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My Husband Tested the Drug on Me to Protect His First Love
NovelShort
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My husband, Daniel Sanford, and his childhood sweetheart, Natasha Morgan, were famous pharmacists. They spent more than ten years testing medicines together, and in the end, they tested them on me. J...
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第1章
My husband, Daniel Sanford, and his childhood sweetheart, Natasha Morgan, were famous pharmacists. They spent more than ten years testing medicines together, and in the end, they tested them on me.
Just yesterday, they kidnapped me and dragged me into a basement.
My hands and feet were tied. I could only watch as Natasha injected strange drugs into my stomach.
Just like that, I became her test subject. I begged my husband to save our baby, but he turned away and left me there.
A sharp pain twisted inside me and everything went dark.
When I woke up, Daniel stood beside the bed, pretending to care. “Don’t blame Natasha. Your body is just too weak. That’s why we lost the baby.”
“We’re still young. After Natasha gives you some medicine to help you recover, we can try again.”
Five years together and even an unborn child meant nothing to him compared to a single tear from his childhood sweetheart.
At that moment, I gave up completely. I called my mother.
But the car I waited for never arrived. Instead, I received her cold, lifeless body.
Before I left the morgue, I heard Daniel and Natasha talking nearby.
“Don’t worry, Natasha. Everything is handled perfectly. No one will suspect a thing.”
“Daniel… you gave up so much for me?”
“When her pregnancy ended, her mother wanted to report you. So, I arranged the accident. Now there will be no more trouble. Tell me, haven’t I done enough for you?”
And just like that, I understood everything.
For Natasha Morgan, Daniel killed my child. For her, my husband killed my mother. Their twisted love was built on the deaths of the two people I loved most.
Fine. If this is what they wanted, then I would make sure they stayed together. Forever.
***
I linked my arm through Daniel’s and stood beside him at my mother’s funeral. My stomach felt sick, but I still forced myself to smile politely at guests offering condolences.
Besides relatives and friends, Daniel also invited many people from the industry, business partners and even the media. Cameras flashed nonstop in the silent funeral hall.
“After the ceremony, join me for a few interviews. Speak carefully. It’s good for the company’s reputation. And don’t look so stiff,” Daniel’s emotionless whisper came softly from above my head.
I didn’t respond. After learning what he had done to my baby and my mother, I had no more words for him.
But of course, he didn’t care.
If this weren’t a critical time for the company, he wouldn’t have invited me at all. He needed to display the image of a loving husband.
I wondered how he convinced Natasha to let me show up.
Well, the answer arrived one second later.
“Daniel!”
Natasha walked in, her hair tied in a high ponytail, a tight sweater beneath a black coat, showing confidence in every step.
“Why are you dressed so lightly?” Daniel pulled his arm away from me instantly and rushed to her side.
“It’s fine, I’m not cold. There was traffic, so I hurried. I didn’t want to be late and slow down the funeral,” she explained sweetly.
My hands were freezing. I rubbed them together and snapped, “This is my mother’s funeral. Whether you’re early or late doesn’t matter.”
She suddenly acted surprised to see me. “Celeste, didn’t you know? I’m hosting the memorial. Without me, the funeral can’t start.”
I stared at Daniel in disbelief. He had never mentioned this to me.
“Does she need to report everything to you? Someone has to host.”
Seeing his indifferent expression, something inside me finally broke as I spoke to him. “This is my mother’s funeral. I have the right to decide who can stay and I want her to leave.”
My finger trembled with anger as I pointed at Natasha.
People nearby heard my raised voice and turned to look.
“Don’t be childish, Celeste. This is an important ceremony,” Daniel muttered, glancing toward his business partners.
“And your mother treated Natasha like her own daughter. Natasha and I grew up together. It’s completely reasonable for her to host.”
Some relatives nodded in agreement. “He has a point.”
“Celeste, it’s just a host. It won’t affect the service. Don’t delay the time.”
Their words stabbed into me like needles.
“You don’t understand… none of you know anything…”
Before I could continue, Daniel gently cupped my cheek.
His eyes were cold, but his voice sounded warm enough to fool everyone.
“Celeste, we know you’re grieving. After I finish work, I’ll take you on a trip to help you relax. But for now… let’s say goodbye to your mother properly, okay?”
What a perfect husband. Perfect son-in-law. Perfect boss.
