Author: Momo Chan

In my last life, I went missing on my way home for winter break. When they found me, my clothes were torn, and I was lying in an abandoned warehouse with the town’s most notorious criminal, a man accused of sexual assault. My parents, ashamed of the scandal, gagged me and tied me up that same day, forcing me to marry him. My sister, meanwhile, stole my identity. She took my acceptance letter and went to an Ivy League university in New York. But her stolen life wasn’t a fairy tale. For three years, she was bullied by rich, entitled students until her reputation was destroyed. In the end, she jumped from the top of a campus building. Ironically, my life took a different turn. The year after I got married, the truth came out: my husband was innocent. He had been framed by his billionaire father’s illegitimate son. My husband cleared his name, inherited a multi-billion dollar empire, and took me abroad to live a life of luxury. Everyone back home envied me. Now, I’ve been reborn. But this time, my sister rushed into that warehouse first. When I arrived with the search party, she was already entangled with my husband from my past life. Seeing us, she smirked triumphantly. “Sis, this perfect husband is mine this time. You go to that fancy school and suffer.” I stepped forward to pull her away, but the man shoved me back. He shielded her, glaring at me coldly. “Don’t touch her. Get lost.” I swallowed the bitterness. That very night, I boarded the train to New York. 1 My sister, Bella, stood in the dim light of the warehouse, her clothes disheveled but her smile victorious. She looked like she had finally snatched the prize she’d been coveting for a lifetime. “Mom! Dad! I want to marry him! I want to marry him today!” In that moment, her triumphant grin stabbed me. In my previous life, right before she died, she came to find me. She used the excuse of bringing me homemade jam to get into our villa. Then she pulled a knife and lunged at me, screaming hysterically. Before she could reach me, the bodyguards pinned her down. She struggled, cursing me. “Lily, that night… I saw you get drugged and dragged away! I deliberately didn’t save you. I waited until the next day to lead the village to ‘find’ you.” “I wanted you ruined! I wanted Mom and Dad to give me your acceptance letter!” “I thought going to New York, going to college, would make me elite.” She laughed and cried at the same time. “Instead, those rich kids treated me like a dog. They ruined my reputation and forced me to drop out.” “Now I have nothing! Why should you, an illiterate wife of a rapist, have everything? It’s not fair! If I could do it over, I’d never switch with you! You should be the one suffering in New York!” When the police arrived to arrest her, she broke free and jumped out the window. Reborn, she beat me to the warehouse. She made sure to seal the deal with Liam, who had been drugged into a stupor. The man’s eyes were still unfocused. But hearing her demand marriage, his ears turned red. He looked down at her, his voice solemn and clumsy. “I’ll take responsibility. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.” It was exactly what he had promised me in our past life. My parents exploded first. My mom slapped me across the face. Hard. “What kind of sister are you?! If you were watching her, how did she end up here with this animal?” “You ruined your sister! Why don’t you just die?” They tried to drag Bella away, refusing to let her marry him. They said the town only knew a daughter was compromised, not which one. They could just make me the scapegoat. Make me marry him. Even though this life was already different, I was still the one being pushed into the fire. My heart turned to ice. Bella whispered something in their ears. My parents’ expressions changed slowly. They looked at the man again, skeptical but intrigued. Finally, they nodded. “If it’s true like you say, then you should marry him.” “If it’s a lie, you can just run away later, and we’ll make your sister take your place…” … Bella seemed terrified I would steal him back. She insisted on holding the wedding banquet that very night and forced me to help prepare. The whole town knew she had been “compromised” by Liam—the local pariah with a record. Instead of seeking justice, she was rushing to marry him. Everyone called her shameless. No one wanted to come inside for the banquet. They stood outside, jeering and mocking. Bella’s eyes turned red with rage. She pointed at them and screamed: “When my husband gets rich, you’ll all crawl back like dogs!” “When you’re kneeling on the ground begging me, I won’t give you a cent!” The villagers laughed harder. “A thief and a rapist with no parents? Rich? In his dreams!” She stomped her foot and ran back inside. My mother took her anger out on me. She pinched my arm viciously. “They’re insulting your sister and your parents, and you just stand there? Why didn’t you stop them? Why didn’t you curse them back?” She went inside to comfort Bella. My father flipped the table in a rage. “Forget the banquet! We’re not doing it!” Dishes smashed all over me. He pointed a finger at my face, screaming at me to clean it up or he’d beat me. I stood there, eyes stinging, nursing my bruised hand. My heart felt completely frozen. Liam, wearing a groom’s red flower on his chest, walked in and saw everything. He didn’t hesitate. He walked straight toward me. 2 My heart leaped. Flashbacks of fifty years spent with him filled my mind. I remembered how he protected me when my parents slapped me and called me shameless in the past life. My throat tightened. I was about to call his name, tears welling up. But he spoke coldly: “Behave yourself. Don’t even think about hurting your sister again.” I froze, staring at him in disbelief. He stepped forward, pushing me against the wall, his expression icy. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Bella told me everything. You bully her constantly.” “But you shouldn’t have tricked her into coming to the warehouse, making her stumble into me when I was drugged! You ruined her innocence!” “And then you called the villagers to destroy her reputation!” “How can you be so vicious… are you even human?” It felt like a boulder crushed my chest. I bit my lip, voice trembling. “I brought people to save you…” He cut me off with a scoff, his eyes full of suspicion and disgust. “Enough. Save your fake tears and lies.” “Lily, you better pray you never fall into my hands. Or I’ll make you pay ten times over for what you did today.” The last ember of warmth in my heart was extinguished. I wiped my tears, pushed him away, and turned to leave. I heard him go into the bedroom to comfort Bella. I walked into the woodshed. Bella had thrown all my things in there. Clothes, books—all torn and scattered. I lowered my head and started picking them up, piece by piece. Through the thin walls, I heard the man’s low, gentle voice soothing her. It sounded just like when he used to comfort me after a fight. Soon, the sounds became intimate. It felt like a knife twisting in my heart. I stopped packing. I grabbed a few changes of clothes and the acceptance letter. I left the house without a sound. I went to the train station and bought the earliest ticket to New York. In this life, my love is gone. So I will hold on tight to the future that should have been mine. … As soon as I arrived on campus, I registered for work-study. On registration day, I volunteered to help welcome new students. Under the scorching sun, I ran back and forth between the dorms and the academic buildings. Black spots danced in my vision. My legs gave out, and I stumbled into someone’s arms. Whistles erupted around me. “Whoa, Julian! How many girls have thrown themselves at you today?” I quickly stepped back to apologize. When I looked up, I froze. It was Julian Thorne. In my past life, after Bella died, my parents screamed and cried, forcing me to investigate who killed her. When the lawyer laid out the files, I learned the truth. Bella met Julian Thorne—heir to a massive real estate empire—in college. She tried everything to get close to him. When seduction failed, she tried to drug him. She was caught. The Thorne family was furious. They forced the school to expel her. Her reputation destroyed, facing jail time, she fled back home in disgrace. This time, if I stay far away from him, I can graduate in peace. I steadied myself and turned to leave immediately. The boys behind me laughed. “Yo! A girl running away from Julian? That’s a first.” “Maybe she’s playing hard to get. Interesting. Julian, why not play along?” Julian scoffed coldly. “Boring.” At the opening ceremony, he gave the speech as the student representative. All eyes were on him. Standing in the crowd, I couldn’t help but remember his fate. In our junior year, after Bella drugged him, he suffered organ damage and had to go abroad for treatment. But his flight crashed. No survivors. In this life, I won’t get involved with him. He won’t die. … My life consisted of two things: studying and working. But for some reason, I kept running into him. Walking past the basketball court, a ball would always smash into the ground right at my feet. Blocking my path. I’d look up to see him staring at me coldly, his friends winking and nudging him. My classmates comforted me, saying Julian was asking about me, probably planning to bully me. So I stopped walking by the courts. I took the long way to class. I avoided him at school, but I ran into him at my waitressing job. When he saw me, his friends would jeer, demanding I serve their table. They wouldn’t order; they’d just make me stand there while they chatted. Eventually, even the manager asked if I had beef with them. I shook my head and quit that same day. A few days later, I was cornered in an alley behind the library. Julian stood in the shadows, his face dark. His first words were: “You quit?” 3 I pressed my lips together and didn’t speak. He stared at me for a few seconds, then laughed coldly. “Lily.” “You don’t need to hide from me. I have zero interest in you.” “You think I want to run into you? Don’t flatter yourself.” He turned and walked away. From that day on, I really didn’t see him again. Soon after, my professor told me a corporation was sponsoring scholarships for top students in financial need. I was on the list. Full tuition covered, plus a monthly stipend. I looked at the numbers, tears welling in my eyes. Finally, I didn’t have to starve myself while working multiple jobs. I poured all my energy into studying. Later, I heard the sponsoring company organized a volunteer teaching trip to a rural area. I signed up immediately, wanting to give back. But on the day of departure, I saw Julian in the crowd. He saw me, looked cold, and turned away. For several days, we had zero interaction. Until one night, a senior girl told me that the heir to the Thorne fortune was surprisingly kind-hearted. Not only did he fund students, he came to volunteer personally. I was stunned. Just as I was about to ask more, the ground shook violently. Someone screamed: “Flash flood! Run!” Students scrambled, screaming, running for higher ground. I ran with the crowd. In the chaos, I heard someone shout Julian’s name. I looked back instinctively. I saw him push a little girl onto the bank, but he lost his footing and was swept away by the raging water. I didn’t hesitate. I gritted my teeth and jumped into the water. I swam toward him with everything I had, grabbed him, and dragged him to the shore. My fingers were numb, my lungs full of water. But I held on until he was safe on land, then I blacked out. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. The door opened. A stylish middle-aged woman walked in and held my hand warmly. “Child, you’re awake?” “Thank you so much for saving my son.” “As a reward, whatever you want, I will…” I instinctively clenched my fingers and shook my head gently. “I saved him to repay a debt. Thank you for the Thorne scholarship.” The polite mask on her face faded, replaced by genuine softness. “Julian is fine. He’s been wanting to see you.” “I’ll have him come thank you personally.” My heart tightened. I wanted to refuse. But before I could speak, she left. A moment later, Julian walked in. He marched to my bedside, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. Then he gritted his teeth and said: “Who asked you to save me?” He sat on the edge of the bed, his shoulders stiff. “Don’t you hate me?” “Why save me?” “Just to repay a debt? That’s unnecessary.” His tone was stiff. “The money for your scholarship isn’t even enough to buy my shoes.” After saying that, he looked at me immediately. He saw I was calm, not insulted or embarrassed. It made him flustered. He lowered his voice. “Whatever you want, I can give it to you.” I spoke softly. “I do have a wish…” Julian looked up, eyes expectant. I looked at him seriously. “Can you stop bullying me? Can we just be normal classmates?” His face turned red, then black. He stood up abruptly. “When did I ever—” He stopped himself. “Fine. Whatever.” He turned and stormed out, radiating anger. … I never expected to see my sister in the hospital. I hadn’t seen her in over a year. She was heavily pregnant, wearing a nurse’s aide uniform, kneeling on the floor cleaning an elderly patient. She looked haggard. It reminded me of my past life. At this time back then, I was pregnant too, working in a warehouse moving boxes. The villagers had burned down our house because they said we ruined the town’s morals. We were forced to leave. Liam’s half-brother hired thugs to harass us. Because the illegitimate son spread rumors to their father, Liam’s father cut him off completely. Liam became depressed, drank, and refused to work. I supported the family with my pregnant body. It wasn’t until I lost our first child that he knelt and cried, apologizing to me. A family member scolded Bella for being too rough. She stood up, eyes red, pushing them away. “I’m pregnant! You’re making a pregnant woman do heavy labor? Do you have no conscience?” The family sneered. “If you weren’t pregnant and pitiful, we wouldn’t have hired someone with zero experience. If you don’t want to work, get out.” Bella turned angrily and saw me. She froze. Then, seeing how pale I looked, a sick excitement flashed in her eyes. “Sis! I told you so. You’d end up like me eventually. Messing with those rich kids!” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Why are you hospitalized? Did they push you in a pool? Or down the stairs?” She rolled her eyes. “Take my advice. If you want to survive school, stay away from those rich boys.” “Don’t think about climbing the social ladder. Someone like you isn’t even good enough to be their toy.” Seeing my silence, she got impatient. She started bragging about how good Liam was to her. She swore that soon Liam’s dad would clear his name. Then she’d be a rich wife. And I would be driven out of school by the rich kids, forced to crawl back to our village and die miserable. Just then, Liam came up the stairs. Seeing her red eyes, he rushed over and hugged her. “What’s wrong, babe?” “Who upset you?” 4 “Baby, quit. Let’s go home!” I heard those words in my past life too. But if we quit, what would we eat? Liam would just drink and sulk on the sofa. When I urged him to work, he’d just sigh and ask for more time. But how much time? He never said. Sure enough, Bella forced a smile and acted coquettish. “It’s okay. For you, I can endure it.” Then she pointed at me, feigning surprise. “Oh look, hubby, my sister is sick too.” “So pitiful, no one is even here with her.” “Should we stay and keep her company?” Liam looked at me coldly. Seeing my haggard state, he scoffed. “Her getting sick is karma. God is punishing her.” “Bella, you’re too kind. Someone like her doesn’t deserve your concern.” “Let’s go home. Hubby will make you something delicious.” Bella shot me a smug look and linked arms with him sweetly. “My husband is a great cook, sis. Too bad you won’t get to taste it.” They took two steps before Julian walked over from the other end of the hall. He looked at their backs and asked me: “Family?” I shook my head. Julian sneered. “I thought they were your poor relatives. Treating a little food like it’s treasure.” Face tense, he handed me an expensive-looking three-tier bento box. “Here. My chef made too much. Don’t waste it.” Bella turned pale when she saw Julian. She looked at me, eyes wide with disbelief and jealousy. When Liam noticed something was wrong and asked her, she gritted her teeth. “Nothing. I just think some people are delusional. Being played with and thinking they’re special. It’s laughable.” She dragged Liam away. After that day, Julian brought me food every day. But as I ate, I couldn’t help but wonder. For a billionaire family, why did the chef’s cooking taste so… average? I recovered and returned to school. I thought Julian and I would go back to being parallel lines. But he signed up for the same elective class as me. He joined the same student council department. He even showed up where I worked part-time. I finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Julian, what do you want?” “Did I do something wrong?” His face fell. He looked offended. “You think I’m seeking revenge?” He sounded frustrated, like he was giving up. “I’m pursuing you! Can’t you tell?” I froze. The next second, I ran away. In my last life, Bella’s fate was a thorn in my heart. I didn’t dare get close to Julian, no matter what. Maybe he sensed my fear. From that day on, he really stopped appearing around me. Half a year passed. I started getting restless, secretly asking about him. My classmates looked surprised. “Didn’t you know? Julian is getting ready to study abroad.” I froze. The image of his plane crash from my past life slammed into my brain. Suppressing my pounding heart, I asked when he was leaving. “In two weeks. December 10th.” My mind went blank. I pulled out my phone and called him. “Don’t go, Julian.” On the other end, he chuckled softly. “You’re telling me not to go? Who are you to tell me that?” I was speechless. I wanted to explain, but he spoke calmly. “I’ll give you a chance. Dinner with me on the night of December 9th.” “Convince me to my face. If your reasons are good, I’ll stay.” “If not, I leave that night.” I agreed immediately. On the night of the 9th, I went to the hotel he mentioned. The staff told me a private room was booked and led me there. I pushed open the door, only to be slammed against the wall. Liam, dressed in a designer suit, held a red-eyed Bella, glaring at me with hatred. “Lily. I told you.” “If you fell into my hands, I’d make you pay ten times over.” “You ruined Bella’s innocence, and now she lost our baby.” “So I’m going to make you lose your innocence, get pregnant, and then lose your baby too!” He waved his hand. “Hear that? Take good care of her.” I struggled desperately, screaming: “I didn’t! Liam! I didn’t do those things!” Liam just looked at me with disgust. Julian called my phone. Bella snatched it. “My sister has a boyfriend. You’re annoying her, stop calling!” “What? You don’t believe me?” She laughed, snapped a few photos of me pinned down by thugs, and sent them. “Look. My sister and her boyfriend are getting intimate.” She looked down at the phone, smiling smugly. “Sis.” “Young Master Thorne says he understands.” “He’s taking the flight tonight. He’ll never come back to this country.” “Your daydream is over.” I felt like I was plunged into ice water. Liam kissed Bella’s forehead lovingly. “Wifey, let’s go. Don’t dirty your eyes.” The door closed. I was pinned to the floor, vision going dark. The next second, the door was kicked open.

