Just because I was pregnant, his widowed sister-in-law threatened to kill herself. To appease her, my husband insisted I have an abortion, just to put her mind at ease. “Eleanor is just so lonely since my brother died,” he told me. “I’m just taking care of her for him, giving her a child. Don’t overthink it.” When I refused, he drugged me and took me to the clinic himself. When I woke up, my eyes were burning with tears. “Samuel, just because she was unhappy, you’ve made me lose three children!” He was impatient. “It’s just a baby. We can have another one later.” “For now, Eleanor needs to prepare for the pregnancy, so I’ll be staying with her. I’ll come back after she conceives.” He and Eleanor left together, hand in hand. A month later, Eleanor returned, one hand resting on her still-flat stomach. “I’m pregnant,” she announced. “You’ll have to take good care of Samuel for me now.” I burned the letter in my hand. It was from the city. The wedding date is set. I’m coming to get you. … 1 Samuel glanced at the smoldering paper in the hearth. “What are you burning?” My voice was flat. “Nothing.” He looked at me, a flicker of guilt in his eyes, and reached for my hand. “Phoebe, I know you’re still angry about what happened.” “But you shouldn’t have used your pregnancy to provoke her.” “You know how fragile she’s been ever since my brother and nephew died in that accident.” “This is for the best. I give Eleanor a child, she has a new reason to live, and our lives can finally be peaceful.” “If you want a baby that badly, we’ll have our own next time.” “No, thank you.” I pulled my hand away. This wasn’t the first time he’d forced me to abort our child because of Eleanor. The thought of my three lost babies made it hard to breathe. He wanted to make amends, but I was done. Samuel thought I was just sulking. He tried to coax me again. “It’s just one baby… Eleanor promised that after the child is born, she’ll leave us alone. We can have as many as we want then.” “She’s being so generous about it. Why are you still holding a grudge?” Eleanor, standing beside him, added with a soft smile, “Yes, Phoebe, please don’t be upset.” I almost laughed out loud. We were husband and wife, but we needed an outsider’s permission to have a child. It was a sick joke. I took a deep breath and handed him the divorce papers I’d prepared. “Samuel, let’s file for divorce.” Seven years of my life, three of my children. It was the price I paid for loving the wrong man. It was time to walk away. As I grabbed my packed suitcase, Eleanor’s eyes lit up. Samuel didn’t see it. He was staring at the papers, his whole body shaking with rage. Eleanor lowered her gaze, the picture of innocence. “Phoebe, I know you’re angry with me, but you don’t have to resort to these games. The baby is innocent.” That snapped him out of it. He tore the papers to shreds. “Don’t think you can manipulate me, Phoebe,” he sneered. “And don’t forget, if it weren’t for me, a disgraced tycoon’s daughter like you would have nothing!” The words were a dagger in my heart. In this new era, my family’s past was a stain. Samuel, on the other hand, had come from nothing, a former militia man who had clawed his way up to the rank of Commander. He truly believed I owed my comfortable life entirely to him. Seeing my silence, his tone softened. “Alright, Phoebe. Let’s just forget this. Stop making a scene.” “Eleanor and I have discussed it. We’re going to have a ceremony, to give the unborn child a name.” “But don’t worry,” he added, as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. “We’ll get a ‘divorce’ as soon as the baby is born. You are my only real wife.” Eleanor’s expression darkened for a split second. “The reception is today. We’ve already arranged everything. You’ll come with us, as a witness. With you there, people won’t gossip.” He tried to take my arm, his voice turning gentle. “After the ceremony, I’ll move back in. Eleanor has just conceived, so I need you to take good care of her.” I ripped my arm away, trembling with fury. “Samuel, she’s carrying your child, and you want me to be her nursemaid?” His eyes flashed. “You’re my wife! What’s wrong with looking after my sister-in-law and my child? Besides, when the baby is born, it’ll have to call you ‘Auntie’ anyway.” I sucked in a breath. “I refuse! I told you, I want a divorce!” Samuel’s face hardened. Before he could speak, Eleanor sighed, her voice thick with emotion. “Phoebe, are you still holding this against me? If you hate me, I’ll leave. I’ll never come between you and Samuel again. But please, I beg you, let me keep this baby. It’s the only thing I have to live for.” “Please don’t use these tactics to force Samuel to get rid of another one…” She looked as if she was about to drop to her knees. Samuel rushed to her side, pulling her up, his voice urgent and tender. “Eleanor, this isn’t your fault. You don’t need to kneel to her.” The way he looked at her, full of concern… it was the