Chapter 2

I drank glass after glass, quickly emptying two bottles of red wine.

Under the influence of alcohol, my body felt light and floaty, happy and relaxed.

It was late at night when I stumbled, preparing to return to my bedroom. But my legs were weak, and I accidentally fell forward.

Lucas quickly wrapped an arm around my waist. I tried to struggle, but he picked me up in his arms.

The alcohol left me powerless. Leaning against his chest, I pleaded helplessly, "Uncle Lucas, put me down. This isn't appropriate."

Lucas ignored my protests and carried me back to my room.

In the darkness, something soft and warm wiped away my tears.

My exhausted body sank into the soft bedding until late the next evening.

Yasmin stood by my bed, looking smug.

"Coco Lee, the Fu family is wealthy and influential. A mother gains status through her son. If you know what's good for you, you'll voluntarily ask for a divorce and leave James on good terms."

I got up from the bed, ignoring her provocation, and went straight to the bathroom to wash up.

Yasmin leaned against the doorframe, tilting her head as she said viciously, "You can't beat me. Even while pregnant, I can keep him perfectly satisfied. That's why he didn't come back to your room all night."

I spit out my mouthwash forcefully.

I turned to stare her down.

"If you shamelessly refuse to leave, I'll make you sorry."

Just then, we heard James' voice.

Yasmin immediately switched to acting like a victim. She slapped herself hard across the face, leaving a red mark. Then she collapsed to the floor, crying and making a scene.

James came running over and saw this tableau.

He approached step by step, angrily demanding of me: "Did you do this?"

My eyes reddened. "You believe her?"

"James, she hit me and pushed me down. She was trying to kill our baby," Yasmin wailed.

The next second, James raised his arm and slapped me hard across the face.

Caught off guard, I was knocked to the ground by the force. My forehead slammed into the sink, splitting open. Blood immediately started flowing.

James yelled, "Coco Lee, get out!"

Night fell, bringing with it a heavy rainstorm.

I took off my wedding ring and left the Fu mansion without taking anything else.

The downpour instantly soaked me to the bone. The icy raindrops were bitterly cold, making my body shiver uncontrollably.

Blood from my forehead mixed with the rain, blurring my vision of the road ahead.

In the darkness, a black car pulled up beside me. Lucas opened the door.

I firmly rejected his kindness.

At this point, I was utterly disheartened and no longer wanted any warmth or care.

The bone-chilling cold seeping into my skin and marrow was perfect for filling the emptiness in my heart.

It took a full two hours to walk from the Fu mansion to my parents' home.

My body was extremely weak as I shakily took out my key and opened the door.

I had hoped for some hot soup, but the man and woman on the balcony made me lose my appetite.

"Why are you back in the middle of the night?"

The woman speaking was my own mother. The man holding her was our next-door neighbor.

The man smiled, his teeth yellow. "Coco, can whatever it is wait until morning? Uncle can give you money for a hotel room."

No hot soup, no concern, just an affair and cheating.

I turned and left immediately, not wanting to stay a second longer.

Standing in the pouring rain, I felt lost and didn't know where to go.

Soon, I heard Lucas' voice through the rain.

Just like before, he ignored my protests and picked me up securely, placing me in his car.

In the backseat, Lucas handed me a set of cotton pajamas.

Feeling dejected, I didn't react.

The next second, Lucas actually started undressing me himself, tearing off my wet clothes.

My body was completely exposed in front of this man. I immediately slapped him hard. "Lucas, what are you doing?!"

Even after being slapped, Lucas didn't stop. He stripped off all my clothes and put the soft pajamas on me.

I curled up in the corner, unable to stop crying. My mind was in a haze, feeling both ashamed and miserable.

The car drove through the thunderstorm, soon arriving at our destination.

The underground parking garage of a hospital.

Lucas carried me all the way into the operating room. The doctor and nurses were already prepared.

The wound on my forehead was stitched up.

Due to the rainstorm, my body was feverish and I needed to be hospitalized for an IV drip.

Lucas silently stayed by my side.

I turned away, not wanting to look at him.

As the medicine slowly entered my body, I felt a warm sensation flowing out below.

I quietly lifted the blanket to look.

It was a pool of fresh blood.

Counting the days, it wasn't my period. What could it be?

Soon, my lower abdomen started cramping terribly. I broke out in a cold sweat and grabbed Lucas' arm. "Quick, call the doctor for me."

Thunder and lightning split the sky.

The hospital room was soon crowded with people.

My mother-in-law was the first to reproach me: "Coco, how could you be so careless? Getting pregnant and then running around outside."

I looked over at James. He slowly raised his head and said, "When I told you to get out, you actually left? That was just something I said in anger. Besides, we have cars at home. How did you end up caught in the rain and getting a fever, causing the miscarriage?"

I asked, "James, Yasmin is already carrying your child. What does my baby have to do with you?"

James angrily retorted, "Her child can only be considered illegitimate. Our child would have been the proper young master of the Fu family. It's all your fault for making me angry."

I slowly sat up, calmly refuting him: "You're blaming everything on me, but what about yourself? Cheating, bringing your mistress home, provoking and insulting me, hitting me - which of those actions makes you a real man?!"

Seeing the situation, my mother-in-law interjected: "Although my son made mistakes, now my precious grandchild is gone and you bear responsibility, Coco Lee. Don't be ungrateful!"

I looked at the mother and son, my eyes blazing red as I enunciated each word: "I want a divorce!"

James' face turned completely cold. "You don't have the right to divorce. You're not qualified. Coco Lee, you're mine in life and in death."

I couldn't control my whole body shaking. My heart was utterly desperate. "Even as a ghost, I wouldn't want to be your wife. You're worse than a dog."

James was furious. He said through gritted teeth: "Coco Lee! Say that again!"

I was determined to get a divorce. Only by thoroughly angering him would James possibly sign the divorce papers.

So I was willing to endure this beating.

I repeated, "James Fu, you're lower than an animal."

James was so angry he wanted to hit me. He raised his fist, but the doctors and nurses quickly rushed over to restrain him, preventing the blow from landing.

Soon after, the Fu family's lawyer brought the divorce agreement to the hospital.

The moment I signed the divorce papers, years of grievances and pain finally came to an end.

Unfortunately, after trying for three years, I had finally gotten pregnant, only to lose the baby in the end.

Not long after, Lucas walked in.

Remembering what had happened in the backseat of the car earlier, I felt somewhat awkward.

"Un-Uncle Lucas, you... you're here."

Lucas said nothing. He strode over, one arm wrapping around my waist, the other hand pressing against the back of my head as he kissed me fiercely.

My cry of surprise was muffled by his lips.

My whole body froze. I doubted this was reality and thought it must be a dream.

Lucas kissed me domineeringly.

I immediately struggled, but he held me tightly in his arms.

Lucas kissed me wildly without restraint.

Only when I was breathless and my body went limp did he finally release me.

I hit his chest with reddened eyes.

Lucas kissed my forehead. "I've been going crazy wanting you."

Things had developed completely beyond my expectations. Lucas actually had such wild ambitions.

I angrily tried to push him away, but to little effect.

After the kiss, Lucas left and wasn't seen for many days.

A month later, I recovered and was discharged from the hospital.

Since I had left my marriage empty-handed, I didn't have much savings and urgently needed to support myself.

Fortunately, my three-year marriage to James wasn't too long, so I wasn't completely out of touch with society.

I soon interviewed for a job at a company my best friend recommended.

Just when I thought I could put the past behind me and start over,

Lucas conspired with my best friend to set a trap for me.

The new job turned out to be as Lucas' assistant.

The contract was for five years, with a huge penalty for breaking it.

Left with no choice, I reluctantly accepted this difficult-to-describe job.

On my first day as his assistant, Lucas wanted me to accompany him to a cocktail party.

Going from James' wife to Lucas' female companion was a sudden change in relationship that I found hard to adjust to.

Lucas whispered teasingly in my ear, "Stand tall and proud. Let them see what it means to be one in a million."

After dealing with wave after wave of people, I went from feeling awkward to feeling numb.

During a break, the phone in my clutch started ringing.

It was James calling.

James angrily said through the phone: "Coco Lee, how did you end up with Uncle Lucas? I saw photos of you two embracing. You're really desperate, aren't you? He's my uncle!"

I could only answer: "I'm his secretary, working as his companion for the night."

James' voice was terrifyingly fierce. "You can't be his companion, not even his secretary! Just wait, I'm coming right now..."

The party ended, but I didn't see James anywhere. Had he just been talking big?

Lucas embraced me as we left. James started shouting and making a scene.

It turned out he had been blocked by security downstairs the whole time.