Chapter 1
I limped up the stairs, ignoring the curious stares, intending to change my clothes. But Asher suddenly charged at me, raising his hand to slap me.
Instinctively, I blocked him, my wrist hitting the railing. The bracelet shattered with a sharp sound.
“This was my mom’s favorite bracelet! How dare you break it, you wicked woman!”
Asher’s eyes turned red with anger and hatred. I remained silent for a long moment before sighing softly.
“Asher Perry, you’re lying.”
This bracelet was a gift from Grandmother for my wedding. He froze for a moment but quickly resumed his arrogant demeanor.
“So what? If I say you can’t wear it, then you won’t!”
He sneered and ran off. I didn’t chase after him to explain as I usually would.
When the banquet ended and I returned to the Perry Family’s old house, the housekeeper looked like she wanted to say something but held back. I rushed to the bedroom and from afar could smell the strong scent of blood.
Opening the door, I saw my little dog lying in a pool of blood on the bed, and my photos were slashed to pieces on the floor. Seeing my face full of sorrow, Asher burst into laughter.
“This is your punishment for offending me!”
He stomped on my photos, shaking his head triumphantly. “Seeing you so upset makes me really happy!”
He stuck his tongue out at me and ran off, laughing. I couldn’t understand why such a young child would harbor so much hatred against me.
After Grandmother passed away, besides the bracelet she left me, only this little dog kept me company. It stayed by my side through countless sleepless nights and helped me raise Asher from a crying baby to a young boy.
But that night, I lost everything.
When Declan Perry returned, I was still sitting on the floor in a daze. The sound of leather shoes approaching made me look up. He looked down at me, his eyes filled with the same disdain and indifference as Asher’s.
He didn’t even glance at the chaos in the room but frowned and reprimanded me in a deep voice. “Nora Taylor, today was your fault.”
Seeing that I didn’t get up or respond, he grew impatient. “Asher is only seven years old; he’s still a child. Why are you arguing with him?”
That simple word “child” seemed to excuse everything. But what about my little dog? How innocent it was.
Seeing my unpleasant expression, he softened his tone for once. “In a few days, I’ll have the secretary get you another one.”
Then he waved dismissively, and the housekeeper put my little dog into a trash bag. Soon, all traces of blood and broken glass were cleaned up, as if my little dog had never existed.
Just like me, who had meticulously cared for him and Asher for seven years, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
After washing up, Declan sat at the head of the bed and handed me the hairdryer, signaling me to dry his hair. Instinctively, I searched for an outlet but was unexpectedly pulled into his embrace.
“In three days, accompany me to the Perry Family’s new perfume launch.”
Every Perry Family perfume is crafted by Declan in memory of his sister. So every year, he uses our unmarried status as an excuse to bar me from attending, even if the whole internet mocks me as his mistress. He doesn’t care.
His damp hair soaked my clothes, chilling me to the core. I’ve been married to Declan Perry for seven years and have been pregnant with his child. But when he found out, his first reaction wasn’t joy; he sought the best doctor to remove my fallopian tubes.
“I’ll only have Summer Taylor as my wife in this lifetime, and only one child.”
“Your responsibility is to raise Asher, so don’t think about anything else.”
Declan’s usual tactic was to give a slap and then a sweet treat. But for the first time, I refused him when I should have been overjoyed.
“Mr. Perry, the seven-year agreement is up. I should leave tomorrow.”