Author: Momo Chan

At the business dinner, Ken’s ex-girlfriend drank herself to the point of a stomach hemorrhage just to secure a contract. I could not bear to watch. But then I saw him grabbing her chin, his eyes filled with mockery and lingering resentment. “If Miss Nancy wants the contract so badly, why don’t you try begging me on your knees?” The newly minted billionaire of the city, known for his cold, detached elegance, had lost his composure in public for the first time. 1 An hour ago, Nancy had cornered me in the restroom. Arrogant and bold, she had said, “Do you believe your fiancé will leave with me tonight?” Of course, I did not believe her. Unlike the high-and-mighty Miss Nancy, who had once crushed Ken’s pride under her heel, I was his partner and lover. I was the one who had spent seven years building everything with him from nothing. Faced with her provocation, I paid it no mind. But the scene unfolding before me now made me hesitate. At the same time, the whispers of our old business partners echoed in my ears. “How many years has it been since Ken acted like this?” “Ever since Nancy married someone else seven years ago, Ken has been like a machine. Even when the company went public, he never showed any real emotion.” “Seven years ago, Ken begged her not to leave. Do you remember what she said? She said the game with poor people had to end.” “Now that Ken is worth billions, Nancy must be dying of regret.” My body grew numb as I listened. My eyes remained fixed on the two figures not far away. “Mr. Mercer, if I kneel, will you sign the contract?” Nancy relaxed her furrowed brows, forcing a bitter smile. Sweat clung to her beautiful face, dampening her hair, which stuck wetly to Ken’s long, elegant wrist. He was always a germaphobe, but he did not pull away. Dark, intense emotions swirled in his eyes. Ken said nothing. Nancy’s knees hit the ground without a second thought. She was wearing a short skirt, exposing her thighs as she knelt before him. Clutching the hem of her skirt, her tears spilled over, falling like broken pearls. She looked fragile and utterly pitiable. She grabbed the hem of Ken’s trousers, a stubborn smile on her lips. “Is this enough, Mr. Mercer? Or do you want me to bow my head to the floor?” Ken’s eyes flickered, his lips trembling slightly. I watched it all unfold. The whispers around me did not stop. “Who would have thought the proud Nancy would fall this low?” “He finally got his revenge, but Ken does not look happy at all.” “I thought he had forgotten her. Guess not.” “She is the only one who can make him act human.” She is the only one who can make him act human. What about when he was with me? He was always calm, rational, and decisive, never losing control. He was incredibly good to me. He handpicked the finest clothes, bags, and shoes for me. He was endlessly gentle. Every handhold, every kiss was with my consent. He said I deserved the perfect version of him, and he had never once raised his voice at me since we met. But now, his eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Nancy. The emotions in them were so complex, he probably did not even realize his gaze never left her. Seven years. Their seven-year separation was about to become our seven-year itch. 2 Ken let go of her chin. Nancy’s delicate frame swayed on the floor. As she bent forward, her forehead almost touching the ground, a faded, cheap necklace slipped from her collarbone. It was ordinary, visibly worthless. But the moment it fell, Ken froze. I recognized it. It was in Ken’s wallet. A water-stained, blurry photo of a girl wearing that exact necklace. When I had asked who she was, he said, “An enemy.” An enemy who kept him awake at night, whose memory pierced his heart. Now I saw. Not an enemy, but an old flame. 3 Nancy’s forehead never hit the ground. Irritated and restless, Ken stood up and walked over to me. He told my assistant, Marcus, “Give her the contract.” Marcus understood immediately and quickly handed the prepared contract to Nancy. Nancy took it, but there was no joy in her eyes, only bitterness. Her fragile state gave her a tragic, beautiful air. I pressed my lips together. When Ken turned to face me, he had regained his usual elegant, high-class composure. He wrapped his arm around my waist and addressed the room, “Please enjoy yourselves. Our wedding is tomorrow, and we have many preparations left. We will take our leave.” We walked toward the door, showered with congratulations. “Congratulations, Ms. Prescott and Mr. Mercer. Tomorrow is the big day.” “We will definitely be there to celebrate with you tomorrow.” But just as we reached the door, Nancy’s sharp voice cut through the congratulations. “Everyone, I apologize for any offenses in the past. Tonight, I will raise a glass to apologize. I hope you will look out for me in the future.” Before she could finish, someone interrupted, “A glass of water? You have some nerve!” “If you want to apologize, do it right.” “One glass, one contract. Let’s see how many you can handle.” The crowd cheered as someone poured glass after glass of hard liquor. Our backs were turned, but I could feel the intense gazes in the room. Some partners did it to please Ken and me, wanting to avenge us. Nancy’s gaze was burning with desperate emotion. I looked at Ken. This kind of cheap bullying was bad for our company’s image. But Ken just smiled gently at me and asked, “You barely ate tonight. Let’s go home and I will make your favorite chicken and mushroom porridge, okay?” He adjusted my coat. “It’s windy outside. Don’t catch a cold.” His expression was calm, but I felt his hand trembling slightly when it brushed against my neck. “Fine, I’ll drink!” Nancy’s resolute voice rang out. The sound of empty glasses hitting the table echoed one after another. Leaning against Ken’s shoulder, I felt his heart racing in panic. Finally, with a dull thud, Nancy collapsed. Ken could not pretend anymore. Without a second thought, he rushed to her side, draped his coat over her shoulders to cover her legs, and scooped her up. As he carried her past me, I saw the veins bulging on his pale, terrified face. He barked at Marcus, “To the hospital!” Marcus glanced at me in panic, hesitating. “Mr. Mercer, but Ms. Prescott…” “Go!” Ken did not even hear him. I let out a bitter laugh. I did not want to make things difficult for Marcus, so I gave him a reassuring nod. Only then did he follow. In Ken’s arms, Nancy’s pale face flushed. She weakly opened her eyes and shot me a triumphant smirk. She had said Ken would leave with her tonight. She won. No matter how dirty her methods, she won. The private room fell dead silent. Everyone looked at me with deep sympathy. Some even spoke up in frustration. “Ken is out of his mind!” “We went too far. We fell right into her trap.” “Charlie, don’t blame him. Ken is just too sentimental.” “I’ll call him right now and get him back here. He’s just not thinking straight.” I shook my head, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. A sob story only works on someone who still cares. In front of everyone, I slid the engagement ring off my ring finger and placed it quietly on the table. Gasps filled the room. Without waiting for their pleas, I turned and walked away. Nancy won. But I did not lose. Instead, Ken, I do not want you anymore. 4 I walked down the cold, windy street in my coat. The city lights blurred in my eyes. Passing an underpass, memories flooded back. Seven years ago, the night my stepbrother assaulted me, I fled my home. My mother refused to believe me. She told me to go back and apologize. She said, “When you live under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head.” At that moment, I realized what it meant to be an unwanted burden. To make things easier for her, I left. I never went back. I cut off all contact. I worked by day and slept on the streets by night, barely surviving. I met Ken in an underpass. He was shirtless, clutching a perfectly pressed suit. I joked that it looked like a scholar’s robe from a tragedy. He self-deprecatingly replied that without this robe, he would never get a meeting with investors. I watched him for a few days. He was fascinating. He would spend his last penny on a coffee just to use the cafe’s Wi-Fi. Yet, he would dig through trash cans for half-eaten meals. He could talk passionately to wealthy investors in fancy restaurants, then wash dishes all night to pay his bills. I asked him, “Isn’t this exhausting? Why not get a normal job?” He replied, “I can’t wait. My little sister is in the hospital. If I don’t get a hundred and fifty thousand dollars within a year, she won’t survive the surgery.” Making that much money in a year was impossible with a normal job. But starting a business was incredibly hard. Looking into his gentle eyes, my heart warmed. I joined him. I rented a cheap, tiny apartment. I bought one portion of food to share. He handled the tech, while I began drinking with investors to secure funding. The cheap alcohol burned my throat and tore my stomach. I threw up constantly. Once, my stomach bled. To save money on medical bills, I endured the pain at home. He stopped working and cared for me until dawn. His eyes were full of worry as he cooked me chicken and mushroom porridge. As we looked at each other, his eyes reddened. He promised, “We will make it. Trust me.” I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Of course I trust you. I always have.” I do not remember who kissed whom first. But the bowl of porridge fell to the floor. It was our first time wasting food, and our first time completely opening our hearts to each other. He asked me what my dream was once we succeeded. I held him tight. “I want a home. A place of my own.” He squeezed my hand. “I will give you a home. Ours.” In the first year, I secured our first major investment. Ken paid for his sister’s surgery. In the third year, the company grew. He bought me a house and decorated it exactly how I wanted. In the sixth year, the company went public, and he proposed. Now, in the seventh year, I thought our home would finally be filled with warmth. Instead, when I opened the door, it was cold and dark.

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1 My father never once attended my parent-teacher conferences. Today, he made an unprecedented appearance. Before I could even crack a smile of relief, he walked right past my desk and took the seat next to Rana. Just like how he chose his mistress all those years ago, he was now choosing her illegitimate daughter. Mocking laughter rippled from Rana’s little clique of friends. They giggled behind their hands, whispering about how I was unloved, a tragic little orphan. I ignored them, calmly settling back into my chair. I had originally planned to tell him the big news today. Both my paternal grandfather and my mother’s father had officially decided I would inherit the family empire. Looking at him now, I realized it was completely unnecessary. Rana noticed me standing stiffly in the aisle and flashed a venomous, triumphant smirk. “Daddy, you even canceled your board meetings to be here. I told you it was fine,” she whined, leaning her head affectionately against his shoulder. My father rubbed her hair, his eyes melting with a warmth I had never received. “I’d never miss a day for my little troublemaker.” They whispered intimately to each other. Every word they exchanged felt like a needle driving into my chest. My mother died young, and my father never showed up for me. He always had a million excuses, constantly pawning the responsibility off onto random corporate executives to sit in my classroom. This term, I ranked first in the entire grade. I had practically buzzed with excitement when I asked if he could finally come to my conference. He had merely cast a cold glance in my direction. No praise. No smile. He just muttered that he would check his schedule and walked out the door. He had never praised me, let alone stroked my hair with such tender affection. “Serena, your parents didn’t show up again? I told everyone you were basically an orphan, but you just wouldn’t admit it.” “Right? Last time she acted so tough, I really thought someone might actually show up for her today.” Two nosy girls in the front row turned around, grinning maliciously at me before bursting into loud, obnoxious laughter. Through it all, my father did not lift his head once. It was as if I were a complete stranger. I let out a cold, sharp laugh, locking eyes with the two giggling girls. “Some people have parents but act like they were raised in a barn. They still have zero class. Even if my seat is empty today, I am still number one in the school.” The moment the words left my mouth, the color drained from their faces. The surrounding parents, hearing that I was the top student, turned their heads to look at me, their eyes filled with pity that such a brilliant girl lacked a loving family. I did not offer any further explanation, but my father’s expression darkened considerably. Seeing the tension, the homeroom teacher immediately stepped up to the podium. She began showering Rana with exaggerated praise, while subtly shading me. She hinted that my personality was gloomy and that aside from my grades, I was utterly useless and nowhere near as charming as Rana. “Exactly. You should all play with children from loving, happy families like Rana. Serena looks so depressing. Don’t let her drag your mood down,” the teacher added, clearly kissing up to my father. I could not stop the cynical smirk forming on my lips. This teacher had been flattering Rana for months. Now, she was actively targeting me just to humiliate me in front of the entire room. Everyone in this school firmly believed my grandfather would hand the corporate empire over to my father. In their eyes, I was just the unloved, discarded daughter destined to be thrown out. Even my father believed that delusion. I let out another quiet scoff, ignoring the smug expressions plastered across Rana and my father’s faces. The moment the conference ended, our family butler, Bernard, was already waiting at the school gates in my grandfather’s custom luxury sedan. Seeing me walk out, he gave a respectful nod. My father, however, assumed Bernard was there to pick him and his precious daughter up. He genuinely thought my grandfather had finally accepted his mistress and her child. His face flushed with absolute delight as he grabbed Rana’s hand and practically dragged her toward the vehicle. “Rana’s dad is so rich. She is totally going to be a billionaire heiress. I am so jealous.” Envious gazes followed them. Rana was already arrogant enough at school, and this would only inflate her ego to unbearable heights. Bernard looked completely bewildered as my father and Rana approached the car. He glanced past them, locking eyes with me. I gave him a subtle nod, signaling him to just let it happen. Let them put on a show. They would not have the chance to perform for much longer anyway. Surrounded by fawning classmates and parents, they climbed into the luxury car. Pictures of them were plastered all over the local social media pages that very afternoon. I did not bother explaining the truth to anyone. A discarded heir like my father was not worth my breath. People just loved a good circus act. But when I returned home that evening, the circus had followed me. Rana’s mother, Vanessa, was standing right in the middle of our living room. I furrowed my brows, swallowing the rising bile in my throat. “Who gave you permission to step foot in here?” It seemed Bernard’s silence earlier that afternoon had given my father the ultimate delusion. He truly believed he could finally parade his kept woman into the main estate. Looking at her face, all I could see was the day my mother died. As my mother took her final, agonizing breaths, my father was busy strolling through an amusement park with this exact woman. My mother waited for him. She waited until the monitor flatlined, her eyes refusing to close even in death. He did not even bother showing up on the day we buried her. And today was the anniversary of my mother’s death. How dare he. How dare he let them walk through these doors today of all days. Vanessa was pointing fingers all over the house, complaining about the decor, criticizing the architecture. Then, she reached for the large portrait of my mother hanging in the hall, demanding it be taken down. I surged forward and snatched the frame right out of her hands. Vanessa jumped in fright, letting out a shrill shriek as she nearly tripped over her own heels. Seeing it was me, her face contorted in rage. “You stupid brat, are you trying to kill me?” She screamed with the furious entitlement of a woman who already believed she was the lady of the house. The sight of her made my stomach turn. “Who gave you permission to touch my mother’s portrait?” Our shouting match echoed through the grand foyer. Suddenly, the heavy front doors clicked open. My father’s voice boomed from behind me. Hearing him, Vanessa’s eyes instantly welled with crocodile tears. She ran to his side, sobbing that I was bullying her. “She was trying to throw away my mother’s picture! And today is the anniversary of my mother’s…” Death. Before the word could even leave my lips, a sharp sting exploded across my cheek. The force of my father’s slap snapped my head to the side, swallowing whatever I was about to say. The metallic tang of blood pooled in my throat. My cheek burned with a blinding pain. “Vanessa is your new mother now. Watch your mouth. It is just a worthless painting anyway. If she wants to burn it, let her burn it.” His face was black with fury. For a second, I could not tell what hurt more, my stinging cheek or my shattering heart. Thinking back to how I actually held onto a tiny shred of hope for this man earlier today made me feel utterly pathetic. Hearing the commotion, Bernard rushed into the hall. Seeing the red welt forming on my face, he gasped in horror and immediately reached for his phone to call the family doctor, but my father violently shoved his hand away. “Mind your own business. I am disciplining my own daughter. Since when is it a servant’s place to interfere?” my father snarled. “The old man is announcing my succession soon. You all better watch your backs when I am in charge.” Bernard’s eyebrow twitched at the sheer stupidity of the man. He did not even deem it necessary to waste words on him. I let out a cold, sharp laugh, holding up a hand to stop Bernard from explaining the reality to them. “Bernard, my father is absolutely right. We really need to make sure Aunt Vanessa gets a grand, spectacular welcome into the family.” Bernard instantly caught my drift. He lowered his head respectfully and remained silent. Taking my words as submission, my father and Vanessa exchanged a look of supreme, arrogant triumph. They looked absolutely thrilled by my sudden compliance. Rana tilted her chin so high it practically pointed at the ceiling. “Miss, the charity gala in the front courtyard is about to begin. The master asked me to invite…” Martha, one of the senior maids, walked into the hall. She froze mid-sentence, startled by the crowd. Hearing the word “Miss,” Rana’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. She completely assumed the maid was referring to her. Giddy with excitement, she hooked her arms through my father and her mother’s, dragging them toward the banquet hall. “Grandpa definitely accepts us now.” My father smiled so wide his eyes crinkled into slits. He strutted proudly toward the gala, a woman on each arm. I gave Martha a reassuring nod, signaling her to drop it. She bowed slightly and stepped back into the shadows. Tonight was an exclusive charity gala hosted by my paternal grandfather. My mother’s father was also in attendance. They had both agreed to let me host the event tonight. They invited the city’s most elite circles specifically to introduce me as the new, official heir to the empire. I slipped into the banquet hall early through a side door. The room was already packed. Whispers floated through the air, all gossiping about how highly my grandfather thought of me, and how my maternal grandfather flew in specifically to back my claim. “Thank you all for waiting.” A loud, overly confident male voice suddenly boomed through the elegant hall. Everyone turned their heads toward the grand mahogany doors. My father strutted in, his face glowing with arrogance. He had Vanessa on one side and Rana on the other. It was a charity gala dedicated to wildlife preservation, yet they had actually shown up draped in extravagant, dyed animal furs. Disgust flashed across the faces of the elite guests. My father was completely oblivious to the silent judgment. He marched straight up to the VIP table where my grandfathers sat. My mother’s father instantly turned purple with rage. I had to quickly lean in and whisper calming words into his ear for five whole minutes to stop him from flipping the table. He restrained himself, but his eyes promised total destruction later. We remained seated at the head table. None of us made a single move to offer them a chair. My father’s smile faltered slightly. He shot me a harsh glare, gesturing with his chin for me to give up my seat. I smiled sweetly. I did not move an inch. Instead, I raised my voice so the entire ballroom could hear. “Everyone, allow me to introduce my father’s one true love, Vanessa. And this is their precious daughter, Rana, who just happens to be the exact same age as me.” A collective gasp echoed through the room. The realization clicked instantly. This was the infamous mistress and the illegitimate child born out of wedlock. The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward, but Vanessa was far too blinded by the sparkling chandeliers and the scent of old money to notice. She had never been allowed in a room like this before. The moment I finished my introduction, she grabbed a champagne flute and began parading around the room, trying to clink glasses with billionaires, putting on the pathetic airs of a grand matriarch. The guests offered tight, polite smiles, though their eyes dripped with absolute disdain. They practically shrank away from her touch. My father had spent so many years rotting away with these two women that he had lost all sense of social awareness. He loudly announced to the room that he was going to throw a massive, official wedding to make things right. “That is wonderful, Daddy. I will definitely be there,” I laughed loudly, forcing down the bitter tears burning the back of my eyes. I felt so incredibly sorry for my mother. He wanted face? He wanted prestige? Fine. I would make sure he never had a shred of dignity left in this city. “Just having us there isn’t enough, right? We have to invite all my classmates. We need the press. The local country club is far too cheap for Aunt Vanessa. Let’s host the wedding at The Grand Astoria.” I smiled. The surrounding executives and socialites instantly caught the dangerous glint in my eye. They immediately began chiming in, hyping the idea up. My father’s face flushed crimson with absolute euphoria. He felt like a king holding court. He truly believed his ascension to the throne was imminent. “Are they really throwing a wedding? Do we have to go?” someone whispered from the crowd behind me. I threw a brief sideways glance. The man immediately shut his mouth. His wife elbowed him hard in the ribs, scowling in irritation. “Are you an idiot? This is obviously the young heiress setting a trap to humiliate the mistress. If you actually show up, you are officially declaring war on the entire family.” I smiled, turning my attention back to the three fools soaking in the fake applause. I could not wait for the wedding day. Over the next few weeks, Rana bragged to anyone with ears. She proudly announced her parents were getting married at The Grand Astoria and invited practically the entire school, including the teachers. Hearing the venue name, everyone gasped in awe. It was the most exclusive, hyper-expensive venue in the city. Money alone could not buy a reservation there, you needed supreme status. “Serena, you absolutely have to come,” Rana said, blocking my path in the hallway with a sickeningly sweet smile. She fully expected me to break down in tears. My mother had only been given a quiet, rushed ceremony back in the day, yet her mother was getting the wedding of the century at the most prestigious venue in the country. “Oh, I will definitely be there. After all, he is my father,” I replied with a bright smile. Rana’s smug expression froze. She let out an annoyed huff and stomped away. Her little minions stayed behind to block my path, sneering that the moment I was kicked out of the family, I would not even be fit to wipe Rana’s shoes. “Well then, I pray she legally changes her last name soon,” I shrugged nonchalantly. Some of my former friends actually believed the rumors that I was being disowned. They quickly switched sides, flocking to Rana, desperate for a crumb of her promised wealth. Rana basked in my isolation. She loudly promised to buy her loyal followers new laptops, designer phones, and even swore to take the whole class on a luxury vacation to Australia. Everyone except me, of course. Listening to their excited shrieks, I just mentally scoffed at the pack of idiots and walked back to my classroom to study. Egged on by Vanessa, my father invited every major media outlet in the city. He wanted the world to witness her becoming the official lady of the empire. It was hilarious. I eagerly counted down the days, practically salivating at the thought of watching them make total fools of themselves. My father loved his pride more than life itself, yet he was so incredibly shameless. I even sarcastically suggested he double the guest list. He missed the sarcasm entirely, looking at me with genuine paternal affection. He even reached out to stroke my hair. “If you stay this obedient, I might actually leave a small apartment in your name when I take over.” I dodged his hand, my skin crawling with disgust. The fatherly affection I had craved my entire childhood was finally being offered, and it only made me want to vomit. His hand hovered awkwardly in the air. He sighed and walked away. On the day of the wedding, I arrived at the venue early. Vanessa and Rana were decked out in offensively expensive, custom-tailored gowns. Seeing me walk in wearing my standard school uniform, they sneered in disgust. “What an absolute embarrassment. I really do not want to admit we are related to her,” Vanessa scoffed. I smiled, staying silent. They would not have the privilege of claiming relation to me anyway. My classmates arrived shortly after in a loud, chaotic herd. They took their seats, looking around the opulent ballroom with wide, greedy eyes, drawing irritated glances from the polished journalists setting up their cameras. “Rana, you promised us the new phones and laptops today, right?” the class president asked eagerly. Rana nodded dismissively, looking at her peers like they were peasants. But as the hours ticked by, no one else walked through the doors. It was nearing one in the afternoon. Stomachs were rumbling. And still, not a single elite guest had shown their face. “What is going on? Didn’t you say the CEO of the Sterling Group and the Vanguard Bank were coming?” Vanessa snapped, losing her patience. My father was sweating profusely. He could not get ahold of a single executive. Truth be told, he did not even have their personal phone numbers. He frantically dialed my grandfather’s number, only to find the phone turned off. A cold dread finally began to pool in his stomach. “Excuse me, everyone. We have a scheduled wedding event about to begin in this hall. If you wish to dine, please relocate to the public lobby.” The general manager of The Grand Astoria marched in with a squad of security guards, clearly intending to sweep the room. The crowd erupted into chaos. They had no reservation here at all. “What nonsense are you spewing?” my father roared, his face burning red with humiliation as the journalists aimed their lenses right at him. Desperate to save face, he whipped out his premium black card and slammed it into the manager’s chest. The manager swiped it on a portable terminal. It declined. The account was completely frozen. Just then, Bernard strolled gracefully into the chaotic ballroom. My father lunged toward him like a drowning man spotting a lifeboat. He demanded to know where the VIP guests were. Bernard did not even look at him. He walked straight past the frantic man and bowed deeply to me. “Miss, the Master requests your presence at the executive board meeting immediately.” My father exploded. He screamed that he was the true heir, demanding to know why he was being ignored. But a second later, the horrifying reality finally crashed down on him. The blood drained from his face entirely. He slowly turned his head to stare at me. “It was you.”

