Hate for Love, No More in This Life

After my arranged marriage with Daniel Carter, we both wished the other would die.

He spread fake scandalous photos of me online; I went live and slapped his mistress.

He destroyed three years of my research; I ruined his eighty-million-dollar contract.

The cruelest moment was when he scattered my grandmother’s ashes, and I cut his brake lines.

Daniel left for the United States with a broken leg, and everyone assumed the engagement was over.

But when I got engaged again, Daniel returned fully recovered, bringing an eighty-million-dollar engagement gift.

“Sophia Evans, he’s not worthy of you—come here!”

“Who’s that, the Carter heir?”

“Is he insane? Didn’t Sophia nearly cripple him years ago? He almost died, and now he’s back to marry her?”

“You don’t get it. This is Carter’s revenge. Eighty million dollars—doesn’t that number sound familiar?”

Eighty million—the very contract I had sabotaged.

I lowered my gaze with a small smile and stayed silent.

The crowd parted to make way.

Daniel walked up and slapped the check down in front of me.

“Sophia, such a flashy engagement to an unknown man—was it all just to force me back?”

“Well, here I am. Eighty million as a gift. But do you really think… you’re worthy?”

His expression carried that mocking half-smile, eyes full of playful malice, exactly like six years ago.

Six years ago, Daniel and I had fought like mortal enemies; in New York City society, our battles were notorious.

Our story was gossip that people still relished over tea.

All eyes were fixed on me, waiting to see how long before I ripped his mouth apart again.

Just then, my phone rang.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star…”

The familiar nursery rhyme drifted eerily through the silent banquet hall.

Daniel let out a sharp laugh.

“Sophia, four years gone, and now you’ve regressed to children’s songs?”

I rose to my feet.

The atmosphere shifted instantly; some clenched their fists nervously.

“Are they about to fight again?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes, staring straight at me with anticipation.

I lifted my gown slightly and, with polite calm, said to those blocking my path:

“Excuse me, would you mind moving aside?”

Awkwardly, they stepped back.

I walked past Daniel, leaving everyone’s expectations unfulfilled.

The smile froze on his face.

As I stepped out of the banquet hall, I heard reporters swarm him:

“Mr. Carter, is your leg fully healed?”

“Mr. Carter, when you went abroad after the accident, everyone thought the marriage was off. Now that you’ve returned, are you planning to revive the engagement between the two families?”

“Mr. Carter, Mr. Carter…”

The chaotic questions faded behind me.

I leaned against my car, continuing the prenatal music lessons for the baby in my belly.

Daniel strode out, still trailed by relentless reporters.

“Mr. Carter, your former fiancée is about to remarry. Do you have nothing to say?”

His steps halted at the doorway, his gaze locking on me.

“Remarry? Don’t tell me you really believe anyone would marry such a vicious, deranged woman?”

“A grand engagement banquet, yet the groom won’t even show his face. Clearly, he has no intention of marrying her.”

“Sophia, don’t you feel ashamed of yourself?”

As the third nursery rhyme ended, I put away my phone.

A woman in a simple dress rushed forward and threw herself into Daniel’s arms.