Five years of a "contract marriage" ended in cold blood when Stella’s daughter was killed due to her husband’s calculated neglect. Choosing to walk away, she was met with Julian’s chilling threat: "Stay as my mistress. We can always replace the child." But Stella is done playing the victim. To tear down the man who destroyed her world, she sets her sights on the only person Julian fears: his best friend and the city’s most dangerous predator, Killian Harding. It started as a cold-blooded seduction. She wanted a weapon; he had been harboring a dark, silent obsession for her for years. Armed with her hidden talent for antique appraisal and an uncanny eye for deception, Stella rises from the ashes. From a scorned ex-wife to a legendary queen in the world of high-stakes treasures, she systematically dismantles Julian’s empire and his "perfect" mistress. In a live national broadcast, the once-arrogant Julian crawls to his knees. "Stella, come back. I’ll give you my love, my life—everything." Stella only scoffs, "Keep your trash to yourself." Behind closed doors, the man the entire elite society fears is a different person. Killian Harding, the "Mad Dog" of the Vane family, pins her against the wall, his voice husky and desperate. "Baby, other men want too much. Not me. I just want a name—yours next to mine on a marriage license."

Chapter 1Transfer received: Twenty thousand dollars.The robotic female voice echoed through the dim hotel room. Outside the window, the last traces of the sunset faded from the horizon.Stella Willow's fingers trembled as she buttoned her shirt. Hearing the payment confirmation, her tears fell silently onto the hardwood floor.Taking clothes off was always easier than putting them back on.Her dignity and pride had been completely shattered the moment she sought out Killian Harding an hour ago.From behind her, the man's deep, gravelly voice carried a trace of pity. "Buy a nice plot for the kid."Stella bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth."Thank you."Regardless of everything else, she was genuinely grateful to him right now.Lying on the bed, Killian lit a cigarette. With his buzz cut and the scar cutting through his left eyebrow, he looked fiercely intimidating.Watching Stella wrap her bruised, marked body back in her clothes, he narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you afraid he'll find out about us?" he asked, his tone teasing.Stella's entire body went rigid. "I don't care."She knew he meant Julian Sterling, but what if he did find out?That man wouldn't care at all.Julian was too busy catering to his precious first love to care if Stella lived or died.If Julian had spared even an ounce of affection, with his status as the heir to the Sterling Estate, she wouldn't have been pushed to this desperate dead end.Besides, she and Julian had divorced three years ago.They just hadn't announced it to the public.She finished dressing in front of the mirror, smoothing out her messy hair to ensure she looked presentable enough to send her daughter off on her final journey.As she turned to grab her phone, Killian caught her wrist.He slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, his eyes locked on Stella's face, his expression unreadable in the shadows. "Stella, why don't you stay with me from now on?""Killian." Stella yanked her wrist free, glaring at him mockingly. The corners of her eyes were still red, but her gaze was razor-sharp. "Are you crazy, or am I? In my eyes, you're just as disgusting."Killian wasn't angry at the rejection.He leaned back lazily, feigning regret. "So heartless. We've known each other for years, after all.""Sorry, we're not close."Stella ignored him and walked out of the room without looking back.Killian got up, walked to the window, and lit another cigarette.A few minutes later, the name 'Julian Sterling' flashed on his phone screen.He casually put it on speaker."Killian, Maxwell told me you booked a room with a woman. What kind of siren is captivating enough to tempt the celibate Killian Harding?"In the background, someone joked that Killian was a late bloomer and told Julian not to interrupt his good time.Killian's lips curved into a smirk. "Once I win her over, I'll bring her around to meet you."Julian laughed heartily. "Is there a woman out there you can't get?"Killian's smile was casual, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Yeah, someone else's wife."Silence.After a brief pause, a chorus of shocked curses erupted from the other end of the line.Killian hung up directly and crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.Just as he stood up, his gaze was drawn to a broken bracelet on the carpet.The bracelet was faded and clearly cheap.But half an hour ago, it had been wrapped around Stella Willow's wrist.Killian bent down and picked it up.After leaving the hotel, Stella headed straight for the crematorium.Once her daughter was cremated, she used the remaining money to buy a cemetery plot by the sea.It faced the ocean, offering a vast, sweeping