Chapter 1 After the nineteenth time I completely lost my mind and clawed at his mistress’s face, Julian snapped. He had his men run over my father with a car, paralyzing him. He had them drug my little brother, leaving him brain-damaged. For the sake of my family, I never dared to stop Julian from cheating again. When he brought women home, I made the bed for them. When he got someone pregnant, I handled the abortions. It wasn't until Julian slept with my younger sister, Chloe, that I finally broke. I dropped to my knees and begged him: "You've already destroyed my family. How could Chloe ever possibly love you? I'm begging you, please, let her go." Julian scoffed. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me straight to my family's estate. In the backyard, my father was walking alongside a visibly pregnant Chloe, moving perfectly fine. My brother was hovering around her, laughing and joking, completely coherent and sane. "You see? I lied to you. Who told you to throw such a psycho tantrum back then?" Julian smirked. "I gave your family five million dollars. Not only did your dad and brother agree to play along, but your sister even calls me her husband now." My face went deathly pale. I couldn't believe that even my own family had been lying to me. Julian pulled out a blank check and threw it in my face. "Chloe is pregnant, and I want her to have this baby legitimately. As long as you agree to a quiet divorce, you can write whatever number you want on that check." But he didn't even hand me a pen. He was absolutely certain that after loving him so deeply for ten years, I would lose my mind. He was certain that I would rather take nothing than give up my title as Mrs. Sterling. But I stayed silent for a long time. And then, I actually named my price. "Then give me five million dollars too." From this day forward, whether it was my family or my lover. Our debts were cleared. Julian stared at me for two seconds, then let out a mocking laugh. "Boring. I thought I was going to see you scream and throw a psycho fit like you used to." "But you're just standing there, dead inside." I clutched the check and looked up at him. "Give me the money first. If you really want to see it, I can perform for you." "Perform?" The smile on Julian's face vanished instantly, his eyes turning dark. "Sarah, do you really want to divorce me?" His voice was loud. The three people a short distance away heard him and hurried over. Seeing that Julian looked unhappy, my father didn't hesitate for a second. He raised his hand, fully intending to slap me across the face. "Did you piss off Mr. Sterling again?!" But before his hand could land, Julian caught his wrist. Terrified of crossing Julian, my father awkwardly lowered his hand. He turned to me and cursed under his breath: "You stupid bitch! Can't you just obediently serve Mr. Sterling? Are you trying to drag this entire family down with you again?!" I gave a bitter smile. "Drag the family down? Aren't you all just leeches sucking my blood?" "Dad, the five million you got for selling your daughter... is it treating you well?" My father's face flushed a furious red. My brother immediately stepped up, pointing a finger in my face. "You ungrateful bitch! How dare you talk to Dad like that!" In the end, it was Chloe who weakly intervened, turning to Julian: "Julian, did my sister make you angry again?" Julian ignored her. Instead, he snatched the blank check right out of my hand. He pulled out a pen, scribbled a number on it, took a divorce agreement from his bodyguard, and threw both of them back in front of me. "No, your sister has finally learned how to behave." "She agreed to a divorce." The eyes of all three of my family members instantly lit up. Julian glared at me coldly, tapping the last page of the agreement. "Sign here." I didn't hesitate. I picked up the pen and started writing. But just as I was about to finish the last letter of my name, Julian suddenly grabbed my hand. "Sarah, you better think this through. If we actually divorce, I will never want you back." "If you want to back out, now is your chance." I didn't flinch. Using the momentum of his grip, I forcefully finished the last stroke of my signature. I handed the signed agreement back to him. Julian looked as if my attitude infuriated him. He couldn't even bear to look at me anymore. "Then pack your things and get out as soon as possible. The Sterling estate needs to be prepared for its true mistress." "Let's go, Chloe. I'll walk with you a little longer." With that, he wrapped his arm around Chloe's waist. As he turned, he intentionally bumped his shoulder hard into mine. The impact made me stumble back two steps. My father and brother immediately followed them. I don't know what they whispered in Chloe's ear, but all of them burst into laughter. I stood there, watching them. My eyes burned so badly it hurt. This was the first time I realized that my father and brother were actually capable of laughing. I didn't look away until they were far out of sight. I gripped the check even tighter