My Ex-Wife Is a Superwoman

In 1982, at the Tarrin Food Factory.

As the Spring Festival approached, the young and handsome factory director, Juno Marlow, was holding a general staff meeting.

He cast a cold glance at Sasha, who was standing in front of him with gauze wrapped around her forehead and red medicine staining the wounds on her hands.

His expression grew stern. "I will announce a penalty now."

"Sasha Lenore, a female worker from Workshop Two, was accused of being narrowminded and malicious, deliberately harming the factory director's secretary, Quinn Ledger. After discussion, the factory decided to deduct six months of her salary. She is also ordered to kneel and apologize to Quinn within two weeks. If she refuses, she will be fired without exception. Meeting dismissed!"

The announcement caused an uproar, leaving the workers stunned.

Everyone knew that Juno, the only son of the prominent Marlow Family, graduated from a top university and became the head of a factory with thousands of employees.

This cold and distant man, who seemed indifferent to romance, had fallen in love at first sight with Sasha during a business trip to the north.

Since bringing her back three years ago, he had treated her like a treasure, even building her a private house on the factory grounds.

The gap in their social statuses was significant, so he worked hard to mediate, eventually convincing his family to agree. Once Sasha secured the position of factory director's secretary, they consented to their marriage.

To make this happen, Sasha put in relentless effort, always being the first to start work and the last to leave. She also devised ways to optimize the assembly line, boosting the factory's efficiency.

But just yesterday, as she was about to be officially appointed as the factory director's secretary, Juno's first love, Quinn, returned.

He seemed as if his soul had been taken away. Grabbing the appointment letter, he tore it to pieces and pulled Quinn tightly into his arms.

“Is it really you, my Quinn? Am I dreaming?”

He gently caressed her face, inch by inch, his usually cold eyes filled with overwhelming joy.

“This is wonderful. I no longer have to think of you through a standin. Please, promise me you’ll never leave me again, okay?”

When Quinn nodded, he cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her.

Outside the door, Sasha watched with a heartwrenching pain. Just as they were about to kiss, she ran away, trying to convince herself it wasn’t real.

That day, for the first time, she was distracted at work.

Her palm was slashed by the machine, blood splattering everywhere and exposing a deep wound down to the bone. The pain was so intense that she almost fainted.

She went to the factory’s medical room to have the wound treated, then returned home with a pale face.

But when she arrived, she saw all her belongings carelessly thrown into the muddy yard.

Juno was holding Quinn’s hand, directing workers to rearrange the room according to Quinn’s preferences.

When he turned and saw her, the warmth in his eyes turned cold.

In a formal tone, he said, “This is Quinn, our factory’s new secretary. She’s a talented returnee from abroad and grew up in a wealthy family, so she’s not used to living in the dormitory. It’s against the rules for a worker like you to live here anyway, so move to the dorms.”

Sasha felt a sharp pain in her heart.

This was the place she had lived in for three years. Here, Juno had whispered sweet nothings to her, kissed her over and over and told her he loved her.

Now, with just a single phrase—"against the rules"—she was being cast out.

Sasha opened her mouth to speak but didn’t know what to say. After all, she was just a standin. Now that the real one had returned, what right did she have to continue "taking over someone else’s nest"?

With that thought, Sasha held back her sadness, lowered her head and began packing her belongings.

Quinn crouched down gently beside her and said softly, “Let me help you.”

But as she turned her back to Juno, the kindness on her face vanished.

Leaning close to Sasha’s ear, she mocked in a low voice, “I heard you’re an orphan with no family and no education? No wonder Juno used you as a standin to play with. Now that he’s tired of you, of course, you’re being thrown away like a rag.”

“Our families have been close for generations and Juno and I are meant to be together. Let me show you right now who Juno truly loves!”

With that, Quinn let out a sudden “Ah!” and fell backward.

“Quinn, what’s wrong?”

Juno rushed over and caught her in his arms.

Quinn looked utterly aggrieved.

“I’m fine. She’s probably just upset about moving out and pushed me out of frustration. I understand. You should comfort her instead.”

“I didn’t push her,” Sasha looked at Juno and spoke softly.

Even if he had only seen her as a standin over these three years, they had spent so much time together. He should have known she wasn’t that kind of person and would never stoop to such actions.

But all her certainty turned to dust in an instant when Juno kicked her.

The force of the kick sent her flying, her head slamming into the wall. Blood poured from the wound, staining her face.

Her hands were scraped raw against the rough ground and her already injured right hand was torn open, blood and flesh mixed. Cold sweat immediately drenched her body.

"Your hand is hurt?"

Juno finally noticed something was wrong, a trace of concern flashing in his eyes.

But he was quickly stopped by Quinn.

"Juno, don't blame her. This afternoon, when you were hugging me in your office, she was secretly watching from outside. That’s why she put so much red medicine on her hand, trying to get your attention. She just cares about you too much."

So the bright red on Sasha's hand wasn’t blood, but red medicine?

The concern in Juno’s eyes turned to disgust.

“Why couldn’t you just ask me directly? Why resort to such tricks? it's really not decent! Hurry up and take your things and move to the dormitory. That’s where someone like you belongs!”

Seeing his favoritism and indifference, Sasha swallowed all the words she wanted to say.

“Forget it, just leave it,” she said.

Three years ago, when she was working in her family’s factory, Juno came to inspect the workshop. At first sight, he fell for her and she had quietly fallen for him too.

For this love, she had been willing to cut ties with her family, give up her life as a wealthy young lady and travel far for the man she loved.

She never expected that in the end, she would become just a standin.

Now, she didn’t want anything anymore—not this place, not this man.

Once her thoughts settled, Sasha went to a phone booth, her voice choking as she dialed a number she knew by heart.

“Mom, Dad, I miss home. I’m willing to return and marry the son of the Maddox Family.”

On the other end, her parents sounded even more excited than she was. “Sasha, darling, we’ve been waiting for this day for three years. The door is always open for you.”

"What marriage?" Juno suddenly appeared behind her, grabbing her wrist tightly. "Sasha, didn’t you say you’d only marry me? You want to go to a workers' social? I won’t allow it!"

His anger was mixed with a touch of dominance.

It turned out he had misunderstood the word "marriage" as "social."

Sasha was relieved. She didn’t know how to explain, but she couldn't help but feel a bit amused.

Now that his real lover had returned, whether she attended a social event or married someone, what did it have to do with him?

"The situation isn't what you think."

Seeing her slightly melancholic expression, Juno frowned and tried to explain. "There can be two secretaries. If you kneel and apologize to Quinn, you’ll still have a chance to be secretary. As for our marriage, that’s still on the table."

Sasha stared at him in surprise. At a time like this, he was still trying to play both sides?

"What if I don’t apologize?"

"Then you’ll be fired and there will be no chance to be with me. Are you willing to let go?"

Juno knew Sasha too well. She loved him deeply, so she would never want to leave him. He was sure she would give in.

To his surprise, Sasha simply said, “I’m willing.”

The eyes that used to look at him with so much love became calm and indifferent.

Juno froze, an unfamiliar sense of unease creeping in. "Sasha, listen to me..."

He impulsively wanted to explain himself, but before he could, someone wrapped her arm around his.

It was Quinn. She looked at Sasha with a sigh of admiration and said, "You really know how to handle men. This ‘play hard to get’ move was done perfectly!! Unlike me, I’m so silly. I've only ever liked Juno and for him, I was willing to give up a good life abroad and come back to find him."

So she was just playing hard to get?

Juno's gaze grew colder with each passing moment. In a fit of anger, he shoved Sasha away.

She was caught off guard and fell backward, her head crashing into the window. The glass shattered and blood started to seep from the bandage on her forehead.

Her hand was also cut again, with bright red blood staining her pale skin. It was a painful and shocking sight.

Juno’s eyes flickered with regret and he instinctively moved to help her, but before he could, Quinn let out a sharp gasp.

"Juno, you didn’t even use much force, how did she end up like this? First, she’s playing hard to get and now it's a pity act. Are all the girls in this country so clever? How is it that after just three years abroad, I can’t figure them out anymore?"

Sasha forced a bitter smile. After yesterday's injury, she felt so weak that it only took a small push for her to fall.

But unfortunately, the man who once cherished her, now easily believed Quinn's words and only saw her with disgust in his eyes.

"Always pretending, huh? You’re so good at this. It’s just a little blood and I’m sure you’ll heal on your own!"

