Over the course of our three-year marriage, my wife hypnotized me three times. The first time, her childhood sweetheart was running against me for a seat on the board of directors. My wife personally orchestrated the "accident" that crushed my hands, turning me into a cripple. The second time, her sweetheart needed liquidity for a failing venture. She liquidated my luxury cars and our villa, taking out massive loans in my name, drowning me in debt. The third time, he was critically injured in a car crash. She ruthlessly authorized the harvesting of our son’s corneas and liver while he was still barely alive, transplanting them into him. Every single time, I fought back. I screamed for a divorce. I tried to cut her out of my life. But every time, she would hold me, weeping, claiming she would go insane without me. And then, to keep me by her side as if nothing had happened, she forcibly hypnotized me, erasing my memories of her betrayal. It wasn't until the day of my son’s funeral that I accidentally stumbled upon the whole truth. "Ms. Davis, this is the fourth session. Another induction could cause irreversible damage to Mr. Sterling’s frontal lobe. He could end up cognitively impaired, permanently. Are you sure you want to proceed?" "He has to forget what happened today! If he remembers, he’ll leave me. I can’t let him pose a threat to Caleb!" The doctor sighed heavily. "Why must you trample on a man’s heart like this?" "I have no choice. He happens to possess exactly what Caleb needs. For Caleb’s happiness, I’m willing to be the villain." Hearing this conversation through the thin door, I felt the blood in my veins turn to ice. My fists clenched at my sides, but I kept my eyes squeezed shut, feigning unconsciousness. I had only wanted to find my missing wife during our son’s funeral. Instead, I stumbled into a five-star hotel suite where she was throwing a lavish birthday party for Caleb Vance, her childhood sweetheart. Before I could confront them, I was knocked out cold. I woke up here, listening to the doctor and my wife. The doctor’s voice rose in agitation. "But, Ms. Davis... back then, his hand injury was treatable. You paid the hospital to intentionally botch the surgery. He lives in chronic, excruciating pain every day." "You lied to him, told him he was a gambling addict who lost everything. You told him there was no money for a ten-dollar painkiller shot, yet you drained his accounts to throw this meaningless party for Caleb Vance! Do you hate him that much?" Claire Davis shook her head calmly. "How could I hate him?" "It’s all for Caleb. His biggest dream is to lead the company. I’m just the woman quietly supporting him from the shadows." "As for Ethan... blame his brilliance. He shone too bright; he blocked Caleb’s path. I need him broken and dependent to feel at ease." The doctor opened his mouth to argue, but Claire cut him off coldly. "Enough. Watch your mouth. If you leak a single word to Ethan, I will ruin you." "Now, wipe his memory. Make him believe he caused a scene today. He needs to feel guilty so he’ll stay by my side and never leave." I felt Claire’s hand gently caress my cheek. Once, that touch brought me warmth. Now, I felt nothing but disgust. Years ago, when the Davis family business went bankrupt, I was the one who secretly injected a billion dollars to help her rise from the ashes. When Caleb Vance was disowned by his family for being the black sheep, I was the one who took him into my company, mentoring him all the way to the executive level. Back then, Caleb knelt before me, swearing he would repay my kindness with his life. Back then, Claire confessed her love to me, saying she had always adored me. I never imagined that Claire would steal my fortune for him, gaslighting me into believing I was a degenerate gambler who lost it all. She even committed to the bit, moving me into a cramped, moldy apartment in the slums, living a life of performative poverty. And when Caleb crashed his car, she gutted our son to save him. While my son died screaming in pain, Claire was busy feeding Caleb soup and wiping his brow. I had fought her. I had demanded to leave. But every time, she used hypnosis to reset me. I had forgotten three times. I nearly lost myself a fourth. When the session ended and I "woke up," I saw Claire looking at me with red-rimmed eyes. She hugged me, sobbing theatrically. "Ethan, thank God! You’re finally awake." "You were so grief-stricken over Leo’s death that you started a brawl at the hospital. When I saw your head bleeding, I thought I’d lost my mind. If you left me too, I really wouldn't survive!" The concern in her eyes looked so genuine. It made me sick. Claire didn’t notice the coldness in my gaze. She pulled a plastic container out of a cheap grocery bag, presenting it like a treasure. "Ethan, you must be starving. Look what I brought you. I’m working cleaning shifts at the hotel now, and I managed to sneak out some leftovers. It’s top-tier wagyu steak." Since the "bankruptcy," Claire always cried about how every cent she earned went to my "gambling debts." I loved her so much that I starved myself, living on scraps so she wouldn't worry. But today, at the hotel, I saw Caleb’s party. Abalone, lobster, caviar—flowing like water. This steak wasn't leftovers; it was trash. I had seen Caleb stomp on this very container, spit in it, and order the waiter to mix in raw bloody water. He called it "dog food." I felt bile rise in my throat. I pushed her hand away. Claire didn't get angry. Instead, she grabbed my hand, her eyes widening in shock. "Your hand... it moved?" "Oh my god, Ethan! You’re finally healing!" "You always said you wanted a divorce because you were a 'useless cripple' who didn't want to burden me. Now you can’t say that anymore!" She excitedly grabbed a hot water bottle to warm my hand, massaging it tenderly. She acted like a devoted wife overjoyed by her husband's recovery. But I knew better. I forced a smile and pulled away. "Don't you have another shift? Go. Don't be late." She paused, surprised by my dismissal, but after checking my face for suspicion, she kissed my cheek. "Wait for me at home!" Shortly after she left, I walked out too. Before I was