Chapter 1

The Marsh family had one rule: If any woman wanted a divorce, she had to roll on a bed of nails before she could leave.

Violet had pursued River for ten years. Once she finally got her wish and married him, she never thought about leaving him, but she no longer wanted to stay.

Within the Marsh family’s ancestral hall stood Martha, its matriarch. Clan rules were enforced in the hall. As for Violet, she stood in front of the bed of nails. Pity shone in Martha’s eyes.

“Have you thought this through, Violet? This punishment is harsh and cruel. Not even a man can go through with it.”

Violet remained calm, and she showed no hesitation. “Yes.”

Martha teared up. “You insisted on marrying River regardless of the cost, and you did it without hesitation. But you want to leave now. Why?”

Violet did not answer her. She simply walked forward slowly and lay on the bed covered in sharp nails.

In the next second, piercing pain spread through her body.

Violet gritted her teeth. Inch by inch, she slowly but resolutely turned her body.

The nails kept digging into her body and piercing her flesh. Every time she moved, it felt like her flesh was being cut piece by piece.

Her vision turned dark, but all she could think about was the brooch.

It was gold and shaped like an iris.

One year ago, River was supposed to be punished for missing a family banquet. But he had just finished a surgery and had not had his stitches removed. If he was whipped, he would have died.

Violet stepped forward and said to his grandfather, “I’ll take his place.”

She was whipped forty times.

After that, her back was so swollen that she could not even wear her clothes.

Once they were back in their room, River grabbed some ointment. Then, with trembling hands, he gently applied the ointment to her back. Pity shone in his eyes, and he was touched by her actions. His voice was hoarse.

“Don’t be so stupid next time.”

Violet winced in pain, but her eyes were shining. “I’m willing to do it for you.”

River froze for a moment. Complicated emotions churned in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, a dark green velvet box rolled out of his pocket, and Violet instinctively picked it up.

When she opened it, she found an iris brooch.

Delighted, she looked at him. “Is this for me?”

River froze yet again and quickly avoided her earnest gaze. Then, he nodded.

They had been married for five years, and this was the first time he had given her a gift.

She smiled happily.

From that day on, they seemed to have gotten closer.

When River left the mansion, he would tell her where he was going. When she had her period, he would get a hot water bag for her. If she was feverish, he would stay by her bed for the entire night.

Violet had thought that she had finally reached the end of her hardships. But a phone call from ten years in the future tore her dreams apart.

The voice on the other end of the phone was already exhausted, and her words were chilling to the bone.

“River Marsh will never love you. He only married you to protect Nina. You won’t ever have a child either because he has already performed a vasectomy.”

Nina Lane was the daughter of the former butler, and she grew up with River. While the Marsh family rules were suffocating everyone else, Nina was the only one not bound by them, and she lived a carefree life.

Violet instinctively shook her head and retorted, “He just gave me a gift! It’s been five years, and it’s the first gift he gave me!”

The future Violet laughed mockingly. “That’s a present for Nina. She thought it was outdated, so River gave it to you instead.”

Violet’s face turned pale. Suddenly, she remembered how Nina had stared at the brooch on Violet’s blouse during the banquet the day before yesterday. Then, with a faint smile, she said, “That’s a special brooch you have.”

She had thought that Nina was amazed and liked the brooch, but Nina was only mocking Violet for picking up what she did not want.

After pursing her lips, Violet said, “But he said that I’m the one most suited to be his wife.”

“True. The Marsh family’s rules are too harsh, and he can’t bear to see the apple of his eye suffer, so he picked you to hold the title of his wife. You are to bear all the punishments from the rules,” the future Violet said coldly.