I wandered out of the Richardson family residence like a walking corpse.

After my mother's death, Lucas stayed with me day and night in the funeral hall, gradually helping me emerge from the grief of losing her. When I said I did not want children, he did not even blink before getting a vasectomy.

Despite all this, it seemed that our six years of marriage had been nothing but an elaborate charade that left me completely fooled!

What exactly did he take me for?

The successive mental blows made my vision blur, and I could barely see the road ahead. Sharp braking sounds pierced the air, and I suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar license plate.

I struggled to see clearly, but ultimately could not fight off the drowsiness and lost consciousness.

...

When I opened my eyes again, Lucas’ haggard face filled my vision. Seeing that I was awake, his eyes lit up with relief and joy.

He held me tightly in his arms, murmuring in a muffled voice, "I almost lost you."

My shoulder felt damp. This man who was always strategizing in the business world was actually crying, which moved my heart.

Perhaps everything I had heard before was just a nightmare?

That was why I did not refuse when he fed me soup. However, soon, a phone call completely shattered the final vestiges of my fantasy.

An unfamiliar number flashed on the screen as Lucas answered the phone.

"Mr. Richardson, Ms. Clarke woke up and didn't see you. She was crying and wanted to come find you, but now she's gone missing! Our people have already searched the entire facility, but we still haven't found her."

Lucas shot up from his seat, his face turning ashen. "There's something happening at the company. I need to go handle it."

He only gave me a perfunctory excuse, grabbed his coat from the hospital bed, and then rushed off to leave. At the same time, the coat knocked over the scalding hot soup, spilling it all over my hands.

The burning pain made me cry out involuntarily, but though his departing footsteps paused, he ultimately disappeared through the doorway.

The tender moments we had just shared seemed like nothing more than a foolish delusion. The physical pain could not compare to the pain in my heart, and I wearily closed my eyes.

"You've got blisters. Where's your family?" The nurse who came to change my dressing quickly helped me clean my hospital gown, and then applied medication.

I thanked them gratefully, then called my secretary, Anna Hanson.

"Help me prepare the paperwork for a legal name change. I want to completely change my identity."

The person on the other end was silent for a few seconds, then responded hesitantly, "Ms. Newman, changing your legal identity is a complex process that's very difficult to reverse. Are you sure about this?"

I laughed bitterly. "Of course I'm sure."

I was not just changing my name. I was going to completely reinvent myself so he could never find me.

Shortly after hanging up, Anna sent me a message. "The process will take about a week."

I did not reply. After changing into my own clothes, I went downstairs to discharge myself.

...

Just a few steps after settling the bill, I saw Lucas in the hospital garden. I was about to go over and ask him to take me home when I saw him suddenly open his arms.

Only then did I notice a girl in the distance, fluttering toward Lucas like a light butterfly and diving into his embrace. The smile on his face radiated a happiness I had never seen when he was with me.

Even though the force of their collision sent them both tumbling into the grass, he was not angry. Instead, he cupped Vivian's chin and began kissing her in the secluded corner.

"Lucas, I love you. Don't abandon me."

"I won't," Lucas said tenderly as he helped her up. "I'll always love you."

Vivian broke into a smile through her tears and threw her arms around him, her gaze seemingly sweeping over where I was hiding. "Then can you promise to love only me?"

His tightened embrace was her answer. "I promise I'll love only you."

My heart clenched painfully, and I trembled as I stepped back.

It was fine, I consoled myself. After this week was over, I would no longer have to see such disgusting scenes.

As soon as I got home, I started packing my luggage. The wedding ring, jewelry and clothes Lucas had given me were all listed on secondhand platforms for sale.

On Saturday, I attended the city's charity gala. As the host read the opening remarks, I spotted Lucas, who had not come home the night before. He was now holding Vivian close, and the expensive watch on his wrist had been replaced with a bracelet she had made him.

I had once lovingly knitted a watch band for Lucas, only to have him reject it for being "childish" and "too girly". However, he was now proudly showing off that crooked woven piece to others, his face radiating pride.

Vivian was nestled contentedly in his arms, carrying herself like the lady of the house.

Someone nearby remarked, "Mrs. Richardson's haute couture dress is stunning. I couldn't get an appointment even a month in advance. He must have traveled to several countries to get that for her."

My friend glanced at me strangely. "Netty, isn't that your husband?"

At charity galas, companions were typically assumed to be family members or spouses. Everyone naturally took Vivian and Lucas for a married couple.

I took a deep breath and forced a liberated smile. "We've been divorced for a long time."

"What!" The person who had just spoken turned around in shock. The commotion attracted several people's attention.

"Nanette?"

Seeing me, Lucas' face flashed with panic. However, before he could say anything, Vivian interjected, "Nanette, it's been so long. What are you planning to donate for tonight's charity auction?"

She pulled out an exquisite jewelry box from her purse and slowly opened it. "I'm planning to donate this piece of jewelry that Ms. Jensen gave me. After all, she always loved charity work when she was alive.

"Now that she's gone, she'd surely want her belongings to continue making a difference in the world, right?"

Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if she were my mother's biological daughter.

Seeing the familiar ring in Vivian's hands, something that had been tightly wound in my mind finally snapped. That ring was part of my mother's dowry for me.

She had hoped that I would keep this ring safe after her death and nurture a happy marriage. It seemed I had failed at both.

"How do you have my mother's belongings?" I reached out to grab it, but a strong hand stopped me.

