Author: Momo Chan

Everyone in our social circle knew how much Ethan Hayes adored me. For five years, he was considerate, gentle, incredibly attentive. He ditched all his bad habits for me, transforming himself from a notorious playboy into the perfect boyfriend. But he didn’t know I’d already seen his chat history. “I’m just messing around with her. Are you jealous?” “You’re the only one I’ve ever really loved.”

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I was reborn. In my last life, I died horribly at the hands of my bully. But fate had other plans, letting me be reborn as that bully’s daughter. “Tiffany Miller, are you ready?” “I’ve come back for my revenge.”

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The day before the wedding, I received a video of Greg Peterson, my fiancé, screwing his old flame. In the video, my fiancé said, “You’re the one I’ve always loved, definitely not Ava Johnson.” “Being with her is just fulfilling a family obligation. Marrying her is just bringing home a housekeeper.” Without hesitation, I ditched my childhood sweetheart fiancé and turned around to marry his sworn enemy. … “Ms. Johnson, are you satisfied with this video?” Watching the two pale bodies tangled together in the video, my stomach churned with nausea. Greg Peterson, who always looked so polite and refined in public, was secretly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Cheating on me the day before our wedding. “If Ms. Johnson isn’t satisfied, as long as the price is right, I can get you any kind of content you want.” I gagged slightly but didn’t say anything, just quickly transferred the money. Soon after, I received numerous videos of Greg Peterson and Jessica Ryan hooking up. After saving the videos, I went home. As soon as I pushed the door open. A cake rigged above the doorway fell directly onto my head. Followed by a blast of party poppers and confetti right in my face. Shocked by the sudden turn of events, I stood frozen on the spot. The group in front of me burst into laughter. They were all Greg Peterson’s worthless buddies; they always loved playing tricks on me, watching me make a fool of myself. “This is hilarious, she actually fell for it.” “Look at her, she looks like a total clown.” My face was covered in colorful streamers and frosting. The hairstyle I’d carefully prepared for tomorrow’s wedding was ruined, and my clothes were a mess. Greg Peterson had his arm around Jessica Ryan, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. “My baby is so smart, coming up with such a fun game. Feeling better now?” Jessica Ryan giggled loudly. She was even holding a water gun, spraying water onto my face. The frosting dripped down my body with the water. Soaked to the bone, I shivered in the cold draft blowing through the hall. Seeing that I hadn’t spoken for a while, Greg nonchalantly wiped some frosting off my face with a tissue. “What, you’re angry already? Can’t take a little joke? Still think you’re some high-society princess? Did you forget the Johnson family is washed up now?” “We’re getting married tomorrow! This is the last bachelor party bash, everyone’s just having fun. Don’t be such a buzzkill. There’ll be plenty more of this in the future, Ava, you need to learn to get used to it!” Greg and I grew up together, childhood sweethearts, you could say. Over the years, maybe I wasn’t head-over-heels in love, but there were deep feelings, at least. Growing up, Greg was like a big brother, always protecting me. He carried my backpack to and from school, always shared his snacks with me. So when our families proposed the marriage alliance with the Petersons, I wasn’t strongly opposed. I knew being born into a family like mine meant I came with a certain business value. Since I had to marry someone eventually, why not someone familiar, someone I had feelings for? But I never expected Greg Peterson’s true colors to be this disgusting. I wiped the frosting off my face, gathered a handful, and without hesitation, slapped it right onto Greg’s face. The frosting smeared all over his face too. Greg froze for a second. His buddies laughed even louder. “Damn, Greg, your future wife’s got spunk! Quite the temper. You’re gonna have your hands full once you actually marry her.” “Hey, it was just a game, but Greg, you look pretty ridiculous like that. Let me get a picture.” Greg hurriedly wiped the frosting off his face, pointing at me angrily. “Ava Johnson, do you know what you’re doing? How dare you throw frosting at me!” 2 I didn’t say anything. I just calmly wiped my frosting-covered hand clean on his clothes. “You said it yourself. It’s just a game, a joke. Don’t be such a buzzkill.” My words made Greg look like he’d swallowed a fly. “So, only you get to joke around, and nobody else can joke back at you?” Greg’s face turned red with anger, his eyes bulging. Finally, trying to save face, he said after a moment. “Ava Johnson, don’t try any funny business with me!” “Let me tell you, if you really want to save Johnson Industries, you better start sucking up to me and do what I say. Otherwise, even if we get married, I won’t let Peterson Corp invest a single dime in your family’s company!” He quickly put on his arrogant airs again. “If it weren’t for the fact that we grew up together, childhood sweethearts and all, do you think this position as Mrs. Peterson would ever go to you? Plenty of women want to marry me, Greg Peterson!” Greg pulled Jessica Ryan over, wrapping his arm around her right in front of me. Jessica looked at me blankly, said a couple of things, and then started sobbing. “Ava, you’re so lucky, getting to marry the Peterson heir, and saving your family’s failing company. You should be grateful to Greg.” “Unlike me, I’ll never get to marry Greg in this lifetime…” Greg immediately felt heartbroken, comforting Jessica before turning to scold me. “Ava Johnson, did you hear that? After we’re married, you have to do the laundry, cook, clean the house every day to repay my kindness. Stop walking around with that long face, it’s annoying.” “Also, I have business dinners and socializing, I’ll inevitably meet all sorts of people. Don’t act like a crazy jealous bitch all the time.” “Letting you be Mrs. Peterson is already doing you a huge favor. If I find out you’ve been bullying Jessica, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” He went on and on. I just listened quietly. So, what he said in the video about marrying me to be a housekeeper was true. Maybe my unusual silence made him soften a bit, because he reluctantly added. “Of course, as long as you do all this, your Johnson family will get its benefits.” But this sentence quickly made Jessica uncomfortable. She leaned against Greg, sobbing continuously. “Greg, after you get married, are you going to abandon me?” “Did your promise to be with me forever mean nothing?” “Maybe I should just leave tomorrow. Spare myself the pain of watching your wedding with Ava, and spare Ava the displeasure of seeing me.” Greg immediately picked Jessica up and started comforting her, completely disregarding my presence. I couldn’t hold back anymore, my face grim, I stepped in front of Greg and questioned him. “You’re holding another woman right in front of me like this, Greg Peterson! Do you even see me as the woman you’re about to marry?!” He pushed me away impatiently. I stumbled, lost my balance, and fell onto the leftover cake on the floor, looking even more pathetic. “Look at the state of you! You think you can compete with Jessica?” “Go clean yourself up first. Agreeing to this marriage alliance with your family was already a huge gift to you. Don’t be ungrateful.” The next second, he carried Jessica back into the bedroom. The others realized the drama had gone too far and quickly made excuses to leave. Finally, I slowly got up. The embarrassment and anger were gone from my face. I smiled faintly, brushing the dirt off my hands. You’re acting so high and mighty now, Greg Peterson. Let’s see if you’ll be laughing in the end. Without the Johnson family’s assets, let’s see if you, Greg Peterson, can keep your position as the Peterson heir. 3 I went into the guest bathroom, showered off all the frosting, changed my clothes, and came out. Jessica and Greg were already making out on the sofa. The floor was a mess, and no one had cleaned it up. The fire inside me finally erupted. “Could you both please get out of my house!” Hearing my voice, Greg and Jessica finally separated. I could vaguely see Greg pulling his hand out from under Jessica’s skirt. He cleared his throat twice, clearly not having heard what I just said. “Ava, you’re out. Good, just clean up all this trash in the room and throw it out. This is supposed to be our marital home tomorrow, we can’t have it looking like this.” Jessica chimed in beside him. “Yeah, and get us something to eat. We haven’t eaten all night, I’m getting hungry.” I looked at him with a half-smile. He really was treating me like a maid. Living in my house like he owned the place, ordering me around. Up until now, I’d put up with it because of the planned marriage alliance. But since we were going to burn bridges tomorrow anyway, there wasn’t much left to hold back for. Since he wanted the trash cleaned up, I grabbed a broom and started sweeping at Greg. His freshly changed pajamas immediately got covered in frosting. Jessica just stood there screaming. Her screaming annoyed me, so I grabbed another handful of cake from the floor and threw it at both of them. “My hair’s full of frosting again! It’s ruined!” “Ava Johnson, what are you doing?! Do you even know how to sweep?!” My expression didn’t change, a hint of mockery in my voice. “I am sweeping the trash. Sweeping the trash out of my house. Can’t you see these two huge pieces of trash right here, Greg?” Greg wasn’t stupid; he understood exactly what I meant. His face darkened immediately. “What do you mean? You’re calling me trash?” “Ava Johnson, I think you don’t want Johnson Industries to survive! Without Peterson Corp’s funding, your family’s company won’t make it through the winter.” He saw me pause my actions and immediately regained his confidence. He still thought, like before, that I was just jealous and throwing a tantrum because of his relationship with Jessica. He just figured things had gone a bit too far today. Greg spoke slowly. “Alright, alright, I know some things went too far today. Don’t throw a fit. Fine, I’ll inject some extra capital into Johnson Industries later.” “You know I hate it when you act like this. If you still want to marry me tomorrow, then behave…” Before he could finish his sentence. I threw his suitcase out the door. Along with all of Greg and Jessica’s scattered belongings, everything was tossed out. While he stared in disbelief, I deleted his fingerprint and changed the code on the electronic door lock right in front of him. “This is my house, not a garbage dump. Trash belongs in the trash can. See yourselves out.” As I was about to close the door, Greg grabbed my wrist, his face shocked. “You changed the code? You’re kicking me out?” “We’re not even married yet, and you’re already pulling this princess act? Your Johnson family is practically bankrupt, do you still think you’re part of the almighty Johnson Group of the past?” The more Greg spoke, the more confident he became, his face darkening as he waited for me to beg. “If you beg me right now, I can overlook this. Otherwise, don’t blame me for embarrassing the Johnson family at the wedding tomorrow.” I let out a cold laugh, yanked my hand free without a word, and slammed the door shut. I could hear him and Jessica talking outside. “Greg, Ava’s just getting back at me. She’s jealous of me. It’s all my fault.” “Ava Johnson, I didn’t realize you were so petty and small-minded, picking on a young woman. You’re nothing but a shrew!” “You just wait! I’ll make you pay tomorrow!”

