The Vow I Burned

Prologue: I once believed Damien Lawrence would be my sanctuary for life. For him, I waited five years, endured five years, and surrendered everything that belonged to me to his savior—Chloe Carter. It wasn't until I lost our baby on the operating table that I learned his supposed business trips were nothing more than an excuse to be with Chloe. He even planned to hold a wedding with her, just to spare her an arranged marriage with the Foster family. At that moment, my heart finally died. Since he couldn't bear to let Chloe go, I would step aside and let them have each other. I took the initiative to agree to marry the lunatic from the Foster family, whom everyone else avoided like the plague, to reclaim my mother's inheritance and completely sever my past with Damien. From now on, I would never compromise myself for anyone again. Melanie's POV "I'll marry the lunatic from the Foster family." I sat on the sofa in the study, my face slightly pale. My father, Jonathan Sterling, shook so violently that his cup clattered against the edge of the desk, spilling coffee across half the surface. Ignoring the mess, his face broke into a broad smile. "Melanie, you've finally come to your senses! The Fosters are a prominent and prestigious family. They won't mistreat you! This is an exceptional match!" I let out a cold laugh. "If it's such an exceptional match, why don't you marry off your bastard daughter instead?" His expression hardened instantly, and he snapped, "Watch your mouth! Chloe is my adopted daughter, your sister! Calling her a bastard—how vulgar!" I scoffed, waving my phone in the air. "Vulgar? You had no problem doing it, yet now you find the word vulgar?" He glared intently at my phone. "What is that?" My eyes were filled with mockery. "Pardon me, but yesterday, the conversation between you and Wendy Wilson in this very study was recorded by me. Chloe Carter is the illegitimate daughter of you and Wendy Wilson. You admitted it yourself." His face drained of color, and he lunged forward in a panic to snatch my phone. I sidestepped, easily evading him. "Grabbing it won't do you any good. I've backed it up in a hundred places." "You!" His face flushed crimson with rage. "What exactly do you want?" I pulled a document from my bag and pushed it across to him. "It's simple. Before I get married, you sign this." He looked down. Emblazoned across the cover were the words: Confirmation of Inheritance Renunciation and Transfer. He slammed his hand on the desk. "In your dreams!" I remained completely unruffled. "As far as I know, Sterling Enterprises is stuck in a bottleneck. You need the Foster family's patent to stay afloat; otherwise, you won't last six months." "The Fosters will only share the patent with their daughter-in-law. If I don't marry him, you won't get it. Once Sterling Enterprises goes bankrupt, even if you keep the shares my mother left me, they'll be nothing more than scrap paper." Having his sore spot struck, his shame flared into rage. "You dare plot against me? I am your father!" I met his gaze without backing down. "Those shares were left to me by my mother in the first place! You refused to sign off on them under the pretext of bank inheritance regulations, and now you're accusing me? You certainly have thick skin, Mr. Sterling!" "You... you... you..." He pointed a trembling finger at me, his lips quivering, unable to form a complete sentence. Losing patience, I stood up and moved toward the door. "If you don't agree, forget it. Find someone else to marry into the Foster family—or let your precious bastard daughter go." "Stop!" He called out frantically, gritting his teeth. "Fine! I'll sign!" He was right. Sterling Enterprises had been in steep decline these past few years. Without the Foster family's patent, bankruptcy was only a matter of time. As long as he obtained that patent, the company would catch its breath. He signed his name, but then placed the confirmation in a drawer and locked it. "The Foster family is sending someone to pick you up next month. The day you step into their car is the day I hand this confirmation over to you." He glared at me. "If you dare run away, I'll have you dragged back in ropes." Not at all surprised by his deceitful nature, I sneered. "It's a deal. But if you try any tricks, I'll make the recording public, and we can all burn together!" Enduring a dull ache in my lower abdomen, I turned and walked away. Just as my hand touched the doorknob, his voice came from behind. "Haven't you insisted on marrying Damien Lawrence since you were little? Why the sudden change of heart to marry into the Foster family?" My steps halted. A sudden constriction clamped around my heart, dragging out a sharp, stinging ache. Without turning back, I left him with a single sentence. "Save Damien Lawrence for your precious bastard daughter. I don't want him anymore." Damien Lawrence, Julian Carter, Chloe Carter, and I had grown up together. As the heir to the Lawrence family, Damien was calm, collected, and composed, and the two of us had been in love since childhood. Everyone used to say we were a match made in heaven, and both families had tacitly agreed we would marry once we came of age. Chloe was the daughter of our family driver, Trevor, and our maid, Wendy Wilson. Julian was Trevor's son from a previous marriage, which made him Chloe's stepbrother. Among the four of us, Julian was the oldest and always looked after the three of us. Six years ago, Damien, Julian, and I went to the Sterling family's riding arena. Chloe claimed she wasn't feeling well and stayed home. A fire suddenly broke out in the storage room behind the stables, trapping us inside. Julian kept his head. He smashed open a transom window and told us to step on his back to jump out first. Having inhaled too much thick smoke, Damien and I lost consciousness from lack of oxygen the moment our feet hit the ground. When we woke up, we were greeted with the news of Julian's death in the inferno, accompanied by Chloe's heart-wrenching wails. Misfortune did not stop there. Only a month after Julian passed away, my mother, Serena Windsor, died of a sudden asthma attack. With Mother gone, the father who had once showered me with affection seemed to vanish along with her. Just two months after her death, he adopted Chloe. Chloe moved into the Sterling mansion under the guise of the family's second daughter. With the fragile, harmless Chloe as a contrast, my vibrant, spirited nature was painted as arrogant and domineering in the eyes of others. The dishes on the dinner table gradually shifted to Chloe's favorites. The rose garden my mother had planted for me was leveled completely on my father's