Author: Momo Chan

Chapter 1 While attending a high-end auction with my best friend, I accidentally witnessed my husband—Arthur Sterling, the notoriously ruthless and supposedly devoted heir to the Sterling empire—win a fierce bidding war for a necklace I had admired for months. Yet, the very next day, that exact necklace was resting against the collarbone of his stunningly beautiful new intern. I didn’t cry. I didn’t cause a scene. I simply made a phone call to my contact at the boutique, purchased two hundred identical custom necklaces, and had them delivered to the women’s dormitory at NYU. If he wanted to play the generous benefactor, I’d gladly help him out. I made sure he gave enough gifts to last a lifetime. While I was at it, I had my lawyer friend draft a divorce agreement and had it delivered straight to his desk. On that day, every single girl in Dormitory 1 at NYU received a lavish gift from the CEO’s wife of Sterling Tech. Everyone, except Chloe Vance. … When Arthur Sterling walked into the gala with Chloe Vance on his arm, the party was at its peak. The young, alluring girl clung intimately to Arthur’s arm, her face glowing with a radiant, victorious smile. The crowd surrounding me instantly parted, their faces painted with a mix of pity and awkward amusement. Even I was genuinely surprised that Arthur had the audacity to parade her around at a public event. Ours was an arranged marriage uniting two of the most powerful families in New York. I had assumed he would at least have the decency to save my face. But I was wrong. “What’s with the silence, everyone? Are you all mesmerized by Arthur’s new secretary?” I stepped up and offered the explanation myself. The crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief, murmuring in understanding. Arthur approached me, acting as if absolutely nothing was wrong, and softly called out, “Mia.” Chloe followed suit, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. “Hi, sister.” Fighting back the urge to gag, I offered them a polite, elegant smile. We were all adults; there was no need to wear our emotions on our sleeves. Besides, in our social circle, the most crucial survival skill was knowing how to put on a mask. You smile when you’re furious. You act affectionate when you’re disgusted. And more importantly, given who Arthur Sterling was, throwing a tantrum here wouldn’t benefit anyone. However, seeing that specific necklace gleaming on Chloe’s neck finally extinguished any remaining warmth in my heart. Just ten minutes ago, I had watched Arthur gently, patiently tuck a stray strand of hair behind Chloe’s ear before carefully pulling her slipped dress strap back into place. Yesterday, when I saw him walking out of the auction house, I had foolishly believed the necklace was for me. A sweet, naive thrill had bloomed in my chest, and I spent the rest of the day eagerly anticipating my surprise. This morning, I had even gone to the salon for a blowout and hired a makeup artist to make sure I looked perfect for the occasion. But hours passed, my styling was done, and the gift never arrived. I had even called him, dropping subtle hints, trying to gauge if he had a surprise waiting for me. The answer was no. But before he hung up, I heard a sweet, whining female voice in the background: “Mr. Sterling, won’t your wife be upset if she finds out?” “No. She’s always been mature and understanding. She won’t mind.” In that exact moment, I realized how painfully naive I had been. Arthur Sterling had probably been dirty for a long time. He was right about one thing: I was mature and understanding. Getting into a catfight with a cheap little homewrecker was beneath me. Chloe trailed closely behind Arthur. She was smiling sweetly at me, but the arrogance and provocation in her eyes were glaringly obvious. I sneered internally. She was just a clueless college student if she actually thought Arthur took her seriously. Staring directly at her neck, I drawled, “That’s a beautiful necklace. A gift from someone special?” Chloe wasn’t stupid. She understood exactly what I was implying. Chapter 2 A broke college student couldn’t afford jewelry of that caliber. Chloe shot me a look of feigned shock before turning to Arthur with an expression that perfectly blended shyness and panic. Right on cue, Arthur stepped in to defend her. “Mia, don’t misunderstand. Chloe had a rough time during her internship this week. As her boss, buying her a little gift to cheer her up is normal. There’s nothing going on between us.” I raised my champagne glass to him, smiling as if I completely understood, then turned away to make a quick phone call to my assistant. A moment later, Arthur’s phone rang, and he stepped aside to take the call. A familiar socialite sauntered over, pretending to make small talk before slyly asking who Chloe was. I wasn’t an idiot. Her question was dripping with mockery. The crowd wasn’t blind. Everyone had seen how fiercely Arthur was protecting the young girl. I answered without skipping a beat, stripping away all the pleasantries. “Probably just a delusional homewrecker trying to sleep her way to the top.” The blood instantly drained from Chloe’s face. She looked utterly humiliated and deeply wronged. Her big, beautiful eyes immediately welled up with tears. What a tragic, innocent little victim. Truly heartbreaking. No wonder Arthur liked her. The socialite clearly hadn’t expected me to be so brutally honest. Recognizing she was out of her depth, she awkwardly excused herself. I crossed my arms, looking Chloe up and down with an amused smirk. “Miss Vance, right? At your age, you should be focusing on your textbooks, studying for your finals, or preparing for grad school. Stop living in a fantasy world. If you keep playing this game, you’re going to lose your dignity and your reputation.” She knew I was humiliating her. Her lips trembled, but she couldn’t formulate a single word. I scoffed internally. Just because I played the role of the elegant, understanding wife didn’t mean I was a doormat she could walk all over. “Sister, I…” “Stop right there,” I interrupted, raising a hand. “My mother only had one child. I don’t have a sister. And we live in the 21st century; the era of concubines calling the wife ‘sister’ is long gone.” Chloe’s tears started falling faster. I was about to deliver another verbal blow when Arthur returned. He walked straight up to me, skipping the pleasantries. “Did you order those necklaces?” My assistant works fast. I nodded smoothly. “Yes.” “Why did you order so many? You don’t even wear that style.” I leaned casually against a marble pillar, my tone teasing. “I’m doing you a favor, darling. College kids have it rough these days. Internships are exhausting. I figured I’d buy them all a little something to boost morale.” Arthur’s perpetually unreadable expression finally cracked. But he quickly masked it. He had always been a master of hiding his emotions. He smoothly slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me close, and whispered affectionately in my ear. “It’s just a necklace. If you liked it, I can buy you another one. I don’t care if you scare the interns, but I’d hate to see you get so upset over nothing.” His voice was deep and husky, just like it had been during countless intimate nights. His breath brushed against my ear. In the past, it was a move meant for seduction. Now, it was a calculated tactic to extract Chloe from the mess she was in. I yielded to his grip, placing my hand on his back, and used the leverage to pull him even closer. Matching his tone, I whispered back: “You know exactly what Chloe is trying to do. This isn’t just about the necklace. Arthur, I never cared about your little flings in the past. But don’t forget, I am Mrs. Sterling now. If this blows up, it damages both of us.” “What happened today—I expect it to be the last time.” I delivered the final sentence through gritted teeth. It was a genuine threat. Chapter 3 Amidst the clinking glasses and chatter, the other guests assumed we were just flirting. A wave of good-natured teasing erupted around us. I felt him tense up. I gave his back a light, patronizing pat. Then, I turned, grabbed a fresh glass of champagne, and walked away. When the gala finally wound down and the guests began to leave, I thought I had made myself perfectly clear. My disgust couldn’t have been more obvious. But I had severely underestimated how utterly shameless some people could be. As we were heading out, Chloe insisted on riding in Arthur’s car with us. “Chloe’s dorm is far, and it’s impossible to get an Uber right now. It’s on our way, so I’m just dropping her off.” That was Arthur’s excuse. It was a pathetic, transparent lie, and I called him out immediately. “The dorms are in Brooklyn, and our penthouse is in Manhattan. How exactly is that ‘on our way’?” Arthur’s brow furrowed in visible annoyance, while Chloe looked at me with big, teary eyes. The tableau made it look like I was the villain needlessly bullying a helpless girl. Seeing my refusal to play along, Arthur tried the emotional manipulation route. “Mia, you’ve always been so reasonable…” I cut him off before he could finish. “And if I say no?” Chloe stepped toward me, her eyes red. “Sister, I shouldn’t have taken the necklace you liked. Tonight was my fault. But I really can’t get a ride right now…” “I’ll trade you my favorite perfume for it, okay?” She held out an exquisitely packaged perfume bottle. Judging by the luxury branding, it was clearly another gift from Arthur. I wrinkled my nose in disgust. “What does that even smell like? Desperation and cheap tea?” The relentless humiliation finally made Chloe’s face flush a deep, angry crimson. She stood there, awkwardly holding back tears. Arthur, who had maintained his gentlemanly facade all night, finally snapped. His voice was low and dangerous. “Mia, you’re crossing the line.” I scoffed. “This is crossing the line?” “Arthur, don’t forget who hosted this gala tonight. Without my father pulling strings for you, your new merger is dead in the water.” Without waiting for his response, I shoved past the weeping Chloe and got into the car. He was a businessman above all else. He knew how to weigh the pros and cons. He knew exactly what my threat meant. He might be aloof and arrogant, but I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth too. I was raised to be a titan, not a trophy wife. In the corporate world, emotions have very little value. In the end, he got into the car with me. We drove in suffocating silence. I couldn’t care less about fighting a naive college girl over a man. But my status in our social circle meant I couldn’t allow myself to be humiliated. Rumors about Arthur Sterling leaving his wife on the sidewalk for an intern would be a PR disaster. However, when I realized the passenger seat had been readjusted, I had to admit my tolerance for disrespect had a limit. This clueless little girl had managed to push my buttons. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who had messed with my seat. Stuck to the passenger side window control was a bright pink sticky note: “Princess Parking Only.” A surge of blind rage hit me. I wanted nothing more than to kick the man next to me out of a moving vehicle, drive back to the venue, and slap Chloe Vance across the face. Just as I was about to detonate, a phone rang. Chloe’s sobbing voice filled the quiet car. “Arthur… sob… I couldn’t get a cab. I think someone is following me. I’m so scared. Can you come get me…?” Arthur didn’t hesitate for a fraction of a second. He slammed on the brakes, pulling the car violently to the shoulder. He spoke in a frantic, soothing voice. “Okay, don’t panic. Stay exactly where you are. I’m coming to get you.” My hand, which had been reaching to adjust my seat, froze. I turned to look at him in absolute disbelief. Arthur frowned. “Mia, take a cab home. Chloe might be in real danger. I have to go to her.” I let out a harsh, incredulous laugh. “We’re in the middle of 5th Avenue. It’s packed with people. There’s a police precinct three blocks from NYU. What kind of danger could she possibly be in?” “Are you her father? If she’s in danger, she should call 911, not you!” Chapter 4 Arthur was rendered speechless by my logic. He closed his eyes in frustration, took a deep breath, and opened them again. “Mia, you’re both women. Can you show a little empathy?” “Are you really going to hold a grudge over a single necklace?” I refused to yield an inch. “Are you blind, Arthur? She’s blatantly provoking me, and you can’t see it? You’re going to abandon your wife on the street for an outsider?” The emotions in Arthur’s eyes shifted rapidly—from anger, to coldness, and finally, to profound disappointment. “Mia, when did you become so irrational and demanding? You used to be better than this.” I scoffed. I’m irrational? “Arthur, this is the first time you’ve ever fought with me over another woman.” Arthur turned his head sharply to stare out the window, clearly signaling he was done with the conversation. “Did you forget our prenuptial agreement? We agreed that even if there was no love between us, there would be mutual respect. You don’t humiliate me with mistresses, and I don’t embarrass you with scandals. This isn’t just about us; it’s about the Sterling and the Harrison families. Are you really going to break the rules for her?” The only sound in the quiet car was Arthur’s heavy breathing. I knew he was wavering. In this tedious, pointless game of tug-of-war, I had won the first round. That night, Arthur and I slept in separate rooms. His excuse was that I was being too aggressive, that I was suffocating him, and that he needed space for both of us to cool down. Fine. It gave me the space I needed to seriously re-evaluate our relationship. Lying in bed, the events of the day replayed in my mind. It was the first time Arthur had ever compromised my dignity for another woman. The Sterlings and the Harrisons were old family friends, but Arthur and I had barely interacted growing up. I only knew the eldest Sterling heir through the brief, dismissive comments made by my elders. The general consensus was that he was a spoiled, useless playboy coasting on his family’s wealth. But at our families’ matchmaking dinner three years ago, I had to admit, I was captivated by his unique charisma. Beneath his handsome, sharp exterior was a sharp, witty mind, and he handled complex situations with effortless grace. So, when our parents suggested marriage, I agreed. With our matching backgrounds and education, there was a strong mutual respect. We finalized the engagement quickly. I hadn’t factored “love” or “feelings” into the equation. Growing up in a corporate dynasty, the first lesson you learn is cost-benefit analysis. After the wedding, we maintained our separate stock portfolios, but our families executed a massive corporate merger, and our respective businesses skyrocketed. I always believed that Arthur and I were simply the most optimal, logical choices for each other. But at some point, he had seemingly started to fall for me. The arrogant, untouchable heir of the Sterling empire would hold me in the middle of the night, whispering sweet nothings and burying his face in my neck like a giant, affectionate dog. In the dead of winter, he would warm my freezing feet inside his own pajamas. When I had terrible cramps, he would personally brew me ginger tea. When it rained, he would tilt the umbrella entirely over me, completely ignoring the fact that his own shoulder was getting soaked. Just a few months ago, he had told me, “Mia, you will always be my first choice.” But the moment Chloe Vance appeared, everything changed in the blink of an eye. After years of navigating the cutthroat corporate world, this was the first time I felt truly, deeply exhausted. My phone buzzed. A WeChat message from Arthur: “Goodnight, Mia.” Followed by a cute sticker of a cartoon cat patting another cat’s head. Chapter 5 That was Arthur. Even in the middle of a cold war, he maintained his flawless poker face. Even when we were fighting, he played the role of the perfect husband to the letter. I had a bit of a headache from the champagne, so I went to the kitchen to pour a glass of milk. But when I reached for my favorite ceramic mug, I noticed a hairline fracture near the handle. I summoned the housekeeper and demanded to know who had touched it. The housekeeper trembled. “We don’t know, ma’am! You gave strict orders that we were never to wash this mug. None of the staff have touched it.” She was right. I had given that order. For my birthday last year, Arthur had commissioned this piece from my favorite master ceramicist. He had flown out of his way to Germany during a business trip just to pick it up. I cherished it deeply. But now, it was damaged. The housekeeper nervously asked if I wanted her to send it out for repairs. I said no. Because it was so precious, even the smallest flaw was unacceptable. A few minutes later, I pulled up the kitchen security footage on my phone. The video showed Chloe picking up my mug, flashing a malicious smirk, and intentionally dropping it into the stainless steel sink. Arthur actually brought her to our home. The necklace yesterday had annoyed me because it was a waste of a beautiful piece of jewelry. Chloe lacked the class to wear it; putting it on her was like draping silk over a pig. But coming into my home, breaking my things, and throwing a tantrum on my territory? That was a blatant, unforgivable declaration of war. A blinding rage erupted in my chest, burning away every ounce of my rationality. With a violent sweep of my arm, I sent the precious ceramic mug crashing to the floor, shattering it into a million pieces. And along with it, my marriage to Arthur Sterling shattered too. I walked back into my bedroom and dialed my lawyer. “Hey, Julian. Draft a divorce agreement for me. I need it ASAP.” I am Mia Harrison. If a cup is cracked, I smash it completely. And if a man is dirty, I throw him out. When I woke up the next morning, Arthur was nowhere to be found. The staff told me he had taken a phone call and rushed out in a panic. Another crisis with Chloe, I assume. I showered, ate breakfast, and drove myself to work. As I was walking into the corporate headquarters, a young girl collided with me. The hot congee she was holding spilled entirely over the skirt of my dress. She panicked, stammering frantic apologies while desperately trying to wipe the stain off my dress with a crumpled tissue. I was about to instinctively say it was fine, but the girl suddenly dropped to her knees, grabbing my arm and begging for forgiveness. Even though it was the middle of summer, she was wearing a worn-out, heavy winter coat. Her face was smudged with dirt, but her bone structure was striking. When she looked up at me, a strange sense of familiarity hit me, but I couldn’t place her face. I ignored her bizarre, dramatic display and gestured for the security guards to escort her away. But as I reached into my bag for a wet wipe, I realized my phone was gone. Instantly understanding what had just happened, I grabbed the girl by the arm, reached into the pocket of her heavy coat, and pulled out my phone. The sheer audacity made my blood boil. The girl finally seemed to realize she was in serious trouble. She stayed on her knees, sobbing and begging me to let her go. I stared down at her with absolute disgust and signaled the guards to drag her away. “Learn to have some self-respect. Being born poor isn’t your fault, but you have two hands and two feet. You don’t have to resort to being a thief.” Right at that moment, Arthur stepped out of his car across the street and witnessed the entire scene. Across the busy avenue, the look he gave me was filled with nothing but cold, judgmental distance.

