Author: Momo Chan

The Golden Globes were here, and I was about to accept the Best Actress award. Suddenly, Tiffany Lynn stumbled onto the stage, covered in bruises and wearing nothing but her underwear. She dropped to her knees, banging her head against the floor. “Sister, I’ve done everything you asked! I serviced those dozen producers, please, don’t send me back to the sticks! I don’t want to marry that seventy-year-old! Just let me stay as Mom and Dad’s adopted daughter, please…” My own parents, furious, ripped my dress to shreds right there in front of everyone. My brother, in a fit of rage, threw me into a high-end escort service. Producers I’d once turned down were now lining up to “book” me. Stalker fans I’d reported were now finding new and twisted ways to humiliate me every night. It wasn’t until six months later, the day before my brother’s wedding to Tiffany, that they even thought of me again. After my last client left, my brother pushed the door open. Without looking at him, I instinctively crawled back into bed, silently spreading my legs. … “Olivia Carter! Have you no shame?!” his angry voice boomed. “Six months, and you haven’t learned a thing! You’ve become so goddamn depraved!” Expecting another beating for upsetting a client, I started trembling and dropped to my knees, begging. “I’m sorry! I’ll do whatever you want, please, don’t be mad.” A black suit jacket was suddenly thrown over my body. I looked up, my body stiffening. It was my brother, Ethan Carter. Ethan’s eyes flashed with something unreadable, but his face quickly hardened. “Playing the victim again? You’re a famous actress, Olivia, a Carter. No one would dare hurt you.” “If it weren’t for Tiffany’s kind heart, offering you to be her bridesmaid, I’d leave you here to rot!” For a moment, I was disoriented. I used to be the most respectable actress in the industry, now Ethan had thrown me into this place to become the cheapest commodity. Anyone with enough money could unleash their darkest desires on me. My shame had long been shattered into dust by countless insults and beatings. Ethan grabbed my shoulder, still healing from a break, and tried to yank me up. The pain was excruciating, but my cries came out sounding like suggestive moans. The drugs they’d pumped into me had turned my body into a machine, making everything I did sound like a dirty come-on. Ethan’s eyes widened, and he recoiled as if shocked. He slapped me hard across the face. “Are you addicted to being a slut now?” My body flinched, and I instinctively knelt and grabbed his leg, tears streaming down my face. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Just please, don’t hit me. It really hurts.” Ethan’s voice was ice cold. “You think you can wipe away the damage you did to Tiffany with crocodile tears? Think again!” He dragged me out roughly, and I didn’t dare resist. I knew resistance would only bring worse punishment. Suddenly, a mob of reporters descended on us at the club entrance, raising their cameras like hyenas. The flashing lights blinded me as they eagerly captured my most vulnerable moments. A stalker fan had a fetish for shining a flashlight in my face in the dark, enjoying my humiliated expression. I trembled, trying to shrink away, all the blood draining from my face. “Olivia, we heard you ended up in an escort service after quitting acting. Do you prefer getting paid to spread your legs?” Ethan frowned, his voice sharp. “That’s ridiculous! My sister’s just here as a waitress…” The reporters started their interrogation. “You’re so open now. Was your ‘clean’ image all marketing? Did you sleep your way to win the Golden Globe too? ” “Nah, her daddy’s money and Tiffany Lynn’s favors bought her that award!” Ethan’s eyes narrowed. The next second, he blocked my retreat. “It’s about time you experienced what Tiffany went through.” He shoved me into the spotlight, leaving me nowhere to escape. “You were a top star with a great body. You must get a lot of bookings! Who’s your favorite kind of client? How do you feel about being called ‘the town bicycle’?” “Do you know how many men you’ve serviced? Are you worried about catching something? ” “Why aren’t you answering, Olivia? Are you afraid you’ll just start seducing people again? Don’t worry, we all think you’re dirty.” The reporters burst into laughter, their eyes full of ridicule and disgust. I closed my eyes and endured, just like every other day and night. Then someone got bold and reached for my breasts. My body went limp and soft against my will, a small moan escaping my lips. 2 Ethan’s chest heaved, and he grabbed me, throwing me into the car. “What the hell are you doing? Why didn’t you fight back? Are you that desperate for it?!” When I first arrived, I had resisted. I was beaten mercilessly, then forced to satisfy more than a dozen men at once. After a few times, I learned my lesson. Ethan stared at my blank expression, his face twisting with disappointment. “Tiffany begged us to let you come back. Tomorrow is our wedding. Behave yourself. If you try to hurt her again, I swear I’ll turn you into the town whore.” But Ethan, I’ve already become that the day you dropped me off here. His face darkening, Ethan brought me home. Mom and Dad were inside, fawning over Tiffany as she blew out the candles on a cake. Tiffany was my adopted sister, taken in by my parents after I was kidnapped. Today was her birthday. And mine. My parents gave me a quick glance and nothing more. Ethan, however, shoved the cake in my face, gesturing for me to blow out the candles. “Welcome home, sis. You’re Mom and Dad’s real daughter, the real birthday girl.” The candlelight flickered. My breath caught, my teeth chattering. I remembered the men who had dripped hot wax all over my body. The scars from the low-temperature burns were still there. Fear washed over me. I collapsed, knocking the cake to the floor. Anger flashed on my parents’ faces, veins bulging on their foreheads. “If you’re gonna cause trouble, get the hell out!” Terrified, I curled up in a ball, apologizing and begging for mercy. “I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again! Please don’t hit me…” Tiffany put on a sweet smile and pulled me to the table. “Olivia just got back, maybe she needs time to adjust. Mom and Dad, don’t be mad at her. I got Olivia a birthday present. It’ll help her feel at home.” My parents’ expressions softened. Tiffany, a smirk playing on her lips, held a box out to me. A baseball bat, a baseball, a jump rope, bandages… Tiffany leaned in close and whispered, “I got these just for you, Olivia. All your favorite toys. Do you like them?” Memories flooded back. I remembered the fear of being ripped open by the baseball bat, the client’s leering face as he shoved a baseball into me. I felt the burning sensation of the jump rope digging into my skin, the suffocating feeling of the bandages stuffed in my mouth… Tears streamed down my face. I flinched and knocked the box away. Tiffany screamed and fell dramatically backwards. Mom, Dad, and Ethan rushed to catch her. When they looked at me again, their eyes blazed with rage. Dad, his face red, kicked me to the ground. “You beast! You dare hurt Tiffany in front of me! If you weren’t my daughter, I’d tear you limb from limb!” Ethan threw the toys at me, yelling, “I was going to forgive you, I even considered helping you get back in the industry!” “Just rot for the rest of your life!” I was in so much pain that cold sweat broke out on my skin. I lay on the floor, not daring to move, silently crying. I was already rotten. 3 Dad, seeing my tears, calmed down a little. Mom sighed. “Why are you always so stubborn? You wronged Tiffany back then. Are you still going to keep this up?” Tiffany grabbed Mom’s hand and touched it to her cheek. “It’s okay, Mom, I volunteered. It’s not Olivia’s fault.” But as she said it, a single tear rolled down her cheek. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Ethan’s eyes turned cold. “It’s a famous director. I was going to have him give you a comeback, but I guess that’s out.” Tiffany stopped him. “Olivia’s been through enough cleaning the club, I’m sure she’ll get better. Give her another chance.” Tiffany’s voice was sweet, but her eyes were full of poison. She led everyone to the garden, claiming she was taking care of my mental state and giving me space to audition. The moment the man spoke, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I just wanted to run! Leon Vance walked up to me, backlit by the sun. His hand trailed over my body like a sticky, venomous snake. I tried to back away, but I was too terrified to move. “You’re my prized possession. Don’t think you can escape me. You have your sweet little sister to thank.” He was a stalker who I had rejected, and for the last six months, he came to the club regularly to get revenge. He was ruthless, and he had brought me to the brink of despair multiple times. Leon picked up the baseball bat, looking displeased. “Didn’t you like my treasures? You threw it on the floor, you think you don’t have to listen to your master at home?” He used the baseball bat to lift my chin, teasing me all over my body. My body had been trained by him, and I automatically struck seductive poses. Tears kept coming, but I didn’t dare cry out or ask for help. Suddenly, the door burst open. I was half-undressed, but Leon’s clothes were still neat. The four people in the doorway froze. Then, there were two angry shouts and two screams. Ethan’s face was red. He marched over and slapped me hard. My ears rang, a current running through my body. I reflexively bowed in apology. Ethan’s rage grew. “Olivia Carter, you’re pretty good at seducing directors! What are you doing now, trying to act innocent! What have you learned at the club? You’ll throw away your reputation to come back?” Dad’s beard bristled with anger. “How could my family have such a shameless daughter!” Mom hid in Tiffany’s arms, looking distressed. Tiffany smiled. “You had me go to work the producers, it’s not cool now that you’re doing it yourself. Even if you’re that eager to come back, you shouldn’t start being so horny in the living room. ” Ethan glared at me. “What are you waiting for? Leon cares a lot about his reputation. Apologize to him!” I was kicked to my knees, trembling, my voice hoarse. Ethan kept putting me down, trying to flatter Leon out the door. Dad clutched his chest, his voice full of anger. “From now on, you can forget about acting! I’ll never let you embarrass the family again.” But ever since I stepped into that club, my career and my life were over. Dad grabbed all the trophies I had won from the display case and smashed them in front of me. Tiffany pretended to stop him but slipped my favorite trophy into his hands. “Olivia made a mistake, but she’s your daughter! She worked hard for those awards. Don’t smash them!” Dad gently pushed her aside. “If only you were my real daughter. I wish I’d never found her!” He slammed the trophy down in front of me. The crash startled me. I felt like I was back in the club being beaten. I didn’t care about the glass shards. I just kept banging my head on the floor, blood dripping from my nose. “Please don’t hit me. I’ll never run again. I’ll be a good girl. I’ll do whatever they want to me. Just don’t hit me! I’m really scared…” Ethan came back in from outside. “What are you talking about? I sent you to the club to clean, not to service clients!” “You think you can fool us with a good show? Do you think you can cry and make us forget about you trying to seduce Leon? Dream on!” “Keep acting! See how long you can keep it up!” I didn’t react. I just kept kneeling and banging my head on the floor. Mom always had a soft spot for me. Sighing, she took out the first-aid kit and cleaned my forehead. “Don’t punish yourself anymore. Do the right thing.” “Tomorrow is your brother’s wedding. Don’t mess it up again.” 4 The next day, Tiffany and Ethan’s wedding was held in the garden behind the mansion. Before the wedding started, Tiffany, in a wedding dress, screamed and ran into Ethan and my parents’ arms, crying as if her heart would break. “I thought the darkness was over, but someone took pictures and posted them online! Today’s my wedding, and they’re trying to ruin me! I can’t live in this world anymore!” They were shocked and angry. Mom covered her mouth in disbelief. Dad’s eyes widened, and he reached for his blood pressure medication. Ethan grabbed my hair and shoved the video in my face. “Tell me! What did you do?!” I shook my head frantically as I watched. “I don’t know! It wasn’t me! I didn’t do anything…” Slaps rained down on my face, stinging my skin. Ethan’s eyes were murderous. “Who else could it be? You made her sleep with producers to help you get to the top. Now you keep targeting Tiffany. She gave up being a Carter to marry me. Why can’t you just leave her alone?” “Today is her wedding. Did you have to ruin the rest of her life? Do you hate her that much?” “Why do you think you’re still a Carter!” Tiffany cried and threatened to kill herself. My parents turned red with grief. Ethan held Tiffany tight. “Don’t worry, I was your brother. Now, I’m your husband. I will always protect you.” Then he called his assistant. “Delete all the videos. Replace Tiffany’s face with Olivia’s. She’s made her bed, now she can lie in it. “ Tiffany sobbed in his arms. Dad supported Mom as they slowly walked up to me, their faces pale. “We’re so disappointed in you. You’ve hurt Tiffany again and again. And you don’t regret it.” “Starting today, we’re through!” “You’re no longer a Carter!” Mom’s body tensed. She looked sad, but when she saw how upset Tiffany was, her eyes turned cold. I felt nothing. I answered dully, “Okay…” After being tortured for six months, I didn’t dare consider them family anymore. I trudged away, exhausted, never looking back. I would never return. No one noticed my departure. The wedding went on as planned. There were many guests at the scene, and the place was very lively. Ethan, as the groom, walked from table to table with a wine glass. In a corner, a drunk man stopped him. His face was full of ugly and disgusting smiles. “Where’s Olivia? Why isn’t she at the club either?” “She’s really good in bed. I’ve never met anyone who can moan like her. She’s been with a lot of people this year, but I don’t care.” “Where is she? Get her out here. I want her body again!” Ethan froze in place, the wine glass shattering on the floor with a “clang!” “What did you say?!” The drunk man was still muttering nasty words. Ethan’s face was pale, and he was trembling. He punched the drunk man in the nose. The drunk man covered his nose and glared. “Who doesn’t know that you sent Olivia to the club yourself? I paid for it. Why do you have the right to hit me!” Ethan’s eyes were red, and his fists rained down. He grabbed a chair and tried to smash it over the man’s head. The people around him rushed to pull the angry Ethan away. Tiffany ran over screaming. “Ethan, today is our wedding. What are you doing!” “Are you going to ruin our wedding?” Ethan pried Tiffany’s hands off him. “I need to find Olivia. I need to figure things out!” “We…wronged her.”

