Chapter 1

Felicia Lane and Sebastian Fuller were notorious in the industry for being mortal enemies. They had been married for five years and had spent each year of their marriage at war. He had leaked her private photos on their wedding night. In retaliation, she smashed his head open with a wine bottle. When he brought women home night after night, she broke his favorite antique vase to pieces. When he embarrassed her at a business dinner, she threw a glass of red wine in his face in front of everyone. But all of that was about to end. Felicia lowered her gaze to the medical report in her hands. She had been diagnosed with late-stage stomach cancer. The doctor's words were still fresh in her ears. "Half a month at most," he said. Yet, she wasn't devastated at all. Instead, she felt a sense of relief. Her phone suddenly began to vibrate like crazy. Messages popped up one after another. "Felicia! Check the group messages now!" "Is Sebastian out of his mind?" "He's actually auctioning off a night with you!" Felicia froze, a chill shooting through her veins. Sebastian had gone too far. She grabbed her car keys and ran out, driving as fast as she could to the auction hall. The hall glittered with lights, and Sebastian just sat languidly in the auctioneer's chair. He was wearing a black suit, and a young lady in a white dress sat beside him. When Felicia saw the young lady's face, her heart clenched. That young lady was Zoey Little, a woman Sebastian had found who looked almost exactly like Felicia's sister. Felicia's private photos were playing on the big screen. Men in the audience raised paddles and shouted bids. "Two million!" "Three million!" "Five million!" A balding man then leaped up, the fat on his face jiggling as he jumped in excitement. "I'll pay 50 million! I'll buy a night with Ms. Lane!" The hall erupted. Felicia stood rooted to the spot, her blood running cold. She looked at Sebastian, but he didn't even glance at her. He merely gave a slight nod and said, "Deal." The balding man rubbed his hands as he walked over. His eyes crawled over Felicia, thick with lust. "Mr. Fuller, can I really take her with me tonight?" he asked. "Of course." Sebastian's lips curved faintly, though his eyes were cold. "Once the transfer clears, she's all yours." Those words cut through Felicia like glass. The balding man reached for her, wanting to drag her to a hotel with him. Suddenly, Felicia snatched a wine bottle off the table and brought it down on his head. The bottle shattered with a sharp crack, sending shards across the floor, and blood streaked down the balding man's face. "I dare you to touch me," she warned. With a trembling voice, she continued, "Anyone who won the bid tonight, I'll refund you double! Get out of here this instant!" The hall went dead silent. Right then, Sebastian laughed softly and clapped. "Ms. Lane, you haven't lost your edge." With that, he rose to his feet and strode up to her, leaning close until his breath brushed her ear. "If I can auction you once, I can do it twice, three times even." Sebastian paused, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. "Ms. Lane, how much money do you have? Can you really afford to keep buying your freedom?" Felicia looked up. Her eyes were red. "Sebastian Fuller, do you hate me this much?" "Hate?" Sebastian's gaze turned cold in an instant. He acted as if he had heard something ridiculous. "You killed the two people I cared about most. What do you think?" Felicia's chest tightened as if gripped by an invisible hand. Steven Fuller, Sebastian's brother, came into her mind. Steven had always had a gentle smile on his face. Ever since they were little, he had always indulged her. So when she grew up, it felt almost natural that her first crush would be on him, a gentle young man. Sebastian, on the other hand, loved Felicia's sister, Fiona Lane. Fiona was a gentle and endearing young woman. The four of them often went out together back then. Felicia and Sebastian would argue like sparks and steel, and Steven and Fiona would stand aside and watch them with helpless smiles. Then the day came when Steven took Fiona's hand and announced to both families that they would marry. Felicia felt her whole world shatter in an instant. She locked herself in her room and cried through the night. In the end, unable to accept it, she ran away from home. Worried about her, Steven and Fiona drove out to search for her. But on their way, tragedy struck, and they were both killed in a car accident. For days, Felicia stayed in the memorial hall, crying until she nearly fainted. It was Sebastian who lifted her up, wiped her tears, and stayed with her through the darkest time of her life. When nightmares jolted her awake, he would turn on the lights right away. When she couldn't bring herself to eat, he would cook for her himself. When she woke in the middle of the night sobbing, he would comfort her. Little by little, Felicia began to grow dependent on the comfort he gave her. One night, Sebastian suddenly said, "Fel, I've fallen for you. Marry me." Felicia was dumbstruck. "I'll take care of you for the rest of my life," he added softly. The look in his eyes made her heart flutter. "You've fallen for me, too, haven't you?" Sebastian got that right. He had pulled her from the depths when she was drowning in despair and lit a light for her in the darkest night. Somewhere along the way, she had fallen for the man she'd grown up quarreling with. So she said yes to him. On the day of the wedding, Felicia stood in her wedding gown, clutching her bouquet nervously. She thought it was the beginning of a new life, until the giant screen in the banquet hall suddenly lit up. Her private photos were flashing across the screen for everyone to see. "What do you all think of Ms. Lane's figure?" Sebastian said as he stood on the stage with a cold smile. "Consider these photos my wedding gift to you all." Felicia stood frozen, and her whole body went cold. Trembling, she asked, "Sebastian… What's t-this?" Sebastian stepped down from the stage and gripped her chin hard. "What do you think? You killed Steven and Fiona. Did you really think I loved you? I only married you to trap you with me. You'll spend the rest of your life paying for what you did to them!" Felicia let out a hollow laugh. Her body felt numb from the cold. Then, amid the gasps and whispers around them, she grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it against his head. After that, their marriage became a long, endless battle. Five years had passed, and neither of them had ever truly moved on. "I didn't mean for any of that to happen…" Felicia's fingers tightened around the diagnosis report in her hands. Her voice shook. "Sebastian, can we stop fighting? Just for half a month. After that, everything between us will be over." After all, in half a month, she would be gone—and with her, their hatred too. Sebastian looked at her like she'd just told a joke. "Oh? You've learnt to lie, haven't you? What could you possibly do to put an end to this? Felicia, this grudge only ends when one of us is dead." A chill spread through Felicia's chest. Indeed, only death could truly sever the bond of hate between them. "You'll understand in two weeks. By then, you'll have your answer," she replied softly. "Sure! I'll be waiting to see how you plan to pay for the lives you took!" Sebastian sneered.