My childhood friend, whom I hadn’t contacted for years, kept calling nonstop during an important meeting.

After the meeting, he spoke in a sharp tone.

“Do you think you’re too big for your britches? I’m getting engaged and you’re not even coming back to help out. Do I have to invite you?”

I was representing my country at an international scientific forum, so I could only decline politely.

Unexpectedly, he turned all haughty.

“Fine then. If you’re not coming back, then just send me a gift with four circles and I’ll let it slide.

Four circles? Thinking he meant ten thousand with four zeroes, I immediately agreed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give you ten thousand dollars as a wedding gift.”

“Ten grand? Who the hell are you kidding?

“My wife is the eldest daughter of the Jeffersons, the most prestigious family in Cirrus. Only the most distinguished people are on the guest list. Seeing that we’re old friends, I’m letting you attend. It’s your great honor!”

He cursed angrily and sent me the invitation.

I was struck dumb the moment I opened it.

My aloof ice queen of a wife, who kept strangers at bay, was locked in a passionate kiss with her arms wrapped around my childhood friend’s waist.

“Four zeroes, huh? How about four wreaths?”

My gaze darkened as I clutched my phone. Four funeral wreaths ought to count as four circles, too!

Hearing my acquiescence, Fabian Gates was overjoyed.

“That’s dope! I knew I hadn’t misjudged you! Since I’m being considerate, just get me two brand new Audi R8s. If you’re short on cash, I can hook you up with an absolutely reliable money lender!”

R8? Over three million dollars each? What am I, his sugar daddy?

I sneered and probed cautiously, “Have you gotten permission from Ms. Jefferson’s husband to marry her?”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by the sound of someone swallowing.

“Stop eating, you little glutton! My good friend here says you’re married. Explain yourself!”

Huffed in displeasure, Tiffany Jefferson said in muffled speech, “My husband… is none other than my darling Fabian. That useless fool… still treasures that fake marriage license like it’s gold!”

Fueled by desire, Fabian tossed his phone aside and pulled Tiffany into a passionate embrace.

Soft moans, curses, and lustful cries filled the air.

The sounds pierced my chest like needles threading through my heart.

“Darling, have mercy… I’m dying!”

Snapping the call off, I retrieved the marriage license from under the bed and immediately called the director of the Cirrus City Clerk’s Office.

Upon verification, the marriage license was indeed fake!

Enraged by the discovery, I summoned my assistant.

“Contact the attorney general and the city police commissioner immediately. Launch a full investigation on the Jeffersons. Any illegal activity will be dealt with severely!

“And go to the florist and order forty floral wreaths for me!”

Once I was done with all the instructions, I stared at the distant faces on the marriage license before crushing the whole thing into a ball.

She must’ve forgotten.

Without me, there wouldn’t be any Jefferson family.

Her whole family would pay with their lives for her audacity to insult someone like me.

After informing my superior, I drove to the Jeffersons’ villa to retrieve my daughter.

She was nowhere to be found, and when I asked the servants, they dodged my questions and mumbled vague replies.

Only when I roared at them did one finally lead me to the backyard, where a doghouse crudely made of stacked bricks was located.

Before I could make sense of it all, the servant tapped the dog bowl.

A small, barely clothed girl crawled out.

It was my daughter.

The blood in my veins turned to ice. I couldn’t believe my own eyes.

“Maddie!”

I called out and pulled her tightly into my arms.

She trembled violently, sobbing as she pleaded, “Don’t hit me… Maddie won’t eat… Maddie goes back to the kennel…”

Her words stabbed straight through my chest.

I had only been away for a few months. What the hell happened?

That wretched woman, how dare she!

Once my daughter calmed down, I learned the truth.

While I was away, Tiffany had spent her days entangled with Fabian on a daily basis. They even locked my daughter in a doghouse.

She would only clean and dress Maddie up as I was about to return, and threatened the girl not to say a word.

Maddie’s exposed skin was covered in horrifying bruises and several burn marks, which must be Fabian’s handiwork.

Seeing her frail, shriveling limbs from starvation, I almost lost it.

Those two scums!

I swore I would turn their wedding into their funeral!

I had the servants throw all of Tiffany’s belongings straight into the recycling bins, then contacted an agent to list the villa for sale. With Maddie in tow, I rushed to the engagement party.

On the way, Tiffany called.

“Hubby, why are people from the Attorney General’s Office at the company? Hurry over and sort this out!

“I’m busy! Stop causing trouble!”

What, busy cuckolding me?

I sneered coldly and immediately blocked her number.

Arriving at the hotel Fabian mentioned, I saw the entrance filled with luxury cars.

I left my daughter in the car and walked in alone.

It was only an engagement party, yet the decor was extravagant.

Dressed to the nines, my childhood friend Fabian was greeting the guests.

Behind him was a display of greetings and wedding photos of him and Tiffany.

Revealing clothes and frivolous expressions, each one was pushing at the limits of my tolerance.

I clenched my fists, desperate to tear them all apart.

For the five years that we had been married, she had always acted like a pure maiden, granting me only a handful of intimate sessions.

Yet in Fabian’s arms, she acted like a bitch desperately trying to please her owner!

Perhaps five years ago, I shouldn’t have acted as a human shield between her and the money lender’s knife. Neither should I have cleared her debts and let her stand in a position that was never hers to have!

“Hey, isn’t this my good buddy Matthew Hunt?

“What’re you doing standing around like that? Never been to such a fancy place before and scared stiff now?”

A teasing voice cut through the air with the approaching Fabian, who was fawned over and orbited by a group of childhood friends.

“Buddy, you should’ve come to me for a loan! How are the cars coming along? I’ve been bragging about you everywhere, so don’t let me embarrass myself now!”

