Lea’s POV

Rumors about my husband’s affair with his secretary had been circulating for a while. But I chose to believe his smile, his embrace, and the sweet words he whispered in my ear every day.

Until today.

At a big family gathering—also attended by his business partners—my husband, Sean Armstrong, arrived with her. Rebecca Smitt.

Her hair flowed elegantly, her face was glowing, and she proudly flaunted her pregnancy.

I was frozen. It felt like a nightmare come true.

In front of everyone, Sean said coldly, “I don’t need you anymore, Lea.”

At that moment, the world stopped spinning. My breath caught in my throat.

A faint laugh echoed from the corner of the room. My mother-in-law—the woman I once treated like my own mother—walked over to Rebecca and embraced her lovingly.

Something she had never done to me. Not since my father-in-law passed away.

“It’s time this family had an heir,” she declared loudly. “We can’t keep hoping from a barren woman!”

I bit my lip, holding back tears.

Just hours ago, I had planned to surprise him with the news—I was pregnant. But now, it seemed pointless.

“Get off that chair!” she snapped. My body was shoved roughly, and Rebecca quickly took my seat. She leaned against Sean’s shoulder, smug.

I froze. All praise was directed at Rebecca’s belly—prayers, hopes for the future. As if she were the light—and I, nothing but a shadow.

Then Sean said, “Starting tonight, she’s going to live in this house.”

I turned my head slowly, barely believing my own ears.

“That’s impossible,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “You can’t do this without my consent!”

His gaze was empty. Cold. Like I was nothing more than an object.

“You have no right to speak here!”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My body felt paralyzed in that sliver of time.

“Pack your things. Change the sheets. Prepare a room for Rebecca.”

My fists clenched at my sides, trembling with the storm in my chest.

“No,” I said softly, my voice shaking. “She’s just a gold-digger. You should realize that, Sean!”

His face hardened. His stare cut deep—not with guilt, but with disgust.

“What makes you think you’re better than Rebecca, Lea?” he said sharply, full of contempt.

“You’re just a poor, uneducated woman. Even the maids in this house are more useful than you!”

I was speechless. My mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

It felt like being slapped over and over again.

“My biggest regret is marrying you!”

Ten years. I loved him. Served his family. Tried to be the perfect wife. Endured insults, hoping his love would stay true.

But in the end, I had only wasted my time.

“Leave!” he shouted.

I was still standing, laughing bitterly.

“Fine. I’d rather sleep on the street than serve the whore you brought into this house.”

My mother-in-law pushed me. I almost fell. I looked at my husband. There was no love left. Only hatred.

My steps were heavy as I walked to the bedroom.

Like a doll with dead batteries.

I packed my things in silence.

Downstairs, they watched me drag my suitcase—without a hint of guilt.

My mother-in-law told me to stay at her house. To serve her.

I rejected the offer outright.

Laughter erupted. Taunts followed relentlessly.

They said I was ungrateful. Reminded me that before marrying Sean, I was a nobody. That without him, I was just a woman from the streets.

But not anymore. I would never lower myself again for a love that only hurt.

I walked to the door.

“Wait!” Sean called out.

I stopped. Even now, my body still obeyed him.

“Don’t take anything. Not even the clothes you’re wearing,” he ordered.

I turned to him, shocked. “You... you’re insane.”

“No,” he replied flatly. “I’m being fair. Everything you have belongs to me.”

The eyes I once looked into with love now looked at me like I was his slave.

My heart shattered. He was truly cruel. Didn’t he have even the tiniest space left to care for me?

My eyes searched the room for help. But no one moved.

They were all watching—enjoying the show.

If my father-in-law were still alive, he wouldn’t have allowed them to humiliate me like this. He was the one who chose me to be Sean’s wife.

But everything changed when he died.

This was their true face.

My hands trembled as I unbuttoned my clothes, one by one. Shame and fear filled me, but I didn’t want to show weakness.

Until I was left in only a tank top and pants. My body shivered. But they laughed. Sean let me stand there, nearly naked—without a shred of pity.

I took the only thing that truly belonged to me: a silk outer adorned with gemstone beads, inherited from my mother. I wore it, trying to preserve what little dignity I had left.

“I want that outer, babe,” Rebecca whined sweetly.

“Give it to her!” Sean commanded.

I kept walking, as if I hadn’t heard. But two bodyguards blocked me. They snatched the outer from me. I screamed, trying to resist.

But I was powerless—in strength, in everything.

Sean draped it over Rebecca’s shoulders. And I could only watch. Collapsed. Helpless.

It didn’t take long. Rebecca peeled it off, grimacing.

“It’s hot... itchy! She must’ve put something in it!” she shrieked.

I moved to grab it back. But Rebecca was quicker—she tore it into pieces.

I picked up the shreds, one by one. As if I were gathering the broken pieces of myself.

“Sean... my hands won’t stop itching. I’m allergic...”

That woman didn’t stop acting. It was obvious there was nothing in the outer.

