After the ninety-ninth IVF attempt, Christina Oliver was finally pregnant.

That day, as she braved the rain to share the good news with her husband, Hervey Dinklage, she happened to overhear his true feelings right at the doorway.

Inside the private room, he raised an eyebrow, holding and smiling at another woman’s photo.

“I got a tattoo over my heart with the family name Oliver—but it’s not for Christina. It’s for Keala.

“Every time I’m in bed with Christina and call her ‘babe,’ I’m actually calling out to Keala.

“I only married Christina for revenge. From beginning to end, the only woman I’ve ever loved is Keala.”

Each word from him hit her like a sharp knife, stabbing straight into her chest.

They were childhood sweethearts in three years of marriage, and in his mouth, it had all been nothing but revenge.

From start to finish, the only one he cared for was Keala.

But the voices inside continued. Someone asked in confusion.

“Dude, if you don’t like Christina, then why make her go through ninety-nine rounds of IVF? Why insist she carry your child?”

Hervey replied casually, “It was Keala’s request. Her body’s not in the best condition. She can’t bear children. She said she’d only be with me if Christina gave birth and passed the child to her.”

Christina’s face turned pale as paper. Tears splattered onto her pregnancy test report. Clutching her belly, she turned and walked away from the private room.

She didn’t go home. She didn’t go to the hospital. She went straight to a law firm.

“Attorney, please help me draft a divorce agreement… and an asset transfer agreement.”

Hervey had forgotten one thing: before their wedding, they signed a prenuptial agreement.

Every time he hurt her, one percent of his shares in the Dinklage Group would be transferred to her.

After three years of marriage, this was the fifty-second time he had hurt her—meaning every single share he owned in the Dinklage Group had already been transferred to her name.

‘Hervey, I love you… but I love myself more. Since you’ve been cruel, don’t be surprised when I leave… and take our baby with me.’

…

“Ma’am, once both parties sign the divorce papers, there’s no going back. Are you sure about this?”

Without a moment of hesitation, Christina signed her name. “I am. This marriage is over.”

The only reason Hervey could toy with her so easily was because he knew she loved him.

But what he didn’t know was that after three long years, every ounce of her love had already been worn away.

Holding the divorce papers, Christina walked home through the rain.

As soon as she stepped inside, Hervey’s eyes filled with worry. “Why are you still acting like a kid? You didn’t even bring an umbrella. If you get sick, it’s going to break my heart.”

He picked up a dry towel and gently wiped the rain from her face.

Over their three years of marriage, he had done things like this countless times. That was why even after being hurt fifty-one times, she still told herself that he loved her.

But after hearing the truth from his own mouth, she finally realized everything he did was just an act.

Her fingers curled tightly. She brushed his hand away and pulled the divorce papers from her bag.

“Hervey, let’s get a divorce.”

But her voice was drowned out by a sudden clap of thunder, followed by a sharp scream from upstairs.

In an instant, her face turned pale. She would never forget that voice even in her dreams—Keala.

When they were kids, every time Christina needed their parents the most, Keala would intentionally scream to steal all their attention.

When they grew up, she did the exact same thing to Hervey—forcing him to choose her every single time.

Even Christina’s marriage to him only happened because Keala didn’t want him, giving Christina a chance.

Christina’s body trembled as she demanded, “Wasn’t she supposed to be overseas, married? Why is she in our house?”

She clutched Hervey’s arm, waiting for an explanation.

But there was no guilt on his face—only concern for Keala.

“Keala got divorced. Her husband abused her, so I brought her back.

“Let go, Christina. Keala is terrified of thunder. I need to go up and stay with her.”

The love and panic in his eyes stabbed Christina straight through the heart.

She was his wife—yet every word out of his mouth was about another woman.

That woman, who once abandoned him and made him the laughingstock of the entire city.

Holding back the ache in her chest, Christina forced her words out. “Hervey, I’m your wife. I’m scared of thunder, too. I—”

But he cut her off impatiently. “Christina, she’s your sister. She’s been through hell out there. She just wants to come home and feel loved. Do you really have to fight her for that?

“When you were kids, snatching back her identity wasn’t enough. Now, you want to push her to death?

“You’ve changed, Christina. You’re so cruel I don’t even recognize you.”

Christina stared at him in disbelief.

She didn’t understand. She was the real daughter of the Olivers; Keala was only adopted.

She simply came home. How was that wrong?

