"Who were you talking to?" Jake asked.

Turning off my phone screen, I waved it off. "It was a spam call."

Noticing my lack of enthusiasm, he lowered his head and kissed me, only to find my whole body burning.

He scrambled downstairs to get medicine for me. I took a photo of the scene and sent it to the family group chat.

While Jake was giving me the medicine, he answered a call that just came in. He immediately panicked, so much so that he accidentally spilled hot water onto me.

He seemed to have forgotten all about me as he rushed out without so much as a glance back.

We were just a single floor apart. Soon, he came back with Michelle in his arms.

I stood at the entrance, staring at them in bewilderment.

Jake looked at me, his gaze filled with hatred. "Why would you send a photo like that in the group chat? Do you have any idea that Chelle swallowed sleeping pills?"

Just then, Michelle slowly came to. She said in a sobbing tone, "Jake, it's not Lilian's fault. I couldn't fall asleep, so I took more sleeping pills than usual.

"Back when we lived under the same roof, Jake had always been the one to put me to bed. Now that he's married, I still haven't gotten out of the habit. I just felt a little sad when I saw the photo you sent, Lilian."

Jake said in a low voice, "Apologize to her."

Curving my lips into a smile, I stared straight at Michelle. "Do you also take sleeping pills every time Jake gets his 'treatment' from women at night?"

The two froze. Then, Jake flew into a rage. "Lilian, this is between us. Why would you mention that to Chelle? She's just my sister!"

Michelle looked even more wounded. "Lilian, why would you say something like that? Jake got poisoned because of you, you know."

I remained smiling. "Is that so? Are you sure it was because of me and not you?"

Michelle was stunned. Then, she looked at Jake in a panic.

Jake walked over to me and gripped my wrist. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Lilian, what's the matter with you? I've already explained it to you countless times! Those women are just antidotes to me. They pose no threat to your position. There's no need to vent your anger on Chelle!"

I raised my head, forcing back tears.

I recalled the night of my wedding. I was abducted and brought to a desert island, where I was tortured by different men all through the night.

By the time I woke up, my whole body was broken, and I was bleeding from the lower part of my body.

When the doctor declared that my womb had to be removed, Jake held my hands tightly and said with deep sorrow in his eyes, "It's okay. You're the only one I need. I don't need any children."

However, I disregarded my pain as I hastily examined his wounds. "What did you do? How could they have let me go that easily?"

Jake's gaze was filled with sadness. "I drank the wine they poisoned."

Beside him, Michelle sobbed pitifully. "Jake, that was a toxic aphrodisiac! If you don't get 99 virgins to cure you, you'll die!"

The searing pain on my face pulled me out of my thoughts.

Jake had slapped me. He threw a large bouquet of roses at me, and the roses' thorns sliced my face.

He was furious. "Chelle is allergic to pollen! Why did you put flowers in the living room? Are you trying to kill her?"

Just then, the ambulance finally arrived.

Like a madman, Jake carried Michelle in his arms and rushed outside. He was about to step through the door when he turned around and glared at me. "Lilian, Chelle and I grew up together. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you."

I was in a daze as I reached up to touch the rashes on my face. Bending over, I picked up the card that came with the bouquet. There was bold lettering on it that read, "Happy birthday, Lily. I love you."

I let out a bitter laugh as I stared at Jake, who was getting further away.

We had been married for so long. He kept claiming he loved me, but he had no idea that I was allergic to pollen, too.

Back then, I just couldn't bring myself to throw away the flowers he gave me.

With my fever still burning, I went to pack up my luggage.

It had only been six months. A single suitcase was more than enough to fit all my belongings.

For some reason, I opened the door to the room that originally belonged to Michelle.

A wall full of close-up selfies came into view. Gifts from Jake seemed to fill up the whole room.

On the bed, a patch of liquid they hadn't managed to clean had already dried up.

In the closet, their underwear was stacked together just like that.

I couldn't stop my fingers from shaking. No wonder he told me never to enter this room.

I went to the living room and burned the only photo I had taken with Jake. Then, I took off my bracelet and wedding ring.

I had just walked through the door when a group of men in black clothing dragged me into a van.

I was brought to the hospital.

