Author: Momo Chan

My husband, Sterling Vance, gave his new secretary a diamond necklace worth over a hundred thousand dollars. The little secretary posted a picture of it on Instagram, bragging: [Hard work pays off. A persistent heart will never be let down. I’ll keep doing my best, my dear CEO!] My assistant forwarded the post to me. I forwarded it to Sterling: [A hundred grand is pocket change. How much do you consider ‘real money,’ Mr. Vance?] Sterling: [Over a million, I guess.] Me: [Transfer two million to my account within one minute. Memo: Voluntary Gift.] Sterling: [Stop playing games, babe.] Then, he received a video. In the video, I smashed his favorite antique Ming vase. Exactly two million dollars’ worth. 1 Sterling called immediately. “Do you know how expensive that vase was? What the hell are you doing?” “Sterling, was my message not clear enough?” I glanced at the Patek Philippe on my wrist. “You have thirty-four seconds left. I’m standing in front of that 19th-century oil painting in your study. You know what happens next.” The call ended abruptly. Twenty seconds later, a notification from my bank showed a transfer of two million dollars. I sent him a photo. In it, his favorite painting lay on the floor, slashed to ribbons. [The vase was a warning. The painting is a punishment.] [Sterling, you are a married man.] This time, Sterling didn’t call back. Not even a text. I knew he was furious. But I didn’t care. Marriages in our circle are business mergers. If love happens, it’s a bonus. If not, it’s just business as usual. Sterling and I were somewhere in the middle. We didn’t hate each other when we first met, but we weren’t in love either. That set the tone. We had the grand wedding, the socialite spectacle. On our wedding night, we slept in separate rooms and politely wished each other goodnight. It wasn’t until six months later that we finally slept together—and I was the one who initiated it. The Vance family is old money, refined and uptight. Sterling grew up cold and detached. My family, the Sullivans, came from the streets. My dad built his empire with grit and bare knuckles. We don’t do subtle. We do direct. So I never believed in love at first sight. Sterling and I grew on each other. I loved him, and he loved me. But we were rational people. Love wasn’t our priority. But this little secretary had touched a nerve. Her blatant showing off stung my eyes. I don’t allow anyone to covet what’s mine. Not even a glance. But I also knew that the more you suppress something, the harder it fights back. Especially with a man like Sterling. That evening, Sterling texted me. [Business dinner tonight. Won’t be home.] I didn’t reply. I focused on my work. At 8 PM, my best friend, Blair, sent me a photo. It was taken at a high-end restaurant. Sterling was sitting there, and next to him was a young girl. She was dressed to impress, hair and makeup done professionally. She had that sunny, innocent vibe, complete with cute dimples. Blair: [What’s the situation? Why did your man bring a kid to a business dinner? Did you guys fight?] My assistant sent me a screenshot at the same time. The little secretary had posted on Instagram again. [Attending a high-end gala. Feeling one step closer to my dream life, thanks to a great mentor.] The photo was a selfie. She was beaming, her dimples deep. The diamond necklace around her neck was blinding. Behind her, Sterling—usually camera-shy—was watching her take the selfie with a faint smile. His eyes held a look of indulgence that betrayed his thoughts. I remembered his previous secretary. She got fired on the spot just for replying to a work text during a business dinner. But now, Sterling was not only tolerating this girl’s selfie obsession but actively participating in it, using his status to boost hers. He knew my best friend was at that dinner. He was acting this brazenly because I had smashed his vase and slashed his painting earlier. He knew I would see the photo. He knew I would see her post. He did it to spite me. Unfortunately for him, when it comes to revenge, the entire Vance family combined couldn’t hold a candle to me. I texted Sterling: [Care to explain the person sitting next to you?] Five minutes passed. No reply. I texted Blair: [Is he checking his phone?] Blair replied instantly: [He looked at it, but didn’t type. Are you grilling him?] I texted Sterling again: [Answer me. I know you saw it.] Still nothing. [I’ll give you one last chance. If I don’t see a reply in ten seconds, you bear the consequences.] Ten seconds later, I sent him a photo. Sterling replied instantly: [Sarah, what the hell are you doing?] Blair texted me: [Holy crap! What did you send him? His face just went white. Like, ghost white.] I sent Blair a devil emoji: [Watch the show.] The photo I sent Sterling was of an old, yellowing pink envelope. It looked like something a high schooler would cherish. It was a love letter from Sterling’s first love. The girl who pushed him out of the way of a speeding truck in high school and died in his place. That letter was the last thing she left him. He valued it more than his life. I suddenly realized that the new secretary looked vaguely like that girl. So, the great CEO Sterling Vance was playing the “replacement” game. He was projecting his dead first love onto this intern. Seeing no reply from me, Sterling texted again. [Don’t touch it!] Even the punctuation screamed panic. [Sterling, call me.] He obeyed. The phone rang immediately. His voice was low. “Stop it, Sarah. Can we talk about this when I get home?” “Put me on speaker.” “What are you doing?” “I said, speaker!” Sterling had no choice. “Sorry to interrupt everyone’s dinner, but I heard our CEO brought a newbie to the table tonight. Just calling to confirm.” Sterling’s voice was tense. “Sarah, it’s not what you think. It’s strictly professional. Don’t misunderstand.” “Is it? Which CEO gives a hundred-thousand-dollar necklace to his secretary?” “Sterling, I don’t care what your relationship is. But I want you to slap her. Right now. Twice.” “You can refuse. But you know the consequences.” 3 That night, Lily—the secretary—ran out of the restaurant crying, clutching her face. Blair blew up my phone all night. [Babe, that was a show! Dinner is on me next time!] [Omg! Your husband has a heavy hand. Those slaps looked painful.] [Is this girl part of some kink you guys have?] [Everyone’s gonna talk about this tomorrow. If I were her, I’d want to die.] [Girl, teach me your ways of husband management!] I replied casually: [It’s simple. Just don’t love him, and you can control him.] Blair lost interest: [Never mind then. I can’t do that.] Of course she couldn’t. She and her husband were childhood sweethearts who still called each other “honey bear” in public. It was nauseating. [By the way, your husband looked murderous all night. Is he gonna fight you when he gets home?] [Fight? Who’s beating whom?] Blair sent a “be gentle” gif and went silent. Half an hour later, Sterling stormed into the house. He burst into the bedroom, grabbing my wrist, eyes blazing. “Where is it?” I stared at him, silent. “Sarah, where is the letter?” I kept staring. After a minute of standoff, he crumbled. He sat on the bed, head in hands. “I did what you asked. I humiliated myself tonight. She could sue me for assault. What more do you want?” “Did I make you humiliate yourself? Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” Silence. Then Sterling spoke. “She’s just a college grad. There’s really nothing going on. How can I make you believe me?” “Sterling, belief isn’t about what you say. It’s about what you do.” “A hundred grand isn’t much to you, but to a normal family, that’s life-changing money. Don’t tell me you don’t know that.” “You casually give that kind of money to another woman and expect me not to care?” “I saw her crying because she messed up a report. I just wanted to comfort her. It was a spare gift I had lying around. I have no feelings for her.” “A spare gift worth a luxury car? You give that to a girl fresh out of college, and you don’t think she’ll get the wrong idea?” “If you hadn’t enabled her, would she have posted that on Instagram? Did she think I wouldn’t see it?” “You took her to dinner, let her sit in my seat. How does that look to outsiders? How does that make me feel?” “She took selfies at a business dinner, and you didn’t stop her. You even posed for her. Did you think about how I would make you lose face then?” “You fired previous secretaries for less. Why did you spare her?” “Your indulgence gave her the courage to provoke me. Your special treatment gave her delusions.” I peeled back his layers. “I saw her resume. She’s unqualified. You hired her because she looks like the girl who saved your life.” “Sterling, you’re using a replacement to relive your past with a dead girl, aren’t you?” Sterling went silent. The air pressure in the room dropped to zero. “Sterling, look at me.” He looked up, meeting my eyes. I cupped his face and kissed him firmly. “I love you. Now tell me, do you love me?” His voice was hoarse. “I do.” I pulled the yellowed envelope from the drawer. “I wasn’t part of your past, but I don’t want to miss your future.” I placed the letter in his hand. “I love you, so I won’t touch the past you cherish. But don’t make me stop loving you, okay?” Sterling’s breathing grew heavy. He flipped us over, pinning me to the bed, burying his face in my neck like a starving wolf. “Sterling, this is the first time. And the last time.” He moved frantically. “I promise. Never again.” 4 Lily became the office joke. Usually, assistants rotated for events. But since Lily’s “promotion,” she had monopolized Sterling’s schedule. Lily skipped work the next day. When my assistant presented the absentee report to Sterling, he signed it without hesitation. Everyone knew the little secretary’s glory days were over. Lily was transferred out of the executive suite to the front desk. She was banned from the lobby whenever Sterling was in the building. Her salary was slashed. Rumors flew. Everyone knew the “Iron Lady” wife had forced the CEO to slap his mistress in public. Before this, people bet Lily would be the next Mrs. Vance. Now, those rumors vanished like smoke. The consensus was clear: covet the throne, and you die a painful death. Lily became a pariah. I’m a vengeful person. You aim for what’s mine, you pay the price. I instructed my assistant to file for Lily’s termination. HR signed off immediately. But I underestimated Lily. I didn’t expect Sterling to have told her about his first love. He rarely even spoke of it to me. When Lily came to pack her things, she wore a pale yellow dress and white canvas shoes—the dead girl’s signature look. She “accidentally” bumped into Sterling in the elevator. Before he could speak, her tears shattered his defenses. In his office, a tearful Lily stood behind Sterling as he raged at my assistant. “I pay your salary, and you use the power I gave you to target my people? Are you insane?” My assistant stood firm. “Mr. Vance, who is ‘your people’?” Sterling faltered. He didn’t want to answer that. “You’re fired. Pack your things. Lily will take your position.” That night, Sterling exploded at me for the first time. “What gives you the right to drive her away? Because of your petty jealousy? Are you insecure because she’s younger?” “Don’t think being my wife lets you do whatever you want. You crossed a line!” He grabbed a vase and smashed it at my feet, then stormed out. “Sarah, you’ve disappointed me.” The door slammed. I stared at the closed door, expressionless. I picked up a sharp shard of the vase. Holding it tight, I slashed a long gash down my own arm. Blood dripped from my fingertips onto the floor, blooming like dark flowers. Sterling, if you want war, I won’t be polite.

