The abortion was scheduled for the afternoon,two days from now.I returned to the villa to gather the things I would need for recovery since there would be no one to look after me after the procedure.I would be on my own.

But the moment I stepped through the front door,I froze.

My belongings were scattered across the living room floor like trash.Clothes,books,skincare products—things that had once been part of my daily life—were now trampled underfoot by unfamiliar men and women in staff uniforms,walking around them as if stepping over dirt.

A hot,nauseating wave of rage and humiliation surged through my chest.

I stormed toward the bedroom.

"Lennon,what the hell is going on?"I demanded."Why are my things thrown out like this?"

His voice drifted from inside,calm and detached.

"Winona is injured and she needs a peaceful place to rest.She happened to like your room,so I gave it to her.You should feel honored."

I let out a bitter laugh,hollow and sharp like shattered glass.

"Is that all this is?A generous favor?Or are you just easing her into my role as lady of the house?"

His expression flickered—just for a second—but I caught the guilt before it vanished.

"Meredith Evans,don’t twist things.There’s nothing going on between Winona and me.We do nothing wrong."

Before I could respond,a shrill scream tore through the room.It was Winona’s voice,crying out from my bedroom.

"Lennon!My stomach—ah—it hurts!It hurts so much!"

Lennon rushed toward her.I followed,silent,watching her writhe on my bed,clutching her stomach.

What now?

"Lennon…the soup your wife made for me...something’s not right.It hurts…"

She weakly pointed to the bowl at the head of the bed,her voice trembling.

Lennon’s face twisted into a mask of rage.Without a word,he scooped her into his arms and glared at me like I was filth.

"I’m taking Winona to the hospital.If anything happens to her,I swear,you’ll pay for it.I’ll deal with you when I get back."

And just like that,he was gone.

I stood alone in the wake of his fury.The air in the room had turned cold and thick.

None of the servants dared to look at me.They simply bowed their heads and kept still,as if waiting for something terrible to happen.

I wandered back into the living room and stood before the mess that used to be my life.

My clothes and jewelry were strewn across the floor.Photo albums—even our wedding pictures—had all been ripped apart.

I knelt on the floor and picked up a photograph with trembling hands.It was on our wedding day.He had once vowed to protect me for the rest of his life.

And now,without even blinking,he had cast me out for another woman.

***

A few hours later,Lennon came back.

His face was dark,fury burning in his eyes.Before he even said a word,he slapped me hard as soon as he entered the door.

Slap!

I staggered backward,my vision momentarily going white.Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

"Meredith,do you have any idea what you’ve done?"he roared,his voice sharper and colder than I had ever heard."Winona had a miscarriage!You killed her baby!"

"You heartless woman—you put something in the soup,didn’t you?Because you couldn’t stand to see her pregnant!"

I pressed a hand to my stinging cheek and slowly looked up at him.Then I laughed bitterly.

"So worked up,"I said bitterly."Because the baby in her belly was yours,right?"

His pupils shrank.He clearly was not expecting me to know.

"You...you knew?"

"I knew,"I replied coldly."I’ve known for a while.I know you’ve been sleeping with her behind my back.I know the baby was yours.And I know you’ve been dying to get rid of me so you could make space for her."

I paused,then added quietly,"So Lennon…let’s get a divorce."

His entire body stilled.His face turned pale,then darkened with rage.In the blink of an eye,he lunged forward and grabbed me by the throat,slamming me against the wall.

"Meredith Evans,what the hell did you just say?Divorce?I won’t allow it!"

His fingers tightened around my neck.My breath caught.Black spots danced before my eyes.And yet,I did not look away.

"Tell me,Lennon."When I spoke,my voice was barely a whisper."Did you ever love me?"

His grip loosened for a heartbeat.A flicker of panic passed through his eyes.But just as quickly,it was gone—buried beneath the seething rage.

"What does it matter now?You killed her baby!"

A broken laugh escaped my lips.

"Okay,"I said quietly."Thanks for finally giving me the closure I needed."

Thank you,Lennon,for shattering what little hope I had left,for making me realize there was nothing left to hold on to.

Soon,you would be free to stay with the woman you truly love,free from the woman you had never loved at all.

Maybe it was because I asked for a divorce—and Lennon simply could not accept that.In the days that followed,he changed.Almost as if he were trying to win me back.

He secured an invitation to the most prestigious auction in California and told me he was bringing me with him.

The venue was nothing short of breathtaking.Celebrities,politicians and business tycoons mingled in designer gowns and tailored suits,sipping champagne and trading smiles.

Lennon stood beside me,usually affectionate.He placed a warm hand on the small of my back,leaned in close and whispered into my ear.

"Whatever you want tonight,it’s yours."