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On the night before our wedding, my fiancée’s bedroom photos with her first love went viral on social media. When I confronted her, she just shrugged it off with pure disdain. “It was just a bit of fun, Ethan. You can understand that, right?” “Besides, that was ages ago. You weren’t my husband back then.” Later, when the wedding photos of me and my gorgeous college crush went viral, she came to me, screaming and losing her mind. I simply flashed the wedding band on my ring finger. “What does it have to do with you? You’re not my wife anyway.” Chloe’s intimate photos were spreading like wildfire on everyone’s Snapchat Stories. In the photo, she was fast asleep on a king-sized bed, wearing a sexy lace nightgown, her cheeks still flushed with a post-intimacy glow. My group chat with my friends exploded, and everyone was tagging me. “Ethan, bro, is that your fiancée?!” The second I saw the messages, I called her to demand an explanation. But to my surprise, her voice on the phone was completely indifferent. “Who I hang out with is none of your business, Ethan. We’re not married yet, so stop trying to control me.” “Besides, I agreed to marry you, but I never said I loved you.” Before I could even reply, she hung up on me. A few minutes later, Mason sent me another photo. This time, it was a selfie of Chloe and a man. The man had his arm wrapped tightly around Chloe’s waist, a smug, triumphant grin plastered across his face. I recognized him. It was Jax, Chloe’s first love from college. I slowly slipped off my engagement ring and sent Chloe a text. “The wedding is off. Have fun playing your games.” Putting my phone down, a wave of bitterness washed over me. Chloe and I were childhood sweethearts. We practically grew up together. Our families were close business partners, and they had arranged our marriage long ago. I really thought we loved each other, and that we were a perfect match. I thought it was a dream come true. But I had ignored how fast she went through boyfriends during our college years—it was faster than she changed her clothes. At first, I told myself she was just young, wanted to have fun, and wasn’t ready to be tied down by marriage. Because I loved her, I tolerated it over and over again. But now, a sudden thought popped into my head. Why should I? What did she actually take me for? Not long after I sent the text, Chloe called me on FaceTime. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and annoyance. “Are you seriously throwing a tantrum right now, Ethan? Calling off the wedding? Please. Do you think your parents would ever agree to that?” The anger that had been building up in my chest finally erupted at her condescending tone. “My words represent my parents. Don’t ever contact me again.” Chloe paused, seemingly shocked and confused. “Are you insane?! When I was with my exes before, didn’t you even buy us dinner? Why are you acting up now?” Before I could speak, Jax’s mocking laughter came through the speaker. “Oh, is your fiancé jealous? Tell him we’re just playing house. You’re going to marry him anyway, so tell him not to be such a loser.” Jax continued to tease her in the background. “Babe, aren’t you going to comfort him? He sounds like he’s actually crying.” The sound of his voice disgusted me. I was just about to hang up. Then I heard Chloe’s cold voice. “There’s no need to comfort him. He always acts like this. Just ignore him.” She sounded so sure of herself, as if she knew I would always crawl back to her. Then, she said in a sweet, pampering voice, “Babe, didn’t you say you’ve never flown first class? I’ll buy you the most expensive ticket for our flight back tomorrow!”

After walking out of the house, I wandered aimlessly down the streets. I bought a six-pack of beer and sat by the harbor, watching the sunset. My phone kept buzzing with new messages. My friends had found out about Chloe, and they were all sending messages of support. “Ethan, where you at, man? Want us to come over and grab a drink?” “Don’t sweat it, bro. I did some digging. That Jax guy is just a broke gold-digger…” … I didn’t reply to any of them. But every time I saw Chloe’s name, my chest tightened. Fortunately, the cool breeze blowing off the water gradually calmed my racing mind. I didn’t know how much I had drank, but the sky had turned pitch black, and the harbor lights were starting to flicker on. “Fuck!” I cursed out loud, throwing the empty beer can into the water. “You absolute bitch!” I screamed into the empty air, throwing one can after another into the water. Yet, the suffocating weight in my chest didn’t lighten at all. “Hey! You over there! No littering in the water!” A park ranger with a flashlight came marching toward me. I quickly jumped up and bolted. Normally, I would have lost her in seconds. But with the alcohol sloshing in my system, my feet were heavy, and she ended up chasing me for ten whole minutes. By the time I finally shook her off, I collapsed onto a curb, panting heavily. I lifted the warm, half-empty beer can that had been shaking in my hand, ready to take a gulp. Suddenly, a shadow blocked the streetlight. A voice like silver bells echoed in my ears. I looked up. Under the dim golden light, a woman was standing right in front of me. Our eyes met. Her eyes seemed to hold a soft, swirling ocean, making it impossible for me to look away. It was Sienna. Our college campus queen. What was she doing here? The harbor lights outlined her flawless face. Her long hair danced in the wind, carrying a faint, sweet scent of gardenias. Her nose twitched slightly, and she smiled softly. “Have you been drinking?” I cleared my throat, threw the beer can on the ground, and quickly crushed it with my shoe. “No. Just… collecting cans for fun.” She watched me quietly, then raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk. “Right. I was going to say—the great Ethan, heir to the Miller Group, couldn’t possibly be running away from a park ranger for littering.” Uh… I kept quiet. The silence between us felt like a lifetime. “Oh? Is your face red? What’s wrong? Did the breakup hit you that hard? Guess you’re not as tough as you look.” Sienna reached out, her slender, fair fingers gently pinching my cheek. A subtle smile played in her eyes. Maybe it was the alcohol talking. Or maybe it was just a crazy impulse. I grabbed her wrist, looking straight into her eyes. “Sienna… do you want to come back to my place for a drink?” “My dog Tommy can do backflips.” The second the words left my mouth, I saw a flash of shock in Sienna’s eyes. Honestly, between consenting adults, an invitation like that was pretty obvious. And I instantly regretted my impulsiveness. She was the ultimate goddess of our entire social circle, every guy’s dream girl. There was no way she would agree to such a ridiculous, forward request. I must have been out of my mind to say that. Just as I was about to apologize, she bit her lower lip slightly and whispered, “Okay.”

The next morning, I was woken up by my phone blaring. I looked down and realized Sienna was lying right next to me, her hand resting softly on my chest. What happened last night? I held my pounding, hungover head and tried to piece together my memories. But no matter how hard I tried, I could only recall fragments. I only remembered bringing her home, pinning her against the door, and holding her tightly. She had asked me, “Aren’t we supposed to have a drink first?” And I think I replied, “You are my drink. Let me take a sip first.” After that, everything was a blur. The phone was still ringing. I squinted and pressed answer. Chloe’s demanding voice immediately blasted through the receiver. “Pick me up in thirty minutes. I want to go shopping.” I instantly woke up. I glanced at Sienna next to me and lowered my voice. “What does your shopping have to do with me? Stop calling and annoying me!” As I spoke, Sienna stirred, letting out a soft, sleepy whimper, seemingly annoyed by the noise. Even though it was just a quick, quiet sound, Chloe caught it. Her voice instantly went up an octave. “Ethan! Where are you?! Is there a woman with you?!” “None of your business!” I snapped, hung up the phone, and turned it completely off. Then, I pulled Sienna back into my arms and happily went back to sleep. I didn’t wake up again until noon. When I opened my eyes, the space beside me was empty. I sat up, shaking my head. Thinking back to last night, it felt like a dream. Only the slight ache in my lower back reminded me that it was very, very real. Walking out of the bedroom, I saw Sienna sitting in the living room. She was wearing one of my oversized white t-shirts, showcasing her long, gorgeous legs. My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out, “Did you bring your ID?” She turned to look at me, a hint of confusion on her face. I walked over, leaning down to wrap my arms around her waist, breathing in the scent of her hair. Sienna’s eyes widened slightly, her beautiful, clear gaze shimmering. I whispered in her ear, “I’m taking you to City Hall to sign some papers. The kind that lets you drink at my house for the rest of your life.” At this moment, I was completely sober. I could hear my own heartbeat. It was louder and faster than ever before. An hour later. I walked out of City Hall, holding Sienna’s hand in one of mine, and our official marriage certificate in the other. “It’s official. You’re legally mine.” Sienna looked at me and smiled beautifully. “Getting swept off my feet like this feels a little too easy. What about our wedding?” I couldn’t help but laugh, pulling her head gently against my chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you the wedding of your dreams.”

Over the next few days, Sienna and I were busy picking out wedding rings, trying on dresses, and discussing details with the wedding planner. We watched the sunrise and sunset together. We talked about everything under the stars. The connection between us was so natural. We even discovered we both wanted a rustic wedding in the valleys of Montana. Without any hesitation, we started planning the venue setup. Every day, she would sketch ideas on paper, and a perfect wedding scene began to take shape under her pen. But one afternoon, I received an unexpected phone call. “Is this Mr. Miller? Your custom tuxedo has arrived at the store. When would you like to come in for a fitting?” I was confused. “Tuxedo? What tuxedo?” Sienna and I were planning on getting custom suits, but we hadn’t placed any orders yet. The person on the line paused before explaining, “Miss Davis ordered it for you a few days ago and left your number.” I glanced at Sienna, covered the microphone, and walked out to the balcony. I got straight to the point. “I don’t know anything about this. Contact Miss Davis directly. Please don’t call this number again. Thank you.” After hanging up, I frowned. What was Chloe playing at? Since when did I ask her to get me a tuxedo? Right on cue, Chloe’s call came through. “Ethan! What are you doing? Why haven’t you called me in days?” Her voice quickly turned impatient and bossy. “I ordered a tuxedo for you. Make sure you pick it up. We’re having dinner with my parents this weekend to talk about the wedding date.” “And don’t you dare show up with that miserable face of yours!” I found it almost laughable. “Miss Davis, I’m already married. I’ll inform my parents about it. I don’t want the tuxedo, and please stop calling me. I don’t want my wife to get the wrong idea.” Chloe went dead silent. A second later, a screeching scream erupted from the phone. “Ah!!! Are you out of your mind, Ethan?! Where the hell did you get a wife?!” “I know you’re mad about me and Jax, but I was just having some fun with him! Otherwise, how else am I supposed to enjoy my freedom before getting married?” I could practically picture her face twisting in rage on the other end. “Can’t you just be understanding for once?!” I let out a cold chuckle and didn’t bother to reply. She had been spoiled since childhood. Her family’s pampering—and my unconditional love—had made her think she could do whatever she wanted without consequences. She never cared about anyone else’s feelings. She thought the entire world revolved around her. The ultimate spoiled princess. “I’m giving you one last chance. Get over here right now and apologize, or else—” Before she could finish, I hung up. Sienna walked over, teasing me playfully, “Ooh, was that your fiancée?” I smiled bitterly, pulling her into my arms by her waist. “Fiancée? No way. That was just Chloe. You know, the whole family-arranged engagement thing.” “But don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to my parents. I’m bringing you home to meet them this weekend.” Sienna nodded thoughtfully, but a clever smile quickly played on her lips. She said confidently, “Trust me, your parents will be much happier with me.”

