My Savior Stole My Life** I was the envy of the entire metropolis. My billionaire husband adored me, holding me as the very core of his being, and my newly wealthy brother cherished me down to my very soul. Three years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare illness. They swore they’d give their lives to see me well again. And they made good on that promise. My husband halted several crucial projects, pouring billions into the global search for a kidney donor. My brother, too, canceled all his social engagements, and was by my side at the hospital every single day. Three years later, my health had largely recovered. I could finally come back to the city. I didn’t tell them, wanting to surprise them. But I was stopped at the familiar villa gates. The security guard’s voice was sharp with警惕: “Who are you looking for?” “This is my home, I’m Julian Thorne’s wife.” I smiled. The guard paused, then his face twisted into a look of pure disgust, like I was some low-rent gold-digger. “Mrs. Thorne doesn’t look like you.” As he spoke, the guard pulled out his phone and opened his gallery. The woman in the photo looked incredibly similar to me, even down to the two faint dimples when she smiled. I knew her. It was Seraphina Hayes, the woman who had donated her kidney to me years ago.
I stumbled back, my phone nearly slipping from my grasp. The guard’s disgusted glare intensified. “See? If you had an ounce of dignity, you’d know better than to come here and make a spectacle of yourself.” “Mr. Thorne treats his wife wonderfully, we all see how much they love each other. Don’t you go living in a fantasy.” With that, the guard shoved me hard. I wasn’t steady on my feet, and after a long, restless journey, I fell heavily. My head hit the ground with a sickening thud, and my mind spun. Just then, the guard’s walkie-talkie buzzed. A familiar voice crackled through— “What’s all that noise outside?” The guard’s attitude instantly turned fawning. “Mr. Thorne, just some crazy woman claiming she knows you.” “Get her out of here immediately. Mrs. Thorne just fell asleep, don’t disturb her.” I heard Julian’s voice clearly. It was arrogant, impatient, yet filled with a deep, protective affection for the “Mrs. Thorne” he spoke of. So, Julian and his “wife” were living in this villa now. In the home we built together, our matrimonial haven. My blood ran cold, solidifying in my veins. How many beautiful memories did we share within those walls? How could he let another woman live there? My blood boiled, and a sickeningly sweet, metallic taste flooded my mouth. “Julian, who is it?” A woman’s sleepy voice drifted from the walkie-talkie. Then came Julian’s voice, soft to the point of melting. “It’s nothing, darling, just a minor issue. Go back to sleep.” “Stay with me, though.” “Alright, alright, you always get your way, don’t you?” “Tomorrow, I still need to see my brother…” The walkie-talkie went silent. My heart felt as if it were being squeezed in a vice, the pain stealing my breath. That gentle voice, brimming with love. Before, he only spoke to *me* like that, adoring me as if I might melt right there in his hands. And my brother… Could Cameron know about this too? Of course. How could anything happening here be kept from my brother? I don’t remember how I left. I stumbled along the street, my phone vibrating incessantly. A message from Julian popped up. 【Darling, are you feeling better today?】 【Did you take your medicine? When is your surgery scheduled?】 My brother’s message arrived at the same time. 【My sweetest, most adorable little sister, do you miss me?】 【Brother’s been swamped with work lately and couldn’t visit you abroad. Are you mad at me, sis?】 Looking at those messages, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. They seemed to love me so much, but why? Why would they let someone else take my place? Seraphina Hayes was the kidney donor Julian and Cameron found for me. She had a face strikingly similar to mine. The first time I met her, I even joked that we might be alternate versions of each other from a parallel universe. Back then, my brother had cupped my face and said: “My sister is one of a kind. No matter how much she looks like you, she can’t compare to even a fraction of your beauty.” Julian, from beginning to end, hadn’t spared Seraphina a second glance. Julian’s assistant spoke with Seraphina about the compensation after the kidney donation. That’s when I learned Seraphina’s family was extremely poor. She was forced to donate her kidney to pay for her seriously ill mother’s treatment. I still remember Seraphina back then, wearing a faded T-shirt, looking at me awkwardly. “Ma’am, I will take good care of my body and cooperate fully with the surgery.” I looked at her, my heart softening a little. I handed her a card: “Take this for your mother’s treatment first.” But she refused to take it, saying she wasn’t accepting charity. 