Author: Momo Chan

On the one-year anniversary of our remarriage, I snuck into the hotel where my husband was staying for his business trip, planning to surprise him with flowers. Instead, I stumbled upon a lavish birthday party he was throwing for Serena Thorne, the woman he’d always adored, his “white moonlight.” He was carefully fastening the heirloom bracelet, meant only for the Caldwell family’s true daughter-in-law, onto her wrist. A clueless guest chimed in, “If Caleb truly loves Ms. Thorne, then when his affair with her first went public, and Layla was so furious she divorced him and walked away, wasn’t that exactly what he wanted? Why did he spend six months chasing her down, begging her to remarry him?” Someone quickly offered an explanation: “Chasing her down? Remarriage? Please. Serena was just playing games with Layla.” “When Layla first filed for divorce, it blew up online, and Serena got slammed by netizens for ages. Serena was furious, so she told Caleb to pretend to win Layla back. Layla was completely played, genuinely believing Caleb had a change of heart. She held out for only six months before agreeing to remarry him.” “And in this past year of their remarriage, Serena’s ‘fun’ with Layla has only escalated. Like making Caleb dress Layla in a cheap knock-off gown to a gala just to humiliate her, or tricking Layla, who can’t swim, into going diving, then sharing the video of her nearly drowning with their entire social circle just to laugh at. It’s truly ‘entertaining’.” “I heard today is Caleb and Layla’s one-year remarriage anniversary. I bet Serena has something even better planned for Layla later. I can’t wait.” I felt like I’d plunged into an ice cellar. But I didn’t rush out to cry or yell. Instead, I began to plan my own staged death. Caleb Caldwell, you’ve deceived me for so long. It’s time I returned the favor.

“Ms. Hayes, your ‘fake death’ protocol has been activated. In seven days, everything will proceed as planned.” Hearing the voice of the covert agency staff on the phone, I let out a long breath. In seven days, I would vanish completely from Caleb Caldwell’s world. I hung up and circled the date seven days from now on my calendar in red. The vivid crimson seemed to mock me for my foolishness over the past year and a half. When Caleb returned with a cake, I was still staring blankly at the calendar. He set the cake down, wrapping his arms around me as he always did, asking tenderly, “What are you doing? You look so lost in thought.” Feeling his warm chest against my back, a bitter sadness welled up inside me. Married for five years, remarried for one. I never knew Caleb was such a brilliant actor. So good that he made me believe he had truly let go of Serena and fallen in love with me. That he truly couldn’t live without me, which was why he relentlessly pursued me for six months after our divorce, determined to remarry. I shook my head. “Nothing much, just thinking.” His gaze fell on the circled date on the calendar. “Is seven days from now an important day?” “Yes.” I suppressed the bitterness in my heart, hinting, “It’s the day I’ll give you a surprise.” Caleb stroked my hair affectionately. “I’ll look forward to it, then.” “But let’s not worry about seven days from now. Layla, do you remember what day today is? It’s our one-year remarriage anniversary. I made this chocolate cake myself. Come on, try it.” My heart lurched as I looked at the cake he held out. I remembered Serena’s birthday party earlier today, someone laughing as they asked what ‘fun’ Serena had planned for me. She had casually scooped a handful of dirt from a flowerpot and sprinkled it onto a cake, laughing, “I’m happy today, so I’ll let Layla off easy. I’ll just live-stream her eating dirt.” And now, Caleb had actually brought back *that exact cake with dirt*, trying to pass it off as chocolate. My heart stung as if pierced by needles. After a long moment, I managed to whisper, “My stomach isn’t feeling well. I don’t want anything sweet.” Caleb’s smile faded slightly. “Your stomach’s bothering you again?” “Come on, Layla. This cake is my effort, after all. Just one bite, then I’ll make you some stomach-soothing soup, okay?” He scooped up a mouthful from the area with the most dirt and brought it to my lips. I met his eyes, searching for a hint of guilt from his deception. But there was none. His gaze was sincere, as if he genuinely didn’t want me to disappoint his efforts. Forcing back the wrenching pain in my chest, I nodded slightly. “Okay, I’ll eat it.” The dirt-filled cake landed in my mouth, grinding painfully against my gums. I knew that a hidden camera, somewhere unseen, was recording my humiliating moment of eating dirt. Serena, watching the live-stream, must have been utterly delighted. Caleb, satisfied, put the cake down and went to make me the stomach-soothing soup. Watching him disappear into the kitchen, a chill spread through my heart. Caleb knew my stomach condition was severe, yet to please Serena, he didn’t hesitate to make me eat a cake filled with dirt. He truly had no love left for me. I didn’t get to drink the soup Caleb was making. Instead, I was rushed to the hospital for a stomach pump due to severe stomach cramps. As my consciousness faded, I heard a gentle voice coaxing me, “Hang in there, Layla. The pain will be gone soon.” I couldn’t tell if I was dreaming, but when I awoke, I saw Caleb asleep, slumped beside my hospital bed. His face was drawn with exhaustion, looking like he’d been taking care of me for a long time. His phone vibrated continuously in his hand. I picked it up and opened it, seeing his friends’ messages in their SnapChat group: “Caleb, Layla eating dirt today was hilarious! I’ve rewatched the video ten times!” “Right? But why were you in such a hurry to send Layla to the hospital, Caleb? Did you feel bad?” Caleb had replied below: “Don’t joke around. It wouldn’t be good if Serena saw that.” “I was just playing the role perfectly. If I don’t soothe her now, how will I trick her into cooperating next time?” So, it was all an act again. I forced a bitter smile and put the phone back. Caleb woke up soon after, sighing in relief when he saw I was okay. “I’m so sorry, Layla. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have pushed you to eat that cake.” I said nothing, just looked at him silently. My gaze made him a little uncomfortable. He quickly grabbed his jacket and stood up. “Work things. I need to go back and handle them. I’ll come see you later.” The moment the door closed, I shut my eyes, and tears finally streamed down my face. Caleb, six more days.

I didn’t wait for Caleb to visit me again; I checked out of the hospital early. I took my marriage certificate to the relevant office, intending to file for divorce. But the clerk frowned after examining it. “Ms. Hayes, your marriage certificate is a fake. It holds no legal validity whatsoever, so you can’t file for divorce based on this.” I froze, then suddenly remembered the day we remarried. Caleb had said it was too crowded at the office, and waiting in line would be tiring. He’d arranged for a friend to handle the paperwork, telling me to just wait at home. Back then, I was touched by his thoughtfulness. Now I realized that this remarriage, from beginning to end, was nothing but a sham. I clutched the fake certificate, my fingertips white, but then I laughed aloud. Good. It saved me the trouble of divorcing. When I got home, Caleb was already waiting for me on the sofa. “Layla, why did you check out of the hospital alone? Why didn’t you wait for me to pick you up?” “Are you still upset about the cake? Can you forgive me? As an apology, how about I take you to an auction to buy you a present?” I didn’t want to go, but Caleb didn’t give me a choice, pulling me out the door. Once we arrived, I immediately spotted Serena Thorne in the crowd. She wore a striking red gown, the heirloom bracelet meant for the Caldwell family’s true daughter-in-law glistening on her wrist. Noticing my gaze on Serena, Caleb hastily explained, “Layla, I don’t know why Serena is here. I haven’t been in touch with her for a long time.” “If you’re unhappy, I’ll have someone remove her right now.” I forced a smile, too tired to expose his lies. “No need.” It was just an act for my benefit anyway. The auction soon began, and I was indifferent throughout. But Caleb acted as if he genuinely wanted to make it up to me. Whenever I so much as glanced at an item, he would immediately raise his paddle. In a short while, he had acquired many things. People around us cast envious glances, but a terrible premonition bloomed in my heart. My premonition soon came true. When the ruby necklace, the grand finale item, was brought out, Serena was the first to raise her paddle. “Ten million.” I thought Caleb wouldn’t dare bid against Serena, but he didn’t hesitate to raise his paddle. “Fifteen million.” Meeting my astonished gaze, he gave me an affectionate smile. “You didn’t like any of the other things we bid on. You’ll definitely love this final necklace, right?” I was about to shake my head, but he had already turned his attention back to bidding against Serena. After a tense bidding war, Caleb made a decisive gesture. “Sold!” Suddenly, the entire room erupted. Everyone’s gaze at me was no longer just envy. I felt a pang of agony. Turning my head, I met Serena’s knowing, mocking eyes, and my heart sank. Caleb ultimately won the bid for the ruby necklace. But when the auction ended and the staff came to collect payment, he was nowhere to be found. My face went pale at the astronomical sum. I tried calling him, but only heard the voicemail message saying his phone was off. The staff’s expression slowly changed. The looks from the people around me shifted from envy to mockery. “Caleb Caldwell’s wife, can she actually not afford it?” “I thought Caleb doted on his wife so much. Turns out it was all fake.” “Maybe this woman deliberately latched onto Caleb and came to the auction, wanting to show off and buy expensive jewelry, but Caleb didn’t indulge her at all. Now look, she’s totally humiliated.” The insulting words felt like a barrage of slaps, making me feel faint. The staff had completely lost their pleasant demeanor, sneering at me, “Mrs. Caldwell, can you pay or not? If not, there’s a breach of contract fee!” I opened my mouth, but finally, my voice rasped, “Alright, I’ll pay the penalty.” I didn’t have any money on me. I had no choice but to take off my necklace, my bracelet, and even my dress, to use as collateral for the penalty. The incident quickly went viral online. The hashtag #LaylaAuctionScam trended instantly. The comments were filled with ridicule and curses. I stared at the vicious words, my nails digging into my palms, but I couldn’t even cry. So this was Caleb’s true purpose in bringing me to the auction. He wanted me to become everyone’s laughingstock. I returned home, looking at the countdown on the calendar. Five more days.

I didn’t want to go out and face the mocking stares, but in two days, it was Grandma Vivian’s birthday gala, and I had no choice but to attend. The gala was held at the Caldwell family estate. As soon as Caleb and I arrived, I saw Serena Thorne holding Grandma Vivian’s arm, chatting intimately with her. She had the usually stern Grandma Vivian laughing heartily. They looked like a perfect family. I glanced at them, then turned to look at Caleb. I saw his eyes filled with tenderness, clearly moved by the heartwarming scene. Noticing my gaze, Caleb uncomfortably explained, “Serena is a guest Grandma Vivian wanted to invite. I couldn’t stop her.” “If you don’t want to see her, we can go upstairs and wait after we’ve given Grandma your gift.” I said nothing, but Caleb had already pulled me forward. After offering birthday wishes, he instructed a servant to bring over the gift. “Grandma, this is a birthday gift Layla spent six months meticulously preparing for you herself. It’s full of her heartfelt wishes for you, and I hope you like it.” Hearing this, Grandma Vivian shifted her gaze from Serena. She gave me a casual glance and said faintly, “You’re very thoughtful.” Seeing Grandma Vivian’s attitude, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. From the first time Caleb and I married, Grandma Vivian never liked me. After Caleb and I got divorced, and the Caldwell family and Serena were dragged onto social media, she disliked me even more. After our “remarriage,” to spare Caleb from being caught in the middle, I had spent six months carving a custom-made sculpture representing longevity and good fortune, intending it as a birthday gift to make her happy. I never imagined that before the gift was even presented, I would uncover the truth about our remarriage and prepare to leave. Before I could fully react, Grandma Vivian had already pulled back the red cloth covering the gift. A delicate urn was starkly revealed. Grandma Vivian’s face instantly darkened. She suppressed her anger, saying, “Is this the ‘heartfelt wish’ you spent six months preparing?” My heart leaped. Grandma Vivian was a traditional woman. Presenting her with an urn at her birthday gala was nothing short of a provocation. But how had my sculpture turned into an urn? I instinctively looked at Caleb. Before the gift presentation, he was the only one who had handled my gift. But I didn’t get an explanation from Caleb. Instead, I heard Serena’s gleeful voice: “Layla, why would you give such a gift? Are you unhappy with Grandma Vivian?” “Grandma Vivian, please don’t be angry. It’s not worth getting upset over someone so insignificant. Come see the gift I prepared for you.” She clapped her hands, and immediately someone brought over a gift. When it was opened, it was my meticulously carved sculpture. My heart sank. There was nothing left to misunderstand now. Clearly, Serena wanted to play another cruel joke on me, so she had Caleb switch out my birthday gift, making me offend Grandma Vivian. I squeezed my palms tightly, feeling only a chilling emptiness in my chest. I didn’t participate in the rest of the birthday gala. Instead, Serena and Caleb stood on either side of Grandma Vivian, chatting and laughing with guests, looking every bit like the Caldwell family’s daughter-in-law. My heart was bitter. With the heirloom bracelet meant for the family’s daughter-in-law on her wrist, she certainly seemed like the Caldwell’s daughter-in-law, didn’t she? Finally, the gala ended. Just as Caleb and I were about to leave, Grandma Vivian had Mr. Davies, the butler, stop me. Mr. Davies held up a whip and said, “Ms. Hayes, Grandma Vivian has decided not to dwell on the incredibly offensive ‘gift’ you brought. However, as a Caldwell daughter-in-law, you must learn respect. You will be disciplined according to family tradition to ensure you remember this lesson.” Seeing the whip covered in barbs, Caleb couldn’t help but frown. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he only said, “It’s just a few lashes, Layla. Endure it. Don’t make Grandma upset again.” I had long since abandoned any hope for Caleb. Hearing his words, I simply nodded, my voice hoarse. “Okay.” I was quickly led to the family shrine. Mr. Davies wielded the whip, lashing me again and again. The whip sliced through the air, striking me brutally. As it recoiled, its barbs tore away flesh. After nine lashes, I was covered in blood. Before I lost consciousness, I calculated the time. Two more days. The final two days.

When I woke again, I found myself in our familiar bedroom. Caleb was gently applying medicine to my wounds, a tenderness in his eyes he himself hadn’t noticed. He didn’t realize I was awake. After finishing the dressing and bandaging, he left the room. The door didn’t close tightly. Through the crack, I heard him on the phone with Serena Thorne. “Caleb, I have a new idea. Lots of people are into wilderness survival lately. I just found a remote mountain. How about you trick Layla into going there and abandon her for a couple of days?” “Just imagining her lost on a wild mountain, unable to find you, afraid to leave, forced to eat bark when she’s hungry and drink her own urine when she’s thirsty—I find it absolutely hilarious.” Caleb seemed to hesitate. “Layla just got whipped by Grandma Vivian over the birthday gift, and she’s still covered in injuries. Maybe we should wait on the wilderness survival thing?” Serena immediately grew displeased. “Are you feeling sorry for Layla? I knew it. All that talk about me being your true love was just lies.” Hearing Serena’s words, Caleb immediately caved. “How could it be a lie? I’ll do it.” Listening to Caleb’s voice, my heart felt utterly desolate. In the past, when Caleb loved me, he would be heartbroken if I so much as bumped into a table corner by accident. But now, at Serena’s behest, he had caused me to endure nine lashes. My wounds hadn’t even healed, and he was already planning to send me into the wilderness to fend for myself. If that’s the case, Caleb, let this wilderness survival trip be an unforgettable memory for you. I relayed the wilderness survival details to the fake death agency, and they quickly responded. After reading their reply, I deleted all records related to the agency from my phone. After a day of recovery, Caleb found me. “Layla, you’ve seemed a little unhappy lately. How about I take you out hiking to clear your head?” I nodded calmly. Caleb had expected me to resist, having prepared all his coaxing words, but he was surprised by my cooperation. He paused, a vague unease stirring within him. But he quickly suppressed it, smiling as he stroked my head. “Layla is so well-behaved today.” Feeling the familiar warmth on my head, I could no longer feel any joy. After lunch, Caleb and I left. The car drove on. While stopped at a red light, Caleb glanced at me several times, looking as if he wanted to say something. I asked him, “What’s wrong?” His gaze lingered on my injuries, but when he spoke, he said, “Nothing, I just remembered you mentioned you had a surprise for me, and the date was tomorrow, I think.” I forced a smile. “You remember? Don’t worry, it’ll be a surprise you’ll love.” Even though I was smiling, I felt my eyes welling up, and I quickly turned my head away. Caleb’s unease returned, stronger than before. The car soon reached the “wild mountain” Serena had mentioned. Looking at the mountain before me, a ripple of emotion still stirred in my heart. I knew this mountain. It had been in the news several times before for tiger attacks. Serena really knew how to pick a place. And Caleb? Did he know there were tigers in the mountains? As I turned to look at Caleb, a tiger’s roar echoed. Caleb heard the sound but only frowned. “Layla, I forgot something in the car. You go ahead and start up the mountain, and I’ll come find you after I get it.” With that, he walked back the way we came without looking back. Watching his retreating figure, the last shred of affection I held for Caleb completely dissipated. I truly followed Caleb’s words and ascended the mountain. By the time I reached the summit, the sun had already set. The tigers and wolves in the mountain roared again and again, but Caleb, who was supposed to retrieve something, never returned. When the appointed time came, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I simply jumped off the cliff. As Caleb drove back, the unease in his heart grew stronger. What was that sound just now? Leaving Layla alone, wouldn’t she be in danger? His mind instinctively replayed Layla’s recent calm yet sorrowful eyes, and his heart tightened. When he arrived at the place he’d arranged with Serena, he pushed open the door to find several friends already there. But he wasn’t in the mood to socialize. He immediately grabbed Serena’s hand and said, “That mountain you picked, it’s not dangerous, is it?” Serena impatiently pulled her hand away. “What danger could there be? If you’re so worried, go back and be with Layla.” Caleb quickly hugged Serena, trying to soothe her. Once he had calmed her down, he started talking to his friends. It was exactly what he always did. But today, Caleb felt a strange dread, as if something terrible was about to happen. Time ticked by. Caleb’s phone received several calls, but Serena hung up every single one for him. “It must be Layla trying to call you for help. Just ignore her.” Caleb didn’t intervene, but his heart was already filled with a growing sense of foreboding. After another urgent call rang, Caleb snatched the phone before Serena could. But it wasn’t Layla on the other end. It was an unfamiliar male voice. “Is this Ms. Layla Hayes’s husband? We’re the police. We just received an alarm from infrared sensors in the mountains. Ms. Hayes has committed suicide by jumping off a cliff.”

