As Willow Scott coming back home to the country, she became a hot topic with Julian Cook, her ex-fiance. Everyone thought they were a match made in heaven, and it was Hillary Jones as the mastermind behind their canceled wedding. In reality, little did they know that Julian was the one who first proposed marriage.

Julian accompanied Willow all night, took her out for a romantic date, let her join his circle, and even brought her home, only to make Hillary humiliated.

Exhausted and heartbroken, Hillary chose to leave, leading the arrogant Julian went crazy looking for her for three years and begging her not to leave again.

——

Chapter 1

"Miss, the renovation designs for the estate have been sent to you." Standing in front of the glass window, Hillary listened to the warm voice on the other end of the call.

She glanced at the designs and picked one. Her red lips slightly parted as she spoke in a calm, steady tone. "Landon, this one."

The voice on the other end hesitated for a moment. "Miss, are you planning to live abroad with Mr. Julian?"

Hillary's expression turned cold at these words. She replied firmly, "No, I'll be living there alone."

A few days ago, she had purchased an estate overseas and had Landon oversee the renovations. Once the estate was fully completed, she would leave the Cooks—forever.

Hearing her response, Landon sighed softly. "Miss, you and Mr. Julian have always been so in love. How did things come to this?"

Even Landon thought they were in love. If Willow Scott hadn't come back, Hillary might have believed it too. Thinking of this, she curled her lips in a bitter smile. "Landon, we've reached the end."

The other end of the call remained silent for a long time before she finally hung up.

Three years ago, Julian proposed a marriage alliance. "Hillary, it's just a three-year contract. When the time is up, our marriage will be null and void. But during these three years, I will love you, protect you and never let anyone hurt you."

At that time, Julian and Willow were childhood sweethearts. They were originally about to enter the halls of marriage. Still, Willow ran away from the wedding, turning the Cooks into a laughingstock.

Her mother had tried to dissuade her. "Hillary, Julian is not a good choice for marriage. I don't want you to marry him."

Everyone around her told her not to do it, but Hillary still agreed. She had secretly loved Julian since she was young, but he already had someone else.

Therefore, she never dared to approach him, only daring to gaze at him from afar. This three-year marriage made Hillary feel like it was an opportunity. She believed Julian's words and became immersed in this limited-time marriage. Julian was indeed very good to her.

He took care of her tenderly in everything. When she was sick, he stayed with her all night. He was polite to her from beginning to end. Aside from not sharing a bed, they had done everything a married couple would do until Willow came back.

That day, Julian kissed her lips as if she was something precious. Hillary thought she had finally found a place in his heart. Then his phone rang. He glanced at the screen. As if suddenly sobering up, he pushed her away. All the warmth and care vanished. His expression turned panicked. That night, he ran out the door and never came back.

Hillary tried calling him, but he never answered. She had no idea where he had gone. The next day, Julian and Willow were trending online. They were wearing masks and strolling side by side in the news images that netizens took. After a three-year break due to Julian's marriage, their couple's fans had returned.

Under Hillary's social media account, people hurled insults at her. "You shameless homewrecker! Now that Willow is back, you'd better get lost!"

Some people even tagged Julian. "When are you getting a divorce? Willow deserves her place!"

Julian only replied with one simple word, "Soon."

Their affair became widely known on the internet and Hillary became a laughingstock in the entire circle. That day, she didn't know how many mocking and disdainful looks she had received. While she was being humiliated and cursed online, her husband was off by the seaside with Willow—camping, traveling and seeing the world's beauty together.

She could no longer bear it and went to question him. Julian was no longer the gentleman he used to be. His gaze was cold, his tone sharp. "Willow told me everything. If you hadn't threatened her three years ago, she never would have run away from our wedding!"

However, Hillary had never even been part of their world back then. She had never gotten close to Julian, let alone met Willow. How could she have threatened her?

Hillary kept explaining to him, but Julian didn't believe her. The way he looked at her was like looking at trash on the side of the road, full of disgust and loathing. "Hillary, the three-year contract is almost up. I don't need to pretend with you anymore."

Only then did she realize that Julian had already grown tired of her. The sweet memories that existed in her mind were nothing more than acting on Julian's part, just completing a task.

