Mound of Lies

At the entrance of the Crown Hotel’s engagement banquet hall, I stood breathless, my body still trembling from my desperate escape from the lab explosion.

Through the glass doors, the dazzling chandeliers reflected off the lavish decorations inside, the celebration in stark contrast to the wreckage of my life.

My fingers, bare where my engagement ring should have been, clutched the door handle, frozen in place.

Inside, Charlie stood tall in a perfectly tailored suit, a pristine white flower pinned to his lapel. He was gently wiping the tears from Lilly’s eyes—tears that held not a shred of guilt.

My stepsister, who had always worn her signature cashmere hairband, now casually played with a jade pendant around her neck. A relic my mother had promised to pass down to me before she died.

The music in the ballroom came to an abrupt stop.

Charlie tore the white flower from his chest and crushed it beneath his shoe. His voice was like a poisoned blade, sharp and merciless. “My engagement with Jessie is hereby annulled. From this day forward, I am officially engaged to Ms. Lilly. Thank you all for attending.”

A murmur of shock rippled through the guests as Lilly proudly lifted her wrist, revealing a glittering diamond ring. In the midst of their stunned gasps, a hoarse, broken laugh escaped my lips, echoing like the last flicker of a neon light before it burned out. I couldn’t take it anymore. Clutching the test reports I had salvaged from the lab, I stormed into the hall, determined to unmask Lilly’s deception before the crowd.

“Everyone, don’t believe Jessie’s nonsense,” Charlie cut in smoothly, holding up a document. “What I have here are the official security records from the company. Lilly was never at the lab today. This was nothing more than a tragic accident.”

At his signal, security guards moved in, surrounding me like I was nothing more than a raving lunatic disrupting their grand affair.

The next thing I knew, I was being dragged out of the hotel, thrown into the raging storm. Rain drenched me to the bone, my body shaking like a leaf in the wind.

From behind, an unfamiliar voice reached my ears. “My condolences.”

A black umbrella appeared above my head and a warm black suit was draped over my trembling shoulders.

“If you expose them now, the sharks at Moan's Group will tear you apart,” the voice continued.

I turned around, my lipstick inadvertently smearing against the man’s collar. The dark red stain bled into the silvergray silk like a drop of blood.

Peter. The infamous business tycoon I had never met until this moment now stood inches away, his thumb brushing against the corner of my lips with surprising gentleness. In his palm lay a wedding ring, its cold surface gleaming with an eerie blue light.

“Marry me,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. “And those scavengers who took everything from you will soon learn the meaning of fear.”

With that, he slid the ring onto my finger. A surge of warmth spread from where the metal touched my skin, searing over an old scar—a scar left behind when my stepmother had “accidentally” spilled acid on me when I was twelve.

Now, as Peter’s wedding ring pressed against it, the mark burned once more, as if whispering of a vengeance long overdue.

After our marriage, Peter took care of everything. From managing the aftermath of my father’s laboratory explosion to handling the business affairs of the group, he arranged it all meticulously.

That evening, Peter mentioned that some critical information was missing and that he needed to retrieve it from the study in the old mansion. The moonlight cascaded down the staircase like a layer of cold mercury as I followed his path. By accident, I kicked over an old ceramic piggy bank from my childhood. The shards scattered with a clear, mournful sound, revealing a platinum wedding ring nestled among them.

Inside the band, a name was engraved—"Widdy Young"—my mother’s name. Though worn with age, the inscription still bore its weight in memory. It was a relic my father had locked away after my mother died in childbirth. I held the ring carefully in my palm, my heart heavy with sentiment, before turning to leave.

As I passed by my stepmother’s room, her shrill laughter sent an icy chill through my spine.

“The iris diaphragm has been implanted into the system,” she cackled. “Rest assured, Mr. Peter.”

My breath hitched. Peter was supposed to be in the study—so why was he entangled with Lilly’s mother? Before I could process my thoughts, the sound of his approaching footsteps sent me scrambling into the shadows. I remained silent. I did not confront him. At that moment, my phone vibrated, displaying an anonymous video.

