Christmas 1979, at the Florida Hospital morgue… “I agree to donate Maxwell Stevens’ body to the University of Florida Medical School for use as a silent mentor.” Vivian Stevens’ voice trembled slightly, yet carried unwavering determination. “But I demand to sign the donation agreement right now.” After signing the agreement, she watched with her own eyes as Maxwell’s body was loaded onto the transport vehicle. Only then did she feel at ease. Memories from her past life flooded back like a tide—she had just learned that her only relative Maxwell had drowned while saving someone, and shortly after, her fiancé Carlos Lewis told her that she had failed to get into college. Under this double blow, she completely collapsed and fainted. While she was unconscious, Carlos had taken it upon himself to donate Maxwell’s heart to his comrade’s widow, Arya Scott. To appease her, he proposed to her. But throughout their ten-year marriage, Carlos remained cold toward her. Whenever she mentioned wanting to retake the college entrance exam, he would get her pregnant to disrupt her plans. Eventually, she bore him two sons and three daughters, and her body broke down from years of overwork. At thirty-two, she suddenly died in the workshop from breast cancer combined with exhaustion. However, what chilled her to the bone was that after her death, she saw Carlos kneeling before her grave, letting out a long sigh of relief, as if he had finally completed a task. He said: “Vivian, I gave you the marriage and children you wanted. This should settle the debt for your brother’s heart and that college acceptance letter.” Then she watched helplessly as Carlos took the children back to the city and married the woman who had taken her place at university—Arya. Only then did she understand that Carlos had never loved her. In this second chance at life, she finally realized that some things shouldn’t be pursued obsessively. As for Carlos—she didn’t want him anymore! ***** The moment Vivian stepped through her front door, Carlos burst in. His brow was furrowed with anger, his gaze sharp as a blade. He said: “I’ve already stopped the transport vehicle. You need to come with me to the hospital right now to sign the papers. Your brother’s heart can save Arya—this is the only chance!” Without giving her any room to refuse, he grabbed Vivian’s wrist and dragged her outside. Carlos was tall and imposing, leaving Vivian no choice but to follow silently. In the hospital room, Arya had already changed into a patient gown. Seeing Carlos enter, her pale face twitched slightly, her eyes reddening. She sobbed: “Carlos… I’m so scared…” Carlos’ previously stern expression instantly softened. He gently pulled Arya into his embrace, using his fingertips to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, comforting her: “Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens with the surgery, I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life.” From her past life to this one, Carlos always claimed to treat Arya as his good friend’s wife, but his every action had long exceeded the boundaries of ordinary friendship. Standing to the side, Vivian felt a sharp pain pierce her heart. She suppressed the sting in her eyes and looked up to meet Carlos’ slightly furrowed brow. Perhaps because the grief in Vivian’s eyes was too intense, Carlos seemed uncomfortable and looked away. His tone remained authoritative: “Vivian, I hope you won’t be too selfish when it comes to matters of life and death.” Vivian let out a cold laugh: “Carlos, don’t forget that my brother once saved your life too. He’s been dead for less than a day, and you’re already eager to use his heart to save someone else? You’re shameless!” Carlos’ face instantly stiffened, a flash of embarrassment crossing his eyes. Florida’s forests were dense and crawling with snakes and insects. Five Christmases ago, Carlos was bitten by a venomous snake during a mission, and Maxwell happened to pass by and saved him. Maxwell risked his life to suck the venom from his wound, saving Carlos’s life. However, that experience left Maxwell deaf in both ears due to the toxin’s effects, becoming a permanent source of guilt in Carlos’s heart. Seeing Carlos lost in thought, Arya suddenly knelt down before Vivian, her face bearing a bitter smile. “It’s all my fault for being sick and getting this disease. Vivian, please don’t be angry with Carlos. He’s a good man, and I’m not worth using your brother’s heart to save.” The soldiers nearby couldn’t help but speak up for Arya: “Your brother is already dead, and his heart can be used to save lives. Arya’s husband sacrificed himself in the earthquake while rescuing disaster victims, and now she has heart disease. Are we supposed to just watch her die?” The soldiers’ words snapped Carlos back from his memories. He helped Arya to her feet and