His face softened with pain and confusion.
Samuel had asked if I wanted scar removal
surgery.
I refused. These scars were a reminder of
what I had endured.
Samuel wheeled himself in.
I rushed over to steady him. He could walk
short distances, but he mostly relied on the
wheelchair.
Ethan glared at our interaction.
Realization dawned on his face, and he
sneered. “So you found yourself a sugar
daddy, Riley? Good for you. Can he satisfy
you?”
The memories resurfaced, and tears welled
up in my eyes.
Samuel’s face hardened. He wheeled himself
up to Ethan. “Not everyone is as disgusting
as you.”
く
Before Ethan could react, Samuel punched
him.
“Fuck!” Ethan tried to retaliate, but security
guards rushed in and restrained him.
Samuel shook his hand. “Mr. Miller, learn
some respect, or forget about that new
project.”
That got Ethan’s attention. He calmed down
instantly.
Samuel adjusted my jacket and patted my
back gently. “It’s okay.”
He put his arm around me and led me away.
Miller Industries‘ stock plummeted, taking
Ethan’s company down with it.
“Excuse me, Miss Riley, Mr. Miller is…” My
assistant stammered as Ethan barged into my
office.
“You can leave,” I said, dismissing her.
“Riley, why are you targeting Miller
Industries?” Ethan demanded.
く
I stood up. It was time to tell him the truth.
“Because they framed my brother for a crime
he didn’t commit, then poisoned him in
prison!”
His eyes widened in disbelief.
“What are you talking about?” he frowned.
“Riley, I can forgive what happened with your
brother. We can start over, be together again.
But I won’t allow you to attack Miller or
Sterling Enterprises!”
I laughed. Was he implying that getting back
together with him was some kind of reward?
“Anna was killed by your brother. She died
horribly. If Sarah hadn’t found her, your crazy
brother would have raped and killed her.”
“I can forgive you for that, but you need to
stop this attack on our companies right now.”
He made it sound so easy. Did he expect
gratitude for his “forgiveness“?
I stood up and took off my jacket and dress
L
standing in my underwear.
My scars were on full display.
“Riley…”
I pointed to the scar on my chest. “Sarah said
my brother took off Anna’s bra first, so she
wanted to mark me here.”
Ethan shook his head, his face crumbling.
“Stop. I’ve forgiven you, but I’ll never forgive
your brother!”
“Really?” Tears streamed down my face.
“Because it was Sarah’s dad, Mr. Miller, who
raped your sister!”
Ethan stumbled back. “Impossible… that’s
impossible…”
“Do you know why he did it?” I laughed.
“Sarah is his adopted daughter. And in that
‘care facility‘ where my dad was kept, there’s
a hidden room full of teenage girls!”
“He keeps them there for his pleasure. Sarah
was supposed to be next. To save herself,
<
she offered him your sister.”
“My brother walked in on it and became their
scapegoat!”
“You’re lying! You’re making this up to defend
your brother! Sarah and Mr. Miller would
never do something like that!” He was
practically screaming.
Samuel wheeled in, holding a flash drive.
“Mr. Miller, since you find this hard to believe,
why don’t we take a look at the evidence?”
From the day I decided to take Samuel’s
offer, we had been investigating.
I watched the security footage of Jason
running from the study countless times.
Finally, I noticed something.
A small shadow in the corner of the frame.
Based on the layout of the Miller house and
the lighting, I knew someone must have been
standing there.
I tracked down every servant who worked at
く
the Miller house at that time.
After a year, I finally found Mr. Zhao, the
former housekeeper.
He was frail and initially refused to talk to me.
But I persisted, eventually gaining his trust.
He agreed to be my witness.
On the video, he held up his ID and revealed
the Millers‘ horrific secret.
Mr. Miller was a predator. He collected
homeless girls, keeping them hidden in the
“care facility.”
He believed some twisted superstition that
young girls could bring him health, wealth,
and longevity.
He kept them until they were teenagers, then
abused them.
Sarah was his favorite and was raised as his
adopted daughter.
When Sarah was in high school, Mr. Miller
decided it was her turn.
<
To save herself, she told him, “Daddy, I know
another girl. Quiet, pretty, with a bit of fire.
She’s just turned sixteen, and she has a great
figure. I think you’ll like her much better.”
