My husband, Julian Blackwood, was paralyzed when he was sixty. I nursed him, cleaning up his messes until he died. The moment he was gone, my stepsister showed up, clutching Julian’s video will. Their heads were practically glued together, eyes brimming with sickening affection: “The biggest regret of my life was marrying your sister.” “She was a good wife, a loving mother, a free nanny, a baby-making machine, but never my lover.” “I love you. Your fierce brightness, your unrestrained spirit. Since I couldn’t marry you in this life, let these assets be my compensation. In the next life, I promise to make you my wife!” Stripped of my fortune, robbed of love, the rage boiled over, and my heart simply gave out. When I opened my eyes again, I was in the prime of my youth, with countless suitors from the elite circles. My stepsister pointed at Julian Blackwood’s photo on her phone, fawning over me: “Sister, only he is worthy of you! I heard his favorite type is the perfect wife and mother, just like you!” I scoffed, taking a long drag and blowing the smoke right into her smug face: “The ‘perfect wife and mother’ act? Can’t do it. But sitting down to smoke a few with you? Totally.”
Serena Hayes froze. She stared at my practiced move, utterly disbelieving. “What are you talking about? How can you smoke!” Her sharp voice pierced my ears. I casually stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and stood up. “So what?” “Are you rushing to tattle to Dad, or are you calling the cops to arrest me?” Serena was stunned. She couldn’t understand why her usually gentle sister had suddenly transformed. Immediately, she continued to fawn over me: “Sister, what are you saying? Are you angry because Dad set up a trust fund for me overseas? Dad’s just planning for Mom and my future. After all, Grandpa Sterling said the company’s management has to stay in your hands.” “You still come out ahead.” “I just thought you and Julian would be perfect together, and I wanted to set you two up.” Perfect together? A mocking smile touched my lips. I glanced at that slick Julian in the photo, then at the two-faced Serena standing before me. A scumbag and a manipulative bitch. You two are truly perfect for each other. Seeing my smile, Serena thought I was interested. She quickly leaned closer, handing me a thick stack of flyers. “I knew Sister still liked Julian.” “We go to the same school, so I already found out what kind of girls he likes. These training classes? I handpicked them, and I even signed you up!” “The first step to winning Julian over? Becoming the perfect wife and mother!” My gaze dropped, scanning the flyers. Home cooking, crash course barista, dining etiquette, infant care, patient nursing… Serena had even signed me up for cleaning classes. She leaned in to add: “Dad also said, Sister, you just need to relax and enjoy life at home, marry a good husband to manage the company for you.” Looking at Serena’s earnest eyes, I almost believed her. Too bad. In this life, “perfect wife and mother” was a derogatory term to me. Serena and that old geezer just wanted to make me useless and dependent. I picked through the flyers, pulling out one for “Charm and Etiquette Training.” I raised my hand high and slapped it hard against Serena’s face, chuckling: “Save it. I have zero interest in Julian Blackwood.” “If you like him, go for it. This class is actually pretty perfect for you, though.” “You should teach a class on being a manipulative sweetheart!” With that, I pulled my mask higher and headed towards the backstage lounge. The competition was about to start; I’d only stepped out for a few minutes to smoke. I hadn’t expected to be ambushed by Serena. What a pain. TPL was the biggest esports event in the country, and this was my second consecutive year making it to the finals. But in elite circles, being good at gaming was still seen as something lowbrow. So, to avoid any trouble, I always wore a mask during matches, keeping a low profile. But that was exactly how Serena had exploited me last time. In my previous life, Serena had snuck into the lounge, posing as my sister. She’d swapped my keyboard and mouse, stolen my clothes, and dressed up to look like me. Not only did her sabotage make me lose the championship due to equipment issues, but it also made Julian Blackwood, watching from the audience, equate the star esports player “K” with Serena. The calm commands, the powerful resolve, the steady leadership of that young girl, along with her fingers flying across the keyboard… They became Julian Blackwood’s lifelong dream. Even I, his wife, no matter how virtuous, how gentle, how devoted I was to him… I couldn’t compare to the indelible mark on his heart. But this time, there would be no such opportunity. Back in the lounge, I immediately sought out our team leader. “My stepsister is not to be trusted; she might try something. The match is about to start, and we absolutely can’t have any problems. Get a few more security guards from the venue to secure the lounge.” “No one gets in except for players and coaches!” This life, my glory—no one would steal it.
