Exhausted from beating me, Ethan tossed the bloodied wooden board to a bodyguard.
Then, without another glance in my direction, he scooped Lillian into his arms and carried her upstairs.
Minutes later, their pleasure-filled moans echoed from the bedroom—my room.
It wasn’t until what felt like a hundred slaps of ecstasy later that the sounds finally died down.
I lay on the floor, breath shallow, the metallic taste of blood thick in my mouth.
The black aura around Ethan, once subtle, now swirled violently like a curse manifesting.
His face was pale, drained of vitality, his eyes vacant.
He walked over and looked at me with utter contempt.
“It’s your disgusting, pig-like face that ruined everything. Just looking at you kills my desire.”
Turning back to Lillian, he said, “Let’s go, Lillian. I’ll buy you a luxury villa—make up for all the hurt you’ve suffered.”
Lillian smiled softly and leaned on him.
Then her eyes drifted toward me—gleaming with malice.
Suddenly, she let out a delicate whimper and clutched her belly.
“Ethan, my stomach… it hurts. Maybe it’s from all the stress today.”
She looked at him pitifully, tears shimmering.
“I heard that a blessing from Buddha helps the baby. Since Rachel claims to be Buddha’s reincarnation, why don’t we let her kneel and kowtow to me a hundred times to bless our child?”
Ethan, completely enamored, chuckled and stroked her hair.
“I’ll do anything for you.”
He raised his hand and barked at an order.
The bodyguards grabbed me and forced me to my knees.
Pain radiated from my swollen face.
My cheeks throbbed where the wood had split skin, my lips cracked and bloody.
I spat out a clot of blood and spoke through broken teeth.
“Ethan… I have not yet returned to secular life. For mocking the Rachel Monroe, your punishment will come.”
He sneered.
“Retribution? Spare me your theatrics. You used those lies to fool my parents. I’m not buying it.”
“I don’t know if heaven will punish me—but I do know this is your karma for hurting Lillian!”
Without warning, he grabbed my hair and slammed my head onto the floor.
My skull hit the marble with a sickening thud.
I saw stars. My ears rang. My breath caught in my throat.
But he didn’t stop.
Again.
And again.
Each blow is worse than the last.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Lillian cross her legs and lift her phone.
She began livestreaming.
“Everyone, look carefully. This woman pretended to be a saint, stole someone else’s husband, and destroyed a family. Watch how karma comes back!”
Thousands flooded in.
Some recognized me, their comments pleading for mercy.
But most didn’t know me and joined the fray, hurling insults, mocking me, laughing at my pain.
I reached for her phone in desperation.
Ethan stomped on my hand.
Pain exploded through my fingers.
He bent down and whispered viciously,
“Don’t even think about telling my parents. They’re out of town. They won’t be back soon.”
“Remember this, Rachel. Stay away from me—forever.”
I twitched weakly.
Blood from my scalp splattered onto Lillian’s feet.
She shrieked and stumbled backward.
Her phone slipped from her hand and clattered to the ground.
She scrambled behind Ethan, terrified.
“Ethan! She’s using black magic on me! I knew it! She’s cursing me—I’m scared!”
He wrapped his arms around her protectively.
He kissed her forehead, eyes soft and tender.
Then he turned back to me, face dark, voice filled with venom.
“You miserable witch! Why won’t you stop tormenting her?”
“Let’s see if you can curse anyone after I sever your tendons!”
He gently turned Lillian away from the scene.
Then strode toward me, snatching a fruit knife off the table.
I tried to crawl away, but my limbs wouldn’t move.
The blade sliced into my wrist.
White-hot pain exploded through me. I screamed.
He couldn’t find the tendon, so he slashed again.
And again.
Blood soaked onto the floor.
It pooled around me like a red halo.
The room stank of iron, of violence, of death.
And no one stopped him.
