Author: Momo Chan

Three days after our engagement, my family’s group chat exploded. An anonymous account leaked “explicit photos” and hotel check-in records of me, claiming I had a wild, messy sex life. My fiancé called off the wedding on the spot. My mother sent three screaming voice memos, calling me a disgrace, and kicked me out of the group. In my past life, the cyberbullying drove me into a deep depression, and I eventually died in a tragic accident in my rented apartment, completely alone. It was only later that I found out— Those photos were AI-deepfakes. The records were completely forged. And the IP address of that anonymous sender? It came directly from my fiancé’s private study. Reborn into this life, I looked at the screen full of “friends and family” waiting for me to lose my mind. I slowly and calmly screenshotted every single piece of evidence. This time, no one is getting away with it. Three days after our engagement, my family’s Snapchat group lit up with three notifications. The first was a photo of me, completely naked. My face had been AI-swapped onto a disgusting, suggestive body. The second was a detailed “hotel log,” packed with dates and room numbers. The last was a text from an anonymous account: “Chloe, you really played the innocent act well, didn’t you?” My phone started vibrating violently. People were already screenshotting and sharing it in the neighborhood Facebook group, my college alumni chat, and even my work Slack channels. The notifications flooded in like a relentless drumbeat, making my scalp go numb. I opened the family chat just in time to see my mom, Helen, sending a barrage of voice memos. “Chloe! Look at what you’ve done!” “You’ve completely ruined our family reputation! I am utterly humiliated!” “Don’t you dare call me Mom ever again. I don’t have a daughter like you!” The rapid-fire messages felt like she was reading a final will. A second later, a notification popped up: “You have been removed from the group.” I stared at the red exclamation mark for about ten seconds before my phone buzzed again. It was a text from Ethan. “Chloe, we’re over. The engagement is off.” I scrolled up and saw the long paragraph he had posted in his own family chat. He used words like “deeply humiliated,” “unacceptable,” and “ending the relationship effective immediately.” It was so well-worded, it looked like a press release from a PR firm. I placed my phone face down on the desk, listening to my racing heart. And then, I burst into laughter. Not because I wasn’t hurt. But because I had already lived through this nightmare once. In my past life, also on the third day of our engagement, these exact photos and logs were leaked. I had tried so hard to explain. I made calls, sent voice notes, and wrote long essays, begging everyone to believe me. I screenshotted my actual chats, made a spreadsheet of my whereabouts for the past three months, and even went to those hotels one by one to verify their records. But no one looked. No one listened. People only believe what they want to believe. My mom screamed at me on the phone for forty minutes before throwing out her final words: “Why don’t you just go die?” And Ethan never answered a single one of my calls. Later, I found out the photos were AI-deepfakes, and the hotel records were completely forged. And the anonymous sender’s IP address? It came directly from the MacBook in Ethan’s private study. He and his new mistress had spent three months planning this setup. They didn’t just want to break off the engagement; they wanted to destroy my reputation, to make me disappear entirely, so he could seamlessly move on with her while playing the “heartbroken victim” of betrayal. In my past life, they succeeded. I vanished. I was fired from my job, evicted by my landlord, and people on the street would recognize me and take photos of my face with their phones. I moved through three different cities, eventually taking a handful of sleeping pills in a cheap rented apartment in a tiny town. By the time they found me, three days had passed. But this time is different. This time, I turned on my screen recorder and saved every single message, share, and voice note from every group chat. Then, I opened my contacts and searched for Ethan’s “new girl”—Melanie. I hadn’t found out about her until it was too late in my previous life. Her Instagram account was public. Her latest post was from three days ago, geo-tagged at a luxury hotel, captioned with just one word: “Worthwhile.” In the comments, when someone asked what she was celebrating, she had replied with a blushing emoji. I screenshotted that post too. Once I finished, my heart rate finally slowed down. This time, not a single one of them is going to escape.

Immediately after, I dialed a number. The call picked up, and the rapid clatter of a keyboard echoed through the receiver. “Caleb,” I said. “I need you to trace an IP address for me.” That night, I didn’t send a single message in any group chat. No explanations, no crying, no hysterics. Ethan texted me three times asking, “You there?” I left him on read. They wanted to see me break. I had given them that show in my past life. But in this life, I was giving them the one thing that keeps criminals awake at night: absolute, deafening silence. The next morning at 8:00 AM, Caleb’s message came through. He sent a screenshot of an IP address log, which pinned the location right to Ethan’s study. Below it, he wrote: “This IP logged into the anonymous account that posted the photos yesterday at 3:17 PM. The device used was a MacBook named ‘Ethan’s MacBook Pro.’ Want me to dig deeper?” I replied with one word: “Dig.” Then, I searched my contacts for Ethan’s mother, Miranda. My “almost” mother-in-law had sent me a very long, patronizing voice note in my past life when they called off the engagement. Her tone had been gentle, her words polite, saying, “Oh, Chloe, I’m so sorry, but Ethan’s father just can’t accept this kind of behavior. My hands are tied.” She sounded like she was apologizing, but every word was designed to push me off the cliff. This time, I called her directly on FaceTime. “Miranda, it’s Chloe,” I said, my voice incredibly calm, even sweet. “I need to see you. I have some things I want to discuss in person. Regarding Ethan.” The other end went silent for a couple of seconds. “About what?” Miranda’s voice sounded guarded. “You’ll see when I get there,” I replied. “Tomorrow afternoon at three. I’ll come over to your house. Does that work?” She paused again before saying, “Fine. Come over.” After hanging up, I lay down on my bed. Outside, I could hear some neighbors gossiping about me in the hallway. My mother had posted “I don’t have a daughter anymore” in another chat with our relatives. Ethan posted a black-and-white photo on Instagram with the caption: “You can never truly know someone’s heart.” It already had over twenty likes. I saw it all. But I was waiting for tomorrow. Tomorrow, the real show begins.

When I slammed my hand onto the coffee table in the living room, Miranda almost dropped her mug. “Chloe! What is the meaning of this?!” I ignored her, slapping a stack of printed documents onto the table, page by page. “I had a security firm trace the IP address. The login came directly from Ethan’s MacBook.” “Melanie’s Instagram post from three days ago was geo-tagged at the Hyatt. That matches the exact hotel and time on Ethan’s forged records.” Miranda’s face went from flushed red, to pale white, and finally to a sickly green. “This… this is slander!” “Slander?” I slapped down the final page. It was a set of photos. “Miranda, look closely. These are photos from Melanie’s private archive. Last month, on the fifteenth, she and Ethan were in Miami. Ethan told you it was a ‘company retreat,’ right? Since when do retreats only have two people?” Miranda fell completely silent. I pulled out my phone and played an audio file. It was a voice call between Ethan and Melanie that Caleb had recovered for me. Ethan’s voice played: “Did you post the photos? How is her family reacting?” Melanie giggled, sounding incredibly smug: “It completely blew up. Her mom kicked her out of the family chat immediately!” Ethan laughed. “Perfect. I’ll go cry to my mom in a couple of days, and this will all be over. Once her reputation is completely trashed, we can be together openly, and everyone will pity me.” “You are evil.” “Only for you, babe.” The recording ended, and the living room fell into a suffocating silence. Miranda’s lips were trembling. I looked her dead in the eye, pronouncing every single word clearly. “Miranda, I didn’t come here to ask for your help. I came here to notify you.” “Tomorrow morning, I am filing a criminal defamation lawsuit against your son.” “Every single piece of evidence in his study has already been backed up.” I stood up, looking down at her. “I’ll see you both in court.” I turned toward the door, but stopped and glanced back. “Oh, and one more thing.” “You shared that deepfake photo in the neighborhood group yesterday. I have the screenshot of that, too.” “Under the law, sharing and distributing defamatory material makes you liable. If I choose to press charges against you, you will be going down right alongside him.” Miranda’s face drained of all color. By the time I left their house, the sun had already set. My phone was buzzing with dozens of missed calls and texts. I didn’t bother opening them, only scanning the previews. From my mom: “Chloe, have you lost your mind? Why did you go raise a scene at Ethan’s house?” From Cody: “Are you insane? How am I supposed to show my face at work with you acting like this?” From Ethan: “Chloe, we need to talk.”

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My best friend went through my boyfriend’s trash can and found a condom. After she got pregnant and had the baby, she went to my boyfriend and demanded child support. I refused. So my best friend cried, screamed, and threatened to die, demanding that my boyfriend marry her. My boyfriend refused without hesitation and denied the child was his. In the end, my best friend snapped, stabbed me to death with a knife, and dumped me in the mountains to be eaten by wild dogs. But when I opened my eyes again, I had gone back to the day my best friend stole the condom. This time, I filled the condom with hot sauce. “Is your boyfriend’s house huge? I’ve never been there before, so let me take a look around!” The pain in my body had not completely faded yet, but my best friend Sophie’s big face was already close to mine as she grabbed my sleeves with both hands and kept acting cute. “Just let me go! You two are so close and you’ve been dating for so long, so it only makes sense for me, your best friend, to help you check him out!” I took a breath and pushed her away while holding back the urge to slap her. “No way!” But Sophie froze for a moment, and after seeing me refuse, she loudly scolded me. “What do you mean? Did you forget about me as soon as you landed a rich man? Isn’t it only right for me to meet your boyfriend? If you don’t agree, our friendship is over!” In my last life, she threatened to cut me off after seeing that I would not agree, and out of helplessness, I agreed to Sophie’s request. But I never imagined that my best friend would not only set her eyes on my boyfriend, but also on my boyfriend’s trash can! She made up an excuse to send me away, secretly went through the trash can, found contraception, and stole it! Not long after, she got pregnant. I was completely in the dark and deeply shocked, and I asked her several times who the baby’s father was and why he refused to take responsibility. But she denied it to me and even said that once I found out who the baby’s father was, I would definitely praise her for being lucky. There was nothing I could do. Sophie was pregnant while unmarried, had a massive falling-out with her family, and because of her strange personality, I was her only friend. So from the day she got pregnant, through childbirth and postpartum recovery, I was never absent for a single day. But just when I was working without complaint and waiting for her child to grow up obediently and call me godmother, Sophie carried the child and went to my boyfriend first. I did not believe it, and my boyfriend denied it with all his might. But Sophie threw the paternity test in my face! That shocked both of us! Later, after going through all the surveillance footage in the apartment, we discovered that she had secretly gone through my boyfriend’s trash can! Faced with Sophie’s threat, my boyfriend and I stood together and refused to let her in. But Sophie became embarrassed, flew into a rage, broke down, and posted everything online. But we had already released a statement, and those netizens did not side with her at all! So she took the child by herself, cornered and desperate, ambushed me at my boyfriend’s house, stabbed me to death, and dumped me in the mountains to be eaten by wild dogs! If the stab wounds on my body were not still faintly aching, I would never have dared to imagine that the best friend I had worked so hard to take care of, and the godson I had prayed for, had actually been stolen by my best friend from my boyfriend! “I’m begging you, just let me take a look! I’ve never been inside a mansion in my life!” Sophie kept pestering me and tugging at me, refusing to give up. Seeing that she would not stop until she went to my boyfriend’s house, I smiled and nodded. “Sure, but you have to wait for me for a bit. Sophie froze after hearing me agree, then quickly started dancing with joy. “No problem. As long as I can go in, I’m willing to wait as long as it takes!” She was overjoyed, as if she would get pregnant with my boyfriend’s child in the very next second! I immediately took a cab home, found the condom in the trash can, and went to the kitchen. Then I squeezed hot sauce into it with all my strength. This time, I wanted to see how she would get pregnant!

After I finished doing that, I quickly checked the other places. After making sure nothing had been missed, I sent my location to Sophie. In less than half an hour, she rushed to my house in a whirlwind. The moment she saw my home, her eyes lit up, and her gaze kept darting toward my bedroom. “Chloe, where’s your bedroom? My period suddenly came, so can I change clothes here?” I took in her little movements and pointed toward the bedroom. She immediately went in with her bag, and soon came out after changing clothes. “I can’t take it anymore, Chloe. My stomach hurts so badly. I think I should go home!” “Okay!” I coldly ignored the little movement of her clutching her bag and saw her out. But not long after she left my house, Sophie’s call came through on my phone. “Chloe, can you come to the hospital? I don’t have any family around me. I only have you.” “Oh, what happened to you? I’m with my boyfriend right now, so I can’t get away.” I deliberately mentioned my boyfriend and successfully heard a trace of hatred enter Sophie’s voice. “Come here right now! If you don’t come, our friendship is over!” After saying that, she quickly hung up. I slowly got up from my boyfriend’s arms as well, had a meal, and only then headed to the hospital. After all, no one knew better than me what Sophie had done. It seemed she was ruthless enough, since she actually dared to put the hot sauce inside. As soon as I entered, Sophie grabbed the cup on the table and threw it at me, but I dodged it lightly. “Why didn’t you wait until I was dead before coming? What use do I have for a friend like you?” “Then I’ll leave.” I did not hesitate and turned around to leave right away. Almost instantly, Sophie’s tone softened. “Come back. I still need you…” The doctor also rushed over, pulling me aside and saying that Sophie had been in so much pain that she was brought to the hospital, but for some reason, she refused to clean herself out. I smiled and knowingly asked, “What thing?” “There’s nothing. I just accidentally… It’s nothing serious. Help me pay the medical bill and then leave.” “She stuffed hot sauce inside herself, and even after getting painkillers, she still refuses to clean it out. I really don’t know what she’s thinking!” Before the doctor could finish speaking, Sophie suddenly sat up and pointed at his nose, cursing. “What do you people know? I’m doing this all for my future!” “I’m telling you, if I get pregnant, all of you will think I’m lucky!” After she finished speaking, she ignored all attempts to stop her and limped out of bed. There was no helping it, since she insisted on being discharged, so her bill had to be paid first. But Sophie had no money, and with both hands spread, she looked at me. In my last life, I would have obediently paid after seeing that, but this life was different. I pretended to make a phone call and walked out, leaving her where she was. “You pay first, and I’ll drive over to pick you up.” After saying that, I left without looking back. I left her alone there, raging uselessly. “Chloe, come back right now! I don’t have any money on me!”

After I hung up on Sophie’s tenth call asking to borrow money and waited outside for half an hour, she walked out with both legs trembling. When she saw that I was riding an electric bike, she completely lost it. “You bitch! You keep all the good things for yourself, don’t you? Where’s your car? Why didn’t you drive?” “Are you jealous that I’m pregnant and have a child? I’m telling you, that’s impossible! I’m determined to give birth to this child just to prove myself!” On the street, her crazed accusations successfully made the passing pedestrians look at me with a trace of contempt. But I turned a deaf ear to it and only felt that she was lost in a fantasy. Who gave her the courage to not only steal contraception to get pregnant, but also dare to order me around like a servant? “Then go find the baby’s father. Since you’re so lucky anyway, you definitely don’t need me.” After saying that, I rode off on the bike and vanished in a flash. But when I got home that night and had just opened a short video app, I saw a local news story about a woman who stuffed hot sauce inside herself, fainted by the roadside, and was sent to the hospital for treatment. Many netizens sighed about how bizarre this woman was, and I was the only one who found it funny. So what if she was unwilling to clean herself out? Didn’t she still end up being sent to the hospital and cleaned out properly anyway? She wanted to get pregnant and rise in status through the child? Maybe in her next life! Just when I thought she could not get pregnant in this life, she appeared at my front door the next day. As soon as I opened the door, she rushed into my house, hugged the sofa, and refused to leave. “God damn it! This is all your fault! You caused me to miscarry and lose my child! I’m telling you now, either you compensate me with a child, or you give me five million dollars!” Listening to Sophie’s self-righteous words, I laughed from anger. “Then where’s your pregnancy certificate? Who’s the baby’s father?” When she heard me question her, a moment of panic flashed across her face. “What do you care who the baby’s father is? Anyway, it was you. You deliberately smeared hot sauce on my pants and made me miscarry…” “I don’t care! I just want you to take responsibility! If it weren’t for you, I would have married into a wealthy family!” Seeing that she was determined to stay in my home, I took out her medical record from the hospital. This was something I had expected in advance and photographed at the hospital. “The physical examination report clearly says that you stuffed a foreign object with hot sauce into your own body! How did it become someone else’s child?” But the current Sophie had already become shameless to the extreme. “What do you know? I originally could have gotten pregnant. If your clothes hadn’t harmed me, how could I have miscarried?” After saying that, she tried desperately to scratch me. But my boyfriend stopped her quickly with sharp eyes and fast hands. “Where did this lunatic come from? Get out!” My boyfriend opened his mouth and drove her away, but Sophie acted as if she had grabbed a lifesaving straw. “Haven’t you seen her true colors yet? This bitch is jealous that I have a child and wants to kill me!” Even though I had lived one life over, hearing these words again still made me burn with rage. “ What kind of insanity are you spewing? He’s clearly my boyfriend!” But at that moment, Sophie could no longer hear anything. In the end, I could only call the police and have this lunatic thrown out.