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My mother was in end-stage kidney failure. To save her, my father emptied his life savings. My brother donated a kidney without a second thought. Even my elderly grandmother dragged her frail body to the hospital to care for her day and night. But on the day she was discharged, my mother picked up a kitchen knife and hacked my father, brother, and grandmother to death. I survived only because I was away at boarding school. After killing them, my mother vanished without a trace. The police searched everywhere but found nothing. The case went cold. No one could understand why my mother, who had always been gentle and kind, would slaughter the family that loved her so dearly. Until my wedding day. My mother walked into the ceremony, knife in hand… 1 “Elara, I know this is hard for you, but you don’t have to drop out.” “You’re the top student at the Police Academy. Giving up now is a waste of your talent.” Professor Thorne looked at my withdrawal form, his voice filled with concern. I didn’t hesitate. “As long as my mother’s case remains unsolved, I can’t focus on anything else.” Thorne sighed. “The department has prioritized this case. A special task force was formed, but there are simply no leads.” “I’ve been analyzing it myself. I’ve consulted on hundreds of cases, but this one… it makes no sense. Your family was known for being close. Your mother had no history of violence. Why would she do this?” Professor Thorne was a legend in criminal psychology. He had helped solve impossible cases for decades. Yet, even he was stumped by my mother’s actions and disappearance. “I’m quitting school to investigate this myself,” I said. “Elara, don’t be impulsive. She’s your mother, yes, but she killed three people. She’s dangerous. Investigating alone is reckless.” Tears welled up in my eyes. The image of the mother who used to brush my hair, now a wanted fugitive, broke my heart. “If she comes for me, good. Then I can ask her why.” My mother, Grace, had always been the heart of our home. She preached that family was everything. I couldn’t reconcile that woman with the monster who destroyed us. 2 I moved back into the empty house. The silence was deafening. The faint metallic scent of old blood still lingered in the air. I sat on the couch, staring at the family portrait on the wall. My heart felt like it had been carved out. My parents had been deeply in love. Dad was frugal but would spend a fortune on a dress if Mom liked it. When she got sick, he worked three jobs to buy her the best supplements. Grandma treated Mom like her own daughter. When Mom was hospitalized, Grandma stayed by her side, wiping her face, feeding her. My brother, Noah, was our pride. He gave up a scholarship to Stanford to stay close and donate his kidney to Mom. We were the envy of the neighborhood. The perfect family. Why? I searched every inch of the house for clues. Mom’s bedside table still had Dad’s hangover pills. Dad’s side had books on post-transplant care. Grandma’s room was tidy, the jade bracelet Mom gave her stored safely in a velvet box. Noah’s room was filled with medical journals, notes on kidney health scribbled in the margins. Nothing. No secret diaries, no hidden debts, no signs of an affair. Finally, I turned to the surveillance footage. 3 I had watched this video a thousand times. The authenticity had been verified by forensics. Dad, Noah, Grandma, and Mom were eating dinner. Halfway through, Mom stood up and walked to the kitchen. She returned with a cleaver. Before anyone could react, she was swinging. The violence was brutal, efficient. She didn’t stop until they were unrecognizable. Her face was twisted in a mask of pure rage, as if she were killing her worst enemies, not her family. My family died with shock and confusion frozen on their faces. After confirming they were dead, Mom looked directly into the camera, then walked out the door. For three years, I locked myself in the house, replaying that footage. My boyfriend, Caleb, dropped out of the academy with me. He moved in, took care of me, and tried to help me solve the case. “Elara, it’s been three years. We can’t find her. The task force has given up. You need to let go.” Caleb placed a plate of food in front of me. He looked exhausted. Everyone told me to move on. They said my mother was just a psychopath who snapped. But I knew there was more. Why kill the people who saved her life? One day, while staring at the screen for the millionth time, something clicked. A detail I had missed. I stood up, shouting, “I know the truth!” 4 “What is it?” Caleb asked immediately. “Let’s get married,” I said. Caleb froze. “Now? What does that have to do with the case?” He had proposed before, wanting to take care of me, but I had always refused. “Just trust me,” I said, my eyes burning with intensity. “Announce it. Make it big. Invite influencers, reporters, livestream it. You’ll understand soon.” Caleb looked at me, saw the resolve in my eyes, and nodded. “Okay.” We set the date for two days later. The news spread like wildfire. “Elara Vance is getting married? Her mom is still at large!” “I thought she went crazy from grief. Now a wedding?” The internet buzzed with speculation. On the day of the wedding, the hall was packed. Reporters live-streamed the event. As we were about to exchange rings, she appeared. My mother stood at the entrance of the banquet hall. She was wearing a custom-made cheongsam my father had bought her years ago. In her hand was a rusty cleaver. She looked older, her eyes cold and dead. Guests screamed and scattered. The cameras zoomed in. Livestream comments exploded: “That’s the killer mom!” “She’s here to finish the job!” “Run, girl, run!” Caleb stepped in front of me protectively. I gently pushed him aside and walked toward her. “Mom,” I said calmly. “Long time no see.”

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My parents said they didn’t have the energy to raise two kids. So, they took my younger sister and moved to the city, leaving me and my grandmother behind in a rundown house in the countryside. Over a decade passed. They had everything now. But they forgot about me and Grandma. When I called, they brushed me off with vague excuses. My sister, raised like a princess, became an influencer. To gain followers, she spread rumors that I was the golden child, the one our parents favored. When angry netizens stormed our old home to confront me, they didn’t know I had already fallen into the swollen river while picking fruit for my family. I was long dead. In the morgue, my parents cried as if their hearts were being ripped out. “I’m dead. Now my sister is their only daughter. Why do they regret it?” 1 “Guys… even though Mom and Dad only love my sister, and even though she bullies me, they are still my family… blood is thicker than water!” “I’m not sad. I have to go cook dinner for my parents later to apologize. I shouldn’t be inconsiderate of my sister.” On the phone screen, my sister, Chloe, was crying beautifully, her makeup impeccable. She was live-streaming, telling her followers how much she had suffered growing up. How her older sister forced her to boil water for noodles, resulting in burns… How her parents secretly gave her sister snacks and not her… How her sister framed her, causing her to be beaten by their parents… Chloe told the stories with vivid detail, and the viewer count kept climbing. Everyone in the chat was cursing my parents and me. But what they didn’t know was that these stories were true—except the roles were reversed. I was the one being bullied. I wanted to rush over and argue with her. But my hand passed right through her shoulder. No matter how loud I screamed or tried to explain to the screen, it was useless. My hand only ruffled Chloe’s glossy, well-maintained hair. I looked at my own palms. There was no river mud, no cuts from picking fruit. I stared blankly. So, I really was dead… I remembered not long ago, the apricots in the mountains had ripened. My parents and sister hadn’t come back for the holidays in years. But this time, Grandma said they were definitely coming. I was so happy I couldn’t sleep. Before dawn, I grabbed a basket and went to pick apricots. I hadn’t spent much time with my parents or sister. I didn’t know what they liked or what they needed. But dried apricots were the best treat I knew. You can’t go wrong with good food! So, I tirelessly picked basket after basket. Dew soaked my clothes, branches scratched my hands, but I didn’t feel tired… As I headed home with a full basket, the surging river water from the flood season washed away the small bridge. I fell in. I bobbed up and down, screaming for help, but the roar of the water drowned out my voice. Finally, I sank to the bottom, vanishing as if I had never existed… “Guys, I have to go now! I have to cook for my sister and parents.” Chloe closed her laptop and walked out of the simple room that only had a bed. Outside, it was spacious and luxurious. I had never seen such a beautiful house. It had multiple floors! Compared to the house I lived in with Grandma, this place looked like a palace. Yes! Such a big house, so beautiful. But there wasn’t a single room for me or Grandma. Even though I was their child too! Even though I needed their care too. When they took my sister out of the mountains, they promised they would come back for us. But… they seemed to have forgotten that promise. Forgotten that they had another daughter who looked at the stars every night, counting the days until our reunion… “Sweetie, you’re done streaming? What do you want to eat today?” “I don’t have much of an appetite. Let’s go for Italian.” Outside the door, Mom and Dad had been waiting for a long time. They carefully helped Chloe change out of her “poor girl” costume into a beautiful designer dress. “Chloe looks so good in this! If Harper wore it, her dark skin would make it look terrible!” “With all those calluses on her hands, she’d ruin the fabric!” “Harper is nothing compared to Chloe! Not even a single strand of her hair!” They chatted happily, not forgetting to belittle me. Watching them drive away in their luxury car, my nose stung. Yeah! My hands were rough, my skin dark from the sun. I wanted to be like my sister too. But if I didn’t work the fields under the scorching sun, Grandma and I would have starved to death in the mountains. My dark skin, my thin frame, my callused hands—they all told the story of their bias. 2 Over the past few days, I tried to leave this house, but failed. I couldn’t leave them. I finally fulfilled my wish of living with Mom and Dad. Just not while I was alive. And it turned out, Mom and Dad didn’t seem to love me in their hearts either. For days, they talked about Chloe constantly, rarely mentioning me. I was the contrast to their precious daughter, the punchline when conversation lulled. They attacked my appearance, saying I was like a block of wood with no thoughts or emotions. Calling me a country bumpkin who would just get married early and have kids… Chloe’s social media account exploded because of the “parents favor the older sister” gimmick. Now, Chloe was rubbing her forehead, struggling to come up with the next video idea. Mom and Dad were brainstorming beside her. Pfft! Beside me, Mom suddenly burst out laughing. Chloe rolled her eyes in annoyance, wanting to