The team leader nodded, agreeing quickly. He was about to call the organizers when Alex Thorne, captain of the opposing team, somehow appeared. “I’ll handle it. I’ve worked with the organizers here before.” “The venue’s security is usually mediocre. I’ll ask them to send some bodyguards instead.” I glanced at Alex’s steady face and nodded. “Thanks, brother.” Alex smiled. “No problem. K, play well.” “I’ve been looking forward to this match against you for a long time.” To the roar of applause in the arena, my teammates and I entered. Sure enough, my eyes scanned the VIP section and immediately found Julian Blackwood. His gaze was glued to me the moment I appeared. It annoyed me. I took a deep breath and pulled my mask up a little higher. As the host announced the official start of the match, muscle memory made me forget Julian entirely. The clicking of keyboards and mice filled my ears as we battled through five grueling rounds. In a critical moment of the final round, I launched an offensive, taking down Alex. We secured the victory for the fifth round. 3:2. This life, I finally achieved my dream and lifted the championship trophy. The cheers and screams of the fans nearly brought the house down. Even Julian, sitting in the audience, stood up excitedly, applauding and shouting for me. Julian, as a representative of the investors, was also invited onto the stage to present the awards. With his expensive suit, polished red-soled shoes, and dark hair falling over his eyes, he looked every bit the charming young gentleman. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled with warmth. No wonder many girls in the audience, while watching the match, had their attention drawn to him instead. With those looks, he could’ve been a male escort, easily. No wonder I fell for him. Backstage, his intense gaze was fixed on me, and his body language suggested he wanted to come up on stage next to me. When our eyes met, Julian’s face was filled with surprise. Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak to me, I rolled my eyes at him dismissively, openly and without hesitation. Then I grabbed Liam, my teammate, pulling him between us: “Liam, stand here.” Julian paused, taken aback. Then he smiled even more brightly. On stage, he seemed to want to bypass the designated award presenter and personally hand me the medal. But seeing him approach me with that confident, smiling swagger, I just felt sick. I stepped forward quickly. The medal was already around my neck. Julian missed his chance. But there was no trace of anger on his face; instead, he let out a laugh. He looked at me with an amused expression, whispering, “Interesting, indeed.” I wanted to puke. Interesting? That bastard would only be interesting when he was six feet under. After the award ceremony, I packed my things, ready for the celebration party. But on the way to the parking garage, Julian blocked my path. I glanced at him. Then walked around him, straight ahead. Suddenly, Julian’s excited voice came from behind me: “Serena Hayes, I like you!” My steps faltered. I turned back to him, confused. Julian, however, spoke with even more enthusiasm: “You’re the most special girl I’ve ever met—fierce, bright, unrestrained. This life, I don’t want to miss you again.” “Serena Hayes, be with me!” I raised an eyebrow, finally understanding. Julian had been reborn too. And this time, he’d mistakenly identified me as Serena.
“Idiot!” I scowled, climbing onto the team bus. As soon as I got on, my teammates were roaring with laughter. “What’s wrong with his eyes? How could he mistake you for that conniving stepsister of yours?” “First time I’ve seen a guy confess his love and get the wrong person. Was he even trying, haha?” “K, maybe we should be nice and tell him?” I pursed my lips, retorting: “No need. Keep it a secret.” “I want to see what kind of mess he makes this time.” The next day, Julian arrived with his big mess. The celebration party had gone on very late yesterday, and I was so happy that I had blacked out. I barely remembered who took me home. So by the time I arrived at the gala today, it was quite late. Julian’s declaration of love was already nearing its end. Seeing me arrive fashionably late, Serena, clutching the flowers Julian had given her, walked over to me, eager to show off: “Sister, I’m so sorry.” “I never thought such an outstanding man like Julian would actually be in love with me.” “You’ll bless us, won’t you?” Julian saw Serena cautiously speaking to me, and his protective instincts immediately kicked in. He shielded Serena behind him and yelled at me: “Maya Sterling, what are you doing here?” “Let me tell you, don’t get any ideas about me. I won’t give you any response.” “This life, I will only marry Serena. No matter how much of a perfect homemaker you are, I, Julian Blackwood, would never marry a glorified nanny for the rest of my life! The perfect elite wife candidate? In my eyes, you’re just loveless, uninteresting, and utterly boring!” Julian’s emotions were exceptionally intense. It was as if he wanted to vent all the suppressed emotions from his previous life onto me. His voice was particularly loud, drawing the gaze of all the guests. Watching Julian, with the face I had loved for over a decade, publicly humiliate me like this… It hurt, that was undeniable. But mostly, it was pure disgust. I suppressed the urge to throw my glass of wine in his face and, scowling, shot back: “Julian Blackwood, are we even acquainted?” Julian was taken aback by my question. He suddenly remembered that in the previous life, though we moved in the same circles, our true acquaintance began at this very gala. Julian let out a relieved breath, as if narrowly escaping disaster: “Good, good, no, we’re not!” I seized the opportunity and walked away, not wanting to get entangled with him further. Behind me, I heard someone gossiping: “What’s going on? Didn’t Julian always want to pursue Maya Sterling? How did he suddenly end up with her stepsister, Serena Hayes?” “He probably couldn’t catch her and gave up. Who is Maya Sterling? Even my notoriously picky mother said if I could marry a girl with half her qualities, I’d consider myself incredibly lucky.” Julian’s voice interjected into their conversation. “Then your mom clearly misjudged.” He sneered, glancing at me not far away, deliberately trying to provoke me: “Maya Sterling only looks good.” “Honestly, marrying someone like her would be a lifetime of misery. She’d constantly be micromanaging you. The only good thing is she’d cater to your every need, and pretty comfortably too. But why marry a glorified nanny when you could just hire one?” “Serena, though, is different. You know ‘K,’ the champion esports player? That’s Serena!” A collective gasp of surprise went through the group: “What? ‘K’ is Serena Hayes?” “No way, I never would’ve guessed. She looks so delicate, but she’s a total beast!” “Julian, can you ask Serena to play some games with me? I’d love to experience being carried by a national champion!” Julian’s vanity was instantly satisfied, and he nodded. With his chin held high, he cast a cold glance at me. Then he turned to the approaching Serena, speaking softly: “Serena, are you busy tonight?” “Want to play some games together? We need to worship your gaming skills!”
