Author: Momo Chan

The year I turned eighteen, I gave up my acceptance letter to a top-tier university, deciding instead to work and help my family pay off our debts. Just as I excitedly told Mom I’d found a job paying $4,000 a month, I saw my dad on the financial news playing on the bus TV. The simple blue-collar worker I knew transformed into the sharp-suited CEO of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate. “I announce that Maya Evans’ trial has failed. The group will be inherited by Valerie Evans.” I walked home in a daze. The acceptance letter in my hand, which I’d torn up then painstakingly taped back together and treasured, now felt scorching hot. My mom, usually so disheveled, was now dressed in the elegant attire of a high-society woman. She gently set down her white porcelain cup, then looked up at me. “Maya, you didn’t pass your trial.” “You’ve disappointed us deeply.” … I opened my mouth, but my throat felt choked, unable to utter a single sound. Our home had changed. Yesterday, the walls were peeling and cracked; today, they were covered in a fine, grey wallpaper I didn’t recognize. The old, creaking sofa was gone, replaced by a sleek, leather set. The air was filled with a strange mix of leather and some expensive fragrance. Everything felt like a cruel mockery of my eighteen years of life. “Mom, what are you talking about…” I finally found my voice, struggling to keep it from shaking. “What trial? What inheritance? Didn’t we owe over a hundred thousand dollars? Dad, he…” “Your father, Richard Evans, is the CEO of EvansCorp.” Eleanor Evans, the woman I’d called “Mom” for eighteen years, cut me off. She sat primly on the expensive sofa, her posture elegant, utterly devoid of the warmth she’d shown me for eighteen years. “We mapped out the optimal path for you. But what did you do? You arbitrarily gave up your full scholarship and abandoned your studies to work. This is classic shortsightedness, a total lack of strategic vision, and a refusal to follow the family’s arrangements.” My blood rushed to my head, and my whole body trembled. “I gave up my studies because Dad’s back was bad! I didn’t want him to work so hard anymore! I went to work to pay off our debts sooner…” I thought she’d be moved, or at least show a hint of guilt. But she didn’t. She merely set her teacup down gently, the crisp sound of glass clinking sending a shiver through my heart. “Ah, the self-indulgent martyr, lost in her own little world of pointless sacrifice.” Her tone was icy, tinged with a hint of disappointment. “Maya Evans, the heir to EvansCorp, requires unwavering execution and long-term vision. You, on the other hand, give up halfway and are shortsighted.” My world suddenly went dark, as if countless steel needles pierced my heart. I’d spent eighteen years saving every penny, never buying a cold drink in summer, wearing old, patched-up clothes through winter, even recycling anything I could get my hands on, all to help ease our burden… I thought we were a family, relying on each other, poor but happy. Turns out, it was just my solo act. Turns out, I was just an experiment, a subject under observation. “Mom…” I fought back tears, wanting to approach her but held rooted to the spot by her chilling unfamiliarity. “Don’t call me Mom! You’ve disappointed me too much.” Eleanor Evans took a delicate sip of tea, then spoke a name I’d never heard before. “Valerie Evans has done far better than you. She’s the more qualified heir.” Valerie Evans. That name in the news headline, the one meant to replace me. I clenched my fists, the sharp sting of my fingernails barely keeping me upright. “So, these eighteen years of mother-daughter affection, that was fake too?” I asked my last question, my voice weak, carrying a plea I hadn’t even realized was there. Eleanor Evans finally looked up, meeting my gaze directly. “Maya, you must understand, though I am your mother, I am also the examiner for this trial. I must be responsible for its outcome.” My beliefs completely crumbled. I thought, at least there was still this bond of family, but it turned out even mother-daughter affection was just my own wishful thinking. I stood there, saying nothing more. I didn’t approve of their methods; I didn’t agree with this absurd life. The roar of an engine echoed from downstairs. A black Maybach, completely out of place, pulled up to our dilapidated building entrance. The car door opened, and out stepped Richard Evans, my nominal father. His exquisite suit was perfectly unwrinkled, identical to his image on TV. Then, a girl stepped out from the other side. She was around my age, dressed in a white dress, exuding an elegant aura, like an ethereal princess, as if untouched by the mundane world. She was Valerie Evans. “Mommy! Val misses you so much!” She ran past me, holding up her dress, and pounced into Mom’s arms like a kitten. “Val, come let Mommy give you a hug~” Their intimate gestures made me, standing rooted to the spot, feel like an outsider, an intruder disrupting their reunion. My heart died at that moment. My mother of eighteen years, seemed like nothing but a dream. Valerie Evans stood up from my mother’s embrace, looking toward my father, as if only just noticing I was standing there. “Oh, Dad, is this my sister?” Richard Evans’ gaze finally pulled away from his wife and Valerie and landed on me, as if I had been transparent air moments before. He spoke to Valerie in a tone I’d never heard—so gentle. “Val, this is your sister. She’s the one who failed this trial.” Valerie looked at me, her gaze a mix of pity and superiority, like she was looking at a clueless child. “Maya, don’t blame Dad. I’ve always felt bad for you, honestly. Giving up your studies to work—how irrational is that? Knowledge and vision are the real wealth. Trading your physical labor for meager pay at your age? That’s so shortsighted. It’s a shame you never understood that.” Every word she spoke was couched in “good intentions for me,” yet every single one was a sharp blade, stabbing my heart. Everything I had done was for the shared future of my father, my mother, and me. In her eyes, I was just a clueless, shortsighted failure, only capable of reacting to immediate circumstances. “I don’t need you to lecture me!” I yelled back. Richard Evans frowned, apparently displeased by my loss of control. “Enough.” Richard Evans’ face was filled with disappointment, his voice tinged with anger. “All your actions are based on base emotions, not absolute rationality. You are merely a failure; we are very disappointed in you.” “Failure.” I repeated the words. My eighteen years of life had only been seen as a test to choose an heir. “Yes, we had great expectations for you. We spent eighteen years accompanying you in this environment, honing you, only for you to return such a report. I hope you stop creating a fuss; at least you are still my daughter, Richard Evans’ daughter.” That last sentence, carrying a veiled threat, actually affirmed that I was his daughter. I held out my hands, palms up, before them. They were rough, calloused hands from years of washing vegetables, cooking, moving goods, and mending clothes. Then I looked at Valerie Evans’ hands, perfectly manicured, her nails gleaming beautifully. In that moment, for the first time, I felt the absurdity and collapse of my world. “So, because of all this, you’re going to deny everything about me?” “This isn’t denial, it’s an evaluation.” Richard Evans corrected me, his voice cold and emotionless. “According to the trial rules, you, Maya Evans, as the failed subject, will be stripped of the inheritance rights to EvansCorp.” He paused, as if announcing a great act of mercy. “Of course, the family won’t abandon you completely. We’ll send you to a university abroad, for a fresh start. This is our final act of kindness towards you.” Kindness. Ha ha ha, kindness. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears and laughter burst forth on my face simultaneously. Valerie Evans saw my state and, as if looking at a madwoman, pulled her father back half a step. “Dad, let’s not talk to her anymore. I don’t want to see her; she’s not well.” Richard Evans just patted her head. In his eyes, as he looked at me, I saw only indifference. At this moment, I cast aside all my illusions. I wiped away my tears and offered a smile. My smile stunned them too. They probably expected me to cry, throw a tantrum, shriek curses, or beg on my knees. What they didn’t expect was for me to quietly smile. “I’m not going.” I looked at Richard Evans, speaking each word distinctly. “And I don’t want your kindness. I’m staying here, to live on my own.” Richard Evans seemed to find my words utterly laughable. “On your own? Maya Evans, what can you do besides a few inconsequential chores? The card I gave you, I’ve already had my assistant freeze it.” The moment he finished speaking, my phone received a bank alert. [Dear customer, your savings card ending in xxxx has been frozen. Current available balance: $0.00.] The money in that card was what I had saved working day and night. “Is this another punishment for my defiance?” I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. “No, this is to make you face reality.” Richard Evans said, then snapped his fingers. A van pulled up downstairs, and a team of uniformed cleanup personnel emerged. They were expressionless as they walked straight into the house I had lived in for eighteen years. They began to clear out everything. My secondhand books, bought with my meager savings, were tossed into bins marked for recycling. My handicrafts, made from aluminum cans, were crushed flat. The small potted plant I’d nurtured for three years on the windowsill was uprooted and thrown into a black garbage bag. “What are you doing!” I rushed in, trying to stop them. But I was heartlessly blocked and met with a cold statement. “Ms. Evans, all items here are assets of EvansCorp. The corporation reserves the right to reclaim and destroy them.” My existence, the traces of my life—all merely corporate assets. I saw the photo frame in the corner, our only family photo. I lunged, clutching it tightly. “You can’t take this!” A cleanup crew member tried to snatch it from my hands. In the struggle, the frame clattered to the floor, the glass shattering. Valerie Evans walked over elegantly, bending down to pick up the photo. She examined it for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. “Huh, so it’s just a photo. Maya, you don’t seriously think keeping this is useful, do you?” Valerie Evans tore it into pieces right in front of me. In that instant, I lost all my strength. Even the memory of that “father” who had once smiled kindly at me was snatched away. As I stood there in a daze, my phone rang. It was my only good friend, Chloe Hayes. “Maya, you… you know everything?” Her voice sounded anxious. “Maya, don’t be foolish, just listen to your parents. They’re doing this for your own good. Going abroad is great, don’t be stubborn. You can’t fight them.” I hadn’t even had a chance to speak before she cut me off. In that moment, I understood everything. My friend, my confidante, was just an observer planted by their side. I hung up the phone, feeling everyone drifting away from me. Just then, Eleanor Evans walked over and slipped an envelope into my hand. “Here’s seven thousand dollars, consider it your severance. Make it last.” Her tone was like dismissing a housekeeper who had worked for years. “Also, I’m informing you, this building will be demolished tomorrow morning. After all, it no longer has any value.” She finished speaking, turned, and left without another glance at me. I was completely expelled from that family. Eighteen years of existence, wiped clean by them. I stood before the building, about to be torn down, unable to move. The seven thousand dollars severance in the envelope was crushed in my trembling hand. Richard Evans, Eleanor Evans, and Valerie Evans were getting into the car, preparing to leave. A surge of courage, from I knew not where, made me rush forward and block their car. “Richard Evans!” For the first time, I called him by his full name. “I just have one last question. These eighteen years, did you ever feel a single ounce of genuine affection for me?” I stared intently at him, trying to find a trace of humanity on his face. I pointed to my right lower leg, where a hideous scar lay, which I always covered with long pants, even in summer. “Ten years ago, when I was eight. To save a puppy hit by a car, my leg was crushed. I remember it clearly: you held me and ran through the hospital corridor, telling me, ‘Maya is Daddy’s good girl, so responsible.’ I was in so much pain I nearly fainted, but hearing those words, I felt it was all worth it.” My tears finally broke free, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “That pain, that feeling of being affirmed by you, was that fake too?!” It was the most profound warmth in my memory, the lesson where I learned the meaning of “responsibility,” the cornerstone of my life’s beliefs. If even that was fake, then… I truly had nothing left. Richard Evans fell silent. The air in the car seemed to freeze. Just as I thought I had finally touched even a flicker of emotion in him, he calmly spoke to his assistant beside him. “Give her that report.” The assistant quickly retrieved a document from his briefcase and handed it to me. The title of the document shattered my last shred of composure. *Responsibility Cultivation Program*. Richard Evans’ voice sounded again, horrifyingly calm. “You’re right. That accident was also carefully designed. The driver who hit the dog, the dying puppy, even the old woman on the roadside who yelled for you to save it—they were all professional actors we hired.” I opened the report, my hands shaking so much I could barely hold it. The permanent scar on my leg was merely recorded in this report as an accidental injury due to my physical inadequacy. My trembling hands could no longer grip the report, letting it fall to the ground. Finally, he rolled down the car window and, in a tone almost of condescension, spoke his last words to me. “Maya, you must understand that all the suffering we inflicted upon you was meant to make you stronger. You just failed to grasp our intentions and instead veered into defiance.” “Telling you the full truth now is so you understand you are not entirely worthless. All those so-called excellent qualities you possess were actually bestowed by us.” With that, they drove away, leaving me alone. I slowly crouched down in front of the old building, soon to be a ruin. With trembling hands, I traced the ugly scar on my leg again and again. My world, in that moment, completely collapsed into a wasteland. But I had to forge a new path for myself. I sat in front of the ruins all night. The sky transformed from pitch black, pierced by the first rays of dawn. My spirit went through a tsunami. From breakdown to numbness. I didn’t cry. Tears, to them, were just a sign of my weakness. From now on, I would have no connection to them. I began to calmly review, to replay, my ridiculous, carefully designed eighteen years. They simply didn’t understand what humanity was, what life was. True life isn’t designed; it pushes its way up from the dirt, from cracks in the rock, from the bottom up. The qualities they discarded in me were precisely what he and the perfect Valerie Evans lacked. Those were the things that truly belonged to me. Daylight broke. I walked through the pile of debris left by the cleanup crew. Pushing aside the broken items that held eighteen years of my life, I found a small, worn-out ledger. It was my personal record of our daily life, which they had discarded as useless. I opened it. It contained not only daily fluctuations in vegetable prices but also my notes on every little detail. “Mrs. Davis’s tofu is the freshest, but she’s a bit grumpy, always needs to weigh it in front of you.” “Mr. Peterson’s pork is never watered down; his son got into college last week, so I should go congratulate him.” “The couple at the fruit stand on the corner seems to be arguing a lot lately; their business is suffering.” This was their evidence that I lacked “strategic vision.” But now, in my eyes, it was no longer just a ledger; it was proof of my living, breathing existence. I clutched this ledger tightly, and the seven thousand dollars severance in my pocket. I needed to use them to create a new life for myself. I stood up, dusted myself off, and walked toward the local market I knew so well. With that money, I rented the cheapest, most out-of-the-way stall near the market. I wanted to start a business, but not just be a street vendor. What I wanted was to build a successful career without their interference. My first employee was quickly found. It was Ms. Anya, the cleaning lady responsible for this area. When she needed help most, I did something extra in my father’s eyes—I helped her. When I found her, she didn’t say a word, just tucked her half-eaten bun into her pocket and grasped my hand with her rough ones. “ Honey, if you trust me, I’ll follow you with my life!” My rebellion officially began here. I would create a world of my own, despite their constant dismissal. My small restaurant, “Maya’s Kitchen,” opened. No firecrackers, no flower baskets, just Ms. Anya and me, and the steam rising from a large pot. Thanks to the records in my ledger, my catering business was well-organized. I sent rich, braised pork to Mr. Peterson’s son, congratulating him on his academic success. It was tender and not greasy. I brought spicy and sour fish soup to the quarreling couple at the fruit stand, telling them that life always has its arguments, but you need to eat well to have the energy to keep going. Soon, I became the most famous, most down-to-earth restaurant around. I introduced a more community-friendly model. Nearby vendors could sell me their unsold fresh vegetables at cost price. I’d cook them into meals and sell them at below-market prices to sanitation workers and day laborers who needed extra food. The small stall somehow formed a warm, economic cycle. One day, a flashy luxury car pulled up to the old alley, a stark contrast to the surroundings. Valerie Evans, dressed in opulent clothing and wearing wine-red high heels, walked over, assisted by her personal assistant, wrinkling her nose and covering her mouth with a silk scarf in disdain. “Maya, I’m so happy for you, really. You’ve finally found a career suited to your… limited scope.” Her words were dripping with aggression. “Look at this oil and smoke smell, how full of life it is. Much warmer than the cold air at our corporate headquarters, isn’t it?” I was busy packing a meal for an old man who pulled a rickshaw and didn’t look up. “It is. After all, people are alive and need to eat, unlike some things that only need money.” Valerie Evans’ face stiffened. “You’re still so sharp-tongued, so disobedient. Dad heard about your antics here and is very angry.” She put on an expression of deep sorrow. “He said that by choosing not to pursue higher education and instead making a scene here, you’re disgracing the Evans family. This is self-degradation, an insult to our family.” I handed the packed meal to the old man and took his five dollars. “The Evans family’s honor? Is it that report that treated their own daughter as an experiment, or that hypocritical face printed on the financial front page?” “You!” Valerie Evans was so furious she couldn’t speak. Not long after she left, trouble arrived. A team of uniformed men burst into my small shop. The leader held a notebook, his face stern. “We received a report that your hygiene standards are severely subpar and you’re operating illegally on public property. You’ll have to come with us.” I sneered inwardly. Valerie Evans’ tactics were still so crude and simple. I didn’t panic. I just quietly pulled out my phone and started a live stream. “Hey everyone, live from the scene! Let’s see how hard it is for an ordinary person to start a business.” I aimed my camera at the lead man. “Officer, you say my hygiene is subpar—where exactly? You say I’m illegally occupying public space, but my shop door opens inward. Which space am I occupying? Is it the road to your house?” The man was flustered by my actions, clearly not expecting such a move. He pointed to an innocent green onion on my cutting board. “This… this piece of meat! Its placement here doesn’t meet hygiene standards! This is irresponsible to diners! A fine of five hundred dollars!” I zoomed the camera in, giving that innocent piece of meat a big close-up. “Folks, come see, this piece of meat, worth five hundred dollars! What high crime has it committed? Is it because it grew too well, offending the eyes of certain important people?” The comments section exploded instantly. “Holy cow! I could laugh for a year at that excuse!” “They’re bullying her to no end!” “Her five-dollar lunch box is cleaner than my own kitchen, and it has meat! This lady truly has a heart of gold!” Just then, Mrs. Davis, returning from grocery shopping, Mr. Peterson, passing by on his delivery route, and all the neighbors gathered around. “Ms. Maya’s place is cleaner than my own kitchen!” “They’re just jealous of a young girl’s good business!” “We eat here every day! If there were a problem, we’d be the first to complain!” The voices of the crowd, united, were deafening. The uniformed men, surrounded, turned beet red then ghostly pale, and slunk away. I ended the live stream, watching the soaring number of viewers on my phone. Richard Evans, Valerie Evans. You think the path to success means discarding what you deem unimportant. But you don’t understand that true power accumulates from the most insignificant places. The next day, I received a call from an unfamiliar number. “Ms. Evans? Hello, my name is Daniel Miller, I’m a reporter for an independent media outlet. Your live stream… it went viral.” I wiped flour from my hands. “I know.” “We’d like to do an in-depth interview with you. Not about the scandalous family drama, just about your story with these honest working people. Would that be okay?” “Yes.” This was exactly what I wanted. I didn’t hesitate to agree. EvansCorp’s PR department clearly noticed the public outcry. They quickly took action, simple and crude—with money. Chloe Hayes, my once best “friend,” called me again. “Maya, I heard. Can you stop this? They spent three million dollars to take down the trending topics, but the hashtag ‘EvansCorpBullying’ actually shot to the top! You’re part of the Evans family too; do you want to destroy them?” Listening to her anxious tone, I found it laughable. “Really? Then they should reflect on why three million dollars can’t buy public sentiment.” I hung up. The fire of public opinion burned hotter and hotter. My story of being sensible but labeled rebellious by a wealthy family garnered immense attention and empathy. Under pressure, EvansCorp’s perfect heir, Valerie Evans, was forced to give an interview to a mainstream financial media outlet. In the video, she wore a perfectly tailored business suit, her makeup flawless, her performance impeccable. “Regarding some of the recent false claims circulating online, I am deeply regretful.” “EvansCorp has always been committed to social responsibility, and we respect every hardworking individual.” But the reporter posed a sharp question. “Ms. Evans, how do you view your sister, Ms. Maya Evans, giving up her studies to open a small restaurant near the local market? Is this also a form of hard work?” Valerie Evans smiled elegantly, but in that smile, her inherent sense of superiority towards me was instinctively revealed. “Of course, I’m happy for my sister’s independence. But frankly, I believe choice is more important than effort. She wasn’t without options, and I respect her decision.” She continued, as if she were the most successful person in everyone’s eyes. “I deeply understand everyone’s difficulties. However, if they just strive to improve their awareness and broaden their horizons, they can absolutely escape their current situation. Our corporation also provides many free learning opportunities, but unfortunately, many people don’t seize them.” This interview became the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Her condescension, her “let them eat cake” attitude, and her highly utilitarian nature were screenshotted by netizens, turned into memes, and spread across the entire internet. Her meticulously crafted image as the perfect heir vanished into thin air at that moment. *** Two days later, the *Community Watch* exclusive interview video was released. The camera showed me wearing a simple apron, sitting at the entrance of my small shop. No tears, no accusations. The reporter asked me: “Do you hate your family?”

