Author: Momo Chan

My sworn enemy had filled out my information on a dating site. The moment I received the call, I was about to yell at the scammer when a stream of pop-up comments flashed before my eyes: 【The male lead is afraid of an arranged marriage with the female side character, so he just randomly filled out her info, and she actually reeled in a rich, handsome catch.】 【Too bad the female side character isn’t destined for it. The rich, handsome man she rejected becomes the female lead’s most devoted, exclusive lapdog.】 【The unrequited male supporting character even dies saving the female lead in the end; such a tear-jerking setup.】 …Wait, what? Devoted, exclusive, lapdog, rich, handsome? I immediately cleared my throat, my voice softening: “I’m free tonight. Let’s pick a place to meet.” 1 The voice on the other end of the line was still pleasant and efficient: “Alright, Ms. Sullivan, I’ll send the location to your phone shortly.” With that, the person hung up. Before I could fully process what had happened, I saw the comments section light up again: 【OMG, what’s wrong with this female side character? Why did she agree? Shouldn’t she reject him and thoroughly humiliate him?】 【Nooo… what if the male supporting character actually falls for her? My lapdog second male lead can only be for the female lead!】 【How could he possibly fall for her? What does the female side character have besides her looks that can compare to our darling female lead?】 I casually looked up the name of the website the man had mentioned. The moment I typed it in, I was stunned. This dating site wasn’t just legitimate; its membership fee was an astounding ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars. I now fully understood just how much Logan Thorne detested me. He was truly willing to spend money to avoid an arranged marriage with me. But arranged marriages were usually meddled with by parents; Logan and I hated each other so much, we could only be enemies, never spouses. For my evening meeting, I simply booked a facial at a beauty salon. Just then, I received a call from my mom. “I’m telling you, you’re in your twenties, and it’s almost the holidays again. What am I supposed to tell the relatives?” I sighed, “Mom, our family isn’t poor, and our relatives are all well-off. Why are they all so idle that they have to meddle in other people’s business?” My mom was surprisingly candid: “Well, it’s because your mom, me, was too bored in previous years and used to badger them all. Now they’re just getting their revenge.” “Couldn’t you have just refused?” “The me from back then made it impossible for them to refuse.” That boomerang really stung… My dad had pampered my mom so much she spent her days playing mahjong. Her hands were busy enough, but her mouth never stopped either. I was too annoyed to speak, but still replied with my pre-planned line: “Stop trying to set me up with Logan. I have a boyfriend.” “Since when? What does he look like, what does he do?” “Just stop asking. I’ll bring him home for the holidays, won’t I?” I hung up. Then I started to panic again. Just like the comments said, I had only secured a chance to meet the male supporting character. Whether I would like him, or whether he would like me, was indeed an unknown. I muttered casually, “If it really doesn’t work out, it looks like I’ll have to rent a boyfriend to take home for the holidays.” But the comments seemed to relax: 【So she’s also afraid of an arranged marriage. But to believe a phone call so easily, she’s really not vigilant at all.】 【The second male lead belongs to the female lead, and to the audience. He just can’t belong to the female side character.】 【I don’t think the second male lead’s taste is that bad. How could such a perfect second male lead be suitable for this female side character? Anyone would know how to choose once they meet the female lead, right?】 That evening, the first time I saw Julian Knight, I couldn’t help but exclaim: He truly was a handsome man. So, I directly addressed him: “To make a long story short, shall we get married?” 2 I’d read a ton of comments. Every single one said he was devoted, exclusive, and a rich, handsome man. They even said he had no bad habits and was single only because he was dedicated to his work. They’d even detailed his family background—more accurate than any background check. He just paused, then immediately responded, “I haven’t introduced myself yet.” I nodded. “I just feel a strong connection with you.” What more could I ask for in such a perfect man? 【LOL, what ‘connection’? She’s just impressed by his looks, right?】 【Why couldn’t it be that she’s also afraid of an arranged marriage with the male lead? I don’t think the female side character is as bad as you all say.】 【The female lead is about to appear. Let’s see how she can compete.】 I listened carefully as he introduced himself, then hastily introduced myself. I stood up and invited him, “If you’re still free tonight, why don’t we go for a walk? It’s better than us both sitting here awkwardly.” If I couldn’t beat it, I could at least avoid it. I had to create more opportunities for myself. Isn’t that how people reach the pinnacle of their lives? He had no objection and followed me out of the coffee shop. As we walked along the lakeside promenade, I asked him, “With your background, why are you on a dating site? Don’t your family arrange suitable matches for you?” I was practically asking why he wasn’t in an arranged marriage. In truth, my family’s circumstances were far inferior to his. He nodded. “I’m a person who goes by feeling. For someone I’ll spend my life with, I hope it’s someone I genuinely like. As for circumstances… I don’t think those are the main point.” 【Exactly! That’s why when the female lead caught his eye, he had no one else in his sight.】 【His love for the female lead is undeniable, and his ending makes me sob uncontrollably.】 I looked at the stray cat that suddenly appeared at my feet. I pulled out a portable pouch of cat food from my pocket. “You carry that with you?” I thought he meant the cat food, and immediately explained, “Yes, feeding stray cats wet treats isn’t ideal; they can get oral inflammation. My pouches double as bowls, which are more convenient and don’t harm the environment.” He smiled. “Do you also have cats?” “Four cats and a dog. You’ll get to meet them if there’s a chance.” 【The female side character is so cunning, she’s trying to establish a caring image for herself, but the male supporting character likes that ‘feeling.’】 【Does she think taking the male supporting character away and preventing him from meeting the female lead will work? They’re destined to meet. She’ll regret it.】 Who knows what the future holds… Before I even finished that thought, I knew the comments were right. At that moment, the female lead, Anna McCarthy, appeared. She ran past us, shouting, “Stop, thief!” Behind her, a crying old lady slapped her thigh. The kind female lead quickly ran out of breath. Now, it was my turn to show what I could do. The comments had only praised my face, no one mentioned my strong limbs. I quickly charged forward. Just as I was about to grab the thief, I saw the comments. 【This female side character is so stupid, a woman daring to charge. The thief has a knife.】 3 At the same time, I saw the thief making a movement as if to pull out a knife. Although I was a little flustered, self-preservation was the most important thing. As I lifted my leg, someone else’s foot had already connected. It was Julian, who had rushed over behind me. The thief cried out, collapsing to the ground, the knife he’d just pulled out flying away. Julian then pinned the thief down. Due to the momentum of my missed kick, I also stumbled and fell. At that moment, Anna McCarthy arrived, panting. She anxiously helped me up. “Are you alright?” My knee hurt a little, so I had to be honest: “Ouch, I wanted to pretend I was fine, but my knee hurts too much. I want to cry.” 【Hahahahaha, why is the female side character so funny?】 【The female lead is so pure, so beautiful. Now that she’s a little sweaty, she’s like a goddess descended.】 I took a closer look at Anna. What would be an exaggerated amount of exercise for her had only made her slightly sweaty, her face beautifully flushed. She thanked Julian, then snatched the recovered bag and hurried off to find the old lady whose bag had been stolen. Good heavens. She was so kind, I almost fell in love with her myself. Julian stared at her retreating back, and I already had a premonition that such feelings might indeed be predestined. But then Julian, busy subduing the thief, turned to me again. “Help call the police.” After I dutifully called the police, he asked me, “Are you alright?” I shook my head. “I’m fine. He didn’t even get the knife out.” Robbery was one thing, but assault with a deadly weapon was another. The police arrived swiftly. Watching the thief being led away by officers, Julian suddenly walked over to the weeping old lady. After her ordeal, she was still too shaken to recover. We had all clearly heard her crying earlier, saying the bag contained her husband’s life-saving money, just withdrawn from the bank, and there wasn’t enough to begin with, almost getting stolen. The female lead anxiously comforted the old lady nearby. “I can help you figure something out.” Julian listened, then made a call. “Grandma, would you mind telling me your husband’s hospital? I’ll cover your husband’s medical bills.” So, for the female lead, the male supporting character truly would try to do anything. Under their joint persuasion, the old lady left, relieved. 【Seriously, the female lead and male supporting character together are a delight to behold.】 【I’m on Team Male Supporting Character; I support him moving up.】 【What’s the female side character still standing around for? Can’t she see the atmosphere is just right? Why intrude?】 Actually, it wasn’t that I wanted to intrude, it was that after I stood up, I found my foot was hurting badly. In a moment, Julian walked up to me again. “Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” I tried to walk a few steps. “My foot hurts terribly; I think I twisted it.” 【The female side character is such a manipulative green tea, pulling out all the stops.】 【My foot hurts too, can a handsome guy take me to the hospital?】 Julian took me to the hospital without a second thought. That was impressive. I ran and kicked, and ended up with a hairline fracture. What angered me even more was that the most bizarre comment was: 【The female side character has already lost so badly, and now she has a hairline fracture. How can that compare to the female lead’s perfect bones?】 4 It was almost the holidays, and I’d managed to fracture my bone. Logan heard about it instantly. He swaggered into my house, even bringing a ridiculously expensive pair of crutches. His handsome face always spouted crazy things: “Holiday season, and you’re on crutches, you’re something else, Scarlett Sullivan.” I genuinely couldn’t imagine a girl like Anna McCarthy falling for someone like Logan. Truly a misfortune for our family. “Don’t you worry your head, it’s a hairline fracture, not a full break. You don’t need to be so happy.” He unexpectedly poked my head with his finger. “Can you even remember you’re a woman? You charged at him even though he had a knife? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Logan and I might be sworn enemies, but we certainly didn’t wish death upon each other. “How was I supposed to know he had a knife when I chased him? But thanks to you calling me a menace, I guess I’m unkillable. Just don’t tell my mom.” I was afraid my mom would tie me down in the hospital for the entire holiday. I glared at him, asking the crucial question: “Anyway, since when do you care if I live or die? What are you doing here? Just passing by?” His face changed, even flushing slightly. “I deigned to check if you were dead.” I glanced out the window, understanding. “Oh? This is the university district. Did you fall for a college student?” He instantly became flustered, his face turning even redder. Annoyed, he stalked towards the door. “If I ever come to see you again, I’m a dog.” Did I hit the nail on the head? I called out to his retreating back, “Logan, you didn’t fall for a male college student, did you?” He responded with a raised fist. The comments section buzzed: 【The male lead fell in love with the female lead at first sight on the street, even chasing her to her campus gate.】 【If the male lead’s mom hadn’t insisted he invite the female side character over, he wouldn’t have come.】 …I really wanted to say. He ran off too fast, he didn’t even tell me about his aunt inviting me to dinner, did he? Not two minutes later, the doorbell rang. I hopped over to open the door. “What, you again—?” But it was Julian Knight standing outside. Behind Julian, there were many people. Such a grand entrance immediately scared me into a precarious one-legged stance. I lost my balance and fell backward. As Julian caught me, my hands landed directly on his chest muscles. It was… a very nice feel. “Your foot isn’t good, so I’ve brought people to take care of you.” “But, can you please stop squeezing for a moment?” Since he hadn’t been immediately swept away by the female lead, I saw no reason not to keep fighting for him. I didn’t let go, still enjoying the feel. Casually, I asked him again, “Julian, shall we get married?” “Yes, but before we get married, can you please stop squeezing?” “Sorry, I’ve just never touched… that before.” Wait, what did he just say? He actually agreed? 5 He scooped me up and gently placed me on the sofa. Watching the procession of people stream into my apartment, I joked, “What… is all this? This isn’t exactly how you propose, is it?” The people behind him were either carrying medical kits or various types of groceries. He gestured to the people behind him to help me. “This is my private doctor. I brought him to give you another check-up. If it’s serious, we’ll go to my private hospital.” “Wait, how do you know where I live?” “You said you wanted to get married, didn’t you? So I asked the friend who came to see you at the hospital, and she told me.” How could anyone be even more direct than me? “It’s inconvenient for you to live alone. And I know you wouldn’t want to stay at my place, so I brought people to cook you some nutritious meals. Once you’ve eaten, I’ll take them all with me so as not to disturb your rest.” “Also, I brought a professional pet groomer, Sarah, to help you take care of your cats and dog these next few days. From now on, whenever you need anything, you can entrust it to her; she’s very professional.” I was practically moved to tears. And also shocked by the comments: 【Oh my god, this is the preferential treatment our darling female lead should be enjoying, I’m so jealous.】 【This made the male supporting character completely miss the female lead. This female side character is too sly. And he’s so considerate, how did he even think of the pets?】 【Good thing the male lead has already met the female lead and had a heroic rescue moment for her.】 To be honest, compared to the feast about to appear in my house, I was more curious about what Logan’s heroic rescue situation was like. Seeing me a little dazed, Julian started to self-critique. “Am I moving too fast? Did I scare you?” I waved my hand, speaking without filter, “Too fast for what? It’s not like we got our marriage license on the first meeting and slept together on the second. Uh… you know, I’ve just read too many brain-dead CEO novels.” He chuckled, making my heart flutter. Next time I see Logan, even if I can’t hit him, I’ll have to praise him a little: that ninety-nine thousand dollar membership fee was truly worth it. 【The male supporting character is most afraid of girls crying. Every time our darling female lead cries, he gets flustered and panicky, practically giving his heart away.】 After the family doctor finished examining me, I stared at my badly bruised ankle… I wanted to cry but couldn’t! I didn’t have a tragic family background, and my life was quite free, so I genuinely… couldn’t squeeze out any tears. I sighed, only able to change my approach. I scooted closer. “There’s something, Mr. Knight, I don’t know if you could help with?” “What is it?” “The holidays are in half a month.” I hesitated. “My mom said if I don’t bring someone home, she’ll force me to marry anyone, and if she makes me marry an old man…” Sorry, Mom. He agreed in a second. “Okay, I’ll go home with you for the holidays this year.” I was extremely happy, and asked him directly, “I’m not an easy woman, and I’ve never been in a relationship before. But I’m very happy right now, so I want to hug you. May I?” He immediately embraced me tightly. “That’s something the man should do actively.” I don’t think I’d been hugged like that in a long time. “Julian?” “Hmm?” “If you act like this, I’m going to get serious.” “Okay.” “If I do this, or that, or whatever, you can’t blame me.” “Okay.” I pulled away from him, exasperated. “Are you thinking that a high membership fee means there are no scammers? Are you too trusting? And why do you agree when I say marriage? What if someone else said marriage?” 【The male supporting character isn’t that simple, how can the female side character believe everything?】 【Oh my, I’m kind of shipping these two, what do I do?】 【The female lead is attracted to the handsome male lead. When are they going to have a kissing scene? I’m a SVIP, I want to see it.】 He still looked the same: “I’m not a fool to believe everything others say; it’s just that I believe everything you say. Later, tell me all your parents’ preferences, and I’ll prepare some gifts for your home. These days, I’ll bring people over, you can only go home once your foot is healed.” This was a direct hit, impossible to fend off… When had I ever met a man like this? I was momentarily flustered, somewhat forgetting I was an injured person. I stood up and took a step, then remembered I couldn’t walk, pulled my leg back, my brain and foot out of sync, and stumbled right into him again. This time, something even more embarrassing than public humiliation happened. I head-butted his crotch. He grunted in pain. I was so ashamed I almost cried. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. I mean, if I were faking it, I wouldn’t use this much force, and aim for that area… I swear I really didn’t mean to…” The more I explained, the more chaotic it became. I tugged at him. “The private doctor is still here; should he take a look?” He grabbed my flailing hand. “It’s fine, don’t rush. It won’t affect our marriage.” He wiped my tears, a little flustered, saying things that were even more charming than mine. “Don’t cry. Rather than showing that part to a man, I think it’s better to save it for your wife.” 【Oh no, the female side character actually cried, and as soon as she cried, the male supporting character softened.】 【This female side character is so clumsy; I maliciously suspect she wants to destroy what she can’t have.】 【Is she trying to confiscate the ‘crime tool’?】 Confiscate your ghost! Haven’t even committed a crime yet! 6 “Julian, your family owns a chain of malls, don’t they?” I asked, gesturing at the carload of goods, a slight tremor in my voice. The backseat and trunk were crammed, not just the passenger seat. 【LOL, of course the male supporting character’s family owns malls.】 【The male supporting character even complained before leaving that the car was too small to fit everything.】 “Is it not enough? I’ll prepare more then.” I quickly stopped him. “It’s too much, okay? Julian, you could be proposing with all this. We’re just going to make an appearance; there’s no need to be so exaggerated.” Besides, nothing was set in stone yet. This guy, no matter how much I tried to get close, remained as firm as a statue. Even when he blushed, he would restrain himself and endure. If the comments hadn’t said he genuinely wasn’t interested in the female lead, I would have thought he was saving himself for her. It was such a strange feeling. I didn’t even have much information about him, yet he was already coming home with me to meet my family. I almost felt like I’d gotten a free rental boyfriend for the holidays. On the way, I expressed some concern. “Julian, if you come home with me, won’t your parents be upset?” He didn’t hesitate. “Of course not. They were very happy when I told them I was going home with my girlfriend for the holidays.” “Huh?” That sounded so unreliable. How could his parents be so nonchalant? “I was mainly worried you’d be bored. You could have been with your family and friends. Here, you don’t know anyone.” “Friends can be met anytime, it’s no trouble.” He suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right, I’m afraid you might be shy around new people. After the holidays, I’ll take you to meet my friends. They’re all great, just a bit fond of joking around.” 【This male supporting character, once he commits, he’s incredibly thoughtful.】 【I can’t stand it anymore, what does he see in the female side character?】 My parents, having lived so many years, had certainly seen a few things. But even they were a little overwhelmed by the array of expensive gift boxes. My mom pulled me into a corner. “Where did you find such a gem?” Could I tell her Logan had paid for him? “I don’t know, I just have a very shapely figure.” My mom smacked me on the back. If my foot hadn’t recovered, I would have fallen. “Still being silly and improper. I don’t know what he sees in you!” My mom glared at me twice more, then went back to host Julian. My dad seized the opportunity to discuss with me, “First visit, with all these gifts he brought, the cash gift should be substantial.” I nodded; that seemed logical. But this guy was truly something. He pulled two large red envelopes from his pocket. They were so thick, you’d think they were two big red books. “Uncle and Auntie, I’m very happy to have met such a wonderful girl as Scarlett Sullivan.” “This is my first visit, and I’m a little nervous. I always feel like I haven’t prepared enough. I’ve prepared these holiday envelopes for you, and I hope you won’t mind my presumptuousness.” “I’ll take good care of Scarlett from now on.” This was completely turning the tables! Even more incredible was my mom. She hadn’t prepared a guest room at all. She had simply placed an extra pillow on my bed. When I questioned her, she nudged me: “Do you think I don’t know what you young people are up to? Remember, if you get pregnant, don’t just indulge yourselves and decide to get rid of it. If you have it, our family can afford to raise it.” “Oh, and there’s… that stuff on the nightstand…” I was speechless. “If the person I brought home wasn’t satisfactory, would you still prepare the same way?” “There are plenty of hotels outside; doesn’t he have legs?” 【OMG, this mom is too funny. Is she really that afraid her daughter won’t get married?】 Me???

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Three days ago, sifting through old belongings, I stumbled upon memories of a time capsule Ben and I buried a decade ago. His face, however, stiffened at the mention. He urged me not to go, saying, “It’s been so long, surely someone’s dug it up by now.” I paid him no mind, and went to our old school alone. But at the spot where we’d buried it, I unearthed not one, but five metal boxes of varying sizes. Two were ours, Ben’s and mine, from ten years back, already encrusted with rust. The three extra ones: one was equally corroded, but the other two were pristine. The old, rusty box bore the name Linda. Inside, a note read: My secret love was a battlefield fought alone. Ben, I wish you happiness. I remembered her then, a quiet girl who sat behind us in class, hardly noticeable. The two shiny new boxes were engraved with Ben’s name and Linda’s, respectively. The date of burial was today. Ben’s box read: My life’s greatest regret is not being able to give you a wedding. Linda’s box read: My life’s greatest regret is not being able to openly wish you a happy wedding. 1 I stood beneath the old elm tree, unchanged in a decade, clutching five cold metal boxes. I felt like a complete and utter joke. The wind swept through, swirling a few fallen leaves, and sending a chill through me. So, in a corner I knew nothing about, another woman had fought her silent battles. And my fiancé harbored a regret he’d never voiced. His greatest regret was not being able to give her a wedding. What about me then? Our wedding, just two days away, what did that signify? A grand deception, or a profound compensation for another woman’s devotion? I reburied the three boxes that weren’t mine, taking only Ben’s and my own. By the time I returned home, darkness had completely fallen. The living room light was on. Ben sat on the sofa, then immediately rose when he saw me. “What kept you so late? Where have you been?” I slipped off my shoes, calmly replying, “I went back to our old school.” “High school?” He faltered for a second, then quickly composed himself. “What for? Why didn’t you call me to come along?” “Nothing much. I was just passing by and dropped in to see some teachers.” He visibly relaxed, walking over to embrace me from behind. His chin rested in the crook of my shoulder, his voice as soft as water. “You scared me, thought you’d run off. The wedding’s in two days, can’t be wandering off anymore.” I let him hold me. Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. After a long moment, I quietly asked: “Ben, do you really want to marry me?” His body stiffened, then he tightened his arms around me. “Of course. We’ve been together ten years. What else would we do but get married?” “Alice, what are you thinking?” Yes, ten years. But the words from the iron box relentlessly replayed in my mind. My life’s greatest regret is not being able to give you a wedding. He released me, eagerly discussing the details of tomorrow’s wedding rehearsal. He mimicked the officiant reciting the vows. “For richer, for poorer… in sickness and in health…” “To marry Miss Alice…” “To marry Mr. Ben…” Every word felt like a needle piercing my heart. “Do you like this bouquet? Or would you prefer white roses?” He held up his phone, eyes full of anticipation as he looked at me. A surge of nameless anger flared inside me, burning away all reason. “Whatever.” I turned my head away, my voice icy. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.” Ben’s smile froze. “Alice, what do you mean? What do you mean you don’t care? This is our wedding!” “Ours?” I scoffed, unable to stop myself from turning back to him. “Is it really ours?” My question caught him off guard, and he frowned. “What’s wrong with you today? You’ve been moody ever since you came back.” “I’ve been running around for our wedding, and this is your attitude?” “My attitude?” My chest felt tight with blockage. “What about yours? Is your attitude to…” I stopped myself, almost exposing everything. I was afraid I’d regret it if I spoke. Ben’s eyes were bloodshot, and he roared at me: “What attitude? Haven’t I been busy with our wedding?” “Alice, are you crazy? If you don’t want to get married, then let’s not!” He turned and slammed the door, the sound shaking the entire house. I stood alone in the empty living room, tears falling without warning. 2 Ben and I had been together for ten years, and arguments were commonplace. We were both stubborn, neither willing to back down first. But this, him slamming the door and leaving me alone, was a first. No, not a first. I remembered another time. At our high school graduation party, the class held a farewell dinner. By then, we were officially together, in that intensely infatuated phase. One of the guys, tipsy from drinks, joked that Linda, being such a quiet one, would probably never get married. The words had barely left his mouth when Ben’s face instantly darkened. I didn’t think much of it then, assuming he just felt the guy was being tactless. I even tugged on his hand, telling him not to be angry. But he abruptly shook me off and walked out without a word. Leaving me standing there, facing a table full of surprised stares, utterly mortified. That night, his mother said he hadn’t come home, and his phone was off. I found him the next day at an internet café. He simply said he was in a bad mood, offering a casual apology for leaving me the night before. I believed him. Looking back now, it was laughable. The time capsule Linda buried contained a diary. One page recorded that very party. [Today, Mark made fun of me again, saying I wouldn’t get married.] [I was so sad, but I’m used to it.] [I never thought he’d get angry for me, that he’d actually shake off Alice and chase after me to comfort me.] [He stayed with me on the rooftop all night, telling me I was a good girl, that they just didn’t appreciate me.] [In that moment, I felt like my whole world lit up.] [Alice, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take him from you, even if it was just for one night.] So, his bad mood that night was spent comforting another girl. While I was worried sick about him all night, he was on a rooftop, lighting up another girl’s world. Inside the iron box was also a photo, a group shot from our graduation trip. Ben and I stood in the middle, smiling brightly. Linda, however, was in the furthest corner, her gaze fixed on Ben, her eyes full of longing and adoration. On the back of the photo, in Ben’s handwriting: May you always smile as brightly as the sun. He’d written the same words in my yearbook on graduation day. There was also a bracelet, identical to the one on my wrist. He’d told me it was a couple’s design he’d searched several stores to find. It wasn’t a couple’s design; it was a trio’s. Ten years, Ben. My youth, my love, all my visions for the future. It turns out, from the very beginning, it was all an illusion. I was never your only one. I was just the one you displayed in plain sight. My heart ached, almost to the point of being unable to breathe. I curled up on the sofa, feeling all strength drain from my body. My phone screen lit up. Julian, Ben’s high school roommate and a good friend, had sent a message. I opened it. It was a photo, the background a bar VIP room. Ben sat in the center of the booth, bottle in hand, eyes glazed, clearly drunk. And the woman gently wiping his face with a napkin next to him, who else could it be but Linda? 3 Julian’s message followed immediately: [Alice, I know your wedding is in two days, but I just couldn’t stand by anymore.] [Ben called us all out tonight, saying he’d argued with you and was in a bad mood.] [But then he turned around and called Linda.] [They… they’ve been like this for years.] [All of us friends saw it, but we were afraid to tell you.] [The address is Nightfall Bar, VIP Room 302. I think you should come and see for yourself.] I stared at the photo. Linda’s gaze towards Ben was full of concern and affection. And Ben, he showed no resistance. I took a deep breath, stood up from the sofa, and grabbed my car keys. Following Julian’s directions, I found VIP Room 302 at Nightfall Bar. The door was ajar, and familiar laughter drifted out. I stopped, not immediately pushing the door open. “Brother Ben, don’t be too angry. Alice just has a bit of a temper, just sweet-talk her a bit. After all, you’re getting married.” A man’s voice advised. Another voice immediately chimed in: “Exactly, why bother with a spoiled princess like Alice.” “If you ask me, our Linda is so much better. Gentle, considerate, never makes Brother Ben angry.” “Isn’t that right! If it weren’t for…” “Oh, never mind. Brother Ben, you marrying Alice… we all feel bad for Linda.” “Bad for what? Can’t you see who Brother Ben really cares about? It’s obvious, isn’t it? Even on the verge of marriage, the first person he thinks of when he argues is our Linda.” A burst of laughter erupted from the room. I leaned against the wall, feeling my blood run cold. I recognized all those voices. They were Ben’s best friends, and friends I’d known for ten years. I had personally delivered their wedding invitations. So, in their eyes, I was just an unreasonable princess, and Linda was the understanding ‘first love’. And Ben? I stared intently through the crack in the door. He sat in the middle of the group, letting Linda feed him fruit, and wipe the wine from the corner of his mouth. Their actions were as intimate as a couple deeply in love. He didn’t object, didn’t say a word in my defense. He just silently accepted everyone’s teasing, basking in Linda’s tenderness. In that moment, I finally understood why, for ten years, I’d always felt like I couldn’t quite fit into his social circle. Because in that circle, I was the unwelcome outsider. Linda was the sister-in-law they had implicitly accepted. I didn’t have the courage to push open that door. I recorded a video through the crack and turned to leave. Just as I rounded the corridor corner, I bumped into Julian. He looked at my tear-reddened eyes, sighed, and handed me a tissue. “You saw everything?” I nodded. “Thank you.” “It’s nothing.” Julian scratched his head, a little awkward. “I just felt it wasn’t fair to you. Ben, he… well, never mind. Don’t be too sad.” I managed a smile. “I’m fine, perfectly fine.” How could I be fine? Ten years of a relationship, collapsing in an instant. The man I deeply loved had deceived me for ten years. The friends I trusted had been mocking my foolishness behind my back.

