Author: Momo Chan

The day Peter Monks took his protégée back to their alma mater was the day the System told me to die. It said that Peter, the story’s male lead, was falling out of love with me. The battle-hardened System egged me on. “Why don’t you just kill yourself? It’s the classic groveling ex trope. That’s how all those second-chance romance stories go.” “Peter will be consumed by love for you after you’re gone. His affection score will skyrocket, and your mission will be complete!” When I realized that dying meant, well, actually dying, I stared at the System in disbelief. “But if I’m dead, what good is his love to me?” “How about this,” I countered. “We unlink, and you can find someone else to conquer his heart.” I ignored the System and chose to live. I never expected that would be the thing to make Peter Monks fall madly in love with me all over again. 1. The System went silent. For the first time, its mechanical, electronic voice was tinged with something like raw fury. [HOST, THINK CAREFULLY. WITHOUT MY ASSISTANCE, PETER MONKS’S LOVE SCORE FOR YOU WILL PLUMMET TO NEAR ZERO!] [YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING!] “So what?” I was done arguing. With a single thought, I pulled up the interface in my mind and selected ‘Force Unlink.’ A shrill alarm blared for a split second before cutting off abruptly. I walked to the bathroom and looked at the stunning, radiant face in the mirror, a laugh bubbling up from my chest. Thank God I had been careful when I first signed up, poring over the contract that was thicker than a brick. Upon unlinking, the System couldn’t retract any rewards it had already granted. Better yet, there were no penalties for failing the mission. And over the years, trading on the pitiful dregs of Peter’s affection, I had acquired a flawless appearance, a photographic memory, a ruthless instinct for business, and… a black card with no credit limit. I would have nothing? Please. I already had everything. I pulled out my phone and casually posted an update on my social media feed. 【Officially single. Parted ways with Mr. Peter Monks. Wishing him all the best.】 The accompanying picture was a selfie I’d just taken in the mirror. My smile was brilliant, the light in my eyes outshining the diamond necklace around my neck. I couldn’t even be bothered to pack. I called the most expensive moving company in the city. Pointing at everything that was mine in Peter’s villa, I gave a simple instruction, “Pack it all up. Don’t leave a single thing. And then, throw it all away.” Who cares? I wasn’t lacking for anything. Out with the old, in with the new. I’d grown accustomed to the good life and had no intention of slumming it. So, I turned around and bought a standalone villa in the same exclusive, ultra-wealthy district—this one with a better view and an infinity pool. Behind me, the movers worked in a flurry of activity. I sat serenely on the terrace of my new home, sipping champagne and watching the sunset paint the sky. My phone buzzed. The name “Peter Monks” flashed across the screen. I could already picture his expression when he saw my post—a mixture of shock and simmering rage. He probably thought this was just another one of my games, another desperate attempt to get his attention. Too bad. I didn’t even want to waste a second looking at his name. With a flick of my thumb, I blocked his number, deleted his contact, and moved on. A man? He’d only slow down my spending. 2. When Peter finally found me, I was in the middle of teasing a new male model, dangling a cherry just above his lips. His eyelashes were long, his cheeks smooth and flushed. My playful words had turned the tips of his ears a bright crimson. He looked like an innocent puppy. During my years with Peter, I had to play the part of his preferred “sweet, innocent flower,” living a life as austere as a nun’s. Only now was I discovering how exhilarating it was to finally let loose. “Get out.” Peter’s voice, cold as ice, sliced through the air, heavy with the authority of a man used to being obeyed. The model flinched, scrambling out of the VIP booth like a startled animal. Now, it was just the two of us. Peter loosened his tie, his gaze raking over me, the fury in his eyes barely contained. “Sienna, what the hell is this?” I popped the cherry into my mouth, slowly and deliberately spitting the pit onto a napkin. “We broke up, Mr. Monks.” I looked at him, feigning confusion. “‘Break up.’ Are those two words really so hard to understand? Or has your vocabulary deteriorated to the point where you need to go back to elementary school?” His face darkened to the color of thunderclouds. But he reined in his temper, letting out a heavy sigh as he sat down across from me. His tone, when he finally spoke, was almost gentle. “Are you still angry that I went back to the university with Willow?” I almost laughed. See? That was him. Always so certain that I couldn’t live without him, that every move I made was a calculated play for his attention. It seemed he hadn’t forgotten my ultimatum—that if he went with her, we were through. He continued, explaining as if to a child, “Willow is just a naive kid. She was bullied a lot back in school and was scared of being singled out at the reunion. I was just looking out for her.” “Mhm, I understand,” I nodded, my agreement completely sincere. Of course, I understood. Just like I’d understood all the other times. When Willow’s laptop broke, he, the CEO, went to her apartment to fix it himself. When Willow worked late, he canceled our dinner plans to drive her home personally. When Willow was in a bad mood, he even ditched our anniversary date to stand in line for hours to buy her a limited-edition cake from some trendy bakery. All because she was “naive,” “vulnerable,” and “like a small animal that needed protecting.” My brain isn’t broken. How could I not understand? I rested my chin on my hand, blinked innocently, and asked a question that caught him completely off guard. “And what role were you playing while you were helping her, exactly?” The gentle expression on Peter’s face froze solid. I scoffed internally. Keep pretending. He played the part of the caring boss while acting like a boyfriend, savoring the thrill of the ambiguity and expecting me to be grateful for his “impartiality.” He probably expected me to cry, to scream, to demand answers, only to be shut down with his usual, “Don’t be unreasonable.” But honestly, I didn’t have the energy to play these games with him anymore. As I was figuring out the quickest way to get rid of him, Peter rubbed his temples, looking thoroughly exasperated. “Sienna, stop it. It was my fault, okay?” “Tell me what you want as an apology. A bag? A car?” He thought a limited-edition handbag would smooth things over, just like it always had. I was about to tell him to get lost. But the words caught in my throat, and an idea bloomed. I looked at his handsome face, etched with impatience and condescension, and a slow smile spread across my lips. “Alright.” Peter was visibly taken aback, clearly not expecting me to agree so easily. Meeting his surprised gaze, I spoke, my voice clear and steady. “I want ten percent of Monks Corp.” 3. Peter didn’t agree right away. After some back and forth, he finally conceded, offering me seven percent as compensation. I propped my chin on my hand and watched him, my smile so genuinely joyful that it seemed to momentarily daze him. “Deal. But Mr. Monks, I’ll need to see the share transfer agreement first.” “Once it’s signed and sealed, I’ll come back to you, just like you want.” The look on Peter’s face was utterly grim. He had likely never been manipulated like this before, especially not by me, the one who was supposed to be pliable. But still, he nodded. “Fine.” Just as the word left his lips, his phone rang. He answered, and after listening for only a moment, his entire demeanor shifted. “I’m on my way!” He hung up without another glance at me, tossing a clipped, “Urgent business at the office,” over his shoulder as he hurried out the door. I raised an eyebrow, unbothered. Half an hour later, I was scrolling through my feed when I saw a new post. It was from Willow. The picture showed a man’s hand, the knuckles elegant and defined, gently dabbing her forehead with a towel. On the wrist was a Patek Philippe watch. The same one Peter had been wearing when he came to see me. The caption read: Just a little fever, but I didn’t expect someone to be so worried about me. I curled my lip and set my phone face down on the table. Then I waved over at the model, who was still waiting in the wings. “Come on back. Keep me company.” Peter, to his credit, was efficient. The very next morning, his lawyer delivered the share transfer agreement to my new villa. Seven percent. In black and white. As I signed my name, I couldn’t help but calculate Monks Corp’s net profits from the previous year. This golden goose was far more lovable than Peter himself. After finalizing the paperwork, I went to Monks Corp in person to register as a shareholder. Speak of the devil. I was stopped at the elevators by Willow. She looked positively indignant, her eyes red-rimmed as if she were carrying the weight of Peter’s suffering on her shoulders. “Ms. Scott, how could you do this to him?” “He’s such a good person! How could you threaten him with a misunderstanding and blackmail him for company shares? You’re nothing but a gold digger!” I almost laughed out loud. I crossed my arms, looking her up and down. “And you? What gives you the right to stand here and question me? By the way, that Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet on your wrist… I doubt you bought that yourself, did you?” The color drained from Willow’s face. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her eyes darted around nervously. Just as I was about to dismiss her and leave, she lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. Then, she used my own hand to shove herself, hard. She crumpled to the ground like a fragile doll. A piercing shriek echoed through the entire lobby. And then, a man’s voice, sharp with anger and panic, roared from across the hall. “Willow!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386618”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The day the real heiress came back, I got the boot. My foster parents insisted I needed to taste the bitterness their biological daughter had suffered for twenty years. Ha, you call this bitterness? For a corporate drone like me, this isn’t a tragedy; it’s just a lifestyle recession. Turning a losing hand into a winning one? That’s my specialty. 1. Midnight. New York City. Pouring rain. I stood outside the Sterling family villa. Aside from the designer clothes on my back, the only thing I had left was my phone, which was practically glued to my hand anyway. The real heiress had been home for less than two hours, and I was already on the pavement. Lydia Sterling said she’d eaten dirt for twenty-two years, so I should taste what it’s like to be destitute. The heavy iron gates slammed shut. The cold rain slapped my face indiscriminately. 2. As a blue-collar soul who transmigrated into the body of a “cannon fodder” fake heiress, I enjoyed the rich girl life for less than twenty-four hours before returning to poverty. I walked around the perimeter of the villa and found a dry spot under the first-floor terrace. Directly above was my “brother,” Lucas’s room. “Don’t worry. She’s broke. Once she tastes a little hardship, she’ll realize the benefits of wealth and come crawling back to climb into your bed.” Lydia’s voice echoed down the drainpipe. Tsk. For a multi-million dollar mansion, the soundproofing was garbage. I knew it. Lucas had been handsy with me all afternoon—giving off major Flowers in the Attic vibes—but tonight he was silent. So he was planning to keep me as a sugar baby. He calculated wrong. To Lucas, having only one penthouse condo to his name is “poverty.” But for a grinder like me? A digital wallet with two hundred bucks is enough to survive for two weeks. Besides, my balance still held the remaining $12,000 from this month’s allowance. To the Sterlings, that’s popsicle money. To normal people? If you pinch pennies, that’s a few years of living expenses. They thought they were crushing me into the dust. To me? This was just consumption downgrading. 3. Twenty minutes later, my Uber arrived. The driver got out, opened the umbrella, and opened the door for me. I felt like a princess again—totally worth the 20% surge pricing. I don’t know what’s wrong with heroines in TV dramas. They get kicked out and insist on walking in the rain until they get pneumonia, just to max out the angst. I don’t have money for American healthcare. Life is hard enough; I’m not going to suffer for the aesthetic. 4. The driver dropped me at a Motel 6. Sixty bucks a night. I took a hot shower and sent my couture clothes to the front desk for dry cleaning. Before bed, I downed two packets of Emergen-C I ordered via DoorDash. When you’re out on the streets, you have to take care of yourself. For us poor folks, health is our only asset. If no one loves you, you love yourself. 5. I woke up feeling refreshed. Wearing my freshly dry-cleaned clothes, I headed to a wholesale market in Queens. I squeezed into a crowded stall, haggled like a demon, and spent twenty bucks on four t-shirts, three pairs of shorts, and a pair of canvas sneakers. As I left, the stall owner packed my bag while complaining. “Lady, you’re dressed so fancy, but you bargain like a shark. I’m giving you cost price, plus this nice bag.” Absolutely. Without a nice shopping bag, how was I going to sell my Louis Vuitton outfit for a good price? It’s a pity about the lambskin heels; they’re ruined. Rich people burn money—you wear those shoes once, the soles get scuffed, and the resale value tanks. However, my phone case, encrusted with Swarovski crystals, was worth something. An $800 phone with a $4,000 case. If I hadn’t checked the purchase history, I wouldn’t have dared to dream that people spent money like this. The original owner of this body was so distraught she went to work at a dive bar? That’s pure brain rot. 6. I spun around the city like a top all morning and finally liquidated every luxury item on my body. Now, nothing I wore cost more than $5.99. A full Temu aesthetic. Comfortable. This was a wardrobe that matched my spending habits. I walked with the wind at my back, carrying a balance of $9,500. I’m rich! I needed to treat myself. I found a hole-in-the-wall diner and ordered a greasy burger. The patty was thin, the cheese was processed, the pickles were crisp, and it smelled like heaven. Best of all, it was cheap. I hadn’t eaten a real meal since last night. I inhaled it. I picked the last crispy fry from the basket and let out a loud burp. Before I sold the clothes, I didn’t dare eat—couldn’t risk a stain dropping the resale value. Wearing gold and silver made me nervous. Living on a budget made me free. “You can’t feed fine grain to a wild hog,” as the saying goes. That’s me. 7. That afternoon, I used my ID to get a new SIM card and swapped the $800 phone for a $200 Motorola. Familiar operating system. Ah, the smell of value. I could drop it on the floor and not even flinch! I scrolled through my old chat history. Aside from cold ridicule and hot sarcasm, there were “sugar baby” offers from Lucas’s rich frat boy friends. Screw them. Money rotted their brains. The original girl had terrible social skills; she didn’t have a single ride-or-die friend to borrow money from. The most annoying text was a “Lord of the Manor” speech from Lucas asking if I “knew my place” yet. What? It’s a society of laws. Did he want to hang me from the city walls? I replied “F*** off” and blocked him. Know my place? Kiss my ass. 8. After liquidating everything, I carried a large black trash bag and checked out of the motel. It contained my entire net worth: my cheap clothes, plus the disposable toothbrush and slippers from the motel. Hotels in the city were too expensive. I planned to move to the outskirts. I hadn’t left the city yet because, as a college senior, I still needed to pick up my diploma. Before I transmigrated, my parents pulled me out of school after 8th grade to work in a factory. I was a fugitive from the compulsory education system. The thought of becoming a certified, college-educated corporate slave was actually kind of thrilling. Novels these days have no logic. Why would a girl with working limbs and a bachelor’s degree go work at the specific bar where the male lead hangs out? Just waiting for someone to throw a drink in her face? 9. I went back to school the day after graduation. I avoided the ceremony on purpose. I didn’t need to see Lydia leading a pack of mean girls to humiliate me. I wasn’t going to let that plot point happen. Graduation photos are just a ritual. The Principal moving the tassel on my cap won’t help me earn an extra dime. Why humiliate myself for classmates I’ll never see again? My academic advisor looked at me with concern. “Lexi, if you need anything, let me know.” “Nothing, I’m good. Thanks,” I said. Aside from the lunatic Sterling family, the rest of the world was pretty normal. I was fine. Compared to the heiress meant to inherit an empire, sure, I fell from heaven to earth. But compared to 90% of fresh grads with no allowance and no job, I had cash in my pocket. “Save the help for someone who needs it more. I got this!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386617”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My childhood friend’s favorite “innocent” flower was being accused of having her skirt peeped on by the scholarship student. To vent his anger, my friend slapped the poor guy across the face five times in the middle of the cafeteria. The student, who suffered from Hyperventilation Syndrome, collapsed on the spot, gasping for air. I was just about to call 911 when suddenly, floating text comments—like a live stream chat—scrolled across my vision. 【Is this side character even human? Just because the male lead is the only guy in class not worshipping her, she frames him for peeping? He was just crouching down to pick up a pen… That was the only black pen he owned!】 【The second male lead is a total rage-monster too. Go ahead, hit him. When the male lead falls down the stairs during his hyperventilation struggle and damages his frontal lobe, his personality will completely flip. He’ll turn dark. Forget about you and that pick-me girl—even your childhood friend’s entire family won’t escape his revenge. It’s going to be a total massacre!】 I froze. The comments were still scrolling. 【Actually, the childhood friend was planning to call an ambulance, but it was too late. For hyperventilation, they need to inhale carbon dioxide. Someone needs to find a paper bag…】 I didn’t wait for the comment to finish. I rushed forward, grabbed the scholarship student by the collar, and smashed my lips against his. You need carbon dioxide? Then suck it out of me, you little brat! 1. Jax’s lip had split from the slap; I could taste a faint metallic tang of blood. When he realized what I was doing, his eyes widened in disbelief, and he started struggling frantically. I licked my lips, grabbed his chin, and deepened the kiss. Gasps erupted from the surrounding students. I didn’t say a word. I just kept exhaling air into him. I was just trying a Hail Mary pass, but surprisingly, it actually worked. A moment later, Jax—who had been struggling for every breath, chest spasming, nearly suffocating—visibly relaxed. Seeing this, I slowly released him. 【…Bro, what just happened? Who is this girl forcing a kiss on the male lead?】 【She’s not forcing a kiss; she’s performing first aid! Hyperventilation Syndrome, or respiratory alkalosis, happens when you exhale too much carbon dioxide, messing up the body’s pH balance. That leads to trouble breathing, chest pain, and numbness.】 【Usually, you help the patient relax and re-inhale CO2, like using a paper bag. But in an emergency without tools… mouth-to-mouth works too.】 【Wait, that’s the second male lead’s childhood friend and fiancée, Chloe Sterling. What the hell? Why is she saving the male lead right now?】 【Is this really first aid? Because the chemistry between them is off the charts…】 I coughed awkwardly and subconsciously wiped the corner of my mouth. Jax was panting. His hair was a mess, and he was wearing a thrifted, oversized uniform. He was tall and thin, his skin deathly pale, with a flush on his cheeks from the violent coughing earlier. His eyes were wet, but his gaze was dark. His pitch-black pupils were fixed on me. In the dead silence of the cafeteria, under his creepy, unblinking stare, I silently reached out and wiped a bit of saliva from his lip. 【LMAO… This girl is bold.】 【The male lead’s eyes are 30% confusion, 50% despair… and is that 20% murderous intent?】 【Chloe: Chat, on a scale of 1 to 10, how dead am I?】 “Chloe! What the hell are you doing?!” Someone grabbed my arm from behind and yanked me back. I clicked my tongue and turned around. Austin looked furious. Sophie was cowering behind him, looking like a frightened deer. “Do you know he’s a pervert who looks up girls’ skirts? And you kissed him? Are you insane?” Sophie’s clear, innocent eyes darted between Jax and me. She hesitated before asking, “Chloe… are you two close? Then… tell us the truth. Does him peeping on me have anything to do with you?” “Is this because Austin didn’t celebrate your birthday last time? I was sick, and I’m really sorry. Please don’t be jealous. But even so, you can’t do this. You’re a girl, how could you… how could you…” Sophie choked up, as if she couldn’t bear to continue. Veins bulged on Austin’s forehead. He looked at me with unprecedented coldness. “Chloe, is what Sophie said true?” 2. Facing Austin’s gaze, my heart sank. The surrounding students started whispering. “Did Chloe really put him up to it?” “It’s not the first time she’s targeted Sophie. Just because she grew up with Austin and calls herself his fiancée, she bullies her every day…” “That’s disgusting. Using a guy to harass another girl?” Behind me, Jax’s breathing started to hitch again. He was on the verge of another attack. I ripped my arm out of Austin’s grip, turned around, and hugged Jax, patting his back soothingly. “He didn’t peek at her.” Austin sneered. ” defending him even now? You’re hopeless.” “You say he didn’t look. Do you have proof?” “Oh, so Sophie said he looked. Does she have proof?” Austin paused, then frowned deeply. “Can you stop being so unreasonable? What girl would joke about something like that? Sophie and Jax have no grudges. Why would she lie?” I laughed coldly. “That’s exactly why her behavior is so despicable. False accusations like this lower public sympathy and trust for actual victims. The only ones who suffer are the innocent women who really get hurt. Her heart is rotton.” “And no grudges? If I remember correctly, last semester she accused Jax of stealing her spot for the financial aid grant, didn’t she?” Sophie had transferred here last semester. Her mom was the housekeeper for Austin’s family. Sophie had bad grades, but got into our honors class through Austin’s connections. Immediately, she applied for the poverty subsidy. But our class only had one slot, and it had always gone to Jax. When Sophie found out, she went to Jax with red, teary eyes and showed him her “old” backpack. “Jax, I’m from a single-parent home. My mom works so hard as a maid. I really need that money. Please, can’t you let me have it this once?” Jax didn’t say anything. He just showed her his desk. He didn’t even have money for a backpack. Inside his desk, there was a single black pen. Sophie stomped her foot. “How can you be like this? You’ve gotten it so many times, you won’t share even once?” “Jax, I heard you have great grades and get the top scholarship. Why can’t you give this slot to a student in need? You’re hoarding survival resources. You know that’s selfish, right?” Jax ignored her and went back to studying stone-faced. Sophie bit her lip and walked away silently. In the end, the teacher gave the slot to Jax. However, the day Jax received the money, Sophie came to class early. She was carrying a luxury bag Austin had bought her—worth about twenty times the poverty subsidy. Sophie blocked Jax, her pale, delicate face full of stubbornness. “Jax, I just wanted to tell you. Things that belong to others… no matter what tricks you use, you can’t steal them.” Remembering this, Austin’s expression shifted slightly. But soon, he doubled down. “Even if that’s true…” I cut him off, enunciating every word. “No matter what, Jax would not look up her skirt. He wouldn’t look at any other girl.” Austin instinctively asked, “How do you know?” I looked him dead in the eye. “Because I trust his character.” Jax lifted his head, looking at me with a mix of confusion and curiosity. I paused. “And… and because Jax is my boyfriend. He’s obsessed with me. He would absolutely never look at another girl.” 3. Jax suddenly started coughing violently. 【Whoa, whoa! Is this canon? When did you two start dating? In your dreams?】 【Chloe, you’re confused! That’s the male lead! The mad dog who returns in five years to bankrupt your family, drive your parents to jump off a building, saddle you with massive debt, and sell you to a organ farm in Myanmar!】 【To be fair, he wasn’t targeting her specifically. It’s just that the Sterling and Song families are business partners with an arranged marriage. To take down Austin, he couldn’t spare Chloe’s family.】 Jax looked at me blankly, breathing fast, seemingly wanting to speak. “You…” In for a penny, in for a pound. I grabbed his collar and aggressively blocked his mouth again. Jax, the gloomy mushroom who lived in the corner, finally broke down during round two. His face turned beet red. “Mmph… mmph…” “Baby, are you having trouble breathing again? It’s okay, I’m here. Don’t worry, I’m your medicine!” I treated him like a balloon and blew air into him with all my might. Jax went from struggling to losing all strength. Meanwhile, Austin, face twisted, tried to pull me away, but I kicked him back. When I finally released Jax, he was completely silent. I panted, looked around the cafeteria, and shouted. “As you can see, we are a couple. So it’s impossible for Jax to be peeping at girls’ skirts. Please don’t spread rumors. If I hear any more slander, I will take legal action.” After that, I grabbed Jax and marched out. Once we were far away from the cafeteria, Jax, who had been obediently letting me drag him, suddenly stopped. He looked at me quietly, his voice very soft. “…Why did you help me?” I stared at his handsome but gaunt face. My brain was looping the words: Bankruptcy. Parents jumping. Organ farm. After a long silence, I said firmly. “Because I like you. I want to date you. Jax, please like me back, just like I said earlier!” Jax was silent for a moment. “I think we…” “$15,000 a month.” “?” My eyes were resolute, my words powerful. “$30,000. I’ll open a bank account for you. Tax-free.” “No handling fees.” Jax looked bewildered and opened his mouth. “Wait a second…” “$70,000.” “……” He stopped talking. I pressed the attack. “Not only that, I’ll take care of you. I won’t disturb your studies. And if you hyperventilate again, I’ll give you artificial…” Jax’s face flushed. He interrupted me. “Stop, stop! I get it!” He clenched his fists and took a deep breath. “Thank you, Chloe. But before that, I want to ask you… what exactly do you want? Aren’t you engaged to Austin? I heard you arguing once; he said your parents arranged it.” “If you’re using me to make him jealous or win him back, I…” He paused, looking grim, but continued. “You helped me, so I…” I said frankly, “It’s not like that. It’s just a verbal agreement between elders, a joke really. It doesn’t count. I don’t like him. As for my purpose…” I looked him in the eye. “I like you. I’m serious.” “Jax, please be my boyfriend, and then marry me.” “……” Jax lowered his eyes, his bangs covering the emotion in them. He was silent for a long time, then slowly nodded. …… As I walked away, his gaze followed my back tightly. After a long while, he whispered something. His voice was barely audible. “…You said it, Chloe.” I didn’t hear that last sentence. 4. Once I was alone, I finally started analyzing the bullet comments. The chat was already boiling over. 【The childhood friend is quick-witted. I didn’t know you could treat respiratory alkalosis like that.】 【The key is that the plot has changed. The crucial turning point for the male lead’s villain arc just got erased?】 【It’s useless. Avoiding the first time won’t stop the countless times that follow. The second male lead is the heir to the city’s richest family. It’s too easy for him to target the male lead. Even with the childhood friend…】 【Don’t mention it. Chloe can barely save herself. She and Austin really are childhood friends, engaged by their parents. But ever since the female lead moved into Austin’s house with her mom, Austin’s heart strayed. He makes Chloe yield to her in everything, and accuses Chloe of bullying her out of jealousy. No matter how much she likes him, her heart has been broken. She just can’t fall out with him because of family pressure.】 【Sob… both babies are so pitiful…】 I scratched my head awkwardly. Even though the comments said that, I still had to help Jax. First, I don’t want to go bankrupt. Nobody can separate me from my money. I have a balance with that many zeros, and a huge, beautiful villa. Second, speaking of huge… Jax seems… …Getting off track. Anyway, I already have a rough plan for my future with Jax. The next day, I asked the teacher to switch my seat so I could sit next to Jax. Jax was brilliant but silent and socially isolated. The guys thought he was arrogant, so he was unpopular. Combined with his refusal to talk to girls, his presence in class was like a mushroom growing in a dark corner. After class, I sat next to him, spinning my pen into a blur while staring at his pale lips. Then again, even if he is a mushroom, he’s a beautiful, poisonous mushroom. Thinking this, I asked, “Baby, are you thirsty? Want some water?” I pulled out my Crayon Shin-chan “kissy face” tumbler (500ml). Jax, whose gaze had been drawn to me, suddenly froze. “……” A question mark slowly floated up from the dark mushroom’s head. I shoved the cup toward him. “Come on, baby, your lips are dry. Take a sip. Ahhh—” As the Crayon Shin-chan on the lid slowly approached, Jax went stiff, staring deathly at the giant, puckered “O” shaped lips. “……” “Hahahahahaha!” I couldn’t help slamming the desk and laughing. The comments were having a field day. 【I can’t breathe. The male lead’s face!】 【Anti-social Mad Dog ✗ Poor Puppy Defeated by Abstract Art ✔】 【Am I the only one wondering? Chloe, do you usually bring your pretty face close to that cursed cup…】 After teasing him enough, I finally poked the straw into the cup. “Just kidding. It has a straw. Drink up.” Jax still hesitated. I poked him with my finger. “I washed it right before coming to school. No cooties.” “I wasn’t…” “Besides, we’ve kissed like eight hundred times. Do you still care about this? Drink, your lips are cracking.” Jax’s pupils trembled. “Eight hundred times???” LMAO. This little thing is so fun to play with.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386616”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My long-distance boyfriend suddenly texted me saying his hair was falling out. I asked how it happened, and he said he “rubbed it off by hand.” Shocked, I typed back: “Damn, you play that hard?” Julian: “?” 【LMAO. The male lead is literally a fox who likes grooming his own fur, and the female lead’s mind went straight to the gutter.】 【Right? Poor baby fox is collecting his shed fur right now to knit a scarf for her.】 【Hahaha, bet he’s gonna show up at her door tonight.】 As soon as the floating chat comments faded, there was a knock on my door. I opened it to find a tiny, snow-white baby fox wearing a white scarf, sitting obediently on my welcome mat. 1 Seeing the door open, the little fox didn’t hesitate. He trotted in on his little paws. He even leaned against my pant leg, staring up at me with big blue eyes, rubbing his head against my ankle. 【OMG so cute! Who sends themselves as a care package to their online girlfriend like this?】 【He loves her so much. Turning into a baby fox just to cuddle.】 I was completely bewildered. So, this fox is my boyfriend of three months? Where is my 6-foot-tall, eight-pack abs, gym-rat Daddy? While my brain was buffering, the chat comments wouldn’t let up. 【Look at this girl, total blockhead. Can’t she see how desperate he is?】 【His little tail is drooping. That look screams ‘pet me, please.’】 【Girl, you better study hard and provide for him. He gift-wrapped himself for you!】 I looked down. Sure enough, the pure white fluff-ball was hugging my leg, looking up at me with a pitiful, pleading expression. I fell silent. Then I squatted down and scooped up this creature—who was allegedly my aloof, cool-guy boyfriend—into my arms. The little fox didn’t struggle. He lay obediently in my arms, the tip of his tail gently swaying against my forearm. 【Hehe, target acquired. Is the cohabitation arc starting?】 【Yesss, here for it!】 I placed the fox on my bed and narrowed my eyes, scrutinizing him. I wasn’t thinking about anything deep. I was just wondering… if Julian is like this, will I ever get to see those eight-pack abs and that firm butt again?! The fox blinked his watery blue eyes. With a soft paw, he hooked the white scarf off his neck. He held it in his mouth, wagging his tail. 【Take it, Lexi! He knit that scarf with the fur he groomed off himself!】 【He loves collecting his shed fur to make stuff for her. He’s been online dating for three months and this simp has knitted everything. He even knitted himself a collar.】 【Haha yeah, he told her he was shedding, and she thought he was doing… something else.】 【Hehe, well, technically she wasn’t wrong about the hand motion.】 I quickly took the scarf and wrapped it around my neck. It was incredibly soft. Free stuff is the best stuff. I didn’t expect Julian, that brooding mystery man, to have such domestic skills. But if he keeps harvesting himself like this, is he going to go bald? 2 【She’s been staring at him since she walked in. Does she suspect something? Why is she poking him?】 I gently parted the fur on the fox’s tummy, frowning with regret when I saw the pinkish-white belly. Turned into a fox, and the abs are gone. Tragedy. The little fox melted into a puddle, ears drooping, eyes getting heavy. But when my hand reached a certain… area, his tail immediately clamped down tight between his legs. 【LMAO what is she looking for?】 I blinked. If I can’t see the glutes, I was just curious… cough. I heard foxes have… knots? Can’t say it. Forbidden knowledge. Forget it. It’s late. Time to sleep. I yawned and wrapped my arms around the stiff little fox. “Time for bed, little fox. I’ll study hard and be your sugar mama.” I mumbled nonsense as sleep took over. The fox in my arms finally relaxed. He buried his little head against my chest. I hugged him tight like a plushie. “Julian, you jerk… why won’t you come see me…” I murmured in my sleep. The fox stiffened again, not daring to move a muscle. 3 【Girl, how can you sleep?! He found your secrets!】 A snow-white head poked out from the duvet, staring at the phone screen lighting up on the nightstand. His eyes showed a very human expression of disbelief and heartbreak. 【He saw the notifications. Three other guys texting her.】 【It’s over. This fluff fic is turning into a dark romance.】 I woke up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I glanced at the floating text, then at the fox. He wasn’t sleeping at all. The fur on his cheeks was wet. He had been crying. I sighed. Right in front of Julian, I unlocked my phone. I opened the messages from the so-called “three men.” Sure enough, the little fox went rigid, turning his head away in a huff. I couldn’t blame Julian for feeling insecure. We met online, after all. It started because I wanted a “wolf dog” type boyfriend—someone fierce but loyal. I stumbled upon Julian’s profile picture. I was practically licking the screen. He was too handsome. So I harassed him. I DM’d him “Hubby” every day until he finally gave me his WeChat. Even the coldest man can’t resist being called “Hubby” a thousand times. That day, I sent: Hubby, let me be your sugar mama. Date me. He replied instantly: Okay. Julian was terrified I called other people “Hubby” online. I tapped on the message from a contact named “Alpha Wolf.” Want to meet up? The fox clearly saw it. His tail puffed up like a bottle brush. Shortly after Julian and I got together, I asked to meet up. He refused, dead set against it. But now, someone else was offering. I scrolled to the second guy, “Gym Rat.” He sent a few flexing photos. The fox dug his claws into the bedsheet. I glanced at them. Meh. Not as pretty as Julian’s. Back when Julian wouldn’t meet, I begged for ab pics. I spent days drooling over those photos. To compensate for the long distance, Julian really put himself out there. He sent everything. I tried to break up because of the distance. He sent abs. I said I couldn’t sleep. He sent… private photos. I asked if men really had nice butts. He sent a pic of his glutes. Until the day he said he was shedding. And said it was “by hand.” I was so mad. I thought, You’re having fun by yourself and not including me? Turns out, he’s a fox! Who understands the feeling of waking up to find your boyfriend is a magical creature? And I heard they have… Cough. The excitement outweighs the anger. The third guy was “Mr. Sunshine.” Just friendly check-ins. Things Julian used to do. But all three of them could meet me in person. Julian, in his baby fox form, went into full panic mode. He pounced into my arms, slamming his paw on the phone to turn off the screen. I pretended to sigh, patting his furry back. “Little fox, you know I’m an adult. Adults have emotional needs.” “But my online boyfriend won’t even meet me. And he hasn’t replied all day.” I feigned heartbreak. The little fluff-ball in my arms turned to stone. 