The Game of Atonement

On the eve of our wedding, I refused Aria Carter's first love's ridiculous request to take my place as her groom for a month. In a fit of anger, he stormed off, drove onto the highway, and was killed in a car accident. That very night, Aria grabbed me by the neck and demanded, "I already agreed to marry you, so why couldn't you fulfill this one tiny wish for him?!" To avenge her first love, she brought in a stand-in to replace him and punished me day and night. Not only did she abort our child, but she also framed my dad for illegal fundraising, forcing him to die in prison. Unable to take the shock, my mom suffered a heart attack and ended up in the ICU. When I went to beg for her signature with the hospital bill yet again, I saw her locked in a passionate embrace with the stand-in. "Aria, you're already pregnant with my child. Do I really have to keep pretending to be dead?" Aria panted breathlessly, her eyes clouded with desire. "There's no rush. Let Conrad suffer a bit more, or he'll never learn to be obedient. "After all, that half-dead mother of his is still waiting on my money for her medical bills." It turned out Aria's first love wasn't dead at all! The atonement I believed in was nothing more than a game to them. My child and my parents were merely pawns to be toyed with in their game. I waited the entire night. It wasn't until dawn that I took the bill and rushed to the hospital in a daze. Only to be informed that my mom had slit her wrists and committed suicide the night before, leaving me with just one final sentence. [Conrad, I won't drag you down anymore.] Chapter 1 My mom lay in the morgue, without a single trace of life. I crawled over and grabbed her hand. The very hand that used to hold me was now as cold as a block of ice. "Your mother committed suicide at 9 p.m. last night. We called your phone, but you didn't answer. "Mr. Walker, please accept our condolences. You've already pushed your body past its limit, so you shouldn't get too emotional." I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. At 9 p.m. last night, Aria Walker punished me by locking me inside a walk-in freezer. And because of that, I missed seeing my mom for the very last time. Thinking of the scene I had witnessed outside the office, I lost all my strength and collapsed to the ground. I wanted to hate Aria, but at this exact moment, even the strength to feel hatred had been drained from me. It wasn't until my mom was placed into a small urn that I finally broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. Holding the divorce papers, my hand trembled as I dug out a number I hadn't used in ages. "Please take me away from Stepford..." The voice on the other end sounded pleasantly surprised. "Mr. Walker, you've finally contacted us. We have already booked the plane tickets, and we will send people to pick you up right away." When I got home, Aria was accompanying Tom Robinson as he pruned the branches. The entire yard was planted with peach trees—the exact trees that cause my allergies. I walked over and handed her the divorce papers. "Aria, we..." Before the words about divorce could even come out, a sharp slap sent me crashing to the ground. "Conrad, you still dare to come back?! I told you to atone for your sins, and you actually dared to put rats in Tom's room!" The taste of blood filled my mouth, and I instinctively protested. "I didn't..." "Holy crap!" Tom frowned, kicking over my mom's urn. "Putting rats in my room wasn't enough? Now you're even trying to harm me with toxic powder!" The ashes scattered all over the ground, mixing into the dirt. I roared and lunged forward, but a brutal kick to my chest sent me back, making my internal organs throb with pain. "Conrad, you're truly beyond redemption!" Aria picked up the urn and smashed it straight over my head. Blood instantly poured down my face. "Mom... Mom..." Chapter 2 I crawled forward, desperately trying to gather my mom's ashes. Suddenly, Tom's dog rushed out and began licking at the ashes on the ground. "Milo! That’s filthy, don't eat that!" Tom scooped the dog up into his arms, then brutally stomped his boots down, grinding my mom's ashes deep into the mud. I dug at the dirt like a madman. Even when my hands became bloody, I didn't stop. My tears just kept falling uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry..." Suddenly, a violent yank at my scalp tore me away. Aria dragged me by my hair and threw me onto the living room floor. "Don't think playing the victim is going to get you out of today's punishment. "Tom, do it." … Tom let out a cold scoff and hid behind Aria. "Oh, I wouldn't dare. What if Mr. Walker holds a grudge against me and puts rats in my room again?" Aria’s eyes softened with pure tenderness. She stood on her toes and planted