Serena looked confused. “Huh? Why are you suddenly talking about playing games?” “Didn’t you say you wanted to go home and meet my parents tonight?” Julian wrapped an arm around her, reassuringly: “I was just worried meeting your parents might be too much pressure for you.” “Besides, you’re not bad at games, are you? You’re the champ—” Julian’s words were cut short. His quick-witted friend immediately interrupted. “Understood, Serena has other plans tonight. Games can be played anytime.” “But a girlfriend like this, Julian, you need to hold on tight!” His friend’s words made Serena blush, and she snuggled closer into Julian’s embrace. Julian didn’t insist further, laughing: “Alright, next time for sure.” “You all just wait for my wedding with Serena!” That very night, Julian went home and finalized his engagement with Serena. During this period, he spoiled Serena endlessly. Three consecutive days of fireworks lit up the city to celebrate their engagement. The wedding dress was air-shipped, the invitations were handwritten, and even the diamond ring was a priceless rarity auctioned at a sky-high price. Such familiar actions. Even seeing the news, a faint, familiar ache spread through my heart. He had been the same way when he married me in his previous life. Julian Blackwood. When he loved, he’d give you his life. When he didn’t, he couldn’t even stand to look at you. “Drink less? Why do you care? What man doesn’t drink during social events?” “Why are you throwing a fit? What more do you want? Do you know how rare it is in our circles to find a man like me who doesn’t mess around?” “What’s wrong with flirting with other women? I’m not sleeping with them. Otherwise, if I talked to you about household chores, would you even find that interesting?” … My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing phone. It was the team manager: “K, are you really retiring?” “Your talent, it would be such a waste not to continue playing.” I shook my head, my resolve firm: “No, I’m done. I have more important things to do.” “Prepare to notify the media and fans.” “I’ve worn K’s mask long enough. I want to take it off. I want to tell everyone, openly and proudly, that my name is Maya Sterling.” Players begin with a match. Since I was retiring, I decided to end with a match as well, so I arranged a game with Alex’s team. Once the team released the news, the buzz was enormous. #EsportsPlayerKRetires,ReturnsToLife# #ThisExhibitionMatchIsK’sLastDance# #KDecidesToShowHerFaceKRealIdentityKRealName# Seven or eight trending topics dominated for two or three days. Backstage, without my mask, I felt a rare mix of nervousness and anticipation. The host had already begun the announcements. Julian had already taken his seat in the VIP section with Serena and many of his friends from the elite circle, all there to cheer for K’s last match. He gently squeezed Serena’s hand and asked: “Aren’t you going backstage to get ready? The match is about to start.” Serena’s eyes widened, and she asked back: “Ready for what?” “Julian, aren’t you just taking me to watch the match?” “Only Maya Sterling is backstage, and I don’t want to go. If you hadn’t insisted, I wouldn’t even have come to watch.” Julian indulgently stroked Serena’s head and said: “Why are you bringing Maya Sterling into this again? I’m just concerned for you. Go backstage early to get into the zone.” “Your last match before retiring, you definitely want to win beautifully!” Hearing this, Serena’s body stiffened instantly. She looked at Julian in disbelief: “Retire?” “Julian, what are you talking about? Are you misunderstanding something?” But Julian only thought Serena was nervous. He decided to spill the beans while comforting her: “Stop pretending, Serena. I know you’re K!” “From three years ago, the first time I saw you play, I fell for you. That day, after you won the championship, we met eyes backstage, and my heart nearly burst. In that moment, I knew. I would never love another woman in this life.” “You don’t have to retire, you know. Even if we get married, I’ll still support you in pursuing your dreams. After all, the person I love is the shining K on that stage!” Julian was completely lost in his own emotions, pouring out his deep affection for Serena. He didn’t notice Serena’s increasingly pale face beside him. “Julian, so you love K.” “Not me?” Seeing Serena’s reddened eyes, Julian looked confused: “What kind of question is that?” “Aren’t you K?” Serena screamed, close to tears: “I’m not K!” Julian was dumbfounded. He asked back in disbelief: “Serena, what nonsense are you talking about?” “If you’re not K, then who else could it be…” Julian’s unfinished words were drowned out by the thunderous screams of the fans in the arena. Only the host’s voice cut through the noise: “And finally, let’s welcome—K!” The flashlights and cameras focused directly on my face. This time, there was no mask to hide behind. I took the microphone, confidently introducing myself: “Hello everyone, I’m K.” “My real name is Maya Sterling!” Julian turned his head to look at me, shining brightly on stage. His mind went exploding into a million pieces. He was utterly stunned.
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