leave but stopped by Dad. “Hahahaha! Chloe, do you remember the dried apricots Harper gave us? We still haven’t finished them! That bumpkin thought dried apricots were the best thing in the world! Hahahaha…” The whole family burst into laughter. Only me, my face pale. So, they didn’t like dried apricots. Why didn’t they tell me earlier? Maybe then I wouldn’t have lost my life… For those apricots, Grandma and I guarded them day and night. Worried about rain, worried about bugs. Just so they could eat something good. “So they don’t like them…” I murmured, blood tears rolling down my cheeks, making my pale face look even more terrifying. Even though I had become numb to them over the past few days, their words still pierced my heart like swords. Day by day, I watched how Mom and Dad loved this sister. She had bad grades and couldn’t get into high school, so they hired the best piano teacher to tutor her, planning to send her abroad as an art student. I was always in the top ten of my school. My teacher said I was the most likely student to get into a top university. But when I timidly asked them for money for tutoring, they claimed business was tight and couldn’t even spare five hundred dollars. She wanted to be an influencer, so they brainstormed ideas for her. At the amusement park, Chloe was bored with the rides. She reluctantly looked up for photos. I stared wide-eyed at the rides I had only seen on TV. When I was little, they promised to take me to the amusement park if I got perfect scores. But in the end, my certificates covered the wall, and they rarely praised me. Eventually, they stopped visiting altogether. They gave all their love to Chloe, forgetting to leave a little for me. They always said working in the city was hard, that bringing a child along was troublesome. They said it would be hard for whoever they brought. But they chose to bring the youngest, Chloe. What about me? What was I? 3 “Our Chloe was praised by her teacher again! He said she learns piano so fast!” “Chloe has fair skin, she needs to wear designer clothes!” “Chloe…” At dinner parties, Mom and Dad bragged endlessly to their business partners about how excellent Chloe was. Chloe didn’t give them face, sitting on the side playing games and swearing. But in my parents’ eyes, Chloe was cute no matter what. They hid my existence. Few of their partners knew about me. “Hey, Joe… Chloe is great, but your older daughter Harper is also good, right?” “Joe, you have another daughter? Why haven’t I heard you mention her?” “Why bring her up? Ruining such a good day! Are you doing this on purpose?” Smash! Mom threw her wine glass to the ground, shattering it. Her hysterical screaming silenced everyone. The air froze. No one knew why mentioning the older daughter would trigger such a reaction. “Sorry! Everyone, she drank too much. Please enjoy your meal, we’re leaving!” Dad smiled apologetically while dragging Mom out. The family fled in embarrassment, leaving whispers behind. “Harper is such a jinx!” “She ruined the good mood today!” “Why doesn’t she just die?!” In the car, the family blamed me for Mom’s outburst. I listened quietly. Today I truly felt how much of a disgrace my existence was to them. I was like a stain they tried their best to cover up. Thinking of this, I felt a bit happy. I even smiled. Now that I was dead, I wouldn’t be an eyesore to them anymore. And I wouldn’t make them eat dried apricots they hated. They would be happy, right? “Wow! Mom, Dad, you’re so good to me!” “You’re our child. We have the means now, who else would we treat well?” The next day, Chloe was blindfolded and taken to a large apartment. The decoration was in her favorite style, filled with clothes and toys. This was the apartment they bought for Chloe. Her graduation gift. Chloe said thank you for once. Moved to tears, my parents posted on social media about how their daughter was sensible and grateful. I stood by a pile of toys and dresses, reaching out to touch them. But my hand passed through, feeling nothing. Soft or hard? Thin or thick? Warm to wear? These clothes, I couldn’t wear in life, and couldn’t touch in death. Just like my parents’ love. Overflowing, but not for me. It always flowed to those who didn’t lack love. And I was still fantasizing that Mom and Dad would find a conscience and care about me a little. Wearing my old, ill-fitting blue shirt, I fell into the turbulent river that day. From beginning to end, I drowned in the cold water, unnoticed. I started to worry about Grandma. That small, thin old woman who saved all the good food for me. She loved me more than anyone. Maybe she was the only person in the world who still cared about me. But she had Alzheimer’s, which had gotten worse over the years. When I went to school or out, I always locked her inside. I wondered if she was hungry now, if she had a moment of clarity and realized I was gone. It was late summer, and it rained constantly in the mountains. The old house leaked, and Grandma would groan in pain, holding her rheumatic knees. The suffering Grandma and I endured, they ignored. To Mom and Dad, it seemed less important than what Chloe would eat tomorrow.

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I am the true heiress, and Caleb Vance is the true heir. During the ten years we were lost and adrift, we relied on each other for survival. We made a pact: whoever was found first would come back for the other. But when his wealthy family finally found him, he gently pushed me away. “The adopted son is here too. The car is full. I’ll come back for you next time.” I knew he wouldn’t come back. Later, he lost the battle for inheritance against the adopted son. Disheartened, he returned to find me. “Raising fish and planting trees is a life worth living,” he said. “I’m willing to spend the rest of my life like this with you.” I shook my head and waved the DNA test results in my hand. “This time, it’s my turn to go home.” “And my family doesn’t have a fake heiress.” 1 When the mayor ran up to tell me Caleb was back, I was sweating, sleeves rolled up, picking passion fruit. I froze for a second, then wiped the sweat from my forehead and smiled. “Well, make sure you treat Mr. Vance well. We’ve been struggling to find a buyer for these passion fruits.” Caleb had been gone for three years. In those three years, he never came back to see me, nor did he come to pick me up as promised. I went from heartbreak to silent disappointment, and finally to this calm smile. I guess that’s growth. Growth means focusing on reality. Caleb is a wealthy heir now. Buying my passion fruit should be easy for him, right? “Luna, aren’t you going? Maybe Caleb is here to take you away,” the mayor said, happy for me. I shook my head, squeezing a fragrant passion fruit in my hand. “No, I’m racing against time for the harvest. If I don’t pick them now, they’ll be overripe.” The mayor was surprised, but then seemed to understand. He sighed and ran down the hill. I continued to work hard with the other villagers, racing against the clock. Just as I was dizzy from the heat, I looked up and saw a thin figure standing in front of me. I paused and greeted him, “Mr. Vance, you’ve lost weight.” 2 Caleb had lost weight. I remember when he left three years ago, he was a tall, energetic boy with a handsome face that looked out of place in the countryside. Everywhere he went, he attracted attention. Now, he was thin, silent, and lifeless. The only thing that hadn’t changed was that devastatingly handsome face. Reuniting now, the first thing I looked at was still his face. He didn’t speak, just stared at me intently. His eyes were red, his lips trembling, as if he had suffered a great injustice and desperately needed a hug. I inexplicably took a step forward, then stopped. I didn’t want to hug him. In the past ten years, I had hugged him many times. He was a proud person, stubborn since childhood, never wanting to lose. Once, he fought a homeless man for half a hamburger, getting beaten bloody, just to snatch it back for me to eat. Afterwards, he cried silently in pain, and I held him all night. He clashed with villagers for his foster mother, wielding a sickle and roaring like a madman. Exhausted, he collapsed into my arms, and I held him all night. He missed his home, staring blankly at the sky in the middle of the night, and I held him all night. This ambitious boy had never left my embrace. But three years ago, he left without hesitation. 3 That day was the day Caleb and I officially led the villagers to plant passion fruit. I was on the mountain fantasizing about a bountiful harvest and making a fortune. Caleb suddenly went down the mountain and met the family he had been dreaming of. By the time I ran down excitedly, he had already finished reuniting with his family and was packing his meager belongings. I hugged him tightly, weeping with joy. “Caleb, that’s great! You’ve finally found your family!” His body stiffened, and he was silent for a moment. I was surprised and wiped my tears to look at him. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy?” He was happy, but beneath the joy in his eyes, there was a hidden emotion. “Happy,” he replied with one word, looking at the mountains outside the village. “Aren’t you busy? The villagers don’t know much about planting; you need to guide them constantly.” “Even if I’m busy, I have to come see you! Your family found you!” I didn’t catch the implication in Caleb’s words and continued talking to myself. “This is great! We’ll have money, and we can help the village develop. Perfect!” Caleb fell silent again. I finally realized something was wrong. Caleb was happy to see his family. But he wasn’t happy to see me. I pursed my lips and playfully punched him twice. “Cat got your tongue? You’re not thinking of abandoning me, are you?” I asked this jokingly. But Caleb’s tone was serious. He hesitated, his eyes flickering. “My parents adopted a son, and he came too, so…” He paused, looking away. “So, the car is full. I’ll come back for you next time.” 4 My head felt like it exploded. The car is full? I had seen that car from afar. It was huge and long, more spacious than Old Man Wang’s truck. How could it be full? I’m not stupid; I understood Caleb’s meaning immediately. But ten years of feelings are hard to let go. I really couldn’t believe it, nor did I want to. So before the tears welled up, I kept joking, “If the car is full, I can sit in the trunk, or even on the roof, haha.” My forced laughter sounded like the sharp cry of a dying duck. Caleb sighed heavily, turning his back to me. “Luna, wealthy families in reality are more exaggerated than in novels. They care more about matching social status. “I was engaged since childhood. It’s an arranged marriage; I don’t have a say.” With every word he said, my tear ducts broke down a little more. When he turned to look at me, my face was covered in tears. But he remained calm, his tone full of ambition. “I am the heir to a wealthy family, and there is a favored adopted son at home. If I take you back, you will definitely be a burden to me. “I can’t afford any mistakes. I don’t want my biological parents to think I’m an emotional loser. So, you must stay!” I was crying my heart out, unable to refute a single word. Caleb’s eyes flickered, but he still hugged me, his voice softening. “Be good, wait for me to come back for you.”

