Author: Momo Chan

Reborn to the day of my 18th birthday Debutante Ball. I didn’t choose my favorite childhood sweetheart Lucas, nor the other two heirs from prominent families. Instead, I chose Liam, who was born with a Fertility Curse. Grandma was so angry she picked up her cane, but I promised her, I will definitely be happy. Because in my past life, after I married Lucas as I wished, he faked his death to escape, leaving a pair of children for me to raise alone. Before dying, I found out he had long formed a happy small family with his adopted sister outside. Even my biological children said I was just a birthing tool, shouldn’t stop their father from being happy for a lifetime. Before I was pushed off the cliff by them personally and smashed into meat paste, countless images of revenge flashed in my mind. I died with hatred, but Grandma’s vicissitudes and loving voice sounded in my ear. “Tanya, who do you want to choose as your husband?” I looked at Grandma’s old and kind face, realized I was reborn. Reborn back to when the Four Founding Families came to propose. Chapter 1 Grandma was still carefully analyzing for me, afraid I would marry the wrong person and suffer grievances. “The Salvatore family excels in Voodoo, Lucas has a calm temperament. The Gu family uses poison, medicine and poison are not separated, Gavin is a bit dull but honest and reliable. The Zhao family although does business with the dead, but Zach has a special liking for you.” “These families have been single pass for centuries, thin population, and you are a Chosen Vessel (Blessed Bloodline), no matter who marries you, will hold you in palm…” I thought of Lucas faking death ruining my life in past life, two sons I raised with heart also recognized thief as mother. Also Gavin and Zach, not only deceived and concealed, but also secretly plotted against me many times. I smiled at Grandma without hesitation, “I choose Liam.” In past life I didn’t have much contact with Liam, but after I died, it was him who collected my body. Grandma looked surprised: “Although this Lu family is a military family, ancestors started by tomb raiding, maybe cursed, this Liam was born with a Fertility Curse, even if you are a Chosen Vessel, can’t give birth! Besides… don’t you like that kid Lucas most?” Everyone knew I liked Lucas, but in past life I suffered all bitterness for him. “Grandma, I just want to choose Liam, the Oracle said, I am a Chosen Vessel, not only can give birth, but also easy to have boys.” Immediately I smiled again: “The curse matter is just a rumor, not necessarily true, even if true, technology is advanced now, IVF also works, as long as I give birth to a child, won’t I walk sideways in Lu family?” In past life, this generation of Four Founding Families, except me giving Salvatore family two boys, other families all only born one girl, this also made Salvatore family jump to become head of Four Families. But this life, don’t know if Salvatore family can reproduce yesterday’s glory. Grandma always loved me: “Three days later, people from Four Families will come to propose, then you just choose directly, I believe my good granddaughter’s eyes.” Just sent Grandma back to room, Lucas brought his adopted sister Selena to door. He walked to me, grabbed Selena’s hand, “Tanya, I like Selena, you die this heart, I won’t marry you.” I was stunned, in past life Lucas didn’t reveal he liked his adopted sister. Could it be—— My voice trembling: “Do you know what doing this means?” “Isn’t it just losing family inheritance rights? I don’t believe what bullshit Oracle words, saying only marrying you can have boys, now is 21st century, ghost believes, this life I must be with Selena openly.” He said “this life”, I confirmed he reborn like me. This life, he knew to bring Selena to confess to me, but in past life he chose fake death to deceive me, let me spend half life in pain and guilt! “Since you already decided, three days later don’t come to propose is fine.” Finished I let nanny send them out, afraid scum man bitch woman pollute my house air. But Selena kept crying unwilling to leave, “Brother, you better choose Sister Tanya! She likes you so much, and Grandpa won’t agree…” Lucas suddenly sank face, “Selena, what nonsense are you talking? You are the most outstanding Voodoo master of our generation, even cultivated the Golden Scarab rare in hundred years, I long swore, only one who cultivates Golden Scarab is worthy to be my wife!” This words sounded domineering and deep, I looked at two people couldn’t wait to kiss together in front of me, somewhat mocked. Seems Lucas regretted very much in past life, regretted giving up everything to live plain life with Selena. But, Lucas do you know? The Golden Scarab that made Selena famous, was cultivated by me flipping through ancient books day and night, just stolen by Selena. Do you love Selena, or the benefits brought by the person who truly cultivated Golden Scarab? Chapter 2 Next day, news that Lucas wants to marry his adopted sister spread in the circle. Voodoo heir and genius master, brother and sister. News really explosive, many people came to me to ask. After all after Debutante Ball, everyone knew Four Founding Families coming to propose. And me liking Lucas wasn’t a secret. And Lucas’s move, no difference from slapping my face in public, telling everyone, he rather risk losing heir position, also don’t want marry me. If I still insist marrying him, means I shameless, rushing to be a lick dog be a mistress. Grandma knew this, usually smiling little old lady angry wrinkles added few. “That Salvatore kid wasn’t saying non-you not marry before? How turn head get together with his adopted sister again? This kind half-hearted, no male virtue man, should break legs!” I declined everyone coming to ask gossip, poured tea for Grandma, let her cool down. “Feelings matter can’t force, anyway I don’t want marry him anymore.” Grandma drank tea, still somewhat indignant: “This Lucas eyes also not good, his adopted sister Selena one look is a restless master, not long ago she caused trouble still you settled for her!” I lowered eyes, didn’t answer. I wiped butt took blame for Selena, more than this once. Not long after, a revelation spread in circle known to all. Genius master Selena who always set up pure girl persona, went to a famous Wild Orgy hotel, and just happened caught by Vice Squad. Said when caught, Selena one girl fought three men, for a time couldn’t separate. Pure girl became lust girl, can say caused shock in whole circle. I eating melon delicious, Lucas angrily kicked open my door, crazy like choked my neck. “Tanya, just because I chose Selena didn’t choose you, you viciously want destroy her, you deserve die!” Did I force her go that party?! But he simply didn’t give me chance refute, force on hand made me suspect I might die again soon. Lucas in front of people always gentle elegant noble son image, but time and again for Selena, showed me most hideous sinister face. If not Gavin came timely, I think Lucas might really kill me. Then Selena also rushed over, she saw me knelt down. “Sister Tanya, all my fault, I knew you like Brother, I should refuse him, but I can’t control myself, you want revenge me is should be, I don’t blame you…” Her words said humble extreme, pitiful appearance anyone looked would born protection desire. See, always honest dull Gavin stood out fight injustice for her: “Tanya, you also woman, don’t know how important innocence reputation is? Actually thought of such vicious means, I really too disappointed in you!” I big mouth breathing, disgustedly avoided Gavin hand reaching to support me. In past life I trusted him, let him help me tighten safety rope, he deliberately cut rope destroyed my pair legs. Throat seemed still smoking fire, I difficultly spoke. “This matter has no relation with me.” Lucas sneered: “Selena always popularity extremely good, except you who else would use such vicious means target Selena!” “I tell you Tanya, even you destroyed Selena I won’t let you enter my Salvatore family door!” Gavin aside also seemingly persuade actually threaten. “Tanya, you this time indeed too excessive, as long as you tomorrow at Grand Gathering publicly clarify everything is you jealous Selena did, and apologize to Selena, we still will consider marrying you.” Zach also nodded echo: “Tanya, this is last chance we give you.” I looked at their confident certain faces and pride in Selena eyes aside, only felt funny. Clearly this marriage was their families elders came to beg, instead said like I rushing up. In their eyes, I born small door small household, can be fancied by them this kind noble families, be a reproduction tool person, should be grateful. Privately, they don’t know how many times discussed I born cheap, no difference from sow in pigsty only know birth cubs. Even commented on my figure appearance wantonly, discussing playing wife swap game after I marry into Salvatore family. Shameless and obscene. I face gloomy cold: “You don’t want marry, three days later don’t come propose is fine!” This time, I rather marry a cursed man, also don’t want marry them! Lucas heard words, eyes sinister looked me once, hugged up Selena, turned head viciously warned me. “Tanya, I wait you crying come beg me!” Chapter 3 That afternoon, Lucas couldn’t wait use own family connection released a clarification announcement. Announcement is statement of everyone participated Wild Orgy with Selena that night. Above clearly wrote, playing multi-person game with them was me. Even someone said I have a plum blossom shape birthmark on body. This thing only past life as my husband Lucas knew. Seemed afraid announcement force not enough, that night, Lucas held a meet-and-greet again, by parties of Wild Orgy that night, answer participants questions on site. Of course topics all around how I lust dissatisfied, water nature poplar flower. Also pushed dressed pure Selena to front stage, counting how Selena is ten thousand times better than me. “Although Selena is orphan, but grew up in my Salvatore family, always obedient sensible.” “She accepted formal debutante education in Salvatore family since small, character introverted, spare time all used research cultivate Voodoo insects, eighteen years old cultivated extremely rare Golden Scarab, is genius rare in hundred years.” Saying, Lucas single knee knelt in public, took out Love Voodoo used by Voodoo clan to show affection, proposed to Selena. “Selena, I know you cultivated Golden Scarab back then to detoxify for me, for this continuously one month cut blood raise bug, although you didn’t say, but I know all…” I stood in crowd, turned leave. Back then Lucas because collecting insect materials on mountain bitten by poisonous insect, life critical. Only Golden Scarab can detoxify hundred poisons. To save him, I sleepless restless, flipped ancient books, daily cut blood raise bug, finally cultivated rare Golden Scarab. Just after that, I also couldn’t hold on fainted. Wake up again, Lucas already recovered, everyone said Golden Scarab was cultivated by Selena, she also became genius girl of Voodoo clan. Selena found my home that day, kowtowed to me, said she not intentional not say, just that time came find me saw Golden Scarab, one mind want save Lucas forgot say, afterwards everyone misunderstood. I originally not showy person, saw her kowtowed head break blood flow, soft heart agreed. I returned home, saw insect raising books collected for saving Lucas piled on table, packed all burned clean. Back then I because liked Lucas, so forced myself like everything he liked. Past life he for Selena hurt me to deep, my body connected with my sincere heart for him died under cliff together. He loved woman who took blood raise bug for him, and insect raising genius who can help him stabilize position. We originally could steadily white head till old. Also don’t know, when he knows truth, will regret or not. Grandma approached patted my shoulder, “Girl, don’t sad, Lucas meet-and-greet already called stop, estimate someone in Four Families acted.” “Tomorrow night Grand Gathering if you don’t want go, then not go.” I shook head: “I go.” More this kind time, I more can’t retreat. Next day arrived scene. Selena saw me actively walked over, “Sister Tanya, meet-and-greet matter I blocked, but you also know Brother’s temper…” I lazy listen her hypocritical acting: “Selena, you rather acting in front of me, better think when you and your good friends played games, did leave any material, avoid when exposed again.” “But speaking of, do you still remember how many ‘good friends’ you have?” Selena face stiff, simply not pretend. “So what, anyway no matter what I do, Brother only believes me, what Chosen Vessel, just a sow only can give birth!” I lazy argue with her, turned want go, but grabbed wrist by Lucas. Seeing Selena look of wronged endurance, Lucas face gloomy, dragged me to backstage. Side just placed Golden Scarab I improved before rebirth, only use animal blood can cultivate. Selena saw name under insect, eyes panic, but immediately shouted: “Sister Tanya, how can you steal my Golden Scarab!” Zach heard words sneered: “Tanya, know you want please him, but everyone knows how difficult Golden Scarab cultivation is, Voodoo clan till now only Selena one person succeeded, you a person never touched insects, how dare?!” Gavin even face heart pain head disease: “Tanya, Golden Scarab is Selena cultivated matter, everyone knows, why you need steal!” Lucas looked at Golden Scarab, pupils slightly shrank, but didn’t speak. I thought he saw this Golden Scarab different from previous one, took out phone. “Here has video recording Golden Scarab from cultivation to birth, do you want see?” Selena face white, suddenly rushed over slapped away my phone, loud scream. “Sister Tanya, notebook I recorded Golden Scarab cultivation method was stolen by you right? Just to snatch Brother’s attention, if you insist like this, I… I leave Voodoo clan later is fine!” Lucas heard words, fiercely gave me a slap: “Tanya, even you cultivate more Golden Scarabs, I also don’t fancy you, my heart only Selena, immediately go tell everyone, that Golden Scarab, is you stole learned Selena method cultivated!” This slap completely shattered last thought in my heart. Even truth placed in front of him, he only believes Selena. I of course impossible admit Golden Scarab was me stole learned Selena’s. But I turned back again, saw bottle holding my Golden Scarab smashed. That Golden Scarab can detoxify hundred poisons, fed by Lucas to Selena’s Toad insect. To keep Selena Voodoo genius honor, Lucas actually personally destroyed Voodoo clan rare in hundred years, can save life Golden Scarab! I saw Selena snuggling in Lucas arms proud smile. This is Lucas, when loving someone, is unreserved bias, regardless right wrong partial belief protection. I ironic smile, turned want go, but suddenly heard huge laughter burst in crowd. “This Tanya actually so slutty on field!” “Heard Tanya has a plum blossom mark on body, you guess is on shoulder, or on chest, or on butt…” “Want know? Want know you spend money buy this photo album, high definition real! Start bid from hundred thousand! Higher price bonus high definition video!” “Real fake, I bid hundred thousand!” “I bid two hundred thousand!” “I bid five hundred thousand, I want see, this legendary Chosen Vessel body, has what difference!” I rushed forward, found is shop under Salvatore family name, that person holding in hand, is a high definition photo album. Woman on it posture loose, but clearly printed my face. I turned head, met Lucas slightly dodging eyes, angry trembling all over. He must saw this Golden Scarab I took out, compared to one taken by Selena before quality better, afraid Selena Voodoo genius status not kept, so deliberately Photoshopped these large scale photos. First completely pick Selena out from previous “lust girl” rumor, second also warn me not allow fight with Selena. Selena face innocent: “Sister Tanya, what to do, this photo album if really spread, even you are Chosen Vessel, afraid no one dare marry you!” Gavin and Zach however disapproved. “Selena, you too kind, if she didn’t frame frame you back then, how would fall to today this step?” “Now actually still want snatch your Voodoo genius honor, we gave her chance, all this is she asked for.” I never seen such thick skinned shameless people, but urgent task, is stop these photos spread. Just when I gritted teeth want use dowry Grandma prepared for me buy, inside private room came a clear male voice. “Ten million, these photos, I want all!”

