...

She had tried to fight back, but she was only held down in cow urine until she couldn't breathe. In just a few days, she was covered in a thick, foul odor.

Every sleepless night, Clara was consumed by regret. If only she had never fallen in love with Ethan.

...

Finally, the seventh day arrived.

A bone-chilling cold swept over her as Clara was splashed awake by a bucket of ice water. She struggled to open her eyes, only to see Scarlett’s refined yet malicious face.

Scarlett watched as Clara’s expression shifted from the confusion of waking to the crushing disappointment of realizing who had come. Scarlett couldn't help but curl her lips into a smirk.

"What? Did you think Ethan was coming to get you?"

Chapter 7

Clara wiped the water from her face, her voice strained with repressed emotion.

"Scarlett, you’ve already gotten everything you wanted. Why won't you just let me and Grandmother go?"

Scarlett laughed as if she’d heard a hilarious joke.

"Who says I’ve gotten everything? Ethan still refuses to divorce you. As long as you’re still the 'Mrs. Miller,' I haven't won!"

She took a step forward, staring down at Clara as her voice suddenly rose.

"In terms of body and looks, how am I inferior to you? Why did he ignore me, the childhood friend he grew up with, and fall for a little wretch who crawled out of the mud like you?"

"As long as you’re by his side, I will never let you go!"

She shrieked, as if venting years of pent-up resentment.

Scarlett’s love for Ethan was an open secret in their social circle. But in the past, Ethan had been dismissive of her advances; no matter what she did, he never wavered. That was until the tragedy involving her parents, when the high-and-mighty heiress became a helpless, pitiable orphan.

Clara looked at Scarlett’s nearly distorted face and felt only irony. She looked at her expressionlessly.

"I’ll promise you this: I will divorce Ethan. In exchange, you let me and Grandmother leave, and never trouble us again."

"What did you say?" Scarlett grabbed her arm, her tone urgent and disbelieving. "Are you serious? You’re really willing to give up Ethan?"

"Yes."

The moment the word left her mouth, Clara felt the suffocating weight in her chest suddenly lift. It turned out that giving up someone she had loved for so many years wasn't as difficult as she had imagined.

Just as Scarlett was about to agree, the foster mother rushed over.

"Daughter, don't be fooled by this wretch's sweet talk. She’ll do anything to get what she wants!"

"Remember? To make her life at home easier back then, she even tried to seduce your father!"

"Right now, Ethan is completely devoted to you. He even let her stay at the cattle farm just so he could go abroad to buy you a bag. That shows he cares for you. If this little wretch goes out and plays tricks, our whole plan will be ruined!"

"I won't!" Clara explained desperately. "I just want to take Grandmother and go far away..."

Before she could finish, Scarlett raised her foot and kicked her hard in the chest.

The sharp pain made Clara curl up instantly, clutching her chest and gasping for air. Scarlett looked at her with pure disdain.

"Bitch, you still dare to lie to me?"

"Mom is right. How could someone like you, who clawed your way up from the bottom, ever give up a man like Ethan? I think you just want to get out so you can get revenge on me!"

She moved to kick her again, but the foster mother pulled her back.

"Daughter, don't be impulsive."

"Ethan hasn't completely turned his back on her yet. If you leave visible injuries, it’ll be troublesome. There are plenty of ways to deal with her type without getting your hands dirty."

With that, the foster mother pulled several thin steel needles from her pocket and clutched them in her palm, stepping toward Clara.

Clara instinctively tried to retreat, but days of torture had left her powerless. She stepped on a fresh pile of manure and slipped heavily onto the ground.

Seeing this, Scarlett burst into laughter.

"Clara, how are you any different from a stray dog now?"

The foster mother knelt down, ripped Clara’s clothes open, and drove the steel needles into her flesh.

The stinging pain spread instantly. Clara couldn't help but cry out.

"Ah!"

