In No. 1 People's Hospital in H City
The rhythmic tapping of high heels on the ground resounded across the silent hallway as a beautiful woman appeared in the corridor. She walked with grace and poise.
"Isn't she Janice Tang, the eldest daughter of the Tang family? God, she is beautiful!" one of the people in the corridor cooed.
"Yes, indeed. She is one of the most famous women in H City. But what's the use of being beautiful or famous? Fate isn't kind to everyone!" another chimed in.
"Why do beautiful women always lead miserable lives? Sean Chu's accident has brought disgrace to the Tang family this time."
"I wonder what Mr. Tang was thinking. The Chu family has gone bankrupt, but he still let his granddaughter marry Sean Chu, who is a big loser!"
Although the Tang family didn't fall under the list of noble families, it still held a distinguished position in H City because of its wealth.
Janice ruled the hearts of young men. She was beautiful, intelligent, and most importantly, belonged to a rich family. Young men from the wealthiest families of H City were after her. They regarded her as a goddess.
However, to everyone's utter dismay, the Tang family suddenly announced Janice's wedding with Sean two years ago.
The two had been engaged since they were little kids.
Their wedding had been one of the hottest topics of discussion in H City.
Janice continued to stride forward, ignoring the discussions around her.
In the past two years, people cooked up many different versions of the story. Each one seemed to come up with a different reason why they got married. Janice was tired of the relentless gossips and speculations.
Ignoring the inquisitive gazes of the people, she silently followed the nurse to the VIP ward.
A tall, handsome man was lying on the bed in the VIP ward. His eyes fluttered open, and he slowly sat up.
His angular face exuded arrogance and fortitude.
His shrewd eyes scanned the room for danger. Once sure he was safe, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Confusion crossed his face as his eyes raked the unfamiliar place again. He remembered falling into the sea. Waking up in a hospital bed seemed strange, for he had no memory of what happened after he fell into the sea.
"How unfortunate!" Murray Qin muttered to himself. There was a hint of coldness in his bright eyes.
For a top level martial artist like him, the past few months had been the worst time of his life.
The poison began slowly showing effect. He was forced to get married. Moreover, people were chasing after him, trying to hunt him down.
A smile stretched across his lips as he remembered those Death Guards on the cruise ship.
Murray twisted his joints, and was about to contact his men through his special communication device. He wanted to ask them to pick him up. Just then, the doorknob twisted with a click.
Sensing that someone was about to enter the room, Murray lay back on the bed.
"Ms. Tang, Mr. Chu is fine. He can go through the discharge procedures once he wakes up."
The nurse smiled sympathetically. Janice's face was taut with anger.
After the Chu family went bankrupt, Sean got married to Janice. The man caused trouble everywhere he went instead of being a good son-in-law to repay the Tang family's kindness. He had gone racing this time. However, the man eventually lost control; his car fell into the sea.
"Thank you." Janice closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't want to open the door until she was fully calm.
Murray quickly rearranged his expression, making sure not to emit his murderous aura. Lying on the sickbed, the man looked weak and incompetent.
The door flew open.
A faint smell of perfume mingled with the stench of disinfectant wafted in the air. The next moment, a beautiful woman walked inside.
Murray's eyes lit up. His breath caught in his throat.
He had come across many beautiful women in the past. However, the one standing in front of him made his jaw drop. She was a breathtaking beauty.
The woman looked like she was in her mid-twenties. She was wearing a traditional, fashionable suit that clung to her slim body, accentuating her figure. Her long, curly chestnut hair swayed with every movement.
All her features were carved to perfection as if she were an angel on earth. Her milky skin was devoid of flaws-she was a natural beauty.
'Who is she? Gosh! She looks as pure as a lotus!' Murray thought to himself.
He had just laid his eyes on the woman but had already developed a liking towards her.
However, the anger in her eyes confused him.
"You... You're annoying." Janice's upbringing stopped her from saying anything rude, but she couldn't control her disappointment. The mere sight of him irked her.
The man looked at her with quizzical eyes. He blinked and examined her face, trying to figure out what was happening.
Murray racked his brains.
'Have I seen her before?' However, he concluded that he had never met her before because he wouldn't have forgotten such a beautiful woman in his life.
"Beauty, I don't understand what you're trying to say."
The best way to handle such a situation was to feign ignorance and play dumb.
"What did you just call me?" Janice scoffed. She clenched her fists, for she could barely hold back her anger and frustration.
"Sean Chu, are you pretending as if you've lost your memory?"
The frown on Murray's forehead deepened. He felt that the woman had mistaken him for someone else.
"I think there's a misunderstanding. My name is Murray Qin, not Sean Chu!"
"Misunderstanding?" Janice's anger reached its pinnacle. "Do you think that changing your name would change everything about you? I can recognize you even if you turn into ashes!
Do you still have a conscience?
Why are you always finding ways to create new problems? Has our Tang family ever treated you badly?"
The confusion on Murray's face infuriated her. Janice thought that the man was pretending not to understand what was going on.
She stomped toward the bed and pointed at his forehead.
"You went racing, didn't you? Do you think of yourself as the rich son of the Chu family? Get a grip, Sean! Do you know that my grandpa's health has worsened because of you?"
Murray's jaw tightened. He continued to stare at the woman, having no clue why she was screaming at him.
No one dared to point their fingers at him, but the woman had been shouting at Murray ever since she walked into the room.
"Our family has been paying for all your expenses-every penny you spend belongs to us. We cleaned the mess your family created. We owe you nothing!
You are disgusting, Sean! My grandpa got us married even after your family went bankrupt. He treated you as his own grandson. What else do you want, you ungrateful little shit?
Are you not happy married to me? Guess what? Even I'm not interested in this marriage.
I don't like you! But do you have any idea why I loathe you so much?
It's because you are a coward! You are worthless, useless, selfish, and what not! Have you ever cared about me and my family after we got married? You only think about yourself. Grandpa loves and respects you. But have you ever thought about his feelings?"
Murray's heart softened when he saw the pain and agitation in the woman's eyes. He felt sorry for her.
But he couldn't fathom why the beautiful woman regarded him as her husband.
'Do I look like her husband?'
"Beauty, I am sorry, but you have mistaken me for someone else. I'm not Sean Chu."
Although Janice was perfect for him in every way, he was not interested in her because she was already married.
"You still won't admit the truth, will you?" Janice's face reddened with rage. Her body began to tremble.
"Look at this. Are you going to say this isn't you?" She pulled out an ID card and threw it at his face.
Murray frowned and picked it up. His eyes widened when he saw the picture on the card.
'What the fuck!'
If not for the name "Sean Chu" on the ID card, Murray would have believed that it was him.
Sean was a replica of him. The two looked the same.
"What? Are you still going to say that you are not Sean Chu?"
Janice snorted coldly. The surprised look on Murray's face infuriated her.
"If you repeat this, I will divorce you regardless of what Grandpa says!"
She had a little bit of faith in Sean at the beginning that she even considered letting him work in their company.
However, Janice realized that she had overestimated the man.
Sean was a loser. He was fit for nothing.
She had gone through endless humiliation and suffering because of him for the past two years.
Murray felt surprised at first but he soon calmed down and looked at the woman.
He had encountered many strange things in the world, so he soon accepted the fact that there lived a man who looked just like him.
Perhaps Sean was his twin brother.
Although Murray was an orphan, he couldn't eliminate the possibility because he knew that life had strange ways of surprising people.
"Well... I was just kidding, honey." He grinned, deciding to go with the flow.
The poison in his body began to act more frequently in the last few years. He couldn't regain his peak strength unless the poison was fully removed from his body.
Therefore, Murray decided to use the twist in his life to his advantage. He could use the new identity for the time being and go back to his old life when the real Sean came back.
Moreover, he could also investigate the identities of the Death Guards he had met on the cruise ship that day.
"Honey?" Janice's face darkened. She hated the way the man called her as if he truly liked her.
"Who gave you the permission to call me honey?"
Sean had been calling her Ms. Tang ever since they got married. The sudden change in the way he addressed her annoyed Janice. She believed that the man was up to something.
Murray was speechless.
He didn't know her name. How else would he call her?
Janice rolled her eyes when she saw his eyes widen with astonishment yet again.
'Forget it. It's just a term of endearment!' she comforted herself.
Besides, they were married for two years. Janice had finally come to terms with the fact that Sean was her husband.
"You seem fine! Let's go home."
With that, Janice turned around and walked out of the ward.
"Okay!" Murray stood up and followed her.
The woman was beautiful, but she had a bad temper.
He stared at Janice's back in awe as she exuded elegance and grace with every movement.
The woman seemed perfect in every way. If only she were single, Murray would be happy to marry her.
On their way out of the hospital, he saw people gossiping about them.
"That must be Sean Chu. Gosh, he looks handsome!"
"What's the use? He's a loser. I would never date such a man, let alone marry him."
"How does he have the nerve to stay with the Tang family? If I were him, I'd have already left them."
"Yes, I heard that he is a good-for-nothing loser. He always makes trouble for the Tang family."
Janice continued to stride forward, ignoring their comments. However, Murray listened to their every word with rapt attention. He had a better understanding of Sean now.
Murray believed that the beautiful woman was married to a bad guy and wasn't happy with the marriage.
Murray had escaped the accident without any serious injuries. Now that he had finally regained consciousness, Janice took him to the reception and finished all the discharge formalities. Even the doctors were surprised that there was not a bruise or cut on his body despite falling into the sea from a high cliff.
The man smiled and remained silent. After all, he was not the real Sean.
Murray's eyes widened when he saw Janice's limited edition Lamborghini by the gate. The car was worth nearly ten million dollars.
He understood that Janice was not only beautiful but wealthy as well.
Excitement bubbled up as he wondered if he could sleep at home, play games, and happily chase girls at ease during his time here.
After getting into the car, Janice called her grandfather and informed him that Sean was safe and fine. Murray sat in the passenger seat, enjoying the moment.
He didn't expect that his life would change overnight. He not only got a new identity but a beautiful wife as well. Luck was in his favor now.
Janice hung up the phone and scowled at Murray.
"Do you know that Grandpa had a heart attack because of you? If you have a little bit of conscience, please behave yourself. Don't do anything that would upset him."
Fortunately, her grandfather had recovered. Otherwise, Janice would never forgive Sean for what he'd done.
"Don't worry, honey. I won't let you down,"
Murray answered earnestly.
He vowed to eliminate Sean's bad reputation and help him win a good name as compensation for using his identity.
Janice rolled her eyes and looked away. She didn't trust him.
She was tired of listening to empty promises. Sean always said the same after getting into trouble. However, he never kept his word.
Janice had stopped trusting him a long time ago.
Murray propped his chin in the palm of his hand and continued to stare at her. Janice focused on the road, ignoring him.
The more he looked at his new wife, the more he liked her. There was something about the woman.
"Take your obscene eyes off me!" Janice snapped.
Murray was left speechless. Her reaction confused him.
"What's wrong? Why would you call that obscene? I mean, we are married! Aren't we husband and wife?"
"Husband and wife?" Janice gnashed her teeth.
"Don't forget that we are a married couple only to the outside world. But within closed doors, we are just two people who live under the same roof, so don't develop an unnecessary desire for me. I can't divorce you because I don't want Grandpa to get upset."
Everyone in H City knew that the two got married because they had been engaged ever since they were kids.
The truth was, the engagement was only a verbal agreement between the two families. However, Sean had canceled the engagement three years ago. Janice didn't know what her grandfather saw in him. After the Chu family went bankrupt, he forced her to marry Sean. He had threatened to kill himself if she didn't agree to the marriage.
Murray was surprised for the hundredth time.
He had been listening to strange things ever since he woke up on the hospital bed.
From what he heard, Janice and Sean weren't a real married couple.
Murray couldn't help but feel sorry for Sean.
Being a man, he understood what it felt like to have a beautiful woman around him all day and not do anything to her.
