Author: Momo Chan

I woke up from a vivid dream, and it was like the entire plot of a book had been laid bare to me. Turns out, I was nothing but the villainess, and my non-blood related, obsessive brother was the one and only male lead. I was madly in love with the second male lead, Julian, and in my desperation, I did everything I could to provoke and hurt my brother, Caleb. Later, Caleb would be saved by the female lead, Seraphina. Only then would I realize who my heart truly belonged to, but by then, it would be far too late. And just moments ago, I had personally forced Caleb to drink that spiked wine… I shot up, the wine glass in my hand shattering into a thousand pieces. We were in a noisy private room, and my small outburst didn’t catch anyone’s attention except for Julian, who was sitting next to me. He glanced over, his sharp and captivating eyes promising little warmth, yet his voice was deceptively gentle. “Anya, what’s wrong?” I shivered, my teeth chattering as I looked at the man before me, the same man who would one day treat me worse than a stray dog. The thought of his future cruelty – how he’d beat me until I miscarried, then force me to sleep with clients right after being discharged from the hospital – instantly wiped away any love I had for him. It was as if, after waking from that dream, I couldn’t find a single reason why I ever had to love him. “My stomach hurts, I need to use the restroom…” I stammered, a well-placed grimace of pain on my face. “Go on, I’ll wait for you.” Julian’s expression remained unchanged; he believed me. I nodded obediently, then slowly walked out of the private room. The moment the door closed, I bolted, running like a madwoman towards the hotel rooms upstairs. … I had just done something incredibly stupid. I had personally handed my brother a glass of spiked wine. I remembered Caleb’s eyes, red-rimmed, as he asked if he *really* had to drink it. I cruelly said: “Of course. If you don’t drink it, I will.” Using myself to blackmail him, he had no choice. He had always been helpless against my whims. He took the glass and emptied it in one gulp. I laughed with delight, reaching up to gently caress his earlobe. “Good boy, Caleb. Always be this good.” His eyes, already red, grew even redder. I thought he just didn’t like drinking. He’d always been a good kid, the golden boy, destined for greatness in everyone’s eyes. But after the entire plot of the book was revealed to me, I finally understood: Caleb was an obsessive lunatic. He had already figured out that Julian and I were setting him up. He had willingly walked right into our trap. The drug took effect quickly. Caleb’s face was flushed, his consciousness fading. Julian had someone take Caleb to a hotel room, ready to execute the second part of their plan. As I left, I heard Caleb calling my name, again and again. “Anya… Anya… I don’t feel well… Please take me away…” I didn’t even turn my head. I laughed sweetly, clinging to Julian’s side, eagerly awaiting his praise. Like a cheap discount item. Lost in my infatuation back then, I had no idea that I was just one of many insignificant pawns at Julian’s feet, as easily discarded as a broken toy. The only reason he gave me any special attention was because my brother, the brilliant man he couldn’t ignore, loved me too much. Back then, I was Caleb’s only weakness.

All the hotel rooms looked exactly the same. I didn’t know where Julian’s people had put Caleb, so I had to search room by room. Knocking, accidentally walking in, apologizing. My steps were hurried, my eyes red-rimmed, but I couldn’t stop. I was terrified of being too late. Until I inadvertently stumbled into a room that wasn’t properly closed. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. I crept closer, pushing open the slightly ajar door, and saw Caleb, disheveled, soaking in the bathtub. He was safe for now. I let out a long sigh of relief, then turned to close the door. As I did, I caught sight of a girl in the hallway, backing out of another room. She was muttering to herself, as if talking to someone invisible. “System, didn’t you say the male lead was spiked and locked up nearby? I’ve knocked on so many wrong doors, if I make another mistake, security will come kick me out!” “Did someone get to him first? No way! If I can’t win him over, how am I supposed to go home?” My gaze fixed on the girl walking towards me. Seraphina. The female lead of this story. The one I, trapped in this book, could never defeat no matter how hard I tried. The one who would save Caleb, exposing his obsessive true nature and making him love her to death. She had appeared. No one would guess that Seraphina, fragile like a delicate white flower on the outside, was far more cunning and ruthless than any villainess like me, known for my wicked ways. The biggest difference between us was that she excelled at hiding her true self from Caleb. While I just kept stirring up trouble. Initially, Seraphina approached Caleb to complete a System mission. But then she gradually tasted the benefits of having the System and the opulent life Caleb provided. She decisively gave up the chance to return to her original world, choosing to stay and spend her life with him. At that time, there was one major obstacle standing between them. Me. So Seraphina targeted me, suppressing me at every turn. We fought tooth and nail. Ultimately, I was brutally defeated. I, Anya, the adopted daughter of the Lu family, because of my endless misdeeds, was erased from existence by the System. No, I won’t be erased. And I won’t let my brother fall in love with anyone else. Since I’m destined to be the villainess in this book, then let me be a wicked person one more time. *Knock, knock, knock…* The door was knocked. I opened it, calmly meeting the gaze of the girl standing before me. Seraphina. She didn’t know me yet. “Can I help you?” “Uh… is this your room?” Seraphina’s eyes darted past me, boldly exploring the gap beside me, fixated on the bathroom. But I had already closed the door tightly. I smiled faintly. “Of course. Who are you looking for?” “Oh, my bad, I must have gotten the wrong room.” Seraphina stuck out her tongue and quickly walked away. From behind, she seemed to still be complaining to her System. My smile flattened. I quickly closed the door and called the front desk. I told them there was a suspicious girl in the hallway, knocking on doors everywhere, and that she might be a dangerous person. I hoped they would take it seriously. After hanging up, I sat by the bed in a daze for a while. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a heavy thud from the bathroom. I rushed in. “Caleb…”

Caleb was awake. He had climbed out of the tub himself, but his legs gave out and he fell awkwardly to the floor, his heavy body unable to stand. This was Julian’s goal: to use the drug to restrict Caleb’s mobility. Afterwards, he would arrange for a few men to come, take some compromising videos, and then he would lead others to “accidentally” walk in, witnessing Caleb’s humiliation and exposing it to the public. This would completely ruin the golden boy. Once the scandal broke, no company would dare to invest in Caleb’s products, no one would collaborate with his company, and Caleb would have no chance of rising again, only to be forever suppressed and forgotten. Julian was on the verge of succeeding. Unfortunately, Seraphina, with her System’s special power-ups, appeared and changed everything. She found Caleb in advance, took him out of the dangerous room, and used her body to help him detox. Julian’s plot was foiled, but Seraphina and Caleb’s entanglement began then. Only this time, I wouldn’t give anyone else a chance. I was going to change my own destiny. Even if I was just cannon fodder, I wouldn’t die a tragic death. “Caleb, I’ll take you out of here.” I grabbed Caleb’s arm, trying to pull him up from the floor, but I’d severely overestimated my own strength. After several tries, he just pulled me down with him. “Anya.” His breathing was ragged, his bloodshot eyes, strained with effort, looked at me, wet and shimmering. There was even a hint of barely suppressed hurt in his voice. “Didn’t you… not want me anymore?” “If you didn’t want me, why did you come looking for me?” His petulant words held a hidden choke in his voice. But clearly, his eyes still concealed a restrained joy. My heart twisted. Damn it, the old me. How could I have repeatedly hurt this man who loved me more than life itself, all for a bastard who didn’t treat me like a human being? “How could I not want you? You’re my most important brother!” I said seriously. When I was abandoned at the orphanage, Caleb’s parents wanted to adopt a daughter. They were actually looking at someone else, but Caleb insisted on choosing me. Later, when our adoptive parents’ jobs changed and they were often away, Caleb was the one who raised me, cooked my meals, and helped me with my homework. He even bought my first pad, blushing as he showed me how to use it with instructions. From childhood, Caleb and I had always been so close. So close that I couldn’t stand to hear anyone say anything to hurt him, or do anything to hurt him. But I don’t know when it started, I changed. I began to resent Caleb. I hated him for paying too much attention to me, hated him for meddling in my life, hated him for not approving of my feelings for Julian. The hatred came so inexplicably, just like my inexplicable love at first sight for Julian. A promiscuous playboy. He was definitely not my type. It was the book’s narrative, forcing me onto this path, pushing me to hate Caleb, turning me into someone I didn’t even recognize. Caleb’s eyes darkened upon hearing my words, devoid of joy. I suddenly remembered how I’d used the exact same sweet-talk to trick him into showing me his product design plans, only to immediately steal them and hand them over to Julian as a gift. Later, two tech products were released one after another. Caleb’s was the second, causing him to be branded a plagiarist and nearly bankrupting his fledgling company. Now, his company’s reputation was in tatters, and a large part of that was my doing. “Anya, you need to go. Leave here. I don’t want to hurt you.” Caleb’s breathing became more rapid, his entire face flushed a deep, alarming red, like he’d been boiled alive. Julian’s drug was potent; he was at his limit. I knew Caleb couldn’t wait any longer. Just as I was about to call, a frantic knocking echoed at the door. “Caleb! Caleb, are you in there?!” “Open up! If you don’t open the door, you’ll die!” It was Seraphina. She had returned, and the System must have given her Caleb’s exact location. With her System’s special power-ups, a mere security guard couldn’t stop her. I reached out and touched Caleb’s trembling face, then tore off a bath towel and wrapped it around his wet, transparent clothes, tying it securely. *Humph*, Caleb was mine, and only I could see him like this. Done, I stood up, intending to open the door. Caleb frantically reached out and grabbed my hand. His eyes were terribly red. His voice was broken. “Are you… abandoning me again?” His consciousness was already hazy. His reactions were mostly subconscious. I knew exactly how to soothe him. Better than anyone. I gently leaned down and pressed a kiss to his slightly cold lips. “Caleb, I would never abandon you. I’m just going to open the door.” A flicker of starlight seemed to pass through Caleb’s eyes. He hesitantly released my hand.

When I opened the door for Seraphina, I was on the phone with a doctor from the downtown hospital. The lock was about to be violently forced open, but I unhurriedly stepped forward and opened the door. Outside, Seraphina was holding a fire extinguisher, poised to smash it down. I made a ‘wait a moment’ gesture, and she froze. “Yes, at the Grand Hotel. It was an accidental poisoning from something he consumed. Can an ambulance be here in ten minutes? Good, I’ll bring the patient down.” I hung up, then looked at Seraphina with a sincere expression. “Are you my brother’s friend? He accidentally got food poisoning. Could you help me get him down to the hotel lobby? The ambulance will be here any minute.” “…” Seraphina’s expression shifted unpredictably. The situation was completely different from what she had expected. But she couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. In the hotel lobby, Caleb leaned against me, his thin lips pressed tight, long lashes trembling, and a slight crease in his brows gave him a fragile, almost broken look. The book described him as a rare beauty, saying even the hottest celebrities couldn’t compare. Before, I was so used to Caleb that I thought he just *was* that way. After my awakening, watching him quietly in my arms, my usually calm heart started pounding like a drum. I couldn’t stop it. He was so freaking handsome… Anyone who didn’t find him attractive must be truly blind. Caleb’s consciousness was hazy, and his head unconsciously leaned towards Seraphina. I quickly pulled him back, giving her a look that said, “My bad, looks like my man is quite the sight, isn’t he?” It was provocative, but subtle. Seraphina’s scrutinizing gaze grew colder. Ah, fighting the female lead for the male lead, it really was exhilarating. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics carried Caleb onto the gurney. I followed him in, then turned to see Seraphina about to step in. I politely but firmly refused, “Thank you so much for your help, but there’s clearly not enough space in here. This is as far as you need to go.” Seraphina’s mouth opened. She was probably wondering why I was deviating from my character. Julian’s lapdog, caring about Caleb’s life? But I didn’t want to give her time to react, nor did I care about her souring expression. I slammed the door shut. At the hospital, I explained Caleb’s situation to the doctor. I told them he had consumed an unknown liquid. The doctor diagnosed it as poisoning and rushed him to the emergency room for stomach pumping. Half an hour later, Caleb was moved to a private room. He was still sleeping. I went to the convenience store to buy clean towels and water; I wanted to wipe his face later. When I returned to the room, I saw Seraphina standing by the bed, slowly leaning down, as if she intended to kiss Caleb. “CALEB!” I screamed. Seraphina instantly recoiled, a flush of embarrassment on her face.

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The day I died, the man I loved most married the woman he adored. I sat among the guests, smiling through my tears, applauding their union. Twenty-five years of my youth taught me one bitter truth: Turns out, even a lifetime of shared memories can be eclipsed by a dramatic, destined connection. But thankfully, I was dying soon. All that once was, would fade into the past. Clara Reed and Alexander Sterling’s story was finally coming to an end. At Alex Sterling’s wedding, I had a few too many drinks. When he and Isabella Hayes came over to our table to make their rounds, I clumsily stood, raising my glass. “Alex, congratulations.” “May you grow old together and be blessed with a beautiful family.” Alex frowned, his gaze fixed on me, but in the end, he said nothing, just tilted his head back and drained his glass. Isabella smiled at me, a soft, knowing look in her eyes. “Thank you, Clara.” She giggled gently, her hand caressing her slightly swollen belly. “When the baby’s born, we’d love for you to be the godmother.” Alex’s eyes finally softened, a faint smile touching his lips as he looked at her stomach. He said, “Clara, you absolutely have to come to the baby’s one-month celebration.” I smiled back, raised my glass, and emptied it in one gulp. Too bad, I wouldn’t live to see that day. After toasting our table, Alex, hand-in-hand with Isabella, walked away. I set my glass down, watching their retreating figures, lost in their seemingly perfect world. They were perfect, a true match made in heaven. He was a handsome, talented man, and she was a beautiful woman. And me? My looks were just passable, my personality dull and uninteresting. No wonder Alex didn’t want me. Someone as effortlessly distinguished and proud as him, truly, he was meant for someone as aloof and self-assured as Isabella. The table was filled with Alex’s older relatives, people who’d watched Alex and me grow up since we were kids. They looked at me with pity. “Clara, you and Alex simply weren’t meant to be. Just forget about everything from your childhood.” I didn’t reply, simply stood up, my head swimming. My stomach churned, a familiar, sharp pain coiling within me. Gritting my teeth against the agony, I headed for the restroom. Behind me, someone sighed softly. “How twisted fate can be. Back then, everyone thought Alex Sterling would marry Clara Reed.” “Exactly! Their bond was so strong back then.” … Yes, everyone thought I would be Alex’s wife. Who would have imagined that years later, I’d be sitting at a guest table, sipping celebratory wine, watching him marry another woman with my own eyes? I never even dreamed of such a thing. Outside, white snow fell softly, silently. I looked back, watching his tall, imposing figure in the distance. Suddenly, I remembered a snowy night many years ago. “Clara Reed, I love you.” “From this moment, through all the years to come, may we share a lifetime, never parting, until our final breath.” “Clara Reed, will you marry me?” I will. I truly will. But… The boy who promised to marry me that night was lost somewhere in the years, never to return.

Alex and I were childhood sweethearts. From my earliest memories, I was always like his shadow, trailing behind him, calling him “Alex, my big brother.” He was always so reserved, barely acknowledging anyone. But I was persistent. The more he ignored me, the more I wanted to cling to him. “Alex, wait for me!” “Alex, will you play on the swing set with me, please?” “Alex, someone’s bothering me, can you help?” I was clumsy and slow, doing everything at a snail’s pace. Even though Alex would often complain, he’d always follow behind me, cleaning up my messes. Of course, he’d punish me too. If I accidentally ruined his paintbrushes, he’d get mad and draw whiskers on my face. If I accidentally left dirty handprints on his new shirt, he’d deliberately frame it and hang it in the most obvious spot, silently mocking me. If I threw a tantrum and refused to eat, he’d threaten me, saying he’d never speak to me again. He was truly awful. He knew perfectly well that being ignored by him was my biggest fear. Once, someone teased him, asking if he’d marry me when we grew up. I was little then, happily munching on an apple, beaming. “Yes, please! When I grow up, I want to be Alex’s bride!” His face flushed red. He grabbed a tissue and covered my face. “Wipe your face, you’re so messy.” The Reeds and the Sterlings were old family friends. We lived close by and had a very close relationship. When I was little, I’d often sneak off to Alex’s house and stay there all day. All day, I’d only stick to Alex. He was three years older than me, with a calmness and maturity beyond his years. Back then, I thought that by having a small corner in his life, I could have him for a lifetime. But time flies. Neither of us ever imagined that a childhood love could be eclipsed by a fated encounter.

I was hunched over the toilet, throwing up until I felt lightheaded. Someone knocked on the door. “Do you need help?” I fumbled to flush the toilet, wiping my mouth. The glaring red on the back of my hand, I didn’t have time to clean it, so I hid my hand behind my back. When I opened the door, Mrs. Sterling, Alex’s mother, stood there. She looked surprised to see me. “Clara?” I awkwardly greeted her and quickly made my escape, feeling utterly disheveled. “Clara!” Mrs. Sterling hurried after me, her eyes a little red. She looked at me, hesitating to speak. After a moment, she quietly said, “I’m sorry.” My throat felt parched, my voice hoarse. “Mrs. Sterling, you don’t need to apologize.” What happened back then was my own choice. Nothing else mattered. Mrs. Sterling looked at me with aching sympathy, tears welling in her eyes. “Clara, you and Alex weren’t meant to be. Just forget him.” Everyone said Alex and I weren’t meant to be. Even I believed it. But why? Back then, our love was so fiery, so passionate. Why could Isabella’s appearance erase over a decade of our shared history? I clutched my chest, suppressing the agonizing, tearing pain, and forced a pale smile. “Mrs. Sterling, I let go a long time ago.” As I left the hotel, I saw Alex and Isabella standing by the entrance, seeing off guests. I didn’t go over, just watched Alex from a distance. Someone bid him farewell. “Congratulations, Alex, you finally married the girl you love.” He rarely smiled, but at that moment, a touch of genuine joy softened his eyes and lips. “Thank you.” I watched him, and it felt as if time and space had frozen. It was like going back years, to that sweltering summer. He held my hand under the stars, giving me a rose as a promise. “Clara, why haven’t you grown up yet?” “I wish I could marry you sooner, my silly girl.” Once upon a time, there was a boy who loved me with such devotion. In the most beautiful years of our lives, we promised each other forever. We shared our first innocent kisses on snowy nights. And finally, in a spring filled with pear blossoms, we pledged our lives to each other. Time flowed on and on. In the end, the boy I loved married someone else.

Back home, I couldn’t hold on any longer and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. I numbly wiped the blood from my lips, poured a glass of warm water, and swallowed my medicine. Stomach cancer, compounded by depression, was slowly consuming my life. I knew I was dying soon. But I didn’t want to die in a messy way. Even if I was dying, I wanted to do it with dignity. I packed my things overnight and drove out to the countryside. The old Reed family estate was there. It held the most beautiful memories of my youth with Alex. The house was old and dilapidated, covered in a thick layer of dust. The cobblestones in the yard were blanketed by pristine white snow. It looked exactly like the night, years ago, when Alex first kissed me. Alex and my story started here. And it should end here. I wondered if he would come to see it, if he heard of my death. Would he remember that night, beneath the old locust tree on the estate, he’d promised a girl a lifetime of devotion, a love for only one?