turned to face Vivian, his eyes fierce as if interrogating a criminal. “Vivian, this is a matter of life and death. If you insist on being selfish and stubborn, I’ll arrest you directly on charges of insulting a martyr’s family!” Arya revealed a satisfied smile upon hearing this, clearly pleased that her scheme was working. Vivian had already anticipated that Carlos wouldn’t give up easily. But she remained composed, speaking coldly: “I’m so scared… But unfortunately, Maxwell’s body has already been sent for cremation.” It turned out that after signing the organ donation agreement, she still felt uneasy, so she chose the option of letting Maxwell find peace as quickly as possible. Upon hearing this, Carlos’s face changed dramatically: “That’s impossible…” Before he could finish speaking, a soldier came running over in panic, holding an urn: “Mr. Lewis, there’s only an urn in the body transport vehicle, no body!” Carlos was stunned, then flew into a rage: “You maniac! What good does this do you?” Vivian met his gaze defiantly, sneering: “No good at all, but I absolutely won’t allow you to harm my brother!” With that, she ignored the fury practically blazing in Carlos’s eyes, snatched the urn, and turned to leave. She didn’t go home, but instead went to her teacher Leonel Freeman. With his help, she applied to Virginia Military Institute. From submitting her application to receiving the acceptance letter would take ten days. After ten days, she would completely leave this place behind and never see Carlos again in this lifetime. “Vivian, I remember you’re engaged to Mr. Lewis. Applying to a university so far away—is he really okay with that?” Leonel asked with concern in his voice. “I know there’s been tension between you two ever since Arya showed up. But I can tell he still cares about you.” Though he said this aloud, Leonel didn’t truly believe it. In Florida, Carlos was known for his impartiality and selflessness. Yet this Christmas, he had repeatedly used his connections and resources for Arya’s sake. This special treatment was something even Vivian had never received. Hearing this, Vivian lowered her gaze slightly. She remembered her past life—after Carlos married Arya, they had a son and daughter together. From then on, he cherished that pair of children like precious treasures. Meanwhile, the five children Vivian bore him were sent to the countryside by Arya under various pretenses. In the end, Arya’s son and daughter became a renowned entrepreneur and professor respectively, with bright futures ahead. But Vivian’s two sons mysteriously drowned in a rural pond when they were barely teenagers. Her remaining three daughters, under Arya’s interference, never even finished high school before being hastily married off to tragic fates. Thinking of all this, hatred surged in Vivian’s heart. She hated how foolish she’d been in her past life, trusting others so easily and ending up in such misery. In this life, she was determined to stay away from Carlos and pursue her own happiness. She took a deep breath, struggling to hide the pain in her eyes. When she looked up again, her gaze had regained its composure. “Mr. Lewis has the life he wants. I can’t force him to stay bound to me.” Her tone was calm, and then she asked Leonel, “I hope you can help me keep this secret. If Mr. Lewis asks, please tell him I didn’t get into college. Also, when the acceptance letter arrives, could you hold onto it for me?” Leonel nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” He felt sorry for Vivian too. Her parents had been lumber mill workers who died tragically in an accident ten years ago, leaving fourteen-year-old Maxwell and eleven-year-old Vivian to fend for themselves. Now Maxwell had finally graduated from college, only to sacrifice his life heroically saving others. He’d originally thought Carlos was reliable, but it turned out he had a new love too. Under these circumstances, he could only hope Vivian would successfully leave this place of heartbreak. Returning home, Vivian had no idea of Leonel’s hopes for her. She walked through the front door and placed Maxwell’s urn alongside their parents’ memorial photos. The three people who had loved her most in this world were all gone now. Vivian felt her nose sting with unshed tears, but she forced herself not to cry. Now she was the only Stevens left. Before leaving home, she had to pull herself together and give Maxwell a proper funeral. Vivian’s parents had died while trying to repair lumber mill equipment, making their deaths work-related. For the past ten years, the family had received compensation money annually. Vivian opened the deepest compartment in Maxwell’s bedroom closet, where a neat stack of bills lay alongside wooden figurines Maxwell had carved by hand. All these years, Maxwell had never touched this money. He’d always said it was saved for Vivian’s future wedding. Looking at the money and figurines, Vivian couldn’t help but cry silently. Suddenly, Carlos pushed through the door and took the money directly. He said, “Though it’s not much, combined with my military allowance from these years, it should be enough for Arya’s heart surgery.” Vivian stared at Carlos in disbelief, anger surging through her instantly. She lunged forward and snatched the money back. “This is the money my parents left for me and my brother. Why should it be spent on Arya?” In that moment, Vivian could no longer suppress her inner resentment and completely exploded. Carlos mercilessly accused her: “It’s because of your selfishness that Arya lost the most suitable heart donor! Now she needs heart transplant surgery. Not only does she have to wait for a suitable organ, but she also has to pay a huge compensation. This is what you owe Arya, and you must take responsibility!” Facing Carlos’s accusations, Vivian sneered coldly: “What about you? Carlos, you once promised my parents and my brother that you would take good care of me. Is this what you call ‘taking care of me’?” Carlos’s expression shifted slightly, his throat moved, and he finally sighed: “So… you’re angry because of this…” He rubbed his weary brow, his tone softening: “Don’t worry, no matter how much I care about Arya, it won’t affect our engagement. As long as you’re sensible and obediently take the money to help Arya with her surgery, I promise I’ll marry you.” But when Carlos said this, there was no genuine emotion in his eyes, only irritation and dismissiveness. As if in his view, being able to marry him was a tremendous blessing for Vivian. Thinking of this, Vivian coldly refused: “What if I don’t?” “You!” Carlos flew into a rage and was about to start cursing when he was interrupted by the sudden ringing of the landline. After answering the phone, his tone instantly became gentle: “Alright, I’ll come pick you up and bring you home right away.” After hanging up, Carlos turned to Vivian and said: “Arya is too bored alone at the hospital. She’s worried that you might be sad and overthinking after just losing your brother, so she wants to come home to keep you company. I’m going to pick her up now. You go buy some meat to cook for her. Also, buy some candy—she likes sweets.” After hastily giving these instructions, Carlos hurried away, but he didn’t give Vivian any money. Vivian rolled her eyes and took out a thousand dollars from the four thousand, planning to choose a good burial plot for Maxwell. To be safe, she hid the remaining three thousand dollars in a more secret place. By the time she finished handling these matters, it wasn’t dark yet. Vivian thought to herself that since this was how things were, she would draw a clear line with Carlos from now on. So she took all the small items Carlos had given her over the past dozen years, whether valuable or not, and threw them all into the dumpster downstairs. Actually, Carlos had indeed been very good to Vivian in the past. He was an orphan from a disaster area that Vivian’s father Kevin Stevens had adopted during his military service. Later, when Kevin was discharged and transferred to Florida, Carlos had been living with Vivian and Maxwell ever since. Maxwell was mischievous and troublesome, Vivian was introverted, and although Carlos was only a year older than Maxwell, he was more mature and steady than other children. Therefore, he was always more perceptive than Maxwell in noticing changes in Vivian’s emotions. He knew Vivian was afraid of the dark, so after evening study sessions ended, on the way home from school, his figure was always there to accompany her. The Stevens family wasn’t wealthy. Every holiday, Vivian’s mother Esther Stevens would take out money she had saved for a long time to buy some sweets. Vivian loved sweets, so every time, Carlos would give her his share without reservation. Vivian and Carlos’s engagement was arranged when Kevin and Esther were still alive. As a child, Vivian simply regarded Carlos as a brother. But gradually, Carlos would prepare small gifts for Vivian when she was feeling down, would teach lessons to bad boys who bullied her, and would seriously save all his pocket money just to buy her a novel she liked. Vivian truly fell in love with Carlos when she was eighteen years old. At that time, Carlos had already enlisted in the military, and Maxwell had also gotten into college. But Vivian unfortunately came down with chickenpox. Carlos somehow learned of this news and took emergency leave overnight to carry Vivian on his back to see a doctor, afraid that she would be left with scars on her face. It wasn’t until after Vivian recovered that she learned that because of that emergency leave, Carlos had been officially reprimanded and confined for nearly a week. From then on, Vivian fell in love with him. She just never imagined that while the human heart is precious, it’s also fickle. The man who once wouldn’t let her suffer the slightest grievance would now, for the sake of another woman, trample her sincere heart underfoot.
