When I'm Not Loving You

"0711, step forward."The prison hall was brightly lit at night. Over three hundred female inmates in identical uniforms stood silently.Inmate number 1174, Aria, stared at the gynecological examination table in front of her, her body trembling with fear.“No. I don’t want an exam.”“Take off your clothes. You’re pregnant. This is a routine daily check-up. It’s also Mr. Smith’s orders,” the female guard said expressionlessly.The moment she heard Mr. Smith, Aria trembled even harder.Micheal. He was merciless. It had been six months—was he still not done humiliating her?Every single day for the past six months, she was forced to strip naked in front of all the female prisoners and guards.Then, shamefully, she would lie on that examination table, spread her legs, and allow the doctor to touch her from chest to bottom while everyone watched…“No. I want to see Micheal. I want to see him! If he doesn't come, I won’t do the check-up.”Instead of stepping forward, Aria backed away. The co

"Ah..." The long needle pierced into her flesh, sending a searing, bone-deep pain through Aria’s body, snapping her into full awareness. "Who are you? I’ve never wronged you… Why—why are you doing this to me?"To Aria, this woman was a complete stranger. So why was she tormenting her like this?She was completely baffled."Because you pushed the old man down the stairs, of course! Hahaha!" The woman stood arrogantly, looking down at Aria who was curled up in pain, trembling all over. "Micheal left you here to repent before the old man. Since you're awake, go kneel by his bedside.""I won't! I want to see Micheal!" Aria struggled to get to her feet. She had just given birth to her daughter—not even fully out of the danger of postpartum complications—and she should have been resting in a soft bed, caring for her newborn. Instead, Micheal had thrown her unconscious body onto a cold floor, in a room without even a blanket.The thought of her daughter pierced her heart like a blade. Micheal

Rain drizzled steadily.Aria knelt quietly in the mud.Dozens of funeral wreaths lined up in a neat row, and an oversized portrait hung inside the mourning hall.She had been kneeling outside for over six hours.The old master was dead, and Micheal was convinced she was the murderer.She wanted to move, but she couldn’t. Her legs were tied together in a kneeling position, and her hands were bound behind her back.She wanted to cry out her innocence, but she couldn’t. Micheal had sealed her mouth with tape, rendering her cries unheard by heaven or earth.All she could do was watch helplessly as Micheal stood beside Ruby in front of the mourning hall, receiving condolences from the Smith family’s relatives and friends.Ruby had gained Micheal’s trust during the time she spent taking care of the old master.Aria thought Micheal was laughable—he’d been completely fooled by Ruby. It was Ruby who had pulled the old master’s oxygen tube.Unfortunately, there were no security cameras in the ol

Penniless, Aria didn’t even have money for a cab.She stuck to the more remote roads, wanting to get as far away from the Smith family as possible.“Aria.”Just as she was walking, a familiar voice called out from behind.Aria froze, then turned to see Philip — the man who appeared in those incriminating photos of her with Micheal.Micheal was convinced that her child belonged to Philip.Yes, she and Philip had grown up together as the best of friends, practically childhood sweethearts — though she had only ever seen him as a buddy, a brotherly friend. But that relationship had been exploited by someone with ulterior motives.“You… what are you doing here?”“Come with me.” Philip took her hand and led her into a car parked by the roadside. It sped off, quickly putting distance between her and the place that had become so dangerous for her.“Philip, what a coincidence…”Philip gave a bitter smile. “Aria, it’s no coincidence at all. I heard that Micheal brought you back from prison to th

Aria left the apartment and headed straight to the supermarket. She bought a pair of sunglasses and a revealing outfit—something she'd never worn before. She tied her long hair into a high ponytail. By the time she arrived at the Smith Hotel, it was already past 10 p.m.She walked in confidently, her appearance completely different from before. Even the doormen who used to know her didn’t recognize her.When she reached the front desk, she noticed the manager had changed. Aria frowned slightly, wanting to ask someone about the old manager’s departure. After all, it had been that very manager who arranged the banquet that night.For a moment, she didn’t know who to turn to.That night, when she entered that hotel room, she had just been doing her job.Someone had ordered food, and the kitchen had assigned her to deliver it.Later, when Micheal married her, she didn’t think much of it. She thought it was fate and let it be. But now that Micheal believed she had schemed against him, she r