Chapter 1

#Mrs. Carter Pushes Someone Out of Jealous Hatred

#Famous Painter Emily Cooper Pushed Down Stairs Out of Jealousy

Christina Reed held an ice pack against her swollen cheek with one hand while mechanically scrolling through her phone with the other, reading the vicious comments about her on the trending topics.

[Feel so bad for Emily, such a talented painter, her hand was almost ruined.]

[Why doesn't this evil woman just die!]

[Ethan Carter should get divorced! A malicious wife like that? What is he even keeping her for?]

The attached photo showed Ethan sitting by the hospital bed, tightly holding Emily's hand.

That slender hand had been clasped around her waist just last night, breathing heavily in her ear.

Christina stared at that photo for a long time, until her phone buzzed again.

It was a message from her father, John Reed: [Christina, are you trying to destroy the whole family?]

[You've offended the Carter Family, what about my company?]

[Contact the media right now and apologize to Emily in person!]

She read through all the messages. At the end, she suddenly laughed.

She laughed at herself for living so cheaply.

At that moment, the sound of a car engine came from downstairs—Ethan was back.

She knew he was angry, but she didn't expect him to be this cruel.

Ethan watched coldly as the bodyguard struck. A whip lashed across her soft flesh on her thigh, and intense burning pain instantly spread through her entire body.

Christina collapsed on the floor in pain. Bright red blood ran down her smooth leg, staining a large patch of carpet.

"Ethan, I told you, she fell down by herself, it wasn't me!"

She was shaking all over from the pain, but stubbornly refused to beg for mercy.

Ethan stood in his custom suit, holding a riding crop, his posture elegant yet cold.

His features were sharp and handsome, his narrow eyes adding a touch of aloof restraint, his good looks almost oppressive.

He looked down at her with disgust in his voice: "I saw it with my own eyes. You still want to make excuses?"

Christina's whole body trembled: "She was trying to frame me..."

Before she could finish, Ethan's whip struck her again.

Christina screamed in pain, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

Ethan crouched down and gripped her chin tightly.

She was forced to look up, meeting Ethan's cold, dark eyes.

She flashed back to his heated gaze from last night when he was aroused, which only made her heart colder now.

"Christina, you pushed her down such a high flight of stairs, and now you want to accuse her of framing you?"

His fingers tightened around her chin, the force so strong Christina felt her bones might shatter.

She was his wife, yet he trusted someone else.

"I told you, I didn't push her," Christina rasped. "I was trying to catch her."

"Still making excuses." Ethan roughly released her chin and threw the whip to the bodyguard beside him. "Keep going. Beat her until she tells the truth."

Christina trembled as she grabbed Ethan's pant leg: "Ethan, I'm your wife. Why are you doing this to me?"

Ethan didn't even look at her. He kicked her away, leaving only his cold, hard back as he spat out one word: "Beat her."

The whip fell on Christina again. The severe pain made her curl up, and that last bit of hope completely vanished.

She used all her strength to push herself up from the floor and shouted, "Ethan, if you don't believe me, then let's get divorced!"

Ethan's departing footsteps stopped.

He turned back to look at the battered woman on the floor and smiled coldly: "Divorce? You schemed so hard to become Mrs. Carter, you're willing to give it up? I'm warning you, don't think you can threaten me with divorce. It won't work!"

Ethan's words hurt more than the whip wounds on her body.

Christina finally understood that Ethan had always seen her as a calculating woman.

Five years ago, at an art exhibition, she performed CPR and saved Elizabeth Carter when she started vomiting. Because of this, she became a good friend.

At the family recognition banquet, people mocked her, saying she deliberately staged the rescue just to climb up to the Carter Family.

She was so embarrassed that her face turned red. Ethan stepped forward to protect her and drove away those nosy people.

In that moment, her heart wavered.

She knew he was only protecting the Carter Family's reputation, but it became one of the few bright spots in her dark life.

Knowing her place, she hid these feelings and kept a respectful distance from him.

The turning point came three years ago at Elizabeth's birthday party. She and Ethan were drugged and slept together. The scandal spread throughout Emerald City overnight.

Elizabeth forced him to marry her to calm the storm.

When Ethan's lover Emily found out, she left for abroad without a word.

Ethan blamed everything on Christina, hating her for ruining his love.

From then on, he was cold to her, looking at her only with disgust.

Only Christina herself knew that on that night three years ago, when she woke up, she was already beneath him, her whole body aching, her mind blank, with no idea what had happened.

For the past three years, all of Emerald City had mocked her for being shameless and stopping at nothing to marry into wealth.

Except for Elizabeth, no one in the Carter Family had ever accepted her. They only showed her contempt and disgust.

She suppressed all her temper and could only endure the grievances.

A year ago, when he was drunk, they had sex for the first time since their marriage.

After that, Ethan's attitude toward her improved considerably, and they became increasingly compatible in bed.

She thought he had seen her true feelings.

It turned out it was all her wishful thinking from start to finish.

Christina looked at Ethan's cold back and suddenly laughed, tears streaming down her face: "Ethan, I was stupid. Stupid enough to think sincerity could be met with sincerity. Stupid enough to hold onto a marriage without love or trust, living humbly for three years."

"But I don't want to be stupid anymore. This Mrs. Carter position—whoever wants it can have it. I don't want it anymore."

Ethan's brow furrowed, a flash of irritation in his eyes.

He had expected her to cry and beg, but he hadn't expected her to act so crazed.

Thinking of Emily still in the hospital, he had no more time to waste here with her. He said coldly, "Today is just a small punishment. If you still don't repent, I'll show you what happens when you anger me."

With that, he strode away, his back resolute.

Christina watched him disappear, her consciousness gradually blurring in the severe pain. Her last thought was: This ridiculous marriage should end.

One day earlier, late at night.

The floor-to-ceiling windows of the master bedroom in the luxury villa were open. The wind blew in, but couldn't dispel the strong scent in the room.

On the large bed, Ethan's force was surprisingly strong, as if he wanted to meld Christina into his own body.

"Gentler..." Christina endured his invasion, her fingers tightly gripping the sheets beneath her.

Hearing her plea, Ethan's movements didn't slow at all. Instead, his assault became even more fierce.

Christina passively endured it, gazing hazily at the handsome face of the man above her.

His eyes burned with fire—an obsession with her body.

But between them, there were no kisses, no tenderness, only primitive lust and possession, as if she were just a tool for him to release his desires.

"Focus." Ethan noticed her distraction. His large hand gripped her waist and punished her with force.

Christina let out a muffled groan, tears forced from the corners of her eyes.

After a long while, everything stopped.

Ethan coldly withdrew and walked straight to the bathroom.

The sound of water started. Christina dragged her sore body and barely leaned against the headboard.

Soon, the bathroom door opened.

Ethan had only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was still dripping water, droplets sliding down his broad shoulders and neck, flowing over his firm chest and abs.

Christina looked at him. He really did have a beautiful body. Even after all these years, it could still easily move her heart.

Ethan was drying his hair when he looked up and met Christina's moist eyes.

In those eyes was undisguised adoration.