When I came to again, the first thing I saw was Pamela Wolfe—my mother-in-law, and one of the most bitter women I had ever met.

She stood with her arms crossed, glaring down at me as I lay on the hospital bed inside the emergency room. A cold, mocking smile curled on her lips.

"Look, Ali, if you can't give my son a child, maybe it's time to step aside. Don't waste my son's prime years.

"As a woman, you can't even give him a baby. All those hormone shots—for what? You've burned through all his money on useless treatments, and for what? You're nothing but bad luck.

"Look at yourself. Seriously. Do you even know what you look like anymore? How do you have the nerve to still cling to the title of Mrs. Dolton? You're old and worn out. You think you're worthy of him?"

I had just turned thirty.

I had been with Vincent for ten years, standing by his side as he built everything from scratch.

I gave up a life of luxury and a multi-billion-dollar inheritance to stand beside him as he built his company. My dad and my brother, Kevin Grant, gave Vincent every bit of support they could, helping him to become the man he was today.

I hadn't married into his family only to be humiliated by this woman.

I had tolerated Pamela for ten years.

Today, I had had enough. I got up and shoved her back.

"Ali! What the hell are you doing?" Vincent's furious voice boomed as he kicked the door open.

He had just arrived. And the first thing he saw was me pushing his mother. Without a second of hesitation, he stormed forward and slapped me across the face. "Have you lost your mind? You dare lay a hand on my mother?"

"Vincent, she didn't hit me," Pamela blurted out in panic.

All these years, she had mocked me, but she also knew exactly who my family was. The Grant family wasn't a family to be crossed without consequences, and she knew it.

If I had really laid a hand on her, she might not have lived to see another day.

Vincent suddenly froze. He opened his mouth, faltering. "Then… I… I'm sorry, Ali. I didn't mean to. I was just—"

He stepped forward, trying to get close to me.

I stepped back. Whatever warmth I still had for him, whatever last flicker of hope—I had felt it burn out with that slap.

I stared at his crumpled shirt. Just below the collar, a red mark peeked through—too high up to ignore, too intimate to dismiss.

He noticed my gaze and quickly tugged his shirt to cover the red mark.

"I'm sorry, Ali. I just misunderstood the situation. I didn't mean it. Are you okay?"

When I said nothing, his panic grew.

Then, as if trying to prove his remorse, he punished himself hard enough that the sound echoed.

Still, I remained silent.

Vincent had never been on the receiving end of this kind of cold indifference from me before, and it clearly unsettled him—his expression darkened.

"If you don't want to talk, that's okay. Just rest. I'll get my mom out of here so she doesn't bother you."

He put a hand on Pamela's back and led her away, thinking I would lie down and rest, but I didn't.

…

Instead, I pushed the door open and walked out.

He and Pamela were standing right around the corner.

Behind the door, Vincent lowered his voice. "Mom, why are you in such a rush? She's still doing IVF, isn't she? If she actually gets pregnant, there's no way she would threaten my business. She'll have to think about the baby."

Pamela scoffed. "I just hate that she's doing nothing. You know, wasting time and dragging things out."

Vincent chuckled darkly. "What's the rush? You know what her father and brother are worth. Even a small piece of their estate is enough to last us a lifetime. They're about to significantly invest in my company. Once I secure that, I won't need anything else.

"When Alison gives birth, everything falls into place. Their wealth will eventually become mine. By then, you can deal with her however you want."

Pamela's tone turned vicious. "I've already looked into a few remedies. When she's recovering after giving birth, I'll feed her the right 'soup' to make sure she hemorrhages. She acts like she's above me.

"I asked her to wash my underwear, and she had the nerve to scowl. Serving me is her job—it's what a daughter-in-law is for. If she can't deal with that, then she can go ahead and die."

Vincent groaned, annoyed. "Do whatever you want. I'm not getting dragged into your mess."

Murder, stealing my family inheritance, using me to bear a child, continuing his bloodline, then discarding me—those chilling words came from the very man I had loved and stood beside for ten years.

I had never treated Pamela with anything but respect, yet here she was, wishing for my death. And not just any death, but the slowest, most painful one she could imagine.

These past ten years, I poured my heart, soul, and everything I had into them—only to raise two ungrateful monsters.

My whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Dragging myself into the restroom, I locked the door and grabbed my phone. My hands shook as I dialed my dad.

Kevin was with him.

When their faces appeared on the screen, their expressions instantly tightened with worry.

I swallowed and steadied my voice. "Dad… Vincent's been cheating on me with a new intern. And his mother… She's planning to kill me after I give birth."

On the other end, my dad went still. Then, without saying a word, he hurled a crystal vase worth over eight million dollars onto the floor. It shattered instantly.

Kevin's jaw clenched as veins bulged from his forehead. He was already making calls.

In the fifth year of being kept away, Ariel Levine accidentally learned that her husband, Keith Ford, had found a stand-in for her.

Rumor had it that the woman looked just like her, acting as a decoy and pretending to be her in public.

Ariel's first reaction was disbelief.