When Jake caught sight of me, he became frantic as he dragged me up to the doctor. "Her kidneys are a match! She has Rh-negative blood, just like Chelle. She can donate her kidney!"

The doctor frowned. "This lady doesn't seem stable enough for an immediate operation."

Jake shouted furiously, "Do it right now! Get your director here!"

I struggled with all my might, but the burly men held me down.

When I was being sent into the operating room, I glared at Jake. "You'll regret this."

Jake gently caressed my face the way he always did, but I could feel the coldness radiating from his fingertips. "Be good, okay? I'll wait for you."

…

When I woke up, there was no one beside me.

I could hear giggles coming from the next bed.

In our family group chat, messages were coming in like crazy.

Photo after photo popped up.

In those photos, Jake was patiently peeling an apple for Michelle, carefully feeding her some medicine, earnestly washing her underwear, and even keeping watch by her side all night…

I touched my waist. It was bound in bandages, and throbbing pain spread throughout my body.

My phone fell to the floor. The next bed instantly went silent.

Jake immediately came over and held my hand. "You're awake."

Then, his expression shifted. "Where's your ring?"

I looked away and said calmly, "I can't wear it during the operation."

Kissing the corner of my mouth, Jake pressed an eight-figure check into my hands. "Here's your compensation."

I lost my mind then. Tearing the check into pieces, I shouted furiously, "Jake, I'm divorcing you!"

He looked confused. "That's not enough for you?"

With that, he signed check after check. Pressing them to my chest, he asked, "How about now?"

Then, his lips curved into a cruel smile. "Lily, it's just a kidney. This money is more than enough to last you several lifetimes. Don't ever mention divorce again. After all, aside from me, no one else would want a woman without a womb."

Just then, Michelle's weak voice rang out. Clutching her stomach, she asked, "Jake, is Lilian upset at me?

Here, Lilian, take your kidney back!"

Jake hastily picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. "You can't get out of bed yet."

When he had finished speaking, his assistant knocked on the door and asked for him.

Before leaving, Jake glanced at me as if something was on his mind.

After going out the door, he suddenly turned around. "Why did you change your phone password?"

I was expressionless. I completely ignored him.

He sighed. "I was the one who wanted you to donate your kidney. Don't blame it on Chelle. She's innocent."

After Jake had left, Michelle leaned against the doorframe with a half-smile on her face. She looked nothing like a patient who had just undergone surgery. "Lilian, you found out everything, didn't you?"

I struggled to sit up. "Why?"

Scoffing, she walked up to me and leaned in close to my ear. "Because you're my walking organ bank, dear Lilian. If not, why would your womb be removed? You were just destroyed lower down. Your womb was perfectly fine.

"Your blood type and all your organs are a perfect match for me. That was why Jake married you. Did you really believe that he likes you?"

I broke out in a cold sweat. When she saw my reaction, she grew even more gleeful. She walked up to me and slapped me several times across the face.

"Lilian, it was your fault for sending that photo to provoke me."

With that, she grinned as she untied her hospital gown. Her fair skin was completely free of wounds. "This is your punishment for provoking me. I shall thank you on behalf of my dog. You should've seen him chowing down on your kidney. He was so happy!"

I sprang to my feet and shoved her away with all my might. "You're crazy!"

However, she simply picked up my notebook, which had fallen out of my bag.

As she leafed through it, she laughed. "Goodness, you even took note of these things? It has already been 99 times, but Jake said he still hasn't had enough of me!"

That was the final straw. I was about to approach her when she picked up the paring knife on the table and stabbed me in the stomach.

Then, she suddenly fell to her knees before me, crying, "I'm sorry, Lilian. I shouldn't have taken your kidney!"

With that, she ran to the window. "You'll get your kidney back if I die, right?"

"No!" Jake rushed over and held Michelle tightly. I had never seen him so panicked before.

Jake had knocked me to the floor in the process. My wound was torn open, and blood poured out of me.

But Michelle still insisted on kneeling before me. She sobbed pitifully, "I'm sorry…"

Jake touched her forehead, his heart breaking for her. "You're bleeding."

Then, he turned to me with a fierce look in his eyes. He walked over to me and grabbed me by the hair, dragging me to Michelle's feet.