I gave him a faint smile and said nothing.

Then,just as the next item was about to be introduced,the massive auction screen flickered.And in an instant,the feed switched.

A single image appeared.An image of me.

My hair tangled.My body was limp and exposed.Unconscious.

Gasps echoed through the room like breaking glass.

"What the hell is this?"Lennon shot to his feet,his face draining of color,then quickly reddening with fury.

The host scrambled to regain control,but the screen only grew more grotesque—photo after photo,each one faked but disturbingly convincing.Then,a shaky video.

"Oh my god…isn’t that Meredith Shepherd?"

"I always thought she was so elegant.No one could ever imagine she did something like that behind closed doors.

The whispers came like a storm,crashing into me from all directions.My skin went cold.I felt as though I had been plunged into a frozen lake.

None of it was real.I knew it.

But who would do something this cruel?

Then I turned my head and there she was.Winona Myers.

She stood at the back of the room,holding a glass of wine,her lips curled into a smirk.Slowly,deliberately,she mouthed the words,"You’re finished."

"Mr.Shepherd,please,we’re so sorry—"The auction manager rushed over,drenched in sweat as he tried to explain.

Lennon grabbed the man by the collar,his voice erupting.

"Shut it down!Now!Or I’ll make sure this place never hosts another event again!"

The man nodded frantically and ran to the control booth.

However,the damage was done.

Lennon turned back to me with eyes colder than ever."Meredith,what the hell else are you hiding from me?"

I tried to speak,but my throat locked up.No sound came out.

Slap!

This time,the blow was harder than before,knocking me clean to the floor.

My ears rang.My mouth filled with blood.I tasted iron as red droplets dripped onto the soft,pale carpet beneath me.

Lennon looked down at me,his voice filled with nothing but loathing.

"You really disgust me."

Then he turned,plucked a flash drive from his pocket and threw it to a nearby waiter.

"Forget the finale piece,"he barked."Play this instead.A lovely little video of Meredith Evans screwing a homeless guy."

I stayed unmoved.I stayed crumpled on the floor,blood pooling at the corner of my lips,as laughter filled the room—sharp,delighted,merciless.

"Oh my god...she was really doing that with a homeless man?"

"Tch,no wonder Lennon hasn’t brought her to any public events lately.Turns out he knew she was trash all along."

"A woman like that should be thrown into a cage like a wild animal."

I clenched the carpet beneath me.My nails dug into my palms so deeply I felt the skin tear.

On the massive screen,doctored images and faked footage looped endlessly—Lennon’s twisted production,designed to portray me as some depraved woman assaulted by vagrants.Every frame crushed me under the weight of shame.

And Lennon just stood there,watching it all without a flicker of remorse.Never once asking for the truth.

He had already chosen his version of the story—and the role I would play in it.

"Mr.Shepherd,the finale piece has been removed.You may display…whatever you wish."

The auctioneer handed over the remote control with shaking hands.

Lennon took the remote from him,towering above me like a god of judgment,his eyes cold and gleaming with a cruel glint.

"Meredith,"he said,"since you like attention so much,let me give you all of it."

He pressed the button and the next video began to play.

Something worse than humiliation.A new level of hell.

It showed me surrounded by filthy men,their bodies grotesquely close,violating the image of me with staged,degrading movements.

The audience erupted in horror.

"Oh god!This is sick!"

"Poor Mr.Shepherd…married to that?How did he stand it for so long?"

My whole body shook.I could not even see clearly anymore through the tears clouding my vision.

I knew the footage was fake—Winona had it made.I knew that.

Yet,I knew,no one wanted the truth.

Lennon did not even want justice.

He wanted to destroy me,making my life feel like hell.

Then the auctioneer spoke again,voice rising above the chaos."Ladies and gentlemen,tonight’s final item is…rather special."

"Mr.Shepherd here has decided to auction off his wife,Meredith Evans."

What—?

My head snapped up.I stared at him,not sure I had heard it right.

Lennon actually wanted to...auction me?

"The starting bid is one dollar,"Lennon said,his voice calm and cruel."Because frankly,that’s all she’s worth."

The room burst into roaring laughter.Dozens of mocking eyes bored into me,stripping me bare.

I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood.

This was the man I once loved.

This was the reward for every sacrifice I had ever made.

Slowly,I rose to my feet.

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth…and I smiled.

"Let me show you what I’m worth."

The words were quiet,but the whole room went dead silent.

"Mrs.Shepherd,"the auctioneer asked cautiously,"are you sure?We’ll have to verify your capital."

I nodded,forcing down the pain clawing at my chest.

"But first,I need to make a call."

The line rang once.Twice.

Then a voice came through,warm,familiar,gentle.I almost broke just hearing it.

