Author: Momo Chan

On our daughter’s fifth birthday party, Julian Vance lost three consecutive rounds of Truth or Dare. His first love, Hailey Bennett, smiled and proposed the penalty: “Since you lost, I dare you to call the hospital and cancel Lily’s kidney transplant tomorrow.” The cheerful chatter in the room died instantly. Julian frowned, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face. “Hailey, my daughter has been on the transplant waiting list for three years!” Hailey’s eyes immediately welled with tears. “Back then, I lost my womb to drag you out of that car wreck. You promised me you’d take me to see the snowy peaks of Aspen tomorrow.” I genuinely believed Julian would never gamble with his own daughter’s life. But that night, he personally handed me a glass of milk spiked with sleeping pills. When I finally opened my eyes, it was already noon the next day. Seeing dozens of missed calls from the hospital, my hands shook as I dialed back. The nurse’s voice came through, filled with heavy hesitation. “Mrs. Vance, the surgery… Mr. Vance cancelled Lily’s transplant last night.”

I held the phone, my ears ringing with a deafening buzz. The nurse spoke urgently. “The cold ischemia time for a donor kidney is extremely limited. We couldn’t reach you, and Mr. Vance, as her legal guardian, formally cancelled the procedure.” “At four in the morning, the transplant network reassigned the kidney to another pediatric patient.” A freezing cold swept through my entire body. “Who got it?” The nurse fell silent for a moment. “Another child. The transplant has already been completed.” That kidney saved another life. I couldn’t bring myself to blame that child. But my Lily had been undergoing dialysis three times a week just to survive until this day. The dialysis port on her little arm had swollen into a bruised, purple bump. She couldn’t touch it during baths, and she had to sleep in one stiff position every night. Last night, before blowing out her candles, she had whispered in my ear: “Mommy, after I get my new kidney, can I finally go to preschool like the other kids?” I had nodded, and she had jumped around me, squealing with pure joy. The nurse’s panicked voice pulled me back. “Mrs. Vance, Lily started running a high fever and vomiting early this morning. Her dialysis catheter is severely clogged, and she’s currently in the ICU being resuscitated.” The phone slipped from my palm, clattering to the floor. I rushed out of the bedroom, barefoot. On the nightstand sat the half-empty glass of milk from last night. At the bottom lay a layer of undissolved white powder. My stomach churned violently. I had trusted Julian. I thought he would never play with our daughter’s life. But he had drugged me so we would miss the kidney we had waited three years for. The driver drove like a maniac. I dialed Julian’s number over and over, but it went straight to voicemail. Just as the car pulled into the hospital parking lot, a picture message popped up on my phone. It was a shot of the Aspen mountains, bathed in the golden morning light. Hailey was wearing a white puffer jacket, leaning her head on Julian’s shoulder. [Hailey’s emotionally unstable right now. I’ll come back as soon as I show her the snow.] [The surgery is just postponed. She’ll be fine.] My fingers shook so hard I could barely hold the screen. [The kidney is gone. They gave it to someone else.] Minutes passed. He didn’t reply. Outside the ICU, I grabbed a passing nurse’s arm. “Where is Lily?” The nurse’s eyes were red. “The catheter infection triggered acute peritonitis. She just went into septic shock.” Through the glass window of the ICU door, I saw my little girl lying in the center of the sterile bed. She was swallowed by tubes and wires. The cardboard birthday crown she wore yesterday was now stuffed inside a plastic bag, crushed beneath her tiny backpack. Lily was born with renal hypoplasia and had been on dialysis since she was two. To wait for a matching kidney, she had endured hundreds of needle pokes and swallowed countless pills. Every time the pain became too much, she would wrap her tiny arms around my neck and ask: “Mommy, when I get my new kidney, will I be able to run around like the other kids?” I always told her, *Yes, baby, very soon. Mommy and Daddy will wait with you.* But the kidney had come. And her own father had personally sent it away. The ICU door swung open, and the doctor pulled down his mask. “We’ve stabilized her for now, but we must clear the infection and establish a new dialysis access immediately.” “Her heart function is already failing. If we delay any longer, she’ll go into full cardiac arrest.” I grabbed his sleeve. “Can we find another donor?” The doctor shook his head gently. “A kidney with such a perfect match for Lily is a miracle. It took us three years to find one.” “When the next one will appear… no one can guarantee.” When the bed was rolled out, Lily slowly opened her eyes. “Mommy.” I squeezed her cold, tiny hand. “Mommy’s here, baby.” She strained her neck, trying to look behind me. “Where’s Daddy?” A lump formed in my throat, choking me. Lily waited for a few seconds, the tiny spark of hope in her eyes slowly dimming to gray. “Did Daddy go to see the snow with Auntie Hailey?” I pressed her hand against my cheek, unable to utter a single word.

Lily was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. After I had waited outside for three agonizing hours, Julian finally called. “How is she?” I stared at the blinking red light above the ICU door. “Septic shock. Heart failure. The kidney has already been transplanted into another child.” Silence stretched on the other end for two long seconds. “Why didn’t the transplant center wait for me to get back?” Julian’s voice carried a hint of annoyance. I let out a cold, hollow laugh. “A donor organ isn’t a VIP booth at your restaurant, Julian. It doesn’t wait around just because you’re rich and powerful.” His voice darkened. “Clara, I know you’re angry, but I only postponed it by one day.” “Hailey has waited years to see this snow.” “Once the winter season passes, she would have to wait another whole year.” I dug my nails into my palms until they bled. “Lily waited three years for that kidney! How many more years do you think she has left?” The line went quiet. Then, Hailey’s soft, whimpering voice drifted through the receiver. “Julian… did I make things difficult for you?” Julian immediately softened his voice to soothe her. “No, babe. Don’t overthink it.” When he spoke to me again, his tone was laced with impatience. “I’ll have my assistants search for another donor. I’ll buy one if I have to.” “With modern medicine, there’s no way that was the only kidney in the world.” I closed my eyes. Eight years ago, Julian was in a horrific car accident that caused bilateral renal failure. Back then, he was the one waiting desperately for a kidney. I was the one who lay on the operating table and gave him my left kidney. Before the surgery, he had held my hand, weeping like a child. “Clara, I swear I will never fail you for the rest of my life.” But now, when it was Lily’s turn, he casually told me we could just “find another one.” As if human organs were commodities on Amazon that he could purchase whenever he pleased. Suddenly, the monitors in the ICU blared in alarm. Several doctors rushed past me into her room. I scrambled to my feet. Julian’s voice was still buzzing in my ear. “When Hailey dragged me out of that burning car, a piece of rebar pierced her abdomen. She can never have children because of me.” “I promised to take her to the mountains. I couldn’t break another promise to her.” I stared at my daughter through the glass as doctors crowded around her bed. “You didn’t want to break your promise to Hailey, so you chose to break your promise to Lily?” “Julian, she is your daughter!” He took a deep, irritated breath. “She’s your daughter too, Clara. You’re there to watch her, aren’t you? What’s the big deal?” My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest by bare hands. I hung up. Ten minutes later, the doctor came out with grim news. Lily had developed acute left heart failure. They needed to start emergency bedside dialysis. But her blood vessels were too weak and scarred. The doctor tried three times to insert the line, failing each time. During the fourth attempt, Lily, though semi-conscious, began to shiver violently from the pain. Through the glass, I watched the thick needle pierce her fragile little neck over and over. She didn’t even have the strength to cry out loud. By evening, the hospital called an emergency consultation. The head of the transplant department pulled up the donor registry. “There are currently no matching donors on the active list for Lily.” “We’ve contacted out-of-state databases, but pediatric kidneys are incredibly rare, and the transport risk is too high.” I stared at the glowing screen. “What about family matches?” The doctor paused. “Direct relatives can be tested.” “However, the patient’s father is currently living with a transplanted kidney himself. He cannot donate.” “As for your records…” He looked up, his expression extremely grim. “Mrs. Vance, your tissue match with Lily is actually a perfect 10 out of 10.” My heart leaped. The lead surgeon quickly interjected. “But you donated your left kidney eight years ago.” “If we take your remaining kidney, you will not survive.” I turned my head and looked at my daughter sleeping behind the glass. “I’ll do it.” The conference room fell dead silent. No one spoke. Every doctor in the room avoided my gaze. In that silence, I finally understood. They had already silently concluded that Lily would not survive long enough to find another kidney.

In the middle of the night, Lily woke up briefly. I put on a sterile gown and went in to see her. An oxygen mask covered half her little face. Every rise and fall of her chest looked like an exhausting battle. Seeing me walk in, she tried her best to curl her eyes into a smile. “Mommy… I didn’t cry today.” The tears I had been holding back nearly spilled over. “My Lily is the bravest girl in the world.” She lifted her bruised, tiny hand. “When they poked me with the needles, I counted to a hundred.” “Daddy told me before… if I count to a hundred, he’ll be here.” I tucked the blanket around her shoulders. “Yes, baby. Daddy will be here very soon.” Lily blinked slowly, her voice barely a whisper. “Mommy… is the new kidney gone?” A five-year-old child had already guessed the truth from the pitying, evasive glances of the doctors and nurses. I held her hand tightly. “Mommy will find a way. I promise.” Lily shook her head slightly. “Grandma said everyone has an angel’s calendar, and maybe my time is just five years.” The words hit my chest like a sledgehammer. I leaned down and wrapped my arms around her. “No, that’s not true. Mommy won’t allow it.” She gasped softly against my shoulder. “I’m not scared of dying, Mommy… but please don’t cry.” “After I die, you can just have another healthy baby, okay?” My tears soaked into her pillow. Because of the complications from my kidney donation eight years ago, I had long lost the ability to carry another child. But Lily didn’t know that. She genuinely thought that if she died, another baby could take her place and keep me company. Leaving the ICU, I went straight to the office of Dr. Jonathan Sterling. He was the surgeon who had performed the transplant eight years ago, putting my left kidney into Julian’s body. I slammed the compatibility report onto his desk. “I want to give my right kidney to Lily.” Dr. Sterling’s face turned pale. “Clara, you will not survive the surgery!” I stared at him calmly. “How long does Lily have?” Dr. Sterling choked on his words and looked away. “At the rate her heart is failing… less than forty-eight hours.” “And when is the next matching kidney coming?” I asked. He fell silent. I pushed the consent form toward him. “Then use mine.” Dr. Sterling grabbed the paper and ripped it to shreds. “I am a doctor, Clara, not an executioner!” “I’ve regretted performing that surgery on you eight years ago every single day of my life.” “You had massive internal bleeding and went into cardiac arrest twice. And what did Julian do? The moment he woke up, he was comforting Hailey in his ward!” “And now you want to throw your life away for his mistake?” I knelt down, picking up the torn pieces of paper one by one. “Julian isn’t worth it. But Lily is.” Dr. Sterling’s eyes turned red. “If you die, what happens to her?” I let out a soft, gentle smile. “She will live. As long as she’s alive, she has a future.” Dr. Sterling’s hands trembled violently. “Even if the surgery succeeds, you could die on the table from blood loss, heart failure, or post-op infection.” “If Lily finds out the truth later, she will live with that guilt for the rest of her life.” My voice cracked. “Then don’t let her know.” “Tell her… Mommy had to go to a very beautiful, far-away place.” The office fell into a long, suffocating silence. Dr. Sterling slowly turned his back to me, his shoulders slumping in defeat. At two in the morning, he handed me a new set of surgical consent forms. I signed my name clearly on the dotted line. After signing the last page, I took out my phone and recorded a video for Lily. When the camera turned on, I forced the brightest, most cheerful smile I could muster. “Hi, Lily. When you watch this video, Mommy might not be by your side anymore.” “It’s not because Mommy doesn’t want you. It’s because Mommy loves you so, so much.” “When you came out of my belly, Mommy gave you your first life.” “This time, Mommy is just giving you your second one.” Near the end, the tears finally broke through. “Make sure to eat your meals, and study hard at school.” “If people love you, that’s wonderful. But if no one does, don’t be afraid.” “Mommy wants you to grow up and learn to love yourself first.” Just as the video saved, my phone buzzed with a Snapchat video from Julian. In the background, Hailey’s giggles echoed. “Lily, look! Daddy recorded the snow for you.” “When Daddy gets back, I’ll throw you another big birthday party.” I didn’t reply.

The next morning, Lily’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Her blood pressure plummeted, and her cardiac output dropped to less than half of normal. As the nurses wheeled her toward the operating room, she regained a brief moment of consciousness. She reached out from under the sterile sheet and grabbed my sleeve. “Are you having surgery too, Mommy?” I was already in my surgical scrubs, my hair tucked completely inside the cap. “Mommy’s going to take a nap with you, baby.” Lily’s lips were completely white. “When I wake up, can I have ice cream?” I stroked her cold cheek. “Only once a week.” She giggled softly. “Then… when will Daddy be back?” My hand froze. The intercom in the hallway began to blare, urging family members to clear the sterile corridor. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Lily, close your eyes and count.” “When you reach a hundred, the gift Mommy promised you will arrive.” She obediently closed her eyes. “One, two, three…” Our surgical gurneys were pushed into separate operating rooms. Before the heavy doors swung shut, I could still hear her faint, fragile voice counting. “Seventeen, eighteen…” The anesthesiologist placed the mask over my face. Dr. Sterling stood under the bright surgical lights, his eyes bloodshot. “It’s not too late to back out, Clara.” I stared up at the blinding white lights. “Yesterday, Lily asked me if her life was only meant to be five years long.” “Dr. Sterling… I don’t want her story to end at five.” The warm anesthetic began to flow into my veins. Forty minutes into the surgery, I suffered a massive hemorrhage. My blood pressure crashed from 90 to 50. The monitors shrieked in a frenzy of alarms. “The right kidney has been successfully harvested! Flush it with preservation solution immediately!” “Donor’s blood pressure is still dropping! Her coagulation has collapsed! We can’t stop the bleeding!” Dr. Sterling’s hands were covered in bright red blood. “Push more blood! Get the bypass machine ready!” A nurse cried out, her eyes streaming with tears. “Lily’s vascular anastomosis is complete! The donor kidney is being perfused!” Blood kept pooling in my abdominal cavity. Dr. Sterling injected epinephrine directly. Once. Twice. Three times. The waves on the EKG monitor grew flatter and flatter. Dr. Sterling’s voice cracked, sounding raw and desperate. “Clara, don’t sleep! Lily made it! She’s going to live! Do you hear me?!” My fingers twitched slightly. Then, the EKG line went completely flat. At that exact moment, Julian arrived at the hospital. Hailey had suffered a sudden panic attack on the mountain, claiming that the white snow reminded her of the car crash years ago. He had spent hours consoling her until his assistant forwarded an emergency notification from the Vance Group’s private hospital. The patient’s name on the emergency surgery list was Lily Vance. A sudden, chilling panic seized him. He abandoned Hailey on the spot and caught the fastest flight back. Julian sprinted into the transplant center. The moment he stepped off the elevator, he heard the faint, weak cry of a child coming from the pediatric recovery ward. The sound was tiny, but it instantly made his tense shoulders relax. He grabbed a passing nurse. “My daughter… was the surgery a success?” The nurse’s face was white as a sheet. “The transplanted kidney has successfully restored blood flow.” Julian let out a massive sigh of relief. “Where is Clara? She must have been terrified.” The nurse’s tears spilled over her cheeks. Suddenly, the heavy doors of the operating room were kicked open. Dr. Sterling, his surgical gown soaked in dark blood, marched out and slammed his fist directly into Julian’s face. “Clara is dead! She gave her remaining kidney to Lily!”

