Stop Loving Me

I am the adopted daughter of the Zhou family.

After my stepfather and biological mother passed away, I was raised by my uncle from the Zhou family.

He took care of me for six years, and I loved him for those six years.

I guarded my secret carefully, believing I had hidden it well.

But when I was kidnapped, my uncle paid the kidnappers double the ransom.

This was because his secretary violated my privacy by revealing my most personal thoughts from my diary and suggested taking advantage of the situation to pay extra ransom, hoping the kidnappers could help rid me of those inappropriate desires.

I was tortured and abused by the kidnappers until I was on the brink of collapse, never daring to love again.

Yet, my uncle, with red eyes, pleaded, "Zhaozhao, don't leave!"

On the day of a major corporate event for the Zhou Group, the kidnappers dumped me outside the company building.

Swarms of journalists rushed over, surrounding me, and even started a live broadcast on the spot.

Within moments, the news of the Zhou family's adopted daughter, pale, vacant-eyed, filthy, and seemingly deranged, topped the trending list.

I lay on the ground outside the company, staring blankly at the sky, as if none of this concerned me.

Reporters constantly shoved cameras in my face, and some maliciously speculated, "I heard this adopted daughter of the Zhou family was naturally arrogant and overbearing, bullying those she shouldn't have, so this is revenge."

"Scoff, but being kidnapped for a month, she must have been terribly abused."

"If it were me, I wouldn't have the face to go on living, but then again, this is the price for bullying others."

I listened quietly to their discussions about me, not offering a single word in defense.

Suddenly, a gasp echoed, and there was Caleb, his strikingly handsome face appearing before me.

Seeing me in such a pitiful state, Caleb's brow furrowed, and his demeanor turned cold and severe.

He pursed his lips, removed his suit jacket, and draped it over me.

"Zhaozhao, Uncle will take you home."

I nodded, struggling to my feet and limping towards the distant black Maybach.

As I walked, the wounds on my feet tore open again, leaving trails of crimson on the beautiful marble tiles at the company entrance.

Caleb watched this scene, his brow knitted tightly.

I smiled slightly, thinking, are you feeling sorry for me?

But wasn't all of this orchestrated by your own hand?

Isn't this exactly what you wanted?

In truth, you should be happy.

After all, having gone through this hellish ordeal, I've come to recognize my own status and identity, completely severing those unacceptable feelings.

Caleb, you really got what you wanted.

Caleb stepped forward and picked me up in his arms, carrying me towards the car.

I looked at him, so close, yet felt no excitement as before, only a serene lowering of my gaze.

Once in the car, I sat obediently in the seat.

Caleb tugged at his tie with some irritation, "Gavin, how did you end up like this?"

I looked down at myself.

The dress no longer showed its original color, my hair was tangled from not being washed for so long, my limbs were covered in wounds, and my feet were still bleeding.

Anyone would be shocked to see me like this.

But why did I end up this way?

Initially, when the kidnappers took me, they only wanted some money and then planned to let me go.

But when they called Caleb for ransom, his secretary took out my cherished diary and laid bare my feelings for Caleb.

She suggested to Caleb that they could take this opportunity to pay extra ransom, letting the kidnappers help rid me of those inappropriate desires.

After a moment of silence, Caleb agreed.

I listened in despair to the voice on the other end of the phone.

The voice that once brought me comfort now left me feeling utterly cold and betrayed.

The kidnappers, thrilled to receive double the ransom, hung up and intensified their abuse.

I was forced to endure unimaginable horrors that night.

All beauty crumbled.

From that moment, I realized clearly that I was nothing more than a burden around Caleb.

If he wished it, I amounted to nothing.

All these years of self-deception were just a joke.

Seeing my silence, Caleb spoke impatiently, "You're lying at the company entrance like this. Don't you know today is a major corporate event for the Zhou Group?"

I knew he blamed me for appearing in this state at the company entrance, affecting the Zhou Group's annual meeting today and bringing negative impact to the company.

But how could I have controlled the kidnappers' actions?

Even if I explained, Caleb wouldn't believe me.

Moreover, after seeing through everything, I learned to be obedient.

I curled up quietly in the seat and said softly, "I'm sorry, Uncle."

Hearing me call him that, Caleb raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

I had always called him Caleb, stubbornly refusing to call him Uncle no matter how he corrected me.

I thought it was the only luxury, the only insistence I had for myself.

But now, it all seemed unimportant.

Caleb looked at me deeply, then smiled, "The kidnappers' lessons were really effective. You've finally given up on those inappropriate desires."

Yes, I finally gave up on those inappropriate desires.

But the price was too devastating.

If I could do it all over again, I would rather have died with my stepfather and mother than live this life now.

Caleb didn't take me back to the family estate; instead, he brought me to a hotel.

He looked at me with disdain, "Gavin, you need to clean yourself up first."

I glanced at the impeccably clean Caleb, then at my own dirt-streaked self, and numbly nodded.

I headed toward the bathroom.

But after just a few steps, I slipped.

In a clatter, I fell onto the carpet in the living room.

Terrified, I immediately knelt on the ground, pleading incessantly.

"I apologize profusely, it was a mistake... "

The captors had tortured me in every way possible to rid me of my filthy thoughts to please Caleb and satisfy their own desires.

They scattered broken glass across the floor, forcing me to walk on it. If I couldn't bear the pain and cried out or fell, they'd insult me viciously.

I was tormented to the point where life was worse than death, desperately begging them to let me go.

But the captors said, "Mr. Zhou paid us double the ransom to break you, you pathetic creature, showing just how much he detests you."

"A lowly creature like you dares to dream of the president of the Zhou Group? Let's see if you dare to have such filthy thoughts again."

I knelt in agony, the intense humiliation and fear resurfacing in my mind.

I repeated incoherently, "I'll never have such filthy thoughts again, never again, I swear."

Caleb looked at me, kneeling on the ground, his face dark with anger. "Gavin, what are you doing?"

His voice jolted me back to reality.

Caleb was visibly furious. "Gavin, stop pretending to be crazy to gain my sympathy."

I stood up, trembling, my face ashen.

Caleb continued, "You're really quite pathetic like this."

I looked at him, speaking earnestly, "Uncle, you're right. I really am too pathetic."

Caleb was momentarily taken aback by my words, then he sneered, "Gavin, playing the victim to gain sympathy."

I lowered my head respectfully and, under Caleb's watchful gaze, shuffled towards the bathroom.

The hotel, part of the Zhou estate, had everything prepared.

After cleaning up, I selected the most conservative black long dress from the rack to hide the scars covering my body.

Once I was done, I stepped out of the bathroom.

The room manager, waiting outside, widened her eyes in surprise to see I had managed everything myself.

Seeing her reaction, I couldn't help but give a self-deprecating smile.

I used to think that as the adopted daughter of the Zhou family, raised by Caleb for so many years, I was different from others.

But after going through all this, I realized those thoughts were nothing but my own delusions.

In Caleb's eyes, I was never special.

I was merely a tool to showcase the Zhou family's supposed kindness.

Returning to the living room, I found Caleb seated on the sofa, having changed into a fresh shirt and suit.

When he saw me, he glanced over and sneered, "Gavin, who are you dressing like that for?"

I clenched my fingers, unable to offer any defense.

Seeing my silence, Caleb snorted, "Your earlier missteps are already trending online."

"In a while, I'll take you to the Zhou Group's annual party. You need to help me cover up today's scandal."

I asked hoarsely, "Uncle, how should I cooperate?"

Caleb paused, then sternly warned, "Gavin, this matter started because of you, so you must personally end it. Remember, the Zhou family took you in."

I nodded obediently. The Zhou family raised me, and I'm responsible for clarifying everything today.

From now on, there will be no debts between us.

Seeing me nod, Caleb gave me a cursory glance and headed out.

I followed behind him.

As we reached the door, my eyes caught sight of the trash bin.

Inside were the shirt and suit Caleb had just changed out of.

Because I had touched them, he had thrown them away.

I stepped out of the room to find Caleb already standing at the elevator.

Beside him was a woman.

"Please don't be upset, Mr. Caleb. Miss Caleb probably didn't realize today was the company's annual meeting, " she said.

"She likely didn't anticipate causing such a stir for the company."

This woman was none other than Elaine, the secretary who had exposed my treasured diary and persuaded Caleb to have the robbers help me overcome my troubling thoughts.

At that moment, Elaine stood beside Caleb, dressed impeccably, soothing him with a gentle voice, as if they were a harmonious pair.

Her words only served to paint me as more unreasonable and ignorant.

Caleb let out a cold snort, as if he believed I was cunningly manipulative.

"She's not a child. How could she not know that showing up at the company in this manner would spark rumors?"

I pressed my lips together and kept silent, following them wordlessly into the elevator.

During the time I was kidnapped, they would isolate me in a confined space whenever they rested, filling it with all sorts of terrifying and disgusting creatures to frighten me.

As soon as I stepped into the elevator, I felt the air become stifling, and fear coursed through every part of me.

I shrank into the corner of the elevator, trying to suppress the terror within.

Elaine's eyes flickered with a hint of mockery as she stood gracefully beside Caleb.

Caleb noticed and looked at me with even more disdain.

Finally, when the elevator doors opened, I rushed out, collapsed against the wall for support, and gasped for air.

Elaine approached with a face full of concern. "Miss Caleb, what's wrong?"

As she spoke, she leaned close and whispered in my ear, "Are you still holding onto feelings for Mr. Caleb?"

Her words were like a switch, and I immediately dropped to my knees, frantically pleading.

"I dare not have feelings for him anymore, truly. Please, don't lock me in the box again."

Caleb's expression turned complicated, a mix of shock, confusion, and perhaps a hint of sympathy.

"Gavin, what's wrong with you?"

I looked up at him blankly, his face shifting from blurred to clear and back again, much like my feelings over the years.

I had only loved one person, never even considering being with him, just carefully hiding that love in my heart.

Yet, when he discovered my feelings, he paid extra money to have the robbers help me rid myself of my love for him.

So, I no longer dared to love.

I staggered to my feet, my voice hoarse as I said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Caleb."

Caleb gave me an awkward glance, as if he wanted to say something more.

Elaine's voice chimed in, scolding lightly, "Miss Caleb, what are you doing? With so many people in the hotel lobby, you'll be causing trouble for Mr. Caleb."

Upon hearing this, Caleb's expression immediately turned cold. He gave me a long, deep look before striding out without a backward glance.

His determined departure mirrored the day he paid extra money to have the robbers train me.