"It's been twenty-seven years, and I can never forget the agony on my mom's face when she died. She cried, and I could see the dry tracks of tears on her face. For a woman, the worst pain is nothing less than this—to accompany him through the toughest times, only to welcome the bright sun, and then watch him turn and bathe in that sun with another woman, leaving you behind. Isn't that painful? Crystal, I hate them, I hate them to death! If it weren't for her, maybe my parent's marriage wouldn't have ended, and my mom wouldn't have died... Crystal, I've been tormented by this hate for twenty-seven years, how can I let it go? I can't..."

Joseph spoke more and more painfully.

Tears slid from Crystal's eyes.

Her heart, too soft, couldn't help but shed tears of heartache as she listened to his recount of hatred.

Born into a wealthy family, he was a prodigy. Before he was seven, he was the apple of his parents' eyes, but after seven, he was like an orphan. His stepmother guarded against him and didn't like him. In front of his father, his stepmother acted well, but behind his father's back, she often tormented him. After having a brother, his father's love for him faded and transferred to his brother, making his life even harder.

If he hadn't used deception to trick his father and stepmother, he wouldn't have the chance for revenge today.

His personality became so sinister and ruthless, likely due to his upbringing.

"Crystal, I promise you, once I've avenged myself on Charles, I'll stop, and we'll live a good life together, Crystal, okay?"

Joseph painfully grabbed Crystal's hand, trembling as he pleaded, a hint of sobbing in his voice.

Crystal opened her tear-filled eyes, indeed seeing tears at the corners of his eyes. He was a very proud man, usually looking down on everyone, believing no one could surpass him in the world, yet at this moment, he was shedding tears.

She knew that hatred had tortured him miserably.

"A child..."

"I won't force you to get rid of the child; let's have him." Joseph agreed, lovingly wiping Crystal's tears with his hand, while Crystal also reached out to wipe his tears. The touch of his tears completely took away the last bit of her reason, making her heart soft again, centered entirely on Joseph. After all, she deeply loved this man. In the past few years, her life was filled with only this man.

She couldn't truly give up on him, nor could she truly hate him.

You could say she's weak, you could say she's cheap; she is indeed a weak and incompetent orphan as humble as an ant...

Crystal painfully judged herself in her heart.

"Miss Ruiz, please don't hurt her, okay? I really like that girl." Crystal hoarsely pleaded.

Grabbing her hand, Joseph fondly agreed, "Okay, anyone my Crystal likes, I won't hurt her. However, she is very important to Charles, so I still have to put on a show. Crystal, I assure you it's just an act. I only want to make Charles suffer—as long as he's in pain, it's enough. Can you help me?"

Joseph smoothly shifted the topic to his real purpose after this confession.

Hatred, twenty-seven years deep, is not something Crystal alone can soothe.

"How can I help you?" Crystal foolishly asked.

She, a frail and powerless woman, had neither power nor money; everything she had came from Joseph. How could she help him? If she could, she certainly would. She also wanted Joseph to stop soon, so they could live a happy life together.

When Joseph promised her to keep the baby, Crystal's resentment vanished without a trace. Perhaps she was too weak, or she loved Joseph too much; with just a little coaxing from him, she could forget everything.

"Get close to Camila Ruiz, and break her and Jimmy Horne apart," Joseph said deeply.

With Crystal's beauty and frailty, even if Jimmy Horne wouldn't fall for her, women are inherently jealous, and Camila Ruiz is certainly no exception. As long as Jimmy Horne and Camila Ruiz are separated, he would have a better chance of marrying Camila Ruiz. That way, it wouldn't offend the Ruiz Family, nor would it offend the Horne Family, because it would be due to the mutual distrust between Camila Ruiz and Jimmy Horne that led to their breakup.

"Who's Jimmy Horne?"

Crystal asked.

She thought Charles was Camila Ruiz's boyfriend.

She could tell that Charles genuinely cared for Camila Ruiz.

The brothers had been enemies, like strangers, for eight years, yet for Camila Ruiz, Charles actively sought Joseph; one could see Charles's deep feelings.

No wonder Joseph targeted Camila Ruiz, as she was indeed Charles's Achilles' heel.

"The man Camila truly loves is the Horne Family's grandson, the new CEO of Black Emperor Group," Joseph told Crystal in a deep voice.

"Joseph, this doesn't feel right," Crystal felt she was becoming the third party in someone else's relationship.

"Crystal, it's an act, we're all acting, you know? As long as Charles sees Camila with me—Crystal, don't be angry, it's just acting, okay? The one I love is you; I would never fall for Camila. She is truly used by me to make Charles suffer. When he's in pain, my goal will be achieved."

Joseph seductively coaxed Crystal into helping him come between Camila and Jimmy Horne.

He noticed that although Camila only met Crystal once, she was very concerned about her.

That girl's heart was too kind, her loyalty too deep, making her easy to exploit.

As long as Charles was in pain, he'd have another opportunity to target Charles.

Between him and Charles, only one could survive.

Joseph thought viciously in his heart.

"But..." Crystal hesitated, feeling that such actions were wrong.

"Crystal, as long as you help me, we'll get married right away, and by then, our child will soon be born. We'll live a happy life together as a family of three. Once Charles is in pain, I'll stop too. If Camila and Jimmy's relationship is truly strong enough, they'll naturally bury the hatchet and get back together." Joseph enticed Crystal with the promise of future happiness.

Crystal hesitated for a long time before gently asking, "But how do I interfere between them?"

Joseph immediately assured her, "Don't worry, I've thought it all through. First, heal the wound on your head, and then just follow my plan."

"Won't Miss Ruiz hate me for this?"

Crystal looked up at Joseph.

Joseph fondly helped her sit up and held her in his arms, coaxing, "You're just helping her test her relationship with Jimmy Horne, right? They're still young, and the world outside is colorful. With Jimmy Horne's status—young, handsome, noble—so many women are watching him. They're not married yet; testing their true feelings wouldn't ruin her life. If they don't pass, and he strays after marriage, wouldn't she be even more heartbroken? Don't worry, Crystal, we're just acting; it's not really like that."

Crystal fell silent, which was as good as agreeing to Joseph's request.