I had been with Liam Vance for four years, but our intimate life was always a disaster. He constantly complained that I lacked experience and made it incredibly uncomfortable for him. Desperate to please him, I bought a massive box of adult toys online, intending to practice by myself. But then, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and a friend. "Liam, you literally hired someone to hit Mia with a car, putting her in the ICU, and then bribed the doctor to surgically sever her vocal cords so she could never sing again. Do you really not feel a single shred of guilt?" "Guilt? Why would I feel guilty that she sounds like a dying pig now?" "For the past four years, I've been so disgusted I haven't even wanted to sleep with her. Every time we do, I intentionally make it as painful as possible for her." "And guess what? She actually thinks it's her fault! She just bought a massive box of toys online to 'practice'!" Liam laughed cruelly as he dumped the box of toys I had bought onto the table, sparking an eruption of mocking laughter from the room. I stood frozen outside the door, my body trembling uncontrollably, feeling like I had been plunged into an icy abyss. It turned out, my entire life had been a meticulously crafted lie. 1 On the other side of the wall, the mocking laughter finally died down. Someone else spoke up. "Damn, Liam. You actually manage to intentionally hurt her every time?" "You really must despise Mia, huh?" "Aren't you terrified she'll find out the truth about what you did back then?" Liam's face was obscured by cigarette smoke. His voice, when he finally spoke, was as cold as a harsh winter. "So what if she finds out?" "Permanently destroying her vocal cords was the only way Chloe could win the Golden Ear Award in the music industry." "Besides, I've already promised to marry her. What more could she possibly want?" With that, Liam looked down, gazing with profound devotion at a photo of Chloe on his phone. "My heart will only ever belong to Chloe." "I would sacrifice absolutely anything for her. Even... someone else's life!" The room erupted in gasps again, with everyone praising Liam for his incredible devotion. But every single word he spoke pierced directly into my ears. It felt like a massive, invisible hand reached into my chest and viciously twisted my heart. I convulsed in agony, leaning heavily against the wall just to remember how to breathe. Four years ago, I was involved in a horrific car accident on my way to compete in the Golden Ear Awards. When I woke up, not only had I missed the competition entirely, but I was told my vocal cords were irreparably damaged. I fell into a severe depression, becoming incredibly volatile and prone to explosive anger. It was Liam who stayed by my side the entire time, encouraging me, supporting me. On the day I was finally discharged from the hospital, he even dropped to one knee and proposed, swearing he would love me for the rest of his life. But now, I realized it was all a monstrous, calculated lie! My entire body was trembling, and a sharp, agonizing pain radiated from my throat. I stumbled into the kitchen and, with shaking hands, logged into an account I hadn't touched in four years. The follower count on my singing account, [Silk Melody], hadn't dropped at all. Every so often, fans would still leave comments, begging to know when I was coming back. From there, I quickly found Chloe's profile. Unlike four years ago when she was completely unknown, Chloe's posts now regularly racked up hundreds of thousands of likes. Her most recent post was from three days ago. It showed her at the Paris Opera House, her arm linked affectionately with a man in a tailored black suit. [I just mentioned I wanted to see a show, and he flew me out here to experience the world!] [He said loving someone is like cultivating a rare flower, and I am his most precious bloom.] The comments section was flooded with people gushing about how perfectly matched they were, calling them a match made in heaven. I scrolled down her feed frantically, like a woman possessed. Every single post featured "him." A "him" who never showed his face. Suddenly, my eyes locked onto a specific post, and my heart slammed to a halt. It was a series of highly suggestive, lust-fueled photos. Taken in a suite at the Hilton. A naked man and woman, strategically covering themselves, posing for mirror selfies. Chloe had written a pinned comment underneath: [His technique is absolutely incredible, and he lasts so long. Every time is pure bliss.] [It's true what they say: when you find a man, find one with a strong dedication to 'customer service'.] Her fans were screaming in the comments about how jealous they were, spamming reaction stickers begging for her "luck." But on the exact night those photos were posted, I permanently lost my mother because I couldn't speak. 