Night, pouring rain. 

Wang Mei died.

Died in front of Ma YuLi.

The rainwater washed Wang Mei's bloodied body, dyeing a large area red.

A black Bentley stopped, and Li Cha rushed over, fiercely grabbing Ma YuLi's neck: "You killed her!"

"No, it wasn't me. Wang Mei was already dead when I arrived..." 

"You're still denying it! You've always hated her to the bone!"

"It was Wang Mei who took the initiative to ask me to meet her. I had just arrived when I saw her lying on the ground!"

But Li Cha did not believe her. 

A sinister light shone in his deep eyes: "Ma YuLi, I will make you suffer a fate worse than death! To appease Wang Mei's spirit in heaven!"

Ma YuLi looked at the handsome man before her in despair.

She was Li Cha's wife, but had never entered his heart. 

He loved his childhood sweetheart Wang Mei deeply. He had never given her any of his affection.

Four years ago, Li Cha was diagnosed with leukemia. Ma YuLi's blood type and bone marrow happened to match his, and could save his life.

The Li family negotiated with her, but she didn't want anything. She only wanted to marry him.

Ma YuLi finally became Mrs. Li, and Li Cha's illness was cured.

"Slap!" A heavy slap made blood seep from the corner of Ma YuLi's mouth as she fell to the ground.

"Wang Mei told me just yesterday that she was pregnant. And you made your move today," Li Cha emanated an icy aura, "Ma YuLi, blood debts must be paid in blood!"

She looked at him in disbelief: "How could you...let her bear your child...Li Cha, what about me! What about Li XiuQi!" 

Li XiuQi was her and Li Cha's son.

That year, because Ma YuLi had donated too much blood to Li Cha, her body was not suitable for pregnancy. Forcing her to have a child would endanger her life.

But she endured unimaginable hardship and gave birth to Li XiuQi. 

She thought Li Cha would feel distressed for her, but he believed Ma YuLi used the child to tie him down. So he hadn't held Li XiuQi in all these years.

Father and son were emotionally distant.

As a result, Li XiuQi developed autism.

"You? You're not even worthy to shine Wang Mei's shoes!" Li Cha's thin lips moved slightly, his words cruel. "Come! Throw her into prison!"

"Yes, Mr. Li!"

Two bodyguards dragged Ma YuLi away, while Li Cha crouched down next to Wang Mei, took out a handkerchief and wiped the rainwater off her face, then carefully picked her up in his arms.

As if she were a precious treasure.

This scene pierced Ma YuLi's eyes and turned her heart to dead ashes. 

After loving him for so many years, what did it amount to in the end?

No one noticed that in the alley, a pair of eyes watched all this silently, extremely delighted.

She killed Wang Mei and framed Ma YuLi. So...

Li Cha would be hers!

Because she was Wang Mei's twin sister, with an identical face!

\---

Women's prison.

The guard pushed her into the cell, lazily saying: "You guys, welcome the newbie properly."

Ma YuLi looked up at the women surrounding her. 

"Don't come near me..." She suppressed her fear. "What do you want!"

"The boss just instructed us to listen well," said the woman in the lead, licking her lips. "This delicate little face, tsk tsk!"

Ma YuLi turned to run, but the prison gates were locked tight. She could only cry loudly for help.

"Scream all you want, no one's gonna save you." 

She pretended to be calm: "Do you know who I am? I'm Mrs. Li!" 

No matter how much Li Cha hated her, he wouldn't let these women touch her. He had always been domineering and ruthless. If he wanted to kill or punish her, he would do it himself.

"Hahahahaha..." To her surprise, they all burst out laughing. "Still Mrs. Li? We're going to take care of you, Mrs. Li!"

Wang Mei and Li Cha were holding her down from both sides, while the other women surrounded her and started punching and kicking. 

Ma YuLi couldn't move at all, pain shooting through her body.  

She squeezed her eyes shut, curling up into a ball. She had overestimated Li Cha's hatred for her.

But in her fading consciousness, the name she called out was still his: "Li Cha, Cha..."

Ma YuLi loved him too much, for a whole youth of ten years. 

Yet Li Cha had wounded her heart beyond repair.

...

Three days later.  

The graveyard.

Li Cha personally buried Jiang Wang's ashes and erected a tombstone.

His deep set brows and eyes were filled with grief: "I will avenge you, Wang."

His fingers brushed over the photo on the gravestone. Just then, a pair of delicate hands reached over: "Mr. Li, my condolences."

Li Cha turned his head to look at Jiang YunRou beside him.  

She had an identical face to Jiang Wang.

"My sister has passed, we are all very sad," Jiang YunRou said. "The murderer must pay the price!"

She intentionally leaned into Li Cha's embrace, but was imperceptibly pushed away. 

He understood they were two different people.

Li Cha's expression was cold. He asked to the side: "Has Ma YuLi confessed?"

His assistant George replied: "Mr. Li, after the lady was imprisoned she developed a high fever, there was no time for interrogation."

"Bring her here."

George was shocked, but still responded: "Yes, I will go arrange it immediately."

Jiang YunRou added fuel to the fire from the side: "Just give her the death sentence, secretly execute her with a gun, lest things get more complicated."

Li Cha swept a sharp, cold gaze over. 

"Mr. Li, I...I just want justice for my sister." Jiang YunRou shrank back in fear.

