The year my sister started college, she died on a hotel bed. They said Grace was promiscuous and played herself to death. But I knew that wasn’t true. Carter’s sweetheart had a fight with him, so he deliberately pursued my sister. Jealous Vanessa egged others on to bully her. “Carter said she has a nice body. As his friends, why don’t you check it out for him?” Eight years later, I became Carter’s most cherished pet. Quiet and obedient, never causing trouble. Vanessa poured a cup of hot tea over my head, sneering: “You’re just a cheap knockoff. Carter’s only playing with you.” “I’m the one he truly loves. Know your place, understand?” But I never wanted his love. All I wanted were your lives. The day Vanessa returned from abroad, Carter released pink balloons all over the city to celebrate. His friends once again mocked and ridiculed our relationship. “The leading lady is back. Isn’t it time for that fake Aria to get lost?” “Tsk, that’s the fate of a disposable side character.” “Serves her right for being so cheap and throwing herself at him.” I sat on the sofa, quickly scrolling through the group chat messages before turning off my phone. “Angry?” Carter asked casually as he sat beside me, absent-mindedly playing with my palm. I shook my head and leaned gently against his chest, saying softly: “They’re right. I know my place. I can’t help feeling a little sad, but knowing you came to see me before meeting Vanessa makes everything okay.” He ran his hand along my cheek down to my chin, pinching the soft flesh there as if petting a cat. “Such a good girl.” “I won’t be coming over tonight. I’ll have that watch you liked delivered to you.” He stood up, ready to leave. Just as he opened the door, I suddenly ran up and hugged him from behind. Tears welling in my eyes. “I know you and Vanessa grew up together. I could never compare.” “But Carter, please let me stay by your side.” “Don’t leave me.” Hot tears fell onto his shirt, quickly spreading into a large wet patch against his shoulder blade. He paused, loosening his grip on the doorknob and turning around. His broad palm gently stroked my thin back. “Don’t overthink things.” He lowered his head slightly, tilting my chin up. I gazed back at him with trembling wet lashes. I knew I was beautiful, most alluring with reddened eyes looking pitiful. Sure enough, desire darkened his eyes. Before I knew it, Carter had me pinned to the sofa, gripping my waist. His breathing quickened with arousal, movements showing no tenderness. When I cried out in pain, he only bit and gnawed at my lips. “Aria, as long as you behave, I’ll come see you tomorrow.” I buried my face in his shoulder, my voice muffled and hoarse. “Okay. Don’t lie to me.” I carefully helped him get dressed and saw him downstairs. A purple Rolls-Royce waited at the villa entrance, the driver respectfully opening the door for him. With a roar of the engine, the car quickly disappeared into the night. It was getting late. Any later and he’d miss Vanessa’s welcome home dinner. She was the Jiang family’s princess, pampered since childhood. If Carter was late, she’d definitely be upset. As I thought about this, I walked back into the villa, tears streaming down my face. In front of Maggie, the housekeeper, I swallowed the pill she handed me. Then, with swollen eyes, I went upstairs, entered my room, and locked the door. I rushed into the bathroom, bent over the toilet, and vomited violently. Disgusting, utterly disgusting. Every second with Carter, every touch from him, was like a needle piercing my fragile dignity, reeking of decadent luxury and decay. The slightest recollection would make me retch uncontrollably. Yet I had to vie for his affection, kiss him, and submit to his desires. To make him confidently believe that I was a parasitic vine that could only cling to him, loving him wholeheartedly, and would wither away if I ever left him. Then, when he was enjoying his self-created realm of power, relaxed and carefree, I would deliver the fatal blow. Carter, I want to see you fall from your high position, left with nothing. Struggling in the mud, tormented by hatred. At the end, only stomach acid remained, burning my throat. I collapsed onto the cold tile floor, leaning against the wall behind me. The bright light above my head pierced my eyes, blurring my vision with a mix of whiteness and tears. My head knocked against the wall repeatedly as I choked out: “But, Grace, I’ve tried. I have no other way.” “…I’m so hungry. I miss your clear noodle soup, sister.”
