Author: Momo Chan

My girlfriend, Lydia Fox, the one with the “terminal illness,” turned out to be the secret illegitimate daughter of a high-society dynasty from the city’s Gold Coast. And me? I was just a guy slinging fried rice from a food truck on a busy street corner. Lydia had always been frail, or so I thought. I took care of her, gave her the best of everything I could afford. But that day, a fleet of ten black Bentleys, sent by the Fox family, pulled up to my apartment building to welcome her back into the fold. Without a moment’s hesitation, she left me behind. But she took my roommate with her. In front of a wall of cameras, a reporter shoved a microphone in her face. “Miss Fox, could you tell us your relationship with the gentleman standing before you?” Lydia’s voice was laced with a cool, dismissive air. “Oh, him? He’s nobody. Just a caregiver I hired for a while.” Later, she became the city’s untouchable heiress, the woman everyone looked up to. And I turned around and married her sworn enemy. On our wedding night, Lydia had me kidnapped. She cornered me, her eyes wild. “Why would you marry a disfigured, ugly woman?” My voice was calm. “Because she never once treated me like I was just the help.” Lydia let out a cold, sharp laugh. “You’re pathetic. Truly spineless.” I nodded. “You’re right. I’m just that pathetic.” … The day the Fox family came for her, the ten Bentleys were lined up, a silent, imposing wall blocking the narrow street to my apartment. Reporters swarmed the area, their cameras and microphones turning our crumbling tenement building into a media circus. I couldn’t even get my food cart through the crowd after closing up for the night, so I had to walk the rest of the way. My next-door neighbor, old Mr. Henderson, saw me and threw a friendly arm around my shoulder. “Ethan, my boy, your luck is about to change! Your Lydia is the Fox family’s long-lost princess!” “The old man himself sent for her! You’re going to be living the high life now!” Before I could even process what he was saying, Lydia emerged from the building, surrounded by a coterie of handlers. I had never seen her look like that. She wore a breathtaking designer gown, fresh off the runway. She moved with an elegance, an air of refined grace, that was completely foreign to me. She looked like the female lead in some blockbuster romance, blessed by fortune and fate. And standing right beside her was my roommate, Jason. Lydia’s gaze fell on me. It was a different look than I was used to—cold, sharp, and full of a condescending pity. A quick-witted reporter seized the moment. “Miss Fox, can you tell us your relationship with this man?” Lydia’s eyes slid away from me, her voice drifting over the crowd, devoid of warmth. “No relationship. He’s just a caregiver who looked after me for a while.” A collective gasp went through my neighbors. They’d all seen me, day in and day out, buying things for her, helping her with her physical therapy. Everyone knew I was her boyfriend. In an instant, I was the focal point of a hundred different stares—pity, mockery, morbid curiosity. I was completely frozen. I looked down at myself—at my ten-dollar t-shirt, my twenty-dollar canvas sneakers, the exhaustion clinging to me like a second skin. I guess I did look like a caregiver. But I had poured my heart and soul into looking after her for five years. Even if she’d just called me her neighbor, it wouldn’t have been this humiliating. She walked towards the lead car. Lydia thoughtfully opened the door for Jason first, letting him slide in. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned back to me. “You did take care of me for a long time. If there’s anything you want, you can ask. I’ll grant you one reasonable request.” Mr. Henderson nudged me frantically. “Go on, kid! This is your chance! Tell her to take you with her!” But I didn’t move. I just stood there, numbly holding up the small paper bag from the pharmacy. “Since you’re not terminally ill, you can start by paying me back for all the medicine I bought you over the years. Oh, and living expenses.” “The grand total is… forty-eight thousand, six hundred dollars.” I pulled out my phone, my fingers tapping away on the calculator app as I announced the final number. A ripple of snickers went through the crowd. They were laughing at how shortsighted I was. Lydia was a Fox now. What was a few tens of thousands to her? If I’d asked for a million, she probably would have given it to me. Lydia’s brow furrowed, a complex, unreadable emotion flashing in her eyes. But it was gone in an instant. She had her assistant write me a check. I took it. Fifty thousand dollars. She’d even thrown in an extra fourteen hundred. Jason, his arm now linked with hers, looked at me. “Ethan, Lydia has been more than generous with you. But from today on, you two live in different worlds. I hope that, for Lydia’s sake, you won’t go around spreading stories that could damage her reputation.” Lydia’s eyes were locked on me, her lips a thin line. “I don’t want anyone to know we were ever involved.” I got it. I was an embarrassment. She was afraid I’d tell people she used to be my girlfriend. She didn’t need to worry. I wouldn’t. Having a girlfriend that heartless wasn’t exactly something to brag about. The convoy of Bentleys drove away, and the crowd of onlookers slowly dispersed. Only Mr. Henderson, my closest friend in the building, was left, fuming on my behalf. “Ethan, are you an idiot? What can you do with fifty grand? You can’t even buy a closet in this city with that!” My face was pale. “But that’s all she owed me…” Falling for her was my choice. Taking care of her was my choice, too. I loved the wrong person. I had no one to blame but myself. Mr. Henderson sighed heavily, poking me in the forehead and calling me a fool. I went back to our apartment. Everything that belonged to Lydia was gone. Jason’s things, too. The place looked like it had been hit by a tornado, a chaotic mess they hadn’t bothered to clean up. I’d worked the food truck all night and had even taken a detour to the hospital that morning to pick up Lydia’s so-called “medicine.” Now, I was exhausted, a dead weight on the sofa, with no energy to move. “Meow…” My cat, Pumpkin, whom I’d rescued from the street, sat in front of me, tilting his head. I forced myself up to feed him and then started cleaning the apartment. That evening, I went back to the food truck alley as usual. Without Lydia’s expenses, my own needs were simple. Fifty thousand dollars, at my current rate of spending, could last me twenty years. But I wanted to buy an apartment. I wanted a place in this city that was truly my own. My fried rice truck, parked just outside the university campus, was always the most popular spot in the alley. The students loved it. That night, a stylishly dressed woman appeared in front of my counter. “Five orders of the house special fried rice, ten skewers of grilled chicken…” My usual customers were energetic college kids. It was the first time I’d seen someone who so clearly screamed “old money.” I couldn’t help but stare. She was tall—at least five-foot-nine—with a stunning face and an air of cool detachment. Her features were sharp and defined, giving her an almost exotic look. A silver Porsche Cayenne was parked at the end of the alley, its headlights on. A chauffeur sat inside, presumably waiting for her. My web-novel-addled brain immediately conjured a scene: a rich heiress buying a late-night snack for her college-aged boyfriend. I beamed at her. “Coming right up! For here or to go?” I was sure she’d say “to go.” I even had the takeout containers ready. But the rich girl surprised me. “For here.” Then, ignoring my stunned expression, she found an empty plastic table and sat down. She had ordered over three hundred dollars’ worth of food for herself. I cooked, bringing out dishes as they were ready. By the time I was done, sweating and exhausted, she had cleaned every single plate. “Not bad,” she said, looking up at me. “How are your other cooking skills?” I paused, pointing at my own chest. “Are you asking me?” “I’m decent with home-style cooking. I went to culinary school before I opened the truck.” The woman nodded, then pulled a business card from her designer handbag. “Are you interested in being my personal chef?” I took the card. Stella Sterling, Founder, Sterling Capital. My expression turned wary. “Ms. Sterling, you’re not… trying to hire me as a sugar baby, are you?” “Fifteen thousand a month.” “Of course, I know a woman of your stature would never do such a thing! Fifteen grand, you say? I can start tomorrow!” It wasn’t that I had no pride. It was that she was offering an insane amount of money. If I wanted to buy a place in this city, selling fried rice wasn’t going to cut it. I’d be working until I was in my grave. The next day, I took the business card and went to the Sterling family’s villa for my “interview.” Stella herself opened the gate. She was in a grey tracksuit, looking like she’d just finished a morning run. Seeing me standing outside the ornate iron gate, she unlocked it and let me in. She walked ahead, arms crossed, her pace brisk. I followed a few steps behind, my pace slower. The Sterling estate was massive. It took us a good seven or eight minutes just to walk from the main gate to the front door of the house. As I walked, I scanned my surroundings warily, half-convinced this was some elaborate scam. Suddenly, thump. I walked right into her back. The impact was surprisingly soft, and a pleasant, fresh scent filled my nose. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Sterling! I—I didn’t mean to!” I quickly grabbed her shoulders to steady her, apologizing profusely. Stella had finally had enough. She spun around to face me. “You think I’m some kind of con artist, don’t you?” I stared at her, bewildered. “Well… aren’t you?” A laugh, tinged with frustration, escaped her. She raised a hand as if to smack me, then let it drop. “Stop calling me Ms. Sterling,” she said. “Take a good look at me. Don’t you know who I am?” I leaned closer, studying her perfect face, then shook my head. “No.” “Tch…” “I really don’t. I sell fried rice for a living. How would I know a high-society woman like you? You must have me confused with someone else.” It had to be. There was no way a fifteen-thousand-a-month job would just fall into my lap. The rich girl had mistaken me for someone else. Stella’s jaw tightened, her smile turning menacing. “Ethan Cole. Say you don’t know me one more time. I dare you.” When a rich girl gets angry, the temperature drops. I instinctively shrank back, my eyes glued to her beautiful, intense face. And then, an image flashed in my mind: another face, one covered in burn scars. If you took away the scars from that face… A jolt went through me. I knew, in that instant, who she was. My first instinct was to run. The next second, her hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. She yanked me back with surprising strength. My back hit the wall hard, and Stella’s face was suddenly inches from mine. She had me pinned, her body trapping me against the wall. She tilted her head up to look at me. “Go on, Ethan. Run.” I couldn’t. We were too close. I could feel her breath on my skin. I didn’t dare move, terrified she’d think I was trying to take advantage of her. The truth was, before Lydia, there had been someone else. The summer I was seventeen, a new student transferred into our class. Her name was Chloe. Her face was covered in a network of scars from a fire. The other kids were scared of her. They avoided her, scattered when she walked by. No one would even sit at the same table with her in the cafeteria. Behind her back, they called her “the monster.” Her deskmate even demanded to be moved, claiming her face gave him nightmares. The teacher didn’t know what to do. She asked if anyone would be willing to sit with Chloe. I saw Chloe’s hands, white-knuckled, gripping the edge of her desk. She was trying to hide how scared she was. The classroom was dead silent. No one moved. Then, I slowly raised my hand. The class erupted in laughter. “Yeah, teacher, let Ethan sit with her!” “The trash picker and the monster—a perfect match!” Back then, my grandmother, who had adopted me, was still alive. She supported us by collecting recyclables. To help her out, I’d go through the trash bins after school, collecting bottles and cans. The other kids looked down on me. They said I smelled sour. Since the beginning of high school, I’d always sat alone. The teacher knew my situation and would scold the other kids for teasing me. But you can’t stop people from talking. Behind my back, my nickname was “the trash picker.” Now, ignoring the laughter, I clutched the hem of my shirt and asked Chloe, my voice barely a whisper: “Chloe… would you be okay with me being your deskmate?” I was terrified she would be disgusted by me, too. To my surprise, she nodded fiercely. “As long as you’re not scared of me, I’d like that.” After that, we started spending more and more time together. I discovered that Chloe was brilliant. She was always first in our year on every exam. She tutored me, and I brought her the sticky rice dumplings my grandma made. When the local bullies tried to mess with her, I grabbed a baseball bat and fought them off. When I didn’t have money for lunch, she’d split her allowance with me. In our senior year, she confessed her feelings for me. She asked me to apply to the same university as her. We planned to go to Kingswood University together. I said yes. I put Kingswood down as my first choice. But the night before the application deadline, I was working a catering gig at a five-star hotel. And I saw Chloe. She was there with her family. At their table was a handsome, well-dressed boy, sitting right next to her. When their parents went to the restroom, I overheard them talking. They were planning for the boy to go abroad with Chloe over the summer while she had reconstructive surgery on her face. When they got back, they would announce their engagement. I admit it. In that moment, my confidence shattered. I went home, changed my university application, and sent Chloe a single text message. I’ve fallen for someone else. We’re breaking up. Then I blocked her number. Blocked her on everything. No one ever knew which university I ended up at. And I never heard anything about Chloe again. “If Lydia hadn’t been swarmed by reporters when she went home, I might never have known you were back in the city!” Stella’s voice was tight with a barely suppressed rage. “That ‘someone else’ you mentioned… it was Lydia, wasn’t it?” I couldn’t believe it. The flimsy excuse I’d used to break her heart… she’d held onto it all these years. I pulled my hand free from her grasp. “Whether it was or not, it has nothing to do with you anymore. We broke up, remember?” Stella looked like she was about to explode. “Am I your pet? Someone you can just dump whenever you feel like it?” Just then, the main door to the villa swung open. A handsome man in a white suit stepped out.

