My Husband Adopted a Blood Donor, Their Lusts Matched

It all started when I threw away a strawberry cake while cleaning the fridge. That cake belonged to Charlee Zender—the orphan young woman Cortey McEnroe, my husband, had adopted.

Because of it, he deliberately hid her away at the very moment my mother was in a car accident and desperately needed a blood transfusion.

No matter how many times I knelt to beg him, he remained indifferent.

In the end, Mom wasn’t saved in time. She died.

I was drowning in grief. And yet, on my way to collect her death certificate, I caught sight of Charlee and her supposedly foster father entangled together in the stairwell.

Her cheeks were flushed pink as she leaned against his chest, her voice sweet.

“Daddy, I heard Grandma's car accident was really serious today. We disappeared on purpose like this... It won’t cause any trouble, will it?”

“I arranged the very best doctors for her,” Cortey reassured her. “She won’t die.”

He pinched her nose to comfort her—something he used to do only to me.

“If anyone’s to blame, it’s Sevlene for being petty enough to throw out your favorite cake. Consider this her punishment. No matter what, you’re my daughter. Of course, I’ll protect you.”

But he forgot—highfat food wasn’t allowed before a blood transfusion.

He also forgot—the only reason he adopted that young woman in the first place was so his sick motherinlaw could have regular blood transfusions.

After I discovered their affair, the blood in my body seemed to freeze. My nails dug deep into my palms.

Since his heart had already gone astray, I decided to give them what they wanted.

But not before making them pay for my mother’s death!

…

Sevlene’s POV

“Mom, Cortey is in love with someone else now. Please help me persuade him to divorce.”

I stood at the end of the hallway, my throat hoarse.

“Weren’t you the one insisting your love was so true you couldn’t let go?”

On the other end of the call came a cold and disdainful laugh.

“You and my son were never from the same world. You should’ve realized that five years ago. But no—you had to wait until your mother died before regretting it. Serves you right.

“I’ll send someone with the divorce papers. Just sign them. Once the onemonth coolingoff period is over, don’t ever appear in front of my son again.”

Ten minutes later, the divorce agreement was in my hands.

The moment I signed my name, it felt like a crushing weight had finally lifted off my shoulders.

When I returned to the ward, all the machines had been removed from my mother’s bedside. She lay there quietly, as though she were only asleep.

I held her wrinkled hand. My tears fell onto the bedsheet.

“Mom… I’m sorry. I failed you.”

Five years ago, Cortey was the famously aloof heir of the McEnroes, almost thirty and never once entangled with women. His indifference made his family worried sick.

No one expected that he would fall head over heels for me—a girl born in the slums, working in a bar just to survive—and pursue me with relentless fervor.

To make sure I ate breakfast on time, a man whose fingers had never touched household chores made me breakfast every single morning without fail.

When a drunk customer once made a dirty joke at me, Cortey beat him straight into the hospital and erased his entire family’s presence from the city.

To protect me, he married me against his family’s objections and declared it to the entire world.

Then, a year ago, my mother was diagnosed with a rare illness that required ongoing blood transfusions.

Cortey scoured all his connections until he found someone with the same rare Rhnegative blood type—Charlee.

She was an orphan, penniless, so Cortey adopted her with a tenmilliondollar exchange, ensuring a steady supply of blood for my mother.

At first, aside from necessary conversations during transfusions, Cortey always treated her like she was invisible.

But at some point, things began to change.

He started going into her room every night to tuck her in, kissing her forehead gently like a doting father.

When she was bullied at school, he abandoned multimilliondollar deals just to defend her.

He remembered her birthday but forgot our wedding anniversary.

I loved him too much, so I refused to admit our marriage was crumbling.

But my mother’s death forced me to face the truth.

Cortey had fallen in love—with his socalled daughter.

For seven whole days, he never once visited my mother and never even called.

I had her cremated all alone. And then, I held the funeral by myself.

The guests, seeing me alone, couldn’t help but wonder where my husband was—how could he not be by my side at such an important moment?

All I could do was awkwardly say he was busy.

