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I am Tanya White, the White Reaper, brought in by Richard Stone at a staggering price to extend the life of his short-lived grandson, Cedric Stone.
I warn Cedric not to smoke or drink while the ritual is underway. However, he reacts by locking me in a bathtub brimming with booze, while ten strong men smoke beside me.
I warn him to resist all pleasures during the ritual's climax. But he immediately turns to Arianna Jones and spends the next month wrapped up in nights of pleasure with her.
I beg the Lord of the Underworld to grant him 99 chances. But he uses the very last one to lock me in and leave to play with Arianna's dogs.
"Tanya, you're a liar. This so-called short-lived fate? Only Grandpa was foolish enough to believe your nonsense. I didn't cooperate with you, yet look at me—I'm still alive, aren't I?"
This time, I say nothing.
"Cedric Stone, if you don't want to live, then I will grant your wish." 
Niall Pritchard's childhood sweetheart and I are taken captive together.When faced with the impossible choice between us, Niall—who insists he loves me with all his heart—chooses her instead."I'm sorry, honey. I owe her my life, but I swear I'll spend every day trying to make it up to you.""If you choose her, there won't be a 'rest of our days' to speak of."After a heavy silence, Niall turns away, holding her close in his arms.I smile through my tears.Once I'm rescued, I disappear to a faraway place. He, however, spirals into madness, searching for me around the world. 
My ex-boyfriend, Jason Bell, still hasn't let go of me, even though I've been married to Cedric Mosley for two years now.
He sends blood-red dancing heels to me and threatens to destroy my current "peaceful life".
Terrified and trembling, I'm about to call the cops when a hand in latex gloves rests on my shoulder.
"Don't be afraid."
My forensic doctor husband, having just returned from an autopsy, carries a faint scent of formaldehyde with him.
He takes off his glasses. With the same hands he uses to handle scalpels, he slowly helps me open the threatening letter inside the package.
"The handwriting is sloppy, with uneven pressure applied. It's typical of an anxious personality type."
Then, as if he's reviewing an autopsy report, he comments mildly, "This type of person usually has brittle bones that snap easily."
*
There are 206 bones in an adult body.
When Cedric placed a “rib” ring on my finger, he whispered, “You are the bone I lost long ago—the one that makes me whole.”
That is the origin of this title. 
The family needed an alliance marriage. At that banquet in my previous life, my brother Griffin, the Alpha, raised an eyebrow and asked me, "Ava, who do you want to choose?"My gaze was resolute, fixed directly on my childhood companion, Michael.After the marriage, however, Michael became entangled with his first love. When his friends teased him, he scoffed, his face full of disdain: "Ava is just a simp. No matter what I do, she'll never leave."Those words pierced my heart like knives. Heartbroken and disillusioned, I turned to leave. On my way back, I encountered rogues seeking revenge. Both my unborn child and I perished in the attack.When I opened my eyes again, the familiar banquet scene lay before me... 
Katherine Wright has a two-faced boyfriend. During the day, he is thoughtful, sweet, and a complete gentleman. However, once the sun sets, he turns into a completely different man. At night, he behaves like a feral beast, pursuing his desires in ever-changing ways.
Everyone calls her a lucky woman. She is deaf, but her boyfriend has never shunned her because of her disability. On top of that, he's even trying to help her find a cure.
Katherine thinks she is lucky to have him too. But one day, a robber steals the specially made medicine her boyfriend had given her to treat her deafness. Because of this, she stops taking the medicine.
Just as she is about to break the news to her boyfriend, she overhears his friend say, "You and your brother sure know how to have fun! One of you plays with her heart during the day, while the other toys with her body at night. It's been three years—I can't believe that deaf woman is still completely unaware of this!"
Hearing this, Katherine's blood runs cold. 
