On the seventh anniversary of our secret marriage, award-winning actor Justice Cain gave the script I'd spent three years perfecting to my older sister, Zoey Campbell. Meanwhile, he instructed me to film a vulgar and trashy movie where I would wear lace lingerie and do yoga on the back of a crocodile.

The sedative they used on the crocodiles wasn't enough. In an instant, three full-grown crocs lunged at me and started tearing me apart. Justice frantically jumped into the pool to save me and got his hand bitten.

Covered in blood, I was rushed into an ambulance. My life was hanging by a thread. My mother, my only family, bandaged Justice's wound while sobbing uncontrollably. "We ruined Ella's legs just so Zoey could win an award ... isn't that too much? If Ella dies because of this, I don't want to live either."

Justice gripped my hand and comforted her, saying, "We'll have plenty of chances to make it up to Ella. But Zoey ... she only has one month left to live. The only way for Zoey to win the Golden Award and fulfill her dying wish is to eliminate Ella, the biggest competitor. Don't worry, Mom. Even if Ella loses her legs, I'll take care of her for the rest of my life. She'll forgive us eventually."

Even though I was numb, a dense, prickling pain still spread through my heart. I also wanted to know how they would compensate me, but I no longer had the chance. Because the one who was sick wasn't her, it was me. As their days revolved around Zoey, I silently counted down the days to my death.

***

When I woke up, Justice excitedly grabbed my hand. My mother stood by, her eyes red and brimming with tears. I wanted to turn around, but I couldn't move. As I struggled, the blanket covering me slipped off.

Zoey looked at me, let out a loud scream, then fainted right there on the couch. Justice and my mother rushed over anxiously to catch her. Only then did I see that my legs had been amputated from the thigh down, leaving only two empty pant legs tied in a knot.

In the reflection of the TV, a scar that snaked like a centipede crawled across half of my head. After Zoey fainted, my mother's expression changed instantly. She turned her head to look at me, pointing and scolding me with anger and helplessness. "Why did you have to kick off the blanket? My precious Zoey was already frightened by your bloody state when you were admitted to the hospital and now your broken legs have made her faint again. I don't know what you're plotting!"

I lowered my head like a child who had done something wrong, tears welling up in my eyes. Justice gently patted my shoulder, preparing to get up and take Zoey to the doctor. I had never asked him for anything in our seven years of marriage, but now, as soon as I closed my eyes, I saw those crocodiles lunging at me with blood-soaked jaws. I tightly grabbed his hand, my voice choked with sobs, "Justice, can you please stay here with me? I'm so scared."

He patted my hand. "Be good, Ella. I'll have plenty of time to be with you later, but Zoey's different. She only has one month left. If we don't take care of her now, we won't get another chance." Then, finger by finger, he pried my hand off his and carried Zoey out to find a doctor.

I couldn't help but cry out loud. Zoey was his good friend. She was frightened and fainted, so she needed someone to be with her. Meanwhile, I was just his wife of seven years, who had gone through thick and thin with him. Just someone with late-stage pancreatic cancer who'd had both legs bitten off and somehow clawed her way back from the brink of death. Apparently, I didn't need anyone by my side.

I used to think that if I was obedient, understanding and worked hard enough, someone would eventually love me. Unfortunately, I was wrong. No matter how hard I tried, it was never enough, just like before. Seven years ago, I was blacklisted after refusing to sleep with a director. The pressure drove me to shave my head and plan a wedding with my then-fiancé, who was also a struggling actor.

On our wedding day, my fiancé ran off to another country with my older sister, Zoey. Everyone laughed at me, calling me a tomboy and saying I was so undesirable even a free offer wouldn't work. Then Justice, once hailed as the most promising young actor of his generation, stepped onto the stage and proposed to me in front of everyone.

After we got married, life was sweet. I helped him network with directors, accompanied him to auditions and supported him every step of the way. In winter, we'd huddle together on a tiny single bed, shivering from the cold. He'd tuck my frozen feet against his belly to warm me up. That most challenging year, he was diagnosed with kidney failure. His bank account had barely two digits left.

I worked five jobs every day, from dawn till dusk, just to raise money for his medical expenses. When a matching kidney was found, I donated one of mine to him without a second thought. Seven years finally proved that I loved him deeply and he loved me just as much.

However, only now did I realize that the real reason Justice married me was to stop me from interfering with my ex-fiancé's wedding to Zoey. I thought that by listening to my mother and giving up my fiancé to my sister, she might love me a little more. It turned out that every ounce of affection I received over the years had my sister's shadow behind it. Because the moment she came back, whether it was Justice or my mother, nothing belonged to me anymore.

That evening, Zoey suddenly showed up. She wore a micro mini skirt, showing off her long, pale legs and sneered at me provocatively. "You've always been the loser in this game," she mocked. "All I had to do was cry a little, say I wanted an award and both Justice and Mom couldn't wait to ruin your legs. You legless freak. Just looking at you makes me sick. If I were you, I'd be too ashamed to keep living."

