1 When the Maxwell family teetered on the brink of ruin, I sought out Caleb myself, offering a lifeline, and saved their legacy. In a show of gratitude for my intervention, Caleb, known for his philandering ways, immediately underwent a vasectomy. He swore to remain pure for me, for life. He took me across every continent, through mountains and by oceans, vowing to etch our love into every landscape we touched. Three years later, he drugged me, stole my phone, and infiltrated the Thorne estate. He meticulously orchestrated a scheme that brought my family to its knees overnight. My parents, consumed by despair, took peaceful sleep pills, ending their lives together. My sister, Sarah, was dragged into a dark alley by Caleb’s men, subjected to unspeakable public humiliation, and the video footage of her degradation was then callously sold at a twisted auction for the amusement of wealthy young scions. I pleaded with Caleb to spare the Thorne family, but he merely gripped my face, forcing me to watch as my parents’ remains were cremated. "You thought your act of marrying me was so noble, didn't you? Yes, the whole city praised the Thorne family for being a beacon in the storm, saving me from disaster! But what did they say about me?" "They said I was nothing but a dog, clinging to your coattails, Eliza Thorne!" Caleb personally destroyed my family, all to prove he was stronger than the Thornes, that he wasn't a dog. He tore up the divorce papers and shoved them into my mouth. He wanted me to watch, firsthand, as he meticulously climbed the ladder to become the city's veritable kingmaker, a man who could turn the tide with a flick of his wrist. To further humiliate me, he brought different women home every day, transforming the mansion into his personal playground. And I? I was their sole servant. "What's the Thorne family worth now? Your status is perfectly suited to cooking their meals and massaging their feet." It didn't matter. Not really. When I’d rescued him from the avalanche years ago, a shard of rock had pierced my heart. I only had three days left to live. … I flung myself from Caleb’s villa window, desperate to retrieve my family’s last possessions. With the Thorne family bankrupt, every valuable item had been sold off, leaving only some personal effects in the mansion, things no one wanted. I worried my parents would be cold down below, that Sarah would have no clothes to wear. But before I even reached the front door, the Thorne mansion buzzed with life, Caleb’s laughter piercing my ears, instantly seizing my heart. When he saw me enter, the cigarette paused between his lips. Then he raised a hand, beckoning. "Well, well. Is the Thorne orphan interested in attending the auction of her own family's relics?" My fists clenched, my throat tightened, unable to believe what I’d just heard. "What did you say? Caleb, those are your parents and sister too!" Caleb’s eyes turned glacial. "Your family didn't think about me being their good son-in-law when you used the Maxwell name to boost your reputation, did you?" He draped an arm around the stunning woman beside him. "Chloe, just bid on whatever you like. I'm here." On the stage, my mother’s earrings and comb were being auctioned. Chloe's eyes gleamed with delight. She raised her paddle. "Five million! Mr. Maxwell, I simply adore this!" Another woman, Ivy, her eyes misty, looked over. "Sister, can you let me have it? I love it too!" Caleb roared with laughter, amused. "Alright, Chloe's new here, Ivy, why don't you let her have this one? The next one's all yours, okay? Listen up, darlings, bid on whatever you want! If you can't win it, come to me. I'll make sure it's yours, no matter the cost!" A wave of cheers erupted from the women, paddles flying. My mother’s and father’s jewelry and clothes were quickly auctioned off, and I could do nothing but watch. Then, Sarah’s private garment was brought out. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a rare find! The winning bid includes a scandalous private recording! Starting bid, ten million!" Wealthy young playboys eagerly raised their paddles, their hunger unconcealed. The women with Caleb, however, rolled their eyes to the heavens. "In this day and age, any person's intimate garments can fetch a high price? No thank you! Wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole!" A flicker of triumph crossed Ivy’s face. She turned to Caleb. "Caleb, darling, why don’t you bid on this for Eliza? She’s broke now, probably won’t be able to afford new clothes soon! Better to wear her sister’s than some cheap junk, right?" Caleb’s lips curved into a sneer, his gaze on me filled with utter disdain. "Fine. As Ivy suggests. I’ll make sure it’s yours." Caleb snagged a corner of the garment, along with a USB drive, and tossed them both onto my head. "Since you’re bankrupt, take these. Study them carefully. Might come in handy someday, when you're trying to make a living." I gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I told you I was afraid of pain, and you swore to remain pure for me. How can you say such things now?" Caleb scoffed. "Are you out of your mind? I said I got a vasectomy for you because I never wanted to touch you! You disgusted me, so I found an excuse to trick you. How could you actually believe it?" The old, torn wound in my heart now throbbed with a pain so sharp I almost blacked out. It was true, heartbreak really did have a sound. I clutched my chest, my face ashen, and sank to the floor. Caleb, with his entourage, stepped over me, their laughter echoing. "Don’t play the victim. The only people in this world who ever sympathized with you are all dead." "Wait." I called out, stopping Caleb. "The next item. I’ll make sure it’s mine." 2 On the stage, a stone ring lay displayed. It was crudely made, utterly plain, almost ugly. The paddles in the audience remained down. No one wanted to bid on such an unappealing item, which looked utterly worthless. Caleb peered at it for a long moment, then his eyes widened in recognition. "Isn’t that the one you gave me? The one I threw away? You actually secretly picked it up again. How pathetic." This ring was part of my mother's dowry to me, a stone she personally chose, and my father personally shaped for me. This unique, ancient stone was said to be a naturally rare substance, formed over millennia, worth billions, and incredibly resilient, capable of cutting through bone with ease. My parents gave me this ring as a symbol of self-preservation, a promise that no matter what, they would protect me. But when Caleb was trapped in the ice, I’d pressed this ring onto his hand, praying for all my luck to transfer to him, begging for him to survive. He did survive. But when I rescued him, I lost my footing and fell. The stone deeply gashed my chest, and the ring fell into the snow, buried beneath. "You probably don't know this, but I deliberately scraped that ring against your chest to break it. That way, I could openly throw it away. Such an ugly ring, and from you? I wanted it even less." My eyes stung, but my heart was numb. I repeated, "I’ll make sure it’s mine." A few young socialites symbolically raised the price to three million dollars, the last of the money I had left. A young woman, clearly wanting to prolong the cruelty, tried to bid higher, but Caleb instinctively stopped her. He stared at my disheveled appearance, a cold smile twisting his lips. "Something I discarded, and you still cherish it like a priceless treasure? You really are my pathetic admirer. Fine, I'll grant you this charity. Take your three million. And remember this: you are a Thorne. Remember how your family humiliated mine. Remember how I never loved you, yet you shamelessly clung to me." With that, he lost interest and swept out, a dozen women trailing in his wake. I clutched the stone ring my parents had given me, the one I had lost and now regained. A relieved smile touched my lips. My parents were gone, but the ring was back. Did it mean they were here, protecting me? Too bad I only had three days left to live. My smile faltered, a sudden spasm in my chest. My vision blurred, and I collapsed. … The doctor urged me to stay in the hospital, assuring me that if I remained still, the stone shard lodged in my heart might not shift, giving me a few more days. I waved him off, pushing myself up and returning to Caleb’s villa. What was the point of a few more days? Just a few more days of Caleb’s torment. There was no meaning in it. Better to find release and join my parents and sister. When I arrived home, the dining table was a scene of boisterous chatter, but there was no place set for me. Caleb turned, his brow furrowed. "Still know how to come back? Look at the time! Chloe was practically in tears because you didn't cook today! You're not getting any food for the next few days!" I walked past the dining room without turning my head. "Whatever." Caleb’s brow furrowed. He rushed forward in three strides, seizing my wrist and slamming me against the wall. My heart seized in a violent spasm. All my organs screamed in protest. The pain was so intense, I felt like vomiting. Caleb was about to lash out, then he noticed the crisscrossing scratches covering the wrist he held. Those were the marks I'd unconsciously made during the agonizing spasms from the stone in my heart. "You dare to self-harm?" Caleb leaned closer, his eyes burning with intense hatred. "What, I endured humiliation for three years, and you can’t handle a few days of inconvenience? Let me tell you, your Thorne family is penniless. I bought your life! You think you can die without my permission? Dream on! I’ll make sure you live a life worse than death!" I looked at the man I had loved for almost a decade, the man who had consumed my entire youth, eighty percent of my life. He looked increasingly alien. I spoke softly, repeating, "Whatever." Caleb’s fury erupted. He ripped off my jacket, then, in front of everyone, picked me up and threw me onto the sofa. By all accounts, I should have felt humiliated, or perhaps even a perverse joy at finally giving myself to the man I loved, or perhaps a defiant challenge in my gaze towards the other women. But my heart ached too much. I felt nothing, and then I fainted from the pain. 3 When I next awoke, I was still naked on the sofa, covered only by a small blanket. Caleb was no longer home. A dozen women chattered incessantly, their voices grating. I called them into my room and opened my wardrobe. The walk-in closet was filled with clothes I’d had custom-made, every piece a unique design. The women’s eyes went wide. Fortunately, Caleb’s influence was absolute now; no one dared to raid his mansion. So these gowns, which were technically Thorne family property, along with me, remained untouched. "Pick whatever you like." Chloe stood before me, eyeing me up and down with suspicion. "You’re being this generous? What trick are you playing now?" I shook my head, saying nothing. Once I finished packing my family's last relics, it was time to sort through my own. Caleb hated me so much; after I died, these clothes would probably be burned, every single one. These works, which their designers took such pride in, deserved to fulfill some purpose. A few younger women, unable to contain their excitement, eagerly began picking out clothes, exclaiming, "The fabric is amazing!" Only a handful of women, around my age, remained with their arms crossed, their expressions skeptical, wondering what I was truly up to. I paid them no mind, opening drawers to reveal exquisite bags and watches, their faces illuminated by the glittering treasures. I noticed then that these women, in varying degrees, resembled me. Chloe, the newest one, was almost a mirror image, and the most favored. But it no longer mattered. Whether Caleb loved me or not, it was irrelevant. After all, I only had two days left. The roar of a sports car in the garden pierced the air. Ivy, who had been standing still, craned her neck to look out. Suddenly, she walked up to the clothes rack and picked out a dress. When Caleb opened the door, Ivy suddenly screamed, clutching the dress. The sequins had been cut halfway off at some point, and a sharp edge had sliced her delicate leg. Blood immediately gushed forth. I remembered Caleb had noticed her smooth, pale legs before, which was why he’d given her the largest guest room. Caleb’s face instantly darkened. He lunged forward, sweeping Ivy into a bridal carry, tenderly blowing on her wound. Ivy’s eyes teared up. "Ivy is so clumsy, Caleb. Eliza meant well, giving us clothes. It’s Ivy's fault for picking the one with the razor blades." Caleb’s gaze grew increasingly dangerous. "Eliza Thorne, I'm giving you one chance to explain." I shrugged. "What's there to explain? A common hussy acting like a victim. Since you won't divorce me, I'm still your wife. What's wrong with teaching a mistress a lesson?" "Eliza Thorne, I told you, your duty is to serve them. Who gave you permission to act like the Lady of this house and discipline my women?" My defiance enraged Caleb. He pulled out a whip and handed it to Mr. Davies, the butler. "For Ivy's injury, I want you to pay a hundredfold." The whip cracked against my legs, the barbs tearing at my flesh. For the first ten lashes, I felt nothing. Compared to the agony in my heart, the pain in my legs was negligible. But with the eleventh lash, the wound exposed bone. I saw the whip strike the stark white bone, and finally, tears fell. Caleb crouched down. "Does it hurt now? Kneel before the camera and bark like a dog a few times. Say, 'Eliza Thorne and everyone in the Thorne family are Caleb Maxwell’s dogs!' Then bow to Ivy and apologize, and I'll let you go." I closed my mouth, letting out a disdainful scoff from my nose. This earned me several heavy blows from Caleb himself, swung with a baseball bat, the pain excruciating. 4 Ivy covered her mouth, her eyes wide with terror as she tugged on Caleb's sleeve. "Caleb, darling, maybe that's enough? Eliza's leg... I think it's broken!" "Broken is good. A hundred days to heal. For a hundred days, she won't be able to run, and she won't have the strength to bully any of you." A hundred days. That’s a long time, Caleb. You’ve planned everything, but you'll never guess I only have one day left. Breaking all precedent, Caleb stayed at my bedside for a night. He gave me a full basic check-up, confirmed with the family doctor that it was just a bone fracture, and that I’d be fine after three months of rest. I found him irritating and was about to tell him to leave when a mouthful of blood erupted from my lips. Caleb laughed. "Keep pretending. Go on." "Why didn't you vomit when the doctor was here? Afraid he'd see through your act?" "Eliza Thorne, do you know why I like Ivy? Because she's so much like you when you pretend to be innocent. You're both the same, you treat me like a fool. But Ivy has nothing. She can only cling to me. You, on the other hand, had the Thorne family, you were so arrogant. Now the Thornes are gone, and you still refuse to bow down to me. That's why I hate you most." "Stop faking it. Learn how to play weak from Ivy. Your face right now, it disgusts me." Caleb rose, as if in a fit of pique, and instructed his driver, "I'm sleeping at the office tonight. No one is to disturb me." The women outside, having rarely been put in their place, gathered outside my room, their eyes piercing me. I coughed up another mouthful of blood. Ivy scoffed. "Eliza Thorne, Caleb's gone. You can stop pretending now, in front of us." I had no strength left to speak, only to breathe deeply, tasting the metallic tang of blood. Only I knew that the whips and bats had shifted the stone shard in my heart again. My heart was probably nothing but a pulpy mess now, the shard having pierced my trachea, which was why I kept coughing blood. My life was ending. Suddenly, all I wanted was a bowl of peanut soup. I struggled to sit up, maintaining the last semblance of the Thorne heiress's dignity. "A bowl of peanut soup, please. Very rich." Ivy rolled her eyes. "Why? Am I your servant?" With that, she turned to leave, but Chloe stopped her. The two exchanged a look. I heard Chloe whisper, "I saw her medical reports. She's allergic to peanuts. We should just go along with it…" Ivy gasped in alarm. "Then she’ll deliberately frame us!" Chloe lifted her chin, gesturing outside. "Don't be silly. It's using a knife to kill without touching it." Finally, a young woman, timidly, brought in a bowl of peanut soup. She wore my favorite dress, the one I wore the day Caleb proposed. The girl was smart; even her hairstyle was exactly like mine that day. Her eyes burned with ambition and defiance as she brought the spoon to my lips without asking. "Sister, I'll feed you. You must drink every single drop." I drank, spoonful by spoonful. I felt a rash erupt on my face, my throat and fingers swelled. Finally, the peanut soup, somehow, went down my windpipe, and my heart seized with excruciating pain. Then, everything before my eyes lost its color. When Caleb returned, dark circles under his eyes, he walked straight to my room. "Have you learned your lesson?" Seeing my lack of response, his displeasure deepened. "Your silence won't work. I have all the time in the world to wear you down! I don't believe I can't keep you here for life and eventually get a word of submission out of you!" "Oh, right. You love to dance, don't you? Tomorrow, come with me to a ball. I want everyone to see how the Thorne heiress, who once captivated half the city with her dance, now drags her broken legs, crawling behind me like a dog!" "Are you mute? Even dogs bark!" "Still haven't had enough of being watched by those people? Want another round?"
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