Chapter 1

Sabrina Lirrel went behind her husband, Cassius Folane's back to send his mistress to a top music school overseas.

Cassius, whom the public had always seen as a distant and aloof man, instantly went crazy. He was certain that Sabrina had deliberately sent away his precious lover, Natalie Howe.

Hence, he cruelly put his and Sabrina's son, Sebastian Folane, on a ship heading for the northernmost part of the world. He wanted to use this to force Sabrina to tell him Natalie's whereabouts.

Sabrina could only watch as the ship carrying her five-year-old son gradually sailed into the open seas. Sebastian, wailing his little heart out, was being held over the railing by Cassius' assistant.

Cassius spoke up, his voice sinister and low. "Sabrina, you only have five minutes left to think this over. Otherwise, our son will be heading to the bottom of the ocean!"

Sabrina spent the first minute thinking back to years ago. She had been secretly in love with Cassius for five years, so she hadn't minded becoming his secret lover. He came from a prestigious medical family, whereas she was a nobody with ordinary looks. Hence, she decided not to lay claim to any title.

For the second minute, she recalled how the Folane family had wanted Cassius to marry the daughter of another prestigious family upon his graduation. However, Cassius had outright dragged Sabrina to the city hall to register their marriage.

In the third minute, Sabrina remembered how, when she got pregnant, the Folane family still refused to accept her. Cassius had left his family behind to be with her, and she eventually gave birth to their son, Sebastian.

Sabrina thought about Natalie in the fourth minute. Natalie was the niece of Cassius' friend, whom he had adopted. The night Natalie turned 20, Sabrina had noticed the barely concealed love that shone in Cassius' eyes when he looked at Natalie.

Lastly, in the fifth minute, the scene where Cassius had pinned Natalie to the bed as they went at it flashed through Sabrina's mind.

Cassius had been the one to let go first. The bracelet that had adorned his wrist for close to 20 years was gone. Now, that bracelet, which he had always forbidden her from even touching, sat quietly on Natalie's right ankle.

Cassius' gaze was ice-cold, not a hint of warmth in it. "Sabrina, I'm asking you one last time. Where is Natalie?"

Sabrina's throat ached terribly, even as her son's wails reached her ears. "Mommy, save me!"

The ocean breeze slapped at her cheeks fiercely, stinging her.

"Honey, do you want our son to die?"

Sabrina felt as though a rock was crushing her chest, suffocating her. She raised her teary eyes to look at Cassius. "Cassius, Seb is your biological son! How could you use his life to threaten me?"

Nonetheless, what left Cassius' thin lips was, "But Natalie is also my life!"

At last, the tears slipped from Sabrina's eyes. She wondered what she and Sebastian were to him if Natalie was his life.

"Sabrina, as long as Natalie returns, you're still my wife."

Pushing down her emotions, Sabrina replied, "Cassius, I don't believe that you would really kill our son for Natalie's sake. Besides, I didn't harm her."

However, Cassius said coldly, "I'm counting down from five. If you still refuse to tell me her whereabouts, Sebastian will become shark food!"

As Cassius really began counting down, Sabrina couldn't stand it any longer. "Natalie is at the Beckley Music Academy at Murria."

With that, she collapsed to the ground. He had truly been willing to give up on their son for Natalie.

Through teary eyes, she watched as Cassius immediately took his phone out and made a call. When he spoke, he was clearly anxious. "Get the helicopter here. I'm flying to Murria."

After that, he didn't even bother sparing her a glance. Instead, he completely focused on his phone.

Sabrina dug her fingers into the sand, her whole body trembling.

For the past ten years, she had silently stood behind Cassius. No matter if it were their scientific research or any achievements, she had helped in every single project of his.

He started Folane Pharmaceuticals from nothing and left his research job to become the chairman. Meanwhile, she practically lived in the labs, throwing herself into developing the drug he demanded.

Finally, she succeeded, catapulting Folane Pharmaceuticals into a top pharmaceutical company on par with Folane Group.

That night, Cassius had held her close, peppering affectionate kisses along her neck. "Rina, you're like an indispensable part of me! I can't live without you!"

Sabrina thought then that things were finally looking up. She had proven that she had the right to remain by Cassius' side, and the Folane family had seen her achievements, so her relationship with them had even gotten better over the past two years.

But then, Cassius fell in love with a young woman nine years younger than he was. Natalie was innocent, sweet, and a natural-born romantic. She would always pester him and had a knack for acting cute.

"Cassius, I want you to spend time with me.

"Cassius, I don't know how to answer this question. Could you help me, please?

"Cassius, you have to come to my cello competition, okay? If you don't come, I won't play…

"Cassius, I really, really like you."

Acting cute was something Sabrina had never tried with Cassius, nor had she ever confessed her feelings so blatantly to him.

Just like that, Cassius fell in love with a spoiled young woman who couldn't handle anything on her own. Natalie was someone who demanded to be adored and treated like a princess, and Cassius was more than happy to do that.

The helicopter arrived very quickly.

Cassius didn't even wait for the ship with Sebastian to return before he boarded the helicopter and flew off to Murria.

Seeing the helicopter fade into the distance, Sabrina tried calling Cassius several times, but he kept rejecting her calls.

In the end, she sent him a message. "When will Seb be back?"

He messaged back a reply. "In three hours. Sabrina, Natalie is just someone my friend tasked me to look after. Since she treats me like an uncle, I can't let her down."

Sabrina smiled bitterly when she heard his explanation. She was about to shut off her phone when she received a message from Natalie.

Natalie sent, "Sabrina, so what if I love Cassius? He's willing to be with me and even slept with me already. He's long since lost any feelings for you, yet you're still clinging onto him and refusing to let him go.

"You know, he came to see me at my school tonight. I went to a hotel with him. He really likes the bunny pajamas I'm wearing today."

What followed was a video that clearly showed just how much Cassius liked the clothes on Natalie, and how much more he liked it when they were off her.

Sabrina shut off her phone screen and sat there, numbly awaiting the return of her son. The ocean breeze had long since dried the tears staining her face.

Once, she thought that it was enough as long as she loved Cassius. When he cheated on her, she even thought that maybe he was simply looking for some excitement. They still had a son together who needed a complete family, so she accepted her situation.

However, she now realized that she couldn't do it.

She had been an orphan since she was young and had had no one to love and care for her. At first, she thought she had finally found her true love, only to discover now that it was all for naught.

Taking out her phone again, Sabrina opened a document that she had saved on it.

It was a divorce agreement she had signed back then, just so Folane Pharmaceuticals could get listed on the market. The agreement stated that she had voluntarily given up on all of her shares in Folane Pharmaceuticals and that she had also given up on their marriage.

At the time, Marcus Folane, Cassius' grandfather, had sought her out right before the company was about to be listed. "Sabrina, if you sign this, I'll help Cassius with getting his company listed in Gridor. With my aid, Folane Pharmaceuticals will be able to become a company on par with Folane Group."

To ease the Folane family's hearts and for Cassius' sake, she had chosen to sign that agreement stealthily. She never thought that Cassius would one day abandon her. Now, she had lost everything.

Not long later, Sabrina sent a message. "I agree to join Deep Vital."

Deep Vital was a project involving an elite team from around the world, specializing in marine medical research and development. So the world's foremost talents in the field were all there. However, to join that project, one had to be shut away underneath the ocean for 30 years before one could be allowed to leave.

Her only condition was that she wanted to bring Sebastian along.

That way, Cassius would never be able to find her and Sebastian!

Chapter 2

Since Sabrina was heading to a place where nationalities meant nothing, she would need to bring all her solo research data with her. However, those samples and data were all stored in a special place at the laboratory.

Opening that special door required both Cassius' and her fingerprints and passcodes. Hence, they both needed to be present for the door to unlock.

Not long later, Sabrina finally had Sebastian back in her arms again. The young boy's face was streaked with tears, and he swiftly fell asleep due to exhaustion.

Pressing a kiss to Sebastian's forehead, Sabrina asked, "Seb, are you willing to leave with me?"

Sebastian's lashes quivered as he opened his eyes to look at Sabrina. He cried out tearfully, "Mommy, I was nearly thrown into the ocean."

He was only five, yet he already seemed somewhat aware of what was happening. After all, the one who took him away was none other than Cassius' personal assistant.

Sabrina's eyes instantly grew misty. "Seb, if you leave with me, you won't get to see your father ever again. Are you okay with that?"

Wrapping his tiny arms around his mother's neck, Sebastian nodded. "I'll go wherever you go, Mommy."

Sabrina brought Sebastian to Folane Pharmaceuticals, where she used her fingerprint and passcode to reach the highest-clearance-level laboratory.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't unlock that door.

Through the glass door, she peered inside at the computer and various test samples. She had conducted one experiment alone and wanted to take the research data with her.

"Mommy, what do we do? Without Daddy, you can't open this door."

The memory of when she and Cassius first built this laboratory surfaced in Sabrina's mind. At the time, they had been saving their fingerprints and passcodes when Cassius hugged her.

He murmured into her ear, "Rina, don't tell me your passcode, and I also won't tell you mine. What lies behind this door is the company's most valuable treasure. Only when we're both here can we open this door and see what's inside. This way, we'll always have something connecting us. We'll never be apart."

When they were in love, this method was a way to rely on one another. But once the love faded, it became the perfect way to protect themselves from each other.

"Cassius, five years ago, did you ever think a day like this would come?" Sabrina wondered.

In the end, she failed to open the laboratory door and could only leave empty-handed.

She brought Sebastian straight to the second floor of the building, where their home was.

For the past few years, she had been living at the company with Sebastian and Cassius. It wasn't until Natalie came into their lives that they bought a villa and actually lived like a family there.

Hence, everything here had been DIY projects completed by Sabrina and Cassius before Natalie came into the picture.

Sabrina went through all of her belongings there, separating them into what Cassius had bought for her, what she had bought for him, and the couple-themed items she had bought for them.

At the same time, Sebastian was also looking through his possessions.

"Daddy bought this for me, so I don't want it anymore. Mommy bought this for me, so I'm taking it with me. This is our family portrait. I don't want it either."

The young boy was quick to separate his items into three different plastic bags.

As Sabrina stared at the way Sebastian categorized his belongings, she could only try to hold in her tears.

"Cassius, you have no idea how smart Seb is. He might not have outright said it, but he's definitely aware that you've abandoned him," she thought.

Sebastian ran over and wrapped his mother in a hug while wiping away her tears with his small hand.

"Mommy, you've always wanted to go to that laboratory, haven't you? You said that the oceans make up three-quarters of our world, so we need to protect them. That's why you've always wanted to become a protector of the oceans, right? You're the best, Mommy! Go make your dreams come true. I'll always support you and be with you!"

Sabrina stared at a painting hanging on the wall.

Cassius was quite adept at painting. When Sebastian was just two years old, he had done an oil painting of the young boy and Sabrina.

Sabrina approached the painting, opened the box of oil paints nearby, and picked up a brush. Then, she started to slowly blot herself out.

When Sebastian saw that, he instantly grabbed a small brush and copied Sabrina, blotting out the image of himself in the painting.

He even thoughtfully said, "Mommy, once I learn how to paint, I'll make a portrait of you. I'm really good, so I'll definitely make you a much better painting than this one."

Sabrina merely smiled faintly and raised a hand to caress his face.

Once they were done, Sabrina made a phone call and had the trash collectors come pick up all the stuff she was throwing away. Among them were furniture like the bed she and Cassius had slept in, the couch, and the kitchen appliances.

She threw away all the heartwarming photos she had decorated the walls with. As for the scribbles a younger Sebastian had left on the walls, she grabbed a new bucket of paint and started to paint over them.

In the end, the roughly two thousand square feet unit was left utterly bare, while the walls were a bright white. Not a trace of them having ever lived here remained. Even the gastric medicine she used to always keep in the kitchen for Cassius had been dumped out.

By the time she finished all this, an entire day had passed, and night had fallen. Sebastian had already fallen asleep on the floor.

Sabrina picked him up and headed back to the villa.

The moment she opened the door, she was met with a cloud of cigarette smoke that clouded the living room. The ashtray on the table had over a dozen cigarette butts.

Cassius' voice rang out, cold and sinister. "Nat was bullied the moment she arrived at the school and could only stay in her dorm room, covered in injuries. She didn't even have the money to buy medicine to treat herself!"

It was clear that he had been waiting for Sabrina. The cold look in his eyes and the sharp, questioning expression made it seem as if he were staring at an enemy.

Glancing down at the sleeping Sebastian in her arms, Sabrina replied, "Cassius, if there's something you're upset about, don't argue about it in front of our son."

With that said, she moved to head upstairs.

However, at that moment, Natalie appeared on the staircase. She was dressed in a white sleeping gown, and her waist-length hair hung loose around her shoulders. Her innocent-looking face was etched with anxiety as she nervously gripped the hem of her dress.

"Ms. Lirrel, I-I won't pester Cassius anymore, so please don't send me abroad."

She deliberately addressed Sabrina the way one would an older woman, all while shooting the latter a pitiful look.

At this point, Cassius stood up from the couch and walked straight toward Natalie.

Gently sweeping away some strands of her hair, he revealed the stark red handprints on Natalie's fair cheeks, clearly the result of harsh slaps.

Natalie instantly leaned into Cassius' chest while sobbing, "Ms. Lirrel, the ones who bullied me are all from Zarania. They said that someone paid them to do this to me. You're the one who sent me to that academy, so I'm sure it wasn't you."

Cassius responded with a frosty glare in Sabrina's direction.

"Sabrina, you're allowed to dislike Nat, but as I've said before, I have to take care of her until she graduates at 25, when her uncle returns. However, it seems that my constant backing off has resulted in you bullying Nat again and again."

Their loud voices caused Sebastian to stir awake.

Seeing Sebastian about to turn his head, Sabrina stopped him. "Seb, close your eyes and ears. Don't listen to this."

Sabrina tried her hardest to calm her raging emotions. "Cassius, the Beckley Music Academy is one of the global top three music academies. If there's bullying going on, you can report it to the police or even look into the matter yourself. You shouldn't be questioning me."

Natalie was still weeping. "Ms. Lirrel, I was wrong. I was wrong."

She abruptly fell to her knees and started begging, "Please, Ms. Lirrel, I only ask that I be allowed to study here in Belleron. I can even stay on campus! I promise I'll only come back one day each month. No, even half a day is fine. Just please, don't send me away! Those people will kill me!"

It was as if Natalie's tears had a kind of magic that bewitched Cassius. There, right in front of Sabrina, he scooped Natalie up into his arms before shooting a harsh glare at Sabrina.

"We'll talk more in my study later. I have to comfort Nat first."

Sabrina headed upstairs, feeling numb.

Sebastian, who was leaning against her shoulder, said in a childish voice, "Mommy, can we hurry up and leave Daddy?"

As she gently stroked his back, Sabrina felt utterly heartbroken. "Yeah. Once I've settled everything, we can go. I'll try to be quick."

She continued down to the second-floor corridor with Sebastian. In order to reach his room, she would have to walk past Natalie's room.

As she walked past, she noticed that the door wasn't fully shut and had been left slightly ajar. Through the gap, she could see Cassius pinning Natalie to the bed while a hand slipped under her dress.

Sabrina froze at once, a flicker of pain flashing through her eyes. She bitterly wondered if this was what Cassius had meant by taking care of Natalie.

Chapter 3

After witnessing Cassius' betrayal in person, Sabrina felt as though her heart had been gouged out.

She brought Sebastian to his room and set him down on the bed. Then, she did her best to assure him, "Seb, give me three days. We'll leave in three days, so pack up your things, okay?"

The young boy nodded.

After that, Sabrina left his room and shut the door behind her.

She met Cassius in the corridor. His eyes were cold, his voice low as he said, "Let's talk in my study."

It was only when Sabrina entered the study that she noticed something. She didn't know when it had begun, but traces of Natalie had appeared in Cassius' study. On the couch and floor were hairpins or accessories, and there were some musical scores on the table, along with various snacks.

Previously, before Natalie came into their lives, Cassius' study had been filled with research data and other information he and Sabrina needed when discussing their research projects.

Sabrina wondered exactly when it was that things started to change. She still remembered back when she was pregnant with Sebastian, she had once been so exhausted that she fell asleep against him.

When she woke up, Cassius had pressed a kiss to her forehead and said, "Rina, don't work yourself so hard. You and the baby are what's most important to me. I'll only be okay if you two are alright."

At the time, she had thought that all her hard work and effort had been worth it, as Cassius had given her a warm home.

Back in the present, Cassius threw a stack of papers at Sabrina. They were confession letters.

"Sabrina, Nat's school sent these over. These are confession letters written by those bullies who claimed that someone from Belleron transferred them money in return for bullying Nat. That account was traced back to you."

Sabrina remained silent.

Cassius continued icily, "I won't divorce you. I'll comfort Nat as best I can about this, but I'll never let her leave my side again. If you still want to be with me and maintain our marriage, then you'd better forget about all those malicious thoughts of yours."

At this point, Sabrina couldn't even find the energy to explain herself. She fought to keep her composure as she asked, "Cassius, do you have time tomorrow? Could you come with me to the lab? There's a problem with some data that I need to check on."

Upon hearing that there was a problem with the company, Cassius frowned slightly.

"Fine. I have to take Nat to the hospital tomorrow morning since it wouldn't do to have those injuries turning into scars. After that, I'm eating lunch with her, so I can head over to the company in the afternoon."

Sabrina’s matter had been relegated to the very last slot on his schedule. She hadn't noticed it before, but now, she could finally see just where she stood in his heart.

If Natalie had a cello competition, Cassius would leave Sabrina to deal with their overseas business partners alone at a conference, all so he could watch Natalie perform on stage.

The moment Natalie said she was in pain, Cassius abandoned Sabrina by the side of the road and asked her to take a taxi to the Folane residence herself, leaving her to deal with the Folane family elders alone.

When Natalie had said that she was craving ravioli, Cassius had forced Sabrina to get up in the middle of the night. Then, completely disregarding the fact that Sabrina had been working for over a dozen hours straight, he had demanded that she cook ravioli for Natalie.

"Alright…" Sabrina said, sighing.

The next morning, Sabrina was woken up by shrill screaming. Following that, Cassius burst into her room like a madman and yanked her off the bed.

She grunted at the pain, her delicate features twisting into a grimace.

Cassius was squeezing her arm in a vice grip, his eyes bloodshot as he growled, "Sabrina, how dare you do that to Nat!"

Beside them, a crying Sebastian was pounding at Cassius with his tiny fists. "Let go of Mommy, you big meanie!"

Cassius shoved Sebastian away, causing the young boy to fall to the floor. He then tossed his phone on the bed.

"Sabrina, those people actually took nude photos of Nat and posted them on the internet. Now, the entire city of Belleron knows about this matter!"

"Ah! Mr. Folane, Ms. Howe has tried to commit suicide!"

Cassius immediately pushed Sabrina away when he heard that and rushed out of the room.

Even from where Sabrina was standing, she could see Natalie sprawled out on her bed. She had slashed her wrists, and bright red blood was flowing steadily, dripping onto the floor.

Going pale, Sabrina hurriedly covered Sebastian's eyes. "Seb, listen to me and stay in your room. Don't come out, okay?"

Natalie was so committed to her scheme this time that she hadn't even minded putting her life at risk. Sabrina had no idea what it would cost her.

Cassius carried Natalie in his arms and rushed her to the hospital. Meanwhile, Sabrina was dragged into another car by Cassius' bodyguards.

The cars swiftly sped toward a hospital owned by the Folane family.

As Sabrina watched Cassius rush into the hospital, she couldn't help but think that, in his anxiety, he had completely forgotten he was an exceptional surgeon himself.

It hadn't even been half a minute since Cassius entered Sabrina's room when Natalie slit her wrists and was found by Linda Bloom, the housekeeper. Hence, there was no way that amount of blood loss would be fatal.

Sabrina was brought to the operating room door by the bodyguards, where Cassius leveled her with an icy stare.

"Since you love taking photos so much, I'll oblige you!"

With that said, Cassius strode straight toward her and tore her clothes off right there, in full view of the bodyguards and the public.

Instantly, her fair skin was revealed to everyone. The cold air caused Sabrina to shiver, and she moved to cover herself up with the tattered remains of her clothing.

However, Cassius' towering figure loomed closer as he seized her wrists, leaving her no room to move. His gaze was chilly as he said, "Sabrina, I'll have you pay a hundred times back for what you did to Nat!"

Sabrina's body trembled. It felt like knives were slicing at her throat as she rasped, "Cassius, I'm your wife and the mother of your child. How could you do this to me in front of so many people?"

In response, Cassius pinned her to the cold stone wall. Ignoring the crowd around them, he tore off the rest of her dress with a loud rip and let the remnants fall to the floor.

Almost immediately, Sabrina saw several lights flash as a multitude of phone cameras were aimed in her direction. The spectators were either livestreaming the situation, taking photos, or recording videos.

A cruel smirk curled Cassius' lips. "Sabrina, since you utterly ruined Nat's reputation, I'll expose your body for the entire city to see!"

Sabrina's face turned deathly pale as she tried to cover herself with her hands. However, it was futile, especially since Cassius grabbed her wrists again and locked them above her head.

He was deliberately allowing everyone to get a clear look at her body.

The crowd grew even more excited at the sight, thrusting their phones forward even more.

Everyone knew who Cassius was.

In that moment, tears slipped down Sabrina's cheeks.

She thought back to five years ago. At the time, her skirt had torn slightly. Cassius had immediately taken off his jacket and wrapped it around her lower body. Not even a hint of skin had been exposed, yet he had been anxious beyond measure.

Yet, that very same man was now ruining her for the sake of another woman.

The moment Cassius let go, Sabrina collapsed to the ground. With trembling hands, she grabbed what remained of her clothing and hurriedly put them on. She was about to leave when Cassius' merciless voice rang out.

"Sabrina, now your photos are spread all over the internet. I've already taken down all of Nat's photos, but yours… Hah! You deal with them yourself."

Sabrina paled even further, a bitter smile tugging at her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest. She then left without saying another word.

The memory of the first time Cassius had slept with her flashed past her mind.

He had kissed the mole on her chest and said, "Rina, from now on, I'm the only one who gets to see your body. Nobody else should even dream of it!"

After getting into the car, Sabrina took out her phone and saw that her humiliation was all over the internet.

"Mrs. Folane Has a Red Mole on Her Chest."

"Beauty With the Red Mole."

"Breaking News: Mrs. Folane Has a Hot Body!"

Chapter 4

Sabrina tapped into one of the videos, realizing that it was complete footage of the scene when Cassius had ripped off her dress. Her reaction and his cruelty had all been recorded in high-definition video. Beneath the video were countless comments from netizens.

"Mrs. Folane is usually so conservative, always dressed in black skirt suits. Who would've thought that she would be hiding such a hot body underneath all that?"

"Look at those curves and that thin waist! No wonder Mr. Folane married her."

"I love her legs. They're so slender and seem to go on for ages. It sure would be fun to play with them!"

"If I'm not wrong, those are D-cups."

"Hot damn!"

Many more such uncouth comments were still popping up.

Just then, Sabrina's phone rang. When she accepted the call, she heard Cassius' icy voice speak over the line.

"Sabrina, I won't let anyone help you with those photos online. Your only option is to use your own money to buy those photos, one by one. You have to pay the price for hurting Nat, as I also need to provide an explanation to her uncle!"

Cassius hung up immediately after that.

Sabrina's fingers trembled as she logged into her bank account to check her balance. She only had a little over five hundred thousand in there, accrued from her salary during the past five years she was in Folane Pharmaceuticals. She didn't hold any company shares, so all the dividends had ended up with Cassius.

All she had was a black card from Cassius.

She sought the help of a friend and handed him the black card, instructing him to buy out the photos and videos on the internet.

Unfortunately, those uploaders all asked for a high price, so her five hundred thousand dollars only allowed her to buy back seven of them.

The first time her friend swiped the black card, it was still usable. However, the second time he tried, he discovered that the card had been frozen.

"Sabrina, the card has been frozen and can't be swiped anymore. The uploaders are refusing to sell the videos without being paid millions of dollars."

Sabrina stared at the black card, which Cassius had given to her on the day the company was listed. He had said, "Rina, there's no spending limit to this card. I hope you'll never have to worry about money ever again. I'll support you."

Tears blurred her vision before falling onto the card.

For the past five years, she had spent most of the time at the company and lived there, so she hadn't needed to spend much money. Since she also received a salary from the company, she had never needed to use this card.

Now, the only time she decided she wanted to use it, he had only allowed her to swipe it once. Her mind was immediately filled with thoughts of Natalie.

Natalie had a supplementary card from Cassius, which she often used to shop at the malls. Eventually, Cassius decided that she was out and about too much, and she would always whine to him about her aching feet after her shopping sprees.

That was why he spent an exorbitant amount to have the luxury brands send their collections to their villa once every month. The newest items would be brought over for Natalie's perusal, and she had free pick of them all.

Just then, Sabrina's phone chimed with a message from Cassius. It read, "You're not allowed to use my card to buy those photos. Sabrina, even if you have to sell your body to earn the money, I won't help you."

Sabrina wiped away her tears before saying to her friend, "Sell my patent to get the money."

Her friend exclaimed in shock, "Sabrina, have you gone nuts? That's the result of ten years of research! No, that definitely won't do. I'll help you. I swear I'll help you!"

That friend took out all of his savings, even going so far as to sell off three properties under his name, all to gather enough money to finish buying off those uploaders. He had even gone after the reposts.

Upon seeing that all the photos and videos had finally been removed from the internet, all Sabrina could think of was her friend's words.

"Sabrina, I know that research is ten years' worth of hard work and effort, so I'm certain that it definitely can't be sold off cheaply, especially since you're just one step away from completing it. That research will do the world so much good once it's revealed to the public. At that time, it'll be worth billions of dollars, if not more. Just remember to share with me a billion then."

Her friend's teasing and efforts to help her were a stark contrast to Cassius' cruelty and heartlessness. She knew then that she shouldn't have wasted ten years of her life on Cassius and deeply regretted ever loving him.

Sabrina returned to the villa. The moment she stepped through the front door, she heard Sebastian crying.

Hurrying forward, she spotted Natalie standing before him. Natalie's eyes gleamed smugly as she raised her hand to slap the young boy.

Sabrina swiftly darted over to grab Natalie's hand before smacking her twice. Then, she hugged Sebastian to her chest protectively.

However, Natalie burst into tears, crying out in despair, "Cassius, Cassius!"

When Cassius came down from upstairs, Natalie instantly threw herself into his arms.

Noticing the angry red handprints marring Natalie's cheeks, Cassius instantly had a murderous look.

Natalie sobbed through her tears, "It's not Ms. Lirrel's fault. She misunderstood me. Seb was playing with wooden blocks when she returned home and became angry. She slapped him, saying that he looked too much like you. I tried to stop her, but she slapped me twice."

However, Sebastian also spoke up while crying. "Daddy, Natalie was the one who hit me! Mommy only slapped her because she was protecting me!"

Cassius uttered coldly, "Sabrina Lirrel, you actually hit Nat?"

When Sabrina realized that Cassius had completely ignored the key point of the situation and only cared that she had hit Natalie, she snapped, "Cassius, do you see Seb's face? Have I ever laid a hand on him since he was born?"

Hearing that, Natalie appeared uneasy. She quickly squeezed her wrist, causing blood to bloom on the bandages.

Cassius instantly became worried. "Nat, has the wound reopened again?"

With tears still streaking her face, Natalie nodded.

Cassius then turned to look at Sabrina and ordered coldly, "Shaun, slap her ten times. She has to repay Nat's suffering tenfold."

Sabrina didn't even get a chance to resist before Shaun Liese, Cassius' assistant, started smacking her. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth at the force of the blows. Nonetheless, she kept her hands clamped over Sebastian's eyes, not allowing him to witness the scene.

Sebastian was screaming hysterically, "Daddy, it wasn't Mommy's fault! It was that woman who bullied me! Mommy was just trying to protect me! I hate you! I hate you!"

As the young boy struggled vehemently, Sabrina tightened her grip on him to still his wild movements.

At last, the punishment was over.

Sebastian's cries pierced the air, "Mommy, let's not want Daddy anymore! I don't want him! I only want you!"

Cassius' expression swiftly changed as he roared in fury, "Sabrina Lirrel, is that what you've been teaching our son? He's just five years old, yet you've already taught him to disown me, his own father? You're the one who's wicked to the core. Nat doesn't even know anything, so can't you be more magnanimous?"

Sabrina was about to leave with Sebastian, but Cassius ordered his bodyguards to stop them.

"Throw the two of them into the stable so they can reflect on themselves."

Before they were dragged away, Sabrina spotted the triumphant look on Natalie's face. Natalie even mouthed at her, "Cassius is mine!"

Only Sabrina knew that she no longer wanted Cassius.

The night was especially cold in the stable, and by midnight, Sebastian had come down with a fever.

Sabrina wanted to open the stable door, but then she realized that it had been locked. She called Cassius' phone, yet the one who answered was Natalie.

"Sabrina, just stay in the stable. Do you think you can compete with me? Don't you see? Cassius doesn't even believe you. He clearly loves me more, so why don't you take that son of yours and go away as far as you can? Otherwise, I promise I won't let you live an easy life."

Chapter 5

"Natalie, Seb has a high fever. Let Cassius take the call," Sabrina said over the phone.

"That's perfect! Your son can just suffer from his high fever till he turns into a fool. Let me tell you something, Sabrina. I'm already pregnant with Cassius' child, and this baby will be the one to inherit Folane Pharmaceuticals. It would be perfect if your son’s fever shot up so high that it fried his brain!"

With that, Natalie hung up the phone.

Sabrina tried to dial the number again, but the call refused to go through.

Watching Sebastian's fever worsen, Sabrina trembled all over. She swiftly called Linda.

Linda answered uneasily, "Mrs. Folane, I can't help you. Mr. Folane has given the order that anyone who so much as brings you and Mr. Sebastian some water will be fired."

Once again, the phone was hung up on Sabrina.

Pain swirled in her eyes as she stared at her phone's battery indicator, which showed that she only had 5% left.

In the end, she set Sebastian down and started throwing herself at the wooden door. When once wasn't enough to open it, she rammed it again and again. Even when her entire body ached terribly, she didn't stop.

Finally, after several hundred attempts, she managed to smash the door open. Her arms were throbbing with so much pain that she couldn't even lift them, yet she still picked up Sebastian and sped outside.

"Seb, hold on a little longer. I'm sending you to the hospital right now."

However, she didn't receive a reply from the feverish boy, who had already fallen unconscious.

Tears streamed relentlessly down Sabrina's cheeks. "Seb, I'll take you away from here, definitely!"

She didn't know how to drive, and since none of the staff would help her, she could only seek help from Cassius. Hence, she ran straight toward the villa.

Up the stairs she went with Sebastian in her arms, finally barging right into Cassius' room.

The scene that greeted her was of Cassius cuddling with Natalie on the bed.

A flicker of panic flashed past his eyes, but when he spoke, his tone was cold. "Nat had a nightmare, so she came over looking for comfort."

At that point, Sabrina didn't feel anything anymore when she stumbled in on the two in such an intimate position.

"Cassius, please send Seb to the hospital right away. He has a fever."

Cassius apparently still had a sliver of conscience, as he immediately approached her. When he saw that Sebastian was genuinely ill, he moved to take the boy to the hospital.

However, Natalie abruptly burst into tears. "Ms. Lirrel, how could you be so wicked and harm Seb like that? Did you have to let his fever develop to such a severe point so that Cassius would feel heartbroken?"

Cassius' expression darkened when he heard that, and he shoved Sebastian back into Sabrina's arms.

"Sabrina, you actually used our son so that I would soften my heart? Since this is all your doing, you can take Sebastian to the hospital by walking there yourself."

Sabrina paled drastically at Cassius' refusal. "Cassius, I'll divorce you. Please, I'm begging you. Send Seb to the hospital right now. His fever is very high, so we can't wait any longer!"

A flicker of confusion crossed Cassius' eyes. As far as he could remember, Sabrina had never been one to lose her composure. She was always eerily calm. Even during sex, when she seemed shy, that calm never left her.

Just as Cassius was about to say something, Natalie suddenly gripped her stomach and cried out tearfully, "Cassius, my stomach hurts!"

Cassius glanced at Natalie and placed his hand on her flat abdomen without any hint of reservation. "Nat, are you okay?"

Sabrina tugged on his arm and urged, "Cassius, take Seb to the hospital, please! I can agree to anything, even a divorce. I don't want any of your assets. All I want is Seb!"

At the mention of divorce, Cassius instantly became infuriated. "I'll never divorce you! Sabrina Lirrel, you're my wife, and that's a fact that will never change!"

Nonetheless, he swept Natalie into his arms and strode out of the room.

"Since you could handle the photo incident from before, surely you can handle our son's fever this time."

With Sebastian in her arms, Sabrina chased after Cassius' car. "Cassius, please! Take Seb with you! Please take him to the hospital!"

Her only response was Cassius speeding off in his car without a moment's hesitation. His stubborn resolve had Sabrina laughing bitterly.

"I was wrong. This is my mistake. Seb, he's not worthy of being your father, nor is he worthy of my research achievements," she thought.

Following that, she used the landline to call for an ambulance.

"Cassius, since you won't take your son to the hospital even after I begged you, you'll never get another chance," Sabrina vowed in her heart.

For the next two days, she was busy taking care of Sebastian. During that time, she had heard quite a bit of gossip.

"Did you know? Mr. Folane booked out the entire floor of the ward where his wife is staying. He treats her like the most precious treasure of all."

"Yeah, Mr. Folane is indeed quite the romantic. I heard that they've been in love for ten years."

"But then what about that incident previously?"

"No idea. That woman is probably a fake who just looks very similar to Mrs. Folane. At least, that's what's being spread on the internet."

"That must be it. Mr. Folane is so madly in love with his wife that there's no way he would strip her in public. That impostor must have tried to seduce him, which infuriated him so much that he did that."

Seeing as Sebastian's fever had gone down, Sabrina decided to head to the company and retrieve what belonged to her. She already had a rough idea of what Cassius' passcode was.

After asking her friend to help her look after Sebastian, she departed for the company.

However, on the way there, she was struck by a car and sent flying. Her entire body throbbed badly as she lay there on the ground, blood slowly seeping out of her.

Eventually, she heard the sound of ambulance sirens before the paramedics arrived and began emergency treatment on her.

In her daze, she thought she heard Cassius saying something. Then, someone replied, "Mr. Folane, are you sure you want to take one of Mrs. Folane's kidneys to give to Ms. Howe?"

Chapter 6

"Yes. I've already signed the surgery consent form. Sabrina's kidneys are a match for Nat, who is suffering from acute kidney failure. Nothing must happen to her," Cassius said.

A voice responded, "But Mrs. Folane would surely know that she's missing a kidney."

"Then don't ever tell her. If she asks about the scar, just say it was from the car accident."

Sabrina wanted to move, but she couldn't muster any strength at all. She didn't even have the energy to lift her eyelids. She could feel her skin being cut open, her kidney removed, and then her body stitched back together.

All she could think of was back when she was pregnant with Sebastian. At the time, Cassius had crouched and rained kisses all over her swollen belly.

His low voice had been filled with love as he said, "Rina, I can't bear seeing your stomach have even a single stretch mark. I'll apply the cream for you every day with a massage. I swear, I'll definitely protect your stomach."

She had shot him a look brimming with love. As she watched him stroke her stomach, seemingly unable to stop, she had honestly thought that he placed more importance on her than their research.

Yet now, he had given his express permission for others to cut open her stomach, leaving a long and jagged wound.

A long while later, the operating room door opened.

Sabrina then heard running footsteps before Cassius spoke up from somewhere nearby. "How is Nat?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Folane. The surgery was a success. Since Ms. Howe has acute kidney failure, if anything were to happen to her again, she would have to get another kidney transplant."

"It's fine. Sabrina has two kidneys."

From where she was on the operating table, Sabrina allowed her tears to fall freely before she fell unconscious.

As it turned out, if Natalie wanted her life, she had no choice but to give it up!

When Sabrina woke up again, seven days had already passed.

Sebastian had recovered from his fever and was currently sprawled by her bedside. When he noticed that she had regained consciousness, his dark eyes lit up.

"Mommy, Mommy, you're finally awake! Daddy told me that you got into a car accident while going out to buy me something to eat. It's all my fault…" Sebastian burst into loud sobs as he threw himself onto his mother, his words filled with self-blame.

Cassius, who had been standing nearby, walked over. In a magnetic voice, he said, "It's good that you're awake. You were in a car accident and suffered a large gash to your abdomen."

Sabrina didn't respond to his remarks. Instead, she said, "Cassius, my passcode to the lab is your birthdate. Could you bring me the laptop that's in there? I have some new data I want to input, so I have to change it before tonight."

Cassius' expression changed. "Okay. My passcode is the date we first slept together."

Sabrina's hands were trembling as she hugged Sebastian tightly.

That was the night they had conceived Sebastian, so Cassius had claimed it was an important day for their family of three.

However, none of that was important anymore.

She wanted Cassius to hand her the laptop personally.

Cassius stated, "Rest well. The doctor said you suffered from major blood loss, so you need to get more rest to recover. I'll go get the laptop now and return."

After saying that, he left the room.

Sabrina brought Sebastian closer to her and said, "Seb, we can finally leave."

She then took Sebastian's phone and sent out a text. "Send a helicopter to Farlow Hospital's rooftop to pick us up in two hours."

An hour later, Cassius returned with the laptop. He had even bought some of Sabrina's and Sebastian's favorite foods.

When Cassius tried to feed her, she turned her head away. She said, "It's fine. I need to work first."

"How about you talk and I type?" Cassius offered his help.

However, Sabrina shook her head. "No need. You've never participated in this research project. I can do it myself."

Cassius stayed there with them, unaware that Sabrina wasn't actually altering the data. She was merely biding her time.

Just as she was thinking of a way to lure him away, his phone rang. Sabrina heard every word of the ensuing conversation.

"Mr. Folane, Ms. Howe woke up and couldn't find you, so she's really upset and crying. Please hurry over."

Cassius ended the call, anxiety overtaking his expression.

"Rina, something's happened at the company, so I have to head over. I'll be back soon."

He strode away quickly but then paused at the door. Turning back, he said, "Rina, you and Seb will always be the most important people to me, so I'll never divorce you. Wait for me."

However, Sabrina was determined to never wait for him again.

Not long after Cassius left, the loud thumping of helicopter blades sounded from outside the window.

Sebastian was delighted and cried, "Mommy, we can finally leave!"

Lifting her gaze, Sabrina looked outside at the sky. The sun was finally peeking out from behind the clouds.

The pain in her side was particularly sharp when she moved to get out of bed. Nonetheless, she endured it and grabbed Sebastian with one hand and the laptop with the other.

After that, she led them outside and straight onto the helicopter.

The man who had come to get her asked, "Sabrina, do you have any other requests?"

"Just those two. Transfer a billion dollars to my friend, and also facilitate my divorce from Cassius."

"Alright. It's no problem. The agency will handle it for you."

"There's another thing I would like to ask for the agency's help with. I want them to eliminate Folane Pharmaceuticals' research lab."

Those patents she had developed together with Cassius would be no more, thereby cutting all her ties with him.

Ten years ago, when she first met Cassius, she had been all alone in the world.

Now, she was leaving him, but she had Sebastian and her dream with her. From then on, Cassius would no longer be part of her world!