knocked out, I had been holding my son’s urn. It was gone. I had to find it. But I barely made it down the block before the world spun. I woke up screaming. Someone had smashed a steel pipe directly onto my wrist. The pain was blinding, white-hot agony radiating through my entire body. In the dim light, I couldn't see the attacker’s face, only heard him speaking in a thick accent into a phone. "Ms. Davis, the hand is taken care of. Guaranteed he won't lift it again." "We were discreet. He didn't see us." Claire’s cold voice drifted from the speaker. "You promised that last time, yet he recovered in three years. Are you sure it's permanent this time? I want zero chance of recovery." The thug confirmed it. Claire laughed, a chilling sound. "Good. Double payment is on the way." "I drugged his water. Just leave him there, barely breathing. I’ll come 'find' him after I handle things with Caleb. I’ll cry a bit, play the victim, and he’ll never suspect me." My heart shattered. I was already broken, yet she needed to destroy me completely for Caleb. But she miscalculated. I had only taken a sip of that water. The thug hung up and raised the pipe for a finishing blow. I grabbed a loose chain from the floor and swung it with everything I had left, choking him out. Adrenaline masking the pain, I stumbled out of the room. I realized I was in the basement of the Davis Corporation building. I dragged myself toward the exit, but froze when I saw two figures in the garden. Claire was leaning against Caleb, her head buried in his chest. "Caleb, your arms are so warm. I wish I could stay like this forever." "I’m in such agony. I want to divorce Ethan every day, but I’m terrified that if I let him go, I’ll lose control over him. He could threaten you." "Since he saved your life once, I just swallow my pride and take care of that invalid." Caleb didn't push her away. He held her waist. "You’ve suffered, Claire. I know what you’ve done for me." "But I have ambitions. I need to secure this deal with the massive conglomerate coming to town. Rumor has it the CEO hates Ethan Sterling. Do you think... if I handed Ethan over to him to torture, it might seal the deal? I just don't know if you could bear it..." Claire didn't hesitate. "Of course I can. Just tell me when. If you hadn't given me that billion dollars when my family went under, I wouldn't be here today." She paused. "Just... leave him alive, barely." "Soft spot?" "No. His blood type and marrow match yours. If you ever have an accident, he’s your spare parts bank." I laughed silently, a cold, bitter sound. So, Claire thought the billion dollars came from Caleb. No wonder she worshipped him. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number I hadn't touched in five years. "Dad. I’m done being rebellious. I was wrong." "I’ll agree to your terms. I’m divorcing Claire. Send the chopper." I hung up and turned to leave. But as I exited the building, I ran straight into Caleb. He crossed his arms, looking at me with pure sneering contempt. "Enjoying eavesdropping? Look at you. The once-great Ethan Sterling, now a beggar reeking of blood. Did you not enjoy the 'special meal' I prepared for you?" My clothes were bloodstained, my body broken. My wrist throbbed with a pulse of its own. I didn't want to waste breath on this parasite. I moved to pass him. Caleb pulled a small box from his pocket and shook it. "Looking for this?" The urn. It was so small in his hand. "Hard to believe a six-year-old boy fits in such a tiny box," Caleb mused. "Just days ago, he was calling me 'Uncle.' Too bad Claire had to gut him like a fish." "She said his only value was being my organ farm. And now that he's dead, you're next. Hereditary duty, I suppose." He laughed, tears forming in his eyes. Rage, pure and primal, exploded in my chest. I lunged at him. "Give him back! That’s my son!" But I was weak. He sidestepped me effortlessly. "I can't just give it to you. Claire wanted to throw it in the trash; I saved it. You should be thanking me." Suddenly, bodyguards materialized, kicking the back of my knees. I collapsed. They dragged me into the company lobby. Former colleagues and employees stopped to stare. "Is that Ethan Sterling? He looks half-dead." "I heard he gambled away his fortune and killed his own kid. He’s been dragging Ms. Davis down for years." "Probably here to beg Mr. Vance for money. Pathetic." The scorn was palpable. Caleb smirked. "You want the ashes? Crawl through my legs. You have five seconds." "Five. Four. Three..." I gritted my teeth, preparing to humiliate myself for Leo. But Caleb laughed, opened the lid, and dumped the ashes into a potted plant next to him. The white dust drifted down, landing on the dark soil. Caleb ground his expensive leather shoe into the dirt, mixing my son’s remains with mud. "Oops." I snapped. I roared, surging upward with strength I didn't know I had, and punched him squarely in the jaw. "He died for you! You soulless monster!" Caleb barely stumbled. He touched his face and laughed. "Was that a tickle? You really are a cripple." "No wonder your wife says you can't satisfy her. Yesterday, she was screaming my name so loud the neighbors probably complained." He leaned in, his voice a venomous whisper. "You know, when you were kidnapped and tortured years ago? We watched the livestream. She wanted to help at first, but I pulled her onto the couch... and eventually, your screams just made her more excited." I shook with fury. The trauma of those days flooded back. Caleb grabbed my injured hand and punched himself in the face with it. "See? That's a punch!" "Caleb!" Claire screamed, rushing over. She shoved me back, shielding him. Then she slapped me across the face. "Ethan Sterling! Stay away from him! If you hurt a hair on his head, I will destroy you!" I laughed, wiping blood from my lip. "Destroy me? Haven't you already done that?" Panic flickered in her eyes. "You’re delusional!" Caleb held her back, playing the saint. "Claire, don't. He saved my life once. Let this punch be the repayment. We are bigger than this." He led her away. They looked like a power couple. I didn't chase them. I went home to pack.
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