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My husband went with me to the spa to get a body treatment. The outspoken spa owner didn’t hold back. “Bro, looking at how wide your wife’s hips are, she’s definitely had a few kids.” “She’s got stretch marks all over, too. What do you mean you guys don’t have kids? Is she some retired escort or something?” “I’ve seen this a million times. They specifically look for honest guys like you to settle down with. You’ve been conned.” I had explicitly told this owner that my husband and I didn’t have kids due to health reasons. Yet, she was acting completely ignorant, playing dumb. It seemed she wasn’t after my wallet; she was after my husband. Unfortunately for her, she picked the wrong target. My husband was nothing more than a kept man living off my dime… … My husband, Arthur, and I both happened to have a rare day off. I decided to go with him to pick up the sports car he’d been dreaming of, and then he accompanied me to get a facial. I frequented this particular spa. The owner was blunt and spoke her mind, and I actually appreciated her straightforward personality. More importantly, her massage techniques were rumored to be the best in the industry. If I enjoyed the service this time, I was planning to discuss partnering with her to turn her spa into a franchise. Arthur dutifully held all the shopping bags from our earlier spree. As I walked into the treatment room, he called out, “Honey, since you’ve been so great today, I’m rewarding you with a hundred-thousand-dollar VIP card. Where do I sign up?” Seeing his smug little face, I jutted my chin toward the front desk. I completely missed the flash of calculation in the owner’s eyes. During the body treatment, the owner was clearly distracted. Her massage technique was sloppy and unprofessional. But her mouth wouldn’t stop running. “Is that your husband? Wow, you are so lucky. He’s gorgeous.” “And he just drops a hundred grand like it’s nothing! Where did you snag a rich guy like that?” For some reason, the word “snag” rubbed me the wrong way. I replied dismissively, “Yeah, that’s my husband. He’s just like that.” The owner ignored my annoyed tone and said with a hint of disdain, “Did you hook up with him while you were working retail? I’m telling you, the most important thing for us women is marrying a good man. Look at me…” I cut her off sharply. “What do you mean ‘hook up’? We had a normal relationship. It was love at first sight. Why does it sound so trashy coming from you?” Since when was this owner so incredibly chatty? Seeing I was actually angry, the owner pursed her lips. “You know how I am, I just speak my mind. It was a joke! Don’t take it so seriously.” “I’ll stop talking. I won’t say another word, okay?” Even though she stayed quiet after that, I felt incredibly irritated. The mood for relaxation was completely ruined. It wasn’t until she applied my face mask and left the room that the suffocating feeling lifted slightly. A little later, I needed to use the restroom and stepped out of the room. Right as I reached the door, I heard the owner chatting with Arthur. “Bro, is the lady in there your wife? She’s so lucky. You really don’t hold back when spending on her.” “But bro, looking at how wide her hips are, she’s definitely had a few kids.” Arthur frowned, clearly unhappy. “What are you talking about? My wife has never had children.” The owner gasped, covering her mouth as if she’d made a terrible slip of the tongue. “Her hips are so wide, I just assumed she’d given birth.” “What do you mean you don’t have kids? Is she a retired escort or something?” “While I was doing her body treatment, I saw stretch marks all over her. You only get those from having babies, right?” “Oh, I must have seen wrong. You know me, I have this terrible habit of just blurting things out.” The owner feigned a look of horror, acting as if she had accidentally revealed a terrible truth. The anger in my chest exploded into a raging inferno. Children were the absolute most sensitive topic for Arthur and me. We had been trying for years without success. The doctors said the issue was with me. Desperate to conceive, I took a bunch of “miracle” supplements my mother-in-law gave me. I later found out they were packed with hormones. They caused me to gain a massive amount of weight, and I had to work incredibly hard to lose it over the last few years. My skin had stretched and shrunk, inevitably leaving behind stretch marks. It was my deepest, most hidden insecurity. And now, this woman was broadcasting it loudly to my husband. It felt like my entire body was on fire. The owner kept going. “Bro, you look like an honest guy. I’m a straight shooter, so I’ll just tell it to you straight.” “The woman lying in there? She was probably turning tricks a few years ago. Having abortions ruined her body. That’s why she’s never had a kid but still has all the aftereffects.” “You’ve been played for a fool, you rich, clueless sugar daddy.” The owner patted Arthur’s shoulder, wearing an expression that screamed, ‘I’m just looking out for you.’ I let out a cold, sharp laugh and stepped out. “Oh really? So I found myself a clueless sugar daddy, and now you want to take over?” “Why don’t I just wrap him up in a bow for you!” Chapter 2 Arthur jumped like he’d been electrocuted and quickly scrambled over to my side. When the owner slandered me earlier, implying I had given birth because of my hips, Arthur should have immediately defended me. Instead, he hadn’t said a single word. He just stood there, dumbly listening to her talk trash about me. Half of my fury was directed at him. But I would deal with him later. As for the spa owner, I wasn’t going to let this slide. “Everything you just said? I recorded every single word on my phone.” “Get ready to be sued for defamation.” I waved my phone at her, a tight, cold smile on my face. Hearing this, the owner immediately plastered on a fawning, sycophantic smile. “Girl, you know how I am! I don’t have a filter.” “I was just joking around with your husband! Don’t be mad. Look, I’ll even slap my own mouth, okay?” She mock-slapped her own cheeks a few times, putting on a pathetic show of apologizing. “A joke? Why don’t you joke about yourself sleeping around until your brain rotted?” “If I stab you and then say ‘sorry’, does that mean I don’t face any legal consequences?” “Let me make this clear: this isn’t over. Furthermore, that hundred-thousand-dollar VIP membership my husband just bought? Refund it immediately. Otherwise, I’m calling the Consumer Protection Bureau to personally oversee your refund process.” Ignoring the owner’s frantic apologies trailing behind me, I turned on my heel and marched straight to my car. Right before I got in, I saw the owner weakly grabbing Arthur’s arm, looking like she was about to drop to her knees in front of him. But as she supposedly lost her balance, she very deliberately pressed her body against his. If I still didn’t understand what was happening, I would be a complete idiot. This bitch was trying to steal my husband! It took Arthur a full ten minutes before he finally strolled over and got into the car. He spent the entire drive nervously studying my face. Only after I finally shot him a glare did he cautiously speak. “Baby, how about we just let this go?” “Let it go? Your wife gets accused of being an escort, and you stand there like a spineless coward, and you’re telling me to let it go?” “I haven’t even settled the score with you yet. Someone slanders me like that, and you don’t even have the guts to defend me. Are you even a man?” Seeing I was genuinely furious, Arthur didn’t dare push it. He replied meekly, “I’m a business owner now, too. If I had started screaming at her right then and there, it would have been so embarrassing. Don’t I deserve some dignity?” “Dignity?” I scoffed loudly. “Then go spend the rest of your life with your ‘dignity.’ I’m staying at the office for a while. Don’t come looking for me until you figure out what you did wrong.” I slammed the door of my self-driving Xiaomi SU7 as it parked itself in front of me. It seemed Arthur had truly forgotten who held the power in this relationship. Ever since we got married and he got fired from his job, he had become a stay-at-home husband. Later, when I started having health issues, he claimed he needed to dedicate all his time to taking care of me and refused to go back to work. I gave him a six-figure allowance every single month, and I rarely ever asked what he spent it on. I always figured, he was a college grad from a good school, and an only child. If I couldn’t give him kids, the least I could do was make his life comfortable. Just last month, I even funded a private, upscale restaurant for him and spent a fortune hiring a top-tier PR firm to market it. It was actually turning a decent profit. He makes a few bucks, and suddenly it goes straight to his head. Now he’s talking to me about ‘dignity’. Chapter 3 That same afternoon, I received the hundred-thousand-dollar refund from the spa. I was so angry I didn’t go home for days, throwing myself entirely into my work projects. By the time I finally finished, half a month had passed. Right on cue, Arthur called. “Honey, I’ve thought about it a lot, and I was completely wrong.” “I just felt so insecure about relying on you financially. I was terrified you looked down on me, which is why I was so obsessed with saving face.” “I’m a man, too. Sometimes I just want my wife to look up to me. You understand, right?” “We’ve been through so much together. You know how much I love you.” Arthur was lowering his head and admitting fault. Even though I was still annoyed, I decided to let it go. Back when the doctors told me I likely couldn’t conceive, Arthur had fought his mother single-handedly and absolutely refused to divorce me. He even put her in the hospital from the stress of their arguments, but he never compromised. I believed he loved me. He just… needed his ego stroked a little. When I didn’t say anything, Arthur continued over the phone: “Today is your dad’s birthday, and it’s the Mid-Autumn Festival. To make it up to you, I booked a private room at that high-end medicinal cuisine restaurant, and I invited my parents too.” “We can all have a nice, happy family dinner together.” I thought about it and agreed. That evening, I went to the restaurant as planned. For years, Arthur and I had told everyone we were voluntarily child-free. His mother hated it at first, but eventually, she was forced to accept it. So, the family dinner was actually quite pleasant. Until someone completely ignored the waiters trying to stop them and barged into our private room. It was the spa owner. I had to admit, half a month later, she looked even more glamorous. I frowned, completely confused. I had only demanded a refund last time. I hadn’t actually called the police or sued her. What was she doing here? The owner suddenly dropped to her knees and grabbed my legs. “Please! I know I’m blunt and I offended you, but I’ll kowtow to you, okay?!” “My spa is just a tiny little business. Please, just let me go!” “I have a sick, elderly mother to take care of! I really can’t afford to lose this business!” She slammed her forehead against the floor three times. I was completely baffled. “I didn’t call the police. If your business is failing, what does that have to do with me?” I pulled my legs away from her in disgust and instinctively leaned back in my chair. “But you made such a huge scene at the spa that day! So many customers heard everything!” “They secretly recorded videos and posted them online! So many of my VIP members demanded refunds!” “I literally can’t survive anymore!” I honestly had no idea. I had been buried in work for the past two weeks and hadn’t spent a second online. But even so, what did that have to do with me? She brought this entirely upon herself. “So what do you want me to do? I can’t control what other people do.” The owner sobbed pitifully, looking like she was about to faint. “Just post a statement online! Say that everything I said that day was completely true, and that you only attacked me because you were embarrassed and exposed!” “I’m begging you! My mom needs money for her medication! I cannot lose this spa!” Hearing her insane demand, I almost laughed out loud. “You want me to publicly admit to your vile, defamatory lies?! Are you out of your mind?!” “Get out. You don’t belong here. If I ever see your face again, I’m calling the cops.” Chapter 4 It was honestly hilarious. To think I actually considered doing business with such a despicable person. Thank god I saw her true colors early on. Otherwise, my investment would have gone straight down the drain. I stood up abruptly. The owner, either from momentum or because I pulled away, dramatically collapsed backward. And landed perfectly across Arthur’s lap. Arthur jumped up as if he had been electrocuted. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” The owner, acting like a fragile, helpless leaf, was shoved aside by Arthur. I don’t know if she just decided she had nothing left to lose, or if her true malice simply took over. She suddenly stood up, pointed directly at my face, and started screaming: “You little bitch! I gave you an inch and you tried to take a mile!” “You ruined your own body sleeping around before you got married, and now you shamelessly claim you’re ‘child-free’? Spit! I despise cheap whores like you who live off men!” “I might have a sharp tongue, but every penny I earn is clean! Unlike you! You’re covered in stretch marks, your hips are wider than a woman who’s popped out eight kids, and you still have the nerve to pretend you chose not to have kids!” “If I were your husband or your mother-in-law, I’d throw you out on the street and tell you to go hang yourself!” Her sudden, vicious switch gave me whiplash. I was stunned for a second. SLAP! I instinctively grabbed my right cheek. The pain made my entire face go numb. My mother-in-law, her eyes bloodshot with rage, was trembling violently. She pointed at me and screamed: “I knew it! I knew there was no way my son would just randomly decide not to have kids! You’re just a barren old hen who can’t lay an egg!” “A cheap slut like you saw how honest my son is and decided to trap him!” “My son is a genius! He scored a 680 on his college entrance exams! Marrying a trashy girl from a trashy college like you is the worst luck he’s ever had! If I don’t beat you to death today, my name isn’t Martha!” My mother-in-law grew up working on a farm. Even though I had moved her to the city years ago and pampered her, she was still as strong as an ox. She lunged forward, shoved me violently to the floor, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and slapped me across the face again and again. My dad finally snapped out of his shock and kicked my mother-in-law hard, knocking her off me. Seeing his mother get kicked, Arthur flew into a blind rage. He punched my dad square in the face, knocking him to the floor. My dad’s head smashed directly into the sharp corner of a heavy wooden table. Blood gushed everywhere. My dad instantly lost consciousness. I was paralyzed with terror. My mom carefully laid my dad flat on the ground. I finally freed my hands to call 911. But the spa owner violently kicked my phone out of my hand. “Don’t let her call the cops! If she calls the cops, Arthur will get arrested!” Hearing that, my mother-in-law immediately grabbed my phone and threw it into a boiling pot of chicken soup. She blocked the door with her body, looking ready to murder anyone who tried to pass. “Let’s see who dares to arrest my son! You’ll have to step over my dead body!” I ignored the scalding heat of the soup and reached in to grab my phone, but it was already completely dead. By some horrible coincidence, my mom’s phone had died earlier that evening. “Arthur! This is your father-in-law! He’s always treated you so well! Call 911 right now!” I screamed frantically. But Arthur just stood there, watching coldly. “Honey, I have to say, you really pushed it too far this time.” “Your dad brought this on himself. Who kicks their own mother-in-law?” “If you promise, right here and now, that the second we walk out that door, you will not press charges against me… then I’ll call 911.” I looked down. My dad’s face was turning an alarming shade of pale. The blood was pooling, staining the floor a horrifying red. My mom was sobbing uncontrollably, holding my dad’s hand, shaking violently. Chapter 5 Waiters were pounding on the door from outside, asking what was wrong. My mother-in-law locked the deadbolt and kept her body pressed against the door. “Arthur, I promise you. The second we leave this room, I will absolutely not hold you legally responsible.” I swore, hitting my chest for emphasis. But then, the spa owner pulled out her phone, started recording, and shoved the camera right in my face. “Say that your dad hit his own head! Say that the reason you can’t have kids is because you ruined your own body sleeping around! Say it!” The phone was practically touching my nose. I looked at the man sitting comfortably in the captain’s chair. My heart shattered into a million pieces. “Arthur, is this really what you want? Fine. I’ll give you exactly what you want.” I stood up and stared dead into the owner’s camera. “I, Chloe Vance, declare that my father’s head injury… was caused directly by Arthur.” Thud. A heavy arc flew through the air. I kicked the spa owner squarely in the chest, sending her crashing into the wall. I spun around, grabbed a heavy meat fork from the dining table, and leaped in front of my mother-in-law. I jammed the fork directly into the side of her neck, right over her carotid artery. I only pushed it deep enough to draw blood. “Open the door. Or I will sever her artery and let her die right here alongside my dad.” Seeing the blood dripping down her neck, my mother-in-law started wailing like a banshee. She opened the door immediately. Waiters rushed in and carefully carried my dad out. My mother-in-law, clutching her bleeding neck, kept alternating between demanding someone call the police for her, and demanding they call an ambulance for her. Nobody paid any attention to her. After all, I was the one who owned this restaurant. Thank god my dad was okay. The doctor said if we had been even a few minutes later, he wouldn’t have made it. The moment I saw my dad was out of danger, something inside my brain simply snapped… The entire situation had been too chaotic for me to think clearly. But looking back now, the whole night was full of red flags. For example, how did the spa owner know exactly where our private family dinner was taking place? For example, why did the owner call Arthur by his first name when telling his mother to block the door? For example, when the owner fell onto Arthur’s lap, his reaction of jumping up seemed incredibly exaggerated and theatrical. My woman’s intuition screamed that this wasn’t just a simple coincidence. I accessed the security cameras in our house. I scrubbed back two weeks. Nothing unusual. I checked Arthur’s credit card statements for the last month. Just normal expenses—food, drinks, shopping. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, a single transfer to a real estate agency caught my eye. Following the paper trail, I quickly discovered the truth: Arthur and the spa owner were actually living together. Arthur had used my money to rent an apartment for the owner, located just a few blocks from her spa. I secretly trailed them for a few days. Sure enough, the husband who hadn’t shown his face once while my dad was in the hospital… Was playing the role of a loving, devoted husband to the spa owner. They went grocery shopping together, cooked together, walked the dog together, and even showered together. Since they were so happy, I decided to give them a very special gift. Chapter 6 I pressed charges against Arthur for Aggravated Assault and simultaneously filed for divorce, demanding he leave with absolutely nothing. The restaurant’s security cameras had captured him violently punching my dad and knocking him into the table in crystal-clear high definition. I was not letting this go. When Arthur was arrested and thrown into a holding cell, he looked at me with pure disgust. “You really don’t know how good you have it. You’re barren, and I didn’t even care, and you still called the cops on me.” “Lily was right. You’re just a cheap slut who found an honest guy to settle down with. Otherwise, how could a woman possibly have this much money?” “All that weight you gained ‘trying to get pregnant’? Lily told me everything. You gained that weight carrying a baby for your rich sugar daddy!” “If you want a divorce, fine! You think I’m scared of you? I’m not a loser. I have my own business now!” Arthur had completely lost his mind, rambling incoherently. The suffocating knot that had been tight in my chest for days instantly vanished. If he wanted to tear off the mask, fine. From now on, we walk our separate paths. I will thrive, and I will make sure you suffer. Arthur had signed an ironclad prenup before we got married. He couldn’t touch a single penny of my assets. Except, of course, for the private restaurant I had invested in for him. Furthermore, he was sentenced to six months in jail for assault and ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution. It wasn’t a lot of money, but it was enough to make him miserable. As for the spa owner, Lily, I wasn’t letting her off the hook either. I hired a private investigator. Turns out, she was actually married. Her husband worked out of state year-round, so they rarely saw each other, giving Lily the perfect opportunity to play the field. I mailed photos of Lily and Arthur cohabitating directly to her husband. Sure enough, that very night, I received a video. Lily’s husband had beaten her to a pulp. They had smashed everything in their house to pieces. Lily, pointing a bloody finger at her husband, screamed that he was a useless loser. She told him not to get in the way of her getting rich. She bragged that once Arthur got out of jail, she was going to be a wealthy socialite. She said that even if he didn’t want a divorce, she was filing for one anyway. The couple fought for an entire night. Since I have such a kind heart… I also arranged for Lily’s mother-in-law to be brought into the city from her rural village. This old lady was a force of nature. She sat outside Lily’s apartment complex and screamed curses at her for seven days and seven nights straight. She even slept on a piece of cardboard by the front gate. She hurled every profane insult in the book, loudly proclaiming to the entire neighborhood that Lily was a cheap prostitute selling herself in the city. She claimed Lily’s “spa” was actually a brothel. And now that Lily had snagged a rich sugar daddy, she wanted to dump her son? Not a chance in hell. She swore that as long as she had breath in her lungs, she would never let Lily live in peace. The apartment complex Lily lived in was the one Arthur had rented. Now, her reputation in the neighborhood was completely destroyed. Desperate to marry Arthur, Lily sold her spa for pennies on the dollar. She paid her mother-in-law a $200,000 settlement just to get the divorce finalized. Then, she quietly moved into a rundown, anonymous apartment complex to wait for Arthur to get out of jail. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was still dreaming her sweet little dream of becoming a wealthy socialite! Well, I was here to tell her: Keep dreaming! Because Arthur’s precious, one-and-only private restaurant was on the verge of bankruptcy.