"Can I borrow some money?"I asked."And…remember when you said you wanted to have a child with me?I’m ready now."

There was a beat of silence on the other end of the line—followed by a low,steady voice.

"Give me five minutes."

I ended the call,wiped the tears from my cheeks and walked back into the auction room.

Lennon’s face had soured,clearly had not expected my firm resistance.

"Meredith,do you really think a phone call can save you?"he sneered."Tonight,you're destined to become the whole city’s biggest joke."

Laughter flickered around the room.The crowd’s faces glowed with smug delight.

"Look at her face,crying like a baby.The Evans Family can’t even afford a decent dinner,so how could she afford something as extravagant in an auction?You should just accept your fate.”

Even Winona joined in with a condescending smile.

“Why don’t you beg Lennon for forgiveness?Maybe he’ll be kind enough to pretend none of this ever happened.”

I did not answer.I just stood there—silent,composed—waiting for fate to turn.

Exactly five minutes later,the grand doors of the auction hall burst open.

Gasps rippled across the room as a team of men in sleek black suits entered with practiced precision.Their shoes tapped crisply on the marble floor as they made their way toward me.Without hesitation,they bowed.

“Ms.Evans,”one of them said,“our boss sent us to ensure your safety.He also asked me to deliver this message:all his assets have been transferred to your name.You may use them however you wish.”

I gave a small,composed smile and raised my hand slightly toward the auctioneer.“Please verify the funds.”

The auctioneer took my bank card with trembling hands and slid it through the machine.

Moments later,his expression shifted sharply.His expression drained of color and his hands began to shake violently.

“Verification complete…the liquid assets exceed one billion dollars.”

The room gasped as one.Stunned silence engulfed them.

I did not spare Lennon a single glance.I just picked up my bag,turned to the bodyguards and said calmly,“Handle the rest.I’m tired.I’m going home to rest.”

I took a cab straight to the hospital.Today was the day of my abortion.

When I woke up after the procedure,I instinctively placed a hand over my flat stomach and my eyes stung with tears.

Two months ago,when I first found out I was pregnant,I was overjoyed.I thought this child was a blessing from heaven—meant for me and Lennon.

Yet,everything changed when I learned the child was not even his.And he…had never even touched me.

Lying on the hospital bed,I stared blankly at the night sky through the window.The anesthesia was wearing off,leaving a dull ache in my lower belly.Yet,it was not nearly as hollow as the ache in my heart.

The door creaked open.I turned my head slowly.Lucan Shepherd,Lennon’s older brother,stood there.

That was the same man I had called earlier at the auction.

He held a lunch box,still cool from the breeze outside.

“I’m sorry,”he said gently.“I had someone track your location.You didn’t sound right on the phone.I was worried.”

He placed the lunch box on the table beside me.“I had them make chicken soup with red dates.It’s good for your recovery.Drink it while it’s hot.”

I managed a faint smile.“It’s fine.Thank you…really.”

He sat at the edge of the bed,poured the warm soup into the lunch box with practiced ease,then brought a spoonful to my lips after gently blowing on it to cool.

Instinctively,I reached for the spoon,wanting to feed myself,but he pulled it slightly back.

“Don’t.Let me.”

His tone left no room for argument,but his eyes were incredibly gentle.

No one had ever treated me like this before—not even Lennon.

The soup was just the right temperature,so warm and comforting.I sipped it slowly,but soon,without warning,tears welled up in my eyes and fell silently into the bowl.

Lucan set the spoon down and reached out,wiping the tears from my cheeks with soft fingers.

“Why are you crying?”he asked gently.

“Because this isn’t fair for you,”I whispered hoarsely.“You being this kind to me…I don’t deserve it.”

My chest tightened.I took a breath and forced the words out.“I’m sorry.I should tell you the truth.I…I was violated.By random homeless guy.I’m not…clean.”

His expression darkened.His voice dropped to a firm,unshakable tone.“Meredith,do you think that’s something I’d care about?”

He leaned in,cupped my face in both hands and made me look at him gently but firmly.

There was no trace of disgust,only genuine pain and fury.

“I care that you were hurt.I care that Lennon—that bastard—ever let this happen to you.”

My lips trembled.More tears spilled,this time uncontrollably.

And then he pulled me into his arms.

His embrace was warm and strong.For the first time in what felt like forever,I felt safe.

“Whether it’s fair or not,that’s for me to decide,”he murmured,stroking my hair with aching tenderness,“And from now on,Meredith Evans,your tears—if you ever cry again—will only be for me.But I’ll do everything I can to make sure you never have to.”

I rested against him,listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.At that moment,I felt like I could finally breathe again.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head.

“Sleep,”he whispered.“I’m here.I’m not going anywhere.”