Author: Momo Chan

After a car crash, the fake heiress claimed she was from five years in the future and that she was married to my husband. Late at night, she stripped naked, threw herself at my fiancé, and sobbed: “Five years from now, Chloe will steal all your assets, betray you, and even abort your child!” “I’m the only one who truly loves you! We are soulmates!” Ethan coldly tossed her out into the snow, repeatedly wiping his hands where she had touched him. “You’re a lunatic.” “The only woman I love is Chloe. Pull a stunt like this again, and I’ll throw you back to the slums where you belong.” The fake heiress tried everything. She took him to the place where they supposedly fell in love in the future, even trying to drug him to show him their “favorite future position.” Ethan remained completely unmoved. And I firmly believed our love was as solid as a rock. Until the week before our wedding. I walked into our newly bought house and found Ethan, who was supposed to be on a business trip, pinning the fake heiress against our marital bed, kissing her passionately. “You win. You knew I couldn’t bear to see you cry.” “In three days, I’ll force the Sterling family to acknowledge that you are the true heiress.” “As for Chloe, she has me. That’s enough for her.” A sharp, plunging pain ripped through my heart, like a thousand arrows piercing my chest. But almost immediately, a cold laugh escaped my lips. Where did Ethan get the absolute delusion that I could only ever depend on him? ······ “Aren’t you afraid Chloe will find out and leave you?” Ethan let out a dismissive chuckle. “She dreams of marrying me. Even if she found out, she’d only cling to me tighter. I’m her only lifeline.” “Besides, she’s spent the last twenty years acting as the fake heiress. She’s used to settling.” A sharp sting pierced my heart. Mia’s biological mother, a maid, had swapped us at birth. Because of her, I spent twenty years living as a servant’s daughter, enduring endless scorn and eye rolls. Ethan knew exactly how deep the bad blood ran between me and Mia. Yet he chose to sleep with her anyway. I took a deep breath, watching through the crack in the door as the two of them defiled my wedding bed. Strangely, my emotions began to completely detach and cool down. I dialed Ethan’s number. A shrill ringtone shattered the mood in the room. The two lovebirds jumped. Ethan answered, his breathing slightly ragged. “Chloe? Hey, sorry, work is crazy right now. Go ahead and try on the wedding dresses without me. Buy whichever ones you like.” Ethan had always been generous with his money. But this was the first time he had ever lied to me. No, maybe he had been lying ever since Mia started using that ridiculous “time traveler” excuse to seduce him. Who knows how many times they had played me for a fool. I fought back the burning sensation in my nose and asked: “But you promised you’d come with me.” “You missed picking out the wedding rings, too.” Mia giggled softly, licking Ethan’s Adam’s apple. Her small hand slid down his chest. “My silly little sister. That’s because he was in my bed last time, too~” Ethan quickly covered the phone’s microphone, shooting her a warning glare. “Chloe, sweetie, I’m swamped right now. You can handle this, be a good girl.” Ethan hung up immediately. He pulled down Mia’s skirt and slapped her backside. “You little brat. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” The sickening sounds of their entanglement drilled into my ears, shattering my last line of defense like a blade. Ethan, I gave you a chance. I walked out of the house and immediately made a phone call. “The conditions you proposed last time… I accept.” “But before we sign, you need to help me put on a little show.” That night, Ethan came home very late. He lifted the covers and pulled me into a tight embrace. “Chloe, I love you so much.” “Do you like it? I had a friend bring it back from Paris.” Acting like he was presenting a grand treasure, Ethan pulled a sapphire necklace from his pocket. The gem was flawless, reflecting the eager, fawning look in Ethan’s eyes. I just felt disgusted. I had seen this exact necklace resting on Mia’s upper thigh this afternoon. I didn’t take it. I gently pushed him away. “I don’t wear second-hand goods.” Ethan’s face stiffened for a fraction of a second. “What do you mean? It’s brand new.” “If you don’t like it, I’ll get you something else, okay?” “Chloe, are you just nervous about the banquet?” “I’ll be right by your side at the recognition banquet in three days. I am your rock.” Ethan looked at me with immense tenderness. It was the exact same look he always gave me, but now, it only made me feel a profound, chilling sadness. “Are you really still my rock?” “Ethan, swear to me. If you ever lie to me, I will never speak to you again.” Ethan didn’t take it seriously, assuming I was just having pre-wedding jitters. He squeezed my hand. “Of course I’ll always be your rock.” “Once the banquet is over, my parents won’t have anything left to say, and I can finally marry my Chloe properly.” I desperately wanted to convince myself to trust him one last time. He truly used to be my greatest protector. When I was still considered the maid’s daughter, the Sterling family sponsored my attendance at an elite prep school. But Mia spread malicious rumors, claiming I was a thief who stole her things. The bullying got so bad I nearly lost my life. Ethan broke two ribs fighting them off to save me. He always stood firmly behind me. He shielded me from the rumors, fought off the bullies, and even stood up to his own parents for me. My eyes welled up with hot tears. I clumsily changed the subject. “Tomorrow is my final wedding dress fitting. You have to come with me.” “I will.” But early the next morning, Mia was standing in our living room, beaming as she clung to Ethan’s arm. “Since you guys are going to get divorced in five years anyway, it doesn’t matter if I tag along for the fun, right?” Ethan pulled his arm away, looking at her with apparent disgust. “You’re talking nonsense again!” He walked over, took my hand, and rubbed his temples in exasperation. “She’s having another episode. Just spewing crazy talk.” “If it bothers you, I’ll have security kick her out.” “But your parents might complain about it later.” My parents were just a convenient excuse. The person he actually cared about was her, wasn’t it? It must be exhausting, working so hard to put on this act for me. Finding the whole situation darkly amusing, I nodded. “Fine. Let’s all go.” When he unlocked the car, Mia lunged forward and slid into the passenger seat before I could. “Oops, sorry! This is going to be my designated seat in the future anyway.” “You don’t mind if I exercise my privileges a little early, right?” Ethan shook his head with a sigh. “You really are…” That helpless, utterly doting tone. I don’t think he even realized he was doing it. A tearing pain ripped through my chest. I clenched my fists until my nails dug into my palms. “Sure.” “I’ve never liked using things that other people have already touched anyway.” My words carried a heavy double meaning. The guilty party instantly looked uncomfortable. Ethan stepped toward me, opening his mouth to explain. I slammed the back door shut, cutting him off completely. The wedding dress had already been tailored to near perfection. This appointment was just a formality for the groom to see the final look. But as soon as I stepped out, Mia suddenly burst into tears. Looking utterly heartbroken, she sobbed: “That dress is exactly the same as the one we wear at our wedding five years from now!” “Ethan, it’s okay if you don’t remember, but I do!” “You can’t be this cruel to me!” I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms as I watched her perform. Ethan looked at me helplessly. “Chloe, maybe… maybe you could pick a different dress?” I let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “Because of some psychotic delusion she just made up, you want me to change my wedding dress?” “Ethan, do you actually still want to marry me?” Ethan panicked and pulled me into a hug, trying to soothe me. “You are the only woman I will ever marry.” “But Chloe, it’s just a dress. Is it really worth making a scene over?” I had waited six months for this dress. I hand-sewed every single pearl onto the bodice myself. My fingers had bled from needle pricks countless times. Ethan knew all of this. Yet, the moment Mia shed two fake tears, he immediately folded. For the first time, I saw with absolute, crystal clarity: this man no longer loved me. I took two steps back. “Fine. If that’s how it is, do whatever you want.” I turned on my heel and walked out. But Ethan didn’t immediately chase after me like he used to. Instead, a few minutes later, Mia texted me a video. They were in the bridal boutique’s changing room. Mia was wearing the dress I had bled to create, and Ethan was standing behind her, his hands gripping her waist. “If you don’t chase after her, aren’t you afraid Chloe will get mad and cancel the wedding?” Ethan laughed dismissively. “I’ve spoiled Chloe so much her ego has gotten out of control. It’s good for her to swallow some pride before the recognition banquet.” “Cancel the wedding? Please. If she doesn’t marry me, she’ll just be a maid’s daughter for the rest of her life.” Mia burst into triumphant, malicious laughter. I calmly saved the video to my phone. When the pain reaches its absolute limit, you stop feeling anything at all. I went back to the house Ethan and I had bought. And piece by piece, I packed up every single thing I owned and had it couriered to a new address. I knew Ethan wouldn’t be coming home tonight. Ethan didn’t show his face for three days. When he finally appeared, he was holding another “gift.” It was a diamond bracelet. I had seen it on Mia’s Instagram two days ago. Ethan had fastened it around her ankle. The wild, uninhibited lust he displayed with her was something I had never seen. We had known each other for twenty years and dated for five. Ethan always told me his family strictly forbade premarital sex. So, we had never crossed that line. He was always so disciplined, so proper, the perfect gentleman. Turns out he had a wild, ravenous side too; he just saved it for someone else. Ethan offered the bracelet to me like a grand prize. My body reacted instinctively. I gagged. Ethan’s face immediately darkened. “Chloe, I know you’re mad about the dress, but there has to be a limit to these tantrums.” “If you hate me this much, why are you insisting on marrying me?” I took a sip of water to calm my stomach, then looked at him with an amused smile. “What about you?” “Do you still want to marry me, Ethan?” “The next time Mia uses her ‘time traveler’ excuse, are you going to throw me under the bus for her again without a second thought?” Ethan was momentarily speechless. I took a deep breath. I pointed at the wall of shelves filled with designer boxes. “Forty-four gifts.” “Every single time you made me suffer for Mia’s sake, you bought me a gift.” “Ethan, your heart shifted a long time ago. Just like my parents’.” I stated the facts calmly, then turned and walked away. We parted on terrible terms. I headed straight to the recognition banquet. Mia was fluttering around my biological parents like a social butterfly. When my parents saw me, their reaction was entirely lukewarm. They just repeatedly lectured me, warning me that no matter what happened today, I needed to remember Mia was the ‘true’ heiress who had suffered, and I shouldn’t cause a scene. I knew instantly that Ethan had interfered. And my parents had silently agreed to play along with whatever he planned. Even though I had long accepted that no one in this world would ever stand unconditionally behind me… In that moment, a tiny, bitter ache still flickered in my chest. Ethan arrived late. Wearing a perfectly tailored tuxedo, he stood next to my parents and Mia. They looked like the perfect, happy family. Among the guests were several alumni from our old prep school. Seeing me, two of them walked over, swirling their champagne glasses as they looked me up and down with mocking sneers. “Today is Mia’s big day. How did a rat like you sneak in?” “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re just a maid’s daughter. With your filthy bloodline, do you really think you can steal Mia’s family and her man?” “Security! Throw this trash out!” I was quickly surrounded and harassed. Seeing the commotion, Ethan immediately started walking toward me. “Ah!” Mia dramatically faked a twisted ankle, grabbing his arm with a pitiful look. “It hurts.” Ethan’s attention was instantly diverted. He gave her a helpless, fond smile. “You’re so clumsy. Tripping on a perfectly flat floor?” Despite his words, he immediately scooped her up into his arms. My eyes stung sharply. I quickly looked away, hiding my humiliation. “Aww, is the little rat crying?” The group laughed obnoxiously, reaching out to shove me. I didn’t hesitate. I slapped each of them hard across the face. I spoke in a flat, icy tone. “You’re about to find out who really belongs outside.” “It’s been years, and you’re still playing the same pathetic high school bullying games. I actually feel sorry for you.” They glared at me, furious, but they were genuinely shocked by my reaction. None of them dared to lay another finger on me. Just then, the music swelled over the speakers. The recognition ceremony was beginning. My parents, beaming with joy, led Mia onto the grand stage. “As you can all see, we are hosting this grand banquet today to celebrate finally bringing our biological daughter back home.” “There have been some… rumors circulating recently, which I’m sure many of you have heard.” “We want to formally clarify right here and now: the Sterling family has one, and only one, precious princess, and that is Mia. As for anyone else claiming otherwise, we have no idea what malicious individuals are spreading such lies.” The crowd erupted into furious whispers. Dozens of malicious, mocking stares landed on me. But I didn’t react at all. I calmly raised my glass and took a slow sip of red wine. Mia blinked her large, innocent eyes at me, playing the perfect, victimized angel over the microphone: “Sister, I know you lived in our house for so long, and your heart was corrupted by the luxury. I know you dream of being a true daughter of the Sterling family.” “Even though you stole my fiancé, and tried to steal my parents, I don’t blame you.” “If you want, I can ask Mom and Dad to legally adopt you as a goddaughter. But please, I’m begging you, give Ethan back to me. I really can’t live without him.” Ethan frowned slightly, but made absolutely no move to stop her. In that exact second, the very last, microscopic shred of affection I held for him evaporated into nothingness. I offered a faint smile. “So, you’re the true heiress of the Sterling family?” “Of course. Mom and Dad just announced it. Didn’t you hear them?” “Then what is this?” I pulled a certified DNA paternity report from my purse and held it high. The bold print clearly stated that the probability of paternity between the Sterlings and myself was 99.99%. And the probability for Mia was 0.014%. The ballroom exploded in shock. Mia’s face turned a sickly shade of gray. Ethan marched over, his face devoid of emotion. He snatched the report from my hand and ripped it into shreds without a second thought. Ruthlessly issuing a death sentence to the truth. “Chloe, stop throwing tantrums. Why do you have to compete with Mia for everything? Isn’t having me enough for you?” “Mia is the one and only true heiress of the Sterling family. If you keep playing these crazy games with fake reports, I’m not going to tolerate it anymore.” “Take Chloe out of here.” Ethan’s bodyguards grabbed my arms and started dragging me toward the exit. I fought back fiercely. “Ethan! Let me ask you one last time. Are you absolutely certain you want to stand with Mia?” I locked eyes with him, staring into his soul. This final question was the only grace I was offering him, a repayment for the time he saved my life in high school. But Ethan disappointed me to the bitter end. He looked at me with deep exasperation, like dealing with an unreasonable child. “Are you done acting crazy?!” “Mia is younger than you. Why are you always trying to compete with her?”