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【Chapter 1】 To save my bipolar sister, my parents personally sent me to prison. Five years later, my sentence was finally over. On the day of my release, they didn’t come to welcome me home. Instead, they were accompanying my sister as she registered for her new job as a correctional officer at the very same prison. When they saw me, my parents froze in awkward silence. After a long pause, Eleanor spoke first, her voice trembling. “Luna… back then, making you take the fall for Chloe was our only choice.” “We never expected you to legally cut ties with us on the spot. You didn’t even call us once from inside…” I avoided her reaching hand, packed my last shirt into my bag, and turned to leave. As I brushed past them, Arthur grabbed my sleeve, his eyes red with anger. “Luna! It’s been five years! Are you seriously going to hold onto the past forever? Is this how you treat your parents and your sister?” “Come home with us so we can talk. You have nowhere else to go anyway…” Talk? What was there to talk about? I was no longer that little girl who begged for her parents’ love. Besides… I looked at the car parked not far away and pulled my arm back with force. “I do have a place to go. My family is already here to pick me up.” … Seeing me dodge his touch, Arthur’s temper flared instantly. “Luna Vance! Did prison rot your brain? You don’t even recognize your own parents?!” “Five years, and you’re still this stubborn. You’re not even half as lovable as Chloe!” His voice was so loud that several guards looked over, making the air freeze with awkwardness. Eleanor quickly patted his arm, whispering to him to calm down. “Keep it down, Arthur. Don’t ruin Chloe’s first day.” Then she turned to me, forcing a weak, apologetic smile. “Luna, you know how your father is. Don’t take it to heart.” “You haven’t contacted us all these years. Did you really think we wanted you in prison?” “Silly girl, you’re our daughter too. If you hadn’t refused to take our calls back then, we would have hired the best lawyers to keep you out.” Her eyes welled with tears, looking exactly like a heartbroken, helpless mother. But she seemed to have forgotten one thing. I had done nothing wrong. The crime was entirely forced on me just to protect Chloe. I took a step back, my voice dead calm. “Save it. Since the day you made me take the blame for Chloe, we stopped being a family.” My words made Arthur’s face darken instantly. “Look at her! Look at her attitude! How did we raise such an ungrateful brat!” He raised his hand to slap me, but the sudden ringing of his phone cut him off. He answered it quickly. Chloe’s lazy voice echoed from the speaker. “Dad, I’m done with the paperwork. Drive the car to the West Gate to pick me up. The main gate is too far, and I’m too lazy to walk.” “Sure, sweetheart. We’re on our way.” Eleanor quickly chimed in, trying to break the tension. “See, Luna? Chloe is still as lazy as ever…” “Why don’t you come with us to pick up your sister? She got the job today. She’s thrilled.” “We’re family, Luna. There’s no grudge that can’t be settled. Come home with us…” “Enough!” I didn’t want to watch their family drama anymore. I turned to walk away. But Eleanor grabbed my arm. She pulled too hard. I was so thin and frail that I lost my balance and slammed onto the concrete ground. Eleanor stared at me for a long time, her lips trembling, but she couldn’t say a word. Even Arthur was stunned when he saw how skeletal I looked. “Did you refuse to eat in prison? Why are you so skin and bones…” Refusing to eat? What a joke. In their eyes, Chloe, with her manic episodes, was a delicate porcelain doll they had to protect. But me? The healthy daughter was supposed to be made of steel. So, every time Chloe messed up, I was the one who took the blame and the punishment. When Chloe put bugs in the principal’s coffee, they were terrified she would have a breakdown if punished. So, I took the fall and was publicly suspended. When Chloe’s bullying almost cost a girl her life, I confessed to being the mastermind. From that day on, I didn’t have a single friend left at school. Until that final time, when Chloe committed the ultimate crime… That was the first time I refused to take the fall. In return, my father gave me a brutal slap. That slap ruptured my right eardrum. To this day, I can’t hear a single thing on that side. Five years had passed. Chloe had smoothly graduated and got her job. She had a bright future ahead of her. How wonderful. I looked at them coldly and asked: “Go back with you? And then what? Are you really going to claim me as your daughter?” “If people find out that Chloe’s sister is a convicted felon, your precious daughter’s career will be ruined instantly, won’t it?” Their faces turned pale as sheet. The phone rang again. Chloe’s voice on the other end was getting extremely impatient. Ultimately, after a brief struggle on their faces, they turned and got into their car. 【Chapter 2】 After picking her up, the familiar black SUV drove past the main gate again. As the car rolled by, bursts of happy laughter floated out of the half-open window. The guard who knew me well couldn’t help but sigh. “Your new colleague’s family seems so close.” “Her parents came by last week, buying us lunch and sending gifts, just asking us to look out for her.” “By the way, I saw you talking to them earlier. Do you know them?” I couldn’t help but smile faintly. “I do.” “I used to be their daughter, too.” The guard’s eyes widened in shock. He probably couldn’t comprehend how two children from the same family could end up so differently—one a felon, the other a correctional officer. A long, long time ago, I was also the darling of that family. The first thing Arthur did after work every day was to drive all the way across town to wait in line at my favorite bakery. He would tuck the warm cake inside his coat, terrified it would get cold on his way home. Every night, Eleanor would sit by my bed, softly reading me bedtime stories until I drifted off to sleep. If you scrolled through Eleanor’s phone gallery back then, it was filled with pictures of me—laughing, crying, playing. The three of us always squeezed tight in photos, with me in the middle, as they whispered: “Luna will always be our favorite little girl!” Even after Chloe was born, they didn’t love me any less. But Chloe was a troublemaker from day one. She was either hitting other kids or getting hit by them. My parents were always busy cleaning up her messes, but they were also terrified I would feel left out. To keep things “fair,” every time they neglected me because of Chloe, they bought me an expensive gift. Until Chloe turned seven, when she jumped off the school’s second-floor balcony without any warning. That was the first day my parents forgot to pick her up from school because they were attending my parent-teacher conference. With red eyes, Eleanor had hugged me and said: “Chloe is sick, Luna. We have to spend more time watching her from now on.” “Otherwise, she’s going to hurt herself.” “You’re the older sister. Can you understand mommy and daddy?” Arthur also spoke with a raspy voice: “Luna, you’re the older sister. You need to help us look after Chloe.” Wanting to ease their burden, I nodded without a second thought. “I will definitely take good care of her!” I was too young then. I didn’t know what bipolar disorder meant, and I didn’t understand the heavy weight of the words “taking care of her.” I had no idea that those simple words would completely ruin my life. 【Chapter 3】 In the beginning, “taking care of her” just meant giving up my toys to Chloe when she threw tantrums, and then apologizing to others on her behalf. But gradually, she learned to weaponize her illness. Whenever she wanted something, she would throw things, hit people, or even threaten to jump off buildings. And my job went from apologizing for her to taking the blame for her actions. Compared to her life, my sacrifices became taken for granted. My parents’ eyes barely lingered on me anymore; they poured every ounce of their energy into Chloe. It happened on my nineteenth birthday. I had bought a small cake with the money I earned from my college part-time job, and I had carefully prepared gifts for them. I lit the candles, waiting for them to come home. The candles burned down to the bottom. Midnight came and went. My phone remained silent. I couldn’t stay awake and fell asleep on the couch. I was startled awake by the sound of the front door slamming open. I forced a smile and stood up, trying to present my gifts. But before I could even speak, Arthur, looking extremely frustrated, snapped at me: “What time do you think it is?! Your sister is in deep trouble, and you’re here enjoying cake?!” With a swing of his arm, he knocked my cake onto the floor. Looking at the ruined cake, Eleanor suddenly broke down in tears. “What are we going to do? Chloe is sick. She’ll commit suicide if she’s taken away! She’s still so young…” Suddenly, Eleanor locked her eyes on me. “Luna, I beg you. Please help your sister one last time.” “What happened?” I felt a chill run down my spine, my voice trembling. “Take the blame for her…” Eleanor looked behind Arthur. Chloe peeked out from behind their backs, crying hysterically, her body shaking like a leaf. My head buzzed. I stared at them blankly. “What… what did she do?” “Her… her professor gave her a bad grade, so Chloe pushed her down the stairs,” Eleanor’s voice shook violently. “And?” Arthur closed his eyes, his throat tightening. “The professor was eight months pregnant… neither survived.” My mind went completely blank. I stumbled back, barely finding my voice. “So… how do you want me to help?” Eleanor grabbed my arms with a death grip. “Luna, take the fall for her, please!” “We asked around. At worst, you’ll go to a youth detention center for a few years. But Chloe is too sick. She will die in there!” “Her life has just begun!” “We’ll handle your college withdrawal later. Don’t worry, we will spend every penny we have to hire the best lawyers to get you out early.” I stared at her in utter disbelief, my legs turning to jelly. “What about me? I worked so hard to get into my dream university! You’re just going to ruin my life?!” “How can you say that?” Eleanor looked deeply hurt. “Your sister is sick! You’re the older sister, it’s your job to protect her! College doesn’t matter. We will support you for the rest of your life!” “Once this blows over, it won’t affect your future at all!” I stared at her, my eyes burning with tears, and screamed at the top of my lungs, “No! I won’t do it!” Chloe immediately wailed. Arthur lunged forward and slapped me across the face. The force of the blow knocked me straight to the floor. My right ear felt hot and wet. I touched it, and my hand came back covered in blood. Seeing my resistance, Chloe’s eyes darted around, and she ran toward the balcony, screaming: “Even Luna hates me! I don’t want to live anymore! My life is over anyway!” Terrified that she was having an episode, my parents rushed to grab her, sobbing and pleading: “Don’t worry, Chloe! We won’t let anything happen to you! We’ll fix this!” I watched them desperately comforting Chloe. I murmured: “Is suicide a golden ticket in this house? What if I kill myself too? What would you do?” In response, a glass cup flew through the air, followed by Arthur’s furious roar: “Your sister is sick! How dare you compare yourself to her?!” “She got sick because we spent too much time on you when you were kids and ignored her!” The glass shattered against my head. Water mixed with blood dripped down my face. The last bit of hope I had for them died right there. They locked me inside my bedroom and took my phone. Through the door, I could hear them whispering sweet comfort to Chloe. My head throbbed with excruciating pain, and my face was smeared with blood from my head and my ear. I banged on the door, crying for help, but my voice was quickly drowned out by Chloe’s dramatic sobbing. I could only watch the light under the door frame turn off. Everything fell into complete silence, and I drifted into darkness.

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Every time I had sex with Ethan Carter, I noticed he had changed the sheets. Once, I finally pressed him and asked why. Ethan hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell me the truth: “Because every time I have sex with you, your best friend Chloe Reed gets jealous, and she insists on sleeping with me first.” “After meeting her, I finally understood that women really are made of water.” “I can’t exactly let you lie on soaked sheets while we have sex, can I?” I froze, staring at him in disbelief. “What did you say?” He put out his cigarette, half-smiling. “Sophie, your mom was tortured to death in bed by your dad, not by me. So every time you lie there like a dead fish, it really kills the mood. That’s your trauma, and I shouldn’t have to pay for it, understand?” “You should thank Chloe. She’s helping you keep this relationship alive.” The moment he finished speaking, the door was shoved open. Chloe rushed in with red eyes and slapped Ethan across the face. “You bastard! Didn’t you say you’d keep it a secret? Apologize to Sophie!” I looked at them, but all that was left in my throat was bitterness. So all these years, in Ethan’s eyes, I had only been a burdensome buzzkill. This bed was not big enough for three people, and I would never squeeze myself into it again.

I got up, put on my clothes, and walked toward the door. Ethan called after me, “Where are you going?” I did not answer and lowered my head to put on my shoes. Under Chloe’s threatening stare, he finally apologized, though his tone was reluctant. “What I said just now… I guess I went too far.” But I did not stop and walked straight to the door. This time, Ethan completely lost his patience. “Are you done or not? Where can you even go in the middle of the night? Just because of that mess with your mom, the whole world has to tiptoe around you, is that it?” Before I could answer, Chloe ran over and grabbed me, her grip so tight it hurt. Her eyes were red, and tears had already fallen. “Sophie… I’ll give you an explanation. Don’t be impulsive. Don’t do anything stupid.” I lowered my head and looked at her hand, then smiled faintly. Then I pulled my hand out of her palm. “Chloe, the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life was letting you move into this apartment.” My voice was as calm as stagnant water. “Ever since we were kids, I gave you whatever you liked. You said you liked my dress, so I bought you the same one. You said you wanted to get into the same college as me, so I risked getting disciplined to pass you answers. Now, if you like my boyfriend and this bed, I can give them to you too.” Chloe’s tears fell, and she opened her mouth, but no sound came out. I looked at her calmly. “Are you satisfied now? If you are, stop clinging to me. I have nothing left to give you.” After saying that, I opened the door and walked out. The early autumn wind poured into the hallway, and I shivered, but I did not stop. The streetlight shone above me, dragging a short shadow across the ground. I lowered my head and looked at my slippers, where the pink bunny ears were already dirty at the tips. Through my blurry tears, the memories I had tried so hard to hold back surged up on their own. When we first got together, Ethan treated me very well. He knew that after my mom died beside me, I was afraid to sleep alone and did not dare turn off the lights. So he specially bought an apartment in the same complex where Chloe rented. Back then, Ethan said, “Chloe lives nearby, so when I’m on business trips, she can come over and keep you company.” Later, Chloe kept saying she was worried about me being alone, and her occasional overnight stays turned into frequent sleepovers. In the end, she simply ended her lease and moved into the apartment Ethan and I shared. After Ethan found out, he said, “It’s good that you two are together. Saves everyone from running back and forth.” From beginning to end, I never felt anything was wrong. Until the matching couple mugs in the living room somehow became a set of three. The toothbrush holder also gained another spot. The pajamas, slippers, and even the new bedsheet I changed later were all the same style as Chloe’s. She always smiled and tugged at my arm, her voice sweet and sticky. “Sophie, let’s buy them together. Best friends should have matching bestie sets!” Even our mutual friends joked, “Sophie Bennett, you’re so lucky. You got a boyfriend and a girlfriend as a bonus.” I did not understand it back then and wholeheartedly thought I had won both love and friendship. Only now did I realize that even they had been more clear-headed than me. They had realized earlier than I had that there had always been a third person in this relationship. I wiped away my tears, took off those slippers, and threw them into the trash can beside me. Standing barefoot in place, the chill spread from the soles of my feet through my entire body. I took my phone out of my pocket, found a number, and called it. “Aunt Clara, I’ve made up my mind. I’m willing to go abroad with you.”

Aunt Clara’s voice came through the receiver, carrying a cautious joy. “Sophie, have you really made up your mind?” “Before your mom passed away, you were the person she worried about most. What happened back then left such a deep shadow on you, and I was always afraid you’d trap yourself in it. Now that you’ve figured it out, I really…” She paused before steadying her voice. “I’ll book your flight. Is tomorrow afternoon okay?” I blinked my dry, aching eyes. “Yes. I’ll go back and pack some things. I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow afternoon.” After hanging up, I found a nearby hotel and stayed there. The bed was clean, untouched, and held no one’s scent. That night, I slept with an unexpected peace. I slept until the next afternoon before going home. When I opened the door, the living room was empty, Ethan was not there, and Chloe was not there either. I went straight to the master bedroom, ready to pack my luggage. The moment I pushed open the door, I froze in place. Even though I had prepared myself, the scene before me still stabbed hard into my heart. The bedsheet was wrinkled into a heap at the foot of the bed, and the pillow was crooked to one side. A pink lace bra hung over the edge of the bed. It was the style Chloe often wore. On the bedsheet lay a pair of pink panties, with dark and light stains crossing over each other. Every trace announced how intense their battle had been after I left. I took one numb step forward. At a glance, I saw “50 min” written in black marker on the strap of that bra. At that moment, my heart died completely. Because that bra belonged to Chloe. Those glaring numbers dragged me back three years in an instant, to the day Chloe moved into our home. That night, she and I lay on the bed and talked about the secrets girls share. She said she had just gotten a boyfriend, but because his job and status were special, they could not go public and rarely met. But I noticed that there were often numbers on Chloe’s bra straps. Sometimes it was 35, sometimes it was 48, and the highest one said 72. I could not hold back my curiosity and asked her what it meant. At the time, she lay beside me and smiled as she said, “I count how many minutes my boyfriend can last in bed each time. It’s our little code.” Back then, I had even laughed and teased her, happy that she had found a good man. So, from that moment on. That man had been Ethan. But when she showed off to me back then, what was she feeling? Was she watching a joke, playing with me, or pitying me? As if possessed, I turned around and walked into Chloe’s room next door. I opened the closet and immediately saw an entire wall of neatly hung bras. The straps were covered densely with numbers. Some were circled with hearts, and some had been traced over twice in red pen. It looked like a calendar written for one person alone. At that moment, I wanted to cry, but not a single tear came out. My eyes burned and swelled as if they were about to burst. My phone rang, and I answered with red eyes. An urgent voice sounded from the other end: “Are you Chloe Reed’s family member? Her condition is critical right now, and she needs surgery immediately. You are listed as her emergency contact, so please come as soon as possible to sign the consent form!”