I put on pretty makeup, wore my favorite white dress, and in the dead of winter, walked barefoot on the snow. I was here to say goodbye. But in the end, I couldn’t help but wander through the old house. The rusted door lock, the small casement windows rotted by the wind. The chipped red walls, and the faded clay figurines. A male and a female figurine sat quietly on the windowsill of the east wing. Those were the figurines I had meticulously molded and hand-painted when I was fifteen, a birthday gift for Alex. After we broke up, Alex returned them to me. I couldn’t bear to throw them away, but I didn’t want to be constantly reminded of him, so I left them at the old estate. They represented the purest emotions of my youth. Now, they, along with their owner, were abandoned. It turns out, things not cherished, just like people, become so cheap. A chilling cold crept from my toes, straight to my heart. I clutched my chest, unable to bear it anymore, and vomited a large gush of blood. The fresh blood stained the pristine white snow. Just like my relationship with Alex. The clean, pure first love in my memory had actually become utterly muddied long ago. Before I died, I desperately crawled to the locust tree in the courtyard. On its trunk, immature handwriting carved two names. Clara Reed. Alexander Sterling. I traced the ancient letters on the tree trunk, laughing dazedly. People always move forward. Alex had already moved on. Only I stubbornly remained in place. Clinging relentlessly to those shattered memories, living out the rest of my days. I leaned against the tree. In a haze, I seemed to hear my dad’s voice. “Alex, came to play with Clara again?” “I’m here to help her with her homework.” Young me, wearing his favorite white dress, ran out of the attic, overjoyed. “Alex, my big brother!” The girl was so lovely, with rosy cheeks and eyes that crinkled when she smiled. She stood before the boy, looking up at him with a sweet smile. Her starlit eyes held only him.

The wind howled, and snowflakes drifted down, dampening the corners of my eyes. Time flowed, and the old house seemed to regain its former tranquility. My mom sat in the living room knitting, smiling at Alex. “Alex, how about you marry Clara when she’s older?” I took a bite of my apple, the sweet juice reaching my heart, and smiled, my eyes crinkling. “Yes, please! When I grow up, I want to be Alex’s bride!” The boy’s face turned red. He covered my face with a tissue. As if that could hide his shy gaze. The clock ticked on. Ten years passed in a blink. Under the moonlight, the boy had grown into a handsome young man. I secretly climbed over the wall, knocked on his window, and pulled him to the locust tree. On the century-old tree, our names were carved in childish handwriting. The moonlight that night was beautiful, and the wind was gentle. I mustered my courage and looked at him. “Alex, my big brother, will you be my boyfriend?” He was silent for a long time, as if frozen by the night, not speaking for what felt like an eternity. My eyes reddened, feeling wronged and sad. “You don’t want to?” “If you don’t, then just pretend I didn’t say anything.” He snapped back to reality, sighed, and pulled me into his arms. “My silly Clara, it’s a boy’s job to confess first.” I leaned into his embrace, listening to his wildly pounding heart, so happy I felt like I could fly. Later, he cradled my face, kissing me devoutly. “Clara, I love you. Will you be my girlfriend?” “In this lifetime, I only want you.” But childhood promises were too light. The “lifetime” Alex spoke of only lasted a mere three years.

I never imagined Alex would abandon me. He loved me so much. My hands and feet were always cold. In winter, he would wrap my small hands in his warm ones, placing them against his chest to warm them. At night, he would check the floor heating in my room and thoughtfully prepare a hot water bottle for me. When I was fifteen, I had an argument with him and angrily ran away. He was too proud to chase after me. That night, I encountered some thugs on the street and almost got into trouble. He rushed to my rescue, using his young fists to fight off the menacing drunkards. That was the first time I saw fear and panic in his eyes. He held me tightly, his injured lips resting against my ear, whispering my name repeatedly. “Clara.” “Clara.” “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.” “There won’t be a next time.” “From now on, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He succeeded in not letting anyone else hurt me. Later, he was the one who personally plunged the knife deep into my heart. Uttering the cruelest words in the calmest voice. He said, “Clara, I don’t love you anymore.” But Alex, do you know? More than not being loved, I would rather you had simply not wanted me.

I died, but my soul lingered in the courtyard. My body rested quietly beneath the tree. My delicate, pale face, with frozen tears like beads of ice at the corners of my eyes. What was I thinking in my final moments? It was probably during my freshman year of college. It was the eve of my nineteenth birthday. Alex had secretly taken a day off from school, coming a day early to surprise me for my birthday. When I saw him at the campus gates, he was wearing a white sweater and black casual pants, his hair casually falling across his forehead. Those normally aloof, distinguished eyes, when they saw me, would curve slightly, softening with a hint of a smile. I screamed and ran to him, jumping into his arms and covering his face with kisses. “Alex, my big brother, what are you doing here?” His handsome face flushed slightly. He carried me toward a secluded corner. “So many people around, you’re shameless.” “What’s there to be afraid of? You’re my boyfriend.” I held him tightly, as if I was embracing the whole world. At that moment, I innocently believed I was the happiest person alive. That day, we walked through the city’s streets and alleys, watching the myriad of lights. We shared tender, lingering kisses as fireworks exploded in the sky. That night, I, blushing, secretly slipped into his bed. I knew what he wanted. But he was always afraid of hurting me, always holding back. That night, Alex kissed me with almost sacred devotion, each kiss a potent poison. “Clara, I’ll be responsible for you.” “Next year, when you turn twenty, we’ll get married.” That night, the moon was bright and the stars shone. The boy’s face, in my eyes, drifted closer and further away. The night was gentle, and his eyes were like the vast summer sky. Full of tiny stars, and all of them were me.

The Reapers came to take my soul. They looked at my body, very angry. “Why did you kill yourself? Your time wasn’t up, suicide goes against the natural order of things!” I looked at them helplessly. “I have stomach cancer and depression. Death was only a matter of time.” The Black Reaper said, “You have a fated romance ahead of you; you can’t die yet.” But I didn’t want to live anymore. I said, even if you don’t let me die, I’ll still find a way to end it. The White Reaper glared at me. “I’ll give you one chance, one hour to return to your body, to do what you want, and see if you can find a reason to live.” I agreed. The first thing I did after returning to my body was to take out my phone and dial Alex’s number. The call took a long time to connect. “Clara, what is it?” Hearing his voice, I was momentarily lost. Even after we broke up, he still habitually called me Clara, never changing it. As if, between us, there had never been a separation. And I was still the girl he cherished, forever his. “Alex, my big brother.” I looked up at the falling snowflakes, and for a moment, it felt like I was back in that snowy night ten years ago. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. I knew he probably hadn’t processed it. After all, I hadn’t called him that since we broke up. “Alex, my big brother,” I whispered again, “If…” “Honey,” Isabella’s questioning voice came through the phone. “It’s so late, who are you talking to?” I heard the click of a lighter. Alex must have lit a cigarette. “No one,” he said. “Just a casual acquaintance.” A casual acquaintance. So, in his heart, I was nothing more than a casual acquaintance now. I laughed sardonically and hung up the phone. The snow had stopped. The moon emerged from behind the clouds, gentle and beautiful. I gazed at the moon, tilting my head back, trying not to let my tears fall. “Alex, my big brother,” I softly murmured, speaking the words I hadn’t had time to say. “If I died, would you be sad?” I knew I would never get an answer. He probably wouldn’t be too sad. After all, I was just an insignificant passing stranger in his life. Of no consequence. I died again. My soul floated in the air. The Reapers looked at me, huffing and puffing. “Do you truly have no desire to live?” I nodded.

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I broke his heart the year Caleb loved me most. Six years later, he came back to this city. Mom suddenly found him, asking urgently, “Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?” He scoffed, a bitter, hollow sound. “That woman you’re so worried about? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago.” His resentment towards me hadn’t faded an inch. But what he didn’t know was that the day he left the country, I had already died. 1 When Caleb returned, every major platform was live-streaming his arrival. The once ordinary boy was now a skyrocketing tech mogul. I stood beside Mom, watching him emerge from the airport through the phone screen. Mom happily clutched her phone. “Caleb is back! That boy made something of himself, so many people are filming him!” I couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy myself. Caleb’s stunning looks and distinguished aura had garnered him countless fans. The live chat and comment sections were flooded with adoration. Everyone swooned, wondering who could ever be lucky enough to have a man like him. Even a fleeting moment with him would be enough. Reading those words, a strange sadness washed over me. Even after all these years, countless memories of Caleb still flickered in my mind. My heart ached, a sharp, constant throb that screamed one undeniable truth: I still loved him. Snapping back to reality, I looked at Caleb’s familiar face and suddenly felt a profound distance. When the live stream ended, Mom stared at the screen, her whole body radiating sorrow, tears silently streaming down her face. She touched the screen aimlessly. “Why did it end? Where’s my Hazel? Why didn’t they show my Hazel? Did my Hazel not come back with Caleb?” She frantically started calling my phone. It was always either busy or went straight to voicemail. Because the person on the other end wasn’t me, but Briar’s friend abroad. Briar, busy in the kitchen, heard Mom’s distress and rushed out, putting down her cutting board. She had known Caleb was returning today. And she knew about the live stream. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she never expected Mom to hear about it from other neighborhood ladies. Left with no choice, she had to open the live stream for Mom. Unsure how to face the situation, she retreated to the kitchen, her ears constantly straining to catch any sound from the living room. Six years ago, Briar had held my urn alone, setting up my headstone. Mom’s health was fragile, and Briar feared she couldn’t handle the shock of my death. So, she lied, claiming I had been living abroad with Caleb all these years. She got a new phone number and, on holidays, pretended to be me sending messages to Mom. She gently embraced Mom, whose hair was now streaked with white. “Hazel might have things to handle abroad…” Briar trailed off, simply too exhausted. Juggling three jobs to pay off debts, caring for our mom, and constantly maintaining this elaborate lie. Her forehead rested on Mom’s shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Floating beside them, all I could feel was self-blame. I couldn’t do anything, not even speak to them; it felt like an impossible luxury. 2 But I never expected Mom to find Caleb’s address. She missed me too much. After failing to reach me by phone, she thought seeing me through Caleb would be enough. Since it was a gated community, hard to get into, she applied for a cleaning job, hoping to sneak in. She was vibrant and cheerful every day, and Briar thought Mom had found new friends and was feeling happy. I watched from the side, anxious and helpless. All I could do was pray she wouldn’t find Caleb. But when I accompanied her to Caleb’s front door, a sliver of hope ignited in my heart. Had Caleb forgotten me? Or did he still hate me? Mom pressed the doorbell. The butler came out, and seeing Mom’s attire, a flicker of disdain crossed his eyes. “We don’t need your services in this area.” Mom’s mind was solely focused on me; she didn’t notice his expression. She smiled politely. “Hello, I’d like to see Caleb.” Hearing Caleb’s name, the butler gave Mom another once-over, then turned to go back inside. Mom shouted “Thank you!” after his retreating back, believing the butler would pass on her message. Instead, several house staff emerged, brooms in hand, shooing Mom away from the entrance. She, who once lived a life of luxury, had never faced such blatant disrespect. Watching this scene, I tried to grab her hand to pull her away. I tried again and again. My hand simply passed right through hers. A sharp pang hit my chest, and my eyes welled up. Mom didn’t leave. She stubbornly settled in an unnoticed corner. She had come all this way, she wasn’t going to leave just like that. She was determined to wait for Caleb here. I stayed by her side, keeping vigil. I couldn’t help but think of when I was little, waiting with Mom on the living room sofa for Dad to come home. Only then, we were happy. Now, there was only a chilling emptiness. As dusk fell, a car finally pulled into Caleb’s driveway. Mom hastily got up and hurried toward it. She saw Caleb emerge from the garage from the doorway. Most of his face was hidden in shadow. Looking at him from a distance, he felt utterly unfamiliar. “Caleb! I’m Hazel’s mom! Caleb!” Mom shouted excitedly, her voice cracking, afraid Caleb hadn’t heard her. Caleb paused for a moment, then continued walking as if he hadn’t heard anything. Maybe he really had forgotten me. This realization sent a tremor through my heart. Mom didn’t understand why Caleb was ignoring her. The Caleb in her memory was polite and kind; he wouldn’t simply disregard her calls. “Caleb! Did Hazel come back with you? How is she doing? Can I see her?” Mom’s voice was hoarse, but she tried to raise it, wanting Caleb to hear her clearly. She was a music major, and she used to be a prominent figure in the music scene. She cherished her voice, but now, for me, she didn’t care about it anymore. 3 The butler walked over with the staff, their steps betraying impatience. Caleb finally turned back, giving Mom a glance. He gave a hollow, bitter laugh. “The woman you’re so desperately looking for? She ran off with some sugar daddy years ago.” My heart gave a painful lurch. Mom’s eyes were wide with disbelief. She stumbled back several steps. She murmured toward Caleb’s retreating back, “No, that’s impossible. My Hazel wouldn’t do that. You’re lying to me.” As she spoke, her tone grew furious. “Caleb, you heartless man, how could you spread rumors about my daughter!” The butler sneered. “Why are you still holding on? Mr. Caldwell said your daughter ran off with an old man. You should leave and never show your face here again.” “Your daughter is no good; don’t embarrass yourself here.” Mom’s emotions began to spiral out of control. “How dare you! My daughter isn’t like that!” She was pushed out of the gated community by the staff. The butler spoke to the security guards, ensuring Mom would never be allowed back in. Mom turned, utterly distraught. Faintly, she could hear the staff’s mocking laughter from behind. “Her daughter has no taste, abandoning Mr. Caldwell for an old man.” “I wonder how that old woman even dared to show up.” “Like mother, like daughter. Both shameless.” Mom’s face instantly paled, her lips bitten blue. Her recovering body couldn’t withstand this ordeal. Her vision blurred, and she felt a sudden dizziness before collapsing straight onto the ground. My eyes burned red, and I screamed, “Mom! Mom! Wake up! “Someone help! Please, someone help my mom!” My heart felt like it was being cruelly squeezed. So, even a soul could experience such intense emotional turmoil. A security guard nearby saw her and immediately called 91

When the ambulance arrived, I followed Mom into the vehicle. At the hospital, Briar also received the call and rushed over. Fortunately, everything turned out to be okay. I floated aimlessly in the hallway. At the end of the corridor were two familiar figures. Caleb looked up, and our eyes met. I instinctively wanted to rush back to the hospital room. But then I remembered I was a spirit now; he couldn’t see me. I drifted closer. I clearly heard Caleb’s mother’s voice. “You still haven’t forgotten Hazel, have you? Why don’t you try to find her and bring her back?” My nails dug into my palms. If it hadn’t been for that specific year, Caleb’s mom wouldn’t have actually opposed us being together. Caleb heard her and spoke indifferently, “She dumped me back then. She didn’t love me. Why would I want her back?” My lips pressed together, a lump in my throat. I desperately wanted to say that wasn’t how it was. I pinned my hopes on Caleb’s mom, wishing she would reveal the truth. Caleb’s mom looked at him with concern. “You’re just being stubborn. If you’d truly moved on, you wouldn’t have rushed to the hospital so quickly.” She sighed. “Ah, maybe you two were never meant to be. Otherwise, why would your apartment have caught fire the night you left for abroad? It must be fate!” My heart felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over it. Was this truly fate? Caleb impatiently stood up. “Stop talking about her. She’s a heartless person. She wouldn’t even show up if her own mother collapsed.” I knelt on the floor, looking up at Caleb’s retreating back, feeling a surge of unprecedented injustice. 4 Caleb and I met in college. From sophomore to senior year, we dated for almost three years. Everyone said Caleb was lucky, that with his good looks, he’d snagged a rich girl from the Cloud family. The year we graduated, my dad passed away. Our family fortunes plummeted. Mom suffered a sudden illness and was hospitalized due to the immense stress. We were deep in debt. It was also around this time that Caleb received an acceptance letter from a university abroad. He wanted to stay for me, to work and help our family pay off our debts. He said, “Hazel, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side.” “You don’t have to worry about these debts; I’ll figure something out.” Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but be deeply moved. When everyone thought the internet market was saturated, he found a new path and innovative ways to play. He was pulling all-nighters constantly back then. When he handed me the first significant money he’d earned, he grinned like a kid who’d just won the grand prize. Everyone in our circle whispered that I’d hit the jackpot, landing a guy as incredible as Caleb. Even my best friend was a little jealous, lamenting how great it would be if Caleb were her boyfriend. Rain poured outside as I took the bank card from Caleb’s hand. Right in front of him, I threw it on the ground and stomped on it fiercely twice. I didn’t pause, afraid my emotions would crumble. Caleb’s eyes widened in pure shock. Even if he was confused or angry, he didn’t let it show. He just quietly picked up the card from my feet, carefully wiped it clean, and stubbornly placed it back in my hand. “Hazel, I know this isn’t enough yet, but please take it. We’ll pay off all the debts in less than three years.” My lips began to tremble uncontrollably. I fought hard to maintain control. I flung the card at Caleb. It grazed his face, leaving a red mark on his cheek. I ignored the disappointment in his eyes, looking down at him. “Caleb! Don’t you get it? I don’t need your card! And I can’t wait three years for you!” “I’ve been pampered my whole life; I’m used to the good life. I don’t want to shoulder these debts for even one day!” “I’ve already found a new option.” I spoke vaguely, wanting to leave myself a way out for the future. Caleb picked up the card again, but this time he didn’t hand it to me. He lowered his head. “Is it Mr. Thompson?” Hearing Mr. Thompson’s name, my mind went blank for a moment. Then I realized it must have been my best friend who told him. Because she had seen Mr. Thompson and me leaving a hotel. She wanted to use that to make Caleb leave me. I stayed silent. When he didn’t get an answer, Caleb’s jaw tightened. “Hazel! Do you even know what you’re doing? That man is old enough to be your dad!” “Snap!” A slap landed on his face. It instantly turned red, merging with the earlier mark. “Caleb, my business is none of yours! Mr. Thompson can pay off all our family’s debts right now. Can you?” “I was just playing around with you. I never liked a poor kid like you anyway.” With those words, we were completely over. He packed his bags and left the country. I thought we would eventually meet again, and then I would explain the misunderstanding. But before I died, looking at the plane in the sky, I knew we were destined to be separated by life and death. I could never explain it to him now. 5 I floated back to the hospital room; Mom had already woken up. Briar held her hand, cautioning, “Mom, don’t walk so far alone anymore.” “And don’t… don’t look for Caleb either…” Mom slowly nodded. “I know. Hazel must be sad because of the breakup, so she’s staying abroad and doesn’t want to come back.” “I’m a little hungry. Could you get me something to eat?” Briar stood up, turned, and left the room. Mom stared at the empty air in the room, her clouded eyes filled with tears. “Hazel… I thought I heard your voice…” My tears flowed uncontrollably. Mom’s consciousness returned, and she gave a self-deprecating laugh. “But my Hazel is still abroad. How could I hear your voice? Mom must just be missing you too much, having hallucinations.” But I felt it was enough, even if Mom thought it was a hallucination. At the same time, my soul seemed to fade a little. I couldn’t foresee my death, but now, I could feel my time floating in this world entering a countdown. After bringing Mom her meal, Briar left again in a hurry. I knew she had to go home to prepare things for her street food stall at the night market. The former Miss Cloud, now busy like a spinning top just to make ends meet. And I, a mere observer, could do nothing but feel guilt. After confirming Mom was perfectly fine, I followed Briar, watching her prepare the ingredients for her crepes. I remembered her boasting at my tombstone after learning how to make them. “Hazel, look, this is just like the crepes from your favorite shop by the university.” “Every time we passed it, you’d clamor for one, always with extra ham.” “I specially learned from their owner, and it tastes exactly the same.” “You’ll have a treat now; I’ll bring them to you often.” When she first started her stall, she was very clumsy. Now, she had many repeat customers and several customer groups. I watched the passing crowds, seeing the long line at Briar’s stall, and felt a profound sense of peace. A young boy looked up. “Big sister, I want a hundred crepes.” Briar looked at him helplessly. “Little one, go tell Leo I’m not making him a hundred crepes.” I smiled. Leo and Briar were childhood sweethearts. If our family hadn’t suffered misfortune, they would have been engaged that year. Leo’s mom didn’t approve of Briar, and Briar, with her fierce independence, found herself in a deadlock with Leo. Leo tried every way possible to help Briar, but she refused all his attempts. He just kept waiting for her. Sometimes I would float to Leo’s house, wanting to see if he was a good man. After staying for a while, I found that Leo was building his own business, intending to break free from his family’s control. He politely turned down advances from women at business dinners. Almost every day, he would make time to watch Briar work from a distance. That’s when I learned that true, unwavering love really exists. Maybe I once had it too, but I lost it. 6 Briar was ready to close up around one in the morning. I squatted on the ground, counting how much ham was left in Briar’s box. My mouth watered, but I couldn’t taste it. “I heard this place tastes exactly like the crepe stall by the university.”

