Chapter 1

Felicia Lane and Sebastian Fuller were notorious in their circle for being mortal enemies. They had been married for five years and had spent each year of their marriage at war.

He had leaked her private photos on their wedding party. In retaliation, she smashed his head open with a wine bottle. When he brought women home night after night, she broke his favorite antique vase to pieces.

When he embarrassed her at a business dinner, she threw a glass of red wine in his face in front of everyone.

But all of that was about to end. Felicia lowered her gaze to the medical report in her hands. She had been diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer. The doctor's words were still fresh in her ears. "Half a month at most," he said.

Yet, she wasn't devastated at all. Instead, she felt a sense of relief.

Her phone suddenly began to vibrate like crazy. Messages popped up one after another.

"Felicia! Check the group messages now!"

"Is Sebastian out of his mind?"

"He's actually auctioning off a night with you!"

Felicia froze, a chill shooting through her veins. Sebastian had gone too far.

She grabbed her car keys and ran out, driving as fast as she could to the auction hall.

The hall glittered with lights, and Sebastian just sat languidly in the auctioneer's chair. He was wearing a black suit, and a young lady in a white dress sat beside him.

When Felicia saw the young lady's face, her heart clenched.

That young lady was Zoey Little, a woman Sebastian had found who looked almost exactly like Felicia's sister.

Felicia's private photos were playing on the big screen. Men in the audience raised paddles and shouted bids.

"Two million!"

"Three million!"

"Five million!"

A balding man then leaped up, the fat on his face jiggling as he jumped in excitement. "I'll pay 50 million! I'll buy a night with Mrs. Fuller!"

The hall erupted.

Felicia stood rooted to the spot, her blood running cold.

She looked at Sebastian, but he didn't even glance at her. He merely gave a slight nod and said, "Deal."

The balding man rubbed his hands as he walked over. His eyes crawled over Felicia, thick with lust. "Mr. Fuller, can I really take her with me tonight?" he asked.

"Of course." Sebastian's lips curved faintly, though his eyes were cold. "Once the transfer clears, she's all yours."

Those words cut through Felicia like glass.

The balding man reached for her, wanting to drag her to a hotel with him. Suddenly, Felicia snatched a wine bottle off the table and brought it down on his head.

The bottle shattered with a sharp crack, sending shards across the floor, and blood streaked down the balding man's face.

"I dare you to touch me," she warned. With a trembling voice, she continued, "Anyone who won the bid tonight, I'll refund you double! Get out of here this instant!"

The hall went dead silent.

Right then, Sebastian laughed softly and clapped. "Ms. Lane, you haven't lost your edge."

With that, he rose to his feet and strode up to her, leaning close until his breath brushed her ear. "If I can auction you once, I can do it twice, three times even."

Sebastian paused, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. "Ms. Lane, how much money do you have? Can you really afford to keep buying your freedom?"

Felicia looked up. Her eyes were red. "Sebastian Fuller, do you hate me this much?"

"Hate?" Sebastian's gaze turned cold in an instant. He acted as if he had heard something ridiculous. "You killed the two people I cared about most. What do you think?"

Felicia's chest tightened as if gripped by an invisible hand. Steven Fuller, Sebastian's brother, came into her mind.

Steven had always had a gentle smile on his face. Ever since they were little, he had always indulged her. So when she grew up, it felt almost natural that her first crush would be on him, a gentle young man.

Sebastian, on the other hand, loved Felicia's sister, Fiona Lane. Fiona was a gentle and endearing young woman.

The four of them often went out together back then. Felicia and Sebastian would argue like sparks and steel, and Steven and Fiona would stand aside and watch them with helpless smiles.

Then the day came when Steven took Fiona's hand and announced to both families that they would marry.

Felicia felt her whole world shatter in an instant. She locked herself in her room and cried through the night. In the end, unable to accept it, she ran away from home.

Worried about her, Steven and Fiona drove out to search for her. But on their way, tragedy struck, and they were both killed in a car accident.

For days, Felicia stayed in the memorial hall, crying until she nearly fainted.

It was Sebastian who lifted her up, wiped her tears, and stayed with her through the darkest time of her life.

When nightmares jolted her awake, he would turn on the lights right away. When she couldn't bring herself to eat, he would cook for her himself. When she woke in the middle of the night sobbing, he would comfort her.

Little by little, Felicia began to grow dependent on the comfort he gave her.

One night, Sebastian suddenly said, "Fel, I've fallen for you. Marry me."

Felicia was dumbstruck.

"I'll take care of you for the rest of my life," he added softly. The look in his eyes made her heart flutter. "You've fallen for me, too, haven't you?"

Sebastian got that right. He had pulled her from the depths when she was drowning in despair and lit a light for her in the darkest night. Somewhere along the way, she had fallen for the man she'd grown up quarreling with.

So she said yes to him.

On the day of the wedding, Felicia stood in her wedding gown, clutching her bouquet nervously. She thought it was the beginning of a new life, until the giant screen in the banquet hall suddenly lit up.

Her private photos were flashing across the screen for everyone to see.

"What do you all think of Ms. Lane's figure?" Sebastian said as he stood on the stage with a cold smile. "Consider these photos my wedding gift to you all."

Felicia stood frozen, and her whole body went cold. Trembling, she asked, "Sebastian… What's t-this?"

Sebastian stepped down from the stage and gripped her chin hard. "What do you think? You killed Steven and Fiona. Did you really think I loved you? I only married you to trap you with me. You'll spend the rest of your life paying for what you did to them!"

Felicia let out a hollow laugh. Her body felt numb from the cold. Then, amid the gasps and whispers around them, she grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it against his head.

After that, their marriage became a long, endless battle.

Five years had passed, and neither of them had ever truly moved on.

"I didn't mean for any of that to happen…" Felicia's fingers tightened around the diagnosis report in her hands. Her voice shook. "Sebastian, can we stop fighting? Just for half a month. After that, everything between us will be over."

After all, in half a month, she would be gone—and with her, their hatred too.

Sebastian looked at her like she'd just told a joke. "Oh? You've learnt to lie, haven't you? What could you possibly do to put an end to this? Felicia, this grudge only ends when one of us is dead."

A chill spread through Felicia's chest. Indeed, only death could truly sever the bond of hate between them.

"You'll understand in two weeks. By then, you'll have your answer," she replied softly.

"Sure! I'll be waiting to see how you plan to pay for the lives you took!" Sebastian sneered.

Chapter 2

After uttering those harsh words, Sebastian took Zoey's hand and walked straight out of the auction hall. Felicia returned home later, disheveled and humiliated.

Sebastian never came home that night.

The next morning, headlines across every major news outlet were plastered with photos of him and Zoey entering a hotel together in the middle of the night.

Felicia scrolled through the photos expressionlessly. Zoey, in her white dress, had soft, delicate features that looked almost identical to Fiona's.

Over the years, Sebastian had found plenty of substitutes, but Zoey was the one who looked most like Fiona. That was why she was his favorite.

Felicia set her phone down and quietly continued her breakfast. Her stomach ached faintly, but she was used to the pain by now.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Sebastian, dressed sharply in a suit, stepped inside. His brows drew together when he saw her still sitting at the dining table. "Why are you still here?"

His tone dripped with mockery as he continued, "Didn't you say you'd provide me with an answer in two weeks? Shouldn't you be working on that?"

Felicia looked up at him, but before she could speak, a violent wave churned in her stomach. Soon after, a metallic taste rushed up her throat.

She bolted for the bathroom, gripping the sink as she gagged. A moment later, a thin thread of blood slipped from her mouth.

The maid gasped. "Mrs. Fuller, are you having morning sickness?"

Sebastian's expression darkened. He went over and yanked her by the wrist. "Are you pregnant?"

That was when he remembered that night two months ago, when he'd been drunk and they had been intimate.

"Go to the hospital. Get rid of it," he demanded coldly. Realization then flickered in his eyes. "Is this what you meant when you said you'd give me an answer in two weeks? Are you planning to use this child to make me stop tormenting you?"

