Author: Momo Chan

New Year’s Eve, my husband drove me—eight months pregnant—back to his hometown. When we hit traffic, he suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Get out!” I didn’t process what he said. “What?” He stared straight ahead, eyes fixed on the road. “Melissa’s cat is missing. I need to go help her find it.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. His phone rang urgently again. Losing patience, my husband opened the car door and roughly pulled me out from the back seat. “She can’t wait any longer. I’ll send someone to pick you up—they’ll be here in half an hour!” I watched Logan’s car speed away into the distance. My heart sank to rock bottom. Pulling my coat tighter, I tried my best to protect my belly. But the dull, throbbing pain made cold sweat break out all over my body. A car pulled up beside me and the window rolled down. The female driver’s eyes showed a trace of concern. “Are you okay?” My trembling hand clenched into a fist as I forced out a few words with difficulty. “I think… I’m going into labor.” The driver cursed under her breath and hurried to help me into her car. Seeing my face turn increasingly pale, she asked anxiously, “Where’s your husband!” I had no answer to that question. Here I was, carrying Logan’s child, near delivery, yet I mattered less than his widowed sister-in-law’s missing cat. He didn’t even show as much concern as this stranger on the road. The pain suddenly hit me. I frantically took a deep breath. Waiting for the contraction to pass, I pulled out my phone and dialed Logan’s number. He hung up without hesitation. Once, twice, three times… It wasn’t until the sixteenth call that he finally answered, irritation clear in his voice. “What do you want now!” The line was quiet, but within two seconds, I heard Melissa’s voice. “Logan, I think I see Whiskers!” Hearing this, Logan had no patience to listen to me further. He left me with a single sentence: “My buddy from traffic patrol is on his way—just wait a bit longer!” Then he hung up. The words “I’m in labor” stuck in my throat. A warm liquid flowed down between my legs. My heart dropped. Seeing this, the driver frantically tried to move the car to the shoulder. But at that moment, every lane was completely jammed. Some drivers, desperate to get home, had even blocked the emergency lane. She pounded her hand heavily on the steering wheel and cursed. But she still turned back to comfort me, “Don’t be scared. You’ll be fine!” Then she stuck her head out the window, shouting frantically, “Please move! I have a pregnant woman in labor here!” But the endlessly backed-up vehicles couldn’t hear her cries. Nothing moved. I tried to calm myself down and hastily called Logan’s buddy from the traffic patrol unit. If they could get here in time to clear a path, my baby and I would be saved! “Mrs. Stewart? What’s wrong?” The sound of horns on the other end nearly drowned out his voice. The pain hit me again. I bit down hard on my teeth, forcing myself through the agony to explain frantically. “I’m in labor, but we’re stuck on the highway. Can you—” Before I could finish, I heard a scoff from the other end. “Mrs. Stewart, if Logan hadn’t specifically warned us about your… dramatics, we might’ve actually believed you.” “You’re only eight months along. It’s way too early for labor. We’ll get there as soon as we can—just sit tight and wait!” The call was ruthlessly ended. The pain tormented me until I could barely hold onto my phone. Seeing this, the driver jumped out of the car and went door to door, knocking on the windows of cars in the emergency lane. “Please move! There’s a pregnant woman about to give birth in my car!” “This is life or death—please, help save them!” I collapsed back on the seat, struggling to dial Logan’s number. This was my last hope. But— Turned off. I tried again. Still turned off.

Just as I neared despair, a chorus of car horns suddenly sounded outside. Windows rolled down as drivers stuck their heads out, shouting forward: “Cars ahead, clear the lane! Someone’s about to give birth!” The emergency lane opened up. The driver’s car flew forward. But just five minutes from the highway exit, we got blocked again. She’d pressed the horn so hard it was practically smoking, but the cars ahead still wouldn’t budge. The pain in my abdomen came faster and more intense. Amniotic fluid mixed with blood dripped onto the car floor. Cold sweat soaked my entire body. I couldn’t tell anymore when I was conscious and when I’d blacked out from the pain. When I came to again, the driver was outside arguing with someone. “The emergency lane is for saving lives! Blocking it like this could kill someone!” The driver spat on the ground, looking completely dismissive. “We’re not the only ones stuck here. If you want to yell at someone, go yell at the cars up front!” “Stop making a scene at me, or don’t blame my fist for not having eyes!” Seeing the man actually about to hit the driver, I forced myself through the pain to open the car door and pull her behind me. “I… I really am in labor. Please, I’m begging you, just move aside…” This effort took every ounce of strength I had. I stumbled and couldn’t support myself, collapsing to my knees on the ground. Blood stained the snow red beneath me. The man hurriedly got back in his car and slammed the door shut. “I didn’t cause this—don’t try to scam me!” Perhaps because the scene was so obviously dire, many people got out of their cars and ran toward the vehicles ahead. They knocked on windows one by one, desperately trying to explain. “There’s a pregnant woman who can’t hold on much longer!” “We all have wives and children—please, save them!” The pain struck again. Just as my consciousness was fading, the cars ahead moved in perfect unison, clearing the emergency lane. Some cars even pressed tight against neighboring vehicles, willing to risk scratches, just to make the path wider. The driver and people nearby quickly lifted me into the car. “Don’t be scared—we’ll be at the hospital soon!” The car started moving again. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. “Thank you!” The driver smiled. “We’re saving you, but we’re also saving any of us who might face danger in the future.” But we’d barely driven two minutes when traffic patrol cars blocked our path. Logan’s buddy, Marcus, stepped out of the car with a frown. “So you’re the ones disrupting traffic and causing multiple collisions on the highway?” The driver tried to explain. But Marcus cut her off directly. “You women drivers are all the same—causing chaos. They should ban you from the roads entirely!” The driver’s face flushed red with anger. Before she could get her rebuttal out, she heard my scream. She rushed back into the car to wipe the cold sweat from my forehead. “Hang in there—five minutes at most and we’ll be at the hospital!” Marcus stepped forward. Seeing it was me, a flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes. “Mrs. Stewart, what are you doing here?” I bit down hard on my finger, forcing myself to stay conscious. “I’m in labor. You need to—” Halfway through my sentence, Marcus’s phone rang. “What’s up, Logan?” “Your wife? Yeah, we found her. But…” He looked at me with confusion. “She seems like she’s actually in labor!” Logan’s mocking laugh came through the phone. “How is that possible? She’s still a month away from her due date.” “Just to compete for attention with Melissa, she’d make up any lie.” “Don’t worry about her! I left her on the highway on purpose today to teach her a lesson about her attitude!” My head spun violently. The pain felt like it was tearing my body apart. After one piercing scream, my vision went black and I passed out completely.

When I woke up again, I was already in the hospital. From the nurses’ conversation nearby, I learned I’d been in emergency surgery for an entire day. I lay on the bed, utterly deflated. My belly, which hadn’t yet gone down, ached sharply. I knew—the baby was gone. Before I could even process my grief, Logan walked in. Behind him was Melissa, holding her cat. Logan casually tossed a pack of diapers onto the nearby couch. “Willow, you really do love making trouble out of nothing. Didn’t you say you were in labor? Where’s the baby!” Seeing his completely indifferent expression, I laughed bitterly to myself and said nothing. Melissa stroked her cat’s fur a couple times and glanced at me dismissively. “Melissa, there’s really no need for this. Logan and I are completely innocent. To target me, you deliberately made such a huge scene—aren’t you embarrassed?” Embarrassed? I gripped the bedsheet so hard my nails nearly dug into my flesh. “If giving birth to my own husband’s child is embarrassing, then what about you—begging someone else’s husband to find your cat? Isn’t that even more shameless!” Her eyes immediately reddened. “I know having a baby is the most important thing, but Whiskers may be a cat, but she’s still a living creature!” “If Logan hadn’t arrived in time, I might never have seen Whiskers again!” Right. The cat was still alive. Logan had arrived in time, so her cat survived. But… I couldn’t hold back my grief and fury anymore. I grabbed the water glass from the bedside table and hurled it at them. “But my child is gone! I’ll never see him again!” Logan’s face instantly darkened. “What do you mean the child is gone? Saying things like that on New Year’s Eve—aren’t you ashamed! You’re not fit to be a mother!” If only he’d asked the nurse one question when he arrived. Or if he’d shown even a moment of concern for my condition, he would know what actually happened. But he did nothing—just blamed me without reason. “Whiskers is the only thing my brother left for Melissa. Since I promised him I’d take care of her, I can’t let her lose that connection and be heartbroken!” “Besides, you lied and made a scene just to compete for attention, getting the entire traffic patrol unit mobilized. You may have no shame, but I do!” I found it laughable and pathetic. My poor child. He should have been born with everyone’s anticipation, welcomed into the warmth of this world. But instead, because of a cat, he died on that cold highway. He never even got a chance to see this world. My heart turned to ash as I closed my eyes, my trembling finger pointing at the door. “Get out!” Logan looked at me in disbelief. “You’re telling me to get out?” He stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. “You really think being pregnant means you can do whatever you want, don’t you! I heard you were in labor and rushed here overnight, and this is the attitude I get?!” He was too agitated. As he spoke, his collar trembled slightly. Just enough to reveal the red marks on his neck. The sight stabbed at my eyes.

Melissa tugged at Logan’s sleeve from behind. “Logan, don’t be like this. No matter what, she’s still carrying your child. She deserves to be treated preciously.” Logan, usually so quick-tempered, softened a bit at her words. Though when he looked at me, his eyes still held disdain. “If you could be even half as considerate as Melissa, we wouldn’t be in this situation!” Exhausted in body and spirit, I had no energy left to argue with them. Just as I was about to lie down and rest, Melissa approached me with her cat. She bent down close to me. “Willow, I know…” Midway through her sentence, the cat in her arms suddenly jumped onto my belly. A piercing pain made me bolt upright. Startled, the cat began jumping frantically around the hospital room. “Whiskers!” Melissa panicked, desperately trying to catch the cat. The room descended into chaos. I clutched my belly, face pale, leaning against the pillow. In her attempt to catch the cat, Melissa lunged toward my belly again. The violent cramping forced me to push her away. Melissa stumbled backward and fell to the ground. She hit the cabinet beside her hard, and a lump immediately swelled on her forehead. Logan rushed to help her up. “Melissa, are you okay!” His eyes were only on Melissa. He didn’t even notice I was in too much pain to make a sound. I laughed bitterly to myself. If the baby were still here, Melissa and her cat’s double assault would have been enough to cause complications during delivery. Melissa sniffled and wiped away her tears pitifully. “Logan, I’m fine. Just help me catch Whiskers!” The cat, which had been in the room just moments ago, suddenly jumped onto the windowsill, then leaped out and disappeared. Melissa screamed and rushed to the window. “Whiskers! My Whiskers!” Logan’s heart ached for her. Just as he opened his mouth to comfort her, Melissa suddenly charged at me. “Willow, why are you so vicious!” “I only asked Logan to help find Whiskers, but you got so jealous you deliberately made her jump out of my arms! Don’t you know you could kill her!” “You cat murderer!” She grabbed my arm and shook me violently. Her hand also secretly pinched hard into my arm. I winced in pain, wanting to shake her off, but I had no strength left. I could only grit my teeth and look at her. “I didn’t do anything.” Melissa pulled the same trick again, her body suddenly falling backward. Fortunately, Logan reacted in time and caught her waist, preventing her from falling. Melissa leaned into his embrace, tears falling at will. “Logan, I can’t live without Whiskers!” Logan gently comforted her with a few words. After helping her sit down, he turned to me with a face like iron and yanked me down from the bed. My body hit the ground hard. But he just kept dragging me toward Melissa. “Willow, apologize to Melis—” Halfway through his sentence, he noticed something wrong and whipped his head around. Only then did he realize my heavily pregnant belly had deflated by half. His face instantly turned pale, his voice trembling. “Your… your belly? What happened? The baby… where’s the baby!” At that moment, the hospital room door was kicked open. The driver rushed in, quickly helping me up from the floor, glaring furiously at Logan. “The baby is gone! Died on the highway where you abandoned her!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352792”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy

At the welcome-home banquet for his first love, Ashton made me drink an entire glass of liquor just to make her happy. I was pregnant, and the pain in my abdomen was unbearable. Blood stained my white dress. But he was too busy hand-feeding caviar to his first love while his friends egged him on. As I lost consciousness, I heard his contemptuous laugh. “Don’t worry about her. She’s just a plaything. She can’t survive without me.” When I woke up in the hospital, I touched my now-flat stomach and wanted to send him the miscarriage report. But I found that he’d changed his profile picture to a side-view photo of his first love and had blocked me for the ninety-ninth time. This time, though, I didn’t act cute and beg for forgiveness like before. Instead, I booked a flight out of the country for three days later. I had just gotten home when I heard a loud crash. Serena stood among the broken porcelain pieces. When she saw me, her eyes immediately reddened. She threw herself into Ashton’s arms, crying. “I just accidentally dropped it. Why does Elena look so scary, like an old witch…” “She frightened me.” What she’d broken was the first gift Ashton had ever given me. A ceramic doll that the prince of the elite social circle had made for me with his own hands. Ashton gently stroked Serena’s hair, his eyes full of tenderness. I could even see traces of how he used to dote on me. “Don’t be scared. It’s just a doll. I’ll smash it with you.” He bent down, picked up the doll’s head, and threw it hard on the floor. The pieces shattered into even smaller fragments. Beyond repair. Serena perked up, clapping and laughing. But my hand holding my bag trembled slightly. Years ago, Ashton had grabbed my face dominantly, his eyes wild and carefree. “This is the first time I’ve made something like this for a woman.” “If you dare break this doll, I really won’t keep you anymore!” But this time, he’d smashed the doll with his own hands. Then again, for the sake of making Serena smile, he didn’t even want our child. I gave a self-mocking laugh, picked up a broom, and started cleaning up the pieces. Suddenly, Serena coughed. Ashton asked nervously, “Are you okay? Did you cry so much your throat is hoarse?” “Elena, Serena cried because of you! Go make her favorite mango juice right now.” I paused, disbelieving. “Did you forget I’m allergic to mangoes?” Ashton’s expression stiffened. He looked away guiltily. He started flirting with the beauty in his arms instead. I cleaned up the pieces and threw them in the trash along with the last bit of attachment I had left in my heart. Just then, I heard Serena’s coquettish voice again. “I’m leaving now. Meet me at the hotel tomorrow—the same one as last night~” Ashton instinctively looked at me. His expression was unnatural as he explained. “Serena and I go way back. I’m just catching up with her. Don’t overthink it.” I didn’t bother exposing his lies. I just pretended not to see the suggestive bite mark on his neck. Serena shyly waved goodbye to Ashton. I didn’t watch their sweet farewell. I turned and went to the master bedroom to pack for my trip abroad. But when I pushed open the door, I saw that our couple’s photo that used to hang in the center of the wall was gone. In its place was one of Serena’s paintings. So during all those years Serena was abroad, Ashton had never let her go for even a moment. But that had nothing to do with me anymore. I opened my phone and set a countdown for my flight in three days. Suddenly, my phone auto-pushed a trending topic. “Elite Circle Prince Makes High-Profile Appearance on Dating Show, Wedding Bells Soon for Him and Serena Morrison” In the video, Ashton and Serena were passionately kissing, the sweetness off the charts. No wonder he hadn’t asked a single question during the entire day I was hospitalized for the miscarriage. He was too busy showing off his relationship with Serena. I remembered last year when paparazzi photographed us on vacation together. To avoid suspicion, he blocked me and gave me the cold shoulder for a month. I never imagined that someone so low-key and cautious would go on a variety show for his first love. Just then, Ashton pushed the door open and interrupted my thoughts. His first words were reproachful. “Our Elena is so delicate.” “A mango allergy won’t kill you. Serena just got back to the country—why did you have to upset her?”