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I was halfway through saving the story’s villain when my broke, villainous boyfriend suddenly ‘awakened.’ He claimed he’d been reborn and that this time, he was going to change his fate and bravely pursue the woman he truly loved. I just stood there, stunned. He had just finished telling me he loved me, promising to spend the rest of his life with me. How was this any different from cheating? But he said I was just a desperate doormat, clinging to him so tightly that I’d driven the story’s heroine away. If I didn’t want him to crush me in the future, I should get the hell away from him. With no other choice, I had to settle for second best: the story’s main hero—handsome, wealthy, but emotionally constipated and stubbornly proud. Winning him over was a lot easier. All it took was a couple of slaps and a few stolen kisses to get his affection level rocketing to 99%. And just as the hero and I were wrapped up in a passionate embrace, the villain saw us. His face turned thunderous. “Damn it, Stella. Are you cheating on me?” 1 The moment Xavier ‘awakened,’ we had just finished kissing. He was lounging on the sofa, scrolling through his phone, while I was in the kitchenette washing the dishes from dinner. Suddenly, a flicker of electricity arced outside the window. The lights in the tiny apartment dimmed, and when they flared back to life, the look on Xavier’s face was… strange. He stared at the threadbare sofa as if he couldn’t believe he was lying on it. He bolted up, tearing through the cramped space, running a frantic loop from the living area to the kitchenette and back. Finally, as if confirming some terrible truth, he let out a triumphant shout. “I’m finally back! I’ve been reborn!” I heard every word, crystal clear, from the kitchen. My hand trembled, and a bowl slipped from my grasp, clattering loudly in the sink. The sound drew his eyes to me. In that instant, the disgust in his gaze was unmistakable. “You can go home,” he said, his voice cold. “Don’t worry about the dishes.” I numbly wiped my hands on a towel. “Oh. Okay.” As I was about to leave, he added, “And Stella? Don’t bother coming back.” I couldn’t bring myself to ask a single question. My head was spinning as I walked down the rickety stairs, the whole world feeling unreal. I stood in a daze at the corner of the block and watched as Xavier, now in a fresh set of clothes, hurried out of the building. Even with my eyes closed, I knew exactly where he was going. He was heading toward the home of the girl he’d always been obsessed with—Lila. After a year of working on him, it had finally come to this. Xavier had already promised me he was ready to build a life with me. He came from nothing, while Lila’s family was one of the wealthiest in the city. He was supposed to let go of his hopeless crush. He had promised me, just today, that we would start our new life together. I had been dropped into this story with one mission: win over Xavier. For a year, I’d endured more hardship and done more chores than in my entire twenty years of life. My heart was a tangled mess of emotions. The only thing that kept me going was the fact that somewhere along the way, I had actually fallen for him. Sure, his heart belonged to someone else, but he was undeniably handsome. And while he was usually distant, there were moments, small and fleeting, where he seemed to genuinely care. My System told me I was so close to succeeding. Once I redeemed Xavier, I would receive a handsome reward. I could do anything I wanted. I already had it all planned out: I’d use the money to fund his startup. He was brilliant; he was destined for greatness. And I would finally have the perfect life—a loving, successful husband and all the money we could ever need. But fate had other plans. Just as his affection meter hit 99%, Xavier was reborn. He said he was going to find Lila. And me? I was left to walk home alone, soaked in the cold, miserable rain. 2 Back in my rundown apartment in the old part of town, I lay on my bed, swallowed by misery. The System had been trying to console me for half an hour. “Look, I’m really sorry! It’s not my fault, I swear. It’s those idiots in the Time Bureau. Their screw-up is what caused Xavier’s rebirth.” “Don’t lose hope! I’ll figure something out. I’ll get Xavier to come back to you, okay?” “Worst case… worst case, I’ll give you a bonus voucher! If his startup fails and you have to sell stuff from a food truck to pay off his debts, your income will be double anyone else’s! Just please, don’t cry? Honey, I’m begging you.” His words only made me wail louder. “Waaaaah! So his startup is going to fail, and I’ll have to pay off his debts from a food truck? What kind of cruel fate is this?” “I’ve spent a year trying to win over this useless villain! I’ve washed 680 plates, 315 glasses, and 262 spoons! I’ve mopped this floor 363 times! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?” “My hands… my beautiful hands are covered in calluses! I’m only eighteen! What kind of life is this? Waaaah!” “I’m going rogue! I’m embracing my dark side! I’ll stab that bastard who made me suffer, and we can all just die together! (hic!)” The System sounded like it was having a migraine. “No, no, no, don’t do that! Sweetheart, please, let’s just think of another way.” “Okay, look. You go to class tomorrow like normal. I’ll go negotiate with the Time Bureau and see if we can get the old Xavier back.” “If… if we can’t, I’ll request a transfer from my superiors. I’ll get you a new target to win over. How does that sound?” My tear-filled eyes widened. “Really?” “Yes.” “The new guy has to be hotter than Xavier.” “…Okay.” “And he can’t be broke. I’m done washing dishes.” “…Fine.” “And damn it, after a whole year with Xavier, all I got was a kiss! I’m way too expensive for that. The next one has to be someone I can actually sleep with.” “…I’ll do my best, but I can’t exactly control the hero’s desires, you know.” “I don’t care! Waaaah! Otherwise, I’m going rogue! I’m going dark! I’m gonna stab that bastard who made me suffer!” “…” Finally, after the System repeatedly promised to fix the situation as soon as possible, I cried myself to sleep. The next morning, I did my best to hide my swollen eyes and headed to school. 3 With final exams just around the corner, the classroom should have been silent with the frantic energy of last-minute studying. But as I reached the door, I heard a loud voice cut through the quiet. “No way, Xavier! You actually went and confessed to Lila? Did she say yes?” Another voice chimed in. “Of course, she did! Did you see the show he put on yesterday? It was epic.” “Fireworks, a sea of flowers, and the most romantic confession ever. Lila was so moved she threw herself right into his arms.” Then, a girl’s voice—my deskmate, Chloe. “Wait a minute, Xavier. Aren’t you with Stella?” The classroom fell silent. Everyone knew I’d spent the last year chasing Xavier relentlessly. Even knowing he was in love with someone else, I brought him meals, cleaned his apartment, and basically became his personal doormat until he finally gave in. Just a few days ago, Xavier had openly walked out of the classroom holding my hand. When someone asked where they were going, he’d said, “Home with my girlfriend.” It was a public declaration. Now, only a few days later, he was confessing his love to another girl. It was a low blow, even for him. Xavier knew it too. But he wasn’t worried about my feelings; he was worried about Lila’s. He explained coolly, “Stella and I are just friends. Believe what you want.” “She was the one who was obsessed, following me around like a lost puppy. It made Lila misunderstand, thinking I was taken, and that’s why she kept her distance.” “We cleared the air last night. From now on, the only person on my mind, by my side, and holding my hand will be Lila. I belong to her.” Cheers erupted. Through the crack in the door, I saw Lila’s cheeks flush a delicate pink. Xavier gazed at her, his eyes full of a devotion he’d never shown me—the look of someone who had found a lost treasure. A sharp pain lanced through my chest. I wanted to cry. I had truly fallen for him, so how could it not hurt? Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to be calm. I pushed the door open and walked in, my eyes immediately meeting Xavier’s cold, indifferent stare. The moment he saw me, he instinctively moved to shield Lila, his brow furrowed. “What are you doing here?” My voice was just as sharp. “I’m here for class.” “You’d better just stick to that and keep your mouth shut. You know what will happen if you don’t.” 4 He talked a big game, but right now, Xavier was nothing more than the school’s token charity case heartthrob. Besides his good grades, he probably couldn’t even win a fight against me. I didn’t have the energy to argue. I just slumped into my seat and buried my head in my arms. Xavier and Lila sat behind me, their whispered conversations a constant torment. I overheard Lila worrying about whether I was hurt or sad. Hearing that, a complicated mix of feelings churned inside me. In the original story, Lila really was a good person. Despite being neglected by her family, she was kind and gentle, always willing to help others. A walking ray of sunshine. It wasn’t her fault that people were drawn to her. People like Xavier, who fell for her after she showed him a small kindness. He felt he was unworthy of her, and the internal struggle twisted him into a bitter, depressed man. After graduation, Lila’s family went bankrupt. To save them, she was forced to marry the proud, emotionally distant hero, becoming a lonely trophy wife. Xavier, after becoming a successful entrepreneur, met her again. They had a drawn-out, painful affair that finally made her husband realize his own feelings, and he won her back in a dramatic reconciliation. But now, Lila was with Xavier. I wondered what would happen to her brooding, rich-boy husband. The System was partly to blame for this mess. Fine, I thought bitterly. We can all get punished together. My foul mood killed my appetite. At lunchtime, while everyone else left, I stayed behind, dozing at my desk. Oh, I wasn’t entirely alone. Lila and Xavier were still there. Xavier was holding the bento box I’d made for him yesterday, patiently feeding Lila. “Here, babe, open up. It’s your favorite, sweet and sour ribs. Just one bite, ahhh~” Lila glanced nervously in my direction. “Don’t do that, someone’s here.” “Don’t worry about her. She can’t hear us.” “That’s ridiculous. How could she not hear from this close?” “Trust me, she can’t. We could make out right here, and she wouldn’t hear a thing.” “Stop it.” I gritted my teeth and endured the sound of them finishing the meal I had prepared. Then, Xavier walked over to my desk. He dropped the empty bento box with a clatter. “Stella. Wash this and put it back in my desk.” I blinked. What? I picked up the box, and with a flick of my wrist, sent it sailing across the room. It landed squarely in the corner trash can. “No, thanks.” Xavier took a sharp breath, his face contorting with anger. But then he remembered Lila was watching. He leaned in close, his voice a low hiss only I could hear. “You’re still trying to win me over, aren’t you? Don’t you want to complete your mission?” A chill ran down my spine. He knew? He knew about my mission? He smirked, as if reading my mind. “Of course, I know you’re a transmigrator. I know you’re here to win me over, to get my affection points.” “Before, you had to be my girlfriend to get those points. But now I have Lila, and I can’t let her feel insecure. So, you’ll just have to be the one who suffers.” “From now on, you do my laundry, cook my meals, and I’ll decide if you get any points for it.” “If you keep me happy, who knows? Maybe one day you’ll get to go back to your own world.” “What do you think, Stella? Aren’t I being merciful?” he finished with a smug wink. Watching him walk away with his arm around Lila, I suddenly realized something. This wasn’t the Xavier I had let into my heart. 5 After school, Xavier cornered me again. He tossed me a key. “Go to my place and get your stuff. And while you’re there, clean up a bit. I’ll give you 0.5 affection points.” “And don’t try any funny business,” he warned. “I can see right through your pathetic little schemes.” Staring at the thin piece of metal in my hand, I felt my sanity begin to fray. I screamed for the System in my head, but the useless thing was dead silent. Swallowing my rage, I headed to Xavier’s apartment. I had to. What if the System failed to negotiate a deal? Winning Xavier over might still be my only way home. Damn it. He had me right where he wanted me. I walked back into that familiar little apartment. I’d been here countless times. Most of the things inside were things I’d bought. The pink slipcover for the sofa, the white lace curtains, the refrigerator, the washing machine, the water heater. I had paid for all of it with money I’d earned from part-time jobs since I arrived in this world. I’d imagined that once I completed my mission, this would be our love nest, every item a memory of our journey together. But I never, ever imagined that just as I was about to succeed, he would be reborn. And that he wouldn’t want me anymore. My nose started to burn. I felt like the world’s biggest fool. Young, heartbroken, and exploited. I packed my clothes and shoes, along with some small decorations I’d bought. They were mine; I wasn’t letting him throw them away. I pulled open a drawer. The salary I’d earned last month was supposed to be in there—3,215 dollars. It was meant to cover his living expenses. Now, the drawer was empty. The words from this morning echoed in my mind: fireworks, a sea of flowers. A hot wave of anger washed over me. Dumping me was one thing, but taking all my money? That was too much. My fingers closed around a lighter on the counter. I could burn this whole damn place to the ground. Then I could find a knife and stab that bastard. After I was executed, maybe I’d finally get to go home. Just as the flame licked the edge of the curtain, the System’s voice shrieked in my mind. “AAAAAHHHH! STOP! STELLA, LET GO OF THE CURTAIN!”

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After my father’s bankruptcy and suicide, my older brother and I were left to raise each other. At our lowest, we scavenged for scraps and slept under bridges. When my brother finally fought his way back to reclaim our family’s business, the first thing he did was swear to me that he would never let me suffer again. But then, he adopted a sister from an orphanage. From that day on, the words I heard most from him were, “Jade is the younger sister. You need to be the bigger person and let her have her way.” And so, my room, my clothes, my jewelry—all of it was given to Jade. Later, the thugs Jade hired beat me so badly I lost hearing in my right ear. But my brother still told me to just let it go. So, I found myself a new brother. And then… I let her have him, once and for all. 1 My brother called to say he couldn’t pick me up again. I stood at the school gate, a desperate tremor running through me. My voice was thick with unshed tears. “Bob… but you promised.” “You promised you’d come get me yourself today.” His voice on the other end was laced with that familiar, weary frustration. “I know, but Jade suddenly felt sick. Nora, be a good girl and take the bus home, okay?” “I have to take her to the hospital.” I glanced at the group of thugs loitering nearby, their eyes fixed on me. My throat felt like it was closing up. “But Bob, I need you, too.” “Don’t you understand? If you don’t show up, they’re going to…” They’re going to kill me. But before I could finish, Bob’s voice turned sharp. “Nora, why are you being so selfish? Your sister has a fever and all you can think about is competing for attention?” “Can’t you, as the older sister, just let her have this?” The injustice of it stung my eyes. There it was again. That same old line. Let your sister have her way. But I was only six months older than Jade. Did he even realize? Ever since Jade came into our lives, I had already given her everything. 