Chapter 1 Chapter 1

When Ryan stabbed me five times, my white dress was quickly soaked with crimson blood. He pressed the bloodied knife against my vulnerable neck. "Call David," he said. His hand trembled with rage. Pale-faced, I hesitated briefly before dialing, "I've been taken by Ryan. He's stabbed me several times, up on our neighborhood rooftop. Come rescue me quickly." My voice quivered. A moment of silence followed, then a response devoid of concern—cold and dismissive: "Really? What timing. Ashley falls apart and tries to kill herself, and now you're being stabbed," David said. His tone was utterly detached. "How could Ryan possibly know our new address? I was so careful with my confidential work," he didn't believe me. "Next time, try to come up with a more believable lie before your little performance, okay?" he said. The sarcasm dripped from his words. The icy words crackled through the phone. Ryan's dark eyes blazed with intense hatred, his grip tightening. A fresh crimson line appeared on my neck. Terrified but fighting to appear calm, I pleaded, "I'm not trying to stop you from saving Ashley. If you don't believe me, just send two of your people to check—" My breath caught in my throat. "Enough!" David cut me off impatiently. "Stop acting. I don't have time for this. I'm going to save Ashley," he said. His voice was sharp and dismissive. He turned to the operator, "Mark the 'rooftop stabbing' as a false report. Don't process any calls about this," he instructed. His command was cold and final. The phone went dead. Silence crashed around me. Ryan's hatred intensified. A suffocating despair washed over me. I never imagined David could be so ruthless. In my previous life, when Ryan—harboring resentment toward David—first kidnapped me, he had also started by stabbing me five times, "I'll make you pay," he muttered. His eyes gleamed with vengeance. Terrified of losing my child, I had made countless phone calls begging David to come and save me, "Please, you have to help me," I sobbed. My voice broke with desperation. Eventually, David gave in to my pleas and rushed to my rescue, "I'm coming," he said. His tone was distant. When Ashley learned about this, she suddenly broke down and set fire to her rental apartment, burning herself alive, "I can't go on," she whispered. The flames engulfed her. That night, sensing something was off, I asked David if he was angry, "Are you mad at me?" I said. My hand trembled. He changed his demeanor instantly, gently touching my belly, "How could I be angry with you?" he said. His voice was soft and reassuring. "She died because she deserved it. Don't worry, my love. Just focus on giving birth." During that time, David cared for me meticulously, "I'll take care of everything," he promised. His eyes seemed to hide something. I thought he had finally understood, "Thank you for being here," I whispered. My hope was fragile. Until the day I gave birth, when he tied me to the hospital bed, his eyes blood-red, and stabbed our baby dozens of times, demanding we join Ashley in atonement, "You'll pay for what happened," he growled. His knife glinted menacingly. "It was just a few knife cuts. You weren't going to die. Why did you force me to leave that day?" he said. Rage burned in his eyes. "If you hadn't lied about how serious the situation was, I wouldn't have left. I can't believe I fell for your nonsense," David continued. His words were like ice. "She died alone. She was always afraid of being lonely. How desperate must she have been?" he said. A twisted sympathy crept into his voice. "Rachel, you always wanted a child. Now I'll let you experience what it's like to lose someone you love most," he whispered. His smile was cold and calculating. David stabbed again and again. Our baby's tiny body gradually became a mangled mess of flesh. I desperately tried to explain the real danger I had been in, "Please, you have to listen," I begged. Tears streamed down my face. But this only made him more violent. He didn't believe me, "Lies," he spat. His rage knew no bounds. I still remember my full-term baby's horrific death—not a single patch of intact flesh remained. Even the bones were exposed. After our baby died, David set the VIP hospital room on fire, ensuring I would burn just like Ashley, "Now we're even," he said. The flames licked the walls. When I recalled my previous life, that feeling of hopeless despair nearly consumed my remaining sanity. Seeing that I couldn't get David to come, Ryan's eyes turned blood-red, and he stabbed me more than ten times, each stab filled with hatred. A hot stream of blood flowed down my legs, dripping onto the rooftop's black floor. In my moment of absolute despair, my mother-in-law suddenly appeared. Seeing me covered in blood, she nearly collapsed.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