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Bullied by classmates, called a waste by my mother. With nowhere left to turn, I fell into depression and attempted suicide. My dad tried to get me a leave of absence from college, but my three uncles objected. “You’re spoiling her, that’s why she’s so dramatic.” “Hang her upside down from the balcony. Starve her for three days and nights, she’ll be fine.” I begged for mercy, but my family ignored me. My mother’s phrase, “It’s all for your own good,” explained everything. When I lay injured on the floor, unable to care for my little brother, causing him to be scalded and disfigured, I finally found release. “Mom, if I die, will I stop being a waste?” 1 “Dad, Mom, I’m dying, please let me down…” Hanging upside down was unbearable. Blood rushed to my head, my eyes throbbed with pain, and I felt like I was suffocating. “Hear that? She’s already begging!” “Depression? Suicide attempt? All fake!” My uncles laughed as they drank beer, completely ignoring my pleas. “You guys spoil her too much, that’s why she’s so pretentious.” “Now that she’s hanging from the balcony, you can’t be soft-hearted. Keep her there for at least three days and nights.” My dad looked worried, his brow furrowed deeply. “Is this… dangerous?” My mom waved her hand dismissively. “They have experience. You should listen to the experts.” Uncle Ray chuckled. “I’m a dean of discipline at a high school. I’ve seen too many students like this. Lying just to skip school, claiming depression at the drop of a hat. Where do all these dramatic kids come from?” Uncle Ben nodded in agreement. “Exactly! I took a test in the psych ward once. Basically everyone has mental issues, either depression or anxiety. As the old saying goes, ‘If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.’ Isn’t this normal?” Uncle Carl exhaled a puff of smoke. “You should learn from me. My son said he wouldn’t go to school last year. I broke his leg, and now he’s as good as gold. And my daughter, she ran away from home once. I dragged her back and beat her, and now she’s obedient. You guys just feel too sorry for the kid; she’ll walk all over you!” Hearing their words, my dad relaxed a little. Uncle Ray pointed at me sternly. “For these three days, no food, no water! Unless she says she’ll go to school, don’t let her down!” “She’s already in college and still acting like this! If you’re soft, you’ll ruin her life!” My mom nodded. “Understood. I have no problem with it, it’s just Joe who’s always soft on his daughter.” She glared at my dad. He wanted to say something but didn’t dare. Then my mom turned on the TV and played an online English class. 2 “Lily, even if you’re upside down, you have to keep studying. Don’t fall behind.” “Everyone is racing against time. You’ve been out of school for a week, do you know how far behind you are?! What if you graduate late!” “Don’t blame us for being cruel; we’re doing this for your own good!” I had been hanging for an hour, and it was excruciating. “Mom, please let me go…” My mom’s face changed instantly. She slapped me. “Ungrateful thing! I talk to you nicely, and you don’t listen. You insist on being a waste!” “Let me tell you, unless you study yourself to death, keep studying! Don’t give me excuses! Bullying, depression… pah! I don’t believe any of it!” My parents and uncles were busy eating and drinking; they ignored me. My five-year-old brother, Leo, ran over secretly. He stuffed a candy into my hand and touched my face with his small hand. “Sissy, does it hurt?” “I’ll blow on it for you…” Leo blew on me, trying to make me feel better. “Leo, don’t talk to your sister! She’s a waste!” Hearing Mom yell, Leo walked away, looking wronged. Since childhood, the word “waste” has followed me. My mom is a kind mother to the outside world, but a cold demon at home. When I was bullied by classmates, she didn’t help me; she made me apologize to the bullies. When I attempted suicide due to depression, she said I was acting. When I took a break from school to recover, she said I would set a bad example for my brother. My parents urged me to go back to school; I refused. The principal and my advisor came to persuade me; I refused. Now, my mom brought my three uncles, and they called me dramatic, insisting on teaching me a lesson. Everyone pressured me, but no one asked why I wanted to die, why I reached this point. The bullies broke two of my ribs, which still hurt. Now hanging upside down, my chest felt even worse. I wasn’t afraid of death; I just didn’t want to die so painfully. Could you make it quick? 3 Suddenly my vision went black. I couldn’t see anything. Suffocation washed over me. I suddenly felt a bit of fear. What I feared wasn’t the approaching end of my life, but that when the end came, I had never truly lived as myself. “It’s been ten hours, that’s enough!” My dad was extremely worried, seeing my color was very wrong. “No! This is nothing! Joe, don’t be soft!” Just as my uncles were objecting, Grandpa called. “What? Mom fell from the third floor?” “We’re coming right now!” Grandma had an accident, and they rushed to leave. “Let Lily down. She can take care of Leo. We’ll deal with her when we get back!” My mom gave the order, and my dad quickly let me down. “Lily, take care of Leo for dinner and bath, put him to sleep, understand?” It took me a long time to breathe normally. “Can you… leave someone here… I can’t see…” My mom’s face changed instantly. “Stop acting so delicate! Can’t see? Why don’t you say you’re dying!” My mom kicked me hard twice. My healing ribs broke again, and I vomited a mouthful of blood. My dad’s face changed; he looked nervous and uneasy. 4 “Why are you vomiting blood? This… let’s go to the hospital!” My mom pushed him away, glaring at me viciously. “What do you mean by not dodging? Trying to frame me for domestic abuse? Want me to bear that bad name?” “Don’t think you can run away just by pretending to vomit blood. Stay home obediently, don’t go anywhere!” “Clean the floor; it looks unlucky!” She turned and went into the room to pack her bag. My brother gave me his water bottle. “Sissy, drink water.” My dad sighed. “Your mom is just like that, a bit strict, but it’s for your own good.” “We invited your uncles specifically to help you. You have to understand our good intentions.” So that’s what my dad thought. In the room, my mom argued with my dad again. “Just to skip school, full of lies! Even cursing herself to be blind!” “Tell her, even if she dies, I’ll burn her homework for her, so she can’t escape studying even as a ghost!” My mom’s words were like a knife, cutting my wounds deeper. Two months ago, I was locked in the bathroom by bullies, stripped naked, and photographed. When I cried and told my mom, she rolled her eyes coldly. “Why don’t they bully others? Why only you?” “You’re just a waste; you’d be less trouble dead.” When she learned the bullies included the school dean’s daughter and her client’s daughter, my mom immediately took gifts and made me go door-to-door to apologize. “They bullied me, why should I apologize?” My mom slapped me in public. “Endure what you can endure, endure what you can’t.” “If you hadn’t done something wrong, would they bully you?”