Not long ago, Julian even brought Willow into the villa where they lived after their marriage, announcing to the servants that she was their mistress.

Looking back now, all of this made Hillary's heart feel like a knife was cutting it. She once thought that she could make Julian fall in love with her during these three years, but now she had become a big joke.

Hillary stood by the window, the biting cold wind blowing against her face. Her heart was aching to the extreme, but her consciousness was incomparably clear.

They had been together for almost three years. Since Julian couldn't love her, she had to take back her love for him.

Chapter 2

Julian and Willow came back late at night. Meanwhile, Hillary couldn't sleep, so she played the piano in the room. The soft and pleasant sound was a lingering sadness.

Bang! The door suddenly flung open. Julian stood there with a cold expression. "Hillary, what the hell are you doing playing the piano in the middle of the night? It sounds awful."

Behind him, Willow raised an eyebrow and stepped in with a smile. "Julian, don't be so harsh. You're scaring me."

Julian's gaze softened slightly, but his voice remained stern. "Who plays the piano at this hour? It's just disturbing everyone."

Hillary lowered her eyes and stood up to leave, but Willow blocked her way. "Hillary, don't go. What do those men know? I'm sure you're only playing because you can't sleep, right?"

Seeing her smiling face, Hillary suddenly felt a trace of unease. She was wary and didn't speak, but she saw Willow's expression turn lonely. "On the days when I couldn't see Julian, I also suffered from insomnia countless nights. I could only play the piano to vent my feelings, so I understand you."

Julian's eyes softened with a trace of guilt after hearing that. "Willow, I'm here now. I'll stay with you forever. If you want to play the piano, just play. Every room here is soundproof so that it won't bother anyone."

It wasn't the first time Julian had double standards, but facing it so blatantly still made Hillary's heartache. She took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions welling up inside her and turned to leave. But then, Willow's voice rang out. "Wow, your piano is beautiful! I want to play it."

Julian naturally agreed without hesitation, but Hillary suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned around, her body tense and said, "No."

His handsome face darkened instantly. "It's just a piano. What's the big deal?"

Hillary pursed her lips. "Julian, this is the only thing my deceased grandfather left me. I won't let anyone touch it."

That piano had been with her since childhood. Only those she trusted were allowed near it—let alone someone like Willow, who had always been against her. She meant for this to be a reminder, but Julian's face twisted with anger instead. "It's just something from a dead man! You're clearly doing this to target Willow on purpose!"

Hillary's eyes turned icy, but Willow quickly stepped in before she could speak. "Alright, alright, don't fight over such a small thing."

As she spoke, she walked towards Hillary while eating the cake in her hand. "Hillary, I won't play your piano. Today is my birthday, so you should try the cake Julian prepared for me."

Julian glanced at Hillary with disdain. "Look at Willow, how kind she is."

Hillary didn't speak, watching Willow approach. She felt a trace of unease in her heart. The next second, Willow suddenly exclaimed and threw herself at the piano on the side. The cake, cream and bottle of water in her hand all spilled onto the piano. Hillary stared in horror, feeling something inside her shatter. Panicking, she reached for something to clean the mess, but the more she wiped, the worse it got. Her eyes burned red.

It was the only thing her grandfather had left her. Why was she so vicious, even trampling on the only thing her grandfather had left her?

Next to her, Julian helped Willow up. "Willow, are you okay?"

Willow looked up at Hillary with an apologetic face. "I'm fine. I just accidentally ruined Hillary's piano. I'm so sorry! If you're mad, you can hit me."

Julian frowned, not taking it seriously. "No need to worry, it's just a piano. I'll just buy her a new one."

Hillary trembled with anger. She raised her hand and slapped Willow hard. Willow didn't expect Hillary actually to dare to hit her and her face turned ferocious for a moment.

Hillary endured her anger and stared at Willow, her expression furious to the extreme. "Get out!"

But the next second, Julian pushed her away violently. Hillary was caught off guard and fell to the ground. She clenched her fists and slowly raised her head, only to see Julian protecting Willow in front of him, his expression icy and looking down at her condescendingly. "Hillary, you're the one who should get out."

Hillary slowly pushed herself up, shaking with anger. Willow put on a pitiful face. "Hillary, I didn't mean to. I really like you. Please don't hate me."

