Chapter 4
Ryan was actually Wyatt’s illegitimate son and the designated heir to Wyatt’s illegal business empire. Ryan had been developing his career abroad, and Wyatt was constantly worried about his safety.
To solidify his business foundation, Wyatt decided to quickly find a woman to bear Ryan’s child. He thought, “Who should I choose? As luck would have it, there’s a couple who died unexpectedly, leaving behind a mountain of debt and two daughters.”
In my previous life, Wyatt brought me into the Bernard family and forced me to marry Ryan. What he didn’t know was that Ryan had already fallen deeply in love with another woman abroad.
Ryan didn’t dare defy Wyatt, so he channeled all his anger toward
- me.
The first time we met, I extended my hand to greet him, but he had someone cut the tendons in my hand with a knife. He said, “Someone like you, worthy of touching my hand? Don’t think too highly of yourself.” From then on, I could never hold anything steady again, losing my ability to read and write.
Later, to humiliate me further, he had me drugged and forcibly operated on, removing my uterus and ovaries, leaving a long scar across my lower abdomen. He said, “So this is what it feels
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like to make someone infertile. Hey, I’m talking to you! Doesn’t this scar look special? Can’t you even say thank you?”
Every day he spent in the country, he tortured me in various ways. To survive, I had to constantly please him and submit to him. In return, his treatment only grew more vicious.
When I lit his cigarettes, he would extinguish them on my fingers, leaving many scars. He’d say, “This role suits you perfectly.”
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When I peeled fruit for him, he would use the fruit knife to carve that woman’s name into my skin, then cut off that piece of flesh. He’d say, “As I thought, your body isn’t worthy of bearing her name.”
I lived in endless humiliation and pain. But to avoid being bullied, I had to pretend we had a good relationship in front of others.
So I became increasingly harsh with myself. I covered my scars with tattoos, hiding everything. That’s how the underground socialite everyone praised as Scarlett came to be. Behind the glamorous facade was a body riddled with wounds. Only I knew that kind of pain. Fortunately, in this life, everything is different.
*****
After returning home, I saw that Amelie had sent me many more messages on WhatsApp. She wrote: “Even with things at this point, you still won’t tell me? Are you still thinking about him? Stop dreaming, Scarlett. I’m kinder than you and more
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charming. Even if you don’t tell me, I’ll win anyway.”
I only replied with one message: “Good luck.”
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With exams approaching, I couldn’t be bothered to read her messages. I deleted her from WhatsApp and picked up my English textbook to study seriously. As I reviewed, I had a vague feeling that this matter would haunt me for a long time.
*****
Sure enough, as soon as exams ended, Amelie and her group cornered me at the school gate. In a secluded alley, about a dozen thugs surrounded me completely, blocking even the sunlight.
Amelie pushed through the crowd and kicked me hard in the stomach. I fell to my knees in pain, and she grabbed my throat with her hand. She shouted, “Scarlett, do you see? This is my power now. Killing you would be as easy as stepping on an ant.” Her arrogant demeanor showed no trace of the kindness she claimed to have.
Fighting through the choking sensation, I struggled to ask, “But didn’t you once say you were too soft–hearted to even step on an ant?”
Some of the thugs behind her couldn’t help but snicker.
Amelie’s face turned red with embarrassment, and her grip tightened. She gritted her teeth and said, “Shut up! You did well on your exam today, didn’t you? Whatever. I’m not going to beat
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around the bush. Ryan will be back soon. You’d better tell me all his preferences now, or you can forget about going to college!”
She threatened me viciously. I just mocked her, saying, “Are you so obsessed with him because you’re planning to be his future partner yourself?”
During this time, her makeup had changed repeatedly, and she wore more and more jewelry. Even the hand choking me had all five fingers adorned with various gemstone rings. After I said this, even the thugs behind her couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you laughing at!” Humiliated and angry, she raised her hand to slap me.
I grabbed her hand and pinned her against the wall. I had always been stronger than her. Plus, in my previous life, I had learned some basic combat skills for self–protection.
She panicked. “Scarlett, what are you doing?” Unable to move, she could only yell at me.
I smiled slightly and kicked her in the shin, forcing her to kneel on the ground. I calmly said, “What am I doing? Beating you up, of course. Do I need to schedule a special day to hit you? You chose to mess with me during my exams. I’ve been tolerating you for a long time. Didn’t you know that?”
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