Ryan wrapped his hands around Annie, then spoke with a resounding voice.

"I pledge the integrity of the Fulmer Corporation to guarantee Miss Whitmore's innocence. This incident is nothing but a fabrication and we will pursue legal action against those responsible for spreading these rumors."

I stared blankly at the wound on my knee.

There was a time when Ryan left important, confidential documents at home. Even though I had a high fever, I dragged myself out to deliver them to him, only to be drugged and knocked unconscious halfway there.

When I woke up, my clothes were disheveled and my body was covered in hickeys.

Because of this, Ryan flew into a rage and punished me by making me kneel on the tile floor for three days and three nights. Furthermore, he forced me to recall the details of the rape and even sent people to collect evidence from my body. Throughout the entire ordeal, he never once asked if I was afraid or in pain.

I had always thought he was simply cold-hearted and accustomed to being loveless, with only profit in his eyes. It never occurred to me that he, too, could feel heartache for someone.

The art exhibition ended abruptly and I was dragged back to the villa.

Before the wound on my knee could even begin to heal, Ryan had his men pin me to the ground again. The leftover glass shards dug deep into my flesh, causing me to scream in agony.

"Didn't I tell you not to interfere in my affairs?" he demanded.

"It wasn't me!"" I bit my lip and looked up, stubbornly glaring at him."

Ryan merely let out a cold scoff. Immediately, the bodyguard beside him took the cue and grabbed my head, slamming it against the ground.

"It doesn't matter if you don't apologize. I'll have someone apologize on your behalf."

Annie's eyes welled up with tears and she blinked her innocent eyes repeatedly. "Miss Shelton, just hurry up and admit it. I'll beg Mr. Fulmer for mercy and ask him to go easy on you!"

I felt the world spinning violently, as if my brain were about to be churned to pieces. Even so, I suppressed the nauseating turmoil in my stomach and shouted hoarsely, "I'll say it one more time. It wasn't me. I won't admit it!"

Annie's sobs grew heavier as she whimpered, "I'm begging you, Miss Shelton. Whatever grievance you have against me, I can apologize for it. I just hope you'll stop targeting me, alright?"

As she spoke, Annie dropped to her knees with a thud, yet her eyes shone with stubborn tears. She looked exactly like a picture of utter resilience.

At the same time, my nausea intensified and I finally vomited on the floor.

Almost instantly, Ryan pulled Annie into his embrace. He shielded her, while staring at me with utter disgust. "You're married into the Fulmers now. Can't you show some dignity?"

Annie cried, her face streaked with tears. "My dress … My mom sewed it for me herself."

Ryan hurriedly kissed her forehead, patiently coaxing her in a low voice. "It's alright, Annie, I'll buy you whatever you want later, okay?"

Soon, a spasm wracked my stomach and I collapsed uncontrollably to the floor.

My heart was filled with nothing but regret and sorrow. After loving Ryan for so many years, I had finally reached the point where I could no longer love him anymore.

Ryan's gaze was like daggers aimed at me.

Without warning, the bodyguard suddenly stepped on my finger.

That's when I finally showed fear. "Ryan, what are you doing!" I screamed.

"Apologize," Ryan repeated that word, his voice cold and threatening. "If you don't apologize in a minute, I'll break one of your fingers. Now, you have ten minutes."

My face turned pale and my lips trembled uncontrollably. He knew better than anyone how dazzling I was in the art world because of these hands. How could he destroy the very hands he used to be so proud of?

"Ryan, you're a lunatic!" I could no longer restrain myself and roared in fury.

If I had another chance, I would rather never have met him.

Then, the housekeeper walked over cautiously and said, "Mr. Fulmer, your father just called. They said to come over for dinner tonight."

Annie wrapped her arms around Ryan's neck and smiled sweetly. "Mr. Fulmer, since we're meeting the parents tonight, let's not pursue this matter further. I believe I'll be cleared of all suspicion in the end."

"You're still so kind-hearted." Ryan smiled as he carried her in bridal way and went upstairs.

Before leaving, he shot me a look. "Clean things up properly. Don't let my father notice anything."

I was left alone downstairs. Struggling to get up, I realized my heart didn't ache as much as I had imagined. It seemed that Ryan was fading from my memory.

Soon, after leaving this place, I could start a new life.

Arriving at the primary residence, Elliot Fulmer's voice was filled with anger upon seeing Annie. "How dare you! This is a family dinner. What is the meaning of bringing an outsider here?"

"Annie is pregnant, so she's hardly an outsider anymore," Ryan stated.

Seeing his father stunned into silence, he scoffed lightly. "If it weren't for Annie, I would never have had the desire to have children. You should thank her."

"You!" Elliot was so angry that he clutched his chest and stomped his feet. "What a disgrace!"

Not wanting to deal with the toxic atmosphere, I excused myself to take a walk and ended up by the swimming pool. I turned on my phone and found a video from an unknown contact.

The screen showed a black-and-white photo of my father strapped to a dog's head, the excited animal thrashing wildly before the camera. Not long after, Annie's smug voice came through.

"He dedicated his life to the country while alive and even after his death, he's still arranging his daughter's marriage. What a loyal dog!"

Her words grew more frenzied as she repeatedly slapped my father's face, laughing smugly with each strike. "If you were watching from heaven, why didn't you stand up for your daughter when she was being bullied to death? What a useless piece of trash you are!"

I gripped my phone tightly, my knuckles turning white.

My father's contribution to the country was not something Annie was allowed to insult! Furthermore, I have felt guilty for a lifetime because of what he did for me just before he died.

Was this the resilient little innocent in Ryan's eyes? I wonder what he would think if he knew he had fallen for such a monstrous woman.

"How about it? Do you like the gift I sent you?" Seeing my eyes turn crimson, Annie couldn't help but feel extremely pleased.

"You probably still don't know this, but the only time you were touched, it actually wasn't done by Ryan. It was simply because his brother wanted to taste what a virgin was like, so Ryan handed you over to him."

She ridiculed, "Otherwise, do you think he would care to touch you?"

Hearing this, I stumbled back two steps in disbelief, my body swaying unsteadily. My heart felt like it had been ripped open, the pain spreading through my entire body.

After that incident, I became pregnant and eagerly awaited my child's arrival. But I lost the baby because I shielded Ryan from a rival's knife.

No wonder when I cried my heart out at that time, that man didn't even frown. It turned out that the child was never his in the first place.

Seeing my pale face, Annie crossed her arms and threatened, "If you know what's good for you, get out of the Fulmers residence right now. Don't dirty my eyes. I am the only one who can be Mrs. Fulmer."

Even though I was leaving in three days, I had no intention of telling him. Instead, I stared intently into her eyes. "As long as I'm here, I will always be Mrs. Fulmer and you … you will only ever be trampled under my feet."

"Charlotte Shelton!" Annie shrieked.

She grabbed my hair and shoved my head into the pool, her face twisted with rage. "I've been lying low by Ryan's side for so long, just to become Mrs. Fulmer. What right do you, bitch, have to stop me?"

I choked on several mouthfuls of water, my nose and throat stinging painfully.

"You're asking for death!" she yelled.

Snapping back to my senses, my gaze turned fierce. I grabbed Annie's hair and yanked her into the pool.

"Ouch!"

Both of us fell into the water together.

"Annie!" shouted Ryan, rushing over in a panic.

Without the slightest hesitation, he jumped in to save her.

After pulling Annie out of the water, Ryan anxiously checked her body. Once he confirmed she was safe, he held her in his arms and comforted her for a while.

"Charlotte! Quick, save Charlotte!" Elliot pounded his cane in agitation, but Ryan ignored him while meticulously feeding Annie a cup of ginger tea.

Only after I was pulled out and coughed up several mouthfuls of water did he snort coldly. "It's all a trick, Dad. Don't be fooled."

Elliot was so angry he didn't know what to say and quickly arranged for someone to take me to the hospital. "If you hate Charlotte so much, why did you marry her in the first place!"

Unexpectedly, Ryan raised his head. His voice suddenly became sharp. "Aren't you the one who knows best what happened back then? Why question me now?"

With that said, he picked up Annie and left without looking back. "It's a dark and windy night. Please take care of your health, Dad. I'm taking Annie back first."

Elliot stared at his son's retreating figure. In the end, he could only let out a heavy sigh. "So be it, it's all karma."

When I woke up again, I was already in the hospital.

Seeing Ryan standing by the bed, my lips trembled. I was just about to say something, but Ryan's words cut me off. "You designed this entire scene just to get me to stay with you, Charlotte. You truly have surprised me."

I had choked on a lot of water yesterday and my consciousness was hazy, but I still remembered everything that happened.

Nevertheless, I couldn't be bothered to explain and simply stared coldly out the window. "Think whatever you want. There's no need for you to stay here now."

He had expected me to argue that Annie pushed me into the water and had even prepared sarcastic remarks in advance. But seeing me like this, an unusual feeling stirred inside him.

"Aren't you leaving?" I smirked mockingly, "Don't make your little innocent darling wait too long at home. She might start crying."

On the other side, Ryan remained silent for a long time. When I finally turned my head, he was already gone.

I took out my phone and saw a message from my mom. [Sweetheart, we can leave for Milan in three days. I've already bought the tickets for us, just the two of us.]

My eyes welled up. Finally, I could leave this place.

At that moment, a news report caught my attention.

"Recently, the plagiarism controversy surrounding Annie Whitmore has been cleared. It was her assistant who maliciously leaked her inspiration, leading Annie to create plagiarized paintings."

In the video, Annie cried pitifully, bowing to the camera in apology. "I'm so sorry, everyone. I've caused you all worry. It was my fault for not being careful enough in choosing my assistant, which allowed someone with ulterior motives to take advantage of me. The assistant has been dismissed. I will hold myself to higher standards from now on. Please keep an eye on me!"

I felt sick to my stomach when I witnessed her hypocritical behavior.

She was the one who had plagiarized my mentor's artwork, so what right did she have to play the victim and shift the blame onto me?

Looking at the news, which included my photo, I realized netizens had already dug up my old school pictures. Countless rumors and attacks came flooding in.

[How malicious, to actually use her mentor's work to frame Annie! Just looking at her face, she's clearly not a good person!]

[Maybe she's in cahoots with her mentor, or maybe Annie is just too kind. If this gets serious, they'll all be in deep trouble!]

I felt all the blood rush to my head. Without thinking, I rushed out of the hospital and headed straight to the Fulmer Corporation building. Today, I was going to demand an explanation!