The Island Where She Buried Me

I was drugged unconscious by my adopted brother, Mason Clarke, and dumped on a deserted island six thousand miles away.

When my childhood friend Lily Hayes found me, the fishermen had already tortured me beyond recognition.

She fought with everything she had to take me away, but in the end, the fishermen on the island beat her to death with sticks right in front of me, splattering blood all over my face.

I fell into complete despair, accepted my fate, stayed on the island, and had a child with a quiet, taciturn fisherman.

But I still could not forget her, and I jumped into the sea three times, wanting to leave with her.

The third time I was rescued, the fishermans wife who saved me pulled off her hood.

I looked at that face and instantly felt like I had fallen into an ice cellar.

It was Lily Hayes.

She burned the hood and smiled as she said to me,

Throwing you onto the deserted island was something Mason and I planned together, because he wanted the top college entrance exam score, and I wanted you.

The fisherman who had a child with you was me, and the one who got beaten to death was a double I found.

I faked my death because I wanted you to let go of that hope, but I didnt expect you to want to die so badly.

Now that the truth is out, you choose: live properly with me, or keep trying to die?

The woman in front of me slowly overlapped with the girl in my memories.

The innocence had faded from her, and her presence had grown much steadier.

I looked at her face, feeling a little dazed.

I had been on this island for a full seven years.

So you destroyed me for the son of that mistress.

She frowned and instinctively defended him.

What son of a mistress? Mason suffered so much when he was young.

What does what his mom did have to do with him?

Ethan, do you know how long Mason would be hurt every time you said that?

I did not know.

All I knew was that Mason had destroyed my family.

On the surface, he was my adopted brother.

In truth, he was my dads illegitimate son.

He was even born in the same month as me.

He could always act like the victim.

He stole money from the house and framed me for it.

He made my dad beat me brutally.

He bribed someone in the exam hall to frame me for cheating.

Afterward, he spread the news.

He made everyone in the entire grade call me Mr. Zero.

He teamed up with several people to block me in the bathroom and throw dirty water on me.

They took pictures of me soaked and humiliated, then spread them around the whole school.

Only my childhood friend Serena Hayes protected me.

I transferred schools in senior year just to get away from him.

But now.

He had not only stolen my home.

He had also teamed up with Serena.

Together, they sent me to a deserted island and ruined my entire life.

I lifted my eyes and forced back the wetness in them.

Why?

She froze, then gave a soft laugh.

Back then, when you dragged me along to confront your dads mistress, I saw him for the first time and fell for him.

After you left, he came to me, and that young man held back his tears while calling my name, and my heart melted completely.

Her expression was gentle.

Later, before you transferred schools, he played a few tricks on you, and he came to me for help each time.

I couldnt bear to see him disappointed, so I didnt refuse.

It was like being struck by lightning, and my pupils suddenly shrank.

So everything that happened.

She had a hand in all of it.

Serena and I grew up together.

She had always indulged me in everything, giving me the stars if I asked for them and never giving me the moon instead.

I had never considered anyone else.

She was my only choice.

When I was eight, tiny little her saved me from human traffickers and took several blows for me.

When I was fourteen, she hid it from me and broke the bones of every boy who bullied me, then came home injured and too scared to face anyone.

When I was sixteen, she confessed to me for the first time and promised that after graduation, we would get into the same university.

But when she was seventeen, she changed her heart as if it was nothing.

She became his accomplice.

She pushed me into the abyss.

I collapsed to the ground, powerless, enduring the heart-wrenching pain.

She squatted down, her fingertips brushing the corner of my eye.

You dont need to worry about anyone if you stay here, because your mom died of illness last year.

Your dad married Masons mom, he has a very high degree now, his parents dote on him, he has me too, and he is living very happily.

I stood up in disbelief.

What did you say? How could my mom be dead? She was so young, how is that possible?!

Her expression did not change, but her voice was a little hoarse.

Your mom was good to me, Ethan, but I had no choice either.

She died of cancer.

When she saw me standing there blankly, she came over and gently wrapped her arms around my waist.

Ethan, youre my childhood sweetheart, and theres a place for you in my heart.

We have a child now too, so be good, okay?

Her voice carried a hint of coaxing.

If you behave, Ill come back to see you often.

Tomorrow is Masons and my wedding anniversary, and he has been pestering me for a long time because he wants a romantic trip at sea, just the two of us.

Everyone on the island works for the Hayes family, and theyll help me take care of you.

I stood there like a block of wood and gave her no response.

My mothers gentle smile appeared before my eyes.

She had been graceful her whole life, and when she found out her husband had cheated.

She still did not take it out on Mason.

How could she possibly have died of cancer?

Did Aunt Alexandra know?

Thinking of that woman, I closed my eyes.

A gust of wind swept outside the window, and a few withered leaves fell from the tree by the door.

I silently clenched my fists.

She would never sit by and watch my mother be bullied.