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On the day Grandma Maeve passed away, my divorced parents, who had both remarried, stood over her coffin arguing about who would be stuck with me. In my past life, I felt sorry for my dad, Richard. I chose to stay with him, hoping to ease his loneliness. I even helped him pick the numbers for a lottery ticket that ended up winning a ten-million-dollar jackpot. But the moment he struck it rich, he bought mansions and luxury cars for my stepmother and step-siblings. Meanwhile, he refused to spend even a few hundred dollars on painkillers for me. In the end, I was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, and I died a slow, agonizing death in my cold bed. Reborn into this life, my dad was frowning and sighing as usual. “Hazel, your mother married a wealthy businessman. If you go with her, you’ll live like a princess.” “My house is already too crowded. There’s just no room for you here.” My mother, Eleanor, was casually looking at her freshly manicured nails. Her voice was icy. “Richard, that’s not fair. Kids make a house lively.” “Besides, the rules in my new home are strict. My husband’s ex-wife left behind twins, and they are not easy to get along with.” “If Hazel comes with me, she’ll be eaten alive.” Hearing them push me back and forth like unwanted trash, I felt absolutely nothing. When they finally turned to me, annoyed, and demanded to know who I wanted to live with. I silently picked up my battered duffel bag and walked over to my mother. Eleanor’s face fell instantly. My dad let out a massive sigh of relief, a smug grin creeping up his face. But he had no idea. Without me there to stop it in this life, that multi-million-dollar lottery ticket would be left in his jeans pocket, thrown into the washing machine by his new wife, and shredded into useless mush. Having a second chance at life, I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted to be comfortable before my time ran out.

My dad shoved the rest of my things into my arms. He kept staring at his phone, checking the lottery drawing date, and waved me off dismissively. “Don’t call me unless it’s an emergency. I’ve got a busy household to run.” His mind was completely consumed by that lottery ticket. He couldn’t wait to throw his useless daughter away. I didn’t say a word. I just dragged my bag toward the Maybach parked at the curb. Eleanor looked at my pilled, oversized sweater, her brow furrowing with disgust. The back window rolled down, and Arthur’s daughter, Chloe, pinched her nose in exaggerated disgust. “Eleanor, is this the charity case daughter you brought from the countryside?” “Why does she smell like sour trash?” From the passenger seat, her brother, Ethan, turned his head and gave me a cold, indifferent look. He didn’t say anything, but the disdain in his eyes was loud and clear. My mother looked embarrassed, standing awkwardly outside the car door. She wanted to suggest buying me some new clothes, but she was too terrified of upsetting her new family. Arthur Sterling, my stepfather, saw her embarrassment. He closed the business document in his hands. “Let’s stop by the mall first. Get the girl some decent clothes.” I lowered my eyes and nodded quietly. Following them into the high-end department store, the bright, sparkling lights hurt my eyes. Arthur asked the personal shopper to bring out several pieces from the new seasonal collection. My mother pulled me behind a clothing rack, lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. “Pick the cheapest ones. Don’t look like a greedy beggar.” “Arthur is rich, but that money has nothing to do with you.” “Learn your place. Don’t make things difficult for me.” I watched her perfectly painted lips move, feeling completely detached. It had been a very long time since she had shown this much concern for me. Too bad this “concern” had nothing to do with love. I turned around and randomly pointed at a rack of clothes. Chloe strutted over. Seeing me look at a simple white dress, she immediately snatched it away, giving me a smug glare. “I want this one. You don’t deserve to wear something this nice.” Eleanor immediately put on a fake, flattering smile. “Of course! Chloe, it looks much better on you anyway. Hazel can pick something else.” Looking at my mother’s eager-to-please face, I silently stepped back. I just pointed at a basic t-shirt on the clearance rack. Arthur walked over and looked at the cheap t-shirt. He frowned slightly, then turned to the sales associate. “Take that white dress, along with the other new arrivals, and pack them in her size.” Chloe stomped her foot in anger. “Dad! Why are you buying her such expensive clothes?”

Arthur gave her a stern look. “Our family isn’t so poor that we can’t afford a few dresses. Don’t make us look cheap.” My mother quickly chimed in. “Yes, yes. Arthur is always so thoughtful.” She then turned and glared at me. “Well? Thank your Stepfather Arthur.” I took the shopping bags. “Thank you, Arthur.” Half an hour later, we entered the Sterling family estate. The grand winding staircase and massive crystal chandeliers were breathtaking. The luxury penthouse my dad had bought in my previous life seemed like a tiny shack compared to this palace. But none of this mattered to me. I carried my bags and quietly retreated to the bedroom my mother pointed out. The room was huge. The bed was incredibly soft. I lay down and closed my eyes. A dull, throbbing pain was already starting to echo in my head. At dinner, my mother was desperately trying to teach me table manners. “Hold your fork and knife like this. And don’t make disgusting noises when you eat your soup.” She was terrified I would embarrass her and ruin her status in this house. Chloe sat across from me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She picked up a bowl of steaming hot soup and handed it to me. “Here. Have some soup.” Just as I reached out to take it. She intentionally let go too early. The scalding hot soup spilled directly over the back of my hand. Before I could even gasp, my mother was already shrieking. “How could you be so careless!” “Do you know how expensive that rug is?” “Go to the bathroom and clean yourself up, now!” She cared about the rug. She cared about her reputation. She didn’t care at all about my red, blistering skin. I wiped my hand with a napkin, stood up, and bowed slightly. “I’m sorry.” Arthur set down his utensils, his expression darkening. “Chloe. Apologize.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “It was an accident. She just didn’t catch it.” Arthur’s voice went cold. “I won’t say it again. Apologize.” Chloe muttered a half-hearted “sorry.” My mother quickly tried to play mediator. “Oh, they’re just kids playing around.” “Hazel has tough skin, she’s fine. Arthur, please don’t be mad at Chloe.” Arthur ignored my mother entirely. He slid a tube of burn ointment across the table to me. “Go put this on.” I took the medicine. “Thank you.” Back in my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, gently applying the cream. My phone rang. It was my dad. The background was loud with the sounds of a rowdy bar and glasses clinking. He took a drag of his cigarette, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Hazel! Your old man is about to be filthy rich!” “My lottery numbers are a guaranteed win!” “But since you chose to go with your mother, don’t think you can come back to beg for a single dime of my money.” “I have big plans for this cash.” “Just stay out of my way over there!” I rubbed the ointment over the blisters on my hand, my voice completely flat. “Okay. Hope you get rich.” I hung up. Suddenly, I heard soft footsteps outside. My mother was standing at the door. She pushed it open, looking at me with pure suspicion. “Don’t go calling your trashy father.” “Don’t bring his peasant energy into this house.” “It took me years to secure my place here.” “Behave yourself, and don’t drag me down with you.” I stared at her perfectly preserved face. “Okay. I will.” She seemed satisfied with my submissive attitude and shut the door. In the middle of the night, a migraine hit me like a sledgehammer. It felt like my skull was being split open. A cold sweat broke out all over my body. I pulled open my nightstand drawer. My bottle of painkillers was empty. Clutching the wall, I slowly made my way downstairs to find some medicine. The living room was pitch black. I walked toward the patio, only to find Arthur standing there, apparently suffering from insomnia too. He held a glass of red wine, staring out into the dark night. Hearing me, he turned around. Under the moonlight, he looked at my pale, lifeless eyes and spoke softly. “Chloe’s mother passed away when she was very young. That’s why she acts like a porcupine.”

“Don’t take it to heart.” He poured a glass of warm water, found a box of extra-strength painkillers from the first-aid kit, and handed them to me. I took them and swallowed two pills. “Thank you.” He studied my ghostly pale face. “When I was sick years ago, I couldn’t sleep at all.” “The doctors told me I had less than six months to live.” “Every night, the pain made me want to crash my head against the wall. Even breathing felt like torture.” “Everyone around me was just waiting for me to die so they could split my estate. No one thought I’d make it.” “But I refused to give up. I dragged myself through chemotherapy and surgeries.” “And look at me now. I’m still standing.” He turned back to look at the night sky. “No matter how cruel the world is to you, your life belongs to you. Don’t give up on it easily.” For the first time since my rebirth, I felt a flicker of genuine human warmth. I gripped the warm glass of water. “I understand.” Over the next few days, life was relatively quiet. Under Arthur’s warnings, Chloe stopped causing trouble for me openly. But she still hated my guts. Every time we passed each other in the hallway, she would deliberately bump my shoulder. Or at dinner, she would push the dishes she knew I disliked right in front of me. Ethan always watched from the sidelines, never participating, but never stopping her either. I didn’t care. One afternoon, I came back from a hospital checkup. The oncologist told me that the tumor was spreading much faster than expected. I had two months left. At most. I pushed open my bedroom door, only to find Chloe rifling through my duffel bag. Ethan was leaning against the doorframe, frowning as he watched her. “What are you looking for? Get out of there before Dad catches you.” Chloe was stubborn. “Mind your business.” “I just want to see what kind of trash she’s hiding in here.” She dumped the bag upside down. Several empty prescription pill bottles tumbled out. Along with them was a worn, faded photograph of my Grandma Maeve. Seeing me walk in, Chloe froze, clutching one of the empty pill bottles. The mocking words she was about to say died in her throat. “Why… why do you have so many of these heavy painkillers?” She stammered. I walked over, quietly took the photo of my grandmother from her hands. I carefully wiped her fingerprints off the photo with my sleeve. Then, I swept the empty pill bottles back into my drawer. “Are you done?” My voice was as faint as a whisper. “If you’re done, please zip my bag back up.” Ethan stared at the pill bottles, then at the photo of my grandmother. His eyes grew complicated. He stood up straight, grabbed Chloe’s arm, and pulled her back. In a stiff but sincere voice, he said, “I’m sorry. She shouldn’t have touched your things.” I stared at Grandma Maeve’s smiling face in the photo. “No need to apologize.” “Nothing lasts anyway.” Those words seemed to strike a chord in Ethan. He looked at my dead, hollow eyes, his expression shifting into something unreadable as he dragged Chloe out of the room. The room fell silent again. A moment later, my phone vibrated frantically. My dad had sent over a dozen texts on Snapchat. “That stupid bitch put my jeans in the washing machine! The lottery ticket is ruined!” “It’s all gone! Shredded into paper pulp!” “Did you know this would happen?! Why didn’t you warn me before you left?!” “We’re getting a divorce now!” “Pick up your phone! Get over here!” Looking at the angry texts, I could perfectly picture his veins popping on his forehead. In my past life, I had practically burned my hands trying to fish that ticket out of the washing machine to save him. And what did I get? He abandoned me the moment he got the cash. I coldly typed back a few words: “I didn’t know.” Then I blocked him, silenced my phone, and threw it onto the bed. My head throbbed violently again. I popped two of my new painkillers and swallowed them dry. That evening, I went for a walk along the tree-lined path outside the estate. The fresh air helped ease my headaches a bit. Just as I turned a corner, a shadow blocked my path. It was my dad.

His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a wild mess, and he reeked of cheap whiskey. He grabbed my arm in a death grip. “The ticket is gone! My life is ruined! Everything is gone!” He glared at me, spitting saliva onto my face as he yelled. “I remember you saying you were sick in your past life, right?” “You still have that illness now, don’t you? Go tell your rich stepfather!” “He has millions! Get some money out of him for me!” “If you don’t, I will stalk you every single day!” “Nobody is going to live in peace!” I winced, trying to shake off his grip. “Let go of me.” Furious, my dad raised his hand, about to slap me. “You ungrateful little brat! How dare you speak to me like that!” But before his hand could fall, someone caught his wrist mid-air. Arthur appeared behind us. He shoved my dad’s hand away with immense force, shielding me behind his broad shoulders. Ethan stepped up from behind, pushing my dad back. “Get the hell away from her.” My dad stumbled backward, nearly falling onto the gravel. Looking at Arthur and Ethan, his tough-guy act instantly vanished. He didn’t dare mess with Arthur Sterling, so he resorted to pointing and screaming at me. “You just wait! This isn’t over!” Arthur’s eyes were razor-sharp. “If I ever see your face near this property again, I will personally ensure you spend the rest of your life begging on the streets.” My dad shivered, shrunk back, and ran off into the dark, stumbling over his own feet. Arthur turned to look at me. For the first time, he took my hand. “Let’s go home.” Ethan glared coldly at the direction my father had fled. Only after confirming he wouldn’t dare return did he turn and follow us back. Back in the living room, Arthur was clearly displeased by the scene. His face was grim as he went straight up to his study to deal with work. Ethan dragged Chloe off to the home theater. Once Eleanor made sure they were out of earshot, she completely lost her mind. She felt that Arthur having to step in and handle her trashy ex-husband made her lose all dignity in this house. She rushed up to me, grabbing my collar, sobbing hysterically. “Why can’t you just be invisible?! Why do you have to ruin everything?!” “Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get a scrap of respect in this house?” “You got here, and now it’s all ruined!” “That pathetic excuse of a father of yours actually came here to beg!” “What if Arthur decides to throw me out because of this?!” “Why did you choose to come with me in the first place?” “Do you just hate seeing me happy?!” She got more and more frantic, her nails digging into her own palms. Finally, she went quiet. She pulled a credit card out of her purse and threw it onto the coffee table. “Take this money and get out.” “Go live in a dorm, rent an apartment, do whatever you want.” “Just don’t come back here.” I looked at the woman who had given birth to me, yet looked at me with such pure disgust. I had long since grown used to her selfishness and coldness. I forced a pale, faint smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t be an eyesore for much longer.” My mother frowned, taking a step back in disgust. “Are you playing the victim again?” “I say two words to you and you look like you’re about to die—” Before she could finish her sentence. I felt a sudden, uncontrollable warmth rush down my nose. A thick drop of crimson blood fell onto the pristine white rug, bright and terrifying. Arthur and the twins had just walked back into the living room, catching the scene. Chloe let out a sharp gasp, covering her mouth. My vision began to blur. That familiar, tearing pain roared in my skull. Under their horrified gazes, my knees gave out. And I collapsed onto the floor.

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On my 30th birthday, I posted a picture of a wedding dress on my Instagram. Within minutes, Julian—the childhood friend who had rejected me ninety-nine times—called me. He specifically told me to put on the dress and meet him at City Hall. He said he had a massive birthday surprise for me. But when I stood outside the City Hall entrance, shivering in the cool breeze, I heard him laughing with his frat-boy friends behind me. “See? I told you she’d actually show up in a wedding dress. Pay up, boys! A hundred bucks each!” Then, Julian turned to me, winking and flashing that arrogant smirk of his. “Come on, Maya. It was just a joke. You didn’t seriously think we were getting married, did you?” “But hey, if you’re that desperate to get married, you can always just go inside and grab a random guy.” His friends burst into obnoxious laughter. I rolled my eyes. Honestly, I did have an appointment to get married today. But my groom wasn’t him. A few minutes later, when I walked out of the building arm-in-arm with another man, holding our marriage certificate, Julian’s face went completely pale.

