Nissa returned home alone.

She began packing her things. She did not bring much with her when she married into the Jules family, and she did not have much since. Everything she owned fit neatly into a single 20-inch suitcase.

Standing in the vast, empty living room with her suitcase at her side, she absentmindedly touched her lower abdomen.

For some reason, a wave of loneliness washed over her.

This place was never her home. She was always just a temporary guest, someone who was destined to leave.

Her only worry now was her sister, who was still in the hospital. Without Benjamin's money, her sister wouldn't even last a day.

The front door suddenly burst open.

Startled, Nissa hurriedly tucked her phone away.

Benjamin stormed in, his face dark.

His eyes landed on the suitcase by her feet, and without a word, he strode up and grabbed her wrist. "What now? Planning to run away after what you did?"

Nissa was stunned. She had no idea what he was talking about. What did she supposedly do wrong this time?

Still, the thought of leaving made her heart beat faster with guilt.

She quickly took out her phone and typed, "I was just bored, so I packed up some old clothes to donate."

Benjamin did not question her story, but it only made him angrier.

"Charlotte ended up in the hospital with acute gastroenteritis because of the spicy chicken you gave her at lunch," he snapped, "she's still lying in bed, and here you are, playing housekeeper?"

His voice turned colder. "If you're the one who caused it, then you're going to take care of her until she's discharged."

Nissa stared at him, speechless.

Why was she to blame for Charlotte's hospitalization? When did she ever serve Charlotte spicy chicken?

She frantically tried to explain, but Benjamin gave her no chance to defend herself. He dragged her out the door and shoved her into the car.

All the way there, Nissa kept holding up her phone, trying to show him the truth. But Benjamin did not even care to look.

And then it hit her that the truth didn't matter.

Benjamin just needed to remind her of her place, to show her that in his world, she was nothing more than a disposable caretaker.

Nissa laughed bitterly to herself.

To make his wife wait hand and foot on his ex-girlfriend? Benjamin truly knew how to be cruel.

When they arrived at the hospital, Benjamin went to park the car while Nissa was told to go up to the room alone.

Charlotte was expecting her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said sweetly, "I told Benjamin you didn't need to come. But he insisted, saying he couldn't stop worrying about me."

Every word was like a blade to her heart.

Nissa forced a tight smile, turned away, and walked over to pour her a glass of warm water.

The water's temperature in the thermos was boiling. As she passed it to Charlotte, she tried to warn her through soft, muffled sounds.

But Charlotte's hand slipped, spilling the hot water all across her hand.

She shrieked.

Nissa jumped back, horrified, rushing to help her up and guide her to the bathroom to run cold water.

Just then, the door slammed open.

Benjamin stormed in, eyes blazing.

He rushed to Charlotte's side, saw the blistering skin on her hand, and turned on Nissa with barely controlled fury.

"What the hell happened?"

Nissa tried to sign, but before she could move her hands, Charlotte sobbed out, "I just asked her to get me some water, but then she got angry and dumped boiling water on me. It hurts, Benjamin, it hurts so much."

Nissa's eyes widened in shock.

That was not what happened!

She shook her head desperately, mouthing silent pleas. However, the more she panicked, the harder it was for her to communicate clearly.

Benjamin's face had already turned cold.

His dark eyes locked onto Nissa.

In an instant, his hand landed hard across her cheek.

The blow was so forceful that she stumbled, the sharp sting instantly blossoming into burning pain.

Her pale face swelled rapidly, an angry red imprint already visible.

But Benjamin was not finished. He grabbed her by the back of the neck and shoved her down to her knees in front of Charlotte.

"Apologize to her. Now!" he ordered.

Nissa's eyes filled with tears. Her lips trembled. She let out a broken whimper, trying again to explain, to tell him it was not true.

The more she struggled, the more Benjamin's rage grew.

"If you can't speak," he said coldly, pressing down harder on her neck, "then bow down with your head. You can't be too dumb to understand that much."

Nissa tried to lift her head in defiance, but his grip tightened, forcing her back down.

Her teeth sank into her lower lip so hard she tasted blood. At the same time, her heart was torn.

To her, kneeling before God or her parents was no issue. That was completely normal.

However, this very day, she was forced to kneel and bow to her husband's ex-lover. The very act itself was killing her internally.

Nissa's forehead slammed hard against the cold floor.

