Chapter 1

In the fifth year of being kept away, Ariel Levine accidentally learned that her husband, Keith Ford, had found a stand-in for her.

Rumor had it that the woman looked just like her, acting as a decoy and pretending to be her in public.

Ariel's first reaction was disbelief.

Keith was intensely possessive to the extent of keeping her in confinement. She didn't believe he would tolerate a substitute.

Since her mutism had healed, Ariel thought she might as well seize the chance to break her five-year confinement and leave the castle for the first time.

She hailed a cab to Keith's company, determined to see the truth with her own eyes. But just as she reached the city center, the police stopped her.

"Mr. Ford has blocked off all major roads today for his grand wedding. Please take a detour, miss."

"Which Mr. Ford?" Ariel asked in confusion.

The officer gave her a puzzled look, as if she had come from another planet. "Where have you been living? Of course, it's the scion, Keith Ford!"

He continued, "He and his fiancee got engaged five years ago, but the wedding's been postponed 52 times. This time, Mr. Ford ordered the entire city's police force to secure the event. He's not taking any chances."

The words hit Ariel like a thunderclap, ringing in her ears.

"What wedding?" she wondered, her mind throbbing. Keith had never mentioned it to her.

For the past week, he had claimed to be so busy with the company's affairs that he had no time to come home.

A disturbing suspicion began to take root in Ariel's mind.

For all those times Keith had postponed their wedding, every delay had been caused by an accident right before the big day.

The first time, he coaxed her the night before the ceremony, promising they would only fool around a little. Somehow, they went through ten bottles of lube, and she ended up sleeping through the morning of their wedding.

The second time, her beloved dog suddenly died at dawn. Their supposed wedding turned into a funeral.

By the 52nd time, the car meant to take her to the ceremony crashed. She suffered 22 fractures and had to be resuscitated three times before she finally pulled through.

"Look! Mr. Ford and his bride are here!"

Through the crowd of reporters swarming the streets, Ariel saw a luxurious wedding car glide into view. Standing tall inside was a figure she would never mistake for anyone else.

Keith was immaculate in a tailored suit, radiating confidence.

A woman stood beside him, her arm linked through his. She was wearing the wedding gown that Ariel had designed for herself.

That woman's face was almost identical to hers.

"Kiss! Kiss!" the crowd chanted.

Keith smiled sweetly and kissed his bride without hesitation. The street immediately erupted in cheers, while Ariel's inner world went silent.

"Hey…" She wanted to call out to Keith, to ask him what was going on and who that woman was.

However, her words were caught painfully in her throat. Her mutism had returned.

The noise around her was deafening, swallowing her faint whimpers. The large and tight crowd pushed her to the edge, forcing her to witness the entire ceremony.

She watched as Keith kissed the bride, made vows of eternal love before the officiant, and exchanged matching rings. Every part of the ceremony was the same as the wedding they had once planned together.

Except the bride wasn't her.

The sight before her was so painful it felt blinding. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

The love in Keith's eyes was unmistakable.

And that tender, adoring look had once belonged to her alone.

In a daze, memories from five years ago flooded back.

After the abduction, she had developed post-traumatic mutism. Keith had hired the world's top psychologists and brought them into their home to treat her.

He had even built her a fully equipped castle, practically a miniature city designed just for her.

Everyone said that Keith was keeping his mute wife under gentle confinement. But Ariel believed that he was just too afraid of losing her again after that one incident.

For five whole years, Ariel lived under his airtight protection, completely cut off from the world. But now, the man who once swore to protect her was the same man who betrayed her with a stand-in.

Noticing Keith leading his bride into the corporate tower, Ariel followed quietly. Her eyes were red and glistening.

Outside the CEO's office, the voices of Keith chatting with his groomsmen drifted through the cracked door.

"You kept delaying the wedding on purpose before, and you even caused that incident that nearly killed her. If she ever finds out you're marrying a stand-in today, aren't you afraid she'll leave you?"

"I'll just keep it from her forever," Keith replied. "Any information that goes through the castle gets through me first. She'll never know a thing. She'll stay there obediently and be my perfect little princess."

He exhaled a ring of smoke and calmly crushed the cigarette between his fingers.

"Besides, a public wedding like this would only draw attention. I don't want anyone targeting Ariel. It's not safe for her."

His careless tone stabbed straight through Ariel's heart. In an instant, her blood went cold, and a chill spread through every inch of her body.

It turned out that all those "accidents" had been orchestrated by the man she loved the most. As for the "protection" he had spoken of, it was nothing more than control disguised in love.

The conversation inside the office continued.

"You keep saying you're hiding Ariel away in that castle to protect her. But the truth is, you still can't get over what happened that night she was abducted, can you?"

The old wound in Ariel's heart tore open again, twisting until it felt raw and bloody.

Silence filled the office for a long moment. It was so long that Ariel could hardly breathe.

After a long pause, Keith finally spoke, "You're right, I do mind. But I love Ariel deeply. Protecting her isn't just guilt, but it's something I've been doing my whole life.

"Instead of letting her show her face in public and become the subject of filthy gossip, I'd rather have a stand-in take her place and bear those rumors for her."

Upon hearing Keith's self-righteous words, Ariel let out a bitter laugh. But as she laughed, her eyes filled with tears.

Five years ago, she had been abducted on her way to bring Keith his dinner.

His business rival had threatened to use her life as leverage to force him into giving up a billion-dollar project.

That night left behind blood stains that even rain couldn't wash away.

When she managed to escape, she was covered in wounds, wearing only a man's shirt that could barely cover her body.

No one believed she was still pure.

Unable to speak, she could only shake her head over and over, her eyes red. Her silent denial became a wordless confession in Keith's eyes.

Despite his usual calm and composed demeanor, Keith broke down, clutching her tightly and apologizing repeatedly.

He told her that she would always be pure in his heart. He reassured her that he would take good care of her for the rest of her life.

Yet the man who claimed to love her had locked her away in that castle. She was hidden from the world like a shameful secret.

From the start, Keith had never believed her. He had despised her for being tainted.

Ariel turned and ran, tears pouring down her face, burning as they fell onto her arms.

Since Keith already had a stand-in in public, she no longer wanted his twisted love.

Whether it was her recovered voice or the truth that she had never been violated, she decided not to tell him anything.

Chapter 2

Outside the Ford Group Tower, fireworks lit up the night sky in dazzling bursts. Every pattern was one Ariel had once mentioned liking.

A moment later, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text message from Keith, along with a photo of fireworks taken from the upper floor.

"Babe, there's a firework show tonight. It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He followed with another text. "I'm still busy with work, but I miss you. I'll come home later with a surprise."

Ariel gripped her phone tighter as she felt a sharp pain twisting through her chest.

Every day for the past five years, Keith had always checked in on her. It used to give her a sense of security and make her feel loved.

If she had still been in the dark, she would have smiled at his text message and been happy all day.

But now she knew the truth.

Thinking back on those five years, Ariel no longer knew which of his words had been real and which had been lies.

She dared not think about it.

Instead of replying, she dialed a number. The call was answered almost instantly. A deep and magnetic voice came through the line.

"Ms. Levine, to what do I owe the honor of your personal call? Aren't you afraid that crazy husband of yours might get jealous?"

"Cut the crap," Ariel replied. "I need you to help me fake a death. One week from now, on my birthday."

Keith's rival, Sean Miller, was clearly taken aback. "You're Keith's precious darling. That stand-in, Natalie Green, is just his secretary. She's no threat to your position as his wife. Why go this far?"

Then his tone turned teasing again. "Five years ago, I pulled you out of that kidnapping mess out of my own goodwill. But the risk is a lot higher this time, so what's in it for me?"

Ariel's voice was hoarse but steady. It was calm in a way that felt like she had already given up everything.

"You know I'm the second largest shareholder of Ford Group. I can transfer my entire 40% stake to you."

Sean froze for a moment but quickly accepted with a chuckle. "Deal. I'll come for you in seven days."

After the call ended, Ariel looked at the giant screen in front of her. It showed a wedding photo of the Fords, but the bride wasn't her.

In both figures and features, Natalie bore an uncanny resemblance to her.

Ariel remembered that Keith had indeed mentioned Natalie once while talking about work.

One night, years ago, he returned to the castle after a business dinner. There was foundation smeared on his shirt collar and a faint trace of unfamiliar perfume clinging to him.

