My Stolen Life, My Cold Retribution

Chapter 2

Word Count: 1009 | Released on: 26/05/2026

nto the room-her eyes sliding over the torn dress, over me, without a flicker of

, a ghost at

they felt like a fever. My fingers brushed against the shredded silk, the delicate p

n place. He tossed a simple, off-the-rack white dress onto the pil

r this," he

ter taste filling my mouth. "I won't," I said, m

. An email draft, addressed to the Stanford University Board on Judicial Affairs

als from the UCSF patient portal. A steady, rhythmic beep emanated

"This care. This experimental treatment that is her only

tole the breath from my lungs. He was holding my

u a top-tier job in the Valley," he added, twisting the knife. "You'll be

I was only now beginning to recognize. "Just get through today. For Elena.

word "family" from his lip

The sender was Katrin Schmidt, QuantumLeap Dynamics, Berlin. A firm I had interned

Offer - Senior Re

, blinding spark in the suffocating darkness. I q

verything but a cold, hard resolve. "Fine," I said, my voi

on. He was confident he could control

began to work on my hair and makeup. I sat like a prisoner being preppe

er gaze sliding over me as if I were part of the furniture, and stopped beside Cyrus. She rested a han

hill creeping down my spine-a flee

mony space. An officiant stood by the fireplace. A videographer, a young man named Marco Valenti

vanized me. I had to perform

leaned in, his breath hot against my ear as he w

f love, trust, and partnership. Every wor

undying devotion, about how I made him a better man. All the while, his thumb was

ns, trying to project a love that had been poisoned and de

n a different lifetime. The words, once so fu

. My mind flashed back to all the times Brianna had sacrificed for me, working double shifts at a diner so I cou

nce you husba

e second. His lips brushed against my cheek, a cold, dry contact

t second before his face arranged itself

videographer, his voice booming with false chee

Chapter End

Claim Your Bonus at the APP

Open

My Stolen Life, My Cold Retribution

Su Banqing Modern

“My wedding day was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. My fiancé, Cyrus, was my hero, promising to save my sick grandmother with his generous insurance. Instead, he ripped my wedding dress to shreds and revealed he'd been sleeping with my best friend for months. I was a scientist, on the brink of marrying Cyrus, a man who seemed to embody every dream I had. With my critically ill grandmother dependent on his insurance for experimental treatment, he felt like my unwavering protector. But the night before our wedding, my world shattered. He confessed he'd been secretly sleeping with Brianna, my best friend and houseguest, for months. Then, with ice in his eyes, he told me this wedding wasn't for me, but to provide "stability" for her. He shredded my wedding dress, then forced me to the altar by threatening my academic career and showing me a live feed of my critically ill grandmother's vitals. During the ceremony, he broadcast intimate videos of himself and Brianna, triggering my grandmother's fatal stroke. Adding to the horror, Brianna, my best friend, confessed her part in sabotaging my research, an attack that had already caused a severe endocrine condition, stealing my chance at children. The man I loved, the friend I protected, the career I built, the family I cherished – all utterly destroyed. What kind of monster would orchestrate such a calculated, brutal betrayal against a dying woman and a vulnerable friend? There were no more tears left, only a cold, hard resolve in the face of absolute devastation. But then, a job offer flashed on my phone screen: a senior research scientist position in Berlin. With nothing left to lose and a burning need for justice, I returned his ring, declared our life together over, and booked a flight for tomorrow, ready to build a new future from the ashes of his deceit.”