The Altered Face

It was eleven o’clock at night. I had just locked my car when a crimson warning flared before my eyes. 【WARNING! Your husband, who is currently in a divorce cooling-off period, is about to kidnap you, broadcast your nude photos across all platforms, and then dismember you, throwing your remains into the sewer!】 【This gold digger, who shamelessly exploited love and money, now wants a divorce and a share of assets. She deserves this retribution!】 I was utterly bewildered. I’m just a single working woman; where would I get a husband? Before I could even react, a pair of cold hands suddenly tightened around my neck. “Run, why don’t you? Aren’t you trying to get a divorce?” In a daze, I was dragged and thrown into a black van. In the darkness, cold handcuffs clamped onto my wrists. … The moment the car door slammed shut, those hands clamped down on my throat. A wave of suffocation instantly sent my heart racing, my whole body trembling uncontrollably. “Sweetheart, I’ve been so good to you. Why do you insist on a divorce?” I used every ounce of strength I had, speaking in broken gasps. “Look, mister… you’ve got the wrong person! I’m not married, and I’m not your wife!” “You bitch, what are you blathering about?” My words completely enraged him, and the grip on my throat tightened even further. 【Is this woman insane? Lying through her teeth! She’s in a divorce cooling-off period with her husband and dares to say she’s not married!! Her husband has rage issues, saying this is a death wish!】 【If she quickly withdraws the divorce petition and softens her stance, she might survive!】 The crimson subtitles scrolled rapidly, making my heart clench. Despite my overwhelming sense of injustice, breathing became increasingly difficult. I dared not argue further and pleaded, “Please, let go of me! We don’t have to divorce, everything can be discussed! Just release me first, let’s talk!” The man paused, his hands loosening slightly on my neck. “Are you serious? You’re not lying to me?” “Absolutely not!” I quickly pressed on, gasping, “I was foolish before, overlooking your kindness. You’ve always been so attentive to me, working hard to support us, accommodating my every whim. I shouldn’t have impulsively filed for divorce…” I racked my brain, uttering insincere words, and thankfully, the man’s hands slowly released my throat. I slumped onto the seat, gulping for air, my back already drenched in cold sweat. He remained silent for a moment, then moved to sit in the empty seat opposite me. But even in the darkness, I could still feel the murderous intent in his eyes. I hadn’t eaten dinner, having worked late, and my emotions were running high. Suddenly, my blood sugar dropped. Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, I couldn’t hold on any longer and pleaded, “I… I have low blood sugar. Could I get something to eat?” As soon as the words left my mouth, the man abruptly stood up. I froze, startled, curling up into the corner of the seat. He leaned in close, his rough fingers abruptly hooking my chin, forcing me to look up at him. The sudden, intimate proximity made my heart pound. What was he going to do? Was he going to strip me and take nude photos? Or simply dismember me? I clenched my fists, trembling uncontrollantly, not daring to breathe loudly. “You better not try any tricks with me.” With that, he finally released my chin. At that moment, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Watching him get out of the car and walk to the trunk, for a fleeting second, I considered opening the door and escaping. But realizing I had no strength left, I quickly abandoned the idea of saving myself. The man unlocked my handcuffs and handed me a bag of bread. I wolfed it down, thinking he had finally calmed down. But just as I was about to take another bite, he abruptly snatched the bread away. The next second, he grabbed my hair, glaring at me fiercely. “I’ve been so good to you, giving you everything you asked for. Why did you still trick me, betray my feelings, and steal my money?” A sharp pain shot through my scalp. I quickly squeezed out a sob, feigning remorse. “I’m sorry! It was all my fault, I was foolish and made a mistake! I swear I won’t do it again, never!” The man finally calmed down, sitting back in the opposite seat. My taut nerves relaxed slightly, but the cold sweat on my back hadn’t dried. 【This guy yelled about revenge, but when it came down to it, he’s a total softie! His love-struck brain is beyond saving!】 【This woman has some tricks up her sleeve, she’s got the guy wrapped around her finger again! If she doesn’t mention divorce, he’ll probably treat her like a queen. It’s true love!】 The subtitles continued to fan the flames. But I didn’t even know who this man was; I was caught in this messy situation unjustly. “You keep saying you love me, but do you really know me? Look closely, who am I?” The man looked up, a cold, obsessive glint in his eyes. “Sarah Miller, the only daughter of the Miller family. I saw you in an alley when I was ten, and I’ve never forgotten you. Your waist is 24 inches, hips 35 inches, you’re a Cancer, you love sweet and sour food, can’t stand cilantro, are afraid of the dark and spiders, need hot ginger tea during your period, and always curl your feet against the wall when you sleep.” He described these minute details perfectly, and I was utterly bewildered. 