Eleanor is Citadel's most spoiled and dazzling beauty. With just a glance, she can captivate any man, and it's said that admirers line up for her for miles. Yet, as the Hayes family's daughter, she didn't give them so much as a glance.Everything changes when her best friend throws down a challenge. "Eleanor, if you can win over my uncle Alexander, you can pick any car from my garage."Alexander Grant, the head of Grant Group, is cold, disciplined, and impossibly proud. He is the kind of man no socialite dares to approach. Rumor has it that not even the boldest socialite dares come near.Eleanor smiles. She has never failed to get what she wants, but even the most confident schemes can be upended by the twists of fate. 
Margot Monroe is a genius among the young overseas returnees in the Southbridge Military District. She's the youngest chief of surgery at the district hospital, and her priceless hands have saved countless lives through major operations.
But right now, those hands lie beneath someone's boot, being grinded mercilessly against the floor. And the one responsible is her own husband, Cameron Reid, division commander of the Southbridge Military District.
Cameron sits calmly in his chair, his military uniform crisp and immaculate, his expression blank.
Behind him, in the next room, several large men pin Margot's younger sister down on a bed. Her sister, Eloise Monroe's broken, helpless cries keep echoing out, tearing Margot's heart to shreds.
Cameron says, "Margot, you have two choices. Get up and operate on Vera's mother, or I'll open Eloise's door right now and let everyone in Southbridge see what kind of spectacle she's making."
Margot clenches her teeth, her eyes bloodshot as she stares at Cameron. "Cameron, why are you doing this to me?" 
In the fourth year of her marriage to Zachary Fuller, Melanie Lloyd finds out she's pregnant. She heads to the hospital to register for prenatal care, only to be told by the nurse that her marriage certificate is fake. Stunned, she asks, "Fake? How is that possible?"The nurse points to the document. "See? The seal's crooked, and the number doesn't match."Unwilling to believe it, Melanie rushes to the city hall, only to receive the same answer. "Mr. Fuller is married. His legal spouse is Yasmin Lloyd."Yasmin?The revelation hits Melanie like a bolt of lightning, and her mind goes blank. Yasmin is her half-sister and Zachary's first love. Years ago, she left him at the altar to pursue her dreams overseas.But now, she's legally his wife. 
It all starts with a single photo Avery McPherson posts on social media—one that accidentally captures Lara Womack's dog in heat.From that moment on, Avery finds herself the target of vicious slander. Using AI, someone fabricates explicit content of her and spreads it online to ruin her reputation.Determined to fight back, Avery reports the malicious defamation to authorities. However, all she gets in return are empty promises and indifferent shrugs.In growing despair, Avery finally picks up the phone and calls her husband of three years, Elijah Tarver."It's just some AI nonsense. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?" he says, his voice cold and dismissive.But almost immediately, he arranges a special press conference to clarify the situation about Lara's dog.At that very moment, a message pops up on Avery's phone. It's from her stepbrother, Walter McPherson."There's only one month left before our agreement expires. After that, it's up to you whether to stay or leave."Without thinking twice, Avery answers, "I'm leaving.""After three years of marriage, do you really have no feelings for him at all?" Walter asks, his expression a blend of surprise and relief.Everyone has always believed Avery's love for Elijah was boundless."Yes, my love for him is gone."And so has my love for you. 
Nadia Young is the most dazzling person in Bayfort. She is free as the wind, passionate as fire, and she lives a wild life of exuberance.However, she has married Clive Gibson, who is the strictest and most disciplined tycoon in the business industry. He lives and works like a machine, having extremely high expectations for himself and also his lifetime partner.Nadia loves the excitement of clubbing and dating younger male escorts, so Clive makes every entertainment hub blacklist her from entry. Nadia loves the freedom of travelling wherever she wants, whether basking in the sun on beaches, watching the aurora borealis at night, or going racecar driving and cliff diving, so Clive confiscates her passport and restricts her movement altogether. 