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At a college reunion, my husband had a last-minute emergency and couldn’t make it, asking me to go in his place. As I pushed open the door to the private room, I walked right into an announcement from an old classmate, Miranda Hayes. “Yes, it’s what you’ve all been thinking! Eason and I got together right after graduation, and we even have an adorable daughter!” Eason. Isn’t that my husband’s name? Before I could voice my confusion, Miranda extended an invitation to all our old classmates. “Next month, on the tenth, Eason and I are having our wedding ceremony. You all have to come!” The room erupted in cheers as everyone congratulated the old sweethearts. I pulled out my phone and double-checked my calendar. Isn’t the tenth of next month the date of my wedding to Eason Forbes? If she’s the bride, then who am I? I immediately called my husband. “I just heard you’ve been secretly married with a daughter. How come I didn’t know?” Eason sounded like he was about to have a panic attack, vehemently denying it. “I’m only married to you! I don’t know anyone else, and I definitely don’t have a daughter. Please, don’t misunderstand!” I hung up with a chillingly calm smile and walked toward the happy mother and daughter. 1 The moment I stepped onto the small stage they had set up, the cheering died. Miranda looked at me, confused. “Ma’am, I think you’re in the wrong room. I’ve never seen you before.” I scanned the fifty or so people in the room. The details matched what Eason had told me. College reunion, room K67, approximately fifty guests. This was the right place. And I was one hundred percent certain that among these fifty people, only my husband was named Eason Forbes. I had heard Miranda’s entire announcement. Now, I needed to confirm what I couldn’t believe. “Hello, my name is Chloe Staton. I’m Eason Forbes’s wife. He couldn’t make it tonight, so I came in his place.” “I just heard you’re also married to an Eason Forbes and have a daughter with him. Is that true?” Miranda’s face went pale. She looked utterly lost. The four-year-old girl beside her glared at me, tugging on her mother’s dress. “Mommy, that lady is scary. When is Daddy coming to pick us up?” Miranda looked down, softly comforting her daughter, before turning back to me, her voice regaining some composure. “Miss Staton, perhaps it’s just a strange coincidence. My fiancé is also named Eason Forbes. He’s the sole heir to the Forbes Corporation, and this is his daughter, our little Gigi.” “We’re having our wedding next month at the Forbes Grand Hotel. I hope you can make it.” She didn’t ask about my identity, instead using her Eason Forbes’s status as a shield. The old classmates, naturally, sided with one of their own. The murmurs started. “Eason and Miranda were each other’s first love. Where did this woman come from? I’ve never seen her on his social media.” “You don’t get it. How many women are chasing after the heir to the Forbes Corporation? She’s probably just another obsessed stalker.” “Poor Miranda. Already married with a child, and she still has to deal with shameless homewreckers like this.” In their narrative, I was the jealous, vindictive shrew. And Miranda was the innocent victim. The absurdity of it almost made me laugh. For a moment, Miranda’s confidence had made me second-guess myself. Maybe I had made a terrible mistake. But the mention of “sole heir to the Forbes Corporation” and “wedding at the Forbes Grand Hotel” erased all doubt. The man she was talking about was my husband, Eason Forbes. If she was the bride getting married at the Forbes Grand Hotel on the tenth of next month, then who was I? “Since we both have our stories,” I said, my voice ringing with newfound clarity, “why don’t we call our respective husbands and have them come down here? Let’s see who’s telling the truth.” “Let’s see who the liar is.” I smiled at Miranda, watching her every reaction. And I could see the panic rising in her eyes. 2 “I already told you, my fiancé is the heir to the Forbes Corporation. He’s a very busy man. Aren’t my daughter and I proof enough?” “Chloe Staton, I have never seen you before in my life. What is your problem with me? Why are you doing this?” As she spoke, Miranda managed to squeeze out a few tears. She pulled out her phone, feigning distress as she texted her fiancé. She deliberately angled her phone so everyone could see her lock screen: a happy family photo of the three of them. Then she opened her messages. [Honey, some crazy woman showed up at the reunion and started a fight with me. Gigi is so scared, she’s crying…] She was putting on a show, and I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. For a split second, I wished, I prayed, that I was wrong. But then, Eason’s voice filled the room from her phone. [Don’t worry, sweetheart. Don’t be scared. She’s just some nobody. Ignore her.] [I’ll be there to pick you and Gigi up as soon as I’m done with this meeting.] Miranda played the voice message on speaker, for my benefit. The room erupted in a chorus of oohs and aahs. “That’s not fair! This is a class reunion, not your personal romance movie!” “Oh my god, they were so sweet in college, and they’re even sweeter now!” “Eason Forbes, the ultimate doting husband. It was never just a rumor!” The chatter and teasing swirled around me. I was the clown in their circus. Three years ago, Eason and I had a quiet, arranged marriage, registered at the courthouse but kept secret. We had no children. The official reason was that we were both too busy. So busy, in fact, that we didn’t even have three photos together. Eason always said he felt guilty about it. At the beginning of the year, he had taken my hand and promised me: “Chloe, you’ve put up with so much since we got married.” “This year, once the Forbes and Staton corporations merge and expand, I’ll throw you a proper wedding. You can finally take a break, okay?” Back then, his words had warmed my heart. I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. How ironic it all seemed now. My hands were shaking with rage. I was about to call him, to demand an explanation, when Miranda’s daughter, who had somehow ended up at my feet, suddenly tripped and fell. She let out a piercing wail. Miranda flew at me like a woman possessed, hitting and scratching. “You bitch! How dare you touch my daughter! If Eason finds out, he’ll have you killed!” I almost laughed. Have the second daughter of the Staton family killed? Even if you gave the Forbess a hundred times their courage, they wouldn’t dare. I was now certain Eason was hiding something. My patience for Miranda and her daughter was gone. I grabbed her wrist, my grip tightening. “I forgot to mention, my husband, Eason Forbes, is also the sole heir to the Forbes Corporation. And we are legally married.” “So, what does that make you?” “His mistress?” My words hit their mark. Miranda crumbled, slumping to the floor in a heap of tears and pain. She wailed to her old classmates, “This crazy woman is spreading lies! I can’t take it anymore!” By now, the audience was getting restless. They had seen enough of the show to piece together their own version of the story. I was the mistress, jealous of the rightful wife, here to cause a scene. The class president, who had organized the event, dropped all pretense of politeness and called security. “How did this woman get in without an invitation? Get her out of here!” I struggled, but the two burly guards dragged me out by my hair. From the floor, Miranda shot me a triumphant, mocking smirk. Just as the chaos reached its peak, a car pulled up. Eason had arrived. 3 “Chloe?” The class president froze. I froze. The room fell silent. “Eason, buddy! We thought you weren’t coming! What took you so long?” “You have no idea what your wife and daughter just went through. It was all because of this crazy woman!” “Don’t worry, though. We had security throw her out.” The class president explained, but Eason’s face had gone dark. He rushed over, scooped me into his arms, and carried me toward his car, his voice a low growl. “If anything happens to my wife, every single one of you will be held responsible.” He held me tight, his voice filled with a fear I hadn’t heard before. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. I’m late.” “That woman inside, Miranda, and her daughter… I barely know them. We never even spoke in college. I have no idea what’s going on.” “I’ll take you to the hospital first. I’ll handle the rest. I promise I’ll make this right.” He kissed my forehead, his expression fraught with worry. Normally, I would have trusted him without a second thought. But now, I hesitated. That four-year-old girl… her features were too familiar. A knot of dread tightened in my stomach. I grabbed his hand, my voice insistent. “You don’t know Miranda, right?” “Swear to me you’re not lying.” He turned his hand, his fingers lacing with mine, his gaze unwavering. “I swear on the legacy of the Forbes family. I am only married to you. I have never loved anyone else.” “Don’t worry. Let Mr. Hayes take you to the hospital.” He closed the car door, instructing his driver to take me for a check-up. Halfway there, I stopped the car. My voice was flat, emotionless. “Turn around.” Outside the exclusive club, the crowd had dispersed. No one wanted to get involved in the Forbes family drama. Only a woman and a four-year-old girl stood at the entrance. Eason stood opposite Miranda, his voice like ice. “Ms. Hayes, I have no issue with you. Why are you harassing my wife?” “And for the record, I have no relationship with you, and I certainly do not have a daughter. If you continue to spread these rumors, you will face the consequences.” Miranda stared at him, her body rigid. The little girl beside her, who had been trying to be brave, suddenly burst into tears and clung to Eason’s leg. “Daddy… why don’t you want Mommy anymore? I hate you!” A look of disgust crossed Eason’s face. He instinctively pulled away. He muttered something to his assistant, then turned and walked away without a backward glance. The assistant spoke to Miranda and her daughter with undisguised contempt. “The only Mrs. Forbes is Chloe Staton. You can’t just show up with a child and expect to claim a spot in the family. Get lost.” Miranda’s eyes were red with tears, her face a mask of confusion. From inside the car, I watched the scene unfold. Mr. Hayes, the driver, sighed. “The Forbes Corporation has been struggling lately. A lot of competitors are looking for any weakness to exploit.” “Mr. Forbes cares deeply for you, ma’am. He would never cheat on you.” “I can vouch for that. This mother and daughter must have been sent by a rival to cause trouble.” Mr. Hayes had watched Eason grow up. His words carried weight. I let my guard down and managed a small smile. “If you say so, Mr. Hayes, then I have no reason to doubt my husband. Please, take me to the hospital.” “By the way,” I added, as if it were an afterthought, “are all the arrangements for the wedding next month finalized?” Mr. Hayes’s face lit up. “Mr. Forbes is taking the wedding very seriously, ma’am. He’s invited all the biggest names in the business world. He wants to give you the grandest wedding the city has ever seen…” I nodded, leaning back against the seat, suddenly exhausted. It was almost eleven when I got home. The housekeeper met me at the door. “Ma’am, Mr. Forbes called. He said there’s an emergency at the office and he won’t be home tonight. He said you should get some rest.” “Okay. Tell him to take care of himself.” At two in the morning, I lay in the vast, empty bed, wide awake. The images of Miranda and her daughter replayed in my mind. Just a setup to cause trouble? I scoffed. Just then, my phone vibrated. A new message. It was a video, from Miranda. In the video, she was cuddling with her daughter in Eason’s arms, asking him playfully, “For our next baby, do you want a boy or a girl?” Eason, with a tenderness I had never seen, smiled and said, “As long as it’s yours, I’ll love it.” Gigi jumped into his lap with a bag of chips, whining, “Daddy, open!” Watching this happy little family, I felt a wave of disbelief. Was this the same man who always told me he hated kids? How ironic. Even now, he was still lying, still trying to hide it. My phone buzzed again. A text from a private investigator. [The Staton Hotel, Room 301.] I let out a bitter laugh. They were so shameless, carrying on their affair in my family’s hotel. Eason Forbes, let’s see you explain your way out of this one. [Get all the evidence. I’m going to give them a wedding gift they’ll never forget.] At five, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, an arm wrapped around my waist from behind. It was cold. It smelled of freshly washed soap. “Honey, you’re so warm. Having you here… I’m so happy…” I opened my eyes, which had been open all night, and my heart felt like it had been carved out of my chest. The pain was a dull, numb ache. This time, I didn’t say a word back to him.

