Five years earlier, my parents suffered a car crash and almost didn’t survive. Back then, I was crowdfunding in university.
Tristan, then a senior, came down like a God. Taking my hand, he softly asked, “Are you willing to marry me? I can pay your parents’ medical expenses in advance and bring in the world’s best medical team for their treatment.”
Back then, there was no other path for me to choose, and since I already looked up to him, I went with him right away to get the marriage certificate.
Only later did I find out that his childhood sweetheart, in order to gain her freedom, had run overseas to enjoy herself on the very day she had promised to register with him.
And to take over the family business and secure real control of the shares, he had to find a woman to marry.
When we were newly married, his thoughtful care let me experience the warmth of love. I believed we would always stay happy.
Sadly, the good times were short-lived. After Sybil discovered the marriage, she immediately returned and demanded that he divorce.
Tristan refused, so Sybil turned her attacks toward me.
For five years, I was repeatedly targeted and set up by Sybil, while Tristan went from trusting me at first to growing impatient later and finally standing fully on Sybil’s side to support her.
Breaking away from my memories, I started to pack up the room.
After staying in this villa for five years, there were far too many things I wanted to get rid of.
As I was halfway through organizing, I heard footsteps downstairs. I thought Tristan had returned and didn’t think much of it.
A few minutes later, his impatient voice called from downstairs. “Where is Lexie? Why hasn’t she come to handle this?”
Next came Sybil’s sobbing voice. “She said she is the mistress here, and I am just an outsider, not worthy of her reception.”
I stopped what I was doing and turned to head downstairs.
When he saw me, Tristan frowned unhappily. “Lexie, what are you doing? Don’t you know Sybil is on her period today? She can’t touch cold water, yet you still had her cook?”
I froze for a second, forcing down the bitterness in my heart.
His attentive care toward Sybil was like a poisoned knife, stabbing straight through my heart until I could barely breathe.
“Forget it, Tristan. Since she already dislikes me, I’d better not be an eyesore…”
While speaking, Sybil turned as if to leave.
In the next moment, she was pulled into Tristan’s embrace. His eyes were gentle as he said, “If anyone should go, it should be her. Back when I had my accident, it was you who stayed and cared for me for an entire day and night.”
“And my so-called wife, who promised to stay by my side forever, didn’t even appear.”
While speaking, Tristan shot me a look full of hatred.
Bitterness spread through my chest.
Four years earlier, he was involved in a car accident. The windshield stabbed through his abdomen, causing one of his kidneys to die.
Everleigh made me do the matching test and donate one kidney, and even instructed me not to reveal the truth to Tristan.
But unexpectedly, Sybil took the credit and turned it into her current shield.
Sybil reached out to stop Tristan, putting on a kind look as she said, “Tristan, why not punish her by having her make sweet dough balls for me?”
Tristan lifted his hand and patted her head, saying softly and fondly, “You, you’re just too kind.”
Turned to me and said coldly, “Why aren’t you going yet? What are you standing there for?”
I tightened my lips and turned toward the kitchen.
While squeezing the dough, I felt the flour seemed a little odd. Until the sweet dough balls were finished cooking, and I was just about to bring them out.
Sybil’s malicious voice sounded from behind me. “Do the sweet dough balls made with this flour smell nice?”
I did not reply and carried the sweet dough balls, getting ready to leave the kitchen.
Sybil reached forward to block my path. Her eyes were cold, and she suddenly smiled. “You should try some. After all, there’s a part from your dear father in it.”
My pupils suddenly tightened.
A bad feeling rushed into my heart.
I quickly knocked her hand away and hurried into the guest room on the first floor, only to see the memorial tablet I had placed a few days earlier thrown onto the floor, with clear footprints on it.
And the container box holding my father’s ashes had been opened at some unknown moment; the ashes inside had vanished without any sign.
I stared at the sweet dough balls in my hands, shocked and stunned.
Could it be…
“That’s right.” Sybil followed after me, with a cruel smile on her face. “Just like what you are thinking. I mixed that dead old man’s ashes into the flour. How is it? Isn’t it tasty?”
I had originally planned to arrange my father’s funeral after the first seven days passed, but now even his ashes were gone.
“Sybil! I’m going to kill you!!”
I threw the sweet dough balls aside and rushed forward, grabbing Sybil’s neck tightly, watching with my own eyes as her face slowly turned red.
She proudly smiled at me.
The next second, I was kicked and sent flying five meters away. My calf slammed hard into the corner of the coffee table, and I fell onto the boiling sweet dough balls.
My soft skin immediately became red in patches.
“Lexie, have you lost your mind?!” Tristan noticed the red bruise on my calf. Guilt showed in his eyes, then it was soon replaced by indifference.
He spoke coldly, “You asked for this yourself. Nobody else to blame!”
Pain stabbed my chest. It felt like thousands of ants biting. The burning kept turning my vision dark.
Sybil shrank into Tristan’s arms and said pitifully, “Tristan, she really doesn’t like me. I clearly didn’t do anything…”