view.She hoped that in her next life, her daughter would become a free-spirited seagull, able to fly wherever she pleased.She wouldn't have to be tormented by illness anymore, trapped in a cramped hospital room waiting for death.Her daughter was finally free.And so was she.Stella stayed by her daughter's side until nightfall before leaving the cemetery.She stopped by the hospital to pack up her daughter's belongings, then returned to the Sterling Estate.Nobody would ever believe that a woman living in a sprawling mansion couldn't even scrounge up twenty thousand dollars for funeral expenses.The mansion was brilliantly lit.The staff bustled about, chatting amongst themselves.When Stella walked in, not a single person acknowledged her.She was used to it and headed straight upstairs.Scornful whispers drifted up from behind her."She's got no shame. Her husband doesn't even want her anymore, yet she clings to him like a leech.""Well, she gets to keep the prestigious title. Of course she wouldn't let that go.""Ugh, she's pathetic. Her kid was a sickly burden. If I were her, I'd have just ended it all."Crash! A heavy vase smashed onto the floor right at the gossiping maids' feet.Shards of porcelain exploded, cutting into their legs and drawing blood.Stella stood at the top of the stairs, her deathly pale face making her dark eyes look terrifyingly unhinged, like a vengeful spirit.She glared down at the group, her voice impossibly raspy. "Say one more word about my daughter, and I'll rip your mouths open."Her tone wasn't loud. It was almost eerily calm.But the maids felt as if a demon had locked onto them. A chill ran down their spines, and they instantly scattered."Tch, she actually thinks she's the lady of the house. She's nothing but a cheap maid who scrubs Ms. Monroe's feet."At the mention of Chloe Monroe, the staff's tone became noticeably reverent.After all, she was the true future mistress of the Sterling family.The insults were deliberately loud enough for Stella to hear.But she didn't care anymore.If it weren't for her daughter's leukemia, and Julian being the only bone marrow match, she would never have stayed here to be degraded.She wasn't a masochist.Feeling sticky and sore, Stella walked numbly into the bathroom and took a shower.Her skin was covered in bruises and bite marks left by Killian. As the hot water washed over her, the suffocating memory of being completely dominated by him resurfaced.She couldn't hold it back anymore, rushing to the toilet and emptying her stomach.It was sickening.After vomiting, she apathetically pressed the flush button.Stepping out of the shower, she didn't even have the energy to dry her hair. She simply wrapped herself tightly in a blanket and curled into a ball.From her daughter's resuscitation to the burial, she hadn't slept in three days.She thought she wouldn't be able to sleep, but the moment she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep, dark abyss.She had no idea how long she slept.In a daze, she felt someone prying at her blanket, and she instinctively clutched it tighter.A sudden jolt shot through her, snapping her wide awake.The bedroom lights were blazing.A drunk Julian Sterling was pinning her down.Seeing her eyes open, he let out a dark chuckle. "Awake? You were sleeping like the dead."Exhaustion made Stella's mind sluggish.But as soon as she processed what was happening, her hand flew out on instinct, slapping him hard across the face. "Get the hell out!"Smack.Julian was clearly stunned by the blow.What followed was a violent surge of fury."Stella, you've got some nerve!" Julian grabbed her wrist and violently yanked her out from under the covers.Stella struggled, her voice a low, desperate growl. "Don't touch me!"But she was no match for his strength. Julian pinned both her hands above her head with one hand, his other hand gripping her jaw with brutal force. His voice dripped with a sick, twisted gentleness. "Acting out again, huh? Maya is still in the hospital waiting for my bone marrow. She's only four. If I'm not there, what happens when she dies?"Stella froze completely, staring up at him with bottomless hatred.Julian knew she had surrendered.He laughed, leaning down to press a kiss to her eye. "Don't look at me like that. You know perfectly well that if Chloe wasn't pregnant, I wouldn't want to touch you anyway. I'm just afraid of hurting her."His fingers trailed down from her jaw, his voice dripping with mockery. "Why play the pure, untouched saint? It's not like we haven't done this before... Wait, what is this?"His eyes locked onto the bite mark on Stella's collarbone. Furious, he ripped open her robe, exposing the expanse of pale skin covered in fresh, dark bruises and hickeys. His eyes practically spit fire."Stella! What the hell is this?"Seeing him so enraged, Stella actually smiled.She stopped struggling, letting the damning marks bear themselves under the bright lights. "Are you blind?"Julian lunged for her throat, his grip tightening as he demanded, "You dared to betray me? How