2 Jade was a child my brother adopted from an orphanage. The director told us her parents had both died in a car accident—the same way our mother had died. That was all it took. In that instant, Bob decided he had to take her in. He was always saying, “Look, Nora. Poor Jade. She’s all alone, just like we were.” “So from now on, you’ll be the bigger person for her, won’t you?” But I never understood. How much did I have to give? How much did I have to let go of before Jade would finally be satisfied? I didn’t understand why, after I had tried so hard to be kind to her, she still looked at me with such venom. She loved destroying everything I cared about. She tore up my sketches. She whined to Bob until he gave her my favorite piano. She snatched the birthday present he had originally bought for me. But I let it all go. I took my brother’s words to heart, convincing myself it was just a little girl’s insecurity. She needed to feel important, to prove her place in our home by winning these small battles against me. Until she smashed the pocket watch our father had left me and took scissors to the doll our mother had sewn by hand. Until she scrawled the word WHORE all over my bedroom walls in permanent marker. I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran to my brother, sobbing. But Bob, the brother who had always doted on me, just looked at the tearful Jade and sighed. “Nora, she only did it because she feels insecure.” “She’s your little sister. Can’t you just let it go, please?” “I promise, it won’t happen again.” I stared at him in disbelief, questioning the very meaning of the words “let it go” for the first time. I didn’t understand. I was barely older than her. Why did I have to surrender everything? If I had to give up the only keepsakes I had of our parents, did that mean that from now on, anything Jade wanted, I would have to give to her? 3 Before I could even begin to process that question, Jade found a new way to torment me. She started spreading rumors about me at school. She paid a group of thugs to make my life a living hell. This was the fourth time this month they had cornered me at the school gate. They would drag me, alone and terrified, into a nearby alley and grind a boot into my face. They’d aim their kicks at my stomach, again and again, their words a cruel litany. “Don’t mess with our boss, Jade.” “You idiot. Jade’s the real heiress of the Blackwood Corporation. You think you can touch her?” “You deserve to be beaten to death.” “No,” I’d try to explain through the pain. “You have it wrong. Jade is the adopted one. I’m the real Blackwood heiress.” “You’ve all been tricked. Let me go.” “My brother, Bob Blackwood, will destroy you for this.” But they never believed me. It only made them hit me harder. After all, compared to Jade, who was always dripping in designer labels, my simple, plain appearance made me look like the charity case. It wasn’t that I hadn’t asked my brother for help. I begged him to pick me up from school, just once, so those thugs could see who the real heiress was. Every time, he’d promise. And every time, just when I needed him most, Jade would have some emergency. A stomachache. A fever. A sudden craving for a cake from a bakery on the other side of town. It was always something. In my brother’s eyes, every little thing Jade wanted was more important than his own sister’s safety. My thoughts snapped back to the present, and I realized my face was wet with tears. I clutched the phone, a scream of frustration building in my throat. But before I could voice any of it, he cut me off, his patience gone. “Nora, you already have everything. You have the family name, you have me. Why can’t you just let Jade have something?” “You’re being so childish.” “Look, Jade’s stomach is hurting again. I have to go.” The line went dead, and my heart went dark along with the phone screen. I watched, paralyzed, as the thugs closed in on me. And I plunged into absolute despair. 4 Bob didn’t come. The thugs thought I’d been playing them for fools. They beat me harder than ever before. One of them, a girl named Jenna who was Jade’s most loyal follower, drove the heel of her shoe into the side of my head. In an instant, the world went silent, replaced by a single, piercing shriek that tore through my nerves. I thought I heard someone gasp. “Oh god, her ear is bleeding!” “Is she… deaf?” “Jenna, are you crazy? You can’t kick her with a heel like that! What if you kill her?” Jenna’s voice was casual, unconcerned. “So what if she dies? Jade said she’d handle it.” “She’s the Blackwood heiress. She can clean up any mess.” Jenna smirked, her eyes gleaming with a cruel satisfaction. “Well, since one ear is already bleeding, I might as well make it a matching set.” Her high heel swung towards my left ear. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the agony. But it never came. A figure shot out of the shadows, sending Jenna sprawling with a single, powerful kick. “You little punks! Bullying people on my turf? You got a death wish?” A voice, rough but steady, cut through the ringing in my head. “Hey, kid. Don’t fall asleep. Your big bro’s gonna get you to a hospital right now.” My big bro? He must be. No wonder he was so strong, so fearless. He was taking down the same thugs who terrified me, scattering them like bowling pins. I remembered, before Jade, when the vultures in our family couldn’t get to Bob, they came after me. They hired men to kidnap me, but Bob fought like a cornered animal to save me, again and again. Life was so good then. In Bob’s eyes, in his heart, there was only me. But then… everything changed. Suddenly, I was being lifted into a surprisingly secure embrace. The person holding me was saying something about a hospital. I fought to open my eyes, to see his face, but all I could make out was a dragon tattoo on his arm and a shock of bleached-blond hair. Then, the world faded to black. 5 I woke up in a hospital. For once, my brother had actually left Jade’s side to come see me. He sat by my bed, his face etched with exhaustion and worry, his expression pained. I watched his lips move for a long time before I could piece together what he was saying. A kind stranger had brought me to the hospital just in time. I was alive. But the trauma to my right ear was too severe. I would never hear out of it again. Tears flooded my eyes. I remembered when I was little, my mom would stroke my hair and say, “Nora, my little pianist, you have to remember that a good musician doesn’t just protect her hands. She must also protect her ears. Music is the art of hearing.” But Mom, I haven’t played the piano in so long. Not since the day Jade cried and took it from me. And now, because of her, I had lost my hearing in one ear forever. I watched Bob break down in front of me, his apologies a torrent of self-recrimination. But strangely, I felt nothing. He said he was wrong. He said he never knew anyone would actually try to hurt me. He thought it was just a trip home; what could happen if he didn’t pick me up? And besides, Jade was really sick. He couldn’t just leave her. He was drowning in a sea of his own excuses, but none of them could change the fact that my hearing was gone. The tiny bones in my ear were shattered. Even a hearing aid wouldn’t work. I stared out the window at the autumn leaves for a long time, then I picked up my phone. “No more crying, Bob. If you’re really so sorry,” I typed, “then let’s get justice.” Right there, in front of him, I reported the assault to the police. Then I handed over all the audio recordings I had secretly made. The officer played one of the recordings for him. He listened to the thugs bragging about how Jade was the Blackwood heiress, how she would cover for them even if they killed me. A violent shudder went through Bob’s body. He gripped my hand, his knuckles white, and said through gritted teeth, “Nora, don’t worry. Even if it was Jade, I swear to you, I will make the people who did this to you pay in blood.” I looked him straight in the eye. “Bob,” I typed. “This is the last time I will ever trust you.” “So please, don’t let me down.” He met my gaze, his own unwavering for once, and nodded. Then he left with the police. I let myself sink back into the pillows, surrendering to the crushing exhaustion. I was so, so tired. Just before I drifted off, it occurred to me that Bob had never told me who my rescuer was. But it didn’t matter. When I was better, I would find him and thank him myself. I remembered the tattoo on his arm, and that bright, defiant blond hair. And I knew, somehow, that he was a good big brother. 6 With proper care, my wound began to heal. My lawyer kept bringing me good news. Because of my recordings, Jenna and the other thugs were all arrested. The police had even tracked down the person who hired them. Since they were all over sixteen, they would be tried as adults and sentenced. Everything seemed to be getting better. I was happy, and my body healed faster. But a nagging feeling of unease lingered. That feeling reached a crescendo the day I was discharged from the hospital. There, in the middle of our living room, stood the mastermind herself. The person I had imagined was locked away in a cell—Jade. She turned as I walked in, a wide, triumphant smile spreading across her face. Holding a mango cake—my deadliest allergy—she walked towards me. “Welcome home, big sister,” she cooed. “I made this cake just for you. Come and have a slice.” I stared at Bob, my voice cracking. “Isn’t she the one who planned it all?” “Shouldn’t she be in jail?” “What is she still doing here?” Bob wouldn’t meet my eyes, hesitating. It wasn’t until he saw Jade’s eyes well up with tears that he finally spoke. “Nora, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to upset you while you were recovering.” “But your injury… it really had nothing to do with Jade.” “She just has a fragile ego. She might have mentioned her connection to our family to those people, and they just assumed she was the heiress.” “As for the assault, it was that Jenna girl. Apparently, she saw you bullying Jade at school and wanted to impress her by teaching you a lesson. She just got carried away and didn’t realize how hard she was hitting you…” “Bob,” I cut him off, my voice dangerously calm. I looked at him in utter disbelief. “They told you that, and you actually believed them?” He shot me a disapproving look. “Nora, it’s not just what they said. I saw it myself.” “Look how much Jade cares about you. She was up at the crack of dawn baking this cake for you. Look, she even burned her hands.” He held up Jade’s hand for me to see. “Someone who cares about you this much, who loves you, how could she possibly hire people to hurt you?” “On the other hand, who knows what you were doing to her behind my back at school to make people misunderstand like that.” His words were so absurd I almost laughed. I pointed at Jade. “Bob, you say she cares about me? That she loves me?” “If she loves me so much, how could she not know I’m deathly allergic to mangoes?” “Look, out of all the fruits in the world, she just happened to pick the one that could kill me. Is that what you call caring?” Bob’s gaze flickered to Jade, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared. “Nora, you’re overthinking it. She just forgot. If you don’t like the cake, we also made your favorite sweet and sour ribs, and coke-braised chicken wings…” A tear slid down my cheek. He had forgotten again. The person who loved sweet and sour ribs and coke-braised chicken wings wasn’t me. It was Jade. I closed my eyes, a wave of hopelessness washing over me. “Fine. Let’s say she really did forget about the allergy.” “But do you honestly think I’m in any position to bully her?” “They tell you I bullied her at school, and you just believe them. But have you ever seen a bully end up like me?” “Bob, I’m begging you, open your eyes and look! What do I even have left in this house?” “My piano, my favorite thing in the world—you made me give it to her because she said she wanted to learn.” “My bedroom, the big, sunny one—you said Jade was used to small, damp rooms, so you made me switch with her. Now I’m the one living in the small, dark room.” “My clothes, my jewelry from Mom… everything that was good in this house is now hers.” “Even you! How many times did I beg you to pick me up from school? Did you think those thugs only attacked me once? No! Every single time you promised to come and then broke that promise for Jade, they beat me like a stray dog. All because of this… this bitch you protect!” 7 CRACK. His hand struck my face. The impact sent a shockwave of pain through my still-healing ear. I don’t know if it was the pain or the heartbreak, but the tears started flowing faster. Bob looked at me with utter disappointment. “You say you don’t bully your sister? You call her a bitch right to my face. I can only imagine what you do behind my back.” “You say you’ve given everything to Jade, but don’t you get it? You’re the true master of this house. When you grow up, everything here will be yours.” Jade smirked at my swollen cheek. “That’s right, sister.” “You’re Bob’s real sister. I’m just a pathetic nobody that no one wanted. I’m grateful for every bowl of rice this family gives me.” “Please, don’t be angry with Bob.” “If you care so much about the jewelry and clothes and the room, I’ll give it all back to you right now…” “That’s enough!” Bob grabbed Jade’s hand, his eyes locked on me. “You say I’m biased? Fine. I’ll show you what biased looks like.” “Mr. Davison, take her credit cards.” “Jade, you don’t have to listen to a word she says.” “And Nora,” he snarled, “if you can’t recognize your own mistakes and offer your sister a sincere apology, then I’ll help you recognize them.” I saw the cold fury in his eyes and suddenly, I laughed. In that single, crystalline moment, the brother who had once loved me, protected me, and promised to keep me safe forever… was dead. I knew what he would do. He was going to use the same ruthless tactics on me that he used on his business rivals. He was going to show me what true favoritism was. What it really meant to give in. But what more could he do? Cut off my money? Starve me? Ignore me, belittle me, abuse me? Throw me out on the street? And then watch, waiting for me to come crawling back, begging him and Jade for forgiveness. No. It shouldn’t be like this. I wouldn’t allow it. How could it be that in my own home, I felt like an unwanted guest? That I had to beg my own brother for a scrap of affection like a beggar on the street? Once, I was my parents’ treasured child. It wasn’t that I was unlovable. It was just that the person who was supposed to love me… had changed. If that was the case, then I wouldn’t love him anymore either. Maybe, I could just find someone new to love. I grabbed my school bag and turned towards the door. Mr. Davison, our housekeeper who had been wringing his hands anxiously, rushed to stop me. “Miss Nora, what are you doing?” “You’re just a young girl. Where will you go if you leave home?” But Bob’s voice, choked with rage, cut him off. “Let her go!” “Let’s see how far she gets with not a single penny to her name!” “Jade, let’s go.” “Allergic? A heartless person like her doesn’t deserve to eat the cake you made!” As his furious shouts echoed behind me, I opened the front door and walked out. A fine, misty rain was falling. I had forgotten to take an umbrella, but I had no intention of going back for it. The door slammed shut behind me with the force of a guillotine. I smiled. He really was done with me. But that was okay. I had my own two hands and my own two feet. I wouldn’t starve. 8 I walked aimlessly through the light rain, with no idea where to go. My cards were cancelled. I had fifty dollars in my pocket. After my father’s bankruptcy, I had no other family in this city. I was still on medical leave from school for another ten days, and I didn’t have a dorm room. Even if I went there, they’d just turn me away. I wandered for what felt like hours, until I found myself in front of an internet cafe. Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and walked up to the front desk, where a guy with bleached-blond hair and a dragon tattoo on his arm was managing the counter. “Hi,” I asked. “How much for an all-night pass?” He didn’t even look up from his game. “Twenty. Thanks.” And just like that, I had a pass. I chose a computer right next to his station. Somehow, it felt safer. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. In the hospital, I had planned out exactly how I would thank him. How I would thank the anonymous hero who saved a girl from being beaten to death. He had dropped me at the hospital and left without even giving his name. I’d had to do some digging to find out who he was. My plan was to bring Bob with me to thank him properly. If he needed money, we’d give him a huge sum. If he needed a job, Bob would help him. We could even buy him a car, a house. But now, I was just a homeless girl. I didn’t even have the courage to tell him who I was.