Even though Sophie failed to take my place this time, she did not give up. After completely tearing off all pretense with me, she still pestered me every day. That day, when I went out to throw away the trash, I actually saw a sneaky figure beside the trash can! I hid to the side and finally saw clearly that the shadowy figure was actually Sophie! She sneakily tore open the trash I had just thrown away, seemingly searching for something! Finally, when she saw a tied-up bag, she held it up like a treasure, and her eyes instantly lit up! I finally understood her purpose, stepped forward, snatched the bag from her hands, and threw it on the ground. “What are you doing?” When Sophie saw me ruin her plan, she became furious in an instant and stared at the liquid on the ground with a distressed expression. “It’s all your fault! You made me miscarry! So what if I survive by picking through trash? Is even that not allowed?” She pointed at my nose and cursed, still thinking I was too stupid to understand what she was trying to do! “If you want to pick through trash, go do it somewhere else. You are not welcome here!” Thinking about how she had gone through our trash bags like this before, I broke out in a cold sweat! I absolutely could not let Sophie succeed again! “What right do you have to control me? Do you own this neighborhood? You won’t even let people pick through trash? There’s nowhere in the world with rules like that!” “You made me miscarry and refused to compensate me, so what’s wrong with me picking through rich people’s trash?” Seeing that Sophie had completely torn off all pretense and had no shame left, I smiled. “That’s fine. Go ahead and pick through it!” “I’d like to see what you can dig out from here every day while picking through garbage!” In the days that followed, I was strictly on guard. I either rushed to the trash can or added a little something inside. Several times in a row, Sophie snatched the trash bags from my hands and then looked as if she had eaten shit. After repeatedly hitting walls, she no longer squatted by our trash can every day. But I still did not dare relax my guard, and I kept an eye on Sophie at all times to avoid any accidents. But she shifted her target. The residents in this neighborhood were all either rich or powerful. If she got pregnant with anyone’s child, she could live the rest of her life with food and money guaranteed! So she went crazy and set her sights on the other trash cans. But I had already contacted the surrounding residents privately, and everyone knew exactly what kind of vile person Sophie was, so they had already taken precautions! Finally, after two months of gaining nothing and being treated like a mental patient, she broke down. After smashing things randomly at my door, she left my home. All of us let out a sigh of relief. My boyfriend and I fell deeply in love, and he also made our relationship public, admitted I was his fiancée, and chose a date for our engagement. I was ecstatic. At the engagement banquet, I looked at the boyfriend I loved deeply with tears in my eyes. Just as I was about to exchange engagement rings with my boyfriend, Sophie, whom I had not seen in a long time, suddenly barged in. Her loose clothing could no longer hide her pregnant belly, and smelling the aroma of the banquet dishes made her unable to stop retching! Seeing that my perfect engagement banquet had been disrupted by her, I called the security guards to step forward and stop her. Who knew she would sit down on the ground, throw down a stack of papers, and start throwing a tantrum. “God damn it! You scumbag, you actually abandoned me and our baby to get engaged! Are you even human?” “If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’ll smash my head and die right here, and I’ll let the whole city see exactly what kind of people your family is!” I sneered and did not care at all. But my mom, who was beside me, picked up the report with trembling hands and looked at me in terror. “Chloe, this paternity test actually shows a ninety-nine percent match…”

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When my boyfriend, Julian, passed away in a tragic geological expedition accident, he only managed to send back three last sentences. The first was a professional report to his department. The second was an apology to his parents. And the third was: [Chloe, you are my Quaternary Glaciation.] Chloe was my best friend. Both she and Julian were brilliant geologists. Years ago, behind my back, the two of them had applied for the exact same major at the same university. Later, they became the most compatible partners in the industry. Just to understand their conversations, I had forced myself to switch my major to Geology. But in the end, I was nothing more than an errand girl in the research lab. Julian used to comfort me. “Everyone has their own strengths, Avery. I’m just happy you’re my girlfriend.” Yet, he would still look at Chloe with that lingering gaze of admiration and regret. Even his final words were a confession to Chloe, expressed in a way I could never understand. Not long after, Chloe also passed away in another accident. They were memorialized together on campus as outstanding alumni. I lived the rest of my life in deep, silent regret. But when I opened my eyes again, I was back in my junior year—on the exact day I was supposed to submit my major transfer application. Looking at the Snapchat group on my phone, where the two of them were chatting excitedly while completely ignoring me, I smiled. I clicked “Cancel” on my transfer application. This time, I was done chasing them.

After I withdrew my transfer application, the notifications on my phone kept buzzing. The two of them were chatting up a storm. I sent a quick message: [Have you guys eaten yet?] But my message was instantly buried, as if it had been muted. No one replied. Just moments ago, the group chat was supposed to be about planning my birthday dinner for tomorrow. But somehow, it had drifted back into a dense geological discussion that I couldn’t wedge myself into. Without hesitating, I left the group chat. Almost immediately, Julian sent me a private message with a question mark. Chloe sent one too. I didn’t reply to either. Then, Julian called. His voice was as gentle as always. “Avery, why did you leave the group chat?” Julian didn’t notice my silence. He just kept coaxing me in that patronizing, patient tone of his. “Chloe made that group. You leaving like that out of nowhere really hurt her feelings.” “If you’re upset about something, let’s talk about it when we meet tomorrow, okay? Just join the group back first.” Even though they were the ones who ignored me first, Julian still chose to prioritize Chloe’s feelings. I sat on my bed, staring blankly. The phone suddenly felt incredibly heavy in my hand, making it hard to breathe. I hung up, joined the group back, but still didn’t reply to any of their messages. The next morning, I was still trying to sleep when my phone vibrated aggressively with several calls. Chloe’s voice was bubbly and cheerful when I picked up. “Avery! Come on out, let’s celebrate your birthday! We still have class this afternoon!” Out of habit, I dragged myself out of bed to match their schedule. It was only when I walked downstairs that the cold air finally woke me up. But Chloe had already thrown her arms around me. Julian stood behind her with a warm smile, looking every bit like her boyfriend instead of mine. Chloe mysteriously pulled out a beautifully wrapped gift box. “Open it! Julian and I picked this out together for your birthday.” Staring at the elegant box—exactly like the one from my past life—I felt absolutely no desire to open it. Because I already knew what was inside: a plush toy that screamed of a lazy stereotype. In my past life, I had opened it with high expectations, only to feel like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head. Chloe and Julian had been so excited. “Do you like it? We spent so much time picking it out. We both thought it looked just like you!” Back then, I didn’t see through it. It wasn’t until Chloe’s birthday three months later, when Julian went through endless trouble to buy her a piece of a lunar meteorite as a gift, that I realized what true effort looked like. I took the gift calmly. “Thanks.” Chloe pouted slightly. “Why do you look so down, Avery?” Julian answered casually for me. “She’s busy with her major transfer paperwork these days. She’s just tired, not unhappy.” He indeed knew what I was busy with, because he was the one who had convinced me to switch majors in the first place. Back then, Julian had told me: “If your classes are too hard, just transfer to Geology. Chloe and I will look after you.” So, I had blindly jumped into Geology in my junior year. But later, when I was yelled at by the professor, he was also the one who said impatiently: “You’re the one who insisted on studying Geology, even though you knew you weren’t cut out for it.” Hearing his confident words now, I just smiled. They had no idea that I wasn’t transferring anymore. Chloe nodded, dragging me toward a nearby diner. As soon as we sat down, Julian walked out with a birthday cake. The moment I saw the rich, dark chocolate frosting, my stomach churned with nausea. “Why is it chocolate cake again?” Julian shrugged. “You don’t really care for cake anyway, so I let Chloe pick her favorite.” Chloe whined playfully. “But chocolate is the best! Avery, you really need to change your stubborn habits.” “I don’t eat chocolate.” They both knew damn well that I hated chocolate. But every single time, they bought this exact flavor just to please Chloe. Julian gave me a strange, searching look. But Chloe quickly turned off the restaurant lights, and he looked away. The candle flames flickered. Julian urged, “Make a wish, Avery.” I didn’t have the patience. I closed my eyes halfway. Through the dim light, I saw Chloe excitedly putting on my birthday crown, closing her eyes, and making a wish alongside me. The warm candlelight illuminated Julian’s gaze beside her—so tender, so incredibly doting. A bitter, sickening feeling washed over me. It turned out that every single one of my birthdays was just a shared wish-granting ceremony for Chloe. No wonder my annual wish of “I hope the three of us stay happy together forever” never came true.

I had absolutely no appetite during the meal. Julian glanced at me several times. But he didn’t ask a single question, probably wanting to avoid a scene. On our way back to campus, I was initially walking between them. But they had been talking about their geology lab project the entire time. Without realizing it, I was pushed off the sidewalk. They walked side by side, laughing and talking seamlessly. It wasn’t until we reached the gates of their campus that Julian finally turned back to look at me, a helpless smile in his eyes. “How did you fall so far behind again?” “I won’t walk you all the way back to your dorm. Get home safe, okay?” I looked up at their university gates, watching the couples walking in hand-in-hand. I suddenly found it hilarious. When we applied for colleges, we had agreed to go to the same school. Yet, behind my back, an hour before the application deadline, they both changed their choices to the neighboring university. They kept me in the dark for half a month, and I only found out when the acceptance letters arrived. At the time, Julian had made up a cheap excuse. “The geology program is just better here, Avery. We couldn’t just compromise our futures for you.” Chloe had chimed in, “It’s fine! The campuses are right next to each other. We’re practically still together.” But for three years, I was always the one walking back to my dorm alone. I pulled my gaze back, my face blank. “Sure.” Julian’s gaze darkened as he stared at me. Suddenly, he said, “Actually, let me walk you back.” But in the next second, Chloe groaned. “Oh, but class is starting soon, Julian. Avery can walk back by herself, right?” Julian frowned, looking at me silently. I said calmly, “Don’t worry about me.” His brow instantly cleared. “Alright, I’ll walk you back next time.” I turned and walked away. After only a few steps, I pulled out my phone and texted Julian: [Let’s break up.] Not long after the message sent, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. Julian caught up, grabbing my hand tightly. “Why are you suddenly saying this? Stop joking around.” “I’m not joking.” Julian let out a soft laugh, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Have you just been in a bad mood lately? Talk to me.” He glanced back in Chloe’s direction. “But don’t bring this drama to Chloe. It’s finals week and she’s super stressed. Don’t distract her.” I froze. It wasn’t until my chest ached with a dull pain that I snapped back to reality. Even when I broke up with him, Julian didn’t take it seriously. His only concern was Chloe. Before Chloe came into our lives, Julian and I were childhood sweethearts who knew each other best. When we were kids, Julian would fight anyone who called me slow. When we grew up, he would spend hours helping me study. Even when my parents got divorced and abandoned me, Julian used his savings and part-time tutoring money to help pay my tuition. But the moment Chloe—a girl who seemingly “needed more taking care of”—appeared, it was always my turn to step aside. By now, Chloe’s frantic texts were already buzzing on his phone. Julian quickly wiped a tear from my cheek. “I have class. Go back and calm down first.” I had heard that phrase a thousand times. Every time I argued with him because of Chloe, it always ended with him telling me to “calm down.” As if the problem was always me. While he stood on the sidelines, never once validating my feelings. That night, Julian only sent one text: [Don’t forget to take your pain meds.] Looking at the text, my leg was throbbing. It was an old injury from my years of competitive dancing. In my past life, it had gotten so bad after graduation that I needed major surgery. But right before the surgery, Julian and Chloe’s two-year research project lost its funding, halting their experiment. At that time, I was working at the lab by day and teaching dance at night to raise money, but it was barely a drop in the bucket. Seeing them so stressed and depressed after their funding applications kept getting rejected, I took my surgery money and filled their gap. The experiment went on. But that was the single biggest regret of my life. Six months after giving up my surgery, I had a sudden flare-up during a freelance performance and fell off a three-foot stage. At the hospital, the doctor looked at the MRI and sighed. “The nerve damage is severe. If you had come in six months ago, we could have saved it. But now, you’ll likely walk with a permanent limp.” I remember sitting on that hospital bed, staring at the white walls. I called Chloe and Julian. Neither picked up. I called one of their lab colleagues. The colleague sent me a video. [It’s someone’s birthday, so the whole lab came out to celebrate!] In the video, Julian and Chloe were sitting close together in the corner of a karaoke bar. Amidst the roaring laughter of their friends, they were playing a game, passing a cookie mouth-to-mouth. Their eyes locked in an intimate gaze that made it look like they were actually kissing. The neon lights in the video were blinding, and my chest felt like it was being ripped open. It wasn’t until the next day that Julian finally called me back. He said dismissively: “A limp? It’s fine. Worst case, you just don’t dance anymore.” “Honestly, performing in public all the time wasn’t a great look anyway.” He seemed to have completely forgotten whose surgery money had funded his precious experiment.

The cold sensation of the pain patch snapped me out of my memories. I immediately booked an appointment with an orthopedic specialist for the next day. At the hospital, the doctor looked at my scans, his expression serious. “We caught it early. If we do the surgery now, you can fully recover and keep dancing.” “But before the surgery, you must avoid any strenuous activity. If it worsens, the damage might become irreversible.” Since summer break was just around the corner, I let out a breath of relief. When I got back to the dorms, I bumped into Chloe and Julian at the entrance. Julian saw the medical envelope in my hand and frowned. “What’s that?” I brushed him off. “Just a routine scan.” Julian nodded and didn’t press further. Because a sobbing Chloe was far more urgent. “Avery, why do you want to break up with Julian? Is it because of me?” “Julian and I are just friends! You’re the most important person to me, how could you doubt us?” I stared at her silently. I couldn’t help but think of my past life. After Julian’s accident, Chloe couldn’t accept it and blamed me for everything. “If you hadn’t kept texting him the night before, he wouldn’t have been so tired! He wouldn’t have made that mistake!” Because of Chloe’s words, everyone had turned their anger on me. Even the local media picked up the story. I was cyberbullied until I fell into severe depression, almost taking my own life. Now, hearing her fake-crying, I asked her directly: “Chloe, don’t you love Julian?” Chloe’s eyes widened in panic, and she stammered: “How could I take your boyfriend? Besides, if we wanted to be together, we would have done it long ago. Why would he even be with you if he liked me?” Julian looked at me, thoroughly disappointed. “Avery, you shouldn’t doubt Chloe. She’s the one who cares about you the most.” His voice carried a commanding tone. “Apologize to Chloe.” I looked at him. “I don’t know if she cares about me, but you definitely care about her.” Julian’s face darkened. Chloe stopped crying and stepped in front of Julian. “How can you say that to him? Has he not been good enough to you? Without him, you wouldn’t even be in college!” To protect Julian, Chloe didn’t hesitate to drag up my painful past. Ignoring the stinging ache in my chest, I walked right past them. Chloe wanted to chase after me, but Julian held her back. “Forget it. She doesn’t appreciate your concern. Look at you, crying like a wet kitten.” I heard Chloe sniffle. Julian comforted her gently. “She’s just throwing a temper tantrum. We won’t actually break up. We’ll both always be here for you.” I let out a bitter laugh. The moment I got back to my room, I submitted my application for the study abroad exchange program. My academic advisor called me to confirm. “This exchange spot is only for your current major. You’re sure you don’t want to transfer to Geology anymore, right?” Thinking of Julian’s smug confidence, I replied without a second of hesitation, “Yes, I’m sure.” The next morning, Chloe texted me: [Avery, I was too harsh yesterday. Don’t take it to heart.] [Julian said you’re in a bad mood. Let’s go hiking this weekend to clear your head! You love hiking, right?] In my past life, I had only lied about loving hiking because I wanted to accompany them on their field trips. Just as I was about to reject her, Julian called, his tone helpless. “Just say yes, Avery. Otherwise, she’s going to keep waiting outside your dorm.” “My leg is injured. I can’t hike,” I said coldly, then hung up. But they actually showed up at my dorm anyway, blocking my way. Julian’s tone left no room for argument. “It’s a short trail, and there’s a cable car at the top. It won’t affect your leg.” I was practically forced into the car between the two of them. There were other classmates in the car. On the way, the two of them chatted excitedly with the others, while I sat there like an outcast. When we got out, Julian naturally reached for my backpack. “I want mine carried too!” Chloe chimed in, showing no hesitation in her intimacy with Julian. Julian smoothly took her bag as well. It was only when we started climbing that I realized this was actually Chloe’s geology field project. I was just a tag-along.