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Five years ago, my son with Julian Ford died in a car accident. Julian was in the States with his mistress while she gave birth. He didn’t even attend our son’s funeral. Years of drifting later, we met again in a cemetery. I was holding a small cake, wanting to spend a quiet moment with my boy. But there was Julian, placing a limited-edition toy car in front of the tombstone. Beside him, a little boy threw himself into Julian’s arms. “Daddy, do you think my big brother will like the gift I picked?” 1 The autumn chill had settled over the cemetery, the wind biting and cold. Julian bent down, buttoning the little boy’s coat with a patience I had never seen before. That was the fatherly love my son, Leo, never had. The boy noticed the cake I was carrying, topped with a fondant race car. He asked curiously: “Ma’am, is it my brother’s birthday today? Are you here to celebrate him too?” I turned my head, pretending not to hear. I used a wet wipe to clean the photo on the headstone. I stuck a candle into the cake. My Leo. His life stopped at five years old. The little boy looked at the cake, then up at Julian, and finally at me. Without a word, he took out the toy car he brought and placed it next to the cake. I felt a wave of dizziness. The boy had deep set eyes and a slender frame. He was tall for his age. He looked about fifty percent like my Leo. They both inherited their father’s genes. If I didn’t know exactly who gave birth to him… I think I would have hugged him, desperate for any comfort to soothe the tidal wave of grief that still crashed over me, five years later. The wind whipped around us. I tried to light the candle several times. Maybe my hands were shaking too much. It wouldn’t catch. Julian naturally took the lighter from my hand. The moment our skin touched… In the past, his scent, his warmth, were things I clung to. Now, I only felt nausea. I snatched the lighter back, shoving him hard enough to make him stumble. The little boy shouted at me, protective as a guard dog: “Pushing people is wrong! Apologize to my daddy!” 2 “Noah, don’t be rude.” Julian’s voice was heavy, devoid of the gentleness he’d shown a moment ago. The boy looked wronged, his expression a carbon copy of his mother’s. Proud and stubborn. It reminded me of when Sarah first got pregnant with him, flaunting her victory in my face: “Claire, if timing hadn’t played tricks on us, Julian would have met me first. He wouldn’t have needed to marry a useless heiress like you.” Julian crouched down and touched the boy’s pouting cheek. “Didn’t you say you liked your big brother the best? This is his mother. If you’re too loud, your brother won’t be happy.” I gritted my teeth. How dare Julian? How dare he let Sarah’s son call my Leo “brother”? I didn’t want to stay. I returned to the country this time to move Leo’s grave. I planned to find the cemetery manager to discuss it. Julian, holding Noah, followed me the whole way. When he heard my request, his voice was terrifyingly hoarse. “Claire White, you haven’t visited Leo in five years. Now you come back and want to take him away?” “He is my son. I won’t allow it.” I swept a cold gaze over Julian. He stood tall and sharp, always in a bespoke suit. His tie was Burgundy red—Sarah’s choice. He looked steady, powerful, and warm. Five years after losing Leo, Julian was still riding high on success. Unlike me. I had gray hairs at my temples now. If Leo were here, his heart would break for me. But he wasn’t. I tilted my head back slightly, a cold sneer on my lips. “I’m not discussing this with you. You didn’t even attend Leo’s funeral. You have no right to talk to me about him.” 3 Julian looked like he was holding back a storm, but before he could speak, his phone lit up. The little boy was thin and pale. He piped up in a childish voice: “It’s Mommy! Is the baby in her tummy being naughty?” Julian turned away to answer. Noah ignored my cold demeanor and leaned in, whispering conspiratorially: “Just like my big brother, I’m going to be a big brother soon too! Daddy has been waiting for the new baby. I’m going to share my toys with him.” My hand, flipping through the paperwork, froze. Julian and Sarah were truly a loving couple. They supported each other’s careers, and popped out two kids in five years. The son they raised was clearly well-protected. Even with my dark expression, he wasn’t scared. Unlike my Leo. Before he was three, his father was busy building an empire, too busy for him. After he was three, Julian fell in love with Sarah. He grew tired of me, and by extension, tired of the son I bore. He refused to come home for Leo’s birthdays or holidays. On that last rainy night, Leo insisted on waiting for his dad to come home. He said Daddy promised to bring him a toy car from his business trip to the States. In the blink of an eye, my Leo ran into the street and was hit by a car. 4 Julian finished his call. I was about to sign the contract with the cemetery. He grabbed my wrist, struggling to control his emotions. “I said, you are not taking Leo.” I stood motionless, expressionless. “You can go down there and tell my son that yourself.” Julian’s grip tightened, hurting me. Once upon a time, this man would tear up if I even got a papercut. When I nearly died giving birth to Leo… He was heartbroken beyond measure, wishing he could take the pain for me, crying as he hugged me, promising we’d never do it again. But Julian broke his word. Less than a thousand days into our marriage, he was rolling around with Sarah in his CEO office. I fought hysterically. I screamed. I made scenes. All I got in return was Sarah’s encroaching presence. With Julian’s permission, eventually, I wasn’t even allowed to step foot in his company. 5 The contract was torn to shreds. Julian’s jaw was set tight. He told his driver, Lee, to take Noah to the car. Seeing my face, panic flashed across Lee’s features. “M-Miss White!” Back when Julian was a destitute heir, Lee worked for my family, the Whites. He witnessed me fighting with my stepbrother for Julian. He also helped cover up the lipstick Sarah left in Julian’s car. Truly, dynasties change, but the driver remains. Julian’s eyes were pitch black, like a bottomless abyss. The aura of a man in power surged around him. He turned and threatened the cemetery manager: “If my son doesn’t rest in peace here, I will make you understand the true meaning of consequences.” The manager looked at me helplessly and scurried away. I couldn’t take it anymore. I swung my hand to slap Julian. But it didn’t land. He caught my hand firmly. Julian spoke with a grit-teeth intensity: “Claire, you want to cut all ties with me. Even Leo.” “You hate me, don’t you?” He stepped closer, pinning me against the gray wall, dust motes dancing in the air. I took a deep breath. “Why would I hate you? If a dog bites your whole family, and you can’t kill it, do you have to remember it forever?” With Julian’s current wealth and status, even the White family at its peak couldn’t compare. I had tried fighting a losing battle too many times. I had lost too much. For Sarah, he attacked me and my family without a bottom line. I learned to accept life’s unpredictability and helplessness. I just wanted to take my Leo away.

