After ending the lawyer call, I called my assistant

I told her to watch Luther's company moves and reach out to the shareholders who had always been unhappy with him.

After ending the call, I recalled the cloth strip my grandpa had left. I opened the cloth I had been holding in my hand.

The writing on it was blurred by my sweaty hands, but I could faintly see four digits: 1547.

I wrinkled my brows, staring at the digits on the cloth. My grandpa had never spoken of this cloth to me.

But back when we lived in our hometown, grandpa had buried a locked metal box under a big tree in the yard.

He used a shovel to mark that bit of land, then brushed my eyes, saying, "Lyra, you must go back to your place."

At that time, I did not get it; I just whined to my grandpa.

So, could this be the box code?

Where exactly was my place?

I stared at the spaced numbers and an idea popped into my mind.

Did one match one of my lost children?

And what did five mean? I tried hard to search my early childhood memories, but I could not recall anything before I was three.

From all I can remember, I had always stayed with my grandpa; I had never seen my parents.

I stared at the cloth strip in front of me, managing to carefully put it away.

Then, I drove home. Five days later, nothing tied to Luther would stay in the house anymore.

Back home, my hands shook as I picked up a suitcase and stuffed it with all the things Luther owned from the bedroom.

I opened a drawer, my eyes pausing. Inside were the overalls Luther and I had chosen for our boy.

These were my boy’s favorite overalls. I still recall him smiling as he put them on and hugging both our necks.

"Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, can I run free in these?"

Back then, Luther gently turned our son around and we even planned a trip to Paris together after he got better.

Tears rose in my eyes. If the surgery had worked, he could run free now.

However, my son’s heart was beating inside the woman in front of me! Tears dropped on the overalls and my heart felt like a heavy stone pressed down on it, making it hard to breathe.

Just as I finished emptying my bedroom, the door pushed open.

"Lyra? You were packing earlier. Give the room to Calliope."

I turned around at the voice and saw Luther holding two big suitcases in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Calliope's waist, ordering me like it was nothing.

"What?"

I frowned, my hands squeezing the overalls tight.

"Calliope is pregnant. This is the biggest room of yours. Give it to her to rest and heal."

Calliope leaned on him, lifting a brow in a proud way, her eyes full of confidence.

"The property deed for this place is under my name!"

I stared right into Luther's eyes and said each word clearly.

"Ah? But a few days ago, I was feeling sick from morning sickness and Luther gave me this place as a comfort gift."

Calliope, acting shocked, shook Luther's arm.

Luther gave the house away?

This place was our wedding home!

On our wedding night, he happily showed me each corner of the house he had designed for us.

The suitcase in my hand dropped to the floor. My anger rose fast and with shaking hands, I moved forward and hit Calliope across the face.

Calliope held her face, tears rising in her eyes and threw herself into Luther's arms.

"She hit me!"

Luther's face turned cold, his voice tight with anger. "Lyra, how have you turned so hard to deal with! She is pregnant and you hit her! You’re so mean!"

Mean? Next to him, taking my boy’s heart, what does this mean?

I stepped forward and tore the pendant off Calliope’s neck, my tone cold.

"Why are you in such a rush? Is she pregnant with your child?"

"What nonsense are you saying! It’s just a house. If you want more, I’ll hand you another one."

Worry flashed across Luther’s face, then it quickly turned to anger. He waved at the guards behind him.

Soon, I was pushed to the floor, my hands held down tight.

"If you like slapping people so much, you can do without your hands. And because you hit Calliope, your punishment is a hundred slaps."

Luther calmly put his foot on my hands, ignoring my struggles and crushed my bones. Then he gently picked up Calliope and hurried her to the hospital.

"Luther, you're insane!"

I heard my bones break and cold sweat rushed down my face.

The pain shot from my fingers to my chest. It was overwhelming. I bit my lip hard, tasting blood spreading in my mouth.

I watched Luther’s retreating figure, the last bits of feeling in my heart crushed by that one stomp.

Then, the bodyguards lifted me up, my face burning with pain.

The first slap, the second… By the eightieth slap, my face was badly swollen, blood falling from the corner of my mouth onto the floor.

The hate in my heart grew with each slap.

“The hundredth slap.” The last slap hit and my mind slowly blurred as I passed out.

When I woke again, a plain white ceiling came into view. I found my hands wrapped in thick bandages and my face covered in ointment.

"Miss Roberts, all the bones in your hand are broken. We've done our best to treat you, but you won't be able to lift heavy things or do any small motor work anymore." The doctor’s words rang in my ears. I stared blankly at my hand.

The hospital room door opened and Luther slowly walked to my bedside, carrying fruit. He took out a mango and held it toward me.

"Lyra, I was worried about Calliope’s baby back then. As a mom, you can get that, right?"

"I’ve already given that house to Calliope. It’s not easy to take it back. I’ll buy you the one you like in the city center tomorrow."

"Okay." I looked at the mango in front of me, a cold hint in my eyes. I gave a short reply and turned my head away from him.

I was allergic to mangoes, something he had never noticed.

The divorce will be in two days.

At that time, I would not let either Luther or Calliope walk off clean!

My cold mood somehow angered Luther. He threw the mango down and pushed himself onto me.

"What are you acting for? I’ve already said sorry! You’re just upset that Calliope has a kid, aren’t you? I’ll give it to you right now!"

My arms were trapped by him and I felt a wet touch on my neck. I fought back.

How disgusting.

"Luther! Don’t touch me!"

I bit his shoulder, pushing him away hard, tears running down my face.

He saw my tears and smiled, "Didn’t you want an end to marriage? Lyra, stop making a scene. You can’t live without me unless I kill you myself."

With that, he turned and left.

My hands shook as I kept wiping my body with tissues until my skin went red and sore.

It was disgusting.

It felt like a wild dog had bitten me; the smell stayed.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Attorney Evans.

"Miss Roberts, the divorce agreement has been drafted."

"Good, bring it to the hospital tomorrow."

The next day, Attorney Evans brought the contract to me.

"Miss Roberts, there are some talks going around online. Yesterday, paparazzi captured Mr. Edwards going in and out of your old marriage home with a woman in a white dress."

I looked down at the divorce agreement and nodded.

"Gather the evidence; it will be useful later."

At that time, my assistant told me they had made a deal with the stock owners who were unhappy with Luther and they were ready to back my return.

"Vale, send someone to Grandpa’s old home and dig out the box under the second tree on the right in the yard and bring it to me."

"Also, watch the company’s stock market for now and grab some shares if the chance arises."

I looked at the divorce papers and told the orders.

As a wedding gift, I gave Luther twenty percent of the company’s shares. Right now, he holds the most shares, while I only hold fifteen percent.

Since we were ending the marriage, let him spit out everything he took!

After my assistant and lawyer left, the hospital room door opened again and Luther slowly led Calliope, whose eyes were red and swollen, into the room.

His face sank the moment he saw me and his voice turned cold.

"Lyra! Have you been spreading rumors everywhere? Can’t you stop being so jealous! Calliope and I are just like brother and sister, what nonsense are you saying outside?"

Hearing his quick blame, I frowned and spoke back, "I didn’t."

Calliope hid her face in Luther’s arms, crying and said in a hurt tone.

"I know you don’t like me, but how could you say… how could you say I’m the mistress? And that the kid in my belly is illegitimate…"

Seeing his loved one in pain, Luther lifted his eyes, his look cold as he looked at me.

"Other than you, who else would send out this news? Sign in to your account and clear things up online that this has nothing to do with Calliope, saying that Calliope was only a guest in our home."

A cold smile pulled at my lips, my tone with sarcasm. "Why should I? Isn’t it true that you two stay together?"

"Because this thing has upset Calliope and hurt her pregnancy." Luther’s voice was cold and hard. "Do as told right now."

"I won’t post it!"

I stood strong against Luther.

Luther’s face sank all the way, his eyes showing cold anger. He lifted his hand and ordered the guards.

"Take my wife to the storage room and lock her in. Don’t give her a drop of water or food during this time. Let her out only when she’s ready to post it."

My blood went cold at once, my body shaking as I tried to fight back.

But the next moment, the guards forcefully pulled the needle from my hand, dragged me up roughly and threw me onto the storage room floor.

I feared the dark most of all.

After my company grew, I was kidnapped by thugs hired by the competitor and kept in a dark room for a week, during which I took countless beatings.

I wasn’t saved by the police until the eighth day.

From then on, I gained a fear of dark places.

I told Luther about this event. I recall one time when the power went out at home, I was shaking and crouched in a corner.

Luther held me tight, gently patting my back. "I’ll always stay with you from now on, don’t be scared.”

But now, he was punishing me with my worst fear, pushing me to speak for the woman who took my boy’s heart.

At the last moment, the door closed and even the last line of light was shut out.

Only endless dark stayed.