The 444th time they drew her blood, she lay in the sterile isolation room, her body feeling like it had been crushed to pieces. She could hear the doctor's desperate voice trying to stop what was happening...

"Mr. Seibert, if you keep pushing her like this, Ms. Caylor's body will completely collapse!"

The room fell into an eerie silence, but as long as Vincent didn't say stop, nobody dared to remove the needle.

Alice stared at her blood pouring through the tube as her body grew colder little by little, and her eyes started to lose focus as darkness closed in.

Her breathing grew shallower and slower, and just as she was about to lose consciousness, she heard Vincent's cold voice. "Keep going. Juliana can't wait any longer."

Right then, she finally realized she had always just been a living medicine for that woman.

When she next opened her eyes, she found herself back five years earlier—on the very day she was forced into the phlebotomy room for the first time.

A cold needle stabbed into her spine, making her fingers quiver from the sharp pain. The nurse noticed her pale face and hesitated before asking, "Ms. Caylor, this surgery is very dangerous. Are you... Really willing to do this?"

Before the nurse could finish, a low and cold voice sounded from the doorway. "She is, of course."

Alice slowly lifted her head and locked eyes with Vincent's cold, merciless gaze.

Memories of everything she had suffered came rushing back.

She had loved him for 12 long years, but all he did in return was hold his beloved crush close and tell the doctor, "I don't care if you drain every drop of her blood."

In her previous life, it was at the high school freshman opening ceremony that she first fell for Vincent, who stood confidently on the podium giving a speech.

She spent three years chasing after him, brought him breakfast every single day for a year, stayed with him in the library until midnight to help him study, and even carried him to the school clinic when he hurt himself playing basketball.

But Vincent always kept a cold distance from her, and he even gave back the love letter she had poured her heart into without bothering to read it.

When she finally worked hard enough to get accepted into his college, she saw him holding Juliana Flynn's hand during the opening ceremony, boldly declaring in front of all the teachers and students, "This is the only person I will ever love."

People around her whispered that Vincent had truly fallen for Juliana and urged Alice to move on as soon as she could.

But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't let go.

She saw him waiting outside the girls' dormitory in the pouring rain all night long, hoping the sick Juliana would forgive him.

She watched him smash a priceless emerald necklace into pieces only because Juliana said, "I hate feeling tied down by things like this."

She also witnessed him set off a multimillion-dollar fireworks show on the rooftop of the Seibert Group's building to celebrate Juliana's birthday, making sure the entire city saw how crazy he was about her.

Alice felt like a pitiful outsider, silently observing this intense love story but unable to leave even the smallest mark in his heart.

So when Vincent begged her to save Juliana for the first time, she somehow found herself asking him to marry her instead.

"She can still vividly recall how red his eyes were that day.

His shock, shame, and resistance eventually turned into hopeless acceptance."

He told her, "Fine, if being Mrs. Seibert is what you want, I'll let you have it. But you need to go donate your blood now."

Later on, she did end up becoming his wife, like she had always dreamed.

But what did it even matter?

Their marriage certificate was kept locked away in a safe, but his heart remained forever with Juliana.

Every corner of the house was filled with photos of Juliana, even the nightstand in the main bedroom held a framed picture of her.

Whenever Vincent touched Alice, he whispered Juliana's name instead of hers.

In the end, he personally forced her onto the surgery table, ignoring whether she lived or died, and took every drop of her blood to save Juliana.

As the anesthetic started flowing into her veins, Alice finally understood how foolish she had been.

She had made a terrible mistake.

Vincent's heart only ever truly belonged to Juliana.

She should never have trapped him in a marriage by using such cruel tricks.

She finally realized that his kindness was always meant only for Juliana.

She shouldn't have been so naive to think a marriage certificate could make him stay.

A relationship built on force will always be filled with pain.

But she only came to see this after she lost her life.

***

As she drifted in and out of her memories, the blood bag had already filled up.

Vincent picked up the blood bag and turned to walk out, but Alice called out to stop him, "Our marriage..."

He halted, his tone annoyed as he replied, "Don't worry, I'll keep my word. Everything's set up at the City Hall. You can go by yourself later."

Alice thought back to her previous life, when she stood all alone outside the City Hall, clutching the marriage certificate and crying helplessly.

There had been no wedding ceremony, no honeymoon, not even a simple pair of wedding rings.

Watching Vincent's figure as he moved to leave, she slowly shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

She wanted to put an end to this absurd marriage.

