Broken Strings

On the eve of my wedding, I was abducted and subjected to an agonizing, livestreamed nightmare. As the captors snapped my fingers one by one, Julian stared desperately through the screen from the other end: "Don't touch her! Take me instead. My life is worth more—let me be your hostage!" When I was finally rescued, half my body was numb and incontinent. He refused to let anyone else carry me, holding me tight all the way to the hospital, unwilling to part for even a single second. I thought he loved me. Until glowing lines of text began drifting through thin air before my eyes. 【I love a good obsessive stepbrother trope. Dark, twisted romance at its finest.】 【He broke her wings just to cage her by his side forever. Julian's love is so intense.】 【Now that the little songbird's legs are ruined, she'll never escape his grasp.】 It turned out the abduction had been orchestrated by Julian all along. He ruined me—simply because he loved me. But I never wanted his sick version of love, nor did I ever want my wings clipped. "Again? The guys have already taken turns. If we push it any further, she might not survive." Through the voice distorter on the line, the command came through ruthless and cold: "Keep going until she bleeds. She might be pregnant. That baby cannot be born." Like a dull blade sawing through flesh and bone, sheer agony drew hot tears from my eyes. My screams became a sick symphony for those men. I tried to crawl away, but a heavy hand seized my ankle. A sledgehammer swung down, shattering the bone into pieces. I nearly blacked out from the shock, but someone grabbed a fistful of my hair, plunging my head into a tub of ice water to shock me awake. In that endless stretch of torment, death felt like a mercy just out of reach. "She's bleeding! Snap a picture and send it to the client. Pull her head up—get a clear shot of her face." "Look at our masterpiece! She won't be standing on those legs ever again!" Amid their guttural laughter, the distorted voice crackled through the speaker: "It’s your own fault, Tia. This is your punishment for falling for another man. This is karma for your betrayal." "Now, I’m the only one you have left. You’ll never be able to leave me." "Stay by my side forever, sweetheart." 【Julian is practically dying of jealousy watching his girl almost marry someone else.】 【Thank God she wasn't actually pregnant. But Tia has zero self-respect, choosing some trashy guy over Julian, who’s guarded her for years.】 【Julian needs to claim his girl. Toxic, dark romance is so thrilling.】 【I’m obsessed with this creepy, possessive stalker vibe. Tia, stop fighting it and just be Julian’s obedient pet for life.】 Through my fading consciousness, countless floating comments drifted past my eyes. The name that appeared the most was Julian. They were saying... the man who hired these monsters was Julian? How could that be? I was resting against Julian’s chest now. His rapid heartbeat pounded against my cheek, and his face was streaked with fresh tears. Julian had always cared about me more than anyone. If I so much as scraped my skin, he would fuss over me for hours. How could he have paid men to brutalize me while begging on screen to take my place? "Don't be scared, Tia. I’m here. I won't let anyone who hurt you get away with this." My body reeked of a foul, nauseating stench that made the nurses gag, yet Julian clung to me tightly, as if terrified that loosening his grip would make me vanish into thin air. Even as they wheeled me toward the operating room, he refused to let go of my sleeve, pleading frantically with the surgeon: "My sister has a low pain tolerance. Please, use the strongest anesthetics you have. Don't let her suffer." "Tia, I’ll be right outside this door waiting for you. Don't be afraid. Just treat this like a nightmare. You’ll wake up, and everything will be fine." I managed a weak nod. The moment the double doors swung shut, the tears I had been desperately holding back burst forth. How could this ever be just a nightmare? The hideous scars carved into my skin, the mangled bones in my fingers, and the relentless, throbbing agony were all cruel reminders: My bright, beautiful life was gone. The anesthesia barely took the edge off the pain. Every time a sharp jolt shot through my nerves, my fingers would instinctively reach for Julian’s hand. And every single time, he was there, gently covering my eyes with his warm palm. "Sleep, Tia. I'm right here." When I woke up again, I overheard a hushed argument between Julian and the doctor. "Mr. Vance, shouldn't we proceed with the surgery? If we wait any longer, the tissue in her finger joints will become completely necrotic." The doctor’s voice was laced with urgency: "If that happens, she won't just lose the ability to play piano—she won't even be able to bend her fingers!” “She’s already paralyzed from the waist down. If you ruin her hands too, how is she supposed to survive?" "I will take care of her," Julian replied, his voice chillingly detached. He let out a low, mocking chuckle. "Even if Tia becomes completely helpless, she will live a better life than most people could ever dream of." "What? Are you feeling sorry for her?" "N-No, of course not, sir." Just hearing the doctor's teeth chattering made it easy to picture the cold smirk on Julian's face—the very look that always made his corporate subordinates break out in a cold sweat. "I just meant... she had an international tour scheduled for this year. It was supposed to be her debut alongside a world-renowned maestro.” “ It seems such a tragic waste to throw away an opportunity she worked so hard for." "It's not a waste. Someone else will take her place."Julian’s fingers traced my broken joints one by one. The slight friction sent waves of fiery, prickling pain racing up my arm. "Tia was never meant to show off on an international stage anyway. I’ll let Chloe perform instead. Chloe has loved piano since she was a child. Performing with a master will fulfill her lifelong dream." "Tia stole Chloe’s rightful place as the Vance heiress for twenty years. This concert is what she owes Chloe." The doctor had no words. Following Julian’s orders, he injected another sedative into my IV line. 【Wait, but the international tour was Tia’s dream too, wasn’t it?】 【She only got that tour because of her family's wealth. If Chloe had grown up with formal training, she’d play circles around Tia.】 【Tia has Julian's unconditional love; that's already the greatest gift on earth. Why is she still trying to steal Chloe's spotlight?】 【Tia was never cut out to be a concert pianist anyway. Julian is doing what’s best for her.】 【Her music only needs one listener: Julian.】 Never cut out to be a concert pianist. A single, dismissive sentence swept away ten years of blood, sweat, and tears. I was never a born prodigy, but I poured every ounce of my soul into that instrument. Every scrap of free time in my youth had been spent before black and white keys. There were days I loved the piano with all my heart, and days I loathed it just as intensely. Yet I had clawed my way forward, step by arduous step, right to the brink of realizing my dream. And now, they dared to say my music only needed one listener? Who gave them the right? My music belonged on the grandest stages! It deserved to be heard by the entire world! I refused to be some broken nightingale locked in a cage, singing solely for a man’s amusement. "Tia? Why are you crying?" The heavy sedative made it hard to tell whether Julian’s voice was a nightmare or reality. "Get the doctor in here, now!" Opening my eyes felt like pulling apart iron gates. "It might be muscle spasms caused by nerve trauma," a doctor stammered. "Patients in her condition need emotional support. Don't let her spiral." White coats bustled in and out before leaving Julian and me alone once more. He gently wiped away my tears, murmuring softly, "Tia, don't scare me like that. You have to stay strong. You’re my entire world." This wasn't the first time Julian had said something like that. When Chloe had first been brought home, I had playfully pressed him for an answer: "Do you prefer having Chloe as your sister, or do you prefer me?" "You, of course. She’s only a sister by blood." "You, Tia... you are special. You are my everything." My everything. Did "everything" mean I belonged to him completely, to be broken and molded at his whim? For the first time in my life, the word "love" filled me with sheer terror. That horrific abduction—I had truly believed it was a random nightmare. I never could have imagined it was carefully engineered by the person I trusted most. Julian's hand slid from my cheek down to my jaw, his fingers lingering near the collar of my gown. The moment I felt his touch dipping lower, I furrowed my brow and let out a faint, groggy murmur: "Julian..." "I'm here." Instantly, his face smoothed into an expression of tender devotion. 【Look at him acting like a perfect gentleman on the outside while he’s practically bursting at the seams.】 【He’s been craving her for three whole years. He's finally getting a taste.】 【Come on, Julian, don’t hold back now!】 I looked down toward Julian’s rigid posture and asked softly, "What day is it?" "July fifteenth. Why?" I had been unconscious for three days straight. July fifteenth. Today was the day of my international debut.From composition to endless rehearsals, I had played that piece thousands of times. I had dreamed of sitting under the spotlight, my hands dancing across the keys. It was an opportunity I had fought tooth and nail to earn. My mentor and all the friends who had cheered me on were waiting for this day. "Let me go... I need to perform. I spent two years preparing for this tour! My mentor bought front-row tickets just to watch her proudest student play!" My lower body had no feeling. Gritting my teeth, I dragged myself toward the edge of the bed. Blinding agony shot through my shattered fingers. Julian’s expression darkened imperceptibly. The hand that had reached out to support me suddenly clamped around my ankle, dragging me downward with violent force. Losing my balance, I crashed hard onto the cold tile floor. Blood began to seep from my scraped knees, but as I stared at the red smear on the floor, I couldn't feel a thing from the waist down. "Tia, stop throwing tantrums." Julian scooped me up effortlessly, setting me back on the mattress, and pressed the call button with chilling calm. "Dad is at the concert hall right now. I’ll have him stream it for you." The private suite was equipped with a large wall monitor. The screen lit up to show Chloe dressed in a custom designer gown, seated beside the maestro, performing the very composition I had written note by note. "This piece is remarkably vibrant—both sophisticated and brimming with deep warmth," the interviewer praised. "Ms. Reed, what inspired you to write such a stunning melody?" "My inspiration came from my mother," Chloe said smoothly. "When she worked out in the countryside, she loved humming old folk melodies. She was the one who nurtured my musical dreams." Faced with the master’s glowing praise, Chloe spoke with poise, and the hall erupted into thunderous applause. "Now that is a true Vance daughter," Dad’s booming, authoritative voice rang out over the speakers, cutting through the silence. "Not like that shameless imposter who caused a humiliating scandal right before the show!" Someone nearby couldn't resist chiming in: "Are you talking about your other daughter, Tia?" "Who else? Claimed she was missing from her own wedding rehearsals, only to be found in bed with seven men! Disgusting slut." Dad knew the phone call was still connected to my hospital room, yet he made no effort to silence the filthy remarks. The camera zoomed back in on Chloe on stage. Under the brilliant lights, she looked radiant, like a star hanging high in the night sky. A star that was supposed to be me. "Let’s turn it off," Julian sighed softly, wrapping an arm around my waist to pull me into his chest. "You know Dad despises deception. You lived as a living lie beside him for twenty years. You can't expect him to give you an ounce of sympathy." I pushed against his chest, his hot, heavy breath brushing against my ear. 【Kiss her, Julian! Tell her she only has you now!】 【Ahhh, I’m screaming! Pin her down already!】 【Poor girl, rejected by the whole family. Just accept your fate and be his pet.】 It was sickening. A surge of bile rose from my stomach. Summoning every ounce of strength left in my body, I shoved Julian away and leaned over the side of the bed, vomiting violently. I heaved until bitter yellow bile spilled onto the floor, my chest wracked by violent coughing. "Tia... do I disgust you that much?" Julian’s face looked drained of all color, like a faded painting. His dark eyes drilled into me with a manic intensity that sent a chill straight down my spine—the exact look those men had given me in that dark room. For the first time, I felt pure, unadulterated terror toward him. My stomach was still cramping. Using my elbows, I dragged myself backward on the bed. With every inch I retreated, Julian took a heavy step forward until my back hit the headboard. "It’s because of Nathan, isn't it?" "Because you’re so in love with him, you’re saving yourself for him? You won't even let me hold you?" 【What an ungrateful brat! Julian treats her like a queen, and she’s still pining after another man!】 【She deserves to be locked up.】 【She’s used goods now anyway. Who does she think she is? She doesn't deserve Nathan!】 "No..." I forced my trembling lips into a weak, submissive smile. "I’m just... not feeling well. Julian, can you help me up?" "The doctors are watching from the hallway. I don't want to stay on the floor like this." The door was slightly ajar. Julian glanced back at the medical staff who were too terrified to step inside. His jaw clenched as he scooped me up and tossed me roughly back onto the bed. There was clear, punitive violence in his movements. Before turning away, he pinched my cheek hard enough to bruise. "Since you're so unwell, you can skip dinner tonight. Wouldn't want to waste good food on you." He stormed out in a fury. The moment the door clicked shut, my fragile smile vanished. I slipped my hand beneath the pillow. When he had held me, I had quietly lifted his phone from his pocket. My trembling, broken fingers tapped open the message thread with Nathan. There were nearly fifty unread messages from him, all demanding to know why I had missed our wedding ceremony. Among all the suitors Dad had lined up for business alliances, Nathan had always been the gentlest. Even after my real identity was exposed, he had insisted on going through with our marriage. Right now, he was my only lifeline. We need to meet.