Soon, her body was covered in tiny red dots, almost invisible to a casual observer.

After what felt like forever, the foster mother finally stopped. Clara lay on the ground, gasping like a dying fish. Scarlett stepped forward, using the tip of her shoe to tilt Clara’s chin up, her voice icy.

"Clara, remember this. This is the price for competing with me for Ethan. If you dare say a single word to him, I’ll kill that old woman!"

With that, the mother and daughter walked away. Clara lay on the cold ground, the waves of pain and humiliation drowning her. But at the thought of her grandmother, she had no choice but to swallow her anger. She had to endure.

On the morning of the fourteenth day, Ethan’s car finally appeared.

Chapter 8

Ethan walked into the cattle farm. Looking at the clean ground, he patted the manager’s shoulder with satisfaction and announced a raise on the spot.

Meanwhile, Clara was forcibly dragged away to be hosed down. As the high-pressure water hit her, she no longer felt the pain.

When she was brought before Ethan, she kept her head down and said nothing. Ethan saw the foster mother nearby and then looked at the unresponsive Clara, assuming she had finally learned her lesson.

He smiled and reached out his hand.

"Clara, I’ve come to take you home."

But Clara walked past him directly to the car, her face as calm as still water.

A strange feeling stirred in Ethan’s heart. He couldn't see a single trace of joy in Clara’s eyes; looking at him, she seemed to be looking at a total stranger.

Scarlett quickly leaned in.

"Ethan, don't worry. Sister is just too stubborn to admit she was wrong. She didn't even get angry when she saw Mom, so she must know she was at fault."

Hearing this, Ethan nodded. He knew Clara’s temper all too well; he would just have to coax her once they got back. With that thought, he stepped into the car.

As soon as Ethan sat down next to Clara, Scarlett gently tugged at his wrist. Her eyes were timid.

"Ethan, can you sit in the other car with me? I... I’m scared to be alone."

Ethan turned to Clara. She was leaning against the window with her eyes closed, her face pale and bloodless, clearly exhausted. But seeing Scarlett’s reddened eyes, he gave in.

"Clara, get some rest."

He got out of the car, then looked back to add:

"Ever since those animals shoved her into a car and kidnapped her, Scarlett has been afraid to ride alone. I’m going to keep her company."

Clara turned away, facing the window in silence. The sound of footsteps gradually faded.

The car slowly followed Ethan’s black Rolls-Royce. Clara drifted into a heavy sleep. She wasn't woken up until the car stopped at the villa.

Looking up, Ethan’s car was nowhere to be seen. She didn't dwell on it; she hurried inside and dialed her lawyer's number.

"Is everything I asked for ready?"

"Yes, Miss Miller, it’s all done," the lawyer’s voice came through. "I’ve been trying to call you for days with no answer, so I kept the documents at the firm. Should I bring them over now?"

"No, I’ll come get them myself."

Today was the day of her appointment with that man, and Clara couldn't wait another second.

When she received the divorce certificate, Clara’s hands were trembling. She carefully tucked it into her inner pocket and got back into the car. Now, she was going to reclaim what was hers and take Grandmother away forever.

But just as she sat in the driver's seat, a faint, strange fragrance drifted into her nose. She didn't pay it much mind at first. However, a wave of dizziness soon hit her, and her consciousness began to blur.

She struggled to open her eyes, only to see an out-of-control truck barreling straight toward her.

Crash!

Amidst the sound of shattering glass and twisting metal, Clara felt the world spin as her body was thrown violently.

In her haze, she felt someone carefully pick her up. An anxious voice cried out in her ear:

"Clara, hold on! I won't let you die!"

But Clara had no strength left to respond. Her eyelids grew heavy, and her consciousness faded into darkness...

Chapter 9

In a luxury department store, Scarlett was holding a diamond necklace against her neck. She turned around:

"Ethan, does it look good?"

"It’s beautiful. If you like it, I’ll go pay."