in my hand. I went to the bank and cashed it. But on the ride back, after thinking it over and over, I told the driver to change course and head to Dr. Evans's lab. "That fake-death pill you mentioned last time... do you still have it?" Dr. Evans pushed his glasses up his nose, pondering for a moment. "I do have it." "But last time you said you wanted to take it with your family. If multiple people take it, the target is too big. Mr. Sterling will definitely get suspicious." I shook my head. "There is no family. It's just me." "Julian and I are getting divorced. But I know him. Even if he throws something away, he won't let anyone else have it. The only way I can truly escape is if I die right in front of him." Dr. Evans didn't ask any more questions. He handed me a small pill bottle. "There are three pills in total. Take one every three hours. After taking them, your body will become increasingly weak, culminating in symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. When the time comes, I'll use the body donation agreement you signed earlier to come and collect you." I took the bottle without a second thought, unscrewed the cap, and swallowed the first pill dry. The world instantly began to spin. Double vision clouded my eyes. I gripped the edge of his desk to steady myself, panting slightly as I rasped: "Thank you, Dr. Evans." Dr. Evans sighed, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Nothing to thank me for. I'm not that noble. I just needed a live test subject." "Ms. Davis. I wish you freedom." I forced myself to stand straight and slowly shuffled toward the door. Right before I stepped out, I turned and smiled at him: "Okay." "Here's to my freedom." By the time I got back to the Sterling estate, Julian had already moved Chloe in. He was sitting on the sofa. When he saw me walk in, he frowned impatiently. But as his eyes swept over my ghostly pale face, a look of sudden satisfaction crossed his features. "What's wrong? Starting to regret it now?" "Too bad. I already moved Chloe in. She's upstairs right now having the maids clean out your room." I didn't say a word. I silently walked toward the stairs. The door to the master bedroom was wide open. My belongings were thrown haphazardly into the hallway. Clothes were scattered across the floor. The wedding photo that had hung on the wall for ten years was smashed on the ground, the frame splintered into pieces. By my feet sat the velvet box that held my wedding ring. It was open, and completely empty. Hearing my footsteps, Chloe poked her head out to look at me. She flashed her left hand at me, showing off the ring on her ring finger: "Look, Sarah! Your wedding ring fits me perfectly!" "Since Julian doesn't want you anymore, there's no point in you keeping these things. I'm just helping you clean up." As she spoke, she kicked one of my pillows out the door. I didn't know when, but Julian had silently appeared behind me. He leaned casually against the wall, his eyes resting on Chloe, brimming with absolute adoration. He allowed her to throw my things all over the floor without uttering a single word of protest. Instead, he mocked me: "Chloe, why are you throwing out the trash yourself? Don't stress the baby." "Just let her pack her own garbage and get the hell out." After saying that, Julian looked up at me, waiting. He was waiting for me to lose my mind. Waiting for me to scream, lose control, and lunge at Chloe to claw at her face like I used to. Waiting for me to drop to my knees, crying and begging him not to cheat, begging him to only love me. But I gave him absolutely no reaction. I looked at the disaster zone that used to be my bedroom. I really didn't have much worth packing anyway. I kept my head down and turned to leave. I had barely taken two steps down the stairs when Julian's voice stopped me. "Halt! You took five million dollars of my money, and you think you can just walk away that easily?" "Isn't there a thirty-day cooling-off period for the divorce? There's no room for you in the guest rooms. But the maid's quarters on the first floor are empty. You can stay there. I paid for you, so I might as well get my money's worth." I knew Julian wouldn't let me go that easily. But anywhere was fine. My head was spinning worse by the minute. I just wanted to find a place to rest. But before I could even turn around, Chloe's bratty, entitled voice rang out again: "Sarah, why don't you wait before going to your room?" "Ever since I got pregnant, I've been starving all the time. Go to the kitchen and make me something to eat. Dad and Leo are coming over soon, too." I turned back to look at her. The face I had watched grow up since we were children was now twisted with pure malice. It made me feel a strange, agonizing pain. I couldn't help but ask: "Chloe, I was always so good to you when we were growing up. Clothes, jewelry, all the best things—I always thought of you first." "Julian is your brother-in-law. Why would you..." Chloe clearly hated hearing this. She waved her hand impatiently. "Who cares why? You