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On the day his mistress gave birth, Arthur gave the newborn baby to me as a birthday present. In front of everyone, Arthur asked me if this child was enough to make me finally give up on him. In that moment, I knew there would never be anything between us. So, after chasing him for seven years, I chose to let go for the first time. Seeing my surrender, Arthur didn’t even glance at the child. Instead, he stroked my hair with ultimate tenderness. “Sera, no matter who you like in the future, Arthur will help you get him.” Later, I got together with his best friend. The usually cold and arrogant man went crazy, trying to stop the wedding that everyone else was blessing. 1 Someone told me that Arthur’s mistress was pregnant. I didn’t believe it. But late at night, I still knocked on the door of Arthur, who had just returned. There was the sound of running water in the room. Arthur opened the door for me, wrapped in a towel. “Come in.” I subconsciously clenched my fists, looking at the fiancé I had secretly loved for seven years. I slowly walked into his room. The man, with wet hair, sat lazily on the sofa, casually pouring himself a glass of red wine. He looked at me standing at the door with a playful expression. “What do you want from me?” I looked down at my toes, not knowing how to ask. I’ve always known. Arthur didn’t like his fiancée, who was five years younger than him. But I really, really liked him. I liked him so much that even though he was never short of women, I never asked him about it once. But today, after hearing that his long-time mistress was pregnant. It was the first time I lost my composure and ran over to confront him. While I was lost in thought, Arthur had already walked up to me with a wine glass. He pinched my chin with his large, unyielding hand. He handed the half-finished glass of red wine to my lips. “Sera, be good, drink it. “Tomorrow is your birthday. I’ve prepared a birthday present for you. You’ll like it.” There was an inexplicable excitement in the man’s low laughter. That night, I had long forgotten the reason I went to see him. I lay in bed with flushed cheeks, listening to the violent beating of my heart. Looking forward to tomorrow. 2 For this birthday party, Arthur invited almost everyone in our circle. It was exceptionally grand. But until the end of the party, the man who said he was going to give me a present never showed up. I stared stubbornly out the main door. The flame that had burned in my heart all night seemed to have been frozen by ice. Arthur, who had always hated and resisted this marriage. How could he suddenly change his temper? Just as I turned around in disappointment, a gentle, magnetic male voice came from afar. “Sera!” The man in the expensive black suit finally arrived. Behind him was a middle-aged woman dressed as a nanny, who seemed to be holding something in her arms. Arthur looked at me intensely. “Did you wait long? I went to get your present.” Under my nervous and expectant gaze, a corner of the child in the woman’s arms was revealed. “My newborn son, Sera, is for you.” The smile on Arthur’s face disappeared at some point. He stared at me fixedly. At the moment our eyes met, I suddenly understood the meaning in his eyes. Before anyone at the scene could react, Arthur spoke again. “Sera, is one child enough to make you give up on me? “If not, give me a year, and I’ll give you another one.” I couldn’t describe the feeling. In that moment, I seemed to lose all my emotions, like a marionette with broken strings. I just stood there blankly. I heard a crisp slap, which instantly rang out in the quiet space. 3 From the study came Arthur’s muffled grunts of pain; two canes had been broken. He never bowed his head to admit his mistake. When I knocked and entered, Arthur was kneeling on the floor with his back straight. He glanced at me coldly. As if speaking for me to hear, he opened his thin lips. “I won’t marry Sera, not even if I die. “If you force me to marry her again, I’ll have a bunch of illegitimate children outside for her to raise.” Arthur’s grandfather glared, raising the spare cane beside him high. “How is Sera inferior to those women outside? What exactly do you dislike about her?” Arthur turned his head, his indifferent gaze falling on me. Just one look made my blood run cold. Years of companionship hadn’t stirred the slightest affection in him for me. In that moment, I knew there was no possibility between us. “Grandpa, let’s cancel the engagement.” I looked up, meeting his grandfather’s heartbroken gaze, and slowly took off the jade bracelet on my wrist. “I don’t think I’m inferior to anyone else. If he doesn’t like me, someone else will.” At my insistence, we exchanged back our engagement tokens. This engagement, which had lasted for over a decade, finally ceased to be the bond between us, just as he wished. Arthur struggled to get up from the floor, a flicker of emotion in his eyes as he looked at me. He didn’t expect me to give him up so readily. “Sera, can you really resist pestering me?” I nodded. Arthur’s gaze lingered on me, seemingly still unconvinced by my promise. I gave a bitter smile. “Arthur, I won’t like you anymore.” The man’s eyelashes trembled, and after a moment of silence. He gave a soft “Hmm.” When the middle-aged woman came in holding the crying child, Arthur didn’t even glance at the baby. He stepped forward, leaving us no way out, and touched my hair with extreme gentleness. “Sera, no matter who you like in the future, Arthur will help you get him.” That day, I didn’t respond. Because starting today, I had completely kicked him out of my world. 4 The day I moved out of the Sterling estate, I didn’t take anything related to Arthur. I declined his grandfather’s repeated requests to stay. Carrying only a suitcase, I left the Sterling home where I had lived for over a decade. But just as I reached the door, a girl ran towards me, blocking my way. The moment the girl looked up, I recognized her instantly. She was the woman who had been with Arthur the longest, and the biological mother of his son. The girl recognized me too. She bit her lip tightly, helpless tears falling before me. “Ms. Vance, please don’t take my child.” The girl took a deep breath, putting on a pained expression. “I know you don’t like me staying by Arthur’s side. As long as you return the child to me. “I can… leave him.” My heart suddenly ached. All these years chasing after Arthur, in their eyes, I was just a vicious fiancée who relentlessly clung to him and used every trick in the book. I laughed self-deprecatingly and was about to speak. Arthur got out of the car. “Don’t worry, no one can take our child.” With his long legs, the man reached the girl in a few strides. The girl seemed to have found her anchor. She leaned weakly against Arthur, tears streaming down her face. Arthur wrapped his arm around the girl’s waist and looked at me warningly. “Sera, don’t forget your promise.” I gestured to the suitcase in my hand. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.” Arthur’s gaze swept over, and when he saw the suitcase in my hand. His face suddenly grew colder. “Hmph, leaving the Sterling house right after breaking the engagement, outsiders will think our family went bankrupt and can’t afford to keep you. “Sera, I won’t allow you to leave.” 5 My grip on the suitcase tightened slightly, meeting Arthur’s icy stare. “Without the engagement, if I stay any longer, people will really start talking.” With that, I tried to walk down the steps. But Arthur grabbed my arm tightly. “I said, I won’t allow you to leave.” In my memory, this was the first time Arthur had lost his temper with me. For someone he cared so little about, even a glance from him was a luxury. But now, I suddenly found this man incomprehensible. Regardless of what he said, I couldn’t possibly stay. I forcefully pulled his large hand off my arm and looked at the girl behind him, who had stopped crying. “Ms. Shen is still here, Arthur, you should be mindful of boundaries. “When you marry Ms. Shen in the future, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to be here.” Arthur was truly angry now. He shoved the suitcase beside me backward, and it instantly clattered down the steps. His face was taut, his eyes dark, staring at me for a long time. Suddenly, he laughed. “Right, I forgot. Xinran and my son are moving in today. It would indeed be inconvenient if you stayed. “Your room can perfectly serve as my son’s nursery. Even if you didn’t want to leave today, I would have made you. Sera, get out!” After he finished, Arthur didn’t spare me another glance. Holding the hand of a secretly delighted Shen Xinran, he went inside without looking back. The heavy door slammed shut with a bang. I stood outside, picking up the suitcase with a broken corner. I didn’t feel much sadness. Instead, I felt a sense of relief. Relief that after seven years of loving Arthur, I finally stopped. That day, I straightened my back and left, firm and resolute.

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Chapter 1 My husband couldn’t forget his “one that got away.” In the VIP room of a club, drunk out of his mind, he confessed his truth to his friends: “I’ve loved her for years. It killed me that she got married before I could confess. And now that she’s finally divorced, it kills me that I’m married.” I wasn’t angry. I still stayed by his side. My husband despised me. He saw me as a pathetic, clingy doormat with no personality, an obstacle standing between him and his true love. He desperately wanted to divorce me. But every time he brought it up, I refused. What he didn’t know was that he was just my assigned target. I only needed to reject his demand for a divorce three times, and the system would forcibly terminate my mission. … When I rushed to the club through the pouring rain, I arrived just in time to hear Arthur Sterling’s confession: “I’ve loved her for years, but before I could tell her, she got married.” “And now that she’s finally divorced, I’m the one who’s tied down.” One of his frat brothers teased him, “You could always just get a divorce, man.” Arthur’s drunken voice dripped with disdain and contempt. “That woman is obsessed with me. She’s practically psychotic. Do you really think she’d ever agree to a divorce?” “You guys have no idea. Every time I see her hovering around me, I get sick to my stomach. She has absolutely no personality, no sense of self.” “She couldn’t even compare to one of Chloe’s fingernails.” I stood frozen in the hallway outside the open door. Behind me, the sharp click-clack of high heels echoed. It was Arthur’s beloved “one that got away,” Chloe Vance. “Mia, you’re here. Why aren’t you going inside?” she asked, her voice light and musical. She flashed me a brilliant, arrogant smile, her pretty eyes glinting with malice. “What are you eavesdropping on?” The men inside suddenly noticed me. The color drained from their faces, and they shot guilty, panicked looks at Arthur. For a split second, Arthur looked sober and terrified, but his expression instantly hardened into ice. “You heard all of that?” There were too many people in the room. To save Arthur’s face, I played dumb. “Heard what? I just got here.” Arthur let out a cold, disgusted laugh and turned his head away, refusing to look at me. I walked into the room to help him up. “It’s really late. Let’s go home.” Arthur violently shoved me away without a shred of hesitation. He snapped impatiently, “Didn’t I tell you I wasn’t coming home tonight? Why did you track me down? Do you have any idea how annoying you are?” He was drunk, so he didn’t bother hiding his temper. His expression was a terrifying, vicious scowl I had never seen before. It made him look like a complete stranger. Actually, maybe not a stranger. He had been treating me like this for a while now. Ever since his “true love” announced her divorce. “Arthur, don’t talk to Mia like that. She only came to pick you up because she cares about you,” Chloe chimed in with sickeningly fake sweetness. “How about this: Mia and I will take you home together. Is that okay?” Arthur looked at Chloe’s face, and his features softened visibly. “Okay.” So, I ended up driving, while Arthur and Chloe squeezed into the backseat together. I don’t know if Arthur was actually blackout drunk or just doing it on purpose, but he laid his head directly on Chloe’s lap, resting there intimately like they were deeply in love. It made my eyes burn. Chloe offered a sickly-sweet apology. “Mia, please don’t misunderstand. Arthur is just drunk. I really hope you two don’t fight because of me.” I didn’t say a word. I had absolutely zero desire to waste my energy interacting with a manipulative homewrecker. But Chloe just wouldn’t shut up. “You really do have a boring personality. No wonder you and Arthur haven’t developed any real feelings after being married for five years.” Chapter 2 Those words actually stung. Yeah. Once upon a time, I had genuinely fantasized about the whole “arranged marriage turning into true love” trope with him. But at the end of the day, Arthur always loved his “one that got away” more. When the car pulled up to the estate, Chloe completely ignored me and practically carried Arthur inside by herself. I didn’t stop her. I just sat in the driver’s seat, looking at the photo I had just taken on my phone. The next day, when Arthur sobered up, I shoved the photo in his face. It was a picture of him sleeping peacefully on Chloe’s lap, while she gazed down at him with profound affection. Arthur stared at the screen, stunned. Then, a subtle wave of joy washed over his face. I knew exactly what he was thinking. He was absolutely thrilled that Chloe was looking at him with love in her eyes. So, I intentionally threw a massive tantrum, screaming at him, “What exactly is going on between you and that homewrecking slut, Chloe Vance?!” Arthur’s brow furrowed instantly. “Mia, watch your mouth. Have some class, will you?” I yelled back furiously, “Even if I have no class, I am still your wife! I have every right to control what you do, and I have every right to curse out the homewrecker you’re messing around with!” I used the ugliest words I could think of. Just as I hoped, Arthur’s expression turned pitch black. He glared at me with absolute freezing hatred. “What? Am I not your wife? Do I not have that right?!” “Then let’s get a divorce,” Arthur said, his voice dripping with profound exhaustion and disgust. “Mia, we’re getting a divorce.” I forced myself to look hysterical and screamed, “I will not agree to that! Arthur Sterling, I will never divorce you!” Arthur gave me a look that practically said, I knew it. As if he had predicted exactly how pathetic and desperate I would be. Sick of my presence, he slammed the bedroom door and left. The second he was gone, the furious mask melted off my face. I calmly pulled out a chair and sat down at my desk. Finally. He initiated the divorce. Six years ago, the System pulled me into this dimension and assigned me the mission of capturing Arthur Sterling’s heart. For six years, I played the role of the devoted, deeply-in-love woman flawlessly. I sacrificed everything to marry him. At one point, I even actually fell for him. But Arthur still didn’t love me. I failed the mission. Now, the only way out was the fail-safe: if Arthur explicitly demanded a divorce three separate times, the mission would be forcibly terminated, and I could finally return to my own world. That was strike one. Just two more to go. When Arthur returned home later that day, I was in my study, organizing my illustration drafts. After marrying Arthur, I became a full-time housewife, but I also worked as a freelance illustrator. I had actually built a pretty solid following online. Right now, I was finalizing my very first original comic series. It had taken me over two years to conceptualize and draw. Originally, I planned to publish it in this world, but since I was leaving soon, I decided to take the intellectual property back to my original dimension with me. Hearing the front door open, I closed my sketchbook and walked out to greet him, pretending our massive fight never happened. “You’re back?” I asked softly. Arthur looked incredibly stiff and awkward, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t get the words out. I walked toward him, knowing exactly what was coming, but feigning ignorance. “I made your favorite soup. Let me go heat it up for you.” The second I stepped out of the study, I saw exactly why Arthur looked so guilty. Chloe was standing in the foyer, holding a massive suitcase. “Hi, Mia,” Chloe said, flashing me a gentle, apologetic smile. “I’ve been getting harassed by some crazy stalker fans lately, so I can’t stay at my place. Would it be okay if I crashed here for a few days until things cool down?” I stared at her, my face completely blank. I didn’t say a word. Arthur, clearly feeling guilty, spoke up softly to defend her. “It’s true. Some fan leaked Chloe’s address. They’ve been banging on her door every night and following her.” Seeing my continued silence, Arthur started to lose his patience. His brows drew together in an irritated scowl. “There is absolutely nothing going on between me and Chloe. We’ve just been friends for years. She’s in trouble, and I can’t just leave her out on the street.” “Mia, there has to be a limit to your irrational jealousy. Stop testing my patience. We’ve been married for five years; can you please grow up and stop acting like a dramatic teenager?” “Fine,” I said, breaking my gaze away from Chloe and looking directly at Arthur. “She can stay.” Chapter 3 Why wouldn’t I let her stay? Having her living under the same roof was the fastest way to detonate the remaining tension between Arthur and me. It was the quickest way to get him to demand a divorce for the second time. The sooner I could leave this world, the better. Arthur looked at me in genuine shock. His eyes flickered with something unreadable—almost like he was still unsatisfied. “What? I said yes, and you’re still not happy?” Arthur frowned, pointing a warning finger at me. “Don’t try anything stupid. If I find out you’re secretly bullying Chloe while I’m not around, I won’t let it slide.” I actually wanted to laugh out loud. I was his legal wife, yet he was bending over backwards to protect an outsider from me. I really wanted to ask him: Arthur, after all these years together, have you honestly never felt a single shred of genuine affection for me? But I didn’t. Arthur ignored me and hurried down the stairs to help Chloe with her luggage. While he was setting up the guest room, I heard him cheerfully say to her, “Mia made this incredible herbal soup earlier. Once we’re done unpacking, I’ll bring you a bowl.” “Mia has a lot of flaws, but her cooking is top-tier. Your health hasn’t been great lately, so we’ll have her cook some nutritious meals for you while you’re here.” I rolled my eyes and scoffed. Arthur, do you really think that just because we’re married, I’m your personal maid? Do you honestly believe that no matter how much you degrade me, I’ll never leave you? I can’t wait to see the look on your face when I’m finally gone. I walked downstairs, went straight into the kitchen, drank one bowl of the soup myself, and poured the entire rest of