Chapter 1

Jacob walked off the stage, but I did not miss the brief flicker of pain in his eyes. "Summer, put down the knife."

Since I had not spoken for three years, I could not say a thing.

I wanted to smile at him, but the sunlight was so bright that I started crying.

Ella hurried down after him, but Jacob stopped her about three feet away from me. She was even more terrified than anyone else of me going berserk, so she started talking in a pleading tone.

"Summer, listen. I was the one who forced Jacob to marry me. If anyone needs to pay a price, it should be me!"

I could not see her face clearly. So, I brought my hand and knife up to wipe away my tears.

In the next moment, however, Ethan and my mother cried out.

"Don't do anything stupid, Summer!"

The wedding descended into chaos.

Ethan and my former friends rushed forward to pin me down on the ground.

My weak ribs could not bear the weight, and they seemed to break. They were almost digging into my lungs.

I raised my head with great difficulty, only to see Jacob hugging Ella tightly. Aside from pain, I also saw fear in his eyes. "Summer, you can try killing me again, but don't touch Ella."

He was shielding another woman with his life.

Blood gushed up my throat, and I was finally able to speak, "Ja… cob. I tried killing you once… but you… killed me for three years."

I laughed brokenly. The tip of the knife pressed into my palm, but I did not find it painful.

Ethan started yelling at me, "Summer, you slept for three years and didn't wake up until today! You should have stayed comatose for life!"

My mother sobbed. "Summer, this wedding isn't yours. You can't force it. Listen to me. Put the knife down."

"She just woke up. Don't hurt her." Jacob squatted down and pried the knife away from my hand bit by bit.

Blood slowly oozed out of his fingers, and I instinctively let go.

He picked me up and comforted the pale Ella. "I'll send Summer back first. I'll put the ring on you after I come back."

Then, he sent me back to my room.

But the moment I saw the bed, I started bristling. I could even smell their disgusting sweat.

That was why I did the thing I wanted to do the most while I was in a coma. I slapped Jacob in the face.

He wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth. "Summer, Whatever it takes to satisfy you, I'll go along with it."

I looked at the cage that had trapped me for three years.

On the wall was my engagement photo with Jacob.

I pointed at it and hoarsely ordered him, "Remove it."

Jacob removed the photo and propped it face down against the wall in the corner. He was on guard the entire time.

Then, his gaze landed on my blood-soaked bandages, and the wariness turned into fatigue. "I know that you don't like pain."

I shook my head.

Over those past three years, they had cut my heart to pieces. I was no longer scared of pain. "Jacob, I want to leave. Let me go."

He frowned. He had thought that I was going to throw a tantrum, so he never once expected me to ask to leave. "What are you trying to pull this time, Summer?"

My mother came in and pushed Jacob outside. "Ella is still pregnant and can't host so many guests on her own. Stay with her and finish the wedding proceedings."

Jacob remained wary.

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her," my mother said. So, he left.

When he arrived at the door in his silver-gray suit, I recalled how he had rushed toward me on the day of our engagement.

The sun had been just right, and he was smiling brightly as he said, "Summer, I came to marry you."