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After my rebirth, the first thing I, Ava Welch, did was go from one blood donation van to another, donating blood until I collapsed. Because in my previous life, my fiancé Felix Stevens’ newly recruited female intern Dianne Scott had bound herself to a blood exchange system. Every milliliter of blood she donated would drain from my body. In just one month, she transformed from an ordinary college student into a “blood donation angel,” gaining both fame and fortune. Meanwhile, I was fired from the hospital due to severe anemia that left me unable to perform my duties. When I tried to expose Dianne’s scheme to Felix, he disgustedly broke off our engagement: “It’s bad enough that you’re too cowardly to donate your rare blood type, but now you’re slandering Dianne? And you call yourself a doctor, believing such nonsense!” From then on, every time Dianne donated blood, I would experience heart palpitations and dizziness, sometimes even collapsing on the spot. I sought help from the department doctors, but Felix refused me treatment, claiming “Ava is maliciously wasting medical resources out of jealousy.” Later, to secure early promotion and steal my position, Dianne donated 1000 milliliters of blood during a live news broadcast. I died from hemorrhagic shock due to excessive blood loss. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day Dianne announced she had a rare blood type. ***** “Young people these days really go all out – starting with 500 milliliters for blood donation…” said Finley Wagner, the chief physician of the hematology department at the next table. I hadn’t yet recovered from my daze when everything went black, and I nearly collapsed onto the dining table. But I had just eaten, so it couldn’t be low blood sugar. It wasn’t until I saw Dianne walking over with a smile, holding blood donation souvenirs, that I was certain I had truly been reborn. In my previous life, Dianne had made a big show of announcing she possessed a rare blood type, vowing to contribute to society. Every milliliter of blood she donated silently drained from my body. At this moment, my face was deathly pale, yet I heard her say she planned to donate more blood after finishing her meal. She said, “Just 500 milliliters – I don’t feel a thing. I’ll go donate another 300 milliliters in a bit!” She pretended not to see me, her tone light and cheerful, but every word reached my ears clearly. Finley was so shocked he nearly choked, coughing violently for quite a while before grabbing her arm to dissuade her: “Dianne, I know you young people are enthusiastic, but blood donation is no joke. For a normal person, 400 milliliters every six months is already the limit!” Another doctor nearby also looked worried as he chimed in: “Exactly, you can’t gamble with your health. Don’t let a moment of impulse ruin your body!” But Dianne completely ignored their warnings. To prove her “selfless love,” she barely touched her pasta before rushing back to the blood donation center. Seeing her about to get up, I immediately rushed out of the cafeteria. With this second chance at life, I had to strike back before she could act. I took the afternoon off. Afraid that donating at the hospital would limit the amount, I took a cab directly to the blood donation vans in front of the mall. The plaza had blood donation vans positioned in four directions. As long as I donated at each one before the system uploaded the data, I wouldn’t be discovered. This time, I was determined to figure out exactly what method Dianne had used to push me toward death. But as soon as I got on the blood donation van, I ran into Felix. Seeing me rush over with a pale face, he stepped in front of me first, his voice full of disdain: “Aren’t you the one who treasures your rare blood type the most? What are you doing here? Don’t tell me you saw how much attention I’ve been giving Dianne and came here to donate blood to get my attention?” In my previous life, ever since Dianne was assigned as an intern under Felix, his attitude toward me had taken a sharp turn for the worse. The two of them were inseparable at the hospital, and when I questioned him about it, he said I was being unreasonable. He said, “Dianne is my intern. I have the duty and responsibility to help her familiarize herself with the hospital and improve her professional skills. Ava, how can your mind be so twisted?” Later, when the hospital organized a group blood donation drive, I couldn’t participate due to pneumonia, and Felix misunderstood this as cowardice. Meanwhile, Dianne donated 600 milliliters in one go, becoming the hospital’s headline story. Feeling ashamed, I thought I had misjudged her and even bought nutritional supplements to apologize to her. But from that point on, Dianne seemed to have flipped some kind of switch. She began donating blood frequently, and every time she donated, I felt heart palpitations and dizziness. During several subsequent occasions, I even collapsed directly in the operating room while performing surgery on patients. I underwent countless full-body examinations, but aside from severe anemia, everything else was normal. When I shared my suspicions with Felix, he accused me of being psychologically twisted and maliciously slandering Dianne. Dianne’s blood donation amounts kept increasing, drawing high-level attention from the city. Since she was an intern personally trained by Felix, he absolutely wouldn’t allow any questioning of Dianne’s image. I dragged my weakened body around, begging department doctors to help me uncover the truth, but Felix forbade them from paying attention to me, claiming I was “being unreasonable and wasting medical resources.” Facing public doubts about Dianne’s abnormally high blood donation amounts, she donated 1000 milliliters live on camera to prove her innocence. Amid flowers and applause, I died from excessive blood loss. After my death, Dianne took over my position, became an attending physician, and married Felix that same month. This time, I was determined to find out exactly what Dianne had done to me!

Facing Felix’s mocking expression, I suppressed the discomfort rising within me. “You’re overthinking it. I just want to donate some blood after recovering from pneumonia, to do my part. But you—you’re afraid of blood, so why aren’t you staying in the duty room instead of coming here to make a scene?” Felix’s face instantly turned pale at my words. In my previous life, I never exposed his secret of being a doctor who was afraid of blood, even until my death. I told everyone he couldn’t perform surgeries due to trauma syndrome, and I even used my late father’s connections to keep him in outpatient care, preserving his dignity. I never imagined that instead of being grateful, he would team up with Dianne to destroy me. Felix was left speechless by my sudden attitude, his face flushing red. I pushed past him and walked straight to the staff member. “I’m Rh-negative, and I want to donate 200 milliliters.” Before the staff could respond, a familiar figure approached from the side. “Dr. Welch, I know you’re upset that Felix and I are close, but you really don’t need to donate blood just to get his attention. That’s not love—that’s pity.” Dianne rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward, completely dismissing me. I quickly sat down in the blood donation chair. Since this was a blood exchange system, the blood being drawn was mine, and my body would suffer the loss. I wanted to see if she would become anemic and faint when I lost blood. Dark red blood slowly flowed out, but my gaze remained fixed on Dianne. At that moment, some patients I had previously treated recognized me and praised my kindness, saying I was not only skilled in medicine but also willing to give back through action. Dianne was furious that I had stolen her moment, but she maintained her composure and looked at me with feigned concern. “Dr. Welch, you don’t look well. Having a caring heart is good, but don’t push yourself just for reputation.” I smiled faintly. “It’s only 200 milliliters. Unlike you, who donated 600 milliliters just this morning. You can’t donate again today—if something goes wrong, the hospital can’t take responsibility.” I deliberately mentioned her donation record to get the staff to stop her from donating again, leaving myself an escape route. Sure enough, Dianne panicked. But aside from that, she showed no signs of discomfort. Seeing that the crowd reacted calmly to hearing she had donated 600 milliliters that morning, she immediately waved her hand, demanding the staff continue drawing blood. “I can still donate more. Come draw mine. Dr. Welch is leading by example, so we young people can’t back down. Every milliliter we donate gives patients another chance at life.” With that, she actually picked up a syringe with one hand and began operating it skillfully. I immediately cried out in alarm: “Are you crazy? You donated blood this morning—if something happens, no one at this donation center can escape responsibility! You’re being reckless and dragging others down with you! If you really care about patients, go back and study more cases to improve your professional skills instead of playing games with your body.” My tone was loud and serious, making Dianne look like a clown in comparison—hasty and reckless. The crowd began whispering, and Dianne instinctively looked to Felix for help, but he was worried about more people discovering his fear of blood and pretended not to see her. As my 200 milliliters were nearly finished, Dianne still looked perfectly normal. Feeling unwilling to give up and thinking of the suffering I endured in my previous life, I gritted my teeth and added another 200 milliliters. However, when the donation ended, my face was deathly pale while Dianne’s cheeks remained rosy, showing no signs of anemia. Kind citizens helped me to a nearby café to rest. By then, I was clearly exhausted and quickly grabbed a sandwich to eat. Only after my strength partially returned did I realize that this blood donation was a one-way transfer. In other words, when Dianne donated blood, it was my body’s blood that was lost, but when I donated blood, her body suffered no loss whatsoever. The thought sent chills down my spine. Before I could figure out the truth, I had to prevent Dianne from donating blood again at all costs.

With this thought, I immediately took a taxi back to the hospital. Considering the physical toll of donating blood that morning, I went straight to the nutrition department and got an IV drip to replenish my strength. However, the longer the IV ran, the weaker I felt. Eventually, everything went black and I collapsed in the infusion room. When I woke up, Finley was holding my test results, his expression stern as he criticized me: “Physicians can’t heal themselves. You’re already severely anemic—why are you still competing with young people like Christmas to donate blood? What if you collapse in the operating room? What happens to your patients? How would we explain that?” Hearing those familiar words again, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. In my previous life, it was precisely because I had fainted from anemia in the operating room that the hospital fired me for being unable to perform my duties. And Dianne had effortlessly taken everything that should have been mine. Without bothering to explain to Finley, I immediately got up and rushed to my office, pulling up the blood bank’s donation records. Sure enough, after I left the blood donation center, Dianne had gone to another location and donated 400 milliliters of blood. This was what caused me to collapse while receiving the nutritional IV. What made me break out in a cold sweat was the latest registration information showing Dianne’s name listed third on the waiting list at another donation center. That meant she was still in line to donate blood! Furious, I immediately called Felix: “Felix, control your woman. If she keeps this up and something really happens, you won’t escape responsibility either!” But his mocking voice came through the phone: “Ava, who’s really making a scene here? Dianne just donated blood twice more than you, and you can’t stand it? She’s always looked up to you as her mentor—you’ve really disappointed me. I don’t think our engagement needs to continue!” I was shaking with rage. Just as I was about to argue back, another wave of dizziness hit me. Fighting to stay conscious, I quickly accessed the backend system, flagged Dianne’s name, and synchronized all her donation records across major blood donation websites. The next second, Dianne’s call came through: “Ava Welch, what the hell are you trying to do? Do you know how many people die every day because they can’t get timely blood transfusions due to Rh-negative blood shortages? You’re too cowardly to donate blood yourself—what gives you the right to stop me? You think just because you synchronized my information in the backend, I can’t donate anymore? Dream on!” Dianne on the other end was nearly hysterical, deliberately raising her voice so everyone around would know my identity, even specifically shouting out my full name. I hadn’t expected my backend operation to be discovered so quickly, but at this point, as long as she would stop, I still had a chance. But her next words made me gasp in horror. She said: “Doctor, I want to donate another 600 milliliters!” I was completely stunned. 600 milliliters would be enough to kill me. The fear of impending death washed over me again, and I felt cold all over. I said: “Dianne, I don’t know what you’ve done to me, but every milliliter you donate, my body loses the same amount of blood. We have no grudges between us—why do you insist on killing me?” My chest heaved violently, and I was so weak I could barely speak complete sentences. Before I could finish, I passed out again. Fortunately, this happened at the hospital where I was quickly discovered, which saved my life once more. This time, however, I was sent directly to the ICU. The day I was transferred to a regular ward, I didn’t expect Dianne to visit me. She came in arm-in-arm with Felix, her face full of smugness as she showed off, then hypocritically came over to hug me. She whispered in my ear, her voice dripping with triumph: “Forgot to tell you—my total blood donation has broken the city record. Tomorrow morning, the TV station is coming to the hospital to interview me, and I’ll be donating 1000 milliliters live on the news broadcast! So, Dr. Welch, you have one day left to make your final arrangements.” I was burning with rage but could only lie helplessly in the hospital bed. Despair, defeat, and resentment wrapped around me in layers as tears unconsciously slid down my face. Instinctively, I reached for the antidepressants I always carried in my pocket. However, when I opened my palm and saw that the originally white pills had a layer of pale red powder at the bottom, alarm bells went off in my mind. I immediately contacted a friend in the lab department. It wasn’t until the test results came through on my phone that I finally understood everything.

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My name is Arya Griffin. My boyfriend David Nielsen’s friend Emilia Cooper abused performance-enhancing drugs in competitions, but somehow transferred all the side effects to me. She stood on the winner’s podium time and again, gaining both fame and fortune, worshipped by the public as the “Swimming Goddess.” Meanwhile, I was banned and expelled for “drug abuse,” plagued by illness, and eventually hospitalized. When I realized everything was connected to Emilia, I immediately reported her. However, everyone believed I was falsely accusing Emilia out of jealousy. Emilia said smugly, “Arya, I know you can’t accept the fact that you were caught using performance enhancers and want to drag me down with you. But I’m completely clean—I earned all my medals through skill!” David looked at me with disgust: “Arya, you didn’t win the championship because you lack the ability. How could you frame Emilia like this?” I was thrust into the eye of public opinion, cursed by thousands, and even beaten by Emilia’s fanatic fans who tracked me down to the hospital. Until one international championship event, Emilia used performance enhancers frantically to claim victory. In the end, she became the country’s first Grand Slam winner and happily accepted David’s marriage proposal on the podium. As for me, I died from multiple organ failure caused by drug overdose, despite all rescue efforts. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day of the competition. I immediately withdrew from the race, grabbed my camera, and headed straight to Emilia’s locker room to start a live stream. In this life, I wanted to see how she would use performance enhancers under everyone’s watchful eyes! “David, press harder!” I had just pushed open the locker room door when I saw David with his hand on Emilia’s thigh. Seeing me enter, David showed no restraint and even frowned in reproach: “I’m just giving Emilia a massage. You’d better keep your jealousy in check!” Emilia also said disdainfully, “Arya, you’re so petty. David and I have a purely platonic friendship—don’t think of us so disgustingly.” I silently clenched my fists but put on an innocent expression as I pointed my phone camera at them: “Why would I be angry? David’s massage technique is so good—perfect for my live stream viewers to learn from.” “You’re live streaming?” Emilia’s face instantly changed, eyeing my phone warily. David became even more impatient: “The competition is about to start, and instead of preparing, you’re doing a live stream? Are you that desperate for attention?” I smiled slightly: “I’ve already withdrawn from the race. I just sprained my ankle, and the doctor said it’s too severe for me to compete.” “You withdrew?” David’s expression immediately darkened. After all, everyone considered me the most likely candidate to win the championship. In my previous life, I had participated in the competition with full confidence, only to end up disgraced and fallen into the abyss. In that race, Emilia, whose performance had always been mediocre, suddenly excelled beyond expectations and won the championship. Meanwhile, I tested positive for performance enhancers and was banned from competition. I was bewildered and confused because I had never used performance enhancers! Later, every time Emilia competed, I would experience difficulty breathing, high fever, and other symptoms. Doctors diagnosed it as “performance enhancer overdose reaction.” I suspected she was using drugs and somehow transferring all the side effects to me. I chose to report her, but everyone thought I was maliciously slandering Emilia out of jealousy. David broke up with me without hesitation: “Arya, you abused performance enhancers and then tried to frame Emilia. I’ve never seen such a vicious woman!” Emilia’s fanatic fans hurled abuse and attacks at me, even storming into the hospital wanting my life. Until one international championship event, Emilia used performance enhancers frantically to win the title. She became America’s first Grand Slam winner and accepted David’s marriage proposal under the spotlight, basking in unlimited glory. Meanwhile, I died alone in the hospital from multiple organ failure. Remembering the agony before my death in the previous life, I trembled with hatred. Since God gave me a chance to be reborn, I would never let such things happen again! This time, I would definitely uncover the truth and make Emilia pay the price she deserved. With this thought, I waved my phone and flashed a sweet smile: “Emilia, since I can’t compete, it’s all up to you now. Live streaming can boost your popularity and help you quickly gain fans—there’s absolutely no downside.” But Emilia still looked reluctant and was about to refuse. David’s eyes lit up with excitement: “Exactly, Emilia! Since Arya has nothing else to do anyway, let her help boost your popularity.” Emilia had no choice but to reluctantly agree. My smile grew brighter as I pointed the camera at her. In this life, I wanted to see how you would use performance enhancers under my live stream camera!

The competition was about to begin, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. I stood by the pool, my eyes fixed on Emilia, anxiety churning in my chest. From before the race started until now, I had stayed by Emilia’s side the entire time, making sure she had no opportunity to use performance-enhancing drugs. I tried to catch a glimpse of panic on her face, but she remained calm, even confident, which made me even more uneasy. The starting gun fired, and the swimmers dove into the water. When I saw Emilia take the lead immediately upon entering the water, swimming at an abnormally fast pace, my heart sank as I stared at the scene before me in disbelief. How was this possible? Soon, Emilia finished the race, stepped onto the podium, and received the champion’s medal. Witnessing all this, my mind went completely blank! This couldn’t be happening! Throughout the entire pre-race period, I had been watching her constantly—she had no chance to use any drugs. The only time she left my sight was when she went to the restroom. But she was only wearing her tight-fitting swimsuit then, with nowhere to hide anything. I was certain she wasn’t carrying any prohibited substances. So how did she manage it? When Emilia walked up to me, radiant with joy and holding the bouquet I had given her, I still hadn’t recovered from the shock. She looked at me with arrogance: “So? Did you get good shots of me winning the championship?” David exclaimed excitedly: “Emilia, you were incredible! Arya’s speed couldn’t even compare to yours. Even if she hadn’t withdrawn from the race, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against you!” “Of course!” Emilia glanced at me dismissively. “I just wasn’t giving it my all before. Otherwise, she never would have had a chance to compete.” Media personnel swarmed in, eager to interview this sudden dark horse, and I was knocked to the ground by the crowd. A familiar wave of dizziness hit me, and my body began to heat up. I knew exactly what this was—the side effects of performance-enhancing drugs. Emilia had transferred the side effects to me again! At that moment, despair washed over me. Even after being reborn, was I still unable to escape the tragic fate of my previous life? Emilia pretended to be concerned as she approached me: “Arya, are you feeling unwell?” I glared at her fiercely and asked through gritted teeth: “Emilia, how did you do it? Why are you trying to destroy me?” She looked completely innocent: “How could I possibly hurt you? You sprained your ankle and couldn’t compete—how is that my fault? I know you’re feeling a bit upset, but you can’t just accuse me like this!” David looked at me with disgust and scolded: “Arya, how can you be so jealous! You lost your chance to compete because of your injury, and you still have the nerve to blame others? Even as your boyfriend, I have to say—even if you had competed, Emilia would have left you far behind!” The crowd echoed his sentiments, accusing me of being malicious and envious, while viewers in the livestream also criticized me. The cyberbullying I had experienced in my previous life seemed to be repeating itself. My breathing became rapid, and my whole body trembled. Emilia flashed me a malicious smile and walked away smugly with her bag. I stared intently at her retreating figure, because she didn’t know that I had already planted a hidden camera in her bag. I refused to believe I couldn’t uncover the truth this time!

