On the stage sat a single item: a stone ring.

It was crudely made and ugly to look at.

People lowered their paddles one by one. No one wanted to bid on something that looked so hideous, seemingly worthless.

Ryan squinted at it for a long moment before suddenly remembering.

“Isn’t that the ring you gave me and I threw away? You actually went back for it? That’s pathetic.”

That ring was one of the few things my mother left me as a wedding gift. She had personally picked out the stone, and my father had polished it by hand.

They’d told me it was made from a rare, naturally weathered mineral, formed over a thousand years. It was worth billions and strong enough to slice through bone.

My parents had given it to me so I’d always have something to protect myself with. A reminder that, no matter what happened, they would always be with me.

When Ryan got trapped in that snowstorm on the mountain, I put the ring on his finger and begged the heavens to give all my luck to him.

I just wanted him to survive.

And he did.

However, I slipped while I was pulling him out. The ring slashed deep into my chest. I passed out in the snow, and the ring was lost beneath it.

“Did you know that I scraped that ring across your chest on purpose just so I’d have an excuse to throw it away? I mean, look at it. It’s hideous. And since you gave it to me, that made it even worse.”

My eyes burned, but inside, I felt numb.

“It’s mine,” I said again.

A few rich kids tossed out token bids, raising it to three million.

That was all the funds I had left.

One of the girls tried to raise the bid just to be nasty, but Ryan instinctively stopped her.

He stared at my disheveled appearance and sneered. “Still clinging to something I didn’t even want? You really are my little lapdog, huh?

“Fine. You can bid on it for 3 million. But remember how your family humiliated mine back then. Remember how you keep crawling back to me though I never love you. How pathetic!”

With that, he lost interest and walked off, surrounded by a crowd of girls.

I clutched the long-lost stone ring my parents had given me in my hands and smiled.

Mom and Dad were gone, but the ring had come back. Maybe it meant they were watching over me again.

It was too bad I only had three days left to live.

As I smiled, my heart seized up. Everything went black, and I collapsed.

…

The doctor told me to stay in the hospital.

The fragments of stone were embedded too deeply in my heart. If I stayed, maybe I could squeeze out a few extra days.

However, I waved him off and forced myself to walk back to Ryan’s mansion.

What’s the point of living a few days longer if it just means more time being tormented by him? I’d rather die and be with my parents and sister.

When I got home, the dining table was full of people laughing, talking, and eating.

There was no seat for me.

Ryan looked over. “Oh, you actually came back? Do you know what time it is? Because you didn’t cook tonight, Nancy was crying from hunger! You’re not allowed to eat anything for the next few days.”

I didn’t even look at him and walked past the table. “Whatever.”

His face darkened. In just a few strides, he stormed over and slammed me into the wall by the wrist.

A sharp pain shot through my chest, down to my organs. Everything hurt so much that I wanted to throw up.

He was about to yell at me again when he saw my wrist covered in cuts.

I had scratched myself in a daze, unable to bear the pressure of that broken stone digging into my heart.

“You’ve been cutting yourself?” Ryan stepped closer, eyes burning with fury. “Seriously? I endured three years of humiliation, and the second you get uncomfortable, you’re out here trying to die?

“You’re broke, Lily. I bought your life with my money. You think you can die just because you want to? Dream on! I’m going to make sure you live through hell before I let you go.”

I stared at the man I’d loved for nearly ten years, who had taken up nearly all my youth.

However, the more I looked at him, the more he felt like a stranger.

I repeated myself softly. “Whatever.”

Ryan snapped.

He tore off my jacket and, in front of everyone, threw me onto the couch.

If this were any other time, I might’ve felt ashamed. Maybe even excited to finally give myself to the man I’d loved for so long, or glared back at the other women, and held my ground.

My heart hurt too much, though, and I couldn’t feel anything.

Soon, I passed out.

When I woke up, I was still lying on the couch, only covered by a small throw blanket draped over me.

Ryan was gone.

The house was filled with noise, with ten or so girls chattering loudly.

I called them into my room and opened the wardrobe.

The walk-in closet was filled with custom-made dresses, each one a unique piece. The girls’ eyes widened at the sight.

Luckily, since Ryan now held absolute power, no one dared to search his house. Technically, these dresses belonged to the Knights, but just like me, no one dared to touch them.

“Take whichever one you like,” I said.

Shannon stood in front of me, scanning me from head to toe with suspicion written all over her face.

“You’re not so generous. What’s the catch?”

I shook my head without answering.

I had finished sorting through my family’s belongings. Now it was time to take care of my own.

Ryan hated me so much. Once I had died, these dresses would probably be burned without a second thought.

Rather than let the designers’ hard work go to waste, I’d rather they find some use now.

Several of the younger girls couldn’t resist anymore. They happily started picking out outfits, slipping them on and squealing, “The quality of these is insane!”

Only a few girls who were closer to my age stood back with their arms crossed, clearly suspicious. They couldn’t figure out what I was up to.

I didn’t care, though. I opened the drawers one by one, revealing luxurious handbags and watches. Their eyes sparkled.

It was only then that I noticed many of these girls resembled me to some extent.

Shannon, the newest addition, looked almost like a replica of me. She was also the most doted on.

However, none of it mattered anymore.

I only had two days left.

From outside, the roar of a sports car echoed through the garden.