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There was a three-hundred-dollar deduction on my pay stub. The HR lady just rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t you know what you did?” I was the top salesperson in the entire company. I had no idea where that three hundred dollars went. When I went to the manager for an explanation, he pulled up the cafeteria security footage. All because I took one extra bagel. “If you have the audacity to steal a bagel today, who knows when you’ll decide to betray the company tomorrow.” The manager gave me a long, meaningful look. “As a woman, there’s no need to be the best at everything. You might accidentally end up blocking someone else’s path.” It suddenly clicked. Fine. If I’m in the way, I’ll just step aside. 1 I hit the top of the leaderboard again this month. I just closed a million-dollar contract. Between my base salary and the commission, I was expecting a check for at least thirty thousand. But then. The moment my eyes hit the pay stub the HR rep handed me. The smile on my face froze solid. Policy Violation Fine: $300? I stopped her right there to ask what it was about. She just gave me a look, covering a smirk with her hand. “Don’t you know what you did?” “You actually have the nerve to ask!” I was completely lost. I’d worked so many late nights this month I’d lost count. To land that million-dollar deal, I’d practically lived at the client’s office for a week straight. Every waking second was spent catering to their needs. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I finally snapped. “I’ve worked endless overtime and secured a massive account for this firm. What exactly did I violate to lose three hundred dollars?” “Tell me. Which rule did I break?” She just curled her lip. “If you’re pissed, don’t take it out on me. Go talk to the manager if you’re so tough.” Oh, I was going. Fuming, I knocked on Mr. Miller’s office door. He looked like he’d been waiting for me. I walked in with a face of stone. “Mr. Miller, why does my pay stub show a three-hundred-dollar deduction for a policy violation?” As the company’s top closer. I figured I had enough leverage to demand an answer. But I never could have imagined. The reason for the fine was this pathetic. 2 Mr. Miller showed me a clip from the security cameras. It was me, at the cafeteria counter, taking two bagels. The cafeteria policy: One bagel per person. No extras. I was speechless. “You’re docking me three hundred dollars… because I took an extra bagel???” I did take two that day. It was because a client had arrived unexpectedly, and I didn’t have time for a real meal. I had to scarf down whatever I could grab while running to the conference room. I tried to explain. “That day, the situation was—” “If you dare to steal a bagel today, who knows when you’ll decide to betray the company tomorrow,” Mr. Miller cut me off impatiently. This was beyond an overreaction. I’d been with this firm for six years, grinding my way up to become the top producer. Why on earth would I betray the company? I was genuinely insulted. Mr. Miller leaned back, giving me that same meaningful look. “Look, Sarah. As a woman, you don’t need to be the best at everything. You might accidentally end up blocking someone else’s path.” My mouth hung open, but no words came out. I left his office in a daze. Thinking about that warning look he gave me as I walked out. My heart sank. But it didn’t take long for me to figure out what was really going on. 3 The next day, the company blast went out with the monthly rankings. I was still number one. But on the line for the million-dollar contract I’d just closed, there was a new name under “Account Support.” Caleb Reed. On top of that, two of my high-value leads were reassigned directly to him. I stared at the screen for a while. Who was Caleb Reed? The girl in the next cubicle gave me the answer. He was the new intern. Then I remembered him. This kid had just started, and he didn’t have a lick of rookie humility. He’d been here less than a month, done zero work, and was already walking away with ready-made projects. So, this was about stealing my accounts? My blood started to boil. I headed straight for Mr. Miller’s office. If I didn’t get a real explanation for this, I was walking. I was halfway there when I stopped by the breakroom. 4 The door was cracked open. I heard Caleb’s voice. “Uncle, are you sure about giving me Sarah’s project? Won’t she freak out? She is the top earner, after all.” Uncle? Then Mr. Miller’s voice came back, dripping with dismissiveness. “She only has herself to blame. Why does a woman need to be that ambitious anyway?” He paused. “If I give her credit, she’s the top earner. If I don’t, she’s nothing.” Caleb was quick to suck up. “Yeah, you’re right. She thinks she’s untouchable just because she brings in some money. She doesn’t show you any respect.” Mr. Miller snorted. “This company’s resources belong in the hands of our own people. We can’t have a woman hogging the top spot forever.” He lowered his voice, sounding even more ruthless. “If she’s smart, she’ll hand over the rest of her leads quietly. If not, I’ve got plenty of ways to make her pack her bags.” “Once you’ve got her accounts and secure that top spot, this whole department will be our territory.” In a split second, rage hit me like a physical blow. I finally got it. I finally knew whose way I was blocking. And me and Caleb. We did have a little history. Last week during the staff meeting, I’d pointed out three massive holes in a proposal he’d clearly copy-pasted. They were rookie errors. After the meeting, he’d cornered me, his tone bitter and arrogant. “Don’t get too comfortable just because you’ve been here longer. We’ll see who’s still standing in the end.” I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. Turns out, he had backing. Mr. Miller seemed to have forgotten that he only got that manager’s chair because I—the woman he looked down on—had pushed him there. 5 Three years ago, when they were voting for a new department manager. Mr. Miller’s rival had more seniority and the biggest clients. Mr. Miller had practically begged me to transfer my closed deals to his portfolio so his numbers would look better than his opponent’s. I valued our working relationship and wanted a boss I thought I could trust, so I did it. The day he got the promotion, he called me the “pillar of the department” in front of everyone. And now? Now I was just an obstacle. My heart went cold. If Miller was determined to pave the way for Caleb, nothing I said would matter. It would only give them more ammunition to use against me. Oh, so they thought I was in their way? Fine. I’ll give them the whole damn road. I walked back to my desk, putting on my best “defeated” face. My coworkers saw me looking down and immediately averted their eyes, too scared to ask. When Caleb got back to his desk. I gathered up every single one of my client files. I carried the stack over and set them on his desk personally. I kept my voice soft and compliant. “Caleb, I’ve organized all my client data. They’re all yours to handle from now on.” 6 Caleb froze. He clearly hadn’t expected me to be this “reasonable.” A flash of smugness crossed his eyes, but he kept up the fake politeness. “Sarah, I couldn’t! You worked so hard on these.” I looked down, acting despondent. “As a woman, there’s really no point in me pushing this hard. Better to give the opportunities to you young guys.” The office erupted in whispers. The looks Caleb was getting were a mix of suspicion and wariness. If even I was backing down, what chance did any of them have? I ignored them. I went back to my computer. I pulled up the backup files for the million-dollar contract. That draft had three major contractual loopholes. I’d planned to fix them before the final signing, but now… they were exactly where they needed to be. Then I dug up the resume Caleb submitted when he was hired. It was a work of fiction. “Independently closed a half-million dollar deal.” “Led market expansion in the Southeast.” I did a quick search on the clients he claimed to have worked with. Non-existent. Heh. This is going to be fun. I saved all the evidence to an encrypted drive, then hopped on the company group chat and sent a message: [Mark is going to be the main driver for our department from now on! Let’s all learn from his example!] Mr. Miller was quick to “like” it. [Great attitude, Sarah. Very professional.] I looked at the screen, a cold smile curling my lips. 7 For the next week, I completely checked out. I showed up at 9:00 sharp and vanished the second the clock hit 5:00. No overtime. Every client inquiry that came in, I forwarded straight to Caleb. I was light as a feather. Slowly, the office rumor mill started churning. People were saying I’d fallen for Caleb. That I was stepping aside out of love. I didn’t say a word, letting the gossip spread like wildfire. Caleb was loving it. He strutted around the office, barking orders, trashing people’s reports, acting like he owned the place. Once he’d had his fill of the flattery, his ego started to cloud his judgment. It was time. I caught him in the breakroom while I was getting coffee. “Congrats, Caleb! You’ve been so busy lately. That million-dollar deal is basically in the bag, right?” Caleb lifted his chin. “Of course. A little thing like that? Not a problem for me.” I leaned in, looking totally envious. “You’re amazing. I pulled so many all-nighters on that account, and you just took over and finished it like it was nothing.” He gave me a condescending smirk. “You women just think too small. Business is about strategy, not just grinding. Hard work is useless if you don’t have the vision.” I nodded along like a fan girl, then lowered my voice. “A rookie landing a deal that big makes Mr. Miller look like a genius. Upper management is definitely watching you.” I watched his eyes light up, and then I threw the match. “In six months, I’ll probably be calling you ‘Manager Reed’.” 8 Caleb’s face turned bright red. “Hey… you shouldn’t say things like that!” I gave him a knowing smile. “Mr. Miller isn’t getting any younger, and you know how much the VPs love promoting new blood.” I paused, acting a little hesitant. “It’s just a shame…” “A shame about what?” I’d hooked him perfectly. “It’s a shame you’re only listed as ‘Support’ on that contract. If you were the sole ‘Project Lead,’ that manager’s position would be a lock.” Smart people don’t need things spelled out. His eyes darted around as he did the math. An hour later. He marched over and slammed a Project Lead Transfer form on my desk. “Starting today, I am the sole person responsible for this contract!” I acted shocked and quickly snapped a photo of the signed form with my phone. “When you’re the boss, you better look out for me.” Caleb was so high on himself he was practically floating. The second he walked away. I sent an anonymous email to the entire firm—and the client. I laid out the project theft, the contract loopholes, and the total fraud that was Caleb’s resume. Send. The next second. The company group chat turned into a war zone. 9 [No way! This resume is a total joke! I looked up that $500k deal, and that company doesn’t even exist! He lied that much on day one?] [I heard someone was stealing accounts, I thought it was just office drama, but it’s real?] [Management needs to investigate this immediately! Otherwise, why are we even doing our own work? Let’s all just poach each other!] [Tsk. Nepo baby much?] I jumped in the chat to “defend” him. [There must be some mistake! I’m sure Caleb isn’t like that.] People immediately started feeling sorry for me. [Sarah, you’re way too nice. He stole your account and you’re still sticking up for him?] [Seriously. In my department, he’d be eaten alive.] I hadn’t even finished reading the replies when a roar erupted across the office. “Sarah! You sent that email, didn’t you?!”

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When the internet leaked the news that I was just one of thirty-eight mistresses kept by Silas Sterling—a “Fake Mrs. Sterling”—I was eight months pregnant, busy managing the PR crisis involving him and a young model’s bed photos. Everyone said I was the most dedicated PR Queen in the Manhattan elite circle. My husband’s scandals flew ahead, and I followed behind, cleaning up the mess with a straight face. I had handled over a hundred crises for Silas and issued non-disclosure agreements and hush money to countless women he had slept with. I never expected that one day, I would become the subject of the PR myself. When I found Silas, he was lying naked with Chloe Vance in the nursery I had prepared for our baby. Condoms were scattered across the floor. Seeing me, the usually lethargic man shushed me. “Talk outside. Chloe is a light sleeper.” I didn’t explode. I only asked calmly, “Does today’s news need a statement?” Thinking of the photoshopped marriage certificate Chloe had posted, Silas smirked. “Good girl, Elena. Chloe is sensitive. Don’t expose her.” I nodded. “Understood.” I turned around and posted a public statement on social media: [I am indeed not in a marital relationship with Mr. Sterling. I would like to congratulate Mr. Sterling on his new marriage.] A wave of mockery erupted online, but Silas grabbed my hand, satisfied. “Once you have the baby, we’ll have a proper wedding.” I didn’t answer. He didn’t know that once this child was born, my debt to the Sterling family would be paid in full. And someone else had been waiting ten years for me. A wedding was already prepared—just not by him. The man on the other end of the phone was ecstatic. “Elena! You finally said yes.” “Wait for me! I’m flying back to marry you right now!” I hung up, only to find Silas standing behind me. “Did you talk to the reporters? Is it handled?” I looked down at my contact list; it was almost entirely journalists. I curled my lip. I had revolved around him for so long that I had no friends left to call. No wonder he assumed I was working. Seeing my silence, Silas narrowed his eyes and leaned in. “What are you looking at?” I clicked the screen off. “Nothing.” Behind him, movers were bringing in mountains of luxury goods. Brands I had coveted for years but could never justify buying. Seeing the smirk on his face, I reminded him, “I’m about to give birth. I won’t fit into those…” Before I could finish, Silas was excitedly directing the men. “Turn the nursery into a walk-in closet. Move everything in there.” Then, he held out his hand for my keys. “Chloe is packing her bags. She loves this place. Elena, you need to move out for now.” I froze. “What did you say?” Silas smiled carelessly, leaning close to my face. He handed me a deed to a different property. “Consider this your bonus for the hard work.” I watched the maids tear down the curtains I had carefully chosen. The sunlight streaming in was blinding. I remembered the first time Silas brought me here. He had pressed the keys into my palm and said, “Elena, this is your home. No one can ever kick you out.” I had once told him my mother and I were evicted when I was young. He knew I wanted a home that could weather any storm. He gave it to me, and that security kept me by his side for ten years. Through every night he didn’t come home. Through every provocation from other women. Through the mockery of high society. Now, he wanted the keys back. Ten years later, I was being evicted again. “Fine,” I said. I handed him the keys, took the new deed, and turned to leave. Silas looked surprised that I didn’t cause a scene. Usually, I wasn’t the “calm and collected” wife the tabloids described. Every time he cheated, I fought like a lunatic. I even threatened to end it all. He would just pacify me with checks and jewelry. But this time, I was done. I was ready to settle for a quiet life for the sake of the baby, but Silas could sleep with anyone except Chloe Vance. Chloe was the living proof of my father’s betrayal. Chloe and her mother were the ones who drove my mother to jump from a thirty-second-story window. Silas grabbed my wrist. His fingers brushed against the faded scars on my arm, and he flinched, unable to hide his disgust. Then, a rare flash of guilt crossed his eyes. “I’ll have the driver take you. The new place has great light. You’ll like it.” I nodded. Halfway there, the driver turned the car around. “The boss wants us back, ma’am.” Inside the house, smoke filled the air. The servants stood trembling while Silas stared at a scorched pot. Seeing me, he dragged me into the kitchen. “Elena, that soup you always make… teach me how to do it.” I watched him. I watched him sweat as he turned on the stove, overcoming his lifelong fear of fire just to make a pot of soup for the woman he loved. Chloe had posted on Instagram: “In this cold winter, if someone brought me a bowl of hot soup, I’d marry them on the spot!” So Silas, who had never touched a kitchen utensil in his life, was clumsily cooking because of a joke on social media. A few days ago, when I fell in the kitchen, Silas had watched from a distance as if I were a stranger. Later, he posted the security footage of me struggling to get up to a private circle of friends. His caption: “Like a fat pig rolling on the floor.” I silently made the soup for him. He took notes on his phone. When it rang, he answered immediately. I saw the contact name: “Wife.” I felt a hollow chill. If Chloe was his wife, who was I? As he stepped onto the balcony to talk to her, I called his number. It went straight to a busy signal. He had blocked me. I laughed at myself and left. Silas’s mother was waiting for me at the family estate. She sighed. “Elena, I thought you decided to stay for the baby…” I placed the divorce papers on the table. “According to our deal, if I provide an heir, the medical bills the Sterlings paid for my mother are settled. I’m three days from my due date. Let me go.” Ten years ago, Silas was the playboy prince and I was a dishwasher at a bar. He chased me for eighteen months. When his mother found me, my mother was in critical condition. She told me I was the only woman Silas couldn’t forget. She wanted me to manage him and give the family an heir. In exchange, they would pay for my mother’s life support. I didn’t hesitate. “It’s Silas’s loss,” his mother said, nodding. “I’ll arrange your departure after the birth.”

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“Ms. Sterling, this is your seventh citation.” The property manager’s assistant handed me the pink slip, his eyes darting away in guilt. Two hundred dollars. Including the previous six, I’d been fined $1,400 this month alone for “obstructing common areas with personal clutter.” I looked at the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) mounted in the corner of the 17th-floor landing and let out a bitter laugh. I had spent $2,000 of my own money to buy it three months ago specifically because my neighbor across the hall, Mr. Henderson, has a severe heart condition. “Ms. Sterling, my hands are tied,” the assistant whispered. “Mrs. Miller reported it again. This time, she went straight to the HOA board…” Mrs. Miller. Brenda Miller from 1702. Ever since she discovered that filing reports earned her “Community Credits” that could be redeemed for grocery vouchers, the entire building hadn’t known a moment of peace. I took a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll move out.” The assistant froze. “Wait, what?” I was already opening an app on my phone, my thumb hovering over the words “Terminate Service.” I waited three seconds, then tapped it. The screen flashed a confirmation: [Vance Elevator Services • Grandview Towers Building 1 • Annual Maintenance Contract Terminated.] My name is Sarah Sterling. I’m 32. I’ve lived in this building for 15 years. For 15 years, I’ve been the building’s silent benefactor—the “sucker.” 01 It all started two months ago. I was coming home from work when I stepped off the elevator to find Brenda Miller standing in front of my door, snapping photos with her phone. “Mrs. Miller? Is everything okay?” “Sarah, you have far too much junk in this hallway,” she said without looking up. “Fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, and now this big metal box. You’re hogging public space, you know.” I followed her gaze to the “big metal box”—the AED I’d installed last month. Mr. Henderson is 68 and his heart is failing. He’d had an episode in the hallway once, and if I hadn’t been passing by, he wouldn’t have made it. After that, I bought the machine and even went out of my way to get CPR and AED certified. “Mrs. Miller, that’s a defibrillator. It’s for Mr. Henderson—” “I don’t care what kind of ‘ator’ it is,” she snapped. “Rules are rules. No personal items in the common areas.” “This is life-saving equipment.” “Then keep it inside your own apartment. Why put it out here? To show off how much money you have?” I was stunned. Show off? I’d paid $2,000 for it and specifically mounted it in a discreet corner so neighbors wouldn’t think I was flaunting anything. “Mrs. Miller, if I keep it inside, it’ll be too late to reach it in a real emergency.” “That’s your problem.” She shoved her phone in my face. The reporting portal was open; the photo was already uploaded. “I’ve submitted it. If the property manager doesn’t handle it in 72 hours, the HOA will.” With that, she marched off. I stood there, keys in hand, paralyzed. The door across the hall cracked open. Mr. Henderson peeked out. “Sarah, I heard everything,” he sighed. “Maybe you should just take it down. Don’t make an enemy for my sake.” “Don’t worry about it, Bill. The machine stays.” He hesitated. “That Brenda Miller… don’t let her get to you. She’s just like that.” “I know.” I didn’t just know. I knew more about the costs of this building than anyone else. 02 The next day, the building management showed up. It was Joe, an old-timer who’d worked here for ten years. “Ms. Sterling, look…” He looked at the AED uncomfortably. “Technically, the hallways have to be clear.” “Joe, it’s an AED. It’s for emergencies.” “I know, but someone reported it. I have to show the board I did something.” “So, what’s the solution?” Joe scratched his head. “Maybe move it inside for a bit? Until the heat dies down?” “Joe.” I cut him off, my voice steady. “Who pays for the annual inspection and refill of the fire extinguishers in this building?” He stiffened. “Who bought the high-efficiency motion-sensor LED lights for the stairwells?” “…” “Who installed the filtered water station in the lobby?” Joe looked at the floor, silent. In this entire building, only the management staff knew these things. For 15 years, I’d never mentioned it to a single neighbor. “Ms. Sterling, I know how much you’ve done, but…” “Fine. I won’t make your job harder.” I unscrewed the AED from the wall and carried it into my apartment. Joe looked relieved. “Thanks for understanding, Sarah.” I shut the door without a word. I opened my phone and went to the building’s Facebook group. Sure enough, Brenda was posting her “Victory Report.” [REPORT SUCCESS! The illegal obstruction on the 17th floor has been cleared. Remember everyone, see something, say something! Let’s keep our public spaces tidy! 🌹] The likes poured in. [Brenda is the best!] [Who was the person on 17 anyway? Some people are so entitled, thinking they can just claim the hallway.] [Exactly. About time someone did something.] I watched the comments scroll by. 72 units. Not a single person remembered that the AED cost me $2,000. And not a single person remembered that the elevator in this building hadn’t broken down once in 15 years. 03 Brenda didn’t stop. On day three, the first-aid kits were reported. I’d placed them every few floors—stocked with bandages, antiseptic, and even emergency aspirin. Fine: $200. On day five, the lobby water station was reported. I’d installed it eight years ago, paid for the filters twice a year, and covered the minor bump in the building’s electricity. Joe brought me an “Illegal Utility Connection Notice.” “Ms. Sterling, Brenda says we don’t know who installed it. She’s worried about leaks or electrical hazards.” “I installed it.” “Doesn’t matter. There’s no official board permit on file…” Fine: $200. On day seven, the “Share-an-Umbrella” bin I kept by the door for kids was reported. Brenda called it “unsightly clutter affecting property value.” Fine: $200. On day ten, the fire extinguishers themselves were reported. 18 floors, two per floor. I replaced them every year out of pocket because the building’s official ones had expired three years ago and the HOA was too cheap to buy new ones. Brenda said: “The color of the canisters is dated and clashes with the hallway decor.” Fine: $200. I stood in the management office with five pink slips on the desk. “Sarah,” Joe sighed. “I’m so sorry. Brenda is… well, you know.” I knew. I knew all too well. Brenda Miller, 52, retired, husband is a mid-level bureaucrat at the City Inspector’s office. She moved in three years ago and immediately started reporting the food truck down the street, the hardware store on the corner, and even the birdhouse on the roof. She lived for the Community Credits. “Joe, I’ll pay the fines.” I slapped $1,000 in cash on the desk. “Sarah…” “But I have a condition.” “Anything.” “Starting today, everything I bought for this building is leaving with me.” Joe blinked. “What?” “The fire extinguishers. The first-aid kits. The water station. The LED sensors. The umbrellas. And the AED.” “But Sarah… those are part of the building now…” “No,” I corrected him. “They are my private property. The HOA never spent a cent on them.” I dropped a thick folder of receipts on the desk. “Fifteen years of invoices. Look for yourself.” Joe flipped to the first page, his hand starting to shake. 2011—36 Fire extinguishers: $1,800. 2012—18 Motion sensor lights: $900. 2014—Lobby water filtration system: $1,200. Annual filters: $200. … 2026—AED Unit: $2,000. Page after page of meticulous spending. Joe’s face went white. “Sarah, in fifteen years… you’ve spent nearly…” “$124,000.” I stated the number flatly. Like I was reading a weather report. “I did it because I wanted to. But since people find them to be eyesores, I’m taking my ‘clutter’ back.” Joe stood up, his lips trembling. “Sarah, don’t do this. People… people use these things every day…” “And?” “And… just don’t take it so personally. You know how Brenda is—” “Joe,” I interrupted. “Am I taking it personally? Have I ever reported her for drying her laundry on the common balcony? Have I reported her shoe rack in the hallway? Have I reported her for taking up two guest parking spots?” Joe went quiet. “I haven’t. I just did what I wanted to do and spent what I wanted to spend. But she’s decided to penalize my kindness. Fine. I’m done being kind.” I gathered my copies of the receipts and turned to the door. “Oh, and one more thing.” “What?” “My company handles the elevator maintenance for this building.” Joe looked like he’d just seen a ghost. 04 My name is Sarah Sterling. I’m the CEO of Sterling Elevator Group. This building was my parents’ home. I grew up here. When I was 17, my father died. When I was 23, my mother passed too, leaving me this apartment and a small, struggling maintenance company. I turned that three-person shop into a city-wide operation with thirty employees. But I never told my neighbors. There was no point. I simply put this building on our “Pro Bono” list. For 15 years, this elevator never skipped a beat. Other old buildings in the neighborhood had residents getting trapped every other week; ours was perfect. Neighbors thought we were just lucky. Only I knew that my technicians came every month for a secret inspection. I paid for the new cables every three years and the control board every five. Because this was home. Before my mom died, she told me: “Sarah, I worry about the old folks in this building. If you ever make it, look out for them.” I said I would. I did. But I never expected 15 years of quiet service to be rewarded with “Public Space Violation” fines. On my way home, I called my operations manager. “Mark, Grandview Towers Building 1. Don’t renew the maintenance contract.” There was a pause. “Sarah, isn’t that where you live?” “Yes.” “Just curious… what’s the market value of the free service we’ve been giving them?” “About $15,000 a year for the basic contract. Parts like cables and boards are extra.” “Got it. I’ll send the termination notice tomorrow.” I stood outside the building, looking up. 18 floors. 72 families. I knew most of them. Mrs. Higgins on the 6th floor—I sent her a gift basket every Christmas. Mr. Henderson on the 9th—he helped organize my dad’s funeral. But they were old now. They didn’t come out much. The building was full of new people who didn’t know me. They just knew me as the woman on 17 who “cluttered” the hallway. I walked inside. The elevator doors opened—bright, smooth, and silent. I hit 17. “Floor seventeen,” a gentle, recorded voice announced. I had designed that voice. The recording was made by a college friend who studied broadcasting. I wanted a soothing voice to make my neighbors’ days a little better. For 15 years, that voice accompanied 72 families. No one knew it was me. No one cared. 05 Moving the items took longer than I thought. 36 fire extinguishers. 6 first-aid kits. 18 sensor lights. The water station. The umbrella bins. And the $2,000 AED. I hired three movers. We spent the whole day running the elevator up and down. Neighbors gave us strange looks. “Sarah, what are you doing?” “Moving.” “Where to?” “Away from here.” I didn’t elaborate. Brenda Miller happened to be coming home from the store. When she saw the commotion, a smug look crossed her face. “Oh, Ms. Sterling. Finally decided to clear out the junk?” I ignored her. “It’s about time. Hallways should be clean, not full of this random crap—” “Brenda,” I interrupted. My voice was calm. “This is property I paid for. It isn’t ‘crap’.” She blinked. “Paid for? You? I thought the building provided these.” “Ask Joe.” Her smile faltered for a second but returned quickly. “Doesn’t matter who bought it. Leaving it in the common area is a violation. My report was valid.” “Yes. You were absolutely right.” I nodded and went back to directing the movers. Brenda watched for a bit, then walked away. I noticed her pace was a little faster than usual. By 6 PM, the last extinguisher was gone. I stood in the empty hallway. There were pale circles on the walls where the canisters used to hang. The outlet for the water station was exposed and bare. Fifteen years of history, erased by my own hand. Would my mom be disappointed? My phone buzzed. A text from Mark: [Termination notice sent and confirmed by management. They asked if we’re coming to pull the monitoring equipment. I told them no, but the scheduled inspection for Friday is canceled.] [Copy that,] I replied. I looked at the door of the apartment I’d lived in for thirty-two years. I hesitated, then turned toward the elevator. “Floor seventeen.” I pressed ‘B’. I got into my car in the garage and drove away. I didn’t know if I’d ever come back. 06 Three days after I moved, Joe texted me. [Sarah… the fire extinguishers… you really took them all?] [I did.] [What about the AED?] [That too.] [Sarah, please… can we work something out? We just had a surprise fire marshal inspection. We failed. The building is facing a massive fine because half the units are missing equipment.] I didn’t reply. A few minutes later: [About the elevator… were you serious? Your company has been doing it for free?] [Yes.] [What happens now?] [Management needs to find a new contractor. Market rate is about $15,000 a year.] Silence for an hour. Then: [Sarah, the HOA budget is only $40,000 a year for the whole building. We don’t have $15,000 for a premium maintenance plan…] [That sounds like a management problem.] I put my phone down and went back to my spreadsheets. My business was booming; I didn’t have time to mourn a building that didn’t want me. On the seventh day, the texts became more frequent. [Sarah, the seniors are asking why the water station is gone.] [I moved it.] [Could you… bring it back?] [For whom? The people who fined me for ‘hogging space’?] Joe stopped texting for a while. Then: [Sarah, people are complaining the hallway lights are out.] The sensor lights were mine. I’d been paying the electricity for them through a small auxiliary bypass I’d permitted years ago. Now that I’d cut the power, management realized they hadn’t even wired those sockets to the main building grid. [Sarah, Brenda is asking about the first-aid kits. She says her blood pressure is up and she needs the emergency meds you used to keep in there.] I laughed. Brenda Miller. You called it “clutter.” Now you realize it was a lifeline? I didn’t reply. On the tenth day, the inevitable happened.

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The day I was pushed down the stairs and miscarried, Marcus Sterling called me, his breath hitching over the line. “You dead yet? If not, bring a fresh set of sheets over and sign the divorce papers while you’re at it.” “Mia’s pregnant. I won’t let our child be a bastard. I have to marry her.” I looked at the address he sent. For the first time, I didn’t rush over with a group of people to catch him in the act. Instead, I simply replied: Okay. Marcus doesn’t know that he was originally a minor character destined to die of a terminal illness years ago. The only reason he’s still breathing is because I, a transmigrator, shielded him with my “Guardian Halo.” And his precious lover? She’s nothing more than a “virus” sent by the System to break my protection and force the world’s timeline back on track. Now, the halo is shattered. Marcus, you are finally going to die. 1 I arrived at the address Marcus gave me. Because I had just come from the operating table, my legs were shaking uncontrollably. My pale face was slick with cold sweat. The door opened, revealing Marcus’s visibly impatient face. He glanced at my crudely bandaged elbows and knees, where blood was already seeping through the gauze. There wasn’t a hint of concern in his eyes. He just frowned. “Why are you so late? You didn’t pick up your phone, and these sheets aren’t the royal blue Mia likes.” “I was worried she’d catch a cold lying on the damp ones, so she’s been forced to nap on the sofa.” I wiped the sweat from my brow and forced a faint smile. “My phone died. The malls are closed, and these were the only new ones at the house.” “I could have been faster, but I miscarried after Mia pushed me. The surgery took some time.” I hadn’t decided whether to tell Marcus about the baby. But that afternoon, I had run into them at the mall, coming out of a maternity store hand-in-hand. Before I could even speak, Mia screamed. “Oh, Mrs. Sterling, I’m pregnant! Please don’t hit me!” In the chaos, I was shoved down the flight of stairs. Mia sobbed an explanation as I tumbled. “Marcus, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to, I was just so scared. I know I’m just the ‘other woman’ and I deserve to be beaten, but I didn’t want our baby to get hurt, even if he has to live in the shadows.” Because of my history of confronting his mistresses, my reputation as a “vicious wife” was well-established. As blood pooled beneath me, I clutched my stomach and screamed Marcus’s name. But he didn’t even look back. He just pulled Mia into his arms. “I understand. Don’t be afraid.” “I’ll give you and the baby a legitimate name.” I watched him pull out a massive diamond ring and drop to one knee in front of the crowd to propose to her. In the middle of their tearful kiss, the life inside me flickered out. A bystander eventually called the ambulance. When Marcus finally remembered me, it was only to demand I vacate my position for his lover. I took the divorce papers from him. As I turned to go inside to sign, my weakened legs gave out, and I tripped over the threshold. “Sss—” The pain turned my face even whiter. Large drops of sweat rolled down my forehead. I couldn’t get up. Marcus immediately looked back at the sofa. Seeing that Mia hadn’t been woken up by the noise, he turned back to me with a scowl. “What now? This isn’t your first miscarriage. Don’t try to use it for sympathy. Even if you died right here, I wouldn’t change my mind about the divorce.” “Besides, it’s better this way. Mia wouldn’t want anyone competing with our baby for the inheritance.” “Don’t worry. Since you’ve been with me for so many years, I’ll give you enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life.” I froze, my gaze falling on the jagged scar on my wrist. I felt strangely calm. Marcus wasn’t wrong. We had a child once before, right when I first discovered he was cheating. The pregnancy hormones made me unstable, and I foolishly thought dying would make him regret. As blood turned the bathtub water crimson, the maid, Mrs. Gable, frantically called Marcus home. He simply leaned against the doorframe, exhaling a casual smoke ring. “Elena, it’s useless. When I loved you, a single sneeze from you felt like a knife to my heart.” “But looking at this blood now, I’m just annoyed. I’m mostly worried you’ll stain the coat I bought for my date with Mia.” “You get the point. I just don’t love you anymore.” That night, I lost the baby. Marcus spent the evening at a rooftop garden restaurant, playing the piano and singing love songs to Mia to celebrate their 100th day together. That was the day I stopped trying to stop him. Marcus has no idea that he was a minor character who should have died of brain cancer years ago. I gave him my “Guardian Halo” to save his life. But Mia was a virus sent by the System to correct the timeline. Every time they slept together, the halo weakened. As I lay on the operating table today, the System’s voice rang in my head: “The Guardian Halo has been completely destroyed. In one month, Marcus Sterling will die of brain cancer.” 2 A pen was tossed at my feet, snapping me back to the present. Marcus looked down at me with a mocking smirk. “What, do you expect me to carry you up so you’ll sign? Forget it. Honestly, every time I touch you, I feel a bit dirty.” “When you were pregnant the first time, I never even wanted that kid. Who knows whose it actually was?” He was referring to the time I worked multiple jobs at night clubs to pay for his medical bills and save up capital for his first business. I ended up in this book because of a System glitch. It promised to send me back once it was fixed and gave me the Halo for self-preservation. But I was penniless. When I was cornered by thugs in a dark alley, Marcus—then just a local construction worker—saved me. He took me back to his cramped, run-down apartment and cooked me a bowl of noodles. He took me in. He wore patched clothes but bought me beautiful dresses. He’d save the meat from his work lunches in a thermos to bring home to me. One day, he used months of savings to buy me a simple ring. “Elena, you have no family, and I’m an orphan. But together, we’re a family. I’m going to give you a good life.” I already knew then that he was destined to die. His health was failing; he fainted constantly. I lied and told him it was just low blood sugar, while I worked myself to the bone to pay for his secret treatments. At the clubs, customers would paw at me. I endured the nausea for the tips. But Marcus grew weaker every day. Finally, I exploited a loophole and gave him my Halo permanently. The punishment was that I could never return to my world. At the time, I thought it was fine. As long as Marcus was alive, I was home. He recovered, and I used my knowledge of the book’s plot to help him rise from a laborer to a CEO. But as soon as I got pregnant again, he cheated with his assistant, Mia. When I caught them, he didn’t even flinch. “Elena, before I had options, you were the best I could do. But now that I have everything, the thought of men touching you at those clubs makes me sick.” “Don’t give me that transmigrator crap. You really think I’d believe that? You had no money or status—how else would you get business info out of those clients if you weren’t sleeping with them?” “Mia is different. She’s pure. Clean. Being with her makes life feel beautiful.” So that was what he really thought of me. I stopped caring when he missed our anniversary to be with her. I ignored the lace underwear and used condoms in his car. I just waited for the Halo to break. Because the System made a new deal: if Marcus dies and the timeline resets, I can go home. As compensation, I can take all his assets with me. I used the doorframe to pull myself up and signed the papers without a word. The moment I finished, the power went out. Mia woke up and lit a candle, walking over with a smirk. “Oh, Mrs. Sterling. We made such a mess of the sheets, thanks for bringing the new ones. Too bad about the power, though. You’ll have to take the stairs down from the 46th floor.” “I’d give you a flashlight, but Marcus and I bought everything in this room together, and I’d hate for you to take anything of ours. Sorry~” She picked up the sheets and traced her finger over Marcus’s chest. “Marcus, I’m awake now… and I want you again.” Marcus’s breathing grew heavy. He scooped her up and kissed her, slamming the bedroom door shut. In the dark, accompanied by the sounds of their passion, I limped toward the stairwell. When I finally got back to our old house, I was covered in new bruises from the dark trek. Mrs. Gable helped me to the sofa and rushed for the first aid kit. As soon as I plugged in my phone, the hospital called. “Mrs. Sterling, your husband’s check-up results are in. It’s bad. Early-stage brain cancer.” “Strange… I looked at his charts this morning and he seemed perfectly healthy…” 3 Marcus hated dealing with administrative chores, so I always handled his records. “It’s lucky we caught it early,” the doctor continued. “Tell him to come in for a consultation immediately. There might be a chance.” I’ve waited too long for this. I wasn’t going to tell him a thing. I hoped he’d sleep with Mia ten times a day to speed up the spread. And he did. Marcus stopped coming home entirely. He was either flying Mia to Paris for custom wedding gowns or spending millions at auctions for pink diamonds he designed into rings himself. He made me a laughingstock. I stayed silent, listening to the System’s daily updates on his declining health. Until his assistant called. Marcus had assaulted a major client at a gala because the man had called Mia a “homewrecker” and said she wasn’t fit to be there. The client’s wife was furious, threatening to sue him into the ground. When I reached the station, Marcus was shielding a sobbing Mia, glaring at the client’s wife. “Sue me then. I’d rather rot in a cell than let my woman be insulted.” I paused. Years ago, at the club, he had taken a beating to protect me from a group of handsy clients. “I don’t care if I die,” he had said then. “My Elena will not be mistreated.” The man he wanted to protect had changed, but the lines stayed the same. I stepped forward to apologize to the client’s wife, Mrs. Higgins. She didn’t give me any face. She splashed her tea directly into my face. “Elena, have you no dignity? Your own man treats you like trash, parading his mistress around, and you’re here playing the martyr? You’re lower than she is!” “My husband is in the hospital. If he and this little slut don’t issue a public apology, we’re filing charges.” Marcus watched the humiliation with cold indifference, a smirk on his lips as if mocking my interference. But the moment she insulted Mia again, he lunged forward, only stopped by the officers. I wiped the tea from my face and leaned in to whisper to Mrs. Higgins. “Mrs. Higgins, if this goes to trial, it ruins both families’ reputations. Marcus isn’t a pushover.” “If you trust me, give me one month. I guarantee he and his company will vanish from this city.” She looked at me with contempt. “You? A woman who can’t even handle a mistress?” I showed her Marcus’s digital medical report. “You know Sterling’s success came from his uncanny market intuition. I was the one who gave him that info. I know a project right now that hasn’t been valued yet. If your family takes it, your net profit next year will be nine figures.” “Sign the settlement, and the info is yours. You choose: a messy legal battle with a dying man, or a guaranteed fortune.” Mrs. Higgins was smart. She agreed. Before leaving, she looked at me meaningfully. “Marcus is blind for throwing a gem like you away. When you divorce him, call me. I’ll introduce you to a real man.” I smiled and said nothing. She only valued me now because I was useful. I remember Marcus looking down at me once. “Elena, if I hadn’t given you a home, you would have been used up and discarded in some alley. You think you can control me?” I didn’t need him to give me a home anymore. A home is just a building. With money, I could buy a thousand of them. As I drove back to the villa and unbuckled my seatbelt, a pair of headlights blinded me. Marcus’s car slammed into mine. 4 The crash echoed through the night. Even with the airbag, I felt blood trickling down my temple. My body ached as if my organs had shifted. Marcus ripped open the car door and dragged me out by the collar. “Elena, you’re more disgusting than I thought! You sign the papers and then go behind my back to have Mrs. Higgins humiliate Mia? She cried so hard she almost miscarried!” “How did you hook up with the Higgins family? Sleeping with him too? You think if Mia loses the baby, I’ll come back to you? You’re a joke. A woman like you… the thought of touching you makes me want to puke!” “I’m marrying Mia regardless. We will grow old together. Give it up.” Mrs. Gable ran out, horrified by my bloody face. “Oh my god! Ma’am, come inside, let me help you—” “Don’t call her ma’am!” Marcus roared. “Mia is the only lady of this house now!” “This is my house. She has no right to be here. Mrs. Gable, Mia had a rough day and didn’t eat. Go make her some soup. If I catch you helping Elena, you’re fired too!” Mrs. Gable looked at me helplessly, clutching her apron. I smiled at her, signaling I was fine. I tried to call 911, but Marcus snatched my phone and hurled it into the lake. “Elena, I got here on my own merit. I didn’t need your ‘info.’ Don’t flatter yourself.” “Since you want to be difficult, I’m keeping the phone and the car I bought you. You’re leaving with nothing. That’s your punishment.” He marched inside, and I heard the electronic lock chime as he changed the code. The cold wind cut through me. I remembered him saying he was nothing without me. That everything he had was mine. Since his word was garbage, I suppose I could take back the life and money I gave him. The door opened again. Mrs. Gable hurried out and pressed a stack of cash into my hand. “Ma’am, this is my salary from this month. Take it. Get a cab to the hospital. Mr. Sterling is just… he’s confused. He’ll come to his senses.” Just then, the second-floor window opened. Items began raining down: our wedding photos, my clothes, every gift I’d ever given him. “Marcus… we’ve never done it in your house before,” Mia’s voice drifted down, high and playful. “I want to do it in the bedroom, on the balcony, on the stairs… I want every corner of this place to smell like us, okay?” “Anything you want, baby,” Marcus’s voice was husky. “This is your home now. We’re going to be happy forever…” As he spoke, the final item was tossed out. My heart twinged. It was a small wooden plaque. Before I gave him the Halo, he had carried me on his back up three thousand steps to a mountain shrine to pray for our marriage. He had carved our names into it himself: May Elena and Marcus love each other until their hair turns white. Now, the wood was splintered, the names gouged out by a knife. Mrs. Gable fell silent. I patted her hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Gable. I’ll pay you back. A thousand times over.” Good people deserve rewards. And traitors? They don’t live long enough to see their hair turn white. Six hours after I left the hospital, as Marcus tried to be intimate with Mia on that very balcony, he was hit by a blinding headache. His vision went black, and he tumbled over the railing. 5 I slept in the next morning before casually strolling into the VIP wing of the hospital. The doctors and nurses were standing outside the room with grim expressions. Suddenly, a fruit platter flew out of the room, followed by a roar. “Bullshit! How can I have brain cancer?! It’s impossible!” “Get me real doctors! The best specialists in the country!” The doctor looked at me helplessly. “Mrs. Sterling, he’s hysterical. He refuses chemo and surgery.” “It’s okay. I’ll talk to him.” I walked in. Marcus was holding a paring knife, but he lowered it when he saw me. He hadn’t died from the fall, but both his legs were in casts, and his face was a mottled mess of purple bruises. He looked hideous. He grabbed my sleeve like I was his only ally. “Elena, tell them. I’m just tired. It’s low blood sugar. I’ve had this before, right?” “These idiots say I have mid-stage brain cancer. They want to shave my head for chemo! It’s a joke, right?” I took the knife and started peeling an apple. “I saw the report. it’s real. Fear won’t help; you have to face it.” “The doctor said with chemo and surgery, there’s a chance.” Marcus stared at my calm face for a long time. Then he spoke, his voice cracking. “You knew. You already knew.” “The doctor said he told you two weeks ago that my check-up was abnormal. He told you to bring me back for a follow-up. It was early stage then.” “Elena, why didn’t you tell me? You’re my wife! You could have stopped this!” I placed a slice of apple on a plate and let out a soft laugh. “Marcus, could I even reach you?” “Phone, email, even your assistant—you blocked me on everything, remember?” “Even if I had told you, wouldn’t you have just called it another ‘vicious lie’ to stop you from seeing Mia? That’s what you always did.” Marcus froze. He seemed to finally remember. That anniversary, I had booked the ballroom and invited the guests. He took Mia to a hot spring in Japan. I sat there like a clown while people looked at me with pity. I called him a hundred times. He responded by putting me on his blacklist. He even made his assistant block me so I couldn’t track him down. We only ever spoke when he decided to call me. I stood up. “I know you’re scared. I’m still your wife for now, so I’ll sign the consent forms you’re too afraid to sign.” “I’ll handle the company so we don’t lose a cent. And since you can’t be without Mia, I’ll arrange for a cot to be put in here so she can stay with you. For her sake, you have to fight this.” Whether it was my confrontation or my “generosity,” Marcus’s eyes filled with guilt and tears. “Elena… thank you for helping me even now.” “I was out of line yesterday. I’m sorry. My offer still stands—I’ll give you enough to live a good life.” I smiled but didn’t answer. Once I was outside, the smile vanished. I spoke to the System. “Why mid-stage and not terminal?” “How long until he dies?”

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Ten years of marriage. When my husband died unexpectedly, I cried until my heart felt like it was tearing apart. But when I went to the hospital morgue to claim his body, the staff refused to release him to me. “Ma’am, your marriage certificate is a forgery.” I felt like I had been struck by lightning. Right then, an unfamiliar woman’s voice came from behind me. “Hello, I am Liam Sterling’s legal wife. I’m here to claim the remains.” Staring at the official marriage certificate in her hand, I rushed forward, questioning her in a total breakdown. “What the hell is going on? I was with him for ten years! I gave him five children! How could my marriage certificate be fake?!” The woman looked at me with a mix of pity and contempt. “Liam is the sole heir to the Sterling empire. I am his wife from a strategic business alliance.” “Your five children didn’t die at birth. Liam took them from you the moment they were born and gave them to me to raise.” Saying that, she stuffed a few hundred-dollar bills into my pocket. “Thanks for your hard work. Consider this your surrogacy fee.” The sheer shock and fury sent me into sudden cardiac arrest, and I dropped dead right there in the hospital corridor. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn. I was back on the exact day Liam tricked me with that fake marriage certificate. I took the fake document, tore it into pieces, and threw them right in his face. “Giving me a fake marriage certificate to brush me off? Do you think I’m an idiot?” “We’re done!” …… 1 I ignored his deathly pale face and turned toward the bedroom to pack my things and move back to my hometown. But he grabbed me from behind, holding me in a tight, suffocating hug. “Don’t leave me!” His voice trembled with pathetic, desperate pleading. “I didn’t mean to trick you… I’m just useless. I only got two DoorDash orders today, and I messed them up. After paying for the ruined food, I couldn’t even afford the thirty-dollar filing fee at City Hall. So I just bought a fake one for now so we could celebrate…” I looked into his bloodshot eyes, my heart filled with nothing but cynical mockery. The acting skills of the ultra-rich were truly masterful. If his arranged wife, Chloe, hadn’t told me everything in my past life, I would have died believing I had married a devoted, struggling delivery driver who loved me more than anything. I didn’t expose his lie. Instead, I leaned into his excuse. “If you can’t even afford a thirty-dollar filing fee, how are you going to give me a happy future?” “Liam, I want a stable life. You can’t give me that.” With that, I feigned bitter disappointment, broke free, ran into the bedroom, and locked the door. Only then did I pull out my phone and call my mom. “Mom, I’m quitting my job and moving back home. That blind date you mentioned last time? I’ll go.” On the other end of the line, my mom was absolutely thrilled. “You finally woke up, sweetie! There are several guys from good families in town who really like you. Once you’re back, Mom will set up all the dates!” I hung up the phone and looked down at my young, firm body. There were no terrifying stretch marks on my stomach, no ugly C-section scars. In that moment, I finally broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. Thank God there was still time to change everything. Reborn with a second chance, I would rather die than be the breeding machine for that twisted couple ever again! After booking an Amtrak ticket home for the next morning, I headed to the high-end lounge where I worked to formally resign. Back then, desperate to buy a house and a car so Liam and I could start our life together, I threw away my dignity and worked as a bottle girl—because the money was fast. And how did he repay me? In my past life, when I drank so much with clients that I got stomach ulcers, he would just hold me and cry about how useless he was. He wouldn’t even spend the money to buy me medicine. As soon as I walked into the club, my coworker Mia grabbed my arm, her voice buzzing with excitement. “Chloe, that crazy rich trust-fund kid is back looking for a good time! The VIP room is full of whales! This is a huge opportunity to rake in some serious tips!” “Don’t you want to make extra cash to support your poor delivery boy boyfriend?” Before I could even tell her I was here to quit, she shoved me straight into the VIP suite. Liam was sitting in the center seat, radiating an aura of absolute elite arrogance. Any random watch on his wrist was worth more than I could earn in a lifetime. He was surrounded by a group of other wealthy heirs, all kissing up to him. Even though I already knew his true identity, my heart still gave an uncontrollable jolt. I quickly lowered my head and shrank back into the dim lighting near the door, terrified he would notice me. Liam’s voice carried a distinct tone of irritation. “The girl I have stashed away thinks I’m too poor. She says she’s moving back to her hometown.” The room erupted into roaring laughter. “Looks like Mr. Sterling’s eye for women finally failed him! A gold-digger like that thinks she’s worthy of bearing a Sterling heir?” “She actually thinks Mr. Sterling is poor? A woman that stupid is going to give birth to a brain-dead kid, isn’t she?” Every vicious, mocking comment drilled directly into my ears. My body went freezing cold. My fingernails dug so hard into my palms they almost drew blood. Chloe sat nearby, covering her mouth with an elegant, perfectly manicured laugh. Every movement she made screamed “high-society heiress.” “You have to throw her a bone, Liam.” “Chloe graduated from a top university, she has a high IQ. The fact that she’s willing to work as a bottle girl just to support you shows she’s fiercely loyal. I think her genetics are excellent.” “Hurry up and coax her back. We need to get started on having kids.” “Let’s aim for five. I like the idea of a house full of children.” The blood roared in my ears, flowing backward as a surge of intense, venomous hatred erupted from my chest. In my past life, back-to-back pregnancies destroyed my body, leaving me with chronic postpartum illnesses. Through countless agonizing nights where the pain jolted me awake, I was so broken I nearly threw myself off a building. And to think, all that horrific suffering was simply because of one casual sentence from Chloe. My heart ached with a suffocating bitterness. Unable to bear it a second longer, I turned and bolted from the room. After telling the manager I was quitting, I sprinted all the way home. I immediately started packing my bags. I found the jar of 520 origami lucky stars Liam had folded for me. The cheap plastic ring. And the little dream house he had built out of cardboard. Every birthday, every anniversary, he would hold me tight, his eyes filled with fake guilt. “Chloe, I’m so poor. I’m so poor the only thing I have to give you is my true heart.” “But I promise, once we get married, I’ll work so hard. I’ll buy you a real diamond ring, and a big, beautiful house.” It turned out he wasn’t poor at all. He just refused to spend a single cent on me. I laughed at my own stupidity. I took all these so-called “proofs of true love,” burned them to ash in the sink, and flushed them down the toilet. When Liam got home and saw what I had done, his face darkened instantly. “Chloe, why did you burn all our tokens of love? Did you… find something out?” He stared at me suspiciously. “Where were you just now?” I smiled naturally, acting completely normal. “I’ve been here packing my bags the whole time, of course. I’m leaving tomorrow.” Seeing my calm, open expression, Liam breathed a sigh of relief. He held up a plastic takeout container, moving close to me with a proud, fawning smile. “Chloe, look! Your husband was out hustling deliveries today and used the money to buy your favorite spicy fish.” “Eat it while it’s hot. Just leave a little bit of the cabbage for me.” Was he seriously trying to pacify me with a fifteen-dollar bowl of takeout? A wave of intense self-mockery washed over me. So this was how cheap I was in his eyes. “Eat it yourself. I have to catch a train early tomorrow. I’m going to bed.” Too exhausted to keep playing his twisted game, I turned to go to my room, but he grabbed my wrist. “Chloe, have you been influenced by the wrong people? When did you become such a gold-digger?” “From the very beginning, all I wanted was to have a baby with you. The reason I haven’t bought you expensive things is because I’m trying to save every penny for our future child. You have to understand that.” The mention of a child felt like a knife twisting in my heart. I squeezed my eyes shut. In my past life, I risked my life to birth five children. Before I could even catch a glimpse of them, Liam lied and told me they died at birth, while he secretly handed them over to his wife. My own flesh and blood were separated from me for my entire life. A bitter lump formed in my throat. I shoved him away with all my strength. “We are truly, permanently over.” I went into my room and locked the door behind me. Liam stood outside, frantically pounding on the door. “We’ve been together for two years! You said you’d build a life with me, did you forget?!” “I love you so much, how can you just abandon me?! I’m begging you, please don’t go…” Listening to his choked, desperate pleading, tears spilled from my eyes. He was the sole heir to a massive billionaire empire, yet he hid his identity, slumming it in a rundown studio apartment with me, playing a sick game of “poor man’s romance.” This was what he called love. But I didn’t want it anymore. This time, I was only going to live for myself. Deep in the night, I woke up suddenly from a nightmare and went out to the kitchen for a glass of water. To my surprise, I heard someone talking on the phone in the living room. Liam looked deeply annoyed, blowing out a ring of cigarette smoke. “She still wants to leave. I think she’s actually serious this time.” Over the phone speaker, Chloe’s voice dripped with disdain. “She’s just a breeding machine. Is she really worth getting this stressed over?” “If she wants to leave, let her leave. We’ll just pick out a new one.” Liam was silent for a long time before forcing out a sentence. “Chloe is different.” My fingers paused on the doorknob. A tiny, pathetic, secret hope flickered in the very bottom of my heart. But the next second, his cold, ruthless voice shattered it completely. “She’s young, she’s pretty, and I don’t have to spend a single dime on her.” It felt like an invisible hand had crushed my heart. The pain was so intense I could barely breathe. Liam added, his tone laced with twisted amusement. “You don’t get it. Watching her willingly degrade herself for me, working until her eyes are bloodshot just to pay our rent… it’s actually pretty entertaining.” “It’s hard to find a woman this stupid and easy to manipulate these days.” My chest seized. All those years, drinking until my stomach bled to earn money to support him, acting like I was perfectly fine. I did it because I was terrified he would blame himself. I didn’t want him to worry. But it turned out he knew everything. And he treated my absolute devotion like a hilarious joke to share with his wife. I clamped my hand over my mouth, crying silently in the dark. Over the phone, Chloe sounded serious. “Those kinds of women are the most troublesome.” “She doesn’t want money, she wants true love. If you’re really planning to play poor to get her to have your kids, you’re going to have to keep the act up for the rest of her life.” A dark, vicious glint flashed in Liam’s eyes. “She can’t escape my grasp.” “Who would dare marry a woman that Liam Sterling has already used up and thrown away?” A freezing chill swept over my entire body. I tried to quietly retreat back to my room. But unexpectedly, Liam hung up the phone and strode purposefully toward the hallway. “Chloe, I found you.” He smiled, looking as gentle as ever. But all the hair on my arms stood on end. In a panic, I slammed the door and scrambled to lock it. But a large hand gripped the edge of the door, forcing it open. He lunged in and grabbed my wrists. I dropped all pretenses. I raised my hand and slapped him as hard as I could, screaming with bloodshot eyes. “Your wife can’t get pregnant, so you decided to use me?! Let me tell you right now, it’s never going to happen! Go find someone else!” “Let go of me!” “Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum.” Liam pulled me forcefully into his chest, his tone a sickening mix of doting and exasperation. “Chloe and I have no feelings for each other. It’s just a business marriage. In my heart, you are my real wife.” “The only reason I didn’t give you money is because I wanted us to share the purest, most innocent kind of love.” “Do you have any idea how many women are fighting tooth and nail to get into my bed? But you’re the only one I want to have children with.” “My little princess, are you still not satisfied?” Satisfied? He played poor for two years, making me suffer through absolute hell. And in his eyes, I was supposed to consider it a blessing. I almost laughed out of pure fury. A wave of bitter nausea washed over me. I took a deep breath, enunciating every single word. “But I think you’re dirty.” Liam’s expression changed instantly. He gripped my wrist so hard I thought the bones would shatter. “What did you say?!” Enduring the agonizing pain, I stared back at him with absolute defiance. He raised his hand to hit me, but couldn’t seem to bring it down. “I lowered my pride to coax you, and you’re still being this ungrateful?!” “I can give you absolutely anything you want except the official title! Are you still not satisfied?!” But the only thing I wanted was the title of Mrs. Sterling. Liam’s face darkened. He pulled a pill from his pocket and forced it into my mouth. “What are you doing?!” I was forced to swallow the pill, physiological tears springing to my eyes as I choked. Liam scooped me up into his arms and kissed my cheek. I tried to struggle, but my entire body went completely limp. “Don’t be afraid, Chloe. I’m not going to hurt you.” “I just can’t let you leave me.” Before I could even scream, I slipped into unconsciousness. When I woke up, I found myself imprisoned in a massive luxury villa. I tried to sit up, but my body ached and I had no strength. Liam was sitting on the sofa. Seeing I was awake, he slowly brought over a bowl of chicken soup. He scooped up a spoonful, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and brought it to my lips. “Be a good girl and lie still. I’ll have the family doctor come in to give you a full checkup later.” “I’ll be here every night. You need to get pregnant quickly; my parents are anxious for a grandchild.” I glared at him with bloodshot eyes, and in a fit of rage, slapped the bowl of soup out of his hands. The greasy, scalding broth splashed all over his ten-million-dollar Patek Philippe watch. But he wasn’t angry at all. Instead, he grabbed my hand, checking it anxiously. “Did you burn yourself? If you get hurt, my heart will break.” I ripped my hand out of his grasp and used every last ounce of strength I had to slap him hard across the face. “Let me out! This is illegal imprisonment!” Liam’s head was knocked to the side. But he just smiled faintly, stood up, and tucked the blankets securely around me. “Chloe, you’re so foolish it’s almost cute.” “I’ve already confiscated your phone. Since you don’t want to eat, just rest.” “Stop being angry. Save your energy for tonight when we make a baby.” He ordered the nanny to take good care of me, then turned and left. I lay weakly on the bed, staring blankly out the window. Trying to figure out how to contact the outside world. Just then, the door opened again. It was Chloe. She was wearing a Chanel tweed suit, walking in with perfect elegance. “I am Liam’s wife. He asked me to come and talk some sense into you.” Acting as if I had grabbed a lifeline, I clung to her hand and begged. “Mrs. Sterling, I really don’t love Liam anymore. Please, just find someone else.” Chloe pulled her hand away, the emotion in her eyes complicated. “It makes no difference to me who has his child.” “But Liam has his heart set on you. My hands are tied.” “Miss, I can tell Liam is serious about you. Otherwise, a billionaire heir like him would never have lived in a ratty apartment and delivered food just to be near you.” “Besides, he and I have no real feelings for each other. If you can complete the task of carrying on the family line for me, not only will I make sure your life is easy, but I will genuinely thank you.” Realizing she had no intention of helping me, despair washed over me. But I decided to try one last thing. I put on a defeated expression, acting as if she had convinced me. I spoke softly. “Then let me think about it for a bit.” “Mrs. Sterling, I’m starving. I’m not used to the food the nanny cooks. I want to make something myself.” A flash of suspicion crossed Chloe’s face. I quickly added, “You can stand right next to me and watch. My stomach is just in so much pain from hunger.” She finally gave a reluctant nod and led me to the massive kitchen. Taking advantage of a moment when she looked down to check a text message, I grabbed a jug of cooking oil, poured it all over the floor and the stove, and sparked the burner. The kitchen was instantly engulfed in a roaring inferno. Her face drained of color. She turned to run, but I grabbed her arm in a death grip. I snatched her phone and dialed Liam’s number. “The villa is on fire! Come quick!” The moment I finished, I chucked the phone straight into the flames. The fire spread with terrifying speed. In minutes, the entire villa was a blazing sea of fire. Chloe and I were choking on the thick, toxic smoke. Just a few minutes later, completely disregarding his own safety, Liam charged into the inferno. “Chloe! Chloe!” His eyes were frantic with panic. But when he saw his wife, Chloe, passed out on the floor next to me, he froze. He hesitated for exactly two seconds. Then, he decisively scooped his wife into his arms. “She’s the heiress to the Sterling family. I can’t let anything happen to her.” “Hold on just a little longer! I’ll be right back to save you!” Watching his back as he left without a second thought, I smiled. I shoved open a window and threw myself out, landing in the thick decorative bushes in the backyard. Thankfully, it was on the first floor. I only suffered a few scrapes. While all the security guards and staff were panicking and trying to put out the fire, I sprinted out the back gate. I flagged down a passing taxi and headed straight for the Amtrak station. Liam Sterling, I hope I never see you again. Just as Liam loaded his wife into the ambulance, he turned around to charge back into the burning house to save me. But the firefighters immediately blocked his path, their faces grim. “Mr. Sterling, the fire is too intense. Anyone left inside is likely already…”

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It was the day I was brought back to the estate that I finally learned I was the biological daughter of the wealthiest man in Manhattan. There was no dramatic confrontation. The moment my parents saw me, their eyes filled with tears and they pulled me into a tight embrace. Even Chloe, the adopted daughter who had been pampered for over a decade, carefully wiped the mud off my shoes and said softly: “Welcome home, little sister.” But I couldn’t stand it. Whenever I struggled to figure out the smart home appliances, or mistakenly drank the expensive mouthwash thinking it was tea, I could always hear the maids snickering behind my back. “She really is a country bumpkin. It’s so embarrassing to even take her outside…” I finally hit my breaking point and shoved them hard to the floor. My mother’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you ever going to stop?!” I said, my voice hoarse, “I know you all look down on me! You think I’m uncultured and an embarrassment to the family!” “But Chloe has spent the last ten years living the life that was supposed to be mine!” Tears streamed down my face as I enunciated every word: “She is a thief!” My father’s face darkened, and he snapped: “Shut your mouth! None of this is Chloe’s fault!” If it wasn’t her fault, then was it mine, the victim?! My heart completely died in that moment. I wiped away my tears. “You can only have one daughter. Pick one.” ······ “Eleanor…” My mother reached out to wipe the tears from my face, but I aggressively slapped her hand away. “Don’t touch me!” Rejected, my mother stood frozen, looking incredibly awkward. My father’s anger instantly ignited. His face turned thunderous as he delivered a vicious kick to my stomach. The pain made my legs give out, and I collapsed onto the floor. “You ungrateful brat! Look at yourself! Do you look anything like a proper lady?! All those etiquette lessons these past few weeks were completely wasted on a dog like you!” A cold sneer crept onto my face. “A proper lady?! Dad, did you forget? I’m just a country bumpkin from a trailer park! And honestly, Dad, have you ever genuinely seen me as your daughter?!” The grievances I had bottled up for so long exploded. I turned and grabbed the crystal bowl of bright red cherries from the table, smashing it onto the marble floor with a deafening crash. “In your eyes, am I only worthy of taking her leftovers?! You think I have no class, so you feel perfectly justified fobbing me off with the garbage she doesn’t want?!” A few days ago, the housekeeper brought me a bowl of cherries, claiming they were just flown in and this was all that was left. I excitedly ate one, intending to save the rest to share with my parents. But then, I overheard two maids whispering in the hallway. “Did you see how happy she was? She really is from the sticks, acting like she’s never seen anything good.” “She probably didn’t even know what they were. Miss Chloe thought they weren’t fresh enough and threw them out, and she actually treated them like some rare treasure!” In that moment, I trembled uncontrollably. It turned out that the things I cherished were nothing more than discarded garbage in their eyes. Why did she get to be the pampered little princess of the house, while I was treated like a worthless burden from the slums? Even though I was their biological daughter. My eyes were bloodshot as I screamed through my tears. “In your eyes, will I never measure up to Chloe?! You all look down on me!” “Eleanor, no one looks down on you…” My mother tried to explain: “They were just making a joke. Look, whatever you want to eat, just tell the butler. If he doesn’t get it for you, tell me!” My father also looked displeased. “I’ll increase your allowance. If you want something, go buy it yourself. Is it really necessary to throw such a massive tantrum over a bowl of fruit?” Chloe walked over to me, her eyes rimmed with red. “Eleanor, I didn’t expect them to… I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault. From now on, whatever good food or fun things I get, I’ll give them all to you.” I stared right through her and let out a cold laugh. “I am their biological daughter. Everything in this house should rightfully be mine. Why the hell do I need you to ‘give’ it to me?!” I turned to my parents and said, “I don’t like her. I want her sent back to that trailer park!” In an instant, the living room fell dead silent. Chloe stood frozen, tears streaming continuously down her face. My mother frantically wiped the tears from Chloe’s eyes, cooing, “Don’t cry, don’t cry…” Watching this scene, I finally understood. There was no place for me in this house. I didn’t even qualify to be an option. I scoffed. Before anyone could react, I grabbed the fruit knife from the table and plunged it into my chest with a sickening thud. “Since that’s how it is, I’ll make it easy for you.” When I woke up, the family doctor was treating my wound. I shoved him away and immediately tried to get out of bed. Before I could even stand, my mother, who had been standing nearby, pinned me back down. “Eleanor! Are you trying to kill me?! I am begging you, please, just calm down…” I struggled violently in her arms, causing the poorly treated wound to instantly rip open again. Blood soaked through my shirt, but I didn’t feel a shred of pain. I roared at my mother like a madwoman, “If you don’t want me to die, then send her away!” Just then, Chloe stepped forward and offered my mother a smile, though it looked incredibly bitter and forced. “Mom, send me away…” Her voice was hoarse. “Mom, I’m willing to leave. Don’t let me ruin your relationship with Eleanor. Please take care of yourself after I’m gone…” I finally stopped struggling, staring at her in shock. She turned to me and offered a small bow. “Eleanor, I’m sorry. I stole your mom and dad… I’m leaving now. Please don’t hurt yourself anymore. Mom and Dad are getting older, don’t make them worry about you…” I searched her eyes for resentment or bitterness, but all I saw was reluctance and pleading. At that moment, I almost felt like I was the villain in a movie, tearing apart their happy family of three. In the end, she hugged my mother and actually left. My mother didn’t say a word; she just patted Chloe’s back with red, tear-filled eyes. Her belongings were quickly and thoroughly cleared out of the house. I thought I had won, because I had finally gotten my parents back. However, I noticed that my parents smiled less and less. At first, I thought they were just exhausted from work. So, I bent over backward trying to make them happy. I gave them massages, told them jokes to make them laugh. I studied twice as hard, wanting to make my father proud. I thought that with time, everything would eventually go back to the way it was. That was until my father’s birthday banquet, when Chloe’s best friend cornered me in the restroom and mocked me: “The country bumpkin really is a scheming little snake, aren’t you? Kicking Chloe out so quickly.” I gripped the edge of the sink, forcing myself to stay calm. “She felt guilty and left on her own—” “Save it.” She cut me off impatiently. “Can you stop making up lies? Aren’t you exhausted? Look around! Everyone in Manhattan knows the Vance family took in some unpresentable trash, and within days, you used a pathetic guilt trip to force our sweet, understanding Chloe out! You’ve completely humiliated the Vance family.” My pupils contracted, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the marble counter. I was just taking back what belonged to me. Why was everyone sympathizing with Chloe? She stepped closer, her voice dropping. “Before, everyone praised Mr. Vance for having such an amazing daughter. So what if she wasn’t blood? Chloe’s manners and education brought honor to the family! But you? What use are you besides making the Vance family a laughingstock?!” Seeing me frozen in shock didn’t seem to satisfy her malice. “You didn’t seriously think your parents actually chose you, did you? Mr. and Mrs. Vance already set everything up for Chloe. They bought her a massive penthouse downtown and gave her a ten-million-dollar trust fund to start her own company. Soon enough, she’ll be a successful CEO, and you—” “You can just sit here and play ‘proper lady.’” Chloe’s company was right in the heart of the financial district. I went to the building but was stopped by the receptionist. I explained calmly: “I am the eldest daughter of the Vance family. I’m here to see my father, Richard Vance.” After registering, I walked unimpeded to the executive office. Through the glass window, I saw my parents happily admiring the office space. Chloe was sitting in the CEO’s chair. She tried to get up to offer my father the seat, but he gently pushed her back down. He smiled and patted her head: “Don’t be a stranger with your Mom and Dad. If you run into any trouble, just tell us. Don’t keep it bottled up and suffer in silence.” My mother also pulled her into a hug, fussing over her: “Chloe, honey, you have to learn to take care of yourself now that you’re living alone. If you can’t adjust, just tell Mom, and I’ll send a maid over. Don’t work too hard, and if you need money, just ask me.” Chloe nuzzled into my mother’s embrace, acting like a spoiled child: “Okay, okay, I’ll remember everything you said, Mom. I’ll miss you so much, and you too, Dad…” They looked exactly like a real, happy family of three. I pushed the door open. “A company this size must have cost a pretty penny.” My father’s face immediately darkened, and my mother opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t seem to find the words. They both instinctively stepped in front of Chloe, shielding her. I demanded harshly: “Didn’t you promise me?! That you would send her back!” “Did I or did I not say that you are never to have any contact with her again?! Why… why won’t you just let her go! Do you even see me as your daughter?!” I practically screamed the last sentence. My mother rushed over, trying to calm me down: “Eleanor, you know what kind of hellhole that place is. Chloe has been pampered her whole life. Sending her back there now is a death sentence!” I felt an overwhelming sense of irony and let out a cold laugh. “Mom, I survived being trapped in that hellhole! Why did I manage to live, but she wouldn’t?!” Those mountains were like a cage, locking me in that place. My adoptive father constantly called me a worthless money-drain. Whenever he got drunk, he used me as a punching bag, kicking me and burning me with his cigarettes. Even now, I still bear the scars from those burns. My adoptive mother was even more vicious. She forced me to chop firewood in the dead of winter. When I had no water, I had to eat handfuls of snow just to survive. I once passed out from the cold and was only found and brought back by a neighbor. But what greeted me was an even more brutal beating, because she blamed me for not bringing the firewood back. The anger and resentment I had suppressed for over a decade made my whole body tremble. “Ever since I came back… neither of you has ever cared about me. You spend all day revolving around Chloe, terrified she might suffer even the slightest grievance! Now that she’s finally out of the house, you buy her a penthouse and fund a whole company for her!” “But Mom, Dad… I am your real daughter!” My mother’s eyes grew red, flashing with regret, but she looked at me earnestly. “The past is the past. Can’t we just live together as a family from now on? Why are you so intolerant of Chloe? Do you really need to see her die there before you’ll let this go?!” Her words froze me in place. So this was how my mother truly saw me. Maybe, from the moment I was brought back, I shouldn’t have held onto any hope. My mother quickly realized what she said was inappropriate, a flicker of regret crossing her face. “Eleanor, don’t overthink it… Mom misspoke.” “But no one wanted any of this to happen, and you can’t blame Chloe for it. She’s already moved out, just like you wanted. What more do you want?!” What more did I want? I just wanted them to love me, to truly look at me. I wanted to be able to cry in my mother’s arms when I was wronged. I wanted my father to stand in front of me and protect me when I was bullied. How did it end up that everything was somehow my fault?! I felt incredibly wronged. “Mom, I just want to be treated equally, is that so hard? She was raised like a princess, so I’m just a weed that deserves to be trampled on?!” I paused, then continued: “And another thing, her last name is still Vance, but your biological daughter is still named Miller! Mom, do you honestly think that’s appropriate?!” My mother frowned, trying to explain. “We just haven’t had time to change it—” “When will you have time?! When I’m dead?!” Some employees had been drawn by the argument and were curiously peering through the glass walls. My father’s face was thunderous, his hands clenched into tight fists as he fought to suppress his rage. “Shut up! Have you no shame?!” “Security!” Two bodyguards immediately entered the room. “Take Miss Eleanor home. She is not to step foot outside the house without my permission!” And just like that, under the curious stares of the entire office, I was forcefully dragged out of the building. When I got home, I locked myself in my room, refusing to eat or drink. I smashed everything in the room that could be broken. I tried to use this to get their attention, but my parents never came to check on me even once. Soon enough, I snapped back to reality. Doing this was only hurting myself; it was utterly pointless. If they didn’t love me, what was I still hoping for? Everything else was an illusion. The only thing you can rely on is what you hold in your own hands. Once I figured that out, I went to my father’s study. The annoyance on his face was palpable the moment he saw me. “What do you want now?!” I didn’t yell or demand answers like before. I just said calmly: “Dad, since you bought Chloe a penthouse and funded her company…” “As your biological daughter, I should get my rightful share too.” I slowly laid out my demands: “I want two penthouses under my name, and twenty million dollars. Basically, whatever she got, I want double.” He looked at me as if he’d just heard a hilarious joke, letting out a contemptuous scoff. “You?! Start a business?”

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Just because the guy my college roommate had a crush on gave me a love letter, she spread rumors that I was a high-end escort and had gotten three abortions. The entire school believed it. Some pointed fingers, some isolated me, and others even blocked me at the classroom door, asking how much I charged for a night. I silently endured the humiliation and verbal abuse for four years. Twenty years later, I sat as the lead interviewer for a top-secret government agency. The candidate who had scored highest on the written exam walked in for her interview. I opened her background check file. When I saw the name listed under “Mother,” I smiled. Closing the file, I said flatly: “You are disqualified.” 1 My name is Sarah Miller, and I was the only person from my small farming town to ever go to college. The day the acceptance letter arrived, the whole town threw a celebration for me that lasted all day. At the banquet, my dad, who couldn’t hold his liquor well, drank until his face was beet red. With bleary eyes, he kept slurring, “My family… we finally have a college student.” “My girl really did me proud!” My dad had worked himself to the bone his entire life, head bowed to the earth. That was the first time I ever saw him hold his head high, his eyes shining with pride. On enrollment day, my dad sold the only valuable thing we owned—our pig—to scrape together my tuition. My mom went around to all the neighbors, borrowing a few dollars here and there, until she had five hundred dollars. She pressed it into my hand. With red eyes, she told me: “Study hard at school, get along with your classmates, and become an educated, successful person.” “Don’t end up like me and your dad, suffering your whole life because you don’t have an education.” Looking at my mom’s calloused hands and my dad’s graying hair, I nodded firmly. I silently swore to myself that I would work as hard as I could to give my parents a better life. And so, lugging heavy duffel bags, I took a 24-hour Greyhound train and stepped onto the university campus. The school was grand. The majestic gates and towering buildings made my head spin. Following the school’s assignment, I dragged my bags to my dorm room. My three roommates had arrived early. The three girls, who had been laughing and chatting, froze the moment I walked in. Three pairs of eyes simultaneously looked me up and down. They were wearing cute, trendy skirts, while I was wearing my washed-out, faded high school uniform. My shoes even had patches on them. Their stares made my cheeks burn. After double-checking that I hadn’t walked into the wrong room, I muttered: “Hi, I’m your new roommate, Sarah Miller.” That was the first time I met Chloe Vance. She glanced at me and scoffed: “What a country bumpkin.” 2 That one phrase, “country bumpkin,” made me want to sink into the floor. What felt even more helpless was that I couldn’t argue with her. I later learned that Chloe and the other two were all locals from wealthy families. Especially Chloe. She wore a different outfit every day and always smelled like expensive perfume. She looked down on me. And because she did, the other two roommates joined in to ostracize me. They put a bottle of rubbing alcohol by the door and demanded I sanitize myself from head to toe every time I came in. They explicitly forbade me from using the dorm bathroom. I wasn’t even allowed to hang my washed clothes on the balcony with theirs. In their eyes, I was basically walking garbage. Even looking at me made them feel dirty. To avoid being a nuisance, I complied with all their rules. I also tried to avoid running into them as much as possible. I would go to the library before dawn to claim a seat and wouldn’t return until right before lights out. Just when I thought I could quietly get through college like this… Liam Davis’s love letter dealt me a fatal blow. When Chloe found out that Liam, the guy she had a massive crush on, liked me, she was consumed by hatred. She warned me: “Sarah, I’ll make sure you know what happens when you try to steal my man!” I don’t know how she did it. But overnight, the way everyone looked at me changed. Everywhere I went, people pointed and whispered: “Look, that’s her. The escort. Heard she’s had three abortions.” “She looks so innocent, who knew she was such a slut?” “I noticed she never even buys meat at the dining hall. Her family must be dirt poor for her to stoop that low.” “Even if you’re poor, you can’t just throw away your dignity like that. It’s embarrassing.” In the classroom, someone taped the words “Whore’s Seat” to my desk. In the library, people would spray the chair I just vacated with alcohol multiple times, then put down paper towels before sitting. Even the cafeteria ladies looked at me with disgust, intentionally shaking the ladle to only give me watery broth when serving my food. Guys would block the classroom door and ask me how much I charged for a night. Even Liam Davis specifically sought me out to demand his love letter back, looking at me with pure revulsion as he said: “You’re disgusting.” 3 I tried to explain to everyone, but no one believed me. Because Chloe came from a rich family and was in the student council, she was very popular on campus. Her words carried much more weight than mine. I couldn’t fight her. After agonizing over it, I spent all my remaining living expenses to buy a lipstick she frequently used and sought her out, practically begging: “Chloe, this lipstick is for you.” “Could you please explain to everyone that those rumors aren’t true?” “I never did any of those things.” Chloe glanced dismissively at the lipstick I held out to her and scoffed: “I can’t control what comes out of other people’s mouths, can I?” “A piece of trash thinks she can bribe me?” I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and pleaded with her again: “Chloe, I’m begging you. I really have nothing going on with Liam, and I promise I’ll never interact with him again. Just please, stop spreading those rumors.” “I just want to study in peace.” I knew she was the one spreading the rumors; she definitely had a way to stop them. I threw away my dignity, just hoping she would let me off the hook. But she looked down at me from her high horse and said coldly: “Sarah, a bumpkin like you who doesn’t know her place belongs rotting in the mud for the rest of her life!” Not only did Chloe refuse to help me clear the rumors, but she also fueled the fire. People started saying that I had tried to bribe Chloe to lie and cover up my escort business. The relentless rumors severely impacted my life and studies. Desperate to study in peace, I went to my academic advisor, begging her to give me justice. But after hearing the whole story, she sighed helplessly: “Sarah, I’ve heard quite a bit about these rumors myself.” “But where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” “You need to reflect on yourself. Have you been acting inappropriately, or done something to cause a misunderstanding?” “Otherwise, why would everyone be saying these things about you?” The advisor’s words were like a sharp blade plunging deep into my heart. They completely crushed the last sliver of hope I had. That was the moment I realized. There was no such thing as fairness in this world. Because I was poor, my words had no credibility. Because I was poor, I deserved to be nailed to the pillar of shame. Because I was poor, even the teacher who was supposed to uphold justice defaulted to victim-blaming. 4 The hostility from my classmates, the apathy from my teachers. It made me lose all hope in the university. I didn’t understand. I just wanted to get an education. Why was it so hard? Why was I subjected to these baseless accusations? Why was everyone targeting me? Why did I have to live like a rat crossing the street, pointed at and cursed wherever I went? I was so tired. I didn’t want to live another day in this sunless hell. I thought about it for an entire night. Finally, I decided to drop out. But just as I packed my bags and prepared to leave campus, my mom called: “Sarah, your uncle’s son works at a restaurant near your school. He came back to town and told everyone what’s going on with you.” “It’s all over town now. Everyone is saying you’re doing shameful things out there for money.” Realizing the rumors had reached our small town, I panicked: “Mom, I didn’t do those things. My classmates made it all up.” My mom sighed. “Of course I believe you’re not that kind of girl.” “Sarah, your dad and I are just worried sick about you.” “You must be suffering so much at school, right?” “How about your dad and I come to the school? We don’t care if we lose face. We’ll get on our knees and beg your classmates to stop targeting you.” “You worked so hard to get into college! You can’t just throw away this chance to change your destiny!” Hearing my mom’s words, my nose stung, and tears immediately started streaming down my face. She was right. I had worked so hard to get here. How could I give up so easily? I had sworn to myself that I would study hard and give my parents a better life! In that moment, I almost hated myself. How could I be so fragile? How could I let one rumor from Chloe make me forget where I came from? The rumors were terrifying, yes, but my parents were still back home, waiting for me to make something of myself! I wiped my tears and spoke solemnly to my mom: “Mom, I’m fine. You and Dad just take care of yourselves back home. I’ll handle things at school.” After hanging up, my mindset underwent a seismic shift. My current situation was difficult, but I couldn’t give up. I carried the weight of my parents’ expectations, the culmination of their lifelong sacrifices. I absolutely had to give them a better life. I could not fall. The only reason I was being bullied and suppressed by everyone was because I was poor and weak, right? If that was the case, why couldn’t I find a way to become strong? Education was my only chance to change my destiny. I couldn’t give it up. Armed with this conviction, I ignored everything else and threw myself into my studies, burying myself in textbooks. I knew that only absolute power could prevent me from being trampled underfoot and slaughtered at will. For four whole years. I endured all the accusations, mockery, and verbal abuse. I survived night after night of burning the midnight oil. In the end, I graduated at the absolute top of my class. And that brings us to today. I sat in the lead interviewer’s seat for a top-secret government agency. There were four interviewers in total, but I possessed the ultimate veto power. Today was the final round of interviews. The door opened, and a young woman walked in slowly. “Hello, everyone. My name is Mia Davis.” The candidates’ files had already been distributed to the interviewers. Hearing the name Mia, the other interviewers gasped in admiration: “Are you the prodigy who got early admission to Harvard at fourteen, Mia?” “I heard you also got the highest score on the written exam?” Mia nodded politely and formally began her interview. Throughout the process, no matter how difficult the questions were, she answered them flawlessly. Her demeanor was poised and professional, practically perfect. The other interviewers were incredibly impressed. Before the interview even ended, they were already extending olive branches, fighting to recruit her to their respective teams. But I just stared at the name listed under “Mother” in her background file, completely stunned. I never expected that Chloe Vance—the woman who bullied me for four years and subjected me to endless humiliation—could raise such an exceptional daughter. 5 Mia truly was exceptional. To have such incredible talent and ability at such a young age… even in a top-secret agency filled with brilliant minds, she was a rarity. I was genuinely curious. Given Chloe’s character, how did she manage to raise someone as outstanding as Mia? In disbelief, I flipped to the next page and saw the name listed under “Father”: Liam Davis. The very spark that ignited my nightmare of bullying. Even now, I remembered the boy in the crisp white shirt, the slight flush on his ears, and the hopeful look in his eyes when he handed me that love letter. And I remembered the look of pure disgust when he snatched it back, saying, “You’re disgusting.” After that day, Liam never sought me out again. Whenever we passed each other, he would instinctively frown and give me a wide berth. As if he were terrified of catching something filthy. It seemed Chloe had ultimately gotten her wish and ended up with Liam. And they had produced such an exceptional daughter. Noticing that I had been flipping through Mia’s file in silence for a while, the other interviewers exchanged knowing smiles: “It looks like Director Miller is determined to get Mia. She’s reading the file so carefully.” “Of course. Director Miller has always had a sharp eye. If someone isn’t top-tier talent, she wouldn’t even look twice.” “Mia, you’re in luck. Director Miller definitely wants you on her team.” “With Director Miller as your mentor, your future is absolutely limitless.” Hearing the interviewers’ comments, Mia beamed with a confident, victorious smile: “The reason I wanted to join this agency was because I deeply admire Director Miller.” “I want to work under Director Miller.” The other interviewers chuckled and teased: “Ah, my team really needs a brilliant young mind to lead the charge. I really wanted Mia for my group.” “Me too! Seeing such an outstanding junior, I’m totally jealous.” “Director Miller, it seems the feeling is mutual between you and Mia. We might as well congratulate you now.” “You really found a gem this time.” All eyes turned to me, everyone utterly convinced that I would gladly accept this seemingly perfect young prodigy. Mia also looked at me with eager anticipation, waiting for me to nod and welcome her aboard. But I slowly closed the file, looked up, and met Mia’s gaze with calm eyes. I said flatly: “You are disqualified.” 6 My verdict left everyone stunned. Mia’s confident smile instantly froze, replaced by sheer disbelief. The interviewers exchanged bewildered looks, as if they had just heard something absurd, shock evident on their faces. A second later, they assumed I was joking and laughed: “Director Miller, stop joking around. How could you possibly reject a candidate as excellent as Mia?” “Yeah, did you get too excited and say the wrong thing?” “Don’t scare the poor girl.” I looked at them and said seriously: “I didn’t misspeak.” “She is disqualified.” “After a comprehensive evaluation, I have determined she cannot join the agency.” Mia stared at me, her face pale, and asked in confusion: “Why?” “Is it because I’m not good enough?” I shook my head: “You are very good.” “You are the most outstanding candidate I’ve seen in all my years here.” Mia asked again: “Was there a problem with my performance?” I answered truthfully again: “Your performance was excellent, absolutely flawless.” Hearing this, the interviewers were even more baffled: “Then why?” “Director Miller, you can’t just waste talent like this.” “Yeah, if you don’t want her on your team, we’d be more than happy to take her.” “Exactly! Mia’s abilities are obvious to everyone. How can we reject someone this talented?” “Losing talent like this would be a massive loss for the agency.” Their voices grew noticeably more agitated. Every face displayed a clear hunger for her talent. But unfortunately, I was the lead interviewer today. I held the absolute veto power. If I said Mia couldn’t join, then no matter how brilliant she was, she would have no place in this agency. Seeing my unwavering resolve, a trace of bewildered anger appeared on Mia’s face: “Director Miller, if there were no issues with my performance in any area, then what is your reason for rejecting me?” The other interviewers chimed in, finding it hard to accept: “She’s right, Director Miller. Mia’s personal skills and psychological evaluations were top-notch, and her professional abilities are outstanding. If you’re going to reject someone this good, you have to give a reason.” “Even if you have veto power, you need to explain it to everyone.” “This concerns the agency’s future talent pool. It’s not a game.” Everyone stared at me intently, waiting for the reason. Meeting their gazes, I looked at Mia and said calmly: “For that answer, you should go home and ask your mother.” At that, Mia’s confident posture clearly trembled. A second later, her voice shook: “I don’t understand.” “Director Miller, what does this have to do with my mother?” “This is my interview. You should be evaluating my personal abilities and character.” Her voice rose higher and higher, taking on an almost interrogative tone. The atmosphere in the conference room became incredibly tense. I didn’t answer her immediately. Instead, I stood up, walked to the door, opened it, and spoke clearly, enunciating every word: “Some answers are better delivered by her personally.” “Mia, your interview is over.” “Please leave.”

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Winter break was coming up, and my parents booked us a luxury cruise. When my roommate, Chloe, found out, she immediately called my mom, crying hysterically. “Godmother, did you forget you have another daughter?” After my mom politely turned her down, she threw a massive tantrum in our dorm. “How can parents be so biased?! We are both their daughters, why do they treat me so differently?!” I was stunned. She had just crashed at my house for a few weekends, and now she genuinely believed she was my parents’ biological child. 1 “Emma, you’re just going to go on vacation with Mom and Dad and leave me home alone?!” Her question left me completely bewildered. “Aren’t you going back to your own home for winter break? Don’t tell me you were planning to stay at my house?” Chloe’s family lived out of state, so she usually stayed in the dorms on weekends. Worried she’d be lonely, I started inviting her over to my house to hang out. The very first time she walked in, she gasped involuntarily, “Emma, I’ve never been in a house this big and comfortable before! Can I just live here forever?” Just being polite, I casually replied, “Sure.” From that day on, Chloe insisted on coming home with me every single weekend. Knowing she was my roommate, my mom always prepared delicious meals whenever she visited. She seemed well-behaved at first. She would offer to mop the floors and wipe the tables. My dad, being the polite host, would always stop her. “Chloe, you don’t need to do any of this. Go watch TV with Emma.” “It’s fine, Uncle! I do this all the time at home.” “Look at Chloe, such a thoughtful girl. If only you were my daughter too, I’d be so lucky to have two sweet girls.” I never expected that a polite, throwaway joke would be taken as gospel by Chloe. “Why don’t I officially become your goddaughter? Then Emma and I will be real sisters! My birthday is before hers, so I’ll be the older sister.” “Godfather, Godmother, I promise to take good care of you both when you’re older, just like Emma!” My mom looked at her awkwardly. “It’s the thought that counts, sweetie, but our family isn’t really into the whole ‘godparent’ thing.” Chloe acted like she hadn’t heard a word, continuing to call them “Godmother” and “Godfather” with every breath. My mom tried to correct her, but my dad whispered, “Just let her call us whatever she wants. Don’t embarrass the poor girl.” Fast forward to winter break. I thought my parents and I were finally going to enjoy some quality family time. I couldn’t believe she was still planning to come to my house! Chloe looked at me with pitiful, wide eyes. “Emma, I couldn’t get a train ticket home, so I have to go to your house for the break.” “I’m your older sister, you wouldn’t kick me out, would you?” I was already annoyed. “Chloe, I don’t care if you call me your sister. But my family of three is going on a trip this winter break. No one will be home.” “Besides, the holidays are coming up. Are your parents really okay with you not going home?” “In my heart, this is my only real home. It doesn’t matter if I go back to that other place. Since you three are going on a trip, I guess I’ll just have to stay at the house by myself.” I seriously doubted my own ears. “Wait, did I hear that right? You want to stay in my house by yourself for the entire winter break?” 2 “Yeah, is there a problem with that?” “Of course there is!” I rejected her flat out. “Sorry, but we aren’t comfortable leaving our house to you while we’re gone. You need to figure out a way to get a ticket and go back to your own home.” Chloe didn’t say anything else, so I assumed she had accepted it. But on the day the dorms closed, when my parents drove up to pick me up, Chloe dragged her suitcase out and followed me right to the car. My family of three stared at her in shock. She stood there, looking awkwardly at her shoes. “Godfather, Godmother, can I come home with you?” “I know you’re going on a trip, you don’t have to worry about me! I’ll be a good girl and stay home by myself!” “I can watch the house and clean it for you!” “My parents only gave me enough money for a cheap coach ticket, and they’re all sold out. I couldn’t get one, so I can’t go home.” “Everyone is leaving for the break, even the RAs are gone. I’m too scared to stay in the dorms by myself.” She started crying as she spoke. My dad is a softie. He sighed and unlocked the car doors. “Get in.” Chloe’s face instantly lit up. She threw her suitcase in the trunk and hopped in. I was incredibly unhappy. I felt like she was completely overstepping her boundaries. But considering we still had three and a half years of college left as roommates, I bit my tongue and didn’t blow up. When we got home, Chloe dropped her bags and immediately ran into the kitchen to start washing vegetables. “Godfather, Godmother, you guys must be exhausted! I’ll cook dinner tonight.” She always acted so “thoughtful,” actively taking on chores and offering to massage my parents’ shoulders. My dad always used it as an opportunity to compare us. “Look at Chloe! If you were even half as considerate as her, we’d be thrilled!” But the reality was, every time Chloe offered to do chores, my parents never actually let her do them. She was a guest, after all. How could we make a guest do housework? Sure enough, as soon as Chloe put the vegetables in the sink, my mom gently pushed her out of the kitchen. “Go watch TV. Emma can help me wash the vegetables.” I rolled up my sleeves and walked into the kitchen. “Mom, Chloe has offered to cook for us so many times, but I’ve still never tasted her food.” “Let her show off her skills today. You go relax, Mom.” I pushed my mom out of the kitchen and turned to Chloe. “What are you standing around for? Start cooking.” Chloe reluctantly put on an apron. She actually managed to whip up four dishes, and they were all things my parents loved. Now my parents liked her even more. “Chloe, I can’t believe you’re such a good cook at eighteen! Our Emma can barely wash vegetables, let alone make rice.” “If you like it, Godmother, I can cook for you every day from now on.” She shot me a smug look. “Emma, you should really learn from Chloe. When we’re not home, you just order takeout all the time. It’s so unhealthy.” “It’s okay, Godfather! I can cook for Emma from now on.” “Oh, right! Are you guys leaving for your trip tomorrow? I’m so jealous of Emma, getting to go on vacation every break. The furthest I’ve ever traveled is from my house to school.” My dad felt bad for her. He looked at my mom. “Why don’t we bring Chloe with us?” 3 Before my mom could even answer, Chloe’s eyes filled with excited tears. “Thank you, Godfather! Can I really go?” She looked at my mom with eyes full of desperate expectation. My mom opened her mouth, hesitated, and finally said, “Let me call the travel agency and see if they have any spots left.” A few minutes later, my mom came back. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. The agency said the tour is completely booked, they absolutely can’t add another person. Next time, okay? Next time we have the chance, we’ll all go together.” A flash of intense resentment crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she had no choice but to nod and agree. After dinner, Chloe followed me into my bedroom. Her voice suddenly turned dark and accusing. “You should have told me you guys were going on a trip earlier! If you had told me sooner, Mom and Dad could have booked a ticket for me too.” I ignored her completely, grabbed my pajamas, and went into the bathroom to shower. When I stepped out of the bathroom, my foot slipped violently, and I crashed hard onto the floor just outside the door. I clutched my leg, breaking into a cold sweat from the pain. “Who moved the non-slip mat from the door?!” “And why is there body wash all over the floor?! No wonder it’s so slippery!” My mom rushed over to help me up, glaring at Chloe. “Did you move the mat? And spill body wash everywhere?” Chloe looked incredibly guilty. “Oh no! I accidentally spilled some body wash earlier, so I took the mat to wash it.” “I was just about to clean up the floor when Emma came out! I swear I didn’t do it on purpose!” She put on her best ‘about to cry’ face. “Emma, are you okay? I’m so, so sorry.” My dad was supporting my weight. “We need to get her to the ER. Our girl took a really bad fall.” The whole family rushed me to the emergency room. After a series of X-rays, we were relieved to find no broken bones. But my ankle and knee were swollen like balloons. I couldn’t walk without someone supporting me on both sides. Chloe looked deeply concerned. “Emma is hurt so badly, she definitely can’t go on the trip tomorrow. This is all my fault. Is the tour money just going to be wasted?” “Godmother, can you get a refund? What if you can’t? That’s so much money, it would be such a waste if someone didn’t go.” Since I couldn’t go, she wanted to take my spot. Chloe’s hinting couldn’t have been more obvious, but my parents completely ignored it. “Then none of us will go. We’ll stay home and take care of Emma.” Chloe looked annoyed for a second, but quickly masked it. “Godfather, Godmother, please go enjoy your trip! I’ll stay here and take care of Emma.” I chimed in, “Yeah, Mom, Dad, you guys go have fun! Chloe and I will be fine hanging out here.” After much persuasion, my parents finally decided to go on the trip. Leaving just me and Chloe alone in the house. “You purposely made me slip yesterday.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. “Oh please, I really didn’t do it on purpose. Why do you always assume the worst of me? Even Godfather and Godmother didn’t blame me, why are you still holding onto it?” She opened the fridge and, without asking, pulled out the expensive imported durian and cherries and started eating them. “Hurry up and order some takeout, I’m starving. And order a lot, okay? I invited some friends over. There are five of them, and they can eat a lot, so don’t be cheap, it’ll make me look bad.” “You invited your friends to my house?!” “Yeah, this is my house too! Why can’t I invite my friends over to play?” I was about to explode. 4 “Excuse me?! If you’re going to invite your friends over, the least you could do is ask me first! This is my house, you are just my roommate. Do you seriously think you own this place?!” Chloe jumped up from the sofa. “Why wouldn’t this be my house?! I’m their goddaughter, this is my home!” “Godfather and Godmother literally told me to treat this place like my own home! They love me! You’re the only one treating me like an outsider!” “Chloe, do you really not understand the concept of being polite?!” “Whatever, I’m done talking about this. My friends will be here any minute, and I don’t want to fight with you. If you don’t want to be here, you can leave.” “This is my house, why the hell should I leave?!” Just then, there was a knock at the door. Chloe practically skipped over to open it. “Omg, you guys are finally here! I was just about to order takeout, what are you craving?” “I want steak!” “I want sushi!” Five girls walked in. Some were from other departments at our college, and a few looked like older girls she met working off-campus part-time jobs. Chloe walked right over, snatched my phone off the table, opened a food delivery app, and started picking out a restaurant. “Chloe, that’s my phone!” “I know! Oh, come on, my sweet little sister, your big sister’s friends are here! You have to be a good host and treat them to a nice meal.” I held out my hand. “You host your own friends! Give me my phone back!” “It’s not going to cost that much, stop being so stingy.” I could barely walk, there was no way I could physically wrestle the phone away from her. Chloe tapped on my phone for a few minutes, finalized the order, and tossed the phone back onto my lap. “Thanks, sis!” I picked it up and checked the receipt. Good lord, she had just spent nearly $600. “How did you know my payment password?! And spending my money without my permission is literal theft!” “You’re being so dramatic! We’re family, what’s wrong with spending a little of your money? Besides, when I became their goddaughter, Godfather and Godmother didn’t give me a traditional red envelope with money. Just consider this you giving it to me on their behalf.” “Did my parents ever agree to you being their goddaughter?! You just started calling them that on your own! My mom has corrected you so many times!” Chloe acted like she couldn’t hear me, enthusiastically serving her friends drinks and snacks. “If you guys want anything else, just tell me! Don’t be shy, make yourselves at home!” She emptied out my entire stash of imported snacks, premium drinks, and expensive fruit to serve these random people. And they didn’t hold back, lounging on the sofas, eating my food, and playing on my PS5. The noise of their shouting and laughing made my head pound. I had no choice but to retreat to my bedroom, planning to confront Chloe and kick her out the second her friends left. But night fell, and Chloe’s friends showed absolutely no signs of leaving. I couldn’t take it anymore. I limped out to the living room and asked her, “Look at the time. When are your friends leaving?” They had completely trashed my house. Fruit peels, wrappers, and crumpled tissues were scattered everywhere. My blood pressure was skyrocketing. “They aren’t leaving! They’re spending the night here.” “Hurry up and find some extra blankets and pillows. Since you’re hurt, I won’t make you sleep on the floor. My friends can just sleep on the floor in the living room.” So, I should be grateful I wasn’t forced to sleep on the floor in my own house, while being forced to host a bunch of strangers and supply them with free food and drinks? I was just about to lose my mind when Chloe suddenly grabbed my heavy winter coat and threw it over my shoulders. “Do me a favor and go down to the convenience store to buy some soy sauce.” “It’s the middle of the night! Why do you need soy sauce?!” Without another word, Chloe physically shoved me out the front door. With a heavy SLAM, I was locked out. I had an electronic keypad lock. I punched in my passcode, ready to march back in and throw them all out. But the light flashed red. She had engaged the manual deadbolt from the inside! My passcode couldn’t open it! I started pounding on the door. “Chloe! Open the door!” I pounded as hard as I could, but no one came. I called her phone, but she ignored it. Furious, I pulled up the live feed from the security camera in my living room on my phone. I saw Chloe and her friends laughing hysterically. “Chloe, you’re a savage! You really just kicked your ‘sister’ out of her own house! Now this massive penthouse is all ours!” Chloe looked incredibly smug. “What ‘sister’? She’s just a stepping stone. Someday, her parents’ money and this house will all belong to me!” “Are you really that confident? Her parents aren’t stupid, why would they give everything to an outsider? Aren’t you afraid she’s going to tell on you?” “Let her complain! I’ll just say I couldn’t hear her knocking, give a fake apology, and it’ll all blow over.” “You guys don’t even know, I intentionally made Emma slip and fall so she couldn’t go on their vacation, and they didn’t even blame me.” “But didn’t you say her mom is still pretty suspicious of you?” “As long as her dad likes me, that’s all that matters. Worst case scenario, I’ll just get myself a new godmother.” The group erupted in raucous laughter. My lungs felt like they were going to explode. She wanted to steal my inheritance AND replace my mom?! Who the hell did she think she was?! Once I calmed down enough to think straight, I immediately dialed 911. “Hello, police? I’d like to report a home invasion!”

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To break up with me, Caleb faked amnesia. He asked, “Who are you?” I froze for a second, then smiled. “I’m your sister-in-law.” Caleb was stunned. That night, his older brother—the very one who had been constantly urging us to break up—frantically texted me: [What the hell?! When did you and I ever get together?!] [Caleb is waiting outside my house with a knife right now!] 1 When I got to the hospital, Caleb was lying in bed. His head was wrapped in bandages, looking very convincing. He looked at me with confusion and bewilderment, asking: “Who are you?” I froze for a second, then smiled. I reached up and pulled my collar down slightly, revealing a red mark on my neck. “I’m your sister-in-law.” The door to the hospital room was closed. His brother was waiting outside, waiting for me to break up with Caleb. When I received the news that Caleb had been hospitalized after a car accident, I was actually with his brother. Arthur looked at me with a half-smile, waving a five-million-dollar check in his hand. “Ms. Sterling, no one can predict the future between you and Caleb.” “But your own future can take off from this moment on.” Caleb and I had been dating for two years, and he had always kept his family background a secret. Until recently, when I was working a part-time job and bumped into him. He was out having fun with friends, staying in a presidential suite that cost fifty thousand dollars a night. When he was checking out, I just stood quietly at the front desk, looking at him. I wasn’t suffering, nor was I tired. Caleb and I locked eyes. He looked embarrassed. “I was afraid to tell you before because I thought you’d feel too much pressure being with me.” Me: “…” I pointed at myself in disbelief. Me? Do I look like someone with that much pride? If you had told me you were rich from the start, you wouldn’t have had to chase me for over a year. Not many people knew Caleb and I were dating. After his friends saw us that day, word somehow reached the Davis family. And that’s how I met the head of the Davis family, Caleb’s older brother, Arthur Davis. The two brothers looked about 70% alike. When Arthur looked down at me, his oppressive and heavy aura made me shudder. He told me to break up with Caleb. Last night, he sent me a video. In the video, he and Caleb were sitting across from each other. Compared to the still-boyish Caleb, his older brother was clearly more mature and composed. When Arthur spoke, his voice was unhurried, every word striking right at the heart. “I heard you and Emma met in college. You chased her for a long time, and she always had a terrible temper. But the moment she found out who you really are, she suddenly became completely obedient.” His implication was obvious. Gold-digger, hypocrite, compromising herself for money. Caleb quickly retorted, “She’s not like that!” His tone was hasty, lacking confidence. He was just eager to defend me. But deep down, even Caleb didn’t fully believe his own words. Compared to an old fox like Arthur, Caleb was out of his depth. Seeing Caleb take the bait, Arthur couldn’t help but smirk. “Is that so? Then why don’t we put on a little show? You fake amnesia after this car accident and ignore her. Let’s see how she reacts.” The video ended there. What was happening now left no doubt. Caleb had agreed to play along. 2 The expression on Caleb’s face changed rapidly, like his brain was buffering from an overload of information. “Want an apple? Your sister-in-law will peel one for you.” Five million dollars was definitely tempting. But the fact that you two brothers were playing me for a fool really pissed me off. Hearing me call myself “sister-in-law” made Caleb’s face turn green with anger. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting to interrogate me, but stopped himself at the last second. He still had to maintain his amnesia persona. If he broke character now, he’d only be shooting himself in the foot. He feigned composure, but tears welled up uncontrollably in his eyes, and his voice was choked with emotion. “I… I think my brother is single.” I smiled and waved my hand dismissively. “You have amnesia. It’s normal that you don’t remember your brother having a girlfriend.” Caleb pressed his fingers hard against his temples, sounding anxious: “I think I’m starting to remember something.” I pulled out his medical chart and shoved it in his face. “The doctor said there’s no chance of you recovering your memory.” Caleb gripped the medical chart tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. I placed the peeled apple on his bedside table. Before leaving, I patted him on the head. “Since you’ve forgotten, those memories obviously weren’t that important to you anyway. Look forward to the future.” “I’m going to go get a hotel room with your brother… I mean, go grab dinner with your brother. Get some rest. We’ll come see you when we’re done.” I waved at him, smiling as I walked out of the hospital room. The moment I closed the door, a wail that sounded like a boiling kettle erupted from inside. Arthur had no idea what had transpired in the room. He turned to me, his eyes softening, as if pleased that I knew my place. On the way here, Arthur had been trying to guide my thoughts. “Since Caleb is willing to put on this act, it means he already doesn’t trust you. Once there’s a crack in a relationship, it can’t be fixed; it only gets bigger. Trying to win him back is pointless.” “Rather than an ugly, hysterical breakup later, it’s better to take the five million now and disappear gracefully.” Arthur was very good at finding people’s pain points. I handed him my debit card. “I don’t want to go to the bank with a check. Have someone wire the money to this card.” Arthur nodded and handed both the check and the card to his assistant to handle. By the time I walked out of the hospital room, the assistant had already finished the transaction. A few minutes ago, I had received a deposit notification on my phone. When Arthur handed my card back to me, he was completely unaware— Someone was plastered against the window of the door behind him. Caleb was glaring fixedly at the card in Arthur’s hand through the glass. Because of the angle, he couldn’t see exactly what kind of card it was. And because of what I had said in the room, he naturally assumed it was a hotel room key. Caleb’s face was dark, the veins on his forehead throbbing. As I took the card, I provocatively ran my fingers over Arthur’s hand. “Thanks.” I put the card in my purse, turned, and left. Arthur looked down at the spot I had touched, his fingers unconsciously curling inward. The moment I disappeared around the corner, Caleb leaped out of his hospital room. The critically injured, bedridden man was now pinning Arthur to the floor, beating him like a rabid dog. “Arthur, you old bastard! Give me back my girlfriend!” Arthur: “?” 3 The hospital descended into chaos. Arthur was knocked out cold by a punch. Caleb sat nearby, crying so hard he couldn’t catch his breath. I crouched in the corner, enjoying the show for a good while before finally, reluctantly, leaving. I spent the whole afternoon shopping with my new five million dollars, not heading home until it was dark. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, I saw Arthur standing outside my door like a ghost. He was radiating resentment. His face was covered in bruises, completely devoid of his previous calm and collected demeanor. Arthur was furious. “Emma! You go to Caleb right now and clear this up!” I unlocked my door and asked innocently, “Clear what up?” Arthur furrowed his brows, looking at me with absolute disgust. “You know exactly what I mean. Stop playing dumb!” “Caleb is accusing me of stealing his girlfriend! He said I made him fake amnesia just so you could cleanly cut ties with him! He’s currently waiting outside my house with a knife like a madman!” I hummed a little tune, ignoring his complaints completely. I laid out all the things I’d bought that afternoon on my bed. In an instant, the bed was covered in incredibly inappropriate lingerie. I held up the most revealing white lace nightgown against myself and showed it to Arthur. “Do you think I’d look good in this?” Arthur’s face turned even uglier. He turned his head away, refusing to even look at me, speaking through gritted teeth. “Only a blind idiot like Caleb could ever like you.” “I’d rather be single for the rest of my life than be with a vicious woman like you.” The moment he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. “Emma, are you home?” Hearing Caleb’s voice, Arthur froze in panic. He stared at the door as if facing a mortal enemy. Seeing me reach for the handle, he rushed to stop me. “Don’t open it!” Caleb already suspected an affair between us. If he saw Arthur in my apartment in the middle of the night… Arthur wouldn’t be able to explain it even if he had ten mouths. I rolled my eyes. “He called my name, which means he knows I’m home. Wouldn’t it be more suspicious if I didn’t open it?” I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the closet. “Why don’t you hide in here for a bit?” Arthur: “…” He looked devastated. But thinking about it, there really seemed to be no other option. He took a deep breath and reluctantly squeezed into the closet. I turned around and opened the door for Caleb. Caleb’s tall frame filled the doorway. His head was hanging low, the corners of his eyes still red. I reached out and touched his cheek, asking, “Why were you crying?” Caleb couldn’t hold back the tears that had welled up in his eyes any longer. Hot tears fell onto the back of my hand, and his grievances poured out like a broken dam. He had agreed to the amnesia plan himself, and he was the one who had pretended not to know me that morning. Now, no matter how wronged he felt, he had to swallow his pain. “My brother won’t let me go home. He kicked me out, and I have nowhere to go.” Hiding in the closet, having been chased by Caleb all afternoon, Arthur: “…” Caleb held my hand and nuzzled his face into my palm. “Sister-in-law, can you take me in for the night? I can sleep on the couch. I promise I won’t be any trouble.” I nodded understandingly. “Of course you can.” Arthur: “?!” Caleb took off his shoes and walked in. The moment he looked up, he saw the sexy lingerie scattered across the bed. His expression turned vicious for a split second. I followed his gaze and explained shyly: “Your brother bought them. He said he wanted to celebrate tonight…” I stopped abruptly, as if realizing I’d said too much. Looking bashful, I muttered complainingly: “Your brother is always buying these useless things. He never listens to me.” Arthur stayed dead silent in the closet, staring blankly at the ceiling. He looked like he wanted to engage in a fierce battle with the closet rod using his neck. I gathered up the lingerie, opened the closet door, and tossed them inside. The white lace nightgown fluttered down, landing right on Arthur’s face. The moment I opened the closet door, a little piece of Arthur died inside. He put his hands together in a pleading gesture, looking utterly helpless. Caleb stood by the closet, separated from me only by a narrow wooden door. “Is my brother coming back tonight?” I shook my head. “I don’t know. Why don’t you call him and ask?” Arthur looked horrified. Caleb nodded thoughtfully. He pulled out his phone and dialed Arthur’s number. A second later, Arthur’s ringtone echoed from inside the closet… Caleb narrowed his eyes, staring dangerously at the closet. “Sister-in-law, I think my brother’s phone is ringing.” “Can I check the closet?” 4 I moved faster than Caleb and slammed the closet door shut. “Your brother left his phone here. If it’s urgent, why don’t you try calling his assistant?” Arthur let out a breath, feeling like he’d just narrowly escaped death, covered in a cold sweat. The more he thought about it, the more he regretted it. If he hadn’t hidden in the first place, he might have had a chance to explain. But if he suddenly popped out of the closet now, Caleb wouldn’t believe a word he said. Arthur hated me with a burning passion. He started spamming me with texts. [Make Caleb leave!] [Tell him to leave! Hurry up!] [Emma, you malicious woman, I won’t let you get away with this when I get out!] [Trying to drive a wedge between us brothers, huh? Heh, it won’t work.] [Emma, you will pay for what you did today!] I glanced at my phone with a fake smile, then turned back toward the closet. “Caleb, do you want to change into some pajamas?” Arthur turned pale, his heart leaping into his throat. [Sorry, I misspoke just now. Please don’t take it to heart.] [Don’t open the closet door again, I’m begging you.] [Emma, are you trying to destroy our family?] My phone buzzed incessantly. I frowned in annoyance and replied. [Brother, you’re being a bit loud. I’m putting you on ‘Do Not Disturb’ now.] [Emma!!] When Arthur sent that last message, my phone didn’t make a sound. Arthur’s face turned ash-gray. Left with no other choice, he started transferring money to my bank account. The heavenly sound of a deposit notification rang in my ear. I magnanimously stepped away from the closet. I pulled a new set of men’s pajamas from a shopping bag and handed them to Caleb. “I just remembered I bought a new set this afternoon. You should wear these.” Caleb shot a thoughtful look at the closet and quietly thanked me. “Sister-in-law, I’m not trying to cause trouble, but I feel like my brother doesn’t have much of a sense of responsibility. Leaving his girlfriend home alone this late, and he didn’t even take his phone? It’s like he’s afraid you’ll check up on him. Who knows what he’s doing out there in the middle of the night.” “If I had a girlfriend, I would never treat her like that. I’d constantly keep her updated so she wouldn’t worry.” “Sister-in-law, your ex-boyfriend must have done that too, right?” Caleb peeked at me, his little hidden agenda completely failing to stay hidden. Sitting on the edge of the bed, hearing him mention ‘ex-boyfriend’, I looked momentarily dazed. I glanced at him, then quickly looked away. My eyes grew slightly red, but I forced a relaxed smile. “My ex was really attentive. I felt very safe with him.” Caleb instinctively reached out to wipe away my tears. His hand stopped mid-air as he remembered our identities had supposedly changed. It wouldn’t be appropriate. He stiffly lowered his hand, his voice hoarse: “If your ex-boyfriend was so great, why did you break up?” Caleb stared at me with tear-filled eyes, determined to hear my answer. I wiped the tears from my face and said: “He’s great, but I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t make him trust me completely, I couldn’t give him a sense of security.” “He always held back when he was with me, even going out of his way to hide things from me. Being with me only brought him pain. Breaking up was probably the best choice for both of us.” Caleb turned his head away, his voice already choking with sobs. “If… if he came back to you, would you get back together with him?” I hesitated for a moment, then gave a relieved smile. “No. I hope he meets a good girl who can make him drop his guard. I want him to be happy.” Caleb couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. With his back to me, he sobbed so hard his shoulders shook. I asked, pretending not to know: “What’s wrong?” Caleb shook his head. “My allergies are acting up. I’m fine.” He hastily wiped his tears and said, “It’s getting late. You should get some sleep, Sister-in-law.” Caleb grabbed a blanket and walked into the living room. I turned off the lights and got into bed. Arthur waited until he was sure Caleb was far away before finally stepping out of the closet. With Caleb in the living room, Arthur was stuck. He couldn’t stay, but he couldn’t leave either. Arthur’s face was extremely grim. He locked the bedroom door, then came over and shook me awake. Arthur grabbed my wrist and pulled me up from the bed. Too much had happened today. Before today, Arthur had never imagined anyone would dare punch him in the face, and under the accusation of stealing someone’s girlfriend, no less. And the person hitting him was his own brother. Arthur was so furious he laughed. “Emma, are you having fun yet?” Arthur was gripping my wrist so hard it hurt. “You’re hurting me.” Arthur glared at me with a fake smile. “You should consider yourself lucky I haven’t killed you yet.” Arthur’s tone was too harsh. I looked at him pitifully, letting the tears fall. “Arthur, do you think just because I don’t have a mother, I’m easy to bully? Everyone around me says that orphans like me could be bullied to death and no one would stand up for us.” “You won’t let me like Caleb, you won’t let me date him, you won’t let me get angry or lose my temper, and now you’re hurting me, and I’m not even allowed to complain.” Arthur frowned, clearly uncomfortable with my crying. He let go, noticing the red mark he’d left on my wrist. I whispered, “I never asked for anything. I just wanted a small family, someone to like me, someone to protect me.” Arthur remained silent, his face dark. He let out a helpless sigh and sat on the edge of the bed in defeat. Unable to watch me cry anymore, he quickly changed the subject. “Does your wrist hurt a lot? Do we need to go to the hospital?” I shook my head. “Just rub it, it’ll be fine.” Arthur sighed again and reached out to massage my swollen wrist. “It hurts… be gentler.” Arthur frowned, as if annoyed by my fussiness. “Like this? Is that better?” I nodded. “You can go a little deeper.” Arthur: “… The word is harder.” I was about to make another dirty joke when Arthur cut me off impatiently. “Shut up, bear the pain! You deserve it!” After he said that, he saw me staring blankly at him and realized he’d gone too far. He awkwardly tried to cover it up: “This is my first time doing this, it’s normal if I’m not very good at it. Try to be more forgiving.” I nodded. “As long as you’re enjoying yourself, I’ll be forgiving.” Arthur’s frown deepened. He felt there was something very wrong with what I said, but thinking about it, it sort of made sense. Correcting me word by word would just make him seem petty. Arthur decided not to dwell on it and focused on treating my wrist. His back was to the bedroom door. Half of the light slipping under the doorframe was blocked by a shadow. Caleb stood staring at the locked door, remaining silent for a long time. The sounds of Arthur and I drifted faintly through the door and into his ears. The cigarette between Caleb’s fingers had burned down, the glowing ember scorching his skin red, but he didn’t seem to notice. After a long while, Caleb finally snapped out of his daze. He let out a bitter smile and whispered: “What right do I have to be jealous?” “I chose this path myself. Who can I blame but myself…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391162”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel