u/DreadfulNightSleep

Taking his place on the throne, the King crowned his golden girl his queen.
I, on the other hand, was granted two choices—retire from court with a hefty fortune or be his kept mistress in the dark.
Choosing neither, I hung myself on the clothesline right outside the laundress quarters.
I had been sent back twenty years in time, tasked by the System to conquer four targets. I’d just blown the last target and my final chance to complete the quest.
The System notified me that following the death of my flesh, my consciousness would return to the modern world, back to the arms of my family.
Just as I closed my eyes, the desperate cries of my name caught my attention.
Chapter 1
I grabbed the sturdiest belt by the washbasin, tied it into a silly bow, and hung myself from the clothesline.
Fearing my first attempt wasn’t lethal enough, I added another knot for good measure.
The System promised that if I died in this body within seven days, I’d be granted three months back in my original world to be with my family.
With zero attachment to this world, I kicked the stool under my feet.
The noose cinched tight, cutting the air off my lungs.
In my hazy, bloodshot vision, memories of this world played before my eyes like scenes from a movie.
I was a transmigrator from another world. By conquering any of the four male targets, I could get my life back, where I had died in a car crash.
The targets assigned to me by the System were great catches, all heroes in their own right. However, thanks to the heroine, they hated my guts and saw me as a sworn enemy.
Now that I’d failed the mission, the only way out was death. At least, these men would be free of me, too.
As I closed my eyes, someone screamed my name.
After a violent coughing fit, a hand grabbed my chin.
A devastatingly gorgeous face loomed over me, complete with the familiar teardrop mole at the corner of his eye.
“Lucian?”
Remorse washed over me the moment the name left my lips.
Lucian Baler was no longer my fragile crybaby of a protégé.
Sure enough, Lucian recoiled in disgust when I spoke his name.
“Watch your tongue. My name isn’t yours to speak.”
The man in a red robe was the youngest High Chancellor in the kingdom and one of my four targets.
Back then, I had been living on the streets before House Thornfield came for me.
On a rainy day, I stumbled upon a boy on the brink of starvation.
The only food I had was half a piece of bread, and I gave it to him. Since then, the boy clung to me like a shadow, and I couldn’t get rid of him.
He was once a sheltered young heir of a noble lineage until his family was slaughtered under false charges.
Sure, I was down on my luck. At least, I’d had proper modern-day education and read my fair share of history books.
I took Lucian as my protégé, teaching him to lie low and practice patience.
On nights he stirred awake from nightmares, I’d simply make him a nice hot pie.
Under my guidance, Lucian grew into an extraordinary young man. Step by step, he climbed the ranks and eventually cleared his family’s name.
I was his teacher and family.
Back then, I believed we’d look out for one another like a real family.
That all changed a year ago, in early summer, on the very night I was to be betrothed to the then Crown Prince.
Tara Thornfield—the adopted daughter of House Thornfield who had stolen my life for sixteen years—was kidnapped by bandits and never seen again.
With her dying breath, her maid swore that it had been my doing—that I had led her into the wild and abandoned her there.
Everyone was convinced that I had killed her.
My own brother crippled my hands and cast me out.
The Crown Prince, my supposed soulmate, broke our engagement and threw me into the laundress quarters to serve as his secret, disgraced chambermaid.
Lucian, the protégé I raised to be a High Chancellor, paid the servants to make my life hell every day.
Now that Tara was back, the King was making her Queen. The System declared that I’d lost my last target and blown the mission. I needed to get out of the world right away.
As I hung my head low in silence, Lucian somehow became annoyed.
“Are you trying to kill yourself?
“His Majesty’s heart has always belonged to Tara. They are celebrated as a perfect pair. Do you think they care whether you live or die?
“Save me the act. You make me sick!”
I thought my heart would break at the same old insult.
However, the mission was over, and I was going home. For once, I cut the tongue-lashing and nodded in agreement.
“You’re right.
“No one cares about my life, so leave me alone. I’m pressed for time.”
Before Lucian could do anything, I slammed headfirst into a nearby bronze basin.
Chapter 2
It wasn’t the gruesome bloodbath I had braced for.
Putting his hand out, Lucian shielded my head from the collision.
