Seven Years on His Trapped Island

My foster sister Sienna became jealous. On SAT exam day, she drugged me unconscious and abandoned me on a deserted island six thousand miles away.

When my boyfriend found me, I already had a child with a local fisherman.

He risked his life trying to take me away, but the other fishermen beat him to death with clubs.

Grief-stricken and desperate, I tried drowning myself in the sea several times.

The fisherman husband saved me each time, until finally he grew impatient and pulled off his hood, revealing my boyfriend's face.

I stared at him in shock, then pointed trembling at the hood on the ground.

"Didn't you die trying to save me?"

He sat down and methodically burned the hood.

"I brought you here to make you give up your Ivy League recommendation spot for Sienna."

"Because I felt guilty about you, I hid it from Sienna and pretended to be a fisherman, giving you a child."

"This fake death was supposed to make you give up on leaving. I didn't expect you to keep trying to kill yourself."

"Since you know now, I don't need to pretend anymore. You're on the island, she's on the mainland."

"If you can accept it, we'll continue like this."

The man before me gradually merged with the boy in my memory.

He'd shed his youthfulness and grown much more composed.

I stared at his face, feeling dazed.

I'd been on this island for seven whole years.

"So you destroyed me for that mistress's daughter."

He frowned, instinctively defending her.

"What mistress's daughter? Sienna suffered so much growing up."

"What her mother did has nothing to do with her."

"Jasmine, do you know how much it hurts Sienna every time you say that?"

I didn't know.

All I knew was that Sienna destroyed my family.

She was supposedly my foster sister.

But really, she was my dad's illegitimate daughter.

She was even born in the same month as me.

She could always play the victim.

She stole money from home and framed me for it.

Made my dad beat me senseless.

Bribed someone during the exam to frame me for cheating.

Then spread the news afterward.

Made the whole grade call me "Miss Cheater."

Cornered me in the bathroom with several people and threw dirty water on me.

Took photos of me soaking wet and humiliated, spreading them throughout the school.

Only my boyfriend Sebastian stood up for me.

I transferred schools later just to escape her.

But now.

She hadn't just taken my home.

She'd also conspired with Sebastian.

Sent me to a deserted island and destroyed my entire life.

I looked up, holding back tears.

"Why?"

He froze, then smiled lightly.

"When you dragged me along to confront your dad's mistress, I fell for her the moment I saw her."

"After you left, she came to find me. The little girl held back tears and called me brother. My heart melted completely."

His expression grew tender.

"Later, before you transferred, she played tricks on you a few times and asked me for help."

"I couldn't bear to disappoint her, so I didn't refuse."

I felt thunderstruck, my pupils contracting sharply.

So he'd been behind everything.

Sebastian and I had grown up together.

He'd always been so good to me.

I'd never considered anyone else.

He was my only choice.

At eight, little him saved me from human traffickers and took several beatings.

At fourteen, he secretly beat up all the boys who bullied me until their bones broke, getting hurt himself and not daring to go home.

At sixteen, he confessed to me for the first time, promising we'd go to the same university.

And at seventeen, he casually changed his heart.

Became her accomplice.

And pushed me into the abyss.

I collapsed to the floor, enduring the wrenching pain in my heart.

He crouched down and wiped my tears.

"You don't need to worry about anything staying here. Your mom died of illness last year."

"Your dad married Sienna's mom. She has high academic achievements now, doting parents, and me. She's living happily."

I stood up in disbelief.

"What did you say! How could my mom have died? She was so young, how is that possible?!"

His expression didn't change, his voice slightly hoarse.

"Your mom was good to me, Jasmine. I had no choice either."

"Cancer took her."

Seeing me frozen, he came over and gently embraced me.

"Jasmine, you were my first love. You have a place in my heart."

"We have a child now. Will you be good?"

His voice carried a coaxing tone.

"Be obedient, and I'll come visit you often."

"Tomorrow is my and Sienna's wedding anniversary. She's been begging me to take her on a romantic getaway at sea."

"Everyone on the island works for the Hayes family. They'll help me take care of you."

I stood there like a wooden statue, not responding.

My mother's gentle smile floated before my eyes.

She'd been dignified her whole life. When she found out her husband was cheating, she hadn't even blamed Sienna.

How could she possibly have died of cancer?

Did Uncle know?

Thinking of that man, I closed my eyes.

A gust of wind swept through the window, knocking a few withered leaves from the tree by the door.

I silently clenched my fists.

He would never have stood by and watched Mom get bullied.

After Sebastian came clean, he stopped wearing fisherman's clothes.

He changed into a black trench coat.

Sebastian had always been good-looking.

High-bridged nose, beautiful eyes like a painting.

Many girls had pursued him.

In the past, for every love letter he received, he'd give me ten gifts.

He said: "I'll only ever love Jasmine in this lifetime. For every time someone else shows interest, I'll be ten times better to her."

The last time, he planted a gardenia tree for me.

I stared blankly for a while.

He straightened his collar, smiling at his lit phone screen.

On the wallpaper was their wedding photo.

The woman wore a diamond-studded wedding dress and the blue Heart of the Ocean necklace.

I remembered he'd told me before.

If we ended up together in the future, got married.

He'd take me around the world for wedding photos.

Personally put the veil on my head.

Hold my hand and kiss by the sea.

I'd blushed from imagining it.

I used to love watching Titanic.

Would cry over the beautiful love between the leads.

Back then Sebastian walked by, glanced at it, and frantically helped wipe my tears.

"Why do girls like these things?"

"Fine, for your eighteenth birthday, I'll get you an identical one."

He truly hadn't forgotten that vow.

Only the person standing beside him wasn't me.

I looked again at the woman's wedding dress.

Then looked down at the rough burlap I was wearing.

On the island, I only had two shapeless burlap shirts.

Life was very hard.

The so-called husband only showed a bit of warmth when pinning me down at night.

In seven years, when he said he was going fishing, he'd leave for two or three months.

But I didn't care.

Because I'd never considered him a husband.

To me he was just a human trafficker.

Until last month, when I finally saw a familiar figure by the sea.

But Sebastian hadn't come to take me away.

He even wanted me to stay here.

To be kept by him for life.

Pretending to be a fisherman for seven years---it must have been hard on him.

My heart throbbed with wave after wave of stabbing pain. I could barely breathe.

A child's excited shouts came through the phone.

"Daddy! The house you bought me, Mommy finished decorating it!"

"It's so pretty! Like a castle!"

"Mommy said you've prepared lots of houses like this for me all over the world!"

The woman laughed and pushed the child away. "Go on, go play. Your dad and I need to talk."

He looked at the phone with an indulgent smile on his face.

"Baby, I'm coming back soon."

"Mm, I know. You bought the lingerie already? Miss me that much?"

"Then don't sleep tonight. Begging won't help."

Looking back and seeing me, he froze for an instant.

He quickly hung up, glanced at the child sleeping on the bed.

Walked over and patted my head, his voice softening.

"I have to go. Take care of the baby. She's only two, she can't be without her mom."

He took my hand and put a ring on my finger.

"If you want a wedding ceremony, we'll have one next month."

I silently collected the hood ashes from the floor.

My voice was emotionless.

"Fine."

My heart grew cold.

Voices came from outside the window.

"Sienna she..."

The other person paused for a few seconds.

Sebastian immediately strode over, asking nervously:

"What happened to her? Is something wrong?!"

Before he finished speaking, an arrogant female voice rang out at the door.

"Honey, did you miss me?"

The woman wore a white dress with red flowers on thin straps.

Her makeup was exquisite, bright and beautiful.

She rushed into Sebastian's arms.

The moment she hugged him, she saw me standing behind him.

My expression didn't change. I didn't move either.

The woman's perfume hit me head-on.

She released her hands from around the man's back.

Step by step, she walked up to me.

"This lady looks so familiar."

She smiled and lifted my chin, leaning in close.

"Can't hide that beauty. No wonder he's been keeping you hidden."

The next instant.

A slap landed on my face.

"How was sleeping with my man, sweetheart?"

Sebastian instinctively frowned, pulling her from behind.

But she shook him off.

"He disappears for months at a time. You've got some skills, don't you?"

"Hooking him so he can't bear to leave you."

She crouched down to look at me.

"I thought you were living it up with savages on a deserted island. Turns out you stole my man."

"If I hadn't been monitoring his movements every month, I wouldn't have known what you've been up to."

I raised my head and looked straight at her.

"You'll get what's coming to you."

She acted like she'd heard the biggest joke.

"You seduced my husband, and I'm the one who'll get what's coming?"

"When I was pregnant, he still had to visit you from time to time."

"You know I've never been generous. Not throwing you into the sea is me being good to you."

I laughed mockingly.

The next second I lunged at her and pushed.

"I'm talking about you stealing my life!"

"My recommendation spot!"

"Stop playing dumb!"

She couldn't keep her balance and fell backward, screaming.

Then landed in Sebastian's arms.

He held Sienna tightly, comforting her softly.

"Are you okay, honey? Does it hurt anywhere?"

He lifted his foot and kicked me hard in the stomach.

Veins bulged on his forehead, his tone impatient.

"Jasmine! Can you have some conscience? You've had it so good on this island, you didn't have to marry a fisherman, didn't get beaten, had food and drink, even had a child."

"How can you be so unreasonable and dare to lay hands on her?!"

"Looks like I've been too good to you!"

I clutched my stomach, curling up in pain.

He carried Sienna and kicked the door open.

And I lay on the floor, watching their retreating backs.

Suppressing the nausea rising in my heart.

In this place.

Was the child some kind of blessing to me?

In seven years I got pregnant three times, miscarried twice.

The first time was Sebastian's first year pretending to be a fisherman.

He came back after three months at sea and forced himself on me at night.

I didn't know I was pregnant and was still diving for kelp in the sea.

I ended up hemorrhaging severely, nearly died.

He found an island doctor to see me, only saying:

"It's fine, you're still young."

The second time was winter of the second year.

He'd been drinking, too rough and urgent.

I bled for two months.

And he frowned, saying I was too delicate.

The third time was three years ago.

After pinning me down that time, he disappeared for half a year.

When he came back, he only saw me holding the premature baby.

How much I suffered.

Did he ever care?

I looked out the window.

A group of men in black guarded the door, discussing quietly.

"This is Mr. Hayes's mistress. She's got some nerve."

"Exactly. Got caught and still dared to lay hands on Sienna."

"Never seen Mr. Hayes treat any other woman well. What's special about this one?"

"Heard she's a beautiful scholar."

"Can she be more of a scholar than Sienna? Besides, on this deserted island, what good is being a scholar!"

"At most she's just a beauty, good in bed, made Mr. Hayes make an exception to keep her."

The physical pain hadn't eased. I crawled up and grabbed Sebastian's forgotten phone.

I crouched down, hands trembling as I dialed.

The call connected.

I grabbed onto it like a lifeline.

"Uncle, my mom is dead. I'm in this place. Save me!"

Without waiting for a response, I immediately hung up.

Quickly navigated the phone to send my location.

Then deleted all traces.

Put the phone back where it was, then sat against the wall.

Though I called him uncle.

I'd always hoped.

If only Mom had married him instead.

He was a student Mom had sponsored, climbed up from the bottom.

Pursued my mom his whole life.

But never got to protect her.

Footsteps approached outside the door. My nerves immediately tensed.

The moment he stepped in.

The phone I'd put back suddenly started ringing frantically.

The phone's ringtone was my favorite love song.

I felt dazed.

When we were sixteen, we sat at the same desk.

Phone hidden in our pockets, one earbud each.

I felt him secretly hold my hand, my heart pounding.

But now, I looked around.

Seven years in a deserted island grass hut, youth already exhausted.

Patience also exhausted.

He walked over.

I nervously clutched my hem.

He didn't even look, just hung up directly.

"Secretary Davis, cancel all my appointments."

"Unless it's a life-or-death emergency, don't disturb me."

Someone outside immediately acknowledged.

He crouched down, eyes bloodshot.

Fingers threaded through my hair, yanking backward.

Sebastian delivered a resounding slap to my face.

I felt a burning pain and fell to the ground.

My ears rang, a metallic taste in my throat.

The physical pain was nothing compared to the humiliation.

His voice contained fury.

"Do you know what you've done?!"

I raised my head, meeting his eyes.

Enunciating each word clearly.

"I don't know!"

He kicked and shattered a nearby clay pot.

Exhaled deeply.

"Go kneel and apologize to her now. For old times' sake, I can forgive you."

"Otherwise you can join her child in death!"

I struggled to grit out:

"I barely used any force!"

"Stop blaming everything on me!"

He laughed coldly, stood up and clapped his hands.

A group immediately entered and surrounded me.

He stepped back two paces, looking at me coldly.

"I used to remember how much I liked you, didn't want to be harsh."

"Since you refuse to repent, maybe I really need to teach you a lesson."

Two or three bodyguards dragged me up, holding me firmly.

Dragged me out the door. The beach was empty, the sun brutal.

He directed people to set up a long pole.

His secretary handed him a bundle of rope.

I realized what was happening and began struggling violently.

The abdominal pain hadn't passed.

Moments later I was out of strength.

I looked up to see him approach and embrace me.

What looked like a hug.

Rough rope bound my hands tightly.

I already felt uncomfortable.

I looked up at him.

"Sebastian, from childhood until now, I never wronged you."

"I don't love you anymore. Whatever happens between you and Sienna has nothing to do with me."

"But you can't do this to me."

He laughed coldly.

"So you can do this to her?"

"Jasmine, why do you always act so superior around her?"

"Back then she was just a pitiful girl. Now she's just a wife throwing a little tantrum."

"Where exactly do you think you're better than her?"

"Stop always acting like being the legitimate wife's daughter makes you special."

"To her, you're the third party."

After tying me up, he unhurriedly returned to the hut.

The August sun on the deserted island was extremely glaring.

My clothes left my arms and legs completely exposed.

Soon everything went black.

Severe headache, I started feeling nauseous.

I had severe hypoglycemia.

Sebastian knew.

He used to always carry colorful candies of different flavors.

Would pull one out from time to time and stuff it in my mouth.

Asking with a light laugh if it was sweet.

But now, thirty feet away, he was spoon-feeding Sienna sugar water.

I don't know how long passed. My skin burned from the sun.

Breathing grew weaker and weaker.

Before I fainted.

I felt a violent wind.

Then heard Sebastian's bodyguards shouting at the sky in panic.

"What is that thing?!"

Sebastian's expression changed. He strode over in big steps.

Crouched down and grabbed my chin.

"What's your relationship with Vincent Shaw?"