Felicia shook off his grip, her stomach twisting in pain. "Don't worry. I'm not pregnant, and I'd never carry your child."

Sebastian didn't believe her. He dragged her toward the door. "We'll find out at the hospital."

Struggling, she yelled, "I'm not going!"

He frowned, irritation flashing in his eyes. "You never had a problem going to the hospital before. What's the matter with you today? There's something wrong with you!"

Felicia let out a bitter laugh. "You're right. There's something wrong with me."

"Fine! You're not going, right?" Sebastian let go of her. Turning around, he ordered the maid, "Bring the abortion pills!"

The maid didn't dare to defy him, so she quickly brought over the pills.

Sebastian gripped Felicia's chin and forced her mouth open. "Swallow these pills!"

She clenched her teeth, but he pried her jaw open and shoved the pills inside, pressing a glass of water against her lips until she swallowed.

The pills hit her stomach like fire. She crumpled to the floor, clutching her abdomen as cold sweat drenched her back.

A mouthful of blood splattered from Felicia's lips. Her vision blurred, then went black.

"Felicia!" Sebastian's voice wavered with panic, but she was already unconscious.

When she woke, the world was a haze. Muffled voices floated around her.

"The patient isn't even pregnant. Why would they force those abortion pills down her throat? We need to pump her stomach immediately," the doctor said under his breath.

Felicia wanted to open her eyes but was simply too weak to do so.

The cold tube slid down her throat, and she trembled violently from the pain.

Her stomach lining, already eaten away by late-stage cancer, felt like it was being ripped apart.

"Hang in there," the nurse whispered gently, though her hands didn't stop moving.

Every second stretched into eternity. Felicia clutched the bedsheet, her hospital gown soaked in sweat.

When they finally wheeled her out of the operating room, the anesthesia had begun to fade.

She forced her eyes open and caught a glimpse of the attending doctor holding her test results.

The doctor informed Sebastian hesitantly, "Mr. Fuller, your wife's condition is worse than we expected."

"What do you mean? She merely took some abortion pills. You've pumped her stomach, haven't you? How bad could things be?" Sebastian snapped.

The doctor faltered. "It's not just the pills. The tests show she has stomach—"

Chapter 3

"I have a stomach condition," Felicia said abruptly, her voice rough and hoarse. "I know my condition well. There's no need to tell him anything about it."

She turned away, avoiding Sebastian's gaze. "He doesn't care."

Sebastian let out a cold laugh, his tone indifferent. "Indeed. Your health has nothing to do with me. Just don't drop dead on me."

He then turned to leave, but his phone rang.

"Sebastian, where are you? I miss you…" Zoey's sweet voice came through the line.

Sebastian glanced at the hospital bed, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm at the hospital. If you miss me, come see me."

After hanging up, he looked at Felicia, a sarcastic smile appearing on his face. "Felicia, you wanted me to spend more time with you over the next two weeks, right? Fine. I'll give you exactly what you ask for."

Not long after, Zoey pushed the door open and strode in. She froze when she saw Felicia, but she quickly composed herself and slid over to Sebastian's side.

Sebastian wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her.

Shyly at first, Zoey returned his kiss, but soon they were wrapped up in each other, ignoring Felicia entirely.

Felicia's face was pale, and nausea churned in her stomach.

She then grabbed the vase from the bedside table and hurled it at them. "Get out! Get out of my sight!"

Sebastian spun around, blocking the vase with his back. However, shards still cut Zoey's cheek, leaving a shallow streak of blood.

"Sebastian! My face…" Zoey covered her face, tears instantly streaming.

Sebastian's pupils constricted, his expression darkening.

There and then, he scooped Zoey into his arms. "Don't touch the wound!"

"Get a plastic surgeon here immediately! No, send a helicopter and bring in top specialists from abroad! Now!" he barked at the bodyguards in the doorway.

Felicia leaned against the bed, watching Sebastian rush out with Zoey cradled in his arms. His anxious commands echoed down the hall. "Use the best medicine! No scars!"