My childhood wasn’t exactly pleasant. From my earliest memories, my father was a gambling, alcoholic, abusive scumbag. When I was ten, he lost a lot of money. That night, he opened the door, reeking of alcohol. My mother trembled as she held me in her arms. The next moment, he violently grabbed my mother’s hair and threw her onto the concrete floor. He punched her face over and over, and when he got tired, he kicked her. He took the last of our savings and squandered it at the casino. My mother got into a red car. She never came back. After that, my father would bring different women home. Locking me out. That day, I squatted outside the door all night. Until the next morning when I went to school, no one had opened the door for me. I had no money and no friends. I could only run to the sink to drink water to stave off hunger. By the time school let out, I was so hungry I could barely see straight. A girl running towards me barely brushed my shoulder, and I nearly fainted. She caught me in time, asking if I was okay. I was too hungry, so I just said so. She gave me a gentle smile, took my hand, and led me to her home. I ate five bowls of clear noodle soup. Somehow, I started crying while eating. First silently, then wailing loudly. She frantically wiped my tears, thinking her cooking was terrible. I shook my head vigorously in her arms. “No one has ever been so kind to me before.” Her warm hand patted my head. Not only did she not mind my dry, messy hair, but she also said: “From now on, think of me as your big sister. I’ll look out for you.” She really was a wonderful person. That was the first time I met my sister, Grace. She had a name as pure and beautiful as her personality. Unlike my name, which my father casually picked after winning a mahjong game. My mother thought it meant the “green” of grass. But Grace told me it meant “Aria of the green hills, my heart wanders far.” Only then did I realize that even a carelessly chosen character could be interpreted with poetic beauty by someone who cared.
That night, I dreamed of my sister again. I dreamed of how she celebrated my birthday. On a scorching summer day, when the asphalt was so hot you could see the heat shimmering off it, smelling of tar. She wore a heavy mascot costume, handing out flyers to passersby. She broke out in a rash from the heat but lied to me, saying it was just dust allergy. Seventy dollars a day, she did it for two months. Then, on my 14th birthday, she gave me fourteen gifts. A newspaper from my 1st year, watercolor pens from my 2nd, hair clips from my 3rd… a Barbie doll from my 7th… a bicycle from my 10th, an electronic keyboard from my 11th… and a keychain with keys for my 14th. I had never celebrated a birthday before, but that day, I celebrated fourteen birthdays at once. Maggie, Grace’s mom, had prepared a table full of dishes, with a two-tiered cake in the center. Surrounded by such warmth and love, I couldn’t help but cry again. “Thank you, sis. Thank you, Aunt Maggie.” Maggie’s smiling face suddenly fell. “You call her ‘sis,’ why am I still ‘Aunt Maggie’?” “Mom.” “Good girl, make a wish and blow out the candles.” I closed my eyes, savoring the happiest moment of my life. And made a sincere wish. I was no longer a child that no one cared about. I had a family. The laughter and joy quickly folded and distorted. The dream changed drastically. My sister was brought back, lying motionless on a stretcher. Her body was cold, covered in wounds, long past breathing. They said: “Grace led a promiscuous life, engaged in dangerous activities with multiple men. She died during one of these encounters. Her partners have already confessed and turned themselves in.” Lies, all lies. They also said, out of humanitarian concern, they could offer me reasonable compensation. I couldn’t hear anything anymore. There was a buzzing in my ears like a million mosquitoes, as I stared at my sister’s lifeless body before me. The mottled bloodstains mixed with sunlight into a chaotic mess. “Sis…” My sister didn’t die from some wild encounters. She was in college, busy with work-study programs. How could she possibly be involved with men, let alone multiple men, in such activities? It was my sister’s cheerleading squad captain. Her childhood sweetheart had a fight with her and deliberately praised my sister in front of her. He said my sister had a great body and he wanted to try her out. She angrily told him to go pursue my sister. He did, sending flowers, gifts, and breakfasts, sweet-talking her in every way. My sister had never experienced anything like this before. She believed it was true love. That arrogant captain couldn’t stand it. After reconciling with her sweetheart, she had people bully my sister. “Since Carter praised her body, why don’t you guys, as his friends, go check it out for him?” From beginning to end, it was a lawyer who handled the whole affair. Wearing old-fashioned scholarly glasses, behind which were sharp, shrewd eyes. He spoke precisely and acted ruthlessly. Under the machinations of power, we were defeated at every turn. Those two instigators never even showed their faces. After reconciling, they went to the Arctic to chase the Northern Lights. How romantic, how absurd. Months later, I finally learned their names. Two rich kids — Vanessa and Carter. Then I dreamed of my mother’s hair turning white overnight. Empty pill bottles scattered in the corner of the bed, my mother lying quietly, as if asleep. She had gone to find my sister. My birthday wish hadn’t come true. I never celebrated birthdays again.