I struggled for a long time, but I still took a cab to the address the doctor gave me. After all, it was a living human life, and I could not just stand by and watch someone die… When I hurried to the hospital, I saw a familiar person. It was Ethan, leaning against the wall with anxiety all over his face. When he heard footsteps, Ethan looked up at me. Before I could ask anything, the doctor walked out of the operating room. The moment the doctor saw Ethan, he could not suppress his anger: “You young people are far too reckless! You still have to know your limits during sex. Your girlfriend has a ruptured corpus luteum this time, and fortunately, it was caught early. If it had been any later, she could have had massive internal bleeding, and then it would have been life-threatening!” I stood frozen in place, as if someone had slapped me hard across the face. A ruptured corpus luteum… So I had rushed here in a panic only to be humiliated all over again. Only then did the doctor notice me, and his tone softened a little. “You must be Miss Reed’s family member, right? Her boyfriend arrived in time, and the form has already been signed.” The hallway lights were very white, and they fell coldly on my face. Ethan looked at me, and a hint of nervousness appeared in his eyes. He thought I would go crazy, cry, and make a scene. But I only smiled. “That’s good.” Watching the doctor return to the operating room, I turned around and prepared to leave. But Ethan stood up from the bench. “Don’t go yet. Chloe wants to say a few words to you.” I did not look back. “Say what? Tell me in person what positions you used last night and how long you did it?” Ethan’s voice sank behind me. “Sophie Bennett! Have you made enough of a scene? Chloe never wanted to fight you for anything. These years, she was the one who was wronged. You don’t appreciate what she gave up, and you still want to humiliate her like this?” I could not help clenching my palm. My nails dug into my flesh, leaving only numbness. I closed my eyes and tried to keep walking forward. But Ethan suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind. I tried to break free, but I could not shake him off. After we were locked in a stalemate for a moment, Chloe was wheeled by a nurse from the operating room into the ward. I was also dragged inside by Ethan by force. Chloe leaned against the hospital bed, her face so pale it was almost transparent, and an IV tube was still inserted into her wrist. But when she saw me, she still struggled to lift herself a little. “Sophie, you came…” I did not speak and only looked at her coldly. Chloe’s eyes reddened again, and she gave Ethan a look. Ethan frowned, but he still walked out reluctantly. Only then did Chloe struggle to sit up, pull a piece of paper from under her pillow, and hand it to me. It was a record of an abortion procedure, dated three years ago. She looked into my eyes, her voice trembling. “Sophie, whether you believe me or not, I never thought about ruining you and Ethan.” “Three years ago, I was pregnant with his child. But I didn’t keep it. I had an abortion. And because of that abortion, I might never be able to get pregnant again.” “I admit I wavered back then, but in the end, I still chose the abortion. Because I didn’t want to lose you. Compared to you, an unborn child meant nothing.” As she spoke, Chloe took a breath, as if using up the last of her strength. “Today, I want to selfishly beg you just once. For the sake of the price I paid for my mistake, forgive me. Last night was my last indulgence. Ethan has already promised me that he’ll never do anything to betray you again. I’ll move out. As long as you’re willing, we can still be best friends. And Ethan will still be your boyfriend.”

A huge wave of absurdity rushed into my heart. When a person is in pain to the extreme, they can actually find it laughable. I curled my lips in mockery. “So now you want me to thank you for aborting my boyfriend’s child?” Chloe’s lips moved, and she tried to grab my wrist. I suddenly noticed a silver ring on her ring finger. The silver was unusual, carrying a gray-white matte sheen. My entire body stiffened at once. I knew that ring! After my mom died, I mixed a small pinch of her ashes into molten silver and made that ring myself. On the first night I gave myself to Ethan, I personally put it on his finger. Back then, Ethan promised gently, “Sophie, I’ll always wear it, and when we get married, I’ll move it onto your hand so your mom can watch you find your home.” But now, it was on Chloe’s hand… My whole body began to tremble. “Where did you get this ring?” Chloe’s eyes dodged mine, but she could not say a word. At that moment, I completely lost my mind! Like a madwoman, I lunged at her to snatch the ring from her hand. Chloe was knocked over by me, and a sharp scream rang out. Ethan hurriedly pushed the door open and came in, immediately seeing Chloe collapsed crookedly at the edge of the bed while the needle had already been pulled out of the back of her hand. He rushed over to support her, and when he turned to look at me, his gaze was like frost. “Sophie Bennett, are you insane?” I did not look at him and only crouched on the floor, clutching the ring, my whole body trembling. “You can humiliate me, but you can’t humiliate my mom!” But Ethan stood up and looked down at me. The next second, he reached out and knocked the ring from my palm. The silver band rolled across the floor tiles with a crisp sound. “Sophie Bennett! I’ve had enough! Your mom was tortured to death back then because she was shameless! Your mom died and your dad went crazy, and yes, you’re pitiful, but that doesn’t mean the whole world has to revolve around you. I don’t, and Chloe doesn’t either! Now apologize to Chloe.” I endured the dull pain in my heart, my eyes flashing with determination. “Impossible.” Hearing that, Ethan sneered and took out his phone to make a call. A few minutes later, an orderly pushed a small high-temperature sterilizing furnace into the room. My eyelid twitched, and a bad feeling surged in my heart. Ethan bent down, picked up the ring from the floor, and walked to the furnace opening. “You don’t have to apologize, but I hope you can bear the consequences.” I instantly realized what he was going to do and rushed forward in panic. But it was already too late, because the orderly pinned me down, leaving me unable to move. The furnace door opened, and Ethan placed the ring inside before closing the door. “No! No! Ethan, I was wrong!” But at that moment, no matter how I cried and screamed, it was useless. Through the glass window, I saw the ring begin to melt, then slide down, and finally disappear without a trace. Only after I had cried until my voice was hoarse did the orderly finally let go. I knelt on the floor with my face pressed against the cold tiles, my face smeared with snot and tears. Ethan had already left with Chloe in his arms and did not look at me again. I did not know how long passed before I finally stood up numbly. Holding the wall, I walked out of the hospital step by step. With every step, the dull pain in my heart slowly grew lighter. I did not go home, because in that home, nothing belonged to me. I casually hailed a cab, and it was headed for the airport. The moment the street scene outside the window rushed backward, my tears finally ran dry. Ethan, from now on, mountains and rivers will separate us, and we will never meet again.

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My best friend, Vivian Shaw, had been single for twenty-five years and had never even been in love when the hospital issued a critical illness notice for her. As she lay dying, she spoke her only last wish: “The biggest regret of my life is that I’ve never had one wild, unforgettable romance.” “Sophie, in the last few days of my life, can I borrow your boyfriend for a while?” “Let me fall in love once, so I won’t die with any regrets.” Before I could answer, my boyfriend, Lucas Hale, stepped forward anxiously: “I’m willing!” “Vivian, you’re going to be okay, and I’ll help you find the best doctors in the world!” Considering that this was Vivian Shaw’s only last wish, I had no choice but to agree. But I never expected that this illness of hers would last three years. She could not be cured, and she would not die. At first, Lucas still felt a little guilty toward me, but in the end, he became more and more impatient. It seemed that Vivian Shaw had no intention of returning what she had borrowed from me. Perfect, because I did not want to take back trash either.

On our fifth anniversary, Lucas left me alone at the restaurant. I texted him and asked why he had not come. The next second, his call came in: “Are you insane?” “I told you I had to go with Vivian for her follow-up today, so why are you texting me?” “What if she sees it and starts overthinking?” “Pack up the food and bring it back, then apologize to Vivian, because only when she feels better can her condition recover faster.” The call was cut off, and as I looked at the pouring rain outside the window, I suddenly laughed. For the tenth time, the server walked to my table and tapped on it: “Miss, may we serve the food now?” “The customers waiting behind you have been waiting for a long time.” I lowered my head: “No need, just pack it up.” “My friend had something come up and isn’t coming.” The server froze for a moment, glanced at the candles and roses that had been set on the table in advance, and did not ask anything else. I gripped my phone tightly, picked up the bag, and walked into the rain. The icy rainwater poured down my neck, so cold it cut to the bone. When I reached the door of my home, muffled sobs came from inside. I pushed the door open, and Lucas was kneeling on one knee on the carpet. Vivian Shaw was curled up on the couch, one hand clutching her chest, crying so hard her whole body shook. “It’s all my fault.” “If I hadn’t suddenly felt unwell, you wouldn’t have missed your anniversary.” “If I had known this would happen, I would rather have died in the hospital three years ago than be disliked by Sophie now…” “Don’t say nonsense.” Lucas immediately panicked: “Your illness isn’t something you chose, so what does it have to do with you?” “It’s Sophie who is too petty and refuses to let go of some tiny little thing, so don’t take it to heart.” As soon as he finished speaking, he heard movement in the entryway and turned his head. The moment he saw me, the tenderness on his face vanished, replaced by a face full of coldness. “Why are you still standing there?” “Come over and apologize!” “Do I have to invite you?” “If I hadn’t been home tonight, Vivian would have had no one by her side when her attack happened just now!” “She treated you like her best friend, but look at you, getting mad at me over some stupid anniversary.” “What the hell were you thinking?” I did not speak and bent down to put the takeout boxes on the table. Rainwater dripped from the ends of my hair onto the floor. “You promised this date half a month ago, and I waited at the restaurant for three hours, so am I not even allowed to text and ask?” Lucas’s face instantly darkened.

He walked over, grabbed my wrist, and roughly dragged me in front of the couch. “So what if you waited three hours?” “When Vivian gets better, we’ll have plenty of time to celebrate anniversaries, so do you really need to make a big deal out of this?” “Hurry up and apologize to Vivian.” “Don’t… don’t do this…” Vivian Shaw reached out and weakly tugged on Lucas’s sleeve. “It’s my fault, so don’t blame Sophie, and she doesn’t need to apologize to me…” “I delayed you two, so I’m the one who should apologize…” “You’re just too kind!” Lucas turned around, held her shoulders, and his voice was full of heartache: “She almost made you have another attack, and you’re still speaking up for her?” “You were nearly killed by your own best friend, so how do you not have any temper at all?” I stood where I was. I watched the man I had loved for five years kneel half down in front of another woman. My heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by a hand, hurting so much that I could not breathe. I was just about to speak. Vivian Shaw suddenly let out a muffled groan and clutched her chest. “Vivian!” Lucas’s expression changed abruptly, and without thinking, he picked her up in his arms. He turned and walked toward the bedroom, and when he passed me, he threw out only one sentence: “Look at what you’ve done!” Bang. The bedroom door was slammed shut. I stood outside the door and raised my hand to knock. There was no response. Lucas had always kept the key to the guest room at home. Wind poured in from the balcony, and I shivered from the cold. I walked to the couch and sat down. The couch still held the scent of Vivian Shaw’s perfume, so sweet it turned bitter. Voices occasionally came from the bedroom. I hugged my knees and curled up on the couch, sitting there with my eyes open until dawn. At eight in the morning, someone knocked on the door. I dragged my numb legs over and opened it. Vivian’s parents stood outside, both their faces full of worry. When Vivian’s mother saw it was me, her face immediately fell. “Sophie Reed, where is Vivian?” “How is she?” Vivian’s father frowned tightly, and the first thing he said was an accusation: “You’re supposed to be Vivian’s best friend, so how could you do something like this?” “If Lucas hadn’t called us, we would still be kept in the dark!” “Vivian’s heart has always been weak, and three years ago she almost didn’t make it, so why can’t you just give in to her?” “Why do you have to fight with her?” My hand gripped the doorframe, and I did not even have the strength to explain. Back then, it was clearly Vivian Shaw who cried and begged me, saying she wanted to borrow my boyfriend to fulfill her last wish. I nodded and agreed, giving up my own lover. So how did everything become my fault in the end? “Move!” Vivian’s father impatiently pushed me aside. I lost my balance, and my back hit the wall, the bones aching sharply. They passed me and rushed straight into the bedroom. “My baby girl, are you okay?” “You scared me to death…” “Dad, Mom, why are you here?” “I’m fine, so don’t blame Sophie, because she didn’t mean it…” “Silly girl, you’re still speaking up for her!” Lucas’s voice was mixed in with theirs, gently comforting the two elders and telling a joke now and then to make them happy. The four of them talked and laughed, so harmonious that they looked like a real family. And I stood in my own wedding home, yet I looked like an unnecessary outsider. Before long, Lucas came out of the bedroom. When he saw that I was still standing there, he frowned. “Why are you standing around like an idiot?” “Go pour a few cups of warm water and bring them in, because it wasn’t easy for Vivian’s parents to make the trip here.” His tone was matter-of-fact, as if he were ordering around the housekeeper. I did not argue and turned into the kitchen. I carried in one cup after another and refilled the water three times. Every time I went in, they were talking about Vivian Shaw’s condition, and no one looked at me once.

After refilling the water for the last time, I turned to leave. Lucas casually took a key from his pocket and threw it by my feet. “Go back to your room and stay there for now, and stop wandering around here so you don’t upset her parents.” As he spoke, he was busy peeling grapes for Vivian Shaw and did not even raise his head. I lowered my head to look at the key on the floor, bent down, and picked it up. I said nothing and turned to walk out. At noon, Vivian’s parents left. Lucas reminded them to be careful on the road while repeatedly promising that he would take good care of Vivian Shaw. In the end, he even went downstairs personally to see them off. The front door closed, and the sound of footsteps faded away. The master bedroom door did not open, and Vivian Shaw did not come out. I pushed open the door and took one last look at the guest room where I had lived for three years. How ridiculous. The wedding home I once decorated with my own hands now only allowed me to occupy one pathetic corner. The sour ache in my chest surged upward uncontrollably. I opened my suitcase and began stuffing clothes inside. Halfway through packing, a muffled thud suddenly came from the living room. My heart lurched, and I immediately dropped the clothes and ran out. In the living room, Vivian Shaw had collapsed on the carpet in front of the couch. Her hand clutched her chest, and she gasped for breath in huge gulps. The TV on the wall was on. On the screen was an intense motorcycle racing game. The roar of engines was deafening. My heart tightened, and I turned to go to the bedroom to get her medicine. Just then, Lucas returned home after seeing off Vivian’s parents and saw Vivian Shaw on the floor at a glance. His expression changed abruptly, and he rushed over in a few steps, pushing me away without thinking. “Sophie Reed, are you insane?” “You know perfectly well that Vivian has a bad heart and can’t handle stimulation, yet you still played this for her to watch?” “Are you trying to kill her?” I was shoved into the corner of the coffee table, and a dull pain shot through my lower back. I endured the pain and explained: “This game was the anniversary gift I bought for you, and it had been kept in the cabinet the whole time, so I didn’t show it to her…” “You’re still making excuses!” Lucas cut me off sharply: “If you didn’t play it, then did Vivian play it herself?” “She can barely walk, so how would she dig through your things?” “Can you have some sense of responsibility?” “Is it that hard to admit it when you’ve done something wrong?” “Why are you just standing there?” “Go get the medicine!” His yelling made my eardrums hurt. I bit my lip, stumbled into the bedroom, and found the medicine bottle on the nightstand. After taking the medicine, Vivian Shaw’s breathing slowly steadied. She leaned in Lucas’s arms, tears in her eyes, her voice weak: “Lucas, don’t blame Sophie.” “It’s all my fault.” “I just wanted to come out and pour a glass of water, and I accidentally saw it…” “It’s not her fault…” “You’re still speaking up for her!” Lucas was so heartbroken that he held her even tighter. When he turned to look at me, the disgust in his eyes was almost overflowing. “Back then, I wanted to keep two bodyguards at home to take care of Vivian, but you said having outsiders in the house would destroy our privacy and refused no matter what, and now look.” “I stepped out just long enough to see someone off, and something happened to her!” “I think you had bad intentions from the start.” “You’ve been wishing Vivian would die, and all of this was clearly planned by you long ago!” I looked at him and suddenly found it very funny. Three years. I had stepped back again and again and given in again and again. I thought there was still some place for me in his heart, and that guilt had simply blinded him. But it turned out that in his eyes, I had long since become a lunatic scheming to kill my best friend. I looked at him and said, word by word: “Lucas Hale, let’s break up.” He looked as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world and laughed from sheer anger.

He gently carried Vivian Shaw onto the couch. Then he stood up and walked toward me, his eyes dark and vicious: “What, did I hit a nerve?” “You want to break up and walk away?” “It won’t be that easy.” “I’ve put up with you more than once or twice, and every time you target Vivian, so today I have to teach you a lesson and make you remember it.” I instinctively stepped back. “What are you going to do?” He did not answer, took out his phone, and made a call, his tone icy: “Send two people up and get the rooftop safety rope ready.” After hanging up, he looked down at me from above and said coldly: “Don’t you like watching Vivian struggle on the edge of life and death?” “Then you can taste it yourself.” In less than two minutes, two bodyguards walked in. “Mr. Hale.” Lucas’s tone was calm, as if he were talking about something unimportant: “Take her upstairs, tie her to the edge of the rooftop, and hang her there for a full day and night.” “I want her to experience what it feels like to struggle on the edge of life and death.” “No!” “Lucas, you can’t do this!” My face instantly turned pale, and I desperately backed away. I had been afraid of heights since I was a child, and he knew that better than anyone. In the past, whenever we climbed stairs together, he would carry me once we got past the third floor because he was afraid I would get scared. But now, he wanted to punish me like this for another woman. Lucas raised an eyebrow and signaled for the bodyguards to act: “Why can’t I?” “You should taste the suffering Vivian endured too.” The two bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed my arms from both sides. I struggled desperately: “Lucas, I’m afraid of heights!” “Have you forgotten?” “Please let me go!” He turned his face away and did not look at me again. “This is what you deserve.” I was dragged toward the rooftop. My nails dug into my palms until they broke the skin, but I still could not break free. The wind on the rooftop was strong, slicing across my face like blades. A rope was tied around my waist, and my entire body was suspended in the air at the edge of the rooftop. Below my feet was a six-story drop. With one glance down, the world spun around me. Fear drowned me like a tide. I screamed, cried, and begged Lucas to let me down. But there was no response. Only the howling wind filled my ears. I did not know how long had passed. My throat went hoarse from screaming, and my tears ran dry. The sun rose and set again. For a day and a night, I did not drink a single drop of water. My whole body went limp like a puddle of mud. When my mind blurred, the rope began to pull upward. I crashed heavily onto the ground. My vision went black, and I completely lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed. There was a needle in the back of my hand, and I was on an IV drip. The hospital room was empty, without a single person inside. I moved my fingers, and my whole body hurt as if it were about to fall apart. Creak. The hospital room door was pushed open. Vivian Shaw walked in. Her makeup was flawless, and she did not look sick at all, while a mocking smile hung at the corner of her mouth. “You’re awake?” “Sophie Reed, I really do admire you.” “For three years, you watched your own boyfriend stay with me every day and act affectionate with me, yet you actually endured it until now.” “Your skin is much thicker than I thought.” My eyes flew wide open: “You…” “What about me?” Lucas was not there, so she simply dropped the act and reached up to smooth her hair. “Haven’t you been suspicious all along?” “Now I’ll be merciful and tell you that my critical illness was indeed fake.” “Three years ago, I knew Lucas was softhearted, and as long as I pretended I was about to die and then brought up a last wish, he would definitely agree.” “Look, over these three years, he has spent far more time with me than with you, so what use is it for you to cling to the title of official girlfriend?” “His heart stopped being with you long ago.”

My whole body went cold, as if I had fallen into an ice cellar. She straightened up, looked at my pale face, and the smile on her lips grew even wider. “Oh, right, I forgot to tell you something.” “Do you know why your parents haven’t come to see you even after you’ve been hospitalized for so long?” My heart suddenly clenched. “They heard that you bullied me and rushed over to apologize on your behalf, but they got into a car accident on the way.” Vivian Shaw spoke lightly as she fiddled with her long manicured nails: “They’re lying in the ward upstairs right now, and the hospital issued a critical illness notice long ago.” “Lucas originally contacted foreign experts to come over for surgery, but, well…” She paused, her smile smug. “As long as I say one word, he won’t sign.” “Sophie Reed, do you think you’ll become an orphan?” “You’re lying!” I abruptly sat up, tugging the needle in the back of my hand, and blood instantly gushed out. “My parents treated you like their own daughter, so how could you do this to them?” Vivian Shaw gave a mocking laugh: “It’s exactly because they treated me pretty well that I didn’t have someone kill them on the spot and left them with their worthless lives.” With a boom, my mind went completely blank. So the car accident had also been arranged by her. This best friend whom I had treated with all my heart for more than ten years. Not only had she stolen my boyfriend, but she also wanted to kill my parents. Rage instantly shot to my head. I threw off the blanket and lunged at her like a madwoman. I pinned her to the floor, straddled her, raised my hand, and slapped her across the face. “Vivian Shaw, you psycho!” “How did my parents ever wrong you?” “Why would you hurt them like this?” The needle rolled far away. Blood from the back of my hand flowed down my fingertips, but I could no longer feel the pain. Bang! Just then, the hospital room door was kicked open. Lucas stood in the doorway, and when he saw the scene in front of him, his eyes turned scarlet with anger. He rushed over and kicked me in the shoulder. I flew two meters away, my back hitting the foot of the bed, and the pain made me suck in a cold breath. “Sophie Reed, are you insane?” He held Vivian Shaw protectively in his arms and checked whether she was hurt. When he saw the slap marks on Vivian Shaw’s face, his chest heaved violently with anger. “Vivian came to see you out of kindness, and you still dared to hit her!” “Looking at it now, your parents’ car accident was karma!” “They raised such a vicious daughter, so they deserved to get hit by a car!” “I was originally going to save their lives, and the doctors from overseas are already on the plane, but now, it looks like there’s no need!” After saying that, he took out his phone and called his assistant. “Have the private jet turn back, and cancel the surgery!” “No!” “Lucas, don’t!” My face instantly went deathly pale, and I scrambled over on my hands and knees to grab his pant leg. “I was wrong, and I shouldn’t have hit her, so please have the doctors come back.” “I’m begging you…” “Too late.” He slapped me across the face with the back of his hand. The blow turned my head to the side, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. With all the strength in my body, I shouted the truth: “Lucas, her illness is fake!” “She arranged the car accident too!” “She told me herself just now!” I thought he would be shocked and regretful after knowing the truth. But after he heard it, he became even angrier. “You still want to frame Vivian even now?” He reached out and grabbed my neck, tightening his grip little by little. “I think you really are beyond saving!” “Vivian is kind and speaks up for you again and again, but you keep throwing dirt on her again and again.” “What the hell is your heart made of?” I struggled to breathe, and my vision went black in waves.

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An avalanche hit the snowy peaks. My foster sister, Clara, had intentionally pushed me, breaking my leg. But my parents abandoned me—shivering with a fever and unable to walk—just to rush Clara to the hospital for a few minor scratches. Limping and desperate, I begged them to take me with them. But my mom coldly slapped my hand away. “Clara is bleeding so much, and you’re still trying to compete with her for attention?” she snapped. “How did I raise such a wicked daughter? Stay here and think about what you’ve done!” They walked away with Clara, never once looking back. Dragging my broken left leg, I tried my best to crawl after them, only to collapse helplessly onto the freezing snow. A few days later, when Clara was discharged from the hospital, they finally remembered me, their biological daughter. Little did they know, I had already been buried deep beneath the avalanche. I was dead. The mountain had collapsed, and I couldn’t escape in time. But after my death, I found my soul floating right next to my dad. He was waiting anxiously in the hospital ward, looking at Clara, who was lying in bed. His face was filled with pity. “Clara, the doctor said it’s a good thing we brought you in early. You’re going to be fine.” “Just rest now. We’ll go home once you’re fully recovered.” Then, he looked out the window at the distant, snow-capped mountains. Anger flared in his eyes. “If it weren’t for Chloe insisting on going to that mountain, you wouldn’t have been hurt so badly!” “When she gets back, I’m going to make her get down on her knees and beg for your forgiveness!” My mom was hovering over Clara, checking the medical monitors every second, terrified that something might go wrong. Her eyes were red from crying. “That miserable brat,” she cursed. “She knew Clara was fragile, yet she still dragged us to that mountain. I actually thought she was finally starting to care about Clara. It was a setup all along!” Watching this, my spectral heart shattered into pieces. Mom, that’s not true. Clara was the one who planned this trip. You both agreed to it! I had been sickly since I was a kid. I never wanted to climb mountains. But Clara said she wanted a family photo in the snow, so you forced me to come, calling me dramatic when I hesitated. Clara was the daughter of my dad’s late military buddy. Her father had died saving my dad’s life. Out of guilt and pity, my dad treated her better than his own daughter. I had to give up everything for her. Anything my parents bought for me would end up in her hands. If I complained even a little, they would yell at me for being selfish. Over time, I became a desperate people-pleaser. I obeyed Clara’s every whim, hoping my parents would love me just a little bit more. This trip was supposed to be different. Clara had intentionally stepped on and shattered the antique gold locket my late grandmother left me. It was the only thing I had left of her. I was so devastated that my parents finally agreed to take me to the beach—a trip they had promised me a thousand times but never delivered. But then Clara suddenly said she wanted to see the snow instead. So, they changed the destination instantly. They forced me to come along just because of one word from her. And now, somehow, it was all my fault. Up on that freezing mountain, I had begged them to take me back. But they only saw the tiny scratch on Clara’s leg and screamed at me. “Chloe, Clara is bleeding! How can you still try to steal the spotlight?” Clara had pretended to cry, whimpering, “It doesn’t hurt, Dad. Chloe didn’t mean to push me.” Looking at Clara’s “bleeding” scratch, my parents went wild with rage. “Chloe, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?” “How did we give birth to such a malicious monster?” With that, they carried Clara and hurried down the mountain. I begged them to take me, but they accused me of faking my injuries to ruin Clara’s recovery. They left me there to “reflect on my actions” and walk down by myself. After they left, I dragged my broken leg, shivering with a raging fever, and crawled through the freezing snow. Just when I was almost at the exit, the mountain roared. An avalanche triggered. I remember the sheer despair. The heavy snow crushed my bones, and the sub-zero temperatures sucked the remaining warmth from my body. As my vision blurred, I looked in the direction my parents had gone. If they knew I died here, would they be even a little sad? Would they finally give me a fraction of the love they gave to Clara?

Back in the hospital, I watched my parents cater to Clara’s every whim. My mom personally cooked gourmet meals for her every day. My dad bought her an expensive, limited-edition designer bag as compensation for her “trauma.” During those days, they completely forgot about me. Their entire universe revolved around Clara. It was painfully pathetic to watch. Only on the day Clara was discharged did they finally remember my existence. “Where is Chloe? Why isn’t that brat here yet?” my dad grumbled, his face darkening. “She knows she messed up, so she’s hiding from us, isn’t she?” My mom sighed, speaking in a tone of supreme indulgence. “We’ve ignored her for days. She must have learned her lesson by now. Call her and tell her to come home.” My dad pulled out his phone and dialed my number. But to their surprise, the call didn’t go through. Usually, I answered their calls within three seconds. But now, after dialing multiple times, there was only a cold, automated voice. My parents frowned. A faint flicker of unease crossed their faces. Clara, walking beside them, suddenly lowered her head and put on a sorrowful act. “Mom, Dad… is Chloe still mad at me? Does she hate me for taking your love away?” My dad’s expression instantly hardened. He shoved his phone into his pocket and sneered. “That ungrateful brat! She actually turned off her phone on purpose!” My mom gnashed her teeth in anger. “She’s throwing a tantrum because we left her on the mountain. What a childish, petty drama queen!” My dad’s eyes flared with rage. “Miserable girl! She’s doing this to make us worry so we’ll go begging for her return!” “Almost fell for her little game!” My mom snorted. “Her manipulation tactics are getting ridiculous.” She took Clara’s hand and walked toward the reception desk, her voice cold. “Let’s go. Don’t worry about her. We’ll do the discharge paperwork for Clara first.” “She likes keeping her phone off? Let’s see how long she can go without crawled back to us.” I glared at Clara. Even now, she was actively poisoning their minds against me. But then again, my parents always chose to believe her. They always chose her. I clutched my spectral chest, feeling a phantom pain so sharp I had to crouch on the floor. As they were finalizing the paperwork, my boyfriend, Ethan, rushed into the lobby. He ran up to my parents, panting and terrified. “Mr. and Mrs. Vance! Something’s wrong with Chloe!”

My parents froze for a second. Ethan continued frantically, “It’s been days! I haven’t been able to reach her at all!” Looking at Ethan’s pale, worried face, my dead heart ached with a different kind of pain. There was no signal on that mountain. Before I died, I couldn’t even send a single text to the boy I loved. The brief worry on my parents’ faces instantly vanished, replaced by sheer annoyance. My mom said dismissively, “That girl committed a crime and is hiding to get sympathy. She’s too ashamed to face us. Ethan, don’t waste your energy on her.” Ethan shook his head quickly. “No, you don’t understand! She promised to go to the movies with me yesterday. She never breaks her promises. But there’s been absolutely nothing…” My dad cut him off sharply. “Enough! She loves playing these pathetic mind games.” “Who knows where she’s hiding right now because of her guilty conscience? She wants us to go looking for her.” Clara chimed in, looking incredibly fragile. “I know Chloe hates me. If she comes back, I’m willing to apologize to her.” Hearing Clara’s voice, my anger boiled over. I rushed to her face and screamed, “For years, my parents gave you everything, and I did everything to please you! Why do you want me dead so badly?” But no one could see or hear me. My dad patted Clara’s shoulder gently. “Don’t blame yourself, Clara. It’s not your fault. Chloe has a twisted character! If she wants to hide, let her. Even if she dies out there, I won’t shed a single tear.” My mom added, “Exactly! When she finally crawls back, she will get down on her knees and apologize to Clara!” Ethan stared at my parents in absolute disbelief. Were these words actually coming from her biological parents? His eyes welled with tears, and his voice shook with pure fury. “Do you even know Chloe at all?! She is nothing like what you’re describing!” “She is kind, honest, and loving! How can you talk about your own daughter like that? Are you even human?!” Hearing Ethan shout in my defense, my eyes watered. I didn’t expect that in this vast world, the only person who truly knew me and stood up for me was my boyfriend. But my dad remained arrogant, letting out a cold laugh. “I know her well enough! She is selfish and jealous. If it weren’t for her, Clara wouldn’t have been hurt!” My mom agreed. “Ethan, you’ve been fooled by her sweet act. She’s a master manipulator. Let’s see how long she can keep up this little disappearing act!” I stood there, feeling the coldness of death seep deeper into my soul. So, this was what I was to my parents. A monster. It felt as if a dull blade was slowly carving away my flesh, piece by piece. Ethan’s anger peaked. He pointed a shaking finger at my mom. “You’re going to kill her! I’m calling the police!” My dad laughed mockingly. “Call them! I’d love to see the police throw that brat in jail for intentionally hurting Clara!” Clara’s face suddenly turned pale. She grabbed my dad’s sleeve, her voice trembling. “Dad… maybe I remembered it wrong. I think I just slipped. Chloe didn’t push me.” Then, she looked at Ethan with a pitiful expression. “Ethan, Chloe is probably just throwing a tantrum. Please don’t call the cops. We shouldn’t waste police resources.” But Ethan didn’t buy her act. He glared at her, his eyes cold as ice. “Why don’t you want me to call the police, Clara? What are you hiding?”

A flash of panic crossed Clara’s face. But when she saw my dad’s face, which was still twisted in anger at me, her confidence returned. She tugged at his sleeve again, looking like an angel. “I just don’t want Chloe to get arrested. Even if she made a mistake, as her sister, I can just forgive her.” My dad’s temper flared instantly. “What is that brat still playing at? Does she hate apologizing to Clara that much?” “She thinks she can escape accountability by turning off her phone and hiding? Not a chance!” My mom was equally furious. “She’s doing this on purpose because she hates seeing us treat Clara well. She’s using this ‘missing’ act to ruin our day!” Listening to their venomous words, Ethan felt a loud buzzing in his ears. He pointed at my parents, his voice cracking with emotion. “Are you really her parents? How can you not care about your own flesh and blood?” “It’s been days! I haven’t heard from her in days! Do you even care if she’s alive?” Tears finally streamed down Ethan’s face. My dad sneered. “We raised her, didn’t we? Who does she think she is, throwing a fit like this?” “Eleanor, call her again. Tell her if she isn’t home in an hour, she is locked out forever!” My mom furiously dialed my number again. Still, nothing. “That little brat actually dares to ignore my calls!” Just as they were about to launch into another round of curses, my dad’s phone rang. Thinking it was me, he snatched it and prepared to yell. But the voice on the other end was cold, official, and utterly detached. “Hello, is this Robert Vance? This is the Rocky Mountain Police Department. We recovered a body from the avalanche zone four days ago. We need you to come down to the county morgue to identify the remains.” My dad froze, his voice suddenly hollow. “What did you say?” The officer repeated the statement. My dad stood paralyzed, and his phone slipped from his hand, shattering on the tiled floor.

