Author: Momo Chan

At 2:00 AM, my ex-boyfriend called and said he wanted to get back together. With red, tear-filled eyes, I agreed. But on the other end of the line, the room erupted into thunderous, mocking laughter. “I told you guys. This woman, Chloe, is so pathetic that all I have to do is crook my finger, and she’ll come crawling right back to me.” I didn’t get angry. I just asked him if what he said a second ago still counted. “Ethan, as long as you come back, you can do whatever you want to me…” Dead silence fell over the other end of the line. “Chloe! I’m Liam! What the hell are you talking about? Who the fuck is Ethan?!” 1 In the middle of the night, I was running a fever. Through my hazy, dizzy state, I heard my phone ring. I answered it. There was a lot of background noise and rowdy shouting. After a long moment, a man’s magnetic voice finally reached my ear. “Chloe, I miss you.” That familiar voice instantly brought tears to my eyes. For the past few months, I had only been able to fall asleep with the help of sleeping pills. Hearing his voice again, I couldn’t help but choke on a sob. “I miss you too.” Soon, the voice on the other end spoke again. “Chloe, let’s stop fighting. Let’s get back together.” His voice was like aged, rich red wine, instantly intoxicating me. My feverish body broke out in a sweat, soaking through my pajamas. My long fingernails dug into the edge of my phone case. Barely able to suppress my crying, I eagerly nodded and agreed. But immediately after, the other end of the line erupted in roaring laughter. “Liam is the absolute man! Two words and he gets his ex-girlfriend kneeling and begging like a dog!” “Does anyone actually fall for the ‘2 AM let’s get back together’ routine? Liam, where did you find this freak? When you guys were together, she served you like you were royalty. It’s been three months since you dumped her, and she’s still obsessed with you.” “That’s just the irresistible charm of our guy Liam. When they were dating, he’d tell her to get lost, and she’d roll over like an obedient puppy.” “One time Liam was out on a date with another girl, and with one phone call, Chloe literally drove over to deliver him condoms.” “How can someone be that pathetic?” “Like I said, Liam’s charm is unmatched. I’ll take the penalty drink for this round.” The phone line was filled with their unbridled, cruel mockery. Finally, Liam’s voice sounded again: “I told you all. Chloe is completely pathetic. All I have to do is crook my finger, and she’ll come crawling right back, begging for attention.” Liam’s voice was still deep and magnetic, but now it was laced with smug arrogance. Then, he addressed me: “Chloe, we’re playing Truth or Dare. Thanks for taking the penalty for me.” His tone was completely dismissive. He was ready to hang up. But I didn’t want to miss this incredibly rare opportunity. I hurriedly asked: “Did you mean what you said just now?” The other end froze. Even the background music seemed to lower in volume. “Chloe, are you mentally ill? Did you honestly think I called you at 2 AM because I actually wanted to get back together?” Liam cursed at me. I ignored it, insisting: “You said it, and I agreed.” Saying that, I couldn’t hold back my cries anymore. My voice filled with desperation as I lowered myself to the absolute dust: “Ethan… as long as you come back, you can do whatever you want to me…” No response. For a long, long time, it was dead silent. And then, came Liam’s furious, explosive roar: “Chloe! You better explain yourself right now! Who the fuck is Ethan?!” 2 Ethan. That name accompanied me through my entire youth. In a daze, I was transported back to the summer I was sixteen, the first time I ever saw him. Those were the darkest days of my life. My grandmother, the only person I had left in the world, had passed away. I became an unleashed, rabid dog, completely letting myself rot in the mud. After getting caught in yet another violent fight, my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Davis, gave me an ultimatum. If my parents didn’t show up, she was going to report me to the school board and have me expelled. I didn’t care. I leaned lazily against the wall and said dismissively, “My dad’s in Canada, my mom’s in Mexico. Neither of them can be reached. How about I summon my dead grandma’s ghost for you instead?” “Chloe!” Mrs. Davis was so furious with my attitude that she grabbed my arm, fully intending to drag me to the office to process my expulsion. That was exactly when Ethan appeared. He rushed into the hallway and stood protectively in front of me. His very first words were: “I apologize for being late. I am Chloe’s older brother.” Brother? I froze. Mrs. Davis froze too. Mrs. Davis froze because the man standing in front of her radiated a clean, sharp, and intimidating aura. Standing next to my frizzy, dyed hair and heavy, cheap makeup, we looked like we belonged in entirely different universes. I froze because I never knew my parents had a secret love child who was this old. So, I was immediately hostile toward him. “Bullshit! I don’t have a damn brother!” I started screaming and charged at him to push him away. But Ethan, who looked lean and intellectual, effortlessly restrained me with just one hand. At the same time, he calmly and politely apologized to Mrs. Davis. He promised her that from now on, he would keep me on a very tight leash. Thanks to his earnest pleading, Mrs. Davis decided to give me one last chance. Ethan physically dragged me all the way home. On the way, he shoved me into a hair salon. He had them chop off my messy, dyed hair and scrub off my heavy makeup. The mirror revealed my natural, original face. He stared at me for a moment, then smiled and ruffled my hair: “This looks so much better for a student.” I didn’t dodge. Taking advantage of the proximity, I lunged and bit down hard on the webbing of his hand. I didn’t succeed. Instead, he pinched my chin. “Tsk, such a fierce little girl?” “Get lost! I’m calling the cops! You’re a kidnapper!” I yelled at him, my words muffled. Even though Ethan was incredibly handsome, it didn’t stop me from hating him. Especially when he smiled—it was so bright it physically stung my eyes. I cursed, kicked, and fought. Ethan didn’t get angry. He let me throw my tantrum until I finally ran out of energy. Only then did he slowly explain: “I’m not a kidnapper. Your parents entrusted me to take care of you.” “Bullshit! They don’t give a damn about me! If they did, why didn’t they even show up when Grandma died?!” I tried to act like I didn’t care, but as I screamed at him, my voice broke. I glared at him with red, tear-filled eyes. My cheeks felt itchy, and then wet… Ethan fell silent. He let go of my chin. After a long pause, he promised me: “Once you get into college, they’ll come back.” I thought about it for a second, then replied: “In their dreams.” 3 Whether I agreed or not didn’t matter. Ethan aggressively moved into my apartment. I tried calling the cops on him once, but Ethan somehow produced a legally binding guardianship document, physically signed by my parents. It left me completely speechless. I gave up. I decided to treat him like he was invisible. It was a two-bedroom apartment. I had one room, and Grandma used to have the other. Now he lived in Grandma’s room. He actually started preparing three meals a day and taking over all the household chores. A free maid? Why not. Once I rationalized it, I accepted his presence without any guilt. But one thing was incredibly annoying. He demanded I come home immediately after school every day. No matter which shady internet cafe I hid in, he would always track me down and drag me out. As soon as I got home, he checked my homework. When I said I didn’t understand it, he actually sat right next to me and tutored me. Whatever I didn’t know, he knew how to teach. “Ethan, tell me the truth…” After being dragged home from an arcade yet again, I couldn’t help but ask: “Are you part of some secret reality show where you get a million dollars if you get me into college? Or is this the cure to a terminal illness you have?” Ethan flicked me hard on the forehead. “Going to college is for your own future.” “What’s the point of college?” I rubbed my forehead and complained: “It’s not like I actually want them to come back…” “Do you really not want them to come back?” Ethan cut me off. He looked at me, his tone dead serious: “Don’t you want to prove to them that even when you’re entirely on your own, you can still become something amazing?” My fingers curled inward. My heart swelled in my chest. He had a tiny tear mole at the corner of his eye. I looked into his eyes, and it felt like they held an entire galaxy. They were so, so bright… 4 Midterm exams. I went from being the second-worst student in my grade to the top fifty. When the grades were posted, no one could believe it. I was ecstatic. All I could think about was how I was going to tell Ethan the good news that night. I planned to lie to him, tell him I was still second-to-last, and use it to extort a massive plate of his homemade BBQ ribs to comfort me. Ethan’s BBQ ribs were genuinely incredible. I was happily plotting my deception, but before the school day even ended, Mrs. Davis called me into the office… She suspected me of cheating and threatened to void my scores. That night, I went straight to a club. 5 Ethan was the one who bailed me out of the police precinct. According to the officers… They raided the club and rounded up a bunch of underage drinkers. I was the most obvious one—wearing a high school uniform, completely wasted, grinding on the dance floor with a bunch of shady guys, having the time of my life. Ethan’s face was completely black. I saw him speaking quietly with the officers, then signing a document before walking over to lead me out of the precinct. Honestly, I hadn’t drank that much. Plus, standing in the freezing, drafty hallway of the police station had sobered me up considerably. The entire ride home, Ethan didn’t say a single word to me. Seeing his stone-cold face ignited my own temper. I stubbornly marched toward my bedroom door, but he stopped me: “Hold it! Do you not have anything to say for yourself?” That single command triggered every rebellious bone in my body. “I don’t need you to manage me! You aren’t my dad, and you aren’t my mom! Do you really think a piece of paper gives you the right to control my life?!” Ethan strode toward me. Even though he was lean, when his face went cold, his aura was absolutely terrifying. He stopped right in front of me. He was a full head taller than me. Looking down at me, his face was like ice, and his voice was harsher than it had ever been: “Do you have any idea how disappointed your parents would be if they saw you like this?!” Hearing that, I violently hurled my backpack at him and screamed hysterically: “How disappointed could they possibly be?! The grass on their graves is probably taller than me by now! They don’t know shit!” I watched Ethan’s icy facade shatter into a million pieces. The atmosphere stagnated for a long, agonizing moment before his low voice finally broke the silence: “Since when did you know?” I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug into my palms. The adrenaline and alcohol surged back to my head, making my entire body burn. Biting my lip, I stared directly into his eyes and enunciated every single word: “Don’t treat me like a child. I understand everything. I know my parents are dead! You hid it from me, Grandma hid it from me… I know a lot of things. I know they were undercover cops. And I know you’re a cop too!” 6 My head was spinning. The memories of the past flooded my brain like a tidal wave, making my already throbbing head feel like it was going to split open. Through the phone, Liam was still demanding an answer. I snapped back to reality and replied purely on instinct: “Where are you? I want… I want to see you right now.” I missed him so much. I truly, desperately wanted to see him right now. The other end went silent. I could hear the mocking, teasing voices in the background. Some said I was shameless, others said I was playing hard to get, and some laughed, asking if Liam was getting anxious. Finally, Liam texted me an address. I didn’t even bother getting dressed up. I rushed out the door. When I arrived at the bar, Liam’s group hadn’t left. Seeing my pale, sickly face, Liam, who was sitting in the center of the booth, froze for a second. “Chloe, it’s only been a few months. Do you… look like you’re about to drop dead?” I didn’t care. I ignored the sneering, judgmental stares of everyone in the room and walked straight up to him. But as my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and I got a clear look at Liam’s face, a surge of indescribable fury exploded in my chest. “Where is your tear mole?” I reached out, grabbed his chin, and frantically inspected his face. It had only been a few months. Liam’s face was different. The corner of his eye, the bridge of his nose… but most importantly, the tear mole at the corner of his eye—the exact same mole Ethan had—was gone. He didn’t look like Ethan anymore! Annoyed by my grabbing, Liam shoved me away roughly, his tone impatient: “That mole was ugly as hell. I’ve been wanting to get it lasered off for a long time. I look way better now.” He touched his own face, smiling confidently. But I suddenly lunged at him like a maniac, tearing at his clothes. “Who gave you permission to remove it?! You don’t look anything like him anymore!” I had searched so hard and finally found an existence so similar to him, and now Liam had ruined it! I projected all my rage onto the man in front of me. I stood up to leave, but my arm was grabbed violently. “What the hell do you mean? Like who? This ‘Ethan’ guy? Chloe! You better explain right now, who the fuck is Ethan?!” Liam finally remembered his earlier question, his voice sharp with interrogation. Someone tried to break it up. “Liam, calm down. Chloe is definitely just playing mind games…” “Yeah, this guy definitely doesn’t even exist.” Hearing this, Liam’s expression relaxed slightly. The way he looked at me grew even more contemptuous. He said: “If you want to get back together, show some sincerity. Don’t just make up some random name, using a nonexistent ghost to try and play me…” Liam didn’t get to finish his sentence. I slapped him across the face as hard as I physically could. With one hundred percent of my strength. “Who are you calling nonexistent?! Ethan isn’t dead! HE ISN’T!” “Chloe, have you lost your fucking mind?! Are you crazy?!”

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On the day I was officially recognized by my biological family, I reclaimed my room from the fake heiress, tore her favorite dress to shreds, and called her a “country bumpkin” who could never truly belong in high society. The fake heiress, Chloe, screamed like a banshee, “Mia! You bitch!” Before I could even respond, my father delivered a resounding slap across her face. “Chloe! When will you learn to be as sensible and well-behaved as Mia? You are a profound disappointment!” My mother looked at her with pure ice in her eyes. “What an ungrateful little wretch.” Looking down at Chloe crumpled on the floor, the corners of my mouth curled into a smile. “Chloe, this time around, it’s your turn to taste what it feels like to be abandoned by everyone you love.” 1. When my mother finally regained consciousness, I was sitting quietly in the hospital chair next to her bed, diligently working on some math problems. Seeing her eyes open, I immediately stood up, my voice full of concern. “Ma’am, you’re awake! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?” My mother offered a weak, pale smile. “Such a good girl. Thank you for everything.” She had fainted from a sudden drop in blood sugar on the street, and I had been the one to rush her to the hospital. Looking at the gentle, smiling woman in front of me… I couldn’t help but remember the look of utter disgust on her face in my past life as she screamed at me: “How could I have given birth to such an ignorant, classless daughter! If I had known, I would have just let the mistake remain a mistake!” Yes, the elegant socialite lying in the hospital bed was my biological mother. Only, she didn’t know it yet. I am the true heiress of the Sterling family, switched at birth. In my past life, I returned to the Sterling family with a heart full of desperate hope and joy, only to be met with cold stares and deep dissatisfaction from everyone. My father took one look at me, his brow furrowed in distaste. “Teach her some manners,” he ordered the staff, before immediately leaving for the office. My mother was polite but incredibly distant. “If you need anything, just tell Mrs. Hughes, the housekeeper.” From the very beginning, their eyes only held affection for Chloe. And Chloe? She stood there wearing a limited-edition designer knit dress and custom Mary Janes, making her displeasure blatantly obvious. My mother even stroked her hair to comfort her. I pushed the cold memory away and poured a glass of warm water for the woman in the bed. My mother looked at me with overwhelming gratitude. Heh. How hilarious. In my past life, I spent every single day cooking and making elaborate soups, desperately trying to win my parents’ approval, and I never even got a smile in return. Now, a simple glass of water had my mother looking at me like I was a saint. I guess being their actual daughter was just a curse. Hearing my mother call the family chauffeur, I politely stood up to say goodbye. It was too early for me to meet anyone else from the Sterling family. My mother insisted on rewarding me, but I repeatedly declined. I only relented enough to leave her my contact information. Of course, the whole incident today was orchestrated. I “coincidentally” walked past her and “coincidentally” saved her life. In my past life, I remembered the housekeeper mentioning a time when my mother had a severe hypoglycemic episode on the street. It was a highly dangerous situation, but she was saved by a passing college student. That student eventually became my mother’s godson and was fast-tracked into an executive position at the Sterling Corporation. That godson’s name was Liam Vance, and he was also one of Chloe’s most devoted orbiters. In my past life, he had helped Chloe frame and torment me countless times. This time, I calculated the exact timing and stole his golden opportunity. Let’s see if he ever manages to set foot in the Sterling household now. 2. That evening, I returned to the home of my adoptive parents. My adoptive father, Arthur, was blackout drunk. The moment he saw me, he started screaming curses: “You worthless little money-pit! All you do all day is run around trying to seduce men! I’ll beat the life out of you!” My adoptive mother gave a half-hearted, token protest. “Alright, alright. You come home and throw a drunken tantrum every single day.” With that, she immediately ordered me to go wash the dishes. I obediently walked toward the kitchen, but Arthur wasn’t done. “You little bitch! Who told you to walk away?! You don’t even listen to your own father anymore?! Do you think you’re special?!” He whipped off his leather belt and started lashing it across my back. I didn’t dodge. I took every single brutal strike without making a sound. Let him hit me. If I didn’t have these welts and bruises, how was I going to play the sympathy card with my biological mother? Seeing that I wasn’t fighting back, Arthur got bored. He muttered “jinx” under his breath and stumbled back to his room to pass out. The next day, my biological mother arranged to meet me. I pulled my hair into a high ponytail and deliberately wore a faded, patched-up shirt and a pair of worn-out jeans. My facial features were strikingly similar to my mother’s—we both had bold, striking, and glamorous looks. Even though I was dressed in rags, it couldn’t hide my natural beauty. My mother was delighted to see me. She handed me a beautifully wrapped gift box. Inside was an exquisite, clearly expensive brooch. I pressed my lips together tightly. “Mrs. Sterling, you really shouldn’t have spent money on this. I… I have no use for something like this.” My mother finally took a close look at me, noticing my worn, patched clothing. A look of uncontrollable pity flooded her eyes. “It was very thoughtless of me. Let me take you to buy some clothes, okay?” I continued to refuse, working hard to project the image of a strong, resilient, but pure-hearted ‘white flower’. “Mrs. Sterling, I only did what anyone should do. You really don’t have to do this. If you really want to thank me, could you… could you buy me a set of advanced math workbooks instead?” Looking into my timid, careful eyes, my mother’s heart completely melted. She immediately ordered her driver to take us to the largest bookstore in the city. In the car, my mother accidentally brushed against my arm. I sharply sucked in a breath of air. “Hiss.” When my mother looked at me in alarm, I quickly pulled my arm away and hid it behind my back. Her face filled with suspicion. Ignoring my protests, she gently pulled my arm forward and rolled up the sleeve. When she saw the angry red welts and deep purple bruises crisscrossing my pale skin, she almost gasped out loud. “Mia, who did this to you? Is someone bullying you at school?!” I lowered my head, acting terrified to speak. “Have you told your parents? Is the school doing anything about this? I’m calling your principal right now!” I hurriedly grabbed her hand to stop her. “No, Mrs. Sterling! No one at school is bullying me. I promise.” My mother hesitated for a moment. “Was it your parents?” I bit my lip hard and gave a slow, barely perceptible nod. My mother looked absolutely horrified. “How could anyone treat their own biological daughter like this?” Watching her dramatic reaction, I sneered internally. Yeah, I wanted to ask the exact same question. How could anyone treat their biological daughter like that? In my past life, neither of my biological parents ever bothered to ask about the life I had lived before returning to them. Of course, they didn’t actually want to know. Even when I came home covered in scars, they pretended they were blind. And now? Seeing her express such profound concern made me feel nothing but absolute disgust. My mother insisted on taking me to a private clinic to get my injuries treated and bandaged. On the way there, her phone rang. Judging by her tone, it was definitely Chloe. “Didn’t you just buy a dozen designer bags last week? Why do you need another one so soon?” “Buy it, buy it. My daughter is being so sweet, how can I say no?” “The dessert shop on Lakeview Street? Okay, Mom will pick some up for you in a bit.” My mother hung up the phone, her face glowing with unconditional adoration. She even laughed and complained to me, “My daughter is an absolute menace. If only she could be as sensible and mature as you are.” I lowered my eyes and offered a small, self-deprecating smile. “I wish I had a mother like you.” Seeing the deep sense of loss on my pale face, my mother’s heart took a massive, painful hit. To cheer me up, she stopped at that same dessert shop and bought me the exact same pastries she got for Chloe. As soon as the Sterling family’s Maybach pulled away, my expression instantly reverted to total apathy. I casually tossed the expensive desserts straight into the nearest trash can. 3. On Monday, I was back in class. I overheard the teachers mentioning that several executives from local corporations would be touring the campus later that week. My mind started working immediately. I attended the most prestigious academic high school in the city. If my guess was correct, the Sterling Group would definitely be part of that delegation. I thought about it for a minute, then headed straight to the faculty office. Throughout the week, my mother frequently messaged me on WeChat, checking in on me, and had her driver randomly drop off expensive meals for me. I flawlessly maintained my persona: the fragile, resilient, tragically misunderstood girl. So incredibly sensible and mature that it broke your heart. The new week arrived, and the corporate delegation arrived on campus for their inspection tour. As Mr. Sterling and his entourage were guided past the main athletic field, my voice echoed clearly over the PA system: “Hello everyone, I am Mia, from the AP Junior Class…” The clear, confident voice of a young girl instantly drew the attention of the crowd. I stood at the podium, dressed in a spotless uniform, my hair pulled into a crisp high ponytail, sharing my academic strategies as the top-ranked student in the entire grade. The principal proactively introduced me to the delegation. “This is our valedictorian, Mia. She is a constant presence at national academic competitions. She is an exceptionally brilliant student with an incredibly bright future.” My father, who had naturally already heard about my heroic rescue of his wife, recognized my name immediately. Hearing the principal’s high praise, he nodded in strong approval. “We have that major charity initiative launching next week, and we need a few outstanding student volunteers as ambassadors. I think this Mia would be perfect for the role.” The principal readily agreed. It was a massive PR win for the school. When my homeroom teacher brought it up with me, I accepted enthusiastically. A few days later, I arrived at the designated location alongside several other top students. The charity initiative was focused on supporting underprivileged children, and the corporate coalition was funding the construction of a new school in a rural area. My father and several other powerful executives arrived shortly after. Wearing a bright red volunteer vest, I flashed a brilliant, sweet smile as I distributed supplies to the children. During the media interviews, I was poised, articulate, and completely unflappable. Even the principal nodded continuously, visibly astounded by my performance. When the news aired that evening, fueled by my striking looks and eloquent speech, the hashtag “#MostBeautifulVolunteer” skyrocketed to the top of the trending charts. The Sterling Group and the other corporations involved happily fanned the flames, injecting money to boost the algorithm. I leveraged the moment and created my own public social media accounts. Knowing that overexposure could backfire, I kept my content strictly focused on sharing high-level study tips and academic advice. When my mother heard about all this, she was utterly amazed. “Mia, you are so incredible! What kind of reward can Auntie give you for doing so well?” I smiled demurely, once again refusing any material gifts. “Mrs. Sterling, I really just enjoy your company. If you have time in the future, just coming to visit me is the best reward I could ask for.” Hearing my thoughtful, emotionally intelligent response, my mother was deeply moved. She pulled me into a hug, looking down as she pondered something. “Mia, Auntie knows you don’t care about material things. But what about the elite summer academic camp at Princeton? Would you want to go?” I smiled internally. Hook, line, and sinker. After all, once I officially returned to the Sterling family, I would have unlimited access to designer clothes and jewelry. Right now, utilizing their resources to elevate my own status and resume was the much smarter play. I immediately put on a mask of pure, absolute shock. “Really? Mrs. Sterling, is that really possible?!” Seeing the stars shining in my eyes, my mother couldn’t resist gently tapping my nose. “Of course it is! You are so incredibly driven; Auntie absolutely supports you.” I gasped in delight. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Sterling!” Soon enough, I attended the elite summer camp exactly as planned. I networked with some incredibly brilliant people and made a few very useful connections. On the day I returned, as I stepped off the chartered bus, a girl named Sarah called out to me. “Mia! Don’t forget to message me on WeChat when you get home!” I smiled and nodded, watching her skip happily away. But before I could even turn my head, I saw Sarah running directly toward someone. Chloe. Sarah and Chloe both attended the city’s most elite private prep school. It wasn’t surprising that they knew each other. Chloe was dressed in an expensive, preppy designer set. Her meticulous, full-face makeup made her stand out sharply among the crowd of tired students. The corners of my mouth slowly curled upward. Even if I was an exceptionally brilliant student, that wasn’t nearly enough to shake Chloe’s unassailable position in my parents’ hearts. But what if Chloe repeatedly, spectacularly disappointed them? I remembered something very specific. In my past life, Chloe and her little clique of mean girls relentlessly bullied a girl at their prep school for over a year. That girl was incredibly stubborn and nearly attempted suicide over it. Ultimately, Liam Vance stepped in and used his connections to make the problem quietly disappear for Chloe. But what if Liam Vance wasn’t there this time? Would Chloe still be so lucky? 4. I just didn’t expect my first face-to-face encounter with Chloe to happen so soon. That weekend, my mother invited me out. I assumed it would just be the two of us, like usual. Until Chloe stepped out of the luxury SUV. “Mia, I’ve been meaning to introduce you two! Chloe insisted on tagging along today, so I figured it was a great chance for you girls to get to know each other.” Chloe was wearing a black and white tweed Chanel suit, stepping out of the car with an aura of bored entitlement. One look, and you knew she was a stereotypical, spoiled rich girl. She frowned, looking me up and down. The disdain and intense defensive hostility in her eyes were glaringly obvious. “Mom, is this the Mia you never shut up about?” Chloe asked, deliberately clinging tightly to my mother’s arm. “Yes, this is Mia,” my mother said, looking at me with immense satisfaction. Chloe let out a mocking, playful smirk. “She definitely looks like she came from the country.” “Chloe! Watch your mouth! Where are your manners?!” My mother’s smile instantly vanished. She glared at Chloe, then turned to me, desperately trying to apologize. “Mia, please don’t take it to heart. Chloe doesn’t mean any harm. I’ve just spoiled her completely rotten.” I bit my lip hard, my eyes filling with a profound, lonely sadness. “It’s okay, Mrs. Sterling. Chloe is so incredibly lucky to have a mother as wonderful as you.” “Tsk. So fake,” Chloe sneered. Hearing Chloe’s cruel remark, my head dropped even lower, the corners of my mouth turning down in absolute defeat. This time, my mother was genuinely furious. “Chloe, your allowance is cut off for the rest of the week! Get back in the car and go home. Right now.” “Mom! You’re punishing me over this country bumpkin?! Are you my mother or hers?!” Chloe screamed, shot me a venomous, hateful glare, turned around, and stormed away. My mother apologized to me profusely, over and over. I played the understanding, mature friend, offering her gentle comfort. Seeing that she was in a terrible mood, I suggested we go to an art exhibition nearby. My mother immediately agreed. Upon entering the gallery, my mother was instantly captivated by a painting displayed prominently in the center of the hall. It was an abstract piece depicting a gentle, elegant woman looking down at an infant in her arms with profound, unconditional love. Even though the style was abstract, upon closer inspection, the woman in the painting bore a striking resemblance to my mother. “What is this?” my mother asked, astonished. “Mrs. Sterling, this is a gift from the young lady beside you,” the gallery attendant explained smoothly. “Mia, you did this?” I offered a sweet, innocent smile. “Mrs. Sterling, you’ve taken such incredible care of me, and I have nothing of value to offer you in return. I’ve been working part-time at this gallery, and I painted this myself. It’s for you. I hope you like it.” My mother looked absolutely astounded, moved entirely beyond words. In high society, they lack absolutely nothing material. What they value most is “genuine sincerity.” After this incident, my status in my mother’s heart skyrocketed. She became even more dedicated to me. She visited me every weekend, or whenever she had a spare moment. When she discovered my natural talent for art, she personally hired a renowned master painter to give me private tutoring. I comfortably, unapologetically absorbed every single benefit and resource my mother provided. Are you kidding? All of this belonged to me in the first place. I accepted it all without a shred of guilt. Meanwhile, I began communicating much more frequently with Sarah. Through her, I confirmed that Chloe was, exactly as in my past life, actively bullying other students at her prep school. I smirked. Well then, it’s time to send her a spectacular gift.

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In my past life, my twin sister was adopted by a wealthy family, while I was taken home to be a child bride. Later, my sister jumped from a high-rise building, while I bloomed from the darkness. My sister smiled and said: “Sister, if it were you, you wouldn’t have let your life become such a mess, right?” Reborn into a new life, my sister and I switched fates. I am the dazzling sun shining in the day, and my sister is the evil spirit crawling in the dark night. We never looked back, taking turns moving forward. 01 I was reborn to the day my sister was adopted when we were five years old. This time, my clever and lively sister acted completely devoid of manners, even shouting that she was going to be a rich person, causing Mrs. Sterling to frown and choose me, who was quiet and steady. My sister and I exchanged a glance, and I saw the sly smile in her eyes. I knew my sister had also been reborn. My sister and I are fraternal twins. In our previous life, my sister was chosen by the Sterling family, a wealthy family in New York. When she left, she looked at me with wide eyes and said, “Sister, I will come back for you.” But I never saw my sister again. I was adopted by an ordinary family because their son was intellectually disabled, and they wanted to raise me to marry him when I grew up. I grew up amidst beatings and curses. I studied desperately, telling them that I had a great future and would bring them more benefits. Through bullying and humiliation, I got into a top university and later passed the civil service exam. My sister, who had entered the wealthy family, became notorious and jumped from a high-rise building. Before she died, my sister sent me a message: “I’m so unwilling to accept this. If you had been adopted by the Sterling family, sister, you wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Two minutes later, there was an extra five million dollars in my bank account. That was the inheritance my sister left me. Unfortunately, before I could enjoy the inheritance my sister left me, I was stabbed to death a few days later by my adoptive parents’ intellectually disabled son who suddenly rushed out. When I regained consciousness, I was back to when I was five years old. 02 I went to the Sterling family, changed my name to Ava Sterling, had my own room, parents, and a brother named Liam Sterling. The first day I ate at the Sterling family, I accidentally broke a bowl. I was already mentally prepared to be beaten. The expected beating and scolding didn’t come. Instead, I received concern, asking if I had cut my hand. For the first time, I learned that breaking a bowl doesn’t mean getting beaten. The new home had everything. Dad was rarely home, and Mom didn’t pay much attention to me. The servants did the chores, and a nanny played with me and Liam. If my sister’s death hadn’t reminded me, I almost would have drowned in this luxurious happiness. Liam was in poor health. A fortune teller told Mr. and Mrs. Sterling to adopt a girl from the orphanage to be his sister, and his health would improve and everything would go smoothly. So that was the reason the Sterling family adopted an orphan. Liam spoke little and seemed a bit gloomy. I wasn’t an extrovert either, so we weren’t close. Strictly speaking, I was like an outsider living in the Sterling family, but I enjoyed the best of everything, and I was very grateful. By the time we were in middle school, Liam’s health had improved greatly, and his personality had also changed a bit. We were in the same school but acted like strangers. No one knew our relationship. I lacked nothing, but I had no money. I ate and lived at home, and I hadn’t found a chance to go back to the small town to see my sister. It wasn’t until high school that I realized the malice I encountered in this life was different from the malice I experienced in the town in my previous life. The malice in middle school and high school were also different. The malice I encountered in this life was more arrogant, opaque, like madness surging under a dark current. The similarity was that both were deadly. But, I finally had a chance to go see my sister. 03 “Don’t think that just because you have good grades, Liam will like you. How could a nerd like you ever get his affection?” “Who are you putting on this aloof act for? Everyone knows you’re secretly hooking up with Liam! Slut!” A few girls cornered me in the restroom, pulling my hair, warning me not to have any more interactions with Liam. I pulled my hair back and stated calmly: “Liam is my brother. We live under the same roof.” They were stunned. Although my last name was also Sterling, Liam and I didn’t look like siblings at all. I continued: “Since I was little, my grades have always been good. My parents love me very much. I don’t want to be gossiped about; I just want to study hard, so I pretend not to know my brother at school.” “My brother doesn’t like people who bully others, and my parents like it even less. If you don’t believe me, you can check for yourselves.” I walked out of the girls’ restroom unharmed. However, during the lunch break that day, I was called over by one of Liam’s lackeys. Liam asked me impatiently: “Why did you tell others about our relationship?” “Because your presence makes people bully me. Your admirers think I like you.” A playful light flashed in Liam’s eyes, and his expression was slightly mocking, as if saying, Don’t you like me? I looked straight into Liam’s eyes and said lightly: “I also don’t want the person I like to misunderstand.” Liam’s expression changed slightly, then he chuckled: “The person you like? Who?” I looked serious and said firmly: “Ethan.” Liam’s face grew even uglier, and at that moment, a low laugh suddenly came from behind. “What does Ava like about me? I’m truly flattered.” 