Chloe Anderson killed a man.

That night, her husband, Ethan Ford, got drunk at a party with his friends, so she drove to the club to pick him up.

But after arriving, she went into the wrong private room.

Before she could leave, a man grabbed her aggressively, "This girl is pretty, I want her!"

Chloe kept explaining that she wasn't one of the club's hostesses, but it was no use. The man ignored her and pushed her to the floor, while the others laughed, left, and locked the door from the outside.

Chloe was terrified. She struggled desperately, but it was useless. The more she struggled, the more excited the man became.

In the chaos, Chloe found a sudden burst of strength and pushed the man down hard.

Then, everything stopped.

The man's head hit a piece of rebar sticking out of the wall. He dropped to the ground, motionless.

Chloe was horrified. She tremblingly called Ethan, crying and begging him to come quickly.

Moments later, she heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Ethan appeared like a god, bathed in light.

Facing the body on the floor, Ethan showed no sign of panic. He calmly walked over, pulled the trembling Chloe from the corner into his arms, and soothed her softly, "Chloe, it's not your fault. You were just defending yourself. That scumbag tried to rape you. He deserved to die!"

Under Ethan's comfort, Chloe gradually calmed down.

That's right, it was self-defense. She only pushed the man once, and she didn't know there was rebar sticking out of the wall...

Ethan was the sole heir to The Ford Corporation. He had the best lawyers, and besides, the club's private rooms had security cameras. The case shouldn't be hard to win.

But just then, a piercing female voice suddenly cried out, "Caleb!

What happened to you?"

Chloe turned her head and saw Ethan's childhood sweetheart, Amelia Carter, crying as she threw herself onto the body on the floor.

Chloe froze instantly.

Amelia had come with Ethan.

Ethan had clearly said it was a guys' night out, no women allowed, but his childhood sweetheart was here...

"It's all my fault!"

Amelia said through her tears, "My brother was worried about me, a girl, being in a place like this at night, so he got a room next door to wait for me..."

Ethan's body visibly stiffened. He released Chloe and walked heavily toward Amelia, "Amelia... he's your brother?"

Amelia nodded, then threw herself into Ethan's arms, sobbing.

And at that moment, Chloe's heart sank to the bottom.

The dead man was Amelia's own brother.

His childhood sweetheart or his wife, who would Ethan choose?

Amelia quickly sued Chloe and started a smear campaign online, demanding a life for a life.

But to her relief, Ethan was firmly on Chloe's side this time. He canceled all his work to stay with her constantly and gently comforted her, "Chloe, don't be afraid. I've hired the best lawyer for you. You're definitely going to win this case."

But on the day of the trial, Chloe's lawyer just didn't show up.

Then Ethan took the witness stand and said with a blank expression, "I am Chloe's husband. I have plenty of evidence to prove that Chloe has been cheating on me for a long time and was in an illicit relationship with the deceased, Caleb Carter."

"This wasn't self-defense at all. This was a crime of passion stemming from an affair."

At that moment, Chloe felt as if she had been thrown straight into hell！

So that was it. All this time Ethan had stayed by her side, not because he was worried she would have an emotional breakdown, but to keep an eye on her.

He said he would hire the best lawyer for her, but in reality, he hadn't hired one at all.

He even took the witness stand, forged evidence, and smeared her name with false accusations of cheating...

He had never truly chosen her. The person he'd always chosen was his childhood sweetheart, Amelia!

With Ethan's testimony, Chloe was convicted of intentional homicide and sentenced to life in prison.

Handcuffed, Chloe walked toward the prison, her face numb.

But when the door was pushed open, the prison hallway was covered in nails.

And Ethan and Amelia appeared behind Chloe.

Amelia said, "Chloe, you let a steel bar pierce my brother's head. Now I'm making you walk on nails into prison to atone for what you did to my brother. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

"I acted in self-defense."

Chloe bit her lip and said, "I didn't know there was a steel bar in the wall, and your brother assaulted me first."

"My conscience is clear. I'm not walking on those nails, and I will not apologize to your beast of a brother!"

Those words instantly enraged Amelia.

Amelia rushed forward, snatched a baton from an officer's hand, and handed it to Ethan.

