My name was Sybil Lowe. After being abused by my husband Randall Reeves for the fourth time, the Anti-Domestic Violence System in my mind was awakened.
From then on, whenever he hit me, he'd be the one who got hurt, and he was not even my match. Later, he insisted on going to the courthouse to get a divorce with a swollen face.
His whole family persuaded him, "Sybil treats you well. After all, you're the only one she hits! Why wouldn't she hit someone else?"
The staff echoed, "Couples always make up."
He went to the police station to report, but the police waved their hands. "This is a family dispute. Resolve it yourselves."
I dragged him home easily. He wanted to get a divorce and hurt others? Dream on!
1
Today is the first anniversary of my marriage with Randall, and we agreed to have some soup at a high-end restaurant together.
I was six minutes late.
He asked me with a stern face, "Why are you late?"
I casually explained while sitting down, "There was traffic, and it was difficult to find parking nearby..."
Before I finished speaking, he threw the saucer for condiments next to his hand at my face.
The mixture of salt, sugar, and pepper was all over my face.
My eyes stung, so I got up, wanting to go to the bathroom to clean up.
Randall slammed the table in anger and said, "Did I say you could go?"
I trembled and had no choice but to sit down obediently.
If I provoked him, the consequences would be unbearable for me.
I had been slapped by him until my eardrums were perforated, choked by him almost to suffocation, and continuously pushed by him to hit the wall until my head was bleeding...
During this one year of marriage, I had been suffering.
Actually, I asked for a divorce the first time he hit me, and I even called the police.
But the police said it was a family dispute and asked us to handle it ourselves. And my family persuaded me, "You've just got married. There's no reason to get divorced so soon. You should consider our reputation, too."
Randall knelt down and begged for mercy, saying he did what he did because he cared too much about me.
I forgave him out of soft-heartedness, but after I went home with him, he beat me again.
He punched me non-stop, saying, "Do you dare to get a divorce again? You dare to call the police! I'll teach you a lesson today!"
After that, I dared not mention the word "divorce" again.
In the eyes of others, he was the model husband, extremely considerate and caring toward me.
But only I knew that I would tremble in fear and even lose control of my bladder when I heard his voice.
In public, Randall never despised me.
He would help me clean up disregarding other people's strange looks. But once we went home, he would turn into a monster again.
He insulted me and beat me up.
Thinking about these, I couldn't help but shiver.
Randall suddenly grabbed the back of my neck and showed me a video on his phone.
"Sybil, have I ever told you what will happen if you lie to me?"
I should have known. The reason why he knew my daily schedule inside out was obviously because there was a surveillance camera in the car.
Fear rendered me speechless. I could only tremble non-stop.
"Speak!"
He shouted angrily, attracting the attention of people around.
A waitress wanted to come over and ask what was going on but was pulled back by her colleague.
I knew no one could help me.
"I ... I gave my colleague a ride to the subway station. There wasn't just him. One of my female colleagues was in the car, too. They are a couple."
I finally managed to say a complete sentence.
The soup on the table was still warm, and the tempting aroma wafted into my nostrils.
Randall smiled and let go of me. I thought he believed me and showed a fawning smile.
But the next second, he picked up the big bowl of soup and splashed it at me.
2
Screams rang out. I knew I should dodge, but past experiences told me not to, or I would be beaten even worse.
I closed my eyes in resignation and said goodbye to my parents silently.
"Mom, Dad, I'm going to be beaten to death by the son-in-law you carefully selected for me today. Are you happy now?
"If you knew it would come to this, would you regret what you did back then? You forced me to marry him, saying that you'd top yourselves if I refused. Then when I asked for a divorce, you tried to dissuade me from doing so. You did everything for the so-called reputation."
I met Randall on a blind date.
My parents carefully selected him as their son-in-law, thinking that he was gentle, had a decent job, and was kind to others.
They soon urged us to get married, afraid that he would be taken away by another woman.
I told them to wait a little longer to observe him more.
But they didn't want to and said that if I waited any longer, I would become an old woman, and no one would want me. They even threatened me with their lives, saying that if I didn't agree, they'd kill themselves.
Under pressure, I had no choice but to agree.
Later, I found out that they were after Randall's family's money.
So, they couldn't wait to sell me to support their son.
If I had known earlier, I should have insisted on my own opinion.
I didn't feel the pain I had expected it. Instead, I heard Randall's screams.
I opened my eyes and saw that his body was covered in soup, and his white T-shirt was soaked already.
He trembled and cried out in pain, and the waiters, the waitresses, and the surrounding diners were somewhat at a loss for this sudden turn of events.
Someone shouted, "Call an ambulance! What are you waiting for?"
Half an hour later, I followed the ambulance to the hospital with Randall.
His parents had already learned what had happened and were waiting at the door of the emergency room.
Randall's mother, Mabel Bell, came forward and slapped me. "You wicked woman! How could you pour hot soup on Randall?"