If I kept arguing, I would only look unreasonable.
I let out a small laugh as tears fell onto his hand and disgust instantly flashed across his face.
Even at my mother’s funeral, he stared at Natasha with admiration while she gave her speech.
On the way home, because of his “loving husband” image, he finally rode in the same car with me, even with Natasha present.
But the moment we got inside the house, he slapped me hard across the face. My cheek burned.
第2章
“I’m very disappointed in you today, Celeste. You really don’t know what’s good for you. What problem do you have with Natasha hosting the funeral? Did you really need to cause a scene in front of everyone?”
“What will my business partners think? What will the media say? You should be grateful nothing worse happened, or I would have…”
He cut himself off, but I finished the sentence for him.
“Or what? I don’t have a second baby left for you two to destroy.”
Daniel raised his hand again, wanting to hit me, but then stopped, like he suddenly remembered something.
“Go make some cake. Matcha flavor. I’ll bring it to Natasha later. Think of it as your apology. After that, this whole thing will be over.”
I laughed as if I had heard a joke, so I simply walked past him without responding.
Daniel grabbed my wrist tightly, forcing me to face him. “You’re getting bold, aren’t you?”
“Oh? But I’m nothing compared to the woman hiding behind you,” I replied with sarcasm.
I had already decided to divorce him anyway. There was no point holding back anymore.
“I don’t care about anything else, but you must attend tomorrow’s charity gala. You know how important it is for the company.”
With that, he slammed the door and left.
I knew the event he meant. He told me about it six months ago.
Back then, he told me that attending as a couple would impress investors, how a polished family image mattered in business, how it could even influence final deals.
And since I had agreed back then, since it was a charity event, I decided I would still go, even if I didn’t stay long.
***
The next morning, before my alarm even rang, I heard a car engine outside.
When I got up and looked out the window, Daniel’s car was already driving away.
I called him.
The first call was rejected. The second, too. The third… the tenth…
Finally, he picked up, sounding irritated. “Celeste, are you really that clueless? I didn’t pick up, isn’t that obvious enough? Take a taxi. I’m not your driver!”
“Oh? You should’ve told me earlier. I thought it meant I didn’t need to come.”
My calm tone made his voice rise like a dog barking. But then he realized he sounded ridiculous, so he forced himself to soften.
“Some friends asked me to arrive early. As my wife, you don’t need to tag along.”
“Okay.”
I hung up, put on the dress he’d chosen and got ready.
***
When I reached the hotel, expensive cars lined the entrance. I stepped out of a small white sedan, smoothing out the dress.
Not far away, Daniel stood in a suit, holding Natasha’s arm as she stepped out of a luxury car.
She wore the same dress as mine, except hers looked high-end and elegant. Mine looked like the cheap version of it.
My phone buzzed. It was message from Natasha.
[You should thank me. If I didn’t generously let Daniel invite you, you wouldn’t be allowed to attend. Also, the dress was buy-one-get-one-free. Yours is the free one.]
So, that was why Daniel told me to come. That was why he left without me this morning.
It was all because Natasha felt like it.
I lifted my skirt slightly and checked my reflection in a car window—hair tied up, soft curls brushing my shoulders, light pink eyeshadow, coral lipstick and a calm, steady smile.
As long as we weren’t divorced, I was still his legal wife. And Natasha Morgan was still just the mistress.
At such an important event, I wanted to see who Daniel would choose to protect.
Inside the gala, I searched for him. I finally spotted him leading Natasha toward a quiet staircase.
I followed and hid behind a tall flower arrangement.
“Daniel, when Celeste gets here, are you going to walk on stage holding her hand? Or mine?”
“Yours, of course. Why would you even need to ask?” he answered, lifting her hand and kissing it gently.
第3章
“But she’s still your legal wife. If she shows up and you take me on stage, won’t that look bad?” Natasha spoke with fake sadness.
She knew exactly who she was. She knew she was the outsider who didn’t belong.
“Don’t worry. I already have a plan. Calling her here tonight is part of it,” Daniel said, sounding pleased with himself.
A sharp worry rose in my chest.
“I bribed a waiter. He’ll make sure Celeste drinks the ‘special’ champagne. After that, Hansen will take her to the room we prepared. They’ll record everything. Then later, I’ll have a clean excuse for divorce. Cheating.”
“She’ll leave with nothing. My name stays clean and the company won’t be hurt. And of course…”
He paused, pulled Natasha closer by the waist, his voice dropping into a soft, intimate tone.
“The best part is, after this, we can finally be together openly. I can introduce you everywhere as my wife.”
“Oh, stop. You haven’t even proposed. Who says I’m your wife?” she giggled, punching his chest lightly. Even that small touch made him lose control for a moment.
“Alright, I’ll go check if Celeste is here yet.” Daniel took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
The moment I heard that, I lifted my dress and hurried toward the buffet area, pretending I had just arrived.
Just as expected, a waiter walked toward me with a glass of champagne.
“Ma’am, would you like a drink?”
I waved my hand. “No, thank you.”
But he didn’t move. “This is a special cocktail for every VIP tonight. If you don’t take it, I’ll get in trouble.”
What a terrible excuse. I almost rolled my eyes.
When Daniel noticed the waiter couldn’t pressure me, he finally walked over.
“Celeste, you’re here. Why didn’t you text me?”
“Heh.” I let out a cold laugh.
“You probably don’t like champagne. Here, drink mine. This is your favorite. The taste is great. Try it.”
For a moment, I didn’t know whether to feel touched that he still remembered my preferences, or to feel stupid for ever loving a man who planned so carefully to destroy me.
I took the glass, lifted it and drank a large sip. Then I smiled.
His eyelid twitched. His shoulders loosened. He thought everything was going according to plan.
I drank about half of it in front of him, then turned and walked to the restroom.
Inside, I leaned over the sink and spat everything out. Then I opened a small packet of vomiting powder I had prepared. I forced myself to throw up more until sweat covered my forehead and tears stung my eyes.
After rinsing my mouth and fixing my makeup, I walked out.
I walked slowly, pretending to be drunk and dizzy.
At a corner, I bumped into a chest. The strong smell of cigarettes made me want to gag.
“Tsk, tsk… Daniel really went all out. Look at you, sweetheart. You can barely stand. Come on, I’ll take good care of you.”
He slid an arm around my waist and led me down a hallway. I pretended to resist weakly.
He shoved me into a private room and pushed me onto the bed. Then he started undressing.
Just as he tried to get close, I shoved him back hard.
“Oh? Still that strong after being drugged? Wild one.”
“Dirty… shower…” I forced out, sounding drunk and confused.
“Oh, right. I should wash up first. Then I’ll come ‘handle’ you properly.” With that, he grabbed a towel and walked into the bathroom.
The moment the bathroom door closed and the heater turned on, I grabbed my heels, ran to the door and slipped out silently.
***
When I finally got home, exhaustion crashed over me. I fell asleep the moment I touched the bed.
The next morning, loud ringing jolted me awake.
As soon as I answered, Daniel’s angry voice exploded through the speaker. “After drinking last night, where did you go? Why didn’t you go to the room I prepared?”
“I didn’t go. I went home.”
“Why didn’t you go? Do you know because of you, Natasha….”
His voice held heavy anger, stronger than ever, but for some reason, he was holding it back, like something was forcing him to stay controlled.
Then suddenly, he asked quietly, “Celeste… have you been wanting to divorce me for a long time?”
第4章
“Yes.”
I still didn’t understand why Daniel suddenly brought up divorce, but honestly, it saved me the trouble of figuring out how to hand him the papers. If he wanted it first, even better.
“Come to my office. Look through the agreement and check if anything needs to be added,” Daniel said flatly, without a trace of emotion.
“Okay.” I didn’t want to think too deeply about it. This was good news. I took a taxi straight there.
It was only my second time visiting Daniel’s company. The first time was when I brought him a handmade birthday cake.
When he saw me standing there with it, he smashed the cake in front of all his employees.
“Celeste, I hope you understand. This company is not your home. Don’t show up without notice. No one here has time for that.”
I remembered holding back tears as I cleaned the floor in silence, then quietly walking out.
Since then, I never went back. I never thought the second time would be to finalize our divorce.
He had informed his assistant, so he led me straight into his office.
When I entered, he was sitting in his executive chair. He didn’t even stand up when he saw me. He just lifted a hand, signaling for me to sit across from him. Always acting like he was above everyone.
“Look at the documents on the desk. If everything looks fine, sign them.”
