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Seven Years of Sacrifices
NovelShort
Completed
After seven years of marriage, Cassian had slept with all my colleagues and friends. I pretended not to see anything. As usual, I went for a prenatal checkup with my nine-month pregnant belly. Until one day, on the way to my checkup, his new lover ran me over with her car. I was bleeding profusely and begged him to take me to the hospital. But Cassian looked at me with utter disdain and said, "Leona, since when did you learn to fake an accident? Don't think that putting on an act will make me care about you. Even if you die right in front of me, I wouldn’t spare you a second glance!" With that, Cassian left with his new lover, not looking back. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, the child in my womb had already suffocated to death. Even my grandmother, unable to bear the shock, suffered a heart attack and passed away. When I woke up, I stared blankly at Cassian's grandfather, Thomas Harland and said, "Let me go. Whatever debt I owed your family, I’ve repaid it with my life."
Chapters (5)
第1章
After seven years of marriage, Cassian had slept with all my colleagues and friends.
I pretended not to see anything. As usual, I went for a prenatal checkup with my nine-month pregnant belly.
Until one day, on the way to my checkup, his new lover ran me over with her car.
I was bleeding profusely and begged him to take me to the hospital.
But Cassian looked at me with utter disdain and said, "Leona, since when did you learn to fake an accident? Don't think that putting on an act will make me care about you. Even if you die right in front of me, I wouldn’t spare you a second glance!"
With that, Cassian left with his new lover, not looking back.
By the time I was rushed to the hospital, the child in my womb had already suffocated to death.
Even my grandmother, unable to bear the shock, suffered a heart attack and passed away.
When I woke up, I stared blankly at Cassian's grandfather, Thomas Harland and said, "Let me go. Whatever debt I owed your family, I’ve repaid it with my life."
——
As I spoke, my phone buzzed incessantly with incoming messages.
One after another, they were all photos of Cassian and his new lover, Tessa.
While I was on the brink of death from a difficult labor, they had spent the night in a five-star hotel, entangled until dawn.
Tessa, covered in love bites, leaned into Cassian’s arms, her smile full of provocation.
Unaware of the truth, Thomas still wanted to make one last effort.
He placed a share transfer agreement in front of me. "Leona, Cassian isn’t a bad person at heart. You’ve loved him for so many years, why not give him another chance? As long as I’m here, no one can shake your position as Mrs. Harland."
I didn’t respond. Instead, I casually opened a video message sent by Tessa.
At once, the sounds of their entanglement echoed through the hospital room.
Gasping for breath, Tessa’s voice rang out. "Cassian, you really don’t feel the slightest bit of guilt leaving Leona on the street like that?"
Cassian, nibbling at Tessa’s neck, murmured with his eyes hazy with desire, "What’s there to feel guilty about? The one I love most is you. Even if Leona gives birth, she’s nothing compared to you."
The vulgar sounds filled the room, making Thomas’s veins bulge in fury.
After a long sigh, he finally conceded. "The Harland Family has made you suffer. I’ll handle the divorce. In seven days, I promise you’ll be free. As for your grandmother and child’s funeral arrangements…"
As he spoke, the nurse had already brought the lifeless child into the room.
It was as if even the heavens couldn’t bear to see me waste away in this marriage any longer. So, they took this child’s breath away the moment he was born.
I turned my head away, forcing myself to calm my emotions. "Bury the child in the Harland Family’s cemetery. I’ll take my grandmother’s ashes with me."
Thomas nodded painfully. "It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have forced you to stay in the Harland Family. Go… You deserve a much bigger world."
With that, he hunched over, holding the lifeless child in his arms as he walked away.
The tears I had held back for so long finally spilled over as a bitter flood of emotions surged through me.
My marriage to Cassian had been arranged single-handedly by Thomas.
He needed someone to keep Cassian in check, while I needed someone to pay for my grandmother’s expensive medical bills. So, we struck a deal.
I quit my job and married Cassian.
After the wedding, I learned about the tragic loss of his parents when he was young.
I saw with my own eyes how, in the dead of night, he would cry out for his mother in his sleep.
For a moment, two broken souls resonated with each other.
I wanted to heal Cassian’s wounded heart and build a happy family with him.
