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Chapter 3
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The Gilded Cage Chapter 4
This decade-long marriage had fooled me into believing that I could walk beside him as an equal. Like every novel, I thought it would eventually lead to a happy ending. But the story ended, and life carried on. Life was the mundane reality of bills, household chores, and everyday struggles. It was the subtle condescension that came with being from different worlds, the slow erosion of my voice in this marriage—like a thin layer of sand that gradually built up, separating Daniel and me.At first, it was just a faint irritation against the skin, barely noticeable. But over time, those tiny grains became unbearable, grinding into my flesh slowly and painfully.They became invisible, immeasurable, and impossible to brush away. I changed into my cleaning company uniform and looked at my reflection in the mirror—a bare face without a trace of jewelry. Once, this woman wore the finest makeup, dressed in Dior’s latest couture, and held a champagne glass, surrounded by elegance an
The Gilded Cage Chapter 5
"Mm!""Pinky promise—cross my heart, no take-backs for a hundred years!"…The exhibition hall wasn’t officially open to the public yet. Only a select few with special invitations were allowed in today.Samuel and I carefully wiped the dust off the picture frames with cloths.Not far away, a gentle female voice drifted over."Anna, this is a piece by the renowned painter Mr. Tobias. If you like it, I will buy it for you, alright?"Hearing that familiar name, my body went rigid.I turned and saw my daughter, Anna Sterling.She was dressed in a layered princess gown, the delicate tulle cascading like blooming petals. A dazzling eight-carat diamond hairpin shimmered in her hair.Her arm was looped through Scarlett’s, their closeness undeniable."Thank you, Miss Snow. We already have three of Mr. Tobias’s paintings at home. This time, I’d like to see more realist art instead."Around her stood three or four other children—her friends, all from the same wealthy circle.It felt as if they k
The Gilded Cage Chapter 6
The scene was in utter chaos. Blood from my palm had pooled on the ground. Samuel and Anna lay on the floor. Scarlett clutched her stomach and slowly lost consciousness. The blaring sirens of an ambulance, panicked screams, and hurried footsteps all blended into one. By the time I regained consciousness, I was already at the hospital. Everyone was focused on Scarlett. No one bothered with the wound on my hand, which had already coagulated on its own. My palm and the back of my hand were covered in dried blood. In the hospital corridor, Daniel rushed in wearing a suit, his expression stormy. Without any preamble, he lashed out angrily, “Elaine, what the hell are you doing?! “Do you want people to know that Anna’s mother works as a janitor? How do you expect her to hold her head high in front of her friends?! “And that kid suddenly ran out, scaring Scarlett. “She’s pregnant and already physically weak. She fainted just now from the shock. “When she wakes up, go and
The Gilded Cage Chapter 7
Through layers of suffering, I was barely pulled back from the brink. After being rescued, I spent three agonizing months in the hospital just to keep the pregnancy. Even then, Anna was born premature. I stood outside the NICU, staring at the tiny, fragile infant inside. Her skin was bluish, her body so small she barely seemed alive. Clutching the emerald pendant my mother had left me, I fell to my knees and prayed, over and over again, “If there’s a God out there, I beg you, please. Please, please… Protect my daughter. “I would trade my years, my happiness, my everything, just to keep her alive.” The sterile white walls of the hospital had witnessed more desperate prayers and silent tears from mothers than any church ever had. Three months later, Anna finally pulled through. As I watched her sleep peacefully, tears streamed down my face. I fastened the pendant around her tiny neck. From that moment on, my life was no longer mine alone. One half still belonged to me.
The Gilded Cage Chapter 8
"This pendant will keep our little Elaine safe for the rest of her life." “Mom, I’m sorry. I broke the only thing you left me,” I apologized to her quietly.Everything around me blurred into darkness. My body, like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut, collapsed backward. "Mom!" "Elaine!!" In the haze of consciousness, I felt Daniel catch me, pulling me into his arms. He lifted me and placed me on a stretcher before I was wheeled into the emergency room. A doctor pried open my eyes, a harsh light flashing over my left one, though I could see nothing from it. "This woman has lost vision in her left eye. She fainted due to extreme emotional distress, which may have worsened nerve compression." Just before I completely lost consciousness, I heard Daniel’s frantic voice. "Why is she blind in one eye?!" Then everything went black. …I knew I was dreaming because somehow, I was looking at my twenty-two-year-old self. Waves crashed against the rocks. The sky was pit
The Gilded Cage Chapter 9
I shouldn’t fear the storms, the wind, or the rain. I wouldn’t be afraid of the unknown path ahead because I would always save myself, again and again, a thousand times over without hesitation. …It felt like I had been lost in a long, endless dream. Or maybe, I finally woke up from one. When I opened my eyes, my pillow was soaked with tears. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, unmistakably sterile, unmistakably a hospital. I shifted slightly, and beside me, Daniel, who had been dozing, jerked awake. "Elaine, you're awake? How do you feel? Are you feeling any pain?" Anna stood at my bedside, her small hands twisting the lace of her dress. In a timid voice, she whispered, "Mom…" I sank back into my pillow. I had been fine until I woke up to see the two of them. Daniel’s gaze fell on my left eye. He hesitated before speaking. "Elaine… what happened to your eye? "The doctor said you had a prosthetic implanted nine years ago. "Nine years ago was the yea
The Gilded Cage Chapter 10
"I searched for you every single day for the past three years. As long as the rescue team didn’t find your body at the bottom of that cliff, I refused to believe you were dead. "Do you know what I felt when I finally found your passport records? "I had you. I finally had you. And… you have a daughter, don’t you?"His gaze shifted to Anna. Daniel’s eyes suddenly turned red. With a trembling breath, he carefully picked her up, holding her as if she were made of glass—fragile, precious. "She looks like me… she really looks like me." But his reckless move to ground the plane had been too high-profile. It instantly exposed his location to the enemies of the Sterling family. Just as he cradled Anna in his arms, a sharp crack shattered the air. A bullet pierced through the glass. "Watch out!" Without thinking, I shoved both Daniel and Anna aside, throwing myself to the ground. A stray bullet grazed my left eye. Pain exploded across my face as I let out a muffled groan,
The Gilded Cage Chapter 11
I wanted to start living for myself. After hearing everything, Daniel stood frozen, his breathing turning shallow and uneven. His chest rose and fell violently as he struggled to process my words. "All these years… Elaine, why… why didn’t you ever tell me?" I turned away, my voice steady. "Some things don’t need to be said—they’re understood without words. "And some things… saying them wouldn’t have made a difference."With that, I closed my eyes, exhausted, unwilling to look at him any longer. Sunlight crept through the window, casting its glow in neat, golden lines, yet it never quite reached either of us. Daniel hunched over, his broad frame seemingly crushed under an invisible weight. He buried his face in his hands. A long silence stretched between us, broken only by the barely restrained sound of a choked sob. …From that day on, it was as if Daniel and Anna had become entirely different people.Daniel moved his entire office into my hospital room. During th
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The Gilded Cage Chapter 15
And so, the Sterling family crumbled, vanishing like smoke until nothing was left.Daniel suddenly let out a laugh, muffled behind his hands.He laughed and laughed, until tears slipped through his fingers, his shoulders shaking with something between grief and bitter amusement.This was their fate—the price for trampling all over Elaine’s heart.Their downfall was nothing but karma.…Epilogue 2Unlike the fallen Sterlings, Elaine had thrived.She earned her doctorate from Westbridge Institute of Technology in just four years.She never forgot the dream she had at eighteen—to become a pioneer, a leader in her field.After returning home, she founded Laine Technologies, securing hundreds of millions in investment and rising to prominence in the tech world.At an academic conference, she caught the eye of a renowned industry leader.He was young, brilliant, and deeply in love with her.He pursued her relentlessly, unwavering in his devotion, until Elaine finally smiled and said yes, ste
The Gilded Cage Chapter 14
But the warmth Anna once knew was gone. Scarlett barely spared her a glance, her lips curling into a sneer. "Your mother has left. Don’t expect me to spoil you the way she did. "You’d better behave, or you’ll regret it." Anna’s face turned bright red with fury. "You shameless woman! If you hadn’t seduced my dad, my mom never would have left!" Scarlett’s expression darkened instantly. With a sharp crack, she slapped Anna across the face. "You still think you're some spoiled little princess? "Let me make this clear—your father doesn’t want you. Your grandmother doesn’t want you. "I run this house now!"Anna clutched her burning cheek, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. And in that moment, the truth hit her like a tidal wave. All those years of comfort and protection had only been possible because Elaine had been there, shielding her from the storm.And Anna was the one who pushed her mother away. By the time Anna understood, it was already too late.No on
The Gilded Cage Chapter 13
For half a month, I waited anxiously, my hopes slowly fading. Then, with a soft ding, a new email arrived. It was an email from Westbridge Institute of Technology. The professor wrote that he still remembered me and was willing to offer me another chance to study. I clapped a hand over my face, letting out a silent scream as my heart pounded wildly in my chest. I did it. At thirty-five, I had pulled myself out of the abyss once again. The future stretched before me like a glowing path, unfolding step by step. Nine years later, I boarded a plane to Westbridge, this time with Samuel by my side. Before leaving, I compiled every shred of evidence against the Sterling family—their crimes, their corruption, everything they had done over the years—and submitted a detailed report. With that, I put the final period on that chapter of my life.As the steady hum of the plane filled the cabin, I closed my eyes and drifted into sleep. And once again, I dreamed of my eighteen-y
The Gilded Cage Chapter 12
"But that thread between us was too light and fragile—worn thin by the weight of the years. "Daniel, whatever bond we had is gone. "Let’s end this with dignity, like adults. Walk away while there’s still some grace left." Time seemed to still. Daniel sat there in silence, unmoving, like a statue carved from stone. His hands curled into fists, knuckles turning white, veins standing out against his skin. He stayed that way for a long time before finally speaking, his voice low and strained. "You’re never going to forgive me, are you?" I nodded, as effortlessly as if I were making an offhand remark about the weather."I won’t forgive you. And I don’t love you anymore." Daniel turned his face away, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable. But deep in his eyes, I saw something like the reflection of a still, silent lake, its surface barely rippling. And just for a second, I caught a faint shimmer in his gaze. Anna finally realized that I wasn’t taking her with me.
The Gilded Cage Chapter 11
I wanted to start living for myself. After hearing everything, Daniel stood frozen, his breathing turning shallow and uneven. His chest rose and fell violently as he struggled to process my words. "All these years… Elaine, why… why didn’t you ever tell me?" I turned away, my voice steady. "Some things don’t need to be said—they’re understood without words. "And some things… saying them wouldn’t have made a difference."With that, I closed my eyes, exhausted, unwilling to look at him any longer. Sunlight crept through the window, casting its glow in neat, golden lines, yet it never quite reached either of us. Daniel hunched over, his broad frame seemingly crushed under an invisible weight. He buried his face in his hands. A long silence stretched between us, broken only by the barely restrained sound of a choked sob. …From that day on, it was as if Daniel and Anna had become entirely different people.Daniel moved his entire office into my hospital room. During th
The Gilded Cage Chapter 10
"I searched for you every single day for the past three years. As long as the rescue team didn’t find your body at the bottom of that cliff, I refused to believe you were dead. "Do you know what I felt when I finally found your passport records? "I had you. I finally had you. And… you have a daughter, don’t you?"His gaze shifted to Anna. Daniel’s eyes suddenly turned red. With a trembling breath, he carefully picked her up, holding her as if she were made of glass—fragile, precious. "She looks like me… she really looks like me." But his reckless move to ground the plane had been too high-profile. It instantly exposed his location to the enemies of the Sterling family. Just as he cradled Anna in his arms, a sharp crack shattered the air. A bullet pierced through the glass. "Watch out!" Without thinking, I shoved both Daniel and Anna aside, throwing myself to the ground. A stray bullet grazed my left eye. Pain exploded across my face as I let out a muffled groan,
The Gilded Cage Chapter 9
I shouldn’t fear the storms, the wind, or the rain. I wouldn’t be afraid of the unknown path ahead because I would always save myself, again and again, a thousand times over without hesitation. …It felt like I had been lost in a long, endless dream. Or maybe, I finally woke up from one. When I opened my eyes, my pillow was soaked with tears. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, unmistakably sterile, unmistakably a hospital. I shifted slightly, and beside me, Daniel, who had been dozing, jerked awake. "Elaine, you're awake? How do you feel? Are you feeling any pain?" Anna stood at my bedside, her small hands twisting the lace of her dress. In a timid voice, she whispered, "Mom…" I sank back into my pillow. I had been fine until I woke up to see the two of them. Daniel’s gaze fell on my left eye. He hesitated before speaking. "Elaine… what happened to your eye? "The doctor said you had a prosthetic implanted nine years ago. "Nine years ago was the yea
The Gilded Cage Chapter 8
"This pendant will keep our little Elaine safe for the rest of her life." “Mom, I’m sorry. I broke the only thing you left me,” I apologized to her quietly.Everything around me blurred into darkness. My body, like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut, collapsed backward. "Mom!" "Elaine!!" In the haze of consciousness, I felt Daniel catch me, pulling me into his arms. He lifted me and placed me on a stretcher before I was wheeled into the emergency room. A doctor pried open my eyes, a harsh light flashing over my left one, though I could see nothing from it. "This woman has lost vision in her left eye. She fainted due to extreme emotional distress, which may have worsened nerve compression." Just before I completely lost consciousness, I heard Daniel’s frantic voice. "Why is she blind in one eye?!" Then everything went black. …I knew I was dreaming because somehow, I was looking at my twenty-two-year-old self. Waves crashed against the rocks. The sky was pit
The Gilded Cage Chapter 7
Through layers of suffering, I was barely pulled back from the brink. After being rescued, I spent three agonizing months in the hospital just to keep the pregnancy. Even then, Anna was born premature. I stood outside the NICU, staring at the tiny, fragile infant inside. Her skin was bluish, her body so small she barely seemed alive. Clutching the emerald pendant my mother had left me, I fell to my knees and prayed, over and over again, “If there’s a God out there, I beg you, please. Please, please… Protect my daughter. “I would trade my years, my happiness, my everything, just to keep her alive.” The sterile white walls of the hospital had witnessed more desperate prayers and silent tears from mothers than any church ever had. Three months later, Anna finally pulled through. As I watched her sleep peacefully, tears streamed down my face. I fastened the pendant around her tiny neck. From that moment on, my life was no longer mine alone. One half still belonged to me.