On the screen, a rosewood box was being loaded into the trunk of a Porsche. The gleam of a copper lock reflected off the surface—briefly catching the light from Peter’s wedding ring.

Then my father’s dying murmur echoed in my mind like an explosion. "Launch... gift..."

Dread coiled in my stomach, but I suppressed it, forcing myself to wait for the day of the new drug launch. That day, I had an excuse to visit the lab, intending to check a set of data.

Through the observation window of the blastproof lab, I overheard Peter speaking with the technical director.

“Mr. Peter, three years ago, you altered your merger plans just to claim Moan's core technology in name?” the director asked in a hushed voice. “And the surveillance footage of the gas leak…”

Peter’s voice was steady, chillingly indifferent.

“Only by becoming the Moan Family’s soninlaw—only as Jessie’s husband—could I bury the evidence and keep her out of prison. And ensure that Lilly received the complete technical data she needed to fulfill her ambitions.”

“She will continue her research in the sterile room,” he added coolly. “As for these business stains… I will take care of them.”

“But what about Jessie?” the technical director asked hesitantly. “She will be at the launch. What will you do about her?”

Peter’s response was crisp, unwavering. “No need to worry. I only ever said Lilly was cooperating with the investigation. The surveillance footage from back then is already hidden. Jessie’s test report may prove the accident wasn’t an accident, but it cannot prove Lilly was responsible.”

In that instant, my entire world collapsed. He had orchestrated this three years ago, extending his reach into my father’s company, planting his influence where I had once believed I was safe. The home I thought was my sanctuary was, in reality, a bulletproof glass prison—built to shield Lilly.

My stepmother’s laughter in the old mansion, the anonymous video on my phone—it all connected now. His claim that Lilly was detained for investigation had been nothing more than a convenient lie. He had stolen my father’s lab logs and core technology, giving Lilly a hidden haven where she could sit back and enjoy the rewards. And today’s new drug launch was nothing but a grand feast where they would revel in the fruits of my father’s labor.

I had believed fate had shown me mercy, sending a hero to save me from ruin. But how laughable—those technology transfer agreements stamped with my wedding ring, the bright red handprints on the accident report—had already nailed me to the altar.

I had been nothing more than a stepping stone for their fame and fortune. My entire body trembled, fury and despair colliding in my chest. I had been so stupid. I thought I had finally found someone to trust. But I had been living inside an elaborate lie all along.

I glared coldly at the familiar yet distant figure through the observation window, my nails digging deep into my palms, nearly piercing the flesh. The pain was like an ice pick, stabbing straight into my chaotic mind, forcing me back to my senses. I can’t afford to panic. I can’t afford to lose control.

"Peter, you’re truly impressive."

I gritted my teeth, each word forced out from the depths of my throat, laced with bitter hatred and biting mockery. I can't believe I was so blind, mistaking a jackal for a hero.

Spinning on my heel, I stormed back into my office. The moment I stepped inside, I locked the door and pulled the blinds shut, shutting out the outside world. The room darkened instantly, mirroring the abyss of my emotions. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay composed.

Now is not the time for sorrow or anger. I must avenge my father. Lilly must pay the price. I wasted no time and began gathering evidence. His death cannot be in vain.

My hands trembled slightly as I opened my computer, fingers striking the keyboard with urgency, pulling up the internal system of my father’s laboratory. Lines of code. Pages of data. Shadows of his relentless work, once filled with life and ambition.

Time slipped away like sand through my fingers. The only sound in the room was the rapid flipping of pages, the rhythmic tapping of keys. My eyes burned, dry and sore from staring at the screen, but I couldn’t afford even a moment of rest.

This was a race against time. Lilly’s new drug was about to launch. If I didn’t expose her crimes before she solidified her reputation, it would be too late.

The clock struck seven when a knock at the door made me freeze. Peter entered. I swiftly closed the files, shut down the computer and replaced my exhaustion with a radiant smile. He mustn’t see a single clue. He smiled warmly, stepping forward to embrace me. "Working overtime again? You work too hard. Don’t overdo it, your health isn’t great. If you push yourself too much, I’ll be heartbroken."

"It’s fine. What brings you here today? Shouldn’t you be at Wilson Corporation?" I feigned ignorance about his earlier visit to the company.

"I called you, but you didn’t answer. I got worried, so I came to check on you." He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek—just as affectionate as ever.

I remembered that I had muted my phone earlier to focus on my search. Even as he acted so tenderly, I felt nothing but revulsion. I never thought he would go this far for Lilly.

On the drive home, he started the car as if nothing had happened, his voice casual.

"Jessie, the police told me today that there wasn’t enough evidence, so they had to release Lilly for now. They’ll issue an arrest warrant once more evidence surfaces. Besides, the new drug data was originally in her possession and Moan Corporation has deep business ties with Shawn Group, so—"

I cut him off before he could finish. "Well, it’s just speculation. No solid proof. Let’s just drop it. Don’t worry, I won’t dwell on it."

He visibly relaxed, a relieved smile flickering in the corners of his eyes.

"Thank you, dear. Marrying you has been the greatest privilege of my life."

I turned to the window, struggling to steady my trembling heart, holding back the tears threatening to fall.

Recalling Peter's conversation with the technical director, I was acutely aware that beyond uncovering evidence of Lilly stealing my father’s core drug technology, there was another crucial task. I needed to find the surveillance footage from the day of the lab explosion. Whatever Lilly did in that lab that day led to the explosion and if I wanted to bring her to justice, the surveillance video was the key.

The moment I got home, I wasted no time. While Peter was in the shower, I secretly opened his computer. I tried Lilly’s birthday as the password. It worked.

Even though I already knew this marriage was a complete betrayal, seeing that he used her birthday as his password still sent a stabbing pain through my heart.

The background image on his screen was from Lilly’s 18th birthday party. Suppressing the bitterness rising in my throat, I quickly opened the cloud drive. Every file and every folder that flashed across my screen revolved around her. With trembling fingers, I opened them one by one.

Finally, in a hidden folder, I found a video with a strangely cryptic name. My instincts screamed at me—this was it. Without hesitation, I clicked play.

The footage showed Lilly entering the lab and deliberately tampering with the gas valve just before the explosion. So the surveillance cameras hadn’t malfunctioned that day after all. Someone had deliberately erased the footage to cover her tracks. If my suspicions before had left room for doubt, this video solidified my conviction—this marriage was nothing but a conspiracy.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced. Peter had once posted a singleword status online. I had asked him what he meant by guard. He had replied that he was guarding our marriage. Now, the truth was painfully clear. The one he was guarding was Lilly.

Swallowing back tears, I forced a bitter smile. I exported the footage, erased any traces of my access and logged out of the computer.

Then, I set a countdown on my phone—marking the launch date of the new drug. A constant reminder of my next step: exposing the theft of my father’s technology.

That night, I pretended to be asleep before he finished showering. I had no desire to engage in any more conversations with him. But sleep never came.

The next morning, he woke up and tenderly pulled me into his arms.

"You went to bed early last night. You’ve been so exhausted lately. Why don’t you take a few more days off and rest at home?" His gentle words masked his true intentions.

He wanted to bring Lilly back to the company—openly. I smiled faintly and replied, "Okay."

He was doing everything in his power to keep me from interfering with Lilly. This deception—it was time to end it.

The moment he stepped out of the house, I followed. As I reached the front entrance of the company, I overheard employees whispering.

"Does Director Moan know yet? General Manager Wilson actually brought Second Miss Moan to the company himself."

"Yeah and some people suspect that General Manager Moan's death in that lab explosion wasn’t an accident…"

Expressionless, I strode straight to the elevator and ascended to the topfloor office. Just outside the doorway, I heard a familiar voice from within.