That night, Maya Reed slogs through pounding rain to the club where Cole Hale likes to hang out.She pauses outside his private room, wrings the water from her hair, and decides to wait until he finishes before surprising him.Through the cracked door drifts a teasing voice. "Cole, your wedding to Maya is in a week. Got your big surprise ready?""Yeah," Cole answers, his cool voice softened by liquor. "I'm going to give her something she'll remember for the rest of her life."Maya's hand stills in her hair, and a smile slips onto her face before she can stop it.Over the past three years, Cole has cherished her like the most precious thing in his life.Then, another man laughs. "If Maya finds out I've been pretending to be you this whole time, she'll lose her mind.""Please." Someone else scoffs. "As if she'd ever guess Cole has a twin!""Just wait until she finds out she's been sleeping with Cole's brother for three years..." 
Everyone knows that Andrew Stone, the richest man in the world, is an extreme workaholic. Having been married to him for five years now, Emily Jamison has been neglected by him time and again in the name of his work.The first time occurred on her birthday. She had planned the whole thing meticulously, right down to making a restaurant reservation, only for him to fly abroad for a last-minute business acquisition, not the least bit concerned that she ended up waiting for him from dawn to dusk.Her car accident was the second time. With her life hanging by a thread, she needed a family member to sign the hospital consent forms. She mustered every ounce of strength she could to text him, but he simply shot her back a curt reply."I'm in an important business meeting. Handle it yourself."The third time Andrew brushed Emily off was when her father was on his deathbed. He wanted to see Andrew one last time, but he was so preoccupied with the signing ceremony for a multi-billion-dollar project that he didn't make it.As she clutched her father's hand, its warmth slowly sapping away, she listened as the call kept ringing, and her heart turned cold.After everything, she finally understands that to Andrew, nothing—and no one—matters more than his business empire. 
At death's door, Jennifer Jefferson finds herself back at the age of 27. She's married to Leonard Faron, the world's richest man, who magazines hail as the most desirable husband in the world. Together, they have two children.Everyone around her calls it a life of fortune, but the moment she is aware that she is back in the past, all Jennifer can think of is divorce.So, she takes a divorce agreement to meet Samantha Miller, Leonard's first love. "I'm done, Leonard is yours now, and so are the kids." 
The day Noelle Jensen marries the man she loves, he goes bankrupt.Throughout their five-year marriage, she works 20 hours a day. Even their son helps collect bottles to scrape together enough to pay off their debts.On their son's birthday, the two of them stand outside a hotel in heavy mascot costumes in the sweltering heat. They hand out flyers, drenched in sweat.That's when a staff member walks by and sneers. "Hey, you two pathetic flyer pushers—looks like luck's on your side today. Mr. Yarrow's beloved is celebrating her son's birthday here, and the kid loves the mascots you're dressed as. Do a little dance, and he'll give you ten thousand dollars."Tempted by what feels like a fortune, they step into the grand, lavish banquet hall.But the moment Noelle looks up, she feels as if lightning strikes her on the spot. Sitting at the head of the table, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, is none other than Hector Yarrow, her husband! 
Three years ago, I, Zara Yaxley, gave birth to a stillborn baby.
My husband, Steve Griffin, set up a private chapel at home to grieve. From then on, he becomes a pious man and embraces a celibate lifestyle in memory of our dead child. As a result, we only sleep together once a month.
No matter how I flirt or seduce him, he remains unmoved.
One night, I stand outside the door and see him gazing at a photo of his first love. It turns out that Steve isn't an unfeeling man. He just feels nothing for me.
So, I trick him into signing the divorce agreement and disappear from his world completely.
Later on, I receive news about him going crazy trying to find me.
When we meet again, it is at his uncle's wedding. I am happy and radiant in an elegant wedding gown, while he is immensely upset. His eyes are reddened as he stubbornly refuses to call me "Aunt Zara". 
In the third year of their marriage, Asher Greene keeps flaking on Juliet Stone just to be with the daughter of his benevolent mentor, Evangeline Huxley. He even accompanies her to a prenatal check-up.
Juliet, who's officially dead on the inside, passes Asher the divorce agreement.
But Asher merely scoffs mockingly. "You've been with me for 15 long years, Juliet. Do you really have the heart to leave me?"
