She said the other men were just playing around. She liked to watch me get jealous and personally deal with those little seducers myself.

Timothy was the real exception to her and it happened more than once. Out of the eight young men back then, only he was treated with genuine kindness.

I said nothing to Stephanie and left for the guest room.

***

That night I woke from a bad dream and felt suddenly thirsty. I went to the kitchen to get water and happened to see Stephanie on the balcony, talking on the phone.

Her voice had a sharp laugh in it. “Had no choice. The boy was kicked down the stairs and cried badly. I was tired and simply need to vent. After thinking it over, prison was perfect for John—he needed to soften his strong temper after all.”

“And if I didn’t send him away for three years, there's no way I can fully enjoy Tim? Now I’ve had enough fun. Johnny’s out and when Tim has the baby, I’ll send him away and I'll live happily with Johnny.”

“But John really changed a lot. It was worth bribing those old men from the prison to fix his temper…”

Her hand held the phone so tight it made a little clicking sound.

Before Stephanie turned away, I was already back in the guest room, standing blankly by the door.

After a long time, I lit a cigarette. In the mirror I saw my red eyes through the smoke. It looked just like my first year in the prison.

My hair was torn, my skin cut by belts, hot cigarette butts pressed out on my skin—the cold iron rod, the smell of blood that seemed never to fade.

So those old men who targeted and tortured me back in prison—Stephanie had made deals with all of them. Every moment I felt worse than dead, meanwhile she was busy falling for another man.

Suddenly, a call came from one of my subordinates. “Johnny, preparations are almost done. Shall we go now…?”

“Let them enjoy things for a few more days. When they have nothing left to hold on, they will fall harder and hurt more.”

Stephanie had never once visited me in the past three years. So she wasn't aware that since my second year in prison, the people she bribed— both inside and outside the prison—died for strange reasons.

Stephanie thought she had trained a good, obedient man. But what actually came out of prison was a demon.

One night someone climbed into my bed—and the smell of their perfume was familiar.

“John, you’ve lost so much weight. These three years were hard on you. I really missed you…”

I pressed down the hand Stephanie tried to use to touch me and said calmly, “If you missed me, why did you send me away? And why never come to see me?”

Stephanie lowered her eyes and sighed. “We grew up together in the orphanage and fought to get where we are. Why would I give you up? But your stubbornness is too much. It got to the point where you did hurt someone. Maybe some time in the prison can calm you down for good.”

“I was afraid I would soften if I did visit you, you know. Tim’s got crippled because of you; he needs care. And I must brace my heart to atone for you… It’s all past. From now on I will treat you well.”

Three years of living without daylight and intentional tortures, she spoke of my pain so lightly.

As Stephanie kissed my face, one of the house housekeepers knocked at the door. “Director Bloom, Mr. White says his stomach hurts. Please come see him…”

“I’ll be right there, John. I’ll come back and stay with you later,” she said.

The warmth from a moment before vanished. She rushed away and did not return.

I went to the bathroom and washed the places she had touched more than ten times, until my skin stung. Only then did my disgust lessen a little.

The next day, Stephanie told me to dress up nicely.

“Tim is really thoughtful. He tried to celebrate your return and prepared a welcome dinner just for you. John, don’t let Tim’s kindness go to waste,” Stephanie said.

I also wanted to see what Timothy was really up to, so I agreed.

The dinner was quite large. Besides people from the company, there were also Stephanie’s business partners.

During these three years, her career had flourished. She met powerful elites from many industries and many of them had secretly received her help.

They repaid her in kind—when they became successful, they provided her with funding and support. It helped her company to grow even more.

As soon as I entered the celebration venue, two buckets of black pig's blood were dropped square at me.

“What are you doing?!” Stephanie shouted angrily at the waiters.

Timothy quickly stepped forward and explained timidly, “Steph, please don’t be mad. Johnny just got out yesterday and I heard that black pig’s blood can wash away bad luck. The prison isn't exactly a lucky place, right? My stomach hurt last night and I was worried it might affect the baby…”

“I was only thinking for Johnny’s sake. Even if no one says it out loud, people might still wishes bad things for him. So, throwing the blood at him is aimed to remove any bad energy and calm everyone down. But don’t worry—I’ve already prepared clean clothes for him. It’s a gift I bought specially.”

After hearing that, Stephanie’s anger eased a little. “Then I’ll take John to change first.”

But Timothy gently grabbed her hand. “Steph, your business partners are here today. If you don’t greet them first, they’ll think we’re being rude.”

“Tim, you’re so considerate.” Stephanie thought for a moment and nodded. “John, you go change yourself. I’ll wait downstairs.”

When I arrived, I was wearing a formal suit — long sleeves and long pants. But the clothes Timothy had prepared for me were a sleeveless vest and shorts.

When I came out wearing them, I finally understood his real plan.

Everyone’s eyes fell on the scars covering my body. Gasps spread through the room.

