I'd like to play something that wouldn't do regular resets, if its in development and need to reset after testing phase then its okay, but if its a regular one I would rather not.
Preferably, a game with hours of farming/travel that doesn't require me to spend half my day grinding at it. I'm currenty having a blast with torn, nationstates, feudera, tidefall, and zed city.
How did it start showing up?
I have waaay too many pavements. I tried adding an adjacent road but it wouldn't work...
He suffered qi deviation midway but managed to pull through and is about to ascend.
No More Wife Role (Short Story Collection)
Chapter 1 In 1983, Brayden Pembroke returned to Houston from his overseas assignment with Evangeline Fisher and her infant son, Tyrek Wilson, the family of his fallen comrade, Darren Wilson. Grateful that Darren had sacrificed his life to save him, Brayden swore to care for them with the same devotion he showed his own wife, Natasha Murray. Everyone expected Natasha, notorious for her fierce jealousy, to throw a massive fit. Instead, she replied with a blank expression, "A life debt outweighs everything else. You're doing exactly what you should." Brayden stared at her in shock, his eyes dark and unreadable. He studied her face for any hint of reluctance, but found none. What he didn't know was that Natasha had been reborn. In her previous life, she had indeed lost her mind the moment she heard the news. She had not only smashed their home but also burst into Brayden's commanding officer's office, screaming and demanding an explanation. Later, she even sent Evangeline and Tyrek to a lawless border town, where they went through endless ordeals. Enraged, Brayden filed for divorce. To get back at Natasha, he used every means at his disposal to frame and destroy her entire family. Natasha's parents and brother ended up dead. She herself was tortured in prison until she was permanently disabled and finally took her own life, consumed by hatred. Meanwhile, Brayden tracked down Evangeline and Tyrek. He married Evangeline in the name of honoring his fallen friend, earning widespread praise across the base for his loyalty and kindness. He got three quick promotions and lived out a perfect, happy life. Natasha snapped back to the present. With a knowing, gracious smile, she said softly, "Darren lost his life for you. You can't let his wife and child suffer. I understand." Brayden grew even more astonished, though a faint trace of joy lingered in his eyes. "Really, Natty? You won't be upset about this?!" Natasha stood up and stepped closer, cupping his cheeks with an adoring gaze. "I'm not upset. I'd do anything to make you happy. "Besides, her husband died because of you; it's only right you take them in. I'm not a jealous, unreasonable shrew, so naturally I won't object." But Brayden's face didn't light up with joy at her words. He fixed his gaze on Natasha's face, an inexplicable hollow ache settling deep in his chest. Just then, Evangeline walked in holding Tyrek. She stood timidly in the doorway and said, "Bray, am I causing you trouble?" Brayden instantly rushed over to her. He gently took Tyrek from her arms and soothed her in a soft voice, "Why did you come out here? You traveled for over twelve hours. You need to get some rest." She called him "Bray," and he treated her with the tenderness of a beloved. Anyone could see the affection between them. This was never just about repaying a debt. Natasha looked away, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. She felt no pain or sorrow—only regret for how foolish she had been in her previous life. But Evangeline walked up to her, her eyes welling up with fake tears. "You must be Natty. Bray only brought us back to Houston because he feels sorry for us. Please don't be mad at him. If you don't want us here, we can leave right away. We won't be a burden to you at all." She sounded so kind and thoughtful, yet each word was a carefully laid trap for Natasha. In her previous life, Natasha had been enraged by Evangeline's manipulative words. She lost her temper on the spot and slapped Evangeline hard across the face twice. After that, her emotions spiraled out of control, ultimately costing her her whole family. But this time, she would never let that happen again. Natasha smiled and took Evangeline's hand. "Don't say that, Evangeline. Your husband was a hero, and he saved Bray's life. I can't thank you enough. "You don't have to be on guard around me. I have no intention of stopping Bray from looking after you." Evangeline froze for a split second. But she quickly