He thinks Juliet has nowhere else to go and no one else to rely on, so he sits back and waits for her to beg him to take her back.
What he doesn't expect is that his best friend, Zachary Wilson—who has been giving him relationship advice the whole time—has been secretly pursuing Juliet.
Everyone thinks that Juliet will fall from the ranks as a rich wife back to a commoner. But soon, someone witnesses Zachary, real estate tycoon and finance genius, cornering her while kissing her deeply.
Some time later, when Asher finally realizes his feelings for Juliet, he sees Zachary caging her in his arms with an obsessive look.
"Are you going to leave me after using me, Juliet? Tell him who you belong to now!" 
In the second year of their marriage, Angelica Thornton finds out that she's just a walking blood bank for others.
Her husband, Elliot Quigley, has personally fed her steroids, forcing her weight to rise all the way to 160 pounds. This is all just so she can keep providing blood to his older stepsister-slash-first love, Rosie Morris.
He even tells Angelica, "Who on earth would be turned on when they see a fat bitch like you?"
But Elliot also kneels before Rosie's bed in the middle of the night, looking like a kicked puppy.
"Rosie, I've never slept with Angelica before. Please don't abandon me…"
Since then, Angelica's heart has been sealed from love. She decides to get a divorce and vows to shed those pounds.
A long time after that, Angelica stands on the stage, looking absolutely divine. Her figure is now slim, yet she has curves in all the right places.
Elliot's eyes go bloodshot out of regret. He kneels before her on a rainy night, crying, "Angie, you're the one I've always loved!"
Suddenly, a hand shoots out from behind Angelica to lay claim on her slender waist. A pair of eyes can be seen glaring at Elliot coldly.
Elliot is stunned, to say the least. "U-Uncle Dominic?"
…
Dominic Lawson has been emotionally impaired since birth. He himself has an antisocial son named Skye Lawson.
Weirdly enough, Skye loves clinging to Angelica the most.
Dominic thinks that Skye needs a mother in his life. But in the end, he's the one who has succumbed to Angelica's charms.
In the middle of the night, as Dominic pulls Angelica into his arms, he murmurs huskily, "Angie, teach me how to… love." 
Natalie Bennett was ten years old when she lost her parents. The matriarchs of the Bennett and the Foster families decided to betroth her to Jeffrey Foster, who was 14 at that time.
Jeffrey had said to Natalie, "I'll always be here for you."
He was the one who made that vow. But he's also the one who ends up breaking it.
Despite being married for five years, Natalie can never win Jeffrey's heart over. She initially thinks that Jeffrey is cold and heartless by nature, but she witnesses later on just how gentle and caring he can be in front of the woman he truly cares about.
Heartbroken, Natalie trades the pregnancy report for a divorce agreement. Since then, she and Jeffrey part ways.
After the divorce, Jeffrey's life is thrown into disarray. Where's his tie? Where's the charger? Why doesn't the coffee taste like the one he drinks all the time?
The entire upper crust can't wait to savor Natalie's fall from grace. But unfortunately for them, she's an extremely outstanding woman. She makes a dazzling comeback to her workplace and keeps setting new domestic records. Just like that, she becomes the most popular artist.
Someone once comes across Jeffrey cornering Natalie with his hands on his waist. He murmurs in a humbling tone, "What is it that you don't like about me, Nat? I'll change my ways."
"I don't like the fact that you still like me."
"Well then, I'm never changing that. Never." 
"Give birth to my baby, and I'll give you everything you want."
In order to raise enough money for her mother's surgery bills, Amelia Warren spends a night with a stranger. At first, she thinks she won't see him ever again, but her accidental pregnancy intertwines her fate with his.
Amelia rejects that suggestion immediately. "This is my uterus. I have the right to decide whether or not I want to give birth to this baby."
The man stops her in a domineering fashion. "You have no say in this matter!"
Michael Sutton, the famous business mogul in Southport, is a noble and prestigious man equipped with extremely brutal methods. No one dares to defy him at all.