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Last life, I impulsively divorced my ex, only to realize I was useless at earning money. I barely scraped by, ending up in a terrible state. In the end, I didn’t even have money for medical treatment, dying miserably in a hospital. He was the one who scattered my ashes. My ex-husband, on the other hand, had it all. His career skyrocketed, becoming a law firm partner with a seven-figure income, and he even reunited with the love of his life. His story was inspirational, a perfect happy ending. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I angrily filed for divorce. Alexander looked at me with an indifferent expression. “Your family’s on the verge of bankruptcy. Do you really want a divorce? Aren’t you afraid of starving to death?” That truth hit me hard, a brutal reality. But in my past life, I was too busy being stubborn, too focused on winning an argument to really listen. I even pretended to be noble, walking away from the marriage with absolutely nothing. Now? No matter what, I had to stick around until Alexander made his fortune and I could claim half of it. Then I’d use that money to live lavishly and date attractive men.

Alexander leaned on his hand, a familiar, humorless smirk playing on his lips. “Seriously, a divorce? Cassidy Hayes, have you found someone else?” There wasn’t an ounce of warmth in his eyes, as if they could burn right through me. How did I retaliate last time? Oh, I put my hands on my hips, stomped my feet, and climbed onto a chair. I tilted my chin up, glaring at him disdainfully: “Trust me, I’ve got eight guys lined up, and every single one of them is better than you. Alexander, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll sign those papers right now.” The agreement on the table reeked of my former arrogance. I hadn’t wanted the five-million-dollar villa, nor had I kept any of the luxury items he’d bought me, returning them all. My main point was not letting money ‘taint’ my perceived nobility. But after decades of roughing it, washing dishes in freezing temperatures for minimum wage until my hands were raw and bleeding… Now, looking at all those material things, they seemed absolutely adorable. Love? Without money, love is just a pile of trash. I immediately plastered on a sweet smile, my eyes crinkling as I looked at him. “Oh, darling, I was just talking nonsense. How could I divorce you? I love you so much!” “What I just said doesn’t count. You… you must be tired, right? I’ll draw you a bath so you can relax.” I snatched the papers and bolted, tearing the damn thing to shreds in the bathroom. Even the paper scraps were tossed into the trash and flushed away. The flush of the heated smart toilet was pure music to my ears. I couldn’t help but hug it, feeling its warmth. *Sob, sob.* No more freezing my butt off in winter. No more starving in winter. No more working grueling jobs for my dad’s medical bills and our family’s living expenses. I don’t know what I was being so dramatic about in my last life, obsessing over whether Alexander truly loved me. Even after he’d entrusted his entire fortune to me, I was still hung up on a few ambiguous texts. It took the crushing blows of life to finally understand the importance of money. I’ve learned my lesson now. I will never leave money again. I drew Alexander his favorite 96.4°F bathwater. Then I thoughtfully laid out the clothes he’d change into. Alexander stepped into the bathroom, and I was still grinning at the door. He stared at me for a few minutes, then quietly flipped the lock on the bathroom door. Me: … *Jerk. Who’s craving your body?* I headed into the bedroom and started tallying up my secret stash.

To be honest, for the first 25 years of my life, I truly lived like a princess. My parents ran a manufacturing business, raking in nearly eight figures in revenue annually. I was an only child, and all their love was poured onto me. My grades were always mediocre, but I was pretty and lucky. I barely scraped my way into an Ivy League university, where I met Alexander, who was dirt poor. Just like in all those novels, I fell in love with Alexander. I pestered my parents to fund his education and even give him startup capital for his business. After graduating, Alexander, to repay me, married me. And then came two years of a seemingly perfect but emotionally distant marriage. Alexander was a good man, but even good men can’t control their desires. He only felt gratitude for me, so even in bed, he never lost control. He was busy with work, dedicating a fixed hour every Saturday for intimacy. Any other time, I had to book an appointment with his assistant just to give him a kiss. In that lifeless routine, my ‘sensitive soul’ couldn’t take it anymore, and I started actively sabotaging myself. Thinking back now, I can’t blame Alexander for finding me boring. I became a housewife right after college, spending my days watching TV and playing games. Alexander and I didn’t just lack common interests; sometimes, even casual conversations fell flat. He accused me of being brainwashed by TikTok, and I thought he wasn’t as attentive or charming as other women’s husbands. That’s how our relationship slowly spiraled into a dead end. Lying in bed, I sighed deeply. *Cassidy Hayes, fate has been kind to you.* *A useless person with no real skills like me, and yet the heavens gave me a second chance? My ancestors must have been saints.* Since I had this opportunity, I resolved to live well. Forget about reversing the family’s decline or leading them to prosperity; at the very least, I needed to be a reliable safety net for my family. Just then, Alexander walked in, toweling his hair dry. He noticed I hadn’t changed, and a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. Right, it was Saturday, my designated ‘wifely duties’ day. Unlike my usual cold demeanor, I immediately rushed into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and changed into the special lingerie I’d kept at the bottom of my drawer. I’d bought it when we were newlyweds, hoping to spice things up, but Alexander had left for a business trip before I ever got to wear it. No time like the present. Anyway, we’d both be enjoying it, so I might as well get what I want. The moment I walked out, Alexander’s breath hitched. He seemed a little shocked, and there was some other emotion too. He spoke, his voice low: “Cassidy, you…” I silenced him with a kiss. “Shhh, time is precious. Don’t talk…”

Gotta say, a change of mindset makes all the difference. Before, I yearned for love, always fixated on Alexander’s every move. If he frowned, my heart would flutter, afraid he was displeased. If he groaned or pulled away, my heart would ache, thinking I’d done something wrong. But once I started seeing him as a means to an end, all those anxieties vanished. All I cared about was whether he was enjoying himself, if the angle was right, and if he was going hard enough. After three rounds, Alexander’s face was practically green. I looked up, trying to kiss him again, but he gently pushed me away. “I have court tomorrow, can’t be too tired.” Oh, okay. I’ve been ‘thirsty’ for over twenty years, so it was only natural I couldn’t hold back. He didn’t want to continue, so I wasn’t upset. I got dressed and out of bed. Alexander rolled over, looking at me with shock. “Where are you going?” Me: “To the guest room. This bed is a mess.” It was… wet. Uncomfortable. I’d catch a cold. Before, I’d put up with it to be close to him, but now I valued my own health. Someone else could deal with that discomfort. I slammed the door shut, leaving Alexander’s conflicted expression behind. The next morning, I slept until ten. He was already gone, leaving a note: [Business trip to New York for a week.] Underneath was a stack of cash for living expenses. Alexander liked to give me cash, I didn’t know if it was to humiliate me or what. I counted it: ten thousand dollars. Generous as always. I changed clothes, grabbed the money, and headed straight to the bank. As I walked in, I almost got lost. Nothing new there. I had my typical ‘spoiled princess’ syndrome; I didn’t know how to do anything. Even slightly complex environments could overwhelm me. Finally, I managed to flag down a staff member. They led me to the counter where I exchanged the cash Alexander gave me for gold bars. I then moved my own savings into a new account. After all that, I took a cab to my parents’ house. If I remembered correctly, their business was already in trouble, but they hadn’t dared to tell me yet.

The moment I stepped through the door, a palpable cloud of gloom hung over the house. Dad sat on the couch smoking, and Mom was scratching her head, staring at the computer screen. Seeing me, they exchanged a look and forced out weak, artificial smiles. They were about to speak, but I waved a hand, cutting them off. “Stop pretending. I know your business is in trouble.” My parents ran a traditional manufacturing business that had been hit hard by the internet revolution. They’d sunk all their capital into a project that had gone wrong. Now, their cash flow was about to dry up, and they faced a difficult choice. One was to risk it all again. The other was to liquidate all their assets, cover their debts, and close shop for good. In my past life, my parents, unwilling to give up, chose to risk it again. They lost everything, down to their last penny. My dad, already stressed, smoked himself sick with lung cancer. My mom tried to bounce back, but any money she earned was immediately used to pay off debts, making even basic living difficult. So this time, I cut them off directly and told them the outcome. “Dad, Mom, stop struggling. You’ve fallen behind the times. The factory business won’t get any better.” Artificial intelligence was developing too fast, delivering a devastating blow to traditional industries. My parents’ mindset couldn’t adapt, so their downfall was almost inevitable. They were shocked when I suggested closing the business. “What do you know? You’ve never been involved in the family business.” “Exactly! I asked Mr. Williams and Mr. Garcia, and they both said they’d help us if we wanted to risk it again.” Yes, those ‘uncles’ did help. And later, they became regular debt collectors. I smiled bitterly. “Come on, Dad, Mom, let me tell you why I’m saying this.” Hugging my knees on the couch, I told them everything that had happened in my past life. There was no need to hide anything from my closest family. My parents were deeply affected, especially my dad, who started to cry. “So, sweetie, for the next ten years, you were washing dishes and paying off debts? And you died alone in a hospital because you couldn’t afford treatment?” He gripped my hand, trembling. My mom didn’t speak, her head bowed for a long time. Finally, she looked up, both crying and laughing. “Okay. This time, we’ll listen to our sweetie. No more struggling.”

My parents started to liquidate the family business. Because they had accumulated decades of experience, even after deducting debts and losses, they surprisingly still had a few hundred thousand dollars and a house left. After signing the sales contracts, my parents stood in the factory lobby, sighing with emotion. “Worked so hard our whole lives, only to realize we’ve left nothing behind. This factory, this land, all these machines… they’re all someone else’s now.” I linked my arm through theirs. “Dad, Mom, don’t worry. Being alive is more important than anything.” Exiting the traditional industry competition now only meant losing a few million dollars. If they had continued to stubbornly hold on, they would never have recovered. My parents were now out of work and had a lot of free time. For a while, they didn’t know what to do and felt a bit lost. I took out the few million dollars I had saved and put it in their hands. “Dad, Mom, these are my savings from childhood. They’re all yours now.” “Even though I lived miserably in my past life, I also witnessed the rapid development of the times.” “The factory went bankrupt because you were always pushed by your work, with no time to learn new things. Jumping into new projects now blindly would definitely be risky.” “So, take this money, enroll in an MBA program, and learn some new knowledge. We’ll have money again when the opportunity arises, okay?” My parents looked at me in surprise, then smiled. “Oh, Cassidy has really grown up. What insightful words!” “Okay, Dad and Mom will listen to you. We’ll go back to school.” Striking while the iron was hot, I immediately found them top-tier executive courses. Two days later, they flew to Los Angeles to begin their classes. Meanwhile, I let go of the redundant household staff, handled security, and then returned to Alexander’s and my house. I found he was already back, reading documents on the sofa. Seeing me, he closed the file and slipped it into his laptop bag. He stood up, heading for the study. I ignored him, took a shower, and then settled into the bedroom to watch video editing tutorials. A friend of mine, an influencer, told me the internet was huge now. I didn’t have any other special skills, just this seemingly perfect life that I could use to fool people into thinking I was some effortlessly perfect socialite. I thought I’d learn how to make vlogs, just in case it took off. I was watching a video when Alexander pushed the door open and stood silently behind me. He asked: “Ready?”

I choked on my water. I instinctively glanced at the calendar. Oh, it was Saturday again. I closed my laptop, walked over to him, and stood on tiptoes, reaching up to kiss him. Alexander gripped my neck, pausing for a moment. “Wear the outfit from last time.” …Huh? Oh. After four intense rounds, I was the one who begged for mercy first. Alexander got off me, and I turned, intending to get out of bed. He grabbed my wrist. Me: “Hmm?” Alexander pursed his lips. “Sleep here.” Me: “It’s wet.” He immediately pulled fresh sheets from the cabinet and made the bed. “Not anymore.” Fine. I lay back on the pillow, and he pulled me against him, gripping my shoulder. Me: “Hmm?” Alexander: “I’m cold.” Fine. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep almost instantly. I didn’t know the person next to me stayed awake, watching me for half the night. I had a very long dream, reliving the days when I chased Alexander. From the moment he entered college, he was an incredibly brilliant figure. Countless people would gather outside the law classroom just to catch a glimpse of him. Alexander was distant and never truly warmed up to anyone. He only had one childhood friend from his village, Serena, with whom he shared a good relationship. After I set my sights on Alexander, I tried to find out if they were a couple. Before I could figure anything out, Serena left the country on her own, and Alexander’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. Pancreatic cancer, the king of cancers, was practically incurable. But with money, she could suffer less. Alexander was so worried he couldn’t sleep for nights. I went to my parents, got him a hundred thousand dollars for his mother’s hospital bills. Alexander’s mother finally got some rest, and Alexander came to find me. He said: “Thank you.” I said: “Don’t mention it. Just marry me.” I was transparent about my desires, and unapologetic in my flirtation. Alexander looked at me and smiled softly. At the time, I didn’t understand what that complex smile meant. Two years later, I finally did. It was the smile of compromise. The helpless look of someone selling their soul.

I woke up the next morning to find Alexander, uncharacteristically, not at work. He was setting out breakfast, talking to me. “Today’s a good day. We should go see your parents.” I was drinking my coffee, not looking up as I replied: “They’re not home. They went to Los Angeles.” Alexander paused. “To Los Angeles?” “Mm-hmm. I enrolled them in an MBA program. They’re taking classes.” “What about the factory business?” “It’s finished.” Alexander looked at me quietly for a moment. “Was that your idea?” “Yeah. I just thought it was pointless to keep it going. It would just drain them dry.” I wiped my mouth, went to the door to put on my shoes, and grabbed my bag. As I opened the door, I said: “I’m meeting a friend. Might be back late. See you.” Alexander was about to say something, but the door was already shut. I really was going to meet someone – my influencer friend, Brianna, to get some tips. Brianna was incredibly helpful. She meticulously explained how to set up an account, how to write a bio, how to boost engagement, and how to define my target audience. She spoke so fast, I couldn’t write quickly enough, and she even complained: “Your handwriting is like chicken scratch!” I bared my teeth. “I’m a slacker, what do you expect?” Brianna chuckled, about to playfully pinch me, but her gaze suddenly froze. “Holy crap!” I followed her line of sight. Not far away, a handsome man and a beautiful woman were walking side-by-side across the street. A car sped past, and the handsome man pulled the woman into his arms. It was Alexander and Serena. *When did she get back? Why didn’t Alexander tell me?* A flicker of regret crossed my mind, then I shook my head, dismissing it. *No more being love-struck. No more obsessing over men. Being love-struck leads to a tragic end!* I refocused on taking notes. Brianna had gone to the same university as us, so she knew about the three of us. She nudged me with her elbow. “Hey, isn’t that your husband’s… ‘special friend’? Aren’t you worried?” What was there to worry about? I already knew how it would end. In three years, Alexander would become a law firm partner and reconcile with Serena. On the day he proposed to her, fireworks lit up the entire city. The sky was dazzling, and I was huddled in a dark corner, being yelled at by my boss for accidentally breaking a dish. “You can’t even wash a dish properly, what good are you?” “Two hundred from your perfect attendance bonus. See if you dare break anything next time.”

I didn’t know that when Alexander pulled Serena close, he saw me pull my gaze away. When I got home that evening, he was standing by the window, lost in thought. My head was buzzing with new knowledge, and I was incredibly tired. I ignored him and went into the bathroom. But Alexander squeezed in after me. He was only wearing boxer briefs, but his presence was commanding. His handsome, profound face held an endless intensity as he searched my expression. “You saw me today, didn’t you?” Me: “Mm-hmm.” “Do you have anything you want to ask?” I shook my head. Alexander took a deep breath, sounding a little angry. “Why aren’t you asking?” I was confused. “Why should I ask?” What was there to ask? Whether I asked or not, wasn’t she still the one you loved? Alexander suddenly exploded, rushing forward and pinning me against the wall. His kisses rained down on me, overwhelming. His large hands moved lower and lower, igniting sparks amidst the soap suds. I trembled all over, feeling a little stifled. “Today’s Sunday.” *Damn it, it’s not our designated day.* Alexander, fuming, picked me up and carried me out. “I don’t care what day it is, I want you!” Money’s hard to make, and he’s a handful. That bastard Alexander tortured me all night. When I woke up the next day, my entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck, but the dog-man had already left for work. On my phone, there was a new friend request. The profile picture showed Serena in a business suit. She said: “Are you there? There’s something I’d like to talk to you about.”

Serena could dream. She wouldn’t ruin my mood. I immediately blocked her and went to the mall to buy a new laptop and a GoPro. Under Brianna’s guidance, I filmed the first vlog of my life. I was very clear about myself: I couldn’t pretend to be some high-flying, sophisticated professional, nor could I play the part of a spoiled socialite. So, I decided to launch my ‘Pretty but Useless’ Self-Rescue Plan, letting my followers see that, oh, rich people aren’t all the same. Thanks to precise positioning and relentless self-deprecating humor. I gained 3,000 followers overnight. Looking at the 99+ notifications in my backend, I couldn’t help but feel ecstatic. *Turns out, I can do something right too.* Just as I was sharing the news with Brianna, Alexander came home, bringing someone with him. He had brought Serena home. Alexander looked calm as he told me: “Serena accidentally spilled soup on herself at dinner. Her place is far, so she was wondering if you could lend her an outfit.” If I didn’t lend her something, he’d definitely say I was petty. I went into the bedroom and grabbed a casual outfit Alexander had bought me when we were newlyweds. Coincidentally or not, Serena looked incredibly good in it. She smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect you, Cassidy, to have similar taste to me. I loved this brand before I went abroad.” That was quite a compliment. I responded frankly: “Alexander bought this. I’ve never worn it.” “If you like it, you can have it.” Serena’s smile became genuinely sincere, and the hostility in her gaze lessened. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly… but I really do like it.” I gave her an eight-toothed standard smile, which made Alexander’s face darken. He frowned, losing control of his expression for the first time. “I apologize. My wife is just joking. You can’t have these clothes. I’ll go find you another set.” With that, he genuinely went and got another outfit, telling Serena to change. Serena stared at him stiffly for a moment, then angrily entered the bathroom. I thought, at this point, they were playing a game of cat and mouse, and tonight would surely turn into a dramatic showdown. Though it was a bit early, and my career hadn’t taken off yet, my family wasn’t in debt, so I wouldn’t starve. If Serena stayed tonight and they ended up in bed, I could use this opportunity to get a larger share of the assets. I definitely needed to keep this house, and a car for convenience. Savings… how much did we have in savings? Lost in thought, I opened my bank app and started checking the balance. I didn’t notice Alexander had already seen Serena off and changed his clothes. He stood before me, his face dark, looking like a storm was brewing. “What are you doing?” “Checking how much money I can get in the divorce.” I quietly turned my head away. Alexander yanked me up, sweeping my new laptop off the table. It was ruined. Before I could even regret the loss, he lifted me onto the table, leaning in to tear and bite at my lips. His right hand ripped at my collar, while his left reached for the drawer. This man’s temper was getting increasingly unpredictable. He was hurting me. I thought he was going to take it further. But Alexander suddenly stopped. He buried his head in my neck, his hot breath making me tremble. He couldn’t stop himself from muttering in frustration. “Why aren’t you angry?” “Cassidy Hayes, don’t you love me anymore?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299135”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring #玄幻Fantasy

My Ex-Lover Wants Me Back? In Your Dreams! When I left Damian, everyone thought it was a tragedy. After all, I was the one who had been with him the longest, the one most likely to marry him. I’d even given him a son and a daughter. When I brought up breaking up, Damian was leaning back on the sofa, dangling a toy, amusing the kids. “If you leave, you’ll never see these little ones again. Think carefully.” I nodded. “I’m getting married. He doesn’t mind my age, he doesn’t mind that I’m not beautiful, and he doesn’t mind my past with you… I want to marry him.” Damian’s hand, shaking the rattle, paused. After a long moment, he gave a careless laugh. “Fine, suit yourself.” He was so utterly indifferent. So much so that later, when he’d ruined my husband’s company, forced me to divorce, and begged me to pity him, holding our children close— I genuinely thought it wasn’t him. I was practically raised in the Thorne family, groomed to be Damian’s wife. I was quite beautiful as a child. But as I grew up, I became… ordinary. Among Damian’s succession of gorgeous girlfriends, I was dull and plain. Damian didn’t like me. But I had been by his side for many years. So, he allowed me to have his children. A son and a daughter, raised by his parents, the most doted-on grandchildren in the Thorne family. Everyone said I was the woman most likely to marry Damian. Until I voluntarily decided to leave.