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We’d planned a camping trip with friends. We’d barely gotten the tents up when my girlfriend vanished. Suddenly, I saw her on a distant hillside, waving at me. Excited, I started towards her, but then I saw— In the firelight, her body was mangled, reeking of blood and a sickening stench. 1. After college graduation, my dorm mates and I decided to celebrate with a camping trip up in the mountains. But as we hiked up with our packs, we kept catching whiffs of this faint, disgusting smell. Sam, our resident animal expert, said it was probably just scat from animals marking territory. I wasn’t so sure. It didn’t smell quite right, and the odor seemed to follow us. Still, Sam knew more than I did, so I kept my mouth shut. For safety, we ditched the tents and rented a cabin deep in the woods instead. We reached the cabin just before sunset and checked the place out. I gave the doors and windows a good shove – solid. It would take serious force to break them open. Telling Chloe this seemed to ease her nerves a bit. Night fell fast. We built a bonfire out front. The roaring flames pushed back the pitch-black forest night, and we all started to relax. The three girls – Chloe, Sarah (Mike’s girlfriend), and Jessica (Dan’s girlfriend) – started taking pictures nearby. Us four guys – me, Mike, Sam, and Dan – checked out the cabin layout and started prepping dinner. After messing around for a while, we gathered back around the fire. I did a quick headcount, and my blood ran cold. I jumped up, yelling, “Where’s Chloe?! Where did she go?!” Sarah and Jessica looked at each other, panic flashing in their eyes. “I don’t know,” Sarah stammered. “She wandered off to take pictures somewhere else, away from us. Maybe she’s just nearby?” “Yeah, yeah, let’s go look for her,” Jessica added quickly. “Where was she taking pictures?” I demanded. They both pointed towards a dense thicket not far off. I looked where they pointed. It was completely dark over there, but I could faintly hear the sound of running water. Chloe was careful. She wouldn’t go near a dark, dense thicket deep in the mountains, especially when you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Unless… Unless something drew her over there. 2 We fanned out, waving our flashlights, yelling Chloe’s name. The powerful beams that cut through city darkness were practically useless out here in the woods. Beyond the bonfire’s glow was just suffocating blackness. Dan suggested, “Maybe she went inside to use the bathroom?” I bolted back into the cabin, searched everywhere, then stumbled back out, red-eyed and weak-kneed. I shook my head at the others. Chloe wasn’t inside. The mood plummeted. Everyone else drifted back towards the fire, defeated, except me. Suddenly, I spotted her. On a hillside, far off, stood Chloe, waving at me. She looked frantic, maybe stuck up there, unable to get down. The wind whipped her dress around her legs. She looked so fragile, so helpless. My head swam. I lurched forward, ready to run to her, but then the bonfire behind me suddenly flared violently. I heard panicked shouts and scrambling. Sam had accidentally knocked over the lighter fluid onto the flames. Mike cursed, “Are you stupid?! You start a forest fire, we’re all getting hauled off by the cops!” Jessica yelled, “Quick! Get a bucket of water! Knock the flames down, but don’t put it out completely!” … The chaos behind me faded into background noise. I felt hollow, cold, my body frozen stiff. Because I watched, horrified, as the “Chloe” on the distant hill, startled by the sudden burst of fire, dropped onto all fours and scrambled away into the deep woods. 3 I stumbled back to the bonfire, numb, trying to force myself to accept that Chloe was gone. Weird stories my grandpa used to tell me surfaced in my mind, suddenly feeling chillingly real. When the fire had flared up, it lit the whole area like daylight for a split second. In that instant, I’d gotten a clear look at the thing on the hill. Pitch black, long limbs, standing almost like a human. When it turned its head, its eyes met mine – there was a glint of something disturbingly intelligent, almost human, in them, and fresh blood smeared around its muzzle. Bears mimicking human behavior to lure people closer. Chloe… had she seen something like that? Been tricked, just like I almost was? Chloe… My Chloe… The others saw me finally returning and rushed over, asking what happened. Shaken to my core, I choked out the words, “Chloe… she might be dead.” Mike grabbed my shoulder. “Whoa, man, are you crazy? Don’t say stuff like that about your own girlfriend! Are you in shock? Just calm down, maybe she’s okay?” The others chimed in, trying to reassure me, murmuring that Chloe was fine. But seeing me trembling uncontrollably, hearing the choked, guttural sounds escaping my throat, their voices trailed off. I collapsed to my knees, sobbing. “She’s dead! There’s a bear in these woods! That bear… it killed her! It was wearing her clothes just now, waving from the hill, trying to get me to go over there…” Overwhelming terror washed over me, but I forced myself back to my feet and staggered towards the thicket where Chloe must have been attacked. The others were too scared to follow. They huddled near the cabin and the fire, ready to bolt if anything happened. I pushed aside the dense bushes. The ground was dark and wet with patches of blood. A long, gruesome drag mark led from the thicket deep into the forest. And right there, in the middle of the disturbed undergrowth, lay a severed hand, clutching my cellphone. My vision went black. I could picture it all too clearly. Chloe noticed a rustling in the bushes next to where she was taking pictures. She looked closer and saw my phone lying just inside the thicket. Knowing I never went anywhere without it, she must have assumed I was just behind the bushes, maybe playing a prank. So she pushed aside the branches and stepped in… She probably never imagined that what waited for her wasn’t her boyfriend, but the snarling face of a bear. 4 Reeling from the shock, we all scrambled back inside the cabin, shoving the sofa and cabinets against the door to barricade ourselves in. We huddled in the living room, trying to figure out what to do. Mike suggested calling the cops or park rangers. But everyone shot that down immediately. Cell service was practically non-existent out here. We wouldn’t be able to contact anyone until daylight tomorrow, if then. And none of us really knew anything about bear behavior. We had no idea if it hunted during the day too. “That smell,” I said, my voice shaking slightly. “The one we smelled on the hike up… it’s the same smell I caught back there in the thicket. It means this bear has been following us the whole time.” Sarah whispered, horrified, “It saw us as prey from the very beginning.” Mike slammed his fist on the table. “Damn it! Who the hell said this place was safe?!” Something else chilled me to the bone. How did the bear get my phone without me knowing? The only time I’d left it unattended was when I put it in the car earlier… unless it could open car doors… Unless it could open car doors! I sat bolt upright, my eyes fixed on the cabin’s doorknob. Slowly, deliberately, the knob began to turn, pushed down from the outside… Like something out there was methodically trying the handle, attempting to open the door. 5 Everyone’s eyes followed mine to the doorknob. The cabin fell deathly silent. The knob jiggled and turned for a while, but the door didn’t open. Sam let out a shaky breath. “I remember now… I put the deadbolt on earlier. Added an extra lock.” The tension eased slightly, but then— THUD! THUD! THUD! The sound of a massive body slamming against the wooden door echoed terrifyingly in the silent forest night, mingling with the frantic pounding of our hearts in our ears. The air in the cabin froze. No one dared to breathe. Thankfully, the door was sturdy. After a few more heavy impacts, the bear seemed to give up and move away. The sounds faded. I cautiously spoke up. “Let’s all go back to our rooms. Get some rest. We’ll figure out how to get down the mountain tomorrow.” Reluctantly, they all shuffled upstairs. Up in my room, the empty space beside me on the double bed felt like a physical ache. I couldn’t even bring Chloe home whole. A flicker of movement caught my eye outside. My body went rigid. Slowly, painstakingly slowly, I turned my head. Through the clear windowpane, illuminated only by the faint moonlight filtering through the trees, a pair of eerie green eyes stared back at me from the branches of a large tree directly opposite my window. The black bear had climbed the tree, positioning itself perfectly to watch me in my room. It was scouting the place. Then, in a gesture that felt both mocking and menacing, it lifted a paw and waved, exactly like it had on the hillside. Rage surged through me. I moved to throw open the window, grab something heavy to hurl at it. But as my hand touched the window frame, I caught the calculating glint in its eyes. It started swaying back and forth on the branch, gathering momentum, as if planning to leap across. I froze, my hand dropping from the window. I locked eyes with it, my expression cold. Realizing I wasn’t going to open the window, the bear gradually slowed its swaying and stopped. I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering if it ever left its perch throughout the long night. 6 The next morning, we all gathered in the living room and cautiously moved the furniture away from the door. Armed with kitchen knives, we slowly stepped outside. It seemed the bear wasn’t around in the daylight; it wasn’t lying in wait for us. Mike did a quick sweep around the cabin, then shook his head, signaling it was clear for now. We decided to take the two cars and get the hell out of there. Mike and Sam went to get the cars while the rest of us started gathering our stuff. Less than half an hour later, we saw Mike and Sam sprinting back towards the cabin, looking utterly terrified, practically tripping over themselves. They screamed at us, voices raw with panic, “Run! Get back inside!” Before their words even fully registered, a massive black shape burst out from behind the cabin, charging straight for us. All hell broke loose. Everyone scrambled, shoving and tripping in a desperate surge towards the narrow doorway. Seeing most of us were inside and the bear was closing in fast, Dan panicked and slammed the door shut. Immediately, a woman’s bloodcurdling scream erupted from outside, followed by agonizing cries of pain. We heard the sickening crack of bones, the wet, tearing sounds of flesh being ripped and chewed, the spatter of blood. Mike, who had been bringing up the rear, closest to the bear, was locked outside. Sarah flew at Dan, shaking him violently. “He was almost inside! Just another second! Why did you shut him out?! Why?!” she shrieked, hysterical. Jessica pulled her off Dan. “And let the bear follow him right in to kill us all?! Is that what you wanted?!” she yelled back. “If Dan hadn’t shut the door, someone else would have!” “Mike was fast! He could have made it! He could have squeezed in and slammed the door himself! He could have! You murderers are just making excuses!” … Their shouting grated on my nerves. The image of the bear on the hill wearing Chloe’s dress flashed through my mind, then the severed hand clutching my phone… the drag marks leading into the woods… “Enough!” I roared, silencing them. “Fighting like this won’t help! Stop it!” Everyone fell silent. I turned to Sam. “Tell us exactly what happened. How did you two run into the bear? Where did it come from?” Sam’s face was ghost-white. He struggled to speak, clearly traumatized. After a moment, his trembling voice, barely audible over the horrific sounds still echoing from outside, reached us. “The bear… it was in the car! The whole damn thing was hiding in the driver’s seat.” From Sam’s terrified account, we pieced it together. They’d walked up to the car, guard down, opened the driver’s side door, and came face-to-face with the black bear coiled up inside. They had no idea how it got in there. Startled by the door opening, it had whipped its head around to face them. The massive bear head stared right at them. Then, all three reacted instantly. What followed was the nightmare scene we had just witnessed. 7 The sounds outside finally stopped, replaced by a heavy, deathly silence. No one in the cabin spoke. “So,” I asked, my voice low, “the car the bear was in… it’s wrecked, right?” Sam nodded numbly. “Okay,” I said, thinking aloud. “That leaves us with only one working car. Not enough to get everyone down the mountain. We need a different plan.” Everyone looked at me, waiting. “One of us needs to go out there and get the other car,” I stated clearly. “The doors on that one were locked, so we know the bear can’t be hiding inside it. That person drives down, gets help, and comes back.” The obvious questions hung in the air: How do we get out the door past the bear, assuming it’s still nearby? And who would be the one to go? I looked around at the remaining group. Everyone avoided my gaze, staring at the floor. Sam was shaken and physically smaller. Dan had Jessica to worry about. “I’ll go,” I said. “I’ll get the car, call the sheriff from down the road, get help. You guys stay inside, keep the door barricaded, and don’t do anything stupid.” The metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air near the door. I could almost smell the bear’s unique, foul odor again. It had quieted its movements, holding its breath, lurking right outside the door. It hadn’t left. 8 Sarah spoke up, her voice tight. “Is anyone here a good throw?” I stepped forward. “Me. I go to the shooting range sometimes in my spare time. Just a hobby, but my aim’s decent.” Sarah nodded, her eyes glinting with a cold fury that made us all shiver. She could smell the bear outside too. “Okay. You,” she pointed at me, “go upstairs. Take a kitchen knife. When we give the signal, throw it at the bear to scare it off. Sam, you watch from the main living room window. Dan, take the kitchen window. Jessica, the west-facing bedroom. I’ll take the study on the east side. We cover all angles. Watch the blind spots. Keep track of where it goes. We keep watching until we’re damn sure it’s gone.” We moved to our assigned positions. I went upstairs. Hearing the shouts from downstairs, I knew it was time. The bear was crouched right in the door’s blind spot. It probably thought we could only see outside through the door itself. It looked relaxed, almost resting, but the slight twitch of its ears gave away its alertness. I took the smaller, sharper knife and aimed for its nose. I remembered seeing vets lightly tap stray cats on the nose to get their attention – I knew it was a sensitive spot. Worth a shot. Sure enough, a furious roar erupted from below. I saw the bear – it looked like a grizzly now I saw it closer, or maybe a large black bear, hard to tell in the shadows – slam itself against the cabin wall in a rage. The whole structure shuddered; I felt the vibration through the floorboards. Then I saw it bolt into the woods to the right – the same side where our remaining car was parked. I wasn’t convinced it wasn’t just faking a retreat, hiding in the trees, waiting for someone to make a run for the car. So I waited. Patiently. The others waited with me, watching their assigned sectors. And sure enough, about two hours later, we heard rustling from the woods on the right. The movement in the underbrush slowly receded deeper into the forest. I called Dan up to take my place watching from the second-floor window, while I went down to make a break for the car. Outside, the air felt suddenly colder. I scanned the surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. Taking a deep breath, I started walking slowly, then broke into an all-out sprint towards the car. Fumbling with the keys, unlocking and yanking the door open took maybe three seconds flat. Just as I slammed the door shut and hit the locks, I saw movement in the nearby bushes. I jammed the key in the ignition, and the engine roared to life. I stared hard at the bushes, bracing myself for an attack, ready to ram it if I had to. But only a rabbit darted out. Slowly, I turned the car around and headed back down the path we’d driven up. It was already around 5 PM, and darkness was creeping in again. Even with the high beams on, the headlights barely cut through the dense forest night. About halfway down the mountain, I saw someone in the middle of the road up ahead, frantically waving, like they were trying to hitch a ride. It looked like something was chasing them from behind. But the way they were waving… it looked chillingly, sickeningly familiar.