Halfway up, my leg started throbbing with a dull, burning pain. “I’m stopping.” Chloe gave me an annoyed look, said nothing, and kept climbing. Julian’s patience was wearing thin. “Didn’t I already carry your bag for you?” Someone else in the group rolled their eyes as they passed me. “Sighing after just a few steps? Why did a newbie even come along?” I threw my hiking pole aside and started walking back down. Julian blocked me, clearly irritated. “It’s dangerous to go down alone. Just keep going up, the cable car station is right ahead.” We walked for what felt like hours. The sky turned pitch black, but there was still no sign of the cable car. My leg was shaking from the pain. I asked again, “Where is the cable car?” This time, the entire group fell silent. Chloe’s voice trembled. “We took the wrong trail.” I looked at Julian in disbelief. He pressed his lips together, silent. Someone called search and rescue. But since our location was unclear, they couldn’t give us an estimated arrival time. Fear began to spread. I whispered, “Julian, my leg really hurts.” Before he could speak, someone snapped. “Can you stop complaining? If you’re sick, why did you even join our project? You just wanted to hitch a ride on Julian’s coattails for credits, didn’t you?” Others chimed in. “His actual girlfriend is right here, how is she not embarrassed?” Looking at Chloe’s shifting gaze, I finally understood. In their eyes, Julian and Chloe were the couple, and I was just the shameless third wheel. Sweating from the sheer agony in my leg, I slid to the ground, too exhausted to explain. Julian finally barked at them, “Everyone calm down! Don’t take your anger out on her.” After handing me an emergency painkiller, Julian knelt in front of me. “I’ll carry you back down the way we came.” But Chloe suddenly whimpered, “Julian, I’m scared of the dark.” Julian froze. “We have flashlights.” She clutched his sleeve. “I’m still scared without you.” Someone spoke up. “Julian, you should take Chloe down first. She’s fragile.” Others agreed. “Yeah, and Chloe’s project is really important.” In the pitch black, every sound was amplified. I could hear my own racing heartbeat, the mockery in their voices, and Julian’s heavy sigh as he stood up after a moment of hesitation. “Wait here for the rescue team. I’ll take Chloe down first and then come back for you.” I reached out, my hand trembling as I grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go, Julian. I really can’t wait.” But Julian coldly peeled my fingers off. “Your leg isn’t that bad, Avery. The painkiller will kick in soon.” The sound of Julian’s footsteps fading as he carried Chloe down the mountain echoed in the dark. I sat on the cold dirt, completely hollowed out. The mountain wind was freezing, biting against my tear-stained face. I don’t know how long I waited, but right before I passed out, the rescue team finally reached me. When Julian finally arrived at the hospital, he was met with the tense, awkward faces of his teammates. The bright red “IN SURGERY” light above the door made his chest tighten. What was happening? Why was Avery in surgery?

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During my second month in the private hospital, waiting for a heart transplant, I was scrolling through my phone to pass the time. Suddenly, a line of glowing text drifted across the top of my screen: [She’s here! Get your phone ready to record!] [Record everything she does! This is your only evidence!] Before I could even react, the ward door was pushed open. Rebecca Lawson, my husband’s first love, walked in. Instinctively, I switched my phone to video recording mode and slipped it under my blanket. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. I felt her approach my bed, heard the rustle of the IV tube, and then the quiet click of her leaving. Only after she left did I open my eyes. The live comments on my screen had already exploded in real-time: [She just injected an allergen into your IV line! You’re going to suffer cardiac arrest!] [Your husband won’t save you! He’s going to give your donor heart to Rebecca instead!] [Trust me! Please! Call 911 now!] I had no idea who was sending these live comments. But my fingers were already pressing 91

1 By the time the police arrived, I could see my husband, Ethan Vance, from a distance. He shielded Rebecca behind his back, telling the officers that she was the “victim” here. The police seemed skeptical, but they still took notes as a matter of routine. Nobody cared about me. During the commotion, the vase on my bedside table was knocked to the ground. Shards of glass sliced open my calf. I gasped in pain, but not a single person turned to look at my way. [Forget about them! Backup the video now!] [Upload it to the cloud! Otherwise, they’ll delete it!] [Hurry! While they’re not looking!] Gritting my teeth, I used every ounce of my strength to push myself up from the hospital bed. I quickly backed up the video from my phone to my cloud storage. The live comments finally sighed in relief: [Okay, okay, it’s safe now.] [It’s going to hurt like hell next. Hold on.] [The ambulance is on its way.] Sure enough, a moment later, my entire body began to tremble violently. My chest felt as if it were being crushed by a giant fist. I curled up on the bed, cold sweat soaking through my hospital gown. But Ethan didn’t even glance at me. He only threw a cold word in my direction: “Stop faking it.” The pain was so intense that sweat poured down my face, and blood began to trickle from the corner of my mouth. The live comments kept refreshing: [He’s just a piece of trash. Don’t rely on him.] [You’ve already changed the first step of your fate!] [Hold on just a little longer! Someone is coming to save you!] I didn’t know who would come to save me. But the live comments had never lied to me. Catching a glimpse of the remaining fluid in the IV tube, I gritted my teeth and squeezed out a final plea for help with my raspy voice. “Help… please…” An officer standing closest to me finally noticed. He turned his head and looked at me. But his eyes were filled with nothing but disdain and mockery. He tapped my bedpost with his boot. “Mrs. Vance, stop acting. Everyone at the station knows how much you hate Miss Lawson. I didn’t expect you to go so far as to inject yourself with allergens just to get attention. Mr. Vance has already gone to take care of Miss Lawson. No one is watching your little show.” “Honestly, I kind of admire your dedication to a man. Too bad Mr. Vance only has eyes for Miss Lawson. You’d better pray she’s fine, or Mr. Vance might just divorce you right on the spot!” I knew Ethan didn’t love me, but I never expected even outsiders to look at me with such cruelty. The sharp, stabbing pain in my chest made it impossible for me to make another sound. My pale skin was quickly breaking out in hives from the severe allergic reaction. All the police officers were busy comforting Rebecca. Not a single person asked about my condition. As my consciousness began to fade, I heard someone nearby exclaim in surprise: “Oh my god! Why is there so much blood on the floor? Oh no, did something actually go wrong with Mrs. Vance?” “What could possibly go wrong? She’s just doing this to force Mr. Vance to look at her. She’s been making a scene all day. Fine, go call Mr. Vance and see if he’ll come.” But I didn’t get Ethan’s concern. I only got his ruthless interrogation. His hand, wearing a luxury watch, slapped me twice across the face. “Chloe, what the hell are you playing at? Do you think this will clear your suspicion?” My head snapped to the side from the force, blood trickling from my lip. The live comments were furiously spamming the screen: [I’m remembering this slap!] [He will pay for this sooner or later!] [Stay strong, girl! Don’t cry!] I swallowed the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. I didn’t cry. 2 I wanted to explain, but my throat was too swollen to utter a single word. I could only reach out and grab his sleeve. The live comments screamed: [Don’t beg him! It’s useless!] [He won’t believe you!] [Let go! Let him leave!] He hesitated for two seconds, but then he violently shook off my hand. “Do you know Rebecca almost died because of you? And yet, she’s still begging me to forgive you!” I watched his retreating figure as he turned and walked away. The live comments went quiet for a second, then said: [It’s okay. We don’t need him.] The next second, I heard someone scream: “Blood! She’s coughing up blood!” Then came Ethan’s cold voice from the hallway: “Ignore her! She’s just faking it!” The intense pain rushed over me, and my vision went black. [Hold on, girl!] [The delivery guy is almost here!] [Just one more minute!] Before I lost consciousness, my last thought was: *Who is the delivery guy?* When I woke up, a strange man was sitting by my bed. Seeing me open my eyes, he let out a sigh of relief. “You’re awake? I’m a family member of a patient in the next ward. I came in to borrow a charger and saw you seizing on the floor, so I called the doctors.” I opened my mouth, wanting to say thank you. He waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it. By the way, the doctor said your heart took a massive hit this time. Your chances of a successful transplant in the future are very low.” I froze. The live comments drifted across my screen: [It’s him! He was the one who saved you in your past life too!] [May good karma follow him forever!] [Remember his face!] Looking at this stranger, I suddenly didn’t feel so afraid anymore. “Thank you for saving me.” Even a complete stranger could tell at a glance that something was seriously wrong with me, yet the husband I had been married to for three years couldn’t be bothered to look at me once. Seeing my depressed state, he seemed even angrier than I was. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the doctors in this hospital. How could they just leave a patient dying on the floor?” “If I hadn’t walked past, you’d be dead by now! Where is your family? Doesn’t your husband care?” “Give me his number. I’ll call him. You shouldn’t be left alone right now.” “And that woman named Rebecca—I’ve already reported her. Faking an illness to frame someone else… having someone like that in this hospital is a hazard!” I shook my head, able to produce only a faint whisper. “My husband is dead.” Hearing this, his face filled with sympathy. He offered to stay and look after me until I was discharged. I politely declined his kindness. After transferring the medical expenses back to him via PayPal, I convinced him to leave. Though he left, the storm online was just beginning. The scandal of “The Wife of Vance Medical Group’s CEO Self-Harms to Beg for Love” carried its own traffic. Right now, it had surged to the number one trending topic on Instagram and Twitter. A patient’s family member had posted a photo of me collapsed on the floor in the comments section. Instantly, the internet exploded. Everyone was calling me a manipulative psycho who would do anything to keep her man. They accused me of throwing stones at a real patient, Rebecca. They said if that was the case, I deserved to be abandoned and shouldn’t shamelessly try to guilt-trip true love. I scrolled through the endless cyberbullying comments. The live comments said: [Don’t be sad. The truth will come out.] [The video in your hand is your trump card.] [Let them play their little games for a few more days.] I turned off my phone and took a deep breath. Fine. I would wait. Just as I opened Snapchat to send him a text about getting a divorce, Rebecca’s bragging message popped up first. As it turned out, she was also in this hospital, staying on the VIP floor right above me. In the photo, Ethan was personally feeding her soup. Afraid she might burn herself, he was gently blowing on it. I had seen countless photos of their intimacy before. I quietly closed the chat window and called Ethan. On the fifth attempt, he finally picked up. His voice was irritated to the extreme. “You still have the nerve to call? Are you calling to check if Rebecca is dead? Let me tell you, she’s alive and well! Your plan failed! Chloe, how can you be so vicious? What did Rebecca ever do to you that made you want to kill her?” “Chloe, I must have been blind to marry you! Do you even realize what you did? You committed attempted murder! If anything had happened to Rebecca, I would have never forgiven you!” Before I could speak, Rebecca’s whimpering voice sounded from his end. “Ethan, don’t blame Chloe. It’s all my fault. If she says I injected the medicine myself, then let’s just say I did. Don’t fight with her. A patient shouldn’t get too emotional.” Ethan let out a long sigh, his voice thick with disappointment. “You’re just too kind. That’s why she keeps stepping all over you! She wanted your life, and you’re still begging for her!” “Don’t worry about this anymore. This time, I’m going to teach her a lesson she’ll never forget!” As the two of them continued their sickening display, I spoke up calmly: “Sure. Let’s get a divorce. I agree. I’ll send you the papers. Just sign them.” Ethan clearly didn’t expect me to be the one to bring up divorce. He froze for a second, then exploded with fury. But before he could launch into a tirade, I hung up. [YEAH!!!] [Finally standing up for yourself, girl!] [Good riddance! Why keep a trash man like him around?] The live comments cheered in celebration. Before I could block his number, a barrage of texts flooded in. “Where are you? Chloe, have you lost your mind today? I let things slide before because you were sick, and now you’re pushing your luck?” “Do you think hiding behind your illness will save you from the law? Let me tell you, Rebecca might be too kind to press charges, but I won’t let you off! Divorce? In your dreams! You will apologize to Rebecca and get her forgiveness first!” “Also, take down the news online immediately! Don’t force me to expose your real face to the public!” I stared at the toxic messages on the screen. The live comments said: [Don’t read them. Just block him.] I did exactly that. And then I realized I wasn’t as sad as I thought I would be. Probably because the live comments had already prepared me for this. A few nurses walked in to change my IV. Not noticing my expression, they started gossiping among themselves. “The guy upstairs is so handsome. I’ve never seen a couple look so perfect together! I heard they’ve been together since high school. True high school sweethearts. I’m so jealous.” “Your news is outdated. The latest is that Mr. Vance actually rented out a whole kitchen section in the hospital’s VIP nutrition department just to cook her soup himself every day!” “I went to check her blood pressure earlier, and Mr. Vance wouldn’t even let me touch her. He had to wrap the cuff himself. Now that’s a real, loving husband!” 3 I stared blankly at the needle marks on the back of my hand. My arm, covered in hives, was itching and burning. Once they left, I felt a wave of relief. I gasped for air, trying to fill my lungs, but my chest felt too tight to let any oxygen in. That evening, the doctor came to check on me. He said my heart had suffered severe damage from the allergic reaction. Even if a donor organ became available, the success rate of the transplant would be less than thirty percent. Hearing this, I fell silent for a long time. The live comments said softly: [It’s okay. You can still live a good life on your own.] I nodded. Once everyone left the room, I pulled out my phone to check the latest updates online. The cyberbullying had reached an uncontrollable peak, forcing the hospital’s PR head to release a statement. However, his explanation was that the allergy incident was entirely self-inflicted by me. He claimed that out of jealousy, I had intentionally injected myself to frame Rebecca. Not only did I waste the hospital’s emergency resources, but I also dragged their outstanding young entrepreneur, Mr. Vance, into the dirt. In the video, the PR head kept saying he hoped the public would let this matter go. But every single word he spoke was guiding the public’s rage directly toward me. To make the video more believable, Ethan had registered a verified account under his real name and posted a photo of our marriage certificate. His move officially hammered me to the cross of public outrage. The anger previously directed at the hospital instantly turned on me. My Instagram page was flooded with hate, and the platform eventually banned my account. Any explanations I tried to post were immediately drowned out by the waves of insults. Over the next few days, I could feel the hostile glares from the medical staff. If it weren’t for their basic professional ethics, they probably would have thrown me out of the hospital already. Every day, I received packages from unknown senders. Without exception, they were filled with razor blades, hate mail, and death threats. Faced with all of this, I never uttered a single word of defense. I only waited until the day the doctor cleared me for discharge to send Ethan one final message. “Tomorrow morning, family court. Let’s sign the divorce papers.” He seized the opportunity to call me back immediately. “What, finally can’t hide anymore? Have the face to show up? I warned you, and I gave you a chance. You refused to clear the rumors online, so don’t blame me for being ruthless now!” “If Rebecca hadn’t begged me not to press charges, you’d be sitting in a prison cell right now! And you still show no gratitude? Fine, we’ll divorce! But remember, it’s not me abandoning you—it’s you who doesn’t deserve to be my wife! A vicious woman like you deserves to die alone!” He slammed the phone down before I could reply. I silently opened the recorded video on my phone, making sure the backup was intact. The next morning, after checking out of the hospital, I took my documents and drove straight to the family court. But when the time came, the person who showed up was Rebecca. “I told you, you could never win against me. Your husband is nothing but my loyal dog.” Looking at my chest, she feigned a shocked expression. “Oh my, that broken heart is still beating? What a pity. Abandoned by everyone… tied to a sickly body like yours, you really won’t live long, will you?” How did she know about my heart’s condition? Before I could wrap my head around it, my hand had already smacked across her face. The live comments gasped: [??? She knows the future!] [Is she a reincarnator too?!] [Oh my god, both of you can see the future!] I froze in place. Was she also… warned by some kind of live chat? Having just left the hospital, I was extremely weak and didn’t have much strength. Yet, she fell straight to the ground. “Rebecca!” Ethan rushed over from behind me, violently shoving me aside. I tumbled down the concrete steps of the courthouse, my forehead slamming against the sharp edge of the stairs. Blood immediately began to pour down my face. Ethan held her tightly in his arms. As if suddenly remembering something, he snapped his head toward me. “What did you do to Rebecca?! Are you trying to hurt her again?!” 4 I struggled to climb back up, my movements stiff and painful from my fresh wounds. Clutching my aching chest, I looked at him with nothing but pure mockery. “My heart? What, can a discarded patient still receive the concern of the great CEO of Vance Medical Group?” “You truly are the perfect man praised by the entire internet. It’s deeply moving. But your concern is wasted. The transplant opportunity is gone. It died on the day of my allergic reaction.” “By the way, congratulations to the happy couple. Though I wonder how many good days you have left. Enjoy them while you can, because next time you want to see your wife, you’ll have to visit her in prison.” Ethan’s brow furrowed tightly, his face twisting with rage. “Chloe, do you have to be so venomous? I am the CEO of the group; managing the hospital is my duty. When you injected yourself that day, I didn’t hold you legally responsible and even got you a doctor. And now you’re blaming me?” “What right do you have to speak to me like that! You have no right!” “What did you do to Rebecca? She just said her chest hurts! Chloe, if you dare touch a single hair on her head again, I will destroy you! Do you think faking an illness will make me soft? In your dreams!” I looked into his eyes. The eyes I once loved now held nothing but disgust and suspicion. The live comments said: [It’s not too late to see him for what he really is.] I smiled. Yes, it wasn’t too late. He helped Rebecca up and prepared to walk toward me. Rebecca let out a well-timed gasp of pain, immediately making him stop. “Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Should I take you back to the hospital? Your body just recovered, we can’t take any risks.” “I’m fine… don’t be mad at Chloe. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to her ward that day to make her angry. If I had known she hated me so much, I would have stayed away. It’s all my fault…” Her tears fell right on cue. Ethan’s eyes immediately reddened with pity. Their public display of affection made my stomach churn with disgust. I couldn’t help but cut them off: “Are you two done with the drama? If you’re done, let’s go inside and sign the papers.” “I’m clearing the spot for you guys, so you don’t have to keep sneaking around.” The moment I spoke, his anger flared again. “Chloe, is your heart made of stone? Can’t you see how badly you’ve hurt Rebecca?” “I order you to apologize to her right now!” Laughing at his sheer shamelessness, I caught sight of the smug smirk on Rebecca’s face behind his back. I said coldly: “The only blind one here is you! You pushed me down the stairs. Did you apologize to me? What right do you have to call yourself a husband? By leaving me to die during my allergic attack?” “Or by spending the entire year of my hospitalization sleeping with another woman?” His eyebrows shot up, and he roared at me: “Because you tried to take Rebecca’s life! Did you think about the consequences when you injected her with that drug? She almost died! A monster like you doesn’t deserve to talk about love!” “I thought giving you a week to cool off would make you reflect, but it seems that was completely useless!” “A lunatic who has lost her mind like you belongs in jail! Rebecca was too foolish to let it go, but I won’t! Divorce? You won’t get a single penny! If you want to live, beg Rebecca for forgiveness!”

