I took a deep breath and turned around, handing him the two documents. “Please sign here. These are—”

“You were told not to bring work home. Where’s your professionalism?” Joaquin’s voice was sharp, clearly annoyed. Still, he picked up the pen. Just as he was about to sign, his phone rang.

Without a second glance, he tossed the papers to the floor.

I knelt down, struggling to gather them. Just then, he turned around and kicked me hard in the lower abdomen.

I was knocked flat on my back.

Warm liquid trickled down the inside of my thighs. I curled into myself like a wounded shrimp, trembling from the pain.

His foot came down again—this time on my injured leg.

“How could you be so vicious?!”

The pain shot through my body like lightning. He squatted down in front of me and violently grabbed my chin.

“Tell me—what did you do with my children?”

I coughed, gasping under the pressure of his tightening grip. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about. What children?”

“Stop pretending! My twins! You kidnapped them just because I took them out for a trip, didn’t you?!”

I shook my head desperately. “No... it wasn’t me. I swear, I don’t know anything...”

That was when he noticed the blood seeping from my leg, staining the floor beneath us. His eyes narrowed dangerously, like a serpent catching the scent of prey.

“A woman as malicious as you deserves punishment.”

Before I could react, he stuffed me into the trunk of his car.

After a long, jarring ride, he dragged me into a bullfighting arena and forced me into a white dress—now stained with fresh blood from my legs and between my thighs.

Smoke billowed across the arena. Two muscular bulls were released into the pit.

I couldn’t even stand properly. My legs throbbed with unbearable pain. I looked at Joaquin with pleading eyes.

“Where did you take my children?” he asked again, cold and detached, like a judge handing down a death sentence.

My body trembled uncontrollably from fear and agony. I stared at the man I had shared a bed with for a thousand nights.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I really don’t know...”

He gave a chilling laugh. “Maybe you're still not scared enough.”

With that, he shoved me straight into the bullring.

The bulls caught sight of the bright red blood on my dress and instantly grew agitated, charging toward me at terrifying speed.

I had no strength to dodge. Their hooves trampled me, over and over again.

From outside the fence, Joaquin watched me with a face of stone.

As one of the bulls raised its hoof high above me, ready to strike again, I closed my eyes, accepting my fate.

And in that moment, the memories of the past three years played like a film reel in my mind.

From the beginning, this was a marriage of convenience.

To save my family, both my stepsister Cassidy and I were given marriage contracts. I reminded myself on the day I married Joaquin that this was nothing more than a transaction.

But deals were never fair.

On our wedding night, he humiliated me brutally—because his heart belonged to a woman overseas, his first love. He married me not for love, but to expand his business empire.

So I played the roles he assigned me—his personal secretary, his live-in maid.

But everything changed the day he learned his beloved first love was getting married. He got drunk and suddenly began to “pursue” me—sending 999 different gifts over 99 days, proposing over and over, lighting up the New York night sky with fireworks on my birthday.

And I let my guard down.

I fell for him.

And now, the price I’m paying was betrayal—and a man who treated my life like it’s worth nothing.

I once thought his first love's marriage meant his heart had finally moved on. I knew I could never have all his love, but I hoped we could still have an ordinary, peaceful life together.

But when did Cassidy start showing up so frequently in our lives?

From the beginning, she didn’t want to marry Bradley. She always ran to my home. She was there for nearly every major moment in my life with Joaquin. At first, I didn’t think much of it—this was a business marriage, after all.

But the truth was: they already had three-year-old twins together.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I remembered his last confession to me.

“Allison, the rest of my love in this lifetime belongs to you. It may not be much—but it’s all I have. And I’ll give it all to you.”

But when I opened my eyes again—he was glaring at me, eyes red with rage, telling me to die.

“Miss, you’ve just had a miscarriage and suffered severe trauma. It’s very likely... you may never be able to have children again.”

The doctor’s voice was soft, full of pity. But his words cut deeper than any scalpel.

I quietly wiped away my tears and turned to the dark window beside me.

I wouldn’t believe another lie.

I wouldn’t fall for another illusion.

Seven days from now, I will begin again.

When I returned home, the familiar scent of gardenia greeted me.

Cassidy was here.

“Brother-in-law, I really wish the four of us could live together like a real family. But... Sister will be upset, won’t she? I don’t want her to be angry...”

Her voice was soft, sweet, and just fragile enough to stir a man’s desire to protect.

Of course, Joaquin fell right into it. He pulled her into his arms, his tall frame enveloping her as she sobbed delicately against his chest.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone hurt our children,” he murmured, looking down at her tenderly. “That includes you. If anyone tries to hurt you two, I’ll make them suffer even more.”

I pushed the door open and rolled inside.

“So throwing a woman with fractured legs into a bullfighting ring wasn’t enough punishment?”

Joaquin clearly hadn’t expected me to come back. His gaze flicked toward the wheelchair I was in, a fleeting look of guilt crossing his face.

I ignored both of them and started wheeling myself toward my room.

“Sis...” Cassidy called timidly, but I didn’t spare her a glance.

That was when Joaquin grabbed my arm.

“Allison, don’t you want to know how they got here?”

I met his eyes—eyes burning with blame—and answered flatly, “It has nothing to do with me.”

Just then, the twins started crying. They squirmed out of the housekeeper’s arms, visibly frightened.

Joaquin sighed, as if he had finally made a difficult decision.

“It’s because of you. Every time it gets dark, they cry themselves to sleep in fear. Cassidy’s claustrophobia has also relapsed.”

I looked up at him, my tone was calm and cold.

“So?”

His thick brows furrowed deeper. “You’re being too selfish. You need to apologize to them.”

Before I could even respond, Cassidy stepped between us.

“Brother-in-law, please don’t fight because of me and the kids. I’ll talk to my sister. Go check on the children first.”

The moment he disappeared down the hallway with the twins, Cassidy’s expression twisted. Her sweet face contorted into something venomous.

“Dear sister, I suggest you step aside soon. Otherwise, a broken leg might just be the least of your problems.”

I narrowed my eyes. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

She feigned shock, covering her mouth dramatically. “Sis, what are you saying? I don’t understand.”

I turned away, unwilling to waste another word on her.

That’s when she suddenly let out a scream—and threw herself at me.

I instinctively shielded my injured leg. She missed me and crashed heavily to the floor on her own.

“Sister, please don’t be like this... I’m scared. I really love Joaquin, and he loves me...”

Her pitiful cries echoed through the house, just as Joaquin rushed back in.

With no hesitation, he kicked my wheelchair.

I fell hard on the floor.

Fresh blood seeped through my bandages as the stitches on my wound burst open again.

Joaquin didn’t care. He simply picked Cassidy up in his arms, glaring down at me with hatred.

“You really haven’t learned your lesson.”

Cassidy clung to his neck and sniffled.

“Brother-in-law... I just wanted the emerald necklace. I thought it might help purify the kids’ energy field. I didn’t think she’d get so upset."

"Maybe she still loves you too much. I remember... that necklace, you made it for her yourself, didn’t you?”

Joaquin’s gaze shifted to the green gemstone around my neck. His jaw clenched.

“If I made it with my own hands, I can take it back with my own hands.”

He yanked it off me. The delicate lace thread snapped under the force, leaving it misshapen and torn.

I clutched my chest, struggling to breathe through the pain that struck like lightning through my heart.

That emerald had cost him eighty million at a royal auction. It was my birthstone—my so-called “guardian stone.” And the lace cord that held it? He had spent 88 hours weaving it by hand.

But none of that matters now.

Cassidy fell beside me, deliberately pressing the full weight of her body onto my injured leg.

Her tone was soft as she pleaded, “Sis, I'm begging you... just one energy cleansing for the kids. They’ve been so traumatized by what happened the other day...”

Her words were gentle—but her eyes glittered with cruelty.

Then, without warning, she drove her elbow straight into the exact spot where my bone was fractured.

I tried to push her away despite the searing pain, but the moment my hand touched her, Cassidy flung herself dramatically to the floor like a feather in the wind.

She collapsed at Joaquin’s feet, whimpering softly.

Joaquin instantly scooped her up into his arms and barked at me, “Was throwing you into the bullfighting ring not enough? You’re still this vicious?”

“It’s okay, Brother-in-law,” Cassidy whispered tearfully, “Maybe Sis is just jealous that we have children of our own.”

Children.

That word shattered what little restraint I had left.

“Joaquin,” I said, my voice cold, “Do you even know the truth about those children?”

“Sister!” Cassidy interrupted, feigning heartbreak. “No matter what, the children are innocent! How can you be so cruel to those poor little ones?”

Before I could say another word, she pounced again—this time driving both her hands down hard onto my wounded leg.

Pain exploded through me. I was soaked in cold sweat, unable to even form a sound.

As she sobbed and dramatized her performance, the twins started crying too.

Joaquin's expression flickered with conflict—but in the end, he gathered all three of them into his arms, gently rocking them while whispering words of comfort.

“Waaaah! Bad Auntie! Bad Auntie!”

“Teacher said bad people must be punished!”

Joaquin waved his hand.

Two bodyguards stepped forward.

“Take the Madam to the kangaroo farm. Let her box with them.”

The guards moved like emotionless machines. Their hands were iron claws clamping down on my ankles. I was dragged out like a sack of meat and thrown straight into the reeking pen.

The stench of feces hit me instantly.

A mother kangaroo glared at me, bristling with hostility at the intruder.

I couldn’t even stand. My leg injuries were too severe. All I could do was crawl and dodge, barely avoiding her strikes.

But the blows came—hard and fast.

I lost consciousness before the pain could take everything.

—

When I woke up in the hospital, for a split second, I thought I had already died.

But pain—burning, suffocating pain—dragged me back to reality.

Unfortunately, I was still alive.

My entire body felt like it had been crushed, my ribs were shattered. Even breathing was excruciating.

I slowly turned my head—and saw Joaquin sitting next to my bed, typing on his laptop.

Sensing my movement, he looked up with what almost seemed like relief.

“Allison, you’re awake.”

“The doctor said you should drink more water.”

He carefully scooped a spoonful of water and brought it toward my lips.

I smelled gardenia on his skin—and the faint, unmistakable scent of fresh lipstick kisses on his neck.

I turned my face away.

He froze mid-motion.

Then, without warning, he slammed the water cup and spoon down on the bedside table. Boiling water splashed across my face, burning my skin.

“Allison,” he growled, “Have I been too kind to you? Is that why you think you can get away with everything?”

“After everything you’ve done, I’ve been nothing but tolerant!”

I didn’t respond. I simply stared at the ceiling.

Four more days.

Then someone would come to take me away.

Seeing my indifference, he exploded.

“Cassidy even said she’s planning to return the emerald to you tomorrow. But someone like you—this venomous, remorseless woman—you’re no longer worthy of something so pure!”

I still said nothing.

My silence only fueled his fury. He grabbed my chin tightly, forcing my face toward him.

“What is this? Another one of your games? Playing hard to get? Or maybe you still don’t realize what unforgivable sins you’ve committed!”

Still, I said nothing.

That’s when his phone lit up on the nightstand. I tilted my gaze toward it.

He picked it up.

The moment he answered, his voice softened, his tone completely changing.

It was Cassidy.

I watched his back as he walked away, and all I felt was bitter irony.

He was the one who cheated.

He was the one who betrayed me, who broke me again and again—and yet he had the audacity to talk about my sins?

What a joke.

Was this truly how the world works? That having a sincere heart only leads to betrayal and pain?"

Three years ago, even a twisted ankle would have him rushing over to carry me like I was made of glass.

And now—with both my legs broken—he tossed me to the beasts, humiliated me, and not even flinch.

Even if I died right in front of him, I doubt it would matter as much as a frown from Cassidy.

...

Two days later, I was discharged from the hospital.

I began packing my things.

The gifts he'd given me, now faded and dusty, I stuffed silently into black garbage bags.

Then I found my handwritten letters.

All 999 love letters he had written for me, one for each day he claimed to love me. I had kept them all, treated them as sacred proof of our love.

But now?

They meant nothing.

I pulled out the Zippo lighter he had custom-engraved for me.

[Allison & Joaquin — Forever Together.]

I struck the flame and set everything ablaze.

The front gate swung open.

Joaquin walked in, carrying the twins and smiling as if nothing had happened.

Then he saw the roaring fire.

“Allison! What are you burning?!”