Love, Over and Out

I, Daphne Thorn, am an impoverished woman from the slums. William Blackburn, on the other hand, is the son of the richest man in Wylland. Unexpectedly, the two of us who share such vastly different identities end up being together. So far, we've tried out various difficult positions in our bouts of passion during our secret rendezvouses in secluded areas. Like the madman he is, William often torments me in every session. I'm so exhausted that I'm about to fall asleep. That's when a notification pops up on William's phone, which is sitting next to me. So, I take a peek at it. "William, my stomach hurts a lot! I'm suffering so much right now!" It's a text from someone named "Ellie". All the exhaustion in me disappears. I can feel my chest tightening up in discomfort. Once William is done with his shower, he leaves the bathroom and picks up his phone. "You should sleep first. I'm heading out," he says. When I see William turning his back on me, I blurt out, "Are you going to meet that childhood sweetheart of yours?" William wheels around to look at me. Suddenly, he moves to lift my chin. There is a trace of wariness in his eyes. "Don't go around sticking your nose in my business, Daphne. I like my woman docile and obedient." But I end up stalking William all the way to Royale Hotel, where I witness him visiting Elaine Moore, his childhood sweetheart. He coaxes her as though she's the most precious treasure in the world. I don't have the courage to question William in person. But still, I want to know who he thinks is more important to him—me or Elaine? So, I give him a call. "William, my gastritis is acting up again! It hurts so much! Can you drive me to the hospital?" I said. I use the same tactic that Elaine had used earlier. That night, I keep waiting for William, and yet he never returns to me. That's when I decide to not love him anymore. Chapter 1 I was an impoverished woman who came from the slums. On the other hand, William Blackburn was the son of the richest man in Wylland. The two of us, with vastly different identities, would end up getting involved with each other. We secretly tried out various difficult positions in all sorts of secluded spots while engaging in physical intimacy. William would torment me during every session. Exhausted, I was about to fall asleep when I heard the chime of a notification popping up on William's phone. I glanced at the screen, only to see a text on the screen. "William, my stomach hurts a lot. I'm in so much pain…" The text came from a woman named "Ellie". All traces of sleep vanished instantly, and my eyes regained their clarity. Almost immediately, I felt a sense of discomfort coming from my heart. William exited the bathroom after his shower. He then picked up his phone and looked at the screen. "You should rest. I'm leaving now." When I saw him turning his back on me, I blurted out, "Are you going to meet your childhood sweetheart?" William turned around to look at me. Suddenly, he lifted my chin, a hint of wariness in his eyes. "Don't peek at things you shouldn't be peeking at. I like my woman obedient and docile," he warned. After that, he left the room hurriedly. I lowered my gaze and thought for a few moments. In the end, I chose to tail him. I followed him all the way to Royale Hotel, where I saw him knocking on the door of a particular hotel room. A sweet-looking woman opened the door afterward. I recognized her as Elaine Moore, William's childhood sweetheart. I saw her photo on his phone a long time ago. The delighted Elaine jumped into William's arms right away. Meanwhile, William began patting her on the back gently in order to soothe her discomfort. "Don't be scared. Is your stomach still hurting?" Elaine shook her head while nestling in his arms, but she was still crying softly. Heartbreak was etched all over William's face as he coaxed Elaine gently, "Be a good girl now. No more crying, okay?" Then, he scooped her into his arms protectively and entered the hotel room, as though she was the world's most precious treasure to him. As I watched the door being closed behind them, I felt as though my heart was being stabbed over and over again. The pain went rampant in my heart, making me feel suffocated. My hands had already curled into tight fists by then. I even dug my nails into my palms, hoping to use pain as a method to suppress my urge to look for William. Since his beloved childhood sweetheart was back, did he still have feelings for me? I had gotten to know William thanks to an accident. That day, I stumbled down the road in a daze after I was done with my mother's funeral. It was raining at that time, and I didn't bother paying attention to the road ahead of me. That was how I ended up getting knocked down by a car that shot out from behind a corner. William got out of the car hurriedly. When he noticed my bleeding leg, he scooped me into his arms and rushed me to the hospital right away. He apologized to me, saying that he didn't pay attention when he was behind the wheel, which resulted in him knocking me over. He also told me that he'd take care of my medical bills. William often dropped by my ward to visit me when I was hospitalized. As time went by, we got to know each other better. Things between us were amicable and comfortable. In fact, we got so comfortable with each other that the atmosphere between us started becoming intimate. On the day I got discharged, I took the initiative to treat William to a meal, as I wanted to thank him for taking care of me during my hospitalization. We both had wine that day. Seeing as we were the only ones in the room, it didn't take long before the sparks between us grew into flames of passion. That night, I kissed him. William gave into