Keith was intensely possessive to the extent of keeping her in confinement. She didn't believe he would tolerate a substitute.

Since her mutism had healed, Ariel thought she might as well seize the chance to break her five-year confinement and leave the castle for the first time.

She hailed a cab to Keith's company, determined to see the truth with her own eyes. But just as she reached the city center, the police stopped her.

"Mr. Ford has blocked off all major roads today for his grand wedding. Please take a detour, miss."

"Which Mr. Ford?" Ariel asked in confusion.

The officer gave her a puzzled look, as if she had come from another planet. "Where have you been living? Of course, it's the scion, Keith Ford!"

He continued, "He and his fiancee got engaged five years ago, but the wedding's been postponed 52 times. This time, Mr. Ford ordered the entire city's police force to secure the event. He's not taking any chances."

The words hit Ariel like a thunderclap, ringing in her ears.

"What wedding?" she wondered, her mind throbbing. Keith had never mentioned it to her.

For the past week, he had claimed to be so busy with the company's affairs that he had no time to come home.

A disturbing suspicion began to take root in Ariel's mind.

For all those times Keith had postponed their wedding, every delay had been caused by an accident right before the big day.

The first time, he coaxed her the night before the ceremony, promising they would only fool around a little. Somehow, they went through ten bottles of lube, and she ended up sleeping through the morning of their wedding.

The second time, her beloved dog suddenly died at dawn. Their supposed wedding turned into a funeral.

By the 52nd time, the car meant to take her to the ceremony crashed. She suffered 22 fractures and had to be resuscitated three times before she finally pulled through.

"Look! Mr. Ford and his bride are here!"

Through the crowd of reporters swarming the streets, Ariel saw a luxurious wedding car glide into view. Standing tall inside was a figure she would never mistake for anyone else.

Keith was immaculate in a tailored suit, radiating confidence.

A woman stood beside him, her arm linked through his. She was wearing the wedding gown that Ariel had designed for herself.

That woman's face was almost identical to hers.

"Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd chanted.

Keith smiled sweetly and kissed his bride without hesitation. The street immediately erupted in cheers, while Ariel's inner world went silent.

"Hey…" She wanted to call out to Keith, to ask him what was going on and who that woman was.

However, her words were caught painfully in her throat. Her mutism had returned.

The noise around her was deafening, swallowing her faint whimpers. The large and tight crowd pushed her to the edge, forcing her to witness the entire ceremony.

She watched as Keith kissed the bride, made vows of eternal love before the officiant, and exchanged matching rings. Every part of the ceremony was the same as the wedding they had once planned together.

Except the bride wasn't her.

The sight before her was so painful it felt blinding. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

The love in Keith's eyes was unmistakable.

And that tender, adoring look had once belonged to her alone.

In a daze, memories from five years ago flooded back.

After the abduction, she had developed post-traumatic mutism. Keith had hired the world's top psychologists and brought them into their home to treat her.

He had even built her a fully equipped castle, practically a miniature city designed just for her.

Everyone said that Keith was keeping his mute wife under gentle confinement. But Ariel believed that he was just too afraid of losing her again after that one incident.

For five whole years, Ariel lived under his airtight protection, completely cut off from the world. But now, the man who once swore to protect her was the same man who betrayed her with a stand-in.

Noticing Keith leading his bride into the corporate tower, Ariel followed quietly. Her eyes were red and glistening.

Outside the CEO's office, the voices of Keith chatting with his groomsmen drifted through the cracked door.

"You kept delaying the wedding on purpose before, and you even caused that incident that nearly killed her. If she ever finds out you're marrying a stand-in today, aren't you afraid she'll leave you?"

"I'll just keep it from her forever," Keith replied. "Any information that goes through the castle gets through me first. She'll never know a thing. She'll stay there obediently and be my perfect little princess."

He exhaled a ring of smoke and calmly crushed the cigarette between his fingers.

"Besides, a public wedding like this would only draw attention. I don't want anyone targeting Ariel. It's not safe for her."

His careless tone stabbed straight through Ariel's heart. In an instant, her blood went cold, and a chill spread through every inch of her body.

It turned out that all those "accidents" had been orchestrated by the man she loved the most. As for the "protection" he had spoken of, it was nothing more than control disguised in love.

The conversation inside the office continued.

"You keep saying you're hiding Ariel away in that castle to protect her. But the truth is, you still can't get over what happened that night she was abducted, can you?"

The old wound in Ariel's heart tore open again, twisting until it felt raw and bloody.

Silence filled the office for a long moment. It was so long that Ariel could hardly breathe.

After a long pause, Keith finally spoke, "You're right, I do mind. But I love Ariel deeply. Protecting her isn't just guilt, but it's something I've been doing my whole life.

"Instead of letting her show her face in public and become the subject of filthy gossip, I'd rather have a stand-in take her place and bear those rumors for her."

Upon hearing Keith's self-righteous words, Ariel let out a bitter laugh. But as she laughed, her eyes filled with tears.

Five years ago, she had been abducted on her way to bring Keith his dinner.

His business rival had threatened to use her life as leverage to force him into giving up a billion-dollar project.