orders, simply because a thorn had pricked Chloe's finger. I had lost my mother, and I had lost my father. I thought that at the very least, I still had Damien. He had been by my side since childhood and had promised never to abandon me. Yet Damien changed too. When we were trapped in the fire, all three of us had left our final words in despair. Julian's dying wish was for Chloe to grow up well and live a good life. To fulfill Julian's wish and repay the debt of saving our lives, Damien, whose eyes had once held only me, made protecting Chloe his absolute priority. After Julian's death, Damien never spent another birthday with me, because my birthday fell on the exact same day as Julian's. Halfway through our dates, a single phone call from Chloe could summon him away. If Chloe lingered an extra second looking at a new dress I bought, Damien would ask me to give it to her. When Chloe mentioned she liked the puppy I raised, Damien carried it to her room with his own hands. At first, I swallowed the pain and yielded to everything. Julian had traded his life for ours, and I was genuinely grateful for that sacrifice. Five years ago, I received an offer of admission from my dream, top-tier university. Yet Damien told me, "Defer for a year. Let Chloe go first. I promise, this will be the last time." He said that if Chloe went to a prestigious school and established her own footing, he wouldn't have to worry over her every move anymore. Moved by his promise of "the last time," I deferred for a year and let her go first. Once Chloe went abroad, Damien truly reverted to the man who held me at the center of his world. I thought my Damien had finally returned, and that the nightmare named Chloe Carter was finally over. Until a few days ago, when I slipped in the bathroom and passed out from heavy bleeding. When I woke up, I learned it was our maid, Maggie, who had rushed me to the hospital. The doctor told me I had been ten weeks pregnant, that my condition was critical, and that surgery was required immediately. Maggie dialed Damien thirty-seven times using my phone, but no one ever picked up. The baby was gone. After the surgery, I returned home to recover. This morning, groggy and barely awake, before I even opened my eyes, I heard Damien on a call by the bed. On the other end was Chase Sheridan. Chase had always spoken with a loud voice, and in the quiet bedroom, every word carried distinctly. "Damien, how's Melanie doing? She didn't find out you went out of your way to sit with Chloe's rabbit while it got an IV drip and missed her calls, did she? Did she give you a hard time?" Damien stood with his back to the bed. I couldn't see his expression; I only heard his deep, calm voice. "She doesn't know. I just got back, and she isn't awake yet. Watch yourself and don't let it slip." It struck me like a bolt from the blue. His promise of "the last time" back then had been a lie. While I was losing our child on the operating table, the only reason he didn't pick up was because Chloe's rabbit was sick?! Did he even know that our baby was gone? Chase's careless voice continued through the speaker. "Relax! It's been five years, and you visit Chloe every single month. When have I ever let it slip?" "Still, Chloe's coming back soon. I heard her say she's supposed to marry that Foster family lunatic. What are you going to do? Can you really bear to watch her suffer?" Damien went silent for a moment, and his next words plunged me into an icy abyss. "I can't. Julian died to save me. I will look after Chloe for the rest of my life, and I won't let her marry into the Foster family. I plan to hold a wedding with Chloe to completely crush Jonathan Sterling's thoughts of using her for an alliance. Once the dust settles, I'll separate from her." Chase was clearly stunned. "Isn't that taking it too far? Would Melanie ever agree to that?" Fighting back my tears, I felt my heart tearing apart with agony. And here I thought Damien had devoted himself entirely to me over these past five years. Yet it turned out he had been visiting Chloe Carter every single month. Five years. Exactly sixty times. I remembered the time I had a burning fever. He had told me an emergency had cropped up with an overseas merger, that they couldn't close the deal without him. And another time, my car was caught in a massive pile-up on the highway. He had merely rushed out an excuse over the phone, claiming an international inspection project was falling apart and that he had to board a flight right away, leaving only his assistant behind to handle the aftermath. Every single one of his helpless emergencies had been for Chloe Carter. Beneath the duvet, I clenched my fists and held my breath, waiting for his answer. "She won't find out." Damien Lawrence's tone was calm, absolute. "Even if she does, Melanie ought to understand. Chloe's brother gave his life to save the two of us. Melanie and I owe her for the rest of our days." A silent, cold laugh rose in my chest. I stopped owing her a long time ago. If you want to repay her, do it yourself. I'm done playing along. The bedroom door was pushed open, and Maggie came in carrying a glass of water. The moment she saw Damien, her eyes rimmed with red in agitation. "Mr. Lawrence, you're finally back! Where on earth have you been these past few days? None of our calls would go through. Do you have any idea that Melanie mis—" "Maggie!" My eyes snapped open, and I cut her off with a sharp voice. "I'm hungry. I want that broth you make."Melanie's POV Maggie acknowledged me and slipped out. Seeing that I was awake, Damien immediately leaned over the edge of the bed, his brow furrowed with deep concern. "Mel, where are you hurt? You called me so many times, but I was in a meeting and didn't hear the phone. What did the doctor say?" He reached out to touch my forehead. I turned my head away, avoiding his touch. "It's nothing, just a minor bump. Maggie's making a fuss over nothing." Damien breathed a sigh of relief and pulled me into his arms without letting me resist. "You scared me half to death. As long as you're all right." His embrace carried the same familiar warmth, yet all I felt was a bitter chill. Resting against his shoulder, I asked nonchalantly, "Damien, when are we getting married?" He instinctively knitted his brows. I knew he had just made up his mind to hold a wedding with Chloe first to shield her from the alliance with the Foster family. How could he possibly agree to marry me right now? "Mel, you're still young. There's no rush to talk about marriage." I had no intention of letting him brush it off. "You promised you'd marry me as soon as I graduated. I've been out of school for three