"Ethan, you promised me you'd make Chloe walk on nails into prison!"

Amelia said with red eyes, "Now it's time to keep your promise."

Ethan took the baton and advanced step by step.

His powerful presence was almost suffocating.

"Chloe, walk over on your own. Don't make this hard for me."

He paused, his tone dropping even lower. "No matter the reason, you killed Amelia's brother. Take a little punishment so Amelia can calm down. Only then can I get you out of prison."

Chloe stood frozen in place, her eyes filled with pain as she looked at Ethan. "You know I'm innocent. Why are you doing this to me?"

Aren't we husband and wife?

Aren't you supposed to stand by me?

But there was only coldness in Ethan's eyes. "Chloe, why are you being so disobedient now?

Then don't blame me for teaching you a lesson!"

The moment he finished speaking, he struck Chloe's knees with the baton.

Chloe's legs gave out, and she collapsed violently to her knees.

And the ground... was covered with sharp nails...

The sharp nails pierced Chloe's knees and shins, instantly turning her lower body into a bloody mess.

Ethan's gaze was still cold: "You have a choice now. Walk into prison, or kneel your way into prison!"

If Chloe refused to walk across all these nails scattered on the floor, Ethan would keep striking her with the baton until she was forced to crawl the rest of the way on her knees.

Chloe had no choice. She trembled as she stood up, then gritted her teeth and stepped onto the nails.

As the nails pierced her flesh, the pain was so intense Chloe could barely breathe.

But she forced herself to walk the entire way.

It wasn't that she was scared, but at this moment, Chloe just didn't want to see Ethan anymore.

At least it would be quiet in prison.

But as Chloe walked into the prison on her blood-soaked feet, Ethan's cold voice came from behind her: "My wife is severely injured. I've already requested permission from the warden to take her home to recover. She will return to serve her sentence once she's healed."

With that, he forcibly took Chloe away.

Back home, Ethan knelt down and personally treated Chloe's wounded feet.

"Chloe, you have to understand me."

Ethan said, "The Ford family and they have known each other for generations. You killed the Carter family's only son. If I don't make you suffer a little, the Carter family won't let you go."

He had just finished speaking when a maid ran over in a panic: "Ethan, Amelia is having another nightmare. She's crying and asking for you."

Ethan immediately put down the cotton swab: "Chloe, finish treating yourself. I'm going to check on her."

However, before he could step in, Amelia rushed in wearing a nightgown.

She threw herself into Ethan's arms and cried, "Ethan, I dreamed about my brother again. He said he's so lonely in the other world... my poor brother, he wasn't even married when he died."

Ethan comforted her gently, but no matter what he said, Amelia wouldn't stop crying.

She said she kept dreaming about her brother lately, and it must be because his death was so unjust that he can't rest in peace.

Hearing this, a maid nearby suddenly interjected, "Why not ask a priest to come and perform a ritual for Mr. Carter's soul? I heard there's a very powerful church on Snowy Peak Mountain."

Ethan agreed, but the priest from Snowy Peak Mountain doesn't step in easily. To ask for his help, one must kneel at the mountain's peak for three days and three nights to show sincerity.

"Make her kneel!"

Amelia glared viciously at Chloe. "And while she's kneeling, she has to copy religious scriptures by hand to pray for my brother!"

The nails hadn't even been removed from Chloe's feet, but Ethan ignored it. He ordered in a cold tone, "Chloe, be obedient. Go and repent on your own. Don't force me to break your legs so you can only kneel and never stand up again."

What choice did Chloe have?

She could only "voluntarily" ascend to the peak of the snowy mountain.

The wind was bitingly cold, and Chloe's legs and feet were covered in wounds. Every gust of wind brought excruciating pain.

In a daze, Chloe felt as if every inch of her flesh and every bone had frozen solid, but even so, she had to kneel in the cold wind and finish copying the religious scriptures ten times.

Because Ethan had said that if she didn't finish, he would break one of her fingers for every copy she missed.

When he married her, he had clearly promised to love and protect her for the rest of his life.

But a single tear from Amelia shattered his promise...

Kneeling in the heavy snow and cold wind for three days and three nights, Chloe's face and hands were covered in frostbite, and her legs and feet had even turned a purplish-blue.

