My Sister’s Death Made Me the Woman He Hated Most

After my sister was violated and jumped from the building, I not only covered for the culprit but also climbed into her boyfriend’s bed.

My mother stood on the rooftop, threatening to end her life if I didn’t expose the murderer.

I let out a cold laugh. “If you want to die, then jump. At least you’ll be with my sister.”

Thirty years later, after a car accident left me paralyzed, my husband Owen Simmons ordered his men to drag me out of the house and tie me to the gallows meant for criminals.

“Juliette, you’re worse than an animal! Your sister treated you so well since childhood, yet you covered for the man who ruined her! And the day after she died, you climbed into my bed!”

“If it weren’t for finding out who killed your sister, I never would have pretended to love you all these years!”

“Luckily, with today’s technology, we can extract memories. I’ll send both you and the murderer to the gallows today!”

When the truth was revealed in front of everyone, the crowd was stunned, their voices caught in disbelief. Owen and my mother were frozen in hopeless despair.

——

In the year 3025, the Research Bureau’s new Memory Extractor had uncovered many long-buried cases. Once connected to a person’s mind, it replayed the events of that day with striking clarity.

As soon as I was tied to the gallows, my mother’s rage exploded, and her hand struck my face.

“Juliette! You monster! You saw everything! You were right there! Why did you tell the police you knew nothing?”

Each slap landed hard as the people watching looked on with grim satisfaction. My mother’s tears mixed with anger, releasing thirty years of grief and hate.

I couldn’t move and could only take the blows in silence as darkness crept into my vision and hot saliva dripped from my mouth.

Owen stopped her in a cold voice. “Mom, don’t kill her.”

“Today, the truth that’s been hidden for thirty years will finally come out.”

Beside the gallows, my crimes were listed. “Hiding the man who assaulted her sister; forcing her sister’s boyfriend to take drugs and marry her.”

In this time, everyone was equal, and no woman’s dignity could be ignored.

When the crowd saw my crimes, they spat and shouted curses. “Your sister went through all that, and you still protected the criminal? You should die!”

Owen’s brows drew together, his bloodshot eyes full of hate as he glared at me. Facing his look of disgust, I forced a faint, bitter smile.

Back then, Owen and I truly loved each other, but my sister, who was battling depression, threatened to end her life. Helpless, I lied to him and said I loved someone else.

Later, when Zara Barnes went through that nightmare and jumped from the building in despair, I chose to protect the culprit, just to stay by Owen’s side.

When my mother saw my smile, she broke down again, rushing toward me and grabbing my throat. “You animal! You’re still smiling!”

“Zara died in pain!”

“What right do you have to keep living?”

Owen’s cold voice cut through the noise. “Mom, once the memory extraction succeeds and the truth is shown to everyone. If more than half vote for Juliette to die, she’ll go join Zara right away.”

My face turned pale, not from the fear of dying, but from the thought of my secrets being exposed.

“No! Owen, don’t do this! You can’t extract my memory! You’ll regret it!”

Owen let out a cold sneer, raising his hand as he pressed the Memory Extractor onto my head.

At once, it felt like someone was tearing my mind apart. The burning pain shot through my body, making me shake uncontrollably.

Below the gallows, the crowd watched with cruel satisfaction, enjoying every moment of my agony.