Chapter 1

Isabelle Steiner stood in silence and stared at the memorial photo on the table. The man in the photo was her husband of three years, Nathan Ashford.

Ten days earlier, Nathan's twin brother, Lucas Ashford, had returned with a small box of ashes. He spoke to Isabelle in a restrained, grieving voice, "Izzy, I'm sorry. Nathan died in a plane crash..."

Isabelle had been sickly since childhood. The moment she heard that, the shock knocked her out cold.

When she woke up, Nathan had already been buried. She didn't even get to attend the funeral.

Even now, Isabelle had no idea where he was buried. She couldn't even find a place to mourn him.

She stood up and planned to go ask Nathan's mother, Maddison Harvey, where the grave was.

But just as she reached the door, she heard voices inside the room. "Nathan, what are you trying to do? The one who died was clearly Lucas. Why did you lie to Isabelle and say it was you? Have you thought about the consequences if Julian finds out?"

Isabelle froze. Maddison's words struck her like thunder and wiped her mind blank.

She bit down hard on her lower lip. The sharp pain snapped her awake and forced her to process what she had just heard.

What was Maddison implying? That Nathan was never dead at all but had assumed his twin brother Lucas' identity and, together with the entire family, staged an elaborate lie to deceive her?

Both of them looked exactly alike. With Nathan hiding it on purpose, Isabelle truly couldn't tell them apart.

Her breathing turned ragged and fast as she desperately hoped she had imagined it.

Nathan loved her so much. How could he do this?

Then, a familiar voice reached her ears and shattered her last illusion. He said, "I don't want anything else. I just want to be with Eva."

Isabelle froze. Eva Shalloway was Nathan's sister-in-law.

She would never have imagined that the man who had shared her bed for three years loved Eva.

Nathan kept talking, his voice drilling into her ears. "Mom, you know it already. Eva was always the one I loved. If she hadn't liked Lucas back then, why would I have married Isabelle?

"I've spent three years pretending to love her, and it's made me sick. Now that Lucas is dead, how can I let Eva live alone? She's so fragile and can't handle that. As for Julian, I won't let him find out. Don't worry."

Every word Nathan spoke felt like a sharp blade cutting into Isabelle's heart until it was torn apart.

So, the last three years had all been an act.

She trembled in pain as tears poured down her face.

Seven years ago, her parents had died. She and her foster brother, Julian Steiner, had been taken in by her uncle, Marcus Steiner. She once believed she and Julian would grow up safely together, but she had been wrong.

Marcus, who seemed gentle and polite, was a monster. He drove Julian away, seized her parents' estate, and beat her whenever he pleased. To keep control over her, he even fed her poison over time.

Julian had sneaked back again and again to try to take her away, but he was discovered each time. After that, Isabelle was beaten even more brutally.

As time passed, Isabelle learned to behave. She lived carefully in Marcus' house and secretly studied medicine to try to cure herself. But the poison was too complex. Even now, she couldn't undo it. Her body only grew weaker from its damage.

So, she had no choice but to play along. She made everyone believe Marcus was a kind man who had taken Julian and her in.

She thought she would sink in those dark days forever and drown, but then the Ashford family arrived with a marriage contract and asked for her hand in marriage.

Isabelle agreed without hesitation, as she needed to escape Marcus.

The Ashford family had once helped the Steiner family, and the engagement had been set long ago, so Marcus couldn't stop it.

However, the man originally engaged to Isabelle wasn't Nathan. It was his older brother, Lucas.

Then, Nathan fell for her at first sight. Not long after, he launched an obsessive pursuit that caused a citywide stir and stopped the wedding on the very day she got engaged to Lucas.

To marry her, he accepted 99 lashes as punishment from his family. After that, he stayed in bed for three months before he could stand again.

Isabelle had been moved by that fierce devotion. When the Ashford family suggested changing the marriage partner, she agreed without a second thought.

During the three years of marriage, Nathan treated her well. In everyone else's eyes, they were the perfect couple.

Isabelle had believed it too, but that belief lasted until she heard him expose his true intention. Only then did she realize that everything he had done for her was for Eva's happiness.

Every moment that had once touched Isabelle had been planned on purpose. The marriage itself was a grand lie. How could she accept that?

She stood there, frozen. It was as if her legs were filled with lead. The pain from the poison in her body surged again, and cold sweat soaked her skin.

Then, she heard Maddison say, "We might as well have Isabelle remarry. That way, the truth won't be known."

Nathan replied with casual confidence, "Isabelle loves me too much. She won't agree to it. Mom, give up on that idea. I'll handle it."

Isabelle suddenly found it ridiculous.

Because she loved him, he thought he could hurt her without restraint? What kind of logic was that?

A strong wave of nausea rose in her chest, and she couldn't stop herself from gagging.

Just then, the conversation inside the room stopped at once.

Isabelle's heart sank. They had noticed her.

She forced herself to snap out of it and stumbled back to her room. After slamming the door shut, her gaze fell on the spotless memorial photo on the desk. The sight only made her feel more ridiculous than ever.

Isabelle grabbed the photo and slammed it to the floor, and the glass shattered into pieces.

The fragments cut into her palm. The pain mixed with the numb itch from the poison pierced straight through her heart.

She lifted her head in a daze, and her mind replayed the image from days earlier when Nathan had rushed into Eva's room without hesitation.

At first, Isabelle thought Lucas and Eva were just deeply in love, so they showed no restraint. Now she saw the truth, and it made her sick.

The marriage disgusted her, but Nathan disgusted her even more, to the point where she could barely breathe.

Isabelle had held grudges since she was young. She wouldn't swallow this humiliation.

She swore she would make Nathan pay. She would expose every disgusting thing he had done and drag it into the light.

Her breathing came in harsh bursts, and her hands shook.

Three minutes later, someone knocked on her door. Before she could stand, the door was shoved open in a rush.

Nathan stood outside. His gaze pressed down on her with force. "Isabelle, where did you go?"

Chapter 2

Nathan's gaze was sharp, and he seemed ready to tear through every mask Isabelle wore.

Isabelle's lashes trembled, but her voice stayed calm. "I went to get myself a glass of water."

He stared at her and felt uneasy for no clear reason. He thought it over again and decided she probably had not lied.

She should not have heard his conversation with Maddison. If she had, given her personality, she would have caused a scene long ago.

That sound was probably something he had imagined.

At that thought, Nathan relaxed a little and said, "It's getting cold. Your health is fragile, so don't go out at night too much, or you'll get sick."

His face still carried the same gentle concern as always, but Isabelle only felt disgust. "Lucas, save your concern for Eva. She's your wife."

He pressed his lips together, an uneasy weight rising in his chest. He was about to say something when he suddenly noticed the dark red spreading across Isabelle's clothes.

His heart tightened. He frowned as he asked, "What happened?"

As he spoke, he lifted her hand. When he saw the ugly wound, his frown deepened.

Then, it hit him. He glanced at the table on instinct. The memorial photo that Isabelle always held so carefully was no longer there. It lay shattered on the floor, broken into pieces.

"Isn't that photo her most precious thing?" he thought.

Nathan's breathing tightened. The unease in his chest grew sharper.

Isabelle felt sick at his reaction and slapped his hand away without hesitation.

Nathan froze, caught off guard. He opened his mouth to speak, but a sharp crack cut him off.

Isabelle turned toward the sound and saw Eva standing in the doorway. The cup in Eva's hand had fallen to the floor and split in two.

Tears filled Eva's eyes as she asked in a shaking voice, "You stayed out so late just to keep Isabelle company?"

Nathan's expression changed at once. He ignored Isabelle and rushed to comfort Eva. "Eva, you misunderstood. Isabelle got hurt, so I came to check on her. You know she just lost her husband…"

Before he could finish, Eva interrupted him. She glared at Isabelle and spoke through clenched teeth, "Isabelle, I understand that your husband just died and you're in pain.

"But no matter what, Lucas is still your brother-in-law. You don't get to use his face to mourn Nathan just because you miss him. Have some shame."

At that, the mockery in Isabelle's eyes deepened.

If Eva knew that the man she had slept beside for the past ten days was actually Nathan, could she still say that so confidently?

"Don't worry," Isabelle said coldly. "I don't want a man you've already had."

Nathan froze and looked at Isabelle with a complicated expression.

Isabelle didn't want to deal with them. Her voice turned distant as she said, "Please leave. Don't disturb me while I mourn my late husband."

She stressed the words "late husband", as if she were reminding them of something on purpose.

Nathan couldn't help looking at her. When his eyes met her icy stare, his eyes widened, and he quickly looked away.

Eva didn't notice his reaction. She left in humiliation after being driven out. As she stared at the closed door, resentment flashed through her eyes.

Then, she adjusted her expression. She acted as if nothing had happened and linked her arm through Nathan's as they returned to their room.

That night, Isabelle heard even louder sounds of intimacy.

She swallowed the numb ache in her chest and burned the memorial photo. Her face stayed pale as she looked at her phone.

One message sat quietly in her inbox. "Ms. Steiner, this is the ninth time the Emberton family has proposed. This time, we are offering you 100 million dollars. Will you reconsider?"

The Emberton family was one of the top old-money families in Halbough City. Countless people tried everything to marry into it.

Too bad the young heir, Elliot Emberton, had fallen into a coma a year ago. On top of that, he had an ambitious uncle, Lonnie Emberton, watching closely from the sidelines. Death could come at any time.

The Emberton family had gone from a gold mine to a burning pit. Everyone avoided it. To secure an heir for Elliot, Sigmund Emberton tried every method he could think of, but no one wanted to marry in and live as a widow in name.

Worse still, with Lonnie around, even marrying a man in a coma brought no benefit to any family. So, no one wanted the deal.

Left with no choice, Sigmund turned his attention to Isabelle, who had just lost her husband.

Her parents had died young, but she had been raised with care and privilege. To the Emberton family, she was the perfect choice.

She was easy to control and had good genetics. That made her an ideal candidate for bearing Elliot's child.

One was a widow, and another was in a coma. In a twisted way, they were a perfect match.

For Isabelle, it was almost laughable. One marriage meant 100 million dollars in cash, and the husband was a living corpse. Where else could she find a deal like that?

After everything that had happened, there was no way she would stay with the Ashford family, and going back to the Steiner family was far more dangerous.

In the past, she had refused because she truly loved Nathan. But now…

Isabelle let out a bitter, self-mocking smile and typed slowly, one key at a time, "I'll marry."

Chapter 3

The people who had reached out to Isabelle had already given up and never expected to hear back from her.

When they saw her message, they became excited at once. "Ms. Steiner, you finally agreed! This is wonderful. I'll go to the Ashford residence shortly to discuss the engagement. Also, you can send me a list of anything you want. Mr. Emberton Senior said we will try our best to satisfy any request."

What Isabelle wanted was something the Emberton family couldn't give, so she said nothing. The other party didn't mind and told her to bring it up anytime.

After ending the conversation, Isabelle changed her clothes.

Ever since Nathan had died, she had had no interest in dressing up. She wore white every day. Her face looked pale and hollow. She was still beautiful, but she looked worn down.

However, it was different today. She was going to discuss marriage, so she had to look polished.

She needed to secure her place in the Emberton family. Only then would she have room to breathe outside Marcus' control.

She also had to seize this chance and build her power fast. That was the only way she would ever bring him down.

At that thought, Isabelle took a deep breath.

An hour later, she finished getting ready and packed her limited belongings.

After she finished everything, she headed downstairs and ran straight into Eva.

Isabelle looked at her calmly and noticed a clear mark on Eva's neck. It was an obvious trace from last night. It was easy to tell how intense Nathan had been.

A hint of mockery surfaced in Isabelle's eyes. She looked away and turned to leave, but Eva stopped her and said, "Isabelle, have you no shame at all?"

Isabelle paused and looked back at her.

The moment their eyes met, jealousy twisted Eva's face.

She knew Isabelle had always been beautiful. Otherwise, Lucas wouldn't have fallen so deeply for her back then.

Even after Lucas married Eva, he never forgot Isabelle. Last night, he had even called Isabelle's name in his sleep.

As Eva stared at Isabelle's bright yet fragile face, her anger grew stronger.

She stepped forward and grabbed Isabelle's wrist hard. "Your husband just died, and you're already trying to seduce your brother-in-law. Your parents died early. No wonder you have no manners at all."

Her nails dug deep into Isabelle's skin, and the sharp pain spread at once.

Isabelle's expression turned cold. Her parents had always been her deepest wound. Hearing Eva mention them, she lost control and slapped Eva across the face.

The crisp sound echoed, and pain flared across Eva's face in an instant.

How could a sick woman have that much strength?

Eva stared at Isabelle in disbelief. Her voice trembled. "How dare you hit me!"

"Why wouldn't I?" Isabelle shot back coldly. "If you can't control your mouth, I don't mind smashing it for you."

Eva was furious. A twisted look flashed through her eyes as she lowered her voice. "Isabelle, do you think this is still the past? No matter what, Nat… Lucas is my husband!"

Isabelle paused and looked at Eva with suspicion. Had she misheard? Eva had almost said Nathan.

Before Isabelle could think further, Eva swayed and fell down the stairs. A sharp scream rang out, and the entire Ashford family fell into chaos.

Nathan rushed over. When he saw Eva's condition, he urgently told Alonzo Lindsey to call a doctor.

He helped Eva up and glared at Isabelle with rage. "If anything happens to Eva, I won't let you off!"

Isabelle almost laughed. He didn't even bother to check the truth. He blamed her without hesitation and protected another woman.

It was absurd.

Isabelle felt that the last three years of her life had been wasted.

Nathan didn't let her go. After settling Eva, he dragged Isabelle to Eva's door and forced her to stand guard there and apologize.

Isabelle resisted, but her body was weak. She couldn't fight his strength and was dragged along.

As his grip clamped down like iron, she suddenly remembered the past.

When Nathan proposed, he had promised to protect her. Was this the protection he meant?

Isabelle laughed softly, which made Nathan angrier. He said, "How can you be so cruel? Eva hasn't even woken up yet, and you're laughing?"

As he spoke, he forced her down into the chair. His grip was brutal, crushing her shoulders like he meant to break them.

He looked set on making her pay.

Ten minutes later, the family doctor came out of the room. "Mr. Ashford, Mrs. Ashford is pregnant, but it's still very early. It's just over 40 days. The fall affected the pregnancy, and there are signs of a miscarriage.

"I'm not an obstetrician specialist. You need to call Dr. Gibson right away, or the baby might not make it."

"40 days?" Isabella thought.

Then, she froze as she realized that Lucas had not even been home during that time.

Chapter 4

Lucas had been away for work. He hadn't come home for two full months before his death. So, where did Eva's baby come from?

A wild thought surfaced in Isabelle's mind. She felt numb as she thought about it. Back then, the only man at home had been Nathan.

The child in Eva's belly was most likely his. That meant they had been involved long ago, and Nathan had betrayed her a long time ago.

Isabelle's chest heaved, and anger made her cough without control.

Nathan had once been diagnosed with low fertility. If Isabelle hadn't known medicine, how could his condition have ever improved?

Yet, after he recovered, the first thing he did was get Eva pregnant.

The thought nearly drove her insane.

But the angrier one was Nathan. He knew his condition, and he also knew how hard it had been to get this child.

The moment he heard the baby might not survive, he lost his mind.

He rushed to contact Edward Gibson. Then, he turned and glared at Isabelle with fury. "Isabelle, I really underestimated you. How can you be so vicious? You must atone to Eva! Alonzo, bring me the whip!"

Isabelle froze. The violent coughing left her cheeks flushed an unhealthy red. She lifted her head and looked at Nathan. It was a face she knew so well, yet in that moment, it felt twisted and utterly unfamiliar.

The Ashford family's punishment was 99 lashes. Even a grown man wouldn't survive it, let alone Isabelle, who had been frail since childhood.

Nathan knew her condition. He knew full well that this punishment would kill her. And yet, to please Eva, he chose to go through with it anyway. The cruelty was staggering.

Isabelle was forced to the ground under Nathan's grip. In less than ten minutes, Alonzo returned with a whip studded with sharp barbs.

Her face drained of color instantly. Still, Nathan showed no regard for their three years of marriage. He bound her hands and feet, pressed her down hard, and forced her to kneel.

The coarse rope rubbed her delicate skin raw and swollen. She knelt there in humiliation, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart.

The next second, a camera was aimed at her face.

Nathan spoke coldly, "Record it properly. When Eva wakes up and sees it, she'll be happy."

At his words, Isabelle felt as if she had fallen into ice. She questioned him in a weak voice, "You want to trade my life to make Eva happy?"

He scoffed. "We won't let you die."

She wouldn't die, but the pain would be worse than death. Was this really the man who once treated her like his life?

Isabelle had no answer.

Then, a sharp crack tore through the air. She looked up at Nathan, who was holding the whip. The love once in his eyes was gone. What remained was hatred.

Nathan's heart jolted. The whip went off course and scraped across her back, tearing open a blur of blood and flesh.

He hadn't swung with full force, and it didn't shatter bone, but the pain still sent Isabelle trembling from head to toe.

Yet, no matter how much it hurt, it could never compare to the pain in her heart.

She stared at him with stubborn resolve. Her voice trembled and broke, but her will was firm. "Nathan, I regret marrying you."

Nathan's breathing hitched, a chill spreading through his chest. What did Isabelle mean by that? Did she know something? Impossible! He had hidden it perfectly. There was no way she could have seen through him.

Before he could sort it out, an enraged voice cut through the room. "Mr. Ashford, what do you think you're doing to the future lady of the Emberton family?"

Nathan clenched the whip instinctively, shock written all over his face. He stared at Isabelle in disbelief. "Future lady? What are you talking about? Isabelle, are you planning to remarry?"

Isabelle staggered to her feet. Blood seeped from the corner of her lips, and she could barely stay upright. She was forced to brace herself against the wall.

She wiped the blood away, her eyes filled with nothing but mockery. Her voice was cold and flat as she said, "What does that have to do with you?"

Nathan froze. Looking at her striking yet deathly pale face, he finally remembered the role he was playing.

To the world, he was now Lucas, not Nathan. Even if Isabelle really chose to marry someone else, what right did he have to say anything?

But she loved him so deeply. How could she decide to remarry after only a few days?

The surge of fear and unease left Nathan rooted to the spot, unable to react.

Taking advantage of his hesitation, the people sent by the Emberton family shoved him aside and moved to Isabelle's side. They supported her and quickly untied the ropes binding her hands and feet.

It had only been a few minutes, yet her wrists were already rubbed raw, throbbing with sharp pain.

She looked up at them with gratitude. One of the men spoke gently, "Ms. Steiner, I'm Freddy Blanc, Mr. Emberton Senior's assistant."

As he spoke, his eyes swept over her face. She looked battered and weak, but her beauty stood out even so. On looks alone, she was more than worthy of Elliot.

Only then did Nathan snap back to his senses. His gaze fell on the black card in Freddy's hand. That was Isabelle's wedding gift.

Isabelle didn't resist at all. She truly looked determined to remarry.

In that instant, all of Nathan's anxiety turned into rage. He strode forward and grabbed her wrist tightly. "Isabelle, the funeral ended only 11 days ago, and you're already remarrying? How can you do this to Nathan? Are you trying to embarrass the Ashford family?"

Isabelle let out a faint, mocking laugh. Her eyes locked onto his as she said, word by word, "He's the one who wronged me!"

Nathan's breath caught, his heart pounding violently. He didn't dare look at her again and turned instead to Freddy. "Mr. Blanc, please leave. Neither the Ashford family nor I will ever agree to Isabelle remarrying."

The smile on Freddy's face vanished at once. He looked coldly at Nathan. "You're not agreeing to it? Or are you planning to beat Ms. Steiner to death with your so-called family punishment?"

Nathan's expression darkened instantly. His jaw tightened, and his grip on Isabelle's wrist grew harsher, making her wince in pain.

Isabelle pried his hand off, ripped the wedding ring from her finger, and hurled it straight at his face. The ring sliced across his cheek, drawing blood. Her voice was firm and final when she declared, "Lucas, from this moment on, I have nothing to do with you or the Ashford family ever again!"

Chapter 5

Freddy asked with satisfaction, "Ms. Steiner, are you willing to return to the Emberton residence with me now?"

Nathan didn't care about the cut on his face. He stared at Isabelle without blinking, and his throat bobbed with tension.

He wanted to stop her, but before he could speak, Isabelle answered softly, "Yes. Thank you, Mr. Blanc."

At that moment, Nathan felt something inside him die.

Isabelle didn't spare him a single glance. With Freddy's support, she got into the car.

Nathan didn't dare to stop them. He had no standing, and the Ashfords couldn't compare to the Embertons.

Still, the whole thing felt absurd to him. Isabelle had loved him so deeply. How could she leave so easily and without hesitation?

He lowered his head and looked at the wedding ring in his palm. He had picked it himself when they married. Even now, it still carried Isabelle's faint scent.

The last thing Isabelle saw before getting into the car was Nathan lowering his head and breathing in the ring.

She slumped weakly against the seat, the searing pain in her back and wrists cutting deep. The irony of it all filled her chest.

…

As soon as Isabelle arrived at the Emberton residence, she was taken to treat her injuries. When she finished, Sigmund was already waiting in the living room.

He was over 70 years old, but his body was strong. His presence carried quiet pressure. "I know it's unfair to ask you to marry a man in a coma, but don't worry. Once you marry into the Emberton family, you're one of us. We will protect you."

Isabelle lowered her head, her eyes flickering faintly. From the way Sigmund spoke, it was clear he already knew about the bad blood between her and Marcus.

She raised her head and smiled obediently. "I understand, Mr. Emberton Senior."

Isabelle's features were naturally bright and striking, but when she deliberately softened her demeanor, she came across as gentle and pliant. It was the kind of young lady elders instinctively liked.

Sigmund studied her and felt satisfied. Aside from her weak health, her manners and bloodline were solid.

"Since you'll marry Eli sooner or later, you should adapt early and spend time with him. Tonight, you'll stay in his room."

Isabelle's fingers curled slightly. She then answered shyly, "Okay."

Sigmund waved his hand. Freddy stood up and led Isabelle toward Elliot's room.

She followed behind Freddy obediently, though a faint chill lingered in her eyes.

Sigmund claimed he wanted her to adapt to Elliot. In truth, he wanted to see if she could care for him. If she failed, the marriage wouldn't happen.

While Isabelle was lost in thought, they reached the room. The moment the door opened, she froze.

A tall man lay on the soft bed, his features sharp and striking. He had the kind of face that carried an aggressive edge. A year in a coma seemed to have done little damage. His muscles had barely wasted away, and aside from being slightly leaner, he looked untouched by time.

None of that diminished his beauty.

"He's beautiful," Isabelle thought.

She almost felt guilty using that word, but he truly looked like a flawless work of art.

Freddy was clearly pleased by her reaction. He curled his lips into a smile. "Ms. Steiner, this is your fiance."

After a brief pause, he added lightly, "Mr. Emberton Senior is very eager for a new life in the family. Ms. Steiner, you'll have to put in some effort tonight."

Isabelle stiffened for a split second. She knew exactly that she had been married into the Emberton family to bear Elliot a child, but wasn't Sigmund moving a little too fast?

Her expression stayed calm. She lowered her eyes and replied shyly, "I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Blanc."

They spoke softly, unaware that Elliot, who had been "asleep" for a year, suddenly curled his fingers.

Satisfied, Freddy handed Isabelle a box of condoms. "Ms. Steiner, Mr. Emberton Senior wants Mr. Emberton checked. I'll leave this to you."