It was a late autumn evening. The mansion was warm and cozy. Damian leaned back on the sofa, shaking a toy to amuse the toddlers in their playpen. I placed a fruit plate in front of him. And told him I wanted to leave. “If you leave, you’ll never see these little ones again. Think carefully.” “I have thought it over.” I fidgeted with my hands as I spoke. “I’m getting married. He doesn’t mind my age, he doesn’t mind that I’m not beautiful, and he doesn’t mind my past with you… I want to marry him.” Damian’s hand, shaking the toy, froze. After a long moment, he smiled calmly. “Alright, if you’ve made up your mind, then suit yourself.” He was so utterly indifferent. I silently exhaled, a wave of relief washing over me. Powerful men always have this twisted possessiveness. Once they’ve branded a woman as theirs, they won’t let her go, even if they don’t love her. Fortunately, Damian wasn’t like that. I wiped my hands on my apron. Damian was back to teasing the two children with a toy. His voice was light, mocking. “Mommy doesn’t want you anymore, does she~” The two children burst into earth-shattering wails. My body stiffened. I fled as if my life depended on it.

When the news got out, many people came to persuade me. Eleanor Thorne, Damian’s mother, flew all the way back from Europe, gently pleading with me not to do this. “You have two children, and years of shared history with him. Who could ever compare to you? “Those women he’s with now? They’re just pretty faces, nothing more. They don’t have even a fraction of the history you share with him. “The position of Mrs. Thorne is yours, Seraphina. You’ve waited a decade, why abandon it now?” I hung my head, saying nothing. I’d heard these words far too many times. From when I first became an adult, to giving birth to two children, to their first birthdays. Damian’s girlfriends came and went, a revolving door. Yet I, the “already destined” Mrs. Thorne, was still waiting for a wedding that had no end in sight. “I’m sorry, Eleanor, but I don’t want to wait anymore.” I looked up, softly cutting her off. I pulled a deep red invitation card from my bag. “I’m getting married next month, Eleanor. I hope you can attend. “As my mother.” Eleanor’s lips trembled. But she sighed and took it. She had brought me from the orphanage into the Thorne family, raising me as her own daughter. I had always thought of her as my mother. “Alright, I’ll go. But please, think about it again. “Damian cares about you, he’s just… like that. His words aren’t always true.” Eleanor spoke endless good words about Damian, until her throat was dry. Just as she reached for her teacup, the invitation in her hand was snatched away by Damian.

He’d just gotten back, looking exhausted, still in his overcoat, a chill clinging to his face. He flipped through it with a pleasant smile. Seeing the cheap-looking invitation card, rough around the edges, he gave a low, dismissive chuckle. “Has your taste truly fallen this low? “Even if you don’t stay with me, you don’t need to debase yourself like this, just picking up some random guy.” “He’s not random.” I clutched at the hem of my dress, my voice soft. “He’s a friend from the orphanage. He’s very smart and he’s good to me. He’s just not well-off right now… I believe he’ll only get better.” He gave a careless laugh. With a sharp rip, he tore the invitation card in two. “Damian!” Eleanor cried out, a mix of shock and anger. “What are you doing!” He ignored Eleanor’s outburst, simply looking at me with an indifferent gaze. “If you’re going, then go completely. Don’t take anything with you. “The jewelry and clothes the Thorne family provided you, the house my mother gave you last year, the shares – everything must be left behind. “If you want to suffer with another man, you won’t leave with anything that reminds anyone of the Thornes. Understand?” This was all to be expected. I nodded. “I know.” “If I’m not mistaken, the clothes you’re wearing right now, I bought those too.” Damian slowly pointed towards the door. “Strip everything off and get out.”

My face instantly went pale. Eleanor rose, as if to argue, but flinched under Damian’s icy glare. A housekeeper politely, yet forcefully, escorted her away. Her lips trembled as she turned to me, her eyes filled with guilt. She and Damian weren’t close. In fact, Damian wasn’t close to any of his elders. Damian was already fully in charge, and she couldn’t stand up to him. She could only repeat, over and over: “Don’t go too far. Talk things through.” Damian gave a faint laugh. He leaned back on the sofa, legs spread, and asked me with a sneer: “Why aren’t you stripping? “Weren’t you so determined to leave? What are you hesitating about? “Can’t let go of the Thorne family’s wealth and prestige, or… can’t let go of me? “If you can’t, just say so. No one’s forcing you out—” Damian’s words abruptly stopped. Because I had, trembling, stood up, tears welling in my eyes, and began unbuttoning my top. Garments fell one by one, piling around my bare feet. His expression grew even darker. His gaze swept over my body for a moment, then he let out a scoff. “You’ve got some nerve!” He was genuinely furious. He slammed the teaware off the table. Taking huge strides, he grabbed the blanket from the sofa and roughly wrapped me in it. Pointing towards the door, he roared at me: “Get out!”

Snow was falling outside the mansion. The cold wind howled. I sat on the steps, my body naked beneath the blanket, shivering so hard my teeth chattered. I was waiting for my fiancé to pick me up. The lights were on in Damian’s room on the second floor. Through the thin curtains, his tall figure was faintly visible. He stood there, watching me, unmoving, looking down. His fingers seemed to be twirling a wisp of smoke. I was numb with cold, my blood feeling like ice in my veins. I curled up, eyes closed, refusing to show any weakness. Damian was waiting for me to beg, I knew it. His indifference that day was just a facade. He’d realized, belatedly, that I was truly leaving, and now felt the humiliation of his possession being claimed. He was mercifully giving me a chance to regret. If only I would turn back now. A low rumble—the sound of tires on asphalt. A black van pulled up to the mansion gates. Its paint was peeling, and one taillight was broken. It was completely out of place against the backdrop of the luxurious, elegant mansion. A man rushed out of the driver’s seat, his face anxious. The moment he saw me, his eyes reddened, pure anguish on his face, as if he might burst into tears. “Seraphina!” He rushed forward and embraced me, his hot tears soaking into my chest. “I’m here. Don’t be afraid. I’m here to pick you up. “Let’s go home.”

Liam Miller was a friend from my orphanage days. I had actually forgotten him. Until recently, when he found me and declared I was the love of his life. He swore he would do anything for me. I slowly chewed on those two words in my mind, then suddenly smiled. “Then… will you marry me?” His grip on my arm stiffened. He froze for a moment. Then, his face broke into a joyous, astonished smile. “Really? I can marry you? There’s such a wonderful thing in the world!” I stared at him, my expression blank. Having been with Damian all these years, I’d witnessed the shifting loyalties of people’s hearts. But at this moment, in his clear, bright eyes, I couldn’t find an ounce of falsehood or pretense. They seemed full, overflowing, with genuine sincerity. But—sincerity? Did I deserve such a thing? A woman Damian had used and tossed aside. A woman who’d debased herself, bearing children for a man who refused to acknowledge her—practically a concubine— I almost laughed out loud. “Are you sure you want to marry me?” He nodded. “Then go die.” I spoke the words, filled with malice. I expected him to get angry and leave. But to my surprise, his eyes widened, round and full of disbelief. “Do I… do I really have to die to marry you? “Then you’d be a widow, wouldn’t you? “Can’t we avoid that? I’m perfectly healthy. Or I could just change your lightbulb for you!” I was speechless. Later, I learned that Liam had been adopted by wonderful foster parents. They were a loving couple, their family harmonious. He grew up bathed in love, living a life completely opposite to mine. That’s how he developed his slightly naive, somewhat innocent personality. He was serious about wanting to marry me. From the moment I agreed, he had been planning our wedding for a long time.

Liam picked me up, intending to leave. He’d barely taken two steps when we were surrounded by bodyguards. The Thorne family’s bodyguards were all ex-military, in black suits, all muscle, their faces stern and intimidating. Mr. Finch, the butler, bowed respectfully. “Miss Seraphina, the young master has instructed that if you wish to leave, you must repay the Thorne family for the expenses of your upbringing over the years. “A total of one hundred and thirty million.” I poked my head out from under the blanket. My body was so numb with cold, I could barely feel anything. Even facing an absolutely astronomical sum like that, my heart couldn’t stir a single ripple of emotion within me. I looked back up at the second floor. Damian’s tall figure stood heavily by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down. His silhouette was blurred, but I could still feel his suffocatingly oppressive presence. “Truly ruthless.” I murmured to myself. Mr. Finch looked pained. “Miss Seraphina, if you just be a little yielding with the master, everything will be fine. You’re different to him, after all.” “What’s different? He’s still just as ruthless as ever.” I gave a low laugh. I nestled my head further into Liam’s embrace, then extended my bare arm and wrapped it around his neck. “Liam, what should we do? So much money. It’s terrifying.” He tightened his arms around me, gently patting my back to comfort me. “Don’t worry, I’m here!” He was actually a bit nervous. The Miller family was just moderately well-off; a sum that large was something he couldn’t even imagine. But he didn’t abandon me. Instead, he held me closer, then, gathering his courage, looked up at Mr. Finch. “We’ll certainly pay back what we owe, but it can’t just be whatever amount you say. You need to provide proof!” Mr. Finch’s smile remained unchanged. “Of course, the proof will be provided shortly. “To prevent Miss Seraphina from getting cold, perhaps you both would like to rest inside the mansion for a while.” He politely gestured them in. Liam was a good kid, fresh out of college, and when someone was kind to him, he instinctively wanted to comply. “Don’t go in.” I patted Liam’s hand, stopping him from walking towards the mansion. I looked up, addressing the shadowy figure behind the floor-to-ceiling window, and smiled. “Mr. Finch, please tell Damian that if he doesn’t let me leave today, I’ll end it all right here. “I say it, I mean it.”

Mr. Finch was gone for a long time. So long that I grew drowsy. Liam had held me the entire time. He seemed a little tired, lowering his head to touch my nose with his forehead, then straightened up, blushing. “Seraphina, you smell so good…” Clapping sounds echoed. The crisp sound of leather shoes on the hall floor. I looked up. Damian, impeccably dressed, leaned against the doorframe, lazily watching us, and let out a scoff. “You chose such a penniless nobody just to get yourself married?” I closed my eyes, not looking at him. “Master, please, just let it go. You have no shortage of women. Please…” “I’d like to let it go, but the Thorne family has traditions, Seraphina. Those who defy certain oaths… pay a price. Thirty lashes. Do you remember?” He watched me with a smirk. “Family traditions are absolute. I can’t go against them. As soon as you endure thirty lashes, I’ll no longer stand in your way.” I froze for a moment, utterly bewildered. The Thorne family upheld their vows strictly, and I knew about their traditions concerning oaths. But Damian was the current head of the family! Everyone in the Thorne family relied on him; if he didn’t bring it up, who would dare raise an objection? He was deliberately making things difficult for me! After the words “thirty lashes” fell, the room plunged into a deathly silence. Mr. Finch looked at me, then at Damian, disapprovingly, finally sighing helplessly. “Miss Seraphina, just try to be a little yielding with the master. He was actually already making arrangements for your wedding to him—” “Silence!” Damian cut him off coldly. His narrow, predatory eyes fixated on me. Seeing that I had no intention of begging, he turned to Mr. Finch. “Prepare everything.”

I wore clothes borrowed from a maid, kneeling on the cold marble floor, my knees throbbing with pain. When family traditions were upheld, every member of the Thorne family was expected to witness the proceedings. There were people I knew, people I didn’t, and many enemies who had always resented me, now eagerly gathered to witness my downfall. “I knew it. Damian never cared for that woman, no matter that she bore him two children. A self-degrading harlot!” “She’s a pitiable soul, too. Ah, a mother subjected to family law means those two children are out of the running for inheritance.” “Thirty lashes! Will that woman even survive?” The surrounding voices were fragmented and annoying. Naked, undisguised malice fell squarely on my shoulders, on my back. I remembered a time, long ago, watching a similar proceeding in the Thorne family, clutching Damian’s sleeve, terrified. I asked if one day I, too, would kneel there and be beaten. He smiled, stroking my head. “Silly girl, you belong to me. Who would dare touch you? “I’ll protect you. Don’t be afraid.” And now, the man who promised to protect me was wiping dust from a dust-covered leather whip with a handkerchief. He was going to carry out the punishment himself. I trembled and closed my eyes. The crisp sound of leather shoes on the ground. The whip tapped my shoulder. Damian didn’t look at me. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the grand portrait of his stern-faced grandfather above the fireplace, his voice melodious. “You can still regret it now, it’s not too late.” I smiled faintly. “Master, I have no way back.” “What do you mean, no way?” He bent down, closer to me, wiping a tear from my eye, and whispered: “With me, you could practically bring down the sky, and no one would dare question you. “Come back. I’ll marry you. You’ll be Mrs. Thorne. Everyone who’s cursing and mocking you now will cower at your feet, desperate to please you. “Think it over carefully, don’t be stubborn, Seraphina.” Damian, with his immense pride, always used to being worshipped, was practically showing weakness by saying such things to me. His dark eyes watched me unblinking. A clear meaning shone in them: He was waiting for me to turn back. If I did, a grand future, a life of luxury, awaited. But I looked up, meeting his eyes, my fingertips trembling with an odd, almost exhilarating thrill. I heard myself say: “No, Master. “I’ve fallen in love with him. I won’t marry anyone else.” The dull sound of the whip lashing my back. Damian struck five times. An unprecedented chill and ruthlessness permeated him, and Mr. Finch didn’t even know how to intervene. I knelt on the ground in a sorry state, my back streaming with blood. Crimson drops dripped one by one, and tears, from the pain, uncontrollably welled up. Damian’s voice was cold. “I’ll give you one last chance. Do you want to come back?” I shook my head. Damian scoffed coldly. “Stubborn.” He raised his hand again, bringing it down hard. The whip’s tail cut through the air with a chilling *whoosh*. But it didn’t land on me. He dropped the whip. His eyes were shadowed, and a terrifying aura enveloped him, like a vengeful demon from the darkest depths. “You may go.” He said. “From this moment on, you and the Thorne family are no longer connected.”