Even when talking to me, Ashton’s eyes never left his phone. His fingers kept typing, and his eyes occasionally flashed with laughter. Some fragments flashed through my mind. On our first anniversary, Ashton had bought a mango cake. Not wanting to waste his thoughtfulness, I tried a small bite. But I still had an allergic reaction and passed out. When I woke up, he was crying like a child, holding my hand and trembling. “Elena, I’ll never let you touch a mango again, and I’ll never let you suffer even a little bit!” My thoughts returned to the present. I opened my bag to find the medical report. “I had a miscarriage.” Only then did he spare me a glance. His tone was displeased. “I just asked you to drink one glass of alcohol. There’s a limit to jealousy—don’t joke about the child.” So last night, when I was in so much pain I wanted to die, feeling helpless and desperate, in his eyes I was just being jealous and putting on an act. I lowered my eyes and handed him the miscarriage report I’d just found. “The baby’s really gone.” “And our relationship ends here too.” I didn’t even dare say “break up.” Five years ago, when my parents’ company went bankrupt, I accepted Ashton’s credit card to pay off debts. From then on, I became his plaything. Living together for five years, even having a child, but never having a title. Ashton looked at the miscarriage report, his eyes full of disbelief. After a moment, his gaze swept over my flat abdomen, and he pulled me into his arms. His voice carried guilt. “Don’t be sad. Get your body healthy, and I’ll get you pregnant again.” His eyes were full of sympathy as he gently patted my back. We seemed to have returned to our former intimacy. But only if you ignored the gardenia scent that belonged uniquely to Serena on his body. My chest felt uncomfortable. I pushed him away, fighting nausea. “Mr. Ashton, I’m serious.” When Ashton heard me use such a formal way of addressing him, his expression quickly turned cold. “Making a scene again! Do you still think you’re the pampered heiress you used to be? Who else can take care of you if you leave me?” Yes, I was no longer the little princess everyone cherished. But I clearly remembered. In intimate moments, he would kiss my neck tenderly, his eyes overflowing with deep affection. He would promise over and over again. “Elena, even if your family has fallen on hard times, you’re still the noblest little princess in my heart.” I clenched my fingers tightly, my lips trembling, but I couldn’t say a word. Ashton finally realized his words were too harsh. A flash of panic crossed his face. “Don’t misunderstand. Serena and I are just putting on a show. I won’t abandon you.” He quickly pulled out his phone. “What happened at the banquet was my fault. I’ll unblock you right now, and I’ll never block you again.” Then he pulled out an exquisite gift box from his suit pocket. Inside was a sparkling diamond ring. I froze. Countless times when shopping, I couldn’t help but look at rings whenever we passed a jewelry counter. And he would pull me away without mercy. His voice mocking. “Elena, I’m good enough to you. People should know when to be satisfied.” The implication was that I was just his plaything. He could pamper me, but we would never have a future together. But now… Looking at the ring, my body stiffened. I let him forcefully grab my hand and slide the ring onto my middle finger. Ashton suddenly smiled, with a victor’s attitude. “See, Elena? I told you that you can’t leave me.” Before I could speak, my phone rang. It was Serena calling me. “Elena, Ashton’s taste is really terrible!” “He had a fifty-million-dollar diamond ring custom-made for me, but that huge rock on it is so tacky…” “Your five-thousand-dollar freebie looks better!”

So… it was a freebie. Serena’s intentions were obvious. I didn’t respond. I just hung up. Putting down my phone, I started looking for various documents. At some point, Ashton was standing behind me. “Why are you getting your passport?” I instinctively flinched, then lied with a straight face. “I’m going abroad with you next month to negotiate business. Just checking what I need to bring in advance.” Every time Ashton went abroad, he would make me go with him. But this time, he hesitated. “Next month… Serena will be going with me.” Seeing my cold expression, he quickly added. “But next month, I’ll arrange for you to relax in Europe. Let’s both cool down.” No wonder he suddenly wanted to send me away. He was afraid I’d interfere with his romantic time with Serena. In the past, I would have cried and made a scene, insisting he say he loved me most before I’d let it go. But this time, I just nodded and took the opportunity to put the documents in my bag. Ashton finally realized something was wrong. “You always kept our photos in your bag. Why are they gone now?” This relationship was about to end. Of course, I didn’t need to carry our photos with me all the time anymore. But I didn’t answer. I just subtly changed the subject. “I need to rest. Is there anything else?” Only then did he remember why he’d come to find me. “Where’s the honey water on the table?” Ashton had stomach problems, and the doctor recommended he eat more honey. So I would heat water and mix honey every hour, then let it cool in a glass cup. This ensured he could drink warm honey water anytime. It was very troublesome, but I’d persisted for five years. I casually brushed him off. “I just got out of the hospital. I don’t feel well.” This was actually true. Perhaps because I’d only rested in the hospital for one day after the miscarriage, and then felt depressed after coming home, my lower abdomen was cramping now. My face was too pale. Ashton panicked. He carried me to bed. “You too—you couldn’t even protect our child, and you have the nerve to make a fuss with me!” “Forget it. I’ll take care of you tonight.” Just then, a ringtone sounded. I instinctively looked at Ashton’s phone screen. His contact name for the caller was “Serena Baby.” He answered the call, and Serena’s sobbing voice came through. “Ashton, I hurt my hand. Can you come see me? Sob sob sob…” “I’m so stupid, I don’t even know how to register at the hospital.” Ashton didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he looked at me with difficulty. I was clutching my lower abdomen tightly, cold sweat beading on my forehead. I managed to squeeze out a sentence through gritted teeth. “You should go.” His expression was conflicted, but he still made his choice. “Sorry, Elena. Serena just got back to the country. I’m still worried about her.” “Let me call a doctor for you. I’ll be back in a bit.” A few seconds later, I heard the loud sound of the door closing. I curled my body into a ball, my heart numb. This wasn’t the first time he’d abandoned me for Serena. I was used to it by now. Soon after, the family doctor came to the door. His eyes were full of contempt, but under Ashton’s orders, he reluctantly examined me. “Your family is about to go bankrupt. Miss Serena and Mr. Ashton are a match made in heaven. If you had any shame at all, you’d leave on your own.”

The doctor didn’t want to stay a moment longer. He left the medicine and walked out. The gap between Ashton and me was too great. Everyone around him looked down on me. But after all, I was his most pampered plaything. Without Serena’s hints and Ashton’s tacit approval, how would a doctor dare to be so presumptuous? I quietly took the medicine, and the pain gradually eased. Then I took out my phone to thank the doctor. But I saw that Serena had updated her social media. “Even a strawberry-patterned Band-Aid can’t compare to your sweet affection.” In the picture, Serena had a cute Band-Aid on her fingertip. Ashton was kissing her finger, the tenderness in his eyes seeming to overflow from the screen. I suddenly remembered Ashton’s first birthday with me. I’d never lifted a finger to do housework, but to please him, I personally cooked a whole table of dishes. My hands were red and swollen from the hot oil. But Ashton just ate a few bites half-heartedly and didn’t even stay the night at my place. I never understood why, until I accidentally overheard his phone call with a friend. “I pamper Elena because she’s pretty enough and obedient, fun like a little cat.” “But today her hands were covered in blisters—it was disgusting to look at!” Suddenly, Ashton called me. Using a commanding tone. “It’s Serena’s first time going abroad with me next month. She doesn’t know anything. Help her prepare the materials.” Immediately after, Serena’s saccharine voice came through the phone. “I don’t know anything, but I have Ashton to pamper me~” “Elena, I’m impatient. Please have everything organized by tonight.” Ashton tried to stop her. “Elena isn’t feeling well tonight. Don’t rush her so much…” “Okay.” But I agreed directly. Five years ago, forced by circumstances, I could only work as a server at Heaven on Earth nightclub. If Ashton hadn’t spent lavishly, I probably would have had a hard time escaping unscathed from all those sleazy executives. Once I finished organizing these materials, I wouldn’t owe him anything anymore. I slowly got out of bed, endured my physical discomfort, opened my computer, and started working. I stayed up all night and finally completed Ashton’s order. In the morning, I took the documents to Ashton Industries. The receptionist knew about my relationship with Ashton and had always greeted me warmly before. But this time she was obviously flustered, blocking my way. “Miss Elena, Mr. Ashton isn’t here. Let me take you to the lounge first.” Along the way, I heard employees whispering. “Mr. Ashton felt bad that Miss Serena had to wear high heels, so he carried her straight from the car into his office. So romantic!” The receptionist looked embarrassed and wanted to explain. But seeing my unchanged expression, she ultimately said nothing. A moment later, Ashton called and asked me to bring the materials to his office. As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw Serena sitting on Ashton’s lap, their eyes locked. Serena smiled and took the materials, then picked up the porridge on the desk. “Thank you for your hard work, Elena. Try this—Ashton made this porridge for me himself.” I looked at Ashton in surprise. Living together for five years, thanks to Serena, I only now learned he could cook. I reached out to take it. But Serena let go, and the bowl fell to the floor. The scalding porridge splashed on my calves. I couldn’t help but gasp from the pain. “Ashton, Elena must resent me. That’s why she deliberately burned me. Please don’t be angry with her…” She cried pitifully. Ashton quickly pulled her into his arms and carefully checked her over. After confirming she’d only gotten her shoes dirty, his eyes were still cold. “Elena, apologize to Serena right now and clean her shoes!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352791”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy

I’m the illegitimate daughter the Sullivan family keeps hidden—a dirty secret whose only value is to marry into the Garrett family in my sister’s place, to that man rumored to be violent and wheelchair-bound. At the wedding, when the priest asked if I was willing, I grabbed the microphone in front of all the city’s elite. “I’m not willing.” The entire venue erupted. My father was shaking with rage, pointing at my nose and calling me insane. But they didn’t know—there was a voice in my head. [Congratulations on rejecting this arranged marriage. The Single Life Extension System is now activated！Day 1 of being single: reward of one million dollars, Vitality +1.] “Clara! You dare say that again!” My father Harrison Sullivan’s roar nearly lifted the cathedral roof. Beside me, my sister Vivian, dressed in her bridesmaid gown, hissed under her breath. “Are you insane? If you ruin this marriage, Mom and Dad will kill you!” I looked at her calmly, then at the shocked guests below, and finally at the man in the wheelchair—Damien Garrett. A powerful business elite in New York. Six months ago, an accident left his legs paralyzed and his temperament dark and ruthless. Everyone said the Sullivans were throwing me, the bastard daughter, into a pit of fire. But what they didn’t know was that my parents had begged on their knees for the privilege of connecting with the Garrett family. Damien’s face showed no expression. His deep eyes fixed on me from several meters away, as if watching a farce that had nothing to do with him. Behind him, his assistant’s face had turned iron-gray, already preparing to handle this unexpected situation. “I’m not willing.” I repeated, my voice not loud, but clear enough to echo through the entire cathedral. Suddenly a sharp slap landed on my face. My mother. She rushed onto the stage, her whole body trembling as she pointed at me. “You bastard! You’ve really lost your mind! You’ve humiliated the entire Sullivan family! Apologize to Mr. Garrett right now!” I licked the taste of blood from my lip and smiled. “Why should I apologize? It’s my marriage. If I don’t want it, do I need someone to force me?” My father’s lips trembled with rage. “You… you wretched thing! Today you’ll marry whether you want to or not!” He moved to grab me. “Enough.” Damien controlled his electric wheelchair, slowly approaching the stage, his gaze calm as he looked at me. “Give me a reason.” I looked at him—this supposedly brutal man. At this moment, his eyes held no anger, only curiosity. I took a deep breath and said what I’d prepared. “I don’t like you. And I definitely don’t want to marry… a disabled man.” The words were poison, harsh even to my own ears. Sure enough, the entire venue gasped. Harrison’s face went completely white. He nearly fainted. Vivian looked at me like I was already dead. Damien’s eyes finally darkened. His assistant, Owen, stepped forward coldly. “Miss Sullivan, the Garrett family is not yours to insult.” The atmosphere instantly dropped to freezing. But in my mind, I was silently counting. “System, pay me.” [Ding! Day 1 of being single: reward of one million dollars, Vitality +1. Cash has been deposited into your anonymous account.] The cold mechanical voice in my head was my only comfort right now. With money and life, what did I have to fear? I straightened my spine and met Damien’s icy gaze. “I’m telling the truth. Mr. Garrett, I won’t marry you!” With that, I lifted the hem of my wedding dress and, under everyone’s disbelieving stares, turned to leave. But I didn’t make it out of the cathedral. Two bodyguards in black suits blocked my path. My father Harrison said in a trembling voice to Damien, “Mr. Garrett, please don’t be angry. This girl’s not right in the head. I’ll tie her up and deliver her to you right now…” “Dad!” Vivian quickly grabbed him, though her eyes darted toward Damien. “Mr. Garrett, my sister doesn’t know any better. Please don’t hold it against her.” Damien ignored their father-daughter performance, only looking at me with unreadable eyes. “Miss Sullivan, you agreed to this wedding yourself. Now you’re backing out publicly, playing games with me?” I clenched my fists. “I’m not playing games. I just came to my senses. I don’t want my life depending on anyone.” “Is that so?” Damien laughed softly, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Miss Sullivan’s pursuit of independence—I admire that. However, everything has a price.” As soon as he finished speaking, Owen stepped forward and said to Harrison, “Mr. Sullivan, according to the agreement, if the marriage alliance fails, Sullivan Corporation must pay Garrett Corporation one billion dollars in breach of contract penalties. Additionally, Garrett Corporation will withdraw all investments and project collaborations with Sullivan Corporation.”

“One billion!” Harrison’s eyes rolled back. He nearly collapsed. Vivian’s face went white too. The Sullivan family’s total assets added up to only two or three hundred million. This one billion would drive them to ruin! Harrison dropped to his knees with a thud, facing Damien’s direction. “Mr. Garrett, please show mercy! It’s all this bastard’s fault. Punish her if you want, but it has nothing to do with the Sullivan family!” I watched his performance coldly, feeling nothing but disgust. This was my father—for profit, he could throw me under the bus without hesitation. My mother wailed dramatically. “Mr. Garrett, we’ll send her back to the room right now. Tonight she’ll be yours. Please spare us!” I watched this family’s ugly display, my stomach churning. I turned to Damien. “This was my decision. I’ll bear the consequences alone. Let my parents and the Sullivan family go.” Damien raised an eyebrow, seeming amused. “You’ll bear it? With what? Can you even pay back one billion?” “I will pay it back.” I said with complete confidence. The entire venue erupted in mocking laughter. An illegitimate daughter abandoned by her family—how could she repay one billion? It was fantasy. Vivian sneered sharply. “Clara, what will you use to pay it back? Your life?” I ignored her, only looking steadily at Damien. “Give me three years.” Damien looked at me deeply, then suddenly smiled. “Fine. I’ll give you three years.” He waved his hand, signaling the bodyguards to let me pass. “From today, you owe me, Damien Garrett, one billion dollars. As for interest, we’ll use the bank’s highest standard rate.” He paused, adding, “Don’t think about running. You know my methods.” With that, he controlled his wheelchair and left the cathedral without looking back. My parents collapsed on the floor, looking at me like they wanted to devour me alive. “You bastard! You bastard! You’re going to destroy the Sullivan family!” I didn’t look at them again. I lifted the expensive wedding dress and walked out of that cage-like cathedral. The sunlight was blinding, but I felt freer than ever before. The system in my head came online. [Ding! You have successfully escaped your family. Reward: luxury apartment, Vitality +5.] I stood on the street in my wedding dress, looking like a joke. Passersby stared and pointed. I didn’t care. My phone vibrated. A bank text: one million dollars deposited. I smiled. Having money felt good. Then another message came in from an unknown number. [Platinum Estates, Tower A, Unit 3201. Password is your birthday. -Owen] Damien’s assistant. I was somewhat surprised he’d actually given me an apartment. Was he afraid I’d run? Using this to monitor me? Whatever. Having a place to live was better than being homeless. I hailed a cab and gave the address. The driver kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror, wanting to say something but holding back. When I arrived at Platinum Estates, I discovered it was one of New York’s famous wealthy districts with extremely tight security. My wedding dress made me incredibly conspicuous. Security stopped me. I gave the unit number and my name. After verification, the guard let me through respectfully. When I opened the door to 3201, I was stunned by what I saw. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows, minimalist modern decor, furniture and appliances all top luxury brands. The walk-in closet even had this season’s new clothing and accessories, tags still attached. The refrigerator was stocked with fresh ingredients and imported fruits. On the table sat a black card and a new phone. A note read: [Behave yourself—Damien Garrett] This didn’t seem like something prepared for someone who owed a billion dollars. More like he wanted to be my sugar daddy. What was Damien trying to do? I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. The priority was to shower, change clothes, and get a good meal.

