Remington raised Lizetta, fulfilling all her requests, and Lizetta mistook it for love. It wasn't until two years into their marriage that she realized she was just his most pampered pet, but she had treated him as her whole world. When his first love returned, Lizetta insisted on a divorce, to which he scoffed, "Can a cat raised since childhood really leave its owner? You can't escape." Lizetta left resolutely and never looked back. However, Remington went mad. "Mrs. Dashiell! Please, just look at me one more time." He cornered her against the wall, his eyes brimming with love. She smiled gently, "Humans and dogs take different paths. Step aside, don't block my love opportunities." He held her waist tightly, his eyes reddening, "I've reserved the marriage proposal quota for the next 365 days. Liz, marry me again!"

Chapter 1They said a man was most likely to cater to a woman's wishes in bed and right afterward.After a heated romp, still basking in the afterglow, Lizetta lay spent on the man's chest, her eyes misty as she looked up at him and held out her hand."Where's my anniversary gift?"Unlike her disheveled state, the man was still dressed to the nines, with only his tie a bit loosened, revealing a sharp, sexy Adam's apple.His deep-set eyes were sculpted, with a natural cool, abstinent vibe in them. But it was this dapper dude who, just moments ago, had gripped her waist, not letting her pull away, driving passionately, pulling her into the whirlpool of desire.Lizetta's heart was still racing, sweet anticipation brewing within.The man glanced down at her, "What anniversary?"Lizetta froze. He had been away on a business trip for over a month, and she thought his return today was to celebrate her birthday and their wedding anniversary with her.She had heard that he went through quite a hassle abroad to buy a naming right to a small asteroid, and his mom had even given him the Dashiell family heirloom jade bracelet.Either would have made her ecstatic."You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Lizetta huffed, reaching up to kiss his lips.But she missed. Remington dodged. Her kiss landed on thin air; she didn't even graze his face.Lizetta stiffened. They had done everything, but he had never kissed her. She thought today would be different, but it turned out.A woman's sweet softness, a brief careless fling was simply not enough. Remington's body reacted swiftly, taking her hand and placing it on his belt buckle, his voice teasing."Not satisfied just now? Want a gift? Let's see how you perform."Lizetta fought down the creeping feeling of disappointment, her cheeks flushing again. Though they had been married for two years, intimate encounters were scarce. She was a bit shy, pulling her hand away."You do it yourself," yet, leaning in, she handed him a condom.Ostrich act, Remington snorted. His gaze fell on the condom, his eyes suddenly icy cold, his hand pinching her chin."Lizetta! Who taught you these nasty tricks?"His handsome face lost the lustful heat, his voice now only cold and displeased, the earlier flirtatious warmth vanished like a dream.Lizetta was dazed, only realizing what he meant when she saw that all the condoms were tampered with. She understood that Remington thought she had sabotaged them, just like the scheme she pulled on him four years ago.From head to toe, Lizetta felt a cold chill, "It wasn't me!"She went to the drawer to find the remaining condoms to prove her innocence, but they too had been carefully opened.Remington was already getting dressed, looking down at her from his lofty position."Not you? Who else would come in here?"Remington was a clean freak with a strong sense of territory; he didn't like servants in his bedroom.Lizetta, fearing his displeasure, took it upon herself to clean the room, something Remington was well aware of. Yet, her efforts now served as evidence against her.With a sour feeling in her heart, Lizetta remembered her mother-in-law had visited a few days ago and had entered the bedroom."It was your mom.""My mom? You think that's likely?" Remington's voice was chillingly cold.Hanna would be overjoyed if Lizetta couldn't have children, paving the way for a divorce. Lizetta's lips moved, but she found herself speechless.He didn't believe her, and nothing she said would make a difference. Hadn't she explained enough in the past?"You're incorrigible!"Her silence seemed like an admission, Remington's eyes sharpened, and he turned to leave.Lizetta, in a panic, reached out to grab his hand. Just then, Remington's phone rang. He shook her off to answer it, his voice instantly softening on the other end."Yeah, I know it's today. I'll be right there; you wait for me."Lizetta faintly heard a woman's coquettish voice from the phone. As he opened the door, she grabbed her nightgown and got out of bed to follow him.Her gown snagged on a wine glass on the bedside table, shattering it, wine splattering everywhere.Lizetta didn't care, running to block the door, angrily confronting him, "Who is she? Have you been with her this whole month you were away? Now you're leaving me to go see her? You can't go! You promised to spend today with me."Remington's gaze was cold as he looked at her, his voice as chilly as a winter night, "Lizetta, time and again, do you think you have the right to ask anything of me?"Lizetta's face turned pale in an instant. The man pulled away mercilessly and walked out, leaving Lizetta leaning against the door frame, tears in her eyes, shouting, "If you leave, we're getting a divorce!"Down the corridor, the man's footsteps didn't pause for a second, quickly disappearing around the corner. Lizetta