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My boyfriend of seven years, the man I loved with all my heart, was the one who personally sent me to prison. Just because his first love, Chloe, was assaulted by some thugs a few days before her wedding. He was convinced I was behind it, seeking revenge. I endured unimaginable torment in that prison. After seeing me reduced to a shell of my former self, my father jumped from a building, taking his own life right then and there. That night, I gave up all hope of living and plunged into the icy cold sea. Yet, Liam, a man who never believed in anything beyond himself, completely shattered. “If only Aria could live,” he screamed, “I’d give my own life for hers!” Women’s prisons are never as peaceful as they seem on the surface. On my very first night, I was dragged out of bed. Before I could even react, a heavy slap landed across my face. My ears rang with a deafening buzz, then came the second, the third… They only stopped when my mouth was full of blood, and I collapsed onto the floor. I struggled to lift my head, looking at faces I didn’t recognize, unable to speak. One of them looked at me, a sneer twisting her lips. “What are you staring at, huh? Mr. Hayes said to take good care of you, you disgusting homewrecker.” I trembled all over, my body aching, but my heart aching even more. Mr. Hayes? Liam? No wonder there was such a commotion and no guards came running. He’d obviously made sure of that. He hated me that much. Was I truly wrong to have loved him? But I couldn’t die, not yet. I still had my father; he was waiting for me. I couldn’t let him suffer the unbearable pain of burying his own child. I endured three years of that inhuman existence. But fate offered no kindness. The day I was released, Liam was there. I dragged my battered, broken body, ravaged by suffering, slowly towards him. The man I once loved to my core now stood before me like a devil, and I couldn’t even meet his gaze. Liam gripped my chin, forcing my head up to meet his eyes. “Aria Sterling, long time no see.” That chilling indifference in his voice made me tremble uncontrollably. He smirked. “What, are you scared of me? Didn’t you once love me to death?” I knew he was angry, and I scrambled to explain. “Liam, I know I was wrong. I stopped loving you a long time ago. Please, just let me go.” “But Chloe… she’s still traumatized because of what you did. How can I possibly forgive you for that?” He released my chin and motioned for his bodyguards. They grabbed me by each arm and hauled me outside. I screamed in fear. “Liam, please let me go! I truly know I was wrong!” They acted as if they hadn’t heard me, dragging me behind a car. They tied my hands with rope, binding me to the back bumper. Liam got into the car, the engine roared, and I was forced to stumble and run. Once we reached the bustling downtown area, the car slowed. Liam pulled out a speaker, cranked the volume to max, and started playing a looping message: “Aria Sterling, the former heiress of Sterling Enterprises, is a shameless homewrecker who framed her best friend to marry into the Hayes family.” Instantly, countless people poured out, surrounding the car. Liam simply stopped, letting everyone point, whisper, and gossip about me. I was terrified. Then, someone threw an egg, hitting me square on the head. Soon, more eggs, trash, and water bottles rained down on me. “The Sterling heiress is a homewrecker, how shameless!” “I heard before, she broke them up. To stop Chloe from marrying the Hayes heir, she hired some thugs to hurt her.” “This is exactly what she deserves.” Tears streamed down my face. If I truly were as malicious as they claimed, then this torment would be nothing but what I deserved—what goes around comes around. But the truth was, I was completely innocent. To this day, I had no idea about Chloe’s encounter with those thugs. I begged them to stop, to shut up, but all I got in return was endless curses and insults. The day I was released, Liam ambushed me at the prison gates. He handed me a white flower, his eyes gleaming with sinister malice. “This white flower suits you perfectly. Your father, Mr. Sterling, the former CEO of Sterling Enterprises, jumped to his death after watching that video of you. You were locked away, oblivious, and there was no one to claim his body. So I, out of the kindness of my heart, had him cremated.” His words pierced me like blades. My mind reeled, my heart felt like it had been struck by a sledgehammer, making it impossible to breathe. My father, who had loved me to his bones, had left me forever in such a tragic way. I remembered. When I first entered prison, they filmed the videos of me being humiliated. So, my father had been dead for three years. So, I had no family left. My phone suddenly lit up. It was a scheduled text from my father, timed perfectly for my release. Five simple words: “My dearest Aria, wishing you peace.” My father had died seven days after I went to prison. “Aria Sterling,” Liam called my name. “If you truly want to atone, I can give you a chance.” Three years of hellish prison, and my father’s life—yet, he still didn’t think it was enough. I suddenly found it all absurd, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Dad, in three days, it’ll be your death anniversary. How about your daughter comes to join you? Lost and distraught, I turned and stumbled towards my home. Every step felt like treading on knife blades, a piercing pain. But the moment I stepped inside, I saw the person I loathed most in this life. Chloe called out to me. “Aria,” she said, her voice dripping with false concern, “what happened back then, you abandoning me, it was understandable. Luckily, those thugs didn’t hurt you. I only just found out Liam sent you to prison; he never told me before. He truly went too far, and I apologize on his behalf. I’m so sorry.” Before I could react, Liam spoke first. “Chloe, you’re just too kind. That’s why she always bullied you. You don’t need to apologize to her. Everything she’s going through now is what she deserves.” Tears instantly welled in Chloe’s eyes. “Aria, Liam just loves me too much, don’t be angry. We’ve already bought this place. How about we just give you the house?” This was my home. Why would I need someone else to ‘give’ it to me? Gazing at the empty living room, my heart instantly twisted in agony. Every inch of my skin throbbed, as if countless blades were mercilessly churning inside me, threatening to tear me apart. It no longer looked anything like it had three years ago. Chloe slowly pulled a document envelope from her bag and tossed it onto the coffee table with a mocking smile. “Here’s the deed to your house. Now it’s back where it belongs. To me.” I stared intently at that document envelope. Three years of prison, countless dark and endless nights. The humiliation of being ‘specially cared for’ by fellow inmates countless times—all of it transformed into a raging inferno of fury. I rushed over, snatched the deed, and *RIIIP*, tore it in half. “What the hell are you doing?!” Liam roared, lunging forward. He raised his hand and, *smack*, slapped me hard across the face. The force of the slap made my head ring, and a trickle of blood instantly oozed from the corner of my mouth. “You ungrateful brat!” Liam’s eyes were filled with disgust and rage, as if he were looking at a repulsive cockroach. “I’m here today to make you sign the share transfer agreement for the company my father left you. Don’t play high and mighty with me; you lost the right to bargain with me a long time ago!” Clutching my burning cheek, I stared at him in disbelief. So, he hadn’t just come to humiliate me today; he wanted my family’s assets. I let out a cold laugh, my voice trembling but undeniably firm. “Liam, don’t you dare dream! I won’t sign it. This is what my father left me. I’d rather die than give it to you!” Seeing this, Chloe immediately adopted a pathetic, vulnerable look. Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice wavered with a sob. “Aria, please just sign it. I’m pregnant now, and raising a child costs money. Plus, Liam’s company has had some project issues lately, and we’re struggling with cash flow. Please, just pity us and help us out.” I looked at her hypocritical face, a wave of nausea washing over me. I coughed violently, each cough feeling like it would rip my organs out. Blood continuously seeped from the corner of my mouth, staining my clothes. During my three years in prison, I was tormented in every conceivable way by the people he’d ‘looked after.’ My body was already riddled with damage, now like an oil lamp flickering, about to go out at any moment. “You two… don’t you dare dream…” I managed to gasp out the words, my body swaying precariously. Liam looked at my state, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, but it quickly turned back to cold indifference. “Fine, seeing you in this state, I don’t expect you to sign today. I’ll talk to you another time.” With that, he turned to leave. But Chloe quickly grabbed him, whining, “Liam, just give me a little more time. Let me talk to Aria again. Maybe she’s just having a moment.” Liam hesitated, then finally nodded. “Alright, I’ll wait for you outside.” The moment Liam was gone, Chloe dropped her pathetic act, a vicious grin spreading across her face. “All these years, even though Liam was by my side, his thoughts would drift to you occasionally. Do you know how much that hurt me? Three years, and I still haven’t truly reached his heart. Aria Sterling, you disgusting woman, you don’t deserve his love.” I looked at her coldly, no emotion stirring within me. “I don’t care to.” Chloe was enraged by my words. She shrieked and lunged at me, yelling, “Aria Sterling, how could you hurt my baby?!” Just as she was about to reach me, she suddenly stumbled sideways, deliberately making it look like I’d pushed her. “Ah!” She shrieked in pain, collapsing to the floor. Her hands clutched her stomach, a look of agony on her face, and slowly, blood began to seep from between her legs, staining the floor crimson.

Just then, Liam, having heard the commotion, burst in. He saw the scene and roared, “Aria Sterling!” The next second, my vision went black, and I completely passed out. When I woke up again, Liam was gone. I tried to sit up, but my whole body ached as if it were falling apart. I decided then and there that I had to leave this place, go somewhere Liam Hayes could never find me. I needed money, and I needed to leave fast. Dragging my body, which felt like it was about to fall apart, I found a job at an upscale club. Carrying a tray of drinks, I pushed open the VIP room door and saw Chloe with her friends. I turned to leave, but Chloe called out to me. “Isn’t this the former heiress of Sterling Enterprises?” she sneered. “Look how low she’s fallen, reduced to selling drinks and faking smiles here.” The others instantly surrounded me. Chloe continued, “You just won’t go away, will you? Are you still trying to cling to Liam?” “Chloe, I’m just here to earn some money. Once I have enough, I’ll leave.” She pointed to the drinks on the table. “Alright then, drink all of these, and I’ll give you fifty thousand dollars.” Fifty thousand dollars. Enough to leave this place. I grabbed a bottle and chugged it down. One bottle after another. Finally, I couldn’t drink anymore, and I threw up everything. The bottle in my hand dropped to the floor, shattering into pieces. Chloe picked up a bottle and smashed it against her own head, then shrieked, “Liam! Aria’s gone mad with drink! She said I stole you from her and tried to smash this bottle over my head!” I struggled to lift my head and saw Liam standing in the doorway. He must have arrived without me noticing. He kicked me to the ground, then brought the bottle straight down on my head. *CRACK!* My head exploded with searing pain, blood gushed out instantly, blurring my vision. Chloe’s friends screamed and ran away. Liam looked down at me. “Aria Sterling, you dare threaten Chloe? You’re asking to die!” Chloe hid in Liam’s arms, crying. “Aria, I truly love Liam. I can’t live without him. Please, please don’t fight me for him.” Liam kicked me again, hard, then comforted Chloe in his arms. “Don’t be scared, I’m here. She won’t hurt you again. I’ll take you to the hospital first.” After Liam and Chloe left, a kind stranger helped me get to the hospital. Eventually, with no money for treatment, I snuck back home. Groggy and disoriented, I woke up, unsure how long I’d slept, only to discover I couldn’t see out of my right eye. I wasn’t scared. Instead, I smiled. It was better this way. At least I wouldn’t have to see Liam anymore. I gave up on the idea of earning money; all I wanted was to leave this place quickly. I pleaded with my landlady to give me back the remaining rent. The landlady grumbled and cursed, saying she’d never seen someone so young be so petty, asking for a few hundred bucks back. I knelt and begged for a long time before she finally agreed to refund the money. With the cash, I bought a ticket for the next available train. Anywhere to get away from here would be fine. At the station, I sat quietly in the waiting area. The announcement for boarding came on, and I happily stood up, only to find my path blocked. Without a word, they grabbed me and started dragging me outside. I struggled in fear. “Who are you? Let go of me!” They acted as if they didn’t hear me. I bit down hard on one of their wrists. The man cried out in pain and let go, then kicked me hard in the stomach. I was thrown to the ground, the pain in my stomach making me curl into a fetal position. I felt a gush of warmth between my legs, followed by a pool of blood spreading on the ground. One of them panicked. “How are we going to explain this to CEO Hayes?” The other said, “CEO Hayes said to get her there by any means necessary. In a daze, they dragged me into a car. After a long time, I was brought to a hospital. They took me into a blood drawing room. The nurse saw my condition and gasped in horror. “She’s bleeding! Get her to the emergency room immediately!” “No!” one of them barked. “CEO Hayes said Miss Chloe needs a transfusion, so draw from her. If there’s any delay, none of us can afford the consequences.” The nurse had no choice but to take out the equipment and start drawing my blood. The moment the needle pierced my skin, I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. I watched my blood drain away, little by little. Liam, if this is what you want, then I have nothing left to say. This is probably all I have left to give. My vision gradually blurred, and in the last instant before consciousness faded, I saw Liam rush in. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed, Liam sitting beside me. Seeing that I was awake, he spoke coldly. “You’re pregnant.” I froze. Could it have been that one time, when he forcibly took me despite my desperate cries, that I conceived his child…? I hadn’t even fully processed that news before his next words pushed me straight into hell. “You dared to sleep with another man? Typical Aria Sterling! But the baby’s gone now. The doctor said your uterus was severely damaged, and you’ll never be able to have children again.” The baby was gone… I could never have children again… I sat up, pounding on him with my fists like a madwoman. “Liam, what do you want from me? What have I ever done to you that you treat me like this?!” Liam raised his hand and slapped me. “Because of what you did to Chloe back then, dying a thousand times wouldn’t be enough to atone. But why would I let you off that easy? Making your life a living hell—now *that’s* interesting.” Seeing my pain, he actually smiled. “You’ll never be as good as Chloe. Only your suffering can atone for the mistakes you made back then.” With that, he turned and left without looking back. I was tired. Living was truly exhausting. I just wanted to sleep, peacefully, forever. After leaving the hospital, I arranged to meet Liam on the bridge where we first met. When he saw me, his face was grim. His first words were a warning. “Aria Sterling, don’t even think about getting any ideas.” I smiled, just like the day we first met. “Liam, I once loved you very much, so much that I lost myself. Later, I realized your heart only belonged to Chloe, so I broke up with you. I didn’t hire those people to hurt Chloe. You didn’t believe me, and there was nothing I could do. You sent me to prison, indirectly caused my father’s death, and stripped me of my right to be a mother. I can’t take revenge for any of that. Now, all I want to tell you is that falling in love with you was the biggest regret of my life. If there’s another life, I pray I never meet you again.” With those words, I turned and jumped into the sea. “No!” Liam’s voice came from behind me, laced with a rare panic. Tears streamed from my eyes. Finally, I could get some real sleep. Liam fumbled for his phone to call for help, but his hands shook so violently he kept entering the wrong password. In a fit of rage, he threw his phone, screaming my name over and over again… Liam suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized for a long time. Chloe stayed by his side every day, never leaving. Liam looked at Chloe, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. He remembered the things I had said. Could it be that those thugs really had nothing to do with me? But Chloe’s every word implied I was involved. Chloe pouted. “Liam, you haven’t really talked to me for days. Didn’t you hate Aria the most? Didn’t you want her to die? Now that she’s really gone, you should be happy.” Liam frowned. “Who said I wanted her dead? I just wanted to punish her.” Chloe asked, her voice tearful, “Are you… are you falling for her?” Liam said impatiently, “How could I?” Even so, Liam secretly sent out search parties, again and again, to the area where I had jumped, but all came back empty-handed. Chloe sensed Liam was growing increasingly distant. One day, she suddenly fainted. Liam rushed her to the hospital. The doctor told him Chloe was pregnant. When Chloe woke up, she clutched Liam’s hand, overjoyed. “Liam, this is wonderful! We’re having a baby! I’m going to be a mother!” Liam froze, then murmured to himself, “She was going to be a mother too… but because of me, she can never be a mother again.” Chloe gently shook his hand. “Liam, what’s wrong? You’re going to be a father. Aren’t you happy?” Liam smiled, but as he smiled, tears streamed down his face. “I’m going to be a father…”

He should have been happy, having a child with the woman he loved most, yet his thoughts drifted to me. The next day, Liam went to the hospital to see Chloe. As he reached her hospital room, he was about to push the door open when he heard her talking to someone. “Chloe, you need to be careful. What if Liam finds out the baby isn’t his?” Chloe’s voice was filled with smug satisfaction. “Liam will never know. Even if he did, I could just twist a few words and fool him. Just like before, I only had to hint a few things, and he believed Aria Sterling hired those thugs to defile my innocence.” “You really are ruthless, staging the whole thing yourself.” “He liked Aria Sterling so much. If I didn’t go to such extremes, how would he ever have looked at me? Aria Sterling completely overstepped her bounds. Who was she to love Liam? He belongs only to me. She deserved to die!” Liam felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. The hand poised to push the door open slowly retracted. He had been wrong all along. He had blindly believed Chloe, thinking I was the one who had harmed her. Under her manipulation, he had hurt me again and again. He had personally thrown me into prison, letting the inmates torture me. He had tied me up and paraded me through the streets, then shown the video to my father, driving him to suicide. He had forced me to donate blood to Chloe. With nowhere left to turn, I had chosen to end my life. Each and every one of these injuries, these torments—they were all his doing. He thought of the words I spoke before I jumped, wondering how utterly despairing my heart must have been. Liam didn’t know how he managed to leave the hospital. Outside, it was pouring rain. He walked home, drenched. He drank himself into a stupor, and in his haze, he called my name. “Aria, how desperate must you have been to jump?” When he sobered up, he went to the hospital, dragged Chloe, and demanded the doctor perform an abortion. Chloe cried out in fear. “Liam, are you crazy?! That’s your baby! Why would you abort him?!” Liam’s eyes were bloodshot. “I always used protection. You know perfectly well if this baby is mine or not.” “I was crazy to believe your lies and torment Aria, finally driving her to jump into the sea.” Chloe couldn’t believe it. “You… you heard everything?” Liam didn’t waste any more words with her; he simply pushed her into the operating room. After the surgery, the doctor came out and told him it was successful. The baby was gone. Good. Liam walked out, when suddenly a nurse stopped him. “Mr. Hayes, I thought about it and decided to tell you. That lady who was brought in for blood earlier, her right eye seemed to be blind. And her body was already very weak; after losing so much blood that day, if she doesn’t get proper rest, she might not live much longer.” Liam stood in silence after hearing this. No wonder he thought my gaze at him felt strange; I was blind. He raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face. The nurse flinched back. “Mr. Hayes, are you alright?” Liam looked up, tears streaming down his face. The big, imposing man was crying like a child. “I was an asshole. I hurt Aria again and again. She said she won’t love me anymore. She doesn’t want me. What am I going to do…?” Liam returned home, lost and distraught. He searched every corner of the house, only to find not a single photo of me. He wanted to find any trace, any evidence that I had ever existed, but found nothing. He collapsed to the floor, remembering the days we spent together. I’d cook for him in countless ways, always trying new recipes. When he was sick in the hospital, I would stay by his side 24/7, afraid he might need something. I had loved him with all my heart, and all I got in return was a dead end. After Chloe was discharged, Liam grabbed a wine bottle and, without hesitation, smashed it into her right eye. Blood gushed out instantly, and Chloe shrieked in terror. Liam smiled. “Aria, her right eye is blind now. When you know that, will you feel a little better?” Chloe clutched her eye, screaming, “Liam, you lunatic! I’ll call the police and have you arrested!” Liam laughed maniacally. “Go on, try! I’ll just throw you into the ocean. Get out! And never show your face to me again!” Chloe was thrown out. Liam started dreaming of me every day. He dreamt I was still alive, so he continued to send search teams to the area where I had jumped. I never thought that five years later, I would meet Liam again. His hair was white, his face haggard, like a withered old man. Seeing me, his face lit up with excitement. “Aria, this is great! I knew you weren’t dead.” I didn’t want to say anything to him. I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm, his voice hoarse. “Aria, I’ve been looking for you for five years.” When I jumped into the sea that day, I was rescued by an eyewitness and taken to the hospital. During the months I spent in the hospital, I received several critical condition notices. On the brink of death, my entire past flashed before my eyes. Was I really going to end my life like this? I was not reconciled, so I fought and clung to life. I never expected that Liam would actually grieve for my loss. He had searched for me so extensively for all those years. But when I truly saw him, I only felt disgust. I looked at him coldly. “Let go of my hand.” But he held on tighter, his voice husky. “I won’t let go, Aria. I know everything now. What happened back then was all Chloe’s doing, a charade she staged. I believed her lies and wrongly accused you. It was all my fault. You can hit me, curse me, do anything you want, but please, come back to me. I can’t live without you.” Disgusted, I yanked my hand away. “Liam, you know what you did to me. How do you even have the nerve to ask me to come back?” He dropped to his knees with a thud. “Aria, I’m begging you, please give me one chance. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.” Seeing him so pathetic, I smiled. “Alright, I’ll give you a chance.” Liam looked as happy as a child who had just received candy. “First, dye your hair. I don’t like old men.” He was quick to act. In less than three hours, his hair was dyed. I nodded, satisfied. “Not bad, very efficient.” He smiled ingratiatingly. “For you, I’d do anything.” I didn’t believe him. “Really? Would you even give up your position as heir to the Hayes family?” Liam hesitated for a moment, then nodded emphatically. “I will.” Liam returned home and immediately declared he was renouncing his inheritance.