“You hear that, Lea?! If something happens to Rebecca, you’ll pay the price!” Sean shouted in panic, lifting Rebecca and running out of the room.

As if she were dying.

And in that moment—whether on purpose or not—she stepped on my hand. I screamed. A gemstone cut through my skin. Blood trickled from the gash. But she didn’t look back. Not even a glance.

Rebecca… smiled at me. Full of triumph. Full of deceit.

I slowly stood up, hugging the remains of my mother’s outer like they were the remains of my pride. And I walked out, accompanied by my mother-in-law’s voice behind me.

“She’ll come crawling back. Begging to be accepted. No one else will take her.”

I gave a bitter smile.

I swore—with a heart torn and bleeding—I would never come back.

Not unless it was as the woman who would make them pay for every bit of this humiliation.

Chapter 2 –

Lea's POV

My steps were hesitant as I climbed the marble stairs leading to the Duke family’s home—my father-in-law’s side of the family.

My heart wavered between hope of being accepted and the fear of being cast out.

The heavy front door opened before I had the chance to knock.

A middle-aged man—Mr. Duke—stood in the doorway, staring at me for a long moment, nearly expressionless.

Behind him, Mrs. Gracia and their children looked at me as if I were an unwanted threat.

“Come in,” Mr. Duke said at last.

I lowered my head, stepped inside, and heard the door quietly shut behind me.

“We knew you would come,” Mrs. Gracia said flatly. “And we also know the risks of helping you.”

I swallowed hard. “I won’t stay long. Just a few days until my flight ticket is ready. Then I’ll go as far away as possible.”

They exchanged glances. I knew they didn’t truly welcome me—but at least they allowed me shelter.

Under one condition.

“You must leave before Sean finds out you’re here,” Mr. Duke said firmly.

"We don't want our business to be ruined just because we helped a woman that Sean Armstrong hates.”

My chest tightened. I nodded.

“I understand. I swear... I’ll leave soon.”

**

But the world didn’t seem willing to let me breathe for long.

That morning, the roar of a car engine in the courtyard made my heart leap out of my chest.

Through the window, I saw dark-clothed men get out and storm in forcefully. They were Sean’s men.

“We’re in danger,” Mrs. Gracia whispered, gripping my hand tightly.

Shouts, screams, and the sound of things breaking filled the house. I hid in the basement, my breath caught in my throat.

But it didn’t take long for them to find me.

“Mrs. Lea Armstrong,” one of them said, pointing a gun at me.

“Mr. Sean is waiting for you.”

They dragged me out, and what I saw shattered my soul: the Duke family—being held at gunpoint.

“Sean!” I screamed as he stepped out of his black car. “What more do you want from me?!”

The man who once loved me now stood before me like a demon.

“You have to repay what I gave you for the past ten years... with your blood.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Rebecca needs a blood transfusion. And only yours is compatible with hers.”

I froze. “No! I won’t give a single drop of my blood to that woman!”

He stepped closer. His eyes were cold. “You refuse? Then their lives are the price.”

Guns pointed at Mr. Duke and his family. They trembled in fear.

“You’re insane!” I stepped forward. “They’re your family, Sean!”

“Not anymore. They betrayed me.”

“All for that whore?! Rebecca’s turned you mad!”

“Shut your mouth!” Sean growled.

“I don’t have time. Rebecca... and our child... need your blood.”

My chest collapsed. Our child? That wound tore open again. But now was not the time to mourn the past.

I bowed my head in defeat.

“I’ll come... But let them go.”

“That depends on your obedience, Lea…”

**

At the hospital.

I was taken to the transfusion room, my body trembling in a thin hospital gown.

Rebecca lay quietly on the bed. Her face was peaceful—even while I had to risk my life for her.

“Just once,” I whispered to myself.

But it wasn’t.

Sean ordered them to draw even more blood. “For backup,” he said coldly.

My body began to weaken. My breath shortened. I knew this wasn’t just exhaustion—I was pregnant.

“Stop… I beg you…”

The doctor tried to reason with Sean. “Her body is already weak, Sir. Continuing could be dangerous.”

But Sean only smirked, “As long as she’s not dead, she’ll be fine. Keep going!”

The needle pierced my skin again. The world blurred. I looked at him, hoping he’d see my suffering.

But all I found was an empty gaze—cold and unfeeling.

In the final seconds before darkness consumed me, memories of him flooded back.

His smile. His embrace. His love.

But they were only shadows that made me regret it all the more.

**

I woke up in a hospital room. My head was heavy. My body still desperately weak.

And my stomach…

My hands reached frantically.

“My baby?!”

The nurse beside me shook her head, her eyes swollen with tears.

“We couldn’t save it…”

That voice struck like a bomb in my chest. A blast that shattered all of my sanity.

“Sean!!! You bastard!! I’ll kill you!”

I ripped the IV from my arm. Blood spilled, but I didn’t care. My legs shook as I stood, then collapsed. But rage lifted me again.

“I won’t die! Not until I see them destroyed!”

