I picked up my phone and confirmed the divorce agreement.

The next day, I left the Sinclair Family villa and went to my grandmother's house. Grandma lived in a remote mountain village. After I was in prison, I lost contact with her.

As I looked at the dilapidated doorway, I heard Grandma's voice—she was laughing and chatting with a young woman. And that woman was none other than Leslie.

Alarms went off in me. “Leslie, stay away from my grandma!”

Grandma, who was unaware of what had happened between us, asked, "Did you two have a fight?”

Seeing me, she became emotional. "Child, you've finally returned to the country."

“In the ten years you were overseas, it was Leslie who came to visit me regularly. She is such a good girl.”

It seemed Leslie had concealed my whereabouts from Grandma all these years. Well, at least she has some conscience.

Ignoring me, she handed Grandma an orange. “Grandma, I have a friend who actually killed someone close to her. She's been in prison for ten years.”

Grandma’s expression instantly hardened. “There’s such a demon in the world?”

She motioned for me to sit beside her. “Irene, you must stay far away from anyone with a criminal record.”

My heart tightened as I glanced at Leslie.

Grandma was already so old that she couldn’t take any more shock.

Her fingers gripped mine nervously. “Irene, you absolutely mustn't associate with shady characters—especially those who've done time! Once you go to jail, your life will be ruined!” "

My nose stung as I nodded.

Grandma, I'm sorry.

Ignoring my guarded look, Leslie continued, “There’s a popular game lately called “There's this popular game going around called ‘Heartbeat Choice.’”

“You pick the slightly better one between two options—it's fun and gets your dopamine flowing.”

She stood up and prepared a cup of milk for Grandma.

While preparing it, she said to me, “You must be careful in everything you do. What if you end up in prison?”

“But don't worry. Even if you serve ten years, I'll take care of Grandma for you.” She pulled out a packet of unidentified powder and added it to the milk.

I walked toward Leslie and took the cup of milk with the added substance from her. “I’ll learn to see the true color of my so-called friends.”

She whispered in my ear, “Make a choice—do you want Grandma to drink it, or do you want to drink it yourself?”

I looked her directly in the eye and was just about to pour the milk out.

"Grandma has two stents in her heart now. Once she finds out you weren't working abroad these past ten years, but became a murderer instead ... I don't need to remind you what might happen, do I?”

When she said that, a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.

My hand suddenly stopped in mid-air and I darted my eyes toward Grandma. I raised the milk and said, "Grandma, if I can't visit you anymore, you must take good care of yourself.”

Then, I resolutely drowned the milk in one gulp.

After that, I turned the glass upside down and showed it to Leslie that there was not a single drop left.

Grandma gazed at me tenderly. “Good child, go ahead and do what you have to do.”

I sat behind my grandmother and combed her hair with tears in my eyes.

When a sharp pain gripped my stomach, in order not to scare her, I forced out a comforting smile with all my strength and said, "There is a sudden work that I have to do, so I'm leaving now."

The pain was getting worse. The moment I closed the door, I collapsed to the floor, unable to hold on any longer and everything went black.

Crawl. I have to crawl. I can't scare Grandma.

Suddenly, a pair of spotless leather shoes appeared before my eyes.

“Help... help me.” I lifted my head, only to plunge back into darkness.

When I woke again, the beeping of medical equipment filled my ears. And the first thing I saw was the man I once loved to the bone, yet totally despised now, Jacob.

“You're finally awake,” he said, gripping my hand eagerly.

When a wave of nausea washed over me, I wished the divorce papers would take effect immediately.

Seeing the stubbornness on my face, his expression hardened.

“If it weren't for me, you would be dead now!" He gritted his teeth.

But you are the one who made me face all of these.

I couldn't be bothered to exchange another word with him. I just yanked out the IV needle from my arm and stumbled out.

When Jacob grabbed me, I struggled. "Don't touch me!"

People coming and going to the ward stopped to watch.

“My wife is just throwing a little tantrum,” Jacob told the onlookers.

“She's ill and has suffered some psychological trauma.” He was a natural actor.

“I'm not! I want a divorce!” I tried to state the truth calmly, hoping someone would help me.

“Wife, I’ll definitely cure you. No matter what, I’ll never leave you.” It’s a pity he isn’t an actor.

When the passerby wanted to say something, they were moved by Jacob's affectionate eyes.

He was taller than me, so he could easily overpower me.

The doctor injected me with a sedative.

So, even though I could clearly feel he was attaching medical devices to my body, I could not move.

By the time I fully regained consciousness, Leslie came to see me with a feigned concern.

She took out a syringe and forcibly pried open my mouth.

The medicine exploded in my stomach. I clutched my abdomen and collapsed on the bed.

“Oh dear! Did I accidentally give you the capsaicin-laced medicine?” She exaggerated dramatically.

She summoned the doctor, demanding a “thorough” gastric lavage.

The doctor immediately understood what was happening and pinned me down on the bed.

I watched helplessly as the red solution flowed through the gastric tube and went inside my body. Everywhere it touched, excruciating pain pierced my heart.

Tears and snot streamed down my face.

Through tear-filled eyes, I saw Leslie holding her phone to my face, snapping photo after photo.

“Best friend must have each embarrassing photo," she declared triumphantly.

When the night fell, Jacob came to visit again. Seeing me lying weakly in bed, a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

“If you had obeyed obediently, none of this would have happened.”

I found it laughable and turned my head away. But he pinched my cheeks and forced me to look at him.

Seeing my face was still as beautiful as it had been ten years ago, he reluctantly released his hold. “What exactly do you want to make you feel better? It's only been ten years.”

“If you just obey and be a good Mrs. Sinclair, I'll make sure you live a comfortable life.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

Ten years ago, I obeyed his every word. But now, after I had seen the truth, I refused to play along with his charade of a mere decorative, wealthy wife's game anymore.

Does he expect me to spend my life as a parasite under their loving gaze?

He was so arrogant, as if everything was within his grasp.

“Impossible!” I said, enunciating each word.

After he left, I closed my eyes.

In the darkness, I heard his voice clearly. “Make sure she takes her sedatives every day.”

Leslie came to the ward once more to feed me my pills. Only after seeing me swallow them obediently did she leave and I fell into a deep sleep.

“This time she’s surprisingly obedient.”

Once she was gone, I secretly spat every last sedative out of my mouth.

Every day, I either slept with my eyes tightly shut or stared blankly into space. This made Jacob truly believe I had taken the sedatives.

Leslie, who watched me from the bedside every day, would wear a look of disgust, though occasionally a fleeting flicker of pity would cross her eyes.

“Irene, wouldn’t it have been better if you had been this obedient like this earlier?” She pinched my cheek, making it flushed red with pain.

“After tormenting you for ten years, how can you still be this pretty?” Leslie stared at me without blinking.

Suddenly, Jacob walked in.

I clearly hear the door lock from the inside.

“Irene, you can definitely forgive us, right?" When he looked at the redness on my face, he assumed my health was gradually improving.

In my heart, I refuted him. I won't forgive.

"After all, Leslie is your best friend and I'm your devoted husband. We did all this for your own good. As long as you are good, you'll be the first to get the global limited-edition handbag.”

“Since meeting you, my business has only grown stronger. I can't live without you," Jacob said with complex emotions filling his eyes.

Was sending me to prison and forcing me to take sedatives daily truly for my own good? I doubt I can afford that kind of kindness.

I subtly dug my nails into my palm and the pain travelled to my heart.

I refused to hear any more hypocritical words, so I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

From that day onward, I swallowed the anti-inflammatory pills that benefited me and spit out the sedatives.

At the same time, I noticed three bodyguards outside this VIP ward. They disguised themselves as passersby or patients, monitoring me secretly.

I had been thinking of a good way to escape, but how could an ordinary person like me slip past their watchful eyes?

In the evening, Leslie dressed me in a yellow dress and asked me to follow her.

I obediently walked with her to Jacob's Maserati.

Jacob was waiting for me in the car. He looked me up and down, his eyes brimming with admiration.

"Tonight, I'll treat you to a welcome dinner. And your health is better too.”

Leslie pulled me into the car roughly and then sat in the passenger seat with the air of a mistress of the house.

Soon, the car stopped at the most luxurious hotel in Arlington City.

This was the place Jacob proposed to me. Back then, I was completely overwhelmed by the blessings of the crowd.

“My wife, Irene Lambert, served a full ten years in prison for murder. I choose to forgive the past and allow her to continue being Mrs Sinclair.”

Jacob held the microphone and spoke to the guests from the stage.

If he truly wanted to continue our life together, why did he humiliate me like this in front of everyone?

The guests instantly began whispering, their gazes locked toward me.

“So that’s the woman who went to prison. What a pity—she’s beautiful.”

“If it weren't for President Sinclair, she might have been sentenced to life in prison.”

“Heard she killed her own best friend. So heartless.”

Every word reached my ears.

Ten years ago, he could have made me the happiest Mrs. Sinclair. Actually, he still could. It was just now that I refused to be his caged bird.

I took the microphone, ready to refuse in front of everyone, but unexpectedly, I spotted Leslie hiding in the corner, her eyes fixed on me.

It seemed she hadn't dared show herself in public for a decade.

A flush rose to my pale cheeks and a cold smile instantly curved my lips. “Very well.”

The guests cheered as if witnessing a proposal.

Fighting the nausea in my stomach, I said, “I accept.”

In four days, I would leave this place forever. But first, I would gather every shred of evidence against them both. As I departed, I would push them into the abyss.