Twice in my life, I nearly killed someone. The first time was after my father's affair, when my mother jumped from a building in despair. Eyes red with rage, I wanted to drag him down with me. It was Lucian Foster who held me back: "His worthless life isn't worth your promising future. Don't throw away your own prospects." For five whole years, I was trapped in paranoid delusions. He stayed by my side, constantly counseling me. Knowing I was suspicious, he reported everything he did to me. The second time was on the eve of our wedding. Lucian used overtime as an excuse, but his location showed up at a couples' hotel. Trembling all over, I grabbed a knife and rushed over like a madwoman. Finally, he couldn't hold back anymore. Eyes red, he roared: "Claire, when will you ever stop?" "Five years! Every time I touch you, you act like you want to die, having panic attacks all night!" "I'm a man too. I have desires that need release." "Do you want to end up like your mom—jumping from a building and ending up paralyzed?" I froze in place, my vision blurred by tears. I let the kitchen knife slip from my hand, feeling this relationship had reached its end. Suddenly, a system warning sounded in my mind: [Redemption mission failed. Erasure program initiated.] [Countdown: 24 hours.]
A flash of guilt crossed Lucian's eyes: "Fine, I didn't mean to bring up your mom. Stop looking like you want to die." "I'll buy you that limited edition cake later. Let's just move past this." He ruffled my hair like he always did. His expression natural, as if nothing had happened. Seeing my gloomy expression, he smiled and coaxed me: "Claire, don't overthink it. You're the only one in my heart." But seeing the strawberry-flavored ultra-thin condoms scattered on the floor, I couldn't deceive myself. I used all my strength to shove him away. His movements froze, his face instantly darkening: "All the men in our circle are like this." "If you can't even handle this much, how will you be Mrs. Foster?" For five years, I still hadn't emerged from the shadow of my mother being the other woman. Originally, I didn't want this wedding at all. It was Lucian who persuaded me again and again. He said it was time to move past old wounds. But when the day finally came, he still betrayed me. My heart throbbed with dull pain as tears streamed down against my will. I closed my eyes, my voice exhausted: "Let's cancel the wedding. I can't accept a cheating man." Lucian didn't expect me to say that. His voice rose, tinged with impatience: "Claire, I just slept with someone else once. Is that worth making such a big deal?" "Besides, back when your mom jumped, the scandal was all over the city. Her reputation was already ruined." "Without me, you're the daughter of a mistress. Who else do you think would want you?" I stared at this familiar yet strange man before me. My vision gradually blurred as my thoughts were instantly pulled back five years. Back then, my father had deceived my mother with a fake marriage certificate. Afterward, he came out to clarify, but instead made my mother get slandered online as a mistress. She was fired from her teaching job. Day and night, people threw red paint at our door. My grandparents fell ill from the stress and both passed away. When I was on the verge of suicide, it was Lucian who held me tight. "Your mother lived with integrity. She's absolutely not the kind of person they say she is!" Back then, he seized the knife from my hand, eyes red as he said: "Claire, you're so young. Why should you trade your life for a scumbag?" "If you want to die, I'll die with you!" His comfort gradually helped me let go of my hatred for my father. But in just five years, he casually told me he had cheated. Lucian's voice pulled me back from my pain: "Claire, you can't blame me entirely for this." "You're the one who set the rule—only once a year, and you have to disinfect everything first." "The Foster family has a huge legacy. I need an heir." "I haven't abandoned you all these years. That's already more than generous." With that, he reached out again, wanting to pull me into his arms to comfort me: "Besides, I already told you—the position of Mrs. Foster will always be yours. Stop throwing tantrums." Instead, I bent down and picked up the kitchen knife, screaming at him: "Lucian, don't touch me!" "You disgust me! You're so filthy it makes me sick!" Suddenly, the door was pushed open. A refined woman walked in, carrying two boxes of ultra-thin condoms. Lucian immediately released me and rushed forward to wrap his arm around her waist. His tone intimate and familiar: "Nina, did you buy everything?" "Still can't break that habit of liking strawberry flavor." Watching the two of them so natural and intimate. I stood there stunned, too pained to make a sound. After a long while, I finally found my voice and asked tremulously: "Who is this bitch?" Lucian's eyes were frivolous, his tone careless: "This is Nina Sutton, the daughter of the woman your father had an affair with." "Don't blame your dad. Nina inherited her mom's sex appeal. She serves me very well."