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My best friend, Chloe, had begged me for the eight-hundredth time to break up with him. I sniffled, hesitating. “But he treats me pretty well.” Chloe told me I might as well be dead. It wasn’t until I found another package of lingerie sent to Liam by one of his flings that I finally listened to her. Even when he knelt and begged, I didn’t look back. Just as I was about to call Chloe with the good news, I saw her announcement on Instagram: “Dust can never understand the brilliance of the moon. She doesn’t get you, but I do.” The photo showed Liam with red, teary eyes, and Chloe planting a comforting kiss on his cheek. Someone commented, calling her a homewrecker. She didn’t care at all. “If she was fooled by a few pieces of lingerie I mailed, how can she say she truly loved him? Besides, she’s so plain. She doesn’t deserve Liam like I do.” I frantically turned the car around. But I didn’t check the traffic. I died instantly in a crash. After being reborn, I immediately cut ties with Chloe and got into my car to leave. But a woman covered in blood slammed her hands against my window, crying: “Bestie! Help me! That’s not me!” 1 I froze just as I was about to start the engine. Outside the car, the blood-soaked woman was frantically pounding on the glass. Although her features were obscured by gore, I knew her. Thirteen years of friendship told me it was Chloe. But hadn’t I just argued with her upstairs? She was currently sulking in her apartment. I had just gotten into the car. How could she be banging on my window, covered in blood? “Maya! Open the door! Hurry!” She yanked at the handle while looking behind her in panic. As if something terrifying was chasing her. Remembering Chloe’s betrayal in my past life, goosebumps erupted all over my skin. Could it be… that Chloe had really been replaced? The Chloe I knew wasn’t the type to fight over men. Looking at the desperate, bloodied Chloe outside, I decided to trust her. “Hurry! Get in!” I snapped my eyes open. I found myself still sitting in the driver’s seat. I turned my head. The window was down. The wind blew against my face, waking me completely. There was no one banging on the window. Did I… just fall asleep? “Maya, get back here!” Chloe stormed down from upstairs, furious. Her face was clean, without a trace of blood. “What do you mean he treats you well? You don’t want to break up?!” Her exasperated look was exactly the same as in my past life. “This is the third package of lingerie some fling sent him! This time it’s used! The mistress is dancing in your face, and you’re still nostalgic about the good times?!” The exact same speech. In my past life, whenever I received those packages, I would cry to her. Every time, she didn’t hesitate: “Dump him!” But I always felt I should listen to Liam’s explanation. Every time he explained, I would text her: “It was all a misunderstanding. We made up!” It would drive Chloe crazy. But now, looking at her angry face, I clearly remembered the post she made after taking Liam in my past life: “It wasn’t in vain that I advised them to break up for so long. Every time, I was terrified she would figure out I sent the packages. I tried so hard to confuse her. Finally, she’s not ‘love-brained’ anymore. I succeeded.” I opened the car door. I looked down at her. “Chloe, we’re done. Friendship over.” Her pupils shrank. “You’re cutting me off because of a scumbag?” “Did I stutter?” “Maya, we’ve known each other for thirteen years! You’ve only known him for three!” Exactly. So why did you stab me in the back?! I stared at her. “Yes. We’re done.” “Fine.” She pointed at me. “Don’t come crying to me when he ruins you!” She turned and marched upstairs without looking back. I had a moment of trance— She seemed so much like the Chloe I knew. The Chloe I knew wouldn’t react any differently to what I just said. I shook my head. The truth of the past life had been revealed. I had to accept it, even if I didn’t want to. Although the bloodied Chloe was just a dream. The Chloe who plotted against me was no different from a stranger wearing her face. This friendship had ended in such an ugly way. I rolled up the window. Just as I was about to leave, my gaze locked onto the glass. There were dense, bloody handprints. Right where the Chloe in my dream had pressed her hands! I looked up. Behind the window of Chloe’s bedroom, a pair of eyes seemed to be staring straight at me. 2 I wiped the window clean. How could a figure from a dream leave traces in reality? There were a lot of mischievous kids in Chloe’s complex. I leaned towards it being a prank. When I got home, another package was at the door. I opened it. Purple lace stockings and lingerie. It smelled of women’s perfume. In my past life, my first reaction would have been to scream at Liam. Then cry to Chloe. But now, I knew better than anyone who sent it. The image of Chloe’s bloodied face from my dream flashed in my mind. My grip on the stockings tightened. If Chloe wasn’t Chloe, then the real Chloe was most likely at… I thought I should go to Chloe’s apartment again. To avoid suspicion, I decided to make an apology cake. When I appeared at Chloe’s door with a fruit cake, her first reaction was to close the door. I quickly jammed my foot in the gap, pleading: “Chloe, that woman sent him lingerie again to provoke me! This time I really know I was wrong. He’s scum! Total scum!” Chloe sized me up with dissatisfaction. I put on a pitiful expression. “Please, Chloe. Without you, who’s going to help me fight the scumbag?” Only then did she sneer. “Fine. I’ll forgive you this once.” The door opened. I carefully observed her every move. And any sign of a third person in the apartment. “What’s with you?” She turned around, holding a cake knife. “Looking around like a thief. What, you think I’m hiding a man?” She was right. But it was strange. Apart from traces of her and me, there was no sign of anyone else. In the dream, Chloe bled so much. If she was here, there would definitely be traces… I watched Chloe cut the cake. Could I have… Really been mistaken? “Did that son of a bitch make you stupid?” Chloe forked a piece and chewed. “Not gonna lie, the cream is good this time.” I stared at her mouth. My heart stopped— Chloe was allergic to mangoes. I deliberately put mango in the cake to test her. This person, eating mango without a care in the world. Who is she? 3 “What’s wrong?” She looked at me, chewing on mango chunks. My face was pale. My steps were unsteady. “Nothing…” “If nothing’s wrong, eat!” She smiled and handed me a fork with cake on it. I hesitated taking the fork. My hand under my sleeve had already dialed 911. Then, trembling slightly, I reached out to take a bite. Slap! Her face suddenly changed. She smacked my hand away. “What are you doing?” “Chloe?” I looked at Chloe’s suddenly darkened face in shock. My heart skipped a beat. “Why are you eating mango?” She glared at me. My breathing became erratic— Did she… discover my purpose? “You forgot you’re allergic to mangoes?!” “What?” I pointed at myself. Me? Allergic to mangoes? Since I was a kid, my favorite fruit has been mango. The one allergic to mangoes was Chloe, right? “Did that scumbag make you crazy? You forgot your own allergy?” Chloe glared at me. I looked at her. I put the mango on the fork into my mouth. Staring dead at her: “Chloe, watch closely. The one allergic to mangoes was never me. It’s you.” Her face went pale. “Maya…” “So, who the hell are you!” She looked at me in shock. “Speak!” I got up to grab her collar. Suddenly, my throat tightened. I fell to my knees, clutching my neck. I saw a rash erupting on my arm. “I told you you were allergic, why didn’t you listen! Hello? 911? My friend is having a severe allergic reaction! Come quick!” Allergic to mangoes… Me? How is that possible! The person allergic to mangoes, since childhood… Has always been Chloe! Thud! I collapsed to the floor. The last thing I heard was Chloe’s panicked screaming. 4 When I woke up in the hospital, I still couldn’t believe I was allergic to mangoes. Until the diagnostic report came out. The doctor frowned. “You were sent to our ER as a child for acute anaphylaxis. Didn’t I warn you then? Never touch mangoes, not even the juice, for the rest of your life?” Looking at the words “Mango Allergy” on the report. I cast an incredulous look at Liam. He sighed. “When we first started dating, you told me you were allergic. I’ve been careful all these years. Did you forget?” My mind was no longer on whether he cheated. I crumpled the report in my hand. A terrifying guess appeared in my mind— Could it be that the sick one… is really me? Not just the allergy, but also… That afternoon, I appeared in the psychiatric ward.

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In the late 70s, the news of the end of the draft came back to our small town, along with my husband’s ashes. Mayor Higgins found me. “Sarah, legally and morally, you should go back to the city and take that university offer.” He sighed, feigning deep sorrow. “But your mother-in-law is all alone now. You have a responsibility to take care of her.” In my past life, I thought about it, my heart bleeding with guilt, and I agreed. I stayed. I served my mother-in-law until her dying breath. Only then did I learn the truth: My husband, Jack, wasn’t dead. He had simply faked his death to run off to the city, start a new life, and have children with the Mayor’s daughter. So, this time, when the ashes arrived, I went straight to the county clerk. I personally filed his death certificate and cancelled his Social Security Number. If you want to play dead, Jack, I’ll make sure you stay dead. Chapter 1 “How could this happen? He was fine when he left. I never thought that goodbye would be forever.” I swayed on my feet, looking as though grief had sapped every ounce of my strength. Mayor Higgins sighed heavily, patting my shoulder. “Sarah, I know it’s hard to accept. I watched Jack grow up. His accident… it breaks my heart too.” “But you must be strong. The town will help with the arrangements.” “I want to see him,” I sobbed, clutching the Mayor’s sleeve. “Just one last look.” The Mayor handed me the heavy urn, a single tear sliding down his cheek. “His body was badly damaged in the accident… he’s already been cremated. I’ve picked a prime plot in the cemetery. Let him rest in peace.” Holding the urn, I wept uncontrollably. My mother-in-law, Mrs. Miller, beat her chest, wailing about her poor son’s fate, looking like she might faint at any moment. We held each other and cried until the initial storm of emotions passed. Mrs. Miller leaned on my shoulder, sniffing. “Sarah, with Jack gone, you don’t need to worry about an old woman like me. You should go back to the city, enjoy your life. I can’t be a burden to you!” “Sarah,” the Mayor interjected smoothly, “while you have every right to go to college, Jack’s sudden passing leaves Mrs. Miller a widow with no son. You are her only family now. You should shoulder the responsibility.” I lowered my head, wiping away tears, but inside, hatred boiled. It was the exact same script as my last life. Back then, I gave up my scholarship to stay in this dusty town. The neighbors praised me as a saint. Mrs. Miller used her “self-sacrificing” act to guilt-trip me into staying. I worked myself to the bone. I farmed their land, paid for Mrs. Miller’s endless medication, and even started a small fish farm to make ends meet. I ruined my health before I was thirty. And for what? When Mrs. Miller finally died of old age, a well-dressed Jack appeared at the door. Beside him stood Brenda, the Mayor’s daughter, and their two children. That’s when I learned the truth. Jack faked his death to be with Brenda. Brenda took my spot at the university. They lived a life of luxury while I rotted in the countryside. I died of a heart attack from the shock before I could even scream. In my past life, I spent every second building a life for others. Thank God for second chances. Seeing I was silent, Mrs. Miller started wailing again. The Mayor opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “I understand. I can’t leave Mom alone. Let’s handle Jack’s funeral first.” They both nodded eagerly, rushing off to organize the wake. As soon as they left, I sprinted home, grabbed the family documents, and drove straight to the County Vital Records Office. “Officer, my husband passed away. I need to file the death certificate and notify the Social Security Administration immediately.” When the stamped, official death certificate was in my hand, I finally smiled. You want to be dead, Jack? Fine. Now you’re a ghost in the system. Chapter 2 With the paperwork done, I returned to the house. Neighbors had already gathered. In the center of the living room sat a table with the urn and Jack’s black-and-white photo. In our rural community, cremation was rare. People believed in a proper burial. In my past life, I wondered why Mrs. Miller cremated him so quickly without a viewing. The Mayor had claimed Jack wanted to be “modern” and spare us the pain of seeing his mangled body. I had cried at his nobility. Now, I knew it was just a way to hide an empty coffin. “Sarah, where were you? Come help,” Mrs. Miller called out, wiping her dry eyes. “I’m going to bury him in the family plot.” I nodded obediently and played the part of the grieving widow. Since it was a “tragic accident,” the funeral was simple. I wore black, held the urn, and cried my way to the graveyard. The neighbors were generous. A metal box full of cash donations sat under Mrs. Miller’s bed. In my last life, I never touched it. I worked to pay off debts while she secretly mailed that money to Jack in the city. I counted the logbook. Over a thousand dollars. In the late 70s, that was a fortune. To stop her from sending it to that cheater, I came up with a plan. Chapter 3 The next morning, I went to the Mayor’s office. I demanded widow’s benefits and, crucially, the deed to the house. The Mayor looked conflicted. The house technically belonged to Jack, and since Jack was secretly alive and with his daughter Brenda, signing it over to me felt like robbing his own future son-in-law. I turned on the waterworks. “Mayor, Jack is gone. It’s just me and Mom now. If I don’t have the house in my name, what security do I have? I’m young. If the extended family kicks me out later, I’ll have nothing!” “If I don’t get the house, I might as well remarry now while I still have my looks!” The word “remarry” terrified them. They needed me here. They needed a free servant for Mrs. Miller so Jack and Brenda could live guilt-free in the city. If I remarried and left, their plan would collapse. So, I insisted. Mrs. Miller refused at first. “This is the ancestral home!” “Then go live with your daughter, Alice,” I said coldly. “I won’t stay without security.” Alice, Jack’s sister, hated her mother because Mrs. Miller was a misogynist who treated her like dirt. Mrs. Miller knew Alice wouldn’t take her in. “Sarah, she’s your mother-in-law,” the Mayor pressured. “You can’t just leave her. The university enrollment period has passed anyway. You’re stuck here.” “I know,” I sighed. “Just see if the town can help her. I can’t do it alone.” Cornered, Mrs. Miller finally cracked. “Fine. You’re young, it’s hard for you to stay. The house is yours. We’ll sign the deed tomorrow.” I hid my smirk. The next day, with the town council as witnesses, the deed was transferred to my name. It was done. That afternoon, Mrs. Miller went to town with her metal box, presumably to wire money to Jack. I waited. That night, she kicked open my bedroom door, shaking with rage. “You… you declared my son dead?!” Chapter 4 I sat up, feigning innocence. “Yes, Mom. He is dead. I needed the death certificate to apply for widow benefits. It’s standard procedure.” The Mayor had used his connections to get the fake hospital and cremation records. Those documents were exactly what I used to legally erase Jack from existence. “You poisonous woman!” Mrs. Miller clutched her chest, gasping. “Why are you so mad?” I asked, tilting my head. “Shouldn’t a widow handle her husband’s paperwork? Unless… he’s not really dead?” She froze. She couldn’t tell the truth. “I… I should have done it!” she stammered. “You’re too old for the hassle,” I said dismissively. “Go to sleep, Mom.” I pushed her out and locked the door. I knew what happened. She tried to wire money or do something that required Jack’s ID, and was told the SSN was invalid. Deceased. Jack was now a ghost. He couldn’t legally work, rent an apartment, or open a bank account. To fix it, he’d have to come back here, reveal he was alive, and face the fraud charges. I heard Mrs. Miller sobbing in her room and laughed into my pillow. A few days later, Mrs. Miller kept running off to the city. While she was gone, I sold everything. Jack’s bicycle, the sewing machine, the radio—I sold it all to a junk dealer. When Mrs. Miller came home to an empty house, she exploded. “You witch! Are you trying to strip this house bare?” she screamed on the front porch, attracting a crowd. I sat on the steps and wailed louder than her. “I have no choice! Jack is gone, I can’t farm ten acres alone! The benefits didn’t come through! If I don’t sell this junk, we starve!” I pulled out the donation logbook. “Neighbors gave us money for the funeral, but Mom hid it all! She guards it like a dragon! I haven’t seen a dime! She’d rather starve us than spend a penny of it!” The neighbors began to murmur. “There was over a thousand dollars in that box,” one man said. “Mrs. Miller, take it out. Sarah is a good girl, she’s staying to help you.” “That’s my coffin money!” Mrs. Miller shrieked. “She cancelled my son’s existence behind my back! She’s evil!” “Mom,” I cried, “I cancelled it because he’s dead! Why do you act like he’s still alive?” The neighbors looked at her like she was senile. Defeated, Mrs. Miller stormed inside. The next morning, I packed my bag. I took the money I had stashed from selling the furniture (and the cash I swapped out of her metal box earlier) and boarded a train to the city. It was too late for the university scholarship, but I wasn’t done with Brenda.