a kiss on his lips. "Tom, you are far too kind." However, the moment she turned her gaze back to me, her expression instantly iced over. "Since Tom is too soft-hearted to do it, the rest of you will." She pointed at the several house servants standing in the living room and ordered, "All of you, come slap him. Keep going until he has taken ninety-nine slaps." The servants looked at each other in hesitation, none of them daring to step forward. With a loud smack, Aria used every ounce of her strength to deliver a fierce slap to my face. My cheek ballooned with swelling immediately, her manicured nails leaving deep scratches across my skin. "Slap him just like that. If anyone hasn’t moved within three seconds, you can pack your bags and get the hell out of the Carters." Fearing they wouldn’t hit hard enough to satisfy Aria, the servants instantly rushed forward, scrambling over one another to take their turn. By the time the ninety-nine slaps finally ended, I coughed up a mouthful of blood. I looked up at Aria, my eyes burning with pure hatred. "Aria, you will regret this." A flash of pity flickered through her eyes for a split second. She crouched down, her hand brushing against my swollen cheek. "Conrad, don't feel wronged. You committed a crime, and you have to atone for it." Suddenly, I burst out laughing. I laughed like a lunatic, even as tears streamed down my face. How laughable that it took me until this very moment to realize that everything had been one massive, naked deception! "Atone?!" I pointed my finger right at her, screaming at the top of my lungs. "The ones who actually sinned and need to atone are you! Aria, I will never forgive you as long as I live! I hate you!" Guilt washed over Aria's eyes. She averted her gaze, not daring to look at me. Right then, Tom cradled his hand, tears welling up in his eyes. "Aria, my finger... I think a rat bit it. It hurts so bad." Heartbroken, Aria immediately took his finger to her mouth to soothe it. "It's okay, Tom, it won't hurt anymore. I’m going to avenge you right now." When she looked back at me, her eyes were filled with nothing but disgust. She turned to the servants and commanded, "Throw him into the cage." My eyes went completely hollow as I stared at her, letting them drag me away. Inside the iron cage, a swarm of rats huddled in the darkness, their eyes glowing green as they squeaked and chattered. Terror consumed my entire body. I struggled with everything I had left to break free, but they locked the cage shut. The next second, the swarm of rats descended upon me, biting and tearing at my skin. The agonizing pain of my flesh being ripped apart made me howl in screams. Peering through the only narrow gap in the cage, I could see Tom pressing himself over Aria with heavy breathing. "Tom, come on..." "No, it'll hurt the baby." "Then let me help you..." I didn't know how long I was kept in that cage. Gradually, I began to suffocate, and my consciousness started to fade. Finally, the cage door clicked open, and I was dragged out onto the floor like a dead dog. A pair of high heels stepped right up to my legs. Looking down at my body, which was now riddled with bloody holes, Tom flashed a smug smile. "Aria, look at Mr. Walker now. He looks absolutely pathetic!" Chapter 3 Aria quickly covered his eyes, casting a careless glance at me. "This is what he deserves." What I deserved? My lips twitched into a bitter laugh. "Conrad, what are you laughing at?" I calmly met Aria’s scrutinizing gaze, spitting out each word deliberately. "My greatest punishment was falling in love with you in the first place." Because I fell in love with her, I lost my dad, my mom, and my child. I was humiliated and trampled on by everyone. The once brightest star of Stepford was now worthless. "What did you say?" Aria’s face turned pale, utter disbelief flashing in her eyes. She knelt to reach out and pull me up, but Tom immediately held her back. "Aria, you just found out you were pregnant today. Don't let his bad aura rub off on you." Aria nodded, taking Tom's hand with a gratified smile. "You're the only one who truly cares about the baby. Unlike some people..." Saying this, she glared at me with pure venom. Seeing her like that, the memory of my own poor child flashed through my mind. Before the baby could even fully form, it had been aborted by its own mother without a shred of hesitation. Numbly, I dragged myself up to the attic. I pulled out the medical kit and poured long-expired rubbing alcohol directly onto my wounds, using the searing pain as a twisted form of self-torture. It felt as if only this blinding physical pain could mask the tearing agony deep inside my heart. "Conrad, you really are tough." … The clicking of leather shoes approached from outside. Tom stood at the doorway, the mockery