Two years ago, my entire family boarded a luxury cruise ship for an ocean getaway, only to be ambushed by abductors.

My parents and younger brother were all murdered. Meanwhile, I leaped into the sea, fighting for my life.

Nigel Heath was the one who saved me from the water.

Before my family's bodies were even recovered, my relatives rushed in, trying to seize control of the company. Again, it was Nigel who helped me hold onto everything.

He stood by me, supported me, and eventually proposed to me.

I agreed with tears in my eyes.

Two years have passed since we got married. One day, I catch Nigel fooling around with the housekeeper he's hired for a high sum.

"When are you going to make me your wife, Nigel? When can I enter your room without having to sneak around?"

He kisses her and laughs. "Running out of patience?"

She complains, "Her company's almost yours, so what are you waiting for? Aren't you worried you'll lose everything when she finds out you killed her parents?"

He immediately grips her neck tightly, his gaze turning frosty as he growls, "She won't know as long as you keep your mouth shut. Her father killed mine, so I'm going to keep her by my side forever and torment her for life.

"I'll give you what you want once she transfers the final patent to me. Step a toe out of line, and you're getting nothing."

I stand outside the door as tears silently stream down my face.

My husband killed my parents and is even plotting to steal the company they established! The murderer has been by my side this whole time!

My parents and brother died so horribly. How can I let Nigel get what he wants?

"I promise I'll be good."

In the master bedroom, Ruthie Wall gazed at Nigel Heath with teary eyes.

Pleased by her attitude, Nigel released his grip.

Ruthie clung to him again. "Nigel, let's continue. I want to give you a child."

"Jenna takes the medicine you give her every day, so there's no way she can have children now. But with a business empire as big as yours, how can you not have an heir?"

My eyes widened, and I clenched my fists so tightly that my hands turned red.

In the two years we've been married, I had never gotten pregnant once. I had believed it was due to my weak health, but it turned out Nigel had been tampering with my medication all along.

The vulgar noises from the room grew louder.

My heart twisted in agony.

I turned away, but the sounds of their pleasure still seeped through the door, filling me with grief and rage.

After being rescued from the sea, I was left with a lingering illness that required me to take medicine every day to recover.

Each day, Nigel would prepare my medicine and bring it to me, watching as I took it.

Ruthie, the housekeeper, was someone he had insisted on hiring. She was young, beautiful, and highly educated. I had once wondered why she'd ever choose to be a housekeeper, but Nigel claimed that someone of her caliber could take better care of me, so he hired her.

I thought he was being protective and caring, but in reality, he had betrayed me and sought to harm me all along.

I staggered toward the staircase. Blinded by fury and sorrow, I didn't notice the steps beneath me and tripped.

"Who's there?"

Hearing the noise, Nigel quickly came out of the master bedroom. When he saw it was me, he hurried downstairs.

"Jenna, are you alright?" He anxiously pulled me into his arms, then shouted upstairs. "Ruthie, come quick! And bring Jenna's medicine over."

Ruthie brought my medicine over, then stood aside as Nigel tended to the injury on my leg.

Ruthie was wearing a loose-fitting robe and said to me, "Mrs. Heath, why are you back so suddenly? Aren't you supposed to be on a business trip?"

I glanced at the red marks on her otherwise pristine neck, then at Nigel's unbuttoned shirt collar, and laughed bitterly to myself.

How oblivious had I been before?

If I had paid even a little more attention to them, I would have discovered their relationship much sooner.

Ignoring Ruthie's question, I asked instead, "The robe you're wearing—it's mine, isn't it?"

Expressionless, I continued, "Why are you wearing my robe, and why did you just come out of the master bedroom?"

Nigel gave Ruthie a quick glance, then turned to me and said, "I was the one who asked her to put it on. She went to clean the master bedroom and accidentally got her clothes wet, yet she kept cleaning while soaked. I couldn't stand it, so I let her wear your robe."

Ruthie tugged at the robe, pulling the collar open even wider. With a smile, she showed off the marks on her body and said, "Yes, Mr. Heath was kind enough to give me this to wear.

"Mrs. Heath, your clothes are really of great quality, though it's a bit too big for me. But then again, I am slimmer than you."

"Take it off and get lost," I said through gritted teeth. "You don't need to come to work tomorrow."

Ruthie put on a panicked expression and turned to Nigel. "Mr. Heath, did I do something wrong?"

Nigel frowned. "Jenna, it's just a minor issue. Why do you have to scare her like this?"

"Scare her?" I stared at Nigel. "Do you not understand what I'm saying? I'm firing her so that she'll never show her face in front of me again."

Right in front of me, Ruthie nestled herself into Nigel's arms. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pleaded, "Mr. Heath, please help me."

Nigel wrapped his arms around her and said to me, "Jenna, she's just a poor woman. Why cut off her livelihood?"

"So you're refusing to fire her?"

Suppressing his impatience, Nigel replied, "She's still useful to us. Jenna, you can't have children anymore. But we can't be without kids, and the company needs a successor.

"Ruthie is young, beautiful, and smart. If she bears my child, we'll surely have an excellent heir. Once the child is born, I'll send her away. Okay?"

I stared at Nigel in disbelief. How could he say something so utterly vile? He had harmed my family and my health, and now he sought my approval to father a child with the housekeeper—just to inherit my family's company?

It was probably my gaze that made him realize something, because he released Ruthie and came to my side.

"Jenna, please don't overthink it. I'm only asking Ruthie to have a child for us. I won't develop any feelings for her. Before she gets pregnant, she'll still be our housekeeper and continue taking care of you like before."

I glared at him fiercely. He was determined to keep Ruthie.

After he finished speaking, he ignored my resistance and scooped me up in his arms. Then, he carried me upstairs and placed me on the very bed where he and Ruthie had just done the deed.

"Your injury isn't too serious, so you'll be able to get out of bed and walk after a week. But it'll take a few months to fully recover. I'll arrange for you to take some time off, so you won't need to go to work for the next few months.

"Oh, I have a networking event tonight, so rest up. If you need anything, just ask Ruthie. For the sake of your health, don't involve yourself in company matters for now."

Nigel's tone brooked no argument.

With that, he took my phone and left, shutting the door behind him.

From beginning to end, Nigel never gave me a chance to put up an argument. I regretted trusting him so much before. Now, both my assets and company shares were entirely in his hands.

Some time after Nigel left, Ruthie entered the room carrying dinner. She smiled at me, still wearing my robe.

"Mrs. Heath, dinner's ready. You should eat something."

She grabbed my hand and forced the bowl and spoon into my grip.

I immediately flung them to the floor. "Get out!"

Ruthie glanced at the shattered bowl and let out a cold laugh. She then stomped heavily on the food scattered across the floor. After that, she scooped up the trampled food with her hand and brought it to my mouth.

"Mrs. Heath, you need fuel to keep going. So how can you refuse to eat?"

Ruthie suddenly yanked my hair with her left hand. As I cried out in pain, she took the opportunity to shove the trampled-on food into my mouth.

I tried to spit it out, but she clamped my mouth shut, forcing me to swallow.

She almost suffocated me. To breathe, I had no choice but to gulp the food down.

"Is it delicious, Mrs. Heath?" Ruthie smiled. "From now on, you are only allowed to kneel on the ground and eat this rotten garbage."

I shoved my fingers down my throat, trying to make myself vomit. The acid surged.

I was in so much agony that tears and snot began to stream down my face.

I had failed my parents. By marrying Nigel, I had given him the chance to seize the company they built.

Now, I had nothing and lived with no dignity at all.

No, no! This was all Nigel's fault.

How dare he claim my dad killed his dad, Paul Heath?

The circumstances of Paul's death had always been clear. Dad and Paul had gone abroad for business, but Paul was tragically killed by robbers.

As for Dad, he was lucky enough to escape. After returning home, he went on to found a company.

Dad provided all the money for Nigel's education, from elementary school through university. After Nigel graduated, Dad had him join the company as his personal secretary.

Dad had always treated Nigel and his family well. So how could he slander Dad like this and destroy my entire family?

…

Amidst the whirlwind of complex and painful emotions, I finally managed to vomit the contents of my stomach.

The stench of half-digested food filled the room.

Ruthie covered her nose and shot me a disgusted look. She then turned and left without another word.

My legs still hurt too much for me to walk. But still, I bent over and wiped the floor with a handkerchief. Then, I tossed it aside.

Two hours later, Nigel returned. As he reached for the master bedroom doorknob, Ruthie stopped him.

"Mr. Heath, Mrs. Heath is asleep and said she doesn't want to be disturbed."

Then, she reached up and looped her arms around Nigel's neck. "Why don't you sleep in my room instead?"