She heard Charlotte gently saying, "Enough, don't make things harder for her. Just let her go, please."

It was Nissa who was forced to kneel, yet it was Charlotte who got to play the kind-hearted one.

Benjamin, cold-faced, let go of Nissa at Charlotte's words, then carefully carried Charlotte in his arms and rushed to find a doctor.

Charlotte's burn was serious. Even as the doctor treated her wound, she clenched her teeth and refused to shed a single tear.

The tears that welled in her eyes trembled like fragile pearls.

As Nissa approached the examination room, she overheard Benjamin's chilling voice.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she pays for this."

Charlotte responded softly, "She's your wife! Please don't ruin your marriage because of me."

She discreetly wiped away her tears as she spoke. The more understanding and gracious she acted, the more Benjamin's heart ached for her.

In his mind, he was already convinced. Nissa must have been jealous. That was why she hurt Charlotte with boiling water.

He stood abruptly, ready to storm out and settle the score with Nissa, only to find her standing silently outside the door.

Nissa did not flinch.

Instead, she handed him her phone.

In her Notes app, she wrote everything down; The full story, the truth of what happened.

But Benjamin, consumed by rage, did not even glance at it. He swatted her hand, sending the phone flying across the room.

It crashed to the floor and shattered into pieces.

Nissa froze.

She instinctively moved to pick up the pieces, but before she could reach them, Benjamin grabbed her by the collar and slammed her against the wall.

Her petite frame was completely overpowered, like a sparrow caught in the jaws of a wolf. She had no strength to resist.

Tears welled in her eyes as she whimpered, pleading silently, her lips mouthing desperate sounds.

But Benjamin showed no mercy.

He leaned in close, his voice low and full of menace, whispering against her ear, "Want to know for yourself what it feels like to be scalded with hot water?"

A terrible chill ran down her spine.

Nissa shook her head, terrified, her hands frantically signing for mercy.

Benjamin only sneered.

He grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the bathroom, twisting the faucet open to full heat.

He turned the showerhead toward her and let the hot stream pour directly over her body.

The water was not hot enough to cause lasting injury, but it was more than enough to cause great pain.

Nissa twisted and scrambled inside the narrow space, gasping in pain like her skin was being stripped away.

Benjamin watched her with cold indifference. Her helpless thrashing seemed to amuse him.

With an annoyed click of his tongue, he finally turned off the water.

"Come here!" He ordered sharply.

Nissa trembled where she huddled in the corner. She did not dare move.

Benjamin scowled, displeased. "I've been too lenient with you. That's why you've forgotten your place."

His voice dropped even lower. "Maybe cutting off your sister's medical bills will remind you of your place."

At the mention of her sister, Nissa's head snapped up, eyes wide, face pale.

Tears poured from her already red-rimmed eyes. She scrambled forward on hands and knees, clutching desperately at his pant leg, begging without words.

Benjamin's expression did not change. Only the corners of his lips curled slightly, cold and cruel.

The silence terrified her even more. She bent low, forehead to the floor, and began to beg in earnest.

Each time her forehead hit the floor was harder than the last, until blood bloomed faintly against the tile.

Benjamin's eyes flickered. He reached down, grabbed her chin, and forced her head up.

"This is my final warning," he said coldly, "stay away from Charlotte. A woman like you doesn't even deserve to shine her shoes."

Nissa nodded through her tears, face stained with blood and water. She did not dare make a sound, didn't dare resist.

She knew he would do it. He would let her sister die if she dared disobey.

Benjamin turned and walked away.

Nissa remained kneeling on the floor, her back arched, curled into herself like a wounded animal.

She could not even cry anymore. All the pain, the bitterness. She could only swallow it back down into her chest.

But now, one thought burned fiercely in her heart. She had to leave. She could not afford to stay even a moment longer!

Nissa got up, limping as she stepped out of the bathroom.

She wanted to retrieve her broken phone. After all, she could not afford a new one.

Blood from the wound on her forehead blurred her vision. She stumbled and nearly fell.

Just then, a pair of hands reached out and caught her.

She turned her head--and was stunned to see Marcus Jules, Benjamin's uncle, looking at her with heartbreak in his eyes.

He just came for a routine check-up at the hospital.

"Nissa, how did you get hurt so badly?"

She did not expect to run into him, and she lowered her head awkwardly.

But the more she tried to hide it, the more pained Marcus looked.

In that instant, he understood everything. These wounds were the work of his nephew.

"That bastard! Is this how he treats you?"

He once believed he was helping to arrange a good marriage, but all he did was push Nissa into a pit of fire.

Marcus took her to the ER, made all the arrangements.

Before leaving, he muttered vaguely, "I'll take care of everything."

Nissa did not understand what he meant.

Holding her shattered phone, she stood dazed.

Just then, a voice behind her drawled, "So this is where you were hiding? Took me long enough to find you."

She turned around and saw Charlotte standing there, smirking smugly.

Charlotte's gaze swept over Nissa's drenched figure, lips curled in pride.

"You saw how much Benjamin cares about me, didn't you? Be smart and leave him. Otherwise, if you end up kicked out of the house, it's going to be ugly."

Nissa pressed her lips together. She had already made up her mind to leave, but hearing it from Charlotte made it sting even more.

Without a word, she tucked her broken phone away and turned to walk off.

Charlotte frowned and grabbed her arm. "What's with that attitude? You think you're better than me?"

Then she scoffed, waving a hand. "Forget it. I'm not going to argue with a mute. I know someone like you doesn't have many job options, so don't say I'm being heartless. Take this money, and leave Benjamin now."

Without waiting for a response, she shoved a check into Nissa's hands.

It was not a huge amount, just over a hundred thousand dollars. But for Nissa, it was a fortune.

When she hesitated, Charlotte sneered. "Too little for you? You've already milked the Jules family for months. It's time to quit while you're ahead."

Nissa opened her mouth, trying to explain, but stopped short.

She never took a dime beyond what she was given as medical allowance, and even that she always felt grateful for. She never dared ask for more, afraid it would irritate Benjamin.

She wanted to refuse the check, but then she remembered that once she left the Jules family, she would have no income.

Moreover, she was pregnant with a child now. Raising a child was not cheap.

If Charlotty wanted to pay her off, why not accept it?

From a young age, she was taught not to accept what was not rightfully hers. Taking that check went against everything she believed in.

But this time, for the sake of her baby, she forced herself to accept it.

Her cheeks burned with shame as she carefully folded the check and slipped it into her pocket.

She made up her mind. Someday, when she had the money, she would pay Charlotte back.

Charlotte would be staying at the hospital for a while, and Benjamin was sure to stay with her.

This was the perfect time to go to the bank and cash the check.

But first, Nissa wanted to return to the Jules residence and change clothes. Her entire body was soaked, and she didn't want to risk catching a cold.

She could get sick; that was fine. However, she would not risk her baby.

The Jules residence was massive. Aside from the master bedroom, there were several guest rooms.

Though she carried the title of "Mrs. Jules," Nissa always lived in one of the guest rooms.

She was only called to the master bedroom when Benjamin wanted her for his needs.

And afterward, she was always sent back to the guest room.

Back at the house, she peeled off her wet clothes and dried herself with a towel.

Her hand instinctively covered her lower belly.

Her waist was still slim, and there was no visible bump yet. But just knowing that a tiny life was growing inside her made her feel a strange sense of wonder.

She sighed. While she looked forward to the child's arrival, deep down, she doubted whether she could be a good mother.

She reached for fresh clothes.

Just as she was about to put them on, the guest room door suddenly swung open.

Benjamin stood at the entrance, having returned without her knowing.

He saw her standing there, completely in her birthday suit, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Nissa's figure was delicate, her skin pale and soft.

Her cheeks flushed with panic as she scrambled to cover herself with the bedsheet, like a frightened bird.

Benjamin's throat tightened involuntarily.

But he hid it well. Not a trace of emotion showed on his face.

He said coolly, "Charlotte's injury is serious. You should take responsibility. I'm not expecting you to be thoughtful enough to care for her. Just make her meals from now on. I'll bring them to the hospital. Understand?"

Nissa frantically nodded, clutching the sheet tightly. Her face was crimson as she buried it into the blanket in embarrassment.

Benjamin's gaze lingered on the sliver of skin still visible.

He adjusted his collar with a flick of his finger and was about to leave when something caught his eye.

A corner of paper was sticking out from Nissa's discarded wet clothes.

Curious, he picked it up--and his expression instantly darkened.

It was the check.

He glared at her and barked, "Nissa! Did you just ask Charlotte for money?"