I was known as the feared living devil in Velmont, fighting my way up from nothing. My crippled leg was my weakness; no one dared to mention it. Everyone avoided me, except Talia Norwood.
The first time I met her, she was digging through the garbage, eating old rice like she hadn’t eaten in days.
I said to her, “Come with me and be my legs. I’ll make sure you always have food.”
I taught her how to defend herself, sent her abroad to study and guided her through the worlds of law and business.
In eight years, she went from a prostitute’s child to President Norwood of the Hollis Group, the person I trusted most.
At one drinking party, the eldest son of the Bradford Family joined a dare. He raised his glass, smiled at me and said, “I gave Talia that chastity belt.”
The whole room of powerful men laughed. I was the only one who stayed silent.
He went on, “She was my junior when we studied in America. She told me she wouldn’t take it off until I officially took over the family business.”
I looked at Talia. She held her wine glass, her face calm
After we got engaged, she never let me touch it. She said she’d keep it until our wedding day, but it turned out she hadn’t been waiting for me.
I took a sip of wine and smiled. “Okay. Then let her wear it forever.”
——
“Let me tell you something you don’t know! I gave your President Norwood that chastity bra!”
The whole room burst into laughter.
I froze and turned to look at Talia beside me. She, however, stayed calm, as if she wasn’t the one being publicly mocked.
My face turned dark. Someone at the table quickly tried to smooth things over, “That’s enough, Bennett Bradford, you just love to joke around!”
He saw my angry face and waved his hand. “Oh, my bad mouth! Enough, enough! I’ll drink to apologize to Mr. Hollis!”
“Everyone, come to my new ski resort this winter, it’s free!”
He suddenly hit his head and gave me a mean smile.
“Oh, I almost forgot, Mr. Hollis, your legs aren’t good for skiing, are they?!”
I tightened my fists and was about to stand, but Talia held me and whispered, “Nolan, don’t act rashly! He’s drunk. Our company and the Bradford Family have an important deal now and a fight won’t help.”
I looked at her, as if I saw her for the first time. I was the one who picked her up from the trash, taught her self-defense and sent her to study in Canada. It was just that she and Bennett happened to attend the same school.
At that time, she even called me and said, “Nolan, I have a chance to get close to him and earn his trust… I’ll help you get revenge in the future.”
After she came back to the U.S., I made her general manager without hesitation, giving her all my trust.
But she became closer to Bennett, always using “cooperation” and “business” as excuses.
She put super glue in my water, making me need an emergency stomach wash. I called her ninety-nine times from the hospital, only to see her Instagram Story showing her having afternoon coffee with Bennett.
The night before an important meeting, she burned my computer and tricked me into falling down the stairs, almost causing worse injuries.
We agreed to get our marriage certificate, but she kept missing the date. The last time, she came late without a single word of explanation.
She never gave me a proper wedding, always saying she didn’t want it to be too showy. Each time, she said it was to earn Bennett’s full trust for my revenge plan.
I never knew she and Bennett were already trapped in secret and forbidden feelings.
After marriage, she never let me get close. I thought she wore those chastity pants because she felt insecure from her childhood trauma, a kind of self-protection that made me feel sorry for her.
Yet, it turned out the girl who once promised to be strong and stay with me forever had already become a stranger.
She knew better than anyone that my legs were broken by someone sent by Bennett’s father.
Only after I fought hard to stand again, step by step and became strong enough to challenge the Bradford Family, did they start to fear me.
My heart slowly became cold as I lifted my head and looked around the banquet. All the sons from big families and the skilled people I had trained myself were laughing happily, as if my disability was a funny joke.
Just then, Bennett shouted with a playful smile, “Nolan, it’s your turn! Truth or dare?”
I looked at him calmly and slowly stood up. “Of course, I’ll choose neither.”
Before I finished speaking, I raised my hand and slapped Bennett hard!
Everyone was shocked. Bennett covered his face and looked at me in disbelief.
“Nolan! You’re fucking crazy! Our cooperation ends here!”
Talia was also shocked by what I did. She frowned and looked at me, her voice full of worry and anger.
“Nolan, you were too rash! Apologize to Mr. Bradford… We can’t let this cooperation stop halfway…”
My heart felt like it was stabbed, tightening with pain.
There was a time when she also hated the Bradford Family deeply. Her mother had worked herself to death because of the Bradford Family’s wealth. She blamed them for both her mother’s death and my broken leg and she had sworn never to forgive.
But a moment ago, when she looked at Bennett, I clearly saw sadness. She actually felt pain for the man who once ruined me.
I suddenly grabbed the porcelain bowl and smashed it on the floor, with its pieces scattered everywhere, like the broken pieces of my heart.