【This guy is so devoted! He’s been waiting for this woman for fifteen years!】 【He knows even her smallest habits inside out! Let’s see how this gold digger tries to deny it now!!】 The subtitles scrolled furiously, and my mind was a jumbled mess… “Some things… even I don’t remember clearly.” Had I crossed into the wrong world? Or was there really someone with the same name as me who was involved with him? But why would someone slander my reputation, making me bear the ignominy of being a ‘gold digger’? I couldn’t just die without clearing my name; I had to explain! “I’ve never been married, you’ve definitely got the wrong person! A check of the marriage registry would show I have no marriage records whatsoever! My cloud drive contains everything from the past five or six years—my private photo albums are all of my daily life, not even a single photo with a man. My chat logs are only work-related with colleagues, or daily reminders from family. I’ve never had any romantic interests, let alone been engaged to be married or gone through a divorce!” As soon as the words left my mouth, the subtitles exploded before my eyes. 【Oh my god! Is this girl crazy? A knife at her throat and she’s still arguing!】 【Help! Does she think she can turn the tables with just her words? Doesn’t she see who she’s up against?!】 【I’m speechless, I don’t understand this move! Is she really not lying? But who would believe that?!】 But the man suddenly leaned over, snatching my phone from my pocket. His fingers rapidly scrolled across the screen, a fleeting flicker of doubt in his eyes. He then found my cloud drive and opened my private photo album. A sliver of hope had just risen in my heart, thinking he was finally going to believe me. But the next second, he suddenly let out a low chuckle, then angrily threw my phone away and savagely clamped his hands around my neck. “Do you take me for a fool?” “I… I didn’t…” 【This woman is too bold! Still trying to lie, even when the truth is practically staring her in the face.】 【The guy definitely won’t spare her now, will he? Stupid and wicked, still arguing now, she’s leaving herself no way out!】 【I bet a bag of chips this woman won’t survive tonight! Everyone, watch and see!】 Each subtitle made me crumble. “You really got it wrong! I don’t know who stole my information to impersonate me! I don’t even know you, why won’t you believe me? Why…?” Who could be so vicious as to frame me like this? Even if I die and become a vengeful spirit, I won’t let that person go! 【This girl’s hysteria doesn’t seem faked. Could someone really be impersonating her?】 【Oh my god! Is she being used as a scapegoat? The fake one played him, and the real one is taking the fall!】 【But how can marriage be faked? The guy’s face went green when he saw her phone, he must have seen something, right?】 【This drama is interesting! Am I the one who transmigrated, or is this woman the one who did? Waiting for the truth to come out!】 The man suddenly released his grip on my throat. I slumped back into the seat, gasping for air. “I really don’t know you, and I’ve never been married. You’ve definitely mistaken me for someone else!” Before I could finish, a sharp, cramping pain shot through my lower abdomen. I looked down and saw that my dress was soaked with a large patch of blood. Embarrassment instantly flooded me. I frantically covered it with my hand, wishing I could disappear into the floor. 【Holy crap! Her period just came at the perfect time! This woman is lucky! The guy’s probably going to feel bad for her, right?】 【I bet you! This guy won’t be able to lay a hand on her for a while. Next thing you know, he’ll be rubbing her belly!】 I endured the pain, not holding out any hope. This man had just been so menacing; how could he possibly care about me? But the man glanced at my flushed face and the hand covering my dress. Without a word, he suddenly started the car and drove out of the garage. The subtitles instantly flooded the screen. 【Help! Is this man actually going to buy brown sugar water? This thoughtfulness is so unexpected!】 【He was played by a woman and he’s still so protective of her, this guy isn’t losing out at all by being deceived!】 【The ultimate combination of a love-struck fool and a simp! This guy is beyond saving! The more I watch, the more annoyed I get!】 The car stopped in front of a coffee shop, and the man pushed open the door and got out. Not long after, he returned with a hot ginger tea, which he handed to me. I stood frozen, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. But before I could react, he drove to a convenience store, came back with a pack of sanitary pads, opened the car door, and took my arm. “I’ll help you to the restroom.” “I can manage myself,” I quickly refused, feeling deeply uncomfortable with such intimacy. But he didn’t let go, insisting on supporting me. He even took off his jacket and wrapped it around my waist to cover the stain, his movements clumsy but filled with care. 【Oh my god! This is too much pampering! What kind of spell did this gold digger use to trick this guy like this?】 【It was supposed to be a kidnapping, how did it turn into taking care of her period? This guy is something else!】 After I came out of the restroom, clutching the warm ginger tea in the car, my mind was in a whirl. But I was certain of my own character; even if I had amnesia, I would never toy with someone’s emotions. Yet, I was equally sure I hadn’t lost my memory, and everything before me felt bizarre. Could there truly be another woman in the world who looked exactly like me and was married to this man? But why would she try to smear my name? I closed my eyes, furiously racking my brain. The next second, I abruptly opened them. I knew why! Inside the car, the man and I sat opposite each other, in a long silence. I decided not to tip my hand just yet. The cramping in my lower abdomen grew more intense; I couldn’t bear it any longer and whispered, “Could you recline the seat a bit? I want to lie down for a while.” As soon as the words left my mouth, he reached out and adjusted the button, and the seat slowly tilted back. Before I could thank him, a jacket, still warm from his body, was placed over me. “Is the pain bad? I’ll go buy painkillers.” Countless question marks appeared on the subtitles, presumably expressing utter exasperation at the man’s “simping” behavior. “No need, thank you.” I quickly declined, a mix of emotions churning within me, but still felt compelled to explain. “I truly am single, I’ve never been married, and I don’t know you. Maybe… there’s someone else in this world who looks exactly like me, and she’s the one you’re involved with.” The man lowered his head, his fingers stroking his phone case, but didn’t respond. I dared not say more, and the car fell silent again. A while later, he opened his phone’s photo album. A glance from the corner of my eye, and I was instantly stunned. Every photo showed a woman who looked exactly like me, smiling intimately as she linked arms with him. But I was certain it wasn’t me. “We’d only been married for less than a month when you suggested living separately, always abroad, only communicating by email. You only contacted me when you needed living expenses!” He suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with an indescribable weariness. “I thought you were just throwing a tantrum, but I never imagined…” My heart jolted, and I finally pieced things together. The woman impersonating me had never truly spent time with him, merely maintaining an “online marriage.” And she had constantly been asking this man for money—not just living expenses, but also insisting on investments. In just one month, she had already swindled over a million dollars from him. No wonder the man was so furious; defrauding him was despicable enough, but she had also been constantly deceiving him emotionally. Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated. The screen displayed “Olivia.” I hadn’t seen her in over a year, and I’d heard she’d been sick. Why was she calling me now? Had something happened to her? I desperately wanted to answer, but the man immediately looked at me with alarm. “She’s my best friend! Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to her.” The man hesitated for a few seconds, then released my wrist. I answered the call, about to say, “I’m going to sleep, I’ll contact you later!” when Olivia’s voice preempted me: “Honey! The doctor I introduced you to has agreed to meet! Hurry up and finalize the divorce, don’t get tangled up with that lunatic, he’s not worth it!” I was instantly stunned, a surge of anger rising within me. “What are you talking about? When did I get married? Where are these divorce papers?” “Oh, come on, stop pretending!” Olivia’s tone carried a hint of mockery. “I know you don’t want to mention that psycho! Marrying him is a stain on your record! But don’t worry, I’ll find you someone better in the future! Leaving him is a new beginning, don’t dwell on it!” “I didn’t…” I still tried to argue, but the man suddenly snatched my phone, abruptly ending the call. The next second, he grabbed my hair, violently pressing my head against the car wall with enough force to make my scalp tingle. A flurry of dense subtitles instantly exploded before my eyes. 【Holy crap! Isn’t this ironclad proof? Even her best friend said so! How can this woman still argue?!】 【Serves her right! She’s still playing innocent at a time like this, it would be against all reason not to dismember her now!】 【No wonder she could trick the guy, she had someone advising her from behind! This best friend is quite something, not plastic, but genuinely helping with bad deeds!】 【I originally thought she was innocent, but now it seems she’s just a good actress!】 My eyes reddened from the pain, and I stammered out an explanation. “It’s not like that! I don’t know why she’s saying that! I really haven’t gotten married, and I didn’t ask her to introduce anyone to me!” “Still trying to deny it? Your best friend admitted it herself, how long do you plan to lie to me?” “I’m not lying to you!” Tears streamed down my face in desperation. “Olivia is lying…” Suddenly, a glaring red line flashed in the subtitles. 