Next, Emilia effortlessly claimed victory after victory just like in my previous life, winning the adoration of countless devoted fans. Meanwhile, I still couldn’t find any clues in the videos and continued to suffer from her steroid abuse, landing in the hospital where doctors diagnosed me with organ failure symptoms. If this continued, my condition would only worsen, and I wouldn’t be far from death. Soon, another important competition of Emilia’s arrived. When I spotted her secretly bringing a vial into the stadium through the video, my eyes lit up immediately. Despite my weakened state, I contacted the media and event staff right away. Just as Emilia was about to inject the substance in the video, I burst through the door with a group of people. Unable to contain my excitement, I shouted, “Emilia, what are you injecting? Don’t you know steroids are banned substances explicitly prohibited in competitions!” Camera flashes flickered rapidly as reporters swarmed forward with their microphones. Officials also approached Emilia with serious expressions, demanding she hand over the syringe. I breathed a slight sigh of relief. Though the truth hadn’t come to light yet, at least I could get Emilia temporarily suspended, buying myself more time. However, what I never expected was that Emilia didn’t panic at all. Instead, she looked at me helplessly: “Arya, I never imagined you’d hate me to this extent, even bringing all these people here!” My heart sank as an ominous feeling washed over me. The next second, Emilia calmly handed over the syringe: “This isn’t the steroid you’re imagining—it’s just ordinary glucose.” The officials examined the syringe and confirmed: “That’s right, it’s indeed glucose.” I froze on the spot, my ears ringing as I struggled to accept this reality. Emilia smiled bitterly at the reporters: “I never thought that winning just a few championships would make someone target me like this. Maybe I shouldn’t have won those titles at all.” David rushed out from the crowd to protect Emilia, kicking me hard with disgust written all over his face: “You bitch! Are you never going to stop? How can you be so vicious?” Emilia’s fans also surged forward angrily, pulling my hair and beating me on the ground, venting their rage for their beloved goddess. I was hospitalized. The steroid aftereffects combined with my physical injuries left me curled up in agony on the hospital bed, struggling to breathe with blurred consciousness. Meanwhile, the TV was broadcasting Emilia’s latest championship victory, the glaring light making my eyes ache! After the competition, Emilia came to visit me wearing her gold medal, putting on a fake show of concern. I endured the pain and questioned her: “Emilia, what method did you use? Why did you transfer all the steroid side effects to me!” Before she could respond, David frowned and snapped: “Arya, you can’t find evidence to frame Emilia so now you’re spouting nonsense? Transferring side effects? I think you got your brain damaged from the beating! If you dare talk nonsense again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!” Emilia pretended to mediate: “David, don’t get angry. These little girls are just prone to jealousy and overthinking. That’s why I don’t like dealing with girls.” David looked at me with disgust: “Arya, I came here today to break up with you. I’m warning you—if you dare trouble Emilia again, I won’t let you off!” Shortly after they left, I saw photos of myself on Emilia’s account—bruised, battered, and emaciated. Not only that, but the post also included my medical examination report. After seeing those detailed test results, netizens began discussing heatedly!

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When I, Camila Barnes, stood in the real estate office, my friend Amber Stevens beat me to it and bought the foreclosed house I had my eye on. At that moment, I finally confirmed that she had also been reborn. In my previous life, both Amber and I had some savings. She invested all her money in the stock market, while I chose to buy a house to live in. Due to limited funds, I ended up buying a foreclosed house where a murder had occurred. Unexpectedly, I discovered a safe in the ceiling cavity containing ten million dollars in cash and over a dozen gold bars. Meanwhile, Amber lost all her money in the stock market and was drowning in debt. Seeing me move into a mansion, drive luxury cars, and spend money lavishly, she angrily lured me onto the street and had a speeding truck kill me. My soul floated in the air as I watched her and my boyfriend Nathan Warren deceive the police together, claiming I had died from drunk driving. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day I was supposed to buy the foreclosed house. ***** “I’ll take this one!” Amber’s voice rang in my ears as I stared at everything before me in a daze. The agent looked at me somewhat awkwardly, then said to Amber, “I’m sorry, miss, but this lady saw the house first.” Amber replied, “So what? She hasn’t paid yet. If I pay first, the house is mine.” Seeing her determined expression, I realized she had also been reborn. She said, “Camila, I want this house too. Why don’t you look at something else? There are plenty of similar houses in this neighborhood.” As she spoke, her expression carried a hint of probing, wanting to see if I had also come back. I snapped back to reality and frowned, “Alright then, if you like it, you can have it. I’ll look at others.” Hearing me say this, Amber breathed a sigh of relief and immediately prepared to make the deal with the agent. The agent said, “Ms. Stevens, I must remind you that a murder occurred in this house previously, which is why the price is so low. Are you sure you still want to purchase it?” Amber said impatiently, “I’m sure! The murderer was caught long ago, what’s there to be afraid of? Besides, I’m not going to live…” She stopped mid-sentence! I smiled slightly, understanding what she meant. In my previous life, I had some savings and was tired of renting long-term, so I decided to buy a house to settle down. But with limited funds, there were very few houses that met my requirements. Finally, the agent showed me a house where a murder had occurred. The couple who previously lived there had family conflicts, and the husband killed his wife. Later, the husband was sentenced to life imprisonment, and this house became a murder house that everyone avoided. After understanding the situation, I still decided to buy it. After all, ghosts aren’t scary—being poor is scary. But later, I discovered a huge fortune in that house, while Amber fell into the lowest point of her life. So this time, she wanted to steal what originally belonged to me. She gave me a mocking smile, “You’d be better off taking your money to play the stock market. Maybe one day it’ll surge and you could buy a big house.” I pretended not to understand her meaning and asked back, “This house still has several thousand dollars in monthly mortgage payments. Are you sure you can afford them? After all, you don’t have much in savings, so making the payments might be difficult. If it comes to that, I could help you.” Amber’s money was barely enough for the down payment at most. Provoked by my words and thinking about that huge fortune in the future, she immediately got emotional, “Who says I can’t? I’ll buy it outright with cash. Don’t even think about competing with me—this is mine!” The agent didn’t expect her to be so determined about this house, and paying in full would naturally be best. So he immediately put me aside and focused on serving Amber, “Excellent, Ms. Stevens. How would you like to make the payment?” Having already spoken, Amber couldn’t take back her words in front of me, so she pulled out a card, “I’ll pay part of it now, and make up the rest in three days. That should work, right?” The agent took the card and nodded happily, “Of course, no problem. Let’s go sign the contract then.” Since that was the case, I had no reason to stay any longer. I turned and left the real estate office, heading straight back to my rental apartment.

That evening, I had just gotten into bed when my phone rang. It was Nathan calling. He said coldly, “Let’s break up, Camila. I’m sick of you. Don’t bother me anymore.” I listened expressionlessly, and after he finished speaking, I could faintly hear a woman’s soft laughter on the other end. Even though I already had a pretty good idea who it was, I still pretended to be shocked and asked, “Are you cheating on me? Who are you with right now? Nathan, how could you do this to me?” The angrier my voice became, the more pleased the people on the other end seemed to be. “I’ll tell you the truth—I was only with you to get into your company through you. Now that I’ve achieved my goal, I don’t want to put up with being disgusted by you anymore.” So that was it. Because of my excellent resume, I was hired by a major company right after college graduation. Later, after I had established myself at the company, I recommended both Nathan and Amber for positions there. “Stop bothering us, Camila. We’re going to be rich now, and we’re not in the same social class as you anymore. We move in different circles—why force yourself to fit in?” Amber took the phone and said to me. “You two actually betrayed me!” I gasped, feigning shock. Now they both burst out laughing. I played along with a cold snort: “Hmph, I’d like to see how well you do without me. So what if you bought a house? What’s the big deal?” “You’ll find out soon enough. You’re just an ordinary person—what do you have to compete with me?” After the call ended, I let out a cold laugh. How utterly foolish. In this law-abiding society, if someone could really get such a large sum of money out of thin air, how could they possibly escape police investigation? The next day, I went to work as usual, only to see Amber and Nathan walking into manager Aaron Coleman’s office together, submitting their resignation letters. Aaron was somewhat surprised by this sudden decision and tried to persuade them to stay, but Amber arrogantly refused: “Sorry, Mr. Coleman, I suddenly came into some unexpected inheritance. It’s not much—just a few hundred million dollars. So working doesn’t really have any meaning for me anymore.” Hearing this, Aaron almost doubted his own ears. Colleagues around us also gathered around. “Amber, are you still half-asleep? That much money? Did you rob a bank?” “Did you win the lottery? How did you do it? Any tips? Teach me.” “What kind of joke is this? You’re bragging, aren’t you?” In response to these teasing or questioning voices, Amber decided to show them. She said, “How about this—come to my place in three days, and you’ll see for yourselves.” After saying this, she directly posted the address in the work group chat. Seeing her so determined, Aaron couldn’t say much more and eventually approved their resignation applications. While packing up, Amber caught sight of the Chanel bag on my desk and immediately became sarcastic: “How can you afford that?” A few seconds later, she seemed to suddenly realize something: “Oh, I get it now. You deliberately bought a fake to show off, right? Trying to one-up me? I’d advise you to give up. There’s no need to put on airs. A canvas bag for ten bucks would suit you better.” I rolled my eyes and held the bag up to her face: “Open your eyes and look carefully. How could a fake have such perfect stitching? I just bought this from the boutique yesterday. Do you need me to show you the payment receipt?”

Amber kept staring at my bag, her eyes scanning it back and forth as if trying to determine whether it was authentic. Her gaze flickered for a moment before she quickly regained her composure. She said, “So what? It’s just a bag. I could buy a hundred of them. But you, with that measly salary of yours, buying this kind of bag must not have been easy, right? Don’t tell me you got it with a payday loan?” I shot back without hesitation: “Ha, you’re really full of hot air. Why don’t you go buy one and show me? I think you’re just bluffing.” “Hmph, I’ll go buy one right now. Just wait and see.” Amber glared at me fiercely, then headed straight to the mall after work and bought several luxury brand bags in one go. After her shopping spree, she posted about it on Instagram and even sent me a private message, as if afraid I might miss it. I did the math in my head—those bags weren’t cheap. Together, they cost at least two hundred thousand dollars. Where that money came from was pretty obvious. Over the next few days, Amber seemed determined to one-up me. Every time I bought a bag, she immediately bought a more expensive one. But what she didn’t know was that all my posts were only visible to her—I was posting them specifically for her to see. Sure enough, she took the bait easily. This weekend I had some free time, so I went to the mall to browse around. I had a gala to attend in a few days and wanted to buy some jewelry. After understanding my needs, the salesperson brought out several jewelry sets and placed them in front of me, introducing each one. Just then, there was a commotion at the entrance. “What’s your most expensive diamond ring? Bring it out and let me see it!” This arrogant tone immediately drew everyone’s attention in the store. I looked up and, sure enough, it was Amber and Nathan. What a small world. A salesperson approached them, looked them up and down, and gently reminded them: “Miss, our most expensive diamond ring is worth ten million dollars. Are you sure you want to see it?” Amber was clearly stunned by the price: “Ten million dollars? That expensive? Aren’t diamonds just carbon?” Her comment made all the customers in the store laugh, and I couldn’t help but chuckle too. That’s when they noticed me and walked over. “What are you doing here? This isn’t a place you can afford to shop. Don’t tell me you followed us here?” Nathan looked smug, as if convinced I still had feelings for him. I said, “Are you sick? I was here first, okay? If anyone’s following anyone, it’s you following me.” The salesperson confirmed: “Indeed, this lady arrived first.” Seeing they couldn’t argue with that, Amber immediately changed the subject, looking at the jewelry I was selecting: “Can you even afford it? You’re just wasting time looking.” I said, “What’s it to you? You talk like you can afford it.” Thinking I really couldn’t afford it, Amber became smug: “Of course I can. How much are these sets? I’ll take them all.” The salesperson smiled: “Five million dollars per set. These sets together total twenty million dollars.” Both of them were immediately speechless. After a few seconds of silence, they started making excuses: “Actually, I don’t think these sets are anything special, and one person can’t wear this many anyway.” I interrupted impatiently: “Are you buying or not? If not, I’ll take them.” With that, I signaled the salesperson to wrap up all the jewelry. Seeing her failed attempt to show off her wealth in front of me, Amber was seething with rage. She quickly grabbed the salesperson’s hand and pointed at a ruby jewelry set, saying, “I’ll take this one!” Nathan still hesitated, tugging at her sleeve and lowering his voice, “It’s five million dollars. Isn’t that too expensive?” By now, Amber was completely furious and insisted on getting the jewelry set no matter what, urging the salesperson to hurry up and ring it up. However, when they swiped several credit cards, all showed insufficient funds. In the end, the two of them nearly emptied all their savings to barely cover the payment. Three days passed quickly. Amber had gathered enough money to buy the house, found a real estate agent to handle the transfer procedures, and successfully obtained the house keys. As the appointed time approached, I also arrived at the residential complex. Other colleagues gradually showed up as well, all curious to see how Amber was doing. Soon after, Amber and Nathan arrived too. She scanned everyone present, confirmed that I was there, and nodded with satisfaction, “Good, let’s all go up together.” Along the way, colleagues looked at the complex’s environment and raised various doubts. “Amber, this complex looks pretty old. It probably isn’t worth much, right?” “Yeah, there’s no landscaping either, and it’s mostly elderly people living here.” “There aren’t any amenities around either. The only advantage is being close to the office, but since you’ve already quit, that doesn’t matter anymore.” Hearing these comments, Amber looked at them like they were idiots, her tone filled with smugness, “This house is indeed cheap and not worth much. But the things inside are valuable. Now that the house is mine, naturally everything inside belongs to me too.” Upon hearing this, some colleagues immediately thought of news they’d seen online about people finding millions of dollars in cash in foreclosed properties. Everyone was shocked, but some remained rational and asked, “You’ve never even been inside this house. How can you be sure there’s really valuable stuff in there?” Amber naturally couldn’t reveal that she had been reborn, so she could only say vaguely, “I have my ways of knowing.” Her mysterious demeanor actually convinced some people, who immediately started flattering her, “Amber, when you strike it rich, don’t forget about us!” At this moment, Amber’s vanity reached its peak, and she couldn’t stop grinning. When we reached the door of the house, Amber took out the key and inserted it into the lock, but couldn’t open the door no matter what. Her smile gradually froze as she repeatedly turned the key, but the door wouldn’t budge. The colleagues also sensed something was wrong and asked, “What’s happening?” Amber forced a smile, “The key might be rusty, so the door’s a bit hard to open.” As she spoke, she applied even more force. Just then, the door suddenly opened from the inside. “Which lunatic dares to pick my lock! Are you tired of living or what!”

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My boyfriend had a heavy nicotine addiction. I hated second-hand smoke and had talked to him about it countless times. But he’d just brush it off, or even grin and deliberately blow smoke right into my face. “Come on, baby, I can’t write my songs without a puff or two.” That was, until we moved into our new place, and during our housewarming party, we accidentally stumbled upon an old video of his first love. I watched him instinctively hide the cigarette in his hand, the burning sensation in his palm made him flinch. The engagement ring I’d dreamt of my whole life clattered into a side plate overflowing with leftover shrimp shells and greasy sauce. Later, he frantically searched the world for every kind of ring – lavish, unique, adorable – just for me to glance his way again. But I simply held up my right hand, already adorned with a ring. “Leo Evans, I suddenly realized the things I buy for myself just fit better.” It was our fourth year of dating, and paparazzi photos of Leo privately meeting with a renowned wedding dress designer had exploded on Ins. Friends who knew about our relationship flooded my SnapChat with congratulations, convinced I’d be walking down the aisle soon. Skylar was practically bouncing with excitement, totally egging me on. “Eighty percent chance it’s going to be on your four-year anniversary!” My heart swelled with anticipation too. That day felt perfect. So, on the night before our four-year anniversary, which was also the final stop of Leo’s global concert tour. At Skylar’s insistence, I changed into a meticulously chosen haute couture gown, applied flawless, waterproof makeup, and quietly slipped from my film set back home to the concert backstage, intending to surprise him. “Alright, now you can cry freely when he proposes, no panda eyes for you!” Skylar teased me, then leaned in close to whisper. “I just saw the dress. It’s insane, so much intricate work, it practically blinded me.” “Your Leo is really trying to lure you into marrying him with the most unique and beautiful wedding dress in the world.” My cheeks flushed, but I couldn’t stop my eyes from curving into a happy smile. Until the final song. The lights dimmed, and amidst a chorus of “Encore!” he emerged from the darkness, holding a bouquet of roses. He’d changed into a school uniform and basketball shoes, a bright red headband highlighting his youthful swagger. It took me back to my childhood sweetheart, who used to sprint across the basketball court in high school, now a global superstar on tour. “Tonight, is a special night.” The moment Leo spoke, the crowd erupted in screams. Among them, a few of our fan-shippers, knowing we were childhood sweethearts and seeing the red roses in his hand, excitedly yelled, “Propose!” On stage, he seemed a little embarrassed, lowering his gaze and smiling faintly. “I also have a gift I want to give to someone truly wonderful.” A stunningly beautiful wedding dress was slowly wheeled out from behind him. The upper part was completely covered by black satin, revealing only a massive skirt that seemed to shimmer with starlight. “It’s a black wedding dress!” “Oh my god! How edgy!” I heard Chloe’s amazed voice, but my entire body went rigid. Time seemed to rewind nine years. Leo, restless in the desk in front, had turned around and leaned on my table, holding a drawing. “Harper, my girl, Serena, she always said she’d wear a black wedding dress and design it herself.” His face held a look of happy anticipation. “Such a pain, but what can I do? I just love her!”

A sudden roar of screams from the crowd pulled me back to the present. It was Leo, bending slightly, carefully using a rose to hook the edge of the satin, like a groom revealing his bride. “Harper, aren’t you supposed to be up there soon!” Chloe was even more excited than I was, even rummaging through her makeup bag to ask if I needed a touch-up. “The leading lady needs a grand entrance!” But I remained silent, a giant hand gripping my heart, dragging it down. Yet, in the very next second, Leo, under the gaze of thousands, pulled back the satin. Revealing the entire, beautiful wedding dress. And beneath it, a radiant beauty, eyes glistening with tears, face flushed with emotion, wearing bridal makeup. It was Leo’s first love, the “Serena, my girl” he used to constantly talk about around me – Serena. Leo bent into a bow. “A new song, for all the lovers in the world.” Amidst the romantic prelude, the lipstick in Chloe’s hand clattered to the floor. Her searching gaze instinctively fell on me first, then on the woman dancing gracefully with Leo on stage. After a few long seconds, I took a deep breath, picked up the lipstick, and handed it back to her. “The stage design is quite unique. The leading lady was already up there, clearly.” I pressed down on the suffocating pain in my chest, explaining gently. “Right, right, right! That’s just Leo, always pulling out all the stops.” Amidst Chloe’s stammering, hurried agreement, a grim-faced Skylar practically dragged me back to the hotel. On the way, many staff members noticed me. Under their scrutinizing, curious, and even pitying gazes, I struggled to maintain my composure, smiling and looking directly back at them. But my steps quickened involuntarily, fleeing like a coward. My carefully chosen, sparkling gown looked like a cheap imitation compared to that wedding dress. I clenched my fists, self-deprecating thoughts uncontrollably swirling in my mind. In Leo’s heart, wasn’t I always just a cheap imitation?