Rumors have it that he's cold, distant, and isn't interested in the fairer sex at all. Some even whisper of his inability to sire children of his own. That is, until the paparazzi snap photos of him accompanying a woman to a prenatal check-up.
"Darling, you must be tired from all the walking. I'll carry you into the room."
"Darling, you must be thirsty, right? I'll feed you some water."
The so-called cold and distant man transforms into a henpecked husband right in front of the cameras, leaving everyone shell-shocked.
…
Before Amelia meets Michael, she's stuck in a hopeless situation. Her dad is a gambling addict, and her mom is very ill. Before she can even graduate from university, she's already saddled with heavy debts. She envisions her life of despair to remain like this for as long as she draws breath.
That is, until she meets the ever-so domineering yet devoted Michael, who loves her with all his heart. That's when everything changes.
Some people mock her for her low status, saying that she's not fit to be a part of the upper crust. They even think that she has no right to stay by Michael's side and speculate that she must have seduced her way to this position.
Michael states, "The moment I laid my gaze on Amelia, I fell in love with her at first sight. I was the one who kept pestering her until she agreed to marry me."
A certain higher-up in the government also pipes up, "Please take good care of Amy, my dearest daughter-in-law." 
I've just gotten married to Nathan Rodgers, a scion of Heidorot's elite, in the morning. But in the afternoon, he takes me to the courthouse for a divorce.
As I clutch both the marriage and divorce certificates in my hands, all I can hear is his friends' relentless mocking.
"Wow, Nathan! You actually married and divorced Caroline just because you wanted to cheer Eveline up!"
"Haha! Look at how pale Caroline looks! Don't tell me she's about to cry!"
Nathan wraps an arm around my adopted sister, Eveline Garrix. He says to her in a gentle tone, "Now that both certificates are here, are you willing to flash me a smile now?"
Caroline let out a soft giggle. Her face, which is often fixed with a cold expression, now has a smile blooming on it.
I want to demand answers, but I find myself being restrained by my brothers.
Martin Bergling, my oldest brother who's a CEO, frowns at me.
"Nathan is the only one who can make Caroline laugh. You'd better behave now."
Oscar Bergling, my second brother, who's an award-winning actor, shoves me to the floor.
"Eveline comes from a pitiful background. You, on the other hand, were born with a silver spoon—you have plenty of men to pick from other than Nathan."
Albus Bergling, my third brother who's a biology professor, fixes a cold expression on his face.
"Nathan should've married Eveline a long time ago. Stop bothering them already, Caroline!"
After that, my brothers forcibly push them into a car in an attempt to stop me from ruining their first love's happiness.
That's when the system, which has gone missing for a very long time, returns to me.
"Host, it appears that you've accomplished your mission! Do you want to return to your world right now?"
I sit in the back seat, looking out the window glumly. When I hear the system's voice, I almost break out into laughter.
Finally, the angsty scene I've performed for the sake of my mission is over. From now on, I no longer give a damn about the stupid theatrics those idiots call their lives. 
Ryan Pierce leaves me at the altar three times, each time for his precious first love, Natalie Grant.
The first time, she threatens to jump off a building. The second, she says she's moving abroad. The third, she sends a message, saying she's agreed to an arranged marriage.
On that day, the unflappable Ryan unravels. He abandons a church full of guests and turns me into a public joke once again.
My call to him is a final ultimatum.
"Come back now, or I will marry someone else today."
He only laughs in response. "Nat is young, so her dramatics are expected. But you are a grown woman. Are you also resorting to the same cheap tricks?"
My fingers clench around the phone. He knows it's one of Natalie's ploys, yet he chooses to indulge her anyway. That's when I finally let go.
Once he's finished soothing her, he turns his attention back to me as an afterthought.
"Choose a date to reschedule the wedding," he tells me. "Don't worry. It will be even grander than before."
At that moment, the man standing beside me smiles and interrupts him, "You will have to excuse us. My wife and I have a plane to catch." 
