Samuel just laughed at her.

"Tania, you're always telling stories. You've been sneaking birth control pills for three years. How could you be pregnant? I must have been blind to think you were so precious!"

Without a second thought, he tore her nightgown open.

The sharp scent of blood filled the air.

Tania's belly ached sharply, and she was weak from not eating or drinking for three days. Coupled with her tailbone injury, she couldn’t even cry.

Right then, Lucy burst in, bubbling with excitement. "Samuel, Kingston University said yes to me joining the Rare Disease Research Institute!”

"It's for that project on the Ferguson family's genetic disease! I've got an interview tonight. Will you help me pick out an outfit?"

Seeing the blood beneath Tania, Samuel finally got scared.

He pointed at the stain, his voice shaking, "Lulu, call an ambulance!"

Lucy just glanced at it, made a face, and rolled her eyes. "It's just her period. Why call an ambulance? She can get up and clean herself.”

"I bet she's just pretending to be sad to make you feel sorry for her."

It was clear to anyone that this was no ordinary period.

However, Samuel hesitated, then actually listened to Lucy. He walked out with her, leaving behind a cold remark, "Don't play dead. Get up and clean yourself off."

The instant the door clicked shut, Tania felt the last trickle of warmth ebbing from her body.

Her gaze fixed on the ceiling as the room spun into darkness. She could not fight it anymore and passed out.

Coming to, Tania found herself on her bedroom bed, changed into fresh clothes, with her forehead wound neatly bandaged.

About to leave the bed, she noticed Samuel with a bowl of oatmeal in hand.

"Up and about? The doctor said you're weak, so I made you some oatmeal. Have it while it's warm."

Tania did not accept it, just gave him a frosty stare. "Where's my phone?"

Samuel's eyes darted away, setting the oatmeal on the nightstand, he reached to stroke her hair, but she avoided his touch.

"Have your oatmeal first, you need to get stronger. We'll talk about the phone later."

Tania stayed silent, her cool gaze unsettling Samuel.

He cleared his throat and went on.

"I was at Kingston University's Rare Disease Institute with Lulu. They're close to finishing the new drug for our family's genetic illness — there’s just one last set of data to go.”

"If I keep up with the meds, I'll live as long as anyone else.”

"Tania," he edged closer, "You can stop worrying, right? Once the drug's released, let's start a family, shall we?"

His voice carried a hint of a sneer.

"I tried to personally thank the institute's dean, but her staff said she was out. Acting all high and mighty, not even up for a thank-you lunch."

Tania watched him, her mind racing through many nights gone by.

For years, she came home from the lab, tired to the bone, and found Samuel waiting at the dinner table.

She never bragged about being the Dean or how she had worked through three whole nights to get her experiments right. She just said that she was "a little busy at the lab."

She now realized that he thought all her secret hard work was just someone else showing off.

Her voice was dry as she asked again, colder now, "Where's my phone?"

Samuel swallowed hard and handed her a shiny new phone.

"Your old one must've been broken, so I got you this," he said, trying to sound cheerful. "It's all set up. I even got your favorite games on it."

Tania barely smiled as she took the phone. Without looking at Samuel, she stepped out to the balcony and called the police.

"Hello, is this 110? I need to report a theft.”

"I've got drug research data worth billions that Lucy stole. I need to file a report and protect the evidence."

She had just hung up when she heard footsteps.

Suddenly, Samuel's arms were around her, just like they had been so many times before.

"Tania," he said, his voice close to her ear, "I know Lulu showing up has been tough on you.”

"She's so bright, so amazing. It's okay to feel a little jealous.”

"However, remember, you're Mrs. Ferguson."

He shifted the conversation, his voice growing serious, "Remember to act properly. Let's pretend that the last few days were just a bad dream, okay? From now on, we'll live happily."

Tania closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they were calm.

She whispered, "Okay."

She planned to forget everything about that place, including Samuel, once she left.

Samuel let out a sigh of relief, loosened his grip, and gave her shoulder a pat, "Go get dressed. I've had some new jewelry sent up for you.”

"There's a big party for Lulu tonight with lots of reporters. Don't make me look bad."

Tania went to her closet but ignored the fancy new jewelry and the dress Samuel had picked out.

Instead, she found a plain black dress and a simple silver necklace she had bought with her first paycheck before she married Samuel. It had nothing to do with him.

When she came out, Samuel was waiting on the couch.

He swallowed hard when he saw her, his eyes clouding over, his voice rougher than before.

"Tania, why aren't you wearing the new jewelry?"

"It's too flashy."

Her voice was cool as she glanced at him, "Tonight's about celebrating Lucy, right? I shouldn't outshine her."

Samuel missed the edge in her words and nodded to himself.

‘Lulu was right, spoiling women too much only made them start thinking they can do anything,’ he thought, ‘Tania's learned her lesson this time. She's much more agreeable now.’

The party was at the fanciest hotel in town, and as soon as Tania walked in, all the big names recognized her.

The brilliant young girl who had once dazzled Kingston University's Medical School, the Russell family's most exceptional heir in a hundred years.

Had she not married Samuel and chosen to step away from the spotlight, she would probably be a leading expert in rare diseases by now.

Even if she had remained at Kingston University, she would have been the youngest head of the research institute.

Everyone knew that she preferred to keep a low profile, so they acted as if they did not know her, feeling a bit of sadness when they saw her.

Lucy, on the other hand, was like a showy rose, wearing a sapphire blue gown that hugged her figure and sparkling diamond jewelry that made her stand out in every crowd.

Tania's heart skipped a beat when she saw that dress.

Just last month, Samuel had her try it on, promising a surprise. She had been secretly thrilled, not realizing she was only a stand-in for Lucy.

At the party, Lucy was the life of the party, and Samuel could not take his eyes off her.

Tania had convinced herself she would not be hurt by it, but seeing Samuel's gaze stick to Lucy like that made her heart feel sour.

The press conference was live. Lucy sat in the spotlight wearing Samuel's jacket, while Samuel sat with Tania, looking up at Lucy with such affection.

"Tania, our fourth anniversary is next month. I'm planning a special dinner, and the invites are being printed."

He suddenly said, "I'd like Lulu to be the bridesmaid. You're okay with that, right?"

"I'm okay with it."

Tania replied casually, standing up to head to the restroom. However, a sharp pain hit her suddenly, and she fell to the floor in darkness.

At that moment, the doors to the banquet hall burst open, and the police headed straight for Lucy.

"Lucy, you're accused of stealing research results. You need to come with us."

Lucy's face went white as she grabbed Samuel's arm, crying out, "Samuel, save me! I'm innocent!"

Tania was lying on the floor, her back drenched in cold sweat, feeling her consciousness slip away.

She saw Samuel rush to Lucy's side, not even glancing her way. Using the last of her strength, she reached out, "Samuel... call an ambulance..."

Samuel stood in front of Lucy, defending her, when he tripped on the carpet. His shiny, custom-made shoes came down hard on Tania's hand.

A sharp "snap" rang out, and a wave of pain from her broken fingers surged through her body. Tania's fingers curled, too weak to lift again.

She watched Samuel's back as he shielded Lucy, and the last flicker of hope in her eyes went dark.

Days later, Tania, with her hand in a cast, was in a hospital bed leading an online meeting. Her assistant looked serious as he said, "Ms. Russell, we found your phone. Ms. Canfield messed with the core data. It'll take three years to check everything again, and Mr. Ferguson can't wait."

Before she could respond, the door to her room burst open.

Samuel grabbed her tablet and threw a settlement agreement at her. "Sign this! Make a video saying you set Lucy up! Or else I'll..."

"Divorce me?" Tania cut in, her voice steady.

"In your dreams!" Samuel scoffed. "Do you think you can take the Ferguson family's money? You married into the Ferguson family, and you'll stay with us till the end!"

Tania picked up the settlement agreement and tossed it in the trash. "I won't sign it.”

"Lucy had it coming. You really should ask her what data she changed. If not, she won't be able to run away, and neither will you."

She was just laying out the facts, but Samuel heard the threatening tone, and the last bit of warmth in his eyes vanished, leaving only revulsion.

"Lulu is off-limits, you had no right to mess with her, and you certainly shouldn't threaten me."

He turned to walk away, but Tania stopped him. "Remember when Lucy hit me? You were worried about her hand because she needed it for her experiments. When you crushed my hand, didn't you think I might need it to work with delicate equipment?"

Samuel paused, a flicker of pain crossing his heart.

However, the pain was brief, and he turned back, his voice dripping with scorn, "You think you're on Lulu's level? Tania, even saying that is an insult to her."

He did not look back as he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

In the dead of night, the sound of breaking glass jolted Tania awake. Outside the hospital room, angry voices yelled, "Russell's mistress, come out and apologize!”

"Scheming Tania, just die!"

Shaking, she lit up her phone screen, and the top trending news was #SamuelClarifiesLucy'sInnocence#.

In the video, Samuel, in a suit, looked earnest. "I swear on the honor of the Ferguson family, Lucy is innocent. Tania's the one who secretly recorded Lucy's private moments, then cruelly edited the footage to blackmail her."

He paused, his face filled with remorse, "Marrying Tania was a mistake. She tricked me with drugs and a fake pregnancy test. The Ferguson family would never have let someone so manipulative through their doors otherwise."

As the man in the video kept twisting the truth, Tania's heart hurt so much she struggled to catch her breath.

For Lucy, he would do anything, even if it meant getting his hands dirty.

The hospital room door flew open with a loud crash. A crazed fan girl stormed in, yanked Tania's hair, and pulled her right off the bed.

The doctors and nurses could not hold back the wild fan. They could only watch as Tania was dragged out of the room and dumped at the end of the hallway.

Looking up, Tania saw Lucy smirking down at her with a winner's grin.

"Samuel only married you because of that mole by your eye, the one that looks like mine, didn't he? I won't stand for anyone looking like me."

With that, she nodded at her bodyguard. "Get rid of that mole."

The bodyguard pinned Tania down and cut off the mole with a small knife.

Tania stayed silent, not a cry or a fuss, as the blood slid down her cheek like a tear.

Once Lucy was gone, Tania called Samuel. "I'm leading the talk at the research institute next week. Will you be there?"

It was her final test for Samuel.

On the phone, Samuel's voice was distant and uninterested. "You're my wife, so yeah, I'll be there."

The next week was a blur of late nights for Tania and her team as they worked to fix the data Lucy had messed with.

During a break, Tania called Kingston University to ask about Lucy's job there.

Turns out, the university had never really hired Lucy. They just had not bothered to correct the rumors because she had not caused them any trouble... yet.

Meanwhile, Elias had dug up the truth about Lucy.

She had been kicked out of her grad program in her first year for cheating and had been living off rich sponsors ever since. Her whole "genius student" act was nothing but a lie.

"Ms. Russell, what are we going to do?" The researcher's eyes brimmed with tears. "All our work over the years might be ruined, and then there's Mr. Ferguson..."

Tania's fingers tapped lightly on the desk, her voice steady, "I'll show everyone at the seminar the proof that Lucy changed the data. After that, it's up to Samuel to decide what he wants to do."

An hour before the seminar, Tania made two phone calls.

The first was to Samuel. She simply said, "The seminar starts in an hour."

The second call was to Elias. "Brother, can you book a flight for me tonight? Once the seminar is over, I'm done with Samuel for good. Whatever happens to him won't be of concern to me anymore."

Right after she hung up, Samuel showed up.

He was dressed in a sharp suit, his hair perfectly combed, holding a bunch of fancy invitations.

"Tania, take a look. These are our fourth-anniversary invites. I made them myself. Do you like them?"

Without really looking, Tania replied, "They're fine."

"Lulu is coming as a special guest. That's okay with you, isn't it?"

"No problem. Whatever you say," Tania said, cutting to the chase.

Samuel was thrilled and leaned in to kiss her, but Tania avoided him smoothly.

The seminar began right on time, but Tania skipped the usual introductions.

She walked straight to the podium, quickly updated everyone on the project, and then the screen flashed to a chart.

"We're nearly done with the new drug for the Ferguson family's genetic illness, but we've found someone messed with the important data on purpose."

Tania's voice echoed through the microphone, filling the room, her eyes locking onto Lucy, who stood next to Samuel.

"Lucy is the one who changed the data. Please give us the original data. Lives are on the line."

Lucy's body stiffened.

She had only tweaked some numbers to make trouble for Tania, never imagining they were tied to Samuel's life-saving medicine!

However, she could not confess. If she did, her life would be ruined.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched Samuel's arm. "Samuel, who do you believe, me or her? I changed the data, but I only fixed her deliberate mistakes! She's the one trying to end your life!"

Samuel's brow furrowed as he turned to Tania, his eyes showing his disappointment. "Tania, why do you keep breaking my heart?"

Standing on stage, Tania met his gaze and asked simply, "Do you believe me or her?"

"I believe Lulu, of course!" Samuel blurted out without hesitation. "You're nothing compared to Lulu!"

If the reporters had not been there, he might have already reacted more fiercely.

Tania watched him stand protectively in front of Lucy, and any last flicker of emotion in her eyes faded to stillness.

Without another word, she turned and left the stage, walking out of the institute without looking back.

Elias's car waited outside. She opened the door, got in, and drove away.

A week later, a giant hot air balloon rose in front of the hotel the Ferguson family had reserved for their fourth anniversary. It read, "Samuel & Tania, together forever."

Samuel, in his crisp suit, kept glancing at the unanswered text he had sent Tania on his phone.

[Tania, it's been a whole week since you've answered my calls. Are you still upset? I know you didn't mean to do it, but I have to trust Lulu's data because it's more professional.]

[Please come over, I have a surprise for you today.]

He tucked his phone away and watched the short clips that were playing over and over again.

He had edited them himself, filled with everyday moments from the last four years with Tania.

Imagining a future with Tania, having kids and growing old together, he could not help but smile.

However, when noon came around, Tania was nowhere to be seen.

Samuel could not sit still any longer and drove to Kingston University to look for her.

The lab was deserted, and all of Tania's usual equipment and papers were gone.

A bad feeling welled up inside him, and he stopped a researcher walking by, asking urgently

"Where's Tania? Have you seen her?"

"Tania? You mean the Dean, Ms. Russell?" the researcher looked confused, "She left for a job at an overseas institute last week and said she's not coming back to work in the country. Did you need her for something?"

"Not the dean!" Samuel was frantic, waving his hands, "I'm talking about Tania, the young woman in her early twenties!"

The researcher chuckled, "Our Dean Tania is just twenty-five. She was the youngest dean at Kingston University. She said she's moving abroad for good and won't be coming back."