Julian was about to say something when Willow tugged on his sleeve playfully. "Julian, stop it! If you stay, she'll just get angrier. Go on, I'll handle it."

Julian gave Hillary one last look. "Willow, tell me if she bullies you."

After saying that, he frowned and looked at Hillary again. "If Willow is hurt, I won't let your family have an easy time."

So, in his heart, she was someone who could be bullied at will. Hillary's heart was numb and she couldn't muster any more emotions.

After Julian left, Hillary didn't want to be with Willow. She found her disgusting, but Willow stood in her way with a smile. "Hillary, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Don't you want to know why Julian treats you like this?"

Hillary remained silent, fingers clenching at her sides. "I already know. You told him I threatened you to stay away from him. Willow, doesn't your conscience hurt when you say this?"

Willow raised her eyebrows slightly, covered her mouth and chuckled. "I was just saying it casually and I even asked my family to put on an act, saying that your family was powerful and suppressed mine. As a result, Julian actually believed it. I thought your relationship was so good, but it seems like that's all there is to it!"

Her words were gentle, but every word pierced Hillary's heart. Willow smiled smugly. "Now that you've been his wife for almost three years, it's time to return the position to me after occupying it for so long."

Hillary's heart was burning with anger. She clenched her fists, suppressing the anger in her heart. "So what? I've been the one accompanying Julian for these three years. Do you think he has no feelings for me?"

She wanted to leave and didn't want to see Willow again, but Willow didn't let her go and stood in front of her, "Hey, don't be mad. Aren't you curious where we were tonight?"

Hillary's eyes flickered slightly. Willow smiled triumphantly. "Did you know? Julian and his friends have known each other since they were kids. They always invite me to their gatherings. You've been with him for years, but he never took you, did he?"

Her heart instantly felt like it had broken and become full of holes she lowered her eyes. "No," she said softly.

Not even once. Hillary suddenly felt very ridiculous. She was angry and wanted to use these three years to tell Willow that Julian was not without feelings for her, but Willow's words shattered everything she had. That woman was bluntly told that in these three years, she hadn't even walked into Julian's heart. All of this was her wishful thinking.

She was exhausted physically and mentally. She closed her eyes and slowly uttered, "Don't worry, Willow. I won't cling to him. When the time comes, I'll leave him and his family."

Chapter 3

The next day, Willow wore a soft pink outfit, her delicate features making her look charming. Julian had always preferred comfy shirts, but since Willow showed up, he was rarely seen without a suit since she admired how he looked in one.

Hillary laughed at herself in her heart, but she quickly calmed down and wanted to return to her room. She didn't want to see them, but Willow held her hand affectionately. "Hillary, we're going out for dinner with Julian's friends. You should come with us!"

Hillary's heart was long past feeling anything. She coldly brushed off Willow's hand, her tone indifferent. "I'd rather not."

Willow's eyes widened in feigned surprise. "Hillary, are you perhaps … afraid? Don't worry, they're all lovely people."

Julian cast her a mocking glance. "Come on. Weren't you begging to go before? You even went to Willow to ask. How could I refuse after that?"

"Begging?" Hillary's expression froze.

Willow, however, smiled sweetly. "That's right, Hillary. Just last night, weren't you complaining that Julian never took you along?"

Initially reluctant, Hillary felt a wave of defiance as she saw the undisguised triumph in Willow's eyes. She changed her mind, fixing her gaze on Willow as she enunciated each word. "Alright, I'll go. Since you're so sincere in your invitation, how could I possibly refuse?"

A place she had once begged Julian to take her, a place he'd only agreed to visit after Willow's casual mention. How could she not go?

Willow's smile stiffened for a brief moment. She hadn't expected Hillary to agree. Julian then impatiently urged, "Go change your clothes already."

He had brought out his globally limited-edition Porsche. She remembered this car; Julian had spent a fortune customizing it after acquiring it. He rarely let anyone touch it and even he only drove it occasionally, revealing just how much he treasured it. She had once wanted to ride in this very car, only for Julian to reject her outright. "Let's take another car. This one's my meticulously customized baby. Not even my wife gets to share it."

Yet, at this moment, Willow sat in the passenger seat. The car was adorned with countless festive pendants and there was an adorable lucky doll placed at the front. As well as many gadgets that girls like in the car.