I soaked comfortably in the bathtub as the system voice rang in my head again. [Day 2 of being single: reward of one million dollars, Vitality +1.] [Current Vitality: 7 points.] [Current account balance: two million dollars.] I looked at my pale face in the mirror, a smile curving my lips. Before the wedding, I’d suffered acute heart failure. The doctor said I had less than a month to live. Then this [Single Life Extension System] suddenly appeared, giving me hope to survive. As long as I stayed single, I could live and gain enormous wealth. Chase men? I’d rather make money and extend my life, living my ideal life on my own terms. Just then, the doorbell rang. I was puzzled. Who would come looking for me here? I wrapped myself in a bathrobe and looked through the peephole. It was actually Vivian. How did she know I was here? I opened the door. Vivian stood there with an arrogant expression. She looked me up and down, her eyes landing on my bathrobe, filled with jealousy and contempt. “Clara, you’re really something! You reject the marriage and still end up living in a place like this. Which old man are you latching onto now?” I leaned against the doorframe, looking at her lazily. “What do you want?” Vivian was infuriated by my indifferent attitude. “Mom and Dad are about to die from anger! The company’s going bankrupt! And here you are, living the high life!” She tried to push her way in. I blocked her with my arm. “This is my home. You’re not welcome.” “Your home?” Vivian acted like she’d heard the biggest joke. “Clara, don’t forget—you’ve got Sullivan blood! You destroyed the Sullivan family. You need to take responsibility!” “How should I take responsibility? Go back and marry Damien in your place?” I laughed coldly. “Vivian, you were the one who refused to marry him. Now you’re blaming me?” Originally, the marriage between the Sullivan and Garrett families specified the eldest Sullivan daughter—Vivian. She was the one who despised Damien for being disabled. That’s when Mom and Dad set their sights on me, the illegitimate daughter. They promised me that if I obediently married him, they’d give my mother a large sum of money so she could live comfortably. For my mother’s sake, I agreed. But the week before the wedding, my mother died suddenly of a heart attack. And I was diagnosed with the same heart condition around that time. Not a single member of the Sullivan family came to see me. They only cared whether I could show up at the wedding on time. From that moment, I was completely done with the Sullivan family. “You… you’re talking nonsense!” Vivian’s eyes shifted. “I just… I already had someone I liked!” She became more agitated, her voice rising. “Clara, I’m warning you—you’d better go apologize to Mr. Garrett right now and beg him to spare the Sullivan family! Otherwise, I’ll make sure you can’t stay in New York!” “Oh? Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’d like to see how you’ll make that happen.” With that, I shut the door directly in her face. Vivian’s cursing echoed from outside. I pretended not to hear. Wasting even one word on someone like her was wasting my Vitality. The next morning, my name was trending. #Sullivan Bastard Daughter Publicly Rejects Marriage, Humiliates Disabled Tycoon# #Ungrateful Clara# #Sullivan Corporation on Brink of Bankruptcy# I clicked in. All the comments were attacking me. They said I was materialistic and shallow, that I rejected Damien because of his disability, that I was a gold-digger through and through. There were even “insider sources” claiming my private life was messy, that I’d already hooked up with other men. Below were several blurry photos showing a girl with a similar build to mine being intimate with different men. I recognized her immediately. Vivian. She was truly vicious—to destroy me, she’d even release her own scandals and pin them on me. The comment section was full of attacks. “This kind of woman should be fed to sharks!” “I feel sorry for Mr. Garrett, being deceived by this bitch.” “The Sullivan family must have terrible karma to raise such an ungrateful wretch.” I read these comments without anger. I actually found them somewhat funny. This generation of internet users was so easily manipulated. I ignored the online storm and leisurely made myself a lavish breakfast.

Just after I finished eating, my phone rang. An unknown number. I answered. An arrogant female voice came through. “Is this Clara? I’m Fiona Lee.” Fiona Lee? I thought for a moment—Vivian’s rich friend. “What do you want?” “Clara, you dared offend Mr. Garrett. Now the Sullivan family is finished. Are you satisfied?” Fiona’s tone was full of schadenfreude. I was too lazy to waste words with her and was about to hang up when she spoke again. “But I’m in a good mood today. I can show you a way out.” “What way?” “Tonight at eight, Mr. Smith is hosting a party at Empire Club. Mr. Smith loves girls like you—pure but with a wild edge. If you serve him well, forget one billion, he’d give you two billion.” Mr. Smith was a man in his fifties who loved young women’s bodies. Vivian and Fiona were trying to push me into the fire. “You don’t dare come?” Fiona goaded. “If you want to survive in New York, you’d better show up. Otherwise, face the consequences.” She hung up. I looked at my phone, my eyes going cold. Did they think I was still the Clara who could be manipulated at will? I hadn’t planned to pay attention to them, but they kept provoking me. Did they really think I was made of clay? That night at eight, Empire Club. I changed into a black cocktail dress, applied delicate makeup, and showed up on time. Just outside the private room, I heard Fiona’s voice inside. “Don’t worry, Mr. Smith. That little bitch will definitely come. She’s desperate now. If she doesn’t latch onto you, what else can she do?” A sleazy male voice responded. “You really understand things, Fiona. When this is done, you’ll get your reward.” “Thank you in advance, Mr. Smith.” I pushed open the door and walked in. The private room was filled with smoke. Besides Fiona and Mr. Smith, there were several scantily dressed men and women. Vivian was there too. She looked surprised to see me. “You actually came?” Fiona said sarcastically. “Quick, come toast Mr. Smith.” Mr. Smith’s lecherous eyes roamed all over my body, making my skin crawl. “Not bad, not bad. Even prettier than the photos.” He rubbed his hands together, grinning obscenely. I didn’t move, just looked at them coldly. “Clara, what are you standing there for? Hurry up!” Vivian urged, afraid I’d ruin her scheme. I picked up a glass of red wine from the table and slowly walked toward Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith thought I was going to toast him. He smiled and raised his glass. Just as he was about to clink glasses with me, I flicked my wrist. The full glass of red wine splashed all over his greasy face. “Ah!” Mr. Smith screamed. The entire room went silent. Everyone stared at me in shock. Fiona was the first to react, shrieking, “Clara! Are you crazy!” Vivian’s face went pale with fright. “What… what are you doing!” Mr. Smith wiped his face, trembling with rage. “You bitch! You dare splash me! Grab her! I’m going to destroy you tonight!” Several men immediately closed in on me. I was prepared. I grabbed an empty wine bottle from the table and smashed it hard against the edge. “Bang!” The bottle shattered. I gripped the remaining half, the sharp glass edge pointed at the man in front. “Who dares come closer?” I said coldly. Those men were intimidated by my aura and didn’t dare advance. Mr. Smith screamed furiously, “Useless! All of you! Get her! I’ll take responsibility if anything happens!” Just then, the private room door was suddenly kicked open from outside. “I’d like to see who dares touch her.” A cold voice came through. I looked toward the voice and froze completely. Damien? Why was he here? He was still in that custom wheelchair, followed by the expressionless Owen and several bodyguards in black. His appearance instantly dropped the room’s pressure to zero.

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Everyone in our circle knew I was a professional gold digger. I married Holt Sterling purely for his money. He treated me like a substitute for his true love, and I treated him like an ATM. Then Holt’s first love—his stepsister—came back from overseas. Just when I should’ve gracefully bowed out, I suddenly realized I couldn’t let go. After all, good-looking, generous sugar daddies are hard to come by. While I was figuring out how to cling on shamelessly, I caught Holt prying the gemstone from my mom’s ring to impress Zara Young. That ring was her only memento. Holt watched my face go pale and impatiently pulled out his checkbook: “Name your price. I’ll double it.” Looking into his cold eyes, I sobered up fast. People should waste less time on pointless emotions and more on good old-fashioned cash. I immediately looked up with a big smile: “Triple. What do you say?” Holt froze. Then, like he’d expected this all along, he scoffed and shook his head. His pen slashed across the checkbook with a bigger number. With a sharp rip, he tore it off and held the check out to me. “Half a million dollars.” “That old ring is worth fifty grand tops. I’m giving you ten times that. Satisfied?” I’d only seen that many zeros back in Chengdu. When I took it, my eyes crinkled into crescents: “More than satisfied! Way more!” Seeing how happy I looked, Zara squeezed the newly pried gemstone, looking both pleased and irritated. She’d come today just to put me down. She’d intentionally mentioned how nice the main stone on my vanity ring looked, sure Holt would pry it out for her. When I walked in and caught them red-handed, I was supposed to break down and make a scene like some scorned wife. Then she could play the scared little innocent, making Holt hate me even more—maybe even kick me out. But Zara never expected I’d be this cheap to buy off. Fuming, she couldn’t help snapping at me: “Sandra, are you really this materialistic?” “Mrs. Lily said that ring was your mom’s only keepsake. If you’re this heartless toward your own family, how could you possibly care about Holt? And this lousy stone… here, take it back!” “Touching things from people like you makes me feel dirty!” The gemstone hit the floor by my feet, rolling a few times and picking up tiny scratches. Holt watched Zara’s over-the-top reaction with a barely noticeable frown. But I wasn’t even mad. Instead, I bent down to pick it up, blew off the dust, and said slowly: “Zara, there’s something Mrs. Lily probably didn’t tell you.” “My mom was a human trafficker. The first kid she sold was me. Later, when she saw I’d made something of myself, she tried to weasel back into my life. So she splurged on this ring as a gift, claiming she wanted to make amends.” “I said no and turned her in. She got the death penalty. She’s been gone for years.” I stuffed the gemstone in my pocket and gave Zara a huge grin: “So trading this little trinket for half a million? Total steal! But since you hate it so much, Zara, I’ll just keep the cash windfall.” “Thanks a bunch, Zara!” Zara was left tongue-tied, her anger caught in her throat. I was loving every second of her frustration, channeling my inner trophy wife to twist the knife: “You must be exhausted after your trip, Zara. Mrs. Lily prepared the guest room for you. You should get some rest.” Then I gave Holt a suggestive look and purred: “Well… honey, I’ll head up to the bedroom first.” “I’ll be waiting for you in our room.” As I walked away, I could practically hear Zara grinding her teeth behind me. Sigh. I’m a pro at this gold-digging thing. Don’t mess with my career when this is just your little hobby. Back in our bedroom, the ring setting Holt had pried apart was still on the vanity. I pulled the gemstone from my pocket and set it next to the pieces. With a quiet sigh, I hunted for glue to try putting it back together. My mom sold me to a childless couple. Forty thousand yuan. Since I was a girl, she settled for thirty thousand and dumped me cheap. I was six—old enough to remember everything and start working. Funny thing, that couple had their own son a few years later. My adoptive parents turned around and sold me again. Twenty-three thousand six hundred yuan. Sold to some old drunk who said he’d raise me to be his wife. Two years later, the drunkard drowned after getting wasted. Finally, no more being passed around. I scraped by and grew up on my own. My birth mom sold me for cash. My adoptive mom did the same. So don’t call me materialistic. I probably never even knew what “love” felt like growing up. I’ve spent my whole life worrying about money, not love—that’s been my constant. All that lovey-dovey stuff? A few days of real work will cure you of that fantasy. Luckily, I love money, and money loves me right back. I was lost in these messy memories when Holt’s voice suddenly came from behind: “I’m sorry.” “I didn’t know… that was your mom’s keepsake.” I turned around, shook my head, and gave him my professional smile. “It’s fine. You compensated me, right?” “With this much cash, I could buy a whole jewelry store.” Holt glanced at the glue in my hand and didn’t look convinced. He probably thought I was just being stubborn. His eyes dropped, and his expression got complicated for a second. Seeing him go quiet, I paused and picked up my phone to keep going: “Oh, right. There’s actually something I needed to tell you…” Before I could finish, Zara’s panicked scream suddenly came from the guest bedroom down the hall: “Holt! Hurry—” Holt’s face darkened instantly. Without hesitating, he turned and ran out. My hand holding the phone froze midair, the screen showing an electronic prenatal test result: [6 weeks pregnant]. I watched Holt’s hurried back view as the screen dimmed, and the smile slowly faded from my lips. See? Money’s the only thing that never lets you down.

I couldn’t sleep, so I spent the whole night messing with that cheap glue. I finally stopped when morning light slanted through the window onto the vanity. I’d glued it into a rough shape, but cracks crisscrossed everywhere—like an ugly face covered in tear tracks. I picked it up and held it to the light. I really should just throw it away. I sighed, walked straight to the trash can by the desk, and dropped it in. I stood up to leave, then doubled back with a self-deprecating laugh. I fished it out and pried off the valuable gemstone. Forget it. I can’t afford to have issues with anyone, least of all money. I checked the time. Holt should be at the office by now. I tidied up and got ready to go cash the check. After all, with Zara back, I needed to be ready to get kicked out anytime. Walking past the first-floor dining room, Zara immediately put down her silverware when she heard me coming. She gave me a mocking little smile: “Sandra, finally up?” “You look awful. Did you toss and turn all night without Holt there?” She drawled the words and pointedly adjusted her bathrobe collar. Revealing several fresh, suggestive red marks on her collarbone. Only after she was sure I’d seen them did she continue, smirking: “Sorry, but when I can’t sleep from jet lag, Holt always… stays with me like this to help me adjust. You don’t… mind, do you?” “After all, Holt and I go way back. You can’t compete with that.” I took a deep breath, feeling a sharp, sour pain in my chest. But lucky for me, I’ve been toughing out pain since I was a kid. I tilted my head and calmly reminded Zara: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” That comment hit a nerve with Zara. She shot up from her chair, yelling at me: “What are you so proud of!” “If his mom hadn’t been dead set against us back then, we would’ve been together already. I never would’ve had to leave the country!” “Now I’m back. Do you really think you can stay with Holt?” Watching her lose it, I just raised an eyebrow and repeated, deadpan: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” Zara was shaking with rage, screaming like a maniac: “Bitch! Still dreaming about a wedding! Let me tell you, you’ll never marry Holt!” “I’m going to kick you out of here!” Watching Zara practically lose her mind, I stayed calm. I even took my time adjusting my cuffs and replied casually: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” “Enjoy your breakfast. I’m going wedding dress shopping.” With that, I walked out the door without looking back. Behind me, Zara was so mad she went into full-on table-flipping mode, screaming as she swept all the dishes off the dining table. Plates shattered everywhere. See? Even enemies can’t stand being ignored. After leaving, I rushed to deposit the check into my bank account. Staring at that long string of reassuring numbers, I finally let myself smile—a real, relaxed smile. I detoured to a mid-range apartment complex on the west side of town, where I’d bought a small unit for myself. It was all mine, a place where no one could ever kick me out. Having money really is the best. After resting most of the day, when I got back to the villa, I immediately sensed something was off. The living room lights were on. Holt, “who should’ve been at the office working,” was sitting on the couch with Zara in his arms, still sobbing as he comforted her gently. The sound of me opening the door made them jump. Holt looked over at me. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Until Zara in his arms tugged his sleeve, sobbing harder. That seemed to make up Holt’s mind. “Sandra, let’s call off the wedding.”

I stood there, taking a couple seconds to process. No big reaction. Just a sharper pain in my chest and a stinging in my nose. My whole body felt that same cold as when I was twelve, when that old drunk took his anger out on me—beat me half to death, then held my head under the well water. It’s okay, Sandra. You’ve always been good at toughing it out. I sniffled twice and nodded: “Alright.” Zara, seeing how calm I was, lifted her head from Holt’s chest to look at me. Her red, tear-streaked eyes were full of victory. I knew exactly what she was flaunting. A few tears and Holt cancels the wedding. His first love really does have that kind of power. I’m not stupid. I wasn’t about to compete with her. She’s the moon in the sky; I’m just dirt on the ground. I glanced at Holt, thinking that honestly, getting this far was pretty good. Anything more would be greedy. I said nothing and headed upstairs. “Wait!” I stopped, but didn’t turn around. “Sterling Jewelry just got a new shipment of gold. I’ll have my assistant send over two gold bars.” I lit up immediately. All those sappy thoughts from a minute ago felt ridiculous now. Love? Keep it. Just give me the money. I spun around, giving Holt my signature sweet smile: “Thank you! I’ll head up then. You two should get some rest too.” Sure enough, before I was even out of earshot, Zara was already complaining about the “gold bar compensation.” She buried her face in Holt’s chest again, sobbing dramatically. Holt looked helplessness with her reaction, bending down to comfort her. I could hear bits and pieces—probably things like “don’t cry,” “it’s not worth it,” “just be patient.” Without looking up, he called to me: "You don’t have to wait up for me tonight.” “Zara’s not doing well. I need to stay with her.” I gave a quick acknowledgment, not slowing down as I rounded the corner. I really didn’t have time to be upset. My mind was totally focused on those two gold bars. How big? How heavy? How many grams? What’s the resale value? After my shower, I grabbed my phone right away, eager to check the current gold price per gram. But just as I tapped the screen a couple times, texts from an unknown number started flooding in. It was Zara, of course. [Sandra, have you no self-respect? Holt already called off the wedding, and you still have the nerve to stay here?] [Bitch! You’re a gold-digging bitch! Take those two gold bars and get lost. Everything in the Sterling family will be mine. You’re stealing what’s mine!] [I won’t put up with you anymore. Just wait. I’ll make sure you’re thrown out of the Sterling house for good!] I read them blankly, then scrolled back up. First time I didn’t leave, I got half a million. The second time I didn’t leave, I got two gold bars. So what if I’m shameless? What’s dignity worth anyway? But right after that, there was a bloodcurdling scream and chaotic footsteps. The maid yelled in a panic: “Emergency! Someone call 911!” “Zara… she cut her wrists!”

Before the maid even finished screaming, Holt had kicked open the bathroom door. He carried the barely conscious Zara and ran for the door. “Allen, get the car! We need to get to the hospital now!” I suddenly got what Zara meant in her texts about kicking me out. That was a pretty smart move, I’ll give her that. If she’d tried manipulating or scheming, there was a chance of getting caught. But self-harm? That… meant I needed to pack my bags. I went back to my room, pulled out my suitcase, and methodically packed my valuables. For the bigger items, I paid extra for movers to come overnight. Another night without sleep. By the time I closed the suitcase, it was already 9:30. I instinctively touched my stomach. This baby… couldn’t stay. After a long sigh, I picked up my phone and scheduled an abortion for tomorrow afternoon. When I finished, I was about to go downstairs to get something to eat when— Click. Holt was home. He looked exhausted, his voice thick with fatigue: “Sandra, Zara’s really emotionally fragile right now. The doctor says we need to avoid upsetting her.” “You can’t stay in this villa anymore.” After speaking, Holt automatically reached for his checkbook in his pocket. “I’ll give you some money. Just move out for a while. Later…” “No need.” It was the first time I’d ever turned down Holt’s money. His hand froze mid-air. He looked up at me confused, then frowned impatiently and upped the offer: “Not enough?” “I’ll add another two hundred thousand. Just be reasonable and don’t…” I reached out and pressed his hand down before he could write another check. “No.” “Holt, what I mean is—let’s end this.” “End this?” For the first time, Holt looked at me with a strange expression, like he was mocking my overconfidence. He scoffed: “You can actually walk away? Give up this lifestyle?” “Enough with the games. You want something new? A car, a house, a bag, jewelry—just behave and I’ll…” Before he could finish, I grabbed my suitcase. For the first time, I met Holt’s eyes directly: “I know my good life exists because I look like Zara. Now the real thing’s back, and she’s dramatic enough to threaten suicide. I can’t… actually let her get hurt, can I?” “More importantly, Holt, I don’t want to be your property anymore.” “I want to be my own person.” As I finished, I pulled my suitcase toward the door. Holt had probably never been talked back to like this. His voice turned icy with anger: “Sandra, you dare defy me? Who do you think you are?” “Do you know how many women would beg for this life? I’m giving you one last chance. Come back! Take the check like you always do. I’ll pretend you never said that nonsense.” “Don’t make me repeat myself.” I stopped but ignored his hostile tone. Instead, I smiled: “Holt, thanks for these years. I really do like the name you gave me.” “I hope… you find what you’re looking for. Goodbye.” With that, I walked out of the villa and didn’t look back. Holt didn’t try to stop me. Instead, he went straight back to the hospital, still fuming. In the hospital room, Zara was propped up on the bed, clearly pleased that I’d “wisely” ended things. But seeing Holt looking distracted, she frowned with dissatisfaction. She was about to complain about pain to get his attention back. Just then— Knock, knock, knock. The hospital room door opened, and an unfamiliar doctor stepped in. He looked eager to please, smiling ingratiatingly at Holt: “Mr. Sterling, I’m the chief of obstetrics here.” “Sandra had a prenatal appointment scheduled that she missed. Since you’re here, I thought I’d ask if you’d like me to reschedule it. We can arrange the best obstetricians in the city!” Holt froze, like he couldn’t process what he was hearing. He asked without thinking: “What?” The doctor finally caught on, quickly switching to a congratulatory smile: “Oh! My mistake—I didn’t realize it was supposed to be a surprise. What wonderful news! During her last visit, Sandra found out she’s pregnant and scheduled a full prenatal exam. Everything looks great, don’t worry.” “Congratulations, Mr. Sterling—you’re going to be a father!” “The baby is already six weeks along!”

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I stopped by my brother’s company to drop off some documents, only to get stopped at the entrance by a woman I didn’t recognize. “I’m here to see Cameron White. I’m his sister,” I explained calmly. She scoffed. “Since when does he have a sister? Are you some kind of gold digger?” “Let me make this clear—Cameron is MY boyfriend! I’ve dealt with plenty of shameless women trying to hit on him at the office. Beat it before I call security to drag you out!” I immediately texted my assistant: Tell Cameron White to get his butt down here ASAP. What no one realized was that everything in our family—this company included—actually belonged to me, including that idiot brother of mine. “Quit loitering around,” Yasmin Perez snapped, her tone dripping with venom, clearly pegging me as some desperate social climber. “Get lost or I’m calling security.” Several employees had already started stealing glances our way. I frowned, not about to waste time on this nonsense, and pulled out my phone to call my brother directly. But all I got was his voicemail saying he was unavailable. Same result when I tried again. What the hell was that moron doing during work hours? I put my phone away and squared off with the hostile woman, enunciating each word clearly: “Let me clarify. My name is Serena White, and I’m Cameron White’s sister—the CEO’s sister.” “He’s not picking up right now. Feel free to check with anyone in the company or look me up in the directory.” I figured that would settle things quickly. But upon hearing my name, the receptionist didn’t bother verifying a thing. Instead, she let out a shrill, mocking laugh. She laughed so hard she doubled over, drawing even more curious stares from passersby. Then she suddenly leaned in, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper: “Still playing pretend? I’ve seen your face on Cameron’s phone!” “You homewrecker! Sneaking around trying to hit on my man!” “And now you have the nerve to show up at his company? Don’t you have any self-respect?” I froze for a second, glanced at the name tag on her chest—Yasmin Perez—and just shook my head in disbelief. So this was Cameron’s mysterious girlfriend—the one he’d refused to show me even a picture of. Turned out she was just some petty, catty woman. How could he have such terrible taste? I realized then this whole confrontation wasn’t an accident—it was intentional harassment. Before I could respond, she’d already lost her patience entirely. “Since this woman won’t leave and is disrupting our workplace, I won’t be held responsible for what happens next!” She waved her hand, and two burly security guards standing nearby immediately stepped forward. One clamped a hand over my mouth while the other roughly twisted my arms behind my back. I struggled violently, but the strength difference was too great—my resistance was useless. They ignored my angry glare and the shocked looks from employees as they dragged me away from the lobby toward a back storage room. I was thrown roughly into a dusty corner cluttered with boxes, the air thick with stale, suffocating air. The door slammed shut, cutting off all light and sound from outside.

In the darkness, the receptionist didn’t say a word before raising her high-heeled shoe and kicking me hard in the stomach. The sharp pain made me double over instantly, my stomach heaving. That’s for being a homewrecker!” “That’s for hitting on him!” She screamed, her voice distorted with jealousy and rage. She looked down at me and ordered the two men: “Teach her a lesson! Make sure she regrets this!” The guards were clearly in her pocket. Without hesitation, they rained blows down on me. I bit my lip, holding back the cries of pain. I felt like my bones were breaking and my insides were being torn apart. Her shrill voice continued: “Who do you think you are? Some desperate skank trying to steal my boyfriend!” “I told you I’m his sister! If you don’t believe me, call Cameron right now! I’ll talk to him myself!” I tried to explain, but she wouldn’t listen. She only called them off when I started to lose consciousness. She planted her high-heeled shoe on my shoulder, then picked up the torn envelope from the floor, grinding the papers under her heel as she smiled at me: “You better apologize right now and admit you were wrong. Write a note promising never to bother my boyfriend again.” “This is what happens when you try to steal my man and then have the nerve to show up here.” “I’m not scared of what might happen. Cameron will take care of everything for me.” I curled up in pain, barely able to speak: “Those documents were important…” Her expression darkened, and she kicked me again. The guards immediately resumed their beating. I realized nothing I said would matter. If this kept up, I might actually die here. After coughing up blood from another blow, I used my last strength to fumble for my phone on the floor. “Stop… I’ll… I’ll write it.” She looked satisfied with my surrender, signaling the guards to stop. She crouched down and patted my swollen cheek. “Wouldn’t this have been easier from the start? Did you really need to get beaten up first?” “You’re not just writing it—you’re recording a video apology. Admit you tried to seduce him and promise to stay away forever!” I lay on the cold floor, gasping for air, my lungs burning with pain. I ignored her and used my shaking hands to unlock my phone and call my best friend, Melanie Lin. The call connected quickly. “Melanie, get to my brother’s company fast… storage room… bring help…” “I’m on my way.” Melanie hesitated for a second, then realized something was wrong. “Serena? What’s going on? You sound…” “Don’t ask, just hurry.” I cut her off and hung up. When Yasmin heard me call for help, she didn’t look worried at all. Instead, she scoffed: “Calling for backup? Fine, bring whoever you want. No one’s saving you today!” The smug look on her face was impossible to hide.

Melanie showed up at an astonishing speed. Before long, the storage room door was abruptly pushed open from outside. Melanie rushed in with two bodyguards. When she saw the blood at the corner of my mouth, my disheveled clothes, and me curled up on the floor, she was horrified. She quickly stepped forward to help me up. I shook my head, signaling her not to speak. When Yasmin saw the bodyguards, her expression changed, but she still tried to act tough: “Who are you people? This is company business—you need to leave!” Melanie ignored her completely, helping me walk out with the bodyguards surrounding us. “Stop! Who do you think you are?” Yasmin tried to block us but backed off when Melanie’s bodyguard gave her a death stare. Enduring severe pain, I limped out of that disgusting place with Melanie’s support. When we got to the entrance, I thanked Melanie: “Thanks.” She looked worried: “What the hell happened? How did this happen?” I laughed bitterly, wincing at the pain in my lip: “Cameron found himself quite a girlfriend. I need to have a talk with him.” I took out my phone and called the Executive Vice President who actually runs the design company. I’d placed him there to keep an eye on my brother, and he was extremely loyal to me. He answered right away, and I got straight to the point, my voice cold. “You have ten minutes to fire a receptionist named Yasmin Perez.” “Otherwise, the White family will pull all funding and support from the company—every last cent.” The Executive VP on the other end panicked as soon as he heard my voice. He must have noticed the strain in my voice because he agreed immediately, too afraid to ask questions. I hung up and told Melanie: “Take me to South Hills Manor.” In the car, I gritted through the pain and made another call from a different phone. “Victor, get your team to Cameron White’s villa. Now. Right away.” When we arrived at South Hills Manor, my private doctor treated my injuries immediately. After being patched up, the anger inside me only grew stronger—like adding fuel to a fire. I needed answers. I needed Cameron White to explain himself in person. My team tracked him down—he was throwing a party at his villa. I had the driver take me there after sending Melanie home to rest. That villa was another gift from me, by the way. When I got there, though, all I heard was loud heavy metal music blaring from inside. And the sound of people partying—clearly having a good time. He was throwing a party? No wonder he didn’t answer my calls earlier. The front door was slightly open. For some reason, I hesitated before going in. Then I heard a familiar female voice—she was crying. It was Yasmin Perez. She was sobbing to everyone there, painting herself as the victim—claiming some crazy woman had bullied her and gotten her fired for no reason. “I was just doing my job, not letting some random woman in, and she had her goons beat me up! Then she got me fired for no reason…” “Cameron, she’s out of control—she doesn’t care about you at all!” “She just wants to humiliate me and break us up!” Inside, Cameron’s friends all started agreeing, acting outraged on her behalf. Cameron pulled her into his arms, comforting her loudly with a voice full of fake concern. “Don’t worry, I won’t let her get away with this!” Then, trying to look tough, he announced to everyone: “When I find that woman, I’ll make her beg for your forgiveness!” Inside, the rich kids kept egging her on, talking about how they’d make me pay. “Cameron, just say the word—we’ll go find her right now!” “Yeah! Show her who’s boss!” I’d heard enough. I gave a small signal, and my bodyguard kicked the door open. The music stopped suddenly, and the laughter died instantly. Dozens of shocked faces turned toward the door. “No need to find me. I’m right here. Who wants to teach me a lesson?”

The room went silent—only the sound of my heels clicking on the floor echoed through the room. I walked slowly toward the couple hugging in the middle of the living room. Cameron’s face was priceless. First shock, then pure terror—his face turned white as a sheet. He instinctively pushed Yasmin away, like he was going to stand up. But when he saw Yasmin’s teary face, he hesitated, looking conflicted. Finally, his fear turned into some stupid, fake toughness. He stayed seated, just staring at me like that would hide how scared he was. As for Yasmin, when she recognized me, her eyes went wide. But she quickly got her composure back, realizing she was at Cameron’s place with all his friends around. She snuggled deeper into Cameron’s arms and started crying even harder. “It’s her… she’s the one who hurt me…” She cried while looking at me with hate and pride in her eyes. Like she was saying, See? He’s still protecting me. I ignored her, keeping my eyes on Cameron. “Cameron, I have a question for you.” “Didn’t you just say you’d make me beg your girlfriend for forgiveness?” Cameron swallowed hard, his lips shaking, but no words came out. He was scared of me. Always had been, ever since we were kids. He knew who really ran things in this family. His friends looked at each other, clearly confused about what was happening. Some blonde rich kid—probably trying to impress Yasmin—stepped forward. “Who the hell are you? You can’t talk to Cameron like that!” “You better apologize to Yasmin right now, or else…” He didn’t get to finish that sentence. My bodyguard stepped in front of me, expressionless, cutting him off. The blonde kid immediately shut up under the bodyguard’s intimidating stare. I walked around the bodyguard, stood in front of Cameron, and looked down at him. “I guess you’re not going to explain anything.” Cameron finally got up, his neck stiff with tension. He pulled me aside, his voice low and urgent, half-pleading and half-annoyed. “Serena, what do you want?” “Do you have to humiliate me in front of my friends?” “Yasmin didn’t mean any harm—she’s just straightforward. Can’t you just drop it?” Looking at him, I suddenly thought it was all ridiculous. Drop it? After she had me beaten half to death, destroyed important documents, and locked me in a storage room, he wanted me to drop it? “Cameron.” I used his first name sharply. “Are you kidding me?” “I…” He couldn’t finish, avoiding my eyes. Just then, car doors slammed outside, followed by heavy footsteps approaching the villa. Everyone in the living room turned toward the door, confused. Victor walked in with several serious-looking men. They ignored the stares and went straight to me. Victor nodded respectfully: “Ma’am.” I looked at Yasmin and tilted my chin toward her: “Take her out.” Yasmin’s screams got louder: “Cameron! Who are these people?! What are you doing! Help! Somebody help!” Cameron turned white as a sheet and tried to rush forward: “Why did you bring people! Let her go!” Victor’s men moved quickly, grabbing Yasmin by the arms and dragging her out despite her kicking and screaming.

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My wife’s male best friend lost a game and was dared to choose a woman present to grind against face-to-face for ten seconds. Without hesitation, he chose my wife. “We’re most familiar with this position, aren’t we?” I froze, thinking he was joking. Just as I was about to speak, Colton had already pushed my wife down. Seeing my face turn ashen, he explained nonchalantly: “Oh, the night before you two got married, she got blackout drunk and was acting wild. I helped her out.” “Don’t worry, it was just some rubbing. Nothing actually happened, otherwise you wouldn’t have been able to marry her the next day.” I let out a cold laugh. “Of course.” And punched him right in the face. “You should have told me sooner. Otherwise I wouldn’t have married a used-up slut!” The private room fell instantly silent. Sophia’s hands, which had been involuntarily wrapped around his waist, suddenly jerked back. She pulled him into her arms protectively, looking at me furiously: “James, are you insane!” “Colton already explained! It was an emergency and she had no choice but to ask him for help. What right do you have to be angry!” “Besides, I went to him purely out of friendship. That’s better than going to some random guy, right? Instead of being grateful, you dare to hit him!” With that, she gently stroked Colton’s face, her eyes full of heartache. And I stood to the side, my heart growing colder bit by bit. Three years of marriage, and whenever she mentioned Colton, her most common phrase was that he was her best friend regardless of gender. Eating from the same bowl—best friends. Sleeping in the same bed—best friends. And now even “sleeping together” was just best friends. I looked up, carefully examining Colton with his eight-pack abs and six-foot-two frame. Nothing about him looked remotely like a “woman.” Thinking about it carefully, it was just an excuse she made to placate me. I laughed coldly, saying expressionlessly: “You call this friends helping each other out?” “Fine, then find someone else here right now and show me how they can ‘help’ you!” Sophia’s face instantly paled. “What are you implying! Are you suspecting us?!” “James, I’ve told you a thousand times that Colton and I grew up together. If there was anything between us, we would’ve been together long ago. You wouldn’t have had a chance!” “Everyone rarely gets together like this to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and you insist on making such a scene and embarrassing everyone!” She frowned, looking at me with barely concealed disgust. But she was the one who did something wrong. Yet somehow I was the one being unreasonable. I smiled bitterly, staring hard at Sophia: “So you do know Colton is a man.” “I thought you didn’t realize.” Sophia froze, instinctively blurting out: “Of course I know…” Halfway through her sentence, she caught herself. “I’m warning you, don’t try to change the subject. You must apologize to Colton today!” I looked up in disbelief, the bitterness in my heart suffocating me. Suddenly finding it all pointless, I got up and headed for the door. Just as I reached it, I was yanked back hard. “James, I’ll say it one more time—apologize!” My groin slammed hard into the corner of the table, pain shooting through me in cold sweats. But I still gritted my teeth, raising my head and enunciating clearly: “Never!” The atmosphere instantly froze. Seeing this, people around started trying to mediate. “Come on, Sophia, James didn’t mean it.” “Right, right, don’t be so angry.” But no matter what others said, Sophia continued gripping my arm tightly, her eyes cold in a way I’d never seen before. Until Colton walked over and hooked her palm. “Sophia, what have I always taught you? You need to be patient with your husband. You’re not being gentle at all!” Then he looked at me: “James, let me apologize on her behalf. My friend is great in every way, except she can’t stand seeing me bullied since childhood, so that’s why she lost her temper with you.” “Don’t worry, I’ll educate her properly when we get back.” As soon as he finished speaking, Sophia released her grip. All the malice in her eyes vanished completely. In three years of marriage, I’d never seen her eyes turn red. Even during our honeymoon when I got into a fight with someone, afterward she just casually had the other person apologize. I always thought she was naturally cold, but now I finally understood—she did have someone she cared for deeply. Unfortunately… That person wasn’t me… In my daze, Colton picked up a wine glass and walked over to me. “James, this drink is for you. Let’s just put this behind us.” He shoved the glass into my hand. I found it disgusting and resisted, but in the struggle, he suddenly let go. Red wine spilled all over his clothes, and the glass shattered on the floor. Sophia immediately became angry. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you!” With that, she shoved me to the ground. Glass shards embedded themselves in my arm. Blood flowed down my arm. Sophia froze, instinctively wanting to help me up. But Colton behind her suddenly sneezed. “I’m a bit cold~” Without a word, Sophia took off her jacket and draped it over him. She turned to look at me as if I’d committed some heinous crime. “Are you satisfied now that things have gotten this far?” With that, she put her arm around Colton and headed for the door. Suppressing the pain, I said trembling: “Sophia, if you dare walk out that door today, we’re done.” She paused, but ultimately didn’t look back.

I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up from the floor. Some of Sophia’s friends asked guiltily: “James, should we take you to the hospital? Sophia, she…” Before they could finish, I glanced at my bleeding arm and laughed. Now even a stranger knew to care about me. But my wife had walked away with someone else without looking back. I shook my head: “No need, I can manage.” With that, I limped out and took a cab to the hospital. During the bandaging, each touch made my whole body shudder from the pain. Then my phone buzzed. I opened it—Colton had just updated his Ins. [Gift from my best friend to make it up to me. Look how happy we are!] In the photo, a Maltese dog sat in the middle, with Sophia and Colton smiling happily behind it. They really did look like a happy family. I casually liked the post. The next second, Sophia’s call came through. “James, what’s your problem? I just bought Colton a puppy and you’re being sarcastic!” I didn’t respond. She continued: “By the way, Colton’s shirt got wet, so I’m taking him home to change. Don’t forget this is all your fault!” Before I could answer, she hung up with a sharp click. I laughed self-deprecatingly and contacted a lawyer about divorce proceedings. Just after I sent the message, a doctor recognized me. He said the results from mine and Sophia’s checkup were ready. I followed him to the office, but the next moment, what the doctor said shocked me. “By the way, your wife is pregnant. Congratulations!” I couldn’t believe it, thinking I was hallucinating, staring hard at the test results. Since my parents died, I’d always longed to have a child of my own. But it had to happen now… After much hesitation, I recalled the email I’d just sent. I thought I’d give Sophia one more chance. And give the baby in her belly one more chance. Because the hospital was crowded, by the time I finished treating my wound and got home, it was late at night. Before I even opened the door, I heard playful laughter from inside. Sophia’s face was covered in foam, and even her body was splattered with it. But she had severe OCD. Once when I accidentally splashed a drop of oil on her while eating, she found me disgusting for an entire week. But now, because it was Colton, she showed no anger despite being covered in foam. Seeing me return, Sophia immediately breathed a sigh of relief, snatching the hair dye from Colton’s hands: “Leave this kind of service work to my husband. You’re so clumsy, I really don’t know what woman would dare marry you!” Colton protested indignantly, grabbing a nearby pillow and throwing it at her. “Mind your own business! It’s not like it’s you anyway!” Sophia was amused by his antics, but worried he’d fall, she defended herself while protecting his body. And I just stood in the entryway, watching their intimate interaction as if I weren’t there, feeling only tightness in my chest. I didn’t take the hair dye as I normally would. Instead, I went straight to the bedroom to change out of my dirty clothes. When I came back out, Sophia was wearing headphones, keeping Colton company while he played games. I walked over and handed her the test results. Hearing movement, Sophia reluctantly turned from the computer. “What’s this?” Just as she finished speaking, Colton screamed. “Save me! I’m about to be killed by the enemy!” “And… and the ice cream in my mouth is dripping. Quick, wipe it for me…” Sophia said with disgust, “Gross!” But her hands didn’t stop moving. She grabbed the nearby test results and wrapped up the half-melted ice cream, casually tossing it into the trash. At that moment, standing to the side, I didn’t even have the desire to speak anymore.

In the early morning hours, a pair of hands embraced me from behind. A familiar scent whispered softly in my ear: “Honey, happy anniversary.” One sentence suddenly brought dead memories flooding back. Sophia and I met at a college dance. She fell for me at first sight and pursued me relentlessly for three years. Back then, she would remember every preference I casually mentioned, every habit of mine. And after every time she made me angry, she’d try everything to make it up to me. She said my feelings mattered most. Senior year, when my parents died, it was Sophia who stayed with me through those darkest days. Her gentleness and consideration made me fall completely. But when did she start to change? Probably after Colton returned from abroad. I still remember the first time we met, he put his arm around Sophia’s shoulder: “Sophia, long time no see! I missed you!” Sophia smiled and punched him back: “Get lost, who needs you missing them.” I stood awkwardly to the side. Only then did Sophia remember to introduce me: “My husband, James.” Colton extended his hand with a grin. “Nice to meet you, James!” “We’ve been like this since we were kids, don’t take it personally.” I forced a smile and shook his hand. Sophia also explained from the side: “Colton has been my friend since childhood. We’re really close, don’t overthink it.” I nodded, trying to get used to their intimacy. But later, Colton appeared more and more frequently. He always called Sophia away under the pretext of “friends gathering,” and even insisted on a bachelor party the day before our wedding. And every time before leaving, Sophia would emphasize again and again, “We’re just friends.” But today, one sentence from Colton completely woke me up… Thinking of this, I suppressed the nausea in my stomach and pushed Sophia away, not holding her like I usually would. The next morning, I was woken by a dog barking. Getting up and going downstairs, I saw the side hall where my parents’ memorial photos were kept—a complete mess. My parents’ photos had been thrown on the floor, covered in muddy footprints. And Colton’s pet dog was chewing on the photos. At that moment, I felt all the blood in my body flowing backward. All reason instantly evaporated. Like a madman, I grabbed a nearby vase and hurled it at the dog. The porcelain shattered. The dog whimpered continuously. Colton’s expression changed instantly. He ran over and scooped up the dog, tears of panic in his eyes. “James, can’t you even tolerate a dog?!” I ignored him, raising my hand and slapping him hard across the face. Sophia was coming downstairs and saw this exact scene. She rushed over and shoved me aside: “James! Will you ever stop! How long are you going to bully him!” My whole body shook as I forced myself to speak: “Can’t you see! My parents’ memorial photos are lying on the floor!” But Sophia glanced at them indifferently and said: “That’s still no reason to hit someone!” Then Colton spoke up too: “James, I know you hate me, but the puppy is innocent. Why did you have to be so cruel…” “Is it because you resent me staying at your place? Then I’ll leave right now…” Sophia instantly flew into a rage, dragging me in front of Colton. “Apologize!” I laughed coldly, turning to pick up the photos from the floor. My attitude completely enraged Sophia. She viciously kicked my lower back. I crashed heavily onto the stairs. Instantly, excruciating pain exploded from my groin. I looked down to see a palm-sized sharp object embedded in my groin. “Hospital… get me to a hospital…” Before I could finish, Colton had already thrown himself into Sophia’s arms: “Sophia, our baby is hurt. It’s still so young…” Without a word, Sophia picked up the dog and rushed out the door without looking back. And I curled up on the floor, my heart shattered to pieces. As my consciousness blurred, I dialed a number. That person rushed over in a hurry and sent me to the hospital. Before surgery, the nurse helped me call Sophia. Before I could speak, Colton’s voice came through. “I bet you regret marrying James.” In an instant, I felt my heartbeat stop. After a long pause, that voice I knew so well spoke: “I do.” At that moment, something in my heart seemed to collapse with a thunderous crash. “Proceed with the surgery.” With that, I closed my eyes. What dissipated along with consciousness was the last thread of affection between Sophia and me.

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On my eighteenth birthday, my father sent me to Alpha Marcus’s bed to settle his debt. After that one night, he seemed captivated. He doted on me, keeping me by his side every day. Then, one day, a phone call pulled him away. When I saw him again, he was holding his mate, who had been missing for five years. He threw me out of their bedroom. I confronted him, furious, but his reply was dismissive. “You’re just an Omega bought to pay a debt. I’ll discard you when I’m tired of you.” The woman’s delicate laughter echoed in my ears all night. I curled up in a corner, my tears soaking through my dress. I had overthought everything. But to pay for my mother’s treatment, I stayed in the Castella Pack. Then I saw my mother’s body. With trembling hands, I took off the necklace he had given me. The debt was paid. Any feeling was gone. I never wanted to see him again, alive or dead. I watched Marcus come home with her in his arms after being out all night. She was the person in the photo on Marcus’s desk-Serena, his mate who had been missing for five years. Marcus glanced at me indifferently and spoke lazily. “You. Move to the maid’s room on the first floor.” I stood frozen in disbelief. My fists clenched, and I bit my lip hard before the words tore out of me. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself, Marcus? Anything at all?!” His face darkened instantly. He looked down at me, a cold sneer twisting his lips. “You’re just a gift. Be grateful I’m not throwing you out of the territory now that I’m done with you.” My heart clenched, the pain stealing my breath. Serena clung to Marcus’s arm, her plea for me dripping with false sweetness. “Marcus, she did keep you company for three years while I was gone. Why not just put her in a guest room?” Marcus gazed at her with utter devotion, tapping her nose playfully. “Anything for you, my love.” When his gaze turned to me, it was filled with cold disgust. “Aren’t you going to thank Serena? If she weren’t so kind-hearted, how could you stay by my side?” I smiled bitterly, desperately trying to control the tears welling in my eyes, but they still fell drop by drop as I bent down to express my thanks. Marcus frowned at the teardrops on the floor. “Is all this drama necessary? I’m only asking you to change rooms.” A bitter smile touched my lips. I turned without a word, hurried to the master bedroom to gather my things, and moved to the guest room. From the doorway came the man’s coaxing voice and the woman’s departing laughter. The next moment, I was lifted by the waist and placed on the desk. Marcus’s domineering, scorching kiss swept over me. After the kiss, my mouth was full of the taste of blood. He rubbed my lips and spoke harshly. “Were you just throwing a tantrum at me? Remember your place! I’m your Alpha. Understand?” His fierce gaze stunned me, and the stinging pain on my lips brought me back to reality. So this was it. I’d been deluding myself all along. There had never been any love or affection. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cellar, trembling all over as I nodded. Seeing this, he seemed to feel sorry for me. He gently rubbed the top of my head and kissed my forehead. Tears immediately filled my eyes. In the past few years, I’d loved it when he did this, but now I only felt mocked. “Hurry up and pack. I want you moved out in ten minutes. Don’t worry, I won’t cut off your mother’s medical resources. You just need to stay by my side obediently.” I looked up and met his teasing eyes. My heart felt sour. He was my Alpha, my support. Only he could afford the astronomical cost of my mother’s treatment. For my mother’s sake, I had to endure. Turning my head, I saw the necklace nearby-the token of love Marcus had given me. I tentatively asked. “Can I take the necklace?” Marcus waved his hand dismissively. “It’s just a worthless necklace. Take it if you want.” My heart stung like I’d been stabbed with needles. The token of love I treasured so much was just a worthless trinket to him. I left in disappointment. By the lake, I ran into Serena, who was touring the grounds.