on his face entirely unconcealed. "Who would have thought that the once high-and-mighty heir of the Walkers would sink to such a wretched state?" Without even lifting my head, I let out a cold laugh. "It must be hard work pretending to be someone you're not, keeping your own child hidden in the shadows where it can't see the light of day." "So you know?" Tom smirked, casually twirling the ring on his finger. "Conrad, if you had just agreed to let me be the groom back then, none of this mess would have happened. Your father is dead, your child is dead... I wonder how much longer that sickly mother of yours can even hold on?" "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Aria already promised me that my child with her will be the sole heir to the Carters." A wave of desolation crashed over me. Gnashing my teeth, I forced myself up and spat a mouthful of blood right at him. "You will get what's coming to you." Tom carelessly raised an eyebrow. "Then I'd love to see who actually gets what's coming to them." The sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the distance. Suddenly, Tom let out a piercing shriek. "Ah!" He threw himself backward just as Aria rushed into the room and caught him in her arms. "Conrad, you actually dare to push him?!" Looking at Aria, Tom’s eyes turned red with aggrieved tears. "Aria, don't blame Mr. Walker. It was my own carelessness. I only came up here to check on Mr. Walker’s injuries. I never expected..." Aria's face twisted with suppressed rage, her eyes filled with nothing but absolute disgust as she looked at me. "Conrad, do you have nothing to say for yourself?" Right. If this were the past, I would have desperately tried to explain myself, fighting to prove my innocence. But now, I simply stared back at her with deadpan eyes. "If I explain, would you even believe me?" Aria let out a harsh, cold laugh. "A liar like you doesn't deserve to be believed." She grabbed me by my collar and dragged me out to the stairwell. "You hurt Tom. Prepare to pay the price." The moment the words left her mouth, she delivered a brutal kick straight to my torso. I tumbled backward, crashing violently down the flight of stairs until I slammed hard onto the floor below. An agonizing pain exploded in my chest. I curled up on the hardwood floor, coughing up several mouthfuls of fresh blood. The servant standing closest to me couldn't help but scream. Chapter 4 "Mr. Walker is coughing up blood!" A flash of panic shot through Aria’s eyes. She made a move to head down the stairs, but Tom immediately held her back. "Aria, I really envy Mr. Walker. The moment he sheds a little blood, everyone gets heartbroken over him." He sniffled, even letting a couple of tears fall. "Unlike me... Anyone can just bully me as they please..." Aria’s heart instantly broke for him, and she leaned in to kiss away his tears. "Don't worry, Tom. I won't let anyone who bullies you get away with it." However, when she turned her gaze back toward me, it was like she was looking at a piece of dead meat. "Lock him in the basement. Let him think over what he’s done." A crowd of people dragged me away like a tattered rag, throwing me into the basement and leaving a long smear of blood across the floor. The dust rushed into my face, making it hard to breathe. I clutched my stomach from years of severe malnutrition, which had triggered acute gastric issues, and the twisting pain was unbearable. Sitting in the basement were our wedding photos and all the gifts Aria had once given me. These proofs of our past love felt exceptionally mocking right now. Forcing myself up with the last of my strength, I grabbed a wooden rod and smashed the wedding photos to pieces before completely blacking out. I was shocked awake by a bucket of freezing water. "Conrad, you sure sleep soundly." I opened my eyes to meet Aria’s grim expression. She threw a servant’s uniform onto the ground. "Tomorrow is Tom's birthday. You will wear this uniform and serve him." The blood clots blocking my throat kept me from speaking, so I could only stare at her, completely numb. Tom carried himself like a coddled heir, even having a cashmere rug rolled out just for him to walk into the basement. He clung to Aria's arm, acting spoiled. "But Mr. Walker is so good-looking. If he stands next to me, it'll make me look ugly. What should we do?" Aria’s eyes filled with doting affection. "Isn't that simple, my little prince?" She had someone bring over a knife, and without hesitation, she slashed it across my face several times. This face, which she had once been obsessed with countless times, was now slashed beyond recognition. Blood instantly erupted, drenching my entire face. The agony had me thrashing and rolling on the floor. When I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a