His fair, long fingers were gashed by the bronze, and blood seeped through the skin.
I remembered the days when I kept us fed by selling pies. I wouldn’t even let him gather wood, all to keep his hands for writing.
Yet, he cared little for his livelihood.
The rage in Lucian’s eyes threatened to burst out.
“What has gotten into you, Lyra Thornfield?
“Your sad little suicide stunt isn’t going to make up for what you did to Tara.
“So, save it!”
I smiled bitterly to myself.
“So why are you stopping me? Isn’t it better if I pay for your beloved Tara with my life?”
Julian’s expression tightened with unease.
“I-I just can’t allow you to die today. It’s the day Tara becomes Queen. Your death will reflect badly on her.”
I was lost for words. That was rather thoughtful of Lucian.
Lucian had only known Tara for four years, not even half the time he and I had spent together. Yet, Tara was already a sister to him.
With Lucian getting in the way, I would struggle to end my life.
Turning on my heel, I retrieved the coins gifted by the King.
“His Majesty has granted my release from the palace. You may leave, my Lord.”
I sauntered out. Instead of going our separate ways, he trailed behind me.
“You’re always up to something. For all I know, you might come between His Majesty and Tara. It’s my duty as the High Chancellor to keep you under my watch.
“At the very least, I must ensure that you stay with House Thornfield.
My footsteps came to a halt.
House Thornfield…
That was my home in this quest world.
They were the family I shared a bloodline with.
However, my time with them lasted two brief years, barely a shadow of Tara’s childhood.
I was an unwelcome presence in House Thornfield, the one who had almost killed the adopted child they loved above all.
For a minute there, I thought I would never go back to them.
However, the manor was a good place to get away from Lucian.
It held the one person who hated me the most—my brother, Commander Sylas Thornfield.
I stepped into the manor to find the servants cleaning Tara’s chambers.
Next door, my chamber door stayed shut, the lock covered in a thick layer of dust.
Sitting in the gazebo, Sylas hunched over tallow candles and worked late into the night to craft a bow of polished bone.
If I wasn’t mistaken, Tara had always shown a keen interest in archery, and Sylas wasn’t one to let her down.
Sylas scoffed at the sound of my footsteps and lifted the unfinished bow to fire an arrow.
The arrow, aimed at my face, landed right at the tips of my boots.
“Who permitted you to enter? I told you that you are not welcome here.”
I smiled wryly, my mind wandering to the time I was first brought home. Sylas stared at my calloused hands in heartbroken tears.
“Fear not, Lyra. You’re home. You have me now, and I will keep you from harm. You don’t have to put yourself through so much now.”
On the surface, Tara kept the sweet act of a sister, but the next minute, she’d jump into the icy lake, accusing me of pushing her.
Without hesitation, Sylas pulled Tara out of the water and turned to me, his eyes full of blame.
“Lyra, Tara is my sister too.”
When Tara went missing, Sylas threw me into a cell and slashed my wrists, demanding her whereabouts.
It was once my dream to master the family’s swordsmanship, but I was left a cripple, never to lift a blade again.
I couldn’t even defend myself during the beatings at the palace.
Observing Sylas’ attitude, Lucian became hesitant.
“Commander, she tried to take her life twice at the laundress quarters today…”
The disdain on Sylas’ face grew.
“And you believe her, Chancellor?
“You, of all people, should know her. You won’t find another woman as cunning as her in the kingdom.
“She’s not afraid to risk her life to gain an edge.”
Convinced, Lucian nodded with a wry grin.
“You are right. I was careless to forget the kind of person she is.”
Sylas secured the last piece of attachment to the bow before getting up. He was due at the palace to celebrate Tara’s consecration as Queen.
He gave me a look of disgust.
“You are permitted to stay for one night. I want you out by tomorrow. I won’t have Tara’s joy soured by your presence—”
Before Sylas could finish, I lunged for the arrow on the ground.
I plunged the sharp tip into my chest.
Color drained from Sylas’ face.
Chapter 3
“Are you trying to get yourself killed, Lyra?
“The arrows of our House are dipped in venom. You know that!”
Of course, I did. The poison arrows were Tara’s idea. According to her, our soldiers could inflict better damage on enemies. even when they missed their marks.
I voiced my objections, concerned that the plan could backfire on our men.
Sylas retorted in annoyance, “Our men are trained, not fools who would hurt themselves. Lyra, you don’t have the grit of this House, unlike Tara.”
