chapter 2
The swallowed liquor felt like scalding sulfuric acid, burning my throat and insides.
I forced myself to endure the discomfort, took two steps back, and smiled ingratiatingly at Hailey.
Nathan shook his head in disbelief.
He knew I never touched a drop of alcohol.
Even in social settings, I never drink.
The only exception was the night I caught him having an affair with Hailey. Weeping, I smashed a bottle of whiskey on the floor.
The smell of alcohol caused an allergic reaction, and I fainted. After being resuscitated, I demanded a divorce from my hospital bed.
He refused, and within a month, he set a fire that killed my entire family to seize the inheritance.
That very night, he brought Hailey home, and she moved in for good.
I couldn't shed a single tear; I just wanted to kill them both.
But when I accidentally tore the lace on Hailey's skirt, Nathan said I was too selfish and sent me to a Taming Course to become a docile and virtuous wife.
He took the opportunity to seize my last assets and lived happily with Hailey.
I opened the second bottle of red wine and gulped it down without hesitation.
Hailey looked at me with satisfaction, then turned to the shocked Nathan with a slight smile, "See how well-behaved Diana is now? She doesn't even pretend to be allergic anymore."
Nathan opened his mouth but hadn't spoken yet when the phone rang. He frowned, answered it, and walked away.
I opened the third bottle of red wine.
At that moment, Hailey, smiling brightly, snatched the wine bottle and poured it over me from head to toe.
I couldn't open my eyes for a moment. Her mocking voice came to my ears, "Diana, you don't know how to cherish things!"
"A few thousand dollars' worth of red wine, and you still despise it?"
I kept my eyes closed and apologized repeatedly, "It's all my fault. Please punish me, Mrs. Wright."
She grabbed my hair and dragged me, stumbling, into the basement storage room.
This place is my bedroom, barely enough room for two people to move around.
Hailey sat on the bed, and I knelt by the bedside.
The next second, the whip struck me.
I didn't dare run or move, curling up and enduring the pain of each lash.
The whip tore through my clothes, cutting into my flesh, and my scarred back quickly became a bloody mess again.
After drinking, my skin was already red, swollen, and itchy; now its no longer itchy, just painful.
Mixed with the stomach cramps and dizzy headache, my breathing became harder, and my heart raced.
I don't know how many lashes I took; I collapsed to the ground in a daze, too weak to lift my head, and the whipping finally stopped.
Hailey said coldly, "Enough. Look at how filthy you are. Clean yourself up; you're going out today."
After speaking, she tossed down two small white pills.
Ignoring the dirt, I picked up the pills, shoved them into my mouth, and swallowed.
Nathan sprayed perfume on himself, frowned, and seeing my pale face like a ghost, said with concern, "Are you okay? Even if your past allergies were fake, drinking too much is bad for your health. Don't drink anymore."
"Just serve Hailey well, no need to do anything extra."
Before meeting me, he was a timid and insecure country boy. When he first started working in New York, clients mocked him for his strong body odor.
I helped him out and privately told him that clothes shouldn't just air dry. If he couldn't move for now, he should buy some cheap perfume to mask the smell.
Since then, he began passionately pursuing me. His favorite gift to give was perfume.
As his income increased, the perfumes he gave me became more and more expensive.
After we got married, he simply bought a full set of equipment and built a perfume room at home.
He once said passionately, "Diana, I want to create a unique fragrance just for you."
Hailey knocked on the door impatiently, her tone anxious. "Darling, let's go quickly!"
I tried to avoid Nathan, but he grabbed me with a displeased look. "Diana, why have you changed?"
Changed?
The old me gave up my career to protect his dignity, returning home to be a full-time housewife.
Every day, I took care of his meals and chores, ensuring he was comfortable from head to toe.
Even during lovemaking, I did everything to please him, fearing he might feel even a hint of unhappiness.
Now, I have changed.