I picked up the papers. Besides the divorce agreement, there was another contract for a voluntary kidney donation.
“What is this supposed to mean?”
Daniel didn’t bother looking up. He kept writing, his pen scratching across the paper.
“Two choices. If you want the divorce, sign both documents. If you don’t, then sign nothing and forget about divorcing me for the rest of your life.”
At that moment, my phone buzzed. It was from Hansen.
The photo showed Natasha lying in a hospital bed, pale and weak.
[Celeste, I don’t know how you swapped my own sister into my room last night, but now you’ll pay the price. A kidney isn’t a big deal, right? Don’t make stupid choices. If you refuse, I have my ways. You’ll beg to sign.]
I lifted my phone toward Daniel. “Natasha’s stepbrother really has no patience.”
He gave the screen an annoyed glance.
“Don’t give me that look. This happened because you slipped away last night. If you had stayed where you should be, Natasha wouldn’t have gotten drunk and wandered into the wrong room.”
“She wouldn’t have woken up humiliated and jumped from the second floor out of shame. Now her organs are damaged. She needs your kidney.”
He rubbed his temples wearily as his every word stabbed directly into my heart.
“Just see it as fixing the mess you caused.”
Looking at him sitting there, crossing his legs like an untouchable, distant prince, I let out a cold laugh.
“Daniel Sanford, why do you think I would sign something so ridiculous and unfair?”
He stood and walked toward me, each step heavy and threatening on the wooden floor.
Then, he stopped so close in front of me.
“Celeste Lawrence, I don’t like your tone. Do you honestly think you have the right to talk to me like this? Ever since you married into the Sanford Family, have I ever treated you poorly? Do you know how many women out there would die just to be my wife?”
“I let you enjoy that position for years. And the moment I ask for something in return, you act like it’s unreasonable?”
His voice grew louder and his temper worse. He grabbed my chin, forcing my gaze up to his.
“Tell me. What have you ever done for me as Mrs. Sanford?”
“I never married you for money. “Before my mother passed away, my status and ability weren’t lower than yours. You’re just too arrogant, Daniel Sanford.”
I pushed his hand away and held back the urge to slap him.
“I won’t donate. If you love Natasha so much, I’m sure you have more than one plan to save her. Do whatever you want. Just don’t expect to use me.”
“And as for the divorce, we both know it’s only a matter of time. Your Natasha is not the type to stay a secret forever.”
I made sure to say the last sentence slowly. Clearly.
第5章
As expected, Daniel frowned in annoyance, clearly wanting to argue, but I had already turned away and walked out.
Over the next few days, I focused on handling everything related to my mother. I needed it all settled before I left so I could have peace of mind.
Meanwhile, Daniel was busy trying to save his lover. I heard he paid an absurd amount of money to bring in a top private surgeon for her.
The next time I saw Natasha, she was energetic and cheerful. Nothing like someone who had supposedly been in critical condition.
That only proved that she could have been treated properly from the start. But the moment she got hurt, Daniel chose to make me pay for everything. As if I were the one who deserved punishment.
And Natasha was no different. The first thing she did after leaving the hospital was to come straight for me.
She waited on a road she knew I always passed. The moment she spotted me, she hit the gas and tried to hit me.
Too bad for her, I was prepared.
Along with arranging my mother’s affairs, I had hired a private investigator. While gathering evidence of Daniel’s cheating, they also kept watch on Natasha’s movements.
Because of that, I avoided the accident. But I had no intention of letting her walk away so easily.
Adults should face the consequences of their own actions.
So, I went to the police and filed a report for attempted harm. A charge like that could put her in jail for a while.
But the moment I stepped out of the police station, I saw Daniel running toward me.
He ran up and spoke in frustration, “Cancel the complaint against Natasha. Now.”
“No,” I answered without hesitation.
Hearing that, he put his hands on his hips and stared down at me like I was some unreasonable woman.
“Celeste, don’t be dramatic. Blowing this up will only make you look bad.”
Another threat.
I lifted my head and looked directly into the eyes I once loved so deeply.
Word by word, I said, “I said no. Your Natasha has to face what she did.”
Slap!
His hand struck my cheek hard. But I didn’t feel shocked. I didn’t even feel hurt anymore.
“If I were the one who tried to run someone over today and Natasha reported me, would you be standing here slapping her for me?” I asked him, already knowing the answer.