After Serena confessed the truth, she stopped wearing the fishermans outfit.

She changed into a black trench coat.

Serena had been beautiful since she was a child.

She had a high nose bridge and features as delicate as a painting.

Many boys had wanted her.

In the past, every time she received a love letter, she would give me ten gifts.

She said, I will only ever like Ethan in this life, and every time someone shows interest in me, Ill treat my Ethan ten times better.

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

I stared at it blankly for a while.

She straightened her collar and smiled softly at the lit phone screen.

On the lock screen was their wedding photo.

The man wore a custom suit and a delicate brooch.

I remembered what she had once said.

If we got together in the future and got married.

She would take me around the world to take wedding photos.

She would put my bow tie on with her own hands.

She would hold my hand and kiss me by the sea.

My ears had turned red from imagining it.

Back then, I loved watching Titanic.

I cried over the beautiful love between the male and female leads.

At that time, Serena glanced at it as she passed by and hurriedly wiped away my tears.

Why do boys all like this kind of thing?

Fine, when you turn eighteen, Ill give you one exactly like it.

She really had not forgotten that promise.

It was just that the person standing beside her was not me.

I looked again at the mans suit.

Then I lowered my head and touched the rough burlap on my body.

On the island, I only had two burlap shirts with no style to speak of.

My life was terrible.

My so-called wife only showed a trace of warmth when she pressed against me deep at night and tangled with me.

For seven years, whenever she said she was going fishing, she would leave for two or three months.

But I did not care.

Because I had never treated her as my wife.

In my eyes, she was a human trafficker.

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

But Serena had not come to take me away.

She even wanted me to stay here.

She wanted to keep me locked up for the rest of my life.

Pretending to be a fisherman for seven years must have been hard on her.

My heart throbbed with pain again and again, and I could barely breathe.

On the other end of the call, a child shouted excitedly.

Mommy! The house you bought me has been decorated by Daddy!

Its so pretty! It looks like a castle!

Daddy said you prepared a dozen houses like this for me, but why are houses counted by the dozen?

The man laughed and pushed the child away, saying, Go on, go play, your mom and I have something to talk about.

She looked at the phone, a doting smile on her face.

Baby, Ill be back soon.

Mm, I know, you even bought the outfit? You miss me that much?

Then dont sleep tonight, and begging wont help.

When she turned back and saw me, she froze for a moment.

Soon, she hung up and glanced at the child sleeping on the bed.

She came over, touched my head, and softened her voice.

Im leaving, so take good care of the baby, because hes only two and cant be away from his dad.

She held my hand and put a ring on me.

If you want a wedding, we can have one next month.

I silently gathered up the hood that had burned to ash on the ground.

My voice held no warmth.

Fine.

My heart slowly went cold too.

Voices came from outside the window.

Miss, sir, he

The other person paused for a few seconds.

Serena immediately strode over and asked nervously,

What happened to him? Is he in trouble?!

Before she finished speaking, Masons voice came from outside the door, carrying deliberate intimacy.

Serena, Im here.

The man wore a white shirt with red flowers, and his features were sharp.

He walked to Serenas side in just a few steps.

The moment he stopped, he saw me standing behind her.

My expression did not change, and I did not move.

The scent of the mans cologne already hit me head-on.

He let go of Serenas arm.

Then he walked toward me step by step.

This man looks so familiar.

He sneered, reached out, grabbed my collar, and leaned closer to look.

So handsome, no wonder she kept you hidden.

The next instant.

He punched me hard in the face.

Did you enjoy sleeping with my woman, Ethan?

Serena instinctively frowned and grabbed him from behind.

But he shook her off at once.

She disappears for a while every few months, and Ethan, youre really something.

You hooked her so well that she cant bear to leave you.

He looked down at me from above.

Back then, I thought you were living a good life with savages on this deserted island, but I didnt expect you had stolen my woman.

If I hadnt been monitoring her schedule every month, I still wouldnt know what good thing youd done.

I raised my head and looked straight at him.

Youll get whats coming to you.

He seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world, and he laughed darkly.

Ethan, you seduced my wife, and Ill get whats coming to me?

When I was sick and in the hospital, she still had to come here to see you from time to time.

You know Ive never been a generous person, and the fact that I havent thrown you into the sea already means Im being nice to you.

I laughed mockingly.

The next second, I lunged forward and shoved him.

Im talking about you stealing my life!

My SATs!

Are you still pretending you dont know?!

He lost his footing and staggered backward with a muffled groan.

Then he stumbled into Serenas arms.

She reached out to hold Mason and comforted him in a low voice.

Are you okay? Does anything hurt?

She lifted her foot and kicked me hard in the stomach.

The veins on her forehead bulged, and her tone was impatient.

Ethan! Can you have some conscience? Youve lived so well on this island, you werent married off to a fisherman, you werent beaten, you had food and drink, and you even had a child.

