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《Witch of Stolen Fortune》全部章節：第 1 章 - 第 10 章

10 章節

Chapter 1

I came from a family of witches. When we came of age, every woman in our line awakened a gift.I could siphon my husband's luck through marriage. The rule was simple. After we married, each time he betrayed me, the universe paid compensation. A portion of his fortune slipped away from him and into my hands.Outside the window, bright fireworks filled the sky. They burst and stitched themselves into a name.Kimberly Swan was his mistress.When I did not explode the way people expected, Jasper Prescott grew even more entitled."Handle those trashy news articles," he said. "Kimmy's young. She can't read that kind of nasty stuff."The way he said her name, Kimmy, was so soft and affectionate.She had been at his side for three years. It was long enough for me to know what she liked.I met his eyes. There was no guilt there.I lowered my gaze and answered the way a "good wife" was supposed to. "Okay."It took nearly everything I had to bury the scandal before midnight. By the time

Chapter 2

On Christmas morning, Jasper returned with Kimberly cradled in his arms.Once they were inside, he called my name. His tone slowed."Roxanne, Kimmy is pregnant." He paused, then added, "I have to marry her."I looked at him without blinking. "Marry her?"Three years earlier, after my miscarriage, I had woken on a cold operating table. He had held my hand and spoken each word with the solemn weight of a vow. "Roxy, we will have children again. I will only ever choose you in this life."Now he had gotten another woman pregnant, and he wanted to marry her.Under the pressure of his stare, my expression did not change."You forgot," I said evenly. "It's Christmas today—"Before I could finish, Kimberly suddenly dropped to her knees in front of me. She moved fast and positioned herself in front of Jasper.She looked up at me. Her face was pale, and tears were spilling down in heavy drops."Roxanne, if you want to blame someone, blame me," she cried. "I was the one who couldn't con

Chapter 3

Bertha slapped Jasper's hand away and pulled me into her arms. "What's going on? Can't you talk this through properly?"We came from similar backgrounds. After she learned that my mother had died young, she often sighed and said that seeing me was like seeing her younger self. She told me she would be my mother from then on.The way she shielded me tightened my throat. "Mother, I…""Mom!" Kimberly's voice cut across mine as she hurried downstairs.A second later, she walked straight over and slipped her arm through my mother-in-law's."This is all my fault," she said softly. "If I hadn't wanted to marry Jas, he wouldn't have taken it out on Roxanne."She lowered her eyes. "I just don't want my child to be called illegitimate from birth. I never meant to hurt Roxanne…"As she spoke, she rested her head against my mother-in-law's shoulder and acted spoiled.I stood there, frozen, and watched Bertha's hand rise instinctively to pat her back."Mother?" My voice came out dry.Only

Chapter 4

That afternoon, Jasper and Kimberly's engagement party unfolded with extravagant fanfare.When Jasper's parents went onstage to give their speech, I stood right beside Kimberly as her bridesmaid.Whispers rippled through the audience."So Mr. Prescott's wife really is obedient. Not only did she help arrange the mistress' engagement party, but she even dressed herself up as a bridesmaid.""Obedient my ass. I've never seen anyone this cheap. She's an embarrassment to women everywhere."Kimberly suddenly rested a hand on her stomach and turned to me with a bright smile. "Roxanne, I actually need to thank you. Thank you for giving me a child."I frowned. "What did you say?"She turned fully toward me. Her voice stayed low, but the triumph in it was unmistakable. "Roxanne, do you know why you always miscarried around the first month? Because every single time, Jas personally arranged the 'accident.'"The accident?Images surged up without warning: every emergency, every time he rus

Chapter 5

The first thing the witch's curse devoured was Jasper's company."What?!" Jasper shot upright. The blood drained from his face so quickly that it left him gray.The bedroom door flew open. His assistant stumbled in and looked as though he had aged ten years in a single night. He held out a tablet with shaking hands.The screen displayed a disaster. Every number bled deep red, cascading with losses."Mr. Prescott, at exactly midnight the tax department and the market supervision authorities issued a joint enforcement order," the assistant said. "Several major shareholders pulled out at the same time. Our three core overseas projects all reported massive losses simultaneously. The financial gap has already exceeded—""I don't need the details." Jasper grabbed his coat. "Get the car. We're going to the company."The assistant did not move. He remained rooted to the spot, his voice trembling. "Mr. Prescott, we can't go. The court has already sealed headquarters and every branch offic