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I woke from the haze of anesthesia, a dull ache in my side from the appendectomy, to a far sharper pain: the emptiness in my womb. My baby was gone. Zoe, Sebastian’s childhood friend, was giggling beside my bed. “Hey, Cass,” she chirped, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “I took care of that little problem in your belly for you. You’re welcome.” I saw red. I grabbed my phone and called the police, reporting her to the state medical board, my voice shaking with rage. But before anything could happen, Sebastian burst in, rushing straight from his office. He swept Zoe into his arms, shielding her as if I were the threat. “That’s enough,” he snapped at me. “She was just messing with you. If the kid’s gone, it’s gone.” His voice was cold, dismissive. “You’re going to ruin her career over a joke?” Every complaint I made was intercepted and buried. Three days later, I was readmitted to the hospital with a raging infection. The cause? A used condom they found inside me. Zoe pouted, the picture of innocence. “Oops. I guess I must have forgotten to take it out during the procedure. But hey, you’re fine, right?” Sebastian’s voice was a low warning. “Stop it, Cassandra. Zoe is just starting her residency. Don’t be so hard on her.” 1 Staring at Zoe’s triumphant smirk from behind Sebastian’s shoulder, a bitter irony choked me. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise, stealing the air from my lungs. “A condom in the operating room? How does that happen? She did this on purpose!” I pleaded, my voice cracking. “Sebastian, don’t you understand? That baby was—” He cut me off, his patience already gone. His brow furrowed, his disgust for me plain on his face. “She’s always been a little wild. Can’t you just cut her some slack?” “It’s better that the baby is gone anyway,” he continued, his words like shards of ice. “She only did it because she was afraid people would laugh at me. Drop it, Cassandra. My patience has a limit.” He fixed me with a look so cold it chilled me to the bone. Three months ago, Zoe and I were kidnapped together by one of his business rivals. Sebastian came alone, a hero storming the gates. But he only saved Zoe. I was left behind in that abandoned factory. The police didn’t find me for three days. When they did, Sebastian held me, his voice thick with guilt. “I’m so sorry, Cass. Zoe… she was kidnapped as a child. I couldn’t let her go through that again. The trauma would have broken her.” Later, when I found out I was pregnant, he refused to believe the child was his. I threw the paternity test results in his face. He didn’t even glance at them, just rubbed his temples with a look of weary resignation. “It doesn’t matter whose baby it is. I’ll raise it as my own. You don’t have to bribe a doctor and fake these results to convince me.” His voice dropped lower. “Zoe told me everything… what you did to survive in there, seducing those men. I don’t blame you, Cass… but can we please just never speak of this again?” I screamed, I cried, I dragged Zoe in front of him and called her a liar. But Sebastian wouldn’t believe me. He accused me of trying to humiliate her. A wave of nausea and grief rose in my throat. I looked at him, really looked at him, one last time. “That baby was yours, Sebastian. I wouldn’t joke about something like that.” For a flicker of a second, he hesitated. “The baby…” he began, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. But Zoe seized the moment. She dropped to her knees before me, bowing her head in a frantic, desperate display of remorse. “You’re right, Cass, I’m a liar! Just say I’m a liar, as long as you and Seb can be happy together.” She looked up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken matters into my own hands.” Then, turning her tear-streaked face to Sebastian, she sobbed, “Seb, it was me. I lied to you. Nothing happened to Cass in that factory. Those men never touched her. It’s all my fault. Please, you two, don’t fight because of me…” “I’ll quit my job. I’ll turn myself in. I’ll go to jail…” She put on a masterful performance, but not a single tear fell. It was enough for Sebastian. He was completely undone. He scooped her up into his arms, cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world. “This has nothing to do with you,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “You’ve been in surgery for hours. You’re exhausted. Let me take you home.” “Don’t worry,” he whispered, his voice full of a tenderness he hadn’t shown me in months. “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Then, he turned his gaze back to me, and it was glacial. “Enough of this, Cassandra. Are you trying to weaponize Zoe’s guilt? Trying to pressure me by pinning this baby on me?” he snarled. “I don’t care if it wasn’t mine, and even if it was, it’s gone now. So it’s over.” “You push this any further,” he warned, his voice a deadly whisper, “and I will teach you a lesson in obedience myself.” He walked away with Zoe in his arms and never looked back. I stood there, frozen, as a deep, unshakable chill seeped into my bones, making my whole body tremble. We had been together for seven years. He had always showered me with affection, given me anything I wanted. But ever since Zoe returned from overseas, it was like she had methodically replaced me, piece by piece. My word meant nothing. My pain meant nothing. Fresh from surgery, abandoned and standing in a hospital corridor, I was worth less than one of Zoe’s fake tears. This was the eighteenth time he had chosen her over me. I was done being the one who had to bend. I was done making myself small. The last of the anesthetic wore off, and my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the cold linoleum floor. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I pulled out my phone and dialed my father’s number. “Dad,” I said, my voice low and steady. “I need some of your men.” “Tonight. And I need two doctors.” If Sebastian wouldn’t deal with Zoe, then I would deal with them both. My way. 2 That night, with the resources my father provided, I leaked all the evidence of Zoe’s malpractice onto the internet. Sebastian could pull strings with the hospital board, but he couldn’t control the tidal wave of public opinion. I was lying in my new private room when the door was kicked open. Zoe stormed in, her face a mask of fury. “Cassandra, you bitch! What the hell did you post online?!” With Sebastian gone, her sweet facade had vanished completely. I gave a subtle nod to the men standing guard behind me. My father’s people were efficient and sharp; a single look was all they needed. In seconds, they had Zoe restrained, her arms pinned behind her back. But there was no panic in her eyes. She looked at me with smug confidence, a defiant smirk playing on her lips. “What’s this, Cassandra? Putting on a big show? You don’t have the guts to touch me.” “You lay a single finger on me today, and I’ll have Sebastian divorce you tomorrow.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Did you really think you won his heart? If his grandfather hadn’t been so dead-set against us, you never would have married into the Blackwood family. You were just a pawn, Cass. A way for him to declare war on the old man. You really think he loves you?” The blood drained from my face. My heart stuttered, each beat a sharp, tearing pain. It was true. When Sebastian and I first got together, his grandfather had been my biggest obstacle. Sebastian, who had always been the dutiful grandson, started publicly defying him, bringing me to every event. It was an open declaration of war. I had asked him once if he regretted it. His expression was complicated, filled with an emotion I couldn’t decipher. It was like he was looking through me, at someone else entirely. He sighed, then gently stroked my hair. “Cass,” he said softly, “I just… I don’t want to have any more regrets. So this time, I’m going to protect you.” I was so lost in love back then that I never questioned the “more” in his sentence. I never realized what he meant by “this time.” He wasn’t protecting me. He was re-living a battle he’d lost before. On me, he was making up for the regret of letting Zoe go all those years ago. A wave of violent nausea churned in my stomach, threatening to erupt. Seeing my face turn ashen, Zoe’s eyes lit up with malicious glee. “Get the hint and get out of the picture. I’ve seen women like you before, gold-diggers clinging to what they can’t have. Why do you think Sebastian let me get rid of your baby? Don’t you get it? A trashy woman like you isn’t worthy of carrying his child.” She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a hiss. “And by the way, you should thank me. When you were kidnapped, Sebastian was perfectly fine leaving you there to die. If I hadn’t been worried about a murder charge and pushed him to call the police, you’d still be rotting in that factory.” Her last words incinerated the last shred of my composure. An endless, searing hatred erupted inside me, a wildfire consuming everything in its path. I dug my nails into my palms, the sharp pain a momentary anchor to reality. “I will give you exactly what you want,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “But that child was innocent. You picked the wrong person to mess with, Zoe.” I rose from the bed and walked slowly toward her. I grabbed her chin, my fingers digging into her skin. “Since this mouth of yours loves to run, let’s sew it shut.” Zoe’s arrogance finally shattered. Panic flared in her eyes. She began to struggle violently. “You wouldn’t dare! You’re nothing but an orphan! Sebastian will destroy you for this!” I laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “That’s right. I’m an orphan. Does that mean I’m supposed to just let you walk all over me?” After my father cheated on my mother, I decided she was the only family I had. When she passed, I was truly alone. My father was a terrible husband, but he retained a sliver of paternal instinct. When I started dating Sebastian, he called me secretly, offering to use his influence to smooth things over with the Blackwood patriarch. I refused. Ironic that now, in the end, I had to rely on his power after all. I was done talking. The two doctors my father sent stepped forward. One threaded a needle. Crimson bloomed on Zoe’s white dress as the needle pierced her lip. Her agonized screams devolved into muffled, desperate whimpers. I had my men lock her in an empty operating room. “You spent four hours on my ‘surgery,’” I told her through the door. “I’m giving you double.” “Crank the AC down to freezing. Don’t let her out until eight hours have passed.”

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On the day of my husband’s funeral, I overheard his best friend on the phone. “Dude, this ‘playing dead’ thing is next level. Your wife is literally burying you at the cemetery, and you’re at a gaming hotel pulling an all-nighter with some chick.” “Save me a spot. I’m on my way.” I froze, my blood turning to ice. On autopilot, I followed him to the gaming hotel. There, I saw him. Preston Prescott, the man whose word was law in our family, now fawning over some rebellious-looking girl with neon-streaked hair. He leaned in close, feeding her lemonade mouth-to-mouth. When he turned his head for a second, his friend nudged him, laughing. “Bro, you still haven’t washed off that temporary tattoo?” Preston tilted his neck back. Under a decal of a yellow lemon, a pair of bright red words stood out: Roxy’s Property. “Never,” he declared, his voice thick with affection. “It’s a custom piece from my girl. I’m keeping it forever.” A chilling cold seeped into my bones. I stumbled out of the hotel in a daze. I had just walked through my front door when my mother-in-law, her eyes red and swollen from crying, gripped my hand. “Audrey, darling,” she said, her voice gentle. “A Prescott woman isn’t expected to live as a young widow. I’ve found another family for you to consider. If he’s a good man, I will personally arrange the match.” 1. “So, has Audrey handled all the funeral arrangements?” Preston’s voice was casual, but I could hear the mocking undertone. His friend chuckled. “All taken care of, man. Meticulous, perfect etiquette. Classic Audrey.” “She was crying her eyes out, but she still had that perfect, restrained posture. A true high-society lady.” Click. Preston lit a cigarette, then placed it between Roxy’s lips, his eyes full of doting affection. Through the haze of smoke, I saw the flicker of annoyance in his eyes. “That’s just Audrey,” he said with a sigh. “Emotionally numb by nature. She doesn’t have feelings.” “Her life is a color-coded schedule. What to eat, what to wear… even getting pregnant was a calculated event, waiting for the exact day of ovulation. She’s rigid and boring.” “Honestly, even if I really were dead, she’d just live out her days as a dutiful widow, taking care of my mother and the Prescott estate.” His friend burst out laughing. “One marriage certificate, and she’s loyal to you and your family for life. Pretty good deal, huh?” “Who knows,” another voice chimed in, “maybe she’ll even be happy when you come back from the dead.” The room erupted in laughter, each sound a needle piercing my eardrums. A bitter acid rose in my chest, and I had to take several deep breaths to swallow the tears. For the sake of his dignity, I had suppressed my own grief to manage his affairs. Every person who came to offer their condolences praised my composure. “Preston found such a wonderful wife. Audrey, you poor thing, left to manage this entire mess.” I never saw it as a burden. For Preston, I would have done it a million times over. At home, I managed every detail of our lives so he never had to worry about a thing. In public, I was his most capable partner, helping him land the biggest deal for the Prescott Corporation in the last decade. I truly believed we were soulmates, partners moving forward together. I never imagined that in the end, all I was to him was a “good deal.” “Hey! Can you stop talking about your old-fashioned wife when you’re with me?” Roxy ripped off her headset and slammed it on the table. “I want you to divorce her! And you have to get my name tattooed on your chest! That’s how I’ll know you really love me!” My heart clenched. I was terrified to hear his answer. Preston hesitated for only a second before nodding eagerly. “Okay, baby. If you want a divorce, we’ll get a divorce. Want to go get that tattoo right now?” An arctic chill washed over me. A violent headache threatened to split my skull in two. For the first time in my life, I lost control. I stumbled out of the gaming hotel, running blindly. On the crowded street, Preston’s proposal echoed in my ears. “Audrey, in the Prescott family, there’s no divorce. Only ‘til death do us part.’ You will be the only wife I ever have.” How laughable. His vow had an expiration date of only three years. I wandered the streets, lost, until my phone buzzed. It was my mother-in-law, her voice weary. “Audrey, you’ve been through so much. In our family, there’s no tradition of widowhood. I’ve found someone for you. Please, consider marrying again.” 2. I don’t know how long I stood there before I heard my own trembling voice answer. “Okay.” After hanging up, I realized I’d unconsciously walked to the entrance of an amusement park. To the base of the bungee tower. This time, I bought a single ticket. As the elevator ascended, I saw him again, the Preston from three years ago. Before I met him, my life was a set of rigid rules laid out by my parents. I was taught to be rational, to live life on a razor’s edge. One wrong step meant failure. My mother’s most frequent mantra was, “You enjoy a life of privilege others can only dream of. The price is that you must discard all unnecessary emotion.” I wanted to rebel, but I knew I didn’t have the right. In our world, the moment you step out of line, you are replaced. I would become worthless, with nothing. Preston was the first person who made me feel like I could take off my mask. “Audrey, life is short,” he’d said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Why live it like you’re walking on eggshells?” “Isn’t it better to just live in the moment?” He helped me sneak past the bodyguards my parents had assigned to me and took me straight to the bungee platform. In that heart-stopping moment of freefall, I clung to him, and for the first time in my life, I broke free from my gilded cage and screamed with abandon. Preston was the beautiful, chaotic exception to my perfectly curated life. I loved the rebellion in his soul, his courage to love and hate so fiercely. The elevator jolted, and I gripped the railing, my heart skipping a beat. The ghost of the man I loved flickered and blurred. Just like the real man had. He started changing six months ago. His predictable routine began to fray. Our lives, once intertwined, became parallel lines that never touched. He’d come home after I was asleep. I’d leave for work before he woke up. I tried asking his secretary, but she would just stammer about business dinners. But the cloying scent of cheap perfume on his shirts told a different story. My upbringing made it impossible for me to cause a scene. I could only remind him calmly, “Be careful eating out so much. You might get sick.” That was the first time he ever threw something in my presence. A bowl shattered at my feet, splattering hot soup across my ankle, raising a line of angry blisters. “So the perfect little princess knows how to be passive-aggressive after all,” he sneered. “Tired of dropping hints? Why don’t you just investigate me if you want to know so badly?” He knew me too well. He went straight for the kill. He knew my breeding, my decorum, would never allow me to stoop to tracking his movements. I had to let it go. Thinking back, I regret it. If I had intervened then, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up here. “Ma’am? Is this your first time bungee jumping? The safety instructions are…” A staff member’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I shook my head. “I know them all.” He nodded and opened the gate. I looked down at the vast emptiness below, my breathing quickening. My heart, which had been dormant for so long, began to pound. In the moment of the fall, the wind whipped away the memory of Preston’s mocking voice, his condescending smile. Our story began here. It was only right that it end here, too. 3. When I got down from the platform, the wind had already dried the tears on my face. My mother-in-law sent me the address for the meeting. I plugged it into my GPS. Just as I was about to pull away, someone tapped on my window. I looked up, and was startled to see Roxy’s face. “Hey, old hag. You probably recognize me. You saw everything at the gaming hotel, didn’t you?” She swung a baseball bat, smashing it against my car window. CRACK. Shards of glass flew past my cheek, stinging like fire. Roxy grabbed a handful of my hair, yanking me halfway out of the broken window. She leaned in, her voice a low hiss in my ear. “I’m here to tell you, since you heard Preston say he’s divorcing you, you better play along. Or I’ll make you regret it.” “I’ve seen your type before. So high and mighty. You know what he hates most? A dead fish like you. I’m the only one who can give him passion!” I met her defiant gaze. “So?” Roxy’s smirk faltered, her bleached-blonde bangs seeming to bristle with anger. “I’m not letting him go, Audrey! He’s the first good man I’ve ever met. He spoils me, he cares for me more than my own father does, and he gives me money to take care of my grandma!” “Don’t you get it? A man’s money is where his heart is. Does he do that for you?” I tried to pry her fingers from my hair, my voice hoarse. “You think he really loves you? You’re just a cheap thrill, the easiest way for him to feel something new. Once the novelty wears off, there will be a second you, and a third…” Her face flushed crimson, as if I’d struck a nerve. “Who are you to judge me?!” she shrieked, dragging me out of the car. Rip. A button on my blouse tore off, and the sudden cold air made me panic. She held up her phone, pointing the camera at me, her voice shrill. “You think because you were born with a silver spoon you can lecture me? Let’s see how a high-and-mighty princess like you survives after I plaster these pictures all over the internet!” Her strength was shocking. As she dragged me, the rhinestones on her nails scraped red lines across my skin. I stumbled backward, my voice shaking with rage. “What you’re doing is illegal!” Roxy sneered. “Illegal? I’ve got nothing to lose. What are you, with your perfect little life, going to do about it?” She panted, then dialed a number on her phone. “Yo, get the girls over here. I’m at the Starlight garage. We’re about to have some fun with a new toy.” My brow furrowed. I tried to snatch her phone, but she slammed the car door on my hand. A blinding, excruciating pain shot up my arm, making me tremble uncontrollably. I gritted my teeth against the agony, pushing against the door and screaming for help. “Security! Somebody, help!” Silence. Despair began to creep in. My composure finally shattered. I frantically looked around for anything to defend myself with. No one was coming. I was on my own. My eyes landed on a fire extinguisher on a nearby pillar. I was trying to wrestle my hand free when a familiar, confused voice cut through the air. “Audrey?”

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The day of the client dinner, my boss insisted we go to The Sterling Steakhouse, a place where the tasting menu starts at $300 a head. When the check came, he had me put the $1,250 on my personal card. But when I submitted the receipt for reimbursement, the finance department told me the absolute maximum they could approve was $500. I went back to my boss, Walter, to explain. He just glanced dismissively at the receipt in my hand. “That extra $750? That’s on you for being incompetent.” I didn’t get angry. I smiled. Then I walked out of the office and called the client to split the remaining $750 with me. 1 “Now, Jessica, I see your potential, I really do,” Walter began, his tone dripping with condescension. “But you know the company’s expense policy. The limit is $500. Anything over that is a clear violation.” I stared at the $1,250 receipt in my hand and the notification on my phone confirming a $500 deposit from the company. Suddenly, the memory of myself in the restaurant bathroom last night, forcing myself to throw up so I could go back out and keep drinking for the deal, felt like a sick joke. “Mr. Davis, you were the one who insisted on The Sterling Steakhouse,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “A place that costs $300 per person. There were three of us from the company. We were over the limit before we even ordered appetizers.” “You’re also the one who told me to pay for it, who promised the company would reimburse me in full. Why the sudden change of heart?” I clutched the receipt, my hand trembling with barely suppressed rage. Walter just tapped his pen impatiently on the polished surface of his desk. “You know the rules. If I make an exception for you, what kind of message does that send to the rest of the staff? Don’t think that landing one big account puts you on my level.” He leaned forward, his voice turning sharp. “Don’t blame the system for your own incompetence. Now, it’s working hours. You should be at your desk, not wasting my time.” He buzzed his assistant to show me out. The heavy oak door clicked shut behind me, a final, unceremonious dismissal. My mind was a whirlwind of fury, replaying the scene from the night before. Walter, expansive and magnanimous, slapping me on the back. “Jess, my girl! You landed us the biggest account of the year! As a reward, we’ll take Mr. Grayson to The Sterling Steakhouse tonight! Time you saw how the big leagues operate.” Even then, I had tried to stop him. “Mr. Davis, that place is $300 a head. Even if we’re careful, we’ll blow past the $500 reimbursement limit.” He acted as if he hadn’t heard me. He was already on the phone with the client. “Robert! All set for tonight. The Sterling… yes, that’s the one. See you at eight!” He hung up and immediately texted Mr. Grayson the location, following up with a string of voice notes confirming the restaurant, as if our most important client was incapable of reading a map. I tried one last time. “The reimbursement limit is $500. Will the company cover the overage? Besides, The Sterling is almost impossible to book on short notice…” He cut me off, slamming his hand on the table. “I already told the man where we’re going. Are you going to make me a liar? Make the reservation!” I’m just an employee. I did what I was told. The Sterling was impossible to book. I had to call in a massive favor, begging and pleading until a private room was miraculously made available. And this was my reward. A passing coworker saw me standing outside Walter’s closed door and sidled up to me, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “You know, your commission on that deal is over three grand, not to mention the bonus. The company’s been good to you. Is it really worth fighting over a few hundred bucks? You’re starting to sound greedy.” Before I could even respond, the sharp voice of Linda from Finance cut through the air. “Jessica. We need to discuss your last expense report. There are some… discrepancies.” 2 Being summoned by Linda was never a good thing. My coworkers were already rubbernecking, sensing drama. I was about to follow her to her office, hoping to plead my case about the dinner again, when she stopped in the middle of the open-plan floor and decided to make it a public execution. “Jessica Pierce!” she shrieked, her voice echoing off the cubicle walls. “How dare you submit an expense report for $1,800 for a three-day trip! Who do you think you are, the CEO?” The entire office fell silent. Her voice was a drill in my ear. “So young, and already trying to cheat the company! You think this is your personal piggy bank? First, you try to expense a $1,250 dinner you knew was over the limit, and now I find this? An $1,800 travel bill? You’ve got a lot of nerve!” A murmur rippled through the office. “Wow, she seems so innocent, but she’s skimming off the expense reports?” “I know, right? Tacky. And who spends $1,250 on one dinner?” Walter emerged from his office, a cigarette dangling from his lips, drawn by the commotion. He saw me, and his eyes narrowed in annoyance. “You again? What’s this about $1,800?” Linda seized her moment. “Mr. Davis! It’s her! Three days on the road! The train tickets for her and the client were $650! Shipping for the samples was another $150! And the hotel… she submitted a bill for $750!” Her voice rose to a screech. “Were you staying in a hotel made of solid gold?” At the mention of the hotel bill, Walter’s face darkened. He stalked over and flicked his cigarette onto my shoe, grinding the embers into the leather with a look of utter contempt. “A $750 hotel bill, you say?” He smirked. “Fine. We’ll approve a payment that starts with a seven.” Linda understood immediately. She scribbled on an approval form and handed it to me. The approved amount was $75. “Company policy is company policy,” Walter said, his voice dripping with fake sincerity. “You’re a smart girl, Jessica. Don’t think landing one big deal means the rules don’t apply to you. You need to learn to think before you act.” A bitter, hysterical laugh escaped my lips. That “one big deal” was worth millions. Walter’s personal cut alone would exceed the company’s profits from the previous year. My commission was a paltry $3,100—the “over three grand” my coworker had mentioned. To close that deal, I had pulled a month of all-nighters. I’d lost count of the weekends I’d worked. When the contract was finally signed, all Walter said was, “Good job. This is what you’re paid for.” He never saw the endless revisions, the canceled plans, the nights I spent sleeping at my desk. I’d been to the doctor three times for a stress-induced stomach ulcer, but I still showed up to every client dinner, smiling and drinking until the deal was done. Before that business trip, I had followed protocol. I had specifically requested approval for the higher hotel costs. “Mr. Davis,” I’d said, “the client has very specific accommodation requirements. It’s going to be more expensive than our usual rate…” He had cut me off before I could finish. “Rules are for schmucks, Jessica. People are what matter. You land this deal, and I’ll approve whatever it takes. Just keep the client happy. Money is no object!” I had the entire conversation recorded, just in case. But it didn’t matter. He was denying it anyway. Every single receipt was legitimate. Every expense was pre-approved, verbally at least. $1,800 was two months’ salary for me. After rent, my last paycheck was almost gone. Now, with the dinner bill added on top, my bank account was practically empty. 3 Just as I was about to argue, to play the recording, Linda slid my monthly pay slip onto my desk. I looked at the number. $75. I felt my mind go blank. “Linda, is this a mistake?” She didn’t even look at me, already moving on to the next person. The other employees shot me pitying, scornful looks. I was now officially the office pariah, the greedy grifter. “A mistake?” she said without turning around. “Don’t you remember what you did last month? Or do I need to humiliate you in front of everyone again? I’m doing you a favor by not making a scene. Don’t push it.” I crumpled the pay slip in my fist, the last of my control snapping. I threw it at her head. “What did I do?” I snarled, my voice shaking. “I worked every single night for a month on that deal. I was on the road, visiting construction sites. I ended up in the emergency room with a bleeding ulcer! You told me yourself to take it easy! Did you forget? We can check the security footage if you need a reminder!” Linda was not one to back down. The sight of the pay slip fluttering to the floor sent her into a rage. She slapped me, hard, across the face. “Don’t you dare, Jessica! Your monthly salary is $4,000! That includes a $500 attendance bonus and a $1,000 performance bonus!” Right. A $2,500 base salary. After taxes, it came to just over three thousand a month. I could accept losing the attendance bonus; I had been sick. My head was ringing from the slap. I stared at the floor. “What about my commission for closing the deal?” Linda snorted. “Commission? Has the client even paid the first invoice? You don’t get a bonus until the money is in our account. And since that deal was your only performance metric last month and it hasn’t paid out yet, you get zero for your performance bonus. You were also absent, so that’s another five hundred gone.” “Oh, and you broke a printer. That’s a deduction for damaging company property. You’re lucky to be getting seventy-five bucks at all. I was being generous.” Her voice echoed in the silent office. My coworkers stared at their own pay slips, not daring to breathe, lest their own meager salaries be targeted next. “That printer was broken before I got there,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “I told you, it started smoking the second I walked near it. I never even touched it.” “And my expense report… every single item is within company guidelines. Every receipt is accounted for. You’re refusing to reimburse me?” My final question was so calm it seemed to unnerve her. She froze, at a loss for words. But Walter stepped in from behind me with a cold laugh. “Reimburse you? You’re lucky you still have a job.” I turned slowly to face him. “Oh, I’m not quitting. In fact, Mr. Grayson said he wants me to personally handle his next project. I wouldn’t want to miss out on that bonus.” I gave him a smile that was all teeth. It worked. He nodded, his mood instantly shifting. He even patted me on the shoulder. “See? That’s the spirit. Look, Jess, don’t take it personally. But rules are rules. I can’t bend them, even for a star employee. You understand, right?” He shoved a copy of the company’s official expense policy handbook into my hands. I took it, my smile widening. “Of course, Mr. Davis. I understand completely. Rules are rules.” The moment I stepped out of the building, I took the handbook, drove straight to Mr. Grayson’s office, and laid it on his desk. “Mr. Grayson,” I said. “About dinner last night. The bill came to $1,250. My company’s policy only covers $500. I was hoping we could split the difference.”

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My coworker, Sienna, saw me pull up in a luxury car and asked, her voice laced with envy, “Roxanne, did you buy this car yourself?” Remembering my dad’s advice to keep a low profile, I answered casually, “It’s my husband’s.” Three months later, she showed up with a group of people and sued me. I was completely bewildered, but she was crying like she was the most wronged person in the world. “It was Roxanne’s husband who assaulted me. I went to her house to drop off a file, but she wasn’t home. Her husband saw me, got ideas, and forced himself on me.” “I’m pregnant with his child! I demand they take responsibility! Otherwise, I’m suing them both for marriage fraud!” She demanded five million dollars in compensation and half of my assets. A tidal wave of condemnation washed over me, but I remained calm, a smirk playing on my lips as I watched her performance. She had no idea that I’d been single for five years. I did have a husband once. But he died five years ago. 1 “You just said you’re pregnant with my husband’s child. Are you sure about that?” In the courtroom, I looked calmly at Sienna, a woman I had worked with for three years. She had always been overly friendly, fawning over my clothes and accessories. She’d complimented a bracelet I was wearing, so I gave it to her. She was always trying to get me to buy her coffee, and I never made a big deal out of it. But I never could have imagined that she would show up three months pregnant, her belly slightly rounded, and accuse my husband of assaulting her in front of a judge. Sienna lifted her chin, her voice firm. “Of course, I’m sure!” “Roxanne, out of respect for our time as colleagues, I wanted to handle this privately, but you refuse to admit it.” “I had no choice but to take legal action. Now, in front of the judge, you might as well tell the truth.” Sienna’s mother glared at me, her face contorted with rage. “You’re Roxanne, right?” “Your monster of a husband committed this crime, but he doesn’t even have the guts to show his face in court?” “If he hadn’t defiled my daughter, she would still be an innocent young woman! How could she possibly be pregnant?” “I suggest you bring him here right now. It doesn’t matter where you hide him; a scumbag like that deserves the death penalty!” The mother-daughter duo put on a dramatic performance, their voices loud and accusatory. I could barely watch. I shook my head in exasperation. “I think you’ve got the wrong person. Instead of wasting your time with me, you should be out looking for the real perpetrator.” “I’ll say it again: my husband would never do something like that.” My words were like a lit match to gasoline. Sienna’s mother exploded. “How can you be so sure he wouldn’t? My daughter is young and beautiful; men can’t take their eyes off her. I bet your husband is no saint.” “If she hadn’t gone to your house to deliver that file, she wouldn’t have been subjected to such a brutal attack!” “The way you’re defending him… maybe you two planned this together, to lure an innocent young girl into a trap!” Sienna’s mother started to dab at her eyes, her gaze falling on her daughter’s swollen belly as she wailed to the heavens. “My poor daughter! You just graduated a few years ago. You had your whole life ahead of you, and now it’s been ruined by that monster!” Her cries were so heart-wrenching that the jury and the coworkers who had come to watch started to look at me with disdain. “The victim is on the verge of a breakdown, and you’re just sitting there, unmoved.” “Rich women are all heartless bitches.” “I bet she’s covering for her husband. Maybe they even planned the whole thing together!” Seeing the tide of sympathy turn in her favor, Sienna played her part to perfection. Her eyes were red and swollen as she looked at me with a pitiful expression. “Roxanne, it was your husband. Why won’t you admit it?” “Because of his selfish desires, my life is ruined. I can’t get married, and now I’m pregnant. The doctor said if I have an abortion, I might never be able to have children!” “My demands aren’t unreasonable. Just five million dollars for emotional distress and a share of your assets. After all, I’m carrying your husband’s child.” “Your family is well-off. Can’t you spare that much?” 2 A smirk played on my lips. “There it is. The real you is finally showing.” “This has always been about money, hasn’t it? Just pin a crime on me that’s impossible to disprove.” “Sienna, you’re more cunning than I gave you credit for.” My words hit their mark. A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly masked it. “I am the victim here! Am I not allowed to seek justice for myself?” “Roxanne, how can you be so cruel? Do you have any conscience at all?” “If you’re just going to slander me like this, I might as well just end it all right here…” Sienna made a show of trying to run headfirst into a wall, thrashing about until her mother and a few jurors managed to restrain her. Everyone rushed to comfort her. “Miss Vance, please, don’t be rash. Now that you’re in court, we will ensure that justice is served.” Then, they shot me a cold glare. “People like her, who enable monsters, will get what they deserve.” Just then, the judge banged the gavel. “Order! Since the two parties cannot reach an agreement, you will each present your evidence.” Sienna wiped her tears, took a deep breath, and began her story. “That night, I saw that Roxanne had left a file at her desk. It was urgent for the next day. I somehow found her address and went to deliver it. As I was getting into the elevator, I saw her husband coming out of apartment 302. He looked me over and asked if I was Roxanne’s colleague. I said yes.” “He nodded and said that Roxanne wasn’t home, and that I should wait for her in the car. But then…” Sienna started to sob again. “The moment I got in the car, he locked the doors. Then he started touching me, tearing my clothes… I struggled, but after he was done, he just patted my shoulder and said he would be seeing me often. He even asked if I wanted to be his mistress.” “And then?” someone from the gallery asked, completely engrossed. “Of course I said no! I pushed him away and ran.” “But after that, he started stalking me.” “He cornered me downstairs from the office and forced me to go to a hotel with him several times. He threatened to post my pictures and videos in the company group chat if I didn’t comply, so I had to agree.” “I’ve been trying to break it off with him, but then… I found out I was pregnant.” “I went to him to take responsibility, but he blocked me and pretended he didn’t know me. Who else am I supposed to turn to?” All eyes were on me, filled with a mixture of anger and disgust, as if they wanted to tear me apart. “Roxanne, do you have anything to say?” I shook my head, a cold smile on my face. “This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.” “If that man was really my husband, why would he ask a colleague to wait in the car instead of inviting them inside?” Sienna’s face paled slightly. “How should I know? Maybe your husband had sinister intentions from the start!” “He locked the car doors. I couldn’t escape.” Something still felt off. “You’re just spinning a tale with no proof. Where’s your evidence?” Sienna’s voice was defiant. “I have it!” She produced a surveillance video. It showed her arriving at the entrance to my apartment complex. It’s an upscale building, so she loitered outside for a while. Then, a man with his back to the camera emerged from my building. Sienna approached him, and they started talking. The video cut off there. “See? He was right outside your building. It was obviously your husband!” My expression turned serious. Apartment 302, Brighton Towers. I had randomly put down that address when the company was collecting employee information. But I live in a villa and rarely go to that apartment. I never thought she would dig that up. And the man… his back did look vaguely familiar. Still, I shook my head. “Impossible. I almost never stay at that apartment. How could a husband of mine just suddenly appear there? I suggest you tell the truth in front of the judge. Otherwise, I will be suing you for defamation.” Sienna’s face contorted with a mixture of anger and fear. She was clearly shaken. Her lawyer whispered something to her, and her confidence seemed to return. “Don’t try to turn this around on me!” “Your husband assaulted me and got me pregnant! I have proof!” “I even heard him take a phone call. It was your voice on the other end. He called you ‘honey.’ Don’t deny it!” I was completely baffled. Could there really be someone out there impersonating my husband and deceiving Sienna? “That’s impossible. Describe the man to me. What were his distinguishing features?” Sienna sneered. “Stop pretending, Roxanne.” “I know your husband. His name is Peter Hayes!” The name dropped like a stone, and a wave of amusement washed over me. “Say his name again?” Suddenly, this whole situation had become very interesting.

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1 The vows were on our lips when the doors to the chapel burst open. My groom, Lucian Vance, head of a weapons empire, was about to become a husband. And, it seemed, a father. He stiffened, then immediately released my hands and grabbed his jacket, ready to bolt. “Arabella, she’s in trouble. I have to go,” he said, his voice urgent, his eyes devoid of a single shred of guilt for the woman he was about to leave at the altar. A hush fell over the cathedral. Every guest, every powerful figure from the city’s underworld, turned to stare. “Lucian, I don’t give a damn who Isla is,” I said, my voice ringing out, clear and cold. “But this isn’t just our wedding. It’s an alliance between the Vance and Stanton families. Are you willing to burn that bridge—to break that treaty—for a mistress?” Lucian froze, clearly stunned that I would challenge him so publicly. The whispers from the pews grew louder. “That poor Stanton girl. Finding out on her wedding day he has another woman…” “I heard she’s some nightclub dancer. And pregnant with his child…” In another life, I threw a fit. I threatened to kill myself to stop him from leaving, forcing him to complete the ceremony. But Isla died in childbirth, along with their son. He never even got to say goodbye. For that, he hated me. He locked me away in a gilded cage, a sunless villa where I became his prisoner. And when it was my turn to give birth, he smiled and told the doctors to remove a bullet from one of his men first, leaving me to bleed out on a cold operating table. This life, I would make sure everyone knew that the Vances had betrayed me first. This life, Lucian Vance would pay for his choice. “Mr. Vance, it’s an emergency! Miss Isla is in labor, and the doctors say it’s a difficult birth! They said you have to come now!” A young woman with a perfectly made-up face burst into the ceremony, interrupting us. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. “Mr. Vance, please, you have to save Miss Isla! She’s carrying your child!” My grip on my bouquet tightened. Across from me, Lucian’s face had gone pale with shock. “What did you say? A difficult birth? How?” He was about to abandon the entire wedding, all our guests, and run. In my last life, this was the moment I stopped him, forcing him to finish the wedding and sealing his eternal hatred for me. This time, I wouldn’t stand in his way. I ripped the veil from my head. “Lucian, who is Isla? And why is she saying she’s pregnant with your child?” I let my voice tremble, my face a mask of shock and devastation. The guests immediately turned their sympathetic gazes upon me. The whispers started again. “Poor Arabella. Her wedding isn’t even over, and her husband’s mistress is giving birth.” “This is a major union between two families. The Vances are showing zero respect for the Stantons.” Lucian shot me an impatient look. “Arabella, it’s my child. I can’t let her die. I’ll explain later.” He turned to leave again. “Wait.” I stepped in front of him. “Today is our wedding day. You’re going to leave me at the altar for another woman, in front of all these people? What does that say about the Stanton family’s honor?” “If you already had someone you loved, why didn’t you say so? Why did you wait until our wedding day to humiliate me?” “A Stanton woman does not have to beg to be married into the Vance family.” Lucian shoved my hand away. “I’m not refusing to marry you, but this is a matter of life and death! I can’t just ignore it!” My eyes reddened, and a single tear traced a perfect path down my cheek. “But this alliance was set in stone by our families. The invitations have been sent, the contracts signed. If you walk out that door right now, this union is void. You can explain that to our parents tomorrow.” My tears began to fall like broken pearls. This time, I had learned how to play the victim. I would make sure the entire world knew that Lucian Vance, and the entire Vance family, had wronged me. Lucian’s parents, their faces burning with shame from the surrounding gossip, finally stepped in. “Lucian, stop this nonsense! Today is your wedding day with Arabella. You can’t just walk out!” “Get back here and finish the ceremony!” his father commanded. The young assistant fell to her knees again. “Sir, Madam, Miss Isla is carrying the Vance family’s first grandson! Can you really be so heartless?” “Mr. Vance, she followed you without a title or a name, willing to bear your children. Are you really going to let her die?” Lucian echoed her plea. “Father, Mother, that’s your grandson. Can you truly stand by and do nothing?” He then turned his cold eyes back to me. “Since this is a family alliance, the marriage is inevitable. Why the rush? Or is the precious Stanton daughter that desperate to marry into the Vance family? It’s a bit pathetic, don’t you think?” His tone softened slightly. “Arabella, I know you’re a reasonable woman. Once you’re Mrs. Vance, I’m sure you and Isla can learn to get along, can’t you?” A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Lucian, you and I are not yet married. This ceremony is not complete. I have no intention of playing sisters with your mistress.” I threw my bouquet to the ground. “If you insist on saving her, I won’t stop you. But the alliance between our families cannot be jeopardized by your personal affairs.” “Can the Vance family afford the price of breaking our contract?” Lucian’s father’s face was a mask of fury. “Lucian, this deal is worth billions! Are you going to risk our entire family for some woman?” Lucian was dismissive. “Father, I already agreed to the alliance, didn’t I? What does it matter when the wedding happens? You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.” He completely ignored the gravity of the situation. “What’s next? Are you going to try and schedule when we sleep together too?” Seeing that he had finally pushed his father too far, I smiled faintly and took a step forward, addressing Lucian’s parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Vance,” I said, my voice clear and deliberate. “As this is an alliance between our two families, the contract doesn’t specify which Vance son I am to marry.” “Since Lucian already has a woman he loves, I will not stand in his way. Our engagement is hereby terminated. The man I will marry today is the Vance family’s second son, Adrian.” The entire cathedral erupted. Lucian burst out laughing. “What did you say? You want to marry my brother? He’s nothing but a brute who only knows how to fight! I am the future head of the Vance family! Have you lost your mind?” I looked him straight in the eye. “So what? You may be the heir, but you cheated during our engagement and fathered a child with another woman. Why would I marry a man with no loyalty? Adrian may not work at the headquarters, but he is capable and honorable. He is a thousand times the man you are.” I gave him a mocking look. “Or are you having second thoughts? Do you want to marry me now? Oh, dear. I wonder how Isla is doing. She must be in so much pain…” At the mention of Isla, the assistant tugged frantically on Lucian’s arm. “Mr. Vance, we can’t wait any longer! Miss Isla is fading!” Lucian glared at me with contempt. “Fine. If you’d rather marry my brother than be my wife, I’ll grant you your wish. After my son is born, I’ll marry his mother. Arabella Stanton, you will regret this.” With that, he ripped off his tuxedo jacket, threw it to the ground, and stormed out in front of everyone. I turned to my assistant. “Contact my father and mother. Tell them to bring the marriage contract they signed with Lucian.” My parents arrived within minutes. My father’s face was thunderous. “A fine welcome from the Vances! Did you think the Stantons were a family to be trifled with? For Lucian to cause such a scene on his wedding day for a common mistress… don’t blame us for turning hostile.” I stopped him. “Father, Lucian and I have made things clear. I will not marry him. But the alliance is for our families’ mutual benefit. It never stipulated which son I had to marry. Now that Lucian has proven his disloyalty, I refuse to marry him. But he isn’t the only son. There is still Adrian.” My mother whispered, “Arabella, you don’t have to sacrifice yourself. Even if we break the alliance, it would be the Vances’ fault.” I smiled softly. Breaking a family alliance of this magnitude wasn’t easy. But switching the groom? That was much simpler. The underworld didn’t need to know whether I married the first or second son of the Vance family. They only needed to know our families were united. That was enough to keep our enemies at bay. Besides, in my last life, when Lucian drove me to my death for Isla, it was Adrian who stood up at my funeral and condemned his brother’s treachery, exposing Lucian for the monster he truly was. My father considered for a moment, then nodded in agreement and turned to Lucian’s father. “Mr. Vance, your thoughts?” Mr. and Mrs. Vance nodded eagerly. “This is an excellent solution. We are so sorry for what Arabella has had to endure. We must call for Adrian immediately.” My father held up a hand, stopping them. “My daughter has certainly been wronged. Lucian’s deplorable behavior and public breach of contract is an insult to both our families. He fathered a child with another woman during his engagement to my daughter and chose to reveal it on their wedding day.” “If the Vance family does not make a significant gesture, the Stanton family elders will assume this behavior was condoned.” Lucian’s father was stunned. “What do you propose?” I spoke up. “Since you feel I have been wronged, and I have chosen not to escalate this scandal for the sake of both our families, the best solution is for you to convene a family council. Revoke Lucian’s position as heir, and name Adrian the new head of the Vance syndicate.” “After all, Lucian has proven himself to be a reckless liability. Adrian, on the other hand, is exceptionally capable and has earned the respect of everyone. Don’t you think he is better suited to lead?” Defeated, Lucian’s father finally nodded. “Very well. As you say. I will call a family meeting tomorrow and propose the change of heir.” “The second son has arrived.” Adrian was standing at the back of the crowd. I didn’t know how long he’d been there. He walked up the aisle. His father clapped him on the shoulder. “The family is in your hands now. Since your brother has no regard for our interests, let him have his freedom. The position of heir to the Vance family is no longer his.” Adrian looked at me, his gaze deep and steady. “Miss Stanton, I am a practical man. I don’t have time for poetry or romance. I may not be able to take you shopping or for tea. But I swear on my name, if you will have me, I will protect you for the rest of my life. Will you?” I smiled. “I will.” To the sound of the wedding march, I put my veil back on, and Adrian and I exchanged rings, becoming husband and wife. As the chandeliers sparkled above us, a wave of relief washed over me. This time, I was finally free of Lucian Vance. And I had taken his birthright. I couldn’t wait to see if he would regret losing everything for Isla. The story of how Lucian Vance abandoned his bride at the altar for his mistress spread through our world overnight. The next day, as Adrian and I were preparing for the formal tea ceremony with the elders, Lucian’s father sent men to bring him back to the estate. He didn’t come alone. He brought Isla, who was holding a newborn baby. She was dressed in a designer coat and dripping with jewels, clinging to Lucian’s arm as if she were a fragile doll. She bowed demurely with the baby in her arms. “Father, Mother, my name is Isla. Orion, say hello to your grandpa and grandma.” She cooed at the baby, a smug look on her face. Lucian’s parents were livid. “What is the meaning of this? How dare you bring her here today!” Lucian declared, “Father, Mother, Isla risked her life to give me Orion. He is our family’s first grandson!” “Isla and I are in love. I have decided to marry her and make her an honorable Mrs. Vance.” Isla gazed at him, her eyes shining with adoration. “Lucian, having you is all I need in this life. My son and I want for nothing. Please don’t argue with your parents.” Lucian pulled her closer. “You gave me a son. You are a hero to this family. My mind is made up. You will be my wife.” He saw me then, dressed in a traditional red gown for the ceremony, and his tone softened. “I know I wronged you yesterday, leaving you to face our guests alone. I’m surprised you were so understanding. I will make it up to you.” “What I said about canceling our engagement was just in the heat of the moment. I’ll treat you well from now on.” “But Isla gave me a son, so I must marry her. You can live here with us. She has a gentle nature and isn’t suited to manage a household. You can be in charge. It will be a sign of respect. You and Isla must get along.” I frowned, listening to his nonsense, about to speak, but someone else spoke for me. “Brother, what are you saying to my wife? Arabella, it’s time to serve the elders.” Adrian stepped out from behind me, his arm gently guiding me forward. Lucian was dumbfounded. “What wife? What are you talking about? The one who married Arabella was me, not you!” Adrian smiled, holding my hand tightly. “No. You didn’t finish the ceremony, remember? You ran off to be with your Isla. Everyone in the underworld knows that the man who exchanged rings with her and spent our wedding night with her… was me.” Lucian yelled, “Impossible! Father, Mother, how could you let this happen? This makes us a laughingstock!” His father’s face was grim. “You’re just now realizing we became a laughingstock yesterday? If it weren’t for Adrian, the Vance family’s name would be in ruins!” Suddenly, a formal announcement cut through the argument.

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Because of my cowardly personality, I was bullied every day by my coworkers and gaslighted by my manager: “Shouldn’t young people do a little more?” “With your skill level, do you even deserve a salary? Do you think this company is a charity?” “You have plenty of opportunities in the future. Let the senior employees have the ‘Employee of the Year’ award this time.” “You’re just wasting oxygen. Watch your back on your way home!” When I went to the boss to report the bullying, he just sneered: “There’s no such thing as bullying among adults. If everyone dislikes you, you need to look at yourself and find out why!” Eventually, my depression worsened, and I jumped off a building to end my life. When I woke up, my coworker Linda was just saying to me: “Hey Chloe, I’m heading out early. Can you stay late and finish this spreadsheet for me?” 1 “Are your arms broken?” I didn’t even look up, just fired right back at her. In my past life, this was exactly how it started—the slow, creeping gaslighting over minor tasks. At first, when delegating work within the department, they’d intentionally give me a heavier workload or the toughest, most thankless tasks. Later on, they didn’t even bother hiding it. They just dumped their own work on me, constantly saying: “Chloe, can you organize this spreadsheet for me?” “Chloe, take this report over to the client for me.” “Chloe, I have a family emergency and need to leave early. Can you finish my expense report and attach the receipts?” Chloe isn’t your mother. Will you literally die if you don’t boss me around for one second? How shameless can you get? Unfortunately, in my past life, I was meek and thin-skinned. If I was even slightly slow, my coworkers would say: “Oh, Chloe, you’re still young. Young people should work harder so they can learn and grow quickly. That’s how we all came up.” Like an idiot, I thought they actually had my best interests at heart and eagerly ran around doing their bidding. But what exactly was I supposed to learn from spending two hours taping receipts to a piece of paper? On top of that, Accounting would constantly nitpick—either the receipts were facing the wrong way or in the wrong order. They called me useless, saying I couldn’t even handle a simple task. It tanked my self-esteem. I started doubting myself, wondering if I really was just that incompetent and needed to tape more receipts to improve. But that was nothing. The fatal blow came later. The data in the contract I delivered to the client for Linda was wrong, causing a massive loss for the project. The boss was absolutely furious. Linda put on a devastated, apologetic face and explained to the management: “Young people are just so careless. I hadn’t even finished reviewing it, and Chloe took it upon herself to deliver it to the client. It’s my fault. I’ll teach her more in the future and make sure she learns to be more reliable.” The boss immediately docked my entire annual bonus, and HR sent out a formal, company-wide reprimand email. I hid in the bathroom and cried for hours. I really wanted to travel back in time and slap myself awake for being such a massive pushover! Instead of wasting time crying, why didn’t I just rip her a new one? Thankfully, I’ve been reborn! 2 Linda looked at me in pure disbelief: “Chloe, what kind of attitude is that? We’re your seniors. Did you lose your mind today? You were never like this before.” Clearly, she still thought I was the same meek doormat from my past life. “Linda, this is your work. How do you have the nerve to ask me to work overtime to do it?” “What’s wrong with a young person learning a bit more? I’m giving you an opportunity to gain experience. Besides, you’re a single girl, you don’t have anything going on at home anyway. Why can’t you spend a little more time improving yourself?” “You’re right. I definitely need to learn more, especially since this spreadsheet is so difficult. I don’t know how to do it. Why don’t you teach me? Once you teach me how, then I’ll do it for you.” I’d made up my mind. If she wanted to play the “young people need to learn” card, fine! I’ll learn! I’ll spend 5 hours learning how to do this spreadsheet! I’ll stay until 11 PM learning! Linda seemed to catch on to my strategy and got a little angry: “You can’t even handle a simple task like this? I don’t know how HR ever hired you!” “Yeah, you can’t even handle a simple task like this and have to ask others for help. I don’t know how you’ve survived in this company for so many years!” “I have something to do and need to leave early, it’s not that I don’t know how to do it!” Linda started explaining herself. The moment she started explaining, the battle was already won. Take note here, this is a key lesson: In office warfare, never explain yourself. The moment you start explaining, you fall into the trap of self-justification. Just go on the offensive. I didn’t say anything else, just gave her a cold sneer. Linda seemed a little flustered. She didn’t dare tangle with me any further, went back to her cubicle, and started working on the spreadsheet herself. As she worked, she muttered under her breath: “What’s wrong with her? She was fine yesterday…” Although she backed off, she was clearly still resentful. After all, just a few days ago, no matter who asked me to do something, I’d just roll over and take it. Today, I actually dared to refuse her, completely disrespecting her in front of everyone. So, she was determined to win that respect back today. Not long after, she came looking for me again. Of course, coming to me this time was like walking right into a trap. 3 She tossed the client contract onto my desk: “You can’t do a spreadsheet, but surely you can run an errand? This is the contract for the client. Go drop it off!” Just as I was about to fire back, a scene from my past life flashed through my mind: It was this exact contract delivery. Linda falsely accused me of submitting the contract to the client without permission, which cost me my annual bonus, got me publicly reprimanded, and made me cry my eyes out. Well, I had to deliver it. Otherwise, what if she noticed the data was wrong and corrected it? So, I pretended to be reluctant and said: “Fine, I’ll go drop it off now.” Linda looked pleased. She finally got her respect back today. This young upstart dared to rebel and be insubordinate; she had to nip that abnormal behavior in the bud immediately. However, seeing my sour expression, she assumed I was still resentful and wanted to push me down further: “Chloe, this isn’t just a simple delivery. You’ll get to interact with the client. You can learn how to communicate with clients. You’re still very lacking in that area.” What a joke. When I got to the client’s office, all I had to do was hand it to the receptionist. What was there to learn? Stop using “learning” and “growth” as bait to exploit young employees. Besides, I communicate perfectly fine with my own clients. How am I lacking? Of course, right now, I couldn’t wait to get that contract into the client’s hands. I just played hard to get: “But I’m worried the manager might need me for something. If he can’t find me, he might mark me as AWOL. Could you let the manager know?” My request was perfectly reasonable. The company had a formal “Out of Office” form, but people usually just left if they had urgent business. I diligently filled out the form, made sure both Linda and the manager, Mark, signed it, and then happily rented a Citi Bike to deliver the contract. As for the financial loss it would cause the company, that wasn’t my problem. In my past life, when the bullying got so suffocating I couldn’t breathe, I went to the boss and told him I felt like I was being bullied by my coworkers. The boss just sneered at me: “Chloe, have you been reading too much fiction? There’s no such thing as bullying among adults. If nobody likes you, maybe it’s because your emotional intelligence isn’t high enough?” I tried to explain, but he waved his hand dismissively: “Look for the reasons within yourself. Don’t blow everything out of proportion. You’re an adult, stop being so dramatic!” Was I being dramatic? I was being bullied, and I was supposed to find the reason within myself? When will this victim-blaming mentality finally disappear? I looked at the contract in my hand and wished I could change the price to be even lower and the penalty clause to be even higher. I’d love to bankrupt this company in one fell swoop. But I wasn’t going to commit a crime. I’d just sit back and watch them destroy themselves. 4 The problem surfaced very quickly. As soon as the client wired the payment, Accounting panicked and rushed to the boss. Soon, both Linda and Manager Mark were called into the boss’s office. Roaring and the sound of things being thrown echoed from inside. Everyone in the bullpen was too scared to make a sound. They all sat rigidly at their desks, pretending to be extremely busy, while stealing glances at the boss’s office. I felt absolutely nothing inside. I just silently cheered for the boss, hoping he’d lose his mind and beat Linda up. Unfortunately, the tension inside seemed to ease up a bit. A few minutes later, Linda opened the door and called me in. The boss pointed at the contract on the floor and demanded: “What is wrong with you?! You delivered the contract to the client before Linda even finished revising it?!” Trying this trick again? What a masterful deflection! “Boss, Linda told me to deliver it. I have an Out of Office form, and Manager Mark knew about it too.” Linda had assumed I’d just silently take the fall like I did in my past life, and then go hide in the bathroom and cry for hours. She didn’t expect me to instantly whip out an approved Out of Office form. “I followed company procedure and submitted a request to leave the office. Here is my approved form.” The boss shot a look at Mark. Mark’s signature was on that form. If he covered for Linda, he’d be taking the blame himself. Mark was shrewd. He immediately said: “That’s right. Linda asked Chloe to deliver it. They both told me about it.” The boss grew even angrier and glared daggers at Linda. Linda turned pale from fear. She couldn’t shift the blame, and her attempt to frame someone else had failed. I thought she was out of moves, but then she suddenly picked up the quote sheet, pointed at the numbers, and said to the boss: “This data is wrong. Someone tampered with it. I’ve been at this company for years; there’s no way I’d make such a rookie mistake!” Then, she glared at me viciously: “Chloe, is it because I asked you to do that spreadsheet? Are you mad at me and trying to get revenge? If it was wrong of me to ask you to work overtime, you could have reported it to management. You can’t just use the company’s profits to get revenge on me for your own petty grievances!” She even turned to Mark and said: “Manager Mark, you saw me and Chloe arguing that day, right? I never thought this young kid would be so vindictive and have absolutely zero regard for the big picture!” I was a bit stunned. I didn’t realize this woman was such a good actress. 5 But if she wanted to put on a show, I’d play along to the bitter end! “Linda, after I got the contract from you, I put it straight into a manila envelope. When would I have had the chance to alter it?” “Who knows if you swapped it out on the way? I have the original version on my computer. Let’s take a look and see, won’t we?” Saying that, she actually ran out and brought her laptop in. I looked closely, and sure enough, the amount was a full million dollars higher than the contract sent to the client. Linda instantly regained her confidence: “Boss, look, this is the original data. Chloe must have been upset that I made her work overtime, so she altered the contract to get back at me. Thank God I kept the original draft, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to prove my innocence.” Then she turned around, putting on an expression of deep disappointment: “Chloe, personal grudges should be settled privately. But what you’ve done is illegal! If you don’t confess right now, we’re calling the police!” I didn’t expect Linda to be so fast. She had altered the draft in that short amount of time and then immediately thrown the dirty water on me. The boss and Mark seemed more inclined to believe Linda. I could understand that. Linda was a veteran employee who was always kissing up to management, while I had only been there for a little over a year. Of course, they’d side with her. “Call the police then. I can’t explain it anyway.” Seeing my indifferent attitude, Linda became even more arrogant and actually reached for her phone to call 911. But with her little trick, the company’s IT department could easily check when she modified the file. We didn’t even need the police. She was just bluffing to force me to take the fall. Mark stopped Linda and said to me: “Chloe, the company doesn’t actually want to see you go to jail. If you really altered it, just confess. The company takes a small loss, and it won’t affect you.” This was exactly how it played out in my past life. The two of them played good cop, bad cop, forcing me to take the blame, which became the catalyst for my worsening depression. Seeing Mark still pulling the same old tricks, I couldn’t take it anymore and asked: “Manager Mark, haven’t you always kept the company seal locked in your office? I’m just a regular employee. I don’t have the authorization to alter contracts, and I certainly don’t have access to the company seal. Please tell me, how exactly did I alter it? And how did I stamp it after altering it?” Theoretically, Mark was supposed to review all contracts. But he trusted Linda, so he probably just stamped it without even looking. That meant he had to share the blame, which was why he was so desperate to pin it on me. Of course, the deeper reason was that they both thought I was an easy target, the perfect scapegoat. 6 I had checkmated Mark. He quickly tried to explain to the boss: “I keep the company seal in my office. Usually, people just come in and stamp things themselves. It was an oversight in my management…” This statement not only cleared him of the responsibility of “failing to review” the contract but also implied that I might have snuck in and used the seal when no one was looking. It was incredibly calculating. I was too lazy to keep playing games with them. I took out my phone and pulled up the photos I had taken the moment Linda handed me the contract: “Boss, when I got the contract, I was worried pages might be missing, so I took a picture of every single page. You can take a look.” The boss took my phone, checked the timestamp on the photos, and then looked at the content. His face turned ashen. Linda still wouldn’t give up and stubbornly argued: “Who knows if those photos are Photoshopped? Photoshop is so advanced these days. Doctoring a photo and changing the timestamp is easy.” Even at this point, she was still trying to shift the blame. I wasn’t going to humor her anymore: “Linda, when I got the contract, I walked past the front entrance. There’s a security camera right there. I held up every single page under that camera. Just have IT pull the security footage!” Linda, who had been trying to put up a brave front, completely panicked. I struck while the iron was hot: “Also, your little trick with altering the file won’t fool anyone. The file properties show the ‘Last Modified’ date. Open it and see for yourself.” I really didn’t understand how she could delude herself to this extent. The boss finally lost it: “If you made a mistake, you made a mistake! Why are you still lying?! You’ve caused the company a massive loss. Write your resignation letter. I don’t ever want to see you again!” Linda lowered her head, not daring to speak. Not making her pay for the damages was already a huge act of leniency. However, her year-end bonus was definitely gone, her commissions were gone, and she wasn’t getting any severance pay either. As she left, she glared at me with pure hatred: “I never thought someone as young as you could be so calculating.” I genuinely couldn’t understand it. When a bad person’s malicious plot fails, they blame the victim for not cooperating? Of course, what I understood even less was the boss. After Linda left, he held the contract, stared at me, and said: “Since you looked at every page of this contract and even took pictures, why didn’t you spot the errors?”

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The week Julian and I started dating, I moved into his house to work as a maid. Right before his engagement to the heiress of the Montgomery family, he sneaked into the maid’s quarters, grabbed my hand, and swore to me: “Listen to me, Chloe. Wait for me for three years. In three years, I promise I will divorce her and marry you.” I glanced toward the living room at the back of the woman sitting elegantly on the Montgomery family’s sofa. Just three years. Then we could be a family again. So, I nodded obediently. “Okay!” 1 When Julian came downstairs, I was kneeling on the floor, picking up pieces of broken porcelain. He walked over to the dining counter, picked up his coffee, and looked down at me from above. Just as I was about to stand up, a warm palm pressed against the back of my neck. His thumb rubbed the side of my neck, squeezing with just enough pressure to be felt. It was like comfort, but also like carelessly playing with a favorite toy. “Why are you kneeling?” He bent down, his breath tickling my ear, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction directed at me. “Did my aunt punish you again?” I didn’t say anything, just looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. Julian sighed. Instead of comforting me, he reached out and adjusted my collar. “Chloe, you know that before I came back to the Montgomery family, I was just like you. What is this little bit of grievance compared to the privilege of entering this house?” He looked at me. Like a strict teacher, yet also like a tender lover. “This is a test. If you can’t handle a small thing like this, how will you stand by my side as the young madam of the Montgomery family in the future?” He paused, his thumb gently caressing my cheek, his voice soft and persuasive. “Bear with it.” “Chloe, you know what kind of person she is. Right now, in her eyes, you are nothing.” “Only when you become the young madam, when you have status and position, will she naturally look up to you. She will accept you, even… love you the way you want her to. Isn’t that what you want?” I sniffled, leaned my head against his palm, and nodded obediently. My voice was soft and full of dependence. “Yes, I know, Julian.” Satisfied, Julian patted my cheek and walked away with his coffee, looking content. Only after his figure disappeared did I look down at the broken pieces on the floor. If he hadn’t appeared at the top of the stairs right at that moment, she definitely would have helped me pick them up. I saw it clearly; she had already bent down and reached out her hand. But upon hearing the door open on the second floor, she retracted her hand as if burned and put on a harsh face. A faint scent of perfume lingered in the air. It smelled so good, so warm. I breathed it in greedily, as if doing so could bring me closer to her. 2 In the Montgomery family’s renowned old mansion in Seattle, the food chain was actually quite clear. Old Mr. Montgomery was the absolute authority. And Julian was the “crown prince” who held the power of life and death. As for his aunt, Patricia… Despite putting on airs as the “second madam,” she and her son—the burden she brought into the family—entirely depended on Julian’s moods to survive. To secure a future for her son, she had to bow and scrape to Julian. Her life wasn’t much better than mine as a maid. At least I got paid. To the outside world, I was the college student Julian was charitably sponsoring. Inside the house, I was his secret, underground lover. And in Patricia’s eyes… I probably had ulterior motives. But I didn’t care. As long as I could stay in this house, as long as I could see her every day. I took a Band-Aid out of my pocket and wrapped it around my bleeding finger. I dusted off my knees and got up to head to the kitchen. When my aunt left earlier, her gaze lingered on my hand for a moment. She must have felt sorry for me. That was enough. 3 When Julian first suggested I come work as a maid to keep him company, I immediately nodded and agreed. It wasn’t because I loved him so much that I had lost my self-respect. It was because he “accidentally” showed me a photo of a Montgomery family dinner. In an inconspicuous corner of the photo stood the person I had been looking for for many years. At that time, Julian put away his phone and gently held my hand. He looked at me, his eyes full of loneliness, like a child about to be abandoned. “Chloe, in this cold house, I can’t feel a shred of warmth.” “If you were there, I’d be so happy.” He didn’t mention the person in the photo at all. As if showing me the picture was really just to share his life. But I came without hesitation anyway. 4 When Julian walked over, he was holding a canister of fish food. He must have been standing there for a long time. I had just finished talking with his aunt. Oh, wait, I should call her the second madam of the Montgomery family. “I’ve seen your resume.” She stepped closer, a look of frustrated disdain on her face. “A top student in finance from NYU, and pretty too… Why is your head so muddled that you insist on coming here to serve people like a lowly servant?” She looked at my face as if looking at a stranger. Completely unable to recognize how much this face resembled hers when she was young. I lowered my eyes, my voice submissive. “Investment banking is too stressful, and my health isn’t good. I just want a stable place, and the Montgomery family pays well.” I lied. If I wanted to, getting into a top investment bank and earning a high salary wouldn’t be hard. But some opportunities can’t be bought with money. She was probably afraid I’d seduce her useless husband and steal her position as the second madam. She lifted her chin, pointing toward Julian, and egged me on: “See him? That’s the real golden goose of the Montgomery family.” “Julian is young and vigorous, and he’s about to be forced into an arranged marriage with that block of wood from the Harrison family. Those rich heiresses are so boring. Men… they all like pure, obedient girls like you.” She patted my shoulder, speaking with deep earnestness. “If you can climb into his bed, even without a title, the benefits will be enough to last you a lifetime. We know your background; rather than having him go out and find some dirty woman, it might as well be you.” I lowered my head, my nails digging deep into my palms. A wave of absurd bitterness washed over me. I pretended to be overwhelmingly grateful. “Thank you for the advice, Second Madam! I… I will work hard.” Patricia smiled in satisfaction. “Be smart about it. Don’t say I taught you.” She turned and left, her steps even seeming a bit lighter. Julian must have heard everything. He looked up at his uncle’s room and let out a soft chuckle. He casually tossed all the fish food from the edge into the pond, watching the koi fight madly over it. “My aunt is right.” He stood up, walked over to me, and adjusted the name tag on my chest, his words full of implication: “You see, in her eyes, you are just a plaything to be used, a tool to curry favor with me.” “Think about it. When you become my Mrs. Montgomery in three years, how happy will she be? How much will she dote on you?” “So, Chloe, you have to be obedient.” 5 During dinner, Leo came back. Leo was the “burden” Patricia brought into the Montgomery family, and her biggest hope in this house. To help him fit in, she had him change his last name, even though Julian’s uncle had never once looked the boy in the eye. As soon as he returned, Patricia’s whole demeanor brightened. The cheap red silk scarf Leo gave her was treated like a treasure and wrapped around her neck. “Oh, Leo is so thoughtful.” I stood waiting in the corner of the dining room, wishing that happiness was because of me. That scarf was a package I had signed for; it cost $9.99 on Amazon. Last week for her birthday, I used the money I had saved for a long time to anonymously gift her a pure cashmere shawl. The next day, I saw it in the trash can. She clapped her hands in disgust and told the cleaning lady: “I don’t know who sent this off-brand junk. It scratches my skin just touching it. Throw it far away.” I tried my best to control my facial expression, lowering my eyes so I wouldn’t look at the mother and son. Julian was sitting at the head of the table, watching me. While elegantly eating his dinner, he observed my reaction with great interest. When Patricia, trying to serve food to her son, accidentally splashed some broth on the table and turned to yell at me, “Are you blind?!” Julian finally spoke up. “Aunt Patricia,” his voice was light, but lacked any respect for an elder. “Chloe is a student I’m sponsoring.” My heart jumped, thinking he was going to stand up for me. But the next second, he changed his tune, a smile playing on his lips: “But in this house, she is a servant. Since she draws a salary, taking a little scolding is expected.” He looked at me, like a patriarch reprimanding an ignorant child: “Chloe, what are you standing there for? Can’t you see my aunt is upset? Go pour some wine for her and Leo.” I bit my lower lip hard, meeting his eyes that seemed gentle but were actually ice-cold. He knew everything. He knew who that was, and he knew what I wanted! I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and respectfully poured the wine. As I passed by Julian on my way back, he said in a voice only I could hear: “Do you see clearly now? Without my backing, in her eyes, you are nothing but a punching bag.” “Chloe, you can only stay here if you listen to me.” My hand trembled slightly. Yes, he knew. He knew what I wanted, and he knew how to control me. I lowered my eyes, hiding the coldness within them, and answered softly: “Yes, Young Master.” 6 The atmosphere at the dinner table didn’t ease up despite my submission. Halfway through the meal, Leo rolled his eyes, put down his knife and fork, and pulled a document out of his bag, slamming it on the table. “Ugh, this is so annoying! My professor abroad is making me translate this paper. It’s full of financial jargon, and translation software just spits out gibberish. Mom, I’m not doing it. I want to sleep.” Saying that, he glanced at Julian out of the corner of his eye. Patricia panicked and quickly put down her chopsticks to coax him: “How can you say that? You came back specifically to intern at the company. We can’t let people look down on your qualifications. The Montgomery family isn’t short on people; we’ll just find a translator.” Leo rolled his eyes and looked at Julian, his face full of flattery: “Julian, you studied abroad and majored in finance. Why don’t you help me…” Julian slowly and elegantly wiped his mouth. He refused matter-of-factly: “Company policy states that intern assessments must be completed independently. Leo, cheating is not good.” Leo’s face froze, and Patricia looked embarrassed. Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Julian’s gaze suddenly fell on me. He looked at me with a half-smile, his tone casual: “However… Chloe has good grades at school. This kind of basic modeling should be very simple for her.” He turned to look at Patricia, offering a “thoughtful” suggestion: “Aunt Patricia, since Leo doesn’t understand it, why not let Chloe try? She’s a top student at NYU after all; tutoring Leo shouldn’t be a problem.” I snapped my head up to look at him. Was he helping me? No, that couldn’t be right. How could he be so kind! But this opportunity was too rare; I couldn’t bear to let it go. If I could prove to my mom that I could help my brother, that I was excellent… I took a deep breath, took a step forward, and tried to make my voice sound steady: “Second Madam, this report is about financial derivatives, which happens to be my major. If you trust me, I can…” “Slap!” Patricia grabbed the document and smashed it hard against my face. The sharp edge of the paper scraped across my cheek, leaving a burning, bloody scratch. “Who told you to run your mouth?!” Patricia suddenly raised her voice, her eyes fierce: “A lowly servant showing off? Are you trying to act smarter than the young master? Do you think you’re worthy of tutoring him?!” Leo gloated from the side: “Exactly, take a look in the mirror…” 7 “SMASH——!!!” A red wine glass shattered on the floor, splashing liquid everywhere. Julian slowly picked up a napkin and elegantly wiped the wine stains from his hand. His movements were refined, as if he hadn’t just smashed the glass. “Julian…” Leo was so scared he fell silent. Julian lifted his eyelids, his cold gaze locking onto Patricia: “Aunt Patricia, I recall saying that Chloe is my person.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a terrifyingly oppressive weight: “You were right about one thing. Do you think you are worthy of lecturing someone from the Montgomery family?” Patricia’s face turned deathly pale. “Julian, I didn’t mean… it’s this girl who doesn’t know her place…” “That’s my business.” Julian cut her off, picking up the document with two fingers. “Since this document is making everyone so unhappy…” Without even a glance, he let go, dropping it straight into the boiling soup pot. “Then let’s not keep it.” “Since Leo doesn’t understand it, I don’t think there’s any need for him to go to this internship either.” “No! Julian! Julian, I’m sorry!” Leo started screaming miserably. Julian turned a deaf ear. He strode over to me, grabbed my wrist tight, and dragged me upstairs. We entered his room, and the door slammed shut heavily, cutting off the wailing outside. Julian pushed me onto the sofa and turned to get the first aid kit. His violent aura instantly vanished, replaced by a drowning tenderness. He dipped a cotton swab in iodine, lifted my chin, and carefully treated the bloody scratch on my cheek. His movements were unbelievably gentle. “Does it hurt?” he asked softly, his thumb gently caressing my cheek. The grievance I felt a moment ago, met with this sudden tenderness, almost made me cry. My eyelashes fluttered as I whispered, “A little.” Julian sighed, his eyes full of heartache, but the words he spoke were meant to kill: “You see, trying to curry favor on your own will only earn you a slap.” He cupped my face, his forehead resting against mine, his voice enchanting: “That woman is snobbish. She doesn’t see your sincerity; she only sees benefits.” “As long as I become the true master of the Montgomery family, as long as you become the rightful Mrs. Montgomery…” “When that time comes, you won’t need to beg her. To please me, she will kneel before you and hold you in the palm of her hand.” “That’s what you want, isn’t it?” Though cruel, it was the truth. The light in my eyes dimmed bit by bit, only to reignite with a different kind of hope. I knew this was poison wrapped in a sugar coating, but I still couldn’t resist swallowing it. That scenario was too tempting. If I just endure it, if I just wait for him to take control of the Montgomery family, Mom will recognize me, acknowledge me… “Yes.” I nodded obediently, burying my face in his palm and rubbing against it. Julian smiled in satisfaction and planted a kiss on the top of my head. In a daze, his figure began to overlap with the shadow from that summer many years ago.

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I discovered my husband secretly bought a voice recorder. When I casually asked him about it, he exploded: “Are you going to interrogate me about my work equipment too?” “If you have that much free time, go get a damn job!” I didn’t argue. Instead, I swapped the SD card in the recorder for a micro signal transmitter. The next day, he and his new mistress were seeking a thrill in his car. Every word of their conversation was broadcast via Bluetooth, Streaming live to the massive outdoor speakers of the neighborhood park’s Zumba class. 1. Mrs. Higgins, the lead dancer of the park Zumba group, was just about to change the track when the upbeat salsa music abruptly cut out. It was replaced by a harsh burst of static, followed immediately by incredibly explicit, red-faced noises blaring from the high-wattage outdoor speakers. “Oh… Carter… be gentle…” The sweet, breathy female voice was amplified by the heavy bass, rolling like thunder across the entire community park. Hundreds of seniors, mid-stretch and mid-kick, froze in unison as if someone had hit the pause button. Then came Carter’s familiar voice, dripping with a sleazy arrogance I had never heard before: “What are you scared of? This car has great soundproofing. That ugly old hag is still at home, stupidly waiting for me to finish ‘working late.’” The entire park went dead silent. The only sound was the obscene activity echoing from the speakers, growing louder, so clear it felt like they were right next to us. Mrs. Higgins stood frozen for a few seconds before her fan dropped to the concrete with a clatter. She was closest to the speakers, and the sheer volume of the moaning was making her heart race. “Wh… which couple left their windows open?” someone in the crowd muttered. “What couple?! Listen to what they’re saying, that’s an affair!” I sat on a bench at the edge of the park, pulling the brim of my baseball cap down low, clutching the receiver remote in my hand. I watched the black BMW X5 parked a short distance away, its windows tinted pitch-black. The chassis of the SUV was currently rocking to the rhythm of the sounds coming from the speakers. The conversation from the speakers continued, and the content only got more explosive. “So when are you going to divorce her? I don’t want to keep sneaking around like this.” “Soon, soon,” Carter’s voice sounded vicious. “That idiot is obsessing over getting pregnant right now. She forces me to watch her take her prenatal vitamins every day. She has no idea I replaced her expensive imported folic acid with long-term birth control pills, and even added a little ‘extra ingredient.’ As long as she can’t get pregnant and her health completely crashes, my mom will naturally force her out of the house.” If the crowd was just watching a sideshow before, that sentence completely shifted the atmosphere in the park. The seniors, who had been whispering amongst themselves, turned pale with fury. Everyone here had sons and daughters. Who could stomach hearing such a malicious, pure evil scheme? “Is he even human? Drugging his own wife?!” “That is pure evil! He’s trying to kill her!” Listening to the curses from the crowd, my fingernails dug so deeply into my palms they drew blood, but I couldn’t feel the pain. So that was it. That was why my health had been deteriorating for the past two years, why I had been experiencing unexplained bleeding. It was all his doing. Rage boiled in my veins, but I had to stay calm. 2. “Ugh, let’s not talk about that buzzkill of a woman,” the female voice whined playfully. “Babe, are we… are we going to get caught out here?” “Relax, I scoped this place out,” Carter said smugly. “These old geezers doing their little dances blast their music so loud, it’s the perfect cover. They can make their noise, and we can have our fun. It’s thrilling.” The words “old geezers” acted like a spark dropped into a powder keg. Mrs. Higgins was shaking with rage. She snatched her fan off the ground and waved it furiously: “This is outrageous! Doing their dirty business right under our noses and insulting us?!” “They’re parked right under the oak trees! I knew that black SUV looked suspicious!” Someone yelled, and hundreds of eyes simultaneously locked onto the parking spaces along the street. That black BMW X5 stuck out like a sore thumb under the streetlights. “Let’s go! Let’s see what kind of animal is in there!” The crowd surged toward the car like a dam breaking, a massive, unstoppable wave. I blended into the back of the crowd, watching as Carter’s car was completely surrounded, packed tight with angry seniors. The people inside clearly hadn’t realized what was happening, until the female voice let out a terrified shriek: “Carter! Why… why are there so many people outside?!” “What?!” Carter’s panicked roar came through the speakers, followed by the frantic rustling of clothes being thrown on. People started banging on the car windows: “Get out here! Explain yourself!” “Drugging people and cursing us out?! Get your ass out of the car!” The BMW rocked violently, pushed back and forth by the furious crowd like a tiny boat in a hurricane. Carter was clearly panicking. He tried to start the car, but he was completely blocked in, front and back. He rolled the window down a crack and yelled in exasperation: “What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing?! This is my private property! Move or I’m calling the cops!” That shout, picked up by the pen-shaped recorder clipped to his collar, was broadcast crystal clear across the entire park once again. “Call the cops? Go ahead and call them!” Mrs. Higgins had a fiery temper. She marched right up and pointed the park’s megaphone directly at the crack in his window. “Let the police decide who’s right: the scumbag drugging his wife, or the citizens catching a degenerate!” Carter’s face, flashing in and out of the shadows behind the tinted glass, was as white as a sheet. He probably couldn’t dream in a million years that his every word and action was currently being broadcast live to the entire neighborhood. While both sides were locked in a standoff, I gently tapped the screen of my phone. If I was going to drop the hammer, I was going to make sure he never got back up. I switched the signal source. Instead of broadcasting the live audio, I played an encrypted audio file I had recovered from the deepest, hidden folders of his recorder. 3. The chaotic noise from the speakers suddenly stopped. It was replaced by the dead-silent ambient noise of a closed office, followed by Carter’s lowered voice, sounding dark and incredibly greedy. “Mr. Lee, I’ve already taken care of the QA reports for that batch of steel rebar. So what if it’s all defective? Once it’s buried inside the concrete pillars, God himself won’t be able to see it. As long as that three million dollar wire hits my account, I’ll personally sign off on the final inspection for the Grandview redevelopment project.” The seniors, who had been aggressively slapping the car windows, froze in unison. The air instantly turned to lead. Grandview Estates. That was the massive, long-abandoned construction project nearby that had recently resumed building. Many of the seniors here had children who bought units there, or had sunk their own life savings into that exact project. “Defective… steel rebar?” “What is he saying? Those are our homes!” Terror spread much faster than anger, followed immediately by an explosion of rage a hundred times more violent than before. “Carter Vance?! You’re the Carter Vance from Grandview?!” “You son of a bitch! You’re building a death trap! Do you know how many people you’re going to kill?!” If this was a moral judgment before, it was now a blood feud. I don’t know who picked up the first brick, but it smashed against the BMW’s front windshield with a sickening CRASH. Spiderweb cracks instantly spidered across the glass. “Smash his car! Don’t let him escape!” “This piece of trash belongs in prison!” Inside the car, Carter completely broke down. He laid on the horn, but the sound was entirely drowned out by the roaring fury of hundreds of people. He couldn’t fathom how his top-secret, highly illegal corporate extortion was being broadcast to a public park via a Zumba speaker. Police sirens wailed in the distance, rapidly approaching. I stood in the shadows, watching as the cops struggled to push through the enraged mob, dragging a disheveled, bleeding Carter out of the car. His new mistress was paralyzed with fear, curled up under the dashboard, shaking like a leaf. The moment the handcuffs clicked shut on Carter’s wrists, his eyes were still frantically searching the crowd in a daze, desperately trying to find the mastermind who had just annihilated his entire life. But he was never going to find me. 4. I turned and walked away. When I got home, the apartment was pitch black and terrifyingly quiet. But I knew that tomorrow, this place was going to be incredibly lively. The police would come with search warrants, the loan sharks would be banging on the door, and the furious homeowners from Grandview Estates would come demanding blood. And I, as the completely “ignorant, innocent victim,” would cleanly extract myself from the wreckage. I would file for divorce as the aggrieved party, take back everything that was mine, and then some. I walked into the bathroom and dumped the swapped bottle of “folic acid” pills into the toilet, watching the pills swirl and vanish down the drain. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Carter. He must have used his one phone call or begged a cop for a second before being thrown in the back of the cruiser. It was just three words, dripping with bone-chilling desperation: [Was it you?] I poured myself a glass of red wine, raised it to the pale but bright-eyed woman in the mirror, and took a sip. Then, I slowly and methodically typed my reply: [Honey, what are you talking about? I’ve been waiting at home for you to finish work! I just heard Mrs. Higgins say they caught some pervert in the park, are you okay?] 5. The doorbell rang early the next morning. Looking through the peephole, I saw two stern faces wearing the blue uniforms of the NYPD’s Financial Crimes Unit. I quickly adjusted my makeup—making sure I looked appropriately haggard, while ensuring the concealer didn’t completely hide the redness around my eyes—and opened the door. “Are you Ms. Chloe Davis?” The older detective in front flashed his badge. “We’re with the Financial Crimes Task Force. We need to ask you a few questions regarding Carter Vance.” “Officers, please, come in,” I stepped aside, my voice trembling with carefully controlled emotion. “Carter… did he really…” I didn’t finish the sentence. I just covered my mouth with my hand, looking like a woman shattered by disbelief and grief. My performance was flawless. During the hour-long interrogation, I painted myself as a completely oblivious housewife, blissfully lost in the joy of trying to start a family. I “recalled” Carter’s recent strange behavior, like his frequent encrypted phone calls and the pen-shaped voice recorder he claimed was “for work.” “I… I just thought he was having an affair,” I sobbed, using a tissue to dab at non-existent tears. “I never in a million years thought he would do something so… so evil.” After seeing the detectives out, before I could even catch my breath, the door was pounded on like a war drum. This time, I didn’t check the peephole. I just opened it. My mother-in-law, Susan, charged in like an enraged lioness, raising her hand to slap me across the face. 6. I had anticipated this. I leaned back slightly, letting her hand swipe empty air. “Chloe, you venomous bitch!” she screamed, her eyes bloodshot, pointing her finger right at my nose. “Was it you?! Did you set up my son?! If anything happens to him, I’ll bury you with him!” “Mom, what are you talking about?” I gripped the doorframe, swaying as if I were about to faint. “I just found out what Carter did. I’m the victim here! Our family… it’s completely destroyed.” “Cut the crap!” Susan wasn’t buying it. Her usually well-maintained face was twisted into an ugly snarl, spit flying from her mouth. “Carter told me everything! He just wanted to scare you into signing the divorce papers! The drugging, the defective construction materials—you obviously hired someone to deepfake that audio!” I smoothly took a half-step back to avoid her spit. My eyes grew even more sorrowful, but I raised my voice just enough so the nosy neighbors peeking out into the hallway could hear every word. “Mom, hundreds of people in the park heard it last night. Carter admitted it himself. He said he swapped my prenatal vitamins for birth control and added other things… You watched me take those pills every single day. You praised me for being so responsible about getting pregnant. Did you know the pills were poisoned all along?!” Those words acted like a dagger, plunging directly into Susan’s weak spot. Her expression froze, and her eyes started darting nervously. “B-bullshit!” Her confidence clearly wavered, but she compensated by yelling even louder. “I just wanted a grandchild! Whose fault is it that your womb is useless?! Two years and you couldn’t even drop an egg! Carter was desperate… Even if he swapped the pills, he just didn’t want you giving birth to a retard!” Gasps echoed from the hallway. This was Carter’s mother. In her twisted logic, her son slowly poisoning his wife was justified because my “womb was useless.” I sneered internally, but on the outside, I put on an expression of world-shattering despair. I slid down the doorframe and collapsed onto the floor. “So… you did know? You watched my health deteriorate, you saw my unexplained bleeding, and you still pressured me to take those pills every day…” I clutched my chest, letting out a choked, agonizing wail. “That’s attempted murder! Mom, how could you be so cruel?!” “Shut up! Stop calling me Mom!” Seeing the neighbors pointing and whispering, some even pulling out their phones to record, Susan panicked. 7. She lunged forward to cover my mouth, but was stopped by a sharp shout from Mr. Henderson next door. “What do you think you’re doing?! Are you going to assault her too?!” Mr. Henderson was a retired city official with a strong sense of justice, and he had been at the park last night. “Susan, your son did something completely depraved, and the police dragged him away. Now you’re here bullying the victim? Do you really think the law can’t touch the two of you?!” “Exactly, that is so evil! Teaming up to drug your own daughter-in-law.” “She always looks so polite, who knew she had such a black heart?” The court of public opinion instantly turned against her. Susan, who valued her reputation above all else, turned the color of a bruised plum under the barrage of accusations. She pointed a trembling finger at me. “Fine… Chloe, you win this round! Just you wait! If Carter goes to prison, I will never let you live in peace! My son bought this apartment, get the hell out of here!” I lifted my head. Tears were still wet on my cheeks, but my eyes were terrifyingly clear, carrying a coldness that made her shudder. “Mom, this apartment is a marital asset. Carter is currently facing major federal financial crimes and aggravated assault charges. Until the court seizes the property, I have every legal right to stay here.” I paused, lowering my voice so only the two of us could hear. “Besides, everyone just recorded you admitting you knew about the drugs. Tell me, do you think the police will charge you as an accessory to attempted murder?” Susan’s pupils contracted violently. She stared at me like she was looking at a ghost. She finally realized that the meek, submissive daughter-in-law she used to abuse was completely gone.

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