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It was on our fifth wedding anniversary that my husband, Hank, handed me divorce papers. “My mom’s really sick, like, not long for this world. Her dying wish is for me to divorce you,” he mumbled, avoiding my eyes. “I promise it’s just a temporary thing. As soon as she’s gone, we’ll get remarried, I swear,” he added, pleadingly. Looking at Hank’s haggard face, I caved and agreed. I was such a fool. Barely divorced, and Hank’s already plastered wedding photos with his high school sweetheart all over Facebook! And his supposedly terminally ill mom? Standing right there in the pics, looking healthier than ever! 1 “Sarah, when did you and Hank split up?” My best friend, Chloe, frowned, her eyes filled with concern. “Such a big deal, and you didn’t even tell me?” I was utterly confused, bordering on disbelief. Hank and I were supposed to be faking the divorce, keeping it under wraps. How did Chloe find out? “Where did you hear that?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. Chloe’s eyes widened, her voice rising in disbelief. “Hank posted his marriage certificate with someone else all over Facebook! Where have you been?” She kept talking, but my brain just short-circuited. “Hank and a marriage certificate” kept echoing in my head, blocking out everything else. This couldn’t be happening. A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. My voice trembled as I asked, “You’re kidding, right?” Hank and I had a good marriage, at least, I thought we did. The devastated look on his face when he suggested the fake divorce, every expression, every detail was burned into my memory. How could he suddenly be marrying someone else? But Chloe’s reply hit me like a ton of bricks, shattering the last vestiges of hope. “I’m not kidding, Sarah. It’s real!” Panic surged through me. I fumbled for my phone, my fingers shaking as I frantically tried to call Hank. But all I got was that cold, robotic voice: “The person you are trying to reach is currently on another call.” I frantically pulled up our text history, and realized it had been ages since he’d replied. The chat box was filled with messages I’d sent – little updates about my day, sweet nothings – now they just seemed like a cruel joke. Refusing to give up, I opened Facebook, only to find he’d blocked me. Chloe sent me the photo. My hands trembled as I tapped to open it. The woman in the picture was Tiffany, Hank’s high school sweetheart. I remembered seeing her at our wedding. Dressed to the nines, she looked more like the bride than I did, standing next to Hank, radiating confidence. I’d asked Hank if he still had feelings for Tiffany. He’d denied it flatly, a staunch and immediate no. But now, seeing them together in the photo, beaming with happiness, with that bright, celebratory backdrop… it felt like a knife twisting in my gut. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. “Hank, say something!” “You wouldn’t do this, right? They’re lying, aren’t they? You didn’t marry someone else, did you?” But my messages vanished into the digital void, unanswered. I was completely devastated. I stumbled to the hospital, only to find that Hank’s mom had never even been admitted. When Hank told me she was sick, he’d choked up several times, struggling to get the words out. He’d lost weight in those few days, and it was heartbreaking to watch. Was it all an elaborate lie, a carefully crafted scheme? If he had a change of heart, couldn’t he have just told me? I wasn’t going to chain him to me. I desperately needed to talk to Hank, to get some answers. But it hit me then. Apart from the time his mom stayed with us, I didn’t even know where he lived. Desperate, I went to his office. His colleagues told me he was on leave, prepping for his wedding. When Hank and I planned our wedding, I’d handled everything – buying the house, the renovations, picking the dress, setting up the venue. Hank said he was too busy at work to take time off. Looking back, it wasn’t about being busy. It was about me not being important enough for him to take time off work. The more something remains unanswered, the more driven you are to find the truth. I requested a leave of absence from work and went on a frantic search for Hank. I looked everywhere I could think of, everywhere he might be, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally, Chloe told me the date of Hank’s wedding. And so, after our sham divorce, I saw Hank for the first time. At his wedding. To someone else. I stood in the back, watching Hank slip a diamond ring on Tiffany’s finger. His smile was brighter than the sun, but it felt like a slap in the face. His mom, the one who’d been practically on her deathbed, was standing next to him, looking spry and joyful. She looked nothing like the woman who always looked at me with disdain! “Hank!” My voice was raspy and trembling with anger and hurt. My shout must’ve startled him because Hank froze and slowly turned around. His smile vanished the moment he saw me, replaced by a look of panic and embarrassment. His mom saw what was happening and hurried over, pushing me, saying, “Everyone, carry on, let’s not ruin the happy occasion.” I dodged her hands, my eyes locked on Hank. Tears were already welling up. “What is going on? You said it was a temporary divorce! You said your mom was dying and wanted to see you happy!” With each word, I took a step closer to Hank. Each step added to my pain. I was a mess. The Hank in the tailored suit looked as handsome as the day I met him. But in that moment, he felt like a complete stranger. Time flies. But what hurts most is that he was no longer the man who was head over heels for me. Chloe shielded me from the curious, gossiping crowd, finally clearing a path to Hank. “Sarah, can we talk about this after the wedding? Please?” Hank’s voice was urgent, his eyes darting around. “It’s not what you think. I can explain.” I looked at him, my heart heavy with bitterness and anger. I laughed, a cold, humorless sound. “Hank, are you just trying to get me out of here so you can keep up the charade?” We stood there, locked in place, the air thick with tension. Then Tiffany walked over and linked her arm through Hank’s, the smugness of a victor etched on her face. “Sarah, before you start interrogating Hank, maybe you should look in the mirror,” she said. “He was married to you for five years, and you couldn’t give him a child. My son with him is already five years old.” “What?” I felt like I’d been struck by lightning, my body frozen, my mind blank. Chloe lost it, exploding in rage. “You two are scum! You were cheating five years ago, Hank! You even had a kid with her! You’ve been faking it all this time, marrying our Sarah. What kind of a sick game is this? You son of a bitch!” Hank and I had been together since college. After graduation, I gave up everything in my hometown and moved to his city so we could be together. In the beginning, he was perfect. He took care of the house, and he was so sweet and thoughtful. But over time, things changed. He grew distant, saying our love had turned into a comfortable companionship, and we didn’t need to try as hard anymore. Like an idiot, I believed him. I actually thought love could just naturally evolve into a companionship. Now I realized he’d given his love to someone else. All I got was a lame excuse for a relationship. “Hank, is it true?” A chill ran through me. My need for answers dissipated. He looked down, hesitating before muttering, “Yeah.” “Okay, I understand.” My heart shattered into a million pieces. Turning to Chloe, I said, “Chloe, let’s go.” At this point, the only thing I could do was salvage what was left of my pride. But Hank actually left Tiffany and chased after me, grabbing my arm. “Sarah, I have a reason, don’t be mad.” “I’ll explain after the wedding,” he said desperately. “What’s there to explain!” Chloe shoved Hank’s hand away, pulling me with her. She ranted about Hank the whole way, trying to make me feel better. But I didn’t want to hear anything. When we pulled up to her place, I stopped her mid-sentence, “Chloe, go home. I’ll pack my things and come over later.” “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you?” She looked at me, concerned. I managed a smile, trying to reassure her. “I’m fine, don’t worry.” We’d had some good times. Sarah could move on. And now that the temporary divorce had become a real one, there were things I couldn’t let go of. Things that were mine. I needed to get them back. The house I lived in was bought before we were married, and it was mine and mine alone. I decided to sell the house and use the money to go home and be with my parents. When the real estate agent brought someone to view the house, Hank showed up unannounced. He saw the man in the house and started yelling. “Sarah, we’re only temporarily divorced. How can you bring another man into our house?” I couldn’t be bothered to deal with him. I arranged for the real estate agent to come back another day and politely saw him out. But Hank wouldn’t let it go. He blocked the doorway. “We need to get this straight, or nobody’s going anywhere.” When we were dating, I’d only seen the good in him. His flaws were quirky and endearing. Now, without the rose-colored glasses, I realized how awful he was. “We’re divorced. You have no say in my life.” I pushed past him, apologizing to the agent before seeing him out. When I went back inside, Hank was still standing in the entryway, fuming. “Sarah, we agreed it was just a temporary divorce!” I stared at him like he was crazy. “Did you forget you got married again?” “I had my reasons, and Tiffany and I’s wedding was a sham, too. The kid was an accident, I don’t know how it happened.” “My mom found out about the kid and said she was on her deathbed and wanted to spend some time with her grandchild.” Hank spouted excuse after excuse, acting like it was my fault for not understanding. But his excuses meant nothing to me. I didn’t want to hear them. And, from what I saw at the wedding, his mom was doing just fine. “Hank, since the temporary divorce is a real divorce now, we need to divide up the property. I’ve hired a lawyer.” “As for this house, it was mine to begin with. I’m selling it, and you can’t come here anymore.”

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We’d been married for three years, and my wife, Ashley, treated me like gold. She went above and beyond to support my career, and she kept our home spotless. She always said she knew she couldn’t give me kids, that she already owed me so much, so she had to make it up to me in other ways. Everyone told me she was head-over-heels for me, and honestly, I believed it. But one day after work, I accidentally overheard a conversation between her and our adopted daughter: “Mommy, I miss Daddy. I don’t like Uncle Kevin.” Ashley’s eyes grew distant as she stroked our daughter’s hair. “Daddy’s heart is beating inside Uncle Kevin’s body. He’s always with us.” My blood ran cold. Three years ago, I had a heart transplant. Turns out, she wasn’t infertile, she already had a kid with someone else. I was just a substitute. 1 “Mommy, I don’t like Uncle Kevin. When can we go back to the house where Daddy lived?” I’d just gotten to the front door after work when I heard that little voice coming from inside. It was Ashley’s and my adopted daughter, Lily. And me? I was just “Uncle Kevin.” My hand froze on the doorknob. A moment later, I heard Ashley’s soft, careful voice. “Lily, honey, Daddy’s heart is beating inside Uncle Kevin’s body. He’s always with us.” When Ashley said that, her normally gentle voice had a hint of a tremor I’d never noticed before. As soon as she heard that, Lily started wailing. “Uncle Kevin is a bad man! He stole Daddy’s heart! Waaaaah!” That’s when my blood turned to ice. Three years ago, I’d gotten a heart transplant. I heard the donor was a young guy. I met Ashley during my recovery. She was the campus queen at State U, we even had classes together back then, and I’d chased after her for three years. She was always so cool to me, so I gave up. Then, she showed up at the hospital visiting a friend and ran right into me sneaking out of my room. The nurses were doing their rounds. She was so tiny, and we hid together in this narrow hallway alcove. Her beautiful eyes were glued to me. Our eyes met, and I was pathetically smitten all over again. She was gorgeous, one of those girls who just glows. She’d always acted like I was invisible, but when she heard I’d nearly died and gotten a new heart, she suddenly said yes to a date. The way she put it was, “You only really appreciate something when you almost lose it.” She’d take me out to the park when I was going stir-crazy in the hospital, she’d bring me a bouquet of blue roses every morning, and when I finally got out, she swore she’d love me forever in front of our family and friends when I proposed. After we got married, she played the role of “perfect wife” to the hilt. She did everything around the house, wouldn’t let me lift a finger. Our friends called her my “pocket angel,” sweet and beautiful, and said she was here to repay me for something in a past life. Only, she couldn’t have kids. I never blamed her, but it made her sad. She didn’t perk up until we adopted Lily, and you could see the happiness radiating from her. Everyone said she was crazy about me. They couldn’t believe how this ice queen from college was now so devoted. Yeah, Ashley’s eyes were deep and beautiful, her dark pupils always looked like they were filled with this bottomless love. Just one look from her, and I’d melt. But now I realized she was looking right through me at someone else. That her not wanting to have kids was because she already had a kid. I was just a replacement. Because my chest was beating with her lover’s heart. 2 Grief crashed over me like a tidal wave. My hands started shaking. The jigsaw puzzle I’d bought for Lily tumbled to the floor, shattering the silence. The door flew open. Ashley saw me and her eyes flashed with panic. She knew I’d heard the conversation. “Kevin, let me explain…” Ashley instinctively reached out to me, but I shoved her away. I took a step back, feeling like I couldn’t breathe. My heart was pounding harder, but all I felt was disgust. She ignored me and wrapped her arms around my waist. Her soft voice whispered in my ear, “Breathe, Kevin. Don’t do this.” The last time I’d gotten this upset was when my mom died. I was so choked up, I could barely breathe. I held onto Ashley and told her I didn’t have a family anymore. And Ashley stayed with me every single long, painful night, soothing me over and over. She said she’d love me forever, she’d give me a home. As long as I took care of myself, took care of this heart, and cherished the life we’d made. I believed her. I did everything I could to protect our family. Even though Lily wasn’t that close to me, I tried to win her over, buying her the toys and snacks she liked. Ashley gave so much to our family, I wanted to match her efforts. But it turned out I was always the outsider. I was the bad guy who stole her dad’s heart. They were the real family. 3 “So you never loved me. It was always someone else, wasn’t it?” I wrenched myself out of Ashley’s arms and stomped towards the bedroom to pack my things. She grabbed my arm, and in the struggle, I accidentally knocked over the snow globe on the hall table. The crash echoed. Ashley froze. Glass shards everywhere. The old gears inside whirred to a halt, making this awful, screeching sound. She babied that snow globe, always said it was a gift from a special friend, never let me touch it. Lily, standing nearby, started crying. “Daddy gave that to Mommy! You bad man!” Ashley didn’t even pay attention to me. She instinctively reached down to pick up the broken glass, and the sharp edges sliced her long fingers, drawing blood. She didn’t seem to notice. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she stared at me. “Kevin, have you lost your mind? What do you want from me?” “Your life was saved by him! What right do you have to act like this?” She was yelling at me for the first time. There was a flash of something like hate in her eyes. My heart twisted, and I just stood there. Lily pushed me. My lower back slammed into the corner of the table. A sharp pain shot through me. “It’s your fault! I hate you!” “Because of you, Daddy doesn’t want me anymore! Can’t you just get out of our house!” Her words felt like a punch to the gut. My heart was beating faster, and I was shaking all over. Lily wouldn’t let up. She kept pushing me towards the door. My chest was tight, and I couldn’t catch my breath. I instinctively struggled, accidentally shoving her away. Lily fell to the floor and immediately started screaming. “I want Daddy! Daddy’s not here, and everyone’s picking on me! Waaaaah!” Ashley instantly stepped in front of Lily, her bloody hands protecting her. She glared at me. “She’s a child, Kevin! What the hell is wrong with you?” “She’s been living without her dad for three years because of you! And if it weren’t for his heart, you wouldn’t even be alive right now! How can you treat our daughter like this?” I stared at Ashley, stunned. She was a complete stranger. If I was so awful, why had I worked so hard to please Lily? Why had I stayed up all night with her when she was sick, why had I been the first one at school when she got bullied? Lily wasn’t my biological child, but I’d treated her like she was. And now she was calling me “awful.” How ridiculous was that? 4 My legs were starting to give out. The pain, physical and emotional, was crushing me. Just breathing was agony, and I didn’t have the strength to say anything. It was the start of a heart attack. Ashley seemed to notice something was wrong. Her yelling stopped abruptly, and I saw a flicker of worry in her eyes. “Okay, you’ve got his heart. Don’t get too worked up.” Even now, she was thinking about her lover’s heart. I smiled bitterly to myself. Lily, seeing Ashley soften, got an idea. She tugged at Ashley’s sleeve and whispered, “Mommy, Uncle Kevin doesn’t have Daddy’s heart… Daddy’s still alive.” “He called me.” Ashley paused, confused. “When did Daddy call you? Are you sure it was him?” “Yeah! Daddy said he’s coming back to surprise Mommy. He said when the blue roses are blooming, you’ll see each other again.” Ashley’s eyes filled with tears. She murmured, “That was our thing… He’s really alive. There’s no way you’d know that otherwise.” Blue roses. Ashley had special ordered them for our wedding. The bitterness and pain in my heart got worse. The throbbing in my chest grew more intense. I bit my lip, trying to get inside to grab my medication. “Move, Ashley. I don’t owe you anything anymore…” But Ashley grabbed my wrist, her eyes cold. “Yeah, you’re nothing to him now, but you just pushed Lily. Apologize.” Now that she knew the truth, she looked at me with disgust. Even the last bit of affection was gone. She was standing by Lily’s side again. My lips were white, my voice trembling. “Let go, Ashley. I don’t feel well.” “Do you think I’ll believe you? How many times have you lied to me before?” Ashley sneered. I used to tease her, telling her my heart was acting up. Whether I was serious or not, Ashley would always rush back to my side. Even when she knew I was faking it, she’d tear up and whine about it, hugging me and saying I couldn’t lie to her again. But that affection and forgiveness only mattered when I was loved. Now that the charade was over, how much of it had been real, and how much was just revulsion? I couldn’t risk it. I wanted to live. My mom had wanted me to live a good life. I just wanted to get my medication. My forehead was covered in sweat from the pain, but I managed to stammer, “I’m… sorry… Lily…” I looked at the child I’d doted on for three years, hoping she’d remember the good times and not push me to my death. But the next moment, her little voice rang out, condemning me. “Uncle Kevin, stop lying. You always pretend to be sick to trick Mommy.” Ashley huffed, looking down at me. “Get on your knees and apologize to Lily. You owe her that much.” My last shred of hope disappeared. My eyes dimmed. Just then, Ashley’s phone rang. She answered it impatiently, but as soon as she heard the voice on the other end, she froze. “Kevin…? Is that really you…” Her face softened. She even lowered her voice. Lily also heard the voice on the phone. She leaned in excitedly. “It’s Daddy, Mommy! Is Daddy coming to get me?” In the silence, I heard a gentle voice coming from the phone. “Ashley, how have you been?” Ashley hesitated for a moment, her voice barely audible, as if she needed to make sure it was real. “…They said you died. That they gave your heart to someone else.” “I signed a donor agreement, but they transferred me overseas for treatment. The doctors said the chance of recovery was small. I didn’t want to give you hope and then have it crushed, it was too cruel. So I chose to keep it a secret.” “But I’m lucky to be alive. Can you come see me?” There was a hint of helplessness and a sob in his voice. “Where are you? Send me your location.” She didn’t hesitate. She turned to leave. I was losing strength. I used all my energy to grab the edge of her shirt. “Ashley, I’m in so much pain… Call an ambulance.” But the woman who used to have eyes only for me mercilessly pried my fingers off, disgust on her face. “Kevin, do you think you still have anything to hold over me?” “I used to care about your heart. Now, what do you have? Don’t embarrass yourself.” I stumbled to the ground. Shards of the snow globe dug into my skin. My palm was covered in blood. I whimpered from the pain. My eyes welled up. “Please… Ashley. I’m not lying this time.” “For the sake of our three years together, help me.” Maybe the shaking in my voice and my obvious pain got through to her. Ashley paused. There was a flash of hesitation in her eyes. I felt a flicker of hope. But then Lily grabbed her hand, urging her on. “Mommy, I want to see Daddy!” “Uncle Kevin’s lying again! He’s trying to stop us from being together. Daddy’s waiting for us!” As soon as Ashley heard the words “stop us from being together,” the hesitation in her eyes turned to disgust. “Okay. Mommy’s going to take you to see Daddy.” She tore my hand off her shirt. The force of it sent me crashing into the broken glass. My skin was cut, and blood pooled underneath me, staining my white shirt.

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My filthy rich husband wanted me to donate skin grafts to his precious darling, his “Dream Girl” as he called her. When I refused point blank, the bastard had our five-year-old son beaten black and blue and then dangled him over a shark tank, threatening, “You don’t donate, and I’ll throw this little bastard to the sharks!” Fresh blood dripped from my son’s little legs into the pool, instantly attracting a frenzy of sharks. They surged and leaped, their razor teeth snapping at my son’s tender ankles. My son struggled desperately, his cries tearing through the air, brokenly shouting, “Mommy, help me! It hurts so bad…” His heart-wrenching screams sliced into me like knives. I had no choice but to give in, and I found myself strapped onto the operating table. Then I heard my husband’s cold command: “No anesthesia. It’ll mess with the graft. Just cut!” The sharp scalpel sliced into my skin inch by agonizing inch. The pain caused me to faint several times, only to be shocked back to consciousness by the searing agony. After a full eight hours of torture, I was so weak I couldn’t even lift a finger. But my son was still dangling there. “You promised you’d let him go!” I choked out, struggling to speak. My husband glanced at me, his face contorted in rage. “You damn bitch!” he spat. “If it wasn’t for your worthless skin, she wouldn’t be screaming in pain!” “This is a lesson for you!” With those words, he didn’t hesitate to press the button on the remote control in his hand. The rope snapped, and my son plummeted straight into the shark tank. I threw myself at the edge of the pool with all my remaining strength, but I could only watch helplessly as the sharks tore my son to shreds. Just then, a news alert popped up on my phone: “Billionaire Sean Preston Kneels, Praying on 999 Steps for Beloved Girlfriend.” I clenched my fist, the hatred in my heart burning like wildfire. 1 “How could you be so irresponsible! Letting a kid fall into a shark tank!” The rescue team’s reprimands stabbed into me like shards of glass. Tears streamed down my face as I repeated over and over, “I’m so sorry…” Maybe they took pity on me, seeing that I had just lost my child. Their expressions were disapproving, but they didn’t say anything more. After completing their task, they left one by one, leaving me kneeling alone by the shark tank, staring at my son’s mangled, fragmented remains. At that moment, I couldn’t even cry anymore. Overwhelming grief enveloped me, crushing me until I could barely breathe. Trembling, I took off my coat and carefully wrapped my son in it. Even when I picked him up, I was as gentle as could be, afraid of hurting him further. But I knew he couldn’t feel pain anymore. … On the way to the funeral home, the radio in the taxi was broadcasting a news story: “Billionaire Sean Preston Kneels on 999 Steps, Only to Pray for His Love…” The driver, as he drove, gushed, “Looks like Mr. Preston is totally head-over-heels for his girl. Not only did he kneel and pray himself, but he shelled out a fortune to put her on all the big screens downtown.” “Makes you jealous, huh? Too bad I wasn’t born to be loved by a billionaire. Guess I’m stuck driving a cab.” I didn’t say a word, just held my son closer. On the big screens outside, Sean Preston was kneeling in devotion, climbing up the steps, one by one. “Even their names sound like they belong together,” the driver said, glancing at me in the rearview mirror. “Little lady, you look beat to hell. Probably living a rough life. Must be jealous of them, right?” Jealous? I scoffed softly, my heart filled with bitterness and rage. They had joined hands to cause my son’s death! I wanted to tear them limb from limb! How could I be jealous? The driver knew I was going to the funeral home and must have sensed my heavy mood. He didn’t say anything else for the rest of the ride. Sean Preston’s grand gesture had even reached the funeral home. While I was waiting for my son’s cremation, I overheard the staff whispering. “I heard they knew each other back in college. One went abroad to study, the other started a business, but they always encouraged each other. That’s how they got to where they are today.” “From college sweethearts to a wedding! So cute!” I twitched the corner of my mouth, a bitter taste filling my throat. If they knew that Sean Preston, for the sake of his precious Tiffany Bartlett, had used his own son’s life as leverage to force his wife to donate skin, and then personally sent that son to his death, leaving behind not even a complete body… Would they still be so envious? “Ms. Evans, here are your son’s ashes. Please accept our condolences.” I took the urn, thanking the worker softly. The employee hesitated, then finally said, “The injuries on your son’s body… they look like he was attacked by some kind of animal, and there were signs of whipping too. Are you in any trouble?” I shook my head, not answering, and turned away. 2 Bang! The moment the car slammed into me, my first instinct was to bend over and hold the urn tight. My ears were filled with a cacophony of sounds. In the chaos, I felt someone trying to snatch the urn from my arms. I fought with all my strength, holding on for dear life. “Ooh, what’s so special about this thing?” “Forget it, forget it! Get her to the ambulance!” I don’t remember what happened after that. When I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed, my hands empty. My heart clenched, and I tried to sit up to look for it, but I was too weak to even get up. “Don’t move!” A nurse rushed in, pushing me back onto the bed. “The car accident fractured your spine. You need to rest! Otherwise, you might not be able to walk for the rest of your life!” “When the car hit you, you had time to bend over. You should have tried to get out of the way, at least you could have minimized the damage!” “Besides, all that skin they cut off you is getting infected…” The nurse scolded me as she adjusted the IV drip. I wasn’t listening to her. I asked urgently, “Where are my son’s ashes? I remember holding them…” The nurse paused, then turned and took the urn from the cabinet next to the bed, placing it within my reach. “You bent over to protect it, right? Don’t worry, it’s safe because you protected it. The urn is undamaged.” “Remember, don’t move around, just rest.” The nurse finished her instructions and left the room. I was too weak to even hold the urn. I could only gently caress its surface with my fingertips. “Good… Mommy protected you this time…” I murmured, tears silently streaming down my face. Bang! The door to the room was kicked open. Before I could even see who it was, a familiar voice slammed into me: “Grace! What the hell were you doing running into the street like that! Do you know Tiffany’s been crying for hours because of you!” “She took a knife to her wrists, said she felt so guilty about hitting you that she had to apologize like that.” “Grace, can you just give me a break!” Just as I was about to speak, I caught a glimpse of Tiffany Bartlett being pushed into the room in a wheelchair. She reached out and gently tugged on Sean’s sleeve, her eyes red-rimmed and her voice choked with sobs: “Sean, honey, don’t blame Grace. It’s my fault…it’s all my fault…” Sean immediately turned around, his anger vanishing as his face softened with concern. He gently wiped away Tiffany’s tears, his voice tender: “How could I blame you? It’s her fault for jaywalking.” “Don’t cry, it’ll hurt your eyes.” I smiled a cold, silent smile. I glanced at Tiffany’s wrists. That so-called wound was probably already healing. I was used to these little games. I used to feel hurt by Sean’s blind trust in Tiffany and his cruel words towards me. Now, I just felt tired and disgusted. I didn’t even want to look at them. I struggled to reach for the nurse call button, but Tiffany suddenly stepped forward and grabbed my hand: “Grace, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I’ll pay for all your medical bills. You… ah!” She hadn’t finished speaking before she suddenly fell to the ground, large tears rolling down her face. Such acting deserved an award. I looked down at the scratches her nails had left on my arm. I felt only exhaustion, too tired to even argue. Sean quickly helped her up, gently settling her back into the wheelchair. He turned back to me and yanked me right off the bed, sprawling onto the floor. “Tiffany’s so worried about you, and you don’t even appreciate it! You even dared to hit her!” “Get down on your knees! And apologize to her!” Everything happened so fast. I wasn’t prepared. He pulled me down hard, and I landed heavily on the floor, the urn with my son’s ashes falling with me. The box cracked open, spilling the ashes. My pupils constricted, my heart clenched as if an invisible hand had squeezed it, and I nearly stopped breathing. I tried to pull away from his grip and reach for my son’s ashes. But the searing pain in my fractured spine left me unable to move. I could only watch helplessly as Tiffany Bartlett stepped on my son’s ashes. A false smile played on her lips. “Grace, don’t worry, I’ll help you clean up,” she said. She pretended to bend down, but her foot ground into the ashes, scattering them everywhere. “Oops, it’s hard to clean up with my hands. I’ll get the vacuum cleaner.” I tried to grab her, but my fingers only brushed the hem of her white dress. Seeing that she really was getting the vacuum cleaner, I grabbed Sean’s wrist, my voice trembling. “Those are my son’s ashes!” 3 Tiffany immediately protested, “Grace, even if you resent me, you can’t curse your own child!” “Those are clearly plaster dust. I’ve seen you use it when you’re taking care of your plants.” “And this box! It’s covered in stickers! Who keeps ashes in a box like this? It’s disrespectful.” My son was still young, and he loved stickers. But Sean thought little boys shouldn’t play with such things. He wanted to cultivate his masculine side. On a snowy day, he even made my son stand outside in his underwear to teach him discipline. As a result, my son developed a high fever, which turned into pneumonia and nearly killed him. Sean not only didn’t care, he called him a good-for-nothing, saying he couldn’t take a little hardship and didn’t deserve to be his son! Later, my son barely pulled through. I vowed that I would never let Sean treat him like that again. Whatever he liked, I would buy him. But I never thought that Sean would be so cruel, throwing my son into the shark tank. After my son died, the only thing I could do was put his favorite superhero stickers on his urn. At least in another world, he could have the things he loved. “Sean, those really are my son’s ashes…” “He’s really dead…” I choked on my words, tears blurring my vision. But Sean raised his hand and slapped me, saying coldly, “I just asked you to donate skin to Tiffany. It’s not like I was asking for your life. Do you have to be such a bitch?” “Cursing your son to die!” Tiffany had already vacuumed up all of my son’s ashes. She seemed to be talking to herself, but I caught the meaningful look in her eyes as she glanced at me. “The plaster dust clogged the vacuum cleaner. I have to clean it out.” She walked towards the bathroom. I realized what she was going to do and struggled to get up, but my body was too weak. I could only put my hope in Sean. “Sean, please, help my son. Those really are his ashes…” My voice trembled, almost begging. But Sean shoved me away. “Enough, Grace! Don’t make me throw you and your worthless son into the shark tank to feed the sharks.” Just then, I heard the sound of the toilet flushing. My heart clenched violently. Tiffany came out of the bathroom, dusted off her hands, and gave me a smug look. “All done.” But Sean suddenly grabbed her hand, his voice rising sharply: “Why are your hands red?” Tiffany glanced at me, then hesitated, “I didn’t know plaster dust could burn your skin…” Before she finished speaking, Sean kicked me. His hard leather shoe ground into my fractured spine, twisting brutally. “Grace, you damn bitch!” “Tiffany already apologized to you! Why can’t you just let it go!” “I bet you were faking your injuries, coming to the hospital to make her feel guilty, right?!” “Now apologize to Tiffany! Or else–” “I’ll make sure you never see your son again!” I already couldn’t see him. The intense pain made my vision go black, and I bit my lip, forcing myself to stay conscious. I stared into Sean’s eyes, saying each word slowly, deliberately: “Have you forgotten? You were the one who threw our son into the shark tank.” I thought I would see panic on Sean’s face, but instead, he laughed. “You’re not just a loser, you’re an idiot.” “When our son fell in, the sharks had already been put back in their cages.” That’s impossible! I clearly saw the sharks biting my son, the water stained red with blood. Before I could object, the door to the room opened and a group of police officers walked in. They flashed their badges and said coldly to me, “Ms. Evans, we received a report from the funeral home. We suspect you of child abuse resulting in death. Please come with us to assist in the investigation.” 4 Sean’s reaction was even more intense than mine. He grabbed my collar, shouting, “Grace, enough! You were just pretending to use plaster dust as ashes, and now you’re working with these guys to trick me!” I almost laughed. I had already failed my son too many times, and now I was disabled. The only thing I could do was bring the killer of my son to justice. I turned to the officers, saying calmly, “Sean Preston threw my son into the shark tank, causing his death. Please investigate this thoroughly.” “Grace!” Sean’s hands tightened around my neck, as if he wanted to kill me. “You’re hopeless!” I looked to the police for help, and they quickly pulled Sean away. Finally able to breathe, I looked at Sean. “There are security cameras at the shark tank. Pull up the footage and you’ll see the truth.” Sean scoffed. “Fine, if you want to keep causing trouble, I’ll show you the truth!” Tiffany’s eyes darted back and forth, and she suddenly said “Ouch!”, trying to look hurt and take Sean away. Sean put her in her wheelchair, and called a doctor to help her with her “injuries”. Even when he was arguing with me, he was still caring and gentle. “I’ll be back to take you home soon. I’ll make chicken soup for you.” He had someone bring the security footage and play it on the TV in the room. After a few moments, his face went white and he stammered, “This is impossible!”

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My wife’s “eco-prince charming,” as he called himself, was a real piece of work. He convinced my wife to limit every single expense for me and my kid to under fifty bucks. He wanted us using leaves and rocks instead of toilet paper. Eating with our bare hands instead of silverware. My son, bless his heart, felt bad for me. He snuck out to do odd jobs, and ended up getting hit by a car. By the time he reached the ER, my boy was barely clinging to life. I begged my wife for money to save him, but her eco-freak boyfriend piped up, “We can’t be rewarding handouts! We’re Earth’s guardians, remember!” “Hey, why doesn’t your old man plant a hundred trees? I’ll give him ten bucks a tree!” To save my son, I swallowed my pride and planted a hundred saplings in the freezing wind. But when I got back to the hospital, the promised grand was nowhere to be found. My son passed away, in agony. I frantically called my wife, and the eco-jerk’s smug voice answered: “My sweetie got me a new yacht! We’re heading out, so don’t bother us.” I blew a fuse, yelling, “Just give me the thousand dollars! I need to bury my son!” He flatly refused. “Burial is so wasteful!” “Just dump the used-up trash in the woods; it’s free!” I was livid, but my wife cut me off, ice in her voice: “You’d pretend to be dead to get money from me!” “Fine, go to the woods and reflect on your life! “If he really dies, I’ll pick up the body later.” Before I could answer, she hung up. Clutching my phone, hatred burned in my gut. 1. “Prepare for the worst…” Those words hit me like a bomb. My legs gave out, and I knelt, banging my head on the floor, pleading with the doctor: “Please, Doc, he’s only ten! You gotta save him! I’ll pay whatever you want, just save him!” The doctor helped me up, sighing, “We waited too long…I’m sorry. We did everything we could.” I couldn’t believe it. I stared at my son’s colorless face in the hospital bed. I remembered him feebly trying to wipe my tears a little while ago, smiling and saying: “Dad, I made twenty bucks handing out flyers outside the amusement park. I can buy you a burger now.” “But Dad, I’m kinda tired. Let me take a nap.” “Don’t cry, Dad…” I beat my head, refusing to accept it. A nurse came over, looking at me with sympathy: “Mr. Johnson, you should arrange for burial, get him some rest.” She calmed me down, and I found my phone to call my wife, Brittany. Each second of waiting felt like an eternity. When I thought it would automatically disconnect, it went through, and her boyfriend, Chad, answered, sounding annoyed: “What’s up, old timer? Brittany and I are about to set sail. Don’t bother us.” I was already on the edge, so I couldn’t contain my rage: “Get me the thousand dollars from planting those damn trees, now!” Then, Brittany’s cold voice came through, full of reprimand: “All you ever think about is money! I guess you haven’t learned your lesson. You and Junior’s allowance is now cut in half!” I wanted to curse her, but to give my son a proper burial, I held back, “Whatever you want, just give me the thousand I earned.” Brittany scoffed at my tone, “Without me, you two losers couldn’t even find trash, and you dare talk back to me?” “Since you’re so ambitious, stop trying to con me out of my money.” For my son, I dug my nails into my thigh, enduring the humiliation as I begged, “Brittany, please, Junior died, I need that thousand to bury him…” “No burial!” Chad’s voice screeched through the speaker, “It’s not eco-friendly! You gotta dump the trash in the woods. It saves money, a total win-win.” Before I could speak, Brittany said, “Let’s listen to Chad. Dump him in the woods and reflect.” I said in a shaky voice, “Brittany, your son really did die…” Brittany’s words pierced me like a thousand arrows: “Enough! Stop using excuses to beg for cash!” “If he dies, I’ll pick him up when I’m free.” Click— The phone hung up without hesitation. I called back, but no one answered. Looking at my son’s body, I felt utterly helpless. Waiting for my thousand dollars, he endured excruciating pain, clawing at his arms, only to close his eyes forever. Leaning down to kiss his forehead, I choked, “I’m sorry, son. Dad’s useless…I’ll bury you properly, just you wait.” I returned to our home’s garden, finding the hidden Moonlight Orchid among a bunch of wildflowers. I didn’t know Chad played the eco-friendly act; planting wildflowers gave me my only hope. I carefully removed the full orchid and planned to sell it for cash. Suddenly, a bunch of people appeared, surrounding me. They held up cameras and filmed, pushing me back. “Look everyone! He went to someone’s house and started digging around!” “Look at what he did to those flowers!” “Brittany’s the eco-ambassador. Now, he’s ruining her flowers, and he’ll toss garbage next! We gotta teach him a lesson!” 2 Clicks, shouts, pushes, I started seeing stars. To protect the flower, I quickly explained: “I’m not destroying anything. This is my house, the flowers I planted…” A brawny guy at the front shoved me hard. I lost my balance and fell. He stood above me, spit flying in my face: “Don’t try to take credit for yourself. Everyone knows Brittany has a boyfriend, she’s getting married soon.” “There’s no way this is your house! Look at yourself!” Brittany and I didn’t have money for a wedding, we only had a marriage license. Her eco-boyfriend Chad said a wedding would pollute the environment, wasting money. So, our marriage was a secret. Right now, I need to bury my son, I can’t waste time. So, I opened my phone to show them the marriage license. “Here’s a picture of Brittany, my son, and me. I’m her husband, this is my house. I didn’t destroy anything!” The brawny man smacked the phone away, kicking me in the gut. “AI can swap faces. It only takes a few minutes to fake pictures and licenses.” He pulled out his phone, and photoshopped a picture of him and Brittany’s wedding. “See, that’s me, Brittany, and our daughter.” I knew AI could swap faces, but mine was real. The man didn’t give me a chance to speak, kicking me. I tried to cover the orchid. My son was waiting at the hospital… “You’re Brittany’s stalker, trying to destroy the flowers to get her attention!” “You’re destroying the environment, and we’re going to stop you!” I opened my eyes, seeing the phone in my face, live streaming. The comments were all insults. Catching my breath, I said in pain, “I’m not lying…” The man slapped me: “Still lying? Looks like we gotta beat you until you learn your lesson.” “Come on, let’s teach the stalker a lesson!” They started to punch and kick me. The man stepped on my chest. I screamed, spitting blood. Someone got scared, afraid of killing me. “Is he dead…?” The man grabbed my hair, exposing my face, then grabbed the flower. I tried to grab it, but he stomped me. “See, still fighting back, pretending to be dead, wanting to run.” They spat on me. I focused on the flower, saying weakly: “This flower is important to me. Please, give it back…” “It’s Brittany’s flower.” He pulled me up. “Since you dug it out, you’ll plant it back.” “It’s everyone’s responsibility to be eco-friendly. People are watching, you must remember, don’t destroy the environment!” The man didn’t know how to dig and plant a flower. Plus, I couldn’t just plant it back. “This is a Moonlight Orchid. You can’t just plant it back.” Someone kicked me: “Did you know how much it costs? You’re destroying it. You’ll get shamed, fined, and arrested!” They didn’t give me a chance to speak, and dragged me to the garden. The man dug a hole and planted the flower. He grabbed my hand and pushed the soil back in. The root broke. My hope broke. I coughed up blood and fainted. 3 I woke up at the hospital. Remembering my son, I tried to sit up, but a hand gently pushed me back. “Don’t move. I just treated your wounds, you have a concussion, you need to rest.” Seeing her, I felt sad. “Aunt Carol…” After my parents died, my aunt raised me, sacrificing finding a husband. I married Brittany, breaking contact with her. Aunt Carol wiped my tears, “You never listen…If I wasn’t visiting for work, you’d be…” “Fine, you should rest.” I swallowed, clearing my throat, “Aunt Carol…can you bring my son? He should be at the hospital…the morgue.” Before my aunt could answer, Brittany and Chad rushed in. Brittany yelled, “Danny Johnson, you couldn’t scam me for money, so you destroyed my home and got it on the internet! I’m embarrassed!” Chad, eyes red, said, “Danny, how could you destroy the environment? Brittany helped me make an eco-garden!” “The flower stem is broken,” He cried. “Brittany, the flower’s dying.” Brittany consoled him. “Don’t cry. I’ll take care of it.” She looked at me, her gentleness gone: “Danny, you and Junior won’t get any more money!” “Not until you learn your lesson!” Aunt Carol slapped Brittany. Brittany fell, Chad gasped, “Why did you hit her!” Brittany stood, protecting Chad, glaring at me: “Danny, aren’t you done yet?” “You said our son died, then you destroyed my garden, and now you’re teaming up with your aunt to con me!” Hearing my son, I looked at her, “Your son is at the hospital’s morgue. You said he died, he’ll pick up his body?” Brittany shouted: “Danny! Don’t you curse my son. I’ll hurt you!” Aunt Carol raised her hand, but an assistant cut her off. “Ms. Sterling, we have the boy.” Aunt Carol raised her hand, and the assistant brought a stretcher. He hesitated, saying: “But we went late. There were stray dogs on the mountain…” I grabbed Aunt Carol, asking. Aunt Carol said someone took my son and dumped him on the mountain. “I’m sorry, Brittany. I was late.” I fell to my son, removed the sheet, and held my breath. His body was torn open, empty. His face was unrecognizable. “Ah—” I cried, falling to my aunt. Brittany asked: “Danny, what are you doing, what’s that disgusting thing?” “Brittany.” Chad pulled her. “The flower is waiting for me. Let’s go.” A nurse came. Seeing me, she was surprised: “Danny, didn’t you have people pick up the body to bury him? What are you doing here?” Brittany shook, “What? Body?”

