Chapter 1
It was a beautiful light smoke-gray, absolutely perfect.
She planned to hide it at the bottom of the closet and surprise him when he came home that night.
But instead, at the very bottom of the closet, she found a marriage certificate.
The photo on the certificate was still a picture of her and Julian.
But his name had an extra initial in front: J. Julian.
And the woman’s name was Chloe, her twin sister.
Sounds came from outside, Julian seemed to be back.
Someone else was with him, probably his assistant.
Riley hid in the closet and listened to their conversation.
“Mr. Fuentes, the handbag Miss Chloe liked while shopping today? I’ve already arranged to have it delivered to her home. We told her she was a lucky winner chosen during the mall’s anniversary sale, and the bag was her prize.”
Julian nodded. “Well done.”
“Mr. Fuentes, I don’t quite understand. If you like Miss Chloe so much, why not just reveal your identity and confess directly? Why go undercover and pursue her twin sister first?”
Julian’s voice sounded a little desolate.
“Chloe has rejected me ninety-nine times, but I can’t let her go. I will only ever love her. As for Riley… she looks eighty percent like Chloe. I just wanted to use her to take the wedding photo on the marriage certificate. Chloe’s ID was used for the actual registration.”
“You truly are devoted to Miss Chloe. Even after being rejected so many times, you still find a way to be with her.”
Julian’s voice turned dark. “Even if I can’t win her heart, I won’t let her marry another man. She can only be mine!”
“So, you disguised your identity to make it easier to escape later?”
“Exactly,” Julian said. “I’ll accrue massive debts under the name Julian, so Riley will have no choice but to let go.”
That night, Riley stayed in the closet, not coming out.
She clutched the marriage certificate, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.
So, she was just a tool, used by Julian in his ruthless pursuit.
From the very beginning, he had only loved Chloe.
All that talk about him being a slave to the corporate grind earning only four thousand a month, or not being able to afford a proper wedding ceremony or flowers – it was all a lie!
He was the heir to the colossal Fuentes Group empire, wealthy beyond imagination. What couldn’t he afford?
He hid his identity and skipped the wedding because she wasn’t the woman he truly wanted to marry!
She wasn’t worthy!
The next morning, Riley went straight to the department store and returned the tie.
Then, she bought a plane ticket.
The staff member asked her, “Ma’am, where would you like to fly?”
Riley handed her all the refund money. “See how far this can get me. Just pick the furthest destination possible.”
Soon, she received a text message confirming her ticket.
Seven days later, her flight would depart for Nigeria.
She looked it up on the map. It was a small country in Africa.
Perfect. Africa was far enough.
When she got home, the lights were off.
Julian didn’t seem to be awake yet.
Just as she was about to unlock the door with her key, she heard a sound from inside.
Julian was holding a woman’s hair tie, kissing it frantically against his lips. “Chloe… Chloe… good girl, I love you…”
At the same time, his hand moved rhythmically below, until he found his release.
Round after round, he seemed tireless, continuing for a full three hours.
Riley waited outside the door for three hours. Only when the sounds completely ceased did she push the door open and step inside.
Julian saw her, and the intoxicated look on his face instantly morphed into indifference. “Where have you been? Why weren’t you home all morning?”
Riley opened a window to air out the room, letting the heavy, cloying scent of stale desire dissipate.
She and Julian had been “married” for over half a year, but Julian had never touched her.
Several times, she had tried to be intimate, but Julian would merely push her away gently. “I’m exhausted from work. I don’t have the energy for anything else. You should rest. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
At first, she genuinely believed he was just a corporate drone overworked by a soulless company, so she didn’t mind and even felt bad for him.
But now that the truth was out, she finally understood the reason for his coldness all these years.
It was all just an excuse.
Riley said, “The supermarket on the west side of town had a sale on groceries this morning, so I went to queue for it.”
Julian looked at her empty hands, puzzled. “Then where are the groceries?”
Chapter 2
Riley said, “I accidentally tripped on the way back. The groceries were crushed, so I threw them away.”
Julian simply hummed in response, saying nothing else.
Riley asked, “Aren’t you going to ask if I got hurt when I fell?”
Julian snapped, “So, did you get hurt?”