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After a year of working abroad, I secretly returned, planning to surprise my wife. Arriving at the front door of our mansion, I confidently entered the smart lock’s code. Strangely, it kept displaying “incorrect password,” even after dozens of attempts. Just as I was about to call Serena to ask if the smart lock was broken, a sharp voice pierced the air behind me. A dark-skinned middle-aged woman, Mrs. Rodriguez, grabbed my collar without a word. “Hey, you little thief! You dare to act in broad daylight? Are you picking on Caleb Reed because he’s young?” Her spit splattered all over my face. My mind reeled with confusion. Caleb Reed? Who was that? This was *my* house, the one I’d paid for in full! This woman was acting like she’d just escaped from a bizarre reality TV show. I tried to explain, over and over again, that I was the owner of this mansion. But the more I explained, the more she stared at me with an expression that screamed, “I knew it!” “You picked the wrong day to show up here. I live right next door, and I’ve seen the man of this house countless times,” she declared. “If you’re going to be a thief, at least be smart. You should have come up with a decent excuse, like being a relative or a friend.” The man of the house? This mansion was the home Serena and I had bought together when we got married. How could there be another man coming and going? As I stood there bewildered, Mrs. Rodriguez pulled out her phone, ready to dial 91

“Alright, alright, no more excuses! Save it for the police!” Her relentless accusations left me no room for deeper thought at the moment. All I wanted was to shove the deed in her face and prove I was telling the truth. As we stood there in a deadlock, the commotion outside must have woken the person inside. The door I couldn’t open slowly creaked inward. Mrs. Rodriguez, hands on her hips, pointed at the handsome, curly-haired man who emerged. “See? How are you going to argue now? The man of the house is right here!” I looked over, and through the partially open door, I saw him. He was wearing silk pajamas that I’d paid a fortune for, asking a friend to buy them for me from abroad. His face was fair and striking. He seemed to have just woken up, looking annoyed at being disturbed. He sneered, sizing me up, and then let out a lazy yawn. “I’ve seen plenty of people like you. Trying to use these pathetic methods to latch onto someone wealthy? You’ve got it all wrong.” “You think a pretty face can give you a shortcut? It’s time you paid the price and learned your place.” Then he pointed a finger at me. “Mrs. Rodriguez, I don’t know this person. He’s trespassing. Call the police.” 2 Being called an “intruder” by my own wife was a truly bizarre sensation. But standing there, watching my wife pour out syrupy tenderness and concern for another man? That feeling was beyond words. Caleb looked at her, his eyes brimming with tears, playing the part of the poor, wronged victim. He shook his head, a single tear tracing a path down his cheek. Only when she was absolutely certain he was unharmed did Serena let out a relieved breath. She tenderly stroked his hair, a soft smile on her face. “You rest here. I promise I’ll make that intruder pay for what he’s done…” She vowed, her voice dripping with conviction. But when she turned and her eyes met mine, her words caught in her throat. A faint tremor, one she hadn’t even noticed herself, laced her voice. I curved my lips into a cold smile, watching her calmly. “Ah, Serena Vance, the famous attorney. You certainly have the right to make such grand boasts.” “But even if you’re renowned in the legal world, shouldn’t justice be based on complete evidence and fair judgment? Or do you just make up facts as you go along?” She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the police officer who had just finished verifying my information. Once they confirmed I was the mansion’s owner, I was released without charge. As I walked out, Serena grabbed my arm, her voice urgent. “Julian, please don’t misunderstand. Caleb is a new intern at my firm. Fresh out of college, his meager salary wouldn’t even cover a decent place in Veridia City. I was worried about him being alone in a new city, so I let him stay at our place temporarily.” “He’s young, so he can be a bit reckless. Just try not to hold it against him, Julian.” My gaze swept calmly over both of them, finally settling on Serena’s pale face. I didn’t answer. I just turned and walked away. The moment I got into a taxi, I dialed my best friend, Blake Carter. Blake and Serena were considered Veridia City’s legal powerhouses, their skills equally matched. His casual, teasing drawl answered. “Well, well, if it isn’t Mr. Busy-Man himself. What makes you finally reach out?” My voice was chillingly calm. “Blake, I need you to dig into Serena and a guy named Caleb Reed. Everything from the past year I was abroad. And I need it fast.” Blake muttered a few sarcastic remarks, then hung up. About an hour later, the taxi pulled up to my mansion. Almost as soon as I stepped out, Serena and Caleb followed close behind. Serena hurried forward, taking my hand. “You must be exhausted after a thirteen-hour flight. I know this amazing restaurant. Let’s invite our friends and have a welcome-home dinner for you.” She pulled me forward, but I paused, glancing back at Caleb. “You should come too.” Caleb immediately plastered a bright smile on his face. Fresh out of college, he exuded a youthful charm, and just a curve of his lips was enough to make people stare. He was incredibly bold, joining us without a care, despite the animosity between us just moments ago. As we walked into the bar, I lagged slightly behind. Blake called, saying Serena had invited him to a gathering, and he was already waiting in the private room. He scoffed. “You finally finish a huge project and come home, and she can’t even give you a proper welcome home or stay home with you? What kind of stupid party is this? Seriously…” I didn’t answer. Serena pushed open the door to the private room. Cheers erupted inside. “Well, well, Serena! You usually hide him away like he’s your most precious treasure. What makes you bring Mr. Julian to a bar tonight? Didn’t you say he couldn’t stand smoke or alcohol?” The speaker was one of Serena’s good friends. I was a step behind them, still on the phone with Blake. The people in the room only saw Serena and Caleb. From behind, I saw Serena’s body stiffen. Her face turned cold as she snapped at him, “Are you drunk? What nonsense are you spouting?” “This is my assistant! My husband is Julian Hayes!” 3 Anyone who made it in Veridia City was sharp, and the friend immediately realized his mistake. “My apologies, Serena! The lights in here are so blinding, I couldn’t make out faces.” He quickly stood up, walked to the door, and offered me an apology. I smiled, but the warmth didn’t reach my eyes. With the “misunderstanding” cleared, Serena pulled me to a seat. Caleb, sensing the mood, found an inconspicuous corner to sit in. Blake gave me a knowing look from across the room. I checked my phone and, sure enough, found a message from him. “You need to see this, man. Serena is truly something else!” It was thirty gigabytes of videos and files. I took a couple sips of my drink and left the room. As I scrolled through the screen, the coldness in my eyes deepened. Serena had moved Caleb into *my* mansion not long after I’d left the country. There were videos of them frequently entering and leaving hotels, bank statements showing over ten million spent on Caleb, and their Ins accounts, full of flirtatious posts. “My little Roo is so cute. I wish you were here with me right now.” This post was from two months ago. I’d initially thought Serena was referring to the actual kangaroos I’d seen on my business trip, subtly telling me she missed me. I’d worked day and night, compressing six months of work into two, just to surprise her. Now, looking at Caleb’s Ins, I knew. Roo was *their* dog. After seeing how Caleb and Serena first met, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh. No wonder Caleb’s first reaction, when I couldn’t open the door, was to assume I was some gold-digger trying to scam a wealthy person. That’s exactly how *he* had gotten close to Serena. Back in the private room, Serena put her arm around my waist, asking intimately, “Where did you go?” My brow furrowed, and I tried to shrug her hand off, but just then, Caleb walked over with a drink. He bent slightly. His fair skin, glimpsed from beneath his collar, was so pale and delicate, almost feminine, that it made you want to look twice. And those two glances froze me completely. I couldn’t maintain my composure any longer. I tore the engraved silver locket from Caleb’s neck with such force that it left a striking red mark. Everyone in the room was stunned by my furious expression. I was known in our circle for being incredibly even-tempered; no one had ever seen me lose control like this. I gripped the locket tightly, my fingers tracing the familiar inscription carved into my heart. Then I turned, my voice a dangerous growl, and demanded of Serena, “This was Grandma’s last possession, her final gift to me. I kept it carefully in her memorial shrine. Serena, explain to me why this locket is on Caleb Reed’s neck!” Serena stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, under my relentless glare, she lost her composure. “It’s just a locket! So what? I’ll buy you a new one. Caleb’s been feeling unsettled lately; a spiritualist said he might have picked up something negative, so I lent it to him for protection. Why are you reacting so dramatically?” Our friends chimed in, trying to calm me. “Julian, I didn’t realize you were into lockets. Look, I have a friend who specializes in antiques. If you like, I can have him bring you ten or twenty of them. You can pick whatever you want.” “It’s just a piece of jewelry, Julian. No need to get upset with Serena over such a small thing…” Their chattering faded into background noise. My mind was fixated on Serena’s words: *something negative*? My thoughts immediately flew to the small memorial shrine I’d set up for Grandma in the mansion. 4 Ignoring everyone’s pleas and attempts to stop me, I hailed a taxi and sped towards home. Outside, a sudden, fierce rainstorm broke, coming down hard and fast.

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Anya, the untouched beauty of our circle. That sentence had been circulating in high society for six years. Because she had been married to Julian, the unattainable legal prodigy, for three years, and their marriage remained unconsummated. Julian had germaphobia, to an infuriating degree. Three years of dating, three years of marriage, he rejected all physical contact. No hugs, no kisses, and certainly no shared bed. I used to refuse to believe it was impossible. A thousand attempts to entice him, a thousand failures. I thought that was just Julian – aloof and refined, seemingly untouched by the world’s grime. But today, I finally understood. The ice prince could come down from his pedestal. And his germaphobia? It could have exceptions too. … In the upscale restaurant, Anya’s fingers, wrapped around her glass, trembled slightly. Through the glass window, she clearly saw Julian kneeling, gently massaging the aching ankle of the woman opposite him. His long, elegant fingers cradled her fair ankle, moving with a tenderness usually reserved for precious treasures. There wasn’t a hint of disgust or discomfort on his face. Was this truly the Julian who would sanitize his hands three times if he accidentally brushed hers? Anya’s hands shook as she snapped a picture, sending it to Julian’s best friend: **”Who is she?”** Liam quickly replied: **”How do you know Chloe?”** Chloe… Anya stared, fixated on the name: **”So, who is she?”** Liam hesitated for a moment, but eventually confessed: **”Julian’s first love.”** **”He gave up inheriting his family business to become a lawyer for her. He got into a fight with hooligans for her, almost lost his life and ended up in the hospital. He was a complete wreck for two years before he finally pulled himself together…”** Anya listened in silence, her mind a blank. Liam tried to comfort her: **”That’s all in the past. He married you, so you’re definitely the one he loves now.”** Was she? Anya chuckled, tears welling up. She still remembered her sophomore year, the first time she saw Julian at Columbia University. He stood at the entrance of the law school, his white shirt ruffled by the wind, as cold and ethereal as a watercolor painting. She was Anya, the heiress of the powerful Anya family, bright and flamboyant, always getting whatever she wanted since childhood. But that day, when she went up to ask for his contact information and was rejected, she learned for the first time that there were indeed some things in this world she couldn’t have. And so began her two years of relentless pursuit: She’d stake out his building every morning with breakfast, and he’d just toss it in the nearest trash can; She’d prepare thoughtful gifts, and he’d discard them without a glance, sometimes even leaving them for stray dogs on the roadside; If she so much as brushed against his sleeve, he’d rip off the shirt and toss it on the spot. But his rejection only fueled her resolve, refusing to give up. Finally, on a rainy night, when she was soaked to the bone at the library entrance, Julian, for the first time in forever, offered her an umbrella. **”Give it a try,”** he said, his voice as cold as ice. She thought she had won. After all, he finally became her boyfriend, and later, her husband. But three years of dating, three years of marriage, he’d still sanitize his hands three times if he accidentally brushed hers. She wanted to hug him, he’d step back; she wanted to kiss, he’d evade; on their wedding night, he slept in his study. Everyone said: **”That’s just Julian. He has severe germaphobia.”** Anya gradually accepted this explanation. After all, he was like that with everyone, wasn’t he? But today, she saw him kneeling to massage another woman’s ankle, his gaze unbelievably tender. It dawned on her, with crystal clarity, that someone *could* be an exception in his heart! How ridiculous. Anya. She had the looks, the figure. The men who chased her could line up from one end of the city to the other. Yet she had debased herself for eight whole years for a man who didn’t love her. If he wouldn’t touch her, plenty of others would. If he wouldn’t love her, plenty of others would. If that was the case, then she would divorce him, completely setting him free to be with his precious first love! With a steel resolve, Anya wiped away her tears and grabbed her bag, striding out of the restaurant. She was in a hurry, and accidentally bumped into Chloe, who was just leaving. The moment their eyes met, the signboard above them suddenly loosened, crashing down heavily towards them. Anya instinctively pushed Chloe away, but she herself was struck on the back by the heavy sign, instantly gushing blood. Blinding pain made her kneel, her vision blurring. Through the haze, she saw Julian sprinting from the parking lot. He practically scooped Chloe into his arms, anxiously checking her for injuries, oblivious to the dirt smudging his expensive suit. Only after confirming Chloe was unharmed did he finally notice Anya lying in a pool of her own blood. **”Why are you here?”** Julian shielded Chloe behind him, his gaze cold and sharp. **”Are you seriously stalking me now, even when I’m meeting friends?”** Anya was in too much pain to speak, feeling her heart ache more than her physical wounds. **”No, the billboard just fell, and this lady saved me…”** Chloe finally regained her composure and began to explain. Julian froze, then slowly turned to me. **”You two… know each other?”** Chloe asked cautiously. Anya couldn’t speak from the pain, only watching as Julian’s expression shifted. **”Yeah, she’s just… someone who’s been relentlessly pursuing me,”** Julian said indifferently, his gaze sweeping over Anya’s pale face. **”She’s been bothering me for a long time.”** The words were like a dagger twisting in Anya’s heart. A choked laugh escaped her, tears mixing with the blood as they streamed down her face. Eight years. And to him, she was just a “pursuer”? Chloe saw Anya’s blood pooling on the ground and worriedly said: **”Julian, you should take her to the hospital. She’s badly hurt.”** But Julian stood rooted to the spot, his voice chillingly clear: **”She’s covered in blood, it’s… unhygienic.”** **”I have germaphobia. I can’t touch her.”** **”Just call 911.”** Anya lay on the cold ground, blood seeping from her forehead, making her face appear even paler. She listened to Julian’s words, her heart feeling as if an invisible hand had clamped down on it, so tight she could barely breathe. The siren of an ambulance grew louder, approaching quickly. Medical personnel rushed over, and just as they were about to lift Anya onto the stretcher, Chloe suddenly swayed, her face draining of all color. **”Chloe!”** Julian lunged forward, catching her steadily before she hit the ground. His usually composed voice was laced with pure panic for the first time. He sharply looked up and told the medical personnel coldly: **”Put her down, take Chloe to the hospital first!”** The nurse looked troubled: **”But Ms. Anya has lost too much blood, she’s already unconscious. Waiting for the next ambulance might be life-threatening…”** **”I called the ambulance,”** Julian cut her off coldly, carefully placing Chloe on the stretcher, his voice brooking no argument. **”I decide who gets priority!”** He finished speaking, then got into the ambulance without looking back. He never spared Anya a single glance the entire time. Anya watched the ambulance drive away, her heart aching to numbness, finally passing out. … When Anya woke up, the blinding white light made her squint uncomfortably. **”You’re finally awake!”** The nurse sighed in relief. **”A kind stranger brought you to the hospital. You need to notify your family to take care of you.”** Anya gently shook her head, her voice weak: **”No, thank you. I’m… alone.”** The nurse was surprised: **”But your records show you’ve been married for three years, with a husband and no children.”** **”I’ll be divorced very soon,”** she said, her voice soft, but filled with a quiet determination. Just as the words left her lips, the hospital room door was pushed open— **”Divorced?”** Julian walked in, his face grim. **”Who’s getting divorced?”** **”A friend of mine,”** Anya lied without batting an eye, her fingertips subtly clutching the edge of the blanket. Julian nodded indifferently: **”She can come to me, I’ll represent her pro bono.”** **”No need for all that trouble,”** she forced a smile, the warmth not reaching her eyes. **”Both parties want it. Just draft the agreement for me.”** Julian didn’t suspect a thing, raising a hand to signal Ryan, his assistant, to prepare it. Once the hospital room door closed, the air suddenly grew suffocatingly quiet. **”Yesterday, Chloe and I were just having dinner as old friends,”** Julian suddenly spoke. **”Don’t get any ideas, and don’t cause any trouble for her.”** Anya suddenly laughed. She was spoiled and willful, but never unreasonable. If he had been honest about having someone in his heart from the beginning, she would never have clung to him for so many years. A sharp pain lanced through her heart. She suppressed her emotions, looking up at him: **”Did you just come here to tell me *that*?”** **”And…”** his tone softened a bit, **”thank you for saving Chloe. She has a clotting disorder, it would have been very serious if she got injured.”** **”As compensation, you can name anything you want.”** Anya stared at him: **”You love her *that* much? Enough to pay *your wife* compensation for her?”** Julian didn’t hear clearly, frowning slightly: **”What?”** Just then, Ryan pushed the door open and handed Anya the drafted divorce agreement. She silently took it, flipping directly to the husband’s signature line and pushing it towards Julian: **”Sign here.”** **”Wrong,”** his long, elegant finger stopped above the page. **”This is the husband’s signature line for the divorce. I’m a lawyer, I should sign on the witness page.”** He was about to turn the page when his phone suddenly rang. The name “Chloe” on his screen burned into Anya’s eyes. **”Turn to the next page,”** he gestured to Anya, turning to answer the call. His voice instantly melted as he spoke: **”What’s wrong?”** Anya didn’t move, her pen still poised over the spot. **”…Okay, I’ll be right there.”** He hung up, then signed without even looking. The moment his pen touched the paper, Anya’s suspended heart finally plunged into an ice abyss. **”Urgent matter at the firm. I’m leaving first.”** His retreating figure was so decisive, he didn’t even realize he’d signed in the wrong place. Anya watched him go, then, trembling, signed her own name in the other column. Once the thirty-day waiting period before the divorce was finalized was over, they’d be truly done. … During that week in the hospital, Anya’s bedside remained empty. She learned to change her own dressings, gritted her teeth through the pain of turning over, and called the nurses herself when her IV needed attention. Julian only appeared, belatedly, on the day she was discharged. **”I’ve been working overtime recently,”** he stood at the hospital room door, his suit pristine, a faint, almost imperceptible jasmine scent clinging to him. Chloe’s perfume. Anya lowered her gaze, arranging her belongings, not bothering to expose his lie. To her surprise, Julian didn’t take her straight home. Instead, he drove her to a newly opened shopping mall. **”What do you want to eat?”** He stood in the elevator, his long, elegant finger scrolling through his phone, asking with a rare patience. **”The shrimp dumplings at this Cantonese restaurant are very authentic.”** From lunch to a movie, he meticulously planned everything. He’d pull out her chair before she sat down, remind her to be careful of the hot soup, and drape his suit jacket over her shoulders when the cinema air conditioning was too strong. **”Is the AC too cold?”** **”Is your seat comfortable?”** **”Does this dish suit your taste?”** This thoughtfulness left Anya in a daze. Eight years. It was our first date that felt even remotely normal. **”Don’t you have germaphobia? And you hate crowded places the most?”** In the dim light of the cinema, she finally couldn’t help but ask. Julian’s movement of adjusting his cuff paused. **”You’ve been cooped up. I’m making an exception.”** His voice was so gentle, uncharacteristically so for Julian. This strange dissonance peaked when he dropped her off, claiming he had to **”go back to the office to work late.”** As if by instinct, Anya hailed a cab and followed him. The shopping mall was brightly lit under the night sky. She saw Julian pick up Chloe, then take her along the same route they had taken that day. The same restaurant, the same cinema hall, they even bought the same dress at the same store! **”I haven’t been back in the States for ages, I don’t know my way around anymore,”** Chloe said, hooking her arm through his, pouting playfully. **”Good thing I have you with me.”** She suddenly tilted her head: **”But I remember you used to despise shopping. You’d rather walk around the mall than through it. How do you know which place has the best dim sum, the comfiest theater seats, the perfect dress for me? Did you secretly do your research?”** Julian’s face remained impassive. The man who recoiled from even accidental touches, now, as Chloe turned to try on a dress, effortlessly took the handbag she offered. “Yeah, I did my homework.” Through the display window, Anya’s heart lurched, a sharp, icy pain lancing through her, each beat a fresh torture, every breath a struggle. A mere tool, used to impress his precious first love! She trembled all over, wanting to flee, but Chloe spotted her with sharp eyes.