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I’m the daughter of a billionaire, back in the States ready to take over the family business. All it took was holding my brother’s arm at a fancy charity gala, and his sickly, delicate girlfriend, Brittany, flipped out, thinking I was trying to steal him. Last time around, she had some thugs cut off my hands and left me to rot. “He’s way too good for you, you little tramp!” she’d screamed. “Stay in your lane!” Even when Brittany’s own doctor begged my brother, Chad, to avenge me, he just shrugged it off. “So what if she’s my sister? If her dying makes Brittany happy, that’s good enough for me.” He even ran over the doctor outside the police station to cover up Brittany’s crime. But this time, I woke up right when Brittany was about to hack off my hands again. I hung up on Chad’s guilt-tripping phone call and dialed my dad. “Dad, tell every hospital we own – nobody treats Brittany. And cut Chad off. No inheritance. Kick him to the curb.” Let’s see who’s rotting in a ditch now. “Sleeping with my boyfriend while I’m recovering from chemo? You’ve got some nerve, Tiffany!” Brittany’s voice grated on my nerves, followed by a searing pain in my wrist. The pain snapped me awake. I opened my eyes to see Brittany, grinning like a maniac, digging into my wrist with a scalpel. Deja vu hit me hard. It was happening again. Through the tangled mess of hair stuck to my face, I could hear my brother, Chad, droning on through the Bluetooth earpiece. “Knock it off, Tiffany. Brittany wouldn’t kidnap you. And don’t try to guilt-trip her because you’re jealous. She’s going to be my wife. Don’t make her get her hands dirty. Got it?” My right hand was going numb. I closed my eyes, didn’t bother begging. Last time, I’d tried to explain, begged Chad to save me, swallowed my pride. He’d brushed me off. Brittany had seen right through it, smashed my phone, my only lifeline. Brittany yanked the scalpel out and slapped me across the face with the bloody thing. “Still playing innocent, huh? We’ll see how innocent you are in a minute!” My face burned. I tasted blood. Pretty sure I was disfigured. Brittany seemed satisfied with my wrecked state. She turned to leave, but I knew this wasn’t the end. She was going to bring those animals back, just like before. As she disappeared, I gnawed through the ropes with my teeth. Pulled out the hidden cell. Didn’t hesitate. I hung up on Chad and dialed my dad. The second I hit dial, I heard Brittany shriek behind me. “What do you think you’re doing?!” My heart leaped. I scrambled to run, but the phone connected. Brittany was charging at me with three huge guys sporting creepy grins. Last time, it had been a nightmare. I froze. I managed to choke out one last sentence. “Dad, help.” Brittany grabbed the phone and smashed it. But this time, I wasn’t panicking. My dad was coming. I’m the only biological daughter of billionaire oil magnate, Jack Sterling. His late wife died bringing me into this world, so I’ve been kept under lock and key. Anyone who even thought about messing with me got their life ruined. If my dad saw me like this, he’d lose it and make them pay a thousand times over. Brittany shoved me to the ground and ground her heel into my wrist. She pointed at the three goons. “She’s feisty, huh? I guess three might not be enough. Someone who sleep with her way to many people!” The thugs closed in, grinning nastily. I squeezed my eyes shut. Tears trickled out. But then, I heard a brawl break out. I peeked open my eyes. It was Ethan, the guy who’d tried to testify for me last time, only to get mowed down by Chad. 2 “I’ll hold them off, Tiffany. Run!” I didn’t know what to feel. I didn’t have time to think. I shook my head, trying to tell him no. “Get out of here! Don’t worry about me.” I was bleeding out, too weak to run even if I could stand. I couldn’t let him get hurt again. But it was too late. They kicked Ethan to the ground and started pounding him. My heart twisted. I tried to yell at them to stop, but it was no use. Brittany grabbed my hair and snarled, “Oh, look, the lapdog’s here. Coming to save you? Fine, you can both die!” Everything was getting blurry from the blood loss, but I glared at her. “You better let us go, Brittany. You can’t afford to hurt me!” Brittany laughed. “What are you gonna do about it? Chad’s a billionaire. He can make anything disappear.” “Then you’ll just watch as I put the video of you sleeps around the internet, Tiffany, I’ll see if you’re still as stubborn as you are now!” The thugs started coming toward me again, leering. Ethan, using his last ounce of strength, tried to grab their legs. They stomped on his arm without hesitation. I heard the crack of bone, shaking with rage. I blurted out, “Enough! Chad is adopted! I’m Jack Sterling’s only daughter!” “I could make him disappear with one phone call. If you don’t stop, I promise your lives will be a thousand times worse!” Brittany froze. She thought about it, then cackled. “Oh, honey, you’re losing it. Thinking you can snag Chad? Everybody knows Jack Sterling doesn’t have a daughter. Do your homework!” My heart sank. My family kept me hidden, always. Every dog that came near me got vetted. They scrubbed me from every public record. Plus, I took my mom’s maiden name, Lin. After a serious illness at five, I got sent overseas for treatment. Nobody knew the billionaire even had a Lin daughter. I grit my teeth, ignored the searing pain. “I’m telling the truth. Ask Chad!” Even though I knew he’d lie. Just to buy time until my dad got here… “Liar! You think I’m stupid?” Brittany slapped me again and yanked me to my feet. She pinched my cheeks, signaled for one of the thugs to grab an axe from the corner. I knew what she wanted. I started thrashing, bashing my head against Brittany’s face. Brittany staggered back, clutching her nose. Then she went ballistic. She hit me over and over. My face was on fire, but my limbs were ice cold. Was I really going to lose my hands again? Despair crashed over me. Just as the axe was about to fall, the factory door exploded open. An SUV barreled in, slamming into the guy with the axe. The thugs holding me jumped back. Brittany, seeing her plan fall apart, tried to bolt. But the bodyguards piling out of the SUV tackled her. My dad’s secretary, Mr. Davis, rushed over and told the others to get Ethan and me to the Sterling private hospital. 3 I’d barely gotten bandaged up and settled into the VIP suite when my dad called. I told him everything that happened. I couldn’t help but feel a warmth bloom in my chest for Ethan, being brave to protect me. But my dad was livid. “She tried to what?! Does Brittany know who she’s messing with? And that little weasel Chad – they’ll both regret being born.” I nodded. “Dad, I want Chad cut off. No more inheritance. Kick him out.” “And Ethan was a hero, by the way. I’ll introduce you later.” Dad promised, “Don’t worry, that little snake isn’t my son anymore if he dares to hurt you.” “My secretary will pick me up, get there right away to support you!” I hung up, finally letting out a breath. I wanted to check on Ethan next door. But the door burst open, and Chad stormed in with his own security team. He kicked me right in the gut. “Who gave you the right to mess with Brittany?!” I crumpled. I didn’t understand why he could hit me like that. He was adopted. My parents took him in. Before that, he was a stray, fighting dogs for scraps. I’d treated him like a brother before going overseas. Even told my dad I wanted him to help run the company. My family gave him a life, and he’d thrown me to the wolves. Brittany slinked out from behind him, all fake sympathy. “Leave her alone, Chad. She only said she’s a billionaire one to get your attention…” Chad sneered, looking down at me. “Oh, she’s a billionaire’s daughter, all right. The kind who sleeps her way to the top. You’re no Sterling.” “I grew up in the Sterling family. I know who the real Sterling is.” I felt a jolt. I was Jack Sterling’s daughter. Then an older guy, Mr. Johnson, stepped forward. He was my dad’s right-hand man. I felt a flicker of hope. I looked at him, but he stomped on my freshly bandaged wrist. “Look at this shameless woman, seducing my boss before seducing the young master. you even dared to impersonate our miss.” “What can I do to help you to grow your lessons!” He ground his heel into my wrist. Blood seeped through the gauze. Tears blurred my vision. “You’re insane! I am a Sterling!” But Mr. Johnson scoffed. “I’ve been with the family for years. You expect me to believe you’re a Sterling when I’ve never seen you?.” He yanked me up by my hair, his voice dripping with contempt. “The Sterlings coddle their daughter. If you were her, why wouldn’t Jack Sterling have mentioned you before?” “Enough lies. Chad already filled me in. You’re just a gold digger, manipulating the boss into pretending you’re his daughter. He hates you, so you’re trying to seduce Chad.” Johnson had twisted everything. I tried to explain Dad hid me to protect me. He played it cool when he saw me. But that was now “proof” I was a fake. Before I could speak, Brittany chimed in with fake concern. “I just wanted her to stop being the other woman, but she said she was a Sterling. Is someone like that really gonna give the family a good reputation?” 4 Johnson’s eyes gleamed. He waved the security team forward. They swarmed me. I tried to fight, but Johnson slapped me, reopening the wound on my face. Nobody had ever hit me. I was the Sterling’s treasured jewel. But today, I’d been slapped more times than I could count. It wasn’t just the pain. It was the humiliation. Brittany sauntered over and patted my swollen cheek. “Honey, I’ve seen your kind before, trying to claw your way up. You’re trash.” “Get on your knees and lick my and Chad’s shoes. Then shout ‘I’m a gold digger!’ Then I’ll let you be my maid.” I sneered. “You think you’re marrying into the Sterling family? I bet you and Chad will be out on the street.” “Chad isn’t a real Sterling. His life depends on what the Sterlings say.” Brittany froze. But Chad went berserk, smashing my head against the wall. “What did you say?!” “You just need to know that I could end you with a word.” He threw me to the ground like garbage. Blood streamed from my forehead. But I laughed. “What if Dad saw you hurting me? Would you survive?” Chad hesitated, then picked up a chair. “He wouldn’t care! I’m the Sterling heir. He wouldn’t kick me out for you!” Just as the chair was about to crush my skull, I was yanked into someone’s arms. Ethan took the blow. The chair crashed onto the back of his head. I heard him grunt and felt something wet on his head. My tears started falling. Doctors abroad taught Ethan. He met me, talked to me, didn’t even know my real name. But he kept choosing me, knowing the danger. I felt guilty for dragging him into this, but more than that, I was touched. Ethan, fighting dizziness, held me tight, roaring, “Enough! Tiffany is not the other woman. Stop hurting her!” The security team backed off, surprised by his outburst. Chad stared, then scoffed. “Idiot. What’s in it for you? You really think she’s a Sterling?” Johnson agreed, looking smug. “You don’t know how seriously the Sterling family guards their daughter.” “She was kidnapped once, her captors were killed. A maid tried to get close to Jack, her face was mutilated and she was sent to Burma.” “You’re playing a dangerous game.” Chad glared at Ethan, then snarled. “Hit him. Break his hands!” The security team jumped forward, pounding Ethan and me. Just as I was about to pass out from the pain, Johnson dragged me in front of Chad. My face was covered in blood, I’m not sure if it was from me or Ethan. He pried open my mouth. Brittany kneeled down, holding a scalpel. “The Sterling family’s honor must be protected. So I will punish you” She shoved the scalpel into my mouth. Blood choked me. Everything was blurring. I was going to die. Then the door burst open. And I heard my dad’s voice. “What’s going on here?”