Quinn chuckled lightly. "Juno, let’s go. Let’s head to my little house, roast some oranges, drink tea and read books. Remember, no other business during the day."

Upon hearing her suggestive words, Sasha finally noticed that under her coat, Quinn was wearing a lownecked sweater, revealing an ambiguous mark.

Sasha's heart ached painfully.

She had been with Juno for three years and they had only hugged and kissed, never going further.

She had thought it was out of respect for her, but now she realized that his uncontrollable feelings were only for the one he truly loved. And she was not worthy.

Juno and Quinn had already walked far away. But those little red marks seemed like a beast with a gaping bloody mouth, biting Sasha's heart into a bloody mess.

When she arrived at the factory's medical room, the doctor was shocked. "The wound just started to scab, how did it get worse again? Do you still want to celebrate the New Year?"

New Year?

Sasha's heart stung with sadness.

For Juno, she hadn't returned home for three years. She missed home. She desperately wanted to go home for the New Year.

The factory was decorated with lamps and festivity, making it a joyful scene. Yet Sasha, covered in scars, went to the workshop supervisor to apply for resignation and request a referral letter.

Nowadays, individuals without identification documents needed a referral letter to leave the province.

The workshop supervisor, who had witnessed her relationship with Juno from the beginning, agreed with regret.

"It's close to the New Year now, even with a referral letter, the earliest you can leave is the tenth day of the new year."

"Then let's make it the tenth day. Thank you, Sir."

That day was exactly fifteen days later. It was the day she was supposed to be dismissed.

The workshop supervisor gave her the referral letter and said, "Just get the factory manager's stamp and it will be effective."

Needing Juno's approval? Sasha was immediately troubled.

"Anyway, you have to submit the workshop report, why don’t you just include it with the report and see if it works?” the workshop supervisor suggested after noticing her difficulty.

Sasha expressed her gratitude.

The door of the factory office was open.

Juno was sitting in the director's chair and Quinn, who was supposed to be in the secretary's office outside, was hugging him from behind, looking extremely intimate.

"Is there something you need?"

The moment Juno saw Sasha, he let go of Quinn, a barely noticeable hint of anticipation in his eyes.

"This is the annual report for our workshop. It needs to be stamped," Sasha said, pretending to stay calm.

"You came to find me just for this trivial matter?" Juno's expression darkened for some reason as he tossed the report onto the desk.

The referral letter fluttered out, with Sasha's name clearly written on it.

"Do you want to go back to Coldbourne?" Juno's heart sank in a sudden panic.

Even Quinn held her breath.

Years ago, Juno had begged her, tearfully, not to go abroad, but she hadn't shown any sympathy.

However, life overseas wasn't as perfect as she'd imagined. The Ledger Family was schemed against and soon, they went bankrupt.

She was no longer the young lady of the Ledger Family. Instead, she had become the target of dangerous people, forcing her to flee back to the country.

Fortunately, Juno hadn't forgotten about her. He even found a substitute to ease his longing for her.

When Quinn saw how much Sasha resembled her, she couldn't hide her delight.

She not only wanted to marry Juno and live a privileged life again, but also planned to use Sasha as a scapegoat to settle her old scores.

Now that the "scapegoat" wanted to leave, she was more anxious than even Juno.

Quinn smiled, covering her lips and said, "Juno, is it because you've been too kind to her? She must think you're a fool, using the same trick of 'playing hard to get' twice?"

Juno immediately calmed down.

He tore the referral letter into pieces and threw it hard at Sasha's face.

"In Coldbourne, you're just a lowly worker without parents. You finally managed to cling to me and you would be willing to leave? Even acting has its limits. Be careful, or you'll end up with nothing!"

The sharp fragments of paper left marks on Sasha's face. Blood droplets oozed out and seeing the numerous scars on her trembling hands, Juno realized that she had suffered so much in just two days.

Feeling a pang of guilt, he compromised, "Fine, after work on New Year's Eve, wait for me at the factory gate."

Quinn tried to stop him, "Juno..."

""There's no need to say more, I know what I'm doing."

Seeing his determination, Quinn had no choice but to fall silent, showing a gentle smile. "Alright, I'll listen to you."

However, the malicious look in her eyes sent a chill down Sasha’s spine.

Sasha only wanted to return home safely, without getting involved in this rivalry. So, after finishing work on New Year's Eve, she went straight to the dormitory.

Everyone else had gone home for the holidays, leaving the dormitory unusually quiet and empty.

As Sasha was about to go get hot water, she suddenly saw Juno storming in, his face full of anger. "Didn't I tell you to wait for me at the gate?"

"I have something to do."

"What could you possibly have to do? Don’t you want to meet my parents? I’ll take you back to meet them."

Sasha was stunned for a moment. In the past, she had wanted to meet Juno's parents, hoping for their approval and acceptance. After three years, Juno had never agreed.

Now, when she had given up, he was suddenly willing. Unfortunately, it was too late.

Sasha straightforwardly said, "I don't want to meet them anymore."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Juno angrily picked her up and slapped her. "Behave yourself!"

Sasha felt a surge of shame in her heart but couldn’t break free. Fortunately, it was New Year's Eve and there were hardly any people in the factory.

She was shoved into the back seat of Juno’s Mercedes.

Just as she settled in, Quinn’s voice came from the front passenger seat.

"Juno, in the years I’ve been away, no one else has taken this seat, right?"

"Of course not."

Sasha finally understood why Juno never let her sit in the front seat during their drives. He said it might make her carsick, but it was just an excuse. That seat was reserved for Quinn.

The truth hurt, but Sasha didn’t feel as sad as she thought she would.

She couldn’t figure it out. Was Juno crazy? How could he bring both of them home at the same time?

The Marlow Family was hosting a New Year’s Eve party tonight.

Servants were busy decorating the villa with bright and festive ornaments.

In the grand banquet hall, drinks and delicacies were prepared in a buffet style.

So, this was the Marlow Family.

In the past, Juno often boasted about how grand and impressive his family was. However, when Sasha saw it for herself, she realized it was nothing special.

It was far inferior compared to her own family.

Previously, Sasha had considered revealing her own background. If she did, her marriage with Juno would undoubtedly proceed smoothly.

But she felt that earning the acceptance of the Marlow Family through her own efforts would make her worthy of this pure love.

Unfortunately, this relationship was flawed from the very beginning.

Quinn took off her woolen coat, revealing the luxurious gown underneath.

Arm in arm with Juno, who was dressed in a suit, Quinn looked like the perfect match with him.

She cast a mocking glance at Sasha, who was wearing a white work uniform with sleeve covers and tossed a formal evening dress into her arms. "Put this on. In a family of our status, even the servant needs to look presentable."

Sasha froze for a moment before understanding.

"Juno, when you said you were bringing me home, did you mean to make me a servant?"

"What? You’ve been insisting on meeting my parents, but who do you think you are? Do you think you can meet them openly like someone like Quinn, a wealthy heiress? By being a servant here, you’ll get to see them when they arrive. Isn’t that enough for you?"

Sasha couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Was her wish to meet them only meant in the most literal sense?

She couldn’t tell if Juno was pretending not to understand her feelings or if he simply didn’t care.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

Sasha turned to leave, but Juno grabbed her arm.

"Change into it! My patience has its limits. If you keep acting this way, I have plenty of ways to deal with you!"

Sasha stayed silent for a moment. She knew she was far from home, without any support and had no choice but to comply.

After changing into the outfit, she looked at herself in the mirror, holding a tray and couldn’t help but feel a wave of sorrow.

It was her own recklessness that had led her here. She had left behind her loving parents, who had always doted on her, only to trap herself in this humiliating situation.

It was her own doing, after all.

Fortunately, this would all be over soon.

Not far away, a crowd had gathered around Quinn, who was beaming with joy as she showed off a ring on her hand.

"I just casually mentioned 'a diamond lasts forever’ and Juno bought me such a big diamond ring!"

The diamond sparkled brilliantly under the light, piercing Sasha’s heart.

After being with Quinn, Juno had showered her with sweet words and tirelessly held and kissed her every day, yet he had hardly ever given her any gifts.

There was only one time. After she spent two years' worth of savings to buy him a pair of cufflinks, he was moved and gave her a small silver ring in return.

"Gifts aren’t about their value but the thought behind them. Besides, there are too many people around at the factory; there’s no need to wear anything fancy. The thought is what counts," Juno had said at the time.

Sasha had seen countless treasures growing up, but that light, inexpensive silver ring was her favorite gift she had ever received—simply because it was from Juno.

But now, Juno was dotingly telling Quinn, “So what if it’s expensive? Just wear it without worry. I’ll keep you safe. Quinn, you deserve the best!”

Sasha bit her lip, a sharp pain piercing her heart.

Her parents used to say, “Love follows where the money goes,” and she had dismissed it as shallow. Now, she finally understood. Juno thought the same.

He didn’t love her. That’s why he believed she wasn’t worthy of nice things and gave all the best to Quinn.

Sasha didn’t want to watch any longer. She turned to leave, only to see a man holding a glass of wine stumbling toward her.

Even though she had dodged in time, the man seemed to do it on purpose, spilling a full glass of red wine onto her chest.

The fabric of her dress was very thin and when it got wet, it clung to her body, revealing her curves and faintly showing some skin.

Sasha only staggered back a little, not making a big movement, but the hem of the dress she was wearing suddenly split open.

Her white thighs, along with her underwear, were exposed.

Sasha tried to cover herself with her hands, but if she covered her chest, she couldn't cover her lower body, making her extremely embarrassed.

Not far away, the man was exchanging malicious glances with Quinn.

Sasha immediately understood. The dress had been tampered with and the man had colluded with Quinn.

Their plan was clear. They wanted to humiliate her in front of everyone.

“How did you end up like this?”

Seeing the commotion, Juno strode over, quickly taking off his suit jacket without hesitation.

In her helpless panic, Sasha blurted out, “There’s something wrong with the dress and that man…”

However, the chatter of the wealthy ladies behind her cut off Sasha’s words.

“This waitress sure has some nerve. She deliberately made the dress tear to draw attention to herself.”

“Exactly! And she purposely bumped into that man, showing off her figure while pretending to be pitiful. No wonder Mr. Marlow felt sorry for her.”

“Quinn, you’re engaged to Mr. Marlow. Are you just going to let this woman seduce him like that?”

Quinn, feigning grievance but appearing magnanimous, spoke softly, “It’s fine. I saw what happened too, but Juno is my everything. Whoever he chooses to care about or whatever he decides to do, I won’t object.”

Juno felt a buzzing in his head. It turned out that Sasha was shameless. She tried to twist the truth and falsely accuse Quinn.

One used underhanded tricks, while the other was so understanding.

The balance in Juno’s heart completely tipped. He pulled back his jacket and, with his other hand, shoved Sasha forcefully to the ground.

“On a day meant for family celebration, you just have to use such disgraceful tricks to get my attention? Can’t you learn from Quinn?” he scolded harshly, towering over her.

“Forget it. Quinn is a wealthy heiress. Her manners and grace aren’t something an orphan like you, who was raised without proper guidance, could ever match!”

Sasha’s injured palm scraped against the ground, reopening the wounds and sending sharp, searing pain through her hand.

But what hurt her more was her heart.

After three years of companionship, all she earned was such cruel words from Juno.

Even though she had already decided to leave, the pain in her chest was unbearable.

“What’s with that look?”

Seeing her tears welling up, Juno’s tone softened.

“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t even bother. I only say this because I care about you. Isn’t that enough for you?”

Sasha smiled bitterly. So, was stabbing someone in the heart what he called "caring"?

She would rather not have such care.

She didn't want to show her weakness, but tears still flowed uncontrollably.

"What are you crying for on New Year's? So unlucky," Quinn frowned and muttered.

Juno’s expression darkened even more. "Who are you trying to curse? Stop making a fool of yourself here!"

Quinn quickly called over a bodyguard. "Get this woman out of here!"

Juno opened his mouth as if to stop it, but seeing Sasha’s defiant expression, he swallowed his words.

She was so out of control, so she needed to face some consequences and learn a lesson.

Sasha was tossed out by the bodyguards.

The room had the heater on, but outside was freezing cold. She only had a wet and drafty dress on, making her shiver so hard that her teeth chattered.

She hugged herself tightly and ran outside.

Suddenly, a firework exploded in the sky, dazzlingly beautiful.

Sasha couldn’t help but look back, only to see Juno and Quinn cuddling on the villa’s terrace under the fireworks.

They both looked up at the sky and Quinn smiled so happily.

Sasha vaguely remembered the past three years when Juno would always take her to watch fireworks.

He gently said, "You love fireworks the most, so every year, I’ll be with you to watch them."

Sasha was surprised at the time. She had never said she liked fireworks, yet he knew.

She had thought it was a shared understanding, but it turned out that it was actually Quinn who loved them.

The biting cold wind pierced through her body, creeping deep into her heart.

The fireworks this year were so beautiful, yet Sasha suddenly found she didn’t like them anymore.

She would never love either fireworks and this man again.

When Sasha walked back to the factory, the clock struck twelve.

The new year had arrived.

At a time meant for family reunion and celebration, she was alone in her dorm, hugging herself and crying in frustration.

She felt so lonely and homesick.

After changing into some clothes, Sasha lay down, but the cold had already gotten to her and she came down with a fever.

She had hoped to rest and recover on the first day of the new year, but early in the morning, as she slept deeply, the blanket was suddenly ripped away and a biting chill rushed in.

Sasha struggled to open her heavy eyelids, only to see Juno's dark face staring down at her.

“Quinn said you’re pretending to be sick. I didn’t believe it at first, but now I see it’s true! Even though it's a holiday, the construction can’t stop. I already told you about the shift schedule. You’re skipping work!”

Sasha felt a chill all over her body and she weakly spoke, "What shift schedule?"

Seeing her clueless expression, Juno glanced at Quinn.

Quinn’s eyes instantly reddened. "Sasha, even if you have a problem with me, you can't twist the facts! I clearly confirmed with you. You have no family here, so I asked you to work during the holiday. You'll get overtime pay for it."

Sasha realized she had been set up once again, but her dizziness left her with no strength to argue.

"I’m really sick... I can’t work. I’m just so tired..."

Unable to hold on any longer, she lay back down.

Juno hesitated for only a second before the anger in his eyes flared, fueled by memories of her past actions.

He grabbed the nearby thermos and poured the water over her.

"Still refusing to learn? Addicted to lying, huh? Does this wake you up?"

Caught off guard, Sasha couldn't dodge in time. Her upper body was completely soaked and the bed was drenched as well.

Thankfully, she hadn’t gone to fetch hot water yesterday after being dragged away by Juno. The water in the thermos was now lukewarm, not scalding.

Otherwise, she would have been burned.

Sasha felt both relieved and deeply saddened.

Was it because he didn’t love her? Was it because she was just a standin? Did that give him the right to treat her so cruelly, with no regard for her wellbeing?

But Juno was the factory manager, holding all the power here. She knew that resisting further would only provoke him to greater extremes.

Left with no choice, she forced herself to head to the workshop despite her fever and weakness.

The workshop supervisor felt both distressed and angry seeing Sasha so ill yet still reporting for work.

"How did Mr. Marlow become like this?" she muttered in frustration.

She handed Sasha some fever medicine and let her rest in the workshop for the morning.

"That’s enough. I’ll take responsibility. You’ve done your shift. Go back and rest now," the supervisor said firmly.

With a pale face, Sasha softly murmured, "Thank you.”

Then she slowly made her way back to the dormitory.

As Sasha passed by the scenic lake, she was stopped by Quinn.

"Yesterday, Juno gave me a diamond ring. You must have seen it. Now, look at the ring he gave you—it’s pathetic!"

Sasha found it hard to understand Quinn’s spiteful tone. In just a few days, she had fully realized that she meant nothing to Juno.

Why did Quinn have to treat her like a thorn in her side despite knowing she was just a standin?

"I’ll step back. I won’t bother you anymore," Sasha said quietly.

But Quinn snorted coldly. "Then throw that ring away. Throw it into the lake. You don’t deserve to wear something Juno gave you."

Sasha lowered her head and took off the ring. Once something she treasured dearly, never wanting to part with it, she now tossed it into the lake without hesitation.

She thought this would finally put Quinn’s mind at ease, but to her surprise, Quinn, with a sobbing tone, cried out.

"Why did you throw away my diamond ring?"

Quinn rushed into Juno’s arms, crying uncontrollably.

"That was a gift from Juno! No matter how jealous you are, you can’t just throw it away! You’re trying to take my life! No, I’m going to get the ring back!"

Juno steadied Quinn and turned to Sasha, asking coldly, “Did you throw the ring away?”

His tone was harsh, but beneath the coldness, there was a hint of hidden satisfaction.

He was pleased that no matter how cruelly he treated her, Sasha still loved him so much and felt jealous over him.

Sasha wanted to deny it, but knowing no one would believe her, she simply pressed her lips together tightly.

The smile in Juno’s eyes widened.

“If you really like it…”

He paused, waiting for Sasha to give in.

As long as she promised not to be so arrogant in the future and apologized sincerely to Quinn, he would buy her one too.

He could even buy something bigger and better.

But under his burning gaze, Sasha simply replied in a soft voice, "I don't like it."

If she loved someone, even the simplest silver ring would be a treasure to her. But if she didn't love him anymore, even if he gave her the stars and the moon, she wouldn't want them.

Seeing her refusal to take the opportunity, Juno’s eyes turned icy cold.

“Ungrateful! Since that’s the case, you should pay the price for your jealousy!”

Juno pushed Sasha with both hands and she fell into the lake.

"Don't come up until you find the ring!"

The lake was only a meter deep, but Sasha was so weak. The biting cold water soaked through her clothes, flooding her body through the collar.

In an instant, her limbs stiffened from the cold. She struggled desperately, choking on large mouthfuls of water, suffocating in pain.

The feeling of nearing death overwhelmed her and her vision faded into darkness.

When Sasha woke up, Juno let out a sigh of relief, but his face quickly hardened again.

"I told you I'd explain, so why did you keep provoking her? What is your status, trying to challenge a young lady from a wealthy family? You're simply out of your league!"

"Go kneel and apologize to her properly, do you hear me? She’s so kind, she’ll definitely forgive you."

Sasha was deeply saddened, but no tears came. She softly asked one last time, "If I say I didn’t do anything, would you still want me to apologize?"

"Unbelievable! I'm warning you, you have only seven days left. If you don't admit your mistake, I will definitely fire you and there will be no chance for us anymore! I will leave you completely."

Juno left in a huff.

In his view, this was a significant threat, enough to force Sasha to comply.

But he didn't know that Sasha now dreamed of leaving him.

So, the referral letter had to be stamped.

Sasha hesitated for a long time before deciding to take a gamble.

She waited until Juno had left the office, then knocked on the door of the factory office.

"Miss Ledger, if you help me with the stamp, I will leave in seven days and never interfere with you again."

She handed the newly prepared referral letter to Quinn.

Quinn only found it amusing, thinking, ‘Leave on the tenth day? No, Sasha, you won’t make it to that day.’

After a moment of thought, she decided to agree. "I’ll stamp it, but you’ll need to help me put on a show."

Sasha smiled bitterly in agreement. Hadn't she already been forced to play roles for so many days?

Seeing her compliance, Quinn smiled with satisfaction.

Following Quinn's instructions, Sasha wrote a note to Juno, inviting him to the factory's guesthouse.

She found it strange. Juno had never been interested in her before and now that Quinn, the main person, was back, how could he possibly accept the invitation?

But to her surprise, he actually came.

"You have no other choice but to use this to seduce me, right? You are really good at it,” Juno said with disdain, but there was a joyful glint in his eyes

"Then I will reluctantly agree."

He pulled Sasha into his arms, one hand mischievously slipping into her clothes, trying to unbutton them.

Sasha's body stiffened and she forced a smile. "You should blindfold your eyes first."

"You really know how to play with moods!"

Juno became surprisingly cooperative, like a tiger turned into a big cat, allowing Sasha to tie the cloth around his eyes and then lying down on the bed.

Seeing this, Sasha immediately tiptoed to open the door and swapped Quinn, who had been waiting outside, into the room.

She didn't understand why this unnecessary step was needed.

Maybe it was for the ambiance.

Hearing the ambiguous sounds of the man she once deeply loved with another woman just a wall away, Sasha felt a mix of emotions in her heart. Just as she was about to leave, Juno's voice questioning her came from inside.

"Why are you here?"

He opened the door and the anger in his eyes seemed as if it would devour Sasha.

"Good. Very good!"

He looked so angry, so disappointed, as if he had loved her. But Sasha knew that was impossible. If he truly loved her, how could he repeatedly hurt her so deeply?

Juno stormed off in anger and Quinn hurriedly chased after him.

As for Sasha, she had completed the task Quinn had assigned to her. In seven days, she would be able to leave.

After that, everything became calm.

Sasha's fever had subsided and she spent her days working and returning to the dormitory in a steady routine.

The New Year wasn't over yet. The colorful lamps and Spring Festival couplets were hanging everywhere. Workers gradually returned and the factory became increasingly lively.

Soon, it was the ninth day of the New Year.

Sasha touched the referral letter in her pocket. Tomorrow, she could finally go home.

But after work, Quinn stopped her.

"Come to the office. These files need to be sorted."

Sasha didn’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble, so she worked overtime. By the time she finished organizing everything, it was past nine o'clock.

Quinn then said, "Go to the shop across the factory and buy me a bottle of orange soda.”

Compared to previous difficulties, running an errand like this was nothing.

Sasha had just exited the factory gates when she heard someone calling Quinn's name. Without turning around, she crossed the street, but to her surprise, the man grabbed her.

"Quinn, why didn’t you respond when I called you?"

Sasha turned her head, her eyes wide with surprise.

It was the man who had intentionally spilled wine on her chest that day.

The man simply murmured, "Oh, I called the wrong person.” And then he walked away.

A sense of unease crept over Sasha and her instincts told her something was off. She immediately turned around, intending to return to the factory.

But suddenly, someone covered her mouth from behind and shoved her into a sack.

"I've been waiting for days. This woman has been with that factory director all this time. Today, I finally found the chance to make a move!"

"How did she end up alone and why is she wearing worker's clothes?"

"Who cares? Maybe she wants to slip under the radar, but someone called her name. It can’t be wrong!"

Sasha realized with a shock that she had once again fallen into a carefully laid trap.

With a blow to her head, she lost consciousness.

Hidden inside the factory, Quinn watched the scene and laughed in delight.

With it being so dark and someone else helping out, her enemy had clearly made a mistake.

The thought that Sasha would die for her meant that no one could steal Juno’s heart from her in the future. Quinn couldn’t suppress her joy and happily went to Juno’s house.

When she arrived, Juno was on the phone.

"Your beloved has been kidnapped by me!"

Hearing the distorted voice on the other end, Juno’s pupils shrank sharply and his voice trembled slightly. "Who?"

"The woman with the last name Ledger!"

The kidnapper’s menacing voice demanded that Juno prepare one hundred thousand to be placed at a specified location.

He threatened that once the money was handed over, the hostage would be released; otherwise, they would carry out the execution.

In these times, millionaires were rare and ten thousand dollars could last an ordinary person a lifetime. However, for the Marlow Family, it was not a big deal.

But as soon as Juno looked up, he saw Quinn entering the room.

It turned out to be just a prank.

"Then go ahead and execute the threat," Juno coldly hung up the phone.

Hearing the dial tone, the kidnapper became so enraged that his face twisted in fury. He kicked Sasha hard in the stomach.

“You useless little slut, aren't you good at flirting? Why won't that man even spend ten thousand dollars on you?"

He continued, "Then I’ll just play with you first to vent my anger!"

Feeling her clothes torn apart violently, Sasha was terrified to the extreme. She struggled desperately, but could not break free.

Even though she tried to scream for help, the cloth stuffed in her mouth only allowed pitiful sobbing sounds.

As the kidnapper was about to succeed, despairful tears flowed from the corner of Sasha’s eyes.

"Wait, I just received news that the bitch with the surname Ledger has a filthy disease!"

The weight pressing down on Sasha lightened, but the original malicious intent turned into vengeful punches and kicks, all landing on her. The excruciating pain immediately spread throughout her body.

In the Marlow Family house, Juno's heart beat violently for no reason and an unreasonable feeling of panic made him at a loss.

He made a call to the factory’s duty room to ask if Sasha was in the dormitory.

He quickly got the news.

She wasn’t there and there was no sign of her anywhere.

A sudden guess popped into his mind and just then the phone rang again.

This time, Juno agreed to the kidnapper’s demands without hesitation.

He called the police, quickly prepared the money in cash and went to the agreed location alone.

After placing the suitcase down, he pretended to leave and hid with the police in the shadows.

Soon, the kidnapper brought a woman over.

When he saw the entire suitcase of cash, the kidnapper’s eyes filled with greedy light.

“You bitch, you finally paid back what you owe us, with interest! Looks like that guy cares about you a lot, so let him come here and collect your body.”