shattered piece of glass and saw the horrific sight, an ear-piercing shriek tore from my throat. "Are you satisfied now?" Aria asked, tossing the knife to the floor as she looked at Tom with deep affection. "Tom, you will always be the most handsome." Tom covered his eyes in mock terror, yet he couldn't stop giggling. "Mr. Walker, you really look like a monster now." I clutched my face, laughing and crying all at once. Then, that set of legal documents was tossed right in front of me. Aria crouched and patted my blood-soaked cheek. Her voice actually carried a rare hint of gentleness as she said, "Conrad, as long as you behave yourself, everything will get better after tomorrow. When the time comes, I’ll find the absolute best medical team for your mom." Like a drowning person catching a final piece of driftwood, I held the documents tightly against my chest. Aria had no idea my mom was already dead and had no need for any more treatment. And the contract she assumed was for a hospital was actually the divorce papers I had prepared. Finally, I could leave. … The next day, guests arrived in an endless stream. Dressed in the servant's uniform, I knelt on the floor, staring blankly at the entrance with a hollow expression. People passing by would jump in fright at the sight of me. Once they realized who I was, they spared no mockery. "What kind of monster is that? He looks disgusting!" "What do you mean, monster? That's Ms. Carter's husband..." "Pfft, ugly as sin. It's only because Ms. Carter and Mr. Robinson are so kind-hearted that they mercifully let him stay around as a watchdog." "Well, after today, he probably won't be Ms. Carter's husband anymore. I heard Ms. Carter is going to make a massive announcement tonight." Chapter 5 "His dad broke the law, his mom was up to no good and caught a nasty disease, and he's just a useless man who can't even conceive a child. Ms. Carter is truly miserable for being saddled with him." Every single word felt like a poisoned dagger, carving my heart into a bloody mess. I curled my body as tightly as I could, hiding my ruined face in the shadows. "Mr. Robinson is here!" "Mr. Robinson is so handsome! I’ve never seen that suit before. It must be a custom haute couture piece from a Hillsbalt designer." I lifted my head, meeting Tom’s provocative stare. However, the moment my eyes locked onto the suit he was wearing, my breath completely seized in my throat. "That's the suit my mom left me!" My voice was incredibly hoarse. Struggling to my feet, I stumbled forward and lunged straight toward Tom. Aria instantly cut me off, blocking my path. "Conrad, what the hell do you think you're doing?!" I stared at her with pure resentment, tears streaming down my face like rain. "Aria, that suit is the only thing my mom left me! How could you possibly give it to him?!" Aria’s face darkened with displeasure. "It’s just a suit. If Tom likes it, he can have it." Driven by sheer desperation, I bit down hard on her hand. The moment she let go from the pain, I broke free and grabbed Tom by his collar. "Take my mom's clothes off right now!" Tom clutched his chest and shrieked, "Aria, save me!" A massive force slammed right into my waist. I crashed violently to the ground, my entire body trembling from the agonizing pain. Then, Tom ripped the suit jacket to shreds and hurled the torn pieces directly at me. "Here! Take it back! Take it all back! "Conrad, you absolute psycho! You ruined my birthday party!" With trembling hands, I clutched the shredded pieces of fabric, tears falling. "I'm sorry, Mom... I'm so useless. I couldn't even protect the last piece of memory you left me." The next second, Aria yanked me up by my clothes. "Conrad, even at this point, you're still trying to hurt Tom?! "Everything was supposed to get better after today! Why can't you just stay in your place?!" She let out a sharp, furious laugh, her teeth gritting in pure hatred. "Fine. Since you love stripping clothes off people so much, you don't need to wear any either!" Under her orders, she had the guards strip me completely bare right in front of the entire crowd. Camera flashes erupted all around me. Desperate and utterly broken, I closed my eyes as tears slid down my face. "Throw him out onto the street." Following Aria's strict orders, several bodyguards dragged me out into the public street, chaining me to a trash can with a heavy dog leash. Near the trash can stood a group of ferocious-looking vagrants, their eyes locked tightly on me. The moment the bodyguards left, they instantly rushed forward, raising iron rods and beating them down onto my body. I coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, fighting back with what little strength I had left. "If you do this to me, Aria will never let you get away with it..." "Ms. Carter?" The leader of the vagrants delivered a brutal slap that made my face swell instantly. "Ms. Carter is the one who told us to wait for you here." Saying that, they pinned my hands down and brought an iron rod crashing heavily onto my head. Right across the street, a massive digital billboard was broadcasting a live feed of Tom’s birthday. He stood there like a prince surrounded by stars, accepting luxurious gifts from everyone. Aria, blushing beautifully, presented him with a South Chesterford diamond worth hundreds of millions. Absolute despair consumed me. My lips twitched into a final, hollow smile, and I slowly closed my eyes. Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the air. Warm blood instantly splattered across my face, and a heavy coat was gently draped over my shoulders. My eyes snapped open, locking onto a stunningly beautiful face. "It’s you... You really came for me..." Chapter 6 Back at the party, Aria’s heart suddenly spiked with a sharp, stabbing pain. Frowning, she quickly speed-dialed her executive assistant, Robert Vito. "Has Conrad learned his lesson yet? Bring him back inside." The voice on the other end of the line was trembling violently, his tone laced with panic. "M-Ms. Carter… Mr. Walker isn't at the scene anymore. There's only..." Aria suddenly shouted, "Only what?!" However, Robert didn't answer with words. Instead, he snapped a photo of the scene and sent it over. Without hesitation, Aria tapped on the image. But the exact second she saw the picture clearly, she nearly lost her mind. … In the photo, the ground around the trash can was drenched in a massive pool of blood. The vagrants littered the pavements. A wave of terror enveloped her. Aria’s legs went weak, and she had to grab onto the wall just to keep herself standing. Aside from that person, she couldn’t think of anyone else with the sheer power to pull off something this brutal. How could her Conrad have ever crossed paths with them, though?! Abandoning the hall full of elite guests, she bolted to find him, but Tom held her back. "Aria, the party just started! Where are you going?" "I have to find Conrad..." Tom pouted, his eyes instantly welling up with tears. "But today is my birthday. You promised me—" "Shut up!" Aria impatiently threw her arm off him. "I've already made it clear to you. Today, I'm going to tell Conrad the whole truth. He will always be my husband, though I will fulfill everything I promised you." When she was a child, she had fallen into a river, and Tom was the one who saved her life. She had always wanted to compensate him for it and had it all planned out. After tonight, she would sit down and explain everything to Conrad. Years ago, an accident had severely damaged Conrad's body, and the doctors said it would be incredibly difficult for him to have children. She had carried that crushing guilt to this day, which was why she secretly planned to have him legally adopt the baby in her womb. Tom’s eyes were bloodshot with resentment, and he gritted his teeth. "Aria! If you step foot out of this door today, I will never acknowledge the child in your womb!" He pointed aggressively at her stomach, treating it like his ultimate bargaining chip. However, Aria wouldn't even spare him a single glance, letting out a sharp, mocking scoff. "Without Conrad, what does this child even matter?" "I’ve already been more than generous to you during this time. The money I set aside for you is enough to live a lavish life for the rest of your days." She pointed a warning finger right at Tom's face. "From now on, remember your place." For Tom, she felt nothing more than gratitude. But for Conrad, her love was eternally fierce and absolute. That was one thing that would never change. Back on the street, the area surrounding the trash bins had already been cordoned off with yellow police tape. The local police were currently conducting a thorough crime scene investigation. "Where is my husband?!" Aria’s eyes were red from the tears as she frantically rushed forward, but Robert managed to intercept her halfway. "Ms. Carter, please calm down!" "How can I calm down?!" Aria violently grabbed Robert by his collar, her teeth gritting in pure fury. "Didn't I tell you explicitly to protect him?!" Robert lowered his head, stammering over his words. "We don't know what happened. It felt like we suddenly blacked out, and by the time we woke up, Mr. Walker was gone..." Seeing Aria arrive, the police officer stepped forward to deliver the grim update. "I'm sorry, Ms. Carter, but we haven't located your husband yet. However, there is a silver lining. We didn't find Mr. Walker's DNA at the scene. "This means there is a very high probability that he is still alive." Aria let out a sharp gasp of relief, but a split second later, a wave of panic crashed over her.