With just one glance, Hillary knew they belonged to Willow. The man who used to be obsessed with cleanliness and wiped himself off even if someone went too close, suddenly sat there with a smile, indulging Willow while she ate sweets in his car. He even gently wiped the crumbs from the corner of her lips, his gaze filled with tenderness and doting affection.

Hillary watched this scene, her heart overwhelmed with indescribable emotions. She couldn't help but recall the times when Julian had also been gentle with her, but now she knew that those were all mere illusions.

Willow's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled at her. "Hillary, I get a little carsick, so I'll sit in the front. You don't mind, do you?"

Chapter 4

Hillary hadn't even spoken when she saw Julian cast a sidelong glance at her, his expression displeased. "You should be grateful just to have a seat in my car. Or do you think you can fight Willow for the front seat?"

His tone carried a sense of condescension and Hillary instinctively moved toward the back seat. Still, a thought struck her as she watched Willow sitting there so comfortably.

Back at home, she had always been adored by her family. No matter what she did, her parents indulged her. When had she gotten so used to backing down? Her relatives had warned her before she got married and now, looking at Julian, she felt nothing but irony. Compromising—was this the price she had paid for three years of marriage?

For the first time, she didn't want to give in. Hillary looked straight at Julian and said, "I get carsick too." It wasn't a lie. Her carsickness was severe. Initially, Julian never allowed her to sit in the passenger seat. It was only because of this that he later agreed to let her sit beside him.

Julian seemed to recall this as well. Just as he was about to say something, Willow let out a soft chuckle. "Why are you copying me, Hillary? If you want the passenger seat, I'm happy to give it to you. There's no need to lie. After all, you are Julian's beloved wife."

The moment those words fell, Julian's eyes darkened. Willow made a show of moving to get up, but he stopped her. He cast a cold glance at Hillary. "The back seat is the only option. If you don't want it, then forget it."

Hillary hesitated. She was about to get out of the car and drive herself instead, but Willow suddenly grabbed her hand. "Come on, Hillary. Don't be stubborn. We'll be there soon."

The car door was closed. Hillary hadn't fastened her seat belt yet when the car flew out. She leaned forward uncontrollably and hit the back of the seat in front of her. Tears suddenly rushed out and she couldn't help but cry out in pain.

Julian abruptly slammed on the brakes, turning back to look at her. His expression was instantly filled with panic. With a stern face, he got out of the car to check her injuries. "Why can't you even fasten your seatbelt properly?"

Hillary was still dazed. Who knew he would drive off so quickly? But before she could speak, she saw him grimly fastening her seatbelt for her.

Willow's gaze somewhat flickered, but she quickly smiled and said nonchalantly, "It's just a little blood. Let's go. We shouldn't keep everyone waiting."

Hillary endured the throbbing pain and calmly said, "I'm fine now."

Julian's brows were furrowed with irritation. Hearing her words, he snapped angrily, "Shut up!"

Without another word, he turned the car around and drove straight to the hospital. Hillary's head was spinning, her face pale—she really did get car sick. The next moment, Julian pulled her out of the car and carried her in his arms. Hillary instinctively clung to his neck, her heart pounding as she gazed at his sharp features up close.

Despite her efforts to restrain herself, she couldn't help but wonder if Julian had even a sliver of affection for her. Otherwise, why would he be so concerned about her? But would someone who truly loved her treat her like this?

She bit her lip and looked away. "I can walk by myself."

Julian scoffed. His voice was laced with mockery. "I've never seen anyone as foolish as you."

By the time they left the hospital and headed to the banquet, her fleeting hope had vanished entirely. The bar's private room was filled with music. Julian and Willow walked in side by side, with Hillary trailing behind them.

Someone called out, "You two are late! You'll each have to down a drink as a penalty."

Julian sank into the couch. His brows had been tightly knit on the way there. Now, he exuded a languid air, reaching for a glass of wine. "Well, we had a little incident on the way."

His friends turned their attention to Willow. "Willow, you're late too."

Willow sat down naturally beside him, smiling as she replied, "I'm a bit dizzy and can't drink. You can't force me."

Julian looked at her with tenderness, taking the glass of wine in front of her and draining it in one gulp. "I'll drink for you."

