Author: Momo Chan

The day my father ushered his mistress and their illegitimate daughter through the front door was the same day a video of me with a stranger leaked online. The headline screamed across every gossip site: “Socialite Scandal: Norah Gates’ Wild Night and Wrecked Home.” Overnight, my reputation was incinerated. I went from the pampered daughter of the Gates dynasty to a pariah, a walking scarlet letter. My father didn’t want to hear explanations; he just wanted me gone. In the depths of that despair, Harrison appeared. He shielded me from the paparazzi flashbulbs, standing like a fortress between me and the world, declaring to anyone who would listen: “From now on, Norah is with me. Anyone who comes for her answers to Harrison Cole.” We dated for two years. Despite the immense pressure from his old-money family and the board of directors, he proposed. I said yes with my whole heart. But that very night, I stood frozen outside the door of his private study, listening to the clinking of scotch glasses and his voice drifting out, talking to his oldest friend. “Harrison, are you serious about marrying Norah? The girl is radioactive. What’s the angle?” “The angle is that she is radioactive,” Harrison replied, his voice smooth and detached. “I thought the family was blocking you from marrying Mallory?” “Decades of bad blood. They’d die before letting Mallory through the front door. So, here’s the play: I marry the most scandalous woman in New York. I force their hand. They either accept Mallory, or they watch the Cole family heir marry a woman who’s the laughingstock of the city.” Tears rolled down my cheeks, hot and fast, but my blood turned to ice. The redemption I thought I’d found was just a long con. From the beginning, I wasn’t a partner. I was a pawn in his pursuit of true love. Fine. If he wants a performance, I’ll give him the show of a lifetime. 1 I heard the flick of a lighter, followed by the sharp inhale of smoke. “Norah is the perfect tool,” Harrison said, the disdain in his voice cutting through the heavy oak door. “She’s foolish, and she’s desperate for affection. Show her a little kindness, and she becomes loyal as a dog.” “Her ruined reputation is exactly the leverage I need to break my parents. Once they cave, I’ll find a reason to cut her loose. Clean break.” His friend sounded hesitant. “But you’ve been… intense with her. You went to war with CEO Zhang over her last month. Are you sure there’s no feelings there? You can lie to me, Harrison, but don’t play yourself.” Harrison exhaled a cloud of smoke. “It’s called method acting.” “If I don’t sell it, how does she take the bait? How do my parents believe I’m actually crazy enough to marry her?” He paused, his tone shifting to something colder. “Honestly? Being around her… knowing what the internet says about her… it’s nauseating. If it weren’t for Mallory, I wouldn’t look at her twice.” The bento box I was holding slipped from my fingers. Smash. Rice and vegetables scattered across the hallway runner, a messy mirror of my shattering heart. I didn’t storm in. I didn’t scream. I turned around and walked away. Back at the apartment, I moved with mechanical precision. I took every gift he’d ever given me—the jewelry, the bags, the hollow tokens of a fake love—and shoved them into a cardboard box. What once looked like devotion now just looked like a bribe. A tear splashed onto the back of my hand. I wiped it away furiously. I shoved the box into the back of the closet, hidden in the shadows. Then, I opened my laptop and bought a one-way ticket to Europe, departing in a week. I couldn’t breathe in this city of lies anymore. When the front door unlocked, I composed my face into a mask of calm. Harrison walked in, took one look at my swollen eyes, and frowned. He reached out to cup my cheek. “Hey. What’s wrong? Who upset you?” I flinched. It was a reflex. His hand froze in mid-air, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and forced my voice to sound steady. “Nothing. Just… didn’t sleep well.” He bought it. He assumed I was doom-scrolling, reading the comments about myself again. He pulled me into a hug. “Stop reading that trash. I don’t care about your past, Norah. I only care about you.” He kissed the top of my head. “The wedding is in a week. My bride can’t be crying her eyes out. You need to be beautiful.” I rested my head against his chest. His body was as warm as it had always been. But listening to the steady beat of his heart, I felt nothing. The connection was dead. I shrank into his embrace, playing the part he wrote for me. “I’m so lucky to have you, Harrison.” He patted my back, satisfied. “Silly girl. I’m not going anywhere.” Suddenly, his phone on the counter lit up. A notification. Sender: Mallory. 2 My peripheral vision caught the preview text: “Harrison, I’m back in the city. We need to talk.” Harrison’s body went rigid against mine. His hand, resting on my waist, clenched instinctively. He pulled away, grabbed his phone, fired off a quick reply, and locked the screen before tossing it onto the sofa. He stood up, smoothing his suit jacket. “Norah, something urgent came up at the firm. I have to go in.” I watched him rush toward the door, my heart feeling like it was being squeezed by a giant, cold hand. “It’s ten o’clock at night,” I said softly. “Can’t it wait?” I held onto one last, pathetic shred of hope. Just stay. Choose me for one second. He didn’t even stop walking. He threw a look over his shoulder, impatient and annoyed. “I’m working late to close this deal so I have leverage when I tell my family we’re getting married. Can you be a little more understanding? Stop being so needy.” “Needy?” I whispered. I looked at him, tears threatening to spill, but I willed them back. “Harrison, are you hiding something from me?” He grabbed his coat, his voice hard. “No. Stop overthinking. I’ll be back when I’m done.” The door slammed shut. Bang. The sound severed the space between us. I sat on the sofa, staring at the empty, luxurious room, feeling the chill settle into my bones. Harrison didn’t come home that night. No texts. No calls. The appearance of Mallory—the “White Moonlight,” the one who got away—had turned my fragile peace into a hurricane. I didn’t sleep. Early the next morning, a text from an unknown number buzzed on my phone. “Ms. Gates, it’s Mallory Kent. We need to clear the air. Southside Café, 3 PM.” When I arrived, Mallory was already there. She was wearing a pristine white dress, hair cascading over her shoulders, makeup flawless and barely there. She looked innocent. Pure. But her eyes were sharp, filled with an undisguised sneer. “Norah. Thanks for coming.” I tossed my bag onto the chair, clinging to whatever dignity I had left. “Let’s skip the pleasantries, Ms. Kent. What do you want?” She took a delicate sip of her latte, then set the cup down. The mask dropped. “I want you to leave Harrison.” I let out a dry laugh. “Excuse me? I’m the fiancée. You’re the ex. Aren’t you overstepping?” She laughed, a harsh sound that didn’t match her angelic face. “Oh, honey. You don’t actually think he loves you, do you? You’re a bargaining chip. He’s using you to terrorize his parents into accepting me.” She leaned forward, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know why he picked you? Because you’re ruined.” “Your reputation is trash. You’re the girl from the video. The girl everyone whispers about. He needs someone unacceptable to make the family desperate. He’s showing them: ‘Accept Mallory, or watch the heir marry the town pariah.’” Her words were precise, surgical strikes. “You don’t belong next to him. You’re not even fit to hold my purse.” She smiled, cruel and sweet. “Do yourself a favor. Leave now, save yourself the embarrassment. If you wait for him to dump you, it’s going to be ugly.” I looked at her face—beautiful and rotton—and felt… nothing. Just a profound sense of absurdity. I took a sip of my black coffee. “Ms. Kent, if you want me to leave, fine. Have Harrison come tell me himself.” Mallory’s face darkened. She slammed her hand on the table. “Don’t be delusional! You think you’re actually Mrs. Cole? You’re a tool for his revenge against his father.” “Whether I am or not,” I stood up, “isn’t up to you.” I turned to leave. “Norah Gates!” she screamed after me, losing her composure. “I will run you out of this city! Once he’s done with you, you’ll be nothing but a joke!” I didn’t look back. I walked straight out into the afternoon sun. But as soon as I got home, a wave of nausea hit me. I barely made it to the bathroom before I was retching. A sinking feeling settled in my gut. I bought a test. Two red lines. 3 I was two months late. I had been so stressed I hadn’t tracked it. A child. I used to dream about this. But now? A baby born into a marriage built on lies? A baby with parents who were playing a sick game of chess? No one knew better than I did what that kind of trauma does to a kid. I didn’t hesitate. I called the clinic and scheduled the surgery for the next morning. I hung up the phone and turned around to find Harrison standing there. “Who were you talking to?” he asked, stepping closer. “Surgery? Are you sick?” I slid the phone into my pocket, keeping my face blank. “It’s nothing. My dad needs an operation. The housekeeper called to let me know.” Harrison visibly relaxed. He pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Oh, thank god. I thought something was wrong with you.” I closed my eyes, fighting a bitter laugh. “You’re worried about me?” “Of course. You’re my priority. I don’t know what I’d do if you were hurt.” I pushed him away gently, looking him in the eye. “If I’m so important, tell me where you were last night.” His jaw tightened. “I told you. The office.” “The office? Or with an old friend?” He stood up abruptly, defensive. “It was a friend. She just got back to the States. I picked her up. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to get jealous over nothing.” He reached for me again, his eyes pleading. “Norah, trust me. Everything I’m doing is for our future.” “I trust you,” I whispered, exhausted. “See? You’re just stressed about the wedding.” I closed my eyes as he held me. A tear slid down my cheek, unseen. I used to think his silence was protection. Now I knew it was just indifference. At midnight, another text from Mallory summoned him. He crept out of bed and left the apartment. I opened my eyes in the dark. This time, I didn’t ask him to stay. The next morning, the sky was grey. I walked toward the clinic entrance, only to find my path blocked. Mallory was there. Flanked by two large men in dark suits—private security. “You really are like a cockroach,” she spat. “You know the truth, yet you’re still clinging to him? And now you’re pregnant? You think a baby trap is going to work?” “This is none of your business,” I said, trying to step around her. The bodyguards moved to block me. “Ms. Gates,” one grunted. “Ms. Kent thinks you should reconsider the pregnancy. We’re here to help you make the right choice.” I stepped back, adrenaline spiking. “What are you doing?” Mallory smirked. “Helping Harrison clean up his mess. A woman like you doesn’t get to have his heir.” Suddenly, the screech of tires tore through the air. A delivery truck had jumped the curb, careening straight toward us. I tried to dive out of the way, but Mallory lunged at me, grabbing my arm in a panic. “Norah, help me!” She anchored me to the spot. In that split second, a blur of motion slammed into us—Harrison. He had been following her. He shoved Mallory out of the path of the truck, wrapping his body around hers to shield her as they hit the pavement. But the shove sent me stumbling backward. Right into the grill of the truck. The impact was a dull, bone-shattering thud. I flew through the air. The last thing I saw before the darkness took me was Harrison. He was on the ground, cradling Mallory’s face, screaming her name. He didn’t look at me once. When I woke up, I wasn’t in a hospital. I was in a damp, freezing warehouse. My kidnappers were business rivals Harrison had destroyed the previous month. They saw an opportunity. They filmed videos—me, disheveled, bleeding, humiliated—and uploaded them. The internet exploded. Hashtag: #NorahGatesFakeKidnapping The comments were vile. “She’s such an attention whore. The sex tape wasn’t enough, now she’s faking a hostage situation?” “Probably sleeping with the kidnappers. Anything to get Harrison to marry her.” For three days, I lay on a dirty mattress, burning with fever. Sharp cramps tore through my abdomen, and I could feel the warm, sticky blood soaking my jeans. When the police finally raided the place, I was barely conscious. I woke up in a sterile hospital room. The doctor’s voice was grim. The baby was gone. And because of the trauma and the infection, the damage was permanent. I would never carry a child again. I stared at the white ceiling tiles. I had no tears left. Just a vast, arctic numbness. Harrison showed up on the second day. He walked in holding a binder—wedding plans. The performance continued. “Norah! Oh my god,” he rushed to the bedside, his face twisted in performative anguish. “I’m so sorry I’m late. The company… the wedding prep… I just heard. I should have protected you.” I watched him like I was watching a bad movie. “Don’t worry,” he said, gripping my cold hand. “I’ll make the people who did this pay.” The doctor walked in for rounds. He glared at Harrison. “You’re the partner? Do you have any idea about the pregnancy complications—” I caught the doctor’s eye and shook my head slightly. A silent plea. Harrison frowned. “Pregnancy? What complications?” “My stomach,” I interrupted, my voice raspy. “The kidnappers kicked me. Internal bruising. The doctor says I need rest.” The doctor sighed, shook his head in disgust, and walked out. Harrison opened his mouth to speak, but his phone rang. He looked at the screen, glanced at me, and answered on speaker. 4 It was his mother. Her voice was shrill, panicked. “Harrison! The wedding is in two days! I am hearing about this kidnapping nonsense from TMZ! Have you lost your mind? You cannot marry this girl!” “The stock is tanking. The internet says she staged it herself. She is trash, Harrison! If you marry her, the board will vote you out. We will disinherit you. Choose. Her, or the legacy.” Harrison looked at me, feigning conflict. “Mom, she’s innocent… she’s a victim…” “She’s a liability!” his mother screamed. “Her own father threw her out. That tells you everything. Get rid of her.” Harrison hung up. He looked at me, eyes filled with “regret.” “Norah… I…” “I know,” I said. My voice was flat. “Family comes first. I understand.” He blinked, surprised by how easy it was. Then, relief washed over his face. “You’re amazing, Norah. You truly are.” He leaned in, conspiratorial. “I have a plan. We keep the wedding date. But… Mallory will stand in for you. Just for the ceremony. Just to calm the family down. Once the dust settles, I’ll bring you back. I’ll marry you properly.” He squeezed my hand. “I know it’s unfair. But it’s for our future. Can you just… bear with it for a little while?” I looked at his handsome, lying face and felt physically ill. But I nodded. “Okay. I’ll listen to you.” He kissed my forehead, ecstatic. “Thank you, baby. You’re so understanding. As soon as the wedding is over, I’ll come straight here.” He rushed out, eager to prep his real bride. I lay there, a cold smile touching my lips. On the day of the wedding, the news cycle shifted. It was all about the “Fairytale Union” of Harrison Cole and Mallory Kent. The grandeur, the history, the “true love.” My kidnapping scandal was swept under the rug, forgotten news. I checked myself out of the hospital against medical advice. I asked the nurse for the box. I placed it inside a gift bag, along with the ultrasound photo. I addressed it to the grand ballroom of the Pierre Hotel. A wedding gift. I was sure he’d remember it. I packed my life into a single suitcase and went to JFK. As I sat at the gate, a text from Harrison popped up. “Norah, I’m sorry I can’t be there today. But know that no matter who is standing next to me, you’re my wife in my heart. Just wait for me. I’ll bring you home soon.” I laughed until tears blurred my vision. He was still acting. Even now. I didn’t reply. I popped the SIM card out of my phone, snapped it in half, and dropped it into the trash can. “Flight 802 to Zurich, now boarding.” I grabbed my handle and walked down the jet bridge. I didn’t look back. Harrison, I give you these last two years. Keep them. We will never meet again.

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My wife’s male assistant claimed he had chronic poor circulation, which meant the air conditioning had to be set to a sweltering eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit even in the middle of a blazing summer. Otherwise, he was prone to catching cold. He also had a strict, non-negotiable rule: no one was permitted to eat in the office, ever, because the mixture of food smells was too much for his delicate senses. The employees were practically suffering from heatstroke, forced to hug their takeout containers and eat their lunch huddled miserably in the bathroom stalls. They complained repeatedly, yet my wife, Sloane Merritt, was not only indifferent to their plight. She actually chuckled and handed the assistant, Jasper Jeffrey, total jurisdiction over the entire office. “Jasper is a meticulous, high-vibration guy. He has sophisticated tastes, and it’s good for all of you to have him around to break your bad habits.” With her blatant encouragement, Jasper Jeffrey became a miniature tyrant, micro-managing everything from the thermostat to lunch breaks. The entire office simmered with resentment, and many longtime, loyal employees resigned. I couldn’t stand by and watch the corporate culture rot. After discussing it with Sloane multiple times to no avail, I took executive action and suspended the male assistant for three days. Sloane didn’t say anything to my face. She acted as if nothing had happened. But a few months later, the small company my father had set up for me was intentionally sabotaged into bankruptcy. I went to find Sloane, but overheard her talking to her friends first. “Sloane, I have to say, you are brutal. That’s your father-in-law’s business, and you just tanked it?” She gave a soft, dismissive scoff. “My father-in-law means nothing. He only has himself to blame after Christopher forced Jasper into suspension. He cried and was depressed for days. I was heartbroken for him. Bankruptcy is exactly what they deserve.” “Once Christopher Vaughn realizes he’s a low-s

The company was rolling out new vehicle allowances, and Patrice from HR was collecting our car details. When she saw the Kia Forte I’d filled out, she actually laughed. For a long time. “Jax, sweetie, why do you need a mileage allowance?” she said, still chuckling. I frowned, confused. She leaned in conspiratorially. “You can just run a few Uber shifts on your way to and from the office, right?” I thought she was kidding. She wasn’t. The allowance was denied. I cornered Bryce Sullivan, the Vice President who’d once been my manager, to appeal. He didn’t even look up from his desk. “Look at this, Jax,” he said, shaking his head. “You bought this car barely a year ago and you’ve already put fifty thousand miles on it.” “Do you think I’m running that many sales calls? Don’t be insulting. You’re definitely driving for hire. Why should the company subsidize your side hustle?” The whispers spread like wildfire through the office group chat. “Riley says he’s out running deals, but he’s really out collecting fares.” “Hey, Jax, what’s the surge pricing for a ride home? LOL.” I didn’t bother to respond. I just smiled, logged into the system, and with a quiet click, I hit ‘Delete’ on the million-dollar account I’d been nursing for six months. For good measure, I cleared the hundred-plus prospective clients I’d cultivated over the quarter. After all, what difference does it make if the company tanks? I’m just an Uber driver. … It was the seventeenth time I went to Bryce to plead my case for the car allowance. I laid a neat stack of expense reports on his working desk. “Bryce, these are my validated trips from last month. Can we finally process my allowance?” He leaned back in his leather chair, picking up a receipt and flipping it over with an air of mild annoyance. When he didn’t speak, I felt the familiar urge to justify myself, a pathetic reflex I hated. “That one,” I rushed to explain, pointing. “That’s the trip to the motor plant. You asked me to go overnight, remember? I drove over eleven hundred miles straight.” He gave a noncommittal grunt and picked up another one. “That’s the one where I handled the emergency warranty issue at the vehicle factory. The client was furious. I know I didn’t file the pre-approval, but I called you the minute it was resolved!” He scoffed and grabbed a third. “And this one is…” He cut me off, his voice ice-cold. “Enough, Jax. All these receipts, all these ‘validated’ trips, only add up to about two-and-a-half thousand miles. But your vehicle information shows four thousand miles this month.” He stared me down. “We’re adults here. Do we need to spell it out? We don’t penalize you for driving for Uber on your own time—that’s your choice—but you’re not getting an allowance for it.” I bit back a groan. “Bryce, I have a commute. I also drive to appointments you send me on the fly—the ones that don’t get a trip report. But I haven’t been driving for hire.” He swept the receipts off the desk onto the floor. “Denied.” A surge of genuine panic made me forget the papers scattered around his Italian loafers. “Bryce! It’s been a year! A whole year of collecting evidence for you. It’s clear I’m not doing ride-share! The new interns drive better cars and they have an allowance, but I’m still waiting!” He looked at me with open contempt. “You compare yourself to them? They drive a Mercedes. You drive a Kia.” “Besides, the math doesn’t add up. How can I verify you’re not hustling on the side? And honestly, it’s a twelve-hundred-dollar-a-year allowance. Why the theatrics? Go close two more deals, and you’d cover it. Stop wasting my time.” His dismissiveness was the final insult. I slammed my hand on his desk. “Bryce! Have some decency! You steal my accounts, you gut my bonuses, and now you’re nickel-and-diming me over the car allowance! What, are you scared of me?” Bryce started to laugh, holding his stomach. “I’m just enforcing policy. And you think I’m scared of you?” He flung the office door open, grabbed my arm, and dragged me into the hallway. He pointed to the rows of cubicles. “Hey, everyone! Jax Riley here says I’ve been stealing his business and skimming his bonuses!” Then he turned back to me, jabbing his finger into my chest, speaking loud enough for the entire floor to hear. “Jax. Now they all know. What are you going to do about it?” “You drive a Kia Forte. You are not getting an allowance.” “Here’s some free advice: Go run those ride-share shifts and earn the allowance yourself. It’ll save you the effort of begging me. Now, grab your paperwork and get out of my office!” My face was burning. I could hear the immediate chatter. “He’s making a scene over twelve hundred bucks? Wow, he must be desperate.” “I heard he’s doing six thousand miles a month. He’s definitely hurting for cash.” “Probably maxed out his credit cards. No wonder he’s so intense about a few dollars.” I didn’t yell. I didn’t swing. I bent down, silently gathered the shredded receipts, and walked back to my desk. I didn’t want the allowance. I wanted respect. I wanted fairness. Since they wouldn’t give it to me, I’d take it back myself. I tossed the torn-up receipts into the trash bin and opened my work log. Jackson Riley, Sales Performance: Year 2020; Clients Secured: 27; Revenue (USD): $1.28 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 15 clients ($750K); Year 2021; Clients Secured: 27; Revenue (USD): $5.26 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 38 clients ($3.22M); Year 2022; Clients Secured: 121; Revenue (USD): $10.18 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 81 clients ($6.96M); By this year, I had secured 167 clients and $31.21 million in revenue. The company credited me with less than 20% of it. Bryce was a junior VP when I started. By taking my accounts—my blood, sweat, and miles—he’d ridden a career rocket. He went from a used Toyota to a flashy Mustang GT. My sales figures were the lifeblood of that department, but I was stuck in neutral. No promotions, no awards, just the same stagnant salary. I’d bought the Kia only because driving was essential, but even that modest purchase was a target for their scorn. He didn’t just take my clients, my bonuses, and my reputation. He had to take the last twelve hundred dollars too. It was twelve thousand dollars over the years. Not life-changing money, but it was my last sliver of dignity, and he was grinding it into the floor. Enough. I compiled years of evidence—the stolen accounts, the skimmed bonuses, the allowance denials—and bundled it into one explosive file. I addressed it to the company’s internal Ethics and Compliance department. I hit ‘Send.’ There was no going back. I glanced up. Sam, the new intern, was standing right behind me. I kept my expression neutral. “Still no car allowance, Jax?” Sam asked, the feigned sympathy in his voice failing to hide the smirk. “It’s wild how the company treats a ‘top producer’ like you.” I ignored him and walked away. That afternoon, I got a call. “Mr. Riley, the company takes these allegations very seriously. We will have an internal investigation and a result shortly.” Bryce, you forced my hand. I’m simply reclaiming what is mine. The next day, the office was buzzing. Everyone was watching me. When I reached my cubicle, my personal effects were already packed into a box. No one would tell me who did it. Sam, the intern, only said that Bryce was waiting for me in his office. I sneered. My report had worked. Bryce was retaliating. I headed straight for the confrontation. Patrice from HR was already there. Bryce stood up immediately, his face tight with feigned fury. “Jax Riley! You have the audacity to show your face here? You actually reported me?” I looked him straight in the eye, fearless. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m not the one who’s been stealing from this company for years. I have proof, Bryce. You’re done. I will get back everything you took.” Bryce smiled a cold, triumphant smile. He slammed a thick file on the desk. “This is your ‘evidence,’ correct?” My stomach dropped. Compliance had handed my report right back to him. The game was rigged. Bryce threw his head back and laughed, a maniacal, victorious sound. “I truly admire your idiocy, Jax. Did you honestly think anyone would side with a nobody like you? You’re just a low-level sales guy. I could crush you like an ant. You think the board is going to sacrifice me, their golden boy, for you, a loser?” I lunged, grabbing his silk tie. “How did you get here, Bryce? You climbed over my back! I wasn’t competing with you! All I asked for was what was mine! Just approve the stupid allowance! Why did you have to push me this far?” He shoved me back and smoothed his tie. “Why? Because you’re a machine, Jax. An efficient, hungry machine. Keep you hungry, you keep running. Feed you, and you get ideas. You think you’re irreplaceable? Any person with a tenth of your drive could do your job if they had this platform. Even Sam.” I turned, and Sam was standing in the doorway, wearing a sickly, satisfied smirk. Bryce tapped his knuckles on the desk. “Did you think I was blind to your little moves? I was waiting for your complaint, Jax. This isn’t a self-defense, it’s a self-destruct.” He started pulling documents from the file. “This is a record of your private chats with clients. You’ve been offering kickbacks! You have the nerve to bypass company policy? How much of the company’s revenue have you pocketed, Jax? Confess!” My face went pale. I stumbled backward. “No! That’s fabricated! I never offered kickbacks! You’re framing me! You bastard, you used the lowest trick in the book!” Bryce remained calm, totally assured. “I knew you’d be stubborn.” He pulled out his phone and played an audio clip—a conversation between me and Sam. “Jax, your numbers are incredible. What’s the secret?” “Listen, Sam, the sales game is about playing both sides. You promise the client a discount to lock in the deal, then you negotiate with the company. The back-and-forth—that’s how you land the accounts.” I wheeled around, looking at Sam, who gave me that uncanny, knowing smile. “Don’t look at me, Jax. I’m just following your advice. Playing both sides.” I was furious, pointing a shaking finger at him. “You altered that! That’s not what I said! You spliced my words!” Bryce cut me off. “Spare me the outrage, Jax. We know who you are. Now look at these.” He pulled out several phone screenshots from the file. They were logs from a major ride-share application, showing I had been driving on the platform since 2025. He pointed a victorious finger at me. “The rest of it—the kickbacks, the lies—I could almost believe were an overzealous salesman being aggressive. But the Uber driving? That was the icing on the cake. A Kia Forte and a side gig. It suits you, Jax. Denying your allowance was the right call after all!” I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood. I had never, ever driven for a ride-share service. It was all a complete fabrication. Bryce was framing me. But the silence from Patrice and the snide whispers outside the office told me everything. “He actually was an Uber driver! I knew it! All that talk about being broke—he must be drowning in debt!” “And he accused Bryce of stealing? I heard Bryce was just cleaning up Jax’s mess, reassigning clients that Jax had barely touched. What a fraud.” Desperate, I turned to Patrice for a shred of integrity. She looked at me coldly. “Jax, I’m just here to deliver the company’s decision. We were initially only going to issue a verbal reprimand for your accusations against a VP. But given the clear evidence of your other activities, which violate company policy and damage our reputation…” Bryce interrupted, cutting her off with a false show of mercy. “Patrice, it’s fine. Jax brought us a lot of business. Let’s call it even. Just fire him. No need to pursue legal action for the theft or the fraud.” I glared at him, fire in my eyes. “It’s a frame job, you rat! Don’t play the hero! I never did any of that! You want to take me to court? Let’s see who is cleared then!” Patrice frowned. “Jax, you’re making this difficult. Bryce and the company are letting you walk away clean, and you’re insulting them?” I threw my head back and laughed—a bitter, hollow sound. “Walking away clean? My performance tops the department every year! Seventy percent of our revenue came from my accounts! And my salary? It’s been stuck at minimum for years! My bonuses are gutted, and I’m always the lowest paid! Why? You approved everyone’s car allowance except mine for a year! You call that ‘not difficult’?” Bryce sneered. “You think sales are just about bringing in the contract? There’s client maintenance, back-office work—the others do that. Stop complaining about fairness.” I pointed at him. “You dare say that? Who drove eleven hundred miles last month to save a contract? Who puts thousands of miles on their car every month? They sit in the office watching TikTok and drinking coffee, and they all have allowances, but I…” Bryce slammed his hand down. “You bring up the allowance one more time, and I swear I’ll bury you! We have undeniable proof you run a side gig! Keep pushing, and I will sue you for everything you’re worth!” I didn’t flinch. “Bring it on, Bryce. Let’s see whose reputation is ruined in court!” Bryce exploded. “Patrice! Fire him! Now! Then instruct Legal to file the complaint! The evidence is rock solid!” Patrice hesitated. “Bryce, let’s all just calm down.” Suddenly, I felt a calm wash over me. I stood up straight. “You know what? Fine. I quit. Let’s just call it a day.” Bryce lunged, eager to press his advantage. “You think you can just walk away? Not a chance! I will sue you! That audio, that evidence—it’s all real. Sam downloaded it from your phone. I was going to be generous, but you’ve lost your chance. We’ll see you in court!” I looked at Sam, whose face was a mask of smug satisfaction. I left the office in a daze. My belongings were tossed onto the curb outside the building. My former colleagues were already lining up to watch the drama. “Bryce gave him an out, and he still pushed it. This is what happens to arrogant people.” “He’s going to be sued for a million dollars. He’ll be driving that Kia for Uber for the rest of his life to pay it off.” A few days later, sitting in my rented apartment, the court summons arrived. Bryce was actually suing me. Then my phone rang. It was Sam. “It’s done. All the evidence is in their hands.” A slow, satisfied smile spread across my face. Bryce had taken the bait. “Excellent,” I said, sitting up. “Initiate the next phase.” Yes. All of it had been my plan.

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After breaking up with Ethan Cole, I found out I was three months pregnant. I raised my daughter Lily alone for five years. But working three jobs took its toll, and I died suddenly from a stroke. I floated in mid-air. Suddenly I saw. Ethan Cole, now an award-winning movie star. Knocking on my door. 1 It took a long time for the door to open. “Who are you?” The one who opened the door was my daughter, Lily. She stood on her tiptoes to reach the lock of the main door, taking quite a while. She looked warily at my ex-boyfriend, who was also her biological father, Ethan Cole. Seeing it wasn’t me, Lily was about to close the door immediately. Ethan propped the door open. Frowning, “Where is Chloe Cloud?” Lily thought for a moment, looked up, and smiled brightly. “You’re looking for my mom. My mom isn’t home.” “She’s working.” Ethan’s face turned grim. He asked again: “Where’s your dad?” [It’s you! Her father is you!] I shouted anxiously in mid-air, but he couldn’t hear. Lily thought for a bit. “My dad is making big money in a very faraway place. Mom said he’ll come to pick us up when he makes enough money.” Ethan’s brow furrowed tightly. Suddenly he laughed self-deprecatingly. Muttering to himself in a low voice. “Heh, I was crazy to think you would wait for me.” With that. He turned to leave. He suddenly paused again. Asked for Lily’s full name. “Lily Cloud.” “Mom says I’m her little lily flower, so I’m called Lily Cloud.” Lily said it with great pride. Ethan’s gaze searched her face. Seeming to look for some proof. But in the end, he said nothing. Stepped into his stretch limo. I watched the car driving away in the distance, screaming. [Don’t go, Ethan Cole. If you leave, what will happen to our Lily?] [She’s only five. How can she survive alone?] I gently coaxed my daughter, who was blinking her eyes watching the car speeding away in the dust. [Lily be good, go chase daddy. Now that mommy is gone, only he can raise you.] But Lily couldn’t hear either. She just said one sentence: “What a strange uncle.” Then closed the door. At this moment, I wished I could slap myself hard. Why didn’t I tell Lily who her father was earlier. Why didn’t I show Lily a photo of her biological father. This is all my fault. It doesn’t matter if I die. But what about my daughter? 2 Lily swung her little legs, waiting for me to come home. The afterglow of the setting sun faded. The sky gradually darkened. Reasonably speaking, I should have been back long ago. Because Lily is afraid of the dark. But I was already dead. My colleague just received the notification of my failed resuscitation at the hospital. And was about to notify my family. But opening my phone, she found the family column in my contacts was empty. However, they knew I had a child. So, the phone at home rang that night. Lily ran towards the phone with her short legs. “Hello.” The childish voice made my colleague’s eyes misty. She didn’t know how to explain to a little girl that her mother was dead. And wouldn’t come back again. “Is it mommy?” Lily’s voice carried excitement. “Are you working overtime again? It’s okay, Lily is fine, not hungry at all. Lily just ate the bread mommy bought.” Saying that, she patted her round belly. “Lily, your mom just passed away.” Lily asked in confusion: “Where did she go? But it’s okay, mommy will definitely take Lily with her.” Once before, due to work arrangements, I went on a business trip to a neighboring state. Worried about leaving Lily alone at home. I took her with me. That was Lily’s first long trip. Sitting on the train, she pointed at the scenery outside the window excitedly. So now Lily still thought I just went on a business trip somewhere. After hearing this, my colleague sighed. Didn’t know what else to say. Could only hang up the phone. Finally, she represented the company to send my body for cremation. I was left with only an urn of ashes. 3 This night passed exceptionally slowly. It was also the first time I didn’t come back. Every once in a while, Lily would run to the door to see if I was there. But soon, scared by the darkness, she would run back. Just like this, running back and forth many times. Unable to resist sleepiness. She finally fell asleep hugging the teddy bear I bought. Dawn broke, roosters crowed. She was startled awake. And rushed to the door again. Seeing I hadn’t returned yet. A trace of disappointment flashed across Lily’s face. But soon, she comforted herself again. “It’s okay, mom is just too busy, she’ll be back soon.” Having eaten nothing all night, Lily’s stomach growled. She could only eat the bread I bought to fill her stomach. And opened the milk I bought. Imitating me, she wanted to heat up some water to warm the milk. “Mom said can’t drink cold, otherwise will get a tummy ache.” Lily said while carrying a pot filled with water. But her hands were so small, how could she carry it. I was extremely anxious, telling her not to do this. But there was nothing I could do. When Lily stood on the stool, just about to put the pot on the stove. Her strength failed, and water spilled all over the floor. Even the pot smashed onto her little foot, and her instep swelled up immediately. My heart ached like a sharp blade was gouging it. But also rejoiced, this wasn’t boiling water. Lily sobbed softly. Soon hugging her foot again, blowing on it. “Mommy isn’t here, Lily blows on it herself, then it won’t hurt.” She wiped her tears. Moved a stool. Sat in front of the living room, staring unblinkingly at the door. “Lily won’t cry. When mommy comes back, she’ll praise Lily for being brave.” Lily is very obedient, very sensible. Sensible enough to make my heart ache. How I wished she would resent me at this moment, blame me for being an incompetent mother. But she just waited very obediently for me to return. 4 Two hours later. A car stopped at my door. My colleague knocked on the door. Lily was extremely excited, thinking it was me. Ran very fast. But tripped unexpectedly. Her calf was scraped by a sharp stone. But she just frowned, got up quickly. After opening the door. Seeing it wasn’t me. Her emotions finally went out of control. Crying loudly. “Mommy, why isn’t mommy back yet.” “Lily’s foot is swollen, leg also hurts from falling, Lily has been very brave.” “But mommy still isn’t back, mommy doesn’t feel sorry for Lily anymore.” “Does mommy not love me anymore.” Lily cried heart-wrenchingly. I listened with my heart shattered on the ground. … My colleague hurriedly comforted her. And found the home first aid kit to disinfect Lily’s leg with alcohol and put on a band-aid. After everything was arranged properly. My colleague brought back my urn and belongings from the company. Lily didn’t understand. But seeing a photo taken with Lily at the amusement park not long ago inside. In the photo, I was holding Lily, and we were both smiling happily. She recognized me. Asking her: “Sister, are these all my mommy’s things? Then where did my mommy go?” My colleague held back tears. Pointed to that urn. “Your mommy is inside here. If you miss her, just hug it and talk to it.” Lily shook her head. “How could my mommy turn into a jar, she’s not the Monkey King, only the Monkey King can transform, you’re lying.” Then she hugged my photo in her arms. “This is my mommy.” And gave it a kiss. Smiling sweetly. My colleague sighed and put my urn on a high place. Then looked around. Asking: “Where’s your dad? Are you alone at home?” Lily lowered her head. “Mommy said daddy went to a very faraway place to make money, I haven’t seen daddy since I was little.” My colleague couldn’t believe it. “Then don’t you have other family members? Grandparents?” Lily shook her head. My colleague could no longer hold back tears, hugging her in her arms. “Poor child.” “You’re so young, how could your mom bear to leave you alone and go.” Lily retorted her. “Mommy wouldn’t leave me, mommy likes Lily the most.” My colleague put a card into Lily’s hand. “This is the compensation money from the company for your mom’s passing. There is two hundred thousand dollars in the card, the password is six eights. Keep it well. Don’t lose it.” Lily nodded seriously. Clutching the card tightly in her hand. Because of poverty, I taught Lily from a young age that money is a good thing and must be taken care of. Now, she also kept it in mind. After considering everything. My colleague called the local welfare agency. It was prepared specifically for these homeless children. I was extremely grateful. Bowing to my colleague in the air. [Thank you.] If she can be sent to the orphanage, at least my Lily can survive.

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My husband’s secretary was locked in a car with the windows up for half an hour, and in a fit of rage, he locked me in the storage room. I knelt on the ground, tightly gripping the hem of his shirt, admitting to a mistake I didn’t commit. He impatiently pried my fingers away, stepped on them hard, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “Who do you think you are, daring to hurt Chloe?” Suffering from severe claustrophobia, I curled up in the dark, cramped space, gasping for air. My palms were scratched bloody by my own fingernails, yet I still couldn’t resist the suffocating feeling of impending death. A week later, he returned from a trip abroad with his secretary and finally remembered me. But he didn’t know that I had long died in fear and hatred. 1 When Ethan Reed walked into the villa with his arm around Chloe Shen’s waist, the servants had already decorated the house in advance. Rose petals scattered on the floor, a diamond necklace on the dining table, and a three-tier cake with a cartoon girl drawn on it nearby. Everything proclaimed Ethan’s regard for Chloe. Leaning in Ethan’s arms, Chloe saw all this, covered her mouth in surprise, her eyes flashing with tears as she looked at Ethan: “Ethan, you are so good to me!” Ethan affectionately scraped the tip of Chloe’s nose, his tone gentle: “I have another gift for you.” Ethan turned to look at his personal assistant and ordered: “Go call Ava down. I want this bitch to kneel and apologize to Chloe in public.” I looked coldly at this man I had loved for ten years, my heart numb. “Ethan, don’t blame Ava anymore. I believe Ava didn’t mean to hurt me either. We are sisters after all, I will be sad if you punish her.” Chloe’s tone was tinged with a cry, but only I, with the God’s perspective, saw the fleeting viciousness in her eyes. Yes, I am already dead. A week ago, in a rage, Ethan locked me in a storage room less than one square meter to teach me a lesson. I clung to the door frame and admitted all the charges he placed on me, begging him not to lock me in this cramped and dark space so cruelly. But all he left me was a resolute back and that vicious sentence: “I will make you suffer hundreds and thousands of times the harm Chloe suffered. This is what you owe her!” He seemed to have forgotten that I suffered from severe claustrophobia. While he held Chloe’s hand rushing to Finland to see the aurora, I curled up in a ball, breathing with difficulty. I pinched my thighs and arms until they were bloody but couldn’t maintain my increasingly thin consciousness. Until the last moment when consciousness faded, I struggled to break free from that terrifying room. Hearing Chloe pleading for me, Ethan reached out distressingly to touch Chloe’s cheek: “You, you are just too kind, that’s why you are always bullied by her. I won’t let her hurt you again!” I couldn’t help sneering. So in his eyes, I have always been such a vicious person. Everything I paid for him seemed to have become a huge joke. At this time, the assistant ran down from upstairs in panic. 2 “Mr. Reed, there is no response in the storage room. Madam… seems to have stopped breathing.” Panic flashed in Ethan’s eyes, but soon he curled his lips knowingly, his tone containing anger: “Assistant Xu, have you also been bought by Ava?” “I haven’t settled the account with you for helping Ava lock Chloe in the car before, and this time you help Ava lie to me again.” “I think you have forgotten who your boss is. I notify you now, you are fired.” Before Assistant Xu could argue, Ethan took Chloe’s hand and went back to the room. Assistant Xu froze behind them, opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing. I really couldn’t figure out how Ethan turned into what he is now. Clearly, we used to love each other very much. I have known Ethan for ten years, and I accompanied him from starting from scratch to becoming a new prominent figure in the business world today. But only after death did I completely realize that the balance in Ethan’s heart had shifted the moment Chloe appeared. Chloe is Ethan’s private secretary and also my half-sister. A week ago, Ethan took Chloe and Assistant Xu out to inspect partners. It was also that day that my mother, who was in the late stage of cancer, was in rare good spirits, holding my hand and asking about my relationship with Ethan. But in the next second, the values on the monitor dropped straight down. I looked at the closed door of the emergency room and dialed Ethan’s number helplessly. Ethan sat silently with me in front of the emergency room until he received a call from Chloe, his face changing drastically. On the phone, Chloe weakly told Ethan about her fear, not forgetting to ask Ethan to take good care of me, his legal wife. Ethan was full of anxiety, ignored my retention, forgot to even take his coat, and immediately got up to save Chloe. What he didn’t know was that just ten minutes after he left, my mother left this world forever. What’s ridiculous is that at that time I hadn’t seen through Ethan’s regard for Chloe, until he expressionlessly pushed me into the storage room, squatted on the ground, pinched my chin hard, his tone icy: “Ava, I thought you were just jealous. How come I never found out you are such a vicious woman? Chloe is your biological sister, yet you could do such a thing.” “If it weren’t for you and your short-lived mother, how could I not be by Chloe’s side when she was in danger!” “Just reflect on yourself here properly. Come out when you know where you went wrong.” My fingers were trampled ruthlessly under his feet, leaving only numb pain in my heart. And now, he is still waiting for me to bow my head first and admit my mistake obediently. But unfortunately, this time it is destined not to be as he wishes. Ethan stood outside the storage room door, his face full of indifference: “Ava, you should curb your petty temper. You know my patience is very limited.” “If you roll out now and apologize to Chloe properly, I can barely forgive you.” His response was only silence. Ethan impatiently smashed the storage room door hard, his tone gradually becoming fierce: “Fine, if you don’t want to come out, then die inside.” I looked at Ethan’s departing back, a sudden sadness rising in my heart. I seem to have to admit that the man I once loved deeply had rotted unknowingly long ago. 3 For the next few days, Ethan stayed by Chloe’s side and never returned home. I watched him take care of another woman with all his heart, eating with her, watching movies, doing all the things couples do, and could only laugh at myself. This day was my dad’s birthday. Ethan carried big and small bags of gifts and rushed to the Shen family with Chloe early in the morning. My dad, who was watering flowers in the yard, saw the two figures and walked forward with a smile to welcome them in. Chloe ran forward and skillfully took my dad’s arm to act coquettishly, while Ethan just smiled dotingly, carrying things and following behind them. Natural as if the three of them were the family. At the dinner table, Chloe said pleasing words to coax my dad into laughter, and Ethan occasionally picked some dishes Chloe loved for her. From beginning to end, no one mentioned me. It was Ethan’s cell phone ringtone that broke the quiet atmosphere at this moment. Ethan answered the phone, but the words from the other side made his face freeze. “Hello Mr. Reed, I am a doctor at the City Hospital. We received a female corpse today. DNA comparison confirmed that the deceased is your wife, Ms. Ava Shen.” “Is it convenient for you to come to the hospital now to complete the relevant procedures?” Ethan frowned and listened to the other party’s words, then sneered lightly, his tone full of disdain: “Heh, are you also hired by Ava to help her put on a show? Tell Ava for me, don’t think pretending to be dead will make me forgive her.” “Also, this trick is boring.” After speaking, without waiting for the other side to respond, Ethan hung up the phone decisively. Seeing Ethan put down the phone, Chloe spoke with worry in her tone: “Ethan, did something happen to my sister?” Ethan raised his hand to rub the top of Chloe’s hair and shook his head. But in the second half of the dinner, Ethan was obviously absent-minded, picking celery, which Chloe hated the most, for her several times by mistake. Even my dad saw something was wrong with Ethan, so he didn’t force Ethan to stay after the meal. To my surprise, after Ethan drove Chloe home tonight, he rarely didn’t stay overnight at her place but went to the City Hospital. I followed him to outside the cold morgue. His hand was on the doorknob, but he delayed pressing it down. I saw Ethan’s mouth opening and closing, and only heard clearly what he was saying when I got close. “Ava, if I find out you are playing me again this time, I will definitely skin you!” Heh! Even at this time, he is still threatening a dead person. If I could take human form at this moment, I would definitely not be able to control myself from slapping him twice. As if finally mentally prepared, Ethan walked into the morgue. The doctor on duty responsible for guarding the corpses was dozing off in the duty room. Seeing Ethan’s figure, he stood up in horror. “Who are you?” Ethan seemed to hear nothing, walking slowly towards the corpse covered with a white cloth on the bed not far away. “Ava, get the fuck up! Stop pretending!” Ethan clenched his fists tightly, shouting in front of the corpse as if trying hard to suppress his anger. But in front of him was a corpse, how could a corpse respond to him? Ethan suddenly shook my corpse violently like crazy. Somehow, even floating in the air, I seemed to feel severe dizziness. The doctor on duty finally reacted, rushed to Ethan and hugged him who was still going crazy. “Mr. Reed, calm down!” Ethan threw off the doctor hugging him fiercely, his tone agitated: “This can’t be Ava! You are all liars! You are all lying to me!” To be honest, I really haven’t seen Ethan lose his composure like this for a long, long time, but at this moment I couldn’t control the urge to laugh out loud in my heart. The doctor looked at Ethan’s agitated appearance and shook his head, turned back to the duty room, took a piece of paper from the desk and handed it to Ethan. 4 I leaned close to Ethan and found out it was my death certificate. “Mr. Reed, it was the servants in your house who smelled an abnormal odor at home and discovered your wife’s body.” “My condolences.” The doctor patted Ethan on the shoulder, said nothing more, and left the morgue. Only Ethan was left in the room. He squatted on the ground, lowering his head and staring dead at the death certificate in his hand. “How is it possible! Ava, how could you be dead.” “You must be lying to me, right?” “That’s right, it must be so! I will expose your lie now!” Ethan stumbled when getting up, staggering towards the corpse covered with white cloth. “Ava, I give you one last chance. Get up now, and I can pretend nothing happened.” The room was silent. Ethan raised his hand to pinch a corner of the white cloth, but never lifted it. I clearly saw his fingers trembling uncontrollably. A sudden urge to scare him rose in my heart, wanting him to taste fear and despair too. Using all my strength, I blew a breath at the white cloth on the corpse. The white cloth was blown to the ground. The corpse was presented unreservedly in front of Ethan. The face turned blue and purple due to suffocation was shocking even to me. The eyes that couldn’t close until death, the two eyeballs protruded extraordinarily, looking even more scary in the gloomy atmosphere. “Ahhh!” Ethan was scared into sitting on the ground, screaming while moving backward vigorously: “Don’t come over! Don’t come over! I was wrong!” Seeing his comical reaction, the pent-up anger in my heart finally dissipated a bit. Ethan sat on the ground for a long time before recovering. When he stood up, his legs were still trembling non-stop. He moved slowly back to the corpse, staring fixedly at the lifeless corpse on the bed, his eyes scarlet. “How is it possible?” “Nothing happened between me and Chloe Shen. Stop being angry, okay? As long as you come back!” A bean-sized tear fell, followed by a second, a third. I really don’t understand this man a bit. Trampling my sincere heart on the ground when I was alive, and acting hypocritically here when I’m dead. Who is he putting on a show for?

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Just because of a game, I decided to divorce Ethan Ford. During the game, when he blurted out that he liked to rest his head on a pregnant belly and listen to the baby’s sounds, the room fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were on me. There was no shock in those gazes, only pity and the panic of a secret being revealed. I realized then that they all knew Ethan had a child with another woman. But they all helped him hide it from me. Just because they knew I was Ethan’s life. If I found out, I would definitely leave him. And he would definitely go crazy. So, to make him go completely insane, I did three things. First, I melted down the wedding ring he designed for me personally. Second, I saved the video of Chloe Lin provoking me onto a USB drive. Third, I applied to join a highly confidential scientific research team. The joining date was exactly on our seventh wedding anniversary. On that day, I would vanish from his life like I evaporated. And he would only receive a package from me. Inside, there was a USB drive, a divorce agreement, and my abortion surgery form. Chapter 1 Swallowing the bitter red wine in my mouth, I tried to make myself look calmer. My voice was almost inaudible, but I still asked the question: “How many months?” Ethan Ford seemed to wake up from a dream, the wine glass in his hand suddenly crushed by him. Glass shards instantly pierced into the flesh of his palm, blood dripping. But he didn’t care at all, just rushed to me in a panic, hugged me tightly, his voice trembling abnormally: “Mia, it’s not what you think, the child was just an accident!” Hearing this sentence, I felt my heart and soul split. Suppressing the sourness in my throat, I said word by word in disbelief: “So you… really… got another woman pregnant?” Ethan was silent, not giving me an answer. I closed my eyes, two tears rolling down from the corners of my eyes. Thinking that he had hugged another woman like this, I pushed him away in disgust and turned to flee. Ethan chased me to the door, his phone rang, seeing the caller ID, he answered immediately. I heard a soft and sweet female voice from the other end: “Ethan~ Your little baby keeps kicking your big baby, torturing me to death~” My heart stung sharply, and I quickened my pace to escape. The person behind didn’t chase after me. I smiled bitterly, not knowing whether to rejoice or feel lost. Taking out my phone, I made an international long-distance call. “Professor, I agree to join the AMP research team.” The person on the other end seemed a bit surprised, “Really? That’s great, our team really needs someone like you.” “However, this research team is highly confidential. Once joined, your family won’t be able to contact you.” “Your husband cares about you so much, to the extent of calling the police if you disappear for a second. Does he agree with you joining?” My eyes dimmed, and I said hoarsely: “I’m preparing to divorce him.” The other end was silent for a moment, didn’t ask more, only said: “Okay, I’ll help you with the process. Joining in three days.” The moment the call ended, the large screen in the mall behind me started playing Ethan’s exclusive interview. The host keenly noticed his small movement and asked with a smile: “Mr. Ford, I noticed you keep touching your own ring, but… it seems to be just a very ordinary silver ring. Is there anything special about it?” Ethan smiled very gently, held up his hand to show her: “This is my wedding ring.” “Huh? Sorry, I thought with your current wealth, the wedding ring must be a large carat diamond ring.” Ethan said: “My wedding ring was made by myself seven years ago, polished bit by bit, and engraved with my wife’s and my names on the inner circle.” “Wow, there really are two strings of letters, it’s FWJ (Ethan’s Initials – EF) and…” Ethan said: “SMZ (Mia’s Initials – MJ), my wife is Mia Johnson.” “Wow, really envy your wife. She must have saved the galaxy in her past life to marry Mr. Ford like you.” Ethan smiled gently, only said: “Actually, it was me who saved the galaxy in my past life to marry her.” “This year is the seventh year of my marriage with my wife. Seven years ago when I had nothing, she firmly supported me. She even lost our first child to save me…” “Mia Johnson is the only love of my life, Ethan Ford. I will hold a century wedding for her on our seventh wedding anniversary in three days, letting everyone witness my love for her.” Among the passers-by around, almost all were envious voices, praising him as a wife-doting maniac. Yes, everyone thinks Ethan loves me like life. Even I, before today, thought so too. Looking at the wedding ring in my hand that I wore for seven years and Ethan never let me take off, I walked into a jewelry processing shop. “Please help me melt this ring, thank you.” The clerk looked at the ring in surprise, then looked at me in astonishment, asking hesitantly: “Excuse me, are you… Mia Johnson?” Another clerk rolled her eyes at her, disagreeing: “Please, it’s just that this silver ring happens to be engraved with FWJ and SCT too. Mr. Ford loves Mrs. Ford so much, how could Mrs. Ford melt the ring?” Listening to their conversation, I laughed at myself, paid, and left silently. I walked aimlessly, suddenly seeing Ethan’s car by the roadside. The car was parked there quietly, as if waiting for something. Standing in the cold wind, looking at the car, I had mixed feelings. My steps slowed down involuntarily, a complex emotion surging in my heart. I hated myself for actually having expectations in my heart. What was I expecting? Expecting that he parked here actually waiting for me? I didn’t know whether to face him or continue to escape. Took a deep breath, slowly walked towards the car, every step felt like stepping on my heart. He suddenly got out of the car, walked quickly to the passenger seat to open the door. A young girl, gently stroking her belly, was carefully supported by him to get out of the car. Chapter 2 The girl kissed him on the cheek coquettishly, raising her left hand to admire it back and forth. I saw, on the ring finger of her left hand, a silver ring. “Ethan, the ring you made yourself is so beautiful. If the baby knows his daddy loves mommy so much, he will also look forward to coming to this world.” Ethan dotingly took off his coat and draped it over her, then bent down to gently stroke the girl’s bulging belly. “Daddy also looks forward to him coming to me quickly.” Watching this scene, I smiled, but while smiling, tears flowed down. Loved for seven years, Ethan kept a distance of three meters from women other than me. For a while, others thought he had gynophobia. He didn’t care much, only saying this was the sense of propriety a married man should keep towards the opposite sex. Later, he even bought a book “Male Virtue Standards”, studying it every day. I laughed at him being childish, he only said he wanted to give me a full sense of security. He said, his love was only given to me alone. But now, he shared a part of his love with the woman pregnant for him. I watched quietly, until Ethan felt my burning gaze, our eyes met. He straightened up instantly, the girl in his arms suddenly like a hot potato. Ethan let go of the hand around the woman’s waist and ran straight to me. He nervously held my face with both hands, then held my hands, his face full of distress. “Mia, why are you so cold? Why are you crying, don’t scare me.” The concern in his eyes was absolutely genuine, making me soft-hearted for a moment. But the girl with the huge pregnant belly behind him was constantly reminding me that his concern was just a joke. That girl was fearless, holding her pregnant belly with one hand, stroking it gently with the other, raising her head proudly, staring straight at me. I threw off Ethan’s hand, stepped back two steps, as if using up my last breath, asked him weakly: “Who is she? Is the child in her belly… yours?” In this moment, I bet our seven years together and all my courage on this line. A desperate gamble. As long as he denies it, as long as he says personally that the child isn’t his, I am willing to believe him, willing to forget all this pain and betrayal. However, the girl’s low, clear sobbing from not far away, like fate’s mockery, shattered my last fantasy. A flash of guilt passed through Ethan’s eyes, he closed his eyes in pain, after opening them again, he pursed his lips, saying that devastating sentence: “It’s mine.” I lost strength instantly, falling heavily to the ground. Because of supporting myself, the palm was scraped. Ethan hurriedly knelt in front of me, eyes full of distress and anxiety: “Mia, you can hit me or scold me, but don’t hurt yourself like this.” His voice was almost pleading. He held my hands, wiping the wound for me. Suddenly, he paused, lost his voice: “Mia, where is the wedding ring on your hand?” I withdrew my hand, smiled mockingly, signaling with my eyes, “Isn’t it on her hand? For the same ring, one is enough.” Hearing this, his eyes panicked, mouth opened several times, but couldn’t say anything. Suddenly, he raised his hand, slapped himself twice hard, with such force that red and swollen palm prints immediately appeared on his cheeks. At this time, the girl quickly stepped forward, shielding Ethan behind her. Although her voice trembled, it carried a firmness. “Ms. Shen, I am Chloe Lin, Ethan and I are both victims, please don’t blame him!” There were tears in her eyes, yet she still tried to protect Ethan. Ethan’s face sank, voice cold and hard as ice. “Mia is my wife, you should address her as Mrs. Ford!” His words revealed unquestionable authority. Chloe shrank slightly, speaking firmly: “Mrs. Ford, believe me, I’m only 23. If it weren’t for Ethan’s mother… I wouldn’t have kept this child at all!” As soon as her voice fell, Ethan’s unfocused eyes suddenly looked at her, subconsciously blurting out: “No!” At this moment, I understood, between us, there was no future anymore. Chapter 3 I didn’t question anymore, just let Ethan drive me home. In the car, he explained the ins and outs of that accident to me: 9 months ago, he was on a business trip, drugged by a rival, and mistakenly entered Chloe’s room. After that accident, he gave her a sum of compensation, asking her to disappear from Seaport City. But he didn’t expect she actually got pregnant. And when my mother-in-law learned about this, she brought her back from abroad, and was determined to keep this child. I knew deeply my mother-in-law’s obsession with children. Seven years ago, Ethan and I were on a honeymoon cruise, but the cruise hit an iceberg, losing buoyancy instantly. In the process of falling into the sea, to protect me, Ethan’s leg was broken by heavy objects falling together. He used his last strength to throw the lifebuoy to me, urging me to escape first. But how could I bear to abandon him? I chose to stay. Holding him up, preventing him from sinking into the sea. When the rescue team finally arrived, I had been soaked in the biting cold seawater for a day and a night. Ethan recovered soon after, but I lost our child in that accident, and the road to bearing children became extremely difficult from then on. From then on, Ethan’s feelings for me grew deeper. He said we shared life and death, swearing no matter what happened, he wouldn’t separate from me. However, my mother-in-law was extremely dissatisfied with me being unable to bear children. Now, facing this sudden grandson, it’s not hard to imagine how she would try her best to protect him. Inside the car, Ethan held my hand with guilt, voice low: “Mia, this really was an accident…” I looked straight into his eyes, enduring bitterness, asked him: “The child and me, who do you choose?” He fell into silence. But I got the answer. Withdrawing the hand held tightly by him, I turned to look at the prosperous night view outside the window. My relationship with Ethan was the same, prosperous for seven years, finally coming to an end. After arriving home, Ethan gently pulled me. Found the medicine box wanting to apply medicine to my palm: “Promise me, don’t let yourself get hurt in the future, it will kill me with heartache.” I didn’t respond to him, just withdrew my hand, went back to the room, locked the door. Soon, a knock sounded gently. Ethan’s coaxing voice came from outside the door: “Mia, I beg you to say a word to me okay? I’m very worried about you.” I covered my head directly with the quilt to sleep. Waking up the next day, I wore all black, looking at the photo of me and my parents on the bedside table, eyes wet. Five years ago, they died in a car accident, and today is their memorial day. I still remember that day, watching them being covered with white cloth, crying voicelessly. It was Ethan who held me, comforting: “Mia, don’t be afraid, you still have me.” It was also him, kneeling before my parents’ graves promising, He would love me for a lifetime, he would accompany me to pay respects to them every year, letting them see how well I was taken care of by him. The door opened suddenly, Ethan walked in with a haggard look, eyes full of bloodshot. “You have the key why didn’t you come in last night?” I said coldly. He squatted down, helping me put on slippers, “Just treat it as punishment for me. I’m in good health, not sleeping for a night doesn’t matter. If I came in you would sleep even worse. Put on slippers, don’t catch a cold.” My nose soured, blurted out: “Do you still remember what day it is today?” Ethan looked at me seriously, “Of course, father and mother-in-law’s memorial day, how could I forget.” He got up, actively preparing things needed for worship. Suddenly glimpsed a message on my phone placed on the table. Seeing the content of the message clearly, he paused abruptly, picked up the phone and asked me: “You booked flight tickets?” My brows didn’t move, calmly explained: “Originally wanted to travel with you, but felt the time wasn’t appropriate, so canceled.” He opened his mouth, wanted to ask something more, but the phone rang. “Ethan! I fell and my stomach hurts so much! Seems bleeding too! What to do!” Ethan became visibly nervous, completely forgetting about the flight tickets. He held my hand, eyes pleading. “Mia, I’ll just go take a look, I swear I’ll definitely come back!” He turned and ran into the car, stepped on the gas, disappearing around the corner. Tears dripped on the ground, I raised my hand wanting to wipe dry tears, but found tears couldn’t be wiped away. I went to the cemetery alone, waited until dark, talked to parents for a day. Returning home, I started packing luggage. At midnight, Ethan finally rushed back, he hugged me tightly, constantly saying sorry. I let him hug, without words. This night, our world seemed split into two halves, his embrace warm and familiar, but my heart felt unprecedented distance. Chapter 4 The next morning, Ethan was no longer by the bedside. Only a note left by him: [Urgent matter at company, I went back to company first, made breakfast for you, remember to eat.] He didn’t know, this morning, when the sky was just getting light, I heard the call Chloe made to him. It was Chloe who called him away. Looking at the breakfast on the table, I suddenly felt a wave of nausea. A thought rose in my heart, I took a taxi to the hospital. Looking at the pregnancy test report, I actually laughed tears out. The doctor looked at me with sympathetic eyes, asked softly: “Are you a single mother? Do you want to keep the child? With your constitution, aborting this child, you will never be able to conceive again.” Leaving the hospital, I took a taxi to the villa worth a billion that Ethan gave me. Looking at the two words “Mia’s Garden” carved on the big stone in front of the villa, And the line written by Ethan himself below: [Holding Mia’s hand, destined for a hundred years of harmony.] I only felt ironic. This was given to me by Ethan, our exclusive “love nest”. Except for servants, no other woman was ever allowed to enter. But at this moment, I saw Chloe appearing in front of the villa. She looked at me proudly, provoking: “The legendary Mia’s Garden, is just so-so, didn’t I enter easily.” “Heard this is your love nest? But Mother Ford said this place is most suitable for nursing pregnancy, Brother Ethan let me move in, you aren’t angry right?” “Afraid I bump and hurt, Brother Ethan even changed all the furniture, all to what I like~” I looked around this villa that was unrecognizable, the bitterness surging in my heart almost suffocating me. Memories surged like tide, clearly floating before eyes. On our third wedding anniversary, Ethan knelt on one knee, handing the key of this villa into my hand. “Mia, I won’t let anyone step in here, here has the imprint of our love, is the two-person world exclusively ours.” Here was once the sanctuary of our love, now personally given to another woman by him. I felt all strength in my body seemed drawn away, almost unable to stand. Chloe stared at me closely with jealousy and hatred. And I, could only lean weakly by the door, heart filled with endless sorrow and despair. This place once full of love, now became the witness of my heartbreak. “So how long are you going to occupy the position of Mrs. Ford? Can’t you see Brother Ethan’s liking and preference for me and the child?” Chloe’s words were full of provocation. Occupy? I smiled bitterly, a sense of powerlessness surging in my heart. Suddenly, my gaze fell on a corner of the empty living room, where my parents’ portrait was originally placed, now nowhere to be seen. “Where is my parents’ portrait?!” My volume suddenly increased, voice trembling, eyes full of disbelief. “Such unlucky things were of course thrown away by Brother Ethan~” Chloe smiled faintly, speaking contemptuously, as if discussing a trivial matter. I glared at her, she then reluctantly went to take out the portrait. Immediately after, right in front of me, the corner of her mouth raised a smile, then lit the portrait with a lighter. I pounced fiercely wanting to extinguish the fire, Chloe then took the opportunity to fall on the ground, then shouted pain. I couldn’t hear her shouting clearly, only focused on extinguishing the fire. But Ethan’s incredulous roar suddenly sounded in my ear: “Mia why did you push her?!” Ignoring the fire burning my hands, I extinguished the fire. Looked up but found Ethan didn’t look at me once, instead panicly picked up Chloe to leave. I looked at my hands burned red and fresh, feeling this seven-year marriage was really a joke. After rinsing the burns with cold water, I began to clean up all the mess here. Mother-in-law appeared suddenly, slapped me hard. “You hen that can’t lay eggs, jinx, if anything happens to my grandson, I won’t let you go!” Ethan who returned quickly came over to stop her. He finally ran to me, grabbed my hands, applying ointment to me with heartache. Ethan saw mother-in-law still wanted to make trouble, he spoke: “Over there is giving birth.” Mother-in-law left immediately. Ethan seeing people gone, carefully observed my expression, finally weighed and spoke: “Mia, Chloe is young, made you unhappy, you shouldn’t have pushed her either.” “I pushed her?” My voice was full of disbelief. “It’s okay it’s okay, I apologized to her for you, she won’t blame you.” One sentence, determined my crime. Exhaustion and powerlessness struck, I didn’t want to explain anymore. Between me and Chloe, Ethan had already chosen to believe her. Seven years of husband and wife, couldn’t compare to a new love known for less than a year. Watching Ethan carefully blowing on my wound but obviously absent-minded, thinking of the flash of smile in his eyes when he said over there was giving birth just now. I touched my belly, the child’s stay or leave, he helped me decide.

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After being with Lucas Frost for seven years, he said he was bored and turned to a younger, more delicate girl. This time I didn’t make a scene. I threw away the ring and cut up the newly bought wedding dress. I boarded a plane late at night and left the capital. His friends bet on how long it would take for me to bow my head and beg for reconciliation. Lucas smiled coldly: “Within three days, she will come back crying and begging me.” But three days passed, then another three, and there was still no news from me. Lucas couldn’t sit still any longer and called me for the first time: “Chloe, come back when you’ve had enough…” But a man’s low laugh came from the other end of the phone: “Mr. Frost, you can’t wait overnight to coax a girl, otherwise, someone will snatch her away halfway.” Lucas’s eyes turned red, and he gritted his teeth: “Put Chloe on the phone!” Ethan Stone looked down and kissed me: “Can’t, she’s still passed out, I have to kiss her awake first.” 1 In the seventh year of being with Lucas Frost. I secretly bought a wedding dress, mustered up the courage, and prepared to propose to him. But unfortunately, I arrived a few minutes late at the gathering that day. Just in time to hear him chatting with friends. “You mean Chloe? I got bored of her long ago.” Lucas lit a cigarette and smiled casually: “Seven years, wouldn’t you get bored?” Those people laughed along: “True, seven years, even a goddess would taste bland.” “But Chloe is really beautiful.” “Her figure is great too. Last time at your birthday, she wore that bodycon dress, which man present didn’t stare?” “Seriously Lucas, you cherished her so much back then, can you really let go now?” Lucas’s voice was indifferent: “When have I ever lied?” “Then… if I pursue Chloe, you won’t mind, right?” “Go ahead.” Lucas casually blew a smoke ring: “As long as you don’t feel disgusted.” “Pathetic, aren’t you ashamed to pick up someone Lucas is tired of playing with?” Another burst of laughter. I didn’t enter the private room that night, just made an excuse about a headache and went home first. Lucas didn’t ask a single word more and hung up the phone. The determination to break up was probably made that night. 2 Within two days, rumors began to spread in the circle. Lucas was pursuing a sophomore girl from the Film Academy, young, delicate, and innocent. His pursuit was always shockingly grand. Just like when he pursued me back then, wishing he could announce it to the world, throwing houses, cars, and jewelry at will. How could that little girl have seen such a battle? She fell for it within two days. At a gathering organized by friends, Lucas brought her directly. As soon as they entered, everyone went quiet. A few girls who were on good terms with me looked at me with some worry. I smiled, “Why is everyone silent, looking at me for what?” Lucas put his arm around the girl and sat down, then looked at me squarely: “Chloe, today is a good opportunity, I’ll just say it openly.” “Mm, go ahead.” “It’s boring to break up and get back together all these years, feelings have faded long ago.” I clenched my hands tightly, the ring on my middle finger digging deep into my flesh, but I seemed unable to feel the pain. “Lily is young and simple. I really like her and don’t want to wrong her.” Lucas touched the girl’s hair: “I have to give her a title.” I nodded lightly: “Mm, I understand.” “We’re still friends in the future. If you have any difficulties, you can come to me. As long as you’re in the capital, I’ll take care of your affairs as usual.” “Better not.” I smiled lightly and stood up: “Since we broke up, let’s make a clean break, save the girl from misunderstanding.” Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise, and said after a moment: “True.” “Then you guys enjoy, I’ll go back first.” “Let the driver take you?” “No need, I’ll take a taxi.” I walked out of the room. When I closed the door casually, I heard someone ask, “How long do you think Chloe can last this time?” “Two days?” “She seems really angry this time, so I bet a week.” Lucas glanced at the door that wasn’t completely closed and smiled coldly: “Within three days, she will come back crying.” “It’s been like this for so many years, I’m tired of watching.” “True, how can Chloe leave you? Who doesn’t know she loves you madly…” I smiled self-deprecatingly, clutched my handbag, and walked quickly to the elevator. 3 Back at the apartment, I went to the corner of the walk-in closet and took down the wedding dress. Looked forward to it for half a year to get it, but unfortunately, will never have the chance to wear it. This wedding dress was custom-made and non-refundable. Simply found a pair of scissors and cut it. After all, keeping it here would only be an eyesore for Lucas. When I finally left, I took off the ring and put it on the coffee table. I didn’t take many things. Except for personal items, I didn’t want anything else. Thought about it, and left a note for Lucas, He can dispose of this house and everything in it as he pleases, no need to ask me. I booked a flight for the early morning to Hong Kong. My best friend married there before the New Year, perfect for visiting her to relax. 4 My best friend asked me out for shopping and afternoon tea. There was also a small gathering in the evening, all former classmates and old friends. After three rounds of drinks, someone else pushed the door open and came in. Several female classmates’ eyes lit up immediately: “Ethan Stone? You are really a rare guest.” “Yeah, big shot, why did you grace us with your presence tonight?” “Just discussing something next door, heard old friends were gathering, so came over to join the fun.” As Ethan spoke, his gaze fixed on a spot for a moment before slowly moving away. My best friend pinched me quietly: “Chloe, Ethan came for you, right?” I looked at that man with drunken eyes. Taller than Lucas, wearing a black coat with a business suit of the same color inside. Brows and eyes were very handsome, figure very stylish, legs super long. I squinted for a while, then withdrew my gaze and shook my head: “Can’t be, we haven’t been in contact for years.” My best friend ignored me and called Ethan directly: “Big shot Ethan, can I trouble you to send Chloe back later?” “We’ve all been drinking, I’m not comfortable calling a ride-share for her.” I looked up at Ethan in a daze. Ethan’s gaze also crossed everyone and landed on my face. After about two seconds, I saw him nod: “Okay.” “Thanks, big shot.” My best friend sat down smiling and whispered in my ear: “Chloe, sleeping with one man for seven years, doesn’t seem worth it no matter how you look at it.” “If Lucas can be half-hearted and flirt around, why can’t you start a second spring?” “Besides, a superb man like Ethan, it’s a waste not to sleep with him.” “How do you know he will sleep with me?” “The way he looks at you is almost stripping you naked, baby.” “Trust me, I’ve dated eighteen guys, I have more experience than you.” 4 (Note: Chapter numbering in source repeats 4, continuing narrative) Ethan drove me back to the hotel. Downstairs at the hotel, I unbuckled my seat belt, Thanked him: “Thank you for driving me back tonight.” Ethan turned his head to look at me: “You’re welcome.” I pushed open the car door, about to get off, suddenly thought of what Lucas said that day. Ghost led me to speak: “Want to go up for a cup of tea?” Ethan kissed me in the elevator. I was already drunk, and being kissed by him so strongly and domineeringly, almost lacked oxygen. “There’s surveillance…” I panted, cheeks flushed, Legs so soft I could barely stand, could only hold his waist tightly. Ethan glanced at the camera, turned around, changed angle, and kissed down again. When swiping open the room door, he suddenly stopped me: “Chloe, if you regret now I can still stop.” “Regret what?” I looked up at him, fingers winding around his tie, pulling him closer: “You kissed my mouth swollen, now you say stop?” Ethan suddenly laughed. He reached out, finger pad lightly rubbing my slightly swollen lips, “Then even if you regret later, it’s useless.” Our first time, Ethan didn’t even wait to enter the bedroom. Back rubbing against the wall hurt a bit, I couldn’t help but bite him whiningly: “Ethan Stone are you a beast, do you know how to cherish jade and pity fragrance?” His hot palm padded my back. Finally panted and kissed the side of my neck: “Chloe, I can’t hold back anymore…” 5 Five minutes later, I understood what he meant. Ethan carried me back to the bedroom. I buried my face in the pillow, laughing non-stop, “Ethan, how long has it been since you had a woman?” Ethan looked at me with a dark face: “Quite long, busy with work these years.” I looked at him in surprise, gradually stopped laughing. After a while, tears suddenly welled up: “Sorry Ethan, I…” dirtied you. “Chloe, what are you saying.” Maybe because I cried, Ethan panicked a bit. He flusteredly wiped my tears, but my tears couldn’t stop at all. “I shouldn’t have provoked you.” “But you already provoked.” Ethan leaned over, he cupped my face and looked at me steadily, tone unexpectedly serious: “Chloe, since you provoked, you have to provoke to the end.” 6 On the seventh day in Hong Kong. Friend Jack from the capital suddenly sent me a WeChat: “Chloe, when are you coming back to Beijing?” “No plans to return for now.” “Everyone misses you quite a bit. Zhou is celebrating his birthday in two days, come back and gather.” “No, help me tell him, I’ll send a gift back.” “Alright then, take care of yourself.” In the private room, Jack handed the phone to Lucas: “Lucas, look, why don’t you call Chloe? She will definitely listen to you.” Lucas stared coldly at the few lines on the screen, Suddenly stubbed out the cigarette and stood up: “Come back or not, better die outside.” “Lucas… don’t be angry, Chloe must be feeling bad inside.” “Yeah, she took off the ring this time, looks like she’s really sad, also you and that woman went too far…” “We already broke up, what more does she want?” Lucas suddenly got angry: “Listen well, no one fucking look for her anymore, not even if she dies!” “Okay okay not looking not looking, don’t lose your temper, just hospitalized for stomach bleeding from drinking two days ago.” “Only when Chloe was here you didn’t have stomach trouble. She’s only been gone for a few days, and you tortured yourself like this…” Friends said a sentence, Lucas’s face darkened a degree. In the end, he took his coat directly and slammed the door leaving. Walking all the way downstairs, cold wind blowing on face, Lucas still felt the anger in his chest couldn’t dissipate. That woman Chloe really has guts, seven days, not a single call or text from her. Playing for real, huh? Lucas cold-facedly pulled Chloe’s number into the blacklist. You better fucking not come back crying and begging me. Because this time, I will absolutely not be soft-hearted towards you like before.

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Seven years after breaking up with my first love, I became the sugar mommy of a male college student who looked like him. Everyone around me said he was just a substitute, but he smiled slightly and never refuted. As time went by, I felt living like this wasn’t bad, so I warned my friends: “Don’t say he is anyone’s substitute, I’m going to marry him.” Just that one sentence made my first love on the other side of the ocean fly back overnight. Even though he had been separated from me for several years and had never come back to find me. 1 When I opened the door, the smile on my face froze. A person I had only seen in my dreams for seven years was standing outside the door. Ethan Hayes, my first love. His features were still sharp and deep, eyes like stars, more mature and charming than before. That black windbreaker draped over him, majestic like a tree. I had thought many times about what I would say if we met again, but I didn’t expect him to speak first, raising one eyebrow. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” When we broke up, it wasn’t ugly. Because it ended with his long and lasting cold violence. But I have my pride. On the day of the first snow in the New Year, I cried my heart out alone in the snow. But opening my phone, I just calmly said one sentence: “Let’s break up, setting you free.” He replied very quickly, almost never replying instantly during the long cold violence. “Okay.” From that day on, my unforgettable first love came to an end. For so many years, I always thought I couldn’t forget him. But it turns out time can really smooth everything. Seeing him again, the waves from the past were long gone. Now he was sitting in the living room, while I was seriously decorating the house. Hanging balloons, colorful lights, waiting for the cake in the oven to bake, taking it out, and carefully decorating it according to the tutorial. A few strands of broken hair fell from my forehead, and I didn’t bother to smooth them back. No time to pay attention to his existence, Only saw his slowly clenched fingers from the corner of my eye. Today is Caleb Moore’s birthday. After working all afternoon, people slowly arrived. They were all my friends, Only with more people would there be popularity. I hoped to make Caleb happy today. And when they saw Ethan sitting on the sofa, those who knew our past were all stunned. But looking at me, they still said nothing. At five o’clock, the doorbell rang again. Opening the door, Caleb stood outside holding flowers, looking at me gently with a smile. I pulled him in, and colorful ribbons shot out from both sides, falling on him. “Caleb Moore, happy birthday!” I happily put my arm around his shoulder and introduced him to all my friends. Introducing one by one, when it came to Ethan, my tone paused, trying to say as usual: “He is… Ethan Hayes, my classmate in high school.” Ethan stared at me. When he lowered his brows and eyes, it was actually very scary, with a heavy aura. If according to my understanding of him in the past, I almost thought he would flip the table and leave at any time. But fortunately, he didn’t. Even when Caleb reached out to him, he gave me face and shook it. I breathed a sigh of relief. Throughout the birthday party, I made Caleb the protagonist. Friends praised him endlessly. After all, since I laid down that sentence last time, no one dared to say he was a substitute tactlessly anymore. “So handsome, Lily, really envy you for having such a handsome boyfriend.” “Not only handsome, but also good-tempered, unlike the one you had a few years ago, wow really…” That person realized something, glanced at Ethan, and suddenly silenced. … The atmosphere of the banquet reached its peak when eating, drinking, and playing games. Because Caleb lost, he was asked to do a dare, the condition was–kiss me. Everyone applauded and cheered: “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” “Kiss quickly! Not a man if you don’t kiss! This is your girlfriend!” Suddenly with a bang, the door was slammed shut. And Ethan was long gone from his seat. … 2 After the party ended, I went upstairs. Caleb sat in front of the easel, looking at the picture seriously. The soft light of the bedroom spilled on him, his profile elegant. He didn’t know, he was more moving than his paintbrush. Sneaking up on him from behind, I suddenly got interested and reached out to cover his eyes regardless. “Guess who I am?” Caleb needed focus when painting, but he never blamed me for disturbing him. I could feel him gently curling the corners of his lips, cooperating asking me: “I don’t know, who are you?” “I am your little baby.” I said sweetly. Letting go, he looked up at me smiling, and then pulled me into his arms just like that. His embrace was wide, soft, and powerful, always able to wrap me easily. I buried myself in it, taking a deep breath. The faint scent unique to Caleb fascinated me so much. Caleb suddenly said: “What happened to you today?” “Huh? Nothing.” “Feel…” His gaze fell on me, thoughtful. “Your state is not right.” I didn’t expect him to be so keen. Seeing the person I once yearned for day and night after so many years, no matter how calm I was, it was inevitable to be affected. But I didn’t plan to tell him. Unexpectedly, he suddenly asked me: “That guy today, the one you said was a high school classmate, I haven’t seen him around you before.” Alarm bells rang in my heart. “Oh… he went abroad after graduation, just came back recently…” I thought I acted as usual, but still couldn’t help feeling guilty, secretly praying he wouldn’t ask anymore. Who knew he looked at me with a half-smile, effortlessly piercing my disguise. “That’s your ex, right?” “…How did you know?” “Guessed.” Looking into his eyes, I surrendered. Maybe this is man’s sixth sense. Raising three fingers, pointing to the sky, the earth, and my heart. “I admit, indeed yes.” “But after so long, I have long had no feelings for him.” “Who is in my mind now, don’t you know?” Saying the last sentence, I couldn’t help smiling. He gently pinched my face. “I know.” Didn’t ask again. This is Caleb, always decent, always knowing propriety and when to advance or retreat. Occasionally I feel that others secretly calling him Caleb the Sensible also makes sense. Otherwise, so many people came and went around me for so many years, how come only he stayed. On the weekend, someone invited me to play golf. This is considered a common activity in the upper class. During the process, everyone will exchange recent business sectors and market conditions. I took Caleb along too. Many people in the circle knew about me and Caleb. Although those people had loose lips, they wouldn’t disrespect me openly, but the caddies picking up balls in the field were different. They whispered: “See that pretty boy? He was kept by Sister Lin, heard tens of thousands a month.” “Sister Lin is really good to him, even bringing him to play golf, such a high-end place… really dirtying our club’s mats.” “Exactly, that kind of poor person probably hasn’t touched a golf club in his life.” … Just happened to be vacant on the field, I asked Caleb. “Want to try?” He didn’t refuse, nodded, looking very noble. Going on the field, taking the ball, gripping the club, swinging. Hole in one. Perfect! Others looked sideways one after another, I applauded happily, loudly saying: “Beautiful!” 3 Swiped twenty thousand dollars on the spot. The venue took out twenty thousand in cash, distributing to everyone present one by one. Whenever someone gets a hole in one, money is distributed as an honor and celebration. When distributing to those few caddies, I said lightly: “Don’t give to these few.” “Mouths too dirty, I’m afraid of dirtying my money.” Hearing this, they showed expressions of extreme shame. The boss who invited me said with a smile: “Didn’t expect your boy… friend to be so amazing.” I waved my hand: “If not for him back then… sigh, let’s not mention it, anyway it wasn’t easy for me to get him.” I was born into a wealthy family in the capital. The family has many children. I was cultivated as an heir since childhood, which also gave me the capital to look down on everything. It can be said that except for stumbling on Ethan, no one has ever rejected me. At this time money distribution reached the corner, suddenly came a burst of low exclamations. A tall, handsome man stood there, don’t know when he came. Seemed to have been there for a long time. The assistant handed him two thousand, smiling apologetically, but he didn’t even look. Walked forward, also hit a shot. Also a hole in one. Everyone exclaimed. He swiped forty thousand. Turning his head, he saw me happily holding Caleb’s hand. “Why are you so amazing, worthy of being my boyfriend, really making me proud!” Ethan’s face sank suddenly. And I was unaware, continuing to praise Caleb on my own. Suddenly a ball rushed into view, speed extremely fast, almost about to hit Caleb’s head. But still deviated a little bit, brushing past Caleb’s temple by a hair’s breadth, then falling heavily to the ground. Such a big golf ball, such impact, almost could give someone a concussion! But Ethan walked over and said casually: “Sorry, hit wide.” “Wide my ass!” I almost couldn’t help cursing! “Hayes, are you sick?!” He didn’t expect my reaction to be so big, raising his hands: “Just a little thing you keep, heard he’s also my substitute, how come the original is in front of you, you still pass fish eyes for pearls?” Beside me Caleb although expression unchanged, his eyes still dimmed. Ethan’s words really stepped on my landmine hard. I raised my hand, gritting my teeth pointing at his nose. “I tell you, Caleb is my boyfriend, not some substitute. You fucking be smarter next time, otherwise in the whole capital, I’ll mess with you every time I see you.” “You know I have this strength!” Strictly speaking, the Hayes family focuses on business, my family focuses on power, his family has to respect me three points when seeing me. Ethan’s expression changed, bit by bit becoming gnashing teeth. In disbelief: “You just… for him?” And I had already pulled Caleb away. 4 Sitting in the car, I still felt heartache. Held his face and looked again and again. Although that ball didn’t really hit, I was still worried. “Does it hurt?” I said. Hearing this he blinked, then eyes filled with some mist. “Hurts…” I felt even more heartache, seeing him so pitiful, became even angrier at Ethan. “His brain was really kicked by a donkey, that idiot, swinging club without looking at direction, why doesn’t he go die!” Just cursed like this for a while, when I came back to my senses, found Caleb looking at me with a smile. Gaze infinitely gentle. Don’t know why I suddenly stunned a bit. “What’s wrong? Something on my face?” His hand gently stroked my hair, stirring up a burst of酥痒 (crisp itch/tingling sensation). “Like seeing you angry for me.” “Why?” “Shows you care about me.” I pulled his hand, poking poking poking in his palm with finger, in such atmosphere don’t know why felt so hot. “Of course I care about you, humph.” He smiled gently again. I found I blushed. The news that I threatened to mess with Ethan on the court spread. Now everyone on the field says I “raged for a beauty”. Even my parents knew. On the phone my dad said angrily: “Listen to yourself, is that proper? Just for such a thing, go mess with Ethan?” “Our relationship with the Hayes family for so many years, all ruined by your one sentence! Now how many people are watching the joke!” “You, go apologize to Ethan, then cut off that little boy of yours!” Things weren’t that serious, after all I didn’t really do anything to Ethan, just Dad was angry and spoke indiscriminately. But, he did use this excuse to remove me from the general manager position, arranging in an unimportant position. Stripped my power. When finding Caleb, he had already prepared everything. Seeing me come, wrapped the cape around me. Potions, scissors, hair clippers and so on were all ready. Today is the day he scheduled to cut my hair. He teased me: “I haven’t done it for so long, aren’t you afraid I’ll ruin your cut?” But I didn’t speak. He seemed to realize something, immediately shut up.

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At the banquet in my previous life. The family needed a marriage alliance, my brother asked who I wanted to choose. I unhesitatingly chose the playboy childhood sweetheart, Ethan Carter. But after marriage, he still kept in touch with his first love, and they even had a child. Facing friends’ teasing, he sneered: “Amelia Grant is the world’s biggest bootlicker. No matter what I do, she won’t leave me.” My heart finally died, turned and left. But had a car accident on the highway, resulting in two lives lost (me and the unborn child). Opening my eyes again, I returned to the day of the cocktail party. 1 “Amelia, have you decided who to choose?” My brother asked me gently. I stood there trembling, still unwilling to believe that rebirth had happened to me. Before I could reply, Ethan’s mother came to me first, handing me the ancestral bracelet. She smiled gently and said: “Amy will definitely choose our brat. They grew up together, have deep feelings, others can’t compare.” “Mom, drunk before drinking? Who wants to marry Amelia Grant? Bad grades, short, looks just so-so. Marrying her? Our Carter family’s genes would be tainted.” Ethan Carter frowned, looking at me with a bit more disgust in his eyes. Just like in my previous life, as toxic as ever. But in my previous life, I only thought it was because of childhood bickering, and didn’t notice at all. Ethan truly despises me right now. Coming back to my senses, I immediately stepped back two steps. “Mrs. Carter, Ethan and I… are just friends.” As soon as the words fell, the people around quieted down instantly. Everyone knew the Grant and Carter families had been friends for a century. Everyone also knew that I had liked Ethan since childhood. Mrs. Carter’s face stiffened. She moved her gaze away from me and patted her son’s shoulder hard. “What nonsense are you talking about? Our family marrying Amy is a blessing from past lives.” Ethan didn’t seem to expect me to say such a thing. His originally cold face instantly dropped a few degrees. I tremblingly pulled my brother’s suit, red-eyed and whispered: “I’m not feeling well, want to go home.” The marriage alliance isn’t urgent. My brother just raised his hand to call someone to take me back first. But in the next second, Ethan grabbed my hand, walking out abruptly, also saying coldly: “Brother Julian, I’ll take Amy back.” (Wait, Julian is prohibited, replacing with Lucas) “Brother Lucas, I’ll take Amy back.” He held my hand tightly, I couldn’t break free at all. Wanted to call for help, but turned back to find Mrs. Carter had already blocked in front of my brother. Outside the hotel. Ethan threw off my hand without hesitation. My high heels uncontrollably leaned back a step, subconsciously reached out to him. Ethan didn’t expect it either, just wanted to reach out to catch me. I retracted my hand quickly, sat heavily on the ground on my butt. A stinging sensation went straight to my head, my face wrinkled in pain. Ethan’s face changed, stepped forward wanting to help me up. I spoke without hesitation: “Don’t come near me.” After recovering, I took off my high heels, supported myself on the ground with both hands and stood up. This series of reactions made Ethan completely darken his face. He sneered: “What tricks are you playing again? Playing hard to get? Amelia Grant, when did your methods become so disgusting?” I looked up, tears I didn’t even notice were in my eyes. “Ethan Carter…” Originally wanted to say a lot, but meeting his eyes. Meeting his disgusting gaze, all words seemed like a thorn stuck in the throat. I lowered my head and laughed out loud. Before he could say anything, I threw the high heels worth thousands of dollars on the ground, turned around barefoot and left without hesitation. This pair of shoes was given by Ethan on my coming-of-age ceremony. Heard from Mrs. Carter that he carefully selected these shoes for a long time. Knowing today’s banquet was important, so I specially chose these shoes. But I forgot, these shoes are too big, they don’t belong to me. I also forgot, inappropriate people, will never be appropriate. 2 Ethan Carter didn’t chase after me. To him, this was just my manipulative tactic of playing hard to get. When I got home, I lay in the bathtub drowsy. My mind kept replaying everything that happened in my previous life. My hands uncontrollably grabbed the edge of the bathtub. Water spread to my nose, I choked severely a few times before climbing up completely awake, wrapped in a bathrobe looking at myself in the mirror. This face has no burn marks, nothing. I touched my face, lowered my head and sobbed. In my previous life, the Carter house caught fire, Ethan unhesitatingly saved his first love and abandoned me. I was left behind, when rescued. Already lost a perfect face. Afterwards, Ethan explained, “I didn’t see you. Annie’s legs were crushed at that time, the fire was so big, I definitely had to save her first.” Thinking back to this, I raised my hand and slapped myself in the face. Ridiculous, stupid as a dog in the previous life, played around by Ethan’s few words. Probably because of rebirth. This whole night repeatedly dreaming of past life events. When woke up in the morning, the whole person was exhausted and uncomfortable. Perhaps sensing something wrong with me last night. My brother, who usually went to the company early, was waiting for me downstairs at this moment. “Come eat breakfast when you wake up.” My brother looked at the dark circles under my eyes, showing a touch of heartache. “Did brother wake you up when coming back last night?” I shook my head, red-eyed rushed into my brother’s arms. Hands tightly hugged my brother. My brother was stunned, put down the newspaper and gently patted my back. He said softly: “If liking the Carter boy is too tiring, then don’t like him, okay? If you don’t marry in this life, brother can also support you.” I sniffled chokingly. Actually there was no marriage alliance at all, it was brother seeing I liked Ethan, deliberately arranged like this. Thinking of brother dying to save me in the previous life. My heart hurt more and more, hugging tighter and tighter. Until a slight cough woke me up. I looked back with red eyes. A man sat on the sofa at some point, tears spinning in eyes, I couldn’t see the person clearly. The man hooked his lips and smiled: “Good morning, little princess.” I was stunned for a moment, reacted and quickly pushed out of my brother’s arms, also recognized the person in front was Sebastian Ford. Brother’s best friend. When brother died back then, Sebastian avenged brother, beating the murderer to death. Last time seeing him. Was in prison, he said he wanted to take me away, said brother’s death wasn’t that simple. I was possessed. Always believed people who got along for decades wouldn’t become like that. When I turned back to think of him. I was already in a car accident and difficult labor on the highway. Suddenly, I also realized the last voice I heard before dying. “Why are you here.” I spoke in surprise. At this time point. He should be sleeping because of partying too late last night. Sebastian raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “Cough cough.” Brother coughed lightly, signaling breakfast with eyes. I nodded and sat down to eat breakfast, looking back at the man behind from time to time. After eating for a while, brother hesitated for a moment but still spoke: “Amelia, did Ethan make you angry recently?” I looked at brother, didn’t understand the meaning in his words. Brother opened his phone, found the latest moment posted by Ethan. It was a photo on the mountain top full of fog, also captioned: “What to do? Made the little princess angry, how to coax?” I subconsciously tightened the spoon, trembling all over without realizing it. In previous life because of this moment. Made me always think Ethan also liked me. Until later I knew, the little princess in his mouth was his first love Nina, never me. The originally delicious porridge, at this moment tasted like wax. Couldn’t eat nor swallow. I lowered my eyes and said tremblingly: “Brother, I don’t want to mention Ethan Carter.” In this life, I don’t want to have any involvement with Ethan Carter anymore. Liking him for twenty years, was my self-sentimentality. Brother’s face stunned, he didn’t speak, just clicked into Ethan’s chat record. The chat record above was still brother asking him about my trace. Brother looked a few times, unhesitatingly blocked and deleted. He smiled gently: “With brother here, you won’t suffer any grievance.” I looked at brother with tears in my eyes. Brother is always like this, choosing me without hesitation. I like Ethan, he paves the way for me. I don’t like him, he solves it for me. 3 After breakfast. Brother took me to the company. Originally this company was intended for me to inherit. Just because I married Ethan. I always wanted to give time to Ethan. Basically never came to the company. Making many problems in the company, finally brother returned to solve. Everyone knew I liked Ethan. Secretly handed me a special poster of