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My daughter was trapped in the fire, but I calmly lit a cigarette. Listening to the screams from inside, my wife and her parents were wailing, kneeling in front of me, but I didn’t flinch. “Honey, please, I’m begging you, save Lily!” My wife, Sarah, tears streaming down her face, banged her head on the pavement, quickly drawing blood. Another colleague also off-duty, Jake, kept urging me: “Captain, you’re the most experienced. If you don’t go, what happens to the kid?” The crowd stared at me like I was a lunatic, shouting accusations. Remembering how it ended last time, I gave a cold smirk and replied: “Twisted my ankle. Can’t help.” Going in now would just be suicide. … “Ethan! You just don’t want to save her, do you?! You want her dead! That’s your own daughter! You… you monster!” After my repeated refusals, my mother-in-law’s face finally contorted with rage, pointing a finger right at me, spitting accusations. Her finger nearly poked my eye, spittle flying. I instinctively stepped back, frowning slightly. “You’re a seasoned firefighter, how could you just twist your ankle like that?! What are you playing at?! If you don’t want to save her, just say it!” My father-in-law looked at me, deeply disappointed. Hearing this, I scoffed inwardly, then yanked up my pant leg, revealing an ankle swollen like a grapefruit. “You think I didn’t twist it? Didn’t I fall down the stairs at the mall earlier today when you guys were loading up bags?” Hearing that, they were momentarily speechless. Beside them, Sarah knelt on the ground, teary eyes fixed on me, seemingly unable to comprehend how the husband she’d known for years could suddenly be so cold-blooded. She gritted her teeth and threw herself at me again, sobbing, “Ethan! I’m begging you! Go save our baby! Our… our Lily is still in there!” Sarah cried desperately, the gash on her forehead from earlier still bleeding. She was clearly at her breaking point, but I remained unmoved, offering a flimsy excuse. “I don’t have my gear, and my ankle’s busted. If I go in, who knows if I’ll be saving her or if she’ll end up saving me.” The bystanders, drawn by the argument, had gathered around. Seeing my attitude, they started pointing fingers and muttering. “What kind of thing is that to say! Aren’t you her father?!” “How can you talk like that? You’re scum! Even a tiger wouldn’t eat its own cub!” “Are you… are you even human?! As her father, you should be going in!” As they spoke, some looked ready to punch me but were held back by others saying hitting trash like me would dirty their hands. I ignored all their condemnations. Just then, another small explosion erupted from the building, causing the crowd to gasp and step back. I looked down at the fear and worry in Sarah’s eyes, realizing that after all these years of marriage, I’d never truly seen through her. Even reborn, it was still the same. This scene felt chillingly familiar. After that last explosion, in my previous life, I ignored everyone’s warnings and rushed into the inferno, only to die in the next, much larger blast. I don’t remember the sensation of being consumed by flames, but the bone-deep chill of that final moment is etched into my memory. Having been reborn, I was determined to change my fate. At that moment, Jake, my off-duty colleague, approached again. Seeing my resolute refusal, he sighed deeply, his own tension palpable. “Captain, you’re the most experienced. If you don’t go, what about the kid? If you need backup, I’ll go in with you!” I looked up at his anxious face, remembering he had the same expression last time. Back then, I’d pushed him away firmly, telling him not to risk it. Now, I wondered if Jake’s nervousness was purely about entering the fire or something else. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I just shook my head. “Sorry, twisted ankle. Can’t help.” “We rush in without gear? Is that how we were trained?” Seeing my continued refusal, the onlookers grew even angrier, yelling at me: “Are you even human?! That’s your daughter! Your daughter is in there!” “Your wife’s practically bleeding from banging her head! Are you even a man?! How can you face your duty as a firefighter?!” “You’re just going to let your own child burn to death?!” Jake froze for a second, about to say something more, but my father-in-law walked up to me and suddenly dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he choked out: “Ethan! For the sake of all these years! Please help! I’m begging you… my granddaughter is still inside… Ethan! Even just trying is better than hiding back here! Are… are you even a man?!” I looked at him, my eyes filled with complex emotions. 2 Sarah and I met in college, dated for years, and finally got married. We’d been together five years, married for three. I remember when I first went to her parents’ house right after graduation, I was so nervous I didn’t know what to do. Graduation meant real life, adult responsibilities, and my own background wasn’t exactly stellar. I was terrified they wouldn’t approve of Sarah and me being together. So I braced myself for the worst. But the moment I walked in, her mother greeted me with a warm smile, took the gift I brought, and showered me with concern. “Ethan, dear, must have been cold coming over, right? Hurry inside.” Her father, standing behind her, clapped me on the shoulder, looking incredibly pleased, and immediately wanted me to join him for a drink. Feeling completely overwhelmed, I met Sarah’s smiling eyes and felt nothing but happiness. After that day, not only did her parents not look down on me, but they treated me exceptionally well. They just said Sarah was their only daughter, and as long as I treated her well, nothing else mattered. They didn’t care that I had no parents; they promised to treat me like their own son. I didn’t have much money after graduating, so the wedding had to be simple. Her parents didn’t mind. No house, no car – they didn’t mind that either. At the wedding, though, they cried, asking me to take good care of their daughter, which made me feel incredibly guilty. But I couldn’t bear for Sarah to struggle with me, so I gritted my teeth and bought a house. We definitely went through some tough times financially, but later, as my career took off, the pressure eased. Sarah was incredibly supportive and understanding. She didn’t mind the demanding nature of my job, the long hours away from home. She just told me to focus on work, be extra careful during missions, and assured me she’d handle everything at home so I could go save more lives. A year ago, she got pregnant. Two months ago, she gave birth to our daughter. Our whole family adored the baby. They say good things come in pairs. On the day Lily was born, I bought a lottery ticket and actually won a decent prize. Enough to pay off the mortgage with some left over. Back then, I truly thought both the baby and the lottery win were gifts from heaven. I believed Sarah, the baby, and I would live a quiet, happy life together. Who knew this disaster was waiting? Thinking about this, I looked into my father-in-law’s eyes, remembering all the times they’d been kind to me. Now, even those memories felt cold. I still shook my head. “Don’t say any more, Dad. I can’t go. Don’t put yourself through this, it’s pointless. We just have to wait for the fire trucks.” Hearing this, my mother-in-law and Sarah burst into uncontrollable sobs. By now, anyone who might have initially thought I was being rational had changed their tune, seeing my utter lack of action. They all started cursing me. “He’s just a coward, afraid to die!” “Whoever married him really drew the short straw!” “Not even saving his own daughter! So heartless!” The scene was chaotic. It was as if someone threw dry wood onto the fire inside; it suddenly blazed higher, accompanied by a series of small popping sounds. A tongue of flame shot towards the sky, drawing gasps from the crowd. With this sudden flare-up, the faint sound of a baby crying from within the building grew weaker, almost inaudible. 3 “My baby… my baby…” Seeing this, Sarah collapsed onto the ground, crying even harder. My father-in-law, seeing I wouldn’t move, gritted his teeth, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to go in himself. “Ethan! I never thought you were this kind of person. Fine! I won’t count on you, old man! I’ll save my own granddaughter!” “Mr. Peterson! I’ll go too!” Jake, seeing this, rushed forward. He grabbed some basic tools, starting to put them on while pointedly trying to shame me. “Ethan, I can’t believe you’re such a coward, too scared to save your own daughter. You’re worse than an old man like Mr. Peterson! It was a misfortune for him to let his daughter marry you!” Before I could respond, Sarah looked up and slapped me hard across the face, tears streaming down her face, looking utterly helpless. “Look at the situation! The fire has died down a lot! I really don’t know what you’re so afraid of! Ethan, after today, I am absolutely done with you! You killed our child! You deliberately let our daughter die in there!” I took the slap without flinching, turning my head slightly, my tongue pressing against the inside of my cheek. She was finally losing control. That slap had real force behind it. Sarah’s eyes were red and swollen, making her look incredibly pitiful. Onlookers, especially women around her age, started wiping their own tears, feeling sorry for Sarah’s plight and even more for our daughter trapped in the flames. I frowned deeply, looking at Jake and my father-in-law, then addressed the crowd. “Didn’t someone already volunteer to go? They want to go, let them. Why are you still yelling at me? If you think I’m so cold-blooded, why don’t you all go in? One more person in there now is just another casualty. What’s the point of this moral grandstanding?” “I really misjudged you! Treating you so well all these years! It was all wasted on an ungrateful snake! I never should have let my daughter marry you!” My mother-in-law sobbed and cursed beside me, lamenting to others about the misfortune of having a son-in-law like me. I remained indifferent, stubbing out the finished cigarette and lighting another. Watching my hesitant father-in-law and Jake, I took a drag from my cigarette, tilted my chin slightly towards them, and urged them on: “Go on in, what are you waiting for? What if the fire gets worse?” “You!” Jake shot me a look, then turned back to the fire, his face tense. It was unclear if he was genuinely nervous about going in without gear for the first time, or nervous about taking an old man like my father-in-law with him. My father-in-law coughed heavily several times, making one wonder how such an elderly man, already struggling outside, could possibly manage inside a burning building. The two of them hesitated for a long time, never taking that first step inside. The bystanders couldn’t watch anymore. “Are you heartless?! Fine, don’t go yourself! But stop making sarcastic remarks!” Just then, the wail of sirens approached from the distance. Finally, fire trucks. Seeing them, Jake’s eyes lit up. As soon as the trucks stopped, he immediately moved to gear up, shooting me a seemingly casual glance. “No need to rush me. As soon as I have my gear on, I’ll go in and save her!” A cheer went up from the crowd at his words. My mother-in-law quickly pulled my father-in-law back, clutching her chest in relief. “Honey, don’t go! The firefighters are here! They’ll definitely save our granddaughter!” As the well-trained firefighters rushed out of the trucks, Jake joined their ranks. Just as they were preparing hoses to start fighting the fire and enter the building, a massive explosion, accompanied by a towering pillar of fire, ripped through the inferno. The faint crying from inside finally fell silent. The stunned faces of the crowd were illuminated by the huge blaze. They froze. Sarah let out a bloodcurdling scream and tried to rush into the fire, only to be held back by firefighters. “Lily! Mommy’s so sorry… Lily!” My father-in-law and mother-in-law collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, beating their chests. Seeing this, however, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, the immense pressure suddenly lifting. I fainted on the spot. 4 The smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils. Still groggy, I realized I was in the hospital. A cacophony of voices surrounded me, incredibly noisy, making sleep impossible. I slowly opened my eyes, immediately met by flashing camera shutters and a swarm of people closing in. “Mr. Hayes! I’m a reporter from the Western Gazette. Can you please tell us why you let your own daughter burn to death?” “Mr. Hayes! Please answer the question directly! The child’s remains haven’t even been found yet. Could this be considered murder?” “Were you always this emotionless towards your daughter, or is there something else going on?” … Looking at the horde of reporters, my temples throbbed with a dull ache. I cleared my throat, and under their expectant gazes, slowly spoke. “…Is the fire out?” No one expected that to be my first question. Disappointment flickered across their faces. Someone muttered from the side that yes, it was extinguished. Hearing the fire was out, I breathed a sigh of relief, then asked the reporters with a cold smile. “You’ve all been here a while, right? Waiting for me to wake up, eager for the first scoop. Right now, every single one of you is accusing me of standing by, of being inhuman. Since the fire is out, let me ask you first: have any infant remains been found at the scene?” The reporters were taken aback by my question, exchanging confused glances, murmuring amongst themselves that they hadn’t heard anything like that. The police hadn’t released many details about the fire’s specifics or casualties yet, but there was definitely no news about finding a baby’s remains. While the incident was causing a huge stir online, no actual evidence of infant remains had surfaced. “Ethan! I’ll kill you! Give me back my daughter! You deserve to die!” While the reporters were still uncertain, Sarah burst through the crowd, lunging at my hospital bed, hitting and scratching. She had cried all night; her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked utterly crazed. “My daughter was blown to pieces! There’s nothing left, not even ashes! Where would they find remains?! I won’t forgive you, Ethan! Pay for what you did! Pay for Lily’s life! I want a divorce!” The reporters didn’t miss this scene, cameras flashing, capturing everything. I watched Sarah impassively. I hadn’t expected her to be this persistent, even skipping washing up for a day just to appear pale and distraught for everyone. Seeing her raise her hand to slap me again, I frowned and grabbed her wrist tightly. “Sarah! Have you had enough?!” “Ethan! Have you had enough?! You don’t deserve to be a father!” Just then, Jake rushed in, pulling Sarah’s wrist from my grasp with a look of righteous fury. Sarah clutched her wrist where I’d squeezed it, sobbing beside him. “I… I just want my daughter back. Ethan, please give me my daughter back, okay? I’m begging you, just give her back…” “Sarah! Please, try to stay strong…” Seeing her like this, Jake’s eyes also reddened as he tried to comfort her. Their synchronized performance immediately swayed many onlookers. The reporters voiced their outrage at me. “Never seen someone act like nothing happened after their daughter died…” “This has to be murder! Watching his own daughter die!” “Wait till we expose this monster in human skin!” I saw some reporters were even live-streaming. The viewer count was probably high, which suited my plan perfectly. So, I asked Jake softly. “I don’t deserve to be a father? So you should be?” “What… what are you talking about?! Are you crazy, Ethan?!”