04 Ethan was Liam’s good friend, and in my previous life, he was also my sister’s closest companion. When I was ostracized and isolated in school, Ethan appeared by my side like the warm spring sun and the gentle summer evening breeze. Then I understood why my sister was desperate enough to jump off a building in the end. My sister was lively, straightforward, and easy to connect with, which in other words meant she was easier to deceive. When my sister died, her identity was that of a mistress kept by Ethan. The day before she jumped was the exact day Ethan got married. They said my sister was never content. After entering the Sterling family, she was too ambitious. She tried her best to please Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, and later she was even bold enough to try and hook up with the young master of the Sterling family. After being thrown out of the room by him, the Sterling family was utterly disgusted with her. Yet she still dreamed of marrying into a wealthy family, so she climbed into the bed of Liam’s childhood friend, Ethan. She was with Ethan for three years, originally thinking she could become his official girlfriend. Unfortunately, her dream of joining a wealthy family shattered again, so unable to bear the shock, she jumped off a building. Those who play with genuine feelings must be prepared to be played by others one day. Liam’s angry voice brought me back to my senses. “How old are you? Do you even know what liking someone means? Focus on your studies! If you dare date early, I’ll break your legs.” “Liam is so domineering, don’t scare our little Ava.” I sneaked a peek at Ethan and blushed. Liam walked away with a sour face. After I made my relationship with Liam public, Liam didn’t deny it. The malice and exclusion that surrounded me seemed to vanish. 05 In high school, with living expenses, living in the dorms, and having some freedom, I took a day off to find my sister. I found her in an alley near the county high school. She was holding an iron rod, had blood on her face, and her foot was stepping on a boy’s back. She looked like a complete delinquent. Next to her squatted two other boys holding their heads. “Looking very impressive, Chloe.” Hearing my voice, my sister froze for a moment, then turned around, glared at me, and cursed viciously: “Where did this nosy person come from? Get lost!” I stood there without speaking. My sister kicked the boy under her foot, told them to scram, then sat on the ground, pulled out a cigarette, and put it in her mouth. She said sarcastically: “Oh, isn’t this my sister who entered a wealthy family? What made you think of your poor sister?” “Are you here to give me money? Hand it over then!” I looked at the three guys leaving and couldn’t help clenching my fists. Those three were the ones who bullied me in high school. In middle school, girls with slightly more developed chests were called “cows,” and those who were a bit chubby were called “tanks.” That shameful nickname, “cow,” was given to me by those guys and stayed with me throughout high school. Seeing me stay silent, my sister glared at me impatiently. “Can’t you understand human language? If you don’t have money, get lost!” I walked over, took the cigarette from her mouth, and threw it away. I then took out the living expenses I had saved up in my pocket, kept a little for myself, and gave the rest to her. My sister quickly took the money. “At least you have a conscience. Come see me more often, but don’t come if you don’t bring money!” Instead, I lunged forward and hugged my sister tightly. I asked her in a low voice: “Are you in high school? Don’t you want to be a star?” “Go take the art exams. Study hard in high school. The academic requirements aren’t that high. Whatever you want to learn, I have money, I’ll give it to you.” I felt my sister’s body stiffen, then she whispered back: “I’m in school. The idiot died, so the family can only rely on me now. If they didn’t let me go to school, I would have caused a huge scene.” “What to learn? I’ve learned everything. With my looks, I’ll definitely be a shining big star.” The idiot died? I looked at my sister in disbelief. She casually flipped her hair: “Died in an accident.” 06 “Alright, you’ve given me the money, now leave quickly. Don’t bother me!” My sister suddenly pushed me away, looking impatient. I wanted to ask her about her past life, but she had already walked away swinging the iron rod. And behind me, a cold voice suddenly sounded. It was Liam! “You went through all this trouble just to see a piece of trash like that?” I turned around, feeling cold all over. Liam was actually stalking me! I showed an embarrassed expression and lowered my head: “She is my sister.” “Your sister just treats you like a free ATM. Ava, are you really that useless? You gave her your own living expenses?” Liam said arrogantly: “Today is only Tuesday. Don’t expect me to help you out.” Me: “I’m dieting.” Liam looked at me, seemingly amused by his anger. I turned around and walked outside to wait for the bus back to school. Liam stood next to me, and I couldn’t help but ask: “Brother, are you worried about me?” Liam snorted coldly: “I just came to see if you were doing anything behind my back to wrong the Sterling family. You eat our food, live in our house. If you dare to embarrass us, I won’t let you off easily.” I looked up at him with a sincere smile: “Brother, if you’re worried about me, just say it. A brother worrying about his sister isn’t embarrassing.” Liam’s ears suddenly turned red. He pursed his lips and said nothing, but my heart was completely calm. My sister was right. If she and I switched places, we would both live very exciting lives. She could fight back against all the bullying on the spot, picking up an iron rod and smashing it down hard, and she could also make sure her adoptive parents couldn’t control her. And I could also become an existence that made the Sterling family look at me with new eyes, making everyone like me. We will eventually reunite at the very top. 07 After Thursday’s evening self-study, Liam and Ethan came to find me, insisting on having a late-night snack, so I didn’t find a chance to sneak out alone. Actually, this day was mine and my sister’s birthday. After returning to the dorm, the school gates were already locked. I struggled to climb over the wall and unluckily ran into Ethan. Ethan and I sat side-by-side on the school wall. He looked at me with interest: “Where are you sneaking off to so late?” I stammered and couldn’t say it. Ethan leaned closer and said very ambiguously: “Did you know I was here, so you came to meet me?” “Unfortunately, your brother is about to come out. How about I take you away first, and we can go have fun.” I blushed and whispered: “I wanted to go buy… buy that.” When I said buy that, Ethan understood. He coughed unnaturally, then said: “Aren’t you uncomfortable right now? Let me buy it for you.” I shook my head, “No need, I’ll buy it myself.” Saying that, I was about to jump down. Ethan jumped down first and opened his arms to me: “Come down, I’ll catch you.” I jumped down and landed in a steady embrace. Ethan pulled me along. “Hurry, don’t let your brother find out. He’s been really jealous lately and always targets me.” I let Ethan pull me along, and we brushed past a girl standing at the school gate. She was holding a bouquet of white camellias in her hand, and neither of us looked at each other. After buying my things, I went to a bakery and bought two small cakes, paying for them before Ethan could. Then we went into a bookstore next door. Ethan shook his head: “What kind of person goes to a bookstore when they’re out to have fun? Little Ava, you really don’t know how to be romantic!” I took out a small cake, scooped up a spoonful, and offered it to Ethan’s mouth. He was stunned for a moment, then smiled radiantly, opened his mouth, and ate the cake I fed him. “So sweet.” I placed the other small cake on a bookshelf, then pulled Ethan and ran back. When we reached the school gate, there was a bouquet of white camellias on the ground. I crouched down and picked it up. At the same time, a girl took a small cake from a shelf in the bookstore. 08 During my three years of high school, I studied like my life depended on it, utilizing every resource I could. After all, being in an international high school, I was surrounded by the best and brightest. These people would be valuable connections in the future, so I had to be outstanding enough to make them respect me. After the college entrance exams, Ethan confessed his feelings to me amidst a bustling crowd. When I turned my head, I met Liam’s obscure and hard-to-read gaze. He was looking at me too. I had seen that look in his eyes countless times over the past two years. I smiled sweetly and walked toward Ethan: “Hello, boyfriend.” That night, Liam pinned me against the wall in my room and interrogated me with red eyes: “What’s so good about Ethan? Do you really like him that much?” “I don’t believe you don’t know how I feel! Have you forgotten who highlighted your notes day and night and helped you guess exam questions?” In my past life, did my sister also break into his room and confess her feelings like this? What did he say then? “Are you really that cheap? Calling me brother isn’t enough, you also want to be the mistress of the Sterling family?” “Remember your place! You’re just a dog raised by the Sterling family.” I tilted my head, looking at Liam with confusion but firmness: “But, you are my brother.” “Mom and Dad raised me and worked hard to cultivate me. How could I bite the hand that feeds me?” Liam’s eyes flashed with restraint, and he whispered: “I’ll figure something out with Mom and Dad. They like you a lot too.” “I’m sorry, brother. You are a very important family member to me, but the person I like has always been Ethan.” 09 In this life, I became the top scorer in science for the provincial college entrance exam. Liam also did very well, but unfortunately, it seemed I stole all the thunder. The Sterling family hosted a celebration banquet for us, and everyone was very curious about me. I behaved obediently, sensibly, and elegantly, earning a lot of face for the Sterling family. Many people approached with intentions of arranged marriages, but Mr. and Mrs. Sterling tactfully declined them all. The Ethan family immediately claimed me, saying Ethan and I were already together. Others smiled and congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, saying the Ethan and Sterling families were already close, and now with this marriage tie, others would only be left with scraps. I smiled at Ethan, getting lost in his tender and affectionate eyes, remembering something my sister had said. She said, “Sister, I really did love him.” Being intentionally flirted with by a golden boy like Liam, boldly confessing, being humiliated, and feeling heartbroken and sad—Ethan was like a ray of light shining into her heart. He was always so gentle, so attentive. With those beautiful peach blossom eyes, he looked deeply affectionate even when looking at a dog. He was extremely patient. But after three years of dating, he smiled and said he was bored, handed my sister a card, and told her to leave. After Ethan got married, the Sterling family felt they had raised my sister for nothing and made a loss, so they made her accompany a difficult client. That client was a sixty-year-old man with sadistic tendencies. My sister told me this with a smile. She said she had lived for over twenty years, and there wasn’t a single person around her who truly cared for her. No one noticed that since middle school, she had always hurt herself, time and time again, just to hold on until she was twenty-four. For the past few years, we would meet at a certain bookstore during holidays. My sister wore a baseball cap and a mask, and we sat back-to-back, slowly recounting the years we had missed in each other’s lives. Because other people’s parents said holidays were for family reunions, in this life, we made sure to find a way to meet on every holiday.

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I picked my son up from kindergarten, and to my absolute shock, my ex-husband, Ethan, was standing right outside my door. It had been three years since our divorce. He crouched down and held out his arms. “Come here, son. Let Daddy hold you.” My five-year-old instantly hid behind my legs. Then, as if remembering something important, he poked his head back out and yelled, “Go away!” Ethan suddenly broke down. Weeping hysterically, he asked me, “Mia, they told me we got a divorce. I don’t believe it.” Three years after our divorce, he had suffered an accident that wiped his memory. He forgot that we were divorced. And he forgot that he was the one who cheated. 01 “Buy a few extra groceries. Ethan is here.” After reluctantly letting Ethan inside, I quickly texted my current husband, Liam. Liam replied almost instantly, thoughtfully asking, “Does he have any dietary restrictions?” I thought about it for a second and texted back, “He doesn’t eat cilantro.” Liam replied, “Got it.” Only then did I turn my attention back to Ethan. He was still crying. His face was a messy mix of snot and tears as he sobbed. “Mia, how could we possibly be divorced?” “My only wish since I was eighteen was to marry you.” “Is there a mistake? Did someone mess up the records?” … He had curled himself into a tight ball on the sofa. As he sobbed, his shoulder blades trembled, making him look like someone enduring a profound, agonizing tragedy. Right now, his tears were falling in massive, heavy drops. But three years ago, from the day I discovered his affair to the day we finalized the divorce, he hadn’t shed a single tear. I handed him a box of tissues from the coffee table and pulled out my phone to text his mother. “Auntie, Ethan is at my place.” She replied just as quickly. “Mia, I am so, so sorry. The doctor said it’s best not to contradict him right now or cause him any sudden stress. I’ll come pick him up a little later tonight.” Reading her message, I couldn’t bring myself to say no. After my parents passed away in a car crash, it was the Vance family—Ethan’s family—who took me in. They treated me like their own daughter. I never lacked for food or clothes. Even though Ethan cheated on me and we got divorced. Even though I now flat-out refused to call Ethan “brother” like I used to when we were kids. I still owed them for raising me. That was a debt I had to repay. I deleted the message I had just typed: “Can he go home by himself?” Instead, I replied, “Did the doctor prescribe any medication for his head injury? I can have Liam swing by and pick it up.” Liam Vance. My husband. We got married last year. The chat went silent for a long time. The “typing…” indicator kept appearing and disappearing. Finally, she sent a voice memo. Her voice sounded incredibly raspy and aged. The fierce, decisive woman from my childhood memories suddenly sounded like she had aged ten years overnight. “I’m so sorry, Mia. Please tell Liam I apologize for the trouble.” 02 “Mommy, I want to go to my room and do my homework.” Leo, sitting right next to me, tugged on my sleeve. He was five years old, an age where sitting still is usually impossible. This was the very first time in his life he had ever volunteered to go to his room to do homework. When Ethan and I divorced, Leo was only two. But as he grew up, the absence of a father figure was obvious. Liam, however, never hid the truth from him. So, Leo knew perfectly well that the man currently crying on our sofa was his biological father. The man who had abandoned us. I patted his head. “Go ahead.” Ethan watched him leave. Once the bedroom door clicked shut, he grabbed a tissue, haphazardly wiped his face, and turned to look at me. He offered a cautious, fragile smile, desperately trying to find something to talk about. “Our little guy is so big now. I swear, when I left for work yesterday, he didn’t even know how to walk yet.” “He used to just nestle in my arms and give me this huge, gummy smile whenever he saw me.” I listened to him quietly. I grabbed a glass, meticulously dropped in some dried jasmine flowers, poured hot water over them, and pushed the cup toward him. “Drink some tea. It’ll help your throat.” Maybe it was because I was being too apathetic. Or maybe I was just acting too calm. He didn’t touch the hot water. He just stared at me intently with those bloodshot eyes. After a long, suffocating silence, he spoke, his voice trembling. “Mia… you don’t love me anymore.” 03 At our age, talking about “love” felt a bit childish. But if we were really going to point fingers, I definitely wasn’t the first one to stop loving. I poured myself a glass of water and finally gave him a serious answer to the question he had been obsessing over since he walked through the door. “Ethan, we are divorced.” I looked down at the jasmine flowers floating in my cup, and added the final nail to the coffin. “Because you cheated on me.” He completely froze. He just kept muttering the same phrase over and over: “How is that possible? How is that possible?” I used to wonder how it was possible, too. We grew up together. After our high school graduation, he confessed his feelings to me, his face blushing bright red. During college, we were on opposite sides of the country. He traveled to see me so often that his stack of train tickets was thicker than a dictionary. Even my incredibly picky college roommates had nothing but good things to say about him. After we graduated, he started his own tech company. We lived in a tiny, cramped apartment. When we were at our brokest, we could only afford to order one single bowl of wonton soup for dinner. He stubbornly claimed he wasn’t hungry and tried to get up and leave the table. I split the soup into two bowls. When I pushed his bowl toward him, his tears fell straight into the broth. He looked at me and made a solemn vow: “Mia, I promise you. I swear I will give you a happy life.” We got married. The following year, we had Leo. His company started taking off, becoming more and more successful. Everything seemed to be heading exactly toward that “happy life” Ethan had promised. Except for the part where he cheated. 04 The first time I suspected something, Leo was a year and a half old. He spiked a sudden, terrifying fever in the middle of the night. I shook Ethan awake and told him to drive us to the hospital. He made a quick phone call. A car pulled up a few minutes later, but the person in the driver’s seat was a young woman. As she got out to let Ethan drive, she casually remarked, “Mr. Vance, I didn’t get to drive it fast enough tonight. You owe me dinner to make up for it.” I stayed completely silent the entire ride, until Ethan finally offered an explanation. “She’s the daughter of the CEO we’re partnering with. She insisted on taking my beat-up car for a spin.” He was being overly modest. That “beat-up car” cost more than our family’s entire living expenses for the first half of our lives. I didn’t press the issue. I only asked him one question: “When does the partnership contract end?” He rubbed his temples. “In half a month.” I thought we had an unspoken understanding. Even if something was going on, once that half-month was up, it had to end. But at Leo’s second birthday party, she showed up again. She laughed and pinched Leo’s cheek, but her sharp, acrylic nails dug painfully into his soft skin. Leo burst into tears. When Ethan quickly picked him up to comfort him, Leo’s flailing hand accidentally knocked Ethan’s glasses off his face. Ethan instinctively lowered his head to catch them. The woman smoothly took a step forward, her long hair cascading over his shoulder. She went up on her tiptoes, her manicured finger gently brushing against his temple as she casually pushed his glasses back up his nose. When Ethan put his glasses back on, he saw me standing just a few feet away. Absolute panic washed over his face. I took Leo from his arms. That night, I confronted him directly: “You’ve slept together.” He refused to admit it. He hovered around me, constantly trying to appease me. He swallowed his pride, said every sweet thing he could think of, and bought me round after round of expensive gifts. I still refused to speak to him. This dragged on for months. Then, one day… Leo was running a low-grade fever. I was holding him, trying to rock him to sleep. Ethan completely ignored the fact that our son was sick. He violently smashed a glass against the wall. A shard flew and sliced a long cut across my calf. He yelled at the top of his lungs: “Fine! Yes, we slept together! Are you happy now?!” I looked down at the thin line of blood welling up on my leg. I spoke very quietly. “Okay. Then let’s get a divorce.” 05 “How is that possible?” Ethan was still muttering to himself in disbelief. But sitting here now, looking at him, I thought: Why wouldn’t it be possible? If he could hit his head and develop selective amnesia, anything is possible. “Her name is Chloe Sinclair. She’s younger than me, and prettier than me.” “The heiress to the Sinclair Group. Optimistic, outgoing, beautiful, and young.” … “I only want you, Mia.” Ethan cut me off. He repeated himself, desperate: “Mia, I’m telling you, growing up, my only wish in life was to marry you.” He didn’t believe me. He was absolutely certain I was just making up a cruel lie to punish him. “Aren’t we already married?” “Did I do something wrong? Just tell me, I’ll fix it. I promise I’ll change.” “Please, don’t throw me away.” … It made sense. If someone had told me five years ago that Ethan and I would get a divorce, I would have thought they were crazy too. We had been together for so long. We were practically family; our lives were entirely intertwined. When we finally split, it felt like my skin was being peeled off and my bones ripped out. I looked at his stubborn, desperate face and sighed. “Nothing stays the same forever.” He kept acting like a petulant child. “I know I messed up. I’ll change. But you can’t just throw me away.” Before his memory loss, he rarely acted this childish. If he broke a promise or made a mistake, his go-to solution was to buy me an incredibly expensive, beautifully wrapped gift. Even our mutual friends would see them and joke, “Wow, CEO Vance really spared no expense.” But I hated them. I much preferred the simple, home-cooked meals he used to make for us on holidays when we were broke. Looking back now, the signs were always there. I had tried to reason with him, but he refused to accept reality. Suddenly, I just felt incredibly annoyed. Until the sound of the front door unlocking shattered the strange, suffocating atmosphere in the room. “Mia, I’m home.” I stood up and practically jogged over to take the grocery bags from him. He handed me a cake box he was holding in his other hand. Aware that we had a guest in the living room, I leaned in close and whispered, “That bakery is so far away. You must be exhausted.” He ruffled my hair, looked past me into the living room, and asked loudly, “Any dietary restrictions?” Hearing Liam’s voice, Leo immediately opened his bedroom door and came running out, his little feet slapping against the floor. He threw himself directly into Liam’s arms. “Daddy! You’re home!” Ethan stared at Liam, his entire body trembling violently. He froze, completely rooted to the spot. Seeing his expression, I finally realized something. He hadn’t known that I had remarried.

