Chapter 1

I once thought that Christopher Reed's love for me was the highest form of love a man could have for a woman.

Even when I went from Dovemont's most favored socialite to having my private photos spread everywhere and becoming a promiscuous woman everyone hated, Christopher didn't think twice to stand by me and publicly announce to the world that he'd proposed to me.

It wasn't until I overheard his conversation with his henchman, Elias Monroe, that I learned that right from the start, his love had only ever been for my stepsister, Winona Archer.

"Mr. Reed, I've carried out your orders and arranged for those men to assault Ms. Juliette. She's suffered a huge blow this time. I believe she'll stay out of the public eye for a long time and won't be a threat to Ms. Winona's career any longer.

"But why did you have them take those photos and spread them? Isn't... Isn't that going too far?"

Christopher turned the rosary in his hands as a cold smile played on his lips.

"But what I'm after isn't her temporary retreat from the stage. I need to ensure she never dares to stand on one again. That's the only way Winnie can feel at ease.

"Of course, I'm not completely heartless. As long as she marries me and becomes my wife, she'll want for nothing for the rest of her life. That's my compensation for her."

Elias looked puzzled. "But… But you love Ms. Winona so deeply. Can you really give up the woman you love and marry someone you feel nothing for?"

Christopher's eyes narrowed as he gazed into the distance, his gaze filled with a certain tenderness. "It's precisely because I love her that I can't bear to trap her within the petty scheming of a wealthy family. She's meant for much broader horizons."

Outside the door, I bit my lip hard to keep from crying out loud. Christopher's words were like sharp blades, plunging deep into my chest.

After that nightmarish experience, I had believed Christopher was my salvation. But who would have thought that he was the mastermind behind it all?

That explained why he had suddenly started showing me affection a month ago, despite having no interactions with me in the past.

No wonder he claimed to have secretly loved me for ten years, even though the one he'd been showing attention to had been Winona all along. So that was how things were.

It turned out that everything had been for Winona.

My stomach churned violently. I clamped a hand over my mouth and stumbled toward the toilet, retching until I felt my insides twist.

When there was nothing left to vomit, I finally braced myself against the wall and staggered to my feet. Suddenly, a pair of hands steadied me from behind.

I froze, turning to find Christopher standing there.

Once, those large, sturdy hands had brought me warmth and an indescribable sense of safety. But now, they made my skin crawl. The grip on my wrist didn't feel human. Instead, it felt like there was a cold, scaly tail of a serpent coiled around my wrist.

Christopher took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the mess from my face. Then, he smoothed my messy hair as if he truly cared.

"Juliette, were you thinking about those men again? Staying cooped up at home isn't going to do you any good. Why don't I take you to an auction to take your mind off things?"

I wanted to refuse him, but I had no ground to do so.

After the incident, my father, Maurice Archer, who had once doted on me endlessly, believed that I was a disgrace to the Archer family. So when Christopher proposed, he eagerly handed me over like he was discarding a piece of trash.

I had no one left in my corner. I had no choice but to follow Christopher to the auction.

…

The moment we entered, the sound of familiar whispers nearly drowned me.

"Hey, isn't that the eldest daughter of the Archer family? Her scandalous photos were leaked everywhere! How does she have the nerve to show her face here after all that?"

"Exactly! They say she was the victim, but trouble always finds those who invite it! What does she expect after the way she dressed in such figure-hugging attire and danced so intimately with other men on stage? I'd say she brought it all on herself!"

"Who's to say she was forced? Maybe she just took the game too far…"

My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe, and my hands began to tremble uncontrollably.

Through chattering teeth, I whispered, "C-Christopher, I want to go home."

But his grip on my hand tightened, and he put on a deceptively gentle expression. "Juliette, I'm right here with you. What have you got to be afraid of? I'll protect you."

Chapter 2

I had no choice but to sit down with Christopher.

The auction commenced shortly after.

Christopher kept his fingers interlaced with mine throughout, occasionally leaning in to whisper in my ear, mimicking the intimacy of a truly close couple. He even went as far as signaling an unlimited bid to secure a full set of sapphire jewelry for me. It was worth a staggering nine figures.

In an instant, the entire auction hall erupted in uproar.

"Has Mr. Reed lost his mind? He's throwing away that much money for someone like her?"

"Well, you've got to admire her tricks, don't you? Haven't you seen those photos? With that body and those skills of hers, which man could resist? You should all take notes!"

Their crude comments drilled into my ears no matter how tightly I covered them. Christopher, however, remained completely unperturbed, as if he hadn't heard a thing. He even made a big deal out of waving a server over, just to ask for a blanket for me.

"My fiancee gets cold easily," he said, gently caressing my hand.

In the past, I would have mistaken this for a gesture of love. But now, I finally understood that his exaggerated display was only meant to make me the center of ridicule once again. Humiliating me was his true intention.

A wave of nausea rose again. My nails dug into my palm as I forced myself to endure it, waiting desperately for the auction to end.

Finally, the last item was brought out. But I didn't even have the chance to let out a breath of relief. The moment I had a clear look at the item on display, I instantly felt stripped bare and thrown into an icy pit.

The item up for auction was clearly photos of me being assaulted!

Although the most explicit parts had been blurred out, everyone could tell who the woman in the pictures was. It was me.

Those were photos taken after I was violated. But how did these photos end up here?

I instinctively glanced at Christopher. He didn't look the least bit surprised. In fact, he didn't even bat an eye.

He was the esteemed scion of the Reed family, and I was his fiancee. And of course, no one would dare display these photos here without his permission. It would be a direct insult to him otherwise.

Every male guest in the room turned to look at me. Their gazes were oily and degrading.

"As expected of a ballerina! You'd need at least 20 years of training to pull off a pose like that!"

"Damn it! The censoring makes it even more tempting!"

"You find it tempting, do you? Well, if you're tempted, then bid for it! She might belong to Mr. Reed now, but you can still take the photos home and put them by your bedside. Have some fun with them, you know?"

"You've got a point there! I'll bid five million!"

"Five and a half!"

"Six million!"

The bids roared in my ears, a relentless torrent.

A loud buzzing filled my head, my vision dimmed, and everything went black as I passed out on the spot.

Chapter 3

When I came to, I was already back at the Reed residence.

Christopher sat by my bed, as if he had been keeping watch for a long time. His expression was a mask of guilt.

"It was my fault, Juliette. I've taken care of those photos, so there's no need to worry about them anymore. From now on, if you don't wish to go out, you don't have to. I will never force you again. You can stay here at the Reed residence for the rest of your life if you want. I'll be here with you."

I turned away as bitterness rose within me. So, this was his true goal. He wanted nothing more than for me to hide away forever, to never show my face in public again, so that Winona's career would be smooth-sailing and free from obstacles.

I was just about to speak when the door was suddenly pushed open. Winona walked in.

The moment she entered, Christopher's attention shifted entirely to her, his gaze softening with unmistakable tenderness.

Looking back, I must have been blind not to see that it was her he truly loved.

My guard went up instantly. "Why are you here?"

Florence Hale, Christopher's mother, followed close behind Winona. When she heard my words, her finely arched brows knit together in displeasure.

"Winnie came all the way here because she was worried after hearing that you'd fainted. Is that any way to speak to her at all? You really have no manners!"

Winona put on a brave face. "Mrs. Reed, please don't say that. Juliette is just... unsettled from what happened at the auction today. It's alright. I'm used to it."

Florence's frown deepened. "The Reed family has always upheld a spotless reputation for generations. To think we'd now be tainted by such disgraceful scandals… What a tragedy for our household."

Then, she took Winona's hand. "You're such a good young lady, Winnie. Any family would be fortunate to have you as their daughter-in-law. It's such a shame that Christopher doesn't have such luck."

Christopher lowered his head, his expression restrained and heavy.

Then, Winona said she had something to discuss with me in private, so Christopher and Florence soon left the room.

The moment they stepped out, Winona's gentle expression vanished. She looked down at me from where she stood, casually brushing her hair behind her. The champion's ring on her finger glimmered under the light.

My eyes widened. That ring represented the highest honor in the world of dance.

For 20 years, I had practiced relentlessly without ever slacking, all for the day I could stand proudly on stage wearing that very ring. But on the day of the competition, Christopher's men had abducted me. And as a result, that ring ended up as Winona's trophy.

Seeing me stare fixedly at the ring, Winona smiled triumphantly.

"Isn't this ring gorgeous, Juliette? You really want it, don't you? Oh, but what a shame! Even if you return to the stage, the audience won't be admiring your dance anymore. Instead, they'd be wondering what poses you'd be able to make with your flexibility. Dare you still compete with me, Juliette?"

She clicked her tongue softly and shook her head. "Oh, right, there's one more thing I forgot to tell you. The place where they took you was just a little over 500 yards away from the competition venue. You actually had a chance to be saved, you know?

"But the cheers for me were just so loud that they drowned out your screams. It's such a pity. You were always excellent at everything. Even your voice was exquisite. I can only imagine how lovely your screams must have been—"

Unable to take it anymore, I snapped at her, "Shut up—"

But before I could finish, a sharp slap echoed through the room.

I wasn't the one who had delivered the slap. It was Winona. She suddenly raised her hand and slapped herself hard across the face.

I was still frozen in confusion when a pair of hands steadied her from behind.

Winona's eyes brimmed with tears. "Christopher, please don't blame Juliette. It was my fault… I shouldn't have upset her…."

Christopher looked at the red mark swelling on her cheek, a pained expression coming over him.

I struggled to find my voice to explain myself. "I didn't hit her, Christopher."

At that, his gaze landed on me as a cold, sharp glint flashed in his eyes. For a terrifying moment, I truly thought he might strike me for her.

Without a word, he scooped Winona into his arms and carried her out of the bedroom. The door slammed shut behind them with a deafening bang.

Unable to hold back any longer, I buried my face in my hands and wept bitterly.

Chapter 4

That night, I went to the walk-in freezer to get some juice as usual.

Just as I was about to leave, I realized the door had somehow closed behind me, and no matter how hard I pulled, it wouldn't budge.

I was wearing nothing but thin pajamas.

Within minutes, exhaustion set in. I wrapped my arms around myself and slid down to the floor, leaning against the icy wall.

Christopher had been right about one thing—I got cold easily. Over the years, all the dieting, sleepless nights, and endless training for dance had ruined my body. My health had never been the same.

I lost track of how long I sat there, but it was so long that a layer of frost had formed on my eyelashes. Just as I was convinced I would die in there, the door suddenly swung open.

A maid gasped in shock. "What are you doing in here, Ms. Juliette?"

As I stepped out of the freezer, warmth enveloped me. Still trembling, I started back toward my room. But then I remembered that I'd left something inside, so I turned back.

That was when I heard the maid who'd opened the door speaking on the phone.

"Mr. Reed, I've let Ms. Juliette out. She was freezing, but she'll be fine."

From the other end of the line, Christopher snorted. Then, in a voice utterly devoid of warmth, he said, "Just make sure that she's not dead."

And with that, he hung up.

Though the words were brief, the voice was unmistakably his. It was Christopher.

So, my being locked in wasn't an accident. It was a deliberate move that Christopher had orchestrated. The look he gave me before leaving with Winona hadn't been my imagination. He hated me for hurting the woman he loved, and he couldn't wait to teach me a lesson.

It was midsummer, and the temperature indoors was a comfortable 82°F, yet I felt as if I were still trapped in that freezer.

I returned to my bedroom and fell into a deep sleep.

When I woke again, my head was spinning, and my forehead was burning hot.

Sure enough, I was running a fever, and I was parched.

As the maid was nowhere to be seen, I dragged myself out of bed to get some water.

As I passed one of the bedrooms, I heard the sound of a woman sobbing.

"Chris, why are you treating me so well? You actually went this far for my sake…"

It was Winona.

As Christopher looked at her reddened eyes, he lightly clenched one of his fists, but he only wiped the tears from the corner of her eye with much restraint.

"You once told me that dancing was your dream. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

Winona immediately threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Chris, you're such a fool! How could you marry a woman you don't even love just because of me? I... I don't know how I can ever repay you."

Then, she tilted her head up to kiss his lips.

But to my surprise, Christopher turned his face away, avoiding the kiss.

His lips were pressed into a tight line, a vein bulging on the side of his neck, a clear sign he was holding himself back.

"Winnie, don't. I'm an engaged man now, and you're still an unmarried woman. This... It isn't proper for you."

My head throbbed even harder, and the world began to spin before my eyes. In my feverish haze, I was transported back to the time I had accepted Christopher's love.

The night we officially became a couple, he had taken me with a desperate urgency. When I cried from the pain, he wiped my tears and told me it was because he loved me too much.

But now I saw it. When it came to someone he truly cared for, he was capable of such reverence and restraint.

Inside the room, Winona was still crying, her tears soaking the front of Christopher's shirt.

"You're too nice to me, Chris. But the better you treat me, the more afraid I am. At the end of the day, you're Juliette's fiance. One day, you'll marry her and have your own children, and when that day comes, both of you will become a real family, and you won't care for me like this anymore..."

Christopher tapped her nose and said affectionately, "How silly of you to think that, Winnie. I don't love her at all. How could I ever let her carry my child? The day she was attacked, I made sure they ruined her womb. She'll never have children. Not in this lifetime."

I couldn't hear anything else he said after that. It felt as if all the blood in my body had frozen.

So it was no wonder that after all this time, even though he never once took precautions, I had never conceived. I had even once wept to him about it.

My mother had passed on early, and my father quickly remarried Winona's mother. Every time I saw them, a happy family of three, I felt like an outsider in what was supposed to be my own home.

I had told Christopher how desperately I wanted a child, and how I longed for a family that was truly my own.

He had, in turn, held me close, comforting me in a gentle voice.

But I had never imagined that I would never be able to have a child anymore. And he was the very one who saw to that!

So that was it. That was the truth.

My eyes stung, but I had cried so much these past days that no tears would come.

Stumbling, I ran back to my room. I found my phone and dialed a number I knew by heart.

I wasn't going to let them get away with this.