2 A year ago, my mother was involved in a terrible car accident. Because my vocal cords were destroyed, I couldn't call for help. I stood in the middle of the chaotic accident scene, dropping to my knees and desperately kowtowing to every single passing car. Finally, a kind stranger stopped and helped me rush my mother to the hospital. But we were too late. She didn't make it. During those agonizing, critical minutes we lost, I sent dozens of frantic text messages to Liam. Because he had once promised me that no matter what, he would always reply to my texts the absolute second he saw them. But that night, I never received a single reply. Because he was busy "servicing" Chloe, utilizing every single ounce of his "technique" in bed. I locked my phone screen. It felt like a literal axe was cleaving my brain in two. The excruciating psychological pain made it impossible to breathe. Slumping against the kitchen counter, I gasped desperately for air. Suddenly, Liam's panicked voice echoed from behind me. "Mia! Are you okay?!" "Is your throat hurting again?" He gently patted my back, slowly helping me regulate my breathing. "Mia, I told you, I don't care what your voice sounds like. Even if you can never speak another word for the rest of your life, I will always love you." Liam pulled me into his arms, his voice thick with tender comfort. I leaned stiffly against his chest, listening to his familiar heartbeat, feeling nothing but profound, nauseating absurdity. It turns out that mouths can lie, and heartbeats can lie too. Liam's heart was racing, beating so fast I almost could have believed I was the woman he truly loved. But the horrific conversation I had just overheard was permanently burned into my memory. I curled into myself, trembling slightly. "Mia, let me get your medicine, okay?" Liam looked down at me, his eyes overflowing with manufactured concern. He reached up to gently touch my throat, then released me to go grab the first-aid kit. But the very next second. Both of our phones pinged simultaneously. He stopped dead in his tracks, stared at his screen for a few seconds, and then immediately sprinted toward the front door in absolute panic. Without a single word of explanation, his departure was rushed and jarring. I stood frozen in the kitchen. I pulled out my phone and saw that Chloe had just posted a new update. [I just ran into a crazy stalker fan at my hotel! I'm so terrified!] The attached photo showed her looking panicked and frightened. Every single micro-expression on her face was perfectly calculated to make her look incredibly fragile and pitiful. I let out a cynical, self-deprecating laugh as a dull, agonizing ache pulsed through my heart. Through the living room window, I watched Liam sprinting to his car and speeding off like a maniac. So he actually was capable of being this terrified for someone. Without realizing it, tears began streaming down my arms. My body convulsed violently, and I stumbled, collapsing heavily onto the floor. Several minutes later, I slowly forced myself to stand. I dug deep into the back of a kitchen cabinet and pulled out an old business card. [Professor, I want to get treatment for my vocal cords.] [I want to return to the stage.] The reply came almost instantly. [Mia, are you serious?!] [I'm booking you a flight immediately!] [There's a revolutionary new treatment technique in the US. I know with absolute certainty that you can win the Golden Ear Award!] My professor booked my flight for the very next day. I packed my clothes and shoved the suitcase deep into the back of my closet. Once I finished, I sat blankly in the living room. It wasn't until late that night that I heard the sound of a key in the lock. Liam stumbled in, reeking of alcohol. "Sorry, sister-in-law. Liam's in a really bad mood, so he drank a bit too much." "Please take good care of him." Liam staggered into the apartment and pulled me into a crushing embrace. But the name slurring from his lips was Chloe's. "Chloe... I know I was wrong. I never meant to hide the truth about Mia from you." "I don't love Mia at all! She isn't worth a single strand of your hair." "Chloe, how could you just tease me like that and then leave?" "Do you have any idea how much I'm burning up inside right now?" 3 Liam's heavy, alcohol-laced breath washed over my neck. Unlike his usual brutal, aggressive demeanor, tonight, Liam was incredibly gentle. I covered my eyes with my hands, tears silently streaming down my temples. Four years ago, filled with nervous anticipation and dreams of a beautiful romance, I gave myself to Liam