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He said lightly: "You are very similar to Wang."

Li Cha did not like people meddling in things before him. If not for Jiang YunRou's face, he would have had her dragged away already. 

Moreover...he didn't know why, but how to deal with Ma YuLi was his business. No one else had the right to make demands!

- A while later, Ma YuLi appeared in handcuffs.  

Due to her high fever, her face was pale and her body weak.

Li Cha stood straight in front of the gravestone, grabbing her wrists: "Kneel."

She bit her lip: "What if I don't kneel?"

"I have my ways!"

Li Cha kicked her knee, pressing her head down to force her to kneel.  

He looked down, yanking her hair: "Ma YuLi, do you confess? Will you submit to the law?"

"I'm not guilty, I didn't kill anyone," she answered. "Jiang Wang's death has nothing to do with me! I was framed!"

Li Cha cruelly smirked: "You think by not confessing I can't do anything to you?" 

As he spoke, he pinched her chin: "Do you believe if I wanted to, I could make your entire Ma family accompany Wang in death?"

Ma YuLi looked at him in horror: "Li Cha, you can't do this!"

"Scared? Then confess!"

She shook uncontrollably: "Don't you have any affection left for our marriage? Husband and wife, can you not show me a shred of compassion?"

"Husband and wife? Have you forgotten how you drugged your way into my bed?" 

"I told you, that drug wasn't given by me!"

"I don't have time to waste words with you!" The veins on Li Cha's temples bulged. "Kowtow to Wang's gravestone and confess!"

Ma YuLi looked at the man before her, he was so ruthless and heartless towards her.  

She was so tired of loving him.

"Li Cha, I loved you the most, I saved your life, I bore you a child! The one who loved you, you spurned. The one who didn't love you, you treasure like a priceless gem! One day, you will regret how you treated me!"

Ma YuLi lowered her head down onto the icy marble. "I am guilty, I deserve death!"

"Wonderful, now my sister's spirit in heaven can rest in peace!" Jiang YunRou immediately kicked Ma YuLi viciously. "You murderer!"

She pressed Ma YuLi's head against the gravestone, bashing it repeatedly, until blood streamed from her forehead.  

Li Cha watched coldly from the side.

Jiang YunRou yelled: "My sister was pregnant with child, two lives ended! You deserve to be minced into pieces and rot in hell...ah! You dare to bite me!"

Ma YuLi clenched her teeth tightly into Jiang YunRou's flesh. Jiang YunRou screamed in panic: "Crazy woman, Mr. Li, save me!"

Her cries reminded Li Cha of how Jiang Wang must have pleaded that night when Ma YuLi killed her.

Li Cha grabbed Ma YuLi's jaw, while yanking her hair back forcefully with his other hand.

Ma YuLi's mouth and face were covered in blood: "Even Jiang YunRou can get your pity?" 

"She is Wang's sister."

"I'm your lawfully wedded wife!"

"You're nothing," Li Cha elegantly wiped the blood from his hands, tossing the handkerchief at her face. "Ma YuLi, you're more sinister than I imagined!"

She closed her eyes, letting the tears flow freely. "Actually...Li Cha, you loved the wrong person. The one who pulled you from the fire when we were young was me, not Jiang Wang."

He scoffed coldly: "You expect me to believe you?"

Ma YuLi continued speaking: "After I carried you out, I left you by the lake to get help. But by the time I came back, you were gone. Only later did I know Jiang Wang happened to pass by and brought you to the Jiang family for treatment." 

"Wang is dead, now you want to steal even her credit?"

"I just want to speak the truth, to stop bottling it inside." Ma YuLi answered. "Li Cha, you might as well just kill me now!"

This torture was worse than a quick death.  

She had nothing left, only this heart that loved him, now damaged beyond healing.

"I will torture you bit by bit," Li Cha yanked on her handcuffs. "Let you experience every cruelty in the world."

Ma YuLi gazed into his eyes. She still remembered, amidst the raging fire, his hoarse yet gentle voice: "You saved me, I will marry you."

Later, she had used her own blood to save him again, before becoming his wife.

Two life debts, yet it resulted in this.

"If there is an afterlife, Li Cha..." Ma YuLi struggled to remain conscious. "I will definitely not want to meet you again..."

Her vision went black, and she completely fainted.

...

Gu Residence

Li Cha walked into the living room, immediately noticing the small cowering figure in the corner.  

He loosened his tie, eyes cold: "Come here."

Gu XiuQi hugged his old, worn out toy as he slowly approached Li Cha, handing him a drawing.

It depicted a family of three holding hands, with the words "Mama loves Papa" written below.

Li Cha found it ironic. He snatched it up and tore it in half: "From today, you have no mother."

Gu XiuQi's clear eyes instantly widened in panic and fear.

His autism made him dislike speaking, but under Ma YuLi's patient care, his condition had improved. Now, Li Cha's words completely shattered him again.

"How could I have a worthless son like you?" Li Cha crossed his legs leisurely. "Or, are you the result of Ma YuLi sleeping around with other men?" 

His eyes narrowed, flashing with anger.

Gu XiuQi took two steps back. At only four years old, his entire world was Mama. Papa was scary, Papa didn't love him.

Thump. Gu XiuQi knelt down.

Gu XiuQi, who was diagnosed with autism and hadn't spoken another word since, now uttered three words: "Want Mama."