Chapter 1

The day before my tumor surgery, my husband, Taylor Knowles, who'd been missing in action for six years, finally bothered to show up.

He was as arrogant as ever, giving me that smug, mocking grin.

Taylor sneered, "So, you finally learned to play the victim, huh?

"Guess your lover ditched you, so now you're crawling back to me."

I stared into his dark eyes for a long moment before a small smile appeared on my lips.

I replied, "You're right, Taylor. So, can you lend me 100 thousand dollars? I need it for the surgery."

He shot me a look full of contempt, a cold smirk tugging at his lips. "You want money? Beg for it. Try to please me. If I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll give it to you."

I went pale, my eyes burning with bitterness.

He had no clue that back when the company was falling apart, I put my pride aside and brought it back to life.

*****

I stared at Taylor's face, which I knew so well, gritted my teeth, and forced myself to press closer to him, awkwardly bringing my lips near his.

His breathing turned a little uneven, and his warm breath brushed against me, laced with that familiar hint of pine.

That scent clung to him, never changing in six years, and every time I caught it, it made my heart ache with longing.

I had to psych myself up for a long time before I finally spoke. "Taylor, please..."

The next moment, a strong arm snaked around me, steadying the back of my head as his lips claimed mine with fierce dominance.

I couldn't help but let out a muffled sound.

I instinctively tried to push him away, but he just held me tighter, refusing to let me escape.

A faint taste of blood spread in my mouth. Taylor's eyes turned dazed, flickering with something wild and unreadable.

After what felt like ages, he finally let go, his eyes once again filled with disgust. He brushed off his suit like my touch had contaminated him.

"Figures. You're just like your mother. Disgusting," he said with a sneer.

The chill of a bank card landed in my palm, tossed at me as if he was rewarding my obedience.

The door slammed so hard that the nurse on duty nearly jumped out of her skin.

I stared at the doorframe, a wave of bitterness flooding my heart, leaving me frozen in place for what felt like forever.

Taylor and I had been married for six years, but we'd been living apart the whole time.

We even had a baby through a test tube.

Everyone thought I'd hit the jackpot by landing myself a rich husband.

However, no one would have thought that, when I got seriously ill and needed money for surgery, I'd still have to beg him for it.

It wasn't always this way between us.

Before we got married, we spent four years together, and everyone around us called us a match made in heaven.

We hustled side by side, started a company together, and our business was booming.

But our good days didn't last. Taylor was inexperienced, so he got played by our competitors. Our company was teetering on the edge of collapse.

During that time, Taylor was wasting away right before my eyes. He went around asking everyone for help, but it was all in vain.

Just when we were about to throw in the towel and declare bankruptcy, the company got a letter of intent for a 10-million-dollar investment. That deal brought the company back from the dead.

After we solved the company's crisis, Taylor asked me to marry him. I didn't hesitate for a second before saying yes.

Our wedding was grand. With everyone watching, he swore he'd love me for the rest of our lives.

That night, he got very drunk. However, he chose to sleep on the floor rather than even touch me.

At the time, I just figured it was his old habit of waiting till marriage for sex.

"Taylor, we're married now. You don't have to keep away from me anymore," I said softly.

Taylor suddenly laughed, but it was a self-deprecating, bitter sound. He kept mumbling something under his breath.

Leaning closer, I finally caught what he was saying, and it broke my heart.

"Dirty... Don't touch me," he muttered.

Later, I found out that on our wedding night, he received a mysterious letter.

Inside, it contained a photo of me.

It was taken back when I went to meet Eric Campbell at the hotel, just to save the company.

Ten years ago, Taylor's passionate love made me blossom like a rose.

Six years ago, he treated me with cold indifference, just standing by as I withered and rotted away.

During those six years we lived apart, divorce crossed my mind more than once, but honestly, I was just too lonely and scared to actually go through with it.

Plus, I kept convincing myself that if we had a child together, maybe he'd change his mind and come back to me.

So, without him knowing, I secretly used his seed and ended up pregnant with our daughter.

After Viola Knowles was born, I kept hoping Taylor would come around.

But instead of softening, he was out there playing the field, chasing after every woman he could find.

Women would call me all the time, just to gloat and stake their claim on him.