Well, he was busy traveling everywhere with Charlee.

She updated her Facebook every day.

He took her to the restaurant where we had our first date.

He watched my favorite romance movie—with her.

He even brought her to see the northern lights I had always dreamed of but never managed to witness.

Just ten minutes ago, she posted again.

Her right hand was wrapped thickly in gauze, held carefully in a familiar large hand.

I instantly recognized it as Cortey’s. On his wrist gleamed the very watch I had given him on our wedding day.

The post came with a caption.

[Daddy says my blood is precious. Just one needle prick and he’s wrapping my hand so tightly.]

Cortey left a comment.

[Your blood is your grandma’s lifesaving medicine. Of course, I have to protect it.]

Oh, look, who still remembered my mother.

But he didn’t know—Mom had already been dead for seven days.

I glanced at the urn in my arms, and then I typed a cold reply.

[My mom has no granddaughter like her, and she doesn’t need her blood anymore.]

Almost instantly, my phone rang. It was Cortey.

“What nonsense are you spouting in Charlee’s post? So she missed one transfusion—was it really worth making a scene? If you hadn’t thrown away her cake, would I have treated you like this?

“Your mother’s life depends on her. And don’t forget, Charlee’s my daughter. You should respect her. She’s not just some blood bank you can control at will.”

A bitter laugh escaped me.

“Your daughter? That’s funny. I’ve never seen a father kiss his daughter the way you do.”

The next second, I hung up without another word.

What I didn’t expect was to see him at home when I returned.

Charlee sat beside him, her cheeks flushed, her complexion healthier than a week ago.

When Cortey saw the urn in my hands, his brows knitted together.

“What’s that?”

“My mother’s ashes,” I answered flatly.

The moment those words came out, the air froze.

At once, Charlee burst into tears, choking out, “Mommy, I know you’re mad at me, but skipping just one transfusion wouldn’t have killed Grandma. You didn’t need to scare me with an urn!

“I was wrong, I won’t throw tantrums or hide again. Please don’t be mad at me anymore. Don’t scare me with things like this again…”

I frowned. “Don’t call me Mommy. It makes me sick.”

Cortey looked stunned at first until he glared and scolded me.

“Sevlene, have you lost your mind? To scare Charlee, you’d even curse your own mother? How could I never have seen how vicious you truly are?”

Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion hit me. I couldn’t even be bothered to explain. Holding the urn, I made my way upstairs.

But Charlee’s pitiful voice rang out behind me.

“Daddy, Mrs. McEnroe knew today was the anniversary of my adoption, yet she deliberately brought an urn into the house. Isn’t that basically a curse, wishing me a life of bad luck?

“I’ve always known she doesn’t like me, Daddy. After all, I was only brought here to be a blood bank. It’s my fault. I don’t deserve to keep my dignity. I’ll go right now and give Grandma my blood—every last drop of it if that’s what it takes.”

Tears streamed down her face as she made to rush out.

Cortey yanked her back and held her tightly. His voice shook with urgency.

“You’re not a blood bank, Charlee. You’re my precious daughter. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

The next thing I knew, he stormed toward me, ripped the urn from my arms, and hurled it into the trash outside.

“Sevlene, stop pushing things too far. Charlee is pure and kind. She can’t withstand your torment.”

The urn… My mother’s urn shattered, her ashes scattering across the ground.

My breath caught. My vision burned red as I dropped to my knees, digging through the filth to gather what was left of my mother.

Cortey froze for a moment, surprise flickering in his eyes. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but his socalled daughter suddenly fainted.

Panic surged across his face. He scooped her into his arms and shot me a look of threat.

“Look at what you’ve done. You frightened her to the point of collapse. If something happens to her, who’s going to donate blood for your mother?”

With that, he carried her bridalstyle and left without looking back.

Meanwhile, I cradled the last remains of my mother in trembling hands. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Cortey’s car drive away.

‘Cortey!’ I screamed inside my head. ‘My mom no longer needs blood because… because she’s already gone!’

Sevlene’s POV

That night, Cortey didn’t return to the villa.