When he said this, his eyes held undisguised lingering pleasure. Nina clung to his arm and let out a mocking laugh: "If it isn't Claire. Back then your mom went crazy and jumped from a building. Now you've gone crazy and are attacking people." "Like mother, like daughter, I guess." I stared hard at the frivolous, heartless Lucian before me. My mind flooded with all his promises from years ago. He said he'd protect me for life, that he'd help me get revenge on those who hurt me. But now he was with my enemy's daughter, hurting me! Nina raised her hand, gently stroking her slightly rounded belly: "Claire, don't be mad at Lucian." "After all, our two families are practically one family." "When the baby's born, I'll have the child call you Mom." "Consider it my thanks for finding me such a good man." Lucian also reached out, tenderly caressing Nina's stomach. Smiling at me, he said: "You don't want to have children anyway. When Nina's baby is born, we'll just adopt it as ours." "It'll make you a mom without any of the work." I forced a smile as tears rolled down wildly. I screamed at him: "Lucian, dream on!" "I absolutely won't attend the wedding, and I'll never help my enemy raise her child!" Using all my strength, I slapped him hard across the face. I turned to push open the door and escape this place. But the moment I took a step, Lucian suddenly roared: "Claire, if you dare step out that door, I'll immediately stop your mother's special medication!" My footsteps froze in place. Looking at his face, it was as if I was seeing him for the first time. Back when my mother jumped and was critically injured, he postponed a multi-billion dollar business meeting to stay by her bedside without leaving. Back when I couldn't afford the medical bills and wanted to take out a loan at a small clinic. He immediately transferred my mother to a top-tier private hospital. Back then, he looked at me angrily and said: "Claire, I won't let you scrimp on this to shortchange Mom." "From now on, with me here, just rely on me. Trust me." But now, for my enemy's daughter, he was actually threatening me with my mother's life. Lucian touched the slap mark on his face, a cruel smile playing at his lips: "Claire, you made me angry today. I need to punish you properly." "Teach you how to be Mrs. Foster." With that, the two of them actually began removing their clothes right in front of me. I instantly understood what his so-called punishment meant. They embraced, kissing and entangling passionately as if I wasn't even there. Nina nestled against him, pretending to be shy: "Lucian, are you really going to make Claire watch? What if it affects your performance?" Seeing my uncontrollable trembling. Lucian showed no sympathy. Instead, he smirked: "Doesn't matter. She's always resisted this kind of thing anyway." "Today, let her see what real passion between a man and woman looks like." "Besides, having her watch actually makes me more interested." Nina immediately laughed mockingly: "Claire, you'd better study hard. After all, you'll have the title of Mrs. Foster going forward." "If you can't satisfy Lucian and he keeps coming to me, I won't be able to handle it." Watching my fiancé entangle intimately with another woman. My stomach spasmed. I couldn't hold it in anymore and bent over, vomiting violently. I nearly threw up bile. Seeing my agonized state, Lucian's eyes flickered. But it was instantly covered by coldness: "Enough. When you caught your dad cheating back then, didn't you see the same thing?" "No need to act like you've never seen it before with that innocent look."
I instantly recalled how, back when I was collapsed in pain. How gently he had pulled me into his embrace to comfort me. And how now, every word stabbed at my heart to humiliate me. His gentle appearance from the past and his heartless face now could no longer overlap even slightly. Finally, I stumbled out of that place in a daze, not even remembering how I got home. I swept the carefully prepared wedding cake on the table into the trash. My gaze fell on the note card I had written with such joy. Planning to read it at tomorrow's wedding: [Lucian, I'm so happy to have met you. For the rest of our lives, please take care of me.] Thinking back to the anticipation I felt when I first wrote those words. Now my chest tightened, even breathing brought sharp pain. I lay in bed, crying all night with my eyes open, my mind torn between two extremes. On one side were five years of his meticulous care, those tender and indulgent moments vivid in my mind. On the other was his blatant betrayal, his utterly heartless appearance. The two sets of images alternated, tormenting me mentally and physically. I don't know when, but I finally fell into an exhausted sleep. When I woke again, my forehead was burning hot with fever. And Lucian was sitting by my bedside. He held a clean washcloth, repeatedly pressing it to my forehead. The faint aroma of oatmeal drifted from the kitchen. Seeing me open my eyes, he immediately looked up, his tone reproachful: "Claire, do you have to wreck your body like this just to spite me?" "If you don't take care of yourself, how can you be Mrs. Foster?" His eyes flickered slightly, hiding a trace of concern. I suddenly remembered how before, when I fell critically ill and needed a kidney transplant. He didn't hesitate and directly donated one of his kidneys. Back then, I cried and asked him why he was so foolish. He gently wiped away my tears, his tone tender: "It's just one kidney. How could that be more important than my wife?" But now, looking into his eyes, my heart was filled with confusion. I could no longer tell if he truly loved me. He turned and brought over a bowl of warm porridge, scooping up a spoonful and gently blowing on it before bringing it to my lips. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke: "Let's give today's wedding to Nina." "You know she's pregnant. She gets upset easily. Once she safely delivers the baby, I'll definitely make it up to you." My heart lurched sharply, my eyes instantly reddening. So his return today wasn't because he was worried about my fever. He just came to inform me that my wedding was being given to another woman. Seeing my prolonged silence, his expression grew darker: "I already promised Nina I'd have you be her bridesmaid." "People everywhere are saying she's the mistress who interfered with our relationship. She can't handle the pressure." "If you don't come out and clarify, she won't give birth to this child." He paused, then said the words that hurt me most: "I need you to publicly admit at the wedding that you're the mistress." The tears I'd been holding back finally burst forth uncontrollably. I used all my strength to push away the bowl of porridge in his hand. The warm porridge spilled onto his expensive suit. He already knew my stubborn nature—back then, I'd rather die than not drag my scumbag father down with me. He immediately pulled out a photo of my mom and threw it in my face: "Claire, don't always be so willful. Think about your mother in the hospital bed." "Right now, with just one word from me, I can cut off your mother's special medication." "Her life or death—you decide. Don't force me to be cruel to you." Looking at this man who had become completely unrecognizable, my heart finally died. A cold countdown echoed in my mind. Less than 3 hours until erasure. I calmly closed my eyes and nodded gently: "Fine. I'll go to your wedding. I'll also admit that I'm the mistress." My compliance made him freeze. Clearly, he didn't expect me, who had just been resolutely resisting, to suddenly give in. His face immediately lit up with joy: "Claire, just be obedient. After the wedding, I'll definitely make it up to you." Watching him like this, my heart throbbed with pain, making it almost impossible to breathe. But my face showed no emotion. After he left in high spirits. I finally broke down, covering my head tightly with the blanket and sobbing out loud. I deleted all his photos from my phone, erasing every trace of him. Finally, with trembling hands, I dialed Nina's number: "Give me twenty million. Lucian—I'm giving him to you."
With the last remaining time. I came to my mother's special care ward. Seeing her frail form in the hospital bed, tears welled up. My mother looked up at me, immediately sensing something was wrong. Her voice hoarse as she spoke: "Isn't today your wedding? Claire, why aren't you there?" Eyes red, I forced back my sobs: "Mom, I don't love him anymore." My mother's expression changed instantly: "Did Lucian... also cheat?" I couldn't hold it in anymore. I nodded hard and collapsed by the bedside, crying uncontrollably. My mother gently patted my back, her voice full of heartache and helplessness: "Good girl, don't cry. Men can't be relied on." "My daughter is wonderful. You'll never lack people who love you." But the more gently she comforted me, the more my heart twisted. The countdown kept ticking in my mind. I ultimately couldn't tell her I was about to leave her forever. "Mom, I've already arranged to send you abroad for treatment." "In a little while, I'll come join you." My mother immediately grabbed my hand, her eyes full of anxiety: "The hospital transfer and special medication cost a lot of money, don't they?" "Claire, are you hiding something from me?" I suppressed the sharp pain in my chest, gently patting the back of her hand: "Mom, just focus on getting better. Don't overthink it. I'll definitely come find you." The countdown showed only 1 hour remaining. I went alone to what should have been my wedding venue. On the grand wedding stage, Nina wore a white wedding dress, nestled against Lucian. The backdrop that should have displayed photos of Lucian and me had long been replaced with wedding photos of him and Nina. The guests below saw my disheveled appearance and immediately began gossiping: "Isn't that the daughter of the mistress who jumped from a building back then?" "I heard she's crazy too. She once tried to stab her own father with a knife." "Mr. Foster already said she's here today to admit she's the mistress. Like mother, like daughter indeed." Seeing me, Nina covered her mouth and laughed lightly: "Claire, is that twenty million spending well?" "I knew you and I are the same—what you've always valued about Lucian is his money." Lucian's face was cold, his tone full of impatience and contempt: "Claire, am I really worth so little? You sold me out for twenty million?" "If you obediently be Nina's bridesmaid today, I'll give you two hundred million." Amid everyone's mockery and disdain, I numbly accepted the bouquet. Standing behind Nina, silently holding up her long wedding train. Finally came the wedding vows. Lucian looked at my docile appearance. His face showed satisfaction as he said quietly: "Claire, you've finally grown sensible and learned how to be Mrs. Foster." "This wedding is just going through the motions. I promise, the marriage certificate will still have your name." Nina also turned around, her face full of fake sympathy: "Thank you, Claire, for making this possible for Lucian and me." "You can go down now. We're about to exchange vows." At that very moment, I suddenly smiled—smiled through my tears. "Lucian, I'll give you a wedding you'll never forget." I pulled out a fruit knife and slashed Nina's face. Blood instantly gushed out. Lucian's expression changed drastically. He immediately shielded Nina behind him and shouted: "Security! Grab this crazy woman now!" But I didn't give him the chance. The countdown in my mind was about to reach its final second. I gripped the blood-stained knife. Without hesitation, I plunged it deep into my own heart. In the last moment before my vision blurred completely, I clearly saw. The fury in Lucian's eyes instantly transform into terror. He lunged toward me like a madman, desperately reaching out. His voice hoarse and broken: "No! Claire, I never actually meant to hurt you!" "I just wanted you to stay by my side, I just..."
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