for the first time. And that very first time, he treated me with such brutal aggression that my body ached for days. But afterward, he actually blamed me. "Mia, your body makes me incredibly uncomfortable." "Every time we try to do this, you completely kill my mood." I was naive and inexperienced. Believing him, I kept trying to make it work. Terrified that any unpleasant sound from my ruined throat would ruin his mood, I aggressively suppressed every reaction. But right now, I felt absolutely no pain or discomfort. I only felt an incredible, overwhelming pleasure. And all of this was solely because Liam was currently hallucinating that I was Chloe. How hilariously tragic. I violently wiped away my tears and used every ounce of strength I had to shove Liam to the floor. But he immediately lunged at me again. This time, his eyes focused, and he realized who I was. "Mia?" "Why the hell did you push me?!" He stared at me in pure, unadulterated disbelief. His eyes, glazed with lust, gave him a feral, animalistic look. As if he had finally ripped off the refined, gentlemanly mask he always wore, Liam kissed me with savage, punishing force. I couldn't break free, and he subjected me to his usual, violent routine. The next morning, Liam finally woke up sober. He rubbed his temples, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes. "Mia, last night... I drank too much." "Make sure you take your birth control." With that, he pulled on a black dress shirt. As he walked toward the bedroom door, he stumbled slightly, accidentally kicking over the massive box of toys I had bought. The small toys spilled out across the floor, some of them accidentally turning on and beginning to vibrate violently. Liam muttered a low curse, right as his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, a soft, genuine smile instantly blooming on his lips, and walked out, shutting the door behind him. The bedroom returned to its dim gloom. Fighting through the physical pain, I unlocked my phone. Chloe had posted a new update. A photo of a pair of red stilettos resting on a perfectly tailored, black suit jacket. [Spent all night lighting fires all over him. I just love watching him burn with desire, yet still refuse to hurt me.] In the dark bedroom, my phone screen slowly timed out and went black. I struggled to my feet, nearly collapsing again, my entire body trembling violently. Once I managed to get dressed, I limped painfully to the bedroom door. Kneeling on the floor, I manually turned off every single vibrating toy and shoved them all back into the box. These toys felt like a physical manifestation of my pathetic, humiliating delusion. I lowered my head. The agonizing, stabbing pain in my heart made it impossible to breathe, and every inhalation felt like thousands of needles piercing my ruined throat. Thank God I was leaving so soon. I carried the heavy box of toys downstairs and threw it directly into the dumpster. Winters in Beijing are brutally cold. I stood by the dumpster for a few minutes, catching my breath. Suddenly, a familiar Maybach sped toward me and screeched to a halt. Liam threw the door open, his face frantic, and clamped his hand around my wrist like a vice. "Mia, get in! We need to go to the hospital right now!" Before I could even struggle, Liam forcefully dragged me into the car. He drove like a maniac, blowing through multiple red lights. When we arrived at the hospital, he dragged me straight to a VIP ward. "Draw her blood! She has the Rh-negative blood type!" 4 In the freezing, sterile hospital room, I clutched my phone, my entire body shaking uncontrollably. It turned out that Chloe had been in a car accident. Early this morning. So Liam, completely disregarding my safety or well-being, dragged me to the hospital solely to act as a human blood bag for Chloe. But Liam! After the car accident four years ago, I was diagnosed with severe anemia. And you knew that perfectly well. The overwhelming stench of disinfectant filled the air. I watched the blood draining rapidly from my arm, my face turning ashen pale. The nurse patiently asked if I was feeling unwell. I shook my head. I literally couldn't speak a single word. But tears began streaming relentlessly down my face. "Miss, please don't cry!" "Aren't you a voluntary donor?" The nurse looked absolutely shocked and instinctively moved to pull the needle out. But Liam immediately barked an order to stop her. "Mia, stop being so unreasonable." "Someone's life depends on your blood right now. Stop acting like a spoiled brat!" Liam's brow was furrowed in deep annoyance, his grip on my wrist painfully tight. He had a tight, reassuring smile on his lips, but his eyes were freezing cold. The nurse was startled by his tone, her hand trembling as she pulled away. I stared up at Liam, and suddenly, a cold, empty smile touched my lips. [Liam Vance, this is the absolute last time you will ever hurt me.] I lowered my head. I didn't struggle, and I didn't fight back. It wasn't until several bags of my blood had been drawn that the nurse finally whispered timidly: "Sir, this should be more than enough to save the pregnant woman who's hemorrhaging..." Liam frowned deeply. "Pregnant woman?" The nurse nodded. "Yes! We currently have a pregnant patient with Rh-negative blood experiencing severe postpartum hemorrhaging." "Isn't she the one you're here to save?" Liam's frown deepened into a scowl. Suddenly, a painfully familiar voice echoed from the hallway. "See? I told you!" "I told you Liam would definitely drag Mia here!" "Chloe, I won the bet!" Liam's friend walked into the room, laughing boisterously. Right behind them was Chloe. Her complexion was perfectly rosy, her makeup was flawless, and she looked absolutely nothing like someone who had just been in a car crash. I sat completely frozen, my head spinning with dizziness from the blood loss. Then I heard Chloe's sickeningly sweet, whining voice. "Liam, you aren't mad, are you?" "It's all their fault! They insisted on making a bet and playing a stupid game." "I know I was wrong." Chloe grabbed Liam's hands and threw herself into his arms. Liam didn't move a muscle. His eyes were terrifyingly calm. Within seconds, a suffocating silence fell over the entire room. The group finally realized they had crossed a massive line, and genuine fear flickered in their eyes. "Liam, please don't be mad..." But suddenly, Liam wrapped his arms fiercely around Chloe, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. His voice actually trembled. "Chloe, never, ever make a joke like that again." "I was... terrified." In an instant, an explosive ringing erupted in my ears, drowning out all other sound. The couple embracing in front of me looked like a perfect, romantic painting, reducing me to nothing but a pathetic, humiliating clown. I was the one who shouldn't be here! Using the wall to support my severely weakened body, I slowly walked out of the room, leaving their joyous celebration behind. When I reached the hospital entrance, a torrential downpour had begun. I stumbled blindly into the rain, my clothes instantly soaked through. Rain and tears mingled on my face. The pain in my throat was so intense I could barely breathe. But I felt completely numb. I walked back to the apartment like a hollow, soulless ghost. The moment I unlocked the door, my strength completely vanished, and I collapsed heavily in the entryway. I curled into a tight ball, wrapping my arms desperately around myself. As if that pathetic gesture could offer me some kind of comfort. But my rain-soaked phone suddenly lit up. And the tiny, fragile wall of defense I had struggled so hard to build was ruthlessly annihilated. Chloe had posted a new update. [Just a silly joke, but he was absolutely terrified.] The photo showed the flawless lower half of Liam's face, gently kissing the corner of her eye. The comments section was flooded with people declaring that only a love this profound was worthy of marriage. Chloe even replied to one of those comments. [Marriage is already in the works!] [He said he's preparing a massive surprise for me!] With stiff, trembling fingers, I actually 'liked' the post. Then, I logged into my [Silk Melody] account. This time, I didn't use incognito mode. The "Online" indicator for [Silk Melody] lit up. I posted a photo of my boarding pass. [Goodbye, Liam Vance.] ... Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Liam excused himself to the restroom and immediately dialed my number. But the call wouldn't connect. Until a friend sent him a screenshot. "Liam! Mia is leaving the country!" "She might have found out the truth about what happened back then!" The hand holding the phone began to shake violently, and a sudden, inexplicable wave of sheer panic seized his heart. 5 In the past, Liam was absolutely, undeniably convinced that I would never, ever leave him. But in that moment, he was genuinely terrified. In the hospital restroom, his breathing grew ragged as he yanked at his tie, loosening it. But the paralyzing panic in his chest didn't subside; instead, it mutated into a suffocating dread. In a fit of explosive rage, he punched the mirror. The glass shattered instantly. Blood streamed down his fingers, but he didn't even seem to notice. When he finally walked out of the restroom, Chloe gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "Liam! What happened to your hand?!" Liam raised his hand, staring blankly at the blood coating his knuckles. He actually felt a bizarre, momentary sense of calm. But looking at the pure terror in Chloe's eyes, his mind violently flashed back to me. Over the past four years, if he suffered even the most minor, microscopic injury, I would completely lose my mind with worry. Tears would instantly well up in my eyes, and I would clumsily type out furious text messages, scolding him for not taking better care of himself. And then, I would meticulously, gently bandage his wound. Thinking of this, Liam ignored his bleeding hand and dialed the first number in his favorites list again. "The number you have dialed is currently powered off..." He dialed it again, and again, and again. The panic inside Liam grew exponentially. He raised a hand to clutch his chest. It felt like something vital, something foundational, had just permanently vanished. At that exact moment, I fell into a deep, exhausted sleep on the plane. When I finally woke up and walked out of the arrival gate, the very first thing I saw was my professor waiting for me. In an instant, the dam finally broke, and years of suppressed agony and injustice exploded outward. I threw myself into my professor's arms and sobbed hysterically, telling her absolutely everything about what Liam had done to me. Her eyes blazed with pure, unadulterated fury, her hands balling into tight fists. "Mia, you foolish, foolish girl!" "Why didn't you tell me you were suffering so much?!" My professor's eyes grew red as she held me in a fierce, protective embrace. "Don't worry. I will use absolutely every resource and connection I have to help you!" "The Golden Ear Award this year belongs to you!" My professor was a woman of her word. She immediately secured appointments with the absolute top specialists in the US. "Ms. Harrison, whoever severed your vocal cords did so with the explicit intention of making sure you never recovered." "I can treat it, but the surgical procedure is going to be unimaginably agonizing." "We will need to perform the surgery entirely without anesthesia. That is the only possible way to guarantee the maximum restoration of your vocal cord function." "Are you absolutely certain you want to proceed?" I clenched my fists tightly, but a massive wave of relief washed over me. Thank God. It can be fixed. I nodded, agreeing to the surgery without a microsecond of hesitation. For the next month, I underwent a brutal, agonizing surgery almost every single week. Every single procedure felt like being burned alive and reborn from the ashes. Finally, after a grueling month, I produced my first vocal sound. My voice was clear and crisp, but possessed a subtle, undeniable huskiness. It was entirely different from my previous tone. It carried a profound depth, a texture born from surviving unimaginable suffering. I touched my throat, massive tears rolling down my face. I could finally speak again. The absolute second I regained my voice, I threw myself entirely into vocal training. I practically lived in the music studio, practicing from dawn until dusk. Four years ago, I was robbed of the Golden Ear Award. This time, I absolutely refused to let it slip through my fingers. Fueled by that unyielding determination, I trained relentlessly until exactly one week before the Golden Ear competition. When my professor finally pushed open the door to the practice room. "Mia, I've booked your flight back home." "This time, I know with absolute certainty that you are going to take the Golden Ear Award." But a flicker of deep anxiety crossed her eyes. "Mia, Liam Vance is a major sponsor for the Golden Ear Awards this year. He's on the judging panel." "I'm worried that..." I smiled and gently interrupted her. "Professor, the judging panel for the Golden Ear Awards isn't just Liam Vance. It's every single netizen in the entire country." "I believe absolute talent will conquer everything else." My professor smiled warmly and walked over to hug me. "Mia, there is one more thing I need to tell you." "For the past few months, Liam Vance has been relentlessly hunting for any trace of you." "When you return to the country, there's a very high probability he will find out immediately." Liam was looking for me? Hadn't he ruined my life enough? Was he trying to ensure I was actually dead? I leaned against my professor's shoulder, my heart turning to ice. I felt like I had been violently dragged back to a few months ago. Back when I was trapped in the suffocating delusion of his "love," serving as nothing more than prey for him to maliciously torture. But this time, I absolutely refused to be his prey ever again.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "391860", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel