My fiancé and my own sister conspired to send me to prison, where I endured unimaginable torment.

Now, he got me out early from prison so my sister, who faked her illness, could harvest my kidney and transplant it to her body.

My parents despise me. My sister stole my fiancé and they all wanted me dead.

For my child's sake, I clawed my way to climb up the social ladder and married my ex-fiancé’s powerful uncle.

Right in front of my former fiancé, my new husband held me close and whispered words of affection to me. That night, my ex stood outside the door and listened to everything we did.

Later, my ex-fiancé went crazy and came to apologize to me. He even pressed my parents' heads down so they could beg for my forgiveness.

Forgive? That word doesn't exist in my vocabulary.

***

The moment Leah Remington stepped out of the prison, she almost could not stand up straight.

After three years of humiliation, abuse and starvation in the prison she was frail. She even had an extreme fear of the sunlight. When blinding sunlight stabbed into her eyes, Leah was forced to shield her eyes. Then a blurry figure entered her sight.

She opened her dry lips to speak but before a word passed her lips, a loud slap cracked across her face and sent her sprawling to the ground.

Her ears buzzed and at the same time, a familiar voice rang in her ears, "You only served three years in prison so, you are at advantage. The reason, they're letting you out because Ella is sick and needs a new kidney."

Leah pushed herself against the ground and struggled to stand up. Then she was finally able to see the man clearly.

He was her fiancé, Leon Diakos.

He was her former lover. He was also the man who sent her to prison.

Clutching the hem of her tattered clothes, Leah lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. “Ella Remington is perfectly healthy. Why does she need a kidney?”

“That's because of you, you wretched woman!” Leon’s face twisted with anger. “Three years ago, you nearly got her killed when she was kidnapped. Ever since that day, her health has deteriorated. She’s your sister so how can you be so heartless toward her?”

Leah flinched. She cowered in the corner, covered her ears and did not dare to say anything.

Three years in prison had conditioned her to fear shouting. It was because every single time someone raised his or her voice, it had been followed by merciless beatings.

Leon had made sure she was locked up with the most violent female criminals. He had pulled strings to ensure they “took special care” of her. Even the guards had turned a blind eye.

She was one of the Remington Family's daughters, too. So why had her parents never once visited her? Why had they only believed Ella’s words, never hers?

“Leon, I’m dying. I can’t give her my kidney," she pleaded. It took every ounce of her mental strength to say those words because she wanted him to know the truth.

However, Leon did not care. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and shoved her into the car. “Then you can die after you save Ella.”

Leah closed her eyes in despair as memories flooded her mind.

Her sister had been born into love and adoration. Since she was little, everyone doted on her and treated her like a princess. Anything she wanted was handed to her she had to do too much.

However, as for her, although she was younger than Ella by three years, she had to fend for herself. She had to be independent and no matter how hard she study to get the perfect grades, her mother never once praised her.

She had often wondered: What had she done to make her parents hate her so much?

When she grew older, she understood. The year she was conceived, her parents had been on the verge of divorce. She was the unwanted child, the mistake her mother had tried and failed to get rid of multiple times.

Even her name, Leah, meant weary. The name was like a cruel joke as if they were weary to have her and could not wait for her to disappear.

Now, after years of malnutrition and relentless abuse, their wish might finally come true. She had developed anorexia. Every day could be her last day.

A voice cut through her thoughts.

"Ella, I’ve got her. We’re on our way to the hospital. Don’t worry.”

After a long while, she snapped back to reality and realized something. With trembling body, she asked, "You … you're speaking to my sister …."

Leon swept a quick glance at her at the back and sneered, "What? Do you think our marriage contract is still valid? Dream on! From the moment you did that, you've been nailed as a vile woman, now Ella is my fiancée.” 

Leah felt as if her heart had been split in half.

Her sister used to scoff and label Leon as an immature brat unworthy of her attention and she did not take him in her eyes. Yet, in just three years, everything had changed.

"Leah, once you donate your kidney to Ella, your parents will send you abroad. Don't ever return to this country in this lifetime. I warn you, don’t interfere with me and Ella's marriage," he stated.

Leah felt as if she was being strangled. If Leon married her sister, what would happen to her child?

Her body trembled uncontrollably. Three years ago, when she was thrown in prison, she had no idea she was pregnant.

She only found out after she was beaten unconscious for the first time. A prison guard had taken her for a check-up and discovered she was two months pregnant.

She had always followed the rules, never acting recklessly. The only time she had let her guard down was the night before her arrest when she had visited the Diakos Villa and drank too much.

She had assumed the child was Leon’s. She believed that once she gave birth, he would come for her. It didn’t matter if her parents abandoned her, she was sure Leon would come.

She waited and kept waiting. She was still waiting when her belly grew bigger. She even endured near-death experiences to bring her baby into the world, only to hear him call her child a "worthless bastard."

She wasn’t worthy of being a mother. Her poor baby had been taken to an orphanage the moment he was born.

Leah found that she no longer had tears left to shed.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Leon yanked her out of the car without a word.

She bit her lips to endure the pain as she was being pulled into the VIP ward by Leon.

They were greeted by seeing Ella. She was lying on the hospital bed like a pampered princess with a rosy complexion. Their parents stood by her side, one feeding her apple slices, the other offering water.

Jeff Remington did not even spare Leah a single glance. Instead, he barked in annoyance, "Why did you bring her in? She’s bad luck! Don’t let her prison stench taint Ella. Just take her straight to the operating room."