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1 On our ten – year anniversary, Alistair and I ended long – distance living and announced our engagement. At the party, his secretary Lina eyed me up and down with a sly grin. “So, you’re the fiancée. I think I know you from online. Aren’t you that adult star with a new co – star in every vid?” she said innocently. “First time meeting, but your body looks familiar.” I looked up, my voice icy. “Are you sure it was me?” Lina feigned a gasp and hid behind Alistair. “Oh, sorry. I forgot people in your job usually retire quietly. You don’t want to be known.” Alistair’s face darkened. He gave me a questioning frown. “She must have you mixed up.” Lina stuck out her tongue. “Yes, my bad! A classy fiancée like you couldn’t be one of those click – chasing girls.” We’d met before. She was in the hospital where I worked after an… injury while working at a foreign high – end brothel. I was the doctor who stitched her. I wondered if she was still on the HIV meds I prescribed. … Alistair and I were the main event. Every eye in the room was on us. After Lina’s little performance, a hush fell over the grand ballroom. Guests shot me amused, speculative glances, their whispers dying on their lips. A mutual friend of ours quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Don’t be ridiculous. Genevieve was studying medicine in Berlin. The academic pressure is insane. Where would she find the time for that kind of nonsense?” Lina, her face a carefully crafted mask of innocent allure, pouted. “But isn’t it true that intellectuals under a lot of pressure need… unique ways to unwind? Besides,” she added, her eyes glinting, “Mr. Finch is so successful now. And the fiancée’s family isn’t wealthy. It’s only natural she’d want to find an easy way to earn a dowry, lying on her back.” My champagne flute hit the table with a sharp crack. I rose, my face a cold mask, and advanced on her. “You’d better have proof for claims like that. Otherwise, my lawyer will be in touch.” Lina flinched, theatrically covering her mouth. “Girls help girls! Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” Alistair’s jaw was tight. He forcefully pulled me back, stepping between us to shield Lina behind him. “That’s enough. You’re a grown woman. Why are you picking on a young girl who’s just starting out in the world?” A nerve pulsed in my temple. I stared at the man I had loved for a decade, a chasm of disbelief opening within me. He seemed to realize what he’d just said, pressing his lips into a thin line and saying no more. But Lina, as if deeply wounded, let her eyes well up with tears. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice thick with fake remorse. “It’s my fault for meddling. Anyway, Mr. Finch is so rich now, I’m sure his fiancée won’t have to go back to her old job. Just… pretend I was mistaken.” The tide in the room had turned. The guests who had come to offer blessings now stared at me with undisguised contempt. They whispered behind their hands, laughing. Some even pulled out their phones, no doubt searching for the “content” she’d mentioned. Alistair’s aunt, her hair a cloud of tight curls, grabbed his mother’s arm with a stage whisper that carried across the room. “My, my, your family is certainly open-minded, accepting a daughter-in-law with so much… experience. You were just telling me how proud you were of her, studying abroad all on her own, refusing your money. Turns out she just had to lie back and open her legs to make a fortune in foreign currency. No wonder she didn’t need your pocket change.” 2 Alistair’s mother trembled with rage, her face burning with a humiliation so intense it seemed to radiate heat. She was a woman who had carried herself with grace her entire life; I doubt she had ever been so publicly shamed. “Genevieve,” she began, her voice strained, “I know a long-distance relationship with Alistair was difficult, but you can’t have…” I knew words wouldn’t fix this. I pulled out my phone and started dialing 911. I’d only pressed the first two nines when Alistair snatched the phone from my hand. “Don’t make a scene. It’s supposed to be a happy day. I believe you, okay? Is that enough?” he hissed. “The ceremony is about to start. Calling the police over something so trivial is just bad luck.” Disappointment washed over me, a cold wave that left my head ringing. For the past year, ever since Lina had appeared, I’d felt a subtle distance growing between us. He’d barely shown any concern when I was in a minor car accident in Berlin. I’d told myself it was normal for passion to cool after so long. But now, seeing him shield her, I feared the person he wanted to protect was no longer me. “Are you worried the police will bring bad luck to our engagement,” I asked, my voice dangerously quiet, “or are you afraid they’ll arrest your little liar?” I fought to keep the tremor of betrayal out of my voice and shook off his hand as he tried to grab me again. “Genevieve, I…” Before he could finish, Lina burst into loud, theatrical sobs. “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, boohoo… Fiancée, please don’t fight with Mr. Finch. All his business partners are here! If you cause a scene, how will he face his clients?” she wailed. “I was wrong, okay! I made it all up!” I almost laughed at the sheer audacity. She was a master of feigned retreat. With her carefully chosen, ambiguous words, she had convinced everyone in this room that I’d been a prostitute in a foreign country. If I didn’t clear my name now, would Alistair have any “face” left when he stepped out with a wife everyone believed was a whore? I clenched my jaw and forced a chilling smile. “I don’t care what your motives are for this little drama. You are going to tell everyone the truth, right now. Or I swear, you will regret it.” Lina’s face went white. She began to sob even harder, her body wracked with performative grief. “I already said I was mistaken! What more do you want from me? The account of that online performer has been deleted anyway. I won’t show anyone the videos I downloaded, I promise! Please, please don’t use your power as the future boss’s wife to get me fired…” she pleaded. “Do you want me to kneel? I’ll kneel and beg for your forgiveness!” And with that, she started to buckle at the knees, ready to prostrate herself on the floor. But before she could, a strong arm caught her. Alistair shoved me aside, sending me stumbling. His face was a thunderous mask of fury, and the look he gave me was laced with pure venom. “Genevieve, have you not had enough?” he snarled. “I have been patient, but this is too much. Even if you made a mistake and filmed those videos, I was willing to turn a blind eye and move past it! Why do you have to be so relentless? Why must you bully her like this?” The world tilted. My heart seized, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe. This man, the man who had been a third of my life, the man who, just an hour ago, had sworn to love me until our hair turned gray, didn’t believe me. What, then, was the point of any of this? “If we can’t sort this out here, then we’ll sort it out at the police station,” I said, my voice flat. I reached past him to grab Lina. She shrieked like a frightened rabbit about to be slaughtered, thrashing wildly. “Alistair! Alistair, save me! I think she wants to kill me!” I ignored her hysterics, my grip tightening as I started to drag her toward the exit. Alistair pried at my fingers. When I wouldn’t let go, he swung his arm back. A sharp, ringing CRACK echoed through the room. The noisy ballroom fell instantly silent. 3 A searing, numbing pain exploded across my cheek. It felt like a thousand needles pricking my skin, and a loud ringing filled my right ear. Alistair seemed stunned by his own action. He stared at his hand, frozen. “Ha!” A bitter, hopeless laugh escaped my lips. I licked the coppery taste of blood from the corner of my mouth and took a step toward him. Like a mother hen protecting her chick, Lina threw herself in front of Alistair, her body a shield. She looked ready to die for him. “What do you think you’re doing? So what if he hit you? You’re the one who was unfaithful first, you filthy slut!” Watching her self-sacrificing act, a profound exhaustion washed over me. “You keep saying I made indecent videos for the internet,” I said, my voice level despite the storm inside me. “Where is your evidence? Or do you think you can just ruin a person’s life with nothing but lies?” Murmurs rippled through the crowd. “She has a point. You can’t just take one person’s word for it.” Lina bit her lip, looking like a delicate flower braving a storm. “Fine,” she declared. “You forced me to do this!” She took out her phone and connected it to the large screen behind the stage. The slideshow of my happy photos with Alistair was instantly replaced by a graphic, deeply disturbing video. On the screen, a woman was entwined with a large, muscular man. Her face, thrown back in a state of ecstasy, was a mask of pleasure and abandon. And that face, displayed in high definition for everyone to see, was mine. The ballroom erupted. Mothers covered their children’s eyes. Men stared, their jaws slack. Others scrambled to record the scene on their phones. “Holy hell! She’s wild!” “Tsk, tsk. Look at the way she moves her hips.” “Who would’ve thought? She looks so prim and proper, but she’s a total degenerate in private.” “Studying medicine abroad? More like studying how many men she could climb into bed with.” “The things she’s doing… Can she ever be satisfied with just one man after this?” The comments were a filthy, relentless tide, each one a fresh stab of humiliation. Alistair’s face had gone a sickly shade of green. His mother looked as if she were about to faint, but she found the strength to stumble toward me, beating at my dress with her fists. “I pitied you for being an orphan! I treated you like my own daughter! How could you be so shameless? How could you do this to my son!” Lina clung to Alistair’s arm, her body shaking with sobs. “Mr. Finch, I just couldn’t bear to see you deceived by this… this used-up trash that’s been passed around by other men! You’ve been so good to me. I don’t care if you fire me for this. I had to tell you!” I folded my arms, a cold, humorless smile touching my lips. “Passed around by other men? I don’t think anyone knows that feeling better than you do, Lina.” 4 A violent tremor ran through Lina. Her eyes darted away, unable to meet my gaze as she burrowed deeper into Alistair’s embrace. That was the final straw for Alistair. His control snapped. He pulled Lina into a protective hug, his eyes blazing with crimson fury. “Genevieve! When are you going to stop humiliating her? You are the one who is shameless! You’re filthy, disgusting! Do you think everyone is as dirty as you are?” His chest heaved, his voice cracking with a pain he couldn’t conceal. “Ten years! For ten years, I treated you like a precious, untouchable star. I wouldn’t even lay a hand on you because I thought you were so pure, so perfect! And what did you treat me as?” I looked at his contorted face and let out a desolate laugh. “An untouchable star? Alistair, if you ever truly valued me, why didn’t you believe a single word I said? You didn’t even bother to question if the video was real. You just decided I was dirty. Did it never once cross your mind that it could be an AI deepfake?” Lina’s shriek cut through the air. “He put you on a pedestal, and this is how you repay him? The proof is right there for everyone to see! Are you saying he should lie to himself and pretend it’s not real?” I was done talking to her. I strode forward and grabbed her wrist. “Lina, verbal slander might get you a lawsuit. But creating and distributing a deepfake pornographic video of someone? That’s a felony. You’ll be facing prison time.” My voice was low and menacing. “You want to play with fire? I’ll make sure you get burned.” Her face turned ashen. She clutched her stomach and screamed. “Ah! My stomach… Don’t push me!” She threw herself backward, crashing violently into the towering pyramid of champagne glasses behind her. CRASH! The elegant crystal tower imploded in a shower of glass and golden liquid. “Lina!” Alistair roared, his eyes wild with panic. He dove to protect her, then whirled around and shoved me with all his might. Caught off guard, I fell hard. Sharp shards of glass bit deep into my palm, and blood welled up instantly, staining my white dress. Alistair’s gaze flickered to my bleeding hand, a flash of pity in his eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it came. He turned his face away, his voice colder and harder than ever. “Stop the act! Genevieve, I was blind to ever love you. You make me sick,” he spat. “Don’t think for a second I can’t live without you. There are plenty of women who would cherish me! I’m done with you. Get out.” The voices of the crowd swirled around me, a chorus of scorn. “We always knew she was no good. Now her true colors are showing.” “Mr. Finch did the right thing. A whore like that would have shamed his family for generations.” “Serves her right for being such a slut!” Alistair’s mother closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they held nothing but exhaustion and bitter disappointment. She shook her head slowly, turned, and walked back to her seat, not even offering me a hand. A hotel manager approached Alistair cautiously. “Mr. Finch, shall I still have the officiant proceed with the engagement ceremony?” “Yes! Why wouldn’t we?” Alistair bellowed, a desperate, defiant edge to his voice. He grabbed Lina’s hand and pulled her to her feet, announcing to the entire room, “Today, Lina and I are getting engaged!” Lina’s eyes widened in disbelief, her shock quickly melting into delirious joy. She nestled against Alistair, her soft sobs just loud enough for those nearby to hear. “Mr. Finch… are you really willing to give me, and the baby in my belly, a proper place by your side?” My blood ran cold. I stared at him, stunned. “You… you slept with her? She’s pregnant?” Alistair’s jaw tightened. “Yes! So what? You were allowed to screw around in a foreign country, but I’m not allowed to find a clean woman?” He wrapped his arm tighter around Lina, right in front of me. “At least Lina is clean! She’s a thousand times more pure than you!” He pointed at two security guards by the door. “Get this filth out of here. I don’t want her tainting my engagement party with Lina!” The guards moved toward me. As they grabbed my arms, I lifted my head and looked directly at Alistair, a grim smile on my face. “Alistair, before you throw me out, I have one last question for you.” I gestured toward the smug, triumphant Lina. “Do you know she has HIV?” The words dropped into the room like a bomb. Absolute, deafening silence.

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I’m the canary of a gloomy villain, but I’m a lazy one. When the villain went bankrupt, the System ordered me to humiliate him, dump him, and ignite his fighting spirit so he could rise again. I said no. I was too lazy to yell at him. Jasper gripped my chin, his voice harsh. “Everyone else has left me. Why are you still here? To laugh at my downfall?” I let out a slow, deliberate yawn. “Too lazy to run.” His eyes reddened, and he sank into despair. “I’m just a useless, broke loser now. I can’t give you the life of luxury you had before…” I patted his head. “Alright, aren’t you tired after saying all that? Come here. Let’s get some rest.” And so, to prevent me from starving to death, Jasper Blackwood pulled himself together and worked himself to the bone, juggling three jobs a day. When the point in the original novel arrived where he was supposed to be deepening his bond with the female lead, Jasper was at home instead, kneeling on one knee, meticulously tying the ribbon on my dress into a perfect bow. The System shrieked in my head: “Sis, what are you, some kind of chaos agent?!” 1 My name is Lila, and I am the kept woman of Jasper Blackwood, a big shot in the city’s elite circle. And I am a lazy person. People used to say Jasper was great at keeping secrets, because despite how long I’d been with him, you couldn’t find a single photo of me online. Well… The truth is, I just spent all my days lying around at home. I was too lazy to go out. Becoming his canary was something of an accident. After college, I sent my resume to his company. In the “Desired Position” field, I wrote: “Less work, more pay.” In the “Personal Bio” section: “Good at eating.” Jasper clutched that resume, turning it over and over, trying to decipher its meaning. Driven by sheer curiosity, he decided to interview me himself. I explained, “It’s shorthand for ‘good for nothing but eating and lazing around.’” He furrowed his brow, completely baffled. “Then why didn’t you write the whole thing?” I took a sip of water and, at a languid 0.75x speed, uttered three words: “Too lazy.” Jasper was speechless. Despite the train wreck of an interview, I still got a job. Jasper needed a way out of an arranged business marriage, so he hired me to be his professional canary. I weighed the pros and cons in my head— High pay, low effort. And I could work from home. It was a perfect fit. My constitution is weak, and I’m always low on energy. Walking a few steps makes me want to squat, and standing up too fast makes the world go black. My only real talent is my incredibly high-quality sleep. This, as it turned out, was a huge benefit for Jasper. He’s a sensitive and somewhat gloomy person. A traumatic childhood, being bullied and ostracized in school, getting backstabbed by a partner after starting his business… it all left its mark. He became suspicious and emotionally wound-up, often suffering from depression and insomnia. Every night, he would use me as a human pillow, pulling me into his arms. He’d breathe in the scent of my hair, gently squeeze the soft flesh at my waist, and his entire body would relax, allowing him a full night of peaceful sleep. All I had to do was sleep. Every time I opened my eyes, there would be gifts and money transfers waiting for me. It was truly… a dream offer. 2 But now, things had taken a very bad turn. Jasper had been set up and had gone bankrupt. He was overwhelmed, and I hadn’t seen him in days. He was busy dissolving his company, selling off assets, and paying his employees their final wages and severance. As for me, he didn’t even see me one last time. He just sent a text. “I don’t have any money left to give you a breakup fee.” “The gifts I gave you before were all freely given.” “You can go.” I was so devastated by the news that I fell into a deep sleep for 15 hours. When I woke up, a System appeared in my head. It told me this was a novel world, Jasper was the gloomy villain, and I was a plot-device canary meant to push the story forward. “Right now! This very second!” the System declared with passionate fervor. “You need to act like a gold-digger, slap Jasper across the face a few times, call him a useless pauper, and dump him to ignite his fighting spirit!” “Only then can he rise from the ashes, reunite with his childhood sweetheart—the female lead—who now has the male lead by her side, and kick off a 200-chapter-long angsty love triangle…” I covered my ears. “No.” Slapping him, yelling at him… it all sounded exhausting. The System threatened, “As a plot device, your mission is to advance the story. If you fail, you will be punished with electric shocks.” With all my strength, I rolled over in bed. “Go on then. Shock me.” “…” It was completely stumped. Come on. I might be lazy, but I’m not stupid. If I actually listened to the System’s garbage advice and ground Jasper’s pride into the dirt, knowing his personality, the moment he got back on his feet, he’d chop me into a million pieces. 3 Three days later, I finally went to find Jasper. The fallen prince had traded his glamorous penthouse in the financial district for a cramped, sunless apartment in the guts of the city, where the buildings were so close they could touch. Stubble darkened his jaw, and he was slumped on the floor, surrounded by a decadence of cigarette smoke and cheap liquor. He saw me and laughed at himself. “Didn’t you leave? What are you doing back here? Did you miss some valuables on your first pass?” I shook my head and handed him a bank card. “While you were gone, I contacted some secondhand luxury resellers. This money should help with your debt.” Jasper had always been a generous provider. When he was at the top, he’d bought me so much from various luxury and jewelry brands that I became a VIC at all of them. Every time a new or limited-edition item was released, they would send someone to deliver it to me. My room was overflowing with clothes, bags, watches, and jewelry. His voice trembled, his eyes wide with disbelief. “All that stuff… you barely even bothered to unbox most of it. You sold it all?!” Uh… Well, actually, I was just too lazy to unbox it. But because everything was brand new, I got a much better price. If he wanted to think of it that way, though, that was fine. I was too lazy to correct him. Just then, my stomach rumbled. To cover my embarrassment, I quickly added in a small voice, “I don’t eat much. I won’t be a burden. Please don’t make me leave…” After all, a boss and benefactor as good as him was a rare find. He sniffled. “Okay.” We went downstairs to a grimy little diner and bought a ten-dollar takeout box with one meat and two vegetable dishes. He pushed it in front of me while he pulled out a plain bun and some pickles for himself. “See this? I’m a useless pauper now. If you stay with me, this is your future. A life of hardship, eating cheap, crappy food.” I was unbothered. “What’s wrong with this food?” I pointed at each dish. “Look, you’ve got carbs, protein, and dietary fiber. It’s so well-balanced! And it’s only ten bucks, and there are even pork ribs in here. Is the owner running a charity?” I broke apart my chopsticks and gave him most of the ribs. Since I spent most of my days lying down, my energy consumption was low, and I didn’t eat much anyway. His eyes grew even redder. “Are you really okay with this? When you were with me, you used to eat…” Yes, back then, every meal was prepared by a private Michelin-star chef. Cantonese, Sichuan, Huaiyang, Western, Japanese, Thai… an endless variety of cuisines featuring lobster, sea cucumber, and king crab. But so what? I was too lazy to chew any of it. I just threw everything into a blender and drank it as a paste. That wasn’t an option anymore. The blender, along with the penthouse, had been repossessed by the bank. I savored the sweet and sour pork ribs. Hmm, much tastier than the paste. Meeting my clear, untroubled gaze, Jasper sighed and started rambling again. “Forget it. I spoiled you too much. You don’t know what real hardship is. You’ll understand in time. Your youth is precious; it’s not worth wasting on me. If you regret this, you can leave anytime. I won’t touch a cent of the money on that card. This bankruptcy is my failure, it has nothing to do with you. I’ll handle all the debt myself…” His words felt like a tightening headband on my head. The old Jasper was cool, gloomy, and a man of few words. This new Jasper was like a worried father. I patted his head, interrupting his spell. “Okay, stop. Aren’t you tired from talking so much? You have dark circles under your eyes. You haven’t been sleeping well again, have you? Come on, let’s get some sleep.” I got up and opened my suitcase. Before the bank sealed the apartment, they let me take a few personal items. I thought about it and chose my pillow and comforter. No matter how hard or exhausting life gets, a good night’s sleep gives you the strength to keep going. The bed was soft and warm. Lying down felt like being held by a cloud. For the first time, Jasper didn’t hold me. He turned his back to me, his shoulders shaking as he muffled his sobs. Just as I was drifting off, he kissed the top of my head. “Lila, I swear I’ll give you a good life again.” 4 After that day, Jasper’s confidence returned. He worked three jobs a day, running himself ragged. He spent his days in sales, his evenings writing business plans for college students, and then did a couple of food delivery runs before calling it a night. In his words, if he didn’t work harder, he was afraid I’d starve. Sigh. I, too, was trying to figure out how to make money while lying down. After a bit of research, I got sleepy again. Well, first things first. Time for a nap. But just as I was about to crawl into bed, an idea struck me. I set up my phone and started a livestream of myself sleeping. I yawned, and within minutes, I was in a deep sleep. A random viewer stumbled into my stream, assuming it was a gimmick. They thought if they sent a gift, I’d wake up and say thank you. So they sent a small heart sticker. Nothing happened. I was dead to the world, completely unaware. Unconvinced, they sent a sunglasses sticker. Still no response. Their stubbornness was now fully activated. They started spamming gifts, determined to see when I would finally wake up. Rainbows, paper planes, hot air balloons… The higher the gift value, the more the platform promoted the stream. More and more viewers poured in to watch me sleep. The comments started flying. “WTF, this streamer is so arrogant. How much do you have to spend to get her to wake up?” “What’s so interesting about watching someone sleep? Why are there so many people here? I’m out.” “But she looks like she’s sleeping so peacefully. I’m jealous of that sleep quality.” “That bedding looks really comfy. Anyone have a link?” “Link for the pajamas, please.” “+1” … When I finally woke up, I had earned a hundred dollars in gifts. I also had a collaboration request from a pajama company that wanted to feature a product link in my stream. I was thrilled! With this income, Jasper wouldn’t have to work so hard delivering food. I was about to call him to share the good news when a voice echoed in my head. The long-lost System was back. The last time we’d spoken, it had called Jasper a loser and me a loser pro-max. After realizing its insults had no effect on me, it had left me alone in a huff. But this time, it wasn’t scolding me. It sounded ecstatic.

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On the fifth anniversary of our wedding, a video of me proposing to my husband went viral. I thought it would be filled with blessings, but the top-rated comment was this: [Your boyfriend didn’t look at you first. If I’m not mistaken, the girl he used to have a thing with was also at that dinner.] [All of his friends were looking at her, which means they all knew about them.] [When you put the ring on him, he wasn’t excited. He looked like he was just playing along. He doesn’t love you!] I wasn’t angry. I was actually impressed by the internet’s wild imagination. The person sitting there was my best friend, Sophie—who was also my husband’s adopted sister. She had helped me plan the entire relationship, from our first date to the proposal. Their relationship had always been one of polite, distant siblings. How could there possibly be anything between them? The internet was just being paranoid. I shrugged it off, set the video to private, and got up to start dinner. Just then, the door opened. My husband, Declan, walked in, flakes of snow melting on his coat, his face etched with exhaustion as he unwrapped his scarf. “Let’s get a divorce,” he said. “I have never loved you.” … “I think we need to talk.” Declan’s voice was heavy with fatigue. He didn’t pull me into his usual warm embrace. Instead, he sat on the sofa with his back to me, a solitary figure in the dimming light. Maybe it was the video, or maybe it was just how strangely distant he was, but a cold dread washed over me. I tried desperately to stop what was coming. “It’s our fifth anniversary. Can’t this wait until tomorrow? I… Oh, I love this cake. Do you want to try some?” “Cake?” Declan’s gaze shifted to the dining table, and then to my tear-filled eyes. He paused, letting out a soft sigh. “My secretary sent that over on her own. I’m sorry. I don’t like sweets.” We had been together for nine years—four dating, five married. He had never once missed a gift or a surprise for an anniversary or holiday. This time had been no different. I had mentioned a famous cake offhandedly two days ago, and he had spent a fortune to have it flown in, custom-made by a five-star Michelin chef. Just moments before he walked in, I had snapped a photo of the half-eaten Black Swan cake and pinned it to the top of the video’s comment section: [Thanks for the concern, everyone. We’ve been married for five years and are very happy!] Now, Declan’s words were a slap across my face, sharp and stinging. I stood frozen, my head bowed in silence. After a long moment, he came to me, pulling me into a gentle hug. But the fingers he used to wipe away my tears were colder than the tears themselves. “Annalise,” he murmured, “I think we should separate.” “Why?” I choked out. “Did you cheat on me?” “No,” he said, his voice flat. “I just don’t love you. I tried.” That single sentence drained all the strength from my body. I didn’t understand. How could this be happening? We never fought, there was no infidelity, everything was perfect. How could the love just be gone? The door was still ajar, but the vast apartment suddenly felt empty, with only me inside. Perhaps it was the two bold, red exclamation marks next to his contact, but I found myself opening the video again, my actions mechanical. Declan and I were each other’s first love. After four years, I decided to be the one to propose. My best friend, his stepsister Sophie, was the only one in on the secret. That day, I was so nervous I kept messing up my lines, my hands shaking so badly as I held out the ring. I closed my eyes, waiting. A warm hand gently took the ring from me. “Yes,” he said. The room erupted in cheers and congratulations. In that moment, I was the happiest person in the world. But now, I watched it again, frame by excruciating frame. And I saw it. The first person Declan looked at was not me. There was no surprise in his eyes, only a mixture of pain and longing that I couldn’t comprehend. That slight hesitation before he said yes—it was a silent plea directed at Sophie. The realization made it hard to breathe. The two people I trusted most in the world had a secret history I knew nothing about. But it couldn’t be true. The breakfasts he made me every morning, the way he stayed by my side when I had a fever, his gentle restraint during our intimate moments, the way he shielded me with his own body during a car crash—none of that could have been fake. I refused to believe that after nine years together, he didn’t love me at all. And I refused to believe that Sophie, who despised injustice, would ever get involved with my husband. Sophie arrived right on time. She was wearing her usual white pleated skirt, looking like a little angel. I cut straight to the point. “Declan wants to divorce me. He’s in love with you.” Sophie shot to her feet, her face flushing with anger. “What son of a bitch is spreading these lies? Declan is my brother! How could he possibly be in love with me? And you, Annalise! We’re closer than sisters. How could you suspect me?” Her outrage seemed genuine. I would have believed her, if not for the necklace she was wearing—a perfect match to my own. Declan had given it to me for my birthday last year, a one-of-a-kind piece meant for the love of his life. I cherished it, rarely ever taking it off. When the plating started to chip, I had even complained about the poor quality of the luxury brand. But now, the diamond on Sophie’s neck sparkled, flawless and new. The original was on the one he truly loved. But they were siblings. And Sophie had been married for years! “Sophie,” I whispered, “please, just make him give up on you. I’m begging you.” Sophie looked lost, her eyes suddenly welling with tears. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hide it from you…” She gave a choked, tearful laugh. “Annalise, you have no idea what Declan was like in high school. He was horrible. He refused to even acknowledge me as his sister. He led the others in bullying me, pouring cold water on me in the winter, locking me in classrooms, cutting my hair. I fought back, I stood up to him, but… I don’t know how it happened, but I fell in love with him. He changed later, he became so gentle, but with our family situation… how could we ever be together?” I sat there, stunned, listening to this portrait of a man I didn’t know. So Declan wasn’t naturally caring. He wasn’t born gentle. He had once been filled with so much rage and malice. Sophie apologized over and over, even slapping her own face in despair. Finally, she grabbed my hands, her grip tight. “Believe me, after college, I let it all go. I would never hurt you, Annalise.” Of course, I believed her. When we were twelve, she had shielded me with her own body, protecting me from my father’s drunken rage. I would have been beaten to death without her. I heard myself say, “Sophie, you’ve been divorced for two years. Let me set you up with someone.” “Okay,” she said, forcing a smile through her tears. “Whatever you say.” She ruffled my hair like she used to, but her eyes were filled with a deep, bitter sadness. “I’ll talk to my brother. I won’t let him divorce you.” Just when I thought things might be okay, Declan burst into my bedroom that night. He was like a different person, his eyes bloodshot with fury. “You just can’t leave Sophie alone, can you?” he snarled. “She finally escapes the shadow of that bastard ex-husband, and you immediately try to push her into another pit of fire! If I hadn’t gotten there in time, she would have been assaulted! How can you be so venomous?” His voice was thick with a mixture of fear and hatred. A tearing pain shot through my scalp. “Declan,” I screamed, “Sophie is my best friend! Why would I ever try to hurt her?” It was like he couldn’t hear me. He dragged me forcefully through the house. I stumbled, and he threw me into a dark, hidden room. On a rack were blood-stained whips and ropes. “What is it you love about me? My gentleness? My thoughtfulness?” he sneered. “That was all an act. After I had to leave Sophie, I developed a severe sex addiction. I could never get enough with you. I had to torture myself, then put on the mask of a good husband.” I never knew this room existed. It was like another side of Declan I had never seen. A chill ran down my spine. He laughed, a crazed, unhinged sound. “See, Annalise? You’re afraid of the real me too.” “I love you, so what? The man you love is a lie.” Annalise could be afraid of anyone in the world. Anyone except Declan. From a young age, I was the illegitimate child of a prostitute. After my mother’s looks faded, she forged a paternity test and found me a “father.” A couple of years later, she ran off. The man would take his anger out on me whenever he was drunk. When he was broke, he’d force me to play “games” with the old drunks in the village for cigarettes and liquor. In my world, all men were scum. But Declan was different. He was restrained and respectful. When I was afraid of intimacy, he waited a whole year for me, his touch never crossing the line. Even after I finally overcame my trauma, he was always mindful of my feelings, stopping even in the heat of the moment if I so much as frowned. I never imagined he had been in so much pain. Staring at our wedding photo in the bedroom, my mind went back to that dark room. “I’m not afraid,” I had said. His only response had been to flee. If Declan could save me, why couldn’t I save him? I slowly unbuttoned my clothes and changed into a sexy “battle outfit” I’d bought online. I buried myself under the covers, my mind racing with possibilities. Things that once felt shameful now felt like a sacrifice I was willing to make. BANG! The door to another apartment was thrown open. Heavy breathing and moans filled the darkness as a man and a woman moved with wild, reckless abandon. “Brother, I told you last time was the last time. Why did you come looking for me again? Annalise almost found out this time! You know she’s the most important person in my life!” “Annalise has no one but you and me. She won’t agree to a divorce. This is your punishment for trying to end things.” The man’s voice was low and hoarse, filled with a chilling certainty. The woman sobbed, a hint of resentment in her tone. “Annalise loves you so much. You shouldn’t hurt her like this.” “Hah!” Declan’s voice turned vicious. “You’re the one who shamelessly seduced me first. Why should I accept you pushing me onto someone else? I’m telling you, Sophie, if you dare try to marry someone else to hide from me again, I won’t mind crippling another man. I mean it. As for Annalise, if she wants a divorce, I’ll give her a generous settlement. If not, I can afford to keep her. That’s benevolent enough.”

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My best friend Zoe was addicted to gambling. When she called, giddy, saying she was taking me to Vegas, I didn’t think much of it. “I just hit a huge jackpot!” she chirped. “I’m putting you up at The Elysian Palace, on me!” But when the plane landed, she didn’t lead me to a luxury suite. Instead, she took me to a private room deep in the casino. “The truth is,” she whispered, trembling, “I owe fifty million. If I can’t pay, they’ll send me to a black site in Eastern Europe…” Her eyes were wild. “But the owner… he’s looking for a woman with a crescent moon birthmark. Find her, and the debt’s wiped clean!” She grabbed my arm. “You’ve got one, right on your stomach. I’ve seen it when we changed! I’m so sorry, Aria. I just… I don’t want to die.” Four men slammed me onto the sofa. As my head spun, I saw a child’s drawing on the wall. It was a crayon picture I’d drawn for my dad before I was taken. He’d treasured it, promising to keep it forever. A strange energy surged through me, and a cold smile touched my lips. Zoe, oh Zoe. You really did make the right bet this time. Too bad you’re not the one who’s going to win. 1 By the time I realized something was truly wrong, it was too late to run. “Fifty million, Aria! I could never pay that back in ten lifetimes!” Zoe sobbed. “But it’s like fate intervened! The heavens gave you that birthmark so you could save me!” Ice filled my lungs. Fear squeezed my throat until I forgot how to breathe. “Zoe… you sold me?” “We’ve known each other for over a decade. You’re my best friend, and you sold me for fifty million dollars?” My accusation made her stumble back, shaking her head frantically. “Don’t look at me like that… The owner of this casino is richer than God, and his only weakness is women with that specific birthmark. He’ll forgive any debt for one…” She tried to force a smile. “He has this… particular taste, and you happen to match it perfectly. I brought you here for your own good, too! What if he falls for you? You’d be set for life!” The image of some lecherous old man flashed in my mind, and a shiver ran down my spine. I shoved her aside and made a break for the door. “If you want to be his prize, go for it! I’m leaving!” But before my fingers could even brush the doorknob, a heavy thud slammed into the back of my head. “You’re forcing my hand, Aria!” Zoe’s voice was sharp with panic. My vision exploded into stars. I staggered, my legs giving out from under me, and collapsed to the floor. She loomed over me and snatched the small, pink bead from my pocket. “Don’t think I’m stupid,” she hissed. “I know you didn’t come on this trip for a vacation. You came here to find your real parents.” “Well, you’re here now. Help me clear this debt, and I’ll help you find them. But if you try to run… you’ll never see them again in this life.” A searing pain radiated from the back of my skull. I tried to move my lips, to say something, but despair washed over me. I was five when I was kidnapped. The traffickers had changed my clothes and shaved my head to make me unrecognizable. They threw away everything I had, but I’d managed to hide this single bead under my tongue—the one carved with my nickname. For sixteen years, the memories of my home and my life before the age of five had faded into a blur. That bead was the only tangible link I had left to my parents. Without it, all hope was gone. “Good girl,” Zoe said, sounding relieved. Just then, the door to the room swung open. Several menacing men strode in. “You’re Zoe? We hear you brought something to settle your account.” Zoe scrambled to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at me. “Nash! The boss wants a woman with a crescent moon birthmark, right? This is my best friend, Aria. She has one right on her stomach!” She wrung her hands. “I brought her, just like you said. So, my fifty million…” The man she called Nash didn’t even glance at her. He pulled out a chair and sat down, his presence dominating the room. “What’s the hurry? Let’s see the merchandise first.” His men were on me in an instant, dragging me up and pinning me to the sofa. They ripped off my jacket in a blur of motion. One of them reached for the hem of my t-shirt, and I kicked out with all my strength, connecting with his shin. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” “You little bitch!” he spat, and his hand cracked across my face once, then twice. My head spun, stars bursting behind my eyes. Before I could even cry out, a deafening gunshot echoed through the room. The man clutching my shirt screamed, a new hole bleeding in his calf as he crumpled to the ground. Nash stood over him, a pistol in his hand, his expression unreadable. “Touching the goods before verification? You got a death wish?” He gestured dismissively. “Get him out of here. Don’t stain the boss’s rug.” The other men, their faces pale, quickly dragged their groaning colleague away. I was free, but my body was frozen, paralyzed by shock. They had a gun. If I fought back again, the next bullet would be for me. In the corner, Zoe was terrified, but a new, determined glint appeared in her eyes. “Nash, she really has it! A crescent moon birthmark, right on her stomach. It’s exactly the kind the boss wants!” Nash shot her a cold look, and she immediately flinched, lowering her head. “You lot, get it done. Stop wasting my time.” Four more men moved toward me. I scrambled backward on the sofa, trying to put distance between us, when my gaze fell again on the child’s drawing hanging on the wall. It depicted a family of three flying a kite. Right above the head of the little girl with the ponytail, a name was written—a name I could never forget. “Sunshine.” I had drawn that picture right before I was taken. My mother had adored it, and my father had laughed, promising to frame it and keep it forever. It was him! My dad! All these years, he had been looking for me, too! An overwhelming wave of emotion crashed over me, and I pushed myself up. “Is your boss’s name—” “Too many questions. You’re probably another fake with a bright idea.” Nash cut me off, his voice dripping with impatience. He raised his gun, the cold metal aimed squarely at my forehead. “You, shut up.” He nodded to his men. “You, get her shirt off. Verify it.” 2 A cold dread washed over me, prickling my scalp. He’d shot one of his own men without a second thought. What would he do to me? Zoe, trembling in the corner, whispered urgently, “Aria, just do what they say! Once they see it, I can leave. If you keep fighting, you’ll get us both killed!” Even now, she was only thinking of herself. My eyes darted back to the drawing on the wall. I decided to play along, for now. If they verified the mark, maybe Dad would come. Maybe this nightmare would end, and we could finally be reunited. Biting my lip, I endured the humiliation as they lifted my shirt. There, just below my navel, the crescent moon birthmark was clear as day. “Nash, I think… I think this one’s real!” one of the men exclaimed. Nash strode over. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the mark. He muttered under his breath, “It’s… it really is just like the one the boss drew.” Zoe knew she was in the clear. A sycophantic smile spread across her face. “Nash, sir, since you’ve verified it, that fifty million I owe…” Nash’s eyes were still locked on my birthmark. He waved a dismissive hand. “Cleared. Now get lost.” “Yes, yes! Thank you! I’m gone!” Zoe nodded eagerly and turned to bolt. But the bead was still on her! I scrambled off the sofa, lunging for her. “Zoe, you can’t leave—” “Don’t let her get away!” Nash commanded. Before I could reach Zoe, one of the henchmen closest to me drove his boot into my stomach. The force of the kick sent me flying backward, and my head cracked against the corner of the coffee table. Nash exploded. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? How many times have I said, don’t harm them before confirmation!” The spot where Zoe had hit me was already throbbing, and now, a warm liquid was trickling down my neck. I reached up a trembling hand and brought it back, covered in blood. My vision began to blur at the edges. My consciousness was slipping away, my limbs refusing to obey my commands. I can’t pass out… not yet… I haven’t seen Dad… “Boss, she’s bleeding!” someone shouted in alarm. Nash’s brow furrowed. “You two, get a doctor! You two, go get the boss. Tell him this one looks real, he needs to see it for himself.” He looked at the remaining men. “The rest of you, be careful. If she turns out to be the one he’s looking for and you pissed her off, she’ll have your heads.” His men scattered, nearly running into Zoe, who was frozen by the door. She was completely stunned. After a long moment, she asked in a trembling voice, “Nash… I thought the boss was just looking for a new mistress. Why is one woman so important?” Nash shot her a withering glare. “Use your head. Why else would he offer to wipe out a debt this massive? But it’s not a debt just anyone can clear.” His voice dropped, laced with menace. “Others have brought women with crescent moon birthmarks before. They tattooed one on, guessing at the location. The boss… dealt with them.” Zoe shuddered. “You got lucky,” Nash continued. “This girl’s mark is in the exact right spot. Perfect. Now just wait. If she really is the one, not only will your fifty million be forgotten, but your best friend here will make sure you live a life of luxury.” Zoe’s eyes darted back and forth. Her expression shifted. A terrible feeling washed over me. I fought through the haze, forcing my mouth to form words. “I… I am the one…” “Nash, I’m so sorry!” Zoe suddenly cried out, rushing back into the room. She dug her sharp nails into my thigh, her voice a desperate shriek. “The birthmark… it’s a fake!” “I can’t lie to the boss! I’ll pay back the fifty million myself! I’m not using her to clear my debt!” 3 Nash’s face contorted with fury. “Zoe, you’re playing with your life!” “No! She forced me to come here!” The gun swung toward her, and Zoe dropped to her knees in a heap. “She found out about the birthmark’s location from somewhere, went to a tattoo parlor, and then forced me to bring her! She said she wanted to climb into the boss’s bed and live a life of luxury! It’s true! She threatened to kill my parents if I didn’t do it!” Zoe’s face was a mess of tears and pleas as she begged for her life. From the floor, I gasped for breath, shaking my head weakly. “No… I’m…” “Stop lying, Aria!” Zoe sobbed. “You can’t fool them forever! When the boss finds out your birthmark is a fake, you’ll die a much more painful death!” Nash stood over me, his sharp gaze fixed on the exposed birthmark, trying to discern the truth. But he clearly didn’t know the whole story—that his boss wasn’t looking for a lover, but a lost daughter. If he would just look at my face, he might see the resemblance… Suddenly, a voice called from outside. “Nash, that crew from last time is causing trouble on the main floor again!” Nash holstered his pistol and started for the door. “You two, guard the entrance. Don’t let either of them leave. I’ll be right back.” The heavy door clicked shut, leaving just the two of us. Zoe’s voice dropped to a venomous whisper. “I can’t believe how obsessed he is. The right birthmark, and you get to be the queen of this place.” I struggled to stay conscious, my body sliding further down the leg of the table. The bleeding from my head wouldn’t stop. I knew I didn’t have much time. “What… what are you doing?” I managed to ask. A crazed look flashed in her eyes, her chest heaving with frantic breaths. “I was wrong. I thought he just wanted a fling, someone to warm his bed… But no. I can’t let you become his woman. You’d never let me live it down… just like I would never forgive you.” I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. “We’re best friends. If you let me go now, I’ll forget this ever happened.” “Impossible! You must hate my guts!” “No, really… Think about it. Without me, how will you pay back that fifty million? They’ll sell you, Zoe. It’ll be worse than death.” She paused, her eyes darting around as she considered it. Seeing a flicker of hope, I pressed on. “Let me go. I swear I won’t say a word. I’ll take care of you, we’ll be rich together. That fifty million… I’ll pay it for you.” Her expression softened for a moment. She licked her dry lips. I allowed myself a small, internal sigh of relief. But it was premature. Her fists clenched. “No. You’re too stubborn. You’ve spent over a decade searching for your parents without giving up. You’d never let this go. I can find another way to get fifty million, but I can’t leave you alive.” Before I could react, she produced a small, sharp blade and drove it right into my birthmark. A scream tore from my throat, but she clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling the sound. She traced the outline of the crescent moon with the blade, then pulled out a small vial of clear liquid and forced it down my throat. A bitter taste flooded my mouth. This was bad. “Don’t worry,” she whispered manically in my ear. “This anesthetic will kick in in about twenty minutes. You’ll pass out. Whatever happens next, you won’t feel a thing.” She tossed the empty vial and the blade under the table. “I’m sorry, sis. If only one of us can walk out of here alive, it’s going to be me.”