could you betray me? Tell me! Who is he?"Stella's face turned purple under his crushing grip, yet she kept smiling. She deliberately chose the most repulsive words to push him over the edge."I sold myself... for twenty thousand dollars... he was... more generous... and much better... in bed than you..."She struggled to choke out the soul-crushing words, knowing that any man with an ego would snap under such provocation.Julian looked ready to murder her."Shut up!"He looked as if he cared, as if he were devastated.But Stella knew it was just the ugly possessiveness of a man.Julian was a control freak who despised anyone touching what belonged to him.In the past, if another man merely looked at her, he would fly into a rage. Back then, Stella didn't know she was just a stand-in, foolishly believing his jealousy was proof of his love.Only later did she realize his jealousy had nothing to do with love.He only saw her as a toy that belonged exclusively to him.A dog on his leash.No matter how Julian interrogated her, Stella refused to name Killian.It wasn't that she didn't want to; she didn't dare.Compared to Julian, Killian was an absolute psychopath.Julian was a hypocritical bastard, but Killian was a lunatic who would destroy someone without a second thought.She wasn't ready to push both of them to the brink at the same time.Julian threw her back against the mattress with brutal force.Air flooded her lungs, and she clutched her throat, coughing violently. Her voice was completely wrecked, her windpipe likely bruised.Before she could catch her breath, Julian dragged her into the bathroom.Freezing water blasted over her head, making her whole body tremble violently.But Julian had completely lost his mind. He hauled her up against the cold tiles, fully intent on forcing himself on her.Stella's hands scrambled wildly for a weapon, but finding nothing, she finally gave up struggling."Julian, aren't you afraid I'll give you HIV?"Julian froze.Stella spoke with chilling calm. "The man who bought me was a scumbag. I heard he's sick. If you touch me, you'll pass it on to your precious Chloe. Imagine her giving birth to a sick, diseased baby..."Julian's face went from green to pale white, the muscles in his jaw twitching violently.Right at that moment, the phone in his pocket rang.It was the custom ringtone for the woman he held above all else.Predictable.He immediately dropped Stella, pulled out his phone, and his voice instantly morphed into velvet. "Chloe, what's wrong? I came home to grab some things... of course not, you know I only love you."Chapter 2Transfer received: Twenty thousand dollars.The robotic female voice echoed through the dim hotel room. Outside the window, the last traces of the sunset faded from the horizon.Stella Willow's fingers trembled as she buttoned her shirt. Hearing the payment confirmation, her tears fell silently onto the hardwood floor.Taking clothes off was always easier than putting them back on.Her dignity and pride had been completely shattered the moment she sought out Killian Harding an hour ago.From behind her, the man's deep, gravelly voice carried a trace of pity. "Buy a nice plot for the kid."Stella bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth."Thank you."Regardless of everything else, she was genuinely grateful to him right now.Lying on the bed, Killian lit a cigarette. With his buzz cut and the scar cutting through his left eyebrow, he looked fiercely intimidating.Watching Stella wrap her bruised, marked body back in her clothes, he narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you afraid he'll find out about us?" he asked, his tone teasing.Stella's entire body went rigid. "I don't care."She knew he meant Julian Sterling, but what if he did find out?That man wouldn't care at all.Julian was too busy catering to his precious first love to care if Stella lived or died.If Julian had spared even an ounce of affection, with his status as the heir to the Sterling Estate, she wouldn't have been pushed to this desperate dead end.Besides, she and Julian had divorced three years ago.They just hadn't announced it to the public.She finished dressing in front of the mirror, smoothing out her messy hair to ensure she looked presentable enough to send her daughter off on her final journey.As she turned to grab her phone, Killian caught her wrist.He slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, his eyes locked on Stella's face, his expression unreadable in the shadows. "Stella, why don't you stay with me from now on?""Killian." Stella yanked her wrist free, glaring at him mockingly. The corners of her eyes were still red, but her gaze was razor-sharp. "Are you crazy, or am I? In my eyes, you're just as disgusting."Killian wasn't angry at the rejection.He leaned back lazily, feigning regret. "So heartless. We've known each other for years, after all.""Sorry, we're not close."Stella ignored him and walked out of the room without looking back.Killian got up, walked to the window, and lit another cigarette.A few