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In the seventh year of our relationship, my wife suddenly hooked up with a male model. For a cheap thrill, she replaced our engagement party slideshow with bedroom photos of her and the model. The guests whispered and pointed at the giant screen. Yet, she just grabbed my sleeve, acting as if she were the victim. “I don’t know who pulled this prank, Ethan. But the ceremony schedule is tight, and the media is waiting. Why don’t we let Julian stand on stage for you first?” My friends nudged me, whispering that she wasn’t worth it and telling me to dump her on the spot. Instead, I squeezed her hand and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s do that.” Seeing me agree, Chloe smiled with relief. She promised me that when the actual wedding came, she would definitely let me stand on stage. But what she didn’t know was… We didn’t have a future anymore. I shoved the engagement ring into Chloe’s hand, ignored the whispers around us, and walked out of the banquet hall. Chloe called my name and chased me for a few steps, but Julian quickly grabbed her arm. “The guests are still waiting, Chloe. We can talk about this after the party.” Sitting in my car, I watched their retreating backs through the window as they walked back inside. Right after, the colorful fireworks we ordered for the ceremony shot into the sky. The fireworks formed the initials of their names. I laughed bitterly. A prank? A mistake? This was clearly a “surprise” they had planned all along. If this were the old me, I would have confronted Chloe in a rage, demanding an explanation. But now, I was just exhausted. My love for her had already died in all her previous “accidents.” Back at our apartment, I looked at the cozy home I had personally designed, and a bitter taste filled my mouth. I had chased Chloe for five long years. When she finally accepted my proposal, I couldn’t sleep for days. I even rented the giant billboard downtown to declare my love for her. But last month, she suddenly suggested delaying the wedding and registering our marriage at City Hall first. Though disappointed, I figured it didn’t matter as long as we ended up together. Looking back, she didn’t fear marriage. She just didn’t want to be tied to me. I quietly finished the anniversary cake I bought for her, then crawled into bed and fell asleep. Sometime later, I felt cold hands sliding over my chest. Startled, I snapped my eyes open and saw Chloe sitting on the edge of the bed. She smelled of the damp night air. Instantly awake, I pushed her away with all my strength. She didn’t expect that. She stared at me, shocked. “Ethan, are you still mad about the party? I can explain.” “No need.” There was nothing to be mad about. I had been pathetic in this relationship for too long. Now, I just wanted to let go. Seeing my blank face, Chloe tried to hug me again. “I know it was an important night, and it was ruined by some irrelevant people. You must feel bad. But don’t worry, I’ve already fired the staff responsible. Besides, many of our business partners were there today.” “You know how hard we worked to get our startup to this point. If we made a scene, all our years of effort would have gone down the drain.” Just as she finished speaking, the bedroom door pushed open. Julian walked in casually, holding a glass of warm water. “Chloe, it was windy on the way back. Drink some warm water so you don’t catch a cold.” Chloe took the glass. She didn’t seem to think it was weird at all to bring another man into our home in the middle of the night. “You ran off without saying a word, Ethan. Julian had to help me apologize to everyone, and he even drove me home this late. Why haven’t you said thank you to him?” And whose fault was all of this? Now she wanted me to thank him? Seeing my cold expression, Julian waved his hands politely. “Don’t say that, Chloe. As your assistant, it’s my job to keep you safe and get you home. It’s the least I could do.” Chloe smiled warmly. “I knew I made the right choice hiring you. I wish the other employees in the company were half as caring as you.” I looked away, not wanting to watch their little drama anymore. It was no secret that Chloe favored Julian. Julian was a college dropout who used to work as a bartender. Relying solely on his pretty face and sweet talk, Chloe had brought him into the company and made him her personal assistant. Since he joined, he had become untouchable. When Julian made mistakes, the team took the fall. Even when his negligence leaked a major bid and cost us millions in orders, Chloe only docked the marketing department’s pay. And I was the director of marketing. When I tried to get justice for my team, Chloe just said coldly, “I’ve made my decision, Ethan. Changing it now would make me look weak to the board.” But now, I was done. Since Julian was so sweet and perfect, they deserved to be locked together forever. Seeing my silence, Chloe nudged my shoulder. “I’m talking to you. What’s with the attitude?” I nodded and looked up at her blankly. Only a dim lamp was lit in the room, casting a warm yellow glow over us, yet I felt freezing cold. “I’m sorry. It was my fault.” My fault for sleeping in my own bed. My fault for leaving after my marriage was turned into a joke. Chloe didn’t catch the sarcasm. She smiled, satisfied. “Since you’re apologizing, I won’t hold a grudge. But it’s really late, and I don’t feel safe having Julian drive back alone. You should drive him home.” I let out a cold laugh, got out of bed, grabbed my jacket, and walked toward the door. When Julian tried to follow, I blocked him. “No need. I’m leaving. The place is yours. Do whatever you want.” Chloe froze, then marched over to me, her voice rising in anger. “What did you just say? Where do you think you’re going?” Looking at her arrogant face, I smiled faintly. “Chloe, let’s get a divorce.”

Chloe’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you insane, Ethan? Do you even hear yourself? I told you, I’ll make sure nothing goes wrong at the actual wedding. Is this really worth throwing a tantrum over?” I just stared at her quietly. Ever since she met Julian at that lounge, she had spent countless nights with him under the guise of “business.” She even had his name tattooed near her inner thigh. She thought I didn’t know. I just chose not to rip her lies apart. Chloe reached out to grab my hand. “I know today was frustrating, but I’m exhausted. Stop playing games, okay?” Without hesitation, I pulled my hand away, grabbed my car keys, and walked out. My decisive departure said everything. As the door slammed shut, I heard her irritated voice drift through the crack. “So dramatic! Just watch, he’ll come crawling back to me within three days!” I shook my head. Maybe because I had loved her so humbly for five years, she thought she owned me. But she forgot that even the strongest love can be eroded by time and betrayal. This time, I was truly letting go. I checked into a hotel. The next morning, I met with a lawyer to draft the divorce papers. When asked about asset division, I hesitated for a moment before asking, “If I can provide proof of her infidelity during our marriage, can I get her cleaned out of the company assets?” Though we co-founded the startup, I was the one who secured all the investments and clients. Even the seed money came from my own savings. I had every right to take what was mine. Once the lawyer confirmed it was possible, I left the office and sent my resignation email to the company. Though it required Chloe’s final approval, I didn’t care. Since we were divorcing, I had nothing to hide. With that out of the way, I called my older sister, Rachel, who was living abroad. Hearing that I was finally willing to move to New York, she was thrilled and promised to handle all my immigration paperwork. Actually, Chloe never knew that my parents split up when we were kids. My dad took Rachel to the US, where he caught the Wall Street wave and became a financial tycoon. I had stayed with my mom. Three years ago, my mom fell ill. I begged every relative for money to pay her medical bills, but she didn’t make it. Before she passed, she held my hand, expressing her regret that she wouldn’t see my wedding with Chloe. She told me to take good care of Chloe and not to lose such a good girl. But now, I couldn’t keep that promise. The next day, Rachel flew back to the country. We hadn’t seen each other in person since our parents’ divorce, only keeping in touch via FaceTime over the last few years. I took her to visit our mother’s grave first, and then we went to a restaurant downtown for lunch. Because she had cried so hard at the cemetery, Rachel looked pale and weak. I held her arm to support her as we walked into the hotel restaurant. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind. “Ethan? What are you doing here?” I turned around. Chloe and Julian were standing on the steps, holding hands.

Sensing my gaze, Chloe quickly yanked her hand away. She glared at Rachel. Though she didn’t speak, jealousy and suspicion practically rolled off her in waves. Julian, however, walked up with a smirk. “Hey, Ethan. What brings you here? And who is this lady? You two look pretty close.” “None of your business,” I replied coldly. I wasn’t worried about them misunderstanding. I just didn’t want to waste my breath on Julian. Julian pretended not to notice my hostility. His smirk widened. “But isn’t it work hours? Why are you out here? I don’t recall seeing a leave request from you today.” Chloe stepped forward, her face dark with anger. “Ethan, you’re getting bolder, aren’t you? Hooking up with another woman during work hours? Have you no shame?” Shame? I almost laughed. She was openly parading her male model around, and she had the nerve to talk to me about shame? Ever since she brought Julian into the office, people had been gossiping behind her back. No matter how hard others worked, they couldn’t beat a pretty face. Chloe even called Julian into her office during the day, drawing the blinds for hours while people watched their shadows whisper. The once-professional office environment had turned into a joke. Julian stepped in, pretending to play peacemaker. “Chloe, don’t be so harsh. Maybe Ethan is here to meet an investor? He’s probably doing it for the company.” Chloe sneered. “What kind of investment meeting happens at a hotel restaurant? He’s probably doing something dirty! No wonder your department’s sales have been so good lately, Ethan. You disgust me.” Hearing her insults, Rachel couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “Have you two said enough? Only those with dirty minds see dirt in everything.” She turned to me. “Ethan, let’s go. Talking to people like this is a waste of our time.” Rachel pulled my arm toward the elevator, but Chloe panicked. “Ethan! If you walk away with her today, we are divorcing!” Her threat meant nothing to me. But since she brought it up, I pulled the divorce papers from my bag and handed them over. “What is this?” She stared at the document, refusing to touch it. “Divorce papers. You wanted a divorce. I’m giving you what you want.” Chloe’s face went completely pale. Before she could speak, Julian’s phone rang. He looked at it and gasped. “Chloe! The hospital just called. My mom fell on the street. I have to go!” Chloe immediately turned to him. “How is she? I’ll go with you!” Watching them rush out, I felt a wave of irony. Three years ago, my mother was in critical condition after a car accident—an accident she got into while saving Chloe. Yet Chloe claimed her business trip was too important and didn’t even show up for my mother’s final moments. My mother could have lived longer despite her heart condition, but she sacrificed her life for Chloe. Yet Chloe never even said thank you. “Ethan?” Rachel’s voice snapped me back to reality. I took a deep breath, composed myself, and took her up to the room. As soon as we walked in, she asked, “I heard you got married. Was that woman your wife?” My hand paused as I poured her a glass of water. I sighed. “Yeah. But as you saw, I’m ending it.” I knew Chloe wouldn’t sign the papers easily, so I had already handed all the evidence of her infidelity to my lawyer to start the court process. The lawyer assured me that we would win easily. Rachel didn’t pry. She patted my shoulder. “Good. Clean up this mess before we move. You won’t be coming back here anyway.” I nodded and asked about our dad. The next day, I went with Rachel to finalize my immigration paperwork. As we walked out, her phone rang. “I told you, I’m back for personal matters,” she said into the phone, sounding annoyed. “Why did you leak my schedule?” “Do I need to personally approve a project worth only a few million? Am I the boss, or are you?” After she hung up, I handed her a bottle of water. “Problems with the company in New York?” She rubbed her temples. “No. Some local startup has been begging to partner with us. The owner somehow found out I was in town and is desperate to get a meeting.” “But you know how I work. In business, connections are fine, but character is what matters most.” I didn’t ask further. I drove her to the best French restaurant in the city. But of course, fate is a cruel joke. We ran into Chloe and Julian again. They were wearing matching outfits, sitting by the window. Chloe was on the phone, looking tense, while Julian fed her a cherry. Chloe smiled and bit the cherry right out of his hand. To anyone else, they looked like a deeply in love couple. I pursed my lips and turned to leave, but Chloe spotted me. She hung up immediately and ran over. “Ethan, wait!”

I pretended not to hear her and quickened my pace. But Chloe caught my arm. “Did you hear me calling you?” Though she was talking to me, her eyes were fixed on Rachel. “You two—” Before she could finish, Julian walked over, looking at us with a smug grin. “Wow, Ethan. This ‘business meeting’ of yours is taking forever. I guess it was a bedroom meeting before, and now it’s a lunch date.” I ignored his cheap insult, but Chloe’s face hardened. She looked at me coldly. “Ethan, I know what you’re doing. Do you think bringing her around will make me jealous? Are you five?” “Even if the hotel was a coincidence, you can’t tell me meeting us here is an accident. Julian and I are just having lunch. Can you stop being so pathetic and insecure?” I laughed coldly. Me? Pathetic? “I already served you the divorce papers, Chloe. Do you really think I care enough to follow you around?” Mentioning the divorce made her flinch. “I tore those papers up. Don’t bring them up again.” She turned her glare to Rachel. “And you, whoever you are. You heard him. Ethan is a married man. If you have any self-respect, stay away from him!” Julian chimed in, sneering. “Exactly. Clinging to another woman’s husband… didn’t your parents teach you any manners?” “Just because you have a little money doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want.” Rachel crossed her arms, a cold smile playing on her lips. “Watch your mouth. I can easily sue you for slander.” Julian, emboldened by Chloe’s presence, lost all restraint. He stepped forward, raising his voice so the whole restaurant could hear. “A homewrecker talking about lawsuits? How shameless can you get? If I don’t teach you a lesson today, I’m not a man!” With that, Julian rolled up his sleeves and shoved Rachel’s shoulder. Chaos broke out. I rushed forward to stop him, but at that exact moment, Chloe’s phone buzzed with a message from her secretary. It was a photo of the billionaire chairperson of the multinational conglomerate she had been trying to partner with. The woman in the photo was the exact same woman Julian had just shoved to the ground. Chloe’s eyes went wide. “Stop! She’s Chairperson Miller!”

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My cat started talking. On the exact day I was planning to propose to my boyfriend, my newly bought diamond ring was swiped off the counter by my cat’s paw, landing straight into the toilet with a splash. [Stupid woman, don’t propose! That cheating scumbag is on a date with your best friend right now! He even told her you’re terrible in bed, like a dead fish!] I froze. [Oh, by the way, he’s not some poor orphan. He’s the son of the richest billionaire in the city. He’s been gaslighting you from day one.] [The two of them have already planned to ship you off to a human trafficking ring overseas next month, just to get you out of the picture.] Looking at the sparkling ring swirling in the toilet bowl, I felt a wave of intense nausea. My name is Chloe Miller. My boyfriend is Ethan Carter. We met at a charity event a year ago. He told me he was an orphan, raised in a shelter, and had only finished college through student loans and working multiple part-time jobs. He was handsome, gentle, and incredibly sweet. Even though he was broke, I loved him with all my heart. My parents were just average, hard-working middle-class folks. To make sure Ethan had a good life, I pinched pennies, spent almost my entire salary on him, and bought almost everything he wore and used. And my best friend, Serena Davis, had been my closest friend since college. She came from a wealthy family, the quintessential trust-fund princess in everyone’s eyes. When I started dating Ethan, she was the first person I told. She offered her congratulations, but she’d constantly drop passive-aggressive comments, telling me Ethan was beneath me and urging me to break up with him. I always thought she genuinely cared about me, worried that I was being blinded by love. But now, my cat was telling me that of the two people I trusted most, one wanted to sell me into slavery, and the other was waiting to take over my life. I fished the ring out of the toilet, washed it thoroughly, and put it back in its box. Loki, my orange tabby, trotted over with elegant steps, rubbing his head against my shin. [That’s more like it. A piece of trash like him isn’t worth your tears.] [But what’s the plan? You’re not just going to let them walk away scot-free, are you? That’s too easy on them!] I let out a cold laugh, stroking Loki’s fluffy head. “Of course not.” Because I had been reborn. I knew everything Loki said was the absolute truth. In my past life, I was a complete fool. I had joyfully planned the perfect proposal, only to walk into my rented apartment and catch them in the act. When I confronted them, crying and broken, Ethan turned the tables on me, calling me crazy, paranoid, and accusing me of stalking him. Serena stood by, sobbing crocodile tears, saying, “Chloe, don’t blame Ethan. It was my fault, I just couldn’t help myself.” Driven mad by the betrayal, I screamed at them, slammed the door, and ran into the street—only to be struck down by a speeding, out-of-control truck. As my life slipped away on the cold asphalt, I saw them step out from the alley, looking down at me with cold, indifferent eyes, as if I were a piece of roadkill. Ethan wrapped his arm around Serena, his voice chillingly detached: “Clean it up. Don’t leave any loose ends.” Having a second chance at life, with the universe throwing in a cat-to-human translator that let me read minds, there was no way in hell I was letting them off easy. I unlocked my phone and opened Snapchat, clicking on my chat with Serena. [Serena! I’m planning to propose to Ethan tonight. Come over and help me pick out my outfit!] Less than a second after sending the message, Serena’s FaceTime call came through. Her voice was filled with exaggerated, high-pitched excitement: “Oh my god, Chloe! Are you serious?! I am so, so happy for you! Stay right there, I’m coming over now!” As the screen went black, Loki’s voice rang in my mind again. [Ugh, what a fake snake. Literally two minutes ago, she was lying in that jerk’s arms, laughing about how brainless and easy to manipulate you are.] The smirk on my lips grew colder. The show was just beginning.