To fulfill my duty as a wife, I dedicated myself to mastering the art of cooking, striving to recreate the taste of his mother’s dishes.
第2章
I traveled far and wide, meticulously recreating the little wooden cabin from his childhood memories.
To satisfy his desires, I even learned every trick in the bedroom.
I thought we were building a happy future together. But on our wedding anniversary, he brazenly took my best friend to a hotel.
I lost control, running there in a frenzy to confront him.
Cassian sneered, tossing the contract between me and Thomas in my face. "Leona, what do you think you are? You just played along for a few days and really thought you were Mrs. Harland? You’re just a dog my grandfather bought. What right do you have to question me? If you dare make me unhappy, I’ll have them stop your grandmother’s treatment immediately!"
I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, unable to utter a single word.
After that, Cassian only became worse.
Tiring of social media influencers and celebrities, he turned his attention to my friends, relentlessly testing my limits.
On one side was my grandmother, who desperately needed medical treatment. On the other was a marriage that had long rotted beyond repair.
I was constantly being pulled in both directions, teetering on the edge of collapse.
One day, in a daze, I lost my footing and tumbled down the stairs, only to discover that I was pregnant.
Thomas, near desperation, pleaded with me. "Leona, please keep this child. He might be the turning point in your marriage. If Cassian still refuses to change after the baby is born, I promise I won’t force you anymore."
With a heart full of conflicting emotions, I chose to agree.
I never imagined that despite all my efforts, I would fail to keep even a single one of my grandmother, my child, my marriage and my love.
Slowly, I wiped away the tears from the corner of my eyes and looked up at the gray, overcast sky outside the window.
Perhaps the only consolation was that both Cassian and I had finally gained our freedom.
Lost in thought, my phone suddenly rang. It was Cassian.
"Leona, did you go whining to Grandpa again? Tessa and I were finally having some alone time and you just had to ruin it! I'm warning you. If you dare do this again, I’ll cut off your card!"
In the past, I would have humbly apologized to Cassian, desperately explaining myself. I used to do everything I could to earn his forgiveness. But now, I simply responded expressionlessly, "Do as you wish."
Cassian was momentarily surprised by my indifference. But he quickly let out a cold laugh.
"I heard the child was born. No wonder you suddenly have more confidence when you speak. But don’t forget, I am the heir of the Harland Family. As long as you remain in this house, I have countless ways to make your life miserable."
I closed my eyes. I knew all too well what Cassian was capable of.
The first time I caught him cheating, I naively went to Thomas, hoping he would uphold justice.
Instead, what I got in return was Cassian’s ruthless retaliation.
Using my grandmother as leverage, he forced me to kneel on the freezing balcony of our bedroom, over and over again, slapping myself.
That night, the sounds of his pleasure with his mistress echoed endlessly.
With my face swollen from slaps and my body frozen numb, I was eventually sent to the hospital with frostbite.
The last shred of sincerity I had for him vanished into the endless snowfall.
From that moment on, no matter how cruel or outrageous Cassian’s actions were, I pretended not to see.
I endured his humiliation and torment in silence, doing everything I could to hold onto the title of Mrs. Harland.
But now, my grandmother was gone, my child couldn’t be saved.
This empty, lifeless marriage had finally reached its rightful end.
Without hesitation, I coldly hung up the phone.
Then, I got up and contacted a friend at the funeral home to schedule the cremation.
第3章
When I returned to the hospital room, I saw Cassian standing at the door.
He frowned at me before letting out a mocking laugh. "Why aren’t you playing the victim anymore? It seems like you're in great shape running around right after giving birth. Do you not need for postpartum recovery, huh?"
"I'm planning to bring Tessa to live in the villa. She's young, delicate and doesn't know how to do housework. So go ahead and get your discharge papers sorted. You can come back and be our maid."
As he spoke, Cassian leaned in closer, his face twisted in a cruel smile. "The sight of you in pain is the best aphrodisiac for me."
He stared at me intently, hoping to see me break down, to watch me crumble under his words.
But I remained utterly calm and so numb that even pain felt distant.
Finding it boring, Cassian turned to a passing nurse and blocked her path.
"Was the baby a boy or a girl? Bring it over. I want to see."
The young nurse looked panicked.