After understanding the situation, my mother-in-law quickly said, "Ryan, please don't get agitated. We're the ones who wronged you. I'll call David right now and have him come. Don't hurt Rachel, she's nine months pregnant," she pleaded. Her voice trembled. Ryan paused, seemingly believing her words. She pulled out her phone with shaking hands. The other end of the call was noisy, with faint sounds of a woman crying in the background. "What's happening? Rachel's been stabbed more than ten times and is barely hanging on. Why aren't you coming?" she said. She believed David would at least listen to her. Unexpectedly, David let out a light sneer, coldly laughing, "Mom, are you also playing along with her act? I just checked, and Ryan is still back in his hometown," he said. His voice dripped with disdain. "Tell her to stop acting. If she's really in trouble, get her a doctor quickly. By the way, I've already arranged a burial plot. We can bury her anytime," he continued. His words were filled with disgust. A soft, fragile female voice came through the phone, "Is Rachel causing trouble again? David, don't be angry. It's normal for her to be jealous and put on an act," she said. Her tone was submissive. "Maybe you should go comfort her... but, I really want to die. They say being burned alive is the most painful..." I recognized the voice. It was Ashley. My mother-in-law's face darkened, "If you don't believe me, I'll send you a photo," she said. Her voice was stern. David was silent for two seconds, presumably looking at the picture. Yet, he showed no concern, only letting out a helpless sigh, "Wow, Mom. Rachel's really gone all out with this performance," he said. "Where did she find these extras who look so much like Ryan? The blood looks exactly like real blood," he continued, mockingly. "Oh my, what a pitiful expression! Mom, you should send her to an acting studio. Don't waste her incredible acting talent!" he said. His sarcasm was cutting. My mother-in-law was so angry she couldn't speak, opening and closing her mouth several times. For a moment, my heart felt a deep sorrow. How had I never noticed how terrible David truly was? The people watching on the rooftop couldn't stand it anymore, each trying to explain the situation. David remained unconvinced, "Impressive. Did you hire these extras, or have your brilliant acting skills fooled everyone?" he said. "You're working hard. Keep playing. I'm going to comfort Ashley," he concluded. A few seconds of silence fell on the rooftop. I'm not sure which of David's words triggered Ryan, but he suddenly went mad, pushing me down and frantically stabbing my belly with a knife! Stab after stab! The sharp blade tore through my skin, a clear and horrifying pain spreading from my belly throughout my body. I wanted to struggle, but I didn't even have the strength to lift a hand. Just as I was about to lose consciousness, two police officers suddenly rushed over. Kind neighbors had called the police. They struggled to wrestle the knife from Ryan's hand and quickly handcuffed him. But I was losing more and more blood, my eyelids growing heavier. Before closing my eyes, I heard David's gentle voice through my mother-in-law's phone, which he had forgotten to hang up. "Ashley, I've wanted to divorce her for a long time, but she takes care of my parents well," he said. "In my eyes, you're my true wife. She's just a useful baby-making tool," he continued. "Don't be sad. How could I love a woman who lies constantly? I only love you, who are sincere and kind," he said. Each of David's words was like a blade piercing my heart. This time, my heart was not filled with sadness, but with hatred! When I opened my eyes again, a sharp antiseptic smell invaded my senses. My mother-in-law, seeing me awake, rushed to my bedside and grabbed my hand, "Rachel, we're sorry. The baby... the baby didn't make it," she said. I looked at my deflated belly and pulled my hand away, "Mom, I want to be alone," I said. Seeing my distant attitude, she sighed and left the room. I took out my phone to distract myself and accidentally came across a live stream clip of David consoling Ashley. The living room was splashed with gasoline, but David didn't seem to mind. He knelt on one knee, pulling a large diamond ring from his pocket, looking at Ashley with deep emotion.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"I can't stand Rachel. This time, she hired extras to act out a melodramatic jealousy scene. What's next? Will she actually kill someone or start a fire?" David said. He paused, looking at the surrounding crowd. "She's so emotionally unstable. Remember to avoid her after our divorce," he continued. His voice was loud and deliberate. "I'll make sure to divorce her within three months. Then I'll marry my love, Ashley! We'll share our happiness online and offline!" he announced. The crowd erupted in cheers, "Yes! We support you!""Some wives are just bad luck for us men!""We support you!" Under everyone's gaze, Ashley blushed and nodded, putting on the diamond ring that was much larger than the one I'd received. Her lips curved in a triumphant smile, showing no trace of her previous suicidal despair. I put down my phone and prepared to ask a doctor about my condition. Just as I reached the door, I heard my mother-in-law on the phone, "I've sent you the photos. Rachel's baby is gone. The doctor said the stillborn can be buried. Contact the cemetery and come to the hospital," she said. "Rachel is very fragile right now. She needs you to be here," she added. On the other end, David sounded extremely impatient, "Enough, Mom! Are you continuing the act all the way to the hospital? Isn't she embarrassed?" he said. "She's really something. Where did she find a fake dead baby as an extra?" he continued, mockingly. "She's even lying in the hospital bed. Tell her if she really wants to die, just let her die! I'll compensate her parents!" he said. My mother-in-law was furious, "David, don't you believe me anymore?" she said. David clicked his tongue, "Mom, I believe you about everything else. But about her, especially about losing the baby, I don't believe a word," he said. "By the way, Mom, when the child is born, make sure it can't take my family name. This is her punishment," he concluded. The phone went dead. My mother-in-law sighed deeply. I quietly walked back to my room. I thought David wouldn't come during my hospital stay. An hour later, David stormed into the room. He roughly pulled me up while I was sleeping, looking me up and down before sneering, "Impressive. You've even prepared a pale makeup look in advance," he said. When he pulled me, the wound on my belly hurt intensely. Thinking about my current state because of him, I trembled with anger and hatred, "Are you crazy? David, I've told you multiple times! I'm not lying! Why won't you believe me? Why did you push me to this point?" I said. If I had the strength, I would have killed him on the spot. "Still acting, huh?" David looked at me, his disgust completely unveiled. "Forget that for now. I'll deal with you later. Did you hire trolls to attack Ashley?" he said. "What?" I was stunned. David coldly held his phone in front of me. It was Ashley's social media account. She had posted a photo of her diamond ring. Netizens, recognizing her as the woman who wanted to burn down the rental apartment, mercilessly attacked her. "Are modern mistresses this arrogant?""I can't believe the husband is proposing to his mistress while the wife is half-dead!""Nasty mistress, why didn't you die instead?" I looked away, not even lifting my eyelashes, "I didn't hire any trolls," I said. "Enough! Stop acting! Go apologize to Ashley right now!" David tried to pull me up. I stubbornly remained seated. David leaned close, his black eyes filled with rage, "Fine! You want the hard way?" he said. He suddenly grabbed my neck, squeezing with all his might. I couldn't breathe, my face turning red and painful, struggling but pinned down. David showed no intention of letting go. After a minute, he suddenly released me. Just as I thought he might spare me, he swung his fist and hit me, mumbling, "You wanted to fake a miscarriage? I'll make it real for you," he said. His punch made me tremble, my face turning pale. The wounds from being stabbed twenty times opened up with his punch. Blood flowed from my hem onto the floor. Suddenly, David realized something was wrong. Disbelievingly, he lifted my clothes. Seeing my empty belly, shock crossed his face, "Where's the baby? It's impossible. The baby can't be dead. Honey..." he said.