“No, I’ll just take care of it myself.”
Julian frowned, a hint of impatience in his voice. “I’m already incredibly busy and tired. Don’t keep testing if I still love you. It’s really annoying.”
Riley let out a bitter laugh.
A woman’s intuition is rarely wrong.
Ever since they got married, she had constantly doubted whether he truly loved her.
So, she would often test him.
But now she understood: if she doubted, it meant he didn’t love her.
Riley said, “Don’t worry, I won’t do these pointless tests anymore.”
Julian’s expression finally softened. “Good. Just remember that. Don’t keep bothering me.”
I will remember.
Because in seven days, I’ll be gone from your world forever.
You don’t need to cook up some massive debt to drive me away. I’ll leave on my own. I won’t cling to you.
“Julian, tomorrow’s the weekend. Will you come shopping with me? I want to buy my father a birthday gift.”
Julian frowned irritably. “No time. I have to work overtime.”
“Chloe will be there too.”
As expected, at the mention of Chloe’s name, Julian conceded. “Since it’s for my father-in-law’s gift, then as a son-in-law, I suppose I should make an appearance.”
Saturday morning, she and Julian went to the department store.
Chloe waved at them from a distance. “Sister, brother-in-law, we’re over here—!”
Julian immediately turned his back, not letting Chloe or their parents see his face.
He whispered to Riley, “You go ahead and shop. I’m going to the restroom.”
Then he hurried away.
Chloe quickly ran over, affectionately linking her arm through Riley’s. “Sister, why did brother-in-law run off again? Since you two got married, Mom and Dad and I still haven’t seen what he looks like.”
Riley offered a faint smile and said, “You’ll see him eventually.”
When I’m gone, he’ll definitely take you by force, bring you home, and lock you up.
Then, even if you don’t want to see him, he’ll force you to.
As for these in-laws, he’ll probably be eager to claim them as his own.
Chloe linked her arm through their father’s, coaxing, “Dad, what gift do you want? I’ll buy it for you! I’ve been making money tutoring lately!”
Their mother quickly interjected, “You’re still in school, where would you get the money? Your thoughtfulness is enough. Let your sister buy it.”
After that, her mother specifically turned to Riley. “Your sister has been tutoring lately and her little face has gotten so thin from exhaustion. As the older sister, you should feel for her. The money for your father’s gift should come from you.”
Riley actually wanted to ask.
If Chloe was tired from tutoring, was she not tired from working as a delivery driver?
And she was only born one minute before her sister. Did that mean she had to tolerate and support everything about her sister? Why?
Her father saw that she didn’t immediately answer and instantly rebuked her. “It’s just a bit of your money, and you’re acting so unwilling. How much did I spend raising you? You can’t even bear to buy a gift. You’re truly selfish, a heartless ingrate!”
Chloe feigned concern, crying, “Oh, Mom and Dad, don’t talk about Sister like that. Sister didn’t say she wouldn’t buy it. Come on, let’s go pick out a gift! Sister is the most filial. As long as Dad likes it, she’ll definitely buy it, right, Sister?”
Her father glared fiercely at Riley, but when he turned to Chloe, his expression immediately softened into a doting smile. “Our Chloe is the most filial and sensible one.”
“Dad, when I start working, I’ll buy you anything you want!”
“Oh, my sweet girl, Dad doesn’t need you to buy gifts. As long as you’re healthy and happy, that’s enough. Just buy things for yourself with your money.”
Her father, mother, and Chloe walked ahead, browsing and picking things out, like a happy family of three.
Riley walked behind them, ignored by everyone, spoken to by no one, as if she were merely an attendant responsible for paying today.
Her father picked out a watch and gestured to her. “Riley, I think this one’s good.”
Riley glanced at the price. A Tudor watch. While not an excessively luxurious brand, even the lowest-end model cost at least twenty to thirty thousand.
Almost all her money had gone towards buying the plane ticket; she didn’t have much cash left.
She said, “Dad, why don’t you look at something else? There are plenty of other stores ahead…”
“Just say you don’t want to buy it! What kind of excuse is that? I like this one. Are you buying it or not?!”