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In a word-guessing game, I gestured frantically at the movie star sitting opposite me. “Hypothetically, if we were dating, and I suddenly slapped you for no reason, what would you call that?” He tilted his head, his tone absolutely certain. “A reward.” I gritted my teeth. “Four words!” “Thank you, my queen? Do the left side too? Harder, please?” Host: … Me: Haha. Livestream Comments: [Stop giving him hypotheticals! You’re just turning him on!] 1 It was a live variety show. The word on the card was “Unreasonable Tantrum”. I was trying to describe it to Liam Thorne, the award-winning actor. “Hypothetically, if we were dating, and I suddenly slapped you for no reason, what would you call that?” He tilted his head, his tone absolutely certain. “A reward.” I gritted my teeth. “Four words! An idiom or common phrase!” “Thank you, my queen? Do the left side too? Harder, please?” “No! Four words!” Liam looked at me, deadpan, and rattled off a list of absurd answers. “Consensual play? Love tap? Marital bliss? Soulmates forever? Sleeping together?” The host and other guests: … Me: Are you kidding me? Is he doing a stand-up routine?! I waved my hand at the staff, defeated. “Pass! Pass! Next word.” The next word was “Ex-boyfriend”. I saw stars. I steeled myself and spoke. “Still hypothetical. If we broke up, what would you be to me? Two words.” Liam thought for a moment, then lifted his chin slightly. “Side piece.” ? “Boy toy.” ?? “Simp.” ???! The studio went dead silent. The other guests looked like they were about to explode from holding back laughter. The comment section went wild. [Emma, stop with the hypotheticals! You’re just giving him ideas!] [Wait, who programmed Liam Thorne to be this down bad?!] [Valid suspicion: his inner monologue for the last question was definitely ‘Thank you, Mistress!’ My boyfriend has the exact same energy.] [Hehe, kinky.] [Liam: I see yellow no matter what color you show me!] [Did anyone else catch the subtle tone when Liam stared at Emma and said ‘sleeping together’?! Ahhh!] [Emma’s fans better back off. Just because Liam won an Oscar doesn’t mean you can leech off his fame. Know your place.] [Is the commenter above brain-dead? It’s a variety show, why so hostile?] [If you don’t like it, get out!] 2 I took a deep breath, controlling my facial muscles to avoid rolling my eyes into the back of my head. He’s not stupid; he’s doing this on purpose! Liam leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed. Seeing my annoyance, the corner of his mouth quirked up infinitesimally. Ugh, psychopath! … Backstage, I walked towards the dressing room, speechless. Because I lost the game with Liam, I had been sprayed with whipped cream. Although I wiped it off with a towel, my skin still felt sticky. The dressing room was dark. I habitually fumbled for the switch. Click. The door shut without warning. The next moment, a firm pressure landed on my wrist and lower back. I was pressed against the door, my back hitting the cold wood. But the palm on my lower back was searing hot, instantly turning my cold sweat into a feverish heat. My scalp tingled, and my breathing quickened. A woody scent enveloped me, burning with an aggressive bitterness. He leaned in, licking a dried smear of cream off my cheek. He gave a fair assessment. “Pretty sweet.” Pervert! Ahhh! I couldn’t break free, so I resorted to sarcasm. “I didn’t know Mr. Thorne was so devoted, pestering his ex-girlfriend like this.” In the dim light, I couldn’t see Liam’s eyes clearly. I only heard him chuckle. “I remember the reason you dumped me was: you have multiple personalities, and the one that liked me got absorbed and disappeared.” “But unfortunately, recently I’ve fallen for your primary personality.” As soon as he finished speaking, a frantic knocking exploded behind me. “Hey guys! Mic! Your mics are still on!!!” 3 ???! What?! I looked down sharply. Sure enough, the transmitter pack on my lower back was glowing faintly. My heart rate, which hadn’t even settled, spiked past the threshold again. My brain went blank, buzzing. It’s over. The whole world thinks I have a thing with Liam Thorne now! Ahhh! I pursed my lips tight, not daring to breathe loudly. Afraid any more noise would be recorded. But Liam leaned down wickedly, breathing right next to the lavalier mic clipped to my collar, his tone innocent. “Baby, what do we do now that they all heard?” … Intentional. Absolutely intentional! He pins me here like a fish on a cutting board, then acts like a green tea victim?! After speaking, Liam efficiently freed a hand, switched off the blinking indicator light, and informed the people outside. “It’s off now.” Oh, so that sentence wasn’t in a seductive voice?! This guy changes faces fast! The chaotic noise outside faded. The staff probably realized the atmosphere was weird and scattered. Wait, someone come save me! I held my breath and shoved Liam hard. This time he played nice, stepping back with a half-smile. “What do you want?” “I want a reasonable break-up excuse that conforms to basic human cognition. Is that too much to ask?” That simple?! I rolled my eyes, a mischievous idea bubbling up. “I’m getting married. Arranged match.” “Are you satisfied with this reason, sir?” Liam twitched his lips slightly. “Okay, understood. Do you want to come to my place for dinner tonight? You can use me while you’re there.” ???! Use? Sounds tempting~ Cough, what am I thinking! “Do you not understand English?” “I said I’m getting married! We broke up!” Liam looked calm, his voice laced with laziness. “You’re just getting married to someone else. Does that stop me from simping for you?” “I said earlier: side piece, boy toy, simp—I’m fine with any of them.” “Or should I make dinner for three? You can bring your damn fiancé over to eat too?” The more he spoke, the calmer he looked. Finally, he straightened up and left a parting shot. “If you don’t come, I’ll come find you.” “But if the paparazzi snap us then and make up some wild rumors, don’t blame me.” Watching his retreating back, a chill climbed from my spine to my neck. God, what kind of plague have I provoked?! 4 The first time I met Liam was at the script reading for our new drama, Floating Life. He was dressed entirely in black, the only decoration a diamond stud in one ear. He radiated an intimidating aura. Throughout the reading, he was cold and spoke little. Even when giving feedback, he was extremely concise. I scrutinized him from head to toe all day. Conclusion—heh, poser. With Liam’s unlikeable personality, how dare he be a rival to my idol, Zach Parker, fighting for resources? Yet his fans hype him up to the heavens. Saying things like “Intense beauty, perfect bone structure.” I say “Nonsense talk, blind eyes and heart”! After work that day, I successfully struck up a conversation with Liam. “Mr. Thorne, I have a question. It might be presumptuous, please don’t be angry.” Liam stopped, nodded, signaling me to continue. I cleared my throat, trying to hide my anti-fan attributes. “Do you have a girlfriend?” Seeing his surprise, I quickly covered. “As the male and female leads, we have a lot of scenes together.” “I’m asking in advance so I can gauge the boundaries of our interactions later.” Liam said in a low voice, “No.” “What about a boyfriend? Are you sure you’re absolutely single?” I asked skeptically, a bright smile on my face, but darkness in my heart. I don’t believe the industry rumors are groundless. Spending the night with an influencer~ Holding hands with a male friend~ Sleeping his way to the top for resources~ One of them must be true! Once I dig it out, you won’t be far from becoming a has-been! Liam narrowed his eyes, adding a layer of distance. “Ms. Stone, I don’t wish for us to have any relationship outside of work. I don’t do ‘showmance’ either.” “Don’t waste your time on me.” With that, he walked away without looking back. ???! He thinks I asked because I like him?! Ew, narcissist!

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Caleb Vance’s sponsored student got pregnant, so he brought her home and ordered me to serve her during her postpartum recovery. “Tara has sensitive skin, her underwear must be hand-washed.” “Tara has morning sickness, change all the condoms to strawberry flavor.” “Tara hates dog hair, get rid of your damn pet.” No matter how unreasonable his demands were, I complied with every single one. Even when the girl was in a bad mood and used a whip on me to vent. Blood trails rooted themselves on my back, yet I didn’t utter a single complaint. “Caleb, you promised. As long as I’m obedient, you’ll let me see the kids.” Caleb smiled lazily, blowing a smoke ring in my face. “Wait until you finish serving Tara through her recovery, then we’ll talk.” For the sake of my two children, I endured again and again. But to amuse Tara, he locked my two children in a dog cage and made them bark like dogs. When the children refused, Caleb, in a rage, threw them into a wildlife safari park. When I found out, I immediately knelt and begged him: “The safari park is too dangerous. The kids are only five years old. Without supervision, something will happen…” Caleb sneered, “It’s because you spoil them that they’re too stupid to even learn how to bark.” “Five isn’t a baby anymore. If they get into trouble at a zoo, trash like that doesn’t deserve to be my children!” Three days later, my two children were mauled to death by wild venomous snakes. That night, Caleb spent millions at an auction to buy a necklace Tara coveted. Seeing my pale face, he hugged Tara’s waist and sneered. “Did your two disappointing sons learn how to bark yet?” I ignored him, holding two white urns, walking to the center of the auction house. “I’m lighting the Sky Lantern. I’m buying two dogs’ lives!” 