By the time I heard about Walter again, a month had passed.His company, which had long been on the verge of crumbling, had finally closed down half a month ago.Immediately after that, he found out that my stepmother had been sleeping with other men behind his back for a long time.Walter was so angry that he had a stroke. He had no choice but to live out the rest of his life on the bed.Finally, Walter and the Young family could no longer threaten me with disgusting acts.I felt relaxed after I heard about the news.At the same time, James had come home to pick me up for dinner.However, halfway through the drive, I felt something was off. A strange smell in the car made me feel a little nauseated.I frowned and turned to look at James. Simultaneously, he turned and looked at me as well.We immediately understood what we had in mind when we locked eyes.I held my breath and pressed the button to wind the car window down.As expected, the window was locked. There was no way
James woke me up.My head still hurt after I barely regained consciousness."Leah, are you feeling better?" he asked.I looked at him in a daze and asked subconsciously, "What about you? Are you hurt anywhere?"I was anxious because he could not move his legs. I started to scan his body from top to bottom.His suit jacket was nowhere to be found. His shirt was messy and had a few buttons missing.His watch was gone. His hair, which had always been neat, was slightly messy."I'm fine. I'm not hurt. Don't worry. I have a tracker on me. Someone will come looking for us in an hour tops. Don't be afraid. I'm here."James was still able to remain calm, even when we were in a situation like that. However, it was without a doubt that his composure soothed my nerves.I forced myself to sit up and observe the surroundings.We were in an abandoned warehouse. It was empty and shabby. There were some small rusty accessories and wooden scraps on the ground.I could hear faint voices outsi
Ten minutes later, there was a commotion outside the door.I held a wooden stick tightly and subconsciously shielded James behind me. I was getting more and more nervous as well.The door opened, and five men walked in. One held a machete, while the other four had baseball bats. Soon, they found James and me hiding in the corner.As soon as the door opened, James put his back against the wall and leaned on me.I knew he was deliberately pretending to be disabled, trying to make those men let their guard down. Therefore, I played along with him.Sure enough, those men started laughing at him. "This crippled man is so useless. Look at him. He can't even stand up. He needs a woman to protect him.""What a loser."The leader stared right at me. He handed his machete to the subordinate and said to James, "You're a cripple, yet you have such a beautiful wife. I'm sure you can do nothing but look at her. Why don't you let us have fun with her instead?"The man extended his hand, tryin
I listened to James without saying a word, but I did not stop applying the ointment to his wounds."Leah?"He had to call me a few times before I looked up.I saw my reflection in his clear gaze.James reached out and caressed my cheeks gently and with love.I pushed him away, and my hands shook uncontrollably. "You put yourself in danger. What if they killed you as soon as you fell into their hands? Have you ever thought about that?"He hugged me and pecked my cheek gently. Then, he muttered, "I'm sorry. My only regret was that I didn't think it through and put you in danger. I would never do it again. I'll discuss everything with you in advance from now on, alright?"For some reason, I felt a strong urge to cry. Tears that I was holding back suddenly started rolling down my cheeks.The more gentle he sounded, the harder I cried. It was as if I was trying to dry up a lifetime of tears with this cry.I threw myself into James' arms, grabbing the folds of his shirt with all my
It was my mother's death anniversary again.James and I flew to the capital to visit her grave.She was smiling at me in the photo, just like she did when she was alive.I placed the flowers on her grave and told her about everything that had happened in the past few months.It was after sunset that I reluctantly left.Before I left, I met Brad again at the bottom of the hill.He looked exhausted and a little disheveled.I heard that the Coleman family had utterly given up on him.After all, he was only a trust-fund kid who was addicted to drinking and gambling. He was of no use to his family at all."Leah." He stared at me and took a few steps forward. Suddenly, he thought of something and stopped in his tracks."May I help you, Mr. Coleman?" I looked at him indifferently, but I was sighing deep down.I was reminded of how spirited he was and of the luxurious life he had led.He was always surrounded by people who fawned over him.At that moment, however, he was all alone
It had been three months since I last saw Brad Coleman, and he suddenly said he wanted to get married.The last time I met him, I overheard him telling his friends he was sick of me.Everybody in the room burst out laughing.They laughed at me because I had been with him for five years and ruined my reputation by pandering to him, but I was still abandoned.My life in the Young family for the past three months was torture. My father, Walter Young, got drunk a few days ago, so he went a little hard when he raised his hands to me. The injuries on my back still hurt.That was why I saw hope again after Brad suddenly called me, asking me to meet.I put on the pair of emerald bracelets I got when we got engaged and rushed out.When I got to Brad's mansion, he was already a little tipsy. He was lying on a young woman's lap with his eyes closed.The young woman looked like she was still in college. She seemed very chaste.She was giving Brad a head massage when she saw me walking in,
Five years ago, I was a college freshman.In Brad's words, when he pursued me, I was so pure that he felt sorry for me.He truly loved me back then. He doted on me as well. He treated me like I was a precious treasure.Our relationship was the longest that he ever had. I even got engaged to him before I graduated college.It was a pity that I was already in ruins and my reputation was in tatters.Everyone in the capital knew I had done plenty of shameless things to hold on to a wealthy catch like Brad.At that time, he said he was tired of me being pure and simple. To pander to him, I forced myself to change and to blend into his dirty social circle. I forced myself to cater to his peculiar interests.He wanted a woman who was flirtatious, and passionate. He liked a woman who was open and bold.I endured the embarrassment and satisfied him.However, what I got in return was his nasty words."You're shameless, Leah. Escorts aren't even as wild in bed as you are. Look at you no
Soon, everybody knew Brad had called off his engagement with me.Unexpectedly, I was not beaten up.However, I lost contact with my siblings, who were abroad, again.I knew that was how my father always used to vent his anger.He and my stepmother started searching the entire city for a suitable man for me to get married to. They wanted to marry me off to let the Young family remain wealthy.However, nasty rumors about me gradually started spreading.They said I had done many nasty things to make Brad happy over the years. They said I was damaged, and I could not even bear a child anymore.Nobody in the capital city was willing to take in a woman like me anymore.My father's temper got worse as days passed, and my life got harder and harder to endure.Two months after Brad broke off his engagement with me, shocking news about him started spreading again.They said he was about to get engaged again, and it was to Zoe. Brad even fought with his parents for her.The group of pe
It was my mother's death anniversary again.James and I flew to the capital to visit her grave.She was smiling at me in the photo, just like she did when she was alive.I placed the flowers on her grave and told her about everything that had happened in the past few months.It was after sunset that I reluctantly left.Before I left, I met Brad again at the bottom of the hill.He looked exhausted and a little disheveled.I heard that the Coleman family had utterly given up on him.After all, he was only a trust-fund kid who was addicted to drinking and gambling. He was of no use to his family at all."Leah." He stared at me and took a few steps forward. Suddenly, he thought of something and stopped in his tracks."May I help you, Mr. Coleman?" I looked at him indifferently, but I was sighing deep down.I was reminded of how spirited he was and of the luxurious life he had led.He was always surrounded by people who fawned over him.At that moment, however, he was all alone
I listened to James without saying a word, but I did not stop applying the ointment to his wounds."Leah?"He had to call me a few times before I looked up.I saw my reflection in his clear gaze.James reached out and caressed my cheeks gently and with love.I pushed him away, and my hands shook uncontrollably. "You put yourself in danger. What if they killed you as soon as you fell into their hands? Have you ever thought about that?"He hugged me and pecked my cheek gently. Then, he muttered, "I'm sorry. My only regret was that I didn't think it through and put you in danger. I would never do it again. I'll discuss everything with you in advance from now on, alright?"For some reason, I felt a strong urge to cry. Tears that I was holding back suddenly started rolling down my cheeks.The more gentle he sounded, the harder I cried. It was as if I was trying to dry up a lifetime of tears with this cry.I threw myself into James' arms, grabbing the folds of his shirt with all my
Ten minutes later, there was a commotion outside the door.I held a wooden stick tightly and subconsciously shielded James behind me. I was getting more and more nervous as well.The door opened, and five men walked in. One held a machete, while the other four had baseball bats. Soon, they found James and me hiding in the corner.As soon as the door opened, James put his back against the wall and leaned on me.I knew he was deliberately pretending to be disabled, trying to make those men let their guard down. Therefore, I played along with him.Sure enough, those men started laughing at him. "This crippled man is so useless. Look at him. He can't even stand up. He needs a woman to protect him.""What a loser."The leader stared right at me. He handed his machete to the subordinate and said to James, "You're a cripple, yet you have such a beautiful wife. I'm sure you can do nothing but look at her. Why don't you let us have fun with her instead?"The man extended his hand, tryin
James woke me up.My head still hurt after I barely regained consciousness."Leah, are you feeling better?" he asked.I looked at him in a daze and asked subconsciously, "What about you? Are you hurt anywhere?"I was anxious because he could not move his legs. I started to scan his body from top to bottom.His suit jacket was nowhere to be found. His shirt was messy and had a few buttons missing.His watch was gone. His hair, which had always been neat, was slightly messy."I'm fine. I'm not hurt. Don't worry. I have a tracker on me. Someone will come looking for us in an hour tops. Don't be afraid. I'm here."James was still able to remain calm, even when we were in a situation like that. However, it was without a doubt that his composure soothed my nerves.I forced myself to sit up and observe the surroundings.We were in an abandoned warehouse. It was empty and shabby. There were some small rusty accessories and wooden scraps on the ground.I could hear faint voices outsi
By the time I heard about Walter again, a month had passed.His company, which had long been on the verge of crumbling, had finally closed down half a month ago.Immediately after that, he found out that my stepmother had been sleeping with other men behind his back for a long time.Walter was so angry that he had a stroke. He had no choice but to live out the rest of his life on the bed.Finally, Walter and the Young family could no longer threaten me with disgusting acts.I felt relaxed after I heard about the news.At the same time, James had come home to pick me up for dinner.However, halfway through the drive, I felt something was off. A strange smell in the car made me feel a little nauseated.I frowned and turned to look at James. Simultaneously, he turned and looked at me as well.We immediately understood what we had in mind when we locked eyes.I held my breath and pressed the button to wind the car window down.As expected, the window was locked. There was no way
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. My siblings' school break was coming to an end.During their time in Clason City, James had asked them about their future plans and hired the relevant tutors. Their lessons were jam-packed. It was tiring, but they learned a lot.Before they left, they thanked James in person, giving him a gift each.After I sent my siblings off at the airport, I pushed James to the parking lot and saw Brad there.Brad stood behind a pillar and was wearing a hat. He was a little thinner than the last time I saw him, and he was no longer as spirited as he used to be.As he had stolen a project from James' company, James took revenge on him as soon as he could.The Coleman family's company suffered a terrible loss, and Brad was dismissed.The discord between him and his parents gradually grew more expansive, and they started focusing on their youngest son.However, Brad had brought it onto himself.I did not pity him at all.Brad tried to come closer a
After he took care of matters at the company, we immediately went on a trip. James spent half a month with me on the trip, enjoying ourselves to our hearts' content.Unexpectedly, as soon as we came home from the trip, that particular founding member of the company came to our door, condemning James for being merciless.It did not take long for the younger members of the Blackwell family to persuade him to go home, but I still felt a little uneasy.Thinking of that man's resentful gaze before he left, I felt worried and asked, "Would he seek revenge on you?""Don't worry." James smiled at me to comfort me. "I know what I'm doing."He seemed calm and not worried at all. It was only then I gradually started to feel at ease.On the day of my late mother's death anniversary, James brought me and my siblings back to the capital. He stayed there with me for three more days before we returned home.It so happened that his parents had just returned from their trip and would stay in Clas
I received a call from my best friend. She said Brad had stolen a project from the Blackwell family. That was why the Blackwell family's company had a rough time lately.I thought of how James had been working unusually late recently, but I was skeptical.Brad and James were elites among their peers, but Brad's ability was not comparable to James'. On top of that, the Blackwell family was far more powerful than the Coleman family.I did not believe that Brad's actions would impact James.However, I became unsure again after I heard what my best friend said next.Rumour had it that Brad had found a flaw in the operations of the Blackwell family's company. He then used the public's opinion to create a stir, causing the price of the company's shares to be affected.Other than Brad, one of the company's founding members was also at odds with James. He then took the chance to backstab James.I felt like a rock was on my chest after I hung up the call. My chest was not hurting, but my
However, it was already midnight, yet James still had not returned.I texted him.James quickly called me and said he would not be coming home that night because something had come up at the company.I forced myself to hold back my disappointment and told him to take care of himself and not to overdo it.After I hung up the call, I looked at the two dolls I just brought home.James had spent most of his time working from home in the past few months. He would rush home before eight at night even if he had gone to the office.I had gotten used to having him around. It felt strange to have him suddenly spend the night at the office.I lay on the big, empty bed, but I could not sleep. I then got up and went to the studio. I planned to kill time by painting.I sat quietly before the canvas and thought about what to draw. As soon as I picked up the brush, I could not stop.It was after sunrise that I put down my brush, and I immediately started to feel sleepy.I put the painting aw