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The day of Ashton Blackwood’s engagement party was a who’s who of the city’s elite. He was on the sofa with his fiancée, opening gifts, when the young woman let out a small, delicate “huh?” “Who sent this? A broken doll? Are they sick or something?” His friends craned their necks to see, then snickered. “Oh, that must be from Lily. Why’s it broken, though? You’ve gotta give her points for persistence. Pining after Ashton for seven years and she still hasn’t given up.” “She’s probably off crying in a corner somewhere right now.” They were all laughing at me. Only Ashton, sitting in the center of it all, felt his cigarette tremble, scattering a fine layer of ash on the marble floor. Because he suddenly remembered what I’d once told him. “I’ll keep this doll with me my entire life. Unless…” He had laughed then. “Unless what?” “Unless I stop loving you.” 1. I left the Blackwood villa and hailed a cab straight to the airport. The driver, with a thick New York accent, glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “You comin’ from the Blackwood kid’s engagement party, huh?” See? Ashton Blackwood’s name was that famous. Anyone who heard it could share a bit of gossip. “Heard he used to have a new girlfriend every week. Total player.” “Wasn’t he just in the tabloids with some starlet last month? You think he’s really ready to settle down? Bet it’s just for show. He’ll still have other women after the wedding.” I managed a small smile. “You’re right.” For a man of his stature, that kind of gossip wasn’t exactly a good look. In the past, I would have probably argued with the driver. I would have said that not every woman photographed with him was his girlfriend; some were just friends of friends. Or I would have insisted that he was truly in love with Isabelle, that he genuinely wanted to marry her. And for the rest of his long life, Ashton Blackwood would love Isabelle, and only Isabelle. Thinking this, I looked down at my phone. A new post popped up on my Instagram feed. It was a group photo from the party. 【Congrats to the happy couple! To a hundred years of happiness!】 A flood of comments followed. 【His fiancée is gorgeous. No wonder Ashton waited five years for her.】 … 【Yeah, I’m here now, they’re so sweet together.】 Just then, a text message came through. It was from Jack, Ashton’s best friend. 【Where are you? We were taking a group pic and couldn’t find you. Ash is pissed.】 I had only been at the engagement party for five minutes. Just long enough to drop off my gift and leave. I typed back. 【Something came up. I already left.】 A moment later, he replied. 【Why didn’t you say anything? Ashton would’ve had someone drive you.】 He had already given me so much. He’d paid for my education, my dance lessons, for anything I ever wanted to do. But the place I was going this time was too far. It was better this way. 2. I turned off my screen and didn’t reply. When I looked up, we were at a red light. The driver idly glanced out at a skyscraper. As if on cue, the massive screen on its facade was displaying an ad featuring the very same starlet he’d just mentioned. The driver clicked his tongue. “So, what’s your connection to the Blackwoods, kid? Be honest, you’re not another one of his exes, are you? I’ve already driven three of ’em over there today.” A bitter smile touched my lips. “No.” “I’m his stepsister.” He had countless flames, a life defined by romance. But whenever people talked about him, beyond the string of lovers, there was one other person they always mentioned: his stepsister. They always framed it as a story of his benevolence. The media had covered it years ago: after Ashton Blackwood’s stepmother passed away, he ignored the protests of his entire family and insisted on keeping the “charity case” she had brought with her into the marriage. I was only fifteen then. The Blackwood elders wanted to send me back to my hometown, but Ashton was the only one who refused. “Her deadbeat dad doesn’t even want her,” he had argued. “She has no one back there. You want to send her back to starve?” A soft sigh escaped me. If he had sent me away back then, maybe we wouldn’t have ended up like this. We arrived at the airport shortly after. With an hour and a half until boarding, I found a seat in the departure lounge. I scrolled through my phone for a bit, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, my phone was lit up with an endless stream of missed calls. Friends, classmates, people from Ashton’s circle. Even some of the Blackwood elders. And at the very top of the list: Ashton. He had called twenty-eight times. He’d nearly drained my battery. I was still trying to process it when I opened my messages and saw two from him, sent just a minute ago. The first was a photo. It was of me, in the airport lounge. I was wearing a cream-colored dress, leaning back in the chair and looking at my phone, my long hair spilling over my shoulders. Outside the window, the ground was a carpet of red maple leaves. The second message was a voice note. His voice was rough, laced with a barely-there thread of fury. “Lily, turn around.” 3. The lounge was bustling with people. I looked up and saw him standing not far away. I pressed my lips together. “What are you doing here?” He gave a harsh tug at the corner of his mouth but said nothing. In the next second, he was striding toward me. He snatched the suitcase from my hand, his voice cold and hard. “Let’s go. I’m taking you home.” “You can go on a trip any other time. Did you have to pick today? Do you have any respect for me at all?” He didn’t mention the doll. It was as if he hadn’t even opened the gifts yet. But I’d already seen the message from Jack. He’d said: 【You gotta tell me what that doll was about. Ash saw it and completely lost his shit… Where are you?】 I reached for my suitcase. “I’m not going back.” He let out a cold laugh, his grip tightening on my wrist as he started pulling me toward the exit. “You’re my sister. If I don’t look after you, who will? You want to go to Australia? Fine. I’ll take you when I have time.” I shook my head, looking at him seriously. “No. I don’t need you to take me. I want to go by myself.” I repeated myself, for emphasis. “I don’t need anyone to go with me.” In the past, whenever he went on trips with his girlfriends, he would insist on dragging me along, saying he was worried I’d be lonely. He was considerate, though; to avoid making it awkward, he’d always invite Jack to keep me company. That was how Jack and I got to know each other. One time, he couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Lily,” he’d complained, “come on. Ashton has a girlfriend now. It’s not right for you to be so clingy. I know you like him, but it’s been years. It’s time to let it go. I don’t even have time for my own girlfriend because I’m always out here babysitting you. It’s depressing.” In that moment, I wished the ground would swallow me whole. I couldn’t explain that it was Ashton who made me come, because I had my own selfish reasons for wanting to be near him. I used to think that all those other girls were just flings. That one day, he might turn around and finally see me. After all, I had never seen him be particularly intimate with any of them. Until two weeks ago, when Isabelle came back. Ashton never asked me to come along again. He started coming home with lipstick marks on his collar. Not long after, they were engaged. Only then did I finally understand. His years of playing the field were all because of his first love, Isabelle. Ever since she had left, every girlfriend he’d had possessed at least one feature that resembled hers. 4. But Ashton still dragged me out of the airport. “I can make sure this flight never takes off,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Do you really want to test me?” “Besides,” he added, his tone softening slightly, “have you even touched your own face? You’re burning up. You have a fever, Lily.” Once we were in the car, I realized Jack was there too. He was in the driver’s seat, smoking. When he saw me, he quickly stubbed out the cigarette. “Whoa,” he said. “What’s going on here?” Ashton didn’t waste any time. “To the hospital.” The moment I got in the car, I closed my eyes and said nothing. Jack glanced at me in the rearview mirror, hesitated, and then called my name. I heard him, but I was too exhausted to respond. He seemed to take that as a cue, letting out a sigh of relief. “Jesus, Ash,” he said, “you really lost it this time.” “Do you have any idea how many reporters and media outlets were at that party? Do you know how many powerful people from business and politics were there?” Ashton’s voice was flat. “I know.” “The party’s not even over. Isabelle is still waiting for you. If you go back now, it’s not too late.” I wanted to say something, but my mouth wouldn’t open. And then, everything went black. When I woke up again, Ashton was standing by the window of the hospital room, his back to me, on the phone. I couldn’t hear the other side, but I heard his response: “We’ll postpone it for now. Just cancel it.” It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the engagement party. I sat up, my voice hoarse. “You should go back. Thank you for today.” Hearing my voice, Ashton turned around. He walked over to my bed and stood over me, his gaze dark and unreadable. “Do you really…” he started to ask. Those three words made my heart leap into my throat. Shamefully, my mind automatically finished his sentence: Do you really not have feelings for me anymore? But before he could finish, a soft voice came from the doorway. “Ashton.” It was just his name, but the way she said it was filled with an indescribable charm. Ashton’s expression shifted, and he looked away from me. He turned to her. “I’m sorry.” 5. Isabelle walked into the room with a gentle smile. “It’s okay.” “Your sister is my sister now, too. She was in a car accident. That’s a big deal. How could I possibly blame you?” It finally clicked. So that was the story Ashton was telling people. His sister was in a car accident, forcing him to leave his own engagement party. It was a perfectly reasonable explanation. It was also obvious that Isabelle knew it was a lie, but she didn’t call him out on it. Instead, she turned to me with a kind smile. “Lily, you’re about the right age. Have you thought about finding a boyfriend?” I was about to shake my head. But then I saw Ashton, standing beside her, clutching his phone so tightly his knuckles were turning white. Oh… Knowing him, he probably wanted me to find a boyfriend too. That way, there would be no chance of me ever getting in their way again. He had taken care of me for so many years. No matter what, I owed him. Maybe it was time to give him what he wanted. And to finally let myself go. “I’ve been thinking about it,” I said. The words had barely left my lips when Ashton’s head snapped up. He stared at me, completely still. Isabelle smiled, her gaze shifting to Ashton. She walked over, looped her arm through his, and said playfully, “You’re not doing a very good job as a big brother. You should be helping her out with that, you know.” Ashton was silent for a moment before he finally spoke, his voice deep and cold. “Right. I’ll get right on that.” He shot me one last, expressionless look, then gently removed Isabelle’s hand from his arm and walked out of the room. For a split second, Isabelle’s face went cold. She gave me a long, meaningful glance, said nothing, and followed him out. 6. To make sure I rested, Ashton confiscated my phone for the two days I was in the hospital. He also forbade anyone from visiting me. I only got my phone back the day I was discharged. The number of notifications was staggering. I answered a few messages from friends, and then my eyes fell on one at the very bottom of the list. There was no name saved, just a single letter as the username: q. 【Hey, where’d you go? I waited at the airport but didn’t see you.】 He was an online friend I’d met on a forum two years ago. He was witty, insightful, and had moved to Australia for school a few years back. When he found out I was planning to join a dance company there, he had been a huge help. As I was about to reply, the “is typing…” bubble appeared. A moment later, a new message popped up. 【Couldn’t get a hold of you. I just finished up with my school stuff and I’m back in the city. Want to meet up?】 I typed back quickly. 【Yeah, definitely! Sorry about before, something came up.】 He replied almost instantly. 【No worries. You’re okay, right?】 I told him I was fine. He seemed relieved and sent a voice note. “Good to hear. See you soon, then?” 【Yep.】 After I replied, I looked over at Ashton’s back. He was bent over, packing my things. He had barely left my side for the past two days. He looked exhausted. But ever since that day in the hospital, we had hardly spoken. It used to be me, racking my brain for something to talk about. Now, I wasn’t initiating anymore. And whenever he spoke, my replies were short and to the point. We had run out of things to say to each other. I thought for a moment, then spoke. “Ashton.” He froze, and for a split second, I heard a flicker of something almost like hope in his voice. “What is it?” I looked up at him, my own voice calm and steady. “I can put off going abroad for now. But I want to move out of the Blackwood house.” 7. I’d brought it up many times before, but Ashton had never agreed. Back then, I was in love with him, so I had always let it go and stayed. But now, he had a fiancée. It wasn’t right for me to be living under his roof anymore. I thought, given how much he loved Isabelle, he would surely agree this time. But to my surprise, the moment the words left my mouth, he threw the clothes he was folding onto the bed, grabbed me, and squeezed my arms, his grip painfully tight. He let out a cold, humorless laugh. He said my name. “Lily.” “How long are you going to keep this up?” I was genuinely confused. “What?” He took a deep breath, his eyes glinting with a chilling light. “I know what you’re doing. All those other women before—if you didn’t like them, I’d get rid of them. But Isabelle is different. I’ve already postponed the engagement for you. I’ve done everything a brother could possibly do. Are you really going to force my hand?” I was speechless. He was right. More than half of his past girlfriends had broken up with him because of me. He smirked, finally bringing up the doll. He leaned in close, his thumb brushing against my lips. I flinched. “What do you mean by that?” “The doll, running off to Australia, and now this talk about moving out,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “Lily, you’re too young to play these games. This whole push-and-pull thing… you don’t know how to play it. Stop this. Just be the little princess of the Blackwood family. I’ll give you anything you want.” I opened my mouth to argue, but just then, his assistant’s voice came from the doorway. “Mr. Blackwood, Miss Isabelle just called. She’d like you to come over and help choose a new date for the engagement.”

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I was getting hot water for my grandfather at the hospital when a middle-aged man shoved a bedpan in front of me. “Here,” he ordered. “Go empty this, then get some warm water so I can wash my mother.” I didn’t take it. The man grabbed my arm and yanked me back. “What, are you deaf? Is this the kind of attitude you caregivers have?” he snarled. “I’ll have you know, I can file a complaint! Get your supervisor over here! Now move it, or you can forget about getting paid today!” I finally snapped. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I shouted. “Did you hire me? Are you paying me to be a caregiver?” … My grandpa had a sudden stroke and was hospitalized. Since I was on my winter break from college, I’d been by his side taking care of him. “Hey! You! The caregiver! Come feed my mother!” The man in the next bed over suddenly started ordering me around. Before I could explain, he was already shouting into his phone, complaining loudly about some problem at work. I looked at the old woman in the bed. She looked so frail, so pitiful. Seeing that I had a moment, I decided to help. “Hey! Not so fast! Give her smaller bites! What if she chokes?” “Can’t you see she doesn’t want any more? Wipe her mouth, for God’s sake!” “You lazy caregivers have no sense of hygiene, do you? Are you going to wash that towel or what?” The man kept barking orders, then gave me a hard shove. The force of it nearly sent me tumbling off the stool. A hot flame of anger shot through me. “If you’re so damn picky, why don’t you do it yourself? All you do is stand there and flap your gums! I am not a caregiver!” I threw the towel right in his face. I didn’t want to cause a scene in front of my grandpa; it wouldn’t be good for his condition. I grabbed the thermos, needing to step out and cool off. But the man lunged in front of me, trying to force the foul-smelling bedpan into my hands. “Go on. Empty this, then bring back a basin of warm water to wash my mother.” I instinctively recoiled, and the bedpan nearly clattered to the floor. “Are you disabled or just an idiot? You can’t even take care of your own mother?” “How dare you talk to me like that, you worthless caregiver?” he interrupted, his voice dripping with impatience. “If my mother wasn’t sick in this hospital, I’d beat the hell out of you right now! Now hurry up, my mom’s waiting! You keep wasting my time, and I’ll report you and get your pay docked!” I almost had to laugh at his sheer, brutish arrogance. “If you don’t get out of my way, I’m calling security and reporting you for harassment.” I tried to sidle past him. The man let out a derisive snort as if I’d told the funniest joke in the world. “Oh, I get it now,” he sneered, his eyes crawling over me. “I was wondering why a pretty young thing like you would be taking care of some old geezer. It’s for the dirty money, isn’t it?” With that, he grabbed me again, shoving the bedpan hard against my chest. “I’ll say this one last time. Empty it! Or I’ll make sure everyone in this hospital knows you’re a gold-digging whore.” This was a brand-new, limited-edition jacket! Disgusted, I knocked the bedpan away. But I used too much force, and the contents sloshed all over me. The acrid stench hit me like a physical blow, and I nearly gagged. “Are you insane? I told you, I’m not a caregiver! You’re paying for this jacket!” “You dare yell at me?” the man’s voice boomed. “I pay good money for you caregivers to take care of patients! Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that? How many old men have you scammed, huh? I’m going to find their kids and let them deal with you!” He was so close I could feel his spittle on my face, his fat finger nearly poking my nose. I felt like I was going to throw up last night’s dinner. Just as I was about to call for a doctor, he beat me to it, playing the victim. He seized my wrist, dragging me out into the hallway and bellowing at the top of his lungs. “Everyone, come and see! This is the new breed of caregiver! They prey on the elderly, trying to sleep their way into an inheritance!” Doors opened. A few patients and their families poked their heads out, their faces curious. The man’s voice grew even louder, his grip on my wrist like a vice. The Head Nurse hurried over. “What’s going on? Who’s shouting?” The man immediately pointed a triumphant finger at me. “Head Nurse, this caregiver of yours is completely out of line! I asked her to do a simple task, and not only did she refuse, she threatened to call the police on me!” The Head Nurse glanced at me, and within seconds, her brow furrowed. She shot me a look of pure disdain, as if I were some unruly teenager who’d disrespected a patient’s family. She glared at me. “Which agency are you from? Where’s your ID badge?” “I’m not a caregiver! I’m a family member!” I repeated, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. I’d lost count of how many times I’d said it. “Bullshit!” the man spat. “You think saying you’re not a caregiver absolves you of all responsibility? If you weren’t a caregiver, why would you be waiting on that old man? Why would you offer to feed my mother?” He gestured wildly at me, spittle flying. Then he turned to the Head Nurse, his voice taking on a threatening tone. “If you don’t handle this today and give me a satisfactory answer, I’ll make sure this hospital’s name is dragged through the mud!” He pulled out his phone and started recording both of us. The Head Nurse panicked, immediately trying to placate him with hushed, apologetic tones. But the look she gave me was venomous. She grabbed the front of my jacket, shoving me so hard I almost fell to my knees. “You’re so young,” she hissed, her voice low and filled with contempt. “No education, so you have to work as a caregiver. And you can’t even behave yourself. I’ve seen a hundred girls just like you. I’m giving you one last chance. Apologize to him right now! If you can’t resolve this, no hospital in this city will ever hire you again!” The man gloated beside her. “You hear that? The Head Nurse has given you an order!” The onlookers were getting more agitated. “Are the standards for caregivers really this low now? Don’t they do any background checks?” “Jeez, you pay hundreds of dollars a day for a caregiver, and they have the nerve to act like this?” “She needs to be reported! Blacklisted from the entire industry!” … I was about to explode from the sheer injustice of it all. “Are you all crazy? I told you, I’m not a caregiver!” My desperate shout earned me only a moment of silence. Then, the man did something that stunned me into silence. He picked up the bedpan and smashed it over my head. The remaining foul liquid dripped down through my hair. “Still talking back, are you!” The sudden, vicious attack left me reeling. My head was ringing, my mind blank with shock and humiliation, utterly unable to formulate a response. He planted his hands on his hips and continued his tirade. “Go on, keep pretending! I’ve seen your type of caregiver before! Always trying to slack off!” “Let me tell you, if you don’t make me happy today, I’m going to stand right here and shout until everyone in this hospital knows what a disgrace you are!” The crowd was a buzz of voices, some trying to calm him down. The Head Nurse stood over me, her words a relentless pressure. But the noise around me was fading, becoming a distant, muffled roar. Just as a primal urge to hit back surged through me, a familiar figure appeared, leaning on a nurse’s arm. “Grandpa!” All the anger and humiliation vanished in an instant. I scrambled to help him. But he slapped my hand away with a look of pure disgust. “Who the hell are you?” he roared, his voice surprisingly strong. “You dare bully my granddaughter? I’ll kill you!” For a second, I just froze. The crowd erupted into a fresh wave of murmurs. Seeing my grandpa, so full of righteous fury, yet looking at me like I was a complete stranger… it hurt more than all the false accusations combined. “Grandpa, it’s me! It’s Lily!” I cried. “Right before you got sick, you promised you’d buy me candy!” I wiped my soiled hands as best I could and pulled a small, worn charm from my pocket. “Look! This is the lucky charm you got for me!” A few years ago, I’d been very sick. Grandpa had gone to the old chapel on the hill, climbing every single step on his knees to pray for this for me. But the sight of the charm only agitated him more. He snatched it from my hand, his eyes wide with anger. “You thief! You stole my granddaughter’s charm!” he yelled, pointing a trembling finger at me. “I knew you were no good! Hanging around me all day, acting so sweet! Tell me! Where did you take my granddaughter? What have you done with her?” He was so worked up that he started to sway. The medical staff quickly guided him back toward his room. “The patient’s family needs to come here immediately!” a nurse called out. I tried to follow, my heart pounding with fear, but the man grabbed me again. His face was a mask of smug satisfaction. “I told you, didn’t I?” he sneered. “A girl like you, always on the make. If you want me to keep quiet and not tell his real family about you, you’ll go back in there and take proper care of my mother.” The onlookers stared, their eyes burning with judgment and disgust. “Shameless,” their expressions screamed. My hands clenched into fists, my whole body shaking. Grandpa was old, and he’d been getting more confused lately. With the stroke, it was understandable that he might not recognize me. But his condition was serious now, and I, his family, needed to be there! I gathered all my strength and shoved the man aside. “I’ll deal with you later!” I broke into a run, desperate to get to Grandpa’s room. Suddenly, my foot caught on something, and I went flying. My knees slammed into the hard tile floor, the pain so sharp it stole my breath. The man stood over me, puffing out his chest like a victorious general. “That’ll teach you to run your mouth,” he gloated. “Thinking you can just run back and torment that old man again? Not on my watch!” To my horror, some people in the crowd actually cheered. They praised the man for his “bravery,” for “setting things right.” I felt like a monkey in a cage, humiliated and filthy, surrounded by jeering faces. That was it. I was done. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

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1 After the miscarriage, I found new ways each day to torment Sebastian. I watched the cronut—one he’d searched all over New York to find—hit the floor for the third time. A faint smile still touched Sebastian’s lips. “You know, darling,” he said lightly, “you really are a handful.” He casually picked up the ruined pastry. “Jane heard about your miscarriage. She was so worried it would upset me that she… took care of her own little situation.” He paused, letting the words land. “You both lost a child. But the moment she was out of surgery, she was back home, doing my laundry, cooking for me, charming my business partners at dinner. Sweet as a kitten.” He looked at me, something unreadable in his eyes. “Not like you, ordering me around a hundred times a day.” Sebastian ruffled my hair as if I were a child, then told his assistant to buy ten different desserts. “But,” he grinned, “that fiery spirit is exactly what I love about you.” I stood frozen, a metallic taste of blood in my throat. In that shattering moment, I finally saw how pathetic I must have looked, boasting to other corporate wives that my Sebastian would never cheat. … “Lindsay, don’t look at me like that.” Sebastian sighed, gently brushing a stray strand of hair from my forehead. “It was a business dinner. Mr. Harrison set us all up with some aspiring models. I wasn’t going to touch her, I swear. But Jane told me… she said if I didn’t take her, the next man might be some old lech, a fat slob, or worse, someone who’d hurt her.” “The girl was in a pitiful state,” he said, his voice laced with false nobility. “I just let her stay with me. It wasn’t a betrayal.” The air conditioning was set to a comfortable 72 degrees, but a violent shiver wracked my body. Tears welled in my eyes, but my smile was pure acid. “You got her pregnant, and you’re telling me it’s not a betrayal? What is it then, Sebastian? A fucking charity project? Or just you getting your kicks on the side!” The shout ripped from my lungs, and a sharp, twisting pain shot through my lower abdomen. Panic flashed across Sebastian’s face. He rushed me to the sofa and pressed a glass of warm water into my hand. “You just had a miscarriage. You need to be careful.” He rubbed his hands together, blowing on them until they were warm, then gently placed them on my stomach. A faint warmth seeped through my clothes, and for a heart-stopping second, I was transported back five years, to a winter that felt just as cold as this one. We were crammed into a shoebox apartment in the heart of the city. A hundred square feet against the glittering, merciless New York winter. Sebastian would clutch a glass of boiling water, hissing through the pain as it scalded his palms, just so he could warm my hands, my feet, my belly. No matter how brutal the winter, he kept me warm. The memory softened the hard edges of my rage. I sniffled, my resolve wavering just enough to give him a chance to explain himself. “Darling, my relationship with Jane is like… a man and his cat. I saw this poor creature, took her in, and now she’s fiercely loyal. That’s all there is to it.” He continued, his tone infuriatingly reasonable. “Jane’s a good girl. She knows her place. She even swore that if she ever got pregnant again, she’d… take care of it… unless it was a girl, so it would never threaten your position.” Sebastian shrugged, a casual, easy smile on his face. “Which works for me. I’ve always wanted a daughter. A sweet, obedient one, just like Jane.” That was his explanation. They had slept together. They had created a child together. They were already dreaming of a future daughter together. And none of that counted as betrayal. My stomach churned violently. I summoned every ounce of strength I had left and slapped him across the face. A sob caught in my throat, choking off my words. The slap was hard. A thin trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He calmly wiped it away with a handkerchief, his eyes darkening. “Lindsay, go ahead and ask any of your friends in the socialite circle. Ask them about the mistresses of other CEOs. They’re all nightmares. Some of them show up on the wife’s doorstep, others are popping out sons left and right to fight for the inheritance.” He leaned in closer. “Jane is quiet. She loves me, and she respects you. What’s so hard to accept? Get rid of her, and the next one might not be so manageable. Then you’ll really have something to cry about.” It took me a moment to process the true meaning behind his words. He was telling me that if it wasn’t Jane, it would just be someone else. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment his heart had turned. “Sebastian,” I began, my voice trembling, “if you don’t love me anymore, we should just get a—” His lips crashed down on mine, silencing me. It was a deep, desperate kiss. When he finally pulled away, he was breathless. He lit a cigarette, the flame illuminating a wild, reckless smile. “We’ve been through ten years of hell and back together. How could I not love you?” He took a long drag. “Lindsay, think of it like a meal. You like a little sweet with your savory, right? I’m the same. A little bit of spice like you, and a little bit of sweetness like Jane… it keeps things from getting boring.” He said he still loved me. Cheating was just… diversifying his palate. But real love doesn’t get boring. Sebastian glanced at his watch and shrugged on his overcoat. Like nothing had happened, he leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I’ve got another dinner with Harrison tonight. You be a good girl and wait for me to come home.” He left with a spring in his step. I never used to understand why he seemed so happy to go to those “business dinners.” I always pictured them as a chore: forced smiles, endless toasts, tedious negotiations. I thought his happiness came from closing a deal, from earning the money that would give our baby and me a better life. Today, I finally understood. Their “business” was a blur of booze, bullshitting, and young models. Of course he was happy. This world of cheap champagne and expensive lies was where Sebastian had rotted from the inside out. My hands trembled as I opened the tracking app my friend had insisted I install on his phone. I’d once thought I would never, ever use it. But now… I needed to see. I needed to know what kind of temptation could shatter eight years of love so easily. Through the app’s remote camera, I saw him. In a private room, half-hidden by a screen, a group of executives laughed and joked. Sebastian was right there with them. Mr. Harrison pushed a glass of whiskey toward him. My first instinct was to burst in and stop them. In the early days of the company, we were dirt poor. He never let me go without my favorite cronuts, but he lived on instant ramen for three years straight. As the business grew, he pushed himself too hard, drinking his way through deals until he developed a stomach ulcer and started coughing up blood. His stomach was shot. One drink was agony. But before I could move, the girl beside him—Jane—acted faster. She snatched the glass and downed the entire thing in one go. Her pretty, pale face contorted in pain. It was obvious she couldn’t handle her liquor, but she’d taken the hit for him. She placed the empty glass back in Mr. Harrison’s hand, her smile shy. “I’ll be drinking for Mr. Vaughn tonight,” she said softly. “And to keep everyone entertained, I’ll dance for you. All I ask is that you gentlemen don’t push him to drink.” Without a second thought, she began to dance in the center of the room. She bent backward, dropped into the splits, spun like a top—a desperate puppet with no dignity left. The scene was sickeningly familiar. Five years ago, Sebastian landed a massive contract. For us, back then, it was a life-changing deal, the kind that meant we’d finally made it. At the dinner, the client, drunk and sloppy, slurred, “I hear your lovely Lindsay was the top-ranked arts student in the country. How about this: if she does a little pole dance for us, I’ll sign the contract right now.” The humiliation was a physical blow, but for Sebastian’s future, I thought it was worth it. But when I returned in the dance outfit, I found Sebastian screaming at the client. He’d smashed a glass, flipped the table, and thrown a punch. He spent three days in a holding cell and lost the deal completely. I cried, calling him a fool. But he just kissed away my tears. “Don’t be silly, Lindsay. Money bought with your dignity isn’t money I want.” His voice was a low whisper against my ear. “I’m going to buy you the most beautiful penthouse in this entire city, and I’m going to do it with clean money…” Tears blurred my vision, snapping me back to the present. The same scenario, but so, so different. The Sebastian I knew would never let me debase myself at a dinner table. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe Jane was just a pet to him, an obedient little thing he kept around. He didn’t love these other women. Eight years of love fought a brutal war against my own moral code. I couldn’t accept this grotesque mockery of a marriage, but I couldn’t bear to lose the man I’d loved for nearly a decade. I was desperately, pathetically trying to lie to myself: He feels differently about me than he does about her. I’m the one he truly loves. The next sound I heard was a glass shattering. Sebastian had grabbed Jane’s wrist, stopping her mid-spin. “You’re my woman,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I barely get to see enough of you myself. Why the hell should you dance for them?” He shot a venomous, smiling glare at Mr. Harrison, his tone pure steel. “Harrison, if I ever catch you making a spectacle of Jane again, consider your lease on the Northgate property terminated.” His voice dropped, each word a threat. “She’s my woman. Not your plaything.” I gasped for air, my legs threatening to give out from under me. Mr. Harrison was one of Sebastian’s most critical business partners. Tearing up that contract would be mutually destructive. For a girl like Jane, Sebastian was willing to gamble with the one thing he valued most: his empire. I couldn’t watch anymore. Wiping away tears, I fled. Back home, I sat on the couch in the dark, waiting. Waiting for Sebastian to come home. Waiting for the final, soul-destroying confrontation. But Sebastian never came. Instead, a friend request popped up on my phone. The profile picture was a fluffy little lamb. The username was “Little Lamb.” It had to be Jane. The second I accepted, a picture came through. It was our bed. On it, Sebastian was asleep next to another woman. My heart seized. I typed with shaking fingers. “What is this? Are you trying to tell me he has other women besides you?” Jane sent a smirking emoji, followed by a message. “Oh, no, nothing like that.” “I just had my procedure, so I can’t really… take care of Sebastian. And you know how strong his needs are. So, I just found a clean girl for him.” Her words shattered what little was left of my sanity. To please Sebastian, she would go this far? She was a psychopath. A complete and utter lunatic. Rage burned through me. But another message arrived before I could reply. “But he didn’t even touch her.” “He gave her some money and told her to get lost. He said… besides me, he doesn’t want anyone else.” “Lindsay, when you were pregnant, he couldn’t control himself and came to me. But now, for my sake, he can resist temptation. Tell me, which one of us do you think he loves more?” I wanted to scream at this shameless woman, but I didn’t even have the strength to type. I curled into a ball on the sofa, tears streaming silently down my face. This was all a game to her. She was showing off. Showing off how, after her abortion, Sebastian stayed by her side, while he ignored dozens of my messages. Showing off how Sebastian could betray me—his first love, his wife—for her, and then, for her sake, remain faithful and never touch another woman. I bit my lip, fueled by a bitter, desperate need to wound her back. I sent a scathing reply: “Don’t be an idiot. If Sebastian really loved you, would he have made you get an abortion just because I miscarried?” The dark screen of my phone reflected my own twisted face, contorted with jealousy. Before I could sink into my self-loathing, her response came. “I think you’re the idiot here.” “You see, I didn’t have an abortion. I miscarried. It happened at that business dinner, after I drank too much for Sebastian’s sake. He cried all night, holding me and telling me how sorry he was.” “To make it up to me, he put something in the milk you drank every night. That’s why you started bleeding, why you miscarried. He said it was his compensation to me. That the firstborn heir of the Vaughn family could only come from me.” Clatter. The ceramic mug slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. I felt hollowed out, a ghost in my own home. I stumbled numbly towards the door, needing to find Sebastian, to demand an explanation. Only then did I look down and see the trail of blood I was leaving behind me. Shards of ceramic were embedded in the soles of my feet. A raw, animalistic sob tore from my throat. It wasn’t the glass in my feet that hurt. It was the shards in my heart.