collapsed under the weight of it all, kneeling on the floor.When she was eight, Remington had taken her, barely alive, back to the Dashiell family, making her his sister in name.He was there for her first parent-teacher conference, taught her how to ride a bike, and even did her first hair braid.Even when she got her first period or needed a bra, it was he who braved the store to get her pads and training bras. For ten years, he was like a brother, like a father to her.At eighteen, Remington would go to the ends of the earth for Lizetta. At eighteen, Lizetta climbed into his bed, got caught, and it sparked a major scandal in Zion City. Fiona Dashiell, his grandma, beat him black and blue, forcing him to marry her.His girlfriend, Evelina Hawthorne, left the country heartbroken.He married Lizetta but didn't love her, playing house without any real affection. A year ago, in a drunken haze, he made a move without a shred of emotion and refused to have children with her.He resented her for ruining everything and wouldn't let her call him "Remi" anymore. Yet, although she loved him deeply, she kept her feelings hidden, terrified of tainting his image - how could she ever drug him and climb into his bed?Four years ago, that night, she had no idea what happened. Since then, everyone laughed at her for being promiscuous, and the Dashiell family never accepted her.She was always compliant and trod carefully. She thought when her mother-in-law brought out the family bracelet and Remington spent their anniversary with her, it was a sign that she was finally accepted and liked by him. But it was all just her foolish fantasy.Hope and despair were only a hair's breadth apart. Everything that happened today was like a silent slap, waking her up completely.She didn't want to go on like this. She wanted a divorce - to set him free and to free herself!"Mrs. Dashiell, why are you sitting on the floor?" Edith stood at the door, looking surprised.Lizetta turned away, quickly blinked away her tears, and stood up."What's up?""Before Mr. Dashiell left, he asked me to bring medicine up."Edith held a glass of water and a pill, and Lizetta knew it was birth control. She took it and swallowed it in front of Edith.After Edith left, Lizetta closed the door and numbly started to tidy up the mess on the floor. It was only when she saw the bloodstains on the floor that she realized a piece of broken glass had pierced her foot, smearing blood all over her sole.She laughed at herself mockingly, cleaned the floor, and then attended to her wound.Descending the stairs to the dining room, the candlelit dinner and cake she had prepared were still neatly laid out.Lizetta sat down alone, picked up the utensils, and slowly ate, as if paying last respects to her failed marriage.In the living room, Edith's panicked voice rang out, "Something's wrong; Mr. Joseph Dashiell has a high fever!"Yesterday, her eight-year-old brother-in-law Joseph was sick and insisted on meeting Lizetta. The bracelet incident, it was he who spilled the beans to Lizetta.Lizetta's face changed, "You go start the car; I'll take Joseph out right away.""Liz, I feel bad."Lizetta rushed into the room; the child's forehead was burning up, feverishly clinging to her palm."I’m here; don't be scared, Joseph. We'll go to the hospital right away."By the time they reached the hospital, it was nearly midnight, and after a series of checks, Joseph was admitted.Hanna and Wilma rushed over to keep watch, and Lizetta went to get the medical report. Thinking Joseph might fuss when he woke up in the night, Lizetta decided to go back to the ward to grab her bag and buy some snacks.The door to the ward was ajar, and she could hear crying and talking."Don't worry too much, Mrs. Hanna Dashiell. The doctors say Joseph's leukemia isn't high risk, and he might not need a bone marrow transplant.""I know, but Joseph has rare blood type. We can't avoid transfusions. If Lizetta could have a matching child, it would at least mean she's somewhat useful. The Dashiell family hasn't been supporting her for nothing."In an instant, Lizetta felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She understood then - Joseph was the apple of her mother-in-law's eye, born in her old age.Hanna didn't want her to get pregnant; she wanted her to bear a savior for Joseph, a living donor.Chilled to the bone, Lizetta turned numbly and walked to the outpatient hall.She thought the night couldn't get any more absurd, but then she looked up to see her husband. Remington was with another woman, both wearing glowing headbands, looking like a couple of lovebirds.He was looking at his phone while the woman playfully reached up to tweak a wolf ear on his headband. The family jade bracelet glittered on her wrist - the Dashiell family heirloom.Lizetta's world spun, and she felt nauseous, turning her head to retch. Remington looked up and saw Lizetta.Their eyes met, and Lizetta froze.Remington's expression was unchanged; he said something to the woman, who then looked over.Only then did Lizetta see her face clearly - the fair, innocent and comely.It was Evelina; she had come back!Lizetta watched their side-by-side figures, feeling a chill in her heart. No wonder she mentioned divorce and he didn't even turn his head. Turned out his old flame was back.Remington strode over, his gaze sweeping across Lizetta's overly pale face, frowning, "Feeling under the weather?"Evelina also came over, grabbing Lizetta's hand with concern."Your hand is freezing, Lizetta. Don't tell me you got the wrong idea. Today's my birthday, see, and after being away for four years, my folks insisted on throwing