Leo called twice, and when I didn’t answer, he started sending SnapChat messages. “Tour’s over, baby! Not flying back home tomorrow. I’m taking the team shopping to relax. I’ll buy you something nice.” “Heading to the after-party now. Busy tonight, will FaceTime you tomorrow, wife! (sending a heart).” I clutched my phone, hesitating for a long time, still wanting an explanation from him. “Why was Serena at your concert, wearing a wedding dress?” Over an hour later, I finally got his reply. “Just stage design. She’s had a tough time these past few years and is live streaming now. I was just helping her get some exposure.” Skylar scoffed, snatching my phone away. She pointed at the screen, which showed the time was already past midnight, then pulled up a photo. It was Leo’s latest post. His team raising their glasses at the celebration party. Next to Leo, a delicate wrist adorned with a red string bracelet. “Leo probably forgot your anniversary, didn’t he?” “Guys like him, they say they love you ten parts, but only act on one.” “Harper, you soft-hearted fool, with no temper and no way to argue, you’re just letting him walk all over you, and he’ll never change.”

I sulked for days, ignoring Leo. He started by sending dozens of messages a day. Then, seeing I never replied, he got angry too. We began a long cold war. Usually, I’d be the first to cave, but this time I managed to stop myself from reaching out to comfort him. Then, tormented by frustration, I suffered from insomnia and overeating. Until one afternoon, he suddenly knocked on Skylar’s door. “Baby, I’ve missed you so much.” The moment he stepped in, he bypassed Skylar and pulled me into his arms. As if we hadn’t been arguing at all recently. “I’ve invited some friends over to our new place for a housewarming dinner tonight. Get ready, let’s go home.” My words weren’t organized, but my body’s instinctive reaction was to push him away. “What’s wrong?” Leo’s radiant face showed a hint of confusion. Noticing my gaze lingering on his face, he smiled confidently. “I specifically put together this outfit and did my hair for dinner tonight.” My vision was obscured by my messy, three-day-unwashed hair. I touched the stress-induced pimples and dark circles around my eyes from sleepless nights, and a weariness I couldn’t name washed over me. So, for the past few days, the only one tossing and turning, tormented by the cold war, was me. “Why didn’t you tell me about the housewarming dinner when the time was set?” I finally managed to painfully squeeze out a question from my throat. “It’s because you wouldn’t reply to my messages, or cheer me up! I haven’t even gotten to you for throwing a fit out of nowhere.” Leo sounded completely justified. “I’ve given you an out. If you don’t take it, I’m really going to get mad.” I was speechless, blocked. How did this become my fault again? “Why didn’t you wait until dinner was over to tell Harper!” Skylar directly bumped Leo aside with her shoulder, pointing him out the door. “I really do have a surprise for Harper.” Leo put on a pitiful expression, deliberately clinging to the doorframe, only revealing a goofy, smiling face. “Baby, come home with me, please. Tell me slowly what I did wrong, okay?” “My mom and dad, and your aunt and uncle are coming tonight too. Please, wife, just for appearances.”

Leo’s parents and mine were old friends, and we had a great relationship. Not wanting to make our parents awkward, I quickly washed my face and hair, changed into some casual clothes, and went back to our new home. This new place was meant to be our marital home. From the large furniture to every tiny ornament, I had carefully chosen everything. But now, his buddies were sprawled on the sofa, crushing my little dog plushie, smoking and horsing around, letting ash fall into the carpet fibers. Serena directly pulled my hand, seating me at the table as if we were old friends. “Long time no see, Harper. Come on, sit down, make yourself at home.” Besides a few actresses I’d worked with, there were also some of Serena’s influencer friends. The strong perfume mixed with the cigarette smoke from the living room made me wrinkle my nose. “Director Harper, you don’t mind us live streaming, do you? Don’t worry, we won’t film you guys.” I was about to refuse. Serena spoke first. “Leo already agreed. If you’re worried about noise, you can even stream from the bedroom.” The intimate nickname made my scalp crawl. Serena smiled at me again. “Harper’s temper is so good, she definitely won’t mind. Everyone, have fun, eat and drink well.” I frowned, feeling uncomfortable with her utterly clueless words. “Oh, and Harper, I have a gift for you today too.” Just as I thought of getting up to change seats, Serena’s voice suddenly rang out. Before I could react, she broke into a smile again and called out, “Hey, Leo, come sit between me and Harper.” Leo had just finished seating his friends, so he unceremoniously sat between us, pulling me back into my seat. “Thanks, baby, for saving me a spot.” I felt like I was sitting on pins and needles. Glasses of wine were poured one after another at the table, and every now and then, laughter erupted over some new gossip. I sat stiffly in the midst of it all, my introverted nature making me unusually silent, watching Leo and Serena playfully tease each other, as if they were the true hosts of the housewarming. My last glass of wine I’d drunk too quickly, making my eyes water from coughing. Leo got up and gently patted my back. The lit cigarette he held was aimed straight at my face. I watched the blue smoke slowly drift upwards, a burning itch spreading across my skin. I had told him so many times, *don’t smoke in front of me*. Just then, a young actor by the projector called out. “Leo, you have an old DVD player! And so many discs.” “I’ll put on some music to liven things up.” I wasn’t interested in the music. Leo had lit another cigarette, and the smoke made my stomach churn with the wine. “Leo, I don’t feel well. Please stop smoking.” I tugged at his sleeve under the table, my voice a whisper. But Leo merely switched the cigarette to his other hand, then mischievously blew a puff of smoke right into my face. “Sorry, baby, my addiction’s pretty bad. Last one, promise. Be good, okay?” A wave of unspoken disappointment and exhaustion washed over me. I lowered my eyes, feeling an almost unbearable nausea. Just as I was about to stand up and rush to the bathroom. “Leo Evans!” A sudden roar came from the projector. “You’re smoking behind my back again!” A vibrant, energetic girl grabbed the boy by the ear, dragging him out of the equipment room. It was Serena and Leo from high school. “We agreed: one cigarette a day during your quitting period, no more! If you keep lacking willpower, forget about your first kiss!” The somewhat rebellious boy immediately tossed the cigarette and stomped on it twice. “I’m wrong, I’m totally wrong! Just let this be tomorrow’s cigarette, okay?” “Okay, okay! The day after tomorrow, the day after that too, I won’t smoke! My little queen, please don’t be angry. I’ll go buy you bubble tea right now, okay?” Only then did the girl’s expression soften, and she commanded. “Pick up that cigarette and throw it in the trash.” “Got it.” In the video, Leo threw the cigarette without hesitation. Outside the video, Leo, in real life, had instinctively hidden his cigarette butt, burning his hand. His hand trembled, and the ring—the very one I’d waited seven years for, the one he’d just pulled from his pocket and secretly clutched in his palm—clattered into the side plate, filled with greasy sauce and shrimp shells. It was like the heavy clang of a bell, finally awakening me from years of hazy self-deception.

Leo and I grew up together. He was always the ringleader of our group, the center of attention. But I, having started school too early and always a beat behind everyone else, remained the shy, overly sensitive chubby kid. Later, during puberty, I started breaking out in terrible acne, transforming from a shy, chubby kid into an insecure, depressed, chubby kid. I retreated into myself like a snail, unwilling to talk to classmates, disliking school. When Leo noticed, he practically dragged me everywhere with him, probably worried I might do something reckless. “This is our Harper!” He always spoke without much thought, putting an arm around my shoulder to introduce me to his friends. “She’s got good grades, a great personality, and she’s adorable. She’s the best friend you could ever ask for.” Then, during breaks, he’d drag a chair over to ask me about science problems, or force me to quiz him on classic literature. “Come on, genius, school me! I need an emergency rescue!” On my solitary walk to the cafeteria, there was always someone loudly chasing after me, calling my nickname until I embarrassedly stopped. “Stop yelling! The principal will bust us for being too coupley!” My face was bright red. After passing through that awkward, confusing phase of hormones, I began to accept myself again. I recognized my own stiffness and social awkwardness. I recognized my people-pleasing tendencies, the way I’d unconsciously act silly to try and make others like me in social interactions, only to later self-criticize and despise myself for it. I feared overly assertive or enthusiastic people, dreading sarcasm, always hesitant and cautious. But it was okay. There was no law stating everyone had to be outgoing and generous. I watched Leo flourish in crowds, saw him become student body president, speak as an outstanding representative, and shine during school shows and performances. I was always happy and proud of him. Until the first time he secretly drank alcohol, got drunk, and acted like a total fool when he was drunk at my house. When I turned to the kitchen to make him some honey water. He suddenly leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Baby, you’re so cute.” His arm was wrapped around my neck, the warmth from his face spreading to mine, his eyes, brimming with a hazy affection, sparkled. In that second, I could even hear the pounding in my chest. Leo completed the last piece of my adolescent puzzle: an unknown, ambiguous love. But the next morning, Leo had forgotten that drunken kiss. “I didn’t act crazy and scare you last night, did I, sweetie?” Leo sipped his soy milk, his eyes sincere, his messed-up hair bouncing. I looked at his bright, dazzling face, full of youthful vigor. Then I saw my own reflection in the glass window: my plump, bloated figure. My back was hunched, I wore braces, and when I didn’t smile, people often said behind my back that I looked fierce. “No.” I tried to smile, then quickly closed my mouth. Burying that unripe seed deep in my heart. Later, Leo fell in love with Serena, a dazzling transfer student. I, knowing my place, withdrew from Leo’s life. Until an unexpected family crisis hit Leo’s family. Their funds were frozen, and they even got involved with people with dangerous connections. His dramatic early romance with Serena began to unravel. Leo had to go to the hospital after school to care for his injured father, then work consecutive shifts to earn money. He spent less and less time with Serena. Sometimes, when he returned to school, his clothes were dirty, bearing unexplained bruises. Nasty rumors circulated about Leo at school. They said the Evans family was definitely ruined this time, possibly owing millions, and would never recover. They said Leo might have been selling himself to some rich woman. Serena began to subtly and intentionally distance herself from Leo. Until Leo’s grades, which he had always prided himself on, started to drop, falling out of the top fifty in the entire school. Serena just transferred and ran off on a regular day. She didn’t even send a breakup text; she simply vanished from Leo’s life. Leo was completely broken, taking a long time to find the school Serena had transferred to. He walked in just as he saw her kissing her new boyfriend at a coffee shop outside the campus.

Like a background extra in some angsty teen drama, I stayed by Leo’s side through his toughest times. I watched the Evans family rise again, and I watched Leo transform from a positive, sunny optimist into someone cold, like a different person entirely. During the long summer after Leo graduated and went traveling abroad, I refused to go with him. I joined a gym to lose weight, practiced my posture, got cosmetic treatments for my acne and to brighten my skin, and took off my braces and thick-rimmed glasses. I enrolled in a film directing program, but then a renowned director picked me to star in a movie. My serious, self-conscious face was suddenly ‘brooding’ and ‘full of character.’ My awkwardness in conversation was transformed into a talent for delivering every line with precision. My ‘boring’ soul effortlessly embraced the passionate lives of the characters I played. And my naturally fierce-looking face and slow, sometimes dazed expressions inexplicably landed me on a trending topic for my unexpected charm. For the first time, I realized that from a different perspective, flaws could become strengths. Leo and I always stayed in touch. I thought we’d be just friends forever. Until I played a quirky, confident, and outspoken high school queen bee. He was the composer for the film’s theme song and followed the production for two months. On the night the film wrapped, he suddenly confessed. “Harper, I like you. Can I have a chance to pursue you?” He called me by my character’s name, ‘Harper,’ which everyone on set had been using to help me stay in character. But my excited heart suddenly sank. Yet, he looked so sincere, so eager, and I could feel the fear hidden in his eyes. He was afraid I’d reject him, afraid I, his ridiculous backup, would also abandon him. “Okay.” I smiled, fully aware that this was a wrong, even stupid, decision. But childhood dreams, they often resurface in the dead of night, compelling you to bet all your chips on a game. What if I won?

Sadly. Four years later, I would tell her: you lost, and you lost miserably. Right now. I swayed as I stood up, swatting Leo’s hand away, and walked towards the nervous young actor. I took the two discs from his hand. Both were labeled “Serena.” A clear, blatant ploy Serena orchestrated to intentionally make me feel sick. I knew that according to Leo’s plan, the lights should have dimmed by now. Leo would kneel on one knee, pull out that ring. We’d reminisce about the past through the video, and then, after a heartfelt confession, he’d ask that question: *Will you marry me?* But now, the ring was in the trash. The home-wrecker was at the main table. The渣男 (scumbag) was being held by the home-wrecker’s hand, repeatedly listening to her apologize. And I, his official girlfriend, was just a part of their twisted game. “I’m so sorry, Leo, I truly don’t know how those videos leaked. Please don’t mind it. Continue proposing to Harper.” Leo’s face was utterly grim. He took a step towards me, but still didn’t pull away from Serena’s hand. It was laughable, a walking tank who couldn’t shake off a tiny pebble. I wiped my blurring eyes, feeling like I deserved to be blind by now. “I’m not playing anymore.” Acknowledge the loss and move on. But this game was too disgusting. I had to flip the table to calm down. So, I walked up to Serena and politely asked. “Do you truly mean your apology?” Serena nodded furiously, tears streaming down her face, looking genuinely pitiful and innocent. I turned to Leo, and he had instinctively stepped forward, shielding Serena behind him. “This has nothing to do with Serena. It must have been a mistake by the disc burning company. Baby, you’ve always been good-tempered, you wouldn’t intentionally make things difficult for Serena, would you?” Honestly, anyone smart knows not to provoke a quiet person. Just as I decided, starting today, to unleash all 800 of my worst tempers on Leo and Serena. I gave a faint smile. Just as Leo let out a sigh of relief, about to say something. I firmly splashed the side plate, complete with the ring and shrimp shells, directly onto his face. “Eat well, you trash.” Amidst Serena’s gasp, I elegantly picked up two glasses of wine and splashed them at their feet. “You two are a perfect storm of toxic waste, a match made in hell! May your twisted love last forever.” 6. Skylar sat by my bed, her eyes cautiously fixed on me, lying there like a dead fish. She knew about Leo and Serena. And she knew just how much I had loved and indulged Leo all these years.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298623”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

I was kidnapped. The abductors demanded four million dollars from my mom. I scoffed. Four million? Chump change. But my mom? She wouldn’t spare a single dime, completely cutting ties with me. “Your mom’s a real piece of work!” the abductor growled, grinding their teeth. I nodded. “Tell me about it!” Three months later, the father I’d never known called. “Don’t worry, son, Dad’s coming to save you!” My abductor glanced at me, then barked into the phone, “Get lost! He’s mine now!” In a run-down, dingy room, I was tied to a chair, a woman with a dangerously alluring figure standing beside me. She held a sharp blade against my neck, and the phone in front of me already had a number dialed in. “You know what to say and what not to say, right?” “Uh-huh, uh-huh!” The cold blade sent shivers down my spine. The woman grunted softly, then hit the call button. “Hello, your son is with me, you—” “Mom, help me…” Beep, beep, beep! Before either of us could even finish, my mom had decisively hung up the phone. “Damn it!” The woman cursed, dialing the number again. “I don’t have this son. Don’t bother me!” The phone was hung up again, and after that, no one bothered to call back. The air in the room thickened instantly. Everyone was staring at me. “Your mom’s a real piece of work!” “I know, right?” A moment of awkward silence filled the space. “Chloe, what do we do now?” This woman, with her sharp looks and even sharper attitude, actually had a pretty nice name. Chloe blew a puff of smoke into my face, her voice ice-cold. “Kill him.” Oh, crap! I take back what I just said. Her name is awful! Wait, she’s ugly too!

At that moment, the blade was barely a millimeter from my eyebrow, but in just a few minutes, the woman holding it would be completely smitten with me. Because I’d decided to tell a lie, though I’ve told countless lies in my life. “Actually, I…” *SMACK!* Okay, fine. This awful woman wasn’t smitten; she just slapped me. “The blade’s practically on your face, and you’re still winking at me? You’re asking for it!” Chloe turned and walked away. I was left hanging upside down from the ceiling, swinging back and forth. Like a giant pendulum, I felt incredibly dizzy! “Chloe, I’m getting hypnotized by this guy.” One of the other women rubbed her forehead, whining playfully to Chloe. Chloe barely spared me a glance, then pushed her stack of cards across the table. “Stop making excuses. Full house, pay up.” There were a few scattered bills on the table; they weren’t playing for high stakes. “What are you looking at? Stare any longer and I’ll gouge your eyes out!” Chloe glared at me, then plunged her knife into the poker table. It nearly made me cry. She’s so scary! The others looked at me, whispering amongst themselves. “Chloe, he’s got such soft skin. Are you sure he won’t get hurt hanging there?” “Don’t those pretty boys in the industry usually throw a fit and demand an ER visit for just a tiny scratch?” Pretty boy? Those delicate men whose wounds would heal if they didn’t get to the hospital immediately? I’m a tough guy, alright! Chloe looked at me and sneered. My body gave an involuntary shudder. It wasn’t that I was scared; it was just that this woman felt more terrifying than a wild animal. “So concerned about him? Want me to arrange a wedding for you two?” “Uh, cough, c-can you?” That sister gave me a surprised glance, her eyes shining. “Don’t you want your money back? Are you just here to find dates now, huh?” Chloe snapped, and everyone else immediately fell silent. But my ears started ringing. Yeah, being hung upside down for this long was really getting to me. *SMACK!* Chloe slammed her hand on the table, stood up, and declared, “I’m done playing. Time to eat.” She started to leave. “I, I want to eat too…” Chloe paused, then turned back and glared at me. She then told the people around her, “Get him down. He’s annoying to look at.” … Damn it, who was it that hung me up in the first place?

All my life, I’d never experienced being hung upside down like that. After all, my mom was a so-called corporate tycoon in the entertainment industry. Four million dollars in ransom was pocket change to her. My name is Asher. My mom’s a tycoon, and my dad’s a hottie. Yeah, that’s right. Actually, I don’t even know who my dad is, because my mom has had so many boyfriends, but without exception, they were all good-looking. Since I couldn’t find my dad, I grew up living with my mom. Even though I never lacked money, I was the slowest kid in the family, so I had the lowest status and had to do everything. I once asked my mom where my dad went. She said he could go wherever he wanted, as long as he didn’t bother her. When my mom was in a bad mood, she liked to take it out on me because I was the most obedient and easy-going. I was always walking on eggshells, watching every word, worried I’d make her mad enough to kick me out. Who knew? She hadn’t even kicked me out yet when I got kidnapped. My hard times were about to begin.

When I finally recovered, I saw Chloe walking into the room carrying a plate of food. The aroma was incredible – my favorite comfort foods: Sticky BBQ ribs and sweet chili chicken wings! How could the food be this good in this godforsaken place? I stared, my mouth watering. She glanced at me. “What, you want some?” I nodded like crazy, my stomach rumbling. Yes, I wanted some! So badly! “Then just keep wanting.” Chloe looked at me provocatively, then picked up a rib and bit into it. That tender meat, that sauce! My tears of hunger ran down my chin. “Your mom owes me four million dollars. And you still want to eat?” “Yes.” I swallowed hard, answering cautiously. “Screw you!” Chloe was so annoyed she pointed a fork at me. “Don’t think just because you’re handsome and you look at me with those puppy-dog eyes, I’ll go soft. That doesn’t work on me!” She said I was handsome, ha-ha-ha! “What are you giggling about?” Chloe frowned at me, her expression like she was looking at an idiot. I didn’t dare say another word, standing quietly by her side. This woman was too ruthless, with astonishing strength. I couldn’t beat her. I vaguely heard someone say she’d been trained in self-defense from a young age… After a couple of bites, Chloe frowned and muttered, “Just looking at you makes me lose my appetite.” Then, she tossed her fork aside, picked up her phone, and walked out. Women are so strange; their moods change in an instant. The food smelled so delicious; how could anyone lose their appetite? Chloe was on the phone, but suddenly turned back and glanced at me, making me so startled I dropped the chicken bone I was holding. Luckily, she quickly turned away again, as if she hadn’t noticed me. Looking at the tempting food in the bowl, my hunger completely replaced my rationality. Who cares! Better to die full than starve to death! I devoured it, I devoured it fast! When Chloe returned, all that was left was untouched rice, a table full of bones, and me sucking my fingers. She twirled her small knife, staring at me coldly. “Uh, what if I told you I didn’t eat it? Would you believe me?” I chuckled nervously, backing away a few steps. “Not you?” Chloe’s face darkened as she advanced on me, step by step. I closed my eyes in fear. Something soft covered my mouth, carrying a fresh scent. I opened my eyes to see a tissue! “Can’t even wipe your mouth after sneaking food. You’re such an idiot.” Chloe sat down in a chair, lit a cigarette, and looked at me through the smoke. So embarrassing! Could the floor just swallow me whole? “Alright, let’s talk. What about the money your mom owes me?” “You should ask her for it.” “Ask her for what? She’s already fled the country.” Chloe took a deep drag from her cigarette, then coughed repeatedly, choking. I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t dare. “Then, how about you wait until I’m older, and I’ll pay you back?” I tentatively suggested. Chloe eyed me up and down, frowning. “A four-hundred-dollar male escort is better than you. How are *you* going to pay me back?” “I…” I was instantly indignant, feeling insulted, but as soon as I met her gaze, my anger fizzled out. “If you’re useless, then get lost. You’re an eyesore!” Chloe dropped the words and walked out without looking back. This woman is so weird; she kidnapped me, and now she finds me annoying. No wonder people say women are so hard to figure out. If I could leave, of course I would! Anywhere was better than being stuck with this terrifying woman who always carried a knife. So I ran out, not caring where I was going. Less than half an hour later, I scurried back.

This place was pitch black after dark. I could even hear the howls of coyotes or wolves coming from some distant mountain. It was absolutely terrifying! “What, you’ve got Stockholm Syndrome now?” Chloe leaned casually against the doorframe, watching me with amusement. “What… what syndrome?” I shook my head, trembling uncontrollably. “It’s raining hard, it’s too dark, and I can’t find my way. And I think there are wolves…” “How interesting. Aren’t you like a lamb to the slaughter right now?” A mocking smile played on her lips. I shook my head, saying nothing. Even if Chloe was a wolf, she was better than being eaten alive by those wild ones outside. Besides, I had a feeling she wasn’t as bad as she seemed? “Heh.” Chloe chuckled, continuing to size me up. “Do you know what a wolf means?” “Huh?” I was a bit confused. A wolf is just a wolf, right? Chloe slowly unhooked her tank top strap with her slender fingers, squinting at me. “Did your parents ever tell you that boys need to protect themselves when they’re out?” I looked at her exposed, sexy collarbone and pale shoulder, feeling instantly dizzy, and a warm rush surged into my nose. I was having a nosebleed! “You…” She sighed, rubbing her forehead, re-hooking her strap, then pulled out a pack of tissues and pressed them to my nose. “You can’t even handle that? How old are you, little brother?” Chloe asked, her voice exasperated. I held my nose for a while before the bleeding stopped, then quietly answered, “I, I just turned eighteen.” “Eighteen?” Chloe burst out laughing. “I’m ten years older than you, but you should still call me ‘sister.’” Ten years older, so yeah, ‘auntie’ probably wasn’t appropriate. Besides, this woman looked really pretty, not like the other women I saw on the street. “So, want to share a bed with sister tonight?” My body jolted, and I felt that warm rush in my nose again. “C-can I sleep on the sofa?” Chloe rolled her eyes at me, tossing me the pack of tissues. “Just messing with you. Look how scared you are.” “First thing tomorrow morning, you get out of my sight.” I scratched my head and said, “Oh.” Chloe seemed a bit unhappy. Women’s emotions really are unpredictable.

I’ve never had trouble sleeping, ever since I was a kid. I could fall asleep anywhere. The sofa here, though not big, was incredibly soft. I woke up already the next day, around noon. I woke up to the loud sound of chopping bones coming from the kitchen. Chloe had her hair tied up with a single chopstick, wielding a cleaver up and down. She actually hadn’t woken me up and kicked me out? “Still here?” She seemed to sense me behind her; her chopping paused slightly. “This place is too remote. I don’t know the way out, and I don’t have money for the bus fare home.” My heart trembled with each chopped bone, but I still forced myself to voice my thoughts. Last night, I almost got lost here. She slowly turned to look at me, a hint of sarcasm in her smile. “Then don’t leave. Anyway, the other girls like you.” My body tensed. I didn’t say anything. She ignored me again, continuing to chop the bones with force, as if that pig was her sworn enemy. Seeing me standing there, staring the whole time, she finally lost her patience. “Can you, you little punk, get your priorities straight?” “Your mom owes me millions, you’re the hostage I took, and you want me to give you bus fare home?” “Are you out of your mind?” I was so startled I nodded blankly, then shook my head. Then I followed closely behind her, arriving at the poker table downstairs. “I swear to God, I can’t take it anymore! Just take the money and get out!” Chloe dug a few bills out of her pocket and threw them at me, then sat down and lit a cigarette. I clutched the money, standing there, hesitant. “Still not leaving?” “Can you drive me down the mountain? I feel like the road is a bit far…” Chloe’s eyes widened, so angry she almost coughed up blood. “You took my money, and you still want me to drive you down the mountain? You’ve got some nerve!” “Get out, or I’ll chop you up too!” My heart jumped, but I still didn’t move. “Sister, I don’t think you’d chop me up.” “Damn it!” Chloe pulled a scythe from somewhere, and I ran off in terror, disappearing in an instant. This woman is definitely not a good person! I fled in tears, thinking I was finally leaving this scary place. Two hours later, I was back.

After finally making my way down the mountain, I found the town’s bus station. The old man at the gate was watching a video on his phone, and it happened to be a news report about my mom. Her company was under investigation after being reported, its funds frozen, and she owed a lot of money. She’d left the country with all my siblings—everyone but me. I stood beside the old man, stunned for a long time. Went out for a trip, and my home got stolen? It wasn’t until the old man, feeling a bit uncomfortable, nudged me that I snapped out of it. So I borrowed his phone and called my grandma. “Whatever you do, don’t come back! Right now, your mom’s creditors are staking out both the house and your school. You come back, and you’re dead!” How did I become a stray? If it weren’t for that damned Chloe kidnapping me, I’d probably be overseas with my mom right now! Thinking that, I actually found myself back at Chloe’s place. She slammed her cards aside, her face dark, and threw a few bills onto the table. “No wonder my luck’s been so bad today. It’s because you, you little punk, came back.” Chloe turned to look at me, a murderous expression on her face. “I have nowhere else to go.” “Oh, and?” Chloe lit a cigarette, watching me with a sneer. “So, can I stay here for a while?” “Are you crazy? Why would I take you in?” Chloe suddenly stood up, glaring at me. “Get out. I’m not joking.” “My mom will definitely contact me. Just let me wait a little longer…” I said, feeling a bit guilty, my voice barely a whisper. “Who ever heard of someone being kidnapped and then refusing to leave?” “Your mom owes me money, and now I have to raise her son, too, is that it?” “You…” I didn’t hear what she cursed about after that because everything went black, and I passed out. When I woke up again, I was lying on a long bench. Walking up and down the mountain the whole time, my blood sugar had dropped, and I’d actually fainted. Not far away, the chattering sounds of the card game continued. “Chloe, I think this little brother is pretty innocent.” “He was kidnapped, and his mom wouldn’t even pay the ransom. She just took her money and the other kids and ran off to another country.” “Yeah, what did he do wrong? He’s so pitiful!” … “He’s a capitalist’s kid! Are you all suddenly sympathizing with capitalists?” “Don’t you want your money anymore?!” Chloe rapped on the poker table with a card, sounding annoyed. “I think his mom is his mom, and he’s just a naive kid who hasn’t seen the world yet.” Right, right, that’s exactly it! “Look at his innocent, clueless face. He’s never suffered a day in his life, has he?” “Chloe, don’t you like these soft, sweet puppy types?” You guys… “If you like him, take him! I’m not taking care of him!” “Go, go, go!” When Chloe blew up, everyone scattered like birds. Silence fell, and then I heard Chloe’s calm voice. “If you’re awake, then get out!”

I awkwardly stood up and walked over to her. “Uh, please let me stay. I won’t let you lose out.” “Oh?” Chloe crossed her arms, giving me a flirty look. It made me pull my shirt collar up higher. “I mean, I can do your laundry, cook, serve you drinks, stuff like that.” “Look how messy your place is; it could use someone to tidy up…” Chloe’s place was indeed a mess. Her clothes and belongings were scattered everywhere, and the dishes in the sink looked like they hadn’t been washed in ages. When I was at home, because I wasn’t favored, I learned to cook and do housework from a young age. Just so my mom wouldn’t find me annoying. “Once my mom is done with this whole thing, she’ll definitely look for me, and I’ll make her pay you back!” I tried my best to give her a sincere look, but Chloe just put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. “What makes you think she’ll still care about you?” “Uh, she used to be very fond of me when I was little…” “Get out!” Even though Chloe told me to leave, this time she didn’t threaten me with a knife, and she turned and walked back into the house. Her tone had softened a bit, too. In that case, I’ll take it as her agreeing to let me stay!

Three months flew by, and my damn mom still hadn’t contacted me. Did she really not care about her handsome son anymore? Didn’t she know how hard I worked every day, sleeping on the couch, sweeping floors, and cooking? Okay, she probably knew and wouldn’t care anyway. After all this time, it seemed Chloe wasn’t really a bad person. At least she wasn’t like other kidnappers who threatened to cut off fingers at the drop of a hat. But I was homeless. Where was I supposed to go from here? Lost in thought while cooking, I was startled by Chloe, who suddenly appeared beside me, her hair a wild mess. Water from the soaking pork intestines splashed all over me. “Ugh, you stink!” Chloe pinched her nose, taking two steps back. “Go take a shower, now!” “Why did you suddenly appear? You scared me.” “You were spacing out, and you’re blaming me? Go, go, go!” She yelled at me, then started tidying up the kitchen herself. The bathroom wasn’t soundproof, so I heard a few people arrive outside. “Chloe, want to play cards? What are you doing?” “If you make another sound, you can help me clean.” “Where’s Asher? Usually, he’s always eager to help, isn’t he?” “He went to take a shower.” Silence fell again. I even stopped applying my body wash. “Ew~” “Chloe, you guys actually…” “It’s been a while since I had someone to spar with. My hands are getting itchy…” Silence descended once more, and I could even hear their sharp intakes of breath. Given the situation, I didn’t dare come out, so I just kept rinsing off. “Have you found his mom yet?” Chloe’s voice dropped, becoming serious. “We only heard she went abroad; there’s been no news since.” “And you still have time to play cards? Don’t you want your money back? Get out, all of you!” Chloe, furious, chased everyone out of the house. I only dared to come out when I heard the door close. Our eyes met. “Can’t you reach my mom?” “You can’t even reach your own mom. What makes you think I can?” Chloe exploded. “You said your mom would look for you! It’s been three months! Are you planning to freeload off me forever?” “Uh, c-can I?” “Can you my ass!”

“How much do you already owe me? I’ll make your mom pay me back with interest!” Chloe was really fierce, and she kept track of everything. In the three months I’d been here, every item I’d used, every meal I’d eaten, was recorded in her ledger. I opened the small notebook I carried, filled with densely packed notes—nearly half a book of bills. “Including the new towel and clothes from last night, it’s 3,427.5 dollars.” Chloe immediately smacked me on the head. She looked at me with a pained expression. “Over three thousand dollars? Kids these days have no idea about the cost of living. I’m practically single and still paying for everything!” “Is that a lot?” I rubbed my head, pondering. “At my house, clothes were usually at least a few thousand dollars an item, and a meal could cost tens of thousands.” Chloe glared at me, her expression a mixture of exasperation and disbelief. “Right, right, a meal costs tens of thousands, but you won’t pay me back four million!” Still fuming, she raised her hand and smacked me on the head again. “Wait, my money is my money. Why should I spend it on you?” “Anyone would think I’m supporting a sugar baby!” Chloe gave my body an annoyed look, muttering softly, “He does have soft skin, but he’s really too young…” “Not too young, not too young!” I rubbed my head, quickly saying, “Sister, can I be your boyfriend?” Chloe froze for a moment, then her eyes sparkled, and she couldn’t help but laugh. My face instantly flushed, and I asked, forcing myself, “Wh-what are you doing?” “I’m almost thirty, and you just turned eighteen. Do you really want to be a sugar baby?” “I’m not a sugar baby! I can go out and earn money!” Chloe laughed again. “Then go earn money! What are you doing, leeching off me here?” I suddenly felt awkward. I’d never worried about money my whole life, so of course, I didn’t know how to earn it. All I had to do every day was go to school, cook, and shop. Besides, I couldn’t even go out now; my mom’s creditors were everywhere, looking for me. “If you keep me here, my mom will definitely pay you back when she finds me.” “If I go out and get caught by other creditors, she might not prioritize paying you back.” After thinking for a long time, I came up with this relatively reasonable answer. No wonder they always said I was slow, not quick enough on the uptake. Chloe stared at me, dumbfounded. “Are you… threatening me?” I nodded, then, feeling it was wrong, shook my head. Chloe sneered, stepping closer and closer to me, her warm breath caressing my face. “You little punk, right after your shower, you really are full of that youthful, hormonal energy.” “I…” Faced with Chloe’s teasing, I backed away repeatedly, then slipped on a wet patch on the floor! *THUD!* Chloe had tried to grab me, but she also slipped, leading to a dramatic scene. I landed on the floor, and she almost kissed me, then our eyes met, and our cheeks flushed… No, there was a murderous glint in her eyes. “Asher, are you trying to die?” “Purely accidental…” Why wasn’t this like those late-night romantic dramas? After getting a slap, she pulled me up, then turned to leave the house. “Chloe!” “What?” Chloe turned back, looking at me coldly. “My head hurts.” I clutched my head, my body trembling slightly. “Why are you so much trouble?” Chloe sighed, walking towards me with a helpless expression. “Sit on the couch. Let me see.” I obediently sat down, and she gently brushed my hair aside. “Oh, you bumped your head and it’s swelling.” After saying that, she went back to her room, got a bottle of medicine, and applied it with a cotton swab. She stood in front of me, roughly pushing my head down, and only then was she satisfied as she applied the medicine. But why did my face feel so hot, like I was incredibly shy? “Ouch.” “You big baby, what’s a little pain? Deal with it!” After applying the medicine, she pushed me away. Though it was a bit rough, my heart felt warm. Because ever since I was little, when I got hurt, no one ever cared, let alone put medicine on me like this. “I’ve decided!” “Decided to leave?” Chloe looked at me with a calm expression, a faint smile still on her face. I shook my head, saying earnestly, “From now on, I’ll work for you, and the pay will count towards what I owe you.” “What can you do for me?” I counted on my fingers. “For example, sweeping for one hundred, cooking for two hundred, tidying the house for three hundred…” Chloe’s eyes widened, and her voice held a hint of disbelief. “Are you trying to rob me?”

“You could just rob me directly, but you’re still offering me services. You’re quite generous, aren’t you?” “Right?!” I laughed along with her. Then I got another smack on the head. “Right your head!” Chloe stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at me. “One meal you cook costs more than someone else’s food budget for days!” Then she added, “And I buy the groceries!” If we can’t agree, we can’t agree. Why get so angry… I muttered softly, “When I was little, that’s how we earned our allowance at home. We used to fight over chores.” Who knew that hearing this made Chloe even angrier. “Do you think I’m your mom? I can’t afford that!” I stood rooted to the spot, not daring to breathe. It seemed this repayment plan wouldn’t work. Seeing my silence, Chloe stood up and started to leave. She casually tossed out, “Then just write it down. I’d like to see how long it takes you to pay it all back.” My eyes lit up. Did she agree? It looks like my path to paying her back is moving forward! “Thank you, Sister!” I quickly chased after her, following close behind. “What do you want?” Chloe frowned, looking at me. “Of course, to stay by your side and help you whenever you need it!” Isn’t that how it is in movies? A boss with a subordinate doing everything. Then every task could be added to the ledger! “Do you even know what I’m going to do before you follow me?” “No matter what you do, I can help!” I blinked enthusiastically. Chloe frowned, rubbing her temples, then smiled sweetly. “Are you sure?” Even though something felt off, I nodded firmly. Rather than staying home every day, agonizing over why I was abandoned, it was better to do more things and pay off the debt sooner. “Let’s go.” I followed Chloe out, and we eventually arrived at a vineyard. Apparently, it was Chloe’s own vineyard, where she worked with her friends, harvesting grapes and making wine. When we arrived, I was a bit stunned. Chloe, this tough-as-nails woman, was a winemaker? They all looked a bit surprised to see me. “Isn’t that little Asher? Here to see Sister Chloe?” The speaker was Jasmine, whom I always saw during card nights at Chloe’s house. She was quite bold and liked to joke around with me in ways that left me unsure how to respond. “Jasmine, you dare to steal Chloe’s man? Aren’t you afraid you haven’t picked enough grapes?” “Careful, Chloe might make you go online and pull one of those ‘sick grandpa needs help selling his organic produce’ scams…” … “If you keep babbling, I’ll turn you into compost!” When Chloe spoke, no one dared to say another word. “Exactly, exactly! Get back to work!” Jasmine handed me a shiny apple. “Little Asher, I just picked this from the orchard next door.” I was about to take it, but Chloe stepped forward. “Are you done picking today’s grapes, that you’re off picking apples?” Jasmine scratched her head, chuckling nervously, then left. “What is it?” Chloe looked at me, annoyed. I paused, then said, “Chloe, are you always so fierce? They’re all so scared of you.” Chloe’s cold eyes gazed at me, a faint smile playing on her lips. “What, are you feeling sorry for them?”

I scratched my head, thinking for a moment. “I guess being yelled at *does* make you feel sorry.” “Then go ahead and feel sorry!” Chloe tossed out the words and turned to leave, leaving me standing there, unsure what to do. Later, Jasmine quietly doubled back and led me to a shaded area. She handed me the apple and asked what I was doing there. I said I wanted to help, so she taught me how to pick grapes. Her temper was much better than Chloe’s. “Actually, Chloe is a really good person. She once signed with a management company, hoping to promote local wines via social media.” “But the company swindled a lot of people’s money, so she came back to the vineyard to help, and she’s supported a lot of us.” Jasmine told me this while we picked grapes. I muttered guiltily, “Could it have been my mom’s company?” Jasmine pinched my cheek, smiling. “Don’t overthink it. Whatever your mom did, it has nothing to do with you.” “That money was very important to us, so out of desperation, we resorted to this plan, intending to use you to get it back. But we never intended to really harm you.” I shook my head, filled with remorse. “I’m sorry, it really was my mom’s fault.” “You silly boy, stop blaming yourself. Chloe herself covered a lot of the money for us and gave us good-paying jobs.” “That’s why we’re all willing to follow her.” I looked unexpectedly at Chloe’s busy figure. She was willing to live in a simple cottage in the mountains, yet she’d take her own money to compensate the people who followed her. All of this was caused by my mom. Suddenly, my heart was overwhelmed with guilt. Jasmine taught me a lot about wine, things I only knew from novels where wine was used to describe wicked female characters. The other women would also gather around me to chat after finishing their work. The air here was fresh, filled with laughter, and I quickly adapted, staying for two weeks straight. Looking at the densely packed entries in my notebook, the money kept climbing, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Every time you write in that silly notebook, you smile like an idiot.” Chloe often teased me when she saw me diligently writing in my notebook. “Who isn’t happy when they’re making money, right?” I looked up, still beaming. Chloe raised her hand and smacked me on the head. “You and your mom are happy, making money off me, just trying to bleed me dry?” “Chloe, I’m sorry.” I felt incredibly guilty about this, but I didn’t know what else to do. If I could contact my mom, I’d make her pay, no matter what. But would I ever see her again in this life? “Why are you calling the others ‘sister’ so sweetly at the vineyard, but you’re using my first name here?” I looked at Chloe, confused. Her focus was so strange. “They’re all older than me. Isn’t it right for me to call them ‘sister’?” I asked cautiously. “Aren’t I older than you?” “Then I’ll call you ‘Sister’ too!” “Who cares! Go make me a bowl of beef noodles!” “No beef left. Is braised beef noodle okay?” “Get out!” …

Although the road ahead was uncertain, life here was calm and fulfilling. But this afternoon, uninvited guests arrived, shattering the peace. Outside the vineyard, a black SUV pulled up, and several menacing-looking men stepped out. They came specifically asking for me. Jasmine and the others gathered around me protectively, while Chloe, holding a sharp knife, walked up to the men. “What is it?” Chloe’s voice remained cold and steady. The man in charge looked under thirty, with a neck tattoo that made him look like trouble. He took off his sunglasses, sizing up Chloe for a long time. “I’m looking for the punk named Asher. Who are you, interfering?” As he spoke, a few men behind him pulled out collapsible batons and swung them a few times. Even though I was terrified, at that moment, I wanted to rush forward and stand in front of her, but Jasmine and the others held me back tightly. Chloe glanced back at me, then said to the man, “He’s *my* person. Why can’t I interfere?” At her words, all the women looked at me. I was Chloe’s person? “Oh?” The tattooed man’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me, a sneer curling his lips. “Didn’t realize you liked to rob the cradle.” “If he’s your person, then you can pay the money he owes us!” *The money *I* owe?* They were my mom’s creditors! They actually tracked me down here! Chloe glanced back at me, showing no sign of backing down. “He doesn’t owe the money. You’ve got the wrong person.” “A mother’s debt is her child’s responsibility, it’s just how it is!” The tattooed man was clearly impatient and tried to walk towards me directly. “Since we can’t find his mom, I’ll just take him!” I instinctively retreated, backing up. This was the first time I felt so “in demand.” But these two kidnappings definitely weren’t the same. If *they* took me, I might actually end up missing an arm or a leg. “Wait!” Chloe reached out and stopped them, the knife in her hand flashing with a cold, silver gleam. My heart skipped a beat. Chloe was protecting me? She was actually sticking up for me? “If you’re going by that logic, I’m also his creditor. You’re not taking him until I get my money back.” Chloe’s voice was firm, as cold as my heart felt right then. *Of course.* She was only keeping me for the money. The tattooed man stared at Chloe for a while, then said in a threatening tone, “Are you sure you want to stop me?” As he spoke, several men behind him also stepped forward. The pressure was intense. Chloe took a deep breath, calmly stating, “You want to compare numbers?” I glanced at the women around me, feeling confused. Soon, I heard the sound of motorcycles approaching, seven or eight bikes finally pulling up, each with two riders. They held butcher knives, and some even had bloodstains on their clothes, looking like a real rough crowd. They surrounded the men in suits, staring at them menacingly. Jasmine told me these were all Chloe’s friends, who ran a cattle and sheep slaughterhouse business. No wonder they had such an intense, almost murderous aura. You’d think they’d killed people. “Leave now, and I’ll pretend you were never here. Otherwise…” Chloe’s words made the tattooed man’s face darken. He looked around at the menacing group, then finally showed a look of suppressed anger. “I’m not going to argue with a woman. You just wait!” After dropping a final threat, he turned and got into his car, speeding away. That night, Chloe and I ate beef noodles at home, silent. I hesitated, then spoke. “I’m sorry. I caused you trouble.” I hadn’t expected those creditors to find me here. Chloe must be so angry. Chloe shook her head, saying nothing. I pulled something from my pocket and placed it in front of her. She looked at it, confused. “Jasmine and the others said it’s your birthday today.” Chloe didn’t care about birthdays; her friends always remembered and gave her gifts. “You know how to braid bracelets?” Chloe asked, a little amused, but her hands were already playfully fiddling with it. Jasmine and the others had taught me how to braid this bracelet out of dried grapevines. It took me half a day to get it right. “Of course! I’m very handy!”

Chloe stared at me for a moment, then smiled faintly. “Do you drink?” I froze, then nodded. My mom always said one thing: if you can’t drink, you can forget about getting investments. She’d told this to the celebrities and influencers at her company. Chloe took a bottle of liquor and two glasses from the cabinet, filling the glasses with ice. “Happy Birthday.” Our glasses clinked, a crisp sound. I downed the contents of my glass in one go, then the bitter taste made me cough uncontrollably, my face flushing red. Chloe burst out laughing beside me. It was the first time I’d seen her so happy. “That’s *your* idea of drinking? Who drinks like that?” I wiped my mouth, tears in my eyes. “That’s how I saw them drink at my mom’s corporate events.” At that, Chloe’s smile faded, replaced by a trace of worry. “Asher, aren’t you supposed to be applying for college soon?” My heart sank. Was she trying to get rid of me? “Yeah,” I mumbled. “I’ll find you a school. Don’t mess up your college entrance exams.” Chloe looked at me seriously, not joking. I shook my head. “I don’t want to.” “Why?” “I don’t want to leave you.” Chloe’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, and perhaps some delight. “Are you drunk?” She pinched my cheek. My face felt even hotter. I looked at my empty glass again, then smiled foolishly, shaking my head. I don’t know where the courage came from, but I asked, “Chloe, are you only keeping me here to get money from my mom?” Chloe chuckled, taking a sip of her drink. “Keeping you won’t make your mom pay.” “Then you…” Chloe leaned her face closer. She seemed to be swaying, no, everything around me was swaying. “Didn’t you hear it clearly today?” “You’re *my* person.” Huh? I didn’t react for a moment; the change was too sudden. “What, you don’t want to be?” Chloe looked at me sideways, her eyes twinkling with amusement. My heart started beating uncontrollably fast. “Chloe, I think I’ve fallen for you.” “Since when?” Chloe didn’t seem surprised, just asked calmly. “I don’t know.” I shook my head. “Maybe when you took such good care of me when I had a fever in the middle of the night, or when you stood up for me today, or perhaps just in some random moment we spent together…” “Don’t you think I’m a bad person?” Chloe continued to ask. A bad person? Compared to the people I usually saw at parties, Chloe didn’t seem like a bad person at all. She only ever yelled at me; she never hurt me. “I think if you weren’t so fierce, you’d probably be a good person,” I said with a silly grin. “Ungrateful brat!” Chloe rolled her eyes, but her voice was much softer. And then. I seemed to hear Chloe say something, and then my mind went blank, losing consciousness. When I woke up again, I smelled a faint, familiar scent beside me. This wasn’t the sofa I usually slept on, and the blanket smelled like a girl’s room. But Chloe was gone. On the table was a bowl of beef noodles, without cilantro. Where had she gone? As I was eating my noodles, Jasmine pushed the door open and came in front of me. “Little Asher, your dad’s here to pick you up!” I froze. My long-lost dad? “I don’t want the money; I want to keep him.” Chloe, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. — I followed Jasmine to the wooden cabin at the vineyard, where Chloe was sitting opposite a middle-aged man.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298622”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic

In the darkest year of his life, Alexander Thorne was forced to abandon his first love and marry me in a strategic alliance. For seven years, we fought. For seven years, he despised me. He would often curse, “Why don’t you just die already, you wicked woman?” As he wished, I was finally dying. It was the start of winter when a terrible headache sent me to the hospital. The results came back, but the doctor held the papers tight, refusing to hand them over. Inside the office, the middle-aged head doctor, dressed in a white coat, spoke again, his expression complex and troubled. “Miss, it’s best if you bring a family member.” I wasn’t stupid. My fingers tangled together, and for a fleeting moment, a chill spread through my limbs. But I pushed through it, my voice steady. “My family can’t make it right now.” “Doctor, please, just tell me. I can handle it.” A flicker of pity passed through the doctor’s eyes behind his glasses. After a brief, heavy silence, he repeated, “Still, it’s better if a family member comes.” It seemed my psychological fortitude, no matter how strong, wouldn’t be enough for this. I glanced at the stack of suppressed test results. Behind me, outside the door, other patients waited. I had no choice but to stand up and step out to make a call. Nearly half an hour later, he finally answered. Alex’s voice, cold and impatient, crackled through the phone. “What kind of stunt are you pulling now?”

My fingers, clutching the phone, tightened for a second, stiff and cold. I forced a smile, a light laugh bubbling out. “I have some good news. Meet me at the city hospital, and I’ll tell you.” He muttered, “Crazy,” and was about to hang up. My voice sharpened with urgency. “I’m not lying. The doctor asked me to call a family member.” Alex seemed to find it amusing. “What, a terminal illness? Scarlett Hayes, has fate finally decided to claim you?” A sharp pang, sudden and brutal, pierced through my heart. Seven years of arguing with Alex, and I still hadn’t learned to be numb to his words. I truly had no other choice but to soften my voice. “Why don’t you just come? After all these years as husband and wife…” He cut me off, his voice laced with utter disgust. “Scarlett Hayes, don’t you dare try to disgust me!” Standing in the biting wind outside the clinic building, a sudden chill enveloped my entire body. He hung up after throwing out, “Call me when you’re dead, I’ll send a hearse.” I waited until five in the afternoon, but Alex, predictably, never showed. I had no one else to call. My mom wasn’t well. She’d been rushed to the ER a few days ago and only discharged yesterday. After racking my brain, I found a young woman online, doing odd jobs, just before the hospital closed. I asked her to pretend to be my sister and retrieve the test results from the doctor. When she finally emerged with the papers, her eyes were red. Her voice thick with tears, she choked out, “Sis, maybe you really should get a family member to come.” I took the papers from her, a wry smile touching my lips. “Then why do you think I called you?” Her tears spilled over, tracing paths down her cheeks. I paid her, then spent a long time comforting her before finally sending her off. It was only after she left that the realization truly hit me. The brain cancer diagnosis on the paper, “less than six months to live,” was about me. Human emotions are strange. Slow to arrive, yet overwhelmingly intense. On the taxi ride home, I sat in the backseat. Through the window, I watched the yellow leaves swirl and drift across the ground. Tears suddenly streamed down my face. With less than six months left to live, I was only just realizing. How incredibly wasteful these seven years spent on Alex had been.

I took a taxi home, fumbling in the dark for the light switch. Just as I’d settled on the couch with a bowl of instant noodles, the front door creaked open. I froze, surprised, and looked towards the entrance. Genevieve had finally returned after seven years abroad, and I’d assumed Alex wouldn’t bother coming home tonight. But quickly, the surprise faded from my face. Alex strode in, his expression dark and thunderous. Clutching his hand, her fingers intertwined with his, was Genevieve, her face streaked with tears, looking utterly heartbroken. I eyed his clearly accusatory stance and wracked my brain. I was certain I hadn’t done anything to upset his beloved childhood sweetheart. The moment Genevieve saw me, she burst into fresh tears, looking even more wronged. “Scarlett, I know you don’t like me, but my sister is innocent.” I had no idea what she was talking about. I stirred my noodles, about to pick up my forks. Alex, still holding Genevieve’s hand, took a few steps forward, snatched the bowl from me, and tossed it straight into the nearby trash can. His face was contorted with fury. “Genevieve is talking to you! Are you deaf?” I shot up, furious, forcing down a searing pain in my head. “You two are insane! Get help!” Alex let out a few cold, mocking laughs. “Couldn’t trick me into coming, so you went after Genevieve’s sister? You can even invent a terminal illness. Scarlett Hayes, don’t you ever get tired?” My head throbbed fiercely, making my reactions sluggish. But I still understood. The young woman I’d casually hired for a part-time job that afternoon was Genevieve’s sister. An unbelievably cruel coincidence. I wasn’t sure if it was extreme anger or sheer hunger, but a sudden spell hit me. My vision blurred, and cold sweat beaded on my back. My body felt unwell, and my emotions surged with sudden irritation. So I decided to just give up, letting out a sneer. “No, not tired at all.” “As long as I can make you and Genevieve miserable, nothing’s too much effort.” A vein pulsed visibly on Alex’s forehead. He flung the terminal illness diagnosis sheet, brought back from the hospital, right in front of my face. His voice was a low, guttural snarl. “A despicable woman like you truly deserves a terminal illness! You should just die already!” The edge of the paper grazed my cheek, leaving a sharp sting. Alex tightened his grip on Genevieve’s hand and turned to leave. I watched the diagnostic sheet flutter past my eyes, then slowly drift to the floor. A violent dizziness hit me without warning. My body swayed, and I crashed to the ground. My instincts made me reach out for something, anything, but I only managed to knock a delicate porcelain set off the coffee table. The ceramics shattered, leaving a mess across the floor. Alex paused at the doorway, turning back. Perhaps the sight of me collapsing from being hit by an A4 paper was just too comically fake. His eyes full of revulsion, he spat out “Disgusting,” then slammed the door shut, taking his first love with him. I watched his retreating figure vanish outside the door, without a single flicker of hesitation or regret. I slipped into unconsciousness, my awareness completely fading.

Alex and I were, to put it simply, an arranged marriage. Seven years ago, he came to my family with his father, asking for my hand. I’d been secretly in love with him since childhood. That day, seeing the deep affection in his eyes as he said he loved me, it felt like a dream. We were happy for about six months after the wedding. Then, on his birthday, six months later. I’d painstakingly prepared a table full of his favorite dishes, waiting for him to come home. I waited until deep into the night. He finally stumbled in, drunk. His expression was one of despair and profound sorrow, a look I’d never seen on him before. He staggered over, then, with a sweep of his arm, violently knocked all the dishes onto the floor. I stood frozen by the table, my face aghast. It wasn’t until Alex, in a drunken daze, his face contorted, reached out and grabbed my neck. His voice was full of hatred and resentment. “I married you! Why did you still force Genevieve to go abroad?!” “Why aren’t you satisfied? Why aren’t any of you satisfied?!” I stared at the man who had always been so gentle, now behaving like a madman. My expression was blank. “Alex, what are you talking about?” His face was tormented, his eyes, brimming with hatred, seemed to want to flay me alive. “You conspired with my family to kick me out of Thorne Industries, caused my mom to suffer a heart attack and be hospitalized!” “Then you cut off all our cards, just to make me abandon Genevieve and marry you, didn’t you?!” I didn’t understand a single word, yet I felt like I understood everything. “So, Genevieve is the one you love?” Alex tightened his grip on my throat, not uttering another word. My burning love, little by little, plunged into an icy abyss. I looked at the man before me, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “So, you never loved me, and you never wanted to marry me?” Alex stared at me. Under the stark white light, he spoke, word by agonizing word. “Love you? No. I wish you were dead. I wish all of you were dead!” It felt like a lightning bolt had struck me. After a long while, I slowly calmed down, accepting the absurd truth. I looked at him, then, after a long pause, spoke calmly. “Alex, I wouldn’t stoop to such things.” “And my mother, she would never.” I did love him. I had loved him for so many years. But I wasn’t stupid. I wouldn’t demean myself. My mother had taught me since childhood that you can’t force love. Alex violently shoved me away, then stormed out, slamming the door. After that, we never knew peace again.

When I woke from unconsciousness, I was already in a hospital bed. Outside, the sky was bright. My mom, Evelyn, sat by my bed, her eyes red and swollen, with dark circles beneath them. She’d always been a powerful businesswoman. Her usually meticulously sharp makeup was now smudged and worn. Seeing me awake, she gripped my hand tightly. “Scarlett, did Alex hurt you?” My eyes welled up instantly, but I forced a smile and shook my head. “No, Mom, of course not.” My mom’s expression was agitated and furious. “You’re still lying to me.” “If I hadn’t gone to your place yesterday, no one would have known you collapsed. The cups were shattered everywhere. Were you two fighting?” I remembered the scene from last night, and the diagnostic sheet lying on the floor. My heart suddenly sank, overwhelmed with panic. My mom and I had only each other for so many years. If she knew about my illness, she wouldn’t be able to bear it. But I quickly calmed down. From her appearance, it seemed she’d rushed me to the hospital last night and hadn’t noticed the paper. My soaring anxiety subtly eased. I forced another smile. “Mom, I really just had a bad cold and a headache.” “I got dizzy when I got back and accidentally knocked over the tea set myself.” As I spoke, I pulled out my phone and showed her old cold diagnosis reports. My mom glanced at them, then stared at my face for a long time in silence. My conscience pricked, and I had to force myself to maintain a calm facade. Time ticked by, second by second. I had a bad feeling, sensing my mom had discovered something. But then, her phone rang. It seemed to be something urgent. My mom stood up after the call, her expression anxious. “Something’s come up at the company, Scarlett, you here…” She’d managed the company alone for so many years, constantly busy, it wasn’t easy for her. I immediately spoke up. “Mom, go. I’m not critically ill, and there are doctors and nurses here to look after me.” My mom hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll come back to see you later, then. Call me if anything happens.” I watched my mom leave in a hurry. For some reason, I just felt like something wasn’t right. My brain cancer was already advanced. How much longer I had to live, no one could say. After much thought, it seemed many things needed to be planned for sooner rather than later. I pulled out my phone and called Julian Vance, my childhood friend, asking him to help me draft my will. He was a lawyer, after all, and more professional in these matters. Less than half an hour later, he arrived at my hospital room, looking disheveled. The moment he stepped in and saw me in the hospital bed, his expression froze. His voice was filled with shock. “Scarlett, what… what happened to you?”

I knew I’d lost a lot of weight recently. In just half a month, I must have dropped over ten pounds. Julian sat down by my bed, sighing. “Scarlett, why do you put yourself through this? Staying with him, you’re only hurting yourself.” He knew about the discord in my marriage with Alex. His expression was filled with pity. “Get a divorce. I’ll represent you.” This time, I didn’t refuse. I nodded. “Okay.” Julian’s face froze. He hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. He was right. I used to deliberately drag things out. Alex and I had long lost any affection for each other, and neither of us wanted to continue. But it was a matter of pride; neither wanted to be the first to suggest divorce or concede. We’d discussed it during our worst arguments. But Alex had always claimed it was my wicked schemes that tore him and his first love apart. Therefore, I should walk away with nothing. All the business dealings between Thorne Industries and Hayes Corp. should also end with Hayes Corp. bearing all the losses. I could never agree to that. I, on the other hand, believed he should leave empty-handed. He should return all the advantages he gained by marrying me. Including his position as CEO of Thorne Industries. Then he could go live a romantic but hard life with his first love. Naturally, our arguments never reached a consensus. So for all these years, we’d both been dragging each other down. But now, I didn’t want to die still carrying the title of “Mrs. Thorne.” It was frankly sickening. I told Julian my thoughts. “Thorne Industries is a huge corporation. It’ll be hard for me to gain much by suing Alex.” “But Alex’s father and grandfather are reasonable enough.” “So I’d like your help to gather evidence of Alex’s infidelity.” Julian nodded. “With that evidence, you’ll have a stronger case for fighting for assets.” I agreed. “I don’t really care about the assets.” “My mom already has plenty of assets; she wouldn’t even be able to spend more money if she had it.” “I just want the Thornes to know that Alex is at fault.” “So they won’t make trouble for my mom in the future.” Julian frowned. “Your mom might not need the assets, but you do, Scarlett. You’re still young, you have a long life ahead of you. Can you really have too much money?” I gave a bitter laugh. My lips were cracked, and I tasted blood. “I won’t be around to spend it,” I whispered. “I don’t have that kind of luck.” Seven years of constant conflict. Now, I just wanted a clean break from Alex.