That was the first time she had ever felt suspicious.

However, Keith dropped to his knees, swearing he would never betray her. He had persuaded her for hours until she finally gave in.

He said his new secretary was capable and not someone he could just dismiss. He assured her that there was nothing between them, that it was strictly a professional relationship.

Ariel believed him wholeheartedly.

For five years, her world had revolved entirely around Keith. She had never once suspected him of cheating.

But now, it all seemed like a cruel joke. She had been played like a fool.

"Mrs. Ford, there are rumors that your husband kept you locked away for five years. Now that you've reappeared after so long, do you have anything to say?"

Out of nowhere, a swarm of reporters surrounded her. They pointed their cameras at her and shoved their microphones toward her face.

It had been years since she had faced the outside world. Her throat tightened so much that she couldn't form a single sentence.

More onlookers gathered around, whispering among themselves.

"Mr. Ford has kept his wife locked in that castle for the past five years. What's the difference between that and keeping a caged canary? Maybe he's got an affair elsewhere too."

"Keep your voice down. The last person who dared to say that had his tongue cut off."

"Exactly. Mr. Ford is known for integrity. How could someone so devoted ever cheat? Didn't you see the hickey on Mrs. Ford's neck in the wedding photo? It was so deep that even the foundation couldn't cover it…"

Ariel dug her nails deep into her palms, but she couldn't feel the pain.

So, Keith had indeed kept his real wife locked away at home while flaunting his secretary as his lover in public. What others could see at a glance had taken her five whole years to realize.

"What's all this noise in front of the Ford Group? Do you people think this is a marketplace?"

All of a sudden, the once-rowdy crowd fell silent, instinctively parting to make way.

Keith strode over, his cold gaze sweeping across every reporter who had been hounding Ariel.

Everyone broke into a cold sweat, fearing that the infamous wife-obsessed Keith might lose his temper and literally sew their mouths shut.

The air froze in death silence.

Ariel felt that familiar sense of safety, and she instinctively turned to him for help.

But in the next second, Keith looked at her coldly. "You've gotten the wrong person. She's not my wife."

Chapter 3

"This woman beside me is my wife," said Keith.

As soon as he pulled Natalie tightly into his arms, his cold tone softened. "This is Ariel Levine, the daughter of the Levine family and the real Mrs. Ford.

"As for her…" Ignoring the shocked stares around him, Keith paused and glanced at Ariel's pale face. "She's just my secretary, Natalie Green. A stand-in who happens to resemble my wife.

"She's just someone I keep around for fun. Easy on the eyes, that's all."

The crowd erupted in gasps.

As if to drive his point home, Keith suddenly kissed Natalie passionately in full view of the reporters.

Their lips locked, and a thin strand of saliva glistened between them.

Ariel froze in place, as if struck by lightning. Unfortunately, her mutism relapsed. She couldn't speak or defend herself, couldn't even question Keith.

Natalie shot her a provoking and triumphant glance.

"Keith, it's windy out here. Let's go back," she said, blushing.

Then, she coyly wrapped herself around Keith's arm. "You kept me up half the night and even cleaned me up afterward. You haven't slept, so I don't want you to catch a cold now…"

There was an unmistakable pride hidden in her tone.

Before Keith and Natalie left, Ariel's eyes met Keith's for a brief second. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she could've sworn she saw a flicker of guilt in his dark eyes.

Having lost their excitement, the crowd dispersed.

Someone even sneered loudly on purpose. "Who knows if she had plastic surgery to look like Mrs. Ford. She's probably slept her way up the ladder. How shameless and disgusting…"

Dozens of contemptuous stares pierced Ariel like needles, stabbing at her already broken heart. Her eyes reddened as she smiled bitterly and self-mockingly.

After her abduction, Keith had sworn that he would always treat her like before, openly and sincerely.

But now, to stage his so-called protection, he twisted the truth. He let baseless accusations fall squarely on her shoulders.

Suddenly, a bang shattered the air.

One of the hydrogen balloons from the wedding decorations nearby exploded. A burst of flame shot up without warning.

The searing heat licked across Ariel's arms, blistering her skin.

"Fire! Run!"

Panic broke out instantly. People screamed, shoved, and scrambled to escape.

Ariel was knocked to the ground in the chaos. Her injured hand scraped against the pavement, raw and bleeding.

The panicked crowd trampled over her fragile body.

Through her teary vision, Ariel saw Keith glancing back several times from a short distance away.

She tried to call out to him, but no sound came out. Her voice was caught in her throat. Her vocal chords throbbed painfully, but the only sound she could make was a faint rasp of air.

Natalie deliberately clutched her ankle and whimpered, "Keith, I twisted my ankle! It hurts so bad!"

Her cry immediately stole all of his attention.

Keith rushed over and scooped Natalie into his arms, his eyes filled with panic and tenderness.

It was the same look he had when he rescued Ariel from abduction back then, the same desperate, protective urgency.

"Make way! She's hurt!"

Pain spread through Ariel's body. Her heart ached like a thousand invisible insects were eating away at it.

Her gaze locked onto Keith's retreating figure. In her daze, his silhouette overlapped with that of the boy who used to shield her from the world.

Back in high school, Keith broke his left arm fighting off a gang that had been bullying her. She scolded him for his recklessness, but he only smiled and wiped away her tears.

"Don't cry, Ariel. I'm fine."

Five years ago, he stormed the kidnappers' hideout alone. Ignoring his own injuries, he carried her on his back and said, "Don't be scared. I'll never leave you."

However, Keith broke his promise.

From beginning to end, he never even noticed that she was hurt. Not once did his eyes drift toward her.

Stumbling out of the chaotic crowd, Ariel managed to stop a passerby and frantically signed for them to call an ambulance.

But in the next second, the person shoved her hard. "Ew, you're filthy! Get away from me!"

Catching sight of her reflection in a nearby glass window, Ariel finally saw her face streaked with soot. Even her once-expensive clothes were torn and dirty.

She bit her lips hard and started crying uncontrollably. The humiliation and helplessness all came crashing down.

Everyone bullied her just because she couldn't speak.

Suddenly, behind her, she heard Keith's urgent voice calling out to her. "Ariel!"

Ariel ignored him and flagged down a cab.

With a sharp screech of brakes, a black Maybach with a vanity plate reading K8888 stopped smoothly in front of her.

Keith stepped out of the car and draped his suit jacket over her shoulders.

"Get into the car. I have something to tell you."

Chapter 4

"I'm sorry, Natalie got hurt. I panicked and forgot you were there too," Keith explained softly.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Ariel's waist. His hands were warm against her skin. It felt like an act of comfort or perhaps a reflex of possession.

He carefully checked her from head to toe, just as he always used to.

"Did you hurt yourself anywhere?" he asked. "I'll send you home."

Ariel quietly hid her injured arm and shook her head, her eyes red. They were standing so close, yet it was the first time she felt their hearts were miles apart.

When she reached to open the front passenger door, Natalie was already sitting inside.

"Oh no, have I accidentally taken Mrs. Ford's exclusive seat? But since she rarely leaves the house, she probably won't mind, right?"

Natalie stuck her tongue out playfully, yet she had no intention of moving.

"It's fine, she doesn't mind," Keith said before Ariel could respond.

Then, he opened the back door and coaxed gently, "Natalie is used to being pampered. Besides, she's sprained her ankle, so it's inconvenient for her to move."

Ariel said nothing and got into the backseat.

"Ariel, she and I are just putting on an act. You don't have to be jealous."

Keith held the steering wheel absentmindedly and kept glancing at Ariel in the rearview mirror.

"Too many people out there are eyeing you, so I'm worried about you. It's better to let her be your shield."

His assurance only made Ariel's heart ache even more. She didn't respond in sign language as she used to and only remained silent.

Natalie chimed in, her tone light, "Exactly. As a healthy and able-bodied woman, I can take the bullets from outsiders for Ariel."

She leaned in closer to Keith and wrapped an arm around his shoulder in mock intimacy. "I spend every day with Mr. Ford. I even know what color boxers he wears on which day of the week. How could I possibly have bad intentions? We're just friends.

"Once, Mr. Ford accidentally drank some bad liquor at a business dinner, and I was the one who rushed him to the hospital. Ariel, since you stay at home all the time, did you even know about that?"

Natalie's tone dripped with smugness and feigned innocence.

Keith cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Ariel, don't listen to her nonsense. She's just careless and doesn't understand boundaries between men and women."

Ariel clenched her fists so tightly that the wound on her arm split open again and started to bleed.

If she hadn't felt that lacy underwear wedged in the seat gap when she first got into the car, she might have believed their lies. But now, there was even a flicker of guilt in Keith's eyes.

"Mr. Ford, we have an urgent company document to discuss," Natalie said. She held her phone with one hand and placed the other on Keith's thigh, brushing past a sensitive spot.

Then she deliberately hesitated, glancing toward Ariel in the backseat. "With Ariel here, it's a bit inconvenient… It's a confidential document, after all…"

"Ariel, could you step out for a moment?" Keith's Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke. His expression shifted slightly, but his tone remained calm and steady. "It won't take long."

Ariel nodded and obediently opened the car door.

But the moment she stepped out, the Maybach began to rock in a steady rhythm. Then, a woman's groan and a man's heavy breathing sounded faintly from inside.

Ariel lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly.

She hadn't seen it wrong. The content on Natalie's phone wasn't a document, but a seductive photo of her dressed in a bunny costume.

"Natalie, keep your voice down. My wife is still outside…" Keith murmured, his voice low and restrained.

The tone he used to call Natalie was the same as the way he used to call Ariel. He was calling another woman with that same intimate tone.

A sharp pain shot through Ariel's chest. Her eyes were burning red. She bit her lip hard to swallow the bitterness rising in her throat while gently caressing the ring on her ring finger.

Over the past five years, she had never taken off her wedding ring. The mark it left on her skin had already turned into a deep red groove.

"Keith, be more gentle… Not there…"

Natalie's breathy moans floated through the air, thick with desire.

Ariel wanted to escape, but they were on a long sea bridge with no cabs in sight. Since there was nowhere to go, she could only wait for the absurd act inside the car to end.

She thought of Keith's once strict family rules: no intimacy before marriage. He had never crossed that line back then. He had kept his word and waited until their wedding night.

But that unexpected kidnapping had delayed their wedding. They had never consummated their marriage.

Ever since that day, Ariel would tremble in fear whenever things got intimate. Even when passion burned between them, all she could manage was faint whimpers.

Keith always felt bad for her and cooled his desire with cold showers. He said he wouldn't force and would wait until she was ready.

However, he had broken that promise too. To make things worse, he was even doing it with another woman in her presence.

Perhaps in Keith's eyes, Natalie was a perfect substitute. She shared Ariel's face, carried the same innocence, and had a soft and gentle voice. In every way, she resembled the woman Ariel used to be.

No wonder he cheated with her.

After what felt like an eternity, Natalie slowly rolled down the car window. Her flushed face was still glowing with satisfaction.

"Ariel, we're done. You can get back in now."

As soon as Ariel entered the car, she was overwhelmed by nausea from the amorous scent lingering inside. Nausea churned in her stomach, and her heartbreak had numbed her completely.

On the way to send Natalie to the hospital, Keith just remained silent.

When they returned to the castle, he instantly scooped Ariel into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

His gaze darkened as he leaned over her, slowly tracing his slender fingers along her lips.

"Ariel, I won't hold it against you for sneaking out to my company today," he said. Then, he raised his phone, showing her the "evidence". "But why did you contact my biggest rival? Give me a reason."

Ariel's face turned pale. Fighting the urge to speak, she signed with trembling hands. "You've been monitoring my calls?"

"You're the one who misbehaved first," Keith replied. He slid his hand beneath her clothes and caressed her sensitive parts.

"I told you that I don't like you showing yourself in public," he added. "I'm afraid someone will take you away from me again."

As he spoke, he tore away the thin barrier and thrust into her without hesitation. His movements were anything but gentle.

Ariel whimpered and struggled, pressing her hands against his chest to push him away. But her resistance only seemed to fuel his primal possessiveness.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Keith suddenly noticed a small stain of red on the white sheets. He was stunned, abruptly stopping his intense movements.

His voice came out rough and trembling with disbelief.

"Why is there blood on the sheets? Are you still… a virgin?"

Chapter 5

Tears welled up in Ariel's eyes as she glared at Keith, who was still pressing down on her. A surge of resentment flooded through her chest.

She raised her scarred arm, deliberately showing the half-dried blood to cover the truth. "Have you forgotten how I lost my virginity back then?"

Her lips curved into a bitter smile as she pulled herself free and continued signing furiously. "It was because of you."

Keith was stunned. The memory of pain and guilt instantly replaced his joy.

"Are you blaming me?" he snapped. Her words had provoked him. "If you hadn't secretly come looking for me five years ago, you never would've been kidnapped, nor would you have been defiled by another man!"

The bedroom lights were so bright that they revealed every trace of disgust in his eyes.

Their gazes locked, and the atmosphere froze.

Ariel could see the mix of love and hatred in his bloodshot eyes. She wanted to guilt-trip him for failing to protect her back then, to punish him for not loving her now.

But the moment the sharp words left her hands, a deep ache tore through her numb heart.

After a long silence, her trembling fingers began to move again. "For the past five years, you're disgusted by me for being tainted, aren't you?"

The mansion was deathly quiet except for the ticking of the antique clock.

After several seconds, Keith finally spoke, his tone softer. "I didn't mean it like that."

Although he said that, Ariel smiled. Those few seconds of hesitation were his most honest answer.

She should've seen it clearly long ago.

Just then, Keith's phone rang. He picked it up with a frown. "Natalie?"

A tearful, pitiful cry came from the other end. "The doctor said the tendons and bones of my foot are injured… I'm scared of having surgery…"

"I'll come to the hospital right away," Keith replied.

His expression instantly softened. The anxiety in his eyes stabbed sharply into Ariel's heart, as that look of concern used to belong to only her.

But now, she was no longer his priority.

Keith swiftly straightened his clothes. "You're coming with me. I don't feel at ease leaving you here alone."

His current calm demeanor was a far cry from the man who had just pinned her down in a frenzy of desire.

But the moment they arrived at the hospital, Keith handed Ariel over to Natalie's bodyguard, Ron Walker.

"Be good and wait here," he said. "I'll be back in a short while."

Ariel stood there, watching as Keith crouched by the hospital bed. He carefully lifted Natalie's injured foot without the slightest trace of disgust as he examined the injury.

It turned out his so-called purity obsession was only directed at Ariel's imagined taint of her lost innocence.

As she stood dazed, someone suddenly covered her mouth and nose from behind.

The same terror from five years ago, the night she was kidnapped, swallowed her sanity whole. Her body went rigid when she was dragged into a dim specimen room.

Through the sliver of light seeping through the door, Ariel saw that the man who had taken her was Ron, the man Keith had assigned to protect Natalie.

"This is Ms. Green's order," Ron said coldly. Then, he hurled Ariel into a tank filled with formalin.

The stinging chemical flooded her mouth and nose as revolting human specimens floated around her. Her eyes stung, burning so fiercely that it felt like tears of blood might spill.

"You look absolutely pathetic right now."

Just then, Natalie, who was supposed to be in the operating room, walked in. Her steps were brisk and steady, nothing like someone with an injured foot.

"Mr. Ford went all the way to the south of the city to buy me cupcakes. He hasn't even realized you're gone."

She smiled slyly, not hiding her smug satisfaction.

"Just admit it. Your beloved husband has already fallen for me, someone cleaner, someone who can talk to him and keep him company.

"I'm not a filthy used-up woman like you. Who knows how many men have touched you? You should've given up your title as Mrs. Ford long ago!"

Natalie's beautiful face twisted with hatred.

Ariel's vision darkened.

She quickly clutched her ruby necklace, the one Keith had personally fitted with a miniature camera that streamed footage to the cloud.

He had once said he could only feel at ease if he could see her life at any moment. But now, with his heart belonging to someone else, he probably hadn't checked it in a long time.

"I didn't expect you to really be a mute," Natalie mocked.

Watching Ariel thrashed weekly in the chemical solution, Natalie lost interest and left with Ron. The heavy door slammed shut, cutting off the only source of light.

After what felt like an eternity, Ariel's skin was burning and peeling from the corrosion, and her consciousness was slipping away.

Just as she was about to faint, someone kicked the door open with a loud crash.

"Ariel!"