a birthday bash. Who knew right after the cake I'd get a tummy ache, so Remi had to accompany me to the hospital."Lizetta swiftly withdrew her hand, moving so fast that Evelina's hand was left hanging in the air, causing Remington to disapprove with a darkened gaze.Lizetta noticed and felt a wave of bitterness swell in her heart.She shared a birthday with Evelina, and it wasn't that Remington had forgotten or hadn't prepared a gift, it was just that he had someone more important to be with, someone more important to pamper.Hiding her fragility, Lizetta forced a smile and tiptoed to remove the headband from the man's head."This doesn't suit you," with a casual flick, she tossed the headband straight into the trash can.Evelina's smile froze on her face."Joseph's sick, in the pediatric ward; we have his brain CT scan."Lizetta handed the report to Remington and then bolted, her steps quickening. She stepped out of the outpatient hall and couldn't help but look back.Remington was accompanying Evelina upstairs, and from start to finish, he hadn't looked back at her even once.Eyes brimming, Lizetta spun around only to bump into someone head-on. She fell to the ground, the familiar voice of a middle-aged woman scolding from above."Young people these days! Can't you watch where you're going? Honestly!""Forget it, Eve's waiting for us."Regaining her senses from the pain, Lizetta looked up only to see the anxious backs of the Hawthorne parents as they hurried away.Memories flooded back of when she was a child, sick and rushed to the hospital late at night in her father's arms. Elara Hawthorne would hold her little hand and say, "Be brave, Liz, mom and dad are here."She and Evelina were the true and false heiresses switched at birth, and once discovered, the families had immediately swapped the children back.At six, she lost the parents who loved her and gained an abusive father and a selfish mother.At eight, Lizetta nearly died at the hands of the abusive Hans Gardenia, and at ten, her older brother Thaddeus Gardenia carried her, who was bloodied, to kneel at the Dashiell family's mansion doorstep.Begging Fiona to adopt Lizetta out of an old friendship with the grandmother, Remington braved the snowstorm to bring Lizetta back to the Dashiell family.Sixteen years ago, Evelina appeared, and Lizetta lost her home. Now, Evelina had reappeared.Like fate, Lizetta sensed she would lose everything. But she was too weary to hold on any longer.Late summer, clouds heavy, tree branches dense overhead, the evening breeze already cool, Lizetta, holding her shoulder and limping, walked down the street, passing young dancers laughing and joking loudly as they went by.Lizetta stopped and stared blankly.She was six years younger than Remington and had skipped grades to catch up with him, getting into the top dance academy by fifteen.Graduated at eighteen, her professor recommended she study abroad, but Lizetta had declined.For the past four years, she did just one thing - waiting for Remington, waiting for him to turn around and marry her, clinging to the shell of a marriage, day after day, year after year.Now twenty-two, compared to her peers brimming with youth, she felt like an old soul.Last month, her senior mentioned that a world-class dance master, Dories, was taking on mentee, a golden opportunity. He offered to help her apply for an interview.Lizetta had hesitated, but tonight, she had her answer.A taxi pulled up, honking and snapping Lizetta out of her thoughts, the driver poking his head out, "Need a ride?"Lizetta stepped off the curb and bent down, "I'm broke, but will this do? It's platinum with diamonds."She took off her small earring and handed it over.The diamond sparkled, even an amateur could tell it was something special. The middle-aged driver took it, "Hop in."Lizetta gave the address, and the driver clutched the pricey earring, "Oakridge Heights, where every inch of land is worth a fortune; you're loaded, huh? How much could this earring sell for?"Lizetta leaned against the window, eyes closed, "Six figures."The driver didn't buy it, "Miss, you've got jokes."Lizetta didn't continue the conversation, her thoughts drifting far away.That year she was twelve, at the age when little girls yearn for beauty; she and Yolanda had planned to get their ears pierced.Chapter 2They said a man was most likely to cater to a woman's wishes in bed and right afterward.After a heated romp, still basking in the afterglow, Lizetta lay spent on the man's chest, her eyes misty as she looked up at him and held out her hand."Where's my anniversary gift?"Unlike her disheveled state, the man was still dressed to the nines, with only his tie a bit loosened, revealing a sharp, sexy Adam's apple.His deep-set eyes were sculpted, with a natural cool, abstinent vibe in them. But it was this dapper dude who, just moments ago, had gripped her waist, not letting her pull away, driving passionately, pulling her into the whirlpool of desire.Lizetta's heart was still racing, sweet anticipation brewing within.The man glanced down at her, "What anniversary?"Lizetta froze. He had been away on a business trip for over a month, and she thought his return today was to celebrate her birthday and their wedding anniversary with her.She had heard that he went through quite a hassle abroad to buy a naming right to a small asteroid, and his mom had even given him the Dashiell family heirloom jade bracelet.Either would have made her ecstatic."You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Lizetta huffed, reaching up to kiss his lips.But she missed. Remington dodged. Her kiss landed on thin air; she didn't even graze his face.Lizetta stiffened. They had done everything, but he had never kissed her. She thought today would be different, but it turned out.A woman's sweet softness, a brief careless fling was simply not enough. Remington's body reacted swiftly, taking her hand and placing it on his belt buckle, his voice teasing."Not satisfied just now? Want a gift? Let's see how you perform."Lizetta fought down the creeping feeling of disappointment, her cheeks flushing again. Though they had been married for two years, intimate encounters were scarce. She was a bit shy, pulling her hand away."You do it yourself," yet, leaning in, she handed him a condom.Ostrich act, Remington snorted. His gaze fell on the condom, his eyes suddenly icy cold, his hand pinching her chin."Lizetta! Who taught you these nasty tricks?"His handsome face lost the lustful heat, his voice now only cold and displeased, the earlier flirtatious warmth vanished like a dream.Lizetta was dazed, only realizing what he meant when she saw that all the condoms were tampered with. She understood that Remington thought she had sabotaged them, just like the scheme she pulled on him four years ago.From head to toe, Lizetta felt a cold chill, "It wasn't me!"She went to the drawer to find the remaining condoms to prove her innocence, but they too had been carefully opened.Remington was already getting dressed, looking down at her from his lofty position."Not you? Who else would come in here?"Remington was a clean freak with a strong sense of territory; he didn't like servants in his bedroom.Lizetta, fearing his displeasure, took it upon herself to clean the room, something Remington was well aware of. Yet, her efforts now served as evidence against her.With a sour feeling in her heart, Lizetta remembered her mother-in-law had visited a few days ago and had entered the bedroom."It was your mom.""My mom? You think that's likely?" Remington's voice was chillingly cold.Hanna would be overjoyed if Lizetta couldn't have children, paving the way for a divorce. Lizetta's lips moved, but she found herself speechless.He didn't believe her, and nothing she said would make a difference. Hadn't she explained enough in the past?"You're incorrigible!"Her silence seemed like an admission, Remington's eyes sharpened, and he turned to leave.Lizetta, in a panic, reached out to grab his hand. Just then, Remington's phone rang. He shook her off to answer it, his voice instantly softening on the other end."Yeah, I know it's today. I'll be right there; you wait for me."Lizetta faintly heard a woman's coquettish voice from the phone. As he opened the door, she grabbed her nightgown and got out of bed to follow him.Her gown snagged on a wine glass on the bedside table, shattering it, wine splattering everywhere.Lizetta didn't care, running to block the door, angrily confronting him, "Who is she? Have you been with her this whole month you were away? Now you're leaving me to go see her? You can't go! You promised to spend today with me."Remington's gaze was cold as he looked at her, his voice as chilly as a winter night, "Lizetta, time and again, do you think you have the right to ask anything of me?"Lizetta's face turned pale in an instant. The man pulled away mercilessly and walked out, leaving Lizetta leaning against the door frame, tears in her eyes, shouting, "If you leave, we're getting a divorce!"Down the corridor, the man's footsteps didn't pause for a second, quickly disappearing around the corner. Lizetta collapsed under the weight of it all, kneeling on the floor.When she was eight, Remington had taken her, barely alive, back to the Dashiell family, making her his sister in name.He was there for her first parent-teacher conference, taught her how to ride a bike, and even did her first hair braid.Even when she got her first period or needed a bra, it was he who braved the store to get her pads and training bras. For ten years, he was like a brother, like a father to her.At eighteen, Remington would go to the ends of the earth for Lizetta. At eighteen, Lizetta climbed into his bed, got caught, and it sparked a major scandal in Zion City. Fiona Dashiell, his grandma, beat him black and blue, forcing him to marry her.His girlfriend, Evelina Hawthorne, left the country heartbroken.He married Lizetta but didn't love her, playing house without any real affection. A year ago, in a drunken haze, he made a move without a shred of emotion and refused to have children with her.He resented her for ruining everything and wouldn't let her call him "Remi" anymore. Yet, although she loved him deeply, she kept her feelings hidden, terrified of tainting his image - how could she ever drug him and climb into his bed?Four years ago, that night, she had no idea what happened. Since then, everyone laughed at her for being promiscuous, and the Dashiell family never accepted her.She was always compliant and trod carefully. She thought when her mother-in-law brought out the family bracelet and Remington spent their anniversary with her, it was a sign that she was finally accepted and liked by him. But it was all just her foolish fantasy.Hope and despair were only a hair's breadth apart. Everything that happened today was like a silent slap, waking her up completely.She didn't want to go on like this. She wanted a divorce - to set him free and to free herself!"Mrs. Dashiell, why are you sitting on the floor?" Edith stood at the door, looking surprised.Lizetta turned away, quickly blinked away her tears, and stood up."What's up?""Before Mr. Dashiell left, he asked me to bring medicine up."Edith held a glass of water and a pill, and Lizetta knew it was birth control. She took it and swallowed it in front of Edith.After Edith left, Lizetta closed the door and numbly started to tidy up the mess on the floor. It was only when she saw the bloodstains on the floor that she realized a piece of broken glass had pierced her foot, smearing blood all over her sole.She laughed at herself mockingly, cleaned the floor, and then attended to her wound.Descending the stairs to the dining room, the candlelit dinner and cake she had prepared were still neatly laid out.Lizetta sat down alone, picked up the utensils, and slowly ate, as if paying last respects to her failed marriage.In the living room, Edith's panicked voice rang out, "Something's wrong; Mr. Joseph Dashiell has a high fever!"Yesterday, her eight-year-old brother-in-law Joseph was sick and insisted on meeting Lizetta. The bracelet incident, it was he who spilled the beans to Lizetta.Lizetta's face changed, "You go start the car; I'll take Joseph out right away.""Liz, I feel bad."Lizetta rushed into the room; the child's forehead was burning up, feverishly clinging to her palm."I’m here; don't be scared, Joseph. We'll go to the hospital right away."By the time they reached the hospital, it was nearly midnight, and after a series of checks, Joseph was admitted.Hanna and Wilma rushed over to keep watch, and Lizetta went to get the medical report. Thinking Joseph might fuss when he woke up in the night, Lizetta decided to go back to the ward to grab her bag and buy some snacks.The door to the ward was ajar, and she could hear crying and talking."Don't worry too much, Mrs. Hanna Dashiell. The doctors say Joseph's leukemia isn't high risk, and he might not need a bone marrow transplant.""I know, but Joseph has rare blood type. We can't avoid transfusions. If Lizetta could have a matching child, it would at least mean she's somewhat useful. The Dashiell family hasn't been supporting her for nothing."In an instant, Lizetta felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She understood then - Joseph was the apple of her mother-in-law's eye, born in her old age.Hanna didn't want her to get pregnant; she wanted her to bear a savior for Joseph, a living donor.Chilled to the bone, Lizetta turned numbly and walked to the outpatient hall.She thought the night couldn't get any more absurd, but then she looked up to see her husband. Remington was with another woman, both wearing glowing headbands, looking like a couple of lovebirds.He was looking at his phone while the woman playfully reached up to tweak a wolf ear on his headband. The family jade bracelet glittered on her wrist - the Dashiell family heirloom.Lizetta's world spun, and she felt nauseous, turning her head to retch. Remington looked up and saw Lizetta.Their eyes met, and Lizetta froze.Remington's expression was unchanged; he said something to the woman, who then looked over.Only then did Lizetta see her face clearly - the fair, innocent and comely.It was Evelina; she had come back!Lizetta watched their side-by-side figures, feeling a chill in her heart. No wonder she mentioned divorce and he didn't even turn his head. Turned out his old flame was back.Remington strode over, his gaze sweeping across Lizetta's overly pale face, frowning, "Feeling under the weather?"Evelina also came over, grabbing Lizetta's hand with concern."Your hand is freezing, Lizetta. Don't tell me you got the wrong idea. Today's my birthday, see, and after being away for four years, my folks insisted on throwing a birthday bash. Who knew right after the cake I'd get a tummy ache, so Remi had to accompany me to the hospital."Lizetta swiftly withdrew her hand, moving so fast that Evelina's hand was left hanging in the air, causing Remington to disapprove with a darkened gaze.Lizetta noticed and felt a wave of bitterness swell in her heart.She shared a birthday with Evelina, and it wasn't that Remington had forgotten or hadn't prepared a gift, it was just that he had someone more important to be with, someone more important to pamper.Hiding her fragility, Lizetta forced a smile and tiptoed to remove the headband from the man's head."This doesn't suit you," with a casual flick, she tossed the headband straight into the trash can.Evelina's smile froze on her face."Joseph's sick, in the pediatric ward; we have his brain CT scan."Lizetta handed the report to Remington and then bolted, her steps quickening. She stepped out of the outpatient hall and couldn't help but look back.Remington was accompanying Evelina upstairs, and from start to finish, he hadn't looked back at her even once.Eyes brimming, Lizetta spun around only to bump into someone head-on. She fell to the ground, the familiar voice of a middle-aged woman scolding from above."Young people these days! Can't you watch where you're going? Honestly!""Forget it, Eve's waiting for us."Regaining her senses from the pain, Lizetta looked up only to see the anxious backs of the Hawthorne parents as they hurried away.Memories flooded back of when she was a child, sick and rushed to the hospital late at night in her father's arms. Elara Hawthorne would hold her little hand and say, "Be brave, Liz, mom and dad are here."She and Evelina were the true and false heiresses switched at birth, and once discovered, the families had immediately swapped the children back.At six, she lost the parents who loved her and gained an abusive father and a selfish mother.At eight, Lizetta nearly died at the hands of the abusive Hans Gardenia, and at ten, her older brother Thaddeus Gardenia carried her, who was bloodied, to kneel at the Dashiell family's mansion doorstep.Begging Fiona to adopt Lizetta out of