Bennett went mad, pointing at me and shouting, “Nolan! Who do you think you are? My father had someone break your injured leg. If he hadn’t stopped me, I would have broken your other leg a long time ago!”
“I’m telling you, you’ll be nothing but a dog to our Bradford Family for the rest of your life!”
“What woman would ever be happy with a weak, useless man like you?”
As I tried to walk away, a group of bodyguards stepped forward and blocked me.
“Stop!” Bennett’s voice was cold. “You slapped me and think you can leave? Kneel and bow three times, then I’ll let you go.”
Talia looked at me, hesitated for a moment, then softly said, “Nolan… why don’t you just do it.”
I smirked and a sharp light flashed in my hand. A knife stabbed straight into Bennett’s chest, quick and strong.
The party room burst into shouting and panic. Talia screamed and ran to help Bennett, who was pale and shocked.
Many guards ran at me, but with one hand, I hit them down one after another.
I looked at Bennett, lying on the floor in pain and said coldly, “Bennett, my legs may be hurt, but my strength is still the same.”
Without looking back, I walked away. At the door, I stopped and said each word clearly.
“Talia, let’s get a divorce.”
“Since you like wearing that so much, then wear it forever and never take it off.”
When I got home, a servant looked shocked to see me. “Where’s Madam?”
I fixed my messy collar. “Serve me the food. I’m hungry.”
The servant’s voice rose in protest. “How can that be? She hasn’t returned yet. How can you start eating?”
My tone turned cold. “Am I still the one who makes the rules in this house or not?”
“From today on, Talia is no longer my wife!”
The servant lowered his head, too afraid to speak again.
It was late at night when Talia came home. She smelled of alcohol and could barely walk straight.
I was about to speak when she suddenly threw herself into my arms, holding me tightly and crying, “Nolan, I’m sorry…”
I was completely surprised. She rarely showed such weakness.
The last time she looked like this was when I found her fainted from hunger by the roadside and brought her home. It softened my heart for a moment.
“Nolan, Bennett was drunk and talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.”
“I just took him to the hospital and finally calmed him down… Now’s not the time to provoke him.”
She cupped my face and pressed her cold lips against mine. My breathing grew heavy and my body grew warm.
Just as I was about to lose control, she suddenly pushed me away.
Her phone rang. She answered it and her face changed at once.”Okay, I’ll be right there!”
She turned to me, speaking quickly. “Bennett is awake and acting unstable. I’m afraid he might cause trouble.”
Without waiting for me to reply, she grabbed her coat and ran out the door.
It felt like the tenderness from moments ago had only been a dream.
By the next day, Talia still hadn’t returned, even by noon. I called my lawyer and started the divorce process.
Then I called my housekeeper and said firmly, “Replace all the servants in the house.”
When I got to the company, I immediately called for an emergency board meeting. During the meeting, I used my veto power to remove Talia and the other guests from the banquet list, replacing them with others.
Right after the meeting ended, a message from Talia came in. [Nolan, I finally calmed Bennett down and his family agreed not to make things worse. Some important clients are coming for a project, so I might be busy until late.]
[I’ve got a surprise for you. Please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?]
Just then, the doorbell rang.
When I opened the door, there was a large bouquet of flowers. I frowned as I looked at the lilies.
She had completely forgotten that I’m seriously allergic to lily pollen.
I quickly told the servants to throw the flowers out, then sat alone on the sofa, feeling low.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed with an anonymous message.
It was a video.
In the background stood Velmont’s tallest Ferris wheel.
Bennett was holding Talia tightly in his arms and under the bright fireworks, they were kissing passionately.
As they kissed, Bennett’s hand slowly slid under Talia’s clothes.
Her cheeks turned red, her eyes unfocused and she gently pushed him away. “Not… not here…”
I quickly turned off the video, my stomach tightening.
So, the reason she kept rejecting me was that she had already been with Bennett.
My chest ached like it had been stabbed.
That evening, at a business dinner, I saw Bennett again, his body wrapped in bandages, with Talia leaning close to him.
Bennett glared at me with anger. Talia quickly walked over. “Nolan, why didn’t you reply to my messages?”
“I was busy,” I said coldly.
“The lawyer will send you the divorce papers soon.”
Her expression changed. “Nolan! What are you talking about? I don’t agree to a divorce!”
“Where’s your calm and confidence now? When did you become so small-minded and emotional?”
Before she could say more, Bennett, beside her, began coughing hard. She turned around right away and rushed to his side.
Bennett looked at me with cold, disgusted eyes.