In this lifetime, she would never fall in love with him again.

But right as she was about to walk away, a nurse called after her, "Miss, don't forget your bag!"

Alice reached to grab it but didn't get a good grip, and the bag slipped from her hands onto the floor.

All the items inside spilled out everywhere, and as she squatted down to pick them up, she was shocked to find Juliana's ID card and a stack of legal documents.

It was only then that she recognized the unfamiliar designer bag as Juliana's.

A wild thought suddenly popped into her head.

About 30 minutes later, she stepped out of the City Hall holding a newly issued marriage certificate.

Two names were printed clearly on the certificate: Vincent and Juliana.

As she looked at the freshly signed marriage certificate, she finally let out a calm, relieved smile.

In this lifetime, she had personally delivered the woman he loved back into his arms.

And now, she could completely step away from this ridiculous love triangle drama.

After leaving the City Hall, Alice tried calling Vincent over ten times, but he never picked up.

Feeling weak from losing too much blood, she almost collapsed and had no choice but to head home to rest.

The following day, she pushed herself to visit the hospital again.

Through the glass window of the hospital room, she saw Vincent gently helping Juliana sit upright, like he was handling something incredibly delicate.

"Eat slowly, it's hot."

He softly blew on the oatmeal in the spoon, his eyes filled with a tenderness she had never seen before.

Alice suddenly remembered that in her previous life, when she was lying in bed with a fever reaching 39.8 degrees Celsius, even a glass of water had to be poured by a nurse, because no one else did.

She took a long breath outside the hospital room, then lightly tapped on the door.

When Vincent turned and saw her, the warmth in his face instantly disappeared.

He rushed outside, closed the door behind him, and stared at her, eyes red with anger.

"Are you stalking me?"

Alice calmly held out the unfamiliar designer bag and a marriage certificate.

"I just came to give these back, and also to let you know..."

"Enough!" he cut her off before she could finish.

He yanked the bag from her hand and hissed, "Juliana can't handle any stress right now. If you dare say even a single word—"

Alice interrupted him, "It's not about us. The marriage certificate clearly shows you and—"

"Alice!"

Suddenly, Vincent grabbed her by the wrist.

"Don't think you can use this to threaten me!

"If it weren't for Juliana, I wouldn't even bother talking to you!"

He yanked the marriage certificate from her hand and shoved it into his suit pocket without even glancing at it. Then, without another word, he turned around and headed back into the hospital room.

As the door clicked shut, Alice could still hear Juliana's soft voice from inside. "Vincent, who was that?"

"Just a delivery person," he replied.

Alice stared at the closed door and let out a quiet laugh.

She thought to herself, "Well, once he realizes the name on that marriage certificate, his reaction will be priceless."

She didn't bother staying any longer. She had already made up her mind to leave, and sooner or later, he'd find out the truth written on that document.

Without slowing down, she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button.

Inside, a few young nurses were chatting in hushed voices, visibly excited.

"The guy in the VIP room is the heir of the Seibert Group! I heard he flew in an elite medical team from overseas just to save his girlfriend!"

Another nurse whispered, "That's not all. I heard his girlfriend needed a rare blood type, and guess what? He found someone who matched, and they took nearly 2,000 ml of her blood!"

"Oh my God, that's next-level devotion!"

Alice stood silently off to the side, her fingers digging into her palms without her realizing it.

Yes, he was devoted—deeply so.

For Juliana, he was willing to give up everything, even marry a woman he didn't love.

But this time, she wouldn't give him that chance again.

As she walked out of the hospital and tilted her head up toward the sun, the bright light made her eyes sting.

She waved a taxi by the roadside. "To the embassy," she said.

In her previous life, she turned down her acceptance to the OCAD University in Canada just to stay close to Vincent and always be on call as his personal "blood bank."

But this time, she was determined to chase the dream she had abandoned for too long.

"All your documents are in order," the visa officer said, adjusting his glasses. "You'll hear back within two weeks."

Alice noted the time needed for her visa to be approved, left the embassy, hailed another taxi, and headed back.

Once she got home, she started going through all the memories she had collected about Vincent over the years.

Back in high school, she used to secretly save his old homework sheets.

During college, she quietly filmed him whenever he played sports.

She even kept the ticket from the only "date" they had after getting married.

From falling for him at 15 to passing away in surgery at 27, she had loved him for 12 years. But in return, all she got was a cold sentence, "I don't care if you drain every drop of her blood."