Furious, I grabbed my phone and hurled it at her. Sadly, I missed, but she snapped. Then she grabbed a fruit knife from the drawer and lunged at me. The blood streamed down as soon as she slashed my left cheek. Later, a stinging pain erupted. I wrestled the knife out of her hands and raised it high.

The next second, Justice grabbed it back, protectively holding Zoey and questioned what I was doing. Zoey cried heartbrokenly, saying I had called her a vixen and threatened to break her legs and kill her. I looked at Justice and shook my head. "That's not true."

Justice didn't even glance at me, carefully escorting Zoey out. My mother heard the commotion and glanced at me at the door. She didn't ask what happened or if I was in pain. Seeing me constantly dabbing at the bleeding with tissues, she said in a tone that implied I deserved it, "Serves you right. Who told you to upset your sister?"

That woman didn't even step inside, turning around to follow and comfort my sister. Ever since I could remember, I knew that my mother didn't love me. She had my older sister with her wealthy ex-husband. After their divorce, she married my father. She always scolded my father for not earning enough and complained that I ate too much and didn't do any work.

Whenever it was windy or rainy, my mother would look out the window, worrying about whether my sister, who lived in a villa with a nanny and attended a prestigious school, was warm and well-fed. She never cared that I was dressed in thin clothes, my stomach growling from hunger. Things that others could get easily, I had to fight tooth and nail for even a little bit.

Now, it seemed I didn't want them anymore. A long time later, Justice finally came back. He looked at me, a hint of guilt on his face. My stomach was twisting in unbearable pain. Even the painkillers weren't working. I remembered what the doctor said and suddenly, I didn't want to fight anymore. I said it was Zoey who tried to hurt me with the knife.

Justice didn't seem surprised at all after hearing this. "I know. You don't have legs. There's no way you could have reached into the drawer for a knife."

I picked up a pillow and frantically hit him with it, shouting in despair. "Then why do you always say it's my fault?"

Justice frowned deeply, constantly running his hand through his hair.

"Ella, Zoey is just being childish. Why don't you indulge her a little? Besides, she won't be able to fight you for anything anymore. From now on, all our love will be yours. Everyone will focus on you. Can't you just let her have this one thing?"

But I'm sick too. Why won't any of you indulge me? Half a year ago, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The doctor said I had at most half a year to live, maybe as little as a month. Looking at Justice, who loved me deeply and my mother, who had been my sole support for seven years, I didn't know how to tell them. So, I turned the story of my love with him into a beautiful romantic screenplay, hoping that it would be something for them to remember me by in the future.

The screenplay received high praise from industry bigwigs, who said it had a very good chance of winning awards. At this time, Zoey returned to the country and found Justice and my mother. My sister said she only had a month to live and hoped that before she died, she could fulfill her youthful dream of becoming a famous actress.

Justice forcibly gave her my screenplay. I knelt down and begged him, saying that I was sick and this was also my dream. He pulled out my diagnosis report from the drawer and slapped it against my face, mocking me. "Where'd you get this prop from? Even has the chief physician's signature. Impressive. You just happened to get sick the moment Zoey came back? Why do you hate her so much? She's about to die and you're still trying to compete with her?"

Justice used his thumb to wipe away my tears, pulling me back from my memories. He pleaded softly, "Ella, I'm so tired. Can you let me rest for a bit? Zoey saved my life on the snowy mountain before. I can't possibly refuse her last request."

Before leaving, he turned back again and quickly kissed my forehead. "Don't worry, I'll make us public in a month and give you a grand wedding. Everything I have is yours. Can you wait for me, please?"

After I was discharged from the hospital, Justice bought a villa in my name as our wedding home. He also hired a nanny specifically to take care of my daily life. One day, I woke up with a suffocating pain in my chest, followed by vomiting a large mouthful of blood.

I panicked. Then, I called Justice and my mother. Still, no one answered. Just as I was about to despair, Justice picked up. I cried out in fear, "Justice, please come back quickly, I'm dying."

There was a long pause on the other end before his angry voice sounded. "Ella, why are you being so childish? You clearly know that Mom and I took Zoey to the amusement park today and you deliberately called to disturb us. If you need anything, just ask the nanny."

After that, he hung up. Alas, he forgot that the nanny had taken a last-minute leave today and he had promised to come back and take care of me. The pain was excruciating. I rolled out of bed, wanting to go downstairs to take my medicine. I crawled to the top of the stairs, but my legs gave out. I couldn't go down.

The pressure in my chest made my head spin. In the blink of an eye, I tumbled down the stairs from the second floor. My whole body felt like it was being torn apart and my front teeth were knocked out, leaving my mouth full of blood. I struggled to crawl to the dining table, wanting to use it for support. I accidentally yanked the tablecloth. Plates, food, milk, everything crashed to the floor. Then, I completely fainted from the pain.

When I woke up, Justice and my mother had returned. Seeing the mess on the floor, Justice couldn't help but slap me. "Why are you being so unreasonable? Just because I didn't come back in time, you threw a tantrum and smashed everything in the house?"