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There is a small bistro in the historic district of Seattle. It opens only for lunch, and the menu never changes: a limited run of one hundred bowls of house-special broth. The owner is a quiet man. They say he has been keeping watch over this place for more than a decade. People often ask him, “Why sell only this one simple dish? Is there a secret recipe?” He always smiles a polite, distant smile, wiping down the counter. “I’m waiting for an old friend,” he says. “One who hates cilantro.” Fifteen years later, having finished my expedition early, I returned to Seattle. I walked into that shop and ordered a bowl. “No cilantro for me, please,” I told the server. In that instant, I heard a sound from the kitchen—a sharp crash, like something fragile shattering on the floor. 1 On my twenty-third birthday, Roman rented out the entire penthouse lounge of the Space Needle. Above us, crystal chandeliers competed with the stars; below us, the city grid of Seattle glowed like a circuit board of amber and gold. Every light felt like it had been turned on just for me. My best friend, Sloane, handed me a box wrapped in silk. She looked stunning in a champagne slip dress that cost more than my entire childhood wardrobe. “Happy Birthday, Nora,” she beamed, her smile radiant. “May my princess always be surrounded by love.” From behind, Roman wrapped his arms around my waist. I felt his chin rest gently on my shoulder, his warm breath tickling my ear. “Happy Birthday, Nora. My girl.” I was so happy I felt dizzy. My name is Nora. Before them, I was just a weed struggling to grow through cracks in the pavement. My mother died young, leaving me with a stepfather who treated me like a nuisance he couldn’t wait to scrape off his shoe. I survived his glares and his backhands until I was fifteen. That was the year I met Roman and Sloane. It was Sloane who found me shivering on her doorstep one freezing November night after my stepfather locked me out. She dragged me into her warm, lavender-scented bedroom, dressed me in cashmere, and said, “Nora, from now on, you’re family.” It was Roman who, when the neighborhood bullies cornered me for lunch money, descended like an avenging angel. He bloodied their noses and stood in front of me, a human shield. “Don’t be scared,” he’d said. “I’ll protect you. Always.” They were the only light in my life. The reason I crawled out of the abyss. For eight years—from fifteen to twenty-three—they spoiled me. They turned the weed into a hothouse flower. Roman would drive across the city at 3:00 AM to find me the specific dark chocolate I craved when I had cramps. Sloane cataloged my entire existence, buying me clothes that fit perfectly before I even tried them on. They were the two pillars of my world: the lover and the soulmate. I thought this happiness was infinite. The party was perfect. Friends sang, champagne flowed. I closed my eyes before the candles, making a fervent wish: Let the three of us stay together, forever. After the cake, the room felt a little stuffy. I slipped away to the terrace for some air. The wind at that altitude was brisk. I reached for the handle of the glass door, but stopped when I heard voices. It was Sloane. Her voice was shaking, laced with a fragility I had never heard before. “Roman… we can’t keep doing this. It’s not fair to Nora.” My feet were nailed to the floor. An invisible hand reached into my chest and squeezed my heart until it stopped beating. Then, I heard Roman. The voice that usually whispered sweet nothings to me was now heavy with exhaustion and conflict. “Sloane, just give me a little more time. I love her, but I…” He paused. The silence stretched out, agonizing and thick. When he spoke again, it sounded like a confession on death row. “…I think I’m in love with you, too.” Boom. My world didn’t crack; it vaporized. Not think. He said love. “But what about Nora?” Sloane sounded desperate. “She relies on us. She has no one else. How can we do this to her?” “I know,” Roman groaned. “I’m a bastard. In the beginning, when I saw her… she was like that stray kitten I couldn’t save when I was a kid. I just wanted to protect her. I wanted to give her a home. I thought that feeling was love. But with you… this ease, this electricity… Sloane, I can’t tell the difference anymore. I really can’t.” A stray kitten. That’s all I was. A projection of his childhood regret. Eight years of devotion, rooted in misplaced pity. My epic romance was nothing but a charity case. I didn’t feel cold. I didn’t feel pain. My body slipped into a terrifying numbness. I could hear my heart shattering, like ice hitting pavement, piece by piece. I didn’t have the courage to listen to another word, nor the strength to burst in and scream. Like a ghost, I retreated into the shadows and blended back into the noise of the party. Roman and Sloane returned shortly after. They looked flushed, unnatural, but they plastered smiles over their guilt. Roman walked up to me, sliding his hand around my waist. “Where did you go? You look pale.” I looked up at his handsome face—the face that used to be my sanctuary. I smiled, shaking my head. “Nothing. Just a little tired.” He didn’t suspect a thing. He just rubbed my hair, eyes full of that damn pity. “Let’s wrap this up early then. I’ll take you home.” That night, I was a perfect marionette. I smiled at the toasts, I laughed at the jokes, I said thank you. No one noticed that on that terrace, the wind had already blown my soul away. Back at our apartment, Roman ran a bath for me and placed a warm glass of milk by the bedside, just like always. “Nora, hop in the tub before the water gets cold.” He kissed my forehead. An hour ago, that kiss would have melted me. Now, it felt like dry ice. I nodded obediently, locked the bathroom door, and turned on the shower. Hot water cascaded down, but I felt like I was standing naked in a blizzard. I curled into a ball on the tiles, burying my face in my knees, and let out a low, animal wail that the water drowned out. Tears and tap water mixed, scalding my skin. What was I supposed to do? Storm out? Tear off their masks? Ask them why? I couldn’t. When I was fifteen, broken and bleeding, they pulled me out of hell. My tuition, my rent, my very survival—it was all them. They gave me a life. How could I bite the hands that fed me? They fell in love. Maybe that was how it was always supposed to be. Roman came from money; Sloane was old intellectual elite. They were a matching set. And I was just the lucky orphan standing in the glow of their benevolence. Now, the light was returning to its source. I couldn’t be the obstacle. I couldn’t let them resent me. I couldn’t let my beautiful memories turn into something ugly. I had to let them go. Once the thought took root, it grew violently. I had to leave. To a place where they would never find me, where they would never feel guilty. I didn’t sleep that night. The next morning, I ate the breakfast Roman made. He told me he had to go to Portland for an academic conference. Two days. I smiled and told him to drive safe. The moment the door clicked shut, I opened my laptop. Compelled by some dark instinct, I typed into the search bar: The farthest place on Earth. A result popped up: [Arctic Yellow River Station]. China’s first Arctic research station, located in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. I clicked on the images. It was a world of blinding white. Glaciers, snow-capped peaks, a lonely station at the edge of the world. It looked beautiful. It looked cold. It looked numb. A recruitment banner caught my eye. [State Oceanic Administration: Polar Expedition Office. Recruiting Environmental Researchers. Deployment: Arctic Station. Minimum Contract: 15 Years. Renewable up to 20.] Requirements: Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Science, independent research capability, excellent physical health, ability to withstand extreme isolation… I was a doctoral candidate in Environmental Science. I was one year from graduating. I fit every criterion. Fifteen years. How many fifteen-year blocks does a life have? By the time I came back, the dust would have settled. They would be married, maybe with children. Happy. And I would have repaid my debt to them with my absence. My finger hovered over the mouse, trembling. I remembered Roman telling me, “Nora, you’re like a hothouse flower. You’d wither without me.” I remembered Sloane hugging me. “Don’t worry, Nora. If the sky falls, we’ll hold it up for you.” They protected me so well that I forgot I was born a weed. I could survive anywhere. I was just going back to the wild. A sharp pain stabbed my chest, but I clicked Apply. I uploaded everything. Transcripts, awards, thesis drafts. In the “Statement of Purpose” box, I wrote only one sentence: I wish to dedicate my life to the glaciers and stars at the northernmost edge of the world. When the submission bar hit 100%, I heard a shackle break. This was my penance. This was my rebirth. A twenty-year self-imposed exile. 2 The waiting period was agony. I became the greatest actress of my generation. I played the role of “Nora, the beloved girl” perfectly. We ate dinner. We watched movies. We planned a future that didn’t exist. Roman even took me to see a condo overlooking the sound. “Nora,” he said, eyes shining, “when you get your doctorate, we’ll get married. This will be our home. What do you think?” I looked at the hope in his eyes, smiled, and said “Yes,” while my insides bled. Sloane dragged me to bridal shops. “Nora, you have to wear this silhouette! I insist on being the Maid of Honor.” I tried on the gowns. I looked at the stranger in the mirror, white as a sheet, and forced a smile. They were so good at this. Sometimes, I almost tricked myself into believing the birthday party was a hallucination. Until that night. Roman was in the shower. His phone, sitting on the nightstand, lit up. I glanced over. It was a notification from an app called “HeartBeat.” A pink icon. I knew it. Sophomore year, Roman downloaded it. He said it was for us—a private digital diary to store his thoughts about me, for when we were old and gray. The password was my birthday. I hadn’t thought about it in years. A demonic voice whispered in my ear: Open it. I knew I shouldn’t. It was an invasion of privacy. But my hand moved on its own. I punched in my birthdate. It unlocked. I tapped the pink heart. The latest entry was from last night. [Took Nora to see the house. She seemed to like it. Why do I feel like there’s a stone on my chest? I can’t imagine living the rest of my life there with her. All I could think about was how it would look if Sloane was the one standing by the window… God, I’m a monster.] My breath hitched. Trembling, I scrolled up. Six months ago. [Sloane cut her hair short. She said it’s for the heat, but I know she’s restless. I ache for her.] One year ago. [Debated with Sloane at the library for hours. When I proved her wrong, she made this face… so fierce, so cute. It’s electric. It’s so different from the way I feel about Nora. With Nora, it’s just… quiet.] Two years ago. [Sloane’s boyfriend cheated. She cried in my arms. She smells like gardenias. My heart was racing so fast I thought she’d hear it.] I scrolled back, page after page. A countdown to the death of our relationship. The diary I thought was a shrine to our love had slowly, insidiously, become a shrine to her. First “Sloane,” then just “She.” He chronicled every stolen glance, every suppressed urge. Their love had been growing in the dark for years, a lush garden I was too blind to see. I was the intruder. I scrolled to the very first entry. The day we became a couple. [Today, I finally brought that poor kitten home out of the rain. Her name is Nora. Her eyes are so clean, but so fragile. Like they’d shatter if I blinked. I swear, I will protect her. She will never be hurt again.] There it was. Proof. I put the phone back exactly where it was. My hands were steady. So this is what it feels like when a heart finally dies.

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I actually turned into a dog. Not my childhood friend’s dog, but his depressed little brother’s dog. The System said I have to lick him a hundred times to become human again. “Lick where?” I asked. The System blushed. “Anywhere works.” My paw kneaded his creamy abs. Hmm, premium dog food. “Baby, are you hungry?” Being looked at with concern by Lucas’s handsome face would make any woman melt. The silent, gloomy heartthrob at school, calling me “baby” in private. I like the contrast. I licked and slurped at him like a starving ghost. His face turned completely red. Gone was his usual pale, sickly look. The System gave a thumbs up: [Impressive. You managed to overheat a depressed guy.] 1 In my memory, Lucas Sterling was a gloomy, sensitive person. Because he was sickly from childhood, he was always second best to his older brother. His parents’ bias was wider than the Pacific Ocean. Living under his brother’s shadow gave him childhood trauma, and he was ostracized at school… Eventually, he developed depression. The only thing he could confide in was this little Bichon Frise. After transmigrating into the dog, the System said: “If it’s too hard, forget it. Since you like his brother, this feels a bit like forcing you into an NTR situation.” Forget it?! I was practically drooling internally. If his brother wasn’t so aloof and unreachable, who would even like him? Lucas treated the dog very well. Premium beef, foie gras, fish—every day was a feast. No corporate slave life, just happy dog life. I planned to enjoy the good life for a while, finish the mission, and bolt. But good times don’t last. Lucas got kicked out of the Sterling family by his brother. The reason? Liam Sterling lost something important and suspected Lucas hid it. Lucas didn’t argue. He packed his bags and left. Wait? Is this how the world treats depressed people? The System said: [Of course. He has the script of the gloomy male lead seeking revenge. Later, a heroine will come to heal his emotional wounds.] [Then he becomes the Wolf of Wall Street and reclaims the Sterling empire.] I was excited: “So I have the redemption heroine script?” The System rolled its eyes: [Didn’t you die from food poisoning after eating discounted leftovers in the intro?] Me: …Thanks. Lucas moved into a rental. His psychosomatic symptoms flared up, his body trembling uncontrollably. I trotted over with his medicine in my mouth. He stared at me, tears silently falling. “Baby, you should leave. I can’t afford to raise you anymore.” “No more steak or bird’s nest soup.” “No soft, fragrant bed to sleep in.” “Maybe I’m just a failure. No one will ever like me.” In that moment, my heart clenched. It seemed Lucas really only had me. In the Sterling family, his dad didn’t care, his mom didn’t love him. He could only tell everything to a dog— Like how he was actually an illegitimate child, Liam’s half-brother. Like how all the bullying he suffered after middle school was condoned by the family. Like how if he didn’t leave, he would be the next one to die. 2 After moving into the rental, Lucas found me even clingier. Sleeping on his abs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; on his thighs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays. Trying to use doggy warmth to comfort him. “Baby… you can’t sleep there.” “It’s dirty…” “Come here, let me hold you…” Hmm, I managed to fluster Lucas into talking more. Good start. But when he watched me eat takeout in the rental, he was always guilty. “Baby, you’ve gotten thinner with me.” “Just endure it a bit longer. I’ll go make money.” The System was shocked: [Thinner? You can barely tell the difference between her and a pig!]/ I looked at my chubby paws. Right, I need to be a pretty dog. So I resolutely gave my chicken leg to Lucas. Lucas was so moved his tears fell into the chicken rice. The boy swore to earn ten million dollars. With renewed spirit, he went to work construction the next day. 3 Lucas moved bricks at the construction site during the day for two hundred bucks, and studied at night. Because of his depression in senior year, he missed the college entrance exams. This time, to give me a better life, he wanted to reclaim everything that belonged to him. Exhausted from manual labor, Lucas fell asleep almost instantly after studying. He hadn’t needed pills to sleep for days. In the warm duvet, he held me close. I traced his tired features. “System, watching my man work hard for us, I feel happy but also heartbroken.” The System sneered: [Your man has another woman outside.] My pupils shook. [The leads met today.] [The heroine visited the site for inspection and took a liking to him.] [This is just step one. She’ll visit many more times to bond with him.] [Throwing money and love at him… I don’t know how he could refuse.] The System said the heroine was the daughter of a real estate tycoon. She was engaged to the male lead since childhood, a perfect match. But she hated arranged marriages, so she hated the male lead too. Until she met Lucas as an adult, understood his pain and gentle heart, and fell hopelessly in love. She redeemed him with money and love. Hearing this, I broke down a little. Why didn’t a passing celebrity come redeem me when I was eating expired food and dancing for eight hours in my rental? Where were my saviors? [I advise you to finish the mission and leave. You aren’t the one to save him anyway. Why bother?] Makes sense. I’m just a passerby. Finish the job and go. Everything else is none of my business. I asked the System: “How many more licks to become human?” 4 The System said without me, according to the plot, Lucas would have already been taken in by the heroine and living the good life. No rental apartment. No moving bricks by day, waiting tables by night. As long as I leave, the plot gets back on track. Luckily, the System said just one more lick and I’m human. I planned to save that lick for his 20th birthday. On his birthday, Lucas came back late from the site. He received no gifts from anyone, but he bought me a thick silver peace lock. It hung around my neck, shining beautifully. “Baby, I had it custom made.” “Dogs with families have these. It symbolizes peace and safety.” Hard to imagine that at his poorest, he was willing to spend his blood money on a dog. Such a good person, yet he suffered from depression. My heart softened. Lucas had bruises from boxing on his face. He made a wish on the candle with devout sincerity. “I wish for my Little Baby to have a life of peace, joy, and no worries.” “If there are disasters, let me block them for her.” Since my parents died, no one had been this good to me. Waaaah. I couldn’t hold it back. I bawled in his arms. It sounded terrible. The System said it sounded like barking. Later, Lucas coaxed me to sleep while holding me. Watching his sleeping face, I slowly approached. Carefully, I licked his lips. Heart pounding like a drum. With that, my dog life was complete. The next second, my body grew, and I appeared beside him, naked. I only dared to touch his forehead. My boy, Lucas. Goodbye. 5 But just as I was about to leave, a hand gripped my wrist tight. Lucas stared at me intensely. “Where are you going?” My hair stood on end. Dude, when did you wake up?! Before I could cover myself, Lucas pinned me down. “You want to abandon me too?” “Do you think I’m sick too?” His eyes were red, arms trembling. Psychosomatic symptoms again. He couldn’t even open his eyelids fully. Bro, can you even tell human from dog right now? My voice shook. “Lucas, take your meds first. You’re having an episode.” “I won’t.” He caged me in like a madman, terrified I’d leave. “Don’t go! I forbid you to go!” I couldn’t trigger him further. My heart tightened. I patted his back like soothing a child. “Okay, no meds. I won’t go, okay?” I coaxed him over and over until he calmed down. Half an hour later. Lucas buried his face in my neck and fell asleep. The System said: [Good timing! Forget this guy, run!] This time, I wasn’t so sure. “But he only has me now. Is it heartless to just leave?” [Wow. Saving world peace depends on you, Conscience Bro.]

