Author: Momo Chan

Three years later, my husband taught me to be a mean girl. He always said, “True love doesn’t involve money; it’s about pure feelings.” I believed him. Until the [Absolute Fairness AA System] bound to me. He promised his “platonic friend,” Chloe, a fifty-thousand dollar designer bag? [Ding! Account balanced: $25,000!] He bought my mom two hundred bucks worth of fruit? [Deducted $100!] He secretly used my streaming subscription to watch a movie? [Double compensation: $20!] Every single double standard, the system ripped his facade to shreds. Our marriage became a laughingstock across the entire internet. Liam screamed during a livestream: “What else can you do besides scheme for money, Jade!” [Ultimate Mission: Divorce. Reward: Stripping Liam Carter of marital assets worth $120 million. Compensating Host for three years of domestic labor, emotional labor, and reproductive value.] “Jade, let’s not talk about money, just feelings.” On our wedding anniversary, Liam handed me a prenuptial agreement for shared expenses. I looked at his handsome face and agreed. Three days later, a mechanical voice echoed in my mind: [Absolute Fairness AA System successfully bound.] I thought it was an illusion. Until his “platonic friend,” Chloe Davis, called, crying. “Liam, that fifty-thousand dollar limited edition bag… I can’t afford it.” The speakerphone was on. Chloe’s voice was syrupy sweet. Liam gently cooed, “Why are you crying? Forget fifty thousand, I’d buy you a five-hundred-thousand-dollar bag, sis!” He was using the phone I bought him, wearing the white shirt I’d ironed. Chloe’s tears turned to laughter: “Liam, you’re so good to me!” Liam hung up the phone and smiled at me: “Chloe’s family isn’t well off. As her ‘big brother,’ I should take care of her a little more.” I scoffed inwardly. In three years of marriage, he’d never given me a gift worth more than a hundred dollars. For me, it was always AA: “You pay the HOA fees.” “Let’s split the dinner bill.” “Jade, you need to be independent!” Now, he was ready to splurge a fortune on another woman. I didn’t even have the right to question him. My phone screen lit up: [Your account has received $25,000.00.] The system’s voice simultaneously chimed: [Ding! Detected partner Liam Carter promising to spend $50,000 on a third party, Chloe Davis. This expense constitutes a non-essential emotional investment and should be jointly borne by both parties. The system has automatically balanced the account, transferring $25,000 from Liam Carter’s account to yours.] I looked at the bank message, then at Liam. He was still engrossed in texting Chloe, a wide smile on his face. Completely oblivious that his account had just been drained. This was absolute fairness. I put down my fork and stood up: “I’m full.” Liam didn’t even lift his head: “Hmm, remember to do the dishes.” I walked out of the dining room. Soon, I heard a furious “Damn it!” from behind me. He probably thought it was a scam? No. Every penny of his money should be his to control. Mine too. Wait, sometimes my money was supposed to be his. He’d drink my water but never buy me any. Now, the system was here. It would calculate everything. I went back to the bedroom and closed the door. A notification popped up from Chloe’s SnapChat story: [Best big brother ever. So much love!] The picture showed the fifty-thousand dollar bag. Liam was the first to like it. My phone screen glowed faintly, a silent judge. This marriage, finally, was going to be precisely measured.

The next day was Saturday. Liam offered to drive me to my mom’s place. He even bought two hundred bucks worth of fruit downstairs. He handed them to me with a flourish, playing the perfect son-in-law. “Jade, tell our mom I said hi.” For three years, he’d called my mom “Ma’am.” Now he was playing Mr. Perfect Son-in-Law. Just as I was about to go upstairs, my phone rang. [Ding! Detected Host and partner jointly spending $200 to honor Host’s mother. According to the principle of absolute fairness, this expense should be jointly borne by both parties. $100 has been automatically debited from your account and transferred to Liam Carter’s account.] I looked at the debit message, silent. Liam hadn’t driven off yet. He rolled down his window and waved: “Jade, come back early to make dinner.” I nodded and turned to go upstairs. Absolute fairness. Fair to the point of absurdity. That evening, I got home to find Liam lying on the sofa, on the phone. “Mom, Dad, I’ve transferred ten thousand dollars for your living expenses.” “If you need more, just tell me. Don’t be shy about spending it.” “Work’s going smoothly, and Jade’s doing great.” He hung up and glanced at me. I waited for a moment. The system was silent. I asked in my mind: “He transferred ten thousand to his parents, why no reaction?” [The system replied: Supporting a partner’s parents is considered a unilateral legal obligation and falls outside the scope of shared marital expenses. Therefore, it is not factored into the AA System.] I understood. The system only cared about *us*. And the money he spent on anyone *other* than me. As for his own family, that was his obligation. Nothing to do with me. That was fair. I went into the kitchen to make dinner. Liam followed me, hugging me from behind. “Jade, you worked hard today. Let’s watch a movie tonight and relax.” I felt a bit uncomfortable. After the AA system, we hadn’t been intimate in a long time. After dinner, he smoothly logged into my streaming subscription account. It was an annual subscription I’d bought during the Black Friday sale. He never asked for the password; he must have just tried my birthday. He picked the latest pay-per-view movie, ten dollars. He clicked play without hesitation, paying with my account. I watched the screen, expressionless. The movie had just begun when my phone rang. [Ding! Detected partner Liam Carter misappropriating Host’s personal asset (streaming subscription) and incurring a $10 expense. This act of misappropriation constitutes malicious infringement. He has been forced to pay double compensation, totaling $20. $20 has been transferred from Liam Carter’s account to yours.] Almost simultaneously, Liam’s phone received a debit message. His face instantly changed. He turned sharply to look at me. “Did you mess with my money again?” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was full of accusation. I looked at him calmly: “I didn’t.” “Bullshit!” He slammed his phone onto the coffee table. “How did twenty bucks just disappear from my account?!” “Yesterday it was twenty-five thousand, today it’s twenty! Jade, what are you trying to do?” He stood up, towering over me: “We agreed to split everything, no interfering with each other’s finances. What are you doing now?” “Secretly scheming against me? Is that fun for you?” Every word was a jab, sharp as a knife. I didn’t say anything, just quietly opened my phone and showed him the system’s transaction log. Every single entry, crystal clear. [September 15th: Spent $50,000 on Chloe Davis, balanced $25,000.] [September 16th: Spent $200 to honor mother-in-law, balanced $100.] [September 16th: Misappropriated membership and incurred $10 expense, compensated $20.] Liam’s breath hitched. He stared fixedly at the screen, his expression shifting from anger to shock, then to utter incomprehension. “What is this thing?” “The Absolute Fairness System.” I took back my phone. “It automatically calculates all our financial interactions and forces a balance.” “Didn’t you want pure feelings? The system is helping you.” Liam was speechless. The muscles in his face twitched, looking utterly ridiculous. His beloved AA system, the one he was so proud of, was now being executed with ruthless precision by the system. Every double standard and selfish act was quantified into numbers. He couldn’t argue. “Fairness” was *his* idea. After a long silence, he ran an agitated hand through his hair: “What the hell is this damn system? I bet you’re behind this whole twisted thing!” He turned and stormed into his study, slamming the door shut. I was left alone in the living room. The TV was still playing the movie, with the main characters making a romantic confession. Liam and my marriage had become a farce under data surveillance. He was the one orchestrating this entire spectacle. I picked up his phone, which he’d thrown onto the coffee table. The screen was on, displaying his chat with Chloe. The last message was from him: “Jade’s throwing another one of her tantrums today, it’s so annoying.” Below it, Chloe’s reply had just popped up: “Is Sister Jade misunderstanding something? Maybe I should explain it to her?”

The Livestream Incident. Liam was a moderately famous finance influencer. He had millions of followers, cultivating a persona of being “woke, independent, and a strong advocate for women.” Three days after the initial incident, he started a livestream. He called it a discussion about “modern, independent relationships.” Chloe Davis was there as a special guest, sitting beside him. Today, she looked especially innocent, in a white dress with her long hair flowing over her shoulders. On her wrist, she wore a watch. It was the limited-edition couple’s watch from a certain brand that I’d given Liam for Valentine’s Day last year. My matching watch was still in my jewelry box. In the livestream, Liam spoke eloquently: “A good marriage is one where both partners are independent and not reliant on each other.” “Especially financially, the AA system is the best way.” “It filters out material impurities, allowing feelings to return to their purest form.” Chloe nodded vigorously, her eyes full of adoration. “Brother Liam is so right.” “Like Brother Liam and I, we’re the best of friends, with the purest brother-sister bond.” As she spoke, she casually brushed her hair back, revealing the watch on her wrist. “Just like this watch, Brother gave it to me, representing our indestructible friendship.” The comments section instantly exploded: [Wow, couple’s watch?!] [Liam is so sweet to his ‘sister’!] [Isn’t that Liam’s wife’s watch?] [Don’t talk nonsense, up there! It’s a brother-sister bond! Liam said so!] [Where’s the wife? Why isn’t she doing anything?] [She probably can’t control her man, otherwise why would Liam be with her?] [Exactly, independent women understand boundaries. Only women who nitpick drive their men away.] I sat in front of my computer, my fingers icy cold. Liam glanced at the comments. Instead of explaining, he draped his arm over Chloe’s chair, a gesture of intimate familiarity. “Chloe and my relationship doesn’t need to be explained to anyone.” “Those who understand, understand.” Chloe shyly lowered her head, but couldn’t help the slight smirk playing on her lips. It was an open provocation and humiliation. They were using the token of our love to stage a show of “deep platonic friendship.” Then they stood on their moral high ground, implying I was “too nitpicky” and “didn’t understand.” At that moment, my phone suddenly emitted a loud alert. The sound was so loud that it passed through my computer microphone and clearly entered the livestream. [Ding! Detected partner Liam Carter unilaterally gifting a marital asset (couple’s watch, purchased for $32,000) to a third party, Chloe Davis. This action constitutes an infringement on Host’s property. Account automatically balanced: $16,000 transferred from Liam Carter’s account to yours.] The mechanical, emotionless electronic voice echoed in the livestream watched by tens of thousands of people. Liam and Chloe’s smiles froze. The comments section, silent for three seconds, then absolutely erupted! [Holy cow! A system voice?!] [Marital asset? Sixteen thousand? The wife bought the watch?!] [Hahahahahahaha, epic public humiliation! One second it’s pure sibling love, the next it’s slammed by a system!] [What is this system? So smart! “Absolute Fairness System”?! I’m dying!] [So Liam’s persona was all fake? Using his wife’s money to buy things for a ‘tea-girl,’ then calling his wife nitpicky?!] [Chloe’s face just went green, hahahaha, is that stolen watch comfortable to wear?] [“Millionaire Mr. AA,” Liam Carter! I’ve seen it all now!] Liam’s face flushed from red to white. He frantically tried to end the livestream but couldn’t tap the button. Chloe fidgeted, the watch on her wrist now burning like a branding iron. Eventually, the livestream was forcibly terminated by the platform. On the black screen, the last few comments still lingered. [Wife is awesome! Share the system link!] [This is what a truly independent modern woman looks like! No shouting, just transferring money!] [Liam, apologize now!] I closed my laptop and leaned back in my chair. On my phone screen, the bank deposit message and the system notification lay side by side. Outside the window, night deepened. I knew that the war between Liam and me had just begun. He wouldn’t let this go. Sure enough, not long after, my phone rang. It was Liam. I didn’t answer. He called again and again. Finally, a text message popped up: “Jade, you’re going to pay for this.”

The livestream incident turned Liam and Chloe into a nationwide laughingstock. “The Millionaire Mr. AA” and “The Watch Girl” trended on social media for a whole day. Chloe was barraged by online hate. Her social media was flooded with ridicule and curses. She called Liam, crying, saying she’d been fired by her company and her career was ruined. Liam was devastated. He believed it was my fault. It was my “damn system” that had ruined his image and dragged down his “most important” platonic friend. He swore he would teach me a lesson. A lesson I’d never forget. He used all his knowledge and connections as a finance influencer. I ran a small online store selling handmade jewelry. It was my passion project from college, my only emotional outlet and source of self-worth. The shop was on a niche e-commerce platform. Liam teamed up with several investment firms to maliciously short-sell the platform. Three days later, the platform’s servers, under a surprise attack, crashed completely. All data, completely wiped. My online store, overnight, vanished into thin air. All my design drafts, customer information, order history, years of hard work… gone. I stared at the 404 page on my computer, feeling utterly hollow. It wasn’t just a store. It was my only escape from this suffocating marriage. My only way to prove my worth. Now, it had been personally destroyed by the man I was closest to, my husband. Liam came home, his face alight with vindictive satisfaction. He threw a news article about the platform’s bankruptcy liquidation in front of me. “Jade, do you see this?” “This is what happens when you cross me.” “I told you long ago, don’t test my limits.” “That pathetic little shop of yours means nothing to me.” He expected me to cry, to become hysterical. But I didn’t. I looked at him calmly, eerily so. My heart, at that moment, utterly died. My phone rang at that inopportune moment. [Ding! Detected partner Liam Carter maliciously destroying Host’s personal business, causing direct economic loss and emotional distress to Host. Loss assessment in progress… Assessment complete. Comprehensive evaluation of store revenue, brand value, future earnings, and emotional damages totals $200,000. Forced account balance executed: $200,000 transferred from Liam Carter’s account to yours.] A bank deposit message followed immediately. [Your savings account ending in 6688 received $200,000.00 on September 20th at 21:05. Current balance: $231,265.00.] Liam also received a debit notification. He glanced at his phone, his triumphant expression instantly vanishing, replaced by furious rage. “It’s that damn thing again! Jade! You freaking…” His curses abruptly stopped. He saw my expression. I looked at the $200,000 deposit information, my heart felt utterly calm, eerily still. What could money possibly compensate? It couldn’t compensate for the countless nights I’d toiled. It couldn’t compensate for my shattered dreams. It couldn’t compensate for the dead silence in my heart right now. Liam seemed to sense something was off with me. My calmness disturbed him more than any violent reaction would have. “You… what’s with that expression?” I didn’t answer him. My only emotional outlet had been crushed by his own hands. The last thread connecting us had completely snapped. Just then, that cold mechanical voice in my mind rang out again. Unlike any time before, this electronic voice seemed to carry a hint of… excitement? [Detected Host’s emotional link to partner is completely severed.] [Hate value has accumulated to peak.] [Resilience has reset to zero, initial expectation value has turned negative.] [Ultimate Mission: Trigger Conditions Met.] [Generating Ultimate Mission…] The mechanical voice in my mind carried an unprecedented solemnity. [Ultimate Mission: Divorce.]

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My father-in-law, Rick, woke from his afternoon nap. I brought him a freshly brewed tonic broth. “Dad, give this a try. I made it especially for you.” I was about to turn back to the kitchen when Rick suddenly slammed the bowl onto the table with a crash. The scalding hot broth splashed all over my hand, but he just pointed at the bowl and spat, “The number of berries in here is odd! Odd numbers bring bad luck, you wicked woman! Are you trying to curse me to an early grave?” “I watched you put them in! Don’t even try to deny it!” “Son, listen to your dad. Divorce her! Our family has no room for such a vicious woman!” I looked at my husband, Brandon. Not only did he not stand up for me, but he frowned in disgust. “Then let’s get divorced. Marrying you was the worst luck imaginable.” Suddenly, a system notification popped up before my eyes: [Filial Duty Audit System detected divorce intent. Calculating in-marriage filial duty contributions…] My hand was bright red and throbbing with a fiery pain. Brandon’s words, though, burned even hotter than the scalding broth. Three years of marriage, and I’d spun around this family like a top, waiting on my in-laws, supporting my husband. And all I got in return was “the worst luck imaginable.” My father-in-law, Rick, was still stirring the pot. “See? She’s not even apologizing! This kind of woman should just get lost!” I was trembling with rage, a knot of fury tightening in my chest, making it impossible to breathe. Just then, those cold, blue lines of text slowly unfolded before my eyes. [Contributions being calculated…] [During your marriage, you provided Filial Duty Contributions to your father-in-law, Rick, a total of 2,358 times, equivalent to $1,179,000 USD.] [During your marriage, you provided Filial Duty Contributions to your mother-in-law, Carol, a total of 3,102 times, equivalent to $1,551,000 USD.] [Your support and contributions to your husband, Brandon, are not included in Filial Duty Contributions and have been automatically converted to marital assets, to be divided separately upon divorce.] [Total Filial Duty Debt: $2,730,000 USD.] [Please select settlement mode: A. Private Settlement B. Public Settlement (requires a $100,000 activation fee)] I froze. What was this? A hallucination? I blinked, but the lines of text remained clearly suspended in mid-air, visible only to me. Two million seven hundred thirty thousand dollars. Had my three years of effort truly been worth so much? Brandon saw me standing there, speechless, and grew even more impatient. “Eleanor, are you mute? Tomorrow, we’re going to the lawyer’s office to file. The house and cars were bought by my parents, so you won’t get a single cent. Now get out!” Rick crossed his arms, a smug look on his face. “Hear that? Our family isn’t a charity.” I looked at their tag-teaming faces, and the last shred of warmth in my heart flickered out. I took a deep breath and lightly tapped a finger in the air. I chose A. Private Settlement. I wanted to see the expressions on their faces when this bill landed squarely in front of them. Almost simultaneously, Brandon’s and Rick’s phones rang sharply. They impatiently pulled out their phones. The next second, their expressions froze. Brandon’s eyes widened, his mouth agape enough to fit an egg. “W-what is this thing?” He shoved his phone screen in my face. It was an official text message from a Bank Notary Office. [To Mr. Brandon Chen and Mr. Richard Chen: Pursuant to the In-Marriage Filial Duty Audit Agreement, you collectively owe Ms. Eleanor Lin $2,730,000 USD. Please settle this amount within 72 hours, or forced enforcement procedures will be initiated.] Rick snatched the phone, squinting to read, his presbyopic eyes repeatedly confirming the long string of zeroes. “Two million seven hundred thirty thousand? Is she crazy? This must be a scam text!” Brandon also snapped out of it, glaring at me fiercely. “Eleanor, is this your doing? Did you hire someone to fake this to extort money? I’m telling you, no way!” As he spoke, he lunged to grab my phone. I stepped back, watching him coldly. “Whether it’s a scam or not, you both know deep down.” “How many times did I cook tonic broth for your dad, how many times did I rush him to the ER in the middle of the night, how many times did I act as your mom’s personal shopper and ATM on her shopping sprees? You may deny these, but the system won’t.” Rick’s face flushed crimson with anger. He pointed a finger at my nose and yelled, “You ungrateful wretch! We’ve wasted three years feeding you! Every cent you spent came from our family!” Just then, the door opened. My mother-in-law, Carol, walked in, laden with shopping bags. “What’s all the shouting about? I could hear you all the way downstairs.” The moment she entered, she saw our tense standoff and immediately pointed her accusations at me. “It’s you again, you jinx! Always making my old man angry?” Brandon looked like he’d found a savior and quickly handed her his phone. “Mom, look! Eleanor’s gone crazy. She hired someone to send scam texts, claiming we owe her over two million dollars!” Carol took the phone, glanced at it, and scoffed. “Two point seven million? Why doesn’t she just rob a bank?” She tossed the phone onto the coffee table and walked up to me, her eyes filled with scorn and calculation. “Eleanor, I know you don’t want a divorce, and you’re trying to use these cheap tricks to cling on.” “Let me tell you something straight: a divorce is happening. I’ll be generous and give you fifty thousand dollars as compensation for your three years of hard work.” She paused, her tone dripping with condescension. “Take the money and leave gracefully. Don’t play these ridiculous games that make everyone laugh at you.”