I originally thought I wouldn’t encounter Vanessa so soon. But with her spoiled nature, how could she accept it? She had only been abroad for three years, and Carter already had me by his side when she returned. So the next day, Vanessa arranged a fitting at a luxury boutique. Carter deliberately brought me along. A spacious fitting room with excellent privacy. Dazzling lights, an atmosphere of extravagance. Vanessa sat in the center of the sofa in a black Chanel suit, the center of attention. She took a sip of her red tea, lifting her eyelids slightly. The disdain in her gaze fell on me without disguise as she suddenly smiled. “Carter, is this the little pet you’ve been keeping?” “She does look a bit like me, doesn’t she?” At this point, someone chimed in. “No matter how much she tries to imitate you, she can’t compare to even your little finger.” My fingers, hanging at my side, suddenly clenched. I lowered my head, suddenly realizing. He brought me here to let Vanessa vent her anger. Because of his attitude, everyone looked down on me, cooperating with Vanessa to humiliate me. “Since you’re here, why don’t you try on some clothes for me?” Carter sat down next to Vanessa and said indifferently, “Go try them on. Try until Vanessa is satisfied.” The entire afternoon, I walked back and forth in high heels, trying on clothes repeatedly. “Just standing there like that, how are we supposed to know if the clothes look good or not?” “That’s right, walk around the room a few times, strike a few poses. How can you be so stupid?” They sat on the sofa, enjoying their afternoon tea, instructing me on how to be a proper fitting model. The high heels on my feet rubbed my heels raw, blood seeping into the inside of the shoes. I was in so much pain that fine beads of sweat appeared on my forehead, my legs feeling as if they were no longer my own. Vanessa finally vented some of her anger. “Such beautiful clothes are wasted on someone like you.” “I don’t want any of the styles she’s worn. Pack up the rest.” She nestled in Carter’s arms, poking his chest in a coquettish manner. The usually cold man now curved his lips, allowing the person in his arms to act spoiled. “Go clean yourself up downstairs, and remember your place.” I held the slipping neckline of my dress, bowed, and hurriedly left. As I was leaving, I fell to the ground. I looked up at Carter, tears instinctively falling. Pitiful to the extreme. Carter’s gaze unconsciously fell on me, his Adam’s apple bobbing. I saw it, and so did Vanessa. She walked towards me with a smile. “A few pieces of clothing and you’re already feeling wronged? I didn’t realize you were so good at acting.” The next moment, a searing pain shot through my scalp. Vanessa poured an entire cup of hot tea over my head, then set down the cup and cooed to Carter. “Carter, you know I hate green tea the most.” “I couldn’t help but teach her a lesson. You won’t blame me, will you?” Carter stood up and wrapped his arm around her waist, his eyes full of indulgence. “As long as you’re happy.” The group left amid laughter, not waiting for me. Leaving me alone where I was.
That night, Carter surprisingly didn’t accompany Vanessa. Instead, he came to see me. Hearing movement in the yard, I pretended to be asleep on the couch. Carter came in and picked me up. I woke up in his arms at the right moment, my voice hoarse from crying. “I’m sorry, I’m so useless. I know you love Vanessa the most, but I couldn’t even do something as simple as trying on clothes for her.” “If Vanessa is still angry, I can move out…” Before I could finish, the scene before my eyes spun. He threw me onto the bed, grabbing my wrist and pressing down on me. “You want to leave?” I lowered my eyelashes, biting my lip, my eyes unconsciously turning red. After a long while, I squeezed out a small “yes.” “Aria, you’ve gotten quite bold, haven’t you?” Carter suddenly laughed angrily, raising his hand to grasp my chin. “Remember this: no one in this world can dictate what I, Carter, do.” “You remember, until I tell you to leave, don’t even think about leaving my side.” In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind. Tears burst forth. He carefully brushed aside the hair on my head, gently blowing on the swollen scalp. He had always maintained a lofty and indifferent attitude towards me. This was the first time I had seen him so gentle.