Nurses rushed to hold me down. “Ma’am, please, this could harm you…”

“Let me go!” I shoved them off. My eyes wild, searching for the room where Rebecca was lying.

I opened one VIP room after another. But they were gone.

The chaos I caused sent the whole floor into panic. I screamed.

“Where is Sean?! Tell me where he is!!”

One nurse shouted, “They’re not in this ward!”

“Take me to them! Now!!!”

And in that second…

The elevator doors at the end of the hallway slid open.

I turned.

My gaze froze.

The voice came—cold, sharp, dripping with contempt.

“What can you possible do with a body that weak, Lea? Restrain her. Take her to her room. Sedate her with a tranquilizer!”

My body was completely surrounded. Rough hands grab bed my arms, holding me down.

“NO!!! LET ME GO!!! SEAN!!!”

I screamed, but they didn’t care. My vision blurred with tears and fury.

Chapter 3

Lea's POV

I was confined in the hospital, closely guarded by Sean’s men.

On the surface, I was being treated to recover quickly after the blood extraction.

But it was only so they could take more of my blood later—whenever Rebecca needed it.

Once I had recovered, I was brought home to the Armstrong house.

The first person to greet me was Rebecca.

She had now transformed into the lady of the house I used to live in. All the jewelry, clothes, and belongings that were once mine had become hers.

“Wear this. Clean my room,” Rebecca ordered as she tossed a maid uniform at me.

I caught it without a reaction.

I had changed my strategy. I wouldn’t be reckless like before—attacking, failing, and ending up in danger again.

With steady steps, I headed toward the master bedroom—the room that once belonged to Sean and me.

And only I had the right to enter that room, because to me, it was where our love had once lived.

As soon as the door opened, a pungent scent assaulted me. A mixture of perfume and something thick in the air.

The bed was messy, the sheets tangled, and beneath it, I found men’s and women’s underwear.

I covered my mouth, trying to suppress my nausea.

“Ah… sorry, a bit messy,” Rebecca's flirty voice echoed from the doorway.

She walked in casually, picked up a bra and underwear from the floor, pretending to be shy.

“Sean, you’re so naughty. I told you, take these to the laundry,” she said with a teasing smile, as if I wasn’t even there.

Sean.

His eyes met mine for only a second. Cold. Empty.

Then he turned to Rebecca, his gaze soft—so soft it made my stomach churn.

“Let her clean it. That’s always been her job.”

“Oh really? Okay then… I trust you, Lea,” Rebecca said with her manipulative smile.

I wanted to slap her. But I forced myself to hold back the rage.

Sean led Rebecca out of the room.

Faintly, I overheard them talking about going to a shopping mall.

Rebecca was eyeing an exclusive handbag—only ten of them existed in the world. She wanted it. And Sean, without hesitation, agreed.

Back then, I never dared to ask for anything...

I thought having someone like Sean was already a gift.

Whatever he gave me, even if it was just a single rose he picked from the garden, it made me happy.

How foolish I was.

I took a deep breath, holding back tears, and started cleaning the room.

Every wrinkle in the sheets, every stain on the pillow, was a reminder that I no longer had a place in his life.

But I had to be strong. Coming back to this house gave me an opportunity.

I could retrieve my ID card.

**

For several days, I was a loyal maid for them. But in the middle of the night, I secretly planned my escape.

A notification popped up.

[Your ticket has been successfully booked. Thank you for your purchase.]

Thankfully, with modern technology, I didn’t have to go out to buy the ticket. Just a simple transaction on my phone.

I smiled, hoping everything would go smoothly.

But my smile faded instantly when that deep voice came from behind me.

“What’s making you so happy?”

Sean.

I didn’t have time to hide my phone. He quickly snatched it from my hand.

“Who were you messaging?”

“No one.”

“Liar.”

Sarcastically, he seized my phone, tapping through it, checking my chats.

He looked annoyed when he couldn’t find anything suspicious.

In moments like this, I felt as if he was jealous. But maybe that was just my assumption.

He simply didn’t want me rebelling.

“Babe…” Rebecca suddenly appeared, her tone sweet, but her eyes full of suspicion. “What are you doing with her?”

“Nothing. Just making sure your blood supply remains safe,” Sean replied, gently stroking her hair.

I stood frozen, watching their little performance.

I used to be the one he treated that sweetly.

Rebecca took my phone from Sean with two fingers, as if it were something filthy.

“She’s not going anywhere. Who would dare oppose you in this city, babe?”

“Don’t get too close to her anymore,” she added, glancing at me.

“She might still think you love her.”

Sean looked at me. This time, longer. But still empty.

“No. I won’t go near her again. Her life belongs to you now, babe...”

He caressed Rebecca’s face. And they kissed—right in front of me.

I wanted to scream. But all that came out was a stifled breath and a chest full of pain.

I hated this feeling.

I turned away and walked off. Behind me, their laughter rang out. Guiltless.

I couldn’t fail again. Just a few more hours...