Now, this poison arrow could very well facilitate my departure from this world.
Tossing the bone bow aside, Sylas sprinted toward me and tore the fabric from my shoulder.
He pressed his lips against my wound, drawing out the venom.
It took three long pulls for my blood to be cleared of poison. By then, Sylas’ complexion was pale.
He screamed for the antidote and forced the liquid down my throat.
Following my refusal to swallow, Sylas smacked me hard in exasperation.
“How much longer are you going to keep this up?
“Don’t you get it? His Majesty feels nothing for you. If he did, he would’ve named you his Queen, not kept you as a laundress and chambermaid.
“You chose to take the coins and leave the palace, so show some dignity to live. Don’t disgrace the honor of our House!”
I burst out laughing.
“Honor? Where was your honor when you crippled me for no crime at all?”
Sylas was at a loss.
Then came the frantic thuds of hooves outside the door.
The King’s Royal Guards stormed the gates.
“By order of the King, Lyra is to be captured and brought back to the palace.
“Her Majesty the Queen is missing again.”
All matters related to Tara put Sylas and Lucian on edge. They grabbed my arms, one on each side.
“I see. What did you do to Tara now? This fake suicide of yours is just a distraction to cover your tracks.”
I was stunned, unable to believe that Tara would keep up with the disappearing act.
It was my chance to escape.
Their obsession with Tara had reached the point of madness. For all I knew, they might kill me to keep her safe.
Without a word, I let them escort me back to the palace.
Leon Lionheart, the King, narrowed his eyes at the blood on my shoulder.
Sylas explained, “Don’t be deceived, Your Majesty. She pretended to kill herself. That was all.”
Leon nodded before putting his hands around my neck.
“Where have you hidden Tara?”
Looking up, I met the gaze of the man I’d shared so many nights with. His eyes were filled with deep resentment.
His mind drifted to the time we first met.
During the struggle for the crown, Leon was hunted relentlessly by rival heirs.
Risking my life, I drew his pursuers away.
I later snuck back and offered myself to help him get rid of aphrodisiac effects.
When Leon came to, he learned that I had been rejected by my fiancé and shamed before the whole city.
He promised he would make things right. Once he took the throne, I would be his Queen.
However, that changed when Tara came into the picture.
Leon compared Tara’s brilliance to the sun while I was a mere flickering firefly next to her.
When news came of Tara’s disappearance, Leon lost his cool for the first time and led his army against the bandits, heedless of royal disapproval.
Despite my denial of involvement, Leon was dead set on breaking the engagement.
Back then, he looked at me in callousness, declaring that I was unfit to be his bride as I had lost my virtue to him before marriage.
From that point on, I was nothing but a shamed laundress, at the mercy of his desires every night.
Obsessed with avenging Tara, he was rough in bed and caused me to lose a child.
Leon sneered at my silence. Releasing his grip on me, I fell to the floor.
He ordered the servants to fetch a set of bloodied torture devices—the very same ones he used to break his political rivals.
In his mind, I might as well have been one of his enemies.
“You know the pain these instruments can inflict. Just tell me where Tara is, or I won’t show you mercy.”
I shivered all over.
The only thing on my mind was leaving the world, but I’d rather go without agony.
My fear of pain was no secret to Leon.
Mistaking my behavior for defiance, Leon commanded Sylas and Lucian to pin me down while he carried out the punishment.
“These tools were last used on the Duke of Yves. They are not lethal, but they will make you wish you were dead.
“Even the tough duke confessed his deepest shame. How long do you think you can last until you break?”
As the iron tore into my flesh, I let out a blood-curdling scream.
Sweat broke across my skin in streams.
I couldn’t even stop my tears from falling.
A desperate plea escaped my lips.
“Please, just end me right now…”
Despite the flicker of hesitation in his eyes, Leon showed no signs of stopping.
“I’ll ask you one last time. Where is Tara?”
I was in so much pain that I started laughing.
“Tara? She stole my life for sixteen years. Of course, I killed her!
“She made it out alive the last time, so I had to finish the job.
“Well? Do you hate me now?
“Kill me and avenge her!”
Feeling the rush to his head, Leon grabbed his jeweled dagger and stabbed me hard in the abdomen.
Just as darkness swallowed my consciousness, Tara’s voice boomed.
“Your Majesty? Sylas? Lucian? It’s wonderful that all of you are here. I prepared a little surprise for you…”

Daisy Truman's childhood crush, Corey Sager, threatened to jump off a building on our wedding day.
She ignored him and went ahead with our wedding.
Daisy started to panic when he leaped off the building.
From then onward, Daisy moved into a church and became a pious person everyone knew of.
She aborted our baby and made me kneel in confession to repent for this so-called sin.
I tried to escape, but she ordered my legs to be broken and even used my family to threaten me. I lived a life of misery and torture.
When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my wedding day.
This time, I would push her into Corey's arms.
As for me, it was my turn to become the love that she lost.
Chapter 1
"Tell Corey Sager he can die if he wants to. I won't see him!"
I woke up with a jerk when I heard Daisy Truman's cold voice. I looked up and saw myself in a suit in the mirror.
That was when I realized I had come back. I had returned to the time when I thought I was the happiest.
Daisy looked aloof and sounded impatient behind me.
Back in my past life, I felt fortunate during this time. I felt lucky that she did not hesitate to choose me over Corey.
However, it was only now that I realized there was frustration hidden in her impatience.
She might have already fallen in love with Corey, who was infatuated with her.
However, Daisy was unwilling to live life with the reputation of cheating, which was why she was determined to marry me.
It was only after Corey died that she realized her feelings for him, and she went crazy for love.
Daisy wanted to repent her sins to the man she loved, and she used every dirty trick in the book to make life miserable for me.
She started to become religious but had no compassion. Daisy had an abortion when she got pregnant with my baby and even broke my legs.
Everyone praised her for being steadfast in love with her childhood sweetheart and cursed me for being the despicable man who came between them. I was just a useless man who chose to marry into her family.
They said I deserved to live life without the love of the woman I wanted.
However, Daisy was the one who wooed me for four years. She was gentle, considerate, and proclaimed she had no regrets for loving me truly.
I agreed to be with her because I thought she really loved me.
It was for Daisy that I chose to marry into her family and and lived under their roof.
Daisy was the one who actively pursued me. What was my fault?
Now that I have been given the chance to live my life once more, I was determined to get rid of this woman from my life.
I grabbed Daisy's hand and said tenderly, "Daisy, you should go talk to Corey."
Daisy was taken aback. She looked at me in disbelief.
I used to blow my head off every time Corey disrupted our dates.
In my eyes, Corey was just a rich, young heir who abused his power. He was a useless man who never learned anything.
Every time they got in touch in private, I would lose my temper.
Daisy wondered why I had suddenly changed.
Her face fell when she saw how serious I was. She was puzzled. "Are you telling me to ditch you on our wedding day to see another man?"
"Eric, do you know what the papers would say about you if I walked out of here?"
I sneered in my heart. Gossip could not kill me, but she could.
So, I put up my most gracious act. "Daisy, I don't care what others say about me. The only thing important is that you are true to me.
"Besides, we can push back our wedding date, but you grew up together. If anything happened to him, you might regret it, and I will only blame myself for it.
"It's a human life, after all. Even if it wasn't Corey, but a stranger, I'll still stop my wedding for him."
When everyone heard what I said, they praised me for being understanding, generous, and kind.
Even Daisy's mother, who never liked me, glanced at me approvingly.
Daisy hugged me tight and kissed me on the forehead. She was touched by what I did and said, "I knew I picked the right man.
"Wait for me, Eric. I'll come back for the wedding right after I save Corey."
I nodded and gave her a push. "Go ahead. Save him."
She did not hesitate to turn as she ran toward the top of the building.
I watched her run off while clenching my fists. I tried my best not to reveal the agitation in my heart.
'Daisy, you hated me our entire lives back then because of Corey.'
'I would set you free in this lifetime. I hope that you will live a long, blissful life with him.'
To show how deep my feelings were for Daisy, I waited for her silently for an hour on stage.
The guests below were more concerned about what was happening upstairs. They kept throwing pitiful glances at the 'kind and understanding' me.
Daisy returned very soon. However, there was a man standing next to her who was wearing the same wedding suit I was.
He even had a red flower pinned on his chest. It was supposed to represent the groom.
I almost forgot that Corey had been wearing the same suit I was when he jumped off the building in my past life.
He had his hand around Daisy's waist and was looking gleeful when he threw a taunting look at me.
Everyone at the wedding started to whisper amongst themselves as they looked at me with sympathy.
Daisy looked at me worriedly. She said, "Eric, Corey… Corey said he has loved me for years, and his wish is to have a wedding with me.
"If I promise him the wedding, he won't come between us again. Let's just let him have the wedding today."
Chapter 2
Daisy's words created a huge commotion in the wedding hall.
No one expected her to make such a ridiculous request after I was kind enough to let her stop the wedding halfway to save another man.
Even her mother, who never liked me, did not think this was appropriate. She frowned and berated Daisy, "Don't be ridiculous, Daisy! A wedding is not a game. How can you change the groom at the very last minute?"
Daisy's father frowned with disapproval as well but said nothing. It was clear that he was starting to make other plans in his mind.
As for Daisy, she felt bad for doing this to me. She looked at me and said, "I know I've upset you because of this. I promise to make it up to you."
Everyone below the stage was talking about this. They threw sympathetic looks at me, but they also laughed behind my back for putting up a gracious act, only to have it bite me in the back.
However, they did not bother me at all. I pretended I had suffered great humiliation but had to try my best to suppress my emotions in front of the Trumans. My eyes turned red as I tried to show that I was controlling myself.
"It's okay. From the moment I chose to let you save Corey, I decided to prioritize his feelings."
Corey was not happy to hear that. "Daisy was the one who saved me. If she had not agreed to marry me today, I would have still jumped. It has nothing to do with you."
This prompted those who sympathized with me to speak up on my behalf.
Everyone started to say something amidst the commotion. That was when Corey found out that it was really me who talked Daisy into saving him. He looked embarrassed but quickly shook it off as he regained his arrogant self.
"Nothing anyone said would have worked if Daisy didn't want to save me. The truth is, it's because she has feelings for me."
Daisy lost her temper at being exposed. She said, "Corey Sager! If it were not for our family's close relationship, I would have ignored you.
"It's because of you that Eric has to go through all of this. If you continue causing trouble and cause discord between me and Eric, you should just return to the top floor of the building."
Corey's eyes turned red from her words. He wanted to say something, but no one spoke up in his defense. All Corey could do was lower his head and whimper, "I'm sorry, Daisy. I just love you too much.
"Since… Since Eric Landry has agreed to let us have this wedding, let's do it now. We shouldn't let the guests wait too long."
Daisy looked at me with hesitation. I smiled and left the stage as I headed to the makeup room to change my clothes.
Before I entered the makeup room, the hall was already playing music. By the time I walked into the room, Corey was already professing his love romantically to Daisy.
I changed back into my clothes. The restaurant staff came running over to me. They told me there was trouble up front.
That was when I quickly rushed to the front of the hall. The moment I got there, I saw Daisy's bodyguards pressing my nephew, Sam Landry, to the ground and beating him up.
Corey was standing at the side, covered in juice. It looked like someone threw it at him. He was a mess.
Daisy was wiping the juice off him while ordering the bodyguards, "Beat that little brat to death!"
I was enraged. I ran over and pushed the bodyguards away. I said angrily, "Get off him!"
Sam looked at me. His eyes were red when he called out, "Uncle Eric!"
He was the only relative my older sister left to me. He was also used by Daisy in my past life to keep me under control.
Sam felt guilty about dragging me down, so he jumped off a building to end his young life.
That was when I started getting depressed. Not long after that, I died of a serious illness.
Now that I was given another chance at life, I felt a wave of relief when I saw my nephew standing before me, alive.
This time, I vowed to protect him.
Corery kicked me hard on the chest while I was distracted.
After that, he instructed a few bodyguards to continue beating down Sam.
I crawled over to try and help him.
However, Daisy blocked my way. "Sam had been out of line. How dare he throw juice at Corey?!
"He should be taught a lesson and disciplined."
She wanted to help me up while explaining.
Corey lifted an eyebrow gleefully behind her.
I pushed Daisy away angrily. She stumbled a few steps backward. Corey caught her before she fell.
She looked at me in disbelief. "Did you just push me?"
I knew why she was shocked. I had always been gentle and warm, and did everything she wanted.
Even when I was mad, I would never hurt her.
I ignored Daisy and rushed forward to shield Sam with my body.
The bodyguards were well-trained, and their kicks were especially vicious.
I felt intense pain in my chest. The next moment, I coughed up blood from the beating.
A crowd had begun to form around us, and they could no longer stand to see this happening. Everyone said that someone might die if this continued.
Daisy could no longer bear it, and she finally said, "That's enough! A minor lesson is enough for them.
"Eric is my husband, after all. How dare all of you hurt him?!"
Corey quickly stopped his bodyguards when he heard the unhappy tone in her voice.
His lip curled into a condescending smile when he saw how badly bruised, I was from the beating.
However, he put on a puppy dog expression the moment he faced Daisy.
He said, "Serves him right for pushing you. You are not even married yet. Even if you are, he is just a loser who married into your family.
"How dare he push you? He must be tired of living."
Daisy's father, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly said, "Corey is right. He is just a man who wants to marry into our family. How dare he push you?!"
Sam was crying when he helped me up. He asked anxiously, "Are you hurt, Uncle Eric?"
I was about to say I was fine when I felt a horrible pain in my chest. I started to cough up blood.
Chapter 3
I got Sam to call an ambulance. It felt like my ribs were broken.
Daisy thought I was making a fuss in front of her. Her pretty eyebrows furrowed as she complained, "I was just teaching Sam a lesson. Do you need to throw a tantrum like this?
"You'll be a Truman soon, Eric. Sam is being brash and brainless with his actions. He will just end up offending all the rich kids in the city.
"All Corey's bodyguards were doing was disciplining him. It's nothing serious."
I glared at her with clenched teeth.
Sam was already bleeding on the mouth from the beating. His face was also swollen. Was this what she meant by 'nothing serious'?
Also, did she not notice how hard those bodyguards were hitting me?
All she wanted to do was teach me a lesson because her childhood crush had his feelings hurt.
Husband? To her, I was just a loser that sold myself to her family.
Daisy knew from my angry expression that she was wrong, and she turned to look away.
Sam snapped in disgust, "Don't forget that you were the one who was shameless enough to beg Uncle Eric to accept you, Daisy Truman.
"How could you do this to him? How could you change the groom on your wedding day? You are just humiliating Uncle Eric!"
Daisy frowned. She seemed to be thinking of something.
Corey laughed sarcastically. "Your Uncle Eric agreed to this, you little brat."
Sam looked at me in surprise. I nodded at him. "He's right. I… I am regretting this marriage.
"Our families are too different. We are not compatible. I am not from a rich family like Corey Sager. I am not good enough for Daisy.
"The wedding is off."
With that, Sam helped me out of the hotel.
Sam was shocked. He knew how much I loved Daisy.
However, he knew me well. I would never give her up unless I was deeply hurt.
Corey looked happy when he heard my words, while everyone else looked stunned.
Everyone thought I was a gold digger who was willing to give up my chance at studying overseas just so I could marry into the Trumans.
No one expected a weak man like me to give up on the riches I was about to enjoy.
However, the most shocked among them was Daisy.
She jerked her head. Her bright eyes were filled with tears. She was stunned as she asked, "What do you mean?"
I looked at her. I was reminded of what she did to me in my past life, and hate filled my heart. I said, "It means exactly what I said, Daisy. The wedding is off."
With that, I turned to leave.
Daisy ran toward me and grabbed my wrist. There was panic and fear in her eyes. She said, "Don't go, Eric. You know this wedding does not count. You are the one I love. You are also the one I want to marry.
"You promised to let Corey have this wedding. He will not come between us after today.
"Why do you want to break up with me when you know the truth? Was it because he beat up Sam?
"If that's how you feel, I'll get someone to break his bodyguards' hands right now."
I looked at her acting crazy. It had never occurred to me that the gentle woman I once knew could be so obsessive and cold-blooded.
She was only patient with me because she was interested in me, but when it came to others below the totem pole, they were not considered human lives. They were only objects she could play around with.
I wanted to fling her hand off me, but I felt horrible and coughed up more blood.
Daisy asked worriedly, "Are you all right?"
Corey continued to be sarcastic, "This must be some sort of tactic you're using to get Daisy all riled up, even the breakup. This is just a game of jealousy."
Daisy frowned. "Is that true, Eric? I don't like you playing tricks like this."
I was speechless. I gave her a small smile and turned to leave.
Sam quickly came over to hold me. My hand was against my stomach as I tried my best to hold in the pain while slowly making my way out of the hotel.
Daisy wanted to stop me, but someone suddenly shouted, "Corey passed out!" She quickly turned to look at Corey and said with worry, "Get him to the hospital!"
I turned around and saw Daisy's worried face in the crowd. I felt a painful pang in my heart.
Was she really unable to tell that Corey was faking it? He was being sarcastic to me with great gusto a second ago, and he passed out the next second.
Did she really not know?
No. It was because Daisy had made the choice between me and Corey. She had chosen him.
The ambulance arrived right when I made my way to the hotel entrance with great difficulty.
Before I could say anything, Corey's mother came running out while shouting, "Doctor! Help my son! He is unconscious!"
Daisy pushed me to the side after that.
She said to me matter-of-factly, "You've only taken a minor beating, Eric. You will be fine, but Corey—he's unconscious. He's too weak to even speak."
"You should let the ambulance take him first."
I clenched my teeth and said, "No, the ambulance is for me!"
The doctor asked, "Which one of you needs to go to the hospital?"
I was about to compromise and offer to go together, but before I said anything, Daisy pushed me away. She got help to get Corey into the ambulance.
Before they left, she looked at me and said, "You've always been a kind man, Eric. You will understand, right?"
She climbed into the ambulance before I could reply.
As I watched the ambulance drive away, I shouted in anger, "I hate you, Daisy Truman!"
I coughed up more blood after that and passed out amidst the crowd shouting in panic.

Chapter 1 : Mrs Foster

All because someone called me "Mrs. Foster."

The penniless college girl my husband kept on the side threw a massive tantrum, screaming that she was going to drown herself in the ocean. Ethan Foster flew into a total rage and threw me straight into the beast arena.

Heartbroken, I gasped and demanded to know why. In return, he only gave me a cold, dead-eyed stare as I was trampled by rabid bulls and torn apart by feral dogs.

After being mangled ninety-nine times by those vicious creatures, my bones were shattered, and I barely even looked human anymore.

Right as the hundredth beast was unleashed, Ethan stepped forward and personally drenched me in a potent beast-attracting agent.

"Chloe Vance, you knew Hailey felt insecure and just wanted people to accept her," he snarled, glaring down at me. "Yet you still had the nerve to flaunt your status as Mrs. Foster right in her face!"

"The Foster Group would still be a massive empire without you. I've been sick and tired of your high-and-mighty attitude for a long time now."

"Since you love showing off so much, you can stay right here and rot to atone for your sins!"

The monstrous beast ripped straight through my flesh. To the roar of the bloodthirsty crowd, I was torn completely into shreds.

Meanwhile, Ethan had spent a staggering 90 million dollars to blast fireworks across the entire country, all to celebrate Hailey passing a simple college exam.

By the time he finally remembered me, his phone was streaming a live feed from the arena. The host's hyper-frenzied voice boomed over the speakers:

"Holy sh*t! This is absolutely insane! The richest man's wife has just been torn to pieces!"

"Ethan, are you out of your f*ckng mind?!" his best friend yelled, unable to watch the horror unfold any longer. "You personally dragged your own wife into the beast arena ninety-nine times just to vent Hailey's anger?!"

"Look at her! Her flesh is completely gouged out, her bones are fractured in a dozen places, and her wounds are rotting and oozing pus! If you don't get her medical help right now, she's finished!"

Ethan merely let out a mocking sneer.

"She won't die that easily. Consider it a lesson," he said coldly. "Throw her into one more match. And make sure to prepare an extra batch of the most rabid beasts you can find."

Turning his gaze back to Hailey, his eyes instantly softened with tender affection.

"As long as my sweet Hailey is happy, nothing else matters. Chloe is nothing but a useless cripple now. Letting her keep the title of Mrs. Foster is more than enough charity for her."

I was tossed onto the cold ground like a tattered rag, completely ignored by the world. The agonizing, inhuman torture I endured was nothing more than an emotional punching bag for Hailey.

Just a year ago, to repay the Foster family's kindness, I had married Ethan and single-handedly pulled his family business back from the brink of bankruptcy. After our wedding, Ethan had showered me with nothing but endless devotion and love—until the day I finally made him the richest man in the country.

On that exact day, Ethan suddenly turned on me. Ignoring my desperate pleas, he dragged me to this horrific beast arena and left me to be torn apart by wild animals. In that moment, my heart shattered into pieces, and the physical torment was unbearable.

Hailey looked down at me with an insufferable smirk, then turned to Ethan, her voice dripping with fake innocence.

"Ethan, Chloe actually told people that I'm just a homewrecker!"

Ethan looked at her with pure adoration, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Don't cry, sweetie. In a relationship, the one who isn't loved is the real third wheel. Just wait here, I'm going to teach her a lesson for you."

He turned back to me, a cruel sneer spreading across his face.

"Wake that b*tch up with formaldehyde. It'll double as a disinfectant for her disgusting wounds."

With a single command, the chemical fluid was poured directly over me, completely engulfing my body. The corrosive liquid immediately began eating away at my raw flesh, making a sickening, sizzling sound.

A blood-curdling scream escaped my lips as the vast, endless pain devoured me. Hearing my screams, Ethan said without a trace of mercy:

"You knew how pure and innocent Hailey is, Chloe! How dare you conspire with outsiders to bully her!"

"Hailey is kind enough to worry that your wounds might get infected, so she's even disinfecting them for you."

He grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my head down into the tub of formaldehyde. Only when I was convulsing violently from the sheer agony, my white bones showing through my dissolved flesh, did he finally throw me back onto the floor.

I hurt so badly that I didn't even have the strength left to beg for mercy. My breath was barely there as I whispered, "It's... it's all my fault. I'll give her the title of Mrs. Foster. Please... just let me go."

Hailey pretended to be terrified, her eyes turning red as she squeezed out a few tears.

"Oh my god, Ethan... Chloe looks so terrifying. Did those vile creatures infect her with some disease from those beasts?"

Ethan pulled her tightly into his chest, filled with overwhelming concern.

"Be good, sweetie. Don't be scared," he murmured. "I'll have someone gouge out her eyes right now, so you don't have to look at her anymore."

He gestured toward a nearby bodyguard, who pulled out a sharp paring knife and thrust it straight toward my eyes. A sudden, piercing agony exploded from my left eye socket, and I let out a desperate shriek as absolute despair filled my remaining vision.

Chapter 2 : The Lowest Beast Slave

Listening to my agonized shrieks, Hailey finally smiled with deep satisfaction.

"Ethan, why don't we get Chloe a new eye?"

Ethan let out a sharp scoff.

"Hailey, you're just way too soft-hearted. A scheming, manipulative b*tch like her doesn't deserve to be saved." He glanced at me with utter disdain. "Just find some random beast and swap its eye into her head."

He said it so casually, as if replacing my eye was no different from changing a burnt-out lightbulb. Plunged into complete hopelessness, I let them manipulate my body however they pleased. Why wouldn't they just let me die? Death would be a merciful release compared to this endless hell!

"Chloe really is the Investment Queen," Hailey mused, her voice dripping with fake admiration. " Even the wild beasts treat her with reverence and hesitate to kill her. Unlike me... everyone just treats me like a helpless parasite, looking down on me and making me suffer so much injustice."

Tears streamed down Hailey's face. Seeing her puffy, red eyes, Ethan's heart completely melted. He pulled his little mistress into his arms, murmuring sweet, comforting words as they openly flirted right in front of my mangled body.

Meanwhile, the guards brutally shoved a beast's eye into my socket while I wailed in unendurable torment. Ethan glared at me, his face twisted in disgust.

"Look at her—she's covered in rotting, shredded flesh. It's absolutely sickening. Take this piece of trash to the beast-frenzied pool and wash her off."

The thugs dragged me up across the rough floor. I used every ounce of my remaining strength to struggle against them.

"Ethan! You can't do this to me! Please, I beg you..."

Hailey swiftly stepped in front of me and gave the guards a sharp look. They immediately clamped a hand over my mouth, cutting off my words. Leaning down close to my ear, she whispered with vicious triumph:

"Chloe Vance, how does it feel to be loathed and tortured by the man you love? I really have to thank you for building the Foster Group into a multi-billion-dollar empire. Thanks to you, I get to be the undisputed tycoon's wife. As for you? You're nothing but the lowest beast slave in this arena, a piece of meat for the crowd's amusement."

Her eyes then drifted down, locking onto my stomach with absolute malice. My heart skipped a beat. I glared at her, my veins bulging as a muffled, desperate roar tore from my throat, silently begging her not to harm my unborn child.

Fearing that I might somehow hurt his precious mistress, Ethan delivered a brutal kick straight to my chest, sending me flying across the room.

I crashed heavily onto the floor, coughing up huge mouthfuls of dark crimson blood.

"Chloe, how dare you try to lay a finger on Hailey!" Ethan roared, his face flushed with unbridled rage. "Throw this b*tch into the madness-inducing pool and let her marinate in it! Once she's thoroughly soaked, dump her straight into the alpha predator zone!"

The massive loss of blood made my head spin violently, and my consciousness slipped away as I plummeted into complete darkness.

In the quiet dark, beautiful memories began to flash before my eyes like a movie reel. I remembered Ethan climbing all 999 steps of the sacred mountain on his knees just to pray for my health. I remembered him throwing a massive, lavish gala to celebrate my achievements as the Finance Queen. Back then, I truly believed I had found my soulmate.

Everything shattered during the victory banquet when Hailey Logan crawled into Ethan's bed. From that night onward, he stopped coming home, slowly erasing my existence as his wife. Then came the day Hailey insulted a powerful business tycoon and fled the city in a dramatic huff. Ethan turned the entire country upside down to find her. And based on nothing but a few tears from that girl, he dragged me to this horrific arena to suffer a living death.

Through the haze of unconsciousness, the distant, terrifying roars of wild beasts echoed in my ears, and an explosive wave of pain snapped me awake.

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Chapter 1

"Tomorrow's SAT—everyone shows up ten minutes late. Got it?"

The night before the test, Peyton Shaw—our class sweetheart—was flooding the group chat:

"Anyone on time is a coward. A total sellout!"

In my past life, I called the teacher right away, then rang up every classmate one by one, dragging the whole class to the testing center on time.

But Peyton got ripped apart online for trying to mess with the SATs. She jumped.

When everyone found out, they locked me in an old classroom and lit the furniture on fire.

Through the smoke, I banged on the door, begging my childhood best friend—right there watching—to help.

But he just looked down at me:

"If you'd kept your mouth shut, Peyton would still be alive. You deserve to burn for this."

As the title says. Please help me find a free link or at least a synopsis 🙏