2. The memory abruptly cut off. I suddenly looked up, towards the brightly lit villa in the distance. On the second-floor balcony, Julian held a petite woman tightly in his arms. On a whim, I called him. The next second, he hung up. I called again. He hung up again. My heart ached, and I squatted on the ground, gasping for air. About ten minutes later, he lifted the woman into his arms and carried her inside. Then, he reappeared on the balcony. My phone rang. “Hey, darling, what’s wrong? I was just on a video call.” I wanted to expose him right then and there. But the words caught in my throat, bitter and dry, unable to escape. “Darling?” Julian sounded confused. I still didn’t speak, biting my lip hard to keep from crying out loud. Julian finally sensed something was wrong and his tone turned worried: “Did someone upset you?” I wanted to say, *the ones upsetting me are you two.* I managed a bitter smile: “Julian Thorne, do you remember what day today is?” The other end fell silent for a moment, then he chuckled. “Oh, you’re mad because I forgot our wedding anniversary. My little princess is angry again.” “I’m sorry, darling, I’ve just been so busy today. I’ll come visit you abroad in a few days and make it up to you, alright?” Just then, I saw Seraphina come out again. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed Julian on the lips. The wet, sticky sound of the kiss was clearly audible through the phone. A wave of disgust washed over me. My voice was already hoarse: “No need. If you’re busy with work, then focus on that. Don’t worry about me.” “Okay, darling, you’re becoming so understanding.” The call ended, and the two figures on the second-floor balcony embraced under the moonlight, truly a loving couple! Tears instantly welled in my eyes. Was this what betrayal felt like? Eighteen-year-old Julian Thorne and Aurora Sterling could have never believed that twenty-five-year-old Julian would become a betrayer. He had loved me so fiercely. That summer, a boy held a basketball, dazzling under the sun. The wind brushed my cheek, carrying the eighteen-year-old’s voice across the years— “Aurora, I love you, and I’ll only ever love you. If I ever betray you, Aurora, may I drop dead on the spot!” The night wind made my entire body tremble uncontrollably. I slowly stood up, leaning against the wall, then turned and walked away. I hailed a taxi. The place I went was the small apartment my brother had given me for my eighteenth birthday. My hand trembled as I inserted the key into the lock. The moment the door opened, a suffocating wave of stale air and dust assaulted me. Clearly, no one had lived there in a long time. The furnishings inside were exactly as I’d left them three years ago. On the desk was a photo of my brother and me. Cameron wore a black suit, and I, standing next to him with a high ponytail, smiled joyfully. Cameron and Julian learned of my return the next day. Both of them gathered at my small apartment. Two powerful men, now facing me, their faces showed surprise and a touch of awkwardness. Julian was the first to step forward, reaching out to take my hand as he always used to. “Aurora, you’re back? Is it… is it all clear now?” I subtly avoided his hand. My brother’s eyes were moist, his voice choked. “Sister, this is wonderful. It’s great that you’re alright.” Julian’s hand froze in mid-air, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Then, an even deeper tenderness softened his gaze. “Are you perhaps too tired from the long flight?” Hearing that, my brother hurried to my side, already worried, and reached out to touch my forehead. I didn’t move, my body stiff. Cameron checked carefully, “No, your temperature’s normal.” I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m probably just a little tired.” Julian smoothly took over the conversation. “In that case, you should stay here for now, don’t run around. “This place is close to the hospital, it’ll be convenient for your follow-up appointments.” My lips curved into a bitter smile. Was this his way of preventing me from discovering he was keeping his mistress hidden away? How absurd. His wife was living outside, while his lover brazenly moved into our home. It seemed I was the one who looked like the ‘mistress.’ I smiled bitterly, “Whatever.” It wasn’t like I’d be staying long anyway. Julian’s brows unfurrowed, his tone imbued with his usual doting affection. “Such a good girl. Rest well here, I’ll come visit you often.” Cameron also visibly relaxed: “Okay, I’ll have Mrs. Olsen come tidy up. Tell me if you need anything, sis.” “Mm-hm.” I played along with their charade. 3 Julian’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen, then uncomfortably looked at me. He walked to the balcony, his voice deliberately lowered. Yet, blurred words still drifted into my ears. “Be a good girl, I’m busy right now, can’t come back yet… I’ll be done soon… Mm, I’ll bring you a small cake…” When he hung up and turned around, the tenderness hadn’t yet faded from his face. Julian walked back, a hint of apology in his eyes as he looked at me. “Something urgent came up at the company, I need to handle it. I’ll be back later for dinner.” I nodded, saying nothing. My brother looked at Julian with concern. “Is something wrong?” “Minor issue.” They were putting on a show, talking in veiled terms in front of me, thinking I didn’t know. Cameron eventually left with Julian. At the door, both of them turned back to look at me. Julian’s gaze was lingering: “Aurora, wait for me. I’ll be back tonight.” Cameron also looked at me dotingly. “Sister, get some sleep. I’ll take you to the hospital for your follow-up tomorrow.” I smiled and nodded. The next second, the door gently closed. The door separated me from them, and it severed my last shred of hope. In the empty living room, only I remained. The wall clock ticked, each beat seemingly echoing in my shattered heart. It felt like Cameron and Julian were slowly, agonizingly destroying me, all in the name of ‘love.’ That night, Julian didn’t return. He only sent me a message: 【Company business is demanding. I’ll have to stay at the office tonight. Get some rest, darling.】 And the next day, my brother, who had promised to take me for my follow-up, didn’t show up either. I took a taxi to the hospital myself. As I was leaving after my check-up, a commotion suddenly broke out nearby. I instinctively looked up. Just one glance, and my blood instantly turned to ice. Julian was carefully supporting Seraphina, his face full of tenderness and concern. My brother walked on the other side, his tone cautious and worried. “Slow down. The doctor said you have a threatened miscarriage. You can’t overexert yourself right now.” I froze. Seraphina was pregnant… Seraphina pouted at Julian, her voice sickly sweet. “It’s all your fault. You didn’t come back to be with me all night, that’s why I almost miscarried.” “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault.” Julian looked down, one hand supporting her shoulder, the other stroking her belly. The doting in his eyes was impossible to hide. “I’ll stay with you from now on, alright?” “My husband is so good to me.” Seraphina broke into a smile through her tears. My brother chimed in: “As long as you’re well, we’ll do anything for you.” The three of them stood there, backlit, their figures searing my eyes. Seraphina leaned against Julian’s chest: “Husband, will you always be good to me?” “Of course, you’re my wife, and you’re carrying my child. Of course I’ll be good to you.” Julian looked at her, his profile unbelievably soft. My brother joked from the side. “You spoil her too much.” But there was no hint of blame in his tone, only doting affection. Seraphina giggled. That sickeningly sweet taste flooded my throat again. I covered my mouth, forcing myself to swallow the blood. Shortly after leaving the hospital, my phone vibrated a few times. It was a message from my brother: 【Sister, how were your follow-up results?】 【Brother’s a bit busy here and couldn’t get away. I’ll definitely go with you next time.】 I looked at the text message and laughed, tears streaming down my face. After returning home, I took a cold shower. It finally cleared my head a little. Julian’s words to Seraphina, “You’re my wife…,” kept echoing in my ears. I sent a message to a contact with a completely black profile picture. “Marcus, my senior researcher, help me look into Julian Thorne…” About ten minutes later, he called me back. “Aurora, I found out you and Julian Thorne divorced six months ago.” “Julian Thorne’s current wife is Seraphina Hayes.” I clutched my agonizing stomach, laughing and crying on the sofa. It was so absurd, so ridiculous. I was nothing but a joke. In three years, someone had completely taken my place. The person on the other end of the line sounded very concerned. “Aurora, are you okay?” “I’m fine, Marcus, I’m fine. And—I agree to marry you.” “What? Really?” “Yes.”
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