Author: Momo Chan

Five years after breaking up with Ethan Reed, the entire internet suddenly became obsessed with our expired romance. In the viral video, twenty-three-year-old me was wearing a heavy mascot costume, sweating profusely, yet smiling brightly at the camera: “Hi, thirty-three-year-old Maya Brooks! Are you on your honeymoon in the Maldives with Ethan right now? Working three jobs is exhausting! You better make sure Ethan pays you back for this, okay?” No. He never paid me back. Thirty-three-year-old Maya Brooks was left behind by Ethan Reed a long time ago. 1 In late June, a documentary suddenly started trending. The videos garnered immediate attention upon upload. The director was a man who had passed away ten years ago. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, he quit his job. With a large backpack and a camera around his neck, he embarked on the final journey of his life. He recorded the people and things he encountered along the way, asking a friend to edit and upload the footage ten years later as his final memento to the world. After the first two episodes were released, netizens mostly expressed regret, praising his courage and open-mindedness in the face of death. But when the third episode dropped, the documentary suddenly exploded with unimaginable popularity. At the 13-minute and 22-second mark, an unexpected face appeared. — The current top A-list actor, Ethan Reed. Back then, he was still an extra in Hollywood, his face carrying a trace of nervousness and youth that hadn’t yet faded. However, the protagonist of this episode wasn’t him, but me, Maya Brooks, his girlfriend at the time. Twenty-three-year-old Maya, eyes full of unconcealed love, boastfully declared to the camera: “I guarantee Ethan will become a Best Actor one day! If not, I’ll walk the entire length of the Great Wall on my hands!” 2 I only realized Ethan and I had been trending all night when my agent, Jenna, called to wake me up. We were still trending at the top. I clicked on the viral video and was caught off guard by my ten-years-younger self. It took me a long time to dig out that memory from the dusty corners of my mind. It was the first year after graduation. I accompanied Ethan to Los Angeles while he chased his acting dreams. He acted; I worked odd jobs. While working, I met a man who claimed to be filming a documentary and asked if I was interested in being on camera. Of course, I wasn’t. But he acted like he didn’t hear me and kept following me around. I couldn’t get rid of him. Since he just stood aside holding his camera and didn’t interfere with my work, I eventually stopped caring and let him do whatever he wanted. Jenna asked if I needed to contact the platform to handle it. I thought for a moment and shook my head. “No need. It’s free publicity.” I scrolled through the comments curiously, expecting them to curse me like they did five years ago, calling me a maggot in a cesspool. Unexpectedly, the comments were heading in a strange direction. [Help, can I say this? Why do I feel like I ship them?] [You’re not alone.] [It’s weird, but hard not to ship, right? Did you see the look in Maya’s eyes?] [Same. I haven’t seen such pure, love-filled eyes in a long time. It reminds me of the days before I became cynical.] [Maya worked three jobs a day for Ethan back then! Oh my god, I used to curse her! Now… sigh, I don’t know what to say.] [Regardless of the ending, true love is rare.] Out of curiosity, I clicked on the video again. I wanted to see what kind of earth-shattering look and behavior I had back then that could make them flip their attitude 180 degrees compared to five years ago. Spanning ten years. Under the erosion and destruction of time, my memory of the past wasn’t very clear. But as they said, in the video, twenty-three-year-old Maya’s unconcealed love for Ethan was indeed so passionate that it was hard not to be moved. 3 When Ethan was struggling in Hollywood, I worked three jobs a day. I got up at 3:30 AM, went to help at a diner down the street at 4:00 AM, and finished my first shift at 10:30 AM. I went home to sleep for an hour, then put on a mascot suit at 12:00 PM to hand out flyers. Handing out flyers in the summer was torture. It was stuffy and hot inside the suit, and I had to watch out for naughty kids kicking me. After standing for two hours, I was soaked in sweat. At 2:30 PM, I went to work at a coffee shop. It was a bit far from our rental apartment, so I usually went to a nearby public shower for a quick wash before heading to the shop. Five dollars per person. After getting familiar with the owner, I could shower for a month for a hundred bucks. I got off work at 10:00 PM. I had an hour break for dinner in between, and after closing, I had to clean up for about half an hour. Around 11:00 PM, I picked up Ethan from the set. The continuous rotation all day was mentally and physically exhausting. The man filming me couldn’t keep up twice. He rested for two days and finally persisted until the end on the third try. He collapsed on the curb, exhausted, asking me: “Little girl, how do you keep this up? Aren’t you tired?” Tired! But I had no choice. Even with three jobs and Ethan’s meager pay from acting, we barely scraped together enough for rent and daily expenses. And most importantly— In the video, I leaned against the wall, listening to the man’s chatter with my eyes closed. Dark circles covered half my face, and my whole body exuded indescribable exhaustion. But in the next second, hearing something, I opened my eyes in surprise. The light that suddenly lit up in my eyes instantly dispelled the fatigue, and I rushed into Ethan’s arms like a flower suddenly blooming with life. —Most importantly, I loved Ethan, regardless of the hardship. For him, I fell out with my family, gave up everything arranged for me, and accompanied him to a strange place to strive alone. Love makes people blind. 4 It was probably Ethan’s first time seeing the man filming me. He shielded me behind him, looking warily. I explained the situation briefly. After listening, he smiled helplessly and pinched my cheek. “How many times have I told you not to be so defenseless against strangers? Wasn’t being scammed out of seven hundred bucks by that grandma with the ‘limp’ enough?” I giggled and begged for mercy, promising not to do it again. The man stood aside filming quietly, finally unable to hold back a cough. The camera shook. After Ethan appeared, he acted like a real director, interviewing us in front of the camera. The first few questions were irrelevant, about the future, work, and the industry. Ethan and I answered casually. Until finally, the man looked at Ethan and made an inexplicable comment. “You’re really handsome!” While I was confused by his sudden remark, he turned to me and suddenly asked: “With such an outstandingly handsome boyfriend, Miss Brooks, are you worried he’ll be tempted by various temptations in the industry? Are you sure he’ll always love you?” This question was intrusive and sharp. I paused, then laughed as if I heard a joke, linking arms with Ethan. My eyes curved with confident certainty. “Not worried. And I’m sure Ethan will always love me.” I looked at Ethan, cleared my throat dramatically, lifted my chin, and held out my hand to him. “Come on, future Best Actor Reed. Someone questions your love now; you have to prove them wrong.” Ethan was used to my occasional theatrics. He looked at me gently, his eyes full of tenderness. He got down on one knee, held my hand, and under my shocked gaze, put a silver ring on my finger. “That’s right. Ethan Reed will love Maya Brooks forever.” “So, Miss Maya Brooks, will you marry me?” I covered my mouth in disbelief, looking at the man behind the camera who was smiling, not surprised at all. I realized this was a plan they had plotted long ago. Overwhelmed by the huge surprise, I pouted, my eyes instantly red, and choked out: “I d—” I closed the video and got up to wash. When I clicked on the comment section again, the wind had quietly changed, and two groups of people were arguing fiercely. [Who are these people shipping them? Ethan is happily dating Chloe Evans now! Shipping him with his ex? Are you sick? Leave the couple alone!] [Ship, ship, ship. When their relationship was exposed back then, Maya was cursed out as a nobody girlfriend. Where were you then? Now you’re crying at the grave?] [Do I have extra memories? Why are people asking for them to get back together? Did you forget they broke up because Maya’s video of sleeping with a big director was exposed? That breakup was ugly. Maya was roasted to death.] [Finally someone mentioned it. Maya, stop buying trending topics, okay? Don’t you know what rotten things you did back then? Stop mooching off our brother. He’s happy with Best Actress Evans now. If you’re that desperate for money and fame, go sell yourself. You should be familiar with that job.] As discussions surged, the popularity brought by the documentary continued to climb. It was the first time I stayed on the trending list for so long, even longer than five years ago. Just then, Chloe Evans posted on Weibo/Twitter. No caption, just a simple photo. In the photo, she leaned into Ethan’s arms with a bright smile, happily showing off a diamond ring on her ring finger. In the fifth year of their relationship, Ethan proposed to her. 5 Ethan and Chloe’s history began with the TV drama that made Ethan famous. At twenty-four, he exploded in popularity playing the tragic second male lead in the blockbuster fantasy drama Ascension, directed by Director Zheng. It was a meteoric rise. The next year, he collaborated with Chloe, who played the female lead, in a sweet romance drama. Their CP (couple pairing) fans grew rapidly. Chloe’s agency, Skyward Entertainment, extended an olive branch to Ethan, on the condition that he cooperate in hyping their CP. Ethan refused. When the “Ethan-Chloe” ship was at its peak, he announced the existence of me, his non-celebrity girlfriend. He was responsible, and he truly loved me then. Even though after the announcement, under Skyward’s intentional suppression, he had no work for nearly a year, and the heat from Ascension rapidly dissipated. Facing my guilt, he just hugged me nonchalantly. “Don’t say sorry, Maya. I love you, so I won’t let you suffer any grievance. This is my own choice; you don’t need to feel guilty.” I felt a sting in my nose. At twenty-seven, Ethan accepted Chloe’s invitation and collaborated for the third time in the movie Sunset. At twenty-eight, during the reshoots for the movie, a video of Director Zheng and me entering and leaving a hotel together was exposed by paparazzi. Under the internet-wide blackout, my breakup with Ethan was ugly. At twenty-nine, he and Chloe won Best Actor and Best Actress at the Golden Crane Awards with Sunset. While making a beautiful comeback, Ethan announced his relationship with Chloe at the ceremony. CP fans went wild. Solo fans were tolerant of this new sister-in-law. After all, with me as a negative example, Chloe was obviously much better. After that, their careers and relationship developed steadily. One became a three-time Best Actor, the other a top A-list actress. Five years of dating, but no news of marriage. Rumors of their breakup surfaced occasionally, only to be blasted by CP fans every time. And this time, CP fans were celebrating like it was New Year’s. [Clowns. Those who ship the ex are clowns just like Maya. See? Face slapped? Our couple is fine and about to upgrade to legal spouses. Those feeling sorry for a cheating tramp, protect your family registry. Karma might leave you with no pages left.] [Boo hoo, so happy! You must stay together forever! leave the shameless trash floating up to us to handle!] Soon, the video of Director Zheng and me from five years ago was dug up and flogged repeatedly. My social media page was flooded with netizens, insults and insults no less than back then. I didn’t care much, just thankful again that Director Zheng and his wife didn’t have social media accounts, so this filth couldn’t dirty their eyes. I turned off my phone and continued working as if nothing happened. I had a tough battle to fight in a few days.

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“My sister died from bullying. Today, I put on her uniform and wear her face.” “What are you here for?” “Revenge.” 1 That night, the whole family was asleep. The dog suddenly started barking frantically. When I walked into the living room, I smelled blood. Thick, heavy, lingering in the air. The dog was barking at my sister’s bedroom door. Confused, I pushed the door open and saw… My sister, in her pajamas, lying on white sheets soaked in blood. Her arm was ghastly pale, and the blood kept flowing, drop by drop, soaking into the hardwood floor. Her eyes were closed, as if she were asleep. I thought it was a hallucination. I pinched myself hard, but the scene remained. In an instant, I felt like I was in hell. I screamed, “Lily!” But she didn’t react. My parents’ footsteps thundered down the hall. The girl on the bed never woke up. … Lily, my dear sister, was dead. She died in the darkness just before dawn. Cause of death: suicide by cutting her wrists. There were unexplained bruises on her body. That was the first time I felt the pain of losing a loved one. Just last night at dinner, we were laughing and talking. But in the night, she quietly slipped away to another world. Silent and deadly. My mom cried until she nearly passed out. My dad refused to let them close the casket, yet refused cremation. My sister’s body lay in a refrigerated casket in our living room for ten full days. I cried until I was numb, staring only at the blue and purple bruises on her pale skin. Then, amidst the fake tears and hidden smiles of the visitors, I opened her diary. Page by page, I read every word. The things recorded in that diary were like bloodthirsty demons greedily drinking the blood of victory, arrogant to the extreme. The moment I closed the diary, my dad finally agreed to cremation. It happened quickly. In the burning flames, I thought I saw Lily. She smiled at me. That smile was enough to make me risk my life. Because the blood flowing in our veins is the same. … My parents agreed to let me take Lily’s place at school, to help her fulfill her unrealized dreams, or perhaps, they knew something too. The secrets I discovered, my parents might not be unaware of. They chose to acquiesce. Maybe we all needed to do something for my sister. She was an art student at a private high school in a city far away. I was an athlete, attending a public school in our hometown. We were in different schools, but we had the exact same face. Identical twins. She was Lily. I am Lana. Like the lana in a storm, burning with a fire that never dies. … I bought stationery identical to hers, wore her clothes, and with my parents’ farewell, arrived at her school: Saint Jude’s Academy. Lily’s school was beautiful. Clutching her diary, I walked forward heavily. The wind was a bit chilly. I softly recited the contents of the diary. … Page One: March 27. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. Dana wrote “Slut” on my desk and stuffed a lot of trash in my drawer. When I was taking out my books, the sauce from the trash got on them. The math teacher saw it and made me stand in the back of the class, scolding me for not studying properly. Dana jeered. The teacher just lightly scolded her to be quiet. To me, she said: “Lily, you’re useless. Look at you, look at the mess on your desk.” Mood is bad, really want to cry. Tears keep flowing, but I know… Defending myself is useless. They just think I’m troublesome. March 28. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. Someone swapped my uniform with a boy’s and splashed red ink on the back. I washed it all lunch break but couldn’t get it out. I know Faye did it, but I didn’t dare say anything. When I went to the bathroom, I saw my uniform in the corner. My name was written on it. But my name… it smelled so bad. … March 29. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. Someone wrote a love letter claiming I wrote it to the popular guy in the next class. He came to our class and mocked me viciously. I don’t dare look in the mirror. I feel so ugly. But I didn’t write that letter. … March 30. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. In gym class, Dana deliberately threw the basketball at my head and aimed for my stomach. She would say: “Lily, sorry! I didn’t mean to! My bad!” That smile. So pretty. So blinding. So cruel. … March 31. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. My comb is missing, but I don’t dare borrow one. Faye put gum in my hair. I couldn’t pull it out. It hurt so much. Really want to cry, but no strength left to cry. … April 27. Weather: Cloudy. Mood: Bad. They said I stole something, but I didn’t take it. Why is it that bad things must have been done by me? As if anyone can frame me. Can I please not be bullied anymore? Sister, protect me. God, protect me. Protect me just once, please? … May 1. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Happy. Going home. Escaping this hell. I have to be happy so my family thinks I’m doing well. I’m going home! … June 5. Weather: Stormy. Mood: Bad. Dana tore my clothes, took photos, and posted them on the school forum. I’m not a slut. I’m not… But does anyone believe me? … June 8. Weather: Light Rain. Mood: Bad. They finally deleted the photos, but I had to agree to fetch their lunch, clean their tables, get water, run errands, and do their homework every day. Luckily, they finally spared me this time. … June 30. Weather: Sunny. Mood: Bad. My grades have gotten really bad. The homeroom teacher believed the rumors that I was dating and not studying. He told me to reflect on myself. When can I become a better person? I want to sleep well. Not under a damp blanket, but a clean cotton quilt. … July 9. Weather: Sunny. Mood: … Is it time to go home? I’m so tired. Just want to rest. … August 9. Weather: Sunny. Mood: … Is school starting soon… I don’t want to… … August 11. Weather: Sunny. Mood: … I’m leaving. Going to another world. I love Mom and Dad. I love my sister! Goodbye. Don’t miss me! I’m sorry… … The thick diary ended with a pile of blank pages. … When we were little, Lily and I had to sleep in the same bed. Neither of us wanted to be separated. On my birthday, Lily used the allowance she saved for a long time to buy me a pair of Nikes. She knew I loved sweet and sour ribs. She knew everything I liked. I loved her too. Just as much as Mom and Dad loved her. She knew that. We would go to the amusement park just to make her happy. I would make pig noises just to coax her. Knowing her loved ones would be heartbroken, she still chose to leave without looking back. How disappointed, or desperate, must she have been with this world? I don’t know. But I can feel that despair. The despair of no return. Because the blood flowing in our veins is the same. … The warning bell rang. When I walked into the classroom, it was quiet. Probably because it was senior year, the study atmosphere was okay. Lily said she sat in the second to last row. Looking from afar, there were two empty seats in the second to last row. Lily loved cleanliness. I walked straight to that seat, only to hear the class erupt in laughter. A girl pointed at my nose and said, “Lily, are you stupid? Forgot your own seat?” She was wearing makeup. The eyeliner was shaky, and the lipstick looked cheap. I opened the desk. The name written in the books inside was Faye. I didn’t know if it was the girl in front of me. I looked at her. I was a bit nearsighted. I walked closer to read her name tag. Her name was Dana. The Dana from the diary. Seemingly unhappy with me staring at her, Dana raised her eyebrows, stood up, and shoved me. “What are you looking at? Get away, you’re like a plague.” “She is a plague, isn’t she?!” Another girl chimed in, not even looking at me, constantly checking herself in a mirror. I smiled, didn’t answer, and walked to that filthy seat. It was full of trash and waste paper, with abusive words carved into the desk. My hands trembled slightly. Anger instantly invaded my heart. What did my sister go through? What did she do wrong… Thinking of her pale arm that night, her resolute expression, I suddenly felt a twinge. Then, I sat quietly. Like Lily, but not like her. I am cold-blooded, rational enough; I am vicious, fierce enough. At the bottom of the first page of her diary, I wrote heavily: “My sister died from school bullying. Today, I put on her uniform, wearing her exact face.” “Why did I come?” “For revenge.” 2 My seat was like a public dump, constantly stuffed with various trash bags. Greasy wrappers. Disgusting. Just back from the restroom, the desk was already full of all kinds of snack wrappers. Red oil dripped from them, inevitably soaking into the books, emitting a foul stench. Does throwing it here reduce pollution and protect the environment? I didn’t think so. I stood in front of the podium. Lily always liked to swallow her pride. She would clean up the mess, swallow all the grievances. But I wasn’t afraid. Yes, I wasn’t afraid. We are children of ordinary families, with no power or status. But I knew there was an institution representing justice that could help me. I came here just to collect evidence. They looked at each other below, puzzled that I didn’t cry and go back to clean up the mess today. Class was about to start. They began to panic. I remained motionless. Faye stood up and slapped the table, frowning and shouting, “Lily, go back to your seat, okay? Class is starting. The teacher is coming.” The students below laughed uproariously. Dana mocked sarcastically, “She thinks she’s precious. Outsiders look down on us! Doesn’t even deign to talk to you. So high and mighty!” She seemed completely unaware of how hurtful her words were. She calmly drank water, turned her head, and playfully fought with others again. Sentence after sentence, harsh words pierced the heart like knives. When pulled out, they drained the blood. When the math teacher walked in, I was still standing on the podium. She skillfully put down her textbook and turned to ask me, “Lily, why aren’t you in your seat?” “I don’t know who put a bunch of mess on my desk.” I answered, staring straight at her. I wanted to experience everything. Experience Lily’s despair, experience her tears when helpless. Me, Mom, Dad, we tried so hard to teach her to love this world. But you killed her courage to live, without a shred of remorse. The math teacher pushed her glasses up. A hint of disdain flashed in her eyes. She muttered, “Go back to your seat. We’ll talk after class.” To me, or rather to Lily, she only had these few words. As if the wrongdoers deserved forgiveness. “Teacher, I can’t sit in my seat.” Curling my lips, I spat out a few words lightly. These light words were courage Lily would never have had. I am much taller than Lily, and my voice is coarser. Why did no one notice the difference? Perhaps because she was ostracized so much, everything about Lily became irrelevant in the eyes of others. Fortunately, this is a private school. Backgrounds like ours are never noticed. Otherwise, the fact that Lily had a twin sister wouldn’t be unknown. Then my roleplay would be much harder. But look, now, I don’t even need to deliberately imitate her because no one pays attention to her. The math teacher looked at me with an unusual expression. For the first time, she wanted to walk over and see Lily’s seat. Second to last row, the seat most easily ignored, the seat of the girl who always kept her head down. When unnatural emotions breed, only eyes convey the most sincere message. Just as she was about to walk over, Dana stood up. “Teacher, the class monitor told her to go back. She’s just being maverick, acting like we won’t let her sit down. Lily, go back to your seat! We’re waiting for class!” A few short sentences attributed everything to just jokes between students. The playful tone seemed to solve all absurdity. Hearing this, the math teacher smiled disdainfully again, attributing everything to student mischief. Her tone became strict: “Lily, it’s a critical time now. Can you focus on your studies? Go back to your seat quickly!” “Teacher, I can’t sit in my seat; Teacher, can you walk a few more steps back?” I begged her to look at my seat, to see how messy it was. The pleading tone felt like a command. I screamed in my heart, can you walk a few more steps? Just a few steps, and you can see how people in the gutter struggle to live. When did the classroom become a zone of severe hierarchy? Students in the front row rightfully enjoy the glory of being role models. Students with superior looks playfully turn the despair inflicted on others into joy. And the people in the gutter are like being in a water dungeon, looking at the formulas on the blackboard that could save them, yet losing their lives in others’ joy. “Teacher, a few more steps, please?” I begged her again. Why, why not walk a few more steps? Why let my sister suffer? Why, why are you the students’ light, but failed to shine on my sister? That gaze, hollow yet shining with determination, moved her. I watched Dana’s eyes become nervous. Step by step, it was like stepping into hell’s gate. In the long classroom, with so many students, she looked at them one by one, yet felt they were strangers. The foul smell made one want to vomit… Those trash bags were buried behind the high-held heads of the front-row students, buried in laughter. Maybe she would never discover it. As long as I continued to endure and return to my seat, continued to take out books and study “The highest good is like water,” everything would be buried in time again, leaving my sister buried in the yellow earth. The sister who could laugh and be mischievous, the sister who remembered all my hobbies, the sister who said she would be the first to hug me after I won the championship. What was left for you was happiness, right? What about us? Endless pain and darkness, tearing at the heart like claws and teeth… I didn’t want to cry, but I missed my sister. The students in the front row blocked her seat. The back row was a blind spot for cameras. In this school where grades are everything, no one cares about a girl in the gutter who can’t see the sun. How loud must the sound of reading be to cover the trembling heart? “Who did this?” The math teacher finally stopped. She choked a little, swallowed a breath, and asked again. The class suddenly became quiet, leaving only the sound of chairs scraping. Not a single person admitted it. Admitted they were accomplices. She continued to ask, “Who did this?” The tone was unkind; anyone could hear it. I wiped away my tears frankly. This was just the beginning. Dana raised her hand tremblingly, saying apologetically: “Teacher, I accidentally put the trash bag there. I told Lily to help me throw it away!” She hinted at me frantically, quite threateningly. I tilted my head and mocked, “I don’t remember you ever saying that to me.” “You filled my desk with trash. My textbooks are stained. My desk is carved with disgusting words everywhere. You did all this without my permission.” “I never joked like this with them, and never, ever said I allowed them to put trash here.” Resounding, like stones, accusing them of everything they did. But this was far from enough. The math teacher held her breath. A teacher cannot be humiliated. “I will tell your homeroom teacher. Lily, come to the office with me.” She carried her book and walked back to the front row step by step. Dana threw me a look, threatening and scary. She threw her book on the ground in anger. I looked at her provocatively, smiling, smiling very dashingly. Walking up to Dana, I whispered: “Who told you there’s no retribution for doing such things? There is cause and effect in the world. Everything cycles eventually. The principle the world has cycled countless times always says one thing: If you do evil, you will destroy yourself.” “Dana, your retribution is coming.”

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Everyone knew Ethan Hunt was my perfect, doting boyfriend. But on our anniversary, he suddenly announced his relationship with his ex-girlfriend on Instagram. When I asked him why, he smiled casually. “Because her waist… is smaller than yours.” 1 My boyfriend has a new girlfriend. One minute before he went “Facebook Official” with her, he sent me a breakup text. Before I could even process it, I saw his new post: “Three years, and my love for you has only grown.” The photo was of him and a girl. She was looking away from the camera, showing only her profile; he was looking at her, lips slightly pressed together. That was his nervous tic. The first comment below was his own, cringy and dramatic: “Welcome home. You can dock here anytime.” Ethan’s post blew up, but he didn’t reply to anyone. My chest felt tight, a wave of nausea rolling over me. I took a deep breath and dialed his number. I always thought I wasn’t that invested in this relationship. But… When I dialed, my hands were shaking uncontrollably. It rang once and was immediately hung up. Soon, a text from Ethan came through, his tone cold as if he were a stranger: “Not convenient. Text me if it’s important.” I typed a long paragraph, deleted it all, and finally sent one sentence: “We can break up, but say it to my face.” Silence for a long time. Then, like he was granting a favor, he sent one word: “Fine.” We agreed on a time and place. I felt dazed. In this relationship, Ethan was always the pursuer. He chased me aggressively, his confession so loud the whole campus knew. When I said no, he stood under my dorm all night in the freezing winter, smoking a pack of cigarettes. Anyone’s heart would melt a little at that. Once, I casually mentioned missing my mom’s cooking. He took a Greyhound bus overnight to my hometown to buy the specific dish, even though it was cold by the time he brought it back. When someone posted nasty rumors about me online, he tracked them down and made them apologize. Bit by bit, I was moved. We got together. People called him my “simp.” I never thought our end would be so casual. 