Chapter 6

Jasper felt as if his skull might split open.I silently watched him force himself to pull Kimberly into his arms anyway. His movements were stiff and mechanical."Don't be scared," he said, his voice tight. "I'll handle it. Go to sleep. Be good."He drove the assistant and the housekeeper out, then coaxed Kimberly back into bed until her breathing evened and her eyes closed. Only then did he sit heavily on the edge of the bed.The newly decorated wedding room felt lifeless.His phone screen dimmed in his hand, and before it went black, the last image on the display came from the trending page.It was a photo of me. I was young and confident as I stood at the head of a conference table and spoke with controlled authority.I looked like someone who owned her future, nothing like the silent Mrs. Prescott he kept at home. He had not seen that version of me in years.I had once built a career of my own, but I gave it up for him.Memories pressed in as he recalled a time when he lo

Chapter 7

When I saw Jasper dominating the trending page, I knew one thing. He would not walk into City Hall that day.Early the next morning, I returned to the house to visit my so-called husband.The moment I stepped into the living room, a scream tore out of the master bedroom upstairs. "Where did this disgusting old man come from? Get out!"Something heavy crashed to the floor.Then a hoarse, aged voice rang out, raw with fury. "Kimmy, what are you doing? You don't even recognize me?"I raised a brow and headed upstairs at an unhurried pace.The bedroom door stood open.Kimberly crouched in the corner of the bed, her clothes disheveled, clutching the blanket to her chest.A man in a robe stood beside the bed. But he was no longer the man from last night.His back was hunched, his hair had turned gray, and deep wrinkles carved across his face. His cloudy eyes bulged with anger and confusion.When he saw me, hope flared in them. He staggered toward me. "Roxy, you're back? Did you see

Chapter 8

When I answered, Kimberly looked as if lightning had struck her. Her hand trembled as she pointed at me. "You! It was you!"Before she could say more, hurried footsteps thundered up the stairs.My mother-in-law and father-in-law rushed in, their faces pale from a sleepless night."Where is Jas?" Thomas demanded. "Where did he go?"Kimberly opened her mouth to speak, but I moved first. I let my shoulders sag and looked at them with feigned confusion."Dad, Mom, I don't know. Jas told me not to disturb their engagement night, so I came only this morning." I covered my mouth lightly, as if shocked. "But when I arrived, he was gone."I let the implication linger. After the engagement night, he was gone.Both elders stiffened as understanding flickered across their faces.Bertha's head snapped toward Kimberly, rage flooding her eyes. "Was it you? Ever since you stepped into this house, disaster hasn't stopped. The company collapsed. Those scandals exploded. And now my son…"Her voi

Chapter 9

That was when they finally noticed the men behind me. Several bodyguards stood in a line, their faces blank and their hands folded in front of them.Confusion flickered across my in-laws' faces.Then the guards stepped forward and swept the gold-embossed invitations off the table in a single motion. The cards scattered across the floor. The room filled with the harsh sounds of stiff paper tearing and frames shattering.Thomas reacted first. His whole body shook. "Roxanne! Have you lost your mind?!"Bertha stared at me, her voice trembling. "Roxy, why are you doing this?"I did not answer. I stepped aside.A caregiver slowly pushed a wheelchair into the room.The old man in it looked even older than they did. He wore faded clothes that hung loosely on his thin frame. His lips trembled as though he wanted to speak, but no full words formed. His hands shook uncontrollably against the blanket over his knees.My in-laws squinted at him. It took them a few seconds, then the color dra

Chapter 10

On my daughter Isla Lockwood's fifth birthday, Jasper died quietly in the nursing home.As if sensing it was her last chance to threaten me, Kimberly chose that day to appear.The banquet hall glittered with light. A giant screen played photos of Isla on a loop, from infancy to five years old: her first smile, her first steps, her first day of kindergarten.Guests laughed and clinked glasses.Then the screen flickered, and the music cut out. The image switched to a hospital room from five years earlier.Kimberly lay pale after childbirth, holding a swaddled newborn. The baby's face was clear. It was Isla.The next image showed me holding the child while Kimberly knelt before me, her hands clasped as if begging.A cry tore through the hall. "My baby!"Kimberly rushed out from nowhere. Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair disheveled. She stretched her arms toward Isla, who stood in front of the cake surrounded by friends."My baby! I'm your real mother! Come here! Come to Mommy!"

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