Reina, who had been standing stiffly, peeked out, then suddenly walked over and started picking through the clothes.

The moment Ryan walked through the door, Reina held up a dress and screamed.

Somehow, the sequins on the dress had been sliced in half. A sharp edge cut cleanly across her pale, slender leg. Blood streamed down her skin.

I remembered that Ryan had chosen her to have the largest guest room just because of those smooth white legs.

Sure enough, his face darkened. He rushed over and scooped Reina into his arms, blowing on her wound with concern.

Reina’s eyes were misty. “It’s all my fault. Lily was being nice by offering us clothes, and I just had to pick the one with a blade in it.”

Ryan’s expression grew dangerous.

“Lily, I’ll give you one chance to explain.”

I shrugged. “What’s there to explain? Since you won’t let me divorce you, I’m still your wife. What’s wrong with giving your mistress a little lesson?”

“Lily, I’ve told you. Your job is to serve them. Who said you could act like my wife and start disciplining my women?”

My attitude enraged him. He pulled out a whip and handed it to the butler.

“For every drop of blood Reina shed, you’ll repay it a hundred times.”

The whip came down on my legs, the barbs tearing chunks of skin with each strike.

I didn’t feel the first ten lashes.

Compared to the pain in my chest, my legs barely registered.

By the eleventh lash, the wound had opened down to the bone. When I saw the whip lash across my bones, tears finally fell.

Ryan crouched down in front of me. “Hurts now, doesn’t it? Get on your knees and bark for the camera. Say, I, Lily, and the whole Knights are nothing but Ryan Irwin’s dogs. Then bow to Reina and apologize. Do that, and I’ll let you off.”

I said nothing except a cold snort.

As a result, Ryan picked up a baseball bat and struck me down.

Reina covered her mouth and tugged at Ryan’s sleeve. “Ryan, maybe that’s enough. I think Lily’s leg might actually be broken!”

“Perfect. It takes a long time to heal a broken bone. That means during that time, she won't be running anywhere or bullying any of you.”

‘A long time? However, Ryan, you'll never see it coming since I'm dying soon,’ I thought to myself.

That night, Ryan did something rare. He stayed by my bedside and had the family doctor do a full check-up.

They confirmed it was just a fracture. As long as I rested for three months, I’d be fine.

I was annoyed by his presence and just about to tell him to leave when I suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

“Keep acting. Go on.” Ryan only smirked.

“How come you didn’t spit blood while the doctor was here? Scared they’d realize you’re faking it?

“Lily, do you know why I like Reina? Because she looks just like you when you pull the same fake innocent act. You both think I’m some idiot.

“But Reina has nothing. She has no choice but to cling to me. You? You used to have the Knights, acting all arrogant. Now that they’ve fallen, you still won’t bow your head and serve me.

“That’s what I hate most about you.

“Drop the act. Learn from Reina and know your place. You disgust me right now.”

He stood and barked at the driver, “I’m sleeping at the office tonight. No one’s allowed to bother me.”

Outside my door, the women who’d once flaunted themselves now stood stiff, eyes trained on me.

I coughed up more blood.

Reina scoffed. “Lily, Ryan’s already gone. You can stop putting on a show now.”

I didn’t have the strength to speak. All I could do was take a deep breath, mouth filling with the taste of blood.

Only I knew the truth.

The whip and the bat earlier had knocked the broken stone deeper into my chest.

My heart must be shredded by now. The fragments had likely torn through my trachea. That was why I couldn’t stop coughing up blood.

I was dying.

Suddenly, I really wanted some peanut soup.

I struggled to sit up, holding on to that last bit of dignity, like the daughter of the Knights.

“Bring me a bowl of peanut soup, and make it thick.”

Reina rolled her eyes. “Why should I? I’m not your maid!”

She turned to leave, but Shannon stopped her.

They exchanged a look, then I heard Shannon whisper, “I saw her medical records. She’s allergic to peanuts. Let’s go along with it…”

Reina’s eyes widened. “But she’s setting us up!”

Shannon raised her chin toward the door. “You idiot. Let someone else do it.”

Finally, a young girl walked in, carefully carrying a bowl of peanut soup. She was wearing my favorite dress—the one I wore the day Ryan proposed to me.

She was smart. Even her hairstyle was identical to how I wore it that day.

Ambition and challenge flashed in her eyes as she pressed the spoon to my lips.

“Lily, let me feed you. You better drink every drop.”

I took it in, spoonful by spoonful. I could feel the rash spreading across my face, my throat swelling shut, and my fingers puffing up.

Then somehow, as I swallowed the last bit, the soup slipped into my windpipe. My heart seized with pain, and all the color drained from the world.

When Ryan came back, there were dark circles under his eyes.

He headed straight to my room.

“So? Have you learned your lesson?”

When I didn’t respond, his face twisted with annoyance.

“Staying silent won’t help you. I’ve got all the time in the world. I’ll lock you up for life if I have to! I don’t believe I can’t break you!

“Oh, you like dancing, don’t you? Tomorrow, you’re coming to a ball with me. I want everyone to see how the once-famous daughter of the Knights, who could charm half the city with one dance, now crawls like a dog behind me on two crippled legs.

“What, cat got your tongue? Even dogs know how to bark!

“Or maybe not enough people saw you humiliated last time? Want to go for round two?”