He repeatedly brought my head down onto the floor. My head hit the tiles with loud thuds.

Even passersby were gathering around to see what was going on.

I had no idea how long this had gone on. My head was bleeding, and the floor was painted red.

My vision turned black. Before I passed out, I heard Jake anxiously calling my name.

I was startled awake from my nightmares. Jake was sitting right by my bed, his gaze filled with disdain as he said, "Lilian, I never thought you'd be so desperate to frame Chelle that you'd stab yourself!"

With that, he glanced at the nurses standing outside the door. "Since you love hurting yourself for attention, I'll indulge you. Chelle lost so much blood because of you. You seem to have plenty of blood, so let's draw some."

He gestured to the nurses, "Draw her blood."

One of the nurses said hesitantly, "Mr. Langford, the patient is too unstable for blood draws right now…"

Jake kicked the nurse to the floor. "Then turn in your resignation letters to the director!"

I said weakly to the nurses, "It's okay. Just do it."

Jake's expression shifted, and he gave me a complicated look.

By the tenth vial of blood, my monitor started beeping loudly.

The nurses went red in the face with anxiety. "Mr. Langford, we have to stop. She'll die!"

Jake pursed his lips. He was about to say something when Michelle let out a groan from the next bed. His expression darkened, and he said, "Continue!"

I couldn't remember when I lost consciousness. I only knew that when I came to, all the nurses in the ward were happily holding gifts as they whispered among themselves.

A nurse said, "Mr. Langford is so good to his sister. He gave everyone in the hospital a gift just because his sister is pregnant."

Another replied, "Isn't that obvious? If not, why would he drain almost all of his wife's blood for his sister's sake?"

Someone said, "That reminds me. I kind of pity the woman…"

I clenched my fists tightly as I let out a whimper. "They took my womb…"

Suddenly, a photo popped up on my phone.

It was a photo of Jake and Michelle's marriage certificate. Trembling, I tapped on the photo and zoomed in on it. I almost couldn't breathe.

Right after that, a voice message came in.

Michelle said, "Lilian is so stupid! Even after so long, she hasn't realized that her marriage certificate is fake!"

Jake let out a laugh. "You're a smart one, aren't you?"

Michelle said in a slightly sad tone, "But I'm so jealous of Lilian. She gets to be seen with you in public."

Jake gently coaxed her. "Come on. We need her as a cover so that our child and we can always be together."

I couldn't think straight anymore. Ripping the IV catheter out of my body, I scrambled to escape the ward. However, when I was about to round a corner, I heard a familiar voice.

The voice said, "Mr. Langford, are you sure you want Mrs. Langford abducted again?"

Jake's voice was calm. "She's misbehaving. She needs to be taught a lesson. Chelle needs an obedient blood bank for her pregnancy and delivery. If not, how can I openly take care of Chelle and our child?"

I covered my mouth with my hand. My heart was thumping, and my fingers trembled uncontrollably.

By the time Jake found me, I was slumped in a chair in the hospital.

He gently crouched down in front of me. "How did you end up here?"

Recalling the torture I went through, I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood.

Gripping Jake's arm tightly, I pleaded, "I'm sorry! I'll apologize to Michelle!"

But he just chuckled. "You are my wife. Chelle forgave you a long time ago."

The next moment, I fainted in his arms.

When I opened my eyes, the faces that had always appeared in my nightmares were grinning at me. "We meet again, Mrs. Langford."

I struggled with all my might. "Go away! Get lost!"

But rough fingers were already rubbing my chest, and my pants were pulled down. I closed my eyes in despair.

…

A week later, Jake went home after a long day at work. Massaging his temples, he subconsciously called out, "Lily, get me a drink."

However, his surroundings were dark. No one answered.

Even their photo on the wall had disappeared.

Jake called his assistant in annoyance. "Why isn't Lilian back yet? They're only supposed to scare her. Do they really have to take that long?"

The assistant replied anxiously, "Mr. Langford, the signal is bad on the island. We haven't gotten in contact with them yet."

Jake suddenly froze as he stared at a female corpse being shown on the news.

Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. A "present" had arrived.