He truly loved her.

"Mason, are you sure?"

"Bella, don't make me say it twice. Don't forget about the land."

Those last three words were like a basin of ice water poured over her head.

Bella lowered her eyelids, forcing all her anger, humiliation, and resentment back down.

She was the one losing face, but the Quinn family’s dignity was also being trampled on.

But Mason was willing to let it happen.

Chapter 2

"Miss Linda, my apologies. My emotions got the better of me just now. You are generous, so please, do not hold it against me."

She bowed slightly, her posture humble.

The triumph on Linda's face was nearly overflowing.

She stepped forward and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Did you think I was stupid just a moment ago? Now look, who is the fool?"

Bella had indeed underestimated the weight Linda held in Mason's heart.

So, she accepted the bad luck.

"Miss Linda, you are not quite what I imagined you would be!"

She looked toward Mason, "I never expected that this was the type Mason preferred."

The disdain in Bella's eyes made Mason knit his brows.

"Do not walk around in those dirty things, it is a disgrace to the Quinn family."

With that said, he let Linda tuck her arm into his and turned to leave.

From start to finish, he never cast another glance at Bella.

Whispers erupted all around them.

"What kind of 'Mrs. Quinn' is she? Once the real one returns, the body double has to show her true colors!"

"A pheasant is a pheasant; even if it flies to the top of a branch, it can never become a phoenix."

Bella straightened her spine and walked toward the lounge amidst those stares.

She told herself: just hold on for a few more months, and she would have no more ties to the Quinn family.

For the sake of that land, and for the sake of the villagers who no longer had to beg on their knees,

She could endure it.

She had just finished convincing herself when the door was pushed open.

Linda leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, smiling with ill intent:

"I know that you and Mason are in a contract marriage."

Bella turned to look at her: "Since you know we will separate sooner or later, why humiliate me in public?"

"Because I feel like it."

Linda walked in, closed the door behind her, and stood right in front of her. She reached out to hook a strand of Bella's hair, then released it with a look of disgust.

"Every time I see the news about you and Mason showing affection in the media, seeing that 'doting husband' act of his, I feel sick, and it makes me unhappy."

"When I am unhappy, someone else must be miserable too. And you—" she chuckled, "are the perfect punching bag."

Bella watched Linda’s twisted features.

She frowned.

She recalled the past three years; she had truly played her part perfectly according to Mason’s script.

A life-saving favor, rewarded with marriage.

It had generated plenty of buzz.

Every anniversary, birthday, or holiday, she would follow the script meticulously designed by the public relations department of Mason Enterprises, cooperating with Mason to "show affection" on social media.

Photos of candlelight dinners, videos of them exchanging gifts, kisses at the airport送别...

Over three years, Mason’s "doting husband" image had been established securely, and the stock price of Mason Enterprises had soared because of it, with its market value doubling.

She and Mason had even prepared the grounds for their divorce—

Bella would be deemed "infertile," feeling that she had failed the Quinn family, and would insist on a divorce.

By then, Mason could stage a few scenes of "affectionate pleading" and "heartbroken letting-go," which would garner another wave of goodwill and stabilize the stock price.

What a perfect commercial strategy.

Seeing that Bella did not reply, Linda became even more insolent.

"Bella, you're just a substitute; don't dream of things that don't belong to you."

Bella looked at the beautiful face, twisted now by jealousy and triumph, and thought of the three months remaining.

She responded indifferently.

"Miss Linda, you are right; I am just a substitute. But even a substitute has rules—until the play is over, the actor is still the actor. When you strike my face, you are also striking Mason’s face."

She took a step forward, and Linda instinctively retreated.

"So, for this period, it is best if we live in peace. That way, it won't make things difficult for Mason."

Chapter 3 

"Do you really think you're worthy of making Mason hesitate?"

"It seems you still don't know your place. Let me make it clearer for you."

Linda raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap.

Bella’s cheek burned with instant, fiery pain. Her ears buzzed, and she was completely stunned, unable to process what had happened.

Since she was a child, she had been a treasure, pampered by her parents.

She had never been slapped in her life.

Rage shattered her rationality in an instant.

Without even thinking, she raised her hand to strike back—

The door was pushed open.

Mason roared.

"Bella, don't go too far!"

As his voice fell, Bella’s hand was caught firmly by Mason.

With a forceful shove, he flung her aside.

Bella’s waist collided with the cabinet, the pain sharp and immediate.

Suppressing the tears in her eyes, Bella fought through the agony.

"Mason, are you blind? She hit me first!"

Mason looked at the clear slap mark on Bella’s face, frowning with impatience:

"Ten thousand for a slap—is that enough to buy your silence?"

Ten thousand... for a slap?

Bella stared at him in disbelief, looking at the man she had "acted" as a wife to for three years.

Over these three years, it wasn't as if no one had despised her background or humiliated her. But every time, Mason had stood in front of her.

He used to say: "Money means nothing if you have no morals."

He used to say: "My wife is not someone you can provoke."

Mason had protected her.

During these three years, he hadn't let her suffer a single grievance.

But today, he was humiliating her again and again.

"You promised that as long as I was your Mrs. Quinn, no one would bully me. Is this your promise?"

Linda scoffed.

"You're nothing but my substitute. Now that the real owner has returned, you still expect Mason to protect you? You are too delusional."

"If I were you, I’d be keeping my tail tucked whenever I was around me."

Mason did not refute her; he watched as Bella raised her price again.

"Still not enough? One million."

"I don't want your money."

Mason frowned. "Bella, know when to quit. One million is enough to keep you comfortable for years."

"Unfortunately, I'm not short on money." Before the words left her lips, Bella raised her hand and slapped Linda hard across the face.

The Bai family might be from a village, but they owned their own livestock enterprise.

While they couldn't compare to the Quinn family, she certainly wasn't poor.

Mason snapped to his senses and rushed toward Linda.

"Linda, are you okay?"

Linda pushed him away, tears streaming down her face.

"Mason, are you just going to stand there and watch her hit me? Do you not love me anymore?"

"No, Linda, I only love you."

"Then hit her back for me!"

Mason looked conflicted: "Linda, she saved Grandma, I..."

"If that’s how it is, then we’re finished. Don't come looking for me again." Linda turned to leave.

Mason grabbed her: "You know very well that you are the only one in my heart."

"Do you know how many grievances I’ve suffered?" Linda cried even harder.

"Do you have any idea? Your grandmother forced me to leave back then, and you don’t know how hard it was for me to be alone abroad! Now that I’m back, I’m being humiliated in public by your 'wife.' Mason, you said you wouldn't let me suffer any grievances!"

A flash of struggle crossed Mason’s eyes, eventually hardening into resolve: "Fine, I’ll get revenge for you."

He turned and stepped toward Bella.

Bella had nowhere left to retreat, her back pressed against the cold mirror.

"Mason, are you going to repay kindness with hatred? Aren't you afraid of retribution?"

Mason clenched his fists, then loosened them:

"I promised Linda that no one would be allowed to bully her. As for the kindness—name your price."

As his words fell, Mason’s slap landed.

Bella’s face was knocked to the side, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Combined with the blood on her forehead, she looked utterly tragic.

"Mason, I only respect you because you respected me. Let me tell you, I, Bella, am not someone to be pushed around."

She grabbed her cosmetic bag and threw it directly at Mason.

Mason dodged it with ease.