She tugged open her collar, revealing suggestive red marks scattered across her skin.

Ethan didn’t even glance in my direction.

He simply pulled out a thick wad of cash and flung it in my face.

“No need to apologize to her. A greedy and lustful woman like that—just saying another word to her would dirty my eyes!”

The sharp edge of a banknote sliced across my cheek.

I gave a quiet, helpless shake of my head, stepped over the scattered bills on the floor, and walked away.

In the medicinal field, ancient, rare flowers I had painstakingly cultivated for years.

They were among the few of their kind left in the world—capable of greatly alleviating Ethan’s condition.

But what the two of them did today served as their final chance of survival.

I no longer wished to be entangled in this mess. I decided to move far away into seclusion.

But that night, Charles and Margaret knelt before me.

“Rachel Monroe, please save Ethan,” they pleaded.

“He vomited blood and collapsed during dinner. Every doctor we called said he was fine. We have no one else to turn to but you!”

The two elders knelt and kowtowed repeatedly, their blood dripping down the stone steps, pooling near my feet.

“Rachel Monroe, if you can save him, we’re willing to donate half our fortune to rebuild your golden image and erect a temple in your name.”

I sighed. “How pitiful parents can be in this world.”

“The Buddha is merciful. Donate that money to children truly in need. I will help Ethan this once, in honor of the kindness you’ve shown others.”

“But only this once. From this moment on, his luck, joy, suffering, and fate have nothing to do with me.”

The two nodded repeatedly, overwhelmed with gratitude.

When I arrived at Caldwell residence, I saw two bodyguards forcing Lillian to her knees.

Margaret was furious. She slapped her across the face.

“You seductress! My son was fine until you came along.”

“You must’ve tempted him and caused him to collapse from exhaustion!”

Lillian lifted her tear-streaked face and shook her head in panic.

“It wasn’t me! It was Rachel! She drugged Ethan out of jealousy—because he loves me!”

Margaret trembled with rage.

I simply ordered the bodyguards to throw Lillian out.

Without a word, I entered Ethan’s room, placed the Blood Sutra beside his bed, and began to chant prayers.

I recited the scripture through the night, depleting my life force.

By dawn, I could barely stand.

“Ethan has made it through this ordeal.”

“Our past grievances are settled. Madam Song, take care.”

Seeing the color return to Ethan’s face, his mother wept with joy and bowed in thanks again and again.

I waved off her gratitude and cast one final glance at Ethan.

From that moment, whatever fragile bond once tied us together had completely dissolved.

The young man who had once made me fall in love beneath the blooming peach tree…

He had died in my heart long ago, buried beneath the betrayals of our past life.

I began packing, preparing to leave this place of entanglement and pain.

But on the eve of my departure, Ethan stormed into my home.

Without explanation, a group of men in black tied me up.

He held Lillian with one arm and a wooden board in the other—

And struck me hard in the face.

“You wretched woman, I thought you were dead!”

“Turns out you drugged me and tricked my mother into kicking Lillian out of the house! I underestimated how manipulative you really are!”

“You dared let Lillian get slapped—I’ll make you pay a hundredfold!”

Before I could say a single word in defense, the board slammed against my face again.

Pain exploded across my cheek, swelling it instantly.

There was no chance to fight back. No time to explain.

Exhausted from beating me, Ethan tossed the bloodied wooden board to a bodyguard.

Then, without another glance in my direction, he scooped Lillian into his arms and carried her upstairs.

Minutes later, their pleasure-filled moans echoed from the bedroom—my room.

It wasn’t until what felt like a hundred slaps of ecstasy later that the sounds finally died down.

I lay on the floor, breath shallow, the metallic taste of blood thick in my mouth.

The black aura around Ethan, once subtle, now swirled violently like a curse manifesting.

His face was pale, drained of vitality, his eyes vacant.

He walked over and looked at me with utter contempt.

“It’s your disgusting, pig-like face that ruined everything. Just looking at you kills my desire.”

Turning back to Lillian, he said, “Let’s go, Lillian. I’ll buy you a luxury villa—make up for all the hurt you’ve suffered.”

Lillian smiled softly and leaned on him.

Then her eyes drifted toward me—gleaming with malice.

Suddenly, she let out a delicate whimper and clutched her belly.

“Ethan, my stomach… it hurts. Maybe it’s from all the stress today.”

She looked at him pitifully, tears shimmering.

“I heard that a blessing from Buddha helps the baby. Since Rachel claims to be Buddha’s reincarnation, why don’t we let her kneel and kowtow to me a hundred times to bless our child?”

Ethan, completely enamored, chuckled and stroked her hair.

“I’ll do anything for you.”

He raised his hand and barked at an order.

The bodyguards grabbed me and forced me to my knees.

Pain radiated from my swollen face.

My cheeks throbbed where the wood had split skin, my lips cracked and bloody.

I spat out a clot of blood and spoke through broken teeth.

“Ethan… I have not yet returned to secular life. For mocking the Rachel Monroe, your punishment will come.”

He sneered.

“Retribution? Spare me your theatrics. You used those lies to fool my parents. I’m not buying it.”

“I don’t know if heaven will punish me—but I do know this is your karma for hurting Lillian!”

Without warning, he grabbed my hair and slammed my head onto the floor.

My skull hit the marble with a sickening thud.

I saw stars. My ears rang. My breath caught in my throat.

But he didn’t stop.

Again.

And again.

Each blow is worse than the last.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Lillian cross her legs and lift her phone.

She began livestreaming.

“Everyone, look carefully. This woman pretended to be a saint, stole someone else’s husband, and destroyed a family. Watch how karma comes back!”

Thousands flooded in.

Some recognized me, their comments pleading for mercy.

But most didn’t know me and joined the fray, hurling insults, mocking me, laughing at my pain.

I reached for her phone in desperation.

Ethan stomped on my hand.

Pain exploded through my fingers.

He bent down and whispered viciously,

“Don’t even think about telling my parents. They’re out of town. They won’t be back soon.”

“Remember this, Rachel. Stay away from me—forever.”

I twitched weakly.

Blood from my scalp splattered onto Lillian’s feet.

She shrieked and stumbled backward.

Her phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.

She scrambled behind Ethan, terrified.

“Ethan! She’s using black magic on me! I knew it! She’s cursing me—I’m scared!”

He wrapped his arms around her protectively.

He kissed her forehead, eyes soft and tender.

Then he turned back to me, face dark, voice filled with venom.

“You miserable witch! Why won’t you stop tormenting her?”

“Let’s see if you can curse anyone after I sever your tendons!”

He gently turned Lillian away from the scene.

Then strode toward me, snatching a fruit knife off the table.

I tried to crawl away, but my limbs wouldn’t move.

The blade sliced into my wrist.

White-hot pain exploded through me. I screamed.

He couldn’t find the tendon, so he slashed again.

And again.

Blood soaked onto the floor.

It pooled around me like a red halo.

The room stank of iron, of violence, of death.

And no one stopped him.

The bodyguards standing nearby all looked uneasy and turned their faces away.

The pain was so unbearable that I nearly lost consciousness. I could only curl up on the floor, gasping for air.

Seeing the blood spreading across the tiles, a flicker of hesitation crossed Ethan’s eyes.

Lillian, teary-eyed, spoke again with a trembling voice.

“Ethan, are you going soft?”

“It’s fine. I understand. To you, neither the child nor I really matter. If you’ve fallen in love with Rachel, I won’t stop you. I’ll step aside.”

Then she turned and ran out of the house crying.

Panic flashed in Ethan’s eyes.

He rushed over and pinned my right hand to the floor with the knife.

I screamed in agony.

But he didn’t look back. He chased after Lillian and wrapped her in his arms.

“You foolish girl, what nonsense are you saying? You’re the only one I care about. Rachel means nothing to me.”

“For you, I’d sacrifice everything!”

Lillian wiped her tears and let out a brittle laugh, then spoke with a hint of madness.

“Then prove it. Scratch her face in front of me, and hand her over to your men. Only then will I believe you.”

Without hesitation, Ethan nodded.

He turned to me, his expression cold and twisted.

I couldn’t stop trembling, but my eyes locked onto his.

His entire body was now shrouded in a dark, ominous aura.

It seemed unlikely he would survive the night.

Just as the blade touched my cheek, the front door was suddenly kicked open.

Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell entered, their faces ashen.

The moment they saw my bloodied, broken form, their knees buckled, and they collapsed in horror.

“What have you done, you beast?”

“To offend Rachel Monroe is to invite divine retribution!”

Ethan scoffed and pulled Lillian closer, contempt written all over his face.

“Please stop with this outdated superstition, Mom, Dad. I know you’re fond of Rachel, but Lillian is your daughter-in-law.”

“She’s carrying the heir of the Caldwell family. How can you ignore your grandson for some outsider? Rachel Monroe? It’s all a scam—”

Before he could finish, the moonlight vanished behind thick clouds.

In an instant, a violent wind howled through the windows, rattling them.

A bolt of lightning split the sky—and struck Ethan squarely on the head.