Hillary, who was just about to enter, stopped in her tracks at the sight of this. She felt a pang of self-deprecation for the thought that had crossed her mind earlier.

How pathetic was she to think that just because of a tiny moment of concern, he might actually love her?

Inside, Willow cast a provocative and triumphant look at her. Willow beckoned to her with a smile before everyone. "Hillary, why don't you come in?"

Her words drew everyone's attention to Hillary. She paused for a few seconds before walking in, creating a momentary hush in the atmosphere. Someone couldn't help but question who she was and Julian stayed seated on the couch, without even glancing at her or bothering to introduce her.

Hillary lowered her gaze, then looked up calmly. "I'm Hillary."

The atmosphere stiffened. Some of the people there forced a chuckle. "Oh, so you're … his wife?"

Others looked confused. "Wait, I thought his wife was Willow?"

Willow giggled. "Since Hillary is still here, you shouldn't call me that. Though soon enough, I will be."

Julian played cards with a nonchalant expression, neither confirming nor denying her words. The atmosphere instantly became awkward.

Hillary lowered her eyes, her heart clenching at the scene before her. Ever since she arrived, the atmosphere seemed to have frozen over. Midway through, she felt a wave of dizziness and went to the restroom to splash some water on her face to clear her head.

When she returned to the private room, she overheard them talking about her. "You can't be serious, Julian. How could you do this to Willow and actually marry someone else?"

Someone scoffed. "You've just come back, so you don't know. They've been married for ages. Besides, she was the one who ran away from the wedding back then. She has no one to blame but herself."

Willow looked aggrieved when she heard this. Julian's face was highly handsome under the blue light. He, who had been silent all this time, slowly spoke, "It was Hillary who threatened Willow back then. It was not Willow's fault."

Chapter 5

Hillary stood stiffly at the entrance of the private room, feeling nothing but helplessness and injustice. She bit her lip, eyes turning red, wanting so badly to rush in and explain. Yet, she quickly suppressed the impulse. They wouldn't believe her—just like Julian. No matter how many times she explained.

Willow looked even more aggrieved than she did, eyes rimmed with red as she accused, "Back then, Hillary threatened me to run away from the wedding. Otherwise, Julian and I would've been together long ago."

Some people were outraged when they heard this and cursed directly, "How dare she do this to you. Julian, you can't indulge her just because she is a woman."

Others asked for details, but Willow's answers were incoherent and contradictory. One person asked in confusion, "If she threatened you, why didn't you tell Julian?"

Willow's eyes filled with deep affection as she gazed at Julian. "The situation was urgent. She even said she'd threaten your life, so I had no choice. Julian, don't blame me." She then extended her hand to hug him.

Julian looked at her with a fond smile in his eyes. He flicked her forehead lightly with his fingers. "Silly."

Willow covered her forehead, pouting. "Julian!"

Julian suddenly raised his eyes and met Hillary's gaze, who was standing at the door of the private room. His expression was inscrutable and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

A sharp pain stabbed Hillary's heart. Before she could react, he looked away, lowering his head to ruffle Willow's hair as he declared, "From now on, I won't let anyone threaten you again."

Hillary took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm before stepping into the room. The atmosphere fell silent once more. When Julian's friends looked at her, their faces were filled with anger and resentment.

Julian's gaze immediately turned to her. "Where have you been for so long?"

Hillary's face was pale. She ignored his question and simply asked, "Can we go now?" She didn't want to stay here any longer.

Julian let out a mocking laugh and coldly uttered a single word, "No."

She had no car, so she could only sit in the room and wait. They played games while she stared at the door, lost in thought. Suddenly, a pack of tissues was thrown at her, smacking directly against the wound on her forehead. She winced in pain.

Looking up, she noticed a man in front of her with an arrogant attitude and a wicked grin. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hit you. Are you okay?"

The people around them stifled laughter while the man's eyes were full of hostility. Hillary glanced at Julian. He was laughing with Willow, not even bothering to look up. She clenched her teeth, her entire body trembling with anger. Then, she raised her hand without hesitation and slapped the man hard across the face.

The man was stunned. Hillary sneered and said coldly, "It wasn't on purpose. You're a man, you surely won't hold a grudge against a woman, right?"