A sharp ache gnawed at her chest.

As she looked down at her own hands, which were covered with needle marks, she laughed bitterly. How ironic!

Sebastian panicked over Zoey, who only resembled Fiona, while Felicia, his actual wife, was invisible to him.

Another wave of pain tore through Felicia's stomach, and she doubled over, cold sweat soaking through her hospital gown.

She stayed in the hospital for days, enduring endless injections and pills. Her stomach felt like it was being twisted by knives.

She grew so thin her face had almost hollowed out. Her hair fell in clumps. Even the nurses, unable to watch silently, secretly slipped her extra painkillers.

Then one day, Sebastian stormed into the ward and yanked Felicia from the bed.

"Zoey nearly got disfigured. Are you happy now?" His voice was ice-cold.

Felicia struggled weakly. "She merely suffered a minor scratch—"

"Shut up!" Sebastian cut her off sharply. "Felicia, since you've hurt her, you must pay the price!"

Before she could react, two bodyguards grabbed her and dragged her toward the staircase, where the floor was littered with jagged glass shards.

Chapter 4

Sebastian ordered, "Roll down the stairs! I'll let it slide afterward!"

Felicia clutched the railing with all her strength. "Sebastian, she's not Fiona! Have you lost all sense?"

Sebastian shot her a cold look. "Well, she resembles Fiona, and that's enough! Since you refuse to roll down yourself, let them help you!"

"Push her down!" he ordered the bodyguards.

The bodyguards shoved her hard.

Felicia tumbled down the stairs. Her body crashed against each step. Glass shards pierced her skin, and blood flowed down the steps like dark rivers.

She struggled to push herself up as darkness clouded her vision. Before she could even steady herself, the bodyguards dragged her up again and sent her tumbling down once more.

Down she went a second time. Then a third.

Finally, she couldn't lift herself anymore. A spray of blood painted her hospital gown red.

When she came to again, she heard nurses whispering in the hallway.

"Ms. Little's injury healed ages ago, but Mr. Fuller still won't let her out of his sight. He's treating her like precious glass."

"By contrast, the patient in Room 302 is all alone. She's covered in wounds, and no one even checks on her or brings her food…"

"I heard that woman is actually Mr. Fuller's wife! Is that true?"

"Shush! Let's not talk about it anymore…"

Felicia closed her eyes, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.

She stayed in the hospital for several more days. Her body grew frailer by the hour, and painkillers no longer dulled the relentless pain in her stomach.

She knew staying there was useless, so she checked herself out early.

When Felicia arrived home, Sebastian was sitting in the living room. Seeing her enter, he was about to ignore her and retreat to the study.

Leaning weakly against the wall, Felicia managed to call out to him. "Sebastian, the day after tomorrow is my birthday."

"So?" He turned to look at her.

"I want to spend my last birthday with you," she said.

"Last birthday? Already in a rush to kick the bucket?" he sneered.

Felicia smiled. "Yes. I'm hurrying… So will you celebrate it with me?"

Thinking she was merely venting, Sebastian scoffed. "Sure. I'll prepare a truly unique surprise for you."

He deliberately emphasized his words, his eyes glinting with malice.

On her birthday, Felicia followed the address he sent her and arrived at a hotel.

The moment she pushed the door open, she froze.

The banquet hall had been transformed into a funeral parlor. A coffin rested in the center, surrounded by thick wreaths.

Felicia's portrait hung on the walls, and the guests were dressed in black. Silence fell the instant she entered, and every gaze was locked on her, anticipating the spectacle.

"Like what you see?" Sebastian stepped forward, his smirk sharp. "A funeral, just for you."

Felicia stared at her portrait and let a faint smile curve her lips. "I do."

He paused, clearly taken aback. Then, his voice turned icy. "Since you like it, stand there."

With that, Sebastian raised a hand, and a few of his friends stepped forward to light some candles, mimicking a funeral service.

"Don't mess up your next life, Felicia."

"If you do come back, don't cause Seb trouble anymore."

"Rest easy."

Felicia acknowledged them with a faint, pale smile, taking in each remark without a word.

Once the mock ceremony ended, she turned to leave, but Sebastian grabbed her arm.

"What's the matter with you?" he questioned.

"What do you mean?"

Sebastian glared at her. "Why aren't you pissed? You hate this kind of humiliation!"

Felicia met his gaze calmly. "That's because this isn't humiliation. It's a gift, and I like it."

After all, she didn't have much time left.

Chapter 5

Sebastian stared at Felicia for a long time. The fury in his eyes slowly turned to confusion. Then his lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile. "The tough act didn't work, so now you're trying to play nice?"

He stepped closer. "Let me save you the trouble, Felicia. No matter what you do, I'll never forgive you."

Felicia said nothing. She simply looked at him, calm and unflinching.

Something about the look in her eyes got under Sebastian's skin. He turned away and stormed out of the banquet hall.

By the time Felicia made it home, the pain in her stomach had grown so fierce she could barely stand upright.

She stumbled into the bathroom, gripped the edge of the sink, and vomited a mouthful of blood. The crimson streaked across the porcelain, stark and terrifying.

Her hands trembled as she swallowed a painkiller. When the pain dulled a little, she took a hot shower.

Afterward, as Felicia brushed her hair, she noticed a thick clump of hair caught in the bristles. She stared at her haggard reflection in the mirror and suddenly realized that she might not even make it through the next two weeks.

The next morning, she walked into a small, old-fashioned photo studio.

"You want a portrait?" The photographer adjusted his glasses and studied the young and striking woman before him. "Miss, may I know what the portrait is for?" he asked.

"I'm sick and dying." Felicia smiled faintly. "I'd appreciate it if you could make it look nice."

The photographer sighed and gently fixed her hair. "Don't worry. I'll make sure it turns out beautiful."

In front of the camera, Felicia wore light makeup and her favorite red dress. She smiled brightly and boldly, like the young girl she used to be, fearless and full of life.

When they were done, the photographer asked, "Do you want to pick up the prints today?"

"No." She shook her head. "Please retouch them a little, then send them to this address."

She then wrote down her home address, already imagining her photo placed beside Fiona's.

After leaving the studio, Felicia went to the Fuller family's chapel.

She stood before the framed portraits of Steven and Fiona, her fingertips brushing along the edges of the glass frame.

Fiona's smile was as gentle as ever, and Steven looked like he was about to step out of the picture, warm and kind, just to ruffle her hair the way he used to.

"Steven… Fiona…" Felicia's voice was barely a whisper. "I'll be with you soon."

She paused. A single tear slid down her cheek and dripped onto the altar. "The feud between our families is finally ending."

"Felicia! Who said you could come in here?" Sebastian's voice cut through the quiet like a whip.

Felicia flinched, and her elbow knocked against one of the frames.

The crash of shattering glass filled the chapel.

Sebastian's expression turned murderous. He strode toward her and clamped a hand around her wrist. "You killed them! What more do you want? Why would you destroy their portraits?"

"I didn't mean to!" Felicia cried out, struggling to pull free. "If you hadn't startled me, I wouldn't have—"

"Shut up! You don't get to touch anything that belonged to them, you murderer!"

"I just wanted to see them!"

"See them?" Sebastian gave a cold laugh, his eyes dark with fury. "You think you deserve to?"

He dragged her toward the door. She stumbled, her knee slamming into the doorway.

"Let go of me!" Felicia shouted, clinging on to the frame until her nails bent backward. "Sebastian, are you insane?"

"You're the insane one!" Sebastian threw her back into the center of the chapel. "Fine! Since you don't want to leave, kneel here and atone for what you've done!"

The bodyguards moved in and forced her shoulders down. Felicia thrashed against them, her voice shaking with rage. "Get off me! I'll pay for what I did, but not like this!"

Sebastian's eyes went cold, and he kicked her hard behind the knee.

Felicia screamed as her legs gave out. She fell forward, her knees crashing onto the broken glass. Blood seeped through the fabric of her dress.