Vivian ultimately chose a plot for Maxwell closest to her parents’ gravesite, with a total cost of two thousand dollars. She paid a thousand dollars as a down payment. After signing the contract, she walked home with the receipt in hand. Carlos’s words didn’t bother her at all. In this lifetime, she and Carlos were just good friends. If he wanted to spend money on Arya, that was his business. As for the money Vivian had saved, she would never let Arya touch a single cent of it! It was evening when she neared home, and Vivian spotted Carlos’s military jeep parked under a tree in the distance. Ever since learning about Arya’s heart condition, Carlos had applied for permission to use this vehicle. Arya was the only woman allowed to sit in the passenger seat. Once, when Vivian had acute gastroenteritis and asked Carlos to drive her to the hospital, she was met with his cold refusal. He had said, “This is a military vehicle, reserved for emergency missions only. You’re just a high school student—you don’t need it!” Carlos’s favoritism toward Arya was so obvious, yet in her previous life, Vivian had been blinded by old feelings. Pushing down the last trace of bitterness in her heart, Vivian turned and headed to the spaghetti restaurant at the corner. After enjoying a satisfying meal, she packed a small bag of leftovers before leaving. Vivian deliberately stayed out until late at night, making sure even the late-night snack time had passed before slowly making her way home. However, she found Carlos waiting at the door with a livid expression. The moment he saw her, he frowned with disgust and said, “I told you to buy groceries and come home to cook. Where are the groceries? You know perfectly well that Arya is weak, and she’s our guest. How can you be so inconsiderate?” Vivian couldn’t be bothered to respond and walked past him through the door. But then she saw Arya, whom Carlos claimed was “starving,” sitting at the dining table enjoying a lavish dinner. From the dishes, it was obvious that Carlos had specifically asked the military kitchen staff to prepare it—all of Arya’s favorite flavors. Vivian let out a cold laugh. Arya shrank back in fear. Vivian let out a cold laugh. Arya shrank back in fear. She spoke timidly, “Vivian, don’t blame Carlos. We waited for you to buy groceries and cook dinner, but you didn’t show up until midnight. Carlos was so worried about me that he had the chef specially prepare this meal for me. But Vivian, you’re Carlos’s fiancée—you should consider him more. You always come home so late at night; people might get the wrong idea about you.” In her previous life, Arya had always stirred up trouble under the guise of looking out for Vivian, causing constant fights between her and Carlos, eventually leading to their separation. In this lifetime, while Vivian no longer wanted Carlos, she certainly wouldn’t stand for being bullied by them. Before Arya could continue her manipulation, Vivian sneered and shot back, “Wrong idea? You’re a widow whose husband died less than a year ago. Instead of staying home to care for your parents, you’re squeezing yourself between me and my fiancé. Aren’t you afraid people might get the wrong idea about your relationship with him?” Vivian deliberately raised her voice, causing the neighboring residents to quietly pull back their curtains to eavesdrop. Caught red-handed, Arya’s face flushed crimson. Speechless for a moment, she could only turn to Carlos for help: “Carlos…” Vivian scoffed, showing no fear even when facing Carlos’s displeasure: “Mr. Lewis, please tell me what I said that was wrong?” Carlos couldn’t understand why the usually docile Vivian had become so unreasonable and jealous. He scolded, “I’ve already agreed to marry you, so you don’t need to make things difficult for Arya. Her husband wasn’t an only child—his parents have others to care for them, they don’t need a sick person like her interfering. Besides, Arya is right. What were you doing wandering the streets so late at night instead of coming home? Where are the meat and candy I asked you to buy? Arya needs to take her medicine later, and the candy would help ease the bitter taste.” Vivian lifted her hand and placed the oil paper package she was carrying on the table. Seeing that Carlos would defend her no matter what, Arya’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She blushed and thanked him, “Carlos always treats me like a child. I’m a married woman—how could I still love eating candy…” Though she said she didn’t want it, she immediately reached out to grab it. But Vivian slapped her hand away, causing