Chapter 2

Julien grabbed my wrist hard. It hurt.

I wanted to question him, but I stopped myself.

I forced out a smile and said, “I just got here. I saw you two talking and wanted to say hi, but the nurse called me.”

Julien looked relieved.

After ten years of marriage, I still had hope.

If he cared about me, even a little, I could forgive him and Mindy.

“Julien, I joined a national competition earlier. They said they’d email everyone within a month, even if they didn’t make it. Can you check it for me?”

I looked up, and my voice shook a little even though I tried to hide it.

This was my final test for him and our marriage.

Julien frowned. For a second, I saw annoyance flash across his face. It was so fast that I almost missed it. “I already checked. Your name’s not there.

“Joyce, stop thinking about this. You’ve designed so many things but never won anything. Maybe you’re just not good at it.”

He paused. His voice softened, and he patted my head lovingly like he always did.

“Why don’t you focus more on the family? Jay has kidney and heart problems. He needs you.

“If you feel lonely, we can have another baby.”

His words felt like a knife cutting into me.

I felt defeated by sadness and disappointment.

To him, I was just a stepping stone for Mindy and a tool to raise his kids.

I had worked so hard for this family and him for ten whole years.

I gave up my dreams and my life. In the end, he said I was not good enough.

I felt cold. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

It felt like something was stuck in my throat, and I could not breathe.

I used to think Julien was my safe place.

But after ten years, I realized he was the one slowly destroying me.

Tears streamed down my face.

Julien gently wiped the tears from my face. He said in concern, “Why are you crying?”

I sniffled and forced out a smile.

“It’s nothing. I fell while riding the e-scooter to bring you food. My knee just hurts a bit.”

He leaned down, held my cold hand, and gently rubbed it. His hand was warm, but it could not warm my heart.

“You don’t have to bring me food anymore. The hospital has a cafeteria. I can eat there,” he said softly.

I stared at him. His hands were warm and strong. They had pulled me out of my darkest days once.

After my parents died in a car crash, Mindy helped me with their funeral and the compensation. She was kind and patient.

I was grateful and trusted her completely. I let her handle everything.

I never thought she would take the money and run.

That money was meant for me to open a design studio. I needed the money to achieve my dream.

When I went to her house to ask for it back, my aunt got on her knees and cried.

“Joyce, Mindy and I had a hard life. I raised her alone. We didn’t have the support you had.

“She needed the money to start her business. Please help her. She’ll pay you back one day!”

Support? Did they mean they expected me to sell the house my parents left me?

Just because someone was poor did not make stealing okay!

They were taking advantage of my grief!

If they had just asked me, I would have given them half the money willingly.

But instead, they stole it without telling me!

When I demanded it back, my aunt got angry. She hit me, knocked me out, and locked me in a dark basement.

I was trapped there for three months!

It was cold, damp, and had no sunlight.

Rats ran around my feet, and cockroaches crawled all over the walls.

I was terrified and felt hopeless.

I was very depressed and thought of ending my life.

Just as I was about to kill myself by banging my head against the wall, someone kicked the door open.

It was Julien. Sunlight filtered in from behind him. It was so bright that I could not even see properly.

Like a hero, he helped me out of that horrible place.

“Joyce, what they did is unforgivable,” he said as he held me. “Marry me. I’ll protect you.”

After my parents died, he was the only one who had treated me well.

I thought he had saved me.

I was so thankful. I married him and had a child with him.

For ten years, he was kind and gentle. Everyone said I was lucky to have such a good husband.

But I did not know that behind his kindness was a hidden agenda!

He had trapped me in this marriage and pretended like it was out of love.

He took advantage of my talents and used my design sketches to help Mindy succeed.

What I thought was saving me was actually just another trap!