Chapter 1

To save Liam Sterling’s life, I had to be the one to utterly crush him.

Liam hated me for my betrayal.

Later, when he made his stunning comeback, the first thing he did was seek revenge.

He kept me captive, then brought different women home every day, forcing me to clean up after them and buy their morning-after pills.

Even my own sister!

He shattered my dignity into a million pieces.

But Liam had no idea I had terminal liver cancer, and my days were horribly numbered.

I’d already bought my burial plot, arranged my affairs, and prepared myself for death…

"Anya, are you sure you want to be reassigned as a war correspondent in Congo-Kinshasa?"

"This mission is different. The situation there is highly volatile. Seven war correspondents were sent previously – six died, one was critically injured. The chances of survival are almost zero…"

Mr. Peterson laid out all the risks clearly, but I still nodded firmly.

Returning to war reporting, I was prepared to die on that land.

At least, it wouldn't be from illness. I could still make some final contributions.

The moment I stepped out of the station, I received a SnapChat message from Liam.

"The Velvet Club. Pick up two packs."

I immediately hailed a cab and rushed to the club, suppressing a sharp pain in my abdomen.

From inside, I could hear a woman’s moans and a man’s teasing voice.

"Mmm… ah… you're so bad~"

"You look so damn hot tonight. I'm gonna make sure you're well-satisfied."

I was used to it. Liam played out this scene almost every day in front of me.

A different woman every single day, never the same face twice, and I always had to watch.

Liam had an arm wrapped around a woman's slender body, his hand casually roaming over her, but there was a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.

That is, until he saw me push open the door.

I'd braced myself mentally. As I walked in, I saw Liam on the sofa with a woman straddling him.

A pink camisole, a white lace bra, fishnet stockings, and a bunny tail peeking out from under her mini-skirt.

The woman had her back to me, so I couldn't see her face.

But she was probably another young college student.

In the year since we'd reconnected, I'd learned his preferences.

He liked college girls, innocent yet seductive, just like I was back then.

Seeing me, he looked displeased. "What took you so long?"

"It's far. Traffic was bad."

"Then it's time for a penalty. Three bottles."

He casually pointed to three bottles of Ace of Spades champagne on the table.

The pink lighting in the club's private room couldn't hide my pale face.

I pulled out the two packs, and as I walked over to hand them to him, I finally saw the face of the woman straddling Liam.

My eyes widened involuntarily.

"You're not short on women. Why did you choose *her*?"

"Why couldn't I?" Liam sneered.

He knew perfectly well that the person I hated most in this life was my half-sister, Chloe Hayes.

On the surface, she was pure and sweet, but ever since we were kids, she loved to steal my things, once even stuffing rocks in my backpack, secretly messing with my college applications. She'd tormented me my whole life.

The closer someone is, the more they know exactly where to hit to cause the most pain.

Liam swirled his glass, lifting his eyes slightly, his cold gaze sweeping over me.

His voice was low, hoarse, and laced with boundless hatred. "When I went bankrupt, you got involved with my dear brother, and when I begged you not to leave, you even personally broke my leg!"

"You said it yourself, you couldn't stand useless people. So why couldn't I be with your sister?"

I froze. Those memories flooded back, and my body trembled uncontrollably.