My family went bankrupt. My dad jumped off a building and died. My mom took the money and ran off with her boy toy. And my weak, useless brother? He handed me over to the guy we owed money to, Liam Carter. A year later, one dark and stormy night, Liam slammed me against the wall, slapped me hard across the face, then wrapped his arm around the woman he truly loved and walked away. A moment later, I felt a sickening trickle down my leg. A pool of bright red blood spread beneath me… Megan was wearing the expensive designer gown that should have been mine. She stood in front of me, smugness practically dripping off her, mocking me. "Sarah, who are you trying to impress with that high-and-mighty act now?" I just sat there on the sofa, didn't even bother looking up. That seemed to annoy her. She clicked across the floor in her sky-high heels, planting herself right in front of me, blocking my view. I had no choice but to look up at her then. Megan sniffed, her expression radiating superiority. "Sarah, you're nothing but Liam's plaything now. I, on the other hand, am his—" Before she could finish, I was on my feet. Crack. The sound echoed as I slapped her hard across the face. My eyes were cold, like ice daggers aimed right at her. "Megan," I said, my voice chillingly calm, "my baby is gone. You think I give a damn about any of this anymore?" The sharp slap and my ice-cold words silenced the entire mansion. "Sarah, how dare you hit me?" Megan clutched her cheek, eyes wide with disbelief, looking like a feral cat about to scratch. "I hit you. So what? Did I need to make an appointment?" My voice was flat, emotionless. Not even a ripple disturbed the dead calm in my eyes. After Liam slapped me, after I lost the baby, nothing could really hurt me anymore. I used to love Liam. Back when my brother handed me over to him, a tiny part of me felt a flicker of relief. After all, I had saved Liam’s life once. As for now… hah. Liam Carter? Who the hell does he think he is? The household staff, who’d never seen this side of me, just stood there, stunned into silence. That’s when Liam walked in. Liam’s face, the one I used to admire, looked… ordinary now. Nothing special. His expression was filled with impatience, his eyes sharp as knives as he looked at me. "Tsk—Sarah, what are you causing trouble about now?" His words instantly fueled Megan’s simmering resentment. She clutched her cheek, big tears welling up, looking utterly pitiful. I'm not the type to feel sorry for damsels in distress. No one ever felt sorry for me. My gaze shifted to Liam, a flicker of something—maybe defiance?—in my eyes. Then, completely unexpectedly, I swung my hand and slapped him. He clearly didn't see it coming. He lunged, grabbing a fistful of my hair and slapping me back, hard. I looked at him calmly, the flicker in my eyes gone. I raised my hand and shoved him away with all my strength. I stumbled back a few steps, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. Then, I started laughing. Laughing right at Liam and Megan. I laughed at Liam’s stupidity. The great Liam Carter, CEO of Carter Corp, played like a fool by a two-faced snake like Megan. He couldn't even get his savior right. But I had revenge on my mind, so I wasn't about to correct him. I stopped laughing, my voice flat again. "Liam, the debt my family owed you? I've earned it back for you, doubled. I don't owe you anything." I paused, then added, "Liam, you need to remember this: You owe me the life of my child!" My words seemed to hit a nerve. He grabbed my throat, squeezing until I could barely breathe. He looked down at me, contemptuously. "Sarah, who do you think you are? That thing in your belly was worthless." I struggled with everything I had, prying his fingers off my neck. I staggered back a step. "Liam, our agreement is over. I owe you nothing. From now on, we go our separate ways." "Sarah, get the hell out!" Liam pointed towards the mansion's front door, utterly devoid of his usual composure. I stumbled out, not looking back once as I left the Carter residence behind me. 2: Reunion Two years later, JFK International Airport, New York City. I pulled open the door of the black Maybach and slid inside. Ethan Vance, in the driver's seat, turned around with a smile. "Sarah, welcome back." Then he added, "Carter Corp is the best potential partner for this project. The bid will probably go to them. Sarah, how are you feeling about that? Are you ready?" I stared out the window at the city skyline, familiar yet strangely distant. Ethan's words didn't stir anything in me. After a moment, I replied quietly, "Ethan, what are you worried about? I never mix business with personal matters. Besides, Liam Carter and I have nothing to do with each other anymore." Ethan knew my past. Two years ago, when I was broken and scarred, Ethan had appeared and offered me a hand. I asked him why he wanted to help me. He stood under a tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting a golden glow on him, like an angel. Ethan had smiled and said, "Sarah, you're a Wall Street whiz. Helping you is a good investment." My weak, useless brother had said something similar to Liam when he handed me over after the bankruptcy. He’d said: Mr. Carter, you know my sister. She’s a big shot on Wall Street. Taking her as payment isn’t a bad deal for you. And it wasn't. In one year, I'd earned back double what my family owed Liam. After meeting Ethan, he helped me get away from NYC, far away. And I helped him make a fortune. In just two years, Vance Enterprises had become a major publicly listed company. Now, Vance Enterprises wasn't satisfied with its current market share; it was pushing into the tech sector. I was back as the head of Vance's new tech subsidiary, which meant attending countless meetings and events alongside Ethan. I saw Liam again three days after I returned, at a business gala Ethan hosted. I wore a gold, off-the-shoulder evening gown, my arm linked with Ethan's. We stood in the center of the ballroom, fielding compliments and business chatter from NYC's corporate elite. Liam arrived late, just as the party was winding down. As he approached, champagne glass in hand, my expression remained perfectly placid, like looking at still water. I kept my arm linked with Ethan's and gave Liam a polite, elegant nod as he came over to toast Ethan. Then, I looked away, treating him like a complete stranger. My indifference seemed to anger Liam. He took a large stride forward. A faint, tight smile played on his lips. "Sarah," he said. "Long time no see." Beside me, Ethan stiffened slightly. He glanced at me, lowering his voice. "You know him?" I shook my head gently. "Never met him." Liam, Ethan, and I had all grown up in the same circles in NYC. Plus, the fact that Ethan had helped me leave the country two years ago wasn't exactly a secret among the city's elite. Ethan’s question felt a little staged, but I didn't dwell on it. Liam reached out, as if to grab my arm. Ethan moved faster. He stepped smoothly between us, shielding me and blocking any direct confrontation. He looked at Liam, his eyes holding a clear warning, his voice hardening noticeably. "Mr. Carter, please don't bother Sarah." Liam froze, clearly stunned that Ethan would be so blunt, so disrespectful. He swallowed his anger, turning his head slightly to look past Ethan at me. "Sarah," he said, his voice tight, "two years away seems to have given you some nerve." I didn't want a scene at the gala. I just said coolly, "Mr. Carter, I've always been capable. Otherwise, Carter Corp wouldn't be where it is today." Liam looked like he wanted to say more, but Ethan cut him off. He put his arm around my waist, pulling me close into his side. He leaned down, whispering intimately near my ear, "Sarah, let me handle this." I didn't really care about Liam, but Ethan seemed to think I was trying to escape the situation. I couldn't exactly explain, so I just smiled and thanked him quietly. Liam stood rooted to the spot, watching Ethan and me move through the ballroom, looking close. He jammed his clenched fists into his suit pockets. 3: Unwanted Entanglement I used to have friends in NYC. Now that I was back after two years, meeting up for coffee seemed inevitable. As I walked into the coffee shop, I suddenly remembered: the Carter Corp building was right nearby. I sat listlessly in a booth by the window, waiting for my friend. But before she arrived, Liam Carter pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down. I was genuinely surprised. Liam, always so meticulous about appearances and prestige, would never normally set foot in a place like this. What was he doing here today? But seeing him, my heart remained perfectly still. Liam, however, clearly wasn't calm. His eyes held some emotion I couldn't decipher, not that I cared to try. "Mr. Carter, quite the leisurely day for you," I said, breaking the silence first. My next words dripped with sarcasm. "I doubt Mr. Carter is accustomed to this kind of coffee. After all, the life of an ordinary person like me clashes terribly with Mr. Carter's exquisite luxury." With one sentence, I drew a clear line between us. Liam bristled immediately, but for some reason, he held back his anger. Even more surprisingly, he spoke gently. "Sarah, let's talk. Properly." Talk? I couldn't think of anything we needed to talk about. I stood up to leave. Liam quickly grabbed my hand. I flinched as if burned by boiling oil, wrenching my hand free. "Liam," I hissed, "we're in public. Please refrain from harassing me." For the first time ever, Liam actually apologized. "Sarah, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you just now?" I froze for a second, completely thrown by his attitude. This wasn't Liam's style. He was arrogant, convinced of his own superiority; he'd never lower himself to apologize. "Mr. Carter, next time I might have to call the police." I didn't want to rehash the past; I just wanted him out of my life. My cold, distant demeanor, so unlike the woman who used to follow him around, seemed to unsettle him. Shock flickered in his eyes, but that was his problem, not mine. I took a step back, maintaining a polite distance. "Mr. Carter, I have plans. Please excuse me." In NYC, the Carter family was one of the few powerful enough to rival Ethan's. While Ethan wasn't afraid of Liam, I didn't want to cause trouble for him or Vance Enterprises. "Sarah, do we really need to be so formal? Don't forget, we're married." Liam's words stopped me in my tracks. My brow furrowed tightly. I'd forgotten. There was a deal Carter Corp needed years ago, with a Mrs. Windsor from England. She only did business with people in stable, happy marriages. To land the contract, Liam and I had gotten legally married and pretended to be a happy couple for a month. When I left two years ago, I'd completely forgotten about getting a divorce. I said coldly, "Married? That was just fake. Neither of us ever took it seriously. Besides, your wife should be Megan." Liam took a step forward, sounding almost desperate. "My wife is you. It has nothing to do with Megan." I actually laughed out loud. I couldn't believe his audacity, putting on this act now. "Mr. Carter, there's a renowned neurologist at Mount Sinai. If you need a referral, I can ask Mr. Vance to help you make an appointment." I wasn't going to get drawn into any more pointless arguments with him. I turned to leave again. Liam rushed ahead and blocked the coffee shop door. I stopped, unable to move forward, irritation written all over my face. I stared at him for three seconds, made a soft 'tsk' sound, and then said, "Liam, you look truly pathetic right now." He still didn't move. A barista walked over, and Liam, conscious of his image, had to step aside slightly. I seized the opportunity, pushed open the door, and stepped outside. "Sarah, I'm sorry about everything that happened," he called out, jogging to catch up. Sorry… Those words meant nothing to me anymore. No amount of apologies could bring back my child or heal my shattered heart.
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