Chapter 2

I rolled over, feeling drained, and gazed out the window. For a second, I remembered the dream I had while I was unconscious.

In that dream, I found myself back three years ago.

My father, on his deathbed, held my hand and told me that he'd once saved the life of Harrison's father, the wealthiest man in Janivelle. Because of that, our families set up an arranged marriage for Harrison and me.

His last wish was simple. He wanted me to get married, to have someone who would stay by my side and truly care for me.

I agreed. After my father passed away, I left the sticks and made my way to Janivelle all on my own.

The Guzman family honored the engagement, but there was no white dress, no vows, and no ceremony.

"Prenuptial agreement," Harrison said flatly. "Sign it. From now on, our finances stay separate."

He hated being shackled by a marriage contract, so to get back at me, he turned the master bedroom into his nightly playground.

Young, stunning girls would parade right in front of me, acting like they were queens of the house.

I gritted my teeth and kept my head down, swallowing all the humiliation.

Then one day, I found out I was pregnant.

After a lot of hesitation, I decided to tell Harrison, hoping he'd finally change for me. But I was fooling myself.

All it took was a petty accusation from his mistress, and Harrison shoved me down the stairs without a second thought.

Pain exploded through me, and a warm, wet stream started to run down my legs.

"Harrison, I think I'm losing the baby," I pleaded, my voice weak and desperate.

But he didn't even spare me a glance. "Handle it yourself," he said coldly.

Without another word, he picked up his mistress, who wasn't even hurt, and hurried off to the hospital, not once looking back.

I managed to dial emergency services before everything went dark.

When I came to, the doctor looked at me with sympathy. "You lost the baby. You got here too late, and there was too much bleeding. We couldn't save it. It'll be tough for you to get pregnant again."

I lay in the hospital bed, staring up at the ceiling, my heart prickling with pain.

Just then, I heard a mechanical voice. [The System has detected overwhelming pain and hatred. Asset Transfer System now online.]

[System rules: Every time Harrison Guzman cheats right in front of you, a portion of his assets will be transferred to you. The process is discreet and perfectly legal. No one will ever notice.]

[Do you wish to bind to the system?]

I choked back my bitterness and hatred. I said, "Yes."

[Binding successful. First asset transfer: 5% of Harrison Guzman's personal funds.]

"Ms. Reese." The nurse's voice pulled me out of my memories. "Are you okay? You were shaking just now."

I shook my head and forced a smile.

During the days I was recovering, Harrison never showed up, not even a simple text to check on me.

Once I was finally well enough, I checked myself out of the hospital and took a cab home.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Harrison and Samantha making out on the living room couch.

I stood there in the doorway, feeling like a beggar who'd wandered into a rich man's party, still reeking of hospital disinfectant and the stench of my own misery.

They noticed me, but kept clinging to each other, not caring that I was standing right there.

"Where have you been these past few days?" Harrison asked, not even bothering to look at me.

I was about to answer, but Harrison cut me off before I could get a word out.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter," he said, his tone dismissive. "Now that you're back, keep your head down."

Samantha snuggled up to Harrison, half her body pressed against him. "Mr. Guzman, I'm a little tired."

"Go upstairs and get some rest," Harrison said, patting her back gently.

Samantha stood up and then suddenly seemed to remember something and flashed me a fake smile.

She said, "Stephanie, I took your room. You don't mind, right? Mr. Guzman said the master bedroom gets more sunlight, and it's good for my health."

I paused, bit back my annoyance, and managed a smile. "I'll take the guest room."

I couldn't let anything slip until the asset transfer was done.

I started up the stairs, but Harrison called out lazily from behind, "Hold up. The guest room's already taken."

I drew a shaky breath, clenched my fists at my sides, and turned to look him in the eye. "So where do you expect me to stay?" I asked, my voice soft and strained.

Harrison shot me a nasty grin, his words dripping with vindictive glee. "The maid's room," he sneered. "That's where you belonged from the very beginning."

Samantha snorted, and then quickly covered her mouth. "Mr. Guzman, isn't that a little harsh?"

"What's wrong with that?" Harrison said, eyeing my miserable state like he was admiring a trophy.

"Didn't you say you wanted to enjoy the life of a spoiled wife?" Harrison paused, a cruel glint in his eyes. "Perfect. Let her be your maid."

The music kept playing, but the cloying melody now felt like nails on a chalkboard.

I stood there, numb, my blood rushing the wrong way, crashing against my eardrums.