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Valentine’s Day. It was my son’s birthday. It was also the fifth year of my mission to conquer my husband, Harrison Sterling. That night, my son, Noah, made a wish in fluent German, looking straight at his father. “I wish Dad and Mom would get a divorce. I want Aunt Bella to be my mom.” Harrison smiled and replied in German, “Your wish will come true very soon.” Aunt Bella. That would be my biological older sister, Bella. Ten minutes later, Harrison called me into the study. He slid a divorce agreement across the mahogany desk. “Let’s divorce. I’m giving you a billion dollars as a settlement. You need to retire from acting and move abroad permanently.” I stared at the papers, my throat tight. “Harrison… did you ever love me?” He set down his pen and looked me dead in the eye. “Chloe, have you forgotten? You were just a stand-in for your sister.” “Now that Bella is back, you need to exit the stage.” His words were precise, surgical cuts to my heart. The light in my eyes finally went out. Five years ago, Harrison was in a car accident and ended up in a coma. His fiancée, Bella, refused to marry a vegetable and fled the country. The family forced me to take her place. I agreed because I had terminal cancer, and a “System” offered to cure me if I successfully made Harrison fall in love with me. For five years, I waited on him hand and foot. When he woke up, he protected me. He flew halfway across the world when I was sick. He even got jealous of our son. I thought he loved me. I was wrong. “Sorry,” I said, my voice steadying. “I lost my composure.” I picked up a pen. “I’ll sign.” Harrison looked at my red-rimmed eyes. He remembered how I’d given up my career for him, how I’d run out at 3 AM in a blizzard just because he craved dumplings. His conscience pricked him. “As long as you don’t disturb my new life, I’ll bring Noah to visit you abroad when I have time…” The room was warm, but I felt freezing cold. He left the door ajar when he walked out. through the crack, I saw Noah cheering. “Dad! My birthday isn’t over yet! Let’s go find Aunt Bella!” Noah shouted in German. “Aunt Bella plays the violin so well. She speaks different languages with me. She lets me eat ice cream. I love being with her.” “Unlike Mom. She always makes that gross sugar-free chocolate cake. I hate it. Aunt Bella brings me imported Godiva.” “Mom is so annoying. Why can’t she be like Aunt Bella?” Every word stomped my heart into the dirt. Harrison laughed. “Let’s go then. To Aunt Bella’s.” I closed the door emotionlessly. They didn’t know I spoke eight languages. I understood every word. The son I poured my life into wanted me gone. I made sugar-free cake because his teeth were rotting. He forgot who carried him to the ER when his toothache made him scream. He forgot who stayed up all night telling stories when he was scared of thunder. Five years of devotion couldn’t beat the three months Bella had been back. Ding. My phone buzzed. A special notification. It was Harrison’s Instagram post. #HarrisonSterling: The only one for me in this life. The photo showed him holding hands with Noah and Bella, standing in front of the Sterling family estate. In five years of marriage, he never took me there. He said his parents thought an actress was too low-class. Now, Bella had been back for three months, and she was the lady of the manor. The post trended immediately. And naturally, my name was dragged through the mud. #Ex-MovieQueenChloe Dream Shattered! I looked at the toxic comments. My heart finally flatlined. I logged into my account, tagged Harrison, and typed: #Congrats to the happy couple. Thanks for the billion-dollar breakup fee. I loved them with everything I had. If they didn’t want it, I’d take it back. For the first time in four years, I summoned the System. “System, I request to leave this world permanently.” Three seconds later, the mechanical voice echoed in my head. [According to mission parameters, the Host successfully completed the conquest four years ago upon the birth of the target’s son. Request approved. You will be permanently deleted from this world in 10 days.] Chapter 2 I had actually completed the mission years ago. But because Noah was small, and because I truly loved Harrison, I chose to stay. Now, neither of them wanted me. The System tried to comfort me: [Host, nobody here loves you anyway. Take the billion dollars and live it up for the last ten days. Then I’ll take you to a new world.] I teared up. It was pathetic, really. I had parents, a husband, a son. None of them loved me. They only loved Bella. When we were kids, Bella danced ballet. My parents bought her a condo as a reward. I practiced until my feet bled and won first place. I thought they’d praise me. Instead, Bella pushed me down the stairs. I broke my leg. My parents said, “You deserved it for stealing your sister’s spotlight.” That’s when I knew I was an orphan with living parents. I tried to build a new family with Harrison. It failed. Fine. I didn’t want any of them anymore. … One hour later. I walked into “The Olympus,” the most exclusive host club in the city, carrying a black card with a billion-dollar limit. On the left, rows of “puppy dog” types calling out “Big Sister.” On the right, “wolf types” smoldering. I waved the card. “Bring me your best-looking guys. I have a billion to burn!” Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm hard. I turned around. Harrison. His eyes were burning with anger. “Posting on social media wasn’t enough? You followed me here? Are you trying to ruin Bella’s welcome party on the 88th floor?” “She’s your sister. Why must you always fight her?” Noah stood beside him, looking disgusted. “Mom, stop embarrassing us. You’re so petty. Being jealous just makes Daddy hate you more.” It stung. I shook off Harrison’s hand. “I don’t have time to disturb your love nest. My schedule is open; if you find me annoying, stay out of my way.” I turned and walked deeper into the club, ignoring them. Harrison watched my back, a strange irritation rising in his chest. … I rented the VIP penthouse at The Olympus. I ordered bottles of Ace of Spades. I hired guys to sing, dance, perform magic tricks. I tipped $50,000 just for a smile. Laughter filled the room all night. But I didn’t smile once. Soon, I was trending again. #HarrisonThrowsPartyForBella #ChloeHiresMaleModels #FallenStar: Chloe Spends Billions on Men! The comments were brutal. “She’s disgusting. Look at those photos, surrounded by men. Does she have a disease?” “How can a classy artist like Bella be related to this trash?” “Die, homewrecker!” I didn’t look at my phone. I just drank, glass after glass. The next morning, a call woke me up. My head was splitting. I answered, and my mother’s screeching voice drilled into my ear. “You ungrateful wretch! You have no shame!” “I…” “Shut up! You’re ruining Bella’s reputation with the Sterling family elders! Get out of that filthy place and go back to the villa! Fix your image or I’ll freeze your accounts! You’ll sleep on the street!” She hung up. Every word was a brand on my soul. I rubbed my temples. “It’s okay, Chloe. You’re leaving soon.” I did go back to the villa, though. Not to apologize, but to get my ID and transfer the money to an account my mother couldn’t touch. I had 9 days left. I was going to enjoy them. … I arrived at the house I’d shared with Harrison for five years. It was quiet. I thought they were out. I went upstairs to the master bedroom. Through the door, I heard low, ambiguous moans. My heart felt like it had been stabbed. Shaking, I reached for the handle. Suddenly, a small body slammed into me like a cannonball. Noah blocked the door, glaring at me with hatred. “Bad Mom! You can’t go in! Daddy said he’s making me a new little sister with Aunt Bella. Do not disturb them!” Chapter 3 I stared at my son. He stood there, arms spread wide like a guardian of justice, protecting the people who were betraying me. I realized then what a failure my life was. I didn’t say a word. I turned around and walked away. When you’re sad, you have to buy happiness. I went to the bank, withdrew cash, and called The Olympus. “Send me seven of your handsomest guys. Top tier.” “Make me happy today. Whatever you want to do, wherever you want to go, I’m paying.” And so… We drove limited-edition sports cars. We ate at Michelin 3-star restaurants. We went drag racing on the cliffside highway. We bought out luxury stores. I did everything the internet said would make a person happy. Finally, exhausted, I parked by the beach and slept in the car. I woke up at 10 AM the next day to a call from Noah’s teacher. “Hello? Is this Noah’s mom? It’s 10 o’clock, why isn’t he at school? is he taking another day off?” I said calmly, “Sorry, I divorced Noah’s dad. Please call him for anything regarding the child.” I hung up. Since Noah was born, I handled everything. School, health, playdates. Before Bella returned, he was a good kid. Three months ago, after Bella came back, Noah hit a kid at school. When I tried to discipline him, he screamed: “You just want me to apologize! Why?! Aunt Bella said kids should release their nature! People should be selfish! I hit him because I wanted to!” “You’re useless! You don’t deserve to be my mom!” He was poisoned. It didn’t matter. I was leaving. Let Harrison clean up the mess. Seconds later, Harrison called. “Chloe! What kind of mother are you? Your son has a high fever at home! Even Bella cares more than you do—she’s crying her eyes out at the hospital right now!” “Even if we’re divorced, don’t take it out on the child!” He berated me like I was garbage. Three months ago, the first time he compared me to Bella, I cried into my pillow all night. Now? I felt nothing. “Wait,” I said. “Weren’t you and Bella with him yesterday? I wasn’t even home. What were you doing?” Harrison choked. “I was busy with work! Bella has been at the hospital all morning. This is your job!” “Come to the hospital. Now.” He hung up. I didn’t rush to the hospital. I didn’t panic. My head still hurt from the hangover. I decided to go back to the VIP suite at The Olympus to sleep. But at the entrance, a swarm of reporters blocked me. “Chloe! You’re partying with male models while your son is in the hospital? Are you fit to be a mother?” “Sources say you stole your sister’s husband because you look like her. The Sterling family never accepted you. Is it because you’re cheap?” “Your sister is taking care of your son right now. Are you ashamed?” Buzzkills. I grabbed a microphone and smiled lazily at the camera. “Did Bella send you?” The reporters froze. Their questions were designed to lift Bella up and crush me. Fine. Let’s give Bella some PR work to do. “You guys are right,” I said clearly. “I can’t compare to Bella. She refused to marry her fiancé, ran abroad to study, forced her little sister to be a substitute bride, and then came back to steal her sister’s husband and child.” The crowd exploded. I ignored them and walked into the lobby, heading for the elevator to the 99th floor. The doors opened, and I ran straight into Harrison. He grabbed my wrist, furious. “Chloe! Who told you to say that nonsense? Do you know how much damage those rumors do to Bella?” I opened my mouth to speak, but a metallic taste flooded my throat. I vomited a mouthful of blood. Chapter 4 The bright red blood splashed onto the white carpet. I collapsed in my red dress, looking like a withered rose. “Chloe?” Harrison’s pupils constricted. He caught me, his voice trembling with a panic he didn’t realize he felt. “Chloe!” My vision blurred. [System, what’s happening?] [System: Host, your physical body still has terminal cancer. However, since the mission was successful, I have disabled your pain receptors.] I blinked, trying to clear my head. Harrison looked terrified. “What is this blood? Chloe, what are you playing at?” Oh. He thinks it’s a trick. I pushed him away and stood up, wiping my mouth. I smiled. “Mr. Sterling, you can’t tell?” I pointed at the floor. “It’s fake. Ketchup. You aren’t actually worried about me, are you?” If he knew I was dying, he’d probably say I deserved it. Harrison’s face went black instantly. “Stop using these stunts to get attention. No matter how jealous you are, you shouldn’t slander Bella publicly.” “Bella had her reasons for leaving back then. She’s kind enough to forgive you. For the sake of our past, if you apologize publicly, I won’t sue you.” I laughed. “Sue me. Send the lawyers. I’m waiting.” … The next day was my birthday. My last birthday in this world. I spent a fortune renting out the Skyline Ballroom at the most expensive hotel in the city. I decorated it beautifully. A farewell party for myself. Before it started, I ran into Harrison and Noah in the lobby. Harrison walked straight up to me. “Chloe, cancel your party.” I laughed. “Excuse me?” “I’m using this venue today to clarify the rumors about Bella.” “And that concerns me… how?” Noah tugged on Harrison’s hand. In German, he said, “Dad, let’s go. If Mom wants to embarrass herself, let her.” Harrison glared at me. “Don’t regret this.” I turned away. Regret? The only thing I regretted was falling in love with him during the mission. At 8 PM, my party started. The giant screen played pre-recorded birthday wishes from industry friends. I drank wine, cheeks flushed, smiling brilliantly. “Thank you, everyone. I’m so happy today.” Suddenly, the screen glitched. It cut to a livestream. My parents’ faces appeared. “Chloe maliciously slandered her own sister. She is rotten to the core. From today on, we disown her!” Then, the screen switched to Harrison and Noah. “My mother, Chloe, abandoned me when I was sick to party with male models. I want to sever the mother-son relationship!” Noah declared. Harrison looked into the camera, ice-cold. “I have divorced Chloe. She defamed my fiancée, Bella. Effective immediately, Chloe is banned from all Sterling properties. Security, please remove her from the Skyline Ballroom.”

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My boyfriend called me to break up. I paused for a second, then replied, “Weren’t we always just friends?” The other end went silent for a beat, then exploded with noise. “Sister-in-law is savage!” “Boss, how have you been simping for so many years and still haven’t locked it down?” Chase Sterling coughed lightly. “Sorry, excuse me. I need to handle some family business.” 1 Chase emphasized the words “family business.” He was definitely pissed. I hung up before he could say another word and immediately turned off my phone. I spent the whole day in class feeling like a dead woman walking. When the old professor called on me, I actually gave a serious answer instead of my usual sarcastic quip. He pushed his reading glasses up his nose. “Well, well. Has Lily been possessed?” I grinned sheepishly. “Nah, just trying out a new persona for the semester: the quiet, studious girl.” The class erupted in laughter, breaking the tension. The professor nodded. “Right. That’s the Lily we know.” After evening classes, I kept my head down and rushed toward the dorms, trying to avoid detection. Suddenly, my roommates sandwiched me, bumping my shoulders. “Hey, hey! Look at the school gate! That’s a Porsche Cayenne. Looks expensive.” “I don’t know cars, but the pretty boy standing in front of it is definitely expensive…” I looked up. The “pretty boy” with platinum blonde hair was walking right toward us. He flashed a sunny grin and shouted confidently, “Hi! Sister-in-law… I mean, Lily!” My roommates, bless their hearts, had zero chill. They shoved me forward and vanished into thin air. I stumbled, nearly face-planting into Jax’s chest. Jax looked terrified, closing his eyes and stepping back. “You little sh…” Before I could finish cursing, someone scooped me up by the waist. When did Chase get out of the car? I didn’t have time to think. I stood up straight and swallowed the curse words. Jax let out a huge breath, patting his chest. “Thank god you’re okay, Sister-in-law.” I rolled my eyes at him. He laughed nervously. “Don’t be mad, Lily. We were playing Truth or Dare with the Boss!” Uh-huh. And? “Boss lost. He picked Dare. The breakup call was my bad idea.” Jax shook my arm like a little kid. “Hit me, scold me, whatever you want. Just don’t be mad at the Boss, okay?” Chase swatted Jax’s hand away. “Alright, get lost.” So he dragged Jax out here just to explain things to me? 2 Achoo! The AC in the car was blasting. I sneezed. Chase glanced at me and turned the temperature up two degrees. But even the warmer air couldn’t fix the icy atmosphere coming off him. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice low. “What did you mean by ‘Weren’t we always just friends?’” Uhh… “Listen, let me make up… I mean, explain…” “Lily, don’t forget. We’re already married.” I slumped back, adjusted the seat to maximum comfort, kicked off my shoes, and curled up. “You were the one who said ‘break up’ first…” I muttered in protest. Chase’s hand on the steering wheel paused. He tossed a blanket over me. “Fine. Neither of us will say it again.” “And… don’t sit like that in other people’s cars.” Like what? I looked down. Oh, right. I forgot I was wearing a skirt… I quickly pulled the blanket over myself. Help. Did he see something? “Did you see anything?” “No.” “What color?” “White…” Hmph. He totally saw it and won’t admit it. Fast reflexes. I peeked at him, blushing. His nose was high and straight, jawline sharp, lips perfectly shaped. The sunset streaming through the window softened his features. Even his side profile was devastating. I noticed the tips of his ears turning pink. Click. I snapped a photo with my phone. Chase’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “What… are you doing?” So handsome! I admired my composition and lighting. “This photo should sell for a lot! I bet your fans would fight over it.” Chase scoffed. “Why? Is the allowance I give you not enough?” Enough? It was more than enough. Being Chase Sterling’s secret wife came with a monthly stipend of $50,000. It was a very friendly agreement we reached. 3 Chase was the highest-ranked esports player in the league. His hands were steady. His driving was even steadier. Every time I sat in his car, I fell asleep. I must have stared at his photo too long because I started having weird dreams… In the dream, my fingers traced over his brow bone, his nose, his lips… And just as he was getting worked up, I kissed him. “Mmph!” I opened my eyes to see Chase’s flushed face right in front of mine. Not a dream! “Breathe.” I finally found some air. Chase chuckled lightly. “Clean up. We’re here.” Looking in the mirror at my watery eyes and swollen lips, I took several deep breaths and cursed internally: Chase Sterling, you animal! I looked outside. It was that private kitchen restaurant I said I liked. Chase was a regular here. The owner greeted him warmly. But today, the owner seemed overly enthusiastic, until he saw me behind Chase. He rubbed his hands together awkwardly. I looked toward the window and realized why. Sitting there was Sienna, the youngest Best Actress winner in history. And Chase’s “white moonlight” ex-girlfriend. “What a coincidence,” Sienna said, smiling. As expected of a movie star. Stunning even without makeup. Chase paused for a few seconds, then nodded. He reached back and pulled me forward. Thanks a lot, buddy! Sienna looked visibly surprised when she saw me, then smiled again. “I didn’t know you liked this place too.” Is it too late to say I hate it now? Sienna bit her lip, eyes slightly red, staring at Chase with deep affection. Old lovers reuniting. Sparks flying. Since it was a private kitchen and everyone knew each other, Sienna suggested we eat together. She sat opposite Chase, chatting casually about recent events. “Congratulations on founding the top esports club in the country.” “Thanks.” “Chase, I’m planning to develop my career back in the states now…” I channeled my third-wheel energy into my appetite. You guys talk. I’ll eat. I looked out the window. Maybe I wouldn’t be by Chase’s side much longer. The owner came over. “Drinks? Iced or room temp?” Chase and Sienna said in unison: “Room temp.” I yelled alone: “Iced!” Sienna giggled shyly. “I can’t believe you still remember…” Chase swapped my iced Coke for a warm one. “Don’t you know you can’t have ice the next couple of days?” Facing Chase’s sudden concern, I instinctively looked at Sienna. The shy blush hadn’t faded from her face yet, but her knuckles were white from gripping her glass. Hiccup. The atmosphere was too awkward. My body betrayed me. 4 Liking someone is like a hiccup. You can’t hide it. Apparently, awkwardness is the same. After my nth hiccup, Chase finally couldn’t hold it in and laughed out loud. I glared at him. Drinking water and eating rice wasn’t helping. Help me. Why am I hiccuping in front of my love rival??? Watching Sienna sitting elegantly across from us, I wanted to cry. Chase patted my back indulgently. He took away the water glass I was reaching for. “That won’t work. I have a method. Want to try?” I nodded like a bobblehead between hiccups. “Look over there!” Huh? I followed his finger. The next second, his large hand cupped the back of my head, and he kissed me! “You you you… what are you doing?” My face exploded with heat. I pushed him away in a panic. He licked his lips like he wanted more. “What? Hiccups gone, now you’re a stutterer?” I stammered for a while, unable to form a sentence. Crash. Sienna’s glass hit the floor. Her eyes were red, voice trembling. “Sorry. Slipped.” She walked toward the restroom, looking strong yet fragile. A classic “pity me” flower. I peeked at Chase. He was unmoved, seriously eating his food. Something’s off. Did he kiss me just to make Sienna jealous? Is his calmness just a front? I lost my appetite. Sienna came back. She looked like she’d been crying. A pear blossom bathed in rain. Truly pitiful. I tactfully opened my Uber app. “Um, I’ll call a car back to school. Chase, you drive her home!” Chase snatched my phone and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, walking me out. “Miss Sienna doesn’t need me. I’ll drive you.”

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After my movie star mother was sent to a mental hospital, I was tortured to death by my manipulative “green tea” stepmother. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn… as a four-year-old! On a family reality show, the Green Tea stuffed me into a washing machine to frame my mom. I wailed at the top of my lungs. “The Bad Auntie told me to get in! She said there was a kitty inside! She said she’s gonna be my new mommy and I can’t listen to my old mommy anymore!” The Green Tea tried to shush me, whispering threats. I screamed louder, backing away in terror. “Auntie, I promise I won’t tell the truth anymore! Please don’t kill me!” She stood up in shock, and I threw myself down the stairs. “Mommy! Daddy! Help! Auntie’s threats didn’t work so now she’s trying to silence me for good!” She exploded, trying to explain herself, but literally zero people believed her. [She’s four years old! How could she frame you?] [I swear, if this Green Tea tries to hurt anyone else, I will drag her until she quits the internet!] Watching her get torn apart online, her reputation in tatters, I smiled. Your tricks might work on a toddler, but this time? The tables have turned. 1 “Summer!” Chloe, the Green Tea in question, gritted her teeth. “Look at the camera and think carefully before you speak. Did Auntie tell you to get in, or did your mommy forget you were inside when she started the laundry?!” Seeing Chloe on the verge of a breakdown, I cried even harder. “Waaaah! It was you! You told me to get in! I was scared because Mommy said the washing machine is dangerous, but you said there was a kitty inside! You said you were too big to fit, so I had to save the kitty!” Chloe looked like she was about to explode. She couldn’t understand. She had me wrapped around her finger before. Why was I suddenly not playing along? Not only did I refuse to frame my mom, Scarlett, but I was exposing her right in front of everyone. How could a four-year-old know how to do this? She stomped her foot in frustration. She had no idea that I was reborn. In my past life, Chloe tricked me into climbing into the washing machine, then publicly accused my mom of having postpartum depression and trying to kill me. Four-year-old me didn’t understand anything. I was just scared by the yelling and cried. Chloe took the opportunity to “protect” me in her arms, secretly pinching me to make me nod along with her lies. My mom spiraled into depression because of these setups. She started doubting herself, even engaging in self-harm. My dad tried to protect us, but soon after, Chloe snuck into his room, took compromising photos, and leaked them. After that, my happy family fell apart. Mom had a complete breakdown and was sent to a sanitarium. Dad, under immense public pressure, married Chloe. A year later, I “accidentally” fell and became paralyzed. My life became hell. No outdoors, no friends. Just lying in a dull room, staring at the ceiling, waiting to die. I prayed countless times to go back to the moment I first met Chloe. I swore if I got a second chance, I would tear off her mask and make her suffer a thousand times over. And now, I’m back. Chloe, the show is just beginning. Noticing the commotion, the crew started to gather around. I wailed even louder. “Auntie, I’m sorry! I won’t tell the truth anymore!” “I won’t tell everyone you like my daddy and want to be my new mommy! Please stop pinching me!” Chloe shot up from her chair in rage. I saw my chance and rolled myself down the stairs. “Help! The weird Auntie is trying to kill me because I won’t listen to her!” That scream brought everyone running. My parents, Jason and Scarlett, who were downstairs cooking, rushed up. Mom grabbed me, while Dad, radiating a chill, slapped Chloe hard across the face. “Are you insane?! She’s a child!” Chloe was stunned. “I didn’t! It wasn’t me! She’s framing me!” Mom gritted her teeth, ignoring the cameras, and slapped her twice more. “Why would she frame you? She’s four years old!” Chloe clutched her face, stammering, unable to say a word. In that moment, everything felt right. In my last life, I was too young to understand the dark currents between adults. But now, the one who couldn’t explain herself was finally Chloe. The crew arrived just in time to see me fall as Chloe stood up. They didn’t hesitate to testify for me. The producers were furious and wanted to kick Chloe off the show. At the critical moment, I hugged Chloe’s leg. “Auntie said she didn’t mean to push me. I’m not hurt. Please don’t punish her.” My parents looked at my pitiful face, tears welling up. “Sweetheart, she bullied you so much, and you’re still defending her… oh…” The livestream comments were flooded with praise. [Is this Jason and Scarlett’s daughter? She’s adorable and so kind-hearted! I’m in love.] [Only the children of movie stars could have such great character. I’m a fan!] [I’m watching this show solely to protect Summer. If Chloe hurts her again, I’m rallying the girls to cancel her into oblivion!] Amidst the praise, I looked at the defeated Chloe. “Apologize to me, and we’ll forget about it.” Chloe clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms. But even so, she knew she had to bend. “I’m sorry.” I smiled politely. Seeing me forgive her, no one else pressed the issue. But this sealed her fate. She apologized, which meant she admitted to bullying a child. She bowed to stay on the show, but to the world, that bow was a confession. Chloe would never escape the label of a child abuser. Forevermore, people would remember her as the woman who pushed a kid down the stairs because threats didn’t work. Just thinking about it felt good! 2 The show went on. My parents comforted me, checked for injuries, and went back to cooking. This time, they were smarter. They sat me on a little stool right by the kitchen door. I swung my legs, and soon enough, I spotted a sneaky Chloe. She was holding a beautifully wrapped bento box, smiling at me with sinister intent. Meeting my gaze, she forced her expression into a twisted, ugly smile. “Sweetie, Auntie doesn’t know what I did to make you misunderstand me.” “Look, Auntie made you pudding. Try it. Consider it Auntie’s apology, okay?” I smiled back. It didn’t reach my eyes. “Sure!” I snatched the pudding and ran toward my parents on my short legs. “Look! The weird Auntie made me pudding! Yay! It’s mango flavor!” Hearing “mango,” my parents’ faces went pale. They abandoned the stove and lunged at me. “Don’t eat it! You’re allergic to mango!” I stopped immediately and spat the pudding out obediently. “That’s so weird. The weird Auntie knows I’m allergic. Why did she give it to me?” “Oh my gosh, is she trying to hurt me?” My parents turned green. They unleashed hell on Chloe. “Are you sick in the head?! The production notes clearly state Summer is allergic to mango! Feeding her allergens on purpose? You’re trying to kill her!” “Summer is four! How did a child offend you so much that you’d push her down stairs and then poison her?! If you have a problem with us, come at us! Leave the kid alone!” “Chloe, what the hell is wrong with you?!” Berated by my parents, Chloe pointed a trembling finger at me. “Summer, I never said that was for you! You’re framing me again!” I spread my chubby little hands. “Check the cameras then.” The laundry room didn’t have cameras, so I had to rely on the hallway cam to catch my fall. But the kitchen was on the first floor. Cameras everywhere. Video and audio. Chloe’s arrogance vanished. “Th-there’s a misunderstanding. I bought the pudding. I didn’t know it had mango.” I pouted. “Tch.” “You just said you made it yourself. Do you really think I’m a three-year-old?” The comments went wild. [Four-year-old Summer be like: I’m not a three-year-old.] [Why is a grown woman always trying to hurt Summer? Does she get off on abusing kids? Investigate her!] [Stop laughing guys, allergies can kill. This isn’t a joke.] Everyone held their breath, waiting for my parents’ decision. They looked at me. I nodded seriously. “Since Auntie says I framed her, let’s check. I’m just a kid, I can’t grow up being called a liar.” Chloe’s eyes reddened, on the verge of tears. “Don’t…” Her reaction said it all. The people here were entertainment bigwigs. They weren’t stupid. Someone pulled the footage. Chloe tricking me into eating the pudding was played back in high definition for everyone to see and hear. Chloe was dumbfounded. In my last life, she gave me mango pudding too. Right before dinner. After watching me eat it, she added mango jam to the dessert Mom made. During dinner, I went into anaphylactic shock. Swelling up, suffocating. Everyone investigated. They found mango in Mom’s dessert. Dad was disappointed. The public attacked her. Mom was consumed by guilt. She truly believed she was a bad mother. She spiraled into regret and self-blame, afraid to even touch me after that. It gave Chloe the perfect opening! Thinking of Mom’s broken tears, my heart ached. I buried my face in her chest and sobbed. “Mommy, I’m scared. Will the allergy kill me? I don’t want to die.” Mom held me with one arm, clenched her other fist, stood up, and punched Chloe to the ground. “You animal!” The comments exploded. [That punch was clean! Is this the power of a mother?] [Scarlett’s range just expanded. She can do action movies now!] [Well deserved! Anyone who hurts kids is a psycho. She deserved that beating!] The slap mark on Chloe’s face had just faded, and now it was swelling up again. She was livid! “How dare you hit me!” She looked at my dad, acting fragile. “Jason, look at her. How can she be so violent…” Before she finished, Dad punched her on the other side of her face. “What is your problem? You poison my daughter in front of me and then try to tattle on my wife?” “I don’t hit women or children, but for an animal like you, I’ll make an exception!” I couldn’t help but giggle. The room filled with stifled laughter. Chloe gritted her teeth for a while, then ran off crying. This time, the producers didn’t let it slide. They issued a termination notice. Since it was late, they told her to pack up and leave first thing in the morning. I didn’t argue. I knew Chloe would use the remaining time to pull something else. The tighter the deadline, the more pressure she’d feel, and the more mistakes she’d make. That night, the group dispersed early because of the drama. I deliberately pestered Mom to take me outside to count stars. Soon enough, I saw a thin figure by the hotel corridor window. Someone couldn’t wait. Hook, line, and sinker! “Mommy, let’s go find Daddy!” “Can you start a livestream? I want everyone to see Daddy reading me a bedtime story!” Bedtime stories were our family ritual. Tonight was Dad’s turn. Considering I fell down stairs and almost got poisoned today, Mom didn’t lecture me about privacy. She played along and started the stream. I held the phone, my little legs pumping fast. [Hi brothers and sisters! Want to hear a story with Summer?] The comments praised my parents for spoiling me, asked about my health, and laughed at my precociousness. Soon, I led Mom to quietly ambush Dad’s room. “Mommy, let’s sneak in. We’ll scare Daddy with the fans!” Mom laughed and tiptoed along with me. We snuck to the bedside. I jumped up and slapped the light switch. And there, two million viewers came face-to-face with Chloe, wearing risqué lingerie. In the dead silence, I let out an ear-piercing scream. “Why is the weird Auntie naked?! Why is she wearing bunny ears?! Scary!!” Mom covered my eyes and started kicking Dad, who was in the bed. “Jason! Get up!” Dad swayed but didn’t react. My heart went cold. “Oh no! The weird Auntie killed Daddy!” Mom realized something was wrong and called the medics. Checkup result: Dad was in a coma from an overdose of sleeping pills. And the source of the pills… Everyone looked at Chloe. Chloe was taken away by the police for investigation before she could even explain. A few days later, the results were out. Chloe drugged Dad and stole his key card, planning to create a scandal to force his hand. The news nailed her to the cross of shame. She became the most hated female celebrity of the year. Bar none. Her career was over. Contracts were canceled due to the morality clause. She was drowning in debt. I finally breathed a sigh of relief, hugging my parents tight. In this life, I won’t lose you again.