years, Damien." A flicker of guilt crossed his face, and he averted his eyes. "A wedding takes time to prepare. Custom gowns and rings don't just happen overnight." When Damien was a boy, he used to hold my hand wherever he went. He would introduce me to everyone as his wife, declaring that when he grew up, he was going to take me home as his bride. He had once thumped his chest and vowed to me: "Mel, I'll protect you! I won't let anyone bully you, and I'll never let you suffer a single grievance." Yet later on, half of the grievances I ever suffered came directly from him. I took a step back. "Then we can just go to City Hall first and get the paperwork done. We can always have the ceremony later." Damien finally lost a touch of his patience. "Marriage is a serious matter. How can you treat it like a game?" The corner of my mouth tugged into a faint, bitter curve, and I said nothing more. A serious matter that shouldn't be treated like a game? He had countless ways to protect Chloe Carter, yet he deliberately chose to marry her. He hadn't even bothered to look into who was actually supposed to marry into the Foster family. Damien Lawrence, I'm not waiting for you anymore. And I don't need your protection. Seeing me keep my head down in silence, Damien softened his tone to placate me. "Mel, don't overthink this. I told you I'd marry you, and I will. Just give me some time. Wait for me." I kept my eyes downcast, offering no response. I couldn't wait any longer. The one marrying into the Foster family next month was going to be me. The next day, I returned to the Sterling residence to negotiate terms with Father. With Sterling Enterprises currently mired in deep trouble, he agreed, just as I expected. Stepping out of the Sterling estate, my eyes landed immediately on the black Maybach parked by the gate. Damien got out and walked toward me. "Maggie told me you came here, so I drove over to pick you up. You just had a fall—why aren't you resting at home?" Exhaustion weighed heavily on my body, and I had no energy to waste on idle talk. I waved a dismissive hand and reached for the passenger door. As the door swung open, a pink cushion sat resting against the seat. The only person who could sit in Damien's passenger seat and adore pink was Chloe Carter. It seemed she had already returned to the country. I slammed the door shut with a sharp crack, turned around, and climbed into the back. Damien didn't say a word. The entire ride back, he glanced at me several times through the rearview mirror. I merely kept my head down, scrolling through my phone. When my eyes grew tired, I stared out the window, remaining entirely silent. I hadn't been like this before. In the past, the moment I saw him, words would pour out of me without end. A stray cat on the street, a new pastry I tried, a funny post online—I wanted to share every little detail with him, as if we had an infinite lifetime of things to say. But now, I was a different person. After a long stretch of silence, Damien finally broke it. "Why so quiet? Something on your mind?" I lifted my gaze to meet his, then cast it right back down. "Talking too much gets annoying. I'm taking a page out of Chloe Carter's book." Damien choked on his words. He reached over and switched on the stereo. A sweet, syrupy love song began to drift from the speakers. It was the kind of music Chloe loved. Flustered, Damien scrambled to turn it off. "Leave it," I said flatly. "I've long gotten used to hearing it anyway." Damien's hand froze in midair, but in the end, he switched it off. An awkward silence hung heavy inside the car. Neither of us spoke another word until we pulled into the underground garage. The moment the car rolled to a complete stop, I pushed the door open and headed straight for the elevator. Damien caught up, catching me by the wrist. "Mel, Julian died saving both of us. We owe Chloe. Just cut her some slack." A chill swept through my heart. Haven't I cut her enough slack already? From my dresses to my puppy, and later even my own father became Chloe's. And now, I was expected to hand over my man to her as well. I violently wrenched my wrist from his grip and took the elevator upstairs. The second I pushed the front door open, I froze at the entryway. Chloe Carter was wearing my brand-new silk pajamas and stepping in my new slippers. She was curled up on the sofa clutching my throw pillow, sipping water from my favorite mug. Seeing me return, Chloe bounded over. "Melanie, you're back?"Melanie's POV Chloe said it warmly, moving to link her arm through mine. I pulled my arm back with force. "What are you doing here?" Damien stepped through the door right behind me, immediately placing himself in front of Chloe and looking at me with tension written across his face. "Chloe just got back to the country, and she starts work at the Lawrence Corporation tomorrow. Staying in a hotel is too lonely, and this place is close to headquarters. I brought her here to stay for a few days." A bitter laugh tore from my throat. "Damien Lawrence, I bought this apartment with my own money. You're merely staying here. What gives you the right to bring whoever you want into my home?" I hadn't wanted to live in the Sterling residence, so throughout my university years, I saved up a sum through part-time jobs and start-up ventures to buy a place of my own. After graduation, Damien had me join the Lawrence Group, so I picked an apartment near their headquarters. To keep me company, Damien had moved in with me. Damien frowned in displeasure. "Chloe isn't just 'whoever.'" Looking pitiful, Chloe tugged at Damien's sleeve, her eyes rimming with tears. "Damien, it's all my fault. I just hadn't seen Melanie in so many years and missed her, so I came over to see her. If Melanie doesn't want me here, I'll just leave." With that, she turned to reach for the suitcase standing against the wall. Damien caught her arm at once. "Why should you leave? You're staying here tonight. Let's see who dares kick you out. Come with me." He hoisted her suitcase, shot me a warning glare, and walked straight toward the guest bedroom. I pulled out my phone and scrolled for property management's number, ready to have security come and escort Chloe out. Chloe didn't rush to follow him into the guest room. Instead, she lingered in the living room, flashing me a smug, triumphant smirk. "Melanie Sterling, so what if you bought this place? I can still come whenever I want, stay whenever I please!" "Heiress of the Sterling family? Is there even a place left for you in that household?" Refusing to entertain her, I was about to hit the call button. Chloe's expression shifted in an instant. She suddenly tilted the mug and poured the scalding water straight over her own arm. Her fair skin flushed an angry, blazing red in a heartbeat. The mug shattered against the floor, and she dropped with it, wailing at the top of her lungs. "Melanie, if you don't want me here, I'll go right now! I was wrong! Please, stop throwing water on me!" Hearing the commotion, Damien rushed out from the guest bedroom immediately. He pulled Chloe up, nervously gripping her arm to inspect the burn. "Chloe, are you hurt?" Chloe gasped from the pain, yet she shook her head frantically. "Damien, I'm fine. Don't blame Melanie, it's all my fault!" Damien raised his head and glared at me, fury blazing in his eyes. "Melanie Sterling! Look at what you've done! Apologize!" I stared at him with cold detachment. "Damien Lawrence, if I tell you she poured it on herself to frame me, who do you believe? Her, or me?" Damien's brow furrowed tightly, and he didn't answer right away. Chloe leaned into his chest, tears streaming endlessly down her cheeks. "Damien, please don't be mad at Melanie anymore, I beg you! I'm just a housekeeper's daughter. It's not worth ruining your relationship over me. Just... just pretend I poured it on myself..." The warmth vanished from Damien's face entirely, leaving it cold as ice. "Melanie Sterling, you're not even fit to stand beside Chloe!" My heart plummeted into an abyss. We grew up together for more than twenty years, yet he would rather believe a crying Chloe Carter than trust me even once. With reddened eyes, I screamed at him, "Fine! I can't compare to her! Then go comfort your precious Chloe! Both of you, get the hell out of my sight and out of my home!" Damien snapped, pushed past his limit. "Chloe's brother died saving our lives! Do you have any concept of gratitude at all?" I laughed, though tears spilled down my cheeks. "Haven't I shown enough gratitude? Over all these years, have I given her too little money, or have I stepped aside too few times?" "If you want to treat her well, give her your own things! Why do you always have to rob me of mine? This is my apartment! Take her back to your own place—take her into your own bed for all I care!" Rendered entirely speechless by my words, Damien stood there, his face livid. Chloe Carter sobbed, tugging at his sleeve. "Damien, Melanie just doesn't like me. Please don't fight with her. I'll leave right now..." Without a word, Damien Lawrence bent down and scooped Chloe Carter into his arms. "I'm taking you with me!" He paused at the door, glancing back to throw a parting warning at me. "Don't you regret this!" The door slammed shut, cutting off the view of Chloe Carter resting against Damien Lawrence's shoulder, raising her eyebrows smugly at me. I took several deep breaths, forcing down the sharp ache in my chest. Unlocking my phone, I opened the home security system's backend. When I was little, I was too naive. Whenever Chloe Carter framed me, all I could do was sulk or throw a fit on the spot. In the end, I was always the one who suffered, earning nothing but a reputation for having a foul temper. But the me now had learned how to protect myself. The living room camera had captured every single thing Chloe Carter had done. In crystal-clear high definition—not a single expression missed. I saved the video clip to the cloud. A short while later, Maggie returned holding grocery bags. The moment she stepped inside and saw the shattered glass and puddle of water across the floor, she hurried over. "What happened here? Downstairs, I just saw Damien storming off carrying some woman in his arms. Did you two have a fight?" Maggie was the nanny who used to take care of my mother, and she had lived with us at the Sterling estate before. After Mother passed away, Maggie became the only person in that house who genuinely cared about me, which was why Wendy Wilson constantly ostracized her. The very first thing I did after buying this apartment was bring Maggie here to live with me. Wiping away my tears, I said, "That woman was Chloe Carter." Maggie gasped in shock. "What? Chloe Carter is back? Then what are you going to do?" Having watched me grow up, she knew better than anyone how much injustice I had endured over the years because of Chloe Carter. Maggie let out a heavy sigh. "Damien is wonderful in every other way, but whenever it comes to Chloe Carter, he loses all common sense." "Melanie, did you tell him about your miscarriage?" I shook my head and pulled Maggie down to sit on the sofa beside me. "No. He doesn't deserve to know."Melanie's POV Maggie couldn't hold back her tears. "You poor child. Ever since your mother left, you haven't had a single peaceful day. I thought Damien was truly devoted to you these past few years, but who would have thought..." I wiped her tears away. "Maggie, don't cry." I took a property deed out of my bag and placed it into Maggie's hands. "I had my lawyer transfer the title under your name. This apartment belongs to you now." Maggie flipped it open and saw her own name printed on the ownership documents. Startled, she hurriedly pushed the folder back into my hands. "What are you doing? You personally designed and renovated this place to live with Damien after you got married!" I gently held down her hands and patted her back. "Maggie, I'm not marrying him anymore. Next month, I'm marrying into the Foster family." "The Fosters are very good people, so don't worry about me. After I leave, sell this place and take the money back to your hometown to retire. You've worked hard for most of your life; it's time you rested. If I ever get the chance, I'll come visit you." Maggie froze, her tears spilling over again. "You're really not marrying Damien?" My phone buzzed with an incoming notification. It was a photo from Chloe Carter. In the picture, Damien Lawrence was fast asleep on a king-size hotel bed, his upper body bare, his neck and chest covered in hickeys. Chloe Carter wasn't wearing a thing either, leaning against him and flashing a brazen, triumphant smirk at the camera. I saved the image right before Chloe Carter could unsend it. I wiped my face, brushing away the very last tear I would ever shed for Damien Lawrence. "Yes, Maggie. I've decided I don't want him anymore." That night, the two of us began packing up my things. Every piece of jewelry and limited-edition handbag Damien Lawrence had gifted me over the years, along with the custom watches and cufflinks I had given him, were listed on second-hand luxury consignment platforms. I only packed a few everyday outfits and my essential documents, leaving the rest for Maggie to deal with. As Maggie folded my clothes, she kept sighing and dabbing her tears, unable to find any words of comfort. The