【When I was working abroad, I heard a plastic surgeon mention something similar! A woman had surgery to look like her best friend, then used her friend’s identity to trick a man out of his money! When the truth came out, she got away scot-free, and her best friend was the one who suffered!】 【There’s such a thing!! Quick, tell us more!】 But at this moment, the man suddenly pulled out a dagger and pressed it against my carotid artery. Just as the blade was about to pierce my artery, another red subtitle furiously scrolled across the screen. 【Holy crap! I remember now!! This plastic surgery girl, Olivia, bragged at a party abroad that she got surgery to look like her best friend, Sarah Miller, and would definitely hook the attractive man, Leo Evans, who had a crush on Sarah!】 【Olivia was full of envy and resentment towards her best friend. She meticulously planned it out, first deliberately distancing herself from Sarah, claiming she was going abroad for medical treatment, but secretly going to a plastic surgery clinic to transform into Sarah. The two friends already looked somewhat alike. After the surgery, Olivia used makeup to become Sarah’s spitting image, and began to deceive Leo! Leo didn’t suspect a thing, mistakenly believing Olivia was Sarah, and poured all his heart and money into her!】 【I’ve seen this story in novels! This is the first time in real life! This woman, Olivia, is truly malicious!】 I froze in place, my blood running cold. All those seemingly harmless details I had ignored now linked together into a complete chain of conspiracy. Olivia had been my inseparable best friend since college; we’d shared every joy and sorrow. I’d always considered her my closest confidante, never once thinking to guard against her. I remembered two years ago when she suddenly told me she was going abroad for medical treatment. She even borrowed my ID, claiming it was to help me obtain an international medical license. I agreed without much thought. After she returned, she always borrowed my clothes and frequently asked about my habits. For instance, I don’t eat cilantro, I’m afraid of thunderstorms, and I drink warm ginger tea during my period. She even grilled me about my little habit of curling my legs in my sleep. She also deliberately mimicked my makeup and speaking style. At the time, I simply thought she genuinely liked my aesthetic. Looking back now, that was all her premeditated groundwork! 【Here’s the kicker! Olivia is the illegitimate daughter of the Miller family, Sarah’s half-sister!! Olivia’s mother seduced Sarah’s father years ago, trying to use the child to secure her position, but even after the child was born, the Miller family never acknowledged her!】 【No wonder the two of them look somewhat alike! That explains everything! She was a parasitic sister masquerading as a best friend all along!】 【Jealousy truly distorts people beyond recognition! Her own mother shamelessly destroyed another family, and she followed suit. To steal her sister’s life, she even changed her face—what else is she capable of?!】 【Sarah is too pathetic! The best friend she poured her heart out to harbored such malicious intentions, she truly was unlucky in her choice of friends!】 【Thank goodness Leo had a change of heart and didn’t act! Otherwise, Sarah would have died such an unjust death!】 The cruel truth shattered my perception repeatedly! “Olivia, I won’t let you get away with this!” But the dagger in Leo’s hand remained pressed against my neck. Just as I was wondering how to explain, Leo’s eyes suddenly reddened. My heart gave a violent jolt, and I boldly guessed that he, too, could see the subtitles. The next second, the dagger slipped from Leo’s hand. He actually knelt down directly in front of me. “I’m sorry… I almost hurt the person I love most. I was foolish, deceived, and nearly killed you by mistake.” “You’re not wrong, Olivia is! She transformed herself to look like me, used my identity to scam a marriage and money, and had us all running in circles.” “You go now, we can involve the police later. I’ll definitely help you get justice; I won’t let her off easy!” “Calling the police would be disadvantageous for you. After all, you did commit kidnapping. If Olivia insists on pressing charges, you’ll also be implicated.” Leo was stunned, his eyes instantly welling with emotion. He bent down and picked up the dagger from the floor. “Then I’ll kill her myself and avenge you! A vicious woman like that doesn’t deserve to live!” “Don’t be impulsive!” I quickly grabbed his wrist. “It’s not worth ruining your life for a wicked woman like her. Her evil deeds will be exposed eventually; we don’t need to sacrifice ourselves in this way.” Leo stared at my hand holding his, his gaze gradually softening. “Okay, I’ll do whatever you say.” The subtitles on the screen suddenly refreshed: 【??? This development is a bit off! How did these two suddenly develop such chemistry?】 【What chemistry? They’re giving off major couple vibes, okay!】 【Help! Just a moment ago they were at daggers drawn, now it’s getting kind of sweet?】

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