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The biggest bombshell of the year at Northwood University? A video of Aurora Thompson, an art student, losing her virginity was leaked to the campus group chat on SnapChat. The video was filmed in a five-star hotel’s presidential suite. Aurora was completely naked, pressed against the floor-to-ceiling windows by a man a head taller than her. The rhythmic sounds of their activity filled the suite. When it was over, the man whispered in her ear, “Such a good girl.” Those two short words hit like a heavy bomb, stirring up a storm of shock and outrage in the chat. “That voice… isn’t that Asher Kingston?” “Aurora really knows how to play her cards! She actually landed one of the university’s Board Members! No wonder the people who used to bully her suddenly went quiet.” “I always thought Aurora was some innocent lamb, but she’s a manipulative user! No wonder, she’s a mistress’s daughter after all!” The news reached my ears while I was in my dorm room, knitting a scarf for Asher. My roommate, Chloe, had the video sound cranked up, passing her phone around with a sneer, deliberately drawing out her words. “Aurora, you sound so… practiced. You must have gotten a lot of practice, huh?” Laughter erupted around me. My face went chalk-white, frozen in place. The half-knitted scarf slipped from my trembling hands. I bolted out the door. I stumbled and ran towards Asher’s office, desperate to ask him what the video was all about. But just as I reached the door, I heard mocking voices from inside. “Asher, you really didn’t leave Aurora any room to breathe, did you? You made sure her face was so clear in the video, she won’t even have a chance to clear her name.” At their words, my mind exploded, and an icy dread instantly permeated my entire being. “Well, she only has herself to blame. She messed with the woman Asher loves most, so she deserved what she got.” “It’s Asher who suffered though, not only having to spread rumors that Aurora’s mother was a mistress, but also having to play the savior, dealing with her bullies and acting all sweet and devoted in front of her.” “Oh, and Asher, when are you planning to tell her the truth? If that girl knew the person she’s liked for so long is actually her future brother-in-law, she’d probably collapse in tears right on the spot, hahaha…” Asher sat casually on the sofa, picking at the edge of an ashtray with the hand holding his cigarette, his expression unreadable. His friend next to him, seeing his silence, quickly asked, “Feeling guilty? She went to great lengths to get Seraphina exiled abroad for two whole years, making her suffer over there. You can’t just let her off the hook like that!” At the mention of Seraphina’s name, Asher finally reacted. He stubbed out his cigarette, his voice flat. “When Seraphina comes back home.” “That day also happens to be a special anniversary Aurora’s been looking forward to for a long time. I’ll give her a ‘surprise’ that day, making her pay back everything she owes Seraphina.” My breath hitched. My gaze drifted through the smoke to Asher’s cold, handsome face. A gaping wound tore through my chest, and everything went black. So, all those rumors defaming my mother were spread by Asher! Asher pursuing me, protecting me… it was all just a scheme for revenge. The person he truly loved was my half-sister, Seraphina Thompson. I couldn’t bear to listen anymore. I turned and fled in a panic. But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps before several girls blocked my path. “Well, well, if it isn’t the star of the viral video!” “Just coming out of the office? Did you rush over to offer yourself up again?” My face was pale. I tried to escape, but they shoved me back and forth. Just then, Asher’s chilling voice came from behind me. “Trying to lay a hand on Aurora under my nose? Do you have a death wish?” Asher had left the office without me noticing, his tall, imposing figure striding towards us. The girls saw Asher and immediately scattered like startled birds. Asher came to my side, raising a hand to smooth my disheveled hair. As he leaned down to meet my eyes, his thumb gently caressed my cheek. “Didn’t I tell you? If anyone bothers you again, just tell them my name.” The familiar scent of tobacco filled my nostrils, making my eyes sting. The Asher before me, overlapping with countless memories of him protecting me, felt like a distant dream. Years ago, after my mother took her own life and my father rekindled his old flame with his first love, I lived a life worse than an orphan’s. Then, rumors started swirling at school that my mother was a mistress, and that Seraphina was the legitimate daughter of the Thompson family. As the “mistress’s daughter,” I couldn’t escape the bullying. It was Asher who saved me, effortlessly creating a warm sanctuary for me using his influence as a Board Member. Yesterday was Asher’s birthday. Fueled by the alcohol, one thing led to another. He shed his usual elegant and reserved demeanor, forcefully pressing me against the exposed floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring my body as it trembled with extreme nervousness. When Asher claimed me, I felt like a bird adrift for too long, finally finding its way home. Little did I know, that safe haven was built on layers of calculated deception. A wave of dizziness washed over me. When I came back to my senses, Asher was leading me out of the office building and into the passenger seat of his car. Asher leaned over to buckle my seatbelt, just like always. Seeing my red-rimmed eyes, he gently comforted me, “The video was an accident. I’ll have someone handle it. You’re not doing well today, so I’ll take you home to rest.” I pursed my lips slightly, remembering his words in the office. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Asher paused, raising a hand to wipe my tears. Then, as if remembering something, he opened the car door. “Wait here for a moment. I need to buy something.” When the car door closed, I realized Asher had taken the wrong phone. His phone lay in the compartment next to the armrest. As if compelled by some strange impulse, I picked it up and entered Seraphina’s birthday. The phone unlocked successfully. Seraphina’s name was pinned at the top of his SnapChat. In their most recent chat, Seraphina asked if he could cut ties with me before she returned home. Asher replied: “She’s just a plaything. I was never really with her.” My heart constricted sharply. I suppressed the burning in my nose and scrolled further up. During the two years Seraphina was abroad, Asher called her without fail every day, always around 8 PM. This was also the time he claimed to have Board meetings and told me not to disturb him, no matter what. Besides that, he transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to Seraphina every month, swift and direct, without even an accompanying message. Seraphina was also very good at flirting, often sending selfies for compliments. Asher would reply with adorable pet GIFs, reminding her not to wear too little and to be careful not to catch a cold. Looking at these chat logs, I finally understood that I never knew Asher at all. His apparent tenderness and thoughtfulness were merely the tip of an iceberg of his overwhelming love for Seraphina. When Asher returned to the car, he held a box of emergency contraception. He gently stroked my head, his voice soft as silk. “Last night was too rushed, I didn’t think of it. Take this, just in case.” I clutched the pill box tightly, my lips almost bitten raw. If I hadn’t overheard him with my own ears, I would still be foolishly believing Asher genuinely cared for me. Now, I was completely clear-headed. After the car stopped in front of the mansion, Asher habitually leaned in for a goodbye kiss. But I dodged his kiss, fumbling to unbuckle my seatbelt. Asher’s eyes darkened. He forcefully pulled me into his embrace. “Still upset about the video?” “…” “I didn’t record the video, and the hotel manager has already been fired.” Asher lifted my chin. “Aurora, I never wanted to hurt you, and I never will. Our anniversary is coming up soon; I’ll make it up to you then.” More than the truth, lies disguised as kindness often hurt the most. My nose stung. I pushed Asher away. “I’m going back inside.” I practically ran into the mansion. As soon as I entered, I collided with Mr. Thompson. His face was grim. Before I could even speak, he raised his hand and slapped me hard. “Aurora, I really underestimated you. Dating is one thing, but making such indecent videos? You’ve completely disgraced me!” “No wonder everyone at your university targets you. It’s because you’re dirty and rotten, attracting all these flies!” My father finished his tirade and threw a plane ticket at my feet. “I’ve booked your flight for seven days from now. Get as far away as possible and never come back!” I picked up the ticket, my fingers trembling slightly, as if it were a verdict condemning me to be abandoned by this world forever. My father was ashamed of me and wanted me gone. Good. I didn’t want to stay either. “I’ll go,” I said, my voice calm. “And I’ll listen to you, I’ll never come back.” Mr. Thompson paused, as if he hadn’t heard correctly. Years ago, he’d arranged for Seraphina to study abroad and tried to persuade me to go with her, but I refused, adamantly. After much questioning, he learned I was in love, hopelessly so. He had expected me to refuse again. But this time, I agreed so readily. Mr. Thompson’s anger softened slightly. He said coldly, “Seraphina is coming home this weekend. I’m hosting a welcome dinner for her. You’ll attend.” “The video has already spread. If you don’t show up, it’ll only confirm those rumors.” I nodded. “Understood.” … I requested three days off from Northwood University. I spent those three days packing up everything Asher had ever given me, listing them online for their original price. Three days later, Seraphina returned home. Mr. Thompson hosted a welcome dinner for her at the biggest hotel in the city, inviting all the influential figures in the business world. Asher was among them. I hadn’t expected to see Asher in such a setting. As I turned to leave, he caught my wrist and dragged me to a secluded spot. Asher pinned me against the wall, his hands firmly braced on either side of my head, his hot breath fanning my ear. “You haven’t been to Northwood these past few days, you haven’t replied to my messages, and there’s been no word about our anniversary.” “Aurora, do you know how worried I’ve been about you?” His eyes were locked on me, clearly displeased by my silence. I pursed my lips, gathering the courage to meet Asher’s gaze. “Does Mr. Kingston worry about an insignificant bedmate?” My sudden defiance, uncharacteristic for my usual docile self, surprised Asher. A surge of irritation clearly washed over him. He yanked me closer, his arm tightly encircling my waist. “Bedmate?” “Once in two years? You call that a bedmate relationship?” I didn’t know what had suddenly set Asher off. He pinched my chin, about to kiss me. Just then, a voice called out, “Asher, there you are! Seraphina’s looking for you.” Asher frowned slightly. He released me and told the person, “Got it. I’ll be right there.” I feigned surprise, asking Asher, “You know my sister?” “Know her? Their relationship is more exciting than you can imagine, Aurora.” Asher’s friend grinned mischievously. “Just wait, you’re in for a shock.” After they walked away, a hint of mockery flashed in my eyes. They still thought I was in the dark, planning to stage a grand humiliation for me tonight. But they didn’t know I had already composed myself, ready to cut ties with Asher for good. As the evening banquet was in full swing, the lights suddenly dimmed. A spotlight instantly shot towards the stage. Asher, impeccably dressed in a suit, appeared with Seraphina, who was wearing a white gown, before everyone’s eyes. Mr. Thompson, his face beaming, raised his hand to signal for silence, then announced loudly, “Today, I’ve invited you all for two reasons: first, to welcome Seraphina, who has returned home after completing her studies; and second, to announce some wonderful news.” “The Kingston and Thompson families have been close for generations, and Asher and Seraphina were engaged many years ago.” “Now that they are deeply in love, their engagement party is set for the end of the month. We hope you will all join us to witness the children’s happiness!” After Mr. Thompson finished speaking, Asher’s friends all looked at me, waiting to see me break down. But I simply stood quietly in the crowd, my expression serene, as if everything happening on stage had nothing to do with me. Asher frowned slightly. In his mind, Aurora would lose control when she found out about his relationship with Seraphina. But now, she was alarmingly calm. A sudden irritation welled up in Asher. Seraphina, keenly sensing his discomfort, quickly asked, “Asher, what’s wrong?” Asher subtly averted his gaze. “Nothing, I just zoned out for a moment.” He was certain that Aurora, being so deeply in love with him, couldn’t be completely unfazed. She was just putting on a brave face. … I splashed cold water on my face in the restroom. Recalling my past infatuation with Asher, I felt utterly foolish. No wonder he had only touched me once in two years. It wasn’t out of珍惜; it was because he disdained touching me at all. And my virginity, which I had always cherished, was to him merely excellent material to ruin my reputation. As soon as I returned to the banquet hall, Mr. Thompson called me over. “Aurora, come and say hello to your brother-in-law.” I walked up to Asher, a perfectly measured smile on my lips. “Hello, brother-in-law.” At the words “brother-in-law,” Asher’s face tightened. Seraphina, however, was oblivious, smiling radiantly. “Oh, Aurora, I just heard Asher is on the Board at Northwood. What a coincidence! If you ever run into any trouble, just ask your brother-in-law for help. After all, we’re family.” I clenched my jaw, enunciating each word. “I won’t trouble my brother-in-law.” I didn’t look at Asher’s expression, but I could feel his gaze, sharp as an arctic wind, making me shiver. After a brief exchange, I prepared to leave. But Seraphina stepped forward and linked her arm through mine, feigning intimacy. “Aurora, we haven’t seen each other in so long. I have so much to tell you.” She dragged me, without argument, into a private lounge. The moment the door closed, Seraphina dropped her smile, her expression turning cold and sinister. “Aurora, I heard you slept with Asher, and the video is everywhere. Do you really think you can hold onto his heart with such cheap tactics?” “Let me tell you the truth: he doesn’t like you at all. Not only does he not like you, he utterly despises you!” “I made him spread those rumors about your mother being a mistress. And I instructed him to pursue you. I just wanted to watch you fall in love with him little by little, only to be destroyed by his own hand!” “Why?” I asked. “Why? Because you have no self-awareness, that’s why! Your mother died years ago, and you’re still clinging to the Thompson family’s wealth?” “All of that was originally mine! What right do you, a mistress’s daughter, have to enjoy the Thompson family’s glory and riches?!” I could endure anything, but I couldn’t stand my mother being insulted. I lunged at Seraphina, my voice strained through clenched teeth. “My mother was not a mistress. When she married my father, she had no idea you or your mother existed.” “It was you two who slowly pushed her to her death!” Seraphina hadn’t expected me to talk back. She raised her hand to strike me. Just then, the lounge door was suddenly pushed open. Catching sight of Asher out of the corner of her eye, Seraphina quickly grabbed the bowl of nuts and snacks from the table and stuffed them into her mouth. The next second, her body went limp, and she collapsed, mumbling incoherently, “Aurora, why are you forcing me to eat this? I’m allergic to nuts…” Asher rushed to Seraphina, pushing me aside. I stumbled backward, my back hitting the nearby coffee table with a harsh clang. “Crash!” The cups on the table shattered, and my hands were cut and bleeding from the glass shards. Asher didn’t even glance at me. He quickly crouched down and pulled Seraphina into his arms. “Seraphina, are you okay?” Tears welled in Seraphina’s eyes. She helplessly grabbed Asher’s arm. “I just wanted to catch up with Aurora. I don’t know how I offended her, but she suddenly forced me to eat those snacks…” “Look at me, Asher, am I breaking out in a rash?” Asher looked down and saw large red hives appearing rapidly on Seraphina’s skin. “What do I do? The banquet isn’t over, I can’t embarrass you! My makeup… right, I need to cover it with makeup!” Asher gripped Seraphina’s wrist firmly. “What are you thinking about at a time like this? Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital.” Asher picked up Seraphina. Before leaving, he shot me a cold, piercing glance. I endured the sharp pain and struggled to my feet. Blood gushed from my hands, staining my dress red in an instant. But I felt no pain. It was as if, after falling into a bottomless abyss, all my senses had been stripped away. I called a server to bring a first aid kit. My hands trembling, I clumsily and laboriously bandaged my wounds. After all that, I was exhausted. I dragged my heavy feet, preparing to leave. As I entered the hallway, several figures suddenly darted out, dragging me without a word into a nearby storage room. Then, a large hand clamped over my jaw, forcing my head up. High-concentration pepper spray was immediately poured into my mouth. My eyes widened in terror. Like Seraphina, I had severe allergies; I was naturally allergic to chili peppers. This much pepper spray could kill me! “Mmph… Let…” I struggled desperately. But the men gave me no chance to resist, pouring cup after cup of pepper spray down my throat. I choked, my face turning crimson, my body convulsing uncontrollably. My injured hands clawed weakly at the floor, making a chilling sound. Seeing my pathetic state, the men not only didn’t stop, but escalated their insults: “Seraphina is the woman Asher holds dearest. You dared to lay a hand on her? Don’t you know your place?” “I heard you were bullied a lot at Northwood. You’ve probably been passed around by countless men. How could Asher, a man with such high standards, want a dirty woman who’s been passed around by countless men?” “Drink all this pepper spray obediently, consider it an apology to Seraphina, or else you’ll be in for it!” My vision blurred, and my consciousness began to fade. With the last of my strength, I almost unconsciously whispered his name, “Asher…” The moment the name left my lips, piercing laughter erupted above me. “Hahahaha! You’re not still hoping Asher will save you, are you?” “He’s the one who told us to pour this pepper spray down your throat! You hurt Seraphina, he’d be thrilled if you just died!” “Come on, let’s rip her clothes off, take some photos, and send them to Asher. Let him blow off some steam!” Several men swarmed me, tearing my dress to shreds in an instant. They frantically took photos of my dying, disheveled body until I could no longer hold on, and completely passed out. When I next woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Asher sat by the bedside, working on his laptop. As if sensing my gaze, he looked up at me. Our eyes met. Asher subtly exhaled, but his tone remained as cold as ever: “Does it feel good to be bullied?”

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend found out I was allergic to cilantro, then put cilantro juice in every single dish. After I accidentally ate it, red rashes immediately erupted all over my body. I reached for my pocket, pulled out a box of allergy meds, and popped a pill into my mouth. But the next second, my eyes went wide in horror. The allergy medicine had been swapped out for strawberry gummies by my boyfriend. Seeing my face covered in rashes, Liam’s childhood friend burst out laughing. “Hahaha, surprise! I specifically asked Liam to swap them out!” “You’re such a drama queen, how can you be allergic to cilantro?” I looked at Liam, struggling to catch my breath. “Liam, if you don’t get me the medicine, I’m actually going to die!” Liam frowned slightly. “You really think you’re some fragile princess, huh? I’ve never heard of anyone dying from cilantro.” “Chloe’s right, you’re just being over-the-top, playing the delicate act!” I stopped trying to explain and directly pressed the family emergency beacon.

Liam glanced at me, completely unconcerned. “What did you just press? You didn’t call the cops for something so trivial, did you?” He yanked the little bear pendant from my neck, staring at it closely for a moment. Finding nothing suspicious, he tossed it on the floor and crushed it with his foot. I reached for it, but my throat began to swell, and my movements became sluggish. “I’m having an allergic reaction, hurry, give me the medicine!” Chloe watched me, arms crossed, perfectly at ease. “Stella, the princess, are you really that uncomfortable? Or are you just trying to get Liam’s attention?” “It’s one thing when you usually find excuses to get Liam’s attention, but today’s Liam’s birthday. Can you please stop causing drama?” It felt like someone was choking me, and I stared weakly at Chloe. She and Liam were childhood sweethearts; they always called each other brother and sister. Liam, worried I’d misunderstand, even explained to me, “I just see her as a sister. If there was anything between us, wouldn’t we have been together ages ago?” Chloe, wanting to prove their innocence, even teased, “Only Stella would want an oblivious guy like Liam.” I truly believed them, thinking their friendship was purely platonic. But gradually, I started to notice things were off. At every get-together, whenever Liam and I talked, she’d always subtly interrupt. Then she’d switch to a topic only they understood, completely excluding me. I’d just sit there, listening silently, unable to get a word in. Then, she’d suddenly chime in, “Stella, you’re not upset that Liam and I are having such a good time, are you?” “Girl, we grew up together like siblings, don’t be so sensitive, okay?” After realizing her malicious intent, I even brought it up to Liam. But Liam just laughed, calling me petty. Now, her blatant hostility was practically etched on her face. “You’re all about the princess drama, but where’s your crown? Do you feel miserable if Liam isn’t fawning over you for even a day?” “And now you’re deliberately faking an allergy to get Liam’s sympathy?” Liam’s friends snickered mockingly. “I’m genuinely allergic to cilantro, please, give me the medicine!” I screamed, my voice raw. The private room fell silent for a second, then a fresh wave of booming laughter erupted. Amidst the chorus of jeers, Chloe’s voice was the loudest. Her every word dripped with malice. “Hahaha, she’s really getting into it now! Your acting deserves an award!” “Liam, you’re not actually feeling sorry for her, are you?” Before Liam could reply, his friends chimed in, mocking him. “Oh no, pitying women brings bad luck for life, buddy!” “Dude, don’t tell me this drama queen actually got to you? You can’t spoil a woman like that!” Liam, provoked, completely abandoned any thought of intervening. He tilted his head back, nose in the air. “Who’s feeling sorry for her? I think she got off too easy!” He kicked my leg. “Stop faking it, or I’m seriously done with you!” Seeing no reaction from me, he hesitated for a moment. Just as he was about to step forward, Chloe stopped him. “I told you she’s an incredible actress, Liam! You almost fell for it! Who gets a purple face from an allergy?” I struggled to lift my head, desperately squeezing out a few words from my throat. “The medicine… quick…” Before I could finish, Chloe pressed my head down, then forcefully slapped my face twice. Instantly, my face swelled up, turning crimson. “Are you looking for this?” She pulled out a small bottle of pills, poured the white tablets into her palm, and then playfully tossed them up and down. My gaze followed the pills’ every movement. “Give them… to me… now.” My breath was weak, and I struggled to reach out and grab them. But just as my fingers brushed the pills, Chloe suddenly pulled her arm back, stepping a few paces away. I collapsed onto the nearby sofa, watching helplessly as Chloe dumped all the pills from her hand into an ashtray. Then she poured some beer into it. The white pills mixed with the murky liquid, swirling together, dark bubbles clinging to the sides of the glass. I couldn’t help but dry heave a few times.

“Oh, look at that! What did I tell you? She’s still grossed out, doesn’t look allergic to me!” Chloe looked at me impatiently. Liam’s face was grim, his eyes filled with annoyance. “Stella, stop making a scene, can I please have a normal birthday?” One of Chloe’s friends rolled her eyes. “Seriously, your little tricks are old news, we used to do that in middle school. Can’t you come up with something new?” My entire body began to spasm, each breath feeling like a knife tearing through me. “No… I’m really allergic…” How I wished someone would save me, but in the entire private room, not a single person made a move. Chloe pulled Liam to a nearby sofa. “Forget about her, let’s cut the cake. If no one pays attention to her, she’ll be fine.” After Liam cut the cake, Whether by accident or on purpose, Chloe’s hand slipped, and a large dollop of cream splattered all over her chest. Everyone started to tease and egg them on. “Chloe, are you giving us a new show?” “Forget paper, why doesn’t Liam just lick it off?” “That’s not a punishment, that’s a reward! Hahahaha!” “Liam’s girlfriend isn’t going to get jealous, is she?” “She’s too busy faking an allergy, she wouldn’t notice!” They giggled and laughed, a chorus of mockery. My vision was blurry, but I felt Liam glance in my direction, then lower his head to Chloe’s chest. Amidst the rising cheers, I saw their two figures intertwined. It felt like a thousand ants were gnawing at me, every part of my body pricked with needles. I struggled to get up, wanting to crawl out, but as soon as I lifted my head, my strength vanished. In my despair, I suddenly remembered that a few days ago, a pill had popped out of its box and into my pocket. I frantically fumbled for it. The moment my fingers touched the pill, my breath hitched. I clutched the pill tightly in my hand, slowly pulling it out of my pocket. With the pill almost to my mouth, my heart hammered with excitement. But my hand trembled uncontrollably, and I lost my grip. The white pill rolled onto the floor. As I reached out, a leather shoe stomped down on it. Chloe stood on her tiptoes, grinding her heel hard onto my swollen, sausage-like finger. The piercing pain stole even my ability to scream. “Why?” Why are you doing this to me? Chloe squatted slightly, her eyes level with mine. “I hear your family is pretty wealthy, and you’re an only child. What if you died? Wouldn’t your parents give all their assets to your devoted fiancé?” “And then, if I married your fiancé, wouldn’t all that wealth end up in my hands?” My rage surged, making me want to kill this monster. She never intended for me to live! But her hopes were dashed. Even though my parents only had me as a daughter, ours was a family business, and the Harrisons had several cousins in the extended family. Even if I died, other Harrison family members would take my place as the new heir. My eyes burned with fury. But to Chloe, my anger made me look like a clown. Chloe curved her lips into a smile, like a demon straight from hell. “You’re really tough to kill, aren’t you? How about I give you a little push?”

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During our camping trip, my mom and I were suddenly engulfed by a wildfire. My husband, Brendan, didn’t hesitate. He plunged into the flames and saved my mom. When I woke up, the first thing I did was ask him for a divorce. Brendan looked utterly bewildered. “Are you really divorcing me just because I saved your mother first?” I remained perfectly calm, nodding decisively. My mom rushed into my hospital room, falling to her knees by my bed. Her eyes were red and swollen, tears streaming down her face as she clutched my hand, pleading desperately. “Cassie, please don’t be mad at Brendan because of me.” “It’s all my fault, every single bit of it. I’ll die if it means you won’t divorce him, okay?” I was unmoved. “Then go ahead and die.” The relatives present immediately started pointing fingers, calling me an ungrateful wretch, a useless burden. Even the nurses passing by looked at me with disgust. Brendan stepped in front of the relatives, then turned to me, his voice cracking with despair. “Cassandra Reynolds, are you even human? That’s your mother!” “Was I wrong to save her?!” I just sneered. “Yes, you were wrong!” ………… When I received the divorce papers, Brendan stormed into my hospital room, his face a thundercloud. “Cassie, there’s a limit to how much you can throw a tantrum!” “Your mom almost burned alive, and now she’s in the hospital, sobbing herself unconscious because of you. She’s still there, you know.” “This is all because you filed for divorce. Don’t you feel any guilt?” I simply gazed at him, my expression perfectly serene, saying nothing. Seeing my silence, Brendan’s brow softened slightly. “I know, as a woman, you might be jealous that I didn’t get to you first, and that’s understandable. But that’s your mother.” “She’s so heartbroken because of you, she’s been on a hunger strike, begging for your forgiveness.” “Go with me now. Apologize properly.” While he spoke, I casually scrolled through my phone. I posted some good news on Ins, celebrating my upcoming single status. After hitting send, I slowly looked up, a faint smile playing on my lips. “What does my mom’s hunger strike have to do with me?” “I’m not a chef. You should look for the reason in the food, not come to me.” Brendan froze, dumbfounded. It took him a long time to recover, finally shaking with rage as he spat, “You’re utterly unreasonable!” With that, Brendan turned and stormed out of the room. Later that day, when I went to check out, I was surrounded by a mob of relatives who had come to visit. They grabbed me, a chorus of angry voices barraging me with accusations. “You really are a heartless, ungrateful viper! Your mom wasted all her love on you!” “You look respectable, but you’re rotten to the core! Your husband must have been cursed from birth to marry a drama queen like you!” “Divorcing over such a minor incident? You’re a total embarrassment!” I listened to their onslaught with cold indifference. Finally, my patience snapped. “Can you move? I need to check out.” Just then, Brendan walked past, holding a payment receipt. Seeing me, he spoke softly, “Cassie, your mom misses you. Why don’t you go see her?” I remained noncommittal. “Just sign the divorce papers already.” Brendan’s eyes immediately reddened at the corners. “The situation was urgent back then, I could only save your mom, who was closest.” “If you’re still holding a grudge, I’m truly sorry, okay?” He then looked at me, full of desperate hope. “I just beg you, please go see your mom. She hasn’t had a drop of water since yesterday.” “Just one glance, even one glance would be enough.” Before I could refuse, my relatives dragged me to my mom’s bedside. Seeing me, a flicker of joy crossed my mom’s eyes, quickly replaced by a cautious vulnerability. She spoke timidly, “Cassie, please don’t be mad at Mom.” “Mom will kneel and apologize to you. Just don’t divorce Brendan.” With that, she struggled out of bed and dropped to her knees in front of me with a thud. She repeatedly bowed her head to the floor, murmuring “I was wrong,” and “I’m sorry” over and over again. I stood there, completely unmoved. Brendan quickly intervened, stopping my mom. “Cassandra Reynolds, do you have any conscience left?!” “Your mom is on her knees, and you’re unaffected? Your mom is bowing to you, and you just accept it? Aren’t you afraid of facing divine retribution?” I slanted a cold glance at my mom. “Did I force her to kneel?” “If you truly can’t stand me, then sign the divorce papers.” Brendan glared at me, speechless for a long moment. Just then, my dad, Richard, burst in, slapping me without hesitation. “How could I have such a heartless, vicious daughter?!” “Are you really going to divorce over something so trivial?!” “If you still consider me your father, pack your things and go home now! Stop embarrassing us out here!” I clutched my red, tingling face, my voice sharp. “Then I can pretend I don’t have a father!” “Ungrateful child! Ungrateful child! Are you trying to kill me?!” My dad clutched his chest, pointing a trembling finger at me, his face a mask of grief and fury. My expression remained blank. “No matter what you say, I’m divorcing him!” A few older women among the relatives couldn’t stand it anymore and rushed forward, punching and kicking me. “She’s not human, damn it!” “This inhumane monster disowns her own parents! Today, I’m going to make sure she can’t walk away!” My mom rushed to pull them away, but it was useless. So she knelt in front of them, tears streaming down her face, begging them to let me go. “Don’t hit my daughter, please!” “Hit me instead! I deserve it, it’s all my fault!” Brendan’s eyes were red-rimmed. He spread his arms, shielding me, saying all sorts of kind words on my behalf. “Aunts, please don’t hit Cassie. She’s just confused right now.” “I believe Cassie will come to her senses once she cools down. Please, let her go.” Thanks to my mom and Brendan, the blows stopped. But I felt no gratitude whatsoever. Instead, I pushed him away with disgust. “Sign the divorce papers already.” Brendan froze, then his eyes turned red with anger. “What do you want me to do? Is this small issue really worth divorcing over?” The aunts, who had just been calmed down, were enraged again by my words. They rushed forward, grabbed my hair, and started dragging me out. I gasped in pain but couldn’t break free. I was dragged out of the hospital room like dead weight, attracting curious onlookers. The women dragged me, shouting. “Everyone, come and see! This is Cassandra Reynolds, the most famous PhD from Pacific Crest University, but secretly she’s a total scumbag!” “She’s so ungrateful! Her mom and husband always treated her well, but because her husband chose to save her mom, who was closer during a fire, this heartless wretch is demanding a divorce!” “Everyone, judge for yourselves! Does a woman like this deserve to be called human?!” Hearing this, the onlookers also became furious and started cursing at me. Even a three-year-old, at the urging of an adult, threw trash at me. “Die, you wicked woman!” Amidst the venomous words, in the chaos, someone pushed me, and I passed out. When I woke up, I found that the video of me being dragged had been posted online. Many netizens traced the video back to my private accounts, spewing all sorts of insults and personal attacks. Even worse, they went to my alma mater and workplace, causing trouble, splashing chicken blood and dog blood. My university expelled me overnight, and my company announced they had fired me and would never re-employ me. My former close colleagues were now standing by my bedside. “Cassie, what were you thinking? Divorcing for your own selfish reasons? You’re almost thirty, not some greenhorn fresh out of college, sister!” “Hmph, I think some people are just good at pretending, and now they don’t even bother to pretend anymore.” “Maybe there’s some big secret she’s afraid of, that’s why she’s purposely making a scene to get a divorce?” I merely looked down, fiddling with my fingers, completely unfazed. Seeing this, my colleagues rolled their eyes in exasperation. “Do you really think you’re so special? Your alma mater expelled you!” “I don’t know how a woman like you even survives. In ancient times, such an unfilial daughter would be executed!” Brendan burst in then, physically separating them. He said righteously, “Please don’t treat my wife this way. She used to be good to me.” “Please don’t speak ill of my wife without knowing the facts.” Then, Brendan cautiously turned to me. “Cassie, are you okay?” “I’m sorry, I was paying the bills just now. I promise next time, I’ll be the first person you see when you wake up.” My gaze was icy. “Brendan Sterling, I want a divorce.” Brendan looked at me with sorrowful eyes. “Wife, please don’t say such things.” “Whatever you’re unhappy with, I’ll change it.” “I swear, from now on, no matter what happens, you’ll be my priority.” I averted my gaze in disgust. At that moment, Melody Lane, an influencer known as “The Gossip Queen,” aimed her phone screen at me and aggressively challenged me. “Cassandra Reynolds, what are your thoughts on being expelled by your alma mater and your company announcing they’ll never re-employ you?” “Is it true that you’re jealous because Mr. Sterling saved your mother, and that’s why you’re pushing for a divorce?” “There are rumors online that you’re pregnant with your sugar daddy’s child and are deliberately using this incident as a pretext to maintain some semblance of dignity. Is this true?” I nodded indifferently. “I believe justice is in the hearts of the people.” “Yes, you’re right. I am jealous, but I still won’t change my decision.” “No matter what, I will get a divorce.” This live stream once again sent several topics trending. #In A Traffic Accident, Would You Give The Hope Of Life to A Stranger Near by Or A Distant Relative?# Eventually,it evolved into #Perfect Husband And Mother Harassed By Vicious Ungrateful Daughter#. Even when I was discharged, the topic’s popularity only grew. A week later, my divorce lawsuit went to trial. On the day of the public hearing, due to immense public pressure, the court, with my permission, streamed the proceedings live. Brendan stared at me, eyes full of desperate longing. “Cassie, can you really bear to throw away our six years together?” “Didn’t you always say that if we made it past the seven-year itch, we’d truly become each other’s family?” “But now, we’re only a month and eight days away from the seven-year itch. How can you be so heartless and abandon me?” Six years of a relationship wasn’t easy to cut ties with. Especially since, when Brendan and I first got together, I supported his startup through seven failures. He was deep in debt then, and our backgrounds were vastly different. When my dad found out, he absolutely refused to let me be with him. He even confiscated all my identification documents. I threw tantrums, went on a hunger strike, even threatened suicide, but couldn’t change my dad’s mind. “Honey, he’s nearly a million in debt. What kind of life will you have if you marry him?!” Later, I pretended to compromise, then secretly took my documents and escaped with him to another city to work. Only after he had cleared his debts and his company showed significant success did he bring me back to this city. At that time, all our relatives praised my dad for his keen judgment of character. And I became my dad’s pride and joy. I genuinely believed my marriage was a happy one. A loving couple, treating each other with respect. Until… My thoughts snapped back to the present, and I sighed softly. “Brendan, I’m giving you one last chance.” “Agree to divorce empty-handed, and I’ll drop the lawsuit.” Brendan’s eyes reddened in disbelief. “Cassie, we’re almost family. You know I can’t live without you.” “And you’re taking me to court over such a small matter.” He looked at me with deep disappointment. “Cassie, I’ll say it one last time. Come home with me.” “I know you have your tantrums, and I’m happy to indulge you.” “As for the false rumors online, I’ll clear them up for you.” Seeing his stubborn refusal, my frown deepened. “Since you’ve already said we’re almost family,” “Then you should also know that I never fight a battle I’m not prepared for.” With that, I pulled out my briefcase. Brendan had shared a bed with me for years, so he knew me well. Seeing my resolute attitude, he paused, then his expression softened into one of deep affection. “Family shame shouldn’t be aired in public. Whatever divorce drama you want to cause, do it at home.” “Withdraw the lawsuit now, and we’ll go home and talk this through properly.” “Wife, you know how important you are to me. Divorcing me is like forcing me to die, isn’t it?” I was nauseated by his sappy declaration. I took a laptop out of my briefcase. My expression remained unchanged. “Brendan, did you really think that by destroying those paper documents, I wouldn’t have any strong evidence left?” “What?” A flicker of panic crossed Brendan’s eyes. “Wife, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” “Let’s go home, okay? I’ll listen to whatever you say.” Seeing he was utterly unresponsive, I sneered and decisively unlocked the laptop.

