By their third year of marriage, everyone said Lynette Quinlan was Sean Fuchs's pathetic simp. How else could she tolerate his countless affairs?

But no one knew that Lynette only hated him for two things.

First, for lying to her. He claimed he had relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder, or ROCD for short.

The more he loved someone, the more he wanted to hurt her. To avoid harming the woman he loved, he forced himself to sleep with other women.

Second, he had cruelly halted her father's medical treatment, letting the man suffer and die in pain.

And today, Lynette finally learned the truth: the ROCD was fake. He bribed the doctor to make it up.

In the video, he said it himself, "Today, I'm going to tell the psychiatrist I never loved Lynette. This was all for revenge."

Turns out, he had always resented her. His mother had loved Lynette's father, Arnold Quinlan, for years, treated him and his dad coldly, and in the end, poisoned his entire family. He was the only one who survived.

So, he planned it all. Five years of acting, pretending to love her, just to get back at Arnold's daughter.

He made up the ROCD. Every time it "acted up," he'd cheat, hit her, and do terrible things—just to make Lynette suffer.

Then he'd play the good guy again. Beg for forgiveness, cry like a child.

He once said he didn't want them to torment each other forever.

Lynette gave a mocking laugh. For once, he was right.

When they were most in love, he needed a kidney transplant. She secretly signed the donor form.

Now, her kidneys were failing. She was in late-stage cancer.

Wandering into the neighborhood, Lynette thought about how to handle her own funeral. Her chest ached with dull pain.

The doctor's voice still rang in her ears. "... Half a month at most. You should start preparing."

She tried to hold her chest, but the next second, her whole body was flung into the air.

Screech—

Brakes shrieked behind her.

Lynette's skin was scraped raw. It burned. She forced her eyes open and saw a few of Sean's buddies jump out of the car.

"Crap! We hit Lynette."

"So what?" One of them laughed carelessly. "Just say Sean had another episode. Every time he does, hasn't Lynette always forgiven him?"

Lynette tried to push herself up, but her knees gave out. Through the haze, she saw the backseat of the Maybach—Sean lounging with several sexy, barely dressed women in his arms.

"Sean," one guy asked, "should we go to the party with the four ladies or the hospital?"

Time froze. Lynette stared at that window. Her chest throbbed.

"Go to the party," Sean's voice drifted out. His voice was lazy, cold, and laced with mockery.

Just one sentence—like a knife straight through her heart.

The Maybach sped off. The women inside burst out laughing. Lynette caught a glimpse of their faces—two of her cousins, her best friend, and her coworker.

They were all gazing at Sean with love in their eyes, dripping with flirtation.

Lynette let out a bitter laugh. Over the years, once he realized she'd gone numb to his cheating, he started targeting the women closest to her. Chased them, bedded them, one by one.

In the end, they all fell for him. And turned against her.

She forced herself up, limping toward home.

Every step made her knees scream, but that pain was nothing compared to the gaping hole in her chest.

At home, Lynette dug out everything Sean had given her when he courted her.

Limited-edition handbags. Priceless antiques. The deed to a private island.

She burned it all without a glance. Except for one thing. Buried deep in a drawer—a worn-out journal. Her hands trembled.

It was a love letter Sean had written her.

"You said you were poor, that we weren't from the same world. So I stayed up all night collecting trash across LA, just to earn money like you.

"I didn't want you out there struggling, so I decided to marry you and bring you home.

"Why did I get this condition? Why did this happen? I can only love you when I'm sane."

She had read those lines countless times. But this time, her heart ached.

In the past, no matter how cruel Sean got during his episodes, she always had the will to fight the condition with him. Together.

Now, she just felt like a fool.

Was this ridiculous marriage only so he could have a free punching bag?

Without hesitation, she wiped her tears and threw the journal into the brazier.

In an instant, the fire devoured five years of memories.

Lynette booked a ticket to the Maldives—she just wanted to see the sea one last time before she died.

But as she packed, she realized her mother's keepsakes were gone.

She searched the entire walk-in closet. Nothing. Asked the maids. Only Sean had been in recently, with his woman.

She remembered what they'd said in the car. Without a second thought, she rushed out.

The moment she stepped onto the top floor of the club, she heard wild laughter from inside.

"Wonder what Sean's gonna do to her next?"