minutes later, the name 'Julian Sterling' flashed on his phone screen.He casually put it on speaker."Killian, Maxwell told me you booked a room with a woman. What kind of siren is captivating enough to tempt the celibate Killian Harding?"In the background, someone joked that Killian was a late bloomer and told Julian not to interrupt his good time.Killian's lips curved into a smirk. "Once I win her over, I'll bring her around to meet you."Julian laughed heartily. "Is there a woman out there you can't get?"Killian's smile was casual, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Yeah, someone else's wife."Silence.After a brief pause, a chorus of shocked curses erupted from the other end of the line.Killian hung up directly and crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.Just as he stood up, his gaze was drawn to a broken bracelet on the carpet.The bracelet was faded and clearly cheap.But half an hour ago, it had been wrapped around Stella Willow's wrist.Killian bent down and picked it up.After leaving the hotel, Stella headed straight for the crematorium.Once her daughter was cremated, she used the remaining money to buy a cemetery plot by the sea.It faced the ocean, offering a vast, sweeping view.She hoped that in her next life, her daughter would become a free-spirited seagull, able to fly wherever she pleased.She wouldn't have to be tormented by illness anymore, trapped in a cramped hospital room waiting for death.Her daughter was finally free.And so was she.Stella stayed by her daughter's side until nightfall before leaving the cemetery.She stopped by the hospital to pack up her daughter's belongings, then returned to the Sterling Estate.Nobody would ever believe that a woman living in a sprawling mansion couldn't even scrounge up twenty thousand dollars for funeral expenses.The mansion was brilliantly lit.The staff bustled about, chatting amongst themselves.When Stella walked in, not a single person acknowledged her.She was used to it and headed straight upstairs.Scornful whispers drifted up from behind her."She's got no shame. Her husband doesn't even want her anymore, yet she clings to him like a leech.""Well, she gets to keep the prestigious title. Of course she wouldn't let that go.""Ugh, she's pathetic. Her kid was a sickly burden. If I were her, I'd have just ended it all."Crash! A heavy vase smashed onto the floor right at the gossiping maids' feet.Shards of porcelain exploded, cutting into their legs and drawing blood.Stella stood at the top of the stairs, her deathly pale face making her dark eyes look terrifyingly unhinged, like a vengeful spirit.She glared down at the group, her voice impossibly raspy. "Say one more word about my daughter, and I'll rip your mouths open."Her tone wasn't loud. It was almost eerily calm.But the maids felt as if a demon had locked onto them. A chill ran down their spines, and they instantly scattered."Tch, she actually thinks she's the lady of the house. She's nothing but a cheap maid who scrubs Ms. Monroe's feet."At the mention of Chloe Monroe, the staff's tone became noticeably reverent.After all, she was the true future mistress of the Sterling family.The insults were deliberately loud enough for Stella to hear.But she didn't care anymore.If it weren't for her daughter's leukemia, and Julian being the only bone marrow match, she would never have stayed here to be degraded.She wasn't a masochist.Feeling sticky and sore, Stella walked numbly into the bathroom and took a shower.Her skin was covered in bruises and bite marks left by Killian. As the hot water washed over her, the suffocating memory of being completely dominated by him resurfaced.She couldn't hold it back anymore, rushing to the toilet and emptying her stomach.It was sickening.After vomiting, she apathetically pressed the flush button.Stepping out of the shower, she didn't even have the energy to dry her hair. She simply wrapped herself tightly in a blanket and curled into a ball.From her daughter's resuscitation to the burial, she hadn't slept in three days.She thought she wouldn't be able to sleep, but the moment she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep, dark abyss.She had no idea how long she slept.In a daze, she felt someone prying at her blanket, and she instinctively clutched it tighter.A sudden jolt shot through her, snapping her wide awake.The bedroom lights were blazing.A drunk Julian Sterling was pinning her down.Seeing her eyes open, he let out a dark chuckle. "Awake? You were sleeping like the dead."Exhaustion made Stella's mind sluggish.But as soon as she processed what was happening, her hand flew out on instinct, slapping him hard across the face. "Get the hell out!"Smack.Julian was clearly stunned by the blow.What followed was a violent surge of fury."Stella, you've got some nerve!" Julian grabbed her wrist and violently yanked her out from under the covers.Stella struggled, her voice a low, desperate growl. "Don't touch me!"But she was no match for his strength. Julian pinned both her hands above