Chapter 3
Daniel Reed frowned, silent.
Even he wasn’t sure if such a desolate, broken place could still house anyone.
But he had already searched everywhere else.
If she wasn’t here, then he truly didn’t know where Emily could be.
“Emily Carter, I don’t care if you’re still sulking or not-come out now, or I’ll really get angry.”
Daniel’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it carried a commanding force that made me shiver involuntarily. When we were together, I had always feared his anger.
Every time he used such words to threaten me, I would instantly become obedient and compliant.
I never thought that even in death, those same words could still affect me.
But I could no longer appear before him in the form of the living.
And still, I despised myself. After all the harm he had done me, why did I still remember him?
From the very beginning, Daniel had approached me with a plan.
He deliberately drew near, stirred my heart, confessed to me-
all just to bring me back to the Miller family.
“My name’s Emily Carter. When my mom was pregnant, she loved peaches, so she named me Emmy.”
That was how I had introduced myself the first time we met, carefree and defenseless.
A few months later, he told me I was the long-lost daughter of the Miller family.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it. From the very start, I never wanted to be their true daughter.
I was happy just being Emily-living in my little countryside cottage, planting flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
But Daniel looked at me with feigned difficulty and said:
“I’ve always wanted to marry you, Emmy, but my parents don’t accept who you are.”
“Only if you become the Miller family’s eldest daughter will they welcome you.”
For the sake of marrying him, I swallowed my pride.
I never imagined I was walking straight into his trap.
Until one night, when I got up by chance and overheard him talking with Chloe Miller in the next
room,
Her eyes red, Chloe clung to his waist.
“Daniel, you used yourself as bait to lure her… don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her?”
Daniel hugged her back, a doting smile on his lips.
“She’s just some country girl. How could I possibly like her?”
“She’s not even worth a finger of yours. If not for needing a stand-in for this marriage alliance, I wouldn’t have spared her a glance.”
“Just endure a few more days. Once Emily marries Ryan Brooks in your place, we’ll get married.”
Chapter 3
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So when Daniel came looking for me now, it wasn’t because he regretted or wanted to apologize.
He only wanted to drag me back to continue serving as Chloe’s substitute-to bear children for
her.
They searched every corner of the cottage. Inside, it was empty, even the paint peeling off the walls.
Clearly, no one had lived here for a long time.
After waiting so long without finding me, Daniel’s patience began to run thin.
‘Get out here, now!”
‘Even if you were healing from injuries, it’s been long enough. How much longer do you plan to nide?”
He had long heard of Ryan Brooks’s violent temper-how his three previous wives had al divorced under his abuse.
Daniel assumed I had returned here just to recover from the beatings.
drifted bitterly behind him.
My ashes had already been mixed with dirt and buried beneath the cobblestone path.
Every step they took trampled on my remains.
But Daniel remained oblivious.
He kept his head down, still sending me messages.
Emily, I’ll give you five minutes. Come out immediately.”
1:24 pm DD