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The scream ripped through the air at my birthday party, a raw, animalistic sound. Tiffany, the fake daughter, stood there, a cake knife clutched in her hand, slashing at her own face. Blood streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed, “Ashley, look… now do you hate me less? I’m begging you! I’ll leave, I swear! I won’t ever try to steal your family’s love again. Just… don’t make me go with those guys…” The scene froze everyone in place. My parents and brother, even more than the other guests, looked like they wanted to kill someone. Under their horrified stares, they publicly announced they were sending me away to a “therapeutic boarding school.” In that place, beatings, electroshock therapy, it was all routine. Forced to drink someone else’s piss, choke down rotten food, and even worse… endure the constant “correction” from those twisted “counselors.” My body and mind were broken down, reshaped into something unrecognizable. A year passed before my family finally remembered the daughter they’d shoved into the shadows. When they finally came to pick me up, all I could do was cower on the ground, whispering, “I’m sorry, please forgive the dog. I know I messed up. I’ll take any punishment, just… please be gentle…” 1 My legs trembled as I limped out of that hellhole. My brother, Chad, was leaning against a black SUV, waiting for me. They’d cleaned me up, dressed me back in the skirt I’d arrived in. You couldn’t see a trace of what I’d been through that past year. Before telling me they were sending someone, they’d forced me to eat, fatten me up. They’d put makeup on me, covered all the scars. Seeing me just staring at him, not even calling him “Chad”, he frowned, grabbing my arm. “What the hell are you doing? You knew I was coming. You made me wait two hours!” “Ashley, you’re still acting out? You want to go back to that place?” Hearing the anger in his voice, the thinly veiled threat, my eyes widened with terror. I instinctively jerked my arm away, my face turning paper-white. I dropped to my knees in front of my brother, thud, thud, thud… I started banging my head against the asphalt, begging for forgiveness. “Master, I’m sorry! The dog made you unhappy…” “Your shoes are dirty, the dog will clean them for you…” I started crawling towards his feet, wanting to lick them clean. Chad suddenly recoiled, stepping back, a look of disgust on his face. “Ashley, what the hell is wrong with you?” His gaze was icy, like shards of winter. It sent shivers down my spine. The memories… the horrific memories flooded back. This was the sign. They were going to punish the disobedient dog. My hands went to my skirt, pulling it up, whimpering like a dog. “Woof woof… Master, please don’t be mad! The dog will be good, obedient…” “The dog knows she messed up, please punish her lightly…” Chad looked completely shocked. He bent down, grabbing my hand, yanking me to my feet. His face was a mask of anger. He was practically spitting the words: “Ashley!” “You still haven’t gotten over it, have you? You are doing this just to piss me off, aren’t you?” I was trembling, tears streaming down my face. Angering them meant only one thing: brutal punishment. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! Don’t hit me, I’ll be good, I promise…” “I messed up, I know! I shouldn’t have been bad, I know I messed up!” Smack! Chad slapped me hard across the face. “Enough! Shut up!” It was the first time he’d laid a hand on me in three years. If it had been the old me, I would have retaliated. But now, I just shrank back, then started slapping myself, harder and harder. Each slap was a silent promise, a desperate attempt to erase the transgression. I bit down on my lip, tasting blood, but I didn’t dare make a sound. 3 The moment I arrived at the school, I took down the people who tried to take advantage of me. Then they used electroshock batons on me, beat me with sticks and whips for three days straight. When I was hungry, I could only eat sour rice, when I was thirsty, I could only drink the others’ urine. Once I was lucky. A “trainer” came to vent his frustration, got drunk, and I grabbed his cell phone. I remembered Chad’s number and called it, begging him to take me home. But he just said, “Ashley, we agreed on a year. It’s only been a few days. Tiffany has suffered so much, this is hardly anything.” “Just be good, okay? Lose the princess attitude.” I could hear Tiffany crying in the background. “Ashley’s just confused. It was my fault, I stole Mom and Dad from her. She can punish me all she wants…” “Can’t you guys forgive her? I am not Ashley from now on. I just want to go far away to live a normal life.” Before I could say anything else, Mom and Dad were yelling. “Chad! Can’t you see Tiffany is getting upset? Hang up! Don’t take Ashley’s calls ever again!” “We said a year, she’ll stay a year. She comes home when she’s learned some manners.” The phone hung up and I was despaired. I learned later that the whole family was preparing to fly to South Korea with Tiffany for plastic surgery. Mom and Dad announced that they would always love her. But I, from the beginning, never fit in. This has been true for three years. 4 I started hitting myself harder, my face swelling. “Stop it!” Chad grabbed my hands, his eyes burning with anger. “Ashley, are you this desperate now? “Did you do this in there, trying to gain their sympathy? It won’t work!” “Those people are experts, Ashley. I told them everything, they won’t be moved by your pathetic act.” Hearing Mom and Dad mentioned, I realized it was Chad. “Chad… It’s you…” Chad froze, his face darker. “Don’t act dumb! It’s only been a year, you haven’t forgotten me, have you?” “We just want you to be better. Why are you trying to disgust me?” “I recorded you slapping yourself. You can’t pin this on me!” Three years ago, I was brought back to the family. Tiffany would hurt herself, and say don’t blame me. Then she broke Dad’s vase, broke Chad’s toy blocks, saying it was all me. When I explained myself, they said. Don’t blame others. This happened on my birthday party last year. “I can’t believe you tried to hurt Tiffany! Don’t try to blame others!” I felt the pain and my throat was dry. Chad grabbed me and put me in his car. When we got home, Tiffany ran to my arms in a white dress. “Ashley! You are finally back! I missed you so much!” But she hurt my wound and said quietly. “You dare to come back? If I were you, I’d kill myself.” I felt pain in my wound. Why is she doing this? What for! I pushed her away, ready to yell at her. “Oh!” Tiffany acted like I would do that and she fell. Her head hit the stair and blood came out. “Ashley, it’s been so long. Are you still mad at me?” She cried and blood came out to her white dress. “Ashley! You have been acting. You are still so evil!” Chad kicked me away, hugging Tiffany and going to the living room. Tiffany shrugged on his shoulder, mouthing at me: (I will make you go away.) 5 Next second, she cried and my parents came. They tried to help her until Chad said I hurt her. My parents paid attention to me. “Mom, Dad, don’t blame her. She ate well in the school, but there are so many rules. She is not free, so she is upset.” Tiffany cried for me and my father was upset. He walked to me, slapping me. “Ashley, what did you learn in one year?! How come you are so evil? Why hurt Tiffany?” My ear was buzzing and I almost fell. Hearing “evil”, I kneeled. “I am sorry… I am sorry!” “I was wrong, don’t hurt me, I know I was wrong…” The torture was nothing to me. My respect, pride, were all gone. Dad did not expect this, so he just stood there. I knocked head, and Chad helped me up. “Enough! Don’t act dumb.” “You recognize you were wrong, we will celebrate for you and let’s eat!” Mom watched me and said. “Ashley, why are you so thin?” I was scared and looked at my rice, no looking at the meat. I did not want to eat, I dared not to. I ate cold food and leftovers for the whole year. I did not listen, so I did not have food. Sometimes I looked in the leftovers. Once, they dropped a chicken leg to the table. I grabbed it but I was forced to get under the table. My arms and legs were tied, and then I was ashamed. I learned after that. The delicious food was not free. I dare not touch. 6 Seeing me shivering, Mom sighed, getting a chicken leg for me. “Good girl, eat.” Seeing the chicken leg, my eyes got big and I shivered. I reflexively stood up, hugging head and getting under the table. “I don’t want to eat… Please.” My parents were shocked. They watched me and I was shivering. “Ashley!” Chad was fast, getting me out. I push his hand and screamed. “I am sorry! Don’t shock me!” “I will be good, I will listen…” I lay on the ground and started to take my dress off. Chad got me up. He was angry. I dared not to move, so I smiled. “I will not move, I will listen. Don’t shock me, don’t burn me, okay?” Because I fought back, so I was shocked and I lost feeling. People put wax on me, hitting me. I had no strength and bit arms and they forced hot cigarette on me. Chad grabbed my mouth and looked dark. “What are you talking about?” I thought he would burn me with cigarette, so I screamed. Seeing me out of control, my family got the doctor. I got dizzy, but I did not want to sleep. If I slept, something scary will happen. “She got hurt mentally or physically. “And she is malnourished. She needs a dietician.” “She needs to see a doctor. This could cause after effects.” Tiffany cut the doctor. “We arranged the school well. They should take care of her. Why is she like this?” “No, Miss, she is…” Chad cut the doctor coldly. “Enough! Wang, you joined her.” He watched me and realized what was up. “Ashley, I am impressed! You even bribed the doctor!” The doctor froze. “Young Master, you misunderstood…” “What am I misunderstanding! She is not sleeping! She gave you money?” Dad looked upset. “My daughter was there for one year, she is healthy. It won’t be like you said.” Mom sighed. “Ashley, why are you doing this?” Tiffany cried. “Mom, Dad, she is harder to control. My head hurts…” Chad grabbed my hand, dragging me out. “She is not sorry. Let’s send her back!” “No! I don’t want to go back! Please!” I freed myself, trying to run. Chad grabbed me. My dress was broken. A lot of scary wounds showed.