Watching Julian collect cash from his friends one by one, a cold realization washed over me. Today was just another bet. Another game to make me look like a fool. The guys who lost the bet handed over their money, rolling their eyes at me in disgust. “Maya, do you have any idea how much money I’ve lost because of you? Get a grip, seriously!” “We’ve told you a thousand times, Julian is out of your league. Did you honestly think he’d ever marry you?” “You’ve been played like a fiddle at least ten times by now. How do you keep falling for this? You are hopelessly stupid!” I bit my bottom lip so hard I tasted copper. My nails dug into my palms. After pocketing the cash, Julian walked over to me. He actually had the nerve to look concerned. “What’s wrong, Maya? Aren’t you happy?” He turned to his friends and barked, “Hey, shut up, you jerks. Today is Maya’s birthday. Don’t ruin it for her.” Just when I thought a sliver of his humanity had returned, Julian pulled a ten-dollar bill from his pocket and held it out to me. He grinned. “Thanks to you, I just made two thousand bucks. Here’s ten dollars. Go buy yourself a slice of cake. Happy birthday.” His friends roared with laughter again. “Julian, you’re too nice! Watch out, or Maya’s going to fall even crazier in love with you!” “Look at her, she literally wore a wedding dress! She’s like a beggar begging for scraps, desperately trying to marry into the Vance family!” If this were the old me, I would have broken down in tears by now. I would have begged Julian to stop hurting me, to stop treating my heart like a toy. But this time, I calmly took the ten-dollar bill from his hand. “Thanks. The copy fee for the marriage certificate is ten dollars, and I didn’t bring cash.” Julian froze. Then, he let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Maya, did you leave your brain at home today? You’re still dreaming about marrying me?” “Are you blind? I was playing you.” “Honestly, I’ve seen desperate girls, but you really take the cake.” He shook his head with disgust, looking at me as if I were a piece of trash stuck to his shoe. Even though I had prepared myself for this, his words still pierced my heart like sharp arrows. I actually found out about his little bet yesterday. Someone had commented on my dress photo, saying I only bought it because I was jealous of Julian’s new girlfriend, Serena. The man I had loved for eight years knew exactly how much I adored him. And because of that, he knew exactly how to hurt me the deepest. He had completely forgotten the promise he made to me when we were younger. “Maya, if neither of us is married by thirty, let’s just get married to each other.” Today, I turned thirty. And I was indeed getting married. I just hadn’t told Julian that my groom wasn’t him.

The wedding dress I chose was a simple, ankle-length gown. My fiancé and I had picked it out together. I lifted my skirt and walked past Julian toward the City Hall entrance. But he grabbed my wrist, pulling me back. “Stop acting, Maya. Who are you trying to fool?” “If you’re really that desperate to get hitched, go inside and drag some random guy to the altar. Do me a favor and get married so you’ll finally stop stalking me.” I looked at his face, feeling too exhausted to even get angry. I just felt a profound, heavy sadness. The Julian who used to chase down bullies just to make them apologize to me was completely gone. This stranger had taken his place. I shook my head, trying to pull my hand away. Suddenly, a voice called out. “Julian!” It was Serena. Julian instantly let go of my wrist. To prove his loyalty to her, he pulled a sanitizing wipe from his pocket and meticulously wiped his hand. As if I were contagious. Serena walked up, looking confused. “Julian, what are you doing here?” Then she looked at me. “Maya? Are you getting married today? You’re even wearing a wedding dress.” Julian looked around nervously. He didn’t want Serena to know he had organized a bet around me. In a panic, he grabbed Brad from his group of friends and shoved him next to me, laughing loudly. “Serena, you’re so smart! You guessed it. Today is the big day for Maya and Brad!” “We all came out here to support them and wish them well.” His friends instantly caught on and chimed in. “Yeah, Serena! We’re celebrating Maya and Brad today!” I looked at Brad—who was shorter than me and wearing a greasy, stupid grin—and felt a wave of nausea. Seeing that Serena was still skeptical, Julian pushed Brad and me toward the doors. “Go on, go get registered! Serena wants to see!” I stumbled forward from his push. Brad actually had the audacity to grab my hand. He whispered in my ear, “Look, Maya, Julian’s never going to want you. But you’ve got a nice face and a decent body. I guess we could make it work.” I lost it. I ripped my hand away from his greasy grip and leaned against the wall, dry-heaving. Julian immediately mocked, “Oh my god, Maya. Are you pregnant? Is this a shotgun wedding?” “Brad, you dog! Nice job!” Serena joined in, her face beaming with fake sweetness. “Maya, I was so worried about your love life. I had no idea you’d find a husband and get pregnant so quickly. Congratulations!” I stood straight and looked coldly at Julian, who was still laughing hysterically. “You’re right,” I said quietly. “I am getting married today. But not to any of you losers. My fiancé is inside getting our queue number. Save your congratulations for him.” Julian’s laughter died instantly.

Just then, my phone buzzed. I answered it, nodding a few times. “The second floor? Okay, I’ll go up first. Sounds good.” I hung up, turned to the stunned Julian, and said, “I wore this dress because my fiancé hired a photographer to capture our day.” “This is the simplest gown of the seven dresses I bought. It’s easy to move in.” “Since you’re all here, you might as well take the invitations. My wedding is on the tenth of next month. You’re welcome to attend.” I pulled the elegant, gold-embossed invitations from my bag and handed them out. When I reached Julian, he refused to take it. One of his friends looked at the card and gasped. “The Grand Pierre Hotel? That’s the most expensive venue in the city! Maya, did you land a sugar daddy? He must be loaded.” Julian’s lips twitched, his eyes filled with utter disdain. “Maya, you really are committed to this act, aren’t you?” “Fake invitations? Booking The Grand Pierre? This is pathetic, even for you.” With two fingers, he took the invitation from his friend and tossed it onto the street. Serena glanced at the invitation on the ground and sighed. “Honestly, Maya, I have to side with Julian on this. There isn’t even a photo of the groom on the card. It looks totally fake.” We hadn’t had time to take engagement photos yet. Serena stepped closer, grabbing my hand with a look of pity. “Look, I know how you feel about Julian…” Julian suddenly went tense. “Serena, let me explain—” Serena waved him off. “Julian, you don’t have to explain. I know you two grew up together. You have history.” She turned back to me. “Maya, woman to woman, I get it. But you can’t force love. Julian has told you a million times that he only sees you as a sister.” “And since I’m practically your older sister now, let me give you some advice: stop this embarrassing show. The more you do, the more people are going to laugh at you.” The crowd behind her murmured in agreement. “Serena is so sweet and understanding!” “She’s a class act. Only someone as nice as Serena would try to save Maya from embarrassing herself!” Serena looked at me with pure condescension. “Come on, Maya. Let me help you take that dress off.” It was always like this. Whenever Julian humiliated me, Serena would step in to play the saint. And over time, Julian became convinced his girlfriend was an angel, while I was just a bitter, pathetic villain. I was about to push her away when she noticed the tag sticking out of the back of my dress. She grabbed it and read it aloud. “A designer dress? From this season’s collection?” She sighed. “Maya, my heart breaks for you. Did you rent this? You didn’t even take the tag off. You really don’t have to go this far…” Julian’s expression turned even more vicious. He pulled Serena into his arms, kissing her hair. “Serena, you’re too good for this world. Why are you even wasting your breath on a pathological liar like her?” Serena squeezed Julian’s shirt, playing the worried friend. “Julian, I’m sure Maya didn’t mean any harm. It’s just a girl’s vanity. She just needs someone to guide her.” My cheeks burned with humiliation. I clenched my fists and explained, “My fiancé bought it for me yesterday. I just forgot to cut the tag…” “Save it. If you lie enough, you start believing your own BS.” Julian chin-gestured toward me. “If you actually have a fiancé, Maya, call him out here. Let us see him.” His friends immediately chimed in. “Yeah, let’s see this imaginary billionaire!” “Show us the guy who can afford designer clothes and The Grand Pierre!” “Isn’t today your wedding day? Where is the groom?” We were standing right at the entrance of City Hall, and a crowd of strangers was starting to gather, whispering and staring at us. Brad, whom I had pushed away earlier, pointed at me and yelled to the crowd: “Hey everyone, look at this girl! She tried to ruin someone else’s relationship, got caught, and now she’s pretending she’s getting married today!” “Let’s see if her imaginary groom actually exists!” People stopped to point and whisper. Some even pulled out their phones to record me. The autumn wind felt freezing. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to shrink away. Serena shivered slightly. Julian immediately took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. He glared at me. “Maya, call your fake husband already. If Serena catches a cold because of your little stunt, you’re going to pay for it!” I lowered my head. I felt frozen from the inside out. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure when my fiancé would arrive. We had only met once. As the minutes ticked by and nobody appeared, the crowd around us grew larger. Phone cameras were practically shoved in my face. I kept backing up, trying to escape the lenses, until I bumped into a solid chest. “I’m sorry, I—” Before I could finish, a pair of strong, warm hands rested on my shoulders. “I should be the one apologizing.” “I’m sorry, Maya. The traffic was awful. I’m late.”

The voice was deep, smooth, and right at my ear. My heart leaped into my throat. I was almost too afraid to turn around. But the man behind me, sensing my tension, gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze. He took two steps forward, completely shielding me from the crowd. “Everyone, today is my wedding day with my beautiful bride. Please, have some chocolate.” As soon as he spoke, his assistant stepped forward from a sleek black SUV, carrying a large basket of expensive, artisanal chocolates to hand out. “Wow, this packaging is gorgeous. These must be expensive!” “The groom is so handsome, and the bride is stunning. They look perfect together!” “See? She wasn’t lying! They really are getting married. Who was the jerk calling her a homewrecker earlier?!” The crowd’s attitude flipped instantly. They turned around, looking for Brad. Seeing the tables turn, Brad tried to sneak away, which only made him look guiltier. “It was him! He tried to ruin this lovely couple’s big day!” The handsome groom standing in front of me, Ethan Carter, gave his assistant a slight nod. The assistant understood immediately, heading off to deal with Brad. Someone in the crowd gasped. “Wait, he looks so familiar… isn’t he…?” “Oh my god! He’s Ethan Carter! The CEO of Carter Enterprises! He was on the cover of Forbes last month!” My jaw dropped. I had met Ethan through a blind date arranged by our families. We had only met once. Both of us agreed we wanted to settle down, so we casually agreed to get married. I had no idea he was that Ethan Carter. The onlookers quickly deleted their videos and offered us warm smiles and congratulations. “Happy wedding day! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!” Once the crowd dispersed, Ethan turned and gently took my hand. “Shall we go in, Maya? Let’s get our license.” I followed him like a robot, my brain completely blank. I couldn’t help but glance back one last time. Julian was frozen on the sidewalk. His face was a mix of confusion and pure, boiling rage. I didn’t understand. What did he have to be angry about?

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Ethan Vance was a control freak. After we started dating, he banned me from talking to other guys. He wouldn’t let me wear revealing clothes. Bars and clubs were strictly off-limits. For a long time, I thought it was just because he loved me too much. Until one night, I accompanied my best friend, Sienna, to a business gala. Two male clients tried to force drinks down our throats. Ethan suddenly burst in. With bloodshot eyes, he swept Sienna away, even though she hadn’t touched a single drop of alcohol. “Sienna, didn’t I tell you you’re too innocent for these kinds of events? Why do you always make me worry!” Then, he turned to me. His eyes were cold, filled with disgust. “I set so many rules for you, yet you’re still this wild. I knew you were the one who corrupted Sienna.” With that, he carried Sienna out of the VIP lounge. But I was the one who had been blocking the drinks for Sienna. Left behind in that room, I was brutally assaulted all night. When I finally dragged my broken body back home from the police station, Ethan was carefully tending to a perfectly unharmed Sienna. He didn’t even look up. “You’re back? I was just about to pick you up.” My entire body shook. The sheer humiliation ripped through my chest, making it hard to breathe. Using every last bit of my strength, I managed to speak: “Ethan, let’s break up.”

Ethan froze for two seconds, then let out a sharp, angry laugh. “Chloe, haven’t you had enough? You know Sienna gets scared easily, yet you still took her to a place like that.” “I’m just cleaning up your mess. Shouldn’t I take care of her?” I tightly clutched the police report receipt in my hand. Under my fingernails was the dried skin of the man I had scraped while fighting back. “Ethan, I was the one who was forced to drink. But you only took her away. Is Sienna your girlfriend, or am I?” “I know your tolerance. A few drinks wouldn’t get you drunk. But Sienna is different. She’s never had alcohol.” Ethan cut me off with a wave of his hand. “Besides, Sienna worked on this project for three months. If you walked out, what was the client supposed to do?” Hearing those words made my ears ring. Ethan and I had been together for six years. He used to hold me close, promising to protect me for the rest of my life. He used to treat me like his whole world, getting jealous for a whole day if another guy even looked at me. But now, for my best friend, he had abandoned me in a room full of monsters, letting them trample over me. I clenched my fists to keep myself from completely breaking down. “I called the police.” The living room fell dead silent. Ethan let out another sarcastic laugh. But he didn’t care why I called them. Instead, he tucked Sienna in gently, stood up, and marched over to confront me. “Just because you’re jealous, you’re going to ruin Sienna’s project with this drama? Chloe, when did you become so malicious?” “No, they… they assaulted me…” My swollen lips and bruised throat made it hurt to even speak. The words choked in my mouth. Ethan frowned, rubbing his temples with his long fingers. “Can you think about the consequences before you act?” Without letting me finish, he pulled out his phone, calling his connections to clean up the mess for Sienna’s project. Once he hung up, he threw me a cold look. “Drop the charges. Don’t make things difficult for Sienna at the company.” Then, seeing my bloodshot eyes and tightly clenched jaw, he paused for a fraction of a second. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he muttered, “Next time, listen to me. Don’t go to those places.” “I’ll go grab you some food. Wait for me at home.” I stood there frozen for a few seconds before walking toward the guest bedroom. Sienna was lying on the bed in her pristine white dress, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. I walked over to the bedside, my voice raw and hoarse. “I know you’re awake. You knew that client had bad intentions from the start, didn’t you?” “I just don’t get it. We grew up together. Why do you hate me so much?”

Realizing she couldn’t pretend anymore, Sienna opened her eyes and sat up. Seeing my disheveled, bruised state, a smug, triumphant smile flashed in her eyes. For a moment, I was dazed. Sienna was orphaned at six, and my parents had practically raised her. We were neighbors. Whenever she got bullied at school, I was always the one standing in front of her. We had twenty years of shared memories. Whether her innocence was real or fake, I could see right through it. I couldn’t reconcile the malicious woman in front of me with the little girl who used to look up to me with adoration. “Chloe, I’m sorry. But Ethan chose to save me. That’s not my fault.” “No matter what happens, you always do things perfectly. Maybe he just feels that, compared to you, an orphan like me needs more protection…” Sienna lowered her eyes, looking completely helpless and harmless. Looking at her face, I let out a self-deprecating laugh. Twenty years of kindness, and I had raised a snake. Neither of them deserved to be in my life anymore. “Sienna, this is the last time I will ever tolerate you. We are no longer friends.” I turned around and began packing my bags. Sienna’s lips trembled. She watched me, but not once did she apologize. Just as I was about to walk out the door with my suitcase, she suddenly leaned in and whispered in my ear: “Chloe, since you’ve decided to leave anyway, why don’t you help me one last time?” I ignored her and opened the door, only to see Ethan standing there, about to walk in. “Ah—!” The next second, a sharp scream echoed behind me. Sensing something was wrong, I spun around. Sienna’s hand had somehow wound up right under the wheel of my suitcase. Ethan shoved me aside and rushed over to scoop her up. When he looked back at me, his eyes were filled with fury and disappointment. “Chloe! What is wrong with you?!” His brow furrowed. Seeing my packed suitcase, he slammed the takeout bag onto the table. “You ruined Sienna’s deal, and now throwing a tantrum and running away isn’t enough—you have to hurt her too?” Sienna sobbed, shrinking into his chest, while Ethan gently blew on her reddened hand. Looking at the two of them, I felt nothing but intense disgust. “Ethan, we are completely over.” With that, I turned and stepped into the elevator. Even as the doors closed, I could hear him softly cooing to comfort Sienna. I went straight to a pharmacy to buy PEP, then checked into a hotel near the police station. During this time, Ethan only sent one message on Snapchat: [When you’ve thrown your tantrum, come home. I’ll pick you up.] I didn’t reply. To preserve the physical evidence of the assault, I didn’t even dare to shower. I just sat on the bed, staring blankly until dawn. Just as I was about to head to the police station to follow up, I received a video from Sienna. Intimate, blurry photos flooded my screen. A woman with a flushed, hazy face, her slender fingers digging into a man’s muscular back. The timestamp of the video was right after he had sent me the text saying he would pick me up. So, his compromise was nothing but guilt after cheating. A sharp, crushing pain hit my chest. I gasped for air, struggling to breathe. [Chloe, I don’t want to hide it from you anymore. Ethan and I have loved each other for a long time. We only held back because of you.] [All these years he controlled you because he didn’t want your wild behavior to corrupt my innocence.] [Last night, we finally took the final step. He was so much more passionate with me than he ever was with you. You never really had his heart or his body.] [Ethan loves things clean. You’re dirty now, Chloe. You don’t deserve him. Since you broke up, be a good ex and stay out of our lives.]

A wave of intense nausea hit me. Holding onto a tree by the curb, I threw up violently. I clutched my phone, my resolve hardening as I walked into the police station. But as soon as I entered, I saw Sienna. She pointed at me, handing a file to the detective. “I was there that night. I can testify that Chloe went willingly. She agreed to drink with Mr. Callahan and slept with him voluntarily.” My footsteps froze. A female officer walked over, handing me a few photos. “Miss Miller claims to be an eyewitness. She provided some photos showing that you were… highly cooperative and went willingly…” Willingly. I stared at those photos, feeling as if a bucket of filth had been dumped over my head. I couldn’t hold back anymore. I raised my hand and slapped Sienna hard across the face. At that moment, Ethan burst through the entrance. Seeing me, he froze. The question “Where have you been?” was still caught in his throat when he saw Sienna sobbing, clutching her red cheek. In an instant, his expression changed to pure, protective agony. He turned his dark, cold eyes toward me. “You hit her?” I said nothing, nor did I deny it. Sienna spoke up, her voice fragile and trembling. “Ethan, I only came here to apologize to Mr. Callahan and clean up Chloe’s mess. But she thinks I did it just to steal her client. She’s still mad that you took me away yesterday…” Ethan wrapped his arm around Sienna protectively, glaring at me. “Chloe, you’re getting more and more ridiculous!” “Sienna has been your friend for twenty years. Yet you ruined her career out of jealousy, and now you’re physically assaulting her? You’ve lost your mind.” “Yes, leaving you behind yesterday was my fault. But aren’t you perfectly fine? I don’t understand what you’re throwing a fit about!” The detective was about to speak up to defend me, but Sienna’s knees buckled, and she collapsed. Ethan quickly caught her. By the time he looked up to find me, I was already gone. I sat on the carpet of my hotel room, my mind completely blank. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a text from the detective. [Miss Sterling, we have a new lead. Mr. Callahan and Miss Miller have a very close personal relationship. This might not be a simple assault case. We are gathering more evidence. Please hang tight.] My fingers trembled. My gut had been right. Sienna and that man weren’t just business partners. The doorbell rang. I dragged myself up to open it. Ethan stood there. Without a word, he pushed past me and walked in. Seeing my messy, open suitcase in the corner, he knelt down to pack my things. “Stop acting out. Let’s go home.” “We broke up. Please leave.” Ethan stopped and looked up at me. I didn’t say another word, pointing directly at the door. “Get out.” He sighed, his eyes softening slightly, but then his gaze froze on the prescription bottle on the table. “PEP?” He stared at me in disbelief, his voice tight. “Why are you taking this?” “None of your business.” I reached out to grab the bottle, but he snatched my wrist. The grip was so tight I winced in pain. He immediately let go, but his tone became accusing and harsh. “We only broke up yesterday, and today you’re already sleeping around? And now you have to take emergency STD prevention pills? Chloe, how could you be so cheap!” I clutched the pill bottle to my chest, my voice dead calm. “Ethan, we are over. What I do has nothing to do with you. I told you to get out. Do you not understand?” He stared at me, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes. Then, he pulled a velvet box from his pocket. He opened it to reveal a diamond ring. “I was going to propose to you. Last night, I was waiting for you to finish your meeting so I could ask you…” Looking at the ring, I suddenly burst into laughter. Its design was the exact one Sienna had pointed out when the three of us went shopping years ago. This ring was probably just a toy he used to play with Sienna in bed last night. I laughed so hard my knees gave out, and I sank to the floor, burying my face in my hands as tears streamed down. Ethan knelt beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “I know you did this because you were angry. People make mistakes, Chloe. As long as you change, I won’t care that you’re dirty now. I’ll still marry you.” Dirty… As if triggered, I violently slapped his hand away. Unable to take it anymore, I shoved my phone screen in his face. “People make mistakes, right? Does that include you?” On the screen, the explicit video of him and Sienna was playing.

Ethan’s face drained of all color. Panic flashed across his eyes as he tried to grab the phone, but I pushed him away. “That time you went on a business trip and I was sick… Sienna came over to take care of me. I was burning up with a fever, and I mistook her for you…” “So you slept with her before yesterday, too?” I tossed the phone onto the bed. “Don’t bother explaining. It doesn’t matter anymore. We’re going our separate ways.” “Separate ways?” He stood up, his chest heaving. “I made a mistake, but are you completely innocent?” “You suddenly demanded a breakup. Was it really because I left you behind, or because you were already cheating on me?” My eyes widened in utter disbelief. “If not, why did you pack your bags? If you didn’t sleep around, why are you taking PEP?” “Chloe, since we’ve both cheated, let’s just put this behind us. We’ll get married and live a good life. Neither of us will ever bring it up again, okay?” “I am not marrying a piece of trash who abandoned me!” I shoved him toward the door. Ethan stumbled, his shoulder hitting the wall. Seeing my stubbornness, his temper flared, and his voice rose. “If you won’t marry me, I’ll marry Sienna!” “At least she’s pure and clean, unlike you, sleeping around. She’s much more fit to be a wife!” I stopped shoving him and let go. Ethan didn’t leave. He just stood there, watching me silently. I looked up, a cold smirk playing on my lips, though my eyes remained dead. “You’re right. Compared to me, she suits you perfectly.” For the next few days, Ethan didn’t show up. Once I felt slightly better, I returned to the office. As soon as I walked in, my colleague, Maya, smiled and grabbed my arm. “Chloe! The company is hosting a Valentine’s Day party. Since you’re back, let’s go check it out.” “I don’t really want to…” Before I could finish, Maya was already pulling me toward the main event hall. “I know you hate these things, but you can at least help me pick out a guy.” The next second, my heart dropped. Ethan, dressed in a sharp suit, walked in. Behind him was Sienna, wearing a sweet, triumphant smile. Seeing me, Ethan froze. Sienna let go of his arm and strolled over to me. “Chloe, you just broke up with Ethan. Why are you already at a matchmaking party?” The room went quiet. Whispers started, and eyes poked at me like needles. Behind her, Ethan’s jaw tightened, his eyes icy. Sienna smiled, deliberately flaunting the diamond ring on her ring finger. I set down my plate of cake and looked her dead in the eye. “You care so much about my life? I guess it makes sense, since you love picking up my trash.” Sienna’s smile stiffened, her expression turning ugly. “You know exactly who was dumped here.” “You spent the whole night drinking with Mr. Callahan and couldn’t even close the deal. Then you filed a fake police report out of spite. I wonder if the boss knows about this?” Our boss cleared his throat, his gaze shifting toward me with suspicion. “Chloe, what is she talking about?” Before I could speak, Sienna pulled out her phone. On the projector screen, a zoomed-in photo of me, flushed and being forced to drink by Callahan in the VIP room, flashed for everyone to see. “Chloe has always been wild and open. She’ll drink with any man.” The murmurs in the room grew louder. Ethan’s jaw clenched so hard the bone showed. He stared at me, then slapped Sienna’s hand down. “Are you really that desperate?” His voice was low, laced with suppressed fury. “We just broke up, and you’re already looking for a new man?” Sienna watched Ethan’s reaction, and her smug look faltered. She raised her voice, looking around the room. “I told you, Chloe can’t stand being single for even a day.” She stepped over to the computer and cast her phone to the screen. Photos of me in bikinis and hot tubs during our past vacations started sliding across the screen one by one. “Chloe knows exactly what men want to see. She uses her body to her full advantage—unlike me, I’m way too conservative and shy.” My hands began to shake violently. My vision blurred. The horrific memories of that night rushed back like a tidal wave, suffocating me. Seeing my pale face, Ethan reached out to support me, but then pulled his hand back. “Chloe, this is the price for not listening to me and leaving.” “Don’t worry. Once this blows over, if you swallow your pride, I’ll still marry you.” The mockery and whispers behind me escalated into a roar. I fled the office, pulled out my phone, sent my resignation email, and booked a flight. Only one thought echoed in my mind: Go somewhere where nobody knows me. At the airport, my phone buzzed constantly. Ethan called more than twenty times, but I ignored every single one. After my plane took off, the police finally uncovered new evidence. Unable to reach me, they called Ethan. “Mr. Vance, we have made a breakthrough in Miss Sterling’s sexual assault case. Please have her come to the station immediately.” Ethan’s pupils contracted in sheer horror. “What did you say? Assault?”

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Five years after my husband’s vasectomy, I found a reservation confirmation for a luxury postpartum recovery retreat on his phone. The mother’s name: Lacey Sterling. How ironic. She was my adoptive sister, the fake heiress who had been kicked out of our family years ago. Seeing he could no longer hide it, Julian Vance laid his cards on the table. “Lacey won’t threaten your position, Serena. Once the baby is born, he will only call you Mom.” “If you agree to this, we can go on as we always have. I’ll take you to Aspen for Christmas. If not… then we have no choice but to divorce.” Julian was absolutely certain I couldn’t bear to leave him. But before he could even finish his speech, I had already signed the divorce papers. In my past life, I refused to let go. I spent my entire life fighting Lacey, got breast cancer from the sheer stress, and didn’t even make it to thirty-five. So in this life, I played along. I secretly slipped long-term contraceptives into Julian’s food. Yet, Lacey still got pregnant. I almost laughed myself to death. Julian, you wanted to take me to see the ocean? I hope you like drowning in your own lies.

“I have no objections to the property division. After the mandatory thirty-day waiting period, we’ll finalize the divorce.” I pushed the signed divorce agreement across the table. Julian froze. Clearly, he never expected me to walk away so easily. He stared at my signature on the paper. After a long struggle, he finally spoke. “Serena, I had no choice.” “When we were young, you said you had a heart condition and couldn’t have children. I got a vasectomy for you. Back then, I thought having you was enough. But I’m thirty-five now. Men change when they reach this age.” “I am the only son. The Vance family legacy cannot end with me. I want a child—a child with my own blood to inherit the empire. Is that so wrong?” Julian became more excited as he spoke, acting as if he were the real victim here. I listened quietly, barely holding back a laugh. Honestly. If you cheat, you cheat. If you change your mind, just say so. Don’t make up a million noble excuses. Just give me my money. That’s all that matters. But I kept my face blank, letting a look of unbearable heartbreak wash over me. My voice trembled. “You’re not wrong, Julian. Neither of us is.” “Since you want a child, and I can’t give you one, I can’t force myself to raise another woman’s baby. I’ll let you go. I’ll let you, Lacey, and your baby be happy.” I stood up, turned my back to him, and walked to the window. My shoulders shook slightly, making it look like I was crying my eyes out. “Let’s just get divorced, Julian.” I heard his footsteps stop behind me. Then came the sound of a pen scratching against paper. Julian signed. “Serena, I’ll transfer another two hundred million dollars to your account as compensation. In my heart, you’ll always be my wife.” With that, Julian left. I stared at the snow falling outside the window. A slow smile spread across my face, my eyes completely dry. I took out my phone and sent a quick text to my private investigator: [Keep a close eye on Lacey Sterling. Also, dig up every man she’s been close to in the last three years, and get the baby’s hospital records.] [Double the bonus if you find something juicy.] I, Serena Sterling, was no saint. I wasn’t about to let this trashy couple off the hook so easily. I just had to wait. I would wait until Julian was drunk on the joy of having a “heir,” wait until Lacey paraded the baby everywhere, and wait until my former mother-in-law treated this bastard child like royalty. And then, I would give them a gentle push. The sound of their fall would be music to my ears.

During the month of our divorce waiting period, Victoria Vance’s Instagram was incredibly active. She used to complain constantly about my inability to have children. She only held back because Julian protected me and because of the Sterling family’s influence. Now that Julian and I were parting ways, and she suddenly had a grandson, she couldn’t stop bragging. Every day, she posted nine-image grids showing off the luxury postpartum suite and the baby. At first, she tested the waters with subtle gloating: [Grandma’s little angel is here! A healthy eight-pound baby boy. He takes after his mom. Lacey is so strong and amazing!] Then, she shared a passive-aggressive article titled, “Ten Qualities of a Good Wife.” She commented: [Thank god Lacey is fertile, or the Vance bloodline would have ended! I shudder just thinking about it.] In the end, she stopped hiding it entirely and posted: [Lacey is a million times better than that useless ex-wife. I hope Lacey recovers quickly so she can give us a granddaughter next!] It was hilarious to watch. But I played the heartbroken victim for a whole month, milking Julian’s guilt for all it was worth. When the divorce was finalized, I walked away with two billion dollars in cash and five luxury properties in prime downtown locations. At first, I didn’t really understand what two billion dollars meant. Until my wealth manager told me that the daily interest alone was about a hundred and sixty thousand dollars. That meant no matter how late I slept in and nothing I spent each day, a hundred and sixty thousand more dollars would be waiting for me the next morning. How exhausting. Too much money is truly a burden. Holding the divorce certificate, I looked up at Julian. For the sake of the two billion, I gave him a sweet, polite smile. “Mr. Vance, I wish you and Lacey a lifetime of happiness.” “Take care of yourself.” Julian seemed choked up by the formal “Mr. Vance.” He instinctively reached out to grab my wrist. He opened his mouth, wanting to say more. “Julian!” Lacey’s voice suddenly cut in. She stepped quickly out of a luxury van parked by the curb. To mark her territory, she wrapped her arm around Julian’s right in front of me. Her eyes swept over the divorce papers in my hand, and she could barely contain her smug grin. “I’m still recovering, and I shouldn’t be out in the wind. But on such an important day, how could I not be by your side? Serena, you don’t mind that I took him, do you?” “Even though our parents kicked me out of the Sterling house back then, you’ll always be my only sister in my heart.” “Julian and I are going to host our wedding and the baby’s party together. You absolutely must come!” I sneered inwardly. Lacey hadn’t even cleaned up her own mess yet, and here she was, trying to flex on me. Thinking about the dirt my private investigator had sent me a few days ago, I decided to give the happy couple an early wedding present. I grabbed Lacey’s hand, my eyes turning red with fake emotion. “How could I blame you, my sweet sister?” “I heard that after you left the Sterling family, you worked at ‘The Velvet Room.’ Hosting clients and pouring drinks… that must have been so hard. You almost got into major trouble… luckily, that old client, Mr. Marcus Kane, had a change of heart and got you a job at the luxury boutique counter.” “And that’s how you met Julian.” Julian’s face turned instantly dark the moment he heard “The Velvet Room.” That was a highly exclusive, shady VIP lounge. With Lacey’s looks, she certainly wasn’t working there as a cashier. He yanked his arm out of Lacey’s grip and turned on her. “You worked at The Velvet Room?” Seeing Julian snap, I quickly covered my mouth, looking shocked and regretful. “Lacey… you didn’t tell Julian about that?” Lacey panicked. It had been almost ten years. The owner of The Velvet Room had changed. How could I possibly know about this? Lacey reached out again to grab Julian’s arm, but he pushed her away in disgust. “I… I didn’t! No!” “Julian, don’t listen to her! She’s trying to ruin me!” I listened to her accusations, shook my head, and looked at her like she was a misbehaving child. “Lacey, you don’t understand. Julian hates being lied to more than anything.” “Besides, some secrets can’t be kept forever. People in our circle used to see you at The Velvet Room back then. When Julian bumps into them in the future, it’s going to be so… awkward.” I didn’t finish the sentence. I just sighed, turned, and walked away. Sure enough, before I even reached my car, I heard Julian’s roaring voice behind me: “A cashier? My ass!” “Lacey, don’t you dare play me for a fool. We both know what kind of place that is. You better tell me the truth right now!” “Or when I find out myself, I’ll make your life a living hell!”

Before Julian could even investigate, the scandal had already spread like wildfire through our social circle. Since Victoria Vance had been so passive-aggressive on Instagram, My parents, under my suggestion, didn’t miss the chance to kick them while they were down. What started as whispers behind the Vance family’s backs quickly became public gossip. “Did you hear? The new girl Julian brought home used to be a hostess at The Velvet Room. Everyone knows what goes on there.” “Exactly. No wonder the Sterling family agreed to the divorce so quickly. They were disgusted. Men really will eat trash just because it’s outside their house.” “I heard some guy named Marcus Kane used to keep her. He was the one who got her the retail job where she snagged Julian. There are probably other guys too. Julian is basically wearing a giant neon green sign on his head.” Victoria Vance clearly had no idea about Lacey’s past. She was probably furious. Word was that if the baby didn’t need breastfeeding, she would have kicked Lacey out of the house on the spot. Julian’s situation was even more embarrassing. Victoria could hide at home, but Julian had to show his face at work every day. Some arrogant rival even went up to Julian to mock him face-to-face: “Julian, man, women are like shoes. Only your feet know if they fit. Some shoes look brand new, but you never know how many guys have already worn them.” The man laughed sleazily. Julian’s veins looked ready to pop, but because of the other man’s powerful family, he could only slam the door and leave. Behind him, the room erupted into loud, mocking laughter. The grand wedding Lacey had bragged about was completely canceled. Instead, all I got was a late, low-key invitation for a simple baby shower. It looked like the Vance family was holding off on giving Lacey a legal ring. Seeing me stare at the invitation, Sebastian Cole leaned in. “What’s got you so focused?” My thoughts were pulled back. I looked up and stroked his face, replying casually, “Nothing. Are you done with classes?” I had “picked up” Sebastian at a VIP lounge. Maybe women just have a natural savior complex. At the time, I was supposed to be “grieving” my divorce, but in reality, I was having the time of my life with my girls at a private club. When I went out for some air, I stumbled upon a drunk, fat businessman grabbing Sebastian outside my private suite, trying to force himself on him. Maybe it was because I had had a few drinks. My body moved faster than my brain. I threw my limited-edition Hermès clutch straight at the back of the businessman’s head. “Ow! Who the hell—” The man groaned, holding his head as he spun around furiously. But when he saw it was me, the anger on his face froze. It shifted from rage to shock, and finally to a flattering, awkward smile. “Miss Sterling?” “My bad, my bad! I didn’t know he was yours, I swear…” “Get lost!” The man didn’t dare argue. He bowed and scrambled away. I looked Sebastian up and down. He had a clean, artistic vibe, long hair, and looked almost delicate from behind. But he was a fresh face. Definitely not a regular at the club. “First day on the job?” He stood in the shadows. Looking embarrassed, he nodded stiffly. “How old are you?” I asked, my voice calm. “Twenty-one.” “A student?” “Fine Arts, junior year.” “Why are you here?” Sebastian bit his lip, hesitating before speaking. “I needed money. Someone told me I could make quick cash here. I didn’t expect…” I raised an eyebrow, understanding immediately. He had probably been tricked into coming here. Clean, beautiful, and extremely pleasing to the eye. My heart stirred. Julian had his little plaything, so why couldn’t I, Serena Sterling, have some eye candy of my own? “Ten million dollars. Stay with me for a year.” “I’ll give you an apartment, a car, and money. Just be good, look pretty, and don’t cause trouble.” “Got it?” Sebastian held his breath. The color drained from his face and then rushed back. Finally, he seemed to accept his fate. “Got it.” And that was how I “adopted” Sebastian Cole. Sebastian rubbed his soft hair against my palm. “Yeah, classes are done.” “No classes for the next two days. I can stay with you.” I smiled. “Good. There’s a gala tomorrow night. Come with me.”