Chloe started to tear up. “Dad, maybe I can get another part-time job and save up to buy it for you…”
Just then, the manager of the watch store walked out with a beaming smile. “You must be Miss Chloe, correct?”
Chloe nodded. “Yes, but how do you know me?”
The manager was overly flattering. “Your friend just instructed us that anything in our mall today, anything you and your family like, you can take with you. He’ll take care of the bill! Sir, you like this watch, right? I’ll have someone wrap it up for you immediately!”
Chapter 3
Her parents’ eyes lit up with surprise. “Chloe, when did you get such a rich friend?”
Chloe’s face flushed. “I… I don’t know either.”
Just then, a commotion erupted downstairs.
It turned out the mall’s entire security team had been deployed, clearing the entire place in moments.
The entire mall was now serving only the Miller family.
A man who looked like an assistant approached, speaking to Chloe with great respect and politeness. “Miss Chloe, my master has instructed that today, you should simply browse with Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Just tell me what you like, and I’ll carry it for you.”
Chloe asked, “Sir, please, what is your master’s name?”
The assistant smiled. “Apologies, Miss Chloe, but my master said it’s not yet convenient for you to know his true identity. Once he handles a few matters, he will naturally come to meet you.”
Riley watched from the side, a subtle ache in her heart.
Handle a few matters?
It was probably about divorcing her.
No, that wasn’t right. They hadn’t even truly registered their marriage. The registration was done with Chloe.
Even their “marriage” was a sham.
He just needed to “dispose” of her, then he could reveal his true identity and, with the actual marriage certificate, present himself to his in-laws.
Chloe nodded, seemingly understanding, yet not. “Oh, okay. If it’s inconvenient for him, then I won’t ask.”
The assistant added, “Mr. and Mrs. Miller can also choose freely. Our master said that since you are Miss Chloe’s parents, you are also his elders, and it is right for him to show you respect.”
Her father pointed to a watch in the nearby store. “Even something this expensive?”
“Of course.”
With a wave of the assistant’s hand, the watch store manager immediately ordered, “Hurry, wrap up all the watches in our store! Mr. Miller can wear a different one every day!”
Her mother also became excited, asking, “Chloe, I also need a handbag to match my outfits…”
Upon hearing this, the assistant immediately said, “Ma’am, I’ve arranged for all brands of handbags in the mall today to be delivered to your home. You can take your time choosing.”
“All of them? How much would that cost?!”
“Money is no object. If you like the bags, keep them. If not, just throw them away.”
“Oh, we couldn’t possibly!”
“My master and Miss Chloe are friends. As long as Miss Chloe is happy, he is happy.”
Chloe acted coy, asking, “Sir, is there anything I can do for this friend? I can’t just take so many valuable things for free.”
The assistant said, “Miss Chloe, you are truly just as our master described: pure of heart and untouched by greed. How about this? Please give me your hair clip. I’ll pass it on to my master as your thank-you gift.”
Chloe nodded, took off the hair clip from her head, and handed it to the assistant.
She said, “This way, it’s a fair exchange. I can accept the gifts with a clear conscience.”
Fair exchange?
Julian was spending a fortune, and she was returning a cheap trinket from a street vendor.
Was that considered a fair exchange?
It just goes to show, when someone’s adored like that, they act like they own the world. Whether it was a hair tie or a hair clip, as long as it belonged to Chloe, Julian treated it like a priceless treasure.
Chloe leaned playfully against Riley, cooing, “Sister, I’ve already bought Mom and Dad gifts. What about you?”
Riley had noticed a scarf in the distance.
The price was reasonable, and the pattern was beautiful.
It was a branded item, over three thousand, and she had enough money to pay for it.
“Dad, do you like that scarf?”
Before her father could speak, the assistant said with a strained smile, “Miss Riley, our master said that everything in this mall today already belongs to Miss Chloe, including that scarf.”
Riley chuckled, but it was humorless. “Your master isn’t leaving me even one item?”
“That’s right. He only cares about Miss Chloe being happy. Everyone else, he can’t be bothered with.”
Great.
“Can’t be bothered with,” indeed.
Julian, you certainly draw a clear line between those you favor and those you don’t!
