Chapter 1

I pressed my hands hard over my ears, curling up in bed. However, the sharp, agonizing cries still cut through the thick walls, stabbing into my heart.

It went on for a while before, finally, the noise from the main house faded away, and the night returned to its unsettling silence.

The door to my room creaked open.

Unsteady footsteps echoed closer.

I opened my eyes. It was her—my sister-in-law, Eve.

Her hair was a mess; her cheeks were red and swollen, and her eyes dull and lifeless. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her body, her fingers pale from the pressure.

She was trembling, climbing into my bed as if it were second nature.

I moved instinctively, helping her unbutton her clothes.

Her body was covered in painful-looking bite marks, some spots even oozing blood.

New bruises littered her back, and her slender waist still bore the imprint of a shoe.

My heart ached as I grabbed the medicinal balm and gently applied it to her skin.

Her body jerked as soon as it touched her wounds. She bit down on her lip hard, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

“Don’t hold it in, Eve. If it hurts, cry out,” I said as I looked at her with care.

She shook her head slightly, her voice raspy. “It’s fine. He didn’t get his way tonight.”

A bitter feeling rose inside me.

“Is this how it’ll always be, Eve?”

She looked at me with a firm gaze. “Emma, you have to find a way out. Only by getting out of here will you be able to study, work, and do whatever you want.”

I stared at her, confused.

“But... don’t I need to have sons?”

She gave me a sad smile and patted my hair.

“No. Having children is your choice, not an obligation. You can have them if you want, or not. It’s up to you.”

“Eve, do you want to go home?”

Her eyes reddened instantly.

She stayed silent for a long time before letting out a deep sigh. Then she wrapped her arms around me, patting my back gently like I was a child.

“Go to sleep, Emma. We have to get up early to chop wood tomorrow.”

The pale moonlight filtered through the thin, paper-covered windows, casting a soft light on her face.

She was only twenty-two, but the corners of her eyes were already lined with fine wrinkles. Her face was etched with exhaustion and weariness.

She didn’t look like this when I first met her.

Her real name was Evelyn Anderson.

She must’ve been the shining light in her family’s eyes.

Four years ago, she came to our village, passionate about teaching. Back then, her eyes sparkled with life, her entire presence full of youthful energy.

I really admired her.

She encouraged me to study hard. Telling me that if I did, I could see the bigger world out there. She said women could stand on their own and didn’t need to rely on men to survive.

Unfortunately, her light was now gone.

So many students came to our village to teach, but none ever left.

My dad spent three thousand dollars for Eve from the village head. From that day, she became my brother’s wife.

She tried to escape.

In fact, she tried ten times.

However, every single time, she was caught and brought back.

The other college students who came with her either went mad or ended up dead.

It was my mom who risked everything to save Eve’s life.

After a while, Eve gave up. She had three children with my brother.

Two of the girls were sent away as soon as they were born. The only boy was doted on and treated like a precious gem.

Fate was cruel, though.

Last month, my brother took the boy to the river to fish. They both slipped into the water and drowned.

They were the only sons of our family. My dad couldn’t let the family line die out.

So, he took matters into his own hands, but Eve refused to give in, no matter what.

Every night, she ended up covered in bruises.

I used to wish I had been born a boy.

That way, we would still have an heir, and Eve wouldn’t have to be forced into having more children.

Perhaps if I were just a little older, I could help her escape.