I sat in front of my mother’s urn, staring at it through the long hours of the night, unable to close my eyes even once.

The next morning, I went straight to the company and handed in my resignation.

My manager looked at me in surprise.

“Why so sudden? You used to love this job more than anything. If it weren’t for your mother’s car accident, you never even took time off.”

The mention of my mother made my nose sting. My throat was dry and hoarse when I answered.

“My mom… has passed away.”

The manager froze for a moment, then sighed softly, offering words of comfort.

When my colleagues heard I was leaving, they all came over to send me off. That was when someone suddenly rushed in with a grin.

“Sevlene, your husband’s here to pick you up.”

The moment the words landed, a chorus of teasing rose around me.

“So that’s why Sevlene suddenly quit while she was doing so well—she’s going home to be a fulltime wife?”

“With a husband that rich, handsome, and faithful, being his fulltime wife doesn’t sound bad at all. Honestly, I’m kind of jealous.”

Their laughter and envy filled the air, but I couldn’t force even a smile.

They thought my marriage was happy and perfect. Only I knew it was already broken, riddled with cracks too deep to fix.

Hugging a cardboard box of my stuff, I walked to the familiar Maybach parked outside.

Just as I reached to open the passenger door, the tinted window rolled down. My gaze fell directly on Charlee—her body bent low over Cortey’s lap, her chest pressing tightly against him as she rummaged for something.

Cortey’s breathing was heavy, his Adam’s apple bobbing hard. The moment he noticed me, his face stiffened. He hurriedly pushed his socalled daughter aside.

“SSevlene. Charlee dropped a hair clip in the car. She was just looking for it.”

Charlee’s cheeks flushed crimson. Her voice trembled, dripping with feigned embarrassment.

“Mrs. McEnroe, I…”

“There’s no need to explain. I won’t misunderstand.” I cut her off coldly, unwilling to watch their stupid performance.

Cortey’s expression shifted. His eyes flicked to the box in my arms, a flicker of something strange crossing them.

“You resigned?”

“Mm. I don’t want to work anymore.” I didn’t bother with more explanation and steered the conversation away. “So, what did you come for?”

“My mother’s birthday is in a few days,” he said, a faint trace of expectation in his tone. “She told me herself to bring you along. She’s never been willing to accept you, but suddenly she’s changing her attitude. I think she’s finally given up trying to split us apart. So, I planned to take you shopping—pick out a gift for her, and also buy you an evening dress for the party.”

At those words, I caught the flash of envy in Charlee’s eyes, so sharp it nearly overflowed.

But I knew better. Edna wasn’t suddenly softening toward me. She was preparing to introduce the city’s finest young ladies to Cortey at her birthday party.

She wanted me there for one reason only—so I could see the difference between me and her son.

Soon after I got into the car, Cortey brought us to the city’s largest shopping mall.

He claimed it was for me, but his gaze trailed Charlee the entire time.

She offhandedly mentioned liking a pair of heels, and Cortey immediately bought every similar pair in the store.

She complained that her bag was uncomfortable to carry, and he ordered every luxury handbag they had in stock, telling her to try them all and pick whichever she liked.

When she grew tired from walking, he fussed over her, buying drinks and even crouching to massage her feet.

Overwhelmed by his gestures, Charlee’s eyes glowed with adoration.

“Daddy… You’re so good to me.”

Cortey looked at her with gentle indulgence.

“You’re my good daughter. If I don’t treat you well, who should I treat well?”

The two of them played their sickening little game of “father and daughter,” oblivious to everyone else.

And I—like a forgotten extra—stood there watching it all.

Swallowing back the ache in my chest, I focused on carefully choosing a gift for Edna, then selecting a creamwhite evening dress for myself.

Just as the sales assistant was about to wrap up my dress, Charlee appeared at my side. Her gaze lit up in wonder as she stared at the dress.

“This dress is so beautiful. If I could wear it, it would look amazing on me… Too bad Mrs. McEnroe picked it first.”

Cortey glanced at her, then at me. His expression tightened, caught between us.