A deep feeling of worry grew inside me. Bennett looked nice and polite, like his father, but deep down, he was cruel.
After a while, he tapped his glass. “Everyone, I’ve invited a special dance troupe from abroad to perform for us tonight.”
A group of dancers entered the hall.
One woman, wearing heavy makeup, came close to me. Her strong lily perfume made me sneeze again and again. When her hand touched my chest, I pushed her away at once.
Bennett walked over. “What’s wrong?”
I gasped, finding it harder to breathe. Bennett put his hand on my shoulder, but I pushed him away.
He fell to the ground, blood running from his forehead. Everything was a mess.
Talia ran over and pushed me away. I lost my balance and my crutches dropped. The broken glass cut my ankle, causing a sharp pain.
Talia looked at me angrily. “Nolan Hollis! What on earth are you doing?”
She quickly helped Bennett up and rushed off, leaving me sitting on the floor in panic.
I reached out for my crutches, but someone kicked them away. I could only feel around on the ground, trying to find them.
After a moment, someone picked up the crutches and threw them hard at me, with whispers I heard.
“What kind of living devil? Without his crutches, he’s just a useless cripple.”
“Shh, keep it down. I heard he’s been bitter ever since he got hurt.”
I forced myself to stand, ignoring the strange looks around me and slowly walked out of the venue.
I hurried to the hospital and the doctor examined my ankle with a frown. “The glass is stuck in your skin! Your ankle is already weak, so you need to be more careful!”
Just then, my phone vibrated. I picked up the phone and heard my mother was crying so hard she could barely speak.
“Nolan! Your father’s been kidnapped! Hurry… Please, save him!”
I ran out of the clinic and saw Bennett standing there. He looked at me with a cold smile. “Well, if it isn’t our lame Mr. Hollis”
“You were so proud at the banquet earlier, weren’t you? Didn’t you push me down? Where’s that confidence now?”
I didn’t want to waste time arguing. My voice was cold. “Where’s my father?”
Bennett laughed like he’d just heard something funny. “Oh, you mean that old deaf man?”
“I threw a rock at him and he still laughed at me! What? Your dad’s deaf, you’re lame, guess missing something runs in the family!”
I ignored his insults and pulled out my phone, calling Talia again and again. Ninety-nine calls, no answer. On the last try, the call finally went through.
My voice was cold. “Talia, I’m giving you one last chance. Where is my father? Tell me!”
She stopped for a moment, sounding annoyed. “How should I know? This is all your fault for making me angry. Don’t use your dad as an excuse! Calm down first, then come talk to me!”
The next moment, the call suddenly ended.
I looked at Bennett’s proud face and a strong feeling of helplessness came over me.
My father was my biggest weakness. He had been deaf since he was a child and raised me by working at a construction site.
Since he couldn’t hear, his coworkers would throw small stones at him to let him know it was time to eat.
Bennett slowly lit a cigar. “Nolan, want to know where your father is? Fine! Get on your knees and bow three times!”
My hand shook as I gripped my cane tightly. After a long moment, I clenched my teeth, leaned on the cane and slowly knelt down.
Bennett looked at me and laughed loudly. He clapped his hands, then took out his phone. “What a great moment! I have to record it!”
I gritted my teeth. “Where’s my dad?”
He put his phone away and gave me a mean smile. “Since you already knelt, I’ll be kind and tell you.”
“Here’s a hint: Southville River.”
I turned and walked away, Bennett’s loud laugh ringing behind me. When we reached the river, my men suddenly shouted in shock.
Under the faint moonlight, a figure was curled up in the mud. It was my dad!
He was covered in blood, his clothes torn to pieces, his face bruised and swollen, almost impossible to recognize.
“Dad! Dad!” I screamed, my whole body turning cold. I slipped forward and pulled him into my arms.
His body was cold and his breathing was so weak it felt like it could stop at any moment.
“Dad! Please don’t sleep! Look at me!” My voice shook as fear entered my heart.
He struggled to open his eyes. The eyes that once looked at me kindly were now red. His rough, cracked hand shook as he slowly reached out and gently touched my face.
I grabbed his hand and held it against my cheek, tears falling nonstop. “I’m sorry, Dad! I’m useless… I’ve hurt you!”
He shook his head weakly with the little strength he had left, a faint sound escaping his throat, as if to say, “I don’t blame you.”
My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces over and over, the pain making it hard to breathe.
Suddenly, his hand fell, his eyes closed and his head leaned to the side.
“No!” I looked up and screamed, with his body in my arms, becoming cold.
I held my father tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms.
Bennett Bradford. Talia Norwood.
I would make you pay for this blood debt, a hundred times over.
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