Kathy Lennox's face twisted in disgust. "Leon, you know how fragile Ella's health is. Get that filthy girl out of here before she pollutes the air."

Leah shrank back into the corner with a lowered head. She did not dare to look at them.

These were her biological parents, yet their voices dripped with loathing. They even felt disgusted at how dirty she was. They found her unlucky.

However, she clearly hadn't done anything wrong.

The weather had turned colder significantly these past few days, yet she still wore clothes that were so thin and tattered that they were not able to hide the scars on her arms. Yet, no one cared about that fact because they did not even see her properly.

Leon shoved her toward the exit. Her steps faltered and she nearly collapsed. Fortunately, a strong powerful arm caught her just in time.

Leah kept her head down and whispered, "Thank you … thank you."

The man had a distinctive scent that entered Leah's nose. She was too heartbroken to think about it. She slowly forced herself to move forward.

She actually did not want to go through with this, but she overheard her parents saying that if she donated her kidney, she would receive a sum of money. With that money, she could use it to find her child and escape abroad, far away from this nightmare.

However, with this weakened body, could she even survive with one less kidney?

Leon’s impatient voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Can’t you move any faster? What the hell are you doing?"

"Leon, what are you doing here?" A deep, steady voice rang out.

Leah’s head jerked up. That voice … she knows this voice. Yet, where did she hear it before?

Leon immediately scurried past her and bowed respectfully to the man. With a fawning face, he said, "Uncle, good evening. I’m here to be Ella. She’s unwell."

Leah's bags had fallen over her eyes so it was difficult for her to see clearly. 

What she saw was a tall and imposing man. He dressed in a custom-tailored black suit. His entire presence exuded an aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Was he the one who had just steadied her?

Judging from Leon’s reaction, he was clearly afraid of this man. Leah racked her memory to search for any recollection of him and then it hit her. He was the head of the Diakos Family, Nico Diakos.

He was a man that was shrouded in mystery, all that people knew about him was his reputation. Leah had heard about him a few times from Leon. However, Leah had always assumed he was in his fifties. Seeing him now, she realized he was only in his early thirties with a well-preserved, sophisticated and power oozed from his body.

“Leon,” Nico's voice was calm yet commanding, “I recall your engagement three years ago was to Leah. Who is this ‘Ella’?”

Leon stiffened, caught off guard. His uncle had never meddled in his personal affairs before. After all the engagement had been arranged by his parents, so why was Nico suddenly asking about it?

When Leah heard her name called, she raised her eyes and looked at Nico. Their gazes met and for a brief moment, she caught a playful smile on his face. Startled, she quickly looked away. She was unwilling to have anything to do with the Diakos Family anymore.

From the moment she learned that Leon had framed her, all she felt for him was hatred. However, she was powerless against them. It was so hard to protect herself, what was more she had another child.

Leon said, “Uncle, don’t you remember? Leah was convicted of intentional assault and sent to prison three years ago.”

Nico’s brows furrowed. “She went to prison? She doesn’t look like someone capable of that, she is so weak and fragile.”

Leon scratched his nose, he looked embarrassed. “Well, as you know, appearances can be deceiving. You’ve been overseas for years, so it makes sense you wouldn’t know.”

Leon’s sharp eyes fell on Leah. He had already noticed the scars and wounds on her. If Leon was here for Ella, then why was Leon walking with Leah?

She remained silent and leaned against the wall. She did not want to join their conversation. Her pale, gaunt face seemed to evoke a flicker of pity in Nico's heart. He had never been nosy before. "I know the hospital director,” he said coldly. “Take her for a check-up first.”

Leon immediately panicked and blurted, “That’s not necessary. She’s going into surgery soon to donate her kidney.”

Nico raised his brow. "Surgery for kidney donation? Leon, donating a kidney requires that the donor and recipient perfectly match. Also, has she been deemed medically fit for it? Has she been properly tested for compatibility? You do realize the donor must be in good health, don’t you? With her condition, are you still taking her to have an operation?"

Afraid Nico saw something was wrong, Leon blocked him from seeing Leah. "Of course! They’ll run tests before the procedure.”

Leah, who had stayed quiet until now, finally spoke up, her voice soft yet firm. “Thank you, Uncle.”

The word ‘Uncle’ sent a jolt through Nico. A long-buried memory resurfaced.

Three years ago, during a rare visit home for his father’s birthday, a woman had handed him a drink. He had taken a sip and immediately felt dizzy, his mind clouded. Someone had drugged him. When he stumbled back to his room, he found a woman there.

He had been furious and wanted to push her away but her soft voice made him lose control. 

A fragment of memory suddenly flashed in his mind. That woman who was in the bed at that time also called him uncle and begged him not to do it.

The next day, before he could investigate what had happened, he had been called away on urgent business overseas. The overseas company had a problem and he directly took a plane to go there.

As for that woman, he only thought it was a one-time mistake. It wasn't until now that he realized he might have done something wrong that night.

Before he could say another word, Leon shoved Leah forward. “Stop running your mouth! Who the hell you are? How dare you call him uncle? He is mine! He has nothing to do with you! Don’t go calling him that like you have any connection to him.”

The man Leon scared the most was Nico. He held the fate of the entire Diakos Family in his hands, whether it was his and his parent's life or death.

The reason they currently had shares and got dividends was all because of Nico.