the pot straight down the garbage disposal. I spent all day simmering that soup. I’d rather pour it down the drain than let this trashy duo have a single drop. I went back up to my study and resumed organizing my comic drafts. Not ten minutes later, Arthur violently shoved the study door open, glaring at me. “Where is the soup?” I kept my eyes on my tablet and answered coldly, “I dumped it.” “What?!” Arthur looked like a completely different person. His voice exploded with rage. “Mia, what the hell is your problem?! If you didn’t want Chloe to stay here, you should have just said no! What is the point of agreeing to her face and then playing these passive-aggressive, petty little games behind my back?!” I looked up at him, my voice freezing cold. “If I had said no, would you have gracefully accepted it without throwing a fit?” Arthur glared at me, struck speechless. I stared right back at him, holding my breath, waiting for him to drop the D-word for the second time. But to my immense disappointment, he didn’t. He just slammed the door and stormed out again. Late that night, after washing up, I got into bed. Downstairs in the living room, Arthur and Chloe were drinking wine and laughing. The atmosphere sounded incredibly cozy and romantic; their laughter echoed all the way up to the master bedroom. I don’t know how much time passed. I was deep in sleep when I suddenly felt heavy arms wrap around me from behind. It was Arthur. His breath was scorching hot and reeked of alcohol. He started pressing wet, sloppy kisses against the back of my neck. A wave of absolute revulsion washed over me. I violently shoved him off. “What are you doing?!” The shove sobered him up slightly. He scowled in annoyance. “You’re my wife. What do you think I’m doing?” Seeing me physically recoil from him, his face darkened into a menacing glare. “This is your duty as a wife. Mia, if you’re going to keep acting like a prude and refuse to let me touch you, then get the hell out of my house.” Ever since I discovered he was emotionally cheating with Chloe, I hadn’t let him touch me. It had been almost three months. “Your house?” I asked, my voice flat. Arthur looked at me with smug, absolute superiority, fully convinced I was about to yield. “When you married me, you had absolutely nothing. I paid for this house entirely by myself, so yes, it’s my house. Did you forget, Mia? You literally begged me to marry you.” “If you aren’t going to let me touch you, then get out!” Chapter 4 I was so utterly speechless that I just went quiet, and then a bitter laugh escaped my lips. Back then, he was my assigned target. To complete the mission, I really had begged him to marry me. I couldn’t deny it. I just never expected that the man I had actually developed real feelings for would weaponize my vulnerability to obliterate my dignity. “Fine. I’m leaving.” I opened the closet and haphazardly threw a few essentials into a duffel bag. Before walking out the door, I paused for a second. I was waiting for him to deliver the killing blow—to say something cruel, like, If you walk out that door, we’re getting a divorce. But Arthur completely misread my hesitation. He ruthlessly mocked me. “I thought you were leaving? Go on! Walk out!” His tone made it painfully obvious that he thought I was just throwing a theatrical tantrum for attention, and that I’d never actually leave him. I realized the fire wasn’t quite hot enough yet. I needed to push him over the edge. So, I pivoted, marched straight to the guest room where Chloe was sleeping, and started violently pounding on the door. I wanted to manufacture a catastrophic, explosive argument to force Arthur to say the word ‘divorce’. Arthur sprinted down the hall and grabbed my arm, yanking me back. “What the hell are you doing, Mia?! Have you lost your damn mind?!” I thrashed against his grip. “Let me go! Arthur, don’t think I don’t know exactly what you’re planning! You’re obsessed with Chloe, aren’t you?! I’m going to ask her right now if she actually wants you!” I thought pushing this specific button would guarantee he demanded a divorce. But I never, in a million years, expected his reaction. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The sharp crack echoed in the hallway. I froze, completely stunned into silence. Arthur looked equally shocked. He stood there, staring at his trembling hand, his lips parting slightly. He looked like he wanted to apologize, but his pride wouldn’t let him. Finally, he just gritted out, “Get back in your room.” I felt a profound, bottomless disappointment in him. Staring at his bloodshot eyes, I felt tears threatening to spill. Arthur couldn’t maintain eye contact. He looked away and muttered, “Mia, if you pull a stunt like this again, I really will divorce you.” Finally. I finally heard the words I had been waiting for. Even though every fiber of my being was screaming YES! Let’s go sign the papers right now!, I had to play my part. I forced myself to look devastated, choking back tears of “anger and betrayal.” “I will never agree to that!” I turned and practically sprinted out of the villa. Finally. Just one more strike, and I could permanently evacuate this nightmare. I wandered the empty streets for hours before finally stopping. Staring at the desolate roads and the flickering amber streetlights, a heavy wave of existential dread washed over me. Six years ago, I was dropped into this world. My entire existence had revolved around one single objective: Arthur Sterling. I had spent so much time orbiting him that I had never bothered to build a life or a social circle of my own. Thank God I had never given up my career as an illustrator. Once I returned to my original world, I could use my new comic series to establish myself as a successful artist. The thought of my comic made me instantly regret storming out so fast. I had forgotten my manuscript drafts in the study. I’d have to find an excuse to go back and pack them up. I checked into a nearby hotel. Days passed, and Arthur didn’t reach out once. I didn’t want to waste any more time, so just as I was hyping myself up to go back to the villa and force the final confrontation, disaster struck. Chloe Vance uploaded my entire comic series to her massive art account. She had digitized my hand-drawn drafts, but the character designs, the plot, the storyboards… it was all a 1:1 stolen copy. I was so furious I nearly blacked out. I immediately called Arthur. I called five times. He ignored every single one, and eventually just turned his phone off. I forced myself to calm down. I logged onto my own art account, tagged Chloe, and publicly accused her of plagiarism. Chloe and I were both illustrators, but our careers were vastly different. I focused entirely on the art, while she operated more like an influencer. She had recently monetized her highly publicized divorce to farm massive amounts of sympathy and traffic, so her follower count was currently explosive. Chloe immediately released a statement denying the allegations, calling me a liar and demanding I produce hard evidence or issue a public apology. My original physical drafts were locked in the study at the villa. I obviously couldn’t produce them on the spot. Within minutes, her rabid fanbase swarmed my account, flooding my comments and DMs with so much toxic abuse that my phone literally crashed. Chapter 5 I hailed a cab back to the villa while simultaneously redialing Arthur’s number. This time, he finally picked up. His voice was laced with undeniable guilt. My instincts kicked in, and I immediately hit record on the call. “Did you give my manuscript to Chloe?” Arthur didn’t answer the question. Instead, he deflected, “Where are you?” “Answer the question, Arthur! You know damn well that comic is the culmination of years of my hard work!” Arthur’s voice turned impatient and defensive. “I said I’d compensate you! What do you want? I’ll buy you a house, okay?” I ground my teeth together, absolutely livid. “I am asking you why you gave my life’s work to Chloe Vance! That is my intellectual property!” “Didn’t I just say I’d pay you back?! When Chloe starts making revenue from the comic, she’ll give you a cut!” Arthur’s sheer audacity completely shattered my understanding of human depravity. “Just delete those accusations you posted online. If you do that… I promise I will never bring up divorce again.” “Hah.” I actually laughed out loud. Never bring up divorce again? The absolute only thing I wanted from him right now was for him to demand a divorce. “In your dreams,” I snarled into the phone. “Arthur, I am getting my work back.” The second I hung up, I uploaded the raw audio recording directly to my social media. It acted like a nuclear bomb. The internet exploded. A significant portion of the hate comments vanished, replaced by a massive wave of skeptics demanding Chloe provide hard proof of her ownership, since audio recordings could easily be faked or taken out of context. The cab pulled up to the gate. I threw cash at the driver and sprinted toward the villa. Arthur and Chloe were sitting in the living room. Chloe’s face was streaked with tears. She was leaning weakly against Arthur’s shoulder, sobbing a pathetic, tragic picture of victimhood. The second she saw me, her eyes widened in a desperate, pleading gaze. Arthur, on the other hand, glared at me like I had just murdered his family. I only cared about one thing. “Where is my manuscript?” Arthur didn’t answer. He closed the distance between us in three massive strides, violently grabbed my wrist, and snatched my phone—which was currently recording video—right out of my hand. He hurled it onto the marble floor, shattering the screen. He stared at me with pure, unadulterated venom. “Mia, you are a profound disappointment. You spent years claiming you loved me, claiming your entire life revolved around me. But the second I ask you to make one tiny sacrifice for me, you refuse, and then you leak our private phone call to the internet?!” His face was a mask of furious disappointment, placing the entirety of the blame squarely on my shoulders. “Are you trying to destroy my life?! You never used to be like this! You used to be obedient. You bent over backwards to make me happy. That was the version of you I actually tolerated.” “Now? Looking at you right now makes me sick. I have absolutely zero interest in you.” “We are getting a divorce, Mia.” Arthur stared intensely into my eyes, his expression radiating absolute certainty and expectation. He was entirely convinced that I would instantly crumble. He thought I would panic, reject the divorce, and immediately agree to all his demands just to stay by his side. But what he didn’t know was… this was the third strike. He had formally demanded a divorce three times. I no longer had to reject him. Because the System had just pinged in my brain: the forced termination sequence had been initiated. I was finally leaving.

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I am the sole heir to the Sterling family empire, groomed from birth to inherit the throne. Until one day, a beautiful woman showed up with twins in tow, marching right up to my mother and demanding she return everything that belonged to her. She claimed that ten years ago, she had a one-night stand with my father, and that I was nothing but a bargaining chip my mother used to marry Arthur Sterling. Hearing this, my mother didn’t even flinch. She just dialed my father’s number and gestured for me to speak. My voice was bratty, laced with annoyance. “Dad, there’s some crazy lady here blocking our way, saying she’s the only one who deserves you and that her two kids are yours.” “Do you think she’s got some loose screws in her head?” 1 My parents’ marriage was a strategic business alliance. From the day I was born, they raised me as the undisputed heir. For my first birthday, my father transferred 3% of the corporation’s shares into my name as a present. My mother gifted me an actual, literal castle. They never bothered faking a loving marriage in front of me. They each had their own affairs. As a result, every year for my birthday, I would receive over a dozen presents from various “aunts” and “uncles.” The doll from Uncle Hayes? Didn’t like it. Threw it away. The diamond necklace from that movie star, “Aunt” Valerie? Liked it. My mom told me to keep it. And then there were all the gifts from other random adults in their circles. At my seventh birthday party, one of my father’s business partners presented me with a custom, high-end jewelry set. I hesitated, looking up at my father, unsure if I should accept it. He rubbed my head, crouched down, and looked me dead in the eye. “Chloe, if you like it, take it. You are the heir to the Sterling family. Anything you want in this world can be yours.” What did I want? I wanted sparkling jewels and gorgeous dresses. And I wanted money. Lots and lots of money. I was young, but I was already the little princess of the Sterling family, known by everyone in high society. My grandmother once urged my father to have a son to carry on the family name, but he shut it down immediately. He told her he wouldn’t let anyone or anything threaten my position as his heir. 2 So, when one of his mistresses showed up at our door with a secret son, I wasn’t even surprised. I just stood behind the half-open door, watching them, feeling mildly annoyed. My father tossed a credit card onto the floor without a single flicker of emotion. His voice was ice. “Take your kid and get the hell out of here. If I ever see your face again…” “You know what will happen.” The DNA test results fluttered to the floor like snow. The woman collapsed, sobbing hysterically. “Arthur, how could you do this to me…” The bodyguards moved in to drag them out, but the little boy suddenly broke free and charged straight at me. He cursed at me furiously, “It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! Why do you get to live with Mommy and Daddy?!” I could have easily dodged him, but for some inexplicable reason, I just stood there, frozen. Ugh, what a death wish. He shoved me hard onto the floor and reached out to strangle me. I looked up in shock, feeling the sting of my scraped palms. “Ow…” The next second, he was kicked viciously to the floor. My mother, hearing the commotion, rushed down the stairs to help me up. She didn’t forget to spin around and deliver a brutal slap across the boy’s face. “What kind of filthy trash thinks they can touch my daughter?!” My mother glared at my father, her voice raising. “Arthur, I don’t care about your private life. But now your mistresses and bastards are showing up at my door, putting their hands on my daughter.” “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” Arthur’s face darkened. He rubbed his temples in frustration and shot a look at the two bodyguards. “Send her abroad. Make sure she never comes back.” Ignoring the woman’s desperate pleas, he looked coldly at the boy on the floor. “And find a way to dump this little brat in an orphanage.” My mother let out a cold scoff, then finally turned her attention back to me. She carried me to the sofa and grabbed the first-aid kit to clean my scraped hands. No one ever explained anything to me. The incident was swept under the rug as if it never happened. My father bought a mountain of gifts to coax a smile out of me and personally took me to a high-profile auction to publicly reaffirm my status. But that day, I saw the ugly, rotten underbelly of this family clearly. Did it matter, though? I was a perfectly qualified heir, after all. 3 After three years at my elite prep school, a pair of fraternal twins suddenly transferred into my class. The sister stood meekly behind her brother, her voice squeaky. “Hi everyone, I’m Mia Vance. It’s nice to meet you!” The little boy was clutching a sleek, high-end mini laptop. He kept a straight face, his features bearing a striking resemblance to my father’s. He spoke coldly: “Leo Vance.” “Let’s give a warm welcome to our new classmates!” The teacher tried to hype them up, but the class only offered a scattering of unenthusiastic claps. Several appraising looks landed on them. I rested my chin in my hand, watching them with mild amusement. When they looked my way, I gave a lazy, slow clap. Are these my dad’s secret kids? They look pretty annoying. After class, the resident rich-kid bully and his two cronies cornered Leo. “Hey! I haven’t seen you around before. Who are your parents?” He shoved Leo aggressively. Leo shot him a cold glare, stepping in front of Mia to protect her. “Move.” “Don’t look down on me!” Mia grabbed Leo’s hand, puffing her cheeks indignantly. “It’s none of your business! My mom is super important…” “Mia, let’s go.” Leo gave her a gentle look and pulled her away. Once they were gone, I waved my hand dismissively, my eyes drifting to the laptop sitting in Leo’s desk. Interesting. 4 After school, I ordered my butler to look into the twins’ background. Their mother’s name was Sarah Vance. Ten years ago, she went abroad for unknown reasons, and returned with two kids. Interestingly enough, she was my mother’s half-sister. My aunt. This didn’t seem like a coincidence. I narrowed my eyes, a theory already forming in my head. “Miss Chloe, should I dig deeper?” The butler stood respectfully by my side. I took a huge gulp of milk, hopped off the sofa, and padded barefoot toward the door. Halfway there, I stopped, turning back thoughtfully. “No need… Oh, actually, what has Sarah been doing since she got back? How did she even get those kids enrolled in my school?” “It’s connected to the Harrington family. The second young master, Sebastian Harrington, pulled some strings to get them admitted.” “Also, records show Sarah Vance just submitted a resume to Sterling Enterprises. She has an in-person interview scheduled for tomorrow.” I had heard my dad mention Sebastian Harrington. He stayed out of his family’s corporate drama and became a doctor instead. He had also been abroad for the past few years. But doing the math, Mia and Leo couldn’t possibly be his kids. And the fact that Sarah applied to Sterling Enterprises the second she returned? That was completely intentional. Having confirmed my suspicions, I sighed, grabbed my phone, and texted my parents to ask when they’d be home. After a moment of thought, a bright, innocent smile spread across my face. “Since she’s interviewing at my future company, I don’t think it’s out of line if I drop by tomorrow to take a look, right?” The butler bowed his head. “Whatever you wish, Miss Chloe.” 5 It was very late by the time my mother got home. My father claimed he had an important meeting and wouldn’t be back that night. Wearing cute cat pajamas, I clung to my mom’s arm and whined. “Please let me go to the office tomorrow! I miss Dad…” “Well… maybe I don’t miss him that much, but I just really want to see the office!” “You little rascal,” my mom chuckled, affectionately tapping my forehead. She agreed immediately. “Fine, you can go in the morning. I’ll have the driver take you.” “Thanks, Mommy!” I kissed her cheek, my voice sweet as sugar. “But don’t run around causing trouble for everyone, okay? I’ll pick you up around noon.” “Go back to sleep.” She tucked me in and stood up to leave. I buried my face in the soft duvet, closing my eyes in satisfaction. I couldn’t wait for the show tomorrow.