his urges immediately. As he held me, he kissed me fervently and caressed every inch of my body. After that, we had a wild night together. When I woke up, I felt sore all over. There were marks littering my body. William quietly cleaned me up and applied cream to my injuries. I smiled at him brightly. "From now on, you're my lover," I said, my tone laced with pride. William gazed at me with mixed feelings. Finally, he replied softly, "Okay." His response soothed me greatly. After all, I had fallen in love with him unknowingly when we were still getting to know each other. Since then, we have been entangled in a secret relationship. Every time, we'd immerse ourselves in bouts of passion. I greedily enjoyed the love and affection William had showered me with. I supposed it wasn't just because I longed for love, but also that I was unbearably lonely. But now, my love for William was tormenting me. I slumped to the floor all of a sudden, feeling my energy draining from my body rapidly. I had no courage to question William in person, but I really wanted to know who he thought was more important—me or Elaine. So, I called William and used the same tactic Elaine had used earlier. "William, my gastritis is acting up again… I'm in so much pain right now… Please take me to the hospital…" This time, he hesitated. A few seconds later, he finally answered, "I'll have my driver take you there." As I stared at my phone screen, which showed the call being disconnected, I felt sorrow tearing my heart apart. Still, I refused to give up. I texted William, "I really need you right now. Can you please come over and keep me company?" Chapter 2 I refused to let William's driver pick me up. Instead, I just stared at the door, hoping to see William walking in anytime soon. Yet, he never bothered looking for me that night. Only when the sun rose did I receive a notification from an entertainment tabloid on my phone. It read, "#Rich scion William Blackburn spotted on vacation with his lover." In the video, William and Elaine were seen holding hands together as they took a romantic stroll along the beach. The love he had for her was practically written in his eyes. After walking for a while, Elaine rested her head on William's shoulder. He lowered his head slightly, while she lifted hers a little as well. Just like that, both of them shared a sweet kiss. Internet users filled the comment section. "Wow! The son of the richest man is already dating another woman! Ugh, I no longer stand a chance in dating him!" "Hey, I know that lady! She used to be the campus belle of Osmond Academy!" "I know her too! But she came from a poor family. I suppose this is a fairy tale where the prince falls in love with a peasant girl." "Both of them are so good-looking and talented! They're definitely a match made in heaven!" The video and the comments stung my eyes so much that I dared not continue to scroll. The date of the video being taken hurt me even more—after all, that day happened to be my birthday. Originally, I had intended to spend the day with William. But he told me that he was very busy with work, so he turned me down. Apparently, he wasn't working at all that day. Instead, he was on a vacation with Elaine. Once I recalled William's decision, I knew what the answer to my question was. Tears blurred my vision instantly. The heartbreak overwhelmed my senses, and the swirling mess of feelings threatened to drown my rationality. At that moment, I finally realized that I was just a plaything whom William could toy with. My body swayed from side to side as I walked over to William's residence, feeling dazed and helpless as though I was a marionette. Somehow, my instincts led me into his study, where I found a jewelry box sitting on his desk. When I opened the box, I saw a diamond ring. As soon as I picked it up, I noticed the "E" carved onto the diamond. It turned out that William truly loved Elaine to the point that he wished to marry her. He once told me that he'd consider marrying someone one year later. It was just that… I wasn't the one he wanted to marry. I was so disappointed that I trembled violently. Finally, I broke down and slumped to the floor while sobbing out loud. I could only clutch my chest. My heart throbbed in extreme pain, as though that could miraculously tide the pain over. I cried my fill that day. Once my tears dried up, I sobered up as well. That was when I packed up my stuff and left William's place. He wouldn't know that I loved him with all my heart. Of course, he would never know that there was once a time I wished to spend the rest of my life with him. The moment William chose Elaine, I decided not to love him anymore. After that, I returned to the slums. My father, Charles Thorn, whom I hadn't seen for quite some time, welcomed me at the door. I knew what he wanted to say, so I just gazed at him coldly. "I'll marry him… on one condition." Ever since I was born, Dad had wished to sell me off to someone else for a good price. Now, he found a suitable buyer. Even though my future husband was a man on the brink of death, Dad was still willing to push me into the pits of hell for the sake of money. "What condition?" Dad looked very uneasy. I merely sneered before saying, "I want to sever our father-daughter relationship." Dad was stunned by my declaration. "You… You ingrate! Stop spouting nonsense!" I just shrugged before replying mockingly, "Well, you got yourself a mistress, which pissed Mom off so much that she died from an aneurysm. And now, you want to sell me off in exchange for a million Merydean dollars. What makes you think I still want you as my dad?" Dad went silent at my outburst. So, I continued. "You plan on trading your own daughter's happiness in exchange