Author: Momo Chan

I spent ten years trying to win over Jasper Kingston. All he had to do was say “I do” at our wedding, and I could finally go back to my own world. But at the last possible second, his adopted sister, Stella Kingston, made a call. That one phone call was enough for him to abandon our wedding, leaving me stranded. I stood there on the stage, mortified, when Jasper’s uncle, Dominic Kingston, reached out to me. “Riley,” he said, his voice a steady anchor, “I’ll take you away from here.” That single sentence was enough. I decisively switched my mission target. I thought I’d succeed quickly. But five years with Dominic, and he’d give me anything but marriage. Then I saw it with my own eyes: Dominic pulling a ring, hidden deep at the bottom of his dresser, and giving it to Stella. A single tear slid down my cheek. They never loved me. Not from the beginning. Later, I had no will to live, and I took a leap. So why were they sobbing, begging me for just one more look? … “Stella, my biggest regret in this life is not marrying you.” “Seeing you with your own child now, I don’t regret a single thing—not even confessing my feelings to you for your sake and ditching Riley.” Dominic took a sparkling diamond ring, strung it on a necklace, and placed it around Stella’s neck, who had just given birth. “This way, it’s like I married you.” My boyfriend was professing his undying love to another woman right in front of me, while the System’s conquest value kept plummeting in my ear. My hands and feet turned to ice, frozen to the spot. [Host, mission failed. Initiating erasure.] My last target failed too. Tears finally spilled, uncontrollable. Fifteen years ago, a car accident somehow transported me to this world. The System told me if I could successfully complete my mission, I could go back, whole and alive. At first, I targeted Jasper Kingston, Dominic’s nephew. But he only ever loved his adopted sister, Stella. Later, the System allowed me to change targets, and I chose Dominic, the man who’d pulled me from my lowest point. But no matter how much I gave, it never measured up to a single word from Stella in their eyes. I closed my eyes. The past swarmed like ants, gnawing at my heart, a thousand tiny stings. The System, in its cold way, “kindly” reminded me that automatic erasure was too painful. It suggested I end myself. Like a robot, I walked out of the maternity ward and went back to the mansion. One by one, I tossed all the gifts Dominic had given me into the fireplace. If I was leaving, I’d leave nothing behind. But then, I accidentally set the curtains on fire. I frantically tried to get water to put it out, when suddenly, someone grabbed my arm, yanking me back with brute force. “Riley, are you insane?! Are you trying to burn yourself alive?” Red marks bloomed on my forearm, a searing pain spreading up my arm. I stared blankly at Jasper Kingston, his chest heaving right in front of me. He was the first person I’d been intimate with in this strange new world. My very first target. When I met him, I didn’t know he was the elder Kingston heir. Back then, he was broke, and I stayed by his side, helping him build his empire from scratch. The day Jasper’s company went public, the System told me my conquest value was at 90%. But then, at our wedding, Stella’s single phone call made Jasper abandon me, still in my wedding dress. Now, I didn’t argue with him. I just headed for the bathroom to get water to douse the flames. “Don’t worry, Jasper. Even if I die, I won’t drag anyone else down.” Jasper’s face darkened. Suddenly, something clicked for him, and he sneered. “Riley, do you have any conscience saying that?” He jabbed his finger repeatedly into my chest, pain blooming instantly. “Right, what conscience could someone like you possibly have?” At the wedding, Stella had said just one thing on that call: “Brother, Riley told me to die. She said my existence was getting in the way of your happiness.” Because of Stella’s single sentence, Jasper dismissed everything good I’d ever done. He looked at me with profound disappointment, speaking in a chilling tone: “Riley, why can’t you just leave Stella alone? You’re just… evil to the core.” I’d explained countless times that I never told Stella to die, but Jasper always remained silent, looking at me with pure disgust. The System said Jasper’s conquest value had dropped into the negative, with no chance of ever rising again. But now, he, who should have been by Stella’s side after she’d just given birth, was here. Was there, for just a fleeting second, a moment he remembered my kindness to him? “Jasper, are you worried about me?” I looked up, my eyes filled with a desperate hope. 2 But the very next second, Jasper’s words froze my heart solid. “Who’d worry about a malicious woman like you?” “I just came back to get clothes for the baby.” The disgust in his eyes pierced me deeply. Of course. His entire world revolved around Stella. Why would he believe me, even if I was about to die? I only learned after Jasper fled our wedding that he hadn’t actually been kicked out of the Kingston family. He’d left on his own accord, determined to marry his adopted sister. Being penniless wasn’t the consequence; it was part of his defiance. And I, who’d sacrificed everything for him, had simply become the testing ground for his love with Stella. I couldn’t bear to see his cold, indifferent face anymore. I turned to walk away. Just then, Jasper’s phone rang. We were standing too close. I heard Stella’s weeping voice clearly: “Jasper, our baby is gone!” “It’s Riley! Riley was at the hospital today. She must have taken our baby!” My eyes widened. Before I could even begin to explain, Jasper’s hand shot out, clamping around my neck. His voice was cold and deep. “Riley, hand over my son.” “You’ve been with my uncle for five years, why can’t you just leave Stella alone?!” The air was squeezed out of my lungs, little by little. Suffocation made me cough in ragged gasps, but I didn’t struggle. Just dying like this… would be a release. The next second, Jasper’s hand suddenly loosened. “Riley, you…” His voice trembled ever so slightly. I lunged at him, hitting and kicking, a storm of desperate rage. “Why?! Why didn’t you just choke me to death?!” The fleeting hint of reluctance in Jasper’s eyes instantly hardened into grim resolve. “You think if you die, I won’t find my son?!” I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I hadn’t stolen his child, but Jasper never listened to my explanations. He violently dragged me out the door. “Jasper, I didn’t do it!” I struggled, but couldn’t break free. He practically threw me into his car. The car sped off, a blur of motion, stopping abruptly at the hospital entrance. Jasper forced me to my knees in front of Stella. “Riley, give us our child, or you know what I’m capable of!” I looked at Jasper’s harsh, cold face, my heart heavy with bitter sorrow. After he’d achieved success, he’d aggressively took over the elder Mr. Kingston’s company, pushing them out of any real power, all just to marry Stella. Was he going to use those same ruthless tactics on me now? “Riley, please, give me back my baby.” “As long as you give me back the child, I… I’ll do whatever you say…” Stella’s eyes were brimming with tears, her body trembling, making me look even more like a vicious female villain. Jasper kicked me hard in the chest. I instantly coughed up a mouthful of blood. It was always like this. The moment Stella cried, it was automatically my fault. I was so tired. Too tired to even explain. I just wanted this tedious mission to end. Even if it meant being utterly destroyed, my soul scattered to the winds. When I was first trying to win over Jasper, even though I was the “conqueror,” the System gave me no special advantages. I’m allergic to alcohol, but for him, I drank with clients until my stomach cramped and I ended up in the emergency room. That’s how we got our first, and most crucial, order. Without it, Jasper would have had to go home empty-handed. But no matter how much I did, it was never worth a single tear from Stella. The sound of crying and accusations hammered in my head, making my temples throB. My gaze drifted, finally landing on a fruit knife next to an apple. Before anyone could react, I sprang up, snatching the fruit knife. Jasper’s face went deadly pale. Just as I aimed for the major artery in my neck, Jasper’s fist struck, knocking the knife away. “Riley, you’re insane! Are you still trying to hurt Stella?!” Afraid I might still pose a threat to Stella, Jasper landed a fierce punch across my face. A searing pain shot through my eye socket. My right eye immediately swelled shut. A mocking smile twisted my lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt Stella.” “Since all of you find me so unbearable, I’ll just die…” With that, I used my remaining open eye to grope for the fruit knife. It hurt so much. I just wanted to be free. But Jasper extinguished my hope once again. He slammed his foot onto my arm, grinding it in. “You think I’ll believe anything you say now?” Pain brought cold sweat to my forehead. “I… I don’t love you anymore. I have no motive to harm Stella…” Jasper’s foot loosened slightly. He seemed to recall that, over the years, I really hadn’t appeared in front of him much. Just as Jasper was about to lift his foot, the door burst open. Dominic Kingston stood there, looking down at me, his dark eyes radiating a cold light. “Riley, you saw it, didn’t you?” 3 I weakly lifted my head, seeing the sharp line of his jaw, devoid of any warmth. Dominic was my second conquest target, and my last. I once believed that he, the man who had taken me away from that chaotic wedding, was my salvation. But I was nothing but a forgotten detail, a mere speck of dust on Stella’s perfect story. Dominic crouched down, grabbing my face, forcing me to look at him. “Riley, I checked the security footage. You saw everything outside the door today, didn’t you?” “You stood outside, muttering to yourself. Were you giving instructions to someone through your Bluetooth earpiece, telling them to steal Stella’s baby?!” A mocking smile played on my lips. In my second year with Dominic, a rival company, desperate and bankrupt, tried to ram his car. I was the one who pushed him out of the way. Dominic was unharmed, but I spent six months in the hospital before I could walk again. Back then, Dominic held me tight, promising he’d never let me get hurt again. Yet now, it was him, shattering my heart into a thousand pieces. Seeing my silence, Dominic’s face grew even darker. “Riley, Stella is already married. There’s no future for me and her.” “Even now, you won’t let her go?” Jasper also watched me, his eyes cold and unwavering. I paused, then suddenly, a bitter laugh escaped me. So, Jasper knew all along that his uncle also loved Stella. “Yes, it was me. Just kill me.” There was no point in explaining; they wouldn’t believe me anyway. I closed my eyes, yearning for immediate release. Just then, Stella suddenly lunged beside me, gripping my hand tightly. “Miss Riley, I’ll give you anything you want. I’ll divorce Jasper right now, please, don’t hurt my baby.” But where no one else could see, Stella leaned close and whispered in my ear; “Riley, I hid the baby myself. Just die already!” “You think Dominic is your savior? Let me tell you, it was Dominic who orchestrated your family’s bankruptcy, and it was Dominic who drove your parents to their deaths—” I snapped my head up, meeting Stella’s eyes, which were filled with pure malice. The next second, she suddenly recoiled, clutching her head, and stumbled backward. “Riley, don’t hit me…” “Thump—!” Dominic kicked me hard, sending me flying towards the window. A tear slid down my cheek. My entire life had been a mistake. My parents in this world were the best to me. Even though my dad didn’t like Jasper, he still invested in his company for my sake. When Jasper abandoned me at the wedding, Dad was so furious he wanted to confront him. Mom would gently stroke my hair, saying I’d grown into a young woman, and quietly shed tears when I wore my wedding dress, telling me I’d always be their child, even after marriage. But these wonderful people suffered a tragic fate because of me. My hand rested on the window ledge. The dark, empty window behind me felt like a swirling vortex, endlessly tempting me. I closed my eyes for a moment, asking the System in my mind what their conquest values were. [Jasper Kingston: -38, Dominic Kingston: -5.] My heart felt like it had been ripped open, leaving only a hollow ache. I couldn’t hear the accusations around me, only their mouths moving, opening and closing. I was so tired. I just wanted to be free. I turned, climbed onto the window sill, and in front of Jasper and Dominic, without a hint of hesitation, I leaped. The last thing I saw was their frantic, rushing figures. 4 The biting wind lashed against my face, but I felt no pain. My past, the years I spent on this mission, flashed rapidly before my eyes.