I sighed helplessly. "Grandpa took the baby away."
Cassian seemed like he wanted to say more, but just then, his phone rang.
As soon as he answered, his expression changed drastically.
The next moment, he slapped me hard across the face.
"Leona, what did you do to Tessa? If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you!"
Already weak, I stumbled from the force of the slap, crashing into the railing behind me.
The nurse hurriedly stepped forward to support me.
"Mr. Harland, she just gave birth! If you keep this up, you’ll kill her!"
But Cassian acted as if he hadn't heard a word.
Without a second glance at me, he rushed out, completely consumed by his concern for Tessa.
The nurse looked at me with sympathy, but my pale face remained expressionless.
It was as if seven years of torment had drained every last drop of emotion from me.
After examining me, the doctor advised me to rest.
I finally understood why Cassian was so furious.
The child was gone. Thomas was overwhelmed with grief and anger and he ordered a complete ban on Tessa across the entire internet.
Tessa mistakenly thought it was my revenge. She exaggerated the situation and went to Cassian to complain.
That was why Cassian laid hands on me.
But that wasn’t all.
Cassian revoked my shareholder status in the Harland Group and replaced me with Tessa.
To please her, he even bought a gold mine and named it after her.
During an interview, Tessa proudly flaunted the diamond ring on her hand.
"I never considered myself a homewrecker. If a woman can’t hold onto her husband’s heart, she deserves to be left alone. Besides, the current Mrs. Harland only married into the Harland Family for money. But I’m different. I truly love Cassian with all my heart."
The comments were sharply divided.
A group of brainless fanatic fans tagged my account, hurling all kinds of insults and demands for me to step aside for Tessa.
I looked at it all, feeling only ridicule.
After so many years, Cassian’s tricks to woo women hadn’t changed one bit.
Back then, he did the same to me.
When he found out that I came from a poor family and had never celebrated a birthday, he gave me twenty gifts on my twentieth birthday, from a gold locket for a one-year-old to a villa for a twenty-year-old.
He said it was to make up for the hardships I had endured over the past twenty years.
I still remember that night. Under the vast starry sky, he held my hand and said, "Leona, I was raised by my grandfather after losing my parents at a young age. I understand your feelings. From now on, I will treat your grandmother like my own and build the happiest family with you."
I melted in his deep, affectionate gaze, naively believing that I had found someone to spend my life with.
But later, when the novelty wore off…
第4章
Cassian quickly moved on to someone new.
During one of his dates, he left me behind on a mountain just to deliver flowers to his lover.
That day, I walked hundreds of kilometers down the mountain alone.
My feet were blistered and bleeding and my calves bore scars that would never fade.
I should have realized then. This man was selfish and fickle, never one to settle for anyone.
That so-called contract was merely his excuse to justify his infidelity.
Thinking of this, I left a comment under Tessa’s video. "Wishing you both a lifetime of happiness and many children to come."
Not long after my message was posted, Tessa deleted the video.
Right after that, Cassian called, demanding an explanation.
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I treated him the same way he had always treated me, calmly blocking his number.
Then, a thought suddenly struck me. Today was the day of my grandmother’s cremation.
After explaining my situation, I requested an early discharge.
The attending doctor, concerned but unable to dissuade me, eventually offered to accompany me.
When the staff handed me the urn, I didn’t feel the overwhelming grief I had expected. Instead, I only felt that the chains binding me for the past seven years had finally, completely broken.
I let out a quiet sigh, bid farewell to the doctor and returned to the Harland Family home alone to pack my things.
As soon as I stepped into the living room, I saw Cassian and Tessa sitting on the sofa.
The moment she saw me, Tessa hurriedly pulled up the zipper of her dress.
But the red marks covering her body still betrayed the intensity of what had just happened.
I didn’t feel hurt. I wasn’t angry.
Without a word, without a change in expression, I walked past them into the bedroom as if I had seen nothing at all.
By the time I came back out, Tessa had already left.
Only Cassian remained, sitting there, drinking alone.
When he noticed me, he slowly lifted his head.
The dim lighting cast shadows over his face, making his expression unreadable.
“Leona, where did you go today?”
“It’s none of your business.”
I didn’t want to say more, but Cassian suddenly smashed his wine glass.