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My brother got diagnosed with breast cancer, but my Mom thought the diagnosis was mine. I pleaded with her to take him to the hospital. To pay for his treatment, I sold my condo, drained my savings, and worked three jobs a day. Eventually, my brother recovered. But I collapsed from exhaustion, suffering a brain hemorrhage. I survived, but I was paralyzed. Mom resented that I couldn’t earn money for my brother anymore. She dumped me in an old pigsty back in our rural hometown, leaving me to fend for myself. Then she took my disability settlement money to buy my brother a house and a car, and pay for his wedding. That’s when I found out Mom had savings tucked away the whole time. After I starved to death, alone in that pigsty, I woke up, reborn on the day my brother was diagnosed with breast cancer. This time, I tossed the medical report aside. Treat him? Don’t treat him? Not my problem. … Coming out of the clinic, clutching the medical report – identical to the one from my past life – the reality of my rebirth finally hit me. My brother had breast cancer. Last time, I spent every penny I had to save him, neglecting my own health until it was too late. He got better. I became disabled. The memory alone sent a fresh wave of pain through my chest. Shoving the report into my bag, I hailed a cab home. Just as I reached the entrance to my apartment complex, I saw my brother, Leo, and his girlfriend, Chloe, standing on the street corner, talking animatedly, looking thrilled about something. I slowed down, creeping closer, and heard Chloe’s excited voice, “Are you serious? Your sister’s dying?” “Totally,” Leo sounded like he’d won the lottery. “I heard the hospital call her today. The doctor definitely said ‘breast cancer.’ And Mom said we’re not gonna treat it. As soon as she kicks the bucket, her little nest egg is all mine. We’ll have the house, the car, everything.” Chloe gasped. “Your mom really said that? But she’s always doting on your sister, Sarah, always saying how great she is.” Leo crossed his arms smugly. “That’s just an act. The more Mom praises her, the harder Sarah tries. A little flattery, play the victim card, and Sarah just hands over the cash.” Even though I’d lived through this betrayal before, the words still felt like knives twisting in my gut, leaving me numb. Mom always favored Leo, but I tried to understand. Raising two kids alone wasn’t easy, and for her generation, having a son probably felt like security. So, when she showed clear favoritism, I never complained. When she asked me to help Leo out financially, I always did, as long as it wasn’t totally unreasonable. Lately, Mom’s attitude seemed to have shifted. She’d constantly apologize in front of others, saying how daughters were more reliable than sons. I thought she’d finally seen the light. Turns out, she’d just mastered the art of manipulating me out of my money. I wanted to hear more, but just then, Chloe spotted me. Her face went white. “Sarah!” she stammered. Leo jumped when he saw me, a flicker of panic in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. “Jeez, Sarah, you walk like a ghost! Scared the crap outta me.” My gaze hardened. I immediately put on a wounded expression. “Were you serious? What you just said? Is that really what Mom told you?” Maybe because he thought my days were numbered, Leo dropped the pretense. He straightened up. “Yeah, it’s true. Don’t get bent out of shape, sis. It sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. I’m the man of the house. Your stuff? It should all come to me eventually anyway.” His smug, punchable face was too much. I snapped. “Go to hell,” I spat, slapping him hard across the face. The stinging sound felt incredibly satisfying. Without another word, I spun around and stormed home. Mom was in the kitchen cooking. Seeing me, she put on her usual concerned face. “Sarah, honey, you’re back! Everything okay with the check-up results?” I dug my nails into my thigh, forcing tears. “Mom, did you really say… if I got cancer… you wouldn’t get me treated?” 2 Mom’s eyes widened. Before she could speak, she looked up and saw Leo walking in. “Leo!” she gasped. “What happened to your face?” Leo pointed at me, whining, “Sarah hit me.” He quickly recounted what had just happened outside. Mom’s expression changed instantly. She gave Leo a sharp swat on the behind. “You don’t talk to your sister like that! No matter what!” After scolding Leo, she turned to me. “Sarah, I already told your brother off. He shouldn’t have said those things. But honey, he’s kind of right, isn’t he? If you have this… disease… you’d need surgery, lose your breast, right? No man would want you after that. You’d probably lose your job too. Instead of living like that, with no dignity, isn’t it better to leave the money for your brother’s future, for his wedding?” She’d said similar things in my past life. Back then, I was so focused on saving Leo that I hadn’t really registered the cruelty. I’d just grabbed the report and dragged him to the hospital. This time, I listened quietly until she finished, then put on an even more devastated act. “So… what if it was Leo who got breast cancer? Would you not treat him either?” Mom’s eyes bulged. “How could you say such a horrible thing about your brother? Spit three times, quick! Don’t jinx him!” She didn’t answer my question, but I already knew the answer. Just like when I got accepted into a four-year university after high school. She claimed the tuition was too high, that Leo would need money for high school in three years, and forced me into community college instead. But when I graduated, Leo only managed to get into a vocational high school that cost $20,000 a year. She paid it without blinking. I pulled the medical report out of my bag. “Mom, here are the results. Maybe you should take a look after all.” She recoiled, snatching the report and tossing it straight into the trash can. “I can’t look, honey. I love you too much. It would break my heart.” I stared at her, my expression cold. Her words dripped with love, but when it came down to money, Leo always came first. Fine. If Mom only loved Leo, she could pour all her love into him. As for his illness… since they were both convinced I was the one who was sick, then sick I would be. I had given her a chance, after all. Still, I put on a show, sobbing dramatically. Then I told Mom, “Mom, I’ve thought about it. You’re right. I should leave all my money to Leo.” Mom seemed surprised I’d agreed so readily. After a few seconds, a smile spread across her face. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Since you’ve come to your senses, you should probably write a will.” So, she didn’t even trust my word. Under her watchful eye, I wrote the will. Since I wasn’t the one dying, I could have written hundreds without a problem. Just as I was trying to figure out how to leverage this fake illness to get some money from Mom, an opportunity fell into my lap. The day after I wrote the will, Mom led a man into my room. He looked rough, maybe in his late forties or early fifties, dressed in worn-out clothes. At first, I thought he was here to collect recycling. I was about to go find some cardboard boxes when Mom grabbed my arm. “Recycling? What are you talking about? This is the man I set you up with. For a date.” My jaw dropped. “This… this is who you set me up with?” “You’re in no position to be picky now!” she snapped. “Be grateful anyone would have you. And listen, don’t you dare mention anything about being sick. I already talked to him. Thirty thousand dollars for the wedding gift. It’ll be perfect for your brother’s wedding fund.” It hit me then. Mom wasn’t trying to find me a partner. She was trying to sell me. After the brief introduction, Mom and the matchmaker left, leaving me alone in the room with the older man. Without a second thought, he lunged at me. I screamed, “Get away from me, or I’m calling the cops!” The man flashed a mouthful of yellow teeth. “We’re gettin’ married, ain’t we? Gonna happen sooner or later. Just let me have a little fun first.” “You want to marry me?” I stared straight at him. “Fine. But I’ll tell you right now, I have cancer. If you pay for my treatment, then I’ll marry you.” The man froze. Less than a minute later, he bolted out the door. Half an hour later, Mom stormed back in, furious. “Sarah, are you crazy? I told you not to tell anyone about your illness! Now everyone knows you’re sick! How are you supposed to get married and earn that money for your brother now?” I blinked innocently. “Oh, Mom, I’m sorry. It just slipped out. But really, what kind of guy was that? Only thirty thousand? So cheap! You know what? I bet I could find a guy who’d pay a million for me. Believe it?” 3 “A million?” Mom’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Are you serious?” I nodded, pulling out my phone and showing her a flyer. “Remember my middle school classmate, Maya? She took one of those ‘how to marry rich’ workshops. Within a month, she landed some trust fund kid. Got like seven hundred thousand in wedding gifts. I’m prettier than her, and I actually went to college. I could definitely get a million.” Mom didn’t quite buy my bluff. Instead, when Leo got home, she showed him the flyer. Hearing about the workshop, Leo slapped his thigh. “Oh yeah, I know about those! Some guys from my school did stuff like that. Maybe didn’t land a millionaire, but they made bank later doing social media stuff, like hundreds of thousands. With Sarah’s looks? Signing her up is a guaranteed win!” I knew Leo would say that. After all, I’d seen the flyer when I was messing around on his phone earlier. Mom’s eyes lit up. She handed the flyer back to me. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go sign up!” “Signing up is no problem,” I said, looking pitifully at Mom. “But I don’t have the money.” At the mention of money, Mom’s face fell. “I don’t have cash to spare. Use your own.” I immediately played the victim. “Mom, all my money is tied up in a Certificate of Deposit! It doesn’t mature for another year. If I take it out now, I’ll lose like three thousand in interest! It’s just not worth it.” Normally, Mom wouldn’t care less about losing three grand of my interest. But now, thinking all my money would soon be Leo’s, she suddenly felt the pinch. “How much do you need?” I held up three fingers. “Three thousand.” Mom transferred it to me instantly. She had no idea that three thousand was just the beginning. Three thousand for the course, sure. But to be a ‘socialite’, I needed clothes, right? Jewelry? Makeup? After the three thousand came ten thousand. Thirteen thousand was pretty much Mom’s limit. Just as she started grumbling daily about my spending, I brought a ‘rich boyfriend’ home to meet her. A fancy fruit basket, some flashy (but fake) gold jewelry – cheap tricks – and Mom gave me another ten thousand to buy a gift for my ‘future mother-in-law’. After that, I arranged for the ‘families’ to meet. At dinner, my fake future mother-in-law gifted Mom some more plated gold junk and promised a wedding gift of two million dollars. Mom was so ecstatic she couldn’t see straight. Without blinking, she gave me a hundred thousand dollars to go on an overseas trip with my rich ‘boyfriend’. I knew that hundred thousand was basically Mom’s entire life savings. She was really betting everything on me landing this ‘rich guy’. I quit my job, took the hundred thousand, and flew to Europe. Everything I’d never bought, never seen, never eaten before – I experienced it all. Of course, a hundred grand wasn’t nearly enough. So, behind Mom’s back, I sold my condo and blew through my savings too. By the time the money ran out, six months had passed. Mom called, furious. “You damn girl! Are you done playing around yet? When is that guy giving us the money? If he doesn’t pay up soon, I’m going straight to his family!” Swirling a glass of wine, I replied calmly, “It’s coming soon. What’s wrong? Why are you in such a hurry, Mom?” “Your brother’s girlfriend is pregnant! They’re planning the engagement party!” Mom’s voice was laced with venom. “Her family wants fifty thousand for the engagement gift. You get that money from your boyfriend right now! If he won’t give it, borrow it! You must bring fifty thousand to your brother’s engagement party the day after tomorrow!” She hung up. I waited a day, then photoshopped a bank transfer confirmation screenshot and sent it to her. 【Mom, the money came through. I’ll head straight to the hotel tomorrow. Don’t worry about a thing.】 My phone buzzed twice. Mom’s reply: 【Good girl! I knew you wouldn’t let Mom down! See, raising a daughter is better than raising a son after all.】 Reading that message made me sick to my stomach. But I couldn’t deny the thrill of anticipation. The engagement party was going to be quite a show. Leo’s engagement party was held at the fanciest hotel in the city. I rented a luxury car for my arrival. As soon as I walked in, all eyes were on me. I hadn’t seen Leo in a while. His chest looked… noticeably larger. When someone pointed it out, he puffed up with pride. “It’s muscle, idiot! What do you know?” When he saw me, he rushed over. “Where’s my future brother-in-law?” “He had something urgent come up. Couldn’t make it.” He lowered his voice. “Did the money arrive?” I nodded. Leo beamed and ran off to brag to someone else. After the usual engagement rituals, the two families sat down to officially discuss the money. Chloe’s mother addressed my Mom: “We originally wanted a hundred thousand. Chloe’s our only daughter, after all. But she felt bad for you, knowing you raised two kids alone, so we agreed on fifty thousand.” Mom, despite being prepared, still tried to haggle. “Fifty thousand… isn’t that a bit much?” The other side bristled. “Too much? Your daughter supposedly landed two million! We’re only asking for fifty thousand! That’s more than fair! Are you serious about this marriage or not?” Leo got anxious too, nudging Mom. “Mom!” Mom immediately backed down and told me to hand over the money. With both families watching, I took out a bank card. Just as I was about to hand it to Chloe’s mother, I pulled back. “Auntie, we can give you the money. But there’s one condition.” Chloe’s mother frowned, clearly annoyed, but the prospect of cash kept her polite. “What condition?” “The baby Chloe’s carrying must be a boy. After all,” I said, locking eyes with her, “my brother is dying. Mom can’t spend her retirement savings on a baby girl who won’t carry on the family name!”