Why are you being so unreasonable, and how dare you attack him?!

It looks like Ive been too good to you!

I clutched my stomach, curled up in pain.

She supported Mason and kicked the door open.

I lay on the ground, watching the backs of them as they left.

I forced down the nausea rising in my chest.

I glanced out the window.

A group of men in black stood guard at the door and discussed quietly.

So this is the lover Miss has been keeping, and hes really bold.

Exactly, he got caught and still dared to attack sir.

Ive never seen Miss treat any other man nicely, so whats special about this one?

I heard he used to be a top student.

Can he be a better student than sir? Besides, on this deserted island, what use is being a top student?

At most, hes good in bed, so Miss made an exception and kept him.

I did not dare wait for the pain in my body to fade, and I crawled up and grabbed the phone Serena had left behind.

I crouched down and dialed with trembling hands.

The call connected.

I felt as if I had grabbed a lifeline.

Aunt Alexandra, my mom is dead, Im in this place, save me!

I did not wait for the person on the other end to respond and hung up immediately.

In a few quick moves, I controlled the phone and sent my location.

Then I deleted every trace.

After putting the phone back in its original spot, I sat down against the wall.

Although I called her my aunt.

I had always hoped.

That if only Mom had married her back then.

She was a student my mom had sponsored, and she had climbed up from the bottom.

She had loved my mom all her life.

But she still had not been able to protect her as she wished.

A womans footsteps sounded outside the door, and my nerves instantly went taut.

She had just stepped inside.

But the phone I had put back in place suddenly started ringing wildly.

The ringtone was the love song I liked most.

I fell into a daze.

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

Her phone was hidden in her pocket, and we each wore one earbud.

I felt her secretly holding my hand, and my heart raced.

But now, I looked around.

Seven years in a straw hut on a deserted island had used up my youth.

It had also used up my patience.

She walked over.

I nervously grabbed the hem of my shirt.

She did not even look at the phone and hung up directly.

Secretary Carter, clear my entire schedule.

Unless its a life-or-death emergency, do not disturb me.

Someone outside the door immediately answered.

She crouched down, her eyes bloodshot.

Her fingers slid into my hair, and she yanked my head back.

Slap!

Serena slapped me hard across the face.

I felt a burning pain and fell straight to the ground.

My ears buzzed, and a coppery sweetness filled my throat.

The pain in my body was nothing compared to the humiliation.

Her voice was filled with fury.

Do you know what you did?!

I raised my head and met her eyes.

I dont know!

She kicked the clay jar beside her to pieces.

Then she let out a deep breath.

Go kneel and apologize to him right now, and for the sake of what we used to have, I can let you go.

Otherwise, you can go die with his child!

I struggled and gritted my teeth.

I didnt use any strength at all!

Stop blaming everything on me!

She sneered and stood up, then clapped her hands.

A group of people immediately came in and surrounded me.

She stepped back twice and looked at me coldly.

In the past, I remembered that I liked you, so I couldnt bear to be ruthless with you.

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

Two or three bodyguards dragged me up and held me firmly in place.

They dragged me out the door, and there was no one on the beach under the vicious sunlight.

She ordered people to set up a long pole.

The secretary beside her handed her a bundle of rope.

I realized something and began struggling violently.

The pain in my abdomen had not passed yet.

A moment later, I had already lost all strength.

I lifted my eyes and saw her walk over and wrap her arms around me.

After the motion that looked like a hug.

Thick rope bound my hands tightly.

I could already feel discomfort setting in.

I looked up at her.

Serena, from childhood until now, I have never done anything wrong to you.

I dont like you anymore, and whatever happens between you and Mason has nothing to do with me.

But you cant do this to me.

She gave a cold laugh.

So that means you can do that to him?

Ethan, why do you always act so superior toward him?

Back then, he was just a pitiful young man, and now hes only a husband throwing a little tantrum.

Where exactly do you think youre more noble than him?

Stop acting like youre so impressive just because you were born to the wife.

To him, youre the third party.

After she finished tying me up, she returned to the hut at a leisurely pace.

The August sun on the deserted island was blindingly harsh.

The clothes I wore left my arms and legs completely exposed.

Before long, everything in front of me went black.

My head hurt violently, and I started feeling sick.

I had severe hypoglycemia.

Serena knew that.

In the past, she always carried candies of different colors and flavors with her.

From time to time, she would pull one out and stuff it into my mouth.

Then she would ask with a light laugh whether it was sweet.

But now, ten yards away, she was feeding Mason sugar water spoon by spoon.

I did not know how long had passed before my skin burned with pain from the sun.

My breathing grew weaker and weaker.

Before I fainted.

I felt a sudden gale.

Then I heard Serenas bodyguards shouting at the sky in panic.

What is that thing?!

Serenas expression changed, and she strode over in a few big steps.

She crouched down and grabbed my chin.

What is Alexandra Stone to you?