He strode toward me, his gaze dark and dangerous. “Stop pretending to be so pure and virtuous. Don’t think I don’t know. You went out to fool around with some pretty boy. Leona, are you that desperate for attention? Are you upset that I’ve been ignoring you lately? Fine, if that’s what you want, I’ll give it to you.”
As he spoke, Cassian violently tore at my clothes, dragging me toward the bed.
His sudden aggression shocked me and I struggled with all my strength.
“Cassian, are you insane? I just gave birth!”
But in his frenzy, he wouldn’t listen.
His teeth sank into my shoulder, a sharp pain spreading through my body.
I pushed Cassian away with all my strength and slapped him hard across the face.
Enraged, he didn’t back down. Instead, he grabbed the wine glass from the table and hurled it at me.
A sharp pain spread across my forehead as a warm trickle of blood slowly slid down.
Cassian froze for a moment, seemingly caught off guard. Instinctively, he reached out to support me.
“Why didn’t you dodge…”
第5章
I staggered back a few steps, wanting to say something, but my body could no longer hold on. Darkness swallowed me as I collapsed.
I didn’t know how much time had passed when the sound of arguing jolted me awake.
It was Cassian and his grandfather, their voices loud and filled with anger.
As I opened my eyes, I realized I was back in the hospital.
Seeing me awake, Cassian let out a breath of relief, but his face remained dark with displeasure.
He shot a glare at his grandfather.
“Is this the ‘good wife’ you picked for me? Not even out of her postpartum recovery and she’s already sneaking off to meet some pretty boy?”
Thomas trembled with fury. “A date? Do you even know where Leona went yesterday?”
"Grandpa." I interrupted Thomas before he could say more.
"It's all in the past."
He understood my meaning and said no more, though his expression was filled with disappointment as he looked at Cassian.
Cassian, unconcerned, waved a hand dismissively.
"She’s awake now, so there's nothing for me to do here. Tessa is still waiting for me. I’m leaving."
Thomas struck him with his cane. "You ungrateful beast! I don't care where you go today, but tomorrow, you must come back to my house with Leona…"
Before he could finish, Cassian had already disappeared through the door.
Thomas let out a long sigh, his back hunched even more than before. He handed me a divorce agreement, already signed.
"Leona, it's my failure for not raising him right. But that child is still your own flesh and blood. I hope… I hope you can send him off one last time."
I looked at Thomas, his hair completely white. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to refuse.
The next morning, dressed in black, I arrived at the Harland Family’s ancestral home.
I had risked my life to bring this child into the world. But in the end, I never even got the chance to hold him before we were separated forever.
I gently wiped away the tears at the corner of my eyes.
Perhaps this was for the best.
At least without any attachments, leaving would be easier.
I had given my all in this marriage. Now that I was walking away, all I felt was exhaustion, no regrets.
Cassian never showed up, not even when the child was laid to rest. Instead, I saw him on the trending news, trying on wedding attire with Tessa.
Not long after, Tessa proudly sent me a message.
[So what if you gave birth? In the end, Cassian still chose me. Oh, by the way, did you think Cassian was taking care of you while you were unconscious? Actually, he was with me the whole time. We were right next to your hospital room, trying out all sorts of new positions.]
In the video she sent, my pale and lifeless face starkly contrasted with her own, glowing with satisfaction.
I didn’t reply.
Silently, I forwarded all the messages and videos to Thomas. Then, I removed the wedding ring from my finger.
Hugging my grandmother’s ashes, I whispered softly, “Grandma, let’s go home.”
***
Night had already fallen when Cassian finally returned to the Harland Family’s ancestral home, reeking of alcohol.
As soon as he pushed the door open, he was startled by the sight before him.
The entire hall was filled with funeral wreaths.
"Who died? Was it Leona’s grandmother?"
Panic flickered across his drunken face as he stood there, utterly shaken.
"Why didn’t anyone tell me earlier? Where’s Leona? She must be devastated. I need to be with her!"
Cassian’s voice carried a rare trace of urgency as he staggered forward.
But before he could take another step, Thomas, who had finally reached his breaking point, hurled the divorce papers straight at his face.
"Leona has already left with her grandmother’s ashes. And today is your son’s seventh-day memorial!"