Fifty thousand dollars. To dismiss a housekeeper who had served their entire family for three years. I looked at Carol’s mouth, painted with exquisite lipstick, and felt nothing but profound irony. “What if I don’t?” I asked. Carol’s face instantly darkened. “Ungrateful.” She turned to Brandon: “Son, don’t waste your breath on her. She just wants more money. I’ve seen plenty of women like her. Ignore her for a few days, and she’ll cave.” Rick chimed in, “Exactly! Don’t bother with her! Let’s see what tricks she can pull!” The three of them reached a consensus, completely ignoring me and the audit text, and began watching TV as if I were invisible. The noisy chatter of the TV show mingled with the burning pain on the back of my hand. Oppression, rage, humiliation. I clenched my fists, turned, and went back to my room, slamming the door shut. I stared at the system panel before me. The line “Total Filial Duty Debt: $2,730,000 USD” was my only leverage. I couldn’t just let this go. I clicked on the system and found that besides the settlement modes, there was also an “Information Inquiry” function, which required a $1,000 system credit fee. I didn’t hesitate to pay. [Information Inquiry function activated. Please enter the content you wish to inquire about.] I tentatively typed in “Mother-in-law Carol, health supplements.” I remembered last month, I had spent twenty thousand dollars to get premium quality health supplements for Rick’s health. But he only took them once, claiming they tasted weird, and Carol packed the rest away. The next second, a string of information popped up on the system interface. [Query Results:] [Date: Xth of X month. Event: You purchased premium health supplements valued at $20,000 USD.] [Fund Flow Tracking:] [X+1th of X month, Carol contacted second-hand supplement resale dealer “Mike’s Resale” via SnapChat, selling the supplements for $8,000 USD.] Attached were clear screenshots of their SnapChat conversation. Carol: “Mike, got another batch of good stuff. Premium grade, and that idiot daughter-in-law bought it.” Mike’s Resale: “Carol, you’re amazing! Same price as before?” Carol: “Yep, just transfer the money directly to my card.” My heart sank a little further. Following this was the bank transfer record. $8,000, not a cent missing. But that wasn’t all. The system continued to display. [X+1th of X month, 3:30 PM, Carol transferred $8,000 USD to bank account ending in XXXX. Recipient: Tiffany Chen.] [Memo: Tiffany, a little spending money from your aunt. Buy whatever you like.] Tiffany Chen. Brandon’s cousin, Carol’s niece. The princess who was doted on by the entire family, who would order me around every time she visited, while my in-laws and Brandon would only tell me to “be more accommodating” to my “sister.” My $20,000 act of filial devotion was sold by my mother-in-law for $8,000, which then became her niece’s spending money. I felt a chill run from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my head. I continued to enter keywords. “Mother-in-law Carol, high-end organic supplements.” “Father-in-law Rick, massage chair.” “Brandon, startup fund.” One by one, shocking query results appeared. The $8,000 high-end organic supplements I bought were exchanged by her for $3,000 worth of cheap alternatives, with the difference going into Tiffany’s pocket. The $30,000 full-feature massage chair I bought for Rick was deemed too space-consuming by him and sold to a neighbor for $10,000. That money went to Brandon for “business expenses.” The most ridiculous part was that I had given Brandon my emergency savings that my parents had given me, $200,000, to support his “startup.” The system showed that the money was transferred to a gambling website account that very day and lost completely. But Brandon had told me it was an investment failure, a total loss. He had even held me, swearing, “Don’t worry, darling. When I get back on my feet, I’ll make sure you live a good life.” A good life? My efforts, my sacrifices, my heartfelt devotion – in their eyes, I was nothing more than an ATM to be freely used, a recycling station for resources. And all the value harvested flowed to the people they truly cared about. Me, I was nothing. I leaned against the cold wall and laughed. I laughed until tears streamed down my face. Eleanor, Eleanor, you’re truly the biggest fool.

The next morning, I calmly packed my suitcase. As I wheeled my luggage out of the room, the Chen family was sitting at the dining table, eating the bagels and drinking the coffee I’d prepared last night. They didn’t even glance at me. Carol spoke in a passive-aggressive tone, “Oh, so you’ve come to your senses? Ready to get lost?” Brandon took a sip of his coffee and snorted, “Good, she knows her place.” I ignored them and walked straight to the door to change my shoes. Seeing my silence, Carol assumed I’d caved, and a hint of smugness entered her voice. “Eleanor, that fifty thousand dollars? You’ll get it after you sign the divorce papers. Don’t try any tricks, or you won’t get a single cent.” My back to them, I quietly hummed in acknowledgment. This response completely put them at ease. Carol even feigned concern, “After you leave, find a decent job. Don’t always think about shady ways to make money.” I finished changing my shoes, opened the door, and looked back at them one last time. The three of them were sitting together, seemingly happy, as if they were about to get rid of a huge problem. Their faces held undisguised relief and pleasure. I smiled, then closed the door. Goodbye, my foolish three years of youth. I didn’t go back to my parents’ house. Instead, I used the last bit of money in my account to rent a small studio apartment near my company. After settling in, the first thing I did was send Brandon a message. “A divorce is fine. I’ll leave with nothing. But I have one condition.” Brandon replied almost instantly, his tone wary. “What condition? I’m telling you, no money!” “Don’t worry, it’s not about money.” I typed, “Tomorrow is your company’s Family Day, right? I want to come and see it, since I won’t have another chance. Think of it as a final farewell.” Brandon’s company held an annual Family Day event, inviting employees’ families. It was an important occasion to showcase the company’s humanistic care and employees’ family happiness. He was always concerned about appearances. In previous years, he would force me to dress up and play the loving wife in front of his colleagues. Sure enough, he hesitated. If I caused a scene today, and he showed up alone tomorrow, his colleagues would question him, and he’d lose face. If I cooperated with him for this last act and we parted ways amicably, it would be the best outcome for him. A few minutes later, he replied. “Fine. But remember this: don’t try anything funny, or I’ll make you regret it!” “Don’t worry.” I put away my phone and looked out the window. The calm before the storm. Brandon, Carol, Rick, and Tiffany. What you owe me, I will collect, every single cent, with interest. And this Family Day is the first stage I’ve meticulously prepared for all of you. I opened the system panel, looking at the “B. Public Settlement (requires a $100,000 activation fee)” option. The money in my account wasn’t enough. But I knew it would be soon. I clicked on “Information Inquiry” and typed “Brandon, secret stash.” The system quickly provided results. A bank account I’d never heard of, with $153,000 quietly sitting in it. His secret savings. The system even thoughtfully added a small line of text. [These funds in this account are marital assets.] I smiled. Perfect. The activation fee for the public settlement. I had it. Brandon’s company’s Family Day was held on a massive lawn. The sun was shining, and balloons, streamers, and laughter filled the air.

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Three years into our strict “split costs” marriage, my husband used emotional manipulation to mold me into a penny-pincher. He always said that relationships free from money worries were the purest. I believed him. Until I was bound by the [Perfectly Fair Expense Splitter System]. He promised a female friend a designer bag worth fifty thousand dollars? [Ding! Account balance adjusted: $25,000!] He bought my mom two hundred dollars worth of fruit? [Deducted $100!] He secretly used my paid streaming account to watch a movie? [Double compensation: $20!] Every single one of his double standards was mercilessly exposed by the System. Our marriage became the laughingstock of the entire internet. Leo Sterling screamed in a live stream, losing control: “What else can you do besides nitpick over every single penny?!” But then, the System issued its ultimate mission: [Divorce. Reward: $120,000,000.] “Aurora, let’s not let money spoil our feelings for each other.” On our wedding anniversary, Leo handed me a split-cost agreement. I looked at his handsome face and agreed. Three days later, a mechanical voice echoed in my head: [Perfectly Fair Expense Splitter System successfully bound.] I thought it was a hallucination. Until my husband’s female friend, Tiffany Vance, called, crying. “Leo, I can’t afford that limited edition fifty-thousand-dollar bag.” The speaker was on, and Tiffany’s voice was syrupy sweet. Leo cooed softly, “Why are you crying? Forget fifty thousand, I’d buy you a five-hundred-thousand-dollar one if you wanted, sis!” He was using the phone I bought, wearing the crisp white shirt I ironed, yet he was promising to buy a bag for someone else. Tiffany’s tears turned to a giggle: “Oh, Leo, you’re so good to me!” Leo hung up and smiled at me: “Tiffany’s family isn’t wealthy; she can’t afford expensive things like that. As her brother, it’s only right I look after her a little more.” A cold laugh formed in my chest. Three years of marriage, and he’d never given me a gift worth over a thousand dollars. For me, it was always about splitting costs: “You pay the HOA fees.” “Let’s split the dinner bill.” “Aurora, be independent!” Now, he was splashing cash on another woman. I didn’t even have the right to question him. My phone screen lit up: [Your account received $25,000.00.] The System’s voice simultaneously rang out: [Ding! Detected partner Leo Sterling promised to spend $50,000 on third party Tiffany Vance. This expenditure is deemed a non-essential emotional investment and should be jointly borne by both parties. The System has automatically balanced the account for you, transferring $25,000 from Leo Sterling’s account.] I stared at the bank text message, then at Leo. He was still hunched over his phone, smiling, messaging Tiffany. Completely oblivious that his account was now lighter. This was, truly, perfectly fair. I put down my forks and stood up. “I’m full.” Leo didn’t even lift his head. “Okay, remember to do the dishes.” I walked out of the dining room. Soon, a furious curse exploded behind me. Every penny, he believed, should be under his command. Sometimes, even my money should be his. He drank my water, never buying his own. Now, the System was here. It would calculate everything. I returned to the bedroom and closed the door. Tiffany’s Ins story popped up: [Best brother ever, heart emoji.] The picture showed the fifty-thousand-dollar bag. Leo was the first to like it. My phone screen glowed ominously, like a silent judge. This marriage, finally, was going to be precisely measured.

The next day was Saturday. Leo voluntarily drove me to my mom’s house. He even bought two hundred dollars worth of fruit downstairs. He handed it to me, striking a pose. “Aurora, say hello to our mom for me.” Three years of marriage, and he’d always called my mom “Ma’am.” Today, he was playing the doting son-in-law. Just as I was about to go upstairs, my phone rang. [Ding! Detected host and partner jointly spent $200 to show filial piety to host’s mother. According to the Principle of Absolute Fairness, this expense should be jointly borne by both parties. $100 has been automatically deducted from your account and transferred to Leo Sterling’s account.] I looked at the deduction message and fell silent. Leo hadn’t driven off yet, rolling down his window to wave. “Aurora, come back early to make dinner.” I nodded, turned, and went upstairs. Absolute fairness. So fair, it was sarcastic. When I got home that evening, Leo was lying on the couch, on a call. “Mom, Dad, I transferred you ten thousand for living expenses.” “Let me know if you need more, don’t hold back.” “Company’s doing well, and Aurora’s great too.” He hung up and glanced at me. I waited a moment. The System remained silent. I asked mentally: “He transferred ten thousand to his parents, why no reaction?” [Responding to host: Supporting a partner’s parents is a unilateral legal obligation and does not fall under joint consumption. Therefore, it is not factored into the AA System.] I understood. The System only cared about the money he spent on people other than me. As for supporting his own parents, that was our joint marital duty. How fair. I went into the kitchen to make dinner. Leo followed, wrapping his arms around me from behind. “Aurora, you worked hard today. Let’s watch a movie tonight and relax.” I felt a little uncomfortable. After the AA system started, intimacy had become rare. After dinner, he skillfully logged into my paid streaming account. I’d bought the annual membership during a sale. He hadn’t asked for the password, but he’d definitely tried my birthday. He picked the latest pay-per-view movie, ten dollars. He clicked play without hesitation, paying with my account. I watched the screen, expressionless. Just as the movie started, my phone rang. [Ding! Detected partner Leo Sterling misappropriated host’s personal asset (video streaming membership) and incurred a $10 expense. This act of misappropriation constitutes malicious encroachment. Double compensation has been enforced, totaling $20. $20 has been transferred from Leo Sterling’s account to your account.] Almost simultaneously, Leo’s phone received a deduction message. His face instantly changed. He sharply turned to me. “Did you mess with my money again?” His voice wasn’t loud, but it was full of accusation. I looked at him calmly. “I didn’t.” “Bullshit!” He slammed his phone onto the coffee table. “Why would my money mysteriously drop by twenty bucks?!” “Yesterday it was twenty-five thousand, today it’s twenty! Aurora, what’s your game?” He stood up, looking down at me. “We agreed on AA, no interfering with each other’s money. What are you trying to do now?” “Secretly trying to screw me over? Is this fun for you?” Every word was like a needle. I didn’t speak. I silently opened my phone and showed him the System’s transaction log. Every single transaction, clear as day. [September 15th: Spent $50,000 on Tiffany Vance, account balanced $25,000.] [September 16th: Showed filial piety to mother-in-law, spent $200, account balanced $100.] [September 16th: Misappropriated membership and spent $10, compensation $20.] Leo’s breathing hitched. He stared intently at the screen, his expression shifting from anger to shock, then to utter disbelief. “What is this thing?” “The Perfectly Fair Expense Splitter System,” I replied, taking back my phone. “It automatically calculates all our financial transactions and enforces account balancing.” “You wanted pure emotion, didn’t you? The System is helping you achieve that.” Leo was speechless. His facial muscles twitched, making him look utterly ridiculous. His proud AA system was being perfectly executed by the System. All his double standards and selfishness were quantified into numbers. He couldn’t argue. “Fairness” was his idea. After a long moment, he irritably ran his fingers through his hair. “What fake system? I bet it’s some trick you cooked up!” He turned and stormed into his study, slamming the door shut. In the living room, only I remained. The movie was still playing on the TV. And my marriage to Leo had become a farce under data surveillance. The director? Leo himself. I picked up the phone he’d thrown on the coffee table. The screen was lit, showing his SnapChat chat with Tiffany. The last message was from him: “Aurora’s throwing another tantrum today, it’s so annoying.” Below it, Tiffany’s reply had just popped up: “Is Aurora misunderstanding something, big bro? Maybe I should explain it to her?”

Leo was a moderately famous finance influencer. With millions of followers, his public persona was “woke, independent, and respectful of women.” He started a live stream, the theme being “Discussing independent partnerships in the new era.” Tiffany Vance, as a special guest, sat beside him. Today, she looked especially innocent, in a white dress, long hair flowing over her shoulders. On her wrist, she wore a watch. It was a limited edition couple’s watch from a certain brand, a gift I’d given Leo last Valentine’s Day. My matching one was still in my jewelry box. In the live stream, Leo spoke eloquently: “A good marriage must be about mutual independence, not reliance.” “Especially financially, the AA system is the best way.” “It filters out material impurities and allows feelings to return to their purest form.” Tiffany nodded vigorously, her eyes full of admiration. “Brother Leo is absolutely right.” “Like Brother Leo and me, we’re the best of friends, with the purest sibling bond.” As she spoke, she casually brushed her hair back, revealing the watch on her wrist. “Just like this watch, Brother gave it to me, representing our indestructible friendship.” Comments instantly flooded in: [Wow, is that a couple’s watch?] [He spoils his ‘sister’ too much!] [Is that the same watch as the streamer’s wife?] [Don’t talk nonsense, up there! It’s a sibling bond! The streamer said so!] [Where’s the original wife? Why isn’t she doing anything?] [She probably can’t control her man, otherwise why would the streamer be looking for other women.] [Exactly, independent women understand boundaries, only nitpicky women push their men away.] I sat in front of my computer, my fingers icy cold. Leo glanced at the comments. Instead of explaining, he draped his arm over Tiffany’s chair back, a gesture of intimate closeness. “Tiffany and my relationship doesn’t need to be explained to anyone.” “Those who understand, understand.” Tiffany shyly lowered her head, but the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up. Open provocation and humiliation. They were using the token of our love to stage a show of “deep kinship.” Then they stood on moral high ground, implying I was “too petty” and “didn’t understand.” At that moment, my phone suddenly emitted a loud alert. The sound was so loud that it passed through my computer microphone and clearly echoed into the live stream. [Ding! Detected partner Leo Sterling unilaterally gifted marital property (couple’s watch, purchase price $32,000) to third party Tiffany Vance. This action constitutes an infringement of host’s property. Account has been automatically balanced for you, transferring $16,000 from Leo Sterling’s account to your account.] A mechanical, emotionless electronic voice reverberated through the live stream, heard by tens of thousands. Leo and Tiffany’s smiles froze. The live chat, silent for three seconds, absolutely exploded! [Marital property? Sixteen thousand? The wife bought the watch?!] [An epic public humiliation! One second pure sibling love, the next their true colors are instantly exposed!] [What is this System? It’s too smart! “Perfectly Fair System”?! LOL!] [So Leo’s persona was all fake? Using his wife’s money to buy things for a female friend, then calling his wife stingy?!] [Tiffany’s face just changed, hahahaha, is that stolen watch comfortable to wear?] Leo’s face flushed from red to white. He fumbled to shut down the live stream but couldn’t hit the button. Tiffany shifted uneasily, the watch on her wrist now burning like a hot iron. Eventually, the live stream was forcibly interrupted by the platform. On the black screen, the last few comments still lingered. [Original wife is a legend! Link to the System!] [This is a true independent woman of the new era! No arguing, just money transfers!] [Leo, apologize!] I closed my laptop and leaned back in my chair. On my phone screen, the bank deposit message and System notification lay side by side. Outside the window, night deepened. I knew Leo wouldn’t let this go. His war with me had just begun. Sure enough, not long after, my phone rang. It was Leo. I didn’t answer. He called again and again. Finally, a text message popped up: “Aurora Blackwood, you just wait.”

The live stream incident turned Leo and Tiffany into internet laughingstocks. “The Multi-Million Dollar AA Man” and “Watch Girl” trended for a day. Tiffany was relentlessly trolled online. Her social media was flooded with mockery and curses. She called Leo, crying, saying her company had terminated her contract, and her career was ruined. Leo was heartbroken. He believed it was my fault. That “damn System” of mine had ruined his persona and dragged his “most important” sister down. He wanted to teach me a lesson. An unforgettable lesson. I ran a small online store selling handmade accessories. It was my passion project from college, my only emotional outlet and source of self-worth. The store was on a niche online marketplace. Leo teamed up with several venture capitalists to maliciously short the platform. Three days later, the platform’s servers, under an unprovoked attack, completely crashed. All data was wiped clean. My online store, overnight, vanished into thin air. All my design drafts, customer data, order records, and years of hard work… all gone. I stared at the 404 page on my computer, feeling utterly empty. It wasn’t just a store. It was my only escape from a suffocating marriage. My only way to prove my worth. Now, it was destroyed by the very person I was closest to. Leo came home, a look of vengeful pleasure on his face. He tossed a news report about the platform’s bankruptcy liquidation in front of me. “Aurora, see that?” “This is what happens when you cross me.” “I told you long ago, don’t challenge my bottom line.” “Your pathetic little store means nothing to me.” He expected me to cry, to become hysterical. But I didn’t. I looked at him calmly, terrifyingly calmly. My heart, in that moment, died completely. My phone chimed, ill-timed. [Ding! Detected partner Leo Sterling maliciously destroyed host’s personal business, causing direct economic loss and emotional distress to host. Loss assessment in progress… Assessment complete. Totaling $200,000, factoring in store revenue, brand value, future earnings, and emotional damages. Account has been forcibly balanced, transferring $200,000 from Leo Sterling’s account to your account.] A bank deposit message followed immediately. [Your bank account (ending in 6688) received a transfer of $200,000.00 on September 20th at 9:05 PM. Your current checking account balance is $231,265.00.] Leo also received a deduction notification. He glanced at his phone, his smug expression instantly vanishing, replaced by furious rage. “This damn thing again! Aurora! You freaking—” His curses cut short. He saw my expression. I looked at the $200,000 deposit notification, my heart utterly devoid of ripples. What could money fix? It couldn’t fix the countless sleepless nights I poured into it. It couldn’t fix my shattered dreams. It couldn’t fix the dead stillness in my heart at this very moment. Leo seemed to sense something was off. My calmness unnerved him more than any violent reaction could. “You… what’s with that expression?” I didn’t answer him. My sole emotional anchor had been crushed by his own hand. The last thread connecting me to him had completely snapped. Just then, that cold mechanical voice in my mind rang out again. Unlike any time before, this electronic voice seemed to carry a hint of… excitement? [Detected complete severance of host’s emotional link to partner.] [Hatred value accumulated to peak.] [Resilience reset to zero, initial expectation value turned negative.] [Ultimate mission trigger conditions met.] [Generating ultimate mission…]

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We were four foster girls, raised by the Albright family. Mrs. Albright had one goal: to train the most exceptional one among us to marry her son, Brandon. The other three girls—Clara, Lena, and Isabella—learned flower arrangement, mastered etiquette, and practiced how to charm Brandon. But me? I studied finance, management, and how to drain Albright Industries from the inside. Brandon found me intriguing, a new kind of game. He cornered me against the wall, a condescending, knowing smirk on his face. “Playing hard to get, trying to make me think highly of you?” “Cut the act. I don’t like ambitious women.” He thought I wanted him. He had no idea I’d seen too many women who relied on men, only to end up as withered roses. What I wanted was never his love. It was the power to finally break free from his grasp. Later, he truly became infatuated with me. The moment he realized I was slipping from his control… He embraced me, his eyes bloodshot. “I admit I’m completely lost. I just want you.” “Don’t work so hard, be my Mrs. Albright.” I smiled, slapping my resignation letter against his chest. “Mr. Albright, you think I was after the title of your wife?” “No, I’m after your position.”

Mrs. Albright summoned the four of us to the main estate for afternoon tea, claiming she had an important announcement. In the vast living room, crystal chandeliers sparkled, and the air was thick with the cloying sweetness of expensive incense. I sat on the plush velvet sofa alongside the other three girls—Clara, Lena, and Isabella—like merchandise waiting to be appraised. Our postures were the result of a thousand rehearsals: spines straight, smiles practiced to perfection. Mrs. Albright’s perfectly maintained face held a warm smile, though it never quite reached her eyes. “Children, you’ve all been with the Albright family for over ten years now. Each of you has grown into such slender and graceful young women. I’m very pleased.” Her gaze swept slowly across our faces, as if inspecting her prized collection. “Brandon is also of marrying age now, and I’ve watched all of you grow up, so I know you well.” “I’ve decided to choose one of you four to be his wife.” The moment her words fell, the three girls beside me gasped, their breathing quickening. Clara was never one to hide her feelings. Her cheeks flushed instantly, her eyes practically overflowing with anticipation, her hands clutching her dress. Lena kept her head down, nervously twisting the hem of her shirt. She seemed calm, but her knuckles were white. Isabella, however, straightened her back subtly, adopting the most poised and flawless demeanor, as if the title of Mrs. Albright was already hers for the taking. They all wanted to be Mrs. Albright. Only I picked up the bone china teacup in front of me and gently blew on the rising steam. The tea reflected my utterly calm face. I just wanted to leave this golden cage.

After dinner, we returned to the separate guesthouse prepared specifically for us. The moment we stepped inside, the suppressed tension exploded. Clara was the first to break the silence, spinning in a circle, her face alight with the blush of a girl in love. “I’m going to marry Brandon! Did you hear that? Mrs. Albright said it herself!” Lena, mixing paints at her easel, merely poured cold water on Clara’s excitement. “We all want to marry him, don’t we? But the Albrights will only choose the best one.” Clara puffed out her chest defiantly and ran over to Lena. “Brandon has feelings for me! He’s the most special to me!” She pulled a small silver whistle from her neck, showing it off like a treasured possession. “Last year, for my birthday, Brandon took me to the stables. This was his gift to me. He said he crafted it himself, and it’s one of a kind.” Her voice was full of sweet memories. “He also said that if I ever blew the whistle, no matter where he was, he’d come to me immediately. He even said my smile was like the first rose of spring.” We all looked at the whistle, which shimmered with a cheap, false gleam under the light. Brandon had said similar things to every one of us girls. Those sweet nothings were just cheap tools for his game, plucked from thin air without a second thought—low effort, high return. Just last month, he’d told Lena that her paintings held stars like the sea, a unique artistic soul no one could truly grasp. Then he’d turned around and told Isabella that her tea had a calming magic, an extension of her serene nature. But Clara believed him. She saw the whistle as irrefutable proof, convinced she was the one special person in Brandon’s heart. Isabella scoffed, turning to disappear into the bathroom, her back radiating disdain. I looked at Clara’s face, steeped in fantasy, and didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth. Some people just have to hit rock bottom before they see the truth. No words would have changed her mind.

Brandon’s official fiancée, Victoria Sterling, suddenly returned from abroad. She was the sole heiress of Sterling Corporation, a family of comparable wealth to the Albrights. This marriage had been arranged by their grandfathers long ago. Mrs. Albright had us pick her up from the airport, under the pretense of bonding with our future sister-in-law. In plain terms, it was to make us her background dancers, to show her how many women orbited Brandon, hoping to spark a sense of urgency in her. Victoria wore a high-fashion designer suit, her makeup flawless. Her eyes, hidden behind dark sunglasses, swept over us, as if looking at a few pathetic pets begging for her attention. Her gaze finally settled on Clara. Clara had specifically worn the limited-edition dress Brandon had given her that day, and her delicate, flirty makeup did nothing to hide that little flutter of excitement; it was completely transparent to Victoria. At the evening gala, Victoria, holding a wine glass, moved with casual elegance towards Clara, a smile playing on her lips. “Clara, right? Brandon mentioned you’re quite the equestrian. I just got back and I’m itching to ride. How about we go to the stables tomorrow for a friendly competition?” Clara was thrilled by the unexpected recognition; Brandon had never praised her like this in front of others. She accepted without a second thought, believing it was Brandon’s approval. The next day, nearly all the city’s elites received invitations to witness this ‘friendly competition’ that was clearly a public display of dominance. Victoria personally picked the most spirited chestnut mare for Clara, claiming it was noble and suited her. Clara was scared, but to impress Brandon, she gritted her teeth and mounted the horse. The race began, with Victoria’s horse taking an immediate lead. Clara chased closely behind. At a bend, Clara’s horse suddenly spooked, rearing on its hind legs with a neigh, throwing her violently to the ground. Everyone gasped in alarm. Brandon was the first to rush forward, but not towards Clara. Instead, he caught Victoria, who had somehow also slipped from her horse and merely twisted her ankle. He held Victoria, his face etched with heartache, anxiously checking her ankle, as if his cherished treasure had shattered. Meanwhile, Clara lay not far off, her lower leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Her face was chalk-white with pain, cold sweat beaded on her forehead, yet no one seemed to notice her. She watched Brandon and Victoria, intimately intertwined, and the light in her eyes extinguished, bit by bit.

Clara was sent back to her real home, a remote town. The Albright family paid her parents a substantial sum, on the condition that they never return to the city, and never speak of their connection to the Albright name. It was a ‘dignified’ expulsion, and a gag order. When I was permitted to visit her in the hospital to say goodbye, she lay in bed, her leg encased in a thick cast, like a flower utterly ravaged by a storm. She handed me the silver whistle, her palm cold. “It was all a lie…” She rasped, her eyes holding a dead, ashen calm. “Victoria hid needles under my saddle. The stablehand who prepped my horse worked for her. She deliberately spooked the horse, then faked her own fall in front of Brandon, all to humiliate me and make him completely despise me.” “Brandon knew everything. He even… silently approved.” “He thought I was an eyesore, so he played along with Victoria, putting on this show to toss me aside like garbage.” Clara grabbed my hand, her frail fingers trembling with the force. “Scarlett, you’re so smart, you have to be careful.” “Don’t trust Brandon. Don’t trust anyone here. Survive, and then… destroy them.” I clutched the whistle in my hand, the cold metal digging into my palm, a sharp sting. “Okay,” I nodded.

After Clara left, the annex grew much quieter, and heavier with a suffocating silence. Lena became even more withdrawn, spending her days locked in the art studio, her canvases filled with dark, somber tones. She had a secret, one we all knew. She was secretly dating a struggling art student named Leo Hayes, a world she carefully guarded as her own. But that secret was soon uncovered by Victoria. That day was the annual Albright family charity gala. Lena’s painting, “Starry Night,” was chosen as the centerpiece auction item. The bidding started at a hundred thousand dollars, and a mystery buyer eventually snatched it for a staggering three million. Everyone assumed the Albrights were just building Lena’s reputation. Brandon even publicly put his arm around her, declaring her the family’s pride. Mrs. Albright was also very pleased, praising Lena in front of everyone, hinting she was one step closer to becoming Mrs. Albright. Lena, however, went pale. She spent the entire evening fidgeting, unable to relax. After the gala, the man who bought the painting found Lena at the end of the hallway. It was her boyfriend, Leo Hayes. He wore a cheap, ill-fitting suit, his hair meticulously plastered down with gel, which only made him look more out of place and nervous. He excitedly grabbed Lena’s hand. “Lena, I did it! I sold my family’s house, borrowed money from every relative and friend, and scraped together three million. I wanted to prove to the Albrights that I can make you happy!” Lena stared at him, tears streaming down her face, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word. Just then, Victoria arrived with a group of reporters she’d hidden in ambush. Flashbulbs flashed wildly, capturing the two of them in their distressed state. “Well, well, isn’t this our future Mrs. Albright? Getting cozy with a penniless artist?” Victoria’s tone was laced with poisoned mockery. “I hear he blew his entire family fortune just to buy your painting? Truly heartwarming. Brandon, you certainly have a way with your foster sisters, don’t you?” Behind her, Brandon’s face was thunderous. The next day, the news exploded everywhere. “Albright Foster Daughter Caught with Penniless Artist, Elite Dreams Shattered.” “Madly in Love or Calculated Scheme? Art Prodigy Accused of Social Climbing and Shameless Stunt.” Leo was expelled from the academy for “conduct unbecoming and bringing disrepute,” and all his gallery contracts were terminated. His life was ruined overnight.

Lena locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink. A few days later, Mrs. Albright sent her away too, to some obscure relatives in the countryside no one knew. Before she left, Lena stopped me in the hallway. She was gaunt, her eyes hollow. She said it was Isabella. It was Isabella who had told Victoria everything about her and Leo, including Leo’s home address and contact information. In exchange, Victoria had promised to put in a good word for Isabella with Mrs. Albright, helping her become the ultimate winner. I looked at Isabella, who was not far off, learning flower arrangement with Mrs. Albright. Her face held a gentle, elegant smile, as if she knew nothing. A chill ran down my spine. To climb the ladder, she would gladly trample over her sisters. Only one thought remained in my mind: Escape. I had to leave, now. I used all the money I’d secretly saved, applied through an agency to a top university abroad for a finance degree, and even secured a full scholarship. The day my visa came through, I thought I could finally breathe the air of freedom. I went to Mrs. Albright to say my goodbyes. She was still the picture of gentle affection, holding my hand, rambling on, her eyes even welling up. “Scarlett, there’s no place like home. You’re a young woman, going to a new place where you know no one. How could I not worry?” I smiled. “Madam, I’ll take care of myself. I’ll write to you often.” The next day, as I was dragging my suitcase to the airport, I received a call from the embassy. My visa had been revoked, “due to suspected fraudulent documentation.” I’d also been blacklisted, prohibited from applying for any country’s visa for five years. I stood rooted to the spot, my blood running cold, my hands and feet icy. It was Mrs. Albright. She had cut off all my escape routes, determined to keep me trapped in this gilded cage. That evening, she called me to her study. She dropped her facade, a victorious smile on her face. “Scarlett, don’t blame me. You’re the one I had the highest hopes for among all four girls. I couldn’t bear to let you leave.” She handed me a document. “Brandon needs a capable assistant. You’ll work for him. The closer you are to him, the more opportunities you’ll have. Don’t disappoint me.” It was an employment contract, for the position of Executive Assistant to the CEO of Albright Industries. I stared at her hypocritical smile, my heart a dead space. I took the contract and calmly signed my name. Scarlett. If I couldn’t escape, then I’d turn this place into my hunting ground.

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Just back from studying abroad, my parents were beyond thrilled at my welcome party, ready to gift me a stunning ocean-view villa. But before I could even say a word, my brother’s fiancée quickly interjected. “Why would you give her, a girl, such an expensive villa?” Her gaze, light and dismissive, swept over me. “The baby I’m carrying, it’s already confirmed to be a boy!” “If you dare give her that villa, I won’t have this child. Your family can just forget about having an heir.” I listened to her words, utterly perplexed. Didn’t she know Caleb was just an adopted child in our family? “Mom, Dad, I missed you both so much!” Stepping out of the luxury car, I practically flew into my parents’ arms. My mother, tears welling in her eyes, gently stroked my cheek. “Chloe, our empire is vast, and you just had to go study abroad. Look at you, you’ve gotten so thin!” I knew Mom was worried about me, so I just smiled and snuggled deeper into her shoulder. She playfully squeezed my nose and led me to the dining room. “I’ve prepared a whole table of your favorites, just for my little foodie.” My father, seeing me glued to my mother, sounded a little jealous as he raised his voice. “Chloe, since you’re back, your mother and I are planning to get you a villa.” “Pick any villa you like, Dad’s footing the bill for everything.” I immediately hugged his arm. “You’re the best, Dad!” Father beamed, a proud grin on his face. “How about an ocean-view villa at Ocean Crest Estates?” “You could even be neighbors with your brother.” I was about to excitedly throw myself into his arms. But then, Brittany, Caleb’s fiancée, violently shoved her chair back. “I object!” “Why would you give *her*, a girl, such an expensive villa?” “When she gets married, that house will just become someone else’s property.” She rolled her eyes at me, then glanced at my parents before crossing her arms and turning her head away. I’d heard about Caleb’s fiancée even while I was studying abroad. Brittany and Caleb had been dating for three years, and she was already intimately familiar with everything about our family. Once, when I was video calling Caleb, he’d even introduced her to me, sitting on our living room sofa with his arm around her. We’d exchanged a few words ourselves. Lately, with Brittany and Caleb discussing marriage, she’d really started acting like she owned the place. But even so, my parents giving me a villa didn’t need her permission, did it? Still, remembering how sweet and approachable she’d seemed during our past conversations, I swallowed my annoyance and asked. “What’s wrong, Brittany? Pre-wedding jitters? “Where’s Caleb?” Brittany shot me another disdainful look, but then, seeing my parents’ expressions darken, she quickly put on her familiar gentle façade. “Oh, Dad, Mom!” “Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m saying all this for the Sterling family’s good.” “Caleb and I are getting married soon, and the company is on an upward trend under Caleb’s leadership. There are so many places where we need money.” “But a villa at Ocean Crest Estates costs tens of millions. I’m just worried that the family’s funds might get tight, and then what would we do?” Mom walked over to Brittany, gently coaxing her to sit down. “You don’t need to worry about this. The money for Chloe’s villa was set aside a long time ago.” “It won’t affect your wedding with Caleb or the company’s cash flow.” Father, still comforting me, cast a cold glance at Brittany. But she wouldn’t let it go. “That may be true, but Caleb told me he wants to expand into some overseas markets, and the company needs a lot of capital during the initial phase.” “Even if we don’t use those tens of millions, it would be much better to just keep it in the bank.” “Who gives their daughter such an expensive house?” “When Chloe gets married, that house will just take on someone else’s name!” “Dad, Mom, how can you be so clueless?” “Besides, Chloe has read so many books; she’s full of sly schemes. She’s definitely not going to treat you well in the future.” Listening to Brittany’s increasingly outrageous comments, I couldn’t help but frown. Mom, too, looked at Dad and me, speechless. Seeing no one refute her, Brittany grew bolder. “Dad, you’re retired and enjoying life now; you truly don’t know how hard it is to earn money these days.” “If it weren’t for Caleb bustling and toiling for the company, how could you be living such a comfortable life?” “To be blunt, buying Chloe a villa is essentially taking Caleb’s money to buy a villa for Chloe.”

Brittany’s words left me utterly speechless. I couldn’t imagine what part of her brain she was using to come up with such nonsense. Our family business had expanded overseas years ago. My reason for going abroad was twofold: to study and to manage the overseas company. Caleb was merely placed in the company by my father for experience. On the surface, it seemed Caleb was in charge of everything, but the real decision-making power remained with my parents. I saw my father’s face darken. Just as I was about to retort, Brittany spoke again. “Chloe, since you’re back, I’ll have Caleb arrange a position for you to get some experience.” “You’ve been free and easy abroad for so many years. Now that you’re back, it’s time to settle down.” “Otherwise, when you marry someone, they might think our Sterling girls are all lazy socialites who only know how to enjoy themselves.” That last remark hit a raw nerve with my father. After holding back for so long, he finally spoke. “Who the hell do you think you are?” “You’re not even married into the Sterling family yet, and you’re talking about my daughter like that?” “Brittany, listen to me. In this family, I can turn a blind eye to your tantrums and capriciousness, but you’re not even fit to criticize Chloe!” Brittany was startled into silence by my father’s outburst. In all the time she’d known him, it was the first time she’d seen him so furious. Brittany’s tears came instantly, welling up in her eyes, as she whimpered indignantly. “Chloe is just like this because you’ve spoiled her rotten, making her completely out of control.” “I know you’re biased against me, a girl from a humble background…” … I didn’t want to hear Brittany go on, so I quickly cut her off. “Alright, alright.” “Let’s discuss whatever it is after Caleb gets back.” “Dad, don’t be angry. It’s fine.” I had been so happy to see my parents again after coming home, but Brittany had ruined the beautiful atmosphere. Her words had been truly awful, but out of consideration for her upcoming marriage to my brother, I hadn’t argued back. I didn’t want to cause trouble with Caleb’s fiancée before I’d even seen him. Besides, Caleb had always been very caring towards me since we were kids. I was sure he’d support me once he knew what happened. No sooner had I finished speaking than a familiar voice echoed from the doorway. “Chloe’s finally back?” I looked up, eyes filled with anticipation, just as Brittany threw herself into Caleb’s arms. Caleb, feeling Brittany’s distress, asked with concern. “Brittany, what’s wrong?”

Hearing him, Brittany shed her arrogant demeanor. She sobbed loudly in Caleb’s embrace, occasionally looking up with feigned weakness, tears in her eyes. “Caleb, you’re finally back.” “Just now, your mom and dad said they were going to give your sister a villa at Ocean Crest Estates.” “How can that be right? Who spends so much money on a villa for a girl?” “Chloe will eventually take another man’s name. There are so many better things to do with tens of millions, but when I kindly tried to advise them, they just yelled at me.” Brittany finished, crying even more aggrievedly, but despite all the dramatics, hardly a single tear fell. My brother, Caleb Sterling, looked embarrassed upon hearing this, glancing between me and our parents. “Brittany, you can’t say that. Chloe, no matter what, will always be an integral part of the Sterling family.” “I think Mom and Dad were just a little impulsive, seeing Chloe back. As her sister-in-law, you shouldn’t fuss about it.” Caleb tried to comfort her, all while shooting me meaningful glances. I found Brittany’s pitiful act repulsive. I just grabbed my parents, ready to go out for dinner. It was a rare family reunion, and I didn’t want Brittany to spoil our evening. As the three of us got into the car, we could still hear Brittany shouting from the villa’s doorway. “Caleb, stop them! They might be going to buy that burden a villa under the pretense of dinner!” My father’s previously gentle gaze towards me suddenly hardened. He turned to the driver. “To Ocean Crest Estates.” “Dad, what about Caleb and Brittany?” Father ignored me. I looked at Brittany through the car window, feeling utterly speechless. Originally, the three of us were just going out for dinner, and I’d planned to persuade Mom and Dad to hold off on the villa. But Brittany, once again, had done us a “big favor.” At the villa sales office, after a presentation from the sales representative, Father casually pulled out a black card and handed it to them. “Chloe, what do you think of this one with the mountains and water?” “This one looks excellent to me, the feng shui and location are superb.” “If Chloe has no objections, this is the one.” “Take the card, process the payment, and then send it to the Sterling family estate.” Watching my parents’ doting eyes, my own eyes welled up. Sure enough, no matter what, the ones who loved me most were always Mom and Dad. After settling on the villa, the three of us headed straight for the city’s six-star oceanfront restaurant. No sooner had we settled into a private room than Father received a call confirming the full payment for the Ocean Crest Estates villa. Immediately after, Caleb called me. “Chloe, are Dad and Mom with you?” “Tell them to come back quickly, something terrible has happened.” The three of us exchanged confused glances, but Caleb wouldn’t say what was wrong. Overwhelmed with worry, we rushed back. But as we pushed open the door, we saw Brittany and Caleb sitting on the sofa, intimately giggling. Brittany, seeing us, instantly put on a look of distress and difficulty. “Dad, Mom, I called you back urgently because there’s something I need to tell you.” “I’m actually pregnant with Caleb’s child, a blood relative of the Sterling family.” “And it’s a boy.” Father was the first to speak, unable to contain himself. “What?” His voice was laced with excitement. I knew he had long yearned for a male heir for the Sterling family, and he had hinted at it countless times before. Brittany, seeing Father’s reaction, triumphantly placed an ultrasound report on the coffee table. “But just now, Caleb received a notification about a large sum of money being transferred from the bank.” “I’m making it clear today: either you cancel the property you just bought, or I won’t have this child!” “I refuse to believe that the Sterling family heir I’m carrying is less important than some useless girl!” My parents exchanged grave glances, looking at me, then at Caleb. I also looked at Caleb, hoping he would put his crazy fiancée in her place. But he just sat there nonchalantly, sipping tea and leisurely eating cake. Just as I was about to confront Caleb, my father spoke first. “Caleb, is what Brittany said also your opinion?” Seeing Father speak, Caleb didn’t dare to delay. He put down his teacup and said. “Dad, Brittany is pregnant now, and the doctor said we have to listen to her about everything, or it might affect the baby.” “Besides, Brittany is actually doing this for the good of our Sterling family.” “What if Chloe truly gets tricked by someone in the future? Those tens of millions for the villa would all go to someone else’s family.” “How about this, you give me the money, and I’ll rent Chloe my villa at Ocean Crest Estates for a while.” Just as my father was about to lunge at him, my mother grabbed his arm and said. “Caleb, your father, your sister, and I are going upstairs to discuss something.” Fearing my parents would be put in a difficult position, I spoke as soon as we closed the door to the upstairs drawing room. “Mom, the villa is a small matter. No matter what, we need Brittany to have this child.” “Let’s contact the sales representative and cancel the villa.” Father looked at me with complex emotions, then turned and punched the chair, cursing. “That bastard, Caleb!” Mother looked at Father, then turned her gaze to me, firm and resolute. She took my hand and spoke. “Caleb is not your biological brother, Chloe.” “Chloe, your father and I don’t want you to keep suffering and sacrificing yourself like this.” This news utterly shocked me. My brother, who had been with me since childhood, wasn’t my biological brother? Mother saw my expression and smiled slightly. Father then spoke. “Caleb was adopted by your mother and me when he was very young. Over the years, we’ve come to see him as our own child.” “We even had the division of the Sterling family fortune planned out, ensuring that you and your brother would receive absolutely fair shares.” “But his behavior these past two days has truly disappointed your mother and me. He’s deluded himself into thinking he holds power over the Sterling Group, and his ambition has grown increasingly brazen.” I looked at my father’s pained expression and comforted him. “Dad, Caleb might just be temporarily blinded by power. Don’t be too sad.” Tears welled in Father’s eyes as he pulled me into a hug. “My silly child, do you think I’m sad for Caleb?” “I’m heartbroken that for all these years, my concern for Caleb led me to neglect you, my own daughter!” I numbly comforted Father, still not fully processing everything. Could all those years of living together, Caleb’s constant care and affection for me, his obedience to Mom and Dad, have all been a lie? I was even still thinking of trying to explain things for Caleb and Brittany, but the growing sounds of wailing from downstairs pierced my ears. “Caleb, I’m so wronged!” “If the Sterling family doesn’t care about this child, I might as well just get rid of him!”

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The third year after I returned home, my family went bankrupt, and my parents were murdered. I fell from being a pampered heiress to working odd jobs just to survive. To uncover the truth behind my parents’ deaths, I married my ex-boyfriend’s father. In public, Julian Thorne was aloof and dangerously elegant, his eyes filled with endless sarcasm and mockery. “What? Couldn’t reel me in, so you decided to hook my dad instead? Planning to be my stepmom now?” But behind closed doors, his eyes would turn bloodshot as he gripped my waist, punishing me again and again. “Stepmom… scream for me… a million bucks for every gasp…” Three years after returning to the country, my family’s company unexpectedly went bankrupt, and both my parents died. I went from being the darling of our circle to a laughingstock. Burdened with debt, I had no choice but to work and simultaneously investigate the truth behind my parents’ murder. One evening, while serving drinks at a high-end club, a few luxury cars pulled up outside, and several rich young men stepped out. Among them, I instantly spotted him: Julian Thorne, my ex-boyfriend. He was wearing a black suit, his figure lean and tall. Rimless designer glasses framed his face, making him look exceptionally sophisticated and distant. My heart was in turmoil. Just then, Mr. Davis, the club manager, assigned me to deliver drinks to their room, and I absently accepted. The room number was 816. I knocked on the door, then pushed it open, carrying the tray of drinks inside. But the next second, I regretted it. The private room was thick with smoke, and neon lights flashed erratically. Julian sat in the main seat. Beneath his suit jacket, his white shirt was unbuttoned, creating an aura of forbidden allure. My body stiffened instantly. I lowered my head, praying he wouldn’t recognize me. “Well, well, isn’t that Miss Skylar? What are you doing in a place like this?” As soon as I set the drinks down, one of the men beside Julian called out to me, his tone laced with amusement. “Julian, you’ve just returned from abroad, so you might not know,” “This, right here, is our infamous Miss Skylar.” Another man grabbed Julian’s arm and began rattling off my entire family history, complete with all the juicy details. Julian lit a cigarette, glanced at me, and smirked. “Oh, really? That famous, huh?” I couldn’t bear to listen to their insulting words anymore. After placing the drinks, I turned to leave. But then, one of the rich guys abruptly shut the door. “Didn’t Miss Skylar used to love singing? How about a song for us?” I felt a surge of humiliation. I set the microphone aside, picked up a fresh one, and was about to sing. Suddenly, a low, sarcastic chuckle sounded in my ear. “Having a club girl sing? Don’t you worry about tainting the air with such vulgarity?”

I looked up. Julian was swirling his red wine, looking down on me, his eyes filled with searing sarcasm. He had a point. I’d dumped him without a second thought back then, so there was no reason for Julian not to hate me. As soon as he spoke, the others, sensing his displeasure, let me go. Stepping out of the room, my breathing was ragged. I gulped down several deep breaths. After that, whenever I worked, I refused any assignments for room 816. The night wore on, and finally, my shift ended. My rented apartment was nearby, so I walked to and from work every day. It was ten o’clock at night now, and the deserted streets were mostly empty. But strangely, a few honks suddenly blared from behind me. The next moment, a black Porsche Cayenne screeched to a halt right in front of me. Julian stepped out, effortlessly elegant, lit a cigarette, and leaned casually against the car. “After leaving me, you’ve become so pathetic?” “Why are you working in a club now?” His face held a teasing smirk, his words sharp as daggers, his tone aggressive. I ignored him, trying to walk around him. Julian took a deep drag from his cigarette, then grabbed my arm, slamming me against the car. His lips crushed mine. The taste of smoke exploded in my mouth. I fought back fiercely, biting into his lip until I tasted blood. Julian licked his lips, his smile a little wild. “What, you’ve turned into a club girl, and you can’t even handle a kiss?” I raised my hand to slap him, but he caught it, scooped me up with one arm, and shoved me into the car. Julian’s body pressed down on me, his presence overwhelming, angrily tearing at my clothes. “You’d rather be a club girl than stay with me, wouldn’t you?” I was terrified, struggling wildly and screaming. “You’re insane! Let me go!” Julian’s face darkened, his eyes blazing with pure possessiveness. “Save your energy. Later, each scream will be worth a million bucks.” He started to strip off his clothes, but then a police siren blared outside, stopping him cold.

I had called the police while he wasn’t paying attention. The officer asked for a resolution, and I smiled, saying we could settle it privately. But he had to pay me. Julian frowned, furious. Without a word, he threw a bank card at my face. He left with a parting shot: “You really are pathetic,” then walked away. Julian and I met abroad. We were both studying overseas as teenagers, and coincidentally, we were neighbors. At that time, we were in the prime of our youth, a handsome boy and a beautiful girl, and there was an instant spark between us. Once we were together, we became inseparable. Julian’s words weren’t so harsh back then; he was a gentle, attentive younger man. I remember once, some guy from my class abroad joked about me. Julian’s face turned menacing when he heard it. He lunged at the guy and beat him senseless. I couldn’t stop him. We ended up at the police station that day, too, but his gaze never left me. His brow furrowed slightly as he held my hand, murmuring cautiously, “Skylar, I’m sorry. I won’t be so reckless again, okay?” He loved me so much back then. He was like a completely different person from the mocking, arrogant man he was now. But I couldn’t blame him. My family had arranged a strategic alliance for me through marriage, forcing me to break up with him. So, for his sake and mine, I said cruel things to break up with him and then immediately blocked him on every social media platform. The very next day, I flew back home. But I truly didn’t know he was the heir to the Thorne empire then. Otherwise, if I had to marry for alliance anyway, why would I have looked elsewhere? Now, it was too late to say anything. I took the bank card to the bank; it held exactly a million dollars. After paying off my debts, there was still a portion left for my expenses. Now, I no longer wanted any connection with Julian. At best, he was an ex. So, I quit my job at the club. In the following days, I dedicated myself to investigating the truth behind my parents’ deaths. Finally, by piecing together scattered clues, I found a lead. The clues pointed to one company that had financial dealings with ours before the bankruptcy… Only Thorne Industries. Thorne Industries? I stared at the documents on my computer, lost in thought.

The next day, I packed my bags and attended a gala. Julian was also present at the event. But he wasn’t my target; his father was. During a lull in the party, I deliberately slipped into Mr. Thorne’s private lounge. Then, I hacked into his computer, hoping to unearth more clues. But just then, Mr. Thorne’s voice grew closer; he seemed to be returning. I panicked, frantically searching for a solution. Unexpectedly, the sounds from outside the door gradually faded away. I breathed a sigh of relief and copied the files onto a USB drive. I pushed the door open to leave, but suddenly, a hand gripped my waist, spun me around, and pulled me into an adjoining private room. Julian pinned my hands above my head with one hand and gripped my chin with the other. He slammed me against the wall, leaning close, a mocking smile on his face. “What? Couldn’t become my woman, so you’re trying to seduce my dad instead?” I gritted my teeth, retorting, seething with anger, “What, you said I was pathetic, didn’t you? So what if I am!” Julian’s smile was sharp and cruel, and his grip on my jaw tightened, as if he wanted to crush me. “Then I’ll show you what *more* pathetic things truly are.” He finished speaking and lunged at me, leaving me no chance to escape. I struggled desperately but was still overpowered. Just as things escalated, his phone rang. Julian ignored it, pressing the call, then continued. I was on the verge of tears. I thought Julian was a psycho. Didn’t *he* call me pathetic? So why was he trying to harass me now? But then, a rapid knocking suddenly echoed from the room door.

Julian’s fun was interrupted again. He opened the door, his face a mask of fury, clearly annoyed. The person opposite him was extremely anxious, speaking without preamble. “I just called you, but you didn’t answer. Mr. Thorne said there was trouble at the company.” “What kind of trouble?” “Corporate secrets were stolen. Mr. Thorne is furious.” I lay stunned on the bed, my heart leaping to my throat. Had they found out about my hacking? Would Julian still let me leave? I secretly pondered my options. Julian, I realized, had quietly walked over to my side. To escape and avoid detection, I deliberately tried to seduce him. I peeled back the sheets, exposing my leg: “What, weren’t you going to teach me how to be pathetic?” Julian frowned deeply. He yanked the blanket back over me. He pulled his discarded suit pants back on, then narrowed his eyes, giving me a chilling warning. “Skylar, I’m warning you, don’t do pathetic things like that, and don’t provoke me.” ??? Excuse me? Who was provoking whom? After Julian finished speaking, he pushed open the door and walked out. It seemed he hadn’t discovered anything. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Back home, I copied the contents of the USB drive onto my computer. Sure enough, I found a significant clue. It turned out that while Thorne Industries was cooperating with us, they were also secretly colluding with other corporations. This was likely the fundamental reason for my company’s bankruptcy. And the direct catalyst for my parents’ deaths. I would uncover the truth step by step, and take my revenge step by step. But to uncover it, I needed an entry point. Since it involved Thorne Industries… That entry point could only be *that* person.

Thorne Industries held a charity auction every year. Counting the days, this year’s charity auction was fast approaching. I found someone to get me a ticket to the auction and entered. The auction was filled with powerful figures, a world where reputation meant nothing, only profit. I seized the opportunity to find the event organizer and asked him to convey a message to Mr. Thorne. “Mr. Thorne, I’ve heard about Thorne Industries’ charity auction even in Thailand.” After that, I quietly sat in a secluded corner. Soon, someone came looking for me. Thorne Industries’ charity was merely a façade; in reality, it was deeply involved in illicit dealings in Thailand. Bodyguards escorted me into a private room. Pushing the door open, I found Mr. Thorne seated on the sofa, reading a newspaper. He looked up when he saw me. “Miss Skylar, to what do I owe this pleasure?” I replied casually: “No particular reason, I just want to make a deal with you.” He rustled his newspaper, sounding mildly interested: “I’m all ears.” Smart people don’t need many words. Especially a cunning old fox like him, who was about my father’s age. The scene shifted. I appeared in the auction hall, linked arms with Mr. Thorne. A murmur rippled through the crowd. Mr. Thorne led me to the center, took the microphone, and announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, besides today’s charity auction, I also have some wonderful news to share with you all.” “That is, Miss Skylar and I are preparing to get married.” He finished speaking, looked at me, and patted my hand. I returned his smile. Everyone applauded, but the glances they cast my way were filled with disdain. Standing on stage, my eyes still found Julian. His face was composed, but a mask of ice, a vein throbbing wildly in his neck. Of course, any man would struggle when his ex-girlfriend was about to become his stepmother. I’m sorry, Julian, but your dad simply has more power than you. To uncover the truth, that entry point could only be your father. That evening, Mr. Thorne’s car dropped me off. As soon as I reached the stairwell, I sensed someone behind me. Before I could even scream for help, a hand clapped over my mouth, and I was dragged into the shadowy corner beneath the stairs.

In the dim light, I still saw the pure fury blazing in Julian’s eyes. This time, he was truly enraged. Julian slammed me against the wall, lunging at me with primal force. He didn’t say a word, roughly tearing at me. It hurt. I fought him like a maniac, but his hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my screams. Julian was a beast, leaving his marks all over me. I bit down on his tongue until I tasted blood. At a critical moment, I used my remaining strength to grab the stun gun from my bag and pressed it down hard. “Woo-wee! Woo-wee!” The stun gun blared, drawing the attention of nearby neighbors. I seized the chance to shove him away and scrambled away, terrified. Julian was truly insane. I hadn’t provoked *him*. Couldn’t I provoke his *father* instead? Lost in thought, I suddenly noticed the painting hanging in the living room. Julian had given it to me when we were young. I looked at the artwork, and memories flooded my mind. “Julian, would you paint something for me too, please?” Julian looked helpless, pulling my hand, a troubled expression on his face: “I’m terrible at painting.” Yet, in the end, the Julian who was “terrible at painting” stayed up for nights on end to paint that picture for me. I had always cherished it. Did I truly not love him? The answer no longer mattered. I wiped away my tears. Let the past stay in the past. The most important thing now was to uncover the truth. The next day, the Thorne family car came to pick me up. I was moving into the Thorne mansion. I glanced at the painting, hesitated, but ultimately didn’t take it with me. By the time I arrived at the Thorne mansion, it was already evening. A line of household staff greeted me at the entrance. I sighed, remembering how glorious my own family had once been. To think I was now becoming someone else’s stepmom—it truly was unimaginable. Mr. Thorne and I had a contractual marriage; we wouldn’t be living together. So, I asked a maid to show me to my bedroom. As soon as I entered the room, a woody scent drifted into my nostrils. The smell was strangely familiar. It smelled like Julian. Just then, the doorknob to the ensuite bathroom turned. I jumped, startled. When I saw who emerged, I instantly turned to open the door, wanting to escape. But the door was locked.

Julian stood there, wrapped in just a towel, his sculpted body clearly visible, his wet hair dripping onto his shoulders. My back pressed against the door, my heart pounding, I immediately spoke. “Julian, this is your home. I’m your stepmom. You can’t do anything reckless!” Julian sat on the sofa, his eyes cold and filled with scorn. “Be reckless with *you*? What makes you so confident?” ??? He’d tried several times and failed, and now he was asking me what gave me confidence? I composed myself. “Good. As long as you don’t have that intention.” Just as I let out a sigh of relief, Julian’s next words nearly scared me to death. “But what if *you*, Stepmom, actively seduce me? Would that still be me acting reckless?” No sooner had he spoken than Julian stood up and walked towards me, his towel barely clinging on. He infuriated me. Words tumbled out, sharp and cruel. “You were dumped by me, and you’re still so desperate? Have some dignity!” His heart seemed to be pricked. Julian stopped approaching me. His face returned to its usual cold indifference, an almost bone-chilling coldness. He took a step forward, unlocked the door, and his voice dropped low. “Get out. Don’t let me see you.” My heart twisted with a strange ache, but I quickly scurried out. If I hadn’t found out about Thorne Industries, Julian and I would never have crossed paths again. And now, I was someone else’s stepmom. According to our agreement, I handed the evidence of the illicit dealings in Thailand to Mr. Thorne. And we had obtained a fake marriage certificate. The wedding day was lively. Besides being lively, it was also incredibly awkward. Because not only were Mr. Thorne and I getting married, but his son, Julian, also decided to join in the festivities. Julian introduced the woman in his arms to everyone, then stared at me and said, “Chloe, this is our stepmom. Say hello, Stepmom.” The woman nestled in Julian’s arms, her smile saccharine. “Hello, Stepmom.” I was so angry my teeth nearly shattered, so I retorted: “Hello, son and daughter-in-law, you both look lovely.” Julian used the wedding as an opportunity to announce his relationship with Chloe and get married himself. A knot of emotion tightened in my chest, but I had no right to say anything. On the wedding night, to avoid suspicion, I purposely went to Mr. Thorne’s bedroom. Fortunately, he had company matters to attend to that night, so I was comfortable alone in the room. Before I went to sleep, the doorknob suddenly rattled. I tensed, calling out loudly: “Mr. Thorne? Is that you?”

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I purposely ended up in the hospital, successfully getting Liam to stay by my side all night. That made him miss out on Maya, the school’s undisputed queen. When he found out the truth, he hated me for ten years. During my incredibly dangerous childbirth, he immediately chose for the doctors to save the baby. He said, “This is what you owe me.” Reborn, seeing Liam again, I just smiled. “Congratulations to you both. I wish you a long and happy life together.” Just before college graduation, Liam and Maya officially became a couple. At the farewell party, the entire class gathered around a long table, cheering them on. “A toast to the happy couple!” Liam’s ears burned a deep crimson, looking like they might actually bleed. He silently raised his glass, gazing at Maya with a fond smile. Seeing him like that, I couldn’t help but remember us back in high school. It was during the school track meet, he’d signed up for the sprint, and, as expected, he took first place. I stood at the finish line, ready to hand him a towel, and even then, his ears were just as red as they are now. “Liam is crazy for Maya, giving up his chance to study abroad just for her.” Sarah’s voice cut through the chorus of congratulations, sounding a little jarring. She turned to me. “You two grew up together, why didn’t you try to talk him out of it?” I couldn’t help but laugh. Who said I didn’t try? I remembered the last life, on this exact day, Liam had stood before me, his face twisted with hatred. “Chloe, explain yourself.” On his phone, a recording played—Maya had sent it to him. In the recording, I admitted that I’d deliberately fallen down the stairs to prevent Liam from meeting her. She’d also sent him a photo. In it, Liam was sleeping soundly beside my hospital bed. Liam’s face was a mask of fury I had never seen before. Not even when he’d missed out on being top of our grade in a monthly exam had he looked like that. “There’s nothing to explain,” I said, my voice flat. “It’s exactly as you know it to be.” I knew explanations were useless. He’d only believe what he wanted to believe. Anything I said now would be pointless. He would never believe there was a first half to that recording. In that unseen part, Maya’s voice, sweet and venomous, had said: “I heard you two grew up together. I just found it amusing, wanted to see how strong your bond really was.” “If you had just waited patiently, someday, when I got bored, maybe I would have just tossed him aside.” “But it looks like you couldn’t wait. No worries, I don’t want him now, but I won’t let you have him either.” If he had actually heard that, he would have only said one thing. “Chloe, you’re absolutely insane.” Now, I sat in the corner, silently watching them finish their drinks. Suddenly, someone who loved to stir the pot and watch the drama unfold shouted, “Liam, where’s your childhood best friend, Chloe?” I picked up my glass and walked from the corner towards them, a brilliant smile on my face, genuinely saying, “Congratulations to you both. I wish you eternal happiness.”

My parents died in a car crash during my sophomore year of high school. They were fighting over the steering wheel, causing the car to plunge off the road and into the river below a cliff. I became an orphan overnight. Everyone thought I was pathetic, but all I felt was relief. A mother who, after an argument with my father, would choke me and scream about dying together. A father who would hit me to vent his anger whenever things went wrong at home. What was there for me to pity? The funny thing was, outside, they’d act like we were the perfect, loving family. Only Liam Hayes knew the truth. Even though I tried my best to hide them, he saw the bruises on my neck. He pulled up my sleeves and saw the scars on my arms. He once told me: “The more this happens, the more you have to fight. I’ll help you. Once you’re strong enough, they won’t be able to touch you.” Liam and I were childhood friends from the same street. When we moved away, our families ended up in the same neighborhood. When the arguments at home got too loud, I’d be afraid of getting choked. Afraid of getting beaten, I’d run to his place. His home was truly warm! Hot, steaming meals, all sorts of snacks, loving parents – it was paradise. Mrs. Hayes would always ask if I’d eaten, and Mr. Hayes would remind me to focus on my studies. Liam would clear half of his desk for me to study with him. He was smart, good at school, and well-liked. Even back when we lived on the street, all the adults said he was destined for great things. If my parents were looking for me after a fight, all I had to say was I was at Liam’s, and they’d leave me alone. I always remembered Liam’s words: “Get strong. Once you’re strong, they won’t be able to touch you.”

I once thought about confessing to Liam. But before I even had a chance to put my plan into action, Anya appeared. Anya attended an art university not far from Oxford, becoming famous online for her K-pop girl group dances and playing in a band. Even in a university teeming with gorgeous girls, she was the one who shone the brightest. She was the kind of girl no one could resist – passionate, vibrant, and radiating light effortlessly. She was from a whole other world. So, when rumors started swirling that the art university’s ‘it girl’ was pursuing Oxford’s aloof academic whiz, a lot of people were thrilled. Everyone chatted about how perfect they were for each other, saying that if they got together, they’d be legendary. While they talked, their glances would often, consciously or not, drift over to me. After all, *we* were once the talk of the town, the two brainy kids who’d grown up together. I was used to girls fawning over Liam and honestly thought my life wouldn’t change. Back then, besides my coursework, I was busy with various part-time jobs. Even with a full scholarship, living expenses were a significant cost. Plus, I had to plan for my future. Apart from that, I continued to discuss topics and eat meals with Liam as usual. But he started missing our meetups more and more often. Until one day, at the art university’s centenary celebration, Anya was the headliner, performing a popular K-pop girl group dance on stage. As the fast-paced music pulsed and the lights constantly shifted, that girl, freely unleashing all her youthful energy on stage, seemed to become the center of the world. The cheers from the audience were deafening. I glanced at Liam, and in his eyes, I saw a light I had never seen before. His gaze never left Anya.

Jax once missed a major inter-university speech competition for her. But I never wanted him and Aubrey to be together. Because one day, I overheard Aubrey on the phone in the restroom. “Meet me at the usual spot in a bit. I’ll bring him. It’s not a done deal yet, but almost. Just saying, I win this round.” “Are you kidding? There’s no guy I can’t handle.” “He’s a brainy type, right? Haven’t really dated one of those. Wanna see what it’s like. If it doesn’t work out, whatever, I’ll just move on to the next. What’s the big deal?” “Yeah, yeah, I’m ‘love-deprived’ – I just love watching guys fall head over heels for me, driving themselves insane.” “Wanna bet again? See how far he’ll go for me?” I just didn’t want to see him get ruined. So that day, I fell down the stairs, and in a daze, I clung to his hand, refusing to let him go. He was the one who changed my fate. I naively thought, this time, it was my turn to change his. He later went to explain things to Aubrey, but she already had a boyfriend. I initially thought that after that incident, Jax and I would still be friends, even if we couldn’t be lovers. Later, I realized how naive I was. I never imagined there’d come a day he’d hate me. Aubrey became a mountain standing between us. Aubrey had said she’d wait for him that day. If he showed up, it meant he agreed to be with her. If he didn’t, it meant they weren’t meant to be, and she wouldn’t try to hold onto him. After I married Jax, I once asked him why he used to be so good to me. Jax said it was because he felt sorry for me. “Then what about that kiss?” His expression stiffened then. He must have thought I was asleep at the time. “That was just foolishness from our younger days, nothing more.” His tone was cold and indifferent. “And besides, Claire, would you be where you are today without me? You’re asking for too much.” Jax became a true rising star in the world of physics. Despite multiple offers from top-tier international universities, he adamantly chose to stay in the country. He taught at a premier institution, had his own lab, and was revered by the industry. His research projects never lacked funding. Speeches, exclusive interviews, magazine covers – for a time, he was unstoppable. Meanwhile, I, after getting married, became pregnant, and with a delicate pregnancy, I had to stop my own research work. I was left alone in an empty room, enduring his icy silence. Our marriage was practically an arrangement, forced upon us to fulfill the dying wish of Jax’s critically ill mother. It wasn’t until that moment that I finally understood. When the captain veers off course, it’s not your job to steer him back. It’s about finding your own ship, becoming your own captain. In this life, I didn’t let myself fall down the stairs. And he and Aubrey got their wish, ending up together. I’m incredibly curious about his future. I want to see what kind of man he’ll become.

I never went back to Liam’s house. When my mom grabbed my throat, threatening to take us both down, I grabbed hers right back. “Fine,” I hissed, “Let’s just die then.” I’d already been to hell and back. Who was she to scare me? That scared her so bad, she never dared to lay a hand on me again. When my dad got drunk and started looking for a fight, I grabbed a kitchen knife and lunged at him. It sobered him up instantly. He never dared to act out like that around me again. When they started fighting again, I fought harder than both of them combined. I smashed everything in the house, screaming that if they messed with my studies, I’d make sure no one had it good. “She’s insane! This girl has completely lost it!” they’d shriek. My dad, the one who usually outdid me a hundredfold in his drunken rages, slammed the door and stormed out. My outbursts were so loud, the whole neighborhood knew our business. Not long after, they divorced. Neither of them wanted me, but the court still awarded custody to my mom. My dad moved out. By the time I started high school, my mom had found her ‘new life’ and abandoned me. She just left. After that, I was alone in that house. The neighbors felt sorry for me again. What they didn’t know was how truly happy I was. From then on, I climbed step by step, following the path I’d carved in my past life. I’d always had one regret: if I hadn’t gotten pregnant back then, if I hadn’t stopped my research, how high could I have soared? **[Cut-off point]** One day, Liam rang my doorbell. Standing tall and slender in the doorway, that familiar confident smirk played on his lips – just like I remembered from my past life. “My mom made some sweet and sour ribs,” he said, holding out a container. “She told me to bring you some.” He handed me the container, glancing at my empty living room behind me. “My mom said if you’re ever free, you should come over for dinner,” he continued. “Don’t be shy. It’s just an extra fork at the table.” I just smiled at him, a silent, humorless twist of my lips. “Tell your mom I said thanks.” He nodded, turned to leave, but after two steps, he pivoted back to face me. “How do you do it?” he asked suddenly. “Do what?” “Always acing first place in our class?” For a moment, I was disoriented. I’d asked Liam that exact same question in my past life. Back then, he’d replied: “Because I’m destined for a bigger stage.” Me? I just didn’t have anyone or anything left to hold me back. I successfully got into Oxford University. On the first day of freshman orientation, we ran into each other at registration. He reached out a hand, a bright, dazzling smile on his face. “Looks like we’re classmates again, old friend. Take care of me, okay?” I gazed at his long, elegant fingers with their distinct knuckles, and returned his handshake. Just as I remembered, his hand was still as warm as it had been in my past life. But inside, my heart remained stubbornly blank.

My college life was still bustling and fulfilling. The only difference was that Liam wasn’t the one I discussed projects with anymore, nor was he the one I shared meals with. Sarah looked confused. “Aren’t you and Liam from the same town? How come you two aren’t closer?” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Who says people from the same place have to be close?” Liam had come to me with a project once, asking to discuss it together, but I’d turned him down. He probably hadn’t been rejected like that ever in his life. He just stood there, completely stunned, before finally asking, “Chloe, did I do something wrong? Why do I feel like you’ve been avoiding me?” I met his gaze, a slight, almost strained smile on my face. “No, not at all. I’m just genuinely swamped with work, no time for anything else.” I saw the faint disappointment in his eyes, but it was quickly overshadowed by Ashley’s appearance. For a while, everyone around us was buzzing about them. “Heard the most stunning girl from the Arts Department is chasing Liam.” “Honestly, they look perfect together. A gorgeous guy and a beautiful girl, totally made for each other.” “I heard Liam said yes to Ashley! They’re officially an item!” The news of the Arts Department’s queen bee finally getting the brilliant student managed to dilute some of the sadness that came with impending graduation. While everyone else was hustling, focused on their futures, Liam decided to drop out of college and leave town with Ashley. I couldn’t help but recall what I’d overheard in the restroom in my past life. A part of me was actually curious to see just how far he’d go for this relationship *this time*. But I guess, from now on, being so far away, I wouldn’t hear much about it anyway.

The last time I saw Liam before I left the country was at the airport. Chloe walked ahead, holding a vlogging camera, filming a video. Liam followed behind her, loaded down with bags, dragging two suitcases. When he saw me, his expression froze. I don’t know if he remembered his old ambition for Harvard, but right then, he seemed to shrink back, avoiding my eyes. Chloe noticed me too. She walked up, greeted me enthusiastically, and then waved at her camera. “Hey, Oxford genius! What a coincidence seeing you here. I heard you got into Oxford for grad school. Are you heading out now?” I discreetly moved away, offering a polite goodbye. After that, Liam and I went our separate ways, one left, one right. Like two parallel lines, never meant to cross again. That turn was our goodbye, forever. I remembered that day in my previous life. It was Mr. and Mrs. Miller who dropped us off at the airport. Back then, Liam and I hadn’t spoken for ages, but we tried our best to act normal for his parents. The moment we boarded the plane, Liam swapped seats with another passenger. We didn’t exchange another word until his mom fell gravely ill. Some people are just meant for different journeys. Forcing two separate paths to merge only brings misery.

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Three days before my wedding, my fiancé eloped with my best friend. My best friend. Wearing my wedding dress. In my marital home. And she was “unlocking new positions” with my fiancé. I caught them red-handed, but she just shrugged it off, completely unfazed. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic, daughter-in-law,” Ashley purred, a smirk playing on her lips. “My boy was just nervous about his first wedding. I was simply giving him some pointers to make your married life… more satisfying.” Blake Blackwood, my fiancé, was equally dismissive. “Don’t be so jealous, Chloe. She’s just my buddy. If there was anything serious between us, you wouldn’t be the bride.” I let out a harsh, bitter laugh. “Seriously? You’d marry your ‘buddy’ then?” “Our marriage is a dynastic alliance, a mere formality for our parents’ sake,” Blake explained, as if I were too simple to grasp it. “You people from a lower background wouldn’t understand. Stop being so possessive. After we’re married, I’ll be with her on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for family appearances. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays will be all for you.” I felt like I was going to explode, my eyes burning with unshed tears. Was it just about an arranged marriage? How many other arranged marriages had I turned down for him? In fact, one of them was with his own older brother, Julian Blackwood—the Blackwood family’s designated heir!

That bed. So big. It made my blood boil. “You married her, and you still expect to marry me? Have you even read the marriage laws?” Blake picked up Ashley’s bra and tossed it to her. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, Chloe. Marrying Ashley was just a temporary solution. We’ll divorce eventually.” I laughed, a sharp, humorless sound. How dare he think that I, Chloe Hayes, the esteemed heiress of the Hayes family, would stoop to being his secret mistress? Right in front of me, Ashley stripped off the wedding dress, putting on her own lingerie. “Chloe, don’t you think this dress is a little small? Even without a bra, Blake had to squeeze me into it.” She emphasized her generous curves, and Blake’s eyes were practically glued to her. I struggled to keep calm, but tears welled up. “Blake, it’s over. We’re done.” Ashley jumped in, feigning indignation. “Chloe, you’re so ungrateful! My buddy is the son of one of the country’s wealthiest families. He’s doing you a huge favor by agreeing to marry you.” “He married me to shut his parents up. Do you honestly think a regular girl like you could ever catch the eye of someone from his family? He wouldn’t even dare introduce you to his parents, would he?” I looked at Blake, stunned. “But I… I’ve met your parents.” Ashley burst out laughing, looking at me as if I were an idiot. “Blake, your girlfriend is so gullible! She still doesn’t know those were just hired actors I found for you?” Blake didn’t show an ounce of embarrassment at being exposed, nor did he care about the tears streaming down my face. “Chloe, I love you, and I want to marry you. But I can’t introduce you to my circle. There’s just too big of a social gap between us.” Ashley saw me crying. “God, I hate it when girls cry all the time, acting like someone owes them something. You’ve certainly milked my buddy for all he’s worth over the years. He was so broke he had to live at my place for six months!” I wiped my tears away furiously. “Then let’s call off the wedding. I’m not interested in being your charity project.” Blake’s face turned cold. “You, a scholarship kid, dare to complain I’m poor? The invitations are already out! Your entire small town, from the oldest to the youngest, even your family dog, Duke, will be there to feast. Marry me or don’t, it’s your embarrassment, not mine.” Ashley grabbed Blake and pulled him away. “Forget her. I bet she’ll be back on her knees crying and begging you tonight. After all, she’s been with you for six years; she’s old news. Who’d be idiotic enough to pick up her sloppy seconds?” I wiped my tears, tossed the wedding dress into the trash, and calmly pulled out Julian Blackwood’s contact information. “This is Chloe Hayes. I’m getting married in three days. Can you attend as the groom?” My parents airlifted 66 crates of dowry and flew in on a private jet amidst their busy schedules to attend my wedding. Since they were already here, this wedding had to happen. The next day. I went to try on a new wedding dress and snapped a few photos for the wedding planning group chat. Julian Blackwood replied that the gown was one he’d designed, waiting for its true owner. Not long after my message, Blake’s Ferrari pulled up outside. Ashley jokingly leaped onto his back, and the two walked into the store, practically attached at the hip. Blake’s tone was mocking. “You say you won’t marry me, but you’re still trying on wedding dresses? And deliberately posting it in the wedding group chat.” Oh, I forgot he was in the group too. But he never said a word, acting like he wasn’t even the groom. “Chloe certainly knows how to pick ’em,” Ashley whispered to Blake, her voice loud enough for me to hear. “This dress is studded with real diamonds. It must be worth hundreds of thousands, even millions. Your poor sap of a buddy, your gold-digging fiancée is finding new ways to bleed you dry!” Blake looked displeased. “You already have a wedding dress, why are you trying on another one? Take it off!” “That one? I find it dirty.” The words were barely out of my mouth when Ashley spun around and slapped me across the face. “You manipulative bitch! How dare you call my dress dirty? If you don’t like it, don’t wear it! Just get married naked!” It was the first time in my life anyone had ever slapped me. My blood boiled, and I raised my hand to strike back. But Blake grabbed my arm. “She’s my buddy! You hit her, you hit me!” I stared at Blake, my heart feeling as if it had been ripped from my chest. He used to say those words to me. When I first came to the capital city for university, Blake was instantly smitten. He pursued me relentlessly, but I never agreed, until—I was being bullied by a group of rich kids, and he saved me, getting badly injured in the process. He’d said, “Chloe is my girlfriend! You hit her, you hit me!” That was the beginning of my love for him. Now, it was time for it to end. After all, to him, his girlfriend was less important than his best friend! I slapped him hard. “I’ll hit you too!” “You dare to hit me? I’ve spoiled you too much!” Blake tore at my wedding dress, his face contorted in a terrifying expression I’d never seen before. “You don’t deserve such an expensive dress. Who do you think you are, the Hayes heiress? If I hadn’t fallen for you, I could have married some wealthy socialite with an excellent family background, just like my brother!” I screamed, desperately clutching at the dress. “I am the Hayes heiress your brother is supposed to marry!” Blake froze, but Ashley burst into laughter. “The Hayes heiress is studying abroad! You should at least do your research if you’re going to impersonate someone!” I was furious but too weary to argue. My parents were high-ranking military officials, and my brother was a rising business magnate. They deliberately spread false rumors about my background to protect me from being targeted by bad people. “Slap!” Ashley’s laughter abruptly stopped. Because my brother, Ryan Hayes, suddenly appeared, a dark expression on his face, and slapped Ashley hard! “My sister is the Hayes heiress. Do you have a problem with that?”

I hadn’t expected my brother to show up. “Ryan, what are you doing here?” He looked at the slap mark on my face. “If I hadn’t come, my sister would have been bullied to death!” He didn’t notice Blake raising a decorative sculpture nearby, ready to smash it down! I gasped, but it was too late to stop him. I watched, helpless, as my brother fell, blood staining my wedding dress. I pushed Blake away like a madwoman. “He’s my brother!” Blake, ever so loyal to Ashley, shielded her behind him. “So what if he’s your brother? Ashley is my ride-or-die! She raced on a death-defying track to save my life once!” My blood ran cold. He was willing to hurt my family for a best friend! But what he didn’t know was that when he cheated during a race and almost died, I was the one who got on that treacherous speedway and won the round for him. I pulled out my phone to call the police, but Blake snatched it and smashed it to pieces. He looked at me as if I were insane. “Are you crazy? What’s the standing of my Blackwood family? So what if I hit your brother? No one died, why call the police? Are you really going to call the cops on your future husband?” I started crying, frantic, but my brother, struggling, tried to comfort me. “Don’t be scared, Chloe. Brother’s okay.” Our commotion alerted the store staff. They quickly came to help stop my brother’s bleeding, but they also knew Blake’s status and dared not intervene further. Ashley seemed incredibly wronged. “No one in the capital city dares to hit me, Ashley Jenkins! Your cheap relatives really have no idea who they’re messing with!” Blake pointed at my brother’s nose and cursed. “Hey, you country bumpkin, out of respect for you being Chloe’s older brother, just kowtow to my buddy and we’ll call it even.” I was so angry I almost laughed. My brother had lived his entire life, and no one had ever dared to speak to him like that. His ranches held enough cattle to trample Blake flat! As I laughed, tears started to fall. After a month of wedding planning, Blake clearly had no interest in understanding my family. So, he had no idea of the immense industrial empire my brother commanded. My brother wiped my tears, his gaze, in his peripheral vision, turning sinister as he looked at Blake. “Our entire family wouldn’t let a single tear fall from her eyes. Do you honestly think scum like you deserves to marry my sister?” My brother pulled out his phone to call the police. This time, Blake didn’t stop him, only staring at me coldly. “Chloe! Your brother is going to get me arrested! Do you still want to have this wedding? Don’t forget, you’re the one who proposed to me!” At the time, I had just graduated from grad school, and my family wanted me to marry early. To get rid of the endless stream of blind dates, I’d suggested getting married… But how was I to know that after he eagerly agreed, he would go and marry his best friend? Seeing my indifference, Blake kicked a table. “Whatever. Call the cops if you want. Do you really think the police department will actually defend poor people like you?” Soon, the police arrived. One look and I knew trouble was brewing. Leading the officers was Chad Mitchell, one of the rich kids who had bullied me before. Chad greeted Blake warmly. “Well, well? Isn’t this Blake Blackwood and his little darling? Blake nearly killed us trying to play hero back then!” After exchanging pleasantries, he didn’t even ask questions, immediately ordering my brother to be taken away. He claimed my brother had slapped Ashley, completely ignoring the blood gushing from my brother’s head! I tried to intervene, but Blake grabbed me. “Your brother called the police! Some country bumpkin from nowhere actually thinks he can sue us rich kids. If you still want to be Mrs. Blackwood, don’t you dare help him. It’s beneath you!” Watching my brother being forcibly pushed into the police car, I bit Blake hard in my desperation. He shoved me against the wall. Stars exploded before my eyes, and I vaguely saw Chad and Blake slinging arms around each other. “Keep your woman in line. Don’t let her come looking for trouble with me.” They were unsettlingly chummy! But I had no time to ponder it. Everything went black, and I passed out. No one noticed my shattered phone in the corner, conspicuously displaying a call from Julian Blackwood. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself locked in a basement. Ashley saw I was awake and grabbed my hair. “You little vixen! You’ve caused all this trouble, and Blake still insists on marrying you.” I struggled frantically, the handcuffs digging into my wrists, drawing blood. “Where’s Blake? Let that bastard come see me!” Ashley tossed a listening device at me. “He’s too busy for you. Listen for yourself. He’s having a blast at his bachelor party. He wants you to reflect on your behavior and remember your place. Don’t take his affection for granted.” After Ashley left, darkness enveloped me, and an suffocating,濒死的 feel settled in. Blake knew I had severe claustrophobia. He’d even gone out of his way to learn about it. He knew I might die, yet he cruelly locked me in this dark basement.

I forced myself to calm down. Ryan would come save me. Even though he was taken to the police station, once he notified his legal team, not even God himself could keep him there… Just then, Chad’s voice crackled through the listening device. “Blake, that guy you told me to lock up, isn’t he a lunatic? He claims to be some big shot, showing me his ID, demanding to contact his legal team.” Blake burst into laughter. “Hilarious! He’s probably some pathetic loser who’s been watching too many B-grade action flicks. Just hold him for 48 hours to make Ashley feel better.” Laughter erupted from the device. My whole body trembled with rage. Blake wasn’t just bullying me; he was going after my family! My brother was injured. What if something happened to him? I struggled to my feet, slamming my body against the heavy basement door… No matter how hard I crashed into it, drawing blood, the door didn’t budge an inch. Chad’s voice came again. “Aren’t you worried Chloe will get angry? You even staged that hero rescue with me when you were chasing her. I thought you were just playing around, but you ended up dating for six years and now you’re dead set on marrying her. I wonder what good fortune she accumulated in her past life.” Blake laughed smugly. “She was famously hard to get back then. If Ashley hadn’t told me to chase her, I wouldn’t have bothered with such a poor woman acting all high and mighty!” I collapsed against the door, sliding down, utterly powerless. So—even my initial feelings were a lie. I screamed and screamed in fury, but no one could hear me. Only their laughter echoed from the listening device. “After I got her, she was quiet, pretty, and not clingy, so I figured, why not just go with it? But now she’s so annoying, pressuring me to get married, to be more ambitious. She has no idea what her place is.” Someone else asked Blake, “So you’re still marrying her?” “Aside from being poor, she doesn’t have many flaws. The main thing is, she’s absolutely crazy about me. She knew I married Ashley, but she still went to try on wedding dresses the very next day. Don’t mind me locking her in the basement now; she’ll definitely show up for the wedding…” I curled up in the corner, feeling swallowed by the darkness, my breathing growing harder. Blake was so confident. I wasn’t desperate to get married. Why would I willingly let myself be trampled and marry him? For the past six years, Blake wore a mask, and I was engrossed in my studies. We were like a pseudo-intimate couple, never truly delving into each other’s lives. I didn’t know his intentions were so malicious, and he had no idea of my immense wealth. I gasped for breath in the basement, while he was having a wild bachelor party above me. My parents would arrive tomorrow. They would surely come to save my brother and me. And Julian Blackwood, we had agreed to marry. I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t sleep. The next day. I was incredibly weak. Until I heard my mother’s furious voice through the listening device. “Blake Blackwood! Who is this woman? And why is she lying in bed with you in her lingerie?” Blake yawned loudly. “Aunt and Uncle, you’re here early. She’s just my buddy. We’ve been practically attached at the hip since childhood.” Ashley scoffed. “Seriously, what’s the big deal? Men can go shirtless, why can’t women? Are you old fogies being sexist?” I felt the ground vibrate, probably my father angrily slamming his cane. He’d been in the military for years, terrifyingly powerful. “Where is my daughter!” Blake seemed at a loss for words, but Ashley quickly interjected. “She’s not here. She argued with my buddy yesterday. I don’t know how you raised your daughter, but she shamelessly wanted to buy a million-dollar wedding dress…” My mother sharply cut her off. “What’s wrong with a million-dollar wedding dress? My daughter deserves even a ten-million-dollar one!” Ashley laughed. “Like mother, like daughter. Blake, your Hayes family is really milking you for everything they can.” Through the listening device, my mother cursed loudly, but my father stopped her. He was a busy man and usually too lazy to bother with such trivial matters. “Since my daughter isn’t here, we’ll take our leave. I suppose we won’t be seeing each other again.” My father’s words meant he was rejecting the marriage. But I was here! I heard them turn to leave. I struggled to open my eyes, desperately banging on the wall. Just then, a dog barked through the listening device. The sound seemed to be getting closer… “Woof!” Right outside the door! Duke, the guard dog Blake had mentioned, had followed my scent and found me. He was a top military-trained dog! “Mom, Dad—” I cried out. The next second, my father kicked open the door. When the light from outside streamed in, I instinctively recoiled, like something that couldn’t bear the light. In the basement, I was clad only in my undergarments, chained by the neck with a dog leash, my wrists raw and bleeding from the handcuffs, my body bruised and discolored, my face deathly pale. I looked like I was at death’s door. In that moment, my parents’ eyes were blazing, filled with a murderous rage! Blake’s legs gave out, and he almost knelt. My father’s palpable fury pressed down on everyone in the room!

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The seventh day after my death, my “funeral” felt more like a wild party. My mother-in-law, Brenda, was in a garish red dress, prancing around my memorial picture, dancing a grotesque jig. My husband, Liam Miller, had his arms wrapped around his new flame, Amber Reed, kissing her openly and announcing their wedding for next month. He even picked up a glass of champagne, splashing it on my urn, and laughed. “Chloe Davis, you menace are finally gone! But don’t worry, your billions? I’ll spend them for you!” Even the guests chuckled, scoffing about how valuable my death had been. No one knew that at this very moment, I was watching everything through a surveillance feed. Until Mr. Sterling, the lawyer, publicly read my will: “All assets are to be bequeathed to my husband, Liam Miller, on the condition that…” “He must continuously kneel and wail at my grave for one hundred days, with the entire process live-streamed.” “If his tears are deemed insincere, or if the process is interrupted for even one second, all assets will be donated to charity.” Liam Miller’s smile instantly froze on his face. 0

After the lawyer finished reading the will, the entire funeral hall fell into a deathly silence. My mother-in-law, who had been dancing just a second ago, had her face contorted, stretching every wrinkle. Liam Miller’s hand, still clutching Amber Reed, forgot to let go. The champagne he had splashed on my urn was now dripping down its sides, sticky and disgusting. “Impossible!” Liam Miller was the first to shriek. “This is fake! How could Chloe Davis, that stupid woman, come up with such a malicious scheme?!” Amber Reed chimed in, her voice trembling, devoid of its previous sugary sweetness. “That’s right, Mr. Sterling, are you sure you haven’t made a mistake? Chloe was so kind, she… she would never…” Before she could finish, my mother-in-law shoved her aside. Brenda pointed an accusing finger at Liam Miller, yelling, “I told you! That woman wouldn’t let things go easily! Now look! All our money is gone!” Liam Miller impatiently shook her off. “Mom, shut up!” He turned to Mr. Sterling, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. “Mr. Sterling, tell me, was she delirious before she died? One hundred days? Live-streamed? Isn’t this just a joke?” Mr. Sterling pulled a tablet from his briefcase and tapped open a video. It was me in the video, emaciated, almost unrecognizable, but my eyes were shockingly bright. “Hi, Liam Miller.” I waved at the camera, a brilliant smile on my face. “Surprised? Every single word of this will was written by me, in my right mind. I know you must be furious right now, thinking I’ve gone insane.” “You’re right, I have gone insane.” “Driven crazy, little by little, by you, by your mother, and by that delicate little mistress in your arms.” “One hundred days, in exchange for my billion-dollar fortune. Is that a deal you’re willing to take?” The video ended, and the entire hall erupted in chatter. Guests whispered to each other, their gazes shifting from envy to naked fascination. “One hundred days, kneeling and crying at a grave? And live-streamed? If Mr. Miller does this, where will he hide his face?” “But that’s a billion dollars! If he won’t do it, I would! I’d cry from the dawn of time until the world ended!” “But the will also said the tears had to be sincere. How do they even judge that?” Mr. Sterling spoke up at the opportune moment. “Regarding the sincerity evaluation, Ms. Chloe Davis, before her passing, commissioned a professional team to develop an emotional recognition system.” “The system will comprehensively assess the authenticity of the tears through various physiological indicators such as facial micro-expressions, heart rate, and tear composition. There will be a ‘sincerity score’ displayed on the live-stream interface; anything below 60% will invalidate the process.” At those words, even I wanted to applaud myself. Of course, it was me. Always so thorough. Liam Miller’s face had gone from white to green, then from green to black. He stared intently at my memorial picture, his eyes burning with boundless hatred. I could imagine his desire to scatter my ashes at that moment. But he couldn’t. Because he was greedy. He loved money more than he loved me, more than he loved himself. Amber Reed was still crying her fake tears beside him. “Liam, let’s not take her money, okay? I don’t want you to suffer this humiliation, it breaks my heart…” “What do you know?!” Liam Miller abruptly shook her off, roaring, “That’s not *her* money! That’s *mine*! It’s what I deserve!” His eyes bloodshot, he glared at my urn. After a long moment, he gritted out a few words, “Fine. I’ll kneel.” He turned to Mr. Sterling. “Today counts as day one.” With that, he dropped to his knees with a thud before my contemptuous black-and-white memorial picture. The absurd drama of the funeral hall had officially begun. And I, the sole director of this play, sat in the surveillance room of my out-of-town villa, sipping an ’82 Lafite, watching the screen with keen interest. Liam Miller was kneeling, but his back was ramrod straight, his face devoid of any sorrow, only humiliation and fury. He couldn’t squeeze out a single tear. In the live-stream, the online viewer count had already surpassed a million. Comments scrolled wildly. “LOL, is this a funeral or a stand-up comedy? Dude, your face is grumpier than my boss’s.” “Sincerity score: 0%. Confirmed, pure greed.” “Ex-hubby, if you really can’t cry, should I send you some onion essential oil?” Liam Miller watched the comments on his phone, his face growing darker and darker. Suddenly, he looked up, glaring intently at the surveillance camera directly above the funeral hall. His gaze pierced through the screen, as if he wanted to devour me whole. He mouthed each word to the camera, “Chloe. Davis. You. Just. Wait.” I chuckled softly, swirling the red wine in my glass. Wait then. This show had only just begun. 0

Liam Miller’s first day at the grave was a disaster, a true performance art failure. He couldn’t cry. Or rather, he had forgotten how to cry for me. He tried everything—pinching his thighs, thinking of sad things, even having his assistant tell him jokes. They say laughter to the extreme can also bring tears. The result? He laughed like a maniac in front of my grave, earning a barrage of “LOL”s in the comments, but his sincerity score remained stubbornly at “0%.” The next day, my mother-in-law, Brenda, showed up with a group of her friends, calling it “on-site coaching.” They gathered around my grave, blasting a mournful, wailing tune from an old, crackling speaker, letting out ear-splitting howls, trying to ‘inspire’ Liam. “Oh, my poor son—you suffer so much—” “That damned Chloe Davis—even in death, she tortures you—” Liam Miller’s head throbbed from their incessant noise, and he roared, his face livid, “Get out, all of you!” The live-stream audience was losing it, flooding the comments with “Comedy Award of the Year” for me. I sat in front of the monitor, watching it all with a blank expression. There was no sense of triumph in my heart, only a desolate coldness. I turned off the farce and brought up another encrypted video. It was of Liam Miller and me in the past. The video began in a cheap rental apartment in a college town. Liam Miller back then wore a faded T-shirt, his eyes clear, a faint dimple appearing when he smiled. His family was poor, but he would save half a month’s living expenses to buy me a limited-edition lipstick I liked. As a top student in the business school, I helped him plan his career, revise his resume, and even used my father’s connections to secure his first internship. He held me tightly then, his eyes shining like stars. “Chloe, you’re everything to me. When I make it big, I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.” I believed him. The scene shifted to his company’s startup phase. I gave up the opportunity to study abroad and became his company’s first employee, juggling roles as finance, administration, and project manager, staying up countless nights with him. We ate instant noodles together in his tiny office, sketching out the company’s blueprint. Then, Amber Reed appeared. An ordinary college student he met on a business trip, innocent, delicate, her eyes filled with adoration for him. She supposedly helped him a great deal, though I never quite understood what she could have possibly done. She came to the company as an intern, knowing nothing, only blinking her innocent big eyes and timidly saying, “Liam, I don’t know how to do this. Can you teach me?” For the first time, Liam Miller made a demand of me for another woman. “Chloe, Amber is new; she doesn’t understand anything. Please guide her. She’s not like you, who had everything growing up; she’s very pitiful.” I tried to teach her, but she looked at me with a gaze mixed with jealousy and disdain. “Chloe, you’re so amazing, unlike me; I only know how to study. But it’s not good for girls to be too strong; it puts pressure on men. Liam often says he feels exhausted around you.” At that moment, I felt the chill of betrayal for the first time. I turned off the video, my chest aching. These memories, once my most precious treasures, were now daggers piercing my heart. Just then, on the screen, Liam Miller’s phone lit up. It was a text from Amber Reed. Using technical means, I synced the content to my screen. “Liam, I went back to our old place today to pack some things and accidentally found something of Chloe’s. I think… it might be her diary.” Liam Miller abruptly stood up from the ground, his expression agitated. A diary? What could Chloe Davis’s diary possibly contain? He almost immediately wanted to rush out of the cemetery, to find Amber, to snatch that diary. But the moment he took a step, the surveillance bracelet on his wrist blared a piercing alarm. “Warning! Warning! User is leaving the designated area, timer will be interrupted!” Mr. Sterling’s team appeared like ghosts, blocking his path with impassive faces. “Mr. Miller, please calm down. If you leave, the agreement is automatically voided.” Liam Miller’s feet were nailed to the spot. He looked back at my tombstone, then at his phone, his face etched with an unprecedented struggle and anxiety. I watched with cold eyes. Liam Miller, which would win out? Your greed or your curiosity? Just then, my assistant, Chris, knocked and entered, holding a delicate velvet box. “Ms. Davis, as you instructed, the item is ready.” I nodded, picked up the box, and offered a knowing smile to the camera. “Go, give this ‘surprise’ to my dear husband.” “Tell him, perhaps this can help him… find that lost ‘sincerity.’” 0

The small velvet box was delivered directly to Liam Miller. He took it suspiciously and opened it. Inside wasn’t some priceless treasure, but a very old, blue MP3 player, its casing chipped. It was the first birthday gift I ever gave him, bought with three months of my allowance. Liam Miller’s expression flickered for a moment. He probably remembered something, but that hint of nostalgia was quickly replaced by impatience. “What is this? What trick is Chloe Davis playing now?” He roughly pulled out the MP3, seeing an equally old pair of earbuds still attached. Annoyed, he put on the earbuds and pressed play. A somewhat noisy recording began to play. “Liam Miller, you broke loser, you think you can chase our college beauty queen? Take a look in the mirror!” “Yeah, look at his cheap clothes, it’s disgusting!” “Chloe, ignore him, let’s go!” It was the voice of my college roommate. Then, young Liam Miller’s clear, stubborn voice came on. “I don’t have money, but my heart for Chloe is real. Someday, I’ll give her a good life.” And then, my crisp voice, with a girl’s playful innocence, “You’re not allowed to bully him! I like him, whether he has money or not!” In the recording, young Liam Miller laughed, a pure, unblemished sound. On the surveillance screen, Liam Miller’s body stiffened. His hand unconsciously stroked the MP3 player, the aggression on his face fading, replaced by a complex tenderness he himself hadn’t realized. I watched him, my heart perfectly still. Liam Miller, you’re not missing me; you’re missing the you who had nothing back then, but felt like he had the whole world. And I was your whole world. Too bad your world grew too big later. Big enough to contain fame, desire, and another woman. The recording continued. Sweet memories flashed by, then the tone abruptly shifted. A shrill, affected female voice chimed in—it was Amber Reed. “Oh, Ms. Jenkins, don’t say that. Chloe didn’t mean it; she’s just… she just loves Liam so much that she sees everyone as a rival.” This was what Amber said at our company’s annual party, after “accidentally” spilling a glass of red wine on my white gown. At the time, as the CEO’s wife, wearing a custom-made dress, I was utterly humiliated by an intern. All eyes were on me. Before I could even speak, Liam Miller frowned and took my hand. He didn’t scold Amber; instead, he whispered to me, “Chloe, just let it go. She didn’t do it on purpose; don’t scare her. Go change your clothes quickly; don’t embarrass yourself here.” “Embarrass myself?” I looked at him, unable to believe those words came from his mouth. He called me an embarrassment to protect another woman. In the recording, my voice at the time was as cold as ice. “Liam Miller, say that again?” “Are you done making a scene?” His voice was full of annoyance. “It’s such a small thing; why do you have to make it so ugly? Amber has already apologized; what more do you want? Go home; stop causing trouble for me here!” The recording stopped there. I saw Liam Miller on the screen, his face pale. He looked as if he’d been slapped hard, not by me, but by himself. He finally remembered. Remembered how he had, step by step, trampled my love and respect underfoot. He took off the earbuds, staring blankly at my tombstone. His lips moved, but no words came out. The live-stream comments, for the first time, briefly went silent. Then, a wave of furious comments erupted. “Holy crap! These two scumbags! Is that recording real?” “Spilling wine then playing innocent, saying the other person ‘scared her’? The ‘sweet’ act is practically oozing out of the screen!” “Liam Miller is a渣男 (scumbag)! Saying that about his wife for a mistress? How humiliating that must have been for his wife!” “Sincerity score -10%! Even the system can’t stand it!” I smiled, looking at the negative number. This system certainly didn’t disappoint me. Liam Miller saw it too. The color completely drained from his face. He was starting to get scared. Not scared of losing the money, but scared of remembering what he had truly done to me. Just then, his phone rang again. Still Amber Reed. This time, she didn’t text; she made a video call directly. Liam Miller instinctively wanted to hang up, but his finger paused. He answered. Amber Reed’s tear-streaked face appeared on the screen. “Liam, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call you. I… I just miss you so much. You must be having such a hard time out there alone, right?” “Don’t listen to what people online are saying, and don’t let… don’t let the things Chloe left behind affect you. She must hate you, that’s why she’s trying every way to make you suffer…” As she spoke, she looked at him with those “innocent” big eyes, full of “pity” and “understanding.” Liam Miller looked at her but said nothing. His gaze was very complex. Amber Reed, getting no response, bit her lip. Suddenly, she seemed to make a decision. She turned the camera to a table. On the table lay a shattered picture frame. Inside the frame was the only photo Liam Miller and I had together. 0

“Liam, please don’t be mad at me.” Amber Reed’s voice, laced with tears, came through the phone, sounding especially pitiful. “When I saw that picture, it reminded me of how Chloe used to treat me… I couldn’t control myself for a moment… I know I shouldn’t have, it’s your memory, but I was just so upset…” Her words precisely pierced Liam Miller’s most vulnerable nerve at that moment. That photo was taken on the day our company went public. I wore a simple white blouse, and he wore a suit. Behind us was the enormous red logo of the stock exchange. We smiled so brightly in the picture, our eyes full of hope for the future. And now, it was shattered. Shattered by the woman he had placed on a pedestal. I watched Liam Miller’s face on the surveillance screen; his muscles twitched, his jawline clenched tight. I thought he would explode, would yell at Amber. But he didn’t. He merely stared silently at the wreckage on the screen, his eyes slowly dimming, eventually settling into a dead calm. “I understand.” After a long moment, he uttered these few words, then immediately hung up the video call. No comfort, no accusation. It was a kind of calm more terrifying than anger. He slowly squatted down, placing the cheap MP3 back into the velvet box. Then, he looked up, turning his gaze back to my tombstone. This time, his eyes held no hatred, no resentment, only an endless void and regret. He finally seemed to understand that she hadn’t just shattered a picture frame. She had shattered everything he and I had ever shared. “Chloe… I’m sorry.” A single tear, without warning, rolled from his bloodshot eyes, hitting the dusty ground and leaving a dark mark. Then came a second, a third… He no longer suppressed it, no longer pretended. He broke down, weeping uncontrollably before my cold tombstone. His cries were heartbreaking, filled with endless remorse and pain. 【Live Stream】 “Holy crap! He’s crying! He’s actually crying!” “His cries, they break my heart… doesn’t sound like an act.” “Sincerity score! Look at the sincerity score!” I shifted my gaze to a corner of the live stream. The sincerity score, which had consistently displayed negative numbers or zero, was now skyrocketing like crazy. 10%… 30%… 50%… Finally, it stopped at 61%. Passed. Liam Miller, congratulations, you’ve finally shed your first sincere tear. But this is far from enough. What I want isn’t just your tears. I want you to spend the next ninety-plus days reliving, over and over, how you personally buried the love you once prided yourself on. As I coldly observed his breakdown, the doorbell of the villa suddenly rang. My personal assistant, Ms. Lee, came in and said, “Ms. Davis, a Mr. Price, who claims to be an old acquaintance of yours, wishes to see you.” Mr. Price? I paused, then realized. Daniel Price. The son of my father’s old friend, and my nominal “fiancé.” He was one of the few who knew about this fake death scheme. “Let him in.” Soon, a tall, well-built man in a black trench coat entered. He was handsome and had a composed demeanor. Seeing me safe and sound on the couch, his tense expression finally relaxed. “You really scared me to death,” he said, walking over to me with a helpless sigh. “Have you had enough? Come home with me.” “Not yet.” I shook my head, pointing at Liam Miller, who was crying his heart out on the screen. “The show has just begun.” Following my finger, his eyes instantly turned cold. “You put yourself through all this for *that*?” “No,” I corrected him. “It’s for myself. I need to reclaim what’s mine, like my dignity.” Daniel Price was silent for a moment, then stopped trying to persuade me. He simply took off his trench coat, draped it over me, and said softly, “Don’t watch anymore, it’s bad for your eyes. I’ll take you somewhere.” He took my hand and led me out of that suffocating surveillance room. Meanwhile, at the cemetery. Liam Miller’s cries gradually subsided. He seemed to have been drained of all his strength, slumping to the ground. Just then, a black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up at the cemetery entrance. The car door opened, and a man in a perfectly tailored black suit stepped out, holding a black umbrella. He walked with steady steps, heading straight for my tombstone. His appearance immediately drew everyone’s attention in the live stream. “Who’s that guy? What an aura!” “Look at that car, those clothes, he must be rich and powerful!” “Is he here to mourn too? But… why does he look at Liam Miller like he’s a piece of trash?” The man ignored Liam Miller, who was still kneeling on the ground, and simply placed a bouquet of white calla lilies gently before my tombstone. His long fingers brushed over my name on the cold stone, a tender gesture. “Chloe.” He spoke, his voice deep and magnetic, filled with intense sorrow. “I’m too late.” 0 This man was Blake Vance. My college senior, and my former admirer. A genius who, after I chose Liam Miller, moved far away, founded his own tech company, and is now a rising star in the industry.

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My stepsister and I were kidnapped at the same time, but my boyfriend only paid the ransom for her. In that moment, close to death, I saw the soul of my mom, who had passed away years ago. “Those two – that scumbag and that manipulative witch – they’re playing Celeste for a fool, both for her feelings and her money! My poor daughter is surrounded by monsters who want to devour her!” My mom’s figure was faint, but she filled me with a sense of security. “I can’t believe so many people are coveting the inheritance I left behind. Damn Julian Vance and Blair! Not only did they deliberately hurt my daughter, but they also planned to ruin her reputation and make her an outcast!” “My dear, at tomorrow’s engagement banquet, you absolutely must not choose Julian Vance. Take a closer look at Asher Hayes. That boy genuinely likes you.” The next day at the banquet, my father had four heirs from the most influential families stand before me, asking me to choose one to marry. I chose Asher Hayes without a moment’s hesitation. I’ve always listened to my mom. If she said Julian Vance wanted to hurt me, then I’d just switch husbands.

My father was clearly taken aback by my choice. “Aren’t you dating Julian Vance? Why the sudden choice for Asher Hayes? Celeste, marriage isn’t a joke, you need to choose carefully.” I nodded. “Dad, I broke up with Julian Vance. I like Asher Hayes now.” My father gently patted my head. “Our family doesn’t need a strategic alliance through marriage. If you don’t like any of them, we can just cancel the engagement.” At the entrance, Julian Vance’s parents walked in, all smiles. “Mr. Richard, since we’ll be family soon, please guide us through ‘Project Pawa’ this time.” My dad is the wealthiest man in the state, and the group’s project partners depend on who I choose as his son-in-law. My dad gave them a cold glance and announced, “Don’t be ridiculous. My daughter’s fiancé is Asher Hayes.” Mr. Vance looked stunned. “What does this mean? Celeste, aren’t you my son’s girlfriend?” My mom, with her hands on her hips, practically yelled, “Nonsense! Julian Vance not only deceived my daughter but also publicly claimed Blair was his girlfriend, even going as far as to call Celeste the other woman! They trampled all over her reputation, and it was Asher Hayes who helped suppress those rumors!” My heart clenched painfully. My mind instantly cleared. No wonder when Julian Vance and I went to friend gatherings, they always looked like they were watching a show. Turns out, I was the joke. Blair and Julian Vance became “good friends” shortly after she moved into our house. I thought they were just close, but I never imagined they were already together. I glanced at Mr. Vance, and said flatly, “I only have one fiancé, and that’s Asher Hayes.” Mrs. Vance stomped her foot in anger. “Celeste, I treated you like a daughter-in-law, and yet you turned out to be such a hypocritical person.” My mom’s soul stood in front of me, gently comforting me. “Sweetheart, the Vance family conspired together to deceive you. Don’t let them make you angry.” “But I’m so happy you finally saw Julian Vance for who he really is.” Soon, everyone had arrived. Seated on either side of me were two handsome, stylish men: Julian Vance, Asher Hayes, and then Ryan and Leo. We all lived in the same villa complex, and being similar in age, we’d grown up together. After the meal, the elders left early, leaving just the four of us looking at each other awkwardly. But just as I was about to speak to Asher Hayes, his father called him away. The moment he left, Ryan put on a playful smirk. “Celeste, as the daughter of the state’s wealthiest man, you must be pretty pleased with yourself, getting to pick the most suitable husband from four powerful families.” Leo scoffed. “So what if she was born with a silver spoon? She’s still just a complete pushover, constantly chasing after Julian Vance like a lost puppy.” Julian Vance put on a facade of deep affection, looking at me. “Celeste, since you’ve chosen me, I will naturally fulfill my responsibilities and duties as a husband. Don’t worry, I’ll treat you well.” My mom stood by, sneering, and reached out to hit him. If only she wasn’t a soul, she couldn’t touch anything. “He truly is a manipulative liar! That kidnapping was orchestrated by him and Blair! They wanted to trick Celeste into giving up her newly inherited fortune, then release her dirt, and Blair would step over her to rise to the top.” Listening to my mom’s furious accusations, a wave of bitterness washed over me. If my mom hadn’t been unable to let go of me even after her death, I might not have been alive anymore. Julian Vance reached for a napkin to wipe my mouth, but I pulled away. “Don’t touch me.” Julian Vance’s face changed, but only for a moment before he regained his composure. “Celeste, are you still upset about the kidnapping? I already explained, it was an emergency, I had no choice but to ensure Blair’s safety first.” “Blair is your sister, I was doing it all for your own good.” Julian Vance had always been so gentle. He knew I had low blood sugar, so his pocket always had my favorite candies. He knew my stomach wasn’t good, so he’d have his housekeeper make me stomach-soothing porridge every day. I was touched by his thoughtfulness and fell hopelessly in love with him. He used to say: “Celeste, I love your star-bright eyes, I adore your beautiful face. Please allow me to protect you for a lifetime.” But time had passed, and he was no longer that gentle, considerate gentleman. His love was like a dazzling fireworks display, quickly blooming for someone else. Now, his devotion was entirely for Blair, yet he continued to feign sincerity for my inheritance. I shifted my gaze, and said coldly, “I don’t need it.” Julian Vance peeled a shrimp and placed it in my bowl. “At the Freshman Orientation Week in a few days, Blair wants to perform a piano piece. You’re about to start your company internship, there’s no need to waste time on this. I’ve already replaced your name with hers.” I looked up at him in disbelief, then quickly felt a sense of resignation. He was the Student Body President, and this Freshman Orientation Week was his to organize. He could do whatever he wanted. “Do what you want.” But what he didn’t know was… The school board had personally begged me to perform at the Freshman Orientation Week this year.

He had a smile on his face as he fed me a cherry tomato. But Julian Vance, I’m allergic to cherry tomatoes. How could he be so meticulous and yet forget that? “Come on, your birthday is next month. I’ll get you that ring you love. Oh, and when are you planning to try on wedding dresses?” I pushed his hand away, but I didn’t completely lose my temper with him. If he wanted to put on an act, I’d play along. Ryan suddenly frowned and asked, “Celeste, is this engagement banquet for you and Julian Vance?” I smirked, but didn’t answer directly. “On my birthday, I’ll have the groom’s suit and groomsmen’s suits ready for you guys. Remember to pick them up on time.” Since it was *my* grand wedding, I would personally confirm every detail. My father came to the private room to call me, and I stood up to leave. Leo, who had been silent for a while, scoffed. “Why even ask? Back when Julian Vance was bullied by the former Student Body President, she spent a month taking him down to get Julian Vance promoted. And for his birthday the past three years, wasn’t it always her who spent a fortune organizing them? Julian Vance, you really have a good fiancée.” “That’s enough.” Julian Vance’s voice was cold. “Blair is waiting for us. Don’t say anything out of line when we get there.” Hearing Blair’s name, I completely lost it. I thought my heart had turned to ash, but apparently, it could still ache. I had loved Julian Vance for three years. Every day, I felt like I was living for him. After my mom died, I was heartbroken and depressed for a long time. I once believed he was the prince who pulled me out of hell, but I never thought he’d become someone else’s knight. “Celeste.” Julian Vance called out to me. He roughly grabbed my arm, and said coldly, “I don’t want Blair to know about the Freshman Orientation Week. I’m afraid she’ll be upset.” “She’s always like that, so sweet and kind, always thinking of others even when she’s hurt.” The pampering in his tone was like a sharp knife twisting in my heart. “Julian Vance, why are you so confident that I’ll always love you?” His tone was slightly displeased. “I agreed to marry you, but don’t be unreasonable.” I shook off his hand, trembling. “Julian Vance, we’re over.” I hurried toward my father, but a cake cart suddenly rolled toward me. I instinctively dodged, but my foot was still run over, and my dress was covered in cream. “Oh dear, big sister, are you alright? It’s all my fault for being so clumsy, I can’t even push a cake cart properly.” My mom’s figure stood before me again, enraged, she yelled, “What clumsy? I think you did it on purpose! You just want to harm my daughter, not only to inherit her shares in the Richard family but also to covet my inheritance! Ugh, you shameless wretch!” Julian Vance rushed to Blair’s side and hugged her. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you? It’s that awful cake cart, it’s got nothing to do with you. Don’t blame yourself.” He looked at me with extreme impatience. “Blair is already scared, why aren’t you apologizing to her?” Apologize? Why should I? “These two scumbags! They think my daughter has no one to back her up, do they? It’s infuriating!” Seeing my mom so upset, I gritted my teeth, enduring the pain, and stood up. I slowly walked over to them, picked up the remaining cake, and smashed it onto them. In an instant, the hall had two new Santa Clauses. Julian Vance was furious, roaring, “Celeste, you have no manners!” I pushed the cart towards them again. “Manners? Those are for people, not for dogs.” Seeing them stunned, I clapped my hands and strode away. Once in the car, I told the driver to take me home. After hearing the whole story, my father asked if I needed him to handle it, but I shook my head. At the beginning of our relationship, Julian Vance would fret even if a single strand of my hair fell. He always had a handkerchief in his pocket. If there was a speck of dirt on my shoe, he would kneel down and wipe it for me. Now, he cared less and less about me. He even humiliated me for another woman. If I married him, my life would only become more miserable day by day.

While waiting for the family doctor, I was painting in my art studio. Halfway through, I heard sounds coming from the piano room next door. “Julian Vance, if Celeste found out you were the one who hired the kidnappers, I wonder if her heart would break.” After a moment of silence, Julian Vance let out a sound of desire. “So what? Everything she has is mine. I originally wanted to take the opportunity to make her hand over the inheritance, but she was so stubborn, she’d rather die than give in.” “But it doesn’t matter. Once I marry her and get the assets, I’ll be the richest man in the world!” Blair pouted coquettishly. “Hmph, then you’d be a two-time married man when you marry me.” My mom was very sad, her voice choked. “It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t died so early, my daughter wouldn’t have been manipulated by these wolves.” She then instantly brightened up. “But they’re going to be disappointed! My daughter chose Asher Hayes!” Their movements and sounds grew louder and louder. I felt like the entire second floor was tainted. “Excuse me, is Miss Celeste here?” He wore a white lab coat, an unfamiliar family doctor. “Dr. Miller was off today, feeling unwell, so I’m covering for him.” The man kept his head down, but his eyes were strange. Yet, as he approached me, he suddenly lunged. “Celeste, go to hell!” In his hand was a syringe, just a fraction of an inch from piercing my body. In that moment of life and death, I screamed, “Julian Vance, help me!” In a flash, I had ducked behind my easel. If Julian Vance could just grab him while he was unprepared, I could be saved. Blair let out a cry, “No, Julian Vance, I don’t want you to get hurt.” Julian Vance hesitated for a moment, and the man’s syringe plunged into my skin. I struggled frantically, only to find my body gradually losing control. My mom paced anxiously around me. “Oh no! This is one of the kidnapper’s accomplices! Because the Richard family rounded up their whole gang, he’s furious and wants revenge! Julian Vance, my daughter has been so good to you, can you really bear to watch her get hurt?” On the other side, Blair, traumatized, had fainted in Julian Vance’s arms. In his panic, he simply picked her up and carried her away. A chill ran through my heart. Three years of feelings, and yet I held no place in his heart. Perhaps I should have known the moment he paid the ransom for Blair. In a haze, I saw a man rush up and pull me into his arms. He called my name repeatedly, but I couldn’t hear anything anymore. Fortunately, the dose of the poison wasn’t much, and it didn’t cause me great harm. For the following time, I stayed home to recover, even missing the Freshman Orientation Week at school. I heard Blair made quite a splash. Many men pursued her, but Julian Vance shut them all down. The kidnapper from that day had already been caught and executed, but Asher Hayes was still worried. He stayed by my side when I slept, and left as soon as I woke up. On my birthday, my father painstakingly prepared the most exquisite and beautiful wedding dress in the world for me. When I appeared in full regalia before the four men, Julian Vance, Ryan, and Leo’s eyes were filled with awe. Only Asher Hayes lowered his head, not daring to meet my gaze. I called for the bodyguards and handed them the clothes I had prepared. But when they changed and reappeared, Julian Vance finally realized something was off. “Celeste, did you mix up Asher Hayes’s and my clothes?” I gave him a faint glance, and said softly, “No mistake. Because my groom is—” “The groom I’ve chosen, the man I’ll spend the rest of my life with, is Asher Hayes.” At these words, everyone present froze.

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