“Talia, let’s get a divorce.”

“Since you like wearing that so much, then wear it forever and never take it off.”

When I got home, a servant looked shocked to see me. “Where’s Madam?”

I fixed my messy collar. “Serve me the food. I’m hungry.”

The servant’s voice rose in protest. “How can that be? She hasn’t returned yet. How can you start eating?”

My tone turned cold. “Am I still the one who makes the rules in this house or not?”

“From today on, Talia is no longer my wife!”

The servant lowered his head, too afraid to speak again.

It was late at night when Talia came home. She smelled of alcohol and could barely walk straight.

I was about to speak when she suddenly threw herself into my arms, holding me tightly and crying, “Nolan, I’m sorry…”

I was completely surprised. She rarely showed such weakness.

The last time she looked like this was when I found her fainted from hunger by the roadside and brought her home. It softened my heart for a moment.

“Nolan, Bennett was drunk and talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.”

“I just took him to the hospital and finally calmed him down… Now’s not the time to provoke him.”

She cupped my face and pressed her cold lips against mine. My breathing grew heavy and my body grew warm.

Just as I was about to lose control, she suddenly pushed me away.

Her phone rang. She answered it and her face changed at once."Okay, I'll be right there!"

She turned to me, speaking quickly. “Bennett is awake and acting unstable. I’m afraid he might cause trouble.”

Without waiting for me to reply, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door.

It felt like the tenderness from moments ago had only been a dream.

By the next day, Talia still hadn’t returned, even by noon. I called my lawyer and started the divorce process.

Then I called my housekeeper and said firmly, “Replace all the servants in the house.”

When I got to the company, I immediately called for an emergency board meeting. During the meeting, I used my veto power to remove Talia and the other guests from the banquet list, replacing them with others.

Right after the meeting ended, a message from Talia came in. [Nolan, I finally calmed Bennett down and his family agreed not to make things worse. Some important clients are coming for a project, so I might be busy until late.]

[I’ve got a surprise for you. Please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?]

Just then, the doorbell rang.

When I opened the door, there was a large bouquet of flowers. I frowned as I looked at the lilies.

She had completely forgotten that I’m seriously allergic to lily pollen.

I quickly told the servants to throw the flowers out, then sat alone on the sofa, feeling low.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed with an anonymous message.

It was a video.

In the background stood Velmont’s tallest Ferris wheel.

Bennett was holding Talia tightly in his arms and under the bright fireworks, they were kissing passionately.

As they kissed, Bennett’s hand slowly slid under Talia’s clothes.

Her cheeks turned red, her eyes unfocused and she gently pushed him away. “Not… not here…”

I quickly turned off the video, my stomach tightening.

So, the reason she kept rejecting me was that she had already been with Bennett.

My chest ached like it had been stabbed.

That evening, at a business dinner, I saw Bennett again, his body wrapped in bandages, with Talia leaning close to him.

Bennett glared at me with anger. Talia quickly walked over. “Nolan, why didn’t you reply to my messages?”

“I was busy,” I said coldly.

“The lawyer will send you the divorce papers soon.”

Her expression changed. “Nolan! What are you talking about? I don’t agree to a divorce!”

“Where’s your calm and confidence now? When did you become so small-minded and emotional?”

Before she could say more, Bennett, beside her, began coughing hard. She turned around right away and rushed to his side.

Bennett looked at me with cold, disgusted eyes.

A deep feeling of worry grew inside me. Bennett looked nice and polite, like his father, but deep down, he was cruel.

After a while, he tapped his glass. “Everyone, I’ve invited a special dance troupe from abroad to perform for us tonight.”

A group of dancers entered the hall.

One woman, wearing heavy makeup, came close to me. Her strong lily perfume made me sneeze again and again. When her hand touched my chest, I pushed her away at once.

Bennett walked over. “What’s wrong?”

I gasped, finding it harder to breathe. Bennett put his hand on my shoulder, but I pushed him away.

He fell to the ground, blood running from his forehead. Everything was a mess.