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After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, I decided to go rogue. Toxic childhood frenemy? Seduce him. Hot, stoic neighbor? Seduce him too. Good news: The cancer was a misdiagnosis. Bad news: The doctor says I’m pregnant. I stood there, completely stunned. Wait, seriously… who the hell is the father? 01 In the hospital corridor, I clutched the lab report, feeling like the sky was crashing down. Cancer? “I just had a few nosebleeds!” I shrieked internally. “Cancer?!” The doctor sighed a heavy, dramatic sigh. “Young lady, life is unfair. But listen, for this final stretch… just relax. Eat well, drink well, don’t overthink things.” Translation: You’re doomed. Go home and wait for the reaper. Grief hit me like a truck. I stood there sobbing like a boiling teakettle. This can’t be happening. “God, don’t bully me like this!” I’m a pure, blossoming flower of a girl. I haven’t even held a man’s hand romantically yet… How can I die now? I refuse. I absolutely refuse to die a virgin. 02 I left the hospital and went straight to the mall. I bought a pile of sexy slip dresses and mini-skirts. I swore to myself: Before I kick the bucket, I am going to land a man. As for the candidate… Jax is my nemesis. But he’s also my childhood best friend. We grew up together. I know his roots, his dirt, everything. He’s never even held a girl’s hand. His track record is clean. I guess I’ll start with him. I showed up at his place. Jax was lounging on the sofa, back to me, long legs stretched out. “Why are you here in the middle of the night, Chloe? Finally realized you want my body?” I choked. He’s always had a smart mouth. Usually, I’d roast him back. But this time… he was right. When I didn’t answer, he spun around with a sneer. “Cat got your—” “Holy sh*t.” Jax saw the dress. He stiffened immediately, eyes wide with suspicion. “Why are you dressed like that? Where are you going? A date? Did you come here for a fashion check? The audacity.” He talks so much. And why does he sound like he’s grinding his teeth? “Why are you firing words like a machine gun?” I asked, confused. “Because of you!” Jax’s face looked dark. “Why the sudden style change? It’s weird.” True. I usually live in oversized hoodies and sweatpants. I’m practically a nun. But I couldn’t exactly say: Jax, I want to jump your bones. I rubbed my nose, guilty. My eyes drifted down. Under his crisp white shirt, Jax’s collarbones were playing peek-a-boo. Lower… broad chest, tight waist. Okay, he’s actually kind of hot. I gulped. If only he were mute, he’d be perfect. 03 I hesitated, stepping closer. Jax looked like he was facing a bomb squad. “Chloe, what’s the play? Did you break something of your parents’ again? Fine, I’ll take the blame. Just… stop.” “You don’t need to dress like this.” He turned his head away, breathing heavy. “And you d-d-don’t need to stand so close.” If I don’t get close, how do I make my move? I felt a little embarrassed, too. But then I looked closer—Jax was red from his cheeks to his neck. Usually, he’s the definition of “arrogant.” Now he’s stuttering? Oh, I am so into this. How do they do it in romance novels? I had a lightbulb moment. I went up on my tiptoes, did a little spin, and— Oof. I threw myself right into Jax’s arms. His scent was warm. I landed on his lap. Instinctively, his hands gripped my waist. The dress was short. His palms touched bare skin. He let go like he’d touched fire. “Do you not have eyes, Chloe?!” Jax gritted his teeth. His hot breath tickled my neck. I shivered. “Hubby… why are you so mean to me?” I buried my face in his chest, peeking up to check his reaction. The internet said: Girl chases boy, it’s easy. Just call him Hubby. Jax looked like he was going to explode. He was cooked-shrimp red. I wanted to laugh, but that would kill the mood. I suppressed the giggles and pressed the attack. One arm around his neck. The other hand tugging his collar. Forcing him to look down, closing the distance. “Hubby.” I blew gently into his ear. “Am I pretty?” 04 Jax froze. His ears were burning. “P-pretty… pretty ugly!” “Chloe, you’ve lost your mind.” He pushed me away, swearing. “You’re heavy. Get off me.” I exploded. I’m casting pearls before swine here! I raged. “Fine! I’m getting off!” He dared to call me heavy? I needed to roast him back. “You misunderstood anyway. I was just practicing on you.” “Did you think I liked you?” “Looking at you makes me tired.” “And by the way, stop keeping the TV remote in your pocket. It’s digging into me.” Jax paused. He looked even angrier. “Practicing? For who?” “Chloe, what is wrong with you today?” “Where did you learn to dress like this? It’s ugly. Change back.” “I’m telling you, it’s ugly—” This guy is hopeless. I got annoyed, grabbed him, shoved him out the door, and slammed it. I could still hear him yelling “Don’t wear that!” from the hallway. Absolute terminal straight male energy. I looked in the mirror. I looked hot. Jax has zero taste. I deflated. Dammit. An enemy is an enemy. He’ll never be Hubby. Jax is a bust. Time to scout a new target. 05 My neighbor across the hall is a single hottie named Liam. Handsome, refined, aloof but gentle. Crucially: He’s nice. The weather forecast said rain. I timed my exit for when he’d be home. I deliberately left my umbrella, walked around the block in the downpour until I was soaked, and pretended to lose my keys. Then, I knocked on Liam’s door. “I forgot my keys… could I borrow your shower?” Classic K-Drama move. Liam is kind. He agreed. The plan was perfect. But I underestimated the rain. I got a fever and literally fainted in his bathroom. I did make it to his bed, though. In my delirium, I wrapped my legs around his waist. “Hubby…” “Uh? Why do you have a remote in your pocket too…” Liam froze like a statue. After a minute, he snapped out of it and touched my forehead. “You’re burning up.” “I’ll get you some medicine. Be good and lie down, okay?” I wouldn’t let go. He let me cling to him. He didn’t rush me, didn’t scold me. Didn’t even frown. 100 times gentler than that trash Jax. Decision made: I’m going to ravage this man. Our faces got closer, closer… And then I passed out cold from the fever. Just my luck. 06 Liam took care of me all night. 360-degree VIP service. I woke up the next morning feeling human again. I checked my phone. Jax had blown it up. Jax: [Where are you? Why aren’t you home?] [Seriously? Ignoring me? Chloe, you’re dead.] [Say something. Where are you??] [Hello???] [You think the silent treatment will make me apologize?] [Fine. I shouldn’t have yelled last night. I’m sorry.] [Chloe, where the hell are you??] I put the phone down. Ignored. He wrecked my confidence. I’m not talking to him. As for Liam… I rubbed my hands together. Round two. I vaguely remembered last night. In my fever haze, I asked, “Am I pretty?” “You’re beautiful.” He answered with sparkling eyes. No hesitation. “Do you have a girlfriend?” “No. My mom tried to set us up once, remember? She always mocks me for being single.” Liam touched my forehead again. I get it. He’s hinting. He wants a title? I reached out, causing chaos with my hands. Liam caught my wrists and pinned them above my head. He looked down, gaze intense. “Chloe. Some things… you can’t just do randomly.” “If we do this, I have to take responsibility. Forever.” Honestly, forever isn’t necessary. I’m dying soon. Just a few months. Let me have some fun before I go. So I pushed back. “Liam… I want to know.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Are your lips as soft as your heart?” Liam’s lips pressed into a thin line. Redness crept up his neck. Finally, he practically fled the room. Oh my god. I am a predator. This time, I’m definitely bagging a man. 07 But… I’m actually a coward. I’ve never done this. I went to Reddit to ask for help anonymously. Title: Help! How do I sleep with my Crush? Context: He seems aloof, totally the ascetic type. Kind sisters replied instantly. [Ascetic types are the easiest. They’re either bad in bed, or terrifyingly good.] [Just be direct. It’ll either happen immediately or never.] Makes sense. I latched onto one user, “Anon123”, for specific advice. “Urgent! Any tips?” [Don’t call me baby. I’m a guy. I have someone I like.] Wow, a loyal king. Even online. Nice. A moment later, he replied: [Sorry, I have zero experience.] [But I think… nighttime amplifies tension.] [I never dare to be alone with her at night.] Another lonely soul. I chatted him up. “How’s it going with your crush?” He typed for a long time. [She called me Hubby. But I feel like she’s… just playing with me.] I pictured a pure-hearted college boy. Poor guy. I typed back: “For a girl, ‘Hubby’ isn’t a word used lightly.” “She definitely likes you.” “Even if she’s playing, if you like her… why not let her play?” He hesitated. [That… makes sense.] “Good luck with your girl tonight!” I checked the time. 3 PM. Sunset soon. I showered, applied perfume to my wrists and behind my ears. Put on the slip dress. I am a woman of action. Tonight, Liam is mine. 08 I thought about it. Jumping him sober is too aggressive. Liquid courage. That’s the key. I poured a glass of wine. I texted Liam: “Ugh, insomnia again.” He replied fast: “What’s wrong? Feeling sick again?” “Why are you upset?” Liam is the anti-Jax. Gentle. Patient. I continued the act: “Physically fine. Just frustrated.” “Insomnia. If I can’t sleep, how can I sleep with you?” Silence. Crap. Is Liam the “bad in bed” type Anon123 warned about? I doubled down: “I’m 99% sure I like you.” “The 1% is missing your kiss.” Liam replied with one word. “Okay.” Okay? Just okay?! Suddenly, the room spun. F*ck. Nobody told me this wine was so strong. I forgot the mission. My heart was beating in my forehead. The weightlessness made me panic. I sent a distress signal. [Come to my place. Save me.] Ding ding. My phone buzzed. Huh? Jax was still texting me? The words were swimming. “I… something… owe you?” Whatever. Can’t read. But Liam is coming. I was happy. I benevolently replied to Jax: “Home now.” Added: “Do not disturb.” Almost forgot he has a spare key. Can’t have him ruining my night. A polite knock. I dropped the phone, opened the door, and fell straight into the visitor’s arms. My wrist was caught. “You’ve been drinking.” Liam frowned, looking worried. I blurted out: “Drinking makes it easier.” “Liam, I want to sleep with you.”

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On the day my sister and I were born, a wandering fortune teller came to our door. She prophesied that one of us would soar to the top, marrying into unimaginable wealth. The other would fall from grace, becoming a shameless beggar. After graduation, my boyfriend, the heir to a multi-billion dollar empire, proposed to me. But on the eve of my wedding, I was in a horrific car accident. My parents told everyone I was in a vegetative state and had my sister take my place at the altar. The next day, my sister wore my wedding ring and sat in the bridal car. Meanwhile, my parents pulled the plug on my oxygen, watching me suffocate to death. They cremated my body and buried the urn in an unmarked grave in a potter’s field. Ten years after my death, my sister finally gave birth to a son, securing her position as the heir to the family fortune. The city’s elite came to celebrate. But at the baby’s first birthday party, the child began bleeding from every orifice, wailing in agony. My sister fell ill, wasting away to nothing. My “husband” personally flew in a Feng Shui master from Hong Kong. He held my sister, comforting her: “Don’t be scared, babe. Once I destroy that bitch’s spirit, I’ll use her soul to make a chamber pot for our son.” My parents invited the clan elders to curse my name. “Restless even in death! Haunting our precious daughter and grandson… you deserve to have your soul shattered!” The master set up his altar on the unmarked grave where my urn was buried. But suddenly, his face went pale. “Her name isn’t in the Book of Life and Death. Who exactly died ten years ago?” 1 As soon as the master spoke, my parents and sister turned white as sheets. They stammered, “Of course… of course it was Ella. Our family hasn’t had any bad luck except for her.” My parents were being evasive, but the guests watching the spectacle exploded with whispers. “Who else could it be? Mr. Jiang has been charitable his whole life, it’s just his bad luck to have such a cursed daughter! How could the master not find her name?” “Master! Are you scared?” “No,” the master frowned, his fingers moving rapidly in calculation. When he looked up again, his expression was graver than ever. “I have consulted the spirits, and the spirits do not lie. The deceased is absolutely not the elder sister, Ella!” He suddenly leaned into my sister’s face. “Mrs. Chen, do you feel like your insides are being pierced by ice picks? Do you feel a chill in your bones? This is a sign of a vengeful spirit attachment. If we don’t resolve this soon…” “I’m afraid you and this little young master will be buried with her overwhelming resentment!” Everyone took a step back in fear. My sister clutched her chest and let out a scream that didn’t sound human. “Ah—it must be Emma! She’s back! She wants revenge, she wants to kill me…” My parents’ faces darkened. They rushed forward to cover her mouth. “What nonsense are you talking about?” “Everyone in the city knows your sister died in an accident. It has nothing to do with you. You’re just suffering from postpartum depression…” The master smirked, a meaningful glint in his eye. He raised his peach wood sword and began chanting. My father finally lost his patience, pointing at the master’s nose. “Do you know what you’re doing or not?” My ex-boyfriend, Julian Chen, handed over a blank check. “If you can scatter that evil spirit’s soul, the Chen family will reward you handsomely.” The master stopped moving and said quietly: “Karma is inescapable. Mr. Chen, if you want her name written in the Book of Death, condemning her to eternal suffering, you must tell me everything the deceased experienced in life.” He paused. “And, the deceased’s real name.” My parents looked at my sister, who was screaming in pain while clutching her sick child. Heartbroken, they nodded and began their story. Back then, my car was found at the bottom of a cliff on a winding mountain road. Fallen with it was a truck driven by a notorious local thug. My car was smashed to pieces, and I was barely breathing. Police investigations later revealed witnesses who saw me acting intimate with the thug before the accident. Some even claimed I got out of his truck with disheveled clothes. The story was that we were fooling around too intensely, causing both vehicles to plummet off the cliff. At this point, my father sighed heavily. “A family tragedy.” “We never expected Ella to fulfill the fortune teller’s prophecy. Shameless, mixing with thugs, ruining herself until she lost her life.” The master murmured, seemingly communicating with something invisible. The next moment, his voice became ethereal and commanding, as if channeling a god. “Incorrect. There was more than one death.” “Mr. Jiang, if you truly want to save your daughter and grandson, you must tell the whole truth.” My father clenched his fists, his old face flushing red. “Indeed, there was more than one. It was too shameful, so our family kept it a secret.” “But to save my daughter, I have to say it today.” “We privately hired a forensic doctor back then. In Ella’s womb… there was a three-month-old bastard child. Sinful!” When my parents spoke of this, their faces were full of disgust and regret. “If we had known she was fooling around and got pregnant, we should have broken her legs and locked her in the house.” “To be honest, this isn’t the first time she’s harmed my other daughter. Ten years ago, when she first married Julian, she was pregnant, but miscarried for no reason.” “Thinking back now, it must have been Ella and that bastard child haunting them from underground!” As the words fell, the air around Julian instantly dropped to freezing point. “Good… very good.” “If I don’t destroy this ghost myself and avenge my unborn child, I am not a man!” He looked at my sister with pity. “Baby, you’ve suffered all these years.” While he gazed lovingly at my sister, the master interrupted coldly. “Still incorrect!” “If the deceased’s life experience is wrong, her name cannot be entered into the Book of Death!” “If Mr. Jiang still refuses to tell the truth, then I cannot help you.” My parents froze, conflict in their eyes. Just then, the baby’s cries became even more piercing, as if someone was strangling him. My mother sighed deeply. “At this point, there’s no need to hide it.” “Ella wasn’t just involved with a thug; she was also entangled with a group of beggars. She really fulfilled the prophecy of becoming a beggar.” “We don’t know if the child in her belly belonged to the thug or one of the beggars. It’s truly a sin!” My mother wiped away tears. “The Jiang family has been scholars for generations, clean and innocent. Why did such a scandal happen to us… it’s my failure as a mother.” The master pointed his peach wood sword directly at my father, shouting sternly. “Still can’t write it! What secret is so big that you’d risk your own daughter and grandson’s lives?” My father couldn’t say another word. My mother looked at my sister with tears in her eyes, a mix of heartache and helplessness. Julian supported my father, his voice deep. “Father-in-law, don’t worry. I swear here and now, no matter what happened, I will always love my wife.” My father was moved to tears. He looked at my mother and decided to stop hiding. “With Julian’s word, we might as well tell the truth.” “Actually, the one who died wasn’t the older sister, Ella. It was the younger sister, Emma.” His thoughts drifted back ten years. “The night before the wedding, Emma suddenly got into a severe car accident and fell into a coma. After discussing it, we decided to have Ella pretend to be Emma and marry in her place. We thought we’d switch them back when Emma woke up.” “None of us expected Emma to just… go. Later, we thought if Ella’s identity was revealed, it would ruin your marriage.” “Helplessly, we had to go along with the mistake. Ella became Emma, and the dead Emma… we renamed her Ella.” The master realized. “No wonder I couldn’t find the name Ella in the Book of Death.” After the truth was out, the master’s ritual went smoothly. “The Book is ready, but the dead soul’s resentment has not dissipated. The problem must be at her burial site.” Everyone arrived at the desolate potter’s field and froze. The master looked at the scorched earth amidst the tall weeds, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Miss Emma died with no one to mourn her. Her resentment has solidified and can now harm the living! She came back this time for revenge.” Hearing this, my parents’ faces turned extremely ugly. My sister collapsed to the ground, blood seeping from under her skirt. “Emma, don’t blame me. I didn’t mean to steal your Julian…” Her eyes reddened, and she cried miserably. “I’m sorry, Emma. If you want a life, take mine alone, don’t hurt my child! I’m sorry, I’m sorry… I couldn’t bring you back, I could only take care of Julian for you. Please, rest in peace!” She kowtowed desperately