“Sevlene, Charlee lost her parents young. She’s suffered a lot, and she’s never had a dress like this before. Why don’t you let her have it? After all, you already have plenty of dresses at home that you’ve never even worn. You can pick one of those instead later.”

I locked eyes with him, my voice steady, each word carved out like stone.

“What I set my eyes on, there’s no reason for me to give it up.”

With that, I folded the dress neatly, placed it into the bag, and turned to leave—ignoring whatever look might have crossed Cortey’s or Charlee’s faces.

Sevlene’s POV

Just as I was about to step into the elevator, Charlee’s voice rang out behind me.

“Mrs. McEnroe, do you really think snatching a dress from me will make my daddy change his mind about you?”

Her tone was laced with mockery, as if she were tossing out a careless question just to watch me squirm.

My steps faltered. I turned my head toward her and replied evenly, “I never wanted him to change his mind. If you like him, you can have him.”

Perhaps my indifference stung her pride. My words made it sound as though Cortey was nothing more than a disposable toy to me, and that only fueled Charlee’s resentment.

She sneered.

“Keep pretending. You couldn’t hold onto your man, so now you act like you don’t care. Deep down, you probably want me dead, don’t you?”

Her lips curved into a strange, almost sinister smile.

“Well, I can give you that chance.”

Before I could make sense of what she meant, she suddenly let out a loud cry and tumbled down the staircase.

The sickening thud of her head hitting the floor echoed through the shopping mall.

Moments later, Cortey rushed over.

Clutching her bleeding head, Charlee looked up at me in utter despair, her voice trembling with accusation.

“Mrs. McEnroe, I only liked the same dress as you. I didn’t even take it from you! Even if you’re angry, you didn’t have to push me down the stairs…”

Cortey froze, his face shifting with disappointment and rage as his eyes locked on me.

“Sevlene! Do you even care whether your mother lives or dies? Must you torment Charlee before you’re satisfied?”

I shook my head, trying to explain. “I didn’t—”

But before I could finish, he shoved me.

The world spun violently. My body crashed hard against the floor.

In the blur of pain, his furious voice thundered in my ears.

“It’s my fault. I spoiled you all these years and turned you into something this vicious—so cruel you’d even go after an innocent young girl!”

Through my bloodhazed vision, I saw him scoop Charlee into his arms and stride away, stepping right over me without a glancing back.

Agony consumed every bone in my body, yet none of it compared to the pain hollowing out my chest.

That was the same man who had once knelt before me with teary eyes, slipping a opal ring on my finger and swearing he would protect me for a lifetime.

Now, he hurt me for the sake of another woman…

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself lying on a hospital bed.

The doctor let out a sigh of relief upon seeing me awake.

“You’re finally up. How could you fall so badly? If a kind stranger hadn’t brought you in time, you might have…” He stopped himself and shook his head. “Never mind that. You should call your family. With injuries like these, you shouldn’t be left alone.”

I lowered my gaze, my voice heavy with sorrow.

“I don’t have a family. My mother has already passed.”

Pity flickered in the doctor’s eyes.

“Then… your husband? Surely you have a husband.”

I parted my lips to answer, but before I could, commotion drifted in through the window.

“Did you see? The CEO carried his wife in today. She only had a cut on her forehead, yet he called every top specialist in the hospital. Looks like those rumors about him loving his wife to the bone are true.”

“Of course. Even when she said she was afraid of needles, he completely dropped his cold CEO persona and coaxed her like a child, distracting her until she calmed down.”

Their socalled ‘wife’ was clearly referring to Charlee.

Cortey had simply taken all the tenderness he once gave me and bestowed it upon her, piece by piece.

The doctor was still waiting for my response. I forced a smile, swallowing down the bitterness in my chest.

“My husband is gone too. We’re already divorced.”

The words had barely left my mouth when the door slammed open.

Cortey strode in, his face dark as thunder.

“What did you just say? Who the hell are you claiming you divorced?”

Sevlene’s POV

I turned my head just in time to catch the flicker of tension in his eyes.

Curling my lips in a halfhearted smile, I said casually, “My friend’s husband cheated on her. She’s filing for divorce.”

Cortey’s steps faltered. A trace of discomfort flashed across his gaze.

“You shouldn’t waste your attention on things like that. If her husband strayed, then she simply chose the wrong man.”

A cold laugh echoed in my heart, though I kept my expression calm. I countered evenly, “Then tell me—did I choose the right man?”

Cortey answered without hesitation, almost too quickly.

“Of course. Haven’t you seen how much I love you? Everyone around me thinks I’ve gone crazy. I’d do anything for you.”

As he spoke, he reached for my hand, his voice shifting to a rare moment of tenderness.

“I admit what happened today was reckless. But it was because your mom’s life depends on Charlee’s. You don’t want anything to happen to your mom, do you?”

I opened my mouth to reply. But before I could, his phone rang.

The caller ID read only three words.

[My Good Daughter]

At once, he dropped my hand and picked up the phone.

The next second, Charlee’s cries came through.

“Daddy, my head suddenly hurts so bad. Do you think I might be dying? I’m so scared… Can you come keep me company?”

Concern immediately swept over Cortey’s face. He turned to me and muttered a quick, “I’ll just go check on her. I’ll be right back,” before rushing out.

But he didn’t return.

Not until I was discharged from the hospital did I realize he hadn’t come back at all.

I signed my own papers, settled the bill, and took a taxi home alone.

The moment I stepped through the door, a nauseating scene awaited me.

Charlee sat perched on Cortey’s lap, adjusting his tie. Their faces were so close that if either of them leaned forward even slightly, their lips would meet.

“Daddy,” she cooed sweetly, “you look so handsome today. You’ll definitely outshine everyone at the party.”

Cortey chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately.

“You and that sweet little mouth of yours.”

Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Then shouldn’t you have a taste? Only then will you know just how sweet it really is.”

Bile rose in my throat. I gagged audibly.

Startled, Cortey instantly pushed Charlee away and hurried to my side.

“What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?”

I slapped his hand aside when he tried to touch me, my voice distant and cold.

“Don’t touch me.”

A flicker of hurt passed through his eyes. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Charlee suddenly cried out anxiously, “Daddy, the birthday party’s about to start. We have to go, now.”

It was Edna’s birthday today.

Cortey had already prepared a dress for me. I slipped into it, and without wasting time, he escorted me straight to the party hall.

The moment Charlee spotted Edna, she hurried over, fussing with concern. Edna, in turn, smiled warmly at her, treating her with the intimacy reserved for a beloved daughterinlaw. Their closeness made it seem as though they were truly family.

Welp, soon, they would be.

After all, the coolingoff period for the divorce was almost over. Once I walked away, no one would be able to stop Charlee from replacing me.

I approached Edna with the gift I had carefully chosen. But she didn’t accept it. Instead, she looked me up and down with her usual scrutinizing gaze.

“I’ve invited all the most distinguished young ladies here tonight,” she said. “They all admire my son. If he marries any one of them, the benefits they’ll bring to this family are things you couldn’t give in ten lifetimes.”

Her words came out of nowhere, yet cut like a blade.

My hand froze midair, the gift box suspended awkwardly. I tried to speak, but no words would come.

Cortey noticed my embarrassment and stepped forward, about to speak on my behalf. But before he could, Charlee let out a dramatic gasp.

“My ankle! I twisted it! Ah! It hurts!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Cortey turned away from me and rushed straight to her side.

Edna looked at me like I was a clown, her eyes glinting with mockery.

“Pathetic. You can’t even compete with that kind of trash. I told you long ago—you don’t have what it takes to be my son’s wife.”

To be fair, she wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t hold that position. Back then, I was too full of myself. I thought that just because her son and I were in love, it would last forever.

Just then, the chandelier above us crackled ominously.

A screw loosened, and in the next instant, the massive twometerwide light fixture came crashing down.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Cortey rush forward—not toward me… but to shield Charlee. He wrapped her tightly in his arms, using his body to block the shower of falling glass.