her to shriek and pull back in pain. Vivian mocked, “Fighting with a dog for food—you really have no shame.” “What did you say?” Arya nearly lost her composure. Vivian unwrapped the oil paper package, revealing what were obviously just leftovers. Even Carlos couldn’t control his emotions now: “Where are the meat and candy I asked you to buy for Arya?” Vivian put the leftover food into the plate she used to feed stray dogs and asked in return, “You asked me to buy them? Then where’s the money you gave me? If I remember correctly, you haven’t given me a single cent since a year ago.” Carlos fell silent, finally realizing that he had spent all his allowance this past year on Arya. Just as he was about to explain further, he noticed that Vivian had already taken the plate of dog food to the backyard. Vivian quietly stared at the stray dog Coco, lost in thought. In her previous life, shortly after her death, Carlos had moved the entire family to the provincial capital and never returned to visit her grave. The only ones who regularly came to the cemetery to see her were Leonel and Coco, the dog she had fed a few times. Sometimes people really weren’t as loyal as dogs. Vivian smiled bitterly as she petted Coco, who was contentedly rolling on his back. She mentally planned to find him a good home before leaving, then went upstairs to pack her things. However, when she pushed open the front door again, she froze. The originally spacious and tidy living room was now cluttered with miscellaneous items. After getting a clear look at those objects, Vivian trembled with rage. These were all Maxwell’s belongings! Even his urn and portrait had been carelessly thrown on the floor. “Who gave you permission to touch my brother’s things!” Vivian roared. At that moment, Arya emerged from Maxwell’s bedroom, wearing a provocative and smug smile. “Oh my, didn’t Carlos tell you? This bedroom is mine to live in from now on.” Then Carlos walked out of the kitchen carrying a cup of warm honey milk, as if he couldn’t see the fury burning in Vivian’s eyes. He said matter-of-factly, “I told you long ago that Arya would be staying at our house. Your brother’s room is clean and tidy, and now it’s perfectly available for her. What’s gotten into you? When did you become so petty?” His words intensified Vivian’s anger. She recognized that cup of milk as something Maxwell had specifically brought back from the provincial capital for her before his death. And the honey was something Maxwell had risked being stung by bees and nearly breaking his leg to find in the mountains. Now, these heartfelt gifts were being tenderly fed to Arya, spoonful by spoonful, by Carlos. After finishing the drink, Arya didn’t forget to continue provoking Vivian. She gently touched her lower abdomen and said shyly, “I completely forgot when my period was due, but Carlos still remembered…” Vivian wanted to curse them for being shameless, but suddenly remembered the three thousand dollars she had hidden away. Panicking, she rushed to find it. However, the cookie tin that had been hidden among Maxwell’s books had been pried open, and the money inside had long since vanished. Even the wooden figurine Maxwell had carved for her was gone. Vivian’s sanity completely shattered. Clutching the empty tin, she rushed out. “Give me back the three thousand dollars my brother left me!” Upon hearing “three thousand dollars,” a flash of unease crossed Arya’s eyes, but she quickly put on an act of indignant humiliation. “What three thousand dollars? Just because I’m staying in Maxwell’s bedroom, you’re accusing me of stealing money? If that’s how it is, I’ll just leave!” With that, she shoved the table aside, wiped away tears, and stormed out of the house. More than the three thousand dollars, Vivian desperately wanted to retrieve the figurine that belonged to Maxwell and her. Seeing Arya about to flee, she immediately gave chase, but Carlos violently shoved her. Caught off guard, Vivian crashed into the living room wall, where a row of iron nails instantly pierced her back, the pain nearly making her cry out. Carlos remained completely oblivious to this, coldly dropping a threat. “Vivian, it seems your brother and I really spoiled you rotten!” Then he turned and chased after Arya’s retreating figure. Vivian clutched her bleeding back and slowly collapsed to the floor. It wasn’t until a concerned neighbor discovered her that she was taken to the hospital. When Vivian woke up, she saw Carlos sitting by her hospital bed. Seeing her open her eyes, Carlos’s expression remained indifferent. “What, done with your act?” Vivian was breaking out in cold sweat from the pain in her back, and was momentarily stunned by his words. Carlos continued mockingly, “You knew you wrongly accused Arya, so you came up with this self-harm scheme to make me feel sorry for you. Vivian, I