for wealth and luxury, and yet you still want me to be grateful to you? You've got to be kidding me, right?" Once I was done speaking, I spotted Dad's mistress, Valerie Moore, who stood at the stairway while eavesdropping on our conversation. So, I added, "I'm leaving now, and just in time, too. That way, your precious mistress' daughter can love and care for you in my stead." Dad's expression darkened instantly. He was already trembling from rage, but in the end, he never did chastise me. After thinking for a moment, he made up his mind. "Fine! We'll sever our father-daughter relationship! But that man only has a month left to live! You must marry him in ten days!" Chapter 3 I nodded before passing the letter of disownment to Dad. He didn't seem to expect that I'd be ready to sever our relationship once and for all, judging from how disappointed he looked when he gazed at me. "You really are cruel." I raised an eyebrow in return before glancing at Valerie, who looked rather smug. "Oh, I'm not as cruel as you, that's for sure. After all, a normal man wouldn't have brought his mistress home the day after his wife died," I retorted. Dad was rendered speechless. After he took the letter, he signed it without hesitation. Even though I was already mentally prepared for this moment, I still felt my heart throbbing in pain. After all, my own father had abandoned me. I turned on my heel and ascended the stairs. Every step exuded unwavering resolve and defiance. Only when I returned to my room did I sink to the floor as though I had lost my soul. Sorrow and agony engulfed me in an instant. The next day, I was still asleep when I was awakened by the noises outside my room. I could hear Valerie saying nervously, "Ellie, this is Daphne's room. You can't stay in this room." I opened the door to see Valerie stopping a woman from entering my room. When I made out Elaine's face, I felt as though my blood had just turned to ice in my veins. Never in a million years would I expect Valerie's daughter to actually be Elaine, William's beloved lover. God sure knew how to make me look like the biggest clown ever. The men whom my mother and I loved the most ended up getting stolen by the mother-daughter duo! Elaine approached me happily and took my hand. "Daphne, can I stay with you? I like your room!" I yanked her hand away before closing the door in Elaine's and Valerie's faces.I wanted to shut them out of my life. Dad—no, Charles yelled angrily from outside my room, "Where are your manners, Daphne Thorn? Elaine's your younger sister, and yet you never greeted her properly!" I snapped, "I don't have any sisters!" Charles began chastising me loudly, his voice coming out in a rumbling roar. Then, he issued an order. "Elaine loves your room. Besides, you're about to get married soon. You might as well give your room to Elaine and move to the attic. She's going to be living in your room from now on." What little familial love I had for Charles ultimately dissipated. The heart-wrenching pain was back to haunt me. I just smiled bitterly. As I smiled, I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks. I no longer cared about the wisps of conversation that took place outside my room. But somehow, I just knew that the scene outside my room painted an amicable picture of a family comforting and soothing each other. I didn't want to see Elaine at all, so I left with my suitcase in tow. Even when Charles saw me leaving, he didn't bother stopping me. Instead, he reminded me to carry out my side of the promise. "I'll let you know when the wedding date is set. If you dare disappear on me, I won't hesitate to dig up your mother's ashes." As I watched the family of three eating happily at the dining table, I retorted, "Unlike you, I'm a woman of my word. If you dare lay a finger on my mom's ashes, I'll make sure that you won't receive your money!" When I was about to leave, I spotted the delight in Valerie's and Elaine's eyes. Now that I was gone, they'd be able to really exert controll. Charles didn't have a single cent under his name. The fact that Valerie was still willing to marry him meant that she had her eye on the one-million-dollar check that he'd be receiving after selling me. Even if Charles were to get his hands on the money, I would never let him enjoy it. Once the time came, I'd like to see if Valerie was still willing to stay with an old codger who didn't have any money at all. At that moment, my phone buzzed once. It was a text from William. "Where did you go?" it read. I just stared at the text in a daze. For a moment, I didn't know how to answer that question. William's concern for me just made my heart throb even more in pain. I raised my head to force my tears back into my eyes so that I didn't cry. After that, I just wandered around aimlessly with my luggage in hand. Since I didn't know where else to go, I decided to sit on a bench in the park and stare at the scenery, spacing out. I didn't know how much time had passed before I sensed a figure looming over me. When I lifted my head, I saw a familiar face that made my heart wrench in pain once again. Tears began streaming down my cheeks. William wiped my tears away for me with his fingers. In a helpless tone, he said, "If you're done with your tantrum, let's go home together." I fell silent at his words. Clearly, William was starting to get mad at me. His tone became lower and gruffer. "Now now, Daphne, don't be wilful." Chapter 4 William thought I left his place simply because of a tantrum. He had no idea that I no longer loved him. I replied bitterly, "I don't have a home now." He reached out to pat me on the head, his tone taking on a sympathetic tinge. "My home is your home, Daphne. You can live there." His words made