While inspecting my family's cold-storage operations, my husband, Hayden Gibson, and the poor college student I had sponsored, Olivia Hall, suddenly disappeared.

As I passed by a research supply container, lines of floating text suddenly appeared in my vision.

[That was close! They almost got caught by the heiress! Good thing Hayden reacted fast and pulled the innocent young woman into the cargo container.]

[But this supply container is about to get locked and loaded onto a ship and sent to the Southfrost Reach research station. Are those two trying to turn themselves into ice sculptures?"]

I just stood there. Hayden, my husband, who had married into my family, was cheating right under my nose?

I was about to pull open the container door when Hayden's personal assistant, Robin, stepped in front of me with a smile. "The seal around the door was just waxed, and it hasn't dried yet. You might get your hands dirty."

The bullet comments appeared again.

[That scared me to death! This assistant is pretty smart. Once Hayden gets out, the assistant definitely deserves a new car.]

[As expected of the Chosen One. He can always escape danger! I can't wait to watch his sweet romance with the sweet, innocent young woman.]

I stared at the floating text and laughed coldly.

"These are critical supplies for the research team. Seal the container now so that nothing goes wrong. Get the welder and weld the door shut."

The assistant froze, and the bullet comments momentarily stopped.

[Holy moly! She's so ruthless! The two people inside are completely naked right now!]

[Help! If the container door gets welded shut, Hayden and the female lead will spend a month at sea and really freeze into ice sculptures!]

Robin's face went pale as he spread his arms and blocked the container door. "You can't, Madam! Mr. Gibson hasn't signed off on the inspection yet! This doesn't follow procedure."

I looked coldly at the sweat forming on his forehead. "I'm the chairwoman of the Greendale Group. My family's cargo doesn't need approval from a man who married into the family."

I gave the bodyguards behind me a look, and two muscular men stepped forward and dragged Robin away.

Robin kicked wildly and tried to shout, but one of the bodyguards punched him in the stomach, cutting him off immediately.

The engineering team clearly took orders only from me.

They stepped forward and lowered their face shields.

Bzz…!

The piercing crackle of electricity began to ring. Sparks from the welding torch flew across the seam of the container door, lighting the dark port red.

Almost at the same time, violent pounding came from inside the container.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

It was the sound of bodies ramming at the thick metal walls. Clearly, the shameless pair who were having fun inside had heard the commotion and panicked.

Unfortunately, this special freezer container was designed for ocean transport with excellent soundproofing. The little noise that escaped could barely be heard under the screeching sound from the welding.

The bullet comments flooded my vision.

[The two inside are already shaking. They're pressed even closer together down there. They really don't like being separated!]

[The female lead is hugging Hayden and screaming that it's cold. Of course it's cold. How could it not be when her naked buttocks are pressed against metal?]

[Hayden left his suit in the car. He must be regretting it so badly now!]

I looked at the words and could almost picture the scene inside.

Then, I calmly took out my phone and called my mother-in-law. "Mom, the surprise present Hayden prepared for you is at the port. Bring the media and come quickly."

My mother-in-law's sharp, nasty voice came through the phone. "A surprise? What are you up to now? Are you trying to upset me again, Ivy?"

She snorted, her tone turning even harsher.

"Hayden is just as useless. He spends all day revolving around you, and he has no spine. You're nothing like Olivia. She's so thoughtful. She even knitted me a scarf by hand just a few days ago."

At the sound of Olivia's name, my fingers tightened around the phone.

Olivia Hall.

That poor college student I had sponsored for four years. The young woman who called me by name every time she opened her mouth.

When I first met her, the school uniform she was wearing had almost turned white, and one of her shoes had a hole in it.

Her eyes had been timid. "Ivy, I want to study. I want to leave the countryside."

Those eyes had moved me.

I paid all her tuition and living expenses, bought her new clothes, and showed her the world.

After she graduated, I even made an exception and let her join Greendale Group.

I thought I was taking care of a flower growing toward the sun. I was not expecting to nurture a viper that bit the hand that fed it.

How had she repaid me?

By putting on my pajamas and crawling into my husband's bed while I worked overtime late into the night?

By acting sweet and obedient in front of my mother-in-law while badmouthing me behind my back?

"You're right, of course," I forced down the nausea in my throat and kept my voice as steady as possible. "Olivia really is quite nice. That's why Hayden invited Olivia here, too. He said this gift was something they prepared for you together. It will only mean something if you unveil it yourself."

As soon as she heard Olivia was there too, Karen's attitude changed at once. "Fine. Since Hayden wants to show he loves me, I suppose I'll go over. Tell Hayden to wait, and don't let Olivia get tired."

After hanging up, I looked at the container door, now welded tightly shut.

Tired?

They certainly were.

After all, exercising in a place dozens of degrees below zero took stamina.

As I waited, I turned to the operator at the control panel. "Start the pre-cooling system. The journey to Southfrost Reach will take a while. Lower the internal temperature to minus four Fahrenheit for now. Enter preservation mode."

The operator was stunned for a moment. "Sure, but... Shouldn't we check inside first?"

I simply gave him a sharp look. "Do I need to repeat myself? The cargo inside is extremely valuable. It has to be cooled immediately, or it will rot."

The operator shuddered and did not say another word. The massive compressor soon rumbled to life.

On the display outside the container, the bright red numbers indicating the temperature began to drop.

Seventy-seven degrees Fahrenheit...

Fifty-nine degrees Fahrenheit...

Forty-one degrees Fahrenheit...

Thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit...

The bullet comments flooded my sight again.

[This is insane! They don't have any clothes! They have to endure the coldness completely naked!]

[Gosh! This is way too exciting! Olivia is already freezing and screaming while clinging to Hayden!]

[It's not going to help, Hayden's body is cold too!]

[They're turning to each other for warmth! This is too much. I can't watch!]

[Don't tell me their skin is stuck to the metal already? If they tear themselves away, they'll lose a layer of skin!]

Robin, who had been thrown to the side, could only watch with wide eyes as he saw the numbers on the display. He slumped on the ground and struggled desperately, trying to shout. However, a security guard clamped a hand over his mouth, and he could make nothing but muffled whimpers.

The thrashing inside the container grew even more violent. I could even faintly hear the screech of fingernails scraping the metal. But thanks to the cover of the compressor's booming sound, anyone else would only think it was the sounds of a machine vibrating.

I had someone bring me a chair, then sat elegantly in front of the container. I watched the temperature fall on the display and found it deeply satisfying.

On my phone was the last message Olivia had sent me: [Ivy, thank you for sponsoring me. I'll work hard to repay you.]

A cute heart emoji followed that message.

Repay me?

Fine.

Then repay me with your life.

I, Ivy Greendale, was someone who repaid all grudges in kind. If they dared to do that, then they should not be afraid of me finding out.

And once I found out…

Their days would be numbered.

Half an hour later.

Several luxury cars sped over and braked hard in the open space by the port.

The doors opened, and Hayden's mother, Karen, stepped out as the cameras flashed. She was dressed in a glittering designer dress with several financial reporters following behind her. Anyone who did not know better would have thought that the queen herself had arrived.

"Ivy, where is Hayden?" Karen questioned me when she looked around and did not see her precious son. Her face darkened immediately as she continued, "What surprise did he prepare for me? Why isn't he here?"

I stood up at once with a troubled look on my face and sighed softly. "Mom, Hayden said he went to prepare the final step of your surprise. He specifically told me to watch things for him first. He said this project is his greatest contribution to the family, and you must witness it in person.

Her expression eased a little once she heard what I had to say. She immediately put on the smile of a loving mother as she faced the camera and said, "Oh, my! That son of mine loves me so much that he spends all day thinking about how to make me happy. I hope he isn't too tired!"

As she spoke, she glanced at me, her eyes still full of disgust. "Look at you. You dress in black and professionally every day without a shred of femininity. No wonder Hayden is always going out and refusing to come home. A woman should be soft and delicate like Olivia. Only then will people want to cherish you."

Karen did not care about my dignity at all, even when she was in front of the media

I suppressed the nausea in me and walked up to her, affectionately taking her arm. "You're right, of course."

My voice was sweet, even carrying a trace of flattery. "I'm usually so busy with work, so I really did neglect Hayden's feelings. He often tells me that you understand him best and love him most. That's why he said he wants to give you all the credit for this great moment."

I pointed at the huge container behind me, white mist emanating from it. "This batch of supplies uses the latest 'accelerated freshness-locking technology' Hayden developed. He said you need to be the one starting it so it can bring the company good luck.

"He also said the inspiration for this technology came from what you always say about keeping love fresh. He and Olivia came up with the name together. They thought it was especially suitable as a present for you."

Karen was distracted by all the flattery.

She looked at the massive container, her eyes shining with greed. This was the perfect chance to make headlines!

She could show off her son's talent and display her supreme status in the family simultaneously. She laughed, "Very good!"

Facing the cameras, Karen adjusted the jewelry on herself and smiled widely. "I really am blessed to have such a capable son and thoughtful goddaughter... Unlike some people, who think they can order everyone around just because their family has money. She can't even have a kid and only knows how to drag others down with her."

She was humiliating me in public again.

In the past, I would have already snapped back, or I would have turned and left, too lazy to bother with this old woman.

But today…

I was not angry.

Not angry at all.

She waved a hand, showing off her bravado. "Since Hayden put so much thought into this, I'll host the departure ceremony for him!"

The bullet comments instantly turned into wailing.

[Oh, my God! His own mother is here! But she's about to send her naked son and her goddaughter to their deaths with her own hands!]

[Oh, you didn't know? Olivia's father was Karen's first love. That's why the old woman supports them so much!]

[I knew it! No wonder she likes Olivia so much. So, she's the daughter of an old flame!]

[This old woman really is something else. She helped her son cheat and even wanted that illegitimate daughter to replace his wife!]

[Help! Hayden heard his mom's voice from the inside!]

[He's pounding the wall like crazy! Too bad he's frozen stiff and has no strength left! His hands must be smashed bloody by now, right?]

[Where's Robin? Why isn't he coming out to stop them? Oh, he's gagged. Never mind, then.]

Looking at the bullet comments, the last trace of hesitation in my heart vanished.

So… That was the truth.

Olivia was the daughter of Karen's first love. Hayden and the college student I sponsored had been sleeping together behind my back for a long time. She had even helped them cover it up and pushed them together.

I was the only fool in this family. I was the only one kept in the dark, spending my money and effort to support all these ingrates.

I suppressed the resentment surging in my chest.

With a proper smile, I stepped in front of Karen and walked to the control panel. "Mom, you shouldn't touch this so carelessly. Once this button is pressed, the temperature inside will instantly drop to negative three-hundred and twenty-one Fahrenheit."

I pointed at the conspicuous red button on the panel. Beside it were the words "Liquid Nitrogen Flash Freeze" in large letters.

I said, "You don't understand any of this. Since Hayden isn't here yet, I'll do it for you."

But as soon as I finished speaking, Karen shoved me aside and shrieked at me. "Get out of the way! What are you doing? My son prepared this ceremony for me. I'm doing it myself."

Robin shook his head frantically, but Karen ignored him completely and pressed the red button.