never realized you were so calculating.” Vivian no longer expected Carlos to take her side and simply closed her eyes, remaining silent. Carlos went on, “Enough. Arya wasn’t even angry about being wrongly accused by you. She was worried you might be facing some difficulties and insisted on going door-to-door to help you raise money. If I hadn’t convinced her to rest, she really would have stayed up all night borrowing money, regardless of her health!” As he spoke, he pulled a ring made of bent wire from his pocket and handed it to Vivian. With a serious expression, he said, “I know you’ve always liked me and longed to marry me. What Arya and I have is just pure friendship. She’s a good girl who deserves someone better. Vivian, don’t worry—once Arya’s surgery is done, we’ll get married.” Vivian numbly listened to Carlos’s insincere promise. He seemed completely unaware of how tender his expression became whenever he mentioned Arya’s name. Carlos didn’t care about any of this. Seeing that Vivian had no reaction, he assumed she was too happy to speak, so he smiled and personally slipped the crudely made ring onto her ring finger. The broken wire end cut painfully into Vivian’s fingertip, just like her heart that was now riddled with holes and bleeding endlessly. She was useless—she couldn’t even hold onto Maxwell’s final belongings. Carlos had been putting on an act all along. After staying with Vivian for less than two hours, he left under the pretext of having business at the military base. Vivian didn’t care whether he really had business or was going back to be with Arya. She just wanted to heal quickly so she wouldn’t delay her college plans. Three days later, Vivian’s wounds healed and she was discharged from the hospital. The first thing she did after being discharged from the hospital was to use the thousand-dollar deposit she had paid earlier to buy a cheaper burial plot. Though the environment was far inferior to the previous one, at least Maxwell’s ashes finally had a resting place. After taking care of these matters, she dragged her exhausted body home. However, after just three days away, everything related to Maxwell had completely vanished from the house. The bedroom that once belonged to Maxwell had been thoroughly renovated, with not a trace of the past remaining. Carlos wasn’t home. Arya sat on the sofa reading like a true mistress of the house. Hearing the door, she looked up with a smirk that seemed to size up someone destined for failure. Vivian stared at her coldly. “I know you took that money. Take that pink dress you’re wearing—it must have cost quite a bit. With Carlos’s captain’s salary, having to scrimp and save for your surgery, there’s no way he could afford that much.” Moreover, before Arya’s husband died, their family was notoriously poor and couldn’t possibly have had money for clothes. But Arya showed no panic. She slowly raised her hand, letting the light catch a dazzling silver ring on her ring finger. She smiled and said, “I just casually complained that I didn’t even have a decent ring when I got married. So Carlos gave me the silver ring he originally planned to give you, then just bent some wire he found on the street into an iron ring for you…” Her laughter was wanton and grating, echoing throughout the room. Then she lifted her smug face and sneered, “You’re nothing but bad luck! You killed your parents and brother. Even your precious fiancé doesn’t want you anymore.” Vivian acted as if she hadn’t heard these words, simply repeating calmly, “I can let you have Carlos, and I don’t want the money, but I need you to return the doll from that tin box.” Arya put on an expression of sudden realization. “Oh, I remember now! Come with me to get it.” With that, she stood up and walked toward the staircase. Vivian followed skeptically. The next second, Arya pulled out a doll that was already shattered into pieces from her pocket. Vivian’s eyes widened in shock, reflecting Arya’s malicious and twisted smile. Arya roared, “Why should Carlos still marry you when things have come to this? While I can only be his comrade’s widow? Let me tell you, Vivian, I’m Carlos’s future wife! And you will be crushed under my feet, never to rise again!” After saying this, she casually threw the doll to the ground, then pretended to scream in terror, “Vivian, don’t push me! Ah!” At that moment, Carlos was coming upstairs with Arya’s husband’s father Bruce Scott and mother Monica Scott. Witnessing this scene, he couldn’t stop it in time and could only watch helplessly as Arya fell from the fifth floor to the third floor, losing consciousness. In that moment, Carlos looked at Vivian with no trace of tenderness left in his eyes. He turned to the soldiers behind him and barked, “Arrest her!” ***** Vivian was held in solitary confinement for four full days. During this