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My best friend showed up at my family’s mansion, heavily pregnant, demanding to take over my mother’s place. She claimed she was carrying my father’s son. Her story? Five months ago, on my dad’s birthday, they got drunk and ended up in bed together. She pointed a manicured finger at my mom, screaming, “You old hag! You couldn’t give him a son, so do yourself a favor and get out!” Then she turned to me with a triumphant smirk. “And you, you little leech, get lost too. From now on, everything in this house belongs to your baby brother!” Finally, she looked at my dad, batting her eyelashes. “Charlie, baby, stop hiding it. This is a Sterling heir in my belly.” My whole family just stared at each other. Because we knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the baby in her belly could not possibly be my dad’s. My friend thought we were just making excuses. She threatened to sue my dad for child support and defamation. But when I threw my dad’s ID card in her face, her world crumbled. 1 For their 30th anniversary, my dad took my mom to the dealership to buy a car. Just as he was about to swipe his card for the latest G-Wagon, fully paid, my best friend, Jessica, burst in. She snatched the card from my dad’s hand, shouting, “Charlie! You can’t buy this old woman a car! That money is for our son!” Jessica gestured dramatically towards her protruding belly. My parents and I stared at her, stunned. My dad was the first to react. He frowned, “Jessica, what the hell are you talking about? What does your baby have to do with me?” Hearing my dad deny it, Jessica’s eyes instantly turned red. She pouted, voice trembling, “Charlie, how can you deny it? This baby is yours! Five months ago, on your birthday, you got drunk and… and you took me!” “When I found out I was pregnant, the doctor said it was a boy. I came here to give the Sterling family an heir!” My parents and I were completely baffled. Five months ago, for my dad’s birthday, I did invite Jessica. A lot of my parents’ friends came over. It was a lively party. My dad, being the birthday boy, had a few too many cocktails and passed out early. My mom helped him to the bedroom. Sure, my mom got called away for an emergency at the hospital halfway through the night, and all the guests left, leaving just me and Jessica. But she slept in my room. Before going to bed, I even checked on my dad. He was snoring like a chainsaw, dead to the world. There was no one else in the room. I couldn’t fathom how my best friend could make up such a ridiculous lie. It took me a few seconds to find my voice. “Jess, are you confused? There’s no way that baby is my dad’s.” Jessica shot me a side-eye and pouted. “Confused? That night your dad held me all night calling me ‘baby,’ saying I was younger and prettier than your mom. He even said he wanted to marry me!” “Chloe, denying it won’t change the facts. This is your dad’s seed. It’s your biological brother. From now on, your bestie is going to be your stepmom!” Jessica rambled on, spinning a tale about getting up for water in the middle of the night, stumbling into the wrong room, and my dad refusing to let her leave. Her voice was loud. Everyone in the dealership stopped to watch the drama unfold. “Look at her belly! She’s definitely pregnant.” “Rich old men always go for the young ones. Classic.” “Best friend to stepmom? That’s some reality TV drama right there.” 2 My parents’ faces turned red from the gossip. But my dad kept his cool. “Jessica, because you’re Chloe’s friend, I’m trying to be patient. Please stop spouting nonsense. That child has nothing to do with me.” My mom chimed in, voice steady but cold. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but I can tell you right now, there is zero chance that baby belongs to Charlie.” Jessica wouldn’t let up. She pointed straight at my mom’s nose. “Shut up, you old hag! Who are you to talk about my baby? You’re just a dried-up hen who couldn’t give him a son. Know your place and step aside!” Then, she whipped out her phone triumphantly. “I have photos, videos, and recordings from that night! I’m going to play them right now so everyone can judge for themselves!” The video was indeed filmed in my parents’ bedroom. The footage was grainy, but you could see my dad hugging Jessica, refusing to let go, mumbling something incoherent. The photos were selfies of them lying in bed together. There was even one of Jessica kissing my dad on the cheek while he slept. And the recording… it was explicit. Jessica moaning, and my dad’s deep voice calling out “Wifey” over and over. The crowd exploded. “Oh my god! She has receipts! It must be true!” “He looks like a decent guy, but he’s a creep behind closed doors!” “Disgusting. Preying on his daughter’s friend? Animal.” Jessica beamed, victorious. She waddled toward my mom, pushing her belly forward. “Well? Evidence is right here. What do you have to say now? I’m telling you, I’m the new mistress of this house!” I couldn’t stand seeing my mom bullied. I stepped in front of her. “Jessica, I don’t know where you faked this trash, but my dad would never do this!” Jessica glared at me. “Chloe Sterling, don’t you dare yell at me! I’m your future mother. I’m carrying your brother. If anything happens to him, you’ll pay!” I laughed out of pure anger. She used to make snide comments about how my mom, a mere housewife, wasn’t good enough for a successful man like my dad. She used to drool over him when he picked me up from school. I never thought much of it. Now I see she was plotting this all along. My dad is handsome and rich, after all. “Bullsh*t brother,” I snapped. “My dad will never be the father of your child. If you have any shame left, leave now!” Jessica didn’t expect me to be so tough. She paused, then threw a tantrum. “Chloe, for the sake of our friendship, I was going to let you stay in the Sterling house. But since you want to insult me, you can get out too! Everything belongs to your brother now!” She finished yelling at me and turned to my dad, putting on a pitiful act. “Charlie, look how they’re bullying me! What if the stress hurts our son?” My dad frowned, avoiding her gaze, sticking to his denial. “I was black-out drunk. I couldn’t have done anything. These videos prove nothing! I said, the kid isn’t mine! Go find the real father!” Even though the “evidence” looked damning, my family knew the truth. We were absolutely certain that baby wasn’t my dad’s. 3 Seeing our united front, the onlookers started whispering theories. “Deepfakes? AI is scary good these days. Face swapping is easy.” “Maybe she hired a lookalike? The family seems genuinely confused.” “First time I’ve seen a whole family deny it so hard. Maybe she’s just a gold digger scamming them?” “Tsk tsk. So young and already trying to be a homewrecker.” Jessica’s face burned hearing the whispers. But she didn’t back down. “This is the Sterling bloodline!” She lunged at my dad, grabbing his arm. “Charlie, you can’t let people talk about us like this! This is your only son!” My dad shook her off. “Let go! I said nothing happened! The kid isn’t mine!” My mom took a deep breath, staring Jessica down. “Jessica, you know whose baby that is. But it is absolutely not Charlie’s.” Jessica shivered under my mom’s gaze but kept shouting, “I know exactly whose it is! It’s Charlie’s!” No matter what we said, Jessica insisted the baby was my dad’s and demanded we leave the house. My dad’s face darkened. “Jessica, if you keep slandering me, I won’t care about Chloe’s friendship anymore!” My mom was trembling with rage. I held her back. I stared at Jessica coldly. “Jessica, defamation is a crime. Do you really want to go to jail?” She flinched at the word “jail,” but then seemed to remember something. She puffed out her chest. “I’m not slandering anyone! I’m stating facts!” I sneered. “Proof?” Jessica smiled like she was waiting for that. “Proof? Oh, I have proof!” She dug into her Hermes bag (which I bought for her) and pulled out a document, slamming it onto the table in front of us. It was a DNA test report from an amniocentesis. It clearly stated that the fetus shared a biological relationship with “Charlie Sterling.” My parents and I exchanged looks, stunned. Jessica saw our shock and smirked. “See? Black and white. This is Charlie’s seed!” The crowd gasped again. “A DNA test? That’s definitive. Guess the old guy really did it.” “I thought she was scamming them. Turns out it’s real…” “Can’t deny science.” Jessica felt the tide turn in her favor. She stroked her belly, looking at my mom provocatively. “Karen, the evidence is irrefutable. Hurry up and divorce Charlie. Stop occupying the nest if you can’t lay eggs!” Then she sneered at me. “Chloe, looks like you lose! The inheritance is all for my son!” Finally, she looked at my dad with lovey-dovey eyes. “Charlie, stop hiding it. This is your legacy. Divorce this old woman so I can marry you properly!” She thought she had won. She thought she was moments away from a life of luxury. Instead, my family answered in unison. “We do not accept this report!” 4 Jessica’s smile froze. “You don’t accept it? On what grounds? It’s right there!” My dad spoke slowly, his voice calm but powerful. “On the grounds that the report is fake.” My mom nodded. “Don’t bring forged documents here to embarrass yourself.” I stayed silent, my expression icy. I stood with my parents. Jessica exploded. Her eyes filled with venom. “Fake? You just say it’s fake and it’s fake?” “Open your eyes! This is from City General Hospital!” It was indeed on hospital letterhead. But we would never accept it. Seeing that we wouldn’t budge, Jessica switched tactics. She started wailing to my dad. “Charlie, that was my first time! If you hadn’t forced me, I wouldn’t have given myself to you! I gave you my most precious gift, and now you won’t take responsibility?” Then to my mom: “Karen, as a woman, you should sympathize! I’m so young and pregnant. My baby needs a father!” Then to me: “Chloe, ask yourself, how good have I been to you? I did everything you asked! Do you have no conscience?” She cried like a tragic heroine. The crowd started to pity her, casting judgmental looks at us. “That man is despicable. Forcing a girl and then denying the baby!” “The mother and daughter are so cold-blooded. Poor girl.” “They won’t even believe a hospital report. Rich people think they can bully anyone.” … They painted us as villains. Jessica cried harder, feeding off the sympathy. But no matter how hard she performed, my dad’s face remained dark. There wasn’t a flicker of recognition for the “son.” My dad’s voice shook with suppressed anger. “Jessica, how many times do I have to say it? That baby is not mine!” My mom added, “Stop dumping your trash on my husband. It’s not his!” I dropped the hammer. “I’m telling you, even if God himself came down, that baby would not be my father’s!” Jessica saw crying wasn’t working. She went nuclear. She wiped her tears and snarled: “Charlie, are you really going to be this heartless? Fine! If you won’t do the right thing, I’ll go to the police and charge you with rape! Let’s see if the law can force you!” “Your family’s good life ends today!” She smirked, thinking she had us cornered. I laughed coldly. I reached into my bag, pulled out my dad’s ID card, and threw it in her face. “Guess who the police are going to arrest first?” The next second, Jessica stared at the ID card, struck dumb. She was completely bewildered.

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After the divorce, I moved out of the high-security military housing where I was obligated to fulfill my “duties” twice a month. With my settlement money and the billion dollars my dad gave me, I flew straight to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. I also updated my Instagram status: [Divorced. Single. Accepting applications from high-quality men.] The comments section exploded instantly. Elites from every circle, even other military officers, lined up to be my first boyfriend. [Scarlett, look at me! I’m first in line!] [Miss Sterling, give me a chance!] When his friends saw the divorce decree in the photo, they couldn’t hold back. They called my ex-husband, General Wolf, immediately. “You divorced Scarlett Sterling? Are you crazy? I’m next in line!” “She’s that gorgeous and you let her go? Are you blind?” “You know my… ‘credentials.’ Wolf, you’re not human!” Wolf wasn’t surprised. He had heard about my charm from the very first day we met. 1 I was the wildest rose in New York’s elite circle. I had countless admirers, partied until dawn, and lived for spicy wings and tequila. He, on the other hand, grew up in a military family. He clawed his way up to become the youngest Major General in history. Discipline was in his marrow. His schedule was precise as a Swiss watch. His diet was strictly calculated for nutrition. He never crossed a line. Because of his career and his self-imposed celibacy, our marital intimacy was scheduled strictly for the 1st and 15th of every month. I didn’t believe it. After the wedding, I used every trick in the book to make him lose control. I caused trouble. One day I threw a rave at the base entrance. The next day I took an armored vehicle for a joyride. The day after, I “borrowed” his sidearm to scare some trust fund babies who looked at me wrong. I seduced him. I wore the most revealing silk lingerie, wandering around his shooting range. I bit his earlobe while he was in high-level strategy briefings. But no matter how much chaos I caused, his chiseled face remained an unshakeable mask of seriousness. So, on the day of his major field exercise, I blew up eighteen luxury sports cars. Naturally, I was invited to the police station. He halted the exercise, leaving thousands of troops waiting, to come pick me up. His brow furrowed slightly. “It’s handled. Come home.” My eyes, usually full of fire, held a hint of testing. “Wolf, no matter what I do, you always have this face. Can’t you just smile once?” Wolf looked down at me. “You think this is funny?” “So I caused you trouble again. Are you angry? Punish me then?” I deliberately grabbed his hand, guiding it towards my waist, my eyes full of temptation. Wolf’s expression remained steady. “This is a minor issue, not worth punishment. Even if you burned the sky down, I could fix it.” A suffocating frustration built in my chest. “You won’t even ask why I blew up those cars?” “Those rich jerks were drag racing. They saw I was pretty and harassed me. They even touched my face. aren’t you jealous?” Wolf’s gaze lingered on my hand for a split second. His voice was flat. “Next time that happens, call the police directly.” I bit my lip, almost crying from frustration at his stone-cold demeanor. “Wolf, you unromantic old man! Boring! Rigid! To the extreme!” Wolf answered seriously. “My profession requires it. I have to be this way.” I wanted to scream! In the back of the military Humvee on the way home, I straddled his lap right in front of the driver, causing havoc. He was aroused. But just as we were about to take it further, his phone rang. I don’t know what was said on the other end, but his eternal calm shattered instantly. He said, “Scarlett, emergency mission. You go home first.” And he got out of the car. Suspicious, I told the driver to follow him. The car stopped in front of a quiet jazz bar called “Nightfall.” A girl in a simple cotton dress was being harassed by some drunks, her face pale with fear. The next second, I saw something that made my jaw drop. Wolf, the man who always put discipline and reason first, charged forward without hesitation. He started brawling with the drunks. The ferocity in his eyes was a terrifying edge I had never seen before. The girl cried and threw herself at him, pounding her fists on his chest. “Wolf! You didn’t want me anymore! Why do you care now?” Wolf didn’t dodge. He let her vent, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. I saw her fists land on his shoulder, right on an old injury. He winced, but his arms didn’t loosen even a fraction. He looked down at the girl in his arms. It was a look I had never seen. Pain, guilt, and a complex emotion so thick it could be cut with a knife. I don’t know how long I stood in the cold night wind before I texted the best PI in the city, attaching the photo I just snapped. “Find out who she is to Wolf.” By the time I returned to our soulless house on the base, the PI’s file had arrived. Lily Brooks. A girl Wolf saved during a border mission, three years his junior. She was the one who pursued him, melting the iceberg through sheer persistence. With her, Wolf was finally a living, breathing human. He would drive hundreds of miles during a drill just to buy her favorite cake. For her birthday, he organized a thousand military drones to put on a light show. But when their love was at its peak, the Sterling family—a military dynasty—refused to let Wolf be with a girl of unknown background. They threatened her safety to force him into a political marriage. He compromised. That’s why, on the day of our arranged meeting, he waited patiently for six hours in the tea house. That’s why he said, “My fiancée doesn’t need to be poised. She just needs to be herself.” Turns out, the moment that made my heart flutter was all because he was forced. I felt cold all over, as if I’d been thrown into an ice cellar. I could accept his cold nature. I could slowly warm him with my passion. But I, Scarlett Sterling, the wildest rose in New York, why should I be a stepping stone for him to protect his true love? The next day, I put on my most stunning makeup. Then I drove straight to the Sterling family estate. My father saw me alone, and his face darkened. “Where’s Wolf? Did you act out again and embarrass him?” I forced a cold smile. “Tell the Wolf family to expedite the paperwork. I want a divorce!” 2 The living room went dead silent. “What did you say? A man like Wolf… what could you possibly be dissatisfied with?” “If I don’t teach you a lesson, you’ll never know your place!” “Drag this ungrateful girl to the ancestral hall! Whip her until she says she won’t divorce!” In the hall, the heavy cane landed on my back and legs with a whistling sound. Burning pain. “Say it! Are you still divorcing?” “Divorce.” My voice trembled with pain, but it was clear. I don’t know how many hits I took. My father was purple with rage. “Give me a reason! Wolf is a Major General at his age. How is he not good enough for you?” I looked up sharply. “Because he loves someone else! Is that enough? I am not a recycling bin for unwanted feelings!” I thought I would see shock or confusion. Instead, after a brief silence, I saw guilt. “You… knew?” In that moment, my heart froze completely. They knew all along that Wolf had a “white moonlight”—a true love. That’s why they married me off, the daughter they stopped caring about years ago! A timid voice came from the stairs. “Mom, Dad, don’t force Scarlett…” “Actually… I’ve always admired Major General Wolf. I support them separating.” My sister, Sophia, looked at me, her eyes hiding a secret ambition. “…Maybe Scarlett just doesn’t have what it takes to keep his heart. If it were me… maybe it would be different.” Finally, my father waved his hand wearily. “Since you insist, we won’t stop you. We’ll go to the Wolf family to discuss the divorce.” I lay in the hospital for days, treating my wounds, drifting in and out of consciousness. On the day I was discharged, I got a call from Wolf. “There’s a gala at the base tonight. You need to attend.” “You must come. I have something to say to you.” I was silent for a few seconds, then laughed coldly. “Fine.” I wanted to see what kind of noble excuses he could come up with. The gala was in the base auditorium. I wore a sapphire blue backless gown. It hugged every curve, completely out of place in the solemn atmosphere, yet blindingly beautiful. I drew every eye the moment I walked in, even the stoic officers. Wolf appeared beside me, a slight frown on his face. “You usually hate these restrictive events, and you hate heels. What’s wrong today?” “I told you, with me, you can be yourself. Even if you wore pajamas and slippers, no one would dare say a word.” That sentence transported me back to the tea house, to the man kneeling to change my shoes… A moment that once made my heart race now felt like pure mockery. I shrugged off the expensive suit jacket he tried to drape over me, letting it fall to the floor. “With a body like mine, why should I hide it in pajamas?” “See the way they’re looking? Major General, your wife is popular.” Wolf just bent down, picked up the jacket, and held it. “You sent your father to discuss the divorce?” “Is this because I left halfway through the car ride for a mission? Is this your way of expressing dissatisfaction?” I laughed out loud. “Dissatisfaction?” “Wolf, do you think the world revolves around you? Can’t I just genuinely want a divorce?” Wolf looked at me calmly. Those deep eyes were sharp as a hawk’s. He spoke flatly, with absolute certainty. “You won’t.” “You like me. You won’t divorce.” So he knew all along. All these years, I was the one chasing, testing boundaries! I was the one spinning uselessly in the territory he defined! He was always the calm commander, watching me crash around. Just as I was about to retort, I noticed Wolf’s gaze lock onto a corner of the room. I followed his line of sight— My heart sank again! It was Lily. She was talking quietly to a gentle-looking officer, a faint smile on her face. The next second, Wolf slammed his glass down. Without a word, he dragged me out to the open-air training grounds behind the hall, pressed me against the pull-up bars, and— Without any foreplay, he pushed inside me! My eyes widened in disbelief. “You bastard! Let go! Someone could come!” Wolf seemed possessed by some emotion, gripping my waist, his movements rare and rough, voice hoarse: “Don’t move. Making up for last time.” It hurt. Tears welled in my eyes. Just then, a searchlight swept across the field. A figure stood not far away— It was Lily! She stared at us, face pale as a ghost, tears streaming down. Then, as if she couldn’t take it, she turned and ran. Wolf didn’t stop moving. He just stared at the direction she ran, his eyes full of conflict, rage, and a pain I couldn’t understand. I understood everything. I shoved him away with all my strength and slapped him across the face! As I fixed my dress and walked out of the training ground, Lily blocked my path. “You’re Wolf’s wife? Let me introduce myself. I’m his first love, Lily Brooks.” I was filled with humiliation and rage. I just wanted her gone. Lily forced a miserable smile. “For our first meeting, I want to give you a gift.” 3 As soon as she finished speaking, Lily grabbed a dummy grenade from the training equipment and smashed it into my head! Thud! Pain exploded through my body, and I blacked out. When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed on the base. Two figures stood at the door. “Wolf, I didn’t mean to. I was drunk. Seeing you guys like that… I was so sad, my mind went blank, and…” “Sad? Aren’t you seeing someone they introduced to you?” “That was all for you to see.” Lily sobbed. “I just wanted you to care… You have Miss Sterling. She’s so dazzling, from such a good family… I was afraid you’d forgotten our past…” Wolf was silent for a moment. Then, I heard him sigh, low and almost inaudible. “No matter how dazzling she is… she’s not you.” Right. I was the decoration of his political marriage. Lily was the dream he couldn’t let go of. He pushed open the door, his tone an unquestionable order: “Lily was drunk yesterday. She mistook you for a harasser and accidentally hurt you.” “This ends here.” I sneered. “Ends here? What if I say no? I’ll get an injury assessment. I’ll press charges. Major General, you have power, but the Sterling family isn’t a pushover. Worst case, I blow this up and let public opinion decide!” Wolf frowned. “What do you want?” I pulled out my phone and made a call. Soon, a delivery guy walked in with a case of high-proof Baijiu. I pointed at the alcohol and looked at Lily. “Drink it all.” Lily’s face went white. “I… I can’t drink…” I raised an eyebrow. “Can’t drink? Then why were you drunk and crazy yesterday? Or does your ‘mistaken identity’ problem only happen with certain people?” Lily looked sick. She shakily picked up a bottle. Just as she was about to open it, a long hand pressed down on the bottle. Wolf looked at me expressionlessly. “I’ll drink for her.” “Wolf! No! You have an important mission tomorrow! And your stomach ulcers…” Lily screamed. Wolf just glanced at her. “Be good. Stand aside.” Watching him drink for another woman without hesitation, in that moment, my heart died completely. The next morning, I woke up and grabbed my phone out of habit. A headline jumped out at me: [New Artist Lily Brooks’ Solo Exhibition Opens Today! Deep Emotion, Tribute to Heroes, Highly Acclaimed!] Below were photos of the exhibition and close-ups of “Lily’s” paintings. I sat up abruptly, tearing the wound on my leg. Those paintings… were mine! They were my private works stored in the studio at the base! Themes of frontier landscapes and abstract emotions! I tried to get out of bed in a rage, but Wolf, who had entered unnoticed, held me down. He looked at my furious face, his voice calm but heavy with pressure. “Don’t cause trouble for Lily.” I looked at him in disbelief. “You allowed this?” Wolf didn’t deny it. “Lily prepared for this exhibition for a long time, but her works were lost in a move. The date and guests were set. She admires your style and borrowed them.” “Borrowed?” Blood rushed to my head. “So you let her steal my art? Wolf, that’s my soul on those canvases!” “Watch your language.” Wolf frowned slightly. “It’s just a few paintings. What compensation do you want? I can…” I shook with anger. “Watch my language? I have worse words! I’m going there right now to expose her! Let everyone see what this ‘tribute to heroes’ artist really is!” In the struggle, I lost my balance and fell down the stairs. 4 Wolf rushed down instantly, scooping me up. His voice held a tension he didn’t even notice. “Where did you hit?” A nurse ran over. “General, should we call a specialist?” Wolf checked me. “No, get the base doctor.” While the doctor set my bone, the pain made me gasp. Wolf silently offered his wrist to my mouth. “Bite if it hurts.” Filled with rage and grievance, I bit down hard! Until I tasted iron. Wolf didn’t even frown. He just watched me. The doctor finished and left some ointment. Wolf looked at the bloody teeth marks on his wrist, eyes complex. “Regret it?” I shook my head. “No. Just thinking, they say I’m a rose with thorns. Guess they’re right.” He took a bank card from his uniform pocket. “About the paintings, I know you’re mad. take this as compensation.” I looked at the card, feeling only irony. “You know? The one thing she shouldn’t have touched was my art…” Just then, his orderly rushed in, looking nervous. “Report, General! Online… there’s some bad press. People are saying Miss Brooks’ paintings… are highly similar to Miss Sterling’s previous works! It’s trending. Her reputation is taking a hit!” Wolf took the tablet, scanned it, and his face darkened. He looked up at me sharply. “You did this?” I met his gaze, not backing down. I smiled coldly. “Did you read the analysis? She’s stupid. Tried to copy a tiger and drew a dog.” “My style, color usage, brushstrokes… anyone in the industry knows it’s me.” The orderly whispered, admiringly, “Actually… Miss Sterling’s art has a very unique tension. Hard to imitate…” Wolf glared at him. The orderly shut up and turned to the door. Wolf handed me his phone. “Use your account. Post a statement. Say it’s a misunderstanding, that Lily painted them herself.” I looked at him, incredulous. “Why should I?” The orderly rushed back in. “General, Miss Brooks saw the comments. She’s hysterical and fainted at the exhibition!” Wolf’s face changed. “I’m going to see Lily. Post the statement.” He turned and left without hesitation. My phone rang. It was my father. “The divorce is finalized. The Wolf family was very efficient.” “You’ll regret missing out on Wolf…” I listened expressionlessly, hung up, and blocked every “family member.” I packed a small bag. Then I lit my lighter and dropped it on the dark green carpet. Divorced. This “marriage home” didn’t need to exist. I left the military compound without looking back, hailed a cab, and went straight to the airport. Meanwhile, Wolf was rushing to the exhibition. He got a call from a crying Lily. “Wolf, Scarlett… she posted comparison photos! Everyone is cursing me! What do I do?” Wolf’s voice was steady. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll look. Whatever she posted, I’ll handle it.” He hung up and opened Instagram. He saw my latest post. It wasn’t the clarification he demanded. It was a side-by-side comparison of my originals and Lily’s “works,” with the caption: [@LilyBrooks Tribute to heroes? Learn to respect copyright first!] Wolf expected I wouldn’t comply, but he didn’t expect me to be this ruthless. He rubbed his temples, preparing to order PR to bury the story. A second call came in. His comrade-in-arms. “Wolf! How could you let a stunner like Scarlett go? If you don’t want her, I’m going for it!” Wolf gripped the phone. “What do you mean?” “You don’t know?” His friend was shocked. “Check her feed!” Wolf switched to his feed. The first post was mine. A photo of the open divorce decree. Another of me at the airport terminal, looking free. Caption: [Divorced. Single. Accepting applications from high-quality men.] Elites, comrades, even commanders were lining up in the comments: “Sign me up!” “Scarlett, look here!” “First in line!” “DM sent, please check!”

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On my 28th birthday, my grandma was nagging me about getting engaged again. I took an Uber to my boyfriend’s office. Through the door, I heard him talking to a female colleague. He said I was average-looking, came from a mediocre family, and wasn’t a match for his status. He said his mother had always looked down on me, so he was hesitating about marrying me. We had been together since we were 18. Ten whole years. I never thought he was weighing the pros and cons of loving me. That night, when he came home, for the first time, I didn’t ask him about his day. I just ate in silence, showered, and went to bed. Lying in bed, he asked me, “Natalie, you’re so quiet today. You’re not throwing a tantrum and trying to break up with me, are you?” I asked him, “Do you want to break up?” Liam said, “Yeah.” Then he got up, got dressed, and went to drinks with that female colleague. I didn’t cry. I didn’t feel sad. I just opened my chat app. I scrolled to an old classmate who was desperate to get married and typed: “Want to give us a try?” 1 It was 1 AM when I sent the message, but I didn’t feel rude. I knew how much pressure Jake was under to get married. He was definitely more desperate than I was. Sure enough, a few minutes later, a reply came. “?” “Natalie, are you serious? I thought you had a boyfriend.” Me: “Just broke up. Tired of trial and error with men. If you don’t mind, we can make do.” Jake barely hesitated. A second later, he sent: “OK.” Then came a wall of text explaining his situation. “You know I’m still deployed. I’m stationed out in the Northwest, probably won’t be discharged for another year.” “After that, I don’t know if I’ll be reassigned or have to find a new job. Income is uncertain.” “I have a condo right now, my mom bought it for me, paid in full. You can live there after we marry.” “I have about $50k in savings, plus a severance package when I get out. But I don’t have the knack for making big money like your ex.” Back in the day, Jake sat behind me in class. He had seen everything between me and Liam. Since he didn’t mind, I had nothing else to say. I replied “Mmh,” and we set a time to get the license. He had a week of leave coming up. I still had time to pack and move. After handling the marriage stuff, I opened Instagram. Predictably, Liam’s female colleague, Bella, had posted a story: [Drinking away the sorrows with my childhood bestie brother.] In the photo, Liam and Bella were clinking glasses, heads touching, extremely intimate. Their breaths were mingling, and Liam’s eyes looked hazy. I liked the post. The next second, Liam texted me. [Jealous? Don’t start drama. Bella is just like a little sister to me.] Right. They grew up together. Their relationship was closer than ours. Bella looked like a porcelain doll. Liam liked her, and honestly, even I liked her looks. She studied abroad and only recently came back to work at the family company, reconnecting with Liam. I used to naively treat her like a little sister. It took a long time to realize their circle was exclusive. Before Bella came back, Liam would take me to gatherings. His friends weren’t warm, but they were polite. After Bella returned, she became the only girl in the group. Every time they went out, Liam said I didn’t like crowds and left me behind. I knew the truth. He thought I lacked social grace, wasn’t savvy, and wasn’t as smart as Bella. Liam and I fought about these unspoken comparisons many times. Every time, I was the one who compromised and backed down. So this time, when Liam assumed I was throwing a tantrum, I didn’t argue. I texted back: [Not drama. We broke up. Your business is none of my business.] Then I blocked him. Hours later, Liam stumbled home drunk and collapsed on the sofa. There was a lipstick mark on his neck. The person supporting him was Bella. Bella was a bit tipsy too. She kept apologizing, “Natalie, I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop Liam from drinking. Don’t blame him.” Mmh. I’m not angry. He’s an ex-boyfriend. Nothing to be angry about. I sat Bella down in a chair and poured her a glass of honey water, treating him like a guest. “It’s fine. Doesn’t matter.” She really looked so innocent. Even if she harbored bad intentions, those misty eyes made it hard to stay mad. No wonder Liam liked her. 2 The next morning, Liam woke up with a splitting headache. He instinctively called my name. For a long time, no one answered. Stumbling out, he saw me sitting on the sofa writing on my laptop. His tone hardened. “Natalie, my head hurts.” I didn’t look up. “Mmh.” Liam paused, then said, “My head hurts. Go make me some honey lemon water.” I couldn’t be bothered. My inspiration was flowing, and I didn’t want to break it. “Make it yourself. I’m busy.” I got up and went into the study. Liam stood there, stunned. Making a hangover cure wasn’t hard. Boil water, add honey, add lemon, let it cool, drink. I had done it for him countless times. It wasn’t unique. But now that he didn’t have it, he felt empty. Remembering the breakup last night, anger rose in his chest. He went to the kitchen, got food, ate, then knocked on the study door. “Since we broke up, you should move out. My family bought this house.” He emphasized “My family bought this house.” My fingers froze on the keyboard. It felt like a stab to the heart. Together ten years. Liam knew I was an orphan who craved a family. When we moved in together, he told me that even though his name was on the deed, this was my home too. Now, one day after breaking up, he was kicking me out? I looked up. The man at the door had a stone face and cold eyes. He didn’t look at me like a lover, but with annoyance. I took a deep breath. “Okay. Can I move tomorrow? I haven’t packed.” Liam looked smug. “No. Today. We broke up, there’s no reason to live together.” I looked at him like a stranger. “Okay. Whatever you say.” They say girls without property don’t have a home. Break up, move out. Divorce, move out. Unless your name is on the deed, one word from a man and you’re homeless. I felt that deeply in this moment. After he left for work, I silently packed. Ten years. I really thought I would marry Liam, so I truly treated this place as my home. Plushies, lace curtains, cute kitchenware… packing was endless. It just got messier. My head started to hurt. Maybe just throwing it all away would be faster? Lost in thought, the doorbell rang. It was Liam’s mother. 3 She didn’t know we broke up yet. As soon as she entered, she started criticizing me out of habit. Mrs. Thorne never liked me. Every time we met, she had to act superior. I used to endure it, thinking time would make her accept me. This time, she started scolding immediately. “Natalie, you eat my son’s food, use my son’s money, how can you let the house get this messy?” “I don’t know what Liam sees in you. Average looks, no background, can’t even do housework. Useless.” “I know you had no parents to teach you, but you can’t be this sloppy. Look at this pigsty. How can anyone live here?” “Hurry up and clean this mess, then come home with me. We have guests coming. You need to cook and help out.” She rattled on like a machine gun. I didn’t even get a chance to say we broke up. Finally, when she paused for breath, I said, “I’m not going. I have things to do.” Mrs. Thorne interrupted, “What things? Writing your little stories? Fine, if you come, I’ll give you $1,000 as payment.” The $1,000 stuck my next words in my throat. Whatever. We broke up. Might as well make some money. When I got to the Thorne estate, I realized Mrs. Thorne had ulterior motives. She had invited Bella’s family for dinner and wanted me to serve them as a maid. I should have been hurt. But shrinking into the corner, watching Liam walk in with the three members of the Blackwood family, I weirdly understood what he meant by “not a match.” The elegant Blackwood parents walked in front. Bella and Liam walked side-by-side behind them, looking like a perfect young couple returning home. I had been here many times. As a teenager to stand up to them, in my twenties to make Mrs. Thorne accept me. Serving tea, washing clothes, cooking. I was as virtuous as could be. But the smile Mrs. Thorne gave me was nothing compared to the beam she gave Bella over a simple gift. The ruby necklace on Mrs. Thorne’s neck was a casual gift from the Blackwoods, worth six figures. To people like them, it was nothing. I laughed at myself. How naive I was to believe love conquered all, wasting half my life on Liam. Six more days, and I could jump out of this swamp. Even though it was a marriage of convenience with Jake, I was happy. I was a creature of habit, afraid of change. Unless absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t leave a bad situation. But now that I was really changing my life, I felt a rush of excitement. When the Blackwoods arrived, I had to leave. Mrs. Thorne venmoed me the money and told me to leave through the back door. In ten years, to prove I wasn’t a gold digger, I never accepted expensive gifts from Liam or took advantage of his family. Suddenly getting paid, I regretted it. If I knew we weren’t getting married, I should have taken more. Wasted the title of girlfriend. As I unlocked a shared e-bike, Liam chased me out. Turns out he knew I was there the whole time. Liam’s face was grim. “Natalie, where are you going?” Me: “Back to move out. Didn’t you tell me to leave? I haven’t finished packing.” Liam let out a breath. He yanked me into his arms. His tone was frustrated. “Why do you have to throw tantrums with me?” He stroked my hair like he had countless times before to soothe me. “You used to be such a good girl. Why is your temper getting worse?” “Just because I refused Grandma’s suggestion to get engaged, you act out? Can’t you be more sensible?” I turned my head, burying my face in his neck. Allowing myself one last intimate contact. “I can, Liam. I can be sensible.” Sensible enough not to put you in a tough spot, sensible enough to let you find your perfect match with Bella. He misunderstood. He thought I was compromising. He let out a long sigh of relief. “Good. My family is hosting the Blackwoods for business today. Don’t mind it.” “There’s nothing between me and Bella. I just see her as a sister. After dinner, I’ll come find you. Wait for me at home.” He kissed my forehead and turned back. I watched his tall back, remembering the boy from ten years ago who walked up to me, nervous and blushing. Voice trembling, confessing, “Class President, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?” Once upon a time, the sea was deep. Only 3,000 days later, this relationship had reached its end. I sighed silently. Maybe love dying young is the norm. 4 Back at the apartment, I threw away what I could and packed the rest. Around 10 PM, Liam came back. The moment he walked in, his smile froze. He sighed deeply. “Natalie, I thought you said no tantrums?” I had waited so long I fell asleep. I rubbed my neck and looked at him. “No tantrums. We broke up. I have no reason to live in your house.” Liam lost his patience, tossing his jacket aside. “Fine. Whatever. But think carefully. If we break up, I won’t ask you back.” Perfect. I put the keys on the shoe cabinet in front of him and prepared to leave. Liam watched for a moment, then chased after me. He blocked my path, annoyed. “What do I have to do to make you listen?” Acting like I was being unreasonable. I laughed out of anger. “Oh, get engaged to me, and I won’t fuss.” Liam gritted his teeth. “Natalie, give me more time to get used to the idea. Right now, I really don’t think you’re a suitable marriage partner.” What is a suitable marriage partner? I couldn’t tell. The first time I heard the term was five years ago. Grandma had heart surgery. Afraid she’d die leaving me alone, she wanted to put marriage on the agenda. Back then, Liam and I were still good. Hearing marriage, he froze, hugged me, and didn’t speak for a long time. Finally, he said, “Nat, let me discuss it with my parents and get back to you, okay?” I nodded, fully believing he would plan our future. But in reality, Liam’s attitude changed after that. He was still gentle, but whenever engagement or marriage came up, he changed the subject. If I pushed, he got angry. “Look, you don’t have a stable job or income. Are we a good match right now? What would my parents think?” “Nat, I’ve been holding back, but you really aren’t suited for marriage. You don’t dress up, you don’t network, and you don’t understand business. You’re no help to the Thorne family.” He belittled me, but when I broke down and tried to leave, he would write long essays to win me back. I always thought the root of his hesitation was Mrs. Thorne. Until Bella returned. Liam’s attitude did a 180. He showed me with actions what a “suitable marriage partner” looked like. No matter how much a man loves you, it doesn’t stop him from weighing the pros and cons and pursuing a better life. I left the apartment I lived in for years. Since Jake wasn’t back yet, I rented a small Airbnb. Counting my savings, I thought about putting a down payment on a place in the South End. Since Jake was rarely home, it didn’t matter where we lived. I opened Zillow and actually found a few good ones. I booked viewings and finished the final draft of my third web novel while staying in the rental.

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During my solo performance at the company’s annual gala, a massive fart sound blasted from the speakers. Immediately, a foul stench filled the hall. My colleagues frowned, pinched their noses, and looked at me with disgust. The new intern, Jenny, screamed dramatically, “Oh my god, Sarah! Are you performing a talent show or releasing poison gas?” Everyone burst into laughter. I glared at her furiously. “Jenny, is this another one of your pranks?” She put on an innocent face. “Why are you blaming me for your own gas?” “I know I like to joke around, but you can’t just use me as a scapegoat, can you?” “Okay, okay, fine, let’s say it’s my fault. My bad for not reminding you to eat fewer sweet potatoes before going on stage.” “Everyone, just pretend I let that one rip, okay?” I was shaking with rage. Ever since Jenny joined the company, she’s been setting me up to embarrass myself. Because I had no proof, I had to swallow my anger every time. But this time, Jenny, you’ve messed with the wrong person. 1. My colleagues immediately started pointing fingers at me. “Sarah, don’t bully the new girl. It was just a fart, no one said anything.” “You’re just a small team leader, not a big shot. Trying to force your subordinate to take the blame?” “It’s not like Jenny made you fart. How can you blame her?” “Honestly, passing gas is natural. We all laughed it off, but you dragging it out just makes it awkward.” Their words piled up, cementing the narrative that I publicly humiliated myself and tried to use my position to force the new girl to cover for me. The hotel staff hosting the gala were covering their mouths, snickering. The smell lingered, and a colleague smirked maliciously. “Sarah, are you still letting out silent ones?” “If you need to go, just go. This hall is small, if you keep releasing, we’re all gonna get poisoned!” “I’m about to throw up my lunch.” “That smell is intense. Did you sh*t your pants?” My face burned red with shame and anger. “Are you guys deaf? That sound clearly came from the speakers!” “I didn’t fart!” Colleagues covered their noses and backed away from me. “It feels like your breath smells like it too.” “Who told you to eat sweet potatoes? No self-control for the sake of your appetite?” I screamed in frustration, “I didn’t eat sweet potatoes! I was so busy with the gala today I didn’t even eat!” “Come on, Jenny saw you. Just admit it.” “Jenny, did you say she ate sweet potatoes?” Jenny put on a troubled expression. “Sarah, I…” “Jenny, don’t be scared. She’s just a team leader, she can’t fire you.” “If she tries to give you a hard time, we’ll all testify for you to the boss!” Jenny looked at me with fake apology. “Sarah, I saw you eat that huge roasted sweet potato. Why won’t you admit it?” “Actually, it’s normal to have gas after eating too many sweet potatoes! At least you know now, just don’t eat them in public next time.” She feigned concern, but I could see the triumphant smirk hiding in the corners of her eyes. I closed my eyes, forcing myself to calm down. “Since that’s the case, let’s check the security footage and see where that ‘fart’ really came from.” “Waiter, where is the surveillance room? There should be cameras near the audio equipment, right?” “I suspect my audio file was swapped.” Jenny’s expression tightened. She quickly adjusted her face. “Seriously, Sarah? Why are you taking this so seriously?” “You’re wasting everyone’s time. If we check the footage and find no one swapped your audio, are you going to find another excuse?” “It’s already been ten minutes.” Hearing about wasted time, my colleagues turned on me again. “Sarah, are you crazy? We just want to finish the gala and go home!” “Just because you don’t have a husband or kids doesn’t mean you can hold us up!” “Making a huge scene over a fart!” “Checking surveillance for a fart? If this gets out, our whole company will be a laughingstock!” Jenny put on a martyr’s face. “Alright, Sarah. If you insist it was me, then it was me. Can we stop arguing? There are still other performances.” “Just consider it my fault, okay?” 2. My colleagues looked at her with admiration. “Jenny, you’re such a team player. Unlike some people who only think about themselves.” I was trembling with rage. “Jenny, this isn’t the first time you’ve pulled a prank on me!” Ever since Jenny joined the company, I started making embarrassing mistakes constantly. Once, I walked out of the restroom, and everyone burst out laughing. “Sarah, pads go inside your underwear, why is yours stuck to your butt?” “So gross, are you trying to show off your heavy flow?” Shocked, I reached behind me and felt a bloody pad stuck to my pants. I was instantly nauseous. I wasn’t on my period that day. That pad wasn’t mine. And the trash can in my stall was empty. It couldn’t have stuck to me by accident. In the restroom, I had brushed past Jenny. Did she stick it on me on purpose? But how could anyone be that evil? A few days later, during a presentation, my PowerPoint opened to play Japanese adult videos. The boss’s face turned black on the spot. The decision to promote me to manager was shelved. My USB drive was plugged into the conference room computer ahead of time. Someone had clearly swapped it. The person responsible for setting up the room was Jenny. No one else went in before the meeting. But there were no cameras in the conference room. With no evidence, I could only tentatively ask her if she touched my drive, if she made a mistake. Jenny burst into tears, wailing, “Sarah, I know you’re embarrassed, but you can’t blame me!” “If you didn’t download those dirty movies, you wouldn’t have humiliated yourself.” “It’s your own problem, why blame me…” She cried so hard she almost hyperventilated. Colleagues rushed over. “Sarah, why are you bullying the new girl? Just because you embarrassed yourself doesn’t mean you can lash out.” “You think this girl put porn on your drive? That’s hilarious.” Everyone surrounded Jenny, wiping her tears and comforting her. I clearly saw the corner of her mouth lift in a smile. But without proof, I had to let it go. The next day, I stood up from my desk to get water and felt my shoe sticking to the floor. I could barely lift my leg. Jenny watched me walk and snickered. “Um, look at Sarah’s legs. She looks exhausted.” “Doesn’t it look like… like she got wrecked last night?” Everyone laughed. “Makes sense. With all those videos on her drive, she must be horny.” “Sarah, aren’t you single? Do you have a ‘friend’ for that?” “That friend must be good. Look, she can barely walk. How many rounds?” Jenny batted her ‘innocent’ eyes. “Huh? Sarah doesn’t have a boyfriend?” “Sarah, you have to be careful. Don’t hook up randomly, you’ll get diseases.” “It’s fine if it’s just something treatable, but if you get HIV or something, we’re all in danger.” I looked at her coldly, lifted my foot, and peeled off a strip of super glue tape. So, this tape was what made it hard to walk. My colleagues shut up. Jenny said innocently, “Sarah, everyone’s just joking. Don’t take it seriously.” 3. I spoke coldly. “That’s not a joke. That’s spreading rumors.” A few colleagues looked disdainful. “Just a little teasing, don’t be so dramatic.” “So sensitive. Can’t even take a joke.” I tilted my head and looked at them. “Why are your mouths so dirty? Did you eat too much dick working the red light district last night?” They looked at me in shock. I shrugged. “Sorry, just a joke.” Hearing me bring up these past events, Jenny cried tears of grievance. “Sarah, how can you frame me like this? I admit I speak without thinking sometimes, but I didn’t do those things!” “What proof do you have that I swapped your drive or taped your shoes?” Other colleagues chimed in. “No wonder you can’t make manager. Petty as hell, holding onto grudges forever.” “You’ve been bullying Jenny all along. Don’t try to rewrite history now, we remember!” Jenny choked out, “Forget it. I know Sarah has always looked down on me.” “When I first started and bought everyone bubble tea, she just threw hers away.” “And I bought her the most expensive one.” My colleagues got angrier. “Right! We almost forgot about that!” “Jenny was nice enough to treat everyone, and you had such an attitude!” When Jenny first joined, she brought bubble tea for everyone. I took a sip and smelled something foul. It was nauseating. Afraid of mass food poisoning, I stopped everyone. “This tea tastes wrong, don’t drink it!” I thought the unethical shop used spoiled ingredients. But after tasting theirs, my colleagues looked at me like I was crazy. “What’s wrong with it? It’s delicious.” “Jenny was nice enough to treat us, why are you being a buzzkill?” “Is it because the new girl bought more expensive tea than you did when you got promoted? Jealous?” I forced myself to take another sip, fighting the nausea. “It really tastes wrong. Can’t you taste it?” “Try mine…” Before I could finish, Jenny interrupted with a hurt expression. “Sarah, yours is different. I bought you the most expensive one on the menu.” “I just wanted to show my appreciation. I didn’t know buying a premium brand would upset you.” “Next time I’ll just buy the cheap stuff.” I opened my mouth but said nothing, assuming maybe the expensive ingredients just spoiled faster. Later, I threw the tea away. I didn’t expect this incident to become proof that I “looked down” on Jenny. Jenny looked at me, crying. “Do you know that tea cost $8? I’ve never even bought one for myself…” Everyone rushed to comfort Jenny, just like every time before. “Sarah! Apologize to Jenny!” “Just because we call you ‘Team Leader’ doesn’t mean you’re actually the boss. This is workplace bullying!” Bullying? Who is bullying whom?! “I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do.” I put on my coat and left the gala. The pranks were endless. Jenny, since you have no limits, don’t blame me for playing dirty. After the holiday break, my colleagues gave me the cold shoulder. I ignored them and handed a USB drive to Jenny. “Print this file for me.” She didn’t know my cousin was a top-tier hacker. Over the break, I asked him to make a Trojan horse. The moment that drive plugged into Jenny’s computer, her laptop was mine. 4. After the pad prank, I had glimpsed a chat on Jenny’s screen: “I pranked her again today, so satisfying!” Later, as she targeted me repeatedly, I thought about looking for evidence on her computer. But back then, I felt snooping was wrong. Now, I understood. When dealing with someone with no bottom line, you have to fight back by any means necessary. With control of her computer, the chat logs were laid bare. Every time she pranked me, she bragged about it to her best friend. And in the latest chat, I saw her next plan. “I’m going to cement Sarah’s title as the ‘Fart Queen’, hahaha!” “Let’s see if she has the face to stay in the company after this.” Reading her plan, I smiled. Jenny, let me teach you what it means to walk into a trap. On Wednesday, the CEO, Mr. Zhao, was coming for a regular meeting. Jenny volunteered to set up the conference room alone. In the conference room, we all stood by our seats, waiting for Mr. Zhao to sit. As soon as Mr. Zhao sat, the chair wobbled. Looking down, a screw on one leg was loose. I immediately pulled out Mr. Zhao’s chair and pushed mine behind him. “Mr. Zhao, take my chair.” “No!” Jenny’s voice rang out abruptly. She looked panicked, breathing fast. Mr. Zhao glanced at her. “Why not?” Jenny realized she lost her composure and forced a smile. “I meant, we can just tighten the screw. No need to swap chairs.” I smiled. “It’s fine. I’ve been practicing my balance lately. A wobbly chair is perfect.” “Mr. Zhao, please begin.” Mr. Zhao nodded, and everyone sat down. Jenny sat down slowly, panic written all over her face. I saw sweat on her forehead, her hands trembling. Mr. Zhao settled in and began outlining the new year’s work plan. A few sentences in, a loud fart noise came from under Mr. Zhao. Mr. Zhao paused, adjusted his tone, and continued. A moment later, another fart. Colleagues lowered their heads, exchanging glances, trying not to laugh. Mr. Zhao frowned. Another irregular fart sound rang out. He paused for a few seconds, then ignored the noises and finished his speech in one breath. Everyone was shaking from holding back laughter, except Jenny, who was sweating buckets. After the meeting, Mr. Zhao put down his notes, stood up, and lifted the cushion on his chair. A small black square sat in the middle of the seat. A colleague gasped. “Isn’t that a prank toy? I’ve seen it online. It makes random fart sounds when pressure is applied.” Realization dawned on everyone. So that’s where the noise came from. Mr. Zhao picked it up, looked at it, then looked straight at Jenny, his voice devoid of emotion. “Jenny, explain this.” Jenny stood up in a panic, stammering, “I, I don’t know, I’ve never seen this thing!” “Mr. Zhao, it must be Sarah! She swapped chairs with you!” “Sarah, you embarrassed yourself at the gala, so now you want to drag Mr. Zhao down with you? You’re evil!” Everyone looked at me, ready for a show.

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Title: Married for six years, no longer in love with my older wife. How do I divorce her without hurting her or getting revenge? The word divorce caught my eye. Something compelled me to click. The OP’s avatar was a cartoon Shiba Inu. It looked cute. It even resembled the Shiba I owned. He wrote: “I met my wife when I was a senior in high school. My family was poor, and I was about to drop out to work. She brought me to the city and supported my education. She’s seven years older than me. A very responsible adult. She treated me well—paid for my tuition and living expenses, cared about my studies and health. She even helped me choose my college. But I was too young. I thought that was love. So, sophomore year of college, I confessed my feelings. When she rejected me, I kept trying. Eventually, she agreed.” I scrolled down, my grip on the phone tightening. “I was so proud of myself back then. A kid landing a mature, successful woman. Looking back, it was wrong from the start. Once we were official, she started pouring resources into me. She was already a corporate executive. Almost every opportunity I got in college had her fingerprints on it. I’m grateful for that. My resume looks great because of her. Right after graduation, I joined her company. Then we got married. It’s been six years now.” My palms were sweating, ice-cold. I was certain. The OP was my husband, Liam. Chapter 1 The boy who used to smile and call me “Big Sis,” promising to treat me well forever, was now posting online. Airing our dirty laundry to strangers, looking for a “dignified” way to leave me without facing consequences. I started questioning myself. Was I the problem? Was I too strict? Did I not give him enough security? Six years of marriage, and this is where we ended up? If he wanted to leave, he could have just talked to me. Why post this? In that moment, curiosity outweighed the pain. I desperately needed to know why. Why? Why choose this way? I kept reading. I needed to understand why he wanted out. Chapter 2 The comments were mostly flaming him, but Liam ignored them and kept updating. “As for why I want a divorce… it started three years ago when I went abroad for work. It was a great opportunity, but I couldn’t afford it. I played the good boy, acted pitiful, and she covered all the expenses. While abroad, I met a girl from the same company. She was beautiful, young, and most importantly, we clicked. Our interests aligned perfectly. I felt relaxed with her.” I paused. Years ago, Liam had said the same thing to me. He would buy groceries early on weekends, rush from campus to my place, cook, clean, and wait for me to wake up naturally. Weekends were no longer empty. They were filled with his smiling face. “Wake up, sleepyhead. I made your favorite ribs.” He would hug me during horror movies, burying his face in my chest when he got scared. “Is the ghost gone yet?” When he proposed, he said, “I want to spend my life with you because being with you is when I’m happiest and most relaxed.” Turns out, the person who made him feel relaxed had changed long ago. “But that wasn’t the main thing. Living abroad opened my eyes. The world is huge. I couldn’t divorce her back then because I needed her connections and background.” “After three years, I came back and got promoted quickly. Recently, another girl who just returned from abroad showed interest in me. We’ve been seeing each other. Her family is wealthier than my wife’s. We get along better. And I feel like she loves me more than my wife does.” It clicked. That’s why he’s been working late so often. He was on dates. “Plus, my wife is older than me. Not two or three years, but a full seven years.” “So, I want a divorce.” I smirked bitterly, scrolling past the flood of comments until I landed on the top-voted one. “You’ve known her for ten years. Did you just find out today she’s seven years older than you?” Chapter 3 When I got home from work, Liam was unusually busy in the kitchen. He was humming, seemingly in a good mood, prepping ingredients with practiced ease. Hearing the door, he shouted, “You’re back! Give me a sec, dinner’s almost ready.” I changed my clothes numbly and sat at the table. Three dishes and a soup. He put in effort; they were all my favorites. Uncontrollably, I wondered: Is this guilt? Is he trying to compensate? With this? Is my heart worth a cheap home-cooked meal? I held back the urge to scream. Seeing my silence, worry washed over Liam’s face. He reached out to touch my forehead. “What’s wrong? Feeling sick?” I leaned back, avoiding his touch, and shook my head. “Nothing. Just tired from the new product launch.” Liam’s hand froze in mid-air, awkward. He looked confused for a second, then smiled and withdrew his hand. “Oh, I see. You worked hard. Try the ribs.” “You deserve a reward for working so hard.” He put a piece of rib on my plate. It looked good, smelled good, but a wave of nausea hit me. I frowned, covering my mouth, but the sickness kept rising. “Did you throw up?” I couldn’t hold it back. I ran to the bathroom and vomited. Liam rushed over, patting my back, handing me water. I couldn’t see a trace of fakery in this man. Until his phone rang. “Hello? I’m a bit busy today… Okay, okay, fine. I’ll come over soon, alright? Don’t be mad, princess…” His voice drifted in from the living room. He was so brazen, assuming I wouldn’t know. I dug my nails into my palms, head down, listening to his footsteps return. “Feeling better?” “The product manager just called. There’s an issue with a product, I need to go in for overtime.” “Take your meds, they’re on the table. I’m leaving.” Chapter 4 Finding Liam’s affair partner was easy. Overseas background, recently returned, likely working in the company. When my assistant placed Chloe He’s file on my desk, I wasn’t surprised. It was Director He’s daughter. We’d met. Six months ago, Director He invited Liam and me to play golf. His daughter was there. Back then, Chloe was all over Liam, pestering him to teach her how to play. What did Liam say then? “That girl is so annoying. Total princess syndrome.” Our marriage wasn’t a secret; the upper management knew. Chloe, as Director He’s daughter, definitely knew Liam was married. I didn’t hide my investigation. Soon, my assistant called. “Ms. Chen, the intern from the product department, Chloe He, is here to see you.” Compared to six months ago, Chloe looked even prettier. She walked in, calling out intimately. “Rose! My dad insisted I come learn from you. Please teach me!” She sat on the sofa, a suspicious red mark visible on her neck. Seeing my gaze, Chloe gasped dramatically. “Oops, Rose, don’t look! My boyfriend is so bad.” “He used to eat such bland food. Meeting me made him hungry.” Chloe giggled, covering her mouth, eyes fixed on me. “You don’t mind, do you, Sis?” I finally looked up at her, frowning. “Director He’s daughter? Didn’t he teach you to use titles in the office? Call me Ms. Chen.” Chloe’s smile froze. “And since Director He sent you to learn, please be professional.” “Your outfit—” I smirked. “In the office, maybe wear something more professional.” “Andy, email Ms. He the Employee Handbook and Code of Business Conduct. I want a read receipt before she leaves today.” Chloe left with a face like thunder. I rubbed my temples. They were throbbing. Someone else was going to make trouble tonight.

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My stepmother hated me to the bone. All because when I was a child, I went to a classmate’s house to play and forgot to close the front gate. Her son ran out into the street and was hit by a car. He died instantly. My father, who adored my little brother above all else, was heartbroken. When he learned the “truth,” he looked at me with grief and rage. “Did you do it on purpose? Were you jealous of your brother, so you left the gate open?” I desperately explained that I had closed it. But my father didn’t believe me. He locked me in the basement and raised me like a dog for the rest of my miserable life. Until one day, my father went on a business trip. My stepmother hadn’t fed me for three days. Starving, I crawled upstairs to the kitchen to find scraps. But there was my stepmother, sitting on a strange man’s lap in the kitchen, giggling. “If that little brat hadn’t left the gate open back then, I wouldn’t have to live in fear of my husband finding out we killed his precious son.” I froze. It turned out that years ago, my stepmother’s lover had come over for a tryst. He was the one who forgot to close the gate, letting my brother wander out. Just as I tried to sneak back to the basement, my stepmother spotted me. “What did you hear? No! I can’t let your father find out I killed my own son!” In a panic, she grabbed me and threw me down the stairs. I died on impact. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my brother was hit by a car. I blinked my innocent, doe-like eyes and pointed a chubby finger upstairs, my voice sweet and childish. “Daddy, I closed the gate! It was the uncle in Mommy’s bedroom who didn’t close it!” Chapter 1 “Lily, did you see an uncle leave the gate open with your own eyes?!” My father stood outside the courtyard gate, his eyes bloodshot, staring at me intently. I sneered internally. Look at how much he loves his son. In my last life, I explained over and over that I closed the gate. But he only listened to my stepmother’s pillow talk, convinced I murdered his only son out of jealousy. My mother died giving birth to me. Before her funeral was even over, he brought my pregnant stepmother home. This woman secured her position as the lady of the house with a premature baby boy. Because of the difficult birth, she couldn’t have any more children. So, my brother became my father’s lifeline. After my brother died, he treated me like a dog to appease his impotent rage and guilt towards his wife. I ate dog food, slept in a cage, and learned to bark. This time, I won’t be so stupid. I will use his suspicion as a man, and his love as a father, to trample that adulterous couple into the mud. So, the first thing I did after being reborn was to rush home to catch my stepmother in the act. But I didn’t expect to see my brother standing in the middle of the road as soon as I turned the corner. My father was watching from a distance, eyes wide with horror. To make a good impression, I pulled my brother back. Instead of dying on the spot like in my past life, his legs were crushed. He was crippled, but alive. “Honey!” My stepmother’s shrill scream cut through my thoughts. Snot and tears running down her face, she threw herself at my father, clutching his arm. “Don’t listen to this little wretch! Her mom died early, and she’s hated us ever since! She opened the gate on purpose! She wanted to kill Benny!” Before my father could react, I ran over on my short legs and hugged his thigh. I looked up with a dirty face and the most innocent, pure eyes I could muster. “Daddy, I didn’t!” I wailed, my voice full of childish grievance. “I want Mommy to love me too, but she doesn’t. I thought if I was good to Benny, you guys would like me…” As I spoke, I squeezed out a few big tears and pointed a small finger at my brother, who was wailing in pain on the ground nearby. “I give Benny my milk every day, and I let him play with my favorite teddy bear… Just now, if I hadn’t pulled him back, he would have flown into the sky and never played with me again. Teacher says we should protect the little ones. I did it, Daddy. I’m a good girl. Please believe me.” Because I had been pretending to be good to my brother to please my father, I lied without blinking. I hugged my father’s leg tightly, using all the strength of a child to depend on him, and then dropped my bait. “If you don’t believe me, Daddy, go upstairs and find that uncle! He must still be there!” Chapter 2 Hearing my words, my father’s face turned darker than a thundercloud. He reached down and pinched my cheek. “Daddy believes you.” With that, he turned and charged upstairs. He looked less like he was going to catch a cheater and more like he was going to commit murder. My stepmother’s face went pale. She tried to grab him but missed, stomping her foot and screaming, “Honey! The most important thing right now is getting our son to the hospital!” But for a man like my father, nothing mattered more than his pride. A green hat was heavier than his son’s legs. He stormed upstairs without looking back. Of course, the room was empty. The man had already slipped away. But the lingering scent of unfamiliar men’s cologne was thick in the air, impossible to miss. My stepmother was a pro. Tears flowed instantly as she pulled a beautifully wrapped bottle of men’s cologne from her bag. “Honey, I bought this as a surprise for you…” A ghost wouldn’t believe that excuse. But my father had no proof. The ambulance wailed as it arrived and took my brother away. Before getting in, my father stared at my stepmother, his voice squeezing through gritted teeth. “If I find out my son lost his legs because of some wild man, I’ll kill his entire family!” I was anxious but helpless. I knew my stepmother was cunning and prepared. I couldn’t defeat her immediately. I had to wait for another chance. In the hospital, my brother cried from the pain. I immediately threw myself by the bed, holding his small hand, sobbing. “Don’t cry, Benny. Sissy is here.” My brother was probably in shock, or maybe my fake kindness had worked. He instinctively shrank into my arms. “Sissy saved me.” My father stood by, praising me for being “sensible.” But seeing my brother’s casted legs, he sighed again. “At least he’s alive.” Since there was no evidence of who opened the gate, my father could only stare suspiciously at my stepmother. She played the role of the obedient wife to perfection, insisting the gate was old and the latch was loose. The matter passed, unresolved. Back home, my stepmother treated me incredibly well. She cooked my favorite sweet and sour ribs, bought me new dresses, and tucked me in at night. Her gentleness made it seem like I was her biological daughter. My father saw this, and his suspicion faded. He probably thought that even if there was something, a woman would settle down for the sake of her child and family. But I knew the truth. The nicer she acted, the guiltier she was. She was desperate to wash herself clean and dump the dirty water back on my head. I was waiting, too. Waiting for her to show her fox tail. I guarded against everything, calculated everything, but I still underestimated her viciousness. One weekend, she sent me to my room early to do homework, while she took my sleeping brother in his wheelchair to the second-floor balcony for some sun. I lifted my head from my workbook, a bad feeling growing in my gut. Sure enough. The moment my father opened the front door, a loud crash and my stepmother’s piercing scream echoed from the stairs. “Ah—Lily! How could you push your brother?!” My father froze in the doorway, looking up to see me standing on the second-floor landing, while my brother and his wheelchair lay overturned at the bottom of the stairs. Chapter 3 I clenched my hands. Calm down. I must stay calm. “Daddy, I didn’t push Benny. I was writing homework in my room. Mommy was watching him on the balcony.” My voice trembled just right, sounding like a terrified child. My father held my unconscious brother, his bloodshot eyes fixed on me like a beast about to lose control. My stepmother immediately interjected. “I clearly told Lily to watch Benny upstairs while I went to borrow some green onions from Mrs. Jones next door! Mrs. Jones can testify!” I sneered internally. The golden cicada sheds its shell. She timed it perfectly with my father’s return and went to establish an alibi. Sure enough, Mrs. Jones, who was always close with my stepmother, squeezed out of the gathering crowd. With a righteous face, she chimed in, “It’s true, Dave! Sarah just came to get onions from me. She said she was making your favorite braised fish! I saw her walk in the gate myself!” She pointed a finger at me, shaking her head. “But your daughter… when we came over, we saw her standing on the second floor, looking down coldly. Not a reaction at all! Hey, Lily, how can a child be so cruel? Did you open the gate on purpose last time too?” A stone tossed into a pond creates a thousand ripples. The neighbors started whispering. “Yeah, that kid never looked right.” “So young and so jealous. What will she be like when she grows up?” Seeing this, my stepmother covered her face and sobbed, leaning weakly against my father. “Honey, don’t blame Lily. Maybe the gate was an accident last time, maybe this wasn’t on purpose either…” Her retreat was an advance, cementing my guilt. My father’s eyes went completely cold. He saw it. He saw his wife rush in anxiously from outside, while I stood like a cold spectator on the second floor. Seeing is believing. “Last time, I saw you pull him back, so I believed you.” My father’s voice was terrifyingly raspy. “Now, I see you push him down! What else do you have to say?!” The trust in his eyes collapsed, replaced by a thick loathing. “You don’t even look scared. Lily, was saving him last time just an act?” Tears streamed down my face. I screamed, “It wasn’t me! It was the uncle Mommy brought home! The same uncle from last time! That’s why Mommy had time to go to Mrs. Jones’s house!” “Daddy, don’t you believe me?” I cried and yelled with all my strength, “Call the police! We have to call the police! The officer on TV said if there’s trouble, find the police! Check the wheelchair for fingerprints! It will prove I’m innocent!” Seeing my father’s grip on my stepmother loosen slightly, I knew my words hit home. I choked back sobs, staring straight at my unconscious brother in his arms. “Daddy, if there really is a bad man hiding in our house who wants to hurt Benny, what will happen to Benny next time?” That sentence was a needle, piercing my father’s softest spot. My stepmother’s face turned deathly pale. She bit her lip hard, then, as if making a huge decision, looked up at my father with teary eyes. “That sentence should be mine! Our family of three was happy. If it wasn’t for you, this disaster, we would have peace!” She wept, every word seemingly squeezed from her gut. “Husband, I gave up everything to follow you, I gave you a son. How could I harm my own flesh and blood? I cook for you every day, I keep this house perfect. Have you forgotten all of that?” “I don’t care if you misunderstand me, but I’m afraid for you! I’m afraid you’re being blinded by this ungrateful wolf you raised, and you’ll regret it!” Chapter 4 My stepmother’s speech was full of emotion, the grievance of a wrongly accused wife. My father wavered. He remembered how she had been submissive all these years, managing the house and obeying him. A woman who gave up everything for him and bore his only son—how could she harm her own child? Seeing him soften, my stepmother struck while the iron was hot. She put on a look of utter heartbreak. “Husband, investigate if you want! But if you find nothing like last time, you break my heart and destroy our trust! If that happens, I’m taking my son and leaving. We’re getting a divorce!” The word “divorce” slammed into my father’s heart like two mountains. He believed her. He felt she was truly hurt by my viciousness. Mrs. Jones chimed in again. “Sarah, don’t say such things! We all see how much you do for this family. I say this girl is just jealous of her brother. Rotten to the core!” “Exactly! Comfort your wife, Dave. Good women are hard to find. If she leaves, you’ll regret it!” The neighbors’ chatter was the final straw that broke my father’s reason. He turned around, eyes spitting fire, glaring at me. “You won’t be satisfied until you destroy this house, will you? All that schooling went to the dogs!” Before he finished speaking, he marched to the toolbox in the corner and pulled out a heavy black whip. It was used to train the German Shepherd we used to have. It was covered in tiny barbs, old dried blood giving it a rusty, metallic smell. “Since school can’t teach you, I’ll teach you how to be a human being right here!” Snap! The whip lashed across my back. The neighbors offered fake advice like “don’t go too far,” but I could hear the satisfaction in their voices. “Good! Disobedient kids need a beating!” My stepmother held my brother, a smug smile on her lips, looking at me like a lamb to the slaughter. “Daddy, really, it wasn’t me! Check the fingerprints…” I gritted my teeth as the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. But my father was deaf to it. With a flick of his wrist, the barbs dug into my flesh and ripped out. Tearing pain. I hated them! I shook with hatred! Why? Reborn, planning every step, why can’t I escape this fate! Just as I closed my eyes in despair, thinking I was doomed to repeat the past, my father raised the whip for a second strike, aiming for my face! I was finished. In that split second, my unconscious brother in my stepmother’s arms moved and let out a weak moan. “Don’t… don’t hit Sissy…” Everyone froze. My brother struggled to open his eyes. With all his strength, he spoke in a milky voice: “It was an uncle… an uncle who smelled like perfume pushed me!”

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