When it was time to leave, the assistant respectfully ushered her parents and Chloe into a car and drove them home.
When it was Riley’s turn, the assistant held out a hand to block her. “I’m sorry, Miss Riley, but there’s no more room in the car. You’ll have to find your own way back.”
Chloe murmured, “Sir, let Sister come in. She can squeeze in with me.”
“Miss Chloe, my master instructed that no one is to make you uncomfortable. If you’re squeezed, he’ll punish me when we get back.”
Chloe nodded regretfully. “Oh, alright then. Sister, I guess you’ll have to take the bus then~”
Riley stood rooted to the spot, watching their car drive away.
Besides the assistant personally driving her parents and Chloe, there was a line of black sedans following behind, at least twenty or thirty of them, all carrying the bodyguards who had just cleared the mall.
Every car had empty seats, but without Julian’s permission, no one dared to give her a ride.
Riley let out a bitter laugh. Oh well.
She’d be leaving soon anyway, so what was the point of dwelling on it?
She turned and started walking towards the bus stop.
But suddenly, several figures rushed out from behind her, clamping their hands over her mouth and nose.
“What are you doing— mmmph…”
Chapter 4
When Riley woke up, she didn’t know how much time had passed.
She had been taken to a desolate forest, where the roars of wild animals echoed around her.
Several men stood before her. The scarred leader raised a hand and slapped her across the face, asking fiercely, “You’re Julian’s wife, aren’t you?”
Riley looked up, frowning. “Who are you?”
“Let me tell you, that Julian kid owes us a huge sum of money, and you’re going to pay it back for him!”
Riley chuckled.
Massive debts.
So this was where that was leading.
The scarred man slapped her again. “What are you laughing at?! Didn’t you hear me?! You’re his wife, you have to pay his debt! Otherwise, we’ll sell you to the lowest-class brothel, where you’ll wish for death but never find it!”
What was she laughing at?
Julian, oh Julian, to force me to leave, you’re actually making the act this realistic?
I know you couldn’t wait.
You used me to take wedding photos, and you registered the marriage with Chloe’s ID. My usefulness has run out.
You’re desperate to kick me out so you can rightfully be with Chloe!
If that’s the case, I’ll grant your wish.
She chuckled softly and asked, “Are you also going to say that if I leave Julian and have no more ties to him, I won’t have to pay his debt?”
The scarred man was stunned by the question, but still said, “Exactly! As long as you have nothing to do with him, we naturally won’t come looking for you for the debt.”
“Good,” Riley said coldly. “Go back and tell him that from today, from this very moment, I, Riley Miller, have absolutely nothing to do with him! May God strike me down if I go back on my word!”
…
When Riley returned home, it was already midnight.
Julian still had a sour expression. “Didn’t you ask me to go pick out a gift with you? I went to the restroom for a minute, and you were gone. Where did you go?”
Riley looked at him talking to himself and just wanted to laugh. “You know exactly where I was, don’t you?”
Julian still insisted, “I can’t read your mind, how would I possibly know?”
There were no buses at midnight.
She had walked all the way back from the forest.
Her feet were blistered from the walk.
Julian frowned. “How did you get into this state?”
Riley said, “None of your business. Go about your own.”
“I’m your husband. If you’re hurt, I should at least ask.”
Riley looked up. “Are you my husband?”
“…”
You’re not my husband. You’re Chloe’s.
She took a deep breath, shaking her head with a faint smile. “Julian, someone kidnapped me today and said you owe a lot of money, and I have to pay it back for you.”
Julian admitted it quickly. “I do owe a lot of money. I don’t want to drag you down, so… perhaps we should separate.”
“Alright,” Riley readily agreed. “I told the kidnappers I’d cut ties with you. I hope they won’t come looking for me anymore.”
Julian said, “Don’t worry, they won’t.”
But no sooner had he spoken than the front door was kicked open from outside.
Over a dozen men in black stormed in, quickly pinning Riley to the ground. “Don’t move! This is a robbery!”
A robber pressed a gun against the back of Riley’s head and shouted fiercely at Julian, “You! Find all the bank cards in the house and tell me the passwords, or I’ll blow your wife’s brains out!”
Julian’s expression turned cold. “Alright, I’ll get them.”
But the next second, his phone rang.
The moment he saw the caller ID, he almost erupted with joy. “Chloe! You finally called me on your own!”
On the other end of the line, Chloe still maintained a haughty tone. “…The library suddenly had a power outage, and I’m scared of the dark. Can you come pick me up?”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.”
With that, he turned and walked away.
Even the robbers were stunned. “Stop! Are you going to call the police? If you take one more step outside, I’ll shoot immediately!”
Bang—
A gunshot rang out.
Julian seemed not to have heard it at all, vanishing from sight in an instant.
Chapter 5
When Riley woke up again, she was in a hospital.
Outside her door, a young nurse was whispering.
“Did you see that guy in the VIP room? He’s so handsome!”
“And he’s incredibly sweet to his girlfriend. She just twisted her ankle in the dark, and he’s called in all the famous doctors from the whole city!”
“But I think his girlfriend treats him pretty badly, ordering him around like he’s her personal servant, yet he seems happy about it.”
“Sigh, that girl has such good fortune, unlike this one in room 502, who almost died and has no one even visiting her…”
Riley felt an intense pain in her shoulder, making her hiss.
The robber’s aim must have been bad; it didn’t hit a vital organ, so she was lucky to survive.
She got out of bed and struggled to the door.
She happened to see Julian passing by, supporting Chloe.
Chloe pushed him away in disgust. “Don’t touch me. I can walk on my own.”
“No, your ankle is newly twisted. I’m worried.”
With that, he scooped Chloe up into his arms and quickly walked away.
Chloe’s face turned red, and she playfully punched his chest with a small fist in his arms. “What are you doing? I only asked you to pick me up. I haven’t agreed to be your girlfriend yet.”
“You’ll agree eventually, because you’re already my wi—”
Chloe blinked. “Your what?”
Julian chuckled. “Nothing. I meant, you’ll always be mine. You can’t escape.”
Riley retreated back into her hospital room, tears silently streaming down her face.
In the afternoon, Julian finally came to visit.
He stood, looking down at her. “I heard from the doctor. You weren’t hit in a vital spot. You’ll be fine after some rest.”
Riley just hummed in response.
“Last night, I had some urgent work. I couldn’t not go.”
“I know,” Riley said coldly. “I want to sleep for a bit. You can go.”
Julian didn’t waste a second, immediately turning and leaving.
Urgent work?
What kind of urgent work could be more important than a person’s life?
Julian’s excuse was too flimsy, but Riley was too tired to care.
She opened her phone and checked the calendar. Only three days left until her departure. In her current state, she definitely couldn’t get to the airport on her own. She needed someone to help.
So, she called her best friend, Harper.
Harper readily agreed.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take you when the time comes.”
That afternoon, her father called her. “Your sister won an award in her aerobics competition this time. Come back for dinner with us.”
Riley said, “Dad, I’m injured. I’m still in the hospital…”
“You’re not dead, are you? What’s a little injury? You have to come back tonight, or I’ll have no daughter!”
That evening, Riley dragged her weakened body back home.
Her mother had prepared a huge table full of dishes. Her father had called friends and relatives, and dozens of people filled the house, making it lively and boisterous.
Chloe, dressed in a pure white dress, looked like a little princess.
She was receiving praises and compliments from everyone.
“Did Chloe win first prize in her aerobics competition?”
Her father laughed heartily. “Even though it was just a participation award, Chloe worked very hard. Unlike her sister, who, despite being a twin, is so unremarkable. She’s truly an embarrassment to me.”
Riley stood by, silent as a wooden statue.
She was the one who had gotten into an Ivy League school, while her sister only got into a community college.
But their family was struggling financially and couldn’t afford for both of them to go to college.
Her parents said that since she was the older sister, she should go directly to work and give the opportunity to study to her younger sister.
Riley agreed. She worked hard, earning money, and almost all her wages went to Chloe as pocket money. Yet, she still couldn’t earn a single word of praise from her parents.
It was as if her being an older sister meant it was her natural duty to always defer to and uplift her sister.
While she was lost in thought, a loud, clear voice rang out from the doorway.