The burn kept throbbing, making it hard for me to sleep soundly. In my dreams, I seemed to return to a time long ago. It was when I was thirteen, my father suddenly became very nice to me. For the first time ever, he let me eat at the table and even put some meat in my bowl. “Aria, how about letting your Aunt Maggie be your mom?” I nearly choked on my food. So that’s why. He had his eye on Maggie. Knowing that Maggie’s family was kind to me, he wanted me to help him win her over. When I refused, he chased me away from the table. The meat he had put in my bowl ended up in his own mouth. I thought he was just talking. I didn’t expect him to go to Maggie’s tofu stand the next day to openly court her. Maggie kept refusing, which angered my father. He started spreading rumors. He said Maggie was bad luck, that her husband had died because of her. The rumors spread from the market throughout the neighborhood. “Why did you say those things about Maggie? Now she doesn’t dare to open her stand.” My father, looking smug, slurred, “Who told her to refuse me? I didn’t even mind that she’s a widow.” I couldn’t control myself and shouted at him. “You’re despicable!” He stood up abruptly and beat me. Afterwards, he kicked me and said he was hungry. I got up and made him a bowl of noodles. I put in five spoons of salt. He ate with relish, even praising my improved cooking skills. I guess he had drunk so much fake alcohol that his taste buds were ruined. Later, Grace came to find me several times. I didn’t dare to see her. But she still caught me on my way home from school. “Are you trying to end our friendship?” She was stunned for a moment. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she reached out and pinched my cheek. “Aria, you’re my sister. Why would I end our friendship?” Because I had been freeloading at their house, I had gained some weight during this time. My face had filled out, and she kept pinching it. “You are you. You don’t need to carry the burden of others’ mistakes.” I hugged my sister tightly, and only after I had cried enough did I notice the wound on her hand. She said she had accidentally hit it while making tofu, and it didn’t hurt anymore. I held her hand, feeling heartbroken. She then took me back to her home. Maggie was busy in the kitchen, and when she saw me, she smiled brightly. “Dinner’s almost ready. You two little ones go wash your hands first.” That evening, the setting sun painted half the sky red, casting an especially warm glow on the dinner table. Not long after, my father fell into the river while drunk. I was left alone at home. My father was known as a scoundrel, and relatives had long since cut ties with us. Maggie found someone to help me arrange the funeral. After that person was buried, Grace and Maggie each held one of my hands. They gave me a warm and complete home. I had my own room, clean bedsheets, and a brand new desk. I thought this would be forever.
Vanessa began to take over her family’s company. She used the excuse that she had just returned and wasn’t familiar with the domestic market. So she had Carter assign me as her assistant. Then she started setting up obstacles for me at every turn, leading the way in isolating and ostracizing me. She used the lowest, most childish methods. When I needed to use the printer, it was always out of paper or ink. In the break room, someone would always “accidentally” spill coffee on me. My computer would mysteriously get viruses, and I’d have to redo completed presentations. Carter would only tell me to try harder. I said okay, hung up the phone, not wanting to disturb his date with Vanessa. Until the last time, when Vanessa went too far— A client from Hong Kong was visiting. Vanessa told me and another colleague to handle it. During the dinner, my colleague was called away by a phone call from Vanessa. I was left alone and forced to drink until I was dizzy. The client’s hand gradually moved to my thigh. I resisted with all my might and was beaten half to death. Hearing the commotion, a waiter came and called the police. In the hospital room, the sharp smell of disinfectant lingered. I slept for two days. During this time, someone posted a video online of me being carried into an ambulance. The person who exposed it also pointed out that I was deliberately left behind by Vanessa. It quickly became a trending topic. Vanessa’s family company was competing with a rival for a project. Once this incident broke out, the Jiang family company’s image was damaged. When I woke up, I heard Carter and Vanessa arguing in the hallway outside the hospital room. “Vanessa, you’ve gone too far this time.” Carter’s tone was cold. “From childhood until now, I’ve let you do whatever you wanted, but this time you could have killed someone.” Vanessa’s voice was tearful: “Are you heartbroken for her?” “She’s nothing but a fake. It wouldn’t matter if she disappeared. It’s not like people haven’t died before.” Carter said flatly: “You can’t always do whatever you want. You need to control that temper of yours.” Vanessa seemed to be triggered by this statement. “Carter, are you complaining about my temper now? What did I do wrong? Before I went abroad, you said you’d wait for me.” As she spoke, tears started to fall. “I was only gone for three years, and you found this nobody. I just can’t stand her.” “These past two days, you must have seen how people online are cursing me.” “Do you want me to end up like her before you’re satisfied?” Her usually proud and beautiful face was now tear-streaked, revealing vulnerability and sadness in her eyes. This had a strong effect on Carter, who had grown up with her since childhood. After a moment, he sighed and pulled her into his arms. “All these years, I’ve only loved you.”