Hervey’s eyes grew cold as he looked at her hand. “Let go.”

Her eyes burned red, her heart freezing inch by inch. She stubbornly replied, “You can go. But sign this first.”

For the first time, Hervey, who was always cautious, didn’t even read the document. He signed his name immediately, disgust flashing in his eyes.

“There. You satisfied? Now, let go.”

Seeing his signature on the divorce papers sent sharp, needling pain through Christina’s chest.

More than twenty years of affection, three years of marriage—ended in a single moment.

Silently, she nodded and released him.

Hervey rushed upstairs without looking back.

Her palm felt suddenly empty, the cold air seeping in until she was chilled to the bone.

She raised her eyes toward the guest room. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

“Hervey… this time, I’m setting you free. We’re even now.”

All these years, he insisted Keala suffered because Christina returned to the Olivers.

But he forgot—it was him who personally found Christina after she was abducted. He was the one who brought her home.

When she was eight, she was kidnapped deep into the mountains. Just when she thought she’d never escape, her parents managed to track her down.

But she was locked in a basement. All she could do was make noise—whatever noise she could manage—to let them know she was there.

But she had been starved for three or four days; she could barely stand. The sounds she made were too faint for anyone aboveground to hear.

Fortunately, the little girl locked up with her had been kidnapped only recently. Christina told her about a hidden passageway, urging her to escape and alert her parents.

The girl agreed. But Christina waited all night… and no one came for her.

That night, the traffickers came back and beat her half to death.

“You stupid brat. Trying to run? That girl you let go didn’t bring help; instead she was taken in by your parents as their goddaughter. Since you let her go, you’ll work twice as hard from now on.”

That was the first time Christina realized just how cruel people could be.

For the next fifteen years, she lived in shackles, doing the heaviest work, never getting enough to eat—living worse than a dog.

Just when she thought she’d die like that, her childhood sweetheart, Hervey, personally came to rescue her and helped her get revenge.

But when she returned home, she found out that the girl who betrayed her had become the Olivers’s heiress—Keala.

Christina cried as she told everyone the truth. But nobody believed her.

Keala claimed Christina was insane, mentally damaged from years of abuse.

After fifteen years, her parents had long treated Keala as their real daughter and believed everything she said.

Eventually, under Keala’s manipulation, they sent Christina to a psychiatric hospital.

While she was there, Hervey visited her every day but repeated the same words as her parents.

“Christina, I know you feel resentful after everything you’ve suffered, but Keala is a good girl. Stop targeting her.”

At that moment, Christina realized she had lost more than ten years of freedom; she’d also lost her parents’ and her childhood sweetheart’s love and trust.

Later, she gave in. She was finally released.

But that same day, the Dinklages and Olivers announced an engagement—between Hervey and Keala.

Christina sobbed as she asked them what about her? She was the one who had the childhood engagement with him.

But her parents said, “Christina, you’re our real daughter. You can stay with us forever. Everything in the family will belong to you. But Keala is different; she only wants to marry Hervey. And they love each other.”

Watching Hervey and Keala so blissfully in love, Christina cried until she could barely breathe.

Keala had everything—status, affection, reputation—while Christina endured all the suffering and slander. Why couldn’t they give her even Hervey?

But on their wedding day, for some unknown reason, Keala suddenly backed out and left the country to marry someone else.

While everyone waited to laugh at the Dinklages, it was Christina who stepped forward and said she would marry him.

And from then on, she became Hervey’s wife.

She knew he loved Keala, but she believed sincerity could be returned with sincerity.

Reality proved her painfully wrong.

When she finally collected herself, Christina wiped away her tears one by one. Looking down at the divorce papers, she muttered to herself.

“Hervey… just give me thirty more days. After that, I’ll leave your world forever—with our baby.”

Christina went upstairs to her room to pack her things. As she looked around, she saw all the evidence of how her husband had hurt her again and again.

The first time Hervey hurt her was on their wedding day.

Keala had run away from her own wedding, turning him into the biggest joke in all of Tallahassee. She was the one who stepped up and married him in her sister’s place, choosing to face the gossip and humiliation alongside him.

But on the day of the wedding, someone switched out her wedding gown for mourning clothes.

Later, they discovered that Keala—who was abroad at the time—had been behind it. But Hervey didn’t scold her, not even once. He even defended Keala.

To comfort Christina, Hervey went so far as to have a lawyer draft an agreement: every time he hurt her, he would transfer 1% of his shares into her name.

That was the first time, and he really did transfer 1% to her.

In the three years since, he had long forgotten the promise he made back then, and he had no idea that all of his shares had slowly ended up in her hands.

For three years, every extra percent meant another time she had been hurt.

If she couldn’t win his heart, then she might as well take his money.

After looking through the countless ways he had wronged her, Christina gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes.

‘Hervey, this is where we end.’

The next day, her parents learned that Keala had returned and asked them to come home for dinner.

Right before getting into the car, Hervey said, “Christina, sit in the back. Keala likes riding in the front.”

She still remembered how his female secretary once tried to take the front seat, only to be harshly scolded because “the front passenger seat is for my wife.”

So, of course—deep down, the wife in Hervey’s heart had always been Keala.

Keala looped her arm through his and smiled. “Oh, Hervey, you always treat me the best. If I had married you back then, I can’t imagine how happy I’d be now.”

Christina’s lowered fists clenched tight.

She knew Keala was provoking her.

A few years ago, she would’ve argued. She would’ve tried to reason it out.

But now? She had already decided to let this man go. None of this mattered to her anymore.

As soon as they got in the car, Hervey pulled out motion-sickness medicine and handed it to Keala.

“Keala, I got this ready for you.”

Keala glanced back at Christina, smiling with deliberate meaning. “But Hervey, there’s only one pill. If you give it to me… what about Christina?”

Hervey’s hand froze. His mind was so focused on Keala that he forgot Christina also got carsick.

He pressed his lips together and said, “Christina, it’s just a twenty-minute drive. Try to bear with it.”

A sharp ache sliced through her chest.

They were both human, so why did she always have to be the one to “bear with it”?

Then she caught the warm, tender look in Hervey’s eyes as he gazed at Keala, and she let out a mocking laugh in her heart.

Of course. Because the person he cherished wasn’t her.

The entire ride, her stomach churned violently. When they arrived, she practically collapsed to the ground and started vomiting.

But neither her parents nor Hervey spared her even a single glance… just like when they were children.

Both daughters got carsick, yet all their parents’ concern went to Keala.

In the end, it was a housemaid—unable to watch any longer—who helped Christina inside.

Watching her parents and her husband fuss over another woman, Christina let out a bitter laugh.

If they all liked Keala so much, then once the divorce cooling-off period ended, she would leave for good.

Her parents... Her husband…

She didn’t want any of them.

Inside, the table was filled with dishes, but every one of them was Keala’s favorite.

During dinner, her parents kept piling food onto Keala’s plate, saying she had suffered too much while abroad and had even lost weight.

“If we knew you were struggling overseas, we would’ve brought you home sooner,” her father said. “We’d never let you go through all that hardship.”

“These are your favorite ribeye and creamy mashed potatoes,” her mother added. “I had everything sourced fresh from out of state as soon as we heard you were coming home.”

Keala curled her lips into a smile and gave Christina a provocative look. “Thanks, Mom. I knew you two loved me the most. I’m not leaving this time. I’ll stay and be your good daughter.”

Then she pointed at the ribeye and said to Hervey, “Hervey, I want some ribeye. Can you slice it for me?”

Hervey immediately picked up the knife and carefully cut the ribeye into neat slices, one by one.

Christina’s eyes stung.

She had asked him to cut meat for her before, and he had said, “I don’t make a habit of cutting food for anyone.”

Turns out it wasn’t a habit—he just didn’t want to do it for her.

Love and indifference… the difference really was that clear.

Her fists tightened beneath the table, nails cutting into her palm until blood dripped onto the floor.

Seeing her reaction, Keala smirked and deliberately said, “Dad, Mom, Hervey—stop focusing only on me. Otherwise my sister might get upset.”

At that, a flicker of impatience crossed Hervey’s face. He grabbed a slice of roast chicken breast and dropped it into Christina’s plate, his tone sharp.

“You’re a grown woman. Can’t you feed yourself? Do you really need someone to serve you?”

When she still didn’t pick up her fork, Keala spoke up again.

“Why aren’t you eating, Christina? Do you not like the food? Or… do you just not like me?”

With that one sentence, all three adults at the table turned their accusing gazes on her.

It was as if she had committed some unforgivable crime.

Elijah frowned. “Christina, your sister finally came home. Stop being childish and showing attitude for once.”

Christina stared at the piece of chicken meat on her plate. She let out a bitter breath, picked up her fork, and ate it.