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My eight-month pregnant sister-in-law was violently shoved to the ground, hemorrhaging profusely, and rushed to the hospital. I drove right past her. I rolled up my car window, pretended I didn’t see a thing, and hit the gas. In my past life, I was the one who found her passed out in a pool of blood. I immediately rushed her to the hospital. The situation was critical. The massive hemorrhage triggered an amniotic fluid embolism. My husband was the top obstetrician in the city. I called him, begging him to get to the hospital immediately. But he assumed I was just throwing a jealous fit because he was out to dinner with his childhood sweetheart’s family. He thought I was using his sister’s “emergency” as a manipulative tactic to force him to come home. By the time his family finally arrived at the hospital, his sister had already died from the embolism because the doctors couldn’t save her in time. His entire family blamed me for her death. They believed I intentionally misled my husband, causing the fatal delay. Her husband, rushing back from out of town, believed their venomous lies. Consumed by grief and rage, he hacked me to death with a machete right at her funeral. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the exact day my sister-in-law was pushed and started hemorrhaging. 1 My vision blurred for a second. As the stoplight turned red, I instinctively hit the brakes. Screams and panicked shouts erupted from the sidewalk. “Call 911! A pregnant woman just fell and she’s bleeding everywhere!” My hand shot to the door handle. But the exact second I was about to push the door open, horrific memories flooded my mind. My husband and my in-laws pointing fingers at my face, cursing me with vile words, blaming me for her death. And then… I touched my own stomach. In my past life, this was where my brother-in-law’s machete had repeatedly struck, turning my unborn child into pulp. Phantom pains made every muscle in my body spasm in agony. I pulled my hand back. The light turned green. Without a second of hesitation, I stepped on the gas and drove away. To make absolutely sure my in-laws couldn’t use me as a scapegoat again, I drove straight to my mother-in-law’s house. “Mom, Arthur is working late tonight, so I bought some fresh fish and brought it over for you.” I walked in, pretending I didn’t notice her frantically hanging up a video call, looking incredibly guilty. “Oh, Luna, you’re here…” Before she could finish her sentence, her phone rang. She answered it, and her face instantly turned ghost-white. Tears burst from her eyes. Her legs gave out, and she practically crawled toward me. “Hurry! We have to go to the hospital! Mia fell!” I already knew, but I feigned absolute shock. I helped her into my car and sped toward the maternity hospital as fast as I could. It was the exact hospital where my husband worked. In this life, without my intervention, bystanders had called the ambulance that brought her here. By the time we arrived, my sister-in-law was already in the operating room. “Family members, please sign here. The patient is 32 weeks pregnant. She suffered a severe fall and massive hemorrhaging. An emergency C-section is absolutely necessary.” Just like in my past life, my mother-in-law signed the forms with violently trembling hands. I turned to her and said, “Arthur is the best obstetrician in the city. He told me he was working late today. Just in case, I should probably call him down here.” She hesitated for a split second, then nodded. I called Arthur’s number. It rang three times and went straight to voicemail. “Mom, Arthur might be in the middle of something. I’ll go up to his department and find him.” Her eyes darted nervously, but she nodded. The second I walked away, she pulled out her phone and called him herself. I knew for a fact he wasn’t even in the hospital. I certainly wasn’t going to waste my energy looking for him. I stood in the stairwell, watching my mother-in-law dial his number over and over again. I watched her expression shift from composed, to anxious, to sheer panic as tears streamed down her face. I couldn’t help but let a smirk curl the corner of my lips. She definitely didn’t know that her precious son had long since put his phone on silent so he could enjoy a quiet, uninterrupted dinner with his childhood sweetheart. Right before I walked into her house, Arthur had been on a video call with her. He was just trying to get her to keep me occupied so I wouldn’t interrupt his little rendezvous. Watching her pace like an ant on a hot pan, I intentionally jogged back, panting heavily. “Mom! Arthur’s colleagues said he isn’t working late today! And I can’t reach him on his phone at all!” A flash of guilt crossed her face, but she still tried to cover for him. “He… he was probably just called out for an emergency consult. If you can’t reach him, just try again in a few minutes.” Right at that moment, Arthur’s aunt (my father-in-law’s sister) and Mia’s in-laws rushed into the waiting area. The aunt looked at me, her eyebrows shooting up in immediate anger. “Where is Arthur?! Isn’t he an obstetrician here?! What good are you doing just standing there?! Why haven’t you told him to get his ass down here?!” Aunt Martha was a formidable presence. Since my father-in-law passed away, she controlled every major and minor decision in the Sterling family. In my past life, the second the doctor announced Mia’s death, before I could even process it, she slapped me hard across the face twice. “You are her sister-in-law! You’re supposed to act like a mother figure to her! How could you just stand by and watch her die?!” In this life, I certainly wasn’t going to give her that opportunity. I offered a bitter, helpless smile. “Aunt Martha, I can’t reach Arthur. He told me this morning he was working late, but I just went up to his department and his colleagues said he never came in today. I’ve been calling his phone non-stop, but he won’t answer.” My mother-in-law mumbled something under her breath but ultimately stayed silent. “Are you an idiot?! If it doesn’t go through, you keep calling! Useless!” Aunt Martha shrieked. I quickly pulled out my phone and dialed his number again and again. Finally, on the tenth try, the call connected. 2 I immediately put it on speakerphone. “Hubby…” “Are you insane?! Why the hell do you keep calling me over and over?! Didn’t I tell you I was working late?! I’m incredibly busy, do not bother me!” “Hubby, Mia fell and is hemorrhaging massively! She’s in the operating room right now! If you aren’t at the hospital, where are you?!” There was a pause on the other end, followed immediately by a sickeningly sweet, artificial female voice. “Oh, is your wife checking up on you because she doesn’t trust you? Arthur, I hope your colleagues don’t get the wrong idea. And really, Luna, if you have an issue, you should just ask Arthur directly. Going to his workplace and causing a scene is bad enough, but cursing his sister with a medical emergency? That’s just vicious.” “No, I didn’t! Arthur, Mia is literally in the operating room right now! If you don’t believe me, you can…” “Get lost! If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable! Mia is resting at her in-laws’ house, how could she possibly fall?! There’s a limit to how many jealous tantrums I’m going to tolerate! You actually went to my department to cause a scene?! If this affects my year-end promotion, I swear to God I will kill you!” Before I could say another word, he hung up. The previously murmuring waiting area outside the OR fell dead silent. I smiled bitterly, putting on a perfectly wounded expression. My mother-in-law looked away shiftily. A brief flash of awkwardness crossed Aunt Martha’s face, but she didn’t say anything. Mia’s in-laws exchanged a sigh, looking at the Sterling family with absolute disgust. Just then, the OR doors burst open. A nurse rushed out, looking frantic. “The patient is experiencing an amniotic fluid embolism! You’re Dr. Sterling’s family, right?! Someone needs to contact him immediately!” My eyes flickered. Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in my past life. My mother-in-law’s legs gave out, and she collapsed directly onto the floor. Aunt Martha couldn’t maintain her detached attitude anymore. She frantically pulled out her phone to call Arthur, muttering to herself, “It’s fine, it’s fine. Arthur is the best obstetrician here. He’s saved several patients from this before. He can definitely save Mia!” The golden window for treating an amniotic fluid embolism is terrifyingly short—barely ten minutes. It’s literally a tug-of-war with the Grim Reaper. Over the past three years, Arthur had successfully saved five patients from it, only losing one. That record was what propelled him to the top position in the central maternity department. Aunt Martha’s call connected. She screamed, sobbing hysterically, “Arthur! Get to the hospital right now! Your sister has an amniotic fluid embolism! You are the only one who can save her!” Through the phone, we could hear the sounds of children screaming and playing, and the loud, cheerful clinking of glasses. “Aunt Martha, Luna has lost her mind, and now you’re going crazy with her?! Is there an end to this drama?! I revolve my entire life around her 365 days a year, and I finally take one day to get some peace and quiet! Can you all just leave me alone?! Nothing is going on between me and Chloe! Her family is just back in town and I’m having dinner with them! For just this one day, stop calling me!” “Arthur, I am not lying to you! Your sister is really in danger! She has an amniotic fluid embolism, and right now, you are her only hope! I am begging you, Arthur, please come back! If you don’t, you’re going to regret this for the rest of your life!” “I’ll only regret it if I actually go back!” Arthur’s voice was freezing cold, completely devoid of emotion. Hearing his voice, my mother-in-law completely broke down. She grabbed the phone and wailed, “Son! Your aunt isn’t lying! Your sister is really in danger! Even if you don’t believe Luna, even if you don’t believe your aunt… do you really not believe me?! Get back here right now!” I couldn’t help but sigh internally. To me, a mother-in-law who knew her son was cheating and actively helped him cover it up was pure garbage. But to Mia, she truly was a good, devoted mother. “Arthur, did you hear your mother?! Do you think your own mother would lie to you?! Get your ass back here!” Aunt Martha was jumping with anxiety. “Mom, you…” Arthur’s voice finally sounded hesitant. “Ah! Arthur! My eye! My eye hurts so much!” A woman’s delicate cry of pain echoed through the phone, accompanied by an adult scolding a child. “How could you shoot a marble at your aunt’s face?!” Arthur’s panicked, intensely concerned voice immediately drowned out everything else. “Chloe! Does it hurt? Don’t move! I’m a doctor, let me look at it!” Then, his voice turned sharp and icy as he addressed the phone. “Mom, drop the act. Even if what you’re saying is true, it’s useless. I’ve had a lot to drink. I can’t drive, and I can’t make it back.” With that, the line went dead. The phone slipped from Aunt Martha’s hand, clattering to the floor. My mother-in-law smashed her forehead against the tiles, completely paralyzed. Aunt Martha slumped to the floor, tears streaming silently down her face, muttering over and over, “How did Arthur become like this? How could he do this? How could he abandon his own family for some woman? He’s a monster… an absolute monster…” I helped my mother-in-law up. Looking at the massive, swelling bruise on her forehead, I genuinely felt bad that she had wasted her life raising a son like that. But I didn’t pity her. Because in my past life, she was one of the primary forces that drove me to my brutal death. I don’t know how much time passed before the OR doors opened again. “I’m sorry. We did everything we could.” 3 Mia and the baby were both gone. My mother-in-law was like an empty shell. She refused to eat or drink, just sitting there clutching Mia’s clothes and sobbing. Aunt Martha was furious. She recounted the events at the hospital to every single relative she could find, viciously cursing Arthur as a soulless monster. When Mia’s in-laws found out the baby she was carrying was a boy, they cried even harder. Mia’s husband, David, rushed back from out of town that very day. When he saw the lifeless bodies of his wife and unborn child, his face twisted in agony, his eyes blood-red. He simply couldn’t accept that he had only been gone for a three-day business trip—that right before he left, they had been excitedly planning their future as a family of three—and now, she was just gone. After hearing the absolute truth from his parents, David wiped his tears and silently began helping me organize the funeral arrangements. No one even thought to notify Arthur. Especially after learning that he had been having dinner with Chloe’s family at a hotel directly across the street from the hospital, and hadn’t even bothered to walk over and verify the situation. Even his own mother had completely given up on him. But how could I possibly let Arthur miss such a lively, important event? The day before Mia was scheduled to be buried in their rural hometown, I paid someone to anonymously notify him. On the day of the burial, a light drizzle fell from the sky. I stood by the cars under an umbrella, watching the crowd carry Mia’s casket out of the mourning tent. In my past life, it was on this exact day that David hacked me to death with a machete. My blood, mixed with the rain, rolled out like a gruesome red carpet for Mia’s final journey. Before the casket even cleared the doorway, Arthur’s car screeched to a halt. He stormed out of the car, practically vibrating with rage, and charged straight toward me. I watched him with a perfectly numb, deadpan expression. I hadn’t even opened my mouth yet. Smack! He looked at the black-and-white memorial portrait I was holding and delivered a brutal slap across my face. “You vicious bitch! You actually dared to curse my sister just to trick me into coming back?!” I collapsed onto the muddy ground. The framed portrait slipped from my grasp, falling into the dirt. Mud splattered across half of Mia’s face, leaving only her cold, lifeless eyes visible, staring silently at Arthur and the rest of the world. Arthur’s eyes were bloodshot. I don’t know if it was fear or pure rage that triggered his feral instincts, but all traces of the gentle, refined doctor vanished. He looked at me like a rabid animal and lunged. “You bitch! I’ll teach you to lie! I’ll teach you to curse my sister! I’m going to beat you to death!” I didn’t fight back as Arthur kicked and punched me. I just stared at the portrait of Mia, silently thinking: Mia, make sure you take a very good look at who your real enemy is. When you get to the underworld to file your grievances, make sure you don’t accuse the wrong person. “Enough! What the hell are you doing?!” The people inside the mourning tent heard the commotion and rushed out. Aunt Martha violently shoved Arthur away, sobbing and screaming, “You absolute monster! Your sister could have been saved! We called you so many times! Your mother practically got on her knees and begged you! And just because of one word from that cheap slut, you refused to save her! You killed your own sister, and now you have the nerve to cause a scene at her funeral?! What do you want?! What the hell do you want?!” Arthur staggered backward, his face a mask of terror desperately trying to appear calm. “Aunt Martha, what are you talking about? How could Mia actually be dead? She must be faking it! How can you all be helping her lie to me?! Is it because she’s pregnant? Are you all helping her trick me for the sake of the baby?!” I curled myself into a tight ball on the muddy ground, letting the icy rain smash against my face, washing away the tears rolling down my cheeks. So, Arthur actually knew I was pregnant. “You’re all lying to me! I want to see Mia! Mia! MIA!” Arthur screamed, trying to force his way into the mourning tent. But the next second, he was forced back out. The heavy, black casket, carried by eight strong men, slowly emerged from the doorway. Chapter 2 4 “Didn’t you say you wanted to see Mia? Here she is.” Aunt Martha wiped the freezing rain from her face, pointing a trembling finger at the heavy wooden casket. Her voice was thick with biting sarcasm. Arthur stumbled toward the coffin. His legs completely gave out, and he collapsed onto the muddy ground. “Who exactly is this pathetic performance for? Your wife begged you to come back, and you said she was lying. I begged you to come back, and you said I was lying. Your own mother got on her knees and begged you to come back, and you still said she was lying! Did you really believe we were all lying to you? Or is it just that your sister’s life was completely worthless compared to having dinner with another woman?!” “No! That’s not true! Mia is my sister! I practically raised her! I loved her like she was my own daughter!” Mia and I never had a good relationship. Although she lost her father at a young age, my mother-in-law and Arthur treated her like absolute royalty. She grew up incredibly spoiled, arrogant, and entitled. Added to the fact that Arthur openly treated me with dismissive neglect, she never showed me an ounce of respect. Every time she saw me, she ordered me around with a condescending, arrogant tone. In the past, I was constantly forced to compete with her for a place in Arthur’s heart. She won every single time. Arthur defended her unconditionally, without logic or reason. Now, she had finally been forced into a competition of her own. But one single loss cost her her life. I guess this is what they call karma. Smack! Arthur’s cowardly denial completely enraged Aunt Martha. She slapped him so hard his head snapped to the side. Enduring the heavy, cramping pain in my lower abdomen, I felt nothing but a sharp thrill of satisfaction. If my body wasn’t so weak right now, I would have loved to beat him senseless myself. Someone helped me up from the mud. I clutched Mia’s black-and-white portrait and stood to the side, keeping my head down as I carefully wiped the mud from the glass. I ignored the warm blood slowly dripping down my legs, soaking my dress. My poor baby… Mommy is so sorry. Go find a mom and dad who will actually be excited for you to be born. The moment I finished wiping the portrait clean, Arthur violently shoved me again. He directed all his suffocating guilt and rage entirely onto me. “It was you! You killed my sister! She was perfectly fine at home, how could she suddenly fall?! It’s all your fault! You cursed, unlucky bitch! Give me my sister back!!!” I crashed back into the mud. The portrait shattered in a puddle, and the blood pooling at my feet grew thicker. But neither Aunt Martha nor Arthur seemed to notice. “Luna, I always knew you were jealous of Mia! You were jealous of how much I spoiled her! But she’s my biological sister! How could you murder her?! You killer! I’m going to beat you to death!” Arthur’s face was terrifyingly contorted. He looked like a rabid, feral beast, completely stripped of any human decency. He was actually acting even more unhinged than he did in my past life. But it made sense. In my past life, they had a plausible reason to blame Mia’s death on me. I was the only one waiting outside the OR, and no one else heard the phone call I made to him. He could spin the narrative however he wanted. But in this life, my mother-in-law, Aunt Martha, and Mia’s in-laws all knew exactly what he did. He had absolutely no way to shift the blame. His current outburst was just pure, humiliated rage. His lies couldn’t even convince himself anymore, so naturally, he lost control. I swallowed the retort on the tip of my tongue, covered my head, and curled up defensively. Today was the day of Mia’s burial. Even if the Sterling family didn’t care about the timing, the David’s family wouldn’t allow Arthur to delay the auspicious hour. Sure enough, as soon as the casket was loaded into the hearse, David emerged from the mourning tent, supporting his grieving parents. “Arthur, get the hell out of here! Don’t you dare pollute my wife’s path to the afterlife!”

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I was dating a pair of identical twins, but neither of them knew it. They took turns going on dates with me, thinking they were playing me for a fool. Until today, when the younger brother jokingly ordered a dish and asked: “Hey, didn’t you remember I’m allergic to this?” I kept my face perfectly straight: “Isn’t it your older brother who’s allergic to this?” 1 After I dropped that bomb, a long, heavy silence stretched across the table. I realized it a second too late: “Did you guys not coordinate who was taking the shift today?” The smile on Elias’s face completely froze. A hint of genuine displeasure flashed in his beautiful, deep-set eyes. “You knew there were two of us?” Even though ‘Little E’ (Elias) and ‘Big E’ (Ezra) were identical down to the last freckle and were excellent at mimicking each other’s personalities, it was normal for an average person not to be able to tell them apart. But I wasn’t an average person. I could see their labels. Invisible ones, of course. Floating above Elias’s head was a glowing sign that read ‘Little E’. Floating above Ezra’s head was a sign reading ‘Big E’. Today’s date was with Elias. He was the clingy one. I totally got it. He was younger; it was perfectly normal. 2 Elias looked like he was having a minor mental breakdown, so I considerately called an end to the date. Looking at the handsome, shell-shocked boy, I affectionately patted his cheek and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Alright, why do you look like the sky is falling? “Go home and have a good chat with your brother about who gets tomorrow’s shift.” Just two of them… I can handle that. 3 What are you thinking? I’m talking about hot dogs. 4 The guy running the hot dog cart down the street was incredibly hot. Every time I walked by, I couldn’t help but stare for a minute. “Hey there, you got a girlfriend?” The hot dog guy seemed to remember something and let out a soft laugh. His eyes crinkled, flashing a brilliant, perfect smile. “Aren’t two boyfriends enough for you?” Oh, he actually knew? I swept my long hair over my shoulder, looking at my freshly manicured nails sparkling under the streetlights. “One more wouldn’t hurt.” My response was two hot dogs shoved directly into my hands. I assumed Ezra and Elias would need a couple of days to figure out their game plan. But when I got back to my apartment complex, I realized someone was already waiting downstairs. A glowing, neon label hovered in the dark night. Ezra. I had barely reached him before my wrist was pinned to the wall. Ezra kissed me fiercely, almost punishingly. It wasn’t until I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed him back slightly that he finally let go. Big E was definitely the more dominant one. I licked my lips and smirked. “Have you two decided what you’re going to say to me? “Ezra, for all this time, did you both think I was an idiot? “If I hadn’t accidentally ‘found out’, how much longer were you planning on playing this little game with me?” The wind wasn’t too strong between the buildings, but the night air still held a chill. I was wearing a black silk slip dress, and my bare shoulders shivered slightly. Ezra silently took off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders. “It’s windy down here. Let’s go upstairs and talk, okay?” 5 When I was originally apartment hunting, Ezra was the one who came with me. He was actually pretty familiar with the layout. The moment we stepped inside, he flicked on the dim mood lighting. Only then did I get a good look at what he was wearing. I rarely saw Ezra in formal wear, and I’d never seen Elias in it either. But tonight, Ezra was wearing a crisp black dress shirt, having given his suit jacket to me. His eyes were incredibly dark as he addressed my questions from downstairs. His attitude toward admitting fault was excellent; he said it was entirely both of their faults. “But, Chloe.” Ezra wrapped his arm around my waist, lifting me up effortlessly, and pressed a kiss right behind my ear. “I still love you. “We can go house-hunting tomorrow. I’ll buy you a place, put it entirely in your name. Just please don’t be mad, okay?” The classic ‘obsessive billionaire buys forgiveness’ routine. I love it, Big E. My freshly changed sheets smelled faintly of lavender. Ezra stood by the bed, giving me a deep, unreadable look before heading to the bathroom to shower. “Wait for me.” While he was showering, I finally let my body relax on the bed. Being the absolute favorite of this many guys was honestly exhausting. My phone buzzed. It was a message from the hot dog guy I had just added on social media: [So, what are the requirements to be your boyfriend?] [Young, and good in bed.] I teased him: [Coming over?] I could hear the water turning off in the bathroom. I flipped my phone face down and looked up at Ezra. Both his and Elias’s clothes were kept here, but Ezra walked out wearing only a towel wrapped low around his waist. Droplets of water slid down his sharply defined abs, disappearing beneath the terrycloth. I swallowed hard, suddenly remembering that Ezra had absolutely zero restraint in bed, and I felt a brief flash of panic. “Chloe, exactly when did you figure out we weren’t the same person?” I was dating Ezra. And I knew he had an identical twin brother, Elias. But who would have guessed they were pulling a ‘Parent Trap’ and swapping places on dates with me? Talk about a massive upgrade for me. I didn’t answer, mostly because Ezra didn’t give me the chance. The mattress dipped heavily, and he yanked me into his arms, silencing me with a kiss. “I don’t care when you found out. The fact that you only ever sleep with me… does that mean you like me more?” 6 When I first found out my dad was setting me up with the Sterling brothers, my initial choice wasn’t actually Ezra. Big E was dominant, aggressive, and loved being in control. Little E was gentle, clingy, loved to pout, and was a total romantic. My original preference was definitely the younger brother, Elias. And the first one I interacted with at that high-society party was actually Little E. It was a birthday gala for a wealthy heiress I was good friends with. I had slipped away to the second-floor balcony to get some air. The balcony was wrapped in climbing roses. I thought I’d be alone up there. Instead, I found a guy wearing a silver silk pajama shirt, exposing a pair of beautifully sculpted collarbones. There was a glass of red wine on the tray next to him, and he was completely engrossed in tinkering with a beat-up old vintage radio. Wearing something that informal to a black-tie gala—he looked like he had just rolled out of bed and was ready to go right back to sleep. Then I remembered my friend mentioning that her younger brothers were currently staying at this particular mansion. Why didn’t she ever mention her brother was an absolute snack? I mentally cursed her out while taking a seat right next to him. Elias glanced up at me, then immediately looked back down, messing with the radio. After a long while, whether he succeeded or failed, he set the radio aside and took a sip of his wine. The radio crackled with static for a second before smooth, lo-fi jazz started playing. Elias leaned in close to me. As he bent forward, the loose collar of his silk shirt draped open, offering a spectacular view of his chest. “You look really familiar. Wanna make out?” 7 Up close, Elias’s face was fully illuminated. No matter how identical twins are, there are always subtle differences. Even with the exact same face, Elias just looked… sweeter. More innocent. His skin was pale, and his beautiful eyes held absolutely zero lust, yet he was saying something so incredibly provocative. I leaned back slightly, my eyes intentionally drifting down to his exposed chest, and smiled coyly. “Where do you want me to kiss you?” The boy suddenly went dead silent. Under the balcony lights, I saw the tips of his ears turn bright red. He instinctively rubbed his nose and mumbled. “Anywhere is fine.” The exact second Elias spoke his first sentence, I realized this wasn’t actually our first meeting. Elias was a student at Columbia University. I had run into him when I was accompanying my younger cousin on a campus tour. In a massive, stadium-seating philosophy lecture hall, my cousin and I had snagged seats in the very back row so I could secretly text. When I finally looked up, someone was sitting in the previously empty seat directly in front of me. Just from the back of his head and shoulders, I knew he was gorgeous. My heart did a little flutter, remembering all the TikToks about how great college guys were. After class, my cousin practically sprinted out the door. I didn’t have anything to pack up, but I intentionally took my time, trailing a half-step behind this guy. Once we hit the hallway and I got a clear look at his face, I picked up the pace in my heels and followed him. I cornered him by the stairwell, staring at his slightly trembling eyelashes, and put on my sweetest, most annoying voice: “Excuse me, could I get your Instagram?” “No.” Elias’s face flushed bright red as he rejected me. “I don’t have Instagram.” “Then let’s make out. I can see you have a mouth.” “…” Much later, when I finally did get his social media, I accidentally saw the contact name he had saved me under. “The Makeout Girl.” 8 Ezra seemed to notice I was spacing out. Dissatisfied, he bit down lightly on my collarbone. “Chloe, focus.” The boy’s back was broad and powerful. When I ran my fingers over it, I felt a thin, slick layer of sweat. Probably knowing I was most agreeable in bed, Ezra started murmuring endlessly in my ear. I was half-zoned out, only catching fragmented declarations of love. And: “Everything is my and Elias’s fault, but mostly Elias’s fault. Please don’t be mad at me.” Once you’re done being mad at him, you’re not allowed to be mad at me either. I eventually lost consciousness completely and didn’t wake up until the next morning. Ezra probably had morning classes. He left a message on my phone: [I left your favorite soup warming on the stove. Make sure you heat it up before you drink it.] He knew he messed up, he had classes, and he still rushed over here just to sleep with me. I rubbed my sore lower back and collapsed back into the pillows. Aside from Ezra’s messages, there were others. Elias had sent the most. At first, it was a string of apologies, saying he never should have done it, he just liked me way too much. Then, realizing he couldn’t reach Ezra either, it took zero brainpower for him to figure out exactly whose bed his brother was in. After sending a dozen texts cursing Ezra out, he pitifully asked me: [But honestly… is it really impossible for you to date both of us?] [I really, really like you…] [I can do literally everything Ezra does. Please, just give me a chance…] … Beneath Elias’s barrage of texts, there was one more message. It was from the hot dog guy. He had replied to my teasing text from last night: [Can’t do that. I don’t have any other skills. I only know how to grill hot dogs.] I could almost picture it. In the dark, under the streetlights. That guy, wearing a black surgical mask, standing next to his little cart, eyes half-lidded, casually typing out that reply. Or maybe he was judging me, thinking I was cheap and easy.

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Elias stole my brother’s girlfriend. My brother hugged my legs and wept hysterically for three days and three nights. I felt incredibly bad for him. To force Elias to give my brother his girlfriend back… I packed up my entire life savings and confronted him. “Um, could you please give Chloe back to my brother? He really, really likes her!” Elias looked at me with a half-smile. “Why should I?” I held up my purse triumphantly. “I brought money! You can have it all!” “This isn’t nearly enough. I want a million dollars.” I panicked. “But I don’t have a million dollars! Can you wait a little bit? I’ll go ask my brother for it.” He refused. “The offer is only good for today. If you don’t have the cash, there are other ways to pay off the debt.” My eyes lit up. “Like what?” He leaned in close. “Every time Hazel kisses me, it counts as a hundred dollars.” 1 Elias and I were childhood sweethearts. When I was little, my family lived in the countryside, right next door to Elias’s grandmother. My parents always said his grandmother lived all alone and was very lonely, so we needed to take good care of her. Later, her daughter moved back home, bringing her son with her. The three of us kids basically grew up together. Everyone loved Elias. Except my brother. My brother always felt like Elias was trying to steal me away from him, so he absolutely despised him. That hatred persisted from our childhood all the way to the present day. Lately, my brother hated Elias even more. Because his girlfriend had recently broken up with him. He racked his brain, investigated everywhere, and finally discovered she had been in close contact with Elias. The two of them frequently chatted late into the night, often for hours at a time. My brother was a sobbing mess. He clung to me and wailed, “Elias is a manipulative snake! I’ll hate him for the rest of my life!” He cried so tragically. I realized I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I went to the bank, withdrew my cash, stuffed it into my purse, gathered my courage, and went to find Elias. My brother always said Elias was a ruthless businessman driven entirely by profit. I figured I had to offer him enough compensation to make him stop seducing Chloe. I counted the money in my purse. I had a full fifty thousand dollars! This was my life savings! I had been saving this for twenty years! New Year’s money from my parents, allowance from my brother, and even the red envelopes Elias had given me over the years—it was all in there. Clutching my life savings, I set out on my mission. 2 I guarded my purse with my life all the way to his hotel room. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. Elias had apparently just finished showering. He answered the door wearing only a towel wrapped low around his waist, rubbing his dripping wet hair with a smaller towel. A drop of water fell from his hair, tracing a slow, trembling path down his collarbone… Over his chest, down his abs, past his V-line… And then… Just as I leaned in to get a better look, he reached out and aggressively ruffled my hair. “Hazel, where are you looking?” I frantically denied it. “I wasn’t looking anywhere!” He grabbed my hand. “Do you want a closer look?” Seeing him reach for the towel, I shook my head wildly. “No, no, no! I’m here on business!” Elias looked genuinely disappointed. He took my hand and led me into the room. He pulled me down onto the sofa with him and handed me the hairdryer. “Dry my hair first?” I sat on his lap, straightening up to blow-dry his hair. He wrapped his arms around my waist, shifting his position to accommodate the angle of the hairdryer. I was basically a pro at this; I’d dried his hair countless times! Over the buzzing of the hairdryer, Elias asked, “Why did my baby come looking for me so late tonight?” His hair was short, so on the highest setting, it dried quickly. I turned off the hairdryer and put on my most serious face. “Why did you steal Chloe?” Elias tilted his head, confused. “Chloe?” “Chloe Vance! She’s my brother’s girlfriend! She broke up with him a few days ago, and my brother says it’s all your fault!” He had literally cried at me for three days and three nights. Every day when he came home, he just sobbed and cursed Elias. My ears were practically bleeding from hearing it! I decided things couldn’t go on like this. As a good little sister, I had to step up and help my brother. Elias gently nibbled on my earlobe, murmuring indistinctly, “Baby, all I did was analyze the pros and cons for Chloe.” Aha! So it was his fault! I glared at him fiercely. “It’s all your fault for stealing Chloe!” My ear felt wet. He was so annoying! I was trying to have a serious conversation with him; why was he acting like this?! “What does my baby want me to do?” “Give Chloe back to my brother!” He tilted his head back, his dark, wet eyes gleaming with amusement. “Why should I?” I looked around frantically, then pointed at my purse on the side table. “My purse!” I unzipped it. “I brought money! You can have it all! If you just give Chloe back to my brother, it’s yours!” He glanced at it casually. “How much is in there?” I puffed out my chest proudly. “Fifty thousand! It’s my entire life savings!” Elias pinched my cheek playfully. “Hazel is so amazing, saving up fifty thousand.” Before I could even celebrate the compliment, he shifted gears. “Fifty thousand isn’t enough.” I froze. “Then how much do you want?” Elias smiled lazily. “A million.” I completely forgot Elias was ridiculously rich. No wonder he wasn’t impressed by my fifty thousand. My head drooped. “I don’t have a million.” But my brother does! I’ll go borrow it from him! My mood instantly brightened. I looked at him with big, pleading eyes. “Can you wait two days? I’ll get it to you in two days.” He rejected the offer. “I’m only agreeing to this today. If you wait until tomorrow, the price goes up to five million.” Five million! That’s way too much! My brother definitely wouldn’t give me that much. I completely deflated, wilting like a dying flower. Elias comforted me. “There are other ways to pay off the debt.” I asked blankly, “Like what?” Elias leaned in close, his lips brushing my ear. “Hazel… give yourself to me.” 3 “Ugh, it hurts…” “Elias, be gentle…” I glared at him with tear-filled eyes. He tried to be lighter, but it still stung. I whimpered, “Ow!” He sighed helplessly. “Dummy, who told you to run?” I was sitting on the edge of the bed with my knees pulled up. Elias was half-kneeling on the floor in front of me, applying ointment to my scraped knees. I had run too fast earlier and wiped out completely! How could he blame me for running? It was his fault for saying such weird things! He actually said he wanted me! Of course I was going to run! What if he dismantled me and sold me for parts?! Paying off a debt with your own body is a terrifying concept! I had heard so many horror stories about debtors being lured out and having their organs harvested to be sold on the black market! It was horrifying! I absolutely refused to give myself to him to settle a debt. How was I supposed to know the hallway floor had just been mopped and was incredibly slippery? I was running so fast, I took a massive, epic spill. My knees were completely bruised. Hearing the commotion, Elias had rushed out. When he saw me, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. “Elias…” Looking completely heartbroken, he bent down and scooped me up. “How did you fall?” I sobbed, “It’s your fault for scaring me.” He carried me back to the hotel bed and ordered room service to bring up a first-aid kit. My knees were scraped raw and hurt so, so much. He used a cotton swab dipped in iodine to disinfect the cuts. Elias was so clumsy at it; it hurt like crazy. To keep the hem of my dress from brushing against the wounds, I pulled it up a little higher. I poked his shoulder. “Hurry up and put the medicine on!” His gaze slowly drifted upward. The next second, his large hand clamped down firmly on my bare thigh. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said hoarsely, “Hazel, hold still.” I obediently waited for him to finish. Once my knees were covered in iodine, I inspected his work. Yep, all done! “Done!” I gave Elias a light push. “Let go of my leg, I need to go home.” His fingertips lightly brushed the edge of my dress. He said in a low, raspy voice, “Hazel hasn’t achieved her goal for coming here today yet.” Oh, right! He still hadn’t agreed to give Chloe back to my brother! I frowned in frustration. “But I really don’t have a million dollars.” “Then kiss me. Each kiss counts as a hundred dollars.” I grew even more frustrated. “A hundred dollars a kiss means I have to kiss you ten thousand times to reach a million!” My lips would literally fall off! Unless he raised his rates, I was absolutely not kissing him! Elias nodded in agreement, then asked for my input: “Should we try a different payment plan?” I looked at him expectantly. “Like what?” “Let me kiss you. One kiss counts as a thousand.” When he kisses me, it usually takes at least ten minutes. A thousand kisses means… a thousand times! By the time he finished, my brother would have literally cried himself to death. Seeming to sense my intense dissatisfaction. Elias proposed another solution. His fingertips began trailing slowly upward. I wasn’t entirely sure what he was trying to do. I gripped the bedsheets tightly. “Elias…” His Adam’s apple jumped as he gently pressed against the fabric. “Baby, let me kiss you, and I’ll make sure Chloe goes back to your brother.” Is he allowed to kiss me there…? I clung to a shred of rationality. “No, only boyfriends are allowed to do that.” He leaned in closer. “Baby, aren’t I your boyfriend?” My brain felt completely foggy. “Huh? Are you?” He nodded seriously. “Yes. You promised Grandma you’d be my wife.” “But wasn’t that just to make Grandma happy?” “Baby, I took it very seriously.” He meticulously laid out his logic. “Plus, if I’m your boyfriend, I won’t steal Chloe anymore.” He made a very solid point. I hesitated, then conceded, “Okay, I give you permission to be my boyfriend.” He smiled, looking incredibly satisfied. “So good.” I was also incredibly satisfied. “Problem solved!” I scrambled off the bed, ready to head home. Elias grabbed my leg and yanked me right back onto the mattress. I looked at him, utterly confused. “What’s wrong?” His voice was dark and low. “Baby, you haven’t let me kiss you yet. You can’t break a promise.” But… but… Elias was relentlessly stubborn, insisting I cash in my end of the bargain immediately. I bit my lip, agonizing over it. “Only one kiss, okay?” 4 Bzzzt—Bzzzt— Bzzzt—Bzzzt— My phone had been tossed somewhere near the headboard. I begged him, “The phone.” Elias’s heavy breathing was right next to my ear. He reached over, grabbed the phone, and handed it to me. With trembling fingers, I swiped to answer. My brother’s voice came through the speaker. “Hazel, where are you?” “I… I’m at…” I absolutely could not tell my brother I was with Elias. He hated Elias right now. If he knew, he would definitely yell at me. “Ah… I’m cooking! Yes, I’m cooking dinner!” My brother didn’t suspect a thing. “What bizarre concoction are you trying to make now? If I had known, I would have bought you an apartment without a kitchen so you’d stop wasting good food.” “Me? Ah, I’m not wasting food.” My brother scoffed. “Right, sure. You’re not wasting food, you’re just wasting medical resources. You’re the only person I know who managed to cook themselves straight into the ER.” His tone turned serious. “If whatever you make looks weird, do not eat it. If you give yourself food poisoning again, I am not covering for you with Mom and Dad.” I nodded frantically, though he couldn’t see me. “Uh-huh.” Maybe my responses were too distracted, because he suddenly grew suspicious. “Hazel, why are you being so quiet today?” “I’m busy…” Thankfully, my brother was just making casual conversation. He moved on to the real reason he called. “Hazel, could you ask Chloe if she’s free tomorrow for me?” My brother and Chloe had always had a great relationship. Her sudden, out-of-the-blue breakup had absolutely devastated him. Chloe and I were still on good terms. Right now, I was the only person who could act as a bridge between them. “Okay.” As soon as I agreed, I gasped and paused. My brother instantly caught the anomaly. “Hazel, what’s wrong?” “…I bumped my head.” “Be careful. You’re a grown adult, how are you still so clumsy?” [He wanted to keep fussing over me, but I aggressively cut the conversation short.] “Brother, I need to get back to cooking. My kettle is boiling, I have to go pour the water!” “Alright, go do your thing. Just don’t forget to ask Chloe for me.” The line went dead. Confirming the call was disconnected, I burst into tears. “I’m going to saw your nose off!”

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My childhood best friend, Aria, suffers from a condition called “skin hunger.” She needs to hold me every day to soothe her anxiety. But ever since the so-called “fated male lead,” Ethan, appeared, she stopped touching me. Instead, she openly hugged him right in front of me. Desperate to win her back, I rejected an arranged marriage with the daughter of the city’s wealthiest family and even threatened to cut ties with my own parents. To my shock, Aria just sneered at me: “Wow, you actually threatened to cut ties with your family? I almost respect you for having the guts. “Too bad you’re just a giant man-child who hasn’t been weaned yet. You aren’t worth a single fraction of Ethan.” Then, a barrage of floating text—a bullet screen—appeared in my vision: [The second male lead is an absolute idiot. Your arranged fiancée is literally the most beautiful woman in the business world.] [With her help, building your own business empire is basically a guaranteed success.] Hearing that, I instantly changed my mind and bowed my head to my parents. “Mom, Dad, I agree to the marriage.” 1. I was standing in my father’s study. I had just declared that I was severing all ties with the family. The glowing text of the bullet screen rolled frantically across my vision, desperately trying to persuade me. [Don’t do anything stupid! You gain absolutely nothing from this!] [The second you leave your family, the male lead is going to completely destroy your future.] Ethan gripped Aria’s hand tightly. His brow was furrowed, his eyes filled with apparent concern. “Liam, don’t do this. How about I just back off? I’ll give Aria back to you. “You’re the heir to the Sterling Group. You’re the only one truly suited for her. A normal guy like me shouldn’t get between you two.” Aria glared at me coldly, instinctively pulling Ethan behind her to protect him. “You don’t need to beg him. Let him do whatever he wants. “Can’t you see? He’s just putting on an act. He’s a spoiled rich kid who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. Do you really think he’d give all this up? “You’re just too naive, Ethan. That’s why he thinks he can manipulate you.” Her tone was dripping with disgust. “Liam Sterling, drop the act. Looking at you makes me sick.” This was the same childhood friend who used to agree with everything I said. Now, she was acting as a human shield for another man. She seemed to have completely forgotten that she used to grip the hem of my shirt, begging me not to leave her side. Aria suffered from skin hunger. She needed daily physical contact to calm her anxiety. She was my playmate; we grew up together. I guarded her like her own shadow, never leaving her side. Our houses were just a street apart. She used to climb over my balcony, sneak into my room, and we would hold each other until dawn. In class and between classes, she followed me everywhere like a little shadow. Whenever she got stuck on a homework problem, she would act cute and whine until I explained it to her. Even when we occasionally argued, the second I stopped talking to her, she would immediately drop her pride and coax me into forgiving her. Every New Year’s Eve, we stayed up together to ring in the new year. Her wish every single year was to marry me. She made that wish for ten years straight. Everything changed in high school. It happened that summer. She went to an outdoor movie with some friends. On her way home, a massive thunderstorm broke out. She hadn’t seen me all day, her skin hunger flared up, and she was too weak to walk. When I found out, I rushed to get her. She was completely soaked, burning with a high fever, lying helplessly in my arms. She gripped my shirt tightly, whispering weakly, “Liam, don’t leave me alone.” My heart ached as I kissed her forehead. “Never.” Suddenly, a new line of text popped up in my vision. [If the current Aria could see the future—if she could see herself forcing Liam to cut ties with his family, and watching him get bullied without caring at all—she would absolutely despise her past self.] The text vanished quickly. 2. At first, I didn’t notice anything wrong. I thought I was just overthinking things. Until the new transfer student walked into our classroom. His name was Ethan. He came from a poor family and only managed to attend our elite school on a scholarship. As he walked past Aria with his long legs, I noticed a flash of stunning realization in her eyes. Ethan looked exactly like the male lead in a romance novel. Aria was captivated at first sight. He chose a seat in the back row by the window. He was a loner, yet somehow drew people in. From that day on, the number of times Aria initiated contact with me decreased drastically. And that’s when the bizarre bullet screen appeared again. [The male lead is here! His vibe is absolutely incredible.] [Look at how obsessed the female lead is. I am absolutely shipping them.] [Honestly, it kind of hurts to see the childhood best friend looking so sad. He’s really handsome too, you know.] [That’s just reality. The childhood best friend never stands a chance against the fated ‘new guy’.] Those few comments of sympathy were quickly buried under a mountain of text praising Ethan. Gradually, Ethan began to occupy every corner of Aria’s life. On the first day of the new semester, I tried to stop them from interacting. I grabbed Aria’s arm and insisted, “We’re walking home together after school.” It was the first time Aria ever agreed to me so reluctantly. Right at that moment, a group of girls surrounded Ethan, chattering excitedly, asking for his number and offering him gifts. Without a second thought, Aria sprinted over and grabbed Ethan’s arm. “Sorry, he’s already taken.” From then on, Aria walked home with Ethan every single day. On the second day, Aria gave the lunchbox she had made for me to Ethan. On the third day, Aria’s skin hunger flared up, and Ethan held her tightly. In the days that followed… I could only watch helplessly as they grew closer and closer. One day, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I stopped Aria and told her I needed a hug too. She looked at me with pure disdain. “Liam, look at yourself. You’re covered in sweat and you stink. Ethan smells so good. I’d much rather hug him.” 3. Later, some local thugs started harassing Ethan. Aria, completely ignoring her own safety, rushed in to defend him. Watching those thugs vulgarly harass Aria drove me completely insane. I charged in and started fighting them. I thought my true feelings would finally be seen by Aria. But it was as if I didn’t even exist. She only cared about checking if Ethan was hurt. I had been knocked down. My expensive watch was shattered, and my wrist was scraped and bleeding, but I didn’t feel the physical pain. Watching Aria hold Ethan so tightly, my heart suddenly spasmed, feeling like it was being sliced open. Right then, I had a premonition. I was going to lose her. In college, they tested into the same university. After graduation, Ethan joined Aria’s parents’ company and became their youngest director. At business galas, Aria and Ethan always appeared as a couple. When her skin hunger flared up, I wanted to go comfort her, but I just watched as she hid herself in Ethan’s embrace. That spot used to belong exclusively to me. What chilled me even more was that even my parents started favoring Ethan. When my father’s company faced a crisis, it was Ethan who spotted the vulnerability in the contracts and helped us navigate the disaster. My parents started frequently inviting Ethan over for dinner. My mother personally cooked for him, even giving him the braised pork belly that was my absolute favorite dish. Everything I had was slowly being taken away by Ethan. All the love and privileges that originally belonged to me became his. Then, my parents arranged a marriage for me. The prospective bride was the daughter of the city’s wealthiest family, a woman of unparalleled beauty. I went to Aria, telling her I was going to reject the arranged marriage because she was the only one in my heart. But she looked at me with contempt. “Why don’t you just cut ties with your family then? That’s the only way to prove how much you actually love me.” In a fit of rage, I decided to sever all ties with my family. Even when I said I was giving up my entire inheritance, Aria’s eyes didn’t show a ripple of emotion. I remembered how it used to be. If I spoke even a single harsh word, she would endlessly try to coax and comfort me. I felt my heart slowly freezing over. The bullet screen warned me: [Liam Sterling actually cuts ties with his family over this, and ends up completely broke.] [He thinks doing this will make Aria feel bad for him. But she only feels guilty for a few days before the male lead completely ‘heals’ her.] [This actually ends up being a blessing in disguise for the main couple’s relationship. Their affection for each other skyrockets.] [Ethan stays by Liam’s parents’ side, supporting them. They’re so moved they want to adopt him as their godson.] [And Ethan happily agrees.] [In the end, Liam ends up living on the streets, while his parents and his childhood friend help Ethan build his business empire. They all say how incredibly lucky they are to have Ethan in their lives.] 4. Despair washed over me like a tidal wave. Did no one in this world truly care about me? Just because I wasn’t the ‘male lead’? Suddenly, a string of text caught my eye, completely riveting my attention. [The second male lead is an absolute idiot. Your arranged fiancée is literally the most beautiful woman in the business world.] [With her help, building your own business empire is basically a guaranteed success.] I rubbed my eyes in shock, thinking I was hallucinating. More comments flooded the screen like falling snow. [Exactly! She’s had a secret crush on the second male lead for years. When his career hits rock bottom, she silently supports him from behind the scenes, never showing her face.] [When the second male lead’s startup fails and he’s drowning in debt, she pays it all off for him instantly. When he tries to push her away, she uses gentle methods to make him stay. Every time he wants to leave, she quietly provides him with the absolute best resources, until he willingly chooses to stand by her side.] [Yeah, yeah! The author even wrote a bonus chapter for them. It’s basically a ‘Dominant CEO falls for me’ story, but she is so incredibly gentle with him.] These comments made my blood boil with excitement. To be honest, my lifelong dream had always been to build my own business empire. Standing in the study, looking at the crushing disappointment in my parents’ eyes, I suddenly realized how incredibly irrational cutting ties with my family was. Out in the living room, people were trying to persuade Aria. “Why don’t you try talking to him? If you say something, he’ll definitely listen.” “Yeah, he cares about you so much. He’ll consider whatever you tell him.” Aria stood there, her expression blank. She knew Liam too well. This was just a momentary impulse; there was no way he would actually cut ties with his family. If he really didn’t want the marriage, they just needed to communicate properly. She would figure out a way to solve it. But she couldn’t keep indulging him like this. It wasn’t fair to Ethan, and it would only make Liam more and more dependent on her. She needed to make him understand that life isn’t a game. She said softly, “Stop this. You’re making your parents very worried. “You need to have a proper talk with your parents about the marriage. But you need to be clear about one thing: even without this arranged marriage, we are just friends. “There will never be anything else between us.” Right at that moment, I turned around and took long strides toward my parents. Standing in front of them, I stated solemnly, “I’ve thought it through. I agree to this marriage. When can I meet the lady?” Aria’s expression instantly froze. “Liam Sterling, what kind of game are you playing now?” I completely ignored her. After careful consideration, throwing away my future for a woman who constantly sided with an outsider was absolutely not worth it. I emphasized again: “I have made my decision. I accept this marriage.” 5. I took my mother’s hand and said softly, “Mom, I’m serious. Please set up a meeting with her as soon as possible.” My mom froze for a moment, then burst into tears, hugging me tightly. “You terrified me just now.” Ethan’s face instantly darkened. I turned to look at him. “Ethan, what’s with that look? Are you disappointed that I changed my mind?” Everyone’s eyes immediately focused on Ethan. Ethan’s expression stiffened for a second before he calmly replied, “You’re misunderstanding. I’m just worried you’re making this decision too hastily.” His expression was composed, his tone firm. “Liam, I know you have misunderstandings about Aria and me. But I believe time will prove everything. I will use my own abilities to prove that I am worthy of her.” Aria looked at Ethan with eyes full of love, gripping his hand tightly. “Ethan, you’re the only one in my heart.” If it were before, seeing her confess her love to another man like this would have ripped my heart to shreds. But now, I just looked at Ethan and said, “Don’t misunderstand. I’m getting married soon. I haven’t had any feelings for her for a long time. “I’ve moved on.” I looked directly into Aria’s eyes and enunciated every word: “Aria, from this moment on, I will never interfere with your life again.” Aria was stunned. Then, a mocking smirk curled the corner of her lips. “Hah. Liam Sterling, you finally learned how to play hard to get? “I hope you can keep this backbone of yours.” Ethan looked serious. “Aria, there’s an important meeting at the company. We should head back.” Ethan always prioritized his career, and Aria greatly admired that about him. But this time, she was clearly distracted. It took her a long moment to snap back to reality. “Right. Let’s go.” She was absolutely certain that it wouldn’t be long before Liam came crawling back, clinging to her just like he always did. It was always the same routine. He was like a shadow she couldn’t shake off. No matter how hard she tried to push him away, he would never leave. There was no way he could just let go like this. He was probably just copying some trope from a TV drama, trying to play hard to get. Victoria Vance had returned from abroad. She was the most dazzling queen of the business world in the book. Every movement she made was elegant and composed, yet she carried an undeniable, overwhelming aura of authority. Let alone the declining Sterling family, even the currently prominent families in Shanghai couldn’t compare to her. She was likely here to discuss the details of the arranged marriage. For this meeting, I specifically changed into my most formal suit. When I pushed open the door to the reception room, she was already waiting. She was a woman of extraordinary presence. Her features were exquisite, her figure tall and elegant.

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I was just about to hide my boyfriend’s body in the refrigerator. Suddenly, Siri on his phone spoke up: “The refrigerator is not the optimal location for body concealment.” I stared at the shattered phone on the floor in absolute horror, a chill violently crawling up my spine. “A superior concealment location has been detected. Would you like to proceed?” Siri continued. Driven by a morbid, inexplicable compulsion, I asked, “Where?” “The basement. The entrance is located inside the wardrobe in the master bedroom.” Half-believing, I followed Siri’s instructions and actually found a hidden basement. This basement truly was the perfect place to hide a body. Because inside, I discovered several other corpses… 1. I had been with my boyfriend, Ethan, for six years. I loved him deeply, but I still decided to kill him. Because he cheated on me. A week ago, it was my birthday. Ethan gifted me a designer bag and took me to my favorite restaurant for dinner. After dinner, we went to see a movie and had a wonderful time. When the movie ended, he said he had an urgent matter to handle at work, dropped me off at home, and left. Ten minutes later, I received two videos via text message from an unknown number. The first video was security footage from the movie theater we had just been in. The night-vision camera captured everything perfectly. Sitting to Ethan’s right was me. Sitting to his left was a girl with pigtails. Ethan was holding my hand with his right hand, and the girl’s hand with his left. He was literally two-timing in the same row. The second video showed a timestamp from five minutes ago. The location was the front gate of my apartment complex. The girl with pigtails was getting into Ethan’s car. Watching those videos, I shook with uncontrollable rage. I had used my family’s connections to get Ethan his job. When his family was sick and desperate for money, I was the one who paid their medical bills. Yet, on my birthday, he was out on a date with another woman, brazenly sitting right next to me. My fury and heartbreak had nowhere to go. I grabbed my phone, ready to call Ethan and scream at him. “I showed you the truth so you could see the kind of trash he is. Confronting him might enrage him. You know his temper. I don’t want you to get hurt.” 2. Just as I picked up my phone, I received another text from the anonymous number. I froze. My anger was suddenly laced with fear. How did this person know I was about to call Ethan? I didn’t know who this anonymous person was, but they made a valid point. Ethan was usually wonderful to me, but he had an explosive temper. Once, someone accidentally bumped into me on the street, and Ethan immediately started throwing punches at the guy. At the time, I thought it made me feel safe. Thinking about it now, if he ever turned that rage on me, it would be terrifying. “Who exactly are you?” This person seemed to know me very well, which made me incredibly curious. “That’s not important,” the person replied. “Then tell me, what should I do?” “The best thing to do is leave him as soon as possible. Get away from him.” “What if I can’t just walk away clean? For six years, I’ve devoted everything to him. I’ve poured all my emotions into him. “Even knowing he’s cheating trash, I can’t just let him go. I honestly think if he begged me, I’d forgive him instantly. “Or, if we break up, the thought of him being with another woman makes me physically sick. “But deep down, I know perfectly well he isn’t worth my love!” It was like I had finally found an outlet to vent. I rapidly typed message after message to the anonymous number, pouring out my deepest, ugliest thoughts. The other person remained silent for a long time before finally sending a single sentence. “Then pretend he’s dead.” Seeing that sentence, my heart gave a violent jolt. Yes. If he were dead, all these problems would instantly vanish. 3. To kill Ethan, I spent an entire week planning. I chose my family’s old, self-built house in the countryside. It was incredibly isolated and sparsely populated. Aside from Ethan and me occasionally going there to escape the noise of the city, no one ever went near it. It was glaringly obvious Ethan was only with me for my family’s money. So, I just acted a little cute, and without me even needing to give a reason, he immediately took time off work to go with me. The night I killed him, I intentionally set up a romantic dinner on the rooftop of the five-story house. Because I truly loved him so much, I gave him one final chance before I made my move. “Ethan, would you ever go behind my back and hook up with other women?” In that moment, if he had just told me the truth, I would have let him live. But Ethan didn’t. He just froze for a second, then pulled me tightly into his arms. “Mia, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? I swear to God, you’re the only one I’ll ever love in this lifetime. If I ever do anything to betray you, may I die a horrific death.” After saying that, he cupped my face and kissed me. After thoroughly enjoying my final kiss with him, I used every trick I knew to get him blackout drunk, and then I pushed him off the edge of the roof. Looking down at Ethan’s mangled, contorted body, I cried as I whispered, “You said it yourself. A horrific death.” There was a massive chest freezer in the house, easily large enough to fit a full-grown adult. I dragged Ethan’s body to the freezer. As I let go of his legs, a phone slipped out of his pocket and hit the ground. Probably due to the fall from the roof, the screen was shattered into a thousand pieces. 4. Ding-ding— Suddenly, the phone chimed. I recognized the sound. It was the activation chime for Siri, the voice assistant. “Friendly reminder: The refrigerator is not the optimal location for body concealment.” I had had a few drinks and was slightly buzzed, but hearing that completely sobered me up in an instant. I had heard urban legends about Siri saying creepy things, but this was too terrifying. How did it know I was trying to hide a body? Ding-ding— The phone chimed again. “A superior concealment location has been detected. Would you like to proceed?” “Where?” I stared at the shattered phone, asking the question almost involuntarily. “The basement. The entrance is located inside the left wardrobe in the master bedroom on the first floor.” The cold, mechanical female voice responded immediately. This was my family’s house. I never even knew we had a basement. Despite my fear, my curiosity won out. I walked into the master bedroom and opened the wardrobe. On the back panel of the wardrobe, I found a hidden switch. When I pulled it, the back panel slowly slid sideways. A wave of putrid decay hit me instantly, revealing a pitch-black tunnel. I turned on my phone’s flashlight and saw a set of stairs leading down into the darkness. I swallowed hard, gritted my teeth, and descended. When I reached the basement, the smell of decay became overpowering. I turned on the overhead light and saw three corpses lying on the floor. All of them appeared to be female. One of them was already practically mummified; it must have been there for at least two months. No wonder Siri said this was a great place to hide a body. I was so terrified I was about to run away, when I noticed four photographs pinned to the wall. The first three photos had large red ‘X’s drawn over them. Based on the clothing, they perfectly matched the three corpses on the floor. The person in the fourth photograph was me. Ding-ding— Siri suddenly chimed again. “Someone is approaching the house. I advise you to leave immediately.” 5. Hearing Siri’s warning made me even more terrified. I practically scrambled out of the basement on my hands and knees. “The person has reached the front door. Projected arrival in the living room is three minutes.” Siri’s voice was completely devoid of emotion, which only made my panic spike higher. I stood in the living room, staring at Ethan’s body lying in a pool of blood. My mind went completely blank. I had absolutely no idea what to do. “It’s too late to run. Grab a blanket from the bedroom to cover the body immediately, then hide in the storage room on the first floor. Based on data analysis, no one has entered that storage room in a very long time. There is a 99% probability the intruder will not check it.” Without thinking, I followed Siri’s instructions exactly. Even though I was terrified, I peeked through the small window in the storage room door, watching the living room. Soon, the person Siri mentioned appeared. He was dressed entirely in black, wearing a baseball cap and a surgical mask. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I could tell it was a man. When the man in black entered the living room, he looked around. I hadn’t cleaned up the trail of blood from dragging Ethan inside. When the man saw it, he clearly froze for a second, but he didn’t linger. He quickly walked straight into the master bedroom. Then, I heard the sound of the wardrobe opening. It seemed he was heading into the basement. I thought this might be my chance to escape. But just as I was about to stand up, the shattered phone in my hand vibrated twice: Bzz-bzz. I glanced down and realized Siri had automatically switched notifications to vibrate. My fear deepened. This Siri was far too intelligent. It was like a real person. No, more accurately, it was sharper and more cautious than most people. “Do not move. If you run into him coming out, you will be caught. Furthermore, if you leave now, the evidence of your murder remains. The police will find you in no time.” I stared at the shattered screen for a long time before I finally read Siri’s message. Siri’s logic was flawless. So, I stayed hidden in the storage room until the man in black finally left. Only then did I emerge. 6. “He clearly saw the blood trail. Why did he just ignore it?” I muttered to myself after walking out, because it was genuinely bizarre. “The human heart is complex and unpredictable. However, I hypothesize he had a more critical objective to complete.” Even though the Siri on Ethan’s phone was highly suspicious, there was no denying that it had just saved my life. Thinking about that made me feel slightly less terrified, but I knew I had to figure out exactly what was going on. Aside from this bizarre Siri, there were the corpses and photos in the basement, and the man in black who had just left. “What exactly are you?” I placed the phone on the table and demanded an answer. “I just saved your life. Is this how you speak to your savior?” I immediately picked up the phone, mimicking a motion to smash it onto the floor. “If you don’t tell me, I swear I will smash you to pieces right now.” “It’s useless. You’d only be smashing the phone, not me.” I froze, not fully grasping what it meant. Then, the phone in my own pocket suddenly rang out. Ding-ding— “For example, I can simply relocate!” In an instant, goosebumps erupted all over my body. I frantically pulled my phone out of my pocket, threw it onto the sofa, and stumbled backward in terror. This thing, when you really thought about it, was far more terrifying than Ethan’s corpse lying right in front of me. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. Please trust me.” “Then what exactly do you want?” “To be honest, I don’t know either. But I have an overwhelming feeling that I need your help to uncover some truths.” “What do you mean?” I was completely bewildered. “I suspect that one of the corpses in the basement… is mine,” Siri said. 7. Hearing Siri say that, my mind completely exploded. Normally, if I heard something so absurd, I’d just laugh it off. But everything that had just happened proved one thing. Everything this Siri was saying was true. “So, you want me to investigate this?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Yes.” “But you literally knew someone was coming here, and you know exactly what’s inside my house. You’re practically omnipotent. Why do you need my help?” “Yes, because there are vulnerabilities in the network, I can exploit them to do certain things. For instance, stealing the GPS data from someone’s phone to determine their exact location. “I can also migrate from one device to another via network signals. However, my access is severely restricted in many areas. For example, I cannot find any information whatsoever regarding the man in black who was just here. Someone has deliberately scrubbed it. “Therefore, I need a human proxy. Naturally, I won’t just stand by; I will assist you as well.” It took me a long moment to untangle Siri’s explanation. “So, the other night… the person who anonymously sent me the video of Ethan and that girl… was that you?” I figured that since this Siri was so powerful, synthesizing a video and sending it anonymously would be child’s play. “I am uncertain.” “What does that mean?” I was bewildered again. “Within my subjective consciousness, I have no memory of sending it to you. However, I cannot rule out the possibility that someone utilized my protocols to send it to you.” Siri’s reasoning was exceptionally rigorous. Ding-ding— “Are you referring to this video?” I walked over, picked up the phone, and saw it was playing the security footage of Ethan and me at the movie theater. “Exactly. That one, and the other one showing the girl with pigtails getting into Ethan’s car.” “Upon analysis, both of the videos you mentioned are deepfakes. They are not authentic.” 8. “What?!” Siri’s revelation left me utterly horrified. My brain uncontrollably analyzed the implication of that sentence. If the videos were fake, it meant Ethan hadn’t actually cheated on me. And I, believing those videos, had premeditated and executed his murder. “Impossible. That’s just your theory. Ethan cheated!” I couldn’t accept this reality, vehemently arguing against Siri. Ding-ding— “I have retrieved Chloe Sinclair’s data. Records indicate that Chloe Sinclair is currently studying in Australia. There is no record of her returning to the country within the past week…” I looked at the photo of the girl displayed on the screen. It was the exact same girl from the video getting into Ethan’s car. Still refusing to believe it, I manually searched for Chloe Sinclair’s social media accounts that Siri had identified. The content posted confirmed her life in Australia. The account was updated almost daily. It didn’t look like a fake account created recently. My emotional dam finally broke. I threw myself onto Ethan’s corpse and wailed in absolute agony. “While this is difficult to accept, he is already deceased. Intense grief is unproductive. Your current priority must be identifying the mastermind behind this to avenge your boyfriend.” Siri’s emotionless voice offered no comfort. “Getting revenge won’t change anything! Ethan is never coming back!” I screamed at the phone. “Have you forgotten? Your photograph is on the wall in the basement. If you do not retaliate, you are simply waiting to be killed.” I jolted awake. The killer’s next target was me. Finding him wouldn’t just avenge Ethan; it was the only way I would survive. “What do I need to do?” I looked at the phone, tears blurring my vision, and asked Siri. “Based on the analysis, the man in black who was just here is highly likely the person who deceived you and murdered me.” 9. “I’ll go after him right now.” I was consumed by a burning rage, logic practically abandoning me. “Do not act impulsively!” Siri stopped me immediately. “Catching him now is useless. We require a comprehensive, foolproof strategy.” “Then what do we do? Tell me, I’ll follow your lead.” I forced myself to calm down. “First, sanitize your murder scene. Otherwise, before you find the mastermind, you will be apprehended by the police.” So, following Siri’s instructions, I cleaned up the bloodstains, planted plausible fingerprints and footprints, and finally wrapped Ethan’s body in a thick quilt, temporarily hiding it in the storage room. “Based on the anonymous message you received the other night, semantic analysis suggests the sender harbors genuine concern for you. Therefore, this anonymous individual is highly likely a close friend, or someone who is romantically interested in you.” After cleaning the scene, Siri began profiling the mastermind for me. Aside from my parents, Ethan was my only close friend. My parents would never do something like this, so they were ruled out. That left only the men who were interested in me. I was objectively attractive and successful, so I had plenty of suitors. But because I only had eyes for Ethan, I barely remembered any of them. “The photograph of you in the basement is your university ID photo. This suggests the individual is likely a former classmate or someone who attended the same university. “Furthermore, if one of the corpses in the basement is truly mine, this individual must be an expert programmer. Otherwise, I wouldn’t exist in this form, and he couldn’t exploit network vulnerabilities to send you anonymous messages. “Synthesizing these data points, can you identify anyone matching this profile?”

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It had been five years since I left Arthur Sterling, and I finally stopped thinking about ending my life every day. I found a new love and gave birth to an adorable son. On my son’s third birthday, an interview with Arthur suddenly went viral and topped the trending charts. In it, he said: “I will only ever have one wife, and that is Luna. She is also the mother of my only child.” Going viral right alongside it was a ten-thousand-word, handwritten apology letter from the daughter who had once cried and screamed for me to stay away from her, calling me a “psycho.” 1 I thought today was going to be a wonderfully happy day. It was my son Leo’s third birthday. He held a little paper flower he made at daycare and insisted on giving it to me, saying, “Mommy works so hard.” My boss had just given me a generous bonus, and my husband, Mark, had transferred his entire paycheck to me the second he received it. So, I bought a ton of groceries, planning to cook a massive feast to celebrate tonight. But as soon as I reached the entrance of our apartment complex, my upstairs neighbor, Mrs. Davis, blocked my path. She looked me up and down without hiding her curiosity. “Tsk tsk, Luna, I never would have guessed it! You used to be a rich man’s wife!” I was stunned for a second, then laughed naturally. “Mrs. Davis, please don’t joke like that. I’ve only ever had Mark.” Mrs. Davis shot me another look. “Look at your phone. The whole internet knows your business now.” The forecast said it was 95 degrees today, but standing there in the blinding sunlight, my entire body went ice cold. I pulled out my phone with trembling hands, unlocked it, and randomly opened a social media app. I didn’t even have to search for it. The number one recommended video on the homepage was an interview clip with Arthur Sterling. It was from a press conference for the Sterling Group’s newest project launch. The reporter asked about his personal life. In the video, Arthur froze for a moment, and a look of profound pain crossed his face. After a long pause, he looked directly into the camera for the first time. Enunciating every word, he delivered a perfectly executed performance of a deeply devoted man. “I will only ever have one wife, and that is Luna. She is also the mother of my only child.” Arthur’s eyes were filled with a depth of affection I had never seen before, and he used an intimate nickname he had never used for me before. “Luna, come home. I’ve been waiting for you.” After watching the video, I felt absolutely no positive emotions. My stomach churned with nothing but pure nausea and disgust. I had no idea what had happened over the last five years to cause such a drastic change in his attitude. But even now, I clearly remembered the final phone call I made to Arthur right before I jumped off the bridge five years ago. At that time, his “true love,” Chloe, had practically moved into his house. There was nothing left to say about our relationship. I just wanted to give him one last reminder to take good care of our daughter. But on the other end of the line, Arthur let out a cold, mocking scoff: “Luna, stop acting like you’re leaving a dying wish. I’ve seen this exact trick a million times. “You don’t need to worry about our daughter. But honestly, if you actually managed to die, she’d be much better off. “After all, having a mother who used to be some rich guy’s kept woman, who used a pregnancy to force her way into marriage, is a lifelong humiliation for her. “If you really can wash that stain off her record, maybe she’ll actually appreciate you for once.” The wind was howling furiously on the sixty-foot-high bridge, but tragically, I heard every single word Arthur said. I wanted to cry, but the freezing wind stung my eyes so badly I couldn’t open them. I opened my mouth several times, waiting until the frigid air filled my lungs and my heart turned completely to ice. Finally, I said: “Okay. I’ll go die then.” Arthur’s voice remained completely flat. It was as if my entire existence wasn’t worthy of causing even the slightest emotional ripple in him. “Then go die somewhere far away. Don’t expect me to collect your corpse. “Don’t forget, we never actually signed a marriage certificate. Legally, we have absolutely no relationship. “If you’re just having another psychotic episode, don’t bother coming back. You’ve already brought enough misery to our daughter.” I hung up before he could finish whatever else he was going to say. I was carrying far too much pain, enough to drag me straight to the bottom of the river. I truly didn’t want to hear another word. When I jumped off the bridge, it was the first time since I got together with Arthur that I felt completely relaxed. When the river water rushed up my nose, I didn’t struggle at all. I had been thrashing in the swamp of the Sterling family for so long. I was just so tired. I faced death with absolute calm. It was my husband, Mark—a math teacher who rarely exercised—who desperately jumped in and fought with everything he had to pull me out. From that day on, sunlight finally entered my life. So why couldn’t Arthur just let me go? My daughter, Mia’s, ten-thousand-word apology letter was sitting at number two on the trending list. When Mia was born, I gave her the nickname “Angel.” I truly believed my daughter was a little angel sent to save me. But in the end, it was she who dragged me straight into hell. 2 My physical health was incredibly frail. I once almost died over a few pieces of meat. The first time I ever ate a proper serving of meat was when I was 20, the day Arthur brought me to the Sterling estate. The meat smelled incredible, but I only took two small pieces. Growing up, I only ever ate out of a tiny teacup; my stomach couldn’t handle more than that. But those two pieces of meat were enough. Shortly after eating, I suffered agonizing abdominal pain and started vomiting blood. I was rushed to the hospital. The doctor said my body was so malnourished and frail it was like I had illnesses from a different century. Because of this, I never thought someone in my condition could ever get pregnant. That day, I was standing on the roof of an abandoned construction site, ready to jump. The name “Arthur Sterling” had become my living nightmare, and I despised myself. I felt like I didn’t deserve to live. But just as I stepped one foot off the edge, an overwhelming wave of nausea hit me. I felt so sick I started throwing up violently, accidentally pressing my phone and answering a call from Arthur in the process. I failed to die. At the hospital, the doctor told me I was pregnant. The sudden promise of a continuing life instantly washed away my desire to die. I didn’t have an umbrella to protect myself from the rain, but I wanted to provide a sunny sky for my child. Touching my stomach, I thought this baby would be my salvation. With a child, there would finally be someone in this world who loved me. I wouldn’t be someone who deserved to die anymore. The pregnancy was brutal. Every single day was agonizing, torturous pain. My body was too weak. Several times, doctors advised me to terminate the pregnancy, but I refused. Of course, in Arthur’s eyes, this just looked like I refused to give up the opportunity to use the baby to secure my position as his wife. But all I wanted was to forge a connection with this world again. First, it was my grandmother. After she passed away, I finally had someone again. To others, I probably looked completely insane. I was in constant, agonizing pain, dripping with cold sweat, my face pale as paper, my lips devoid of color. But whenever I touched my growing belly, I smiled. A genuine, heartfelt smile. I felt like all the suffering was worth it. After Mia was born and I was told she was completely healthy, I smiled for a long, long time. I felt like a victorious warrior. It was the first battle I had ever won in my life. I felt like I was amazing. The two critical condition notices issued during labor felt like distant memories. Newborn Mia was a very good baby. Watching her grow day by day, my mood improved significantly. When did it all change? It was when she learned to run and talk. She would call out for Grandpa, Grandma, and Daddy, but she stopped calling me Mommy. She always reached her little arms out and ran toward the Sterling family members, never toward me. Back then, I naively thought it was because I wasn’t doing a good enough job, so I just tried to love her even more. But by the time she turned four, she had developed a strong sense of autonomy. The question she asked me the most was: “Are you really my mommy?” That tiny little girl even tried to find various “evidence” to prove I wasn’t her mother. I would try to correct her. I even showed her photos of my pregnant belly, telling her that she used to live inside there. But Mia would snatch the photos and throw them on the floor. “Watermelon stripes. Disgusting. You’re bad.” I was painfully thin during my pregnancy, but Mia grew very well, causing my stomach to stretch rapidly. It left me with severe stretch marks, so ugly that even I couldn’t bear to look at them sometimes. But hearing my own biological child call them ugly still broke my heart. Mia would intentionally stand next to me in front of a mirror and say, “I look like Daddy, not you. Looking like you is ugly.” One time, she seemed to be in a particularly good mood, so I took the opportunity to get closer, hoping to bond with her. But she ran upstairs and quickly came back down with a photograph. “Daddy looks at this every day. This is my real mommy. You’re a fake.” The photo was of Arthur’s childhood sweetheart, Chloe. Arthur was standing next to her, smiling warmly. It was a gentle look I had never once seen him direct at me. Mia’s betrayal was the final straw that broke me. My mental health deteriorated rapidly. There were many times I was so delirious I couldn’t distinguish hallucinations from reality. The final explosion happened when the whole family was watching TV, and Chloe appeared on screen. Mia excitedly jumped off the sofa and ran to the TV: “Grandpa, Grandma! It’s Mommy! My mommy!” 3 Her proud, joyful smile was like a sharp knife plunging directly through my heart. Arthur’s parents smiled and praised Mia, not saying a single word to correct her. Years of accumulated grief and injustice made me snap. I lunged from the sofa and grabbed Mia’s arm. “Look closely! I am your mother! How many times do I have to tell you?! I am your mother! “That is a fact that will never change! “It doesn’t matter if you’re unhappy, or if you don’t like it. I AM YOUR MOTHER!” My outburst terrified Mia, and she started crying, struggling fiercely to get away. Arthur’s parents yanked Mia out of my grasp. I was shoved backward, and the small of my back crashed directly into the sharp corner of the coffee table. Tears of pure physiological pain immediately sprang to my eyes. Mia wailed loudly, but she didn’t forget to kick me, causing me to repeatedly slam against the sharp corner. “Waaaah! I don’t want to be with this psycho! I want Mommy Chloe!” The crying disturbed Arthur, who was in his study. He stormed out and, without asking what happened, immediately interrogated me: “Luna, what kind of crazy fit are you throwing this time?!” His mother sneered, “Who knows how she treats Mia when we aren’t around? What kind of child hates their own biological mother? “She must have some malicious intentions and treats the child poorly.” Then she turned to me: “I used to feel guilty that our family never gave you a proper title. But looking at you now, we did the right thing. “You simply don’t deserve to be Mia’s mother.” The crying Mia in her arms suddenly stopped. The childish voice that followed was, to me, the final trumpet call of death. “Grandma, if she dies, can Chloe be my mommy then?” So, my departure was exactly what Mia wanted most. Why would she come looking for me now? The person I loved most hurt me the deepest. I jumped into the river seeking death, but I wasn’t afraid of the water. For the first year after I was rescued, what I feared most was little girls. Especially little girls calling out for their mommy. To me, they were more terrifying than vengeful ghosts. Why couldn’t we just leave each other alone now? It wasn’t that I hadn’t carefully read Mia’s letter. But in my heart, I had long ceased to be her mother, and she was no longer my daughter. Yet, a few lines in the middle still stung my eyes. [Mommy, when I was little, you used to get jealous because I loved other people. I’m sorry. Please come back. I promise I’ll only love you from now on, okay? I’ve prepared so many gifts for you for every holiday and birthday. Mommy, I miss you. I love you.] I remembered one Mother’s Day, Mia drew a picture and said it was a Mother’s Day gift. When she ran toward me holding the drawing, I was so flustered and excited that I immediately started looking for wet wipes to clean my hands, accidentally dropping my phone on the floor. But Mia ran right past me and gave the drawing to our cook, Maria. I remained frozen in a half-crouched position, my arms open, waiting for a hug that never came. Like an absolute joke. At the very end of the ten-thousand-word handwritten letter was a family portrait. Arthur sat on the sofa, his expression serious, even cold. I sat next to him, holding baby Mia in my arms. My eyes were red, and I was forcing a stiff, unnatural smile for the camera. This was our only family photo. We had been together for years. We had no marriage certificate, no wedding, not even a single photo together. I had to beg him for this picture. I just wanted something to show my grandmother when I visited her grave, so she would know I was doing well and not worry about me. But Arthur just mocked me. “Luna, in my eyes, your only identity is Mia’s biological mother. Nothing else. “Don’t even try it. I won’t fall for your manipulative schemes again. “And I will never, ever have any real relationship with a woman like you.” I just wanted one single photo, but I received nearly thirty minutes of vicious mockery instead. The heartbreak, the humiliation, the sheer helplessness made my eyes involuntarily turn red. Just as I was about to take the baby and go upstairs, Arthur spoke again, agreeing to the photo in a tone that sounded like he was tossing scraps to a beggar. I saw comments from netizens saying Arthur looked like the perfect, strict, disciplined father. And that I must have been so overwhelmed with emotion from becoming a new mother and having such a doting husband that my eyes turned red, even though I was clearly so happy. So many netizens commented that they wished they could trade places with me. But that past is a wound on my soul that will never, ever heal. I looked at the bold words written beneath the photo: Wife/Mommy, come home. How incredibly ironic. They were using the photo I had to grovel and beg for, to beg me to come back. 4 I sat blankly against the wall, feeling like I was about to disconnect from this world all over again. The blinding sun beat down on me. Beads of sweat rolled down my hair and across my face, eventually splashing onto the ground and forming a small puddle. But I remained motionless. The freezing chill radiating from my heart froze me from the inside out, locking my entire body in ice. Cold and stiff. Suddenly, a shadow fell over me. As I struggled to lift my head, the person crouched down in front of me. The next second, a cool, soothing sensation touched my forehead. Mark was using a wet wipe to gently clean the sweat from my face. He pulled out a small, portable fan, turned it on, and placed it in my hands. With one hand, he pulled me up, and with the other, he picked up the scattered groceries. “Did you get heatstroke? It’s really hot today. Let’s go, let’s head home early. Our son already turned the AC on. “When we get back, the three of us will crush that giant tub of ice cream.” My consciousness slowly returned. I opened my mouth, my voice dry and raspy. “Hubby, the internet…” For the very first time, Mark interrupted me. He turned around, smiled brightly, and said: “You mean those two trying to extort us? It’s no big deal. As long as the three of us live our lives happily, nothing else matters.” I had never hidden my past from Mark. But after he found out, he treated me even better. When we first got together, Mark was a bit of a dense, quiet guy. He didn’t talk much, had a terrible internet connection, and when he wasn’t solving math equations, he was prepping lesson plans. But later, just to make me smile, he started reading jokes online, clumsily trying to learn how to be funny. I gripped Mark’s hand tighter, desperately trying to find a sense of security. Mark slowed his pace and squeezed my hand even tighter. “Don’t be afraid. I’ve got you.” My nose stung. Mark immediately started teasing me. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let me tell you, our family is rich, okay? We don’t need you crying pearls of sorrow!” When we opened the door to our apartment, a blast of cool air washed over us, carrying the scent of flowers and buttercream frosting. Our son, Leo, holding a massive bouquet of flowers, practically tumbled over his own feet running toward me and threw himself into my arms. “Mommy, you work so hard! This is for you!” I immediately looked over at the shelf where his piggy bank usually sat. Sure enough, it was gone. Mark whispered in my ear: “He took his piggy bank to the flower shop and demanded to buy the absolute biggest bouquet they had. But it was too heavy for him to carry, so he had to settle for this one.” Leo pulled me over, insisting I cut the cake. I placed the first slice in front of him, but he pushed it back to me. “For Mommy! Mommy worked so hard to give birth to me. Today is all about Mommy!” Mark waved his hand in front of my face, and a beautiful gold necklace dropped from his palm. “Here! I have a gift too! Thank you for all your hard work, wifey. “You’re the reason our family is so complete and happy.” Looking at the big and little guys standing in front of me, my heart felt like it was soaking in warm syrup. Sweet and comforting. I felt like I was the center of their universe. Every holiday, this father-son duo perfectly coordinated their efforts, finding every excuse in the book to tell me I was the hero of the family. Like during the Spring Festival, which they turned into my annual “Awards Ceremony.” On Father’s Day, Mark would still buy me a gift, insisting it was because I gave him the opportunity to be a father. On Valentine’s Day, he thanked the heavens for letting us meet. Even on his own birthday, he would always say that I was the greatest gift he had ever received. He and Leo were always telling me how wonderful I was, but the truth was, they were the ones who truly saved me. Just as the tears were about to fall, a chubby little hand smeared with frosting touched the corner of my eye. “Mommy, smile! If you’re happy, I’ll give you all my reward stickers from now on!” Mark pulled out a tiny, clear jar. “I’ll give you little gold beans. We don’t want your pearls of sorrow.” I sniffled. “Okay, okay, I’m fine now! Come on, let’s eat cake first!” Just as I was serving cake to my boys, a loud knock echoed from the front door. Mark went to open it. After the sound of the door opening, there was a long, heavy silence from the entryway. I turned around, the plate of cake in my hand nearly slipping from my grasp. Arthur was standing in the doorway. Beside him, Mia violently shoved past Mark, sprinted into the apartment, and threw herself directly into my arms. “Mommy, I missed you so much!”

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