After two long days of packing, when the last box was carried to the front door, Alice suddenly noticed it was raining.

"Miss, are you sure you want to throw all of this away?" the housekeeper asked, uncertain, holding an umbrella over her.

"Yes, all of it," she replied.

The words had barely left her mouth when a pair of blinding headlights flashed through the rain.

A black Maybach stopped harshly in front of the gate, splashing water that soaked the hem of her clothes.

The window rolled down, and Vincent's cold face looked even sharper in the rain.

"You're really in a rush," he said, glancing at the boxes. His tone was colder than the rain. "Juliana just got out of the hospital; she needs peace and quiet. Don't go bothering her with this trash."

Alice froze for a second, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"No need to worry, Mr. Seibert. These are heading straight to the garbage dump. I never planned on bringing them to your place..."

"As long as you're not taking them there, I don't care where they end up. Get in the car," Vincent cut her off, giving the driver the signal to unlock the back door. Alice looked at him, puzzled. A flicker of confusion crossed her face. She asked, "Where are we going?"

"Professor Lukyn saw you the last time you went to the City Hall," Vincent said, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, his tone sharp and distant.

"Juliana will be at the alumni gathering tonight. Come with me and clear things up."

That's when Alice remembered how, in her previous life, she got too excited during the alumni gathering and shared a photo of their marriage certificate with her classmates.

That night ended with Juliana throwing a tantrum in front of Vincent.

Now, in this life, even though she hadn't done anything, she still couldn't avoid the same mess.

She replied calmly, "Alright.

"I'll explain everything."

The black Maybach stopped in front of a five-star hotel. Without saying a word, Vincent grabbed her wrist and hurried her toward the banquet hall.

Suddenly, as they passed a corner, he pushed her against the wall and looked at her with warning in his eyes.

"Say you were helping your cousin with some documents. If you say anything else..."

"I get it," Alice cut him off, clearly uninterested in hearing more.

"Don't worry. I won't let anyone think we're married."

After all, it was Juliana's name written clearly on that marriage certificate. She was just returning it to its rightful owner.

Once he heard her promise, Vincent released her and walked ahead into the banquet hall.

He said, "Juliana is right over there, so go talk to the others first."

As soon as she opened the doors to the golden banquet hall, loud voices and shouts instantly filled the air around her.

"Alice!"

Her old college class representative was the first to rush up to her.

"The group chat is blowing up—people are saying you and Vincent were seen at the City Hall!"

"We've all heard the rumors!" the arts representative said, eagerly waving her phone. "You really kept it a secret from us!"

A group of seven or eight girls quickly circled around her, their voices excited. "Hey, bride-to-be! Come on, spill it! When's the wedding?"

Alice's eyes drifted toward Vincent, who wasn't far away.

She saw him carefully draping a coat over Juliana's shoulders, while Juliana tightly gripped the edge of his sleeve with her pale fingers.

"That's not true!" Alice suddenly raised her voice, loud enough for Vincent to hear clearly.

"I only went there to drop off my cousin's ID card. It wasn't me getting married."

"Drop off your cousin's ID? Come on, who would believe that?"

One of Alice's old college roommates wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Back in junior year, you had a high fever and still brought Vincent an umbrella in the rain. You ended up in the hospital with pneumonia for a week."

"And during graduation, you drank to stop him from drinking too much and landed in the emergency room with alcohol poisoning..."

Alice faintly remembered the time she almost died from alcohol poisoning, but what stuck with her the most was hearing Vincent say to Juliana through the hospital window, "See? This is what happens when you insist on pestering me."

But now, she was only 22, just six months out of college, and she still had her whole future ahead of her. Since life had given her a second chance, she had no interest in getting involved with Vincent ever again. She reached into her bag, pulled out the single status affidavit she had brought along, and showed everyone the part that clearly said "single" under the statement. Once they saw it, they finally believed she wasn't married. A few people looked surprised. After reading it, the arts representative suddenly said, "Wait... then who did Vincent go to the City Hall with?"

"Probably Juliana!" someone nearby jumped in right away, excitedly.

"Remember how at the college's opening ceremony, he said he'd never marry anyone else but her?"

"But Juliana's family..." the class representative muttered, lowering his voice.

"Her dad took his own life last year because of gambling, and her mom's still in a psychiatric hospital. There's no way the Seibert family would accept that..."

"You don't get it!" Vincent's roommate cut in quickly, clearly worked up.

"Vincent's been running the Seibert Group for a while now!

"Last year, he even froze the family investment fund just for Juliana—forced Sir Seibert to personally get her mom out of the psychiatric hospital for treatment!"

Alice stood there listening to all of this, and suddenly, she found the whole situation laughable.

Everyone else had seen the truth clearly, but she was the only one who naively believed that the guy who broke her heart would ever come back to her.

Just then, Vincent showed up with Juliana by his side. Juliana glanced around, puzzled by what was going on.

"Propose? What do you mean, propose?"

A sudden thought seemed to hit her, and her heart started beating faster. She quickly turned toward Vincent, her eyes full of hope.

"Vincent... are you about to propose to me?"

Vincent almost said "no," but when he saw the hope on Juliana's face, he couldn't bring himself to say it.

He was aware that she had always dreamed of him proposing, but the truth was, he had already legally married Alice. There was no way he could become Juliana's husband now.

He wanted her to keep living and smiling, but he didn't want to be the reason behind her crushed hopes.

After thinking for a moment, he glanced over at Alice, then turned back and gave a slight nod.

"Yes, Juliana... I do want to propose to you."

As soon as the words left Vincent's mouth, the banquet hall broke into chaos.

"Do it now! Do it!"

The entire hall erupted with loud cheers and excitement.

In the middle of the noise, Vincent's eyes wandered toward a quiet corner.

Alice sat quietly, looking down at her phone, the screen's cold light hiding her expression.

He spoke in a tight voice, "It's all too sudden.

"I haven't even got the ring ready..."

"You're all I need!" Before he could finish, Juliana threw herself into his embrace, crying into his shirt.

From the side, Alice watched them hug, her fingers digging painfully into her hands.

It looked exactly the same as before—except last time, she had been alone at the bridal shop, putting on the wedding dress Juliana didn't want.

"Give me 30 minutes."

Vincent pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant.

Soon, the banquet hall turned into a full-on proposal setup.

The floor was filled with rose petals, and the champagne glasses sparkled under the lights.

Juliana wore the wedding gown the assistant had brought, shaking with joy.

Suddenly, she rushed over to Alice and handed him a camera. "Alice...

"Can you help us capture this special moment?"

"Sure," Alice replied casually.

As soon as Vincent heard her agree, his grip on the phone tightened slightly.

He expected her to scoff, smash the camera, or say something sharp, just like she often did before.

Instead, she calmly accepted it and even gave a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll make sure the photos turn out great."

Her strange politeness made him feel even more uneasy inside.

Just before the proposal started, he couldn't stop himself from sending her a text.

"Alice, I know exactly what you're up to!

"If anything happens to Juliana, I swear you'll regret it."

The notification sound was almost drowned out by the noisy crowd.

Alice glanced at her phone. The lock screen reflected a blurred image of herself, pale and quiet, like an old photograph faded by time.

She flipped the phone face down in her palm, but when she lifted the camera, her hands were steady.

Through the lens, Vincent's white suit glowed warmly under the light.

He walked toward Juliana, holding a bouquet of roses—every step echoing memories that still lived in Alice's mind.

"The moment I saw you, I just knew."

When Vincent knelt down on one knee, the small click of the ring box opening made Alice's fingers tremble.

The way he looked up at Juliana was so gentle that it pulled her back to her previous life, to the marriage certificate she had once tucked away in a safe.

The certificate was the same, but the name written on it was no longer hers.

As the crowd burst into loud celebration, Alice watched through the camera as Juliana leaped into Vincent's arms.

He lost his balance for a second but smiled and hugged her even closer.

The camera caught it all without missing a beat.

The fabric of his trousers pulled tight as he leaned in, his lashes trembling faintly as their lips met.

There was also the glimmering fragments of light refracted from the diamond on Juliana's ring finger.

After lowering the camera, Alice noticed a small crescent mark left on his hand.

She saw the couple hugging, surrounded by a laughing and cheering crowd, and a quiet smile appeared on her face.

At this grand ceremony, she finally understood how to be a proper bystander.

Alice respectfully gave the camera to Juliana, wearing a polite expression.

"Congratulations—"

But before Alice could say anything more, a loud scream came from behind.

She didn't even get the chance to turn before someone shoved her hard.

She stumbled forward and smashed into the champagne glasses.

Crash!

The sound of the breaking glass made her ears ring.

Cold wine mixed with blood spread beneath her like a blooming stain, and sharp stinging pain shot through her arms and legs.

She slowly forced her eyes open, and through her hazy sight, she noticed Vincent anxiously checking if Juliana was okay.

"Don't worry, Juliana. I shoved her to protect you. You're not hurt, right?"

Those words felt like sharp glass stabbing straight into her heart.

Alice wanted to laugh, but the tears running down her lips tasted bitter and salty.

So this was how he saw her, not even as a living, breathing person, just something he could throw in front of danger when it mattered most.

Her mind started to go blank, and the loud voices around her grew quieter and more distant.

Right before she blacked out completely, she faintly recalled the marriage certificate in her previous life.

How ridiculous!

Alice slowly opened her eyes, and through the bright white light, she saw the nurse's worried expression.

"Are you awake?"

She carefully fixed the IV line and asked, "Would you like me to call someone? Maybe your husband or your parents?"

Alice's dry lips trembled, and her voice came out rough like sand scraping wood. "No need. My parents passed away years ago, and I'm not married..."

Before she could finish, someone suddenly slammed the hospital room door open.

Vincent stood there, backlit by the hallway lights. His suit didn't match the clean, sterile smell around him.

"Not married?"

He let out a cold laugh, the sound of his shoes clicking sharply across the floor tile.

"Then who was the one begging me to get a marriage certificate just last week?"

Alice turned her face to the side, avoiding his intense stare. "Mr. Seibert, maybe you should go check the marriage certificate again..."

"What are you trying to pull now?"

Vincent tugged at his collar, frustration flashing in his eyes.

"If Juliana didn't need your blood type, do you honestly think I'd even notice you?"

The heart monitor suddenly sped up, beeping louder.

Alice's eyes drifted to the maple leaves gently falling outside the window. Her voice came out soft, almost like a sigh. "Think whatever you want... Whatever's going on between the two of you... It has nothing to do with me anymore."

Vincent's gaze darkened as he stared at the pale woman resting on the hospital bed.

The room fell quiet, the only sound was the soft drip from the IV line.

"Good."

He suddenly smirked, pulled out a black card from his pocket, and tossed it onto the bed.

"Since you're being so reasonable, take this three million as your medical compensation.

"Don't forget your role—when Juliana needs you, you'd better show up right away."

After dropping the card, Vincent stormed out, slamming the door behind him without turning around.

Alice opened her mouth to speak but ended up saying nothing, quietly watching the door close.

Over the course of her two-day stay in the hospital, the IV was replaced 12 times, and the nurse came in 23 times, but he never showed up once.

Her phone screen lit up, displaying the latest 3x3 photo grid posted by Juliana.

Vincent was tying a silk scarf around her neck on a yacht. The ocean breeze rustled his sleeve, revealing the watch he always wore—the same one Alice had bought him with her very first paycheck.

Another photo showed the two of them toasting in a Michelin three-star restaurant, red wine reflecting the rare smile on his face.

The last photo was a close-up of Juliana wearing a shiny diamond ring, with a caption underneath, "He said he wants to give me the most unforgettable wedding ever."

All of a sudden, a memory hit Alice—one from a snowy night in her previous life.

She had been waiting outside his office building, holding a container of chicken soup she'd carefully cooked for hours. But through the glass window, she watched as he sat beside Juliana, gently feeding her soup spoon by spoon.

When the security guard came to make her leave, the hot soup spilled onto her hand, causing blisters that stayed for days.

And on what should've been their wedding anniversary, the starlit room she had secretly decorated was completely ruined.

That night, Vincent held a drunken, sobbing Juliana in his arms and yelled at Alice, "Get out! Who do you think you are?"

The cold medicine flowed through the IV and into her veins.

Alice slowly removed the needle and wrote her name on the discharge form.

Outside, the spring weather was perfect.

And at last, she understood that some people will always stay cold inside, no matter what you do.

After being discharged from the hospital, Alice thought about when she might visit again after going overseas, so she arranged a small gathering with some close friends.

In a private room at a private restaurant, her friends raised their glasses to toast her farewell.

During the cheers and laughter, someone mentioned Vincent, but Alice simply smiled and steered the conversation elsewhere.

"Try this seafood mousseline. It's the chef's signature dish," she said.

By the time the gathering ended, it was nearly midnight.

She went back to the private room to get the bag she had left behind, but then she heard loud, mocking laughter coming from behind the soundproof door in the hallway.