“Mr. Julian Fuentes, CEO of the Fuentes Group, sends his congratulations and gifts to Miss Chloe Miller on her award—!”
Chapter 6
Max, the assistant, entered with a team of people, each carrying priceless gifts.
A complete set of emerald jewelry from the British Royal Collection;
An entire season’s worth of haute couture gowns, hand-stitched by renowned designers;
A famous calligrapher’s special inscription for Chloe, “Ode to Chloe’s Unique Spirit,” in elegant brushstrokes;
And countless antique vases, coral, and agate.
Finally, Max personally presented a set of keys.
He said, “Mr. Fuentes has purchased a private jet and a private yacht for Miss Chloe. Both are adorned with Miss Chloe’s photos and are exclusively for her use.”
All the relatives and friends were stunned.
“The Fuentes Group? Isn’t that the largest publicly traded company in the city?”
“Oh my goodness, the CEO of the Fuentes Group personally sending gifts to Chloe? Chloe is going to be the CEO’s wife one day!”
Immediately, everyone in the room began to fawn over Chloe.
They competed to heap even more compliments on her.
Chloe’s face flushed as she shyly said, “Auntie, don’t talk nonsense. I don’t even know the Fuentes CEO.”
Her aunt chuckled. “You don’t know him, and he’s sending you all these gifts? He definitely likes you.”
Another older woman chimed in, “Yes, Chloe. When you become the CEO’s wife, don’t forget to help your cousins out.”
“Oh, nothing’s set in stone yet…”
Max, the assistant, stood nearby and announced loudly for all to hear, “Miss Chloe, Mr. Fuentes asked me to tell you: if you simply nod your head, tomorrow he will arrive with flowers and the most lavish, fairy-tale wedding to take you home!”
…
Riley stood alone in the corner, feeling utterly disgusted. She went outside for some fresh air.
She didn’t know how long she stood there, chilled to the point of numbness.
Suddenly, Chloe’s voice came from behind her. “Sister, it must be painful for you to see everyone liking me and revolving around me, isn’t it?”
Everyone else was inside; currently, only the two sisters were in the yard.
Chloe had shed her “good girl” facade, and her smile turned malicious. “But there’s nothing you can do. I’m just more likable than you. Not only Mom and Dad like me…”
She leaned closer to Riley’s ear. “Even your husband is my simp.”
Riley hadn’t intended to argue with her, until she heard that last sentence.
“…You know Julian’s true identity?”
“Of course. He’s the CEO of the Fuentes Group! If I can marry him, I’ll be the envied Mrs. Fuentes! But I know that to make a man devoted, you can’t make it too easy for him. So I’ve been rejecting him, but every now and then, I give him a little hope. This push and pull makes him utterly obsessed with me…”
Chloe held Riley’s hand and continued, “Oh, by the way, Sister, you didn’t know this, did you? When we were little, Mom and Dad thought you stole money and beat you terribly, and from then on, they hated you. That money was actually stolen by me, and I secretly put it in your backpack…”
That stealing incident was the root cause of her parents’ change in attitude.
Her parents found the money in her backpack, and no matter how she tried to explain, they were convinced she stole it. From then on, they started to detest her and instead pampered and adored Chloe.
So, everything, absolutely everything, had been Chloe’s doing!
The long-suppressed anger finally erupted in an instant. Riley raised her hand to slap her.
But before her hand could land, Chloe herself collapsed to the ground.
She clutched her face, crying, “Sister, it’s all my fault! I’ll never do it again, boo hoo hoo…”
Her cries drew everyone from inside.
Her mother clutched Chloe, glaring furiously at Riley.
Her father directly laid hands on her.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
He slapped Riley three times.
“You’re out of your mind! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter?!”
Riley demanded sharply, “Am I not your daughter too?!”
“I don’t have a daughter as rotten to the core as you! You’re inherently wicked! I wish I’d strangled you at birth. I only consider myself to have given birth to one child, Chloe!”
Slap!
Her father delivered another slap, making Riley’s ears ring.
He pointed furiously towards the door. “Get out! From now on, I have no daughter like you!”
Riley scrambled up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of her lip, and sneered. “Even if you weren’t kicking me out, I wouldn’t want to stay here anymore. This place makes me sick!”
Turning to leave, she collided head-on with a sharply dressed Julian, who was just arriving.
She sneered. “So, you’re finally willing to show your true face?”
Chapter 7
Julian coldly glanced at her and asked, “Which hand did you use to hit Chloe?”
“I didn’t even touch her! She fell down herself! Ah—!”
Julian grabbed her throat, grinding his teeth, eyes wide with fury. “How dare you touch Chloe! You’re asking to die!”
The men in black behind him quickly moved, several burly figures pinning her down tightly and dragging her into a car.
The vehicle bumped along for a long time until she was taken to a desolate, uninhabited area.
A sharp pain shot through her knee as she was kicked, forcing her to her knees.
A pair of black leather shoes appeared in her line of sight.
Julian looked down at her from above, like a devil from hell. “I was going to leave you one hand, but since you won’t talk, you won’t need either!”
Riley’s hands were pinned to the ground by the men in black, and a thick, long steel nail was immediately driven into her palm.
“Ah!”
Then, the other side.
Excruciating pain flooded her senses, and Riley nearly fainted from it.
Julian said, “Riley, you two are twins, but it’s always been you, the older sister, who received all the parents’ affection. Chloe has always tolerated and yielded to you since childhood, so why do you still bully her?!”
Riley endured the intense pain, twisting her lips. “I bullied her? Is that what she told you?”
“Riley, Chloe is my bottom line.”
“So, what then, Mr. Fuentes? Are you planning to get revenge for her?”
Julian said, “I never explained my identity to you before, so you probably don’t know my temper. Riley, all the suffering Chloe has endured since childhood, you’ll have to repay tenfold, a hundredfold!”
Before leaving, he instructed the men in black: “Don’t touch her face, but I don’t want to see an inch of good skin anywhere else.”
“Yes, sir!”
Not touching her face—was it because her face looked almost identical to Chloe’s?
Julian, oh Julian, when you find out about her schemes, will you still love her so blindly?
A searing, tearing pain simultaneously erupted from every part of her body.
The men in black held glowing red branding irons, pressing them fiercely onto every inch of her skin.
The excruciating agony made her instinctively writhe and roll.
But with her hands nailed to the ground, she had no escape.
…
Riley didn’t know how long she had been unconscious.
She was woken by a villager who happened to be passing by.
He said, “It’s been raining for two days and two nights now. How did you end up lying here, covered in injuries?”
So, two days and two nights had already passed.
Today must be her flight day.
Seven days went by so fast.
The kind villager handed her his phone. “Do you want to call your family?”
Family?
She shook her head with a bitter smile. “I don’t have a family anymore.”
She called Harper.
Harper immediately drove over when she heard Riley was in that remote place.
But Riley’s condition still made her gasp in shock.
She was covered in injuries—burns, whip marks, stab wounds, all overlapping.
Because she had been soaked in the rain, all her wounds had reopened, and blood stained the ground.
Harper immediately burst into tears. “Riley, who did this?! I’m going to call the police right now and have them arrested!”
“No need,” Riley said. “My boarding time is almost here. Please take me to the airport.”
“But your injuries…”
Riley didn’t want to go to the hospital. She knew her injuries were severe and the hospital would surely require her to be admitted.
But she didn’t want to wait another moment.
The people in this land disgusted her; she didn’t want to stay here for another second.
Harper had no choice but to go to a pharmacy herself, buy some medications, and roughly treat Riley’s wounds.
When they reached the airport, there were only 10 minutes left before the gate closed.
Harper was practically crying the whole way. She pushed Riley in a wheelchair, choked up. “Riley, go. Go to a new place and start over.”
Riley nodded with difficulty. “Harper, thank you for bringing me.”
The moment she boarded the plane, she transferred all the remaining money in her account to Harper.
Then she broke her SIM card in half and threw it, along with her phone, into a trash can.
Goodbye, Julian.
Goodbye, everyone who hated me.
Because I, too, hate you all very, very much!
Chapter 8
At the hospital.
Chloe lay in her hospital bed, and Julian sat by her side, peeling an apple for her.
He was skilled, the apple peel coming off in one continuous strand.