Ethan. A hand took the poster back faster than me. I looked up, seeing Sebastian crumbling the poster into a ball and throwing it into the trash can. Brother also spoke: “From now on, Ethan Carter’s things are not allowed in the company.” I suddenly remembered Ethan is a big star. Entering the office, brother ordered the assistant again. “Pass it down, tear off any Ethan Carter posters posted. Also… “Brother, no need for this.” I interrupted. After all, still have business dealings with the Carter family, plus the relationship between the two families. Brother saw my worry. He shook his head and chuckled: “I said I won’t let you suffer grievance.” Voice fell, he raised his hand to let the assistant do as told. Brother had a temporary meeting. Only Sebastian and I were left in the entire office. Not much interaction with him. Only thing known, he has someone he liked for many years. But love unrequited, heard the other party has someone liked. Watching him staring at me, I uncomfortably turned my head. After a while, the phone in the bag rang. Took out the phone to look, stunned for a few seconds then hung up without hesitation. Sebastian raised eyebrows and chuckled: “Not answering?” “Spam call.” I coldly faced. After a while the phone received a text message. [I’m sick, bring me medicine.] Followed by a hotel room number. I stared at the phone frowning. Didn’t notice Sebastian who had already stood up. When reacting, Sebastian raised eyebrows smiling: “Yo, who is sending room number to the little princess?” My safety awareness has always been strong. Could sense immediately when Ethan approached. But at this moment I was obviously startled, panting heavily. Sebastian seemed not to expect it either, handing me water on the side, but didn’t forget to tease: “This room number is a bit familiar, seems to be Young Master Carter’s exclusive room?” Every rich kid has exclusive private rooms and rooms everywhere. Ethan’s room number is 0726. I didn’t notice anything before. Only realized now, the room number is Nina’s birthday. My fingertips kept trembling. Sebastian who was still teasing me also instantly sensed something wrong. He frowned and tentatively asked: “What’s wrong? Did that Carter kid bully you? “Brother I don’t have other skills, beating people is still okay.” I shook my head gently. Immediately blocked and deleted Ethan’s number. “Person who is not important anymore, getting into trouble for unimportant person, not worth it.” I looked up at Sebastian. His brows and eyes seemed able to flirt. Staring at me a bit blushing. Sebastian obviously didn’t believe. 4 Ethan Carter in the hotel was still waiting for medicine. Yesterday his quarrel with Amelia was seen by someone. Someone immediately teased in the group chat. [Yo yo yo, childhood sweethearts breaking up oh.] [Little Princess Grant looks very angry this time.] [Ethan, don’t always make Amelia angry, or else one day she ignores you, you’ll regret too late.] Looking at the messages in the group. Ethan sneered coldly. Knowing Amelia since childhood, he knew exactly what kind of character she had. Wait for her to bring medicine, casually buy a small trinket to coax, she will be a bootlicker as usual. Done such things thousands of times. Ethan was tired of it. He leaned lazily on the sofa, scrolled videos for more than half an hour but didn’t wait for his medicine. People in the group were still watching the show asking if medicine was delivered. Sentence after sentence drove Ethan anxious directly. He immediately exited the video scrolling interface, immediately opened the pinned place, hesitated a bit and made a call. Just connected. It was the sound of unable to connect. Ethan was stunned. He stared at the phone, called again. The other party still showed unable to connect. Young Master Carter had never been blocked since childhood, didn’t know this was being blocked. He searched on Baidu (Google). After finding the result, he was stunned on the spot for a long time. When recovering, he instantly blackened his face and threw the newly bought phone on the ground. The phone instantly smashed to pieces. “Amelia Grant, good for you.” Amelia far away didn’t know what happened at all. Didn’t care what would happen to Ethan. It was already twelve noon after brother finished the meeting. Sebastian actively proposed: “Eat hot pot, craving.” I looked at Sebastian. Every time in bad mood, I always liked eating spicy hot pot. Numbing myself with spice so no time to think about these annoying things. Just now was indeed annoyed by Ethan. But much better now. Brother didn’t know what happened, seeing I had no objection immediately asked assistant to arrange three seats. Hot pot restaurant chose the frequently visited one. Arriving at the store entrance, I seemed to have a long-lost feeling. Previous life because of pregnancy. Ethan said hot pot would affect child’s development. For full nine months, I didn’t touch anything spicy. Fuck you Ethan Carter. Fuck your affecting child. Once sat down, I ordered everything once, and requested the manager: “I want all spicy, extra spicy, explosive spicy.” My temper was so irritable for the first time. Even the manager was a bit surprised. Suddenly, I remembered brother said Sebastian doesn’t eat spicy, I hurriedly said again: “Split pot ha.” Arranged special private room. I didn’t worry about ladylike image being affected. After serving, while taking care of eating, while eating non-stop. Brother inquired Sebastian with curious eyes. Sebastian waved his hand. Just eating eating, loud noise came from outside. I always liked quietness, hearing noisy sound instantly face wrinkled. Sebastian seeing this reached out greeting manager: “We book the whole place today, those not finished can continue eating, don’t arrange more people, a bit noisy.” Saying, took out a black card. Manager didn’t take, face a bit hesitant: “Young Master Ford, it’s Young Master Carter came.” Neither side easy to offend. Manager dared not make decision. My action of eating hot pot stopped, before we reacted, a voice faster than body. “Brother Lucas, shouldn’t mind I bring someone together right?”

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When my stepmom moved out, she only took two things with her: me, and the kitchen trash. That’s when I found out she wasn’t just some trophy wife. She was the daughter of the wealthiest man in the city. And just like that, I went from a trailer-park brat to the granddaughter of a billionaire. 1 Today is a day for celebration. My stepmom just served my dad with a lawsuit. Why? Because she’s suing for full custody of me. They finalized their divorce two weeks ago. When she moved out, she didn’t take a single piece of furniture, not even a lamp. I’d tried to convince her to go after the house. I mean, they were married for years—she deserved something for her service. She just shot me a look, snorting, “Is there anything in that dump actually worth moving?” I was speechless. She was right. For the last two years, if she hadn’t been paying the bills, my dad would have gambled away the roof over our heads. The house wasn’t filled with valuables; it was filled with “investment stones”—expensive rocks my dad bought thinking they held hidden emeralds. Some were half-cut, some were whole. Every single one was a worthless piece of granite. To be fair, my dad used to be okay. Before the gambling took over. But now? Now I was motherless again. On the day she left, I sat on the porch, sighing. She didn’t have any luggage, just her designer handbag. She looked radiant, radiating an old-money elegance I’d never seen before. “Bye, Mom,” I muttered, head down. She snapped her sunglasses off. “What do you mean ‘bye’? You’re coming with me.” I froze. “I am?” She gave me a playful kick and grabbed the trash bag on her way out. “Goddammit, you’re the only thing in this house worth a damn. Who else would I take? Forget the junk. Let’s go. Don’t make me ask twice.” My heart soared. I grabbed her arm, grinning like an idiot. Best deal ever: Dad and Mom get divorced, and Mom takes me. 2 She drove me straight to The Highlands—the most exclusive gated community in the state. I tugged at her sleeve. “Mom, we can’t afford to look at houses here. Let’s go before security kicks us out.” She just smirked. “This is home.” This mansion was hers?! I found out pretty quickly it wasn’t just the house. Her family built the entire neighborhood. As we pulled up, an older man in a crisp suit spotted us and shouted, “The Young Mistress is back!” A dozen security guards lined up along the driveway, bowing in unison. “Welcome home! Welcome home, Little Miss!” Little Miss? What kind of Victorian novel had I walked into? Before I could process it, an old man with a silver-topped cane walked toward us, eyeing me up and down. My heart nearly stopped. I knew that face. He was all over the news—Arthur Miller, the legendary venture capitalist. The richest man in the tri-state area. The old man huffed and pointed at me. “You. Come here.” My stepmom gave me a firm nudge. “He’s talking to you.” I walked over, trembling. I didn’t know what to call him. After a long silence, I managed to squeak out, “Grandpa…?” To my shock, the old man burst into a booming laugh. “Hahaha! This girl’s got instincts! I like her!” “My dear granddaughter, say it again, and I’ll buy you a private jet.” Suddenly, it clicked. Arthur Miller was my stepmom’s father. Holy crap. I was the granddaughter of a billionaire. My eyes lit up. I channeled every bit of energy I had and yelled, “Grandpa! Grandpa!” The old man couldn’t stop grinning. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and led me inside. “Good girl! We’re buying you that jet!” I thought he was joking. But the next morning, I woke up to see a massive plane parked on the back lawn. A hot pink private jet. I watched, stunned, as someone walked down the stairs. A tall, handsome guy with charming eyes looked at me and smiled. “You must be Mia?” I nodded slowly. He chuckled and ruffled my hair. “Hey there. I’m the brother you never knew you had.” 3 I never knew my stepmom had a son, and an older one at that. His name was Leo Sterling. My stepmom’s maiden name was Miller, but his was Sterling. Wait… was she married before my dad? Did she have another family? I felt a sudden sting of betrayal. I really loved my stepmom. She was beautiful. When my dad first brought her home, I thought he’d hit the lottery. She was in her early forties, but she looked like she was twenty. When they got married, she told me she’d treat me like her own daughter. That I’d be her only child. But now, this guy appears out of nowhere? My heart sank. “What’s up, Leo? You bothering your sister already?” My stepmom walked down the stairs. Seeing my expression, she pulled me to her side. Leo looked innocent. “No way. Grandpa told me to show her the jet, so I flew it over.” “Oh, the jet. Come on, sweetie, let’s take your new toy for a spin.” She dragged me onto the plane, but I was still pouting. She felt my forehead. “What’s wrong, honey? Don’t you like pink? You look miserable.” “It’s fine…” I mumbled. “You lied to me.” “Liar?” She looked surprised. “What did I do?” “You said… you said I was your only daughter.” She blinked, then let out a roar. “LEO! What kind of crap did you tell her?!” Leo held up his hands. “Nothing! I swear, Auntie, I didn’t say anything.” “Auntie?” I gasped. “Yeah,” she said. “He’s my sister’s kid. He’s your cousin, but you can just call him your brother if you want.” The weight lifted instantly. “I thought he was yours…” I whispered. She tapped me on the head. “Raising one little piglet like you is enough work for me.” That was all I needed to hear. I flopped back into the leather seat and enjoyed the ride in my pink jet. 4 They say money changes people. They’re right. I wasn’t just changed; I was borderline obnoxious. My stepmom was rich. My grandpa was rich. Therefore, I was rich. Grandpa gave me a black card. He didn’t tell me the limit; he just said it was for “pocket money.” My stepmom was heading out for tea with her friends. “If Grandpa gives you a card, keep it. If you run out, ask me. Also, the garage is full of cars. If you don’t want the chauffeur to drive you, just pick one.” I bolted for the garage. It was a sea of chrome and carbon fiber. Ferraris, SUVs, vintage muscle cars… I picked the smallest, cutest thing in there—a tiny, egg-shaped gray car. It looked like a high-tech toy. “You’ll do,” I whispered. 5 Driving that car was an experience. People were staring, and other cars were practically swerving to give me space. I was feeling myself—until I pulled into the valet at the luxury mall and slammed right into the back of another car. I winced and climbed out. The owner of the other car jumped out, screaming, “Which idiot hit me?! Do you have any idea what this car costs—” He stopped dead when he saw my car. His eyes nearly popped out. “A… a Microlino?” Is that what this thing was called? “I’m so sorry,” I said. “We can go through insurance or I can just pay you cash. Whatever you want.” “Pay? You think you can afford this? Do you know what I’m driving? You bring a bubble car to the luxury mall and—” He couldn’t even find the words. He was turning purple. “Stupid?” I offered. “Yes! Incredibly stupid!” “Clueless?” “Beyond clueless!” “Dumbass?” “Dumb—hey!” The guy was tall and handsome, but he was currently throwing a tantrum. “Are you making fun of me?” Probably because you look like a rich, handsome moron. I stayed sincere. “Let me make a phone call.” He got defensive. “What, calling for backup? I’m telling you, that won’t work.” Backup? No. I was calling in a strike from my bank account. 6 I called my stepmom first. The background noise was weird—a lot of clicking and clacking. When I told her I was in a wreck, she shrieked. “A wreck?! Are you okay? Are you bleeding?” “I’m fine. The car isn’t.” “You totaled the bubble car?” “No,” I said sheepishly. “I totaled the other guy’s car. I broke the little toy on his hood… wait, let me send you a video.” I snapped a clip of the damage. She texted back two words: “Holy Shit.” “Mia, out of all the cars in the garage, you picked the custom electric prototype. And that ‘little toy’? That’s the Spirit of Ecstasy on a Rolls-Royce.” A Rolls-Royce? This tacky-looking thing was a Rolls? My knees went weak. I texted back: If you sell me into slavery, will it cover the bill? She didn’t reply for a minute. The guy was hovering over me like a ghost. I couldn’t take the silence, so I asked for his business card. Quinn Parker. Quinn sat down on the curb, looking up at me. “Call your family. We need to figure out how you’re paying for this.” “I’m paying, I’m paying!” I stammered. Finally, my stepmom texted: I sent your brother. Then, like a god descending from Olympus, a black and white Ducati roared into the parking lot. Leo pulled a sharp turn, stopped, and tried to pull off his helmet with a cool flourish— But it got stuck. 7 Even through the visor, I knew Leo was dying of embarrassment. A second later, he finally yanked it off, acting like nothing happened. “Sorry I’m late.” “It’s—” Before I could finish, Quinn jumped up from the curb. “No worries! You’re right on time! Bro, don’t stand in the sun, come over here in the shade.” The speed of this guy’s personality flip was breathtaking. I couldn’t help it. “Hey! You weren’t this nice to me!” He glared at me. “So? Look at your brother. Pure class. Look at his gear—that’s custom. Look at the bike… Bro, can I touch the bike?” Leo waved a hand. “Go ahead.” Quinn’s eyes sparkled. He practically hugged the Ducati. “Wow… titanium valves? The aerodynamics on this cowl… ah~ The smell of freedom!” Right there in front of the Gucci store, the two of them started debating the merits of a Kawasaki vs. a Yamaha. I didn’t want to ruin the moment, but I saw red and blue lights flashing in the distance. “Hey…” “HEY!” Quinn snapped at me. “What?!” “I don’t want to ruin the vibe, but the cops are here.” Quinn shrugged. “So? Let them handle the report.” “Right,” I said. “One problem. My ID says I’m seventeen.” Quinn: “?” Leo: “…?!!”

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