2 The coffee shop near the back gate of the university. I sat by the window. The coffee on the table went from hot to cold before Ethan finally arrived. He looked strange today. Usually, he loved the preppy, clean-cut look—light-colored casual suits, short black hair, always looking like the boy next door. But today… He was dressed in all black—black hoodie, black cargo pants—and his hair was dyed. Even more shocking, the guy who hated pain had gotten his left ear pierced and was wearing a small silver hoop. I froze. We hadn’t seen each other for two days, and he was a different person. Seeing my shock, he smiled. “She likes it.” Three simple words, and I knew how thoroughly I had lost this past year. Ethan was very self-centered. During our relationship, he treated me well but rarely listened to me. Once, I asked him to change his hairstyle. He just smiled, ruffled my hair, and said, “Chloe, I don’t like it.” And that was that. I stared at him for a long time, then cut to the chase: “Give me a reason.” My reflection in the glass looked cold and indifferent. In reality, I was using every ounce of strength to hold back my emotions. I thought Ethan would make excuses or feel guilty. But no. He leaned back in his chair, smiling lazily. “Because her waist… is smaller than yours.” I froze. Across the table, he smirked. “Anything else? If not, I’m heading back. She’ll be unhappy if I’m out too long.” The moment his words fell, I raised my hand and threw the coffee in his face. In that instant, I had only one thought: What a pity the coffee was cold. 3 Ethan left. After I splashed him, he only paused for two seconds, then calmly wiped his face and dropped two words: “I’m leaving.” But after a few steps, he turned back. “Chloe, I treated you well this past year, right? Let’s just say we parted on good terms. No need to say hi if we see each other.” He didn’t give me time to react and walked away. I sat in silence for a few seconds, then stood up, grabbed the warm coffee from the guy at the next table, apologized, and chased after him. Then, I poured it over Ethan’s head. The coffee was warm, not scalding, but it made him look pathetic. Ethan just stopped. He stood straight, didn’t even turn around. I stared at his soaked clothes. “Ethan, now we’re even.” I walked back with the empty cup. I returned the cup and bought two fresh coffees for the couple whose drink I stole. The girl didn’t blame me; instead, she gave me a thumbs up. “Girl, you’re a badass.” I smiled but said nothing. Actually, I’ve always been a dull person—introverted, sensitive, silent, and boring. I have decent looks, so guys chased me, but they were always the type casting a wide net. If I rejected them, they’d be whispering sweet nothings to someone else a minute later. So, I never expected to be loved so fiercely. But a year ago, Ethan appeared. His loud affection, his grand pursuit, his thoughtful care—it was easy to fall into his gentle trap. In our year together, I never wronged him. I was learning how to love someone, learning how to be good to him. But just as I learned, he turned around to be someone else’s harbor. I walked out and headed toward campus. I said it was over, but I still felt lost. So lost that I bumped into someone right at the gate. Just as I was about to fall, someone grabbed my waist, then let go as if burned. Thud. I hit the ground hard. The person rushed to help me up. “Chloe… are you okay?” The voice sounded familiar. I looked up. It was Lucas, a senior and Ethan’s classmate. “I’m fine.” I wanted to thank him, but remembering the hard fall, I kept quiet. He frowned. “Ethan’s post?” I laughed. “He announced his ex from three years ago.” Hearing his name, I couldn’t help but add, “I, the current girlfriend, got the breakup text one minute before his post. Funny, right?” Lucas didn’t speak. He turned and walked away. I paused, then scolded myself for oversharing. He was just an acquaintance; why burden him with my mess? He probably found it annoying. I looked away and went back to the dorm. On the way, I became even quieter, avoiding eye contact with anyone I knew, walking faster. I was afraid someone would ask, “Chloe, when did you break up? I saw you eating together a few days ago. How does he have a new girlfriend already?” I didn’t know how to answer. Being publicly dumped was humiliating. I hurried back to the dorm, changed, and climbed into bed, wrapping myself in the duvet. I wanted to cry, but mostly, I wanted to vent. I wished I could drag Ethan over and beat him up. I regretted not throwing two cups of coffee earlier. Soon, my phone rang. It was my roommate, Sasha. “Chloe, where are you?” I pulled the covers down, answering weakly, “Dorm. Why?” “Ethan got beat up!” I sat up instantly. The anger clogging my chest dissipated a little. After a pause, I asked, “Who did he offend?” Sasha seemed to be at the scene; it was noisy. A few seconds later, I heard her answer: “It was Lucas.” “Omg, I’m dead. He was so hot!” 4 Lucas? Why him… Sasha’s voice was fuzzy over the bad connection, and the call cut off. I sat on my bed in a daze, remembering Lucas turning and walking away at the gate. I thought he was annoyed, but he went to fight for me? While I debated going to see, the door opened and Sasha burst in. She was humming a tune, clearly in a good mood. Before I could ask, she pulled me off the bed and spilled everything. Lucas beat up Ethan. To be precise, they had a brawl. Both got hurt; neither won easily. Sasha grabbed my hands. “Chloe, you have no idea. The way Lucas asked him ‘Who do you think you are, cheating like that?’ and then punched him… it was explosive!” My heart skipped a beat. Gripping my shirt tightly, I acted calm and asked softly, “What about Ethan?” Mentioning Ethan, Sasha paused. She looked at me, hesitating. “He fought back, and…” “He said he knew Lucas has had a crush on you for a long time.” 5 I froze for a long time, then laughed. “Impossible. Lucas and I barely talk.” Sasha didn’t believe it. “If you aren’t close, why would he fight Ethan for you?” “Justice, maybe?” I chuckled lightly. “He’s done it before.” Sasha pursed her lips but didn’t argue. Lucas was like the perfect academic god in a drama—upright, excellent, and kind. He had even been commended by the school for bravery. Actually, I wanted to text Lucas to say thanks. We had been friends on social media for a year but rarely spoke—just a “like” relationship. I hesitated for a long time, not knowing what to say. In the end, I let it go. … Afternoon. Following my habit, I went to the cafeteria alone for dinner. Unexpectedly— I ran into Ethan and his ex-girlfriend. I was a quiet person, usually looking down or straight ahead when walking, rarely looking around. So, it wasn’t until I sat in my usual corner with my tray that I noticed Ethan and a girl sitting diagonally across from me. From my angle, I could see her profile perfectly. Identical to the photo in Ethan’s post. They were eating. Ethan had ordered a bowl of spicy hot pot, bright red with chili oil—something he never ate. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he looked up and smiled at her. In reality, Ethan never ate spicy food. He had a bad stomach; spicy food gave him cramps. I stared, my fingers unconsciously scratching the metal tray. Then… Ethan suddenly looked over. Caught off guard, I locked eyes with him. Honestly, I was a bit nervous and guiltily wanted to look away. But someone beat me to it. Our eyes met for a split second, then Ethan casually turned his head and put a piece of meat in his girlfriend’s bowl. I stared for a few seconds, then laughed softly. It’s true that the one left behind has the hardest time moving on. He was the cheater, so why was I the one feeling guilty and nervous? Just as I was about to look away, the girl stood up, seemingly to buy water. I saw her full face. In that moment, my mind went blank, displaying only one word: Substitute. Yes, the classic trope. The guy can’t forget his first love, so he finds a girl who looks like her. And I looked 70-80% like his first love. 6 In that moment, I understood. The “waist smaller than yours” crap was all lies. Actually, he didn’t need a breakup reason. He got with me because of my face, which resembled his white moonlight. How ridiculous. I forced myself to look down and eat. But mechanically stuffing rice into my mouth, even my favorite braised pork tasted like ash. The rice felt dry and stuck in my throat. I patted my chest, debating whether to go buy water, when a bottle appeared in my vision. Poland Spring. I looked up to see a smiling face. “Alone? Mind if I join you?” It was Lucas. I smiled and waved my hand to say I didn’t mind, but the rice was stuck, choking me. Lucas was always observant. He immediately unscrewed the cap and handed me the water. I didn’t stand on ceremony, taking huge gulps. The blockage cleared, but I choked on the water. As I coughed violently, Lucas patted my back. “Slow down.” His tone was gentle. It took a while to recover. I took the tissue Lucas offered, wiped my mouth, looked up, and accidentally saw Ethan. He was looking at me, his eyes dark and unreadable.

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My crush of several years finally confessed his feelings to me. A week later, I found out it was all because he lost a game of Truth or Dare. He had to date me for a month to win. When I read that text message, I was holding the clothes I had hand-washed for him, feeling like an absolute idiot. Because he said the washing machine “didn’t get them clean enough.” 1 “Let’s break up.” I typed those three words into the text box, but before I could hit send, Caleb Hunt called me. I hesitated, then answered. His voice was lazy on the other end. “Mia, are the clothes done?” I went silent. Me, the girl who could debate the opposition into the ground during mock trials, was suddenly speechless. “Hello? Hello?” Caleb sounded impatient. “Maybe she’s busy,” a sickly-sweet voice chimed in. It was Lilly Porter. The freshman girl who was always hovering around Caleb. And the one who had “accidentally” let me know about the bet. I took a deep breath and said calmly, “They’re done. I’m bringing them down now.” Maybe my tone was too cold, because he paused for a second before saying, “Fine. See you downstairs.” Then he hung up. I stared at our chat interface. The background was a candid photo I took of him looking out a window years ago. I only dared to set it as my background after we started dating. Right now, I wished desperately that Lilly was just trying to stir up trouble. No, I couldn’t trust her completely. I closed my eyes and calmed myself down. No matter what, I had to confirm it myself. 2 “You washed them?” Caleb snatched the bag from my hand, glanced inside carelessly, then looked at me and frowned. “No makeup? You look exhausted.” His tone was disdainful, his brow furrowed. But even like this, he was still handsome. Six-foot-one, chiseled features. He lived up to his reputation—wild, arrogant, untamable. Even in the few minutes we stood there, several girls had already turned to look at him. I gripped the empty bag tightly and forced a smile. “Debate club just finished, and I have finals coming up. Reviewing has been brutal.” “Mia, girls need to take care of themselves even when they’re busy. Look at you, you have dark circles.” It was Lilly. I looked at her. Oval face with a hint of baby fat, flawless skin, smiling eyes—the standard “sweet girl.” But she misunderstood something. I wasn’t the type to suffer in silence. “Really? You should focus on your studies too. If you fail your English major exams, you can’t graduate,” I smiled sweetly. Her face stiffened for a second, then she pouted cutely. “Oh, I’m just so dumb. Not like you, Mia, you’re so smart and capable. And you have such a handsome boyfriend like Caleb. I’m so envious.” This “pick-me” act was making me nauseous. Just as I was about to roast her, Caleb interrupted: “Alright, I’m going back.” He turned to walk toward the dorms. He didn’t even look at me. I stood there like a clown. Apart from taking the clothes and roasting my appearance, he hadn’t said a single unnecessary word to me. But the moment I was about to clap back at Lilly, he spoke up. In that instant, anger tore at my heart, burning and aching. I knew Caleb had a sharp tongue and a bad temper, but he had always been there when I needed him. But right now, I suddenly wondered: was the person I liked even real? Was someone who treated feelings like a game really the same person I thought was secretly kind-hearted? Looking at his back, I felt like someone was squeezing my heart. But then, Lilly trotted over and tugged on Caleb’s sleeve, whining, “Caleb! You said you’d buy me boba!” Caleb paused, then nodded. “Wait a sec. Let me put these back.” Lilly stuck her tongue out at him playfully. Caleb smiled lazily. But I knew Caleb hated sweets, and he especially hated sugary drinks like boba. He only drank water. But even so, seeing the provocative look in Lilly’s eyes, I didn’t want to admit defeat. “Caleb.” I called out to him. He turned around. Sunlight filtered through the trees onto his face, like a chiaroscuro painting. “What?” He walked back, looking down at me. I bit my lip, looking straight into his eyes, wanting to ask if he confessed to me because of a dare. But suddenly, I thought: what if he did? Would I lose him then? “I’ll go too. For boba.” My voice was dry. He looked at me. “Didn’t you say you were on a diet? Why are you drinking that stuff again?” In that moment, embarrassment and shame crushed me completely. My humility, my endurance—it was all worthless. Seeing my state, Lilly chided him playfully, “Caleb, chubby girls are cute too. How can you dislike her?” Caleb froze, looking at me, a bit uncomfortable. “That’s not what I meant. It’s just because you said…” “Forget it. I’m not going.” I didn’t look at his expression. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. “I really didn’t mean it like that.” I sneered. Was he that afraid of losing the game? Thinking of this, I turned back, tears pressing against my eyes, and choked out, “Whatever. You only confessed because of a stupid game anyway. Why pretend?” He froze, lips moving silently. But that was enough. I laughed bitterly, wiped my tears fiercely, and said word by word: “Let’s break up.” He looked at me in disbelief, wanting to say something. But I didn’t want to hear it. I shook him off and ran back to my dorm, crying on my bed for a long time. He didn’t know I had liked him for years but never dared to confess, only watching him silently. So when he confessed to me, I felt like the whole world belonged to me. But just a week later, reality slapped me in the face. Staring at the ceiling, I thought, forget it. Why make myself so pathetic? Maybe from the beginning, the Caleb I liked was just a fantasy. 3 The next day, I iced my eyes for a long time so they wouldn’t be so swollen. I put on makeup and went to work at the bakery near campus. The bakery was opened by a recent grad, Evan. He was pretty chill and just loved making desserts. Unexpectedly, the place blew up as soon as it opened. I thought people came for his face. But after trying the cakes, I realized the taste was as good as his face. As a dessert lover, I was hooked. So, I boldly applied for a job, and surprisingly got hired. It covered my monthly living expenses. But today, as soon as I walked in, I saw an unwanted guest. “Oh? Mia? You work here?” It was Lilly again. So annoying. She was wearing a white shirt, pink skirt, and white sneakers—youthful and vibrant. I frowned and ignored her. Evan saw me and walked straight over, the usual smile on his face fading a bit. “You cried?” I shook my head with a smile. “Just didn’t sleep well.” He looked down at me for a while, then nodded gently. “Go get ready.” “Okay.” Just as I was about to leave, I heard Lilly say to Evan, “Evan, I really want to learn how to make cakes. I can work for free.” I slowed down hearing this. Evan had a good temper and rarely rejected people. Plus, the shop was indeed short-staffed recently. I pursed my lips. If Lilly really came here, I would quit. I can’t afford to provoke her, but I can hide, right? Evan spoke. I stopped, my heart inadvertently lifting, as his gentle voice said slowly: “No.” 4 When Lilly left, she smiled at me. Weirdo. I withdrew my gaze and looked at Evan, who was piping a cake. I wanted to ask why he refused. But thinking about it, it didn’t seem necessary. Anyway, no one annoying around on future shifts was a good thing. “Wrong ratio.” Evan reminded me. But his eyes were still on the cake, not looking at me at all. I froze and stopped immediately. I had poured too much milk. “Oh… I’ll add more low-gluten flour.” He didn’t speak, just put down the piping bag and started decorating the surface with fruit, bit by bit. I cursed myself silently and quickly gathered my scattered thoughts to work seriously. Evan was very chill. But when he made cakes, he was extremely serious, as if pouring his soul into the sculpting. I learned a lot from him in the past two years, almost enough to open a small shop myself. Bang! Something hit the glass window. I looked up in surprise and saw Caleb staring at me through the window, suppressing sparks of anger in his eyes. “Come out!” He mouthed. Lilly stood beside him, looking worried and guilty, saying something to him. But obviously, hearing those words, he got angrier. I frowned, getting a bit angry too, but mostly feeling baffled and powerless. “I’m going out for a sec.” “Okay.” Evan nodded, looking a bit worried. I took off my gloves. As soon as I pushed the door open, Caleb grabbed me and dragged me away. My wrist hurt from his grip. “Let go!” I tried to shake him off but failed. He gripped tighter. “Let go of me! Are you crazy?!” I cursed loudly, eyes red. In the eyes of my parents and others, I had always been an easygoing, hardworking, obedient girl. Avoiding conflict whenever possible. Hiding if I couldn’t handle it. But that didn’t mean I had no temper. Caleb had never seen me like this. He was a bit surprised, then looked at my red wrist and quickly let go. “Mia, I didn’t mean to. I just saw you and him…” At this point, his face darkened. “Don’t do that part-time job anymore. I don’t like him.” I looked up at his sharp eyebrows and laughed. “Why?” He frowned, not understanding. “You and another guy cooped up in that small space making cakes every day… I’m… unhappy.” I looked at him, finding him laughable for the first time. “I’ve been working here for a year. Now you’re unhappy? Did Lilly say something to you?” Hearing my words, his expression hardened. “How much do you make a month? I’ll transfer it to you.” He picked up his phone and transferred three thousand dollars to me. Then he looked up, helpless. “Is that enough?” I bit my lip, nails digging into my palm. I took several deep breaths to suppress the urge to slap him. “Caleb, I recall we broke up yesterday.” Caleb’s face went cold. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “You’re throwing a tantrum, I know. Lilly told me girls love doing this. The game thing is true, but my… confession was sincere too.” He looked uncomfortable, even anxious, and cursed. “Can’t you just trust me for once?” I looked at him, not knowing what expression to make. “Then why do you trust Lilly and not me?” He couldn’t understand. “She’s timid and innocent, and has no conflict with you. Why would she lie? Mia, do you want to keep that crappy job so badly?” I laughed, feeling my heart being torn into strips. She’s timid? She’s innocent? I took a step back, wiped away the tears from laughing, and said coldly, “Caleb, we broke up. Don’t come find me again.” “F*ck! Who wants to find you anyway! Go be with that cake guy!” Caleb’s anger finally exploded. He punched the wall next to the school gate hard and walked away. I turned around and saw Lilly’s “innocent and beautiful” face. She smirked at me triumphantly and chased after Caleb. There weren’t many people at the school gate right now, but there were still students passing by in twos and threes. Their gazes cut me like knives. Exhausted, I leaned against the wall and squatted down, hugging myself, burying my head in my knees, as if this could hide me from all the stares and hurt. So tired. Really so tired.

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Ethan Brooks said he would propose on our fourth anniversary. But this year is our eighth year together. He tells me he loves me, while fiercely pursuing a freshman in college. For her, he risked everything, even stealing my mother’s heirloom necklace. “Lily hasn’t seen many nice things. She really likes this. Just let her have it for a bit, I’ll make it up to you later.” “Okay.” This time, I didn’t cry or scream. Instead, I dialed a number. “Julian Thorne, say what you said last time again.” He was confused but repeated, “Dump Ethan Brooks and marry me.” “Okay, I’ll marry you.” … Julian was obviously stunned. We were silent for two minutes. “Serious?” “Yes.” Julian chuckled deeply. “I’m waiting for you.” 1 “Who are you calling?” Ethan suddenly hugged me from behind, startling me. I locked my phone and shook my head. “Unhappy? You know Lily’s family isn’t as well off as yours. Be generous.” “Mm.” Ethan’s phone kept buzzing. He looked down to reply, a gentle smile appearing on his lips. It was a message from Lily Hayes. The photo was the most eye-catching part. My mother’s necklace was around her neck, resting perfectly in her cleavage. It was a cropped photo, showing the lace of her bra. “Ethan.” He sat on the bed, obsessed with the photo. He couldn’t help but chuckle. Completely ignoring my voice. “Ethan!” I raised my voice, and he looked up sharply. “What?” “When do you plan to propose?” Ethan put away his phone, scratching his head to hide his expression. “Aren’t we… still young?” “Being young is for having fun. To celebrate my wife’s generosity today, the boys are throwing a party. Want to come?” Ethan’s eyes told me everything. He was waiting for me to refuse. “I…” Ethan suddenly hugged me. “I’ll tell them for you. You don’t like the smell of alcohol anyway. Wait for me at home, okay?” I looked down and laughed bitterly. Ethan thought I agreed happily. His goal achieved, he didn’t waste another word on me. He turned and left with his phone. As he walked out, I saw him zoom in on that photo. Holding my pajamas, I subconsciously looked at myself in the mirror. Average figure. Average face. Lily and I were indeed from two different generations. At midnight, one of Ethan’s friends posted an update. It was a video. The music was deafening, the VIP room reeked of decadence. Several young people were cheering on the dance floor. Right when the music paused. I heard a familiar voice. “Lucas, I want to propose to Lily.” It was Ethan’s voice. Putting down my phone, I stared at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Our relationship survived the seven-year itch, but couldn’t survive a single winter. 2 I was about to sleep when I got a message from Ethan’s friend, Lucas. A simple sentence: Sister-in-law, can you bring some stomach medicine? Ethan didn’t have stomach problems, and neither did Lucas. From Ethan’s earlier words, it wasn’t hard to guess what they were planning. I didn’t know if Lucas calling me was Ethan’s idea. When I got there, I leaned against my car for a long time. My legs were starting to go numb before I finally found the courage to go in. It seemed I arrived at the perfect time. Ethan was on one knee. “Lily, I really love you.” “Lily, marry me?” “Lily, I want you.” The love in Ethan’s eyes was overflowing. Lily covered her mouth excitedly across from him. She was very pretty. Her shy look was exactly Ethan’s type. “Ethan… I do.” Unknowingly, tears were already on my face. Rolling down my chin. The ring he used to propose was my mother’s heirloom. Ethan, you really impress me. The two kissed under the spotlight, a perfect couple. But, among the dozen people present. Some were drinking, some smoking, some on their phones. No one clapped. Ethan noticed something was wrong, his face darkening. “Why aren’t you guys cheering?” His friends all looked down, acting busy. Ethan looked around, a layer of frost covering his eyes. “You’re proposing to her. What about Ava?” Ethan licked his lips, patted Lucas’s shoulder, and laughed. “Lucas, do you know what a heartbeat feels like?” “Ava has been with you for eight years.” “Shh…” Ethan hushed him. “Don’t mention her on such a happy occasion.” “The past eight years, I was blind, thinking that was love. Meeting Lily, I learned what love is. I want to give her my everything! But Ava?” Ethan looked at his friends, trying to persuade everyone. “Ava is a princess, she doesn’t lack love. But Lily only has me. Do you understand?” “Every time I go home and see Ava’s face, I feel bored.” “Yes, Ava is good, but she’s not the one I want to marry.” No one responded to Ethan. Everyone smoked, heads down, silent. “Ethan… maybe, forget it, we don’t need cheering…” Crash! Ethan threw a glass. “Cheer!” Usually, when Ethan got angry, everyone backed off. But this time, no one humored him. For a moment, I was dazed too. Eight years ago, none of them liked us together. Seeing me, the spoiled rich girl, they never had a nice expression. They even told Ethan to dump me. Eight years passed, and everyone accepted me as their sister-in-law. Everyone except Ethan. Clap, clap, clap. I clapped three times slowly. All eyes turned to me. Ethan’s pupils shrank, panic setting in. “You, why are you here?” Realizing something, Ethan’s face changed. “Who called her?” I walked up to Ethan. Lily stood in front of him. Arms spread, a protective posture. Clearly scared, but bravely shielding him. This look, no man could resist. “Ava sister, it’s all my fault, don’t, don’t blame him…” I reached out and took the necklace off Lily’s neck. “Ethan, didn’t anyone tell you, proposing with a dead person’s item brings bad luck?” 3 “Don’t scare Lily. Let’s talk about this at home.” Saying this, Ethan started grabbing his coat from the sofa. As if he wanted to escape quickly. “Ethan, do I still have a home?” Ethan paused, turning to look at me. He pulled me toward the exit. Lily tried to follow. But Lucas stopped her. In the hallway, the lights were dim. I couldn’t see Ethan’s face clearly. “Lily is young. Her birthday wish this year was for someone to propose to her. I drank too much, I was confused.” I didn’t speak. Ethan hugged me. Usually when I was mad, he would coax and deceive me like this. And every time, I forgave him. He breathed hotly on me. “Wife, don’t be mad.” But he didn’t know. This time, I wouldn’t forgive him. “Then come home with me now.” “Okay! Let’s go home!” Ethan pulled me toward the exit. Lily was right by the door. I knew she could hear. Three, two… Bang! The door opened. Lily collapsed in the hallway. Ethan ran over almost instantly. “Lily!” “Ethan, I’m fine… is Ava sister mad?” Lily grabbed a huge bottle of liquor. “I’ll apologize to Ava sister.” She tilted her head and chugged. 58-proof liquor, she downed half the bottle in one go. To get Ethan’s attention, she really went all out. “Lily!” Ethan snatched the bottle, heartbroken. “Does Ava sister forgive me?” Ethan turned and roared at me, “Say something!” The man who was just cuddling me dropped the act the moment Lily got hurt. “I never blamed you.” Lily coughed, reaching out to me. “Since Ava sister isn’t mad, can I have the necklace back? It was a gift from Ethan.” I immediately pressed my hand on my bag. “This is my mother’s legacy.” “But Ethan gave it to me.” “It seems sister still doesn’t want to forgive me.” Saying this, Lily grabbed the bottle again and started drinking. Ethan was frantic. “Ava, give it to her!” Ethan rushed over, trying to snatch my bag. “This is my mom’s legacy! Can’t you see she’s doing it on purpose?!” Ethan wouldn’t listen to anything. He tugged at my bag like a mad dog. “Ava, can you not be so dirty-minded? Lily is different from you.” “Ava, Lily is just a little girl, can you stop pushing her?” Ethan was too strong. Even though I used all my strength, he snatched the bag. I grabbed at it. Lily grabbed at it too. Finally, the necklace snapped. Silver beads bounced everywhere on the floor. I stared dumbfounded at the two silver beads in my hand. Looking up, I saw the smile on Lily’s lips. Ethan turned and roared at me, “Ava, have you made enough trouble?!” He pinned all the blame on me. He saw through everything, except Lily’s disguise. Maybe realizing he went too far. Ethan looked helplessly at the beads on the floor. He touched my head. “So-sorry, I… I drank too much.” “Tomorrow, I’ll buy you a new one, okay?” Lily was vomiting, clutching her chest. Ethan picked her up and ran out. “Tomorrow at noon, I’ll go with you to buy a new one, okay?” He ran fast, wind blowing past my ears. I looked at the scattered silver beads and laughed, supporting myself against the wall. What’s the difference between Ethan and me, and these silver beads? A seemingly complete family, in the end, scattered like sand. I don’t want the necklace anymore. I don’t want Ethan anymore either. I can’t guarantee I’ll forget you completely. But Ethan, I guarantee you’ll never find me again. “Airline? I want the earliest ticket to the South.” 4 After hanging up, I went back. The earliest flight was in three days. Back home, I packed everything. Whatever I could take, I took. Whatever I couldn’t, I burned. Our photo albums were in the bedside drawer. But one was on Ethan’s desk. He hadn’t been back in a long time; the desk was dusty. But this album was unusually clean. He must look through it when he’s bored, right? I took it to burn with the rest. But I found, scattered inside, photos of him and Lily. The first time Lily visited, she praised our photos. Unexpectedly, they went too. I closed the album and put it back. The wall clock chimed. 5 PM. Ethan broke his promise again. Ding. Julian sent a voice message. “I had the marriage agreement mailed to you. Just sign it.” I composed my expression. Turning around, I found Ethan right behind me. “Who are you chatting with so happily?” I shook my head. Ethan was sweating profusely, soaked through. “Move.” I pushed him to leave. But a complete necklace appeared before my eyes. It was Mom’s necklace. I held it in my hand, looking up at him. “You, you found them?” Ethan scratched his head. “Took forever.” He rubbed his eyes. “Almost went blind finding them.” “So you weren’t back by noon because you were picking up my mom’s necklace?” “What else?” He hugged me gently. “You don’t know how tired I am. Squatting all day, my back is killing me.” “But still missing two beads. Wife, you won’t blame me for being late, right?” Holding my mom’s necklace, my vision blurred. Big tears fell into my palm. I mumbled indistinctly, “Ethan, thank you…” “What are you saying? You’re my fiancée.” I excitedly went into the room. I knew where the missing two beads were. Rummaging through my bag, I found the three beads from yesterday. I smiled excitedly, but realized the color of the silver beads in my hand was completely different from the ones in my bag! The one in my hand also had oxidation marks, but it was different from Mom’s… I squatted on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Ethan, how long are you going to lie to me? What do you take me for? A sound came from the door. “Delivery for Miss Ava Rhodes, please sign.” Soon, Ethan came in. Holding a document envelope. Opening it as he walked. “Why a document delivery? What is it?” My phone kept popping up messages. [Julian: Did you get the marriage agreement?] I looked up sharply, meeting Ethan’s gaze.

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I used to be a poor, proud girl who only wanted Julian Thorne’s love. But after he blacklisted me from the industry, I learned my lesson. I became obedient, accepting the resources he threw my way. I just didn’t love him anymore. Later, he got into a car accident and was hospitalized. I was at Fashion Week in Paris, and when I returned, I went straight to set to film. When he recovered and was discharged, he pinned me against the doorframe, eyes red. “I was in a car accident…” I looked at him, puzzled, and said nothing. He gritted his teeth, his eyes full of undisguised grievance. “You didn’t come to see me… not even once.” 1 I always knew Julian Thorne and I were worlds apart. I used to think I didn’t want the resources he offered. I thought we were just a normal couple. He was my boyfriend, and I was his girlfriend. I liked him, and he liked me. But later, he was the one who personally tore my fantasy to shreds. On the tenth day of being blacklisted by Julian, my agent, Lisa, knocked on my door again, looking disappointed. When I opened the door, her angry face softened into shock at my haggard appearance. She closed her eyes, sighed, and walked in. “Scarlett, can’t you see it yet? You and Julian Thorne are not from the same world. Who is he? He’s the CEO of Thorne Enterprises. Who are you? You’re a star with no background.” She sat heavily on the sofa, trying to talk some sense into me. I listened expressionlessly while pouring her water. “What love? Is there any love between you two? If there was, how could he blacklist you with a single order? Look at yourself. Look at how pathetic you look now.” She pulled a mirror out of her bag and forced me to look at my disheveled reflection. “Is it uglier than that day?” My voice was hoarse, every word squeezed out of my throat. I looked at my reflection without emotion. She knew I was talking about the day of the Best Actress awards. In the video that was mocked all over social media, I was smiling as the host announced the winner. Back then, I was confident I would win. But in the end, it wasn’t me. The camera clearly caught my unsightly expression. Projected on the big screen, even though I reacted quickly and forced a stiff smile while clapping, I couldn’t avoid being called a sore loser. Hearing this, Lisa sighed again and continued, “I told you long ago that you two aren’t suitable. I told you to seize the time, use his resources and connections while you’re young, and climb higher. That’s what’s useful.” “You’re just love-brained. You won’t listen to anything. You’re pissing me off…” Because I had been drinking a lot these past few days, my brain felt sluggish. I don’t know if it was because of that, but I didn’t feel any pain in my heart. Julian and I got together in high school. In that elite school filled with the smell of money, it was hard for someone with grades but no background. But Julian held up the sky for me. That evening, he sat next to me, absentmindedly playing with my hair while I looked down and wrote. He suddenly leaned in, looking at me with burning eyes and a bright smile. “Hey, straight-A student, wanna date?” The bright, clear eyes of the teenager overlapped with the man who looked down at me with cold eyes in the garden years later. “Scarlett Brooks, don’t regret this.” The “don’t regret this” he referred to was when I accidentally heard him say behind a door that he and I had no future, and I cried and broke up with him. I used my ridiculous pride to maintain the so-called equal love between us. He often smiled and said I just needed to tell him what resources I wanted; I didn’t need to work so hard to fight for them. I liked to hug him, burying my face in his solid chest, poking him unhappily. “I don’t want that. I want to fight for it with my own efforts. That way, people won’t think I’m with you for impure motives.” Every time, he would helplessly pat my head. Now, I smiled, tears hitting the floor. To hell with love. … That night, I went to the “home” we used to share. I wore a black lace slip dress and sat calmly on the bed. Many decorations in the room were cute and colorful. A few plushies lay quietly on the sofa, just as they were when I left. Every inch here had traces of our love. There was surveillance in the living room, and my fingerprint hadn’t been deleted. He knew I would come back to find him. Just like he said to me back then, Scarlett Brooks, you will regret this. Yes, I regretted it. I regretted being so stupid back then, wanting some pure love. Before long, the sound of a car driving in came from downstairs. When I came back to my senses, the bedroom door had been opened. Julian stood at the door in a black haute couture suit, looking at me silently. My eyelashes trembled, and Lisa’s words echoed in my ears. “People in their circle will only marry someone of equal status in the end. Stop fantasizing about your so-called love. What is love? Can you eat it or spend it? He never thought about marrying you from the beginning. Silly girl, wake up.” I bit my lip, stepped on the floor barefoot, and walked towards him. I stopped in front of him. Reaching out to unbutton his suit jacket, he didn’t speak or stop me, just looked down at me. In the past, when we had a conflict, I would wait for him to come back, hug his waist and shake him. “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.” He was a head taller than me. I stood on tiptoes and struggled to take off his jacket. Then I unbuttoned his shirt one by one. Inside revealed the firm chest muscles and abs of an adult male. I looked up at him, meeting eyes filled with desire. Then I lightly touched his bare chest with my lips. I wanted to reach out and undo his belt. The man’s breath hitched, and I felt weightless. He picked me up, placed me gently on the bed, and pressed down. He lowered his head and kissed my forehead, his voice hoarse. “Do you know you were wrong?” Hearing this, I lowered my eyes to hide the emotions, pursed my lips, and softly said “Mm.” I don’t know if my obedient appearance pleased him, but he grabbed my hand and placed it on the belt at his waist. Touching the cold metal, he nibbled my earlobe, his Adam’s apple rolling. “Undo it.” 2 When everything returned to calm, listening to the man’s even breathing beside me. I stared at the dark ceiling with open eyes, reached out to remove the man’s arm around me. Finally, I closed my eyes heavily. … The first project I got after my comeback was an S+ level historical drama. I sat in the RV, looking at the script in my hand. I thought: What was I being so high and mighty about before? Before, I was unwilling to please Julian, or rather, unwilling to please him for resources. Even when I first debuted and had no resources, running as an extra between various crews, I never thought of asking. I fantasized that if a drama exploded in the future and I leaped to become an A-list star, would his family change their opinion of me? I just forgot, wealthy families would only see me as an actress. No matter the status, just an actress. Really poor, fake high and mighty. The first snow in New York fell exceptionally early this year. I sat under the shed holding a hand warmer, reading the script. Suddenly, Lisa exclaimed, “Scarlett, look over there.” I looked over. Julian, wearing a black coat, was walking towards me step by step through the snow. Seeing him, I hid the coldness in my eyes, put on a surprised look, and then got up and ran over. He smiled and opened his arms to hug me full. I looked up and asked him softly, “Didn’t you say you’d be back tomorrow?” He brushed the snow off my head, then lowered his head to kiss the corner of my mouth. “A surprise for you.” I just smiled and said nothing. After a while, he said to me, “I’ll pick you up tonight to hang out.” Hearing this, I came out of his arms and said, “But I usually have to film until early morning, and with the recent snow scene, every crew is…” Before I could finish, he reached out and pinched my face. “I’ve already spoken to the director.” For a moment, my mouth was open, but I couldn’t say anything. Finally, I smiled and nodded. “I’ll listen to you.” In the evening, we went to a private room. The people inside were familiar faces. I had seen them in high school. They were Julian’s childhood friends. Before, I always wanted to gain their approval and tried my best to please them. Now, I sat quietly next to Julian. Too lazy to care about the various looks they exchanged. After a while, the protagonist of this gathering arrived. A woman walked in wearing a red trailing haute couture gown. It was Vanessa Cole. She was also the future mistress of the Thorne family in their mouths. She later went abroad for college. She just glanced at me lightly and sat next to Julian. A man teased her, “How come you got prettier after a trip abroad?” As soon as he said this, everyone started talking. Vanessa smiled and responded, “Oh, stop teasing me.” Then she turned her head and asked Julian coquettishly, “Is what they said true, Julian?” I looked down and drank my soda, not looking at Julian’s expression, only hearing a soft “Mm” at the end. After the dishes were served, I continued to eat with my head down. They talked about their childhood. I didn’t know them back then. Before, I would always feel sad because I couldn’t join the conversation and didn’t understand their tacit understanding. Not anymore. I don’t know who said, “Julian used to say Vanessa could only marry him back then.” Then, the private room fell dead silent. In the entertainment industry for so many years, I often emptied myself and deliberately didn’t listen to what I didn’t want to hear. Over time, it became a habit. When I felt the quiet atmosphere in the private room, I looked up in confusion. But I bumped into Julian’s dark eyes. Being with him for so many years, I could easily guess his emotions from his subtle expressions. He was unhappy right now. I didn’t know why he was unhappy. Then I heard Vanessa’s voice. “Oh, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you see Julian’s girlfriend is still here?” I had a polite smile on my face, looked at Vanessa who had no apology on her face, felt nothing in my heart, mostly indifferent. I haven’t been Julian’s girlfriend for a long time. I’m a canary. A relationship between a canary and a sugar daddy that doesn’t require emotional investment. After returning to the villa that night, Julian drank some wine and smelled faintly of alcohol. This night, he was exceptionally rough, his upturned peach blossom eyes full of anger. I didn’t know what he was angry about. At first, I could still lift my waist to cater to him, but later it turned into crying and begging him to stop. 3 In the days that followed, I sent Julian a few WeChat messages, but he ignored me. I was too lazy to send more. I focused on filming. Due to the distance, I stayed in a hotel. One day, I was squatting on the ground making a snowman when Lisa ran over regardless of her image in a long down jacket, holding her phone. She handed it to me. The number one trending topic was: A Match Made in Heaven for the Wealthy. She clicked in, and the first thing visible was a picture of a woman holding a man’s arm. The background was magnificent; they must be attending some banquet. Vanessa’s beauty was bright and atmospheric. In the picture, she wore a gold dress, outlining her good figure, hair up, eyes gentle as water. Julian wore a black suit, tall and slender, with a seemingly nonexistent smile on his lips. I smiled and said, “They are indeed a good match.” I withdrew my gaze. If there wasn’t an extra me, it would probably be a beautiful story. However, whether there was an extra me or not, they would eventually be together. Just like in novels, the vicious female supporting character will always leave the stage, and the male and female leads will always end up together. Netizens are always particularly enthusiastic about wealthy families. Someone posted a very blurry photo, saying it was Julian and Vanessa. That day, I had just finished filming a night scene and got in the car. My agent held her phone all the way, frowning, staring at the phone as if trying to bore a hole in it. I leaned back slightly and closed my eyes. She suddenly reached out, pointed at the blurry photo on the phone, and asked me, “Is this you?” Hearing this, I opened my eyes leisurely and glanced at it casually. Seeing it clearly, I paused. This magnified, blurry picture should be under the light rail in Seattle. Back then, I went to Seattle to film, and he went there because of problems with cooperation abroad, staying for three months. Seattle was hot. The evening breeze by the river carried heat. I wore a loose tank top, blowing a small fan, and wanted to call him during the break. Afraid of disturbing his work, I took pictures of the river scenery for him and told him it was really beautiful and fun here. I sat on a small stool, looking down at the script, and drank a mouthful of ice-cold milk tea. Suddenly a shadow fell on the paper. I looked up in confusion. Julian, wearing a black T-shirt, looked down at me with a smile, the evening breeze blowing his slightly curly hair. Just then, the light rail whizzed by. I jumped up excitedly and hugged him. “You’re back.” “Didn’t you say it would take some time?” He held my waist with one hand, touched his forehead to mine, eyes smiling. “Isn’t this because someone said they wanted to use magic to bring me to your side?” “Magic appeared.” “Oh my.” My ears turned a bit red at his words, but not seeing him for so long, I really missed him. I bit my lip, unable to hide the joy in my eyes, signaling him to lower his head. He chuckled and obediently lowered his head. I smiled and asked him, “Did you miss me?” He smiled and nodded. “Mm.” Hearing this, my eyes curved into a smile, and I turned my head to kiss the corner of his lips. The picture froze here. It should be a netizen casually taking a picture of the light rail, and we standing under the light rail got into the frame. “Mm.” I responded and turned to look out the window. Outside, traffic flowed, neon lights rose, reflecting on the car window, overwhelming. From seventeen to twenty-six, I really thought we would make it to the end, get married, and have a child. But while I was thinking about our future, Julian had already thought it through and come up with the answer. Marrying me wasn’t worth it. 4 Julian and Vanessa were trending again today. The trending topic was: Thorne CEO drops 3 million just to make beauty smile. Just then, I had wrapped up filming and returned to the villa. I took a shower and lay in bed to sleep. When I woke up, it was completely dark outside. Julian had come back at some point and fallen asleep holding me. He slept lightly. I slowly turned over. Then, the arm around my waist tightened, his chest pressed against me, voice raspy. “Awake?” “Mm.” I responded softly, turned over, then opened my eyes with a smile, rubbing my head against his neck. “Julian, Director Zhang is filming a drama recently. I want to be the female lead.” His dark eyes stared at me, thoughts unknown. “Okay? Hmm?” I hugged his lean waist, looking at him expectantly with big eyes. Suddenly, he turned over and pinned me under him, looking at me with a half-smile. I thought for a moment, reached out to hook his neck, stared at his lips, and was about to kiss him. He got up abruptly, picked up the jacket beside him with a cold face, and walked out. I sat up in confusion, watching his sudden change, ran out of bed barefoot, and hugged him from behind. Muffled, I said, “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so angry?” Silence filled the huge room. My head rested on his back, a bit baffled. Did he get angry at Vanessa and come to vent on me? “Don’t you have anything to ask me?” “Huh?” He turned around and asked me an even more inexplicable question, staring at me intently. “Do you still love me?” “Mm, how could I not love you?” I lied without blinking, smiling to please my sugar daddy. But he didn’t seem very happy, just hugging me tightly, listening to the sound of his heart rising and falling. Then I heard him whisper, “Is that so?” I had a few days off. Julian didn’t give me a definite answer to what I asked last time. I sat on the sofa frowning, looking upstairs. Didn’t he say he would give me whatever resources I wanted except love? He wouldn’t even give me the female lead in a drama, let alone anything else. If he gets engaged to Vanessa in the future, I really won’t get anything. My eyes rolled. I suddenly remembered the picture my agent showed me last time. Whether that blurry figure was Vanessa or not, netizens didn’t know, but would those who knew Vanessa not know? “Sis, go do something for me.” I took out my phone and said with a smile to my agent opposite. I said, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.” In this circle, I have seen many couples who were envied from the beginning. They never stingy about expressing love in front of the camera and in private, but in the end, they drifted apart in the fame and fortune field. This lesson of growing up, I think I’m going to graduate. When Mrs. Thorne blocked me in the dressing room, I had expected it. Compared to the panicked looks of my agent and the little assistant, I smiled and waved for them to go out. The exquisitely dressed wealthy lady looked me over coldly and let the bodyguards beside her go out. “Scarlett Brooks?” She called my name disdainfully and sat on the sofa. “Good tricks, even I was fooled.” I smiled. “Auntie, I don’t understand what you mean.” “Heh.” She sneered, throwing a picture on the table with a snap. “The woman in this is you, right? And you were the one who tried every means to let me see the photo, weren’t you?” Then, her index finger wearing an emerald ring tapped on the table. “Since you came to me, state your conditions.” Mrs. Thorne stared at me sharply. “Conditions for leaving my son.” I knew when to stop, opened my mouth slightly, and said softly, “I want resources that can make me an A-list superstar. All of them.” As soon as this was said, the dressing room fell silent for a time. She looked at me with a smile, her eyes cold. “Believe it or not, I can make Scarlett Brooks disappear from the entertainment industry tomorrow.” “I believe it, but Julian won’t. He likes me.” I hooked my red lips and smiled. “Auntie, we’ve been together since we were seventeen. No matter what, he won’t ignore me.” Hearing this, Mrs. Thorne’s face obviously darkened a bit. After a while, she said to me coldly, “I can promise you, but you must also do one thing for me.” I answered crisply, “Okay.” “You haven’t asked what I want you to do?” I tilted my head. “Doesn’t Madam want Julian and Vanessa to be together?” She was stunned for a moment hearing me speak without hesitation, then smiled and said, “Talking to smart people is easy.” She picked up her bag elegantly. “I’ll be waiting for Miss Brooks’ good news. After all, the plane for Fashion Week the day after tomorrow won’t wait.” I hooked the corners of my mouth. “Goodbye, Madam.” Compared to a woman who only wants love, a woman who wants money and benefits will make this wealthy lady more assured.

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I received $20 million from a property buyout. My roommate blackmailed me for $2 million, threatening to tell my dad. Out of desperation, I agreed. She kept her word and didn’t tell my dad—because the moment she got the money, she told my mom instead! My mom tore our family apart over that money. I endured her tantrums and guilt trips until the very end. But the last time, she faked a terminal illness to lure me home. They locked me in and starved me. Then my dad walked toward me with a knife. Begging didn’t work. I finally gave up my bank password. But the knife still came down on me… I was reborn on the day I received the buyout check. I told my roommate my dad stole the money. And she lost her mind. 1 After hanging up the phone, I saw my roommate, Zoey, looking at me suspiciously. “Lily, who were you talking to? I heard something about a buyout and compensation?” Looking at her, memories of my past life flooded back. In college, I hustled like crazy and bought a small 800-square-foot apartment in Brooklyn right after graduation. I didn’t live there long before moving out to rent a place with Zoey, a college friend, closer to my new job. But as luck would have it, that small apartment was in a redevelopment zone. The buyout offer was a staggering $20 million. Zoey found out and threatened to tell my dad unless I gave her a million dollars. Back then, I was terrified of my dad, so I actually agreed. She kept her promise and didn’t tell him. Instead, she told my mom, gloating: “Who asked you to be so stupid? A brainless idiot.” From that day on, my mom harassed me relentlessly for the money. I withstood the pressure and even applied for a job transfer to escape. But then my mom suddenly fell “gravely ill.” I couldn’t ignore it. I took leave to visit her, only to find out she was faking it. And I… I never walked out of that house again. To get the money, my own father held a knife to my throat. I begged for my life. In despair, I gave him the bank password. I saw a glimmer of hope for survival, but then Zoey called and said I would definitely call the police if I escaped. She suggested they finish the job. So, my dad did. The knife he used to carve Thanksgiving turkeys… Ended up in my chest. After I died, Zoey married my brother, becoming the daughter-in-law my parents always wanted. The buyout money I worked so hard for became my brother’s glorious wedding fund. In this life, I don’t need a handout. I’m starting my revenge plan right now! 2 Hearing Zoey’s question, I retorted: “I don’t even own a house, where would I get buyout money?” Thankfully, I had kept my college property purchase a complete secret this time. But Zoey stared at me and said: “Lily, you’re lying.” “Last time you were out, I went through your drawers. I saw the deed. It’s for that condo on 4th Avenue. You’re still hiding it from me?” I broke out in a cold sweat. I thought if I kept it secret this time, I could avoid her blackmail. I didn’t expect her to have known all along. In my past life, when Zoey confronted me about the buyout, I told her everything defenselessly. Hearing my answer, she smiled and said: “That’s great, hehe…” That night, I treated her to a luxury dinner and bought her jewelry. But in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant, she threatened me for a million dollars, or she’d tell my dad. She even blamed me for not telling her about buying the house. But the truth was, back in college when we were close, I analyzed the real estate market with her. I told her that area in Brooklyn was going to skyrocket and likely be rezoned by the city. I urged her to borrow money if she had to, just to buy a place there. She agreed and planned to borrow $50k from me. But when I asked for an IOU, she flipped out. She sarcastically said: “What’s our relationship? You need an IOU for this little bit of money?” Maybe I should have seen her true colors then. Zoey spoke again: “Lily, doesn’t your phone record calls automatically?” “Why don’t we listen to what that person just said to you?” As she spoke, she lunged to snatch my phone. I shoved her away with all my strength and yelled: “Who do you think you are? Listening to other people’s private calls?” She fell to the floor, her face darkening. She glared at me, then turned and stormed off. 3 Although we had a falling out, my revenge plan needed a main character. A few days later, I dragged her to a bodega, claiming I wanted to apologize. I promised her any winnings from the scratch-offs I bought would be hers. I bought a thousand dollars’ worth of tickets and asked the clerk to help us scratch. While scratching, Zoey suddenly asked to see my apartment. “You bought that place ages ago, and I’ve never even seen it.” I paused, then vaguely replied: “I already rented it out. It’s not convenient.” Are you kidding? It’s been demolished. What are you going to see? Rebar and concrete? A flash of jealousy crossed Zoey’s eyes. “So you’re a young landlady now, Lily?” “Must be nice, hehe…” Every time I achieved something, seeing her like this used to make me think she was genuinely happy for me. Now I know, she was insanely jealous. Like a viper in the grass, waiting for the moment to strike. Just like in my past life. Suddenly, the clerk yelled, “Ah!” “Winner! You won!” “$500!” Wow, I spent a grand to win five hundred. I grabbed the ticket and stuffed it into Zoey’s hand. “Whatever we win today is yours. Consider it a token of my apology.” “Zoey, please don’t be mad at me anymore.” She chuckled on the surface, but I bet she was cursing me internally. She said: “If only it were five million.” I said: “Sigh, where would we find luck like that?” After dropping Zoey off at home, I went to a payphone and called my mom. “Hey Mom, big news! My roommate Zoey won five million dollars in the lottery!” … “If you don’t believe me, ask her! But don’t mention the amount. It’s a huge sum, she wants to keep it secret!” … 4 The next day, I went to the bank and deposited $15 million into a high-yield savings account. I kept $5 million liquid. Then I invited an old guy friend I hadn’t seen in ages to lunch. While we were eating, Zoey sent me a screenshot with a question mark: [?] It was a text from my mom asking Zoey if she won the lottery. I laughed internally and replied: “Didn’t you win? But you know my mom, she loves to borrow money. Even ten bucks she’ll ask for. So whatever you do, don’t tell her you only won $500.” Information asymmetry is a powerful weapon. Zoey replied with an [OK] emoji. I secretly took a photo of my handsome friend and sent it to her: “Having lunch with my bro.” Zoey immediately asked for the address. Fifteen minutes later, Zoey, dressed to the nines, pushed open the door and exclaimed: “Lily! Fancy meeting you here. What a coincidence.” She turned her gaze to my friend. “And this is?” I stood up to introduce them. “This is Julian, a friend who just got back from studying in the States. His family owns the Julian Group. A proper rich second generation.” Then I said to Julian: “This is my roommate, Zoey. We live together.” Julian raised an eyebrow: “In that dump you rent for $1500 a month?” Zoey immediately pinched me and giggled at Julian: “We just moved to New York, funds are tight, so we found a small place to transition.” She paused, then added: “But my family owns property in Manhattan.” I knew she was lying, but I didn’t bust her. I invited her to sit and eat. During the meal, Zoey flirted heavily with Julian. They chatted enthusiastically and exchanged contacts. When I dropped a chopstick and bent down to pick it up, I saw Zoey’s leg rubbing against– Oh my eyes! After lunch, Julian offered to take Zoey for a spin in his Porsche Panamera. Playing hard to get, Zoey actually refused. After Julian left, Zoey suddenly grabbed my wrist, staring into my eyes. My brow twitched. Zoey whispered: “Lily, did you see the news? The city rezoned 4th Avenue. How is it so coincidental that your apartment is included?” “The news said compensation is over $1,000 per square foot. The $20 million should be in your account already, right?” 5 Crap! I didn’t expect Zoey to find out so fast! Thinking of how she blackmailed me in my past life, and then had my dad kill me even after getting the money, terror seized me. Was I going to repeat the same mistakes in this life? No! No! The game is already half played. I can’t stop now. I must move forward and make them all pay! Sheer willpower forced tears to my eyes instantly. I cried and threw myself into Zoey’s arms. “My… my dad stole my buyout money!” Zoey gasped: “He could steal that? How are you so useless?” I sobbed: “My dad threatened to beat me to death if I didn’t give it to him. I had no choice, I transferred it, woo woo woo…” “I’ve been trying to figure out how to get it back…” Zoey stared into space, muttering to herself. “Right, get it back…” While she was distracted, I grabbed her hand and cried: “Zoey, why don’t you marry my brother?” “My dad said the money is for my brother to buy a house and get a wife. The bride price is at least five million!” “Five million!” Zoey exclaimed. Clearly, she was very tempted. Greed flashed in her eyes. But then her phone lit up. It was Julian. Julian sent her a picture of his garage, filled with dozens of luxury cars, asking which color she liked. Damn it! Ruining my plan! I cursed internally. Zoey immediately pushed me away and said: “Lily, there’s no way I’m marrying into your family.” She picked up her phone to reply to Julian. She always knew my family’s financial situation. Poor and rural, she looked down on us. To be honest, if it wasn’t for the buyout money in my past life, Zoey would never have married my brother. I rolled my eyes and said to Zoey: “My brother asked for your WeChat a while ago. I’ll just reject him then.” Zoey paused her typing and said: “Just give it to him.” I beamed and immediately sent Zoey’s contact to my brother, Mike. “Your sister Zoey likes you, but she’s shy. Brother, you have to be proactive.” I attached some of Zoey’s racier photos from her “Friends Only” circle. Then I told Mike: “Aren’t you on summer break? Come visit your sister for a few days. Sister Zoey is here too.” “But listen, you are not allowed to ask her about winning five million. Don’t slip up.” … Then Julian messaged me. “Thanks for introducing the hottie, Lily. Let me know if you need any favors next time. (Grin)” Knowing Zoey wasn’t exactly a saint either, but worried my bro might get hurt, I planned to gently warn him. But Julian sent: “I’ll just have some fun with her, dump her when I’m bored.” Hmm… This is why I never introduced Julian to Zoey before. I knew he was a player and worried she’d get hurt. The protection I thought I was giving, Zoey didn’t care about. She hated me for hiding such a good resource. Now I just want to see how she juggles these two men when my brother arrives, just like in my past life. I definitely won’t let her win. 6 Two days later, my brother Mike arrived with bags of luggage, moving in. Since we lacked a spare room, he had to sleep on the living room sofa. Surprisingly, Zoey didn’t object. The night he arrived, Mike stepped onto my bed with his shoes on. “Sis, I’m out of money. Give me five grand.” I battled with my brother: “I don’t have money, but my roommate does. She won five million.” “Brother, if you make her your wife, that five million will definitely come with her as a dowry.” Mike’s eyes lit up. “Alright, Sis. Watch me.” For the next few days, Mike launched a frantic offensive on Zoey. Bringing her breakfast, accompanying her to work, texting her constantly. But with a top-tier rich kid like Julian in the picture, Zoey didn’t even look at Mike. She just kept him on the hook, lukewarm. From Julian’s Instagram, things were heating up. Angus steaks at luxury restaurants, night views from presidential suites… Every time she went out with Julian, Zoey came back decked out in new designer gear. This made Mike believe even more that she got rich from the lottery. Mike lusted after Zoey more and more. Unable to conquer her, he took it out on me. “You said she likes me! I feel like that b*tch is just playing me, dammit!” I comforted my brother: “Oh brother, you haven’t spent any real dough. How can you land a rich beauty like her?” Mike cursed: “So what do I do? Dad won’t give me money. Should I go sell myself?” I sneered internally, but mysteriously whispered: “You can get an online loan.” “Just log into a site, upload your ID, and tens of thousands will hit your card instantly.” My brother hesitated: “Will that work?” I said: “Think about it. Once you land her, that five million is yours! What’s a measly loan of a few tens of thousands?” “You gotta spend money to make money!” Mike thought about it and agreed. He asked me for several loan apps and lenders’ contacts and left happily. In the following days, Mike was suddenly rich. Flowers and gifts flowed to Zoey non-stop. I whispered to Zoey: “My parents heard my brother likes you and are very satisfied with you as a daughter-in-law.” “They sent my brother a huge sum of money, telling him he must win you over.” Zoey was stunned, covered her mouth in mock surprise, and comfortably accepted the new iPhone Pro Max. That night when Zoey came home, Mike had set up a candlelight dinner. With my encouragement, he confessed and timely presented a Hermès Birkin bag worth over ten grand. Zoey blushed. That night, Mike finally entered her room. And didn’t come out. As Julian’s good buddy, I immediately told him about Zoey’s antics with my brother behind his back. Finally, I asked him to pretend he didn’t know and keep stringing Zoey along for a while. Julian: [?] I said: [I want to prank her.] Julian didn’t ask much, just sent an OK hand gesture. Putting down the phone, I was moved to tears. In my past life, I drifted apart from Julian, but when I escaped and asked him for help, he flew back from the UK immediately. Sadly, when my family found out I called for help, they acted ruthlessly. I was gone. Julian tried desperately to investigate, but Zoey covered everything up perfectly. Later, he got together with Zoey, played her almost to death, then dumped her. He really was a brother who would go to hell and back for me, and send her to hell for me. My true bro!

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After five years of trying to win over the novel’s villain, he finally agreed to marry me. On our wedding day, the grand chandelier in the hall suddenly plummeted. In that split second, he shoved me aside violently to protect the trembling “white moonlight” heroine. His arm was sliced open, blood blooming on his white suit. But the heroine in his arms was completely unharmed. Clutching the gash on my neck, I finally accepted the fact that he didn’t love me. The System appeared and asked me: “Do you want to end the mission early?” I nodded. “Since his destiny is to have his limbs broken and live a fate worse than death because of her, I’ll let him have it.” 1 “Host, are you sure? Once confirmed, it cannot be reversed. There is no turning back.” The System sighed, sounding regretful. After all, the System was born from my wish. It sent me into this book when I was heartbroken over Julian Thorne’s fate, hoping I could change his ending. I held my neck, which was still oozing blood, feeling dizzy. “I tried my best…” Julian Thorne was the villain of this book. Unloved since childhood, his personality became twisted. As an adult, a mere crumb of kindness from the heroine was enough for him to walk through fire for her. In the end, he would have his limbs broken to save her, becoming a human stick, living a life worse than death. Spending five years in this world, I recorded his joys and sorrows, staying by his side to redeem him. Everyone knew I loved him. I was the only one who saw his dark side and didn’t fear it. At first, he was hostile, didn’t believe me, and only had eyes for the heroine. I knew he was cruel. When he deliberately pointed a knife at me, I stood still, letting him pierce the skin near my heart. His smirk froze, replaced by shock and confusion. I smiled and told him that he wasn’t the only one willing to sacrifice everything for someone he liked. I was too. I won the gamble. He personally took me to the hospital and stopped speaking harshly to me. He loved racing. I knew nothing about cars, but to make him smile, I worked multiple jobs, sleeping less than three hours a day, just to buy him a limited-edition helmet. In the fifth year, he went missing after a racing accident. I searched for him for a whole day without sleep. When he woke up and saw me, his eyes were red. He cupped my face, whispering intimately. He held me tight, as if wanting to merge me into his bones. Suppressing his sobs, I hugged him back, comforting him. After he was discharged, he immediately held my hand, his gaze heavy. “We’ll get married. If you want to leave then, you won’t be able to.” His voice was soft, carrying a hint of threat, but it left me stunned, unable to recover for a long time. My heartbeat deafened me, and my cheeks burned. After a long time, I squeezed his hand back, looking at him intently. “It’s a deal. We’re getting married!” That day, I started preparing everything for the wedding. From selecting the banquet hall to matching the smallest accessories on the dress, I handled everything. I was full of anticipation for the final result. I even invited the heroine to our wedding. I was confident enough to think Julian wouldn’t be obsessed with her anymore. But the moment the chandelier fell, my dream shattered. I clutched the wound the doctor had bandaged; it was still throbbing. I smiled bitterly, lowering my head to hide my tears. I took out my phone, told the wedding planner to cancel everything, then took off my wedding accessories, folded them, and sealed them away. I thought Julian and I had gone through hardships together, that I was special to him. But I still underestimated the power of the “white moonlight.” 2 No matter how long I stayed with him or how much I gave, as long as his white moonlight existed, I would lose completely. The System couldn’t help asking. “Host, do you really plan to go home?” I nodded. “You might as well tell me when I can go back.” “The tunnel will reopen in about a day. During this time, you can do whatever you want. Don’t leave with regrets.” I handed the bag in my hand to Julian’s sister, Mia, who had been relatively nice to me over the years. “After I leave, please burn this dress for me.” “I’m no longer qualified to wear it.” Mia clutched the bag, indignant. “My brother is really too much. I’m going to settle accounts with him right now and make him pay you a break-up fee before you go…” She turned to leave, but I stopped her. “No need.” She had seen how I treated her and Julian over the years. The improvement in her relationship with Julian was also thanks to my efforts. Just then, Julian appeared, clutching his freshly bandaged wound, his voice cold. “Where are you going?” I looked up at him. After only half a day, it felt like a lifetime. I suddenly remembered the first time I saw him. In the dim light of a bar, he leaned against a table, drinking alone. He wore a windbreaker, tall and straight. His eyes were pitch black, the corners of his lips slightly curled, as if rejecting everyone. But with just one look, I was drawn to him, unable to look away. Over the years, I had seen many expressions in his eyes, but I had never seen the tenderness he showed Clara. My thoughts returned, and I spoke. “You heard wrong.” “I was just asking Mia to help me dispose of some unimportant things.” As I spoke, my gaze became unfocused, as if trying to convince myself. Yes. I came clean, so I should leave clean. Julian stared at me for a long time. Finding no fault in my words, he finally compromised and left. Right, this was the normal him. A man who was always taciturn with me, only speaking more when talking about Clara. Why would he really care where I was going? 3 Soon, the front door opened. I watched Clara ignore me and rush upstairs to find Julian. As if this were her home, treating me like air. I followed her upstairs. Just as she knocked, a “Get out” came from inside. Clara became more anxious. “Julian, it’s me…” Click. The door opened quickly. I realized the “Get out” was meant for me, mistaking Clara for me. Julian suppressed the desire in his eyes and asked: “Why are you here?” “Aren’t you afraid he’ll know you came to see me?” Tears instantly filled Clara’s eyes, her voice trembling. “He’s not with me yet; he can’t control me.” “After all, you got hurt because of me. How can I be at ease without seeing you recover?” I stood frozen. It felt like someone punched my heart; a dull ache spread. These words clearly treated me as dead. Even though I tried so hard to sever the connection between them, in their eyes, I was still just cannon fodder. Clara’s tears began to fall. “Don’t you want to see me?” Julian could no longer hold back. He hugged Clara tightly right in front of me. “I need you. I’ve always needed you.” I watched his red eyes, holding her like a lost treasure recovered. These words stabbed my heart viciously. So what about me? Have I been a joke all along? After they hugged enough, Clara started checking Julian’s wound, stroking it while sobbing. “Does it hurt?” Julian looked even more distressed, taking her hand from his neck and holding it in both of his. His eyes were tender and lingering. “Don’t be afraid, Clara. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” “Look, the doctor bandaged it well. As long as I change the dressing properly, I’ll be fine.” “…You should go back.” 4 Five years, and I had never heard such a gentle voice. Sure enough, only the heroine deserved it. I didn’t want to watch anymore and left carefully. Tears couldn’t be held back, dripping down my cheeks onto the floor. I sat in the living room for a long time, silently watching the clock on the wall count down. Luckily, there were only two days left before I could leave. I wouldn’t have to come back. After a long time, Clara came downstairs carefully. Her lips were redder than when she arrived. I looked away, pretending not to see. But Clara walked straight towards me, instructing me carefully. “Julian has fallen asleep. Be careful not to wake him.” “I’m busy lately and can’t come often. You must take care of him and don’t let him get hurt again.” “Although he has a bad temper, he is a good person. If he is mean to you, come to me, and I’ll seek justice for you.” She held my hand, unable to hide the smugness in her eyes. I withdrew my hand calmly and couldn’t help but retort. “I am his fiancée. I don’t need you to say too much.” Her smugness became more obvious, and she sneered. “If I hadn’t let you, do you think you would have a chance to be with him?” “You take yourself too seriously. I am his white moonlight; you are just my backup.” “Do your job as a backup.” Strange. I thought I was thoroughly hurt. But there was no ripple in my heart. “Whether I’m a backup or not, you don’t need to say.” “At least, I am his fiancée. If we can’t get married this time, we can next time.” “You—!” Clara was furious, her voice rising. Then she took a deep breath and composed herself. “Hmph, you only win with words. I’m happy this time, I’ll let you win.” “Next time, I’ll make you roll out of this house.” 5 “Guess if Julian listens to me or you.” With that, she strode away, and the door slammed shut. I lost all strength, collapsing on the sofa, breathing heavily. Julian came down from upstairs and couldn’t help but accuse me. “Why do you have to argue with her? I just treat her like a sister…” My gaze fell on the redness at the corner of his mouth, and I couldn’t help but mock. “Looks like you two are really close.” He tried to explain, wiping the redness from his lips. “This was just an accident. Can you stop overthinking?” He walked over, looking at me with a heavy gaze. But this excuse was too pale. I couldn’t imagine how he “accidentally” got lipstick on his mouth. When I came to this world, I knew no one, only following him. Everyone thought I was crazy, shamelessly seducing Clara’s man without fear of biting back. He never explained anything, only said: “Don’t think about it. I won’t leave Clara to be with you wholeheartedly.” My eyes turned red, and I locked myself in my room, refusing to eat or drink, refusing to see Julian. He broke down the door and dragged me out, looking cold. “Do you think if you starve to death, I’ll look at you more? Eat something good instead.” I heard the implication in his words and took it as comfort. And just like that, I was coaxed. After that, no matter what others said, I remained indifferent. When people called me his simp, his expression didn’t change. Now he was worried I would suspect his white moonlight and forbade me from scolding her. I lowered my head and wiped away my tears. “You’re overthinking too. I didn’t think too much.” Julian looked at me questioningly. I continued. “Next time I see her, I’ll apologize.” In the middle of the night, I looked at the wound on my neck in the mirror and couldn’t help touching it again. It had been a whole day, and Julian hadn’t noticed such an obvious wound. As if he was certain I wouldn’t get hurt. That day was chaotic. Only Mia helped me up and took me to the hospital. “After so long, I thought my brother really loved you. Someone who hates being flashy invited so many people to his wedding.” “But you were right next to him, and he pushed you away to save Clara who was further away!” “It seems he doesn’t love you at all!”

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After Ethan Hunt left me at the altar, I moved abroad and started a new life. Five years later, his father passed away, and I returned to the States to pay my respects. At the airport, he bumped into me holding a child. “Is this… our daughter?” His eyes turned red, and he reached out to hug us. I shook my head and stepped back. “Mr. Hunt, you must be joking. How could we possibly have a child?” 1 Ethan Hunt and I were childhood sweethearts. Our parents were best friends, our family backgrounds and education matched perfectly. Naturally, shortly after graduating college, we got engaged. On our wedding day, right as we were reading our vows, Ethan suddenly turned to me. “I’m sorry. I don’t love you.” He was holding a microphone. Everyone heard it. The wedding, obviously, didn’t continue. The perpetrator strutted away, leaving me drowning in humiliation. Our families fell out completely, and my parents and I moved abroad. If my parents hadn’t heard about Ethan’s father passing away, I wouldn’t have come back. After all, they were friends for most of their lives, so my parents asked me to return and pay respects on their behalf. I just didn’t expect Ethan to come to the airport to pick me up. I hadn’t seen him in five years. He was as handsome as ever, but with a more mature air than before. In the past, my heart would race just seeing him. Now, my heart was still as a pond. “Long time no see, Mr. Hunt.” I held my daughter, Lily, and coaxed her to greet him. “Lily, be a good girl, say hi to Uncle Hunt.” She had just woken up, eyes groggy, and murmured in a baby voice, “Hi Uncle Hunt.” Then she leaned back on my shoulder and fell asleep. Ethan’s eyes suddenly reddened. He stumbled forward, almost crashing into me. “Is this… our daughter?” He asked with a trembling voice, reaching out as if to hug me or Lily. I quickly stepped back, putting distance between us. “Mr. Hunt, you must be joking. How could we possibly have a child?” 2 “Sophia, this is the child from back then, isn’t it?” Ethan seemed unable to understand human language, muttering nonsense to himself. I handed the child to the nanny, Mrs. Lee, behind me. Mrs. Lee had been taking care of Lily; having her around helped a lot. Besides Mrs. Lee, I also brought my assistant, Ava, to handle work matters. “Mr. Hunt, I am here on behalf of my parents to pay respects to your father. “We never got married, where would a child come from? I am married, please stop speaking such strange things.” Although five years had passed, the blow of Ethan leaving me at the altar was significant. I really couldn’t muster a polite tone with him. Ethan couldn’t take it. He asked confusedly, “Why ‘Mr. Hunt’? You used to call me Ethan.” “I was too young back then, now I know I was wrong. “Sophia, you’ve worked hard raising the child alone for five years. From now on, I won’t let you down.” Sitting in the car, Ethan kept talking to himself. I thought he was seriously delusional. So I got out and squeezed into the other car with Mrs. Lee and Ava. Thinking about it, I opened the door again. “Ethan Hunt, I am married. You are also married. Please watch your words in the future, don’t drag me into your mess.” After saying that, I was about to close the door. Ethan suddenly grabbed my hand. “Sophia, you still care about Claire and me. “I can divorce her.” When you are speechless to a certain degree, you really just have to laugh. I slammed the door shut and left. Back then, to marry me, he wanted to be with Claire forever. Now that he married his true love, he’s still not satisfied. What a scumbag. 3 My family’s villa in the suburbs was very close to the Hunt’s. Because our villa hadn’t been lived in for years and no one maintained it, it wasn’t habitable for now. So, we stayed at the Hunt’s villa. Originally, we wanted to stay in a hotel downtown, but we had to go to the cemetery the next day. Going back and forth was too troublesome, so we decided to make do for one night. Ethan’s mother pulled me aside and chattered about the past. In the end, she lamented that Ethan had wronged me. “Sophia, would you still be willing to be the Hunt family’s—” Daughter-in-law? Whoever wants it can have it. I quickly interrupted, “I forgot to let you see my daughter.” “Daughter?” As we spoke, Mrs. Lee brought Lily out from the room. Lily obediently called her “Grandma Hunt,” which delighted Mrs. Hunt so much she picked her up and looked her over. “She looks like you. Just like you when you were little, so lovable.” After Mrs. Hunt finished, Lily tilted her head and looked at her. “I like Grandma Hunt too.” Saying that, she planted a big kiss on Mrs. Hunt’s cheek. This little girl was just like her dad, a smooth talker. She made Mrs. Hunt beam with joy. Ethan, who had been standing aside watching for who knows how long, suddenly interjected: “She looks like Sophia, beautiful. Her brain must be like mine, smart.” He reached out and lovingly touched Lily’s braided pigtails. Lily dodged, frowning at him, looking unhappy: “Why should I be like you? My daddy is the smartest, the most amazing.” I also didn’t like Ethan touching Lily, so I immediately signaled Mrs. Lee to take the child away. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Mrs. Hunt tried to smooth things over: “So Sophia is married. Such a pity your Uncle Hunt and I couldn’t attend. “Where is he from? Why didn’t you bring him back to meet us this time?” Our families hadn’t been in contact for five years, so naturally, I didn’t notify them of my wedding. Besides, when I got married, I only invited our parents. “Mom!” Ethan said unhappily. “How could Sophia be married? Lily is my child.” He turned to me again. “Sophia, I wronged you back then, but the child is innocent. She can’t grow up without a father.” I didn’t know where Ethan’s obsession came from, and I didn’t care to know. I stood up and smiled at Mrs. Hunt. “I’m a bit tired today, I’ll go rest first.” I explained so many times that I was married and the child wasn’t his, but this idiot just wouldn’t believe it. Ethan wanted to chase after me but was stopped by Mrs. Hunt. Behind me, the sound of their argument could be heard. “Enough! Haven’t you caused enough trouble for Sophia? “She’s married! Don’t you dare harass her again!” 