"Lily, you’ve been working so hard in the lab."

"Not at all. It’s my lifelong dream to excel in pharmaceuticals. I should be thanking you. Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten the core technical data so smoothly. And if it weren’t for you, I probably would have—"

"It’s all in the past now. I believe what happened that day was an accident. By helping you, I’m also helping myself."

Then came Lilly’s laughter—sweet, yet filled with venom.

"Peter, I really didn’t mean for it to happen that day. If my sister found out you lied to her for me, she’d definitely make trouble for you, wouldn’t she?"

Even after taking everything from me—my father, my fiancé—she still played the innocent victim. She had destroyed my world and Peter, the man I once trusted, had pretended to be my savior. And now, this socalled lifeline was dragging me deeper into the abyss.

The moment I froze, his personal assistant called out to me from behind. The conversation inside came to an abrupt halt. The door swung open.

Peter’s eyes flickered the moment he saw me. "Jessie? What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to rest at home and not work? Lily just arrived. I haven't seen her in a long time. She just came over to take a look..."

"Jess, how have you been lately?" Lilly asked, feigning innocence and harmlessness.

Her eyes gleamed with vitality, her face flushed with color—there wasn't a trace of hardship from being detained at the institute.

I swallowed the anger burning inside me and forced a smile. "I just arrived. I’m used to working and I get bored when I’m idle. I thought I’d better come over. Why are you here too?"

Since marrying me, Peter’s office had been arranged next to mine for convenience in managing Moan's.

He must have expected me to be furious at Lilly’s presence because he hurriedly took my hand, attempting to explain: "Honey, since she regained her freedom, I let her come back to continue working on the new drug development to understand the situation..."

"Didn’t you just say yesterday that there was no evidence and it was all speculation? I believe you." I swallowed my pride, suppressing my true feelings.

This man was truly despicable—sacrificing his own marriage for his beloved white moonlight. And now, with her safe and sound, she was still pretending?

Hearing my words, the tension in his shoulders eased. Soon after, he rushed back to Wilson's with his assistant to deal with urgent matters. But before leaving, I caught the concern in his eyes. He even made a point to remind me to wait for him after work so he could pick me up.

"Ms. Jessie, you’re still such an idiot, hahaha..." As soon as Peter left, Lilly dropped her act and sneered at me.

Gone was the innocent, pure facade. What stood before me now was a woman filled with malice and arrogance.

"You should really thank your fiancé for giving me such a wonderful life," she taunted. "Even more, thank your dear husband for doing all the dirty work for me. Don’t tell me you actually thought Peter married you out of love? Hahaha... They love me!"

She laughed mockingly, her voice dripping with condescension. "Jessie, when people talk about someone being as dumb as a pig, they mean you!"

I couldn’t hold back my rage any longer. Before I knew it, my hand lashed out across her face.

Lilly’s expression flickered—first shock, then cunning. She glanced behind me, smirked, then dramatically clutched her face and collapsed to the floor.

"Jessie! Why did you hit Lily?" Peter’s furious voice rang out.

I turned in shock, watching as he rushed past me to scoop Lilly into his arms. Just a second ago, she had looked so smug and venomous, but now she had transformed into a fragile, pitiful creature.

So, he was still worried about his precious white moonlight being alone with me, afraid I’d bully her.

"Didn't you say the past was behind us? What are you doing hitting her? Saying one thing and doing another!" he snapped.

I clenched my jaw, my body trembling with anger.

"Apologize! Apologize to Lily! You shouldn't have hit her," he ordered.

I remained silent.

Lilly leaned weakly against him, tears welling in her eyes. "Peter, don’t blame her. She only believes what those executives say—that I caused the lab explosion. It’s not her fault..."

She sniffled, her voice pitiful. "Peter, I don’t want to make things difficult for you. From now on, don’t help me anymore. I’ll go back to Shawn’s. Charlie said I can return to work at his company."

With that, she turned as if to leave. Without hesitation, Peter followed her, not even sparing me a glance.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The physical pain was nothing compared to the searing agony in my heart.

Swallowing my grief, I forced myself to return to my office, locked the doors and windows and resumed examining yesterday’s evidence.

After an entire day at the office, I still had no concrete answers.

Something felt off—like a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing, leaving an unbearable itch in my heart. Just as I was about to shut my laptop for the night, my phone screen lit up like a firefly flickering in the darkness.

Another anonymous message. My heart pounded as I clicked to open it.

This... this was exactly the missing piece I had been searching for! With this new information combined with my previous findings, I finally had enough proof—Lilly had stolen my father’s core technology!

But who was sending me these messages? Friend or foe? My mind raced with possibilities, thoughts spinning like an overheated CPU on the verge of burning out. At that moment, my phone rang. Without hesitation, I answered, my palms damp with anxiety.

The voice on the other end left me stunned. Tears welled up, spilling over like broken beads from a snapped string.

It was Uncle Larry, my father’s trusted friend. My father had entrusted him with something important, long before any of this unfolded. So, he had always suspected my stepmother and stepsisters? Of course. My father was no fool—he had seen the signs all along.

He had taken precautions, knowing something might happen to him. That’s why he had left vital evidence with Uncle Larry—proof that Lilly had stolen his core technology. If anything happened to him, Uncle Larry was to expose the truth.

And the anonymous video from before? That had been Uncle Larry’s doing as well. He had hired a private detective to gather evidence. A lifesaver in the middle of a storm.

I glanced at the countdown on my phone screen. The product launch was in two days. I needed to act fast. Those two traitors would pay for what they had done.

Suppressing my excitement, I pulled up the divorce papers and retyped every word, deliberate and unwavering, as though carving an oath of vengeance into stone. I packed my things and headed home, preparing for the final battle.

Just then, a message arrived from Peter—the man who had been absent all day.

[Jessie, are you off work yet? Lily was really hurt by what you did to her, she cried so much today. You don’t have to apologize, though. As her husband, I’ve already done that for you and stayed by her side all day.]

[Also, I was too harsh on you earlier. Should I come home tonight and make it up to you? I bought your favorite wontons. I’ll bring them back.]

I let out a cold chuckle and deleted the message. After everything, he still had the audacity to act like this? Did he think I was a threeyearold child? He could take his damn wontons and feed them to Lilly. I sat in the living room, waiting. From night to dawn. From hope to disappointment. But he never came home.

Instead, a message arrived from the private detective. A photograph.

In a dimly lit bar, beneath the flickering neon lights, Lilly clung to Peter like a snake coiling around its prey. He gazed down at her with such tenderness, his eyes overflowing with affection so sickening it could make one gag. What a disgusting display of socalled love.

The next morning, I woke up and methodically packed my belongings. What needed to be taken, I took. What needed to be discarded, I threw away. It was like cleaning up the remnants of a battlefield—leaving nothing behind.

Then, I called him.

The phone rang for a long time before he finally picked up. "Jessie? What’s wrong? Oh, right, Lily got drunk last night. I was worried about her, so I stayed to make sure she was okay. I’ll be home soon—we can have breakfast together, alright?" His voice was hoarse, with a hint of guilt, as if he had any right to feel that way.

I stared down at the divorce papers in my hands and sneered. "Are you her husband or her lover? And where are my wontons? Did you eat them yourself?"

"No, Jessie, please, listen to me. Don’t be mad. It’s not just about you hitting her—she’s been so upset, she begged me to stay with her—"

I hung up before he could finish. Every word out of his mouth was like salt on an open wound.

I picked up my pen and signed the divorce papers in one smooth stroke. The tip of the pen scraped against the paper with a sharp swish—a sound that declared the end of this farcical marriage. Without a single glance back, I took my bags and walked out the door. This time, for good.