My husband had a severe addiction for physical intimacy.

However, in the seven years of our marriage, he never touched me, not even once. To suppress his urges, he soaked himself in bone-chilling ice water every night. His arms were covered in needle marks from constant injections.

It broke my heart to see him like that. I offered myself to him many times, but he insisted on simply giving me a restrained kiss on the forehead before saying, “Don’t be silly, Summer. I’m not like those animals. How could I ever bear to hurt you? For you, I’d gladly live the rest of my life in a platonic marriage.”

This strange, almost obsessive restraint of his lasted seven years.

Despite the numerous times he pushed himself far enough to end up hospitalized, he still refused to cross that line.

Then, on our wedding anniversary, a young woman named Anna Brandt came in for her ninth hymen restoration surgery. After the anesthetic was administered, her cheeks flushed red. As her mind grew hazy, she started crying weakly like a lost kitten. Looking at the love bites scattered across her body, I shook my head and assumed she was just another girl who had gone astray.

That was until I heard her last tearful whisper.

“John Shaw, you jerk.”

My hand trembled and I nearly dropped the scalpel.

Because my husband’s name also was John Shaw.

After the surgery ended, I quietly slipped my watch into Anna Brandt’s purse. That diamond watch had been a gift from John. Inside it was the most advanced GPS tracker and listening device available.

That night, I sat at the dining table and stared blankly at the spread of food I had prepared.

Danny Young, my husband’s secretary, suddenly came in to deliver a bunch of luxurious jewelry that nearly filled room.

“Mrs. Shaw, Mr. Shaw said that he has an important business meeting tonight and that he can’t make it back to celebrate your anniversary. He picked all of these out for you himself.”

I looked at the dishes, long gone cold on the table. Then, I opened my iPad and checked my watch’s GPS. It showed a location in an upscale gated community.

Years ago, I had been kidnapped. That brush with death left John unable to sleep properly for six months. He thus became obsessed with my safety and gave me that watch. To think that it was presently used to reveal his unfaithfulness…

“John, today’s your seventh wedding anniversary with your wife. Are you really not going home?”

Loud jeers and laughter erupted in the background. Once it died down, a low, magnetic chuckle cut through the calming chuckles.

“You want me to go back and be stuck with that fish-eyed face?”

His tone was casual, edged with mockery. I closed my eyes and could almost picture the scene, John lounging at the head of the table, a cigarette between his fingers, exhaling slow curls of smoke.

More laughter followed. Then, came the clink of glasses.

“I heard you haven’t touched Summer in seven years. Why are you holding out on a beauty like that?”

“Are you crazy? Everyone in our circle knows that John only sleeps with virgins. No matter how pretty Summer is, she’s been tainted by someone else. How could she compare to you? At least you are innocent.”

Anna let out a shy, coquettish protest.

A chill ran through my entire body. Even my hands began to tremble. It felt as though I had been dragged back to the darkest moment of my life, the memory I tried hardest never to think about.

The night before I married John, I was kidnapped by one of his enemies. To humiliate the Shaw family, they tortured me for seventy-two hours straight. When John finally found me, he was completely unhinged and acted like a possessed man.

After that, I developed a severe psychological disorder. Whenever anyone touched me, my body would react with uncontrollable nausea. John would choke up as he held me. He would repeat the same words over and over.

“Summer, you’re not dirty. You’re the purest, most beautiful woman in the world.”

Laughter broke out again on the other end. Then, someone asked, “Why did you marry Summer in the first place? Seven years is a long time. There’s got to be some love there, right?”

The room gradually fell quiet. It seemed everyone was waiting for John’s answer. In that silence, all I could hear was the pounding of my heartbeat.

John swallowed a mouthful of liquor and casually said, “Come on, are we five? I don’t touch her because she’s been defiled, but think about it, what if I had chosen not to marry her and caused her to kill herself? Who would want to be responsible for that?”

“Hahaha! Right, my bad. I almost forgot she might actually die without you. Anyway, she’s an orphan. Being able to marry into the Shaw family is already a blessing she should be thanking fate for. Women like that only need you to buy them a few luxury gifts to keep them happy here and then! Just treat them like little pets to keep around.”

Once the party was over and everybody had left, Anna finally spoke.

“John, I’ve got a surprise for you. Want to guess what it is?”

John finished the last of his drink and let out a low chuckle as he lifted her into his arms.

“Only one way to find out.”

Soon, a series of moans came through the device.

A cold wetness on the back of my hand jolted me back to reality. I had not even realized that I had started crying. Tears slipped through my fingers and dampened the wedding ring on my left hand.

My shoulders trembled for a bit, and then, I suddenly laughed.

I swept the elaborate dinner I had prepared off the table and began to retch violently.

The sounds coming from the other end of that screen did not stop until the sky began to lighten.

Anna’s voice was hoarse from crying.

“John, you jerk…”

I slipped the wedding ring off my finger while remembering the vows we had exchanged on our wedding.

“John, if you ever do something unforgivable, I’ll disappear from your world forever.”

Twenty-two-year-old John’s eyes had sparkled as he answered.

“I’ll never give you the chance to do that.”

Staring at my disheveled reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, I wiped the tears from my face. Then I picked up my phone and called John’s mother, Deborah Shaw.

“Deborah, I’ve made up my mind. I accept your terms.”

The next day, Anna came to see me again.

“Dr. Summer, you left your watch in my purse.”

Her walk was a little off, but her smile was bright and sweet.

“This watch is exquisite. I doubt you could find another one like it in the entire Harbor City.”

Hearing the envy in her voice, I only glanced at the watch indifferently. I did not even reach out my hand.

“If you like it, keep it.”

Anna pressed her lips together in a smile and set the watch on the table.

“I’ll pass. I don’t have a thing for being wiretapped.”

My hand stiffened.

She sat down across from me and propped her chin on her hand as she asked with a smile, “Dr. Summer, did you enjoy the show last night? I even brought my purse into the bedroom on purpose so you could hear more clearly. Oh, but there were probably some parts that you missed. After all, John doesn’t just like to do it in the bedroom. He enjoys other places even more.”

Looking at the smug smile on her face, I finally understood.

She had known the whole time.

When I did not respond, Anna helpfully pulled out her phone and tapped play on a recording.

“John, between me and Summer, who do you love more?”

“She could never be as naughty as you.”

John’s movements grew rougher. His voice turned hoarse as he said, “You picked a good doctor.”

Anna put her phone away and flashed a provocative smile. “Dr. Summer, I’ll probably have to trouble you again in the future. My husband really enjoys your work.”

She deliberately uttered “my husband” with emphasis.

When I did not react the way she expected, disappointment flickered across her face.

“No wonder John says you’re dull as hell. He wasn’t kidding…”

I suddenly grabbed a fistful of her hair.

“Arghh!” she cried out in pain as I slapped her hard twice.

“How dare you slap me!” Anna clutched her hair uselessly and shrieked while I dragged her toward the door.

“Since you’re so proud of yourself, then let me help you. Let’s give the whole hospital a chance to see just how cheap you are!”

Just then, the door suddenly opened.

“John!”

Anna broke free from my grip and ran straight toward him. She was sobbing.

“I only came to return Dr. Summer’s watch. But she suddenly called me a homewrecker and slapped me!”

Seeing the clear handprints on her cheeks, John frowned.

I just looked straight at him in silence.

Just as Anna’s expression started to swell with triumph, John gave a calm instruction to the secretary behind him.

“Take Ms. Brandt home.”

“John!”

Anna stared at him in disbelief. John merely glanced at her dismissively.

“Remember your place. There will only ever be one Mrs. Shaw.”

Once the entrance room turned quiet, John took my reddened hand and gently blew on it.

“Did that hurt? Why bother arguing with her? She’s just a silly girl who doesn’t know any better.”

“I want a divorce.”

“What?”

I pulled my hand away and repeated the words with deliberation.

“John, let’s get a divorce. We’re done.”

For a split second, he looked stunned. Then, seeing that I was serious, he let out a scoff.

“Summer, think this through. If you divorce me, your life will be over.”

I did not react.

John frowned. “Are you making this into a huge deal just because I have a woman on the side?”

He sounded genuinely unable to understand.

“You know how it is in this circle. Every man does it. And I’ve only been with one woman in all these years of marriage. I’m already better than most men.”

When I remained silent, his face hardened.

“Mr. Shaw!”

Just then, Danny suddenly rushed back in with a pale face.

“Something happened! Ms. Brandt has been hit by a car!”

When Anna was carried in, her entire body was soaked in blood.

Staring at the blood covering his hands, there was a trace of panic in John’s eyes he did not even realize was there.

“Why are you just standing there? Save her!”

However, the moment Anna saw me, she suddenly screamed in terror.

“Dr. Summer, I’m sorry! I’ll stay away from Mr. Shaw from now on. Please just spare my life!”

