The expected slander still pierced her heart, causing her entire heart to ache.
"Killing someone is just a matter of a quick death, why feign amnesia and destroy people's hearts? Why drag the child into it?"
"Want fame and fortune? I'll grant your wish. Divorce or leave with nothing? We'll go for it."
With a bang, the iron gate slammed shut, cutting him off from everything.
Luther was only three years old, so well-behaved that the whole neighborhood knew it. Usually, a single glance from his father would terrify him.
No one believed such a sensible child would steal money. Yet, ironically, his most respected and admired father was the first to send him to the police station.
The child, head down, huddled in a corner, crying helplessly. He wore a thin T-shirt bought last year, the ankles too short, like his own shattered self-esteem.
Countless times, Dave was brought home drunk, vomiting uncontrollably into the toilet, recounting the hardships of starting a business.
Merlin felt heartache and guilt, having reduced herself and her child to poverty.
She thought sincerity would be reciprocated, that sharing hardship would lead to shared happiness, but what she received was Lily driving a Rolls-Royce, her entourage of haggard customers mocking her.
“You’re talking nonsense. Dave is helping discipline your child, yet instead of being grateful, you speak so rudely. Have you no manners? You’re unbelievably shallow.”
“No wonder Dave would rather buy me a house and a car than spend a single cent on you. A toad dressed in gold is still a toad.”
Her voice was booming, showing no sign of weakness, but Dave carefully covered her eyes.
“Be good, don't look, it's bad luck.”
He hadn't mentioned bad luck when he set her up, but now he was disgusted with her? Fine, she and Luther were already desperate.
“I can make you even more unlucky.”
She spat in Lily's face, then, under Dave's dark expression, recounted her past battles with leukemia and the flu.
Hearing the sharp, explosive sound, a cold smile flashed across her eyes.
"If you really send Luther in, I don't mind fighting you to the death."
Besides Luther, Merlin had nothing left.
She once thought she had everything, only to find it was all a dream. All that talk of unwavering love, of devoted husband and wife, was nothing but an illusion.
Merlin anonymously transferred the betrothal gifts from the Franco Family to the company account.
She paid ten million to have Dave serve time for her, so they would be even. But not long after, Dave personally bailed Merlin out.
He stood straight outside the door, his eyes filled with heartache. He draped his suit jacket, which he had taken off earlier, over her thin frame, held an umbrella for her and even brought her favorite milk tea.
Merlin stared blankly at the straw brought to her lips, pinching her thigh hard. It hurt! It wasn't a dream.
“Luther has already been sent to school. Don’t worry, he’s my son. How could I let him go to jail?”
Her body stiffened, but she continued walking forward, focused and single-minded, without looking back. All she could think about were the five days—the last five days.
Suddenly, Dave hugged her from behind. “Merlin, please don’t ignore me, okay?”
He was very tall; he had to bend slightly to touch her neck with his chin.
“If it weren’t for fulfilling Mom’s wish, I wouldn’t have pretended to have amnesia and let you and Luther suffer.”
“You know, she only recognizes Lily now. I really couldn’t help it.” His warm breath enveloped her neck.
Merlin didn’t flinch. Her gaze unconsciously drifted elsewhere as she handed him a divorce agreement disguised as a “guarantee,” demanding he promise he would never lie to her again.
His eyes lit up instantly.
"Let me see what kind of love guarantees my little Merlin wrote." He calls her "Little Merlin" when he's happy and "poisonous woman" when he's not.
Was that your love, Dave? It was outrageously fake!
Merlin quickly grabbed the "guarantee," deliberately provoking him.
"What, scared now?"
He paused slightly, a strange smile curving his lips as he reached out and hooked her delicate nose.
"You can sell me off." His tone was so doting that her finger froze in mid-air, forgetting what she was doing.
He was a powerful figure in the business world, someone who would rather bleed than cry, yet he set aside his pride to beg her—especially since Dave’s mother truly suffers from Alzheimer’s.
The divorce papers were signed and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, lowering her guard as she took a sip of her milk tea.
Just one sip and she was overcome with sleepiness, falling into a deep sleep.
She woke up to find herself completely naked, sprawled out and bound without any dignity in front of a strange man.
"I'll only let you go this once. Remember the taste of being betrayed by a man." Thinking of that strangely-tasting milk tea, her throat tightened and she couldn't utter a word.
No matter how bitter or difficult things were, Dave hadn't resorted to underhanded tactics against his business rivals, yet he easily cooperated with Lily to drug her.
How cruel! It was truly cruel, Dave!
The man glanced at her indifferently, exuding a frivolous and flirtatious air.
"Go back and tell Lily that I don't want any woman who throws herself at me, including her."
"A princess's illness is called princess syndrome; hers is called a pheasant's emotional instability syndrome."
