I staggered into the bathroom, turned the water to full blast, and scrubbed at the marks on my body with all the strength I had left.

In my ears, the vile voices of Hugo’s friends still echoed.

“Isabella’s a genius, skipped grades straight to a PhD, and breathtaking on top of it. A flower on a high mountain like that, only Brother Hugo could drag her down into the mud, let a thousand men ride and ten thousand sleep with her…”

Blood began to streak down my collarbone. I clutched at my ears in agony, desperate to shut them out, but the voices refused to fade.

My phone rang and vibrated for ten minutes before I finally picked it up.

Hugo’s anxious voice came through the speaker. “Isabella, what’s wrong? Why did you take so long to answer?”

I answered in a low voice, almost hollow, “Nothing.”

“As long as you’re okay.” He didn’t even catch the tightness in my voice. “If anything happens, you must tell me right away, okay?”

“Oh, by the way, Nova has something today, and I can’t get away either. Go pick up Daniel from school later. That kid’s been craving strawberry cake; swing by the dessert shop in the north of the city first…”

His voice brimmed with tenderness.

Now, I realized what I once missed had long been traceable.

He never once called Nova “sister-in-law,” and he was always attentive to both her and her son.

Back then, I thought he was simply being considerate, loving what I loved. I had even felt grateful, believing he was helping me care for my widowed sister-in-law and her child.

But now, I let out a laugh through my tears.

He must’ve taken my silence as agreement. He blew me a kiss over the phone and said, “Love you the most. Wait for me tonight…”

The call ended. The beeping dial tone echoed endlessly in my ear.

My clothes were drenched, and I looked like a complete mess.

Thankfully, there were spare clothes in the car. I cleaned myself up and still drove to the school.

When Daniel saw me, the smile on his face instantly faded. “Where’s Mom? Why is it you again?”

He pouted all the way to the car, kicking stones along the road.

“You’re always dressing up so flashy. The Morrison family’s money is mine, so don’t you dare waste it!”

I had planned to collect Daniel’s hair for a paternity test.

But now, suddenly, I felt there was no need.

Not a single trace of my brother could be found in him. His arrogant tone and the way he spoke were exactly like Hugo in that studio.

Since childhood, I have dreamed of doing scientific research, but I was never cut out for business. The only reason I kept the Morrison Corporation alive was to pave the way for Daniel.

But he wasn’t my brother’s posthumous son.

At that moment, the bond I once clung to snapped clean.

I told the driver to take him home, then got in a taxi and headed straight for the research institute.

“I’m willing to join the closed-door research project.”

The man, buried in his experiments, suddenly looked up, eyes full of surprise.

“The project runs for ten years. You won’t be allowed any contact with family during that time. Are you sure?”

He stood 188 centimeters tall, his features deep and striking, and he was handsome enough to rival celebrities. He was also the only heir to one of the world’s four largest conglomerates, the Hamilton Group.

Yet, for me, he had hidden his identity, lowering himself to become just another researcher on my team.

He even invested heavily in launching this national-level scientific project.

Research has always been my dream. This closed-door project was a key national initiative, and I had turned it down more than once for Hugo.

A flicker of pain swept through my eyes. As I glanced at the bruised mess along my collarbone, I nodded without a second thought.

“I’ve decided. I want in.”

That evening, Hugo came home two hours early, something he rarely did.

As always, he pushed open the door to the study and set down a warm glass of milk on my desk.

Then he leaned down beside me and pressed the power button on my laptop.

“Is your husband’s charm no match for your work?”

His breath brushed against my ear, laced with the faint scent of jasmine.

Instinctively, I turned to face him.

The faint nail marks on his neck, the lingering heat in his gaze, each detail stung like needles in my eyes.

I stood up to avoid his touch and restarted the laptop. “There’s an important project I have to rush these few days, I...”

At that, he let out a sigh of relief and gave a casual shrug. “I was just joking. Your husband will always support your career.”

He picked up the glass of water from the desk, handed it to me, then gently patted my head. “Alright, drink some warm milk and get to work. Try to rest early.”

His eyes were deep, tender, and full of warmth.

I almost wanted to applaud his flawless performance. Even with his heart entangled with another woman, he could still show me such gentle care.

Seeing me tilt my head back and drink half the milk, he smiled and reminded me not to stay up too late. Then he finally turned and walked out.

The door clicked shut.

And all at once, the room began to spin.

The glass slipped from my hand and shattered against the floor. I stared at the milk, frozen in horror.

Something was wrong with it.

Hugo had always brought me warm milk before bed, claiming it helped me sleep better.

But now I understood it wasn’t to soothe me.

It was to knock me out.

No wonder I could never remember anything from the nights.

No wonder his friends whispered that I was promiscuous.

I tried to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. I couldn’t move a single muscle. Only my mind remained alert, trapped in this paralyzed body.

Moments later, Hugo returned, Nova nestled in his arms, followed by his private doctor and a pair of bodyguards.

The study was cleared in seconds. Then, the bodyguards dragged me and slammed me onto the desk.

