Like a beast that had lost control, he kicked over the table of drinks!

Broken porcelain fragments flew everywhere, grazing his brow bone, and bright red blood trickled down his cheek, shocking and ghastly.

But the pain did not bring back even a fraction of his reason.

Julian grabbed his car keys and dashed straight toward the rental apartment.

The cold, desolate night wind blew in through the car window, and a realization suddenly dawned on his chaotic mind.

Yes, Clara didn't know yet that the husband of the other woman was him.

As long as he let her know that the person who sent her to the club was the husband of that woman, and not him, Julian, then there was still a chance to salvage everything.

Thinking this, the gloom in Julian's heart seemed to ease slightly.

He returned to the rental apartment in high spirits, waiting for Clara to come home just as he had done in the past.

During the wait, he specifically went to the supermarket to buy a lot of ingredients and prepared a table full of dishes.

He told himself in his heart.

Tonight, he would tell Clara that he had secured an investment, and from now on, they would never have to live a bitter life again.

She would still be the doted-on Mrs. Huo from before.

They would be just as they were in the past, without barriers, without deception, and would be the people accompanying each other until the end of their lives.

Thinking of this, the corners of Julian's mouth curled up involuntarily, and a sense of indescribable stability and satisfaction rose in his heart.

Just then, a knock came at the door—

He was stunned for a moment, and then a surge of wild joy flooded his heart.

It must be Clara coming home.

But he ran eagerly to open the door, only to see the face of the neighbor next door.

Julian's expression froze for a moment, and just as he was about to speak,

Unexpectedly, the neighbor suddenly brought out from behind her back the robot that looked exactly like him, looking troubled.

"Little Huo, I went back and looked it up; this thing is extremely expensive. You should tell Clara that this is too valuable. I can't accept it. You should take it back."

Boom—it felt like something had quietly exploded in his ears.

Looking at the AI simulation robot before him, Julian's mind went instantly blank, his throat feeling as if it were blocked by something.

His lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word.

It was not until long after that he heard his own near-hoarse voice.

"You just said... who gave you this?"

The neighbor scratched her head and said carelessly,

"Clara gave it to me, saying it was an AI robot you researched. Don't tell me, this thing is expensive for a reason; you can't tell it's a fake human unless you look closely..."

Bang—a loud sound—

Julian's pupils dilated in shock, the blood draining from his face instantly; the flowers he had prepared in his hand fell to the ground with a thud, sinking into the mud.

Chapter 15

Clara... she had known all along that this was a robot.

Then, had she also known about the other woman's husband all along?

She had known everything from start to finish, just silently watching him act out his play.

Watching him blatantly hurt her time and time again for the sake of another woman and her child.

Those things he had once ignored now flooded back all at once.

The disappointment hidden in her eyes when she looked at him in the luxury goods store.

The inexplicable coldness and how she would avoid his touch every time she came home after her mother was slandered and smeared.

Now, it all had an answer.

His heart felt as if it had been cruelly gouged open, creating a bloody hole, the pain making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He looked down at the ground, lost in his thoughts.

The vibrant rose petals were stained with mud, as if mocking his pathetic self.

The narrow, cramped basement was filled with dead silence.

Julian walked in, stumbling, looking at the table full of food, and then took a glance at the robot that now looked like trash.

The anger in his heart flared up.

With bloodshot eyes, he punched the robot again and again.

The only simulation robot in existence, worth nine figures, was now smashed by him into a pile of scrap metal.

Bright red beads of blood slid down his fists, dripping onto the floor, blooming into one flower of blood after another.

Julian could no longer hold it in; he hugged his head and slumped on the ground, crying and laughing at the same time.

Just then, his assistant rushed into the rental apartment in a panic, clutching the investigation materials.

"Mr. Huo! We found out!"

"The accidental death of the Madam's three children all those years ago was not an accident at all, but was deliberately orchestrated by that woman!"

"It was she who intentionally severed the little young master’s hand, causing his death. But at the time, to cover up her crime, she seduced the dean, which is why she claimed to the outside world that the child was born with a disability."

Julian’s breathing suddenly hitched, an astonishing fury spreading from the soles of his feet throughout his entire body.

He closed his eyes to suppress his reason, which was on the verge of spiraling out of control, and said through gritted teeth,

"Keep talking. What else did she do?"

The assistant adjusted his glasses and spoke in a lowered voice.

"Our people found out that she was at a hotel two months ago with her ex-boyfriend... that child she miscarried before likely wasn't yours."

Julian’s fists clenched, cracking audibly, his voice sounding as if squeezed from between his teeth.

"She really is something else! Daring to do so many stupid things behind my back; she thinks she has enough lives to play with me!"

Julian stormed back to the villa, filled with rage, and kicked open the front door.

When the woman saw him return, a flash of surprise filled her eyes.

Just as she was about to rush up and throw herself into his arms,

Julian grabbed her neck first and pinned her firmly against the wall.

"Bitch! You really aren't afraid that I will kill you, are you?"

Seeing the unmistakable murderous intent in his eyes, her face turned pale; she instantly understood that he was in deadly earnest.

She trembled uncontrollably, pleading in a stuttering voice,

"Honey, what's wrong with you?"

"Seven years ago, Clara’s delivery surgery, the child in your belly, and the things you said to Wang Shaocong—I know everything now. What else do you have to say?"

Upon hearing this, her pale face turned instantly terrified.

She bit her lip, her eyes red, tears and snot dripping down unconsciously.

"I... I didn't mean to, honey, listen to my explanation."

But Julian did not give her a chance to explain.

He directly raised his hand to have the bodyguards haul her out.

"Pack up the evidence and send it along with her to the police station."

He paused, a chilling ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

"I want her to spend the rest of her life in prison. In addition, pay someone to 'take good care' of her twenty-four hours a day."

Many years later, she finally understood what he meant by his words.

Day after day of endless torture and humiliation left her so thin that she no longer looked human.

But there were still decades of this life to come...

Julian wouldn't let her die, but he would make her wish she were dead.

Chapter 16

A private jet streaked across the night sky and landed in Hong Kong.

Counting the days, Clara had already been in Hong Kong for half a year.

That morning, Wen Suihan took her to the nursing home under the Wen family's name to visit Clara's mother.

Even though the best medical team had been employed, Clara's mother's illness was beyond saving.

For the rest of her life, she was destined to be accompanied only by hospital beds and medical equipment.

Wen Suihan looked at his sister, who remained in a deep sleep, his eyes rimmed with a hint of red.

"Zhizhi, do you still remember the bet we made back then?"

Clara’s breath hitched, and then she nodded.

Back then, Clara's mother, as the top socialite of Hong Kong, had completely broken ties with her family to marry Clara's father, who was still a poor young man.

After marriage, the two had a deep affection for each other, and her father's career flourished.

However, the bankruptcy came too suddenly; her father was driven to jump from a building, leaving behind debts that could not be cleared.

Before her mother could ask her own family for help, she was pushed into a corner by debt collectors.