Standing beside him was Chester Byrd, casually raising his wrist adorned with an imitation of a green Rolex Submariner.

He said to Fabian, “Hey bro, let’s not make things hard for our Professor Mattie. He’s just a lowly teacher at a cram school. Probably took a cab here himself. Him gifting a car? I bet he can’t even afford a single tire even if he died trying!”

Everyone burst into laughter.

“Our Professor here is a man of letters. Why not write a poem for Fab here and his bride? Save those few hundred bucks for a cab ride home!

“Mattie, enjoy the meal later, but don’t ask for takeout in a plastic bag. Our Fab here is marrying the daughter of the top family in Cirrus, the Jeffersons. Don’t embarrass him…”

Watching my old playmates' bootlicking expressions, my heart only grew colder.

“Matthew, they’re just joking. Don’t take it to heart!”

Fabian patted me on the back, his eyes betraying undisguised smugness.

“But take it from me, your good buddy. Money makes the world go round. What good is your academic prowess? If I hadn’t gotten married, then you wouldn’t even be allowed in this hotel!

“Those girls you looked down on back then? You can’t even lick their boots now. This is where I’m better than you because I’m marrying a good wife, and I can walk sideways in Cirrus.

“But hey, don’t get discouraged. When you see my wife later, I’ll get you a job as a security guard at Jefferson Corp.”

I stared at him coldly.

The higher he preened, the harder he’d crash.

Just then, my phone rang.

The funeral wreaths had arrived.

At my order, a funeral procession suddenly erupted, carrying funeral wreaths on the red wedding carpet.

Some sang, while some were waiting. The whole ceremony turned chaotic in an instant.

Fabian’s face turned ashen, and he hurriedly ordered his men to dismiss the procession.

Looking thrilled, the florist owner came to me and said, “Mr. Hunt, all your wreaths have been delivered. I’ve even thrown in the full-service package. Are you satisfied?”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Well done. When my buddy gets hitched, I’ll be sure to call you again!”

The owner looked utterly bewildered, while Fabian was struck with the realization that I was behind this, and he trembled in rage.

“You son of a b*tch, Matthew Hunt! I’ll kill you!”

As he spoke, he swung his fist straight at my face.

I caught his wrist, shoved my shoulder into him, and flipped him over cleanly.

Fabian hit the floor like a dog face-planting in the dirt, groaning in pain.

His lackey, Chester, grabbed a chair and swung it at me after seeing him getting hit.

I dodged to the side, kicked him hard in the butt, and sent him crashing into the pile of wreaths.

Fabian scrambled up from the ground with his fleshy face twisted in fury.

“Are you tired of living, Mattie? Do you have any idea where the Jeffersons stand in Cirrus? Even having ten lives would not save you!”

I curled my lips. There weren’t many people in this world who could take my life.

Moments later, Fabian summoned over a dozen security guards.

“Get him! If he dies, it’s on me!”

With that guarantee, the security guards charged at me aggressively.

I took down the first two before using the terrain to maneuver around them. In the blink of an eye, more than half were on the ground.

Fabian watched in panic and was yelling frantically.

“You bunch of fools! Use your clubs! Whoever catches him first will get a hundred grand!”

The bounty turned several pairs of eyes bloodshot. They ripped their clubs off their belts and swung at me with all their might, viciously.

I got careless and took a hit to the leg, stumbling and falling to the ground.

What followed was a barrage of kicks and punches.

They then dragged me to Fabian. Without a word, he slammed two punches into my abdomen, hard enough to make bile rise.

“Weren’t you so cocky just now, Matthew?” Keep going, man!”

He grabbed my hair and landed slaps on my cheeks several times, all while his eyes gleamed with a sick, twisted light.

Just then, Chester handed over a bottle of liquor to him.

Without a second thought, Fabian smashed it onto my head. My vision was instantly blurred by a combination of blood and alcohol.

He spat at me in disgust before standing up to make a call.

“Honey, why aren't you here yet? Someone who’s jealous of me marrying you almost beat me up. You have to stand up for me!”

Tiffany’s cold voice was heard immediately.

“Which blind fool dared to lay a hand on my husband? Get your bodyguards to catch him, cripple him, or even kill him if necessary. I’ll be right there…”

The call ended, and someone couldn’t wait and began to flatter Fabian.

“Brother Fab is indeed fabulous. Even the mighty Ms. Jefferson is completely under your thumb!”

“Ms. Jefferson? She’s nothing. Back when Brother Fab was lending money, he could have any girl he wanted. Now, that’s what I call a good life!”

Flattered and extremely pleased, Fabian felt as if he had returned to the wild days of his youth.

Riding the ecstasy, he grabbed a steel fork and stabbed it into my palm.

The excruciating pain made me howl in agony as cold sweat soaked my entire body.

Seeing that I hadn’t returned in a long time, Maddie had secretly slipped in. The moment she entered, she witnessed this brutal scene and immediately cried out, rushing over.

“Let go of my dad! Don’t bully Dad!”

As she cried herself hoarse, she spread her small hands and shielded me behind her.

With Maddie’s sudden appearance, Fabian froze for a moment before his expression darkened.

“You little brat! Who let you leave the doghouse? Go back at once, or I’ll beat you to death!”

As I saw my daughter trembling in fear and covered in scars, the hatred in me erupted.

I yanked the steel fork from my palm and lunged at Fabian with all my strength, plunging the fork into his chest.

Unfortunately, it managed to penetrate only a third of the way in before Fabian kicked me away.

“You b*stard! Neither you nor your little piece of sh*t here will be leaving alive!”

Fabian vented his anger on me after treating his wounds.

Then, he whispered in my ear, “Matthew, I must thank you. You’ve raised such a fine wife for me.

“Your wife… sure is something else!”