When my stepsister, Lucy Sloven, frames me for triggering her allergic reaction, my three brothers force me into a cramped, airless cellar and seal the door with chains.
I slam my fists against the cellar door, pleading with them to let me out.
My eldest brother, Aaron Caldwell, a powerful figure in the business world, snaps coldly, "I usually turn a blind eye when you bully Luce, but you knew she was allergic to seafood and still made her eat it. Are you trying to kill her? Stay in there and reflect on your actions!"
My second brother, Bruce Caldwell, a rising pop star, and my third brother, Clark Caldwell, a genius painter, scoff in unison. "Someone as vicious as you still dares to play the victim. Stay in there and suffer!"
With that, they scoop up the trembling Lucy and rush her to the hospital.
As time drags on, the oxygen dwindles. Every breath becomes a struggle until I suffocate to death inside.
Three days later, when my brothers return from the hospital with Lucy, they finally remember me.
They have no idea that I have already died from oxygen deprivation in that narrow cellar. 
Thaddeus Cromwell is about to marry his childhood sweetheart, Danica Watson. Louisa Graham, who has been by his side for seven years, neither cries nor makes a scene. Instead, she personally organizes a grand wedding for him.
On the day of Thaddeus' wedding, Louisa puts on a wedding dress as well.
Two bridal cars pass each other along a long, bustling street. As the brides exchange bridal bouquets, a customary gesture of goodwill in their country when wedding processions meet, Thaddeus hears Louisa say, "I wish you a happy marriage!"
Thaddeus runs after Louisa's bridal car for ten full miles before finally catching up. He grabs her arm and sobs tearfully, "Louisa, you're mine."
But a man steps out of the bridal car and gently pulls Louisa into his embrace. "If she's yours, then what about me?" 
Natalie Walker is a fake heiress who spends two decades acting as Diana Ashcroft's walking blood bank. When the true heiress returns, she's immediately kicked out of the house.
The true heiress mistreats her, and everyone mocks her. Then, the world is stunned when she suddenly turns out to be the only daughter of the Walker family, the country's wealthiest and most mysterious family.
Natalie's birth parents and five brothers dote on her like mad. Her allowance is boundless, and she can splurge on whatever she wants. She can drive any limited-edition sports car and buy haute couture if she wants…
She also has a fiancé who's supposedly the wealthiest man in the world. However, he either avoids meeting her or gives her the cold shoulder. He even comes knocking, saying that he wants to call off the engagement.
Natalie thinks it's perfect. Unexpectedly, after calling off the engagement, he pesters her, wanting to be affectionate with her all the time.
Natalie is irritated. "Can you have a little shame, Mr. Ex-Fiancé?"
Marcus Holden says, "What is shame? Can I eat it? Can it help me win my wife's heart?"
"Get lost."
"You're only telling me that because you love me. Why haven't you said it to anyone else?"
Everyone realizes that the revered Marcus is actually a hopeless romantic who only has love on his brain.
Meanwhile, Marcus wants nothing more than to beat his old self up for being blind. 
Bethany Porter has been in a clandestine relationship with her best friend's uncle, Noah Vazquez, for three years, only to hear her best friend, Holly Vasquez, say, "My uncle's seeing someone, Beth."
It hits her then that she has been nothing but a substitute for the last three years.
To reclaim her late father's inheritance, Bethany agrees to her mother, Diana Reeves', arrangement and goes on a blind date. Unbeknownst to her, she sits at the wrong table.
"Let's get married. We can go our separate ways in a year," Bethany suggests.
Silas Brennan arches his brow. "Sure. Since there's still time, why don't we go get our marriage license now?"
…
Regret twists in Noah's chest when he sees the ring on Bethany's finger. His eyes mist over as he seizes her wrist. "Can you give me another chance, Beth?"
Before the gentle woman can respond, the man behind her draws her in, his arms settling around her slender waist. "Whoa there, are you trying to be a homewrecker, Mr. Vazquez? Sorry, but that's my wife's hand you're holding. Lay a hand on her again, and I'll cut it off!"
