Author: Momo Chan

The Alpha heir of the Moonclaw Pack, Lucian Blackwood, made a bet with his friends. He bet he could make me fall for him within a month. He was gentle, attentive, and incredibly generous. He acted like every girl’s dream boyfriend. Everyone in the academy envied me. They said I scored an Alpha heir and wouldn’t have to struggle for the rest of my life. After all, on the surface, I was just a weak werewolf who couldn’t even summon her own wolf. Everyone thought I only got into this elite academy because my father happened to be a minor Alpha. Behind my back, they were placing bets. They wanted to see how hard I would cry on the last day of the one-month deadline. But none of them knew the truth. I was actually the only daughter of the Alpha King. And my wolf was watching every single one of them from the shadows, picking out my future mate. My name is Elena Silverwood. According to my files at the Royal Wolf Academy, I came from a small, insignificant pack. To make things worse, my scent was so faint that I smelled like a weak, wolf-less human. On my very first day, my roommate, Nora Hart, dragged me into our dorm and locked the door. She looked terrified as she tried to teach me the survival rules of the academy. “Elena, you need to listen to me. There are two types of people here.” She lowered her voice, pointing out the window at a neon pink Porsche speeding away. “First, there are regular wolves like us, with no inheritance rights.” “Second, there are the pack heirs who drive luxury sports cars to class.” “Especially the circle led by Lucian Blackwood, the Alpha heir of the Moonclaw Pack. You must stay away from them at all costs!” Nora’s expression was dead serious. “They are literal demons!” “Lucian Blackwood is a notorious player. He changes girlfriends faster than he changes his shirts!” I paused, holding my mug halfway to my mouth, and looked at her. “What do you mean?” Seeing how calm I was, Nora got so anxious her voice started to shake. “I overheard him talking to his friends. He bet them he could make you his girlfriend within a month.” “And once he gets you, he’s going to Mark you and then Reject you. This isn’t the first time he’s done this!” Disgust and fear washed over Nora’s face. “He plays the devoted boyfriend until he Marks the girl. Then, he publicly Rejects her. He loves the power trip of destroying people!” We all knew that if a werewolf was Rejected, the emotional and spiritual damage was devastating. For weaker wolves, a Rejection could literally kill their inner wolf. Nora grabbed my arm tightly. “Last semester, a girl from the herbology department was Targeted by him. After he Rejected her, she lost her wolf and ended up in a mental asylum.” “So, Elena, you are beautiful. Too beautiful. Please, don’t let him catch your eye!” I patted Nora’s tense shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’m just here to study.” But as Nora looked into my eyes, she shivered for some reason she couldn’t explain. That same night, in an exclusive VIP lounge. Brittany Frost leaned in close to Lucian with a smirk. “Lucian, remember our bet? Elena Silverwood. One month. Do you dare?” Lucian Blackwood swirled his red wine, looking lazy and arrogant on the velvet sofa. He raised an eyebrow, staying silent. Brittany kept pushing. “What, are you scared? I heard she’s a hard nut to crack. If you can make her yours, Mark her, and Reject her in thirty days—now that would be a real show.” Hearing this, Lucian set his glass down and smirked. “Are you playing reverse psychology on me? Fine. I’m in.” “I’ll play with her for a month.”

From that day on, my school life became very… entertaining. Everywhere I went, I “accidentally” ran into Lucian. In the cafeteria line, he would slide in behind me and swipe his black card. “Hey, classmate. It’s fate. Lunch is on me.” On the training field, he insisted on partnering with me. He would purposely lose to me and flash what he thought was a panty-dropping smile. I decided to visit the local coffee shop—the one my father secretly bought for me—to learn how to brew coffee just for fun. Thinking I was a poor student working a grueling part-time job, Lucian bought out the entire shop’s inventory for the day and distributed it to random students on the street, just so I could get off work early. “Don’t work so hard, Elena. Let me take care of you.” I had to use every ounce of my willpower not to roll my eyes. Within a single week, rumors spread like wildfire across the academy. Lucian Blackwood was madly pursuing a nobody. I became the target of envy for every girl on campus. Every time I returned to the dorm, Nora looked at me like I was walking straight into a trap. “Elena! I told you to stay away from him!” I held up my hands innocently. “I try, but he just keeps showing up.” “Do not fall for him!” Nora practically begged. “He’s just playing with you!” I nodded. “I know what I’m doing, Nora. Don’t worry.” Of course I knew. Every time Lucian put on his sweet, devoted boyfriend act, I could see Brittany and her friends hiding nearby, recording everything on their phones. Well, let them record. My face looks perfect from every angle anyway. A few days later, Brittany threw her birthday party at the Golden Age, an ultra-exclusive private club. Lucian texted me on Snapchat, asking me to be his date. I purposely replied: *That place is too expensive. I don’t have a dress.* Ten minutes later, he showed up at my dorm lobby holding a designer garment bag. Inside was a custom midnight-blue gown. It was worth six figures. “Wear this. Tonight, you are my princess.” The girls in the lobby gasped. “Oh my god, is that a custom gown? That dress costs more than our annual tuition!” “Elena Silverwood is so lucky!” I looked at the dress, pretending to be so moved that I was on the verge of tears. Honestly? The price of this dress was barely enough to buy a pair of my designer socks. I put on the dress and arrived at the club with Lucian. The Golden Age was actually my eighteenth birthday present from my father. It was one of the least expensive properties under my name. The moment we walked in, the club manager’s eyes lit up. He rushed toward us, preparing to bow. I shot him a cold glare. The sharp manager immediately understood, spun on his heel smoothly, and went to greet other guests as if nothing had happened. When the birthday girl, Brittany, saw me, she couldn’t hide the jealousy in her eyes. “Elena, you look so pretty tonight. Lucian sure has expensive taste.” She leaned in, whispering in my ear. “But be careful with that rental dress. If you ruin it, you won’t be able to pay for it even if you sell your kidney.” I just smiled and said nothing. During the party, Lucian was the perfect gentleman. He cut my steak, blocked people from offering me drinks, and gently adjusted my necklace. Every detail was straight out of a romance movie. He pulled me in front of his elite circle, announcing proudly, “Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Elena.” His friends cheered and congratulated us, but their eyes were filled with mockery and amusement. I played my part perfectly, acting like a shy, starstruck girl. Halfway through the party, I went to the restroom and overheard Brittany mind-linking her friends. Because of my bloodline, I could easily intercept their private mind links. *“Britt, did Lucian go too far this time? He bought her a custom gown. He isn’t actually falling for that charity case, is he?”* Brittany laughed coldly in the link. *“Are you kidding? I lent him that dress. It’s just a bet. If we don’t set the bait, how will the fish bite?”* Another girl chimed in with a giggle. *“You’re brilliant, Britt! Letting that poor girl think she’s made it to the top. When he Marks and Rejects her, the fall is going to destroy her!”* Brittany’s voice turned vicious. *“Just wait. The one-month mark is in a few days. I can’t wait to see her beg on her knees, crying with a broken bond in front of the whole school!”* They thought their mind link was perfectly secure. They had no idea I heard every single word.

After Brittany’s party, Lucian’s pursuit became even more intense. Every morning, he would wait outside my dorm with a gourmet breakfast. He even skipped his Alpha heir training just to sit with me in my boring combat theory classes. When other students mocked me for my weak physical strength, he immediately stood up and shielded me. On my “birthday”—a fake date I made up—he delivered a limited-edition designer watch to my dorm in front of Nora. Nora’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. She dragged me to the balcony, her face pale with worry. “Elena, tell me the truth. Have you really fallen for him?” I ran my finger over the luxury watch and smiled gently. “Of course not.” “Then why are you accepting these insanely expensive gifts?!” Nora’s voice cracked. “A guy like him doesn’t give things away for free. You’ll have to pay it back with interest. How are you going to do that?” I patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry.” “He’s the one who’s going to pay.” The next day, Nora and I were eating in the cafeteria. Brittany and her squad walked past our table. As she passed me, she tilted her tray, spilling a bowl of boiling hot, spicy ramen straight toward me. Even though I dodged quickly, the hot broth splashed all over my arm. “Oh my god!” Nora screamed, grabbing napkins to wipe me down. Brittany looked down at me, a fake gasp escaping her lips. “Oops! My hand slipped.” She sneered at my T-shirt. “Well, that shirt looks like a $15 thrift store piece anyway. Here’s three hundred-dollar bills. Go buy yourself ten more.” My eye twitched. This blind bitch. The T-shirt I was wearing was a custom-made silk blend. It cost more than her entire outfit. I had spent twenty minutes searching my walk-in closet just to find the most “ordinary-looking” shirt, and she ruined it. She tossed three bills onto the table like she was throwing bones at a dog. My inner wolf bared her fangs. *Let me rip her throat out!* she snarled in my mind. I calmed my wolf down. *Not yet, girl. The test isn’t over.* Suddenly, a figure rushed over. Lucian shoved Brittany aside so hard she stumbled back several steps. He grabbed my arm, checking me with panic in his eyes. “Are you okay? Did you get burned? Is it bad?” He spun around and glared at Brittany. “Are you crazy, Brittany? Apologize to Elena right now!” Brittany’s eyes welled with tears. “Lucian, it was an accident!” “I said, apologize!” Frightened by his rage, Brittany mumbled a quick, “I’m sorry.” Before she could finish, Lucian swept me up in his arms and carried me toward the clinic under the gaze of the entire cafeteria. “I’m so sorry, Elena,” he whispered, his voice cracking with guilt. “I failed to protect you.” I buried my face in his chest, my shoulders shaking as if I were crying. “It’s not your fault… I’m just too weak. If only I had my wolf…” I sobbed, while secretly rolling my eyes. Lucian squeezed me tighter. “Elena, believe me. No one will ever bully you again.” Leaning against him, the mixture of his heavy cologne and the smell of spicy ramen on my arm was making me nauseous. If my dad found out I let myself get splashed for this drama, he would lose his mind. But thankfully, the testing phase was finally over.

The one-month deadline had arrived. I received a text from Lucian. *Meet me at Lakeview Park tonight at 7 PM. I have something really important to tell you.* I replied: *Okay. I have a surprise gift for you too.* Nora saw my reply and started pacing the room frantically. “Elena, are you out of your mind?! Why are you going? What if he tries to force a Mark on you? You won’t be able to fight him off!” “I know,” I said calmly. “That’s why I prepared a very special gift for him.” A gift he would remember for the rest of his miserable life. That evening, I walked into Lakeview Park. Lucian was standing by the water. He looked like a prince from a fairytale, but beneath his charming smile, I could see the greedy excitement he was trying to hide. In the dark shadows of the woods, Brittany and the other heirs were already holding up their phones, recording. “Elena.” He stepped closer, his voice soft as if coaxing a scared puppy. “Did you enjoy this past month with me?” I nodded, giving him a shy, innocent smile. “Good.” He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair from my shoulder. “Actually, the reason I called you out here today is…” He paused, his eyes locked onto my neck. A flicker of raw hunger flashed in his eyes. “I want to Mark you.” He said it so smoothly, as if it were the most romantic proposal in the world. I froze for a second, then lowered my head, keeping my voice hesitant. “Are you… serious?” “Of course,” he murmured, taking another step forward and grabbing my wrists. “You know how much I care about you. Elena, I love you. Let me Mark you, okay?” He leaned down, his fangs extending, heading straight for my scent gland. But before his teeth could touch my skin, I shoved him back with sudden, brutal force. “Lucian Blackwood,” I said, my voice dropping all pretense. It was ice-cold. “Do you really think I don’t know what you’re doing?” “You wanted to Mark me, and then Reject me, right?” His face stiffened. “I knew about your bet with Brittany from day one. Woo me in a month, Mark me, and Reject me in public. That’s your little game, isn’t it?” Lucian stared at me for a few seconds. Then, he laughed. It wasn’t a laugh of anger, but of amusement. He didn’t even care that he was caught. “Impressive,” he said, tilting his head. “When did you find out?” “From the very beginning.” “And you still played along for a whole month?” He smirked. “You’ve got guts, Elena.” “I just wanted to see how disgusting you could truly be.” He shrugged, showing absolutely no remorse. “Well, what a waste.” He looked me up and down with a sleazy grin. “I really wanted to taste what a wolf-less human felt like. Great body, pretty face. It’s a shame I didn’t get to sleep with you.” From the shadows, Brittany and her friends couldn’t hold back anymore. They walked out of the woods, phones still recording. Since the “Marking” plan failed, they decided to jump straight to the humiliation part. I smiled, unclamping the luxury watch from my wrist. Then, right in front of them, I tossed it into the air. The watch drew a perfect arc in the sky and splashed straight into the deep lake. Brittany shrieked. “My watch! Elena, you crazy bitch!” “Lucian, you were right. A watch of this quality really doesn’t suit me,” I said smoothly. “I’ve never seen such a cheap ‘limited edition’ watch in my life.” “As for this dress…” I turned to Brittany, my eyes scanning her. “Take a closer look. Is this really the rental dress your mother lent Lucian?” One of Brittany’s friends squinted and whispered in terror, “Britt… that’s not your dress. That looks like the custom starlight gown designed exclusively for the Alpha King’s daughter!” Brittany smacked her arm. “Are you insane?! How could a wolf-less orphan like her wear something like that?” I ignored them. I turned back to Lucian, giving him one last look. “Lucian, I’m tired of playing with you guys.” “The trial period is over. As a candidate for my arranged marriage…” “You are disqualified.”

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On Valentine’s Day, I was shopping alone at the mall. Across the street, a motel was on fire. Through the rising black smoke, I saw Damon—my mate, my Alpha, the man who told me he was out patrolling our borders—running out of the building. He was shirtless, holding a strange woman tightly in his arms. The woman clung to his neck, her voice dripping with mock worry. “Aren’t you afraid your Luna will find out about us?” Damon let out a low, husky chuckle. “We’re miles away from the Packhouse. Even her wolf can’t feel a thing out here. I’m not done with you yet. Let’s find another motel.” The next second, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Damon on Snapchat: *“Sweetheart, some urgent pack business came up at the border. I’ll be home late.”* At that exact moment, the bond in my heart went completely cold. I finally let him go. The moment I stepped back into the Packhouse, my phone rang. It was Damon. “Babe, why didn’t you reply to my snap?” In the past, I would reply to his messages within seconds. Now, just a few minutes of silence made him call me directly. I remembered all the times I had called him, only for him to ignore me or decline my calls whenever he pleased. I had been too submissive, too accommodating. “I was busy,” I replied, my voice completely flat. On the other end of the line, I heard a faint, muffled whisper. *“Did your mate find out?”* Even though Damon tried to cover the microphone, I could still hear his low murmur: *“Impossible. She trusts me blindly.”* Then came the creaking of bed springs, followed by his heavy, ragged breathing. *“Slow down… I’ll feed you soon, don’t worry.”* A wave of disgust washed over me. “Do you need anything else?” Damon tried to steady his breathing, forcing his voice to sound normal. “I left some fresh steaks in the freezer for you. Grill them if you’re hungry.” “Also, don’t overwork yourself with the pack duties lately. Take a rest.” The background noises grew more intense. Damon practically trembled as he gasped out, “Clara, wait for me to come home—” before the phone apparently dropped to the floor. *“Aren’t you afraid she’ll catch us?”* the woman’s voice mocked. Damon’s voice instantly went cold. *“You and I are just having fun. If you dare let her know, we are over!”* I didn’t want to hear another word of his lies. I hung up the phone and walked into the main hall. I had been his Luna for six years. I had given him all my respect, my strength, and my unwavering support. Looking up at the giant pack portrait hanging on the wall, I felt nothing but a sharp, mocking irony. When Damon finally returned to the Packhouse, I was in the middle of taking that portrait down. The flush on his cheeks hadn’t fully faded. Seeing me holding the frame, he paused for a fraction of a second. Then, with perfect ease, he said, “Yeah, I was thinking that photo looks a bit old anyway. It’s time for a new one.” He walked over, wrapping his arms around my waist. His eyes were bright, filled with a warmth that now felt completely fake. “I know a great photographer in the city. Let’s go take a new one together.” Without giving me a chance to reject, he headed straight to the kitchen to grill the steaks for me. In the past, if he had mentioned a new name, I would have questioned him immediately. But this time, I said nothing. My silence made him uneasy. “Aren’t you going to ask me who the photographer is?” My hand paused as I sorted through some pack documents. I didn’t even look up. “It’s not surprising for an Alpha to know people. It’s just a photo anyway.” That was the exact line Damon used to use on me. Now that I was throwing it back at him, he actually looked relieved. “Right. By the way, Clara, don’t go to the training grounds today. Just take a break.” I didn’t argue. There was no point in torturing myself. Just then, his phone on the table lit up with a Snapchat notification. *“Baby, was she satisfied with the little show we put on for her?”* My heart turned to ice. So, all of Damon’s sudden care and attention today was just a calculated act to keep me unsuspecting. Before I could even move my eyes away, Damon rushed over and snatched the phone. “Clara! We agreed to trust each other. You shouldn’t be looking at my phone!” In his haste, the metal tray in his hand scraped hard against my forearm. It didn’t break the skin, but it bruised. I frowned. I took a step back, turning to walk away and tend to it. Damon, sensing the tension, quickly grabbed my shoulder. “Let’s go for a walk in the city. I know a new boutique that opened up. You’ll love it.” I stared into his eyes. He quickly averted his gaze, unable to look at me directly. I clenched my fists, suppressing the urge to tear his throat out. “Fine. Let’s go.”

Once we arrived in the city, Damon behaved like the perfect mate. He accompanied me to several stores, holding all my shopping bags. It wasn’t until we walked into a high-end jewelry store that he made an excuse about an urgent pack call and stepped outside. I told him to go ahead while I browsed. But as I walked near the glass exit, I heard his voice from the alleyway. “So, how does it feel, dating me right under her nose? You love the thrill, don’t you?” Ah. No wonder he was so eager to take me shopping today. He had planned to meet his little toy here all along. I turned to leave, but his next words froze me in my tracks. “She won’t find out, right? I don’t want any trouble.” “After all, my heart belongs to her, but my body is yours.” “Just make sure you don’t leave any marks she can see.” So, this was my mate. The man who swore to protect me. My nails dug so deep into my palms that they drew blood. I walked out of the jewelry store in a daze, sitting on a public bench for what felt like hours. When I finally looked up, I saw the woman, Iris, walking out of the jewelry store. Damon was right behind her. Damon walked by her side, looking slightly awkward when he spotted me. “Clara, this is Iris. She… happened to be in the store too.” “Is that so?” I murmured. What was I even supposed to say? I forced a cold smile, unable to utter another word. Damon stood so close to Iris that they looked like the actual couple. Iris took a step forward, pretending to trip over my feet. She let out a soft gasp and stumbled. I frowned and stepped back to avoid her, but Iris gracefully let herself fall to the ground anyway. Damon’s face immediately darkened. In front of the crowd of shoppers, he yelled, “Clara! I know you’re upset, but why would you push a human?” “You’re a Luna! Where is your grace?” Without waiting for my response, he knelt down to help Iris up. His eyes were filled with deep, genuine concern. He used to look at me that way. Now, that gaze belonged to someone else. Watching him cradle her so gently, I let out a mocking laugh. “Damon, I reject you.” He froze, finally registering the coldness in my eyes. “I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice,” he stammered, panic briefly flickering in his eyes. But then he hardened his posture again. “But still, you shouldn’t have pushed her.” I laughed out loud, pointing at the security camera right above us. “Damon, say that again. Did I push her, or did she put on a pathetic show for you?” Iris’s eyes welled with tears. She looked up at Damon, letting a tear fall at the perfect moment. “Damon, please don’t fight because of me. Clara didn’t push me.” “It was… I just lost my footing.” Her crying completely shattered Damon’s remaining logic. His face turned entirely cold. “Clara, enough!” “I brought you out to relax. Iris is just a weak human. Why do you have to keep tormenting her?” Seeing Damon so desperate to defend her, so eager to prove me wrong in public, I felt a strange sense of peace. It was the complete opposite of the boy who once swore to love me forever. I looked at him calmly. “Damon, do you really think I’m blind?” A cold smile touched my lips. “You keep saying she’s just a regular human, yet you have all the time in the world to buy her expensive jewelry?”

I expected him to feel ashamed, but instead, he became defensive and arrogant. “What’s wrong with buying her a gift? Why are you so desperately jealous?” “Clara, just because you see me talking to another woman doesn’t mean something is going on.” “There is nothing between us. If there were, do you really think you’d still be standing here as my Luna?” If I hadn’t seen them holding hands inside the jewelry store with my own eyes, I might have believed him. He had always been so good at acting innocent. A few members of our pack who happened to be nearby started whispering. “The Alpha was nice enough to bring her out, and she’s embarrassing him over a human?” “So jealous. How is she fit to be our Luna?” I took a deep breath. I wasn’t going to fight him in the human territory. But Damon took my silence as a victory. Hearing the pack members take his side, his chest puffed up. He put on a grand show of generosity. “Fine, Clara. I know you’re only acting out because you care about me.” “How about this? Apologize to Iris, and we’ll go home. I’ll let this slide.” He spoke as if he were granting me a royal pardon. He always did this. He took my love for granted, pushing my boundaries over and over. But he forgot that even a Luna’s patience has limits. In the past, I would have let it go to keep the peace. Not today. Iris chimed in, her voice sweet and sickening. “Yes, Clara. Just a quick apology and we can all move on. I won’t hold a grudge.” She looked at me, her eyes filled with triumph. As she reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, my eyes caught on something shiny around her neck. That necklace… I stared at it, my voice trembling as I looked at Damon. “Is that… my necklace?” That necklace was an heirloom left to me by my grandmother. It was blessed by the Moon Goddess, infused with silver and moonlight to protect the wearer. Years ago, when Damon was gravely injured in an ambush by a rogue pack, I used my own blood to heal him. I gave him that necklace, praying the Goddess would keep him safe. I had given him my heart, my blood, and my family’s legacy. And now, it was hanging around a human’s neck. Damon knew exactly what that necklace meant to me. He had promised me he would never take it off. And yet… Damon choked on his words, his face turning pale before he quickly recovered. “She’s just a human, Clara. She didn’t know any better. She said it looked pretty, so I let her borrow it.” “You’re a strong wolf, you don’t need protection. What’s the big deal if she wears it for a couple of days?” He avoided my eyes. “Surely you aren’t going to throw a tantrum over a piece of jewelry?” I didn’t answer him. Instead, I asked, “What did you promise me, Damon?” I watched the panic finally settle deep into his eyes. I pointed at the necklace around Iris’s neck. “We are done, Damon. I, Clara, reject you as my mate.” I turned my back on them and walked away. I went back to the Packhouse alone. That night, Damon stormed into my bedroom. “I don’t accept your rejection!” he roared, slamming the door as he left. The next morning, I woke up early and took the pack pups to the mountains to play, just like I did every week.

It didn’t take long for Damon to find me. He marched up the mountain path, standing tall and looming over me. “Have you thrown your tantrum yet? Pack your things and come back to the master bedroom.” I stood up, gesturing for the pups to keep playing a little further away. I turned to him. “I’m not throwing a tantrum. I was very clear. We are over.” His eyes darkened with dangerous Alpha aura. “And I said, I don’t accept it.” I looked straight into his eyes, unfazed by his pressure. “You can keep my body here, Damon, but you will never have my heart again.” He let out a cold sneer. “I don’t need your heart. I just need you to perform your duties as Luna.” I remained silent, turning my back on him to return to the children. Damon stared at my back for a long moment before letting out an irritated growl and walking away. Not long after he left, a sharp, burning smell filled the air. I looked up. Thick black smoke was rising rapidly from the southern ridge. Wildfire. “Everyone, gather around! We need to head down the mountain right now!” I yelled, gathering the terrified pups. Meanwhile, halfway down the mountain, Damon’s phone rang. *“Alpha! The southern ridge is on fire! The pups are still up there!”* Damon’s heart stopped. He turned and sprinted back up the mountain. When he reached the tree line, he saw a figure moving through the blazing heat and thick smoke. It was me. I was carrying the last of the pups, shielding them with my own body as I brought them to safety. He immediately ordered the pack warriors to extinguish the fire while he rushed toward the flames. By the time the fire was controlled, all the pups were safe. But I was gone. Damon stood on the charred earth, staring at the empty, blackened slope. He couldn’t speak. A pack warrior approached him, bowing his head. “Alpha… after the Luna pushed the last pup to safety, she… she ran back into the smoke. We couldn’t find her.” The search lasted for three days. On the morning of the fourth day, they found footprints leading across the pack border. Damon stood before those footprints, suddenly remembering my words: *“You will accept it.”* Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a Snapchat from Iris. He didn’t want to look, but he did anyway. *“Damon, if Clara is gone forever, will you finally come back to me?”* Iris’s voice over the audio message sounded frantic, almost guilty. Damon’s mind was blank. “What do you mean?” he texted back. Iris replied instantly: *“I mean, if Clara dies, you can finally accept me, right?”* *“I started the fire on the southern ridge. I knew she would go save those pups, so…”* In the distance, a thunderous crack echoed through the forest. Damon’s hands shook violently, his knuckles turning white. He spun around, slamming his fist into a massive pine tree. The trunk cracked under his Alpha strength.

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I just got back from a business trip and went to see Vivian, our CFO, to get my travel expenses reimbursed. The moment I handed over the receipts, she didn’t even look at them. She just pushed them aside. “Leave them there. I don’t have time to review them this week.” “But Kevin submitted his yesterday and already got paid today,” I pointed out. Vivian didn’t even look up. “Kevin’s paperwork was perfect. Yours needs a thorough check. What, can’t wait? You sales people make so much money anyway. Just pay out of pocket for now.” With that, she closed her hand cream and called over the new guy, Kevin. “Come on, Kevin. A new dessert place just opened downstairs. My treat.” After Vivian left, my coworker Mike casually sent a text message. Instantly, our biggest client replied that they would delay the final payment for another six months. Lisa simply made a quick phone call. And a client we’ve partnered with for five years immediately put their contract renewal on hold. As for me? I texted my dad. “We can fire the CFO of our company now.”

To be honest, standing at the door of the finance department, looking at our expense reports rejected for the third time, the three of us were completely stunned. Before the trip, Vivian had practically sworn she would process them the second we got back. Yet Kevin’s was approved instantly. Meanwhile, the three of us—the actual sales reps who had spent a grueling week on the road bringing in business—kept getting rejected. Can someone translate what “as soon as possible” means in her dictionary? Seeing the irritation on our faces, Vivian clapped her hands. “You three are the backbone of our sales team. Making you visit the finance department a few more times is just to help you get familiar with company procedures. That way, you won’t make mistakes in the future!” Mike was the first to lose his patience. He frowned. “Vivian, we just got back. If there’s something wrong with our reports, can you at least tell us what it is?” “Besides, why did Kevin get fully reimbursed for a five-star hotel, while our budget motel rooms were flagged as ‘over budget’?” Right then, Kevin let out a soft chuckle. “Mike, aren’t you just playing dumb?” “Vivian always goes by the book. Your sales team submits way too many receipts. Of course she has to audit them carefully.” “You guys turn in more expense reports every month than the rest of the company combined. The company has to watch its budget, right?” The moment Kevin said that, the three of us understood. Vivian and Kevin simply thought we were spending too much. But every single expense was strictly within the company’s policy. We were on business trips, meeting clients. Every penny had a receipt. Everything was totally legit. Besides, yeah, our expenses were high, but the revenue we brought in was ten times higher! But when I pointed this out, Kevin just smiled condescendingly. “Sarah, that’s not fair.” “Vivian is doing this for the company’s best interest. How can you say she’s targeting you?” Realizing it was useless to argue with Kevin, Lisa turned directly to Vivian. “Vivian, you need to give us an explanation. The three of us bust our asses bringing in clients. Is this really how the company treats us?” Lisa’s voice cracked slightly with frustration. After all, she was a veteran employee who had been here since the company’s second year. Before Vivian could even reply, Joey from accounting poked his head out. “Lisa, your sales department’s monthly expenses are literally worth six months of our salaries. What’s wrong with waiting a couple of days?” Liam, another accountant, chimed in. “Exactly. Vivian works overtime every day to review your files, and you’re still complaining?” Someone muttered from the corner, “Well, they’re top sales reps. Of course they look down on us lowly accountants.” Hearing them blindly kiss up to Vivian made my blood boil. I raised my voice. “Let’s keep things separate. Your expenses get approved instantly, don’t they?” “Vivian, we travel for company business. Are you saying we should pay for work trips out of our own pockets?” Right during this tense standoff, Mike pulled out his phone and flashed a screenshot. “Vivian, you say we exceeded the budget. Then how do you explain this?” On the screen was Kevin’s Instagram story from last weekend. It showed a luxury oceanfront room at a five-star hotel with the caption, “Giving myself a weekend getaway,” geo-tagged in Miami. “$588 a night, approved instantly. We stayed at a $149 budget motel, and our requests were rejected three times. Is this your definition of ‘by the book’?” Kevin’s face turned pale. He lunged to grab the phone. “Why are you stalking my Instagram?!” “If you’re brave enough to post it, don’t cry when people see it!” Mike sneered. Vivian’s expression darkened. She snatched the phone, glanced at it, froze for a second, and then slapped it face down on the desk. “Kevin was meeting an important client. The policy is different for that.” But her voice was noticeably quieter, and she avoided our eyes. “What important client? His caption literally says ‘weekend getaway’!” Lisa added, twisting the knife. The surrounding colleagues began to whisper. Kevin’s face turned beet red. He pointed at Lisa. “Y-You’re targeting me!” Vivian slammed her hand on the desk. “Enough! If you three have a problem with company policy, you can pack your bags and leave! Stop making a scene here!” She took a deep breath, softening her tone slightly. “Alright, stop wasting my time.” Vivian waved her hand dismissively. “Kevin, grab last quarter’s reports. We’re having a meeting downstairs. As for you three, leave the files here. I’ll look at them when I have time.” She walked to the door, then turned back to add, “Oh, and book economy class for your next trip. The company is cutting costs.” With that, she left with the other accountants. Leaving the three of us stranded right outside her office door! But the very second Vivian walked away, all three of us pulled out our phones.

The three of us looked at our phones, typed something quickly, and locked our screens at the same time. Mike spoke first, “If she wants to play dirty, I’ll play dirty too!” “That $3 million outstanding payment from my client? I’m telling them they can delay it for another six months!” Lisa shrugged right after him. “Don’t worry. My biggest client, who has been with me for three years, won’t be renewing their contract next year.” I put my phone away and lowered my voice. “Mike, Lisa, don’t rush. Listen to me, I have a plan.” They both looked at me, confused. “I know you’re furious,” I continued. “But I have a better way. Give me three days, and I’ll make Vivian ruin herself. But for now, we need to play cool. Don’t confront her. Tell your clients to hold off, but don’t actually break the contracts yet.” Mike frowned. “What plan? You can’t even get your expenses approved.” I smiled. “It’s not the reimbursement I can’t handle. It’s the web of corruption Vivian built. Trust me. In less than a week, both Vivian and Kevin will be fired. But I need you to play along. Ask your clients to drop hints that they’re ‘unsatisfied’ and ‘reconsider our partnership.’ Once this is over, I promise you won’t lose a single client.” Lisa stared at me for a few seconds. “Sarah, are you hiding something from us?” I nodded. “Yes. But I can’t tell you yet. You’ll find out when the time is right.” Mike and Lisa exchanged a glance and finally agreed. Honestly, out of the three sales reps, I was the youngest and had the least seniority. But I had a secret they didn’t know. My family owned this company. I wasn’t here just to pass the time. My dad wanted me to start from the bottom to understand the real issues in the company. Over the past few months, I had discovered problems that went far beyond Vivian. Now that Vivian had decided to cross all three of us, it was the perfect opportunity. The evidence I had gathered in secret over the last few months went way beyond simple travel expenses. I had amassed plenty of evidence of Vivian and Kevin taking kickbacks and falsifying accounts. It was time to clean house. We went back to our desks and kept working. A little later, I went to the breakroom to get some water. As I passed the stairwell, I heard Kevin’s voice from inside. “Vivian, do you think they’ll actually complain to HQ?” I froze and leaned against the wall. “Complain? Let them try,” Vivian scoffed. “I’d love to see if the Chairman believes three lowly sales reps or his CFO.” “True,” Kevin chuckled. “But sucks to be them. Working so hard just to have their paychecks held hostage by you.” “They brought it on themselves. If they had just kept their heads down, this wouldn’t have happened. But they had to challenge me.” I went back to my desk and told Mike and Lisa what I had heard. Lisa clenched her fists. “I swear, I want to quit right now.” “Don’t,” I said, putting a hand on hers. “Quitting now is exactly what they want.” Mike gritted his teeth. “Fine. Let them enjoy their little power trip for a few more days.” The next morning, as soon as we got to the office, a company-wide email was waiting in our inboxes. From: Finance Department. Subject: Policy Update: Optimization of Sales Expense Management. I clicked on it. It was a new expense policy. “1. Travel allowance for sales personnel is reduced by 30%. Any excess must be paid out of pocket!” “2. All expense reports must be submitted three days prior to travel, or they will not be approved!” “3. The reimbursement cycle is extended from 15 business days to 60 business days!” … The three of us literally laughed out loud. As sales reps, last-minute trips to meet clients were completely normal. If we had to pre-approve everything three days in advance, we’d lose half our deals before we even got on the plane. And Vivian was obviously doing this just to choke our sales team because she thought we spent too much. But these were actual business expenses we paid to bring in revenue. Why should we pay for them? Mike was the first to speak up. But Vivian appeared out of nowhere, offering a smug reply. “Mike, rules are rules.” “We might not be a massive conglomerate, but we still have to manage our budget.” “Besides, if the company didn’t give you this platform, you wouldn’t even have these clients. You wouldn’t close any deals. Instead of being grateful, you complain about company policies. What a bunch of ungrateful freeloaders!” “What did you just say?” I stepped forward to confront Vivian, but Lisa grabbed my arm tightly. “Sarah, don’t. If this gets out of hand, we’re the ones who will suffer!” I took a deep breath. Lisa was right. We were outnumbered, and on paper, she held all the cards. But Vivian was thoroughly annoyed by us now. She didn’t expect us to stand our ground instead of falling in line like everyone else. She hated that we challenged her immediately. To show her petty power, Vivian decided to take the rest of the office out for lunch, leaving only the three of us behind. “Once you three learn how to be obedient employees, you can come talk to me!” With that, she strutted off with Kevin. Mike stared at their backs for a long time. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m resigning.” Lisa sighed. “Another company has been trying to headhunt me for months. Maybe I’ll just take their offer.” Seeing my two top-performing coworkers on the verge of quitting, I lowered my voice. “Mike, Lisa, don’t leave just yet. I have connections at the top. This isn’t over. Trust me, just hang in there for a few more days.”

In reality, our group was much larger than it seemed. The parent company had been publicly traded for years. I had only come to this subsidiary because my dad wanted me to gain experience from the ground up. After I graduated, my dad wanted to put me straight into management. But I wanted to prove myself and avoid being micromanaged by my family, so I insisted on starting as a regular sales rep. Now, though, I realized that since I was going to inherit the empire anyway, knowing the business inside out was actually a huge advantage. During lunch break, I hid in the restroom and called my dad. “Dad, Vivian is making her move. She just rolled out a new policy targeting the sales team.” The line went quiet for a moment. “Are you sure you want to shut her down now?” “Yes,” I said. “She’s crossed the line too many times. It’s time.” My dad hummed in agreement. “Alright. Keep playing cool on your end, and I’ll handle things here. By the way, about Thomas in procurement—the guy you mentioned last time. I had someone look into his books for the past three years. There’s definitely fraud there. We’ll clean them all out together.” Going through this together brought the three of us closer. Even though the expense issue wasn’t solved, we were in much better spirits. But because we didn’t go crawling back to her, rumors started spreading over the next two days. Gossip began circulating around the office. Someone mentioned that Vivian had been complaining behind our backs: “Some people think they’re royalty just because they closed a few deals.” Others whispered that Vivian had said, “An obedient employee is a good employee. If you don’t play ball, talent means nothing.” Hearing this only made me want to laugh. Without the three of us, where would the company get its revenue? How would they even get their bonuses? But their petty remarks couldn’t touch us. That night, I opened my laptop and went over the files I had compiled: records of Vivian and Kevin’s kickbacks, fake receipts, and evidence of Thomas in procurement colluding with them. It was all there. My dad was right. A company’s biggest threat isn’t the competition. It’s the parasites on the inside. Since Vivian was acting up, it was the perfect time to flush them all out. On Friday afternoon, while I was preparing my itinerary for next week’s business trip, a notification popped up on my screen. My travel advance request was rejected. The reason: Insufficient budget. I froze and looked over at Lisa in the opposite cubicle. She was staring at her screen with a dark expression. “Yours got rejected too?” I nodded. Mike poked his head over the partition. “Mine too.” Just then, Vivian walked out of the conference room with a group of colleagues. Lisa immediately called out, “Vivian, did you reject our travel advances for next week?” Vivian offered a sweet, fake smile. “What if I did? Since you three are so resourceful, why don’t you just cover the costs yourselves? The company is facing budget constraints. Every penny counts.” I raised my voice. “Vivian, this is incredibly unprofessional!” “Even if you had to reject it, you should have warned us!” “Our flight is tomorrow. What are we supposed to do?” “What you do is none of my business,” Vivian sneered. “If you miss your client meetings next week, it’ll count as unexcused absences!” “Then again, I’m reasonable. If you sign the new expense policy, I might make an exception and approve your advance.” “That new policy is a joke!” Lisa gritted her teeth. “No company in New York would ever treat their sales team like this!” “Vivian, I’ve been with this company for years. Is this how you treat your veterans?” “Stop playing the veteran card!” Kevin snapped, stepping forward. “Who cares how long you’ve been here? You think you’re more important than Vivian and me?” “We run the finances here. What we say goes!” “You’re just sales reps. There are thousands of people like you on the street. Don’t act like you’re irreplaceable!” Kevin’s words were incredibly nasty. Lisa’s face turned white with rage. Mike looked ready to punch him. I held them both back and took a deep breath. “Vivian, do you really want to take it this far?” Vivian glared at us. “What? You’re just nine-to-five wage slaves. You honestly think you’re in a position to challenge me?” “Let me tell you something: the company gave you your jobs!” “Cross me, and I’ll make sure you never see a single dime of reimbursement again!” I didn’t say a word. I just slipped my hand into my pocket and texted my dad: “Dad, it’s time for your entrance.” I put my phone back and waited. Less than ten minutes later, the office doors swung open. A middle-aged man stepped inside. The Chairman of the company, Mr. Harrison.

When the doors opened, Vivian was sitting with her legs crossed, sipping tea. When she saw him, she nearly dropped her cup. “C-Chairman? What are you doing here?” Mr. Harrison ignored her completely. His eyes swept across the room and landed on me. He walked over, his tone as casual as if we were discussing the weather. “Sarah, I heard the sales department has been quite lively lately?” The office fell dead silent. Vivian’s face drained of color. Kevin’s cup slipped, nearly hitting the floor. “C-Chairman… I didn’t know Sarah was…” “There’s a lot you don’t know,” Mr. Harrison said coldly. “Bring me the expense records from the past three months. I want to see them.” Vivian panicked. She rushed over to Mr. Harrison, lowering her voice. “Chairman, can we talk in private?” “Say whatever you have to say right here,” Mr. Harrison said, completely unmoved. Vivian bit her lip, glanced at me, and then seemed to gather her courage. “Chairman, I admit I’ve been a bit strict with Sarah’s expenses, but there’s a reason.” “Oh? What reason?” “Because… because I received an anonymous tip that the sales team was falsifying travel expenses. As the head of finance, I have to treat everyone equally. That’s why I increased the audit level for all sales reps.” She spoke with absolute righteousness. “I did it entirely for the company’s sake.” Kevin nodded eagerly beside her. “Yes, exactly! Vivian did it for the company.” I almost laughed out loud. What a convenient excuse. Mr. Harrison looked at her. “An anonymous tip? Where’s the evidence?” “Well… the tipster didn’t leave any physical proof, but as the head of finance, I couldn’t just ignore it.” “So, without any evidence, you targeted my daughter and two other top employees?” Mr. Harrison’s voice turned ice-cold. “Vivian, I’ll give you one last chance. Why exactly did you target them?” Vivian’s lips trembled. She couldn’t utter a word. Just then, Zach from the finance department came running over with a stack of files. “Chairman, I’ve pulled the expense records from the past three months.” Mr. Harrison took the files, flipped through them, and his face grew darker with every page. The results were black and white. Kevin’s expenses were approved instantly, despite exceeding the budget three times. Meanwhile, our expenses were repeatedly rejected for the most ridiculous reasons. Mr. Harrison closed the folder and nodded. He didn’t even bother taking Vivian to his office. Instead, he turned to me. “Sarah, do you have something else to show me?” Everyone gasped. I pulled a thick envelope from my bag and handed it over. “Dad, these are the files I’ve gathered over the past few months. It contains evidence of Vivian and Kevin taking kickbacks, falsifying receipts, and details of their revenue-sharing deal with Thomas from procurement.” Vivian’s face turned completely white. “Y-You… since when?” I looked her dead in the eye. “Since the very first day you rejected my expense report. Did you really think I was just some random sales girl? Sorry to burst your bubble, but my dad owns this company. I only came here to weed out parasites like you.” The pen in Mike’s hand clattered to the floor. His mouth flew open. He tried to speak, but it took him a full ten seconds to choke out, “So… your dad is the Chairman?” I nodded. He took a deep breath and looked at Lisa. Lisa had a complicated expression on her face, but she quickly smirked. “Damn, girl. You really had us fooled.” Mike scratched his head. “Wait, so all those times I complained about the company to you…” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him.” Mr. Harrison took the envelope, didn’t open it, and just nodded. “Well done. Vivian, come to my office.” Looking like a ghost, Vivian slowly followed Mr. Harrison.

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My parents sat in the front. Austin and Brooke had their own custom leather seats. For eighteen years, I was the only one forced to ride in the cramped cargo trunk. On my eighteenth birthday, my parents finally bought a brand-new five-seater SUV. I was so excited that I cried. After the celebratory dinner, Austin and Brooke ran ahead, eagerly jumping into the car and claiming the window seats. Austin laughed excitedly. “This is amazing! Now that we have an extra seat, our whole family can finally ride together!” I carefully took off my dirty sneakers, my heart pounding with anticipation as I prepared to climb in. But a golden retriever was already sitting in the remaining empty seat. Robert pulled open the back hatch, frowning at me. “What are you staring at? Get in. This is your spot.” That was the moment I realized it was never about not having enough seats. In their hearts, I simply didn’t exist. I stared at Buster sitting on the leather seat, completely frozen. The rear hatch was wide open, packed to the brim with Austin and Brooke’s sports gear and bags. “Next time, don’t pack so much junk. Chloe still needs to fit in here,” Robert muttered, casually kicking the bags deeper into the trunk to clear a tiny space. He looked at me and forced a smile. “What are you waiting for? Get in and see if you fit.” My throat tightened, but I still held onto a tiny sliver of hope. I pointed at the empty middle seat. “But Robert, isn’t there a seat right there?” “No way! If you sit there, where is Buster supposed to go?!” Austin poked his head out of the window, yelling defensively before Robert could even speak. “Buster is family! He deserves his own seat!” Family? A dog was family. Was I not? I choked back my tears and tried to compromise. “I can just hold Buster on my lap. That way, we both get a seat.” “What is wrong with you today, Chloe?” Helen snapped from the front seat, her voice dripping with irritation. “You’ve been perfectly fine in the back all these years. Why do you suddenly have to ruin things? Austin and Brooke are used to having their own space. If you squeeze in there, you’ll just make everyone miserable!” “You always have to ruin your siblings’ happiness. Why are you so selfish? Just do what you’re told!” Helen scolded. My hands clenched the hem of my shirt. Selfish? This SUV was bought using the prize money from my academic scholarship. I just wanted a single seat in a car I paid for. How was that selfish? They had five seats, and they would rather give one to a dog than to their own daughter. Tears splashed onto the pavement. I couldn’t stop sobbing. My crying was loud enough that people in the parking lot began to look over, whispering and pointing at us. “Cry, cry, cry. You always ruin the mood!” Austin slammed his car door shut in disgust. Brooke, embarrassed by the attention, stepped out of the car and fake-squeezed my hand. “Chloe, please stop crying. If you really want a seat that badly, I’ll swap with you, okay?” Before I could answer, Robert and Helen barked in unison, “No way! The cargo trunk is dirty and suffocating. You’re a delicate girl, Brooke. How could you survive back there?” My heart plummeted. So, they knew. They knew the trunk was dirty and suffocating. “Chloe, Brooke has been pampered her whole life. She’s not tough like you,” Robert said, his bias blindingly obvious. “Brooke is our little princess. She can’t handle that kind of discomfort.” “You’ve been riding back there for over a decade anyway. What’s the big deal if you do it a little longer?” Helen walked over with a fake smile, trying to grab my hand to brush it off like she always did. But this time, I shoved her away. I pointed at Brooke and screamed through my tears, “We are both your daughters! Why does Brooke get to be the princess while I always have to suffer?!” “I bought this car with my scholarship money! Why can’t I have a seat?!” “Shut up!” Robert’s face turned purple. Slap! He slapped me hard across the face. “You are my daughter! I gave you your life! What’s wrong with using your scholarship money? Throwing a tantrum over a car seat—how did I raise such a selfish brat?!” Helen wiped her tears, looking at me with pure disappointment. “You’ve really grown some claws, Chloe. How dare you try to steal from Austin and Brooke?” “I must have cursed myself in a past life to give birth to such an ungrateful leech!” I held my burning cheek, my ears ringing. The last spark of hope in my heart died right then and there. “Fine. You can keep the seat,” I whispered, staring at them. “And you can keep this family. I’m out.”

I ran back to our apartment, my eyes red, and packed my things. It took me less than two minutes. I barely owned anything—just a few worn-out clothes. As I looked at the tiny, folding cot shoved into the corner of the laundry room, a wave of bitterness washed over me. The apartment had three bedrooms. Robert and Helen had one, and Austin and Brooke each had their own spacious rooms. Meanwhile, I had lived in the corner of the laundry room for eighteen years. No bedroom. No car seat. All these years, my existence had been squeezed into the dark, neglected corners of this house. I had endured it year after year. But today, I was done. “Chloe! You get scolded once and you throw a tantrum? It’s just a car seat! Why do you have to be so incredibly petty?!” Robert kicked the laundry room door open, grabbing my wrist with a iron grip. “Do you have any idea how much you scared Brooke? She’s crying upstairs! Come with me right now and apologize to her!” He began dragging me toward the door. “Get your hands off me!” I screamed, shoving him away with all my strength. It was the first time in my life I had ever fought back. Robert stared at me in shock, which instantly morphed into violent rage. “Chloe! Over a stupid car seat, you’re going to disown your own parents? How can you be so vicious?!” “Yes! I am vicious!” I screamed back, grabbing my backpack and heading for the door. Brooke blocked my path, looking tearful. “Chloe, Robert only wants what’s best for you. Just apologize, and we can go back to normal…” “Don’t waste your breath on her, Brooke! Let her rot!” Robert roared, his face twisted in rage. “She ruins every single family event anyway. If she wants to leave, let her! I’ll pretend I never had a second daughter!” Austin leaned against the wall, shrugging. “Good riddance. She’s always been a curse. Just like four years ago, she brings nothing but trouble.” My feet froze. The painful memory rushed back. Four years ago, for Austin’s birthday, the family decided to go to a theme park. Amazingly, Robert and Helen decided to bring me along. The cargo trunk in the summer heat was like an oven. It was so hot I could barely breathe. But my heart had been full of joy because it was the first time they had ever agreed to take me out. I genuinely believed they loved me. But when we arrived, they got out, locked the car, and walked away. They forgot to open the trunk. Sweat soaked my hair. Every breath felt like inhaling fire. I banged on the metal door, my voice raw. “Robert! Helen! I’m still inside! Chloe is still in here!” But the only response was the fading sound of their laughter. As the oxygen ran out, my vision began to blur. In a desperate bid to survive, I grabbed a heavy metal tire iron from the tool compartment and smashed the back latch until it broke open. When I finally crawled out, my hands bleeding and raw, I ran toward them, crying and desperate for comfort. But the moment I reached Robert, he slapped me across the face. “Chloe! Could you not have waited a few minutes? Do you have any idea how much it costs to repair a broken trunk hatch? Why are you such a useless expense?!” The scars on my palms still throbbed. I pushed past everyone and walked out of that house without looking back.

It was snowing heavily outside. Shivering in my thin jacket, I huddled in a corner, blowing on my hands to keep them warm. As I stared blankly at the snow, a warm hand gently touched my shoulder. “Chloe?” I turned around and saw Mrs. Gable, my high school counselor. She was one of the very few people in my life who had ever tried to protect me. She knew about my living conditions—how I slept in a laundry room and rode in the trunk. She had clashed with Robert and Helen multiple times, furious on my behalf. She always told me I was a brilliant student with a bright future, and that I didn’t deserve to be treated like trash. “It’s freezing. What are you doing out here all by yourself?” Hearing her gentle, caring voice, the dam broke. Tears streamed down my face. “Oh, sweetie, what happened? Who hurt you? Tell me. I’ve got you.” I collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “Mrs. Gable, I don’t have a home anymore. I have nowhere to go!” I poured my heart out, telling her everything that had happened. With every word, her expression grew darker. By the end, she was shaking with pure rage. “How could they treat a brilliant girl like you like trash?!” She immediately took my cold hand and led me to her car. “If they don’t want you, I do! From now on, you can sit in any seat in my car. You can have any bedroom in my house. You will never have to suffer like this again!” And just like that, I moved into Mrs. Gable’s house. Her daughter had passed away from an illness years ago, and she lived alone after divorcing her husband. We looked after each other. Our life was simple, peaceful, and filled with warmth. As for my biological family, they never contacted me, except for the occasional fake text from Brooke telling me to “come home and apologize.” Sometimes, I saw their posts on Instagram. They posted pictures of the four of them smiling inside their new SUV. Buster the dog was sitting proudly in the middle seat. Helen had captioned it: Now that we have the new SUV, Buster finally has his own seat! He’s family, after all, and I could never bear to see him squeezed into a dirty, suffocating trunk. Austin commented below: Now that the eyesore is gone, the world is so much quieter! Robert and Brooke had liked the post. My heart felt cold. Even though I knew I was unwanted, seeing those words still felt like a knife to the chest. Just as I was about to close my phone, a bank notification popped up. My college scholarship fund had been deposited. Right after, Robert sent me two furious voice notes on Snapchat: “Chloe, we raised you for eighteen years, and you turn your back on us over a car seat? We were hoping to get a decent dowry when you got married to get our money back. Since you want to play dirty, we’ve decided to deduct $30,000 from your scholarship fund as compensation for raising you!” “From now on, you’re on your own for tuition and living expenses. We are officially even!” Mrs. Gable heard the voice notes. She was so angry she immediately handed me her savings card. “Thirty thousand? Please. I have more than enough. From now on, I am covering all your expenses, Chloe!” “Thank you, Mrs. Gable!” I choked out, throwing my arms around her and crying. I vowed right then to study as hard as I could, become successful, and repay her kindness.

From that day on, I poured all my energy into my studies. I got a full ride to Wharton Business School and graduated at the top of my class. After entering the financial corporate sector, my talent was quickly recognized. Within a few short years, I was promoted rapidly, eventually landing the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a multi-billion-dollar global conglomerate. Near the end of the year, my company was evaluating investment projects in rural areas. I rode back to my hometown in a luxury chauffeured Cadillac Escalade, escorted by our corporate security team. When we entered the town, I wanted to surprise Mrs. Gable, so I asked the security guards to wait at the edge of the neighborhood. As I walked past my old house, I heard loud music and saw two giant, tacky vinyl banners hanging across the front garage. Celebrating the Upcoming Marriage of Our Daughter Brooke to the CFO of Vance Enterprises, Derek! Congratulations to Our Son Austin for Winning the Million-Dollar Lottery and Buying a Brand-New Rolls-Royce! Under the banners, Austin and Brooke were laughing and dancing. Through Mrs. Gable, I had heard updates about them over the years. Austin had dropped out of high school, got arrested for grand theft, and spent a few years in prison. Brooke had drifted through shady crowds, worked at cheap bars, and was currently unemployed, living off our parents. At that moment, Uncle Ted walked up to the house carrying expensive gifts, his face covered in a fake grin. “Robert, Helen, you two are so blessed! Your son won a million dollars, and your daughter is marrying a CFO! You’ve hit the jackpot!” Robert and Helen couldn’t stop grinning. But I frowned. Brooke was marrying the CFO of Vance Enterprises? I was the CFO of Vance Enterprises. How did I not know about this? I pulled out my phone, called my executive assistant, and gave her the name “Derek.” Within two minutes, she called back. “Chloe, HR confirmed we had a security guard named Derek. He was fired last month for stealing company laptops. He was never an executive.” I stepped out of the shadow of the street, walking toward the gate of their yard. Inside, the four of them were huddled together, looking like a perfect, happy family. Robert draped his arm around Austin’s shoulder, pointing at the rented Rolls-Royce parked in the driveway, bragging to the neighbors. “See? My boy didn’t need college to be successful! He won the lottery and bought a Rolls-Royce! Unlike some ‘intellectuals’ who think they’re better than everyone!” “And our Brooke brought home a CFO! We are officially high society now! She really is our little princess!” Helen squeezed Brooke’s hand, proudly holding up a framed engagement photo. “Having these two children is the greatest blessing of our lives!” The guests clapped and showered them with praise, calling them master educators who raised a golden boy and girl. The yard was filled with laughter and warmth. Standing alone outside the gate, I felt like a ghost. I looked down, preparing to walk away quietly. But Brooke’s sharp eyes caught me. She gasped loudly. “Chloe? What are you doing here?” Instantly, all eyes turned to me. Austin frowned. When he saw the chauffeured Escalade parked down the street, he let out a mocking laugh. “Look who it is! Couldn’t make it in the big city, huh? Heard we got rich and came back to beg for scraps, didn’t you?” “I mean, you left so dramatically back then, but you come back riding in a cheap rental SUV?” Robert and Helen looked at the Escalade and sneered. “Coming back in a cheap car like that… thank god we cut ties with you years ago, otherwise we’d be embarrassed to death!” Robert scoffed. A cheap car? I looked at the high-end, custom-armored Escalade and almost laughed out loud. The guests began whispering among themselves. “Is that Chloe? The ungrateful brat who abandoned her family over a car seat?” “Showing up to crash a party in a rental SUV… how shameless!” “What a pathetic snob. What’s the point of getting good grades if you’re just a loser in the end?” I clenched my fists. I didn’t want to deal with this drama. I turned to leave. But Austin blocked my path. He parted his legs wide, pointing to the ground between them, and sneered, “You always wanted a seat in a nice car, didn’t you? Tell you what, crawl between my legs, and I’ll let you sit in my Rolls-Royce for five minutes.” “A broke loser like you probably hasn’t even smelled a luxury car before!” The crowd erupted into roaring laughter. Robert and Helen looked at me with pure disgust. “Today is a celebration for my successful children! A broke, ungrateful leech like you doesn’t belong here!” Robert barked. “Get lost! You make me sick!” Robert grabbed my shoulder, violently shoving me backward. I stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. Finally, my patience snapped. I reached into my coat, pulled out my official corporate executive badge, and slammed it right in front of his face. “You think I’m broke? Open your blind eyes and look at this!” Seeing the words Chief Financial Officer stamped in gold on the badge, Robert’s face instantly went pale. The neighbors and relatives behind him gasped in shock. But then, a sneering, arrogant voice broke the silence.

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My boyfriend’s foster sister has “Skin Hunger Syndrome.” If she doesn’t touch my boyfriend for a single second, she claims her skin itches so badly that she has to roll around on the floor. When they go out, they have to hold hands. When they come home at night, he has to warm her cold feet. She even insists on taking baths with him. So, when I saw her throwing another temper tantrum at the amusement park, demanding Carter play a “couples’ kissing game” with her, I suddenly felt a wave of sheer exhaustion wash over me. Looking at the bewildered booth owner, I said calmly, “Just let them kiss. I’m just a bystander. They’re the real couple here.” Carter smiled, looking relieved. “I’m glad you’re finally being reasonable, Sera. Chloe has a weak constitution. You should be the bigger person and let her have this.” I watched Chloe hold the giant teddy bear they won from the kissing game, her face glowing with triumph. I spoke in a flat voice. “Congratulations on passing the couples’ test. I hope you two have a long life together and get married soon.”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Carter’s sweet smile froze on his face. Chloe’s red lipstick mark was still smeared across his right cheek. “What is that supposed to mean, Sera? Are you breaking up with me?” “Can you stop making a mountain out of a molehill? Chloe and I were just playing a game. Do you have to take everything so seriously?” Making a mountain out of a molehill. Taking things too seriously. I had heard these excuses a thousand times. Over the past few years, whenever we crossed the street, Chloe would squeeze right between us, grabbing his hand. When she had her period, she demanded he rub her stomach, while I, who was hospitalized after a car accident, was told to just “drink more warm water.” She even squeezed into our bed at night, forcing me to move from the master bedroom to the living room couch. Had I ever not given in? Yet, Carter still labeled me as petty, jealous, and narrow-minded. Chloe looked at me, her eyes pooling with tears. “Oh, Sera… please don’t fight with Carter because of me.” “If my existence makes you this uncomfortable, I might as well just die!” With that, she threw the teddy bear to the ground, turned around, and bolted toward the busy highway. Carter’s face went pale. He lunged forward, grabbing her arm just in time, then spun around to glare at me with pure rage. “Are you happy now? Chloe didn’t ask to have Skin Hunger Syndrome! If anything happens to her, can you even live with yourself?” “How can you be so cruel? Do you really have to drive her to suicide to be satisfied? Do you even deserve to be my girlfriend?” I forced down the rising lump in my throat, staring at Carter’s hateful eyes. When we first started dating, he would explain to me that because they grew up together in the orphanage, Chloe was naturally clingy. Back then, if Chloe crossed the line, he would even scold her. But gradually, he began to completely ignore my feelings. Any time I showed the slightest dissatisfaction with Chloe, he would lash out at me. Thinking of this, I took a deep breath, forcing my tears back to preserve the last shred of my dignity. “You’re right. I don’t want to be your girlfriend anymore. Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? You can take care of her 24/7 now.” I turned to leave, but Carter grabbed my wrist in a vice grip. His eyes were bloodshot. “After everything, you still can’t accept Chloe. You just see her as a burden.” “Sera, how can you be so incredibly selfish?” Watching him criticize me yet again for Chloe’s sake, I suddenly realized how utterly pathetic this was. My friends used to tell me I was insane, a doormat, enduring things even a saint wouldn’t tolerate, allowing another girl to cling to my boyfriend like a parasite. I had endured it all because I loved Carter, but all I got in return was endless blame. I violently shook off his hand. “Believe whatever you want! I am done with this circus!” I had only taken two steps when I heard the loud crash of Carter kicking a plastic chair over behind me. “Seraphina Vance! If I knew you were this kind of cold-hearted woman, I would have never saved your life back then!” Boom. The words felt like a thunderbolt striking me right where I stood.

When I graduated from college, I started interning at my family’s company, Vance Group. On my way to work one day, a reckless driver knocked me off the coastal road, and I plunged into the ocean. It was Carter who risked his life to swim down and pull me out. When my parents found out, they broke all company protocols. They invested millions in him, showered him with resources, and fast-tracked him to become the Vice President of our conglomerate. Because of that life-saving favor, I fell for him. In my parents’ eyes, he was already their future son-in-law. But whenever I thought of Chloe—who crashed every single birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and vacation—I wanted so badly to tell my parents that the wedding was off. Yet, seeing how much my parents respected Carter, the words always died in my throat. Now, hearing him use that rescue to blackmail me emotionally, I knew with absolute certainty that I was done with him. I let out a bitter laugh, turning to look at his pathetic face. “Is that so? Without me and my family, do you think a fresh graduate like you could ever have become the Vice President of a multi-billion-dollar corporation?” “Carter! I paid you back for saving my life a long time ago. Don’t you dare use that to guilt-trip me ever again.” With that, I walked away with firm steps, never looking back. The moment I got into my car, my phone buzzed. It was my parents. “Sera, are you throwing another tantrum? Carter just called us to complain. Go apologize to him right now.” I took a deep breath. Looking out the window, I saw Carter and Chloe wrapped in each other’s arms. I spoke in a deadpan voice. “Mom, Dad, if you force me to spend the rest of my life with a man like him, I’d rather die.” For the first time, I poured my heart out, telling them every single piece of misery and humiliation I had suffered over the years. There was a long, heavy silence on the other end of the line. Finally, my dad let out a long sigh. “If we had known he was this kind of man, we would have never let you be with him.” “Break it off. Pack your things and come back home, sweetheart.” The suffocating weight that had pressed on my chest for years finally lifted. At that moment, I felt like I was finally breathing real air. The next day, I went back to the apartment we shared to pack my bags. But when I tried to log into the smart lock, it kept saying “Access Denied.” I called Carter. I could clearly hear his ringtone echoing from inside the apartment, but he refused to pick up. I banged on the door. It took a full thirty minutes before he finally swung it open, looking utterly annoyed. “You actually have the nerve to show up? Chloe was so upset because of you yesterday that she couldn’t sleep. I had to stay up all night comforting her.” “Apologize to Chloe right now, or we are postponing the wedding.” I couldn’t even remember when Carter’s tone with me had become this dismissive. Once, he had promised to protect me from the world. Now, he was the one locking me out. I didn’t bother arguing. I pushed past him and walked straight into the bedroom to pack. He frowned, about to yell at me, but the sound of Chloe whimpering from the living room made him abandon me instantly. Last year, Carter and I rented this luxury two-bedroom apartment. Chloe insisted on moving in. She claimed she couldn’t sleep in the guest room, so she took over the master bedroom I had spent weeks decorating. Every time Carter and I tried to have some intimacy, she would suddenly develop a stomach ache or a headache, finding any excuse to call him away. Initially, Carter would come back to my bed. But gradually, he said it was too much of a hassle and just started sleeping in her room. Every morning, seeing them cuddled together, I would brainwash myself: They are just foster siblings. They are just close. Thank God I didn’t have to lie to myself anymore. If it weren’t for my clothes and my dog, Teddy, I would have never set foot in this place again. “Teddy? Teddy, come here!” I called out, feeling uneasy. Usually, the moment I opened the door, Teddy would jump all over me. But now, he was nowhere to be seen. Just then, Chloe walked in, fake-crying. “Oh, Sera, why are you making such a mess? Carter bought this custom rug just for me, and you’re tracking dirt all over it.” Carter grabbed my shoulder and shoved me back, his face darkened with annoyance. “Have some respect. Why are you walking around with your shoes on? Do you think you’re the only one living here?” I stumbled back from the force of his push. Just as I was about to snap, I caught a glimpse of something shiny in Chloe’s hand. It was the blue sapphire charm from Teddy’s collar! I lunged forward, grabbing Chloe’s hand. “Where did you get this? Where is Teddy?!”

Chloe’s face turned pale, guilt flashing in her eyes. Carter stepped between us, his voice softening slightly, though his tone was still defensive. “Chloe really liked the sapphire, so I took it off the collar and gave it to her.” “And that dog of yours has a terrible temper. He almost bit Chloe, so I dropped him off at a high-kill shelter in the next county.” Seeing my eyes turn red, he tried to put an arm around me. “Come on, it’s just a dog. Chloe was terrified. Just buy her some jewelry, apologize, and we’ll call it even.” SLAP! I slapped Carter across the face with everything I had. “How dare you! Who gave you the right to throw my dog away?!” “He has been with me for eleven years! He is my family! I promised him I’d be there until the end! You monster, give him back to me!” I lost all control, grabbing Carter’s collar and scratching at his face. Carter dodged, his eyes burning with rage. “Seraphina, have you lost your mind?!” “I don’t care! Which shelter did you take him to? Get him back right now!” I tried to drag him toward the door. But he violently threw his arm back, casting me off. “Enough! It’s just a stupid, useless dog! Get over it!” His force was too strong. I lost my balance and tumbled backward, crashing down the spiral staircase. My head slammed heavily against the wooden steps. My vision blurred. A warm, thick liquid flowed down my forehead, dripping into my eyes. I touched it—my hand was covered in bright red blood. Carter stared at me, his voice trembling. “You… are you okay? Why is there so much blood?” I gritted my teeth through the blinding pain. “Call… call 911…” He pulled out his phone, his hands shaking. But then, Chloe’s sharp scream pierced the air from the living room. Without a second thought, Carter turned and ran toward her. Chloe was lying on the floor, weeping. “Carter, there’s dog hair on this sapphire… I think I’m having a severe allergic reaction!” Carter hovered over her, looking horrified at the tiny, almost invisible red speck on her skin. “Oh my god, this looks serious. What if it leaves a scar? We need to go to the hospital right now!” He scooped her up in his arms. As he ran down the stairs, he paused for a brief second, looking at me lying in a pool of blood. But Chloe let out a weak cough, and his hesitation vanished. “Stop faking it, Sera. It’s just a few steps. You’re fine.” “Chloe’s skin is too delicate; I can’t risk her throat closing up. Figure it out yourself, or just wait here until I get back.” With that, he carried her out, slamming the door. It was our elderly neighbor who heard my groans and called the ambulance. When I woke up in the hospital, my parents were sitting by my bedside, their faces pale with worry. After I told them what happened, my mother was ready to murder Carter. My dad immediately called our corporate lawyers to strip Carter of his Vice President title. “How dare that bastard treat you like this! I actually thought he was a good man because he saved you. I was ready to hand my daughter over to him! I was blind!” “He dared to let my daughter bleed on the floor? I will ruin him!” I reached out, grabbing the edge of my dad’s sleeve, and gave a weak smile. “Let it go, Dad. Now, we are officially even. He saved my life, and I gave him a career. We owe each other nothing.” Suppressing the final trace of pain in my heart, I asked if I could go to Europe for a while to recuperate. My parents agreed immediately. Over the next few days, I stayed in the VIP suite of the hospital. Carter didn’t call me once. He didn’t even send a single text to ask if I was alive. Meanwhile, Chloe’s Snapchat and Instagram stories were more active than ever. She posted photos of Carter taking her on a luxury yacht cruise, enjoying fine dining. There was even a photo of a man’s hand rubbing a white lotion onto her thigh. The caption read: Got a bug bite, and he insisted on applying the ointment himself. I’m a grown girl, but he still treats me like a baby. So embarrassing! In the photo, Carter’s right hand was still wearing our matching promise ring. I smiled, opened my settings, and blocked both of them on every platform. At the same time, out on the yacht, Carter suddenly felt a strange pang of anxiety. Chloe had been so needy the past few days that he hadn’t found time to call Sera. He wondered how her head was. A wave of guilt hit him. Sera had tolerated a lot over the years. Fortunately, he had finally found a specialized clinic in Switzerland that treated severe somatic touch disorders. Once he sent Chloe there next week, he and Sera could finally have their happy ending. He looked over at Chloe, who was busy taking selfies, and opened his mouth to speak, but his phone rang. Thinking it was Sera, he answered it eagerly. But the voice on the other end made him freeze. “Mr. Sterling, your ex-girlfriend, Ms. Vance, has officially terminated the lease on your apartment.

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On our sixth wedding anniversary, I discovered that the elite nanny I paid a hundred thousand dollars a year for was tutoring my housekeeper’s granddaughter. The security footage from our living room showed everything clearly. Clara, our high-end nanny, was sitting on my sofa, holding an iPad. On the screen was the face of a four-year-old girl. She was reading an English picture book to the child, her voice warmer than it ever was when she spoke to my son. I screenshotted the video and sent it to my husband, Ethan. Three minutes later, he replied, “In a meeting. Let’s talk tonight.” At eleven o’clock that night, he finally came home. Seeing me sitting in the living room, wide awake, his first reaction was to frown. “What is it this time?” I slid my phone across the coffee table. “Whose child is that?” Ethan glanced at it. His expression didn’t change at all. He picked up my phone, deleted the screenshot, and tossed the phone back onto the table. “Clara took that side job on her own. It has nothing to do with me.” “Who pays her salary? We pay her a hundred thousand dollars a year. Without her employer’s permission, would she really have the guts to do that?” He remained silent. Then, the front door lock clicked. Someone was entering our home, typing in the passcode from the outside. A young woman walked in, holding a little girl’s hand. The woman wore a Chanel tweed jacket, her makeup flawless. The little girl had two neat braids and was clutching a plush toy. Seeing me, the woman froze for a second, then turned her eyes to Ethan. “Babe, hasn’t she moved out yet?” The little girl looked up at Ethan, let go of the woman’s hand, and ran toward him. “Daddy!” Ethan’s face went completely pale. I leaned back against the sofa, suddenly finding the whole situation hilariously absurd. The elite nanny I hired for a hundred thousand dollars a year was actually working as a private tutor for my husband’s mistress’s child. Talk about getting your money’s worth.

The woman’s name was Vanessa. She walked in with the little girl, looking as comfortable as if she owned the place. The girl threw herself against Ethan’s legs, crying out for her daddy. Ethan bent down and scooped her up, his movements so practiced it was clearly not his first time. Vanessa glanced at me, her eyes lingering for barely two seconds before turning back to Ethan. “Babe, didn’t she say she was moving out this week?” I sat on the sofa, wearing loungewear I bought three years ago, my hair tossed into a messy bun. Compared to this woman who screamed luxury from head to toe, I looked like the intruder in my own home. Ethan held the child, looking at neither me nor Vanessa. He lowered his head and said to the girl, “Lily, go back with Mommy first.” “No! I want Daddy to read me a bedtime story!” “Daddy will visit you tomorrow.” The little girl pouted and began to cry. Ethan coaxed her with a few soft words before handing her over to Vanessa. Vanessa took the child, gave me a cold look, said nothing, and turned to leave. Once the door clicked shut, the living room fell into a heavy silence. Ethan sat down across from me, crossing his hands over his knees, adopting his usual business negotiation posture. “Nora, we need to talk.” “About what?” “About a divorce.” He slid a folder across the table. I looked down at the cover: *Divorce Agreement*. “Look over the terms. If you have any objections, we can negotiate.” I flipped it open. The first page detailed the division of assets. Real Estate: The Long Island estate purchased after our marriage would go to Ethan. The Manhattan apartment under his name before our marriage would also remain his. All I would get was a two-bedroom apartment in the suburbs, worth barely a fraction of our estate. Child Custody: Full custody of our son, Leo, would go to Ethan. I would get visitation once a week, for no more than four hours. Spousal Support: A one-time lump sum of fifty thousand dollars. I read two pages and shut the folder. “These are your terms?” “They are highly reasonable. I bought the house, I started the company, and Leo has been raised by his nanny—who is Vanessa’s mother. You don’t have a stable job or income. No court would grant you primary custody anyway.” “Ethan, I married you the year after I graduated with my master’s degree. Your company had only five people back then. I was the one who helped you build it from the ground up.” “And now you’re telling me the company is yours alone?” “The legal representative is me, and the sole shareholder is me. Do you have any legal right to it on paper?” I stared at him for five long seconds. Six years of marriage. It took him four years to go from having nothing to being worth hundreds of millions. And it took me four years to go from his business partner to his unpaid maid. “I’m not signing this.” “Suit yourself. But if we go to court, the terms will only be worse for you.” He stood up, walked into his study, and locked the door behind him. I sat in the living room, staring at the divorce papers on the coffee table. From upstairs, my son’s crying drifted down. He was two and a half, and he still wanted his mommy every night. I walked upstairs and pushed open the nursery door. My son was climbing up from his crib, his tiny hands gripping the railing, his face flushed red as he mumbled, “Mommy, Mommy…” I picked him up, and he immediately buried his face in my neck, his sobbing slowly quieting down. His little body shivered slightly, like a frightened little animal. “Ssh, Leo is okay. Mommy’s here.” I patted his back, pacing around the room. The nursery was beautifully decorated. An imported crib, an air purifier that kept the temperature and humidity perfect, and piles of designer toys in the corner. All of these were items Clara had put on a list, Ethan had approved, and I had personally ordered and set up. The things were all here, but who was actually using them? My son stopped crying, his little hands gripping my collar tightly, refusing to let go. I sat in the rocking chair by the window, swaying gently, but my mind couldn’t stop thinking about that young woman.

Vanessa. I had never heard anyone mention that name before, but judging by the way she walked through that door, it wasn’t her first time here. She knew the security code. She knew the layout of the living room. She knew I was supposed to “move out this week.” Who gave her all that information? Martha, our housekeeper, had worked here for four years. She came to us the year I got pregnant. Martha was a great cook, worked efficiently, was always polite to me, and was dedicated to my son. For a long time, I thought I was incredibly lucky to find such a wonderful person on my first try. Later, Martha told me her daughter was divorced and had no one to watch her little girl. She asked if she could occasionally bring her granddaughter over. I agreed. I thought it would be nice for Leo to have a playmate. So, the little girl, Lily, started showing up at our house, coming two or three times a week, playing with my son and eating the baby food Martha prepared. But then, Martha claimed her ex-son-in-law was causing trouble and she was afraid it would put Lily in danger, so she didn’t dare bring her over anymore. I asked her what she would do. Martha said it was fine; she had hired a private tutor, and Lily would just go to the tutor’s house on weekends. I didn’t think much of it. I even asked if the tutor was expensive and if she needed financial help. Martha insisted it was very cheap and she could afford it. Now I knew the truth. That tutor was Clara—the elite nanny I was paying a hundred thousand dollars a year. Where did Martha’s daughter live after her divorce? Where did Clara have to go to teach her? The answer was simple: in a house bought by Ethan. Clara worked at my house every weekday from 3 PM to 9 PM. Her job was to look after my son, do early childhood development, and build his routines. On weekends, she rested—or rather, she went to tutor Martha’s granddaughter, Lily. And who was Martha? She was the housekeeper Ethan hired to look after his other child’s grandmother. What a massive, elaborate game they had been playing. My son fell asleep in my arms, his little face pressed against my chest, his breath warm. I gently laid him back into his crib, tucked him in, and sat by the bed in a daze. My phone buzzed. It was a message from Clara on SnapChat: “Mrs. Nora, Mr. Ethan told me I don’t need to come to work starting tomorrow. Did I do something wrong?” I stared at the message, my finger hovering over the screen for a long time. Clara was twenty-four, a child development major, holding top-tier certificates. She was articulate, neat, and it had taken three rounds of interviews to hire her. I had interviewed her myself, asking question after question, watching her reactions, her patience, and how she interacted with children. I had thought she was highly professional. She was young; she probably didn’t initiate this. But she didn’t refuse it either. She knew I was paying her a hundred thousand dollars, and she knew exactly whose child that little girl was. She chose to take money from both sides, keeping both in the dark. I typed out a line, then deleted it. After a few tries, I simply replied: “Mr. Ethan will communicate the details with you.” After sending it, I placed the phone face down on the nightstand. The study door downstairs was still closed. I went downstairs. My glass was empty, so I went to the kitchen for water. As I passed the housekeeper’s room, the door was shut and the lights were off. Martha should have been asleep. Wait—the housekeeper’s room was right next to the stairs. The door was closed, but a sliver of light leaked from the bottom. I walked over. Just as I was about to knock, I heard hushed voices from inside. “Be good, Lily. Grandma will come back tomorrow… Yes, Mommy is here too… Daddy said he’ll take you to Disneyland next week… Really, Daddy said so… Okay, Grandma loves Lily the most. Go to sleep now, sweetheart.” I stood outside the door, my hand frozen in mid-air. I didn’t knock. Martha was FaceTiming her granddaughter. In this house, she called me Mrs. Nora to my face, but behind my back, she referred to that little girl’s mother as “my baby girl.” I turned back to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and drank it in one gulp. The sound of the glass hitting the counter was a bit loud, but no one heard. I returned to the living room, picked up the divorce agreement from the coffee table, and flipped to the last page. Ethan had already signed it. His signature was bold and sweeping, carrying a condescending certainty. He was sure I would sign it. He believed I had no choice. He thought a housewife who had been out of the workforce for six years stood absolutely no chance against his team of elite lawyers. All I could do was sign. I closed the agreement and put it back where it was. My phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn’t Clara. It was someone tagging me in my college SnapChat group.

My college roommate, Chloe, was getting married next month. She posted her wedding invitation in the group, and everyone was congratulating her. I scrolled up through the chat history. My last message was from three months ago—someone had asked if I was there, and I simply replied, “Yeah.” Further back, from six months ago, when they were planning a reunion, I had said, “Can’t make it, busy with the baby.” Chloe sent me a private message on SnapChat: “Nora, how have you been? I feel like you haven’t been active in forever.” Staring at the message, my eyes suddenly welled up. But I didn’t let the tears fall. I sniffled, typing back: “I’m good, just busy with the kid. I’ll definitely make it to the wedding.” After sending that, I put my phone down and walked to the front door. The touch panel of the smart lock glowed with a faint blue light in the dark. I tapped the “change passcode” option and entered a new six-digit code. Then, I deleted all previously registered fingerprints—including my own, Ethan’s, Martha’s, Clara’s, and the one belonging to the person I had never met but who could easily open this door. I registered only my own fingerprint. After locking up, I went upstairs. In the master bedroom, the duvet was neatly folded. On the nightstand lay a half-read financial magazine belonging to Ethan. In the bathroom, his electric toothbrush was still charging. Two sets of toiletries sat side by side on the sink. My toothpaste tube was squeezed messily, while his was pristine. I grabbed a trash bag and swept all of his toiletries inside. Toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, face wash, aftershave—not a single thing was left. Then I went to the walk-in closet, dragged out his suitcases, and began pulling his clothes off the hangers, stuffing them inside without even folding them. Suits, shirts, pants, and socks were all tangled together, but I couldn’t care less. In less than fifteen minutes, two suitcases were packed. I dragged them out of the closet. As I passed the hallway, I noticed the study door was still closed. I knocked twice. “It’s unlocked,” Ethan’s voice called out. I pushed the door open. He was sitting behind his mahogany desk, several documents spread out in front of him. On his laptop screen was an open, encrypted folder. He glanced at the suitcases by my feet, his brows furrowing. “What are you doing packing bags?” I didn’t answer. I pushed the suitcases into the corner and clapped my hands, as if brushing off dust. “Ethan, I read your divorce agreement.” “And?” “I have a few revisions.” He leaned back in his leather chair, crossing his arms, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips. I knew that expression all too well—it was the face he made whenever he held the upper hand in a negotiation. “Go ahead.” “First, I don’t want the suburban apartment. The Long Island estate is yours, and giving me that tiny two-bedroom place is insulting. I want your downtown luxury condo instead. Excellent location, market value around seven million. That will do.” He said nothing, but his smirk faltered slightly. “Second, I want sole custody of our son. You get visitation rights. You can see him once a week, for no more than eight hours. If you want, you can take him out, but overnight stays require my written consent.” “Third, I don’t want fifty thousand dollars. I want thirty percent of your company’s shares.” He laughed. A harsh, mocking laugh escaped his nose, filled with sheer disbelief. “Nora, are you out of your mind?” “Do you honestly think I wouldn’t dare take you to court?” He stood up, walked around the desk, and stopped right in front of me, looking down at me condescendingly. “What do you have to fight me with? I spend two million dollars a year keeping my legal team on retainer. What about you? You can’t even afford a decent lawyer.” “I don’t need to hire a lawyer.” “Oh? And why is that?” I pulled my phone from my pocket and pressed play. Martha’s hushed, smiling voice filled the quiet room: *”Be good, Lily. Grandma will come back tomorrow… Yes, Mommy is here too… Daddy said he’ll take you to Disneyland next week…”* Ethan’s face completely changed. It wasn’t a sudden shift from red to pale; rather, all expression drained from his face instantly. Every muscle froze, his pupils contracted, and his lips tightened into a hard line. Once the recording finished, I tucked the phone back into my pocket. “Martha has worked for us for four years. You knew about her granddaughter, you knew about Vanessa, and you certainly knew Clara was tutoring Lily. The only thing you didn’t know was that Martha would FaceTime her granddaughter in the middle of the night—and that my phone has a very efficient recording function.” “You—” “Ethan,” I interrupted him, “do you remember? I was the one who chose the security system for this house. I was the one who installed the cameras, including the one in the living room. I didn’t set them up to spy on the housekeeper; I did it to watch my son. But guess what? The system has another feature—every sound captured by the microphones is automatically backed up to a secure cloud server.” He fell completely silent. The study was so quiet you could hear the ticking of the wall clock. “Your terms were decent, but honestly, I think mine are much better.”

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The day I was released from prison, rain poured from the sky. I followed my husband to the cemetery to visit our daughter. Rain hammered against the tombstone. Vincent Moretti, Don of the Moretti family, suddenly spoke in a calm voice. “The day our daughter drowned, I was the one who had the surveillance footage from the lake by the docks destroyed.” I froze. The next second, I turned and met my son’s eyes. There was not a trace of guilt in them. Aiden’s tone was light, almost careless. “I testified that you abused my sister. I helped clear Celeste of suspicion.” The torment of more than a thousand days and nights in prison could not compare to one fraction of the pain of that truth tearing me open. Something bitter and metallic surged up my throat. I grabbed Vincent by the collar and broke down. “What did I do wrong? Why would you do this to me…” My son gave a soft laugh. “My sister is already dead. What, were we supposed to let Celeste go to jail?” “You are a wife with no real skills and no power. So what if you had to spend a few years behind bars?” Vincent pried my fingers loose one by one, his voice cold. “You enjoyed all the prestige of being Mrs. Moretti, while Celeste gave birth to my child and still could not even call herself my wife. I already owe them too much.” “So, Evelyn, as long as you stop causing trouble for Celeste and Pearl, I won’t send you back a second time.” … I collapsed in front of my daughter’s grave, chilled to the bone. Vincent bent down and brushed the wet hair from my face. “Evelyn, you’re the one who insisted on hiring someone to investigate Celeste.” “So I arranged for a few people to teach you a lesson. I wanted you to behave.” “I just didn’t expect them to go that far and leave you crippled.” The dull crack of metal striking bone exploded again beside my ears. That day, I had just found a lead proving Celeste had drowned my daughter. I was about to confront Celeste when a group of family bodyguards pinned me to the floor and brought iron rods down on my legs again and again. Lying in a pool of blood, I used the last of my strength to crawl, inch by inch, toward the door. “Help me…” But all that remained in the hallway was the sound of Vincent’s footsteps fading farther and farther away. The pain and despair of that day were still vivid. I took a deep breath and looked at the son in front of me. He felt like a stranger. Cold. Unreachable. My son glanced down at me in the mud and rain. “Stop acting like you’re the victim.” “Celeste was about to be honored by the family elders. You were the one who insisted on causing trouble for her.” “Father didn’t even want to hurt you. You pushed him into it.” My own flesh and blood was taking my enemy’s side. The last string in my mind snapped. I forced myself to stand and slapped my son hard across the face. “Smack!” The sharp sound cut through the rain. My son held his cheek, stunned. Vincent lunged forward and shoved me away. “Evelyn, why are you hitting a child?” I crashed into the tombstone. Fresh blood mixed with rainwater and ran into my eyes, dyeing the whole world red. Two family bodyguards dragged me into a car and took me back to the Moretti estate. Vincent pushed an adoption agreement in front of me. “Pearl will be adopted under your name.” Pearl Moretti. His daughter with Celeste. I swept everything off the coffee table, my eyes bloodshot. “Vincent, you want me to claim my enemy’s daughter? Dream on.” “She killed my daughter. I will never raise that bastard child.” Shards of porcelain cut the back of my hand. Blood dripped onto the carpet. Vincent frowned and pressed a handkerchief against the wound. “Evelyn, stop making a scene.” “If you could be a little more gracious and accept Celeste and Pearl, you will still be the wife I love most. Your place as Mrs. Moretti will always be yours.” Nausea rolled through me. I yanked my hand back. Vincent’s expression darkened. “Evelyn, you need to calm down.” “When you’ve thought this through, you can come out and talk to me.” He turned and left the room. The door slammed shut behind him. Silence returned. Blood kept seeping from my hand, carrying away the last trace of warmth in my heart. I immediately booked a ticket to the West Coast. I would never return to a home like this.

The servants’ gossip drifted in from outside the door. “The Don treats Miss Pearl so well. Tomorrow’s adoption banquet is even grander than his wedding to Mrs. Moretti back then.” “But isn’t tomorrow Miss Elsie’s death anniversary? Why would the Don choose that day?” “An unloved daughter only gets what she gets. Don’t waste your pity. Remember, tomorrow’s banquet will be livestreamed across the city. From now on, the Moretti family will have only one princess.” My nails cut into my palm, and blood welled out. On Elsie’s death anniversary, Vincent planned to step over his own daughter’s remains and throw a lavish banquet for his enemy’s child. Before long, the door opened. Vincent placed a cup of warm milk gently by the bed. “Evelyn, I had someone contact the best orthopedic specialist in New York.” “Your leg can still be treated. We’ll arrange rehabilitation next week.” He reached out to touch my hair, but I slapped his hand away. The tenderness on Vincent’s face vanished, and his voice turned hard. “I’ve done everything for your sake. I found you the best doctor. How long are you going to keep punishing me?” I looked at him coldly. “For my sake? Is that why you had my leg broken?” “For my sake? Is that why you protected the murderer who killed our daughter?” Vincent sighed, his tone full of helplessness. “You spoiled Elsie. She was so young and already pointing at people and calling them names.” “Celeste was insulted by her. She only pushed her once. Who knew she would fall into the lake?” “Even now, Celeste still blames herself. She’s suffered enough. You can’t put all the blame on her.” It felt as if my heart had been ripped apart. I could barely breathe. To protect that murderer, he was willing to smear a five-year-old child. When I was eighteen, I had collapsed on the floor covered in blood. At my feet lay the body of my abusive father. Beside him was my mother, who had just slit her wrists. Vincent rushed in and held my trembling body tightly in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, Evelyn. From now on, I’ll protect you with my life.” But now, the vicious face before me turned all the love I once felt into stagnant water. “Vincent, let’s end this marriage. I’ll get out of your way.” “All I ask is to take Elsie’s ashes with me.” Vincent fell silent. His expression grew more and more terrifying. In the end, he laughed coldly. “Divorce? Don’t even think about it.” “Tomorrow, you will attend the adoption banquet as Mrs. Moretti.” “If you refuse, you’ll never find out where Elsie’s real ashes are.” He released me and slammed the door on his way out. I stumbled out of the room, but stopped in front of that familiar door. When I pushed it open, all I saw were princess dresses, couture gowns, and a wall full of expensive jewelry. Elsie’s desk, toys, and bed were all gone. Oversized portraits of Celeste and Pearl hung on the walls. The closet was filled with limited-edition handbags and jeweled necklaces Vincent had bought. The room had been turned into Celeste and Pearl’s private dressing room. “Pretty, isn’t it?” Celeste leaned against the doorframe, swirling a glass of red wine. “When that little bitch died, she kept screaming for Mommy to save her.” “I pushed her under the water again and again.” “She struggled for five whole minutes before she stopped breathing. Her eyes were so wide when she died.” My blood roared in my ears. I raised my hand and swung at her face as hard as I could. Celeste did not dodge. A mocking smile curved her lips. Suddenly, a violent wave of dizziness hit me. My vision went black, and I collapsed heavily to the floor.

A bucket of ice water was dumped over my head. My eyes flew open. Family bodyguards forced me into an ill-fitting gown and dragged me roughly into the banquet hall. Under the glaring crystal chandeliers, my wretched appearance was exposed to everyone. “So this is the vicious woman who abused her own daughter to death?” “She still has the nerve to show her face after getting out? How unlucky.” “The Don really brought this on himself, marrying a crippled madwoman like her.” Laughter rose from every direction, each sound landing like a slap. Celeste walked over holding Pearl’s hand. She wore a familiar white gown and looked radiant. “Evelyn, you must have suffered so much.” Celeste’s eyes were red, her voice gentle. I stared at the dress on her body. It was the same style I had worn on my wedding day with Vincent. My stomach turned. Pearl suddenly threw herself into my arms and kicked my left leg hard. Pain shot through me like a drill. I cried out and shoved her away. Pearl used the momentum to fall to the floor and burst into tears. “What are you doing?” My son rushed over and picked Pearl up. “Didn’t you spend enough time locked away? Now you won’t even spare Pearl?” Vincent grabbed my wrist. “This is an important occasion. I won’t allow you to lose your temper again.” I struggled free and limped toward the doors. Celeste’s eyes reddened as if she were about to cry. “Evelyn Hawthorne, abusing your own daughter was bad enough. Why won’t you even spare innocent Pearl?” “As someone Vincent treats like a sister, I shouldn’t interfere in your family matters, but I truly can’t stand by and watch this.” “Pearl is so little. How can your heart be so cruel?” Her pitiful act drew sighs from the guests around us. The big screen suddenly lit up. Reporters bought off by the Moretti family swarmed around me. “Ms. Evelyn, according to our investigation, your father repeatedly committed domestic violence, and your mother brutally killed him.” “Did you inherit your parents’ violent tendencies? Is that why you murdered your own daughter?” The screen flashed wildly, and their accusations were shoved in my face. I froze in place as their voices drilled into my skull. After a long while, I finally came back to myself and screamed myself hoarse. “I was framed!” “Celeste is not his sister. She is my husband’s mistress. She inserted herself into our marriage.” “Pearl is her illegitimate daughter with Vincent. They are the ones who killed my daughter.” The entire hall fell silent. Celeste’s face turned white. Her body swayed, and she nearly collapsed. Vincent quickly reached out and caught her in his arms. Holding Celeste protectively, Vincent sighed. “I’m sorry, everyone. My wife was traumatized while she was locked away. Her mental state has been unstable.” He turned and leaned close to my ear. “Apologize to Celeste. Clarify that she isn’t my mistress. Say you accused her because you were jealous.” I clenched my teeth and stared at him. “Never.” Vincent unlocked his phone. A prepared message appeared in front of my eyes. Destroy Elsie’s ashes. Now. My entire body shook. A chill shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. “Vincent, you’re insane. That’s your own daughter.” “You won’t do this. You won’t.” Vincent looked at me coldly and pressed send without hesitation. “No!” I dropped to my knees, tears spilling from my eyes. “I’m sorry. I was jealous of Celeste. I framed her.”

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On the day we were supposed to get married,my fiancé,Ethan Walker,went behind my back and legally married Claire Bennett. His friend tried to talk him out of it over the phone. “What about Erin?” “You’ve been together for seven years,and now you’re marrying someone else?” Ethan was silent for a long time before saying softly,“Erin will understand. “Claire’s father only has a few days left.We’re just signing some papers and having a ceremony.I’ll file for divorce after he’s gone.” His friend still hesitated.“But she’s waited seven years for you.” Ethan smiled. “That’s exactly why I know she won’t leave me just because I make her wait one more month.” I stood frozen around the corner,still clutching the wedding chocolates I had brought for the staff. I did not go in to confront him.I did not cry and beg him to come back. I simply canceled our appointment and walked away. He married another woman on the day he was supposed to marry me. Then I no longer wanted this marriage. … The clerk looked at me several times when I canceled. “Are you sure you want to withdraw the application?You waited almost six weeks for this appointment.” I nodded. My phone buzzed with a message from Ethan. [There’s an emergency at the construction site.We’ll have to postpone our wedding for a few days.Don’t be mad.I’ll explain tonight.] I stared at the message for a long time,then shoved the wedding chocolates into my bag and left the building. I still had classes that afternoon. I went back to school and taught my second graders as usual. During reading class,we read a story about a young bird leaving its nest for the first time.One of the children raised her hand. “Ms.Miller,did it finally fly away by itself?” I held the chalk and took several seconds to answer. “It did.” “Wasn’t it afraid of falling?” I smiled.“It was.But it still had to learn to spread its wings.” After class,several colleagues gathered around me in the teachers’lounge and laughingly asked why I had not taken the day off. “Weren’t you getting married today?Didn’t Ethan come pick you up?” “Where are the wedding chocolates?Don’t hide them from us.” I took the bag from my purse and passed it around. Some of the chocolates had melted and stuck to their wrappers. My colleagues teased me.“Looks like your marriage is going to be just like this chocolate—sweet enough to melt.” I laughed with them. None of them knew that the man I was supposed to marry had just become someone else’s husband. Ethan called that evening. “Erin,have you eaten?” I could hear hospital announcements in the background and a woman crying softly. I did not expose his lie. “No.” “I’m really sorry about today.Something happened with Claire.Her father’s condition is bad,and he’s confused.He keeps worrying that no one will take care of her.” I sat alone in the empty classroom,watching the lights come on across the playground. “So you married her today?” Silence filled the line. After a long time,Ethan lowered his voice.“You know?” “Yes.” He actually sounded relieved.“Erin,it’s only a formality.Professor Bennett paid for my education.Without him,I wouldn’t even have finished high school.This is his last wish.I couldn’t refuse him.” “So you used our marriage to repay a debt?” “Don’t put it like that.” His voice grew urgent.“You know who I love.There’s nothing between Claire and me.As soon as Professor Bennett passes away,I’ll have a lawyer handle the divorce.One month at most,and then you and I can get married.” One month at most. He spoke as if he had bought the wrong item and could simply return it before buying the right one. “Would it have been so hard to tell me beforehand?” “I was afraid you’d overthink it.” “You did it anyway.Why worry about what I’d think?” Ethan rubbed his brow wearily,his voice hoarse. “Erin,I already have enough to deal with today.Professor Bennett is still being resuscitated,and Claire can’t handle everything alone.I know you’ve been hurt.I’ll make it up to you later,okay?” He had married another woman,yet he believed being a little nicer to me afterward would make everything go away. But I had never wanted compensation. I hung up. Ten minutes later,a new post appeared on my feed. Claire had uploaded a photo. Beside the hospital bed,her slender hand rested over Ethan’s,the corner of their marriage certificate visible between her fingers. Her caption read:[Thank you for finally putting Dad’s mind at ease.] Our mutual friends flooded the comments. [Congratulations?Is this the official announcement?] [Claire finally has someone to take care of her.] [You’re a good man,Ethan.Professor Bennett was right about you.] Ethan liked the post too. Maybe he only meant to comfort Claire. But to every mutual friend who saw it,that like was as good as publicly acknowledging the marriage. I stared at the screen until my eyes ached.

That evening,I went to our new house. We had bought it the year before. I had used every cent I had saved from part-time jobs in college and from working after graduation for the down payment. While Ethan was busy at construction sites during the renovations,I went to home-improvement stores after work to choose the flooring and lights. But when I opened the door,Claire was sitting on the sofa in my slippers. Her eyes were red.She stood as soon as she saw me. “Erin,don’t misunderstand.Dad was transferred to a nearby hospital tonight.Ethan thought it would be too exhausting for me to travel back and forth,so he told me to rest here for a while.Don’t worry.I won’t touch your things.” She was holding my mug. It was one of a matching pair I had bought for Ethan and me to use after we got married. Ethan came out of the kitchen with a spatula in his hand. “Why are you here?” I looked at him.“This is my house.Am I not allowed to come?” His face stiffened.“That isn’t what I meant.Claire’s had a long day,and it wouldn’t be convenient for her to stay alone in a hotel.” Claire hurriedly put down the mug.“Erin,I’m sorry.This is all my fault.Please don’t fight with Ethan.He hasn’t eaten all day.” She reached for her bag. After two steps,she swayed. Ethan immediately caught her.“Why are you pushing yourself?” Tears slid down Claire’s cheeks. “I don’t want to upset Erin.” Ethan looked at me,torn. “Erin,her father is still in the ICU.Let her stay tonight.I’ll take her back to the hospital tomorrow.” I laughed. “You really need my permission?” He missed the meaning in my words and thought I had agreed. “Thank you.” That simple thank-you hurt more than any argument could have. Claire moved into the guest room that night. That room was supposed to become my study.I had imagined grading papers at the desk beside the window. My nightgown had been pushed onto the back of a chair.Claire’s lace underwear,skincare products,and perfume covered the desk,and even my jewelry box had been shoved into a corner. She explained carefully,“I thought my things might be in the way outside,so I put them here.I’ll clean everything up tomorrow.” Ethan ladled soup in the kitchen.“Erin,come eat.Your stomach is sensitive.Don’t stay hungry just because you’re angry.” He sounded so natural. As if we’d only had an ordinary argument. I sat at the dining table and looked at the two place settings. Ethan paused,then returned to the kitchen for a third. Claire spoke softly.“I’m not hungry.You two eat.I’ll go to my room.” Ethan frowned. “Your blood sugar is low.You need to eat.Sit down.” She glanced at me before slowly taking her seat. I did not touch a single bite of dinner.

When I did not pick up my fork,Ethan put some food on my plate. “You like the shrimp.” Claire was drinking her soup when her phone rang. “Ethan,Dad’s awake.He wants to see us on video.” Ethan’s chopsticks stopped in midair. I looked up too. Claire bit her lip,tears gathering in her eyes again. “I know I shouldn’t keep bothering you,but the doctor said he may not stay lucid for long.I’m afraid he’ll become confused again.” After a moment,Ethan wiped his hands. “Answer it.” The video connected.The old man on the screen wore an oxygen tube,and his voice was muddled. “Claire…where’s my son-in-law?” Claire turned the camera toward Ethan. He leaned closer and spoke gently.“I’m here.” The old man smiled,tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. “Good…good.I can rest easy knowing Claire is with you.” Ethan swallowed. “Just focus on getting well.” I sat beside them like an outsider who had no place there. Claire suddenly touched her bare hand in panic.“Dad,look.I’m wearing my ring.” There was nothing on her finger. The old man could not see clearly,but he still strained toward the screen. “A ring…yes.A marriage needs a ring.” Claire froze. Ethan instinctively looked at me. I looked back at him. The wedding rings we had chosen were in the nightstand in the master bedroom. I thought he would at least show some restraint.Instead,he got up and walked straight into the bedroom. I heard the drawer open. A moment later,he returned with the ring box. He took out the woman’s ring and held it toward Claire. “Just wear it for now.” I stared at him,unable to say a word. Claire shook her head in alarm.“No.That’s Erin’s.” Ethan did not look at me.He said gently,“It’s only to put Professor Bennett’s mind at ease.” He slid my ring onto Claire’s ring finger himself. It did not fit.Claire’s fingers were slimmer than mine,and the ring hung loosely. She smiled at the camera,then began to cry. “Dad,look.We really are married.” The old man finally smiled. Ethan relaxed too. I stood abruptly,the chair scraping harshly across the floor. Ethan turned. “Erin,where are you going?” I walked into the master bedroom,pulled my clothes from the closet,and started packing. Ethan followed and closed the door. “Don’t do this.Professor Bennett doesn’t have much time left.I can’t upset him now.” “So you upset me instead?” “You’re perfectly healthy.Do you really have to compete with a dying man?” I looked up at him. The room went cold the moment those words left his mouth. Ethan realized he had gone too far.He reached for me.“Erin,that isn’t what I meant.I’m just exhausted.” I stepped away. His hand froze in the air. Claire knocked softly outside.“Ethan,your mother is calling.I think she’s asking about the wedding.” His frown deepened. He answered on speaker,and his mother’s voice filled the room. “Ethan,what is going on with you and Erin?The hotel says the remaining balance hasn’t been confirmed.Your father’s colleagues have all been invited.Don’t embarrass us at the last minute.” Ethan glanced at me.“Mom,we may have to postpone the wedding.” “Why?” He said nothing. Claire stood in the doorway,her face pale. At last,Ethan said,“Erin hasn’t been in a good mood lately.We postponed the ceremony too.” The clothes slipped from my hands. His mother immediately grew agitated.“You’ve been together seven years.Why is she causing trouble now?Ethan is so busy,and she’s a teacher.Surely she has more time than he does.Can’t she be a little more understanding?” I stared at Ethan. He did not explain.He did not even say that it was not my fault. After the call ended,Claire looked at me with reddened eyes. “Erin,I’m sorry.Did Mrs.Walker misunderstand you?I’ll explain.” Ethan stopped her. “Don’t make things worse.” I tugged at the corner of my mouth,my chest hollow with grief.

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On the day of my mother’s sixtieth birthday banquet, Ethan Grant’s mistress slipped in. She put intimate photos of herself and Ethan on the banquet hall’s giant screen, then took the microphone and confronted me in front of everyone. “Mrs. Grant, please divorce Ethan.” “He says I’m better in bed than you ever were. I’m the one he loves.” My mother was so furious she had a heart attack and was rushed straight to the ICU. With that, Monica stripped away the last shred of dignity my marriage to Ethan had left. I became a complete laughingstock. The next day, I asked Monica Shaw to meet me and invited her to watch a livestream. In the room next to ours, more than a dozen women were taking turns with Ethan until his eyes lost focus. I smiled at Monica. “He seems to like them even more than he likes you. Still want him?” … “Vivian Hart, you’re even sicker than I thought.” Monica grabbed the water beside her and threw it in my face, screaming at me to let Ethan go. The two bodyguards behind me stepped forward at once. One pinned Monica down. The other handed me a towel, then poured another glass of water and set it in front of me. I wiped my face, picked up the glass, and poured it over her head. The water was still hot enough to make Monica scream. “Vivian, how dare you? Do you have any idea who my father…” Before she could finish, a voice crackled through the walkie-talkie. “Ms. Hart, he can’t hold out anymore.” I looked up. On the screen, Ethan had passed out. I checked the time and clicked my tongue. “Already? Have the doctor handle it.” The needle sank into Ethan’s skin. His eyes slowly opened. His mind had not fully come back, but the drugs had already dragged his body back into that ridiculous mess. Soon, the familiar panting came from the television again. The color drained from Monica’s face. “Vivian, you’re insane. This is a crime.” “Miss Shaw, that’s a bit dramatic. I’m only helping my husband take care of his needs.” I gave her a faint smile. My eyes were cold. Monica shivered, as if she had finally realized what I was capable of. She started to break down. “You still can’t do this to him, Vivian. No matter what Ethan has done, he’s still your husband. If you keep this up, he’ll die.” The woman’s voice continued on the screen, but Ethan had already started begging in pain. When Monica saw I would not budge, her tone softened. “Vivian, this is my fault. I shouldn’t have gotten involved in your marriage. I shouldn’t have provoked you at your mother’s birthday banquet and ruined your reputation.” “But this has nothing to do with Ethan. If you want revenge, take it out on me. Please let him go.” I looked at Monica and shook my head. “You really do love my husband, Miss Shaw.” “But don’t worry. I know who did what. What happened between him and me was his mistake. I won’t take it out on you.” Two hours later, the person on the walkie-talkie told me even the drugs were no longer working. I called it off, then took Monica to the room next door. The second the door opened, Monica rushed in. She threw her arms around Ethan and sobbed. “Ethan, are you okay? What happened to you?” Ethan no longer had the strength to answer. His eyes were empty, and he lay on the floor like a boneless heap. I walked over. “I’m still standing right here, Miss Shaw. Don’t you think you’re getting a little too comfortable with my husband?” Ethan finally lifted his head. The hatred in his eyes was unmistakable. “Vivian, you really are insane.” “Let’s get divorced.” Ethan had been with many women. Plenty of them had caused trouble in front of me. Whenever those women came to provoke me, I made sure Ethan paid for it in full. But this was the first time he had asked me for a divorce. “No.” I gave Monica another slow look. “Ethan, don’t forget I gave you your chance five years ago. Back then, you refused to divorce me, and you put my mother in the hospital with a heart attack.” “Now you want out so you can run off with someone else?” “Keep dreaming.”

Monica really was different from the others to Ethan. Before this, no matter how I hurt him, he had taken it in silence. This time, he reported me to the police. Monica handed over a video and accused me of unlawful detention and ordering others to sexually assault Ethan. She wanted the police to arrest me. She waved her arms around as she spoke. “Officer, she’s an attorney. She knows the law and still breaks it. Someone like that practicing law is terrifying. You have to arrest her.” The police asked me if what she said was true. I shook my head. “No. It’s slander. She was sleeping with my husband and wanted to replace me. I refused to divorce him, so the two of them set this up to frame me.” The way the officers looked at Monica changed at once, contempt written across their faces. Monica panicked. “There’s video, and you’re still calling it slander? I have a witness too.” With one call, she brought in one of the girls who had been in the room that day. The girl admitted that I had told her to do unspeakable things to Ethan, and she even produced the drugs. Monica looked smug at once. “Witness, physical evidence, all of it is here. Vivian, what else can you say?” I said nothing. I calmly laid out one piece of evidence after another. Chat records of Ethan arranging to meet several girls. Surveillance footage of Ethan opening the door for them. Proof that the drugs had been bought through Ethan’s own account. Even the room itself was one Ethan often booked. The evidence showed that Ethan had arranged the meeting himself, taken things too far, and then tried to pin it all on me. Monica’s face flushed with anger. “You forged all of this. Ethan would never do that.” “Why wouldn’t he?” I pressed a hand to my chest, pretending to be hurt. “Miss Shaw, you really don’t know my husband very well. This is exactly the kind of fun he likes. You’re still young. Leave the scumbag while you can.” Monica took my sincere advice as mockery. She kept insisting I had forged the evidence and demanded that the police investigate it properly. But after they looked into the matter, nothing proved I had done it. In the end, even that witness changed her statement. She produced transfer records and said Monica had paid her to lie. Monica went pale with rage. “That’s bullshit. That day, you were the one who worked him the hardest.” As she spoke, she moved to strike. I stopped her. “Miss Shaw, she was kind enough to testify for you, and now you’re hitting her? That’s not very reasonable.” Seeing how familiar I was with the other woman, Monica understood at once. “You two are working together.” No matter how much she raged, the police ultimately let the matter drop. They told Monica to come back when she had solid evidence, then sent us out of the station. I had just sent the witness away when Monica stormed over and slapped me. “Vivian, Ethan stopped loving you a long time ago. You keep clinging to him. Have you no shame?” I had always believed in an eye for an eye. So before she could finish, I grabbed her by the hair and slapped her twice. “Am I the shameless one? Or is it the mistress who showed her own intimate photos at someone else’s mother’s birthday party?” At that, Monica gave me a strange smile. “Ethan was right. Your mother really is your weak spot.” My stomach dropped. “Monica, I have always believed that when a man cheats, it means I failed to keep my own man in line. That’s why I punished Ethan and left you alone.” “But if you dare touch my mother, I’ll make sure both of you are finished.” “Oh? And how exactly are you going to finish us?” Monica smiled like she had already won. “Vivian, aren’t you curious why Ethan isn’t here today?” My pulse kicked up. I was about to grab her hair again and force the answer out of her when my phone rang. After I answered, I froze.

My mother had been thrown out of the hospital. When I arrived, she was lying in the hospital corridor. The caregiver told me that someone claiming to be my husband had come to arrange a transfer. But once the paperwork was done, he left my mother there and walked away. She had called me several times, but none of the calls had gone through. She tried to find a doctor and get my mother readmitted, but the hospital required a family member to handle it in person. There was no question. Ethan had done this. By then, my mother’s face had turned purple as she lay in the corridor. I had no time to confront Ethan. I rushed to find a doctor and get her admitted. But when I reached the office, I was stunned. The doctor told me my mother’s condition was too serious for them to take her. I exploded. “What did you just say? Last night you told me my mother’s condition had improved and she could have surgery. Now you’re telling me you can’t admit her?” The doctor backed away, frightened. “Ms. Hart, please calm down. A patient’s condition can change. She was stable last night. Today, it may have worsened.” I asked him: “If she’s so critical, why did you allow someone else to discharge her?” The doctor spread his hands. “Your husband insisted on the discharge. We respected the family’s wishes.” After a few exchanges, even a fool could tell someone had given orders behind the scenes. Otherwise, no doctor would have dared do this. I left the office and called Ethan, asking him why he had done it. “To teach you a lesson, of course.” Ethan did not bother to hide it. “Vivian, I think Monica was right. I’ve been too good to you, and that’s why you think you can walk all over me. It’s time I took back my pride.” I could not take it anymore. “Your pride means killing my mother? Ethan, don’t forget who picked you up when you were begging on the street.” I could not believe Ethan would go after my mother. When he was thirteen, his relatives threw him out. In the dead of winter, he almost froze to death on the street. My mother was the one who brought him home and fed him. At the mention of the past, Ethan wavered. He spoke. “Fine, then…” “Ethan, are you really going to let this go?” At the crucial moment, Monica’s voice cut in. “Don’t forget why we’re doing this.” Ethan stayed silent for a few seconds, then spoke coldly again. “Vivian, if you want your mother admitted, come sign the divorce agreement.” “Never.” I cursed him. “Ethan, don’t forget that five years ago, after you made my mother so angry she was hospitalized, you promised her there would only ever be widowhood between us, never divorce.” “If I divorce you now, even if my mother wakes up, she may die from the shock.” “What does that have to do with me?” Ethan’s words hit me like ice water. “Bottom line, if you refuse to divorce me, your mother can die waiting for a hospital bed.” He hung up. When I called again, his phone was off. I had no time to keep arguing with Ethan. I started arranging a transfer for my mother. Only after several hospitals in the city refused to admit her, and my assistant sent me Monica’s information, did I understand what Ethan meant by letting her die waiting. Monica’s father was chairman of the largest pharmaceutical company in the country, with ties to every hospital in the city. There was no doubt. Monica had spoken to all of them. Years as a lawyer had taught me that people like us did not stand a chance against that kind of money and influence. Even when people like them broke the law, even when evidence was found, someone would always be willing to take the fall. Just as despair closed in, the caregiver called out again. “Ms. Hart, hurry! Your mother isn’t breathing.”

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On the first day of summer break,my parents found me another job. “Handing out samples at a warehouse store.The hourly pay is decent,and it’ll teach you how to deal with people.” They had been feeding me the same line every year since I started college. The first summer,they sent me to a meat-packing plant on the edge of town,then took my sister to Washington,D.C.,to watch the Fourth of July fireworks. The second summer,they made me work night shifts at a gas station convenience store,then paid for Ellie’s expensive driving lessons. The third summer,they put me to work as a cleaner at a neighborhood daycare,then took the whole family to the Bahamas with Ellie. So where were they going this year? “Italy.” My brother Noah walked in with a smile and handed me a pair of black non-slip shoes. “I bought these especially for you.The soles are soft,so standing for ten hours shouldn’t be too bad.” “I’m paying for the trip this time.Ellie’s only twenty-three.This is the age when she should be seeing the world.” Ellie squealed and threw herself into his arms. “I knew you loved me best,Noah.” I looked at my parents.One lowered her head to organize the plane tickets,while the other turned to close the window.Neither of them looked at me. It was as if I were decades older than Ellie instead of just one year. I suddenly smiled and crouched down to put on the shoes. They were light. Light enough to carry me out of this house. … Mom was packing Ellie’s suitcase in the living room when she suddenly looked up at Noah. “She graduates next year.You know plenty of people,so make sure you find her something easy and respectable.College graduates are everywhere these days.Jobs with real benefits are hard to come by.” Halfway through,her voice abruptly died away,as if she had only just remembered that she had another daughter in the room who was about to graduate. Noah did not notice. “Don’t worry.I’ve already spoken to a friend.As soon as Ellie gets her degree,she can join their marketing department.” Only then did he remember me. “Do you need any help,Claire?” “No.” I had already accepted an offer for an overseas management trainee position with a multinational corporation. As soon as my graduation documents arrived in a few days,I would leave. Noah nodded without asking anything else. Dad sensed the awkwardness and tried to smooth things over with a laugh. “Claire has always been independent.We’ve never had to worry about her.” My hands paused on the laces. I was not independent by nature. I had simply learned early that if I did not take care of myself,no one else would. Noah was the firstborn and had six years of our parents’undivided attention.Ellie was the youngest,the little princess of the family. And me?I was their child too,but no one had ever truly cherished me. Ellie came over and linked her arm through mine. “What do you want?I can bring you something from Rome.” She sounded sincere,but her eyes flickered. So even she knew how much I had been wronged over the years. But she would soon forget that brief pang of guilt. Whenever she traveled,she remembered the scarves Mom liked,the team ties Dad collected,and the old film rolls Noah wanted. She just never remembered anything about me. I was used to it.I merely smiled. “Whatever you like.” Mom jumped in at once.“See?Ellie thinks of you wherever she goes.If your sister is being this thoughtful,shouldn’t you do something for her too?” Dad seemed to have been waiting for that opening. “Why don’t you give Ellie part of your first paycheck as spending money for the trip?” “Oh,I don’t need it,”Ellie said lightly,glancing at me. Noah stroked her hair. “Don’t worry about money.Just enjoy yourself.” In a few sentences,they had divided up money I had not even earned yet.Not one of them asked what I thought. It had been the same every summer for four years. Last year,after paying my tuition,I had only a few dollars left in my bank account.I borrowed ten dollars from Ellie so I could buy dinner.Less than five minutes after she sent it,both Mom and Noah called me. “You’re an adult.How can you still take money from your little sister?” “If you’re short on living expenses,ask Mom and Dad.Don’t take advantage of Ellie.” But I had messaged Mom an hour earlier. She had not replied. When Ellie spoke,however,Mom always answered instantly. My phone vibrated.I carried the new shoes back to my bedroom and found a message from the company. “Your onboarding paperwork is complete.Please report to the Chicago office next Monday.” I replied,“Received.” There was a knock at my door.Ellie walked in and headed straight for my suitcase. “Mine is an ugly color.Let me use yours.” “No.I need it.” “What could you possibly need it for?You’re spending the whole summer at the store.” She did not want my suitcase because it was prettier.She wanted it because she would not care if the baggage handlers damaged it. Every time I had lent it to her before,it had come back with a few more dents. I did not explain again. She stared at me for several seconds.When I still refused to give in,she turned and slammed the door behind her. I began counting down in my head. Five,four,three,two,one. The door flew open with a bang. “Claire Miller.” Just as expected,my parents stood there.Noah and a red-eyed Ellie were behind them.

“Ellie only wants to borrow it once.Why do you have to be so mean?” “What kind of family can’t even share a suitcase?” “I told you,I need it.” This time,I did not give in. “Forget it.”Ellie sniffled.“If she doesn’t want to lend it to me,then she doesn’t have to.” My parents immediately put their arms around her and comforted her. Noah stared at me for a moment,then went to his room and returned with a sky-blue suitcase. “Use mine.” My fingers tightened around the door handle. I had spent a long time choosing that suitcase at an outlet store before giving it to him for his birthday. Ellie knew that.She deliberately glanced at me. “Are you sure?Claire might be upset.” Noah’s expression remained calm.He wanted to hurt me.He wanted to force me to back down. Before he could speak,I said,“I gave it to you.You can let anyone you want use it.” The room went silent for a moment. Noah snapped his head toward me and frowned,but he said nothing.He took the suitcase and left with Ellie. No one called me for dinner. By the time I came out,they were gathered around the table in the middle of a lively conversation. “I like warm gray walls.They make a house look expensive,”Mom said. Noah replied,“Cream white would work better with an open floor plan.It would make the place brighter too.” Ellie speared a piece of roast meat with her fork and grinned.“You can do whatever you want with the common areas.I’m choosing everything in my own bedroom.” Dad was eating happily when he caught sight of me from the corner of his eye.He coughed at once. Every voice stopped. They had bought a new house. I was the only person in the family who had not known. I sat down and took a bite of the salad closest to me.I forced it down,but my throat ached with the effort. My parents exchanged a look. Mom forced a smile.“Claire,we bought a new house.The bedrooms have already been assigned.You can go see it when you have time.” “When did you buy it?” “Six months ago.We never found the right time to tell you.” It was not that they had lacked an opportunity.They had never intended to tell me. I nodded,then asked,“What’s the door code?” “617923.” Noah’s birthday and Ellie’s birthday. I looked at Mom. “When is my birthday?” She stared at me in confusion. “Did you forget your own birthday?” Dad laughed,thinking I genuinely had. “You were born in December.There was a blizzard that day.Your mom slipped on the porch,went into labor early,and nearly died.She always says you were causing her trouble before you were even born.” Mom coughed uncomfortably. “Why bring up something that happened so long ago?” I lowered my head,but the hand holding my fork would not stop trembling. Not long after that,Noah and Ellie finished eating,dropped their plates in the sink,and left.Dad walked away from the table too.Mom was the last to stand. “The rule in this house is that the last person to finish cleans the kitchen.” Then she left as well. Cold food and a pile of dirty dishes covered the table. I was always the last one to finish eating. Because no one told me when dinner was ready. Mom called Noah.Dad knocked on Ellie’s door.By the time I smelled the food and came out,half of it had already been picked over. That was why the kitchen always became my responsibility too. I was halfway through cleaning when my grandparents video-called us. “Noah said you’re taking Ellie to Italy?” “That’s right.Do you want any souvenirs?”Mom asked with a smile. Grandma waved her hand,then asked,“Isn’t Claire going?” Mom answered without hesitation. “She doesn’t want to.She’d rather work and get more experience.” “That girl…”Grandpa sighed,but he did not ask anything else. For four years,Mom had always answered for me. “Isn’t Claire going to the theme park?” “She doesn’t like those places.She wants to stay home and study.” “Isn’t Claire going skiing with you?” “She isn’t athletic.” “Why isn’t Claire in the family pictures?” “She doesn’t like having her picture taken.” According to them,I was a gloomy,antisocial girl who cared about nothing but work. By pretending their neglect was my choice,they made sure no one could object on my behalf.

The doorbell suddenly rang. I placed the plate in the drying rack,wiped the moisture from the corner of my eye,and went to open the door. “Claire Miller?I need your signature.” It was the graduation packet from my university. The moment I held the envelope,something inside me suddenly felt lighter. I could finally leave. “What is it?” Noah stood behind me holding a cup of coffee.He noticed the smile on my face. “My graduation documents.” He said,“Oh,”walked two steps away,then stopped. “What do you want as a graduation present?I promised I’d get you something.” I had not expected him to remember. But I had never truly expected a gift either. After thinking for a few seconds,I looked up at him. “Come with me to the travel clinic tomorrow.I need some vaccinations.” The company required employees assigned abroad to update their vaccinations so there would be no problems with immigration or insurance reviews. “That’s all?”He sounded surprised. “That’s all.” He agreed without giving it much thought. The next afternoon,I put the appointment papers in my bag and waited by the door. Noah came out wearing that familiar look of exasperation. “Ellie still needs a few outfits for the trip.I’ll take her to the outlet mall first,then come back and go with you.” “My appointment is already scheduled.” “Then reschedule it.She leaves tomorrow.Obviously,hers is more urgent.” I was about to respond when Ellie’s eyes turned red.She twisted the hem of her shirt and said softly,“Forget it.I won’t buy anything.Go with Claire.” Noah refused at once. “Don’t be ridiculous.It’s your first time in Rome.Of course you need a few nice outfits.” After saying that,he seemed to realize how openly biased he sounded,so he threw the decision at me. “What do you think,Claire?” He looked at me,his eyes urging me to give the right answer. They pretended the choice was mine. But we all knew I could only say what they wanted to hear. I was silent for a few seconds.Then I smiled. “Go with her.” Noah visibly relaxed. Ellie ran over and kissed my cheek. “Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” I took the bus to the clinic alone. After getting my shots,I booked a seat on a long-distance bus to Chicago for the next day. When I got home,Ellie was showing off the clothes she had bought.At the end,she held up two shopping bags containing gifts for our parents. Mom beamed.The moment she saw me from the corner of her eye,her smile faded. “Look how thoughtful Ellie is.Even when she goes shopping,she remembers us.When have you ever bought anything for this family?” “With what money?” Before Ellie left,Mom had put a thousand dollars on the authorized-user card tied to her account.Mom knew perfectly well that Ellie had used their money to buy those gifts,yet she still used them as a weapon against me. “What is that supposed to mean?”Mom froze,then raised her voice.“Are you blaming me for not giving you money?You’re twenty-four years old.Why are you still competing with your little sister?” “I’m twenty-four.She’s twenty-three.” “Enough!”Dad snapped.“You’re a grown woman.Do you really have to fight with your mother over a few gifts?” Noah frowned at me too. “Claire,why have you become so difficult lately?” With everyone on her side,Mom’s eyes immediately filled with tears. She covered her face and went to her bedroom as if she had been the one wronged all along.

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