CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE

"Elliana Lyle, do you have a death wish?"

Shane Southwell’s voice was deep, his handsome face appeared particularly chilling under the chandelier, and the murderous intent in his dark eyes was unmistakable.

His distinctly jointed hand clutched a crystal-clear vase, seemingly ready to smash it onto Elliana Lyle’s forehead at any moment.

Elliana lay on the ground, her ears ringing, her face still stinging painfully from the slap she just received from the man.

Her lower abdomen had collided with the corner of the sofa, and the dull pain made it difficult for her to endure, even her voice trembled.

Elliana shook her head: "No... I didn’t... didn’t... I didn’t..."

The butler stood cautiously to the side, occasionally lowering his gaze to sneak a glance at Elliana.

No one in this house dared to speak for the young mistress who had made a mistake, and all the servants uniformly bowed their heads silently.

The chandelier in the living room was so bright it hurt the eyes. Elliana cautiously lifted her head, sweat beading on her forehead and dampening her bangs.

Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with fear.

Seeing the man say nothing, she tried to shake her head and struggled to raise half her body, stammering in explanation: "I didn’t, I didn’t hurt her. She called me to her house. She said... she said there’s something from you for me."

Just this morning, Eleanor Llyod had called Elliana.

On the other end, Eleanor said she decided to let go of Shane Southwell, saying she had something of Shane’s to return to her, asking her to come and get it.

Eleanor was Shane’s first love and the object of her jealousy.

She knew Shane loved Eleanor and knew she couldn’t compare to Eleanor. She admitted she felt happy when Eleanor said she wanted to let go.

But later when Eleanor got hurt, she knew nothing about it. She absolutely didn’t have the courage to hurt Eleanor.

"Ha, you say you didn’t, so you didn’t?" The man’s eyes were chillingly cold, as if looking at someone about to die. Such a gaze made Elliana’s spine shiver.

"Really, I didn’t... Husband, I didn’t..." Suddenly, Elliana felt a piercing pain in her belly, clutching her abdomen, her voice became as soft as a mosquito’s: "My stomach hurts... I hurt..."

"Hurt? Ha! Do you hurt more than Eleanor?" Shane Southwell sneered, his gaze turning sinister, and truly threw the vase at Elliana.

Elliana instinctively reached out to block it, her pale hand immediately bruised, the vase ricocheted off, landing on the ground with a buzzing sound.

"No, I only went today..." Elliana braced against the pain, lifted her chin to look up at Shane, wanting to explain, but hesitated under Shane’s intimidating gaze, too scared to speak.

She had gone to Eleanor’s house today, took nothing, was mocked by Eleanor, and then was chased away.

Shane Southwell stared intently at the person on the ground, gritting his teeth with hatred, his handsome face distorted with anger.

He hated this woman who looked pitiful, wished he could kill her now, if not for Elliana’s family’s wealth, he wouldn’t have married her.

Rumble~

The muffled sound of thunder outside broke the current stalemate, Shane Southwell slowly exhaled, turning his back to Elliana, his voice exceptionally indifferent: "Eleanor needs peace and quiet, you, get out!"

"Wha... what?" Elliana shook her head tremblingly, her mouth too dry to speak, why, why...

"Don’t make me say it a second time! Get out!"

"No... no! I didn’t... I really didn’t... please believe me! Believe me..."

At this moment, the physical pain paled in comparison to the coldness of Shane’s words.

The man went upstairs resolutely without a moment’s hesitation, Eleanor had been brought back long ago, she was upstairs now!

"Believe me... believe me! I’m begging you to believe me..."

Elliana propped herself up with her hands, trying to crawl over to beg the man, but was stopped by the butler.

"Madam, let me help you up." The butler said as he helped Elliana up from the ground, though ’helping’ might as well have been ’forcibly pulling her up’.

"Shane Southwell! I didn’t! I didn’t—!" Elliana used her last ounce of strength to explain, but appeared so weak and powerless in front of everyone.

The butler looked at Elliana, somewhat disdainfully said: "Madam, the young master asked you to leave, please don’t make it difficult for us."

Just as she was pushed out the door, she heard the heavy sound of the door closing behind her.

Elliana stood dazedly, her feet like they were nailed to the ground, like a withered tree, her face as pale as paper.

After a long time, she struggled to move her feet, as heavy as lead, her stumbling footsteps appearing shaky in the gust of wind.

Living in this house for three years, this wasn’t the first time Shane Southwell had driven her out.

She turned her head to look at the flower bed in the distance, where a Volkswagen was parked, she didn’t know who owned the car, but almost every time she was driven out, she would see it.

Whenever the car wasn’t there, it was always followed by the man coming, every time when she had been humiliated.

He would look at her grimly, silently, as if... watching her joke.

Yet tonight, this car was there.

Which meant... that man probably wouldn’t be coming to watch her debacle.

Hah, should she laugh that such a pathetic state wasn’t seen by anyone?

At that moment, a strong wind blew, making Elliana stagger, even the heavens seemed to bully her.

Facing the torrential rain, Elliana walked aimlessly forward, she held back her tears, this time, she wouldn’t squat at the door like a dog begging Shane Southwell to let her in.

To speak of it, she was like a stray dog, her parents died in a car accident, their estate fell to her, so... she could only cling tightly to Shane Southwell.

Married for three years... Shane Southwell never touched her, at first saying she was unwell, always giving her supplements.

But she grew weaker and weaker.

She knew, she knew... it turned out Eleanor was telling the truth.

Elliana, oh Elliana! Shane Southwell never gave you a second glance before, why did you believe he loved you, that’s why he married you?

"I was wrong..."

The voice was drowned by wind and rain, even she couldn’t hear it clearly.

Not knowing how long she walked, she just felt all-encompassing darkness swallow everything before her, a pallid figure like pear blossoms fell on the side of the road.

The fragile life seemed like a trickle, slowly dissipating from her body, as if a stick of sandalwood continuously blown is rapidly reduced to ashes.

In the haziness, there was the sound of screeching brakes, someone ran over, Elliana felt someone pick her up, the movements were so cautious.

A summer scent filled her nose, she could feel the person’s tremble, feel the drops of warmth spreading on her cold cheeks.

This embrace was so warm, Elliana instinctively wanted to hide in it, but she didn’t have the strength to lift her hand.

"Elliana! Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you home, I’ll never let go again!"

It’s Norman Bennett!

Elliana always thought Norman Bennett came just to watch her fail, always wore a cold face, never smiled at her, sometimes forcibly taking her away, she never heard Norman speak with such tension, fear.

She wanted so much to open her eyes and see him again, but her almond eyes opened and closed, unable to see the face before her, gradually, the pain ebbed, the jade-white wrist slumping down.

The man watched helplessly as that vibrant life disappeared from his embrace.

At this moment, the man holding Elliana in the storm rain became at a loss.

"No... don’t! Don’t! Ah!!!" That trembling voice, filled with heartbroken grief!