next day was a workday, and I went to the Lawrence Corporation as usual. Father had always been guarded against me, fearing that joining Sterling Enterprises would diminish his authority, so he barred me from the company under the pretext that girls had no need to work. When Damien Lawrence found out, he told me to come to the Lawrence Corporation instead, saying that since I'd eventually become Mrs. Lawrence anyway, the Lawrence Group would one day be mine as well. I joined the Lawrence Corporation right after graduation, rising to the position of Investment and Development Director within three years, my performance consistently ranking among the company's best. The bidding for the South City New District commercial complex was something my team and I had poured over six months of grueling effort into winning. From the preliminary research and proposal design to the countless rounds of negotiations with government departments, I had overseen every single phase. Today happened to be the day the bid results were announced. I intended to wait until the project was officially awarded, complete a proper handover, and then tender my resignation, giving a responsible conclusion to the team that had stood by me all these years. Just as I stepped out of the elevator, I caught the hushed gossip coming from the break room. "That Miss Carter Mr. Lawrence brought in yesterday—her relationship with him definitely isn't simple!" "I heard Mr. Lawrence personally accompanied her through the entire onboarding process. Have you ever seen anyone get that kind of treatment? Not even Melanie ever got that, right?" "Exactly! Mr. Lawrence was smiling at her so gently. Mark my words, Melanie's position is on the line!" Someone spotted me and quickly nudged their coworker's arm. The group scattered at once, hurrying back to their desks. I walked past with an expressionless face. During the morning briefing, Damien Lawrence officially announced that we had won the South City project bid. Applause filled the conference room, and my team members instinctively turned their eyes toward me. Damien Lawrence continued, "Moving forward, Manager Carter will be leading this project, with Melanie assisting her." Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, not a single person daring to make a sound. Everyone knew I had built the South City project from the ground up, and naturally, I was the one who should see it through. Damien Lawrence's decree was nothing less than ordering me to play assistant to a brand-new hire. Without uttering a single word, I stood up and walked straight out of the conference room. Returning to my office, I had barely pushed the door open when a foul, pungent stench hit me, sending me into a coughing fit. A pile of animal droppings sat on the rug, right beside a Netherland dwarf rabbit chewing on my files. Suppressing my temper, I leaned down to grab the rabbit and remove it. The rabbit was vicious, sinking its teeth into the back of my hand, and blood welled up instantly. Suddenly, the door was shoved open, and Chloe Carter rushed in in a panic. "Coco! There you are!" Clutching my injured hand, I spoke with a face like ice. "Company policy forbids bringing pets to work." No sooner had the words left my mouth than Damien Lawrence walked in behind her. Chloe Carter's eyes rimmed with red, tears threatening to spill at any second. "I'm sorry, Melanie. Coco hasn't been feeling well and needs constant care, which is why Damien allowed me to bring him to the office." Damien Lawrence immediately reached out to wipe her tears, then turned a displeased glare on me. "Melanie Sterling, you know very well this is an office. Watch your attitude!" My assistant walked in carrying a stack of documents, gasped upon seeing the blood on the back of my hand, and cried out, "Ms. Sterling, your hand is bleeding!" Only then did Damien Lawrence notice my wound. His expression shifted, and he took a quick stride toward me. "Mel, I'm sorry. I didn't see that just now." He reached out to inspect my hand, but I stepped back, avoiding his touch. "Mr. Lawrence, this is an office. Watch your behavior." Damien Lawrence choked on his own words, momentarily at a loss. Refusing to give up, he reached out again to seize my wrist, but I jerked away with force. Damien Lawrence's expression darkened completely. "Make sure you properly support Chloe on the South City project. She just joined and has a lot to learn. Mentor her well, and hand over all your client accounts to her." I looked straight at him. "Mr. Lawrence, I refuse." Damien Lawrence fixed his gaze on me. "Have you thought this through?" "Completely." There was not a shred of hesitation in my voice. Damien Lawrence spat out chillingly, "Then you're done here. Don't bother coming in starting tomorrow." He summoned his assistant. "Melanie Sterling refuses to comply with work assignments. Process her suspension immediately. She can come back to work whenever she's come to her senses." "Clear out this office and give it to Manager Carter." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Watching his silhouette disappear out the doorway, the very last shred of affection I held for him snapped completely. I immediately began clearing my personal belongings off the desk. Chloe Carter leaned against the doorframe cradling the rabbit, regarding me with smug satisfaction. "Melanie Sterling, if I can kick you out of the Sterling family, I can kick you out of the Lawrence Corporation! Well? Doesn't getting thrown out feel all too familiar?" Without even looking up, I tossed the framed photo of Damien Lawrence and me into a cardboard box. "All you're fit for is picking up the trash I throw away. Jonathan Sterling is a father I don't want, Damien Lawrence is a man I don't want, and now even this office is something I don't want. Chloe Carter, you really are pathetic." Footsteps approached the door as Damien Lawrence returned unexpectedly. The moment she saw him, Chloe Carter instantly morphed into a picture of hurt and vulnerability, looking at him with tear-filled eyes. "Damien, it really doesn't matter. I can sit at any random desk outside." Damien Lawrence patted her head, then shot me another icy glare. Turning to his assistant, he commanded, "Trash this office."Melanie's POV As I walked out of the Lawrence Corporation tower, rain began to pour outside. I stood by the curb trying to hail a cab. There was a long queue on the ride-hailing app, and after waiting for ages, not a single driver accepted the fare. The rain fell harder and heavier, soaking my clothes until they clung to my skin. As the cold wind blew past, a shiver ran through me, forcing me to wrap my arms tightly around myself. A dull ache flared up in my lower abdomen again. It had only been a few days since my surgery, and the doctor had strictly instructed me never to catch a chill. A black Maybach pulled up and stopped in front of me. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Chloe Carter's face. "Melanie, it's pouring. Get in, we'll give you a ride home." Damien Lawrence sat right beside her, staring at me, his voice stiff and callous. "Why bother with her? Since she's so capable, let her figure it out on her own." I stood in the rain, perfectly still. Chloe Carter turned her head and flashed an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, Melanie." The window rolled up, and the Maybach sped away, kicking up a cloud of dust. The tires rolled through a roadside puddle, splashing water all over me. I looked down at the mud staining the hem of my dress and wiped the rain from my face. After waiting for more than half an hour, I finally managed to hail a cab. No one was home. I had given Maggie some time off, telling her to take a two-week break. My head felt heavy and my steps unsteady. I checked my temperature with a thermometer; I was running a fever of thirty-nine degrees. Forcing myself to take a hot shower, I collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep. In the middle of the night, I groggily felt someone touching my forehead. Damien Lawrence was back. "Still acting tough during your period? You're burning up." He spoke in a low voice, his tone carrying the familiar heartache I knew so well. "This afternoon, I just wanted you to soften up a little. But you're so stubborn—you just refused to give in." He let out a sigh. "With a temper like yours, you're bound to suffer sooner or later." He had seen the bloodstains on the bedsheet and assumed my period had come. He didn't know that it was bleeding from my surgery that hadn't stopped yet. Damien gently gathered me into his arms, fed me fever medication, and gave me some warm water. My mind slowly cleared. I opened my eyes and saw the anxiety written all over Damien's face. His hand was resting against my lower abdomen, keeping it warm for me. Whenever I had cramps during my period in the past, he had always done this. Back when we were in school, he would skip class to come back and keep me company. After he started working, he had turned down countless social dinners just to stay up all night warming my belly. In a daze, my heart trembled faintly. For a moment, I almost thought that the Damien who once had eyes only for me had returned, that the nightmare of Chloe Carter had finally passed. Suddenly, a phone rang. I snapped awake instantly. That was the custom ringtone Damien had set exclusively for Chloe Carter. It was the only custom ringtone in his entire phone. Even I had never received that kind of treatment. My lower abdomen felt empty as that warm hand was pulled away. Damien answered the call, his words rushing out. "Chloe, slow down. What's wrong with Coco?" "Okay, don't panic. I'll be right there!" He hung up, turned to look at me, and a flicker of conflict flashed in his eyes. Yet that hesitation lasted only for a second. "Mel, take your medicine and get some rest. I'll be back soon." Not surprised in the least, I turned my head away and didn't look at him. Footsteps receded into the distance, followed by the sound of the front door closing. In the latter half of the night, my fever didn't subside. Instead, it grew worse. My chest felt suffocated, as if something heavy were crushing it, leaving me gasping for air. Before losing consciousness, I forced myself to dial emergency services. When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital room, an IV needle stuck into the back of my hand. The doctor still looked shaken. "The high fever caused pneumonia. You just had surgery, so your body was already weak. If the ambulance had arrived any later, we wouldn't have been able to save you." I smiled bitterly, thanked the doctor, and asked him to help arrange a caregiver. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Damien. [Has your fever gone down? Coco was vomiting in the middle of the night, so I brought her to the vet clinic. She just stabilized. You only have a cold, so take care of yourself. Chloe is emotionally unstable right now, so I'm staying with her for a bit.] I didn't reply and turned off the screen. Over the next week, Damien never contacted me again. I had grown accustomed to it. With just a single word from Chloe Carter, he could forget about me for days on end. Back then, I was foolish enough to believe that he would eventually turn his heart back to me. Now, I finally understood that he had long ceased to be the Damien of my childhood. A week later, I was discharged and returned home. A thin layer of dust had settled on the furniture; Damien hadn't been back once during the entire week. Naturally. If he had come back, he would have realized I wasn't home at all. I let out a self-deprecating chuckle and pushed the thought aside. He wasn't worth wasting my feelings on anymore. I changed my clothes and headed to a shopping mall downtown. I was getting married next month. Whether the man was a madman or a fool, he would still be my future husband. Right now, I only carried the empty title of the Sterling family's eldest daughter, possessing nothing of my own. Father wouldn't help me, so I had to prepare a gift for my fiancé myself, if only to show my sincerity. I picked out an eight-figure luxury watch. The savings in my card, combined with the money from selling the jewelry and designer bags Damien had given me a few days ago, was just enough to cover it. Without hesitation, I swiped my card. The store clerk handed me the watch. Just as I took the bag and was about to leave, I saw Damien walking in with Chloe Carter. Standing in a corner, neither of them noticed me. Damien was keeping Chloe company as she tried on bracelets, the two of them standing intimately close. He looked down at her wrist, his gaze focused and tender—no different from when he used to help me pick out jewelry. I looked away and turned to head out. Just then, Damien looked up and caught sight of me. "Mel?" The store manager hurried over holding a velvet jewelry box, smiling at Damien. "Mr. Lawrence, the necklace you ordered six months ago has arrived." I recognized the necklace inside the box. It was a piece I had fallen in love with at a brand launch six months ago, limited to only three pieces worldwide. Back then, Damien had promised me he would buy it for me the moment it hit the market. Seeing the watch in my hand, Damien smiled faintly. He probably assumed the watch was a gift for him. In the past, whenever we fought, I was always the one who softened first. He likely thought this time would be no different. He took the necklace and moved toward me. Chloe Carter let out a delighted gasp. "Wow, what a gorgeous necklace! Damien, I love it so much!" Damien stopped in his tracks, a conflicted expression surfacing on his face.Melanie's POV I sneered inwardly, watching him with cold detachment. After only a moment of hesitation, Damien stepped back. He turned and placed the jewelry box into Chloe Carter's hands, his expression softening tenderly. "As long as you like it. It was meant for you anyway." Holding the box, Chloe's eyes lit up. "Really? I thought it was for Melanie." She glanced in my direction. "If I get it and Melanie doesn't, won't she be upset?" Damien paused for a moment, then glanced again at the watch in my hand. "She won't. It's just a necklace. She ought to let you have it anyway." I let out a cold scoff, rolled my eyes, and walked out the door. Six months ago, when he promised to give me that necklace, he had used the exact same confident tone. Now I finally understood: any promise he made could be broken at any given moment. I texted a few close friends, inviting them to dinner at a nearby restaurant. In a week, I would be leaving for San Francisco. It wouldn't be as easy for us to meet after that. Arriving at the restaurant first, I chose a window seat and ordered. Not long after I sat down, Damien walked in, escorting Chloe Carter. I thought to myself, *What rotten luck. Everywhere I go, I run into these two.* Damien noticed me immediately as well, walking over with a displeased look on his face. "Mel, Chloe and I just came here for a meal. Are you tracking me now?" I laughed out of sheer exasperation. "Does your family own this restaurant? The two of you can dine here, but I can't? I came here to catch up with my friends. Don't flatter yourself!" Damien let out a low scoff. "You'd better be." Guiding Chloe with his arm around her, he went to another table. Shortly after sitting down, Damien seemed to step out to take a phone call. Taking the opportunity, Chloe waved her wrist at me, her newly bought bracelet sparkling under the lights. Ignoring her, I looked down to reply to my friends' messages. Suddenly, my phone rang, showing an incoming call from a San Francisco number. I got up and slipped out through another exit of the restaurant to take the call. By the time I finished the call and returned, Summer Lennox, Nicole Sloane, and Kelly Hume had already arrived. The moment they saw me, they waved enthusiastically. "Mel, hurry over! We've been waiting for you!" When I told them about my upcoming departure, Nicole's eyes instantly reddened, and she clung tightly to my arm, refusing to let go. Kelly insisted on throwing a yacht party to send me off. Summer claimed a yacht was too cliché and suggested they just fly out to San Francisco to stay with me for a couple of weeks instead. We chatted and laughed, the table lively with conversation. I took a few bites of the salad. Before long, my throat tightened. Breathing became difficult, and my face rapidly flushed red. Summer was the first to notice something was wrong. "Mel, what's happened?" They all gathered around me in a panic. I looked at the salad—there were peanuts in it. I struggled to speak. "My bag... the medicine..." Nicole frantically rummaged through my purse. I saw Damien's face change drastically as he rushed over in large strides. "Mel, how are you? Did you bring your EpiPen?" Nicole cried out, "Found it!" Damien immediately took the auto-injector, popped the cap off, and was about to administer it to me. Just then, Chloe Carter's tearful wail came from behind. "Damien, I feel so sick..." Damien froze mid-motion, then turned and bolted toward Chloe. "Chloe, what's wrong?" Chloe's neck and arms were covered in massive hives. Clutching her throat, she choked out her words. "There's mango in this... but... only Melanie went back to the kitchen..." Damien's expression turned stern, his grip tightening hard around the auto-injector. Kelly stamped her foot in frustration. "Damien Lawrence! Bring Mel's medicine back right now! She can't breathe!" Damien looked at me, his eyes full of conflict. Leaning weakly against him, Chloe grabbed the hem of his shirt with a pitiful look, tears streaming down her face. Grit teeth clenched, Damien jabbed the auto-injector into Chloe's thigh. He cast a deep look at me before turning to Chloe. "I'm taking you to the hospital." Scooping Chloe up in his arms, he walked out without looking back. My vision went dark. The last thing I heard was Summer's choked sobs as she dialed emergency services. When I woke up, I was lying in the hospital's observation ward. Nicole was keeping vigil beside my bed, her eyes swollen red from crying. "Mel, you're finally awake! You scared me to death! That bastard Damien Lawrence carried Chloe Carter out and left, and he hasn't even called once up until now!" Listening to her, my heart remained entirely calm. I had long since given up on Damien Lawrence. Nothing he did could surprise me anymore. I stayed in the observation room until evening. Only after the doctor confirmed there were no serious issues did Nicole Sloane drive me home. That night, I was resting at home alone. The front door swung open, and Damien Lawrence walked in with a dark expression, heading straight for the bedroom. He spoke, struggling to keep his temper under control. "I never thought you could stoop so low. You know damn well Chloe is allergic to mangoes, yet you went ahead and put mango in her food! Come with me right now and apologize to her!" I sneered. "Did Chloe Carter tell you that again? You believe everything that comes out of her mouth. If she told you she was carrying your child, would you believe that, too?" Damien froze. Embarrassed and enraged, he roared, "Chloe is pure and kind! Unlike you—arrogant, unreasonable, and full of lies!" "Right! Your precious Chloe is so pure and kind, so what are you doing back here with a villain like me? Hurry up and marry her then!" "Damien Lawrence, I'm done with you. We're over. Get the hell out of my house right now!" Damien's eyes burned red with fury. "Fine! You said it! Don't you dare regret this!" He slammed the door behind him with a deafening crash. Over the next few days, Damien and Chloe were constantly spotted by reporters and netizens. They dined at a three-star Michelin restaurant, booked out entire private movie theaters, and went shopping together at luxury boutiques. They arrived and left together everywhere, their interactions dripping with intimacy. Rumors flooded the internet claiming that Chloe Carter was the Lawrence Group CEO's girlfriend and that the two were about to tie the knot. When I saw the headlines, I merely scrolled past without giving them a second glance. In a week, I would leave this place for San Francisco, cutting all ties with Damien Lawrence and Chloe Carter forever. A few days later, I attended an elite charity gala as promised. The moment I stepped into the hall, I spotted Chloe Carter.Melanie's POV I saw Chloe Carter draped in a current-season haute couture gown, surrounded by a flock of socialites. Her rumors with Damien Lawrence had taken the entire city by storm over the past few days. The wealthy heiresses who had once ignored her were now eagerly crowding around her. Some praised her gown, while others pried into when she and Damien were getting engaged. Chloe's eyes curved into crescent smiles, her chin tilted high. Catching sight of me at the entrance, she pushed through the crowd immediately and came over with a sweet smile. "Melanie, you're here?" The surrounding socialites went quiet, eager for a show. I didn't spare her a glance and kept walking straight ahead. As I brushed past her, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of her earrings. My footsteps abruptly ground to a halt. Those were the earrings my late mother had loved most, sketched by her own hand and custom-made by a master jeweler. "Where did you get those earrings?!" Chloe's eyes darted away evasively before she straightened her back. "I bought them myself!" "You're lying! Those belong to my mother! Give them back!" Tears instantly welled up in Chloe's eyes as she looked around with an aggrieved expression. "I really bought them myself! What right do you have to humiliate me like this?" Trembling with rage, I lunged forward, grabbed the earrings, and ripped them off. Chloe shrieked, clutching her ear as blood seeped through her fingers. Ignoring her, I held the earrings up for everyone to see. "These were custom-made by my late mother. The back is engraved with 'W,' the initial of her maiden name! They were kept locked in her jewelry cabinet! You stole them!" A few onlookers leaned in close, and sure enough, a tiny 'W' was engraved on the back. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "I heard Chloe Carter is just the daughter of the Sterlings' housekeeper, only taken in as Mr. Sterling's adopted daughter." "A housekeeper's daughter... sticky fingers, figures." "Stealing jewelry from the deceased—what a rotten character." Chloe's face flushed from pale white to bright red. Just then, Damien Lawrence strode over from the edge of the crowd. Clutching her bleeding ear, Chloe threw herself into his arms, weeping hysterically. "Damien, save me! My ear hurts so much, I can't hear anything..." Seeing the blood covering her hands, Damien's expression twisted in distress as he held her tight. "Don't be afraid, Chloe. Who hurt you? Tell me." Chloe sobbed, shaking her head. "I don't blame Melanie. She was just too worked up. She thought my earrings looked like her mother's, so she got angry..." Damien raised his head and glared at me, fire burning in his eyes. "Melanie Sterling, apologize!" I clutched the earrings tightly in my fist, refusing to back down. "The earrings belong to my mother. She's the one who should apologize!" Damien grew even more furious. "Melanie Sterling, I'm giving you one last chance. Apologize!" I glared right back at him, my voice turning ice-cold. "Damien Lawrence, she stole my mother's earrings." Damien let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "Fine. Completely unrepentant. Today, I'll teach you some respect." He took hold of Chloe's wrist, raised her hand, and swung it hard across my face. A sharp slap echoed shrilly through the hall. The blow knocked my head to the side, and my left cheek flared with instant swelling. I turned my head back, staring at Damien in utter disbelief. We had grown up together for over twenty years, and he had rarely even raised his voice at me. Yet now, in front of an entire room of guests, he was holding Chloe Carter's hand to hit me. Gasps broke out all around us. "Looks like Melanie really has fallen out of favor with Mr. Lawrence." "Chloe Carter grew up with them, too. Maybe Mr. Lawrence loved her all along." "But she's just a housekeeper's daughter." "So what if she's a housekeeper's daughter? Once she becomes Mrs. Lawrence, none of us can afford to cross her." Looking at my swollen, red cheek, Damien momentarily froze. Chloe huddled in his arms, shivering as she cried. "Damien, I... I don't dare hit her..." Damien paused, looking down to scold her gently. "What's there to be afraid of? When someone bullies you, you hit them back. Again!" Before I could react, another vicious slap struck my face. Chloe's fingernails raked across my cheek, leaving a bloody scratch. The searing pain jolted me awake. I raised my hand to strike back. Damien gripped my wrist and shot a glance at the bodyguards behind him. Two bodyguards stepped forward at once, pinning my arms behind my back and holding me in place. Holding Chloe's hand, Damien slapped me ten more times in a row. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, and my ears buzzed violently. Whatever the people around me were saying faded into white noise. I stared straight into Damien's eyes, my gaze devoid of any warmth. Damien avoided my eyes. "Don't let it happen again." Leaving those cold words behind, he shielded Chloe and hurried away. The bodyguards released their grip, and I swayed before regaining my balance. The guests watched me, whispering incessantly among themselves. "To think the proud Sterling family heir would be slapped in public by a housekeeper's daughter. What a disgrace." "Who's ever going to take her seriously after this?" I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, straightened my back, and walked out of the banquet hall. That night, I went home and pressed an ice pack against my face. In the mirror, my cheek was horribly swollen, and the scratch was still oozing blood. The front door opened, and Damien Lawrence stepped inside. Seeing my face, a flicker of pain flashed across his eyes. Yet the moment he recalled Chloe clutching her ear and crying, his expression hardened once more. "Learned your lesson?" I set down the ice pack and sneered. "Mr. Lawrence, we're over. You're trespassing on private property. Please get the hell out!" Damien was beside himself with rage. He snarled under his breath, "Melanie Sterling! Chloe was right—who taught you to play hard to get? Are you really so incapable of tolerating her?!" Without a word, I stepped up and slapped him hard across the face. "Damien Lawrence! When I say we're over, what part of that don't you understand?!"