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The day before our wedding, my fiancée, Chloe, decided to test my love by inviting our families onto a yacht. When the wind picked up and the waves got rough, she pushed my mom overboard, then jumped into the sea herself. Caught in the middle, I panicked, torn about what to do. My mom was already choking on water, but she weakly pushed me away, gasping, “Save Chloe first! She’s your fiancée!” But after I struggled to drag Chloe back onto the deck, I looked for my mother again. She was silent, lifeless. Chloe watched me sob in agony, her eyes cold. “Stop pretending. Your mom was a competitive swimmer when she was young. How could she possibly die?” “You didn’t even try to save me first. Jake was right, you just don’t love me enough.” “Our wedding is postponed. When you’ve reflected on this, and you bring your mom to apologize, then we’ll talk about getting married.” With that, she walked off, arm-in-arm with her childhood friend, Jake. But she didn’t know. After a serious illness a few years ago, my mom couldn’t swim anymore. That push had cost her her life. … When they pulled my mom’s body from the water, she was cold, gone. I held her, trembling, trying desperately to wake her, but she didn’t move. Chloe walked over impatiently and kicked my mom’s hand, which had slipped to the deck. “Alright, enough with the act! Everyone knows your mom’s a pro swimmer. A few small waves aren’t going to kill her.” “Even if you play the victim in front of me, I’m not just going to let this go.” “I can’t stand being second best. Whoever marries me has to love me completely, put me first. You really disappointed me this time.” Even being kicked like that, my mom showed no reaction. A flicker of uncertainty crossed Chloe’s face. She started to bend down to check. Her friend Jake stepped in front of her, glanced at my mom’s pale face, and scoffed. “She looks fine to me, definitely doesn’t look like she’s dying.” He patted Chloe’s shoulder, acting like an expert. “I heard swimmers like her are great at holding their breath, two or three minutes is nothing.” “I bet they planned this together, mother and son, trying to intimidate you. So after you’re married, you’ll have to obey their every whim.” Chloe froze, clenching her fists. Her gaze slowly shifted to me. “Ethan, is that true?” Before I could answer, she cut me off: “Don’t bother explaining. It’s hard for me to trust anything you say right now.” “As punishment, our wedding is delayed by six months. When you learn how to love me properly, I’ll consider marrying you again.” Then, she turned and left with Jake, never looking back. Just then, I felt my mother’s fingers twitch in my arms. It was like grabbing a lifeline; I felt a surge of hope. I scrambled over and grabbed Chloe. “My mom’s alive! She can still be saved!” “We’re on an island, there’s no hospital! Please, can you just let your private doctor take a look?” Seeing her unmoved, I pleaded again, my voice low. “Have you forgotten how good she was to you? She treated you like her own daughter! Remember during that crazy lockdown, she risked everything to bring you food? She would never harm you! She’d never try to lay down rules before you even married in!” Chloe seemed slightly moved. She paused. She studied me with searching eyes for a long moment before finally agreeing. “Fine, I’ll call the doctor.” Jake tried to stop her. “Chloe, you don’t have to—” But Chloe cut him off. “But this is the last time I trust you on this. If the doctor comes and finds out your mom is fine, you both will pay the price.” I nodded frantically. Just getting a doctor was all that mattered. I couldn’t think about anything else. But just as the doctor in a white coat hurried over with his medical bag, my mom suddenly coughed up a mouthful of seawater, hacking violently. 2 Everyone jumped when my mom opened her eyes. I froze too, but there was no joy in my eyes. I knew this was likely the final surge of energy before death, the ‘last rally’. I rushed to the doctor. “She’s fading fast, please, give her CPR, do something…” Before I could finish, Chloe raised her hand, cutting me off. Her face hardened. “That’s enough! Your mom is perfectly fine.” “Jake, let’s go.” She turned and walked away without a second glance. I started to go after her, but my mom weakly tugged at my sleeve. A tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke, her voice broken. “Ethan… don’t blame Chloe… It’s my fault, I’m useless… couldn’t even swim a few hundred yards.” “Explain things nicely to her… don’t hurt her feelings… Mom will pull through… Mom still wants to be at your wedding…” But as soon as she finished speaking, her pupils dilated, and her hand slipped lifelessly from mine. No matter how desperately I called her name, she didn’t wake up again. My heart finally died. Numbly, I closed my mother’s eyes. Three years with Chloe. I couldn’t understand how we’d ended up here. Just a year ago, Chloe and I were inseparable, madly in love. But everything changed when her childhood friend, Jake, came back from abroad. She started acting distant for no reason, constantly setting up these ‘tests’ to gauge my love. She said I had to pass ninety-nine tests of my sincerity before she’d marry me. Last time, she called me in the middle of the night to go to Jake’s welcome-home party. The moment I walked in, a bowl of flour was dumped over my head. Jake held the empty bowl, looking pitiful. “It was me. Ethan won’t blame me, right? Just wanted to liven things up a bit.” Seeing Chloe watching me with questioning eyes, I swallowed my anger and just shook my head, saying it was fine. The next second, Jake winked at Chloe, congratulating me on passing: “Not bad, your boyfriend actually passed the test. Looks like he’s got a good temper. You won’t have to worry about domestic violence later.” Chloe’s expression softened slightly, but looking at my flour-covered mess, she offered no comfort. She just told me flatly to go wash up in the kitchen and then use the leftover ingredients to cook dinner for everyone. Even though I didn’t understand Chloe’s obsession with these tests, my love for her kept me from complaining. I told myself things would go back to normal once Jake went abroad again. I never imagined it would end like this. I sat slumped on the ground for a long time before slowly getting up. After finding a place to temporarily lay my mother’s body, I went to find Chloe, who was now at a party. All I wanted was to leave this island, give my mother a proper burial, and let her rest in peace. But on my way to find Chloe, people kept pointing their phones at me. They were taking pictures, whispering among themselves. I didn’t pay much attention at first, until someone jumped out and blocked my path, shoving their phone right in my face. “Hey buddy, how much did you sell your mom’s life for? Maybe next time I’ll try faking an accident in front of the rich girl too.” I froze, snatching the phone from his hand. I saw that Jake’s friends had posted videos online. The comments were brutal: 【Isn’t the old hag supposed to be a swimming champ? How could she not even make it a few yards to shore?】 【Yeah, who knows what shady tricks she pulled back in the day.】 【If I were Chloe, I’d be crying my eyes out. Stuck with such a poor, nasty mother-in-law and a gold-digging fiancé. Probably staged the whole thing so they could control the rich daughter-in-law after the wedding, planning to bleed her dry.】 3 I pushed past the gawker and ran, frantically searching for Jake. “Jake, why did you let your friends spread these lies online!” “I can take it, but what did my mom ever do wrong? Why does she have to suffer this kind of slander even after death?” Jake lounged with his feet up on a table, looking completely unfazed. “Isn’t this just the dirty stuff you guys pulled? What, you can do it, but you can’t handle people talking about it?” “Chloe falling for you is the luckiest thing that ever happened to you. We, as her friends, have to help screen you. After all, you’re just some poor kid. Who knows what your real intentions are.” The glass in my hand shattered. Blood dripped between my fingers, but I felt nothing. Before I could say more, Chloe interrupted. “Alright, Ethan, stop making a scene. Jake was just trying to look out for me.” “We’re going to get married eventually anyway. The wedding’s only postponed by six months. If you just admit you were wrong, everything can go back to normal.” Chloe had someone bring a first-aid kit. She took out some gauze, her expression softening with a hint of concern. “Your hand is bleeding. Come here, let me bandage it.” I just looked up at her. “You also think I was putting on an act?” Chloe didn’t answer. Her silence said everything. I nodded, a bitter smile twisting my lips. “If that’s the kind of person you think I am, then let’s just go our separate ways starting today.” “Chloe, the wedding is off.” I turned to leave, but Jake called out. “Wait. Since you’re leaving, you should give back the ring Chloe gave you.” He pointed to the ring on my finger. Chloe had it custom-made for me. Her ‘sincerity tests’ started six months ago and continued until now. I endured countless humiliations during that time. There were moments I wanted to give up. But right after I suggested breaking up, she threw a massive tantrum, smashing everything in her house, then stormed out in a rage. The next morning, she rushed back home, her eyes red, hugged me, and apologized. Then, she took a ring box out, pulled out a ring, and coaxed me softly, “This is your wedding ring, I’m giving it to you early. We can get married very soon, just as long as you pass all the tests. After that, I’ll belong only to you, okay?” My heart softened, and I didn’t push the breakup anymore. I never imagined it would lead my mother and me into this abyss. Thinking of this, I didn’t hesitate. I pulled the ring off my finger and threw it coldly onto the sand. “Take it back. We don’t owe each other anything anymore.” Chloe’s face turned ugly. But I didn’t care. I walked away without looking back. She called me many times on the way, but I didn’t answer. I just held my mother’s cold body tightly, unable even to cry. Back in our hometown, I wanted to arrange the cremation and burial immediately. But no funeral home would take her. No one would issue a death certificate. Even when I knelt and begged, they answered emotionlessly. “Miss Sterling gave instructions. We can’t accept.” “The Sterling family is planning a wedding. They can’t have a funeral associated with them; it’s bad luck.” Desperate, I had no choice but to call Chloe. But Jake answered, mocking me cruelly. “You’ve got some nerve. You break up with her, and now you’re calling to harass her again.” “Give it up already. The person Chloe will end up with is me.” “Those so-called sincerity tests? Just stuff I made up to mess with her. I was trying to get rid of you, but who knew you’d stick it out this long, even getting your mom killed in the process?” Jake hung up, his laughter loud and arrogant. When I tried calling back, the line was dead. I clenched my fists and slammed the phone against the wall. I went back to our old house and set up a simple wake, placing my mom in a coffin. After the traditional seven days of mourning, I was preparing for the burial when unexpected visitors arrived. Chloe burst in, looking furious. “Ethan, buying a coffin, holding a wake, when are you going to stop this charade?” “What happened last time already embarrassed the Sterling family enough! Now you’re doing this, giving people more gossip? Don’t think my tolerance means you can do whatever you want!” Her face was full of pain and disappointment, as if I had betrayed her deep love. But right then, I just said coldly, “Don’t disturb my mother’s peace. Whatever you have to say can wait until after she’s buried. You’re not welcome here.” I had never spoken to Chloe like this before. She froze. After a moment, she bit her lip. “Enough! How long are you going to keep up this act! Do you think I’m a child?” I just calmly repeated, “Please leave.” Chloe laughed, a bitter, tearful sound. She nodded, a desolate look in her eyes. “Fine. You say your mother is in this coffin, right?” “Men, take this coffin away!” The bodyguards she brought swarmed forward, lifting the coffin. They balanced it precariously on the edge of the window ledge. One hard push and it would fall. “What are you doing!” I struggled violently, but they held me fast. I couldn’t move. And Chloe actually said, “Since you insist on lying to me, let’s play one final sincerity test.” “Do you choose this coffin, or do you choose to marry me? You can only pick one.” I stared at Chloe in disbelief. I couldn’t fathom she’d do something so insane. “Put it back! That’s my mother in there! If you really throw it down, I will never forgive you!” Tears streamed down Chloe’s face instantly. “Even faced with a fake coffin, you won’t choose me?” “Ethan, you’re truly heartless. I declare that you have failed the final sincerity test.” “Then you can just watch me marry Jake. As for this…” Chloe looked at the coffin and sneered. “Throw it down! I’m sick of looking at it!” The men released their grip. The coffin plummeted from the high floor, crashing onto the ground below, shattering instantly.