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A week before Christmas, I was fired. In the biting December wind, I ran to my best friend’s house, my vision blurred by hot tears. “Stella, my boss stole my concept and made me the scapegoat! I swear, I hope he gets stuck in holiday gridlock with explosive diarrhea!” Through my tears, I reached out and grabbed what I thought was my best friend’s waist. It felt remarkably solid, hard, and a bit broader than usual. I looked up, blinking through my tears. “Did you grow taller?” Stella’s voice floated from across the room. “You’re hugging the wrong person, Hazel. That’s my brother.” 1 You really couldn’t blame me. What kind of grown man wears a fluffy, neon pink cartoon pajama set? After wiping my eyes and shoving my glasses back onto my face, the image came into sharp focus. Sitting on the sofa was a man with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and endlessly long legs. He possessed a cold, aloof face that looked like it belonged on a high fashion billboard. Somehow, he made that ridiculous pink fleece look like haute couture. I forced a strained smile. “Rowan, when did you get back from London?” Rowan tilted his head slightly, his gaze dark. “Just now.” No wonder he looked exhausted. Jet lag. Clearly, my timing was terrible. I stood up to leave, but Stella grabbed my arm. “Look at the blizzard outside. You can’t even get an Uber. Where are you going to go?” Without waiting for an answer, she tossed a fluffy neon green pajama set at me. “Here, matching family outfits. I bought one for you too. You’re sleeping in my bed tonight.” I stared at the neon green monstrosity in my hands. It was the exact same style as Rowan’s. Except his was “Macho Pink” and mine was “True Love Green.” I hesitated. Putting this on felt like a permanent vow of celibacy. Before I could react, the pajamas were snatched from my hands. Rowan stood up. At six foot three, his presence cast a heavy shadow over me. Right in front of my eyes, he stripped off his pink pajama top, revealing a chiseled torso with an absolutely sinful eight pack. Before I could properly appreciate the view, he swiftly pulled on the green top. “You wear the pink one.” He shoved his discarded pink top into my hands. It was still warm from his body heat, carrying his signature scent of crisp cedarwood and winter air. The heat radiating from the fabric flushed my cheeks instantly. Rowan was already heading up the stairs. He threw a final sentence over his shoulder. “I need to catch up on sleep. Try not to demolish the house, you two.” I buried half my face into the pink fleece, whispering to Stella. “Is your brother into me?” Stella rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “I told you to make a move years ago and you said it wasn’t appropriate. Well, now it’s too late.” 2 Rowan had returned to the States for a blind date. An arranged marriage setup. The prospective bride was Victoria, the only daughter of the biggest venture capital firm partnering with Rowan’s family. Ivy League educated, brilliant, and drop dead gorgeous. She was immaculate from her manicured toes to the crown of her head. The rumor was that the parents had set it up. If they clicked, an engagement would be announced before the New Year. Equal status, powerful families. A perfect alliance. The thought of this absolute god of a man becoming someone else’s husband made my chest tighten until I couldn’t breathe. The pain of being framed and fired was nothing compared to this. Stella showed no mercy, delivering the final blow. “You coward. I told you to confess, but you kept making excuses. Look at you now. Your dream guy is getting married, and the bride isn’t you.” I mumbled something pathetic, thinking to myself: With my background, even if I had the guts to confess, would he ever look my way? I was just being realistic. A wet, handsome head poked out over the second floor railing. “Stella, come find me some clothes.” “Busy!” Stella shouted without looking up from her phone. “Ask Hazel to do it!” Silence from above. I panicked and started to decline. Stella yelled up the stairs, “Hazel won’t help you either. Just stay naked!” A long pause followed. Then, Rowan’s voice drifted down. “Hazel.” His low, magnetic voice had a hook in it, coiling around my eardrums. “Please.” 3 I was a regular at the house, but I had never stepped foot into Rowan’s bedroom. Fortunately, the layout was familiar. I opened his walk in closet. It was filled with rows of identical loungewear, differentiated only by subtle shades and fabric textures. Before I entered, Rowan had ducked into the master bathroom. I called out, “Rowan, what color do you want?” “Anything.” I grabbed a white set. The bathroom door cracked open, and I passed the clothes through the sliver of space. A moment later. “I don’t like this one.” Fine. I grabbed a black set. As I pulled it off the shelf, the hem of a shirt caught on a delicately wrapped box. The box tumbled to the plush carpet, popping open. A corner of an envelope peeked out. The envelope looked incredibly familiar. I gently pulled it out and felt like I had been struck by lightning. It was the love letter I had written to Rowan back in high school. “What are you looking at?” Rowan had stepped out of the bathroom and was leaning against the doorframe, watching me. Startled, my hands moved faster than my brain. I shoved the envelope up my sleeve. “Nothing,” I stammered, gripping the box like it was an active explosive. “Rowan, what’s in this box?” “Old things. I don’t remember.” A wave of relief washed over me. Thank God he didn’t remember. He walked past me, plucking the black clothes from my frozen hands. He was wearing nothing but a low slung white towel around his hips. Droplets of water dripped from his damp hair, sliding down his chest and disappearing beneath the edge of the towel. “Are you planning to stay and watch me change?” Rowan’s fingers moved to the knot of the towel. I dropped the box and bolted from the room. 4 Rowan was Seattle’s newest, most successful tech mogul. The golden boy. As for me, to put it nicely, I was from a single parent household. To put it bluntly, I was a wild kid nobody wanted. Rowan was the bright moon in the sky. I was the stray cat in the alley. My love for him felt like an insult to his status. But I didn’t always have this kind of self awareness. Back in high school, when I became friends with Stella through an academic decathlon, everyone whispered that I was a social climber, latching onto a rich girl to change my destiny. Young and arrogant, I wore my courage like armor. The gossip didn’t affect me. Stella and I walked to school together, studied together, and complained about the cafeteria food together. In our senior year, we won the national science championship together. Stella said to me, “Thanks to the genius for carrying me.” I replied, “Thanks to the heiress for buying my lunch.” Standing on that podium, I crushed every insulting word ever thrown at me beneath my worn out sneakers. That was also the day I met Rowan for the first time. 5 We used our prize money to throw ourselves a tiny celebration. We ate street tacos and drank cheap soda. At two in the morning, Stella and I were sitting on the curb in our school uniforms, looking like two abandoned garden gnomes. Rowan’s sleek black car pulled up right in front of us. Long legs, tailored dark suit, the wind catching his hair under the warm glow of the streetlights. He bent down, looking at Stella and me the way someone looks at two stray puppies. I hiccuped. I hadn’t had a drop of alcohol, but I felt completely intoxicated. “Stella, this guy is gorgeous. I want to kiss him.” Stella looked up, let out a piercing shriek, grabbed my arm, and dragged me down the street. I didn’t understand. “Why are we running? I haven’t even gotten his number yet!” Stella gasped, “Are you trying to die? That’s my brother!” The result was the two of us cornered in a dark alley by Rowan. He grabbed us each by the scruff of the neck and threw us into the back of his car. We got a brutal lecture for staying out all night. I don’t remember a single word he said. My entire brain was chanting: God, he’s so hot. I really want to kiss him. By then, he was a junior at Stanford, already launching his first startup, a rising star in the business world. With his brilliant mind, stunning looks, and elite background, he naturally attracted a legion of admirers. I whispered to Stella, “Can I try to pursue your brother?” Stella was adamant. “Yes! Go get him! Seduce him!” Fearless, I actually wrote a love letter and secretly slipped it into his jacket pocket. Silence. I refused to give up. I wrote a second one. Before I could deliver it, my backpack was snatched by Brooke, the school bully, on my way home. Laughing, she pulled out the medication I had just bought for my grandmother. Three hundred dollars a box. Insurance didn’t cover it. I had used all my prize money to buy six boxes. A six month supply. It was my grandmother’s lifeline. Brooke put her boot on the box. One hard press, and the capsules would be crushed. “Look at you, dreaming of dating Rowan. Do you really think you deserve him?” She held the other five boxes hostage. “Want them back?” Yes. “Eat the love letter, and I’ll give them to you.” Youthful pride is both fierce and fragile. But a high school crush meant absolutely nothing compared to my grandmother’s life. I ripped the envelope open, shoved the paper into my mouth, and chewed. Along with the paper, I swallowed my affection, my courage, and my dignity. I turned around and saw Rowan standing at the end of the alley. He was bathed in sunlight, glowing as always. I stood in the shadows, utterly pathetic. I never spoke of my feelings again. I wasn’t worthy. 6 Rowan disappeared early the next morning. So, as an unemployed freeloader, I comfortably buried myself under the duvet in Stella’s guest room, staring at the ceiling and sighing. Stella swatted my arm. “Stop sighing. I’m going to go rip your ex-boss a new one.” No need. Anyone who develops software leaves behind a few hidden bugs just to survive. Near noon, my phone finally rang. Gavin, my former boss, sounded like his pants were on fire. “Hazel, I’m downstairs at your apartment. I’m picking you up for work.” I scoffed. “Gavin, did you forget you fired me? You’re the lead developer on this project now. Stay away from me.” Gavin’s voice grew more frantic, bordering on begging. “Hazel, Queen Hazel, I messed up. We have a final review with Deep Blue Capital today. If you don’t help me present the backend, I’m finished!” “Thirty thousand dollars. Deposit it now.” Gavin ground his teeth. “Deal.” Hanging up, Stella looked at me with pure disdain. “And you were cursing him with diarrhea? You’re the ruthless one here. But… do you know who owns Deep Blue Capital?” I didn’t. But I found out very quickly. In the Deep Blue conference room, I took a seat behind Gavin. I looked up and met Rowan’s freezing cold eyes. My heart did a backflip. Hiding behind Gavin, I did a quick Google search on my phone. Deep Blue Capital. CEO: Rowan Pierce. I didn’t know what was wrong with him today, but he stared at me the entire time, looking like he wanted to burn holes through my skull. I sat on pins and needles, presenting the project while desperately trying to recall if I had done anything to offend him last night. I didn’t think so. “Ms. Davis, I understand you recently lost your job. What is your relationship with Mr. Gavin?” After the presentation, Rowan’s first question silenced the entire room. I thought about it. The most likely scenario was that he knew I had cursed out my boss last night, and now I was here presenting with him. To a client like Deep Blue, that screamed instability. Thinking of the thirty thousand dollars I hadn’t even warmed in my pocket yet, I took a deep breath and explained. “Gavin is my boyfriend. Yesterday, we just had a lover’s quarrel about personal matters. It has nothing to do with the project. You can trust our stability, Mr. Pierce.” Taking my cue, Gavin nodded frantically. “Yes, exactly! Just a minor spat between a couple. I apologize for any confusion it caused.” To sell the lie, Gavin reached over and grabbed my hand, playing the role of the reconciled lover. Rowan said absolutely nothing. He stood up coldly and walked out of the conference room. The rest of the executives were stunned. They exchanged glances: Do we sign this contract or not?

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