But thankfully, her sincerity moved the priest of Snowy Peak Mountain, and he agreed to descend and perform the ritual.

But what Chloe never expected was that after the priest performed the ritual for a while, the method he proposed to appease the spirit was actually—a ghost marriage!

"Did Caleb have his eye on a woman before he broke?"

The priest said with a serious look, "He wanted this woman, but he couldn't have her. Instead, she was the one who got him killed."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Amelia quickly chimed in, "Priest, you're spot on. My brother was killed by Chloe!"

Hearing this, the priest immediately asked Ethan for Chloe's birth date and time, then started counting on his fingers.

"Just as I thought, Chloe and Caleb were destined for each other in a past life."

The priest said, "After Caleb died, his resentment lingers. First, because he never married and died with regret. Second, because he met his destined partner from a past life but couldn't be with her, which made his resentment even stronger."

"To resolve this resentment, we must arrange a ghost marriage between Chloe and Caleb. If Chloe marries him once, Caleb will be able to rest in peace."

The more Chloe listened, the more absurd it sounded.

What past life destiny?

What ghost marriage?

This priest was clearly bribed by Amelia!

Appeasing Caleb's spirit was a lie; they were clearly teaming up to destroy Chloe.

Chloe looked at Ethan, her face pale.

Ethan had always been a man who believed in facts, not faith. He never believed in ghosts or gods and hated it when people put on a supernatural act in front of him.

But now, meeting Amelia's pleading eyes, Ethan immediately abandoned all his principles.

"Fine, we'll do as the priest says."

Ethan said tenderly, "As long as it helps Amelia get a good night's sleep, I'm willing to do anything."

Chloe felt as if her heart had been ripped out.

Her face was pale, and her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, "Ethan, I'm your wife, but now, just to please Amelia, you want me to marry a dead man?"

This dead man, when he was alive, even tried to rape her!

Ethan frowned. "It's exactly because he's dead that I'm agreed. A dead man can't do anything to you."

"Ever since Amelia's brother died, she's been plagued by nightmares and hasn't slept well for over a month. Although I don't believe in ghosts or gods, if holding a ghost marriage can help her sleep peacefully, I think it's worth it."

Chloe laughed, a smile filled with deep despair.

He abandoned all his principles, forcing his own wife into a ghost marriage, just so Amelia could get a good night's sleep!

Chloe's heart completely died in that moment. She... didn't want Ethan anymore.

So, filled with heartbreak, Chloe said with a tremble, "I'm your wife right now. A married woman having a ghost marriage with Caleb certainly won't appease his resentment."

"So, Ethan, let's get a divorce."

Her voice was numb, laced with despair. But Ethan, whose mind and heart were entirely on Amelia, didn't notice. He just nodded and said, "You're right. If we're going to put on a show, we have to go all the way. We'll file for divorce first, and we can just cancel it after the ghost marriage is done."

After that, Ethan called his lawyer and had the divorce papers drawn up.

Chloe signed the divorce papers without the slightest hesitation.

Ethan, don't bother canceling it. Our marriage is over.

Next was the ghost marriage.

Chloe changed into the blood-red wedding gown and performed her wedding ceremony vows with a coffin.

"It's a good thing I've been so busy with the lawsuit that I didn't get around to having my brother's body cremated."

Amelia said with a relieved expression, "Today is my brother's wedding day. He and his new wife can have their wedding night consummation in the coffin."

"That's right."

The priest chimed in, "After the wedding night consummation, they'll be buried together, and the ghost marriage will be complete."

Chloe froze. Amelia and this priest actually wanted to bury her alive!

Without any hesitation, Chloe turned and ran out of the funeral parlor.

But she didn't even make it out the door before Ethan's men grabbed her.

"Let me go!

Let me go!"

Chloe struggled desperately, "I'm a living person, not a dead one! You can't bury me alive!"

But Ethan frowned and said, "Chloe, quiet down. It's just a formality. We're not actually burying you alive."

"Don't worry, we'll dig you out right after midnight."

With that, Ethan jerked his chin, signaling his men to shove Chloe into the coffin.

"Let me go!"

Chloe cried desperately, "Ethan, send me back to prison! I'd rather be locked up for life!"