same way he had looked at me, all those years ago when he first told me he loved me. He soothed Eleanor, then turned to face me. His eyes were ice. “Don’t push your luck, Phoebe.” “We’ve both told you, this is temporary. The baby and Eleanor are no threat to your position. What more do you want?” “The ceremony is about to start. I don’t have time for this. Let’s go.” He glanced at his watch and reached for me. I slapped his hand away and turned to leave. That was the last straw. He grabbed the heavy thermos from a nearby table and smashed it over my head. CRACK— The world spun. A dull, blooming pain exploded at the back of my skull. I froze, stunned. After a few seconds, I reached up to touch the spot. My fingertips came away slick with red. Slowly, I turned to look at him. Samuel stared for a moment, then his face hardened again. “You asked for this.” “I told you, today is the ceremony. I don’t have time to play your games!” He shoved me violently toward the door, then called for two of his men. They manhandled me into the back of a pickup truck waiting outside. Eleanor, holding his arm, climbed in after me. “When we get there, you keep your mouth shut,” Samuel warned. “You’ll tell everyone that you and I divorced a long time ago, and this has nothing to do with Eleanor. If you damage her reputation, don’t blame me for what happens next.” Rage ignited inside me. “Samuel, when will this end? I told you, I want a divorce—” SLAP— His hand cracked across my face before I could finish. “Phoebe, you can have your tantrum after today!” The blow left my head ringing. He looked at me with disgust, then pulled a piece of cloth from the dashboard and threw it at me. “Wipe the blood off your face. Don’t give people the wrong idea.” I looked down. The cloth… was a pair of women’s panties. I went rigid. Eleanor noticed and snatched them back, a strange mix of embarrassment and playful annoyance on her face. “Samuel, I thought you put these away. Why are they still here?” He glanced at them, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. “Must have overlooked them.” He grabbed a clean rag and tossed it to me. The thought of what they had done in this truck made my stomach turn. I moved to get out. Samuel’s voice was a blade of ice. “Phoebe, disobedience has consequences.” I remembered the last time. Because Eleanor had complained my cooking was bland, he had poured a pot of scalding soup over my shoulder. I was covered in blistering burns, but he forbade the local clinic from treating me. I spent two weeks in agony, fighting off infection and fever, until my body finally gave out or gave in. The right side of my shoulder is still a mass of scarred tissue. The memory made me sink back into my seat. Seeing my submission, Eleanor smiled and leaned against Samuel, starting a cheerful conversation, asking if he was tired, asking if the baby was bothering him. I knew she was trying to provoke me. To make me lash out so Samuel would punish me again. It was an old, familiar game. But this time, I just closed my eyes. My lack of reaction seemed to annoy Samuel. His face fell. The ceremony was being held at the Officer’s Club in the city. When we arrived, my legs were unsteady. He shot me a look of contempt. “You’re a mess. Clean yourself up.” “And when you get inside, you behave.” He nodded to his two men, then let Eleanor lead him into the club. The summer sun beat down, making my head spin even more. I licked my cracked lips and forced myself to walk inside. The room was filled with Samuel’s friends and colleagues. When he and Eleanor entered, cheers erupted. When I followed, the room fell silent. Everyone stared. “She came?” someone whispered. Eleanor spoke up, her voice clear. “I invited Phoebe to be our witness today.” The guests exchanged uneasy looks, then forced a few laughs. Their eyes, when they looked at me, were filled with scorn. “She still has the nerve to show her face? Shameless.” Eleanor smoothed things over. Samuel stood beside her, his arm around her. They were both dressed in their finest—Eleanor in a smart, tailored suit and polished shoes, her face glowing. I, on the other hand, looked like a ghost, my hair matted with blood, my face deathly pale. “Right! This is a joyous occasion!” someone shouted. “Commander, Ms. Eleanor, congratulations!” Eleanor smiled, tightening her grip on Samuel’s waist and glancing at me. Then she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. The crowd roared. “Another one! Another one!” Samuel blushed but leaned in and kissed her fully on the lips. They melted into each other, oblivious to the world, lost in a deep, passionate kiss. The guests cheered and clapped, their eyes darting to me, hungry for the drama. They all knew how desperately I loved Samuel. In the past, I’d chased off any woman who showed an interest in him. When he first brought Eleanor to live in the compound, I had lost my mind, screaming, smashing things, even threatening him with a knife to make him send her away. To everyone here, I was the crazy one. But now, I just stood there, perfectly still. All I could think was, They’re so in love. Maybe now he’ll finally agree to the divorce. After a moment, as if just remembering I was there, Eleanor pulled away. “Samuel, Phoebe is watching. This isn’t right…” He glanced at me, unconcerned. “Who cares about her?” Eleanor patted his arm playfully, then looked at me with an apologetic expression. “Phoebe… don’t be angry. Samuel didn’t mean it.” “I’m not angry.” I offered a faint smile. “Seeing you two so happy, I can only wish you the best.” I looked at Samuel. “If you truly love each other this much, you should have signed the papers a long time ago, for her sake.” His face went cold. Eleanor looked panicked. “Phoebe… don’t misunderstand. Samuel and I are only doing this for the baby…” “After the baby is born, I’ll leave him.” Someone in the crowd scoffed. “Are you crazy, Phoebe? The Commander and Ms. Eleanor are in love. They have a child on the way. And you’re still trying to break them up?” “Don’t you know that makes you the other woman?” The speaker was Corporal Davis, one of Samuel’s subordinates and his biggest supporter. None of his men thought my background was good enough for him. “Please, don’t say that about Phoebe…” Eleanor pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. “It’s all my fault…” Seeing her cry, Samuel’s heart melted. He comforted her for a long moment before turning his fury on me. “Phoebe, how many times do I have to tell you to behave?” “Eleanor has the kindest heart. Does it make you happy to see her cry?” I knew he only had eyes for her. It didn’t even hurt anymore. “You’re right. My mistake. I’ll leave.” I turned to go, but Eleanor rushed forward and grabbed my arm. “Phoebe, no… I should be the one to leave, not you…” I tried to pull my hand free. In the next second, her expression changed. She threw herself backward, crashing into a nearby table. A pot of hot tea overturned, splashing onto her arm. She screamed in pain. “Eleanor!” Samuel shoved me aside and ran to her. The force of his push sent me stumbling into a chair, the corner digging sharply into my back. Pain flared through my body, aggravating my existing injuries. “Samuel…” Eleanor whimpered, cradled in his arms, a red blotch already forming on her skin. “It’s not Phoebe’s fault, it was me…” Her words were meant to sound like a defense, but they only fueled Samuel’s rage. “Phoebe! Do you have to be so malicious? Do you have to hurt her?” “Fine. Words don’t get through to you. Maybe I need to teach you a lesson you’ll remember!” He cupped Eleanor’s injured hand, his voice dropping to a gentle whisper. “Eleanor, she hurt you. What should her punishment be?” Eleanor feigned reluctance. “Samuel, we shouldn’t…” His voice was grim. “You’re too kind! A vicious woman like her needs to be punished!” “Even if you wanted her dead, she would deserve it!” The guests stared at me with amusement and contempt. A chill washed over me. The whole situation was laughable. Ten years together, seven years of marriage, and he didn’t have a shred of trust in me. Eleanor didn’t even have to try. She won without a fight. Finally, Eleanor spoke, her voice laced with false sympathy. “The hot water spilled on me… so I suppose it’s only fair she gets the same.” Samuel didn’t hesitate. “Davis,” he commanded. “Fetch a bucket of hot water!” Davis ran to the kitchen and returned with a steaming bucket. My pupils shrank. I backed away instinctively. “Samuel! You’ll kill me!” “You know my health is poor…” A few years ago, during a major flood, he had been on the front lines and gone missing. I had searched for him for three days and nights, wading through the floodwaters. A falling tree had crushed my leg, but I ignored the pain and kept searching until I found him. The wound became infected from the contaminated water, and I was hospitalized for three months. Ever since, my immune system has been compromised. I’m prone to infections and allergic reactions. A major burn could be a death sentence. He paused. But then Eleanor moaned beside him. “It’s fine, Samuel, I’m okay…” His expression hardened. “You hurt her first. This is what you deserve.” “If you die, you’ll have brought it on yourself!” My heart clenched. I stared at him in disbelief. When he had learned how badly I was injured saving him, he had cried, staying by my bedside, caring for me himself, terrified I would have the slightest discomfort. When the doctors told him about the permanent damage to my health, he had held me, his eyes red, and promised he would protect me, that he would nurse me back to health no matter how difficult it was. But now… everything had changed. He nodded at Davis. Davis and another man blocked my path. He smiled cruelly, advancing with the bucket. Seeing the steam rising from the water, I tried to run. They grabbed me and forced me to the floor. “Ms. Xie,” Davis sneered, “if you just accept your punishment, it will be over quickly. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee things won’t get… messy.” I shook my head, screaming for help. No one moved. They all knew who held the power here. Davis laughed, and lifted the bucket. SPLASH— A wave of scalding water crashed over me. I curled into a ball, trying to shield my head with my back. Searing pain exploded across my skin. I screamed. The world went dark at the edges. I lay on the floor, my body convulsing. The air filled with the sickening smell of burned flesh. It felt as if my skin was being peeled off. Davis laughed again. “Well, look at that, Ms. Xie. I didn’t know you could breakdance.” The crowd joined in the mockery. My body twitched in agony, a roar filling my ears. Through the haze, I heard Samuel’s voice, cold as a blade. “You deserve it! You hurt Eleanor, you pay the price!” I struggled to lift my head, my vision blurred with pain. I could only see his distorted, monstrous silhouette. Nothing remained of the man I once loved. I stared at him, a white-hot hatred consuming me. He knew what he had done to my body, how fragile I was. And still, he did this, just to please her. “You’re right. It is my fault.” “My mistake was ever knowing you.” My empty, numb gaze seemed to unnerve him. A flicker of doubt crossed his face, but he quickly suppressed it. “Still unrepentant, Phoebe?” “It seems you haven’t suffered enough!” He snatched another bucket of hot water from Davis and poured it over me. A piercing scream ripped through the club. Every cell in my body was on fire. My exposed skin was blistering and peeling away. Still not satisfied, he grabbed my raw, burned hand and dragged me in front of Eleanor. “If you still won’t admit you’re wrong, then you will kneel here and beg for her forgiveness!” “Nine hundred and ninety-nine times. We’ll be done when you’re done!” I was numb with pain. I looked up at him. “If I do it, will you sign the papers?” His eyes blazed. He couldn’t understand why I was being so defiant. In the past, he only had to raise his voice, and I would crumble. Today, I wouldn’t break. I repeated, “Promise me, and I’ll do it.” He looked like he wanted to strangle me. Eleanor put a hand on his arm. “Samuel, just agree. She’s in a pitiful state.” He took her hand, his voice softening. “Alright. Whatever you say.” Then he glared at me. “Fine, I promise!” Eleanor shot me a triumphant look. “Phoebe, this is your only chance. Don’t waste it.” I fought through the pain, forced myself to my knees, and began to bow my head to the floor. One after another. Blood and sloughed-off skin smeared the tiles. My whole body felt like it was splitting open. It was a horrific sight. I continued like a machine, feeling nothing. Samuel’s expression, however, grew darker and darker. Someone in the crowd murmured, “This is too much…” “She shouldn’t have crossed Ms. Eleanor. Everyone knows she’s the Commander’s whole world.” Eleanor beamed at the comment and kissed Samuel again. I ignored them. My indifference seemed to spoil his mood. Suddenly, he spoke. “Phoebe is badly hurt. If she keeps this up, she might actually die.” “How about this instead? If she drinks a cup of urine, I’ll call it even.” She smiled sweetly. “They say urine is a natural antiseptic. It would be good for her wounds.” My head snapped up. Before I could speak, Samuel said, “Enough.” For a second, I thought he’d found his conscience. But then he continued, “We’ll do as Eleanor says. She’s a teacher. She knows what she’s talking about.” “This is for your own good,” he added, as if granting me a great favor. I laughed, a silent, broken sound. I was a fool to think he had any humanity left. He would do anything to please her. My laughter seemed to make him uneasy. He lowered his voice. “Phoebe, just drink it, and we can go back to how things were.” “After the baby is born,” he whispered, “we’ll be happy again.” I smiled. After torturing and humiliating me for her, he thought we could just go back? Seeing that I wasn’t responding, his patience wore thin. “Davis! Hold her down! Make her drink it!” Davis and two other men pinned me. Eleanor returned with a bowl of foul-smelling liquid and handed it to Davis with a smirk. “Don’t waste it, Phoebe.” Davis brought the bowl to my lips. The stench made me gag. I shook my head, struggling, fighting with everything I had left. The movement tore at my burned skin, and fresh blood welled up. Samuel’s voice was suddenly gentle. “Phoebe, it’s for your own good.” “Be a good girl. After you drink it, I’ll take you to the hospital.” I stared at him with pure hatred, but Davis forced my head toward the bowl. The overwhelming pain and humiliation finally consumed me. A wave of blackness washed over me. I coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed. I was dying. The last thing I saw was Samuel’s panicked face rushing toward me.
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