her head with one hand, his other hand gripping her jaw with brutal force. His voice dripped with a sick, twisted gentleness. "Acting out again, huh? Maya is still in the hospital waiting for my bone marrow. She's only four. If I'm not there, what happens when she dies?"Stella froze completely, staring up at him with bottomless hatred.Julian knew she had surrendered.He laughed, leaning down to press a kiss to her eye. "Don't look at me like that. You know perfectly well that if Chloe wasn't pregnant, I wouldn't want to touch you anyway. I'm just afraid of hurting her."His fingers trailed down from her jaw, his voice dripping with mockery. "Why play the pure, untouched saint? It's not like we haven't done this before... Wait, what is this?"His eyes locked onto the bite mark on Stella's collarbone. Furious, he ripped open her robe, exposing the expanse of pale skin covered in fresh, dark bruises and hickeys. His eyes practically spit fire."Stella! What the hell is this?"Seeing him so enraged, Stella actually smiled.She stopped struggling, letting the damning marks bear themselves under the bright lights. "Are you blind?"Julian lunged for her throat, his grip tightening as he demanded, "You dared to betray me? How could you betray me? Tell me! Who is he?"Stella's face turned purple under his crushing grip, yet she kept smiling. She deliberately chose the most repulsive words to push him over the edge."I sold myself... for twenty thousand dollars... he was... more generous... and much better... in bed than you..."She struggled to choke out the soul-crushing words, knowing that any man with an ego would snap under such provocation.Julian looked ready to murder her."Shut up!"He looked as if he cared, as if he were devastated.But Stella knew it was just the ugly possessiveness of a man.Julian was a control freak who despised anyone touching what belonged to him.In the past, if another man merely looked at her, he would fly into a rage. Back then, Stella didn't know she was just a stand-in, foolishly believing his jealousy was proof of his love.Only later did she realize his jealousy had nothing to do with love.He only saw her as a toy that belonged exclusively to him.A dog on his leash.No matter how Julian interrogated her, Stella refused to name Killian.It wasn't that she didn't want to; she didn't dare.Compared to Julian, Killian was an absolute psychopath.Julian was a hypocritical bastard, but Killian was a lunatic who would destroy someone without a second thought.She wasn't ready to push both of them to the brink at the same time.Julian threw her back against the mattress with brutal force.Air flooded her lungs, and she clutched her throat, coughing violently. Her voice was completely wrecked, her windpipe likely bruised.Before she could catch her breath, Julian dragged her into the bathroom.Freezing water blasted over her head, making her whole body tremble violently.But Julian had completely lost his mind. He hauled her up against the cold tiles, fully intent on forcing himself on her.Stella's hands scrambled wildly for a weapon, but finding nothing, she finally gave up struggling."Julian, aren't you afraid I'll give you HIV?"Julian froze.Stella spoke with chilling calm. "The man who bought me was a scumbag. I heard he's sick. If you touch me, you'll pass it on to your precious Chloe. Imagine her giving birth to a sick, diseased baby..."Julian's face went from green to pale white, the muscles in his jaw twitching violently.Right at that moment, the phone in his pocket rang.It was the custom ringtone for the woman he held above all else.Predictable.He immediately dropped Stella, pulled out his phone, and his voice instantly morphed into velvet. "Chloe, what's wrong? I came home to grab some things... of course not, you know I only love you."Chapter 3Transfer received: Twenty thousand dollars.The robotic female voice echoed through the dim hotel room. Outside the window, the last traces of the sunset faded from the horizon.Stella Willow's fingers trembled as she buttoned her shirt. Hearing the payment confirmation, her tears fell silently onto the hardwood floor.Taking clothes off was always easier than putting them back on.Her dignity and pride had been completely shattered the moment she sought out Killian Harding an hour ago.From behind her, the man's deep, gravelly voice carried a trace of pity. "Buy a nice plot for the kid."Stella bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, the metallic taste of blood spreading in her mouth."Thank you."Regardless of everything else, she was genuinely grateful to him right now.Lying on the bed, Killian lit a cigarette. With his buzz cut and the scar cutting through his left eyebrow, he looked fiercely intimidating.Watching Stella wrap her bruised, marked body back in her clothes, he narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you afraid he'll find out about us?" he asked, his tone teasing.Stella's entire body went rigid. "I don't care."She knew he meant Julian Sterling, but what if he did find out?That man wouldn't care at all.Julian was too busy catering to his precious first love to care if Stella lived or died.If Julian had spared even an ounce of affection, with his status as the heir to the Sterling Estate, she wouldn't have been pushed to this desperate dead end.Besides, she and Julian had divorced three years ago.They just hadn't announced it to the public.She finished dressing in front of the mirror, smoothing out her messy hair to ensure she looked presentable enough to send her daughter off on her final journey.As she turned to grab her phone, Killian caught her wrist.He slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, his eyes locked on Stella's face, his expression unreadable in the shadows. "Stella, why don't you stay with me from now on?""Killian." Stella yanked her wrist free, glaring at him mockingly. The corners of her eyes were still red, but her gaze was razor-sharp. "Are you crazy, or am I? In my eyes, you're just as disgusting."Killian wasn't angry at the rejection.He leaned back lazily, feigning regret. "So heartless. We've known each other for years, after all.""Sorry, we're not close."Stella ignored him and walked out of the room without looking back.Killian got up, walked to the window, and lit another cigarette.A few minutes later, the name 'Julian Sterling' flashed on his phone screen.He casually put it on speaker."Killian, Maxwell told me you booked a room with a woman. What kind of siren is captivating enough to tempt the celibate Killian Harding?"In the background, someone joked that Killian was a late bloomer and told Julian not to interrupt his good time.Killian's lips curved into a smirk. "Once I win her over, I'll bring her around to meet you."Julian laughed heartily. "Is there a woman out there you can't get?"Killian's smile was casual, but his eyes were ice-cold. "Yeah, someone else's wife."Silence.After a brief pause, a chorus of shocked curses erupted from the other end of the line.Killian hung up directly and crushed his cigarette in the ashtray.Just as he stood up, his gaze was drawn to a broken bracelet on the carpet.The bracelet was faded and clearly cheap.But half an hour ago, it had been wrapped around Stella Willow's wrist.Killian bent down and picked it up.After leaving the hotel, Stella headed straight for the crematorium.Once her daughter was cremated, she used the remaining money to buy a cemetery plot by the sea.It faced the ocean, offering a vast, sweeping view.She hoped that in her next life, her daughter would become a free-spirited seagull, able to fly wherever she pleased.She wouldn't have to be tormented by illness anymore, trapped in a cramped hospital room waiting for death.Her daughter was finally free.And so was she.Stella stayed by her daughter's side until nightfall before leaving the cemetery.She stopped by the hospital to pack up her daughter's belongings, then returned to the Sterling Estate.Nobody would ever believe that a woman living in a sprawling mansion couldn't even scrounge up twenty thousand dollars for funeral expenses.The mansion was brilliantly lit.The staff bustled about, chatting amongst themselves.When Stella walked in, not a single person acknowledged her.She was used to it and headed straight upstairs.Scornful whispers drifted up from behind her."She's got no shame. Her husband doesn't even want her anymore, yet she clings to him like a leech.""Well, she gets to keep the prestigious title. Of course she wouldn't let that go.""Ugh, she's pathetic. Her kid was a sickly burden. If I were her, I'd have just ended it all."Crash! A heavy vase smashed onto the floor right at the gossiping maids' feet.Shards of porcelain exploded, cutting into their legs and drawing blood.Stella stood at the top of the stairs, her deathly pale face making her dark eyes look terrifyingly unhinged, like a vengeful spirit.She glared down at the group, her voice impossibly raspy. "Say one more word about my daughter, and I'll rip your mouths open."Her tone wasn't loud. It was almost eerily calm.But the maids felt as if a demon had locked onto them. A chill ran down their spines, and they instantly scattered."Tch, she actually thinks she's the lady of the house. She's nothing but a cheap maid who scrubs Ms. Monroe's feet."At the mention of Chloe Monroe, the staff's tone became noticeably reverent.After all, she was the true future mistress of the Sterling family.The insults were deliberately loud enough for Stella to hear.But she didn't care anymore.If it weren't for her daughter's leukemia, and Julian being the only bone marrow match, she would never have stayed here to be degraded.She wasn't a masochist.Feeling sticky and sore, Stella walked numbly into the bathroom and took a shower.Her skin was covered in bruises and bite marks left by Killian. As the hot water washed over her, the suffocating memory of being completely dominated by him resurfaced.She couldn't hold it back anymore, rushing to the toilet and emptying her stomach.It was sickening.After vomiting, she apathetically pressed the flush button.Stepping out of the shower, she didn't even have the energy to dry her hair. She simply wrapped herself tightly in a blanket and curled into a ball.From her daughter's resuscitation to the burial, she hadn't slept in three days.She thought she wouldn't be able to sleep, but the moment she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep, dark abyss.She had no idea how long she slept.In a daze, she felt someone prying at her blanket, and she instinctively clutched it tighter.A sudden jolt shot through her, snapping her wide awake.The bedroom lights were blazing.A drunk Julian Sterling was pinning her down.Seeing her eyes open, he let out a dark chuckle. "Awake? You were sleeping like the dead."Exhaustion made Stella's mind sluggish.But as soon as she processed what was happening, her hand flew out on instinct, slapping him hard across the face. "Get the hell out!"Smack.Julian was clearly stunned by the blow.What followed was a violent surge of fury."Stella, you've got some nerve!" Julian grabbed her wrist and violently yanked her out from under the covers.Stella struggled, her voice a low, desperate growl. "Don't touch me!"But she was no match for his strength. Julian pinned both her hands above her head with one hand, his other hand gripping her jaw with brutal force. His voice dripped with a sick, twisted gentleness. "Acting out again, huh? Maya is still in the hospital waiting for my bone marrow. She's only four. If I'm not there, what happens when she dies?"Stella froze completely, staring up at him with bottomless hatred.Julian knew she had surrendered.He laughed, leaning down to press a kiss to her eye. "Don't look at me like that. You know perfectly well that if Chloe wasn't pregnant, I wouldn't want to touch you anyway. I'm just afraid of hurting her."His fingers trailed down from her jaw, his voice dripping with mockery. "Why play the pure, untouched saint? It's not like we haven't done this before... Wait, what is this?"His eyes locked onto the bite mark on Stella's collarbone. Furious, he ripped open her robe, exposing the expanse of pale skin covered in fresh, dark bruises and hickeys. His eyes practically spit fire."Stella! What the hell is this?"Seeing him so enraged, Stella actually smiled.She stopped struggling, letting the damning marks bear themselves under the bright lights. "Are you blind?"Julian lunged for her throat, his grip tightening as he demanded, "You dared to betray me? How could you betray me? Tell me! Who is he?"Stella's face turned purple under his crushing grip, yet she kept smiling. She deliberately chose the most repulsive words to push him over the edge."I sold myself... for twenty thousand dollars... he was... more generous... and much better... in bed than you..."She struggled to choke out the soul-crushing words, knowing that any man with an ego would snap under such provocation.Julian looked ready to murder her."Shut up!"He looked as if he cared, as if he were devastated.But Stella knew it was just the ugly possessiveness of a man.Julian was a control freak who despised anyone touching what belonged to him.In the past, if another man merely looked at her, he would fly into a rage. Back then, Stella didn't know she was just a stand-in, foolishly believing his jealousy was proof of his love.Only later did she realize his jealousy had nothing to do with love.He only saw her as a toy that belonged exclusively to him.A dog on his leash.No matter how Julian interrogated her, Stella refused to name Killian.It wasn't that she didn't want to; she didn't dare.Compared to Julian, Killian was an absolute psychopath.Julian was a hypocritical bastard, but Killian was a lunatic who would destroy someone without a second thought.She wasn't ready to push both of them to the brink at the same time.Julian threw her back against the mattress with brutal force.Air flooded her lungs, and she clutched her throat, coughing violently. Her voice was completely wrecked, her windpipe likely bruised.Before she could catch her breath, Julian dragged her into the bathroom.Freezing water blasted over her head, making her whole body tremble violently.But Julian had completely lost his mind. He hauled her up against the cold tiles, fully intent on forcing himself on her.Stella's hands scrambled wildly for a weapon, but finding nothing, she finally gave up struggling."Julian, aren't you afraid I'll give you HIV?"Julian froze.Stella spoke with chilling calm. "The man who bought me was a scumbag. I heard he's sick. If you touch me, you'll pass it on to your precious Chloe. Imagine her giving birth to a sick, diseased baby..."Julian's face went from green to pale white, the muscles in his jaw twitching violently.Right at that moment, the phone in his pocket rang.It was the custom ringtone for the woman he held above all else.Predictable.He immediately dropped Stella, pulled out his phone, and his voice instantly morphed into velvet. "Chloe, what's wrong? I came home to grab some things... of course not, you know I only love you."