“Oh my God, is he really wearing that outfit for this event? Ugh, so disgusting — I think I’m going to lose my appetite.”

“Johnny just got out of prison. I heard he didn’t behave inside and got punished badly. Honestly, he deserved it, after what he did to Mr. White.”

“Honestly, how could someone like that deserve Director Bloom's hand in marriage? Mr. White and Director Bloom look much better together. Even though his leg is bad, he’s got that angelic face—unlike a certain unlawful guy over there. Director Bloom must've been wanting to get away from him.”

“Please don’t say that. My brother already knows his mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance.” Timothy blushed shyly, but his voice remained gentle and understanding.

He added, “And really, you can't compare me with Johnny? Stephanie even bought him a beautiful diamond watch. I’m nothing compared to him.”

He truly knew how to make himself look innocent and pitiful.

One of Stephanie’s business partners, who had never met me before, looked me up and down.

First his gaze stopped on Timothy, then turned toward me, full of disgust.

“Director Bloom, did I hear that right? That ugly criminal is actually his fiancé?”

Stephanie and I looked at each other quietly. A few seconds later, she turned her eyes away. “No, we were just a childhood friend.”

Those words were no different from announcing our breakup in public.

The whole room immediately burst into cheers for Stephanie and Timothy. “What a perfect couple! Just get together already!”

The other audiences nodded in agreement.

“I knew it! A beautiful woman like you, with that gorgeous diamond watch, could only be matched with a handsome man like Mr. White.”

That diamond watch finally ended up on Timothy’s wrist.

“Ah, Stephanie, this isn’t right,” he said shyly. “That was supposed to be for Johnny…”

“It’s fine,” Stephanie interrupted softly. “They’re right. It really suits you. I must have chosen the wrong gift for John. Take it as a reward.”

A reward? For Timothy helping her save face, she meant?

Then a guy from the audience looked at me with open disgust. “Why is this man still here? Director Bloom, someone that ugly will only ruin my mood for our business occassion.”

Stephanie walked over to me and whispered, “John, please go home for now. I’m sorry, but this deal is too important. Just bear with it this time and I’ll explain everything to everyone later, okay?”

Before turning away, she hesitated and added, “Also… don’t wear sleeveless shirts or open collars anymore.”

I didn’t miss the hint of disgust in her eyes. It was almost funny. Didn’t she know these scars on my body exist because of her sending me to prison?

That night, I was woken by the sound of Stephanie kicking open my door. She dragged me out of bed, furious.

“So just because I didn’t admit our relationship today and gave the watch to Tim, you had to hurt him like this?!”

Before I could respond, she pulled me toward Timothy’s room.

Inside the bed, the blanket had been cut open — dozens of leeches were writhing underneath it. It was disgusting to say the least.

“Johnny,” Timothy cried weakly, “I didn’t mean to take your watch or your status. But it was about Steph’s reputation! I couldn’t explain it at the time. Why are you so cruel and put these blood-sucking things in my bed? I was born anemic! I was lucky to check on my bed in time… I’ll return the watch! Just please don’t hurt me…”

I looked at Stephanie. “I didn’t do it. If you don’t believe me, check the CCTV.”

But she didn’t even consider it. “There's no need. I know you too well, John—you always take revenge for every little thing. I thought prison might have changed you, but you’ve only gotten worse! You should have stayed in there a few more years!”

"No matter what, I'm going to teach you a lesson today. Don't ever dare hurt Tim again!"

Half an hour later, Stephanie’s men came in, covering their noses while carrying a half-human-tall metal barrel. Inside the barrel were countless squirming leeches. They then dumped them all into a bathtub.

“Hold Johnny down,” she ordered coldly.

I lifted my head and glared at her. “Stephanie, you’ll regret what you’re doing today.”

“I’ll only regret it if I don’t teach you a lesson!” she retorted.

They forced me into the bathtub. Hundreds of leeches wrapped around me and soon covered my entire body. In seconds, the water turned bright red.

Not long after that, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I was lying on the living room sofa, receiving a blood transfusion. Then I remembered... Stephanie and I have the same blood type.

She looked at me for a while before sighing. “Do you have to be this stubborn? If you’d just admit your fault, if you’d just be gentle, I wouldn’t have treated you that way.”

What was she even trying to do? Did she plan on hurting me then coax me with comforting words?

I yanked the needle from my hand and staggered upstairs.

Behind me, I heard her embarrassed, angry voice, “John, take this as a lesson! I don’t want to see it happen again!”

At the top of the stairs, I ran into Timothy holding a bowl of porridge. “Ah, Johnny, you’re awake! I made this porridge just for you to recover. Eat it while it’s warm.”

I looked at him coldly. “So this is how a little slut climb to the top. You've staged everything, right?”

Hearing that, Timothy finally dropped his act and smiled mockingly.

“I really didn’t expect you to walk out of prison alive. But so what? When it's about love triangle, the one who isn’t loved… is always the third wheel, right?”