"Who's Alice, anyway? She chased after Vincent and played blood bank for seven years—only to end up handing him over to Juliana on a silver platter."

Peeking through the door, Alice saw Juliana lounging on a leather sofa, casually spinning a diamond engagement ring with her fingers.

"When I asked her to record that video, did you see her face? She looked like she had just eaten something disgusting."

Alice's phone quietly buzzed in her hand.

She quickly turned off the sound, switched to record mode, and aimed the camera straight at the group celebrating inside.

"I heard the last surgery used her blood?"

A girl with blonde hair stepped up to Juliana and asked, "How did you pull that off?"

Juliana smirked, her lips curled in amusement.

"She only agreed to donate after Vincent told her he would marry her."

She gently swirled the wine glass in her hand, and the dark red wine inside looked just like thick blood.

"But now... what if I just happen to cut my finger by mistake..."

Suddenly, she crushed the lemon wedge that decorated the rim of the glass.

"That fool will have to be my personal blood bank wherever I go."

The broken glass cut into her skin, and fresh blood slowly appeared on her fingertips.

As everyone around gasped in shock, she smiled and calmly licked the blood away.

"Why panic? With Alice around, I'll never run out of blood."

The hallway lights cast shadows over her lashes, hiding the storm of emotions behind her eyes.

"Honestly, Juliana's trick is genius!" someone said.

Then came loud, nasty laughter from the private room. "Want to deal with Alice? All Juliana has to do is fake a faint, and Vincent will drain her dry without thinking twice!"

Alice felt her whole body turn cold.

So that's what those so-called "accidents" were in her previous life.

Juliana's skiing injury, the staged robbery, and even the last car crash weren't accidents at all—they were part of a scheme to kill her on purpose.

Alice clenched her teeth hard, a sharp, metallic taste filling her mouth as she fought back the urge to charge in and rip apart that smug face.

Suddenly, a loud ringtone cut through the noise.

Juliana peeked at her phone screen, and her face shifted quickly. "I need to take this call."

Alice moved fast, slipping behind the wall out of sight.

Looking through the blurry glass panel, she noticed Juliana's heels tapping nervously on the marble floor.

"Matheo Reagan, how many times do I have to say it? Don't call me again!"

Juliana said that while heading toward the quiet fire escape.

Driven by curiosity, Alice followed quietly behind.

In the faint light, she saw a man in a bomber jacket gripping Juliana's wrist tightly.

"So, 20 years of growing up together means nothing compared to the Seibert family's wealth?" the man asked.

"Let me go!" she shouted.

Juliana shoved him away hard. "And what have you ever given me? I even covered your mom's surgery!"

The man laughed coldly, his smile full of mockery.

"Then who was the one in my bed last night, saying she couldn't forget me?"

He pulled out his phone and opened the photo gallery. He said, "Should I remind Mr. Seibert where you really were on the night he proposed?"

On the screen was a photo showing a large hotel bed, and Juliana's naked body was clearly in view.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

She lunged forward to snatch the phone, her fingernails scraping his face and leaving red lines.

Hiding nearby, Alice froze in shock after hearing what had just happened, and the phone slipped out of her shaking hand.

With a loud thud, the phone that was still recording hit the floor.

"Stop right there!" Juliana's loud voice sliced through the air like a blade.

Alice flinched and quickly stuffed the phone from the floor into her pocket.

She hurried back to the private room, holding her chest where her heart thudded wildly, trying to steady her breath. After saving the video, she checked the time, grabbed her bag, and turned to leave.

But before she could step out, a group of three or four girls stormed over and grabbed her, twisting her arms behind her.

"Search her." Juliana's voice came out cold and cruel.

Hands roamed over Alice's body, and her things were scattered all over the floor.

Just as someone was about to grab her phone, Alice suddenly drove her knee upward and slammed it into the girl's lower stomach.

"You crazy woman!"

Juliana saw it happen and instantly slapped her across the face.

Alice tasted blood in her mouth but smiled anyway.

That smile only pushed Juliana over the edge.

After giving her friends a quick look, Alice was pressed down on the coffee table by the girls.

Cold liquor soaked through her blouse, clinging to her skin like ice. She could hear Juliana talking on the phone with Vincent.

"Vincent, Ms. Caylor seems to be injured..."

About 15 minutes later, someone kicked the private room door open from the outside.

Vincent stood at the entrance, the light behind him casting shadows as his gaze landed on the chaos.