4 Back in the room, I turned off airplane mode on my phone. Hundreds of messages and calls popped up instantly. “Wifey, wait for me to take Lily to visit my alma mater!” “Wifey, why are you ignoring me?” “Wifey, are you tired of me already—” … I called back immediately, and a man’s aggrieved complaint sounded from the other end. “You only remembered me now. No love left.” I laughed. “No, I was chatting with the elders of the Hunt family and lost track of time.” Julian Thorne sounded like he was facing a great enemy. “You didn’t chat with that guy, did you?” That guy… meaning Ethan. I rolled my eyes. I really wanted to complain to Julian about Ethan’s psychotic behavior. “What is there to say to him? By the way, when can you come back to the States?” Julian thought for a moment. “I’ll fly over immediately after the shareholders’ meeting tomorrow.” We chatted on the phone for a while. The room was a suite. Lily and I slept in the inner room, Mrs. Lee in the outer one. Ava was in the guest room downstairs. Mrs. Lee was telling Lily a bedtime story. I instructed her to watch Lily closely these few days and not let anyone near her. “Especially Ethan Hunt. Don’t let him near Lily.” If I knew Ethan was this crazy, I wouldn’t have brought Lily back. When Ethan ran away from the wedding five years ago, he claimed he loved someone else. My wedding dress was huge and heavy, and I chased after Ethan’s resolute back in humiliation. Finally, I grabbed his sleeve. So many eyes were staring at me then—mocking, pitying gazes that felt like knives slicing me. Tears ruined my exquisite makeup. Through blurry eyes, I begged him to stay. At least, don’t let my parents and me lose face in front of so many people. Ethan just shook me off in disgust. He said, “Don’t do this. Being clingy only makes me hate you more. “I’m going to pursue my own happiness.” So I let go of Ethan and let him leave. The words were still fresh in my memory. I never thought Ethan would pester me like a lunatic after I returned. Simply bad luck. 5 My phone rang again suddenly. A strange number. I picked up, it was Ethan. “Mom gave me your number. Can we talk?” “Nothing to talk about.” The number I gave Mrs. Hunt was a temporary one for my return trip, so it didn’t matter if Ethan knew it. As soon as I hung up, a text came. “I’ve been thinking about you for the five years you disappeared. “Reading the diary you wrote, I realized the biggest mistake I made was missing you…” Thinking about it, I blocked the number. Too annoying. The next morning, our group headed to the cemetery. Since Lily was still young, I left Ava and Mrs. Lee at the villa to take care of her. Among the people at the cemetery were old acquaintances of my parents. I spent some time greeting them. Learning that I was married abroad and had a baby, they were all curious about who the husband was. During the conversation, a female voice interrupted inappropriately. “Why did I hear Ethan say the child is his?” Claire took off her sunglasses and smirked at me. “Long time no see. Coming back this time to use the child to win back Ethan’s heart? “Actually, you don’t have to go through all that trouble. If you want him, I’ll let you have him.” Here it was again, that sense of public humiliation. In the past, I would have been furious at Claire’s words. Now, I just smiled. “You’re too kind. Unlike you, I don’t specialize in recycling trash.” Claire’s face stiffened slightly, but she recovered quickly. “Heard you’re staying at the Hunt’s. Getting ready to bring the child back to the family?” Some people just push their luck. If I kept denying it now, it would seem suspicious. So I ignored Claire directly and said politely to the others, “My husband should be arriving tonight. We can gather tomorrow.” The old acquaintances naturally agreed. The ceremony began, and everyone dispersed. Claire was relentless, chattering behind me, “Really married? Does your husband know about your past? “Does he know you chased another man relentlessly?” 6 My university was next to Ethan’s. In college, our parents set the engagement. Claire was Ethan’s classmate in the same major. The first time I heard the name Claire was when Ethan compared us. That day he forgot my birthday. I pretended to be angry and asked him to come out and have dinner with me. Ethan suddenly got angry, saying I always troubled him with trivial matters. “I promised Claire to work on our social practice project today. You called me out just to eat? “Can you be a little more mature?” In Ethan’s mouth, Claire was a very cool girl. Smart, ambitious, hardworking. I felt wronged and punched him lightly. “Who is your girlfriend anyway?” Ethan apologized then. He explained that the assignment was important, which was why he lost his temper. Growing up, I was always chasing after Ethan. In my heart, he was a brother, a friend, and a lover. So him coaxing me made me happy enough, and I didn’t pursue the matter of him and Claire. I didn’t pay attention to Claire until the end of the second semester of sophomore year. Ethan said he was busy reviewing and would contact me after the break. I missed him so much I sneaked over to his school to see him. He wasn’t in the dorm, nor the library. I saw him on the playground, walking with a strange girl. Somehow, the name “Claire” suddenly popped into my mind. The evening glow reddened my eyes. I chased after them and asked, “Is this your so-called reviewing?” Ethan was a bit panicked. He instinctively shielded Claire behind him. “What are you imagining now?” Ethan frowned. “Is it wrong for me to discuss knowledge points with a classmate? “Sophia, you’re suffocating me.” 7 “Suffocating” was the word Ethan used to describe his parents. The Hunt family elders were strict with Ethan. From childhood, whether it was daily routine or social interactions, his parents arranged everything for him. Perhaps because of the strict control at home, Ethan became increasingly distant and cold to others. He had few friends and could only confide in me when he felt wronged. Saying confide, it was actually just him occasionally showing me his vulnerable side. But this made me think I had a place in his heart. He once said he was most relaxed and happy when he was with me. I didn’t react on the surface, but inside I was blooming with joy. This mutual secret crush, I thought he liked me too. In the end, Ethan said I made him feel suffocated. For a moment, I panicked. Clearly Ethan was wrong, but I panicked. I was afraid I really made him feel suffocated, after all, I looked forward to a future with him so much. But I also had my dignity. Since Ethan dared to hurt me with words to protect another girl, there was no need for this relationship to continue. I proposed a breakup then. Ironically, Ethan came to me with roses that night to apologize. He explained earnestly that he and that classmate Claire were only discussing academic matters. Since then, Claire seemed to disappear from Ethan’s world. I never heard him mention her again. Until the wedding ceremony five years ago. Ethan said, “I want to pursue my own happiness. Claire is my happiness.” Only then did I know that while dating me, Ethan was also warming Claire. To some extent, Ethan was good at disguising. He pretended for so many years, and then destroyed all the beauty at my happiest moment. I asked him why he chose the wedding day. Ethan said, “Claire is insecure. She can only be assured if there is absolutely no possibility of us being together.” Because of such a ridiculous reason, I had to endure so much gossip.

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On the twentieth day of Bella Sterling’s silent treatment, she posted an Instagram story holding hands with the school’s star quarterback, fingers interlaced. I silently changed my college application from our hometown university to one in Seattle, thousands of miles away. At a party, her friend teased, “Leo, if you don’t start groveling, Bella’s really going to date someone else.” I whispered a small apology. Bella smirked. “Whatever. Go back and pack your bags. We’re heading to campus together tomorrow for orientation.” I mumbled an agreement. Bella didn’t know I had already bought a train ticket to Seattle for tonight. 1 I am the son of the Sterling family’s housekeeper. When I was seven, I moved into the small room on the first floor of their estate. My job was to take care of Bella Sterling’s every need. For ten whole years, she became a mission carved into my bones. I was obedient and docile. Mrs. Sterling often praised me. But Bella hated me. The first time we met, she stood on the grand staircase in a white princess dress, looking like a porcelain doll. I wore dusty jeans with holes in the knees, staring blankly at everything. The disgust in her eyes was unmistakable. Mrs. Sterling introduced me. “This is Leo Hart, Mrs. Hart’s son. His father ran off, and they have nowhere to go, so they’re staying with us.” She turned and went upstairs without a word. Mrs. Sterling told me my job was to look after Bella. My mom also warned me that the Sterling family was special and it wasn’t easy for us to stay. “Speak less, do more, and never make Bella angry.” I knew Bella didn’t like me, so to survive here, I tried to make myself invisible. Every day, I quietly organized her clothes and cleaned her room. For the first three months, Bella didn’t say a word to me. That year, she got sick. Mrs. Sterling was in a bad mood and traveling abroad. The family doctor prescribed medicine, but she still coughed all night. I remembered the pear and peppercorn soup my grandma used to make me. When I brought it to her, Bella looked at it with utter disdain. “Leo Hart, are you trying to poison me with some weird country remedy?” I said timidly, “It’s not poison. This pear soup is good for coughing.” Bella looked annoyed. “If it doesn’t work, will you get the hell out of my house?” I froze, standing aside, afraid to breathe. Bella scoffed and drank it. The next morning, her cough was better. 2 Before elementary school registration, my mom found me a boarding school. It was far away, meaning I could only come back on weekends. I was relieved. Away from the Sterling house, my mom wouldn’t be in a difficult position, and I wouldn’t have to face Bella’s moods. But while I was packing, my mom ran to me, out of breath. Mrs. Sterling wanted me to go to the same private elementary school as Bella. So I could take care of her at school. I whispered, “Can I not go?” My mom grabbed my shoulders. “Leo, are you stupid? Bella’s school is the best in the city. People would kill to get in.” I looked down and said nothing. 3 From then on, I became Bella’s shadow. I followed Bella from elementary school through high school. Getting her lunch, carrying her backpack, doing her homework. Everyone knew I was the tail she couldn’t shake. In middle school, she made a bunch of friends. I was the tail lagging far behind the group. Always monitoring Bella’s mood, Bella’s needs. Her friends said I was her loyal admirer. If Bella told me to go North, I wouldn’t dare go South. The only constant was Bella’s disdain for me. In ninth grade, Bella went out and stained her favorite dress. She dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night to hand-wash it. I was wearing only boxers, blushing furiously. Bella scoffed unnaturally, “With a body like that, who’d want to look?” Teenage insecurity quietly took root. Junior year of high school, the academic pressure was immense. I was drowning in practice exams day and night. On a whim, Bella wanted to eat my cooking. She made me cook dinner every night and pack it for her lunch the next day. I would finish my homework, cook for her until midnight, and wake up early to wait for her to go to school. At noon, I would heat the food and bring it to her. Her friend hugged her and said, “Nice, Bella. Your little house-husband cooks for you.” Bella’s face turned cold instantly. She tossed the food I heated to her desk mate like it was garbage. I said nothing, waited for them to finish, washed the lunch box, and went back to my practice exams. That year, I hit a growth spurt. My gym shorts became too tight. But I couldn’t skip class. I wasn’t Bella. During gym, she rested on the other side of the court, and the teacher said nothing. When I ran, my tight shorts attracted whistles. I slowed down involuntarily. Chloe Vance from the next class passed by and handed me her uniform jacket. It caused a stir. I had seen her at the opening ceremony. Her family’s business was famous. She was gentle, polite, and top of the class in both looks and grades. “Wear it. You still have half a mile to run.” I hesitated but took it. Later, a rumor spread that I was shameless, trying to seduce Chloe by wearing her jacket. In the front row, Bella kicked her desk hard. Bang. Everyone shut up. That night, Bella didn’t wait for me. She said since I was so capable, I should ask Chloe to drive me home. I sighed and took out change for the bus. Unexpectedly, Chloe was on the bus too. She was quietly listening to vocabulary tapes and waved at me. I sat next to her. Chloe took off her headphones. I knew the jacket incident caused her trouble too, so I whispered an apology. Chloe smiled indifferently. “Leo, ignore the rumors. Just focus on studying. “College entrance exams are in two and a half years. Have you thought about where you want to go?” Chloe had a pure, beautiful look, completely different from Bella’s cold arrogance. I was stunned. Which university did I want to go to? I had never thought about it. I only thought about how to improve my scores. I didn’t have money for cram school. My mom borrowed Bella’s notes for me. I had to admit Bella was smarter than me. She understood things instantly. I needed repeated practice to understand. Her notes were very helpful. My mom told me to apply to wherever Bella applied. Her family had money and resources; her choice wouldn’t be wrong. I didn’t know which university Bella would choose. Chloe smiled faintly. “Think about it. The school you really want to go to.” When I got home, my mom said Bella wouldn’t be back for dinner. She asked where she went. I shook my head and said I didn’t know. Bella came back in the early hours of the morning. Her expression was cold, and there was some blood on her hand. She glanced at me indifferently and went upstairs. I whispered asking if she needed medicine. Bella didn’t answer and went upstairs. I continued researching different universities online. This was the first time. I clearly felt that I could leave Bella and have a place I truly wanted to go. Later, I asked my mom uneasily if she ever thought about leaving the Sterling family. After all, we couldn’t live here forever. She was a bit lost too, saying she had been working for the Sterlings since divorcing my dad. Although Bella had a weird temper sometimes, Mrs. Sterling was easy to get along with. Over the years, I never saw Bella’s father in the villa. I only knew from fragments of information that Bella’s family company was huge, and her father was busy. Her parents had a loveless marriage of convenience. After she was born, her father got a girlfriend. Mrs. Sterling raised Bella, but she traveled often besides working, leaving my mom to look after the house. My mom said she planned to work until I graduated college, then take the money to start a small business. I asked if she considered leaving after I graduated high school. She silently patted my head and said nothing. 4 After the jacket incident, Bella tortured me every night in different ways. Fetching water, organizing her desk. Changing sheets, hand-washing new clothes. I could only be thankful that my room was far from my mom’s, so she wouldn’t worry. If Bella didn’t sleep, I couldn’t sleep. I had to keep moving in front of her. A few times, I fell asleep from exhaustion. I woke up on the sofa in Bella’s room. By the time I got up, Bella was gone. I took the bus back and forth, which took longer, but I felt lighter. I wished I could offend Bella completely so she would ignore me forever. Currently impossible, of course. I could only use studying as an excuse to stop spending time pleasing her. A week later, Bella had an aerobics competition. Usually, I would buy drinks and prepare her clothes. This time I didn’t go. I memorized vocabulary in the classroom. My mom called, saying Bella was in a bad mood. Mrs. Sterling asked me to take care of her and ordered boba tea to the basketball court for me to pick up. I took the boba and sat on the sidelines. Some classmates were laughing and discussing. “See? I told you he couldn’t resist. Bella ignores him, and he panics.” “A simp has to know his place. He pretended for a few days but couldn’t hold it.” I said nothing. On the court, Bella moved gracefully, drawing cheers. After finishing, she gave me a deep look, signaling me to distribute the boba. I gave it to the others first. The last cup was for Bella. She leaned back on her hands, looking at me with a nasty gaze. I handed her the boba, facing everyone’s mockery. I whispered, “Bella, your boba.” Bella didn’t look at me, her tone casual. “Bring it here. I sprained my hand. It hurts.” I put the straw in and handed it to her. Bella lowered her head and took two sips. Her friends whistled at her. She smiled indifferently. I really didn’t understand why she did this. Until I turned around and saw Chloe sitting opposite us. Was she competing with Chloe? Both had good family backgrounds. Both were top tier in looks and grades. Comparison was inevitable. I didn’t expect Bella, who never paid attention to others, to start noticing Chloe. I didn’t think too much and, following Bella’s instructions, held the boba to her lips. At least if Bella was in a good mood, she wouldn’t torment me, and I could sleep.

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