To save face, the Vance family made this gala incredibly grand. They invited everyone who was anyone in the city. When I arrived with Sebastian, Julian was at the entrance greeting guests. His eyes widened when he saw me. When we were married, I always dressed in modest, elegant pastel tones. Now that I was divorced, I wore a fitted, silk red dress that hugged my curves, making me look bold and dangerous. Julian didn’t expect me to show up. He walked over, his eyes filled with admiration and excitement. He was a completely different person from the cold man who had demanded a divorce. I sneered inside. Men are always like this. They don’t value you when they have you, but they crave you the moment you leave. “Serena, I didn’t think you’d actually come.” “You look beautiful tonight. I…” Before he could finish, Sebastian took a step forward, wrapping his arm intimately around my waist. Julian froze, looking between us. “And this is…?” I smiled, introducing him warmly. “My boyfriend, Sebastian Cole.” Julian’s face instantly twisted. “Boyfriend?” he hissed, his voice cracking. “Serena, we barely got divorced, and you already have a boyfriend? Isn’t that a bit much?!” Looking at his furious face, I found it hilarious. I knew what he wanted. He wanted to see his ex-wife miserable, lonely, and pining after him forever. Keep dreaming! I replied smoothly, showing no mercy. “Yes, Mr. Vance. We did just get divorced…” “But you already have a whole baby.” Julian was rendered speechless, his face turning pale. Not far away, Victoria Vance noticed the commotion. She hurried over, cradling the baby. She fake-smiled at me. “Serena, you’re here.” “Perfect. Let Grandma’s little angel see our… oh, I guess you’re Aunt Serena now!” As she spoke, she tilted the baby toward me on purpose. She was trying to make me jealous. She sighed dramatically. “A woman is only complete when she has a child.” “Our family is blessed to get a healthy baby boy on the first try. Unlike some people who will never know what it feels like to be a mother. How sad. Don’t you think so, Serena?” Before I could reply, Lacey walked over from the VIP lounge. Before she could even get close, Victoria glared at her. “What are you doing out here?” Victoria muttered under her breath. “Stop embarrassing us and get back to the lounge.” Lacey went pale. But she pressed on, clearly trying to win points with her mother-in-law. She immediately targeted me. “Personally, I think divorced women should have some self-respect. Dragging around some young, broke guy who just wants to live off your money… how embarrassing.” “Once you get old and your money is gone, you won’t even have a child to care for you.” “These young boys run faster than anyone.” I listened quietly, not angry at all, just annoyed by the noise. But Sebastian, next to me, tightened his grip, looking ready to defend me. I squeezed his wrist, telling him to stay calm. I didn’t waste my breath on them. Instead, I sighed and acted weak. “Whatever. Let’s not ruin the night. Isn’t it time for the toast?” Seeing me back down, Victoria looked satisfied. She nodded at Lacey and didn’t tell her to go back anymore, even letting her hold the baby on stage. Julian, seemingly regaining his pride from Lacey’s words, straightened his posture and walked past me. He led his mother, Lacey, and the baby onto the stage. Julian stood before the microphone. The lights dimmed, the giant screen lit up, and all eyes in the room turned to him. He cast a smug, confident glance at me. “Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate this wonderful milestone for the Vance family.” “The birth of my son is a true blessing. I wanted to share this joy with everyone. Next, let us—” According to the schedule, the moment Julian finished speaking, Upbeat music should have started playing, and the giant screen behind them should have shown a heartwarming video of their family of three. But there was no music. Instead, a loud screech of static echoed through the speakers, and the screen flickered to life. It was a secretly recorded video. In a dimly lit hotel room, Marcus Kane was holding Lacey tight, whispering suggestively, “Oh, my little angel. You finally came. I missed you so much!” “How is it going? Did those idiots at the Vance house find out anything?” Lacey in the video laughed smugly. “Don’t worry. The old lady just found out I used to work at The Velvet Room, so she immediately took the baby for a DNA test. Lucky for us, you were smart enough to bribe the private clinic.” Lacey waved a paper report in Marcus’s face, laughing hysterically. “Now, it’s black and white. The paper says the baby is Julian’s.” “That idiot Julian will spend his whole life raising your kid, and he’ll never even know!”

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The day before our company’s NASDAQ IPO bell-ringing ceremony, I was demoted. I was with Ethan Vance from the very beginning. I wrote the first line of code in our dusty garage, all the way until the company reached a multi-billion dollar valuation. Everyone assumed that the position of co-founder and future wife was rightfully mine, Aria Thorne. But in the end, the woman standing next to Ethan for the press interview was Chloe Sterling—a well-connected airhead who couldn’t even read a single line of code. And I was dismissed with a casual, cold “reassignment notice.” Ethan even humiliated me in front of all the executives, warning me that my ambition was too big and that I didn’t know how to play the submissive woman behind a successful man. “Aria, you’re too aggressive. The company only needs me. A woman should behave like a woman.” “Once you learn how to be soft and stop talking about stupid things like ‘having both a career and love,’ I’ll consider making our relationship public.” It turned out that in his heart, I was never a partner who fought alongside him. I was just a pet waiting to be tamed. Fine. Since that’s how you feel, I’m leaving. Just don’t regret it.

When I got the transfer notice and went to Ethan’s office to confront him, Chloe was peeling a grape and feeding it to his mouth. Seeing me walk in, she gasped dramatically, dropping the grape onto the carpet. “Aria, why didn’t you knock? You scared me to death.” Ethan looked at me, his face full of annoyance. “Knocking before entering is basic workplace etiquette. Do I really need to teach you that?” I ignored his criticism, walked over, and slammed the transfer order onto his desk. “Explain this, Ethan.” “Why did you strip me of my Chief Technology Officer position and replace me with someone who can’t even tell the difference between Java and Javascript?” Ethan glanced at the document, leaning back in his leather chair with complete indifference. “This is the board’s decision.” “Our IPO roadshow is coming up. We need a spokesperson with a good image. Just look at yourself.” He looked me up and down, his eyes filled with undisguised distaste. “You wear no makeup, and the dark circles under your eyes are huge. People would think we’re going bankrupt if they saw you.” “Chloe is an Ivy League MBA. She’s elegant and has a great image. She’s the perfect face for the company.” I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “We are a tech company, Ethan, not a beauty pageant.” “The core algorithm was written by my team after working day and night for three months. Do you have any idea how little sleep I’ve had in the last hundred days?” “And now, you want to hand over my life’s work to a girl who only knows how to peel grapes?” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears. She grabbed Ethan’s sleeve and shook it gently. “Ethan, babe, I told you I couldn’t do it.” “Aria is a tech genius. She definitely looks down on someone like me who only does management.” “Maybe I should just leave. I don’t want you two fighting because of me. It breaks my heart.” Ethan immediately held Chloe’s hand, patting it comfortingly. “Who said you have to leave? The one who should leave is the person who doesn’t know the rules.” He turned to look at me, all warmth gone from his eyes. “Aria, you’re too aggressive.” “Chloe might not understand coding, but she knows how to make me relax. She knows how to support me.” “Unlike you. Every time we meet, you talk about bugs or server capacity. It’s incredibly boring.” “Starting today, you are transferred to the Administration Department. Go to a spa, get your face done, and focus on preparing for pregnancy. That should be your priority.” “As for the Tech Department, they will report directly to Chloe from now on.” Employees walking by peered through the glass walls, whispering. I, the tech director who once held absolute power in this company, was now being watched like a joke. I took a deep breath and pointed at Chloe. “What if I refuse?” Ethan stood up and walked over to me. “Aria, stop throwing a tantrum.” “Without my capital venture, the code you write is just useless text.” “Just be good and listen to me. The title of Mrs. Vance will always be yours.” “There’s a celebration gala tonight. Go home, change into something decent, and don’t embarrass me.” With that, he pulled a black card from his wallet and shoved it into my blazer pocket. “Go buy a designer bag. Cheer up.” The gesture was exactly like throwing a bone to an upset pet. Looking at the man who had once promised to split the world with me, I felt a deep, chilling sense of disgust.

At eight o’clock that night, the company’s IPO celebration gala was held at the most expensive hotel in the city. I didn’t want to go, but Ethan sent me a warning on Snapchat. “Some major investors specifically asked to see you tonight. If you don’t show up, the headlines tomorrow will say you were fired in disgrace.” “Also, if you dare to skip this, your parents’ VIP suite at the private clinic will be cleared out tonight. I don’t think you want to see them sleeping in a public hospital hallway, do you?” He always knew exactly how to squeeze my neck. I pushed open the heavy doors of the grand ballroom. Ethan stood in the center of the crowd, looking sharp in a custom tuxedo. And next to him stood Chloe, wearing a black designer gown that matched my color, with a diamond necklace sparkling around her neck. It was a piece from the latest season, worth a fortune. In contrast, my faded, old dress looked cheap and ridiculous. Someone spotted me and teased: “Hey Ethan, your girl is here.” Ethan looked back at me, his brows instantly knitting into a tight knot. “Why are you wearing that old rag? Didn’t I give you the card?” I walked over, keeping my head high. “In the early days of our startup, you taught us to save money, Ethan. I thought I should practice what you preached.” Ethan choked on his words, glared at me, and turned back to drink with the investors. “Back in the day, Ethan started from nothing. What a visionary!” “Yes, Ethan’s decision-making is top-tier in the industry.” Ethan boasted about his brilliance, talking endlessly about business models and market layouts. But he didn’t mention a single word about the nights we spent coding until our eyes bled. It was as if the success of this tech company had been achieved solely by his mouth. Chloe, treated as the “greatest contributor,” was surrounded by the crowd. Everyone praised her for being young, beautiful, and capable of leading a department. I sat alone in a corner, looking at the expensive food, having absolutely no appetite. Five years ago, Ethan and I were crammed into a tiny, damp basement. On his birthday, we had only ten dollars left in our pockets. We bought a cup of instant ramen and shared it. Ethan gave me all the meat, swearing he would never let me suffer again. Now, the instant ramen had turned into expensive lobsters, but the person he fed them to was someone else. Chloe held a wine glass and walked over to me, swaying her hips. “Aria, let me toast to you first.” “Thank you for your past contributions. You can safely leave the Tech Department to me now.” She smiled like an angel, but her hand “accidentally” slipped. More than half a glass of red wine splashed onto my chest and skirt. The cold liquid ran down my skin, leaving me in absolute humiliation. “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” Chloe screamed in panic, dropping her glass onto the floor, where it shattered. Hearing the noise, Ethan rushed over immediately. He grabbed Chloe’s hand, checking it frantically. “Did the glass cut you? Are you okay?” Chloe shook her head, her eyes red. “I’m fine… I just ruined Aria’s dress…” Ethan let out a sigh of relief. When he turned to look at me, his face was filled with impatience. “Why are you so clumsy, Aria?” “Chloe came to toast you out of respect. Even if you didn’t want to accept it, you didn’t have to scare her.” The ballroom fell silent. Everyone’s eyes were locked onto the three of us. Some looked with pity, some with amusement, and most were just enjoying the drama. Someone mocked quietly, “Looks like the hierarchy between the old and the new is pretty clear.” To show off his authority in front of his business partners, Ethan pointed at the wine puddle and the broken glass on the floor. “Aria, clean this up.” “Don’t ruin everyone’s night.” I looked at him, unable to believe my ears. “What did you say?” Ethan raised his voice. “I said, clean it up. What, do you need me to do it myself?” “You’re in administration now. Keeping things clean is your job, isn’t it?” He wanted me to kneel on the floor and clean up the mess like a maid in front of everyone. Looking at his cold face, I suddenly smiled. I bent down and picked up an unopened bottle of red wine from the table. “Sure. I’ll clean it.” The moment the words left my mouth, I swung my arm and smashed the bottle of wine violently right at Ethan’s feet. “CRASH!” The bottle exploded. The dark red liquid splashed all over Ethan’s expensive trousers and custom leather shoes. The entire room fell into a dead silence. I patted the dust off my hands, turned around, and walked out. Behind me, Ethan’s furious roar echoed through the hall: “Aria! Are you out of your mind?!” “Once you walk out that door, don’t expect another dime from me! I’m freezing your card right now!” I didn’t look back. The night breeze outside felt incredibly refreshing.

I went back to the apartment we shared. I dragged out my dusty suitcase and began to pack. Every single thing in this place made me sick. Early the next morning, the door unlocked. Ethan walked in, holding a bag of breakfast. “You’re awake? I bought your favorite pizza. Eat it while it’s hot.” He set the food on the table, acting as if the humiliation from last night had never happened. “I drank too much last night and said some harsh things. Don’t take it personally.” He pulled a document from his briefcase and pushed it toward me. “This is an equity transfer agreement. Just sign over your voting rights, and you can keep your dividends.” “I’ll let you return to the company as Vice President, and I’ll double your salary.” He looked at me with deep affection, reaching out to grasp my hand. “Aria, I’m doing this to protect you. The business world is brutal, and the constant backstabbing isn’t for you.” “You just need to look pretty. Let me do the hard work of making money. Isn’t that great?” Looking at the document, I almost laughed out loud. If I gave up my voting rights, I would be completely shut out of the company. By then, how the company ran and how my shares were diluted would be entirely up to him. Just then, his phone on the table lit up. It was an iMessage from “Chloe.” [Ethan, babe, did you handle that old hag yet?] [As soon as we get her voting rights, we can kick her out completely. The company will be ours.] So this was his “protection.” It was a complete robbery. He was terrified that my tech shares would threaten his absolute control over the company. Looking at his hypocritical face, the last shred of my affection for him snapped. I pulled my hand back, pretending to hesitate. “This is a big deal. I need to think about it.” Seeing me soften, Ethan immediately smiled. “Sure, I’ll give you three days. I knew you’d be reasonable.” He thought he had tamed me. He patted my shoulder gently. “I have meetings. I’ll come back tonight to have dinner with you.” With that, he took his briefcase and left in a hurry. He didn’t even notice my feverish, red face or my constant coughing. I went to the hospital alone. The IV lounge was packed. I had to carry my own IV pole to the restroom, and the blood backflowed into the tube. Just then, a high-pitched, sweet voice drifted from the next bed. “Ethan, babe, my hand hurts so much. Blow on it.” I turned my head. Chloe was lying on a VIP bed with a tiny band-aid on her finger. Ethan was holding her hand like it was a fragile glass doll, blowing gently on it with a worried face. “There, there, it won’t hurt anymore. I’ll take you to buy a new Chanel bag later.” Chloe only had a tiny scratch on her finger. Meanwhile, I had a 102-degree fever, and he was only scheming to steal my shares. I took out my phone, snapped a photo of them, and sent it to my lawyer. [Keep this as evidence of a broken engagement. Prepare the lawsuit to split our co-founded assets.] [Also, contact a headhunter for me. I need a new job.]