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I’m just your average guy, working his butt off. And I got completely enchanted by the new sales rep at the company. She was forty, but looked like a girl in her twenties. I was utterly captivated, even considering breaking up with my girlfriend. My name is Alex, and I’m just a regular guy working in a corporate job. I’m currently a manager at a medical company, a position that’s not too high, not too low. Just like everyone else, I was living my life by the book. Graduated from college, went straight to work. Been dating my girlfriend for a few years, and we were about to walk down the aisle. But for some reason, lately, whenever my girlfriend tried to be intimate, I just couldn’t drum up any interest. Until the sales department got a new bombshell. The moment I saw her, my body instinctively reacted. My heart, which had been silent for far too long, suddenly hammered in my chest. I pretended to be calm, sneaking glances at her through the glass of my office. “Isn’t that the gorgeous woman I saw on the subway this morning! What a coincidence.” Morning rush hour on the subway was a nightmare, people packed in like sardines. Luckily, this morning I finally snagged a seat. And then this stunning woman stood right in front of me. She wore a business suit, her skirt length just above the knee, Perfectly showing off her long, slender calves. Her dark hair swayed elegantly. A mix of apple-scented shampoo and gardenia perfume drifted into my nose. Her collar was slightly open, making it impossible not to wonder what lay beneath. I casually glanced around and noticed it wasn’t just me; Several other men’s gazes were fixed on her. Beautiful women always grab our attention first. Then, I noticed something that made my blood boil. A burly man in casual clothes got on, standing directly behind her. His large, grubby hand was shamelessly inching closer to *her*. His entire body was practically pressed against hers. “Damn it, I haven’t even made my move, and this pervert is already at it!”

I cursed him in my head, but didn’t dare make a sound. Considering his build, I was no match for him. Of course, no one around me spoke up either. Standing up for someone is a rare sight these days. Just as I hesitated, feeling indignant for this woman, She took matters into her own hands. She stomped her high-heeled shoe right onto his foot. Then, agilely, she moved towards the door and loudly admonished him. “Are you done or not, you creep? Do you want me to call the police?” “Seriously, get a life!” With that, just as the train doors were about to close, she jumped out of the car. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was genuinely afraid that man would freak out and do something extreme. Luckily, she was quick on her feet. It was a way of protecting herself. “Knock, knock, knock.” A knock on my door startled me, pulling me out of my memory. “Mr. Alex, hi, I’m Valentina, the new sales rep. Looking forward to working with you.” She walked directly to my desk, extending her fair, delicate hand. “No worries, just do your best. Here, performance is everything.” I shook her hand, feeling a surprising softness. Her eyes were smiling, stirring something deep within me. “Mr. Alex, I’ll take her to get onboarded!” Just then, my buddy Jake, who’s always up to no good, walked in, Breaking the awkward moment. He wore a sneaky grin, looking mischievous. “Alright, go ahead.” After work, Jake teased me. “Alex, you were totally mesmerized, weren’t you? I saw your soul almost float right out of your body.” He looked at me with a smirk and playfully patted my shoulder. I slapped his hand away.

“What are you thinking? Get your head out of the gutter. I have a girlfriend.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Well, if you’re not going to make a move, I certainly will.” I knew he was going to try and flirt with Valentina, but damn, I had a girlfriend. “Be serious, man. Don’t mess with her feelings.” “I’ll just try it out. If it doesn’t work, then whatever.” I felt a little annoyed, but didn’t say anything more. Back home, my mind was still consumed by thoughts of Valentina. And just as I opened the door, Chloe, dressed in something barely there, was waiting, hoping to spend an intimate evening with me. The scant fabric perfectly showcased her perfect figure. “Alex, you’re back! Do you like this outfit?” She twirled around. Leaving little to the imagination. Seeing her long legs and sexy body, I couldn’t resist pouncing. I can honestly say tonight was the most energized I’d been in a long time. Even Chloe praised my stamina. “Alex, what’s gotten into you tonight? So happy, so much energy?” I didn’t speak, responding instead with my actions. We both found absolute pleasure tonight. But what she didn’t know was, I pictured Valentina, the woman I’d only met twice, and that’s when a true fire ignited within me. Afterward, she fell asleep, But I felt a hollow emptiness and a pang of guilt. I shoved down those filthy thoughts, And tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. The next morning, as soon as I got to the office, I saw Jake hovering around Valentina. I don’t know what joke he told, but she kept giggling, covering her mouth. “He sure works fast.” I felt both helpless and jealous. “Ahem, Valentina, could you step into my office for a moment?” I deliberately interrupted their conversation. She walked in, giving me a chance to observe her up close. Today, she had her dark hair elegantly pinned up, revealing her long, pristine neck. Like a graceful swan. “Mr. Alex, is there something you need?” I pulled out a client file from my drawer, Gesturing for her to stand next to me. As I explained, I caught the scent of her perfume.

“Alright, Mr. Alex, I understand. I’ll go negotiate as soon as possible.” She didn’t seem to notice my scrutinizing gaze, Just gave a casual reply and left with the file. At lunchtime, Jake and she went out together to meet the client. To say I wasn’t envious or jealous would be a lie. However, when I returned after lunch, I overheard others whispering. “Wow, look at her, she’s so old, but still so charming.” “What are you talking about? She doesn’t look her age at all.” “Yeah, how can you say that? She takes such good care of herself, like a girl in her twenties.” When they saw me, they suddenly stopped discussing, but I was curious. I walked over to the computer screen and saw Valentina’s ID. “So she’s forty! You really can’t tell at all.” Valentina was a full ten years older than me. Yet, knowing her true age, I didn’t feel disappointed. A forty-year-old woman must have experienced a lot, She’d definitely be more experienced in love and life. Just as my thoughts were a tangled mess, and I was looking for an excuse to get closer to Valentina, That very evening, I received a voice message from Jake. “Alex, buddy, I’m at a hotel right now. Tonight’s gonna be awesome. I’ll tell you all the details when we meet tomorrow.” He was drunk, his voice full of triumph, even a hint of provocation. Faintly, I could hear a woman’s voice in the background. I immediately thought of him going out alone with Valentina to meet clients today. It looked like she had gotten drunk, and he had taken his chance. Furious and desperate, I channeled all my loneliness and pent-up desire onto Chloe. “Alex, I need to go home and see my parents tomorrow. I’ll be gone for a few weeks.” I stroked her face, responding absently. “Go ahead, take care of yourself.” The next day, I expected Jake to strut in, beaming and bragging about his conquest, But his face was unusually pale. I called him into my office. “What’s wrong? Too much fun last night?” He forced a weak smile and continued to tease me. “If it were you, you’d be the same.” “They say women in their forties are like tigresses, insatiable.” I wished it had been me. I asked him for details about last night, and he stammered, claiming he was too “overjoyed” to remember any. Then he suddenly said he needed to take some time off. I didn’t hesitate; I immediately agreed. “He must be completely hooked on Valentina.” But to my shock, less than a month later, Jake was dead.

The police found his body in a river, his internal organs had been removed. When I saw the news, I was utterly shocked. For some reason, Valentina’s alluring image suddenly popped into my head. “Could it be someone who was obsessed with Valentina?” Just as a sliver of suspicion flickered towards Valentina, A message from her shattered all my defenses. My imagination ran wild again. “Mr. Alex, are you free tonight? Could you join me for a drink?” “Just saw the news, I can’t believe Jake is gone. He was such a good guy.” At least she had some decency. Although the invitation was sudden, I had no reason to refuse. Plus, Chloe was visiting family, giving me plenty of space. Sure enough, that night, I successfully had her, But what I didn’t know was, this was the beginning of my misfortune. Following the address Valentina gave me, I arrived at her place right on time. She opened the door wearing a bathrobe, her eyes heavy with sleep. It seemed she truly felt comfortable around me. My gaze involuntarily traced the curve of her neckline, revealing a tempting glimpse, but she seemed oblivious. “Mr. Alex, you’re here?” I nodded. She was so drunk her words were slurring, And she swayed, almost stumbling. I quickly grabbed her arm, and she fell into my embrace. “Are you okay, Valentina?” She shook her head stubbornly, and I gently helped her to the sofa. The gardenia perfume completely enveloped me, making me feel utterly captivated. “I’m fine, I can still drink.” She picked up the bottle from the table and took a long swig. Then she burst into tears, full of grievance. “I’m such a jinx. Jake and I just got together, and then this tragic accident happened.” Hearing that, I snatched the bottle and took a swig myself. “Yeah, his death was so sudden.” She suddenly broke down, sobbing into the sofa, I couldn’t bear it. “Valentina, don’t be sad. What’s done is done; we have to look ahead.” Unbeknownst to me, my lips were already pressed against hers. We entwined ourselves together. From every angle, she didn’t look like a woman in her forties. When I woke up, I saw her injecting something into her arm.

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I was the only daughter of the city’s wealthiest man, and the price of that immense wealth? Ninety-nine kidnappings since I was a child. To ensure someone would inherit the family empire and keep me safe, my father arranged five fiancés for me. I chose the seemingly gentle and refined Julian Hayes. I naively believed we’d be a loving couple after we married. But on our wedding night, he dismissed all my bodyguards. The 100th time I was kidnapped, I was tied to the rooftop. The kidnappers taunted me while calling Julian. I whimpered, begging him for help, but all I got was his impatient voice. “You’ve been kidnapped so many times already; you never actually die. Why make such a big deal out of it? Scarlett needs protection. What’s wrong with letting her use your bodyguards?” After the call was hung up, the kidnappers shaved my head and severed my hands. Overnight, they finally grew tired of me, kicking me off the rooftop. As I fell, I saw Jaxson Thorne speeding towards me on a Ducati. He rode that black Ducati, rushing like a madman, reaching out to catch me. But it was too late. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day I chose my fiancé. My father laid out five photos, asking who I’d pick. I bypassed Julian, pointing directly at the wild, captivating smile in the corner. My father frowned, telling me: “Jaxson Thorne fell to his death rock-climbing on Eagle Peak last week.”

“Chloe? Chloe!” A voice yanked me back to reality. I jolted my eyes open. Before me was my father’s study. Five photos were still spread across the rich mahogany desk. I froze for two seconds, then looked down at my hands. All ten fingers were intact, no blood, no wounds. I… I’d been reborn? “What are you zoning out for?” My father, Arthur Sterling, frowned, tapping the table. “Pick one. Let him inherit the family business and keep you safe.” I looked up, my gaze falling on the photos. Five photos, five promising young men, all carefully selected by my father as potential fiancés. The one in the very middle was Julian Hayes. He wore a custom-tailored Armani suit, gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high nose bridge, smiling with that refined charm – truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In my previous life, I was fooled by that facade. I chose him, only to die on our wedding night. This time, I skipped past him, pointing without hesitation to the photo in the furthest corner. The man in the picture had tanned skin, sharp eyes, and a rebellious smirk. He exuded an untamed aura. Jaxson Thorne. My father paused. “Chloe? Haven’t you always liked Julian? Why Jaxson now?” “Dad, I choose him.” I clenched my fists, my nails almost digging into my palms. The memories of Julian’s betrayal in my past life and the searing anguish in Jaxson’s final glance churned in my heart. My father looked serious. “Jaxson’s too wild. He’s always hanging out in clubs and climbing gyms, and he runs a tattoo studio—hardly a serious career. How could he ever be suitable for you?” “I only want him.” My father sighed, picking up his phone and dialing. “Check Jaxson Thorne’s current status.” On the other end, Ms. Davies stammered, “Mr. Sterling, Mr. Thorne… he fell to his death during a rock-climbing competition on Eagle Peak last week.” My father put down the phone, sighing heavily. “Chloe, pick someone else. Jaxson Thorne… he’s gone.”

“Gone?” I stared at my father, disbelief warring with certainty. “No way. He can’t be dead.” My father frowned. “Ms. Davies confirmed the news. There was an accident during the Eagle Peak climbing competition last week. Search and rescue found his gear, but the person…” “I’m going to Eagle Peak.” I cut him off directly. “Don’t be ridiculous!” My father slammed his hand on the desk, standing up. “What’s there to see in a dead man? It’s been raining constantly on Eagle Peak lately; the mountain paths are treacherous. Do you have any idea how dangerous it is…” “He’s not dead.” With that, I turned and left. By four in the afternoon, I was at Eagle Peak. A light rain was still falling. I stood at the base of the mountain, gazing up at the cloud-shrouded peaks, worried. The rain had turned the mountain path into a slippery, muddy mess. My new Louboutin heels sank into the mud the moment I stepped on it. “Miss Sterling, let’s go back.” The driver, holding an umbrella, tried to persuade me. “It’s too dangerous to go up the mountain in this weather.” “No, I have to go up.” I shook off his hand and bent down to take off my heels. The icy mud instantly covered my feet, and tiny sharp stones dug painfully into my soles. “You all wait at the bottom.” “But…” “That’s an order.” I started walking up the mountain barefoot. Rainwater streamed down my hair. The rough surface of the rocks chafed and burned the soles of my feet. Every step was like walking on knife-blades, but compared to the pain of betrayal and humiliation in my past life, this was nothing. I didn’t know how long I’d been walking. The fog on the mountainside seemed to grow heavier. I leaned against the slippery rock face and suddenly saw a faint glow emanating from a crevice ahead. It was a hidden cave. I scrambled forward, using my hands and feet, pulling away the vines that concealed the entrance. The cave wasn’t deep. A camping lamp glowed in the corner, and beneath its light, a person sat. A dark outdoor jacket, neat short hair. He suddenly looked up at the sound. It was Jaxson Thorne. A living, breathing Jaxson Thorne. “Jaxson Thorne!” Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. “Oh, thank goodness! You’re not dead…” “Chloe? What are you doing here?” Jaxson Thorne froze when he saw me. I rushed over and hugged him tightly. His skin was warm. Though he was covered in dirt and rain, it was unmistakably the warmth of a living person. “You’re okay… I’m so glad…” I was so choked up I couldn’t form a complete sentence. Jaxson Thorne quickly held me, looking utterly bewildered. “How did you get like this?” He then looked down at my bloody feet, his expression instantly changing. Without a word, he carried me to a dry rock and pulled out a first-aid kit from his backpack. “Why did you come up the mountain without shoes?” He knelt on one knee, gently wiping the wounds on my soles with a disinfectant swab. My tears fell like rain. I choked out, “They all said you were dead… but I didn’t believe it, so I came to find you.” Jaxson Thorne paused, looking up at me. “And you came all the way up here barefoot to confirm it?” I nodded. He sighed softly. “You idiot. I’m investigating an internal mole in the company, and my current identity is inconvenient. That’s why I deliberately faked an accident. This whole thing is too dangerous; you shouldn’t have come.” “But you can’t just fake your death! Don’t you know I was terrified!” He looked at me, utterly confused. I continued, “Jaxson Thorne, I don’t care what you’re doing, but you have to be back in the city in a month. You absolutely must return before the wedding.” Jaxson Thorne froze. He slowly lowered my foot, a faint smile on his lips. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there for your wedding, right on time.” He misunderstood. I was about to explain when a sharp whistle suddenly pierced the air from outside the cave. Jaxson Thorne’s face changed. “They found us! You need to get down the mountain, now!” “Wait!” I grabbed his jacket sleeve. “You still don’t understand, I’m going to…” “Boss!” Before I could finish, a head poked into the cave entrance. “Those guys are searching this way!” Jaxson Thorne pushed me deep into the cave. “Hide, don’t make a sound.” He turned to leave, then looked back and added, “Take the small path down the back of the mountain, and don’t look back.” “Jaxson Thorne!” I called to him. “You absolutely have to be back on time!” He was already rushing towards the entrance. At my words, he paused but didn’t turn back, merely raising a hand to wave. “Got it.”

After returning from Eagle Peak, I immediately sent Jaxson Thorne the wedding hotel address. He replied instantly: [Received. I’ll definitely be on time for your wedding. Julian Hayes must be thrilled, right?] I stared at that message for a long time. He still thought I was marrying Julian. “Miss Sterling, Mr. Hayes is here.” Riley, my assistant, whispered from outside the door. I put away my phone, composed my expression, and calmly said, “Let him in.” Julian Hayes pushed open the door, his widowed sister-in-law, Scarlett Bell, trailing behind him. “Chloe.” Julian smiled. “Scarlett hasn’t been well lately, and I was hoping she could stay at the CBD apartment to recover. It’s close to the hospital, so it’d be convenient if anything happened.” “No.” I blurted it out without even thinking. Julian frowned. “That apartment is empty anyway. Can’t you just…” “I said no.” I cut him off directly. “That’s my property. It’s my choice who lives there.” Scarlett’s tears flowed instantly. She looked at Julian, aggrieved. “Julian, it’s fine… I guess I’m just unlucky. A jinxed woman like me doesn’t deserve to stay in Chloe’s apartment…” I scoffed. “Good self-awareness. It’s important to know your place.” “Chloe Sterling!” Julian’s voice was stern. “Scarlett is my sister-in-law, and she’ll be your family too. Can’t you be a little more generous?” I couldn’t help but let out a snicker. “Julian Hayes, have you forgotten? You’re the one who needs something from me now, aren’t you?” His face instantly turned ugly. “Don’t make it difficult for Chloe. I’ll just leave!” With that, Scarlett covered her face and ran out. Julian glared at me fiercely, then turned and followed her. I watched their retreating backs, a self-deprecating smile on my face. In my past life, I really must have been completely out of my mind to have trusted that scumbag. Three days later, the Dior boutique called to inform me my wedding dress had arrived. I purposely arrived two hours early, hoping to surprise Jaxson Thorne. When I pushed open the VIP room door, I froze. A strong, cheap perfume scent assaulted me. Scarlett Bell was twirling in front of the mirror, wearing *my* haute couture wedding gown. Julian Hayes sat on the sofa, gazing at her with a doting expression. I smirked coldly. “Take it off.” “Chloe… I…” Scarlett flinched, startled. She tripped on the hem of the gown, stumbling forward. Julian rushed to catch her in one swift motion. “Chloe Sterling!” He glared at me. “Scarlett hasn’t been well. The doctor said she might… she might not make it until our wedding day. She just wanted to experience what it’s like to wear a wedding dress. Can’t you be less petty?” I walked up to Scarlett, saying each word distinctly. “I’ll say this one last time. Take. It. Off.” The sales associates quickly helped Scarlett remove the dress. At that moment, Scarlett suddenly knelt on the floor and bowed her head to me. “Chloe, I’m so sorry! I’m despicable, I don’t deserve to wear such beautiful clothes!” Julian tenderly helped her up, then turned and roared at me, “Chloe Sterling, are you happy now?” I ignored them, turning to the sales associate. “Remember to disinfect this dress ten times. I hate dirty things.” Scarlett ran out, covering her face. Julian shot me a furious glare, then slammed the door shut as he left. Riley, my assistant, rushed in, breathless. “Miss Sterling, guess what? Scarlett Bell was hit by a car right after she left the store! I heard her leg is broken!” I picked up a glass of champagne and took a sip. “Serves her right. Karma.” “Oh, and by the way.” I put down the champagne, my voice flat. “Inform the wedding planner to change the groom’s name to Jaxson Thorne.” My assistant’s eyes widened in shock. “Miss Sterling, are you saying… you’re not marrying Julian Hayes anymore?” “Exactly!” I smiled faintly. “The man I’m marrying is Jaxson Thorne.” She paused for two seconds, then cheered. “That’s fantastic! That Julian Hayes and Scarlett Bell were always together; it was disgusting to watch!” I smiled, pinching her cheek. “For something as important as marriage, how could I possibly choose the wrong person?” Yes, this time, I wouldn’t make the same mistake.

After Scarlett was hospitalized, Julian Hayes stopped bothering me. I’d been working overtime for two consecutive days at the company, and tonight I was still there until nine. I yawned as I stepped out of the elevator. As soon as I reached the underground parking garage, hurried footsteps sounded behind me. Just as I turned, a sack was roughly pulled over my head. A familiar terror instantly swept through me. Memories of being kidnapped in my past life surged like a tidal wave. “Let me go! I’ll give you whatever you want!” I struggled desperately, but I was violently shoved into a car. The car was eerily silent. The scent of leather seats mixed with a familiar cologne. It was the one Julian Hayes always used. My heart sank instantly. I suppressed my trembling. “What do you want?” Silence stretched for a few seconds, followed by a deliberately lowered voice. “You don’t need to know that much.” The car screeched to a halt. He grabbed my arm, brutally dragging me out of the car. “Remember this lesson.” The metallic whoosh cut through the air, and the next second, searing pain exploded in my lower back. “Ah!” A golf club slammed heavily into my lumbar spine. The agony made my vision blur.

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My son’s gold-digging girlfriend immediately took all our family’s assets the moment I was diagnosed with cancer. She declared it was all her wedding settlement, and even if I died on the streets, I wouldn’t get a single penny of her money. Ultimately, she caused me to miss the best treatment window, and my condition worsened. With only a short time left, I pulled her with me as I jumped from the building. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the first time I met that gold-digging girlfriend. I could even hear her thoughts. Only then did I realize, she wasn’t the gold-digger after all. “Danny said Auntie wouldn’t even glance at anything under a seven-thousand-dollar necklace, but the one I bought was only twelve hundred. Still, that was all the money I saved from my entire semester of work-study. I gave it to him days ago, why isn’t she wearing it? Guess she really does look down on my stuff.” Chloe’s voice drifted into my ears, fragmented and uncertain. I opened my eyes and saw the familiar scene of my home, realizing I had been reborn. And I was back at the moment my son, Daniel, first brought his girlfriend, Chloe, to meet me. In my previous life, this supposedly gold-digging young woman, even before marrying Daniel, had a tight grip on his salary. She then used the excuse that a two-hundred-thousand-dollar wedding settlement was customary in her hometown, forcing us to sell everything we owned to gather the money for her. By the time I was diagnosed with cancer, there was no money left for treatment. I tried to discuss with her the possibility of returning a portion of the settlement for my treatment, promising to repay it later. But she flat-out refused, and even told Daniel: “All your family’s money is my wedding settlement. Your mother’s old life isn’t worth saving; even if she dies on the street, she won’t get a single penny of my money.” Her stubborn refusal to contribute led me to miss my treatment window, dragging my early-stage cancer all the way to terminal. Watching my remaining days dwindle, I was consumed by grief and rage. When she came to visit me, I grabbed her and jumped off the building. But I never expected to be reborn. In a daze, I heard her speaking—something about a gold necklace. What did that mean? I looked up at Chloe, who sat across from me, looking slightly nervous. That voice spoke again: “Auntie’s staring at me so seriously, is she unhappy with me? I shouldn’t have listened to Danny, telling me it would be awkward to give it to Auntie in person, insisting I give it to him early. I should have known to ask my parents for more money to get a bigger one. Auntie probably thinks I don’t care enough about her now.” Chloe’s lips weren’t moving, yet the voice flowed continuously. Could it be her thoughts? But when had she ever given me a gold necklace? In my previous life, she started trying to intimidate me a month before we even met. She said she wouldn’t eat fruit unless it was over fifty dollars a pound, wouldn’t eat meals from anything less than a five-star restaurant. Even the slippers she wore into our house had to be limited-edition, celebrity-endorsed. And when she left, I had to give her a large cash gift. As for her, she never spent a dime, not once. Even the gift she gave me was just a free sample from the supermarket. As I pondered this, Chloe glanced at Daniel, then suddenly stood up to go to the bathroom. Once she was in the bathroom, Daniel urgently pulled me aside: “Mom, why are you just sitting there since she arrived? Aren’t you going to give her a welcome gift? Chloe’s already upset.” “And the fruit, the food… it’s not what Chloe asked for, is it? Aren’t you obviously trying to put her in her place?” I was stunned. Daniel had said the exact same thing in my previous life. Back then, I’d immediately thought Chloe was too materialistic, not a good girl. That led to me having a strong prejudice against her later on. But judging by Chloe’s thoughts just now, it seemed she hadn’t meant any of that.

I looked at Daniel suspiciously for a few moments; I was starting to doubt him too. In my last life, this boy was too weak, his heart solely devoted to his girlfriend. When I failed to get the money and considered suing, he repeatedly stopped me, saying not to make things too tense, that they still had to live their lives together, and he would handle it. But when I lay in my hospital bed, waiting for my condition to worsen, his solution never came. This time, I couldn’t trust this ungrateful jerk one hundred percent. My face darkened, and I snapped, “What do you mean ‘put her in her place’? Am I putting her in her place just because I’m not treating her like a princess? I prepared gifts and cash, and she gave me a free toothbrush from the supermarket. It seems she’s the one who looks down on our family.” “I’m telling you now, even if you marry her, I won’t acknowledge it.” Daniel hadn’t expected my sudden outburst and jumped in surprise. He quickly pulled me, urging me to keep my voice down: “Mom, I told you, Chloe’s family isn’t well-off, she’s been through a lot. Now we should make sure she lives comfortably. Just try to accommodate her more, please don’t say those things again. What if she hears you?” The moment he finished speaking, Chloe returned. She looked at the slightly tense atmosphere between Daniel and me, startled. That thought-voice started again: “Didn’t I just give Danny a look to tell him to cheer Auntie up? How did he manage to make her even angrier?” Watching her sit down awkwardly, my suspicion grew. I cleared my throat and said, “Chloe, you’re still a student. Auntie doesn’t need you to buy any gifts. Just coming to visit is enough to make me happy.” Chloe looked puzzled, and her thoughts chimed in again: “What does she mean ‘didn’t buy any gifts’? Didn’t I give that gold necklace to Danny for her? Even if she dislikes it, she can’t say I didn’t buy anything, right?” I subtly glanced at Daniel, then pulled out a few toothbrushes from under the coffee table and tossed them onto its surface: “Daniel said you were so thoughtful, you specifically got me these free samples from the supermarket.” Chloe jumped, quickly turning to look at Daniel: “When did I ever give Auntie toothbrushes? Where’s the gold necklace? Didn’t you give it to her?”

Daniel’s face stiffened, but he quickly regained his composure. He calmly pulled a gold necklace from his bag, chuckling, “Oh, I forgot to give it to her. It’s better this way, you can give it to Mom yourself, it feels more ceremonial, doesn’t it?” Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. As she busied herself putting the necklace on me, her thoughts started again: “Danny is so careless, he actually forgot about this. Good thing Auntie asked, otherwise, what kind of person would I have looked like?” I frowned. Chloe in this life didn’t match the one from my previous life either. Could it be that she had prepared the gold necklace in my last life too, but because Daniel forgot, and I didn’t feel right asking for a gift on our first meeting, it created a misunderstanding? Then why didn’t Daniel ever give me the gold necklace later? Something else must have happened in between. And later, she still held onto our family’s assets, which led to my tragic death. I definitely need to investigate this thoroughly. Once the necklace was on, Chloe took my hand, smiling brightly as she admired it: “Auntie, gold really suits you, it matches your elegant demeanor beautifully.” I lowered my gaze to the necklace, a strange mix of emotions swirling in my heart. In my previous life, because our first impression of each other was so terrible, Chloe and I had very little contact afterward. I never knew she could say such sweet things. Chloe then turned to playfully scold Daniel: “When will you ever take my matters seriously? Last time I bought skincare products, I got a set for Auntie and asked you to deliver it to her. But you completely forgot and ended up using it yourself. Now you even forgot something as important as this?” I remembered the skincare incident very clearly. A month ago, I accidentally appeared in Daniel’s FaceTime call with Chloe. I was applying face cream at the time. Chloe saw the brand of cream I was using and chatted with me about it for a few minutes. But as soon as Daniel hung up, he claimed Chloe was angry. Because the face cream I used was apparently more expensive than hers. Daniel said, “Chloe thinks you’re too old to be using such expensive brands; you should save that money for your future grandson. Just stick to drugstore brands, she said.” At the time, my blood boiled. I immediately told Daniel that this girlfriend wasn’t suitable. Now, it seemed many things weren’t as I had understood them. Daniel nervously glanced at me, then wrapped an arm around Chloe, maintaining his playful grin: “I know I messed up, babe. Next time, I’ll make sure your and Mom’s matters are my top priority.” My heart sank deeper and deeper. All those things I’d once believed Chloe had done to me, she seemed completely unaware of them. Then what about taking all our family’s assets? Could that have had nothing to do with her either? Filled with questions, I finished dinner. Daniel drove Chloe back to school, and I immediately booked a full body check-up at the hospital. The doctor pointed to my test results and told me that a tiny lesion had been found in my stomach. A biopsy confirmed it was stomach cancer. However, thankfully, I had caught it in time. It was in a very early stage, with a very high cure rate. They just needed to surgically remove the affected stomach tissue and booked me for an operation. I sighed in relief; thankfully, I’d made it in time this life. On the way home, my steps felt lighter than air. When I arrived, I found Daniel back home, sitting on the couch with his head down, looking glum. The moment he saw me, he put on a tearful face and said, “Mom, Chloe said she wants a two-hundred-thousand-dollar wedding settlement. What do we do?”

Daniel wiped away a tear: “Chloe said families where she’s from absolutely have to have wedding settlements worth hundreds of thousands, and two hundred thousand is the absolute minimum. If I can’t come up with two hundred thousand, she’ll break up with me.” He grabbed my hand, speaking earnestly: “Mom, I just love her and want to marry her. Please, help me figure something out. Later, when I make big money, I’ll take good care of you. Forget two hundred thousand, I’ll give you even more!” I silently watched him: “First, explain to me what Chloe said about the skincare products.” Daniel’s eyes darted around: “I saw you still had plenty of your own skincare left, so I figured you wouldn’t need Chloe’s for a while. Plus, you used to give me your extras, right? So this time, I just took the liberty of using it.” “I just forgot to tell you, that’s all.” Daniel looked at me displeased: “Why are you being so nitpicky with your own son?” “Then why did you tell me she thought I only deserved to use drugstore brands?” Daniel started to act like a spoiled child: “That was just me misunderstanding her meaning by accident. I’ll be more careful in the future, just forgive me this once.” “Right now, the urgent thing is Chloe’s two-hundred-thousand-dollar wedding settlement. Mom, I’m your only son, you have to help me figure this out.” I wasn’t satisfied with Daniel’s explanation. He’d been a sly one since he was a kid; how could he possibly misunderstand something so simple? Was he up to something behind my back? And did Chloe know? So, I went along with his words: “Why don’t you invite Chloe over for dinner again sometime? I want to evaluate her character. If she passes, forget two hundred thousand, I’ll sell everything we own to get you even three hundred thousand for the settlement.” Daniel’s eyes lit up, but then he worriedly cautioned me: “When Chloe comes, you absolutely mustn’t bring up the settlement. She’s already unhappy, I’m afraid she’ll get even angrier, and what if the wedding gets called off?” I gave him a cool look. It was probably less about not wanting Chloe to worry, and more about him being afraid I’d question her. Daniel acted quickly, bringing Chloe back the very next day. But her expression didn’t look very good. She seemed rather distant even towards my hospitality.

Just as I was wondering why, Chloe’s thoughts chimed in: “Danny did say his mom was snobbish, but I never expected her to demand a two-hundred-thousand-dollar dowry from my family, saying anything less wouldn’t even let me through their door.” “Where am I supposed to get that much money? Is this a marriage or a business deal?” “Every time I meet Auntie, she seems quite nice, but I never thought she’d do such despicable things behind my back.” My heart sank abruptly. I had never mentioned anything about a dowry. Clearly, this was Daniel’s doing. Taking two hundred thousand from me, and then another two hundred thousand from Chloe. What exactly was Daniel trying to do? Connecting Daniel’s and Chloe’s contradictory stories. My mind reeled. Could it be that in my previous life, the one who held onto the two hundred thousand wasn’t Chloe at all, but my own son? No wonder he was so afraid of me questioning Chloe. But I had raised him since he was small; why would he do something like this? Why wouldn’t he even save me? I suppressed the discomfort in my heart, motioned for Chloe to sit down, and then sent Daniel to the kitchen to serve the food. Once he was in the kitchen, I pulled out my phone and, right in front of Chloe, transferred ten thousand dollars to Daniel. Then I sent him a voice message: “Son, take this money and buy Chloe some clothes. Girls these days love to dress up, especially a pretty girl like Chloe. Tell her not to be shy about spending it.” Chloe watched my actions, a flash of mockery in her eyes, as if she thought I was just putting on a show. Without time to explain, I quickly left, pretending to go to the bathroom. When I returned, I saw Chloe’s expression had changed. She was staring intently at Daniel, and her thoughts spoke again: “Why did Danny say Auntie thinks my clothes are shabby and that I should wear something different next time? Auntie clearly didn’t mean that just now.” “And Auntie also gave ten thousand dollars; why didn’t he mention it at all? What exactly is he up to?” I broke her train of thought: “Chloe, I invited you here today because I want to talk about the dowry.” Chloe seemed to finally realize something was wrong and snapped her head up to meet my gaze. In Chloe’s eyes, I saw shock, suspicion, and disbelief. She must have just started to doubt Daniel.

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One cold winter day, I found myself plastered all over the hospital’s internal forum, thanks to a seemingly sweet but cunning intern. She claimed that as the top cardiac surgeon, I was outrageously greedy for taking a hundred-thousand-dollar kickback all by myself. But they didn’t know that this six-figure sum was the annual performance bonus for all the ultra-high-risk surgeries in the hospital — surgeries only I was capable of performing. The entire hospital was tearing me apart online. So, I decided to give them what they wanted and submitted an official request: 【To foster unity within the department, I voluntarily transfer all high-difficulty surgical procedures to other qualified doctors.】 As soon as the announcement went out, the entire hospital almost ground to a halt. The senior attending physicians were practically camping outside my office, begging me to reconsider. … I’d just finished a twelve-hour aortic dissection repair when my assistant, Chloe, handed me her phone. The hospital’s internal forum had a trending post pinned to the top: 【Spilling the Tea on Dr. Aria Reed from Cardiac Surgery: A hundred-thousand-dollar kickback? How outrageously greedy is that?!】 The post was from an anonymous ID, but the profile picture was a pink bunny. I recognized it – it was Serena, the new intern’s, SnapChat profile pic. The post itself was simple: a blurred screenshot of a bonus breakdown, clearly showing my name and the “$100,000.00” figure next to it. The accompanying caption was dripping with sarcasm: 【Unbelievable, they actually just hand out cash like this. Dr. Reed alone got a hundred grand, while us junior doctors and nurses work our butts off for a few hundred bucks. Heh, my poverty really limits my imagination.】 She conveniently failed to mention that this hundred thousand dollars was the annual performance bonus for all the Tier 4 procedures performed that year. And in the entire Cardiac Surgery department—no, in the entire hospital—I was the only one who could independently perform ultra-high-difficulty Tier 4 procedures like Type A aortic dissections or giant ventricular aneurysm resections. The comment section had already blown up. 【OMG! A hundred thousand! Why doesn’t she just rob a bank?!】 【We in the ER work like dogs every day, and our year-end bonus isn’t even a fraction of hers. How is that fair?!】 【Figures she’s the best surgeon; she’s also the best at raking in money.】 I scrolled through the screen, expressionless, feeling like the life I’d just saved might not have been so worth it after all. Back in my office, everyone in the department was looking at me strangely. A few nurses who usually clustered together for gossip immediately fell silent and scattered when I walked in, their faces still betraying a mix of disdain and jealousy. My mentor, Dr. Arthur Jenkins, called me into his office, sighing. “Aria, how do you plan to handle this?” “Dr. Jenkins, you know, that wasn’t a kickback.” He nodded, then shook his head. “I know, but others don’t. You can’t silence a thousand voices.” I understood what he meant. He wanted me to back down, refund part of the money, and appease the angry crowd. Just as I was about to speak, there was a knock on the office door. Dr. Brandon Hayes, the Associate Chief of Cardiac Surgery, walked in, leading Serena. Brandon was a few years older than me and always prided himself on being my senior, but I always outshone him technically. Seeing me collect awards left and right, his jealousy was practically radiating off him. As soon as he entered, he adopted a peacemaker’s stance. “Dr. Jenkins, Dr. Reed, Serena here is young and naive. I brought her to apologize to Dr. Reed.” He said, giving Serena a nudge. Serena’s eyes were red-rimmed, and she gave a shallow bow, her voice trembling with a feigned cry. “Dr. Reed, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to. I was just… just so shocked by that number. It felt unfair, and I just wanted to ask for everyone. I had no ill intentions.” Her endless ‘I didn’t mean to’ and ‘for everyone’s sake’ apologies. That apology cut deeper than any insult. 2 Brandon seized the moment, his tone full of profound earnestness. “Aria, you see, Serena was thinking about departmental unity. And this whole thing, it’s not entirely her fault. The main issue is the bonus allocation plan itself; it’s prone to misunderstandings.” He looked at me, a flicker of undetectable triumph in his eyes. “How about this? You take out a portion of that money, treat the whole department to dinner, foster some team spirit. Then we can just let this whole thing go. Young people, you know, we should be more accommodating.” He spoke as if I had taken money I wasn’t entitled to and now needed to pay my way out of trouble. I watched their perfectly coordinated performance, a cold sneer on my face. “Dr. Hayes is right. My perspective wasn’t broad enough; I was too focused on surgeries and didn’t consider everyone’s feelings.” Brandon thought I was backing down, and his smile widened. Serena also lowered her head, her shoulders subtly shaking, feigning remorse and victimhood. I ignored them both and turned to Dr. Jenkins. “Dr. Jenkins, the root cause of this issue is that my skills have become a monopoly, hogging too many resources and leaving no room for other colleagues to grow.” “To foster departmental unity, and to give excellent mid-career doctors like Dr. Hayes more opportunities, I’ve decided to submit a request to the hospital administration.” I paused, watching Brandon’s face stiffen instantly, and then spoke each word clearly. “I voluntarily transfer all my scheduled Tier 4 procedures to other qualified doctors in the department. I’ll stick to routine Tier 1 and 2 surgeries.” Dr. Jenkins shot up from his chair, his face pale. “Aria! What nonsense is this?!” Brandon’s face instantly went ashen. He might have imagined countless ways to needle me, but he never expected that I would simply throw the entire package, risks and all, of this highly coveted “cash cow” right at him. Tier 4 procedures represent the highest level of expertise in the field, and also the highest risk. Success means accolades and bonuses. Failure means lawsuits and a ruined career. He had the audacity to be jealous, but did he have the competence to take it on? I didn’t give him a chance to react. Walking out of the office, I paused by Serena and whispered softly. “Congratulations. You’ve fought for the ‘fairness’ everyone wanted.” Serena’s face instantly drained of all color. My request report exploded like a bombshell, sending shockwaves through the hospital’s administration. Dr. Davies, the Dean, personally called me, his voice unprecedentedly stern. “Aria, who are you trying to spite? Do you know what submitting this report means?” “Dean, I’m not trying to spite anyone.” My voice was calm. “I’m just responding to the public’s demands. I don’t want to jeopardize the hospital’s unity over bonus issues anymore.” The Dean fell silent on the other end. He knew better than anyone that the most advanced equipment and specialized ORs in Cardiac Surgery were practically reserved for me. He knew how many VIP patients, from high-profile figures to those with incredibly complex conditions, specifically requested me as their lead surgeon each year, generating immense revenue and reputation for the hospital. Now that I was saying I wouldn’t do it, he, the Dean, would be the first to lose his seat. “Just calm down for a bit. I’ll hold onto your report for now. I’ll have our IT department handle the forum issue.” “No need, Dean,” I interrupted him. “Since everyone feels my presence disrupts fairness, I’ll take a step back. I believe the hospital can function perfectly well without me.” I hung up the phone. Not long after, Chloe rushed in, looking frantic. “Dr. Reed, it’s bad! The forum’s blown up again!” 3 I clicked on it. A new post had shot to the top. 【Internal Scoop! Dr. Aria Reed allegedly threatening to strike due to bonus distribution dispute!】 The poster was still anonymous, but the tone was even more inflammatory. 【Wielding her skills like a weapon, threatening the hospital’s very operations – is this a compassionate healer or just plain insatiable greed?!】 One comment below was highly upvoted, from Dr. Brandon Hayes’ burner account, I recognized it. 【I always heard she had a temper, but this shows such a lack of perspective. The OR isn’t her personal show; the world keeps turning without her.】 Serena even jumped in with her main account, posting a seemingly objective, but clearly pot-stirring message. 【As an intern, I’ve seen前辈s work tirelessly for patients, and I’ve also observed some imperfections in our system. I firmly believe our hospital is a caring community, and personal emotions should never take precedence over a patient’s life. I hope certain attendings can calm down and avoid doing anything that disheartens everyone.】 She positioned herself as a concerned ‘whistleblower.’ I actually laughed. It was infuriating. Just then, the ER phone rang. Nurse Davis’s voice was frantic and urgent. “Dr. Reed! The ambulance just brought in a critically injured patient – suspected Marfan syndrome with acute Type A aortic dissection rupture! The patient is already in shock! You need to get here now!” Type A aortic dissection rupture. The mortality rate climbs by the hour, and the surgery is the pinnacle of cardiac surgery. I grabbed my white coat and sprinted out. But as I reached the ER triage desk, a middle-aged woman blocked my way. She was the patient’s wife, her eyes bloodshot, her face filled with alarm and suspicion. She clutched her phone, the screen displaying that forum post, the one putting me on blast. “You’re Aria Reed?” She scrutinized me, her gaze full of distrust. “Are you the doctor who threatened to strike because of money?” Her voice was low, but it felt like a hammer striking my heart. The patient’s family’s suspicion drenched me from head to toe like a bucket of ice water. My fighting spirit, which I’d just mustered, shattered instantly. I looked at her, then at the patient in the trauma bay behind her, his life rapidly fading, and felt a wave of absurdity wash over me. I wanted to explain, but I knew that in the face of inflamed emotions, any explanation would be futile. “I’m not on strike.” The woman clearly didn’t believe me. She stepped back, looking at me like I was a monster. “I don’t care if you are or not! My husband’s life cannot be entrusted to an unethical doctor like you!” She yelled excitedly, “I want another doctor! Don’t you have other specialists in this hospital?” Dr. Miller, the ER Director, rushed over, his face turning green at her words. “Ma’am, please calm down! Dr. Reed is the only one in our hospital who can perform this surgery! Any more delays, and not even a miracle worker could save him!” “I don’t care! I want a different surgeon!” the woman shrieked stubbornly. Just then, Brandon and Serena also arrived. Brandon’s eyes flashed with a hint of pleasure at the scene, but he quickly replaced it with an expression of profound regret. He walked up to the patient’s wife and gently tried to soothe her, “Ma’am, please don’t get agitated. We understand your feelings, but saving the patient is critical right now. Dr. Reed’s skills are still trustworthy…” His words seemed to be defending me, but in reality, they cemented my image as “lacking in professional ethics.” Serena, ever so ‘understanding,’ handed the woman a cup of hot water and said, “Auntie, don’t worry. Or, we could ask Dr. Hayes; he’s also a very capable specialist in our department.” Her single sentence immediately gave the patient’s wife new hope. The woman instantly grabbed Brandon’s hand, as if clutching a lifeline. “Doctor, then you do my husband’s surgery! I trust you!” Brandon demurred, “This… this goes against protocol. Dr. Reed is the lead surgeon…” But his eyes kept darting toward me, full of provocation. Dr. Davies, the Dean, and Dr. Jenkins, the senior attending, also received the news and rushed over, practically in a panic. Seeing the tense standoff, the Dean looked completely overwhelmed. He pulled me aside, lowered his voice, almost pleading. “Aria, I’m begging you. Lives are on the line! Just take a step back, apologize to the family, and calm them down!” 4 Apologize? What was I apologizing for? For the bonus I earned with my skills? Or for the scalpel in my hand that could save lives? I looked at the Dean’s flustered face, at Brandon’s smug smirk, at Serena’s seemingly innocent yet malicious eyes. Suddenly, I felt incredibly tired. Then, I calmly told the Dean, “Dean, since both the patient’s family and my colleagues trust Dr. Hayes so much, then let him be the lead surgeon. As for my transfer request, please approve it as soon as possible.” With that, I didn’t look at anyone else, turning and walking towards my office. Behind me, I heard Dr. Jenkins’ furious roar, “Aria! Are you staging a revolt?!” And then the Dean’s helpless compromise: “…Alright, Brandon, you’re the lead surgeon. Aria, you provide guidance!” I didn’t look back. Guidance? A Grandmaster guiding a Bronze player? I doubted he’d understand. I locked myself in my office. Even through the door, I could sense the controlled chaos in the hallway outside. Nurses hurried past, equipment carts rattled, and Brandon’s theatrical booming voice commanded everyone, playing the role of the savior. Chloe knocked and came in, her eyes red. “Dr. Reed, are you really not going to do anything? The patient… he’s in really bad shape.” I leaned back in my chair, eyes closed, not speaking. My phone vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number. 【Dr. Reed, I’m the patient’s daughter. My mom is a bit emotional, but we looked up your credentials. We trust you. Please, save my dad.】 My heart trembled. But what could I do? The surgery had been taken over by Brandon. If I rushed in now, would I be proving he was incompetent, or stealing his glory? In the eyes of those whose minds were already clouded by prejudice, anything I did would be wrong. I picked up the unapproved report on my desk and signed my name on it. Time ticked by. One hour. Two hours. Suddenly, the office door burst open. Dr. Jenkins stormed in, his face ghostly pale, his lips trembling. “Aria! Something’s gone wrong!” My heart sank, and I stood up. “Brandon… he can’t find the rupture! He can’t dissect the vessels of the aortic arch, and now there’s massive bleeding! The patient’s blood pressure is unmeasurable!” I’d anticipated this. The most critical and perilous step in Type A aortic dissection surgery is reconstructing the three branches of the aortic arch under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The vessels there are delicate as a spider’s web, with an incredibly complex structure. One wrong move could mean irreversible disaster. Brandon’s skills simply weren’t at that level. “They need you to step in now!” Dr. Jenkins grabbed my arm, his hand shaking uncontrollably. “Hurry! Any later and it’ll be too late!” I looked at him and slowly asked, “Dr. Jenkins, if I go in now, what will that make me?” “Am I saving a life, or am I cleaning up Brandon’s mess?” “If I save him, the credit will be his, because he was the ‘lead surgeon’ and I merely ‘guided’ effectively. If the patient dies, the blame will be mine, because I ‘intervened’ at a critical moment and disrupted his rhythm.” “Either way, he’d come out smelling like roses. And me?” Dr. Jenkins froze. He opened his mouth, but not a single word came out. He was right. He wanted me to go, but what guarantee could he give me? Just then, my phone started ringing frantically. It was the Dean. I put it on speaker. On the other end, the Dean’s voice was choked with tears, the background filled with the sharp alarms of the monitors and the panicked shouts of nurses. “Aria! For God’s sake! I’m begging you! Please come now! The patient is fading! Brandon is completely panicked!” 5 I looked at the signed report on my desk and calmly said into the phone. “Dean, I have formally submitted my request to transfer Tier 4 procedures. According to protocol, Dr. Hayes is now the sole person in charge of this surgery.”

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I’m Skylar, the most renowned medium in this region, known for helping souls lost to water find peace. One day, a tycoon walked in, demanding I retrieve his fiancée’s ring. I waved him off, “Find someone else. She doesn’t want me to do this.” Damien Thorne, the tycoon, chuckled, pushing me slightly. “You’re turning down money? Putting on airs, are we? Just retrieve a ring, what’s the big deal?” More and more people gathered, all condemning me for being uncooperative. “Clueless idiot. You have no idea who you’re messing with! You won’t be working in this city ever again!” Seeing the rising chorus of insults, I turned and waved them away. “Go on, get out of here. If you don’t, I can’t guarantee your safety.” The words barely left my lips when the crowd burst into laughter. Damien, leading the pack, snarled, grabbing my collar. “It’s just a damn ring! Why are you so difficult? Annoying!” “Worst case, something happens, I’ll take full responsibility! You don’t need to worry about it!” He claimed I didn’t need to worry, but the sudden, unexplainable chill wind that blew through me made my heart race. Because I knew, today, someone would definitely die here.

It was the days leading up to All Hallows’ Eve, when the veil between worlds thins and spirits roam freely. As the most sought-after medium in this area, I was unusually busy this month. Especially today, my head had felt heavy and clouded since morning. My intuition screamed that something was wrong. Sure enough, by evening, I received a massive offer from Damien Thorne, the CEO: five million dollars to retrieve a ring. But when I arrived at the scene, the lake felt frigid, an icy wind blowing right through me. I probed Damien. “Mr. Thorne, are you absolutely sure you only need the ring?” “Of course! Can you get it or not? Give me a straight answer, I don’t have time to waste with you.” “Retrieving the ring isn’t the problem. But anything else… that might be tricky.” I could clearly feel a resentful spirit lingering nearby, likely trapped underwater, its silent cries carrying an icy chill. Just as I tried to pinpoint the source of the sound, Mark, Damien’s assistant, grew impatient. “Seriously, are you a legitimate medium? You have zero professional courtesy! You don’t even greet Mr. Thorne, and then you ask all these weird questions? What’s wrong with you?” “Yeah, we’re all waiting to party with Mr. Thorne! If you can do it, hurry up and get to it! Don’t waste our time!” I hesitated because I feared Damien was hiding something from me. That wave of resentment was clearly directed at him. Based on my years of experience, a single glance was enough to confirm that the woman currently nestled in Damien’s arms was not his fiancée. I pointed to the diamond ring on the woman’s ring finger and asked, “Mr. Thorne, isn’t your fiancée’s ring already on her hand?” “Ha! Open your damn eyes! This is Mr. Thorne’s adopted sister! Our lady is vacationing in Australia right now, you think everyone has as much free time as you do?” “Ugh, are you going to retrieve it or not? If you can’t do it, just get lost! Do you really think we have leisure time to waste in this godforsaken place? Take a good look at yourself, you’re not even fit to breathe the same air as him!” Seeing the irritation on everyone’s faces, I sighed. It wasn’t that I didn’t want the job. But today was a particularly sensitive day. Any other time, I might have just closed one eye and retrieved it. But messing with the spirits near All Hallows’ Eve is playing with fire. One wrong move and it could cost you everything! I wasn’t about to risk a life on my watch. After all, this was crucial for my reputation, and I couldn’t afford to be careless. As I hesitated, a cold gust of wind suddenly swept past my ears, making my legs tremble. I understood. This big job today was likely out of the question. I shook my head. “Mr. Thorne, come back to me after All Hallows’ Eve.” “I’m afraid I can’t help you now.” The words had just left my mouth when I turned to leave, only to find a group of burly men blocking my path. “You’re not going anywhere until you retrieve that ring.” “My family is holding a wedding banquet the day after tomorrow. If you mess this up, I promise you won’t see tomorrow’s sunrise.” Damien said, picking up an iron rod from the ground. “I’ll give you two options: either you get the ring, and my wedding goes off without a hitch. Or, you leave those legs here as a wedding gift to me.” “Your choice.”

I glanced at my reflection in the lake, then hardened my resolve. I pulled out a simple, aged coin on a crimson thread and turned to Damien. “Mr. Thorne, do you have a picture of Miss Hayes? I’ll need it.” “Pffft! So much fuss. With your amateur skills, you dare call yourself the best medium in the country? Aren’t you afraid of getting laughed out of town?” Damien didn’t ask further. He immediately pulled a casual photo of a woman from his wallet and casually tossed it in front of me. Before I could even pick it up, the woman in his arms frowned, her voice a sugary whine. “Damien, you’re secretly keeping photos of Evelyn from me, Brittany? I’ll punish you! No saying you’re tired tonight! You have to dote on me until I’m satisfied!” “Alright, alright, anything for my little darling. I’ll make sure my greedy little kitten is well-fed.” At his words, the same people who had just been yelling at me to get out of the city suddenly understood, cheering them on. Leaving me with goosebumps all over. But the next second, when I clearly saw the face in the photo, cold sweat broke out on my back. “Your fiancée… she doesn’t seem to have a complete soul. I can’t sense any consciousness in her.” At my words, several people looked at me with disdain and mockery. “Retrieving a few bodies and you think you’re some kind of deity? Do I look like I have a complete soul to you? Just spouting superstitious mumbo-jumbo, wasting our time.” “Damien, she’s been trying to scare us with all this hocus-pocus from the start! It’s so annoying! Since she’s so convinced there’s something weird in this lake, why don’t we just throw her in and see if she’s still so stubborn!” Damien listened, and a hint of playful amusement actually crept into his stern expression. I instinctively turned to run, but just as I did, several burly men grabbed my arms, pinning me in place. They dragged me in front of Damien, and then, a burning slap landed across my face. “Open your eyes and see! Whose turf are you trespassing on! This entire city is mine, Damien Thorne’s! Where do you think you’re going to run?” Then came another two brutal slaps, leaving stinging red marks on both sides of my face. Just as my head spun, and I was about to pass out from the burning pain across my entire face, the next second, a powerful sense of suffocation flooded my chest. “You’re the city’s best medium, aren’t you? Today, I’ll make an exception and let you retrieve yourself!” They grabbed my hair and forced my head underwater. The icy cold lake water choked my windpipe, making it impossible to breathe. Rage surged through me. I suddenly ripped free from the thick arm and snapped, “Do you have any idea that trespassing on someone else’s forbidden ground will cost you your life?!” “Since good advice can’t save a doomed soul, tonight, you’re on your own! Your life or death has nothing to do with me! Just don’t come begging at my feet when things go wrong!” Laughter boomed through the forest like thunder. The male assistant, Marcus, pointed a finger at me. “How arrogant can you be? You messed with Mr. Thorne! You might just end up dead in this city tomorrow, and no one will even bother to pick up your corpse!” Seeing Damien’s contemptuous and dismissive expression, I sneered. “Oh really? I’m more worried Mr. Thorne won’t live through tonight and *I’ll* have to retrieve *his* body.”

A loud, stinging slap, mixed with cold water, struck my face. The man spit at me viciously. “You must have a death wish! Don’t you know? The last person who was this arrogant disappeared from the face of the earth!” Taunts echoed from all around, everyone’s eyes mocking me as if I were a joke. “Forget tonight, Mr. Thorne could just lift a finger right now, and you’d rot in this water, and no one would ever know!” “You’re seriously out of your league, messing with someone like Damien! You’re either crazy or have a death wish, and you clearly need to be taught a lesson!” “She even dared to curse Mrs. Thorne as a corpse! Does she even fear death? Let’s see if she’s still so sharp-tongued after spending a night soaking in this lake!” Damien walked directly up to me, grabbed the back of my neck, and shoved me back into the water. “If I don’t see that ring within an hour, you’re not going home today.” If he didn’t care about his life, I wasn’t going to stop him. I nodded. “Fine. Let me get out first. I’ll find that ring within half an hour.” Suddenly, a heavy punch landed on my head, completely blindsiding me. Damien sneered, “Who said you could come up to look for it?” “I gave you a chance earlier, and you didn’t take it! Now you’ve lost all dignity, and you’re worried about appearances?” Several burly men shoved me deeper into the water until my feet no longer touched the bottom, only half my head floating above the surface. Damien roared with laughter from the shore. “Now, get your ass down there and find it! Don’t come up for air until you do, or I’ll beat you every time I see you!” He then threw the iron rod at me. “You’ve wasted so much of my time! Did you think I was some soft touch, easy to deal with? Today’s your lesson, so next time you see me, you’ll know your place and stop making a fool of yourself!” The iron rod hit me squarely on the forehead. Already weak and exhausted from the prolonged ordeal, I was now utterly drained and couldn’t exert any strength in the water. Soon, I sank under the pressure to the bottom of the lake, where it was pitch black, and I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Thanks to my early training, I could still breathe and exhale in the deep water, but this method would only last for an hour at most. If I couldn’t get to shore within the allotted time, I might truly die here. As I was momentarily lost in thought, a murky darkness suddenly appeared before my eyes. Then, a wave forcefully pushed against my back, propelling me upwards. When I opened my eyes again, I had been washed ashore by the lake water. The crowd gathered around me, puzzled. “Skylar, where’s Mr. Thorne’s ring? You dared to come ashore without finding it? Don’t you want to live?” I coughed several times, expelling some water from my windpipe, and replied in a hoarse voice, “That ring isn’t at the bottom of the lake. It’s on Miss Hayes’s ring finger. You should tell Damien Thorne to ask her for it.” “That’s hilarious! You must be out of your mind from drowning, huh? If the ring was on Miss Hayes, why would Mr. Thorne bother wasting his time with a charlatan like you?” “If you can’t find it, just say so! Otherwise, if we *do* find the ring at the bottom of the lake, you’ll be paying with your limbs! You’ll be too late to beg for forgiveness then!” I brushed off the mud, struggled to my feet, and looked at Damien. “Miss Hayes is no longer among the living. Find an auspicious day to let her rest in peace.” “Are you out of your mind?!”

“Skylar, are you insulting my intelligence? Do you think I wouldn’t know if Evelyn Hayes were dead?” Brittany purred, trying to soothe him, “Damien, don’t listen to this bitch’s nonsense. Evelyn even posted on Ins yesterday, sharing her happiness. How could she suddenly be gone?” “She’s definitely just making up excuses, a fraud who can’t find it and just spouts nonsense. How pathetic.” After Brittany’s comforting words, Damien’s tense frown visibly eased. “You say Evelyn Hayes is dead? Where’s your proof?” “Just spouting baseless nonsense in front of me, do you know what the consequences are?” He lunged forward, grabbed my collar, and brutally threw me into the mud. “I told you, either leave the ring and you walk away, or I break a leg as an apology.” “But you not only failed to find the ring, you’ve been spouting ridiculous claims and wasting my time. This isn’t something just one leg can account for.” I stumbled back a few steps, swallowing hard. “I’m warning you, don’t mess with me.” Before I could move, two burly men in black immediately stepped forward, pinning my arms, one on each side, forcing me to my knees in the mud. My knees hit the gravel, a searing pain shooting through me. I looked up, glaring at him, my voice trembling. “Damien Thorne! Your end is near! I advise you not to celebrate too soon!” He merely slowly raised his hand, looking down at me condescendingly. “Break her leg.” The iron rod sliced through the dim air with a cold glint. The next second, an intense, shattering pain exploded from my right leg. I gasped, desperately trying to crawl towards the lake. But Damien grabbed my hair, pulling me back. “Trying to escape? You were so tough just now, weren’t you? Where’s this retribution you spoke of? I don’t see it!” He bared his teeth and roared with wild laughter in the wind, “I’m telling you this now, Damien Thorne! In this entire city, no one who dares threaten me has been born yet! What the hell are you, trying to challenge me?!” “Cut out her tongue!” Before I could react, a furious gust of wind suddenly whipped through the trees. Splinters of wood mixed with small stones flew through the air, scratching the man who was walking towards me with a knife. Everyone exchanged glances, falling silent. “Mr. Thorne, this sudden chill wind in the middle of the night… it feels too eerie.”

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  My husband’s female best friend lost a drinking game and was dared to reveal the most intimate thing she’d ever done with someone of the opposite sex. She suddenly turned to me with a mischievous grin: “I once gave Oscar a handjob.” The room erupted in shock. I clutched my five-month pregnant belly, feeling it tighten and harden. She seemed to only just realize what she’d said, shrugging nonchalantly: “Oh, it was when you’d just gotten pregnant and he was blackout drunk. He was really uncomfortable.” “No need to thank me, sis-in-law. Just helping out a friend. Better than him cheating because he couldn’t hold it, right?” ***** Before the words had even finished leaving her mouth. Oscar raised the half-eaten cucumber he was holding and smacked Janice’s hand: “Shut up, will you? Your skills are amateur hour compared to my wife’s!” Janice laughed and took the cucumber, biting into it suggestively: “I must say, it’s about the same size.” They burst into laughter, as if an invisible barrier had formed, isolating me from the group. No one looked at me. No one seemed to care about my feelings. It was as if I, five months pregnant, was just an unwanted prop that shouldn’t be there. The game continued, and this time Oscar lost. The card read: “French kiss someone of the opposite sex for three minutes.” There were only two women present – me and Janice. But they all instinctively pushed Oscar towards Janice. “Come on, we all agreed it’s just a game! Only an idiot would take it seriously!” He was laughing, she was giggling, and a group of people raised their phones to take photos and videos. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up my glass and smashed it on the ground. The shattering glass silenced the room. In the dead quiet, I slowly stood up, steadying myself against the pain in my back. My voice was eerily calm: “Want to play something more exciting?” “I’ll help you!” I took out my phone and dialed 911. “Hello, officer? There’s a group engaging in lewd behavior here…” Oscar was the first to react, rushing over to grab my phone: “Vivien, have you lost your mind? It’s just a game, why are you overreacting?” I looked at his hand still resting on Janice’s waist and suddenly laughed, tears spilling out without warning: “Oscar, when the baby is born, how do you plan to explain this?” “That daddy can’t keep it in his pants, and mommy is a complete idiot?” Oscar’s face darkened as he shielded the pouting Janice behind him, his voice barely containing his anger: “You’re going too far. We said it was just a game!” If this counts as a game, then I certainly can’t play. I turned to leave. Oscar grabbed my wrist: “My friends threw this party specially to celebrate your pregnancy. Do you have to ruin the mood like this?” Hah, friends again. “Slap!” I turned and slapped him hard across the face. The entire room fell silent. Janice stepped forward and pulled Oscar into her arms, patting his head. “Listen to mommy, don’t talk back!” She smiled helplessly: “Sis, Oscar and I have been best friends since we were kids running around naked together. He doesn’t see me as a woman at all! Don’t take it so seriously!” She pushed Oscar towards me as if suddenly realizing something: “Hurry up and apologize to your wife. She’s pregnant, if this keeps up, everyone will suffer.” With one sentence, she made everyone else look at me with disdain. Oscar stood there stiffly, refusing to lower his head. Janice leaned in and whispered something in his ear, giggling. He smirked, then reluctantly looked at me. “It’s my fault, happy now?” The nausea hit me like a wave. I left the room without looking back. I didn’t expect Oscar to follow me out. The whole way, my stomach cramped painfully, but all I could hear were his complaints. “Did pregnancy make you stupid? Janice is my friend, how can you be jealous of her!” “Why don’t you just tie me to your waist like a dog? You’re suspicious of everyone anyway!” “Use your brain and think about it. If there was really something between us, would she dare to say it out loud?!” Something in my chest shattered completely. “You’re right, there’s nothing between you. I’m just being a bitch.” I shouted, my whole body shaking. “I’ve been tolerating you two for a long time!” All the past grievances felt like slaps across my face. Only I knew how much hurt this final straw had piled onto. “Oscar, let me tell you, when I was hospitalized for appendicitis, you were with her getting manicures. When I was bleeding and on bed rest to save the pregnancy, you were with her playing claw machines. Every time I needed you, you were with your female best friend, up until today!” I gasped for air, tears blurring my vision. “She casually mentioned those unspeakable things right in front of me, and you acted like nothing happened and continued flirting with her. When I couldn’t take it anymore and called the police, you didn’t stand by me, but hysterically said I was crazy!” “From that moment on.” “Oscar, we’re over.” No response. Oscar’s gentle voice suddenly rang out: “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll protect you.” I turned around. He was wearing headphones, voice chatting with Janice while they played a game together.

  The sounds of their game continued late into the night. I sat alone on the balcony, repeatedly stroking my stomach as the baby kicked vigorously, and dialed the doctor’s number. “Doctor, I’d like to schedule an abortion.” The next morning. I was woken by sharp pains in my abdomen. I struggled to find Oscar. He was sitting on the couch, long legs crossed. His phone kept pinging with notifications, and he was smiling from ear to ear. I called his name several times before he looked up. Seeing my pale face, he froze for a moment, then hurriedly helped me sit down, his fingers kneading my shoulders. “Honey, I can’t accompany you today. Mr. Murphy is waiting for me to discuss acquiring a cruise ship. The company is developing a new tourism route.” His tone was light, as if everything from yesterday had already been forgotten. He was always like this, letting me go to bed upset. As if just ignoring me and giving me the cold shoulder would automatically solve the problem. The pain made me instinctively grab his hand, but his other hand was still focused on typing, completely ignoring me. Janice’s shameless yelling came from outside: “Oscar, your dad’s here! What are you dawdling for?” Oscar immediately broke free from me, put down his phone and ran towards the door. I collapsed on the floor, my elbow knocking over his phone. On the screen, a group chat called “Princess Janice and Her Knights” was pinned at the top. I couldn’t help but click on it, and froze in place. “Vivien is such a drama queen. I told you ages ago that you two weren’t compatible, but you wouldn’t listen.” “It’s so exhausting having an outsider at every gathering. You should’ve just married Janice back then!” Janice sent a tongue-sticking-out emoji: “Whatever, it’s my birthday today, why bring up that killjoy? Oscar said he’s buying a cruise ship as my birthday gift. This princess is ready for the sea breeze and sunshine!” Oscar’s teasing reply followed: “Kowtow to daddy and this life is yours.” Janice immediately sent a kowtowing emoji: “Now your life is mine, I order you not to bring your wife today!” “Bro, I saw Janice packed a bikini. Who’s the real birthday gift here? [wink]” It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over me, leaving me cold and breathless. As expected, people can act, but their true colors always show in their inner circle. When I first tried to fit in with them, everyone seemed as friendly as angels. But I mistook their politeness for sincerity. They were an impenetrable fortress, and I would always be the unwelcome outsider. The pain intensified. I trembled as I took out my phone and took screenshots, page by page. When Oscar came back for his phone, I was already curled up on the couch in pain. He didn’t even glance at me, in a rush to leave. “Honey, my friends want to go play on the cruise ship too. You’re pregnant and can’t join in the fun anyway, so don’t bother coming along.” I was deathly pale as I grabbed his sleeve: “My stomach hurts, can you take me to the hospital?” Asking a question when I already knew the answer was my last attempt to give him a way out. If he insisted on leaving, I’d be done with him too. As we were stuck in this standoff, Janice impatiently clicked her tongue outside: “Hurry up, I’m dying of heat out here!” Oscar yanked his hand away from me, extremely irritated. “What are you playing at? You were fine just now. I’m so sick of you using the baby as an excuse.” I was thrown back onto the couch by his forceful shove, my heart dying along with it. Janice came in from outside and grabbed Oscar’s ear: “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Why are you being so mean! All pregnant women are like this, always wanting everyone to revolve around them. What’s wrong with being a little dramatic?” Oscar snorted in disdain: “If she was even one-tenth like you, I wouldn’t be so annoyed.” His gaze suddenly fell on Janice’s shoulder strap, and he reached out to adjust it naturally. “Silly piggy! Didn’t you notice it was loose?” Janice swept her hair to one side, enjoying his touch and giggling: “Gentle! You’re hurting me.” Oscar pressed down on her chest, grinning mischievously: “Where? It’s as flat as an airport runway.” Amid their laughter, they disappeared around the corner. I dialed Robert’s number directly: “I’ll come find you at your cruise ship later.” He replied with a simple “Okay.” Oscar didn’t know that Robert was my childhood friend. After over 20 years of open and honest friendship, I knew better than anyone what pure friendship looked like. Six years of love, from school uniforms to wedding dresses. I wanted to see for myself just how rotten this relationship had become at its core. The salty sea breeze blew. On the deck of the luxury cruise ship, screams and laughter mixed together. I leaned against the railing not far away, wearing sunglasses and a mask. Watching Janice in her bikini sitting close to Oscar, who was only wearing swim trunks. They were playing a vulgar game of passing tissues with their mouths. Janice deliberately bit the tissue until only a tiny corner was left. Oscar leaned in several times but couldn’t grab it. “Oscar lost! Time for punishment!” Someone shouted: “How about you publicly confess to someone? What about Janice?” Janice giggled and collapsed onto Oscar’s lap, playfully punching his chest: “Oh my, how embarrassing!” Another person yelled: “Things have already gone this far, what’s the point of confessing?” “Janice, what exactly happened back then? Give us brothers the juicy details!” As everyone joked around, Janice suddenly said bluntly: “Watch daddy’s skills! Monkey steals the peach!” Oscar deftly blocked her, laughing and cursing: “You little brat!” As they roughhoused, he inadvertently grabbed the string of her bikini top and yanked. The strap instantly came loose! Amid Janice’s screams, Oscar reflexively pulled her tightly into his arms, shouting at everyone: “Turn around, don’t look!” The waves crashed relentlessly. He gently helped her retie the strings, his fingertips grazing her bare back. Their gazes intertwined, sparks flying. In that moment, I watched as the man I loved, who once stood in the sunlight with me, exploded into a mess of rotten flesh. While I hid in the shadows, fully covered up, peeking at other people’s happiness like a cockroach. Pathetically watching the father of my child instinctively protect another woman. Robert beside me couldn’t hold back anymore and wanted to rush over, but I firmly held him back. After hesitating for a long time, I called Oscar’s phone. Across the not-too-far distance, I saw his phone light up.

  He glanced at it. The ringtone sounded once, then twice. He just looked at it, never answering. Janice saw the “Wife” contact name and pouted. “You promised to keep me company. No distractions allowed, not even her. Otherwise I’ll never talk to you again.” Oscar smiled and raised his hand to toss the phone into a glass full of alcohol, raising an eyebrow: “My little princess, satisfied now?” Seeing Janice finally nod, Oscar lifted her high above his head and spun her around. Her excited screams carried on the sea breeze. I put down the phone that was still recording video, tears already soaking through my mask. Oscar, so six years of love amounted to only this. I hope you’re prepared for the eighteen levels of hell waiting for you. They must have gotten tired of playing, as the group sat down to chat. Janice’s voice drifted over on the wind: “Actually, on Oscar’s wedding night, I got totally wasted and said I wanted to just marry anyone. He panicked and came to find me, wearing Vivien’s wedding dress.” “Isn’t that hilarious? The two of us were like kids playing house, bowing to the moon as if we were getting married.” My heart clenched painfully. I remembered that custom-made wedding dress I’d searched for so long. Oscar said it got dirty and he sent it to be cleaned, but accidentally lost it. Janice laughed and added: “I joked at the time that bowing to the heavens made it real, so I wouldn’t get married in the future. But I said I wanted a child, though I was afraid of the pain of childbirth. Guess how this idiot reacted?” Oscar just smiled and drank, not stopping her. Janice raised her eyebrows proudly when everyone urged her to continue: “He actually took it seriously! Then he really took me to do IVF!” She winked, signaling Oscar to pick up the story. “Oscar, what about that child?” Oscar drained his glass, his eyes dark. “The baby in Vivien’s belly right now is mine and Janice’s test tube baby.” Boom— Something exploded in my brain, leaving it blank. In my ears was Robert’s enraged cursing of “beast”, in my vision was Oscar’s nonchalant expression. I suddenly clutched my stomach. As if sensing my grief, it began to move violently. But I only felt bitter irony. From the very beginning of trying to conceive, Oscar had lied to me, saying his sperm count was low so IVF would have a higher success rate. Countless days and nights, I took medicine until I was nauseous, my belly covered in bruises from injections. The day it successfully implanted, he pressed his ear to my stomach and said gently: “Good baby, daddy will definitely make you and mommy the happiest people in the world.” It turns out that sentence was never meant for me at all. Janice’s voice drifted over again, full of contempt: “Oscar was so clever. Looking at how Vivien’s body has gone to shit, tsk tsk, I definitely wouldn’t want to turn into an old hag like her.” I couldn’t listen anymore and turned to leave. Suddenly a huge wave hit, violently rocking the ship. Janice was standing at the edge, too absorbed in talking. Amid screams, she was thrown overboard. Oscar didn’t hesitate for a second. He grabbed a life preserver and jumped in after her, swimming towards her with all his might. I was completely stunned. He was terrified of water. He once said water was his biggest fear! He really would risk his life for her without a second thought. I turned away, unwilling to watch that heroic rescue scene any longer, and went straight to the hospital for an abortion. As the anesthesia entered my body, in my hazy consciousness I had only one thought: Oscar, you can get lost now. When I opened my eyes again. Only Robert was by my bedside, his eyes red-rimmed. I instinctively reached for my belly, finding it flat. An unfamiliar feeling of lightness. I turned my head, my voice hoarse: “Where’s Oscar?” Robert looked away and handed me a video clip. The footage was shaky. On the beach, Janice was crying as she performed CPR on Oscar. When Oscar woke up coughing, she immediately hugged him tightly, refusing to let go. “Oscar, I can’t go against my heart anymore.” “I love you! You big idiot, I love you!” Amid the cheers of those around them, they kissed passionately, soaking wet. The mermaid had saved her prince. Their love was unwavering. Only I was the pathetic, laughable bubble. The bubble shattered in the sunlight, turning into tears that slid down my cheeks. The second video clip showed Oscar carrying Janice into a hotel bridal style. At the same time, I received a message from an unknown number on my phone: “Honey, I dropped my phone in the water. Borrowing a friend’s phone to text you.” “I’m still busy here, so I won’t be home tonight. Sweet dreams to you and the baby~” I stared at that message for a very long time. Then, I slowly sat up. “Robert, help me put the aborted fetus in a foam box.” “And hire a group of gossipy old ladies with drums and gongs.” “What are you planning to do?” Robert asked, confused. I said each word clearly: “Of course I’m going to bring this grand gift to the hotel and celebrate my husband taking a concubine with drums and gongs!” With the drum troupe in place, I immediately started a livestream, pretending to be troubled. “Everyone, the host is really having a headache lately. My husband says he and his female friend are just platonic, but I don’t think so.” The comments immediately had people mocking me: [Jealous much? Men and women can totally just be friends.] [The host is obviously narrow-minded.] I quickly shook my head in denial. [No no no, the host isn’t narrow-minded at all. After fighting with my husband’s female friend, I had an epiphany.] I paused for half a second, watching the viewer count skyrocket. [If there really is something between them, I’ll immediately arrange for my husband to take her as a concubine.] A mix of insults and sympathy flooded the comments. Using an online tutorial, I got the room key and led the drum troupe towards the room. I pushed open the door. The room was a mess, two half-naked bodies were entangled together. I covered my mouth and shouted: “Wow! Groping boobs and dicks, enjoying yourselves! Such good friends indeed!”

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