Daniel lowered his eyes and stayed silent.
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and firm. “Celeste, stop this. Cancel the complaint. You wouldn’t want your mother’s belongings to end up burned, would you?”
Those words almost made my knees collapse. He instinctively reached to steady me.
I pushed him away in disgust and stared straight into his deep eyes, searching for even the smallest trace of humanity.
“Daniel… what is your heart made of? How can you be this cruel? This… disgusting?”
He sighed, sounding bored and impatient. “Enough, Celeste. Just give me a clear answer.”
In the end, I withdrew the report because I knew he would find another way. And if I didn’t withdraw it myself, my mother’s belongings wouldn’t survive.
After that, I hired a moving company and cleared out everything that belonged to her. I went straight to a law office and finalized the divorce papers.
I printed two copies of the divorce agreement and added the evidence of his cheating. Then, I sealed them in an envelope and mailed it to his company.
I didn’t know when he would open it. I didn’t care. I had already finished everything that mattered. And I was ready to begin again.
Outside the plane window, clouds covered my bitter past. The direction of the flight told me one thing clearly.
My new life had already begun.
第6章
In the meeting room, several shareholders were chatting noisily about the company going public.
At the center of the table, Daniel sat with his head down, tapping a pen against a folder over and over. No one knew what was going through his mind and no one dared to interrupt.
Lately, everyone could tell he hadn’t been in a good mood.
One shareholder called his name, trying to go over the conclusion they had just reached. But even after calling several times, Daniel didn’t respond.
His assistant, Luke, leaned down to remind him quietly.
Before he could finish a sentence, Daniel suddenly lifted his head. “Luke, did Celeste contact you today?”
Luke froze for a moment, caught off guard. It took him a few seconds before he shook his head.
“No. These past few days, you’ve been busy shopping, eating out and… spending time with Miss Morgan. You didn’t tell me to check on her.”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“No news probably means she finally understands. No matter how hard she fights, it’s pointless. In the end, she’ll stay quiet and keep being Mrs. Sanford. Wealthy, comfortable… many women would kill to live like her. She has no reason to cause trouble anymore.”
Luke smiled awkwardly and glanced at the shareholder who was still waiting for an answer.
“Mr. Sanford… about what we discussed earlier…”
At that moment, Daniel finally seemed to remember where he was. He looked around, shut the folder in his hand and said, “That’s all for today. Luke will write the report and send it to me.”
Then he stood up and walked out, completely ignoring the unhappy faces around the table.
Luke hurried after him, opening the schedule. “Mr. Sanford, tonight you have an important networking dinner with executives from another major company.”
Daniel was about to respond when his phone rang. Natasha.
“Daniel, can you spend tonight with me? Do you know what day it is?” her soft voice came through.
His expression shifted instantly. The coldness vanished, replaced by a gentle smile he hadn’t shown all day.
“Of course, sweetheart. How could I forget your birthday? The cake is already ordered and on its way. I’ll be there soon.”
When he hung up, Luke looked like he wanted to speak and Daniel noticed that.
“What?”
“Sir, you said many important investors would be there tonight. If you skip it for Miss Morgan’s birthday… we might lose valuable opportunities.”
“The Sanford Group is worth hundreds of millions. How many people at that dinner could actually help us? Why are you nagging like Celeste? I almost forgot she’s the one who recommended you.”
Hearing that, Luke lowered his head in silence.
“That’s enough. Prepare the car. I’m going to Natasha’s place. And stop worrying about things that aren’t your job.”
“Yes, Mr. Sanford.”
Later that evening, Daniel drove to the villa where Natasha lived, a place he had gifted her on her eighteenth birthday. He had a spare key, so he could walk in anytime he wanted.
He stepped out of the car with a bouquet of flowers. Before he could knock, Natasha rushed out wearing a thin nightdress.
“Daniel! You’re so slow. I waited so long I almost fell asleep!”
She jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a playful smile.
“Why are you wearing something so thin out here? You’ll catch a cold. Go inside.”
Even though his tone sounded like scolding, his hands moved gently as he took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Blushing, Natasha leaned deeper into his chest. Anyone watching would think they were newlyweds.
As soon as they stepped inside, she grabbed his hand excitedly and pulled him toward the dining table with a meaningful gaze.