My wife has suffered from hereditary migraines for years. After three years of marriage, I finally developed a specialized medication just for her.

Carrying a lunchbox, I headed to her company, intending to deliver the medicine to her in person.

But her secretary mistook me for a kept man.

He dumped the contents of the lunchbox over my head, stripped off my clothes in front of everyone, and even made me swallow the only dose of that specialized medicine.

"A mere food delivery guy, and you dare dress so indecently? Today, I'll show you exactly what happens to a homewrecker."

Then, with a smug grin, he turned to claim credit with my wife.

"Ms. Milstein, I took care of that food delivery guy who was trying to seduce you. How are you going to reward me?"

I grew up with Ella Milstein—we were childhood sweethearts. She'd suffered from hereditary migraines since she was young. For her sake, I gave up my family's business and chose to study medicine without hesitation.

At last, in the third year of our marriage, I developed a specialized drug.

When I got home, I could barely contain my excitement. I cooked, preparing a loving lunch to bring to my wife, planning to tell her the good news in person.

Carrying the lunchbox, I made my way into the Milstein Group building without a hitch.

Just as I was about to push open the door to my wife's office, a suave, well-dressed man stepped in front of me.

"What are you here for?" he asked coldly, his gaze sweeping over me with open hostility.

I lifted the lunchbox for him to see. "I'm here to bring food to Ella Milstein."

In front of others, I didn't like calling her my wife.

He let out a breath, his tone turning faintly mocking. "So, a food delivery guy, huh? I'm Ms. Milstein's chief secretary, Chris Palermo. Hand me the food. You can leave."

I shook my head, my expression firm. "I'm not a food delivery guy. And I'll deliver this to Ella myself. Please let me through."

Before I could finish speaking, Chris flew into a rage and snatched the lunchbox from my hands.

"Who do you think you are? How dare a mere food delivery guy try to seduce Ms. Milstein? Dressed like this, too—shameless. I'll teach you some manners today."

With that, he dragged me into a meeting room and slammed the door shut. Before I could react, he raised his fist and struck me.

Pain exploded across my face. My cheek swelled instantly as I collapsed to the floor.

I hadn't even gathered my senses when another kick came crashing down onto my head.

The medicine!

Ignoring everything else, I curled into myself, shielding my pocket with all my strength.

"Let's see what you brought for Ms. Milstein to eat."

Chris opened the lunchbox and dumped its contents straight over my head.

The pork rib soup I had simmered for three hours—still scalding—ran through my hair and dripped down onto the floor.

My scalp burned with searing pain. But I didn't dare move. I was afraid of damaging the medicine in my pocket.

I knew how to make the drug, but one of its ingredients was extremely rare—already extinct, with almost no chance of obtaining it again.

"Oh? You brought cheap chicken too? You're such a cheapo."

He grabbed my chin roughly, his fingers tightening as he forced my mouth open. "So eager to act cheap? You can have it all then."

The braised chicken, drenched in chili-laden sauce, was slammed against my face.

A sharp, burning pain flooded my eyes and nose. I cried out in agony.

Chris casually dusted off his hands, his expression full of disgust. "How revolting. So greasy—I almost got my watch dirty."

Then he looked down at me from above. "You don't actually believe that nonsense about winning a woman's heart through her stomach, do you? Someone as lowly as you—what right do you have to like Ms. Milstein?"

I tried to explain, but the moment I opened my mouth, I broke into violent coughing. The chili had gone straight into my airway. I couldn't speak at all.

Just then, someone knocked on the meeting room door.

"Chris, what's all that noise inside?"

Relief flooded through me—I thought I'd been saved.

But Chris let out a cold laugh and opened the door without hesitation.

"This guy was trying to seduce Ms. Milstein," he said calmly. "I'm teaching him a lesson."

The secretaries at the door looked at me with open disdain.

"Ms. Milstein is just too outstanding. That's why trash like this keeps lining up to seduce her. But don't worry, Chris—you've been by her side for five years. You're the only one in her heart."

Chris snorted. "Naturally."

Then he shot me a hostile glance as I lay sprawled on the floor and sneered, "Some people just don't know when they're humiliating themselves."

My hands trembled as I pulled out my phone, trying to call my wife.

Suddenly, Chris's gaze sharpened, locking onto the device.

The next second, he snatched it away.

A strange gleam flashed in his eyes as he stared at the back of my phone. "You've got some nerve—using a matching couple's phone case with Ms. Milstein."

He hurled it to the ground. It shattered into pieces.

"Cheapo!"

Like a furious beast, Chris grabbed my short hair with one hand and pummeled me with the other.

"I was going to let you off," he growled, "but I've changed my mind. Trash like you won't learn without a proper lesson."

He tossed me aside like a rag, then turned to the secretaries.

"This guy tried to seduce Ms. Milstein. How about we strip him naked?"

The other secretaries immediately responded, eager to join in.

I scrambled forward on my hands and knees, desperately crawling toward the door.

A sharp pain shot through my palm—Chris had stepped on my left hand. Agony exploded through my fingers, and I screamed.

The others rushed forward and pinned me down.

Crouching beside me, Chris studied my face with a cruel and amused expression.

"Not a bad face. Don't worry—I won't ruin it just yet. Once you're stripped, I'll take pictures and post them online. If I mess up your face now, people won't recognize you later. That wouldn't be as fun."

My entire body trembled. Taking advantage of the chaos, I quietly slipped the medicine out of my pocket and pushed it into a corner.

I didn't know where Chris produced a pair of scissors from, but he began cutting up my pants from the hem.

I struggled violently, but the others held me down, unmoving.

Time stretched on, long and suffocating, steeped in despair.

Before long, my pants were reduced to shreds, exposing my long legs.

"Filthy thing. No wonder you had the guts to seduce Ms. Milstein—you've got the legs for it."

At some point, a crowd had gathered at the doorway.

Most watched coldly, as if enjoying a show, but one or two people stepped forward, trying to stop Chris.

"Chris, that's enough. If something really happens, it won't be easy to explain to Ms. Milstein."

But Chris didn't care. He jabbed a finger against my forehead. "He's just a food delivery guy trying to seduce Ms. Milstein. As her secretary, isn't it my duty to deal with this kind of trouble for her?"

The man hesitated, still wanting to speak, but Chris's expression turned sharp.

"Are you sure you want to take the side of a homewrecker and go against me—the person Ms. Milstein trusts most?"

At that, the man faltered and fell silent.

"Chris, what's this?"

Suddenly, a sharp-eyed secretary pointed at the medicine I had hidden in the corner.

Chris's gaze snapped toward it. In two quick strides, he reached it and stared as if trying to bore a hole through it.

"Heh…"

He let out a laugh, though his eyes were vicious, as if he might tear me apart at any moment.

"I guarded against every scheming guy in the company, but I didn't expect I'd have to guard against a food delivery guy like you. You even dared to drug Ms. Milstein. You've got guts."

He grabbed my hair again—but this time, instead of slapping me, he slammed my head into the wall.

"Go to hell! Any man who tries to steal Ms. Milstein from me deserves to die!"

When he finally tired, he threw me back onto the ground.

I hadn't even had a chance to catch my breath when a violent pain erupted in my head.

My body curled instinctively. A sharp ringing filled my ears. My vision blurred. Warm blood ran down my cheeks, slid past my chin, and dripped onto the floor.

At the very last moment before I lost consciousness, I shouted, "I'm Ella's husband!"

The air fell silent for a moment.

What met me wasn't rescue, but another sharp slap from Chris.

"You're Ms. Milstein's husband? Then what does that make me? I've been by her side for five years. I've known her for ten. I've never once heard that she's married. You think you can lie to me?"

I spat out a mouthful of blood and forced myself to speak. "We grew up together. I really am her husband."

At the mention of Ella's name, a few of the secretaries hesitated, concern flickering across their faces as if they wanted to stop him.

But Chris waved them off, utterly unconcerned.

"Relax. I know Ms. Milstein better than anyone."

He looked me up and down with open disdain.

My torn clothes lay discarded to the side like rags. I wore no expensive watch, not even a single piece of trendy clothing. The lunch I'd brought was in nothing more than a cheap, common eco bag.

Chris let out a scornful laugh. "Just look at this pathetic man—there's not a single brand-name item on him. How could he possibly be Ms. Milstein's husband?"

I had finally managed to catch a breath when I saw him pick up the medicine.

A terrible sense of dread rose in my chest.

"Blood—he's coughing up blood!" one of the secretaries cried, stepping back in alarm.

My heart began to race. Panic flooded me. Even as blood poured from my mouth in heavy gulps, my eyes remained locked on the medicine in his hand.

"Give it back…"

I lifted my hand weakly, trying to reach for it—but all I felt was another surge of blood spilling from my lips.

Chris glanced at me casually and snapped at the others, "What are you shouting for? It's just a little blood. What's there to be afraid of?"

No one dared speak for me again.

Propping myself up with what little strength I had left, I nearly begged, "Please… give me the medicine back.

"My medicine… the medicine…"

But no one stepped forward to help. They only watched, cold and detached, some with a faint, hidden thrill in their eyes.

Chris simply stood there, watching me for a full ten minutes. At last, I couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed again.

Only then did he take out his phone and dial a number.

I thought he was finally calling an ambulance.

Instead, I heard Ella's voice.

"What is it?"

Her tone was clipped, giving nothing away.

"Ms. Milstein, a man came to the company today, trying to bring you lunch."

Facing her, Chris's manner was completely different from the arrogance he'd shown while beating me. His voice dropped low, almost syrupy.

Ella sounded impatient. "You need to ask me about something like that? What did I hire you for? Handle it yourself."

She hung up without another word.

Chris arched a brow and looked around smugly. "You heard her. Ms. Milstein told me to deal with you."

I tried to cry out for help, but I was too weak to make a sound.

Clicking his dress shoes against the floor, Chris walked toward me step by step.

He planted his shoe on my face, grinding it down. "With how much blood you've lost, even if I took pictures, the platform would flag them as violent content.

"Consider yourself lucky—you've escaped that. But now… it's your face's turn. Without that pretty face, let's see how you seduce Ms. Milstein."

As he spoke, he pulled a utility knife from a cabinet and hovered it over my face.

Just as despair closed in, his phone rang.

It was Ella.

Chris answered immediately.

"I need the documents for that Alpstein project right now. Prepare them at once."

"Yes, Ms. Milstein."

"I'll be at the company shortly…"