My gaze suddenly froze. I locked onto the man wearing a fox mask, seated right in the center of the audience. I have loved him for ten years. Even without seeing his face, I wouldn't mistake him. 

He really came to rescue me and I was so happy. I suddenly reached out my hand, wanted to call him and told him I was here.

The chains clinked together, making a pleasant sound. My joy lasted less than half a moment before I saw the man in the fox mask gently take the hand of the girl beside him, wearing a rabbit mask.

I was so sad. I knew this was jealousy. As soon as this feeling rose, the biting cold fear suddenly penetrated into my mind. I instinctively knelt on the ground, my mouth wide open. 

My throat, unable to make a sound, repeated over and over, “I won't dare to feel jealous anymore. I was wrong. I won't dare to feel jealous anymore.”

Just as tears were about to fall, I was grabbed by a strange man. “Want another beating? Your makeup's already done. If you cry and smudge it, no one will want you. Your turn's coming up soon. Don't screw this up.”

I bit my lip hard. My gaze drifted back to Peter in the audience. I knew I couldn't cry. If my makeup smudged, I wouldn't be pretty anymore and Peter wouldn't like me. I forced myself to endure the injustice welling up inside, but the pain only grew stronger.

In the audience, Peter was wearing a fox mask. He carefully studied the hands of the girl beside him. My heart felt heavy, yet my mind was filled only with memories of how he once loved me.

When we first met, I was the worst-performing bartender in the bar, while he was undoubtedly the most prestigious VIP patron in the establishment.

I would never have been assigned to serve in his private room. Yet, after a chance encounter in the elevator, he pointed at me and demanded of me.

After that day, he brought me directly to his home, claiming me night after night. He even defied his family's objections, insisting on marrying me.

Those days felt like a dream. Others laughed at him and questioned him, but he didn't care. He spent a lot of money to hold a royal wedding.

After getting married, his love for me only deepened. Every day and night, he couldn't bear to leave my side. How could he have stopped loving me?

My gaze fell on the woman beside him, wearing a rabbit mask. Ever since she appeared, Peter seemed to have forgotten me. Her presence completely stole his heart.

I asked someone else about her. Her name was Avilla Ledoyen. She was Peter's childhood sweetheart and the pretty woman he once loved but could never have.

Back then, I didn't think much of it. Peter and I had been married for five years. He had spoiled me rotten, giving me an overwhelming sense of security.

I refused to believe he could stop loving me. A week ago, Avilla accidentally slipped and fell into the pool. 

I saw it happen and rushed to save her, but stumbled and crashed onto the poolside. Before I could react, Peter had already lunged forward.

Just as I exhaled in relief, the rescued Avilla trembled. Her voice choked with tears as she pointed at me.

“It was her! She deliberately pushed me on purpose! She even called me a mistress trying to steal her man!”

“Peter, since your wife is targeting me like this, I dare not bother you anymore. I'll leave. Isn't that enough?”

The moment she tried to stand up, Peter pulled her back into his embrace. I would never forget that moment in my life, the dark and terrifying glint in Peter's eyes.

That night, after calming Avilla, he dragged me to the poolside. Without a word, he silently yanked my hair, forcing my face underwater until I was gasping for air, then pulled me back just as I was about to choke.

With my head submerged in water, the sounds reaching my ears were muffled. I heard him say, “I married you only because my family pressured me too hard to get married at that time. I wanted to disgust them.”

“It just so happened that you are in good health, which suited my tastes and kept me entertained. But in my heart, you will never measure up to half a toe of Avilla.”

He punished me and forced me to apologize to Avilla. At first, I held my ground. I refused to admit to something I hadn't done.

Later, fear overwhelmed me. I wanted to say that I admitted it, but I knew I was wrong. But Peter wouldn't listen. He only punished me.

By the late hours of the night, I was already dazed and confused, momentarily forgetting what I was doing. Seeing Peter by the pool, I instinctively thought he was playing in the water with me.

Just as I was about to join in, he yanked my hair viciously. “It's useless to pretend to be stupid. If you do something wrong, you have to admit it. Keeping lying will only make me hate you even more.”

His anger flared and he declared he would teach me a lesson I would never forget. He dragged me into the basement and pinned me to the electric chair.

The electric current stimulated every inch of my pores again and again. I screamed and wailed as fragmented memories slowly reassembled. Only later did I realize Peter wanted me to apologize.

I shouted at him, “I'm sorry! I was wrong!”

Only then did Peter stop. My thoughts froze there and my tears wouldn't stop flowing until the man guarding me slapped me hard twice across the face. 

I bit my lip tightly, afraid to cry anymore. I feared the pain. I didn't want to hurt anymore. I just couldn't understand why Peter didn't love me anymore.

***

The stage suddenly fell silent and even the lights dimmed slightly. Someone pushed the iron cage holding me forward, and soon, I was on the stage. A mask covered my face, but my figure alone sent the entire audience into a frenzy.

I saw many people eagerly raising their signs. But I didn't care about any of that. All that mattered was that I was a little closer to Peter. Once he noticed me, once he saw me, he would definitely save me.

After all, he hadn't punished me when I admitted my mistake. He'd even said, “Remember this lesson well. In a few days, it'll be Avilla's birthday. You'll publicly apologize to her.”

“I didn't truly want to punish you harshly. Avilla has had a fear of water since childhood. Your actions triggered her depression, which is why I was a bit stricter.”

I was so happy that he was finally willing to forgive me back then. As long as I behaved, he wouldn’t be angry anymore. 

I thought cheerfully about going out to buy him his favorite chestnut cakes to make him happy. If he were pleased, he wouldn’t be angry with me anymore. I never imagined I’d be kidnapped on the way and brought here. 

I was so scared, so scared. Only now, seeing Peter, could my heart feel a little steadier. I desperately tried to signal him with my eyes, opening my mouth to speak, but no sound came out without a tongue.

Peter never looked at me. His eyes were always hung on Avilla and filled with tender affection. He didn't notice my sign at all, even though I was trying hard to attract his attention.

The moment my body information was publicly displayed on the screen by the host, my clothes were stripped away until I was left with only my undergarments. Only then did Peter lift his head.

His gaze wasn't on me, but fixed on the screen displaying my body information. I noticed his eyes suddenly brighten. My heart was also clenched! He must have recognized me. 

After all, we had been married for five years. Peter knew my body intimately. Surely, one glance would be enough for him to recognize me.

Just as I could recognize him instantly behind his mask, I waited, hoping he would storm the stage like a knight rescuing his princess. But as I waited and waited, I saw him suddenly grab Avilla's hand with delight.

“Baby, she has a rare blood type that matches yours perfectly. Since you're having surgery in a few days, why not bring her home to be your donor? What do you think?”

My heart clenched violently. I stared blankly at Peter, feeling my breath catch in my throat. Avilla's eyes crinkled in a smile, yet they were fixed intently on my face.

Her voice was light and cheerful. Then she said, “Sure, Peter! But she keeps glaring at me; it's kind of scary. After we buy her, I don't want to see her face or eyes anymore, okay?”

Peter agreed without hesitation. “Things we don't need just get in the way. I'll have them taken care of.”

His gaze shifted away from me, landing squarely on the auction podium at center stage. “I'll take this one. I want to light the sky lantern.”

The entire hall erupted in commotion and the auctioneer beside him grinned so widely his mouth nearly split.

“According to the rules on our cruise ship, the final item, ‘Lighting the Sky Lantern’ requires a one-hundred-million ransom. Mr. Fox, are you certain?”

Peter gave a faint nod, then tenderly kissed the corner of Avilla's forehead. “A billion is nothing to secure a backup blood bank for my baby.”

I couldn't hold back any longer. I struggled desperately, the chains clanking loudly as I pulled at them.

Below the stage, Avilla pouted. “Peter, I feel that she seems to be very resistant to leaving with us. Is it because she doesn't like me?”

Peter's lips curved into a faint smile. “A slave dares to harbor grievances against her master? She simply needs more discipline.”

He stepped onto the stage, ordered someone to open the cage and had me led out. With his other hand, he accepted the dragon whip handed to him by a staff member.

“Listen to my baby, do you seem to have any objections to her? Well, now I'll teach you some manners.”

He raised the whip high, striking my bare back with full force, a vicious lash. The excruciating pain made my vision go black for an instant. 

When I regained my senses, I tried to scream, but only a hoarse, muffled cry escaped my throat. To ease the agony, I writhed uncontrollably, but the whip seemed to have eyes, seeking out my most tender spots with each successive lash. 

I tried to lift my head to look at him, but the iron chain around my neck held me fast, forcing me to maintain that humiliating posture. The grief in my heart was overwhelming. 

I desperately wanted to beg him to look at me, recognize me and save me. Only after the 99th lash did he finally stop, though seemingly reluctant.

“I must say, the figure is quite good. She does bear a resemblance...”

His words trailed off as his phone suddenly rang. Without any attempt to hide it from me, he answered the call right in front of me. The searing pain assaulted my senses, while the voice on the other end pierced my eardrums with crystal clarity.

“Mr. Rodriguez, last time you asked us to investigate where Mrs. Rodriguez went after leaving home, we've uncovered new leads...”

Peter snorted coldly, “Do you find her? Then hurry up and bring her back! She dares to run away after just a little punishment? Bring her back, I have scores to settle with her!”

The voice on the other end paused briefly before continuing, “We combed through every surveillance feed in the city. The last sighting was of the madam being abducted by a van while returning home after buying chestnut cakes...”

“What? Abducted?” Peter's demeanor shifted uncharacteristically tense. His voice was tinged with urgency.