When the Dream Finally Died

Ryann resolved to leave, only to wake up tied hand and foot to the bed, under the pretense of being "forced to rest properly."

She gnawed through the ropes with her teeth. Blood filled her mouth, with several teeth cracked and broken.

When Colby came back and saw her like that, he pulled her into his arms in distress, only for her to bite down viciously on his shoulder.

"If this makes you feel better, then go ahead," he said softly.

He let the blood soak through his shirt, still gently soothing her as if nothing was wrong.

On the day her mother was laid to rest, Suzanne appeared, her arm linked intimately with Colby's.

Ryann went insane, trying to rush forward and confront them, but the bodyguards restrained her tightly.

"I'm here to forgive the you all," Suzanne said hypocritically in front of everyone. "That way, you won't feel so guilty, Ryann."

Colby forced Ryann to apologize to Suzanne in front of her mother's memorial portrait.

After that, Suzanne became Colby's personal secretary.

She said she was afraid of the dark, so Colby moved into her place to keep her company.

She said her kidneys were damaged, and Colby forced Ryann to give her one.

He kept saying it was all to help Ryann atone. But anyone with eyes could see it—somewhere along the way, Colby had fallen for Suzanne without even realizing it.

To the outside world, Colby still gave Ryann her proper status. Everyone thought she should know when to stop pushing her luck.

After all, she had nothing left now—no family, no reputation, only a body stained with scandal. The fact that Colby was still willing to keep her should have been something to be grateful for.

Under the suffocating pressure of each passing day, Ryann slowly broke.

She lashed out at Colby again and again, attempting to escape over and over.

The closest she ever came to freedom, she had already cleared immigration. But Colby reported her to the police as her husband and had her stopped.

He went mad, imprisoning her in his arms, kisses falling like rain.

"You'll always be mine," he whispered hoarsely. "If you dare try to run again, I can't guarantee what'll happen to Charlee."

He locked her away in a sunless basement, declaring his ownership in the most intimate, brutal way.

Suzanne was far from satisfied and often came to provoke her.

The last time, Ryann pinned her to the ground and slapped her dozens of times, until Suzanne passed out.

No one understood why Ryann refused to behave herself.

Only she knew the truth. She was at the end of her strength.

Dazed all day, hair falling out in handfuls, pills became the only thing keeping her conscious.

Colby never knew any of this.

He didn't know his wife was on the verge of madness.

Her only way out was to escape that terrifying man.

The tide of memories slowly receded. Ryann stood outside the hospital as Colby drove up. Her thin clothes did nothing against the cold wind, but he didn't notice.

The old Colby would have prepared a thick coat in the car. He knew she cared about appearances and would rather freeze than put on extra layers.

Now, when she habitually opened the front passenger door, he reminded her impatiently, "Sit in the back. Don't close the window—the ice cream will melt."

Ryann froze mid-motion.

The seat that used to belong to her was now piled with childish plush toys and overly sweet snacks.

A cup of ice cream was placed carefully in the center, obviously meant for Suzanne.

She had grown almost numb to this kind of pain. After closing the door, she said softly, "I want to see Charlee."

Colby's expression cooled. "Why do you need to see him again?"

"Today's his birthday," Ryann said quietly. "You promised that every year, we'd be together on this day."

He drove steadily. After a long pause, he finally responded, "Mm."

The psychiatric ward was dim, lit only by a small window near the ceiling that let in a sliver of light.

Charlee was curled up in the corner, barely conscious. He didn't even notice when Ryann arrived.

She wrapped her arms around him and broke down completely.

"I'm sorry… I married the wrong man. I'm so sorry…"

Charlee's body stirred. Feeling her tears, clarity flickered briefly in his eyes.

He squeezed her hand and spoke with all the strength he had left, "Mom and Dad… left something for us."

From under the bed, he pulled out several yellowed pages. The first one was unmistakable—divorce papers.

Along with it were documents for two fake identities, one for each of them.

She remembered now.

It was the divorce papers her parents had forced Colby to sign the year she got married. The last escape route they had prepared for her.

Ryann immediately contacted the only lawyer she trusted. After carefully reviewing the documents, the lawyer nodded. "With this, you're legally free."

Tears streamed down Ryann's face.

That very day, she went through the procedures to cancel both her and Charlee's registered identities.

One month at most. Then, she would take Charlee and disappear far away.

From then on, she would never see that man again.