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In my past life, to maintain her “pure and innocent” persona, my junior colleague Chloe actually screamed during a hostage rescue mission: “Don’t shoot!” Her idiotic stunt completely enraged the kidnapper, resulting in the brutal murder of the hostage. The hostage was a high school senior who had just finished her SATs. She had her whole life ahead of her, but it was violently stolen because of Chloe’s incompetence. “Waaaah, I didn’t mean for this to happen!” “I-I just thought the kidnapper was so pitiful…” Chloe collapsed, weeping dramatically into the arms of our squad captain, Marcus. My eyes were bloodshot with rage. “And that young girl wasn’t pitiful?!” Chloe threw a massive tantrum, threatening to kill herself to atone for her “mistake.” Every single one of my male colleagues rushed to comfort her. To quell the public outrage over the botched rescue, they pinned all the blame on me. The grieving, devastated family stalked my apartment, demanding blood for blood. And then, I was reborn. I opened my eyes on the exact day of that fateful mission. “Don’t shoo—” Just like in my previous life, Chloe, who was supposed to be negotiating and stabilizing the kidnapper’s emotions, suddenly turned and screamed toward my concealed sniper position. Luckily, I was ready this time. Without a fraction of a second of hesitation… BANG. The gunshot echoed. I cleanly and efficiently neutralized the kidnapper. I saved the pale, trembling high schooler from his grasp. Chloe charged toward me, pointing at the kidnapper’s corpse and screaming at me. “Waaaah…” “Elena, how could you be so cruel?!” I shot a cold, disdainful glare at her pathetic, weeping performance and signaled the team to wrap up. But she stubbornly blocked my path. “No! Elena, you just murdered a living, breathing person! You have to explain yourself to everyone!” I shoved her aside so hard she tumbled onto the pavement. “Do you have any idea what the hell you’re doing?” She covered her face, sobbing. “Elena, I…” The other officers rushed over at the sound of the commotion. Seeing them, Chloe instantly cried even harder. “Elena is so heartless!” “Does a kidnapper’s life mean absolutely nothing?!” I turned back, grabbed her by the collar of her uniform, and slapped her hard across the face. Chapter 2 The sharp crack of the slap silenced the area. She stared at me in absolute, horrified disbelief. Seeing this, the other officers quickly shoved her behind them to protect her. “Hey, we can talk this out! Why did you have to hit her?” My face was pitch black. I glared at every single person standing there. “She is a police officer, yet she possesses absolutely zero professional ethics.” “During an active mission, everyone follows orders. Her little ‘pure-hearted’ stunt almost got a child killed!” “Chloe was just…” Julian, who had joined the force at the same time as me, instinctively tried to defend her. “Don’t give me that ‘she’s a rookie’ crap. Did she sleep through four years at the academy?” I cut him off sharply. “These are basic protocols a middle schooler would understand! Who was she trying to get killed with that stunt?!” I glared at the group of spineless cowards who were now too intimidated to speak. “I will be submitting a full, unedited report of everything that happened today to command!” “If you have a problem with me, take it up with the Chief!” Chapter 3 Julian and Liam’s faces turned ugly, but they were forced to swallow their anger. Chloe started hiccuping and crying again. “If Elena says so… then I guess I was wrong.” “Please don’t fight because of me.” Her pathetic, damsel-in-distress act immediately elicited another wave of sympathy from the guys. “It’s just… this mission was supposed to be my big break for a promotion and an accommodation.” “Couldn’t you just show a little mercy, Elena?” The other officers chimed in to back her up. “Even if she didn’t succeed, she tried her best today, Elena. Do you really have to go this far?” “Yeah, everyone has different perspectives.” “Just because she has a different opinion than you, you’re going to go tattle to the higher-ups?” They were always like this. Blindly, unconditionally shielding Chloe. It was exactly this toxic enabling that allowed her to push boundaries and act like the rules didn’t apply to her. I looked at Julian coldly. “As Chloe’s superior officer, it is my absolute duty to provide a comprehensive evaluation of her performance in the field.” “Since when is doing my job considered ‘tattling’?” Knowing he was completely out of line, Julian averted his eyes, muttering under his breath, “Who knows if you’re going to exaggerate things?” The corner of my mouth twitched upward in a cold smirk. “Do I even need to exaggerate?” “Let me remind you, every officer in this precinct earns their accommodations and promotions through rigorous physical skills and fearless performance in the field.” “If you want those things, you have to prove you deserve them.” “And since you all claim ‘everyone has different perspectives,’ I trust Chief Miller will be able to make the final judgment.” Julian turned green with rage. “You…” “Elena, don’t push it!” Chapter 4 Seeing her promotion slip through her fingers, Chloe panicked. She rallied her harem of officers and barged into my office without knocking. “Elena, I just felt a moment of compassion for the kidnapper that day.” “Besides, it didn’t even affect the mission’s outcome!” “We’re colleagues. Can’t you just talk to Chief Miller and tell him you misunderstood my intentions?” She had really put some thought into this, deliberately begging me in front of an audience. She was trying to back me into a corner where refusing her would make me look like a monster. “I admit my skills aren’t up to par, but I promise I’ll work hard to improve. Is that not enough?” My expression didn’t change a fraction of an inch, and my stance was absolute. “Since you admit you lack the skills and are willing to improve, I’ll be submitting your name for every single mandatory remedial training program the precinct offers from now on.” Hearing this, Captain Marcus couldn’t sit still any longer. “Most of those programs are for fresh recruits. Aren’t you just wasting Chloe’s time?” A harsh scoff ripped from my throat. “Her actions the other day were worse than a fresh recruit’s.” “She wants the honors and the promotions, but refuses to put in the time to actually train.” “Do you think this precinct is some country club where you can just network and coast by on favors?” Marcus choked on his words. “If she doesn’t drastically improve her skills, who in their right mind would ever want to partner with her in the field?” As the captain, Marcus was supposed to remain neutral and not directly interfere or show favoritism in a dispute between two officers. But he couldn’t bear to see his precious junior suffer even the slightest inconvenience, completely disregarding his position of authority. “Are you really going to be this ruthless?” His mouth pulled down into a scowl, his expression darkening by the second. “The precinct is a place for justice, not for your little cliques,” I sneered, calling him out directly. “Even if the captain wants to play favorites, my stance will not change.” “She must be formally disciplined for her actions today, or it will undermine the entire command structure!” Marcus couldn’t hold back anymore. He slammed his fists onto my desk. “Elena, I think the first person who needs to be disciplined is you!” “You’re constantly stirring up trouble in the squad and disrespecting the chain of command.” “I am suspending you pending an investigation, effective immediately!” Chapter 5 Chloe, playing the saint, chimed in with fake concern. “Captain, it’s all my fault. Please don’t punish Elena.” Marcus looked down at her, his eyes instantly softening with affection. “Chloe, you’re just too kind. That’s why she always bullies you.” I let out a cold snort, thoroughly disgusted by their pathetic romantic melodrama. “You don’t have the authority to punish me!” “I told you, if you have a problem, take it to the higher-ups!” Hearing me mention the higher-ups, a calculating glint appeared in Marcus’s eyes. “Chief Miller is out of town today, so no one is going to protect you!” “Let’s go. We’re taking this to Deputy Chief Davis!” Our six-person squad marched into Deputy Chief Davis’s office. Before Davis could even process the intrusion, Marcus launched into his attack. “Deputy Chief, we’re here to report on the recent hostage rescue operation.” Davis looked up at us, confused. “Wasn’t that operation a success?” Marcus, vibrating with anger, looked like he wanted to physically throw me out of the precinct. “Elena acted unilaterally and almost got the hostage killed.” “Furthermore, she constantly harasses Chloe and even physically assaulted her.” “I believe her actions constitute a severe violation of precinct protocol!” “I am officially requesting that her accommodations for the past three years be revoked, and that she be suspended pending a full investigation.” Deputy Chief Davis looked at me. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Davis was the mentor who originally trained me. He had always been kind and supportive. I vividly remembered my first time in the field; I was terrified of making a mistake. It was his patient guidance and unwavering support that gave me the confidence to complete the mission successfully. I trusted he would give me a fair hearing. “Sir, Marcus is completely twisting the truth.” “Chloe actively disobeyed direct orders and disregarded the hostage’s safety by screaming…” Before I could finish my sentence, he raised his hand to silence me. “So, you admit to the physical assault?” Chapter 6 My heart violently seized. My thoughts completely derailed. Before I could even attempt to defend myself, Julian and Liam eagerly jumped in to support Davis’s leading question. “Elena’s behavior is destroying squad morale. She needs to be severely punished.” A chilling dread crept up my spine. I had tolerated their blatant favoritism in day-to-day matters, but in a situation this critical, how could they so blatantly ignore the actual crime? “Chloe disobeyed a direct command and almost got a hostage murdered. That is an indisputable fact!” Julian’s eyes darted away for a fraction of a second, but his arrogant sneer quickly returned. “The situation wasn’t nearly as critical as you’re making it out to be. You were just desperate to play the hero and steal the glory.” “Your own conduct is toxic, and now you’re trying to drag Chloe down with you,” he accused, completely ignoring protocol as he pointed a finger directly at my face. “Since the entire squad witnessed it, it’s clear that Officer Elena’s actions have had a severely detrimental impact on the precinct.” “We will proceed with Captain Marcus’s recommendation.” My heart plummeted. He was actually going to close the book on this based on a complete lie. “I object! I demand to appeal to internal affairs!” Davis’s brows slammed together. He glared at me with a cold sneer. “Chief Miller won’t be back until next week. There is no one here to save you.” Marcus grabbed my arm roughly. “Elena, pack your things and go home.” “Stop embarrassing yourself in front of everyone.” Right at that moment, the office door burst open. It was Ryan, a detective from the Investigations Bureau and a good friend of mine. “The victim and her father are here to see Officer Elena.” The victim was the high school student I had saved from the kidnapper. Chapter 7 “Officer Elena!” The second the girl saw me, she ran over and threw her arms around me. “Officer Elena, the knife was literally pressed against my throat.” “I thought I was never going to see my mom and dad again.” “Waaaah…” Recalling the trauma of the kidnapping, she broke down in gut-wrenching sobs. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know what would have happened.” Her father rushed forward, gripping my hands tightly, tears in his eyes as he endlessly repeated his gratitude. “Officer Elena, you are a true hero. A real police officer.” “Our family will owe you our lives for the rest of our days.” “…” “It’s okay. Please,” I reassured them. “It’s my duty to protect and serve. You don’t need to thank me.” The girl suddenly pulled back. Her eyes swept the room and locked onto Chloe. “Officer Elena, not all police officers are like you.” She glared at Chloe with pure venom. “If it wasn’t for that officer screaming out of nowhere, the bad guy wouldn’t have suddenly pressed the knife against me.” Her voice carried clearly through the open office door. The bullpen outside went dead silent, then erupted into whispers. “What the hell was Chloe doing?” “If I were Elena, I’d want to kill her.” “And she had the nerve to drag the whole squad in here to beg for mercy?” “Did you forget? She had the worst scores in the academy. Nobody knows how she even passed the psych eval.” “Who knows? Maybe the rumors about her having connections are true.” Chapter 8 Hearing the whispers, Ryan deliberately raised his voice. “Unfortunately, the ‘good officer’ you’re thanking is currently being suspended pending an investigation.” “What?!” The girl’s eyes widened in absolute shock. “How is that possible…?” “What do you think? She offended the wrong people,” Ryan said dryly. Deputy Chief Davis stormed out of his office, his face like thunder. “Ryan, watch your mouth.” But the Pandora’s box had been opened. The gossip was completely out of control. The girl’s father marched right up to Davis, furious. “What exactly did Officer Elena do that warrants a suspension?!” Davis’s face was dark, a muscle ticking in his jaw. He looked incredibly displeased. “This precinct is not a public forum for gossip.” Intimidated by the Deputy Chief’s authority, the father was forced to step back. But he whispered fiercely to me: “Officer Elena, if you ever need anything, anything at all, you just say the word.” Right then, a team from the Public Relations department walked into the bullpen. “We heard there was a citizen commendation ceremony happening today.” “We’re here to take some promotional photos for the precinct’s social media. We really want to highlight our officers’ heroism.” Chapter 9 “Yes, yes, of course…” The father immediately unfurled a massive silk banner. It read, in bold gold lettering: To Officer Elena – A True Guardian of the People. Davis instantly forced a rigid, awkward smile and played along. “What are you waiting for? Let’s get the group photo.” He looked at me. I was standing perfectly still, my arms crossed, refusing to move an inch. “Elena, get over here.” I had a stomach full of rage and nowhere to vent it. This was the perfect opportunity. “Just five minutes ago, Deputy Chief Davis told me that my actions during the rescue had a ‘detrimental impact’ and suspended me pending an investigation.” “So what exactly is this photo op supposed to be?” “I don’t want to embarrass the department. You guys take the photo without me.” With that, I turned on my heel, ready to walk out of the precinct. Hearing me publicly confirm my suspension, the PR team and the gathered officers instantly turned their questioning, burning gazes onto Davis. Their stares were so intense they practically pinned him to an invisible cross. The father angrily rolled up the banner. “If Officer Elena isn’t receiving this, then I’m not presenting it.” The PR team, having wasted a trip, looked incredibly annoyed. “We will be reporting this incident directly to the Commissioner’s office. We expect a full explanation from Deputy Chief Davis.” Chapter 10 The previously lively atmosphere froze instantly. The tension in the room was suffocating. Davis’s face turned beet red, sweat practically dripping from his forehead. “It was just a misunderstanding.” “Surely Officer Elena isn’t going to hold a grudge over a simple miscommunication.” I let out a cold laugh. “If the four of them apologize to me publicly, right now, I’ll pretend this never happened.” “You can’t just hurl baseless accusations at an officer who risked her life, and expect no consequences. I want an apology.” The vast majority of the bullpen began murmuring in agreement. Backed into a corner with nowhere to hide, the four of them were finally forced to step forward. In unison, they bowed their heads. “Elena, we apologize!”

