Chapter 1

"So Elijah was unjustly served the prison sentence of seven years? He was in there from 23 to 30—that's seven years of his prime," Lilian Murphy, my mother-in-law, said with a sigh.

My wife, Crystal Morgan, only replied, "I owe him for those seven years. I'll make it up to him in the future."

Just like that, with a casual promise that she would "make it up to me", my seven years behind bars were brushed aside.

Day after day, I sat in prison making umbrellas while Damon Stewart spent his days shopping in department stores.

I was confined to four walls, stripped of my freedom, while Damon enjoyed his freedom and traveled the world.

I lost seven precious years of my life and came out with a criminal record that made even finding a job difficult. On the other hand, Damon—the one who should have been behind bars—built a successful career and a happy family.

All of this stemmed from one thing—the fact that Crystal couldn't bear the thought of Damon spending seven years behind bars. To keep me from finding out how my parents really died, she made me serve Damon's seven-year sentence in his place.

My heart shattered into a million pieces, unable to be put back together ever again.

"Crystal, you're a lawyer, and you know this is illegal. Is Damon really that amazing? Is he worth you doing all this?" Lilian asked.

"Mom, you don't understand. Damon means everything to me. As long as he's doing well, I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Crystal responded with a gentle look on her face.

Lilian sighed. "Forget it. You destroyed Elijah's family and ruined his life. From now on, treat him well. Bear children for the Stewart family and make it up to him."

"Stop it, Mom. I've already had my tubes tied. I'm not having children with anyone but Damon. As for what I owe Elijah, I'll make it up by living well with him from now on."

Lilian's finger trembled as she pointed at Crystal. "You're going to leave our family without a bloodline? If you still refuse to make amends after everything you've done wrong, you'll pay for it someday."

"Mom, I really can't do it. Every time I got intimate with Elijah, I felt so sick that I wanted to throw up."

I felt my nose sting at those words.

Crystal had been trembling with fear on our wedding night. Out of respect, I didn't force myself on her.

So it was because I made her sick.

"You married him just so you could sign the leniency agreement as his family!" Lilian snapped, furious. "Now you dare to say he disgusts you? How did I ever end up with a daughter like you?"

"I didn't want this either. But if I hadn't done it this way, Elijah would never have let Damon go once he learned that the people who died were actually his parents."

It felt as though an invisible hand had closed around my heart, squeezing until I could barely breathe through the pain.

My memories returned to that horrific pileup. I had managed to crawl out of the wreckage, and in the car ahead, two people whose faces were covered in deep cuts were desperately waving at me for help.

Even though they looked familiar to me, I hadn't thought much of it at the time.

Now, thinking back, it seemed they had deliberately mutilated my parents' faces because they were afraid I would recognize them.

When I realized those two were my parents, I couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood.

Later on, someone reported that I had hit people with my car. I spent days running around trying to clear my name, never once realizing that the couple I had seen at the scene were actually my parents.

What I never could have imagined was that the childhood sweetheart who had defended me as my lawyer had married me for one reason—to sign the leniency agreement as a family member.