Juliana calmly wiped her fingers with a tissue, cleaning off blood, while her so-called "best friends" yanked Alice's hair and pinned her down on the coffee table.

"What happened here?" Vincent's tone was low and intimidating.

"Ms. Caylor just barged in and attacked me..."

Juliana fell into his arms, showing off the red marks on her arm that she had secretly pinched herself. "Luckily, my friends kept me safe..."

Through her blurry, blood-covered vision, Alice saw Vincent's shoes stop in front of her.

She struggled to lift her head. "I didn't..." she murmured, and as she spoke, blood trickled out from the corners of her lips.

She tried to speak up for herself, but Vincent cut her off.

"Shut up! Who told you to talk back?"

At his words, the bodyguard stepped up and forced her down.

A hard slap hit her face, the loud smack echoing through the room.

The first hit twisted her face sideways.

The second made her ears ring painfully.

The third blow made everything go dark for a moment.

Blood spilled from her nose and mouth, soaking into her clothes.

She crumpled to the floor, weak and dizzy. Through her fading vision, she saw Vincent standing nearby with Juliana in his arms.

He stared down at her with arrogance. "I hope you don't forget what happened today.

"If you ever lay a hand on Juliana again, I'll make sure you suffer more than you could imagine."

With that, he walked away with Juliana, never once glancing back, leaving Alice all alone in a pool of blood.

She struggled to move her fingers as tears, mingled with blood, dripped onto the floor.

The sting on her face was nothing compared to the ache in her heart.

So in his eyes, she wasn't even worth an explanation.

After dragging her battered body home, Alice stayed inside all day, quietly packing her things. Once she finished, she went out to find a real estate agent. A few years ago, her parents had moved overseas to expand their business. But because of Vincent, she decided to remain here by herself. They had left the house in her name. Now, determined to leave nothing behind, she sold the house at a rock-bottom price. By the time the paperwork was done, and she returned home, night had already fallen. The street lamps around the neighborhood weren't working, and the path was so dark, she could barely see a thing.

She had just reached for her phone to use the flashlight when a bright beam from a car's headlights suddenly hit her.

Before she could move, the car sped toward her like a missile.

Crash!

The impact threw her across the pavement.

Her back slammed against the hard ground, and it felt like her organs had shifted.

Blood trickled from her mouth as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Through her blurred vision, she recognized the twisted expression of Matheo behind the wheel.

She tried to cry out, but no sound came from her throat.

Her arms and legs felt heavy, as if filled with lead, and her consciousness began to slip away.

Through the haze, she heard the sharp screech of brakes tearing through the quiet night.

A pair of polished leather shoes appeared in her fading line of sight.

"Alice!"

Vincent's voice sounded more frightened than she had ever heard before.

She felt someone gently lift her up, and the man who had always treated her with cold indifference was now holding her with shaking hands.

"Hang in there... The ambulance is almost here..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter, until everything around her went black.

The next time she came to, her mind drifted in and out. She could faintly make out the fast footsteps of doctors and nurses, and the clatter of medical instruments around her.

She slowly forced her eyes open, and through the blur, she noticed the doctor staring at her medical records with a serious look.

"She has severe internal bleeding. She needs surgery immediately!"

"Draw blood first," a cold voice ordered from nearby.

Alice turned her head with effort and saw Vincent standing close to the bed.

He was dressed perfectly in a suit, his cufflinks meticulously fastened, as if he were headed into a business negotiation instead of an emergency room.

The doctor looked up at him in disbelief after hearing his words.

"But Mr. Seibert, Ms. Caylor's condition..."

"I said take the blood first," Vincent cut in before the doctor could finish.

He pulled a pen from his suit pocket, signed the blood transfusion consent form quickly, and said, "Juliana can't wait."

His signature was just as graceful as when he once signed their marriage certificate in a previous life.

Alice faintly remembered—he hadn't even looked at her that day. He walked off right after signing, leaving behind only his cold, distant back.

As soon as the needle slid into her vein, Alice's fingers twitched from the sharp pain.

She stared as her blood moved through the clear tube, feeling like it was slowly draining the life out of her.

The heart monitor beside her began to fluctuate violently, setting off a shrill, piercing alarm.

"Her blood pressure just dropped to 50!" the nurse cried out, clearly scared.

Vincent didn't even look worried. He calmly fixed the cuffs of his sleeves and said flatly, "Take 800 ml. Not a drop less."