Her demeanor had completely changed from before. A mocking smile played at the corner of her lips. “I thought you’d be someone formidable to keep him interested for five years. I never imagined you’d be such a lowly Omega. Stay away from him. You’ve been his bed partner for years, and I don’t like it.” My body trembled. Eyes red, I stared at her and couldn’t help but retort. “You want me to leave? But he ordered me to stay by his side! He’s my creditor, my Alpha. I can only obey!” She glanced behind her. Suddenly, she grabbed my hand, slipped backwards into the lake herself, and shouted. “Help!” Marcus’s angry roar came from behind me. “Vida! What are you doing?!” Marcus immediately had someone pull Serena out. She cowered pitifully in his arms and spoke with false sympathy. “Marcus, don’t blame her. She’s just too jealous of me.” Marcus’s eyes were ice cold, veins bulging on his neck. In three years of knowing him, I’d never seen him like this. “Vida! You’re so ungrateful. Then go be a servant!” Seeing him favor Serena so much, my eyes turned red with anger, and aggrieved tears fell uncontrollably. The next second, I jumped into the lake. Marcus immediately stepped forward to grab me, but Serena tripped him. Marcus frowned. “She can’t swim-” Before he could finish, he saw me already standing in the lake. The water only came up to my waist. I looked mockingly at the two of them on the shore and sneered. “So I tried to harm someone with water this shallow?” Marcus’s face stiffened. Serena also went pale and tried to explain, but Marcus stopped her. “Whether you harmed her or not, the fact remains that you caused her to fall into the water. I won’t change what I said.” My hands clenched tight, nails digging in as if trying to gouge out flesh from my palms. I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. I already knew he was biased toward her. Why did it still hurt so much? The three of us returned to the house to change clothes. I’d just taken out my clothes when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Serena standing there with a pleasant smile as she walked in. “I think it’s more convenient for us girls to change together. Don’t you agree?” She took off her clothes, revealing large areas of marking scars that stabbed painfully at my eyes. This was Marcus’s favorite thing to do. I used to laugh at him for needing to leave his scent everywhere he went. He’d gently pulled me into his arms. “This is proof that I love you.” Serena acted as if she’d just noticed, hurriedly covering her body with her clothes, her face flushing red. “After all these years, he’s still the same as before-he still likes to do this.” I stared at her numbly with a stiff face. After Serena left, thinking about everything that had happened today, I felt somewhat desperate. And this was only the first day. The woman’s moans brought me back to my senses. I covered my ears and curled up in the corner of the bed. I squeezed my eyes shut, but tears still slid uncontrollably down my cheeks. When I woke again, it was from a sharp pain.

In the darkness, a pungent smell came over-wolfsbane. Serena was bent over by my bedside. With each of her movements, my foot felt like it was burning. I immediately pulled my foot back and said in a low voice. “What are you doing?! This is abuse of private punishment. I’m going to tell Marcus!” Serena listened to my questioning with a smile. “Punishing you, of course. Don’t bother telling Marcus. Even if you tell the Wolf Council, no one will help you.” I tried to struggle to my feet, only to find my limbs were weak. I could only watch helplessly as Serena used silver needles covered in wolfsbane to pierce my skin again and again. The wolfsbane seeped into the wounds, bringing excruciating pain and numbness. Early the next morning, I went to guard the cemetery. Every step I took brought piercing pain. I grabbed Marcus and tried to expose everything Serena had done to me. Marcus frowned and told me to show him proof. I looked at my fair, rosy feet without a trace of injury and was speechless, but I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. I pressed my fingers hard, trying to squeeze out the silver needles from the wounds, but the wolfsbane had already seeped into my bloodstream. The pain made me break out in a cold sweat, but only a few strands of poisoned blood emerged. Marcus impatiently shook off my hand and warned me sternly. “Vida, this is the last time. I don’t want to hear you slander her again!” As he turned and left, my last hope was shattered. The light in my eyes dimmed inch by inch. Every night after that, Serena would come to my room, and no matter how I tried to defend myself, I’d be drugged and unable to resist. But for my mother’s sake, I had to endure no matter what! Until one day at the crematorium, I saw that familiar face lying among the bodies. The nurse from the medical station kept saying something in my ear. I felt cold all over. My fingers trembling, I touched my mother’s icy face and immediately collapsed to my knees. Marcus looked at my empty eyes and suddenly felt extremely panicked. He stepped forward to support me. He shook my shoulders hard, calling my name with a trembling voice. “Vida, say something!” I looked at him with dilated pupils, tears falling on his hands. “Marcus, I don’t have a mother anymore.” I returned to my room and fell into a deep sleep. When I opened my eyes again, three days had passed. I went to the medical station to collect my mother’s belongings and ran into her nurse. From her, I learned the heartbreaking truth. My mother hadn’t died from severe injuries-she’d been killed by a large dose of wolfsbane administered by Serena! And after Marcus learned the news, he immediately suppressed it and disguised everything to look like a natural death. “Vida, I really couldn’t bear to lie to you when I saw your condition, but I didn’t dare say much with Marcus there. That’s the truth. You should leave him as soon as possible. He’s not right for you.” I thought about how Marcus had once promised me he’d give my mother the best medical resources. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The strange looks from people around me fell on me, but I didn’t care anymore. I wiped away the last tear from the corner of my eye and took off the necklace from around my neck, throwing it in the trash. The debt was paid. The feelings were gone. It was time for me to leave.

I planned to go see my mother’s body. But from outside came Serena’s sweet, commanding voice. “Hurry up and close the furnace. Marcus said Vida’s mother’s body needs to be cremated today.” “But where’s the body?” “Oh, I just put the body in the furnace. It’s already preheated. Close it and start burning.” Hearing this, my heart tightened. I quickly ran toward the door. Someone seemed about to come in to check if anyone was still inside, but Serena stopped them. “I’m the future Luna of Castella Pack! You dare disobey me?! Close it now and start burning!” I heard the sound of the door being locked. I rushed over and pounded on the furnace wall, calling for help, trying to make the people outside hear me. Fortunately, the person at the door heard my cries for help. Just as they were about to unlock it, Serena slapped them and snatched away the key. The temperature inside the furnace shot up instantly. I forced myself to calm down. Just when I was beginning to despair, my mother’s body suddenly sat up and pointed in a direction. I was a little scared, but still went over with a glimmer of hope to check my mother’s breathing. There was no response. I followed my mother’s guidance to that direction and soon found iron rings embedded in a corner. I was overjoyed. I wrapped my hands in my clothes and quickly grabbed the rings to climb up. But how could clothes block the high temperature inside the furnace? By the middle, blisters had formed through the clothes, and my shoes were nearly melted. I climbed to the top of the furnace, looked at the grass below, and jumped down. The burns and scrapes on my body hurt so much I almost passed out. But I absolutely couldn’t die here! I staggered forward and finally saw werewolves running toward me at the end of the road. When I woke again, I heard Marcus and Serena arguing. Marcus had Serena by the throat, pressing her against the wall of the medical station. “Who told you to use my name to do these things! I don’t care what you want to do to her. But I don’t want to see what happened today ever again! Serena, my indulgence of you isn’t capital for you to challenge my bottom line. Understand?” I sneered inwardly. He actually knew everything. He was just playing dumb. But now I could no longer shed a single tear for him. Serena’s face was pale, eyes brimming with tears as she explained. “I really didn’t know she was in there. Besides, I’m about to be your mate. Why would I bother?” I coughed, and Marcus immediately turned around, looking at me anxiously. I smiled faintly, reassuring him. “I’m fine, just tired. You don’t need to stay here with me.” I knew him. He would mark Serena, but he would never let me leave. I had to escape before the ceremony began. Two weeks passed. My wounds had nearly healed. I reached out to a contact from my old pack to forge travel papers for another territory. Watching the televised announcement of their marking ceremony, I headed for another territory. But as soon as I crossed the border, guards blocked my path. They were Marcus’s me. I turned to run, but a towel was thrown over my mouth and nose. My vision went black, and I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the dark red glow of Marcus’s cigarette in the darkness. I trembled. My escape had failed.

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The day I almost died giving birth, my husband was already filing for divorce to marry my best friend, Seraphina Vance. As I teetered on the edge, my boss, Dominic Thorne, swooped in. He spent three hundred million to save my life and our son. The moment I woke from surgery, he proposed. For thirteen years, he treated me like a treasure, his devotion absolute. Everything shattered the day I went to pick up our son, Leo. I overheard their conversation. “Since Seraphina can’t have children,” Dominic said, “will you be her son forever, Leo? How does that sound?” Thirteen-year-old Leo thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, Dad! She’s the best-like a real mom, even better! We’re even meeting her at our secret spot today!” A decade of being spoiled rotten, all a beautiful lie. He had only ever needed me to give Seraphina the child she couldn’t have. Fine. If that’s how it is, then I don’t want either of them anymore. I stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. The stew I’d made for Leo crashed to the floor, splashing and scalding my leg. So, all these years of ‘love and devotion’ were just a calculated trap from the very beginning! I clapped my hand over my mouth, stifling a sob. Hot tears streamed down my face, burning a hundred, a thousand times worse than the scalding. “Mom! Dad and I are coming to see you soon! I brought your favorite blueberry cake!” Leo bounced around, phone pressed to his ear, calling her Mom again and again. Dominic, watching with a doting smile, eagerly snatched the phone. “Go on, Leo, let me talk to her for a moment.” He clutched the phone as if it were a lifeline. Watching them fight over it, I retreated home in shame, feeling like a complete outsider. But as I reached my front door, I saw our housekeeper leaving the villa across the street. Driven by a grim curiosity, I slipped inside. To my shock, every wall of the villa was covered with photos of Dominic, Seraphina, and Leo-a picture-perfect family. So, this was their “secret hideout.” In the hallway, there was a large group photo of Seraphina with the entire Thorne family. It was then I realized that not only Dominic, but the entire Thorne family adored her. Dominic had always said he was afraid I wouldn’t be comfortable at Thorne Manor, so he rarely took me there. Now, it seemed I simply wasn’t worthy. Dragging my numb body, I returned home to tend to my scalded leg. Dominic, who had just entered, stumbled over and knelt before me. “What happened, darling? How did you get burned?” Leo also knelt, gently blowing on my wound. I suppressed the bitterness. “An accident while cooking, it’s nothing.” But when I looked up again, their gazes were fixed on the window. Seraphina had just walked into the villa across the street. My family, painstakingly built over a decade, was just a facade, a stage for someone else’s happily ever after. No wonder Dominic had specifically taught Leo to be filial. He probably just wanted Leo to be filial to Seraphina, to give her a complete family. At that moment, the family doctor knocked and entered, handing Dominic a form. The two went upstairs conspiratorially, and I quietly followed. “Seraphina’s husband is critically ill. If you intervene, there might still be hope.” Dominic frowned. “How am I supposed to save him? Impossible.” A knowing smirk touched the doctor’s lips. “Exactly. If her husband dies, your path clears. No more juggling these two lives of yours.” Dominic, whose thoughts were caught red-handed, simply rolled his eyes at the doctor with a smirk, then added his chilling instruction. “Curing him is tough, but making things worse? That’s easy. You know what needs to be done.” I hid behind the wall, biting my lip hard. Dominic was willing to play God with someone’s life, all to fulfill a lifelong regret. I had underestimated Seraphina’s place in his heart. When Dominic reappeared, he was holding Leo’s hand. “I have to handle something at the office. Leo insisted on coming. You should rest, darling.” Not long after they left, an anonymous message popped up in the school’s parent group chat. “Attention: From now on, each family is limited to one parent in this chat.” Before I could even process it, I was removed. I knew exactly who would take my place as ‘Leo’s mom’ in there. With a bitter smile, I exited the chat and called home, informing them I would be back in a few days. From then on, I would no longer have a husband, nor a son.

Hanging up the phone, I stood by the master bedroom window, watching the three laughing figures across the street. The pain was suffocating. To give birth to Leo, I went through hell and back, and now Dominic was just casually handing him over to someone else… It reminded me of years ago, when Leo had just learned to speak, he pointed at Seraphina’s photo and called her “Mom.” Dominic had dismissed it then, saying the child was too young to understand, but he’d grinned from ear to ear. At that memory, tears cascaded down my cheeks, blurring my vision. I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears. After watching for what felt like an eternity, I pulled out my phone, my finger hovering over the flight booking screen. Just then, Dominic carried Leo into the bedroom. “Darling, why are you crying?” He seemed startled. “Oh, and about the school group, I’m in it now. I removed you just so you wouldn’t have to worry.” I just nodded and put Leo to bed. But as he slept, he began to mumble. “If Mom and Dad get divorced…I want to live with Dad. Then I can call Seraphina ‘Mom’.” Dad…you’ve asked me that so many times already..” My hand, smoothing his blanket, froze. My heart clenched into a tight, painful knot. I walked numbly back to the master bedroom and noticed several cancellation notifications on my phone. Dominic, taking off his watch, offered an explanation. “You’ve been putting too much pressure on Leo with his studies. It’s not good for him. A child should just be happy, don’t you think?” Was it his decision, or Seraphina’s? I didn’t say much, simply got into bed. But when I turned, I noticed a new bracelet on Dominic’s wrist. Seeing me look, he quickly, almost guiltily, pulled his sleeve down, trying to hide the bracelet, forcing a faint smile. “Go to sleep,darling.” I couldn’t sleep until midnight, when I heard Dominic stealthily get out of bed. I didn’t make a sound, letting him leave. Still hesitating about booking my flight, I casually scrolled through Seraphina’s Ins stories. “Craving a late-night snack at 2 AM? No problem, someone delivered it personally.” The photo showed a hand holding a takeout bag, its wrist bearing a familiar bracelet. For over a decade, Dominic had insisted on proper meals and frowned on late-night snacks. Now, it seemed, rules could be broken. The next second, I received a video from Seraphina. In it, she cried, looking distraught. “If my husband dies, I will be all alone. And you are already married.” Dominic quickly hugged her, his brow furrowed with concern. “Do not worry, Seraphina. You have me and Leo.” “But what if that day comes? Will you,” Seraphina’s eyes lit up as she blinked at him, “marry me?” Dominic’s hand, which had been comforting her, stilled. He bit his lip, unable to answer for a long time. Yet his eyes held a suppressed pain and tenderness. A bitter laugh escaped me. Without hesitation, I booked a flight home and contacted a lawyer to draft divorce papers.