smiled. She turned her head and gave a meaningful look at Tyrek in Brayden's arms. "Thank you for accepting us, Natty. But I need to get one thing straight. Bray won't merely look after us—he's going to adopt Tyrek as well. Tyrek will become his legal son. He'll be raised as a Pembroke with both parents by his side." Legal son? With both parents? That meant Brayden could never have his own child, because under the Pembroke family's strict inheritance rules, he was allowed only one legal heir. Even though Natasha had already decided to let go in this second life, she still felt a sharp twist in her chest. The Pembrokes were a centuries-old clan obsessed with bloodline and succession. For three generations, the family had only one heir—all male—to carry the line. Yet Brayden, their sole heir, was willing to go this far for Evangeline?! Natasha looked up at him. But he quickly looked away, his face filled with guilt. Shortly after they got married, Natasha got pregnant. But the highly skilled family doctor told Brayden there was a good chance the baby was a girl, so he begged her relentlessly to get an abortion. "Natty, family rules say I can only have one legal heir, and it has to be a boy. I know how painful it is, but could you make this sacrifice for my sake?" Back then, Natasha had loved him so much that even though her heart was breaking, she had agreed. But now for Evangeline, he was willing to give up any chance of having a biological child of his own! It was so ridiculous! Natasha lowered her eyes and forced back the tears that were threatening to spill. She continued in a completely calm voice, "Don't worry, Evangeline. If Bray is okay with it, I'll respect his decision. "It's getting late. I'm going to go pack up my things from the master bedroom and move into the guest room." With that, she turned and walked away. As she brushed past Brayden, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. His eyes were deep and unreadable, filled with intense emotions that he had no idea how to put into words. In the end, he only mumbled, "Thank you, Natty." Natasha shook her head gently. "It didn't cost me anything. It was the least I could do." Her voice was completely flat, with no trace of emotion in it. Once she was back in her room, Natasha picked up the phone on the nightstand and called her brother, Neville Murray. "Ville, can you tell Mom and Dad that we're moving to Chicago in seven days?" "Chicago?!" Neville's voice was filled with confusion. "Why? What's going on? Will Bray even agree to it?" Natasha didn't want to worry her family, so she kept the truth about her rebirth to herself and only told them half the story. "Brayden has fallen in love with another woman. I've already decided to divorce him." Neville was silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed. "Okay. I'll tell Mom and Dad to get ready right away." Chapter 2 After Natasha hung up, she quickly packed her personal belongings and asked the housekeeper, Megan Keller, to take them to the guest room. Megan's eyes were red, and she looked more upset than Natasha herself. "Mrs. Pembroke, you waited so long for Mr. Pembroke to come home, and now he's going to marry another woman. This is just unfair!" Natasha smiled and patted Megan gently on the head. "Don't say that. Bray has a strong sense of loyalty, and he should take care of Evangeline and her son." In her previous life, Megan had been just as furious, and she had spoken up for Natasha to everyone she met. Eventually, Evangeline had overheard her complaints and run straight to Brayden. He had punished Megan so harshly that he had broken her leg. This time around, Natasha would never let that happen again. Once all her things were moved, she took a shower and was just about to lie down when someone from the Pembroke's mansion called. She was asked to come over immediately. Natasha dragged her exhausted body into the house. No sooner had she stepped through the front door than a cup came flying at her and hit her hard on the forehead. Blood trickled slowly down her cheek. Brayden's father, Edward Pembroke, was purple with rage, and he roared at the top of his lungs, "Get on your knees!" The butler stepped forward instantly and struck the back of her knees with a cane. She fell hard onto the cold, hard stone floor before she could react, and a searing pain shot through both her knees. "You've been married into this family for years, and you can't even keep your own husband under control!" Edward yelled in a low, thunderous voice, venting all his anger onto her. "If that stranger's child is legally adopted by the Pembroke family, it will leave our entire family without a true heir!" Natasha's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned deathly pale. In her previous life, she had fought tooth and nail to keep Evangeline out of the house. But Edward had sided with Brayden back then, calling her an unreasonable, vicious woman who had ruined his son's good name. "Edward," Natasha said hoarsely, "Your wife tried to control you your whole life, but did you ever listen to a single word she said? You know better than anyone that men hold all the power in this family. I have no real say here, so how could I possibly change Brayden's mind? "If I make a big scene, it will only embarrass him. And if he turns his back on the family of the man who saved his life, it won't help him get promoted in the future." Edward's face changed instantly. He was just about to snap at her when Evangeline walked in holding her baby. "Sir Pembroke, I came here to clear up any misunderstanding you might have. This baby is Bray's biological son." Natasha's head snapped up, and she stared at Evangeline in disbelief. A faint smile played on Evangeline's lips, and her eyes glinted with open mockery. Edward, who had been scowling furiously just seconds earlier, went completely still. His face changed instantly, and he jumped to his feet and hurried over. He stared at the babbling baby boy in Evangeline's arms with undisguised delight, every trace of disgust gone from his eyes. "Is that really true?!" Evangeline's lips twitched slightly. "Of course it is, Sir Pembroke. My husband died young, and Bray has been taking care of me all these years. We fell in love a long time ago. We were going to tell you later, but I was worried someone might..." Her voice trailed off meaningfully as she glanced pointedly at Natasha. The man, who had just been grilling Natasha about why she couldn't keep her husband in line, finally understood what Evangeline was implying. He cleared his throat and said, "Natty, you've been married to Bray for all these years, and you only got pregnant once, and that turned out to be a girl. But now, thank God, the Pembroke family finally has a male heir. "This boy is now the rightful heir to our family. You will protect him with your life, and you will never do anything to harm him." Each word he uttered sent a searing pain straight through Natasha's chest. No wonder Brayden had been willing to go to such lengths for Evangeline and her son—this baby was his own flesh and blood. It had taken her two lifetimes to learn the truth, and it wasn't worth a single thing. Natasha lowered her eyes slowly and nodded obediently. "I understand." "For three generations, the Pembroke family has only had one male heir. Since this child is Bray's biological son, he deserves every privilege as the family's rightful heir." Edward nodded in satisfaction. He didn't spare Natasha another glance. His entire attention was now fixed on Evangeline and the baby. He waved a dismissive hand and told her to leave. But the moment Natasha walked into her guest room, she saw Evangeline slouched comfortably on the couch. All trace of the vulnerability she showed around Brayden was gone. "You think pretending to be so understanding will make me believe that you're genuinely kind? No way. What are you scheming? Let's just drop the pretense and talk straight for once." Natasha stood still in the doorway. "What scheme could I possibly have? Do you expect me to scream and cry and throw a fit like some crazy woman? It's not the twentieth century anymore. I don't need a man to survive." Evangeline's eyes darkened dangerously. She stood up slowly and walked straight toward Natasha until they were face-to-face. "Is that so?" She sneered and locked eyes with Natasha, enunciating every word clearly. "Well, I don't believe you, Natasha. The only way I'll ever feel safe is if you get out of here for good." Chapter 3 A heavy, suffocating silence settled over the entire room. Before Natasha could speak, Evangeline continued, "Let me tell you something, Natasha. Whatever bad intentions you're hiding, I'll never let you succeed. "And I will never let you lay a finger on my son." Natasha pressed her lips together and said nothing. Evangeline stepped closer. "I'm not stupid. You're pretending to back off just to win over Bray and the entire Pembroke family with this fake generosity." Natasha's hands curled into fists, and she bit down hard on her lower lip. "Think whatever you want." Evangeline stared at her with a sneer, lowering her voice to a dangerous hiss. "Save the act for someone else, Natasha. I'll make sure Bray hates you completely. You don't stand a chance against me." Before Natasha could respond, Evangeline grabbed the table lamp beside her and slammed it hard against her own forehead. Blood splattered everywhere, and Evangeline screamed at the top of her lungs, "Bray! Help me!" "Evie!" Brayden heard the scream and burst into the guest room immediately. He pulled Evangeline tightly into his arms. She curled up against his chest, coughing weakly and gasping for breath. Tears streamed down her face, and she trembled violently, all trace of her earlier cruelty gone. "Bray... I'm sorry. I accidentally told her that Rek is your biological son, and she got so angry that she hit me with the lamp... "I caused you so much trouble. Maybe I should just leave with Rek." "Natasha!" Brayden lifted his head sharply. His eyes were bloodshot and blazing with rage, and he fixed Natasha with a murderous stare. "I thought you were reasonable and thoughtful. But this was all an act to lower my guard so you could hurt Evie!" His voice was cold and sharp, dripping with contempt. "You're nothing but a vicious lowlife! "Her husband died saving my life. I owed it to her to take care of her, and what happened between us was just love. If you're angry, be angry at me. Why did you hurt Evie?" Love? A chill ran through Natasha's entire body, but she forced herself to stay calm and explain desperately, "It wasn't me! Evangeline did it to herself. I didn't even..." "Shut up!" Brayden laughed bitterly, his eyes filled with unmasked disgust. "You're still lying and trying to frame her? Since you refuse to learn your lesson, I'm going to punish you so you'll understand what you can and can't do going forward." He shouted, "Someone get in here! Take her to the basement and hit her with that lamp thirty times. Let her feel exactly how much it hurts!" "Brayden! You can't do this to me!" Natasha screamed and fought with every ounce of strength she had, but the servants rushed in. They pinned her down hard on the floor, stripping her of all dignity. "Let go of me!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Brayden, that lamp will kill me!" She couldn't die. She absolutely couldn't. In this second chance at life, she was determined to get herself out of that nightmare, live properly, and make sure her family survived with her. But Brayden had already picked Evangeline up and was heading for the door. In a desperate burst of strength, Natasha broke free and lunged forward. She grabbed his pant leg tightly. "Brayden, we're married. I'm still your wife. You can't do this to me!" Brayden paused briefly and stared down at her. His face was completely impassive, and he looked at her with utter contempt, as if she were worthless. "I brought Evie here to stay with me forever. The sooner you truly accept her, the better it is for everyone. This time, I have no choice but to be harsh and teach you a lesson, so you don't do something even more unthinkable." With that, he shook her off without a second glance and walked away, holding Evangeline protectively in his arms. Chapter 4 The heavy lamp slammed against Natasha's head again and again. Blood poured down her face in thick streams. "Ah!" Each blow cracked against her skull, sending searing, unbearable pain through her body that made her wish she could die right there. But she gritted her teeth and endured it. The Murray family stood no chance against the Pembroke family right now. She had to hold on long enough to get her family out of Houston. Ten blows, fifteen, twenty... By the time the thirtieth blow landed, all Natasha could see was a blur of red. She collapsed weakly into the pool of blood on the floor, her fingers twitching once or twice before she blacked out completely. When she opened her eyes again, Brayden was sitting on the edge of her bed, stirring a bowl of brown herbal tonic. He saw her wake up and spoke immediately, his voice rough. "I had the doctor make the strongest wound-healing tonic available. Drink this." Natasha turned her head away and said nothing. He sighed and looked at her. "I still have feelings for you, you know. What happened between Evie and me was a total accident. I never thought she'd get pregnant that one time. The only reason I brought her home is to make sure that the child isn't illegitimate. "You're even now after what happened. If you're angry, take it out on me. Don't act like some back-alley shrew and hurt other people. That's not who you are. "I'll take good care of them, and I won't neglect you either. Once things calm down, I'll buy you a two-story house in River Oaks. I'll make it up to you. You've always loved those houses, right? We could..." Natasha cut him off before he could finish. "I get it. Go be with Evangeline and her son. Don't worry about me." Brayden froze and stared at her in disbelief. "What did you say?" "Go be with Evangeline. She's hurt too, isn't she? Just go. I want to rest." All Natasha wanted was to sleep. She couldn't stand to hear another word from him. She'd almost died from the thirty blows, and all he had to say was that they were even. In both her lives, Brayden had always favored Evangeline over her. But it didn't matter anymore. Brayden flew into a sudden rage. His temples throbbed as he stared at her cold, emotionless face. "Fine! Have it your way, Natasha. Don't come crying to me later!" With that, he slammed the bowl of tonic against the floor and stormed out of the room. The hot liquid splashed everywhere, and a few drops landed on Natasha's hand, stinging. She lifted her hand blankly and touched the spot, but she felt no hurt or resentment at all. Once, she would have run into Brayden's arms, crying over even a tiny scrape, begging for his comfort. But having lived through such brutal violence and the real threat of dying, all she felt was numb. For the next few days, Natasha stayed quietly in the guest room, recovering. Brayden only came by once. He didn't ask how she was feeling, just gave her a cold warning. "Don't try anything like that again. Next time, I won't go easy on you." He'd expected her to break down screaming, to demand to know why he'd done this to her. But she just nodded calmly, no emotion in her eyes at all. She looked like a hollow shell, empty of any feeling. A strange sense of loss washed over Brayden, like he was about to lose something irreplaceable. But then he shook it off. Natasha loved him too much to ever leave him. She was just putting on an act to make him feel guilty. Natasha didn't even look up. She simply asked, "So if that's the case, why don't you just divorce me?" Brayden's face turned black with rage. It felt like someone had punched him hard in the chest. His eyes blazed with fury. "Divorce? Don't be ridiculous, Natasha. You can't divorce me without my consent. Keep your threats to yourself. What you really need to figure out is how to coexist with Evie from here on out." He said she couldn't divorce him. Natasha's lips twitched into a faint, bitter smile. Brayden had clearly forgotten. On their wedding day, to prove his undying love, he'd signed a legal document that gave her the right to file for divorce whenever she wanted. Chapter 5 After Brayden left, Natasha dug out the yellowed legal document. She signed her name carefully and took it straight to the courthouse. No sooner had she returned to the Pembroke's mansion than Evangeline walked in. She was wearing a form-fitting red dress that accentuated her curves, and she walked with an air of arrogance. "How does it feel to get beaten up like that, Mrs. Pembroke?" Natasha looked up at her and frowned slightly. "What more do you want?" Evangeline smiled. "I went through all that trouble, and all Bray did was beat you up? He didn't even mention divorce! It's not fair! "I'll never accept being just one of the women in a man's life. I'll slowly show him your nasty side, and he'll end up hating you completely." Natasha's heart sank. She took a deep breath and laughed bitterly. "Brayden betrayed me. Why would I fight you for a man who doesn't care about anyone but himself?" Evangeline's smile froze, and her face twisted with rage. "Natasha, only dead women don't fight for what's theirs!" Natasha knew instantly that something was wrong. Before she could react, thick smoke started seeping under the door. At the same time, screams erupted from outside. "Fire! The house is on fire!" Evangeline had lost her mind. She'd actually set fire to the Pembroke's mansion. Natasha forced herself out of bed despite the searing pain and tried to run, but Evangeline grabbed her tightly. Her face was twisted with unhinged hatred. That brief delay was all it took. The smoke spread quickly, obscuring everything in the room. Just then, the door burst open, and Brayden ran inside. Evangeline let go of Natasha at that exact moment and screamed in terror, "Bray! Save me!" Brayden glanced at Natasha, who was much closer to the door, but he shoved her aside without a second thought and ran straight to Evangeline. Natasha fell to the floor, and her already injured forehead slammed into the corner of the table. She didn't even have time to scream before she blacked out in the thick, choking smoke. The last thing she saw before everything went dark was Brayden's back as he walked away without looking back. And behind him, the roaring flames from the hallway were closing in on her. Chapter 6 Natasha had no idea how long she had been unconscious when a sharp pain jolted her awake. She looked around and realized that everything had been consumed by fire. Gritting her teeth against the agony, she rolled frantically across the floor to smother the flames on her clothes. Then she pulled herself up and threw herself against the window with all her strength. This was her only chance to survive. Brayden, who had already carried Evangeline downstairs, finally remembered Natasha only after he confirmed Tyrek Wilson was safe. He turned to run back inside, but the household staff grabbed him tightly. "Mr. Pembroke, you can't go back in there! It's too dangerous! We'll get Mrs. Pembroke out!" No sooner had the voice faded than a loud crash of shattering glass echoed overhead. Everyone looked up at once. They saw a figure crash through the second-floor window and plummet to the ground. "Natty!" Brayden roared in terror and sprinted toward her. Before he could reach her, Natasha hit the treetops in the garden below. She snapped several branches before slamming hard into the grass. When Natasha opened her eyes again, every inch of her body screamed with unbearable pain. Brayden's eyes filled with tears the second he saw her wake up. He lunged forward and grabbed her hands tightly. "Natty, you're awake." Natasha looked up at him. He looked haggard, with stubble covering his jaw and dark, heavy circles under his eyes. "I'm sorry. I should have come back for you sooner. Thank God you're alive..." His voice cracked with regret and fear. But Natasha felt nothing at all. She didn't yell or accuse him. She just nodded coldly. "It's fine. It's not your fault." "What?" Brayden froze completely, his face going blank. He clearly hadn't expected Natasha to be so calm after everything she'd been through—so steady and completely emotionless. Natasha's lips twitched into a faint smile, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular. "Darren saved your life. It was only right that you saved Evangeline first." It was the same line again. This was the excuse Brayden had always planned to use against her, but she'd turned it right back on him. Every word sent a sharp pain through Brayden's heart. What on earth had gone wrong? Brayden couldn't bring himself to think about it any further. A wave of overwhelming panic washed over him, making him feel restless and agitated. Before he could say anything else, someone knocked and walked into the room. "Mr. Pembroke, it's your son! He has a high fever that won't break. Evangeline is beside herself with worry and wants to know when you'll be home." Brayden didn't hesitate for a second. He muttered a few words to Natasha, then spun on his heel and left the hospital. He never came back for the rest of the week. Natasha was perfectly happy with the peace. It wasn't until the discharge day that Brayden finally showed up to pick her up. "The main wing of the house burned down, so we'll stay at the Pembroke's mansion for a while." She didn't care where she lived anymore—she'd be leaving soon anyway. But just as she reached for the car door, she saw Evangeline sitting in the front passenger seat holding the baby, a malicious smile spreading across her face. "Natty, I knew you would be discharged today, so I insisted on coming with Bray to pick you up." Natasha frowned, a bad feeling settling in her stomach. Brayden frowned at her hesitation and snapped impatiently, "Evie is trying her best to get along with you. She came even though Rek's been under the weather. Don't be so ungrateful." Natasha didn't want to cause any trouble before she left. She gritted her teeth and got in the car. She sat in silence the entire ride. Just when she thought she'd been overreacting, Evangeline turned around suddenly. "Sorry, Natty, I'm feeling carsick. Can you hold Rek for me?" Natasha refused instinctively. To her shock, Brayden pulled the car over immediately and thrust the baby into her arms. "Natasha, stop being so petty just because you can't have kids of your own. Don't take it out on him." Even though she'd already decided to let him go, a sharp pain twisted her heart for a split second. She forced back the wave of bitterness and held Tyrek carefully, determined not to give Evangeline any reason to complain. But disaster struck the second the car pulled up in front of the mansion. Tyrek suddenly started convulsing and vomiting, screaming at the top of his lungs. Edward had just stepped outside to greet him, and he saw the whole thing. "Natasha! You vicious woman! What did you do to the only heir of the Pembroke family?!" Evangeline screamed and lunged at Natasha, hitting her repeatedly. "If you hate me, take it out on me! Why would you hurt my baby?!" Natasha couldn't dodge the blows, and Evangeline slapped her hard across the face several times. Her face swelled up instantly, and the already healing wound on her forehead split open again. Blood poured down her face. "I didn't do anything!" Natasha looked at Brayden. "You were in the car the whole time! You know that!" But Brayden only looked at her with disappointment. "I was focused on driving, Natty." The words shocked her, and she went completely still. A chill spread through her entire body. Edward flew into a rage and shouted, "Seize her. Take her to the basement and carry out her punishment." Chapter 7 The basement was pitch-black and cold. Natasha knelt on the icy floor, trembling uncontrollably. Just then, a strange creak echoed above her head, and a hail of blunt darts shot out from hidden mechanical traps. The darts had no sharp tips, but they were coated in a special powder that attracted snakes and insects. Within seconds, the powder covered every inch of her body. A moment later, more mechanical clicks sounded, and a sickening, rustling noise filled the darkness. Natasha's eyes got used to the darkness, and she stared around in horror. Hundreds of centipedes, scorpions, and snakes were slithering toward her from every corner of the room. She had gotten lost in the woods as a child and nearly died from snake and insect bites, leaving her with a crippling phobia of all crawling creatures. Natasha screamed in utter despair and pounded frantically on the door. "Help! Let me out! Please, let me out!" But the door was bolted shut from the outside and wouldn't budge. The snakes and insects crawled all over her, biting and stinging her skin relentlessly. She let out a bloodcurdling scream of agony. "Ah!" Finally, Brayden's voice came from outside the door, heavy with disappointment and exhaustion. "You shouldn't have hurt Rek, Natty. Dad is furious, and this is your punishment. Let this be a lesson you really remember." "Brayden! Please! Let me out!" She sobbed hysterically, begging as if her life depended on it. "I didn't hurt Rek! You know how terrified I am of these things! I'm going to die in here!" Brayden paused and stood there for a long moment, staring at the door. Finally, he spoke in a low voice. "Good. Fear will make the lesson stick." With that, he turned and walked away without a second glance. "No! Brayden! Brayden!" Natasha screamed until her throat was raw, but the snakes and insects only bit harder. A cold snake coiled tightly around her calf, scorpions nipped at her skin with their pincers, and writhing centipedes tried to crawl under her clothes. In her previous life, she had been framed and sent to prison, where corrupt inmates had tortured her mercilessly. But nothing had ever hurt as badly as this. The pain felt endless. Natasha gave up all hope. The torture lasted all night, until the snakes and insects finally retreated into their hidden nests through the mechanical chutes. Natasha curled up on the floor, her body covered in bites and cuts. Blood pooled around her and trickled slowly toward the door. An unknown amount of time passed before she heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. The butler from the mansion pushed the door open, his figure silhouetted against the light. "Mrs. Pembroke, you may come out now." Natasha pulled herself to her feet and walked out of the room like a hollow shell. She didn't go back to her bedroom. Instead, she left the mansion and went straight to the courthouse to collect her signed and stamped divorce certificate. When she stepped back outside, Natasha looked up numbly at the harsh sunlight. A faint, broken smile tugged at her cracked, bloodstained lips. Neville's car had been waiting outside the gate the whole time. He jumped out the second he saw her, his eyes red with tears, and pulled her into a tight embrace. "What have they done to you, Natty? "I'm taking you away right now. Mom and Dad are waiting for us at the train station. We're never coming back here again." A flock of birds flew overhead, beating their wings toward open horizons and distant lands, never looking back. A single tear rolled down Natasha's cheek. She whispered, "In this second life, I'm finally free."