【She’s savage. Right in the feels.】 【He’s devastated. Whimper. Baby fox is traumatized.】 Having sufficiently stimulated him, I hugged the fox contentedly and went back to sleep. Actually, those three guys were just blind date candidates my parents tried to set me up with. Only Julian took it for real. Silly fox. He needs a little push. 4 【Is she dreaming? They say holding what you desire most while sleeping boosts your vitality.】 【Cough. She’s getting boosted alright, but he’s a fox right now!】 【I don’t wanna know about the boost, I just wanna know… is it prickly?】 I woke up to the noise of the chat. I squeezed my hand. Something felt off. It was soft, but also… firm? Like a balloon. Does the texture change? I opened my eyes and met a pair of resentful blue eyes. The snow-white fox had turned a flushed pinkish-white. And in my hand, I was holding… No. That has to be Julian’s… lipstick. Red rocket. Whatever you call it. I blinked. My hand twitched, and he let out a whimper. The soft, sweet sound was totally different from Julian’s usual deep, raspy voice. I was scared. I thought I was doing something illegal. If Julian hadn’t turned into a fox, I probably wouldn’t have gotten to touch this. Thinking he might be angry later, I immediately let go. But the little fox looked… disappointed? 【LMAO did she get pricked?】 I thought back. Yeah, it was a little prickly. Barb-like. 【Look at his regretful face. He wanted a round two.】 【He was literally whining in pleasure.】 I peeked. The fox’s ears were drooping sadly. He really wanted it. But it’s prickly! And I wonder if Human Julian is prickly too? Also, the size difference between the baby fox and Human Julian… I’ve seen the photos. Back when we were online, I had to call him “Hubby” for a week before he sent that pic. He warned me: Don’t call anyone else Hubby, or no more ab pics. I cowardly agreed to be a one-man woman. Julian was satisfied and sent a few more high-res photos. Caption: Rations for the week. Use sparingly. I slept until noon. When I went to wash my clothes, I found yesterday’s laundry was gone. I ran to the balcony. My underwear was hanging there, clean and dry. 【She’s stunned. Of course our boy did it.】 【Jealous all night, he woke up, turned human, washed her underwear with a cold face, and even went for a run.】 【Then she was still sleeping, so he resigned himself to fate and turned back into a fox pillow.】 【True love. Willing to be a spare tire and a laundry maid.】 I glanced at the fox. Washing my underwear, willing to be a backup option… why won’t he just turn human and play with me? Stingy. Julian, curled up on the bed trying to nap, suddenly felt a chill. 【Yikes, does she know? That look in her eyes…】 【Interesting. A game of cat and… fox.】 For lunch, I prepared meat for Julian and played on my phone. He wouldn’t eat. He lay on my lap, trying to peek at my screen. 【He’s scared she’s texting those three guys.】 【Protective little thing.】 I looked at Julian. He looked away. I looked at my phone; he glared at it. Helplessly, I put the phone down and carried him to the table. We had a staring contest. “Eat,” I pushed the plate. Eat more. Grow that booty. The fox pushed it back, looking disgusted. “You won’t eat raw meat? Foxes eat raw meat.” “I get it. You want kibble.” I brought over some cat food. The fox went stiff, tail rigid. I rubbed his furry head aggressively. So soft. Seriously, Julian. If you can turn into a fox to sleep with me, just turn human already. Then I wouldn’t have to lick my screen looking at photos. Hmph. The price of lying is eating Meow Mix. “Eat up. If you eat, Big Sister will give you a kiss.” I tempted him, taking advantage of his crush. The fox’s ears perked up. He stared at the kibble, conflicted. 【He’s debating between dignity and a kiss.】 【No way. He’s a majestic Nine-Tailed Fox. Him? Eating cat food?】 【It was humiliating enough turning into a baby fox to get in the door. Now this?】 Seeing the words “Nine-Tailed Fox,” my eyes lit up. Does that mean I can roll around in a pile of tails? The fox’s mouth was already full of kibble. I poked his soft cheek. “Slow down. I won’t steal it.” He almost choked. I patted his back. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Kiss reward coming soon.” His ears turned pink. I suspect Julian is very excited. Once, I told him I wanted to kiss him. He shyly said okay, but he needed to “study” first. Technically, neither of us knew how. But I’m a pervert, so I planted bad ideas in his head. I told him kissing meant “kissing every single place.” Julian, usually so dark and cool, always seemed to lose a few IQ points around me. He believed it and decided that was the protocol. 【LMAO he actually ate it. This man will do anything for a smooch.】 【Of course! He’s a virgin. This cool guy dreams every day of giving his first kiss to her.】 【Who would have guessed he has wet dreams about her where he pops his ears and tails out and giggles?】

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386615”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The System ordered me to humiliate the impoverished villain. But I’m a total coward. I could only tremble as I dropped a chicken drumstick from my bowl into his. “I… I licked this! Now you have to eat it!” The villain, whose eyes were originally filled with gloom, paused. I thought I had succeeded in degrading him. Later, when I found out his mom was hospitalized and he needed money, I tried to escalate the bullying. I threw a black card at him. “Get on your knees. Be my dog, and lick my shoes clean!” His eyes darkened. He crouched down, gripped my ankle, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Okay.” Later, the System came to check on my progress as a vicious antagonist. I excitedly slapped the villain across the face. He looked at me with restrained endurance, his voice husky. I bragged to the System, “See? He’s totally humiliated!” The System sneered. “You idiot! He’s getting off on it.” Huh? While I stood there stunned, I felt a wet, tingling sensation on my fingertips where I’d touched him. 1. I’ve been in this book for a month. And I’m still a wimp. The System was losing its mind: 【Seriously, what are you waiting for? You’re the spoiled heiress! Are you scared of a scholarship student?】 【Go! Humiliate him! Show him the cruelty of society!】 I cowered. “H-how do I bully him?” Before I transmigrated, I was a good girl. I didn’t know how to be mean. Plus, I was terrified. Jax, the villain, had muscles that looked like they were carved from granite. I heard he fought in underground cages for cash. One swing of his arm and I’d be paste. Right now, he was eating quietly in the cafeteria. On his tray, there was only a dry bun and some free pickles. The System urged me: 【Stop stalling! Go flip his tray and make him lick the floor!】 I took a deep breath, grabbed my lavish lunch tray, and marched over to Jax. He looked up. He stared at me expressionlessly, then went back to eating his bun. I shouted his name ferociously, “Jax!” He lifted his eyelids, raising a brow. He didn’t speak. He just looked at me. The pressure was suffocating. My hand shook as I used my chopsticks to drop a chicken drumstick—one I’d already taken a bite of—into his bowl. “It’s got my saliva on it. You have to eat it!” I felt like a monster. Making the future villain eat my leftovers? That’s peak humiliation. Guilty, I met his gaze. “What are you looking at? I hate you! I don’t want this anymore, so you lick it clean!” The cafeteria went silent. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up because I saw Jax’s knuckles turn white. I went too far. The next second, Jax reached out. I flinched, expecting a punch. Instead, he deliberately picked up the chicken leg. Under my shocked gaze, he bit down exactly where my teeth marks were. “…” “You… why did you eat it?” His throat moved as he swallowed, the action making my cheeks burn for some reason. “Isn’t that what the Princess wanted?” This reaction was completely off-script. I opened my mouth, but my rehearsed insults died in my throat. “You… you…” He narrowed his eyes, wiped his hands, stood up, and leaned close to my ear. “Did you want to watch me lick it clean, Princess?” “…Who wants to watch that!” I covered my burning ears, shoved him away, and ran out of the cafeteria. The System was speechless: 【Why are you running? You look like the victim here.】 【New plot point incoming. His mom is sick. Go throw money at him and make him your dog!】 2. I gritted my teeth and had the butler withdraw a bag of cash. Dressed in designer clothes, I arrived at Jax’s home. It was in the projects, a run-down apartment complex. I raised my hand to knock, but the door opened from the inside. The System scoffed: 【Why are you so polite? Kick the door open! It looks like you’re here to deliver a care package.】 Jax looked pale. He froze when he saw me. Hearing the System’s nagging, I gathered my courage. “I heard your mom needs $50,000 for surgery, I…” Jax cut me off with a glare. “You investigated me?” I was so scared I forgot my lines. The System screamed in my brain: 【Throw the money in his face! Humiliate him!】 I mentally hyped myself up. Then, I smashed the bag of money against his chest. Bills scattered everywhere, some drifting into the apartment. “So what? Kneel and pick it up!” My voice trembled. “Be my dog, and this money is yours to save your mom!” Jax stood motionless, his jawline tight. The hallway was terrifyingly quiet, save for his heavy breathing. Suddenly, a weak cough came from inside the room. Jax stiffened. The storm in his eyes vanished, replaced by a dead calm. He slowly crouched down, one knee touching the floor. His long fingers picked up the bills one by one. This man, who beat opponents into submission in the ring, kept his head down and said in a terrifyingly calm voice: “Okay.” The System cheered: 【He’s definitely feeling the ultimate shame right now. He pretends to agree, but he probably wants to kill you.】 I decided to press my advantage. I extended my foot. “This dirty hallway ruined my shoes.” “Lick… I mean, wipe them clean.” Jax looked up. His eyes were dark abysses. “Chloe, do you know what you’re doing?” 3. It was the first time he called me by my name. My heart skipped a beat. In the original book, the villain held grudges like no other. Once he got power, everyone who wronged him suffered. And I was top of the list. I wanted to cry. “Boohoo, I’m scared.” Why did I poke the bear? I’m dead meat! The System cursed: 【I just praised you, and now you’re wimping out?】 【Once the plot is done, you leave this world. When he gets powerful, you won’t even be here. Be fiercer!】 Oh, right. I inflated instantly, deliberately tapping his knee with the toe of my shoe. “Who allowed you to speak to me like that?” “Jax, do you want to save your mom or not?” “I return disobedient dogs!” Jax closed his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing violently. He looked like he wanted to crush me. If he crushes me, I’ll just be flat Chloe. A moment later, he dropped to one knee. I stepped back in fear, but he grabbed my ankle. His palm was hot and dry, sending a shiver through me. “W-what are you doing?” I tried to pull back, but his grip tightened. “Didn’t the Princess want her shoes cleaned? Why are you hiding?” The corner of his mouth hooked up. He lifted the hem of his tank top, revealing sharply defined abs. My eyes widened as I watched him use his own shirt to gently wipe the tip of my shoe. He was so close I could smell the faint scent of soap on him. I could even see the outline of… muscles under his gray sweatpants. My face was burning. The skin on my ankle where he held me felt like it was on fire. “Your dress got dirty too.” Jax’s voice was low and raspy. His fingers grazed my calf. “Do you need me to take it off and wash it for you, Princess?” “N-no!” I panicked, threw a debit card on the ground, and shook him off. “Who said you could talk? Get to my house!” “My dog lives with me. On call, 24/7.” Then, I ran for my life. 4. Back in my room, I buried my face in my pillow. The System spoke up: 【Critical plot point passed successfully.】 【That confident exit was very cool.】 Is it possible I was just running fast because I was terrified? 【By the way, I picked up a side gig. You’re on your own for a bit. Remember, boss him around and humiliate him!】 “Okay.” The System vanished. At midnight, I got thirsty and went downstairs barefoot for water. I bumped right into Jax. “Why are you here?” My butler had reported that Jax’s mom was settled in the VIP ward with a private nurse. Jax had stayed with her until 10 PM. Suddenly seeing him, I patted my chest. “Trying to scare me to death?” “Kneel and apologize!” After a day of this, I had mastered the art of being a brat. Jax’s eyes were dark, making him look scary in the dim light. I regretted it immediately and thought about just walking away. Suddenly, my feet left the ground. I lost my balance and clung to his neck for dear life. I grabbed his hair. “Pervert! How dare you touch me? I’ll punish you!” He set me down, but placed my feet on top of his own shoes. “The floor is cold,” he rasped. I looked down. He was wearing the fluffy slippers I told the maid to buy for him. “How will you punish me, Princess?” His hot hands gripped my waist. The shame skyrocketed. I slapped him. “Bad dog! Don’t touch me without permission!” Jax’s head turned to the side from the force of the slap. He ran his tongue over his teeth. A hint of gloom surfaced in his eyes. I thought, It’s over. Then I saw blood on the other side of his face—old blood he hadn’t washed off. “Why is your face injured?” My heart softened. I touched it gently. “Does it hurt?” Jax’s breath hitched. He clenched his fists. “Did you go fighting again?” He was silent. But he didn’t stop moving. He scooped me up princess-style and carried me to the sofa. He even found socks for me. When he stood up, I pulled his shirt up. Bruises and scars covered his torso. “I gave you money. Why do you still do dangerous things?” He calmly pulled his shirt down. He looked at me. “Is the Princess heartbroken?” “I-I am not! Don’t flatter yourself. I just want to play with my dog.” “Only I can bully you. No one else.” He swallowed hard. His gaze was obscure. It made my heart race. I stood up to avoid his eyes, threw the first-aid kit at him. “Heal up and serve me properly. If I see you injured again, I’m replacing you.” As I walked upstairs, I heard his reply. “Understood.” “The Princess can bully me as much as she wants.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386614”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Preston Sterling didn’t want me, his “hillbilly” fiancée from the countryside. To get me to break off the engagement myself, he hired the school’s poorest scholarship student to impersonate him. “One nouveau riche, one guy so broke he can’t afford lunch. A perfect match,” Preston sneered to his friends. “I bet the gold digger won’t last three days before she runs back to her daddy to cancel the wedding.” The scholarship student was tall, aloof, and looked like he was holding the weight of the world on his shattered shoulders. I fell for the lie completely. I really thought the Sterling family had gone bankrupt and that he couldn’t even afford a meal. My dad’s advice rang in my ears: “Baby girl, so what if they went bust? We don’t love people for their money. We have enough money to support him.” So, when he was hungry, I fed him. When he worked part-time, I acted as his bodyguard. When his mom was hospitalized, I swiped my card. I took excellent care of my destitute “fiancé.” Until that day. A gorgeous, preppy boy snatched the breakfast I had painstakingly prepared. Just as I was about to explode, he looked at me with a mix of frustration and desperation. “Lily, look closely. I am your fiancé…” 1. My dad told me I had a fiancé in the city. To let me decide whether I wanted him or not—and to get me into a better school—he transferred me to Preston Sterling’s high school for my junior year. I heard the Sterling family was old money, the richest in the state. My dad made sure I packed plenty of expensive gifts. But when I got off the train, not a single person from the Sterling family was there to pick me up. I was annoyed at first. But when I got to the school and saw “Preston”—wearing a t-shirt so washed out it was practically transparent—my anger vanished. A helpful student I met on the way had looked at the photo in my hand and guided me. “Junior AP History? You’re looking for Preston? I know him. I’ll take you.” He pointed him out. I followed his finger. Sitting by the window was a boy with a straight back, thin and clean. The afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, hitting his profile. The breeze ruffled his hair, revealing a smooth forehead and a sharp brow bone. I looked at the photo, then at him. The helpful student whispered, his voice dripping with tragedy, “You don’t know? The Sterling family went bankrupt two years ago. Preston is on financial aid now. He works part-time after school. Sometimes he’s so broke he can’t even afford lunch.” My family didn’t have much contact with the Sterlings, and rich families don’t exactly advertise bankruptcy to their country connections. I let out a soft “Oh,” nodding like a bobblehead, promising not to spread the gossip. “Class, this is the new transfer student, Lily Vance,” the teacher announced, pointing to an empty desk in the back. “You can sit there.” I looked up. It was right next to him. From the moment I walked in, he never looked up. He was writing furiously on a piece of paper. As I squeezed past his chair to get to my seat, my backpack snagged on something. I tugged gently, and a metal water bottle fell out of his desk. It clattered on the floor, the lid popping off to reveal half a dry, stale bagel inside. It rolled into the dust. I saw his shoulders tremble slightly. He gripped his pen tighter, but didn’t turn around. Stifled snickers erupted around us. I saw boys whispering, looking at his back with disdain. So it was true. The boy in the photo, once so full of life, really couldn’t even afford a proper meal. I bit my lip, hugged my bag, and sat down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He still didn’t look at me. He just picked up the bottle and stuffed it back into his desk. “I’m Lily,” I said, tilting my head to catch his eye. “Do you remember me?” We had met once when he was six. My mom and I are suckers for pretty faces, and little Preston was exquisite. I had dragged him to chase chickens, and he got pecked on the butt. He never spoke to me again. But he hadn’t grown up ugly. He was still beautiful. He jumped slightly at my closeness, leaning back to look at me. His eyes were gorgeous—like obsidian. His lashes were long and dark, softening the coldness in his gaze. He didn’t speak. I scratched my head. “I’m your fiancée. Remember?” He was taking a sip of water and choked, coughing violently. I quickly patted his back. When he recovered, he looked at me with a complicated expression, a flush spreading across his pale cheeks. Maybe he forgot. Or maybe bankruptcy changed him. Whatever. I decided we’d just start over as friends. I extended my hand, smiling. “Well, we’re desk mates now. I’m Lily. Nice to meet you. By the way, can you do me a favor?” I thought he would ignore me, but he spoke. His voice was cold. “I don’t have time.” 2. Meanwhile, the “helpful” student who guided me had run to the stairwell to meet a group of rich kids. Gavin laughed, high-fiving the center of the group—a handsome, preppy boy. “Preston, it’s done. That girl is not the brightest bulb.” “She believed everything I said. I pointed at Jax and told her the Sterlings went bust and he couldn’t afford food. Her jaw hit the floor.” “She even saw Jax’s stale bagel. Who lives like that in this day and age? Is she planning to run a charity?” “I bet you anything, she’ll call her dad to cancel the engagement within three days.” Preston looked impatient but checked, “Are you sure? Three days? She really bought it?” “I saw the photo she had. It was just a side profile of you. You and Jax have a similar build. Nobody would question it.” “I told her that after the bankruptcy, you changed your name to Jax to hide from debt collectors. She bought it hook, line, and sinker.” “If you run into her, just say you have the same name. She won’t cling to you.” Preston shoved his hands in his pockets, relaxing. “Nouveau riche country bumpkin. What century is this? Who does arranged marriages anymore?” “Exactly. The Sterling family has a hundred years of history. Even if you marry, it should be to an heiress, not some village girl.” “My mom has been on a hunger strike trying to force my dad to cancel it. But Dad listens to Grandpa, and Grandpa is all about ‘honor’ and ‘promises to old war buddies.’” “But hey,” Gavin added, “I actually think your fiancée…” Preston shot him a cold look. Gavin corrected himself. “The little village girl is actually pretty cute. I took a picture. Want to see? Maybe you’ll like her.” Preston scoffed. “Are you sick? Since when do I have low standards? I don’t do country girls.” Gavin scratched his head, muttering, “She really is pretty though. Prettier than the prom queen.” 3. I knew none of this. Right now, my world revolved around Jax. Yes, he said his name was Jax. The Sterlings really did change his name to hide from debt. I spent the whole day trying to talk to him. He rarely responded. But I’m chatty. I got my dad’s genes—he could talk to a cow for a whole day. Plus, I’ve never met a stranger. “Hey, what’s good to eat in this city? I’m new.” “Do you live on campus or commute?” “Wait, why is this formula different from what I learned back home?” “Where’s the water fountain? I’m parched.” Finally, Jax couldn’t take it anymore. He whispered, “Listen to the teacher.” Then, after a pause: “Water fountain is by Room 4. Go after class.” By the time the bell rang, I forgot about the water. I called my dad immediately and told him about the Sterling bankruptcy. Dad was shocked. “What? Oh well. It’s okay, baby. If they’re broke, they’re broke. We aren’t snobs. True character shows in hard times. If you like the kid, we’ll just support him.” I nodded. I didn’t love him yet. But Jax was just so pitiful. I didn’t have much, but I had money. And right now, that was exactly what he needed. My family got rich the year I was born. My dad invested in real estate when our town expanded, then got lucky with tech stocks. He didn’t know anything about the internet, but he knew how to write a check. Compared to the generational wealth of the Sterlings, we were definitely “new money.” But the benefit of being new money is that my dad hands me credit cards like they are playing cards. I could have bought the karaoke bar where Jax worked, but I didn’t want to hurt his pride. I followed him for days before finding out where he moonlighted. Jax looked different at night. More casual, hair a bit messy. I had sneaked in, so when he saw me, his eyebrows knotted together. “Who told you to come to a place like this?” He dragged me to the stairwell. “Go home.” Now he was talking. I pulled a club sandwich out of my bag and shoved it into his hand. Jax froze. “Eat it,” I pushed it toward him. “I bought too much. The shop owner said it expires tonight. I can’t eat it, and wasting food is bad. Help me out?” I knew Jax worked three jobs after school. Flyer distribution, running a taco stand, then cleaning at this karaoke bar. He sold tacos for $7 but never ate one himself. He survived on stale bagels or leftovers from the karaoke fruit platters. I had made friends with other classmates. They warned me to stay away from Jax. They said he was weird, gloomy, and anti-social. They said he had a mom on dialysis and a disabled sister. Strange. Mrs. Sterling was that sick? I couldn’t ask him. I didn’t want to break his heart. “Why?” Jax held the sandwich, looking down at me. I widened my eyes. “Why what? We’re desk mates. And you helped me with that math problem today.” I nodded firmly. “Yes! My dad said if I don’t get into a good college, he’ll break my legs. Jax, I am bribing you. This sandwich isn’t free. You have to tutor me tomorrow.” I saw his test scores. Perfect 1600 on the SATs. He pursed his lips. “You don’t think I’m… dirty?” I gasped. “How could I?” I leaned in and sniffed him exaggeratedly. “You smell like soap. Your clothes are cleaner than mine! Look at my sleeve—” I showed him a smudge. “Are you going to say I’m dirty?” In the dim light of the stairwell, Jax looked up. His eyes shone like stars. He shook his head. I lifted my chin proudly. “That’s right. I am your fian—” I stopped myself just in time. 4. Jax clocked out ten minutes early to walk me home. He stuffed a notebook of study guides into my bag. My dad bought me a house in the ritzy gated community, Clearview Estates, before I arrived. Since my mom passed, he treats me like a fragile treasure. He hired a live-in nanny to cook for me. As we approached the gates of the rich neighborhood, I swerved and walked toward the regular apartments down the street. His family went bankrupt. Seeing villas might make him sad. “This is me!” I pointed at a random building. “You go home now.” Jax looked at the building, then suddenly reached out and patted my head. “See you tomorrow, desk mate.” If anyone from school had seen him, they wouldn’t have recognized him. The paper-thin, lifeless Jax seemed to have inflated with a little bit of hope. Once he was gone, I sprinted toward the gated community. I ran fast, rounding a corner, and almost slammed into someone. The person reacted quickly, grabbing my arm to steady me. I looked up. A very handsome, preppy face. Huh. He looked familiar. Kind of like Jax. But why did he look so dumbfounded? I waved my hand in front of his face. “Hey, I’m fine. You can let go.” He startled and dropped his hand. “Sorry.” I didn’t care. I nodded and kept walking. “Wait, do you go to Central High…?” he called out from behind. But just then, my golden retriever burst out the front door to greet me. I squealed and ran to my dog, forgetting the boy entirely. Preston stood there, watching the girl hug her dog and disappear around the corner. By the time he reacted and chased after her, she was gone. He opened his group chat: “Does our school have a girl with long hair, big round eyes, and a beauty mark on her nose? Has anyone seen her?” Someone replied: “What’s the situation? Love at first sight?” “No way. Preston has high standards. He wouldn’t even date the cheer captain.” Preston kicked his feet up on the coffee table, staring at the words “love at first sight.” “Shut up. Just tell me if you’ve seen her.” “I’ve seen long hair. I’ve seen big eyes. But that specific combo? I can scout for you tomorrow. If she goes to Central, she can’t hide.” Preston smirked. He was rich, handsome, and confident. There was no girl he couldn’t get.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386613”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Two years after the divorce, I ran into my ex-wife at City Hall. She wasn’t alone. She was with her childhood sweetheart, and our daughter. They looked like the perfect, enviable family. My daughter spotted me and ran over excitedly, wrapping her arms around my legs. “Daddy! Lily missed you so much.” I calmly extracted my leg from her grip and looked at Chloe. “Here to get your marriage license? Congrats. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and another kid soon.” She smiled unnaturally. “I’m here to file for divorce.” Then, scanning the folder in my hand, she asked urgently, “Are you getting married?” I flicked the document in my hand. “Just getting an Affidavit of Single Status.” 1. I never expected to see Chloe again, especially not at City Hall. I was walking out with my fresh paperwork when I bumped into her. She was walking with her head down. She looked shocked for a moment, then stared straight at me. “How have you been these past two years?” I didn’t have a fetish for catching up with my ex-wife—especially not when the metaphorical horns on my head hadn’t fully faded yet. “I’m fine,” I said dismissively, trying to walk past her. She chased after me, grabbing my sleeve. “Are you getting married?” The woman was baffling. Why was she so pressed about my marital status? Seeing my impatience, Chloe let go of my cuff. She scrambled for a topic. “We haven’t seen each other in two years.” That was true. The last time we met was right here, two years ago. That day, we ended a three-year marriage. I traded full custody of our daughter and walked away with zero assets just to get that divorce decree. Back then, she had asked me at the entrance, “When are you coming back to pack your things?” I looked at the sky, then at her. “Right now.” I only took the keys to my old family property and the only photo I had with my father. As I was leaving, Chloe, holding our daughter’s hand, stared at me. “Leave the house keys.” I didn’t stop opening the door. “They’re on the table,” I muttered. Behind me, her voice rose in frustration. “You’re the one who insisted on divorcing! Wes has no family or friends, and he’s diagnosed with depression. What is wrong with me spending more time with him? Why do you have to be so petty?” “Even Lily knows he needs companionship and warmth.” I turned back to see my daughter nodding vigorously, and Chloe looking at me with utter disappointment. Facing the accusing stares of both big and small, I rolled my wheelchair away as fast as I could. Wes had no family or friends? Well, neither did I. My only family had been her and our daughter. I looked at the photo of my father. At least I didn’t have to compete with Wes anymore. My wife and daughter weren’t mine anymore anyway. 2. Wes was Chloe’s childhood sweetheart. They grew up together. Wes’s father was the driver for Chloe’s family. When Chloe was seven, she accidentally started a car, and the driver sacrificed his life to save her. Since then, to repay the debt of life, Wes became like another child in the Zhao household, eating and living alongside Chloe. In adolescence, hormones hit. The handsome boy and the pretty heiress became an unspoken couple. They crossed the line. When it was discovered, Wes was sent abroad to study. They maintained a long-distance emotional affair for years. Then the pandemic hit. The economy crashed, and Chloe’s family business went into debt. That was when I found Chloe, drunk and nearly passed out on the roadside, saving her from being taken advantage of. I stayed by her side through the corporate winter, welcoming the economic recovery—and eventually, our daughter, Lily. On Lily’s second birthday, Wes suddenly reappeared. He gazed deeply at Chloe, talking about how much he missed her, the pain of getting COVID, and the hardships of returning to the States. That day was also our third wedding anniversary. Chloe cried in Wes’s arms until she shook. What followed was a cliché script. Everything I had became his. Chloe took Wes for a full body checkup. His post-COVID symptoms lingered, and he was diagnosed with severe depression. Conveniently, Chloe also “discovered” scars on his wrists. “Liam,” she told me, “the doctor says patients with self-harm tendencies can’t be left alone. He needs love and warmth.” I asked, unwilling to give up, “So?” “He has no other family. I want to move him into our house so I can take care of him.” “I don’t have any other family either.” Chloe’s face changed instantly. “How can you be so selfish? He’s sick. He needs company. You’re not sick.” She practically implied that refusing to let her ex-lover move in made me a monster who had wronged the entire world. Seeing this, I didn’t fight it. For months, I busied myself with company business while Chloe stayed home taking care of Wes and our daughter. I became the intruder in my own home. One day, while working at a site, a tire fell from a rack and crushed my lower leg. As I was loaded into the ambulance, I had only one thought: Good. Now I need to be taken care of, too. 3. My injury was sudden, but not fatal. Chloe didn’t give me much of her time. By the time I was discharged, she had only visited twice, never staying longer than thirty minutes. It was just a fracture, but bones take a hundred days to heal. I began my recovery under the same roof as Wes. The difference was, he lived upstairs next to the master bedroom, and I was in the guest room downstairs. Chloe said it was because of my leg—stairs were inconvenient. “Liam, you don’t mind, do you? He’s close by so I can care for him easily. It saves you the trouble of climbing up and down.” “I don’t mind.” Out of basic humanity, saving a life is a good deed. As long as she didn’t “care” for him right into bed, I didn’t care. Wes would come downstairs every day to see me, specifically when Chloe was around. One day, talking about his condition, Wes mentioned that the antidepressants were making him gain weight. He acted depressed about it, immediately hooking Chloe’s limited attention. She hurriedly grabbed Wes and took Lily out for exercise. They looked exactly like a happy family of three. At dinner, I stared at the table full of takeout Chloe had ordered. I couldn’t eat any of it. It was all Wes’s favorite—Sichuan food. Heavy spice. Exactly what I wasn’t supposed to eat with my medication and inflammation. Chloe ate happily. “Liam, why aren’t you eating? This place Wes picked is delicious.” “The doctor said I can’t eat spicy or stimulating foods.” Chloe paused for a second. “I just wanted Wes to eat more so he’d get better faster. You only have a fracture. A little bit shouldn’t hurt, right?” I gripped my chopsticks, looking at Wes’s provocative smirk. “Right. It doesn’t matter.” 4. Out of masculine pride, I ate that table of spicy food. Even though I drank gallons of water afterward, the wound became inflamed, triggering a high fever. This time, Chloe came to the hospital. But before my fever even broke, Wes followed us there. His “depression” flared up. He slashed his wrist. When Chloe rushed to Wes’s VIP room, she forgot to take Lily. In my feverish haze, I heard the little girl’s milky voice making a wish. At first, I felt comforted—regardless of the wife, the daughter was mine. “I wish Daddy would die from the fever. Then Uncle Wes can be my Daddy.” Someone asked her why she wanted to switch dads. “Uncle Wes is clean, handsome, and smells good.” The daughter I had cherished in the palm of my hand since birth thought I was dirty and smelly, and wanted to call someone else father. Chloe took Lily to the VIP suite to keep Wes company. I stayed in the regular ward with a hired nurse. From the doctors to the other patients’ families, everyone thought they were the family of three. Wes sent me a photo with a caption: “You’re just a smelly mechanic. What do you have to compete with me?” In the photo, Chloe was wearing pajamas, sleeping soundly in Wes’s arms. On Wes’s other side was Lily, fast asleep. I stared at that photo all night. I confirmed it repeatedly—that was the bed I had run all over the city to buy for our wedding. When the sun came up, I finally woke up. Before I could bring up divorce, Chloe stormed in. Wes’s mother had somehow gotten the news and went to his ward to demand money. Wes was “triggered,” and his condition worsened. Chloe came to interrogate me. I picked up the evidence she threw in my face in front of the whole ward—printed WeChat transfer records. Money I had sent to Wes’s mother. “You knew Wes needs peace and quiet! Why did you bring that woman here? Now he wants to kill himself. Are you happy?” Chloe was emotional, slapping my cast-covered leg as she screamed. “I just took care of him for a bit! I wasn’t going to divorce you! Why can’t you just understand me?” I knew talking was useless. She wouldn’t believe me anyway. I pulled out the divorce agreement I had already printed. “Let’s divorce. Now you can take care of him forever.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386612”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