to the scorched earth. I floated in mid-air, feeling like my chest was blocked by these hot tears. Ever since that fortune teller made the prophecy, my parents decided my sister was the future “Golden Phoenix” and pampered her. As for me, the daughter destined to be a shameless beggar, they treated me like trash. My sister lived in a sunny luxury suite; I was banished to a damp, dark storage room with a broken bed. Growing up, they always called me shameless. If I smiled at a delivery guy, they accused me of being loose. I grew up in silence. Until I met Julian, I didn’t know life could be sweet. He never thought I was unlucky or weird. He never looked at me with charity. I still remember him ruffling my hair with a smile. “Emma, there is no destiny in this world that cannot be broken.” I used to believe him implicitly. Until we met again ten years later. Julian had a child with my sister. They were a loving couple. So what if he once loved me like his life? Ten years is enough to wash away any love completely. My sister is the Golden Phoenix. I am the shameless beggar. This is my fate. When I snapped back to reality, Julian had already ordered men to dig up the scorched earth. There was only an overturned, rotten wooden box. Seeing what was under the box, everyone gasped sharply. “What is that? Why is it so evil?” The box was opened, revealing a pitch-black clay jar. The mouth of the jar was covered in dense charms drawn in cinnabar. My ashes were gone. Seeing this, my parents panicked too. “We watched Emma’s ashes being buried with our own eyes. How could they be gone? And this jar…” The master sucked in a cold breath, fear appearing on his face. Ignoring everyone’s questions, he closed his eyes tight. After a long while, he opened them, sweating profusely. “Since the older sister took the younger sister’s identity, their birth dates should have been swapped too. But the birth date suppressing this jar is still Emma’s own. It can no longer suppress the vengeful spirit!” “Also.” He turned abruptly, meeting my sister’s panicked eyes. “The younger sister has used the birth date to attach herself to the older sister! The missing ashes… must be with the older sister!” As his words fell, my sister instinctively touched her handbag. It felt cold and slimy. She shuddered, realizing her bag didn’t contain designer lipstick, but a handful of bloody ashes! “Something’s wrong.” My sister screamed, throwing the bag far away. The master shook his head. “Throwing it away is useless. The power of a vengeful ghost isn’t something mortals can resist. Her hatred is focused entirely on you.” My sister crawled over, crying and kneeling before the master. “Master, save me!” “I’m already sick like this. Her next step is definitely my life!” My parents forced themselves to calm down. “As long as you can save our daughter, the Jiang family will reward you heavily!” “First, we must swap the birth dates back. Since fate was exchanged, ‘Ella’ is already dead. The birth date on the jar must be changed to hers.” The master pondered. “As for the rest… the only plan now is to lure her out. But who has the courage?” “I do.” Julian stepped out from the crowd after comforting his sick son. His tall figure radiated reliability. “Whether you are Ella or Emma, you are the wife I’ve loved for ten years. Since someone wants to harm you and our child, I will make her wish she were dead!” “The ghost Emma hates my wife because of me. Since her hate is born of love, I will hold a grand soul-summoning ceremony for Emma to lure her out.” My parents exchanged glances and sighed in relief. My sister felt the deep love and leaned weakly into Julian’s arms. “Julian, I’m so scared. Luckily I have you. The baby and I only have you.” Julian held her steady, his eyes gentle. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Through that slightly weathered face, I could faintly see the boy from ten years ago. In a rainstorm, he used all his strength to push me away from a mudslide, breaking his own leg. When I was kidnapped, he blocked a fatal knife for me, leaving a hideous scar on his left shoulder. In a fire, he gave me the only respirator, nearly dying from smoke inhalation himself. But ten years later, he doesn’t belong to me. To lure me out and destroy me, Julian bought a full-page ad in the newspaper announcing the grand soul-summoning ceremony. When my sister had nightmares because of this, he dropped contracts worth hundreds of millions to stay by her side all night. Never leaving her. He even played her favorite piano pieces. Back then, I begged him several times to play for me. He always said he was too busy. I thought he was just bad at expressing himself. Now I know, he just wouldn’t play for me. When my sister fell asleep in his arms, he lovingly wiped away her tears. “Don’t worry, babe. I will protect you forever.” “Whether it’s a person or a ghost hurting you, I won’t let them have a good end!” Everyone said Julian was determined. Once he dealt with my vengeful spirit, he would surely forgive my sister’s well-intentioned deception and reconcile. But they didn’t know— Julian had been waiting for this day for ten years. 2 The soul-summoning ceremony was set for three days later, on the top floor of the city’s most luxurious hotel. Julian rented the entire venue, decorating it even more grandly than our wedding ten years ago. A red carpet stretched from the elevator to the altar, lined with white roses—my favorite flower when I was alive. All the city’s media were invited, cameras aimed at the center of the altar. Julian stood there in a black suit, his face cold. My sister, the fake “Emma,” wore a white dress, holding his arm. Her face held a sickly flush and a hint of smugness. She knew that after today, the vengeful spirit of Emma would be gone from this world. She, the real Ella, would be the rightful, unique Mrs. Chen. My parents came too, sitting in the front row, looking at Julian with the pride of having snagged a golden son-in-law. The master paced on the altar, his peach wood sword glinting coldly. The auspicious time had arrived. With a shout, the master pasted my birth date onto a straw effigy. “Emma Jiang, I know your resentment is deep, and you died with grievances!” “Today, Mr. Chen has set a feast for you to settle this!” “If you know what’s good for you, drink this wine of reconciliation and reincarnate early. If you persist in your obsession, don’t blame my sword for being ruthless and shattering your soul!” He poured a cup of wine on the ground. Julian took the peach wood sword and walked step by step toward the straw effigy representing me. His eyes held a coldness and resolve I had never seen before. Ten years ago, he used those hands to bandage my wounds, wipe my tears, and put a ring on my finger. Ten years later, he was going to use those same hands to send my soul to the eighteenth level of hell. I floated in the air, feeling a tearing pain in my heart. I hated him. I wanted to appear right now and ask him: what did our companionship ten years ago, those life-and-death moments, mean to him?! The corners of my sister’s mouth were already curving up. She spoke softly, her voice low but caught by the surrounding microphones. “Julian, let it go. My sister… she’s pitiful too. Let’s not be too ruthless.” She acted kind as always. Julian didn’t turn his head. “Mercy to an evil ghost is cruelty to the living.” He raised the peach wood sword, aimed at the straw effigy’s heart, and stabbed down hard! Thud. A muffled sound. But the one who fell wasn’t the straw effigy. It was my sister, Ella. She spat out a large mouthful of black blood and fell straight to the ground, twitching all over. The crowd went into an uproar. My parents screamed and rushed up. “Ella! Ella, what’s wrong?!” The master froze too. He looked at his unharmed altar, then at the fallen Ella, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. “No… this isn’t right…” “My soul-summoning array… wasn’t summoning Emma…” Julian turned slowly and threw away the peach wood sword. He looked down at Ella struggling in pain on the ground. There was not a shred of pity on his face. Instead, there was a bottomless, suppressed hatred of ten years. He squatted down, leaned into Ella’s ear, and asked in a voice only they could hear. “Ella.” “Ten years ago, at the winding mountain road where Emma crashed… why were you waiting there in advance?” Ella sounded like a strangled chicken, making gurgling noises. She opened her mouth, blood foam bubbling out, but she couldn’t say a word. My parents were stunned too. My dad pointed a trembling finger at Julian. “Julian… what does this mean? Why is Ella…” Julian ignored him. He just stared coldly at Ella, like looking at a corpse. “Ten years, Ella. I’ve thought about this question every day.” “The road where Emma crashed was remote, late at night, with no cameras. How could you be there so coincidentally?” “You told me you were there to pray. Praying for our wedding.” His voice was soft, but it cut into Ella and my parents like a knife. “I believed you then.” “I held you, comforted you, told you everything would be fine.” “I even agreed to your parents’ ridiculous request to let you take Emma’s identity.” He smiled, a smile full of endless mockery and icy hate. “I was such a fool, wasn’t I?” “I treated the murderer who killed my fiancée like a treasure and protected her for ten years.” Dead silence in the hall. Reporters’ flashbulbs went crazy, capturing this dramatic reversal forever. The master had quietly retreated to the side, wiping sweat, acting like none of this involved him. My mom finally reacted, screaming and lunging at Julian. “You’re talking nonsense! Our Ella is so kind, how could she harm her own sister! Julian Chen, are you crazy?!” “Crazy?” Julian stood up slowly, straightening his immaculate suit. He didn’t even look at my mom, his gaze locked on the twitching Ella. “I wish I were crazy. Then I wouldn’t dream of Emma every night.” “She asks me, covered in blood, why.” “Why didn’t I trust her.” “Why did I marry her murderer.” His voice suddenly rose, filled with ten years of suppressed pain and rage, like a desperate beast. “You tell me, why!” He kicked over the champagne tower next to him. Glass shattered piercingly, accompanied by gasps from the guests. My dad’s face was ashen, clinging to the last shred of dignity. “Julian, let’s talk calmly. There must be a misunderstanding…” “Misunderstanding?” Julian looked like he heard the biggest joke. He pulled a phone from his pocket and played a recording. A rough man’s voice echoed through the hall, sounding drunk and boastful. “…That Jiang family eldest daughter, she’s slutty and ruthless. Gave me a pile of cash to hit her sister’s car… said just to injure her, stop the wedding. Who knew that bitch’s life was so cheap, she rolled right off the cliff…” “…Afterwards, the eldest daughter gave me hush money to disappear. Heh, with that money, I’ve been living like a king…” The recording wasn’t long, but it exploded like a bomb in everyone’s ears. My parents’ faces drained of color instantly. Ella stopped twitching, staring at Julian with utter disbelief and despair. “No… not true… this isn’t real…” she mumbled, voice broken. Julian stopped the recording and threw the phone at my father’s feet. “Father-in-law, you shouldn’t be unfamiliar with this voice.” “Ten years ago, the one who handled the aftermath of Emma’s accident was this Captain Wang. He took 500,000 in bribes from the Jiang family to hastily rule a murder as an accident.” He paused, a cruel arc forming on his lips. “And that thug who caused the accident didn’t die either. He is currently in my basement, waiting for a reunion with his old lover, my dear wife, Ms. Ella Jiang.” 3 When the thug was brought up, the air in the banquet hall seemed to solidify. He was beaten black and blue, dragged like a dead dog by two bodyguards, and thrown in front of Ella. Ten years of easy living made him fat, but that face, those cloudy, greedy eyes—Ella and my parents recognized him instantly. “Ah!” Ella let out a piercing scream, crawling backward on hands and knees, trying to get away from the man. My parents were shaking, pointing at Julian, lips trembling, unable to form a sentence. “You… you…” Julian ignored them. He squatted down, grabbed the thug’s chin, and forced him to look into Ella’s terrified eyes. “Look closely. Is it her?” Scared out of his wits by the killing intent in Julian’s eyes, the thug nodded frantically. “It’s her! It’s her! Mr. Chen, she ordered everything back then! She said if I stopped her sister’s wedding, she’d give me a huge sum…” “Shut up! Shut up!” Ella screamed hysterically, cutting him off. Her hair was a mess, makeup ruined like a ghost. Not a trace of the elegant wealthy wife remained. “Julian, listen to me! It’s not like that! I was tricked by him! He… he blackmailed me!” “Blackmailed you?” Julian sneered. “Then what about this child?” He threw a document onto Ella’s face. A paternity test report, black ink on white paper, like a death warrant. “Ella, I had a vasectomy ten years ago. After Emma died, I never planned to have any children.” “Whose bastard is in your belly?” Ella’s crying stopped abruptly. She looked at the report in disbelief, then at Julian, and finally her gaze landed on the dying infant. The “Golden Grandson” she used to solidify her status and inherit the billions. Now, it was a joke. Irrefutable proof of her infidelity and promiscuity. “No…” She broke down completely, holding her head, letting out inhuman wails. My parents collapsed too. It was over. Everything was over. They schemed for ten years, thinking they finally flew up the branch to become phoenixes. In the end, it was all for nothing. The so-called billionaire heir was a bastard! My mom suddenly went crazy, rushing up to slap Ella’s face left and right. “You slut! Shameless thing! You’ve lost all the Jiang family’s face!” “How dare you! How dare you do such a thing!” My dad recovered too, roaring at Ella. “We raised you for nothing all these years! This is how you repay us? Huh?” A luxurious night banquet turned into an ugly farce. Guests pointed, reporters’ cameras faithfully recorded everything. The Jiang family was finished. From today on, they would be the city’s laughingstock. And the orchestrator of all this, Julian Chen, just watched coldly. Like watching a monkey show that had nothing to do with him. Only when Ella was beaten half to death by my mom did he wave his hand, letting bodyguards pull them apart. “Don’t kill her yet.” His voice was terrifyingly calm. “I haven’t told you why she and your precious grandson fell ill.” He turned to the master who was already scared silly. “Master, tell them what ‘Midnight Soul-Breaking Powder’ is.” The master walked out trembling, falling to his knees. “Mr. Chen, spare me! Spare me!” “This ‘Midnight Soul-Breaking Powder’ is an ancient poison. Colorless, tasteless. Mixed into food, even gods can’t detect it. The poisoned person will feel like ten thousand ants eating their heart every midnight and noon. Bone-piercing pain. Day after day, until their essence is exhausted and they die.” “And this poison passes from mother to fetus.” “The young master… he… carried the poison from the womb…” Hearing this, my parents were struck by lightning, standing frozen. They looked at the infant with blue skin and weak breath on the hospital bed, then at Ella who was like mud on the ground. The last light in their eyes went out. “The poison… you poisoned them?” My dad asked hoarsely. Julian didn’t deny it. “Yes.” He looked at Ella. No love, no hate in his eyes. Only dead barrenness. “The bird’s nest soup I fed you daily, the milk I fed that bastard… I added something to all of it.” “Ella, you made me lose my love and my unborn child.” “I will make you, and your bastard, taste what it means to live a life worse than death.” 4 The sky fell on the Jiang family. Overnight, Jiang Group stocks hit limit down, partners withdrew investment, banks called in loans. The empire my father spent his life building collapsed instantly under Julian’s thunderous revenge. Media coverage was overwhelming, headlines shocking. [Billionaire Wife Swap: Sister Murdered, Elder Sister Takes Over with Bastard Child!] [Ten-Year Scam: Chen CEO’s Revenge, Jiang Family Becomes Laughingstock!] [Venomous Heart: Sister Murders Sister to Marry into Wealth!] My parents became rats crossing the street; everyone shouted to beat them. As glorious as they were before, they were that pathetic now. Villas seized, luxury cars towed. Even buying groceries meant getting pelted with rotten leaves. They finally understood what it meant to be deserted by all, to have nothing. They came to find Julian, kneeling outside his company, begging with snot and tears. “Julian, for Emma’s sake, give us a way out!” “We know we were wrong! We really know!” Julian looked down coldly from the floor-to-ceiling window on the top floor at the two tiny figures below. Like looking at ants. He didn’t go down. He just had his assistant send them something. A USB drive. Inside was a video. Ten years ago, in a VIP hospital room. I lay on the bed, covered in tubes, vital signs weak. My parents stood by the bed. No sadness on their faces, only impatience and calculation. “Why isn’t this girl dead yet? Every day is another medical bill,” my mom complained. My dad frowned, looking at the door, lowering his voice. “Wait a bit. After Ella and Julian’s wedding, we’ll say… rescue efforts failed.” “Wait for what! Long nights bring many dreams!” My mom’s eyes turned vicious. “She’s a vegetable anyway. Keeping her is a burden. Why don’t we…” She reached out, slowly moving toward my oxygen tube. “…give her a hand.” The video ended there. I floated in the air, watching my parents’ faces twist in extreme terror. So, my death wasn’t an accident, wasn’t fate. It was my own parents, paving the way for their “Golden Phoenix,” who pulled my oxygen plug with their own hands. They suffocated me to death. Julian’s assistant stood before them, conveying his boss’s words expressionlessly. “Mr. Chen says he has already given this video to the police.” “Also, Mr. Chen found out some other things.” The assistant paused, tone mocking. “For example, that fortune teller’s prophecy that Miss Emma would be ‘shameless and become a beggar.’ It was actually because since she was a teenager, Miss Emma secretly donated all her allowance to a homeless shelter. She often volunteered, chatting with homeless people, bringing them food.” “In those people’s eyes, she wasn’t bad luck. She was an angel.” “But the Jiang family twisted this kindness into ‘fooling around with beggars’.” “Truly laughable.” My parents were completely dumbfounded. They stood there blankly, as if their souls had been sucked out. They always thought I was a stain that would shame the family. They used that ridiculous prophecy to define my life, feeling justified in their coldness, cruelty… even murder. But in the end, they discovered that what they destroyed with their own hands was the only light in their family. Regret and despair drowned them like a tide. They finally understood that Julian’s revenge wasn’t for money or power. He wanted to execute their hearts. He wanted them to rot slowly in endless regret and pain.

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