On Valentine's Day, my husband, Jason Smith, gets sent to the hospital after getting into a car crash. He's not alone—his naked adopted sister, Susan Lane, is sent there as well.

The police officer explains to me, "Your boyfriend got distracted when he was driving, resulting in him crashing into a car that was in the opposite lane."

After that, I retrieve the items that have survived the crash. They consist of a diamond ring, a pair of stockings, a pack of condoms, and an agreement.

"I, Jason Smith, promise that I will never see Susan Lane ever again!"

Three days later, Jason gets discharged from the hospital. He shows up in front of me with a bouquet.

"Happy Valentine's Day, honey! Susan thinks these flowers are rather fresh, and that it's a waste to throw them away. I remember you loving flowers the most. You should get them placed in a vase. Don't let them go to waste."

I just shake my head as I stare at the bouquet. The flowers are as rotten as my five-year marriage.

That's why it's time to throw everything into the bin once and for all.

Charlotte's POV

Susan Lane wore a white silk nightgown, its length just enough to cover her upper thighs.

Mom had customized that nightgown and given it to me as my wedding gift. I rarely wore it over the years.

Susan saw my grim expression when I came home and asked cautiously, "Jason, did I upset Charlotte again? I'll change out of this nightgown now. My dress got wet just now, so…"

Jason Smith held Susan down just as she was about to get up.

He then turned around and gave me a once-over.

"It's just a nightgown. You have many pieces of haute couture in your closet. There's no need to be upset at your guest over that."

He walked over to the kitchen and took an apron that was hanging on the wall.

It had been used by the maid previously.

Jason walked up to me and handed it to me, saying, "Susan is starving. Go cook something."

He stuffed the apron into my hand. Then, he sat beside Susan and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

He did it so naturally, as if I didn't exist.

"Go ahead and cook. Don't take what she did to heart."

I clutched the apron tightly, then loosened my grip.

"Okay." I even flashed him a smile.

I went into the kitchen and put on the apron. Half an hour later, I came out with a tray.

Susan was watching TV in Jason's arms. The moment she heard me walking out, she straightened her back, looking eager.

I walked to the dining table and set the tray down.

There were only a few slices of bread on the tray.

A tense silence suddenly hung in the air.

Susan's eyes turned red in tears instantly. Biting her lip, she stared at Jason.

Jason frowned deeply, shifting his gaze from the bread to me. "Charlotte, what is this supposed to mean?"

I took off the apron and casually threw it on the chair. "Since you're starving, you should settle for any food."

Jason stood and walked up to me.

"You're doing this just because I didn't spend time with you on Valentine's Day. But I couldn't be there because I got into a car accident. Why are you kicking up a fuss? Forget it. Finish this yourself. I can't let Susan starve. I'm taking her out for a meal."

He turned around to grab the car keys, then helped Susan up from the couch.

When Susan walked past me, her gaze fell upon the bracelet around my wrist, her eyes flickering.

I watched their retreating backs and called Dad, saying, "Dad, I want to go home."

Susan carried a few shopping bags, her face glowing with satisfaction.

I sat on the armchair in the living room, wiping the gem bracelet with a piece of cloth.

It was the only thing my mom had left for me before she passed.

Susan changed her shoes and walked up to me.

She then dropped the shopping bags near her feet and fixed her eyes on my wrist.

"Jason, Charlotte's bracelet is really pretty. I come from a humble background, so I've never had anything that valuable before."

She turned and clutched her chest.

Jason took off his suit jacket and casually tossed it on the couch.

He glanced at Susan, then at the bracelet on my hand. He walked up to me and held out his hand, his palm facing up. "Give it to me."

He spoke as if I was expected to hand it over.

I shrank back and said, "My mom left this for me."

This was the first time I had ever gone against him.

Jason scoffed and took out a black bank card from his wallet. He held the card between two fingers and handed it to me.

"It's just a bracelet. There is 50 million dollars on this card. The money should be enough for you to buy many new pieces of jewelry."

I didn't accept the bank card.

"This is a keepsake," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

His gaze was instantly filled with annoyance. "You already have everything. Why do you have to fight with Susan over this?"

When I remained still, he stepped forward and seized my wrist.

He gripped it so hard that I was in so much pain.

"Jason! Let go!" I struggled, trying to withdraw my hand.

Susan came up to us and tried to help, but she was actually reaching for my bracelet. "Charlotte, can you let me keep it for a few days? I'll definitely return it to you…"

Three of us were tangled up together.

To protect Susan, Jason pushed her away forcefully.

At the same time, I kept tugging at the bracelet. In the struggle, it slipped from my grasp.

A sharp crack broke the silence in the living room.

The bracelet hit the hard marble floor, and the gem shattered into pieces.

At that instant, everything around me stood still.

I stared at the broken pieces on the floor, my mind going blank.

Susan shrieked and took a step back.

Jason swiftly grabbed Susan's hand and anxiously checked the back of her hand and her calves. "Did you get cut by the shards? Does it hurt?"

He was finally relieved after making sure that Susan wasn't hurt.

He turned around and stared at me, frozen in place, my face pale.

Frowning, he snapped, "Look! Why did you have to keep fighting for it? Take the card and buy a new one tomorrow.

"Clean up the shards on the floor so Susan won't get injured."

With that, he wrapped his arm around Susan's waist and walked upstairs.

Susan leaned against his chest before turning to look at me with a hint of triumph in her eyes.

I slowly crouched. The marble floor was icy-cold.

I picked up a sharp shard and pressed my fingertip against the edge, letting it pierce through my skin.

Bright, vivid blood seeped out. It hurt terribly, but the pain cleared my mind.

My blood sugar dropped again, and my heart wasn't getting enough blood flow.

My vision went black, and I collapsed in the living room.

I found myself in the hospital emergency room when I woke up. The air reeked of disinfectant.

I opened my eyes and saw Susan next to me.

"Charlotte, since you're awake, let's go to the blood transfusion room."

I lowered my head and saw an agreement for a blood transfusion. Susan's name was written in the recipient column.

"What are you trying to do again?" I asked.

"I was frightened by the sound of you smashing things, so I need a blood transfusion to keep my baby safe." Susan's voice was laced with triumph.

Keep her baby safe?

I instantly raised my head and stared at her. "Are you pregnant?"

"That's none of your concern. The blood bank is running low. We both have a rare blood type. Naturally, you should be donating blood to me. But Jason will think that you're doing this voluntarily. What do you think? He'll be so touched when he finds out about this."

Just then, the doctor came over with my medical report, his expression solemn.

"The test results show that Ms. Wood is in poor health, and she has severe anemia. Drawing her blood could put her life at risk."

"Take her blood! Have you forgotten Jason's order? You guys should prioritize me over everything else! Take her there." Susan scoffed and stood to leave.

I wanted to fight back, but I was just too weak to do anything.

…

When I regained consciousness, all I could hear was the beeping of equipment in the ward.

The sky had turned dark outside.

I wanted to take my phone to check the time, so I searched under the pillow and on the bedside table, but I found nothing.

Right then, someone pushed the door open.

Jason came in, steam and the scent of the shampoo Susan usually used lingering in the air. "Don't move around if you're awake."

He walked to the bedside and took a seat. As if he were doing me a favor, he said, "I took your phone. The doctor said you need rest. There's no need to look at those useless messages."

"Give my phone back to me." My voice was hoarse but firm.

Jason's expression fell. "Charlotte, when are you going to stop this behavior? They only took some blood from you. Susan is still being monitored. Can't you be more considerate?"

He got to his feet and looked at me condescendingly.

"Reflect on yourself in the ward for the next few days. There are bodyguards at the door. No one can come in without my permission, and you can't go out either.

"I'll only return your phone to you when you get on your knees and admit your mistake."

With that, he turned around and left the ward.

I heard the lock click, and the ward fell into a deep silence.

Jason had no idea that the moment he turned around and left, the window was secretly opened.

A few men in black hopped in.

The person leading the group removed his mask, revealing his cold face.

"Ms. Wood, we're here to take you home as instructed by your dad."

I pulled the IV catheter out of the back of my hand. Blood poured out, but I felt nothing.

I walked over to the mirror and looked at myself, pale as a sheet.

My heart had already gone numb. It was simply pointless to be mad at this stage.

"Let's go." I turned around without looking back.