married into the Sterling family and lived the high life, but when I asked you to introduce me to some rich guys, you always made excuses! Now you want to play the loving sister card? It's so fake." I desperately tried to explain: "Those guys were either alcoholics or abusive! You would never have been happy marrying them..." "Shut up! You just couldn't stand the thought of me having a better life than you! If you wouldn't introduce me to anyone, I had to find someone myself. And now, I'm the one who's going to be Mrs. Sterling!" I wanted to say more. But Julian sharply cut me off. "Sarah, are you deaf? Chloe said she's hungry! Stop talking garbage and get to work!" I had no choice but to swallow my words and head to the kitchen. A little while later, my father and brother arrived. The sounds of them laughing and chatting in the living room drifted into the kitchen, stabbing at my ears and making my double vision even worse. I forced myself to finish cooking a massive spread. Just as I bent down to pick up the very last plate... Crash! The porcelain plate slipped from my fingers and shattered into pieces on the floor. A sharp, agonizing pain erupted from my forehead. An expensive glass diffuser had shattered against my skull. Shards of glass flew everywhere as blood began to stream down my face. I reached up to cover the wound. But I couldn't stop it. Blood leaked through my fingers. My vision turned entirely red. Chloe was still screaming at me: "You shameless bitch! We're already getting a divorce, and you're still trying to seduce Julian! I just accidentally splashed a little cold water on you, and now you're sitting here playing the victim?! Julian, don't believe her!" I turned my head to look at Julian. "I wasn't trying to seduce you." But Julian was clearly determined to make things difficult for me. "Apologize to Chloe." I froze for a split second, then without any hesitation... I lowered my head and apologized to Chloe: "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to seduce Mr. Sterling." Julian's cold composure instantly shattered. It was as if he couldn't handle my completely indifferent, compliant reaction. He violently grabbed my wrist and demanded: "Sarah, why aren't you fighting back?! Where are your excuses?! You used to love explaining yourself, didn't you?! Why aren't you saying anything?! Fight with me!" "If you just lose your mind right now, I'll give you another five million. We won't get a divorce!" I looked up at him. Blood ran into my eyes. Julian's face was a blurry, distorted mess. "Mr. Sterling, I already apologized." "I'm tired. I want to go to sleep." Julian was furious. He squeezed my wrist so hard the bones creaked. He dragged my stumbling body down the stairs and forcefully threw me into the maid's quarters. "Fine! You want to play tough?! Let's see if you can keep this dead-inside act up for the rest of your life!" He turned and roared at the maids: "Listen to me, all of you!" "Lock this door from the outside! Do not leave anything but the window! Unless I give the order, no one is allowed to let her out!" Julian's furious footsteps stormed away. I stumbled and leaned heavily against the wardrobe to stay upright. My phone slipped from my pocket and hit the floor. The screen shattered. On it was a text from Dr. Evans, sent five minutes ago: [You can take the third pill now.] I wiped the phone, pulled out the pill bottle, and swallowed the final pill, washing it down with the rusty taste of my own blood. Not long after, a heavy thud echoed from the maid's quarters downstairs. It sounded like a dead weight crashing onto the hardwood floor. Julian paused, a book in his hands, fully intending to get out of bed and go downstairs to check on me. But Chloe wrapped her arms around his waist, her body pressing softly against his. "Julian, don't go. She's probably just throwing a tantrum and hitting the door." "You locked her up for the night, just let her out in the morning. If you cave this fast, she'll never learn her lesson." Julian hesitated for a moment, deciding Chloe made a good point. He lay back down, resting his hand on her pregnant belly. He figured he would go down later, once I started making a bigger scene. But that night was completely silent. After that heavy thud, no other sound ever came from my room. The next morning, when Julian came downstairs for breakfast, he lifted his chin toward the housekeeper, Maria. "Let her out to eat." "Keep an eye on her. She's probably going to throw a massive fit." Maria nodded and took the keys to unlock the door. The room inside was pitch black. And far too quiet. Julian felt a strange sense of unease, but he couldn't put his finger on why. Until a terrified, blood-curdling scream erupted from inside the room. Maria stumbled out, her face deathly pale, practically crawling on her hands and knees: "Dead! She's dead!" "Her head is covered in dried blood! She's not breathing! Sarah is dead!"
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "527573", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel