Desiring Her All Along

It was only on our first wedding anniversary that I realized the rubbers I bought before our wedding had long expired. No one would believe that my mafia husband, Andre Garcia, and I had never consummated our marriage. That night, I gathered my courage and bought a suggestive nightgown. After downing three glasses of whisky, I hugged Andre tightly and whispered in his ear, "Darling, let's do it today. I want you..." However, Andre shook my hand off indifferently as if he were handling a gun. "Danielle Lawson, do you have no shame? You've done such shameless things time and time again. If you're really that lonely, I'll order you some toys so you can play with them to your heart's content." My face turned deathly pale as I stood there, stunned. I could not understand why a wife begging for her husband's affection was considered 'shameless' behavior. I curled up on the couch, unable to help but ask on social media. Danielle: [My husband has no dysfunction. Why won't he touch me after marriage?] Someone replied: [Perhaps your husband has someone else.] Like a dagger, that comment pierced me awake. I suddenly realized—maybe the problem was not that I was unattractive but rather that he was never mine. The moment I deleted my account, I also made the decision to leave. Who could have imagined that Andre, who would usually not even glance at me, would frantically search for me after I disappeared? "Danielle, I can't get a hard-on after you left!" Chapter 1 [Perhaps your husband has someone else.] The moment I saw the comment, my fingers froze, and I felt like I had fallen into an ice pit. I turned around to see that the bedside lamp in the bedroom was still on, but Andre Garcia was already out of bed. The pattering sound of water came from the bathroom, accompanied by a strange noise that made my scalp tingle. My mind went blank as an ominous premonition made me stand up. Stopping at the bathroom door, I peered in through that tiny gap. The next second, my mind exploded! Andre, who had shown no interest in me in the past three years, was propped up against the bathroom wall, his body as tense as a bowstring. He held his member in one hand as he vented frantically and hurriedly. On the phone screen in front of him was a photo of my younger sister, Maya Lawson. “Maya...” His voice was hoarse and affectionate with a tenderness and infatuation he had never shown me. I hurriedly covered my mouth, stifling my scream, and took two steps back as if I had been struck by lightning. Just as I fled to the living room, I heard his phone, which he had left on the coffee table, vibrate. I had always known Andre's phone password, but I had never checked it out of respect. Trembling, I typed in the password and opened the messaging app I had never touched. I tapped into Andre's work group chat. [Boss, today is your first wedding anniversary with Danielle. It's also the 500th day you've remained chaste for Maya. We've prepared fine wine to celebrate your impending success.] [You're so patient! Danielle has such a seductive figure. You wouldn't lose anything by touching her!] [Shut up! Boss has said Danielle is a thief who stole Maya's identity. Just the thought of touching her disgusts him. If the old Don hadn't demanded that boss marry Danielle before passing the position to him, boss would never have agreed to marry her!] [He only married her to make it easier to dump her later and avenge Maya!] [It's different now. We've taken control of the Meditera arms line. The Lawson family is useless. Boss, when do you plan to divorce Danielle?] A new message stopped the following messages. It was Andre's reply, which contained only one word: [Soon]. My heart ached as if pierced by needles. My fingers were icy cold as the phone slipped from my palm. Memories from four years ago washed over me like a tidal wave. I was an orphan, adopted by a couple abroad. Though we were not related by blood, they doted on me like I was the apple of their eyes. When I returned four years ago, I unexpectedly learned that my biological parents were actually from the Lawson family, a mafia family. I was maliciously switched at birth, and the person who took my identity was Maya. The Lawson family could not bear to part with Maya, whom they had raised for over a decade, but I was the one with the Lawson family's bloodline. Therefore, I was the one who married Andre, the heir to the Garcia family, instead of Maya. I had no intention of stealing Maya's fiancé, but Andre was the one who pursued me relentlessly. As a mafia boss, countless women wanted to sleep with him. However, he only showed tenderness to me. Knowing I could not get used to the local food, Andre personally flew his private jet back to Itol to buy me my favorite handmade pizza. When I was awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night, he would gently tell me bedtime stories to lull me back to sleep. Later, I was kidnapped by rival forces due to family conflicts while my parents were busy celebrating Maya's birthday. Andre and his men rescued me amidst a bullet storm. He even took a bullet for me. I thought I had found true love and insisted on marrying him, ignoring my adoptive parents' advice. On our wedding night, Andre moved into the study. He did not even… show the slightest desire to be intimate with me. I thought I had not done enough, but only now did I realize he had desires, but he was simply remaining celibate for the woman he desired. My chest ached as if a hammer had knocked on it. Tears streamed down my face. Just then, my phone rang again. I answered the phone as if my soul had been ripped out. Enzo Romano's deep voice rang out. "My darling, how have you been? Your mother and I miss you terribly. We'd like to visit you, but are you free?" After my identity was confirmed, my adoptive parents supported my return to my biological family, even though they were reluctant to let me leave. I was also reluctant to leave my adoptive parents, who had cherished me since I was little, but I decided to for Andre's sake. I never imagined that this decision would bring me to tears now. Hearing my adoptive father's concerned voice, I stopped pretending and sobbed, "Dad, I want to go home." "My darling, why are you crying? Who bullied you?" His voice was filled with worry and anger. My adoptive parents were the leaders of Pirate Group, which controlled cargo transportation in almost all of North Ameria's ports. "You're the sole heiress of Pirate Group and our princess. I'll avenge tenfold and even a hundredfold for every grievance you suffer!" Chapter 2 It was already noon when I woke up the next day. When I went downstairs, I found two people already sitting at the dining table. Andre sat upright in the main seat, indifferent and silent. Andre's mother, Elaina Bianchi, joined him. She was stirring her coffee with an exquisite silver teaspoon. Hearing my footsteps, Elaina looked up. Her eyes locked on my waist as she said meaningfully, "Danielle, you must be exhausted from last night. Come and sit down." I stopped in my tracks and subconsciously looked at Andre. He did not even glance at me. A trace of bitterness flickered in my eyes. Before I could explain, Elaina pressed again, "Danielle, you've been married to Andre for a year. How come there's no sign of pregnancy at all? I'm waiting to have my grandchild." "I've made efforts—" I answered dryly when Andre interrupted me indifferently. "Mom, don't worry about this. You'll have your grandchild... soon. Be patient." Having received Andre's assurance, Elaina instantly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. She gave me a few words of advice and then left. The door closed, and the living room immediately fell silent except for the ticking of the clock. I looked blankly at Andre, wondering, 'Why did he say that? We haven't been intimate... How would we conceive a baby?' Perhaps my gaze had lingered on him for too long. Andre finally looked up with a sneer. "Just because I didn't satisfy you yesterday, you deliberately put on an act in front of my mother?" My face turned ghastly pale. "I didn't..." "You didn't?" He violently pressed me against the edge of the dining table. His body leaned close, making it hard for me to breathe. "Then why didn't you change out of your outfit? Are you so horny that you want to seduce me even during the day?" It was then that I realized that I was still wearing the suggestive nightgown from last night. I awkwardly covered my chest, yet the straps slipped down, revealing my fair shoulders. With just a slight tilt of his head, he could see even more of what lay beneath. Andre's throat bobbed involuntarily. Just then, the message his subordinate had texted him came to mind. [Danielle has such a seductive figure. You wouldn't lose anything by touching her!] Andre shoved me abruptly as if he had been doused with ice water, sobering him. When he looked at me again, his gaze had returned to its usual indifference and aloofness. "Don't overthink it. I've already made arrangements for our child." I froze in place, wondering, 'What kind of arrangements could he possibly make?' As soon as Andre finished speaking, a group of strangers in white coats with medical badges hanging around their necks filed in. They pushed gleaming medical kits as they lined up. A bad premonition welled up inside me. The doctor leading the group respectfully asked, "Don Garcia, shall we begin now?" A chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively took two steps back. Two burly bodyguards immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arms and pinning me down. "Let me go! What are you doing?" I was dragged to the villa's private medical room, and my limbs were firmly strapped to the operating table. The doctors began skillfully operating the instruments. The cold lights came on, making me shiver. "Andre! Have you lost your mind? What are you trying to do to me?" Chapter 3 Andre had no intention of explaining. He did not even look at me, his gaze fixed only on the leading doctor as he nodded simply. The doctor immediately straightened his back and respectfully walked toward me, who had been forcibly pressed onto the operating table. "Mrs. Garcia, this is an ovulation induction drug. It might hurt a little, but please cooperate." I was taken aback. Recalling what Andre had just said, my face paled. "Are you trying to have a baby through IVF?" Andre finally turned around and gave me a cold gaze. "Haven't you always wanted to give me a baby? I'm giving you this chance now." My lips trembled, but I could not say a word. The needle in the doctor's hand, which was thicker than I imagined, reflected coldly as it slowly approached like some kind of torture device. I could not help asking hoarsely, "Andre, why do you have to do it this way?" If he were just willing to touch me once, I would not have to suffer such humiliation under the cold operating light. Andre frowned and answered icily, "It's for the common interest of the Garcia family and the Lawson family, of course. We must have a child." It turned out... it was just about interests. The last bit of hope I had for him in my heart shattered instantly. Children should be the continuation of love, not victims born out of necessity. I clenched my hands tightly, my nails sinking into my palms. "I refuse." Andre froze. It was the first time I had refused his request. I had always obediently done whatever he asked. Now, I was not even willing to have his child. He could sense the change. A feeling of loss of control and displeasure instantly welled up in Andre. He frowned, gripping my chin tightly and forcing me to look up. "Repeat that." The pain in my chin made my eyes redden, but I insisted, "I said, I refuse!" Andre's eyes flickered with impatience and confusion for a second. He never needed to guess what others were thinking as everyone was afraid of him. I was the exception. However, he instantly extinguished that emotion. He scoffed. "Danielle, do you think I'd touch you for the sake of conceiving a child? Let me tell you, I have absolutely no desire for you." His remark instantly shattered my mind. He flung me away and turned around as if discarding a worthless object. “Danielle, you have no right to disobey my orders. You must give me a child.” With a wave of his hand, the group of people bound me firmly to the bed, ignoring my fierce struggles. I desperately reached out to grab Andre, but I could not even touch the hem of his clothes. I could only watch him leave without looking back. The intense pain as the needle pierced my skin made me curl up involuntarily. The tears that had been welling up in my eyes finally rolled down. The anesthesia gradually took effect, and my consciousness began to blur. In the last second before I lost consciousness, I could not help but wonder, 'Why? Why did Andre, who had held my hand at our wedding and spoken so gently to me... become this way?' … The next day, I woke up with an intense headache. The doctor stood by my bedside, pushing an incubator toward me. "Mrs. Garcia, the fertilized eggs are being cultivated. Look." Neatly arranged petri dishes filled the transparent incubator. I was stunned. "Are these my children? They're completely different from the warm and adorable little angel I imagined." Even more ironically... Andre had refused to touch me till the very end. He must have been looking at Maya's picture when giving them his sperm sample. It was disgusting. I covered my mouth and gagged violently, almost unable to breathe. The doctor beside me was startled. "Are you alright? You need to be in good health so that we can put the fertilized eggs back into your body... Mrs. Garcia, what are you doing?" Chapter 4 I could no longer listen to the doctor's words. I grabbed the incubator and threw it hard on the ground. "I said, I refuse to have children this way." I pulled off the expensive diamond necklace around my neck and handed it to the doctor. "How much did Andre pay you? I'll pay ten times as much as he did. You can't tell him a single word about what just happened." The doctor wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and replied, "But—" I calmly interrupted, "No buts." I made up my mind to leave Andre. There was no way I would bear him a child. I wanted to say goodbye to everything related to him. ... After the doctor left, I forced myself out of bed and started packing. The air here was thick with Andre's presence. It was suffocating. I dragged my suitcase out the door and immediately drove toward the private racetrack by the sea. All because I loved racing, my adoptive mother, Chiara Lombardi, spent a fortune converting this abandoned mountain forest into a racetrack as a wedding gift for me. She said she wanted it to be a quiet place for me to heal when I was feeling down. As soon as I reached the entrance, I saw the familiar black sports car; it was Andre's custom model. Beside the car stood his core subordinates. These men had changed out of their dark mafia uniforms and were wearing expensive custom suits, but they still sported the black lapel pins that symbolized their status. It was a typical mafia gathering. The car door opened, and Andre got out first. Then, he carefully bent over and lifted Maya out. He was gentler than I had ever seen him before. Maya wrapped her arms around his neck, shyly saying, "Andre, put me down. Everyone's watching." Andre did not stop. He just carried her through the crowd amidst their whistling. "Let them watch." Only after entering the racetrack did he gently put Maya down. As soon as Maya steadied herself, she looked up and saw me not far away. Her expression stiffened. "Danielle, what are you doing here?" Andre finally shifted his gaze from Maya. He glanced at me and frowned. The doctor had told him I was not feeling well after the egg retrieval, so he was confused why I was running around like this. An inexplicable irritation welled up inside Andre. "Danielle, who asked you to come?" I remained calm. "I'm here to race…" "Danielle, you're not trying to say you're here to race, are you?" The subordinates standing beside Andre immediately interrupted me and laughed mockingly. "You? Race cars? Even a simple corner overtake would probably make you scream! I bet you know Andre's here, so you're just making excuses to cling to him!" "It's okay if you don't know how to race cars. I'll teach you personally. Saves you the trouble of covering up your lie." "Tsk, just don't mistake the accelerator for the brake!" Their gazes lingered brazenly on me. Although they all knew I was adopted by a couple from Itol at a young age, they had no idea my adoptive parents were related to Pirate Group. They just thought I was some unsophisticated country bumpkin and never really respected me. Andre's hands clenched involuntarily while his eyes were icy. Maya spoke up at the right moment. "You're not allowed to talk about my sister like that." She seemed to be speaking up for me, but her actions just made her friends chime in sarcastically. "Maya, you can't blame others for being so blunt. It's your sister's fault for having such a vixen-like figure! Those big breasts must be implants!" "Yeah, you're both daughters of the Lawson family, but why does she look so... unrefined?" When I was found, my biological father had already groomed Maya as the heiress. He publicly declared that we were both daughters of the Lawson family. It was only due to a hospital error that they lost me. Therefore, everyone assumed Maya and I were sisters. Maya glanced at me nervously, afraid I would reveal the truth in public. However, I just gave them a blank look and turned around to walk toward the racetrack's preparation area. Maya breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said to Andre, "Andre, don't be mad at Danielle. The race is about to start. I heard the prize is the Heart of the Ocean necklace. Legend says that if you give this necklace to your loved one, you'll be together forever." Andre nodded and led the crowd away. I walked alone into the racing preparation area and took out my usual helmet and gloves from the locker. I had no intention of participating in the race. I just wanted to run a few laps on the private track. When I stepped out of the preparation area, Andre's race had already been going on for a long time. Just as I was about to start my car, a sharp, piercing gunshot rang out, followed by an announcement that the race was over. I glanced up at the track and saw the crowd scattering. Only Maya and the others remained in the stands, their expressions grave and anxious. Andre was nowhere to be seen. A bad feeling washed over me. I hurried over and asked with a frown, "What's wrong?" Maya broke down in tears. "Danielle, Andre is missing!" Chapter 5 I was taken aback. I wanted to divorce Andre, but in our world, going missing was a serious issue. "How could he have gone missing?" My voice turned cold. It was a tone I only used when I felt threatened. Maya sobbed out the words, "Andre was about to win the race, but who would've thought that the blue racing car following him would suddenly accelerate? Not only did it deliberately overtake his car, but someone also stuck their head out of the window while holding a gun…" "To avoid the bullets, he could only turn the steering wheel sharply. He didn't follow the original track and turned into the abandoned path on the east... That car also rushed in!" I instantly felt a headache, and my expression turned livid. "Stop crying! Instead of crying, we should think of a way to save him!" Andre's underling stood in front of Maya, glaring at me angrily. "Why are you so harsh with Maya? No one expected such a thing to happen tonight. That path is full of thorns and gravel. Ordinary cars can't even drive two feet. We can only wait for professional help... "Danielle, what are you trying to do?" I was already in the car. The engine roared. I put on my gloves, my eyes as calm as still water. As I shifted gears, I said, "Waiting won't save him unless you're all planning to take Andre home in a body bag." With that said, the racecar shot off like an arrow. The crowd was dumbfounded for a long time. "She doesn't seem like someone who's never driven a race car before... Could it be that we misunderstood her?" They did not notice Maya's fingers digging into her palm as she looked at me jealously. I quickly spotted the path hidden by weeds. It used to be an emergency route for the mafia's smuggling convoy. Now, it was a death trap for anyone unaware of its danger. Luckily, I was familiar with it. I slammed on the gas pedal and sped into the path, following the faint tire tracks. Why was I trying to save Andre? The reason was simple. First, this racetrack was in my name. If Andre were to die here, the Garcia family would cause me trouble. Secondly, it was also because I owed it to Andre. Years ago, I was kidnapped by the Lawson family's arch-enemies not long after I returned. My biological parents were busy throwing my sister's birthday party and did not even answer the ransom call. Andre was the one who answered. He tore down the warehouse wall to find me and was shot in the back. The bullet got close to his heart. He almost died. This was not a small debt, and it had to be paid off. After driving for what felt like forever, I was the first to spot the wreckage. Metal fragments surrounded a dead tree while thick smoke billowed upward. Andre was slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious, while blood streamed down his temple. His gas tank was on fire! I flung open his car door, held his shoulders with my arms, and dragged him out. His tightly shut eyes twitched slightly as he murmured, "Maya, when I get the necklace... I'll give it to you..." A bitter smile crept onto my lips. "Andre, you'd risk your life just to please Maya?" He did not answer. Just then, the sound of an engine came from behind. It was the blue racecar. It had found us. I pushed Andre into the passenger seat of my car, climbed in, and slammed into reverse. The killer's bumper slammed heavily into where we were earlier. I fished out the gun I had prepared beforehand, pulled the trigger, and fired a bullet straight into the killer's gas tank. With a loud bang, the hood of the blue racecar exploded, billowing thick smoke. However, the bastard was not done. A bullet pierced our windshield, going straight for Andre's chest. I did not think with my head; I just moved and shielded Andre with my body like I was a human shield. The bullet struck my shoulder, and excruciating pain erupted instantly. I gasped, raised my gun again, and fired the remaining bullets from the magazine at the killer until he collapsed to the ground, motionless. Only when the chaos subsided did I realize blood was streaming down my arm. My vision began to blur. However, Andre was alive. Just as he had saved me, I had saved him. With my good hand, I gripped the steering wheel tightly, sped off, and tried my best to bring him back to the racetrack. When everyone saw me covered in blood, they were speechless with astonishment. With all my might, I pushed Andre toward Maya, my voice so weak that it was almost inaudible. "Tell Andre I've repaid the debt I owe him..." After saying that, everything went black, and I passed out. ... When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. My gunshot wound to the shoulder had been treated. I instinctively asked, "Where's the man who was brought in with me?" A nurse directed me to his ward. Just as I reached the door, I heard Andre's underling say, "Andre, Maya risked her life to save you. You must repay her properly!" My heart stopped. Chapter 6 Who were they to give Maya credit for saving Andre? It was clearly my blood that spilled on the road! In the ward, Maya's voice trembled with just the right amount of guilt and feigned vulnerability. "Andre... It's all my fault. If you weren't trying to win me a prize, you wouldn't have fallen into their trap. It was my duty to save you." She paused for a second before adding with a voice full of hurt and innocence, "You don't have to leave Heart of the Ocean to me as compensation. I know you care about Danielle the most. She was kidnapped back then, but you risked your own life to save her..." Andre's underling retorted agitatedly. "It's not like that. That was a trap deliberately set up by boss." Maya froze in place. "What?" The underling continued casually, "Boss had someone kidnap her to make it clear to your parents that you were the most important to them! It was also to scare her off and make her go back to her adoptive parents." A bloody taste welled up in my throat. The underling added at great length, "As for marrying her? Boss's parents forced him to ally with the Lawson family, so he married Danielle, who has the Lawson family's blood. Don't worry. When you successfully become the heiress of the Lawson family, Andre will divorce her and hold a grand wedding to marry you. Right, boss?" A brief silence fell over the ward. Andre's voice broke the silence. It was deep, steady, and ruthless. "Yes." I stumbled back a step. For so long, I believed that the bullet he took for me meant something. I believed that his post-marital indifference was merely estrangement, not deception. I believed... Gosh, I was such a fool! My phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated, interrupting my near-breakdown. It was Chiara, her voice still loving. "Darling, the ship I arranged will arrive at the port tomorrow. I can't wait to see you." "Okay, Mom." My voice trembled almost imperceptibly. After ending the call, I looked up at the ward door with a bitter yet resolute smile. Fine! This way, we were completely even. I had saved Andre, repaying the debt of that fake kidnapping years ago. All this while, he had been scheming against me. I had finally seen through this marriage that only existed in name. We would never have anything to do with each other again for the rest of our lives. … The following day, I was exceptionally busy. First, I contacted a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement and placed the signed papers in Andre's study. Then, I drove to a private club to meet a friend who was an excellent asset strategist. When I first arrived here, my adoptive parents prepared a vast fortune for me as a safety net. Many of the arms dealers who partnered with the Lawson and Garcia families were their subordinates, and they were always at my beck and call. Despite possessing immense wealth, I had always kept a low profile and never told anyone about it. Now that I was leaving, these assets should be entrusted to someone I trust. I pushed a folder across the table, saying, "I'm leaving. You're in charge of everything." My friend quickly glanced at the file before staring at me. "You're terminating all contracts with the Garcia and Lawson families?" I nodded. "Effective immediately." He whistled. "They rely on your resources to survive. Without you, they'll collapse." "That's no longer my problem." "They'll regret it once they know your true identity." He gave a meaningful smile. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, I bade goodbye. When I went downstairs, I accidentally tugged on my wound. The pain almost made me fall. My friend instinctively reached out to support my waist. "Be careful. You're still injured." I thanked him softly and tried to steady myself. However, I saw Andre and his underlings coming out of the neighboring private room the moment I looked up. One of his underlings noticed me first. He glanced at Andre beside me and showed a malicious smile. "Hey, look who's here. Don Garcia, isn't this your wife? She found herself a lover right after leaving the hospital? "Even if Don Garcia can't satisfy you, you shouldn't be this desperate, right? Where does that leave Don Garcia's pride?" Chapter 7 Andre stood behind the group, his expression terrifyingly gloomy. His cold, murderous eyes were fixed on something—my friend's hand placed on my waist. However, his underlings failed to notice his anger and continued to fan the flames. "This guy? He looks like he could faint from carrying groceries. Do you really think he can satisfy you?" "If you're really that desperate, just ask us, sweetheart. Why do you have to sneak around with a weak and incompetent guy?" Their shrill laughter resounded throughout the corridor until Andre moved. He cut through the crowd like a blade and walked straight up to me. His voice was deep, his emotion indiscernible. "Danielle, explain." I did not even blink. "Make way." We were about to get divorced. What right did he have to question me? My nonchalance made his anger surface to the top. He seized my hand, and the laughter around him came to an abrupt halt. "Danielle, what do you mean by this?" He exerted so much strength that he almost crushed my bones. He added with a sneer, "Are you really that horny? Will any man do?" This insult should have broken my heart, but my heart was already numb. My friend tried to interject, "Danielle and I aren't—" I interrupted him. I stood on tiptoe, leaned close to Andre's ear, and said with a smile, "That's right. You can't even satisfy your own wife. Of course, I had to find someone else." The entire corridor fell silent instantly. Everyone's jaw dropped. They all knew Andre had never touched me, but they also knew I was devoted to him. Their insults were just a joke. No one believed I would actually cheat. The last trace of warmth vanished from Andre's face, leaving only hostility. Without warning, he hoisted me onto his shoulder. "Andre! Put me down." My fists pounded on his back, but to no avail. He threw me roughly into the back seat of his car, and the driver immediately got out. In the confined space, Andre leaned down, trapping me firmly between the seat and his arm. "Danielle, say that again." I raised my voice and retorted, "I found someone else..." Before I could finish speaking, he yanked off his tie, his eyes filled with suppressed possessiveness. "What do you want? I'll give it to you myself!" He lowered his head and kissed me. It was a rough, punitive kiss. There was no tenderness or consideration—only anger, possessiveness, and deep frustration. I held my breath. This was the first kiss since our wedding rings bound us together. I pushed against his shoulders as panic rose within me, but he easily subdued me. The touch of our lips was both familiar and strange. As Andre kissed me, his eyes glazed over. He thought, 'This woman's lips are so soft.' His hand unconsciously moved to my shoulder, and I groaned in pain. He froze. Just then, Andre's phone vibrated violently in his pocket. Maya's name flashed on the screen. Andre hesitated for a moment before answering the call. "Maya? If it's not urgent, don't bother me..." The person on the other end of the line said something, and his expression changed abruptly. "What did you say? Maya is in the emergency room?" Chapter 8 I had just come to my senses from Andre's forceful kiss. I struggled to get out of the car, but Andre closed the door even faster. The driver slid back into the driver's seat. Andre's order pierced through the air like a gunshot. "Go to the hospital. Immediately." On my way to the private hospital, I finally pieced together the whole story from the snippet of Andre's conversation over the phone earlier. It turned out that someone had exposed on the dark web that Maya was not of the Lawson family's bloodline. She was merely an orphan with good luck and a well-fabricated lie. Although my biological parents had stepped forward to give a statement, the public release of her orphanage file still exposed the truth. Maya's status as the successor was being questioned. The Lawson family's enemies were as restless as sharks that had smelled blood. Under all that heavy pressure, Maya actually attempted suicide. Andre gritted his teeth and stared icily at me. "Danielle, you have to attend the family meeting in half an hour. You must publicly admit that Maya is your biological sister." I could not help laughing sharply and icily. "Why?" He spoke as if he were explaining the obvious to a stubborn child. "Because they'll only believe you right now. As the long-lost biological daughter of the Lawson family, why would you relinquish your inheritance to her if Maya weren't your biological sister? They'll have no choice but to believe you if you admit it." Every word he spoke conformed to political logic. However, logic meant nothing to someone who had always lived in the shadow of their family. I asked again with a gentle hint of murderous intent, "I asked why." Why should I clean up the mess left by a woman who had stolen my parents from me? Why should I protect someone who had snatched my inheritance, my family name, and the man I once loved? Why should I shed my own blood to pave the way for her? Andre's expression darkened completely. "Danielle, stop being so stubborn. If you help Maya, I'll grant you your long-held wish." I forced an expressionless smile. "How noble. But I don't even know what wish you can help me grant." "Stop pretending. Haven't you always wanted me to sleep with you? If you help Maya, not only will I sleep with you, but... I'll even allow you to have my child." Andre's tone was impatient, as if he thought he was being incredibly generous. "I know that guy is a nobody. You were just using him to make me jealous. Once this calms down, I'll give you what you've always wanted." His throat bobbed. He must have remembered the alluring way I had offered myself to him in my lace nightgown. "I'll give it to you as many times as you want, okay?" My face turned deathly pale. My fingers dug into my palms, but I felt no pain. "Andre, what do you take me for?" He took my loyalty as a bargaining chip and my feelings as a transaction. He even thought letting me bear his child was a reward? Was I really that worthless to him? The despair in my eyes stung Andre's heart, and a flicker of unease flickered in his eyes. The unprecedented feeling of being out of control made him extremely irritable. He grabbed my chin and forcefully pressed his lips to mine again. He thought my anger would melt away with a kiss, but it did not. I bit down as his tongue probed deeper. Andre jerked back as he stared at the blood at the corner of my mouth. "You bit me? Danielle, you actually bit me?" He growled as his voice trembled with disbelief. Chapter 9 My lips were stained red with blood, making my complexion even paler. My eyes were terrifyingly bloodshot. Andre froze, feeling his breath stifle. Before he could come to his senses, the driver knocked on the car window and whispered," Sir, Ms. Maya is awake. She said if you don't go there soon, she'll..." Andre suppressed the inexplicable sharp pain in his heart and icily told me, "The doors to the conference hall will be locked in 30 minutes. I'll only give you 30 minutes to get there. If you're absent and cause something to happen to Maya, I won't spare you." Having said that, he left to rush to the ward where Maya was. The car door slammed shut, and the car fell silent. The tears I had been holding back finally poured out of my eyes. The debt between us had long been written off. Andre could not threaten me anymore. I took out my phone and texted the lawyer. Danielle: [Thirty minutes later, outside the Lawson family's conference hall, publicly release the evidence of Andre's extramarital affair with Maya and my divorce agreement with him.] Then, I handed the Lawson family's supplementary credit card, which the family had once given me, to the driver outside the car window. "There are millions of dollars in it, and the PIN is six ones. Take me to the port, and it's yours." My voice was deathly calm. Thirty minutes later, I boarded the yacht Chiara had arranged. The engine roared to life, and the yacht slowly sailed away from the coastline, carrying me along. Only then did I see a dozen missed calls from Andre on my phone, accompanied by several messages. Andre: [The conference hall doors are about to be locked. Danielle, where are you?] [I'm warning you, don't expect me to touch you again for the rest of your life if you play any tricks!] [Danielle, reply! Now!] The panic in his messages grew with each one, but my heart was utterly calm. I pulled out the SIM card, held it in my palm for a final second, and threw it into the sea. I did not want it anymore. I did not want Andre anymore either. Since he and my biological parents wanted Maya more, Maya would be the only one they had from now on. ... Inside the conference hall, Andre gripped his phone tightly. His knuckles were white, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He dialed my number repeatedly, but the only response he received was, "Sorry, the number you have called is unavailable."