as a ringtone?”

I lifted an eyebrow in fake composure, countering his question. Before he could reply, the urgent ringtone sounded again.

“Audrey, what’s wrong?”

“Carter, come to the hospital now! Something happened to Sevi!”

He jumped up from the bed with a start, pushing me aside as he rushed toward the door.

Just as he reached the doorway, he halted abruptly, turning as he ordered, “Wake Aaron! Hurry!”

I clenched my teeth in refusal. “Aaron was traumatized today. I sent him to my uncle's house.”

“You come with me to the hospital first. I'll send someone to pick him up from his place.”

He grabbed my wrist, dragging me forward until I stumbled and yanked my arm free.

“He just came back from the hospital. He can't go again.”

Carter's face darkened. With a cold smirk, he then lifted me up and carried me away.

“Carter! Put me down!”

I struggled violently, but he tossed me into the car with brutal force. My head slammed against the window with a thud.

Ignoring the throbbing pain, I grabbed his collar and hissed, “Is this how you kidnapped Nicholas two years ago?”

Carter held me down.

Panic crossed his eyes before his face turned cold. “What are you talking about?”

“Nicholas never went out alone. Why did he go to the beach by himself that day?”

“He clearly couldn't swim. Why did he take off his shoes and jump into the sea?”

My flood of questions left him silent. His long fingers gripped the seat, making a soft cracking sound. It reflected the strain between us.

“Kids are just playful. They don’t think about things like that.”

But as he spoke, he avoided my gaze.

A sudden pain pierced my heart, leaving my throat burning with bitterness.

Nicholas was his eldest son; how could he have done that?

Tearing out the heart of a three-year-old child, didn’t he have nightmares?

I suddenly sneered. “Really? Sevi and Nicholas look more and more alike. Is it because they share the same heart?”

“Enough!”

Carter suddenly stood up, his tone cold. “Don't push me further. Otherwise, both you and Aaron will suffer.”

With that, he slammed the car door with a loud bang.

My expression hardened as I quickly took out my phone and texted Dylan. [Carter is looking for Aaron. Escape now!]

The car sped forward and soon Carter dragged me to the emergency room entrance.

Audrey, wrapped in her coat, leaned against the doorframe, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed uncontrollably.

“Audrey, how is Sevi?”

Carter pushed me aside and rushed over, holding the trembling Audrey in his arms.

“The doctor said he has myocarditis. His condition is serious…”

Audrey's voice was hoarse and trembling, her long lashes still wet with tears.

“The transplanted heart has been rejecting Sevi's body all along. I’m afraid he can’t hold on…”

As she spoke, her cold gaze shifted toward me.

My chest tightened in that instant, then was pierced by a cold voice. “If it comes to that, I'll do whatever it takes to find a second heart donor.”