Talia ran over and pushed me away. I lost my balance and my crutches dropped. The broken glass cut my ankle, causing a sharp pain.

Talia looked at me angrily. “Nolan Hollis! What on earth are you doing?”

She quickly helped Bennett up and rushed off, leaving me sitting on the floor in panic.

I reached out for my crutches, but someone kicked them away. I could only feel around on the ground, trying to find them.

After a moment, someone picked up the crutches and threw them hard at me, with whispers I heard.

“What kind of living devil? Without his crutches, he’s just a useless cripple.”

“Shh, keep it down. I heard he’s been bitter ever since he got hurt.”

I forced myself to stand, ignoring the strange looks around me and slowly walked out of the venue.

I hurried to the hospital and the doctor examined my ankle with a frown. “The glass is stuck in your skin! Your ankle is already weak, so you need to be more careful!”

Just then, my phone vibrated. I picked up the phone and heard my mother was crying so hard she could barely speak.

“Nolan! Your father’s been kidnapped! Hurry… Please, save him!”

I ran out of the clinic and saw Bennett standing there. He looked at me with a cold smile. “Well, if it isn’t our lame Mr. Hollis"

“You were so proud at the banquet earlier, weren’t you? Didn't you push me down? Where’s that confidence now?”

I didn’t want to waste time arguing. My voice was cold. “Where’s my father?”

Bennett laughed like he’d just heard something funny. “Oh, you mean that old deaf man?”

“I threw a rock at him and he still laughed at me! What? Your dad’s deaf, you’re lame, guess missing something runs in the family!”

I ignored his insults and pulled out my phone, calling Talia again and again. Ninety-nine calls, no answer. On the last try, the call finally went through.

My voice was cold. “Talia, I’m giving you one last chance. Where is my father? Tell me!”

She stopped for a moment, sounding annoyed. “How should I know? This is all your fault for making me angry. Don’t use your dad as an excuse! Calm down first, then come talk to me!”

The next moment, the call suddenly ended.

I looked at Bennett’s proud face and a strong feeling of helplessness came over me.

My father was my biggest weakness. He had been deaf since he was a child and raised me by working at a construction site.

Since he couldn’t hear, his coworkers would throw small stones at him to let him know it was time to eat.

Bennett slowly lit a cigar. “Nolan, want to know where your father is? Fine! Get on your knees and bow three times!”

My hand shook as I gripped my cane tightly. After a long moment, I clenched my teeth, leaned on the cane and slowly knelt down.

Bennett looked at me and laughed loudly. He clapped his hands, then took out his phone. “What a great moment! I have to record it!”

I gritted my teeth. “Where’s my dad?”

He put his phone away and gave me a mean smile. “Since you already knelt, I’ll be kind and tell you.”

"Here's a hint: Southville River."

I turned and walked away, Bennett’s loud laugh ringing behind me. When we reached the river, my men suddenly shouted in shock.

Under the faint moonlight, a figure was curled up in the mud. It was my dad!

He was covered in blood, his clothes torn to pieces, his face bruised and swollen, almost impossible to recognize.

“Dad! Dad!” I screamed, my whole body turning cold. I slipped forward and pulled him into my arms.

His body was cold and his breathing was so weak it felt like it could stop at any moment.

"Dad! Please don't sleep! Look at me!" My voice shook as fear entered my heart.

He struggled to open his eyes. The eyes that once looked at me kindly were now red. His rough, cracked hand shook as he slowly reached out and gently touched my face.

I grabbed his hand and held it against my cheek, tears falling nonstop. “I’m sorry, Dad! I’m useless… I’ve hurt you!”

He shook his head weakly with the little strength he had left, a faint sound escaping his throat, as if to say, “I don’t blame you.”

My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces over and over, the pain making it hard to breathe.

Suddenly, his hand fell, his eyes closed and his head leaned to the side.

“No!” I looked up and screamed, with his body in my arms, becoming cold.

I held my father tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Bennett Bradford. Talia Norwood.

I would make you pay for this blood debt, a hundred times over.