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The day before year-end bonuses were due, Mr. Sterling, the GM, called me in for a chat. He told me my salary was disproportionately high, causing friction among the team and undermining morale. He wanted to cut my salary specifically and reallocate my year-end bonus to Brittany, our new hire who got the job through connections. I readily agreed, then decided to fully check out. The next day, the client suddenly put a hold on their payment. The entire company couldn’t afford a single cent of year-end bonuses. Mr. Sterling desperately called me that night, begging me to help recover the payment. I simply replied: “Me taking on too much of the payment recovery myself? That’s not good for team morale. We should really spread that responsibility around.” “Cassidy, management wants you to lead the way with this salary adjustment. You have the highest salary in your team, and it’s causing a lot of resentment among your colleagues. It’s not good for team cohesion.” Year-end bonuses were supposed to be issued tomorrow, but Rob Jenkins, my direct superior, had just called me in to tell me my salary was being cut. I was completely stunned. I’m the team leader and a core technical expert. Isn’t it normal for me to have the highest salary? “When did the company make salaries public? Aren’t we not supposed to discuss pay? How would other colleagues even know about the difference in our salaries?” I questioned, snapping back to reality. “Well… secrets don’t stay buried forever, do they?” Rob’s eyes darted away. He quickly added, “Your year-end bonus has been ‘balanced’ by leadership. It’s been reallocated to Brittany, the new hire. Younger talent needs more encouragement to grow faster.” “Fine by me, no problem.” I considered it for only three seconds. Rob seemed speechless, clearly surprised by how quickly I agreed. “Great! You’re really seeing the bigger picture. I’ve got high hopes for you!” It was laughable. I’d worked my butt off all year. During crunch times, I was practically living and breathing the project, working around the clock. Now, instead of a reward, I was being punished. Back at my desk, Brittany was sitting in my chair. My data hard drive was plugged into my computer tower, and all my other belongings were gone. “Cassidy, I find my old desk too chilly because of the AC, so I asked Mr. Sterling if I could sit here. You don’t mind switching with me, do you?” “Where are my things?” I asked calmly. “Oh, Cassidy, you’re not mad, are you? If you’re upset, I can totally switch back. Your stuff is all at my old desk, nothing’s missing.” I glanced at my team members around us. Usually, they’d be joking around with me, but now they were all hunched over, pretending to be busy. “No need. You can sit there all you want. You can be the team leader too, for all I care.” I threw out the line and walked over to Brittany’s old desk. “Cassidy, are you serious?” Brittany actually ran with my words. “Mr. Sterling just talked to me too. He said us young people need to be brave and take on more responsibility, to help you out. I was worried you’d be annoyed.” The moment she finished speaking, Mr. Sterling walked over and announced to everyone, “Starting this year, we’ll be implementing a rotating team leader system. Brittany has two years of experience studying overseas. Her technical skills are certainly not an issue, and she has a language advantage. So, from today, she is our new team leader, and she’ll also take over as project lead for the LL account. Cassidy, you’ve been busy all year, so you can take this opportunity to rest a bit.” Everyone was stunned by the news. The office fell silent instantly. Everyone knew Brittany was Mr. Sterling’s niece. She essentially bought a degree overseas, and her English was so bad it sounded like she was butchering the language, let alone understanding any tech. Now, they weren’t even pretending anymore; they were just openly pushing her into the position. “Congrats, Team Leader Brittany! Lead us to new glories!” I started clapping, and soon, scattered applause followed. After Mr. Sterling left, I turned and walked to the stairwell, pulling out my phone to call the client. “Uncle, please don’t send that payment to our company just yet. My boss says too much money could undermine team cohesion.”

My uncle burst out laughing at my words, but then, realizing the situation, he swore, “Your company is bullying you?! I told you long ago to come back to our company and enjoy being the client, but you wouldn’t listen, insisting on doing that grueling, thankless tech work for a vendor. Regretting it now? Come back and help me manage this whole operation.” “I regret it, but it’s not time to leave yet.” Cutting only my salary, suddenly removing me from my team leader position, and giving my entire bonus to Brittany – it all pointed to one truth: they wanted to force me to quit without paying a single cent of severance. In recent years, the real estate market has been tough, dragging the construction industry down with it. The design sector has been struggling more each day. I’ve seen it countless times at design firms over the years: unscrupulous management’s go-to method for layoffs. Instead of paying the standard severance package, they’d cut salaries or only pay minimum wage, while drastically increasing workload to grueling, burnout-inducing hours, essentially forcing you to quit. That way, the company wouldn’t owe you a dime, because *you* couldn’t handle it and left. Our company had forced out many core talents this way. I hadn’t been treated like this before, perhaps because they still needed me for projects, or maybe my turn just hadn’t come yet. Our company was a well-known architectural firm in the industry. But with business shrinking to only post-service for old projects and new business failing to grow, the company began to push its operational pressures down to the production staff. They called it “everyone is a business owner,” and back then, as a team leader, I was burdened with millions in contract pressure. My mom saw how exhausted I was from constantly running around, so she directly arranged for my uncle to entrust our company with the design project for LL Group’s new international five-star hotel chain—our family business. The total design fee alone was ten million. So, the biggest client for my current company was actually my family’s business. According to the contract, this was the first year of our collaboration, so the full payment wasn’t due by year-end. In fact, given unofficial industry practice, payment delays of several years are quite common. But my uncle, worried I wouldn’t get my year-end bonus and would be upset, specifically instructed his finance department to pay our company half of the design fees in advance. I’ve always been low-key, just focusing on design and site visits. They had no idea about my connection to our client. After confirming that the client would make the payment tomorrow, they were so afraid that I, as the project lead, would get the lion’s share of the bonus that they rushed to remove me from my position. Too bad for them. This time, the person they tried to get rid of was the company’s financial lifeblood. Even if they wanted to lay me off, I would have accepted a legal severance package. But using such dirty tactics against an employee who’d worked for eight years? No way was I going to stand for it. I decided to fully check out, and enjoy watching them celebrate their year-end bonuses.

It was almost noon, so I leisurely went to the mall downstairs for lunch, then came back and took a nap in my car. Before, to meet project deadlines, I’d just grab a quick bite in the cafeteria and rush back to work, racing against the clock. Now? Well, it wasn’t my problem anymore. Life without a client breathing down your neck really was different. At precisely 2 PM, I walked into the office right on time. My desk was still in the messy state Brittany had left it, piled high with stuff, the computer tower not even plugged in. I glanced at it, grabbed some tissues, and headed to the restroom. “Cassidy… Cassidy, send me the revised optimization design drawings for the hotel’s executive floor. The client’s project manager is hounding us.” Brittany spotted me like a lifesaver, rushing over in her high heels. “We can talk about whatever later, I need to use the restroom first.” I brushed her off and headed straight to the bathroom. I put my phone on do not disturb, played a couple of rounds of a game, then caught up on a show for a bit. My legs were getting a little numb, so I stood up, planning to scroll through some TikToks. Suddenly, I heard Brittany screaming like a banshee from the doorway, “Cassidy, did you fall into the toilet? I called you a dozen times and you didn’t answer! The client is hounding us, didn’t you hear?” I waited for her to finish her tirade before slowly emerging. “Oh, my phone accidentally got put on do not disturb. I’ve had a bit of an upset stomach today.” She often used the excuse of an upset stomach when she was slacking off. I was just learning from the best. Brittany was frantic, too agitated to be angry. She dragged me directly to my desk. “Stop messing around, just start drawing the plans!” “I can’t. My computer isn’t even set up yet. How can I draw?” “Go use my computer! Dustin, help her set up her computer!” “No, I’m not used to other people’s computers.” “…” Brittany was speechless. Realizing I was doing this on purpose, she completely lost her temper. “If you don’t want to draw, then don’t! Dustin, you optimize this drawing! I refuse to believe this company can’t function without her!” Dustin mumbled, saying his previous proposals had been rejected multiple times. Brittany asked around, and everyone confirmed that Marcus Lee, the project manager, was a professional, picky, and not easily fooled. No one but me could satisfy him. Brittany had only been in our department for a short time and didn’t really understand the situation. “It’s just a design optimization, it’s much simpler than applying for art school abroad,” Brittany said, pushing Dustin aside and sitting at the computer herself. “I’ll do it myself.” “Yeah, with a ‘returnee’ talent like Team Leader Brittany personally on the case, the client is sure to be amazed,” I said, pulling out my phone and opening a puzzle game. Brittany scoffed, then opened the CAD software. Five minutes later, she asked Dustin, “Which button do I click to copy a graphic?” I’d just taken a sip of tea and nearly choked. She cleared her throat, clearly flustered. “We used Apple systems overseas. I’m just not used to this outdated system.” Fine, whatever makes you happy. Hopefully, you can convince the client to switch to the same computer system as you. Brittany fumbled around for ages, clearly struggling. She eventually pulled Dustin over and sat beside him, verbally directing while Dustin operated the mouse. The two of them struggled all afternoon and still couldn’t get it right. Brittany had already called Marcus Lee several times, sweetly apologizing. At 5:29 PM, I stood by the time clock. The moment it hit 5:30, I scanned my face and vanished from the office. I hadn’t even driven out of the parking lot when Mr. Sterling’s call came in.

“Cassidy! Everyone else is busy revising drawings, where are you? The client has been hounding us all afternoon, are you deaf or blind? Get back here and work overtime immediately! The drawings must be submitted by midnight tonight!” Mr. Sterling roared into the phone. “Huh? The client didn’t call me,” I replied calmly. “Besides, with Team Leader Brittany personally on the case, the client will surely be handled with ease. I won’t cause any more trouble, I’m just heading home.” “She just started, she’s not as familiar with the client’s preferences as you are. Get back here now, this is a direct order! Do you even want your year-end bonus?!” “Year-end bonus? Didn’t mine all get given to Brittany? She can help me with the overtime too then.” “Fine, you can forget about getting a single penny!” Mr. Sterling fumed, hanging up. I casually switched my phone to do not disturb and went to dinner with my best friend, Chloe. Life without overtime was truly wonderful. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a proper get-together with friends, all because of work. This past year, I’d been leaving the office at 9 or 10 PM almost every day, and all-nighters were a common occurrence. Upper management at the company thought our poor performance was due to insufficient workload. But the drastic decrease in business wasn’t the employees’ fault. The operations department wasn’t expanding the market, yet they blamed the production department for not having enough work? Pure corporate genius. The next day at 9 AM, I clocked in on time, planning to slowly eat my breakfast delivery after. Absolutely no personal errands during work hours. Walking into the office, I found my entire team asleep at their desks. As soon as Dustin saw me, he rushed over like he’d found his savior. “Cassidy, you’re finally here! We couldn’t reach you at all last night. We’ve been revising like crazy, and the client just won’t approve anything! Mr. Sterling made us all work overtime and wouldn’t let us go home.” I looked at them, remembering the countless nights we’d fought side-by-side to conquer various projects. Yet yesterday, when I was removed from my position, not a single person stood up for me or even offered a word of comfort. It’s hard to find a job these days, and everyone has their difficulties. I understood, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t bothered. “Team Leader Brittany is a high-level returnee talent. With her, I’m sure everything will be fine,” I said dismissively. “Of course, with me on the case, it’s a sure thing. Otherwise, why would I be the team leader, and those with less ability just do grunt work?” Brittany strode in, looking spirited, a stark contrast to her frazzled state from yesterday’s revisions. She didn’t even look like she’d pulled an all-nighter. Up close, she looked refreshed, even a little flirty, better than her usual self. Mr. Sterling followed close behind, a triumphant look on his face. “Cassidy, I told you young people have stronger abilities and broader ideas. Did you think the client wouldn’t approve the drawings without you? Surprise! Brittany handled the client overnight.” I was a little surprised. Last night, Marcus Lee, the project manager, called me late, asking why our company had suddenly changed project leads. I told him the truth, and he said if it affected the project, he would hold our company legally responsible. Marcus had always been very responsible; it was impossible he’d be so easygoing and just change his mind. Unexpectedly, Mr. Sterling continued to instruct, “You all continue working today. Brittany already talked to the client yesterday, and they agreed the drawings can be submitted by midnight tonight. Cassidy, I’ve had someone set up your computer. No more excuses not to revise the drawings, right?” Oh, so “handling the client” just meant getting one more day to submit the drawings. “Alright, I’ll definitely work diligently on it during my work hours,” I readily agreed. “Good, that’s the right attitude. As long as the client is satisfied, once the payment clears this afternoon, I’ll even ask finance to give you a few hundred extra for your year-end bonus.” Mr. Sterling and Brittany, seeing my “submission,” laughed and walked away. As Brittany left, she gave Dustin a look, clearly telling him to keep an eye on me.

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The day Julian Reed suddenly said he wanted to get married. I hadn’t seen him in three months. The last time, I’d accidentally overheard him telling his friends he was already sick of me. The whole room had erupted in laughter. Laughing at me, who’d clung to him for five years, ruining my reputation just to please him, only to end up discarded like garbage. These three months living with the Finch family had been hell. A few days ago, Arthur Finch got drunk and was particularly rough. The bruises on my back were still throbbing. So, when Julian called me today, asking me to come over, a desperate flicker of hope ignited in my chest once more. I specifically put on the emerald bracelets from our engagement and rushed over. By the time I arrived at the villa, Julian was already a little tipsy. He was half-reclined, eyes closed, on a young girl’s lap. The girl looked like she was still in college, very innocent. Seeing me enter, the girl who had been massaging Julian’s head started to get up, flustered. But Julian caught her wrist. “Just stay put.” He didn’t even open his eyes, just tightened his grip. He pulled her, and her body pressed against his. She submissively lowered her head, letting him kiss her. He let go, then pinched her chin. The kiss was deep, and the sound echoed loudly. I stood by the entrance, clutching my purse, utterly lost for a moment. I finally managed to compose myself, feigning indifference, and looked out the window: “I’ll just walk around the garden for a bit. I’ll come back later.” No sooner had the words left my lips than Julian scoffed. The girl beside him, sensing the mood, quickly stood up: “Maybe I should go out first, let Liana come over.” This time, Julian didn’t stop her. He just held her hand, playing with it for a long moment before reluctantly letting go: “It’s cold outside. Don’t catch a chill.” The girl smiled faintly, nodded, her long, dark hair obscuring most of her blushing face. As she walked past me, she politely greeted me, calling me “Liana.” I nodded back, returning a faint smile. She was so young, her eyes so clear, and her shy demeanor reminded me of my little sister. “Liana Croft, come here.” Julian leaned back on the sofa, patting the empty space beside him. The intricate, opulent crystal chandelier cast colorful light, highlighting his narrow, sculpted face and handsome features. The interplay of light and shadow made him seem almost unreal. I felt a sudden haze, and an indescribable ache. Julian’s captivating eyes shimmered, the wine staining their corners a soft red. Beneath his open collar, his collarbone and the side of his neck were covered in a cluster of hickeys. “That girl was Serena Hayes.” I nodded: “Yes, I know.” “What do you think of her?” I thought for a moment, then answered very seriously: “She’s very innocent, very pure, very sweet.” Julian nodded: “Doesn’t she remind you of yourself five years ago?” I froze. Five years ago, I had just started college. In Julian’s words, when he was pursuing me, I was ‘so pure it made his heart ache.’ He truly loved me then. And he doted on me fiercely. As if I were made of glass, fragile and precious. I was also his longest relationship. We even got engaged before I graduated college. Only… Now, I was a wreck, my reputation in tatters. Everyone in Veridia City knew. How many shameless things I’d done to cling to that wealthy and influential husband. Back then, he said he was tired of my innocence and purity. To please him, I forced myself to change, to fit into his sordid circle. Catering to his exotic tastes. He wanted passion and sensuality, he loved allure and intensity, he preferred an open and daring woman. I swallowed my humiliation and satisfied his every whim. But in the end, my efforts only earned me his contemptuous words. “Liana Croft, you’re truly pathetic.” “Even a call girl isn’t as unrestrained as you in bed.” “Look at you now, do you even have a shred of a proper lady left?” He broke up with me. Arthur Finch then threatened my younger siblings, who were living abroad. To keep Julian, I’d cut my wrists, taken pills—I’d done it all. Now, facing the broken version of me, he said he liked Serena. He liked that she reminded him of me five years ago. I wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. “I really like her. I want to give her a proper place in my life.” “She’s not like you. She’s timid, completely pure. I need to take responsibility.” I wanted to say something, but my lips felt glued together. Not a sound escaped. After a long moment, I managed a forced smile: “Okay, I understand.” “I can put in a good word for you with the Croft family.” “No need. I’ll figure it out myself.” “Suit yourself.” He swayed as he stood up, taking something from his pocket. It clanged as he tossed it onto the coffee table. My eyelids twitched violently. It was the love token we exchanged at our engagement. A matching pendant, a legacy from my birth mother. The emerald bracelets he gave me were his mother’s dowry. The pair I was wearing on my wrists. “Take off the bracelets.” “Our engagement is off.” I looked up at him, his captivating eyes, usually so vibrant, were now as cold as frost and snow. So, when he said he wanted to get married, he wasn’t talking about me. Five years of companionship couldn’t compare to the thrill of a few days of stolen passion with someone new. I thought I would break down, that I would be devastated. But not a single tear fell. I simply calmly removed the emerald bracelets and returned them to him. Julian raised an eyebrow, seeming slightly surprised. But he reached out, took them, and turned to leave without a backward glance. The news of Julian breaking off our engagement spread quickly. The expected brutal beating from my family didn’t come. Instead, I lost contact with my younger brother and sister abroad again. I knew this was my father’s usual tactic for unleashing his anger. He and my stepmother began searching the city for a suitable husband. They wanted to marry me off to secure the Croft family’s dwindling fortune. But soon, ugly rumors started circulating. They said that to please Julian all these years, I had done all sorts of unspeakable things, that I was damaged goods, even barren. No one in Veridia City would want to marry a woman like me. My father’s temper grew worse. My life became even more unbearable. The second month after Julian broke off our engagement. Explosive news about him spread through our social circle again. They said he was getting engaged again, to Serena Hayes. Julian was even defying his parents for her. The usual crowd of party animals deliberately brought the news to me. I knew what they wanted to see. Nothing more than their lives being too boring, and they missed the entertainment of having a clown like me around. “Liana, I actually think Julian still likes you.” “You’re having a hard time, aren’t you? Why don’t you go beg Julian?” “He’s got a soft spot. If you cry a little, or at least pretend to commit suicide, he might just change his mind.” “Serena can’t compare to you, Liana. You’re so much prettier than her.” I looked at those messages but didn’t reply. Instead, I focused wholeheartedly on preparing for my own wedding. Just a week ago, I knelt all night. Finally, my father relented, agreeing for me to take my recently-of-age sister’s place and marry into a powerful family in Azure Bay. I heard that the eldest son of the Thorne family in Azure Bay, Daxian Thorne. He was ruthless in his methods, yet wielded immense power, the uncrowned king of Azure Bay. But because he was crippled, he had a terribly volatile temper. Yet, I wasn’t afraid at all. To escape the Croft family, to free my siblings. I would gladly bear anything. Besides, I couldn’t stay in Veridia City any longer. Azure Bay might just offer a glimmer of hope. Before my wedding, I had dinner with my best friend. On my way to the restroom, I unexpectedly ran into Serena Hayes. She was completely different from before. Wearing exquisite makeup and Dior’s classic little black dress, she was slender and graceful, undeniably alluring. A delicate lady’s cigarette was clutched between her vibrant lips. “Ms. Croft, you’ve heard, haven’t you?” Serena looked at me, a defiant smile playing on her lips. “Julian Reed is going to get engaged to me.” I looked at her, suddenly recalling her pure, timid appearance when I first met her. For some reason, my heart ached with a sense of regret. “Yes, I heard.” Serena’s smile deepened: “Ms. Croft, are you very jealous?” “I heard you lost three children for him, and all these years, to keep him and marry him, you’d do anything despicable.” She leaned against the windowsill, her eyes holding a mix of disdain and contempt behind her smile. I gave her a bland look: “Ms. Hayes, you yourself said ‘you heard.’ “We’re both women. There’s no need to spread malicious rumors, is there?” Serena instantly scoffed: “It’s all over Veridia City. What ‘malicious rumor’?” I didn’t want to waste my breath on her, so I turned to leave. But Serena suddenly said, in a passive-aggressive tone, “Ms. Croft, girls are not all the same. You have no self-respect. Didn’t your mother teach you anything before she passed?” My footsteps abruptly halted. Hearing the word ‘mother,’ a surge of hot blood rushed to my head. I didn’t have time to think, nor could I be rational. I spun around and slapped her. “Ms. Croft…” Serena froze for a moment, then immediately covered her face, bursting into tearful sobs. “I know it hurts you that Julian and I are getting engaged, but you can’t hit people…” “I understand you’re upset, but you can’t force feelings.” “Julian doesn’t like a promiscuous woman like you. It’s not my fault…” She whimpered, crying pitifully and aggrieved, but every word she uttered felt like a stab to my heart. “I know your mother died young and you had no one to guide you, Ms. Croft. I won’t hold this against you this time…” I gritted my teeth, so hard my jaw ached, and raised my hand to slap her again. But my arm was seized by Julian Reed. “Liana Croft, apologize to Serena.” “I won’t apologize.” I stood with my back straight, my face pale, my lips bloodless. But my eyes glowed with a fierce, burning red, intensely captivating. Julian seemed somewhat surprised. Over the years, he had seen me as the docile, innocent girl. He had seen me as the obedient, submissive woman. And he had seen me as the hysterical, sobbing, clinging woman. I had been naive, alluring, cried, laughed, and acted out in front of him. But I had never been as calm and distant as I was now. He pushed Serena aside and walked up to me, expressionless: “Liana Croft, I’m saying this one last time: apologize to Serena.” I stared at him fixedly, then suddenly laughed. A laugh that was resolute, and utterly desperate: “Julian Reed, I told you, I won’t apologize. I’ll never apologize, not even if I die…” A sharp slap suddenly echoed in the empty corridor. After delivering that slap, Julian seemed momentarily stunned. Serena, clutching her face, widened her eyes, equally shocked and incredulous. Only I slowly raised my hand to cover my stinging cheek, my eyes slowly welling up with red. “Liana Croft…” Julian instinctively stepped forward. But I immediately took a step back. His hand, which had been about to rise, abruptly dropped, and his face hardened: “Liana Croft, this is your own fault.” “If you had apologized earlier, I wouldn’t have laid a hand on you.” Julian’s voice was deep and a little hoarse: “You know I never hit women.” “We’ve been together for so many years, I’ve never even touched a hair on your head.” “You shouldn’t have touched Serena today. I like her, it’s not her fault.” “Liana Croft, stop this. Have some dignity.” He was always a man of few words, never speaking at such length as he did today. But I didn’t hear a single word. My reddened eyes uncontrollably filled with tears. I desperately tried to hold them back, but couldn’t. My tear ducts ached fiercely, and tears streamed down my face, large and endless. Julian, at some point, had clenched his hands tightly, his brows deeply furrowed. Serena walked to his side and said sweetly, “Julian, it’s fine. Let’s go.” Julian took her hand, but his gaze remained fixed on my face. “Liana Croft, don’t try to cause Serena any more trouble.” “And don’t ever appear in front of me and Serena again.” “This is my final warning.” He finished, but didn’t leave with Serena. Instead, he stood there, watching me, as if waiting for my answer. But I said nothing, just lowered my head slightly. As if I wanted to shed all the tears I would ever cry in this lifetime. Approximately thirty seconds later, Julian finally left with Serena. As he turned to go, I suddenly spoke in a low voice. “Alright.” “I swear, I will never appear in front of you and Serena again in this lifetime.” Julian’s tall back stiffened abruptly. But he quickly pulled Serena forward, walking away without a single glance back. Serena, however, looked back at Liana. Her eyes still held tears, but the corners of her mouth curled up in a triumphant smirk. I slowly lowered my hand. *It’s finally over*, I thought to myself. Five years of entanglement, that love-hate bond with Julian, almost rooted in my very being. At this moment, it was finally ripped out, root and stem, utterly severed. I could leave now, clear-headed, with no lingering attachment, forever. That day, after I returned, I received many messages and calls. A large portion of them were screenshots from Serena’s Ins. Most prominent was the engagement ring she was flaunting. I exited SnapChat, still didn’t reply. And I didn’t answer any of those calls either. My face was still a little swollen, so I got some ice and applied it for a while. When I came back, there was a new bank deposit notification on my phone. I was somewhat baffled and opened it, stunned by the long string of zeroes. Before I could even count them, my phone rang. The three words flashing on the screen were saved by my own hand: Mr. Thorne. This was the first time Daxian Thorne had called me since our engagement was set. I felt my heart racing a bit, took several deep breaths, and then answered. “Ms. Croft, did you receive the money?” “Yes, I did.” “But, Mr. Thorne, you’ve already given the dowry…” I reminded him softly, wondering if someone on his end had made a mistake. “The dowry was for the Croft family. This sum of money is specifically for you.” I clutched my phone, stunned for a long moment, then spoke softly: “Mr. Thorne, you don’t have to do this.” “I was engaged before, and my reputation isn’t good…” “It’s alright.” Daxian Thorne’s voice was exceptionally deep and pleasant, yet it carried a reassuring strength. I thought of the rumors about him—ruthless, cruel, with an unpredictable and volatile temper. But at this moment, there wasn’t a hint of that in his voice. “You said it yourself, it was ‘before.’” “Everything from before is in the past, Ms. Croft. Don’t dwell on it.” “You’re moving far away soon. If there’s anything you like, you can buy some things for yourself to bring to Azure Bay.” My eyes felt a little warm, gradually filling with tears, yet I also subtly curved my lips: “Mr. Thorne, thank you.” The news of my marriage to the Thorne family was kept entirely under wraps. This was Daxian Thorne’s instruction. The Thorne family’s escort party had already arrived in Veridia City. With them present, the Croft family naturally remained perfectly compliant. Therefore, no one in all of Veridia City knew that I was about to marry and move far away. Three days before I left. All my luggage was packed. I looked at the exquisitely crafted treasure chest on my dressing table. And a yellowed, blank wish card. The treasure chest was a gift Julian had given me when he was pursuing me. It had nine layers, completely filled with all sorts of jewelry. And the blank wish card was a thank-you gift he’d given me when he was twelve. Of course, he had long forgotten about it. I had actually once thought of using that wish card to make him agree to marry me. But in the end, I was unwilling to waste my life on a man like him. The jewelry was too precious, so naturally, it had to be returned. The blank wish card had his private seal on it. Naturally, it couldn’t fall into anyone else’s hands. I carefully packed both items. And called Julian Reed’s personal assistant. “The items are very valuable. Please make sure to deliver them to him personally.” I repeatedly emphasized. His assistant, though still polite, was clearly impatient. “Ms. Croft, I kindly advise you, please don’t bother anymore.” “Mr. Reed is about to get engaged. Let’s all move on.” He thought I was trying to scheme for a reunion again. I wanted to explain. But he was clearly too lazy to humor me, tossing the box casually into his trunk before getting into his car and driving away. I quietly left Veridia City with the Thorne family’s escort. Two days later, I met my future husband for the first time. The heir to the Thorne family, Daxian Thorne. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, looking noble and handsome. Though he was in a wheelchair, his legs covered by a thin blanket. His posture was tall and straight, his shoulders broad and strong. Making one completely overlook his disability. “Liana Croft.” He spoke my name in a deep voice. I took a deep breath, quickly walked forward, and then slowly knelt down. My gaze met his. I must have been incredibly nervous and shy. Because in his deep-set eyes, within those dark pupils, I saw a tiny reflection of myself. It was as if even my eyelashes were trembling softly. I secretly took a breath, gathered my courage, and raised my hand to gently clasp his hands, which rested on the blanket. “Mr. Thorne, hello, I’m Liana Croft.” The moment I grasped his slender hand, I seemed to hear gasps around us. But my nervousness was so overwhelming that I couldn’t pay attention to anything else. Instead, I held his hand, instinctively gripping tighter. Daxian Thorne didn’t push me away. His fingers were long and slender, his knuckles strong; my hand could barely encompass his. Just as I was so nervous I could barely breathe.

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“Bro, I’ve agreed to the family’s arrangement for my marriage.” Anya’s soft voice cut through the silent night, clearer than usual. Liam, on the other end of the line, finally let out a sigh of relief. “So, you’re finally giving up on that guy? You’ve been together for years, and he never even agreed to come home and meet Mom, Dad, and me. I always knew you two wouldn’t last.” Hearing her brother’s absolute certainty, Anya lowered her gaze, letting out a quiet “Mm-hmm.” “I was wrong before. I’ll take care of things here as soon as possible. As for the wedding, I’ll leave it to you guys to arrange. Just give me about half a month.” “Don’t worry about the wedding; we’ll handle all the preparations. You just need to be back on time. Your fiancé for this arrangement was carefully chosen by Mom, Dad, and me. He’s perfect in family background, personality, and looks. You’ll definitely approve.” “Oh, and when you come back for the wedding, remember to invite someone for me. My best friend, Jax. You know, when you went to Silverwood City for college, you even stayed at his place for a while. He really looked after you back then. Make sure to invite him to the wedding.” Anya didn’t know how to respond to that. After a long silence, she quietly replied. “He can’t make it.” Before she could finish, the door swung open. Anya quickly hung up the phone, looking up at Jax, who had just returned. He raised an eyebrow, a confident, almost cocky smile spreading across his face. “I can’t make it? Can’t make it where?” *My wedding.* Anya answered him in her head. But her face remained calm, her tone flat. “Nothing.” Jax didn’t dwell on it, casually unbuttoning his black shirt. “Were you just on the phone with your brother?” Anya hummed, getting up to go back to the bedroom, but he pulled her hand, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. His warm breath ghosted over her ear, and a charged intimacy pulsed between them. “So, did you tell him what we are?” Anya gave a faint smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Didn’t you not want him to know?” “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I *can’t*. Given your brother’s temper, if he knew his best friend and his most cherished sister were together, he’d probably fly to Silverwood City overnight and beat me to a pulp.” Listening to his joking tone, Anya’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, her voice still quiet. “So, in your heart, am I your girlfriend?” Hearing her suddenly ask such a question, Jax raised an eyebrow. “Not my girlfriend? I’ve lived with you for six years? Not my girlfriend? I come home and the first thing I do is hug you? Not my girlfriend, and I do *this* to you?” As he spoke, his warm lips brushed against her neck. Anya’s body tensed instantly, and she quickly turned her head, dodging the kiss. “I… I don’t feel well today.” Jax thought she was just shy and couldn’t help but chuckle. “My little girlfriend, we’ve been together so long, why are you still so bashful?” He ruffled her hair, then turned and walked into the bathroom. Listening to his footsteps fade, Anya murmured the question again. *Girlfriend?* *Shouldn’t it be… a replacement?* Anya first met Jax eight years ago. He and Liam were college roommates. Because they were close, Liam often brought him home to play games. It was her first crush, her first stirrings of love, and almost from the first glance, she fell for this cool, nonchalant older boy whose handsomeness made her heart skip a beat. Later, after she graduated high school, Jax also graduated and returned to his hometown, Silverwood City. Yearning for him, she ignored her family’s objections and secretly applied to a university in his city. Because she was so pretty, there were always troublemakers hanging around her in high school. Liam, worried about her being alone in a different city, entrusted her to his best friend, Jax, and even arranged for her to live in his apartment. Initially, they didn’t interact much. She was busy with school, and Jax was busy with racing, busy with dating—he seemed to have a new girlfriend almost every other week. It wasn’t until the second semester of her freshman year when Jax came home completely drunk. She clumsily took care of him. Late at night, looking at the man seemingly asleep on the sofa, she involuntarily reached out, wanting to smooth away the frown etched between his brows. As her skin touched his, his tightly closed eyes suddenly opened. Jax casually peeled back his eyelids, his voice lazy and husky. “You like me?” Caught off guard, Anya jumped up. “N-no…” The man smiled lazily. “Don’t like me? Then why does your face get so red every time you see me?” Anya hadn’t realized he’d noticed her every stolen glance. Before she could figure out what to do, he chuckled, cupped the back of her head, and pulled her into a soft kiss. She was lost in that tender, lingering kiss, unable to pull away. After a night of passion, Anya’s once-calm life was turned upside down. Jax, who had been a notorious playboy, seemed to settle down, dedicating himself to a relationship with her. She, in turn, repeatedly rejected her parents’ and brother’s demands for her to return home for a strategic marriage, stubbornly staying in Silverwood City, by his side. Every time, her brother would ask her, “Who’s keeping you in Silverwood City for six years that you refuse to come back?” She always wanted to spill everything about Jax, to tell everyone she was with her brother’s best friend. But Jax always stopped her. She never understood why until a few days ago, when Jax got drunk at a party. When she went to pick him up, one of his friends, also drunk, pointed at her and lamented: “How could such a beautiful girl also get entangled with old Jax?” “Listen, little sister, you really shouldn’t fall for old Jax. That guy has no heart. You, and all his ex-girlfriends before you, were just replacements for Seraphina.” That was the first time Anya had heard the name Seraphina. After that, she couldn’t forget it. After much discreet inquiry, she finally learned the truth. Jax and Seraphina were each other’s first loves. In the year he loved her most deeply, Seraphina broke up with him and resolutely moved abroad. He couldn’t get over the past, so he indulged himself, becoming a serial dater. And every girlfriend he had, more or less, bore a resemblance to Seraphina. That included her. After graduation, he refused to inherit the family business, insisting on becoming a race car driver. That too was because of Seraphina’s childhood remark: “Guys who race cars are so cool! My future husband has to be a racer.” Six years of youth and genuine affection, all just a fleeting dream. At that moment, Anya decided to accept the family’s marriage arrangement. She no longer wanted Jax. And she would never love him again. The next day, at seven AM, Anya’s internal clock woke her up promptly. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jax in front of the mirror, adjusting his shirt. His routine was usually erratic, so getting up this early was, to Anya’s knowledge, a first. Hearing footsteps, he turned, saw her, and asked, “Does big brother look handsome in this outfit today?” He was a natural clothes-horse; even a casual black shirt looked good on him. Today, specially dressed up, he was undeniably stunning, capable of making countless girls swoon with just a lazy glance. She didn’t know why he was suddenly paying so much attention to his appearance. In the past, she would have been utterly smitten, her heart pounding. Now, she just calmly nodded. “Mm, very handsome.” Jax didn’t notice her unusual demeanor. He curled his lips. “I have a get-together today. You be good at home. I’ll bring you dessert when I get back.” With that, he turned and left. After his back disappeared, Anya went to pour herself a glass of water, but saw his phone lying on the table. As she picked it up, she accidentally hit the power button. The screen lit up, revealing a new message. From someone saved as “Seraphina.” “Jax, eight years. I’m really looking forward to today’s reunion. How about you?” Seeing the message, Anya’s steps faltered. So, his first love was returning today. No wonder he was up so early, dressed so meticulously, with joy sparkling in his eyes. The next second, the front door swung open. Jax, who had turned back midway, suddenly re-entered, grabbing his phone. Before leaving again, he quickly scanned the screen’s content. His steps paused slightly, and he couldn’t help but glance at Anya, who was eating breakfast. “Did you just look at my phone?” Anya subtly raised her eyes, her gaze calm. “No, why?” He then smiled, as if relieved, said “Nothing,” and turned to leave. This was the first time Anya found him somewhat inscrutable. His heart belonged to his first love, and all his girlfriends were just Seraphina’s replacements. Logically, he shouldn’t care if she discovered the truth. So why did he care if she saw it? Was he afraid of losing her? Anya didn’t want to flatter herself. Besides, she knew that the loss was already a foregone conclusion. After breakfast, Anya sat down at her computer and opened her drawing software. She was a comic artist. Once she went home to get married, she probably wouldn’t be able to work for a long time. While she still had free time, she planned to finish all her remaining drafts. After working all morning, she packaged up her half-day’s work and sent it to her editor, then had lunch. In the afternoon, taking advantage of the nice weather, she cleared out a lot of things. Matching couple’s mugs, keychains, scarves, jackets… These were all things she had bought little by little over the years, filling a large box. Every time she saw them, she remembered the helpless look on Jax’s face whenever she would get a new item and insist he wear or use it. “These are all just girly things. Do you really want your big brother to wear them out and be laughed at by his friends?” Remembering those words, Anya dragged the box downstairs, tossing both the items and the box into the trash can. Now it was done. No one would laugh anymore. Having dealt with it decisively, Anya was about to go back inside when she turned around and bumped into a cool, firm embrace. Jax, who had returned at some point, had one arm around her shoulder and was using his other hand to push back her sweat-dampened bangs. “What did you throw away? Why are you all sweaty?” “Useless junk.” Anya found an excuse without batting an eye. Jax didn’t suspect a thing and led her back upstairs. The moment the elevator doors opened, a sanitation truck rolled up, rumbling loudly. Watching the box of things being carried away by the truck, Anya finally averted her gaze. *Junk. How could there be so much junk?* *He could have easily noticed something if he’d just looked. But he didn’t ask a single thing.* *It’s simply because he doesn’t care.* A hint of self-mockery flickered in Anya’s eyes. Her peripheral vision caught the persistent smile on his face, and she paused slightly. Jax had a pair of incredibly captivating, charming eyes. When he smiled, it was hard to look away. Perhaps knowing this, he almost always had a smile on his face. Others thought he had a good temperament, but only Anya knew that his smile was superficial, never reaching his eyes. Yet, all day today, when he smiled, his eyes held genuine joy. *He must have seen Seraphina. He must be really happy.* The moment they entered the apartment, Jax noticed how much emptier it felt. He looked around, a surprised expression on his face. “Did we get robbed? It feels like a lot of things are missing. Where are the mugs? The throw pillows are gone too?” Anya was about to answer when Jax’s phone pinged several times. He glanced at the messages, quickly forgot about the missing items, and walked towards the study. Before closing the door, he called out, “Anya, I have something to do. You go to bed first. Don’t wait up for me.” Anya didn’t ask anything. She went back to her bedroom alone. The hour hand on the wall clock passed twelve. Her phone, tucked under her pillow, vibrated frantically. “Anya, Happy Birthday!” “Happy 23rd birthday, Anya baby! Don’t forget to eat cake!” Scrolling down, it was a stream of birthday wishes. Dad, Mom, Liam, friends, classmates—everyone, even those thousands of miles away, had sent their greetings. Only her boyfriend, who was right there in the city, seemed to have completely forgotten. Because he had more important things to do. Anya closed the half-watched movie on her laptop and used the mouse to click on the constantly popping-up SnapChat icon in the bottom right corner. It was Jax chatting with Seraphina. He didn’t know that his SnapChat was logged in on her laptop, and she could see all their conversations. She watched, wide-eyed, as the two talked from their past to their present, and then to their future. In the dense, long string of messages, Jax never once mentioned her. *Right. After all, she was just a replacement, a mere comfort. Why would he mention her?* She watched the rapidly refreshing dialogue, then pressed the power-off button. A night without dreams. The next day, Anya was woken by the doorbell. Rubbing her eyes, she walked into the living room and saw Jax, who had woken up at some point, holding a bouquet of flowers and a birthday cake, turning around. “Anya, did you order a cake? Why the sudden craving for cake?” A few seconds of silence filled the room before Anya slowly spoke. “It’s my birthday. It must be my friends who arranged for it to be sent.” At her words, Jax froze. He instinctively glanced at the wall calendar and realized it was July 12th. He had forgotten her birthday! A flicker of guilt crossed Jax’s eyes. He quickly put down the items in his hands and gently guided Anya back to the bedroom. “It’s your birthday today. Let’s go out on a date. What do you want to eat?” “No, it’s fine. Let’s just celebrate at home.” Anya declined the suggestion. But Jax insisted on going out to celebrate and even pulled a dress from the closet, handing it to her. She couldn’t argue with him, so she washed up and went out with him. They went to their favorite restaurant for brunch, then watched the latest movie, and browsed through the mall. Midway, Anya went to the restroom. When she returned, she saw him on the phone, asking his family to order a very expensive necklace. This necklace was one she had admired in a magazine just half a month ago. Watching his eagerness, Anya’s heart was a mix of emotions. She couldn’t quite understand what was going on in his mind. He remembered the necklace she had looked at a few times, but he completely forgot her most important day, her birthday. Did he really not know what was more important? Thinking it through, perhaps he *did* know. Before Seraphina returned, he treated her, his replacement, as a stand-in for his affections, so he cared about everything concerning her. But now that Seraphina was back, he had shifted all his attention to Seraphina. So everything related to her had been pushed aside. All morning, Anya couldn’t muster much energy; she was uninterested in everything. Jax noticed her absentmindedness and ruffled her hair. “What’s wrong, little birthday girl? You don’t seem very happy. Are you not satisfied with my plans today?” Now that she thought about it, he always loved ruffling her hair. Subconsciously, he probably always treated her like a little sister, not a lover. Anya shook her head, about to say she was tired and wanted to go home, but Jax hailed a cab and gave the driver the address of a mountain resort. Facing her surprised look, he raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you always say you wanted to meet my friends? Everyone’s free today, so I’m taking you to meet them. Will that cheer you up?” This unexpected change of plans left Anya slightly stunned. In the past, Jax had been unwilling to meet her family or friends, so she had tried to meet his. But each time, he would come up with various excuses to refuse. After a while, she stopped bringing it up. Now that she was about to leave Silverwood City, he was taking her because of a flicker of guilt. *Life really is full of ironic twists.* She quietly watched the fleeting scenery outside the window, ultimately saying nothing. The taxi stopped halfway up the mountain. Jax took her hand and led her into the resort, pushing open the heavy double doors. *Pop, pop, pop!* Confetti and streamers rained down from above. A crowd of people rushed out, shouting “Happy Birthday!” with beaming smiles. Seeing the commotion, Jax quickly pulled Anya into his arms, brushing confetti from her hair while shooing away the friends who crowded around. “Watch it, don’t scare my girl. She’s a bit…” His words trailed off abruptly. He stared at a familiar face in the crowd, his expression suddenly changing. Seraphina, however, looked completely at ease, smiling as she walked towards them. “Jax, it’s been so many years since I moved abroad, I haven’t been to a group event in ages. I heard this morning you were celebrating your girlfriend’s birthday, so I thought I’d crash the party. You don’t mind, do you?” Jax’s cold eyes swept across the room. Everyone avoided his gaze, pretending to be unconcerned. As the atmosphere threatened to turn frosty, Anya politely extended her hand, taking the initiative to greet her. “Welcome. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Anya.” Seraphina stared at her for a moment, then seemed to understand something, gripping her hand with a knowing smile. “Hello. I’m Seraphina. I’m Jax’s… friend.” “Anya, has anyone ever told you we look a little alike?” At her words, Jax’s hand, which was gripping Anya’s arm, tightened abruptly. Anya’s face remained calm. “Really? Then we must be very fated.” Seeing the tension, the people around them immediately started to liven up the atmosphere. A group of acquaintances gathered, drinking and playing games, making a joyful racket. Anya didn’t know anyone and wasn’t keen on joining the fun, so she sat on a sofa. Jax stayed by her side, but his eyes kept drifting to a table on the left. She followed his gaze and saw Seraphina, the liveliest among them, causing a stir. At first, he restrained himself, but when Seraphina picked up the drink in front of her, he couldn’t sit still any longer. He abruptly stood up, rushed over, snatched the drink, his voice laced with annoyance. “You’re allergic to alcohol, and you’re still drinking? Are you insane?” His voice was so agitated that the entire hall fell silent. Everyone turned their attention to them. Seraphina fiddled with the dice in her hand, a playful smile on her lips. “All these years, and you still remember that?” Before Jax could respond, a few of his drunk friends staggered over, shouting loudly: “How could Jax forget? When you two were dating, that lovesick fool only had eyes for you!” Hearing this, Jax instinctively glanced back at Anya. His face instantly darkened, and he snapped, “If you’re drunk, go sober up! What nonsense are you spouting here?” The men turned pale at his sharp tone, finally realizing Anya was present, and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Drink less, the game’s not over yet!” “Come on, next round!” The frozen atmosphere slowly returned to normal. After suppressing the emotions swirling in his chest, Jax returned to the sofa, picked up a glass of juice from the table, and handed it to Anya. Anya said nothing, asked nothing. She took the glass and sipped a few times. Her calm demeanor, however, made Jax feel uneasy. He was about to offer an explanation when more cheers erupted from behind them. “Seraphina lost! My turn to pick, my turn!” “Let’s see… you drew ‘Truth or Dare.’ The question is: if there was a chance, would you get back with your ex-boyfriend?” In the sudden silence, Seraphina’s gaze fell on Jax, and she curled her lips. “Nev-er.” As those four words came out, the atmosphere in the entire room dropped to freezing point. No one dared to speak. Seraphina, seemingly unaffected, playfully insisted on starting a new game. Everyone tried to humor her while secretly glancing at Jax, whose face was so grim he looked ready to flip the entire place over. They didn’t dare breathe loudly. In the very next round, Seraphina lost again. Just as she was about to accept her punishment, Jax couldn’t take it anymore. He grabbed her hand and stormed out the door. The people present seemed to have anticipated this scene; no one inquired, they just went back to their own activities. But Anya could see, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, two figures arguing fiercely in the distance, and their indistinct, passionate voices from outside. Watching this scene, complex emotions flickered in Anya’s eyes. In her memory, Jax never seemed to care about anything, his face always adorned with a nonchalant, lazy smile. In the eight years she had known him, this was the first time she had seen him so utterly lose control. And it was all because of Seraphina’s one word: *Never.* *Turns out, when you’re not loved, everyone is equally pathetic.* When the argument finally ended, Jax seemed beyond furious, leaving without looking back. Seeing Seraphina re-enter alone, everyone realized the party was likely to fizzle out and began to make excuses to leave. Anya, the forgotten birthday girl of the party, also rose amidst the chaos. Before leaving, she went to the restroom. Through the door, she heard footsteps outside. A moment later, the voice of one of the girls who had been most boisterous at the table suddenly spoke. “Seraphina, you clearly still like Jax, and you came back to the country for him. Why did you say something like that just now? You totally pissed him off. How are you going to get back together now?” After a flush of water, Seraphina chuckled as she replied. “If we don’t have a fight, how will I make him remember what happened eight years ago? I want him to recall that heartbreaking, unrequited love he felt when we broke up. That’s the only way he’ll keep thinking about me.” “No, it’s been eight years! How much more ‘thinking about you’ does he need? Look at all the girlfriends he’s had; every single one looks like you. This one he brought today, even though they’ve been together for a long time, it clearly looks like he’s just playing around. I mean, it’s her birthday today, and Jax’s eyes and mind were completely focused on you. The birthday girl ended up looking like a ghost. I swear, I almost died laughing.” Listening to her friend’s teasing, Seraphina also let out a low laugh before speaking softly. “You don’t understand. The Kingsley family is an elite family in Silverwood City. Jax’s temperament and looks are top-notch, but his family wouldn’t approve of my ordinary background. They’ll eventually find him a wife who matches him in every way. I can only use this method to make sure his heart truly belongs to me. We fought today, but in a few days, when his anger cools down, I’ll just give him an easy way back, and he’ll definitely forget everything and come running back.” The words had barely faded when the restroom door suddenly swung open. Anya stood not far away, meeting their gazes!

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Anya Miller rushed to the hospital after hearing Dax Thorne had been in a street racing accident, bleeding severely. She donated a full 1000cc of her blood for him. His friends urged her to go home and rest, and she reluctantly agreed. But just as she reached the exit, her worry got the better of her, and she turned back. That’s when she saw the nurse empty all five bags of her blood, which had just been drawn from her, right into the trash can! Immediately after, a wave of mocking laughter, loud enough to blow the roof off, erupted from a nearby hospital room. “Hahaha, Anya, that idiot, fell for it again!” Anya stared, stunned, at the half-open door of the room. Her gaze landed on a man in a hospital gown among the crowd. Dax Thorne leaned casually against the headboard, head bowed, busy with his phone. His face was slightly obscured, but she could still clearly see his sharp nose and deep-set eyes— He didn’t look injured at all! Anya blinked, wondering if her intense grief was making her hallucinate. “Guys, let me count. How many times have we gotten her now?” “First time, we tricked her into thinking the necklace Dax was supposed to give her was lost. She searched for it all night in a blizzard, running a fever of 104°F, but still wouldn’t rest.” “Second time, we told her Dax was in a coma. She went on an overnight pilgrimage, crawling up hundreds of stone steps to bring back a lucky charm, but Dax had already thrown it to a dog.” “Third time, we framed her for cheating and ruined her graduation. The way she frantically tried to prove herself… I still laugh thinking about it.” “This time, tricking her into giving five bags of blood, that makes it the ninety-sixth time, right? Three more times, and our revenge game can finally wrap up. It hasn’t been easy; Dax has had to play along for so many years.” “No kidding. Who told her to be so blind and steal Seraphina’s dance championship, making Seraphina cry all night? Seraphina, she’s Dax’s ‘white moonlight’—that perfect, idealized first love. How could Dax let anyone get away with making her cry? That’s why he decided to date Anya, to get revenge on her 99 times. Too bad, once the revenge is over, Dax will dump her, and we’ll have nothing fun to do anymore.” … Anya’s ears buzzed, as if a thunderclap had exploded right over her head. Her heart twisted in agony. She clutched her chest, bent over, gasping for breath, the pain almost suffocating her. She couldn’t believe the words she had just heard. She refused to believe that Dax was only dating her for revenge! He clearly knew how much she loved him… Dax Thorne, the city’s golden boy, everyone was falling over themselves to be near him. He was smart, from a good family, and handsome. There was a saying back then: no girl who had ever met him didn’t fall for him. She was one of those thousands of girls. She chased after him for three years, sacrificing her pride, but he remained indifferent. Until one day, out of the blue, he finally accepted her confession. She thought her dream had finally come true, but she never imagined it was all just a cruel revenge. It turned out he hadn’t accepted her before because his heart already belonged to someone else. It turned out he accepted her later because she had stolen Seraphina’s championship and made Seraphina cry. For revenge, he pretended to be with her, using 99 lies to drag her into this abyss. Anya’s tears wouldn’t stop falling. Her throat felt clogged, making it hard to breathe. She looked at the group of people in the room, laughing so freely, so cruelly, then at Dax’s cold face, and suddenly felt like a complete joke. She had offered him her sincere heart, only for him to ruthlessly crush it and toss it into the garbage, cheaper than a discarded pig’s heart. Just then, the people in the room seemed to notice something and looked towards the door. Anya quickly turned and hurried away. She walked faster and faster, eventually breaking into a run. She didn’t know where she was going; she just wanted to escape this place, escape Dax, escape this absurd nightmare. She ran until she couldn’t anymore, then she crouched down, tears pouring out like a dam breaking. She covered her face, muffled sobs escaping her throat, as if trying to cry out all the injustice and pain. How ridiculous, Anya. You really are a complete and utter idiot. After what felt like an eternity, her phone vibrated in her hand. She trembled as she answered, and her mother’s gentle voice came from the other end. “Anya, your dad and I are moving abroad soon. Are you really sure you don’t want to come with us?” Not long ago, her parents received a job transfer overseas. They had planned to move the whole family, but she couldn’t bear to leave Dax. She kept delaying, even considering staying in the city permanently for him. But now, she only felt bitter irony. “No.” She wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, her voice hoarse but firm. “Dad, Mom, I’m coming with you.” Her mother’s delighted voice instantly chimed in: “That’s wonderful, sweetie! We’ll go ahead and finalize the paperwork then. Once it’s done, there’s no turning back.” She gripped her phone, her fingertips trembling slightly, but she still replied with unwavering conviction: “I won’t regret it.” Her mother was about to hang up, but then thought of something and asked tentatively, “By the way, what about your boyfriend? Didn’t you chase him for a long time? You really liked him, didn’t you?” The word “boyfriend” felt like a thorn, piercing her heart. Anya’s mind instantly replayed the jarring laughter in the hospital room, Dax leaning casually on the bed, playing on his phone, the cruel mockery of his friends, and his ruthlessness, wasting three years to get revenge on her for Seraphina. Her heart clenched, as if an invisible hand had gripped it tightly, the pain making it almost impossible to breathe. “Not anymore,” she heard her own voice say, hoarse but calm. “I don’t like him anymore. Never again.” After hanging up, Anya stood by the roadside, letting the cold wind whip through her hair. She looked up at the gray sky, took a deep breath, and turned towards where she used to call “home.” The moment she pushed open the door, a familiar scent washed over her. Anya stood in the doorway, gazing at the familiar decor of the living room, feeling a sense of unreality. This was Dax’s apartment. He had given her the key after agreeing to her confession. That day, he leaned against the doorframe and said nonchalantly, “Let’s move in together.” She had been shy and overjoyed, believing it was the beginning of their love story. She had even secretly fantasized that one day, they would marry here, have children, and spend their entire lives together. But now, she only felt bitter irony. Move in together? It was just to make his revenge easier, wasn’t it? She didn’t know how deeply he loved Seraphina, to be willing to waste three years on her, living together with her, And sleeping with her so many times. All just to make her believe he loved her. For the next three days, Anya didn’t visit Dax at the hospital once. She locked herself in the apartment and began to sort through everything related to him. She found the diary she had kept during her secret crush on him, a thick notebook, every page filled with her innermost thoughts. “I saw him at the library again today. He was wearing a white shirt; he looked so handsome.” “He spoke to me today! Even though it was just polite, asking me to hand him something, I was happy all day.” “He agreed to be with me! Am I dreaming?” Anya flipped through the pages, one by one, tears silently streaming down her face. She tossed the diary into a trash bag, as if slowly peeling away her past love for him. Next were the gifts she had given him— A necklace, a watch, a jacket. Each item held her past joy and anticipation. Finally, there were all the photos she had secretly taken of him. Photos of Dax giving speeches, playing basketball, or leaning against the hallway talking to someone. Each one had made her heart flutter. She threw all these items into the trash, as if bidding farewell to her past self. On the evening of the third day, Anya finally finished organizing the last item. She stood in the center of the living room, looking at the empty apartment, feeling a sense of relief, like a burden had been lifted. Just then, Dax pushed open the door and walked in. His gaze swept over the now-empty room, his brows slightly furrowed. “What did you throw away?” Anya looked up, her eyes calm. “Nothing. Just some unnecessary things.” Dax took a few steps closer, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “I was so badly injured, why didn’t you come to see me?” Anya curled her lips into a faint smile, her tone cool. “Didn’t you already get discharged? How could you be so severely injured and still be back so quickly?” Dax froze for a moment, then explained, “I heard you gave me a lot of blood; I came back because I was worried about you.” He finished speaking, his gaze falling on her arm, his voice unusually gentle. “Does it hurt?” Anya pulled her hand away, saying flatly, “No, it doesn’t.” Dax noticed her coldness, his brows furrowing. “What happened recently? How did you change so much just because I was in the hospital for a few days?” Anya curled her lips, a faint smile on her face. “Changed? How?” Dax didn’t speak, but they both knew exactly what he meant. The old Anya used to look at him with eyes full of love. Even if he caught a cold, she would act like it was the end of the world, wanting to be glued to his side every second. But now, he had been hospitalized for three days, and she hadn’t even called him once. Dax’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment, as if trying to discern something from her expression. He suddenly spoke, his voice low and gentle. “Are you feeling a bit tired lately? They’re throwing a welcome-back party for me; want to come with me?” Before Anya could refuse, Dax had already taken her hand and led her to his car. The car stopped in front of an upscale club. Dax got out, walked around to her side, and opened the door for her. Anya glanced at him, said nothing, and silently stepped out of the car. The moment she walked into the club, Anya’s gaze was immediately drawn to a familiar figure. Seraphina Vaughn. She was wearing a white dress, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, a gentle smile on her face. She stood in the center of the crowd, chatting and laughing with a few friends. Seraphina was Dax’s childhood sweetheart. Although they had grown up together, Anya and Seraphina had never crossed paths in the years Anya and Dax had been together. So she had never imagined that Dax actually liked Seraphina. And the knowing look in Seraphina’s eyes, as she saw them holding hands, seemed to confirm that she was also aware of the 99 acts of revenge. Anya suddenly felt breathless. Dax seemed to notice Seraphina’s presence too. His fingers stiffened slightly, then he released Anya’s hand. He turned to Anya and whispered, “I’m going to make a call. You mingle for a bit, I’ll be right back.” Anya stood rooted to the spot, watching Dax’s retreating back, a chill spreading through her heart. Before she could say anything, Seraphina walked with elegant steps and followed behind Dax. Their figures, one after the other, disappeared around the corner of the club. Anya had no time to worry about what they were doing, because she was quickly surrounded by Dax’s friends. “Hey, Anya, come on, have a drink!” they said, grinning, as they offered her a glass of wine. Anya shook her head. “I can’t drink.” “Don’t be a party pooper! Just one glass, it’s nothing!” They shoved the glass into her hand without another word, pushing her forward. Anya struggled to break free and leave, but one of them suddenly pushed her hard. “Ah—!” Anya cried out, losing her balance and falling directly into the adjacent swimming pool. The icy water instantly engulfed her body. She couldn’t swim. Her limbs thrashed frantically, but she sank deeper and deeper. Water rushed into her mouth and nose, choking her, almost suffocating her. Her consciousness slowly faded, darkness enveloped her, and then, she completely lost all sensation. When Anya woke up again, she found herself lying in a familiar room. Her head was heavy, her body burning, as if on fire. She struggled to open her eyes and saw Dax sitting by the bed, holding a glass of water and a few pills. “You have a fever. Take these pills,” Dax said, his voice low, with a hint of concern. Anya drowsily took the pills and swallowed them with water. She didn’t have time to think, only feeling an intense dryness in her throat, her entire body drained of strength. She closed her eyes, wanting to go back to sleep, but her body grew hotter and hotter, as if something was burning inside her. After an unknown amount of time, she painstakingly opened her eyes and realized Dax was no longer in the room. She forced herself to sit up, touched her forehead, and found it alarmingly hot. She knew she couldn’t delay any longer; she had to go to the hospital. Anya dragged her heavy body and painstakingly made her way to the hospital. The doctor put her on an IV drip, and her fever finally subsided a little. After examining her, the doctor frowned and said, “Good thing you came early. Any later, and it could have turned into pneumonia.” Anya leaned weakly against the hospital bed, her voice hoarse. “Doctor, I took the medicine, why did it get worse?” The doctor paused, then asked, “What medicine did you take?” Anya pulled a small pill bottle from her pocket and handed it to the doctor. “Just some antibiotics. My boyfriend gave them to me.” The doctor took the pill bottle, opened it, and glanced inside. His face immediately turned serious. “These aren’t antibiotics at all! The bottle is for antibiotics, but it’s filled with sugar pills. They have no medicinal effect whatsoever; in fact, they only delayed your treatment.” Anya’s heart plummeted, her fingertips trembling slightly. Suddenly, her phone vibrated frantically a few times. She weakly raised her hand, picked up her phone, and saw a flurry of messages on the screen. They were from Dax’s friends. [Hahahaha, 97th revenge successful!] [Whoever thought of this is a genius! We ‘accidentally’ pushed her into the water, and then Dax switched out the meds. She must be suffering like hell right now.] Immediately after, someone frantically sent a message: [Holy sh*t, you posted it in the wrong SnapChat! Anya’s in this group!] Soon, those messages were quickly recalled, as if nothing had happened. Anya’s hand, holding the phone, trembled slightly. Her heart turned to ice, as if soaked in freezing water, making it hard to even breathe. So, even her falling into the water, her fever, and her medicine were all part of their elaborately planned revenge. And the “medicine” Dax had given her was just to make her suffer even more. Not long after, Dax’s call came in. “Where are you? Why aren’t you home?” Dax’s voice was deep, with a hint of barely perceptible urgency. Anya took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice calm. “My fever got too bad. I’m at the hospital.” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Dax’s voice came through. “I’ll be right there.” “No need,” she interrupted him. “I’ll be discharged after the IV drip and one more day of observation. I know you’ve been busy lately, so just focus on your work.” Dax was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked, “Did you check your phone?” So that’s why he called, he was afraid she’d seen those messages. She lied. “No, the doctor said I was burning up, so I didn’t have time to check my phone.” The other end of the line fell silent again. Dax’s voice seemed to carry some unknown emotion. “You’ll be fine with me here.” Anya tightened her grip on the phone, a wave of sadness washing over her. With him? But wasn’t all this suffering brought on by him? Anya was discharged from the hospital. But just as she stepped out of the hospital to catch a cab, a group of people suddenly rushed out from behind. Without a word, they clapped a hand over her mouth and nose from behind. Before she could struggle, she lost consciousness. When she woke up again, Anya found herself lying in a dimly lit hotel room, her hands and feet bound. Several thugs surrounded her, their faces twisted into sickening smiles. “Awake now? Don’t be scared, boys here are gonna have some fun with you.” One of the thugs reached out to tear at her clothes. “Who are you? Let go, let go of me!” Anya fought desperately, but she was already weak and no match for them. She threw things, kicked at them, screamed loudly, but there was no response. As she watched them about to strip her completely, her heart filled with despair, and tears flowed uncontrollably. Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open. “Get out, all of you!” Dax’s voice came from hell itself, filled with raging fury. The thugs were terrified by his presence and scrambled out, tripping over themselves. Anya huddled on the bed, trembling uncontrollably. She looked up at Dax, seeing a desperate urgency and panic in his eyes for the first time. “Anya…” He rushed to her side, his hand trembling as he reached out to embrace her. But Anya recoiled sharply like a startled rabbit, her eyes filled with terror. Dax’s hand froze in mid-air, a flicker of pain in his eyes. Anya wanted to say something, but everything went black, and she fainted again. After an unknown amount of time, Anya vaguely woke up. She heard people talking in the hospital room, their voices hushed, yet she could still discern the anger in them. “Why wasn’t I told about this revenge plan?” It was Dax’s voice. “Didn’t you want to finish these 99 revenges quickly so you could be with Seraphina? We figured you were busy, so we just handled it for you,” a friend’s voice replied, sounding nonchalant. “I didn’t tell you to have someone assault her!” Dax’s voice suddenly rose, his anger almost overflowing. Everyone was startled, exclaiming in disbelief, “No, seriously, so what if we did? Didn’t we decide from the start to get brutal revenge on her? Why are you so mad?” Dax didn’t speak, only kicked over the coffee table with a thud. Why was he so angry? He didn’t even know why he was so angry! All these years, Anya had chased after him like a bright little sun. He still remembered the day he agreed to be with her—she had frozen in disbelief, then cried tears of joy. He had never seen her like this. Lying there, like a withered rose, completely lifeless. He didn’t know why, but he panicked. He didn’t want to see her like that. When she looked at him with those helpless eyes, a faint ache resonated in his heart. Seeing his prolonged silence, his friends exchanged a look; understanding dawned on them. One couldn’t help but ask, horrified, “Dax, this isn’t right… Don’t tell me you fell for her for real over these past few years?” The hospital room fell silent, as if the air itself had solidified. Dax, who had been raging at the instigators, suddenly froze, the words echoing in his mind— “Don’t tell me you fell for her for real over these past few years?” Love Anya? Impossible! He quickly dismissed the thought. He swiftly rejected the idea, as if doing so could completely erase that inexplicable emotion in his heart. He had always loved Seraphina. What was Anya to him? Just a tool he used for revenge. But if he had no feelings for her at all, why was he so furious when he saw those thugs on top of her? Even when Seraphina had been flirted with by other men, he had never been this impulsive! His words plunged the room back into silence. The friends exchanged glances, seemingly relieved. One of them clapped Dax on the shoulder, his tone light. “You should’ve said so earlier; you scared us to death. We actually thought you liked her. It’s not worth it to get emotionally involved in a revenge game. Seraphina would cry herself to death if she knew.” Dax didn’t respond, only suppressed the inexplicable emotion in his heart and said coldly, “I will never love Anya Miller, not in a million years.” His friends finally relaxed, laughing as they said, “Alright, alright, she’s about to wake up. We’ll get going now.” After everyone left, Dax slowly walked to the bedside and looked down at the unconscious Anya. Her face was pale, her brows slightly furrowed; she didn’t seem to be sleeping peacefully. His fingers unconsciously brushed her cheek, but he instantly pulled back, as if burned by the touch. He turned to the window, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag, trying to numb his chaotic thoughts with nicotine. When Anya woke up, only Dax was left in the room. He sat by the bed, holding a glass of water. Seeing her awake, he asked softly, “How do you feel? Still uncomfortable?” Anya didn’t answer, only turned her head away, avoiding his gaze. For the next few days, Dax stayed at the hospital to take care of her. But occasionally, he would step out to take calls, and each time he returned, there was a hint of imperceptible tenderness on his face. Anya knew he was probably coaxing Seraphina. Thinking back now, it was always like this when they were together. He would often step out to take calls, always saying it was for “business.” But she had never doubted him until now. Only now did she realize that on the other end of those calls was Seraphina. The doctor came to change her dressing. Anya looked up and saw a young, handsome doctor. She paused, then asked softly, “You weren’t my attending physician before, were you?” The young doctor smiled, his tone gentle. “He’s my mentor. I’m his intern. He’s doing his rounds today, so I’m changing your dressing.” Anya nodded, saying nothing more. The young doctor began to change her dressing, his movements gentle, but his face was always slightly flushed. As he was leaving, he hesitated, then suddenly asked, “Could I… get your contact information?” Anya froze. Before she could answer, Dax pushed open the door and walked in. His gaze swept coldly over the young doctor, his voice carrying a warning. “She has a boyfriend, can’t you see that? Flirting with a patient? Do you want to kiss your internship goodbye?” The young doctor was intimidated by his presence, apologized profusely, and left the room in a hurry. Dax walked to Anya’s side, his face cold, a hint of displeasure in his voice. “Next time you encounter someone like that, just tell them you have a boyfriend. Is that so hard to say?” Anya looked at him, feeling only amusement. He said he would never love her, but what was this sudden possessiveness supposed to be? A few days after her discharge, Dax suddenly suggested they go to a class reunion. She knew he never bothered with such events before, but this time he had actively suggested it, clearly with another motive. Sure enough, at the reunion, Anya spotted Seraphina immediately. On the surface, Dax was cool and distant towards Seraphina, seemingly having little interaction with her. But true love, it couldn’t be hidden. Halfway through the party, Anya went to the restroom. When she returned, she found everyone playing Truth or Dare. Seraphina lost and was asked a personal question. Her face flushed with embarrassment, she was about to speak when Dax suddenly snatched the card, saying coldly, “I’ll take the punishment for her.”

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