I bought my fiancée a private island, but she used it to throw an orgy with her first love, Lucas. When I found out, they stabbed me multiple times and fled on the only lifeboat. As I lay dying, a police officer named Mia risked her life to save me. She later told me that Lucas had drowned. With eyes full of devotion, Mia swore to protect me for the rest of my life. But a year later, I accidentally saw Mia entangled with Lucas. "You deliberately dismissed the island's security and then schemed to marry him, all so he would sign over his inheritance?" Lucas's voice was a low hiss. Mia's reply was cold. "Once he inherited that massive fortune, I knew he would come after you. I couldn't protect you with force alone. I had to solve the problem at its source." "He's going to hate you for this, you know," Lucas said. Mia just gave a bitter smile. "I've already gambled the rest of my life on him. I don't owe him anything more." My heart turned to ash. I wrote out the divorce papers. This toxic love Mia offered? I didn't want it. … I swallowed my tears and walked alone to the hospital. The doctor had called. My grandfather’s condition was critical. I needed to prepare for the worst. My wife and the man who tried to kill me were carrying on right under my nose, but I couldn't bring myself to care anymore. I just wanted to be with my grandfather in his final moments. But when I reached the hospital, several men in military-style uniforms blocked my path. "Officer Mia has ordered that no strangers are to approach this room. She needs to be with her husband as he says goodbye to his grandfather." "Don't stop me!" I pleaded, my voice cracking. "I'm Mia's husband! The man in there is my grandfather!" The lead officer's face hardened. "Impossible. The man Officer Mia is with is Mr. Lucas Thorne. The patient is his grandfather." "You've made a mistake!" My hand trembled as I dialed Mia's number. "Mia, tell your men to let me in. I need to be with Grandpa. That's my grandfather!" There was a moment of silence on the other end, then her voice came back, laced with irritation. "Don't make a scene, Jaison. Grandpa's condition is very unstable. I'm afraid the shock of seeing you would be too much for him. Just wait outside." The line went dead. But I knew she was lying. I had just seen a lawyer go in with a will. Suddenly, a wave of sobbing erupted from the room. My grandfather was gone. I struggled, desperate to get in, but the guards warned me again and again. Just then, Lucas walked over. He shot me a taunting look, then said to the officer blocking my way, "Officer Mia sent me." The officer nodded and immediately let him pass. And I was still barred from entry. "Lucas, what the hell are you doing? That's my grandfather! Let me in!" But Lucas only glanced back at me with a smirk before instructing the officers. "Keep a close watch on him. The man's unstable. I wouldn't want him barging in and disturbing Grandpa's final moments." He turned, and just as he did, Mia emerged from the room to greet him. They took each other's hands and walked away together. And Mia never once looked at me. The blood in my veins turned to ice. A wave of rage and grief washed over me, and I collapsed, unconscious. For Lucas, she wouldn't even let me see my grandfather one last time. When I opened my eyes again, I was met by Mia's worried face. "Grandpa?" I asked through clenched teeth, the word tasting of salt as tears fell into my mouth. Mia frantically wiped my cheeks. "I'm sorry, Jaison. I didn't let you in because I was afraid you'd be too heartbroken..." I threw off the blanket. "I'm going to see Grandpa. And I'm going to be there for the reading of the will." Mia's expression changed instantly, and she blocked my path. "Wait. There's something I need to tell you." "Before he passed, Grandpa changed his will. He said that Lucas surviving his ordeal and then staying by his bedside to care for him was a rare kindness. So, he left his entire inheritance to Lucas." My body trembled, a knot of air caught in my throat. I stared at Mia, my eyes burning. "Mia," I whispered, "do you actually believe the words coming out of your own mouth?" This self-proclaimed "tough-as-nails" woman, this iron-willed officer, had become such a talented actress for the man she loved. I already knew Lucas was alive. I knew they were plotting against me. "I heard Lucas washed up on a beach somewhere. Luckily, some fishermen saved him," she had told me before. "Jaison, don't overthink it. He's already died once, in a way. Let the past be the past. I'll protect you." Protect me? If I hadn't overheard her conversation with the lawyer, I might have actually believed her. Mia's voice choked. "I know this is hard for you to accept, but Grandpa felt sorry for Lucas being an orphan. He even asked me to take good care of you. I'll make sure you never have to worry about anything..." I couldn't listen anymore. I pushed past her and went to the morgue, collapsing over my grandfather's body, my sobs echoing in the cold, sterile room. I had been a good husband to Mia. I had given her everything. Why was she doing this to me? Mia's mother had died young, and her father was clueless about raising a daughter, so she grew up a tomboy. In high school, Lucas had mocked her for her "boyish" short hair and even led the charge in bullying her. I was the one who told her short hair was beautiful on a girl. I was the one who brought her home to my family, who helped her find her confidence again. Because of me, my grandfather had always treated her like his own granddaughter, giving her gifts and money every year. But now I knew the truth. She had been in love with Lucas all along. She had even conspired with him to forge my grandfather's will. My grandfather didn't even know Lucas, other than as the man who had cheated with my fiancée. He would never, ever leave his fortune to him. The law would never recognize a forged will like this. What they were doing was illegal. I arranged my grandfather's funeral. I didn't invite Mia. But she came anyway, and she brought Lucas with her. I blocked their path. "What are you two doing here?" Lucas put on a wounded expression. "Jaison, Grandpa left his entire estate to me. The least I can do is come and pay my respects." The relatives who had come to offer their condolences saw this and started murmuring. "What's going on? Shouldn't the old man's inheritance go to his own grandson?" I let out a cold laugh, my eyes locked on Mia. "Don't believe him. My grandfather told me himself that his will was for me and me alone." I turned my gaze fully on her. "Mia, my grandfather was good to you. Do you dare to swear on his memorial portrait that you didn't tamper with his will?" Mia's face paled slightly, but her voice was loud and defiant. "Jaison, I am your wife, and I am a police officer. How can you doubt me?" "And if we're talking about debts of gratitude, don't I have one from you? Don't forget who it was that rescued you from that island!" My fists clenched at my sides. "And who was it that left me to die on that island in the first place?" She knew I had almost been murdered, and now she was helping the murderer torment me. Mia fell silent. The surrounding relatives began to murmur their disapproval. Suddenly, Lucas burst into tears. "I know Jaison hates me, but I was forced to do it! Now that Grandpa's gone... I might as well just join him!" He lunged toward a nearby pillar, collapsing to the ground before he even seemed to touch it. "Lucas!" Mia rushed to him, cradling him in her arms, her face ashen with fear. I had never seen such a panicked expression on her face before. "Jaison, are you fucking crazy?" she shrieked at me. "Grandpa's spirit is watching! He'll never forgive you for hurting Lucas like this!" "The inheritance will always be Lucas's. I was going to let you have a little something out of pity, but now you won't get a single penny!" She cursed at me a few more times before helping Lucas to his feet and leaving. My grandfather's funeral had turned into a pathetic, gossiped-about farce. The relatives quickly dispersed. I just felt a deep, hollow guilt for my grandfather. I took his ashes and went home. I found a renowned lawyer to prepare a lawsuit and drafted a divorce agreement. As I sorted through my grandfather's belongings, my heart grew heavier and heavier. "Jaison, who let you into my house?" Lucas suddenly stormed in and kicked over a box of my grandfather’s things. I grabbed him by the collar. "Get out. This is my grandfather's house!" Lucas just sneered and easily pried my hands away. "Oh? The will says everything is mine, including this house. The one who should be getting out is you." I broke out in a cold sweat, my body weak. The stab wounds from three years ago had left me with lasting nerve damage. In a physical fight, I was no match for him. Seeing my pathetic state, Lucas looked at me with contempt. "I took out one of your kidneys back then. You're a cripple now. No wonder you can't satisfy Mia in bed. She screams my name when I'm on top of her." His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "By the way, do you know how your grandfather really died?" "That night, after the old man fell asleep, Mia couldn't help herself. She pulled me onto the bed right next to his... The old bastard must have heard us. He had a heart attack on the spot. Hahaha!" I snapped. My hands shot out and closed around Lucas's throat. He didn't fight back. Not until a sharp voice barked from the doorway. "Let him go!" A dark shadow flew toward me, and my body was sent flying across the room. Through a daze, I saw Mia cradling Lucas, her voice trembling like a plucked bowstring. "Lucas, what's wrong? Don't you scare me..." Lucas coughed. "I'm fine... cough, cough... Mia, don't be angry. I don't blame Jaison for taking it out on me..." Mia's eyes, blazing with fury, found me. "Are you insane? Why would you hurt Lucas?" She knew exactly how to make me hurt. She kicked me right where I had been stabbed three years ago. I forced myself to my feet, gritting my teeth against the pain, and slapped him hard across the face. "Because he deliberately killed my grandfather! Is that reason enough for you?" But the next second, something dark and metallic appeared in my vision. My eyes widened. I was staring down the barrel of a gun, held by Mia. She glared at me, her finger on the trigger. "You move, and I'll shoot." My already numb heart suddenly ached with an intensity that took my breath away. That gun had been with Mia for years. It had been aimed at countless enemies, countless criminals. And now, it was aimed at me. An image of a young girl's face flashed in my mind, her hand shaped like a gun. "They all call me a tomboy. So when I grow up, I'll be a soldier. If Lucas ever bullies you again, I'll come back and protect you!" The memory was so painful that a sudden ringing filled my ears. I doubled over, gagging. Mia hesitated for a second, then rushed to my side. "Jaison, are you okay?" I looked up at her, my voice dazed. "Mia... am I a criminal? Or am I the enemy?" She froze for a moment, then her voice came out, hard and brittle. "I was just... I was just in a panic. That's enough. I can't watch you hurt Lucas anymore. That accident three years ago... it was all that bitch Ava's idea. Lucas never owed you anything." "We'll be back for Grandpa's things later. You should prepare yourself." She pulled Lucas away, not seeing the triumphant, smug look on his face. I locked up my grandfather's house, checking every door and window, before I finally felt safe enough to leave. What they didn't know was that my grandfather had a second, hidden will. The real assets were in a high-security vault overseas, a vault that only my iris scan could open. The inheritance in this country was just a drop in the bucket, and it was all controlled by the overseas estate. Which meant I was the only true heir. The divorce papers were drafted. I sent Mia a text. "Mia, let's get divo—" Before I could finish typing, an urgent call came through. "Mr. Hayes, it's not good! Your wife is here with a strange man, claiming the company belongs to him!" What? I was stunned. I rushed to the company immediately. In the conference room, Mia and Lucas were both there. Mr. Davis, the lawyer my family had employed for years, was reading my grandfather's will. He claimed that all of my grandfather's company shares now belonged to Lucas, and that there was a video of my grandfather personally authenticating it. But I could tell with one glance that the video was a fake. The shareholders sat in stunned silence, all of them looking at me. Before I could speak, Mia stepped forward to vouch for it. "I am a police officer. I witnessed the entire process of Chairman Hayes recording his will. If anyone has any doubts, you are welcome to accompany me to the police station to verify the video's authenticity." I let out a cold laugh. "Then let's go to the police station." Mia grabbed my wrist. She pulled me aside, her voice a low, urgent whisper. "I know Grandpa left you more than this. That's why I'm not letting you leave the country. And I've already switched out your grandfather's ashes. If you don't sign the inheritance transfer agreement, I'll scatter them to the wind." My blood ran cold. I couldn't react for a long moment. Threatening me with my grandfather's ashes? Was she even human? Mia's expression was complicated, but her tone was non-negotiable. "You know I have connections at the police station. The outcome will never be what you want." "So just be good, Jaison. With me, you have everything. I'll make sure you're happy for the rest of your life." A warm sensation touched my cheek. It wasn't a tear. It was Mia's hand. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Bring it here," I said, my voice hollow. "I'll sign." Lucas's eyes lit up. He immediately produced the inheritance transfer agreement. I signed it quickly. He clutched it to his chest like a precious treasure, then pulled Mia into a tight, shameless embrace. "This is great, Mia! I... I finally have something to my name!" Mia also let out a sigh of relief, her eyes shimmering with joyful tears as she looked at Lucas. I cut them off, my voice like ice. "Give me back my grandfather's ashes." Mia hesitated, then sheepishly handed me a key. I took it, rushed home, found my grandfather's real ashes, and had them re-interred. By the time I got to the airport, it was almost midnight. Mia sent me a video. "Lucas was so happy today, he asked me to stay for a few drinks. You go ahead and sleep." "Thank you for understanding. Once everything settles down, let's have a child." I didn't reply. I blocked her number and boarded the plane to America. Mia, we will never see each other again.
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