In the corner, a young nurse whispered with teary eyes, "How can a man treat his wife like this..."

Alice wanted to laugh at the comment, but she didn't even have the strength to move her lips.

She thought to herself, "Yes, how could I have such a husband?"

She used to believe that if she loved him hard enough, he would eventually return that love.

It wasn't until this moment that she truly understood that some people's hearts are made of ice, and no matter how much love you give, they never melt.

A single tear slipped from her eye, disappearing into her hair.

Just before everything went black, the last thing Alice saw was Vincent walking away toward the VIP ward without once turning around.

That's when it hit her that this marriage had been nothing but a cruel joke.

And she was the biggest fool of all, like a clown.

When she opened her eyes again, even Alice couldn't believe she was still alive.

"You're finally awake!"

The nurse let out a breath of relief as soon as she saw Alice open her eyes.

She took her medicine on time, went to every follow-up.

No one bothered her, and both her body and her mood were slowly getting better.

Still, the doctor couldn't help but ask while checking in on her one day.

"You were seriously hurt. Why didn't your husband visit?

"Was that man who brought you here really your husband?"

"I don't have a husband. I've never been married," Alice replied calmly.

During her hospital stay, Juliana continued to send her various messages every day, tirelessly.

And all those messages were nothing but showing off how considerate Vincent was towards her.

After reading it, Alice saved it all, but her heart remained calm.

The day she was discharged from the hospital, she had just finished packing when she received a phone call.

"Ms. Caylor, your visa has been approved. When are you available to come pick it up?"

"Great!"

After hearing the good news coming from the other end of the phone, she smiled a long-lost smile, "I will go pick it up this afternoon."

She hung up the phone and then glanced at the ward one last time.

Here records her most embarrassing moment, also witnesses her rebirth.

Just then, Vincent pushed open the door and entered.

"What did you go to do?"

He stood with one hand in his pocket, looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze in front of the hospital bed.

Alice put away the smile on her face and said coldly, "It's none of your business."

"Is it none of my business?"

Vincent sneered and pulled out a marriage certificate from his suit pocket, throwing it on the bedside table. "Do I need to remind you that, legally, you are still Mrs. Seibert?"

The woman in the sickbed gently picked up the red booklet and ran her fingertips over the embossed gold letters.

"Are you sure you want to make sure whose name is written on it?"

She suddenly looked up, and in her dark eyes reflected Vincent's suddenly changing face.

Just as the atmosphere was getting colder, his phone suddenly rang at this moment.

Vincent glanced at the caller ID and couldn't help but soften his tone, "Juliana?"

"Vincent! The bridal shop said the last couture gown was reserved by someone!"

Juliana's voice came through the speaker with a sob, "I don't care, I want that one!"

Vincent frowned and glanced at Alice, then turned and walked to the window, soothing her in a low voice, "Don't worry, I'll be right there."

He hung up the phone and casually threw a gold-embossed invitation on the hospital bed.

"Tomorrow is my wedding with Juliana, you must be there."

Alice picked up the invitation, and the two names printed side by side on it stabbed at her eyes.

Before, she also fantasized about her name being openly and proudly written alongside his.

"Don't worry, I will definitely prepare a big gift."

She whispered.

Vincent walked to the doorway and stopped again: "Tonight we are moving to Southridge Estate, that is your reward for saving Juliana yesterday."

Alice watched as Vincent's figure disappeared at the end of the hallway, and she let out a soft sigh.

"Compensation?" she muttered under her breath, "All I want is to never see you again."

The discharge procedures were completed very quickly.

Alice went to the consulate to get her visa first, then went home and had a good sleep.

The next morning at eight o'clock, the alarm clock rang on time.

After she got up, she put the two prepared marriage certificates and a USB drive into a gift box, and called a local express delivery service.

"At 12 o'clock noon, deliver to this address," she said to the delivery man, "Tell the recipient, Mr. Seibert, that this is a wedding gift from Alice for them."

After finishing all this, Alice dragged her suitcase to the airport without looking back.

At eleven thirty, she boarded the plane and blocked and deleted all of Vincent's contact information.

Snow began to fall outside the window.

As the plane climbed, the city where I had lived for over twenty years gradually turned into a small black dot.

Alice leaned back in the chair and slowly closed her eyes.

This time, she could finally fall asleep peacefully.

The nightmare that lasted for two lifetimes has come to an end.

From now on, her dreams will only be of a bright future.