time, Carlos forbade anyone from visiting her. It wasn’t until the fifth day that he walked in with a stack of bills and receipts, speaking coldly, “You deliberately harmed Arya. If I hadn’t fought hard to protect you, you’d already be under arrest. However, Arya suffered a mild concussion as a result. As compensation, you need to give her your family’s house and write a guarantee letter swearing never to harm her again before I can let you out.” During these four days, Vivian had barely had a drop of water. Hearing Carlos make such shameless demands, her eyes burned with pain, yet she couldn’t shed a single tear. No matter how unwilling she was, she was forced to sign the transfer agreement and guarantee letter. She couldn’t delay her college enrollment. After finishing, she clenched her trembling hands and said with a hoarse throat but firm tone, “Carlos, if possible, I really wish you had never appeared in my life.” Hearing this, Carlos’s body visibly stiffened, but he only responded with an even more disgusted cold laugh, “You think I don’t wish the same? Spending a lifetime with a woman as dark-hearted as you is my punishment.” With that, he slammed the door and left, his retreating figure as disheveled as if he were fleeing from something. Watching him leave, Vivian murmured to herself, “Don’t worry, Carlos. In two days, you and I will have nothing to do with each other anymore.”
When Vivian pushed open the front door, the Arya family was celebrating joyfully—they finally had their own home in Florida. Carlos beamed with happiness, his face radiating excitement. He said, “Arya, not only will they be able to live with you in Florida from now on, but we’ve also found a suitable source for your heart transplant. As long as the surgery goes smoothly the day after tomorrow, you’ll recover completely. Arya, you’re naturally kind and brave—all this good fortune is what you deserve.” Carlos beamed with happiness, his face radiating excitement. He said, “Arya, not only will they be able to live with you in Florida from now on, but we’ve also found a suitable source for your heart transplant. As long as the surgery goes smoothly the day after tomorrow, you’ll recover completely. Arya, you’re naturally kind and brave—all this good fortune is what you deserve.” Upon hearing this, the other three people’s eyes welled up with tears, as if Christian and the others were truly unfortunate souls tormented by fate. However, no one remembered that everything they now possessed had been stolen from Vivian. Vivian quietly walked into her room and began packing her belongings. Before long, Carlos entered with a slight buzz from drinking. Seeing Vivian organizing her things, his expression immediately darkened: “What are you trying to pull now?” This time, Vivian didn’t argue with him, only giving a bitter smile: “This house belongs to the Scott family now. I can’t keep staying here. It’s better if I move out quickly.” Carlos was satisfied with Vivian’s compliance, and his tone softened considerably: “Arya is a good girl. When she heard you had nowhere to go, she specifically asked me to let you stay temporarily. She said she’s always wanted to be friends with you. I also need a few days to sort out the military family housing arrangements, so you can stay for now. Come on, let’s go eat. Arya even cooked several dishes for you herself!” Vivian nodded and followed Carlos to the dining table. But when she saw clearly the three dishes in front of the spaghetti, she froze completely. On the plate directly in front of her sat a charred dog’s head. The other two plates contained dog paws and dog meat respectively. Vivian’s body began trembling violently. However, Arya continued to explain with a bright smile: “Vivian, I think you’re too thin. There’s a custom in our hometown that eating dog meat strengthens the body. I made this especially for you with my own hands—you must eat more! I’m sure you’ll love it, right? After all, you seemed particularly fond of it, even gave it the name Coco.” With her final words, the last glimmer of light in Vivian’s eyes was completely extinguished. She asked numbly, “Why did you hurt it? What did it ever do wrong?” Carlos frowned, responding impatiently: “It’s just a dog, isn’t it? Is it worth getting this upset over? I think you’re deliberately causing trouble. Do you want to be confined again?” Vivian said nothing more, simply eating her meal in silence. Throughout the entire dinner, she never touched any of the three dishes on the table. ***** That evening, Carlos took Arya to the hospital for pre-surgery examinations. After dinner, Vivian filled a basin with water and returned to her room to wash herself. However, when she finished changing clothes and opened the door again, she was startled to see Bruce suddenly jump up from the ground and run away. Following his