Serena arrived quickly, thoughtfully bringing a bottle of her favorite expensive red wine. The moment she stepped in, she threw her arms around me in a tight hug, though her eyes couldn’t stop darting toward my bedroom. “Did you get the ring? Show me, show me!” I pretended to blush, walking into my room to fetch the jewelry box and opening it in front of her. Seeing the heavy diamond ring, Serena’s eyes lit up instantly. Pure, raw envy flashed through her gaze before she could mask it. “Wow, Chloe, this must have cost a fortune! Ethan really went all out!” I smiled softly. “He didn’t buy it. I saved up for months to get this. I wanted to surprise him.” Serena’s expression instantly shifted from envy to utter contempt. But she covered it quickly with a fake, sweet smile. “Aw, you’re just too good to him. But it’s fine, once you guys are married, he’ll definitely treat you like a queen.” As she spoke, she eagerly poured the wine into two glasses. “Come on, let’s have a toast. To your successful proposal!” I stared at the swirling red liquid in the glass, a dark glint in my eyes. Loki’s voice cut in right on cue: [Don’t drink that! She slipped sleeping pills in your glass!] [That toxic bitch wants to knock you out so the scumbag can come over, steal the ring, and kidnap you!] My heart went cold, but my face remained perfectly calm. I took the glass, smiling warmly. “Thank you, Serena. Honestly, having a friend like you is the best thing that ever happened to me.” “Cheers!” I raised my glass. Just as our glasses clinked, my wrist “accidentally” slipped, spilling the red wine all over her white designer dress. “Oh my god!” Serena shrieked, jumping up. “My dress! This is brand new!” I grabbed some tissues, looking incredibly guilty as I tried to dab at the stain. “I am so, so sorry! I got too excited! Quick, go to the bathroom and rinse it before it sets!” Though furious, Serena could only glare at me before rushing down the hallway to the bathroom. The second she shut the door, I dumped my spiked wine into the potted plant next to the couch, pulled out an identical bottle of red wine from my cabinet, and refilled my glass. Just as I finished, Serena walked out of the bathroom. She had changed into one of my spare silk robes. Seeing my full glass, her eyes flickered. “Chloe, you haven’t drunk yours yet?” I raised my glass, blinking innocently. “I was waiting for you.” With that, I downed it in one go. Seeing me swallow the wine, Serena finally let out a sigh of relief. A smug, victorious smile crept onto her face as she took a small, polite sip of her own glass. For the next ten minutes, she kept talking, babbling about random things, clearly waiting for the drug to kick in. I pretended to listen intently, mentally counting down the seconds. Loki yawned at my feet: [So boring. This chick talks too much.] [Wait, oh my god, is she slurring her words already?] I looked up. Serena’s eyelids were drooping, and her voice was growing thick and mumbled. I asked with “deep concern,” “Serena? Are you okay? You look really tired.” “I… I’m fine…” she muttered, trying to shake her head. “Just… suddenly so sleepy…” Before she could finish the sentence, her head slumped forward, face-planting onto the table as she passed out cold. I cold-smiled, walking over to shake her shoulder. No response. Perfect. The dosage was heavy enough. I pulled out my phone and dialed Ethan’s number. It rang for a long time before he finally picked up, his voice dripping with annoyance. “Yeah? What do you want?” In the background, I could hear the faint, muffled giggle of a woman. Suppressing my disgust, I let out a trembling sob. “Ethan… please come quick… Serena… I think she’s dying!”

By the time Ethan burst through the door, Serena was still slumped over the table, motionless. He didn’t even bother taking off his shoes as he rushed over to her. “Serena! Serena, wake up!” He shook her shoulders violently. Seeing no reaction, he whipped around, glaring at me like a feral beast. “What did you do to her?!” I cowered back, tears streaming down my face on command. “I don’t know… We were just having a drink, and she suddenly collapsed… Ethan, is she going to die? I’m so scared…” Looking at my tear-stained face, the suspicion in Ethan’s eyes faded slightly, replaced by sheer disgust and impatience. “Stop crying and call 911!” “Right, right!” I fumbled with my phone, but my finger “accidentally” hit the voice recorder app instead. While waiting for the paramedics, Ethan paced the living room like a caged animal, constantly checking his watch. Loki jumped onto the sofa, lazily licking his paw. [The scumbag is stressing out. He’s worried that if the ambulance takes too long, they’ll miss the shipping window for their ‘cargo’—which is you. He’d lose a massive payout.] [Yikes. Look at the way he looks at Serena. Like she’s a damaged piece of merchandise, not a human being. They really deserve each other.] The ambulance arrived shortly after. The EMTs did a quick assessment and concluded it was a deep coma induced by a mix of alcohol and heavy sedatives. No immediate danger to her life, but she needed her stomach pumped at the hospital. Ethan visibly relaxed upon hearing this. He climbed into the back of the ambulance with her. Before the doors shut, he glared back at me, his voice a low hiss: “Not a word about tonight to anyone. If this leaks, I’ll make sure you regret ever being born!” I nodded submissively, watching the ambulance drive away. The moment the door clicked shut, the terror on my face vanished. I pulled out my phone and played the recording. Perfect. Ethan’s frantic shout of “What did you do to her?!” was loud, clear, and dripping with raw, hysterical panic—proof enough that his relationship with Serena was far from casual. Next, I packed up the diamond ring and the spiked bottle of wine into a plastic bag, then booted up my laptop. First, I sent an anonymous email to the city’s top gossip outlets with the headline: “Son of Billionaire Charles Carter Caught in Love Triangle: Girlfriend’s Best Friend Rushed to ER After Overdose.” Attached were intimate photos of Ethan and Serena at the hospital—which I had hired a private investigator to take earlier—along with the damning audio clip. Once that was sent, I logged into my old Instagram account, which had over 500,000 followers. It was a beauty and lifestyle account I had poured my heart into during college. After I started dating Ethan, he told me he hated me “putting myself out there,” so I had let it go dormant. Now, it was time to put it to good use. I drafted a long, text-image post detailing the story of a “naive girl gaslit and set up by her fake-poor boyfriend and her snake of a best friend.” The protagonist was, of course, myself. I didn’t name names, but the clues were glaringly obvious. I mentioned meeting my “struggling orphan boyfriend” at a charity gala, my “wealthy best friend who constantly tried to make me break up with him,” and how “I worked myself to the bone to pay for his lifestyle while he used my money to spoil someone else.” At the end, I posted a selfie of my red, swollen eyes. The look of vulnerability and quiet defiance was pitch-perfect. [I thought I found true love. Turns out, I was just the target of a sick, calculated trap. What do I do now?] After hitting publish, I shut my laptop, scooped Loki into my arms, and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a wild day.

The next morning, I was woken up by a barrage of nonstop calls. My parents, my old college friends, and dozens of unknown numbers. I ignored every single one of them. I got out of bed, did my skincare routine, put on a light layer of makeup, and opened Instagram. As expected, my post had exploded. The hashtag `#ChloeScammedByEx` was trending at number one nationwide. The comment section was a warzone of furious fans and outraged locals. [Oh my god, Chloe! I am so sorry you went through this! Please tell me you dumped him!] [What a absolute leech! Leeching off her and cheating? He needs to be cancelled immediately.] [And that friend? With friends like her, who needs enemies? Absolute snake!] Of course, there were skeptics. [Where’s the proof? Anyone can write a sob story for clout.] [Looks like someone’s just hungry for views.] I was waiting for those doubters. I refreshed the page, and another trending topic caught my eye: `#BillionaireHeirSecretLifeExposed` Clicking on it, major media outlets had already picked up the story. The photos of Ethan carrying a semi-conscious Serena into the ER were heavily blurred, but anyone who knew them could recognize them instantly. The smile on my face widened. I immediately quote-tweeted one of the major outlets, adding: [Thank you for the concern, everyone. I believe this is the proof you were asking for. @Serena_Davis @Ethan_Carter] That single tweet was like throwing a match into a pool of gasoline. My followers went absolutely wild. [NO WAY! Is that Ethan? The ‘poor orphan’ boyfriend? He’s the heir to Carter Enterprises?!] [And that’s Serena! I knew that trust-fund girl looked familiar! Chloe, tell me this is a nightmare!] [So he didn’t just cheat, they literally scammed her together? This is insane…] My comment section was flooded, and my DM inbox crashed from the volume. At the same time, internet sleuths tracked down Ethan and Serena’s personal social media accounts. Within minutes, their pages were flooded with thousands of angry, mocking comments. I set my phone down, completely satisfied. Just then, the doorbell rang. I looked through the peephole. It was Ethan. He was wearing a baseball cap and a black mask, trying to hide his face, but his eyes were bloodshot and burning with pure fury. Loki arched his back near my feet, letting out a low, warning hiss.

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Three years after my death, Julian found our daughter in a dumpster. The little girl was digging through a rotten trash can, her tiny body turning purple from the freezing cold. With bloodshot eyes, he yanked her up. “Is this how Stella plays mother?! Where the hell is she?!” My daughter trembled in terror. “But… didn’t Daddy throw Mommy out, and didn’t she burn to death?” I floated in mid-air, looking down at this man whom I had loved for ten years and hated for three. Julian, you’re finally here. But it’s too late. Mia had already flushed my ashes down the drain. And your karma has only just begun. Julian’s hand froze in mid-air. My daughter’s words were like a blunt knife, stabbing ruthlessly into his heart. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, but no sound came out. “W-what did you say?” His voice shook violently. Luna shrunk her neck, her tiny, frail body shivering in the biting wind. “Nana said… Mommy was thrown out of the house by Daddy. She had nowhere to go, so she lived in the old, broken cabin. Then… then the cabin caught fire, and Mommy couldn’t get out.” She looked up. Her eyes were red, but she didn’t cry. “Nana also said that Daddy didn’t want Mommy anymore, and that’s why Mommy died.” Julian took a sharp step back, almost stumbling to the ground. “No,” he rasped, his voice hoarse. “It wasn’t me.” “Then why didn’t Daddy want Mommy?” Luna asked directly. Children’s questions are always the sharpest. “Why did Daddy refuse to give Mommy money for her medical bills when she was sick? Why did Mommy have to take me to sleep under the bridge while Daddy lived in a giant mansion?” Every single “why” was like a brutal slap to his face. I hovered in the air, watching the color completely drain from Julian’s face. Karma? This was barely the beginning. I floated a bit lower, wanting to get a clearer view of his expression. Over the past three years, I had seen many of his faces—smiling gently at Mia, screaming in fury at his employees. But I had never seen him look like this. He looked like his soul had been violently ripped out of his body. How amusing. Julian reached out, trying to take Luna’s hand, but she flinched and hid both hands behind her back. “What’s wrong with your hands?” Julian knelt down. Luna shook her head. Julian gently pulled her hands forward. Those tiny hands were swollen red from the frostbite, her fingernails caked with black dirt. On the back of her left hand, there was a jagged, scabbed wound, looking like it had been sliced by something sharp. “How did you get this?” “I cut it on some broken glass when I was collecting plastic bottles,” Luna whispered. “Mommy used to get hurt like this too. She told me to be careful, but I’m just too clumsy.” Tears almost spilled from Julian’s eyes. He remembered that Stella’s hands used to be incredibly beautiful—slender, soft, and fair. When they got married, he slipped the ring onto her finger and promised her that these hands would only ever play the piano and arrange flowers, never to do hard labor. But later, she had to take their daughter to scavenge through trash, and those hands were completely ruined. Ruined by his own hands. I stared at the wound on Luna’s hand. I knew that cut all too well. In the final month before my death, I had an identical one on my hand. I got it while scavenging for broken glass to sell. I didn’t even have money for a band-aid, so I wrapped it in a dirty rag. It got infected later, and it throbbed with excruciating pain for half a month. Now, that very same scar had grown onto my daughter’s hand.

Julian carried Luna into his car, his movements so gentle and cautious, as if he were holding a piece of fragile porcelain. The heater in the car was blasting, yet Luna was still shivering. Not from the cold, but from sheer terror. “Don’t be scared,” Julian said, his voice incredibly soft as he buckled her seatbelt. “Daddy is here.” Luna stared at him, her eyes filled with complete unfamiliarity. “Are you really my daddy?” “Yes.” “Then why didn’t you come find me for three years?” It felt like something was choking Julian. Why? Because Mia told him that Stella had run away with another man, taking the child with her. She told him Luna wasn’t even his blood. At that time, Mia had even produced “proof”—a photo of me standing close to a strange man. The photo was photoshopped, but he believed it instantly. What had he said back then? “A woman like Stella is better off dead anyway.” Looking back now, how utterly pathetic. Suddenly, Luna asked, “Daddy, did it hurt when Mommy died?” Julian’s grip on the steering wheel tightened instantly. “Nana said burning to death hurts a lot,” Luna said to herself. “Mommy said she was always terrified of fire. Once, she burned her hand while cooking and cried for ages. But when she died, she was surrounded by fire.” “Stop it,” Julian cut her off, his voice trembling. Luna looked at him, shut her mouth obediently, and turned her gaze to the window. But her tiny hands were shaking. I was all too familiar with the streets passing by outside the car window. I had walked those streets countless times, holding Luna in one hand and dragging a heavy woven bag in the other, digging through every single dumpster. On a good day, I could collect twenty bottles, cash them in for fifty cents, and buy Luna two small buns. Now, Julian’s luxury car was driving on this exact road. He probably had no idea that right where his tires were rolling, I had taken a terrible fall three years ago. My knees had scraped open, and my blood had seeped into the cracks of the asphalt. The car finally pulled into a gated hilltop estate in Beverly Hills. Luna pressed her face against the car window, her eyes wide with awe. She had never seen such a beautiful house. It looked like a castle from a fairy tale. “Is this… Daddy’s house?” “It’s our house,” Julian corrected her. The grand front door opened, and Mia walked out wearing a silk nightgown, her face adorned with her usual sweet, gentle smile. But then, she saw Luna. Her smile froze instantly. “Julian, who is this…?” “My daughter.” Julian carried Luna down. “She’s living here from now on.” Mia’s face turned pale for a second, but she quickly masked it. “Is this Stella’s child? She looks so much like her.” She reached out, wanting to touch Luna’s face. Luna shrank back, hiding behind Julian’s legs. “She’s not my auntie,” Luna said in a quiet but crystal-clear voice. “She’s a bad person. Mommy told me that because of her, Daddy didn’t want us anymore.” The air froze instantly. Mia’s eyes welled up with tears immediately. “Julian, how can a child say such horrible things?” “Did she say anything wrong?” Julian suddenly asked. Mia froze. “The fire three years ago.” Julian stared at her, enunciating every single word. “You set it, didn’t you?”

All the color drained from Mia’s face in an instant. “Julian, what on earth are you talking about?” “I asked you, did you set that fire three years ago?” Julian took a menacing step forward, his aura terrifyingly oppressive. “The cabin Stella rented had two separate ignition points. It was clearly arson. You were spotted there that night.” “I… I only went there to talk to her! But I didn’t set any fire!” “Then why did you lie to me?” Julian’s eyes were dead cold. “You told me Stella ran away with another man. You told me Luna wasn’t my daughter. You even showed me those photos. I had someone run a forensic analysis on them recently—they were photoshopped.” Mia stumbled backward, her back slamming against the doorframe. “Why did you do it?” Julian’s voice cracked. “What did Stella ever do to deserve this from you? She paid for your college tuition for three years! She treated you like her own sister!” “Because she stole you from me!” Mia suddenly shrieked, tears pouring down her face. “I met you first! I loved you first! Why did you only have eyes for her the moment she appeared?!” “And just because of that, you burned her alive?!” “I didn’t mean to burn her to death!” Mia screamed hysterically. “I only… I only changed her door locks and nailed her windows shut! I just wanted to scare her! I wanted to force her to leave this city! I had no idea a fire would break out that night!” A loud ringing went off in Julian’s head. Locked doors. Nailed windows. That massive fire had raged for two whole hours. Three fire trucks had to be deployed. In the end, what they carried out was a charred, unrecognizable corpse. The coroner said the victim had desperately tried to escape, but because the doors and windows were completely sealed, she was roasted alive inside. “You…” Julian was shaking all over. “Do you have any idea that is first-degree murder?” “I didn’t want to kill her! I just wanted to teach her a lesson!” Mia sobbed, grabbing his sleeve desperately. “Julian, I love you! I did all of this because I love you!” Julian shook her off violently, as if she were some disgusting piece of filth. “Arthur, call the police.” “Wait!” Mia lunged forward, clawing at him. “Julian, I’m pregnant! It’s your baby! You can’t do this to me!” Julian’s footsteps halted. “That night you got drunk… you mistook me for Stella.” Mia cried, her makeup completely ruined. “I’ve been carrying your baby for two months now. Do you really have the heart to let our child be born without a father?” Julian closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze was as cold as ice. “Abort it.” “What?” “I will never acknowledge it,” he said, deadpan. “The only children I will ever have are the ones Stella gave birth to. Whatever is in your womb is nothing to me.” Mia collapsed onto the floor, her face as pale as ashes. I floated in the living room, watching this absolute circus. Mia’s acting was as stellar as always—her tears flowed right on cue. Too bad her audience wasn’t buying it this time. As Julian turned around, I noticed his fingers were trembling. Was he terrified? Terrified of what? Terrified that the child in Mia’s womb might actually be his? It didn’t matter anymore. After all, when I died, I had one in my womb too. Two lives lost in one body. The debt he owed me could never, ever be repaid.