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I’m what’s known as a Tasker, someone assigned roles by a System. The identity arranged for me this time was the true daughter of the wealthy Ashworth family. When they found me and brought me back, the family already had an adopted daughter they showered with affection. She was portrayed as pure and innocent, a delicate flower untouched by the world. Meanwhile, every effort I made to fit in was twisted into manipulative scheming. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease – kidney failure – and knelt on the floor begging Mr. Ashworth to use his connections to find me a donor, that things hit rock bottom. The Ashworths just watched me coldly, assuming it was just another ploy for attention. “Stop with the pathetic act. If you really have kidney failure, then you might as well just die.” But when I genuinely lost the will to live, the Ashworths suddenly went frantic, begging me to stay. By then, though, I was long tired of trying to be family with them. 1 “We can’t delay this any longer. You need surgery as soon as possible.” In the hospital room, I listened numbly to the doctor’s advice. “No point. I don’t have the money. I don’t want the treatment.” With that, I ripped the IV needle from my hand, slipped on my shoes, and bolted out the door. “Hey!” The doctor, clearly caught off guard, hurried after me. “What are you running for inside a hospital? Emily Ashworth, are you getting completely out of control?” As I sprinted towards the hospital entrance, I bumped into someone. After a mumbled “sorry,” I tried to leave, but a hand grabbed my arm. Seeing the doctor closing in, I impatiently tried to shake the hand off, but the grip on my wrist tightened. “You…” I snapped my head up and saw Michael Ashworth’s annoyed face. Seeing me talking to Michael, the pursuing doctor’s eyes lit up with a hopeful smile. “Dr. Ashworth, you know her? Please, try to talk some sense into her. She has kidney failure but refuses treatment. If she doesn’t get a transplant soon, it might be too late. The hospital has programs, policies…” Before the doctor could finish, Michael cut him off. “Emily, seriously, enough is enough. Do you really have to go to such lengths? How did I end up with such a vicious sister? If only you were half as sensible as Jessica.” His disgusted gaze shifted to the other doctor. “How much did she pay you to stage this little drama? Are you throwing away your medical ethics for money? Don’t bother coming into work tomorrow.” Without waiting for a reply, Michael turned and walked away. I looked at the stunned doctor, swallowing the bitter lump in my throat. “I’m sorry… you got dragged into this.” There wasn’t much more I could say. Even though I was technically an Ashworth, they despised me. I had no power to help this poor doctor. “What kind of person is that? And I used to look up to him. Unbelievable.” The doctor muttered, disgusted. “Don’t worry about it. It’s just a job, not like I desperately needed it. But your condition really can’t wait.” Hearing him still fussing over me, a strange warmth flickered inside me. Michael was dead wrong; this young doctor had integrity, worrying about a patient even after being fired. “I know.” I nodded, just to appease him. He seemed satisfied with my response, gave me his phone number, and then hurried off, presumably to look for his next job. 2 After leaving the hospital, I didn’t head home. I didn’t have a home in this world. With nowhere else to go, I wandered aimlessly down the street. Suddenly, a strong force yanked me sideways. “Are you blind? Watch where you’re going, idiot! What rotten luck.” The words floated back to me as the car sped off, disappearing before I could fully register what happened. “What were you thinking? You weren’t even paying attention crossing the street. You almost died.” The person who pulled me back was Dr. David Evans, my attending physician. When I spoke, I couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “So what if I died? I’m not going to live much longer anyway.” “What are you saying? If you get treatment, you still have a lot of time left.” Dr. Evans started talking non-stop, urging me to accept treatment. He was like a little sunbeam, which inexplicably reminded me of Jessica. “Enough!” I didn’t want to hear it. I yelled with almost all the strength I had left. “I told you I don’t want treatment! I don’t want to live! Why are you telling me all this? My parents and brother don’t care about me, so why should you? They all wish I was dead!” The outburst left me breathless. My emotions surged, and I could barely breathe. I hugged myself, crouching by the roadside as tears streamed down my face, splashing onto the pavement. “I’m sick of this life. I just want to die sooner. Maybe in the next life, I’ll find a family that actually loves me.” Sniffling, I stood up. The sudden movement made me stumble. I saw Dr. Evans reach out to steady me, hesitate, and then pull his hand back. I was satisfied with that outcome. Let Dr. Evans hate me too, just like my so-called family. With that thought, I walked away without a word of apology, never looking back. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dr. Evans standing there, looking dejected. A flicker of sympathy sparked in me. But it vanished as quickly as it came. What right did a worthless reject like me, living in darkness, have to feel sorry for anyone else? 3 Back at the house, I had barely opened the front door and hadn’t even taken off my shoes when a glass shattered at my feet. Shards flew up, cutting my cheek. Blood instantly welled up. “I feed you, clothe you, send you to school, and this is how you turn out?” Mr. Ashworth roared. “I warned you when you tried to use kidney failure to threaten me last time! Now you’ve dragged this nonsense to your brother’s hospital? How did I end up with such a liar for a daughter? Get down on your knees!” His voice was so loud that he broke into a violent coughing fit afterward. “Dad, don’t be so angry. Emily just really wants your attention,” Jessica chimed in sweetly. That only enraged Mr. Ashworth further. “What more attention does she need?” “Have we ever denied her anything? If she were half as sensible as you, wouldn’t we pay attention to her?” “Oh dear, why are you two arguing?” Mrs. Ashworth finally stopped pretending not to notice as things escalated. “Emily, dear, we’re all family. Don’t make these kinds of jokes. Your father is just worried about you. Apologize to him, and we can put this behind us.” I glanced at the elegantly dressed woman speaking, then turned and walked away without a word. “You wretched girl! How dare you be so disrespectful…” Slam. I slammed my bedroom door shut, blocking out their voices. A bunch of hypocrites. Listening to even one more word from them made me sick. Outside the door, Mrs. Ashworth was clearly stunned. In her memory, I had always been obedient. This was the first time since returning home that I had defied them. The stark contrast brought tears to her eyes. “Mommy, don’t cry. Maybe Emily’s just having a bad day,” Jessica comforted her. Jessica’s words only intensified Mrs. Ashworth’s resentment towards me. “I don’t know why that little brat even came back. If only you were my real daughter. She’s just here to cause trouble.” She shot a resentful look at my closed door. I locked myself in my room and didn’t come out, even when it was time for dinner. Jessica knocked anxiously at my door. “Emily, come out and eat! Skipping dinner isn’t good for you.” “Why bother with her? She’s probably just pulling another stunt to make us feel sorry for her,” Michael scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “Emily’s not like that, she… Ah!” The moment Jessica pushed open my door, she let out a sharp gasp. “Emily Ashworth, do you have any conscience at all? Jessica kindly calls you for dinner, and you pull this ki—” Hearing Jessica scream, Michael’s first instinct was to blame me. But his angry words died in his throat as he stared, wide-eyed, at me lying in a pool of blood. Mr. and Mrs. Ashworth sensed something was wrong and followed him to my doorway. With the whole family crowded there, my small, servant-like room felt even more cramped. “What… How did this happen?” Mrs. Ashworth covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Mr. Ashworth was the quickest to react, dialing 911. 4 When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. Unsurprisingly, there was no one around. My wrist was wrapped in layers of bandages, making my left hand difficult to move. “You’re awake.” A nurse came in just then to change my dressing. Seeing me awake, she started chattering. “You’re so young, why would you try to kill yourself? Whatever it is, you can get through it.” “And your family… honestly. They brought you here and left not long after. How could they be so irresponsible?” “They’re not my family.” Maybe my expression was too annoyed, because the nurse stopped talking, quietly finished changing the dressing, and left. I opened my phone. Two messages sat quietly in my inbox. Michael: “Is there any point to these repeated suicide attempts? If you really wanted to die, why time it perfectly for dinner? If you’re serious about dying, do it somewhere far away. Stop bringing us bad luck.” Jessica: “Mommy and Daddy said I was traumatized and insisted on taking me out to relax. Sorry, Emily! You’ll have to take care of yourself!” Even through the screen, I could picture Jessica’s smug expression. “Where are you going?” I turned off my phone, yanked out the IV needle again, and prepared to leave the hospital. Unexpectedly, I ran into Michael, who was doing his rounds. I raised an eyebrow. Perfect timing. Not. But just because he called out didn’t mean I had to stop. Ignoring him, I darted into an elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. Michael told me to die far away, so I would. But not quite the way they intended. This was the Ashworth family hospital, and it was the place I’d chosen to jump from. I don’t know what got into Michael. Usually, he couldn’t care less about me, but this time he actually chased after me. He must have taken the stairs; tiny beads of sweat dotted his forehead, and his usually immaculate hair was messy. “What are you doing up here?” Michael looked at me warily, a bad feeling creeping into his mind. My recent behavior had been too erratic. Even if he didn’t fully believe I wanted to die, seeing me on the rooftop put him on edge. “Michael, I’m tired of facing you all every day. I tried my best to please you, painstakingly learned your preferences, only to be called manipulative.” “You never wanted me in this family from the start anyway.” “So now, as you wished.” As I spoke, I walked towards the edge of the roof. “I hope in my next life, I don’t encounter family like you.” With those final words, I leaned backward. A powerful wave of dizziness washed over me. But the anticipated sensation of falling never came. Confused, I looked up slightly. Dr. Evans, appearing seemingly out of nowhere, had grabbed one of my ankles. I could clearly see the veins bulging on his arm; holding onto me was taking immense effort. How could he be so coincidentally here again? He had already pulled me back from the brink twice. “Let me go. You saw yourself, I’m not happy alive.” “What are you standing there for? Help me! Are you really just going to watch her die?!” Dr. Evans didn’t answer me, instead yelling through gritted teeth at the frozen Michael. My jump had clearly terrified Michael. It was only then that he realized all my previous actions weren’t jokes. Thank God, thank God Dr. Evans showed up in time. Following Dr. Evans’s direction, Michael grabbed my hand. Finally, that head-down suffocating feeling was gone. Even though I wanted to die, suffocating was a truly awful way to go. Just then, Mr. and Mrs. Ashworth arrived at the hospital entrance below. “Mommy, look! I think someone’s going to jump!” Jessica pointed up at the roof, clinging to her mother’s arm with a look of shock. “I don’t know why anyone would be so desperate…” Mrs. Ashworth started to say. “EMILY!”

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Seven months pregnant, and my husband’s childhood sweetheart poisoned the town’s water supply, causing an epidemic to sweep through Maple Creek. She burst into the Senator’s manor, demanding to use my unborn child as the key ingredient for a cure. I didn’t fight back. I let her take the premature baby. Because in my past life, I had pleaded with my husband, Ethan, to let me keep the child. Then, heavily pregnant, I went out to treat the sick townspeople myself. I saved their lives, but they were left with chronic, debilitating headaches. Olivia, his sweetheart, also caught the plague and died from it. Ethan comforted me, saying it was the best possible outcome, told me to rest and focus on the baby, that he would handle everything else. Then, on the day I went into labor, he had me and our newborn son dragged to the town square and publicly tortured to death. Before I died, I saw the twisted hatred on his face. “If you hadn’t poisoned the water, none of these people would have suffered! Olivia wouldn’t have died! You did this horrific thing for your own selfish reasons. Dying like this is getting off easy!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Olivia stormed the manor, demanding my child for her cure. … I closed my eyes in despair amidst the curses of the townspeople outside. I couldn’t believe it. I had run a clinic in the Capital for six years, saved countless lives, yet not a single person believed I was innocent. Even the man I loved believed I was the poisoner. As I opened my eyes again, my assistant Chloe’s voice was firm, “Ms. Hayes, our mistress has a unique constitution. Her pregnancies go to twelve months for a full term. If you take the baby now, at only seven months, it won’t survive.” Olivia scoffed, “Normal women carry for nine months, and a seven-month fetus can survive. Why is your mistress so different?” She raised an eyebrow at me, “Sarah, don’t tell me you’re unwilling to give up the baby to save everyone?” Chloe was furious. “Even if it’s to save people, you can’t do it like this! My mistress is a brilliant doctor herself! Maybe she can cure this epidemic! Why must you take her child for a cure? It’s barbaric!” Olivia couldn’t be bothered arguing. She waved her hand dismissively. “Taking the child saves the whole town! Don’t hesitate, people, get her!” Urged on by her, the crowd forced Chloe and me back against the wall. Every face was fierce, eager to cut open my belly and take the premature child to save themselves. Chloe shielded me desperately, screaming, “This is the Senator’s wife! How dare any of you touch her!” Her shout made them pause. Everyone knew Senator Vance adored his wife. Seeing this, Olivia grew anxious. “The Senator owes his position to the support of the people! We’re just asking for a little blood from the baby’s fingertip after it’s born. She won’t even make that small sacrifice for the town? She doesn’t deserve to be the Senator’s wife!” The crowd turned menacing again. “She always claimed to be compassionate, dedicated to healing, but now there’s an epidemic, she hides in this fancy manor, afraid of getting sick herself! What kind of doctor is that!” “Why should you rich folks stay safe while we common people die? I don’t care if it’s the Senator’s kid or the President’s kid inside her, I’ll take it for my own child’s sake!” A few inflammatory words whipped the crowd into a frenzy. They lost all reason. Just then, the door was kicked open. My husband, Ethan, entered with several security guards. Seeing him, Chloe scrambled over like he was her last hope, kneeling. “Senator, you’re finally back! They want to take the mistress’s baby! It’s a matter of life and death, please save her!” Olivia instantly changed her tune, looking fragile and pitiful. “Ethan, the blood of a newborn from the Bai family can cure any poison. We’re doing this for everyone in town.” Chloe cried beside her, “Senator, the mistress’s constitution is special! Taking the baby now will kill it!” Ethan’s expression shifted. Just as Chloe thought they were saved, he abruptly raised his hand and asked his men, “Where is the labor-inducing drug I asked you to prepare?” A bowl of dark brown liquid was brought forward. Chloe’s eyes widened in horror as she realized what was happening. She tried to run towards me. Ethan’s guards swiftly intercepted her, grabbing her arms, holding her fast. Ethan held the bowl in front of me, his voice ice-cold. “Drink it.” Looking at his face, my heart shattered, but I clung to a sliver of hope. “Ethan, this is your own child in my belly. Are you truly going to take him out now?” “That’s why I found you the best midwife,” Ethan replied flatly. “I’ve asked around. A seven-month fetus can survive with careful nursing. I will protect him.” “But…” Before I could explain, Ethan lost his patience. He struck me hard across the face. “Sarah, after the evil you’ve done, just having you deliver the baby early is letting you off easy!” The force knocked me to the ground. My head hit a cabinet, ringing. Warm blood trickled down my forehead. Accusations rained down on me from everyone in the room. “Her family have been doctors for generations, how could they produce such a menace!” “So selfish and afraid to die! She’s ruining the Senator’s reputation!” The accusations were sickeningly familiar, dragging me back to my previous life. Me and my son, hung from the town walls. Ethan handed knives to the townspeople, allowing them to slice pieces of my flesh. Those same people who once called me their savior, holding knives in one hand, chili water in the other. The same expressions as they tortured me to death. That terror surged back into my heart. I took a breath and looked at Ethan. “I can drink it. But you have to grant me one request.” My quick agreement seemed to make Ethan frown. “What do you want?” I took the bowl. Before drinking, I stared straight at him. “I want a divorce.” 2 Hearing the word “divorce,” Ethan froze for a second, then sneered, “Is this some new trick?” I was too tired to argue. “If you agree, I’ll drink it now,” I said indifferently. I expected him to agree without hesitation. Instead, he crouched down, grabbed my hair, pinched my jaw open, and forcibly poured the medicine down my throat. The bitter liquid choked me, tears streaming down my face. I suddenly remembered a time I caught a cold because of Ethan and refused to take my medicine. He had paced anxiously beside me, only coaxing me gently, never saying a harsh word. That day, for every bowl I drank, he drank two, telling me with red eyes that he’d never let me suffer again. The man then and the man forcing medicine down my throat now were like two different people. After pouring it all, Ethan smashed the bowl on the floor. “You’re in no position to make demands,” he spat viciously. He left with his guards and Chloe, leaving only Olivia and the midwife in the room. An hour after drinking the medicine, my belly remained quiet. The midwife examined me again and again. “The mistress grew up around herbs and remedies,” she concluded. “She might be resistant to this drug. Should we ask the Senator about giving her another dose?” Olivia shook her head. “We’ve already wasted an hour on this medicine. Trying another type will just waste another hour. Let’s try a simpler method.” She pulled out a dagger. The midwife paled. “Ms. Hayes, you mustn’t! Cutting her open directly could kill her!” “Who cares about her life at a time like this?” Olivia laughed triumphantly. “Is anyone worried about the lives of the townspeople outside?” Seeing the dagger, I panicked too. I scrambled off the bed, trying to run. Olivia ordered the two midwives to hold me down. They pinned me but looked up, asking if they should check with the Senator. “Don’t you understand the Senator’s intention? This baby must come out today.” She approached me with the knife, aiming the tip directly at my belly. As the blade sank in, I screamed, my whole body convulsing. Blood pooled on the floor. The pain was so intense I fainted instantly. Moments later, agony jolted me awake again. Olivia applied more pressure, slicing my belly open from top to bottom. I gasped for breath, pain overwhelming me, tears falling. Outside the door, Ethan asked, “Why is she screaming like that?” Olivia clamped her hand over my mouth. “Childbirth is always painful, Ethan,” she called back. “Please don’t come in. It’s bad luck for a man to be in the delivery room.” Silence fell outside. Olivia roughly pulled my baby out. The baby let out an immediate cry. Hearing that sound, I looked up, my heart clenching inexplicably. Olivia cleaned him off. As she was about to leave, I couldn’t help but plead, “Olivia, after you take the fingertip blood, please bring him back to me.” Olivia snorted coldly and left. I heard her say to Ethan outside, “It’s wonderful, Ethan! The townspeople can be saved!” Outside, Ethan cooed over the baby twice. “Let’s go. We’ll save the townspeople right now.” Everyone left, forgetting about me, still bleeding profusely. The blood flowed faster, the pain intensified. My consciousness faded, and I passed out again. When I woke next, I heard Chloe’s crying. “Mistress, wake up…” Chloe grew up with me, my personal maid who came with me when I married. In the Senator’s manor, she was the kindest person to me besides Ethan. In my past life, she died protecting me and my son, beaten to death. I opened my eyes. Her crying grew more desperate. “Mistress, you’re awake! How do you feel? You lost so much blood…” 3 I forced myself to sit up and told her to get the small box hidden in my cabinet. Inside was a special medicinal pill, a Bai family heirloom. After swallowing it, I felt much of my strength return. I had Chloe bring me a needle and thread, and I stitched up my own abdomen. After doing all this, I used my own blood to write down a prescription and a letter, telling Chloe to deliver them to the Capital. I only learned later that someone infected had fled to the Capital, causing the epidemic to spread there too. Even the Governor and his wife had fallen ill. The cure I developed in my past life, while effective against the epidemic, left patients with chronic headaches as a side effect. But the headaches were treatable. While waiting to give birth, I had shared the treatment method with the local doctors, asking them to help the townspeople. I never imagined this act would be twisted into me seeking fame. They claimed I deliberately left them with the affliction so they would constantly remember my name. The thought chilled me again. My family had practiced medicine for generations, guided by the principle of saving lives. The Bai family name was already renowned. Why would I need to seek fame like that? But people only believe what they want to believe. So later, when someone accused me of poisoning the water, not a single person defended me. The formula I sent to the Governor was an improved version. One dose would cure the illness completely, with no side effects. After Chloe left, exhaustion overwhelmed me, and I fell into a deep sleep. Soon, I developed a fever. In my delirium, I thought I saw Ethan pacing anxiously by my bedside. But I must have been mistaken. He wouldn’t come. He was surely with Olivia, busy “saving” the town. I must have slept for about seven days when a splash of cold water woke me. I opened my eyes to see Olivia standing over me. “While Ethan and I worked tirelessly saving people, you slept soundly.” I lifted my heavy eyelids. “What do you want?” “Came to return your baby, of course.” Olivia smirked wickedly and tossed the bundle in her hands into the air. I screamed, scrambling out of bed, collapsing to the floor as pain flared from my wound. Thankfully, I caught the baby. My son in the bundle had his eyes closed, his face deathly pale, no sign of breath. I took his tiny hand. A deep gash marked his wrist. Dead. He was dead. A roaring filled my ears. My mind went blank. I looked up at Olivia, my eyes filled with hatred. “Didn’t you say you’d only take a little blood?” Because of my family’s constitution, while others carried for nine months, Bai women needed twelve. My seven months were equivalent to someone else’s five. I had hoped if she only took a little fingertip blood, I could still nurse him back to health. But she had drained nearly all the blood from his tiny body. Olivia sneered, “Sarah, you’re a doctor too. How could a tiny bit of fingertip blood possibly save so many people?” Seeing her nonchalance, I glanced down at the lifeless child in my arms and couldn’t hold back any longer. I pulled out the dagger I kept hidden and lunged at Olivia. “Go to hell!” She easily pushed me down, then took the dagger and tapped my face with it, her expression hideous. “Sarah, pathetic as you are, you think you can kill me? Are you…” She stopped mid-sentence, her expression changing dramatically. She twisted her hand, letting the dagger graze her shoulder, making it look like I had stabbed her from behind. “Mistress! Why would you do this?” Before I could react, someone kicked me forcefully. I rolled across the floor, instinctively clutching my dead child tighter. At the same time, a ginseng root landed near me. I recognized it instantly – it looked like rare, potent ginseng. I remembered once telling Ethan that ginseng was the best thing for a mother’s postpartum recovery. Ethan had smiled then. “I’ll definitely send someone to find the best thousand-year ginseng for you. I couldn’t bear for my Sarah to suffer even a little.” Could Ethan have brought this? “Sarah, you venomous woman! How dare you harm Olivia!” Ethan’s furious roar snapped me back to reality. I looked up at him, the last embers of love in my heart extinguished. Strangely, he froze when he saw me. He let go of Olivia in his arms and hurried towards me. Only then did I realize the kick had torn open the stitches on my abdomen. Blood gushed out again, instantly soaking the floor. Ethan’s face was grim as he lifted my clothes. Seeing the horrifying wound, he sucked in a sharp breath. His voice trembled. “Sarah, what happened to your stomach?”