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During my craniotomy, that backstabbing medical student, Ashley Miller, deliberately swapped out my anesthesia. I was wide awake the whole time, tears streaming down my face, but she told everyone it was an “awake craniotomy.” My last call before surgery, I cried to my fiancé, Chase, for help, but he cut me off, annoyed: “Brooke, not everyone is as two-faced as you are.” “Ashley’s being incredibly generous, giving you this surgery after everything. Just cooperate, okay? Stop making a scene!” Then, she snatched the phone away. My scalp was sliced open, my skull drilled into. I was tortured to death, leaving a dying declaration pointing the finger at Ashley Miller. But Chase testified for Ashley: “Brooke’s chances of surviving the surgery were always slim. Her death has nothing to do with Ashley.” I blinked, and I was back in the OR, the moment they switched the anesthesia. … “Brooke, you think those scraps you threw my way to ‘help’ me made you better than me?” “So what if you’re a Park Avenue princess? Chase treats you like dirt, anyway. I just mentioned it once, and he handed you over to me to experiment on.” Ashley’s voice was low and icy, right by my ear. My mind was swimming with the diluted anesthetic, and I snapped my eyes open. The sharp smell of disinfectant, the blinding surgical lights – it all hit me. I was back. Back to the day of my craniotomy, with Ashley performing the surgery. In the last life, she swapped my meds with a low dose of anesthetic, leaving me conscious during the whole thing, fully aware of the agonizing pain and terror of having my skull cut open. “What do you say, wanna call Chase again and double-check?” Snapping back to reality, Ashley had already dialed Chase’s number. She raised an eyebrow at me, a smug look on her face, and tossed the phone onto my chest, then turned to prep her surgical tools. Just like last time, Chase’s voice was cold and impatient: “Ashley comes from old money. She’s way too good to risk her reputation by hurting you.” “Just cooperate with the awake craniotomy, and you’ll live. It’ll also get her a promotion. Win-win, Brooke. Can you stop being so dramatic?” He knew damn well that awake craniotomies weren’t for everyone, especially when it was only Ashley’s second surgery. She could barely hold a scalpel steady. Maybe the low dose of anesthetic was kicking in, because I couldn’t feel my limbs anymore. Chase said my name. He said something else, but I couldn’t make it out. I didn’t beg him to save me this time. I hung up and, with shaking hands, tried to call Dad. My family never liked Chase. I secretly hooked him up with connections and resources, turning him into a hotshot businessman. Only then did they back off. If they knew Chase and Ashley were screwing me over like this, they’d go ballistic. “Dad…” But she snatched the phone away as soon as I dialed. Ashley hung up right in front of me. “I knew you’d pull something.” Ashley deliberately waved her trembling hands in my face. Her eyes, shielded by the surgical mask, were full of hate. Shadows moved around me, creeping over my head. The surgical lights were so bright I couldn’t see what she was doing, and the idea of what might happen was worse than seeing it. I could still feel the excruciating pain of my last life. The cold, sharp scalpel pressed against my scalp. My heart was about to burst, but I couldn’t move. Just when I thought I was doomed to repeat the same nightmare, the OR door swung open. My best friend, Chloe, glanced at the heart monitor and stopped Ashley: “Ashley, are you crazy? The anesthesia’s not strong enough. She’s still conscious. How can you start surgery without enough meds?” Chloe glared at everyone else in the room: “Ashley’s out of line, and you’re all going along with it? If the chief finds out, you’re all screwed!” The others looked at each other, uneasy. 2 Ashley scoffed: “You mean Chase? Funny you mention him, he just called and said he’s giving me full control over Brooke’s surgery.” “Don’t believe me? Want me to call him again?” After Ashley shot them a hard look, the other people in the room all looked down. Last time, Ashley waltzed all over the hospital, pretending to be me, with Chase always backing her up. No one dared to cross her. Chloe was furious. “Get out of my way!” Ashley shoved her, and Chloe stumbled, knocking over a scalpel, which cut her cheek. “Who’s the surgeon here? You or me? Keep interfering, and I’ll have the chief fire you!” Chloe squeezed my hand reassuringly, then turned to leave. I grabbed her pinkie finger. Last time, Chloe was so angry she went to Chase. After I died, Chase blamed her for everything, ruining her reputation. She ended up jumping off a bridge. I didn’t want to hurt her again. I forced the words out: “Don’t…Chase. Go… CEO…Miller Group…” Chloe frantically nodded, tears streaming down her face. But Ashley grabbed her and slapped her across the face: “The surgery’s not done yet. Where do you think you’re going? Gonna run to Daddy? You wish.” “Ashley… let…Chloe…go!” I was beyond angry, but I was weak and helpless, barely able to speak. I could only stare at her: “That’s…Dad… touch… me… you’ll… pay… tenfold!” Ashley laughed, ignoring my warning: “You say you’re a Park Avenue princess? Look around. Does anyone here believe you?” Everyone avoided eye contact, pretending they didn’t see anything. They clearly agreed with Ashley. My heart sank. Ashley leaned closer, whispering in my ear: “Besides, even if you are who you say you are, if you die here today, Daddy will let me into the family. I’ll be the real Park Avenue princess.” “Fake will become real.” My eyes widened. I was consumed by hate, but my tongue was numb. I drooled, unable to say a word. Ashley smiled, satisfied. As she gloated, Chloe suddenly broke free and ran for the door. But a few guys in black suits came in and grabbed Chloe, shoving her in front of Ashley. “Ms. Miller, the chief said to go ahead with the surgery. We’ll make sure no one bothers you.” “Whether the surgery is a success or not, we won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Ashley raised her eyebrows at me, mocking me. My heart dropped. I realized Chase was back too. He’d even sent security to keep my dying words from getting out. This was the man I’d loved for seven years. It was all so twisted. An injection knocked Chloe out cold. The bodyguards lined up at the OR door, and Ashley moved over me. The low dose of anesthesia only left me weak. My mind was clear enough to feel my scalp being cut open. I was shaking all over. I could barely speak, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the bloodbath. My heart pounded in my chest, and my blood pressure spiked. Then the phone rang. A nurse ran in, her face white, and handed it to Ashley: “Dr. Miller, Ms. Miller wants you to take this call.” 3 Ashley flinched, and the blade made a long cut on my scalp. I felt a flicker of hope and whispered: “Sis…” But Ashley clamped her hand over my mouth. Her bloody hand pressed down on the respirator and the tubes in my nose and throat. Blood streamed from the wound on my head, and I could only stare at Ashley. I couldn’t say a word. Even breathing was hard. Ashley turned her head, lowering her voice: “Sis, the surgery’s not done yet. Yeah, Dr. Jones is the main surgeon. I’m just assisting. No, it’s going well.” “Don’t worry, we’re doing our best. I’ll call you later…” “She’s lying!” Chloe yelled, gritting her teeth. Ashley glared and nodded at the bodyguards, who covered Chloe’s mouth and gave her another shot. I struggled to make a sound to get to my sister, but it was useless. A few nurses held down my hands, copying Ashley and covering my mouth. Ashley held the phone with one hand and the scalpel with the other, making random cuts on my scalp: “It’s okay, Sis, don’t worry.” “Patients under anesthesia often get confused and say crazy things. It’s normal.” Every cut made tears stream down my face, and I couldn’t stop shaking. Last time, Ashley was on her phone while doing a C-section, and she screwed up and left a piece of gauze in the woman’s stomach. By the time they found it, the woman was burning up with sepsis. Chase paid to keep it quiet. Ashley was trying to kill me. She hung up, and a nurse leaned in, hesitant: “Dr. Miller, the patient’s blood pressure is dangerously high. Her heart rate is too fast. She’s going to suffocate.” Ashley didn’t say anything, just gave her a look. The nurse shut her mouth and backed away. My vision was going white, and my head was spinning. I couldn’t tell if it was the anesthesia or lack of oxygen. I thought I heard the sound of the drill. Buzzing, buzzing, just like last time. Why was this happening again? But I didn’t want to die. I looked at the lights, unable to breathe. Then, I heard voices. Chase walked in, wearing a white coat, and I tensed up. But he didn’t even glance at me. He smiled and patted Ashley on the head: “How much longer? Your sister’s waiting outside to take us all out to dinner when you’re done.” His voice was sweet and gentle, a total contrast to how he treated me. I’d been disappointed too many times. I barely reacted to seeing him. Only the word “sister” kept me from passing out. I don’t know what Chase said, but Ashley laughed and leaned into him. The drill slipped. It felt like my scalp was being ripped off. I clenched my jaw, staring at the surgical instruments thirty centimeters away. Fingers, move, move, please… I focused all my strength and waved my arm. Chase rushed over and held me down. The drill fell to the floor, hitting the surgical table and knocking the instruments to the ground. “Crash—” “What’s all that noise? Did something happen to my baby sister?” My sister’s voice. Then the door opened a crack.

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After the car crash, my wife, Sarah Knowles, and I were back in high school. Last life, we were married for ten years, but she never wanted to have a kid with me. I knew she couldn’t let go of her childhood sweetheart. So, after we woke up, we both silently deleted each other’s numbers and applied to colleges on opposite sides of the country. Then, ten years later, she was at our high school reunion, successful and on the arm of her old flame, Mark. She saw me standing there, alone, and couldn’t help but sneer, “Is this what your life is like without me?” Just then, my son ran over, jumping into my arms. “Dad, can we go home?” The air froze. Her eyes were glued to the kid, her voice shaking. “You…you have a kid?” 1 My reunion with Sarah Knowles was at the ten-year high school thing. She was wearing a fancy dress, soaking up all the attention. “Sarah, you’re killing it! Just a few years out of school and you’re the youngest analyst on Wall Street! Makes the whole school look good!” “Tell me about it! I heard Sarah’s consulting fee is, like, a million bucks a minute! That’s more than my whole year’s salary!” “And she looks amazing! You can tell Mark spoils her rotten! She’s got it all, career and love!” “Speaking of Mark, isn’t his company just got Series A funding? Making millions a year, and so good to his wife. Sarah, you are one lucky woman!” Sarah blushed, all shy. “Don’t say that. Mark and I haven’t even had the wedding yet.” Mark wrapped his arm around her, eyes full of adoration. “That’s just ’cause her custom dress isn’t finished. I want her to have the perfect wedding.” “Everyone’s invited, of course! Come celebrate with us!” More congratulations followed. Then someone had to open their mouth. “Hey, wasn’t Sarah head-over-heels for Chris Harding back in the day? What happened with that? You guys still talk?” Sarah’s smile froze solid. Mark just rolled his eyes, like he’d heard it all before. “That was a lifetime ago. Sarah was young and foolish. Chris probably sweet-talked her.” “Let’s focus on the present, okay? No need to dredge up old history.” Sarah nestled into his side, all coy and grateful for the rescue. I walked in, calm as you please, like none of that bothered me. Some eagle-eyed classmate spotted me. “Chris Harding, you’re late! What kept you?” “And dressed like… that? Guess the last ten years haven’t been good to you!” “Probably just got off work, huh? Slaving away for someone? Come on, we’re all friends here. Maybe Mark can hook you up with a better job?” Everyone laughed. I smiled back, unbothered. “I’m good.” Sarah’s eyes were locked on me. Hearing my rejection, she let out a snort. “Chris, I’m just trying to help you! You can’t even get a decent job, don’t be so stubborn!” “Yeah, Chris, don’t be so proud,” Mark said, patting my shoulder, showing off his Rolex. “We’re all old classmates. If you need anything, just ask. Sarah and I would be happy to help.” He was practically dripping with smugness. I stepped aside, not wanting him to touch me. I’d been prepping for court all last night, barely had breakfast, and just threw on some casual clothes for work. So, yeah, to them, I looked like a loser. But I kept my composure and declined, smiling. “No, thanks. I like my job.” Sarah’s brow furrowed, and she stormed over to me. “What a waste of a man!” “It’s been ten years already! How long are you going to let me ruin your life?” I looked at her, surprised. Where did she get that idea? Like I’d been pining away for her for a decade. That was ridiculous. Last time, I really did throw everything away for her. I’d even gotten accepted to a top-tier law school, but seeing how upset she was, I turned it down and stayed by her side. Our married life was boring. I didn’t make much, but we were comfortable. I’d buy her little gifts to cheer her up, but she always wanted more. Things got more and more expensive, until I couldn’t keep up. I worked extra jobs to try to make her happy. But she just got more and more resentful. She was always angry at me. I thought maybe having a kid would fix things. Maybe she’d change. But when she found out I wanted kids, she laughed. “You want kids? With your life? “Dream on! “I’m never going to have a kid with you, you loser!” I looked at her, heartbroken. I knew things would never be the same. I thought I’d spend the rest of my life miserable, but then the car crash took us both. Next thing I knew, we were back in high school, wearing our old clothes. We both silently agreed not to mention the last life. Instead, we deleted each other’s contacts and applied to colleges as far apart as we could get. This time, I wasn’t going to give her a second thought. I looked at her, serious. “Don’t worry about it.” “It’s none of your business.” 2 Sarah frowned deeper. “Are you trying to get my attention with this whole ‘playing hard to get’ thing?” “Let me tell you something, don’t get any ideas about things you can’t have!” I sighed, calmly. “I’m not interested. Don’t flatter yourself.” The whole room went quiet. Things got awkward, fast. Sarah’s face went red. She bit her lip, eyes getting watery, like she was the one getting screwed over. Mark came up behind her and put his arm around her. Then, turning to me, he sneered, “Chris, Sarah was just trying to help, and you’re twisting it into something nasty.” “What a jerk. You always look for the bad in everyone!” I ignored him and started eating. After a long day in court, I was starving. Seeing that, my classmates joined in, scolding me for being ungrateful. “Chris, who do you think you are! Sarah’s trying to get you a job, and you act like this!” “You’re a mess. Get off your high horse. Your pride isn’t worth anything!” “Just apologize while she’s still willing to help!” “You’re putting on airs? Look at yourself!” I said nothing. Mark pulled out a checkbook, scribbled something down, and slid it under my glass. “Here’s a hundred grand. It’s from Sarah and me. We opened a shop on the East Side. You can buy yourself some decent clothes.” “And you can use the rest to start a small business. Maybe a breakfast joint on the first floor. Not a lot of money, but maybe eight grand a month. At least you’d have a trade. Better than whatever you’re doing now.” I pushed the check away. I didn’t understand why they were so eager to get me a job. “I like my life. Thanks, though.” Sarah grabbed the check and snapped. “No wonder you’re broke! You are so ungrateful!” “Mark, let’s forget about him! Let him rot!” But after the insults, the other classmates swarmed in. They had drinks in their hands, ready to get me drunk. “Chris, let me buy you a drink.” “We haven’t had a fancy drink like this in years! Drink up, you might not get another chance.” “Yeah, yeah, I’ll give you a hundred bucks to drink it!” The guy was grimacing, trying to pour the drink down my throat. I was about to call security, but Sarah grabbed his arm. “Back off, alright?” Mark froze, putting his arm around Sarah’s waist. “Sarah, what’s wrong?” Her face was cold and stiff. “Just don’t like people starting trouble.” I never thought she’d stick up for me. But even though Sarah was quick, some of the wine splashed on me. The sour wine dripped down my face, making me look even more pathetic. I swallowed hard and headed to the bathroom to clean up, ignoring the snickering around me. Then my phone rang, and the irritation faded. “Dad, when will you be done?” Hearing my son’s sweet voice, I smiled. “Dad will be done soon. Can you wait a little longer?” He sounded a little sad. “We were supposed to have a family dinner tonight, but you’re not here!” “I’ll be there soon, I promise.” Just thinking about seeing my son made the whole night better. I came out of the bathroom and bumped into Sarah. She looked me up and down, sneering at my clothes. “Is this what life is like without me?” “Look at you, wearing off-brand stuff and getting humiliated. You can’t do anything without me!” I frowned. I didn’t know how my Italian bespoke suit suddenly became “off-brand.” But I didn’t want to argue. I just said, “Don’t worry about it,” and went back to the party. Everyone was buzzing. “Did you hear? The younger Lu brother is here tonight, too, for some kind of family dinner?” “Yeah, yeah! And I heard Miss Lu is here, too. She’s the most beautiful woman in the city! Married young, too bad for her. I wonder who she ended up with, nobody has even seen him.” “Married for years, even has kids! But her husband is a nobody. Nobody’s ever seen him!” “If we’re lucky, we might see her today!” I casually went back to my seat, planning to make a few more appearances and then leave. Then some late classmate shouted, “Guess who I just saw!” 3 “I saw the younger Lu brother! Standing on the second-floor balcony, looking for someone.” “If we go out there now, we can see him!” Everyone rushed to the lobby to see the Lu brother. I followed the crowd. I looked up and saw a little, fluffy head peeking over the balcony. The crowd gasped, pulling out their phones. “He’s so fancy! He’s got that Lu family aura!” “Rich people’s kids are different!” The classmate who splashed wine on me sneered at me. “You’re just a bum. You think you can get in with the Lu family?” “Don’t even try. You’re out of your league. You’re dreaming!” I ignored him and stared up at the little kid. Even Sarah, always so proud, was smiling warmly and trying to get his attention. “Hey there, you looking for someone?” “I can help you look!” He looked at Sarah’s fake smile and said, “No, thanks, ma’am.” Being called “ma’am” didn’t bother Sarah. She still kept smiling, trying to get closer. I frowned and called out, “Ethan!” Sarah turned, glaring at me. “You don’t get to call him by his first name!” I didn’t want to talk to her, so I just waved at my son. He saw me and his eyes lit up. He ran to me, thrilled. Remembering how trusting he’d been, I frowned. “You can’t just talk to strangers.” “It could be dangerous, okay?” He looked sad. Before he could answer, Sarah snapped at me, “Who do you think you are?” “You can’t tell the Lu kid what to do!” “Look in the mirror, do you even belong here?” My son frowned and yelled, “Don’t talk to my dad like that!”

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Memorial Day, I flew back from overseas with my toddler son to visit my parents’ graves, and ran into my childhood sweetheart’s mom. She asked if my willingness to return meant I was finally over everything. “Ashley, you’re finally back! Does this mean you’re ready to marry Shane?” “This time, I’m going to make sure everything’s perfect, and that no trailer trash crashes in to ruin your wedding!” Shane was my childhood sweetheart and fiancé, but on our engagement party, his adopted sister, Crystal, showed up wearing the exact same dress as me. She declared that if Shane didn’t leave with her, she’d kill herself. The guests were in uproar, and I was left standing alone. Everyone judged me, my uncle and aunt abandoned me, and I ended up going overseas in disgrace. Now, meeting again, I gave a small smile, and pushed the stroller forward. “Aunt Carol, have Shane and Crystal gotten their marriage license yet?” “Say hi to Grandma, sweetie.” … After leaving for three years, I hadn’t visited my parents’ graves. This year, my son was finally old enough, so I took advantage of Memorial Day to bring him back and pay my respects. We were pushing the stroller towards the cemetery when I heard a familiar voice. “Ashley, you’re back!” Looking up, I saw Shane’s mom in the distance, looking happy as she hurried towards me. I greeted her politely, “Aunt Carol.” She affectionately took my hand, her gaze filled with love. I forced a smile and avoided her eyes. “You’ve lost weight. Must have been hard on you out there?” “What Shane did was wrong. That boy is with that girl right now, visiting her parents’ graves. I’ll make him apologize to you.” Before I could refuse, she was already calling Shane. Five minutes later, I saw Shane, panting, with Crystal following close behind. He looked at me with shock, then his gaze turned icy, just like it had been three years ago. “When did you get back?” Aunt Carol clucked and slapped him on the head. “What kind of way is that to talk!” Crystal immediately stepped in front of Shane, looking at Aunt Carol with a pitiful expression. “Mom…” Aunt Carol frowned and looked away from her. Crystal’s face froze, and she fidgeted in place. After a long pause, she seemed to finally notice me, putting on a surprised look. “Ashley, you’re back?” “I’m sorry about everything three years ago, but I love Shane so much. But don’t worry, I won’t try to steal him away anymore.” I watched Crystal’s acting with amusement. She hadn’t been so pathetic when she was mocking me. Shane switched places with Crystal, shielding her behind him, and looking at me warily. “I messed up, but it’s not Crystal’s fault.” Ignoring them, I turned to Aunt Carol, whose expression was twisted with anger. “Aunt Carol, I need to go visit my parents’ graves. I’ll be going now.” After saying goodbye, I pushed the stroller forward. But Crystal suddenly blocked my path. She asked in an innocent voice, “Ashley, is this your baby?” Shane rushed forward, anxiously studying my son. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Not her kid. Doesn’t look anything like her.” My son didn’t look like me, he was like a mini version of his dad, Greg. I didn’t want to waste my breath on him and tried to push the stroller around him. But he grabbed the stroller handle, raising an eyebrow. “Ashley, so you’re doing pretty bad without me, huh? Now you’re a nanny or something?” “Apologize to me, and I might consider going through with our engagement.” Apologize? He left me at our engagement party, and now he wants me to apologize? 2 I stared at Shane, gripping the stroller handle so hard my knuckles turned white. Three years ago, on the Fourth of July, on the day my parents and Shane’s parents planned our engagement. To keep the promise, Shane’s dad still had me and Shane get engaged on this day. At the time, I could see Shane was acting distant, with a hint of resentment in his eyes. But I didn’t think much of it, personally designing the engagement party’s theme, and anticipating that day’s arrival with excitement. On the Fourth of July, I came to the engagement party, shy and nervous, and immediately realized I was mistaken. The pink theme we’d agreed on had been changed to orange, and even my favorite tulips had been replaced with bright red roses. Looking at the screen, and confirming that the names above read Shane and Ashley, I immediately ran to question Shane. But he was casual, waving his hand dismissively. “Crystal said she liked the new theme, so I had it changed.” “It’s just an engagement party, not a wedding. We can follow your preferences when we get married.” Tears of frustration immediately filled my eyes. “But this is my engagement party…” Shane frowned, looking annoyed. “Can you ever stop crying? You’re nothing like Crystal, who’s always so sensible.” He didn’t offer a single word of comfort, going instead to greet his business partners. Shane’s mom noticed something was wrong, and hurriedly took me to the restroom to reapply my makeup. “Ashley, don’t be upset. Aunt Carol will talk to him. It’s almost time for the engagement, and you don’t want puffy eyes.” Looking at Shane’s mom, who was comforting me like a real mom, I felt even more upset. If my parents were still alive, would Shane dare to treat me this way? After redoing my makeup, I linked arms with Shane’s mom and went back to the engagement party. But Shane’s mom was looking around, confused. “That’s weird, where’s Crystal? I told her to come early. How selfish!” For some reason, I felt really panicked. The engagement party started as planned, and everything went smoothly. As the host asked Shane to help me put on the engagement ring, a tearful voice suddenly came from the entrance. “Shane…” Looking up, I saw Crystal wearing the exact same dress as me, even with the same hairstyle. I looked at Shane in surprise. He was looking at Crystal with a look of pain. “Shane, I love you. I know you love me too.” “This engagement party’s theme is your special compensation for me.” Saying that, Crystal’s tears fell, large and abundant. “Leave with me, okay? We’re not blood-related. We can be together.” I grabbed Shane’s hand, looking at him anxiously. “Shane, please don’t…” Shane’s eyes seemed to focus only on Crystal, without even looking at me. The guests below the stage looked at me with gossip in their eyes, with a few looking sympathetic. Shane’s dad suddenly yelled, “Enough!” “Take Crystal away!” The security guards immediately went forward. But Crystal suddenly produced a box cutter in her hand, looking at Shane with tear-filled eyes. “Shane, if you don’t come with me, I’ll die here.” Shane’s dad glared at the security guard, who stopped moving. “What are you waiting for? Take her away!” Shane, who was beside me, suddenly said, “Anyone who touches her will have to deal with me!” Ignoring my pleas, Shane pried my fingers away, one by one, and rushed towards Crystal. He snatched the box cutter from Crystal’s hand, pulling her into a tight embrace. Crystal cried even harder. “Shane, I knew you loved me.” “I’ll take you away.” After saying that, Shane ignored my feelings and left the engagement party with Crystal. The guests couldn’t sit any longer, pointing and gossiping about me. A cold wind blew past, and I felt like I was back at the engagement party, trembling uncontrollably. 3 Shane’s voice drifted to my ears on the wind, pulling me back to reality. “Does your boss treat you so badly? Can’t even afford to buy you a coat?” I glanced at him, not wanting to deal with him. Crystal tugged on his sleeve. “Shane, since Ashley’s so pitiful, let’s help her out?” She looked at me with an expression of pity, but I didn’t miss the contempt in her eyes. Shane raised an eyebrow, a smile slowly appearing on his face. “Ashley, if you apologize, I’ll go through with the engagement.” Hearing that again, I looked at him with ridicule. “What, it’s been three years, and you and Crystal haven’t gotten a marriage license yet?” Crystal, who already looked so pitiful, started sobbing as soon as I said that. Aunt Carol rolled her eyes at her, and took my hand, speaking earnestly. “Ashley, any trash can’t enter the Smith Family’s door.” Crystal paused, turning pale. She looked at Shane with pleading eyes, but Shane didn’t respond. She forced a smile, showing a pitiful look. “Ashley, don’t be a nanny, come back and be with Shane.” “It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about me.” Shane’s expression changed, and he suddenly pulled me with force. “Ashley, do you have to make Crystal upset?” “I already said I’d go through with the engagement. What more do you want? Why are you making things hard on Crystal!” Hearing Shane’s questions, I looked at him, surprised. Before I could respond, my son started crying in the stroller. I quickly picked up my son, patted his back skillfully, and looking at him with love. Aunt Carol suddenly asked: “Ashley. Is this truly your child?” She was a mother, and knew how mothers acted around their children. I looked at Aunt Carol with a smile, and nodded. Shane scoffed, “Mom, you’re getting senile. Ashley is obviously working as a nanny.” “When she ran off to America, she had bad depression.” “Besides, Ashley’s family is falling apart, does she even have time to get married?” I didn’t want to deal with Shane, I don’t care what he thought. Aunt Carol didn’t pay attention to him. Instead, she looked at me with a complicated expression, full of pity. After calming my son down, I gently put him back in the stroller, said goodbye to Aunt Carol, and prepared to leave. But Shane grabbed me again. “Ashley, I told you I’d marry you, what else do you want from me?” “I pulled you out of the abyss, and I made such a big sacrifice for you, you should be grateful.” I suppressed my anger, and asked him coldly. “You want to marry me? What about your dear sister?” Crystal looked at Shane with hope, treating Shane like her final lifeline. Shane looked at her, and sighed. “I’ve explained this many times, Crystal… is just my sister.” Hearing that, Crystal’s eyes instantly reddened, and a look of hatred flashed across her eyes. She was about to win Shane’s heart over, but the slut Ashley came back, and now he was hesitant. Seeing her losing control, Shane immediately changed his tone. “But after we get married, you have to treat Crystal well. She’s our sister, after all.” I laughed coldly, saying, “You don’t have to consider me, you can treat Crystal well now.” “Haven’t you always been like this for the past twenty years?”4 When I was dating Shane, he always put Crystal first. I still remember his 25th birthday. I dragged my best friend around the mall, and specially picked out a watch that suited him. When I arrived with the gift, I discovered that he was with Crystal. I forced a smile. “Shane, weren’t we supposed to spend your birthday alone, just the two of us?” Crystal immediately started sobbing. “Shane, should I go back?” But despite saying that, she didn’t get up, just kept crying. Shane frowned immediately. “I decide who comes to my birthday. It’s none of your business!” “If you don’t want to, you can leave!” I froze in place, gripping the gift tightly. Seeing the smug look in Crystal’s eyes, I felt powerless. But I loved Shane too much, and didn’t want to miss his birthday. I sat down next to Crystal anyway. Shane and Crystal were being affectionate, as if they were the ones who were dating. They were discussing Crystal’s favorite anime, and I couldn’t say a word. While Crystal was drinking her juice, I pulled out the gift I had prepared. I held the watch out to Shane. “Happy birthday.” Before Shane could see it, Crystal snatched it first. “Let me see!” She wore it on her hand, admiring it. “It’s so pretty.” “You can have it.” Shane said casually, not caring at all. I tried to force a smile, reminding him, “This is the birthday present I got for you.” Shane glanced at me. “So what?” “Crystal likes it, so I’m giving it to her.” “You’re going to be her sister-in-law soon, can’t you even handle a watch?” … “Ashley, I’m talking to you! When did you become like this?” Shane’s voice pulled me back from my memories. I thought that our connection had long ended, at that engagement party, but I didn’t expect to run into each other again. I looked at him. “Shane, we have nothing to do with each other anymore. Please respect yourself.” Crystal grabbed Shane’s hand with heartache. “Shane, don’t be angry. I’ll make Ashley apologize to you!” She didn’t know what she was doing, and suddenly charged over, shouting, “You have to apologize!” She tried to grab my clothes, but I dodged it. But she aimed for the stroller, and before I could stop her, she grabbed it. “Wah…” My toddler son immediately started crying. I quickly pushed her away, picking up my son with heartache. He’d grown up sheltered, and had never been treated so cruelly. “Ah!” Crystal shrieked, and fell on the ground. Frowning, I saw Shane carefully examining the wound on Crystal’s knee. But her knee wasn’t even scraped, and she was crying like crazy. Aunt Carol couldn’t stand it, saying, “If you keep blowing on it, the wound will heal.” Shane quickly came to my side, pulling my arm hard, almost making me drop my son. “Ashley, apologize to Crystal!” I was about to yell back, when I heard a familiar voice. “Who are you making apologize?” … Looking back, Greg was wearing rimless glasses, with a scholarly air, but with piercing eyes. Behind him was a limo, with over a dozen men in black suits. Everyone watched as Greg came to my side, putting his arm around me. He smiled, repeating, “Who are you making apologize?”

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