The police arrived incredibly fast. As Mia was being dragged away in handcuffs, she was still screaming and cursing like a maniac. “Julian! You will regret this! I flushed Stella’s ashes down the drain years ago! She doesn’t even have a grave! You will never, ever be able to lay flowers for her!” Julian stood at the doorway, his body swaying weakly. Her ashes… flushed down the drain? Luna tugged at his coat, whispering, “Daddy, what are ashes?” Julian knelt down, looking into his daughter’s innocent eyes, his heart breaking into a million jagged pieces. “It’s… the last thing Mommy left behind for us.” “Then why did that auntie flush Mommy away?” “Because she is a bad person.” Julian pulled his daughter tightly into his arms, his voice cracking with heavy sobs. “I’m so sorry, Luna. Daddy is so sorry. I failed you… and I failed Mommy.” Luna raised her tiny hand and gently patted his back. “Mommy told me that if you make a mistake, you just have to say sorry. Since Daddy said sorry, Mommy will definitely forgive you.” No. I will never forgive him. Julian knew deep down that Stella would never, ever forgive him. The way he held Luna was incredibly awkward and stiff. Luna was three years old, but he had never once held her before. When she was born, he was away on a business trip. By the time he returned, she was already a month old. He had only spared her a single glance, remarked on how small she was, and never touched her again. Now, he held her so tightly, as if she would vanish the second he let go. But unfortunately, the one who was meant to vanish had already gone three years ago. That night, Luna ran a dangerously high fever. Julian stayed by her bedside, constantly changing the wet towel on her forehead. Luna cried out for her mommy in her sleep, and he held her tiny hand, repeating desperately that Daddy was here. “Mommy… fire! The fire is so big!” “Mommy can’t get out!” “Mommy, it hurts!” Julian buried his face into his daughter’s tiny hands, his tears soaking the bedsheets. He remembered that night three years ago. Mia had snuggled into his arms, crying, “Julian, Stella sent me a text saying she doesn’t want to live anymore. I’m so scared. Please go check on her.” At that time, he was in the middle of negotiating a multi-million dollar merger. “She’s just throwing another tantrum,” he had said impatiently. “Ignore her.” “But…” “I said ignore her!” Only much later did he find out that Stella had actually called him seventeen times that night. He hadn’t answered a single one. The very last call was at 11:08 PM. The call had connected, but no one spoke. There was only the sound of violent, agonizing coughing, and the terrifying crackle of roaring flames. What had he said back then? “Stella, are you seriously not done yet? If you want to die, go die somewhere far away. Stop bothering me.” And then, he hung up. That was the last phone call she ever made to him. Luna suddenly bolted awake, her eyes filled with absolute terror. “Daddy… I dreamed of Mommy.” “What did you dream of, sweetie?” “Mommy was in the fire. She kept calling your name.” Luna’s tears spilled over. “She was screaming, ‘Julian, save me!’ But nobody came. Daddy, where were you?” Julian opened his mouth, but his throat was completely paralyzed. Luna stared at him. The confusion in her eyes slowly turned into disappointment, and then into a tragic, heartbreaking understanding that no three-year-old child should ever possess. “Daddy didn’t go to save Mommy, did you?” Julian’s tears fell like rain. “I’m sorry…” Luna turned her body away, presenting her back to him, her tiny shoulders shaking with silent sobs. She didn’t say another word. But Julian knew his daughter now understood everything. I floated beside the bed, staring at Luna’s trembling back. Those fragile, tiny shoulders looked exactly like the last image I had of her before I died. I couldn’t escape the fire, so I had forced her inside a heavy steel cabinet. The cabinet had small ventilation slits, and the fire couldn’t reach inside. I had whispered, “Luna, be a good girl. Close your eyes and count to a thousand. Mommy will come get you then.” She had actually closed her eyes and started counting, “One, two, three…” I heard her count all the way to one hundred and thirty-seven before my world went completely silent. It wasn’t because she stopped counting. It was because my eardrums had been burned away.

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My company worshiped “wolf culture.” If you wanted your year-end bonus, you had to put on a dog mask, get on a leash, and bark three times on stage. For my son’s life-saving surgery, I swallowed my pride and did it. But the very next day, a video of me barking went viral across TikTok, and I became the laughingstock of the internet—the “Ultimate Simp.” Looking at my boss’s fake, smiling face, I walked out and took a job at our biggest rival. I really want to see how this company survives without me, their top closer. Braden Cole held the microphone, his beer belly stretching his designer suit to its absolute limits. “This year’s top closer—Liam!” he boomed, his voice echoing through the hall. “A hundred-thousand-dollar bonus, paid in cash right here, right now!” The crowd erupted into thunderous applause. My fingers were trembling. My son, Leo, was scheduled for heart surgery next month. I needed exactly one hundred thousand dollars to cover our insurance deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. Just yesterday, Chloe told me that if I couldn’t get the money, she was taking Leo and leaving me. “But—” Braden dragged out the word. The room went dead silent. He waved his hand, and a hostess stepped up to the stage carrying a silver tray. On it lay a cheap plastic dog mask and a heavy iron chain collar. The metal links clanked together loudly. “Our corporate culture is all about hunger! Wolf mentality!” Braden grinned, his gold tooth catching the stage lights. “Liam, put this mask on. Let us clip the leash. Get up here on stage and give us three good barks. Do that, and the cash is yours.” “Mr. Cole, please…” My throat felt like sandpaper. “What? Is a hundred grand not enough for you?” Braden patted the thick stacks of hundred-dollar bills. “If you don’t want it, that’s fine. I’ll just donate it to some charity.” Whispers broke out in the crowd. “Just do it, Liam! It’s a hundred grand!” someone yelled from the back. “Yeah, man! It’s just three barks!” “Liam, think of your kid’s surgery,” Marcus whispered next to me. He was the only colleague who knew about my situation. I stared at the black dog mask. “Hurry up!” Braden tapped his knuckles on the table. “Everyone’s time is valuable here.” Taking a deep breath, I stood up. Walking down the aisle, I could hear my own heart hammering in my chest. People were wolf-whistling. Some were already holding up their phones. I kept my eyes locked on the pile of cash on the stage. My son was only five. He had a congenital heart defect, and the doctor said this month was our last window for the surgery. I reached the stage. Braden personally picked up the dog mask and shoved it over my head. My vision was cut in half. Then, he clipped the cold iron chain around my neck. “Hold the leash!” He shoved the other end of the chain into the hostess’s hand. The young girl’s face flushed bright red. She didn’t dare look at me as she gave the chain a light tug. The crowd burst into roaring laughter. “Take a walk! Do a trick!” Chad was screaming from the front row. The hostess pulled the chain gently, and I stumbled forward. Standing in the center of the stage, the hot spotlights burned my face. “Bark!” Braden shoved the mic right in front of my mouth. “Woof.” The first sound barely slipped out. It was barely a whisper. “We can’t hear you!” the crowd chanted in unison. “Woof!” I roared it out. “Not realistic enough!” Braden tapped the back of my leg with his shoe. “How does a loyal dog bark? Show some enthusiasm!” For the third bark, I closed my eyes and screamed with every ounce of air in my lungs. “WOOF!!!” The sound echoed through the entire venue, followed instantly by wild laughter, clapping, and mocking whistles. Braden patted my shoulder and turned to the crowd. “You see this? This is loyalty! For this company, we do whatever it takes!” He grabbed the stacks of cash and slammed them into my chest. “Take it! You earned it!” I held the money tight. Ten heavy stacks. Inside the plastic mask, sweat was pouring down my face. When I walked off the stage, the chain was still hanging from my neck. Braden had forgotten to take it off. I ripped it off myself and tore the mask from my face. My hair was soaking wet. I ran straight into the restroom. I slammed the door and locked it. Leaning against the sink, I stared at myself in the mirror. My face was pale, my eyes bloodshot. Footsteps echoed outside, and I heard voices. “Did you see that? The golden boy actually barked.” “For a hundred grand? I’d bark like a whole pack of dogs.” “Please, with your sales numbers? Mr. Cole wouldn’t even waste a dog collar on you.” Then came Chad’s voice. “Honestly, Liam really is a king now—the King of Simps!” They all burst into loud laughter. I turned on the faucet. I splashed cold water on my face, letting it mix with the tears spilling over my eyelids. The hundred thousand dollars pressed against my chest felt like a block of concrete, heavy and agonizing. I dried my face, packed the cash into my backpack, and zipped it shut. It’s fine, I told myself. I got the money. My son is going to be saved.

At six in the morning, my Snapchat was buzzing nonstop. I opened my eyes to see 99+ unread messages. The first one was from a college classmate. It was a link to a TikTok video. The caption read: Top closer at a tech firm barks like a dog on stage for his year-end bonus. Where is the dignity? The video was only thirty seconds long. It showed me putting on the dog mask, being led on a chain, and barking. Braden’s face had been carefully cropped out of the frame. The comment section was a absolute dumpster fire. “No dignity left for money.” “This company is sick.” “Top closer? More like Top Simp!” “@everyone, come look at this literal corporate dog!” I closed the app, my hands shaking uncontrollably. Then my phone rang. It was Chloe. The moment I picked up, she was screaming. “Liam! What the hell did you do?! My coworkers just sent me the video! My mom and my friends have all seen it!” “Chloe, let me explain—” “Explain what?! The video is crystal clear! You played dog for a hundred thousand dollars! How am I supposed to show my face in public? How is our son supposed to go to school?!” “Leo needed the money for his surgery—” “So you become a literal dog for money? Liam, you make me sick!” The call clicked off. I tried calling back, but she had already blocked my number. Suddenly, a new notification popped up on Snapchat. It was from Leo’s preschool teacher. I tapped the voice note, and the sound of my son sobbing filled the room. “Daddy… the kids said you’re a puppy… They won’t play with me… they keep barking at me… sob…” My fingers were stiff as I typed. “Ms. Davis, I am so sorry, please—” Before I could finish, she replied. “Mr. Miller, this video is causing a massive distraction. We suggest you handle your family matters at home. Don’t let this affect your child.” I stared at the screen, my eyes burning. The phone vibrated again. It was my dad. “Liam!” His voice was trembling with rage. “You… you put your mother in the hospital!” “Dad, please—” “All our neighbors saw it! Your uncle just called to ask if we were so desperate for money that we let our son beg like a dog on the street!” “I did it for Leo’s surgery—” “I don’t care!” my dad roared. “We didn’t raise a son with no backbone! Your mother said if you don’t make a public apology and get that video taken down immediately, don’t bother calling us family anymore!” Beep—beep— The line went dead. I sat on the edge of the bed. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, and the room was swallowed in darkness. Then, my phone screen lit up again with an unknown number. “Hello?” “Liam, buddy! It’s Braden.” Braden’s laugh boomed through the speaker. “Have you seen the news? Our company is absolutely viral!” I gripped the phone tightly. “Mr. Cole, that video was edited. That’s not how it happened—” “Who cares?” he interrupted. “Bad press is still press! Our phones have been ringing off the hook this morning with new leads! It’s free advertising!” “But my family—” “Your family will get over it!” he said dismissively. “Tell you what, at Monday’s morning meeting, I want you to do it again. We’ll record the full version this time, high quality. We’ll post it to clarify things for you!” “Mr. Cole—” “Alright, I’ve got a meeting. See you Monday, don’t be late!” He hung up. I opened Instagram. Chad had posted a photo dump three minutes ago. It was a slide of photos from the annual party. Right in the middle was a high-def, close-up shot of me wearing the dog mask. The caption read: Corporate culture! Wolf mentality! Shoutout to our most “loyal” colleague! Below it, the entire company had lined up to leave likes and thumbs-up emojis. I scrolled down. I saw that Chloe had liked the post too. My phone buzzed again. A new text message. It was from Chloe. Liam, I can’t live like this for another second. I want a divorce. I’m taking Leo. If you try to fight me for custody, I’ll make sure this video is sent to every single person in this city. I stared at those words for a very long time. Then, I stood up and walked to the window. The sun was up now. Down on the street, people were rushing to work. A little kid tripped and fell. His mother rushed over, scooped him up, dusted him off, and kissed his cheek. I turned around, slid my back down against the wall, and sat on the cold floor.

At the Monday morning meeting, Braden made me the opening act. “Let’s welcome Liam to share his secrets of success!” He led the applause. Hardly anyone clapped. Most people just stared at me. Some looked amused, some looked sympathetic, but most were just numb. “I…” My throat was completely dry. “Louder!” Braden banged on the table. “Did you lose your voice?” A few people snickered. “Last week… for the company… I put on a performance…” Every word felt like hot coal in my mouth. “Performance?” Braden cut in. “That’s called demonstrating loyalty! Come on, let’s give Liam some encouragement!” He pulled out his phone and started recording. “Give us a couple of barks to start the week off right!” I looked at his camera lens. I thought of the remaining balance for Leo’s post-surgery care. I couldn’t lose this job. “Woof.” “Can’t hear you!” Chad shouted from the back. “Woof!” “No energy!” Braden frowned. “Where’s that passion from the party? You get lazy once you get the cash?” I closed my eyes and screamed. “WOOF!!!” The room fell silent for a second, then erupted into hysterical laughter. Braden stopped recording, looking highly satisfied. “Great! That’s what I like to see! From now on, Liam will start every Monday morning meeting by pumping us up!” When I walked off the stage, my knees were shaking. At noon, I had a lunch meeting to sign a contract with Mr. Miller. I had been nurturing this client for six months. Once this deal went through, the commission would easily cover Leo’s rehabilitation costs. As I reached the lobby, I saw Chad walking out, his arm draped over Mr. Miller’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mr. Miller! I’ll personally handle your account from now on!” Chad was shouting boisterously. Mr. Miller saw me and looked slightly embarrassed. “Liam… your boss just told me… you’ve been reassigned?” I froze. Chad grinned. “My uncle said big accounts need to stay within the family. You should focus on internal training from now on, Liam.” He leaned in close to my ear. “Specifically, training people how to bark.” I stormed straight into Braden’s office. “Mr. Cole! Mr. Miller’s account was mine! I’ve been working on it for—” “Oh, that?” Braden leaned back in his leather chair, propping his feet on the desk. “I gave it to Chad. His aunt is married to Mr. Miller’s cousin. They have a family connection, it’s easier to talk business.” “But I worked on this for six months…” “And what did that get us?” He threw a stack of papers at me. “Look at this! Chad signed the contract over one dinner last night. Six months of your work can’t beat one night of drinking with my nephew.” I picked up the contract. The signature line bore Chad’s name. “A dog is a dog,” Braden sneered, lighting a cigar. “You’re good for guarding the house, but don’t think you get to eat the steak.” When I got home, the house was dark. Chloe had texted saying she was staying at her mother’s with Leo for a few days. The fridge was empty. While searching for instant ramen, I noticed a box of expensive cigars in the trash can. Cohibas. I didn’t smoke. My heart dropped. I went into the bedroom. The nightstand drawer wasn’t fully closed. Inside was an old iPhone that Chloe had stopped using a while ago. Driven by a dark instinct, I picked it up. It was charged. I tried our wedding anniversary as the passcode. Incorrect. I tried Leo’s birthday. It unlocked. The photo gallery was filled with screenshots of Snapchat chats. Between Chloe and Braden. “Babe, when are you going to leave that loser and marry me?” “Once the heat from Liam’s viral video dies down. I can’t ruin the company’s image right now.” “He actually thinks Leo is his son. It’s hilarious.” “Of course he does. I got you pregnant while he was passed out drunk. He never even touched you that night.” The latest screenshot was a bank transfer from yesterday. Two hundred thousand dollars. The memo read: For my baby’s new car. I sank onto the floor. The hardwood felt ice-cold against my skin. My phone rang. “Mr. Miller, when will you be paying the remaining balance for Leo’s surgery? Tomorrow is the absolute deadline.” I stared at the screen. Braden’s smiling face was saved as my phone wallpaper. Outside, the sky had turned pitch black. I opened my laptop and clicked on an encrypted folder. Inside were all the records of financial fraud, tax evasion, and corporate bribery that Braden had forced me to assist with over the years. I backed everything up, encrypted the files, and sent them to a secure, anonymous email address. Then, I dialed a number. “Mr. Vance? This is Liam. Let’s meet tomorrow.” I looked around the empty apartment. In our wedding photo on the wall, Chloe was still smiling beautifully. I started to laugh. I laughed louder and louder, until my ribs ached, and I couldn’t stop.