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The day I went to apply for my daughter’s passport. On our official family vital records, besides my daughter, there was a five-year-old son listed under my husband’s dependents. As the clerk pulled up our family’s official records, she frowned. “Ma’am, are you only applying for your daughter’s passport? Does your son not need one too?” I froze. “There must be a mistake,” I said with an awkward laugh. The clerk turned the computer screen toward me. “It’s written right here. Child: Male, Age 5.” My mind went completely blank. But Julian and I only had one daughter, Lily. So where had this five-year-old son come from? …… Five years old. I stared at the birth date on the screen, my nails digging deep into my palms. That was the year I was still chasing down clients for him while eight months pregnant, trying to help his startup secure its first major contract. One afternoon, at a highway rest stop, I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my stomach. Blood flowed down my legs, soaking the concrete. After six hours of emergency surgery, the baby was gone. My uterus was severely damaged. The doctor told me I could never have children again. Julian cried like a child by my hospital bed, clutching my hand. “Chloe, having Lily is enough. I just need you to be okay.” I was deeply moved, sobbing in his arms. At that moment, I thought I was the luckiest woman in the world. Julian and I had been together since college. Back then, he was dirt poor. In the freezing winter, he wore a thin windbreaker and couldn’t even afford a warm cup of coffee. My parents vehemently opposed our marriage. I fought with them for a whole year until they finally gave in. After we got married, he prepared surprises for me on every holiday. He remembered everything I liked. He never even raised his voice at me. My friends always joked that I must have won the husband lottery to marry such a perfect man. If someone told me Julian had built another family behind my back, I would never have believed them. My phone buzzed. The caller ID read “Husband.” I took a deep breath and answered. “Hey, Chloe. Where are you?” “Applying for Lily’s passport,” I replied, my voice shockingly calm. There was a two-second silence on the other end. “Is it done?” His voice sounded slightly tense. “No. I forgot my ID. I wasted a trip.” He clearly let out a sigh of relief, his tone instantly brightening. “Then come home quickly. Today is our eighth anniversary. I booked that French restaurant you love. I rented out the entire floor.” He really did rent out the whole place. The floor was covered in rose petals, candles were arranged in a heart shape, and a violinist was playing our favorite college song. Julian wore a custom suit. Holding a wine glass, he walked over and kissed my forehead in front of the waiters. “Happy anniversary, honey. Eight years. Thank you for staying by my side all this time.” I raised my glass and took a sip. “Julian, what do you think is the most important thing in a marriage?” “Trust,” he answered without a second thought. “Then, are you keeping anything from me?” “Of course not,” he replied smoothly. Seeing that I didn’t say anything else, he set his glass down and held my hand, his eyes filled with sincerity. “Chloe, in this life, I will only love you and Lily. Anyone might lie to you, but never me.” I smiled. “Of course I trust you.” But inside, my heart was screaming. Because when he answered, he subconsciously touched his nose. He only did that when he was lying. The words from the records flashed in my mind: *Son, five years old.* Was this boy really his child? 2.　　 That night, while Julian was showering, I searched his study. Drawers, cabinets, the safe—I checked them all. Nothing. No secret credit cards, no copies of property deeds. I secretly unlocked his phone. There wasn’t a single suspicious text. It was too clean. Not long after we lay down in bed, his phone vibrated. Julian rolled over, glanced at the screen, and sat up instantly. He moved so fast he nearly ripped the blanket off me. “What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice feigning sleepiness. “The company servers crashed. I have to go in.” He got dressed faster than he ever did for work. Before leaving, he kissed my forehead. Once he was sure I was still “asleep,” he quietly closed the bedroom door. I counted to thirty, then got up. Without turning on my headlights, I followed his car, keeping about two hundred yards behind him. His car didn’t head toward his company. Instead, he got on the highway, drove through several neighborhoods, and finally stopped in front of a luxury apartment building in the East District. I parked on the curb and slipped inside. The lobby lights were bright. A woman was standing there with a little boy, waiting. The boy, wearing blue pajamas, was rubbing his eyes and yawning. The moment he saw Julian step out of the car, he ran toward him with open arms. “Daddy!” Julian scooped him up, spinning him around in the air. I stared at the smile on his face. He had never smiled at Lily like that. The woman turned and said something to him. When I saw her face, I froze. It was Evelyn. Julian’s executive assistant. My brain suddenly fast-forwarded, bringing back all the memories I had overlooked. At the company’s annual party, Leo had fallen off a chair and cut his lip. Julian had abandoned a table of major clients and rushed over, his face pale with worry. At the time, I thought he was just a kind-hearted boss who pitied a single mother. And last month, when Leo came over to play and wanted Lily’s limited-edition doll. When Lily refused to give it to him, Julian lost his temper and screamed at her right in front of Evelyn. If I hadn’t stepped in, he would have hit her. Afterward, he told me, “Kids need to learn to share. Don’t spoil her.” And I believed him, thinking he was just being a strict father. The elevator doors opened. Julian shifted Leo to his left arm and wrapped his right arm around Evelyn’s waist. The three of them disappeared into the elevator. Just as the doors closed, I heard Leo’s voice fade out: “Daddy, will you take me to school tomorrow?” “Of course, buddy.” I didn’t even know how I walked back to my car. I sat in the driver’s seat, my hands gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. The words on the family record flashed in my mind again. *Son, five years old.* This wasn’t an accident. This wasn’t a one-time mistake. This was cold, calculated planning. From the moment the boy was born, to registering him, to buying the apartment, to settling them down just twenty minutes away from our house. He had planned every single step. I buried my face in the steering wheel, crying silently. Outside the window, the apartment window lit up. That was the home Julian built for them. While the house I lived in for eight years was nothing but a sham. 3. After that day, I acted as if nothing had happened, remaining the same sweet, gentle wife. But in secret, I began gathering evidence. I hired a private investigator to dig up the boy’s birth certificate and the apartment’s purchase agreement. When Julian wasn’t paying attention, I accessed his phone to pull his bank transfer records. For an entire month, I was chillingly calm. Until that night. A massive rainstorm hit the city. At 10:40 PM, Lily’s weak voice called out, “Mommy, I can’t breathe…” I bolted upright, ran out of bed without even putting on shoes, and rushed into her room. She was curled up on the bed, her chest heaving violently, her lips turning blue. My hands shook so badly I could barely type. I called Julian. First call, no answer. Second call, no answer. Third call, fourth call. On the fifth call, he finally picked up. “What is it? I’m in an important video conference,” he whispered, his voice laced with annoyance. Before I could speak, a woman’s voice came through the receiver. “Julian, Leo is scared of the thunder. Come back to bed.” It was Evelyn. I gripped the phone, my knuckles turning white. “Julian, Lily is having a severe asthma attack. She can’t breathe, and her face is turning blue…” “She always gets like that,” he cut me off, dismissive. “Just give her her inhaler. Don’t overreact.” “It’s really bad this time! We need to go to the hospital—” A second of silence. Then, dial tone. He hung up and turned off his phone. I threw my phone onto the floor and rushed back to Lily. She was starting to twitch. Without thinking, I scooped her up. She weighed almost fifty pounds, but I carried her and ran out into the pouring rain without even grabbing an umbrella. The rain was blinding. I ran five red lights on the way. From the hospital parking lot to the ER was less than two hundred yards. Halfway there, I slipped on the wet concrete and fell hard. As my knees slammed into the ground, I wrapped my arms around Lily, shielding her body with mine. Blood mixed with rainwater, pouring down my knees. Ignoring the pain, I scrambled back up and kept running. When the doctor took Lily from my arms, his face was grim. “Ten minutes later, and the lack of oxygen would have caused permanent brain damage.” The ER doors shut. A nurse handed me a critical condition notice, telling me to sign it. My hand shook so badly I ruined the signature three times. Finally, I had to hold the pen with both hands, using all my strength just to write my name. I sat alone in the sterile corridor. The blood on my knees had dried, gluing my pants to the open wounds. Every movement was agonizing. At midnight, I leaned against the wall and scrolled through my phone. A notification popped up. It was Evelyn’s Instagram update. The photo showed the silhouette of a man sitting by a child’s bed. The caption read: “Leo is the happiest boy to have his daddy protecting him on a stormy night.” I knew that silhouette all too well. Two hours later, the doctor came out. “She’s out of danger. You can go in now.” I walked inside. Lily lay on the hospital bed, wearing a nebulizer mask, looking pale and exhausted. Seeing me, she reached out her tiny hand and whispered, “Mommy…” I squeezed her hand, forcing my tears back. Leaving the room briefly, I sent Julian a text message. “Julian, let’s get a divorce.” 4. Julian didn’t show up until the next afternoon. When the ward door pushed open, Lily had just finished her nebulizer treatment. She was huddled under the blanket, looking as fragile as a stray kitten. He was holding a pink Barbie box, wearing that same doting look he had worn for the past eight years. “Hey, princess, Daddy’s here.” He walked over to the bed, reaching out to pat her head. “I really couldn’t get away last night. Look, I bought you your favorite doll to make it up to you.” Lily stared at the pink box but didn’t reach for it. “I don’t want a doll. I want my dad.” Julian froze. He placed the box on the nightstand and leaned down. “Isn’t Daddy right here?” “Daddy, do you not love me anymore?” “Of course I do! Why would you say—” “But you haven’t played with me in so long.” Her voice was tiny, as if she was afraid of being heard. “And you forgot… I hate pink.” Pink. Evelyn’s Instagram was filled with pink. Pink toys, pink flowers, pink balloons. He couldn’t even keep track of which child liked what anymore. Julian’s hand hovered in mid-air. I sat in the armchair, watching him silently. He stood up straight, his face darkening as he turned to look at me. “Is this how you teach our kid? To be this ungrateful? I work myself to the bone to make money for this family, and this is what I get?” I stared at him, pulled out the copy of the family records from my bag, and slapped it against his chest. “For this family? Or for your son?” Julian’s face drained of color in an instant. The Barbie box slipped from his hand, crashing onto the floor and splitting open. “Chloe, let me explain,” he stammered, his voice trembling. “It’s not what you think. Evelyn needed a way to get Leo registered for school, so I just let her put him under my name. It’s just a formality!” “Is it?” I challenged. “Of course! We’ve been together for eight years. You have to trust me.” He explained frantically, desperate to make me believe him. I didn’t say a word. I just unlocked my phone and showed him Evelyn’s Instagram post. “Julian, does a ‘formality’ require you to sleep over at her place?” He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. “Does a ‘formality’ mean you let your biological daughter almost die while you comfort another woman’s son?” The room fell dead silent for three seconds. Then, Julian let out a cold laugh. “Fine. Since you know, I won’t play along anymore.” He pointed a finger at me, his voice dripping with self-righteous anger. “I just wanted a son! Is that so wrong? If you could actually give me one, would I have to go elsewhere?” My nails dug deep into my palms. I yelled back, “Julian, you are a disgusting piece of trash!” He blinked, and suddenly his tone softened, trying to placate me. “Honey, I’m sorry. I was just angry. I didn’t mean it.” “You’re the only one in my heart. I just wanted a son to carry on my name. Evelyn doesn’t even want a title. We can bring Leo here, and you can raise him as your own. We can still be a happy family. What do you say?” “Go to hell! I want a divorce, right now!” Unable to take it anymore, I slapped him across the face. Julian grabbed my wrist and shoved me hard. I fell to the ground, scraping my arm against the floor. Blood began to ooze from the scratch. A cry erupted from the bed. “Bad Daddy! Leave Mommy alone!” Lily was clutching her blanket, tears streaming down her face. Julian spun around, grabbed Lily’s arm, and shook her. “Shut up! All you do is cry! If it weren’t for you being so sickly, I wouldn’t have—” Lily’s breathing grew rapid under his grip. “Get your hands off her!” I screamed, scrambling up. “Am I wrong?” Julian bellowed. “Do you have any idea how much money I’ve spent on her medical bills? How much I’ve sacrificed for you two? And now, just because I want a son to inherit my legacy, you’re making a scene!” The more he spoke, the more furious he got. Lily’s lips were already turning blue. “Touch her again, and I swear I’ll kill you.” Without hesitation, I grabbed the paring knife from the nightstand and pointed it right at his chest.

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On the night we lost the championship, the TV was still replaying the footage of Ethan Vance missing that crucial penalty kick. I looked at Ethan, who was slumped on the couch smelling of cheap beer, and swept the aluminum cans in front of him straight into the trash. He looked up, his eyes bloodshot and swollen. “You saw it too, didn’t you? I ruined everything. That penalty…” Seeing that I didn’t offer a single word of comfort, he let out a bitter laugh. “You think I’m useless too, don’t you? I practiced that shot a thousand times…” I slid the divorce papers across the coffee table, stopping right in front of him. I looked at him calmly. “Let’s get a divorce.” A flash of utter shock crossed Ethan’s face. Then, he reached out, trying to grab my hand with a helpless, forced smile. “What’s wrong with you? Is this a joke? You’re divorcing me over one lost game?” He squeezed out a laugh, but the panic in his eyes was impossible to hide. “I know I let you down. I’ll work harder next year. I promise we’ll win the cup, okay?” His voice trembled. He was trying to convince himself more than he was trying to convince me. Looking into his pathetic, pleading eyes, I pulled my hand back. My voice was cold. “It has nothing to do with the game.” The gentle facade on his face cracked, and his brows furrowed. “Not the game? Then what else could it be?” His brow tightened further, a trace of impatience creeping into his tone. “Is it because I didn’t pick you up today? Or did your friends talk trash about me behind my back again?” “Or are you mad because I didn’t spend enough time with you while preparing for the finals these past few days?” His tone softened, as if he were coaxing a child. “Stop being dramatic, babe. I’ll spend every single day with you during the off-season, okay?” He reached out again to grab my wrist. The moment his fingers brushed my skin, I snatched my arm back and glared at him. “Don’t touch me.” “I said I want a divorce. Do you not understand English?” “It’s not this, it’s not that! What the hell do you want from me then?” He finally dropped his pleading act, his voice rising with uncontrollable irritation. “You can’t seriously divorce me just because I lost a match! Do you have any idea what people will say if they find out?” I looked at him blankly. “Yes, I am divorcing you because you lost.” I stared straight into his eyes, pronouncing every word clearly. “Do you have a problem with that?” He looked at me in disbelief. “Do you even hear yourself?” His eyes widened, as if he were seeing a stranger. “Because of a loss? I sat here all night waiting for you to come home and comfort me, and instead, you walk through the door and throw divorce papers in my face?” “And I already said we’d win it back next year, but you just won’t listen. Now you’re…” I didn’t bother to answer. I turned around and walked into the bedroom to pack my bags. Behind me, his roar echoed through the apartment: “Chloe! Do you even have a heart?!” Refusing to give up, he rushed after me. He tried to block the door, but his elbow slammed against the doorframe, making him gasp in pain. “Chloe, make it make sense! What did I do? Why are we divorcing?” Through the door, his voice sounded like he was on the verge of tears. “At least give me a reason. Even if we break up, I deserve an explanation, don’t I?” I leaned against the door, closing my eyes. I didn’t say a word. After a long time, a heavy thud echoed from the other side of the door. “I’m not signing it. Don’t even think about it!” With that, his footsteps faded away, followed by the heavy slam of the front door. After he left, I stood alone in the empty living room, staring at the divorce agreement on the coffee table for a long time. Then, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer friend. “Lily, help me draft a final divorce agreement. The house goes to me, and we split the savings fifty-fifty.” Ethan didn’t come home that night, but I slept like a baby. The next morning, right after I woke up, I received a call from his parents asking me to come over. Shortly after Ethan left last night, they had called, saying we needed to talk. But when I arrived at their house, I realized Hailey, the team’s personal physical therapist, was also there.

At the dining table, Helen put a piece of steak onto my plate, speaking in a probing tone. “Chloe, you know Ethan. He’s been terrible at sweet-talking since he was a kid. If he did something wrong, please bear with him…” I didn’t take the food. I laid my fork down. “Helen, Richard, we are getting a divorce.” The fork in Helen’s hand clattered onto her plate. The smile on her face froze. “Divorce? Why on earth would you divorce? Tell me what Ethan did wrong, and I’ll kick his ass for you.” I kept my head down, avoiding her eyes. “Nothing. We just drifted apart.” Ethan choked on his breath, his eyes turning red as he stared at me. “Babe, what did I do wrong?” His voice was raspy, his eyes rimmed with red. “Just tell me, and I’ll change, okay? I don’t believe you don’t love me anymore. We’ve been together for ten years. Ten years of love, and you’re just throwing it away?” Richard and Helen exchanged looks. Helen sighed, her voice softening. “Chloe, is it because Ethan was so busy with training and matches this past year that he didn’t have time for you? Do you feel neglected?” I kept my head down and remained silent. “You know what he’s like. His head is filled with nothing but soccer. Sometimes he really neglects the house,” Richard chimed in with a sigh, his tone apologetic. “But he loves you. Every time he gets a bonus, the first thing he thinks of is buying you something nice. If you feel like he doesn’t spend enough time with you, we’ll make him take more days off to be with you, okay?” “If you’re really unhappy, we can have him talk to the club to skip some away games so he can stay home more,” Helen said, reaching out to squeeze my hand, her eyes tearing up. “Is there anything you two can’t just talk through? Why does it have to end in divorce?” I gently pulled my hand back and put down my fork. “Helen, Richard, it’s not about how much time he spends at home. This divorce is happening. Please don’t try to persuade me otherwise.” Ethan snapped his head up, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. “Babe…” Richard and Helen exchanged another look, their expressions finally hardening. “How can you be so stubborn, girl?” Helen’s voice began to tremble. “Maybe Ethan isn’t perfect, but how has he wronged you? He hands over all his paychecks to you, he never goes out partying, and he’s completely devoted to you. And you’re just discarding him because of one lost game?” Richard’s face went cold as well. “Do you think he’s washed up? Do you think his career is over?” I didn’t answer. I stood up. “Thanks for breakfast, but I should go.” Behind me, Helen let out a stifled sob. Hailey quickly grabbed my arm. “Chloe, let’s step out onto the balcony for some fresh air. I need to talk to you.” Before I could answer, she pulled me across the living room and pushed open the glass door to the balcony. She looked at me with deep concern. “Chloe, what’s really going on? If there’s something bothering you, you can tell me. I know you’re not an unreasonable person. Something must have happened.” Hailey and I had a decent relationship; we were practically friends. She was the team’s official physical therapist, and she had been there since Ethan was in the youth academy. So, when we went on trips, shopping, or to the spa, I would occasionally invite her along. I was actually considering whether I should tell her the truth. But then, my eyes caught a gym bag sitting open on the lounge chair in the corner of the balcony. Peeking out from the bag was a bottle of men’s energy drink and a bottle of massage oil. Noticing where my eyes were drifting, Hailey’s face drained of color. She hurriedly knelt down and zipped the bag shut. Perhaps because she was in such a rush, her clumsy movements caused something to slip out of the side pocket. A hotel notepad paper drifted onto the floor. On it was Ethan’s handwriting: *”Thanks for last night. Same place tomorrow.”* She scrambled to pick it up, her face flushed with panic. “Please don’t misunderstand. This is… Ethan left it at my place after his therapy session…” “He just… asked me to bring him a cup of coffee upstairs, so he wrote a quick note…” Looking at her panicked face, the words caught in my throat. “I see. Let’s go back inside.” She grabbed my hand. “No, wait, you haven’t told me what’s wrong. Why the divorce? Is there really nothing that can be fixed?” I threw a cold glance at her. “Nothing. We’re just done.” I slid open the balcony door and walked back into the living room. Inside, Helen was still wiping her tears, while Richard sat grimly on the couch, smoking. Ethan was on his knees on the floor, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Without giving them another look, I walked straight toward the front door.

“Don’t leave, babe! Please don’t go!” As if suddenly waking up, Ethan scrambled to his feet, chased me to the door, and fell to his knees again, wrapping his arms around my legs. “Is it because I didn’t care enough about you? I’ll change! I promise I’ll put you first in everything from now on. Just don’t divorce me, please! I… I really can’t live without you!” Seeing this, Richard and Helen clutched their chests, groaning in dismay. I looked down at Ethan kneeling at my feet. His tears were dripping onto my shoes. I pulled my leg back, stepped around him, and opened the door. “Instead of begging me, you should take your parents to the hospital for a check-up. You might actually kill them with this pathetic show.” Ignoring their pale faces, I walked out. As I turned the corner, I could faintly hear Helen’s cries echoing from the apartment. “How can she be like this? Ethan gave her his whole heart, and she’s divorcing him over a soccer game?!” Richard’s voice sounded deep and exhausted. “Let it go. The girl has a heart of stone. We can’t change her mind.” I paused for a second, then kept walking. As soon as I walked out of the community gate, my phone rang. It was Lily. “The agreement is drafted. Come pick it up whenever you’re free.” The other end of the line fell silent for a few seconds. “Is it really just because of the game?” Lily’s voice was filled with confusion. “You guys always seemed so perfect. He never did anything to hurt you, did he?” I held the phone tight, staying silent. “I don’t mean to gossip, but I really don’t get it. You two have been good for so many years. Why the sudden divorce?” I rubbed my temples, feeling a wave of exhaustion. “It’s nothing. Being with his family is just too draining. I want to be free.” Lily sighed, sensing my fatigue, and didn’t push further. I drove over to her office, got the divorce papers, and signed my name immediately. By evening, I went back to the apartment to pack up my belongings. I wanted to remove all traces of my life here over the years, waiting for him to come back, sign the papers, and let me leave. But I waited and waited. It was past 9:00 PM, and there was still no reply from him. Frustrated, I decided to call him to get this over with. But before I could dial, my phone rang. It was one of Ethan’s teammates. The voice on the other end was frantic and drowned out by loud background noise. “Chloe, you need to get over to the club right now! Ethan lost his mind at the season review press conference. A reporter asked about the missed penalty, and he smashed the microphone on stage. The backstage area is a total mess right now!” I drove to the club’s media center. In the backstage green room, a crowd was gathered. Aside from Richard, Helen, and Hailey, there were club executives, sponsor representatives, and a bunch of Ethan’s teammates. My parents were standing right at the front. My mom’s eyes were red, and my dad’s face was thunderous. The way they looked at me made me feel like an absolute stranger. I opened my mouth to speak, but before a word could escape, my dad grabbed my arm aggressively, shoving me back against the doorframe. My ears buzzed from the impact. Ethan was slumped on the couch, his tie loosened, his face flushed. He struggled to stand up. “Robert, please, let’s just talk. Don’t touch her.” Seeing this, my dad’s eyes welled with angry tears. “Look at him! Look at what you’ve done to him! He lost his mind in front of the entire club!” “Have you lost your damn mind?” My dad’s voice boomed through the green room. “How has Ethan ever wronged you? You’re divorcing him over one missed penalty? How are we supposed to face our friends and neighbors?” His eyes grew redder. “I think you’ve had it too easy these past few years. We spoiled you!” My mom, who had always babied me and spoiled me since I was a child, looked at me with deep disappointment. “I hate to say this, Chloe, but you’ve gone way too far this time!” My dad snorted coldly. “Why are you still standing there? Apologize to Richard, Helen, and Hailey right now! You nearly gave them a heart attack yesterday!” I kept my head down, my voice quiet but firm. “This is between Ethan and me. Stay out of it.” With that, I snatched a pen from someone standing nearby and handed it, along with the papers, to Ethan. “I didn’t come here to make a scene. I came to get a divorce.” The moment the words left my mouth, the teammates—who had assumed I would back down after being scolded by my parents—glared at me in utter shock. Looking at the divorce papers I had already signed, Ethan began to tremble violently. His eyes were completely bloodshot as he clutched his chest. “Chloe…” His voice was so weak it sounded like it would blow away with the wind. “I promise I’ll bring the championship back next year. I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t leave me, please?” Someone nearby couldn’t take it anymore and muttered under their breath, “This woman is a straight-up sociopath.” There wasn’t a shred of warmth in my eyes. “No need. Just sign the papers.”

When Helen saw me, her eyes welled with tears, but she swallowed her anger and walked over. “Chloe, I am begging you. Can we please go home and talk about this? Ethan is already going through hell. Don’t do this to him now.” I said nothing. Seeing that I was unmoved, Hailey stepped up to support a staggering Helen. “Chloe, what is wrong with you?” Meeting her probing gaze, I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. The crisp sound made the entire room fall dead silent. Hailey clutched her cheek, tears instantly streaming down her face. “You… you hit me?” The room immediately erupted. “Whether I’m heartless or not is none of your business, Hailey. Keep your nose out of my marriage.” Helen was shaking so hard she couldn’t speak. Finally, she hissed through gritted teeth, “Good… great… my son was truly blind to marry such an ungrateful bitch!” She didn’t hit me back; she just turned her head away, her shoulders shaking violently as she wept. At this point, Ethan’s teammates couldn’t hold back their anger anymore. “Chloe, what is wrong with you? No respect for your elders, no respect for anyone! Ethan treated you like a queen, gave you everything you ever wanted, and you’re dumping him over one bad game? How does that make any sense?” I spared him a cold glance. “Is your training done? If you have so much free time, go home and worry about your own wife and kids. Stop sticking your nose in my business.” A few of Ethan’s close friends on the team got right in my face. “Ethan is such a great guy. He was a fool to marry you!” one teammate yelled. “Do you have any idea that just last night, he was telling us he wanted to throw you a massive vow renewal ceremony once we won the cup? Is this how you repay him?” “There’s no point talking to a woman like her. Ethan, just sign the damn papers! Let her rot! She’ll regret this!” I let out a cold chuckle. “Don’t worry. I won’t regret a single thing.” Hearing this, Richard slammed his fist on the table, knocking a chair over. “Divorce! Divorce her right now! Our family doesn’t need a cold-blooded monster like you!” He reached out to snatch the papers from my hand. But my dad quickly stepped in, blocking him with a submissive smile. “Richard, Helen, please don’t be angry. She’s just being childish. We can’t let her ruin this.” “I promise you, as long as I am here today, I won’t let her go through with this divorce. Don’t worry, I’m taking her home right now to set her straight!” With that, he grabbed my arm, trying to drag me out. I used every ounce of my strength to yank my arm free. “I said I am not leaving! This divorce is happening today, and none of you can stop me!” My dad, who had never been defied in his life, lost his temper completely. He threw a harsh shove that sent me stumbling to the floor. “You think I can’t control you?” His finger was practically poking my nose. “If you dare sign those papers today, you are no longer my daughter! Get the hell out of this family, and don’t you ever call me dad again!” The documents in my hand scattered all over the floor. My eyes burned with tears, but I bit my lip. “Fine. Since you’re taking his side, I have nothing left to say to you.” I knelt down to gather the scattered papers. But in the next second, my dad snatched them off the floor, glaring at me with fury. “I am ripping these damn papers right now! You’re going to put this ridiculous divorce out of your head once and for all!” I practically lunged at him. “No! Don’t!” My voice finally cracked with panic. “Dad, please, don’t rip them! I’ll explain everything to you later…” Before I could finish, his hand froze mid-tear. His eyes locked onto a few unexpected pages slipped between the legal documents. In that instant, all the color drained from my dad’s face. His hands began to shake violently, and he took two steps back, bumping into the table behind him. His gaze darted back and forth between Ethan and me, his lips trembling, but not a single sound came out. Seeing my dad’s shocked expression, my heart sank. I quickly snatched the crumpled papers back and tucked the hidden pages safely inside. The people in the room looked back and forth between us, completely baffled by our silent exchange. But it didn’t take long for someone to jump to conclusions. One of Ethan’s teammates sneaked a glance and sneered, trying to grab the papers from my hand. “What are you hiding? Must be something disgusting.” I shoved him away. “None of your business! Back off!”

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There’s an unwritten rule in New York’s underground fight clubs. The final round is a fight to the death. The winner walks out alive. The loser leaves in a body bag. Everyone thought I’d be the one walking out safe. After all, for six straight months, my name had been solid at the top of the leaderboard. But I never expected to see Tyler Vance step into the ring. He was my mentor. The man who taught me every punch, every feint, every finishing move. Fighting him was suicide. The moment the whistle blew, a barrage of brutal, merciless strikes rained down on me. With a sickening crack of my ribs, I crashed heavily to the canvas. As the referee declared the match over, I heard Tyler let out a soft sigh. “Yesterday was Chloe’s birthday. She wanted to see me beat you just once.” “Her health is failing. The doctors said she might not make it to her next birthday.” “I had to grant her this one last wish.” Below the ring, Chloe Sinclair sat in her wheelchair. Her cheeks were flush with color, a smug smile playing on her lips. I lay on the cold floor, my chest barely moving. Even breathing was agony. I didn’t know if Chloe would survive until next year. But I knew for a fact that I wouldn’t survive the next three days. *** ###

The deafening roar of the crowd cut off instantly. The referee gently placed his hand on my shoulder. “Can you get up, Aria?” Lying there, I felt my shattered rib pierce into my lung. Every word I gasped out felt like swallowing glass. “Let it go, Marcus.” Losing to Tyler was a bitter pill, but I accepted it. After all, surviving in this cutthroat place for so long was entirely thanks to the moves he had taught me. Just last night, too excited to sleep, I had climbed up to the rooftop of the gym. The sky was filled with stars. Through my headphones, I could hear his deep, comforting breathing. My heart had been pounding like a drum, my voice trembling with hope. “Tomorrow is my final fight. Will you be there to watch?” I wanted Tyler to witness my ultimate victory. A soft chuckle had drifted from the other end of the line. “Of course I will.” He kept his word. He actually came. He personally replaced my opponent, personally stepped into the ring, and personally signed my death warrant. Tyler unstrapped his gloves, a few minor scratches on his handsome face from our brief struggle. He extended a long, vein-defined hand toward me. “Stop being dramatic. Get up. The ring is no place to show weakness.” “Cough, cough…” Just as I was about to reach for his hand, Chloe’s sharp coughing cut through the air. She hunched over, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Tyler’s brows furrowed instantly. He vaulted over the ropes without a second thought, rushing to her side to wrap a cashmere shawl around her shoulders. “The smell of blood is too strong here. You’re too weak to handle this. Let’s get you out.” His voice sounded reprimanding, but it was dripping with pure indulgence. “I told you not to come. If you wanted to know the result, I could have just texted you.” “When have I ever broken a promise to you?” He cradled Chloe protectively in his arms. As they reached the exit, he glanced back at me over his shoulder. “Stop playing dead. I pulled my punches. I know exactly how hard I hit.” “I know you’re just mad that I broke your winning streak.” “I’ll pick you up tomorrow and take you to that steakhouse you love.” He was doing what he always did—trying to brush our conflicts under the rug with a free meal. I closed my eyes. But this time, it was different. After they left, Coach Marcus helped me limp off the stage, begging me to go to the hospital. When I peeled off my shirt, my torso was covered in horrific, dark bruises. *** ###

The purple-and-black bruising looked absolutely terrifying. Tyler’s punches had been exceptionally heavy today. I splashed some rubbing alcohol over the cuts and tightly wrapped a compression bandage around my chest. Only then did I find the strength to speak. “I don’t have many days left anyway. Let’s not waste the money.” “I need to save every penny for Grandma Eleanor’s medical bills.” I cast my eyes down, forcing a weak smile. In my head, I began calculating the remaining balance on my card, wondering if it was enough to cover Grandma’s next few rounds of chemotherapy. Suddenly, my phone lit up with a push notification. The cover photo of the trending article showed Tyler carrying Chloe in his arms out of the fight arena. The headline was massive and eye-catching: *Sparks Fly: Billionaire Heir Tyler Vance and Chloe Sinclair Take Their Romance Public!* Whether intentionally or not, Chloe had liked the post on Instagram before quickly unliking it. Marcus stood beside me, his voice cracking with rage. “These damn paparazzi keep making up lies! You’re Tyler’s actual girlfriend! She’s just a—” I flipped my phone face down on the table, a bitter taste in my mouth. “They come from the same social circle. They look good together. It’s a perfect match.” While I sat there dazed, the door to the locker room was slammed open. One of our neighbors stood there, panting and frantic. “Aria, this is bad!” “The Sinclair Group just bought out the Riverside District. They’re tearing the whole neighborhood down to build luxury condos, and they’re forcing everyone out.” “Your grandma… they threw her out on the street!” I stood up so fast that a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my chest, making me gasp. After taking a few seconds to catch my breath, I threw on a jacket and sprinted out. The sky outside was heavy and gray, threatening to snow at any second. When I arrived home, the street was in utter chaos. Grandma was sitting on the freezing ground. Our few pieces of cheap furniture had been smashed to splinters. Several men in sharp suits were pinning Grandma’s hand down, trying to force her thumbprint onto a contract. “Get your hands off her!” I grabbed a broken broom handle and swung it wildly at them, forcing them to back off as I threw myself protectively over Grandma. In the scuffle, the contract fluttered to the ground, stained with dirty boot prints. I looked down at it. The compensation line read a glaring, mocking **$0**. Rage boiled in my veins. I glared at the suits. “This is robbery!” A neighbor opened their door and peeked out. “Aria, just tell your grandma to sign it. The five-hundred-thousand buyout is enough to pay for her hospital bills.” My brain went numb. My voice was dry. “What five-hundred-thousand buyout?” The neighbor looked confused. “The relocation package. The Sinclair Group is offering that same flat rate to everyone in the neighborhood.” I turned my glaring eyes to the lead suit. “Why is ours zero?” The man sneered, adjusting his tie. “You only have yourself to blame for crossing the wrong person. Consider this a lesson in respect.” “I suggest you sign it quietly. Otherwise, with how sick your old lady is, I doubt she can survive us hounding her every day.” My heart sank into a dark abyss. The person I shouldn’t have crossed… the Sinclair Group. “Was this Chloe’s idea?” The men didn’t deny it. Their silence was answer enough. I remembered the night Tyler proposed to me. Chloe, who had always been perfectly healthy, suddenly fell critically ill and was rushed to the ICU. The entire Sinclair family went into a frenzy. When the call came in, Tyler was in the middle of fastening his family’s heirloom diamond necklace around my neck. “Chloe is in trouble.” Leaving me with only those words, he turned and ran without looking back. When I saw him the next day, that exact necklace was already hanging around Chloe’s neck. Tyler had stood in front of her like a shield, treating me as if I were some kind of monster. “Chloe fell in love with the necklace. I’m just letting her wear it for a bit.” *** ###

Seeing that I didn’t respond, his expression had darkened. “Since when did you become so petty? She’s a dying girl, Aria. Don’t pick a fight with her.” Chloe had grabbed my hand, her other hand gently stroking the diamond pendant. “I don’t have much time left anyway, Aria. Please don’t be mad at me.” Her voice was incredibly fragile, but her sharp fingernails dug deep into my palm, leaving bloody crescent marks. It was on that day that I fully realized Chloe’s sick obsession with Tyler. She hated me. She hated that I, a nobody, had taken her place. But I never imagined her hatred would drive her to put me and my family on a literal death path. After the suits left, I turned around and slowly helped Grandma off the cold ground. As we walked into the ruined house, the distant sky suddenly erupted with brilliant, dazzling fireworks. It was beautiful and grand. I looked up, noticing that the first snow of the year had quietly started to fall. Back in late autumn, Tyler had held my hand and made a promise. “When the first snow falls, I’m going to throw the most magnificent fireworks show for you.” “I want the whole city to witness our happiness.” Now, the snow was falling. But the fireworks and the man no longer belonged to me. Due to the extreme shock, Grandma ran a dangerously high fever that very night. Left with no other choice, my hands shook violently as I dialed Tyler’s number. The phone rang for a long time before he finally picked up. “Tyler, Grandma is…” Before I could finish, his exhausted, irritated voice cut me off. “Are you seriously using the ‘Grandma is sick’ excuse again to make me come over?” “Aria, this trick is getting really old.” The rest of my words choked in my throat, completely blocked. Tyler continued, “Chloe is just finishing her bath. She can’t sleep lately without me reading to her.” “Have some decency and show some compassion to a dying girl. Stop throwing these pathetic tantrums.” I lowered my head, hot tears splashing onto the back of my hand one by one. I still remembered the very first time I stepped into the underground ring. I had been beaten to a pulp. When I was dragged off the canvas, my face was swollen beyond recognition. As I huddled in a dark corner of the locker room, a clean white handkerchief was suddenly offered to me. Tyler had stood there, blocking the harsh overhead light, his voice softer than silk. “Clean yourself up.” After that, he was the one who applied my ointment, accompanied me to visit Grandma, and taught me how to use my body’s leverage to deliver the most devastating punches. After my first win, he had pulled my head into his chest in front of everyone, his warm breath tickling my ear. “From now on, you can lean on me.” I actually believed him. Looking back now, I was such a fool. Grandma lay on the bed, her breath growing hotter and more labored by the minute. I wiped away my tears, walked outside, and pulled out our old, rusty utility cart. I lined it with a thick blanket. Then, gritting my teeth through the agonizing pain in my chest, I carried Grandma on my back and laid her gently in the cart. The snow on the road was thick and heavy. I dragged the cart, my boots sinking deep into the snow with every agonizing step. By the time we reached the hospital doors, I had completely lost all sensation in my limbs. A team of doctors rushed out to wheel her in. Soon, the red light of the operating room turned on. I leaned against the wall, my eyes staring blankly at the door. The snow on my shoulders had melted into freezing water, soaking through my thin jacket. Thankfully, the doctor’s words gave me a glimmer of hope when he walked out. “We’ve stabilized her for now, but she needs to start the next phase of treatment immediately.” My heart hammered with anxiety. “How much will the subsequent treatment cost?” “Around a hundred thousand dollars.” I let out a sigh of relief. *** ###

Over the past two years, I had barely taken a break, fighting match after match. The money I had saved up was just enough to cover the hundred thousand. When I entered the ward, Grandma had already regained consciousness. “Aria… Grandma is a burden to you again.” I shook my head, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably. I pulled out my bank card and tucked it safely under her pillow. “Grandma, use this card to pay for your treatments. When I’m not here, you have to take good care of yourself.” The next day, while waiting in line at the hospital pharmacy, I bumped into Chloe. “Oh, Aria. What a coincidence.” “I had a slight headache last night, but Tyler insisted on bringing me to the hospital for a full checkup today.” I clenched my jaw, refusing to engage with her. But when I returned to the ward, my heart stopped. Grandma was lying on the cold floor, having fallen out of bed. “Grandma!” Grandma’s hands were shaking violently, and she was crying hysterically, clutching her head in distress. I grabbed her hands, my stomach dropping. “What happened?” Tears poured down her wrinkled face as her lips trembled. “Some men… they broke into the room just now and took the card.” “It’s my fault… I’m so useless! I couldn’t protect your hard-earned money!” She kept sobbing, her face pale with helplessness and despair. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. My vision began to go black. Grandma grabbed my arm, her eyes filled with terror. “They were the same men… the ones who came to tear down our house yesterday!” I instantly pictured Chloe’s smug smile downstairs. It was her! I turned and bolted out of the room. In the distance, I spotted the familiar silhouette in the wheelchair. “Chloe Sinclair!” I ran up to her, my eyes bloodshot, and demanded, “Give me my card back!” She tilted her head, her face a mask of sweet innocence. “Aria? What are you talking about? I don’t understand.” “Stop lying!” I grabbed the armrest of her wheelchair, begging desperately, “Do whatever you want to me! I don’t care about Tyler anymore, you can have him! Just give me my money back!” “Please, I need that money to save my grandma!” She stared at me for a second. Suddenly, her eyes welled with tears, and her shoulders began to shake. “Aria… you’re scaring me…” The next second, a powerful force shoved me violently to the side. Tyler grabbed my arm, his eyes burning with pure fury. “You really never learn, do you? Harassing Chloe at the hospital?” “I guess I went too easy on you in the ring yesterday.” I let out a hollow laugh that sent a stabbing pain through my chest. I looked at him with dead, empty eyes. “I just want her to give my money back.” Tyler’s brow furrowed. “You lost your money?” “If your money is gone, you can earn it back. Why the hell are you taking it out on Chloe?” I wrenched my arm out of his grip, screaming in absolute despair, “There is no time! I don’t have the time to earn it back!” Tyler’s temper flared, and he slapped me hard across the face. “What do you mean ‘no time’?” “I’ve spoiled you for too long, and now you’ve just gotten lazy!” “You’re nothing but a pathetic piece of trash!” Once, he had called me a wild flower—resilient, unique, and beautiful. He said that was why he fell for me. Now, he called me trash. I swallowed the metallic taste of blood rising in my throat. He turned and began pushing Chloe’s wheelchair away. “I am so incredibly disappointed in you, Aria.” My body went rigid, but I didn’t miss the fleeting look of triumph in Chloe’s eyes. And there, slipping slightly from the sleeve of her coat, was a flash of my familiar blue bank card.

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In the seventh year of serving a prison sentence for Ethan Foster, I was released early for good behavior. When I walked out of prison, Ethan held up a priceless pink diamond and proposed to me. Everyone praised him for never abandoning me. It was not until the night before the wedding that I learned his real wedding gift to me was putting my virginity up for auction. The starting bid was one dollar. Ethan’s friends burst into laughter. “Ethan, your bride just got out of prison, and she’s carrying all that bad luck with her, so I bet she won’t even sell for a dollar.” “Exactly, you get to enjoy your wedding night with your lover Chloe while leaving trash like this for us.” He sat in the shadows, his expression indifferent. “If she doesn’t sell, then make her free, because if Grandpa hadn’t said I could only get the company shares by marrying her, I’d think she was too filthy to even look at.” “I heard Chloe argued with Ethan for days over Evelyn and wouldn’t even let Ethan into her bed, and if he hadn’t come up with the idea of auctioning off the wedding night, Chloe would probably still be mad.” “She upset Chloe the moment she got out, so she really does deserve a lesson.” Ethan gave a disdainful sneer. “What kind of lesson is this?” “Evelyn spent seven years in prison, seven full years without touching a man, so she must be dying of loneliness by now.” “And she has always had strong needs, since she used to tempt me so badly that I wouldn’t leave the bedroom for days.” Ethan kept looking down and scrolling through his phone, then suddenly curled his lips and said, “Found it.” After saying that, he lifted his phone. “There’s video proof.” “This is a video from before Evelyn went to prison, and back then we were together every day, but she still wouldn’t let me rest.” “Now that she’s been lonely for seven years, I’m sure she’s even wilder.” Broken, breathy moans came from the phone, making everyone present flush. Then his friends whistled like hooligans, and their laughter and shrieks rose wave after wave. Ethan’s expression stayed calm, as if the person at the center of the topic had nothing to do with him. Amid the overwhelming mockery, tears rolled down my face, and my whole body trembled uncontrollably. Ethan was not like this before. I was a child sponsored by the Foster family, and I had followed Ethan around since I was little. In name, I was his playmate, but in reality, I was a bodyguard trained specifically to protect him. When I was eighteen, he took my body while drunk. From then on, I had another identity, Ethan Foster’s bed partner. I knew I could never climb into the Foster family’s world, so I never dared to have any other thoughts. But Ethan refused to accept that. When he was young, his love was passionate and sincere, and he swore again and again that he would marry me and give me a home. During those years, everyone in the city knew it. The eldest son of the Foster family, Ethan Foster, had a girl he loved down to his bones. Until Ethan was kidnapped. I broke into an abandoned factory alone to save him. Everything had been going smoothly, but just before we left, one of the kidnappers touched my calf. That one touch made Ethan’s expression change on the spot. He chopped off the kidnapper’s right hand, then stabbed a knife into his heart. Even though the Foster family was powerful and influential, killing someone still meant paying with a life. Ethan was the only son, the lifeblood of the Foster family. Because of that, Grandpa Foster came to me and asked me to take the blame and go to prison for Ethan. In return, once I finished my sentence and was released, the Foster family would acknowledge me as their daughter-in-law. Grandpa Foster had shown me kindness, and Ethan was the man I loved. After sitting in silence for an entire night, I signed the confession. Before I went to prison, Ethan knelt in front of me and cried bitterly.

“Evelyn, when you get out, I will make it up to you with the grandest wedding.” His vow still rang in my ears, but the man before me was no longer the man from back then. No wonder he often hid from me to make phone calls, and each call lasted all night. No wonder he insisted on sleeping in separate rooms from me, and he would not even eat at the same table with me. No wonder whenever he accidentally touched me, he sprang away as if he had been burned. How ridiculous that I only thought he was having trouble adjusting, so I lay in bed waiting for him in the lingerie he had once loved most. That day, Ethan flew into a rage, dragged me into the bathroom, and threw a steel wool scrubber at me. “You just got out of prison, so it’s impossible for you not to be dirty, and we’ll talk after you wash yourself clean.” After my whole body was scrubbed until the skin peeled, I curled up in the corner while tears slid down together with blood. Just as my heart was about to die, he carried me back to the bedroom and promised to give me a wedding night I would never forget. Naively, I thought he had finally changed his mind. It turned out he had only thought of an even more humiliating way to shame me. Seven years was too long. So long that the man I loved had become completely unrecognizable. Since that was the case, I would let go. Holding back the sharp pain in my heart, I called Grandpa Foster and spoke numbly. “My wedding night has been put up for auction, Grandpa, and Ethan doesn’t love me anymore, so please let me leave.” It was nearly dawn when Ethan came home. For once, he entered my bedroom and called my name in a hoarse voice. I had already gone to sleep, and his voice startled me awake, leaving me full of annoyance, but the moment I met his eyes, that anger somehow faded. Ethan and I had once had feelings for each other. When our love had been at its strongest, he had always looked at me with those eyes and said I was the most beautiful girl in the world, the one who moved his heart the most. As if possessed, I reached out and touched his brows and eyes. But when I remembered the filthy things he and his friends had said, my hand stopped halfway, then snapped back. “It’s late, so hurry up and rest.” When he heard me say that, he frowned, but he still coaxed me patiently. “Evelyn, I was wrong these past few days, and I didn’t take good care of you.” “I didn’t even notice your lips were cracked, so I made you honey water specially, come on, try some.” Sensing something strange about him, I resisted. But as soon as I turned over and got out of bed to run, the man grabbed my calf and dragged me back. “I made it with my own hands, so drink it before you leave.” He pinched my chin, forced my mouth open, and poured all the honey water into my mouth. “Cough, cough,” I choked until my face turned red and coughed violently. When I looked up again, Ethan had doubled in my vision, and my head had become heavy and dizzy. He had drugged the water. When I regained consciousness, I was tied to a European-style high-backed chair with only a layer of thin gauze draped over me. Several unsightly tags were wrapped around my ankles. Murderer, new Foster bride, cheap goods. Ethan’s assistant had even thoughtfully noted my measurements, accurate to two decimal places. The seats below the stage were filled with people, and their gazes fell over me without restraint, as if they wished they could devour me clean with their eyes. “Mr. Foster really is thoughtful, since he was worried no one would dare take a murderer like this, so he even let us inspect the merchandise first.” “Evelyn may be a little older, but her body is seriously amazing, with that tiny waist and those long legs, and I can barely hold myself back now.” “Although the starting bid is only one dollar, there are so many rich men and big shots here tonight that who knows how much it’ll cost to take her away, so I might as well feast my eyes first.”

Those filthy words were like countless sharp knives, stabbing straight into me and slicing away my dignity inch by inch. In the shadows at one corner of the auction hall, Ethan and a girl leaned together intimately. That must have been Chloe, the woman his friends had mentioned. I could not lift my eyelids, so I could only narrow my eyes and look over. The girl had long hair and wore a white dress, and from a distance, she looked somewhat like me when I was young. I did not know what she said, but it made the man beside her darken his gaze, his face full of desire. He picked the girl up in his arms and walked straight into the lounge backstage. After he had only taken a few steps, one of his friends asked, “Ethan, your wife is still here, so where are you going?” Without looking back, Ethan threw out one sentence. “Chloe is hungry, so I’m going to feed her.” Then he paused and ordered coldly, “Evelyn took the drug, so she won’t know what happens tonight, and after the inspection is over, just find someone to throw her back home, but none of you are allowed to disturb my fun.” Tears slid silently from the corners of my eyes. My heart kept falling until it fell into a bottomless abyss and made no more sound. Ethan thought that under the effect of the drug, I would not remember anything. But he did not know that so I could better protect Ethan, Grandpa Foster had long ago trained me to resist ether-type drugs. The lounge door closed with a bang. Without Ethan present, the words of the men below the stage became even more explicit. Someone even slowly approached me, the desire in his eyes completely undisguised. The gauze was torn away, and several greasy hands roamed freely over my body at the same time. Just when I was drowning in despair, someone glanced at the lounge door. Perhaps thinking of how Ethan had once protected me, they did not dare to truly do anything. The bitterness in my heart spread little by little. Ethan, who had once been jealous if someone so much as looked at me, now placed me in such a humiliating place and let others bully me. My mind grew hazy, and I did not know when I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in my own bedroom with my pajamas intact. If not for the faint red marks still left on my wrists, I probably would have thought everything from last night was an absurd nightmare. Before I could gather myself, the bedroom door opened, and more than a dozen people rushed in at once. They hurriedly dragged me up. They did my makeup while changing me into a wedding dress. Only then did I realize in a daze that the day of my wedding to Ethan had arrived. After I changed into the wedding dress, I discovered that it was not the one I had originally chosen. The neckline of the dress I was wearing was extremely low, and without lowering my head, half of my pale chest could be seen. I was ashamed and angry, and my hands instinctively covered my chest tightly. But the woman in charge was not satisfied and forcefully pulled my hands away. “Miss Harper spent a few years in prison, and now she really has no manners at all, because what bride acts so timid at her own wedding and doesn’t even fear embarrassing the Foster family?” “This is the wedding dress Mr. Foster personally chose for you, and he said it suits a woman like you best.” I gritted my teeth as tears swirled in my eyes. Life in prison had been extremely hard, but every time I thought that after I got out, I could become Ethan’s wife openly and properly, I found the strength to keep going. It turned out the love of our youth had trapped only me from beginning to end. In a daze, I was dragged and shoved all the way to the wedding venue.

The guests were all prominent New York families, and they were dressed appropriately. Only I wore a wedding dress that barely covered my private parts, like a ridiculous clown, unsure of what to do under everyone’s gaze. As soon as he saw me, Ethan brought the girl from last night forward. “This is Chloe, the neighbor girl I grew up with, and she’s here today to be your bridesmaid.” Now even his lies were this careless and perfunctory. We had grown up together, so how could I not know whether he had some neighbor girl? What was more, the train of Chloe’s bridesmaid dress was a full ten feet long and covered in rhinestones. On her ring finger was a fourteen-carat Oppenheimer pink diamond. I remembered it, because it was the pink diamond Ethan had used to propose to me on the day I was released from prison. Only back then, he had said the pink diamond ring was expensive, so he would personally put it on me on our wedding day. No bridesmaid in the world was more glamorous than the bride. Unless she was not a bridesmaid, but the woman the groom truly wanted to marry. I did not expose him and simply looked at Ethan’s features from across the space between us. The man who had sworn again and again that he would marry no one but me had died long ago. Inside this body now was a completely unfamiliar soul. Perhaps I stayed silent for too long, because Chloe stepped forward and warmly linked her arm with mine. “Your figure is seriously amazing, and this wedding dress is such a good choice today, because it shows off your whole body so well that even a girl like me is about to get a nosebleed.” The next second, a burst of laughter suddenly rang through the banquet hall. “The Foster family’s new daughter-in-law really is shameless enough, dressing like that after being in prison, and I have no idea how Mr. Foster could have fallen for her.” “She came up to a perfectly good wedding dressed like this, like some cheap hooker, and she really can’t be brought into high society.” Mockery louder than the last was like a sharp blade, stabbing straight into my heart and making me hurt so badly that I could barely breathe. My face darkened, and I shoved Chloe away. “Since you like it so much, you can wear it instead.” Ethan protected Chloe in his arms and frowned, clearly a little displeased. “What do you mean by that?” “Chloe was complimenting your figure, so why are you being so passive-aggressive here?” “You’ve been in prison so long that you’re out of touch with society, and you can’t even tell good words from bad.” Prison, prison, prison again. Ethan had probably long forgotten that if it were not for me, those two words should have been nailed to him instead. Seeing that my face was still cold, Chloe raised a wineglass to me. “What I said just now was wrong.” “Come on, I’ll toast you, and consider it my apology.” Staring at the slightly cloudy liquid in the glass, alarm bells went off in my heart. When I looked up again, I realized everyone present had their eyes locked tightly on me. Thinking of last night’s cup of honey water, I understood at once. Yesterday was the inspection, and today was the official auction. “What, are you not going to give me this little bit of respect?” Chloe urged sweetly, with a hint of grievance in her tone. “Drink this wine yourself,” I said coldly, “because I don’t dare drink anything you offer.” Chloe’s face instantly became very ugly, and she turned to look at Ethan with tears filling her eyes. “Ethan, Evelyn, she…” Ethan frowned and stepped forward. “Evelyn Harper, don’t go too far.” “Chloe only wants to make peace with you, so why do you have to be so aggressive?” I looked directly into his eyes and asked each word slowly. “What exactly are you trying to do?” Guilt flashed through the man’s eyes, then he took the wineglass from Chloe’s hand and approached me step by step. I kept backing away until my back pressed against the cold wall and there was nowhere left to retreat. “Ethan Foster, do you want to force it into my mouth again like you did last night?” As soon as I finished speaking, he pinched my chin again. The wineglass in his hand was lifted high, the wine sloshed, and the next second, it all poured into my mouth. The cold wine flowed down the corners of my mouth, soaked the front of my wedding dress, then ran into my neck. Soon, under the effect of the drug, my consciousness became blurry again. Everything before my eyes grew shadowy, and Ethan and Chloe’s figures twisted in my blurred vision. I wanted to resist, and I wanted to call for help. But my body would not obey me, and my limbs were soft and powerless, so I could only let myself slide to the floor. My reaction stirred up everyone present into a frenzy. They cheered and screamed as they surrounded me in the middle. I did not know who squatted down and blew smoke into my face, and a cold lighter slapped my face hard twice. “We finally waited until the official auction, and after seeing you last night, you’ve been stuck in my head the whole time, making me wish I could have you right away.” “Baby, even though you just got out of prison, plenty of people are bidding on you, and I heard the price has already reached seven figures.”

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On my first day after being transferred to the headquarters as CEO. I had just pressed the button for the executive elevator when a female employee stopped me. “This is the executive elevator. Cleaners use the freight elevator. Turn left.” I froze for a second. “I’m not a cleaner.” But not only did she refuse to back down, she shrieked in a sharp voice, “If you’re not a cleaner, then are you an intern?” “Interns use the freight elevator too! If you don’t even understand a basic rule like that, you’d better get out right now!” I lowered my head and glanced at her name badge. Chloe Bennett, assistant to the general manager, wasn’t she my husband Adrian Blake’s assistant? I immediately called him to question him, but Adrian laughed indulgently on the other end of the line. “She’s just strict, so don’t hold it against her, and take the freight elevator. Otherwise, how is she supposed to hold her head up in front of everyone from now on?” After he said that, he hung up. Seeing this, Chloe looked smug. “Hurry up and get lost! Executives will be using this elevator later, so don’t dirty it!” I laughed from anger, pushed her aside, stepped straight into the elevator, and pressed the button for the top floor. Since management had been so poor before, I would handle it today.

Chloe froze, then reached out to pull me. “Are you deaf? This isn’t an elevator someone like you can use, so get out right now!” I ignored her. I pressed the door-close button directly. The elevator doors slowly closed, and she screamed before yanking her hand back in a panic. I never expected that in such a large company, there would actually be class discrimination like dedicated elevators inside. The elevator stopped on the 68th floor. I was in no hurry to go to the CEO’s office, and I did not plan to find Adrian first either. Instead, I turned and walked toward HR, planning to take a good look at the company’s hiring standards and rules first. But before I even reached the door, a sudden force came from behind me and yanked me backward. “You actually came up here!” “This is the top floor! It’s not somewhere a person like you can come!” I turned my head. It was Chloe again. She yelled at me, “You didn’t pass my approval for full-time employment! You don’t need to report to HR, so just get out!” “You even dared to ignore what I said! If you still think you can get in, you’re dreaming!” What? I laughed from anger. “How come I didn’t know that whether interns at our company pass probation depends on you?” After hearing that, Chloe not only failed to restrain herself, but crossed her arms and gave a smug scoff. “Who else would it depend on?” “I’m telling you! Every person sent to Mr. Blake has to pass through me, his chief assistant!” “You’re just an intern, yet on your first day, you sat in the executive elevator without permission, so you clearly don’t respect company leadership at all!” “I absolutely have the right to fire you directly!” When the nearby coworkers heard the commotion, they gathered around one after another, and most of them echoed her. “Interns these days can’t handle even the slightest hardship!” “Today she’s fighting to ride the executive elevator, so tomorrow is she going to fight to sit in the CEO’s seat?!” “If Miss Bennett says you don’t pass, then you don’t pass, and even if you bypass her and go to Mr. Blake, with just one look from Miss Bennett, you still won’t pass!” “Offending Miss Bennett is no different from offending Mr. Blake! Why haven’t you gotten lost yet?” I stood in the middle of the crowd, listening to those words, and felt a breath clog in my chest, heavy and suffocating. It seemed this woman was not just Adrian’s assistant. Seeing me frozen in place, Chloe reached out and jabbed my shoulder. “Did you hear that?” “Before Mr. Blake finishes his meeting, hurry up and get lost!” “Otherwise, with Mr. Blake’s temper, once he sees I’ve been bullied, he’ll make sure you can never work in this industry again!” The moment she reached out, I caught sight of the white watch on her wrist. Wasn’t this the one Adrian asked me to buy last month, saying it was a birthday gift for his mother? There were only ten of this model in the world. Among them, this was the only one with a white strap. I never expected that in the end, it would be worn on Chloe’s wrist. I took a deep breath, slapped her hand away hard, and said coldly, “Fine, then let Adrian come say these words to me. I’d like to see whether he dares!”

The air suddenly went silent. But very soon, Chloe reacted and pointed at me as she screamed. “Is Mr. Blake someone an intern like you can meet whenever you want?” As she spoke, she suddenly frowned, and her gaze became wary and disdainful. “I get it now! I think you came here to seduce Mr. Blake.” “First, you acted special and insisted on taking the executive elevator, and then you called him by his full name in front of everyone. Aren’t you just trying to get his attention and pull some Cinderella climb-to-the-top act?!” “You think you can seduce Mr. Blake? Why don’t you take a look at whether you’re worthy!” “I’ve seen plenty of women like you.” “Too bad for you, Mr. Blake has a thing about cleanliness, and at the company, aside from me, no other woman can get close to him!” I looked at her, furious beyond words. “I’m here to work. Also, starting today, anyone can use that elevator.” Chloe froze for a second, then her entire face flushed red. “What status do you have, and what right do you have? How dare you overturn the rules I set!” “I’ve been with Mr. Blake for ten years, and the rule for exclusive elevator use has existed for ten years too!” “How dare you talk nonsense in front of me!” At that moment, a woman wearing glasses walked over from the side of the crowd and gently tugged on my sleeve. “You should just listen to Miss Bennett.” “I’ve worked on the 63rd floor for so many years, and I’ve always taken the freight elevator, so it’s not that uncomfortable.” I could not help turning to look at the person who had spoken. “This is workplace discrimination. Have you never thought about objecting?” The next second, Chloe slapped her across the face. “So what if I made you take the stairs?” “You’ve worked for so many years and still haven’t been promoted to executive level. Not being able to ride the executive elevator is because you’re useless! How do you still have the nerve to speak?” “If you dare to cut in again, I’ll make you get out too!” I froze for a second, completely unable to believe she had actually hit someone. I hurriedly pushed her away. “That’s enough! How can you hit people?” Chloe gave a cold laugh, then raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “I didn’t just hit her, I’m hitting you too!” At that moment, the people in HR heard the commotion outside and hurriedly opened the door to come out. The person leading them was the HR manager, Megan Carter, and she recognized me at a glance as the CEO who had just been transferred over today. Her face instantly went pale, and she yelled at Chloe, “Chloe Bennett! What have you done!”

After seeing her, Chloe narrowed her eyes and looked coldly at Megan. “Megan Carter, does your HR department not want to work anymore?” “You dare recruit an intern of this level?” She pointed at me, her tone growing even harsher. “I’m telling you, just because she used Mr. Blake’s executive elevator today, I now have to find someone to clean it inside and out!” “The cost will be at least five thousand! Should that money be deducted from your HR department’s salaries?” I laughed from anger. “Five thousand for one elevator ride? That’s extortion!” “Also, do you know that what you just did already constitutes workplace violence and intentional assault? I’m going to sue you.” Chloe froze for a second, then threw her head back and burst out laughing. “You?” “I’m telling you, at our headquarters, everything is decided by Mr. Blake!” “With Mr. Blake here, what can you possibly do to me?” As she spoke, she turned to Megan with a displeased look. “Megan, cancel her internship eligibility immediately!” “After today, I don’t want to see her in the company again!” “Otherwise, once Mr. Blake finishes his meeting, I’ll hold you accountable too!” Megan hurriedly reached out to steady me. Before she could even ask how I was, Chloe yanked her away. “Didn’t you hear what I said? Why are you helping an intern?” At this point, she looked me up and down. “Don’t tell me you’re Megan Carter’s relative?” After the surrounding employees heard that, they all frowned and began accusing Megan. “Megan, this isn’t right of you, is it?” “We’ve been colleagues for so many years, and when I asked you to arrange a position for my son before, you refused, but now you’re bringing your own relative in?” “What?” Megan panicked completely and hurriedly looked at my face. When she saw the red mark on my face, her pupils instantly widened. “Are you people insane? How could you hit her?” “Do you know she is…” Before she could finish, I pressed down on her hand and gently shook my head. I did not want to reveal my identity so quickly. After all, I still wanted to collect more evidence of Chloe’s workplace violations and send her to prison. Megan roughly understood what I meant, gritted her teeth, and said nothing more. Seeing this, Chloe said smugly, “I don’t care who she is, deal with her immediately!” Just then, the conference room door at the end of the hallway was pushed open. Adrian’s meeting had ended. Across the crowd, I saw him instantly move right to Chloe’s side. “Chloe, what happened?” “I heard you losing your temper from inside. With me here, who still dares to upset you?” Chloe instantly looked aggrieved and patted his chest sweetly. “Mr. Blake! It’s just a new intern!” “Not only did she break the rules, she even threatened to sue me!” Hearing this, Adrian suddenly turned his head. “This is outrageous! Who dares to treat you like this on my turf…” The next second, he turned and saw my face clearly, and his entire body froze. Looking at his guilty expression, I could not help giving a cold laugh. “Adrian, do you think I dare or not?”

When he saw me, he instantly put distance between himself and Chloe and pretended to stay calm as he spoke. “Didn’t I tell you not to make a big deal out of the elevator?” “Why did you turn it into something as serious as a lawsuit?” Hearing this, everyone looked at me in unison. “What does that mean? Does this woman really know Mr. Blake?” “But so what if she knows him? Didn’t you hear? Mr. Blake is still helping Miss Bennett.” When Chloe heard those words, her eyes instantly reddened. She reached out and grabbed Adrian’s sleeve, her voice full of grievance. “Mr. Blake, you said that in the company, no matter who it is, everyone has to strictly follow the rules I set!” “Even if she knows you, she is no exception!” “Besides, I was only worried that some outsider with an unclear background would just sit in your private elevator like that. What if she had some infectious disease? What would you do?” When Adrian heard those words, his expression instantly softened, and he turned to look at me. “Emma, she’s just a young woman who takes rules seriously.” “I’ll have her apologize to you, and we can let it go, okay?” “Apologize?” Chloe’s expression instantly turned displeased, and she suddenly shook off his hand. “Mr. Blake! Aren’t you here to help me?” “Why are you making me apologize to her? What right does she have?” “I was only protecting your private elevator, so what did I do wrong?” I looked at Adrian with a half-smile. “Private elevator?” “Adrian Blake, the company is not a place for you to act special.” “As for her apology, I don’t accept it.” “What?!” Chloe’s eyes widened with anger. “Who said I was going to apologize?” “You don’t even count as a formal employee, so since when do you get to interfere with our company’s rules?” Adrian seemed to realize that I was truly angry. He hurriedly stepped in front of me and said to Chloe, “Enough! Be quiet for now!” Then he turned and pulled me aside, speaking in a low voice. “Emma, she’s still young, so don’t hold it against her.” “If you’re this aggressive toward a young person, who will respect you in the future?” I instinctively frowned and shook him off. “Adrian, she is creating workplace discrimination in the company, and you’re actually allowing it?” Adrian opened his mouth. “That’s not what I mean…” I turned and glanced at the watch on Chloe’s wrist, then could not help sneering. “And the way you’re protecting your female subordinate, anyone who didn’t know better would think she was your wife.” Adrian’s face immediately panicked. Just as he was about to explain, Chloe burst out laughing. “You figured that out too?” What? I turned my head and met her smug, smiling face. “I have indeed been with Mr. Blake for a long time, so what?” “Now that you know, why don’t you hurry up, apologize to me, and get lost?!” After hearing her words, the surrounding discussion grew even louder. “Oh my God! So Miss Bennett really is Mr. Blake’s girlfriend! No wonder Mr. Blake spoils her so much!” “Actually, I noticed it a long time ago. When I came back several nights, I saw them kissing in the office!” “I’m dying. This woman thought complaining to Mr. Blake would help her, but she didn’t expect that the person she offended was Mr. Blake’s girlfriend!” Adrian’s face went deathly pale. “Chloe Bennett! This is the company! Stop talking nonsense!” But Chloe did not notice his expression, and she even lifted her wrist and spoke coyly. “How am I talking nonsense?” “This was the birthday gift you gave me a few days ago!” “Since she already knows, let’s stop hiding it!” Adrian panicked and grabbed her hard, trying to drag her outside. “Are you crazy? Shut up right now!” “You’re taking the day off today, and you can come back to work once you’ve cleared your head!” “Adrian Blake!” she shouted while struggling. “What are you afraid of her for? You’re the general manager.” When I heard that sentence, I smiled. I turned to Megan and said calmly, “Ms. Carter, starting today, fire Adrian Blake.” As soon as I said that, the entire room erupted. Especially Chloe, who suddenly pointed at me. “Who the hell do you think you are?” “How can you fire Adrian? Are you out of your mind?” Adrian’s face was pale, and he suddenly slapped Chloe across the face. “Stop talking! Didn’t I tell you to shut up?” Immediately after, he walked toward me. “Honey… trust me… there’s really nothing between me and her…” I sneered and shook him off. “In the company, shouldn’t you call me Boss?”

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My husband, Ethan Blake, ended up at the police station for the seventh time, and once again, it was because he got into a fight defending my best friend, Lily Scott. When I arrived at the station, his face was covered in injuries, and he comforted Lily while ordering me around. “Ava, go pay the fine first. Lily got badly frightened, so I’ll stay here with her.” Lily was crying hysterically. “I’m sorry. If I hadn’t been sexually harassed by some creep again, you wouldn’t have had to fight for me again.” But Ethan looked completely unconcerned. “It’s not your fault that you were harassed. If something like this happens again, I’ll still step in.” He looked at me like it was only natural. “Ava will agree that I should protect you too.” I said nothing and asked calmly, “How much compensation do we have to pay this time?” The other party’s lawyer handed me a list. This time, Ethan had hit too hard, and we had to pay forty thousand dollars in medical expenses. I froze on the spot. “What if we don’t pay?” The lawyer looked at me with sympathy. “If you don’t pay compensation, your husband will definitely go to jail.” Of course I did not agree, and I touched my lower belly before turning to leave. Just an hour ago, I had still been hesitating over whether to divorce him. Now, it seemed I had to.

I had barely taken two steps out of the police station. Ethan immediately chased after me and grabbed my wrist. “Ava, why didn’t you pay the fine?” I looked at him calmly. “Ethan, you’re thirty this year, not thirteen.” “You’ve been taken to the police station six times for fighting, and as an adult, you should bear the consequences yourself.” His expression changed slightly. Lily ran over and grabbed my hand, her eyes red and swollen. “I’m sorry, Ava, it’s all my fault. Someone was following me again just now, and I really didn’t know who else to call, so I called Ethan.” As she cried, she slapped herself across the face. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have called Ethan. I’d rather be hurt by someone than watch your marriage suffer because of me…” “What are you doing!” Ethan stopped her and practically pulled Lily into his arms, moving so naturally it was as if they had done it many times before. “I already said it’s not your fault. I’m a man, and I can’t ignore something like that when I see it.” “Ava, stop making a scene. Go pay the fine, then apologize to Lily!” I said nothing and only stared steadily at the man I had loved for ten years. We met ten years ago because he saved me too. A drunk creep was following me, and Ethan rushed over, grabbed my hand, pulled me into his arms, pretended to be my friend, and took me somewhere safe. At that moment, my whole heart was full of him. I liked him even more because he had a steady, calm temper. But in the ten years we had been together, he had never fought for me. Even when I was sexually harassed by a senior executive at my company, he only frowned and advised me, “Let it go, Ava. If you make a big deal out of it, how will you keep working at the company?” But for Lily, he could make exceptions again and again. The first time he fought for Lily was because Lily’s ex-boyfriend broke into her home in the middle of the night and tried to rape her. After he got the call, he rushed to Lily’s place at one in the morning and beat her ex-boyfriend until his ribs were broken. After he was taken to the police station, he was completely certain. “Ava, I know I was impulsive, but she’s your best friend, and I couldn’t watch her get ruined by someone.” He wrapped me in his arms, his voice gentle. “Your poor husband is going to prison. Can you bear that?” I clenched my fists, and the diamond on my ring finger dug uncomfortably into my skin. But it also reminded me that we were husband and wife, one unit, and I could not let him go to jail. Back then, Lily cried until she was a mess of tears and held my hand gratefully. “Ava, you and Ethan are my saviors, and I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life!” But later, again and again. Ethan made exceptions for her over and over. And every time afterward, he swore to me, “This is the last time, Ava. Next time, I absolutely won’t be this impulsive.” This time, I was truly tired. I pushed Ethan’s hand away. “Ethan, forty thousand is not a small amount.” “The baby is already four months along. I need to save money to raise him and prepare a lot of things, and I can’t come up with that much money.” Besides, I had just decided to get a divorce, and I still needed to hire a lawyer. From now on, Ethan could only handle these things himself.

His expression changed instantly, and his tone darkened. “What about the money I usually give you? Ava, where did you spend all the money?” I let out a soft laugh. I took out an accounting notebook. Everything was written clearly inside. The money for my mother-in-law’s long-term hospitalization after she got sick was over two hundred thousand. The money for his last car upgrade was eight hundred thousand. The costs of all his business dinners and socializing added up to one hundred fifty thousand. There were also the medical compensation payments from the previous six times he fought for Lily, which already totaled more than three hundred thousand. As for the money I spent on caring for myself during pregnancy and taking supplements, it was in the last column, pitifully small at only a few thousand dollars. Ethan’s brows furrowed even deeper. “What about the company’s cash flow?” “The last project blew up, and it all went into filling that hole.” My voice was very soft. “You were busy going with Lily to see a therapist, so did you forget about the company?” Lily cried harder and harder, so Ethan could only comfort her while ordering me. “Go borrow some money first, and I’ll pay it back later! Lily feels terrible right now!” I told him to wait for me for a moment. Soon, I came back with a contract. “I’ll open authorization and use the company account for you. Sign this, and finance will transfer the money to me.” He signed it without even looking. I calmly put the contract away, paid the fine for him, and turned to leave. Ethan called from behind me, “I’ll take Lily home first. It’s dark, and she isn’t safe alone.” I said nothing. He had forgotten that I was alone too, and I was also a pregnant woman four months along. The sky was dark and the road was dim, and if I walked alone, I could easily be in danger too. But whenever it involved Lily, he cared about nothing else. I slowly walked home and prepared to pack my luggage. At the same time, I spoke to my lawyer on the phone. “I already tricked him into signing the divorce agreement.” The next second, the door opened. Ethan came back, a little tiredness in his eyes, and he was carrying a bag of my favorite cinnamon cake. “Hungry? How did today’s prenatal checkup go?” “It was fine.” “Don’t take Lily’s matter to heart.” He paused, his tone carrying a trace of apology. “Remember how Lily helped us when the company was at its hardest point, so we should be grateful to her too. Saving her is barely any effort.” I froze for a moment. Back when the company was struggling and on the verge of bankruptcy, I was the one who sold my patent to fill the hole for him. I only cared about his pride, so I did not tell him the truth and instead had Lily hand the bank card to him for me. I never expected that, even now, he still believed Lily had saved him. But I no longer wanted to explain. Ethan touched my face. “All right, this really is the last time. I promise you that from now on, I absolutely won’t impulsively step in again.” But when he mentioned the sleazy man who followed Lily, the hostility and murderous intent in his eyes could not be hidden at all. I gently pulled my hand away. “You’re hurting me.” He let go, and his tone softened a little. “All right, go to sleep. Our baby needs to sleep early too.” He carried me to bed, fed me some nourishing soup, massaged my feet for thirty minutes, and carefully lit the calming aromatherapy blend made especially for me. He gently stroked my belly. “Baby, hurry and sleep. Don’t kick Mommy, or Daddy will feel bad.” He had kept up this routine for all four months of my pregnancy. A faint ache rose in my chest. Every time I was unhappy because he favored Lily, he would do these little things. They made me unable to harden my heart, and they made me want to give him one more chance. I silently looked toward the divorce agreement in the drawer. If he promised this was the last time, perhaps I could give him one chance. One in the morning. The phone suddenly rang loudly. I woke in panic, but Ethan answered the phone even faster than I did. From the other end came a heart-wrenching cry. “Okay, don’t panic. I’ll be there right away!” Ethan threw on his coat and rushed out the door. “What happened?” “Something happened to Lily. I have to go check on her.” My heart tightened, and despite his objection, I followed him out. “I need to watch you, so you don’t hit someone again.” His face looked awful, and his voice was stiff. “I won’t hit anyone.” The car arrived at Lily’s home, and he took out a key and opened the door. Lily was wearing a semi-sheer lace nightgown, and she threw herself into Ethan’s arms, her voice shrill with fear. “Ethan, thank God you came. A man climbed in through my window just now, and I was so scared…” “But I already fought him off, and this time I didn’t cause trouble for you!” “Don’t worry. I’m here.” Ethan gently stroked her back. “You protected yourself very well.” Lily smiled through her tears. “That’s only because the self-defense moves you taught me worked.” I spoke softly. “Where is that man?”

They both looked at me at the same time. Lily immediately let go of Ethan and looked timid. “I’m sorry, Ava. Did I disturb your sleep again?” I took out my phone. “Since someone broke into your home just now and threatened you, how about I call the police for you?” “Ava!” Ethan scolded me in a low voice. “She just went through something terrible. Calling the police now will only upset her more. How can you not understand something so simple?” I could not help laughing out loud. “So we’re just going to let it go? Lily, every time something happens to you, the first thing you think of isn’t calling the police, but calling my husband.” As soon as I finished speaking, Lily’s face instantly turned as pale as paper. “I don’t know anyone else in this city. I only know you two, so…” “There are cameras all around your house, and the security level in this neighborhood is very high. If a man who broke into a private home could get in, he definitely isn’t ordinary. If you don’t call the police, you’ll still be in danger again.” I cut her off and pressed the number. The next second, Ethan snatched my phone out of my hand and smashed it on the floor! Bang! The screen shattered instantly, reflecting his twisted face. “Enough!” “She is your best friend. Stop being so aggressive!” I froze in place. He patted Lily’s shoulder. “I’ll stay here with Lily tonight and go back after dawn, in case that man comes back.” “Ava, go home by yourself.” I looked at him deeply. “Ethan, if you insist on staying here with her, we’re getting divorced.” Ethan’s face instantly turned livid. “Ava, are you sure you want to make a scene?” “I’m not making a scene.” “She is your best friend, and if she’s in danger, I can’t just ignore it!” “But she’s also a woman,” I looked coldly at Lily. “I cannot accept my husband being alone in the same room with another woman in the middle of the night.” “Lily, even I don’t have a key to your place, so why does my husband have one? Aren’t we supposed to be best friends? Or did you want Ethan to come and go from your home freely behind my back from the very beginning?” Lily swayed, her face deathly pale. “Last time, he took me home, and I thought maybe it would be more convenient to leave him a key.” “Ethan, hurry and go home with Ava. I don’t want you two to argue because of me…” The next second, however, she tremblingly clung to Ethan’s shoulder as if she were about to faint. Ethan picked her up in his arms, his voice cold as ice. “Stop talking nonsense.” “I’m only staying with her. I’ll sit by the bed and keep a video call open for you. Ava, your thoughts are disgusting.” He turned and carried Lily into the bedroom, and the door slammed so loudly it shook my ears. I turned around too. Outside, the cold wind howled, and at two in the morning, there were already no taxis on the street. Just like that, I walked six kilometers step by step before I got home. My feet were already swollen from pregnancy, and by the time I got home, both of my feet had been rubbed raw with blisters. My tears fell silently and endlessly. I remembered the year he loved me most, when I twisted my ankle at a sports meet. Even though he had just finished running a thousand meters himself, he carried me on his back all the way to the infirmary. Now, he was also the one who let me walk home alone on a winter night. How ridiculous. I took out that divorce agreement and signed my name heavily. Then I bought a plane ticket to South City three days later. Ethan, you will regret this one day.

Early the next morning, Ethan came home, his eyes shadowed with dark circles. “Why didn’t you answer when I video-called you last night?” “There was no need.” He sighed tiredly. “I only wanted to prove that there really is nothing between Lily and me. I help her only because she is your good friend.” I nodded faintly. “From now on, you can help her as much as you want.” He did not understand the meaning behind my words, and a trace of relief flashed in his eyes. “I knew you were understanding.” But a moment later, he suddenly received a phone call. “Ava, how can you be so vicious!” He grabbed my wrist hard, his eyes full of disappointment and hatred. “Lily hired a private investigator and found out that you hired that man!” “No wonder she keeps running into men stalking and harassing her. It turns out you were behind all of it!” My breath caught. “I didn’t! Ethan, you’re hurting me!” “I can call the police right now and have them investigate!” He sneered. “Those men have all fled abroad. If you were capable of doing this, then of course you made perfect arrangements! You honestly scare me!” He shoved me hard. My lower back hit a sharp decoration, and pain spread through my whole body until I went numb and collapsed to the floor. His figure had already disappeared through the door. And just as I was about to get up, in the next second, a scalding hot flow surged from beneath me. I was miscarrying! I immediately called Ethan. “Ethan, please take me to the hospital. I’m miscarrying!” The person on the other end was clearly tense for a moment. “Where are you?” But the next second, Lily’s voice sounded faintly. “Ava, I know you hate me, but you can’t use a fake miscarriage to trick Ethan.” “When I saw you last time, your pregnancy was very stable. How could you possibly miscarry?” I broke down. “Ethan! Don’t believe her. I really might be miscarrying. This is our child!” Ethan’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Ava, you can even lie about a miscarriage. You truly disgust me!” The call was abruptly hung up. Using the last of my strength, I propped myself up and called an ambulance. By the time I reached the hospital, my blood oxygen was very low, and the baby was already gone. I underwent a dilation and curettage on the bed, and the pain tore through me. But Lily posted a photo on Ins. She leaned on Ethan’s shoulder, eating pizza he had made with his own hands, smiling gently. [You said you would protect me forever, and you really kept your word] Around her neck was a necklace, the one Ethan had ordered for me from France for our last anniversary, and it had just arrived. At that moment, my heart hurt so badly that it went completely numb. My four-month-old baby was gone. The final thread between Ethan and me was completely severed too. One day later. I went to City Hall and rushed through the process to get the divorce certificate. When I came back, Ethan happened to be in the kitchen making soup. Seeing me arrive, he lifted his eyes slightly. “You’re back? Lily isn’t angry with you anymore, but you need to apologize to her.” I spoke softly. “Okay.” Ethan froze for a moment, and his tone became a little unnatural. “Also, her house isn’t very safe, so she’ll stay at our place for now. I plan to turn your studio into a bedroom for her.” “Okay.” He hesitated, looked at me for a long time, and sighed softly. “I hope you really mean that.” His gaze swept over my lower belly, but I was dressed thickly, so he did not notice anything wrong. “Take good care of the baby, and stop overthinking things. I’ll go to the hospital to see Lily first, then come back later to keep you company.” I smiled and quietly placed his copy of the divorce certificate in his study. What I thought no longer mattered, because what mattered was that I was leaving. Before Ethan went out, he suddenly spoke. “Oh, right. I ordered seafood, so remember to sign for it when it arrives. Lily likes fresh Australian lobsters, so put them in the fridge.” I still nodded and said okay. Even though he had forgotten that I was allergic to seafood. Everything completely faded from my life the moment he closed the door. I dragged my suitcase and went steadily to the airport. I only left him one sentence. [Ethan, we are completely over] A few hours later, I flew all the way to South City, and after landing, I turned on my phone. But a storm of missed calls and messages instantly flooded in.

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