Stefan felt his stomach churn violently. The smell alone was nauseating, and all Wanda had done was add a pinch of salt for flavor. How could she possibly eat the placenta stew with an overpowering fishy smell?Wanda ate happily, enjoying every bite. For a moment, Stefan had an unsettling thought—it didn't seem like she was eating a placenta, but a child.He waited until she finished before heading downstairs, acting as if nothing had happened."I'm leaving now," he said calmly."Wait, Stefan," Wanda said, stopping him."Is there anything else?""Are you really just going to forget about the incident? If Millie hadn't argued with me and pushed me, the accident wouldn't have happened. Even if she wasn't the mastermind, she should still bear some responsibility. "She's an accomplice to killing our child, Stefan. Are you really not going to seek justice for our baby?" Wanda asked while shedding a few tears. Her crying made her act look sincere and convincing.When it came to cryi
"Stefan, I've already ended up this way, yet you're still going to see your ex?" Wanda asked as tears streamed down her face."Wanda, it's not what you think. Grandma is back and wants to host a family gathering. She wanted Millie to come as well," Stefan explained."Family gathering? And you're inviting an outsider?""Wanda, Millie was with me for three years. When Grandma was ill, it was Millie who took care of her and kept her company."Wanda scoffed. "I could've done that too. Do you think I didn't want to? Why is my life so miserable? My family went bankrupt, and before my parents passed, they left me with your family. Your parents looked down on me, so they sent me overseas and married me off to an abusive drunkard!"My life after marriage was hell on Earth. It was a nightmare! Your family owes me more than anything Millie ever did for you in those three years. I am your wife now, and yet your grandmother is still thinking about someone else?"Is it because your grandmothe
"Mrs. Leach Senior, I won't go. After all, it's your family gathering. How about I treat you to dinner alone some other time?" Millie suggested."You're part of my family too," Agnes insisted."I know you care about me, but Stefan is married to Wanda. If I attend, how do you think Wanda will feel? I don't want to stir up unnecessary trouble," Millie replied.She wasn't afraid of Wanda, but she had no desire to see her again. Wanda had already lost everything, especially after losing the baby. Her real goal wasn't to fight Millie to the bitter end—it was to secure Stefan's affection.Unfortunately, she had lost the ability to conceive children. The Leach family's vast fortune would eventually require an heir. No matter how much Stefan loved her, Wanda was destined to be abandoned.Millie found herself pitying Wanda. As always, her schemes had spectacularly backfired against herself."But I invited several exceptional young men to meet you. It's a chance for you to meet potential s
Pierce said, "Yes, I wanted to marry her. So, the fact that you were pretending to be sick wasn't really a threat to me. You just provided me with a valid reason to do so."He continued, "I've transferred you to a different sanatorium these three years instead of letting you stay alone because of her too.""I see. No wonder you insisted that I stay here despite how much I dislike Mrs. Leach Senior. You're certain I'd see Millie here often and like her, huh?" Bill asked in curiosity."Not really."Pierce hadn't expected things to turn out this way. All he wanted was to see Millie more often. After finding out that Millie was taking care of Agnes in this sanatorium, he decided to visit Bill frequently to increase his chances of seeing her.Even a quick glance was more than enough for him. "Well, why did you agree to a divorce then? I don't understand at all. You care about her so much," Bill said.Bill knew that they were going to get a divorce. In fact, he wanted to stop them.
"Why are you here?" Pierce asked, despite knowing the answer."Grandpa must have been confused and called me in his disoriented state. Is he doing alright now?" Millie asked urgently. "I don't know what's going on inside." Pierce shook his head. "They're still performing emergency treatment on him. But the doctor did mention that his condition was quite severe this time. Grandpa might not be able to…" He drifted off, not finishing the rest of his sentence.Millie staggered on her feet, almost falling to the ground. She knew it was only a matter of time before Bill would have to say goodbye to the world, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. It had barely been a year!Bill had always looked after her. Ever since she married Pierce, Bill treated Millie even better than before. Despite the gossip about her, Bill always empathized with her, feeling her pain as if it were his own.Although she didn't have blood ties to Bill or Agnes, they still showed her the utmost love and c
Pierce asked Millie that question with determination.Millie fell silent. Technically, she should treat Pierce and Stefan similarly and steer clear of Pierce.But her heart always swayed when it came to Pierce for some reason. It was probably because Pierce was always there for her whenever she had a hard time. Whether it was before or after their marriage, he never disappointed her. He wasn't like Stefan, who kept breaking her heart to the extent that she had gotten used to it. Stefan was constantly deliberating the pros and cons and picking the side that benefited him the most. To him, Millie was always the one who could be discarded as the other option.On the contrary, Pierce had never made her his second option. There was an awkward silence in the room. Millie didn't know how to respond to Pierce's question. As she was pondering her answer, she saw the corner of Bill's eye twitch. Was he regaining consciousness now?"Grandpa… Grandpa's eyes twitched just now," she sa
Millie Jordan was about to experience what a woman would go through if she were abducted by a group of perverted kidnappers.A dark cloth was tied over her eyes and her mouth was taped shut. She shivered in a corner like a frightened animal. Her body was littered with cuts and bruises all over. The rope around her neck was only less than three feet long. If she moved any further forward, the rope would tighten around her neck, making her unable to breathe.She'd tried struggling many times before, but she always ended up breathless and blue in the face. Her voice was hoarse, and her throat hurt. She simply couldn't get away.She could hear the abductors angrily cursing at her outside the door. They had tried forcing themselves on her just now, but she fought back and bit one of them harshly in the throat. She'd bitten him so hard that his laryngeal bone nearly broke and she nearly killed him.That was the reason why she was beaten half to death and tied up in a corner like this.
Verdier Club was a place Stefan often frequented to drink and hang out with his friends. Millie's conscience told her that the abductor had been lying to her, so she shouldn't be believing what he said. However, she just couldn't stop herself from coming over to have a look for herself.She had been with Stefan for three years and knew the private room he was often in. She rushed there at once."You lost, Ste! So, truth, or dare?""Truth.""Alright then. Who is the woman you love the most?""How's that even a question? Of course, it's Wanda.""Ooh!"Everyone in the private room started to laugh and riot.Millie stood outside the door, her face turning more pale with every second. Her legs felt like lead, and her hand hung mechanically in the air. She couldn't bring herself to knock on the door.A while later, the people in the room seemed to have played another round of "Truth or Dare", and the "Wanda" from before seemed to have lost."You lost, Wanda! So, truth, or dare?"
Pierce asked Millie that question with determination.Millie fell silent. Technically, she should treat Pierce and Stefan similarly and steer clear of Pierce.But her heart always swayed when it came to Pierce for some reason. It was probably because Pierce was always there for her whenever she had a hard time. Whether it was before or after their marriage, he never disappointed her. He wasn't like Stefan, who kept breaking her heart to the extent that she had gotten used to it. Stefan was constantly deliberating the pros and cons and picking the side that benefited him the most. To him, Millie was always the one who could be discarded as the other option.On the contrary, Pierce had never made her his second option. There was an awkward silence in the room. Millie didn't know how to respond to Pierce's question. As she was pondering her answer, she saw the corner of Bill's eye twitch. Was he regaining consciousness now?"Grandpa… Grandpa's eyes twitched just now," she sa
"Why are you here?" Pierce asked, despite knowing the answer."Grandpa must have been confused and called me in his disoriented state. Is he doing alright now?" Millie asked urgently. "I don't know what's going on inside." Pierce shook his head. "They're still performing emergency treatment on him. But the doctor did mention that his condition was quite severe this time. Grandpa might not be able to…" He drifted off, not finishing the rest of his sentence.Millie staggered on her feet, almost falling to the ground. She knew it was only a matter of time before Bill would have to say goodbye to the world, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. It had barely been a year!Bill had always looked after her. Ever since she married Pierce, Bill treated Millie even better than before. Despite the gossip about her, Bill always empathized with her, feeling her pain as if it were his own.Although she didn't have blood ties to Bill or Agnes, they still showed her the utmost love and c
Pierce said, "Yes, I wanted to marry her. So, the fact that you were pretending to be sick wasn't really a threat to me. You just provided me with a valid reason to do so."He continued, "I've transferred you to a different sanatorium these three years instead of letting you stay alone because of her too.""I see. No wonder you insisted that I stay here despite how much I dislike Mrs. Leach Senior. You're certain I'd see Millie here often and like her, huh?" Bill asked in curiosity."Not really."Pierce hadn't expected things to turn out this way. All he wanted was to see Millie more often. After finding out that Millie was taking care of Agnes in this sanatorium, he decided to visit Bill frequently to increase his chances of seeing her.Even a quick glance was more than enough for him. "Well, why did you agree to a divorce then? I don't understand at all. You care about her so much," Bill said.Bill knew that they were going to get a divorce. In fact, he wanted to stop them.
"Mrs. Leach Senior, I won't go. After all, it's your family gathering. How about I treat you to dinner alone some other time?" Millie suggested."You're part of my family too," Agnes insisted."I know you care about me, but Stefan is married to Wanda. If I attend, how do you think Wanda will feel? I don't want to stir up unnecessary trouble," Millie replied.She wasn't afraid of Wanda, but she had no desire to see her again. Wanda had already lost everything, especially after losing the baby. Her real goal wasn't to fight Millie to the bitter end—it was to secure Stefan's affection.Unfortunately, she had lost the ability to conceive children. The Leach family's vast fortune would eventually require an heir. No matter how much Stefan loved her, Wanda was destined to be abandoned.Millie found herself pitying Wanda. As always, her schemes had spectacularly backfired against herself."But I invited several exceptional young men to meet you. It's a chance for you to meet potential s
"Stefan, I've already ended up this way, yet you're still going to see your ex?" Wanda asked as tears streamed down her face."Wanda, it's not what you think. Grandma is back and wants to host a family gathering. She wanted Millie to come as well," Stefan explained."Family gathering? And you're inviting an outsider?""Wanda, Millie was with me for three years. When Grandma was ill, it was Millie who took care of her and kept her company."Wanda scoffed. "I could've done that too. Do you think I didn't want to? Why is my life so miserable? My family went bankrupt, and before my parents passed, they left me with your family. Your parents looked down on me, so they sent me overseas and married me off to an abusive drunkard!"My life after marriage was hell on Earth. It was a nightmare! Your family owes me more than anything Millie ever did for you in those three years. I am your wife now, and yet your grandmother is still thinking about someone else?"Is it because your grandmothe
Stefan felt his stomach churn violently. The smell alone was nauseating, and all Wanda had done was add a pinch of salt for flavor. How could she possibly eat the placenta stew with an overpowering fishy smell?Wanda ate happily, enjoying every bite. For a moment, Stefan had an unsettling thought—it didn't seem like she was eating a placenta, but a child.He waited until she finished before heading downstairs, acting as if nothing had happened."I'm leaving now," he said calmly."Wait, Stefan," Wanda said, stopping him."Is there anything else?""Are you really just going to forget about the incident? If Millie hadn't argued with me and pushed me, the accident wouldn't have happened. Even if she wasn't the mastermind, she should still bear some responsibility. "She's an accomplice to killing our child, Stefan. Are you really not going to seek justice for our baby?" Wanda asked while shedding a few tears. Her crying made her act look sincere and convincing.When it came to cryi
Stefan and Millie would have probably ended up getting married, right? Since Stefan had already treated Millie as a substitute, and she was even better than the original, why couldn't they just continue like this forever?Stefan suddenly recalled the first time he met Millie. She was dressed in revealing clothes, trembling like a helpless lamb awaiting to be slaughtered. When he first saw her, he was captivated—not only because she resembled Wanda so closely but also because she was genuinely beautiful—more beautiful than Wanda, and she was stunning. He couldn't help but feel empathy for her.In the beginning, he hadn't thought much of it. Millie was just a substitute, a cure for the heartache Wanda had left behind. But over time, Millie proved herself. She was thoughtful, considerate, and kind. Her presence gradually eased the pain left by his breakup with Wanda.In reality, Stefan had broken up with Wanda years ago and spent several years living recklessly. Meeting Millie agai
"Don't you… have anything to say?" Stefan asked hesitantly.It would have been a perfectly normal reaction for Millie to yell at Stefan or even slap him.But instead, she was calm. Her tone was flat, and her gaze was cold, sending a chill down his spine.Instead of anger and disappointment, she looked at him now calmly and emotionlessly as though he were a mere stranger."I need to go, Mr. Leach," she said softly.She recalled when Wanda barged into her studio, yelling at her and saying if this were ancient times, she would willingly share a husband with her. Wanda also agreed to let Stefan keep her as a mistress.If they wanted to humiliate themselves, it was their own business, but why pull her into their chaos?Millie had tried to explain herself, but neither of them had been willing to listen. Why should she waste her breath arguing with people who refused to listen?Stefan couldn't let her go, while Wanda saw Millie as a rival and wanted to compete with her. But to Millie,
Julian spoke each word slowly, and his words left Millie speechless.Even though she knew she was innocent, Wanda's plans had made her imprisonment almost certain. If it weren't for Pierce, she would have been doomed."What's going on, Julian? I thought you left," Millie said."Who said I left? I told you I just needed a few days to rest. Since I couldn't help with your troubles, I figured I'd at least look after the company for you."I wasn't just sitting around during my off days. I gave a lecture in school and recruited some new talent. As for the contaminated fabrics issue, I've already cleared the studio's name. It might take a bit of time, but we'll be back on track soon.""Julian…"It turned out she was the only one being narrow-minded. She even thought she and Julian couldn't even be friends anymore.Julian laughed. "I'm not that petty. We're still business partners, and I'm still your senior. We're… still the same as before, alright?"Millie nodded firmly. "Thanks, Jul