1 As soon as the words left my mouth, the room fell silent for a second. The next moment, everyone’s gaze fell on me—some sneering, some disdainful, most looking at me with contempt. “Lady, who are you? Look at those rags. Did you escape from a mental hospital?” “You, lighting the Sky Lantern? Do you even know what that means?” “Buying human lives? Are you an outlaw? Hilarious.” Their ridicule grew more rampant. Some even started to move, intending to throw me out of the auction venue. The staff also looked me over, frowning, hesitant to speak. “Ma’am, the guests at our auction are either rich or noble. That outfit of yours looks five or six years old. This isn’t a place for you. Please leave.” I looked down at my clothes. Indeed, bought seven years ago. Not only washed white but with two holes worn in the sleeves. “Elara, are you crazy? Daring to come here and embarrass yourself!” The crowd parted. Surrounded by people, Caleb stormed over and grabbed me. “Get out! You scared Tara to tears. Is this a place you should be?” “If you have time to make a scene, go home and wash a few more of Tara’s clothes—” He sneered, leaning close to my ear, whispering: “So you can see your two sons sooner.” My back stiffened. I clutched the two urns tighter, turning my head to stare at him dead-on. “Caleb, they are already dead.” And they were killed by their own father. When found, their bodies were black all over, bitten by venomous snakes that came from nowhere, dying of poison the same day. Hearing this, Caleb’s voice turned cold. “What nonsense are you talking about?” “Tara went to the safari park to see them just yesterday. Everything was fine. Stop cursing them.” I held the urns tighter, my gaze locked onto Tara behind him. Her again. Just because Tara was unhappy, my children were thrown into the safari park and bitten to death by snakes. They had been dead for three days. When I got the news, they were already scheduled for cremation. How could Tara lie so blatantly? 2 Sensing my hateful gaze, Tara hid in Caleb’s arms with a look of panic. “Caleb, she’s glaring at me. It’s scary.” Caleb shoved me hard, hugging Tara’s waist protectively. “She scared my baby. Once we win this necklace you like, I’ll make it up to you tonight, okay?” The girl smiled in surprise, tiptoeing to kiss his cheek. “Caleb, you’re the best.” Jeers erupted around us. “Mr. Vance is so generous. His girl is so lucky.” “If I could marry a man like Mr. Vance, my life would be worth it.” “The gap between women is bigger than between humans and dogs. Look at this crazy woman, compared to Mr. Vance’s lady, it’s heaven and earth!” I let out a mocking laugh, looking at him coldly. “Do you know that I am the Mrs. Vance you’re talking about?” “As for this one you’re praising, she’s just a cheap mistress Mrs. Vance kindly sponsored but who climbed into bed instead!” Caleb froze, panic flashing in his eyes. “What nonsense are you spouting! You’re just a maid in my house. Go back and wash clothes!” He signaled the bodyguards behind him to throw me out. I sneered, pulling out our marriage certificate, looking around at everyone. “The crazy woman you’re talking about is Caleb’s wife. Do you really envy me?” The crowd went into an uproar. “How is this possible?” “I thought Mrs. Vance was young and beautiful, and they were a loving couple? Didn’t expect a twist?” “Can’t tell, Mr. Vance lighting the Sky Lantern to please a mistress, and even letting marketing accounts promote her as his wife. Shameless.” Tara, being pointed at, scrunched up her face in fear, about to cry. Caleb’s eyes turned instantly cold. “Elara, do you not want to see the kids anymore?” “If you dare make a scene again, I’ll send Sawyer and Finn abroad immediately. I guarantee you’ll never see them again in this life!” Caleb pinched my waist hard, threatening coldly. I gave a bitter smile. All these years, he despised me for aging, for embarrassing him. Refused to take me to any banquets, and later, wouldn’t even admit my identity. But that didn’t matter. Ever since Caleb brought the girl to fool around in our marital bed, my heart had died. The reason I didn’t divorce was entirely for the two children. Caleb knew the kids were my weakness. Sure enough, he locked them in another villa, preventing me from seeing them for two whole years. 3 Until Tara got pregnant, and Caleb made me serve her until she finished her confinement. I could hand-wash her underwear every day. I could hand them condoms when they were in the mood. Even when Tara hated dog hair, before I could send my dog away, she threw it in the door crack and crushed it to death. After breaking down, I still endured it all. I just wanted a divorce, to take the two kids and leave for good. I had bought the plane tickets, but then I heard the news of Sawyer and Finn’s death. Seeing their poisoned, untreated bodies, black and swollen, I felt the sky collapse. Usually, whenever Caleb threatened me with the children, it worked every time. He was certain I would lower myself into the dust for them, abandoning all dignity. But now, he couldn’t threaten me anymore. I looked down, smiling lovingly at the two urns in my arms. “Sawyer and Finn are here. They won’t leave Mommy ever again…” “Stop playing ghost with those two broken jars.” Caleb’s face was pale, staring at me coldly. “Elara, I’ll say it one more time. Get out. Don’t embarrass yourself here.” “Do you really think I won’t divorce you?” Getting closer, I saw it. Caleb’s eyes were filled with rage. He didn’t care about the surrounding whispers anymore, ordering the bodyguards to throw me out. Some onlookers at the auction wanted to help me, seeing me outnumbered. But they were quickly pulled back by friends. “Don’t meddle. This is Caleb Vance’s family matter. Meddling might get you in trouble you can’t handle.” “Yeah, looking at this woman, she’s probably been bullied a lot. Husband cheating so openly, if she doesn’t stand up for herself, no one can help her.” “Maybe she deserves it, bringing it on herself.” … 4 I was thrown heavily by the bodyguards. The urns almost fell. I dived, using my body as a cushion. Barely caught them. I cried, apologizing to my children, “I’m sorry, Sawyer, Finn. Mommy didn’t protect you.” The bodyguard kicked me hard, snorting. “Advice: go back and do your maid work. Don’t cause trouble.” “Offend Mr. Vance, and you’ll suffer.” Sure enough, that night. A news story posted by a marketing account hit the trending list. In that news, there was a ten-second video. It was me, forced to strip to the waist, kneeling in the snow, enduring a whipping. The riding crop was custom-made, with barbs. Every lash on my back left deep, bloody trails. It had a glaring, huge headline. #Explosive! CEO Vance’s Wife Exposed as Vicious Cheater, Whipped After Being Caught in the Act# In just half an hour, it jumped to number one on the trending list. My face went pale. Hands trembling, I clicked on it. The top comments followed: “Isn’t this the crazy woman from the auction today? Doing something shameful like cheating and daring to appear in public, truly shameless.” “Indeed, pitiful people must have hateful qualities. This woman brought it on herself.” “I think the whipping was too light. Should have been beaten to death.” The overwhelming malice threatened to swallow me. They were led astray by the internet rhythm without distinguishing right from wrong. Knowing nothing of the truth.

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My mother is the housekeeper for the Sterling family. I moved into their estate when I was twelve. At eighteen, Mrs. Sterling, the lady of the house, said to me: “Boys get restless at this age. I don’t trust the girls out there. Keep Chase company for me.” She said if I could keep Chase from running wild during his four years of college, she would send me abroad and give me ten million dollars as startup capital. I dutifully wrote it down in my notebook: Mrs. Sterling is a good person. Not only does she let me sleep with her son, but she also pays me for it. 1 I came to the Sterling estate when I was twelve. It had been raining in the mountains for days. The tractor wheels were caked in mud, flinging it onto me every few bumps. I sat in the back wearing a plastic raincoat, clutching several large woven bags filled with everything I could take from home. The most important thing was my grandmother’s photo. I held it tight inside my raincoat, hugging it just like Grandma used to hug me. A neighbor from the village escorted me—trains, planes, and finally a taxi to the Sterling estate. Looking at the towering iron gates and the magnificent mansion behind them, my neighbor scratched his head. “This house is scary big. You knock yourself. Tell your mom I got you here safe.” My mom had paid him, so he had to make sure the job was done. I nodded and banged heavily on the iron gate. An impatient voice crackled from the intercom: “What are you banging for? Can’t you see the doorbell?” I looked at the button on the wall. Sorry, this country bumpkin really didn’t know. But the person was surprisingly nice; despite the gruff voice, the gate buzzed open a second later. Smack. My jaw dropped, and the photo of Grandma slipped from my arms onto the wet ground. Dear God, no one told me city boys looked this good! He was taller than me, paler than me, even his lips were redder than mine. Nothing like the dirty potatoes running around in the mud back home! Chase Sterling looked me up and down with disgust, from my messy hair to my mud-splattered pants. “Auntie Laura is so clean. You’re her daughter, how are you so slopp…” But he stopped mid-sentence when he saw my grandma on the ground. In the large black-and-white photo, my grandma was smiling kindly. For some reason, he started stuttering. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know. My mom took Auntie Laura out for a few days. Come in first. It’s raining, you shouldn’t let your… elder’s photo get wet.” I picked up Grandma and waved to my neighbor. “Uncle, I’m going in. Safe trip back!” Inside, Chase led me to a room that was spacious and beautiful. I couldn’t help it—I burst into tears. Chase panicked. “Hey, don’t cry! I haven’t even bullied you yet, why are you crying?” I pointed at the photo, sobbing harder. “My grandma’s gone. She never lived in a house this nice. I miss her.” “I-I’ll find a good spot for your grandma too.” He bustled around, wiping the photo clean, respectfully hanging it on the wall, and even lighting a nice-smelling candle in front of it. “Sorry, we don’t have incense or anything. This is my mom’s scented candle, it’ll have to do. I’ll have someone buy the real stuff tomorrow.” The candle smelled amazing. I giggled through my tears. “No need, no need. Grandma loves things that smell good.” Chase sighed in relief. “Don’t be too sad, or your grandma won’t be at peace.” I nodded. “Young Master, you’re so good. Good-looking and good-hearted.” He blushed, then turned green. “Don’t call me Young Master. This isn’t the feudal era.” I pointed at Grandma. “She said so. She said my mom serves a Young Master in a rich family to raise me, and I have to be polite.” Thinking about how Grandma would smack me for being rude, my eyes reddened again. “Was she lying? Isn’t my mom a maid?” Chase got anxious. “How can Auntie Laura be just a maid? She raised me. She’s like half a mom to me. By rights, you should call me Brother. Understand?” 2 Two twelve-year-olds. He dared to say it, and I dared to listen. I started chirping “Brother” behind him like a little chick. When my mom came back, she grabbed the feather duster from the living room and chased me upstairs. “Who told you to bring that photo? And you hung it on the wall! I’ll beat you until you’re hanging on the wall!” I cried as I ran. “Grandma said she was afraid I’d forget her and made me bring it! It’s the biggest, clearest photo we have! And I didn’t hang it, Brother did! Hit him!” Chase had been trying to stop her, but he froze. My mom glanced at Chase, dropping the duster. “No manners. Don’t call the Young Master ‘Brother.’ Call him Chase.” Once my mom left, we pointed at each other simultaneously: “You said you weren’t a Young Master?” “Your grandma isn’t dead? Why did you cry like that?” I scratched my head. “Can’t I be homesick? You have good things, don’t you think of your mom and grandma?” He rubbed his nose. “Anyway, don’t call me Young Master. If you do, I’ll ignore you.” Later I learned Mrs. Sterling was a very traditional lady from an old-money family. I was the first outsider in the house who actually didn’t call Chase “Young Master.” I also learned my mom had raised Chase since he was a baby. In his heart, she really was half a mother. He was petty; he was jealous. He was afraid that with me here, my mom wouldn’t dote on him anymore. But the moment we met, he thought my grandma was dead. His desire to bully me died right there. And when I sweetly called him “Brother,” could he really be mean? He couldn’t. So at twelve, when Mrs. Sterling reminded my mom I should address him properly, my mom said righteously, “Ma’am, I work for you, but my daughter doesn’t.” Chase and I gave my mom a thumbs up behind her back. At thirteen, he shoved two latest-model iPhones into my hands, telling me to teach Grandma how to video call when I went back for New Year’s so I wouldn’t howl like a wolf every time I missed her. At fourteen, Grandma sent a live goose. I wanted to keep it. With his voice cracking from puberty, Chase told Mrs. Sterling he wanted to get in touch with nature. Every morning, it was hard to tell if the honking was the goose or him talking. But at eighteen, I started to get unhappy. 3 Chase was handsome and well-mannered. In high school, amidst a sea of boys who thought swearing was a personality trait and freaked out over tampon wrappers, he was a clean, refreshing miracle. I had been tagging along calling him “Brother” for four years. The whole school thought I was his cousin living with his family. Girls who liked him came to me to curry favor, asking me to slip him love letters. Receiving the first one, I knew I was in trouble. My heart felt like it was being scratched by a hundred claws. I tossed and turned in bed all night. In the dead of night, with dark circles under my eyes, I stood by his bed and asked, “Chase, tell me, do you want to date early?” Bad news: Chase swore. “F*ck, Harper, are you crazy? Cosplaying a ghost at 2 AM?” Good news: Chase didn’t want to date. He squinted, looking at me seriously. “Dating affects studies. Harper, Auntie Laura brought you here to study. If you dare date before eighteen, I’ll break your legs.” Hehe, as long as you don’t, I won’t. I’m not stupid. I read enough YA novels to know that everyone loves the moon high above. And Chase was my moon. I didn’t want him shining on anyone else. So I spread the word around school: Chase Sterling doesn’t date in high school. Chase Sterling hates people who don’t focus on their studies. That month, even the girls at the bottom of the class started grinding. But three years of high school went by so fast. In the blink of an eye, we graduated. 4 Holding a score almost identical to Chase’s, I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t a twelve-year-old brat anymore. I knew Chase and I were impossible. If I followed him to college for another four years, would I never be able to get over him? Chase didn’t care about that. He looked satisfied. “Didn’t waste all those tutoring sessions. Tell me, which of these two universities do you want to apply to?” He was always like this. Asking my opinion first, then telling his mom it was his idea. I replied sullenly, “I don’t know. I’ll ask Coco.” Coco Chen was my best friend, the kind you go to the bathroom with holding hands. Throughout high school, she was the only one who, thanks to me, got to eat lunch with Chase. But that night, I saw Coco’s photo in the study. Mrs. Sterling looked solemn. “Chase is growing up. Yesterday, the maid found him washing his sheets in the bathroom. I knew trouble was coming.” I thought for a moment. “Auntie, biology class says that’s called a wet dream. Chase is eighteen. If he didn’t have them, you should take him to a doctor.” Mrs. Sterling looked at me. Mrs. Sterling was helpless. Mrs. Sterling decided to pretend she didn’t hear that. She tapped Coco’s photo. “It’s normal for boys to be restless at this age. But this girl won’t do. She’s pretty, has a sick grandmother, an abusive father, and a missing mother. She’s prime material for a tragic first love. Our Chase can’t get involved with a girl like that. I’m afraid he won’t be able to forget her.” Hah, even high-society ladies read romance novels tropes. Just as I opened my mouth to explain, Mrs. Sterling took my hand. “But you’re different. I know you’re like your mother, a decent, grounded person. Here’s the deal: if Chase has needs, you be proactive. If you can keep him steady for four years of college, when you graduate, I’ll send you abroad and give you ten million dollars. Didn’t you want to make money? Perfect for a startup.” I understood. The lady wanted a live-in concubine for Chase. Hah, am I the kind of person who sells herself for money? But that’s Chase’s virginity. Hah, wouldn’t my mom beat me to death if she knew? But that’s Chase’s virginity. Who cares who his future wife is? Whoever eats first wins. It’s a waste not to. I apologized to Coco a thousand times in my heart and said righteously, “Auntie, I understand. Coco Chen is definitely not suitable. For that ten million, I will work hard.”

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I’m a simple woman with simple tastes: money and hot guys. When the campus heartthrob, Ethan Vance, confessed his love to me, I accidentally saw the livestream chat comments floating in thin air. [Omg, my heart breaks for the male lead! He’s only dating someone he hates to make the female lead jealous!] [Don’t worry, besties! The male lead will only have a platonic relationship with the antagonist.] [Exactly! The antagonist is just a tool. Our boy will stay pure!] Me: “Can we kiss?” Ethan: “I want to start with a spiritual connection. I can give you money.” Me: “Oh, pass. Sounds like a waste of time.” Ethan panicked. That very night, he lost his purity. After getting my fill, I swiped his Black Card. “He only lost money, but I lost love!” 1 Convenience Store. The cashier gave us a weird look. “We have extra small, small, medium, and large. Which one do you need?” I side-eyed Ethan. “You’re not an extra small, are you?” The man’s face flushed crimson. “Give me the extra large!” I smirked and grabbed the box. “Don’t forget to pay.” 2 Ethan Vance was the university’s golden boy, a viral sensation on TikTok just because someone uploaded a candid photo of him drinking coffee. Countless girls were eyeing him like a snack. Talent scouts literally camped outside the campus gates hoping to sign him. And today, this guy not only delivered himself to my doorstep but was also ready to drop serious cash. Delicious! 3 I hummed a tune, glancing at the floating comments only I could see. [Oh no, oh no! The male lead is walking into the tiger’s den!] [What happened to staying pure? All I see is a hungry wolf!] [My poor Sophia is watching from the corner, she’s shattering!] I turned my head to look at a dark corner. The female lead, Sophia Sterling, had red eyes and was twisting a handkerchief. She looked like a tragic heroine. To avoid any complications, I grabbed Ethan’s tie and dragged him toward the hotel. As the door closed, comments flashed rapidly before my eyes. [Sophia, don’t eavesdrop! We don’t want a used man anyway!] [Am I the only one jealous of the antagonist? With the male lead’s face, she’s eating good tonight!] I chuckled and opened the door. Sure enough, Sophia was standing there, looking like she wanted to speak but couldn’t. “Can you help me tear open the wrapper?” I asked. Sophia nodded subconsciously and did it. I smiled gratefully at her. “Don’t listen at the door, okay? It’ll only make me more excited!” The door closed again. Soft sobbing could be heard from the hallway. Ethan looked confused. “What’s that noise?” I measured the length of the plastic wrapper in my hand. “Probably the kettle next door just boiled. By the way, can you really fit into this thing?” Ethan snatched it away. “If I can’t fit, I’m a dog!” My eyes lit up. Ethan didn’t need to prove anything. In my eyes, he was already my puppy! Amidst the screaming comments in the air, I pounced. That night, the heartthrob was corrupted. 4 I tidied my clothes and casually picked up a Black Amex card from the table. There was a note on the card: [Voluntary Gift.] Signed by Ethan. I tucked the card into my pocket with a dramatic sigh. “He only lost money, but I lost love!” I clutched my chest, but the corners of my mouth were harder to suppress than a sneeze. The comments reappeared after a long blackout. [Who cut the feed?!] [I paid for the premium membership! What can’t I see?] [My heart aches for Sophia! She listened at the door all night!] I scratched my head, picked up an unopened pack of XLs, and opened the door. “Sophia, I tested it for you. Ethan can indeed handle the Extra Large. As expected of the man you like—great looks, great performance!” I gave a thumbs up, my teeth brighter than a toothpaste ad. The woman stood there dumbfounded, her eyes swollen like walnuts. I patted her shoulder and walked away with swagger.

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The night Liam slashed his wrists, I swore I’d help him rebuild his empire. For two years, I worked the dirtiest, hardest gigs imaginable. But on the very night I finally paid off his last debt, I accidentally saw the texts between him and his frat brother. 【Aren’t you worried she’ll find out the debt’s been gone for weeks and flip out?】 【Nah. Chloe passed my little test. I’m planning to propose. Since she loves me so much, a marriage license is the only thing I can offer her anyway.】 【So, do you need me to get that card ending in 7785 back from her? You’re getting married, dude. You can’t keep sending Serena money every month.】 I turned and looked at my haggard reflection in the mirror, and I laughed. Liam, starting today, I’ve decided to stop loving you. 1. When I saw the text history between Liam and his best friend, Brad, I felt the blood drain from my body, rushing backward from my feet to my head. Tonight, we had just celebrated clearing the final debt. Liam had opened two bottles of cheap Cabernet and was currently wasted. Right now, he was lying harmlessly in my lap, asking for kisses. A storm of emotions roiled in my chest, finally settling into a cold sneer. That debit card ending in 7785. I knew the number by heart. Because every payday, I transferred almost my entire paycheck onto that card, saving up to pay back Liam’s creditors. I knew who Serena was, too. She was the campus queen bee back in college—gorgeous, flashy. She and Liam had a toxic on-again, off-again thing for three years. But after she failed to get into Juilliard, she chose to move abroad to study. A while back, her Instagram popped up on my feed. She looked vibrant and expensive. Her mirror selfies were dripping with designer labels. Back then, I’d smiled and shown her profile to Liam. “Serena’s practically an influencer now. Do you ever regret not choosing her? You wouldn’t have to work so hard paying off debt if you had.” Liam had looked dismissive. “No regrets. I still prefer a grounded girl like you.” I didn’t know then that half of Serena’s wardrobe was probably funded by my backbreaking labor. No wonder my grandma used to tell me, “Chloe, your hands are too bony. You hold no luck.” The year Liam and I got together, his family’s real estate business collapsed. I heard they owed a fortune. I never knew exactly how much. I just knew that Liam, then a junior in college, got dragged down with them and had to drop out, retreating to our small hometown. His family had moved to the city after he graduated high school, so their old Victorian house here was gathering dust. Liam returned alone and locked himself inside. That day, I was glancing at his windows as usual, only to find him lying in the bathroom, the tub filled with crimson water. I practically carried him on my back across town to the ER and saved his life. But he cried and demanded to know why I’d saved him. I held him, and we sobbed together. “It’s just money, Liam! I’ll help you earn it back!” He sighed, his eyes suddenly turning gentle. “Silly girl. You only have a high school diploma. What kind of money can you earn?” Despite his doubts, I followed him to the big city to find opportunities. Because I had no degree and no skills, I could only do manual labor to survive. Driving for Uber Eats, working double shifts as a barista, even competing with older ladies for housekeeping gigs on TaskRabbit. During the most intense period, I did cleaning jobs in the morning, pulled shots at the coffee shop in the afternoon, and delivered food until midnight. When payday came the next month, I excitedly showed him my bank balance. A solid four thousand dollars. His eyes got red. He patted my head, held my calloused, bony hands, and choked up with guilt. “Our Chloe is just too amazing.” But I didn’t feel bitter. For me, as long as I could be with Liam, no amount of hardship mattered. People say true love always feels like it owes something. Back then, looking at the boy who was once the high school golden boy now reduced to living in a cramped tenement apartment, I only wished I could clone myself ten times over to lighten his burden. Thinking back on every moment of the last two years. I stared wide-eyed until dawn. Liam woke up groggily, rubbed his eyes, and hugged me tight. “Why haven’t you gone to work yet today?” I fought back the stinging in my eyes and rubbed them. “I quit my jobs.” Four thousand a month. Ten hours a day on my feet making lattes. My wrists were chronically inflamed from tendonitis. I had to wear smelly pain patches almost every day. He froze, then patted my head affectionately. “Good. Thanks to you, I was able to pay off the debt so quickly.” “When we get married, you just stay home and look pretty. I’ll earn the money and support the family.” The words I had longed to hear for two years finally arrived, but suddenly, I didn’t want them anymore. 2. I walked aimlessly down the street. The owner of the greasy spoon diner I frequented spotted me. “Hey hun, eating here today?” I forced the corners of my mouth upward. “Yeah.” She raised an eyebrow. “We got a new meatloaf special. On the house for you today.” “The usual otherwise? Two orders of rice, one with no meat, one with double meat packed to go?” That’s how we always ate. Liam had a big appetite and it was never enough. So I secretly asked the owner to add my share of the protein to his takeout box. Actually, he didn’t know that I also had a big appetite. But to save money and help him with the debt, I often skipped meals, literally starving myself into gastritis. Now, eating more than a few bites hurt anyway. I shook my head. “No. Just one order today. I’ll break my rule and try that meatloaf.” Two years. I hadn’t saved a dime, and I’d wrecked my body. My life was somehow worse than when I was back in the small town. If my parents and Grandma could see me from heaven, they’d be heartbroken. After finishing the meal, I got a phone call. “Chloe? You asked me before about that Newborn Care Specialist training program, remember?” “The agency has a spot open now. Training is free upfront. Once you get placed with a client, they take 5% of your salary monthly as tuition. I thought you’d be interested.” My body trembled slightly. I stood up quickly, my voice shaking with excitement. “Yes! Kelly, I’m in! I’ll do it!” When I got back to the rental apartment, Liam had already set up a proposal scene. His buddy Brad was there helping. My sudden return caught them off guard. Liam frantically hid the bouquet and balloons behind his back, looking awkward. “Chloe, why are you back so suddenly?” Brad just started cheering. “The cat’s out of the bag, dude. Just propose already.” He kicked Liam, and Liam knelt down in front of me. “Chloe, uh.” He stammered. “I’ve rehearsed this scene in my head a million times, but now that it’s here, I’m seriously nervous.” “I want to tell you, I want to marry you. Will you be my wife?” He pulled a ring from his pocket, one knee on the ground, his eyes burning into mine. Seeing this, my eyes reddened. Yeah. How many times had I fantasized about this exact moment? But now, I didn’t know how to face it. Brad was clapping and chanting in the background: “Marry him, marry him…” Liam looked at me with teary eyes and said, “A good wife supports my ambitions; a good wife is worth her weight in gold.” “Chloe, after we’re married, I won’t let you suffer anymore.” When he finished, I put away my tears, stepped around Liam, and started packing my luggage. Kelly, the woman who introduced the job, said the training was residential and completely closed-off to ensure quality. I actually felt relieved. Closed-off meant room and board were covered. No extra expenses. Liam watched me putting things into my suitcase, confused. “Chloe, what are you doing?” I took a deep breath, smiled, and brushed his hand away. “Since the debt is paid, my debt of gratitude is also repaid. From now on, let’s go our separate ways.” Because I was an orphan, I got bullied a lot in school. The worst time, they cornered me in an alley, calling me a jinx, threatening to strip me and film it to sell. It was Liam who accidentally stumbled upon us and saved me, fighting like a maniac against three guys. He ended up with a bloody face, warning them never to touch me again. Thanks to him, before graduation, no one put gum in my hair or dead animals in my desk anymore. Although I was used to it, his appearance made me temporarily give up the idea of looking for my biological parents. Even though he probably forgot about it like a random good deed, every day I survived, I was grateful to him. Later, gratitude turned into love. That’s why I willingly followed him when he had nothing. At this point, I didn’t want to argue anymore. These two years… consider the debt repaid. Liam tilted his head. “What does that mean? I don’t get it.” My teeth bit down hard on my lip, desperately trying not to make a sound. “I mean, we’re breaking up.” 3. Panic was visible in his eyes. “Chloe, did I do something wrong?” “You’re joking, right? This kind of joke isn’t funny at all.” Brad chimed in, too. “Yeah, Chloe. If Liam did something wrong, tell me, I’ll beat his ass for you. No need to break up over it.” I feigned nonchalance and shook my head, gesturing for him to check his phone. “Last night, I accidentally saw your chat history with Brad.” Liam’s breath hitched. Brad immediately tried to explain for him. “Chloe, you misunderstood, it’s not…” Liam struggled for a long time, not knowing how to explain. Finally, he just said, “But I really do love you.” I smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” Love is paying off the debt ages ago and not telling me. Love is using my blood and sweat money to support your white knight complex for your ex. He frantically grabbed my hand, trying to shove the ring onto my finger. “I know what I did was a little messed up, but I only did it because I was sincere about this relationship.” “I just wanted to see how long you could last. I was terrifyingly afraid you were just acting on impulse.” “My dad and mom were like that. After our family got into debt, my mom couldn’t take it and ran off. My dad faced setback after setback and ended it all.” “I was so afraid that after I became dependent on you, you’d be like my mom—unable to handle the hardship and leave me.” “So for two years, you just watched me go out in the wind and rain every day, living like a dog?” He knew exactly how much I suffered to help him pay the debt. Liam’s face was pale. “But isn’t everything getting better now? Your sacrifices paid off.” “Last year, I made a million dollars trading stocks and crypto. I know you gave up a lot for me. Life will be sweet from now on.” I felt a lump in my throat. Finally, I asked him one question: “What about Serena?” Liam suddenly started stammering. “Her family ran into trouble too. Serena is a girl all alone overseas, her funding got cut off. If I didn’t help her, she really had no other way.” “You… you know how she is. She’s a spoiled princess who can’t lift a finger. She can’t handle things like you can.” I clenched my fists, fingernails digging into my palms. Yeah, Serena is the beloved princess who can’t handle hardship. I’m the stray kid with no parents, so I deserve to suffer. But Liam didn’t know that when my parents were alive, I was their princess too. I looked at Liam, who looked guilty in front of me. He felt so strange, as if I hadn’t truly seen him for two years. I wiped my tears, ignored his pleas behind me, dragged my luggage, and left the rental apartment. From now on, I’m living for myself. After entering the training camp, I voluntarily handed over my phone and dedicated myself to the program. In just one month, I graduated as an honor student and got my certification as an NCS (Newborn Care Specialist). The day I got out, standing in the sunshine, I felt emotional. A new life was finally beginning. The supervisor handed me my phone with a serious look. “Someone kept calling your phone. No contact name, and different numbers every time.” “Chloe, be honest with me. Did you take out some secret payday loans and now the collectors are chasing you?” Perplexed, I took the phone, charged it, and turned it on. Countless texts flooded in at once. Half of them were bank balance notifications. At first, it was just transfers of a few hundred, then thousands, then tens of thousands. The final number stopped at one million dollars. The unknown numbers also sent many messages. The latest one read: 【Have you calmed down enough? Please talk to me.】

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