I watched through the crack in the door as the two kissed. My face expressionless, I turned my head away. I had long known that Vanessa wouldn’t be easy to deal with. Her twenty-some years of childhood friendship with Carter had, to this day, developed a kind of symbiotic meaning. But it wasn’t unbreakable. Now, I had used my injuries to plant a bomb in each of their hearts. Someday in the future, it would explode when it was meant to. Making the situation irreversible. When I woke up, the direction of public opinion had suddenly changed. New videos had surfaced. They were confessions from my colleague and the waiter. The gist was— I had lured my colleague away at the dinner table, actively seduced the client, and was beaten because I became abusive after being rejected by the client. The comment section exploded. Everyone was cursing at me. When Carter came to see me, he didn’t say anything. I also ignored it, still chatting casually with him like usual. Occasionally, I would grab his sleeve and make some harmless small requests. Trying my best to act as if everything was normal. Until the next day, when the client’s wife stormed into the hospital room with a group of people. They beat and cursed at me. When Carter arrived, he saw me curled up in a small ball in the corner of the bed. Biting my arm hard, my face streaked with tears. “Aria…” I looked up, saw it was him, and hurriedly wiped away the tears on my face. I rubbed my eyes hard before looking at him, forcing a smile, “Carter, why are you here?” He stood there, looking straight at me. I finally broke down. “I’m sorry, I just felt a little wronged. I know it’s not Vanessa’s fault. I just couldn’t get over it in my heart.” “It’s nothing, it must be because the wounds hurt too much that I started thinking nonsense. I’ll be fine in a few days.” “Carter, am I being too sensitive…” Guilt gradually appeared in his eyes. Then he sat down and held my hand tightly. He gently rolled up the sleeve of my hospital gown, looking at the bloody tooth marks and surrounding bruises, and suddenly said softly to me: “You’re not being sensitive. You’re the bravest. It’s my fault for spoiling her too much.” “Aria, want to go out and clear your mind? Let’s forget about all this.” “Let’s go to Iceland. Didn’t you always want to see the Northern Lights?”
e rarely called me so affectionately. I knew in my heart that even if Carter felt a twinge of guilt now, he wouldn’t do anything to Vanessa for my sake. In his mind, being able to take me out to clear my head was already a great favor to me. But it didn’t matter. What I wanted was just his temporary departure. Carter really did take me to Iceland. Just like when he took Vanessa to Iceland years ago, chasing the Northern Lights, watching volcanoes erupt. Such magnificent scenery, I had never seen before. The sunset spread over the snowy mountains, like the meeting of ice and fire, like the end of the world. Carter asked me, “Aria, are you feeling better?” I lowered my eyelids, hesitated for a few seconds, then looked up and nodded with a smile. He saw those few seconds of hesitation. His phone rang again, but Carter still silenced it. He put his arm around my shoulders and took me to soak in the hot springs. That night, after I went to bed in the room, Carter went out to the balcony to take Vanessa’s call. “Carter, where are you? Are you with that bitch Aria?” Her voice was shaking with anger on the other end of the line. “The day after tomorrow is my birthday. You promised to throw me a grand birthday party.” “This is my first birthday since coming back home.” Carter’s voice was tinged with impatience. “Aria is in this state because of you. I have to take her out for a while.” “It’s just a birthday. It’s not like you’re going to die next year.” He hung up the phone, pulled out a cigarette pack, and looked up to see me standing in the doorway, rubbing my eyes. He put the cigarette pack away and his gaze fell on my bare feet. He frowned slightly. “It’s so cold, why did you come out without shoes?” He came over and picked me up. “Carter, are you going back to be with Vanessa?” His arms holding me stiffened for a moment.
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