my heart tremble, but it only lasted for a moment. Now, my heart was calm again. In the past, whenever I got into a fight with Charles, William would take me back to his home and comfort me there so that I could feel safe. His concern toward me gave me the illusion that he truly cared about me. But the truth was, he only had carnal lust for me. He had already given his heart to another woman, after all. William tried to pull me up to my feet, but I refused to budge. His voice might be soft, but I could tell that he was already adopting an authoritative tone. "Stop messing around, Daphne. Be a good girl." But I just shook my head and turned him down. "No. I'm going to stay in a hotel." William frowned. This time, he yanked me up to my feet forcefully. "You'll stay at my place from now on. You may go home whenever you feel like it." After that, he scooped me into his arms and left the park without giving me a chance to retort. Seeing as William was overbearingly insistent on this matter, I didn't resist him at all. I finally said, "Once I find myself a new place, I'll move out of your house. I won't disturb you anymore." William's gaze darkened. Confusion tinged his tone as he asked, "You won't disturb me anymore?" I saw him looking at me inquisitively. After that, he asked me meaningfully once again, "Are you sure you're capable of not disturbing me at all?" I just pursed my lips without saying anything. Deep down, I felt the familiar pang of pain attacking my heart once again. William must have known about my feelings for him. He could tell that I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with him. Despite knowing that I wasn't a part of his future, he still watched me slowly sink into the quicksand of love. He really was cruel to me. I took a deep breath before tossing out a question on purpose. "Do you know that your childhood sweetheart is the daughter of my former father's new wife?" William frowned instantly. His breathing turned heavier as well. "Yes, I do." My next question came out, albeit gingerly. "Do you… love her?" William's features were scrunched up in a tight frown, as though he was contemplating the answer very seriously. But then he replied, "Elaine's my junior back in the academy. Moreover, she even saved my life in the past, so I'm very thankful toward her. I don't care what sort of bad blood you have with your stepmother—just don't cause trouble for Elaine." He never told me whether or not he loved Elaine. Instead, he beat around the bush just to issue me a warning. Clearly, he was defending Elaine. That was why pelting him with questions seemed quite meaningless. At that moment, I felt exhausted all of a sudden. Upon returning to William's home, I went back to my usual room to rest. Minutes after lying down, I felt a pair of warm hands pulling me into an intimate embrace. Soon, the hands began roaming up and down my body. If this had happened in the past, I'd have gone with the flow. But now, I didn't feel like doing that. I shoved William away before sitting up instantly. In a displeased tone, I said, "I'm very tired, so I don't want to do anything today." The way William looked at me was rather odd. After all, this was my first time rejecting his need for pleasure. Puzzled, he asked me, "Are you angry about something?" I just shook my head. Then, I got out of bed and walked toward the balcony. William followed me right away. He hugged me from behind before burying his head into the crook of my neck. He began kissing me. I kept replaying the scene of William kissing Elaine in my mind, which nauseated me to no end. So, I pushed him away forcefully. Having lost his balance, William fell onto the couch behind him. Since I rejected him again, he got mad at me. "What the hell is wrong with you, Daphne?" I was in a bad mood, to begin with, so I snapped back loudly, "You've always treated me like a robotic plaything in bed, and you've never thought about how I feel! If I'm not in the mood, then I'm not going to be intimate with you!" William was slightly taken aback by my outburst. Then, he frowned deeply. "So that's how you feel all this time, huh? You really are making a fuss out of nothing! Whatever, have it your way!" After that, he turned to leave angrily. As I watched William's silhouette disappear from my line of sight, all I felt was endless sorrow and grief. Chapter 5 The next day, the maids dragged me out of bed and began giving me a makeover before I could even wake up properly. As I looked around hazily, William walked into the room. He looked dashing in his custom-fitted black tux. His hair was swept back, and his eyes held a magnetic charm that could put me under his spell. Perhaps his looks were the reason I had fallen in love with him in the first place. William patted me on the head out of habit. "I want you to attend a banquet with me." I stared at him, completely flabbergasted. Our relationship was secretive in nature. Not to mention, William had told me that his social status was very special, which meant he couldn't make our relationship public. What was he up to? But when we arrived at the banquet hall, I found out that it was actually Elaine's birthday banquet. William was worried that others might find out about our relationship, so he chose to maintain his distance from me. We even entered the banquet hall separately. I turned on my heel, ready to leave. Yet, Elaine was quick to stop me. "Yay! I'm so happy that you came to my birthday banquet, Daphne!" I frowned. But in the end, I didn't say anything mean to her, seeing as there were other guests around us. But Elaine didn't plan on stopping there. Instead, she decided to piss me off even more. "By the way, Dad misses you a lot. You shouldn't have run away from home, you know? He's getting on with the years, so he needs his daughter to take care of him. What you did was really inappropriate." I couldn't resist talking back to her. "My business has nothing to do with you. You're not my sister either—you meddling in my business won't make you look like a good daughter to him, too!" I said. After that, I shook Elaine's hand off me and entered the banquet hall. Elaine turned to look at William, obviously upset. She looked so pitiful, like she was about to cry. Although I had my back on the couple, I could still feel William glaring at me in displeasure. When I turned around, I happened to catch sight of him comforting Elaine gently. I didn't know what he said, but Elaine giggled happily in return. The discomfort of having to suppress my sadness was starting to get to me. I took a deep breath before opting to sit in a corner. I didn't want to get noticed at all. Meanwhile, William introduced Elaine to all of his friends. They accepted gifts from everyone they met. Whenever Elaine was thirsty, William would pass her a glass of water. If she were to step on the hem of her dress, he'd lift the hem for her. When she was done eating a slice of cake, he'd even wipe the corner of her mouth carefully for her. The thing was, William had never shown me such gentle care before. As I watched the couple being lovey-dovey in front of everyone, I could feel my heart getting cut over and over again by their actions. It hurt so much that I had a feeling my heart could never recover. Once the birthday banquet started, Elaine walked up to the stage under everyone's gazes. She gave a polite speech that was met with a round of applause by the guests. Since Elaine and William's relationship was more or less public by now, someone began inquiring about their future plans curiously. "Elaine, when are you going to marry William?" With flaming cheeks, Elaine turned to look at William. Then, she bowed her head quietly without responding to the question. "Look at how bashful she's become!" William soon got onto the stage as well. He looked at the guests before saying, "Don't make fun of her. She's still young." Someone else quickly asked, "Does that mean you're planning to marry her?" William shot a glance at me subconsciously, only to see my eyes firmly glued to his face. I'd like to know the answer as well. The next thing everyone knew, William declared his affection for Elaine on the spot. "If I were to get married, I'd choose her." As soon as everyone heard the answer, they began cheering loudly. Elaine's embarrassment deepened even more, but she also smiled happily at the same time. Clearly, she was immersed in the happiness William's confession had brought her. On the other hand, the final trace of hope that I had been clinging to all this time dissipated the moment I heard William's words. My heart pounded erratically behind my chest. While pain seized my senses, I could feel flames of rage burning me alive as well. In a way, I was being tormented by my feelings, making me feel as though I was about to fall apart. So, I fled from the banquet hall with my tail between my legs. Upon reaching a corner, I ended up tripping over my feet and falling to the floor because I wasn't able to keep my balance. By then, I was already in a state of helpless panic, making me seem like an absolute fool. A man approached me and helped me up to my feet. "Miss, what are you doing lying on the floor?" Instead of letting me go, he trailed his hand upward in an attempt to cop a feel of my chest. Instinctively, I backed away from him before slapping him in the face. "Get lost!" Now that he got slapped, the man reached out to grab me furiously. "You fucking bitch! How dare you slap me?" Chapter 6 The man grabbed me by my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh. It hurt so much that I hissed in pain. Just as I was about to scream for help, I found myself making eye contact with William. He was standing with Elaine at that time, and he was looking at me with mixed feelings written all over his face. I was about to ask him for help when I noticed Elaine's eyes glinting slyly. Suddenly, she slapped a hand to her forehead and feigned discomfort. "William, I feel very weak… and my head hurts a lot… I want to rest…" William quickly steadied Elaine on her feet, worry already etched on his face. "I'll take you to the hospital right now." But Elaine shook her head. "I'm fine. You should go save Daphne." Despite her response, she still collapsed in William's direction abruptly, looking as though she was about to pass out. William instantly picked Elaine up and whisked her into a nearby lounge. Just like that, he chose to ignore my plight. I remained rooted to the spot because of what happened. Only when pain flared from my cheek, where the man had slapped me earlier, did I snap out of my trance. "Hey, bitch! You're still pretending to act all pure and innocent, huh? Weren't you trying to seduce me by lying on the floor just now?" As he spoke, he tried to rip my dress off me. Enraged, I grabbed a flower pot and bashed it at the man. He managed to evade it, so the pot crashed into countless shards on the floor. I quickly picked up a shard and aimed it at the man. "If you touch me again, I'll fucking kill you!" Needless to say, the man was stunned upon noticing how much anger and hatred I was harboring. I turned to leave, though I kept clutching the shard tightly, allowing it to pierce through my skin. Even if pain kept flaring from my fresh wound, it was nothing compared to the pain attacking my heart. Both my body and my heart were in so much pain that I had no idea what to do. I could only stand on the pavement, not knowing where to go for the time being. A short while later, a familiar luxury car slowed down to a halt before me. Elaine got out of the car, a radiant smile on her face. "Let me drive you home, sister dearest." When she noticed me staring at the car, her smile became even more meaningful. "Oh, right. William had given me this car as my birthday present. He even gave me a silver necklace." As Elaine spoke, she even took out the necklace just to show it to me. I glanced at it. Although the pain still remained, I was starting to feel numb toward it. I had seen the exact same necklace around William's neck before. He had claimed that it was an heirloom left behind by his mother, and that he'd give it to his future wife. That meant he had already chosen Elaine as his wife. I took a deep breath before saying coldly, "I don't like you at all. Don't ever address me as your sister ever again. I don't want to be related to you at all." I was about to leave when Elaine grabbed me by the arm. She said in an aggrieved manner, "You're still my older sister no matter how much you hate me." Irked, I was about to push her away when I noticed a dark shadow plunging down at us. At the same time, a chorus of screams rang out from the nearby passersby. Both of us looked up simultaneously, only to see a sign falling onto us. At that critical juncture, I spotted William rushing over and pulling Elaine out of the way. As for me, I ended up getting crushed by the sign. While I lay in the puddle of my own blood, I saw the way William held Elaine protectively in his arms. That was when despair finally engulfed me. When Elaine and I were in danger, William didn't choose me, just like before. For the first time ever, I felt regret. I regretted falling in love with him in the first place. He didn't deserve my love as well. … The moment I woke up in the hospital, I heard someone crying softly. "I'm sorry… Had I realized that we were in danger, Daphne wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place…" Elaine paused momentarily. This time, she chose to blame William. "You should've saved Daphne!" Then, I saw William wiping Elaine's tears away. "It was a dangerous situation. I could only save one person back then. Daphne wouldn't get mad at me for saving you first." I jolted at his words. Once again, William left a fresh gash onto my broken and battered heart. I… wouldn't get mad, huh? Right… What right did I have to get mad at him in the first place? William just sighed as he took Elaine's hand and continued comforting her. "Stop crying already. Watching you cry pains me as well." Chapter 7 Elaine nodded in response. Then, she melted into William's arms. He continued holding her while comforting her in soft tones. As I watched the couple being lovey-dovey with each other, I felt my heart going numb from the intense pain. I closed my eyes while suppressing my sorrow and rage. When Elaine left the ward, I finally opened my eyes. William was elated to see me awake. He also made sure to show me the same amount of concern. By then, I had already calmed down. I spent time with him as though nothing had happened. In fact, both of us chose to ignore the incident that had happened at Elaine's birthday banquet. During the time I was hospitalized, William visited me every day. At first, I thought he really was here to visit me. That was, until I noticed that Elaine happened to be staying in the ward next to mine. That was when cold realization dawned on me. William was never here for me. He was here for Elaine. According to a nurse, Elaine got hospitalized because of pneumonia. She had to receive IV treatment for the time being. William would spend time with her every day. Then, he'd free up some time from his schedule just to visit me. I even heard the nurses praising Elaine for having such a handsome and caring boyfriend. So, I couldn't resist visiting Elaine's ward. Through the glass window, I saw William peeling an apple for Elaine before feeding her some fruit. Then, he'd wipe her mouth for her. Elaine held hands with him the whole time while smiling giddily. Despite knowing that I'd be facing the brutal truth, I still watched the entire scene unfold before my eyes patiently. In the end, I just smiled bitterly. This time, I walked away quickly and steadily after turning my back on the couple. It seemed that my decision to leave was the right one. On the day I got discharged from the hospital, William dropped by to pick me up. When I returned to his home, I saw Elaine there. Stunned, I could only stare at William, who refused to look at me at that moment. He only told me, "She's going to stay over at my place for a few days." I just bit my bottom lip quietly. Then, I let out a scoff before returning to my room. Since Elaine and William couldn't wait to live together, there was absolutely no reason why I should continue staying there. While I was packing my stuff, Elaine approached me from behind. "I never knew you've been dating him for so long." I just chuckled softly. "Yeah. It's been a long time. And yet, I still can't capture his heart." Elaine wore a smug expression. "That's right. He loves me and only me." After zipping up my suitcase, I got up to my feet and looked at Elaine seriously. "That's why I'm backing off. I hope you two can live happily ever after," I said. Just when I was about to leave, Elaine suddenly gripped my arm. Then, she pulled out a bangle from her purse. My eyes went bloodshot instantly. I could only stare at her in disbelief. "Why do you have this?" Elaine merely raised an eyebrow in return. "Your dad gave it to me." I instinctively reached out to snatch it away from her. After all, the bangle was left behind by my mother. In the past, I had looked for it for a long time, yet I could never locate it. It turned out that Charles had given it to Elaine. Elaine kept dodging my attempts to snatch the bangle away. She quickly raised it above her head. "Don't come any closer, or else I'll smash it!" I stopped moving instantly. All I could do was glare at her angrily. "Elaine Moore, don't you dare cross the line!" But she just shrugged, wearing a menacing smile on her face. "I can give the bangle to you… but you'll have to get down on your knees and beg me for it." I could only stare at her in shock. I didn't want to do it at first, but when I saw her fingers loosening around the bangle, I panicked right away. With bloodshot eyes, I slowly sank down on my knees. To my horror, Elaine laughed at the top of her lungs. "Oh, Daphne! You're far too naive! Even if you were to grovel in front of me, I wouldn't give it back to you!" Once Elaine was done speaking, she tossed the bangle out the window. I could hear it smashing into pieces from outside the house. At that moment, my pupils shrank. My body began trembling violently, and my heart felt as though it was being slammed by a hammer repeatedly. I missed my mother so much, but I couldn't even protect the only thing she had left for me. To make things worse, the culprit of the bangle's destruction still had the gall to act all arrogant in front of me. "This is a warning for you to stop drooling after the man who doesn't belong to you in the first place. If you're leaving, you'd better not come back ever again," she warned. I couldn't hold my rage back anymore, so I tackled Elaine to the floor. As I straddled her, I kept slapping her repeatedly. Then, I yanked her by the hair with all my might. Some bitches deserved to be taught a lesson, that was for sure. Elaine shrieked at the top of her lungs as I beat her up relentlessly. Upon hearing her screams, William came running over. He yanked me off Elaine's body and threw me aside. Then, he delivered a harsh slap across my face. "Have you gone insane?" he bellowed at me. Chapter 8 I raised my head, my eyes completely red with rage. As I watched William pull Elaine into his arms, I let out a chortle. "William Blackburn, you've betrayed me!" William's expression was cold. He cast me a furious glare in return. "Regardless of what Elaine did, you shouldn't have beaten her up!" Strangely enough, I turned calm and collected. My tone turned frosty as well. "She broke my mother's bangle. That was my mother's personal belonging." But William just scoffed coldly in return. He chastised me disdainfully, "Your mother's already dead, so what's the use of keeping her bangle? From the way I see it, your mother was a woman with no manners. Clearly, she didn't do a good job in raising you." His words cut me deeply. I burst into tears on the spot. In fact, I bawled like a lunatic. "You're right. My mom died a long time ago. No one was there to raise me properly, so I deserve to get bullied. Is that it?" William was momentarily taken aback by my cries. For a moment, he looked conflicted. At that moment, the aggrieved Elaine began crying while whining to William, "Oh god… William, my scalp is bleeding! Daphne yanked my hair off my head earlier! And my face… my face is injured! Oh my god, am I going to be disfigured?" Her entire face was swollen and completely covered in bruises. I was able to yank some of her hair off her head, which injured her scalp. Right now, she was still bleeding from her scalp. William's heart ached for Elaine instantly. He said comfortingly, "Everything's going to be alright. I'll take you to the hospital and get you treated." Then, he glared at the household staff angrily, who were all watching from the doorway. He ordered tersely, "Lock Daphne up in the basement. Have her reflect on her behavior for a few days in there." I could only stare at William in shock and disbelief. As I watched him whisk Elaine away, what was left of my feelings for him finally disappeared. Soon, I was taken away by the household staff as well. There was nothing but pitch-black darkness in the basement. I didn't have my phone with me, so I couldn't contact anyone. It was so silent that I could even hear the air humming in my ears. Honestly speaking, I was afraid of the dark. No—I was terrified of it. Whenever I was about to fall asleep, rats would come out of nowhere and bite me. Even the meals I was given had gone bad. I couldn't even stomach them at all. I had no idea how long the household staff had kept me locked up in the basement. But my imprisonment was a long and arduous one, to say the least. On the day I was finally released from the basement, the household staff gave me a good beating. One of them told me arrogantly, "This is your punishment for offending our future missus. You'd better remember this lesson for the rest of your life!" I knew that the so-called missus was Elaine. Of course, William allowed her to bully me as much as she wanted. Truthfully speaking, I refused to believe that William would treat me like this. But the pain and agony I had gone through the past few days kept reminding me how cruel he actually was. I was beaten up to the point that I couldn't even move an inch. Blood kept gushing out from beneath me. Having finally realized that I was in a dire condition, the household staff quickly sent me to the hospital. After a quick check-up, the doctor announced that I had gone through a miscarriage due to my abdomen suffering from heavy blows. Just like that, I lost my baby… Heart-wrenching pain flooded my senses immediately. I broke down in hysteric tears on the spot. The next few days were like living hell to me. I was stuck in a cycle of sorrow and guilt. At one point, I even attempted to jump off the building and end my miserable existence. If it wasn't for a patient who happened to walk past me and managed to stop me by hugging me from behind, I'd most likely have died. Once I finally regained my rationality, I felt like the biggest idiot in the world. William never loved me, to begin with. What could I have done with my pregnancy? Would I have given birth to the baby? Well, the baby was better off without me. At least it wouldn't grow up in an incomplete family. Besides, I was about to get married soon. I couldn't do that while pregnant, could I? During this period, William never bothered showing up. Some time later, I found out from the household staff that he had taken Elaine on another relaxing vacation. Also, the household staff kept purposefully bringing up how nice William was to Elaine. I knew that Elaine had ordered the household staff to hurt me repeatedly with their words. It was true that I'd felt sad, but after losing my baby, all the pain seemed to have vanished from my life. It seemed that I no longer loved William anymore. After all, I'd never place my hopes in a man who had disappointed me this many times. Chapter 9 Today was the day I had promised Charles that I'd get married. I had already changed into my wedding gown. When I was about to get into the wedding car, Elaine came to the venue. She stood before me before tossing the wedding bouquet to me coldly. "Congratulations on getting married today." I watched as the bouquet landed on the ground. My response came out detached. "You got your wish." Elaine smiled in satisfaction. Pride and arrogance gleamed in her eyes. "Of course. Well, as long as you don't come back and stir up trouble for me, that is." A pregnant pause later, Elaine leaned into my ear and began mocking me. "Oh, Daphne… Don't tell me you seriously think William really likes you." My expression was calm as always. I merely shot her a sideways glance. Elaine harrumphed in return. "To tell you the truth, I got to know William way before you even met him. That's why he fell in love with me first. Whatever relationship he has with you only stemmed from his need for pleasure." I wasn't surprised, in the slightest. After all, I had already known the truth for a long time. The sight of my aloof expression left Elaine feeling a little surprised. "How is it that you're able to keep your cool?" I knew that Elaine wanted nothing more than to see me breaking down in tears and suffering from the pain she brought on. But seriously, I felt nothing right now. Instead, I pointed at my heart and said firmly, "I'm already dead on the inside." Elaine was clearly stunned. She just stared at my chest in a daze. I took a deep breath. Then, I flashed her a knowing smile. "Elaine, the love that can be stolen so easily is not true love. Since you love William that much, I'll just give him to you. I hope that both of you can live happily ever after." After that, I got into the car. I would never return to this home… ever again. "William Blackburn, you and I are done," I thought. In order to end our relationship properly, I even delivered William a proper break-up letter. After completing the wedding ceremony with my new husband, Axel Young, I left the city with him. I didn't bring my belongings with me. In fact, I chose to abandon my assets and my phone as well. Just like that, I had completely destroyed all of my traces in this city. No one knew where I went. William finally went home on the third day I left. When he realized that his house was empty save for Elaine's presence, he began looking for me everywhere. Elaine hid the fact that I was married from William, so he didn't know about the news. He thought that I threw another one of my tantrums and refused to see him. He had been waiting for me to take the initiative to seek him out. But after waiting for many days, he never saw me. That was why he began contacting me worriedly. Alas, he couldn't find me at all. At that time, my letter was finally delivered to William's place. He tore it open to read the content. The moment he realized I intended to cut all ties with him, he was shell-shocked. The letter read, "William, by the time you receive this letter, I'm already gone. I can't believe I actually fell in love with you over the years since we met. All these years, I was the one who had been seeking you out actively. We might have had our moments of passion, but you never promised me a future. Of course, you never included me in your future plans. "There was once I looked forward to marrying you, but it was all a fantasy. After all, Elaine is the woman you love. In the past, I had gauged your response countless times—who would you choose when it came to me and Elaine? "In all those moments, you chose Elaine. Moreover, you even killed our child. I could never forgive you for what you've done. "Now that the woman you love is back, it's time for me to leave. I'm exhausted, you see—I don't want to remain in this mess of a relationship. I don't love you anymore. It's over between us. Please don't come looking for me because I don't want to see you at all. "In fact, let's not meet again for the rest of our lives. It's better if we live our lives separately." The surgical consent form of my miscarriage was even included in the letter. William shook violently at the sight of the form. Shock was written all over his face. His eyes now bloodshot, he turned to glare at Elaine. "What the hell is this all about?" Elaine shook her head instantly, feeling rather uneasy. She claimed that she didn't know what I was talking about. Flames of rage erupted in William's eyes instantly. While he kept his tone suppressed and low, he sounded a lot more intimidating than when he was actually yelling at people. "Tell me the truth, Elaine. Where is Daphne? Where did she go?"