I didn’t want to keep it from Julian. The divorce and the will, I was entrusting to him. My illness, naturally, I had to tell him. I pulled out my phone and showed him the photo of my diagnostic report. “I have late-stage brain cancer.” “So I want to finalize the divorce and the will as quickly as possible.” Julian took my phone. As he saw the photo, his hand trembled violently, and the phone clattered to the floor. After a long moment, when he finally picked up the phone, I saw his face turn ashen. He even had tears in his eyes. To be honest, his reaction scared me. He was a grown man; the last time he’d cried was probably when he was four or five. His lips trembled. “You’re only in your twenties, how is this possible?” I handed him a tissue, a little tearful and bewildered. “Don’t be like that. I haven’t even cried yet.” Julian’s throat was tight with emotion. He couldn’t compose himself for a long time. Seeing him cry, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad myself. I sighed. “I’m actually okay. I just feel bad for my mom.” “She raised me alone for so many years, it wasn’t easy. I always hoped I’d take good care of her and give her some grandkids.” Alex, of course, would never have children with me. Because Julian was so emotional, we spent the entire morning on the will and discussing the divorce. Before he left, I cautiously reminded him again. “The most important thing is still finding proof of Alex’s relationship with Genevieve.” “The more intimate, the better. I’ll take it to Arthur and Silas Thorne then.” Julian’s face was dark, his eyes still red. He poured me warm water and bought me some food. Seemingly on the verge of breaking down, he left the items, called a nurse, and then departed. I ate a small portion of the food in front of him. But as soon as he left, I put down my forks. My head hurt, and my stomach was upset; I really couldn’t eat. The food I’d forced down made me nauseous, and I ended up throwing it all back up. I think I even cried while throwing up. Completely drained, I lay back, trying to catch my breath. The moment my back touched the bed, I heard a loud, sudden crash. It was followed by a scream from the nurse who had just come in to watch over me, startled. Alex burst through the door, pushing it open with furious force. His face was murderous. He stormed over, grabbed my arm, and yanked me up from the bed. Every word he uttered was laced with raging hatred. “Scarlett Hayes, are you really going to force my hand?!”

I was forced to sit up. My vision blurred, and my stomach churned violently. I managed to hold it in, barely avoiding throwing up on Alex. Alex seemed to have gone mad with rage. He sent the nurse away, his grip on my arm painfully tight. “You sent your mother to make a scene at my house! Aren’t you just upset Genevieve came back?” “I don’t love you. After all these years, this is the first time I wanted Genevieve to come back and see her. Is that so wrong?!” My heart plummeted. My mom had found out, as expected. She would never let me suffer. I desperately tried to push Alex away, wanting to rush to the Thornes’ house to find my mom. But Alex held me tightly, refusing to let go. His eyes looked like they wanted to devour me whole. “Genevieve has been abroad for seven years.” “Are you so evil that you demand I never see her again?” A sharp, piercing pain started in my head. The pain intensified rapidly, as if my skull were being torn apart. I was trembling uncontrollably, my voice shaky. “Let go. I need to find my mom.” Alex’s grip didn’t soften in the slightest. He sneered. “What, you think your mom didn’t make a big enough scene? Scarlett Hayes, you didn’t marry me for love back then either.” “All these years, haven’t you and your mother gotten everything you wanted? Why won’t you let me go?!” I froze for a second, not understanding his words. He, Alex Thorne, could marry me without loving me. But I, if I hadn’t loved him, would never have married him. He met my gaze, then suddenly, viciously, threw a stack of photos in front of me. “Do you really think I’m a fool?” “Less than six months into our marriage, you were already consulting Julian Vance about how to divorce me and take a share of the Thorne family assets.” I looked, disbelievingly, at the photos scattered across the bed. They chronicled almost every interaction Julian and I had shared over the past seven years. The earliest of those photos were, just as Alex said, from less than six months into our marriage. I racked my brain for a long moment, finally managing to recall that incident.

It was over six years ago. Julian and I did discuss divorce that day. But it wasn’t my divorce. It was Julian who wanted to divorce his wife. At the time, Julian’s law firm was in trouble, and he didn’t want to burden his wife. He planned to divorce her and give her what little assets he had. But his wife wouldn’t accept it. So, at the coffee shop, he told me he wanted to create evidence of the husband’s infidelity to ensure his wife received a larger share of assets, while he, the husband, would legally walk away with nothing. This way, his wife wouldn’t feel guilty. I felt a degree of sympathy for Julian’s predicament. So, after our conversation, I handed him a bank card, offering it as a temporary loan. It was only afterward that I realized I’d given him the wrong card – Alex’s paycheck card. Alex had given it to me on our wedding night. After intimacies and a few drinks, a half-drunk Alex had held me and said, “My money should be with my wife.” He was the CEO of his family’s company, but he still received a monthly salary. After giving me the card, many of his other income streams, like investments, would also be directed by his assistant straight to the card I held. After realizing my mistake, I contacted Julian the next day and swapped the cards back. Now, looking back, it occurred to me that Alex might have known everything – our conversation in the coffee shop, and perhaps even the card I’d handed over. Because Julian’s wife was an actress, they had kept their marriage secret. Alex, unaware Julian was married, had completely misunderstood. For a moment, I even had the absurd thought that Alex, speaking of those things with such fury, and tracking my interactions with Julian for seven years… Could it be that he loved me a little, that he cared? But then, the man before me spoke, shattering my utterly ridiculous fantasy. Alex’s voice was laced with sarcasm. “Scarlett Hayes, before you go to all that trouble digging up dirt on me and Genevieve.” “Maybe you should think about how you’ll explain yourself if these photos go public.” My heart plummeted instantly. So, it was a threat. I wanted to explain, but then I thought, what’s the point? It was laughable. He wouldn’t care about the so-called truth anyway. The words died on my lips, replaced by a cold sneer. I said flatly, “Think what you want.” Alex looked down at me, then suddenly reached out, harshly wiping his thumb across my lower eyelid. He snarled, almost gnashing his teeth, “You only cry in front of him. Scarlett Hayes, you disgust me.” After Alex stormed off in a rage, I immediately rushed to the Thorne family estate to find my mom. When I arrived, Alex had just pulled up too. He held Genevieve’s hand tightly, cast a cold glance at me, then entered the house, with me following closely behind.

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While Julian was with the woman he always loved, at her prenatal check-up. I was scheduling my own abortion, alone. Our eyes met. I forced a small smile. “What a coincidence.” Later, I wished them a long and happy life together, but he wasn’t pleased. “Julian!” The familiar name caught my breath, and I looked up sharply. A man and a woman stood facing each other a short distance away. The woman was delicately pretty, with a subtle curve to her belly. The man was tall and handsome… It was my husband, just a month after we got married. My mind went completely blank at the sight. I quickly ducked around the corner, and by the time my brain started functioning again, I couldn’t hear their voices. She was pregnant. The woman Julian loved was pregnant. He was there with her for her prenatal check-up, and the scene was so perfectly harmonious, so beautiful. A baby should be born into the eager anticipation of its parents. I gently stroked my own abdomen, then after a long moment, I walked to another part of the clinic. The nurse mentioned needing a family member to sign off on the procedure, but I was firm. “No, thank you. I can be responsible for my own body, and I have the right to decide whether or not to have a child.” I signed my name and went out to wait. Serena’s voice drifted closer. “Not at all, I haven’t had any morning sickness. Maybe the baby’s just a little angel, a blessing.” I turned my head. Julian and Serena were walking side-by-side. Julian held a bag in his hand; it must have been Serena’s. Our eyes met. He paused, looking surprised, as if he hadn’t expected to see me there. I stood up, forcing a small smile. “What a coincidence.” Julian’s expression quickly returned to normal. “What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice low and casual, with a hint of indifference. I just smiled, retorting, “You?” Julian: “Just picking something up. Are you done?” “I still have to wait a bit.” “Then I’ll get going.” Julian said, then walked past me and left. Serena gave me a small nod and a gentle smile, then followed Julian’s pace. I sat back down. The plastic chair felt cold. Finally, I was on the operating table, the surgical light bright above me. I closed my eyes, and hot tears streamed down my face. It was dark by the time I left the hospital. I called an Uber home to our new house. Mrs. Gable told me Julian had been back for a while, waiting for me for dinner. I had no appetite; all I wanted to do was sleep. I told Mrs. Gable I wouldn’t be eating and headed up the stairs. Mrs. Gable quickly followed me. “Mrs. Davies, you look very pale. Are you ill? I’ll call Dr. Evans right away.” I forced a smile. “I’m fine, just a little tired. A good night’s sleep will fix it.” “Mrs. Davies, if you’re not feeling well, you must tell me. I’ll get Dr. Evans,” Mrs. Gable insisted from behind me. “Mhm.” I mumbled, then went upstairs to our room. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, skipping a shower and even my skincare routine. I was out of the bathroom quickly. Julian opened the door and came in. He walked over, studying my face. “Not feeling well? I’ll call Dr. Evans.” “No need, a good night’s sleep is all I need.” I walked to the bed and pulled back the covers. Julian followed, watching me silently for a moment. Then he smiled and asked, “What were you doing at the hospital today?” I honestly hadn’t expected him to ask and was unsure how to answer. But then I realized, he probably wasn’t genuinely curious about why I was there. I looked at him. A smile still played on his lips, eternally cynical and distant. I lowered my head, shaking it gently. “I wasn’t following you.” “I know,” he said, reaching up to gently stroke my cheek. “You’re always so well-behaved. I personally chose you, so you wouldn’t disappoint me.”

I was indeed Julian’s personal choice. Countless families wanted to form an alliance with him, but mine had the least advantage. In our circle, they called our company a small one, with a market value of only a couple of hundred million. But Julian still chose me because I was “well-behaved” – I had no temper and wouldn’t dare to control him. Even after marriage, he was as free as ever. To him, this marriage was just a formality to appease his family. To me, it was the last lifeline for our family company. I needed Julian. To be precise, my parents, our family company, needed Julian. Our family got everything we wanted. Now, it seemed Julian was quite satisfied with me too. “I’m going to sleep now,” I said, forcing a smile, and got into bed. A moment later, I heard Julian’s quiet footsteps as he left the room. I closed my eyes and curled up, feeling a bit cold. Gradually, my eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted into a hazy sleep. Suddenly, I felt someone wrap their arms around me. A slightly cool hand rested on my stomach, slowly tracing upwards, a shiver ran through me. It was Julian. I instantly woke up, instinctively grabbing his hand. “I don’t feel well today.” “What’s wrong?” His voice was husky, his warm lips brushing my neck. I couldn’t help but flinch. The image of him and Serena standing together flashed through my mind, Serena with her growing belly. A surge of revulsion washed over me. “I’m really not feeling well. Not tonight.” I pleaded. Julian’s hand remained on my stomach. He held me quietly, and after a moment, he tightened his arm. “Go to sleep.” After we got married, whenever he stayed home for the night, he would always hold me as we slept. At first, I clung to a sliver of hope, telling myself it was his way of showing affection. But no matter how naive I was, the moment I saw him with Serena at the hospital today, I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. I just didn’t understand. If he loved Serena so much, why did he marry me? If he loved Serena so much, why did he hold me every night? I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes again, the room was still pitch black, and Julian was no longer beside me. I picked up my phone and saw it was already past nine. I went to the bathroom for a hot shower, dried myself quickly, put on warmer clothes, and went downstairs. Mrs. Gable wasn’t there, only Chloe, the house staff, was cleaning. She stopped what she was doing and looked at me. “You’re awake. Would you like something to eat now?” I nodded. In the open-plan kitchen, Chloe busied herself for a bit, then called out, “Dinner’s ready!” I ate quickly at the kitchen island, then got ready to go back to my room and rest. Just as I stood up, there was a *ding*, and the elevator doors opened, revealing Julian’s tall figure. I looked over. His expression was icy, his gaze locked onto me as he walked toward me. The oppressive presence of the tall man made my breath catch. I looked up to meet his eyes, wanting to ask what was wrong, but no sound came out. “What’s wrong with you?” Julian suddenly asked. In that instant, I understood. He had gone to the hospital. He knew everything. “Amelia Miller, you have some nerve,” Julian’s voice was a low rumble, chilling me to the bone. I lowered my head, unsure what to say. I didn’t even understand why he was so angry. Did he want me to have this baby? I wouldn’t allow my child to be born into a family devoid of warmth or affection. Julian grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up into his eyes. His usually charming eyes held no trace of their former playfulness, only a cold ruthlessness. His thin lips parted, each word a hammer blow. “Amelia Miller, you aborted my child.”

***CUTOFF POINT*** “Do you have anything to say?” Julian asked, his voice chilling. I opened my mouth, my dry throat struggling to form two words: “No, nothing.” “Good.” Julian released me, his icy gaze lingering for a moment before he turned and left. I heard Chloe gasp. I turned my head slightly, and she immediately looked away. I went upstairs to my room, standing at the doorway of the huge bedroom in silence. Then I went into the walk-in closet and started packing. There weren’t many things that were truly mine. Everything I used here, Julian had bought. He didn’t even have to buy them himself. Every day, deliveries arrived—clothes, shoes, jewelry. Just the title of “Mrs. Davies” made major brands clamor to send things over. I packed the few things I had brought with me into my suitcase. It was pathetically little, leaving half the suitcase empty. I sat on the couch, staring blankly at the suitcase. I knew I’d stirred up trouble. Maybe I should call my dad and tell him I probably wouldn’t be able to help our family company out of its difficulties. Mom and Dad would be so upset, so heartbroken. I don’t know how much time passed, but then I heard Mrs. Davies’ gentle voice from outside. “Amy!” I quickly went out. When Mrs. Davies saw me, she immediately came over, took my hand, and asked with concern, “What happened? You aborted the baby?” I hadn’t expected Julian to act so fast. “Mom, I’m sorry.” Mrs. Davies’ brows drew together. “How could this happen? Amy, why? Why didn’t you say anything about something so big? You went to the hospital by yourself? Don’t you know any surgery has risks? What if something happened to you, how would I explain it to your parents?” “Mom, I’m sorry.” Besides that, I didn’t know what else to say. Mrs. Davies sighed, pulling me back into the room. “You need to lie down right away. This is a critical time for your recovery. You must take care of yourself properly, or it could cause problems later. Stay home for the next couple of weeks; I’ll have the chef prepare nourishing meals.” Mrs. Davies’ attitude toward me hadn’t changed at all. She even wanted me to stay and recover. I was a little surprised and hesitated before asking, “Mom, what did Julian say?” “He didn’t answer my calls. I haven’t even seen him yet.” Mrs. Davies sighed repeatedly. “Is something wrong between you two? It’s only been a month since you got married…” “Mom, Julian didn’t tell you?” Mrs. Davies paused. “Chloe told me.” So that’s how it was. I was even more confused about Julian’s attitude. “Amy, tell me, is something wrong between you and Julian? Is it him…” Mrs. Davies sighed again at that point. “He likes to play around, I thought he’d settle down after marriage, that scoundrel! Amy, don’t worry, I’ll teach him a lesson for you. You just focus on recovering, don’t overthink anything.” I nodded. “Okay, thank you, Mom.” Mrs. Davies stayed with me until dark. She called Julian, urging him to come home, then left after hanging up. Before she left, she told me not to get angry, not to argue with Julian, and to call her if anything happened. Mrs. Davies must have been very sad too. But I couldn’t have the baby just because she was kind to me, because I was grateful to her. A knock sounded at the door. Before I could speak, Chloe came in, carrying a tray. “This is chicken soup. Have some. I’ll leave it here for you.” I didn’t say anything. Chloe placed the chicken soup on the nightstand, glanced at me, pursed her lips, and left. From the day I arrived here, I knew Chloe didn’t like me, even looked down on me. I didn’t care. Ultimately, she was just an outsider. All I cared about was Julian’s attitude towards me, but now, I should let go of that obsession. Some things aren’t mine. No matter how hard I try, I’ll never get them. So, I’ll let go. Let go of Julian, and let go of myself.

After finishing the chicken soup, I took the bowl downstairs. Mrs. Gable immediately came over. “Mrs. Davies, why are you down here? You should be resting and recuperating.” Mrs. Gable took the bowl from my hand. “Dinner will be ready soon, Mrs. Davies. You should go upstairs and put on another layer.” Chloe was cleaning, glanced at me, and continued her work. I looked away and gave Mrs. Gable a small smile. “I’m not cold.” Mrs. Gable looked down at my feet. “Mrs. Davies, please put on your socks. Don’t catch a cold.” “Okay.” I paused. “Is Julian coming back for dinner?” “I just called him. Young Master said for you to eat first, no need to wait for him.” Mrs. Gable finished, then sighed. “Mrs. Davies, this is normal, Young Master is just upset right now, but he still cares about you.” Actually, I didn’t understand why Julian was so angry. Someone was already having his child, wasn’t she? Did he really like children that much? I went back upstairs, put on socks, and came down. Mrs. Gable had already set dinner on the kitchen island. I ate quietly alone. I heard the elevator ding, Julian must be back. “Young Master!” Mrs. Gable’s voice was warm. “You’re back! Perfect, Mrs. Davies just started eating.” “I’m not eating.” Julian said coldly, then went upstairs. I heard Mrs. Gable sigh again. She pitied me, felt sorry for me. I must have looked truly pathetic. After dinner, I went upstairs to my room. Julian wasn’t there. I didn’t look for him; I just washed up and got into bed. Julian didn’t come in all night. The next morning, when I went downstairs, he was sitting on the couch, looking at his phone. He didn’t even look up when Mrs. Gable spoke to me. He didn’t say a word during breakfast either, and left as soon as he was done. Shortly after he left, Mrs. Davies and Audrey, Julian’s sister, arrived. Audrey was already four months pregnant. Her husband was away on a business trip, so she’d been staying with her mom recently. But how could she come? “Mom, you told Audrey?” Audrey pursed her lips and playfully chided me, “I’m not that superstitious. But you, making such a big decision all by yourself, you’re becoming quite something.” Her words were reproachful, but her tone was full of concern. I lowered my head. “Audrey, you shouldn’t have come.” I had just had a procedure. Even though I wasn’t superstitious, there were traditions. My not caring didn’t mean others wouldn’t. Audrey looked around. “Where’s Julian? Not home?” “He just left.” “That rascal!” Audrey pulled out her phone. I quickly raised my hand to stop her. “Audrey, he’s busy. Besides, Mrs. Gable is here.” Mrs. Davies sat on my other side. “Amelia, did you tell your parents about this?” I paused, then shook my head. Mrs. Davies said, “I think you should tell your parents.” Audrey also nodded in agreement. I replied, “I’ll call my parents later.” After chatting for a while, I urged Audrey to leave quickly and come back after my recovery period. Once Mrs. Davies and Audrey left, I went back to my room and called my mom. Her reaction was as I expected. Over the phone, she complained about me being too headstrong and what if something had gone wrong. She quickly hung up. Less than an hour later, she and Dad arrived. “Why would you do this?” My mom was angry and heartbroken, her eyes glistening with tears. My dad sat quietly to the side. My mom sat on the bed, holding my hand. “Amelia, tell me the truth, are you being mistreated here?” “No,” I said, forcing a smile. “I knew it!” Mom’s tears fell. She wiped them away, choking back sobs. “It’s all for the family, making you suffer so much.” Dad sighed heavily from the side. Actually, I wasn’t hurt at all. In fact, when I found out I could marry Julian, I was overjoyed, feeling like the happiest person in the world. I liked Julian. I had liked him since middle school.

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