That night left behind blood stains that even rain couldn't wash away.

When she managed to escape, she was covered in wounds, wearing only a man's shirt that could barely cover her body.

No one believed she was still pure.

Unable to speak, she could only shake her head over and over, her eyes red. Her silent denial became a wordless confession in Keith's eyes.

Despite his usual calm and composed demeanor, Keith broke down, clutching her tightly and apologizing repeatedly.

He told her that she would always be pure in his heart. He reassured her that he would take good care of her for the rest of her life.

Yet the man who claimed to love her had locked her away in that castle. She was hidden from the world like a shameful secret.

From the start, Keith had never believed her. He had despised her for being tainted.

Ariel turned and ran, tears pouring down her face, burning as they fell onto her arms.

Since Keith already had a stand-in in public, she no longer wanted his twisted love.

Whether it was her recovered voice or the truth that she had never been violated, she decided not to tell him anything.

Outside the Ford Group Tower, fireworks lit up the night sky in dazzling bursts. Every pattern was one Ariel had once mentioned liking.

A moment later, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text message from Keith, along with a photo of fireworks taken from the upper floor.

"Babe, there's a firework show tonight. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He followed with another text. "I'm still busy with work, but I miss you. I'll come home later with a surprise."

Ariel gripped her phone tighter as she felt a sharp pain twisting through her chest.

Every day for the past five years, Keith had always checked in on her. It used to give her a sense of security and make her feel loved.

If she had still been in the dark, she would have smiled at his text message and been happy all day.

But now she knew the truth.

Thinking back on those five years, Ariel no longer knew which of his words had been real and which had been lies.

She dared not think about it.

Instead of replying, she dialed a number. The call was answered almost instantly. A deep and magnetic voice came through the line.

"Ms. Levine, to what do I owe the honor of your personal call? Aren't you afraid that crazy husband of yours might get jealous?"

"Cut the crap," Ariel replied. "I need you to help me fake a death. One week from now, on my birthday."

Keith's rival, Sean Miller, was clearly taken aback. "You're Keith's precious darling. That stand-in, Natalie Green, is just his secretary. She's no threat to your position as his wife. Why go this far?"

Then his tone turned teasing again. "Five years ago, I pulled you out of that kidnapping mess out of my own goodwill. But the risk is a lot higher this time, so what's in it for me?"

Ariel's voice was hoarse but steady. It was calm in a way that felt like she had already given up everything.

"You know I'm the second largest shareholder of Ford Group. I can transfer my entire 40% stake to you."

Sean froze for a moment but quickly accepted with a chuckle. "Deal. I'll come for you in seven days."

After the call ended, Ariel looked at the giant screen in front of her. It showed a wedding photo of the Fords, but the bride wasn't her.

In both figures and features, Natalie bore an uncanny resemblance to her.

Ariel remembered that Keith had indeed mentioned Natalie once while talking about work.

One night, years ago, he returned to the castle after a business dinner. There was foundation smeared on his shirt collar and a faint trace of unfamiliar perfume clinging to him.

That was the first time she had ever felt suspicious.

However, Keith dropped to his knees, swearing he would never betray her. He had persuaded her for hours until she finally gave in.

He said his new secretary was capable and not someone he could just dismiss. He assured her that there was nothing between them, that it was strictly a professional relationship.

Ariel believed him wholeheartedly.

For five years, her world had revolved entirely around Keith. She had never once suspected him of cheating.

But now, it all seemed like a cruel joke. She had been played like a fool.

"Mrs. Ford, there are rumors that your husband kept you locked away for five years. Now that you've reappeared after so long, do you have anything to say?"

Out of nowhere, a swarm of reporters surrounded her. They pointed their cameras at her and shoved their microphones toward her face.

It had been years since she had faced the outside world. Her throat tightened so much that she couldn't form a single sentence.

More onlookers gathered around, whispering among themselves.

"Mr. Ford has kept his wife locked in that castle for the past five years. What's the difference between that and keeping a caged canary? Maybe he's got an affair elsewhere too."

"Keep your voice down. The last person who dared to say that had his tongue cut off."

"Exactly. Mr. Ford is known for integrity. How could someone so devoted ever cheat? Didn't you see the hickey on Mrs. Ford's neck in the wedding photo? It was so deep that even the foundation couldn't cover it…"

Ariel dug her nails deep into her palms, but she couldn't feel the pain.

So, Keith had indeed kept his real wife locked away at home while flaunting his secretary as his lover in public. What others could see at a glance had taken her five whole years to realize.

"What's all this noise in front of the Ford Group? You think this is a marketplace or something?"

All of a sudden, the once-rowdy crowd fell silent, instinctively parting to make way.

Keith strode over, his cold gaze sweeping across every reporter who had been hounding Ariel.

Everyone broke into a cold sweat, fearing that the infamous wife-obsessed Keith might lose his temper and literally sew their mouths shut.

The air froze in death silence.

Ariel felt that familiar sense of safety, and she instinctively turned to him for help.

But in the next second, Keith looked at her coldly. "You've gotten the wrong person. She's not my wife."