"I bet it's the same old stuff—make her crawl on the floor barking like a dog, or go dig pearls in the snow again. Haha!"

"Come on, Sean, give us a hint. What's the plan this time?"

The room went silent. He sat on the leather couch, swirling red wine in his long fingers. His thin lips curled into a cruel smirk as he thought.

Just as he was about to speak, the doorknob twisted. Lynette pushed the door open and walked in.

The moment Lynette walked in, the whole room fell silent.

The guys exchanged glances, then all turned to Sean.

He was lounging in the center of the couch, flanked by two familiar, sultry women, dressed in ways that made them unrecognizable from the relatives and friends she once trusted.

"Perfect timing," Sean said, setting down his wine glass. His voice was icy. "I was just in the mood for a little drama. Three minutes—whoever makes her cry first gets my bed tonight."

The women lit up, rushing at her like wolves.

Hannah Garrett, one of her cousins, was the first to act, grabbing Lynette by the hair and slamming her head into the corner of the coffee table.

Bang! Blood streamed down her face. Her vision went black.

In a flash, memories surfaced—years ago, Hannah had been cheated out of her salary, and it was Lynette who stood by her, fighting for justice.

But now, Hannah was attacking her like a madwoman. Blood dripped onto the bracelet Lynette had gifted her—a birthday present she'd saved up for two months to buy.

"Twenty hits already," she panted. "Why isn't she crying yet?"

Sean raised a lazy hand. "Useless. Next."

Then her younger cousin, Tina Quinlan, and best friend, Sophia Dunken, charged forward. One smashed a wine bottle over her head. The other bent her fingers backward with a corkscrew. Pain exploded across her body.

Lynette bit down hard on her lip, tears blurring her eyes as she looked at them.

One was the little girl she'd practically raised. The other had once joked she'd be her maid of honor.

Now, they were tearing her apart like rabid animals, all for Sean.

Hot tears burned her eyes. Her body trembled from pain, but not a single tear fell.

"Next," Sean said, bored. "Last chance."

Her coworker, Leah Gordon, stood in the corner, smiling. She didn't lift a finger. She just pulled a green necklace from her pocket. Lynette's breath caught.

It was the one she'd kept locked away—the last thing her mother had given her before she died.

"No," she finally spoke, her voice shaking. Her eyes pleaded. "I'll pay you anything. Please... that was my mom's..."

But Leah only smiled—like a devil—and smashed the emerald necklace into pieces.

Lynette broke. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "Mom..."

"I win!" Leah cried, running to Sean's side. "Sean, you're mine tonight!"

Sean grinned and pinched her chin, then slapped her hard across the face.

His expression darkened. "When did I say you could have me tonight? Security, get all of them out of here!"

"What? But Sean, you said..."

Soon, the bodyguards rushed in, dragging the girls out one by one with brute force.

Silence fell over the private room. Only Lynette remained, kneeling among shattered glass, clutching the broken necklace as if holding on to her mother's warmth.

She sobbed, fury and heartbreak flooding her chest. "Sean, what right do you have to do this to me? Just because I loved you?

"Someone like you doesn't deserve love. You deserve to lose everything—your home, your family, your soul!"

The words hit a nerve. Sean's eyes turned icy. "Lynette, did it ever occur to you that maybe you're the one unworthy of my love?"

He turned and opened the door. A pretty girl walked in, all charm and sweetness.

"Sorry, I'm late. I missed the singing," she said cheerfully.

The moment Sean saw her, his expression softened. He rushed to take her bag with gentle hands. That familiar tenderness stabbed through Lynette's heart like a knife.

Then came the blow that shattered her. "This is my new girlfriend, Cindy Jonathan. Remember four years ago, when my kidney ruptured?

"She donated one to me. No strings attached. She saved my life. She's my one and only. I'll cherish her for the rest of my life.

"Didn't you say I couldn't love anyone?" he said, wrapping his arm around Cindy. "Then watch closely—everything you ever wanted, I'll give to her, twice over."

Lynette trembled. Then what did her three years mean?

Shock, rage, heartbreak, despair—it all crashed over her like a tidal wave.

The sharp pain deep inside made her laugh bitterly.

What a joke. Four years ago, she had signed a confidentiality agreement, smiling, hopeful, as she donated her kidney to save him. But now, he'd mistaken someone else for his savior and worshiped her like treasure.

Watching him be so gentle to another woman, Lynette suddenly lost all desire to explain.

What was the point? She had days left to live. There was nothing left to say.

Besides, the blood of two families stood between them, cutting off any path forward.

Lynette couldn't breathe from the pain. Her vision went black—she passed out.

The next morning, she was sent back to the Fuchs's residence, her whole body wrapped in herbs and bandages.

It was always like this. If she woke up at the Fuchs's residence, it meant Sean was still in one of his "episodes." If she woke up in a high-end hospital, then his "condition" had already improved.

Lynette gave a bitter smile. How many days did he plan to torture her this time?

A second later, the door knocked. Sean's voice came. "Cindy fainted from seeing all that blood. Go give her a blood transfusion."

Lynette almost laughed. A bleeding woman giving blood?

But after years of this torment, she'd learned to obey. "Okay."

At the hospital, Cindy had already woken up. So Lynette's task turned into peeling Cindy's favorite shrimp.

Cindy smiled sweetly. "Don't wear gloves. They make it taste like plastic."

Sean didn't say a word. Clearly, he approved of the humiliation.

Lynette had no choice but to yank the gloves off. She forced herself to bear the boiling heat and mechanically started peeling. Her fingers began to tremble.

She suddenly remembered—back in their most affectionate year, Sean used to peel shrimp for her, too.

Back then, he'd smile and say, "Treat my wife well, and we'll have a baby."

The steam from the shrimp rushed up, stinging her eyes with heat.

She held back the tears. "It's ready."

Cindy barely looked. She pouted. "It's too hot. Are you trying to burn me?"

Lynette let them cool naturally, then said, "They're ready now."

"Ready?" Cindy snapped. "Since when are cold shrimp better than hot ones?"

Lynette stood up and went to reheat them. Again and again. Until she was dead tired.

And then Cindy scoffed. "You're this late? I'm not even hungry anymore!"

She suddenly flung her hand, scalding hot shrimp spilled all over Lynette.

"Ouch!" Lynette screamed, flinching away as her skin turned red in an instant.

Cindy clutched her slightly reddened fingers, tears in her eyes, flipping through the story. "Sean, it hurts..."

Sean's face darkened. Without thinking, he slapped Lynette. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

The blow sent stars flashing through her eyes. She slammed into the railing beside her. Everything went black, but she still tried to defend herself. "It wasn't me. She knocked it over..."

"Shut up!" he roared and slammed the call button. "You never change. You need to reflect. Someone—lock her up for a full day and night!"

Before he even finished speaking, a few bodyguards rushed in and dragged her toward the hospital basement.

Lynette struggled with everything she had. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood, but she didn't make a sound. The last thing she saw was Sean gently feeding oatmeal to Cindy.

The basement door slammed shut. The tiny, two-square-meter room was stifling and unbearably hot.

Before long, old and new wounds flared up. She could almost smell her own flesh burning.

That smoky scent dragged her back to college.

Back then, Sean—the crown prince of New York's elite—fell for a poor girl from a broken home.

To be with her, he rejected his childhood engagement, took 99 lashes from his family, and knelt for three days and nights in the living room, blood soaking the floor—still smiling.

"Lynette, don't be scared. Soon, we'll be together forever.

"I'll treat you right."

Everyone in New York used to say that Sean really loves his wife.

As she blacked out from the pain, all she could think was, "If only life stayed like that first meeting..."

"D-Doctor, how is she?"

Sean's panicked voice echoed—like a dream coming true from deep in her heart.

She smiled, full of longing. "... Sean, I missed you so much."

The room fell silent. Even the doctor didn't say a word. A tall figure turned and left in a hurry—and never came back.

Much later, Lynette woke with effort, only to see a young nurse sobbing beside her.

The nurse bent down to pick up a treatment slip from the floor, crying, "Ms. Quinlan is so pitiful. A terminal illness and only one kidney left. I went to ask her husband for the chemo money.

"But he didn't even glance her way. He just stayed with Ms. Jonathan. Threw the slip on the floor and said, ‘Let her fend for herself'."

The words hit Lynette like ice water poured over her heart. Whatever love she had left—it vanished.

She let out a bitter laugh. Of course. Why would he care now?

She cursed under her breath, "Lynette, you pathetic idiot."

One week left. And this worthless life was still hurting over Sean.

The day Lynette was discharged, the hospital staff reminded her to pick up Sean's medication.

She replied flatly, "I'm not going. It has nothing to do with me."

The doctor was stunned. She had always run around worrying about Sean's condition. But this time, she didn't want to waste another second on him.

Without another word, she finished the paperwork. To her surprise, Sean was waiting by the car outside.

Her heart skipped, only not with joy. Panic rose instead.

She lowered her head and tried to hail a cab, pretending not to see him. But he walked straight over.

"Not coming home?" His voice was the same familiar gentleness. But all she felt was dread, like a storm was about to hit.

Lynette was scared. She feared the next second would bring a slap, not affection.

Sean paused, then said, "I know I was sick again and treated you badly. Give me another chance, okay?"

A row of luxury cars sat nearby. Fireworks worth 15 thousand dollars were waiting. If she said yes, the whole city would witness another grand CEO-loves-his-wife scene.

In three short years, Lynette had lived through this script hundreds of times. She could recite it by heart.

After a long silence, she shook her head. "I want to walk alone for a bit."

Sean's eyes dimmed. He said nothing more.

Sure enough, by the time Lynette staggered back home on trembling legs, the Fuchs's residence had changed again—now in full swing, preparing for Sean and Cindy's engagement party.

In the living room, she saw Sean holding Cindy, speaking to his father's memorial photo. "Dad, I finally found the love of my life. I brought her to meet you. And don't worry—I'll get your revenge too."

Cindy beamed. "Sir Fuchs, I'll stay by Sean's side and make him happy."

Dragging her exhausted body, Lynette quietly walked toward her room. At some point, she had learned how to ignore it all—how to pretend her chest didn't ache with every step.

What she didn't expect was how cruel Sean could be. "Lynette, didn't you hear me? I'm throwing an engagement party with Cindy."

She froze in place. She didn't move a muscle.

"Come handle everything," he said slowly, each word cutting into her heart. "Just like you used to say—your dream wedding."

Lynette looked at him in disbelief. Her heart seized so hard it nearly knocked her to the ground.

The day they got their marriage license, his medical exam revealed he had ROCD. Their wedding had been postponed ever since.

Later, she'd begged him many times, describing over and over what her dream wedding looked like—

A castle venue. Drones showering red roses. Public announcement across all platforms. The whole world is celebrating their love, never doubting it.

And now, everything she once longed for was being handed to Cindy like a gift.

"Hurry up and get it ready." Sean smiled, eyes laced with mockery. "If Cindy isn't happy tomorrow, you'll see how I deal with you."

He turned and left, tossing the proposal folder to the floor.

Lynette silently picked it up. With her bruised and battered body, she worked through the night. Not a single tear left to cry.

Outside, heavy rain poured down, like all the tears she'd shed for Sean over the years.

The next night, the engagement party stunned all of Los Angeles. Cindy and Sean appeared at the castle gates, the perfect picture of a fairytale couple.

Lynette stood numbly in a corner, overhearing the shameless chatter of the guests.

"If I'm not wrong, Mr. Fuchs is already married, right? So why's he getting engaged? And this setup looks like it cost hundreds of millions."

"Of course. I heard this: Ms. Jonathan is his savior."

"Poor former wife. She gave him everything for years, and now she's nothing because someone else saved his life."

Lynette listened blankly, then let out a bitter laugh. Yeah. She was pitiful.

All her years of devotion fed the dogs.

She glanced over and saw Cindy glowing at the center of attention. Lavish gifts piled up, each more expensive than the last. Finally, Sean handed her a plain gold bracelet.

People looked confused. Then Sean lifted a mic and said tenderly, "Baby, this is a family heirloom. My late grandma told me—the one who wears this bracelet will be her future granddaughter-in-law. Today, I've decided that person is you."

On the giant screen, the gold sparkled under the lights.

Lynette couldn't look away. She realized that she'd never even seen that bracelet before. The Fuchs family never accepted her. Never truly did.

She turned away. The nearby lake shimmered under the night sky. For the first time, the thought of ending it crossed her mind.

She didn't have long to live anyway. Might as well get it over with...

The next second—splash! A scream from outside the banquet hall. "Someone's dead! Someone jumped into the lake!"

"Wait—those two tear-shaped moles on her face... Isn't that Mr. Fuchs's ex-wife?"

On stage, Cindy was instantly humiliated.

Just moments ago, Sean had been holding her tightly—now he let go and bolted off, frantically scanning the crowd for a familiar figure.

He grabbed a random guest, panic twisting his face. "Where's Lynette?!"

The man stammered, terrified, "S-she was by the lake... I think..."

Sean's eyes turned bloodshot. He ran like a madman, completely ignoring the crowd, and dove straight into the lake.

Everyone was stunned. Cindy's face turned pale, then flushed with rage.

No one had ever imagined that the man who once treated Lynette like she was nothing would now lose all composure to find her.

He had a fear of water. But when he pulled Lynette into his arms, all he felt was the joy of getting her back.

Once he dragged her ashore, he didn't pause for a second. He dropped to his knees and started CPR.

She coughed up water but kept her eyes closed. Her will to live was gone.

Sean's heart dropped. Lynette didn't want to live anymore.

He grabbed her neck and hissed, "Lynette, you dare pull this stunt at my engagement party? You think your parents' deaths mean you're off the hook?

"You still have relatives in the Quinlan family.

"If you don't wake up, I'll send them all to hell—one by one."

His voice was full of twisted obsession. His grip tightened until it forced her awake.

Relief flashed in Sean's eyes. He loosened his hand.

But then, Lynette suddenly grabbed it and shoved it back to her throat, hoarse and broken. "Do it. Why aren't you letting me die?"

Sean's face turned dark. His hand froze.

Tears streamed from Lynette's eyes. "Why, Sean? Why won't you just kill me?"

His hand was red from her grip. But still, he didn't move.

The night was murky. Drops of water fell from his lashes onto her face—no one could tell if they were tears or lake water.

She stared at him, dazed, just in time to catch his bitter, cold smile. Then he spoke, voice sharp as glass.

"Lynette, I won't let you die so easily. You'll stay alive, wishing you were dead. Eyes wide open, watching me spoil Cindy."

Lynette bared her teeth in a hollow grin. "Fine."

From that moment on, she swore she'd never shed another tear over Sean or Cindy.

But Sean wasn't done with her. He gritted his teeth and ordered someone to drag her like a rag doll into the banquet hall. Forced her to watch him give Cindy everything.

Limited-edition bags, high-end jewelry, introductions to industry elites. All the good things in life were handed to Cindy like toys.

Cindy stood radiant on stage, her eyes gleaming as she looked down at Lynette's soaked, miserable figure.

"Sean, why does she look like a drowned dog?" she sneered.

"So pathetic."

The guests followed suit, their gazes full of ridicule and scorn. Lynette couldn't hold it in—tears welled up as she covered her face in shame. "No... Please, no..."

Sean waved his hand. They let go of her. She collapsed onto the floor with a thud, more lost than ever.

Lynette shut her eyes, humiliated. Then she heard him laugh. "I'm going to propose to Cindy. Will you give us your blessing?"

Pain stabbed through her again and again, numbing everything.

After a long silence, she whispered, "I will."

The moment the words left her mouth, his face darkened. He climbed the stage, eyes cold.

At center stage, Sean knelt on one knee and pulled out a dazzling diamond ring. Cindy was instantly moved to tears.

His voice softened. "Cindy, marry me. I'll give you a billion-dollar wedding."

Cindy's eyes widened in shock.

Gasps filled the room. Phones came out. Guests cheered, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Lynette stared blankly at the stage. The noise finally made her clap, her voice empty, echoing, "Say yes..."

Cindy held out her hand, smiling, ready for the ring. But suddenly, Sean froze.

He glanced into the crowd at Lynette clapping, and his expression turned grim.

Under the crowd's stunned gaze, he shoved the ring onto Cindy's finger without a word.

Cindy's face twisted with anger. But when she turned toward the cameras, she forced a bright smile.

Backstage, Sean grabbed Lynette's chin hard. "You'll plan the wedding. If anything's wrong, I'll make you pay!"

Lynette's eyes were empty. Only the pain reminded her she was still alive.

She gasped softly, then said, "Okay."

Satisfied, he let go. As he turned away, a single tear of blood rolled down her cheek.

It hit the floor with a splatter, like a flower blooming in red.

Over the next few days, Lynette dutifully prepared Sean and Cindy's wedding.

At 3 a.m., she scattered thousands of rose petals on their wedding aisle herself.

Sean glanced over with dark eyes, lips pressed tight, saying nothing. But from then on, he brought Lynette everywhere with him and Cindy.

They took wedding photos, toured venues, and even shared intimate nights.

Lynette sat outside, listening to their moans through the door, eyes vacant, like a lifeless doll—more corpse than person.

But Sean wasn't satisfied. Just like before, he had to break her.

Cindy said she needed someone to feed her. Lynette would do. So for days, Lynette stood by her side, peeling shrimp, picking out fish bones, wiping her mouth, and even accompanying her to the bathroom.

Then one day, after Cindy finished a slice of jam-covered toast, she suddenly foamed at the mouth.

"Sean, I feel so awful..."

Before Lynette could react, Sean rushed over.

He lifted Cindy in his arms, panic plain in his eyes. "Cindy, are you okay?"

She leaned weakly into him, her usual arrogance gone.

"Sean, don't blame Lynette. It must've been the toast..."

Then she vomited another mouthful of foam.

The familiar scene hit Sean like a blade. He looked up, eyes cold, staring at Lynette. Images of his entire family poisoned by his mother flashed in his mind.

In that moment, he completely lost control.

"Lynette, you're vile. People like you deserve to suffer—better off dead than alive!"

With that, he handed Cindy to the private doctor, then yanked Lynette by the hair and dragged her out.

Lynette couldn't even struggle. Blood marked the path all the way to the cemetery.

The moment she saw it, her eyes widened in disbelief—

From the entrance to the graveyard's heart stood a thousand stone steps, each covered in glinting thumbtacks, packed edge to edge. Terrifying.

Sean gave only one cold sentence. "Lynette, you're the disgrace of the Fuchs family. Get on your knees before my parents' grave and confess your sins—or I'll make everyone around you wish they were dead."

Lynette let out a bitter smile. So he'd been acting for five whole years just waiting for this moment.

Too bad. She was already dying. If today were the end, so be it.

She looked at the gleaming thumbtacks, expression blank. "Fine. Just don't hurt anyone else."

The moment her knees hit the spikes, her flesh split open. But she bore the searing pain and kept moving.

Step by step, she knelt again and again. Each motion was like a dying fish flopping in vain.

Sweat mixed with agony. Her mind faded in and out, and she slipped into a dream.

She was back in the past, back when she still loved him, clinging to him, begging, "Sean, like it or not, every wife has to meet her in-laws. Why won't you take me to your family's cemetery?"

His smile flickered briefly. He hugged her and said, "Honey, my parents died tragically. I don't want you to see that."

But the dream shifted. He vanished, replaced by Sean with bloodshot eyes, dragging her through pain and humiliation.

So that tenderness was real. And so was this hatred.

Lynette didn't even know how she made it to the grave. She only remembered Sean standing over her broken body with zero pity—instead, he started tearing off her clothes.

She slowly realized what he was doing. Her eyes went wide. "No, don't..."

Through blurred vision, words on the gravestone came into focus.

Hot tears spilled from her eyes. It read, "Arnold Quinlan's Grave." The man who raised her for over 20 years. Her father.

"Please..." Lynette sobbed, every tear pulling at her wounds. "How could you move my father's grave and do this here?"

Sean didn't hear a word. He only saw the ruined corpses of his family in his mind.

Lynette was drowning in pain. She had nothing left to fight with. "Sean, I don't hate you for lying to me. I don't even hate the torment. I just... I just want to keep a shred of dignity in front of my father. Please..."

The man in the photo, warm and kind, seemed to hear his daughter's plea.

And from the corners of his eyes, bloody tears fell.

But Sean didn't stop. To him, the screams weren't hers—they were his father's. And his voice turned colder.

"How could I take you to my family's cemetery? You're my father's murderer. You think you deserve that?

"Lynette, why did you ever have to meet me?

"...

"There's no love between us. Only pain. Only hell."

Lynette barely caught those words. She forced herself up. "Fine. I'll die. Let's end this."

Then she hurled herself against the gravestone. Crack!

Blood splattered everywhere. She knew she was dying, but her lips curled into a peaceful smile.

Sean held Lynette, barely breathing, and rushed to the car.

But on the way, his father's harsh voice echoed in his ears, mixed with sorrow.

"Sean, be honest. Do you still love her?"

His hands trembled, barely gripping the wheel.

"No."

However, his father frowned deeply, and his voice was heavy with grief. "No one knows you better than I do. The day after your wedding, you could've started tormenting her. Why make up a lie about ROCD?

"Sean, she killed me. You two will never work."

Sean's body froze, completely still.

That dark, buried truth had been exposed. After a long silence, he said firmly, "Don't worry, Dad. I'll marry Cindy soon.

"As for Lynette, her fate's her own. If she dies, I'll bury her far from the Fuchs family. If she lives, I'll make sure she never appears before me again."

***

Days before the wedding, Lynette finally woke up.

The nurse told her Sean had brought in top doctors, local and foreign, and she'd had countless surgeries.

Lynette gave a bitter smile. So he really wanted to keep her alive just to keep torturing her?

She braced herself for his next cruelty—but instead, he drove her out of the hospital.

In the car, she curled up in the back seat, terrified.

But when the car stopped, she was stunned. Outside stood the church where they once had a date.

Back then, she was gravely ill. He prayed at Oasis Church for hours and brought her a peace charm. She got better.

They returned to give thanks and hung a love lock together.

Now, the man once closest to her felt like a stranger.

Sean said nothing as he searched for the lock. Lynette trembled, watching his every move like a terrified prey.

Too many times, he'd used old memories to beg for forgiveness.

But this time, he found the lock, cut it off, and tossed it into the lake—without a word.

Then he took her to the ice cream shop outside their old school. He tore off their sticky note.

It was yellowed but still read, "Sean and Lynette will be together forever."

But in the blink of an eye, he tossed the sticky note into the trash, like it was nothing more than a worthless scrap.

Lynette stared at the trash can, stunned. "What are you doing?"

Over the years, Sean had driven her mad too many times, breaking her down in every way, like she was the perfect punching bag.

Would he beat her if she didn't pick that paper up?

The thought scared her.

Panicked, she dropped to the ground, digging through the trash, trembling. "Don't hit me. I'll find it... please..."

Sean's throat tightened. His voice cracked. "Lynette, I'm not going to hit you. I just wanted to walk with you."

Then they visited the mountain where they made their vow. The sea they watched together...

She finally understood—he was erasing every trace of their love.

Two years of dating. Three years married. It all ended with them cutting each other out completely.

After it all, Sean spent the night smoking. At dawn, he handed her divorce papers and a blank check.

"We were married. I won't leave you with nothing. Sign the papers, fill in any amount, and go live in another country.

"But one condition—don't ever tell me where you go."

Lynette stared at that thin sheet of paper. Her palm bled from gripping too hard. The pain told her it was real.

Her heart was a mess—relieved to be free, yet aching from what she couldn't let go.

In the end, she signed. "Okay."

The moment their eyes met, they both knew something had changed. But neither of them cared what it was anymore.

Sean crushed his cigarette. "These years... I failed you. But once we're divorced, let's pretend none of it ever happened. Goodbye, Lynette."

She said nothing. Just listening to him had drained her for years.

She watched him walk away, vanishing slowly. Then turned in the opposite direction. Softly, she said, "Goodbye, Sean."

The day before the wedding, Lynette finally made an appointment with the crematorium in Hawaii.

Her lifespan was already not enough to go to Maldives, only enough to see the scenery in Hawaii.

If there were really an afterlife, her next life would travel around the world, see thousands of mountains and rivers, and witness the blooming of spring flowers.

On the same day, the news of Sean and Cindy's wedding made the front page headlines on all platforms.

A billionaire CEO and a female celebrity in the entertainment industry caused a sensation among all the well-known figures in the circle. They all posted congratulations on social media platforms together, and the trending topic stayed popular for more than ten days.

It was heard that Sean would set off fireworks worth millions of dollars to celebrate at night.

Under the fireworks in the sky, the whole city knew about his engagement with Cindy, and sincerely wished them a lifetime of happiness and early children.

After packing up her belongings, Lynette sorted out the things related to Sean and burned them all.

From then on, there were no longer memories of Lynette and Sean in this world.

After all, when a person dies and things disappear, everything comes to an end.

The man she once deeply loved will walk hand in hand with the woman he likes into the most important stage of life.

Unfortunately, that had nothing to do with her anymore.

The roaring flames in the brazier instantly consumed all the evidence of their love, leaving nothing behind.

That evening, Cindy stared at the auditorium door, then glanced at the distracted Sean, feeling somewhat uneasy for no reason.

"Sean, you have me now, don't think about Lynette anymore, okay?"

Sean came to his senses and, with a glance of affection in his peach blossom eyes, said, "Don't worry."

"I said I would marry you, and I won't go back on my word."

"From now on, you are the most important person in my life, do you know that?"

Upon hearing this answer, Cindy smiled satisfactorily, as long as no one would steal Mrs. Fuchs' position from her.

She turned around and was about to go check on the preparations for the wedding.

Just at that moment, the sound system above suddenly fell and hit Cindy on the head.

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere, and she fainted on the spot.

Sean's face changed, and he drove her wildly all the way to the emergency room.

Assistant Jeffrey Randall ran over and said, "Mr. Fuchs, Ms. Jonathan urgently needs a blood transfusion, but the entire city's Rh Blood Bank is in crisis. There is only one person who is a match..."

Before the words had even finished, Sean interrupted him directly.

"I don't care who it is, they must bring her over to save Cindy, even if it means draining that person's blood, no hesitation at all, understand?"

Jeffrey closed his mouth and swallowed the name 'Lynette'.

Perhaps Sean had already forgotten that Lynette was also blood type RH and still in New York.

He stopped talking and quickly had someone take Lynette to the hospital.

At that time, Lynette had already checked in and was about to board the plane when she was suddenly taken to the hospital by a group of people and escorted into the blood donation room.

She didn't know what had happened, but the moment she saw Sean and Jeffrey, she understood everything.

Last night, Sean said all the right things, but he still wouldn't let her go.

Lynette sat in place, her heart as cold as ashes, closing her eyes: "Why did he capture me?"

Jeffrey looked at her sympathetically, sighed, and comforted her.

"Ms. Quinlan, Mrs. Fuchs had a serious accident and was bleeding heavily, so Mr. Fuchs called you. He said that as long as you could save Mrs. Fuchs, he would spare no effort, even if it meant draining your blood."

Lynette shuddered all over and completely gave up any struggle.

She gave a bitter smile and said, "Fine, go ahead and take my blood. An eye for an eye, this is what I owe the Fuchs family."

An eye for an eye, it's only fair and just.

From then on, there was no longer a deep-seated feud between the Fuchs and Quinlan families in the world!

The next moment, the cold needle pierced into her vein. In just a few seconds, her lips turned pale, her whole body felt uncomfortable, but there was a hint of relief in the smile at the corner of her mouth.

And the number on the instrument panel soared from 400cc to 1200cc.

Lynette had collapsed on the ground, seemingly lifeless!

"Mr. Fuchs," Jeffrey panicked and made a phone call. "Do you have to take so much blood? Ms. Quinlan is already... she's dying..."

Sean frowned and asked in confusion, "What's wrong with Lynette?"

Jeffrey's heart raced even faster: "Th-the, Mrs. Fuchs's blood was all transfused by Ms. Quinlan."

In just a few words, the person on the other end of the phone stared wide-eyed, with a tone of horror.

"What did you say?" Sean was stunned for a moment, then erupted in anger. "Lynette, didn't I make myself clear to you? Leave the Fuchs family, leave my world. I've already given you a day to pack your bags, do you have to cause a scene when Cindy's life is at stake?"

"Jeffrey, you actually conspired with Lynette to deceive me. I don't want to see that person Lynette!"

Lynette felt her voice becoming muffled, her breathing difficult, but she drifted away.

She tugged at the corners of her mouth and said with difficulty, "Sean..."

"Don't worry... we won't... see each other again..."

Sean sneered and said in a cryptic tone, "How ridiculous. To trick me into meeting you, you actually used something like this..."

On the other end of the phone, someone was still mocking, but Lynette couldn't make out a single word.

The alarm of the instrument grew louder and louder, and finally, as a warning, it let out a long "beep."

Lynette fell to the ground, stopped breathing, and closed her eyes completely.

Jeffrey hung up the phone in a hurry and rushed forward to check, only to find that there was no breath coming from her nostrils.

At the same time, the doctor hurriedly pulled out the needle for drawing blood, looking extremely panicked.

"She, her blood was drained, she was already gone!"