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My brother got his wild girlfriend pregnant, and after she gave birth to a boy at a dodgy clinic, they both just vanished. The doctor, using the address Jax had given, showed up on my doorstep, baby in hand. My parents literally *knelt* and begged me to adopt him. Just like that, I, a single woman, began the daunting task of raising a child all on my own. Years later, just as I finally thought I’d raised him, my brother came back. He wept, clutching my son, claiming I’d stolen the child out of jealousy, tearing their family apart. My son, my pride and joy, abandoned me on the spot, running straight into her arms. My parents kicked me out. The whispers and condemnations from the neighbors became my personal hell. In utter despair, I jumped from the rooftop of my apartment building. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my brother’s baby was born. The moment the sky began to lighten, a frantic knocking pounded on the front door. I jolted awake, my heart hammering like it was trying to escape my chest. Last time, it was at this exact hour that the doctor from that clinic had shown up, pounding on our door, baby in tow, waking up the entire neighborhood. He’d thrust the baby into my arms right in front of everyone, screaming at me, claiming I’d given birth and then just dumped the baby, that I was heartless. Later, I found out it was my brother, Jax, who had gotten his girlfriend pregnant. My parents had begged me on their knees, saying since I wasn’t planning to marry anyway, I might as well keep the child. My heart softened, and I agreed. And that decision ruined my entire life, filling me with utter loathing. Now, hearing that knocking again, my stomach lurched. I practically sprang out of bed, covering the distance to the door in two strides. The moment I opened it, that familiar face appeared – Dr. Reed, from the clinic. “Skylar, you dumped your baby after giving birth! Do you know that’s illegal?” The neighbors were already peeking out, some rushing over in their slippers to gawk. I stared at him, my mind barely processing, then I *snapped*. I raised my hand and smacked my slipper right across his face! “You disgusting old man, how *dare* you try to scam me? I’ll knock you flat! Me? I haven’t even had a serious boyfriend! Where would I get a baby from? Have you ever seen a woman who just gave birth hit someone this hard? Look at me! Do I look like I’ve ever been pregnant?” I reeled off a string of insults, forcing him to stumble backward, his face turning green. That’s when Aunt Carol from across the street spoke up: “She’s right! Skylar goes to work on time every day. Who’s ever seen her with a big belly?” “Could he have the wrong person?” “Isn’t that the doctor from that shady clinic on the corner? I heard he doesn’t even have a proper license!” I put my hands on my hips, raising my voice even louder: “You old fraud! Running a dodgy clinic and trying to frame me? I’m calling the police right now!” At the mention of police, he immediately panicked. “I… I’ll go, alright!” I lunged forward, grabbing the hair at the back of his head. “Trying to run? No way!” I pulled out my phone and dialed: “Hello, 911? I’d like to report a potential child trafficking case here!” “Don’t you dare lie!” he stomped his foot in frustration. I glared at him. “When the police get here, if you don’t explain everything, I’ll tear down your pathetic clinic!” The universe gave me a second chance. All the humiliation, all the pain from my last life? Today, it’s payback time! When the police arrived, Dr. Reed was nursing a bruised and swollen face, still clutching the newborn baby, its umbilical cord not even cleanly cut. I stood there in my pajamas, one hand holding a slipper, my eyes red-rimmed. The entire neighborhood was gathered at the door, everyone chattering about what had happened. The police inspected the baby, confirmed it was a newborn, and frowned at the doctor. “Alright, what’s going on?” “This… these are the patient’s records. The address is hers, and the name matches.” Dr. Reed nervously pulled out a medical record. The officer looked at it. It indeed had my address and the name “Skylar.” I sneered, crossing my arms. “I don’t even know this person. Someone used my name to have a baby, and now they want me to take the blame?” Just as I finished speaking, my parents pushed their way through the crowd. “Skylar, since you’re not getting married anyway, why don’t you… just keep the baby?” I turned to them, my voice like ice. “Mom, Dad, what you’re saying is heartbreaking. A kid from God knows where, and you expect me to just take him in? Who knows what his real parents were into? What if they were drug addicts? Or criminals? What if he’s carrying diseases, or worse, has drugs in his system? Am I supposed to raise someone who might just turn on me?” My parents were speechless, choked by my words. Dr. Reed’s face turned ashen. He practically shoved the baby into my arms. “Your family business is your problem! This baby was born to Jax’s girlfriend! Let him raise it himself! If I’d known you people were impossible, I would never have come here!” The entire street went dead silent. Everyone’s eyes widened. So, this baby was Jax’s doing!

“You’re full of it! You just said the baby was mine, and now you’re saying it’s Jax’s? Do you have any proof? You just expect us to take in a random baby without a shred of evidence? Officer, I suspect this man is involved in child trafficking!” With that, I pushed the baby right back into his arms, then turned and crossed my arms, looking completely unconcerned. My mom gasped beside me. “Skylar! What are you doing?!” “Mom, Dad, don’t be foolish. There are so many scammers out there, pulling these kinds of stunts!” Aunt Carol also stepped forward. “Mr. Thompson, you can’t just make things up. The doctor clearly said the baby was Skylar’s at first, and now he’s saying it’s Jax’s. Isn’t that contradictory?” “Exactly! How do we even know this kid isn’t just some random baby he picked up off the street?” Dr. Reed panicked, shooting to his feet. “I, Dr. Reed, have been a doctor for years, and I’ve never lied once! What do I have to gain by lying to you? Just last night, your brother, Jax, came to my clinic with his girlfriend, begging me to help her deliver the baby! He even left his phone with me as collateral!” He pulled a phone from his bag. I looked closely – it really was Jax’s. My parents were completely dumbfounded. Now the evidence was right there, undeniable. The baby truly was Jax’s and his girlfriend’s. The neighbors erupted in whispers. “Oh my god, Jax is so young, and he already got his girlfriend pregnant? That’s so irresponsible!” “Who knows? He’s always been flaky, hanging out with the wrong crowd. Who would have thought he’d do something like this?” “He’s probably too scared to take responsibility, that’s why he made the doctor bring the baby home!” “You all shut up! My son isn’t like that!” My mom finally snapped, yelling at the crowd. “Anyone who says another word, I’ll make them regret it!” Dr. Reed sneered. “Hmph. Jax told me himself to bring the baby to your house after it was born, and have his sister raise it. Officer, I even have a handwritten note from him here!” He pulled out a letter and showed it to everyone. But in my last life, there was no such letter. Back then, when Jax returned and cursed me, Dr. Reed even added fuel to the fire, insisting I’d stolen his baby, driving me to desperation until I died with a grievance. This man was truly a monster! Dr. Reed scoffed. “I wish I’d never gotten involved in this mess. This is the worst luck I’ve ever had!” The police officer surveyed the scene and sighed. “This falls under family dispute. There’s not much we can do.” I grabbed the officer’s arm. “Officer, this isn’t just a family matter! Can you really determine that my brother got his girlfriend pregnant and then ran off, based solely on a phone and a letter? What if his girlfriend died in your clinic? Are you just going to casually dismiss that?” The officer paused, seeing the logic in my words. He immediately took Dr. Reed to the clinic for further investigation. My parents followed them. I took the opportunity to swiftly pack my bags. I wasn’t staying in this house another moment. Just as I stepped out, a neighbor saw me. “Skylar, where are you going?” “I’m moving out. I can’t stay here. If that baby really gets dumped on my parents, I’ll be stuck raising him, won’t I? Jax’s own kid, why should I take the blame? I’m not even married yet. If my future partner’s family found out, they’d think I had a messy past. I’d never be able to clear my name!” Everyone listened and nodded. “She’s right! Skylar, you need to think about yourself. Go quickly!” “Sigh, Jax too. He’s got some nerve, getting a girl pregnant and then running off!” “Maybe that doctor did something shady, and the girl’s already gone.” “Couldn’t be, right?” I couldn’t be bothered to listen to their gossip. I grabbed my bag and left. By the time my parents returned home, I was already settled in my company dorm. Not long after, my mom called. I answered, hearing her anxious voice from the other end. “Skylar! Where did you go?!” In the background, a baby was wailing. I calmly said, “I moved out.” “How could you leave? What about the baby?!”

It seemed my mom and dad had gone to the clinic and confirmed that the baby was indeed Jax’s and his girlfriend’s, and that Dr. Reed had indeed helped deliver it. But I still didn’t understand why they kept hounding me. “Mom, what does this baby have to do with me? I didn’t give birth to him!” “The most important thing right now is to find the baby’s real parents. Anyway, I have to go to work. Bye!” I hung up and went to the office as usual. As soon as I sat down, Linda from the office stealthily came over and whispered, “Skylar, do you have a boyfriend? Want me to set you up with someone?” I initially wanted to decline, but then I changed my mind. “Sure, Linda, who are you thinking of?” “My nephew. He’s three years older than you, was in the military, and after he retired, he opened a small restaurant. He’s honest and hardworking!” “Want to have lunch together and meet him today?” I immediately agreed. Linda beamed, pulling out her phone to call her nephew. In my last life, I raised the child alone and was utterly exhausted. Linda saw it and helped me find a lot of side jobs, and she constantly urged me to find a reliable man. But back then, I was afraid the child would suffer, so I never dared to date. Looking back now, I was so incredibly foolish. At noon, Liam and I met. We chatted over lunch, and it felt pretty good. We exchanged SnapChat info, agreeing to see how things went. Linda returned and asked about it. I nodded. “He seems alright. I’ll give it a try.” She clapped her hands with delight. “I knew it! If it works out, he’ll definitely treat you well! I’ve watched him grow up; he’s hardworking and has a good heart!” I felt a little embarrassed, my face flushing, which only made Linda more excited. From then on, Liam and I started dating. After half a month, my parents hadn’t contacted me, and I hadn’t gone home. Unexpectedly, my mom actually showed up at my company. That day, I was busy when the security guard suddenly called. “Skylar, you need to come down! Your mom just dumped a kid at our security booth! The baby’s wailing its head off, come get it!” My mind went blank. “What baby? I’m not married. Where would I get a baby from? Don’t talk nonsense!” I deliberately raised my voice, making sure the entire office heard me. The security guard sighed. “I don’t know. Just come down and see for yourself!” As soon as I hung up, everyone was staring at me. “Skylar, what happened?” “I’m not sure. The security guard said someone pretending to be my mom dropped a baby at the entrance!” Linda gasped. “Something like that? That’s outrageous! Come on, let’s go take a look!” “Yeah, is someone trying to scam her or what?” “Skylar has a baby? I never saw her pregnant!” “Could she have secretly had it years ago? Who knows what these young people do nowadays!” Hearing those comments, even Linda started looking at me strangely. I played completely dumb, pretending I knew nothing, and she couldn’t find any flaws in my act. When we got to the security booth, everyone froze when they saw the infant. Linda breathed a sigh of relief. “How is this possible?! Skylar’s baby? This baby isn’t even a month old!” “Exactly! If it were any older, Skylar would never be able to clear her name!” “This is so despicable, trying to frame someone like this?” “This is ruining her reputation!” I sneered inwardly. The security guard shook his head. “The person said she was your mom; how could I stop her?!” I immediately said, “Pull up the surveillance footage! I want to see who did this!” Watching the video, I didn’t recognize the woman who dropped off the baby at all. I quickly made up my mind. “I’m calling the police! That wasn’t my mom at all, and I have no idea who that woman was! This is an abandoned infant!” Everyone hesitated a bit, but I simply spread my hands. “This is an abandoned baby! I work in sales, I’ve given out hundreds of business cards. Who knows who might be impersonating my family? I’m not taking the fall for someone else’s child!” When I said that, everyone agreed it made sense, so we called the police. When the police arrived, they took the baby away. I even specifically asked, “Where will the baby go?” “Where else? If we can’t find the biological parents, it will go to an orphanage.” Hearing that, the huge weight on my chest finally lifted. In this life, I would never raise that ungrateful jerk’s child again!

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My husband, Liam Hayes, was a celebrity photographer. He’d always end up sleeping with his models during intimate photo shoots. He called it his “art.” But it was his art that led my police officer father to get injured saving him years ago. And it was Liam who got down on his knees, begging my mother for my hand in marriage. Now, as the 99th model entered the studio, I was ordered to kneel on the floor, holding her discarded clothes. The next second, a heavy metal stand crashed down on my head, hard. “Three years, and you still can’t even catch a simple piece of clothing?” “I have you here to watch, to learn how to be a good clothes hanger, not to be a damn tripping hazard!” I wiped the blood from my forehead, then obediently bowed my head in submission. Everyone thought I was just a nobody by his side, broken down completely, leaving nothing but a shell. But then I disappeared completely from his lens. Liam, the man who never stayed with any woman, searched for me for seven long years. … Liam stared at me, his eyes burning, as I knelt on the floor, silent and still. The spot he’d just rubbed with his cuff bled anew, a fresh red stain spreading. Suddenly, a foot kicked my side. I curled into a ball, drenched in a cold sweat from the pain. “Are you mute?” “Playing the silent game with me, huh? You think I can’t see through you? No matter how deep you hide your intentions, I’ll rip them out!” His boot twisted again, grinding into my bones. My vision swam with black spots. I struggled to get up, to fight back. But he leaned close, his voice a chilling threat in my ear. “Your father’s still lying in the hospital. If no one taught you manners, I will.” A shiver ran through me. I swallowed my rage, lowered my head, and continued to kneel. The shoot resumed. Two figures intertwined before me, the sounds of their heavy breathing and moans crashed into my ears. He’d enacted countless intimate scenes with other women right in front of me. Once, he even made me kneel by the bed, forcing me to count how many times they had sex that night. I don’t know how much time passed. My knees were numb, and my lower abdomen ached so badly I couldn’t hold the kneeling position any longer. I slowly crawled to my feet. Someone saw me stand, and a voice from the side whistled, mocking, “Trying to sneak away already? Not waiting for Liam to finish?” Usually, I’d have to stay on my knees until he was done. But not this time. I couldn’t. Liam, breathing heavily, spoke in a cold voice. “Let her go. What’s with the act of defiance? This pathetic lapdog, you think she’d dare not come back?” At his words, everyone present erupted in loud laughter, placing bets right in front of me. They bet that even if I left now, I’d be begging Liam to open the door for me by nightfall. Watching Liam and Skylar grow more and more exposed in front of everyone, my heart felt like it was bleeding. I knew that due to the nature of Liam’s photography, these scenes might be considered “normal” in the industry. But I simply couldn’t accept it – watching one beautiful, young woman after another, getting intimate with my husband right before my eyes. The eyes of the surrounding crowd darted back and forth between us. After it was over, Liam looked up and instructed me. “Skylar’s feeling a bit run down. Go home and make a soothing herbal broth for her.” Liam held Skylar close, the thin blanket over them barely hiding the flushed marks they’d left on each other. My heart trembled as I struggled to speak, “I can do it, but the cost of the ingredients…” Before I could finish, Skylar gasped from Liam’s arms. “Seriously, Anya? Liam doesn’t lack money for food or drink. Why do you have to be so picky about such a small amount?” “You live in Liam’s house, you eat, drink, and use his money for everything. Now, he’s just asking you to make some soup, and you’re already haggling over money with him? Do you think Liam’s place is some kind of market where you can bargain?” She snuggled deeper into Liam’s embrace, her fingertips tracing his collarbone. “Besides, you’re always complaining about headaches or stomach aches every few days. Liam hasn’t kicked you out yet, and you dare to ask for money? Are you saving up to run away?” She deliberately sat up, puffing out her chest. As the blanket slipped down, Liam tenderly kissed her chest. She was truly a top-tier model, the kind you see on every major runway – her features and figure simply dazzling. Then I looked at myself. A faded, worn-out T-shirt, so thin I was practically skin and bones. My face was sallow, completely lacking any vitality. In Liam’s eyes, I was probably worse than a maid, just a pathetic dog trailing behind him. 2 To outsiders, I was Anya Miller, the wife of celebrity photographer Liam Hayes. He came from a prominent family, one of the wealthiest in their circle, and personally held countless awards. Netizens always envied me, saying Liam’s wife must have earned immense good karma in her past life to snag such a catch. They’d say I’d hit the marital jackpot. But very few knew that my life was worse than trash. The glamorous facade, the blessings – they were all just an illusion. The reality was a miserable, humiliating existence. He confiscated all my documents. My phone? I got it every few days, for ten minutes tops. For three years, I had no money, no time of my own, and I hadn’t even had a proper conversation with anyone other than Liam. “Bitch, you really want to run, don’t you?” Liam looked at me with pure disgust, pulling a few bills from his wallet and flicking them at me. The crisp paper currency whipped my face, leaving a stinging mark, and slicing through my dignity once more. My father was still unconscious, needing medication daily to maintain his vital functions. All of it was paid for by Liam. What was my dignity compared to that? I crouched down, picking up the bills one by one. I stood up, turned calmly, and as I was about to walk out the door, I felt his burning gaze on my back. He called out to me. “Leave the good luck charm necklace,” he said, his voice cold. “Skylar hasn’t been sleeping well lately.” That necklace was the last thing my mother left me. My eyes instantly welled up. I stared at him in disbelief, but Liam remained cold. “How much? Name your price.” I clenched the necklace tight. He knew. He knew perfectly well where that necklace came from. He knew how important it was to me. He knew it was my only keepsake. But I also knew that six months ago, on a hike, just because I hadn’t carried Skylar’s bag, he’d had his bodyguards hold my head to the ground and made me lick her shoes. My hands trembling, I took off the good luck charm necklace, my nose stinging, and placed it into Skylar’s hand. I choked out, “I hope you take good care of it. And I hope you have good dreams every night.” Hearing that, Liam actually showed a rare hint of a pleasant expression. Skylar took the necklace, but not long after, she let out a shriek. A large red rash had appeared on her arm. Liam picked her up, shoved past me, and headed out, ordering me to drive them to the hospital. On the way, the pain in my lower abdomen grew worse, cold sweat beading on my forehead. It felt like it was getting more and more severe. Liam sat in the back seat, cradling Skylar. He murmured soft words of comfort, and I saw Skylar’s smug smile reflected in the rearview mirror. At the hospital, after a series of examinations, the doctor said the necklace had been coated with a substance Skylar was allergic to. Luckily, they’d gotten there in time, or she could have gone into anaphylactic shock. As soon as the doctor finished speaking, Liam slapped me without warning. “What the hell is wrong with you? How did you become so malicious?!” “Skylar never did anything to you! How dare you try to kill her?!” He grabbed my wrist, twisting it with crushing force. “If anything happens to her, I’ll skin you alive!” Watching the concern in his eyes for another woman, even breathing felt painful. Three years ago, Liam, with his prominent family background, suddenly shot to fame as a top-tier photographer. But his blunt personality had offended many. During an outing, he was kidnapped in an act of revenge, even intended to be sold overseas. My father, then a lead detective on the case, was shot while trying to save Liam’s life. In the beginning, he wasn’t as cold as the rumors suggested. When my father was in surgery, Liam paid for all his medical expenses, and even now, though my father lived as a vegetable, I was still grateful. I remember that afternoon, he rushed to my house, got down on his knees, and begged my mother for my hand. My mother smiled, placed my hand in his, and said reassuringly, “Anya’s father owes you so much. She has a difficult temper, please be more tolerant with her in the future.” But just like that, on the third day of our marriage, on our way back from visiting my parents, my mother was hit by a car while out shopping and died instantly. 3 After that, Liam seemed to revert to the man the industry rumors described. During several rough nights, he’d choke my neck, whispering warnings in my ear: “Anya Miller, you’ll never leave me. Never…” Those words became a chilling prophecy, trapping me. How could I forget? Liam, a ruthless player in the cutthroat world of fame and power, was more obsessed with control and violence than with tenderness or care. How could I forget that even when he cloaked himself in gentleness, it couldn’t hide the cold cruelty in his bones? Our ill-fated connection, with its clearly defined stages, should have been severed from the very beginning. After the hospital results, they didn’t wait for me. They went straight back to the villa in the suburbs. By the time I, enduring the heavy ache in my lower abdomen, stumbled back home step by painful step, it was already early the next morning. Sounds of pleasure still echoed from the master bedroom. My palm, gripping the doorknob, was slick with sweat. I looked at the only wedding photo of Liam and me in the living room. My throat felt raw. I stared at it for a long time, then took it down and cut it into tiny pieces with scissors. I searched for a painkiller, only to find them tossed into the trash can, mixed with leftover soup. I curled up silently next to the garbage bin. My pants leg slowly soaked with blood. My consciousness blurred, and I passed out. I was jolted awake by a bucket of ice water. Still groggy, I felt a figure pressing down on me. Before I could fully regain my senses, I heard a surprised female voice from the doorway. “Anya, Liam was looking for you all night! You were hiding in this room all along. If you came back, you could have just told him. You made us search for so long, and look at you…” It was then I realized I’d been stripped naked, my entire body aching. The man on top of me had one arm wrapped around me and the other gripping my breast. Everywhere I looked, my skin was covered in red marks. This room was originally the maid’s room. A year ago, the maids, seeing which way the wind blew, had kicked me out and made me move in here. It was tiny and stuffy. I frantically pushed the man off me, my body trembling uncontrollably. Liam strode in, furiously grabbing the man by his hair and punching him. “You sick bastard, you dared to touch *my* woman? You’ve got a death wish!” “You’re asking for it.” Another punch landed. The man was instantly bruised and swollen, covering his mouth as he seized the chance to escape. Liam turned to me, his face red with rage, veins bulging in his neck. He roared at me, “Anya Miller, you really know how to degrade yourself. You’re unbelievable.” I thought he would hit me, but instead, his raised fist slammed into the wall. Then he stormed out. Skylar leaned against the doorway, sneering, “Anya Miller, how was it? Enjoy yourself?” “I’m Liam’s wife. Aren’t you afraid of what happens if he finds out the truth about what you’ve done to me?” Skylar scoffed, walking up to me and poking my lower abdomen with her finger. “Wife? Anya Miller, you must be in too much pain to think straight. Do you really think Liam sees you as his wife?” She suddenly leaned close, her words venomous whispers in my ear. “Do you know? The medicine on your lucky charm necklace didn’t just give me a rash. It also made your uterus bleed heavily.” “The doctor said you’ll never have children, Hahaha!” My body stiffened. No wonder. No wonder my lower abdomen had been aching so much yesterday. It was all thanks to her. All Skylar! No, this whole nightmare started because I met Liam. Father, if only you hadn’t led that team to rescue Liam, none of this would be happening now. I raised my hand, wiping away tears, and lunged forward in fury, but she easily dodged. My lower back slammed into the corner of a nearby table, and my vision went black from the pain. 4 Skylar covered her mouth and stepped back, a look of excitement on her face. “Liam wants a child more than anything. What do you think he’ll do when he finds out you can’t give him one? Will he keep a useless dog like you around?” I glared at her, my teeth chattering, a silent rage building inside me. Liam and I weren’t without children before. But I’d gotten pregnant twice, and both times ended in sudden miscarriages, with no explanation. After that, his attitude changed drastically, and he never touched me again. From then on, he’d stage all sorts of scandalous shoots with various models, always making sure I was there to watch. Just then, a cat meowed from the living room. It was Pumpkin, the orange tabby Liam and I had adopted when we first got married. It was the only living thing in this villa that would rub against my hand. But now its cries were incredibly mournful. I struggled and ran out. I saw Skylar’s assistant holding Pumpkin down, a needle plunging into its neck. “What are you doing?!” I shrieked, trying to stop her, but Skylar grabbed me. I watched as the assistant transferred Pumpkin’s blood into a nearby Ragdoll cat. Skylar, behind me, said slowly, “My Snowflake is sick. The vet said she needs a blood transfusion, and this little cat’s blood type matches perfectly. Look how lively Snowflake is; what’s wrong with donating a little blood?” “It’s too small! Drawing blood like that, you’ll kill it!” I watched helplessly as Pumpkin’s cries grew weaker and weaker. It lay on the ground, losing strength, no longer needing to be held down. Its once bright eyes slowly lost their luster, the fur on its neck soaked with blood. When the assistant pulled out the needle, Pumpkin was already silent, its tiny body curled into a ball, its limbs still twitching faintly. “Oh dear, how did it die?” Skylar feigned regret. “If I’d known it was so weak, I would’ve found another cat. Anya Miller, don’t blame me. Blame it for being just unlucky.” The housekeepers, standing nearby, chimed in, trying to curry favor. “Miss Skylar, we were tired of this stray cat anyway. It was always scratching things, so annoying.” “Yes, yes! Your cat looks so regal! Look how shiny its fur is!” Skylar suddenly released me. I rushed over and picked up Pumpkin’s cold body. Tears streamed down my face. Pumpkin hadn’t even had a chance to grow up, and now its life was gone. Now, my hope for a child was gone, and even my little cat had been killed by them. “What’s all this noise?” Liam’s voice came from the doorway. His tie was loose around his neck, and he smelled of alcohol. Skylar immediately reddened her eyes and threw herself into his arms, sobbing. “Liam, I heard you loved Pumpkin so much. I just brought my sick Snowflake over to play today, but Anya suddenly wanted Pumpkin to give Snowflake a blood transfusion. I told her the pet hospital has blood, but she wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t stop her, Liam, it’s so sad. Pumpkin was just bled to death.” As soon as Liam heard that Pumpkin had been “killed by me,” the alcohol fumes instantly vanished from him. I wanted to explain, but he suddenly smiled at me, his expression turning stone cold. He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button as he stared right at me. “Stop the care at that place today.” Then he snatched Pumpkin from my arms and walked out. A jolt went through me. A dark premonition. Just then, Skylar appeared from somewhere and handed me my phone. The moment I took it, the phone rang. It was my father’s attending doctor. My fingers trembled. I answered with trepidation, and a voice that stole my breath came through the receiver. “Mrs. Miller, your father… has just stopped breathing. He passed away… Please accept my condolences.” *Buzz*. All other sounds around me vanished. My heart skipped a beat, then another. I stared blankly ahead, unable to shed a single tear. Skylar and her crew walked away, their laughter echoing in the sudden silence. Only I was left in the villa… “Ah…” That night, a news report flashed: “Early this morning, a woman in our city reportedly jumped off a bridge with an urn, ending her life. Police have launched an investigation.” 5 People thought it was just another tragic suicide story, but no one knew it would trigger a massive chain reaction. Liam didn’t see the news until the evening of the next day.

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It was the first day back home for summer break, and the house felt strangely empty. Then my mom’s texts flooded into the family group chat. “Your dad and I are taking Blake on a trip. You’re home alone. I’ll give you five bucks a day for living expenses.” “If it’s an emergency, I can add five more, but you need to submit a request three days in advance.” “Getting a summer job is humiliating. Our family doesn’t allow it.” They wouldn’t give me money, and they wouldn’t let me earn it either. I texted back, “You guys are spending tens of thousands on a trip, can’t you just give me a little more allowance?” The next second, my mom lowered it from five dollars to three. “You’re so stubborn. You won’t starve to death with a little less.” I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping me. If three bucks is their standard, then the million dollars I brought back this time has absolutely nothing to do with them! I’m a college student, and every summer I lug a mountain of luggage back home. This summer, I texted my mom three days in advance to let her know when I’d arrive. She read it but didn’t reply, and I didn’t think much of it until I walked through the front door and found the whole house deserted. The “Miller Family Chat” group hadn’t had any activity for over a week. I tapped my phone, sending the first message. “Where are you guys? I’m home.” Half a minute later, my mom’s replies started pouring in. “So you’re back, why bother texting? Your dad and I took your brother on a trip. There’s still leftover rice from two days ago in the pot. Heat it up and eat it. And don’t forget to scrub the pot clean for me.” “I left your allowance in the living room. Be careful with it.” “If it’s an emergency, I can temporarily transfer you five bucks, but you need to submit a request three days in advance. I’ll only approve it if the reason is reasonable.” At first, I didn’t realize the importance of that last sentence. Not until I followed my mom’s instructions and found a stack of cash on the coffee table in the living room. All crisp dollar bills. One… two… Exactly thirty bills. I almost admired my mom for specially going to the bank to get this stack of five-dollar bills. I quietly asked in the group chat, “150 dollars, for how many days of living expenses?” My mom instantly replied, “Days? That’s for the whole month, of course.” My head was spinning with questions. “That little? Do you want me to get a summer job to support myself?” But my mom kept on lecturing. “No summer jobs! It’s so humiliating, people will think we’re abusing you.” “Five dollars a day isn’t enough? When I was your age, I was already working to support a whole family. Not like you, always begging for money from your parents and being so greedy.” “Do you know how hard your dad and I work out there?” “When you’re not home, we’re practically living on ramen and tap water. Not like you, so extravagant, complaining about five bucks a day.” I stared at my phone, fuming. Because I’d just seen my brother’s latest Ins post: a photo dump of their trip to a fancy resort town. They were staying in a grand hotel, dining at restaurants where meals cost hundreds of dollars per person. Even the sunglasses my brother casually bought while shopping had a price tag of $1399 on the receipt. … I sent a text, cutting off her lecture. “You guys are willing to spend tens of thousands on a trip, but you only give me five bucks a day? Can’t you increase my allowance a little?” My mom didn’t text back. She called directly and started yelling the moment I answered, “You little brat, you dare complain? You should be grateful you even got anything! It’s perfectly fine if I don’t give you a dime. You’re twenty-two, still shamelessly begging for money and full of complaints!” She rattled on and on, not giving me a chance to speak. Until she finished with, “From now on, your allowance is three bucks a day. You’re so stubborn, you won’t starve to death anyway. When I get back, I expect to see you’ve saved sixty dollars, or I’ll beat you black and blue.” … She hung up without letting me say a single word. I stood there, seething. I turned around and saw the family photo on the table: my dad, my brother, and my mom, all hugging sweetly. I picked up my phone and dialed. “Please help me deposit a million dollars into an investment account. I don’t need it right now.” I had originally brought a sum of money back to give them a surprise. But they… They don’t deserve it.

Unknown to my parents, I’d already had two years of work experience, and my game studio had been running for almost a year. While other college students were enjoying their university life, I’d been washing dishes and tutoring since freshman year. That’s because my parents, in an era where the average living expense was fifteen hundred dollars, only gave me five hundred a month. I still remember what my mom said when she gave me my first allowance in freshman year: “You’re grown up now, you need to learn to be filial to your family. You can’t spend all this money at once; you have to buy gifts for your family on holidays.” Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays… Eventually, even for Halloween or Easter, she’d demand I buy things for home. If a gift was under two hundred dollars, I’d get chewed out something fierce. So I had no choice but to work part-time. That’s how I met Lucas Scott, an upperclassman from my department. Lucas was two years my senior but had already inherited his family’s major corporation, becoming a famous young CEO in City A. Initially, I worked as his assistant at his company. Later, a project I tried developing myself caught the eye of the higher-ups. After winning a few hundred thousand dollars in prize money, I quit directly to start my own business. When my studio created its first game, Lucas and I also made our relationship official. I had originally planned to tell my parents about my company today and bring Lucas home tomorrow. But now— Forget it. I’d rather go back to the studio and work more. Lucas and I had been out enjoying ourselves quite a bit this past month. On the same day I went back home from City A to get my stuff, my parents also returned. The moment my mom walked in, she started yelling, “Harper, get out here and help me unpack!” I slowly walked to the living room and saw they were loaded with shopping bags. “Bought so much? Did your tour group rip you off with all this?” My dad immediately rolled his eyes. “You don’t know squat! This is thousand-year-old ginseng! Even the richest CEO’s wife can’t get this quality. It was only 6,888 dollars. How is that being ripped off?” Besides the ginseng root, I also saw lingzhi mushrooms, silk blankets, frozen seafood, and more. “Right, right, I’m just ignorant. You guys know best.” “You little brat, what’s with that attitude?” My mom glared at me, then walked up to me and held out her hand. “Where’s the rest of your allowance? The sixty dollars?” I shrugged. “Spent it all.” “How can you be so wasteful with money? What expenses could you possibly have at home? You didn’t save a single cent of the hundred and fifty!” My mom kept criticizing, but I just silently pulled out a water bill receipt and put it in front of her. Exactly one hundred and fifty. I thought she’d stop there, but I didn’t expect her to retort, “Who told you to be so nosy?” Me: ? “Is paying the water bill your job? Since you love paying so much, from now on, the electricity and water bills will be deducted from your allowance.” “Also, you’re graduating next year. It’s time to prepare for marriage.” I told her with a straight face, “I’m definitely working after I graduate. I’m not in a hurry to get married.” Who knew she’d just shove a photo at me? “This is a guy your Aunt Carol introduced. His name is Chester Blackwood. His family is very well-off. You’ll meet him in a few days.” Looking at the photo of the greasy, heavy-set guy with a puffy face, I clenched my fists. “This guy’s at least forty, isn’t he? Are you insane to set me up with him?” My mom glared at me, then slapped me hard. “He’s only thirty-one!” “You little brat, watch your tone! I raised you all these years, not for you to defy me!”

I emphasized it many times, “I have a boyfriend. Don’t set me up on blind dates.” But the next morning, as soon as I woke up, I saw a living room full of people. Chester, the guy from the photo, was wearing a wrinkled white shirt, grinning foolishly in my direction. “Is this my wife? She’s so pretty!” I practically shrieked, “Mom!” “What are you screaming for?” My mom walked up beside me. “What good-for-nothing boyfriend did you find in college? Chester’s family owns a factory, two houses, and he’s their only child. Won’t all their assets be yours?” Before I could say anything, my brother eagerly called out, “Brother-in-law! I just saw a new skin in my game, can you buy it for me?” “Of course, no problem!” A whole noisy crowd swarmed me, touching my waist and even my butt. They had absolutely no respect, constantly talking about me having babies and how many sons I’d deliver. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I rushed back into my room and slammed the door shut, ignoring the chatter outside, and buried my head in my phone, texting Lucas. “I’m going back to City A. Can you help me tidy up my place?” Once I heard the people outside gradually disperse, I came out of my room again. I still stressed to my mom, “I haven’t even graduated college yet. Don’t even think about selling me off for some ‘marriage payment.’ I won’t ever obey you.” “You little brat, why are you so arrogant? If it weren’t for your dad and me, would you even be in this world? You ungrateful wretch!” My brother was casually playing his game nearby and blurted out, “Sis, just go with it. This brother-in-law is so generous, he just bought me two thousand dollars worth of skins.” “Exactly, what’s so bad about getting married early?” “Harper, you wasted so much money going to college. We’re setting you up for life, and you’re so ungrateful.” I nodded, trying to calm my anger. “Fine, there’s no talking to you.” I turned and pulled my suitcase. “I have something I need to go back to school for. We can talk about this later.” But before I could take two steps, my dad grabbed my suitcase. “You’re not going anywhere! I already promised Chester you’d go out with him. If you run off now, how am I supposed to explain?” I turned to my dad. “You mean you want me to go out alone with Chester?” I sighed. “What if he abuses me?” My mom immediately chimed in, “That would be wonderful!” She looked smug. “If you can get pregnant with Chester’s baby early, you can become a rich lady sooner, and our family’s living conditions will improve too.”

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My boyfriend, the one I was crazy in love with, turned out to be a married jerk. When I confronted him, his wife opened the door and just cut to the chase: “Ten million. Help me take him down. In or out?” In! Hell yeah, I’m in! Revenge and getting rich? That’s the best damn deal on earth! So, I quit my job and went undercover at his company, teaming up with his wife. Together, we slowly but surely pushed that arrogant bastard into the grave we dug for him. Don’t even talk to me about love. All I care about now is cash and chaos! It was *that* kind of night. Roses, champagne, and his warm kisses still tingling on my collarbone. The sound of water running in the bathroom, Julian Hayes was washing away the day’s stress. Everything was perfect. Until his phone, which he’d left on the nightstand, buzzed at the absolute worst moment. The screen lit up, and my eyes just drifted to it. **[Lily’s running a 103.6 fever! Where the hell are you?!]** Lily? Who was Lily? Fever? My mind went blank. Maybe a relative’s kid? A younger sister or something? But then, the second message completely shattered any hopeful thoughts. **[Julian Hayes, what kind of father are you?! If you want a divorce, just say so!]** Julian Hayes, father! Those words felt utterly foreign to me. My boyfriend of three years was married, with a kid! The love story he’d built for me, a perfect fairy tale, crashed down in an instant. The man who swore I was the only light in his life, who even said he was willing to be child-free for me, had a whole family already. No wonder he was willing to be child-free. He already had a child. The bathroom door creaked open. Julian came out wrapped in a towel, water droplets glistening on his sculpted abs. He closed his eyes, instinctively reaching for me, his voice a husky, sexy whisper: “Valerie, come here, give me a hug, and blow-dry my hair.” It was almost instinct. I tossed his phone back onto the nightstand and stiffly walked over. The hair dryer’s hum was piercingly loud. Hot air blasted through his hair, but I felt nothing. He scooped me up, carrying me to the soft bed, his hot breath overwhelming me. “My darling, happy romantic night.” His kisses were aggressive, exploring eagerly. My stomach lurched, a wave of nausea I couldn’t hold back. I shoved him away. “Your phone… it just rang,” I stammered, scrambling for an excuse. “Sounds urgent.” A flicker of annoyance, almost imperceptible, crossed Julian’s handsome face, but I still caught it. “What could be more important than you?” He chuckled, his large hand already moving back over my body. “Tonight, you’re only mine.” Just as his hand was about to cross my line, his phone rang sharply, ripping through the sensual tension in the room. Julian’s face completely darkened. I practically scrambled off the bed, grabbed that insistent phone, and handed it to him, a hint of defiance in my eyes that even I hadn’t realized was there. He glared at me, then snatched the phone, turned, and strode onto the balcony, slamming the glass door shut. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, only saw the tension and frustration in his rigid back. A few minutes later, he pushed the door open, fully dressed. “Something urgent came up at work, I have to go immediately.” He leaned in, trying to kiss me, but I instinctively turned my head away. His movements stiffened. In the end, he just mumbled, “Be good, I’ll be back,” before rushing out. The moment the door closed, the whole world fell silent. Two hours later, at 2 AM, a call came in from my best friend, a nurse in the downtown hospital’s emergency room. “Valerie! I just saw Julian Hayes! He was holding a little girl, with a haggard-looking woman by his side, rushing into pediatrics, sweating buckets! The kid… she kept crying and calling him ‘Daddy’!” The call ended. I sank to the floor. I was the other woman.

I didn’t sleep a wink that night. Only one thing on my mind: destroy Julian. As soon as dawn broke, I drove straight to the hospital. In the pediatric ward hallway, I spotted her right away: Victoria Hayes. She was sitting on a chair, beautiful but utterly exhausted. I walked over, the click of my heels alerting her. She looked up at me, her eyes devoid of emotion, as if she’d expected me. “You’re Julian Hayes’s wife?” I cut straight to the chase. I wished so badly she’d shake her head, or even say “ex-wife.” Anything to ease the guilt in my gut. But she just nodded faintly. “I know you, Valerie Davis. Julian got involved with you three years ago, right after I got pregnant.” Oh. My. God. I felt like the biggest, most humiliated fool on the planet, practically glowing with it. My grand romance, my great love story, was built on someone else’s pregnancy and pain. “Let’s talk somewhere.” I struggled to keep my voice even, forcing the words through clenched teeth. Downstairs at the coffee shop, I ordered an iced water. So did she. I was fully braced for her to throw it in my face. But she just watched me, saying nothing. Her silence made my anxiety even worse. “Listen, divorce him.” Finally, she raised an eyebrow, a mocking twist to her lips: “The mistress wants to move up? That eager?” “You’ve got it all wrong,” I scoffed, slamming my water cup down. “Julian told me he was single. Now that the truth’s out, a man dirtier than a dumpster? You don’t want him, and I certainly don’t need him!” My honesty seemed to surprise her. The scrutiny in her eyes sharpened into curiosity. “You think I don’t want a divorce?” She gave a bitter laugh. “You overestimate yourself. He has women outside, more than a field of weeds. He mows one down, another springs up. You, you’re just the freshest one.” Another heavy blow. So I wasn’t just the other woman. I was just another disposable plaything, probably not even worth a number in his little black book! Seeing my expression, like I’d just swallowed a fly, Victoria’s eyes finally softened a bit – a shared understanding, a kinship between victims. Rage shot straight to my brain. “So you just put up with it?” I asked. “Julian won’t divorce easily. His career needs the facade of a stable family,” she stated, hitting the nail on the head. “So, you’re trapped?” I pressed. “We’re *both* trapped,” she corrected. I got it. Both of us, played by that bastard. In that moment, mistress, wife, all that crap just melted away. We were two peas in a pod, both screwed over by the same jerk. The only enemy was the son of a bitch who started this whole fire. “I’ll help you,” I said, staring into her eyes, enunciating each word. “Help you gather evidence, help you stir up public opinion, help you strip him bare. I don’t want anything for myself, just to see his reputation in ruins.” Victoria stared at me for a full thirty seconds, then spoke. “I want him bankrupt. I want him to walk away with nothing.” A faint smile touched her lips, a spark of life finally returning to her eyes. “You help me, and when it’s all done, I’ll give you ten million. In or out?” What?! Ten million? Revenge and getting rich? This was the best damn deal on earth. “In!” I answered without a shred of hesitation. We pulled out our phones. No more talk. We just exchanged SnapChat contacts. The moment the friend request went through, I knew it. Game on. Our goal: to personally drag that high-and-mighty Julian Hayes down and stomp him into the dirt.

The day after we connected on SnapChat, Victoria immediately sent me the profiles of two other women, with one simple message: **[These two are also victims. Hook them in if you can. More people, more power.]** I clicked them open. The first was Willow Greene, a designer. The profile said that Julian, that bastard, won a major design award last year, bragging about it endlessly. But the truth was, he’d completely swindled the concept from Willow. He not only stole her hard work for free but also sabotaged her project, almost driving her to bankruptcy. The second was Ashley Roberts, a former finance employee at Julian’s company. This girl had it even worse. Because she was pretty, Julian tried to make a move on her. When she refused, that son of a bitch found an excuse to fire her, pinning a bogus charge on her that ruined her reputation in the industry. I looked at both profiles, my blood boiling. Julian Hayes, that animal, was an absolute scumbag. Victoria’s message was clear: The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I contacted Willow first. We met at a secluded studio. The moment she saw me, her eyes were filled with wariness. “Who are you? What do you want?” “I’m Julian Hayes’s… another victim.” I didn’t beat around the bush. I laid out my and Victoria’s plan. “We’re going to hit him hard. Put him behind bars, and bankrupt him. That design he stole from you? We can help you get justice for it, and make sure he gets what’s coming to him. Are you in?” Willow froze, probably not expecting me to be so direct. She was silent for a long time, her eyes slowly welling up. That stolen design was her heart and soul, the result of countless sleepless nights. It was her baby. “Why should I trust you?” she asked, her voice hoarse. “You don’t have to trust me,” I handed her my phone with Victoria’s SnapChat profile. “You should trust her. She’s Julian Hayes’s wife. What we need now is a sharp blade to expose his business lies. And you, you’re that blade.” Willow stared intently into my eyes. Finally, she gritted her teeth and nodded: “I’m in! I kept the original copies of all those messed-up contracts he tricked me into signing!” One down. Next, Ashley Roberts. Ashley was harder to deal with than Willow. Julian had terrified her, and she’d tremble at the mere mention of his name. I tried to meet her three times before she finally agreed to a noisy fast-food restaurant. “I don’t want anything to do with him anymore. Please, just leave me alone,” she mumbled, head bowed, her voice barely a whisper. “Leave you alone? You wish!” I slammed my hand on the table, drawing stares from everyone around us. “You think hiding will make it all go away? The dirt Julian threw on you will follow you forever! Everywhere you go, people will whisper behind your back! Do you want to live like a pathetic coward your whole life?” My words cut her like knives. She suddenly looked up, her eyes full of tears. “But what can I do…?” “What can you do? You throw it right back at him, of course!” I lowered my voice, leaning closer. “We’re taking him down now, and we’re going to make it as big as possible. You were his finance person. You know better than anyone how rotten his company’s books are. You don’t need to show your face. You just need to tell us where his weak spots are. Like, which accounts are shady, which projects are empty shells.” I looked at her, saying each word clearly: “We’re not asking you for a favor. We’re giving you a chance. A chance to get back all the injustice, all the bitterness, with interest.” Ashley’s breathing grew faster and faster. Finally, as if making a monumental decision, she pulled a USB drive from her bag and pushed it across the table to me. “This is a backup I kept. It has evidence of some of his fake accounts. I was scared back then, didn’t dare bring it out…” She took a deep breath. “Now, take it! Destroy him!”

The alliance was formed. Next step: action. Victoria’s plan was simple and direct: I needed to get into Julian’s company and gather dirt on him. This suited me perfectly. Julian had been pestering me for ages, wanting me to be his secretary, saying it would be “convenient for us to see each other anytime.” Back then, I found it annoying and kept making excuses. Now, I couldn’t wait to get there. The next morning, I walked straight into my dead-end job and handed my boss my resignation letter. As I was packing my things, that fake-sweet Tiffany from the office started with her passive-aggressive jabs: “Oh, some people just get lucky, find a rich boyfriend, and never have to work again. Just lie back and count the money.” I was already in a foul mood today, and she walked right into my crosshairs. Without a word, I walked over and gave her a hard slap across her face. The entire office went silent. “Is your mouth too busy with the boss last night to remember a toothbrush?” I glared at her, smiling like a villain. “I saw you, you know, in the breakroom. Tsk, tsk, quite a show.” Tiffany’s face instantly flushed red. She clutched her cheek, unable to utter a single word. I grabbed my box and walked out, leaving everyone gaping in shock. I was done playing nice. That very evening, Julian heard about my resignation and immediately came rushing over, practically tripping over himself, his eyes gleaming. “Valerie, my darling, you finally came around!” He hugged me, ecstatic. “Come be my secretary. We can be together every day, office play, whenever, wherever…” I suppressed a wave of nausea, pasting a fake smile on my face, tracing circles on his chest. “Oh, you’re so naughty. I’ll be shy.” Inside, I was thinking: *Play that with your mother!* He was utterly consumed by desire, immediately dragging me towards the bed. I was about to lose it, about to break character, when I had a sudden idea. I clamped my legs together, wincing, and looked at him with a pained expression. “Honey, I can’t… my period just came.” Julian’s movements froze. The desire on his face instantly morphed into irritation and suspicion: “Didn’t you just get it last week?” “Oh, you know, I’ve been so stressed lately, my cycle’s been a bit irregular…” I blinked my innocent eyes, internally awarding myself an Oscar for that performance. Though annoyed, he didn’t force it. He just went to the bathroom for a cold shower. The next day, I officially started at Julian Hayes Enterprises as the President’s Special Assistant. The moment I stepped into the company, I felt countless eyes on me: jealous, contemptuous, waiting for a show. Whatever. I was here to cause trouble, not make friends. I leveraged Julian’s favoritism to familiarize myself with everything in the company. Which departments were key, which executives were his loyalists, which surveillance cameras were broken. Everything was going according to plan. Until the third afternoon of my employment. I was pretending to bring him coffee, passing by a meeting room, when I heard a voice inside. It was Ashley Roberts. My heart sank. Wasn’t she fired ages ago? What was she doing here? I quietly pressed my ear to the door, catching Julian’s assistant talking to someone: “…Don’t worry, the Ashley Roberts situation has been completely handled. All the core accounts she ever touched, I had everyone re-cover them three times with the new system. Even a god couldn’t find anything.” The USB drive Ashley gave us… was it fake? Or rather, was it just useless data now?

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After a terrible car crash, my eyes were severely damaged. The day they finally healed, I started seeing a strange number floating above every woman’s head. My wife’s number was 0. My mother-in-law’s was 30. And my wife’s best friend had a 45. What did these numbers mean? As I investigated, I uncovered a shocking truth… 1: *CRASH!* I watched, helpless, as the speeding car slammed into mine, even though I’d braced myself. The moment of impact hit me like a suffocating wave of death. I barely felt any pain before I passed out. When I finally woke up, I could faintly hear a voice nearby. “Good thing you arrived in time. The patient’s condition is stable now.” Another voice spoke up. “Thank you, Doctor. We truly appreciate it.” It was my wife, Chloe. She kept thanking the doctor. I knew I’d survived the crash, but why was everything black? I couldn’t see anything. I managed to let out a weak sound, and Chloe heard it. She rushed to my side. “Honey, are you awake?” I whispered back, “Why can’t I see anything?” The doctor’s voice chimed in again. “Your eyes suffered severe trauma in the accident. We’ve done our best, but we can’t promise a full recovery. Please prepare yourself for that possibility.” A heavy silence fell over me. In the days that followed, Chloe stayed by my side at the hospital, caring for me. I’d often ask her, “Honey, what if my eyes never get better?” Chloe would always comfort me, saying, “Don’t be silly! You’ll definitely get better, I promise.” Our financial situation wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either. The expensive medical bills started to weigh on my mind. I asked Chloe, “Honey, what about the driver who hit me?” Chloe spoke softly, “That driver hit you and then fled the scene. They still haven’t been found. The car had stolen plates, and the police haven’t found any leads yet.” Chloe seemed to sense my thoughts. “Honey, don’t worry about it. Even if we never find that driver, we have to get you well.” “Don’t stress about the money.” I said nothing. During my hospital stay, besides both our parents, Chloe’s best friend visited me the most. Her name was Maya. We’d met a few times. Like Chloe, she was a true stunner. Her figure and looks were absolutely gorgeous. I figured she worried Chloe would get bored staying in the hospital all day, so she’d come over to chat with her whenever she had free time. I secretly vowed that once I recovered, I’d treat her to a nice meal to thank her properly. Perhaps it was Chloe’s meticulous care, but my eyes, which could initially only perceive a faint light, slowly began to show signs of recovery. This reignited my hope. After two months of recuperation in the hospital, my vision miraculously returned. Even the doctors called it a miracle. But the moment I opened my eyes, the scene before me baffled me. I faintly saw a blue number floating above Chloe’s head. It was a 0. Could it be that my eyes had just recovered, and I was seeing things? I rubbed my eyes, then looked at her head again. This time, I was certain I wasn’t mistaken. There was indeed a number 0 above Chloe’s head. Just then, the doctor and a nurse walked into the room. The doctor didn’t have a number above his head, but the female nurse did. It was a 5. I froze. Chloe, seeing me staring intently at her head, couldn’t help but look up at the ceiling too. “What’s wrong, honey?” I whispered, “Chloe, your… why is there a zero above your head? And the nurse has a 5 above hers.” 2: Hearing this, Chloe touched her own head. “There’s nothing there, honey. What’s wrong? Are your eyes still adjusting after recovering?” The doctor also told me, “Your eyes were blind for several months. It’s perfectly normal to experience some visual hallucinations after regaining sight. Just a few days of rest at home, and you’ll be fine.” In the end, I had no choice but to believe the doctor. But as my wife handled my discharge paperwork, I sat in the hospital lobby. I noticed that among the people coming and going, men didn’t have numbers above their heads, but all women did. Most of them were 0s. I couldn’t believe this was just a hallucination. Just then, a voice called out, “Chloe!” I looked up. It was Maya. She walked in through the hospital entrance, waving at Chloe, who was beside me. And a number appeared above Maya’s head: 45. I was stunned. While most women had 0s above their heads, including my wife Chloe, why were some numbers different? Like Maya’s, why was hers 45? Maya came over to us. After greeting Chloe, she looked at me. “Hey, Writer! Congrats on getting discharged! You’ve been through so much, good fortune is definitely heading your way!” I quickly smiled and nodded at her, saying “Thank you.” Chloe said to me, “Honey, our car was totaled in the accident, so I had to ask Maya to pick us up from the hospital.” I smiled but said nothing, still trying to figure out why all women had numbers above their heads. Once we were in the car, Chloe was worried I might be uncomfortable, so she had me sit in the back while she and Maya sat upfront, chatting. I, however, kept staring at the numbers above their heads. It wasn’t until we arrived at our apartment building and parked that I got out and said to Maya, “Hey, Maya, thank you for visiting Chloe so often at the hospital. I’ll definitely treat you to dinner sometime soon.” Maya laughed, “Oh, it’s no big deal. Chloe’s my best friend. Visiting you and keeping her company was no trouble at all.” I was about to speak when suddenly, the number above Maya’s head flickered. It changed from 45 to 46. I was stunned again. What in the world was going on? I was certain this isn’t a hallucination, but what did these numbers above their heads mean? Chloe’s number was still 0, unchanged. Why did Maya’s number change? Before I could figure it out, Chloe said to Maya, “Maya, Leo’s discharged today, and both our parents are at our place, so we won’t keep you.” “We’ll thank you properly another time.” Maya was very understanding. She nodded, then looked at me. “Go home and rest well. Don’t make Chloe worry anymore.” I nodded at her, and she started her car and drove away. When we got home, both sets of parents, all four of them, surrounded us, asking about my health. But my attention was fixed on my mom and mother-in-law’s heads. To my surprise, my mom’s head didn’t show a number, but my mother-in-law’s had a 30. I was dumbfounded again. This was another different number. These numbers were driving me crazy! What on earth did they mean? But the more I thought about it, the more my eyes ached. In the end, I decided to stop thinking about it. Back home, everyone agreed I should rest. They didn’t let me sit up for long, urging me to lie down in the bedroom. They started talking in the living room about the hit-and-run driver, saying they needed to find him and make him pay. Unconsciously, drowsiness crept in, and I lay down and fell asleep, hoping that when I woke up the next day, those numbers wouldn’t be there anymore. 3: The next day. When I woke up, Chloe was already out of bed. She was preparing breakfast for me. I quickly went to the kitchen doorway and looked at her head. The number was still there. She noticed me behind her and turned around, smiling softly. “Honey, you’re awake! Breakfast will be ready soon.” Seeing her already dressed in a business suit, I asked, “Chloe, are you going out?” Chloe replied, “Of course. I haven’t been to work for months taking care of you. The company has called me countless times. If I don’t go back soon, I might lose my supervisor position.” “You stay home and rest. Don’t worry about work for now.” I nodded at her. Chloe left without eating breakfast with me. Staying cooped up in the house felt stifling, so I decided to go for a walk downstairs in our apartment complex. During my walk, I encountered many women, our neighbors, with whom we usually got along well. Numbers were still above their heads, but this time, 0s were in the minority. For example, the young girl next door, who was about to take her final exams and often came to me for writing tips. Her number was 25. The property manager who worked downstairs, her number was 17. And the deli owner, where we frequently bought things. Her number was 38. Could these numbers represent a woman’s loyalty or infidelity rate? But then, I immediately dismissed that idea. Over the next few days, I was constantly bothered by these inexplicable numbers. I told Chloe, but she just brushed me off with the doctor’s explanation. One day, Chloe had a day off, so we decided to invite her best friend, Maya, over for dinner to thank her properly. Maya agreed when Chloe called her. When she knocked on the door and Chloe went to open it, I was immediately struck by her outfit. Today, she wore denim shorts that showed off her long, fair legs, paired with white high heels. It was a treat for anyone who appreciated great legs. On her upper body, she wore a tight white T-shirt that perfectly accentuated her curves. Chloe had many beautiful friends, but Maya was definitely the most stunning among them. After admiring her beauty, I quickly looked at her head. The number was still there, unchanged, still 46. She entered, put down the fruit and milk she’d bought, greeted Chloe, and then looked at me. “Hey, Writer, how are you doing? Feeling better?” I snapped out of it, nodded, and smiled, “Much better, thanks for asking.” She didn’t say anything more and went to the kitchen to help Chloe. Soon, the fragrant dishes were on the table. To celebrate my recovery, they brought out beer, though they wouldn’t let me drink any since I’d just been discharged. So, the two of them started drinking at the table, glass after glass. I knew Chloe wasn’t good with alcohol. Sure enough, after two bottles of beer, her speech became slurred. She was clearly drunk. Maya, on the other hand, was fine, just a little flushed. A little while later, Chloe completely passed out on the sofa, unconscious. Feeling a bit helpless, I helped her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. I returned to the living room. Maya was sitting on the sofa. Seeing me, she smiled. “Oops, Leo, sorry I got your wife drunk again.” I chuckled, “It’s fine, as long as you two had fun.” Maya stood up then. “Alright, since Chloe’s asleep, I won’t bother you anymore. Especially you, you need to rest.” With that, she walked towards the door. I quickly called out to her, “Wait.” Maya turned back to look at me. “What is it?” I quickly picked up a jacket from the sofa and asked her, “Did you drive here?” Maya replied, “No, I knew I’d be having a few drinks with her today, so I didn’t drive.” I walked towards her. “Good. Don’t drink and drive. You should take a taxi home. You’ve had quite a bit to drink, I’ll walk you out.” Just as I finished speaking, I suddenly noticed the number above Maya’s head changed again. It jumped from 46 directly to 49, increasing by three points.

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I was chosen by a billionaire to be his stand-in for a hefty five-million-dollar salary. I thought my job was just to make appearances when he couldn’t. Who knew his first assignment would be to accompany his wife on their wedding anniversary, and to fulfill her every request? Meanwhile, his stunning secretary kept hinting that she wanted a “special arrangement” with me. I fell deep into the billionaire’s lavish, indulgent life, surrounded by women and luxury, completely unable to pull myself away. Little did I know, he had his own dark agenda… “Alex, you’ve got mail.” My name is Alex. I’m a programmer, 29 years old, and an orphan. Every day, I work my fingers to the bone, grinding away for a meager salary that barely tops five thousand a month. That kind of money? Forget buying a house or a car. It was hard enough just surviving in a major city, and I certainly didn’t have many acquaintances outside of my colleagues. So, who would be writing to me? I ripped open the envelope. Inside, there was only an address and a key. What the heck was this supposed to mean? It couldn’t possibly be some inheritance left to me by a distant relative I’d never heard of, right? I’m not in some cheesy movie! Just as I was pondering this, my phone rang. It was an international number. I immediately hung up. Lately, I’d been getting way too many spam calls; my phone was practically smoking from all the rings. They were all the same old tricks, nothing new or interesting. But before I could even put my phone down, it rang again. Seeing that the caller wouldn’t give up, I answered. “Mr. Alex, please don’t hang up. I’m Mr. Richard’s butler. Because your appearance is remarkably similar to Mr. Richard’s, he’d like to hire you as his stand-in.” “A stand-in?” My jaw dropped. I’d heard of Richard, the billionaire, but only in passing. What he looked like, what he did—I had no clue. “That’s right. Mr. Richard needs to go abroad for six months for medical treatment. During this time, to stabilize stock prices, he requires a stand-in.” “Mr. Richard is willing to pay five million dollars, and all your expenses during this period will be covered by him. You just need to follow Mr. Richard’s instructions.” “Deal! I accept!” Hesitating for even half a second would be an insult to that five million dollars! “Be at the address on the envelope by 6 PM. Some information will be sent to your phone. Tonight is a test for you. If you pass, two million dollars will be transferred to your account as an initial payment.” Looking at the villa key in my hand, a smirk played on my lips. Who knew? My face would actually pay off one day. I spent the entire afternoon scrolling through my phone, memorizing the information the butler had sent. Right on time, I arrived at the address from the letter. I had to admit, standing before that opulent mansion, I was green with envy. Calling it a villa was an understatement; it was a full-blown estate! I pulled out the key and opened the grand gate. As soon as I stepped inside, Brenda, the housekeeper, immediately came forward. “Sir, you’re back. What kind of drink would you like?” As she spoke, she bent down and retrieved a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, placing them at my feet. When she leaned over, her low-cut maid uniform inevitably gave me a peek. The housekeeper, a woman in her thirties, was stunningly curvy, making me blush. It was my first time being waited on like this, and while it felt strange, it was also pretty amazing. “His usual single malt scotch.” According to the provided information, Richard was a man of immense authority and presence, and he adored his single malt scotch. Brenda nodded and said with a bow, “Madam is still in the bedroom picking out her dress. Today is your wedding anniversary, and Madam has been looking forward to it all day.” Those words made my scalp prickle instantly. What? Madam? Wedding anniversary? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?! Cold sweat immediately drenched my back. The key in my hand suddenly felt incredibly heavy. Tonight was going to be tough. *Clack! Clack!* Just as I was thinking, the sound of high heels echoed from the staircase. I looked up, and my gaze was immediately drawn to a pair of long, shapely legs. Then, a breathtaking woman appeared before me. It was Celeste, Richard’s wife. Seeing her face, I couldn’t help but swallow hard. Beautiful! Seductive! She was utterly mesmerizing, like a darker Angelina Jolie. Those eyes could reel you in! Just one look, and I felt like my soul was being sucked right out of me. No wonder Mr. Richard had to go abroad for treatment; with a beauty like this by your side, even the healthiest man wouldn’t last! The next second, her voice chimed. “It’s rare that you still remember today’s date.” “I could forget anything else, but never today.” I managed a smile, but my forehead was already covered in sweat. A fragrant scent wafted over as Celeste reached out, gently wiping the sweat from my brow. “Look at you, all sweaty. Go wash up quickly.” She turned and instructed Brenda, “Brenda, tell the kitchen dinner will be served in half an hour.” I steadied myself and headed upstairs, found the master bedroom, and rushed into the bathroom, turning on the faucet. I barely had time to strip off my clothes and sink into the tub. Then, the bathroom door creaked open. Celeste walked in. “Honey, let me give you a massage…” Immediately, a pair of soft hands rested on my shoulders, gently kneading them. My heart pounded like a drum. I felt a strange, forbidden thrill, a rush of stolen pleasure. If Richard ever found out, he’d kill me! To avoid giving myself away, I quickly closed my eyes. Just as I was getting comfortable, I suddenly felt those hands become restless. They traced a path downwards, along my body. “I’m all clean. Let’s go eat.” I forced down the rising desire, stopping those mischievous hands. I looked up, meeting Celeste’s glistening eyes head-on. My heart lurched. Again, I feigned Richard’s tone: “I’m starving.” “Where are you starving, honey? Your stomach or…” Her gaze flickered downwards, and I instantly got her meaning. I quickly replied, “My stomach! My stomach is hungry!” Hearing this, Celeste rolled her eyes at me, a pout on her face. “Your clothes are by the door. I’ll wait for you downstairs.” Only after she left did I finally breathe a sigh of relief. No, I had to find an excuse to leave tonight. Staying here would definitely lead to trouble! As expected, Celeste had changed into a white evening gown without me noticing. She sat across from me and told Brenda to open a bottle of red wine. “Honey, try the lobster that just arrived from Australia this morning.” As she served me, her cleavage was on full display, a distracting sight. I quickly lowered my head, focusing all my attention on the lobster. “Come, darling, here’s to our happy wedding anniversary.” My tolerance for alcohol wasn’t great, but on a day like this, I absolutely couldn’t expose myself. So, I gritted my teeth and raised my glass. “To you, my love, may you get even more beautiful.” My words made Celeste giggle. Her alluring eyes kept raking over me. “Honey, you’re a little different today.” Damn it! Had she seen through me? My heart hammered. I cursed myself for talking too much; why did I have to add that extra line?! The next second, a hint of melancholy crossed Celeste’s face. “You haven’t been back for over half a year. I thought you wouldn’t come back today either.” She hadn’t noticed? I let out a small sigh of relief. It seemed their relationship wasn’t exactly great either. Otherwise, who would leave such a gorgeous wife alone for over six months? To avoid saying anything else wrong, I remained silent, focusing all my attention on the delicious food on my plate. Celeste kept serving me from across the table. “Honey, eat slowly.” “Here, have another drink.” Before long, the bottle of red wine was empty. All the food on the table had disappeared into my stomach. My low alcohol tolerance quickly caught up to me, and I felt a wave of dizziness. I leaned back in my chair, resting. Celeste, her face flushed, stared at me with eyes full of desire. “Honey, do you know how much I’ve missed you these past six months?” Her scent enveloped me, and under the table, her foot kept brushing against my leg. The fire I had barely managed to suppress instantly flared up again! Combined with the alcohol, my head spun, and I got up, scooped Celeste into my arms, and headed towards the bedroom…

The next morning, I woke up to find Celeste sleeping beside me, and my heart sank. The worst had happened. Not only was my stint as a stand-in probably over, but Richard wouldn’t let me off the hook either. Just as I was getting dressed, planning to slip away unnoticed, my phone rang. It was the butler. For a moment, I was gripped by nerves, unsure how to explain what happened last night. “Hello?” “Mr. Alex, your performance last night was excellent. Mr. Richard is very pleased. The initial payment has already been transferred to your account. You need to go to the company today; the car is waiting for you at the villa entrance.” *Ding!* As soon as I hung up, the bank text message arrived. Two million dollars! I had never seen so much money in my life! This… I slept with his wife, and I *passed* the test? I truly didn’t understand the world of the super-rich. But at least, for now, I didn’t have to worry about retaliation. Celeste was also woken by the phone call. She mumbled, “Honey, who was that?” “The company. Something urgent came up.” She sat up, revealing a generous amount of cleavage, hooked her arms around my neck, and lightly pecked my cheek. “Will you be back tonight?” I nodded, pulling the blanket up to cover her. Not for any other reason, but because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to resist. After a few minutes of sweet nothings, I left the villa. A Rolls-Royce Cullinan was already waiting at the entrance. Upon arriving at the company, I was escorted by a private assistant to a private elevator that took me straight to the top floor. It was a luxurious office, spanning over two thousand square feet. My rented apartment was barely five hundred square feet. Damn capitalists. As soon as I sat down, Chloe, the personal secretary, brought in a cup of Richard’s usual single malt scotch. “Mr. Richard, your drink.” Chloe was a graduate of a prestigious university, with a delicate face and a slender yet curvaceous figure, clearly the result of regular workouts. “Just leave it.” I glanced at her briefly before looking away. I opened my laptop and played some games for a while. Just as it was time for lunch, Chloe walked in carrying an insulated lunch box. “Mr. Richard, this is the nutritious meal I prepared this morning. Please, have a taste.” There was fish, shrimp, and a fragrant bowl of soup. “Thank you. That’s thoughtful of you.” The words barely left my mouth when Chloe burst into tears. “Mr. Richard, have I done something wrong?” I froze, staring at her, utterly bewildered. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Richard. Whatever I did wrong, I’ll fix it immediately. Please don’t fire me. My mother is still in the hospital, and I really need this money…” I mentally sighed, realizing I’d said the wrong thing again. I waved my hand. “You’re excellent. I won’t fire you, don’t worry.” But to my surprise, Chloe directly knelt down. “Mr. Richard, please give me a chance to make amends.” I felt a little helpless, leaning back in my chair and closing my eyes. Just as I was wondering how to get rid of this woman, I suddenly felt a pair of hands undoing my belt. My eyes snapped open: “Wait, I don’t need to change my pants!” Chloe, her eyes red, pleaded, “Mr. Richard, please give me this chance.”

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Ever since my wife got pregnant, strange things have been happening around our house. Our bathroom was constantly swarming with spiders. And my wife’s behavior grew increasingly bizarre. She started keeping secrets, her temper flaring up at the slightest provocation. One night, while I was asleep, she *savagely* bit my neck, coming terrifyingly close to severing my artery. Chloe frantically explained it was just hormones, unbalanced by the pregnancy. I stared at the thick black hair covering her legs, not entirely convinced. The next day, she secretly left for her family’s remote estate. I discreetly hired a private investigator, only to discover she’d been hiding something from me for *three whole years!* Deep in the night, an urgent call of nature stirred me awake. Still groggy, I tried to get up, but something fuzzy and round was pressing down on my chest. I couldn’t budge it. I grabbed my phone for light and nearly screamed. All grogginess vanished as I tumbled off the bed onto the floor. Right there on the bed, staring back at me, was a spider the size of a dinner tray. Its eight glowing green eyes were fixed on me, and my heart nearly stopped beating. I scrambled to my feet, desperate to escape the room. But the next second, the world spun, and I blacked out. “David? What’s wrong, David?” Still hazy, I felt someone shaking me. My face drained of color as the memory of that horrifying spider flashed back. “A spider! A giant spider!” “David, what spider? Did you have a nightmare?” Chloe quickly got out of bed, her face etched with worry, gently stroking my cheek. Seeing her kind, beautiful face, I slowly calmed down and immediately recounted what had just happened. “David, you must be stressed about my pregnancy, worrying about me and the baby. It’s just a nightmare.” Her explanation made sense, and I nodded. After all, where in the world would you find a spider the size of a dinner tray? But the dream felt so incredibly real, like I was truly there. Just as I was about to drift back to sleep, I noticed Chloe’s arms were covered in thick, dark hair! Chloe caught my gaze and hastily explained, “David, it’s probably just my hormones, unbalanced because of the pregnancy.” I nodded, though her hormones seemed to be *wildly* out of whack. She clearly needed some extra nutrition. The next day, I bought a live rooster, planning to make her some nourishing chicken soup. But when I took the knife to the bathroom to butcher it, the rooster was *gone*! And the bathroom was thick with spiderwebs, like a scene straight out of a horror movie, or a giant spider’s nest. It felt like spiders were suddenly *everywhere*. First my dreams, now the bathroom. But I kept the house spotless – how could there be so many webs? As I wondered, I noticed a puddle of feathers on the floor, some with skin still attached. But the chicken meat itself had simply vanished. “Was this chicken… eaten by a spider?” I shook my head immediately. Impossible. A spider big enough to kill a rooster would have to be the size of two hands, and there’s no such thing in the world. But where did the chicken meat go? I was about to ask Chloe when I got close enough to smell it: a strong, metallic scent of blood coming from her mouth! A flicker of panic crossed Chloe’s face. She quickly explained, “David, my gums are bleeding, pretty badly. I was just about to get some medication for inflammation.” Ah, that made sense. Pregnancy was hard, women developed all sorts of issues. My heart went out to her, and my worries about the chicken completely vanished. The vanished chicken remained an unsolved mystery. I cleaned the bathroom’s spiderwebs thoroughly, but found no spiders. Where were these webs even coming from? It wasn’t just the bathroom. Lately, there were webs on the bed, the couch, even in the kitchen – and *lots* of them. This had never happened before. It felt like ever since Chloe got pregnant, one strange thing after another kept happening. That night, Chloe stared at me, her eyes unblinking, swallowing constantly. “David,” she purred, “you smell so good. I just want to devour you.” I thought she was trying to be intimate, so I bit back my urge and said, “Sweetheart, we’re in a delicate stage right now. What if we hurt the baby? It could lead to a miscarriage, and we don’t want that—AHH!!!” The words were barely out of my mouth when a searing pain shot through my neck. Chloe was sinking her teeth deep into my neck, a monstrous growl rumbling from her throat. I cried out in agony, scrambling away from Chloe and clamping my hand over my neck. I flipped on the light and gasped in horror – my neck was bleeding, and she had nearly bitten a chunk of flesh right out of it!

Chloe scrambled out of bed, her face pale with terror as she saw my bleeding neck. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m so sorry, David! I don’t know why… I just felt so drawn to your body…” Seeing her so distraught and remorseful, I sighed deeply, unable to blame her. It had to be those pregnancy hormones, throwing everything out of whack. I comforted her for a moment, then quickly stopped the bleeding as best I could before rushing to the emergency room. The wound treatment took forever, and I must have drifted off to sleep at some point. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. A surge of panic hit me. I hadn’t been home all night! Chloe must be frantic with worry! I quickly grabbed my phone to call her, but just as I did, I saw a message from Chloe: “David, I’ve gone back to my family’s estate to rest during the pregnancy. Please, don’t come looking for me until after the baby is born.” Apparently, Chloe felt her emotions were too unstable for the pregnancy, so she called her mother for help. Her mom suggested she return home to recuperate. My blood ran cold. Most rural houses are built to face the sun, but my mother-in-law’s place was nestled deep in the shadows, and its structure was incredibly peculiar. The house was perpetually damp, dark, and sunless. Living there long-term would make anyone sick, let alone a pregnant woman! It was absolutely *not* a good place for Chloe to rest. I was about to call and urge her to reconsider when my mother-in-law called *me*. “David, dear,” she said, “I haven’t been feeling well lately, a bit overwhelmed. Could you possibly come stay and help care for Chloe for a while?” I first asked about her health, then suggested bringing Chloe back home. But Martha insisted, “David, don’t you worry. I had a carpenter specially renovate a room – it’s airy, sunny, and absolutely perfect!” After much hesitation, I agreed. Two and a half hours later, I arrived at Martha’s place. Martha greeted me with a warm, almost *too* warm, welcome. To be honest, she always unnerved me. She just had this unsettling, eerie vibe. Her face was chalk-white, as if dusted with flour, her eyes were unnaturally dark, and her nails were long and sharp. Honestly, she looked like something out of a gothic horror film. Chloe heard the commotion and rushed out, her eyes wide with shock when she saw me. “David, I told you *not* to come!” I told her exactly what Martha had said. Chloe’s emotions flared. She whirled on her mother, furious. “Mom! How *could* you? Are you trying to kill him?!” Martha’s voice softened, almost pleading. “Chloe, I’m doing this for your own good. If you want a safe delivery, you *need* him.” Their exchange sent a chill down my spine. A dark premonition washed over me. “Chloe, what do you mean, ‘kill me’? What are you two talking about?” Chloe’s face crumpled, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She quickly explained, “I was afraid the same thing would happen again… What if I bit you to death…” Her words made my neck throb, but I didn’t think much of it. She hadn’t meant it, after all. I sighed in relief and told her not to worry. Chloe looked like she wanted to say more, but under Martha’s stern gaze, she finally lowered her head. Once Martha had left, Chloe pulled me aside, her voice urgent and serious. “David, you *have* to leave! Right now!” I thought she was still feeling guilty about the night before, so I held her gently. “Sweetheart, don’t worry, I—” “It’s not that!” Chloe cut me off. A look of deep torment crossed her face. Finally, she met my eyes, her voice sharp and resolute. “I can’t explain. But if you don’t leave, we’re getting a divorce!” The word ‘divorce’ hit me like a lightning bolt. I never imagined she’d use that to force me away! Why on earth would she do that? I couldn’t shake the feeling Chloe was hiding something big, and her recent behavior had been undeniably strange, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was off. And Martha… she was increasingly unsettling, always looking at me with a calculating gleam in her eyes. Facing Chloe’s stubborn expression, I finally nodded, agreeing to leave. I immediately drove away. But just as I reached the village exit, a spider, twice the size of a dinner tray, suddenly blocked the road. Its eight blood-red eyes were fixed on me, unblinking. I slammed on the brakes, terrified. By the time I wrestled the car under control, the spider had vanished without a trace. I frantically scanned my surroundings, but there was no sign of it. Was I… just too stressed? First the nightmares about spiders, now hallucinations?

My mind reeled, filled with doubt and fear. My gut screamed that something much deeper was going on – and it definitely involved Chloe. So, I decided to hire a private investigator to discreetly follow Chloe and Martha. Barely half a day later, the private investigator sent me a video. The moment I clicked play, my blood ran cold, freezing in my veins! On screen, a disheveled woman was tearing into a live chicken, devouring it raw like a wild animal. My blood ran cold. The face was gentle, beautiful… it was my wife, Chloe! My sweet, gentle Chloe! She was eating with terrifying relish, sucking and slurping like she was drinking juice. In moments, the entire chicken was gone, leaving only a pile of feathers. My face was ashen, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. This *couldn’t* be just pregnancy hormones. What pregnant woman would transform into a ravenous, bloodthirsty monster? That speed of consumption was utterly inhuman! Suddenly, I remembered the chicken that had vanished days ago. I’d only found feathers then. Could it be… could Chloe have eaten *that* chicken raw, just like this? My phone buzzed again. It was the second video from him. When I saw what was on screen, I nearly dropped my phone, my heart pounding. The second video showed: A hunched figure was slowly approaching a plow cow. But the horror! It wasn’t a human head she wore, but a massive, fuzzy spider’s head! Its barbed front limbs wrapped around the cow’s neck, and its gaping maw bit down with sickening force. The sturdy cow collapsed instantly, frothing at the mouth. Then, the creature suddenly *smiled*. Its monstrous head began to melt, slowly shifting into a familiar human face – Martha, my mother-in-law! Martha seemed to notice something, and her eyes glared intensely at the screen. “David! You goddamn ruined me!” The video cut out with the detective’s terrified scream. I stared at the black screen, trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat slicking my skin. My entire world had just shattered into a million pieces. I couldn’t believe it. Martha… was a spider demon! Which meant Chloe was too. The night before last, when she bit my neck and said she wanted to ‘eat me,’ she wasn’t flirting – female spiders devour their mates after conception. It’s an instinct ingrained in their very genes! She actually *wanted* to eat me! My hands shaking, I reached for my phone to call the police, but then a chilling breath brushed against my neck. “My dear son-in-law…” a chilling whisper slithered into my ear. “Who are we calling, hmm?” I slowly turned my head. Hovering right behind me was a black widow spider, twice the size of a dinner tray. Its mandibles dripped with viscous fluid. And that voice… it was undeniably… “M-Martha?” My vision swam, and I passed out cold. When I woke, I was encased in a sticky cocoon, lying in a damp, web-filled cavern. Two enormous black widow spiders loomed before me. One, slightly smaller, had eight glowing green eyes – the very same spider that had been on our marital bed that terrifying night! It scuttled towards me, its segmented legs clicking against the ground. “C-Chloe?” I choked out, my voice trembling. The spider froze. All eight eyes constricted, revealing a flash of agony and struggle. I stared at the black widow, trembling violently, cold sweat drenching my back. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that the woman I’d shared a bed with for three years was such a massive spider demon. She had hidden her true nature so incredibly well. Female spiders, after conceiving, instinctively devour their mates. It’s their very nature. Now, wrapped tightly in sticky silk, imprisoned in this dark cavern, my heart hammered. Was she… was she going to eat me *right now*?

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The day the zombie apocalypse hit, our school was rehearsing a stage play. Brittany, the queen bee who played the elf, got healing powers. The background extra, who played a tree, became invisible to zombies. Liam, my childhood sweetheart playing the knight, could skewer zombies like shish kebabs with his long sword. … They all stared at me, a makeup artist, holding nothing but ordinary makeup brushes. So, I was abandoned. Later, when our paths crossed again, their team of powered individuals watched me get swallowed by a zombie horde, each one cracking sarcastic jokes. But I used my makeup brushes to turn zombies into my own superpowered army, instantly turning the tide. You guys are gods, but I’m the one who *makes* gods. **1.** When bad luck strikes, even cleaning up makeup backstage can get you attacked by a zombie. I was tackled onto the dressing table, screaming for help, my voice raw. But the stage, which had been so noisy just moments before, was now as silent as a tomb. My will to survive finally kicked in. I cried and fought, luckily managing to wrap a prop chain around its mouth. My hands shook like a leaf as I pulled back the curtain, ready to bolt, only to see a group of perfectly made-up people staring silently in my direction. When they saw it was me, they looked genuinely surprised. “Rose, you can’t even lift a water cooler bottle, and you beat a zombie?” Brittany, the queen bee, playfully punched her updo, a smirk playing on her lips. “Looks like I lost that bet again. The zombies had like, a ninety-nine percent chance of winning. How did they lose? My luck is just the worst, seriously.” Alex, the student body president, chuckled and chimed in, “A bet’s a bet. For the next two days, you’re my shadow, ensuring my safety when I’m fighting zombies.” “Ugh! Lucky you! I’m the most valuable healer now, everyone’s begging for my help.” My heart instantly sank. I’d thought everyone was dead. After all, when the zombies first broke out, the screams and wails on stage were non-stop. I’d even felt guilty for surviving alone. But they had just stood by, using my life as a damn bet! “You were all here? So, you intentionally left me to die? Why?” Everyone stared at me in silence, as if my question was utterly ridiculous. Brittany gave a light laugh. “If we didn’t push you, you wouldn’t have known you could defeat a zombie, right? So, what’s your power, Rose?” I was shocked and confused, instinctively retorting, “What power?” “No way?” She gasped. “You only beat that zombie because you got lucky?” Seeing me still standing there dumbfounded, her smile widened, becoming even more radiant. “Alright, I’ll be merciful and show you.” She walked over to a classmate with a scraped arm, gently placing her hands on the wound. The injury healed at a visible rate, then vanished without a trace! The classmate touched his smooth arm, his voice filled with awe. “Brittany’s power is healing. She’s the core member of our little team now!” I stood there, stunned, watching them show off their various abilities. The strongman classmate who played the bouncer threw zombies hundreds of feet away. The classmate who played a stone wall was impervious to blades. Alex, the student body president playing the king, just gave orders, and all the background extras sacrificed themselves to save him… Their golden auras were so blinding I could barely keep my eyes open. “We figured it out. Everyone got powers based on the roles they played in the drama club production.” “This proves we’re the chosen saviors, picked by fate!” Finally, everyone turned to look at the makeup brushes in my hand. After an eerie silence, they burst into laughter, sharing a knowing glance, their voices dripping with mockery. “Rose, you seriously plan to fight zombies with *that*? Aren’t you just going to be dead weight?” “Makeup brushes aren’t bad, though. You can poke zombies’ eyes with them, then they won’t see you!” “Brittany won’t be able to save anyone else if she’s too busy saving just you. How’s she supposed to be useful?” “Why don’t you volunteer to stay behind and cover our retreat? At least you’d be somewhat useful then!” **2.** My face went ghostly pale. I looked out the window at the dense swarm of zombies, feeling like I’d fallen into an ice pit. How could a normal person like me cover the retreat for a group of superpowered individuals? That was a death sentence. I looked at Liam with pleading eyes. We’d been childhood sweethearts for twenty years. My parents had even saved his entire family from a house fire. He wouldn’t just leave me to die. Sure enough, his brows softened, and he started to plead on my behalf. “Maybe Rose’s power just manifested later. Let’s give her a chance, okay? I can’t leave her here to die.” Someone immediately shot back, “Then *you* stay behind and protect her! But don’t forget, even if you can pierce three zombies with one sword, you can’t defeat the horde outside. Are you really going to give up your life for a useless person?” “Oh my god, seriously! The apocalypse is the worst with dead weight and overly soft heroes. You don’t fear a godly opponent, you fear a teammate who’s a total liability.” “What if you accidentally stab Rose while fighting a zombie? That would be hilarious.” Alex, the student body president, was always the peacemaker. “Let’s not call anyone useless. We’re all classmates. Liam’s right, what if Rose’s power is just late to awaken?” I looked at him gratefully, then heard him continue, “So, why don’t you go outside and find a zombie right now to trigger your potential? Or you can stay here in the school, there might still be a glimmer of hope.” He smiled sweetly at me. But a shiver ran down my spine. Only then did I realize that Alex had always been this kind of two-faced person during my days of being excluded by classmates. How could I forget? How could I forget that this very group of people had just tried to kill me! I grabbed Liam’s hand, clutching it like my only lifeline. “Liam, save me! Don’t leave me alone!” But Brittany stretched out her arms to Liam. “Liam, we need your combat power. Don’t be too soft-hearted in the apocalypse, okay? Do you want to see me exhaust myself trying to save her?” Liam didn’t let go. The two sides were at a standstill. The zombies outside grew more agitated. Someone began to pull out their weapon, pointing it at us. “Stop acting like a hero! Either stay or go, don’t waste our time here!” “Exactly! We don’t *need* you! To be honest, with dead weight like her, your combat power is even worse than mine.” “Alex, let’s go! If we drag this out any longer, all the zombies in the school will surround us!” Liam was torn, still trying to explain for me. “Rose is really good at long-distance running. She definitely won’t slow us down.” “So, you’re saying she’ll abandon us and run for her life in a crisis? We absolutely cannot let that kind of ungrateful wretch come with us!” “No, I mean…” Before he could finish, someone unexpectedly flung open the auditorium doors. The zombies, seeing a group of living people, their eyes glowing green, surged in like a tide. Everyone unleashed their powers to fight them off. In the chaos, Alex shouted, “Charge!” Everyone bolted outside. Someone shoved me, and by the time I reacted, I was behind everyone else. Liam turned back to look at me, his pupils shrinking. “Rose!” He wanted to save me, but Brittany suddenly shrieked, “Liam! Help me! The zombies are grabbing me!” Even though everyone else ran towards Brittany after hearing her cry for help, Liam hesitated. He looked at me, then at Brittany. My heart clenched instantly. I struggled, running towards him. “Liam! Save me!” Just as I was about to grab his hand, he pulled it back. “Rose, I owe you. I’ll repay you in the next life!” Then, he turned his back and ran towards Brittany without a second glance. **3.** I stood there stunned, unable to believe he would do that. Twenty years of childhood friendship, plus saving his family’s lives from a fire… and he said he’d repay me in the *next* life? If he wouldn’t save me in *this* life, what was he going to repay me with in the next?! I was trembling with rage. But the immediate priority was to get away from these zombies. Though most of them had been drawn away by the others, a few stragglers were still around. Seeing me, they shrieked and lunged. I picked up a spear from the ground, trying to overcome my fear, and thrust it into their chest. *Splat—* The zombie’s head exploded with a single blow. Its rotting body toppled onto me, and I finally reacted, screaming and scrambling backward. “Can you stand up?” A gloomy guy looked down at me, his voice hoarse. It took me a while to remember he was a classmate who always lurked in the corner of the classroom. I think his name was Caleb. Caleb, like me, was an outcast. We were also the only two people who weren’t in the drama club production. The difference was, I was disliked by a lot of girls for being too close to the popular Liam. He, on the other hand, was cold and arrogant, offended a lot of people by being a loner, and was subjected to silent treatment. “Th-thanks…” He extended a hand and helped me up. “I was worried these guys would use me as a human shield, so I pretended to be dead and observed them. Heh, just as I thought…” “Zombies aren’t human. Stabbing their hearts does nothing. You have to go for the head, understand?” “Got it! Got it!” I nodded repeatedly. He turned and started disposing of the bodies. I cautiously ventured, “Um… Caleb, are we, like, allies now?” After a few minutes, he just gave a faint “Hmm.” I sighed in relief and eagerly started helping him. But when I knelt down to look, I nearly fainted from fright. Caleb was collecting zombie blood in a glass bottle! “What are you collecting that for?” My voice trembled. Caleb glanced at me, calmly saying, “To mask our scent. You didn’t see the situation backstage earlier, but zombies use their noses to detect humans, not just their eyes.” “If we coat ourselves in their blood, we can fool them and get out safely.” I see. Despite the disgust, the thought that it was for survival pushed down my urge to vomit. After collecting the zombie blood, I took out my portable makeup brushes and started applying it to Caleb. The fishy smell of blood and decay went straight to my head. I painted and gagged. Caleb was a tough cookie, though; he didn’t even change his expression. If his eyelashes weren’t subtly trembling, I would’ve thought the person in front of me was already dead. “Alright, later you can just smear some zombie blood on yourself.” Caleb opened his eyes, and I was shocked to see his pupils had turned white! “Caleb, what’s wrong with your eyes?” I hadn’t even put colored contacts on him! A thought flashed through my mind. I snatched the spear from Caleb’s hand and leaped away. The next second, Caleb lunged at me, trying to bite. He had turned into a zombie! Cold sweat poured down me. I cursed the heavens for being so unfair. Not only did I not have a power, but my freshly-made ally turned into a zombie! The problem was, Caleb hadn’t even said he was injured! Was this just a conspiracy to keep me from living?! Caleb didn’t give me a chance to react and lunged again. I dodged while aiming the spear at his head. But killing someone sounds easy; doing it is a whole different beast. Aside from the blood all over his face, Caleb looked exactly like a human. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a prop water tank on the stage. A lightbulb went off. I jogged, luring Caleb towards it. As he lunged, I used all my strength to tackle him down and hold him underwater. *Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle—* Caleb was submerged, the blood he’d just had on his face swirling in the water. He was still struggling. I hardened my heart and pressed down harder. Caleb slowly stopped moving. I finally let out a breath, collapsing weakly to the side, about to lament my unfair fate. Unexpectedly, Caleb suddenly convulsed, then gripped the edge of the water tank and climbed out. **4.**

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I possess the Sacred Blood, and the blood within me can heal any ailment. In my previous life, it was only after I cured the paralyzed legs of a billionaire CEO that I discovered the Mitchell Family had decreed that anyone who healed Ethan Mitchell would become the lady of their household. Ethan Mitchell was compelled to marry me. Fiona Johnson, who had risked her life to gather the Himalayan Snow Lotus for him, was so stunned by the news that she fell off a cliff and disappeared. A year later, Ethan found Fiona’s frozen body and forced me to cut my wrists to save her. “If only I had waited for Fiona to return with the Snow Lotus and heal me, we could have grown old together. You killed her!” “Lydia Smith, didn’t you claim your blood is a miracle cure? Then bring Fiona back to life!” I pleaded with him tearfully. “Fiona has been dead for a year. I can heal diseases, but I can’t bring the dead back to life.” But Ethan refused to listen to my explanation and watched as I bled to death. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back on the day the Mitchell Family asked me to treat Ethan. Seeing Ethan sitting in his wheelchair with a gloomy expression, I smiled faintly. “Mr. Mitchell, these legs are beyond repair; no one can heal them.” ⋯⋯   Hearing my words, Ethan slowly raised his head to look at me, his eyes burning with growing anger. “Get out of here, you fraud!” I raised an eyebrow slightly and turned to Mrs. Mitchell beside me. “Mrs. Mitchell, if the Smith Family says an ailment is incurable, then it truly is. You might want to consider having another child while you’re still young.” As soon as I finished speaking, the teacup in Ethan’s hand hurled directly at me. I moved aside to dodge it. With a crash, the expensive teacup shattered on the floor. Mrs. Mitchell, startled, quickly apologized to me. “Miss Smith, I’m sorry. I apologize on Ethan’s behalf. It’s just his condition…” I brushed it off nonchalantly. “I understand. It’s normal for a crippled and impotent man to have a warped mind.” Seeing Ethan tremble with anger, I turned and left the Mitchell Family. Mrs. Mitchell chased after me, pleading softly. “Miss Smith, is there really no way? I’ve heard the Smith Family has a secret cure for all ailments. If you can heal Ethan’s legs, the Mitchell Family will fulfill any request you have.” But it wasn’t that he couldn’t be cured; it was that I wouldn’t cure him. In my last life, Ethan blamed me for Fiona’s death, stubbornly believing that if Fiona had brought back the Snow Lotus, it would have healed his legs. Had he thought calmly, he would have realized the Snow Lotus was merely a supplement. Its supposed miraculous properties were nothing but exaggerated tales. Yet, when he discovered I used my blood to heal his legs, he watched me die, hoping to resurrect Fiona. Before I died, I overheard the servants of the Mitchell Family talking.

It turned out Fiona didn’t fall off the cliff because of the Snow Lotus. She was discovered by the wife of her wealthy patron when she tried to marry into the Mitchell Family and was thrown off the cliff. This time, I won’t get involved in their entanglements. I wish them a long and happy life together. “Mr. Mitchell, these legs, I can’t help.” Ethan came out and heard my words, his deep voice filled with anger. “Mom, Fiona has already flown to the Rocky Mountains. Once she brings back the Himalayan Snow Lotus, my legs will definitely be healed.” “My affairs don’t concern others.” Mrs. Mitchell sighed deeply. “The Himalayan Snow Lotus only helps your legs recover. To stand again, it’s far from enough. The Smith Family is your last hope…” Ethan remained stubborn. “I said, Fiona can heal me.” I gave Ethan a long look and bid farewell to Mrs. Mitchell as I left. Just as I walked out of the Mitchell Family’s gate, a black business car stopped in front of me. A woman got out and knelt before me. “Miss Smith, please save my son…”   It turned out that a year ago, the accident injured not only Ethan Mitchell but also his arch-enemy, Nolan Johnson of the Johnson Family. After that car accident, Nolan became a vegetative state. Having endured a painful past life, I wouldn’t casually use my blood to save people again, so I refused Mrs. Johnson’s request. Mrs. Johnson didn’t press further and left in tears. A week later, I received an invitation to a Mitchell Family banquet. Fiona had returned with the Himalayan Snow Lotus. Mrs. Mitchell feared there might be issues with Fiona’s medicine and asked me to attend and check it. At the banquet, Fiona stayed close to Ethan. Mrs. Mitchell held my hand, her face full of worry. “I’m not afraid that Fiona’s medicine won’t work. I’m just worried that Ethan will be disappointed again and won’t be able to handle the blow.” “We’ve tried everything in the past year. I’ve watched the hope in Ethan’s eyes fade away bit by bit. As a mother, I really have no choice…” Before I could offer comfort, Fiona pushed Ethan over. “Aunt, don’t worry. I can definitely help Ethan stand up. I almost died in the Rocky Mountains for this Himalayan Snow Lotus.” Ethan held Fiona’s hand, looking deeply moved. “Fiona, when I stand up, I’ll throw you a grand wedding.” “Ethan, I believe in you.” Fiona turned to look at me, her smile ambiguous.

“I’m not like those fraudulent doctors. I’m confident I can heal Ethan’s legs.” As soon as she finished speaking, the faces of the renowned doctors who had treated Ethan’s legs turned sour. “Miss Johnson, you speak boldly. Are you sure you can heal Mr. Mitchell’s legs?” “You’re not even a medical professional, yet you dare to question our expertise?” “Even Miss Smith from the medical family Smith Family said Mr. Mitchell’s legs couldn’t be healed. I don’t believe a young girl like you has that ability!” Although Ethan felt Fiona spoke rashly, he still defended her. “I believe Fiona can heal me!” I couldn’t help but laugh. Fiona thought I was mocking her. She gritted her teeth in anger but forced a smile. “Miss Smith, I heard you’re the most outstanding doctor of your generation in the Smith Family. But you refused the Mitchell Family and then the Johnson Family. It’s hard not to suspect you can’t actually treat illnesses.” I smiled slightly. “Then I’m very much looking forward to the day Miss Johnson makes Mr. Mitchell stand.” Seeing me laugh instead of getting angry, Fiona bit her lip. “Are you upset I stole your thunder? I know Aunt favors you and wants you to marry Ethan. But now, only I can heal Ethan’s legs.” Sitting in the wheelchair, Ethan sneered. “Lydia Smith, even if you could heal me, I wouldn’t agree to marry you. Moreover, you’re just a fraud. When my mom introduced you, I thought you were someone impressive, but it seems you’re just so-so.” “Let me tell you, the only person I love is Fiona, and I will marry no one but her.” “No matter how many times you appear before me, I won’t spare you a glance.” Watching them act in sync, I just felt annoyed. “Mrs. Mitchell invited me to check Miss Johnson’s medicine. Since Mr. Mitchell trusts Miss Johnson so much, I won’t meddle.” After saying this, I wanted to leave, but Fiona blocked my way. “Lydia Smith, what do you mean by that?” I frowned. “Exactly what I said. If you don’t understand, look it up in a dictionary!” Fiona snorted coldly. “Lydia Smith, do you dare to bet with me? Bet on who can heal Ethan’s legs. The loser must kneel and admit defeat and never set foot in New York City again!” I paused, turned to her. “I’ll bet with you, but I won’t treat Ethan Mitchell. I’ll treat Nolan Johnson!”

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