Meanwhile, I was shoved in the chaos, stumbling and crashing to the floor. Shards pierced my skin, scraping bone, each stab of pain making my body tremble uncontrollably.

The last thing I saw before consciousness slipped away was Cortey’s bloodshot eyes as he carried Charlee in his arms, striding out without once looking back.

My vision blurred. My chest twisted with agony sharper than the glass embedded in my flesh.

Watching their retreating figures, I forced out a hoarse, broken cry.

“Help… me…”

Sevlene’s POV

When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed again.

My phone was filled with missed calls and messages from Cortey.

[Sevlene, where are you? I searched the entire party hall but couldn’t find you.]

[Did you get hurt? Please reply as soon as you see this.]

[You’re not making a drama again, are you? Ignoring my messages on purpose? If you keep this up, I’ll really get angry.]

His patience was quickly wearing thin—worry turning into irritation.

It hadn’t always been like this. Before, if I accidentally fell asleep and didn’t reply for an entire night, he would only be concerned something had happened to me. Even if he was abroad on business, he would catch the next flight back just to make sure I was safe.

I guessed people would really change in no time.

Swallowing the bitterness in my chest, I finally sent a reply.

[I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.]

By the time I got back home, it was already late in the evening.

Cortey was still at the company. But the living room door was left open.

When I stepped inside, I froze.

Charlee was lounging lazily on the couch, toying with a opal bracelet in her hand.

The blood in my veins turned cold.

That bracelet… It was my mother’s keepsake. Before she passed, she had asked the doctor to give it to me.

I could never bring myself to wear it, so I had locked it away in the safe.

How… How the hell could it be in that manipulative woman’s hands?

I didn’t care about anything else. My body moved on instinct as I lunged forward to snatch it back.

“That’s my mother’s. Give it back!”

But Charlee slipped away nimbly, climbing onto the couch and holding the bracelet high above her head.

“This?” she sneered. “Daddy gave it to me. Last night, I was so shaken up I simply told him I liked your bracelet. Just like that, he smashed open your safe and took it out for me.”

She tilted her head, eyes full of mockery. “Sevlene, do you still not get it? Cortey doesn’t love you anymore. He’s in love with me now.”

My voice trembled with urgency.

“I know. I have no intention of fighting with you. I’ll leave him soon. You two can be together.”

Her lips curled as she tucked the bracelet away, studying me with malicious amusement.

“Who asked for your blessing? I don’t want to be ‘given’ to him. I want to snatch him. That’s what makes it fun.” She gave a cold laugh. “We come from the same kind of background, so why did you get to meet a good man like Daddy while I was nearly sold off to old men as their plaything?”

She spat the words like poison. “You’re obviously not better than me in any way. You don’t deserve the position you’re in. Being his wife? It should have been me.”

With a twist of her wrist, she flaunted the bracelet. Her smile turned wicked.

“You want it back so badly? Too bad. I’m not giving it to you.” Taunting me, she laughed maniacally.

Rage surged through me, breaking past the dam I had tried so hard to hold. My hand shot up before I could stop myself.

The slap rang sharp and loud across her cheek.

And in the next second, Cortey’s furious voice cut through the air.

“Sevlene! What the hell are you doing?!”

I turned. He was standing in the doorway, his expression thunderous as he stormed toward me.

“I’ve warned you before—don’t upset Charlee. If her emotions fluctuate and her health index drops, how will she continue to donate blood to your mother?”

His tone dripped with accusation. “Besides, your mother isn’t even dead yet. There will be plenty of chances for her to give you things in the future. It’s just a cheap bracelet. Why can’t you let Charlee have it? We’re husband and wife—she’s my daughter, which makes her your daughter too.”

My heart clenched. He didn’t even know. He didn’t know my mother had already passed away.

There would be no more gifts to receive from her. Ever.

I furrowed my brow, forcing out each word like ice.

“Don’t try to dress this up as something noble. You know exactly what kind of relationship you two have. Now give me back my mother’s bracelet!”

Perhaps it was my words that ignited his anger. His face darkened as he snatched the bracelet from Charlee’s hand.

Then, right in front of me, he hurled it to the floor.

The gemstone shattered instantly, splintering into pieces that scattered across the floor.

His cold and merciless voice rang in my ears.

“You’re just jealous of how well I treat Charlee. That’s why you insult her. I told you—she’s someone very important to me. You dared slander her, so I destroyed what was most important to you in return.

“Sevlene, I hope you’ve learned your lesson from this. Charlee is here to join our family—not to be your punching bag.”

With that, he took Charlee’s hand and led her away.

That bitch threw me a triumphant look over her shoulder, her eyes full of smug victory.

But I had no energy left for anger.

My knees gave way, and I sank to the floor. One by one, I began picking up the fragments of the shattered opal.

Sharp edges cut into my skin, leaving tiny trails of blood, but I felt nothing.

All I knew was that I had to gather every single piece and tuck them safely into my pocket. I was terrified… that if I was one second slower, I would lose them forever.

Sevlene’s POV

That very night, Charlee sent me a video.

In the video, she was sitting tipsily on Cortey’s lap, her voice soft and coy.

“Daddy, I really think Mrs. McEnroe doesn’t like me at all. And every time I donate blood, it hurts so much… Daddy… I don’t want to do it anymore.”

Cortey’s eyes filled with distress. He pulled her into his arms, his voice gentle as he coaxed, “If it hurts, then you won’t do it anymore. I’ll find someone else with a matching blood type. You’re the most important person to me, Charlee. I won’t let you suffer the slightest bit of harm.”

As he spoke, Charlee leaned closer and pressed her lips against his. In the next instant, Cortey clutched the back of her head and deepened the kiss without hesitation.

The video ended there.

But the impact it left on me felt like a violent collision straight into my soul.

It was utterly disgusting.

I saved the video and forwarded it to an anonymous number.

[There are only five days left before I leave. When the time comes, send this video along with the other evidence I’ve already given you. This one should be highlighted. Make sure it’s broadcasted on every big screen.]

What Charlee didn’t know was that every secret provocation she made behind Cortey’s back, I had quietly recorded and handed over to a hacker.

That night, I didn’t sleep. Instead, I gathered all the gifts Cortey had given me over the years and threw them away.

Even our wedding photo—I tore it from the wall, smashed it to pieces, and tossed it into the trash along with the five years of my marriage.

The next day, Cortey didn’t come home. But Charlee did.

The moment she walked in and saw my packed luggage, she let out a mocking laugh.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to pull a runawaywife act just to get Daddy’s attention? Useless. He’s already completely in love with me now.”

She tilted her chin, her voice dripping with provocation. “Yesterday was my first time. I even begged him to be gentle, but he wouldn’t listen. He wore me out until morning.”

As she spoke, she deliberately exposed the hickey marks scattered across her neck.

“You’ve been married to Cortey for years. Did you even know he likes being called ‘Daddy’ in bed? Yesterday, I screamed myself hoarse, but he still wouldn’t let me stop.”

My fingers tightened around the recorder in my hand. I swallowed down the nausea clawing at my throat and sneered, “To be a mistress and still act this shamelessly. Wow. You must be proud of yourself.”

She spat sharply, her eyes flashing with contempt.

“Please. The one who isn’t loved is the real mistress.”

Her tone grew colder. “And you don’t even need to bother with this pathetic runaway act. I only need one move to prove to you who he truly cares about.”

Just then, the sound of a familiar engine roared in from the courtyard.

In the next heartbeat, Charlee grabbed a vase from the table and smashed it against her own head.

Blood immediately streamed down from that crazy bitch’s forehead as she crumpled to the floor, a pitiful figure.

She glared at me through tears, her voice breaking as she accused, “Mrs. McEnroe, I promised I’d keep donating blood for your mother, but do I not even have the right to fall in love? Just because you saw these hickeys on my neck, you demand I break up with him?! Isn’t that too cruel?”

Her sobs were delicate and pitiful, as though she were the most wronged woman in the world.

Before I could even respond, a figure charged into the room.

It was Cortey. He shoved me with such force that I crashed onto the coffee table, my head slamming hard against its sharp corner. Blood instantly blurred my vision.

Meanwhile, he scooped Charlee into his arms, holding her as though she were the most fragile treasure on earth.

His eyes blazed with fury as he glared down at me.

“What the hell, Sevlene?! How could you keep targeting Charlee again and again? I’ve made up my mind—she’ll never donate blood to your mother again! Since you’re so ungrateful, figure out a way to save her yourself!”

Sevlene’s POV

I clutched my throbbing forehead, struggling to explain myself.

“I didn’t do it. She staged the whole thing just to frame me—because she wants to take you away from me!”

At that, Charlee burst into louder sobs.

“Mrs. McEnroe, you can hate me if you want, but you can’t insult me like that. My family was destroyed by a mistress—I would never do something so vile!”

Cortey’s gaze turned sharp and filled with disgust as it landed on me.

“Only a lunatic would use her own body as a weapon. Sevlene, you’re not just malicious. You twist the truth and push the blame onto others. You… You’ve disappointed me more than I can say.”

Without giving me another chance to speak, he yanked me to my feet and shoved me into the basement.

“All these years, I gave you too much love. It made you arrogant and reckless. Stay here and reflect. You won’t come out until you admit your mistake.”

With that, he carried Charlee away in his arms, ignoring my desperate pounding on the door. No matter how I begged, he remained unmoved.

The basement was damp and suffocatingly dark. My body, already sensitive to cold and damp air, instantly broke out in unbearable itching.

My throat felt as though someone had sprinkled itching powder inside it—burning, raw, and torturous.

I clawed at my skin until it bled, but nothing eased the agony.

Finally, I collapsed against the door, tears streaming endlessly down my face.

“Let me out… please…”

Days passed, and Cortey never came back. He left me to rot in that basement… to endure the torment alone.

It wasn’t until the coolingoff period for our divorce had ended that the door creaked open. Edna stood there, her face twisted with a cold smile as she looked down at my nearly lifeless body sprawled on the floor.

“If you’d listened to me in the beginning, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Her lips curled. “While you were suffering here, my son was taking Charlee everywhere, sweet and inseparable, like two lovers in the flush of romance. He never once thought of you.”

My heart was already numb. Nothing about Cortey could stir my emotions anymore.

Finding me unresponsive, Edna sneered in disappointment. She ordered someone to drag me out of the basement, and then she tossed a divorce certificate at my feet.

“Go. I’ve already arranged everything for you.”

I picked up the document woodenly, nodded without a word, then gathered my mother’s urn and bracelet before getting into the car Edna had prepared.

Cortey’s POV

Meanwhile, Cortey had just stepped off the plane. Five days earlier, in an attempt to make up for the harm I had caused Charlee, he had taken her to Paris for a vacation.

Now that their trip was over, he rushed home. He needed to let me out of the basement quickly.

After all, he knew about my allergy to cold, damp air—if left there too long, I would relapse.

He hadn’t meant for me to suffer more than a little.

Besides, he had already found a new blood donor for my mother. Tonight, the transfusion could finally be arranged.

Anxiously, he hurried into the villa, heading straight for the basement.

“Sevlene,” he called, his tone almost reassuring, “Charlee’s too timid and afraid of pain, so I’ve found someone else to donate blood. Tonight, we can help your mom.”

But when he flung the basement door open, the space was empty. I was gone.

His brows furrowed in confusion. He turned to check the security footage, only to come face to face with his mother.

She stood there, a faint and mocking smile tugging at her lips.

“Looking for Sevlene?”

Cortey’s chest tightened at her words. “Mom, was it you who let her out? Where is she now? I need to take her to see her mother.”

His mother scoffed, her voice dripping with scorn.

“Oh, honey, your heart has strayed so far that you didn’t even notice her mother passed away a month ago. Unfortunately for you, Sevlene’s already gone. She only left this behind.”

With that, Edna tossed a divorce agreement into his arms.