movement, Vivian realized that the gap under the door provided a clear view into her room! This discovery sent chills down her spine, and she instinctively felt that Arya must be plotting something against her again. However, with less than two days remaining before she left this place, absolutely nothing could go wrong. To be safe, Vivian hid a kitchen knife under her pillow before bed and securely locked her bedroom door, then fell into an exhausted sleep. But in the dead of night, there came soft sounds from outside the door. In the darkness, someone quietly unlocked the door with a key. Vivian jolted awake, meeting face-to-face with that leering smile illuminated by moonlight. Vivian jolted awake, meeting face-to-face with that leering smile illuminated by moonlight. It was Bruce! It was Bruce! It was Bruce! Seeing Vivian wake up, Bruce’s face showed both threat and contempt. “You filthy bitch! Know your place. You think you can marry Carlos? I’m warning you—sleep with me obediently, or I have plenty of ways to make you regret it!” With that, he unbuckled his belt and lunged at her. Bruce, strengthened by years of manual labor, had incredible strength. Vivian was choked around the neck, nearly suffocating. Just as her consciousness began to fade, she desperately grabbed the knife handle hidden under her pillow. Bruce’s agonized scream pierced the silence. Monica, who had been pretending to sleep, was so frightened she immediately turned on the lights and rushed out. Bruce collapsed on the floor, clutching his bleeding arm, while Vivian stood holding the kitchen knife, her face filled with terror. ***** At the police station, Vivian defended herself desperately: “He used a key to open my door in the middle of the night and tried to rape me!” However, Arya, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, cried even more heartbrokenly than she did. She and the equally tearful Monica clung to each other, retorting: “Bruce and Monica have been in love for decades. How could he possibly rape you? You obviously seduced him!” At this point, Bruce, who had already bandaged his wound, nodded repeatedly and defended himself with an innocent expression: “She clearly gave me the key! She said she was sore from being locked in the confinement room and asked me to come massage her back. I brought Arya and Monica with me, but when we went in, she was lying naked on the bed waiting for us! When she saw two people enter, she flew into a rage and rushed to the kitchen to grab a knife to kill someone! Fortunately, we reacted quickly and called for help, or we might not be alive right now…” Carlos trusted the Scott family completely and looked at Vivian with disgust. He pressured Police Chief Mike Larson: “She injured someone with a knife—that’s assault with a deadly weapon. She should be punished according to the law. Don’t go easy on her just because she’s my fiancée! This is what she deserves!” Left with no choice, the police had to temporarily detain Vivian. Only Mike silently watched the Scott family’s departure, deep in thought. However, just one night later, Vivian was released without charges. Mike gently removed her handcuffs and said quietly: “If Maxwell weren’t deaf, he would definitely make a good police officer someday. He was one of my wife’s most admired students in high school. Maxwell always mentioned your kindness and good nature at our dinner table. So yesterday I specifically had someone secretly follow Bruce home, and that’s how we overheard him and his wife proudly bragging about how perfect Arya’s plan was.” He sighed and continued: “Don’t worry, we now have the suspects under control. It’s just that the mastermind Arya is currently in the hospital undergoing heart transplant surgery. But my colleagues have already gone to Mr. Lewis with the evidence to clear things up. I believe once he knows the truth, everything will…” Vivian gently shook her head, interrupting him. “None of that matters anymore. Please don’t tell him where I’ve gone.” Mike was stunned for a moment, then nodded in agreement. He specially arranged for a car to take Vivian home to pack her belongings, then accompanied her to Leonel’s house to retrieve her acceptance letter and the train ticket that came with it. Finally, he personally escorted Vivian to the station and watched her board the train leaving Florida. The morning sunlight bathed the earth as Vivian stood at the station entrance, gazing at this land where she had lived for over a decade. A few minutes later, she removed the wire ring from her ring finger and casually tossed it into a storm drain. Then she turned and merged into the crowd, resolutely stepping toward her future.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “398034”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Rebirth #B×G #Widow #ChildhoodCrush #Independent
Leave a Reply