I looked up, and upon seeing Lucas' face clearly, my eyes immediately reddened. "Did you give it to her? You were the only one who helped me sort through her things! Say something!"

Lucas loosened his grip slightly. "Nanette, stop making a scene. I'll explain everything when we get home."

He reached out, seemingly wanting to wipe away my tears. At precisely that moment, Vivian timidly peeked out from behind Lucas, speaking as if she had my mother's best interests at heart.

"Nanette, surely you don't want to go against her will?"

Just as I was about to explode, Vivian's friends rushed over. Seeing my raised hand, they immediately shielded Vivian.

"Mr. Richardson adores Vivian the most. No matter how much you throw yourself at him, it's useless! If you dare hit her today, believe me, Mr. Richardson will make sure you can't survive in this city!"

Seeing their stance, I understood everything perfectly.

I laughed coldly and shook my head. "Thanks for the warning. Those two disgusting cheaters aren't worth dirtying my hands over."

Hearing my sarcastic words, Lucas' expression changed. He pulled me away from the scene, looking at me urgently.

"Nanette, you've misunderstood..."

Before he could finish, his phone suddenly rang. Seeing "Vivian" displayed on the screen, he hung up repeatedly, but she kept calling back. Finally, he gave me an apologetic look and answered the call.

"Lucas, save me!"

Vivian's terrified crying came through the phone. "Someone took me away! They're taking off my clothes!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lucas' expression changed dramatically. His previously guilty expression vanished completely as he gripped my hand so tightly it felt like he would crush my bones.

"You actually tried to get someone to assault Vivian?"

Lucas' cold stare pierced me like a knife, but I looked up at him with indifference.

"Even if I said no, would you believe me?"

He took my response as an excuse, looking at me with complete disappointment. "Nanette, when did you become so vicious?"

His fist slammed heavily into the wall behind me as he gritted his teeth. "If anything happens to her, I won't let you off easily!"

With that, he shoved me away harshly and left without looking back. I fell to the ground, my head hitting a stone pillar, nearly losing consciousness.

Blood seeped from my forehead.

As I was struggling to get up from the ground, a baseball bat suddenly came swinging towards me. A sharp pain assaulted my head and I instantly lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself stuffed inside a burlap sack with my mouth sealed tight. As I was about to struggle, I suddenly heard the voice of Lucas' bodyguard nearby.

"Mr. Richardson, this is the person your wife hired to assault Ms. Clarke."

I immediately realized that the bodyguard was working for Vivian. This whole thing was orchestrated by her. I struggled, trying to call for help, but the tape over my mouth would not let me make a sound.

Then I heard Lucas' icy voice. "Which parts of him touched Vivian?"

The bodyguard hesitated for a second. "Almost his entire body."

He took an iron rod from the bodyguard's hands, his words filled with suppressed rage. "Then I’ll destroy every part of him!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the rod came down hard on my hand. I felt excruciating and curled up in agony, but soon another blow landed heavily on my spine.

Blood flowed continuously from my body and mouth, soaking the tape over my lips. I was in too much pain to make a sound. The places where my bones had broken felt like they were being stabbed by knives.

My vision almost went black, but soon another blow crashed down on my waist. My waist felt like it had been split open with an axe. My cries of pain transformed into intense hatred, and with all my remaining strength, I could only manage a weak call.

"Lu...cas...Richard...son..."

Lucas' movements seemed to freeze suddenly. He looked incredulous and tried to tear open the sack.

"That voice... Na...Nanette?"

The sack's opening seemed to loosen, but just as Lucas was about to open it, Vivian suddenly clutched her head and screamed, "Lucas, don't let him fool you! He mimicked Ms. Newman's voice to trick me into the bathroom!”

"Ms. Newman is still at the gala. How could she possibly be here?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to remember something and fainted. Lucas immediately picked her up anxiously.

"Vivian? Vivian! Get the car ready!"

The bodyguard chimed in at just the right moment, "Mr. Richardson, Ms. Clarke can't handle any more stress in her condition. We should get her medical attention first."

Without needing the reminder, Lucas had already left with his people. If he had just taken one more look, he would have discovered that the so-called "perpetrator" in the sack was me.

I closed my eyes mockingly as my consciousness faded.

I did not know how much time passed before there was commotion around me again. I then heard Anna's voice.

"Ms. Newman? Ms. Newman! Hold on!"

She held me, her tone filled with angry indignation on my behalf. "Hold on, Ms. Newman. All of your paperwork is ready. When you wake up, we're going to make them pay!"

I forced myself to stay alert and struggled to open my eyes in the ambulance. Anna's tears fell on me one by one. I turned my head slightly and actually saw Lucas in the distance.

How ridiculous. We had met in the same hospital's emergency room. When he met my gaze, his eyes suddenly became panicked and fearful.

"Nanette?"

He tried to rush over and ask about my condition, but the doctors and Anna blocked him outside the emergency room.

The operating room light stayed on all night, and he waited outside the door all night.

Finally, the door opened. Lucas rushed forward and grabbed the first doctor to step out of the emergency room.

"Doctor! How's Nanette?"

The doctor looked at him in surprise. "And you are..."

Lucas' eyes were bloodshot. "I'm her husband!"

The doctor looked down and organized the papers in his hands, then handed them to him with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, sir. Your wife's head and body sustained more than a dozen severe blows while she was alive. The resuscitation was unsuccessful. She has passed away.

"This is the death certificate. Please sign here."

Each word struck Lucas like a blow, making his vision go dark. His heart felt like someone was squeezing it tightly, and he could barely stand.