It tasted salty.

Because her tears had fallen onto it.

Even after all these years… they still didn’t remember she was allergic to chicken.

As soon as the chicken went down, red rashes spread across Christina’s face.

Everyone at the table froze.

Hervey’s hand stopped mid-motion as he was slicing more ribeye for Keala. “You’re allergic to chicken. Why didn’t you say anything? So you did this on purpose? Hoping we’d feel guilty and blame Keala instead?”

Christina lifted her gaze toward him, her eyes stinging.

She had told them—many times over the years. No one ever cared enough to listen.

She was tired. “Think whatever you want.”

She got up and returned to her room.

If no one loved her, then she would love herself.

She stayed at her parents’ house for several days. Apart from seeing Hervey briefly at night, he spent his entire days taking Keala out to different places.

He claimed Keala had just come back and was in a bad mood, and he wanted to cheer her up.

To accompany her, he even stopped going to the company. The board of directors ended up calling his wife, asking her to control him.

Christina only replied calmly, “I can’t control him.”

If she could, she wouldn’t be getting divorced.

There were fifteen days left of the divorce cooling-off period. That night, Hervey came home early for the first time in forever.

He grabbed her wrist and stared at her stomach. “You’ve done ninety-nine IVF cycles. Still nothing?”

That was the first thing he’d said to her in more than ten days, and it was only because he was calculating.

Christina pulled her arm back and answered coldly, “No.”

She would never give birth to a child just so it could call Keala “Mom.”

A shadow flickered across Hervey’s face before he said, “Then try again.”

Christina looked up at him, her eyes cold.

To make Keala happy, he was willing to damage Christina’s body again and again?

Afraid he might force himself on her, she said, “Fine. After my body recovers. The doctor said I need to rest for a bit, or it’ll make pregnancy harder.”

As he heard her act so agreeable, a flicker of guilt rose in Hervey.

But the moment he thought of Keala, that guilt disappeared. His tone hardened.

“I’m the only son of the Dinklages. I can’t end the family line. Eat well these days and get your body back in shape.

“Christina, I know IVF is tough, but for us to have a child, I can only ask you to endure it.

“Keala’s been scared at night lately. I’ll sleep in the room next door to keep her company. Don’t worry—”

Before he could finish, Christina cut him off. “Okay. Go.”

A dirty man wasn’t someone she wanted anyway.

Her indifference left Hervey strangely irritated.

He let out a cold snort and slammed the door on his way out.

Watching his retreating figure, Christina whispered, “Hervey, since you like her so much, you two can stay chained together.”

Later that night, she got thirsty and went downstairs for water. As she passed Keala’s room, she accidentally overheard them talking.

Keala was curled up in the man’s arms. “Hervey, since Christina can’t have a baby, why don’t I have one for you?”

Hervey rejected her immediately. “No. IVF is painful, and giving birth carries huge risks. I can’t let you face that.”

“Keala,” he called, “I can lose anyone else, but I can’t lose you.”

Keala smiled, and the next second, the man rolled over and pressed her beneath him. The room quickly filled with their intimate sounds.

Christina ran back to her bathroom, covering her mouth. She shut the door and locked it.

In the mirror, her tears streamed down uncontrollably as soft sobs escaped her.

So Hervey always knew IVF was painful. He knew childbirth was dangerous, yet he still made her go through ninety-nine cycles.

Even when the doctor warned it would seriously harm her health.

He knew everything. He just didn’t care whether she lived or died.

She collapsed onto the floor, her knees giving out.

His promises echoed in her ears.

“Christina, let’s grow up quickly. When we’re older, I’ll marry you and make you the happiest bride.”

“Christina, don’t be scared. I’m here to save you. From now on, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

“Christina, after we get married, I’ll treat you well. I won’t let you suffer.”

All of it was nothing but lies. And she was the only one who ever believed them.

Just as she was drowning in heartbreak, her phone rang. It was her lawyer.

“Ma’am, the share transfers are almost done. With this many shares, how do you plan to handle them?”

Christina tightened her grip on the phone, the last trace of love disappearing from her eyes, replaced only by hatred.

“I have my own plans. Prepare a transfer agreement for me.”

After hanging up, she called Hervey’s greatest rival—Hamish Eigenberg.

The man answered in his usual careless tone. “Well, well. Miss Christina. I never thought I’d get a call from you.”

Christina’s voice came out cold. “Hamish, I want to discuss a major business deal with you.”