Our company’s core product, the “Aegis” system, was scheduled to launch today at 2:00 PM. It was a system my team and I had spent six months building. It was also our killer weapon for the upcoming IPO roadshow. But I knew that to steal the credit, Chloe had forced the tech team to put her name as the lead creator in the final version deploy. At 1:00 PM, Ethan’s calls started flooding my phone like crazy. The moment I picked up, his furious scream blasted through the speaker. “Aria! Where the hell are you? Get back to the office right now!” “The Aegis system has crashed completely! We’re losing data rapidly, and the customer service line is exploding with complaints!” My voice was dead calm. “I resigned. Chloe is the head of the system now.” “She doesn’t know shit!” Ethan blurted out. Realizing his slip, he quickly forced his voice down. “Aria, stop playing games, I’m begging you.” “This launch is tied to tens of millions in funding. If we mess this up, the company is done.” “Come back and fix it. I’ll give you whatever you want.” Half an hour later, I showed up at the company’s server room. Chloe was crying in front of the monitors, surrounded by a group of helpless engineers. Seeing me, she looked as if she had found a savior, but she couldn’t resist shifting the blame. “Aria, did you leave some backdoor in the code before you left? Why did the system suddenly crash?” I ignored her, sat down at the console, and let my fingers fly across the keyboard. I pulled up the logs. Red error codes filled the screen. “System deadlock,” I said coldly. “Someone changed the underlying concurrency logic without authorization, causing a massive database conflict.” I turned my head and stared at Chloe. “The log shows this modification was made under your user credentials. Was that you?” Chloe’s face turned pale. She stuttered, unable to speak. Ethan rushed in, grabbing my shoulder. “I don’t care who did it! Just fix it! Now!” I shook his hand off. “I can fix it, but I’m not taking the blame.” “Whoever broke it pays the price.” Ethan froze. Then, he lowered his voice, his tone laced with heavy authority. “Aria, this is not the time to be stubborn.” “Chloe is the public face of this project. If this is labeled as her mistake, the investors will lose all confidence in our management.” “Fix the bug, and then release a public statement.” “Say you made a mistake during the transition of duties, which caused the crash.” I looked at him, completely dumbfounded. “You want me to take the fall for Chloe? You want me to ruin my own professional reputation by admitting to a rookie mistake?” “Do you have any idea what that means for a Chief Technology Officer?” Ethan interrupted me impatiently. “It’s just a reputation! You’re sacrificing for the company. I’ll compensate you.” “If you take the blame, the previous equity transfer is off. I’ll give you five million dollars in cash.” “But if you don’t…” He narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with ice. “I will sue you for leaking trade secrets. I’ll make sure you can never get a job in this industry again.” “You know I have the power and the means to do it.” Looking at this unrecognizable man, the last trace of warmth in my heart died. “Fine. I’ll fix it.” I turned back to the screen, my fingers moving like a blur over the keyboard. Ten minutes later, the warning lights turned green. The data began to restore. Ethan let out a sigh of relief, the arrogant confidence returning to his face. “I knew you’d make the right choice.” “PR has already drafted the statement. You just need to sign it.” He handed me a document. In black and white, it stated that I admitted to causing the crash due to my own negligence. Chloe stopped crying, hiding behind Ethan, throwing me a smug, triumphant smirk. I stood up, but I didn’t take the paper. Instead, I grabbed the connection cable on the desk and plugged it into my laptop. “No need for a statement. Let’s let everyone see what really happened.” The next second, the giant projector screen in the server room lit up. It wasn’t the system interface. It was a complete, unalterable log of the system backend. And along with it, a freshly recovered Snapchat chat history that Chloe had tried to delete. The screen clearly showed how Chloe, wanting to add her own “signature” to the code to take credit, had modified the parameters and crashed the entire system. The bright red username “User: Chloe” burned on the screen like a massive slap to Ethan’s face. The room erupted into chaos. The investors and executives stared at the screen in disbelief. Ethan’s smile froze, turning into a distorted grimace. “Aria! What are you doing? Turn it off!” He rushed forward to pull the power cord. I was ready. I stepped aside, grabbed the mechanical keyboard from the desk, and smashed it violently into the server rack. “BANG!” I grabbed the microphone, my voice echoing through the entire office floor. “I quit.” “Ethan, Chloe, you two pieces of trash can clean up your own mess!” With that, I threw my pre-written resignation letter right into Ethan’s horrified, pale face.

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“Thank you to my forever mentor for this amazing early birthday gift! I’ll work hard to be worthy of this beast!” My heart sank. I instantly remembered the blurry bank transfer screenshot Austin had shown me last week when I demanded our money back. I quickly opened my online banking app and scrutinized the transaction history for that supposedly “refunded” $25,000. The next second, the mouse slipped from my trembling hand. It wasn’t a refund at all. It was a short-term personal loan from one of Austin’s distant cousins. The memo line clearly read: “Temporary loan. Repay next month.” In that instant, I knew. The last shred of trust between us, along with our shared startup dream, was dead. Disappointment washed over me, drowning out my anger. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I just picked up my phone and sent Austin a text: “Austin, I’m out. Let’s dissolve the studio. The startup is over.” Almost the exact second the message marked as “read,” my phone rang. I picked up, but it wasn’t Austin’s voice. It was Bella’s—sweet, high-pitched, and laced with fake innocence. “Chloe, babe, what is wrong with you? Just because the funding is a few days late, you’re throwing a tantrum and pulling out? Startups are hard. Giving up at the first sign of trouble doesn’t sound like the Chloe I know. Austin has been pulling all-nighters for this project. You’re breaking his heart.” In the background, I could hear the rowdy voices of their college crew. “Yeah, Chloe, show some startup spirit!” “Bella’s right. Austin is working his ass off. Give him a break.” These people had been Austin and Bella’s loyal squad since college. They always stood in a united front. Every time Austin and I argued because Bella “borrowed” our project funds for her personal emergencies, they would jump in. They’d preach about “the bigger picture,” “brotherhood,” and how “Bella has had a hard life” to guilt-trip me. Or rather, to silence me. Bella always played the martyr, acting like she was sacrificing everything for the team. She had implied more than once in public that I was petty and lacked vision. She had even whispered to me in private, “Chloe, if you think the risk is too high, you can always back out. Austin and I can handle it.” This time, I wasn’t even mad. I was just exhausted. I spoke into the receiver, my voice deadpan: “Yeah, you guys are right. So, I’m backing out. Wish you both the best of luck with the project.” The other end of the line went dead silent. I didn’t wait for a response. I hung up. Then, I opened my laptop and began organizing all the files, design drafts, and business proposals related to the project. These represented countless sleepless nights of my hard work. But now, they meant nothing to me. Less than an hour later, Austin slammed the door open. He was supposed to be pitching to clients, but he had rushed back to our shared apartment. He held two tickets in his hand, trying to coax me with that familiar puppy-dog look: “Chloe, look! I pulled some wires and got VIP passes to TechCrunch Disrupt! Let’s go this weekend and clear our heads, okay?” I looked at the tickets and felt a wave of sheer mockery. I had been begging to go to this event for months. But back then, he told me we were too busy with the launch and should wait until things stabilized. Now, he was using it as a peace offering. But here was the kicker: Bella had already posted her staff badge for the exact same event on her Instagram last week. Her caption read: “Austin is the best! Sneak peek before the public crowd!” He always did this. Using the exact same favor to keep both of us happy. I didn’t take the tickets. I just smiled. Austin let out a sigh of relief, thinking I was appeased, and turned around to pour some water. “Let’s break up, Austin. For good.” The glass mug slipped from his hand, shattering loudly against the hardwood floor. “Over $25,000? Just because the funds were delayed by a couple of days? Chloe, does our relationship and our dream mean absolutely nothing to you?” He sounded genuinely hurt, like he was the victim here. If this were the past, I would have argued with him line by line. But now? I didn’t want to waste a single breath. When words lose their meaning, action is the only way out. I bent down to pick up the broken glass. Austin reacted emotionally, grabbing my arm to stop me. I instinctively yanked my arm back, and my elbow hit the console table. A custom ceramic vase we bought when we first moved in wobbled, fell, and smashed into pieces.

Shards scattered everywhere. Austin’s face paled. He immediately checked my elbow, his voice a mix of frustration and lingering anger. “Why are you being so reckless? Did you cut yourself?” I brushed his hand off. “I’m fine,” I said coldly. He stared at the broken ceramic on the floor. We had picked it out together, believing it would bring good luck to our new home. “It’s better this way,” I murmured, turning back to pack my things. Austin stood frozen amidst the mess, his expression dark and unreadable. The next day, we were supposed to meet a potential investor. But I had already emailed the client, rescheduling the meeting due to personal reasons. Then, I emailed our landlord about breaking our lease early. Around noon, Austin came back. Seeing me packing books into cardboard boxes, he tried to soften his tone. “Chloe, I rescheduled the meeting with the client. Look…” “Don’t bother,” I interrupted him. “The project is dead. You can handle the follow-ups yourself.” He choked on his words, his voice dropping low. “Is this because of Bella? Because of the money? I told you I would fix it!” “Austin, it was never just about Bella. And it was never just about the money.” I stopped what I was doing and looked him dead in the eye. “It’s because you constantly let her, and your so-called brotherhood, override our plans and our trust.” His mouth opened, but no words came out. Just then, the doorbell rang. Austin answered it. Bella and two of her friends were standing in the hallway, holding grocery bags. “Austin! Chloe!” Bella beamed, her smile radiant. “We came over to cook a celebratory dinner for the launch! Let’s…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes landed on the packing boxes. Austin cleared his throat awkwardly and let them in. As soon as Bella stepped inside, her eyes locked onto the business proposal on my desk. It was the final version of AuraHome AI—the project I had pulled consecutive all-nighters to perfect. “Oh my gosh, Chloe, this pitch deck is brilliant!” She picked it up naturally, flipping through the pages. “This core architecture is genius. Let me borrow it for a bit to study, okay?” Austin frowned slightly. “Bella, that’s Chloe’s work. Put it down.” Bella pouted, her voice dripping with sweet innocence. “Come on, I just want to learn! Chloe is so smart, she won’t mind, right? It’s all for the team!” One of her friends chimed in. “Yeah, Bella just wants to improve herself for the project.” The other one was even more direct. “Chloe, just let Bella look at it. Who knows, maybe she can even give you some good feedback.” “Proprietary information,” I said without looking up from my packing. “It’s highly inappropriate to look at a core pitch deck without authorization.” The room went dead silent. Bella looked as if I had physically slapped her. She slammed the deck back onto the table. “Chloe, how could you think of me like that? I was just admiring your work! What kind of person do you think I am?” Her friends didn’t see anything wrong with her behavior. Instead, they glared at me. “We’re all on the same team here. What’s the big deal?” The other scoffed. “Chloe, we came here in good faith to help smooth things over. You’re being incredibly petty.” Austin sighed, his voice heavy with fatigue. “Chloe, Bella meant well. She was just…” “She was just trying to steal someone else’s hard work, just like she stole our project funds over and over again,” I cut him off, my voice calm but freezing cold. Bella’s face flushed bright red. “Chloe Miller! What are you implying? Those were loans! It was for project emergencies! Austin approved all of them!” “Oh, really?” I walked over to my laptop and pulled up the financial spreadsheet. “Over the past year, you ‘borrowed’ a total of $65,000. $35,000 of that was taken during critical development phases when we desperately needed cash. Your repayment record is a big fat zero. Is that what you call ‘for the project’?” I spun the screen around. The black-and-white numbers were indisputable. Bella froze. Her two friends shut their mouths, looking incredibly awkward. But Bella quickly found a new angle to attack. “Chloe, why are you bringing up old dirt now? Austin agreed to all of it! You’re just jealous because Austin trusts me more than you!” I didn’t want to waste another second arguing. I reached for my phone. Seeing this, Austin snatched my phone away. “Chloe! Do you have to do this? What’s the point of digging up the past?!” He yelled so loudly that I could hear footsteps in the hallway outside. He grabbed Bella’s arm and turned to her friends. “Let’s go!” I stood my ground, completely unfazed. One of Bella’s friends looked at my icy expression and tried to pull Austin back, sensing things were getting out of hand. But Austin was too angry. “Forget it! Let her calm down by herself!” Once they slammed the door, I took a deep breath. I logged onto Nextdoor and posted a listing: “Selling brand-new studio office equipment. Half price.” My phone immediately started buzzing with inquiries. Within a few hours, almost everything was sold.

After Austin and his crew stormed out, the apartment fell into a quiet, peaceful silence. It was just me, the mess on the floor, and my completely cold heart. I didn’t stop. I kept packing. Clothes, books, everyday essentials… everything that carried our shared memories was systematically packed away. Some went into trash bags; some went into boxes. With the cash I made from selling the office equipment on Nextdoor, I booked a moving service and quickly secured a cozy, single-bed apartment across town. My level of calm was almost terrifying. No tears, no hesitation. It felt like undergoing a surgical procedure to cut out a piece of rotting flesh. It was painful, yes, but the relief of being clean was worth it. On the day I moved, Austin came back. He stood at the doorway, staring at the half-empty apartment. His eyes were a chaotic mix of shock, confusion, and panic. He clearly hadn’t expected me to leave so decisively, and so fast. “Chloe… do we really have to do this?” His voice was hoarse, carrying a rare, desperate note. “We can talk. I’ll talk to Bella. I’ll make sure she pays back the money as soon as…” “Austin,” I interrupted, zipping up my final suitcase. My voice was a flat line. “We were over the moment you repeatedly chose her, sacrificing our shared goals and trust. Talking won’t change the outcome. I wish you and her… a very successful partnership.” I emphasized the word “partnership” with a cold, mocking smile. Without looking at his suddenly pale face, I wheeled my suitcase past him and walked out. I didn’t look back. My new life was busier than I expected, but it was incredibly fulfilling. I blocked Austin, Bella, and their entire social circle. I cut off all dead weight and put 100% of my energy into finding new opportunities. However, I underestimated how shameless some people could be. A week after I moved out, I received a call from an unknown number. It was the CEO of a highly promising tech startup, a man named Marcus Sterling. “Am I speaking with Chloe Miller? Apologies for the cold call. We received a pitch deck for a project called ‘AuraHome AI.’ We’re highly interested. We were wondering if you’ve already secured a lead investor?” I froze. “AuraHome AI.” That was the exact project I had built from scratch for my and Austin’s startup! How did it end up in Marcus Sterling’s hands? Then, the realization hit me like a lightning bolt. “Bella!” That day in the apartment, she hadn’t just looked at it. She must have taken photos of the core slides with her phone! Suppressing my rising anger, I kept my voice strictly professional. “Hi, Mr. Sterling. I’m glad you’re interested in the project. May I ask how you came across the initial proposal?” Marcus chuckled on the other end, his tone turning a bit amused. “A young woman named Bella Vance contacted us. She claimed it was a project she and her team developed, but since her team recently disbanded, she wanted to find a new home for it. The creative concept is brilliant, but when we pressed her for technical details and core logic, she became… let’s say, extremely vague. So, I decided to reach out to the backup email listed on the deck. I didn’t expect to find the actual brain behind it.” I knew it! Bella didn’t just steal my idea; she tried to use it to bag a major investment. But her shallow understanding of tech couldn’t support the weight of the actual project, and Marcus had immediately seen through her. I took a deep breath, my mind working rapidly. Anger wouldn’t solve anything. But an opportunity had just knocked on my door, and I wasn’t about to let it slide. “Mr. Sterling, thank you for your diligence. This proposal is indeed my work, written and developed solely by me. Bella Vance had zero part in the creative or technical process. She likely doesn’t understand the project at all.” My voice was steady, confident, and professional. “If you and your team are genuinely interested, I would love to bring a complete business plan and technical roadmap to present to you.” Marcus, being a seasoned businessman, immediately caught on. “That sounds wonderful, Chloe. Are you free tomorrow afternoon? Let’s discuss this in person.” “Absolutely. Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Sterling. See you tomorrow.” I hung up, looking out the window at the beautiful city skyline. A cold smile crept onto my face. “Bella, Austin. You thought you could rob me, but you ended up delivering my biggest opportunity right to my lap.”

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My roommate kept a black pet snake with creepy red spots. Every night after lights-out, that snake would crawl into my bed. It would wrap tightly around my thighs, and its ice-cold, wet tongue would flick across my neck. Terrified, I told our Resident Advisor that there was a snake in our dorm. But when housing security inspected the room, they found absolutely nothing. Everyone in the building started calling me a paranoid freak. My hair fell out in clumps. I was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. Finally, I ran out of the campus gates in the middle of the night, straight into the path of a speeding semi-truck that crushed my skull. My soul floated in the cold night air, looking down. I saw my roommate, Chloe, holding that black snake, laughing hysterically. “Kai, babe, did that bitch taste good?” The black snake let out a low, raspy laugh that sounded chillingly human. It turned out it was never a snake. Chloe had paid a fortune to a dark witch to seal the soul of her perverted boyfriend, Kai, who had died in a horrific car crash, inside that snake’s body. And because she knew I was pretty, she let her boyfriend crawl into my bed night after night. But then, my eyes flew open. I was reborn. I was back to exactly one month before the fall semester started. Without a second thought, I booked a plane ticket straight to the deep wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains. When I returned, I had a ten-foot-long golden albino python packed safely inside my suitcase.

My soul had floated in the air for three agonizing days. And in those three days, I finally figured everything out. That black snake with red spots was actually Chloe’s dead boyfriend, Kai Carter. Chloe had paid a shady occultist a massive sum of money to trap his soul inside the reptile after his car accident. Kai had been an absolute creep when he was alive, and he became even more disgusting after he died. Chloe couldn’t bear to lose him completely, so she came up with this sick, twisted way to keep him around. But she didn’t expect that once Kai became a snake, his perverted desires would only grow. He targeted the prettiest girls on campus. And I was the unlucky winner. Every single night after move-in, that snake would slither into my bed right on cue. Its cold, scaly skin would slide up my thighs, and its wet, slimy tongue would lick my neck and earlobes. I told the RA about it in a panic, but they searched our room three times and found nothing. Soon, the entire floor thought I was losing my mind. “Sera, are you just stressed out from classes?” “Maybe you should go see a therapist?” “Stop accusing Chloe. She’s literally the sweetest girl on the floor.” My hair started falling out in handfulls. My nerves were so shot that I was too terrified to close my eyes at night. My weight plummeted from a healthy 110 pounds to a skeletal 85. During those dark days, they took videos of me shivering in the corner of my bed and posted them to our dorm’s Snapchat group. The caption read: “The drama queen in room 302 is having another episode.” In the end, I broke. I ran out of the campus gates at midnight and was crushed to death by a giant semi-truck. I died in silence, like a pathetic joke. But now, I was alive again. I stared at my phone screen: August 1st, 7:23 AM. Exactly one month before the semester started. I lay in bed for three minutes, completely still, letting the memories of my past life wash over me. Then, I smiled. My past life taught me one thing: Chloe was a master manipulator. She knew how to play the victim, cry on cue, and say things like, “I don’t know why Sera hates me so much.” Everyone would immediately take her side. This time, I could run. I could request a room change. But I didn’t want to. Because if I ran, some other innocent girl would end up in that bed, suffering the exact same fate. After thinking it over, I booked a flight to the mountains that very afternoon. Before I died in my past life, I had read a thread on a conspiracy forum about an old witch doctor living deep in the Appalachian Mountains who could talk to snakes and control massive pythons. Back then, I thought it was internet garbage. But in this life, I believed it. On the plane, I drifted off to sleep. My nightmare was filled with that black-and-red snake crawling up my legs. I kicked at my blankets frantically but couldn’t shake it off. I opened my mouth to scream for help, but no sound came out. I woke up gasping, tears streaming down my face. The older man sitting next to me handed me a packet of tissues and asked if I was okay. I nodded in terror, my resolve to find the witch doctor hardening. The moment I landed, I didn’t waste a second and headed straight into the mountain hollows. By noon the next day, I was standing in the exact spot described in the forum post. Just as I stepped onto the overgrown path, an old, sun-weathered woman blocked my way. “No tourists allowed here. Go back.” I looked her dead in the eye. “I’m not a tourist. I’m looking for the one who speaks to snakes.”

The old woman’s expression shifted. She turned and walked deeper into the woods, gesturing for me to follow. She led me to a secluded wooden cabin. The porch was covered in dried mountain herbs and hanging snake skins. The air thick with a pungent, musky odor. Pushing past the heavy screen door, I saw an elderly man sitting in a rocking chair. He looked to be in his late sixties, his skin leathery and his eyes deep-set, but those eyes gleamed like a feral cat’s. “Who sent you?” “No one. I saw a thread online. It said you can command snakes.” The old man scoffed, taking a sip from his mug of black coffee. “And how do you know I’m not just a scammer?” I stared back at him. “Because on my way up here, I noticed all the chickens in the yard were locked up tight, and not a single dog in this hollow is barking. The dogs are silent because they’re terrified of whatever you keep in here.” His hand paused mid-air. He leaned back against his chair. “You’ve got a dark shadow over you, girl. Someone put a curse on you?” I didn’t want to explain the whole reincarnation thing. I only had one question: “Is there a way to force a human soul out of a snake’s body once it’s been sealed inside?” The old man froze, his coffee mug hovering. He stared at me for ten long seconds before slamming the mug onto the wooden table. “Binding a human soul to a reptile is forbidden black magic. Where did you encounter such a thing?” “I lived through it.” “Lived through it?” His voice pitched higher. “You encountered a soul-bound snake? Was the soul from a living person or the dead?” “A dead man.” The old man went silent for a long time. He stood up, paced around the room, and pulled a polished black bone flute from the wall, handing it to me. “The one you met—was it a small snake or a big one?” “Small. Black with red bands. About fifteen inches.” The old man snorted. “That’s the lowest tier of soul-binding. Trapping a weak, dead soul inside a common garden snake. High on malice, low on actual power.” A sharp light flickered in his cloudy eyes. “Since you made it all the way out here, it means you want to fight back. The law of the wild is simple—fight poison with poison. Fight small with big.” He reached under his table and dragged out a heavy wooden crate. The moment he slid the lid open, a wave of cold, musky air hit my face. Inside, coiled on a bed of dry straw, was a baby python, its scales a brilliant, glowing gold. It was only about as thick as my index finger. It lifted its head and looked at me, its golden, vertical pupils sending a chill down my spine. Slowly, trembling, I reached my hand into the crate. The baby python flicked its tongue, then gently crawled onto my wrist. Its cold scales slid against my skin—a sensation identical to the night Kai crawled onto my legs in my past life. But this time, I didn’t flinch. I let it wrap around my wrist like a heavy, golden bracelet. The old man chuckled. “The little guy likes you. He’s small now, but in three months he’ll be six feet. In six months, he’ll top ten feet. That little black snake won’t even dare lift its head in front of him.” “What does he eat?” The old man grinned, revealing a row of crooked teeth. “He eats snakes. Specifically, other snakes.” When I left the Appalachian hollows, my suitcase contained a specialized, heated reptile case. Inside was the baby python. I named him Sunny. The old man had also given me the black bone flute. “Don’t play this in front of regular folks. Snake charming isn’t exactly holy work. But sometimes, you have to use darker magic to clean up a dark mess.” I asked him one last question. “Can the soul inside that little snake be expelled?” The old man thought for a moment. “Once a dead soul is bound to a beast for too long, they merge. If you want to drive it out, you have to make it feel a terror worse than death itself. Snakes don’t just fear predators—they fear absolute domination.” “What does that mean?” “It means you have to make that little snake understand that he isn’t the apex predator anymore. You are.” On my flight back, I leaned against the window and closed my eyes. The memories of my past life flashed behind my eyelids—Chloe holding the black snake, her high-pitched, mocking laughter echoing in my ears. “Kai, babe, did that bitch taste good?” And Kai’s raspy, disgusting laugh from inside the snake. And then, the faces of my old dormmates. “Sera, can you just act normal for once?” “A snake? Okay, show us some proof then.” This time, I didn’t need proof. Because I was bringing the solution.

Once I got home, I spent every day training Sunny. Our bond grew incredibly strong, and he could understand my basic commands. Three days before the semester started, I called the housing office. I asked if bed selection was first-come, first-served. The lady on the phone said yes. I told her I’d be checking in a day early. In my past life, I was the first to arrive. I foolishly chose the bottom bunk by the window. Chloe arrived second and took the top bunk. Back then, I didn’t realize she chose the top bunk so her heavy curtains could hide her hiding the snake, while my bottom bunk was the perfect launching pad for that thing to slide down into my sheets at night. This time, I was still the first to arrive. But I wasn’t taking the window bunk. I chose the bottom bunk right next to the door. The moment anyone opened the door, my bed was fully visible. This would severely limit Chloe’s ability to hide her snake. If her snake wanted to get from her bunk to mine, it would have to cross the wide-open, highly exposed center of the room. That was only step one. On September 6th, I walked into my empty dorm room. I placed Sunny’s heated enclosure on my nightstand and opened the lid. Sunny lifted his head, his golden eyes shimmering under the fluorescent lights. I held out my hand, and he smoothly slithered up, coiling around my wrist. Then, I went out to the local target and bought heavy black blackout curtains, fabric scissors, heavy-duty double-sided tape, and a sewing kit. I was going to fortify my bed. The only reason Chloe’s snake had evaded the housing inspections in my past life was because she had custom-made, hidden zippered pockets sewn into her bedding and bags. Well, this time, I was going to be prepared way before she even set foot in this room. As I was securing my blackout curtains, my phone buzzed. It was a friend request on Snapchat. The profile picture was a mirror selfie of a girl with long, perfectly styled blonde hair and a sweet, dimpled smile. The bio read: “Hey! I’m Chloe, your new roommate! Thought I’d add you so we can connect!” I stared at her smiling face for a long time. In my past life, I had accepted her request instantly, typing out a bunch of excited, naive messages. Back then, Chloe had sent me voice notes, her voice sounding so sweet it could give you cavities. This time, I tapped accept. “Hey girl!” she replied instantly. “Which bed did you grab? Can I have the top bunk opposite you? I heard that spot has a great view of the courtyard!” What a flawless opening act. First, pretend she has no idea how the room is laid out, then pretend she just wants a “nice view,” and finally, naturally secure the exact position she needed. I messied back: “Totally! I actually just got here and took the bottom bunk by the door. If you want the view, both window bunks are still totally open!” The “typing…” bubble popped up and disappeared several times. After a full thirty seconds, she finally replied: “Oh, the bottom bunk by the door? Won’t that be super noisy with people walking by?” “Nah, I sleep like a rock. A thunderstorm couldn’t wake me up.” I smiled as I sent the text. In my past life, I really did sleep like a rock—so deep that the first time the snake crawled into my bed, I didn’t even wake up right away. But this life was different. Now, I could hear a pin drop. After exchanging some basic small talk about our majors, she finally dropped the bait: “By the way, are you afraid of snakes? I think they’re actually so cute. I was thinking of getting a pet snake, but I wasn’t sure if our dorm allows them.” She had tested me exactly like this in my past life. Back then, I had replied, “Omg no, snakes are so scary, please don’t!” And she had laughed it off, saying, “Haha just kidding!” only to smuggle the snake in on the very first day. This time, I typed: “Snakes? Omg, not at all! I actually think they’re adorable. You should totally get one! I’d love to play with it!” The other side went completely silent for a few seconds. “Wait, for real?” “Yeah! I watch so many snake-handling videos on TikTok. Those bright yellow pythons are literally so beautiful.” Another long pause. I could easily picture her face on the other side of the screen—her brow furrowing, her fake smile faltering as she stared at her phone. She was probably wondering why this Sera girl wasn’t fitting into her neat little box. Finally, she sent: “Well, then I guess I’ll have a little surprise for you when I get there! ~” followed by a winking emoji. I tossed my phone onto the desk. Sunny was resting quietly on my wrist. I stroked his head, and he nudged his nose against my finger affectionately. In two days, Chloe would arrive with that little snake carrying her dead boyfriend’s soul. And she was going to learn a very hard lesson: Not only was I not afraid of snakes, but I owned one that ate hers for breakfast.

Move-in day finally arrived. At 10:00 AM, the sound of heavy suitcase wheels echoed down the hallway. A key turned in the lock, and the door swung open. Chloe stood in the doorway. She was wearing a white crop top, denim shorts, her hair pulled up into a high ponytail, sporting her signature sweet smile. She was dragging a massive silver suitcase and carrying a heavy black backpack. Her eyes quickly swept the room, pausing on me for a fraction of a second. “Hey! You must be Sera!” her voice was soft and bubbly. “Hey Chloe! Nice to meet you!” I stood up and helped her pull her heavy suitcase inside. She pushed her suitcase directly under the top bunk opposite me—right facing my bed. Then, she began unpacking, pulling out her things one by one. Toiletries, clothes, her iPad, snacks—and a small, black, hard-shell pet carrier with tiny ventilation holes. It was tiny, barely eight inches long. Easily small enough to slip into a backpack or a custom-made hidden pocket. As she pulled the carrier out of her bag, she subtly turned her body, using a bag of chips to block my view. Her movements were so smooth she had clearly practiced this a thousand times. But she didn’t know that from the moment she walked through that door, every nerve in my body was locked onto her. I pretended not to notice. I leaned down, picked up a pack of tissues she had dropped, and handed it to her with a smile. “Here you go, Chloe. Wow, this packaging is so cute.” “Oh, thanks! Ordered them on Amazon,” she said, taking them and quickly sliding the pet carrier into her nightstand drawer. It was incredibly fast. If I hadn’t been watching her like a hawk, I would have missed it. But she had no idea that in my past life, to figure out where that damn snake was coming from, I had torn this room apart when she was in class. I knew every single one of her hiding spots—under the folded sweaters in the bottom drawer, inside the lining of her hanging duffel bag, and the hidden pocket taped directly underneath her mattress. All of them were fitted with opaque, custom-made zippers. Does a normal college freshman arrive with that kind of stealth gear? No. She was on a mission. After she finished unpacking, Chloe turned to me with a sweet grin. “So, Sera, remember that surprise I mentioned?” She reached into her drawer and pulled out the black pet carrier, placing it on the desk. There was a dark, eager glint in her eyes, like she was holding her breath to see me scream. In my past life, the moment she popped that lid and that black-and-red snake poked its head out, I had screamed, stumbled back, and knocked over my water bottle. That was the beginning of my living nightmare. This time, she popped the lid. The black-and-red snake slowly slid its head out. It was slightly smaller than I remembered, but the dark scales and blood-red bands were exactly the same. It flicked its black tongue, its vertical pupils narrowing into slits. My stomach violently churned. The memories of my past life rushed back like a tidal wave. The feel of cold scales sliding up my thighs, the wet tongue on my neck, and that raspy, dead man’s voice whispering in my ear: “What a pretty face… let me wrap around you.” My temples throbbed as anger flared in my chest. Under the desk, my hands clenched into tight fists, my nails digging deep into my palms. In my head, I slowly counted to three. One. Two. Three. Then, I smiled. I let my eyes crinkle up, showing a completely innocent, bubbly expression. “Oh my gosh! He is so cute!” I leaned in closer to the desk. “What kind of snake is he? His pattern is beautiful, like a vintage floral print!” The eager smirk on Chloe’s face froze. According to her script, I was supposed to scream, pale, and run to the other side of the room. Then she could play the “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I thought you said you liked snakes!” card, instantly labeling me as the weak, easily bullied roommate. But I didn’t follow her script. “You’re… you’re not scared?” her voice shook slightly with confusion. “Are you kidding? I told you, I love snakes!” I reached out a finger toward the little reptile. The snake immediately recoiled, its body tensing into an S-curve, its eyes locked onto my hand. I could feel it. The greasy, perverted, greedy aura of Kai Carter radiating from that tiny reptilian body. Chloe quickly slammed the lid shut and shoved the carrier back into her drawer. “He’s super shy. Don’t touch him, he might bite.” “Aw, bummer,” I said, pulling my hand back with a harmless laugh. “I’ll just wait until he gets used to me.” Chloe forced a tight, awkward smile. That first round ended in Chloe’s utter confusion. But I knew this was just the warm-up. She wasn’t going to stop just because I wasn’t afraid. Because the pervert trapped inside that snake wouldn’t let her.

Sure enough, the trap was set for that night. At 11:30 PM, the dorm lights went out. The hallway silences stretched, and the entire building was plunged into darkness. I lay in my bed, my heavy blackout curtains zipped tight, my duvet pulled up to my chin. My eyes were wide open in the dark. About an hour passed. Around 12:30 AM, I heard it. A faint, rustling sound coming from Chloe’s bunk. It was incredibly soft, like fabric dragging across fabric. “Rustle. Rustle. Rustle.” The sound moved from her bed to the wooden frame, sliding down the wall onto the tiled floor. Then came the almost silent scrape of scales sliding across the cold floor. It was moving toward me. In my past life, I would have been fast asleep by now. But tonight, I was as awake as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. Every inch of my skin tensed, my hair standing on end. The horrors of my past life played on a loop in my brain. But I didn’t move. I waited. The sliding sound got closer and closer, until I could feel a sudden drop in the air temperature near the floor. A chilling draft crept in. And then, I heard a sound. It wasn’t a snake’s hiss. It was a wet, muffled, human-like grunt, squeezing out of the snake’s tiny throat. It was laughing. At the bottom of my blackout curtains, there was a tiny two-centimeter gap. The black-and-red head of the snake slowly poked through, its red-flecked eyes glinting in the dark, its black tongue tasting the air. In my past life, this was the exact moment I broke. But tonight, I pulled my blanket tight, rolled over to face the wall, and whispered in a voice so quiet only I could hear: “Sunny, you’re up.” Beneath my bed, the lid of Sunny’s backup enclosure slid open without a sound. Something massive was slowly crawling out from the darkness. It didn’t make a sound, but it carried an overwhelming, suffocating pressure that seemed to freeze the very air in the room. It was a primitive, instinctual dread—the kind carved deep into the DNA of every prey animal. The little black-and-red snake instantly froze. It wanted to run. But it was already too late.

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