I have been in love with Jeremiah, the heir of a wealthy family, for five years. Everyone said that he loved me so much that he would even give me his life.

But he pushed me forward to take the blame because his first love accidentally stabbed someone.

Before going to prison, he hugged me affectionately and promised to get married when I was released from prison.

With his promise and the longing for the wedding, I endured the torture in prison.

After I was released from prison, I waited for him to pick me up with joy, but I saw him trying on a wedding dress with my first love.

The man who promised me that he would protect me for the rest of my life shed tears that day.

"I'm sorry, Lainey, the Ross family will never let a woman who has been in prison marry in."

After that, he personally drove his car and broke my legs, and said to me: Don't compete with Margaret for the position of young lady. As long as you are obedient, I will make it up to you for the rest of my life.

Then he walked past me with his first love's eyes covered, "Don't look at her, she is covered with blood and very dirty."

It turns out that men's promises are so hypocritical.

I took out my cell phone and called his mother: "I have repaid the Ross family's kindness, and I will leave in a week."

I need a week to pack up and heal my legs.The senior who I met in prison was waiting for me to take over her business.

——

“Lainey, is Jeremiah bullying you? Tell me, I’ll set him straight, alright?”

Hearing her concerned voice, I quietly tilted the phone toward the cracked door, letting the breathless, lust-laced moans seep clearly through the call.

Her words halted. The silence on her end said everything.

I lowered the phone and turned my wheelchair back toward the bedroom.

Auntie, you saved my life after the car accident.If you hadn't saved me , I would have passed away like my parents.In return, I gave your son a kidney and I offered to marry your son and do 99 things for him to help him get out of the shadow of a broken heart.Now that his first love is back, I won't bother you anymore."

My tone was cold and decisive, leaving no room for sentiment.

Not long after, Jeremiah walked in, now in a clean set of clothes.

He said easily. “ It was my fault. I was careless and forgot you were reaching into the trunk..”

“Lainey, stop overthinking. What you need to do now is focus on becoming my bride. Leave everything else to me.”

I dropped my gaze.

If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, Jeremiah Ross pressed against another woman, their bodies entwined, I might’ve believed his lies.

Seeing how low my spirits had fallen, he thought I was merely upset about my legs.

He suddenly grabbed my hand and started slapping his own face.

“I’m sorry, Lainey. It’s all my fault. I should’ve been more careful. I swear I’ll never let this happen again. Please forgive me.”

I said nothing. My lips remained tightly sealed.

Suddenly, he snapped. His voice turned cold.

“Lainey, even if you're upset, there should be a limit. Wasn’t it you who wanted so badly to marry me? In one week, your wish will come true.”

I sneered. If I hadn't heard them say that Margaret's car accident that killed a couple a few years ago was about to be discovered and I needed to take the blame again, how could Jeremiah have coaxed me into marrying him? But I won't let them do what they want this time. I will find evidence within this week and let everyone know the truth.

Moments later, as if regretting his tone, Jeremiah softened. He reached out and gently patted my head.

“I’ve got a dinner engagement tonight. Be good and wait for me at home.”

Jeremiah had been gone for an entire day and night, yet my phone buzzed nonstop with updates of his whereabouts.

Every single one came from his first love, Margaret Watson.

As I scrolled through her social media posts, I stumbled upon one from five years ago: she had accidentally stabbed someone and had been plagued by nightmares ever since.

Jeremiah, ever the savior, had spent a fortune tracking down reclusive healers just to help her sleep soundly.

My grip on the phone tightened, fingers curling until my knuckles turned pale.

The most recent post showed that just past midnight, Jeremiah had accompanied Margaret to celebrate an anniversary.

It read, [Still the cherished little princess. Someone said a surprise is waiting for me tonight. I’m thrilled!]

The photo showed Jeremiah clumsily baking a cake, dressed in a soft pink apron. Cream coated his sleeves, smudged across his shirt, and splattered all over the counter, a chaotic scene wrapped in affection.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced.

I remembered the time I’d been sick and too weak to get up and had asked him to make me a simple bowl of cereal.

But he had only frowned and muttered, “I’m a grown man. How would I know how to make that stuff? Just hold out. Or order something, I guess.”

I reached out and lightly traced the man’s face in the photo. Those brows and eyes I once adored, no longer held a place for me.

My fingers moved to the diamond pendant resting at my neck, the one my parents left me before they passed.

Whenever unease crept in, I would instinctively reach for it, searching for the comfort of their presence, even if only imagined.

At some point, Margaret barged into my room. The moment she saw something in my hand, she rushed over to snatch it.

“What are you doing?!” I gasped in panic.

But Margaret didn’t stop. Instead, she screamed, “You bitch! How dare you secretly keep something that belongs to Jeremiah?! Someone as filthy and lowly as you have no right to even touch his things!”

In the heat of the struggle, I shoved her hard.

Margaret fell to the floor just as Jeremiah walked in.

“What the hell is going on?!”

Tears welled up in Margaret’s eyes as she whimpered, “Brother Jeremiah, I know she’s always hated me, but I didn’t think she’d actually push me over a diamond pendant…”

“I just thought it looked like the one you gave me back then I asked her to let me see it, but she wouldn’t, and then she pushed me.”

Jeremiah’s face turned cold as he glared at me. “Lainey, apologize to Margaret!”

I held the pendant tighter. “She tried to steal something that’s mine.”

Margaret whispered pitifully, “Sister’s always right, isn’t she? I’m just the worthless trash she says I am. I should’ve known better… I’m sorry, Sister…”

Jeremiah growled, “Lainey, apologize to Margaret now, or I won’t forgive you.”

When I stayed silent, his eyes dropped to my hands, where I clutched it like a lifeline.

Without warning, he stepped forward, forced open my fingers, and yanked hard, the string snapped.

A red mark bloomed around my neck from the force.

“Give it back! That’s mine!” I lunged to retrieve it, but my legs gave out and I collapsed to the floor.

Jeremiah frowned and said coldly, “You pushed Margaret earlier. Consider this your apology.”

“Based on what—”

Before I could finish, Margaret picked up the pendant and smirked at me.

“This really is lovely. I’ll respectfully accept your gift then, thanks for your generosity, Sis.”

Jeremiah’s expression eased slightly. His eyes swept over me with thinly veiled disgust.

“You should learn from Margaret. Look how gracious and calm she is.”

“Stop making trouble. You’ve got no one left to shield you. Think about that.”

I was silent. What I had to do this week was to find the evidence they had framed me with, and then leave. In addition, during this time in prison, I kept thinking about it, and I always felt that the car accident that happened to me and my parents was unusual.

In the early morning, I had just finished taking care of my legs and was preparing to send the documents needed for departure to my assistant. I had just fallen asleep after doing all this when Huo Nancheng dragged me out of bed drunkenly.

“Margaret drank too much and isn’t feeling well. Go to the kitchen and make her something to eat.”

I was dragged to the kitchen, sitting in a wheelchair barefoot and groggy. Even when I said I didn’t know how to cook, Jeremiah didn’t believe a word.

I couldn't resist him. Last time, I refused to give up the passenger seat to Margaret, and Jeremiah tied me to the back of the car and dragged me for several kilometers.

Left with no choice,to leave safely, I made a simple egg drop soup.

Just then, Margaret walked in. She saw me quietly working at the stove, and the corners of her mouth curled into a sneer.

“Lainey, it would’ve been better if you’d just died in prison. Look at you now, trying to compete with me for Jeremiah’s affection. And yet, you haven’t even earned a single crumb. Pathetic. So pitiful.”

I stayed silent, stirring the soup as if I hadn’t heard a thing.

Her smile twisted. Then she suddenly dangled something in front of me. It was the diamond pendant my parents had left me.

When she saw my face darken, Margaret’s smile widened with delight, and said sweetly, “Tell me, what do you think would happen if I split this thing in half with a knife?”

“Don’t you dare!” I gritted my teeth.

That pendant was the only keepsake my parents had left me.

My anger seemed to fuel her glee.

“Why wouldn’t I dare? Don’t forget, Jeremiah has always stood by my side.”

“If you don’t believe me, how about a little bet, let’s see who he believes more: you or me.”

Without warning, she picked up a spoonful of hot soup. I watched her warily, heart thudding.

Then, right before my eyes, she poured the steaming liquid all over herself and let out a piercing scream.

Jeremiah came running the moment he heard her.

He swept her into his arms in an instant.

Leaning weakly against him, face twisted in pain, Margaret trembled as she whispered, “It’s my fault, Jeremiah. I never should’ve come back. I’ll leave.”

“Lainey told me I’m a curse, that I should go die. She… she poured the soup on me…”

“If I hadn’t blocked it with my hand, my face would’ve been ruined…”

Jeremiah’s cold gaze cut through me.

I am in a wheelchair and have difficulty moving around. I am worried that Jeremiah might do something to hurt me.

Panic shook my head as I whispered, “It wasn’t me. I swear it wasn’t me…”

Margaret, tears streaming down, said softly, “Let’s just say Lainey is always right. Brother Jeremiah, please don’t make things harder for her. Maybe she just doesn’t like me…”

Jeremiah said nothing, his expression dark as he carried Margaret away for treatment.

That night, he returned with a kettle of boiling water and stepped into my room. Without a shred of mercy, he poured the scalding water over me.

The 90-degree burn jolted me awake. I tried to crawl away, terrified.

But with my legs powerless, no matter where I fled, Jeremiah followed, pouring again and again.

Exhausted, I finally collapsed, my skin blistering and peeling, raw and broken.

When he finally left, I dialed for help through the searing pain.

When the ambulance arrived, I dragged myself from the bedroom to the stairs, only to hear the man downstairs telling the medics, “This is just a misunderstanding. My wife and I were playing around. Who knew she’d be so dramatic and accidentally called you? Sorry for the trouble.”

Although I no longer had any expectations of Jeremiah, I still felt disappointed when I heard him say that.

When I woke, I found myself locked in the basement. Jeremiah came to see me.

“If you’re willing to go apologize to Margaret, I’ll let you out,” he said.“You know, she donated a kidney to me and is my lifesaver. You should be more considerate."

I was a little confused. When did Margaret also donate a kidney to Jeremiah?

But the pain of the burn and the fatigue of being locked in the basement quickly distracted me.

My eyes were hollow, and I nodded. “Okay.”

Once released, I forced out a sincere apology to Margaret. Jeremiah, satisfied with my compliance, kindly allowed me to be sent to the hospital.

After waking from surgery, I reached for the phone beside me and made a call.

It was answered quickly, and I choked out, “Brother, can you come pick me up in four days?”

“As long as you want, I can come tomorrow, no, I can come get you right now and take you home!”

"No, wait a little longer. I still have some things to check. I suspect the car accident that happened to me and my parents wasn't that simple. Give me another four days."

Hearing my brother’s familiar voice, tears welled up, but I managed a smile through them.

Just then, Jeremiah pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing the smile on my face, he froze for a moment.

Noticing someone had come in, I quickly said, “Something came up. I’ll hang up now.”

Trailing behind Jeremiah was his little shadow, Margaret. I silently watched as they approached.

Seeing the bandages wrapped around me, a flicker of hesitation crossed Jeremiah’s face. He reached toward me with a pained look, but I dodged his hand.

Margaret seized the moment and said, “Sister must’ve met someone else. That’s why she doesn’t want Brother Jeremiah near her, right?”

Jeremiah’s tender expression vanished, replaced by pure disgust. “Lainey, you were already indecent five years ago. I can’t believe you still haven’t changed after all that time inside.”

“I don’t even know what Mom was thinking, forcing me to marry a whore like you. It’s utterly disgusting.”

With that, he turned sharply and left.

But Margaret didn’t move.

She looked at me with a smug smile and said, “The wedding in three days will be all about Brother Jeremiah and me. As for you, just go rot in some dark corner.”

When I didn’t respond, a flicker of displeasure crossed her face. Suddenly, she pulled out the diamond pendant.

Only then did a spark of life return to my lifeless eyes.

“Lainey, you care about this pendant so much? Fine, if you want it that badly, I’ll give it back to you.”

With merciless cruelty, Margaret smashed the pendant against the floor.

The diamond shattered.

And with it, the last shred of feeling I had left for Jeremiah turned to ashes.

Like a broken dog, I tumbled off the bed, ignoring the needle still lodged in my hand, desperate to gather the scattered fragments of the diamond.

But the shards tore into my skin, blood spilling onto the floor and seeping into the broken pendant.

Margaret, satisfied with her cruelty, walked away with a triumphant smile.

The next day, Jeremiah called.

“Lainey, go turn yourself into the police tomorrow. Tell them you hit someone in a car accident.”

His voice dripped with shameless righteousness.

When I stayed silent, he sighed and added, “Margaret drank a little too much when she was accompanying a client before. You also know that driving after drinking is more likely to cause an accident. Now someone has started to investigate this matter again, so you should voluntarily turn yourself in tomorrow..”

“And the wedding?” I asked calmly.

“The wedding goes on as planned. Your legs are useless anyway. Margaret will attend the banquet for you, but the name on the marriage certificate will still be yours.”

“I’m not going.” I refused flatly.

Jeremiah’s momentary shock at my refusal quickly gave way to an angry laugh. “I know how much you want to be part of your own wedding, but since you’re the one who ‘Knock someone down,’ you have to bear the blame, right?”

“Margaret going to the wedding in your place, you going to jail in hers, what’s the problem? If anything, Margaret’s the one getting the short end of the stick. You know how much a woman’s reputation means.”

I stared, stunned by the sheer shamelessness of it all.

Before I could respond, Jeremiah hung up.

My gaze fell on the small box beside me, the shattered pieces of the diamond pendant Margaret had destroyed.

I closed my eyes, tears welling up in my eyes.

I packaged the missing information from the days when my parents had the car accident and sent it to the relevant personnel.