How ridiculous. Compared to her home, prison was paradise.

She'd rather spend the rest of her life in prison than ever see Ethan again!

But Ethan didn't even spare Chloe a glance. He just held Amelia, whispering tenderly, "Amelia, you can finally sleep well tonight."

Amelia blushed and whined playfully, "Ethan, will you sleep with me again tonight?

You've been with me every night. I can't fall sleep without you."

It was only then that Chloe realized—during the three days she knelt on Snowy Peak Mountain, Ethan had been sleeping with Amelia every single night!

She had been shivering in the cold wind, while he was holding another woman, warm and soft in his arms, fast asleep!

"Ethan, I will never forgive you!"

Chloe screamed in despair.

But at that exact moment, the coffin lid slammed shut, trapping Chloe's voice inside.

A foul stench washed over her, and Chloe froze. She didn't dare turn her head, because she knew there was a corpse lying right beside her!

Caleb's body!

"Let me out!

Let me out!"

Chloe broke down, pounding desperately on the coffin lid, trying to escape the suffocating box.

But it was no use. Her hands were raw and bloody, but the coffin lid remained firmly shut.

At that moment, the coffin began to shake, and Chloe vaguely heard someone outside shout, "Bury it!"

This was it, the live burial. Chloe heard the sound of dirt and gravel hitting the coffin lid.

She broke down completely, but no matter how she screamed and struggled, no one came to save her.

The man who had promised to protect her for his entire life was now holding another woman in his arms...

Time ticked by, second by second, and Chloe felt it getting harder and harder to breathe.

Luckily, when she was shoved into the coffin, Ethan hadn't searched her, so Chloe still had her phone.

She struggled to pull out her phone to call the police for help, but there was no signal.

The light from the phone only lit up the corpse next to her. Its bluish, stiff face made Chloe scream in terror.

Through tears and terror, Chloe endured every single second.

Finally, she made it to around midnight.

Ethan had promised he would come save her after midnight.

But it was long past midnight now, and it was still silent outside. No one came to save Chloe.

Just then, Chloe's phone suddenly got a weak signal. Her heart leaped with joy, and just as she was about to call the police, Amelia sent her a video.

In the video, Ethan was putting on his jacket, getting ready to leave. "It's midnight. I'm going to get Chloe."

But Amelia stopped him. She was wearing sexy lingerie and wrapped her arms around Ethan's neck like a snake. "What's the rush?

Wouldn't it be the same if you get her tomorrow morning?"

Ethan laughed. "Amelia, don't mess around. Chloe is my wife. How can I let her spend the night in a coffin with a corpse?"

Then, Amelia suddenly slipped off her lingerie.

"Ethan, I know you're a faithful man. I've given you so many chances, but you refused to cheat on your wife."

Amelia said, "But tonight, you and Chloe are divorced. Until the divorce papers are withdrawn, whatever happens between us... doesn't count as cheating."

As Amelia spoke, she grabbed Ethan's hand and slid it down her body, real bold.

"Ethan, are you really going to waste such a perfect opportunity, this hot night, to go find Chloe?"

Ethan's breathing instantly grew heavy. Without hesitation, he turned and pushed Amelia down beneath him. "No!

I want you!"

In the video, Ethan and Amelia were tangled together, lost in passion.

And outside the video, Chloe was trapped in a coffin, lying next to Caleb's half-rotted corpse!

Ethan forced her into a ghost marriage with a dead man, while he slept with Amelia without a shred of guilt.

Tears streamed from the corners of Chloe's eyes. In her despair, she called the police. "Hello, this is Chloe. I've been buried alive..."

She weakly gave her location, then passed out from lack of oxygen.

When she woke up again, Chloe found herself in a hospital bed.

She lifted her heavy eyelids and saw Ethan's tall, lean figure.

But Ethan wasn't by her side. Instead, he was holding Amelia, gently comforting her. "Amelia, don't be angry. I promise I'll make this right for you."

"Make it right?"

Amelia cried, "My brother's body has been desecrated!"

"Chloe definitely did it on purpose. She killed my brother, and now she's desecrated his body. How can she be so evil, so vicious?!"

Just then, a nurse came in to change Chloe's dressing, and only then did Ethan realize she was awake.

He looked at Chloe coldly, his eyes full of blame. "Chloe, why did you call the police last night?"

"Didn't I tell you?

I told you I'd get you out after midnight. All you had to do was lie quietly in the coffin and wait... Was that so hard?!"

"It was such a simple thing, but you had to call the police. The police didn't know anything, they just came in with brute force. You got rescued, but Caleb's body was completely destroyed!

How am I supposed to face Amelia after this?"

Even now, all he cared about was how he was going to face Amelia.

He never considered that the air was thin underground, and after just a few hours, Chloe had passed out in the coffin.

And he told her to just wait quietly... Easy for him to say. He was tangled up with Amelia at the time. If Chloe had been foolish enough to wait for him, she would have suffocated to death.

"I don't want to argue with you."

Chloe said calmly, "But I waited until around midnight, and you didn't come."

She was too tired to even feel sad, just calmly stating the facts: "And the ghost marriage wasn't my idea. If you all hadn't caused all this trouble, Caleb would have been buried peacefully by now."

Amelia flared up instantly. "Ethan, did you hear that?

She doesn't feel any remorse at all!"

"I knew it. She won't feel the pain unless it's her own. I'm not letting this go!"

With that, Amelia shot Chloe a vicious glare and slammed the door on her way out.

"Amelia!"

Ethan immediately chased after her, not even glancing back at Chloe.

In the vast hospital room, only Chloe remained.

She was covered in injuries, yet no one cared.

She remembered how, when she used to get sick, Ethan wouldn't hesitate to cancel billion-dollar deals just to stay by her side and personally give her medicine...

But now, Ethan only had eyes for Amelia. She had nearly suffocated to death in a coffin, and he didn't care at all.

As night fell, while Chloe was drifting in and out of sleep, Amelia suddenly burst in with some people.

"Chloe, I've figured out how to get back at you."

Amelia sneered, "Come on, you're coming with me. I've got a good show for you."

Chloe didn't want to go, but she had no choice. Ethan coldly dragged her out of bed.

In the middle of the night, the group drove in a procession to a cemetery on the outskirts of town.

Chloe's pupils contracted: she recognized it. This was the cemetery where her mother was buried!

Instantly, a sense of dread washed over Chloe. She looked at Ethan, trembling, "What are you planning to do?

Why did you bring me to my mother's cemetery?"

Ethan didn't answer, his face grim, he just ordered his men to get shovels and hammers from the trunk of the car.

By the looks of it, they were clearly going to dig up Chloe's mother's grave

"Chloe, you destroyed my brother's body. To make things fair, I'm going to destroy your relative's body in return."

Amelia said viciously, "I think your mother was already cremated. That's fine. I'll smash her tombstone, dig up her grave, and then throw her ashes into a septic tank. Then we'll be even!"

Chloe's mother had been dead for three years, and now Amelia, just to vent her anger, was actually going to dig up her grave, smash her tombstone, and destroy her ashes!

And Ethan didn't stop her. He even took the sledgehammer from one of his men, ready to smash Chloe's mother's tombstone himself.

"Don't!"

Chloe lunged forward, shielding her mother's tombstone with her body. "Ethan, my mom was so good to you when she was alive. How could you have the heart to smash her grave yourself?"

Ethan's eyes were dark and unreadable. "Chloe, I don't want to do this either, but this is all your fault."

"If you hadn't called the cops last night, Amelia's brother's body wouldn't have been damaged, and none of this would be happening tonight."

"Amelia is right. An eye for an eye. You killed her brother, and out of respect for me, she was generous enough to forgive you. But now you've destroyed her brother's body... Even if I love you, I can't keep covering for you."

He kept saying he loved Chloe.

But every word he said was for Amelia's sake.

"Ethan, I went to the club to pick you up that night."

Chloe said through her tears, "I was already asleep. You were the one who called and said you were drunk and asked me to drive over and get you."

"If you hadn't called me, I never would have gone to a place like that, I wouldn't have walked into the wrong private room and almost gotten raped, and I definitely wouldn't have accidentally killed someone..."

As Chloe spoke, she raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face!

She regretted it so much!

Why did she answer Ethan's call?

Why did she throw on some clothes in the middle of the night and drive to take Ethan home?

Because she loved Ethan. She was afraid he wouldn't be able to get a cab late at night, and that the cold wind would make him sick while he was drunk...

But did he ever feel sorry for her?

When he left her to kneel on the peak of Snowy Peak Mountain, did he ever think about how cold the wind was up there?

Or how much her foot, pierced by a nail, hurt...

Seeing Chloe crying so heart-wrenchingly, a flicker of pity crossed Ethan's dark eyes.

However, before Ethan could speak, Amelia suddenly rushed over and slapped Chloe hard!

"Chloe, stop twisting the truth."

Amelia cursed, "You're the murderer, not Ethan."

"Ethan has already sacrificed so much for you, and now you're trying to pin all the blame for the murder on him? You're shameless!"

Ethan's gaze turned cold as well. "Chloe, stop being so stubborn. Be good and move!"

"No!

I will never let you destroy my mother's grave!"

Chloe clung tightly to her mother's tombstone. "Ethan, if you want to smash my mom's tombstone, you'll have to smash me first!"

"You just have to do this the hard way."

Ethan said coldly, "Drag her away, now!"

At his command, Ethan's men immediately moved forward, trying to drag Chloe away by force.

Chloe tried with all her might to protect her mother's tombstone, but she was too weak. Ethan's men simply broke her fingers and then dragged her aside.

"Go ahead."

Amelia smiled smugly, "Ethan, you promised me. You said that as long as it would make me feel better, you would personally destroy Chloe's mother's grave."

Chloe froze instantly. She looked up at Ethan in disbelief.

So, the idea to destroy her mother's grave came from Ethan?

And he was doing all this just to make Amelia feel better!

Chloe's heart shattered into a million pieces at that moment. At the same time, Ethan raised a sledgehammer and smashed it violently against Eleanor Anderson's tombstone.

"CRASH—"

With a loud bang, Eleanor's tombstone shattered into pieces.

That wasn't all. After destroying the tombstone, Ethan and his men dug open Eleanor's grave with shovels.

Chloe's pupils trembled as Amelia's vicious voice echoed in her ears: "I'm going to smash your mother's tombstone, dig up her grave, and then throw her ashes into a septic tank!"

Just as Ethan was about to hand Eleanor's ashes to Amelia.

Fueled by the immense emotional shock, Chloe found a strength she didn't know she had and broke free from the grip of Ethan's men.

"Ethan, stop!"

Chloe rushed over and snatched the ashes from Ethan's hands.

She only wanted to protect her mother's ashes and didn't notice Amelia behind her, raising a shovel with a cold smile.

"THUD!"

Without any hesitation, Amelia brought the shovel down on Chloe's head.

Chloe's head immediately started bleeding profusely!

Her vision went black in waves, but Chloe forced herself to stay upright. She clutched her mother's ashes tightly and looked up at Ethan.

Blood streamed down the side of her face, some of it even flowing into her eyes.

Her world turned blood-red. With blood-filled eyes and a face covered in blood, she stared at Ethan.

"Ethan, since you all think I killed someone, how about I pay with my life?"

"I'll give my life to Amelia. Just leave my mother alone, and leave me alone..."

Hearing Chloe say she would pay with her life, Amelia immediately ordered her men to bring a steel rebar.

"You want to pay with your life?

Perfect!

You killed my brother with a steel rebar, so now you can kill yourself the same way!"

Amelia sneered, "Ha!

You think threatening to kill yourself will fool Ethan and me?

Dream on. I know bitches like you too well. You'd never have the guts to die!"

Chloe actually cherished her life. No matter what setbacks she faced, she was like a sunflower, always turning toward the light, full of love for life.

But now, Ethan had slowly worn away her love for life.

So, trembling, she picked up the steel rebar from the ground.

But just as she was about to end her own life with it, Ethan grabbed the other end of the rebar.

"Amelia."

Half of Ethan's face was hidden in the darkness, the other half as cold as a blade. "As long as this rebar pierces through Chloe's body, you'll forgive her?"

"That's right."

Amelia said without hesitation, "This is the same rebar that killed my brother. I had my men pay to have it removed from the club."

"Today, as long as this rebar draws blood, even if Chloe doesn't die, I can forgive her!"

Hearing this, Ethan took a deep breath.

Then, with an air that allowed no refusal, he pulled the rebar from Chloe's hand. "In that case, I'll do it."

Chloe froze, just now realizing that Ethan was going to do it himself, to take her life...

"Chloe, don't look at me like that."

Ethan said in a low voice, "I'm doing this to save you."

"If I do it, you might live. If someone else does, that's not guaranteed."

As soon as he finished speaking, he struck, and the hard rebar instantly pierced through Chloe's abdomen.

Blood gushed out, and Chloe collapsed into a pool of it.

Ethan, I don't need you to save me.

Being by your side is hell!

If death means I can be free from you, I'd rather die!

After what felt like an eternity, Chloe woke up in endless pain.

Ethan's face came into view. This time, he had been watching over her.

"Chloe, you're finally awake."

Ethan said excitedly, "You've been in a coma for over half a month, and I've been watching over you sleeplessly for just as long."

Chloe opened her mouth, but her throat was too hoarse to speak.

Ethan immediately handed her some water. "Don't rush, have some water first."

After drinking the water, Chloe felt much better. She struggled to speak, asking the question that concerned her most: "Where are my mother's ashes?"

But Ethan dodged the question. "Chloe, you've been wronged this time, but it was all worth it. Amelia has forgiven you, and I've found someone to get plastic surgery to look like you and serve your prison sentence."

He reached out and hugged Chloe. "See? I told you long ago, as long as you listen to me, everything will be fine."

But Chloe sensed something was wrong. She struggled out of Ethan's embrace and asked anxiously, "Ethan, where are my mother's ashes?"

Ethan's eyes darkened. "Chloe, when someone's dead, they're dead. There's no point in keeping ashes. Don't get hung up on these dead things. What's more important now is that you're alive, and we're still together."

Chloe froze instantly. She remembered what Amelia had told her with a cruel smile before she lost consciousness: "I'm going to smash your mother's tombstone, dig up her grave, and then scatter her ashes in a septic tank."

The answer was obvious.

"Ethan, you promised me that if I paid with my life, Amelia and I would be even."

Chloe said in despair, "Why did you still have to destroy my mother's ashes? Why?!"

Ethan frowned. "You did pay with your life, but you also destroyed Amelia's brother's body. If I hadn't given your mother's ashes to Amelia, she would never have let you go."

"Chloe, it's just a pile of ashes. Why do you care so much?

Those ashes saved your life. Your mother's spirit in heaven would surely want that."

A wave of nausea hit her, and Chloe ran into the bathroom and threw up.

Disgusting, so disgusting. Everything about Ethan made her feel utterly sick!

Seeing Chloe's strong reaction, Ethan immediately came over to take care of her. He took out a warm, damp towel and carefully wiped Chloe's mouth and face, then brought her some water to rinse her mouth.

"Alright, let's not talk about these unhappy things."

Ethan coaxed her gently, "By the way, in two hours, our mandatory reflection period before divorce will be over. Let's go to City Hall together and withdraw the application."

Just then, a nurse pushed the door open and came in, "Ethan, Amelia is in a lot of pain from her period cramps, and she keeps insisting on seeing you."

Ethan's expression stiffened. He glanced at Chloe, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.

But Chloe smiled. She suddenly became calm, her voice very soft, "You should go. As for City Hall, it's the same if I go by myself."

Ethan clearly let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, I'll go check on Amelia first. After I get her settled, I'll go straight to City Hall to meet you."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

Watching Ethan's retreating back, Chloe gave a sad, bitter smile.

No, Ethan, you'll never find me again.

Chloe took a taxi to City Hall, and after waiting for over an hour, she got the divorce certificate as she had wished.

"My ex-husband will be here soon."

Chloe said to the clerk with a smile, "When he gets here, please give him his divorce certificate."

With that said, Chloe left without looking back.

She planned to fly to Spain for plastic surgery, then get a new identity and start over.

Because thanks to Ethan, "the murderer" Chloe was already locked up in prison.

She could slip away unnoticed and disappear forever.

Ethan would never be able to find her again!