After our marriage, Peter took care of everything. From managing the aftermath of my father’s laboratory explosion to handling the business affairs of the group, he arranged it all meticulously.

Having endured the agony of losing my father and the double betrayal of my fiancé and stepsister, I had nearly convinced myself that Peter was the hero sent to save me. I clung to him, desperate and drowning, seeking refuge in his presence. Without hesitation, I entrusted him with my father’s experiment logs and test reports, believing he would uncover the truth. When he told me that Lilly had been confined to an institute for investigation, I had no reason to doubt him. Not until the eve of the new drug launch did I catch the first scent of deception.

That evening, Peter mentioned that some critical information was missing and that he needed to retrieve it from the study in the old mansion. The moonlight cascaded down the staircase like a layer of cold mercury as I followed his path. By accident, I kicked over an old ceramic piggy bank from my childhood. The shards scattered with a clear, mournful sound, revealing a platinum wedding ring nestled among them.

Inside the band, a name was engraved—"Widdy Young"—my mother’s name. Though worn with age, the inscription still bore its weight in memory. It was a relic my father had locked away after my mother died in childbirth. I held the ring carefully in my palm, my heart heavy with sentiment, before turning to leave.

As I passed by my stepmother’s room, her shrill laughter sent an icy chill through my spine.

“The iris diaphragm has been implanted into the system,” she cackled. “Rest assured, Mr. Peter.”

My breath hitched. Peter was supposed to be in the study—so why was he entangled with Lilly’s mother? Before I could process my thoughts, the sound of his approaching footsteps sent me scrambling into the shadows. I remained silent. I did not confront him. At that moment, my phone vibrated, displaying an anonymous video.

On the screen, a rosewood box was being loaded into the trunk of a Porsche. The gleam of a copper lock reflected off the surface—briefly catching the light from Peter’s wedding ring.

Then my father’s dying murmur echoed in my mind like an explosion. "Launch... gift..."

Dread coiled in my stomach, but I suppressed it, forcing myself to wait for the day of the new drug launch. That day, I had an excuse to visit the lab, intending to check a set of data.

Through the observation window of the blast-proof lab, I overheard Peter speaking with the technical director.

“Mr. Peter, three years ago, you altered your merger plans just to claim Moan's core technology in name?” the director asked in a hushed voice. “And the surveillance footage of the gas leak…”

Peter’s voice was steady, chillingly indifferent.

“Only by becoming the Moan Family’s son-in-law—only as Jessie’s husband—could I bury the evidence and keep her out of prison. And ensure that Lilly received the complete technical data she needed to fulfill her ambitions.”

“She will continue her research in the sterile room,” he added coolly. “As for these business stains… I will take care of them.”

“But what about Jessie?” the technical director asked hesitantly. “She will be at the launch. What will you do about her?”

Peter’s response was crisp, unwavering. “No need to worry. I only ever said Lilly was cooperating with the investigation. The surveillance footage from back then is already hidden. Jessie’s test report may prove the accident wasn’t an accident, but it cannot prove Lilly was responsible.”

In that instant, my entire world collapsed. He had orchestrated this three years ago, extending his reach into my father’s company, planting his influence where I had once believed I was safe. The home I thought was my sanctuary was, in reality, a bulletproof glass prison—built to shield Lilly.

My stepmother’s laughter in the old mansion, the anonymous video on my phone—it all connected now. His claim that Lilly was detained for investigation had been nothing more than a convenient lie. He had stolen my father’s lab logs and core technology, giving Lilly a hidden haven where she could sit back and enjoy the rewards. And today’s new drug launch was nothing but a grand feast where they would revel in the fruits of my father’s labor.

I had believed fate had shown me mercy, sending a hero to save me from ruin. But how laughable—those technology transfer agreements stamped with my wedding ring, the bright red handprints on the accident report—had already nailed me to the altar.

I had been nothing more than a stepping stone for their fame and fortune. My entire body trembled, fury and despair colliding in my chest. I had been so stupid. I thought I had finally found someone to trust. But I had been living inside an elaborate lie all along.

I glared coldly at the familiar yet distant figure through the observation window, my nails digging deep into my palms, nearly piercing the flesh. The pain was like an ice pick, stabbing straight into my chaotic mind, forcing me back to my senses. I can’t afford to panic. I can’t afford to lose control.

"Peter, you’re truly impressive."

I gritted my teeth, each word forced out from the depths of my throat, laced with bitter hatred and biting mockery. I can't believe I was so blind, mistaking a jackal for a hero.

Spinning on my heel, I stormed back into my office. The moment I stepped inside, I locked the door and pulled the blinds shut, shutting out the outside world. The room darkened instantly, mirroring the abyss of my emotions. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay composed.

Now is not the time for sorrow or anger. I must avenge my father. Lilly must pay the price. I wasted no time and began gathering evidence. His death cannot be in vain.

My hands trembled slightly as I opened my computer, fingers striking the keyboard with urgency, pulling up the internal system of my father’s laboratory. Lines of code. Pages of data. Shadows of his relentless work, once filled with life and ambition.

I flipped through the experimental logs he left behind. His meticulous handwriting filled every page, documenting his dedication, his wisdom—the very essence of his life's work. And now, those records had become mere stepping stones for Lilly’s rise to power. The thought alone made me sick. I compared his logs with the accident report Peter had provided, combing through them again and again, searching for cracks, for discrepancies. If he had gone to such lengths to cover the truth, then the truth must be buried in the details they deliberately overlooked.

Time slipped away like sand through my fingers. The only sound in the room was the rapid flipping of pages, the rhythmic tapping of keys. My eyes burned, dry and sore from staring at the screen, but I couldn’t afford even a moment of rest.

This was a race against time. Lilly’s new drug was about to launch. If I didn’t expose her crimes before she solidified her reputation, it would be too late.

The clock struck seven when a knock at the door made me freeze. Peter entered. I swiftly closed the files, shut down the computer and replaced my exhaustion with a radiant smile. He mustn’t see a single clue. He smiled warmly, stepping forward to embrace me. "Working overtime again? You work too hard. Don’t overdo it, your health isn’t great. If you push yourself too much, I’ll be heartbroken."

"It’s fine. What brings you here today? Shouldn’t you be at Wilson Corporation?" I feigned ignorance about his earlier visit to the company.

"I called you, but you didn’t answer. I got worried, so I came to check on you." He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek—just as affectionate as ever.

I remembered that I had muted my phone earlier to focus on my search. Even as he acted so tenderly, I felt nothing but revulsion. I never thought he would go this far for Lilly.

On the drive home, he started the car as if nothing had happened, his voice casual.

"Jessie, the police told me today that there wasn’t enough evidence, so they had to release Lilly for now. They’ll issue an arrest warrant once more evidence surfaces. Besides, the new drug data was originally in her possession and Moan Corporation has deep business ties with Shawn Group, so—"

I cut him off before he could finish. "Well, it’s just speculation. No solid proof. Let’s just drop it. Don’t worry, I won’t dwell on it."

He visibly relaxed, a relieved smile flickering in the corners of his eyes.

"Thank you, dear. Marrying you has been the greatest privilege of my life."

I turned to the window, struggling to steady my trembling heart, holding back the tears threatening to fall.

Recalling Peter's conversation with the technical director, I was acutely aware that beyond uncovering evidence of Lilly stealing my father’s core drug technology, there was another crucial task. I needed to find the surveillance footage from the day of the lab explosion. Whatever Lilly did in that lab that day led to the explosion and if I wanted to bring her to justice, the surveillance video was the key.

The moment I got home, I wasted no time. While Peter was in the shower, I secretly opened his computer. I tried Lilly’s birthday as the password. It worked.

Even though I already knew this marriage was a complete betrayal, seeing that he used her birthday as his password still sent a stabbing pain through my heart.

The background image on his screen was from Lilly’s 18th birthday party. Suppressing the bitterness rising in my throat, I quickly opened the cloud drive. Every file and every folder that flashed across my screen revolved around her. With trembling fingers, I opened them one by one.

Finally, in a hidden folder, I found a video with a strangely cryptic name. My instincts screamed at me—this was it. Without hesitation, I clicked play.

The footage showed Lilly entering the lab and deliberately tampering with the gas valve just before the explosion. So the surveillance cameras hadn’t malfunctioned that day after all. Someone had deliberately erased the footage to cover her tracks. If my suspicions before had left room for doubt, this video solidified my conviction—this marriage was nothing but a conspiracy.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Peter had once posted a single-word status online. I had asked him what he meant by guard. He had replied that he was guarding our marriage. Now, the truth was painfully clear. The one he was guarding was Lilly.

Swallowing back tears, I forced a bitter smile. I exported the footage, erased any traces of my access and logged out of the computer.

Then, I set a countdown on my phone—marking the launch date of the new drug. A constant reminder of my next step: exposing the theft of my father’s technology.

That night, I pretended to be asleep before he finished showering. I had no desire to engage in any more conversations with him. But sleep never came.

The next morning, he woke up and tenderly pulled me into his arms.

"You went to bed early last night. You’ve been so exhausted lately. Why don’t you take a few more days off and rest at home?" His gentle words masked his true intentions.

He wanted to bring Lilly back to the company—openly. I smiled faintly and replied, "Okay."

He was doing everything in his power to keep me from interfering with Lilly. This deception—it was time to end it.

The moment he stepped out of the house, I followed. As I reached the front entrance of the company, I overheard employees whispering.

"Does Director Moan know yet? General Manager Wilson actually brought Second Miss Moan to the company himself."

"Yeah and some people suspect that General Manager Moan's death in that lab explosion wasn’t an accident…"

Expressionless, I strode straight to the elevator and ascended to the top-floor office. Just outside the doorway, I heard a familiar voice from within.

"Lily, you’ve been working so hard in the lab."

"Not at all. It’s my lifelong dream to excel in pharmaceuticals. I should be thanking you. Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten the core technical data so smoothly. And if it weren’t for you, I probably would have—"

"It’s all in the past now. I believe what happened that day was an accident. By helping you, I’m also helping myself."

Then came Lilly’s laughter—sweet, yet filled with venom.

"Peter, I really didn’t mean for it to happen that day. If my sister found out you lied to her for me, she’d definitely make trouble for you, wouldn’t she?"

Even after taking everything from me—my father, my fiancé—she still played the innocent victim. She had destroyed my world and Peter, the man I once trusted, had pretended to be my savior. And now, this so-called lifeline was dragging me deeper into the abyss.