Part of him felt happy to find that Janice and Sean were a couple in name only.
"It doesn't matter. We are still husband and wife, aren't we?" Murray leaned against the seat and smiled.
"You..." Janice gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She resisted her urge to push him out of the car.
She didn't want to admit her relationship with him at all.
She glared at him and continued to drive.
Murray continued to chat with her on their way, but she remained silent the entire time. Although the disgust in her eyes gradually faded, she chose to ignore him and seemed lost in her own thoughts.
Murray's heart sank. The woman was a tough nut to crack.
However, he didn't lose hope. His desire to win her grew stronger as she continued to ignore him.
Murray glanced out of the window with a meaningful smile as the car whizzed past the roads.
Half an hour later, the Lamborghini stopped at the entrance of Glorious Bay.
Glorious Bay was a famous, posh community in H City. It consisted of high-rise buildings in the periphery and villas in the center.
The Lamborghini passed through the alley and finally stopped in front of one of the villas.
Janice walked out of the car and slammed the door with great force. Murray understood that the woman was still angry. She continued to walk forward without waiting for him.
He arched his brows and stared at her back.
Janice was like the majestic lionesses that he had seen in Africa. She showed her authority and power by yelling at him from time to time.
Murray had never met a woman like her before. Her feisty nature aroused his desire to win her heart.
Janice opened the gate of the villa. A frown lined her forehead when she saw a man walking toward her.
"Janice, you are back! I heard that people had found Sean. I didn't want you to sleep alone at night, so I came to accompany you."
Zack Song kept glancing at Janice's car, feeling proud of himself.
The man came to the Tang family's villa as soon as he got to know that Janice had gone to the hospital.
Zack believed that Sean was dead.
He thought that Janice had gone to the mortuary to claim his corpse.
"I heard about what happened to Sean. Poor man! He shouldn't have gone racing.
I know how painful this must be for you, but you have to restrain your grief. Please take care of yourself, Janice. I am always here for you. Don't hesitate to ask me if you need anything."
Janice's frown deepened. She looked at the man as if he had lost his mind.
"What do you mean, Mr. Song? Why do I have to restrain my grief?" Zack took a deep breath and looked at her intently.
"Janice, I want to remind you that Sean is your past, but you need to think about the future.
I can take care of you. I'm better than him in every way. Don't worry about what the members of the Tang family might say. All you need to do is nod your head. I'll take care of everything else."
Murray was about to get out of the car. However, Zack's words piqued his curiosity.
As a top-notch martial artist, he had improved all his five senses through years of practice. For example, his listening ability was much better than that of ordinary people. He could hear the conversation between the two from afar. Therefore, he stayed inside the car a little longer.
Zack's intention confused Murray.
'Is he trying to say that Sean is dead and that he wants to replace his position in Janice's life and be her husband?'
Murray's lips curled up in a sneer. He opened the door and walked out.
Zack was busy convincing Janice to accept him. The movement to his right caught his attention. The man's eyes widened with horror and disbelief when he saw Murray walk out of the car.
"Mr. Song, are you kidding me?" Janice shook her head, not noticing the horrified expression on Zack's face.
It took her a while to realize that Zack was implying that he'd marry her if Sean had died in the accident.
His suggestion irked Janice.
Even if Sean was dead, she had no place for Zack in her life. She was not a toy that people could have when they wanted.
"S...Sean Chu!" Zack croaked, pointing his finger at Murray. A shiver ran down his spine; his body began to tremble.
"Mr. Song, how have you been?" Murray smiled and patted his shoulder.
"You..." Zack murmured subconsciously after he came back to his senses. The blood on his face drained when he saw Murray. He took a few steps back and looked at Murray in a flurry. "He's not dead? How is he still alive!" he mumbled as panic wracked his nerves.
His feeble voice didn't fail to reach Murray's ears.
Murray's jaw tightened.
He understood that Sean was dead; Zack was the reason behind his death.
Janice's gaze shifted between Zack and Murray.
She was surprised to find Sean being calm and composed around Zack. Moreover, the latter's face had turned ghastly pale. The man looked like he had seen a ghost.
Janice thought that Sean was hiding inside the car to avoid seeing Zack. She didn't notice him come out.
In the past, Zack always humiliated Sean whenever they met, so her good-for-nothing husband would try his best to avoid seeing him.
That was one of the major reasons why she hated Sean. The man was a coward-he let people take advantage of him and never stood up for himself.
"Sean, you talk to Mr. Song. I'm a little tired. I'm going inside." The memories of the past infuriated Janice.
One was an incompetent wimp, while the other was a cunning playboy. She hated both of them alike and wasn't in the mood to see them.
"No problem, honey. You better rest well if you are tired." Murray smiled.
The man's response surprised Janice. She looked at him in disbelief for a split second and finally walked into the house with a frown.
"No, Janice!" Zack turned around to follow her, but Murray stopped him.
He walked toward the man with slow, heavy steps as a knowing smile stretched across his lips.
"What...What do you want to do?" Zack swallowed and stepped back as the intensity of the other man's gaze frightened him.
He couldn't understand how Sean was still alive.
Zack had seen the footage of the accident. The car was set ablaze. He saw the vehicle topple in the middle of the road with his very own eyes. Splinters of glasses exploded everywhere. At last, the car broke through the protective railing and fell into the sea.
How could Sean escape such a dreadful accident?
"What do I want to do?" Murray sneered.
He decided to avenge Sean's death.
A shiver ran down Zack's spine when he saw the sinister smile on Murray's face.
He felt angry that his men had failed to kill a coward like Sean.
Panic gripped him as he feared that Sean might tell everyone about what happened on the race track.
But the next second, Zack took deep breaths; his tense muscles relaxed a bit. The nervousness on his face gradually faded.
"Looks like you know everything now." He glared at the other man.
Zack didn't care if Sean found out the truth. The man was too weak to fight him.
"Sean, I didn't expect that you'd be lucky enough to escape such an accident. You're still alive!"
Zack didn't care about what might happen if Sean told the truth to everyone. There was no evidence against him, and nobody would believe the loser's words even if he did.
Murray crossed his arms across his chest and continued to stare at the man.
"If you are smart, better leave the Tang family right away. Otherwise, I might have to do what it takes to make you leave Janice."
Zack openly challenged him because he was aware of Sean's nature. The man was a weakling-he always ran away from trouble.
Moreover, Sean had just escaped death. Zack felt that his threats might keep him away from the Tang family for good.
"Sean, you don't deserve Janice! I can't believe a loser like you got the opportunity to live with the Tang family.
I'll give you three days. If you don't leave Janice and the Tang family by then, I might have to teach you a tougher lesson. I can't guarantee that you'll come out of it alive."
Zack smirked.
He was determined to get Janice.
Sean was the biggest obstacle toward his dream, so he had no choice but to get rid of the man.
Murray looked murderous. Anger blazed in his fiery eyes.
The intensity of his gaze frightened Zack. He instantly stepped back, fearing that the man would burn him alive.
"You..." Sean had turned into a different person altogether. Zack wondered how he got the strength to face him.
The next second, sharp pain coursed through his stomach. Zack screamed as cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Song. My hands were itching to smack you." Murray smiled, shaking his hand.
"You fucking loser! How dare you beat me?" Zack bellowed. He felt as if someone had pulled the flesh out of his stomach.
"Do you know who I am? You..."
Before he could finish his words, Murray punched him on the stomach again.
He began assaulting Zack mercilessly. Although he had never met Sean before, he wanted to avenge his death. He was thankful to his doppelganger for giving him another life.
After receiving several punches, Zack fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
He was shocked and confused-everything felt like a dream, but the pain reminded him that it wasn't. Zack lifted his head and looked at the man standing in front of him. Murray was staring at him with a murderous look on his face. The bright light enveloped his body, outlining his features. He looked like the mighty King of Hell who had come to take his life.
Zack crawled backward, utterly petrified.
A smile tugged at the corners of Murray's mouth, but the anger continued to blaze in his eyes. Zack trembled with fear.
"Who...Who the hell are you?"