His father, Lionel Reeves, gritted his teeth and scolded me, "I thought you were a gentle woman. But you're actually so vicious and heartless! What did Randall do to you? He's so unlucky to marry you, you shrew!"
They became more and more agitated and came forward to punch and kick me, but strangely, I didn't feel any pain.
I curled up in the corner, letting them beat me up.
The nurse couldn't bear to watch and spoke up, "Enough! She didn't touch the patient at all. He poured the soup on himself."
They didn't believe it, thinking the nurse was speaking up for me.
Mabel said to the nurse, "Yeah, right. Randall is not stupid. He knew the soup was scalding. Why would he pour it on himself?"
The nurse took out her phone and clicked on an online video.
In the video, I trembled and closed my eyes, and Randall poured the soup on himself.
Several bullet comments could be seen on the screen, saying, [What a piece of work. He poured burning soup on himself.]
[I weep for him. He can't bear to hurt his wife, but he's so ruthless to himself.]
[Don't think this is love. Such a man is terrifying. If he's so ruthless to himself, he won't be soft when it comes to his wife. I saw it clearly just now. His wife peed herself.]
I was dumbfounded.
It was Randall who poured himself. What on earth happened?
Randall's parents couldn't say anything after they saw the video.
They felt that it was so strange and suspicious. After thinking about it, they concluded that Randall was possessed.
After Randall's rescue was over, they left the hospital and said they wanted to find some expert to take a look at him.
I sat next to the bed and watched the video repeatedly, feeling so good.
Served him right!
Suddenly, a harsh metallic sound rang out.
"The Anti-Domestic Violence System is at your service."
Chapter 23
I was a little stunned. The Anti-Domestic Violence System?
It sounded pretty good.
Could it be that fate finally took pity on me for being beaten so badly?
The metallic sound continued, "The Anti-Domestic Violence System is designed for women. All women who meet the criteria will be automatically bound and can use it for life."
I looked at Randall, who was in a miserable state. The doctor told us that his body had extensive burns and peeling.
I had a lingering fear when I saw the gauze wrapped all over his body.
If it weren't for the System, the person lying in bed screaming would have been me.
But would the System really work?
The door of the ward was pushed open, and my dad, Hale Lowe, and my mom, Salena Griffith, came in with nutritional supplements.
Seeing Randall's appearance, they felt a little sorry for him.
They also watched the videos online, and just like Mabel and Lionel, they thought that Randall was possessed.
After feeling sorry for Randall, they started to criticize me.
"Sybil, how could you be so careless? See how bad Randall is hurt?"
I sneered, "Mom, Dad, shouldn't you be grateful? Randall was going to pour the soup on me."
My mom impatiently said, "Do you have any evidence that he wanted to pour it on you? Besides, you're standing here fine now, aren't you?"
So, in other words, the fact that I was standing here fine now could erase the harm Randall had done to me.
If I hadn't seen my birth certificate at home, I would really doubt if Randall was their biological child.
Perhaps it was just like the plot in the TV drama. Perhaps I was switched at birth.
When Randall came to meet my parents for the first time, he poured the whole plate of pasta on my mom's head just because of a little displeasure.
Although they had a vague picture of what kind of man he was, they still threatened me with their lives, forcing me to marry him.
It was simply because Randall's family was well-off and could help my younger brother.
I had always known how much I meant to them, but sometimes I hoped that they might love me a little.
But it seemed I was wrong.
When Mabel and Lionel came back with a man, Randall had just woken up.
He was in so much pain. He glared at me fiercely as if he wanted to tear me apart.
He struggled to finish a whole sentence.
"Dad, Mom, it's all because of her!"
Hearing this, Mabel stepped forward and slapped me again. This was not the first time she had hit me in front of my parents.
So, my parents weren't surprised, and they didn't want to stop her.
Instead, they turned to the so-called expert to discuss Randall's situation.
"I knew it was your witchcraft, you bitch!
"What have you done to Randall?"
Seeing that I didn't speak, Mabel anxiously came forward and grabbed my arm, but this time, it was she who felt the pain.
She cried out in pain, pointing at me and saying to the expert, "Quick! Get rid of this woman now!"
I heard the playful voice of the System in my ear, saying, "The pain transfer function has been activated for the Host."
The expert shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't help you. Both of them are normal. But..."
"But what?"
"But your son is a very dangerous man. I suggest you take him to see a psychiatrist."
Mabel and Lionel were immediately unhappy. They drove him out at once without paying him.
They all stared at me, demanding me to lift the incantation on Randall.
Seeing that I didn't move, Mabel wanted to get physical again, but she didn't dare to.
She could only curse angrily, "What dirty trick did you use, you wicked woman?
"How come I was in pain? Did you use the same trick on Randall?"
I sneered, "Mabel, hear me clearly when I say this."
She stared at me, puzzled.
"I formally inform you that I will divorce Randall."