For my boyfriend’s mom’s birthday, I bought her a $600 Estée Lauder gift set. That same night, I found the exact set listed on eBay by my boyfriend for a fraction of the price. I bought it immediately. The moment it arrived, I confirmed receipt. Then I called my boyfriend. “Honey, did your mom try on the heavy gold bracelet inside the box? Does it fit?” 1 I was doom-scrolling eBay when a listing caught my eye. [Estée Lauder Gift Set. Brand new in box. Authentic. Urgent sale! Only $299!] That price was suspiciously low. Was it fake? I just bought this exact set yesterday at Sephora for nearly $600! Wait. The more I looked, the more familiar it seemed. That was the exact set I gave to Lucas’s mom. Even the gift bag was the one I picked out. And that ribbon? I tied that bow myself. I clicked on the seller’s profile. ID: Luke_Skywalker99 Location: Seattle, WA (Same as me) I opened the chat. Me: Hi, is this still available? Is it authentic? Why is it so cheap? Luke: Hey gorgeous! 100% real. It was a gift, hasn’t even been opened yet! He sent a voice message. That voice. It was undeniably my boyfriend of three months, Lucas. I scrolled through his other listings and felt my stomach drop. Everything valuable I’d given him over the last few months was listed there. Birthdays, holidays, his sister’s graduation… last week he wouldn’t shut up about his mom’s birthday coming up. Turns out, I wasn’t his girlfriend; I was his supplier. I wanted to confront him right there and dump him. But that would be too easy. I changed my shipping address to my neighbor’s house. I used my housekeeper, Mrs. Wong’s, name and number. Ensuring he wouldn’t suspect a thing, I clicked “Buy Now.” Luke: Wow, quick payment! Since we’re both in Seattle, I’ll send it via Uber Connect right now! Luke: Please confirm receipt as soon as you get it! I played along enthusiastically, eyes glued to the tracking. When the Uber arrived next door, Mrs. Wong was waiting. The gift set was back in my hands. Even though I knew, seeing it hurt like a punch to the gut. The ribbon was untouched. He hadn’t even bothered to look inside before selling it for quick cash. Luke: Hey, app says delivered! Can you release the funds? I kinda need the money ASAP. I recorded a video of the box and sent it. Me: Hi, I shook the box and heard a clinking sound. Do you think a bottle broke? In the video, I gently shook the box while playing a sound effect of breaking glass on my iPad. Lucas panicked. Three voice messages came through instantly, his voice high with anxiety. “It was perfect when I sent it! If it’s broken, that’s on you!” “You didn’t check it in front of the driver, so it’s your problem! Release the money now!” “Listen, lady, don’t try to scam me! Once it left my hands, it’s not my problem. Whether it’s broken glass or a gold bar inside, it has nothing to do with me!” Perfect. That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I confirmed receipt. The moment the money hit his account, I got a notification: “You have been blocked by this user.” Trash. He couldn’t wait to cut ties. Don’t worry, Lucas. In five minutes, you’ll be begging me on your knees. 2 I FaceTimed him. Lucas answered immediately, beaming. “Hey baby, miss me?” “You look happy,” I smiled. “Good news?” He paused for a second. “Just… reminiscing about childhood stuff at dinner. Good memories!” “How did your mom like the gift?” Lucas’s face stiffened. Behind him, his mom and sister smirked, rolling their eyes. “Uh… Emily, about that. Mom wasn’t really a fan.” “She’s never been into fancy creams and stuff. She’s not… high maintenance like you.” I cut him off. “Oh, if she doesn’t like it, bring it back! I’ll return it.” Lucas panicked. “No, no! You can’t take back a gift! She opened it already. Even though she hates this stuff, she respects you too much not to try it!” He glanced back at his mom for backup. She gave a fake, tight-lipped nod. I tried not to laugh at his terrible acting. Lucas continued, trying to steer the conversation. “Emily, maybe stop buying these impractical things. They cost a fortune and hold no value.” “If you ever need cash, you can’t resell this stuff for much… unlike…” “Unlike what?” I asked. His mom chimed in loudly from the back. “Unlike gold! Gold holds value! Much better than jars of cream!” Ah, I see. No wonder his mom’s face fell when she saw the skincare set today. She wanted something she could pawn. They were already hinting for next time. Well, why wait? “You’re so right, Auntie. Gold is the best.” “So… how does the gold bracelet fit? Do you like it?” 3 Lucas looked like he’d been electrocuted. “What?! What gold bracelet? You bought a bracelet?” I gave a playful smile. “Yeah. Didn’t Auntie open the box? She must have seen it.” Lucas turned pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead. Behind him, chaos erupted. His mom and sister started frantically pacing. I heard his mom hiss at his sister, Mia. “Why didn’t you check inside?! There was gold in there, you idiot!” “I wanted to open it to post on Instagram!” Mia whined. “You and Lucas screamed at me not to touch it so you could sell it faster! You said I wasn’t worth using expensive lotion!” Lucas shushed them aggressively. I pretended not to hear. “Honey? What’s wrong?” I dragged out the syllables, feigning concern. “Does she not like the style?” “I know it’s a bit chunky. I bought a heavy one—70 grams—because I wanted to show my respect.” “If it’s too tacky, I can take her to the jeweler tomorrow to exchange it. 70 grams of gold… we could melt it down into a necklace and earrings set instead…” Lucas interrupted me, his voice trembling. “Emily… you put a 70-gram gold bracelet inside the skincare box? Why didn’t you tell me? Where did you get that kind of money?” “I saved up my bonus! I just wanted to make a good impression.” Then, I gasped dramatically. “Wait… is it gone? Did you guys lose it?!” Dead silence on the other end. Finally, his mom stammered, “No… no, of course not! I just… missed it when I was putting on the cream!” I let out a huge sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god. That bracelet cost nearly $6,000 with the crafting fee! I would have died if it was lost.” I pulled out a receipt and flashed it at the camera. “See? $5,800 total.” I also sent him a photo I took at the jewelry store of the heavy, ornate bangle. “Isn’t it gorgeous? It’ll look so classy on Auntie.” Truth was, I did buy that bracelet. But it was for my own mother’s birthday next week. “Six… thousand…” Lucas muttered, looking like he was about to faint. His mom saw the receipt and pinched his arm hard. “Emily, I gotta go! We probably just overlooked it in the box!” He hung up before I could say bye. A second later, Mrs. Wong’s phone started blowing up. And my eBay notifications went wild. 4 Luke: Hi! Do you still have the Estée Lauder set? Please don’t open it! Luke: I’ll pay you double! No, triple! $800! I’ll transfer it now! Luke: Where are you? I’ll come pick it up! Please, I’m begging you! I tried not to laugh as I typed back. Me: I was just about to open it, but your messages keep popping up. He replied instantly. Luke: I was an idiot before! There’s something in the box! Something very important to my mom! Me: What is it? He paused for a long ten seconds. Luke: Just a cheap trinket my girlfriend put in there! Luke: It’s worthless, but sentimental! Luke: I’ll give you $1,000 for the box back! Luke: If she finds out I sold her gift, she’ll dump me! He kept emphasizing “worthless,” terrified the buyer would keep it if they knew it was gold. When I didn’t reply, he spiraled. Luke: Answer me! Luke: I have your address! I’m coming over! Luke: I’m calling the police! I sent him a screenshot of his own voice message: “Whether it’s broken glass or a gold bar inside, it has nothing to do with me!” Me: Police? For what? You sold a gift and now you want to take it back? The typing bubble appeared and disappeared for a full minute. Luke: I’m sorry. How much do you want? I looked at the skincare set on my table. Me: $2,500. I expected him to haggle. Luke: Deal. Send the link. Of course. $2,500 to get a $6,000 bracelet back? He still thinks he’s profiting $3,500. I recorded a video showing the sealed box and the intact ribbon, proving I hadn’t opened it. Then I called the same Uber Connect service. While waiting, I texted Lucas on iMessage. Me: Did Auntie try the bracelet yet? Me: Baby? Why aren’t you replying? He ignored me. I tipped the Uber driver $50 to record the handoff. I told him not to give the package until the guy confirmed the order was complete on his phone. Lucas agreed instantly. He was desperate. Thirty minutes later, the app said “Delivered.” Lucas texted me immediately on iMessage. Lucas: Baby! Mom loves it! She says it’s the most beautiful bracelet she’s ever seen!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386611”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was attending my brother-in-law’s wedding as the honored sister-in-law. The pristine white dress, the aisle of red roses, the heartfelt vows. It moved me to tears, vaguely reminding me of a few years ago, before I turned into a monster. “Honey, do you regret marrying me?” My husband looked at me with deep affection. “Regret? Babe, I wouldn’t dare.” Moments later, the ceremony ended. Just as I was about to eat, the bride’s mother suddenly rushed over to me, screaming, “The maid of honor’s cash envelope is missing! Did you steal it?” The entire restaurant went dead silent. My husband’s family turned pale, cold sweat instantly beading on their foreheads. 1 Growing up, the phrase I heard most often was “Kill them with kindness.” As a kid, I didn’t get the metaphor. I just interpreted it my way. When older kids bullied me, I caught a venomous snake and left it in their backpack. When the neighbor’s girl got jealous of my hair ribbons and cut them, I shaved her head while she slept. When the old lady across the street called me a “bad seed,” I set her kitchen on fire while she was cooking. For a long time, no one dared to mess with me. They wouldn’t even come near me. My carefree mother found it strange. “Lexi, why does everyone walk around you?” I looked up, smiling, dimples showing. “Because they’re afraid of blocking my path.” Mom was relieved. She praised my popularity, saying people were so polite to make way for me. She had no idea. It wasn’t just walking. People made way for me in everything. That peaceful life didn’t last long. One day, a group of muggers cornered me in an alley, demanding money. I pulled out a box cutter and sliced every single one of their wrists. The police got involved. That finally woke my mother up. She grabbed me, shaking, and drilled it into my head: “Lexi, you have to appear kind. Even if you have to fake it, you must look like a good, obedient girl.” “What if someone bullies me?” Mom smiled, a dark glint in her eyes. “You endure it. You yield…” “You wait until they think you’re weak. You wait until the whole world thinks you are the victim.” “Then, you strike back. One hit. Lethal.” Mom winked. “That way, you get your revenge, and no one can blame you. Isn’t that fun?” My eyes lit up. Dear Mom, I finally understood the true meaning of “Kill them with kindness.” 2 I retracted my claws and played the role of the good girl. Until my wedding day. A client who constantly delayed payments tried to blackmail my in-laws at the reception, demanding a new contract in exchange for the money he owed. My honest, timid in-laws were shaking with rage but helpless. So, in between toasts, I dragged him into the VIP lounge and broke both his legs. Amidst the blood-splattered room, I whispered gently, “Don’t worry. Modern medicine is amazing. They can reattach those.” “Don’t bother calling the cops. The cameras saw you trying to force yourself on me. I was just defending myself.” When my husband, Caleb, rushed in and saw the blood, he almost passed out. It took him a long time to find his voice. “Honey… is this… a hobby? Or a one-time thing?” I thought for a moment. “Only when people piss me off.” “Caleb, will you piss me off?” Caleb laughed, though it sounded like a sob. “Don’t worry. I… I wouldn’t dare.” The client went to the hospital and wired the overdue payment that same day. My in-laws looked at me with pure terror after that. I asked, “Do you want to annul the marriage? It’s fine, I don’t mind.” They shoved Caleb toward me. “No, no, no! Consider him our protection fee! Please look after us!” Since then, I went back to playing the virtuous wife. Neighbors and relatives praised my gentle temper. They didn’t know that behind closed doors, in a family of five, I sat at the head of the table. Three years later, Caleb’s younger brother was getting married. My in-laws personally ushered me to the main seat. Watching the ceremony, I was genuinely moved. “Honey, do you regret marrying me?” Caleb hugged my shoulders tight. “Silly girl, I wouldn’t dare regret it.” Then, the meal began. The bride’s mother, Brenda, stormed over. “The maid of honor’s cash envelope is gone! Did you steal it?” Silence. My brother-in-law, Gavin, ran over to mediate. “Mom, please. Lexi has been sitting here the whole time. How could she touch the envelope? It must be misplaced…” Brenda shook him off. “Since my daughter walked down the aisle, this woman has been staring at her.” “She’s just jealous that my daughter’s wedding is grander than hers was! She’s sabotaging us!” 3 In the dead silence, I started to stand up. Caleb grabbed my hand, pleading in his eyes. “Babe, it’s Gavin’s big day. Please, spare them…” I thought about it. She is the bride’s mother. Bloodshed might be bad luck. So, I stayed silent. This only fueled Brenda’s arrogance. “Cat got your tongue? Guilty! Look at this sister-in-law, stealing from the bridal party. Trash!” “In-laws, you let this kind of person be the matriarch? Aren’t you embarrassed?” “I’m putting it out there: if she tries anything today, or bullies my daughter tomorrow, I won’t let it slide!” Even my good-natured mother-in-law snapped. “Show some respect! This is family business!” Brenda rolled her eyes, changing tactics. “Oh, I’m just worried you’ll suffer under her rule! My daughter, Bella, is so much better. Filial, gentle.” “Don’t worry, when this woman kicks you out, Bella will take you in!” It was a cheap, transparent attempt to sow discord. Brenda extended a hand toward me. “Hand over the money. I’m giving you a chance to save face.” I sat still and winked at my husband. Caleb’s face went through several colors before he let go of my hand. “Just… go easy,” he whispered. I nodded. “Relax. I’m doing this the civilized way today.” I walked onto the stage and took the microphone. “Everyone, quiet down. Brenda here claims I stole an envelope. I’ve called the police. Please cooperate.” “If the police can’t find it, I will personally fund a replacement envelope for the maid of honor.” “Rest assured, no matter how much was in there, I can afford it.” 4 Minutes later, two officers arrived and searched the area. They found one red envelope in a corner. The other was missing. Brenda looked nervous. “Oh, it’s a small thing, why call the cops?” I took the found envelope. “It was a gift from the bride’s mother. The amount must be significant. We have to be serious.” I ripped it open. I tipped it over. A single $20 bill fluttered out. The crowd gasped. “Damn… I haven’t seen a twenty-dollar wedding gift since the 90s.” “The bridesmaids paid for their own flights and dresses, and she gave them twenty bucks? Is the bride’s family destitute?” “She screamed at the head table over twenty dollars? Insane.” Laughter rippled through the hall. The bridesmaids looked furious. Even the cop laughed. “All this drama for twenty bucks? Alright, wait here, we’ll find the other one.” I stopped him. “No need.” I walked up to Brenda and patted her waist. Sure enough, I pulled the missing envelope from her belt. I opened it. Another twenty dollars. “Brenda, did you forget to give it out? Or did you give it out, regret the expense, and steal it back?” Brenda smiled awkwardly. “I… I remembered wrong. I hadn’t handed it out yet…” I threw the two bills in her face, thanked the cops, and sat back down. The drama faded, but Brenda was fuming. She muttered, “I’m an elder! Even if I made a mistake, you didn’t have to humiliate me…” Gavin looked exhausted. “Mom, stop. Lexi already gave you a lot of face.” If she had done it her usual way, you’d be in the ICU right now.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386610”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My autistic daughter was being harassed by a boy who wouldn’t stop making dirty jokes. Her teacher called me, sounding thrilled, to tell me someone was finally going to “save” my daughter. When I rushed to the school, I found a bleached-blond boy cornering my daughter against the wall. “You put a rubber band on my finger yesterday and told me it was ‘ultra-thin.’ Aren’t you going to explain yourself?” My daughter’s face was beet red. It took her a long time to squeeze out a single sentence. “I… I didn’t!” Floating text—like a livestream chat—suddenly erupted in my vision. [See? I told you the male lead would cure her!] [Go, Jace! Make the mute girl speak!] 01 When I got the call from the teacher, my stomach dropped. “Hello? Mrs. Higgins? Is Maya okay?” You can’t blame me for panicking. Although my daughter is sweet and gets straight As, she has severe autism. I can never be 100% at ease. Terrible thoughts flooded my mind: scissors cutting her hair, glue poured on her clothes, or being cornered in the bathroom. I immediately asked, “Is my daughter being bullied?” To my surprise, Mrs. Higgins’ voice was bubbling with joy on the other end. “Oh, no! Maya’s autism is finally going to be cured! You need to come to the school and see this.” I hung up, completely confused. Suddenly, a row of bullet comments floated across my vision. [Poor Maya finally met her salvation!] [Yeah, I heard autism is miserable. Thank god for the Male Lead, or her life would be over.] I rushed to the school. Mrs. Higgins grabbed my arm the moment I arrived and chattered the whole way down the hall. “Your Maya is great, but that autism… she’s just too quiet.” “How will she survive in society? But good news! A transfer student just joined. He’s rich, outgoing, and hilarious. I arranged for him to be Maya’s desk mate.” Desk mate? To give Maya the best environment, we specifically enrolled her in a school that guaranteed single desks. Where did a desk mate come from? We reached the classroom during a break. Maya’s desk had been shoved together with another one. In the corner, a boy with bleached blond hair had her pinned against the wall. “You put a rubber band on my finger yesterday and told me it was ‘ultra-thin.’ Aren’t you going to explain yourself?” Maya’s expression shifted rapidly. Finally, she spoke her first sentence of the day. “You’re lying. I… didn’t.” Mrs. Higgins covered her mouth, moved to tears. “Look, Ms. Sanders! She spoke!” The floating chat was celebrating. [I knew it! The chatterbox Male Lead finally provoked her into speaking! They are my OTP!] [This girl’s mom is useless. Couldn’t cure her for years, but our little ball of sunshine Jace did it in a day.] My face turned cold. I cut their celebration short. “Maya. Come here.” 02 The chat exploded. [What is wrong with this mom? Can’t she read the room?] [Our precious boy finally decided to help the heroine, and she’s blocking it?] [No wonder the girl doesn’t talk to her mom.] Mrs. Higgins looked awkward. “Ms. Sanders, don’t be so agitated. It’s just a joke between classmates.” “You saw it yourself. Maya is even talking now.” I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Mrs. Higgins, when we enrolled, we made it very clear. Maya needs space. Why did you assign a desk mate?” “And more importantly, you think sexual harassment is a treatment?” I laughed coldly. “So, the hundreds of thousands I spent on therapists is less effective than a boy making condom jokes?” With every sentence I spoke, the classroom atmosphere grew heavier. Someone muttered, “What a Karen. Making a big deal out of nothing.” Mrs. Higgins looked ready to apologize just to shut me up, but suddenly, I felt a tug on my sleeve. I turned around. Maya was looking at me with puppy eyes. I looked into her eyes. “What is it?” “Don’t. Scold him.” The chat went wild. [Maya is so cute! She’s protecting her hubby already!] [Exactly. This old witch is single for a reason. She’s probably jealous her daughter gets attention.] [Ew, competing with her own daughter? Disgusting.] My heart seized in pain. Raising an autistic child as a single mother has been incredibly hard. She rarely responds to me. Today, she spoke her first complete sentence to me. And it was to defend a boy who was sexually harassing her. I fought back the urge to scream. I calmly asked for leave and took Maya home. In the car, I asked her, “Do you really like that boy?” “Are you okay with them spreading rumors like that?” Maya had retreated into her own world. She didn’t react. The chat defended her. [She’s pressuring Maya again. Unlike Jace, who heals her.] [This mom is incompetent. She needs to exit the story so Jace can take care of her.] Since Maya wasn’t listening, I didn’t push. I started making dinner, but I was so distracted I sliced my finger. Blood dripped into the sink. I texted the housekeeper to come early, then went to the utility room to bandage myself. There, I saw a photo of Maya as a baby. 03 The year Maya was diagnosed, my ex-husband divorced me without hesitation. He needed a “healthy male heir.” Since then, it’s been just me and Maya. I worked, I parented, I fought. We saw countless doctors, spent a fortune, trying to find a “cure.” Finally, I accepted the brutal truth: Maya would likely be on the spectrum for life. The doctor told me calmly not to fixate on a cure, but to find her potential and guide her behavior. I accepted everything about Maya. I accepted she wasn’t the “perfect child” society wanted. I just wanted her to be happy and find her own path. Everyone who meets her says I raised her well. Even the doctors praise her progress. We found her hobbies. Her brilliance. Even if she never lives like a “normal” person, I’ve saved enough money for her to live comfortably forever. But now? I’m being told that a boy making disgusting jokes is the cure? That all my efforts mean nothing compared to a bully? It was absurd. And what about her future? Is she supposed to stay lucid only by being constantly sexually harassed? I sat in the utility room, hugging my knees, devastated. 04 “Mom. Bandage.” Maya found me. She put a Band-Aid on my finger. After years of therapy, Maya has good language skills, but she often gets lost in the colorful thoughts in her head and can’t react to the outside world. I took her to do Math Olympiad problems. Sometimes, when we have friction, we use this activity to de-escalate. All correct. Savant syndrome in mathematics appears in a significant percentage of autistic individuals. Maya is one of them. Just on her math talent and the trust fund I built, she is set for life. After handing her a Rubik’s cube as a reward, I asked again: “Do you really like that boy?” “Why won’t you let Mom stop them from lying?” She silently solved the cube, scrambled it, and solved it again. I waited patiently. Again and again. Night fell. Time for bed. I asked one more time. Still no response. Midnight. Thunder and lightning. I woke up with a start and ran to her door, knocking gently. “Maya, don’t be scared. Mom is here.” The door was locked. Maya is terrified of thunder. To make it easier for me to comfort her, her door is never locked. [Give up, old witch. Only the Male Lead has the key to Maya’s room now.] [If it weren’t for you, Jace would be holding her right now. It would be a sweet, romantic night, not scary.] [Why do moms always block their daughters’ happiness?] I sat by the door for a long time. Looking at the Band-Aid on my finger, I didn’t give up. That is my daughter. I know she has a good heart. She wouldn’t be normal yesterday and a stranger today. Something must have happened to cause this change. I just needed patience. Suddenly, the door clicked open. Maya walked out, trembling. “Scared…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386609”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel