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Chapter 6

Author: Riri Ann
On the eve of our families' arranged marriage, the Thorntons were framed and went bankrupt. Mandy, unwilling to endure hardship, eloped with her mother's help.

After I married Isaac in her place, I helped him rebuild his empire, taking his business to even greater heights. His eyes gradually turned to me, but then Mandy returned.

Her return meant my defeat, a complete and utter loss. No matter what I did, he only saw jealousy and malice in me. Ultimately, he never loved me.

That night, they lay in the same hospital bed, Isaac holding Mandy, both sleeping soundly. I could only watch, unable to leave, sitting by their bed until dawn.

The next day, Isaac was woken by a phone call. "Mr. Thornton, Liam said you ordered him to release Mrs. Thornton."

Isaac instantly woke up. "I didn't. Stop him. I'm coming."

After Isaac left, Mandy opened her eyes. "Nicole, a dead woman. Let's see how you'll compete with me!"

How did she know I was dead? Was the guard...?

Before I could think, a powerful force pulled me out, forcing me to follow Isaac into his car. We arrived at the beach.

Liam was restrained, unable to move. He shouted, "Mr. Thornton, please release Mrs. Thornton! It's been two days and nights; she'll die!"

Isaac approached Liam, a mocking smile on his lips. "Liam, why are you so concerned about Nicole, even disobeying my orders?"

Liam said, "Mr. Thornton, Mrs. Thornton worked alongside you, lived at the company, even drank herself to a stomach ulcer for your orders. Have you forgotten?"

Liam's words triggered memories. Those days were hard, but I was hopeful. I loved Isaac, since high school—from the time he threw his jacket over me in school, shielding me from a period stain. I was hopelessly in love.

When I learned I was to marry him in Mandy's place, I felt like I'd won the lottery. I was willing to endure hardship with him; every moment with him felt like happiness. But this man I loved most took my life.

"Enough!" Isaac roared. "She wronged me first! You defend her so much—were you also her lover?"

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    Liam was stunned. "Mr. Thornton, there's nothing between us. She's not that kind of person.""Mandy saw a man leaving her room. Would she lie to me?"His sudden coldness was because of Mandy's provocation; he thought I was cheating on him. Isaac, we were together for four years. Didn't you know me, trust me at all? You believed that nonsense?My hand touched my abdomen, a searing pain. Baby, I'm sorry. I've dragged you into this.Liam repeatedly defended me, but Isaac waved him off. "Take him away. Keep him from here."Liam was dragged away, pleading for Isaac to release me. Isaac looked at the calm sea, then turned to the bodyguard."How was she yesterday?""Mrs. Thornton was in high spirits, cursing you constantly.""What did she say?""That you're a beast and will face retribution."Anger flashed across Isaac's face. "Nicole, let's see who faces retribution first." He left.A bitter smile touched my lips. My retribution had already come. Loving you was my greatest punishm

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    When I was young, she would often hit and yell at me whenever my dad wasn't home, using my "misbehavior" as an excuse.Any time I showed even the slightest interest in something, the mother-daughter pair would either take it away or destroy it.The dolls I loved would show up torn to pieces in the trash the next day.My favorite clothes would mysteriously get stained in ways that could never be washed out.They even beat my dog to death, claiming it was disobedient.After hearing the stepmother's words, my father grew even angrier. "If she remains so stubborn and won't even donate one kidney, then I won't leave her a single share of the company - everything will go to Mandy."My stepmother and Mandy couldn't hide their glee. Ugh, my dad's such a blind fool.Mandy looked towards the door, a little shyly. "Isaac, you're here."Isaac walked in. "Dad, Mom, I've always loved Mandy. She's the woman I love. After all this, I can't lose her. Please let us be together."Mandy started

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    A red welt bloomed across Isaac's cheek where Ashley had slapped him. In a flash, he seized her arm and slammed her against the wall. "Security! Get her out of here!"I reached for Ashley without thinking, forgetting I couldn't touch her. All I could do was watch helplessly as she crumpled from the impact. Before she could get her feet under her, two guards burst in and yanked her up by her arms."How can you be so heartless?" Ashley shouted, struggling against their grip. "You'd make Nicole donate a kidney while she's carrying your child?"Isaac froze. "What did you just say?"Ashley wrenched one arm free. "She's pregnant with your baby, you monster!" Her voice cracked with fury. "Even wild animals protect their young, but you're worse than any beast!"Seeing Isaac hesitate, Mandy quickly said, "Isaac, that baby's definitely not yours. Remember those videos?"Isaac recovered himself. "Yeah, Nicole's such a floozy. Who knows whose kid it is?"Isaac, you bastard! Bastard! I loved

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    Isaac said, "Then we'll wait until she has the baby, then she can donate her kidney. I'll have my mother raise the child." Mandy was finally satisfied.After Mandy fell asleep, Isaac impatiently checked his watch. "Two hours have passed, why aren't they here yet?" He called the bodyguard guarding me, but the phone went straight to voicemail. Panic flashed across his face. He quickly called his assistant, Liam. He said he'd agreed to let me go and told Liam to pick me up from the beach.After hanging up, Isaac unconsciously pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one after another. Isaac rarely smoked. Was he worried about me? But I quickly dismissed the thought. If he cared, he wouldn't have left me at the bottom of the ocean for two nights. Forget the lack of oxygen; even with plenty of oxygen, a normal person locked in a cage underwater that long wouldn't stand a chance.Soon, the smoke filled the room, choking Mandy awake. She coughed repeatedly. Isaac was about to tend t

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    Liam repeated, "Mr. Thornton, your wife is really dead. Don't you recognize the birthmark on her arm?"Isaac looked again at her forearm. There was a crescent-moon shaped birthmark.Tears welled up in his eyes. I floated before him, watching his reddened eyes. I was surprised he was crying. He hadn't even given me a chance to speak before throwing me into the ocean to die. Who is this performance for now?Isaac held my body."Nicole, open your eyes and look at me. If you open your eyes, I won't divorce you. I won't care about you cheating on me.""Just open your eyes and live. We'll be like before. I'll agree to anything…""Nicole, I'm sorry, I know I'm wrong. I won't yell at you anymore. I won't leave you alone again. Please wake up…"But the corpse, of course, didn't react.Liam said, "Mr. Thornton, your wife is dead."Isaac roared, "She's not dead! She's just angry, that's why she's ignoring me!"Isaac took my body home, buying an expensive cryogenic bed and placing me o

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    Five days after my death, Ashley learned what happened. She stormed in, punching and kicking Isaac."You monster!" she screamed. "You killed Nicole! I'll make you pay!"Isaac stood silently, taking the beating."Your family went bankrupt, Mandy ran off, and Nicole, without hesitation, married you and helped you rebuild your life," Ashley raged. "But you killed her for that woman! Nicole saved you at sea, and you let her die there! You're worse than an animal!"Isaac looked up sharply. "What? Nicole saved me at sea, not Mandy?"That summer after graduation, we went to the beach. Isaac got caught in a rip current. I risked my life to save him, collapsing on the beach from exhaustion. I woke up to Mandy telling me she and Isaac were dating. Mandy had stolen my credit as his savior.Ashley scoffed. "You thought Mandy saved you? She can't swim!" She slapped him again.Isaac collapsed, muttering, "How... how could this be...?"Ashley went to my body, tears falling as she looked at my

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    I watched his self-destruction with cold indifference. His pain was nothing compared to mine.He stumbled to my body, blood streaming from his head, his eyes filled with hatred. "Nicole, everyone who hurt you will pay."You were the one who hurt me most, Isaac.He cremated me but kept my ashes. That night, he captured the goons. Tortured, they confessed Mandy had tampered with my oxygen tank. She was never sick; it was all a plot to kill me.Isaac listened to Liam's report, nodding calmly before dismissing him. Screams echoed from the interrogation room. The goons were dead.The next day, he orchestrated a car accident that killed my father and stepmother. He watched the car burn, then drove away.He went to Mandy's hospital."Isaac, you're finally here! I've been waiting," she said, rushing to him.His gaze was icy. "Sorry to keep you waiting."She didn't notice. "Isaac, Nicole's gone. Nothing can stop us now.""Yes," he said. "She's gone.""Mandy, come with me."He took h

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    He watched the cage disappear beneath the waves, then, as if the ocean itself had finally claimed him, Isaac fell back, murmuring, "Nicole, justice is served. Can you forgive me?"No. I hope we never meet again in another life.Isaac left a will, donating all his wealth to charity in my name. He asked Ashley to bury his ashes with mine.Ashley buried me in the city's best cemetery. She cremated Isaac and Mandy, scattering their ashes in a pauper's field."You two deserve each other. May you never hurt anyone again."Ashley, thank you for everything. We'll be friends again in our next life.A breeze blew, and my soul vanished.

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    He watched the cage disappear beneath the waves, then, as if the ocean itself had finally claimed him, Isaac fell back, murmuring, "Nicole, justice is served. Can you forgive me?"No. I hope we never meet again in another life.Isaac left a will, donating all his wealth to charity in my name. He asked Ashley to bury his ashes with mine.Ashley buried me in the city's best cemetery. She cremated Isaac and Mandy, scattering their ashes in a pauper's field."You two deserve each other. May you never hurt anyone again."Ashley, thank you for everything. We'll be friends again in our next life.A breeze blew, and my soul vanished.

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    I watched his self-destruction with cold indifference. His pain was nothing compared to mine.He stumbled to my body, blood streaming from his head, his eyes filled with hatred. "Nicole, everyone who hurt you will pay."You were the one who hurt me most, Isaac.He cremated me but kept my ashes. That night, he captured the goons. Tortured, they confessed Mandy had tampered with my oxygen tank. She was never sick; it was all a plot to kill me.Isaac listened to Liam's report, nodding calmly before dismissing him. Screams echoed from the interrogation room. The goons were dead.The next day, he orchestrated a car accident that killed my father and stepmother. He watched the car burn, then drove away.He went to Mandy's hospital."Isaac, you're finally here! I've been waiting," she said, rushing to him.His gaze was icy. "Sorry to keep you waiting."She didn't notice. "Isaac, Nicole's gone. Nothing can stop us now.""Yes," he said. "She's gone.""Mandy, come with me."He took h

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    A red welt bloomed across Isaac's cheek where Ashley had slapped him. In a flash, he seized her arm and slammed her against the wall. "Security! Get her out of here!"I reached for Ashley without thinking, forgetting I couldn't touch her. All I could do was watch helplessly as she crumpled from the impact. Before she could get her feet under her, two guards burst in and yanked her up by her arms."How can you be so heartless?" Ashley shouted, struggling against their grip. "You'd make Nicole donate a kidney while she's carrying your child?"Isaac froze. "What did you just say?"Ashley wrenched one arm free. "She's pregnant with your baby, you monster!" Her voice cracked with fury. "Even wild animals protect their young, but you're worse than any beast!"Seeing Isaac hesitate, Mandy quickly said, "Isaac, that baby's definitely not yours. Remember those videos?"Isaac recovered himself. "Yeah, Nicole's such a floozy. Who knows whose kid it is?"Isaac, you bastard! Bastard! I loved

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    Liam was stunned. "Mr. Thornton, there's nothing between us. She's not that kind of person.""Mandy saw a man leaving her room. Would she lie to me?"His sudden coldness was because of Mandy's provocation; he thought I was cheating on him. Isaac, we were together for four years. Didn't you know me, trust me at all? You believed that nonsense?My hand touched my abdomen, a searing pain. Baby, I'm sorry. I've dragged you into this.Liam repeatedly defended me, but Isaac waved him off. "Take him away. Keep him from here."Liam was dragged away, pleading for Isaac to release me. Isaac looked at the calm sea, then turned to the bodyguard."How was she yesterday?""Mrs. Thornton was in high spirits, cursing you constantly.""What did she say?""That you're a beast and will face retribution."Anger flashed across Isaac's face. "Nicole, let's see who faces retribution first." He left.A bitter smile touched my lips. My retribution had already come. Loving you was my greatest punishm

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    On the eve of our families' arranged marriage, the Thorntons were framed and went bankrupt. Mandy, unwilling to endure hardship, eloped with her mother's help.After I married Isaac in her place, I helped him rebuild his empire, taking his business to even greater heights. His eyes gradually turned to me, but then Mandy returned.Her return meant my defeat, a complete and utter loss. No matter what I did, he only saw jealousy and malice in me. Ultimately, he never loved me.That night, they lay in the same hospital bed, Isaac holding Mandy, both sleeping soundly. I could only watch, unable to leave, sitting by their bed until dawn.The next day, Isaac was woken by a phone call. "Mr. Thornton, Liam said you ordered him to release Mrs. Thornton."Isaac instantly woke up. "I didn't. Stop him. I'm coming."After Isaac left, Mandy opened her eyes. "Nicole, a dead woman. Let's see how you'll compete with me!"How did she know I was dead? Was the guard...?Before I could think, a powe

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