Hillary directly walked out of the room. She didn't want to stay in this highly depressing room, but someone grabbed her wrist. Hillary thought it was the man, but she turned around and saw Julian. His voice was cold. "Hillary, have you lost your mind? Why don't you apologize to Charles? I knew I shouldn't have let you come."

Hillary's long, numb heart, was aching again. She couldn't bear it anymore. She stared at Willow and the group of people in front of her and said, "I didn't threaten Willow three years ago. She was the one who … "

Julian's friends didn't hear the rest of her words because Willow suddenly clutched her chest and groaned in pain.

Julian was about to say something, but his face turned pale when he turned around. Everyone in the room was panicking. Charles rushed to Willow for the first time and said with a tense expression, "Willow's heart disease relapsed."

He whipped around, glaring furiously at Hillary. "If it weren't for you upsetting her, how could this have happened?"

Hillary hadn't expected this turn of events. Her eyes darkened. "What did I even say that upset her?"

Before anyone could answer, Julian strode forward and scooped Willow into his arms. When he passed by Hillary, he stopped and his dark eyes were filled with a sinister look. "Hillary, you better pray that Willow is okay."

Hillary's heart clenched painfully, but Julian had already carried Willow away. After they left, she also tried to leave, but Julian's friends blocked her in the private room. Their eyes were full of contempt. "Hillary, you're a rich heiress, yet you're targeting Willow like this? Are you that desperate for a man?"

Hillary's heart pounded in panic, but her voice remained cold. "I didn't. Julian was the one who came to me first. If not for that, I wouldn't have married him."

The moment she said that their expressions changed. "You're still pretending to be innocent? If it weren't for you, why would Willow have run away from the wedding and then you just happened to marry Julian instead? You got everything you wanted and you still dare to act like the victim? Shameless!"

Hillary didn't want to argue with them, but they would playfully surround her and block her way every time she tried to leave. "Willow grew up with us and Julian. Who do you think you are to treat her like that?"

Looking at their angry faces, Hillary felt a chill in her heart. She suddenly realized that coming here was a mistake. Just as she reached for her phone to call someone, Charles's phone rang. It was Julian's voice. After answering, he looked at her with reluctant annoyance. "Julian asked me to send you back."

Someone was shocked. "Julian is too soft on women. If it were up to me, I'd make her walk back."

"Yeah," another one chimed in. "She not only threatened Willow but also interfered in their relationship. She's really shameless."

Hillary remained expressionless and didn't say anything. Charles tossed the car keys in his hand and said impatiently, "Hurry up and get going. If it weren't for Julian, do you think I'd give you a ride?"

"I don't need it. I'll call a cab myself."

Charles frowned. Hillary turned and left the bar, but the next second, she was violently pushed into the car by him.

Her brows furrowed slightly. The car ride was unbearable—her entire body broke into a cold sweat, her stomach churning. The motion sickness pills she had taken earlier must have worn off.

She leaned against the car, her face curled up and her face was pale. Just as she was about to ask him to stop, she looked up and saw that they were in the middle of nowhere.

The car screeched to a stop. Charles opened the door and yanked her out. Panic surged in Hillary's heart. "This isn't the way home. What are you doing?"

Charles smirked, shutting the car door. "Did you really think I was taking you back? Walk yourself home."

Chapter 6

The car sped away into the night. Hillary felt a bone-chilling cold seep into her body as she struggled to stay calm. She reached for her phone, only to realize it was missing.

Inside the car, Charles smirked and called Willow. "Willow, I've done as you asked."

Willow was already at the villa. A smile slowly appeared on her lips as she stood at the window. "Thanks, Charles."

She threw out a bitter laugh after hanging up, her eyes full of hatred. "Do you actually think you can go against me? Not a chance."

Julian entered the room with a cup of hot water and frowned when he saw her standing by the window. Without a word, he scooped her up and placed her on the bed. "You'll catch a cold."

Willow looked at him with gratitude, her eyes glistening with tears. "Julian, you're so good to me. I almost thought I was going to die."

Julian gently reassured her. "That won't happen." He then dialed Hillary's number, but no one picked up.

Willow feigned concern. "Julian, do you think Hillary is in danger? Or maybe she's just mad at us?"