Noah belatedly realizes that the man who stole his girlfriend is his archenemy. 
They had been together for two years, and he had been cheating for just as long. She loved him deeply, so she put up with it time and time again. But his behavior grew more unbearable with each passing day—bringing his mistress home to spend the night, treating her like she was nothing more than an eyesore, a nuisance.Fine. If she was truly that disgusting to him, then it was time to end this chapter between them.She threw a contract in his face, but instead of walking away, he clung to her like sticky syrup.Wherever she went, he followed.Finally, fed up, she turned to him and asked, “What do you want from me?”With intense affection in his eyes, he replied, “I want you to mark me.” 
During her five years of marriage, Teresa Sutton has selflessly devoted herself without complaint.
She raises her child, is respectful of her in-laws, and gives her husband ample personal space.
Yet, her selfless dedication earns her a husband who keeps a lover on the side. He gifts her cars and houses. He arranges jobs for her. He kisses and hugs her. He even gives her piggyback rides.
Hoping to make her straying husband settle down, Teresa decides to try for a second child.
She thinks Cameron Langdon's willingness to have a second child with her means he acknowledges her identity as Mrs. Langdon. Instead, the reality is that her husband fears the risks of childbirth for his young lover, so he makes Teresa the breeding tool.
Despite losing her husband, Teresa thinks she at least has her daughter for company. However, her own flesh and blood she raised has also become someone else's snuggle buddy.
In the end, Teresa loses all feelings in an instant. She terminates her second pregnancy and is determined to get a divorce. She wants neither her husband nor her daughter.
While Teresa waits for the divorce formalities to be processed, her husband, who once never came home, now corners her in the living room.
"I thought we'd have a second child?" 
The traffic on the highway is at a standstill, and my two-month-old son, Benjamin Wagner, is wailing with hunger.
When I reach for the hypoallergenic formula I'd prepared, I find expired dog food instead. I begin scrambling for the formula, but my husband, Isaac Wagner, stops me.
"I gave the formula to Nancy because her dog's been having stomach issues lately. Just find something else to feed Benjamin for now. Nancy's dog cost 30 thousand dollars, so it deserves the two-thousand-dollar formula. Benjamin is a boy—he needs to learn to tough it out."
I yank my arm free from his grip and hiss, "Benjamin has severe allergies. He's reactive to over 200 substances and needs to drink the hypoallergenic formula. He's only two months old! He can't even handle solid food yet! You took his special formula to feed a dog. Do you want him to starve to death?"
Isaac frowns in annoyance. "Nancy's parents are gone. Rocky is the only family she has left. What's wrong with letting it have a little formula to ease its stomach? You're a mother. How can you be so heartless?"
I'm about to dash out of the car. "Is our son's life worth less than a dog's?"
Isaac slaps me and yells, "Our son will only grow strong if he experiences a little hunger and cold. It won't kill him to miss a few meals." 
Miranda Payne is Ekason's most renowned genius pediatric surgeon.
With a scalpel in her hand, she has saved countless children's lives. The media hails her as Ekason's "guardian of children".
But right now, she is pinned against her office desk, a cold gun barrel pressed firmly against her wrist.
The man holding the gun is her husband, Jerome Cooper, heir to the Cooper family and the one who controls both Ekason's criminal underworld and its legitimate power.
Dressed in a black suit, he radiates a chilling, murderous air. Behind him, one of his men holds up a tablet. On the screen, a video plays.
Their five-year-old son, Fred Cooper, is being forcibly transferred out of the hospital.
Fred is burning with a high fever. His cheeks are flushed, his face twisted in pain. He murmurs weakly, "Mommy…"
"Freddie!" Miranda cries out, her heart shattering at the sight of him.
"Miranda, you have no choice with the two surgeries today," Jerome says coldly, pressing the gun harder against her wrist. "You either save Dami first, or I destroy your hand and let both Dami and Freddie die together." 
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