an old friendship with the grandmother, Remington braved the snowstorm to bring Lizetta back to the Dashiell family.Sixteen years ago, Evelina appeared, and Lizetta lost her home. Now, Evelina had reappeared.Like fate, Lizetta sensed she would lose everything. But she was too weary to hold on any longer.Late summer, clouds heavy, tree branches dense overhead, the evening breeze already cool, Lizetta, holding her shoulder and limping, walked down the street, passing young dancers laughing and joking loudly as they went by.Lizetta stopped and stared blankly.She was six years younger than Remington and had skipped grades to catch up with him, getting into the top dance academy by fifteen.Graduated at eighteen, her professor recommended she study abroad, but Lizetta had declined.For the past four years, she did just one thing - waiting for Remington, waiting for him to turn around and marry her, clinging to the shell of a marriage, day after day, year after year.Now twenty-two, compared to her peers brimming with youth, she felt like an old soul.Last month, her senior mentioned that a world-class dance master, Dories, was taking on mentee, a golden opportunity. He offered to help her apply for an interview.Lizetta had hesitated, but tonight, she had her answer.A taxi pulled up, honking and snapping Lizetta out of her thoughts, the driver poking his head out, "Need a ride?"Lizetta stepped off the curb and bent down, "I'm broke, but will this do? It's platinum with diamonds."She took off her small earring and handed it over.The diamond sparkled, even an amateur could tell it was something special. The middle-aged driver took it, "Hop in."Lizetta gave the address, and the driver clutched the pricey earring, "Oakridge Heights, where every inch of land is worth a fortune; you're loaded, huh? How much could this earring sell for?"Lizetta leaned against the window, eyes closed, "Six figures."The driver didn't buy it, "Miss, you've got jokes."Lizetta didn't continue the conversation, her thoughts drifting far away.That year she was twelve, at the age when little girls yearn for beauty; she and Yolanda had planned to get their ears pierced.Chapter 3They said a man was most likely to cater to a woman's wishes in bed and right afterward.After a heated romp, still basking in the afterglow, Lizetta lay spent on the man's chest, her eyes misty as she looked up at him and held out her hand."Where's my anniversary gift?"Unlike her disheveled state, the man was still dressed to the nines, with only his tie a bit loosened, revealing a sharp, sexy Adam's apple.His deep-set eyes were sculpted, with a natural cool, abstinent vibe in them. But it was this dapper dude who, just moments ago, had gripped her waist, not letting her pull away, driving passionately, pulling her into the whirlpool of desire.Lizetta's heart was still racing, sweet anticipation brewing within.The man glanced down at her, "What anniversary?"Lizetta froze. He had been away on a business trip for over a month, and she thought his return today was to celebrate her birthday and their wedding anniversary with her.She had heard that he went through quite a hassle abroad to buy a naming right to a small asteroid, and his mom had even given him the Dashiell family heirloom jade bracelet.Either would have made her ecstatic."You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Lizetta huffed, reaching up to kiss his lips.But she missed. Remington dodged. Her kiss landed on thin air; she didn't even graze his face.Lizetta stiffened. They had done everything, but he had never kissed her. She thought today would be different, but it turned out.A woman's sweet softness, a brief careless fling was simply not enough. Remington's body reacted swiftly, taking her hand and placing it on his belt buckle, his voice teasing."Not satisfied just now? Want a gift? Let's see how you perform."Lizetta fought down the creeping feeling of disappointment, her cheeks flushing again. Though they had been married for two years, intimate encounters were scarce. She was a bit shy, pulling her hand away."You do it yourself," yet, leaning in, she handed him a condom.Ostrich act, Remington snorted. His gaze fell on the condom, his eyes suddenly icy cold, his hand pinching her chin."Lizetta! Who taught you these nasty tricks?"His handsome face lost the lustful heat, his voice now only cold and displeased, the earlier flirtatious warmth vanished like a dream.Lizetta was dazed, only realizing what he meant when she saw that all the condoms were tampered with. She understood that Remington thought she had sabotaged them, just like the scheme she pulled on him four years ago.From head to toe, Lizetta felt a cold chill, "It wasn't me!"She went to the drawer to find the remaining condoms to prove her innocence, but they too had been carefully opened.Remington was already getting dressed, looking down at her from his lofty position."Not you? Who else would come in here?"Remington was a clean freak with a strong sense of territory; he didn't like servants in his bedroom.Lizetta, fearing his displeasure, took it upon herself to clean the room, something Remington was well aware of. Yet, her efforts now served as evidence against her.With a sour feeling in her heart, Lizetta remembered her mother-in-law had visited a few days ago and had entered the bedroom."It was your mom.""My mom? You think that's likely?" Remington's voice was chillingly cold.Hanna would be overjoyed if Lizetta couldn't have children, paving the way for a divorce. Lizetta's lips moved, but she found herself speechless.He didn't believe her, and nothing she said would make a difference. Hadn't she explained enough in the past?"You're incorrigible!"Her silence seemed like an admission, Remington's eyes sharpened, and he turned to leave.Lizetta, in a panic, reached out to grab his hand. Just then, Remington's phone rang. He shook her off to answer it, his voice instantly softening on the other end."Yeah, I know it's today. I'll be right there; you wait for me."Lizetta faintly heard a woman's coquettish voice from the phone. As he opened the door, she grabbed her nightgown and got out of bed to follow him.Her gown snagged on a wine glass on the bedside table, shattering it, wine splattering everywhere.Lizetta didn't care, running to block the door, angrily confronting him, "Who is she? Have you been with her this whole month you were away? Now you're leaving me to go see her? You can't go! You promised to spend today with me."Remington's gaze was cold as he looked at her, his voice as chilly as a winter night, "Lizetta, time and again, do you think you have the right to ask anything of me?"Lizetta's face turned pale in an instant. The man pulled away mercilessly and walked out, leaving Lizetta leaning against the door frame, tears in her eyes, shouting, "If you leave, we're getting a divorce!"Down the corridor, the man's footsteps didn't pause for a second, quickly disappearing around the corner. Lizetta collapsed under the weight of it all, kneeling on the floor.When she was eight, Remington had taken her, barely alive, back to the Dashiell family, making her his sister in name.He was there for her first parent-teacher conference, taught her how to ride a bike, and even did her first hair braid.Even when she got her first period or needed a bra, it was he who braved the store to get her pads and training bras. For ten years, he was like a brother, like a father to her.At eighteen, Remington would go to the ends of the earth for Lizetta. At eighteen, Lizetta climbed into his bed, got caught, and it sparked a major scandal in Zion City. Fiona Dashiell, his grandma, beat him black and blue, forcing him to marry her.His girlfriend, Evelina Hawthorne, left the country heartbroken.He married Lizetta but didn't love her, playing house without any real affection. A year ago, in a drunken haze, he made a move without a shred of emotion and refused to have children with her.He resented her for ruining everything and wouldn't let her call him "Remi" anymore. Yet, although she loved him deeply, she kept her feelings hidden, terrified of tainting his image - how could she ever drug him and climb into his bed?Four years ago, that night, she had no idea what happened. Since then, everyone laughed at her for being promiscuous, and the Dashiell family never accepted her.She was always compliant and trod carefully. She thought when her mother-in-law brought out the family bracelet and Remington spent their anniversary with her, it was a sign that she was finally accepted and liked by him. But it was all just her foolish fantasy.Hope and despair were only a hair's breadth apart. Everything that happened today was like a silent slap, waking her up completely.She didn't want to go on like this. She wanted a divorce - to set him free and to free herself!"Mrs. Dashiell, why are you sitting on the floor?" Edith stood at the door, looking surprised.Lizetta turned away, quickly blinked away her tears, and stood up."What's up?""Before Mr. Dashiell left, he asked me to bring medicine up."Edith held a glass of water and a pill, and Lizetta knew it was birth control. She took it and swallowed it in front of Edith.After Edith left, Lizetta closed the door and numbly started to tidy up the mess on the floor. It was only when she saw the bloodstains on the floor that she realized a piece of broken glass had pierced her foot, smearing blood all over her sole.She laughed at herself mockingly, cleaned the floor, and then attended to her wound.Descending the stairs to the dining room, the candlelit dinner and cake she had prepared were still neatly laid out.Lizetta sat down alone, picked up the utensils, and slowly ate, as if paying last respects to her failed marriage.In the living room, Edith's panicked voice rang out, "Something's wrong; Mr. Joseph Dashiell has a high fever!"Yesterday, her eight-year-old brother-in-law Joseph was sick and insisted on meeting Lizetta. The bracelet incident, it was he who spilled the beans to Lizetta.Lizetta's face changed, "You go start the car; I'll take Joseph out right away.""Liz, I feel bad."Lizetta rushed into the room; the child's forehead was burning up, feverishly clinging to her palm."I’m here; don't be scared, Joseph. We'll go to the hospital right away."By the time they reached the hospital, it was nearly midnight, and after a series of checks, Joseph was admitted.Hanna and Wilma rushed over to keep watch, and Lizetta went to get the medical report. Thinking Joseph might fuss when he woke up in the night, Lizetta decided to go back to the ward to grab her bag and buy some snacks.The door to the ward was ajar, and she could hear crying and talking."Don't worry too much, Mrs. Hanna Dashiell. The doctors say Joseph's leukemia isn't high risk, and he might not need a bone marrow transplant.""I know, but Joseph has rare blood type. We can't avoid transfusions. If Lizetta could have a matching child, it would at least mean she's somewhat useful. The Dashiell family hasn't been supporting her for nothing."In an instant, Lizetta felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She understood then - Joseph was the apple of her mother-in-law's eye, born in her old age.Hanna didn't want her to get pregnant; she wanted her to bear a savior for Joseph, a living donor.Chilled to the bone, Lizetta turned numbly and walked to the outpatient hall.She thought the night couldn't get any more absurd, but then she looked up to see her husband. Remington was with another woman, both wearing glowing headbands, looking like a couple of lovebirds.He was looking at his phone while the woman playfully reached up to tweak a wolf ear on his headband. The family jade bracelet glittered on her wrist - the Dashiell family heirloom.Lizetta's world spun, and she felt nauseous, turning her head to retch. Remington looked up and saw Lizetta.Their eyes met, and Lizetta froze.Remington's expression was unchanged; he said something to the woman, who then looked over.Only then did Lizetta see her face clearly - the fair, innocent and comely.It was Evelina; she had come back!Lizetta watched their side-by-side figures, feeling a chill in her heart. No wonder she mentioned divorce and he didn't even turn his head. Turned out his old flame was back.Remington strode over, his gaze sweeping across Lizetta's overly pale face, frowning, "Feeling under the weather?"Evelina also came over, grabbing Lizetta's hand with concern."Your hand is freezing, Lizetta. Don't tell me you got the wrong idea. Today's my birthday, see, and after being away for four years, my folks insisted on throwing a birthday bash. Who knew right after the cake I'd get a tummy ache, so Remi had to accompany me to the hospital."Lizetta swiftly withdrew her hand, moving so fast that Evelina's hand was left hanging in the air, causing Remington to disapprove with a darkened gaze.Lizetta noticed and felt a wave of bitterness swell in her heart.She shared a birthday with Evelina, and it wasn't that Remington had forgotten or hadn't prepared a gift, it was just that he had someone more important to be with, someone more important to pamper.Hiding her fragility, Lizetta forced a smile and tiptoed to remove the headband from the man's head."This doesn't suit you," with a casual flick, she tossed the headband straight into the trash can.Evelina's smile froze on her face."Joseph's sick, in the pediatric ward; we have his brain CT scan."Lizetta handed the report to Remington and then bolted, her steps quickening. She stepped out of the outpatient hall and couldn't help but look back.Remington was accompanying Evelina upstairs, and from start to finish, he hadn't looked back at her even once.Eyes brimming, Lizetta spun around only to bump into someone head-on. She fell to the ground, the familiar voice of a middle-aged woman scolding from above."Young people these days! Can't you watch where you're going? Honestly!""Forget it, Eve's waiting for us."Regaining her senses from the pain, Lizetta looked up only to see the anxious backs of the Hawthorne parents as they hurried away.Memories flooded back of when she was a child, sick and rushed to the hospital late at night in her father's arms. Elara Hawthorne would hold her little hand and say, "Be brave, Liz, mom and dad are here."She and Evelina were the true and false heiresses switched at birth, and once discovered, the families had immediately swapped the children back.At six, she lost the parents who loved her and gained an abusive father and a selfish mother.At eight, Lizetta nearly died at the hands of the abusive Hans Gardenia, and at ten, her older brother Thaddeus Gardenia carried her, who was bloodied, to kneel at the Dashiell family's mansion doorstep.Begging Fiona to adopt Lizetta out of an old friendship with the grandmother, Remington braved the snowstorm to bring Lizetta back to the Dashiell family.Sixteen years ago, Evelina appeared, and Lizetta lost her home. Now, Evelina had reappeared.Like fate, Lizetta sensed she would lose everything. But she was too weary to hold on any longer.Late summer, clouds heavy, tree branches dense overhead, the evening breeze already cool, Lizetta, holding her shoulder and limping, walked down the street, passing young dancers laughing and joking loudly as they went by.Lizetta stopped and stared blankly.She was six years younger than Remington and had skipped grades to catch up with him, getting into the top dance academy by fifteen.Graduated at eighteen, her professor recommended she study abroad, but Lizetta had declined.For the past four years, she did just one thing - waiting for Remington, waiting for him to turn around and marry her, clinging to the shell of a marriage, day after day, year after year.Now twenty-two, compared to her peers brimming with youth, she felt like an old soul.Last month, her senior mentioned that a world-class dance master, Dories, was taking on mentee, a golden opportunity. He offered to help her apply for an interview.Lizetta had hesitated, but tonight, she had her answer.A taxi pulled up, honking and snapping Lizetta out of her thoughts, the driver poking his head out, "Need a ride?"Lizetta stepped off the curb and bent down, "I'm broke, but will this do? It's platinum with diamonds."She took off her small earring and handed it over.The diamond sparkled, even an amateur could tell it was something special. The middle-aged driver took it, "Hop in."Lizetta gave the address, and the driver clutched the pricey earring, "Oakridge Heights, where every inch of land is worth a fortune; you're loaded, huh? How much could this earring sell for?"Lizetta leaned against the window, eyes closed, "Six figures."The driver didn't buy it, "Miss, you've got jokes."Lizetta didn't continue the conversation, her thoughts drifting far away.That year she was twelve, at the age when little girls yearn for beauty; she and Yolanda had planned to get their ears pierced.