Author: Momo Chan

The refund for the wedding venue hit Liam’s account. He tugged at his tie, clearly annoyed. Then, a text from him popped up on my phone. “Skylar, what’s with the drama? The hotel said you canceled?” I didn’t reply. Another text immediately followed. “Stop messing around. I’m sorry, okay?” But Liam, I wasn’t messing around. The dead can’t marry the living. Liam pushed the door open, his face etched with fatigue. He paused, startled, when he saw me by the dining table. “Have you eaten? I kept calling, but you didn’t pick up.” I calmly stood, taking his coat. “Sorry, Skylar. Iris just finished her IV. The doctor had to make rounds before I could leave.” He looked at me with an apologetic gaze, dark circles prominent under his bloodshot, exhausted eyes. “Is Iris doing better? I wanted to go see her.” Iris is my older sister, my blood sister. He shook his head. “Same as always.” Then he glanced at me warily. “The doctor said not to let her get agitated.” I nodded. I understood. I wouldn’t go then. As usual, he showered, then reached out, ready to pull me into his arms for sleep. I pretended to be asleep, offering no response. Liam sighed softly, not pushing it. A long while later, I opened my eyes. I walked back to the living room. Liam probably didn’t know, but Iris’s favorite designer perfume, even after his shower, couldn’t hide her scent.

I stared blankly at the two medical reports in my hand. An hour ago, at St. Jude Medical Center. “If we start aggressive treatment now, there’s still a thirty percent chance.” Dr. Evans said regretfully. “You’re still so young. We recommend you try. If possible, bring your family to discuss the treatment plan.” I couldn’t process it. “Dr. Evans.” My throat was terribly hoarse. “How long do I have left?” “My baby… will I get to see my baby born?” Dr. Evans looked at me with pity. “Your situation isn’t optimistic, but there are cases of cancer remission. If your emotional and physical well-being are good, a conservative approach might allow you to carry the baby to term before starting chemotherapy.” I nodded, my body trembling as I thanked her, preparing to leave. “We still strongly advise you to discuss this with your family and proceed with intervention as soon as possible.” The doctor reminded me one last time. My gaze lingered on the words “brain cancer.” God had played a cruel joke on me. My period was late this month, and I secretly went to the hospital, suppressing a flutter of excitement. Just as I wished, I was pregnant with Liam’s baby. But I didn’t get to share the news with him, before another medical report plunged me into hell.

I got home, and Liam still wasn’t back. He’d been so busy lately, busy with work, busy with caring for Iris at the hospital. So busy, he forgot it was my birthday today. I picked up my phone. How was I supposed to tell him? As I hesitated, my phone chimed. “Skylar, don’t wait up for dinner. Still tied up at work. I’ll be back late, go to bed early.” See? We were so in sync. Before I could even tell him, he’d already shut down any chance of us talking. I gave a bitter smile, looking at the dinner I’d prepared and the cake I’d ordered for myself. I still hadn’t told him about the medical tests. The surprise box with the pregnancy test result was hidden away. But then I thought about it, and placed it by his pillow anyway. If he came back before midnight, my birthday wouldn’t be over. “Happy Birthday, Skylar. I’ll always love you.” If he said that. “No, not just me. Us.” I’d throw myself into his arms, surprise box and all. But midnight passed, and Liam still didn’t come home. I sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the surprise box. I tried to comfort myself. Work was busy. It’s okay, it’s okay. He’d apologize later, and I’d forgive him. He loved me, I was sure of it.

“Are you an idiot? They’re hitting you, why aren’t you fighting back?” I held the antiseptic and cotton swabs I’d secretly taken from home, clumsily cleaning the boy’s wounds. That was the first time I met Liam. I was only 8 years old then. He wore a faded gray t-shirt, his head bowed. The wounds were deep, but he didn’t make a sound. The neighborhood kids said he was from the orphanage next door. Every Wednesday was an ‘outing day’ for the orphanage kids, a day off from the director to explore outside. “That dummy, he always waits for his mom here. They say he was abandoned right on this spot.” Leo, from next door, told me. Boys are born mischievous, and they’re quick to pick on the weak. Every Wednesday, the kids around the neighborhood would instinctively come to find a sense of superiority over him. “Idiot! Your parents don’t want you, and you’re still waiting.” “This is *my* turf. If you want to hang around, you’ll have to grovel for it, loser!” … He remained motionless, as if automatically blocking them out. Punches and kicks rained down on him. He just hugged his head, silently enduring. I was different. Even though I was a girl, no kid ever dared to bully me. I couldn’t help it; I had a sister with a heart condition. My job was to protect her. Now, my circle of protection included Liam. I chased away the boys around him, and every Wednesday, I waited with him. Finally, one day, he spoke to me. “Liam.” He wrote his name with a stick, utterly serious. “Thank you for protecting me, Skylar.” I looked at him in surprise. I hadn’t told him my name. “I heard them call you that. I’m a boy. From now on, I’ll protect you.”

Before I even entered the hospital room, I could hear Iris’s joyful laughter. “Liam, it’s so adorable!” I pushed the door open. Liam froze, his mouth moving as if to say something. My eyes swept past him, settling gently on Iris, who was clutching a plush toy on her bed. The plushie was adorable, a mischievous little rabbit. It looked a lot like the one Dad bought me. “Iris, I came to see you.” I placed the flowers in the glass vase by her bedside. The atmosphere in the room instantly dropped. “Skylar’s here.” Iris forced a weak smile. I nodded, taking a seat on a nearby stool. Liam stopped what he was doing and offered her a peeled apple. For a moment, the three of us in the room were silent. I looked at Liam. “The hotel called. We need to finalize the wedding venue soon.” He nodded. Iris, beside him, seemed to choke, coughing repeatedly. Liam reacted quickly, patting her back and getting her water with practiced ease. Another long silence. “Iris, Liam, you’re in for a treat today!” Mom pushed the door open, her voice light, but the moment she saw me, her smile froze. “What are you doing here? Haven’t you caused your sister enough trouble already?” She threw the lunchbox onto the table with a bang. “Mom,” I softly called out. “Don’t call me Mom. It’s getting late, and Iris has her IV soon. She’s not like you, spoiled rotten. If you have nothing important to do, you should leave now.” “Ma’am,” Liam started, trying to interject. “Liam, quick, help me open it! I’m starving,” Iris said, laughing. Liam’s words of protest remained unsaid. “Mom, I’ll go then.” I numbly stood up. Just as I reached the door, “Liam, yesterday was my birthday.” *Smack!* The lid of the lunchbox was flung straight at me. Liam rushed over with tissues, his face full of guilt. Grease from the food smeared down my hair and onto my face.

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The wedding venue. Caleb and I were at the entrance, greeting guests. But he turned and walked straight to his rumored girlfriend. Finally, I packed my bags and left. He snapped, impatient, “Jade, can’t you just grow up?” Later, I ‘grew up’ and went back to my childhood sweetheart, but he went insane. He wept until his eyes were blind with tears at my tombstone. Caleb and I used to keep to ourselves. Our paths barely crossed. But Caleb was hopelessly romantic. He saw me at an entrepreneur’s gathering. From then on, he pursued me relentlessly. Though I had money and no shortage of excellent men around me, I was still a normal person. Who wouldn’t be captivated by the fierce devotion of a rich, handsome guy? That’s how I ended up with him. Caleb was sickeningly devoted to me, bending over backward for my every whim. At that time, I had just integrated into the city’s elite circles. Because of my personality, I’d offended quite a few spoiled kids from influential families. Caleb, with his immense wealth and power, went to each of them, showering them with money, until they all came to me, apologizing. But behind my back, everyone scorned me. They whispered that I’d used my ‘talents’ to wrap Caleb around my finger, making him utterly devoted to me. “Jade, don’t mind them. I truly love you.” I nodded obediently. Accepting this love that filled me with dread. From the very beginning, I knew. Caleb’s love for me was stolen. Unlike the Blackwoods, who had a smaller family line, My father, on the other hand, had children everywhere; I knew of at least three illegitimate ones myself. And my birth mother, a woman from a less-than-respectable background, had shamelessly used any means necessary to get into my father’s bed. Even after giving birth to me, my mother remained restless and was eventually caught cheating and promptly thrown out of the house by my father. I was taken in by Mrs. Stone, becoming the nominal Miss Stone. But my life in the Stone family was worse than that of a servant. Everyone in our circles knew this. So when news of Caleb and I dating spread, it caused a huge uproar. But I never expected the first opposition to come from my own father. “Jade, know your place! Don’t try to climb above your station with just anyone!” Looking at my father’s disgusted expression, I swallowed every word I was about to say. Why should I have to suffer so much?

My momentary defiance made things go from bad to worse. And I found myself falling deeper and deeper. Countless times, I wanted to tell Caleb. The person you love isn’t me. The first time Caleb saw me, he asked me a question. His eyes were gentle, completely devoid of the rumored hostility. “Jade, you were even using a crutch when you saved me. Weren’t you scared?” A crutch? I stared at him blankly. I’d suffered countless injuries growing up, but I’d never broken a leg. It was Chloe who broke her leg. Caleb had always loved Chloe. All his intense love for Chloe had been transferred to me. Not long after we started dating, Caleb took me home to meet his family. Mr. Blackwood held his newspaper the entire time, seemingly unable to put it down. But Caleb’s stance was too firm. Enraged, Mr. Blackwood slapped Caleb across the face. “You scoundrel! How dare you bring such an unsuitable woman into this house? Are you trying to ruin the Blackwood name?” That day, Caleb and his father had a monumental fight in the Blackwood mansion. Meanwhile, Mrs. Blackwood and Caleb’s aunt sat nearby, chatting, as if I wasn’t even there. They knew exactly how to make someone feel worthless. But they didn’t hurt me. Because I always knew I wasn’t good enough for Caleb. Their reaction was only natural. The farce only ended when Mr. Blackwood smashed a teacup near my feet. Caleb carefully picked me up, made a furious declaration, and completely cut ties with his family. Before leaving, I saw Mrs. Blackwood’s gaze fixed on me. It was cold and venomous. The teacup shards had torn my pants. But they had also torn Mrs. Blackwood’s long dress. Yet, Caleb only had eyes for me, completely ignoring his mother’s disheveled state. I sighed. I had tried my best to be perfectly obedient on this visit, hoping to leave them with a good impression. It seemed I had failed completely.

Caleb left home, fending for himself. My father, unwilling to offend the Blackwood family, also kicked me out. My bank cards were frozen, and they used their connections to block all my job opportunities. From then on, we lived hand-to-mouth. Forced to rent a gloomy, suffocating basement apartment. Even so, we were thrown out countless times. The once dashing Caleb became disheveled, leaving early and returning late every day to find work. I knew he wanted to give me a better life. But I also knew that as long as we stayed in this city, we wouldn’t have peace. I started drawing comics day and night. Finally, a publisher agreed to buy them for a ridiculously low price. The first thing I did after getting paid was to treat Caleb to a proper meal. Seeing the long-unseen restaurant environment, Caleb froze for a long time, his eyes welling up. I thought, he must be at his breaking point, right? “Caleb, don’t cry. If you want to go back…” I wouldn’t blame you either. I had been greedy for your warmth for too long. But I never finished my sentence. Because I’m selfish, too. I love him, and I truly didn’t want to leave him. That night, after we returned, Caleb, to ‘punish’ my “lack of trust,” took his frustration out on me. Until I was utterly exhausted, barely conscious, he finally stopped. Caleb held me, warning me softly against my ear. “Jade, if you ever try to push me away again, this is what you’ll get.” I looked at him with tear-filled eyes. My tone was a mix of teasing and resignation. “Then I’ll try to push you away every day.” Something in Caleb’s eyes completely erupted. That night became an endless one. The next day, when I woke up, Caleb was gone. He came back especially late that day, covered in bruises. I cried as I tended to his wounds. And he, with trembling hands, fumbled inside his chest for a long time. He then pressed a wad of cash into my hand. Caleb had been in underground fights.

It was the only way he could think of to earn money without the Blackwoods’ control. But the city wasn’t that big. News of Caleb joining underground fights quickly spread. The next day, while Caleb was out, The Blackwood family showed up. Mrs. Blackwood walked in and slapped me so hard I saw stars, collapsing to the floor, unable to stand. She looked down at me. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to tell you to leave Caleb. Today, I’m simply here to teach you a lesson. My son, when has he ever suffered like that because of you?” Was any of Caleb’s suffering caused by me? Did all my sacrifices for our love mean nothing? But in the end, I just looked at Mrs. Blackwood, saying nothing. Mrs. Blackwood sneered, “What, is this pitiful act what made my foolish son lose his bearings?” Mrs. Blackwood took a handkerchief someone handed her, wiped her hands, and then forcefully threw it in my face. She seemed to enjoy seeing me in distress, actually laughing. “Just you wait, his mind will clear up soon enough. And you? You’ll be stuck in this misery forever, with no hope of escape.” But Mrs. Blackwood never got to see that scenario. Because I was pregnant. The Blackwood family arrived en masse that very night. This time, they were smarter. They didn’t mention the Blackwood family’s vast fortune. Instead, they aimed their accusations at me. “Caleb, look closely. Do you want your child to grow up in this environment?” “What’s wrong with this place? Don’t be so arrogant. I can take care of my family perfectly fine without you.” Caleb’s tone was sharp. It was the impatience of someone whose sore spot had been hit. But he had indeed earned some money recently. However, that came with daily returns, covered in injuries. We were squeezed into that tiny room, constantly bumping into each other. I always saw him wince, then force a smile for me. “Take care of your family? Ha.” Mr. Blackwood stood outside, glancing inside with disgust. I knew he was looking at me.

“Are you sure this is the life she wants?” Caleb roared at Mr. Blackwood, “Do you think everyone cares about your stinking money?” “Oh really? But some people have pulled countless strings for just a sliver of that ‘stinking money’! Caleb! How do you think I knew about her pregnancy the moment it happened?” The worst pain often comes from words left unsaid. Mr. Blackwood left, leaving us in stunned silence. Caleb just sat there, not asking me anything, which hurt me even more. I knew Mr. Blackwood’s words had finally pierced his heart. Over the next few days, Caleb continued to leave early and return late. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he spoke less and less. For some reason, I suddenly had a strong sense of unease. This feeling made my temper increasingly volatile, and I would lash out at Caleb at the slightest provocation. Finally, one day, Caleb couldn’t take it anymore and slammed the door, leaving. While I was crying hysterically, Chloe showed up. The Stone family’s little princess, as delicate as a doll. But the first thing she did when she saw me was pinch her nose in disgust. She asked me, incredulous, “Jade! You actually let Caleb live in a place like this with you?” I was already furious and uncontrollably pushed Chloe. I wanted to kick her out. But I didn’t expect Chloe to fall straight to the ground. Then, I saw Caleb rush over in a panic, carefully helping Chloe up. My long-held unease was finally explained. Chloe was back. The person Caleb truly loved was back. I took two steps back, my vision blurred, and I fainted. When I woke up again, I saw Caleb packing things. Seeing me open my eyes, Caleb paused. “I’m sorry, Jade. We’re going back to the Blackwood family first.” I reached out and clutched the hem of his shirt. Caleb subtly pulled away. His back was to me; I couldn’t see his expression. “Jade, they’re right. The Blackwoods can give you the best protection and ensure our child grows up healthy.”

I let out a bitter laugh. Caleb, you might as well have just told me it was because Chloe was back. So you didn’t want me anymore. But for the sake of the child in my belly, you had to keep me. I was settled in a separate building within the Blackwood estate. The servants took excellent care of me. They said it was at the instruction of the old matriarch of the family. The servants constantly praised the old lady’s kindness in front of me. But I hadn’t even met her myself. Caleb also stayed with me there every day. As my belly grew larger, Caleb’s visits became less frequent. News about him, however, grew more abundant. I heard he had begun to take over the family business. The internet was flooded with praise for him. They said his methods and vision were even more decisive and ruthless than his father’s. In a short period, he had significantly expanded the Blackwood empire. This had always been Caleb’s dream; he said he wanted to replace his father. He wanted absolute authority within the Blackwood family. Only then could we be together without obstacles. If it weren’t for the accompanying news of him and Chloe being seen together everywhere, I would have truly wanted to congratulate Caleb on getting everything he wished for. But indeed, he had achieved his desires. Only I, and the child in my womb, were the blemishes on his perfect life. Chloe visited me a few times. She didn’t lash out with harsh words. She just calmly recounted stories of her and Caleb. Her words, in and out, were hints for me to be sensible, to leave quickly after giving birth. Of course, I wasn’t someone who could be easily persuaded. I had once promised Caleb that no matter what happened between us, Unless he personally told me to leave, the word ‘breakup’ would never be uttered between us. Chloe left, seething with anger, every time. And finally, my due date arrived. But I never, ever imagined. That a cheesy plot twist from a TV show would happen to me. When the doctor looked at me with an apologetic expression, my vision blurred. “The baby is fine, but…” Only after convincing the doctor to keep quiet did I allow myself to pass out. As long as the baby was safe, what did it matter if I had an incurable disease? But if I wasn’t going to live much longer…

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After successfully winning Olivia’s heart, I could have left, but I chose to stay in this world because I loved her. After staying, I happily proposed to her ninety-nine times. But she always had excuses to put it off: “I’m not in a good mood, maybe next time.” “Women age quickly after marriage and children, let’s wait a bit longer.” I loved her, so I waited. Not only did I wait, but I also put all my effort into helping her develop her company. I thought Olivia probably lacked a sense of security, and things would be better if we earned more money. But when I went to her office to get her signature on a million-dollar project I had secured, I saw her sitting naked on top of her newly hired male secretary, saying: “Jack can’t go back to his original world anyway, so why bother getting married? Once I’ve had my fun, I’ll go back and sweet-talk him, and he’ll eagerly hand everything over to me again.” Late at night, on the empty double bed, I gritted my teeth as I typed out floating comments. [Olivia, Jack loves you so much.] [Olivia, he can’t leave you, don’t worry.] I knew that Olivia felt so secure because she could see these floating comments. But she didn’t know that I had already reached a new agreement with the system to leave, The moment she disappointed me for the hundredth time would be when I left. It was three in the morning when a drunk Olivia returned home. She turned on the lights and saw me still sitting on the sofa waiting for her. A flash of disgust crossed her face. But she hid it well. “Oh, honey, didn’t I tell you not to wait up if it’s too late?” She hugged me from behind, switching to a cute tone. “I know you’re worried about me, but go to bed now. It’s not good to wear yourself out.” Suppressing my anger, I placed the phone containing evidence of her cheating face-down on the sofa. With clenched fists, I heard my own voice become unusually serious. “What about you?” “I won’t bother you, honey. I’ll sleep in the study, I have to work a bit more tonight.” The red marks on her body were glaringly obvious, but she still pretended she had just come from a business dinner. It was sickening. “Olivia, how long are we going to keep this up?” I tried to control my anger, but my voice trembled, along with my shoulders and the hand holding the phone. “Jack, not this again. Why are you getting angry? Didn’t I say we’d get married once we’ve earned enough money?” She irritably let go of me and started typing furiously on her phone. “What’s the point of pressuring me like this every day?” I wanted to clear things up with her. But her gaze fell on the slightly open door of the study, I knew her male secretary was hiding behind that door. “Miss Olivia, why did you call me over when Jack is still home? What if something goes wrong?” “It’s exciting, isn’t it? And why are you still calling me Miss? Call me sister.” “Haha, waiting for you, sister.” Olivia’s phone screen had lit up as soon as she entered the door, I had installed a message sync app on her phone, I saw clearly the message her new male secretary Luke sent her. “Let’s leave it at that, Jack. I’m tired today, don’t make a fuss.” Olivia brushed me off, not even bothering to look at me, turning her back to continue replying to her male secretary. “I’m coming right away, don’t worry. Even if you come to sister’s house every day, he won’t leave me.” With a click, Olivia turned off the living room lights and went into the study. Completely ignoring me, frozen in place. I went back to the bedroom and turned on the surveillance I had installed in the study earlier that day. In the footage, Olivia was hanging on Luke, one hand grabbing his collar, the other gently caressing his abs, her eyes full of adoration. [The female lead is really playing around.] The system’s voice chimed in inappropriately. I laughed coldly through my tears. Olivia really didn’t take me seriously at all. The next morning, Olivia and Luke were waiting at the dining table. “Jack, Luke is my newly hired secretary. He drank a lot last night for the company’s business. As the boss, we should treat him to a good breakfast to show our appreciation.” Olivia’s hand rested on Luke’s shoulder, clearly intimate. Towards me, however, was a cold command, so matter-of-fact. She didn’t even think about explaining to me why another man suddenly appeared in our home early in the morning. Luke looked at me challengingly, “Well… thanks, Jack.” As Luke passed by me, he made no effort to hide anything. His neck was covered in intimate marks, clearly showing how intense things had been last night. “The ninety-ninth time.” Olivia turned back, pretending to be gentle, “Hm? Honey, what did you say?” “I said, why should I make breakfast for him? Who does he think he is?” Olivia’s face instantly darkened: “Jack, Luke is just my secretary. Don’t be so petty as a grown man.” “Olivia, ask yourself honestly, haven’t I been generous enough all these years?” I stared at her coldly. Olivia walked over to me somewhat guiltily, taking my hand: “Jack, I know you’ve sacrificed a lot for me. You’re my fiancé and the most important person in the company. If you love me, please don’t make this so difficult, okay?” “Huh, fiancé.” “Then tell me, when exactly are we getting married?” I pressed her. She had disappointed me ninety-nine times, with only one chance left. “Don’t make a scene, honey. We have a guest, it’s not appropriate to discuss this now.” “Oh, and make the breakfast light, Luke doesn’t eat spicy food.” Olivia tossed out these words lightly and prepared to go back to the study with Luke. It was always like this. She never said no, but she never said yes either. She just kept putting me off, saying sweet nothings to deceive me. Not caring at all that I’m human too, that I have feelings. I took a deep breath as I walked into the kitchen. I had anticipated this outcome, but I didn’t expect it would still hurt so much. I didn’t make breakfast for Olivia as I usually did. In fact, since the first time Olivia cheated, I had started to regret staying in this world for her after successfully winning her over. But the new conditions for leaving hadn’t been met yet, and I wanted to give her one last chance. After all, she had been so pure and lovely back then. I secretly used the floating comments to tell her how much I loved her, but she took advantage of my love and became even more reckless. Now that the conditions were almost met, she had repeatedly proven to me through her actions that a cheater cannot be changed by love. It was time to leave. I ignored the noises coming from the study and slowly ate my breakfast. An hour later, Olivia finally emerged from the study, looking satisfied and fully dressed. “What? Jack, how come you’re eating by yourself?” “Why didn’t you make any for us?” “If you want to eat, make it yourself.” I didn’t bother with her, slowly finishing my last bite. Olivia’s face turned ugly. “Jack, you’re really disappointing me more and more. You rely on me to support you, and you can’t even be bothered to make breakfast.” “I’ll give you one more chance. Make two portions of breakfast in ten minutes.” Olivia looked at me with contempt in her eyes. Silence. I still didn’t move. Perhaps afraid that I was really angry, Olivia changed her approach and came to hug me. “Alright, honey, is it because I’ve been too busy with work lately and haven’t been spending time with you? Are you upset?” “I’ll make it up to you tonight after work, okay? Do you want me to wear black lace or cat ears? I’ll do whatever you want, just give me some face today, okay?” It was always like this, always the same. Olivia only sweet-talked me when she wanted to achieve some goal. Thinking a few sweet words would make me soften. Why should I? I sneered, “Olivia, you don’t really think everything is a given, do you?” “That clothes clean themselves, food magically appears on your table, the house somehow stays clean, and all you have to do is open your mouth?” She was stunned, not expecting me to suddenly say this. “Wasn’t it you who said you liked taking care of me, so I fired all the maids? What’s this about now?” Yes, five years ago, to win Olivia’s heart, I couldn’t wait to stay by her side every day, becoming her personal butler, meticulously taking care of her every need.

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After successfully winning over Ethan Clarke, I could have left, but I chose to stay in this world because I loved him. After staying, I happily proposed marriage to him ninety-nine times. But he always had excuses to put it off: “I’m not in a good mood, maybe next time.” “I want to focus on my career for a few more years, let’s talk about it later.” When I couldn’t wait any longer and went to ask him for a definite answer, I overheard him arrogantly telling his female secretary outside his office: “She can’t go back to her original world anyway, so why bother getting married? Once I’ve had my fun, I’ll go back and sweet-talk her, and she’ll eagerly ask the system to hand everything over to me again.” Late at night, lying in our empty king-sized bed, I gritted my teeth as I typed out message after message. [Ethan, Olivia loves you so much.] [Ethan, she can’t live without you, don’t worry.] I knew Ethan felt so secure because he could see these messages. But what he didn’t know was that I had already made a new deal with the system to leave. The moment he let me down for the hundredth time would be when I left.

Ethan came home reeking of alcohol at 3 AM. He turned on the light and saw me still sitting on the couch waiting for him. A flash of disgust crossed his face. But he hid it well. “Didn’t I tell you not to wait up if it gets too late?” he said, drunkenly hugging me from behind, his tone switching to an affectionate one. “Come on, I know you were worried about me, but go to bed now. It’s not good to stay up so late.” Fighting back tears, I placed the phone containing evidence of his cheating face-down on the couch. My nails dug into my palms as I heard my voice shake, sounding unlike my own. “What about you?” “I’ll sleep in the study. I promised Mr. Wang I’d have a new proposal ready when we had dinner earlier.” The scent of different women’s perfumes clung to him, but he still pretended he had just come from a business dinner. How disgusting. “Ethan, how long are we going to go on like this?” My voice shook even more, along with my shoulders and the hand holding the phone. “Not this again, Olivia. Haven’t I said I’ll marry you?” He irritably let go of me. “What’s the point of pressuring me about it every day?” I wanted to have an honest conversation with him. But his gaze fell on the slightly ajar door of the study. I knew he had secretly hidden a new woman behind that door. “Baby, why did you bring me back when Olivia is still home?” When Ethan first came in, my phone screen had lit up. I had installed message syncing software on his phone. I saw clearly the message his new secretary Sophia sent him. “That’s enough, Olivia. I’m exhausted today. I hope you can be more understanding.” Ethan brushed me off, not even bothering to look at me as he turned away to secretly reply to his little secretary. “Don’t worry, babe. Even if I bring you home every day, she’ll never leave me.” With a click, Ethan turned off the living room lights and went into the study. Completely ignoring me as I stood frozen in place, tears streaming down my face. I went back to our room and turned on the surveillance camera I had installed in the study earlier that day. In the footage, Ethan gently pinched the girl’s cheek, his eyes full of affection. [What else would a grown man and woman be doing late at night in the room next to his girlfriend?] The system chimed in unhelpfully. I laughed coldly in response. What else indeed, besides getting their thrills. The next morning, Ethan and Sophia were waiting at the dining table. “Olivia, this is Sophia, my new secretary. She had too much to drink last night because of company business. As the lady of the house, please be a good host and make her some breakfast.” Ethan’s cold gaze fell on me, so matter-of-fact. He didn’t even bother trying to explain why there was suddenly a woman in our home early in the morning. Sophia looked at me challengingly. “Thank you… sis.” As she walked past me, she deliberately pulled her collar open. Her neck was covered in passionate marks, clearly showing how intense things had gotten last night. “Ninety-nine times.” Sophia turned back, feigning innocence. “Hmm? What did you say, sis?” “I said, why should I make you breakfast? Who do you think you are?” Ethan’s face immediately darkened: “Olivia, Sophia is just my secretary. Don’t be so petty.” “Ethan, search your conscience and tell me, haven’t I been generous enough all these years?” I stared at him coldly. He walked over to me, looking a bit guilty: “Olivia, you’re my fiancée, the future mistress of the Clarke family. Be good and listen to me. Don’t embarrass me.” “Then when are we getting married?” I pressed him. He had let me down ninety-nine times. There was only one chance left. “Don’t make a fuss. I have a meeting at the company soon. I need to go over some work stuff with Sophia first.” “Oh, and keep breakfast light. Sophia doesn’t eat spicy food.” Ethan casually tossed out those words before heading back to the study with Sophia. It was always like this. He never said no, but he never said yes either. He just constantly deflected and made excuses, completely disregarding my feelings. I went straight to the kitchen. Though I had expected this outcome, I was surprised to find my heart still ached. I didn’t make breakfast for Ethan as I usually would. In fact, ever since Ethan’s first affair, I had regretted staying in this world for him after successfully winning him over. But I hadn’t met the new conditions to leave yet, and I wanted to give him one last chance. I had been secretly telling him through messages how much I loved him, but he took advantage of my love and became even more reckless. Now that the conditions were almost met, he had proven to me time and time again that a scumbag can’t be changed by love. It was time to leave.

Ignoring the noises coming from the study, I sat down and slowly ate my breakfast. An hour later, Ethan finally emerged, looking satisfied and fully dressed. “What the hell, Olivia? You started eating by yourself?” “Why didn’t you make any for us?” “If you want to eat, make it yourself.” I ignored him and slowly finished my last bite. Ethan’s expression turned ugly. “Olivia, you’re really disappointing me more and more. You rely on me to support you, and you can’t even be bothered to make breakfast.” “I’ll give you one more chance. Make two portions of breakfast in the next ten minutes.” Ethan looked at me contemptuously. Dead silence. I still didn’t move. Probably afraid I was really angry, Ethan changed his approach and came to hug me. “Alright, Olivia. Are you upset because I’ve been busy with work lately and haven’t spent time with you?” “I’ll make it up to you tonight after work, okay? Do you want to eat at that corner bistro, or do you want that handbag you liked? I’ll get you whatever you want. Just do me this favor today, alright?” It was always like this. Always the same. Ethan only sweet-talked me when he wanted something. He thought a few nice words would make me soften up. Why should I? I sneered: “Ethan, you don’t really think everything is a given, do you?” “That clothes magically become clean, food appears on your table by itself, the house somehow stays tidy. You just have to say the word and it all happens.” He was stunned, not expecting me to suddenly say this. “Didn’t you say you liked taking care of me? That’s why I fired all the maids. What’s this about now?” Yes, five years ago, to win him over, I couldn’t wait to stay by his side and take care of his every need. That’s how I ended up falling in love with him. But things were different now. Once I realized the man I loved wasn’t worthy, I naturally had to take back everything I’d given him. “A full-time housekeeper’s salary is at least $2,000 a month, right? This mansion is so big, five housekeepers wouldn’t be too many. That’s $10,000 a month.” “We’ve been together for five years, so that’s $600,000 total. Cash or check?” “Hmph, you’ve really become obsessed with money. Olivia, you’ve changed!” Ethan looked at me with a complex expression. “Ethan, people change, don’t they?” I met his gaze without flinching. “Forget it. You rest. I’ll take Sophia out for breakfast.” He sighed, then grabbed his coat from the rack and left with Sophia. Looking around the empty house, memories kept flashing through my mind. I was a “conqueror”, an orphan girl on the brink of death after a car accident in my original world. The system approached me, asking me to go to a parallel world to win over Ethan Clarke. It promised that if I succeeded, I could return to my original world, Not only would I regain my health, but I’d also get a lot of money. I was overjoyed, but as soon as I arrived in this world, I was cornered by thugs in an alley. That was the first time I saw Ethan. He stood in front of me like a guardian angel. After knocking out all the thugs with a brick, he grabbed my hand and we ran. No one had ever protected me like that in my original world. I fell for him helplessly. His carefree, dazzling smile that day is etched in my memory forever. With the system’s help, I soon met him again at the bar where I worked. He was surrounded by rich kids beating him up. When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with despair, no longer spirited like before. His resistance angered one of the rich kids, who was about to pull out a knife. I quickly found a way to get the manager to help, and we rescued him. That night, he ordered a lot of drinks to help me earn more tips. He also rambled on about many things. It turned out he was the illegitimate son of a company boss. His half-brother was causing him trouble everywhere to fight for the family inheritance. “Ethan, I believe you’re better than him.” I told him firmly. Later on, he started pursuing me. The conquest progress steadily increased. At first I was happy, but as the numbers got higher and higher, I began to hesitate. Before coming to this world, I was too ordinary. I had no family, no money, and had never experienced being loved. I thought, rather than return to that life in my original world, I might as well let the conquest progress stall. At least here, as the conquest target, I still had the male lead’s love. I started to feel insecure, avoiding Ethan or saying hurtful things I couldn’t control. But he always firmly believed we were in love. He said even though he didn’t know about my love, he could feel how much he loved me. Even though I pushed him away again and again, he kept coming back with his heart on his sleeve. In the end, I still succeeded in conquering him. I was extremely reluctant to part with such a good lover. I negotiated with the system to see if I could stay. The system agreed, saying it would give me five years, but also gave me one chance to change my mind. The system said [No male lead can remain faithful to just one woman after the grand finale.] I didn’t believe it, saying Ethan was different from other male leads. I never expected…

After I stayed, I accompanied Ethan as he slowly built up the business. Though I couldn’t hold my liquor, I forced myself to drink until I could handle any amount, ending up in the ER several times. Finally, after much effort, Ethan’s father saw our potential and let us take over the company. Ethan also proved himself capable, growing the company bigger and bigger, his net worth increasing rapidly. Once, after being forced to drink by a client, I carelessly revealed the truth about the conquest when I got home. Ethan held me tenderly, saying he would be good to me for life and that I didn’t need to hide anything from him. But less than a month later, he started fooling around with different women. He was certain I couldn’t go back, so he became more and more reckless, each time worse than the last. From the first time I discovered his affair, I regretted staying. I made a new deal with the system – the day Ethan let me down for the hundredth time would be when I left. I originally wanted to leave Ethan right away and wait for that day to come. But the system informed me that in this parallel world, I relied on the male lead’s energy to survive. If I stayed away from him, I would be rejected by this world and die a miserable death. So reluctantly, I had to continue playing the role of his obedient, virtuous wife. But Ethan really didn’t disappoint. In just four short years, I had proposed marriage 99 times, each time rejected. Meanwhile, the women by his side kept changing. No matter how I tried to remind him through messages, he remained indifferent. Instead, he took my love as a reason he could manipulate me. Fortunately, it was almost the hundredth time. This time, I would leave forever. In the evening when Ethan returned, he had already changed into a new set of clothes. He handed me a document with a smile: “Olivia, the company is about to go public. When the time comes, get dressed up and we’ll go ring the bell together!” “Okay.” I nodded numbly. Whether the company went public or not no longer mattered to me. After all, I couldn’t take anything with me when I left. “Olivia, don’t be angry anymore. Those women were just for fun.” “You’re the one who’s been by my side all along. In the future, you’ll be my only wife.” Ethan’s eyes were full of deep affection. I found it hard to understand how he could passionately make love to his secretary in the study last night, yet profess his love to me so tenderly today. “Mm, I know.” It wasn’t long before I could leave. I just needed to endure a little longer. At this moment, Ethan’s phone kept buzzing with incoming messages from someone frantically texting him. “Aren’t you going to check that?” I raised an eyebrow. “It’s nothing important. Today I want to spend time with you!” Ethan shook his head, a placating smile on his face. But I no longer felt that heart-fluttering excitement. I only felt annoyed. However, the other person wasn’t about to let him off the hook. Call after call kept coming through. I looked up at him: “Ethan, it’s very noisy.” Without a word, he took his phone and walked into the bedroom. I took out my own phone and started typing messages. “Ethan, don’t ignore the beauties outside for Olivia’s sake.” “Olivia will never leave you. She’ll still be willing to marry you even after you’ve had your fun.” This was an ability the system gave me. Only Ethan could see these messages. To leave as soon as possible, I had to let him continue hurting me recklessly. Soon, Ethan came out of the room looking apologetic. “Olivia, there’s a problem with a business deal at the company. I need to go take care of it. I’ll be back as soon as I can!” “Go ahead.” I kept scrolling on my tablet. I was logged into Ethan’s Instagram account. The most recent message was from Sophia – photos of her in various risqué outfits, so revealing it made me blush. The chat ended with Ethan’s message: “You little minx, just wait till big brother shows you what he can do!” “Olivia, I’ll bring back those dumplings you like from the north side when I come home later.” Ethan said as he grabbed his coat and car keys on his way out. Back when Ethan and I first got together, all I could afford was one order of dumplings. He went hungry and gave them to me. At the time, I thought they were the most delicious food in the world. At midnight, my phone received several explicit videos. Ethan’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes were filled with lust. An hour later, Ethan came back with the dumplings from the north side, along with a faint scent of women’s perfume. I had just taken my first bite when I recalled those videos. I felt incredibly nauseous and couldn’t control myself as I rushed to the bathroom and threw up. “Olivia, what’s wrong? Is your stomach acting up again? Quick, come eat some dumplings!” Ethan came over to support me, looking concerned. I didn’t want him to touch me at all. I struggled free and went to pour myself a glass of warm water, trying to suppress the nausea. “It’s fine. Olivia, someone will come deliver custom-made gowns tomorrow. Pick one to wear when you accompany me to the bell-ringing ceremony.” “After the company goes public and stabilizes, we’ll get married.” Ethan patted my back as he spoke. It seemed the company going public made him very happy, even prompting him to bring up marriage on his own. I nodded slightly at the mirror. It’s not going to happen, Ethan. We’ll never get married.

The next day, the gowns arrived three hours late. When I asked, I found out Ethan had taken the white gown I chose to have it altered. The dress was already made to my measurements, so it was clear who he was having it altered for. Forget it. I was about to leave anyway. No point in arguing with people from this world anymore. Soon, the day of the company’s bell-ringing ceremony arrived. I put on a smile and gracefully accompanied Ethan through the ceremony. Sophia’s eyes in the audience below were burning with jealousy, looking like they could bore holes in me. As the boss’s wife, I also had to attend the shareholders’ meeting, forcing myself to stay alert. In the past, I would have carefully recorded every word at these meetings, not missing a single detail. Then I’d go back and help Ethan analyze how to make the company even better. But now, none of it mattered to me anymore. All the facts and figures made me drowsy. Suddenly, I heard Ethan shout angrily. “What’s going on? Who put together today’s PowerPoint?” I looked up to see that all 99 slides of the presentation were filled with my boudoir photos – innocent ones, seductive ones… Without exception, they were all quite revealing. It was the year I loved him most. Ethan had begged me for a long time before I finally agreed to take those photos as a memento for him. “Mr. Clarke, there’s no need to share your little couple’s games with all of us shareholders. Are you trying to make us part of your roleplaying?” “I think Ms. Johnson has a great figure. Mr. Clarke, are you doing this because you want to share the joy with everyone? Haha!” The male shareholders’ lecherous gazes fell on me as they made one mocking comment after another. “It was my fault. I used Mr. Clarke’s computer for the presentation and accidentally used the wrong file!” Sophia, dressed in a smart business suit, hurried to admit her mistake, looking like she was about to cry. “It’s fine, it’s just a mix-up with the files. Don’t make such a big deal out of it. Sophia, redo it and let’s continue the meeting!” Ethan brushed it off carelessly, clearly more protective of his cute little secretary. The other female shareholders looked at me with unbearably pitying eyes. “Ethan, I’m the one whose private photos were exposed. She should apologize to me, and you owe me an explanation too.” I stood up and looked at Ethan. But before Ethan could speak, Sophia had already started fake crying: “Sis, don’t blame Mr. Clarke. I was too careless. If you want to scold someone, scold me!” I was about to leave anyway. No point in trying to get along with anyone in this world. Since that’s how it is… I swung my arm and slapped her hard across the face. “You’re right, you deserve to be scolded and hit!” “Olivia! How could you hit someone!” “Sophia just made a small mistake at work. Do you have to keep harping on it?” “Besides, if you thought those photos were inappropriate for others to see, why did you agree to take them in the first place!” Ethan pulled Sophia behind him protectively and angrily berated me, spittle flying. I looked at my conquest target and suddenly felt dizzy. Steadying myself against the table, I found it laughably ironic. Maybe I never truly knew Ethan. Maybe what I thought was his love for me was just an illusion created by the conquest. How foolish of me to think that was love. Ethan was still insulting me with vicious words, saliva spraying everywhere. I raised my head and slowly walked towards him. “You’re right. I was so focused on hitting her, I forgot about you.” SLAP! An incredibly loud slap rang out in the meeting room. For a moment, everyone fell into an awkward silence. “Shut up. She illegally shared my private photos. I’m calling the police!” I crossed my arms and said. Sophia gently tugged on Ethan’s sleeve. Ethan said coldly: “We can’t call the police. Olivia, be more gracious and don’t make such a big deal out of this with a young girl.” “Those photos star you. What good will it do you if this blows up? In the end, you’ll be the one embarrassed!” I shook my head with a smile: “With that attitude, it’s hard for me not to call the police.” “Then what do you want?” “I want half of the shares you hold. Sign them over to me right now!” “And I want you to marry me.”

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Dominic Thorne’s first love was kidnapped while filming on a remote set and went missing for three terrifying days and nights. Two months later, she stood on a rooftop, crying as she called him, “Dominic, I’m pregnant! The media is tracking me! I don’t want to live!” He rushed to the rooftop and announced to all the media, “The baby is mine.” Overnight, I became the laughingstock of the city’s elite circles. That night, Dominic Thorne knelt before me, his eyes bloodshot, his voice choked with emotion, raw with pain. “Elara, Seraphina Monroe has depression. If I don’t help her, she’ll die! After she safely gives birth, I’ll make it up to you, okay?” I loved him, loved him so much it made me卑微, so I could only grit my teeth and agree. But the next day, the internet exploded with news, and the woman in the blurred photo was clearly me. I trembled as I found Dominic Thorne. He embraced me in agony, “We can’t suppress the news… Elara, you rarely appear in public. We’ll just have to ask you to claim this for now.” He reached out to hold me, but his words sent a chill down my spine. “How about this, you get rid of the baby first. We can have more later.” In that moment, my heart completely died. I wiped away my tears and dialed a long-forgotten number. The call connected, and a man’s deep voice came through with a dangerously low chuckle. “You’ve finally… come to beg me?”

“What did you say?” My voice trembled violently. “Seraphina’s kidnapping can’t be exposed. She just signed a major international brand endorsement. If it comes out, her career will be ruined,” Dominic Thorne’s tone was calm, almost cruel. “But you’re different. You rarely appear in public. As long as you take the blame for this, the public outrage will quickly pass.” I stared intently at the man I had loved for years. “Dominic Thorne, do you know what you’re saying?” “Before, you wanted me to claim paternity for Seraphina Monroe’s baby, and I agreed.” “Now, you want me to admit to being kidnapped and… assaulted for her?!” His voice was low. “Elara, I’m begging you.” “Begging me?” I laughed, but tears streamed down my face. “For her, you want me to ruin my own reputation?” “Seraphina can’t handle this kind of blow. She already has depression,” he said urgently. “But you’re different. You’ve always been strong.” “So I’m just disposable?” I practically hissed through clenched teeth. “It’s not a sacrifice, just a temporary solution.” He paused, his tone softening. “Elara, could you… get rid of the baby first?” My world shattered in an instant. “Dominic Thorne,” my voice was hoarse. “That’s your baby too!!!” “I know!” His voice suddenly became agitated. “But Seraphina can’t handle any stress right now!” My breath hitched for a second. I laughed, tears streaming down my face. “Fine, I agree.” He was about to say something else when his phone suddenly rang. From the other end of the line, I heard a crying sound. “Waaah! Dominic, I had a nightmare! I’m so scared! Will they tell everyone about what happened to me?” Seraphina Monroe’s delicate voice whined. Dominic Thorne’s tone instantly changed. He cooed softly, “Don’t worry, Seraphina, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” The call ended, and he turned and left without a moment’s hesitation. I went to the hospital. The nurse handed me a form, her eyes filled with pity. “Mrs. Thorne, are you sure you want to proceed with the surgery?” I looked down at the paper. Dominic Thorne’s name was already signed. He had already arranged all of this. I nodded numbly. “Yes.” The doctor pushed up her glasses, her voice calm. “Your physical condition is special. This abortion could lead to permanent infertility. Are you sure you want to risk it?” I snapped my head up. “Permanent infertility?” “Yes, your uterine lining is thin. If you force this abortion, it might be very difficult to get pregnant again in the future…” My fingers trembled slightly. Dominic Thorne, you knew about this, and you still want me to abort this baby! All for Seraphina Monroe. I bit my lip so hard until the taste of blood spread in my mouth. Suddenly, a strange flutter came from my abdomen, like a tiny butterfly fluttering its wings a few times. I grabbed the doctor’s wrist. “Stop! I’m not doing it!” The doctor frowned. “Mrs. Thorne, your husband specifically instructed…” “I said I’m not doing it!” I yelled, sitting up from the operating table and tearing off the surgical gown. “I’m keeping this baby!” When I walked out of the hospital, the sunlight was blinding. I opened my phone. The top trending headline boldly read: \#DominicThorneSeraphinaMonroeSweetOutingAtLuxuryBabyStore\# The accompanying photo showed my husband’s hand carefully placed on Seraphina Monroe’s lower back as she gently caressed her visibly rounded belly. The comment section was full of praise: “This is a match made in heaven! A dazzling actress and a prominent mogul from the city’s elite – a perfect couple!” “Seraphina Monroe’s belly is already so big. How can Dominic’s wife still cling to her position?” “I heard that woman got pregnant with a bastard after disappearing for a few days, and Mr. Thorne was kind enough not to divorce her on the spot!” “Who knows if she was really missing or faking it? Maybe she was secretly meeting with another man!” My nails dug deep into my palms, but I felt nothing, only a profound numbness. “Don’t be scared, baby,” I whispered, touching my abdomen. “Mommy will protect you.” I turned and went to a law firm to draft divorce papers.

Back at the mansion, the front door was ajar. Pushing it open, I saw Seraphina Monroe lying on the sofa, Dominic Thorne’s hand resting on her rounded belly. “Dominic, the baby kicked me again!” she cooed, playfully grabbing Dominic Thorne’s hand and pressing it onto her stomach. Dominic Thorne’s face showed a tenderness I had never seen before. “It’s really moving.” I stood in the foyer, my fists clenched. Dominic Thorne saw me, and his expression shifted slightly. He quickly walked over, lowering his voice. “Elara, Seraphina tried to harm herself again today. The doctor said she has prenatal depression. Could you… give us some space?” I scoffed. “This is my home.” “She grew up with me; I can’t just abandon her.” His tone softened. “After she has the baby, I’ll find a way to send her and the child away, let her break into Hollywood.” I said nothing more and turned to go upstairs. Even in the bedroom, I could still hear their laughter. “Oh, the baby kicked me!” Seraphina Monroe’s voice was cloyingly sweet. I curled up on the bed, my tears soaking the pillow. Late at night, Dominic Thorne quietly slipped into bed and embraced me from behind. “Elara, I’m sorry,” his voice was hoarse. “We’ll still have children.” My body stiffened. He still didn’t know that I hadn’t aborted the baby. “Ah—” Seraphina Monroe’s piercing scream suddenly came from the next room. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” “Don’t touch me! Don’t photograph me!” Dominic Thorne shot up, not even bothering with slippers, and rushed out. All night, his gentle, soothing voice echoed in the hallway. In the morning. Dragging my exhausted body downstairs, the scent of frying eggs wafted from the kitchen. Dominic Thorne stood at the stove. Seraphina Monroe stealthily wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, her face pressed against his back, smiling sweetly. Seeing me, she immediately let go and spoke timidly, “Elara, my head hurts a little. Could Dominic help me get my hat?” Dominic Thorne, without a word, turned and went upstairs. The apology on Seraphina Monroe’s face vanished instantly. She leaned closer to me, a smirk playing on her red lips. “Dominic said the bastard in your belly should never have been kept.” I snapped my head up, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. She gave a contemptuous smile, lowering her voice. “Do you know the Sterling family? My powerful connections are with them.” She deliberately paused, savoring my rapidly changing expression. “The Sterling family just has to lift a finger, and the entire city would quake. What do you have to fight me with?” I clenched my fists tightly. The Sterling family was a true generational powerhouse, an old money dynasty, controlling a significant portion of the nation’s economy. Forget the Thornes; even all the powerful figures in the city combined were mere ants before the Sterling family. She suddenly stumbled backward, falling to the floor, and shrieked loudly, “Elara! I know you hate me for taking Dominic! I’ll just end it all!” “Elara!” Dominic Thorne rushed downstairs, shoving me violently. I stumbled and crashed into the coffee table, a searing pain shooting through my lower back. He immediately pulled Seraphina Monroe into his arms, his eyes icy and piercing. “What did you do to her? Can you stop acting childishly!” “I didn’t do anything!” My voice trembled. “You better not have!” He hugged Seraphina Monroe tightly and walked out without looking back. “Seraphina, let’s go.” I stood in the living room, my hand unconsciously stroking my lower belly.

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The man I’d loved for ten years was a father, and I was the very last to know. I stood outside the private room, watching him. He was doting on the infant in his arms, his face soft with a tenderness I’d never seen directed at me. He was giving instructions to his friends in the circle: “Briar and I having a baby, keep it quiet for now. Otherwise, Aurora will definitely come back and make a scene.” I’d loved him for a decade. Before I went abroad, I confessed my feelings to him. Back then, he’d told me, “When you come back, we’ll be together.” But the reality was so utterly ridiculous. This time, I didn’t make a scene, didn’t even demand answers. Because I had decided to finally let go of Caleb. … “Caleb, you’re throwing such a grand baby shower. Aren’t you worried the news will reach Aurora?” Caleb looked at the sleeping baby in the stroller, his gaze softer than I had ever seen it. “For my darling’s baby shower, of course, the grander, the better.” “Don’t worry, I’ve had people contain the news. She won’t find out.” “But even if she does, so what? It’ll just be a chance for me to set things straight with her. The only reason I’m hiding it from her now is because I don’t want her to ruin the baby shower I’ve so carefully planned.” “You know Aurora, she never knew how to behave, always making a scene. No grace, no class.” I stood by the door to the private room, listening to the conversation clearly through the crack, feeling a chill seep into my bones. Did Caleb hate me? But he had personally told me he liked me. If he hadn’t called me a few days ago, saying he missed me, I wouldn’t have taken special leave to come home. I’d intended to surprise Caleb. Instead, the surprise turned into a shock, and it allowed me to hear Caleb’s true feelings. No one noticed me outside the door, and the conversation inside continued. “Our Caleb must have been so troubled, being forcibly liked by his adoptive sister for so many years. It’s a good thing he’s finally free from her entanglement. Of course, he’d want to speed up his life now.” “But Caleb, are you keeping the news of your wedding with Briar next month under wraps too? Won’t that be unfair to her?” Caleb kissed the baby in the stroller. “We’ll see then. I’ll find a suitable time to make things clear with Aurora.” “No matter what, I can’t let Briar be wronged.” Just then, Briar Sterling emerged from the private room’s lounge area, holding a baby bottle. “Caleb, you don’t have to worry about me. Aurora is just young and naive. I believe when she grows up a little more, she’ll understand.” Someone immediately chimed in, flattering her: “Our Briar is so generous and understanding. No wonder Caleb is so devoted to you. If I married a woman like you, I’d pamper her every single day.” “Exactly. Even though Aurora and Briar are best friends, why didn’t Aurora learn anything from Briar? She’s in her twenties, yet she acts like a giant baby, so annoying.” Suddenly, the private room erupted in laughter. Outside, my heart constricted sharply, almost stopping. They were right. Briar and I had been best friends for over ten years. Before I went abroad, I’d even specifically asked her to keep a good eye on Caleb for me. Briar had readily agreed, swearing she’d protect my heart and keep my beloved safe. But little over a year had passed, and their daughter was already a month old. I never imagined the kind of trashy drama where your best friend steals your man would actually happen to me. Watching the happy family of three embracing inside the private room, I snapped back to reality. I pulled my hand back from the doorknob as if I’d been electrocuted. What good would it do if I pushed this door open? Now, I didn’t even have the right to question Caleb and Briar! After all, Caleb and I had never officially been together. Before I left, Caleb had only verbally promised me: “When you come back in two years, if you still like me, we’ll be together.” So, whether Caleb and Briar married or had a child, it was their choice. I pulled out my phone and opened SnapChat, my eyes immediately falling on Caleb’s profile picture at the top of my chat list. Ever since Caleb sent me that “I miss you” message last week, he hadn’t contacted me again. No matter what I sent him, he hadn’t replied with a single word. Before today, I’d just thought he was busy with work. Now it seemed, he wasn’t busy with work at all. He was busy planning his child’s baby shower. My thumb hovered over the screen for a long time before I finally tapped on Caleb’s profile picture. I sent him a message: [Caleb, what are you busy with? Why aren’t you replying to my messages?] Just as I sent it, Caleb’s phone chimed in the private room. He picked it up and glanced at it. He only frowned slightly, but didn’t reply. Instead, he simply switched his phone off. Briar, sitting beside him, saw the message and asked, seemingly nonchalant: “Caleb, was that Aurora’s message? Why didn’t you reply?” Caleb kissed Briar’s forehead, then took the baby from her arms, his voice icy cold: “Replying to her messages is just a waste of time.” “You know, I’ve always found her annoying. If it weren’t for her parents’ past kindness to my family, if it weren’t for my dad telling me to take good care of her, I wouldn’t even bother playing along with her.” “Briar, you’re the only one I love. Because of her, you’ve suffered so many grievances over the years.” “Don’t worry, once we’re married, I’ll make it up to you and Ella.” I didn’t stay to listen to the rest of the conversation. I simply turned and left the hotel. Sunlight fell on me, but my mind remained hazy. Suddenly, I thought I heard someone call my name from behind. I turned and saw Dylan, another one of Caleb’s friends. He was holding a huge pink doll, clearly a baby shower gift. His eyes were wide with surprise: “Aurora, when did you get back? Why are you at this hotel? Are you…” He didn’t finish his sentence, but I knew what he was going to ask. I pressed my lips together, unsure what to say. So, I chose to ignore his questions, hailed a taxi, and left. Sitting in the taxi, watching the scenery rush by, a cruel truth finally sank in for me— The man I’d loved for ten years had never truly loved me. Caleb had been deceiving me all along, and so had my best friend. I didn’t understand what I had done wrong, why everyone had to treat me this way. Tears streamed down my face, and even the taxi driver couldn’t help glancing in the rearview mirror several times. Just then, my phone rang. It was Caleb’s special ringtone. “Aurora, are you back?” His voice was as calm as ever, not a hint of anything unusual. If I hadn’t already stumbled upon everything, I probably would have continued to be fooled by him. I wiped away the lingering tears, quickly composed myself, and softly replied: “Yeah, school’s on break, so I came back.” “Then why didn’t you tell me beforehand? I would’ve picked you up.” “I was afraid you were busy with work, so I didn’t want to disturb you.” Caleb was silent for a moment, then asked again: “My friend just said he ran into you outside the city’s grand hotel. What were you doing there?” My fingers tightened involuntarily around my phone. For some reason, I still didn’t want to expose his lies, so I said: “Just meeting a friend.” I thought, if he could tell me the whole truth right now, I would forgive his deception and just be true siblings with him. But he still disappointed me. Hearing my answer, Caleb finally relaxed. “Okay, go home first. I’m tied up with something here. I’ll come home to you as soon as I’m done.” With that, he hung up. It wasn’t until evening that Caleb hurried home. He had changed out of the suit he’d worn to the baby shower, but I could still smell the strong scent of baby formula on him. Noticing me watching him, Caleb quickly chuckled: “Aurora, why are you staring at me? We haven’t seen each other for just over a year, are you missing me that much?” “How long is your vacation this time? When are you going back?” Hearing Caleb’s question, I clenched my fists. I had just returned, and Caleb was already eager for me to leave. Was he really that afraid I would ruin his and Briar’s happy family? **Chapter 3** I was about to speak, but my gaze suddenly fell on Caleb’s wrist. Even with the watch covering it, I still caught sight of a red rose tattoo, etched onto his wrist at some point. Briar’s nickname was Rose, and all her social media handles were “Rose” too. The words I’d meant to ask were swallowed back down. All my fantasies vanished because of that rose. It was Caleb who had initiated the promise before I went abroad. It was he who, disregarding gender boundaries, had kissed me first. It was he who, when drunk, had confessed his deep affection. And it was he who wouldn’t allow any other guys near me. Everything Caleb had shown led me not to intentionally control my emotions. But just as I was deeply entangled, he told me that everything had been my wishful thinking. I looked into Caleb’s eyes and said seriously: “Caleb, we grew up together. You must know how I feel about you.” Caleb looked indifferent: “Aurora, don’t worry, I’ll wait for you to come back.” Hearing that answer, I suddenly laughed. Even now, Caleb was still deceiving me. Sensing that my mood was off, Caleb’s eyes darkened slightly, and his voice unconsciously held a hint of nervousness: “Aurora, what’s wrong?” I lowered my eyes and gently shook my head. “Nothing, I’m just too happy.” Caleb finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, as long as you’re happy. I’m taking you out to dinner now, to welcome you back.” Caleb directly pulled me out the door. I habitually opened the passenger seat door, only to see a pack of diapers, a doll, and a woman’s purse on the seat. I knew that purse intimately; it was the birthday gift I’d given Briar last year. Caleb quickly explained: “My friend borrowed my car yesterday. These things must be his leftovers. How about you just make do and sit in the back seat today?” I didn’t say anything. I just closed the passenger door and obediently got into the back. After Caleb got in the car, he even carefully straightened the doll. After all, that was his daughter’s favorite toy. The car started, and I didn’t chatter with Caleb like I used to, constantly looking for topics. I just silently watched the scenery outside the window. I couldn’t understand how Caleb could say he loved me on one hand, and then marry someone else and have a child on the other. Caleb, however, uncharacteristically kept trying to talk to me. He asked me, like a caring older brother, how my life abroad was, if I was used to it, and if anyone had bullied me. Before, if Caleb had been so actively concerned, I would have been ecstatic. But now, I didn’t want to hear any of his empty words. I just wanted him to tell me the truth about everything, in his own words. I responded to Caleb’s questions in a desultory manner. Caleb suddenly seemed to remember something, taking a tin of mints from the glove compartment and handing it to me in the back seat. “Aurora, I remember you always get carsick, so you love mints. I specifically prepared these for you.” Looking at the mints in my hand, I froze. I didn’t get carsick.

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Four years into our marriage, Alex Thorne was keeping a young college student outside our home. She was bright, pretty, and full of life. She’d drag Alex, a multi-billionaire, to greasy food trucks and cheer on her favorite e-sports player. Alex called me: “I’m not coming home tonight, I’m watching Jax Ryder’s game.” The girl beside him let out a snicker: “That boring old woman? Does she even know who Jax Ryder is?” They had no idea. After the call ended, Jax Ryder pressed me against the dim glow of the car headlights. His sharp canine tooth gently grazed the back of my neck, a faint sting spreading. “Sister, I won the game. How are you going to reward me tonight?” The first time I saw Chloe Evans was on my twenty-sixth birthday. I was still smiling, chatting with guests at the party. “Something came up at the office, Alex will be home a bit later, but his gift has already arrived—” My words hung in the air. Alex walked in, Chloe right beside him, in front of everyone. Chloe wore a vibrant red dress, clinging to Alex’s arm, curiously glancing around. Fluttering around like a little bird, chattering non-stop: “You said you’d take me somewhere fun, is this it?” She scanned the room, her gaze pausing on my face for two seconds before moving on. “Wow, that cake looks good, I want some!” Alex smiled at her, letting her turn my birthday party into a chaotic mess. Guests around us whispered: “How can she be so brazen, causing a scene right in front of Eve?” “She’s favored, I guess. Even if they’re married, Eve was the one practically throwing herself at him, wasn’t she?” “How embarrassing. Her birthday ruined, and she doesn’t even dare to say a word. If I were her, I’d be mortified to death.” I just stood there, encased in my expensive gown, pretending not to hear their cutting remarks. I found Alex and spoke softly: “We had an agreement, you wouldn’t bring anyone to my face.” “No matter what, some basic decorum should still be—” He cut me off roughly before I could finish. Having had a few drinks with Chloe, his eyes held a slight, drunken haze. When he looked down at me, the contempt and disdain in his gaze were even more pronounced. “Eve, it seems I’ve spoiled you too much.” He laughed. “Who are you to demand ‘decorum’ from me, Eve?” I froze. The exceptionally bright lights overhead shone down. The hard shell I had painstakingly built up melted like ice and snow under his mocking gaze. Coming from a modest background like the Hardings, yet marrying Alex Thorne. Everyone thought I had climbed my way up. In fact, I wasn’t even truly considered a Harding. “She’s pretty cheap, but women from that sort of background always are…” Behind me, someone’s voice grew carelessly loud. It reached our ears. Alex, his expression distant, handed me a check: “That project you mentioned wanting to invest in, go ahead and do it yourself.” “Eve, don’t think I owe you anything more.” He raised an eyebrow, “If you learn to please me better, you might just boost your worth a little more.”

The evening, which had devolved into a farce, finally ended. Alex, with a drunk Chloe in his arms, left. They hadn’t even walked out of my sight before they kissed under the garden lights. Through the rain-streaked glass, I watched them calmly for a while. Then I lowered my head and carefully put the check away. I pulled out my phone and tapped on the pinned chat. A simple “Miss you a little” I’d sent before the party had received six replies. Five hours ago: “1.” Four hours ago: “Training now.” Three hours ago: “Actually, I don’t mind being interrupted during training.” Two hours ago: “They said it’s your birthday today.” An hour ago: “Happy birthday.” And the one that had just popped up: “I’m coming to see you.” I curved my lips into a small smile. I replied: “No need. I’ll come watch your game next week.” The “Typing…” above his name flickered for a long time. Then he sent two replies: “Okay.” “Don’t mess with me.”

Over the next month, Alex and Chloe openly attended various events. Like a young couple deeply in love. She’d drag Alex, a multi-billionaire, to greasy food trucks, take goofy photo booth pics, and kiss under the sea breeze in Bali. He even went with her to watch Jax Ryder’s offline game. Jax Ryder. The hottest e-sports player right now. A nineteen-year-old prodigy, already showing astonishing talent. Last year, he led his team to victory in the World Championship. Chloe wore his fan headband, clinging to Alex’s arm, enthusiastically taking photos outside the stadium. Alex, a hint of jealousy in his voice, pulled her waist closer: “Why do you like a kid who’s barely out of diapers so much?” “I just like watching him play.” Chloe smiled and kissed his cheek. “Of course, I love you most!” My car was parked by the roadside, and I witnessed the entire scene. I had just swallowed back the bitter taste in my mouth when Alex called: “That project you mentioned yesterday, let’s talk about it another time.” His tone was cold and impatient. “I’m busy tonight, not coming home.” I gave a silent laugh and deliberately asked him, “What are you busy with?” “Watching Jax Ryder’s game—” Before he finished speaking, Chloe beside him suddenly snickered, “That boring old woman? Does she even know who Jax Ryder is?” Through the car window, I watched her snatch the phone from Alex’s hand. “Ma’am, don’t ask what you shouldn’t. Hanging up.” Her tone was spoiled and arrogant. But she was young and beautiful, like a bright flower in full bloom. So Alex just indulged her, pinching her cheek, and walked with her into the VIP section. Everyone prefers what’s younger and more beautiful. I, of course, was no exception. My phone screen lit up again; it was Jax Ryder calling. His tone wasn’t very good: “Are you here yet?” “Last time you said you’d come to my game but then had an excuse. It’s not like that again, is it?” “I’m here.” I tapped my knuckles on the car window. “But… you’re too popular. I could only get bleacher seats. I’ll find you after the game.” Jax Ryder chuckled: “Tsk, you think you need to buy tickets to watch my game?” “I had the club set aside a private box for you. Go straight there.” He paused, then suddenly added, “Sister, have you thought about it? Last time you stood me up and promised to make it up to me. If I win this time, what’s my reward?” “What do you want?” “Whatever I want… is that allowed?” The last few words were hoarse, almost a whisper. Even over the phone, I could picture the curve of his lips. And the secret desire that would slowly ignite in his beautiful, sharp eyes as they fixed on me. I gave a lenient smile. “Whatever you want.” There was a second of silence. He said: “Eve, if I win the championship, tonight, your time is mine.” The game began. Through the glass, I saw Jax Ryder put on his headphones, his fingers flying across the keyboard. His expression was serious and stern, his focused gaze never wavering. Until the bright red “3:0” flashed on the screen. “Champions!!—” He stood up amidst the deafening cheers of the crowd, and across the people and the crisscrossing lights, his eyes met mine. My lips moved silently: “Congratulations.” He smiled too, mimicking me, mouthing: “Now, you’re all mine.” This night belonged to Jax Ryder.

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The wedding day, he left me there alone and disappeared. With my four-month baby bump, I called him countless times. At first, he just wouldn’t pick up. Then, his phone went straight to voicemail. Whispers started to ripple through the crowd: “First time I’ve seen a groom ditch his own wedding.” “Shotgun weddings rarely work out, and honestly, he probably had every right to bail.” I stood there in the wind, completely helpless, trying to comfort the guests who were now quietly leaving. All day, I waited like an idiot on the street corner. Even after everyone had gone home, he never showed. An older woman nearby casually remarked, “Declan, he’s like… your dad’s ex-wife’s kid. What if he’s here to get back at you?” On the drive home, that line echoed relentlessly in my mind. Lost in a daze, my car collided with a truck. My four-month-old baby and I were buried beneath the wreckage. When I opened my eyes again, I was three months in the past, on the day I found out I was pregnant. I clutched the pregnancy test, sitting on the toilet for a long time. A single beam of light streamed in from the slightly ajar window, highlighting the two stark, vivid lines on the stick. The dripping water in the bathroom echoed the dull ache in my chest, a heavy, suffocating feeling. The suffocating pain from my past life hadn’t fully faded when Declan’s voice drifted from outside the door. “What’s wrong?” His tone was as calm and composed as ever. Just half an hour ago, I was standing at our wedding, praying countless times for him to appear. In my past life, on this very day, he’d just gotten back from work, bringing me my favorite pastries. I’d excitedly rushed out to hug him, showing him the pregnancy test. Declan’s expression then was complicated. He held it, staring for a long time. “Are you sure?” The joy in my heart froze, as if I’d been doused with cold water. My smile faltered, and I cautiously asked, “You… you don’t want it?” “No, it’s not that.” He pressed his lips together, giving me a deep, searching look. “We’re not married yet…” “Can we get married now?” Declan considered it for a moment. “Okay.” Declan and I had been together for five years, and we were finally about to get married. But the thought of my humiliation and helplessness at the wedding in my past life, clutching my phone desperately under the glaring eyes of the crowd, praying for him to appear and rescue me from my predicament, made it impossible to breathe. Before my dad married my mom, he’d been married once before. I didn’t know anything about their past, nor did I realize that Declan, from the very first day he met me, had been planning to drag me into an abyss.

When Declan pushed the door open, I was huddled in the corner, my face ashen. The trash bin held the pregnancy test I’d hastily hidden. His tall frame blocked the light, and he knelt before me, his handsome brows slightly furrowed. “Feeling unwell?” He carried the scent of a long, dusty day. I knew he was busy, sometimes too busy to pay me much attention. When we first started dating, he was incredibly attentive, and I could revel in his love, doing whatever I pleased. But I didn’t know when, gradually, he had turned into this. Sharp brows, eyes that could charm anyone. But his gaze was dim, hard to read, as if it held so many unspoken things, even when he looked at me gently. I slowly reined in my temper, no longer demanding things from him out of petulance. He loved me, I knew that, but deep down, that love seemed tainted with something else, making me increasingly cautious, afraid to touch it. As he looked at me like that, was he already thinking about how, four months from now, I’d be a part of his revenge plan? Lying on a cold operating table, enduring such agony? A four-month-old baby, its placenta fully formed… they’d have to tear it, *alive*, from my body. What could my dad possibly have done to him to warrant such cruel revenge against *me*? Perhaps the memories of my past life were too unbearable. This time, I didn’t tell him about the pregnancy. I buried my head in my arms, and after a long while, whispered, “It’s nothing. Just a bad stomach. I’ll be fine after a little rest.” Declan’s hand paused, then slowly settled on my head, gently massaging my earlobe. His voice, like his fingertips, held little warmth. “Okay.”

In our five years together, Declan had once told me I was his life. One winter, it snowed for a solid two weeks, a rare sight in our city. Declan, in his dark wool coat, would wait for me at the subway station every evening after work. Then he’d take my hand, and we’d walk under the dim streetlights, our distant home glowing with warmth. Declan didn’t like snow, but he’d said, “Because Cassie likes it, I’m trying to like it too.” But when exactly did he change? Declan gradually became incredibly busy. Sometimes he wouldn’t come home for three or five days, and worse, he’d disappear for a while, barely replying to texts. Yet, every time he returned, he was back to being his gentle, attentive self. Hot meals would be on the table, my clothes washed and neatly folded. It was as if… he was trying to make up for something. The bedroom door opened, pulling me out of my past life’s memories. Declan stood in the doorway. “Cassie, I’m heading to the office.” The office again. Declan had forgotten again. Today was my birthday. In my past life, I’d grumbled, reminding him to come home early to celebrate my birthday, and he’d promised. I’d waited all night, full of hope, only for the candles to burn down into the cake, leaving twenty tiny black holes. Mocking my pathetic ignorance. If he wasn’t going to come back, why promise? This time, I didn’t want to beg him to celebrate my birthday. After a long silence, I suppressed the emotion and quietly replied, “Okay.” No movement from behind me. Oh, I remembered. Every time he left, I was supposed to give him a kiss. Was he waiting for that? I burrowed deeper into the blankets to keep warm and softly said, “I don’t feel well. I’m going back to sleep.” “Okay.” Declan never forced me. He clicked the door shut. The sound of his car driving away drifted up from downstairs. The room returned to a crushing silence. I gathered my strength, and a few minutes later, got up, dressed, and walked out the door. Truth be told, I knew nothing about Declan all these years. He owned a company, but he never let me visit, and he’d always avoided talking about meeting my parents. If that lady at the wedding in my past life hadn’t blurted it out, I’d still be in the dark, a pathetic fool, with no idea how long I’d been played. Five years had built up too much dependence on him. This time, I wanted to break that dependence with my own hands. The late autumn wind was strong, howling around me and whipping my hair. I hailed a taxi by the roadside and gave the address. “Miss, what are you doing heading to the industrial district by yourself?” It took a great effort to force out a strained smile. “Picking up my partner after work…” That was the address of Declan’s company. I’d accidentally seen it on Declan’s phone in my past life; otherwise, he wouldn’t even tell me where his office was. Back then, he often disappeared, sometimes for three or four days at a time. I thought it was because he was so busy with his startup, but was that really it? I gripped my handbag tightly, my blood pounded against my eardrums, a frantic drumbeat. The car slowly pulled over, its headlights bright. The driver lit a cigarette. “Miss, are you sure this is the place?” It wasn’t an office building, but an apartment complex. A gloomy, gray sky hung over the building. The plane trees in front stood stark in the autumn wind, making the scene feel oppressive and somber. The heater was on in the car. I sat there, watching through the glass, as Declan and another woman turned out of the alley. A sharp, tearing pain ripped through my entire body, shredding my soul. Years of waiting and hoping suddenly felt utterly worthless and cheap. The woman was young, slender, wearing Declan’s scarf, her eyes bright and captivating when she smiled. Declan had always said he loved the two dimples that appeared when I smiled. She had them too. She was carrying fresh groceries and Declan’s favorite beer. Declan walked slowly behind her, hands in his pockets, a stylish women’s bag draped over his forearm. He watched her, with a relaxed, doting expression, as she moved gracefully in his sight. His entire focus, his whole world, seemed to be her. They chatted and laughed all the way, disappearing into the building’s entrance. Just as they went inside, the woman turned, pushed him against the wall, and stood on tiptoe. A gust of wind swept by, and the closing security door blocked my view. I could only see her slightly lifted red high heels, swaying happily. The taxi’s hazard lights flashed, ticking rhythmically. The driver flicked his cigarette butt, the ash falling through the window gap… “Look, miss, try to move on. Break it off early.” I slowly clenched my hands. The next second, I suddenly flung open the car door and bolted out. “Declan! You bastard!” My voice was drowned out by the blaring horns. I stumbled, tripped over a manhole cover, and fell hard into a pile of dirty, fallen leaves, scraping my skin. After the cars sped past, the barren main road was empty. The security door swayed crookedly in the wind. The people who had been standing there were gone. It felt like I’d been slapped hard, a stinging, resounding blow. Finally, the driver helped me back into the car. He sighed. “Making a scene won’t help. You can’t force the rain to stop, or someone’s heart to stay. Some things just aren’t meant to be.” … That year, on my birthday, I turned our apartment upside down. Including Declan’s study and bedroom. I frantically searched for proof of his infidelity. I kept at it until the early hours, then collapsed on the floor, clutching my aching stomach, curled into a ball. Nothing. Clean as a whistle. Not only was there no evidence of an affair, but even traces of his own life had been completely wiped clean. His laptop had no password, like a brand new machine, with not a single search history. I had seen Declan sitting at that computer countless times, working on things, but why would he delete everything? The toothbrush, socks, and underwear I’d bought him were all neatly folded. In a hidden corner of the study, I found all the gifts I’d given Declan over the years. Most of them were unopened. It was as if he was deliberately erasing all evidence of my existence in his life… The warmth and happiness I’d painstakingly built over the years suddenly shattered like a fragile bubble. He’d faked his love for me. Behind my back, he’d become a family with another woman.

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Twenty years ago, a day that should have been filled with joy turned into the darkest pivot point of my life. My wife, rushing back to celebrate my birthday, was tragically caught in a multi-car pile-up on the highway. Her life ended right there, in that moment. From then on, an endless wave of guilt drowned me. I always felt like my birthday was what killed her. Carrying this unspoken burden, I became a yes-man to my in-laws, doing everything they asked, as if that could somehow lessen the罪 in my heart. I handed over my publicly listed company, which I’d meticulously built over years, to my in-laws without a second thought. That was the culmination of my life’s work, but at the time, I didn’t spare a single thought for my own future. Not only that, but I also transferred every piece of real estate I owned, one after another, to them. Watching my assets slip away, I felt no hesitation. Stripped of all my income, my life instantly plunged into crisis. To make ends meet, and to pay off escalating medical bills, I had to swallow my pride and become a delivery driver. Rain or shine, I zipped through the city streets, just to earn a little more. But the constant strain eventually broke me. One day, I collapsed from exhaustion and ended up in the hospital. The doctor told me I needed urgent surgery or my life would be in danger, and the surgery would cost ten thousand dollars. For me then, it was an astronomical sum. Left with no choice, I swallowed my shame and asked my in-laws for a ten-thousand-dollar loan for my surgery. To my shock, they showed no pity. Instead, they viciously called me a “vampire,” accusing me of trying to scheme money out of them. No matter how much I begged, they remained indifferent. Finally, because I couldn’t pay, the hospital heartlessly kicked me out. I lay there, alone, on the hospital steps, watching the crowds pass by, my body wracked with pain, my heart consumed by despair. Slowly, I lost consciousness. It wasn’t until after I died, my soul hovering above, that I witnessed the heartbreaking truth. My wife hadn’t died in that car crash at all! She and the male nanny I’d hired to care for my in-laws were living it up, enjoying my money. It was then I understood: everything that had happened was a meticulously planned charade by her entire family, all designed to swindle me out of my fortune! As I was engulfed in boundless regret and fury, the world suddenly spun around me. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back twenty years, on the very day my wife was supposed to return for my birthday.

“Alex, did you see the news?” Brenda, my mother-in-law, clutched my hand, her face a mask of panic. Her thousand-dollar manicure dug into my flesh like sharp claws. “Celine was in a multi-car pile-up on her way back! I can’t reach her on FaceTime! What are we going to do?” I gazed at her face, no longer young but impeccably maintained, and a chilling realization hit me: I had been reborn. Seeing my silence, Brenda grew more frantic, tightening her grip until her nails practically pierced my skin. “Say something! My daughter was rushing back for *your* birthday!” Just then, Arthur, my father-in-law, burst into my bedroom, his voice booming. “She’s right! Go to the highway right now! Maybe you can still save her!” The familiar dialogue, identical to my previous life, sent shivers down my spine. I scrutinized the two of them. Their faces were etched with anxiety, their expressions panicked. At first glance, they genuinely looked like worried parents. But as I focused, I caught a flicker of calculation in their eyes, a subtle glint that betrayed any genuine concern for their daughter. In my past life, I was completely fooled by their deceptive act. I rushed to the highway, not even bothering to verify the truth. The result? I was severely burned by the explosion, my face practically disfigured, and I didn’t even find a trace of my wife. When I woke up in the hospital, my in-laws cried hysterically, telling me my wife had died in the crash and blaming me for not getting there sooner, which they claimed delayed the rescue. Overwhelmed by self-reproach, I believed it was all my fault. Without a moment’s hesitation, I transferred my company and all my properties to them. Because of my severe burns and grotesque face, no respectable company would hire me. To survive, I had to wear a balaclava to hide my disfigurement and become a delivery driver. I left before dawn and dragged my exhausted body home late at night, earning barely enough to cover my own medical expenses. But I never complained, always believing I owed them. It wasn’t until I met my tragic end under a bridge, my soul hovering above, that I finally saw my wife, who had been “missing” for twenty years. She was sweetly nestled in Marcus Lee’s arms, with their twenty-five-year-old daughter by their side! Marcus Lee was the male nanny my wife had recommended to look after my in-laws. It turned out she had betrayed me long ago. Doing the math, she must have gotten involved with Marcus and had their daughter the year I went abroad. Reborn, I would never let such a disgusting travesty repeat itself. “You’re still hesitating? Are you even human? I should never have let my daughter marry a loser like you!” Brenda saw I was unmoved and, furious, her nails nearly poked my eyes out. Marcus chimed in, feigning concern. “Don’t worry, Auntie. Alex isn’t like that. He loves Celine so much, he wouldn’t just ignore this. He’s probably figuring something out.” “Alex, you must be looking at routes, right? I told you about Celine’s accident half an hour ago.” I glanced at my phone. He had indeed sent me a message half an hour ago. But strangely, the accident had only happened twenty minutes ago! I put on a worried facade, my heart growing colder by the second. “Mom, Dad, after all these years of marriage, I’ve always cherished Celine. Anything she wanted, I bought it for her without a second thought. But –” I said, my face turning red with feigned urgency, “the accident happened in another state. It’ll take at least a dozen hours to drive there. For a flight, only first-class seats are available now.” “The company lost a lot of money recently, so I –” I pretended to be embarrassed to speak, “I really don’t have any money left.” Arthur gritted his teeth and declared, “I’ll buy it!” My teeth instantly clenched in fury. He was a notorious penny-pincher, usually making me pay even his phone bill. The fact that he was willing to spend over ten thousand dollars on a first-class ticket for me now showed how desperate they were to swindle my money. I didn’t want to die in an explosion like in my past life, so I tried to stall for time. “I still have so many things to arrange at the company. But don’t worry, I’ll contact the local rescue team right away. We’ll definitely find Celine.” Seeing that he couldn’t convince me, Arthur suddenly clutched his chest, his legs buckling, and he collapsed onto the floor. Brenda wailed dramatically beside him. “Oh, the horror! My daughter, she’s practically gone, and he won’t even go find her!” “My dear! You can’t be sick! Otherwise, I won’t live either!” I acted even more frantic than them, immediately pulling out my phone and dialing 911. “Dad, don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you!” Arthur immediately yelled anxiously, “An ambulance costs money! Are you crazy?” I put on an innocent face. “Dad, Celine is so filial. If she knew I didn’t save you, she’d definitely divorce me. I can’t lose her.” Brenda couldn’t hold back. “No! Celine said you have to go!” I seized on her slip of the tongue. “Celine said that? When? Is she okay?” Marcus quickly pointed out the window. “The ambulance is here!” I didn’t get a chance to press further. I had to follow my in-laws into the ambulance. Marcus didn’t come along, saying, “Alex, you go ahead. I’ll help Uncle Arthur pack some clothes.” I didn’t know what trick he was planning, but I knew it wasn’t good. However, in front of my in-laws, I couldn’t say anything. I just needed to get to the hospital – as long as I didn’t go to the highway. At the hospital, Arthur was wheeled into the emergency room. I pulled a doctor aside and spoke to them in a low voice for a while. When Brenda finally hurried over, breathless, I looked flustered, my words jumbled. “Dad is almost – no, Dad’s perfectly fine.” The doctor looked relaxed. “Your husband is fine. He just had a surge of anger. He’ll be fine after some rest.” The more he said it, the more scared Brenda became. She grabbed the doctor’s hand, urgently asking, “He’s not going to make it, is he? Tell me the truth!” I interjected, pretending to be anxious. “Doctor, my wife took them for a check-up a while ago, and she said my father-in-law has lung cancer.” In my past life, my wife used this exact trick to swindle a huge sum of money from me for Arthur’s “treatment.” I later found out that money was used to raise her and Marcus’s child! Even after I lost everything, they still used “lung cancer” as an excuse to keep demanding money from me. During that time, to earn money, I didn’t even dare to eat vegetables, subsisting on stale bread and instant ramen, sometimes even picking up leftover food from others. Meanwhile, they were living lavishly with my money, scamming me my entire life! “Doctor, no matter how much it costs, as long as you can save my father-in-law, I’m willing to pay.” Brenda’s small eyes darted around. She suddenly collapsed to the floor, sobbing dramatically. “Oh, my poor husband! How could you be so miserable? Your daughter is in a car crash, and now you’re dying too!” “And your son-in-law won’t even go save your daughter! What are we going to do!” The surrounding people instantly looked at me with disdain. I cried out, more distraught than Brenda. “Mom, don’t worry! As long as we can save Dad’s life, I’ll cooperate with the hospital even if it means open-chest surgery!” “I’ll also have someone keep an eye on Celine. Even if she really passed away, I’ll always take care of you. I’ll transfer the house you live in to your names.” Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Really?” She quickly realized her expression was wrong and, remembering my mention of open-chest surgery, asked, “What open-chest surgery?” “Lung cancer can be operated on. They just need to remove the bad part of the lung.” “Don’t worry, I’ll find the most expensive surgeon to operate on him. There definitely won’t be any problems. Even if he can’t be saved, I’ve already bought a prestigious burial plot for him.” Brenda shot up from the floor. “We’re not having surgery!” “He’s not sick! No surgery!” I insisted that Arthur was sick, even pulling out the old lung cancer report they had shown me before and handing it to the doctor. The doctor immediately opened a fast track and sent Arthur to the CT scan room. While waiting for the results, Brenda kept her back to me, texting on her phone. I didn’t need to look to know she was sending messages to Marcus. I also opened my phone and checked the surveillance cameras at the house. That villa was meant for their retirement. Fearing the old couple might not be safe living alone, I had cameras installed, but I never told them, worried they’d feel uncomfortable. Now, it had become a tool for my revenge. On the monitor, Marcus entered my bedroom. He rummaged around for a long time but found nothing. He then called Celine. Less than five minutes later, Celine appeared. She had been hiding nearby the whole time! I watched as she walked straight to the safe, punching in the code. She tried several times, but it was wrong each time. A pang of pain shot through my chest. That code was our wedding anniversary – she didn’t even remember it. Marcus had to remind her, and she went to fetch our marriage certificate. The cabinet was empty; there was nothing there. Celine angrily kicked the wall, cursing, “That bitch! If the property deeds aren’t here, where could they be? And his private seal, why can’t I find any of them?” My body trembled. She actually wanted to transfer all my company assets and properties, so even if I managed to divorce her, I’d be left with nothing, and her family could live happily ever after. Thankfully, a couple of days ago, I had used them as collateral with the bank to expand the company. Finally, Celine declared decisively, “You go to the hospital and find Mom and Dad. Make them figure out a way to get rid of Alex. I’ll think of other ways.” With that, Celine leaned in and kissed Marcus. The two of them couldn’t control themselves and started making out right there. I felt an overwhelming wave of nausea. I wanted nothing more than to rush over and beat those two senseless. But I held back. I knew it wasn’t time yet.

Ten minutes later, the two hastily ended their secret meeting. Celine turned to Marcus. “Go tidy up the bed. Alex isn’t stupid. Don’t leave any traces.” Marcus nodded. “Considering he’s been funding our daughter all these years, I won’t be too hard on him.” “But only if he’s obedient,” Celine added coldly. Hiding in the shadows, listening to their conversation, a chill ran down my spine. All these years of marriage, she always claimed she had health issues and couldn’t get pregnant. I felt sorry for her, not even wanting her to try IVF. I never imagined she had already had a child with someone else behind my back. She wasn’t infertile; she just didn’t want to have *my* child! Then, Celine urged Marcus, “You need to get to the hospital quickly. You have to handle Alex there. If all else fails, have Dad fake his death. Alex is such an idiot, he’ll believe anything.” Half an hour later, Marcus arrived at the hospital empty-handed. He asked me, his face anxious, “How’s Uncle Arthur? Auntie said he was doing really badly. Is it true?” I deliberately raised my voice to attract the attention of those around us. “My father’s still being examined! How could you curse him like that?” Marcus awkwardly glanced at Brenda, then said with a wronged expression, “Auntie, I didn’t mean it. Please put in a good word for me with Alex. My family relies entirely on my salary. If I lose this job, they’ll all starve.” Brenda’s eyes widened. She glared at me, yelling, “Alex! When you’re not home, Marcus takes care of us. He’s like my own son!” “If we’re talking about who’s closer, he’s far more important than you!” Brenda accidentally blurted out her true feelings. What surprised me even more was that Marcus even suggested transferring Arthur to another hospital. From a distance, I saw the attending doctor from that hospital already waiting at the entrance. Even though only her eyes were visible, she looked incredibly familiar. I couldn’t help but stare a little longer. It wasn’t until my gaze fell on her name tag that I understood and smiled. It was Marcus’s sister, Maria. Maria stopped us outside the examination room. She busied herself inside for a while, then had the nurses push my father-in-law into the operating room. I asked, my face full of urgency, “Doctor, why is he going straight to surgery?” “Is it serious? I know a lung cancer specialist in New York who can fly over for the surgery.” Maria looked down, avoiding my gaze. “There’s no time for that. His condition is progressing very rapidly.” “We need to operate and remove the lesion now. I suggest you, as the family, resolve his worries first, give him some hope to live.” Marcus also chimed in, sounding worried. “Alex, Uncle Arthur will definitely want to see Celine when he wakes up. You should go quickly.” I scoffed inwardly. “I’ve already arranged for a rescue team. We’ll have results in an hour. We just need to wait.” Marcus looked agitated. He subtly shot Maria a meaningful glance. Maria understood and turned to enter the operating room. To my surprise, Maria emerged just half an hour later, her face filled with sorrow. “I’m sorry, we did our best. The patient’s will to live was weak. He didn’t make it. He left with regrets.” Even at the end, she didn’t forget to cast blame on me. I asked to see Arthur one last time, but Maria refused without hesitation. “His illness is contagious. You cannot see him.” I pondered for a moment, then pulled out my phone and called the funeral home. “My father-in-law has passed away. Please send someone immediately to pick him up.” “His illness is contagious, so I need the fastest cremation and funeral plan. The burial plot should be the most prestigious. Money is not an issue.” I deliberately spoke loudly. “Even if it bankrupts me, I want him to have a grand send-off!” Brenda, who had been trying to snatch my phone, lunged at me, hitting me and cursing. I dodged her slaps and pressed the doctor again. “Is it still contagious after death? Are the organs contagious?”

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The Antarctic research team had an unofficial ‘dry spell’ ranking, and my name was a permanent fixture at the top. That’s because for eight years of marriage, my wife and I never shared a bed, never touched. Yet, I stubbornly refused to divorce her. She loathed me, saw me as pathetic and malicious, believing I’d selfishly caused the death of her beloved childhood sweetheart. I hated her for being so utterly blind, so heartlessly oblivious. I swore to cling to her for an eternity, ensuring that even in death, her tombstone would bear *my* name, and mine alone. But then the glacier collapsed. She pushed me away, burying herself alive under the ice and snow. “Ash,” she whispered, her voice fading, “if there’s a next life, I’m begging you… please, don’t love me anymore.” By the time they rescued her, she had already suffocated. Not long after, I died in a new mission. When I opened my eyes again, I chose to actively forfeit our engagement. “This research mission,” I declared, “I’ll go.”

“The engagement with Scarlett, wasn’t that something you begged for? Are you really willing to give it up, and take Brandon’s place in Antarctica?” My mother, the Director of the Research Institute, fixed me with a cold, probing gaze. Everyone in the facility knew: Brandon and I weren’t blood brothers, and certainly not by choice. There was no affection, no bond between us. Give up Scarlett, take Brandon’s place suffering under the Antarctic glaciers? Impossible! “You’re just seven days away from finally becoming Scarlett’s husband. And now you want to forfeit?” I parted my tightly pressed lips, cutting off my mother’s probing questions. “Didn’t you always say I was born three minutes before Brandon, and that as the older brother, I should always step aside for him?” Ever since I returned to this family, my mother’s biggest concern wasn’t whether I’d suffered while I was away. No, her fear was that Brandon would be upset by the arrival of an ‘outsider’ in *his* home. In my past life, if I hadn’t reminded her of my father’s dying wish, she would’ve undoubtedly thrown me into that mission in Brandon’s place without a second thought. Seeing my insistence, my mother sighed in relief. She submitted my name to the Antarctic research team and sent notice to the Vance family of the change in their long-standing engagement. The moment I stepped out of the Director’s office, Scarlett walked directly into me. In my past life, she had volunteered to go in Brandon’s stead. When my mother refused, Scarlett went on a hunger strike. I used every method imaginable to coax her into eating. I even had the institute doctors administer IV drips, practically dragging her to complete the wedding. Now, I walked past her, my gaze unwavering, but Scarlett grabbed my arm. I spoke in a cold voice, “The Antarctic expedition is urgent. It’s an order from the higher-ups.” Scarlett clenched her fists. “You know that’s a death sentence! There must be another way!” I chuckled dryly. Nations worldwide are racing to find ways to unlock breakthroughs in human genetics. If we don’t act now, our country will fall drastically behind in the global scientific race! One of us, Brandon or I, had to shoulder the responsibility of venturing deep into the Antarctic storm zone, even if it was a suicide mission. “The higher-ups demanded the Director lead by example, sending her own flesh and blood to Antarctica. No one could stand in the way.” She stared at me intently. “Then why isn’t *he* going?” Her thoughtless question made my pupils dilate almost imperceptibly. I instantly swallowed the urge to tell her the truth. “Think what you like.” “Maybe the outcome you wished for has finally arrived.” I ignored her gaze and walked away. I had intended to tell Scarlett about the change in names, but then thought better of it. Consider it my selfish desire. I couldn’t bear to see her face remain utterly indifferent when she realized *I* was the one being sent to my death. In my past life, at the moment the glacier collapsed, Scarlett pushed me onto the only life raft, burying herself alive beneath the heavy ice and snow. I thought that if I kept giving, kept sacrificing, her heart would eventually warm to me. She gave her life to save mine, and on the very same glacier that had claimed Brandon’s life, she pleaded with me not to love her in the next. So be it. This time, as I head to Antarctica, consider it me repaying the life debt I owe her.

Back in my dorm, I began searching for information on the Antarctic storm zone. It was a place of perpetual, violent storms, incredibly dangerous. In my past life, Brandon had spent six months locating the fossil, but after transmitting the signal, he was immediately engulfed by a storm, his body torn apart on the spot. Later, when the research project resumed, Scarlett was buried alive by a glacier, triggered by a storm, as she tried to save me… I meticulously recalled the storm phenomena observed in my past life, attempting to summarize patterns. After a sleepless night with no breakthroughs, I headed to the cafeteria to grab some food. The moment I sat down, my entire tray of food, soup and all, drenched me. Scarlett grabbed my collar, her dissecting scalpel, still gleaming from its last use, pointed directly at my wide, startled eyes. “Asher Hayes!” I tried to push her away, but she shoved hard, slamming me back against the chair. “Are you insane?!” I twisted her hand, redirecting the blade, but she lunged forward, plunging it towards me. “You knew going into the storm zone was a death trap, yet you still sent a congratulatory message to Brandon! How utterly disgusting are you?” “Just to make me marry you?! Have you no self-respect left?!” The spot on my back where the blade had narrowly missed felt like it had been hit by a jolt of electricity. The icy days and nights of my past life flashed before my eyes, merging with the raw hatred burning in hers. Snapping back to reality, I instantly raised my arm, elbowing the one pinning me down. The scalpel clattered to the floor. “Researcher Vance, are you going to use your life-saving scalpel to kill me?” She froze. “Are you okay? I just… I just…” I picked up the scalpel, placing it on the table, cutting her off. “No matter how dangerous the storm zone is, someone has to go. Will it be any less dangerous if I go?” “Perhaps the wedding isn’t as bad as you think. Maybe it’s something worth celebrating.” Scarlett was speechless. “Watching Brandon die, marrying you… what part of that is worth celebrating?” My limbs felt like they were on the verge of losing control. I clenched my fists and turned to leave. Scarlett, this time, everything will be worth celebrating. Deleting the approval status from my phone, I watched Scarlett, still relentlessly heading towards the Director’s office. I returned with my storm zone research materials, just in time to see Scarlett carefully wiping dust from a good luck talisman with a fine brush. Brandon saw me and asked, “What’s that? For me?” Scarlett, without looking up, replied, “It’s nothing. Just some worthless trinket. I’ll get you something better later.” My turning footsteps startled Scarlett. In her hand was… the good luck talisman my father had specially commissioned from a spiritual advisor after he learned I’d been accepted into the National Academy of Sciences. He said he was just a businessman, too preoccupied with money to truly help me with my academic path. He didn’t care how far I went, only that I stayed safe. Later, when Scarlett suffered a chemical burn during a lab experiment, I gave it to her. Despite Scarlett calling out, I didn’t turn back. Late that night, still unable to sleep, I went out for some air. The good luck talisman, hanging on my doorknob, fell to my feet. I scoffed. I just glanced at it and slammed the door shut. It wasn’t until the soft patter of rain began that I stood by the door for a long time before picking up the talisman.

At the send-off party, Brandon stood, glass in hand, soaking in the mix of colleagues’ fawning praise and barely concealed resentment. The electronic screen in the hall only read, “Farewell to Director Chen’s Son, Journeying to Antarctica,” without specifying a name. The person speaking hadn’t expected me to show up. He paused for a few seconds, then stubbornly continued, “What are you looking at? Brandon is just better than you, his older brother! I heard you grew up in the countryside, right? No wonder you’re such a coward!” Someone else chimed in, “Exactly! They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, but *this* guy is too chicken to even go to Antarctica! It’s a damn insult to Director Hayes’s and Mr. Hayes’s legacy!” Brandon strode forward, calling out to me by the entrance. “Mom said you *volunteered* for this suicide mission in Antarctica. Smart move. Scarlett loves me so much, if I died down there, would she be so heartbroken she’d live the rest of her life as my devoted widow?” “I’m being so generous, giving you this chance to make history for the Institute. But if our colleagues want to think that, what can I do…?” “I guess I’ll just have to make sure to throw a bigger party when you’re gone, to thank you for ‘looking after’ my wife all these years~” I scoffed, giving him a pointed, knowing look. “You going is certainly a suicide mission. But why would it be for me?” “You barely scraped by with your master’s and doctorate, and now you think you’re better than me—a direct recruit, top of my class at the National Academy? Mom’s been covering for you, cheating you through every assessment. Did you actually believe your scores were anywhere near mine?” Before I could finish, he suddenly staggered backward, feigning alarm. “Brother, even if I shouldn’t be so close to Scarlett, you shouldn’t…” The sound of footsteps was all it took; I knew it was Scarlett. I was about to turn. A burning slap landed across my face. Before I could even register it, another one followed on the other side. Scarlett shielded Brandon behind her like a mother hen protecting her chick, the fury in her eyes almost solid. “I truly underestimated you!” “Brandon is going to Antarctica for everyone’s sake! And at this critical moment, you target him? Are you trying to get him killed?” I shook my head. “There are security cameras here, you…” “Shut up!” Scarlett’s voice rose, her eyes like daggers. “You’ve always been a cowering coward, running from the Antarctic expedition. Fine! But your brother is going to such a dangerous place in your stead, and you not only show no gratitude, you try to harm him!” “An ungrateful snake like you! I shouldn’t have saved you back then; I should’ve just let those kids beat you to death!” “You’re nothing but a stain on Mr. Hayes’s legacy!” My body went rigid, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn’t hear anything, only saw her lips moving. But the lanyard around my neck was violently yanked, snapping me out of my daze. I raised my bloodshot eyes, staring intently at the good luck talisman Scarlett shoved into Brandon’s hand. “What are you doing?!” Brandon whined piteously, “I’m going to Antarctica anyway, Ash, can’t you just let me have this? I just wanted Dad’s blessing and protection…” My eyes never left her face, watching Scarlett’s expression intently. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what that talisman means to me!” Scarlett’s face paled. Seeing Brandon’s hurt expression, she stepped forward and grabbed my arm. “Brandon is leaving for Antarctica soon, Ash! This is about national interest! Don’t be so petty!” “We’re both Mr. Hayes’s sons. I just wanted it to protect Brandon. Mr. Hayes wouldn’t mind…” “After the wedding, I’ll buy you ten, a hundred talismans to make up for it, okay?” I shook off Scarlett’s hand, reaching for Brandon. With a sharp rip, the talisman tore into two halves. Brandon mumbled, “I didn’t mean to!” but the smug triumph in his eyes, fixed on me, was unmistakable. I was about to throw a punch when Scarlett pulled out her scalpel, pointing the tip directly at my forehead. This was the second time she’d used her lab scalpel on me. “Didn’t you hear Brandon say it was an accident?” “Do you really want me to report you for insulting a national hero?!” I let out a bitter laugh, then pulled the corrosive chemical vial from my uniform pocket and rattled it, deliberately showing her the identification number. Watching her panic, my mind flashed back to our past life, how we constantly glowered at each other, each wishing the other dead. Through my hazy vision, I almost saw the look in her eyes as she pushed me, for the very last time. Thwack! Through my tear-blurred vision, I watched the spreading crimson. Scarlett’s hand went slack, her gaze fixated on the scalpel now buried in my chest. Just like every bitter confrontation in our past life, she was always the one going for the kill, and I, always the one holding back. Clutching my chest, I tried to support myself, stumbling towards the door. But my legs gave out, and I fell back into a welcoming embrace, filled with the sweet scent of jasmine. The dampness trickling onto my neck felt unnervingly cold.

Luckily, no vital organs were hit. When my lab colleagues visited me, they mentioned that Scarlett had taken a leave of absence during my recovery to go to the mountains and pray for good luck charms. I bundled up warmly, preparing to leave. As if to help me acclimatize to the cold, it had started snowing here too. Following the fresh footprints, I looked at my door. A pile of good luck talismans hung on the doorknob, the topmost one tattered but mended with clear tape. A sticky note on the door read, “Apology.” I calmly averted my gaze and headed towards the Research Institute’s main gate, turning back for what might be my last look at it. The roar of a helicopter’s propellers filled the air. Scarlett, breathless, lunged towards me. She touched a small patch of skin on my forehead not covered by my fleece hat. “I’m useless. I couldn’t convince the Director.” “Don’t worry. Even if I marry him, my heart will only ever be yours.” She spoke earnestly, snowflakes dusting her hair. I watched her retreating back, a little surprised. Pulling my suitcase towards the helicopter, the festive crackle of firecrackers stopped me in my tracks. It was only then that I remembered: today was also Scarlett and Brandon’s wedding. Scarlett had just sent me an apology gift. Soon, she would receive mine. Reaching the helicopter, the escort personnel took my luggage. As I was about to step inside, I was tightly embraced, the sweet scent of jasmine filling my nostrils. “Are you… angry because I’m marrying Brandon?” So, all those promises were for Brandon. She continued, “I’m so sorry…” “I’ll wait for you to come back, no matter what our circumstances are then. Please, can you stop pushing me away?” She sobbed uncontrollably, as if making a difficult, pre-emptive promise. “If—if you truly don’t come back, I’ll live the rest of my life as your devoted widow…” I grabbed the ladder and silently climbed up, wishing the noise of the helicopter’s propellers was even louder. Through the densely falling snow against the window, I shifted my gaze to the ground. Scarlett, covered in goose-down flakes, looked drained of life amidst the vast whiteness. She pushed away the red wedding umbrella offered by her colleagues, tearing her heart out as she screamed into the sky: “Brandon!” Only when the helicopter’s black speck vanished into the sky did Scarlett, shoulders heavy with snow, return to the Research Institute. Her colleagues entered her room, helping her into a stunning red wedding gown and applying her makeup.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “298497”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller