Chapter 2

Seeing my dad fall heavily to the ground, Ryan finally realized what he'd done.

"Dad, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I didn't see clearly just now!"

He hurried over, trying to help my dad up, but was pushed away.

My dad glared at him angrily, struggling to his feet on his own.

"I don't care if you saw clearly or not. Get out now, my child needs rest!"

Seeing my dad's anger, Ryan obediently left.

He knew very well that even though our family was bankrupt now, my dad's connections were still not something he could handle.

After Ryan left, I quickly helped my dad up. But he pulled me into a tight hug instead.

"Don't be afraid, sweetie. Daddy's here!"

I hugged my dad tightly and broke down sobbing.

I really didn't understand why I was always the second choice.

I cried for a long time before falling into a deep sleep again.

Due to the trauma and torture of the past days, I kept having nightmares. In my dreams, I seemed to see the ridiculous story of my life.

As a high school girl full of innocent puppy love, I fell for the class heartthrob Ryan Pierce.

Perhaps every class has a boy like that - good grades, good habits, polite and gentle.

But Ryan's family situation was very bad. His mother had been raped and gave birth to him as a result.

Shortly after he was born, his mother was hospitalized for schizophrenia.

He grew up with his grandparents, but they didn't care much for this child who had ruined their daughter's life.

Sympathizing with a boy became the start of my tragedy.

Our class was the top class in school at the time. Besides getting in on grades, you could also get in based on family wealth.

So the class was split half and half between smart kids and rich kids.

Ryan happened to be the permanent top student in our grade, which easily made him a target of jealousy.

That's when I appeared, protecting him time and time again.

At first Ryan looked down on me, until one day when I got into a big fight with another classmate to stand up for him.

I was pushed to the ground, fracturing my wrist as I tried to break my fall.

After that, Ryan's attitude towards me changed. He started taking care of me more.

To be with him, I worked hard to get into the same college.

My dad also approved of my relationship with him.

In his eyes, Ryan was a rare talent.

With my dad's support, I started asking Ryan out.

Ryan didn't agree, but he didn't clearly reject me either.

Blinded by love, I stupidly assumed I was his girlfriend.

I had known since high school that Ryan had a sister named Chloe Song. She was his uncle's daughter.

But what I didn't know was that she was adopted by Ryan's uncle.

She grew up with Ryan, but just before starting high school, she was suddenly taken away by his uncle.

It wasn't until our wedding day that this girl suddenly appeared at our ceremony.

She stumbled in barefoot, covered in injuries. Even her light blue dress was stained with blood.

She looked at Ryan with tears streaming down: "Brother, I escaped. Why didn't you wait for me?"

With just that one sentence, the ring Ryan was about to put on my finger suddenly fell to the ground.

That night, Ryan didn't come back. On our wedding night, he was at the hospital with his sister.

Despite the bitterness in my heart, I could only swallow it. After all, I had always been the one chasing him.

The next day I changed clothes, planning to visit the hospital. But I ran into my dad at the door.

"Going to the hospital? Not allowed! My daughter hasn't stooped so low as to let others humiliate her!"

I cried and begged my dad to let me go to the hospital. At that point I was in too deep. After all, during my pursuit of Ryan, he had given me many responses.

Those responses were enough to make up beautiful youthful memories. I really couldn't let go.

However, at the hospital I learned a shocking truth.

Chloe wasn't Ryan's uncle's biological daughter at all.

The reason she was taken away back then was because the two kids had developed romantic feelings.

Ryan's uncle sent Chloe abroad and ordered her to cut off contact with Ryan, or he would disown her.

Chloe studied hard abroad, all for the day she could escape her father's control and return to be with Ryan.

On my wedding day with Ryan, she finally broke free and escaped back.

I covered my mouth as I listened to this, finally fleeing back to our marital home in disgrace.

When Ryan returned, I asked for a divorce. But he refused and made up for our wedding night.

That day I was in physical and emotional pain. He roughly had his way with me all day, falling into a deep sleep after. I was left alone crying.

I slapped myself hard, but still couldn't wake up. I wanted to try again.

That "try" lasted 8 years. 8 years of a ménage à trois marriage left me physically and mentally exhausted. Just as I was about to ask for divorce again, Chloe and I were kidnapped at the same time.

And in this kidnapping incident, I lost the child I had yearned for for years.

Waking from the nightmare, I was still in the hospital. My father's hair had turned much whiter overnight.

But soon, an even more devastating news came that would crush my poor old man.

Somehow a tumor had appeared in my stomach. When I was in dire straits, their punches and kicks caused the tumor to rupture. Now the cancer has spread, and I only have three months left to live.