Mr. Miller, always eager for a conquest,
agreed to spare Sarah if she delivered the
girl.
That girl was Anna.
Sarah lured Anna to the study, and Mr. Miller
entered from a hidden room behind the
bookshelf.
Jason had gone to the Miller house looking
for Dad. He heard Anna’s screams and rushed
into the study, but it was too late.
To cover up their crimes, the Millers framed
Jason.
They threatened to kill me and Dad if he
didn’t confess.
Jason, despite his mental illness, was a kind
soul. He never hurt anyone. Dad and I had
く
always protected him.
And that’s why the Millers were able to
manipulate him so easily.
He took the blame to protect us, never
revealing the truth.
The Millers poisoned him to make sure he
stayed silent.
“The police have already taken Mr. Miller and
Sarah into custody, Mr. Miller. Anything to
say?” Samuel asked coldly.
He took off his coat and draped it over my
shoulders.
I trembled, thinking of the injustice Jason
suffered.
“Riley, your brother was innocent,” Samuel
said firmly.
Tears poured down my face. For the first time
in years, someone said those words to me.
Ethan clutched his head, his face contorted in
pain.
ᄀ
“I… I didn’t know. Riley, I was blinded by grief
and anger…”
Yes, he didn’t know. But the pain he inflicted
was real.
He knelt at my feet. I reached down and
touched his face, just like he had done to me.
“Ethan, you don’t deserve to kneel before
me.”
“You’ll never understand the pain I felt in that
classroom.”
“Five hours of humiliation. I’ll never forget it.”
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my
palms. It was the only way to stay calm.
“But I was tricked! Please forgive me, Riley!
We can clear your brother’s name together!
I’ll do anything! Just love me again…” He was
begging.
I had never seen him so broken.
“You pulled me back from the abyss, Ethan,
only to shove me into hell.”
“I think I loved you once. But how dare you
ask me to love you now?” My voice dripped
with venom.
Ethan sobbed on the floor.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Riley… I found out
too late… I was blind… I shouldn’t have done
that to you…”
Only the victim has the right to forgive.
And I would never forgive Ethan.
I called security and had him removed.
Miller Industries‘ stock crashed, and I bought
it up.
Sterling Enterprises was next.
“Going soft?” Samuel asked.
“No. I’m just trying to decide how to make
Ethan’s life a living hell.”
Turnabout was fair play, after all.
Samuel nodded approvingly. “That’s my girl.”
Sterling Enterprises had been around for a
long time and had made plenty of enemies. I
<
Watching his family’s legacy being carved up
by his enemies would be torture for Ethan.
I saw him one last time, at the airport, as
Samuel and I were leaving.
Samuel’s condition had worsened after our
trip, and he needed treatment overseas.
Ethan was a shell of his former self.
He wore a tattered shirt and was missing a
leg.
He looked out of place in the pristine airport.
I heard he’d borrowed money from loan.
sharks to try and save his company and lost
his leg when he couldn’t pay.
His eyes were filled with a shame and fear I’d
never seen before.
“Riley, will you ever come back?” he asked,
his voice pleading.
“If Sterling Enterprises ever recovers, I’ll come
back and destroy it again,” I said flatly.
He gave a bitter laugh. “I know. Even
く
destroying Sterling wouldn’t make up for what
I did to you.”
Good, I thought.
“Riley,” he continued, “don’t worry. I’ll
experience everything you went through. All
your pain. No, no, once isn’t enough. I’ll make
sure every second of my life is a living hell.”
I believed him. The exposed skin on his body
was covered in festering wounds, untreated
burns and lashes.
As if afraid I wouldn’t believe him, he ripped
open his shirt. “Look, Riley, I did this last
night. And the videos… I posted them myself.
I’m… I’m ruined…”
I stared at him, feeling no pity.
“Make sure you suffer until your last breath.”
I turned and wheeled Samuel away, leaving
Ethan’s sobs echoing behind us.
A year later, I heard Ethan had died.
He contracted HIV, infected someone else,
and was beaten to death.
It was a dirty end, and frankly, I didn’t want to
hear the details.
I looked at Samuel, who was reading the
newspaper in his hospital bed.
Thanks to cutting–edge treatment, his ALS
was in remission, though he would likely
spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
But that was okay. I would be there with him.