Right then, Danny and his men dragged in the driver who had hit her.

The man dropped to his knees the moment he entered. He grabbed the hem of my coat as he begged. “Dr. Summer, I did everything you asked! I might not have killed the woman, but I still did it for you! I don’t want to go to jail. Please, you’ve got to help me!”

His desperate pleading quickly drew a crowd from around the hospital.

I stood there frozen. The whole situation felt absurd. Just as I tried to shake him off, John suddenly roared in fury.

“Have you lost your mind, Summer?! Do you know she has a clotting disorder?”

His shout made me flinch. I looked up at him in disbelief.

“You don’t believe me? You actually think I’d do something like that?”

“Mr. Shaw, Ms. Brandt has a rare blood type. Our blood bank doesn’t have enough. If we don’t transfuse her immediately, she won’t survive!”

Someone in the crowd shouted, “Hey, Dr. Summer has the same rare blood type! A life for a life, just take hers!”

Voices quickly rose in agreement.

“Get her inside!” John’s expression darkened as he ordered the staff to drag me into the transfusion room.

I suffered from severe hereditary anemia. Every month, I had to receive transfusions just to stay healthy. With the amount of blood Anna had lost, they might just drain me dry. The moment the needle pierced my vein, panic surged through me and I began to struggle.

“John, have you lost your mind? Did you forget that I…”

“A life’s at stake, Summer. Don’t be so selfish.”

John turned and walked away without any hesitation.

By the time the blood draw was finished, I couldn’t even stand.

“Mrs. Shaw, Mr. Shaw says that as long as you continue behaving and stop mentioning divorce, he’ll arrange a transfusion for you.”

Only then did I realize that John had not forgotten about my condition.

A weak scoff escaped my lips. “I’m divorcing him, even if it kills me.”

As soon as I said that, my strength gave out completely and I collapsed to the floor. When I opened my eyes again, John stepped closer and grabbed my wrist in anger.

“Summer, are you still not getting it? Without my family’s backing, even staying alive will be a problem for you.”

My gaze fell on the needle marks along his arm.

My smile was resolute. “Let me die then.”

John’s breathing hitched. His eyes reddened as he shoved my hand away.

“Fine! I’d like to see how long you can keep that attitude.”

That very night, news spread across the internet that Summer Shaw, the medical prodigy, had allegedly hired someone to commit murder. The backlash swelled. The hospital director held a press conference in person, but even that could not contain the growing storm.

My phone rang nonstop all night.

Only one person could have pulled all the strings to make this happen so fast. It was John. When my desperate apology never came, he pushed even further. Just as the public outrage started to simmer down, another headline dropped.

Someone had leaked my medical records from years ago.

PTSD. Severe depression. Emotional disorder.

That was it. The powder keg exploded again. I had been a rising star in the medical field. Overnight, my name was ruined.

I went to the hospital the day that followed and found the director bowing and scraping in front of John. When John saw me, his face filled with a smug, mocking look, like he had been expecting this all along.

“Summer, I told you before. Without my family, you’re nothing. What’s this? Couldn’t take the pressure and came to beg already?”

I calmly pulled my resignation letter out. Looking at my credentials on the resume, despite everything, a pang of sorrow cut through me. No one but John understood how difficult the road to becoming a doctor had been for me. He had always known that my greatest dream was to save lives.

Alas, at that moment, he had proven to me with brutal clarity that my years of dedication meant less than an order from him. Staring at the resignation letter, he looked thrown for a moment. Then, his fury curdled into a laugh.

He got up and dragged me to Anna’s hospital room.

“Resigning isn’t enough. Since you had the nerve to do something this evil, then you should pay for it.”

The moment Anna saw me, she lost control again.

“You murderer! What are you doing here? John, I don’t want to see her! Make her leave!”

Her hand had been crushed under the wheel of the car. The injury had left her permanently disabled. John wrapped her arms around shoulders and tried to soothe her before signaling the bodyguards to pin my right hand down on the table.

The moment I realized what he was about to do, a wave of terror surged through me.

“John, you can’t… Arghh!”

The guard’s knife drove straight through my palm. The searing pain nearly made me pass out on the spot. Looking at my mangled, blood-soaked hand, I let out a desperate scream while John merely looked away, unmoved.

“The ward happens to be short of a caregiver. Since you’re the reason Anna ended up like this, you’ll be the one taking care of her while she’s hospitalized.”

I collapsed onto the floor. The pain was so overwhelming that I could not speak.

Anna nestled against John’s chest and shot me a triumphant smile.