Due to my husband's unique status, I did not reveal his identity to my mother after we secretly married.

My family was about to be relocated during the holidays, and I took the opportunity to visit my hometown.

When I got home, my mother locked me in my stepbrother's room.

I questioned my mother about it, and she said, "We're about to be relocated. If you get pregnant, the baby will be counted as an extra person. We'll be compensated with one more house and millions of dollars extra."

I begged my mother to release me, but she said that it was better for me to stay in the family than marry into another one. "You and your brother aren't related, anyway. We can even save on dowry."

I refused, so my mother got my brother to beat me up until I bled.

As the date for the entire town to relocate approached, the developers arrived to distribute the compensation.

My husband was among those who arrived. When he saw my bruised cheeks and the bump on my stomach, he went crazy.

My mother slapped me hard on the face.

"Ptui! Run again, and I'll tear your face off, you little bitch!"

It was another red mark on my already bruised face.

…

A day ago…

My family home was about to be demolished. The houses in the area had been sold to developers for a handsome price, and every family was compensated with larger houses and a lot of money.

It was because of this that my mother, who never really kept in contact with me, suddenly called to ask me to come home for the upcoming holidays. She wanted to discuss the family's relocation with me.

After getting married, I did not reveal my husband's identity due to the nature of his status. I was still considered a part of my original family and had a share in the compensation.

I thought my mother had finally thought about me, no longer treating me like a burden when she remarried and started a new family with the Wagners.

It was a happy day for me when I returned home. I was prepared to tell my mother about how I was responsible for helping the family get the compensation for their relocation. I also wanted to tell her my husband's true identity.

Never did I suspect that she would knock me unconscious upon my arrival. She tied me up and locked me in a room.

When I woke up, I realized my mother had tricked me into coming home by using the excuse of sharing the compensation from the family home with me.

It was true that the house was about to be demolished. It was also true that they would be compensated handsomely for it. However, it had never once crossed her mind that I deserved a share of it.

She wanted my stepbrother, Boris Wagner, to impregnate me before the developers arrived. The Wagners would stand to gain another house and several more millions if they had an additional family member.

I stared at my mother while trying to convince her otherwise. "Let me go, Mom. You still have a chance. You'll regret it if you go through with it."

My mother stared back at me right after my words. She smiled. "Are you trying to say that you're married to a rich man with power? Stop dreaming. Why would a rich and powerful man want to marry you?"

I had been married for three years.

To be honest, it felt like a dream to me too.

My husband was rich and powerful. Like my mother said, it was impossible for a man like that to fall in love with me.

In reality, however, I did end up marrying him. Not only was he rich and powerful, but he was also overprotective of me.

Someone once gently knocked into me, and my husband gave orders for the person to be tortured horribly. After we got married, he was always lamenting about how I led a tough life and refused to let me get a job for fear of exhausting me.

At the same time, he was worried I would get bored at home. So, he bought me a café opposite his office and got his company's employees to frequent it.

When he knew I was coming home, he prepared dozens of bodyguards and helpers to come with me. However, I coquettishly convinced him to scrap the plan as I thought it was unnecessary to bring such a large group with me.

Before I left, I even guaranteed to him that I could take care of myself.

Looking at what was happening to me, it all felt like a huge joke was being played on me.

I snapped out of my memories.

My mother looked delighted. She was like a proud hen that had won a chicken fight.

"It wasn't easy to convince you to come home. Why would I let you escape so easily? You'll be the daughter-in-law of the Wagners from now on. Give me a grandchild and take care of me like a mother-in-law."

This was ridiculous.

I already had a husband. Even if I did not have one, there was no way I could be with my stepbrother, Boris.

The mention of Boris reminded me of my mother's wedding night with my stepfather, Titus Wagner. I had been sleeping in my room then. At night, a man slipped into my bed while no one was paying attention.

Feeling the figure of about 200 pounds press down on me, I woke up right away and struggled underneath his heavy body.

His smelly, sweaty hand covered my mouth while his other hand groped me beneath the covers as he tried to take off my clothes.

It was too dark to tell who the man was. I cried in a panic, begging him to let me go.

I told him that my mother and Titus were right next door. Someone would come for me right away if I screamed, and he should leave if he knew what was good for him. I promised not to say a word about what he did.

He laughed instead. He leaned close to my ear and said something that made my eyes widen.

"Titus is my dad. Who do you think he'll side with? I'll get my dad to let you marry me. You'll take care of me your entire life!"

I was so shocked, I could not move. All I did was lie in bed blankly.

Thinking that I had given in, Boris turned around to take off his clothes. I grabbed the opportunity to push open the windows and jumped out.

I spent the night in a huge stack of firewood that the townspeople had put together. Before anyone else woke up the next day, I snuck home to get my college acceptance letter and my identity card. I left the town right away.

Since then, I never returned.

I did not want to be reminded of that horrible memory.

It never occurred to me that I would be dragged back into this nightmare by my mother after I escaped this hellhole with everything I had.

As I was thinking about this, Titus and Boris, who had come back from visiting relatives in the neighboring town, walked through the door.

Boris' eyes lit up when he saw me crouching in the corner.

"You're back, Raven! You've gotten even more beautiful than before. It's making me hard just by looking at you."

I suddenly felt like throwing up. I cowered backward in fear, trying to hide.

However, my mother grabbed me by the hair and dragged me forward. She pushed me forcefully toward Boris.

After releasing me, she leaned onto Titus' shoulder and clapped her hands. "This little wretch tried to escape three times. I'm exhausted!"

She added, "No need to hold yourself back, Boris. A woman deserves a beating if she's disobedient. Just go hard on her and she'll learn her lesson."

My eyes widened in disbelief. I was nothing to my mother. I was no better than a dog on the street!

Boris could not wait as he quickly lunged at me with a lecherous smile.

I quickly stood up and tried to dodge him. My mother blocked the door when I tried to run out. She even pushed me back toward Boris.

My mother turned out to be an obstacle I was not prepared for. I was not able to avoid her push, and I fell to the ground.

Boris crouched to the floor. He grabbed my hair and pulled my face up toward his. He forced me to look at him.

His fat, oily hand patted my cheek. There was excitement in his eyes.

Boris was fat and muscular. I struggled hard to get away from his grip, but I could not stop him from dragging me into the room.

I suddenly felt a hot flow from my abdomen. The rusty smell of blood started to spread from behind my pants.

Titus and Boris were taken aback. It took my mother by surprise as well. Her shrill voice rang in the air.

"Are you menstruating, Raven Charleston? Why didn't you tell me earlier that you're on your period? What bad luck!"

Her shrill voice sounded like music to my ears. I curled up on the ground while hugging my stomach. I was relieved. I did not even realize that my back was wet from cold sweat.

Boris kept cursing as he released me. He got my mother to lock me up in his room. He wanted her to watch me and prevent me from escaping.

My period had come suddenly, and my pants and shirt had turned red from the blood. My mother flung my luggage into the room and told me to change.

She spent the next few days watching me like a hawk. My food and movements were limited. My mother would bring my food to me, and when I went to the washroom, she would stay close behind.

I thought about getting my phone back from her, but she glared at me and punched me hard on the arm.

"Do you think I have no idea what you're up to? You want your phone because you're planning to call for help. I won't give you that chance."

I had no chance of escaping. It made me anxious, and my voice eventually turned hoarse from the panic.

"Mom, I'm your daughter. Why are you doing this to me? You know I'm married. My husband and I have been married for three years. Why are you doing this?"

My mom looked down at me. She was not even listening.

"It doesn't matter if you're married. You can get divorced. You should get pregnant with Boris' child first. We'll have your wedding after your child is born. After that, you can live a married life with Boris. We're a family, anyway. We don't even need to pay any dowry."

I questioned my mother for doing this, but she said she had her reasons. "Our family will relocate soon. If you get pregnant, your unborn child will make up the number of people in our family. That means we will be compensated with an extra house and millions more.

"Besides, your husband of three years has never shown up before. You might just be making this up. You might not really be married. Since you're home, don't even think about leaving. Just stay here and live the rest of your life here obediently. Marry Boris, have children, and take care of your in-laws!"

My heart had chilled toward my mother long ago, but those words completely broke it.