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In our third year of marrying into the Sterling family as best friends, their childhood sweetheart returned. My best friend and I had promised to run away together, but the night before our escape, she jumped from a high-rise building. I called her husband, Caleb, but he only sneered: “Sister-in-law, my brother said if she jumps off a building today, are you going to jump into a river tomorrow?” … The mockery pierced my eardrums, and my heart sank inch by inch. I looked at Vivian lying in a pool of blood, my voice hoarse. “Caleb, I’m not joking. Vivi… is really dead.” A disdainful scoff came through the phone. “Is that so? She’s really dead? Then do I have to plan her funeral and cry my eyes out?” “Sister-in-law, just because I call you that, don’t think you’re actually the matriarch here. Your and Vivian’s little mind games are incredibly boring.” It was the middle of summer, but I felt freezing cold. Caleb didn’t believe Vivian was dead. I should have known. To him, Vivian was just a tool to appease his family. But at the very end, she had still held onto a tiny sliver of hope that he might change his mind. In the end, she was disappointed again. A woman’s voice came from his end. “Caleb, why are you on the phone for so long? Hang up and come sing with me.” Then came Caleb’s gentle, doting voice: “Alright, alright, my little princess. Hanging up now.” The sky was pitch black, pressing down on me until I could barely breathe. With hollow eyes, I held Vivian’s blood-soaked body. I didn’t understand, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Just yesterday, Vivi was determined to escape the Sterling family with me. Why did she jump tonight? She was terrified of heights and hated pain, yet she leaped from the thirty-something floor. Numbly, I followed the police, and then to the crematorium. In less than a day, the vibrant, living Vivian had been reduced to a square box in my hands. As the sky turned a pale gray, I walked out of the crematorium, clutching her ashes. I only snapped back to reality when a passerby called out to me. “Miss, your phone is ringing.” I froze, stiffly pulling out my phone. My vision was blurred with mist; I couldn’t read the caller ID. It wasn’t until I answered that a deep voice spoke: “You didn’t come home last night.” I gave a faint “Hmm.” Liam’s voice grew colder. “What’s wrong with your voice? Are you out fooling around with Vivian again? Chloe, I remember warning you to stay away from her.” The phone wasn’t large, but at that moment, it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. I took a deep breath, my voice raspy. “Vivian is dead. Liam, you don’t have to look down on her anymore.” The line went dead for a few seconds. Then, a cold voice replied: “You’re playing along with her act now? Chloe, if she ‘dies’ today, is it your turn to ‘die’ tomorrow? Or do you just think faking your deaths is a fun game? What a pity, we don’t have time to entertain your drama.” The call was ruthlessly disconnected. I let out a sigh of relief. If he didn’t believe it, so be it. If Vivian could jump from such a high building, she must have been utterly and completely disappointed in the Sterling family, and in Caleb. I wiped the tears from my face and took Vivian to the beach. She had no family, no place to return to. When we were planning our escape, she once said that besides the mountains and rivers, the place she wanted to go most was the ocean. So, I scattered a portion of her ashes into the sea. Just as I let go, a gust of wind swept by, carrying her ashes deeper into the ocean. My eyes suddenly grew hot. “Vivi, is that you?” The wind seemed to understand, brushing gently against my face. I smiled through my tears. “Go on. When all this is over, I’ll take you to walk the paths we never got to finish.” The wind stopped. Just like how Vivian would never be by my side again. It was noon by the time I returned to the Sterling estate. Surprisingly, both Sterling brothers were home. As soon as I walked in, two sharp gazes locked onto me. The next second, Caleb scoffed: “Sister-in-law, you’re back. Where’s Vivian? Is she still rolling around in some hotel bed?” I clenched my fists, suppressing my heaving chest, and said coldly, “She’s never coming back.” Caleb smiled, but his eyes were ice-cold. “Really? Did she hook up with some rich sugar daddy and decide the Sterling family isn’t good enough for her anymore?” So, even now, Vivian was nothing more than a cheap, despicable existence in Caleb’s heart. I gave a tragic smile, grieving for the years Vivian wasted loving him. “Caleb, since you look down on her so much, you might as well divorce her. It’s better for you, and for her.” Caleb let out a light chuckle. “Looks like she really did find a sugar daddy.” “Sister-in-law, why don’t you enlighten me? Who is this guy?” At this moment, Caleb looked like a lone wolf, his eyes emitting a deep, predatory green light. One wrong move and he’d bite my throat out. I turned my head away and walked briskly upstairs. I didn’t come back to argue with them. I just wanted to find the truth behind Vivian’s fall. I didn’t believe she committed suicide. She valued her life so much. But before I could even reach the second floor, a powerful force pinned me against the wall. Caleb’s warm breath hit my face, carrying a suffocating pressure. “Chloe, tell me, who the fuck is Vivian with?” “Tell me!” Caleb, who always had a smile plastered on his face, finally snapped. In that moment, I suddenly felt a twisted sense of satisfaction. If he realized too late that Vivian was actually dead, would he go even crazier? “What are you laughing at? Chloe, don’t think that just because you’re my sister-in-law, I won’t do anything to you. Ask my brother—does he even care about you?” “So, be a good girl and tell me. Where is Vivian?” I laughed out loud, the corners of my eyes damp. I enunciated every word: “She really is dead. Last night, she jumped from a thirty-something story building. She hit the ground so hard she was unrecognizable. Covered in blood.” “If you don’t believe me, go investigate. Caleb, you have the resources to do that, don’t you?” The hand gripping my collar suddenly tightened, but I didn’t flinch, meeting Caleb’s glare head-on. His furious rage and my dead calm were like two uncrossable chasms. Suddenly, a large hand clamped down over Caleb’s. “Enough, Caleb. If you really want to know where she is, go look into it. Don’t take your anger out on her for no reason.” The grip on my collar loosened, and Caleb took two steps back. His eyes were dark. He nodded repeatedly, then flashed another fake smile. “Fine. I’ll go check right now. Sister-in-law, if I find out you and Vivian teamed up to play me, I might not touch you, but she’s going to have a very bad time.” I twitched my lips into a small smirk, watching Caleb’s angry back retreat until he disappeared out the front door. “Have you looked enough?” A gloomy voice sounded by my ear. I pressed my lips together, ignoring Liam, and walked toward Vivian’s room without a word. But before I could take two steps, a strong force yanked me in the opposite direction. Liam’s strides were long, and I stumbled to keep up. “Let me go, Liam. Let go of me.” “You stayed out all night, came back looking like a ghost, and claimed Vivian is dead. Chloe, I think you’ve genuinely lost your mind.” As soon as we entered his room, I was thrown violently onto the bed. Then, Liam’s tall figure leaned over me, his fingers gripping my chin so hard I had to look up at him. He parted his thin lips, his tone vicious: “Chloe, have I been too lenient with you? Didn’t I warn you to stop hanging out with Vivian?” It was no secret that Liam disliked Vivian. Three years ago, Vivian’s family faced a crisis. As the sole heir, she had to drop out of college and bounce between elite cocktail parties, desperately trying to secure investments. Liam thought she acted like a cheap socialite and always looked down on her. Even after Vivian married Caleb, his opinion of her never changed. In Liam’s words: “She just went from servicing many to servicing one.” But for Vivian, this marriage was like a moth drawn to a flame. The free-spirited prince she had fallen in love with was actually a monster wearing a tailored suit. I looked at Liam for a long time. His face hadn’t changed at all, but I could no longer see the man I once loved. “Liam, let’s get a divorce.” I had known Liam for five years and been married to him for three. I used to think I’d spend the rest of my life with him. But ever since Harper came back six months ago, that dream slowly ground to dust. I just wanted to leave him, to sever all ties with him. Liam froze, a flicker of suspicion crossing his handsome, cold features. “What did you say?” “I said, let’s get a divorce.” Perhaps I had accumulated enough disappointment, because when I said the word “divorce,” my heart felt completely at peace. The room was dead silent. I quietly waited for Liam’s answer. There was no reason for him to refuse. Harper was back. Once we divorced, he could pursue her without any hesitations. He wouldn’t have to worry about explaining it to our families, nor would he face any media backlash. Just then, a ringtone broke the silence, and a flash of panic crossed Liam’s deep eyes. It was Harper’s custom ringtone. He didn’t even hesitate to answer it right in front of me. Because of that, I heard every word of the woman’s voice on the other end. “Liam, I think I caught a cold. Could you take me to the hospital? I called Caleb, but he didn’t pick up.” Harper’s voice dripped with pathetic grievance. I saw the sharp ache of concern in Liam’s eyes, and my supposedly numb heart still gave a painful throb. Harper had a minor cold, and he was beside himself with worry. But when I had a 104-degree fever and begged him to take me to the ER? He had just answered a call from Harper, tossed a careless “call an ambulance” over his shoulder, and impatiently rushed off to be with her. Even now, when I brought up divorce, his priority was still Harper. Liam almost tripped over his own feet in his rush, not forgetting to comfort the woman on the phone. “Harper, I’m coming right now. Hang in there.” Once Liam’s presence vanished from the room, I understood clearly. As long as Harper existed, I was nothing more than thin air to him. After three years, I finally realized that some hearts are just too cold to be warmed. I searched Vivian’s room for a long time. But I found nothing. Except for a journal, filled entirely with Caleb. From infatuation, to disappointment, to absolute despair. On the last page, she had written only one sentence. “From this moment on, I will not love Caleb anymore.” My chest heaved violently, a dense, agonizing pain spreading through my heart. One night three years ago, Vivian suddenly sent me a flurry of texts. She said: “Chloe, guess who I’m marrying!” “It’s Caleb.” “I told you about him. My free-spirited prince.” “He said he wants to marry me.” “My family is saved.” Reading between the lines, her excitement was palpable. I knew she wasn’t just thrilled about saving her family. She was ecstatic because she was marrying Caleb, the man she had secretly loved for three years. That night, Vivian and I texted until 3 AM. Yet all that excitement and joy had dissolved into disappointment and despair over these past six months. Holding the journal, I felt dizzy and somehow drifted off to sleep. I had a bizarre, fragmented dream. Vivian was in it. We were climbing a snowy mountain. A bone-chilling cold swept through my entire body. But Vivian was dressed in thin layers, as if she couldn’t feel the cold at all. She ran joyfully toward the summit, like a free, radiant sun. “Chloe, I finally made it to the top! I can’t hear the voices from the bottom anymore! I’m free!” The sunlight beamed down from above her, casting a golden halo over her entire body. Before I could even feel happy for her, Vivian suddenly tilted backward. In a flash, her body disappeared off the blindingly white, snowy peak. “Vivian!” I reached out desperately to grab her, but my hand didn’t even brush the hem of her clothes. I woke up with a violently start, my body drenched in cold sweat, a deep chill wrapping around me. The sky outside was completely dark. I set the journal down, planning to revisit the building where Vivian had jumped. Just as I opened my bedroom door, a tall figure stood blocking the way. Caleb’s face was terrifyingly dark, his eyes filled with absolute frost. “Why did Vivian jump?” His voice was hoarse and heavy, carrying an interrogating tone. It seemed he really did go investigate, and finally believed that Vivian was truly dead. “Chloe, tell me. Why did Vivian jump? And what is the deal with that flight ticket out of the country?” “She wanted to leave me?” I sneered, “More than that.” Caleb’s brows knitted tightly. The face that usually wore a mocking smile was now frighteningly grim. Yet, I felt absolutely no fear, only a soaring sense of vindication. “Caleb, in about two days, you should receive a divorce agreement in the mail. That was the very last thing Vivian left for you.” “It’s just a shame that whether you sign it or not doesn’t matter anymore, because Vivian has already left you completely.” “Chloe!” My name seemed to be squeezed through Caleb’s gritted teeth. He violently grabbed me by the throat, pinning me against the wall. His dark eyes were so deep and stormy they looked like pooling ink. “Tell me, why did she want to leave me?! Why?!” “Did you manipulate her into doing this?!” I met Caleb’s fury-filled gaze expressionlessly, a cold smile never leaving my lips. “Caleb, do you seriously still not know why Vivian wanted to leave you?” “You are such a massive failure.” “Answer me!” he roared, grinding his teeth, his grip on my neck tightening. I had no doubt he actually wanted to strangle me to death. I let out a cold laugh. That journal was filled to the brim with all the misery Vivian suffered over the past three years. Whenever I thought of those words, those events, I wanted to murder Caleb myself. My eyes turned icy, and I said, word by word: “Caleb, I should be asking you. When Vivian’s parents passed away one after another, what were you doing?” “When Vivian was cornered and harassed in an alleyway, where were you?” “When she was sick in the hospital and just wanted you to keep her company, what did you say to her?” “Can you remember any of that?” I only knew about these things from reading her journal. For three years, I knew Caleb was cold to her, but I never knew she endured so much abuse. When her parents died, I asked Caleb where he was, and Vivian covered for him, saying he was abroad on a business trip. Now I know he wasn’t on a business trip. He was on vacation with Harper. When she was cornered in an alley, Caleb was sleeping with another woman, and dismissed her call for help as just another one of her ‘tricks’. But Vivian never said a word, swallowing all her pain and grievances. The expression on Caleb’s face slowly froze. The hand gripping my throat gradually loosened its pressure. “I… I was…” He muttered to himself, unable to form a complete sentence. Suddenly, a figure sprinted over and violently shoved Caleb away. Caleb lost his balance and stumbled hard onto the floor. “Caleb, I told you, stop losing your temper for no reason.” I looked at the broad back shielding me, my heart completely devoid of any emotion. It wasn’t until a petite figure hurried into my peripheral vision that I realized Liam hadn’t returned alone. Harper gasped, rushing to Caleb’s side and reaching out to help him up. But this time, Caleb simply swatted her hand away blankly. Harper bit her lower lip, looking aggrieved. When she looked up, her eyes were already brimming with tears. “Liam, what’s wrong with Caleb?” Liam frowned and said coolly, “Ignore him. When he sobers up, he’ll tell you.” Then he turned his attention back to me. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving Harper to live alone right now, so I’m bringing her here to stay for a while. Chloe, go prepare a nice guest room for her.” I kept my eyes fixed on Caleb’s defeated face on the floor, not even sparing Liam a glance. His voice deepened, heavy with authority. “Chloe, I’m talking to you.” I cast a lazy, indifferent glance at him. But I didn’t do what he ordered. Instead, I calmly walked over to the corner, picked up Vivian’s journal, and dropped it right in front of Caleb. “Vivian left this behind. Caleb, take a good look. See exactly how much pain you’ve caused her over the last three years.” I used to think Caleb didn’t love Vivian. But his reaction now gave me the illusion that he actually cared about her. If he didn’t care, this journal would be nothing more than a joke to him, something to mock her with. If he did care, this journal would haunt him for a very long time. Vivian died an unjust death, and I refused to let the person who hurt her live in peace. But surprisingly, when Caleb reached out to take the journal, his hands were violently shaking. He was terrified, yet desperately eager to hold onto the last piece of Vivian he had left. He cradled the journal against his chest like it was a priceless treasure. No matter how Harper called out to him, he ignored her completely. I smirked, but I still couldn’t suppress the heavy, suffocating anger in my chest. I felt suffocated. I needed fresh air. But suddenly, a large hand clamped down on my wrist. “Chloe, what did you do to Caleb?” Liam narrowed his eyes, the air around him dropping a few degrees. Honestly, Liam wasn’t much better than Caleb. We were a corporate arranged marriage. The first two years were respectful, but over the last six months, he had done plenty of crossing the line. He even used my family’s company to threaten me. If I hadn’t suddenly woken up to reality and demanded a divorce, Vivian wouldn’t have suggested we run away together. And maybe she wouldn’t have jumped off that building. My heart suddenly ached. I even had the delusional thought that I had killed Vivian. My face went pale. I violently yanked my hand free and said coldly, “You should ask him what he did to Vivi.” “Chloe…” “Liam.” I cut him off. He definitely wasn’t about to say anything nice, and I refused to let Vivian’s name come out of his mouth again. It was an insult to her. “Liam, let’s get a divorce. An amicable split. It won’t affect our families’ businesses.” Originally, I planned to mail him the divorce papers after I left, purely to avoid an argument that he might use to threaten my family’s company. But now that he had actually moved Harper into the house, he should be thrilled to agree to a divorce right away. The argument I worried about wouldn’t happen. I didn’t bother looking at Liam’s expression. There was absolutely nothing in this house I needed to take with me. So, I didn’t even pack a bag. I walked out of the mansion empty-handed. Before I could even clear the front gates, Caleb chased after me, his voice totally hoarse. “Sister-in-law.”

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My boyfriend left me to die in a burning building so he could save his first love. Consumed by the roaring flames, I was reborn on the exact day he confessed his feelings to me. Amidst the roaring cheers of the crowd, I rejected him. I turned and walked toward the lonely, quiet boy standing at the edge of the crowd. But my boyfriend tightly grabbed my wrist, his voice trembling: “Didn’t you say you were going to marry me when we grew up?” 1 “Say yes! Say yes!” When I opened my eyes, Caleb was holding a massive bouquet of red roses, looking at me with a confident smile. Yet, my mind was flooded with the agonizing memory of being swallowed by the fire. I remembered watching Caleb firmly scoop up his first love, Chloe, into his arms. He walked away so decisively, without leaving even a single glance for me. In my despair, I begged the heavens: If I am ever given another chance, I will never choose him again. I will stay as far away from him as possible. Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head: “Are you sure?” I answered with absolute unwavering conviction: “Yes.” And just like that, I actually returned to the day Caleb confessed his love to me. 2 Caleb and I were childhood sweethearts. The whole world knew I loved him. At the beginning of our senior year of high school, he confessed to me after evening study hall. That night, I thought the paper-thin barrier between us had finally been broken, and that our feelings were mutual. It was only much later that I found out his confession was just a petty act of retaliation against Chloe. Throughout college, and even after graduation, he remained endlessly entangled with her. Every time he had to choose between us, I was always the one left behind. I finally woke up, asked for a divorce, and unexpectedly had Chloe show up at my door to provoke me. Then, the fire broke out. I waited for a rescue that never came, watching Caleb carry Chloe out without looking back. In that moment, my heart completely died. So, this time, amidst the cheering crowd… I rejected him. The noisy school courtyard instantly fell dead silent. It made sense. In my past life, I had always been Caleb’s shadow. I chased after him, catered to his every need, brought him breakfast every morning, handed him water during P.E., bought his school supplies, organized his test papers, and waited for him after study hall so we could walk home together. Anyone with eyes knew I was madly in love with him. Caleb’s face instantly darkened. “Harper, say that again?” I looked at him and sneered. “I could say it a hundred times, and it would still be the same. Caleb, I don’t want to be your girlfriend, and I don’t like you. I’m a senior now; I just want to focus on my studies.” The entire crowd gasped collectively. Whispers rippled through the onlookers: [I’d believe I was the Queen of England before I’d believe Harper doesn’t like Caleb.] [She’s probably just playing hard to get.] [But getting rejected in public… Caleb looks like he’s about to explode.] I didn’t want to be the center of attention, so I turned to leave. But Caleb grabbed my wrist, suppressing his rage. “Harper, what kind of crazy act is this?” What kind of crazy act? Maybe he should ask himself that. When Chloe came to me in my past life, she smugly told me that he only confessed to me because he was mad at her. They had gotten into a fight, and Chloe started flirting with another guy in her class. Furious, Caleb turned around and confessed to me. He did it because he was absolutely certain I loved him and wouldn’t reject him. He wanted to force Chloe to yield, so he weaponized my feelings. I looked down at my wrist, which was turning red, and peeled his fingers off one by one. I pointed at the girl standing at the very back of the crowd. “Aren’t you in love with her? You two get into a lover’s spat and use me as a pawn to make each other jealous. What, do I look like a willing sacrifice to you?” 3 For a split second, Caleb froze in place. He watched Chloe turn and walk away, then snapped his gaze back to me, a warning in his eyes. “Harper, are you done throwing this tantrum? This is between us. Why are you dragging other people into it?” I’m throwing a tantrum? His defensive posture only confirmed the absolute truth of my words. I shook off his hand and stared at him, enunciating every word. “Caleb, do you not speak English? I said, I do not like you.” He sneered. “If you don’t like me, who else could you possibly like?” Seventeen years of history gave him the blinding confidence to believe I could never live without him. But I had fought tooth and nail to return to my senior year. I only wanted to live for myself now. I walked past Caleb, heading straight toward the quiet, lonely boy standing behind him. It was Liam, the valedictorian of our grade. I stood next to him and looked back at Caleb. “I like studying. I want to get into MIT.” Then, I turned to Liam. “Hey, academic god. I might need to ask you for a lot of tutoring from now on.” 4 After I rejected Caleb, we entered a cold war. Everyone was placing bets that I wouldn’t last a single day before crawling back to him. I just laughed. And placed a bet myself. [Forever.] [No way, did Harper take the wrong meds?] [Just quietly, Caleb is practically foaming at the mouth. Harper didn’t bring him breakfast, and he’s already thrown a fit three times during morning homeroom.] That was none of my business. All I wanted to do was study. All I asked was for him to stop bothering me. I actually had excellent grades in high school. But in my past life, after getting together with Caleb during senior year, I purposely slacked off so I could stay in-state with him. I found out later it was because Chloe was staying in-state too. He did it on purpose. Opening my backpack, I realized I still had the expensive matching stationery set I had prepared for Caleb. As I pulled it out, I heard Caleb’s desk-mate snicker, “See? I told you. She couldn’t even last the morning.” Caleb wore a smug, arrogant expression, clearly waiting for me to walk over and hand-deliver it to him. Instead, I took all the supplies out. And turned to my desk-mate, Liam. “Hey, valedictorian. A little preemptive bribe. I’m going to be relying on you a lot.” Honestly, in my past life, I didn’t interact much with Liam. He seemed to spend every waking second studying. I occasionally asked him a question or two. But since I knew my score was more than enough for the local college I aimed for, I eventually stopped trying. I faintly remembered him asking me once where I wanted to apply. Back then, my heart and soul were entirely consumed by Caleb. I pointed in Caleb’s direction and said, “Wherever he goes, I go.” Liam hadn’t said anything else. Now, as I handed him the stationery, he lifted his eyes to look at me. His cool, distant gaze held a hint of quiet observation. I smiled openly. “Sorry if this is too forward. If you don’t like it, I’ll just throw it away.” Hearing the words “throw it away,” Caleb’s face turned incredibly ugly. He aggressively kicked the leg of the desk in front of him. But to my surprise, Liam simply said, “Thank you,” and accepted it. 5 Only after I decided to study hard and distance myself from both of them did I realize how far my current level was from my dream university. But I absolutely loved the feeling of wrestling with a brutal math problem until midnight, feeling like I was dying and coming back to life. I loved discussing different ways to solve a problem with the top students, and the rush of clarity when it finally clicked. It turned out that a life not centered around Caleb was actually incredibly fun. Soon, the Senior Pep Rally arrived. In my past life, I was pushed onto the stage and encouraged to publicly confess to Caleb. What did I say back then? Oh, right. I said that youth should be lived without regrets, that you should love whoever you want to love, and that I was confident Caleb and I would get into the same college, so we should spend the rest of our time enjoying the beauty of our school days. The whole school was in an uproar, and our parents were even called to the principal’s office. Thinking back on it now, I wanted to punch my hopelessly romantic, idiotic past self. This time, I stood quietly in the crowd, silently memorizing vocabulary flashcards, trying to make myself invisible. But during the open-mic segment, a girl in my class suddenly shouted, “Harper took broadcasting classes! Let her go up and say a few words for our class!” Others immediately chimed in: “Hilarious, is she gonna go up there and confess to Caleb again? So embarrassing.” “Didn’t she reject Caleb? Is she trying to use this to make peace and confess her feelings?” “I bet she doesn’t have the guts, haha.” “Yeah, she definitely wouldn’t dare.” “It’s so annoying. She placed a bet herself that she wouldn’t crawl back, but she’s still just a desperate lapdog.” I took a deep breath. I knew this was coming. They all wanted to see me make a fool of myself. I understood why—after all, the “old me” revolved entirely around Caleb. Even Caleb himself probably thought I was just throwing a prolonged temper tantrum. But only I knew how incredibly precious this second chance at life was. I turned to look at Caleb, who was standing a short distance behind me. Our eyes met. Wearing his school uniform, he looked arrogant and self-assured, his chin tilted up slightly, seemingly waiting for me to step onto the stage and publicly declare my devotion to him, washing away the humiliation of my previous rejection. Out of the corner of my eye, I also caught Liam’s gaze. For some inexplicable reason, I actually felt a little guilty. Encouraged by the teachers, I stepped out and slowly walked up to the podium. Behind me, the whispers continued: “If Harper doesn’t confess to Caleb today, I’ll lose all respect for her.” “My boy Caleb always wins. You just can’t spoil women.” “…” Looking out at the massive sea of students, I adjusted the microphone and spoke with bright, confident clarity: “Respected teachers, dear classmates, good morning! I am Harper from the Senior 1 AP Class.” “The September osmanthus is blooming. As we begin our senior year, carrying the hopes of our teachers and the weight of our own dreams, standing before the dawn of our college admissions exams, I solemnly pledge: The sharpest sword is forged in the hottest fire, and the sweetest plum blossom blooms in the bitterest cold. We have sharpened our blades for years, waiting for the moment to conquer the peak. I will give it my all and not waste my youth. I hope everyone here perseveres to the end, fights hard for this one year, and lets your dreams set sail!” I was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation. In my past life, when I finished that embarrassing confession, all I heard were whistles, mocking laughter, and boos. I had finally changed the trajectory of the story. But to my surprise, after the rally was dismissed, Caleb cornered me. “Harper, we need to talk.” 6 “I have nothing to talk to you about.” I didn’t even give him a second glance. I walked straight toward the classroom. Caleb chased after me, grabbed my arm, and ignoring my resistance, dragged me toward the edge of the football field. “What is wrong with you?” He frowned, interrogating me. I didn’t back down. I shook his hand off. “How many times do I have to say it before you understand? I just want to study.” I turned to leave. He threw his arm out to block me, his eyes filled with disbelief. “If you want to study, fine! But why aren’t you bringing me breakfast? Why did you give the things you bought for me to someone else? Why aren’t you waiting for me to walk home after study hall? Why did you rej—” He didn’t finish the last word. So I finished it for him. “Why did I reject you? Do you think you’re a hundred-dollar bill? Why wouldn’t I reject you?” He was furious. He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw jumped, struggling to keep his temper in check. Right. In the past, he was always the one rejecting me. He stood on his high horse, caring only about his own feelings. He soaked up all my unconditional love, and then gave all his love to someone else. And as for me, as long as he tossed me a crumb of affection, I would gratefully eat it up. I used to be such an idiot. An idiot who acted like every other man in the world had died except him. After a long silence, Caleb finally spat out, “Harper, you never used to be like this.” I looked up at him. “Caleb, I was blind to ever like you. Go ahead and fly off into the sunset with your precious Chloe. Stop buzzing around my face like an annoying fly.” I walked away. From behind me, I heard Caleb’s low, angry shout: “Fine, Harper! Don’t regret this.” 7 Ever since our bitter fallout by the football field, every morning, Chloe would walk up three flights of stairs just to deliver Caleb breakfast. During the main recess, she would thoughtfully bring him drinks. During our combined P.E. classes, she would even wipe his sweat and feed him water while he played basketball. Soon, the whole school was gossiping that they were a couple. And Caleb never denied it. Some nosy classmates still came up to ask me what I thought about it. I was in the middle of a brutal battle with a physics problem. Hearing the question, I just replied flatly, “That’s great. I hope they lock it down so they don’t ruin anyone else’s life.” Unable to solve the problem, I used my pen to poke Liam in the arm. I pushed my test paper over. “I only got the first step down, I have no idea how to do the rest.” Liam glanced at the problem, and his long, elegant fingers picked up a pen. Seeing he was about to explain it, I quickly grabbed my notebook and leaned closer. I thought I saw a fleeting smile cross his lips. “For this problem, we need to use this formula. Let’s break down the prompt first…” I had to admit, Liam truly lived up to his valedictorian title. Coming from him, these insanely difficult problems suddenly made perfect sense. In a few sentences, he completely untangled my logic. I took the opportunity to slide my entire notebook of mistakes over to him. “Could you look at these too? I understand some of them now, but I still can’t find the underlying pattern.” He took the notebook from my hands, our fingertips brushing. His hand was so cold. I quickly pulled mine back. He looked at the problems I had copied down with intense, focused seriousness. I suddenly remembered my past and realized what an absolute fool I had been. The academic god was literally my desk-mate, and my brain was entirely occupied by a high school romance. I deserved to fail! Just as he was about to speak, I leaned in a little closer. Without warning, a basketball came flying out of nowhere and slammed into me. The next second, a blinding pain exploded in my nose, and warm liquid started gushing down my face. Before I could even see who threw it, a gust of wind rushed toward me. Caleb forcefully grabbed my head, tilting it upward. He rapidly yanked some tissues from a pack and pressed them against my nose. His voice was laced with an indescribable panic. “Does it hurt?” Then he grabbed my arm, trying to drag me toward the restroom. I violently yanked my hand out of his grip and glared at him coldly. “Caleb, what the hell is wrong with you?” 8 I picked up the basketball by my feet and hurled it as hard as I could right into his chest. He didn’t dodge. He stood perfectly still, looking down at me, then glanced at Liam sitting beside me. He sneered, “Harper, is your love really this brief?” Brief? I almost laughed in his face. In my past life, I revolved around him for over twenty years. When we got married, he cried and swore he would be with me for eternity, promising he’d never let me suffer. I believed him every single time. I enabled him every single time. Because he had been a part of my entire existence. I naively thought growing old with him would be the most romantic thing in the world. But I overestimated him, and I underestimated my own feelings. My heart felt a sudden, sharp ache. But I still met his gaze head-on. “Caleb, everyone knows you and Chloe are dating. Date whoever you want, but why are you dragging me into it? Am I just a prop in your little couple’s game?” My voice wasn’t overly loud, but it was loud enough for everyone in the classroom to hear. A wave of muffled laughter rippled through the crowd. Caleb panicked. He reached out to grab my hand to explain, “I am not dating her.” I dodged him, turning my body away. “Oh, so you’re just stringing her along too? You’re absolute trash.” “I’m not! She’s the one who keeps initiating it.” Just as the words left his mouth, a loud thud echoed from the doorway. Chloe stood there, her eyes rimmed with red. The drink she had brought for Caleb was spilled all over the floor. She wiped the corner of her eye, turned around, and ran. I saw Caleb’s hands clench into tight fists. The next second, he sprinted after her. 9 After I sat back down, Liam pulled a wet wipe from his bag and handed it to me. “Do you want to go to the restroom?” I shook my head. “No, it’s fine.” Some blood had dripped onto my pants. It was already drying into dark red spots. I took the wipe and carefully tried to clean it, but the stain wouldn’t come out. It was strange. I hadn’t been thinking about anything at all. Yet, my eyes uncontrollably began to burn. I quickly lowered my head. Even though I was the one abandoned in every choice he made in my past life… Living through it again still hurt. But I figured it was just an involuntary reflex from the twenty-something-year-old Harper inside me. So I dug my fingernails hard into my palm until a sharp pain shot through me. I silently repeated to myself: Seventeen-year-old Harper, this time, you have to win. A moment later, Liam’s clear, calm voice broke the silence. “There are a few different ways to solve these problems. Do you want to hear them?” I quickly wiped my face with my hand, lifted my head, and flashed him a massive, toothy grin. “Yes!” That night during study hall, Liam pushed his meticulously organized physics notes in front of me. “You might need these.” I opened the notebook. It was filled with his neat, elegant handwriting, summarizing every core concept and its classic application problems. In his past life, he got into MIT. I heard he moved back to our hometown after graduating. I didn’t know why. I wrote a note and slid it over to him: “Liam, do you think if I start trying hard right now, I can get into MIT?” He unfolded the note. The warm white light from the desk lamp illuminated his face, casting thick shadows from his eyelashes. Below his straight nose, the corners of his lips curved upward. He picked up his pen. My heart was in my throat. I was terrified he would write back: “At your level? Highly doubtful.” But when he slid the note back, there was only one word. “Yes.” 10 Maybe it was because my desire to change my fate in this life was so overwhelming, or maybe it was the validation from the ultimate academic god. A blazing fire of determination ignited inside me. I started organizing notes for every subject and breaking down the core concepts. In the past, I relied on being somewhat naturally smart, so I only ever half-understood a lot of problems. Now, I started from the absolute basics, chewing through the textbook material until I truly understood it. Taking full advantage of sitting next to Liam, I ruthlessly exploited my access to this genius resource. I even added his contact info so I could conveniently ask him about difficult problems after hours. He rarely posted on social media, but the only thing that kept appearing on his feed was a potted sunflower. Maybe that sunflower held a special meaning for him. Just like how Caleb used to post vague pictures of white gardenias—which translated to “Zhi” (Chloe’s Chinese name) in my past life. I eventually understood it meant Chloe. Come to think of it, Chloe hadn’t come to bring Caleb breakfast lately. But surprisingly, a carton of yogurt and a pastry appeared on my desk. I asked Liam, “Is this yours?” He shook his head. The girl sitting behind me poked my back and whispered, “I got here early. Caleb dropped it off.” Tsk. They get into a fight, and he comes running back to me to validate his existence. I didn’t even turn to look at him. I walked straight to the back of the classroom and threw it in the trash can. When I walked back, Caleb stuck his foot out into the aisle to block me, his eyes harboring dark anger. “Harper, what is your problem?!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He pointed at the trash can. “I bought that breakfast.” “Oh.” “Oh? That’s your only reaction?” It actually made me laugh. “Caleb, did you get possessed by an alien? It’s just breakfast. What kind of reaction do you want? Do you want me to get on my knees and bow to you?” His eyes widened in fury, completely exasperated. “Harper, haven’t you thrown this tantrum long enough? What do I have to do to get you to talk to me?” I crossed my arms, shot him a sideways glance, and threw the exact words he used in our past life right back in his face: “Are you ever going to stop? Go find a hobby. I’m busy.” Then I stepped over his leg and sat down at my desk. Caleb lowered his voice. “Fine, Harper. Have it your way!”

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I fell completely in love with my best friend’s older brother. To make him love me back, I did a lot of incredibly stupid things. My best friend sighed and warned me: “Give it up. My brother is cold-blooded. He’s a complete jerk.” Even he told me straight to my face that we would never happen in this lifetime. Then, I got into a car accident. When I woke up, I had completely forgotten everything about chasing him for years. When he came to visit me in the hospital with my best friend, I smiled sweetly and called him “Brother.” Later, I brought my new boyfriend to his birthday party. That night, he cornered me, gripping my chin, glaring at me like a feral animal. “Stop calling me ‘Brother’.” 1 Harper still found it baffling that I had ever fallen for her brother. So, even after I woke up from the crash, she wouldn’t stop nagging me. “Since you have amnesia now, make the most of it. Don’t go falling for someone who isn’t worth your time.” She handed me a peeled apple. I took a bite. It was pretty crisp. Just then, the hospital room door opened, and a handsome face walked in wearing a white coat. It was my attending physician, Dr. Liam Sterling. His eyes narrowed slightly in a smile, bringing a comforting warmth, like a gentle spring breeze. He looked at me, beaming. “Looks like someone is ready to be discharged.” I had been stuck in this hospital for almost a month. My body felt numb from lying in bed so long. Hearing those words was like being handed a pardon. I let out a cheer just as the door was pushed open again. This time, the man who walked in was wearing a tailored black business suit. His features were sharp, his aura cold, aloof, and aristocratic. Every step of his leather shoes on the tile radiated unquestionable authority and pressure. Looking at him, a sudden spike of fear rose in my chest. I instinctively looked at Harper. Instead of greeting him happily, she sighed, stood up, and introduced him. “Carter, you’re here.” The apple slipped from my hand, rolling across the floor until it stopped right at his feet. I swallowed hard and offered an awkward smile. “Harper, you never mentioned your brother was this hot!” Harper covered her face with her hands, clearly mortified by my behavior. The man, hearing my comment, merely furrowed his brow slightly. Somehow, that made him look even more brooding and attractive. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. If only a brother this handsome was my actual brother. While I was busy lamenting internally, the handsome brother spoke up. “Ava, I heard you lost your memory. That’s probably for the best. I’ll treat you just like a little sister, same as Harper.” My eyes instantly lit up. “Thank you, Brother!” Harper dropped her hands, staring at me with a completely blank expression. And he just frowned even deeper. 2 Thanks to Harper’s extensive explanations, I finally learned just how pathetic and obsessive my pursuit of her brother had been. To put it simply, I had been an absolute, unapologetic simp. His name was Carter Hayes, and he was three years older than us. He was in the prime of his career, building his empire. One time, I went with Harper to his office building to find him, and it was love at first sight. Harper sighed, taking a bite of her cake with a tiny spoon. “Honestly, I really have no idea why you were so obsessed with him.” She trailed off, looking like she was holding something back, something too difficult to say out loud. I didn’t really care. She had already said this was all before the amnesia. Maybe my time chasing him was so agonizing that my brain took this accident as a perfect excuse to wipe the slate clean. And that was fine by me. I had forgotten him anyway. “Don’t worry, I promise I’ll treat him exactly like a real older brother from now on.” Seeing her eyes, which looked exactly like Carter’s, I cautiously floated an idea. “Do you think… is it possible that the person I actually had a crush on was you?” Harper rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “I think you need another brain scan.” We joked around, and the topic was quickly brushed aside. But they say when your luck is bad, even drinking cold water will crack a tooth. Right after I swore to the heavens that I harbored absolutely zero romantic thoughts about her brother, Harper spotted him. He was sitting not too far away from us. Just two tables down. He was wearing a casual button-down shirt, the top two buttons undone, his dark hair falling slightly over his forehead. He was staring intently at us. There was a faint, unreadable smile playing in his eyes. I think I realized why I fell in love with him at first sight. Just sitting there, he had the power to make your heart hammer against your ribs. His entire vibe was a mix of effortless wealth and lazy arrogance. The sharp lines of his face were softened by a cool, untouchable detachment. But this time, my heart didn’t flutter. I was just terrified that what we had just been talking about might cause a misunderstanding. I didn’t know why, but right now, looking at him just made me want to run away. The lingering effects of the car crash were seriously no joke. 3 Harper instinctively stood up. She seemed to be genuinely intimidated by her brother. She walked over obediently, keeping her head down, and mumbled, “Hey, Carter.” Seeing her, I quickly tagged along. Hiding behind Harper, I offered a soft, timid greeting: “Hi, Carter.” “Oh? Why isn’t the little sis calling you ‘Carter-bear’ this time?” A guy sitting next to him laughed out loud. He grabbed his drink, took a huge gulp, looking like a total playboy. Harper instinctively threw her arm out, shielding me behind her. That subconscious, protective gesture sent a wave of warmth through my heart. Carter was apparently at a business dinner. Besides the guy who just spoke, the other people at the table were also looking at me with calculating expressions. “She probably realized playing the desperate stalker wasn’t working, so now she’s trying reverse psychology.” One of the women at the table chimed in with a smirk. Then, the woman next to her leaned in and whispered something in her ear. They exchanged a knowing, mocking smile. That kind of behavior was incredibly annoying. But I didn’t take it to heart. Let them talk. I couldn’t hear what they were whispering anyway. And even if they gossiped until the sky fell down, it wasn’t going to take a piece of flesh off me. Harper, on the other hand, was glaring daggers. Just as she opened her mouth to snap back, Carter cut her off. “Why are you here?” His eyes locked onto me, piercing right through me. He was asking me. Did he think we were stalking him and followed him here? I shivered involuntarily and spoke in a tiny voice. “We just read some good reviews online. We’ve never been to this restaurant before.” The implication being: running into him was a pure accident. Harper gathered her courage too. “Carter, you don’t need to be so tense. Ava really did forget all about you.” He let out a low chuckle, his gaze drifting upward, landing on the small square of gauze covering the wound on my forehead. He said cryptically: “Forgetting is a good thing.” I didn’t know if he meant forgetting him. Or forgetting that entire pathetic history of chasing him. But none of that had anything to do with me anymore. Loving him was in the past. Living my life was the present. Starting a new chapter was the future. I flashed a sickeningly sweet smile: “You’re absolutely right, Carter!” The smirk on Carter’s face vanished, settling into a dead, emotionless mask. His dark eyes practically radiated a freezing, biting chill. 4 After that day, I didn’t leave my apartment for almost half a month. When Harper came over to check on me, I was glued to my iPad, completely engrossed in a TV show. It was one of those wildly popular, super-sweet romance dramas. The chemistry between the male and female leads was perfect, and I was absolutely obsessed. The only downside was the agonizingly slow release schedule—only four episodes a week. “Your brain is going to rot watching this garbage.” Harper looked at me with absolute exasperation. “Are you just giving up on life because of what my brother said?” I lay on my stomach on the bed, staring at her with question marks floating around my head. The video was paused right at the exact moment the leads were staring into each other’s eyes, about to kiss. I lazily rolled over. “Giving up on life? What the hell are you talking about?” Harper lay down next to me and asked, “Are you sure it’s not because of my brother?” “You’re making zero sense.” This time, it was my turn to roll my eyes. I shoved the iPad toward her. “Look at this new show I just invested in.” Harper was confused. “Since when did you start investing in TV shows?” “I have no idea.” I scratched my head. “When I woke up in the hospital, the producers were already messaging me. It must have been something I set up before the crash.” Harper nodded. TV production cycles were long; my explanation made perfect sense. Soon enough, she was sucked into the plot, too. When I woke up from a nap, she was staring at me with massive dark circles under her eyes. My mouth twitched. “Don’t tell me you stayed up all night watching that.” She grabbed my arm and shook it aggressively. “Never mind that! Can you please, please take me to the wrap party?!” That was when I found out Harper had not only binge-watched the latest episodes but also gone online to hunt for spoilers and behind-the-scenes gossip. She had found out there was going to be a wrap party for the cast and crew next week. The production team had already sent me an invitation. Since she wouldn’t stop begging, I had no choice but to take her with me. On the night of the party, Harper dressed elegantly and beautifully. She wore a soft, butter-yellow flared dress, her hair styled in loose, glamorous waves cascading down her back. She was naturally gorgeous, and with a touch of light makeup, anyone who didn’t know better would have assumed she was the leading actress. “Tell me the truth. Do you have a crush on the male lead?” Harper slapped my accusing finger away, making a solemn vow. “I can completely separate the character from real life, thank you very much!” If she hadn’t practically sprinted toward him the second we walked in, I might have actually believed her bullshit. But given her net worth, falling for a celebrity wouldn’t be a huge issue anyway. I grabbed a glass of champagne and mingled through the crowd. The instinct for high-society networking was practically baked into my bones; even amnesia couldn’t erase it. But I finally understood why my brain had completely blocked out the memory of investing in this show. Because I spotted the primary, massive financial backer of the series. It was Carter Hayes. I guess the old me saw him investing and threw money at the project just to have an excuse to be close to him. After all, according to Harper… Before the crash, I had the ultimate, terminal case of ‘love-on-the-brain’. His eyes found me through the crowded room. He offered a distant, knowing smirk. He looked so smug and self-assured, as if he was saying: See? I knew you were faking the amnesia. 5 A wave of panic hit me, and I instinctively turned to walk away. I didn’t expect to crash directly into someone. “Careful.” Hearing that familiar, warm tone, I couldn’t help but look up. “Dr. Sterling?” He smiled. “What a coincidence. Are you involved with this production, Ava?” I shook my head. “No, I just invested in it.” Liam’s smile froze for a fraction of a second. “Ava, you certainly throw your money around.” His reaction made me laugh. The little interruption eased my tense nerves significantly. It turned out that because the female lead in the show was a doctor, they needed a professional medical consultant on set. Liam’s grandfather was a highly respected figure in the medical field. But since his grandfather couldn’t make it, he sent Liam in his place. That was how I learned that this seemingly ordinary, unassuming man actually came from a prestigious medical dynasty. The very hospital where I had stayed was owned by his family. “I didn’t realize Dr. Sterling was hiding his light under a bushel.” I raised my glass to toast him. Liam chuckled awkwardly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” His long, elegant fingers held the crystal flute, the golden liquid swaying inside. The chandelier light hit the glass, making it sparkle. His hands were incredibly slender and refined. I don’t know if it was the alcohol going to my head, but I blurted out, “Dr. Sterling, has anyone ever told you that you have really nice hands?” Liam paused for a second, completely unfazed. Instead, he stepped a fraction closer. “Is it just my hands that are nice, or is it everything else too?” He was standing quite close. His eyes were locked onto mine. A strange, inexplicable feeling started to bloom in the pit of my stomach. My breath hitched for a second. Just as I was about to speak, someone clamped a hand around my wrist and forcefully dragged me out of Liam’s personal space. I looked up and saw Carter’s tightly clenched jaw. His eyes were lowered, his voice rough and gravelly. “This is a public event. Show some restraint.”

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I’ve been married to my best friend’s brother for six months, and we still haven’t consummated our marriage. Furious, I called my best friend. “I can’t take it anymore! I’m divorcing your brother.” To my shock, my best friend started wailing on the other end of the line: “I can’t take it anymore either! I’m divorcing your brother tomorrow!” 1 Hearing her say that, I froze. I almost forgot—my best friend and I had married each other’s brothers. Thinking about it, her situation was actually a little more tragic than mine. They’d been married for six months, and she hadn’t even had the chance to look at her man’s body, let alone touch it. Unlike me. At least I’d gotten a peek. I sighed, speaking with the solidarity of two women trapped in the same miserable boat. “Babe, meet me at the club.” “Let’s go find some hot male models and actually feel something.” … I arrived before she did, secured a table, ordered some snacks, and started eating pistachios while waiting. Five minutes later, my best friend, Mia, swaggered in, wearing killer stiletto heels and sultry “feline” makeup. Without a word, she raised her hand and ordered a round of shots. I leaned in, desperate for the gossip. “What happened with you and my brother?” We were best friends for a reason. The moment I asked, she raised an eyebrow and shot the question right back. “What about you? What happened with my brother?” It was a classic standoff. Neither of us wanted to break first. I let out a heavy sigh. “He won’t sleep with me!” Mia and I got married exactly one day apart. Initially, I only knew she had a brother who was a doctor, but I had no idea what he looked like. Until one day, a toxic client stressed me out so badly I developed a painful lump in my breast and had to go to the hospital. Terrified I’d get some creepy old male doctor, Mia specifically called in her “young, handsome” brother to examine me. I was skeptical about how handsome he could really be, but the reality hit me like a truck. The moment I saw Liam’s face, my heart went into overdrive. It was the first time in my life I actually experienced love at first sight. Even with a surgical mask covering half his face, leaving only a pair of stunning, aloof eyes visible… I knew perfectly well that every single inch of him hiding under that white coat was exactly my type. After the appointment, I immediately demanded Mia give me his number. She warned me he was pretty cold and distant. I confidently declared that no man could resist my flawless, aggressive charm. And then, I was brutally humbled. While pursuing him, I sent a cute, flirty text: [Dr. Liam, did you have anything delicious today? ✨] He replied a full day later: [I had a salad.] Me: […] Frustrated, I decided to take the offensive in person. I forced Mia to set up a movie date for us. We went to a horror movie. While Liam watched the screen with absolute stoicism, I let out a dramatic gasp and “accidentally” shrank back into his chest, trembling in fear. When he looked down at me, I blinked innocently, delivering the line I had rehearsed: “My chest still hurts a little… Dr. Liam, could you examine it again?” I thought my tone was perfectly calibrated—the ultimate, helpless damsel in distress. But instead of falling for it, he just stared at me heavily. Behind his silver-rimmed glasses, his eyes were like deep whirlpools, pulling me in and making my heart flutter wildly. The atmosphere was so intense, I was absolutely certain he was going to kiss me. But the next second, he rigidly pushed me away. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Ms. Davis, please focus on the movie, or you’re wasting the ticket price.” “…” 2 How can I even describe the look on my face at that moment? It was utterly humiliating. I had totally played myself! “I can’t take it anymore, I seriously can’t! Your brother is either completely asexual, or his plumbing is broken!” I lost my appetite for the pistachios. I grabbed the bottle of tequila, determined to drink until I forgot my name. Mia groaned in frustration and clinked her glass against mine. “I can’t take it with your brother either! What a waste of a gorgeous face! His mouth must be infected with venom, it’s so toxic!” “Remember that dress I bought a few days ago? The one you said looked amazing? I took a picture and sent it to him, and he literally replied that it was so tight it looked like it was tailored for a praying mantis! Has he ever seen a praying mantis with curves like this?!” I burst out laughing. Mia was just as superficial as I was. She fell in love with my brother, Ethan, at first sight too. We both basically forced our way into their lives and manipulated our way down the aisle. We thought married life was going to be a non-stop, steamy romance novel. Instead, it was drier than a monastery. “And I don’t get it! Your brother is a lawyer—does he really have that many cases?! He practically lives in his home office! The only place we ever talk is on iMessage! I’m starting to suspect he has a side chick!” As Mia’s accusations grew louder, I stared at the swirling liquor in my glass and nodded in aggressive agreement. “I think your brother has someone else too! I literally paraded around in front of him wearing lingerie, and he managed to resist pouncing on me! Just the other day, I asked him what flavor of condoms he liked, and he completely deadpanned, ‘There’s no rush’! “You know what they say: if a man has no desire for a woman, it means he has zero interest! It’s infuriating! We’re married and I haven’t even gotten a taste of the goods!” “They’re both absolute dogs.” Mia patted my shoulder with profound, shared hatred. “Let’s divorce them. I’ll file tomorrow, you file the day after. We’ll take half their assets and go live our best lives.” That sounded exactly like my plan. 3 Mia and I were women of action. The very next day, we went back to get our marriage certificates and essential documents. Since she was divorcing first, I went with her to the Vance family estate. The estate was in the neighboring city, and we arrived completely unannounced. We assumed the massive mansion would be empty except for the staff. But when we walked in and saw a group of wealthy socialites playing Mahjong, we froze. I leaned in and whispered to Mia, “Didn’t you say your mom was out of the country on vacation?” She looked just as panicked. “She posted vacation photos on Instagram yesterday! We’re screwed. What if she figures out what we’re doing?” Me: “Keep a low profile. Do you know where the documents are?” “I know exactly where they are!” she declared confidently. Mia’s mom noticed us and her eyes lit up. “Oh my goodness! What a wonderful surprise!” Mia, sweating bullets, muttered a vague greeting and immediately dragged me toward the elevator. However, after tearing her old room apart, we couldn’t find the documents anywhere. I couldn’t just sit on the bed waiting, so I got up to help her search. Right then, Liam sent me a text. [Mom told me you went to the estate?] I thought for a second, then sent back a cute, nodding cartoon bunny sticker. Liam: [Have fun. I’ll come pick you up after work. I’ll ask the chef to make your favorite sweet and sour spare ribs.] I stared at that text for a solid minute. What was going on? Was Liam in an exceptionally good mood today? But last night, he had literally rejected me again… Thinking about it just made me angry. Last night, after Mia and I got blackout drunk, both our husbands showed up to drag us home. One for each. Mia threw a massive, drunken tantrum, while I was dead quiet. I had originally planned to demand a divorce right then and there, but I accidentally passed out in the car. When I woke up, Liam was carefully taking my makeup off with a wipe. In my eyes, his face was an absolute 10/10. The alcohol was fully in my system, and I was completely mesmerized by his long, elegant fingers. I grabbed his hand, pressed it against my chest, and drunkenly tried my old trick again. “Dr. Liam, my heart beats so fast when I see you. Could you soothe it for me?” I mumbled, leaning heavily against his chest. His breathing hitched. He told me to lie still and quickly finished wiping my face. When he spoke, his warm breath brushed against my ear, making my entire heart tingle. So, I started taking my clothes off. I pulled off my sweater, leaving only a thin silk slip, exposing my bare, pale shoulders. Drops of water from a damp cloth trailed down my collarbone, soaking into the silk. I was completely oblivious, feeling totally liberated, and lunged at him with hazy, seductive eyes. “Dr. Liam, we still haven’t consummated our marriage, have we?” We were inches apart. The tension was thick enough to finally cross the finish line. Liam was sitting on the rug, and I straddled his lap. I thought we were finally going all the way. But he just pinched the bridge of his nose, and his large hands gently but firmly stopped me from unbuttoning his shirt. “Elena, you’re drunk. Be a good girl and stay here. I’m going to make you some hangover soup, okay?” I froze instantly. I completely missed the gentleness in his tone. All I saw was that his deep, dark eyes were completely devoid of lust. Liam really, truly had zero sexual attraction to me. I burst into tears on the spot. “…” Remembering that humiliating scene, and now looking at his text, I frustratingly locked my screen and ignored him. Just then, the bedroom door opened slightly, and Mia’s mom poked her head in. “What are you girls looking for?” Mia’s brow was deeply furrowed. She was so frustrated from searching that she blurted it out without thinking. “We’re looking for my marriage documents!” “…” 4 Chaos erupted. The entire house went into lockdown. The Mahjong ladies were immediately ushered out. In the living room. Mia’s mom forced us to sit on the sofa, glaring at Mia with extreme suspicion. “You’re getting a divorce?!” Knowing she couldn’t hide it, Mia nodded with the grim resolve of a martyr. “Yes. I’m done. It’s pointless.” Mia’s mom ground her teeth, furiously scolding her for being an idiot. “You were the one crying and screaming that you had to marry Ethan! Didn’t you say you couldn’t live without him?! Now what kind of stunt are you pulling?!” I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. To be fair, I had used every trick in the book to seduce Liam, too. But how was I supposed to know he was practically a monk?! I wished I had been born a man, then I could have just married my best friend! “Mom, you can’t force a square peg into a round hole,” Mia whined defensively. “Ethan doesn’t love me at all.” “I’m staying in the city. The city is full of hot male models! I can grab a random guy off the street and he’d be better than that cold-blooded bastard Ethan!” As soon as she finished her sentence, a tall, imposing figure walked into the room. My brother, Ethan, had rushed over. The usually immaculate, perfectly styled elite lawyer looked exhausted, his tie slightly askew, his face tight with anxiety. “Mia.” He walked over to her, his tone stiff. “You want a divorce?” “Everything was fine. Why do you suddenly want a divorce?” Mia had sent a message to the family group chat, and everyone rushed over in a panic. Seeing Liam striding into the room, I pressed my lips together tightly. He radiated a cold, aloof energy. He walked over to me, and I subtly took a step back. “Not feeling well?” Seeing my pale face, he leaned in to ask. I didn’t answer. I’m feeling sick because I’m looking at you! The atmosphere was incredibly tense. Ethan frowned deeply. He reached out to hug Mia, but she violently shoved him away. “Save your breath. I’ve already made up my mind.” She glared at him with pure venom. “You can spend the rest of your life married to your court cases! Toxic lawyer!” With that, she grabbed my arm and tried to drag me out of the room. Liam quickly caught my wrist, his tone deep and serious. He finally spoke up. “Mia, marriage isn’t a game.” “And don’t drag Elena into your mess.” Mia looked at her brother like he had lost his mind. “Why are you trying to lecture me? You’re getting divorced too.” “…” The moment the words left her mouth, every single eye in the room snapped directly to me. …

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