On Monday, Braden threw a massive celebration party. The company had just passed its pre-IPO audit. The banquet hall was packed, and Braden sat at the head table. Sitting right next to him was Chloe, dripping in designer jewelry. Chad started shouting, “Hey Uncle Braden! Aren’t you going to introduce your new assistant?” Braden wrapped his arm tightly around Chloe. “This is Chloe, my new executive assistant. She’s highly capable and knows exactly how to… ‘take care’ of me.” The table erupted into laughter. Chloe smiled, keeping her eyes glued to her plate, avoiding my gaze. Braden pointed a finger at me. “Liam, you owe Chloe a thank you. If she hadn’t begged me to keep you, a loser who ruined our company’s reputation would have been fired a long time ago!” Chloe quickly said, “Braden, let’s not talk about the past.” Braden slammed the table. “Why shouldn’t we? Liam, say it yourself. Do you even deserve a woman like Chloe? Huh? Barking like a dog for a little cash, you’re a disgrace!” I set my fork down slowly. Braden got even louder. “Look at you! Then look at me! The clients you couldn’t keep, the woman you couldn’t hold—to me, they’re just easy pickings!” He whipped out a black credit card and threw it on the table. “Go buy yourself a new bag, Chloe! Don’t be like some people who have to bark on stage for a measly hundred grand!” Chloe grabbed the card, her face lighting up with joy. I stood up. Braden sneered. “What? You got a problem with that?” I walked up to the small stage at the front of the banquet room, where the microphone and the projector screen were set up. Chad yelled, “Get down from there! That’s not a place for a dog!” I plugged my flash drive into the laptop connected to the projector. The video started playing. It was the unedited, full version of the annual party. Braden’s loud voice filled the room: “…Put the dog mask on… clip the chain… bark three times… If you don’t want it, I’ll donate it to charity…” The room went dead silent. In the video, right before I walked onto the stage, I had looked at my phone. The camera zoomed in on my screen. It showed my text messages with the hospital doctor. “The surgery cost is $100,000. It must be paid by next week.” As I barked on stage, the high-definition camera clearly captured the tears streaming down my face. The silence in the hall was suffocating. Chloe bolted upright. “Liam, what is the meaning of this?!” Braden’s face turned purple. He kicked his chair over with a loud crash. “You motherf—er, you set me up!” He waved his hand at his bodyguards. “Beat him! Beat him to a pulp!” Two burly guards rushed the stage. Fists and boots rained down on me as I curled up to protect my head. Braden screamed, “Break his legs! Let him crawl out of here!” One of the guards picked up a heavy metal folding chair and slammed it down hard onto my leg. I heard the bone snap before the blinding pain hit me. Braden walked over, stomping his heavy boot directly onto my hand. “You think you can play games with me? You’re nothing!” He spat directly onto my face. Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the banquet hall were kicked open. Several federal agents in windbreakers walked in. The man at the front held up a badge. “Braden Cole?” Braden froze. “Who the hell are you?” The agent flashed his ID. “IRS Criminal Investigation. We received a detailed whistleblower report. Your company is under investigation for massive tax evasion and securities fraud. You’re coming with us.”

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The day my brother, Ethan, got together with Chloe—the girl who bullied me in high school—my depression relapsed. He shielded Chloe behind his back, terrified I’d lose control and hurt her. But all I could think of was my freshman year, when Ethan sent me away to that boarding school. I remembered when Chloe was ripping my hair out, and I managed to call Ethan’s number. His annoyed voice echoed through the speaker. “What are you throwing a tantrum for now? Can’t you just grow up?” He hung up. Chloe laughed, stubbing her glowing cigarette right into the back of my hand. The pain was so agonizing I blacked out. When I woke up, Ethan was kneeling by my bedside. He was sobbing, begging for my forgiveness. I was diagnosed with severe depression. He dropped out of college and worked day and night to pay for my therapy. During my worst episodes, I’d hold a kitchen knife, my hands shaking violently. He would hug me, tears streaming down his face, choking out apologies. But now. Ethan stood in front of Chloe, looking at me with pure exhaustion. “It’s been two years, Maya. We’re all exhausted. How much longer are you going to torture me?” I hid my trembling hands behind my back. In my grip was an acceptance letter to a prestigious art exhibition in Paris. I had come here to share this incredible news with him. But now, there was no need.

Depression episode. I practically fled back to my art studio. This tiny studio was something Ethan had saved up for a whole year to rent for me. During my two years of recovery, this was the only place where I felt safe. I reached out to touch the dried watercolor on the canvas. The scar on the back of my hand caught my eye. Over the last two years, I had almost forgotten how badly it used to hurt. Ethan and I only had each other growing up. He raised me. During my freshman year of high school, he sent me to a boarding school. I was quiet, introverted, and hated socializing. Naturally, I became the perfect target for bullies. They poured water all over my bed. Since I couldn’t sleep there, I curled up in the corner, only to be dragged into the restrooms. I told the counselor. He just gave me a dismissive smile. “We don’t have students like that at our school. If you’re being picked on, maybe you should think about what you did to cause it.” Terrified, I called Ethan again and again. But Ethan was working multiple jobs to pay for his classes and support me. The third time I begged him to take me home, he snapped. “Maya, I told you! I have to work! I don’t have time to babysit you!” I swallowed my tears and endured it. But they only got worse. They threw bugs into my lunch. They dragged me to the rooftop, laughing hysterically at my pale, terrified face as they took turns slapping me. With their cruel laughter ringing in my ears, I dialed Ethan’s number with shaking fingers. “Ethan, please… please come take me home.” Ethan’s furious voice came through. “What are you throwing a tantrum for now? Can’t you just grow up?” The line went dead. Chloe caught up to me. She grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling back hard. The stinging pain in my scalp was nothing compared to the sheer terror in my heart. I cried, begging her to stop. But she just laughed and slapped me across the face. They pinned me to the floor. Chloe held a lit cigarette, pressing the burning cherry directly into the back of my hand. “Still waiting for someone to save you?” I don’t know how long they kicked and beat me. I just curled into a ball, losing consciousness in the pouring rain. When I opened my eyes, Ethan was kneeling in front of me. He was crying so hard his entire body shook. “Maya, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” “I’m taking you home. Don’t be scared…” He cried desperately that day. I had never seen him cry like that before. He held my hand and swore he’d never let anyone hurt me again. But only two years later… He became the one hurting me. By the time I snapped out of my thoughts, the studio was pitch black. I didn’t know how long I had been sitting there. My phone lit up with a call from Ethan. I answered. “Maya, where are you? Stop acting out. Chloe made your favorite dinner. Come home and eat.” If I wasn’t at home, I was always at the studio. But he couldn’t even bother to walk over and look for me. Hearing him say Chloe’s name made my stomach turn. A wave of nausea hit me. I dry-heaved for a long time, but nothing came up.

The security guard, Marcus, heard me during his night patrol. Seeing my state, he panicked and reached for his phone to call Ethan. “Oh my god, Maya, is it happening again? Are you okay? I’ll call Ethan right now. Hang in there!” My fingers shook violently as I grabbed Marcus’s arm. “Don’t tell him.” A text from Ethan popped up on my screen. [Maya, I’m giving you ten minutes.] This was Ethan’s warning sign before he lost his temper. My mind drifted, suddenly remembering two years ago, during my first major depressive episode. Back then, I couldn’t eat anything. The moment I saw a stranger, I would reflexively start gagging. In just a month, I became skin and bones. Ethan would push my wheelchair out so I could get some sun, while I stared blankly at the birds in the distance. One night, Ethan came home from work to find me holding a kitchen knife. Paling with fright, he rushed forward to stop me. Triggered and terrified, I screamed and shrank back. “Stay away from me! Let me go, please let me go!” With bloodshot eyes, Ethan lunged forward and locked me in a hug. The knife left a long, deep gash on his arm. But he didn’t seem to feel the pain. He just held me, his voice cracking. “I’m sorry, Maya, I’m so sorry!” “It’s my fault. I didn’t take care of you…” With Ethan holding me, I slowly calmed down. That incident left a prominent scar on his arm. To keep me from feeling guilty, he always wore long sleeves, even in the dead of summer, to hide it. But today, when I went home, he was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt. I stayed out all night. Ethan didn’t call me again. The next morning, he came to the studio. I had sat in front of the canvas all night. Black paint had completely bled through the entire fabric. Ethan looked at the painting, fell silent for a moment, then reached out to gently stroke my hair. “I’m sorry, Maya. I lost my temper yesterday. Can you forgive me?” My eyes stung with tears. But the next second. He knelt on one knee in front of me, looking into my eyes, practically begging. “Chloe has an art exhibition coming up soon. I want to let her use this studio for a while. You can paint at home during this time, okay?” I stared at his face. My mind went completely blank for several long seconds. I realized I couldn’t comprehend what Ethan was saying. This studio. It was the key to my recovery. I had painted so many of my breakthrough moments on these canvases. This place was my entire world. But now, Ethan wanted to hand this sanctuary over to the very person who had broken me. Ethan held my hands. “Chloe knows she was wrong. She’s been apologizing to me for the past two years.” I stared at him, numb. “She went abroad to study art for two years just to clear her head, and she came back specifically to apologize to you. It’s been two years, Maya. It’s time to let it go.” I didn’t understand. Does two years of time automatically erase someone else’s trauma? I stared blankly at Ethan’s lips moving. He was spitting out words that made absolutely no sense to me. In the end, a harsh truth dawned on me. Right. Out of the three of us. I was the only one who had actually been hurt. That was why Ethan could choose forgiveness so easily.

That night, my depression flared up again. With trembling hands, I choked down my pills. Tears streamed down my face, but my chest felt completely hollow and numb. I forgot that Ethan had already packed up all my things from the studio. When I walked in. Seeing Chloe sitting in my chair, holding my favorite paintbrush. My body suddenly stopped obeying me. My knees buckled. I slammed against the doorframe, a loud ringing filling my ears. Soft, upbeat music was playing in the studio. Chloe sat bathed in the warm sunlight, while Ethan stood beside her, watching her with a relaxed, tender smile. I hadn’t seen Ethan look like that in a very long time. Ever since I got sick, his youthful spark had been completely ground down by life. Whenever he looked at me, his eyes held nothing but worry and exhaustion. I went back to our apartment and sat before a blank canvas. I held a pencil so tightly the sharp edge sliced into my finger, but I felt absolutely nothing. From that day on, I stopped trying to see Ethan. But I could tell. Ethan’s mood was getting better by the day. Finally, one day, he looked at me hesitantly. “Maya, there’s an art exhibition nearby that you’d love. Want to go?” A tiny spark of light flickered in my long-dead eyes. I followed Ethan to the gallery, only to see Chloe there with her own featured pieces. Ethan closely watched my reaction. “Chloe has some art on display here. If you don’t want to see her, you can just look at the other artists.” As soon as he finished speaking, he hurried off to help Chloe set up. I stood there alone, quietly admiring the paintings I loved. During those countless suffocating nights, staring at these kinds of paintings was the only thing that gave me the will to live. The gallery curator recognized me. He walked over and struck up a conversation. Then, he asked out of curiosity. “We invited you to participate in this exhibition last month, but your representative said you didn’t have time. I didn’t think we’d see you here today.” I froze. “What?” The curator smiled and glanced over at Ethan. “Since you declined, we ended up choosing that artist over there.” “Though her work lacks a bit of soul, Ethan highly recommended her to us.” It felt like a bomb went off in my head. Last month, I had submitted an application for this exhibition. The coordinator told me I’d get a response in three days, but I waited a week and heard nothing. But now, the curator was telling me that *I* had declined the invitation. My laptop was in the studio. The only person besides me who had access to it was Ethan. My gaze drifted across the crowded gallery, finally landing on Ethan, who was standing right next to Chloe. While I was drowning in despair over not getting a reply… Ethan had declined the invitation on my behalf. And he had recommended Chloe instead. Clearly, Chloe had already become far more important to him than I was. My phone buzzed with an email notification. It was an official acceptance letter from an art agency in Paris. I looked up again, watching Ethan’s gentle smile in the distance. Then, I booked the earliest flight out of the country.

I slipped away from the exhibition without a sound. I walked back to my studio, which was now completely contaminated with Chloe’s presence. I stood there in silence for a few minutes. Then, grabbing a thick black marker. I drew a massive, aggressive ‘X’ right across her centerpiece painting. That night, Ethan stormed into the apartment, screaming at me in a fury. “Maya! When did you become so malicious? That was Chloe’s main exhibition piece! You ruined her painting! What is she supposed to do at the gallery tomorrow?!” I watched his outrage with dead eyes. “She got into that exhibition by stealing my spot, didn’t she?” Exposed, Ethan’s face flashed with panic. “Your mental state was unstable back then! That’s why I declined it for you. Chloe’s style is very similar to yours anyway. I only recommended her; she earned the spot herself!” Because of my ongoing treatment, Ethan had always managed my submissions. As my point of contact, all the gallery directors knew him well. If he recommended someone, they wouldn’t think twice. My hands shook. I grabbed everything within arm’s reach and hurled it at him in a frenzy. Ethan didn’t try to comfort me like he used to. Instead, he slammed the door and left. I sat in front of my canvas all night again. The next day, Ethan came back with my favorite pastries to apologize. He knelt before me, crying and begging for forgiveness, just like he did two years ago. A sharp ache pierced my chest, and my tears fell alongside his. It was true that Ethan had sacrificed so much for me over the years. He pulled me into his arms. Gently patting my back. I remembered when we were kids, having no parents, being bullied by other kids. I would hide in his arms and cry, and he would always comfort me like this. I finally sobbed out loud. But Ethan remained on his knees. His hands clenched into fists. After a long, tense silence, he looked up at me with red, pleading eyes. “Maya… can you do me a favor? Please.” By the time Ethan dragged me to the exhibition venue, I could barely feel my own body. I followed him inside like a mindless zombie. The moment we stepped through the doors, dozens of camera flashes blinded me. “Miss Maya, is it true that Miss Chloe bullied you two years ago?” “Your brother, Ethan, claims that your depression is cured and that you’ve forgiven Miss Chloe. Is that true?” Chloe’s art had gone viral online. But someone she had bullied in the past had exposed her on social media. The media dug deeper and eventually found me—her most traumatized victim. Ethan carefully guided me onto the stage. Facing the sea of flashing lights and probing eyes. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Ethan had begged me. He begged me to tell everyone that I had forgiven Chloe. He had tears streaming down his face, claiming that if I didn’t help, Chloe’s life would be ruined. My limbs went entirely numb. I could hear Ethan whispering frantically from the side, urging me to speak. Suddenly, the giant screen behind the stage flashed with my medical records from two years ago. Photos of my bruised, scarred body were displayed for everyone to see. Finally, the screen showed my official diagnosis of severe, clinical depression. I stared at the medical report. My vision began to blur. The weight of all those staring eyes was suffocating. Below the stage, Ethan was looking at me with desperation, pleading with his eyes for me to say the words—to tell everyone I forgave the person who had shattered my life. My vision went completely black, and I collapsed off the stage. When I woke up, the hospital room was empty. Ethan had left a note on the bedside table. [Chloe is in a really bad place right now. I have to go be with her.] I threw the note into the trash. With weak, trembling steps, I walked out of the hospital. Without packing any bags, I went straight to the airport. My body was physically exhausted, but my mind had never been clearer. Only one thought consumed me. I had to get out. Before powering off my phone. A call from Ethan flashed on the screen. He asked frantically, “Maya, where are you? The doctor said you aren’t cleared to leave the hospital yet—” I didn’t say a word. I just shut down the phone.

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