“Nova, didn’t you say you wanted me to leave a child for Isabella? I’ll let the doctor run a pre-pregnancy check now.”

Nova let out a giggle. “Are you serious? Doing the exam live in front of thousands, do you think Isabella would agree to that?”

Hugo kissed her, grinning. “She drank the special milk. She’s long unconscious. She won’t remember a thing.”

“Besides, she’s naturally wild. I bet she’d enjoy a live pregnancy check.”

A silent gasp echoed through me. I couldn’t move, but my body trembled in fear.

The private doctor began his examination. With each part he touched, he tore away my clothes, exposing more of my skin to the cold air.

Beside him, the bodyguard read the livestream comments aloud.

“So this is the super-smart rich girl? The seller’s too generous, letting us witness this rare gem; what a feast for the eyes!”

“Too bad she’s not a virgin. But I heard she’s a researcher, perfect for breeding and upgrading the genes!”

“Bro, above is dreaming. Look at the crowd in this livestream. It’s anyone’s guess who gets the final bid!”

….

The filth continued to pour out in waves. Even the bodyguard, red-faced, stumbled over the words as he read them.

My heart felt as though it was being crushed by an iron fist, the suffocating pain tightening with each breath.

After what felt like an eternity, the livestream finally ended. The doctor and bodyguards left one by one.

But Hugo and Nova were still there, their presence like a spark to dry grass, igniting a fire between them. Their breaths grew heavier.

“Isabella is nothing but trash. Just looking at her disgusts me.”

Suddenly, Nova’s hand tightened around his shoulder. “Hugo... Hugo...”

It sounded like Hugo picked her up and moved her away. The chair creaked beneath them, the sound eerily rhythmic.

“Nova, you don’t know how hard it’s been for me these past few days when you wouldn’t let me touch you!”

“Please, don’t push me away again because of that bitch, Isabella!”

The lewd moaning filled the room, growing more unbearable with each passing second.

In a corner, unnoticed, a tear slid down my cheek.

They went on for hours. It wasn’t until dawn’s first light began creeping in that I finally opened my eyes, numb from it all.

By then, Nova had already left.

Hugo held me tightly, his body still warm with the remnants of passion

“Wife, last night, you were so passionate.”

He believed I was still unaware, as I usually was, but this time, I had only drunk half the milk.

All the filth had poured into my ears.

My phone vibrated, offering me a chance to push him away. I reached for it and checked the message.

It was the confirmation of the Morrison Corporation’s equity transfer and property donation.

I clicked ‘Confirm’.

“What donation?”

Hugo had somehow leaned in, his eyes filled with confusion as he stared at the phone screen.

I dimmed the display and shrugged it off casually. “Nothing just donated a little something to Belmont Elementary School.”

He didn’t press further, only tapping my nose affectionately. “Didn’t you say you wanted a child? We’ve already contacted the hospital. Later, we can go for the procedure to remove the IUD.”

I frowned, and from the corner of my eye, I saw the lit screen of Hugo’s phone. The group chat was filled with messages that burned my eyes.

“The auction is all set! Live surgical removal of the IUD, followed by the auction of Isabella’s reproductive rights, so exciting!”

“By the way, ever since that pregnancy check-up video dropped, the pre-bidding price has already hit a million! All stacked up bit by bit!”

“You absolutely won’t believe the real identity of the highest bidder. Just wait for the auction; jaws will drop!”

My body trembled almost reflexively as I took a step back. “I have something this afternoon. The child thing doesn’t need to be rushed. I was thinking too simply before. Let me reconsider.”

Hugo’s face darkened instantly, a flash of disgust passing through his eyes, but he still pretended to be helpless. “Why are you acting like a child, changing your mind every second?”

“No worries. Since you’re not ready yet, your husband has all the patience in the world to wait for you.”

He hugged me lightly. “Then I’ll head to work first.”

He grabbed his coat, smiled at me, and then turned to leave.

It was the same expression he always wore, yet in my eyes, it seemed like the devil himself, baring its bloody jaws at me.

I fearfully shut the door, pressing my back against it as my body trembled.

But before I could take a breath, the door was violently shoved open.

Several masked men stormed in without a word, yanking my hair and slamming a damp cloth against my nose.

I could feel my consciousness slipping away as they dragged me out, throwing me into a car.

Just before everything faded to black, their lewd laughter echoed in my ears.

“Good thing Brother Hugo was cautious. He knew this woman wouldn’t behave, so he prepared the knockout drug in advance!”

“This auction is specially prepared for her. The attendees are all powerful elites you can’t afford to offend!”

I bit down hard on my lip, gathering the last of my strength. With trembling fingers, I managed to press the phone button before darkness took over completely.

When I woke, I found myself lying naked on a transparent glass bed, my limbs bound tightly to the four corners, my body stretched out in an X.

A gasp caught in my throat as I forced myself to turn my head, desperate to see where I was.

It was a massive auction hall. Below me, thousands of masked men sat, each accompanied by a bodyguard.

Seeing me open my eyes, the tycoons grew excited.