Julian's expression darkened as he recalled how Hillary had hit someone. He placed his phone down and his demeanor turned cold. "Someone like her? There's no way she'd be in danger. Even if she died, she'd have deserved it."

Meanwhile, Hillary struggled to stay conscious. She walked until her legs ached, finally reaching an area with people. She borrowed a phone from a passerby to call for help, but before she could escape, a group of thugs cornered her in an alley.

The leader, a scar-faced man, twirled a knife in his hand and sneered. "She looks even better than in the photos."

"What a shame," another thug jeered. "You should've known better than to offend the wrong people."

Their eyes gleamed with cruelty. Hillary's heart pounded, cold sweat dripping down her back as pain shot through her foot. Forcing herself to stay calm, she lowered her voice. "Who sent you? I'll pay triple whatever they're offering. Just don't touch me."

"Triple the price is tempting, but we don't break our promises," the leader replied, pulling out his phone. "Since you're so pretty, I'll let you die knowing why." He showed her the screen.

Hillary caught a glimpse of the contact name, Willow. Her fingers clenched into fists. How could someone be this ruthless? She had already promised to walk away once the contract expired. Why was Willow still targeting her?

Shortly after turning to run, a knife swung directly at her. Hillary's pupils shrank as a sharp pain flared across her face. The blade had grazed her cheek before embedding itself in the wall behind her.

Her mind went blank. Her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the ground. The scar-faced man grabbed her by the collar, but she dug her nails into her palms, forcing herself to remain composed. "If you hurt me, the Joneses won't let you off."

The man sneered. He was about to speak when one of his men came running up, looking terrified. "Boss, someone's coming!"

The leader's expression changed. "Cheap woman, did you call the cops?"

Hillary's heart pounded wildly. Just as she thought she was about to die, the man took out his phone and snapped a picture of her face. A moment later, sirens blared in the distance. As the gang swiftly scattered and vanished into the night, Hillary sat there trembling with her heart beating uncontrollably.

A pair of hands lifted her. "Why are you here alone? Where's Julian?"

She looked up to see her best friend, Anna. Hillary opened her mouth to speak, but darkness swallowed her whole as she lost consciousness.

In her nightmare, knives hovered over her throat. She curled into a ball, arms wrapped tightly around herself, but no matter how much she tried to escape, the blades still came down. Then, the scene shifted—Julian stood before her. His gaze filled with cold contempt. "Hillary, if anything happens to Willow, you'll pay the price."

Hillary's eyes snapped open. Anna was there, her face filled with worry. "Don't be afraid, Hillary. It's okay now. I'm here with you."

Hillary was awake, but her heart was still heavy with fear. She couldn't forget the photo they had taken of her. She knew they were up to no good. Clutching Anna's hand, she asked anxiously, "Anna, did they catch those men?"

Anna's expression darkened. "Not yet. They vanished without a trace."

Hillary shut her eyes briefly. "They took photos of me before they ran."

Anna's face hardened as she immediately took out her phone. "I'll tell your father."

Half an hour later, the Joneses arrived at the hospital. Her parents were livid. Hillary told them everything, including the three-year marriage contract. Her mother's eyes brimmed with tears. "You foolish child! What were you thinking?"

Her father's face was thunderous, his chest rising and falling with fury. "The Cooks dares to treat my daughter like this, yet they still want to negotiate a business deal with me? What a joke."

They wanted to retaliate immediately, but Hillary stopped them. "Not yet. The contract has its terms."

She looked at them steadily, her voice firm. "Dad, Mom, I want to handle this myself."

Her parents were helpless. Behind her back, they launched their own investigation, but they couldn't find the men who had kidnapped Hillary. Then, scandalous photos of Hillary surfaced online— The Joneses worked quickly to take them down before they could gain traction, reporting the culprits in the process.

Hillary's heart sank. It was Willow and Charles' doing. Although she knew they were to blame, she couldn't accuse them directly because there was no clear evidence of the kidnapping.

Not long after, Hillary asked to be discharged from the hospital. Anna was worried about letting her recuperate in the hospital, but Hillary shook her head and gently refused.

By the time she returned to the villa, it was already deep into the night. Rage boiled within her, but her blood ran cold the moment she opened the door. Willow was sitting at the kitchen table, wrapped in Julian's arms. They were kissing passionately.