On the day of our wedding, Maverick Lowe sacrificed me as bait to save his childhood sweetheart, Janet Stewart, from her kidnappers.

I was left behind, brutally tormented by the gang.

The next day, the entire internet was flooded with indecent videos of me.

Maverick publicly branded me a disgrace, broke off our engagement in front of everyone, and soon after, paraded Janet as his bride.

While I was drowning in despair, my childhood friend Alfred Hawkins confessed his love.

He said he had always cared for me, and vowed to shelter me from every storm.

With him by my side, I slowly climbed out of that darkness.

We married, and soon after welcomed our daughter, Ruby. The three of us built a life of simple, perfect happiness.

Until one day, I stumbled upon Janet sobbing in Alfred's arms.

Between tears, she choked out, ''The doctor said… without a matching heart, Yoana won't last another month…''

Yoana, her little girl, had been born with a congenital heart defect.

Alfred's hand lingered tenderly on her shoulder as he whispered. ''Don't cry. I told you, Ruby's heart was always meant for Yoana.

''After her birthday, I'll arrange the accident. Then Ruby will be delivered straight to the hospital…''

Everything around me started to whirl and twirl like I was caught in a tornado.

The sound in my ears was like thunder on a hot summer day, booming and crashing, scaring me so much I could barely catch my breath.

I squinted, trying to see Alfred Hawkins's face through the haze, but it was all a blur.

His voice, though, cut through the fog, clear and sharp. "With Ruby's heart, Yoana will be healthy again."

My husband, Alfred, the man everyone called a 'daughter-obsessed dad' because of how much he doted on our daughter, was suggesting we sacrifice our daughter, Ruby Hawkins, to save Janet Stewart's kid, Yoana Lowe.

'No way… This has to be a nightmare...' I told myself.

Janet looked all kinds of uncomfortable as she said, "If Helen gets wind of this, she won't just stand by. I feel so bad for you, Alfred. You don't even like her, but you married her because you felt you had to.

"If I'd known it would cost you your life, I never would've said yes to that crazy kidnapping plan."

Alfred frowned, his face a mix of emotions, as he said calmly, "I don't regret the kidnapping, but I never thought those guys would do what they did to her. If I hadn't married her, she wouldn't have made it.

"Besides, I didn't want her hassling Maverick and making your life difficult.

"However, even though I married her, I never planned to be with her. Now, Yoana needs a heart, and I have no choice… Look, just remember that I did all this for you. Ruby, everything… It was all for you, so don't feel guilty. I'll carry the weight of these sins.

"I'll make it up to her for the rest of my life. I'll make it right for what I've done."

He kept talking, but his words were lost on me. I could no longer hear anything.

The wind howled in my ears, a piercing shriek that seemed ready to burst my eardrums.

I was frozen to the core, my body shaking uncontrollably, barely able to stand.

If not for the sturdy tree I clung to, I would have tumbled to the ground.

I could never have guessed that Alfred was behind the kidnapping that almost ruined me. The man I had thanked from the bottom of my heart all those years was the one who had betrayed me!

Tears streamed down my face in silence. I bit down on my hand, the sharp pain a desperate attempt to stay focused and clear-headed.

Janet, on her tiptoes, gave Alfred a tender kiss and murmured, "Thank you, Alfred. Finding you in this life is my greatest fortune."

A warm flush spread across Alfred's cheeks after her kiss, his eyes a deep pool of love.

He gently stroked her face, whispering, "Janet, always remember that I'm right here behind you."

I could not bear to watch any longer. I slipped away and made my way to my daughter's room.

Ruby, my little girl, was deep in slumber, a dream coaxing a giggle from her lips.

Her innocent face brought a fresh wave of tears to my eyes. She adored her father so much, yet he was plotting against her very life.

The maid, Alice Robinson, noticed my distress.

"Mrs. Hawkins, what's wrong?" she asked with concern.

I shook my head, quickly dabbing at my tears, and forced a smile. "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little emotional. My little girl... She's grown up so fast."

Alice beamed at me. "You've got it made, you know. Mr. Hawkins spoils you rotten, and Ruby is just the cutest. If you guys had a boy, it would be the cherry on top."

I kept quiet, a wave of sadness washing over me.

Alfred had everyone fooled, thinking he was head over heels for me.

However, who could guess that he actually looked down on me, to the point that sleeping with me was just for another woman?

Even our daughter, Ruby, was nothing more than a cure he had concocted.

With that thought, I whispered to myself, "We're not having any more kids..."

Right then, the door swung open.

The sound of the door creaking open froze me in place. I did not turn around, but I felt a hand land swiftly on my waist.

Alfred pulled me into his embrace from behind, chuckling, "Honey, I caught a bit of your chat. What's this about not having more kids? I'm ready whenever you are."

I turned away, only to find myself lost in Alfred's deep, loving gaze.

Those eyes had fooled me so many times before, making me believe he adored me.

Suddenly, all I saw was how fake he seemed, his frightening facade.

Ready whenever I was?

What a lie. Alfred had not laid a finger on me since Ruby was born.

He claimed I was too frail after giving birth and needed to recover. I bought into it, feeling guilty for not being able to meet his needs like other wives.

However, I saw the truth. He thought I was unclean, and that was why he kept his distance.

I shoved him off, putting on a bashful act. "Alice is right here. What are you on about?"

Alfred squeezed my cheek gently and replied softly, "Come on. We're past being bashful, aren't we?"

The scent of the perfume clung to his fingers. It was Janet's scent, and I could not help but gag.

Alice's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Mrs. Hawkins, you're not expecting, are you?"

Alfred's grip on my waist tightened suddenly.

I let out a wry laugh and shook my head. "No, just a little under the weather."

Alfred let out a quiet sigh of relief, then put on a show of concern. "Caught a chill? Let's get you back to your room."

With that, he scooped me up and carried me to the master bedroom.

Pressed against his chest, Janet's perfume invaded my senses, and I pushed against him in revulsion. "What's that smell on you?"

Alfred paused, clearly feeling guilty, but managed to keep a straight face. "It's a new perfume from the company. I thought if you liked it, I'd get you a bottle."

He looked down at me with a playful grin. "What's got you so worried? Scared I'm stepping out? Don't worry, I only have eyes for you. I'll always treat you right."

Staring at him, my mind screamed, 'Liar!'

Once we were in the bedroom, Alfred lay me down and hovered over me, his eyes swirling with desire.

I felt a rush of panic, and as he leaned in for a kiss, I shoved him away.

He looked at me in confusion. "Don't you want this? It's been a year since we've..."

I turned away, my voice shaky. "It's not that... It's just been so long. I'm nervous."

He tried to soothe me. "It's okay, honey, I'll be gentle. I'd love to give Ruby a sibling."

My heart dropped. Did he really want more kids?

Was he really after another 'backup heart' for Yoana?

That thought made me so mad I could scream.

My voice shook as I said, "You forgot, my stomach's upset."

Alfred quickly apologized, "I'm sorry. I got carried away. Hold on, I'll get you some water."

I gave a small nod and lay back, his figure retreating from my view. All I could picture was him holding Janet close.

Perhaps Janet had lit a fire in him, and he was looking to me to put it out.

The thought made me sick to my stomach, and before I knew it, I was in the bathroom, throwing up.

That was what gut-wrenching disgust felt like.

Alfred rushed in, coaxing me to sip some water, then gently wiped my face and carried me back to bed.

He brushed my forehead and said, "Good thing you don't have a fever. If you're still sick tomorrow, we'll go to the doctor."

I was sick of his fake concern.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine after some sleep," I said, dragging the words out.

Then, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep, too exhausted to deal with anything more.

I could feel Alfred watching me for the longest time. Did he notice something?

After a whirlwind of thoughts, sleep finally took over.

However, it was restless, filled with nightmares. In my dream, Ruby was drenched in blood on an operating table.

I woke up startled and alone. Alfred was not there.

Then, I heard an engine from downstairs.

Going down, I saw Alfred holding Janet as they came in.

She was crying in his arms, choking out, "I never imagined Maverick could betray me like this. Alfred, I made a mistake, I never should've gone for him..."

Alfred gazed at her tear-streaked face and said with a pang in his heart, "Please don't cry. It hurts me to see you like this. Don't worry, I'll get Maverick to come and apologize to you.

"Nobody's going to steal your happiness away."

I watched them, and even though I knew all too well who they really were, my heart still ached at the sight.

When Alfred caught sight of me, I saw a flicker of guilt cross his face.

However, Janet let out a tiny sniffle, and Alfred was all concerned, turning to me to say, "You're up, so get a move on and fix up a room for Janet. She'll be staying with us for a bit."

Janet shot me a wary glance, her eyes red. "Helen, if this bothers you, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning..."

Alfred's eyes snapped to me, his voice hard. "Helen, don't start with the jealousy. Janet's my childhood buddy. To me, she's like a sister. She's been pushed around by Maverick, and I can't just stand by and do nothing as her big brother!"

I stared back at his hostile look and could not help but laugh. "Funny, I don't remember saying anything."

That was when Alfred realized he might have jumped the gun, but he doubled down. "You didn't have to say anything. Your face said plenty."

So, that was what 'give a dog a bad name and hang him' was all about.

I turned on my heel and walked away without another word.

Janet asked, "Alfred, did Helen get mad? Maybe I should just go to a hotel."

Alfred's annoyance was immediate. "Helen! What's with the attitude?"

I did not even look back as I said, "I'm not feeling great tonight, so I can't help Ms. Stewart with her bed. There are plenty of maids around to cover for me anyway."

With that, I headed back to my room and locked the door behind me.

Half an hour later, the sound of a doorknob rattling broke the silence.

Alfred's voice followed, soft with regret. "Honey, I never meant to boss you around like you're one of the maids. I wasn't thinking, and I upset you. I'm sorry. I'm tired, so just unlock the door and let me in, okay?"

I stayed silent, feigning sleep, while my tears betrayed me, soaking the pillow.

Suddenly, a scream pierced the quiet from next door, and Alfred rushed to check it out.

Soon, the rhythmic creaking of a bed came from next door, then Janet's uncontrollable sobs clued me in on what was happening.

I grabbed my phone and slipped out to the balcony. There was just a fence separating the balconies of two rooms, so I climbed over easily.

Peeking through the curtains, I caught sight of two figures tangled up with each other.

A wave of nausea hit me.

Janet had always played the victim, claiming that Maverick bullied her, but she could not wait to hop into bed with someone else's husband.

They were all despicable, every last one.

I held back the urge to vomit, recorded a video, and snuck back to my room.

As I lay in bed, it hit me. I had been feeling nothing but disgust, no heartache at all. That must have been what it was like when the heart went numb.

The commotion next door lasted until the crack of dawn, and I did not sleep a wink.

Come morning, I went downstairs only to find Ruby in tears.

Janet looked like she was trying to soothe her, but she was actually pinching her arm.

I could not stand it. I stormed over, yanked Janet away, and scooped Ruby into my arms.

That's when Alfred came thundering down the stairs, yelling, "What's going on here?"

He hurried to Janet's side and helped her up.

Janet played the victim perfectly, batting her eyes at Alfred. "It's nothing, Alfred. Ruby was crying, and Helen probably just panicked, thinking I was picking on Ruby. She didn't mean to push me."

Alfred's face was like ice as he snapped, "Don't make excuses for her! She's just jealous because I brought you home last night. She wanted to lash out at you."

He turned to me, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Helen, I never knew you could be so cruel. You should be looking out for Janet, especially since her husband's been so awful to her!"

Janet, ever the actress, said, "Alfred, don't be so harsh. Helen just lost control, that's all. I get it, Helen's been holding a grudge against me. After all, Maverick left her to those men to save me…

"She was passed around and tormented, and then you took pity on her. Of course, she's going to be all messed up over it. You should try to understand."

However, Alfred just scoffed. "She got herself into that mess because she was too dumb to see through Maverick's lies! If she's got hate to spare, it should be for Maverick, not taking it out on you."

I felt a chill run through me, but my cheeks were on fire. I never imagined Alfred would ever trash-talk me out in the open like that.

He had the nerve to pin all my nightmares on me, as if I conjured them up myself.

Once upon a time, he would have thrown punches for even a whisper of that old scandal around me.

There he stood as dashing as ever, but in my eyes, he was nothing but a monster, a fearsome, revolting creature.