Holding the lab report, Ashley's hand was shaking uncontrollably.
Without chemotherapy, she had less than a year left to live.
In a desperate silence, she slowly took out her phone, trying to leave a message for Izaiah. Her lips, slightly pale, quivered, unable to make a sound after a moment's thought, she cleared her throat, and finally choked out, "Izaiah, come home for dinner tonight."
Ashley tried to sound relaxed, but inside, her heart was bleeding.
A sharp, excruciating pain took over all her senses, her legs shook, lips turned white and eyes became terribly red.
Struggling to get up, Ashley staggered home, feeling as if everyone on the street was laughing at her.
There was no one at home, on the table lay a scribbled note: "You're on your own for dinner tonight."
Not even a simple text huh.
A cynical smile tugged at Ashley's lips, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes.
Because of long-term malnutrition, Ashley had insufficient oxygen supply to her brain. Her body was shaking like a leaf about to fall from a tree. She stumbled towards the dressing table next to her, trying to steady herself when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror.
She lightly traced her face with her hand, feeling its coolness.
So ugly, such an ugly scar. No wonder Izaiah didn’t like it.
The weather outside was getting colder and colder. Ashley reheated the food on the table again and again, she had especially made Izaiah's favorite dish. The surroundings grew colder as darkness descended.
Why... Why isn't he back yet?
Ashley shifted her somewhat numb body, only to suddenly hear a commotion outside, followed by the harsh sound of a car braking.
"Is that Izaiah... Has he been drinking again?"
Ashley hurriedly got up from the sofa, but due to pain, she kept gasping for breath. However, she didn't have time to think about it; all she wanted was to see Izaiah as soon as possible.
Izaiah got out of the car, using one hand to push Ashley away. He loathed women who always clung onto him. One word, cheap.
"Izaiah..." Yet she anxiously moved in closer again, noticing his strong smell of smoke.
"Get inside." Izaiah commanded. In this house, he was the master, and she, merely a servant, a concubine.
Ashley poured a cup of tea for Izaiah and forced out a smile. Over the years, she had developed the ability to maintain a smile regardless of the pain.
"Izaiah, have some tea to sober up."
Izaiah's cold eyes swept across Ashley's face, not missing the humiliation and awkwardness in her eyes. With a smirk, he ridiculed, "Mrs. Conway, why is this tea cold? Can't you even serve people well? The maids are much better than you."
The cold, dark light made Ashley's complexion even paler.
Over the years, she thought she would no longer care about Izaiah's outbursts, but every time, his words hurt her greatly.
Izaiah let out a few smirks, pushed Ashley away, and as he was leaving, he accidentally knocked over the tea on the table, spilling the hot liquid all over the floor.
The man glanced at it, his eyelids twitching slightly, he then leaned on the wall and collapsed onto the bed for a rest.
Ashley stared blankly at the steaming hot tea on the floor, somewhat dazed. She dragged her body to clean up the stain on the floor, only to find more stains on herself. Lowering her eyelids, she went into the bathroom.
But as soon as she came out, she was dragged by Izaiah to the balcony.
On the balcony was a clear floor-to-ceiling window, from outside one could see everything inside clearly. Looking at her reflection in the window, Ashley realized it was a detail that had been specifically designed for her. However, she thought about it and realized, it had been a long time since she last came here to enjoy the view.
Izaiah briskly walked in, crudely stripping Ashley of her clothes. His hands moving inch by inch over her skin, he positioned her against the floor-to-ceiling window. Ashley, nervously watches the reflection of his facial expressions, is terrified he would loathe her frail, skinny body.
She was humbled by the depths of her regard for this man.
"Why do you look so weak and feeble?" Izaiah detestably asked?
Ashley felt so weak, yet she dared not refuse. As she thought, her body felt soft, as if electrified, restlessly shifting her stance.
"Don't act dumb! Speak up."
Ashley's eyes revealed waves of pain mixed with desire. She could feel an engulfing heat but no warmth in her heart.
Perhaps, this was her fate, Izaiah was her fate.
Ashley could not stand it anymore. Her whispers stirred Izaiah's carnal needs.
Izaiah left Ashley looking utterly dishevelled while she gritted her teeth in silence, swallowing the pain.
Izaiah grunted, "Such a cheap woman."
Ashley felt as though a sledgehammer had hit her heart, frantically shaking her head, her hands around Izaiah's neck tightened. Ashley felt like a plaything that was being humiliated, yet found gratification in it.
"I... love you... ah... Izaiah..." Ashley's murmuring filled Izaiah's ears. Fragmented but filled with desire, enough to make him addicted.
A layer of cold mist slowly gathered in Izaiah's eyes. Love? Her love for him had led to all the misery and pain he faced over the years. Her demeaning behavior had made his life deviate from its course, losing control. Now this woman claimed to love him?
Ashley's body leaned closer. Izaiah subconsciously tried to avoid her. Tears streamed down Ashley's face as she stubbornly clung to his neck, her parched lips kissing him while her hands grazed his back.
"Do you love me too? Lie to me, please. I beg you, I can't survive without you."
Izaiah was fed up with this woman's words and with her face. He turned around and fiercely tossed her onto the bed. Ashley buried her face in the pillow, her body quivering in pain. She had no dignity, yet he wouldn't even lie to make her feel better .
After satiating his desires, Izaiah left Ashley's side. With a resentful voice, Ashley asked, "Why are you treating me like this? wasn't this scar on my face caused by you? All I ask is for a tiny bit, just a small bit of love."
"Don't even think about it." Izaiah despised her, felt sick at her sight. He wished he could exchange her life for that of another woman.
When Ashley first fell in love with Izaiah, she vowed to spend her life with him. However, she never imagined, after marrying Izaiah according to her wish, everything would go downhill from there. She thought Izaiah wouldn't be so heartless. She thought she could change Izaiah. Instead, she ended up being scarred all over.
"Heh, when you were hurting Katelynn behind my back, when you ruined her face while I wasn’t around, did you ever think that one day you would beg for my kindness?" Izaiah looked coldly at Ashley, who laid feeble on the bed, and put his clothes back on.