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My fiancé’s brother, Mark, was in a horrific car accident. A steel pipe went straight through his lung. He was in the ICU, fighting for his life. And where was my fiancé, Ethan? Maxing out my credit card to throw a birthday party for his old flame’s dog. Panicked, I called him. His response was sharp, annoyed. “So I accidentally used your card for a bit of cash? Did you really need to make up some story about someone dying?” The last time I went looking for him, I found him and his old flame, Chloe, locked in a passionate kiss at a dog café. It was like he didn’t care at all that the person lying cold in the morgue was the brother who’d raised him, the brother he’d depended on for years. … When I got to the scene of the accident, Mark had just been loaded into the ambulance by the paramedics. A steel pipe was still gruesomely lodged in his chest. The sight shocked me to my core. A police officer approached me. “Family should follow the ambulance to the hospital. We’re investigating the scene now and will update you as soon as we know anything.” I nodded numbly, my body trembling as I climbed into the ambulance. Ignoring the shaking in my hands, I pulled out my phone and tried calling Ethan. Looking at Mark, unconscious and critically injured, tears streamed down my face. The line was busy. I called again and again. But even by the time Mark was wheeled into the operating room, Ethan hadn’t answered. A doctor approached me with consent forms. “Family needs to sign these immediately.” I reached for the pen, but the doctor stopped me. “It needs to be signed by immediate family.” Staring at the unanswered call on my phone screen, I felt a desperate urgency. I had no choice but to dial again. This time, finally, it connected. “Ethan, you need to get to the hospital right now! Mark was in an accident. He needs you to sign for surgery.” “Oh, you’re looking for Ethan?” A sweet, almost singsong female voice answered. I froze. It was Chloe, his old flame. “He’s helping me look for my dog right now.” Thinking of Mark, waiting, I couldn’t waste time questioning why Ethan was with Chloe. I just yelled, “Put Ethan on the phone!” A moment later, Ethan’s irritated voice came through. “What are you yelling about!” “Chloe’s dog ran off, so I’m helping her look for it. What’s the big deal? Can you stop being so controlling? We’re not even married yet.” My chest tightened, my nails digging into my palms. I fought to control my voice, tried to stay calm. “Ethan, I’m not joking. Mark was in a serious accident. He needs you at the hospital to sign consent forms…” He cut me off with a sneer. “Give it up, Maya. I already told my brother I’d marry you. What more do you want?” “You insisted on marrying me, used my brother as leverage, so you have to accept that I need… let’s call it emotional support elsewhere.” “I have important things to do today. Don’t call me again!” Ethan hung up abruptly, giving me no chance to say another word. I felt like my blood had turned to ice. A chilling cold seeped into my bones. Dragging myself over to the doctor, I begged him to start the surgery for Mark anyway. A nurse came out of the OR, saying Mark’s condition was too critical. The doctor just sighed heavily and went back into the operating room. I stood there, stunned, feeling like a thousand knives were twisting inside me. Ethan and I met in college, dated for five years. We were finally getting married, the date set for the eighth of next month. But then, Chloe suddenly came back to the country, and Ethan told his brother he didn’t want to marry me anymore. Mark had seen our relationship grow from the beginning. He refused to accept Ethan’s change of heart. It led to a huge fight between the brothers. And now, Mark was lying in surgery, and Ethan didn’t even believe me. I don’t know how I made it to the payment counter. “I’m sorry, the payment failed. Could you try swiping the payment code again?” The cashier’s voice snapped me back to reality. I tried several more times. Still declined. I almost never touched the savings in this account. I called the bank. They informed me that my entire balance had been wiped out half an hour ago. It was Ethan. 2 When I first met Ethan, he was just a broke kid. His parents had died young. It was Mark who raised him, working tirelessly to support him and put him through college. Back then, Ethan was sensible. He always worked part-time jobs to earn his own money, trying not to ask Mark for too much. Me? I grew up comfortably. With my parents’ support, I started my own small business early on and had considerable savings. After Ethan and I got together, I linked my bank card to his account. “Ethan, what’s mine is yours. Just use it.” At first, he refused. “I’m a grown man. How can I spend your money?” It took a lot of convincing before he finally agreed. “Okay, but when I make money, I’ll pay you back double.” I smiled brightly, my eyes shining as I looked at him. He gently stroked my head. Later, when he started his own business, he relied on support from both me and Mark to get by. It took him three years to become successful, a small business owner with his own savings. But I never unlinked my card. And lately, he’d barely used it. I called his number again. It was like he was waiting for it; he picked up instantly. “What, now you’re calling to chew me out for using a little bit of your money?” I couldn’t hold back my anger. “Ethan, Mark needs money for surgery! Transfer the money back to me, now!” Ethan chuckled lightly. “Is that it? Is he really having surgery?” I thought he finally believed me. Even though he couldn’t see me, I nodded. “Yes, really! Hurry up and send the money back, Mark he…” “Shut up!” Ethan’s tone was laced with mockery. “Stop acting, Maya.” “Didn’t you used to say I could spend the money on this card whenever I wanted?” “And now, just for a little cash, you’re making up all sorts of crazy stories.” I choked back my fury, my voice trembling, almost crying. “Ethan, it’s true! We can call off the wedding, I don’t care, but Mark can’t wait!” A cold laugh came from the other end of the line. “If he can’t wait, then let him die. Just bury him, problem solved.” I was shaking with rage. Ethan kept talking. “If it wasn’t for my brother pulling strings back then, your brother would have died years ago. Living these extra few years? He already got lucky!” The line went dead again. I felt like I’d fallen into an icy abyss. It took me a long moment to realize Ethan had misunderstood. He thought it was my brother who needed surgery. After five years together, I never imagined he could say something so cruel. Just then, my phone rang. It was my brother. When he heard about Mark’s accident, he immediately wired me a significant amount of money. After paying the medical bills, I saw Ethan had posted on social media. The picture was of a Golden Retriever wearing a party hat, sitting in front of a birthday cake. The background was unmistakable – they were at The Valencia, the most expensive hotel in the city. Even the cake was from the city’s most renowned baker. In the corner of the photo, I saw two hands clasped together. The woman’s hand wore a diamond ring – the engagement ring I had picked out. And Ethan’s caption read: 【Happy Birthday to Chloe’s Sunny! And happiness to my Chloe too 】 But Ethan, your brother is still in the operating room, waiting for you. While I was anxiously waiting outside the OR, the police found me. “Ms. Adams, regarding Mark Johnson’s accident, our preliminary investigation suggests it was caused by vehicle brake failure.” “Impossible. That car was just serviced three days ago.” 3 The words slipped out before I could stop them. I couldn’t believe the police’s findings. Ever since Ethan became successful, he’d actually been very good to Mark. Even when they argued, he made sure Mark’s car and anything else potentially dangerous was regularly maintained by professionals. I grabbed the officer’s arm. “Officer, there has to be more to this story.” The two officers exchanged a look. “Don’t worry, this is just a preliminary assessment.” “We will continue to investigate thoroughly.” I finally let out a breath of relief. After talking with the police, a long wait began. Late into the night, the light above the operating room door finally went out. The doctor emerged. “Hello, Mark Johnson’s surgery was successful, but he’s not out of the woods yet. He’s being transferred to the ICU.” Watching Mark being wheeled into the intensive care unit, I suddenly felt exhausted. I slid down the wall, sitting on the floor in a daze. My clothes were still stained with Mark’s blood. Pushing myself up, I hailed a cab, planning to go home and grab some clean clothes. It looked like I’d be spending the next few days at the hospital. I’d given up on Ethan. All I could do was pray that Mark would be okay. Mark wasn’t my biological brother, but he treated me like one. Ever since Ethan and I started dating, he treated me like his own little sister. So, no matter what, I had to take care of him. Waiting at a red light, I glanced out the window and a car caught my eye. It was my car. The car I bought when Ethan was just starting his business, to help him look professional. And right now, sitting in the passenger seat, was Chloe. The light turned green. Ethan sped off. “Driver, can you follow that car?” The driver gave me an “I got this” look and slammed on the gas. They drove to a resort hotel on the outskirts of the city and parked. I stopped a short distance away and watched, horrified, as they started making out. Ethan was tearing at Chloe’s clothes like a starved animal, her chest heaving up and down. My expression grew colder and colder. The cab driver glanced at the bouncing car in the distance, then awkwardly wiped his forehead. He turned to me, his eyes filled with sympathy. “Can’t trust a cheater, ma’am. Catching him in the act! Need any backup?” I couldn’t suppress the rage boiling inside me anymore. I could tolerate him seeing his old flame; fine, I wouldn’t marry him. I could tolerate him not believing me; I’d take care of his brother alone. But for Ethan to stoop this low… Using my car, deliberately, to do something so filthy, so disgusting, just to spite me. Furious, I reached for the door handle, about to get out, when my phone rang. It was my brother. “Maya, get to the hospital now! Mark… Mark’s not going to make it!” Using the last of my strength, I told the driver, “To the hospital, please. As fast as you can.” I had no energy left to confront Ethan. As their car disappeared from my peripheral vision, a wave of nausea washed over me. I gagged, trying to hold back vomit. And finally, I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. I started sobbing. The driver handed me tissues, murmuring words of comfort. He thought I was crying because Ethan cheated. His voice faded into the background. I could barely hear him. My mind was consumed by thoughts of Mark. He was such a good person. My own brother had suffered from a rare disease years ago, getting weaker day by day. It was Mark who never gave up, searching relentlessly for doctors who could help. His job took him to many places, and eventually, he found the specialist who saved my brother’s life. I was eternally grateful to him. My brother considered him a true brother too. When Ethan and I first started discussing marriage, Mark had already prepared a house for us. He felt that as a woman, I needed security in a marriage. So, he bought another property just for me, putting only my name on the deed. “Sister-in-law,” he’d said, “you’re the best woman I know. This is my wedding gift to you. I wish you both happiness.” He was like my own brother, maybe even better. I couldn’t accept that he was just… gone. When I reached the morgue, all I saw was the figure covered by a white sheet. My body trembled uncontrollably. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. My brother held me, tears streaming down his face too. A nurse looked at us with pity and sighed. “You should arrange to collect the body and handle the arrangements soon.” My phone rang. Shockingly, it was Ethan. I hesitated for a second, then answered without a second thought. Mark’s death was major news. Ethan absolutely needed to be told. I opened my mouth to speak, but sounds came from the other end first. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing… A woman’s moans. Rising and falling, loud and clear in my ear. 4 I gripped the phone so tightly I thought it might shatter. Just as I was about to hang up, I heard voices. “Ethan, are you really going to marry Maya? What about me?” Following a final grunt from Ethan, he chuckled lightly. “I can’t really disobey my brother’s orders.” “But don’t worry, I only love you. Even after we’re married, I’ll prove to my brother he made the wrong choice.” … I couldn’t listen to any more of their repulsive flirting. “Nurse, excuse me,” I asked, “Mark doesn’t have any other family. Can I sign to release his body myself?” She finally nodded. After signing the papers, as I was about to arrange for Mark’s body to be moved, my brother stopped me. “Maya, no matter what, you should tell Ethan.” I took a deep breath. I sat in the hospital corridor all night. It wasn’t until morning, as the sun began to rise, that I picked up my phone and called Ethan again. This time, there was no anger, no pleading in my voice. Just cold detachment. “Ethan, Mark has passed away. He’s being cremated tomorrow. Are you sure you don’t want to come?” He sounded groggy, woken up by my call, and clearly annoyed. “Are you nuts? Calling this early talking about cremation? How morbid.” His attitude didn’t faze me. “I’m asking you one last time. Are you coming or not?” “No! If someone’s dead, just cremate them already! What good would I do there? Is he going to magically come back to life? God, you’re annoying. Why don’t you just go die with him?” Before he could finish, I told him the location of the crematorium. This time, I hung up the phone. I was done expecting anything from him. Mark was like a brother to me. Even if Ethan didn’t show up, I could send him off myself. I would give him a proper, dignified farewell. My brother and I waited at the crematorium. Ethan never came. My brother drove me back to Mark’s house. I needed to sort through his belongings. “Maya, he’s gone. You need to be strong…” My brother’s voice cracked before he could finish. He turned away, covering his mouth. I went into the room alone. I hadn’t expected Mark to have prepared wedding gifts for Ethan and me so early. There was also a video. In it, he was smiling warmly, like a gentle spring breeze on a winter day. Comforting. “Maya, Ethan, when you see this video, you’ll already be married.” … “Brother wishes you a happy marriage. In the years ahead, you need to understand and tolerate each other.” “Especially you, Ethan. I watched you grow up. Don’t act like a spoiled kid all the time. You have to be good to Maya.” … I turned off the video, tears streaming down my face. I didn’t have the courage to watch anymore. Ethan and I were never going to get married. Among Mark’s things, I found so many items related to Ethan. Even his old school uniforms, awards he’d won – Mark had kept everything. A pang of guilt hit me. If Ethan didn’t come to Mark’s funeral, Mark would surely be heartbroken, wherever he was. After some thought, I took out my phone again and texted Ethan the time and place of the funeral service. This time, he replied almost instantly.

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