The next morning, both Dominic and Leo were gone. I only found out it was the day of the Thorne family’s annual gathering by checking Seraphina’s Ins. As Dominic’s wife, to learn such news through someone else’s social media felt utterly ridiculous. But I was surprised when Dominic actually returned to pick me up. The moment I entered Thorne Manor, I heard whispers about me. “Aurora hasn’t been to Thorne Manor in years?” “It’s not that she wouldn’t come. It’s Emma, Dominic’s grandmother, who didn’t want her here. Look how lively and adorable Seraphina is, then look at Aurora. She’s seen as damaged goods, utterly discarded.” Those words pierced me like daggers, but Dominic, standing beside me, didn’t refute a single one. Hands in his pockets, he effortlessly made his way to his grandmother’s side. Seraphina was already there, leaning on Emma’s knee, charmingly. “Grandma, Seraphina is just like she was when she was little, always wanting to cling to you.” Dominic’s face was filled with affection as he spoke. At that moment, Seraphina’s gaze fell on me, and she bounced over to my side. “Aurora, I told Dominic to pick you up. You’re a Thorne daughter-in-law, you should come more often.” Yet, it was she who looked like the true Thorne daughter-in-law. I stood to the side like a servant, while Dominic and Seraphina flanked Emma, Leo standing behind Seraphina. During the family’s annual remembrance ceremony, I was relegated to the very back of the procession. Dominic, meanwhile, stayed glued to Seraphina’s side, even taking off his cashmere coat to offer it to her. The outdoor memorial was long. Emma said we could wander off on our own if we liked. Alone on the sprawling hillside, I had just closed my eyes to breathe in the wind when a voice spoke softly behind me. “Aurora. How does it feel to be the one nobody wants? Tell me, does it hurt?” “What does your family money matter? The Thornes never saw you as one of them.” “Emma never liked you. Dominic…well, he likes you even less.” I shut my eyes slowly, my voice tightly controlled. “Whether they like me is their concern. Not yours.” A cold laugh escaped Seraphina as she closed the distance between us. “Oh, but it is.” “Aurora, mark my words, whatever you have, I’ll take it all. Your son, your husband, even your place in the Thorne family. Then you’ll be nothing but trash, and no one will even spare a glance if you die!” I never imagined my former best friend had been eyeing me with such venom all this time. Back then, when I faced a double betrayal of friendship and love, I cried until I couldn’t see. But now, it seemed so worthless… I turned to her. “Are my things so desirable that you have to snatch everything? Don’t you see how pathetic that makes you?” My words found their mark. Seraphina’s face twisted with fury as she backed me toward the edge of the sheer slope. “And you think you can call me pathetic?” “our husband is mine. Your son calls me ‘Mom’. And that husband of yours? He never stopped loving me. He only married a castoff like you because I asked him to.” I stole a glance behind me. The drop was perilous. I tried to shove her away, but Seraphina only sneered, a challenge curling her lips. “Don’t believe me? Let’s put it to the test.” Then she lunged. She threw herself at me, dragging us both over the edge and down the hillside. “Dominic! Help! Aurora’s gone mad!”

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I turned my ex-husband into a punchline and landed myself at the top of the trending list. After the divorce, desperate for cash, I joined a reality dating show that gathered my exes, sworn enemies, and people I’d been romantically linked to. The producers specifically warned me to tone it down. After all, my billionaire ex-husband was the show’s biggest investor, currently watching with his unforgettable first love from the VIP box. I smiled, nodded, then turned, and walked on stage, picked up the mic, and began. “I have a friend. She got married for three years. Her husband didn’t even know she was allergic to mangoes, but he had another woman’s menstrual cycle memorized. Any guesses why?” “A. He’s a ‘cares-about-everyone’ kind of sweet guy. B. He’s a professional gynecologist. C. He’s a pure, unadulterated asshole.” The room erupted. Down in the audience, my ex-husband crushed his champagne flute on the spot. Stella POV The divorce agreement slid across the million-dollar desk toward me with a harsh scrape. Julian Vance leaned back in his leather chair, his assessing gaze cold and devoid of warmth. “Serena’s back,” he stated, his tone as impersonal as a business notification. “Sign it. The villa and the money are yours. We’re even.” Three years of marriage, summed up in a single, cold “we’re even.” Everyone in our circle knew I had been Serena Thompson’s stand-in. Now that the original had returned, the copy was expected to vanish. His assistant stood ready nearby, holding a large pack of tissues. They were clearly waiting for a scene. But I didn’t cry. My eyes didn’t even redden. Calmly, I pulled something from my bag-a pink calculator.  placed it beside the divorce agreement, where it looked utterly out of place. Under their watchful gazes, I spoke slowly and deliberately. “Mr. Vance, divorce is fine, but the accounts need to be settled. It’s all about contracts, just like you taught me.” My fingers flew across the calculator. “Three years, one thousand and ninety-five days. I served as your personal life manager, handling daily logistics. Market rate: two thousand per day. That’s two million, one hundred ninety thousand.” I also provided on-demand emotional counseling, available 24/7. Top-tier therapist rate, discounted as a friend: ten thousand per day. That’s another ten million, nine hundred fifty thousand.” “And as your social companion, attending fifty-two public events to play the devoted spouse. Standard model rate: one hundred thousand per event. That’s five million, two hundred thousand.” I paused and looked up, my voice steady. “Due to the long-term mental strain of impersonating someone else, I require an additional twenty percent compensation for professional damages on the total.” “Stella Reed!” He slammed the table, shooting to his feet. “You’re reducing everything to a transaction?” “What else?”I put the calculator away and met his gaze. “Mr. Vance, you didn’t actually think I loved you, did you?” I opened an audio file on my phone and pressed play. A muffled male voice indistinctly spoke. “Serena… don’t go… Serena…” In the recording, he repeatedly called out another woman’s name. I turned off the audio, shook my phone, and let out a soft laugh. “This is a collection of your sleep-talking from the past three years. If the company’s investors heard their new CEO repeatedly calling out another woman’s name during his marriage, what do you think the market’s reaction would be?” The air grew thick with silence. After a long moment, he said coldly, “Sign it.” His assistant quickly replaced the check with a new one. I took the check, casually glanced at it, then took down our wedding photo from the wall. I tore the photo in half right in front of him, then into shreds, precisely tossing them into the trash bin by his hand. I stood up and gave him one final smile-the perfectly practiced smile I’d worn as “Mrs. Vance” for three years. “You know, trash belongs in the bin.” With that, I turned and left, the click of my heels sharp and clear against the floor. Stepping out of the building, the sunlight was a bit blinding. I squinted. Clutching that astonishingly large check, yet my heart felt heavy. I opened the debt reminder text message on my phone. The number there had an extra zero compared to the check. This money was far from enough.

Stella POV The bills from my mother’s private rehabilitation center kept piling up, each one terrifyingly expensive. I looked at the fifty million that had just cleared in my mobile banking app, realizing for the first time how quickly money disappeared. This amount was only enough to cover the first phase of treatment. I needed a faster way to earn money. As night deepened, I pushed open an old iron gate plastered with posters for underground comedy shows. This was a famous underground stand-up club in the city, the air thick with the smell of cheap beer and sarcasm. My designer suit was utterly out of place in the club’s grungy atmosphere. The moment I sat down, a lanky male comedian on stage spotted me and seized the opportunity. “Well, look what we have here. Slumming it, sweetheart? Or did your husband finally go bankrupt?” The audience howled with laughter. I didn’t acknowledge him. Walking straight backstage, I found a tipsy stagehand. All I said was, “I need five minutes on stage.” He glanced at me, then waved his hand, implicitly agreeing. When I stood on that small stage with the microphone, the boos grew louder. In their eyes, I was too polished, more like a display piece than someone who tells jokes. I stood still for two seconds, waiting for the laughter to slowly subside, before I began. “Hello everyone, my name is Stella. Just this afternoon, I finished a three-year job. My position was-a certain billionaire’s ‘true love’s stand-in’.” The entire room instantly quieted. Next, in the calmest voice, I condensed the entire process of how I went from being a stand-in to my ex-husband’s personal ATM into a five-minute stand-up routine. “My former boss had a strange cognitive disorder. He always thought he was a deeply devoted, overbearing CEO. In reality, he was a face-blind amnesiac. He couldn’t remember anniversaries, distinguish lipstick shades, or even recall my mango allergy.” “But he did possess one superpower: he always remembered his true love’s menstrual cycle. It made me wonder if he had a side hustle selling tampons.” The entire room burst into laughter. I didn’t whine. Instead, I dissected those high-society scandals into relatable workplace complaints, every line hitting home. Finally, I raised my hand, mimicking the motion of pressing a calculator. “So, ladies, remember: when a man tries to fix your life with money, don’t cry. What you need to do is pull out that calculator and tally up every last cent for overtime, emotional labor, and mental distress over the years.” “After all, love might betray you, but contract clauses never will.” As my words faded, the applause and whistles were loud enough to bring down the house. That night, an audio recording titled “Dumped by the Billionaire, I Used the Contract to Turn the Tables on My Ex” quickly spread online. The next morning, I was woken by the urgent doorbell. Standing at the door was Carol Hayes, my agent from three years ago. She burst in and slapped a contract onto the table. “Stella, you’re a sensation! Look at this show, it’s called ‘Exes Roast Night.’ Three million per episode. Are you in?” I took the contract. When I saw the familiar group name in the sponsor section and Serena’s name clearly listed among the invited guests, my gaze turned cold. Carol lowered her voice to warn me. “The largest investor is Julian’s company…” But I just smiled. I picked up a pen and, on the blank space of the last page of the contract, crisply added a line of text. “Supplementary Clause: All my statements on this show are considered artistic expression. The production team will be solely responsible for all legal and commercial consequences, and Party A waives the right to seek recourse.” I pushed the contract back towards her. “Sign it.” Carol looked at my signature, then added, “It’s a live show. And Serena, I hear, has already been acting like Mrs. Vance, having pre-alerted the production team.” My pen paused, then my lips curved into a smile. Perfect. I still needed material for my first joke.

Stella POV Backstage in the dressing room for “Exes Roast Night,” the atmosphere was tense. Serena swept in, surrounded by a crowd. She wore a flowing white gown, her makeup flawless. Seeing me, she offered a sweet, gentle smile. “Long time no see, Stella. I never thought we’d meet again under these circumstances.” She said, pushing a brand-new Hermès Birkin box towards me. “I know you’re a little tight on money lately. Consider this a welcome gift. Also, Julian is, after all, the face of the company. On the show, please… show some discretion.” The surrounding staff quietly watched, their gazes fixed on me. I didn’t even bat an eyelid. Instead, I leisurely unwrapped the package and took out this ‘limited edition’ handbag. My fingers ran over the stitching, then I leaned in to sniff the leather, like a picky quality inspector. A few seconds later, I let out a soft laugh and tossed the bag casually back onto the table, where it landed with a soft thud. “Ms. Thompson,” I finally looked up at her, my voice cold, “not only are you a relic, but even your gifts are knock-offs. This kind of stitching and leather-are you worried people won’t notice your cheap eagerness to climb the social ladder?” Her face instantly drained of color. Audible gasps rippled through the room. Just as the atmosphere froze, a staff member in a uniform and a baseball cap walked over, carrying a walkie-talkie. He spoke to Serena’s assistant. “Excuse me, there’s a problem with the equipment in dressing room three. Ms. Thompson, please move to seven.” Number seven was a cramped, dimly lit storage room at the end of the hall. Serena’s body trembled slightly, but she could only pack her things and leave. Under everyone’s undisguised stares, she hurried away with her entourage. The young staff member tidied the table. As he passed me, he paused and, in a voice only I could hear, said, “Looking forward to your trash sorting performance.” I froze, and by the time I looked up, I only saw his retreating back. Beneath the brim of his cap, a pair of smiling eyes seemed to hide. Five minutes later, the live broadcast officially began. As the first guest, I walked onto the stage under the blinding spotlights. I ignored the carefully prepared, tame jokes on the teleprompter. I gripped the microphone, and my first sentence instantly silenced the room. “Hello everyone, I am Stella. Today I want to talk about something. It is about how incredibly foolish a business elite can become when afflicted with a severe case of love blindness.” The entire hall erupted. “When my ex husband was pursuing his first love, he once broadcast love declarations for seven consecutive days on the largest commercial screen in the city center. He thought it was the pinnacle of romance. To his company’s employees, however, it was a public disgrace that directly caused the company’s stock price to fall three points that week. All of it was due to the CEO’s questionable judgment.” A wave of laughter and applause burst from the audience. I shifted my tone, my voice turning sharper. “But the real gems were his true love’s classic lines. Like, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you; I just didn’t know how to reject him.’ Translation: ‘I had options, but I went for the fattest wallet first.’” I dissected every piece of that calculated ambiguity, translating it into plain, brutal honesty. Every line landed perfectly. That was when a commotion erupted backstage. I knew it. Julian couldn’t tolerate his private affairs and scandals being exposed like this to a national audience. I looked up, a smile curving on my lips as I faced the camera, my voice clearly amplified through the microphone to fill the venue and the live stream. “See? The person I just roasted is probably trying to cut the power right now.”

Stella POV The moment I finished speaking, with a loud ‘CRACK,’ the studio plunged into darkness. The lights, sound system, and all screens went blank at the same instant. The entire space was plunged into sudden darkness, followed by gasps and murmurs from the audience. In the dark, every sound was amplified. Just then, I heard the click of a phone being hung up nearby. Someone thought that would make me shut up. However, the very next second, a voice unexpectedly cut through all the noise. “Looks like my ex-husband’s signature move is pulling the plug.” It was my voice. I pulled out a powerful handheld megaphone from somewhere, turning the volume all the way up. My calm, clear, even slightly playful voice was infinitely amplified in the darkness, reaching every corner. “The last time he did that, it was to create a three-thousand-dollar artificial snowfall for his beloved first love, which immediately caused a power outage for businesses along the entire commercial street. He called it ‘a brief darkness before illuminating your whole world.’ We called it ‘brain-dead romance’.” The audience was briefly silent, then erupted in unprecedented laughter. The laughter echoed in the darkness, wave after wave. Some people started raising their phones, and screens and flashlight beams flickered on across the audience. Just then, rapid footsteps approached from the side of the stage. Under the cover of darkness, Serena rushed towards me, her target clear: the megaphone in my hand. I was prepared. With a slight shift of my foot, she stumbled and missed. In the same fluid motion, I casually reached out, throwing her off balance. She stumbled forward, her cheek landing right against the megaphone’s microphone. “Ms. Thompson, are you trying to personally verify this old story for me?” My voice, amplified through the megaphone with a faint static hum, clearly echoed throughout the entire venue. “It’s no wonder. Three years ago, some people thought you were struggling abroad, pursuing your artistic dreams. In reality, you were using his supplementary credit card for a two-hundred-thousand-dollar luxury treatment in Paris.” I pulled a folded piece of paper from my pocket. Using the light from the audience’s phones, I aimed the spending record at the nearest camera. CRASH! With a loud bang, the studio door was kicked open from the outside. The emergency lights flickered on at that moment. Light suddenly fell, casting the figure of the newcomer onto the stage curtain, his silhouette stretched, massive and distorted. I looked at him, a cold smile curving on my lips. I raised my hand and, in the light and shadow, made a shadow puppet of a small figure kneeling in surrender, aimed directly at his magnified shadow. Then, I raised the megaphone to my lips and spoke my last words for the evening. “So, some people’s deep affection is only worth three thousand dollars and a fleeting, artificial snowfall.” As my words faded, the live stream signal, which had finally recovered, also cut out completely at that very moment. The screen went black. All discussions were forcibly cut short, leaving behind only the shock and speculation that hadn’t yet been fully processed. The live broadcast ended. Deep in the underground parking lot, a black Bentley had turned off its engine. The man in the car extinguished the cigarette between his fingers, quietly waiting for me to appear.

Stella POV The screech of tires pierced the night as a black Bentley swung abruptly, blocking my path completely. The car door opened, and Julian stepped out. His face was terrifyingly dark, the handsome face that often graced the covers of financial magazines was now contorted with rage. He advanced step by step, his towering figure looming over me, casting me entirely in shadow. “Had enough drama?” His voice was icy, carrying its usual condescending tone. He pulled a checkbook from his inner jacket pocket, quickly signed his name, tore off a check, and casually flicked it to my feet. “Here’s ten million.” “Delete all video backups and quit this show.” The check fluttered lightly onto the concrete. In his eyes, everything had a price. I smiled. I bent down, picked up the check, and slowly and deliberately flicked off the dust. The next second, I pulled out my phone and, aiming it at the check, snapped a photo. Before he could react, I opened an interface and hit submit. “Mr. Vance,” I shook my phone, my voice calm, “I forgot to mention, once a report of commercial bribery is confirmed, the whistleblower receives a reward. Thank you for voluntarily providing the evidence.” On the screen, the “Submission Successful” notification was remarkably clear. “One more thing.” I looked up at him, my voice colder than the night. “You engaged in asset transfers during our marriage and now you’re trying to buy my silence with this money. I’ve already applied for an emergency asset freeze measure based on this. It went into effect an hour ago.” His face instantly went ashen. He instinctively reached for his phone, only to find that, unnoticed by him, several people had appeared behind him and were slowly circling around him. Just then, a pair of blinding headlights suddenly flashed. A slightly worn pickup truck pulled up beside us with a squeal of brakes. The window rolled down. It was the staff member with the baseball cap. “Get in.” Alex Stone’s voice was short and authoritative. I didn’t hesitate, immediately pulling open the car door and getting in. “Stop them!” A furious roar came from behind. Several people rushed forward. Alex yanked the steering wheel, the front of the truck swerved, and we peeled into a narrow service alley. He clearly knew the routes here well, making several sharp turns and quickly shaking them off completely. Inside the car, my agent Carol Hayes’s forehead was slick with sweat. The moment she saw me, she shoved a document into my hand, her voice trembling. “Stella! A contract from Starlight Media! Julian’s sworn rivals! They saw your live stream and offered twenty million per episode-more than his hush money!” I took the contract, quickly scanned it, picked up a pen, but paused at the signature line. “Carol, add a supplementary clause.” I looked up, my voice calm. “I want them to rent the huge electronic billboard directly across from Vance Group headquarters. Starting tomorrow, it’s to play my show’s promo on a twenty-four-hour loop.” Carol gasped. I later heard that Julian had smashed more than one priceless antique that night. The next day, the city’s largest and most expensive digital billboard, which was positioned directly across from Vance Group headquarters, lit up. It showed me. I was wearing the same simple white T shirt from the show, smiling at the camera and holding a handwritten sign. The sign read, “Refuse Harmful Waste.” It was a silent statement, yet more blinding than any public declaration. I knew Julian saw it. My source close to him confirmed that he then smashed several more expensive antiques.

Stella POV I saw the press release from Serena’s PR team. The headline was eye-catching: “Socialite Serena to Host Charity Gala: Speaking for Love, Invites Industry Friends, Stella Also Among Guests.” This announcement was meant to force my appearance. Serena had calculated correctly. If I didn’t show, it would look like I had something to hide to outsiders. At the charity gala, guests mingled, wine glasses in hand. The lights were bright, the attire dazzling. Serena, in a white custom gown, was surrounded by a crowd, basking in undisguised admiration. When I walked into the venue wearing the gown sponsored by my company, I almost instantly attracted everyone’s attention. Most of those gazes were scrutinizing, even dismissive. As the auction segment began, Serena smiled and raised the microphone, her voice perfectly soft. “Tonight, we’ve also invited Ms. Stella, who has been quite the topic of conversation lately.” She looked at me, deliberately slowing her speech. “Stella, I wonder what special item you’ve prepared for charity?” She emphasized the word “special.” Under everyone’s watchful eyes, I walked onto the stage, carrying only a rusty old medical kit. I placed it on a display stand draped in red velvet. A few muffled chuckles rippled through the audience. Serena wore a perfectly inquisitive expression. “This box looks quite vintage. It must have a heartbreaking story behind it, wouldn’t you say?” Her gaze subtly, almost imperceptibly, swept towards where Julian was standing, then she softly added, “I guess it might be related to a certain friend’s severe stomach hemorrhage three years ago. At the time, I was overseas, so worried. All I could do was send emergency medication. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t get there immediately…” She painted herself as a woman devotedly watching over him from afar. I stood before the display, waiting for her performance to end, before finally speaking. “Ms. Thompson certainly has a good memory.” My voice was steady, devoid of any warmth. “However, you’ve mistaken the main character.” I opened the box right there, in front of everyone. Inside were some cheap over-the-counter medicines and a few yellowed receipts. “Three years ago, Mr. Vance was rushed to the hospital with a severe stomach hemorrhage.” I stated, word by word. “The person he couldn’t reach that day was overseas. And I, his nominal wife, had no authority to access any of his funds.” “I worked three jobs simultaneously and visited over a dozen pharmacies to gather these medicines.” Serena’s face instantly crumpled. She cried out, “You’re lying! These medicines were clearly from me-” “From you?” I interrupted her, pulling a small recording device from my clutch and pressing play. A clear conversation filled the hall. “‘Doctor, if I adjust my nose a bit here, do you think I’ll look better on camera?… Location? Don’t be ridiculous, I’m right here, in the VIP room of Vance Group’s aesthetic clinic. As for social media, isn’t it normal to set your location to overseas?’” The timestamp on the recording matched the day she claimed to have “mailed medicine across the ocean,” down to the second. The entire hall fell silent. Julian, standing in the audience, his body visibly stiffened. He finally realized that the person who truly saved him at his bedside wasn’t the one he’d been pining for all along. He abruptly shoved his chair back and rushed toward the stage. “Stella, I’m sorry, I-” I didn’t even glance at him. I picked up the microphone again, my gaze falling on the old box, a cold smile curving on my lips. “This box contains my cheap and superfluous efforts.” “The auction begins now.” “Starting bid: one dollar.” As my words faded, a man who had been silently sitting in the front row slowly stood up. He shed the familiar stagehand’s jacket, revealing a meticulously tailored custom suit underneath. Under the spotlight, he looked at me, his expression unreadable. “I bid one hundred million.” A collective gasp swept through the hall. He picked up a name card from the table, letting the simple text speak for itself: Stone Group. Alex Stone. “And,” he continued, turning to meet my gaze directly, his own steady and intent, “as the majority shareholder of Stone Group, I will personally design and fund a global stand-up tour for Ms. Reed” Julian was held back by security below the stage. I didn’t look back. I placed my hand in Alex’s outstretched palm, and together we walked toward the VIP exit backstage, leaving the clamor behind us in the dark beyond the spotlight. Just before the door closed, from the direction of the underground garage, came the sudden, furious roar of an engine starting. The sound echoed, sharp and endless, in the cavernous space.

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I’m the middle child in my family, the invisible one nobody ever sees. My older brother Marcus and younger sister Lily’s birthdays are marked on the calendar, but Mom and Dad can never remember mine. Marcus and Lily always have new outfits to wear, but Mom and Dad always forget to buy me new clothes. Marcus and Lily get Christmas presents every year, but I’ve never received a single one. And today, on our way home for the holidays on the freezing highway— with temperatures well below zero—Mom and Dad once again forgot about me at a deserted rest stop… When I came out of the rest stop bathroom, I saw Marcus and Lily getting into the car. I was about to follow when the car started up and drove away. I ran after them, shouting at the top of my lungs: “Dad! Mom! I’m not in the car yet!” But the car quickly turned and merged into traffic, until I couldn’t see it anymore. I stared at where the traffic had disappeared, my lips trembling as I repeated quietly: “Dad, Mom, I’m not in the car yet…” My voice was as thin as a wisp of smoke, torn apart by the bitter wind the moment it left my mouth, scattering across the empty rest stop. The next second, the last traces of shock and unwillingness in my heart were covered by a cold numbness. I slowly withdrew my gaze and looked around. The enormous rest stop was terrifyingly quiet. Under the dim yellow streetlights, the sky was completely white. There wasn’t a soul in sight. In the distance on the highway, traffic roared past, headlights forming blurred ribbons of light, but not a single car stopped for me. I didn’t dare move around. My feet felt like they were filled with lead, rooted to the spot, as I clung to a faint glimmer of hope. Maybe Mom and Dad hadn’t driven far. Maybe they’d realize I wasn’t in the car and turn right around to find me. I gripped the corner of my jacket, staring at where the car had disappeared, over and over willing that familiar white sedan to appear. It kept getting colder. The chill seemed to seep into the cracks of my bones, freezing me from the inside out. My toes were already numb, gradually losing all feeling. My cheeks were red and aching from the wind. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn’t dare let them fall. I knew that even if I cried, no one would come to comfort me. Unable to withstand the bone-chilling wind any longer, I could only turn and shuffle toward the bathroom. Compared to the open outdoors, the bathroom could at least block some of the wind. In the silent bathroom, there was only the sound of my shallow breathing and the howling wind outside the window. All those deliberately ignored grievances now surged over me like a tide, completely drowning me. I remembered last year on my birthday—everyone forgot. It wasn’t until three days later when Mom saw the calendar that she remembered. She hurriedly made a cake. But for Marcus’s birthday, the whole family had gone to his favorite amusement park. The custom-made cake even had “Our Pride” written on it. Lily’s birthday was even more extravagant—she’d invited her entire kindergarten class, and presents were piled up like a small mountain. Ever since I was little, Marcus has been praised as smart, the family’s future support. Lily has been doted on as the little ray of sunshine. And me? “Parker is such a good boy, never causes trouble.” That was my label—like a faint pattern on wallpaper. Present, but never noticed. I don’t know how long I sat in that bathroom. The warmth from my body gradually faded, and I started feeling cold again. Just as I was about to lose consciousness from the cold, I heard light footsteps outside the door. My heart jumped. I immediately perked up, instinctively raising my head, eyes locked on the doorway. Could it be Mom and Dad?

Had they finally realized I wasn’t in the car and come back for me? The door creaked open. But the person who walked in was a stranger—a man wearing a thick down jacket. The light in my eyes instantly dimmed. A self-mocking smile tugged at my lips. I was overthinking things again. The man was clearly surprised to see me. He probably hadn’t expected to find a young boy sitting alone in such a remote rest stop bathroom. He looked me up and down, his tone gentle as he asked: “Kid, are you here by yourself? Where are your parents?” At the mention of my parents, my nose stung. I held back the tears in my eyes, my voice hoarse: “Sir, my… my parents forgot me here. Could I borrow your phone to call them?” The man’s face filled with sympathy. He immediately pulled out his phone and handed it to me, urging: “Go ahead, call them. It’s freezing out here—we can’t have you getting sick.” I took the phone. My fingers were so stiff from the cold that I kept pressing the wrong numbers. After finally entering my home phone number correctly, I took a deep breath and pressed the call button. The dial tone rang in my ear, each beep hammering against my heart with anxiety and hope. But the ringing ended without anyone picking up. My hand holding the phone trembled slightly. That small spark of hope grew a few degrees colder. The man beside me spoke softly to comfort me: “Don’t worry. Maybe the signal’s bad. Try calling again.” I nodded. My fingertips pressed redial, my ear pressed tightly against the phone as I prayed that this time, I’d hear my parents’ voices. The waiting tone in the receiver felt endlessly long. My breathing rose and fell with each ring. On the seventh ring, the call finally connected. Mom’s voice came through, muffled by wind noise and car music: “Hello?” My tense nerves suddenly relaxed. My eyes instantly burned with heat. All the grievance and fear caught in my throat. My voice was so hoarse it barely sounded human: “Mom… I didn’t get in the car. You forgot me at the rest stop.” The moment I finished speaking, Mom’s rebuttal came crashing down on me, her tone full of impatient certainty: “That’s impossible! Before we left, I specifically asked if everyone was here. Marcus and Lily both told me yes. How could we have left you behind?” The phone went briefly silent. I could imagine Mom turning to look at the back seat. Those few seconds of silence made my heart colder than the freezing wind. I thought I’d hear her panic and guilt, but what came instead was sharp accusation: “What’s wrong with you, child? Why didn’t you say something earlier if you weren’t getting in!” “Couldn’t you have shouted for us then? Why wait until we’d driven far away to call? You’re just causing problems!” The cold blame was like needles, bursting the last bubble of my expectations. I bit down hard on my lower lip, forcing the tears in my eyes back down, my voice trembling uncontrollably: “I did shout… I ran after you shouting, but you didn’t hear me. The car just turned and drove away.” My defense made Mom pause for a moment. The silence was fleeting before she found another reason to scold me: “Well, isn’t that because you’re so slow!” “I told you to hurry up, but you just dragged your feet. Now we’ve already passed the toll booth—we can’t just turn around on the highway! How are we supposed to come back for you?” Then Marcus’s voice came through the phone, dripping with schadenfreude: “See? It’s his own fault for being so slow! I even tried to rush him, but he had to be all sluggish about it. Now look what happened.” I gripped the phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. Anger and hurt swirled in my chest. He was the one who’d cut in front of me in line, making me wait again. But now he was saying it was my fault. Next, Lily’s childish but cutting voice chimed in, full of spoiled willfulness: “Mom, Dad, I don’t want to go back! I want to hurry to Grandma’s and eat chicken drumsticks!” Just as I was about to break down in tears, Dad’s deep voice came through the phone. His tone held no warmth—just detached arrangements: “Enough arguing. Your Uncle James is also driving to the old hometown today. He’s going the same way as us.” “Just wait at that rest stop. Don’t wander around. When he arrives, get in his car and come home.” “But Dad, I don’t remember Uncle’s car. When will they—” Before I could finish, the line went dead with a cold dial tone.

I held the phone, standing there in a daze. Tears finally fell, splattering onto the cold phone screen, instantly turning ice-cold. The man beside me patted my shoulder gently and sighed: “Kid, don’t be sad. How about you come to my place first? You can call your parents from there and have them pick you up.” “My place is just off the next exit—it’s not on your way, otherwise I’d give you a ride.” I thought about how impatient Mom and Dad had sounded. I declined the man’s kind offer. “Sir, that’s okay. Thank you. My parents said my uncle will be here soon to pick me up. I’ll just wait for him here.” It was a holiday. Mom and Dad probably didn’t want to turn around and make the trip back for me. Uncle James and I weren’t close normally. Making him go out of his way to pick me up—he definitely wouldn’t be happy about it either. The man looked like he wanted to say more, but his phone rang in his pocket—probably someone traveling with him calling. He looked at me with worried eyes, then pulled several fancy-wrapped chocolates from his down jacket pocket and pressed them into my hands. He went back to his car and brought me a beige blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders: “Keep this blanket on—it’ll help you stay warm. Eat the chocolate so you don’t get too hungry. If you wait too long and no one comes, borrow someone else’s phone and call your parents again. Whatever you do, don’t wander off.” I nodded hard, choking out “Thank you, sir.” His hurried figure disappeared through the doorway. The empty rest stop was just me again. The cold wind still squeezed through the cracks in the door. But my shoulders, wrapped in the blanket, gradually felt warmer. My stomach growled with hunger. I unwrapped one chocolate and gently bit off a small piece. I couldn’t bear to eat more. I carefully folded up the remaining chocolate and put it in my pocket, thinking that if I had to wait too long, I could rely on this to get by. I pulled the small blanket tighter around me and instinctively tugged at my clothes. Underneath, I was wearing an old sweater Marcus had discarded last year. The collar had become loose and misshapen from washing. The cuffs had frayed threads. This was what Marcus didn’t want anymore last year. Mom said it was still wearable, so she gave it to me. But this year, Marcus was wearing a newly bought gray suit with a blue bow tie, making him look like a little prince. Lily’s down jacket was brand new too—pink, making her look like a little princess. Only me, wearing Marcus’s hand-me-downs, like a dull gray shadow. Afraid Uncle James might drive past without seeing me, I had to grit my teeth and leave the bathroom, standing back out in the cold wind. The streetlight glow grew dimmer. The sky gradually darkened. The distant sky turned deep gray. Sparse snowflakes began to fall. Landing on my hair, on my shoulders, instantly melting into cold water stains. I stared at where the cars were coming from. When my feet went numb from the cold, I’d stomp them. When my hands got stiff, I’d tuck them inside the blanket and rub them together. Over and over, I prayed in my heart for Uncle James to hurry up and arrive. Passing cars drove by one after another. The headlights made my eyes blur, but not a single car stopped at the rest stop. The snowflakes fell heavier and heavier, accumulating in a thin layer on the blanket. I pulled the blanket even tighter. The sweet taste of chocolate had long since faded, leaving only anxiety and cold filling my heart. I didn’t know how much longer I’d have to wait. I didn’t know if Uncle James would really remember to come pick me up. I just felt like this freezing wind was about to turn me into ice in this vast, empty rest stop.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “352783”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #狼人Werewolf #重生Reborn #擦边Steamy